On Emma's Bluff by Sara Elizabeth Rice, edited by davebccanada (audio ebook reader txt) 📕

seat where Emma was supposed to be sitting. It was empty.

It was 8:20 before Emma noisily entered the classroom.   She carried a note to the irritate teacher and then took her seat. Cindy was unable to catch her eye. It was only after the next bell rang that Cindy was able to corner Emma.

"What happened?" Cindy demanded.

"Bill was late coming to get me," Emma whispered, “and then he insisted he stop and talk a bit before we got here."

Cindy's faced contorted. "What is with that guy?"

"I think he is just nervous about Joy."

"Honey, you ought to be the one who is nervous about Joy."

It was in the class that they both shared with Bill and Joy that things began to heat up. Cindy found herself hoping that Bill would really wimp out so that Emma could see his true colors. That should be worth about a hundred ‘I told you so’. Joy was already sitting at her desk when Cindy and Emma entered the classroom followed closely by Bill. Joy's eyes shot immediately to Bill, and a worried little smile crossed her lips. Bill who had been whispering to Emma broke away and took his seat across from Joy. Cindy studied her girl friend's face for a reaction, but Emma appeared composed and unaffected.

"Cool as a cucumber," Emma turned and said to Cindy, sensing her concern. Cindy had to chuckle at this. In the meantime they missed whatever words had passed between Bill and Joy. The tightly pressed mouth and drop-dead expression that Joy sported did not indicate that the girl was pleased.

At lunch Cindy was a bit surprised to find Emma waiting for her by the jeep. "What? No Bill?"

"Joy's real upset," Emma said in a knowing manner. "Bill and I are trying to make it easier on her. I told him it would nice if he went on and took her to lunch so that they could talk."

Cindy wanted to throw up at this. "Boy has he got you snowed Emma Lewis."

Right after school Cindy found Bill leaning against her jeep. "Waiting for Emma, " was all he told her.

"How was your lunch?" Cindy wanted to let him know she was not fooled by his act.

"It was a blast," he retorted. "Ah, here's my girl," his tone changed as Emma approached. Cindy took a quick look around for Joy: no Joy. "What a surprise," Cindy thought.   Bill reached to take Emma's books and kiss her brow.

"Hi," Emma said. Cindy thought she looked like some sick sheep.

"Are you going to let me take you home this time or am I going to lose the toss to Basset again?" he asked quickly.

          "You know I promised I would ride home with Cindy." Emma teased. "God, tell me she's not actually fluttering her eye lashes," Cindy thought.

"Well, guess that is just my tough luck," Bill gave in.

Cindy thought she saw pure relief in his eyes.

Harvey Johnson tugged at pant's leg as he propped his feet upon a wooden chair. He sat on top of the desk listening to Red's story. Only twice did he interrupt, once to ask permission to smoke and the other to ask if the May woman had been sexually molested.

Red skirted parts of the story not wanting to raise old Harv's brows in disbelief or worse. Harvey's flat gaze made Red a bit uncomfortable. He found himself tugging at his collar and squirming in the afternoon heat.

Harvey Johnson was roughly the equivalent of a tri-county marshal.   He served Yazoo, Sunflower and Le Fleur counties. Harvey had a great deal of friends in the governor’s office and actually carried a good bit of clout throughout the state. He was a man Red respected. He was also a man Red feared. The sheriff skillfully laid out his own evaluation of the case. He referred quite a few times to Lacey Caine, but he avoided any mention of the old man. He figured a man would have to see it with his own eyes to believe the part about Wallace Caine.   He concentrated on his theory that Lacey had the past history of violence and the opportunity to have committed the murders.

After Red finished Harvey walked slowly over to a filing cabinet idly pulled out a drawer and then closed it. "Seems simple enough to me," Harvey began," You just need to keep a close watch on this boy." Harvey cocked his eyebrows. "Is that all that you needed to see me about?"

"Well I didn't want to jump the gun, " the sheriff admitted, " But I have been following him pretty closely. I was wondering if it would be too much trouble maybe to get a search warrant for his place?"

"Perhaps," Harvey drew out the word studying Red closely. "What you got in mind to look for. Judge won't issue no warrant without knowing what you are looking for."

Red knew he could hardly say Wallace Caine. "Weapons, any clothing or possession of the victims," Red thought this sounded reasonable enough.

Harvey took his time answering. He just stood there and mulled it over as he studied the toe of his boot. He never had really liked or trusted Red.   The sheriff seemed like a prime ass kisser to him. "I'll see what I can do," he finally said. "But you make sure you know what you are going to find first. A lawman looks mighty foolish with egg all over his face." Red caught the look in the other man's eyes. He thought he understood just what the Marshall was saying, or rather not saying.

"Yes sir, I suspect I can manage that."   Red attempted a plotting tone. Harvey just spit on the toe of his boot.

 

_____________________________________________

 

Bill paused over the limp form of Joy Hutchinson and prepared to ram her again. They had been having sex on her bed since getting home from school. Her parents were gone for a long weekend to Jackson. Joy's older brother was suppose to be staying home and keeping an eye on her, but he had started his own heavy duty partying as soon as his folks left. The low afternoon sun heated the room and Bill's hair hung damp and clingy to his face and neck.

He had been grinding away at her for about twenty minutes. Joy had lost all energy beneath him and now just lay there holding her legs up at the knees while he pounded into her. Bill was having a tough time concentrating. His cock felt hard and worn but ejaculation eluded him.

"Come on," he muttered under his breath as he raised himself off her with both arms.   She stared up at him stupidly. That did it. He was back to square one, damn her. "Will you just close your eyes," he told her none too kindly.   He rested on his chin against the ribbed bedspread and continued his rhythm.

"Okay, talk to yourself, Bill ole boy," he was thinking, "like here you are fucking Joy on her own bed in broad daylight." This thought amused him. "Imagine it is Emma and she's hot, excited!" He was beginning to feel ready again. He raised himself up so that their sweaty bellies slapped against each other. He wanted it to hurt her some. She lay beneath him, her eyes squinted shut, her teeth clenched. He ducked his head to take one of her pale nipples into his mouth. He bit down hard. The inside of his mouth felt cold and filmy.

"That's a good girl," he cooed, "Oh baby yeah, yeah." He was rolling around in her in a gyrating motion. "Feels so good," he said with a giddy laugh. "Oh yes!" He tightened his ass and bore into her deep. "Yes, yes, yes," he laughed as he came deep in her.

 

 

Chapter 13

It was a Friday night, Lacey Caine once again sat in his own living room drinking the night away. Unlike Red Humphries, Lacy had not seen his father earlier in the week. No dark figure had ever appeared at his door.

Lacey saw the headlights turn into his driveway. The twin beams flashed through the thin curtains. Lacey did not stir. He sat with his chin tucked in, slack faced and gazing toward his front door. He did not think to get up and open the door when he heard the knock.

"It's open," he bellowed.

The door inched tentatively open. Sheriff Humphries peaked through the crack at Lacey. "May I come in?" he asked.

"Go ahead." Lacey looked as if he had swallowed something foul and was trying to keep it down.

“How you doing, Lacey?" The sheriff stood with his legs spread and his hands in his pockets.

"I am doing mighty nice, Red, and yourself?" Lacey slurred enthusiastically.

"Not too good, Lacey." Red cleared his throat. "That's why I came to visit ya."

"You don't say." Lacey looked pleased.

"You actually have me in sort of an embarrassing situation here. I came to ask you a favor... and well I hate to bring this up, but you don't look so hot, boy." Red was beginning to have doubts about talking to Lacey while the boy was so drunk. He probably wouldn't remember a word of what Red said, might not even remember that Red had been there.

"Ah I know how it looks." Lacey finally rose from the couch. He hitched up his pants by his empty belt loops. "I just had a few beers here to relax myself." He turned to brace his hands on the back of a chair, supporting himself. "You know how it is." A broad grin broke across his face.

"Well see here Lacey, what I got to discuss with you is serious business. Are you sure this is a good time and all?" Red studied the smaller man carefully.

"Shoot." Lacey urged.

"It's like this. I realize that it was you and Sam Prather that discovered and brought in the body of Lucille May."

"Gruesome sight," Lacey broke in, "enough to make a grown man loose it."

"Then you know what I mean when I tell you that there is one bad crazy man loose out there. An well," Red paused trying to discern if Lacey was following what he was saying. "Well, …er, I'm going to need some help if I am ever gonna be able to catch this butcher."

"Sure, that makes sense." Lacey seemed to comprehend.

"Let me just say what I got to say. Can you meet me down at the jail house in the morning?"

"Ah, I don't see why not." Lacey was hesitant in his answer.

"Well it's like this. What with the big carnival going on tomorrow night there are going to be a whole lot of people in the bluff, and bunch of them in costumes. It just seems fit that I have more than just myself looking out for trouble. And the last I need to have happen is another murder. Are you getting what I am saying?"

"Why yes sir, Sheriff." Lacey seemed genuinely pleased now.

"Now you can't tell anyone you are doing this. You are going to be what we call undercover." Lacey let out a short chuckle. "So I can count on ya?"

"I'm your man, sheriff," Lacey agreed.

The Saturday afternoon before the carnival was a frenzy of activity. Trucks, mini-vans, station wagons, the vehicles of families, littered the school parking lot all packed with decorations