Chapter 2
1090 Words
Chapter 2
From Rose O’Hearn’s house, Sean could see the ocean. It was a nice home on a cul-de-sac. Simple and sweet. Rose bushes lined the outside, at the front, under each of the windows that looked out onto the quiet street and the ocean view.
It was the kind of house Sean would like to own himself one day. Instead of living in his apartment, which he didn’t own.
The cul-de-sac was a little elevated above another street below it. Not exactly on a hillside, but not on flat land either. This particular neighborhood remained pretty safe. Unlike some of those closer to the bay and the docks that had turned bad. All cities had areas most people knew to stay away from, and Haydon Cliff was no different.
This was not at all the place where someone should have been murdered. He was aware no one should be murdered, but he was a detective and lived in the real world. Murders happened.
Even to little old ladies.
And maybe this murder had nothing to do with the one of Maria Castro, who lived closer to those docks. Maybe Sean would be crowned king tomorrow, too.
Two murders, of course, did not mean they had a serial killer on the loose. His captain would remind him of that. Even if they were related, it didn’t mean a serial killer.
Sean turned as the door opened and Kathy O’Hearn came out of the house, followed by a policewoman.
“I’m going to give Ms. O’Hearn a lift home,” the officer told Sean.
He nodded. “Thank you. I’m…sorry for your loss.”
Sean never really knew what to say to the family. Really, what was there you could say? Kathy O’Hearn had nothing to say back, either, and Sean couldn’t blame her. She looked weary and sad, maybe even despondent.
He watched until the police car had driven way from the curb and away from the horror of murder.
A moment later, the door opened again and Andy came out. “They’ll finish processing the scene and let us know the findings back at the station.”
The coroner had already come for Rose.
“What’s she going to do with this place, do you know?”
Andy gave him one of his patented “you’re so weird, Sean” looks and shrugged. “I doubt she’s even thinking about that now. And that’s even supposing the place goes to her.”
“Who else? I thought Kathy was her only living relative.”
“Maybe she is, but people leave stuff to their pets these days. Or anywhere really.” Andy made a tsking sound. “You’re way ahead of yourself anyway.”
“I know.” They walked to their individual cars parallel parked on the street. Sean glanced at the neighbor’s house in time to see the curtain drop back into place. “It’s a nice area.”
“Murders happen in mansions, Seany.”
He hated that nickname Andy had developed for him. Well, he had a love-hate thing going on with it. He loved that Andy had a special name for him, but he just wished he liked it.
“Going to the station?” he asked.
“Yeah. Might as well. Get working on this.”
Sean nodded. “Me, too. Now that it’s morning, I think I’ll stop for donuts on the way. You want any special kind?”
“Nah, I’ll eat anything. Get some decent coffee, too, will you? It’ll be nice not to have to drink Crane’s swill.”
Sean smiled a little. “You got it. See you soon.”
* * * *
Sean’s go-to donut shop was on Main Street. He figured pretty much every town had a Main Street, and the Cliff was no exception. Not that Sean ate donuts every day or even all that frequently. He liked to keep himself in pretty good shape, and eating donuts was not the way to health maintenance. But a splurge now and again didn’t hurt anyone. Plus it amused him to give into the donut cliché with relation to police departments.
He parked his car in front of Dusty’s Donuts. There hadn’t been a Dusty in decades, but the various owners of the shop since those days had never bothered to change the name. Signage was expensive and, besides, when Dusty had been around and running it, the place was popular. Why fix what isn’t broken?
As soon as he stepped into the shop that early morning before the sun had even fully risen, he was greeted by the current owner and proprietor, Lexy Wanderer. A fake name, no doubt about it, but Sean had done a background check and found no criminal reason for it.
“Detective Callahan, welcome,” Lexy called upon seeing him.
“Sean,” he reminded. “Not too busy yet this morning. Even got a space out front.”
Lexy sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose under his glasses. Horn-rimmed. An odd choice for a young man, Sean thought, for he knew Lexy was twenty-six. He’d acquired the collateral to buy Dusty’s through an inheritance.
“Business is down, you know, because of the chain opening up on Fifth.”
“But the donuts here are so much better.”
Lexy smiled faintly. “Thanks. But you know, it’s the newness factor, too, I guess. What’ll it be, Sean?”
“A couple dozen mixed. Some raised, some cake. Make sure you get some of the custard-filled. That’s Andy’s favorite.” Sure, Andy had said he would eat anything, but Sean also knew the custard-filled with the chocolate glaze were his favorite.
“Sure thing.” Lexy picked up a large pink box and began to fill it with assorted donuts. He didn’t look at Sean. “So, um, how’s Captain Rivers?”
“Rivers?”
Lexy shrugged. “He was coming in here from time to time for a donut and tea. Been a while, so I just wondered.”
The kid didn’t stand a chance with a guy like Rivers. Sean was pretty sure their captain was interested only in leggy blondes, but he didn’t want to kill Lexy’s crush—if that’s what it was—and judging by the man’s pinked cheeks, Sean wasn’t far off the mark.
“He’s fine. Probably just the new health kick everyone seems to be on. He’s probably bypassing the donut shop for the gym.”
Lexy nodded, but he hardly looked convinced. He taped the first pink box, then reached for another to fill.
“One of your big coffee containers, too, with some cups.”
When Lexy had everything ready, he rang it up. “Forgot to ask. Is it true there’s been another murder?”
Sean scowled. “Where’d you hear that?”
“Guy came in before you. Said he saw a bunch of cops up on Larsen. You get cops up that way, it’s usually something pretty big.” Lexy pushed at his glasses again. “I thought that guy that killed the homeless people was unusual.”
“He was. Don’t worry about it, Lexy. No one said we had another serial killer. Don’t be spreading rumors.” Sean tried to make himself sound stern.
The kid didn’t seem that convinced, but he nodded. “All right. Thanks for coming by, Detective.”
Sean left the donut shop, and with a cop’s suspicions, looked out over the area. Nothing seemed out of order or anything. Which just made him that much more suspicious.
He sure hoped that the murders of the older women was a terrible coincidence. Too bad Sean didn’t believe in such things.
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