Free After the Evil – A Jake Roberts Novel (Book 1) by Cary Allen Stone Page A

eternity.
    Mika had suppressed those thoughts over the past
years and chose to concentrate on her career. Seeing Jake brought
the memories back. She wasn’t sure whether to act on them, or place
them on the back shelf of her mind where they resided for years.
There was a job to do. She couldn’t let her emotions blind her now.
A serial killer was roaming, searching, hunting for more victims.
With all of the Bureau’s resources behind her, she still hadn’t
apprehended him. The steam floated and formed a cumulous cloud in
the bathroom as Mika stepped out of the shower. All she saw in the
fogged mirror was a faint apparition.
    I still love him.
    Reaching for a towel, she patted off the droplets.
The case was taking an obvious toll on her. The aches and pains
were brutal, and relentless. The mental strain threatened to crush
her. Her phone rang. Mika moved toward the nightstand, covered by a
large bath towel. Midway through the third ring, she answered
it.
    “Scott.”
    “Mika, the medical examiner’s report just came
in.”
    “Anything helpful?”
    “Just the usual disgusting medical verbiage with no
major revelations. I can have a copy over run to you if you like.
Sorry to bother you this late, I just thought you’d like to
know.”
    “Not a problem, Ed. I would like to see it though. I
can be there in—”
    “Don’t be ridiculous, it’s on its way, and don’t
stay up all night studying the case. You need to get some sleep.
You never know when the bad guy is going to climb up out of the
coffin and strike again.”
    “Thanks, dad.”
    She heard him laughing on the other end.
    “I mean that in a good way Ed, you’ve always been...
You’ve always looked after me, and I want you to know that means a
lot. I’ve been so preoccupied, I haven’t said ‘thank you’ like I
should.”
    “Good night, Mika.”
    The call disconnected. She held it for a moment.
Jake Roberts and her love life would have to wait.
    * * *
    Only five minutes counted down toward the end of the
day, when she placed the key in the lock. She bent down to retrieve
the last two days of newspapers then stepped into the foyer. She
dragged her wheeled travel bag behind. Lori was traveled out. It
had been a draining flight because of difficult passengers, an
unfriendly crew, and the tiresome jet lag. She needed sleep. She
wanted to be rested before her early morning appointment with her
Emily. There was a lot to talk about.
    The fire engine wailer from her alarm clock forced
Lori’s eyes to snap open. It wasn’t an easy transition back from
her fatigue-induced sleep. She sat up in bed drowsy, but it was as
far as she got on the first try. She lay down again, convinced she
was no more ready for the world, than the world was ready for her.
It was an hour and thirty-eight minutes later, when she finally
awoke for good. She shuffled off to the bathroom for a brief visit
then went into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. While waiting
for the coffee, she retrieved the latest newspaper left at her
doorstep to see what else happened in the world while she was away.
As she paged through it, the headline on page three caught her
eye.

    No Suspects in Murder of Local Psychiatrist
    FBI Agent Mika Scott was quoted late last night as
saying that no further information is available regarding the
Abrams murder case at this time.

    They were clueless, as always, and she was still
rocking. If they found out anything, it would have to be by
accident, and Lori didn’t allow accidents. She was far too careful,
organized, and intelligent. The caffeine brought her back to life,
and the whole grain wheat toast helped to absorb the acidic feeling
in her stomach. She revisited the bathroom to apply makeup, and
brush her hair. She bolted into the walk-in closet where her
flowered sundress hung. It was Emily’s favorite, and the one she
would wear for the visit.
    Have to get a move on, my baby’s waiting.
    Just as Lori reached for the front door handle, a
knock startled