Free Murder and Mayhem by B L Hamilton

she wound her legs around him and pulled
him inside, her thighs cradling his hips.
    His breath was warm on her face, his eyes dark with
desire, his thrusts were measured and deep. Nicola clung to him, matching his
rhythm with her own. Suddenly their breathing quickened. Danny’s body tensed.
He let out a roar as Nicola moaned and shuddered beneath him. He throbbed
inside her–and then his body quieted. He reached out and gathered her into his
arms and she laid with her body curled into his.
     
    * * *
     
    Later that night lying in the bed, he listened to the
undisturbed sound of her breathing and thought of long summer nights when the
soft riffle of wind in the trees came in through the open window and brought
with it the sound of waves breaking up along the shore; and a woman with
wheat-colored hair and sapphire-blue eyes, and a smile that would light up his
world, lying next to him.
    Danny brushed a tear from his eye. He knew it wouldn’t
be easy–but he didn’t think it would be this hard.
     
    *****
     
    Rosie sighed. “God, I can only dream of passion like
that.”
    “Me too,” I said as I shut down
the laptop and slid off the bed. “Do you need anything before I go, Hon?”
    “How about Danny to visit my dreams?”
    “Mine too. But I guess I’ll just have to settle for
the over-the-hill-Harley Hoon in the next room.” I kissed the top of her head
and turned off the light.

 
     
     
     
     
    TEN
     
     
     
    The afternoon sun filtered
through the redwoods as a warm breeze ruffled the leaves on the bay laurels and
maple trees. My sister was lying on the
white wicker chaise lounge in the garden enjoying a brief respite from her
treatment while I worked on my story–her eyes closed; her face cantered towards
the sun. Ross and Drew had gone to a Blue Grass Festival in the city and Cody
was spending the weekend with his brother in Santa Cruz enjoying the college
experience.
    “Bubbie?”
    I continued tapping the keys my
mind on the screen. “Yes, Hon?”
    “Read me what you’re writing.”
    I looked up and smiled. “Would you like something
before I start–a mug of Milo or a cup of tea? What about something to eat? Ross
said he left fresh fruit salad in the fridge; and the cookies he’d left cooling
on the rack should be ready by now.”
    “No. I don’t feel like anything. I just want to hear
the sound of your voice so I know you’re still here when I close my eyes.
    “Of course I’m still here, where else would I be?”
    She gave me a wan, tired smile. “I don’t know. I just
like to have that comforting reassurance.”
    “You’re a funny little thing,
sometimes,” I said as I felt the tears gather in the back of my throat. “Okay
then, here we go, but I’m not sure if this part is appropriate.”
    Rosie picked up a twig and threw it at me. “Don’t wrap
me in cottonwool!”
     
    *****
     
    “She lay in a nest of autumn leaves. Her hair,
shimmering in the dappled moonlight, was spread like a fan around her. Her
green eyes looked skywards, unseeing, while curious black birds collected on
the branches of an oak tree nearby.
    As she lay amongst the brown and gold leaves, a dark
stain pooled around her and soaked into the earth, turning everything deep
vermillion as blood oozed from the gaping hole in her head.
    High overhead the birds looked down in silence; and
the leaves stirred and whispered as a soft breeze riffled through them.”
     
     
    I heard a sharp intake of breath. “You’ve killed her!”
she accused, like the prosecutor in an old B grade movie. 
    Unlike many criminals, I owned up to the deed. “I
have.”
    “But I liked her. I didn’t want her to die. What’s
Danny going to do now?”
    “You’ll just have to wait and see.”
    She harrumphed loudly and pursed her lips in a tight
curlicue. Paused, and then said, “All right. Now that she’s dead what are you
going to do with the body?”
    “I haven’t decided yet.”
    “You haven’t decided! Bubbie you’re going