He’s right, it does.I also note the fresh water drops in the sink and the floor in front of the walk-in shower appears wet as well.
An icky feeling hits my stomach when I notice a silky robe hanging from a hook on the wall, and I almost want to turn back.But the investigator in me disagrees.
In for a dime, in for a dollar, so I move to the next door.
Clem
I don’t thinkI’ll ever get that mental image scrubbed from my brain.
Red leather, black satin, cuffs and whips, dripping candles, and musty smells.
But what looms larger in my mind is something apparently called a penis cage, which looked more like a medieval torture device.That information was provided by Tessa, who apparently encountered such a device in one of her investigations when she was still working for the state police.I didn’t ask for the context; I don’t think I want to know.For the life of me, I can’t imagine why any man would willingly subject himself to that.
Some of the stuff we encountered when we walked into that second door was too far out there for me to even try to process.All I can say is, when I walked out a few moments later, I felt in dire need of a shower.Or maybe a bleach bath.
Tessa and I barely talked as we left the place how we found it and locked up.She drove me back down to my truck, promised to come by after work, and we each went our own way.
I’m far from a prude, and I firmly believe to each their own, but even now, as I’m back to finishing those new brakes I’d been installing when I got called out, I can’t shed the image of our portly mayor, strapped down to that bench or that bed or that large wooden cross with his junk trapped in that little cage.It gives me the damn shivers.
“Boss, phone!”
Dammit, my mind is drifting again.
“What now?”I call out to Manuel.
“Something about a transmission for that Chevy pickup?”
I’d put in a call about the transmission earlier in the week.It was clear when we pulled the engine from Remi’s pickup at least that would need to be replaced, so I took the liberty to call the yard in Lutton to see if they had anything for me, and they said they’d have a look.
“Yeah, give me a minute.”
Unfortunately, the call does not have the desired result—they can’t help me.I’d hoped to have that for Remi for when things go back to normal, as a belated birthday present or something.I can’t help but feel bad for the kid with everything that’s happened.His poor choices are having far greater consequences than he could’ve possibly foreseen.
Maybe I’ll make a few more calls for that transmission tomorrow.
The constant flow of work thankfully keeps me busy for the next little while, until I catch sight of Tessa’s Jeep heading this way.
I quickly wash my hands at the sink against the wall and hurry to meet her by the door.
“It’s getting cold,” she says, rubbing her hands over her arms.
I solve it by wrapping her up in mine, dropping a kiss to her lips.
“Snow again tonight,” I relay what I heard on the radio earlier.
She snuggles in under my chin and tucks her hands between our bodies.
“I know.”
“I’m off, Boss,” Manuel announces from behind me.“Want me to lock the back door?”
I turn my head, but Tessa is already slipping from my arms.
“If you wouldn’t mind,” I let him know.“And I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Bye, Manuel,” Tessa pipes up, as he heads to the back.
I grab her hand and pull her toward the stairs.
