Dark Knight of the Skye by Robin Renee Ray

her in the first place, Mrs. Martin might still be alive. “I guess I wasn’t just being paranoid after all,” D`nae sarcastically commented.
    He cleared his throat and shifted his waistband, then took out a small notepad and pen. “I need to ask you a few questions, Miss Creel,” Officer Hernandez nervously said.
    “We could have skipped this whole thing, if you and your partner hadn’t been such assholes the first time you came out,” she angrily replied.
    “D`nae there’s no need to take this out on the officer, he’s only doing his job,” Grady added trying to calm her down.
    “His job! His fucking job, Grady? This is the son of a bitch that more or less laughed in my face when I told him someone had been in my apartment in the first place,” she profoundly exclaimed getting down from the truck. “Let me give you some good advice, Grady. Don’t you ever treat me like I don’t know how to handle my own feelings or you can get back on that plane just as fast as you walked off.”
    “She’s right. We were way out of line. I’ll be the first to apologize for our actions, and Miss Creel, I swear to you that I will not stop until we find out who did this,” Hernandez promised.
    “I appreciate that, and I’m sorry I jumped like that. This is way over the limit of a massive strain on my nerves… what do ya need to know?” she asked a bit calmer.
    “Other than the murder, the first floor was pretty much untouched, but your apartment was completely ransacked. The door wasn’t merely kicked in; it looks like it was shattered by the force of a small tornado. I know I asked this before, but can you think of anyone that would want to harm you or the victim?” Hernandez asked.
    “No, I swear I can’t think of anyone. She’s the… was the sweetest person that I’ve ever met and I can’t imagine even knowing someone that could do such a thing.”
    “I’m not going to ask you to come down to the station tonight, but I do want you there first thing in the morning. As soon as the victim has been removed and the forensic experts are finished, you can go in and get whatever you may need for the next week or so,” Hernandez explained.
    “Thank you, Officer,” she replied looking up at the house. She climbed back in the truck to wait.
    Grady walked back up to the house with Hernandez and the two disappeared inside. Around thirty minutes later, Grady came out with a small bag that she recognized to be the one from her closet shelf. He went around and got in the driver’s side and asked for the keys. She didn’t say anything, just handed them over. Her nerves were teetering on the fragile point of breaking down and driving was the last thing that she wanted to do right now.
    He pulled into the first place that he found. “Lock the doors as soon as I get out, this won’t take long.” He was out of the truck before she had a chance to respond. When he came back, he hopped in and drove around to the rooms that faced the back of the motel. He got out and walked around to her side, opening her door. He reached into the back, gathering both of their bags and headed to the room, with her at his heels.
    When she noticed that he only had one key, she asked, “You only got one room?”
    “I’m not about to leave you alone,” he replied. “You don’t have anything to worry about, D`nae, the room has two beds. Besides, do you really want to stay in a strange place all alone tonight?”
    “No, but I’m not too sure I want to share one with you, either.”
    “I know I can be a pain when it comes to how I feel about you, but you can consider me on the clock. Being with you is the last thing on my mind right now.” he said, giving her a salute.
    “Good, let’s make sure it stays that way. Now, what did you get out of my apartment? The only thing I want to do right now is get into a hot bath.”
    Just the thought brought a smile to Grady’s face that in turn added a rosy blush to D`nae’s. “This is going