Bound to Forever - Book ll

Ghost

Simon's Point of View: 

Deputy Dixon wasn't hard to convince about a mock lunch date. She looked pleased and fed full of her own arrogance to think that she actually got through to me. Little did she know, I had her right where I wanted her. 

"You've barely touched your food, handsome." 

"Not very hungry," I shook my head. "You don't seem that upset about Stevenson." 

She scoffed, "Now, what kind of thing is that to say to a lady you asked to lunch? I've known him since the academy. Crying about it isn't going to do me much good. You should know that." 

"Do you think he could've made an enemy of someone he put in jail, too? Just like Langston thinks Ramirez did?" 

"Sounds like you don't." 

"Langston's theory is rubbish." 

"Well, if you don't think Langston is right, who do you think's cutting down all of these people?" She hummed, leaning her elbows on the table as she looked me in the eyes. "And why are you telling me about it when you made it clear from the first day that you weren't interested in talking to me." 

"Second question first. I think you're the only one in Belfry that I can trust."

"You've got that right. What makes you think that? Aside from my good looks?" 

Bloody self-centered slag. You're not much to look at, but I don't think you'd want to hear that right now. So, for the time being, I'll keep making you think that I'm on your side since you're so caught up in thinking that I'm interested in you, when in reality, I'm manipulating you into a trap. 

"Well, Ramirez, Ritchensen, and Stevenson were all killed in dramatic ways, and someone was trying to send a message: this is what happens when you screw up. They went after Finley, too. But you know who they didn't go after? You. Which means you're not involved."

"Maybe you are. All of this started going downhill when you showed up." She arched her brow. 

"That takes us to your first question, who's cutting all of these people down? I was in Washington when Ritchensen was murdered, in Idaho when the Stevensons were killed, and with my family in Wyoming when Johnson was killed. My alibi is airtight, and you can check for yourself." 

"I already did," She winked. "I keep eyes on ones that... interest me. I also keep eyes on outsiders." 

Of course, you fucking did. 

"You did, yeah?" 

"Mmhm." 

"Well, we both know that I'm not the only outsider in Belfry..."

"Huh, talking about your buddy, Finley?" 

"He's not my buddy," I lied. "I'm just using him to find who killed my mother-in-law. But I started thinking, this whole operation is about dirty cops, and you're clean, and Langston didn't become the new police chief until after the killing started. Finley is the only one left. He was in Belfry when all of the murders happened. Seems like every time I leave town and the bloke's alone, someone else dies." 

I got her thinking now, and she was believing every word I said and making a theory of her own. 

"Come on, Dixon. The minute I walked into the station for the first time, I could feel the hate between you two. There's something off about Finley, and I know I'm not the only one who thinks that." 

"Ain't that the truth." 

"Finley's behind all of this, and I'm going to prove it. Think about it. He finds Hockley's phone number on my mother-in-law's person, then Hockley suddenly panics and confesses to the murder? Sounds like rubbish to me. There's got to be a reason Finley wanted Hockley to go down for killing my mother-in-law," I leant forward before I whispered, "I'm breaking into Hockley's house tonight, turning the place upside down until I find something that links them together."