To Kill a Ghost

Linox sat in the small courtroom shivering as he held his hands together stiffly. It wasn’t cold, nor was the air conditioning on, but that didn’t stop the tremors moving up and down his body. His blood felt like a glacier creeping in his veins. Anyone looking at him might think he was next in line to go before the judge, but it wasn’t him being judged today. Only a hand full of people was expected to be in this same room at 2:15 PM. Judge Ellis, one defense lawyer hired by the state, two persecutors, and Malcom Barnes were supposed to begin proceedings at the strike of two. The defense attorney was late, and Linox had to deal with the man in the orange jumpsuit glancing back at him every few minutes.

In the last session, Malcom sat on the bench after he was sworn in and explained he changed. He stopped drinking and found religion while being caged for six months. A year had passed them by, and Linox could still see the hatred in the man’s eyes even though the lawyers bought his bullshit. It was always the same old lines. “I never hurt my wife,” and “I love my family.”

Linox forced himself to look around the room in a desperate attempt to forget about the man sitting eight rows in front of him. He only sat on this side of the room because the bailiff instructed him too, but he didn’t have to sit close to the monster that haunted his memories. His father’s darting glances disappeared when Linox’s eyes landed on a man with dark scruff and sandy hair. The man’s eyes lingered too long on him, and Linox didn’t like it. It got worse as recognition dawned on him. Nausea overcame his senses.

Linox tried to go over in his head how this man could have found him here. He didn’t have his cellphone, he didn’t drive, and he was pretty sure there were no trackers in his clothing. So how in the world did Sarah Wilson’s stalker get into the courtroom where his father was being tried for parole?

He couldn’t breathe for a moment. Had he been that careless, not to check for someone following him? No, he got off three different bus stops to get here. The phone Kirkland gave him earlier was more sophisticated than he was used to, but he made sure to turn off the location tracker before texting his Boss.



“This has been fun,” Dedra said with a slow grin as she crawled out of Sam’s bed, “but I have places to be.”

“Why did you show up again?” Sam questioned. Two hours passed since the first time he’d asked.

“What did we just do?” she counted, as she pulled her pants over her hips.

“You didn’t answer my question. At least I know now it wasn’t really for my sexy physique.” He moved quickly and snatched her shirt up before she could get to it.

Dedra put her hand on her hip and wiggled her fingers. He leaned away from her with a grin as he shook his head. “Come on!” She groaned.

“You have two choices,” Sam started in a slow tone that made her raise an eyebrow at him. “Either get back in this bed or tell me why you came?”

Dedra opened her mouth to make her usual smart ass quip, but something changed her mind. She leaned over the bed toward him reaching for her shirt. “I know who Eli is working for. He doesn’t matter to me, but his boss does.”

Sam furrowed his brow, and confusion distracted him long enough for Dedra to win the battle over her top. She shook her head as she slipped on the garment and pulled her hair back in its twist tie. “Tell Eli, although I have a feeling he can hear me, to stay out of my way.” She leaned over the bed once more. “I don’t want to hurt your friend.”

“Who said he was my friend?” Sam whispered. He leaned forward to taste her lips again, but she pushed back.

“You did. Remember when you gave me his photo?” Dedra stood straight now, making sure her clothes were straight.

“I said he saved my life. Eli Jones was a lone wolf. He had no friends.” Sam moved across the room. “You’re not asking me the right questions.”

“What am I supposed to be asking?” Her eyes locked onto him, and she could almost sense the mischief radiating from him. His playfulness wasn’t because of their escapade though. “What aren’t you telling me, Sammy Boy?”

“Why did you come here?” He asked. His brows wiggled at her. She was tired of his games.

Dedra shoved him against the dresser so hard that he fell back, nearly nocking the mirror off the wall. She put her red and silver pistol to his temple. “I’ve had my fun, Jennings. You might want to stop playing with me, and spit out what you want to say.”

His body shook for a moment beneath her gun, but he regained control quickly. Only his hands twitched as he smiled at her. “You came here because of my sign didn’t you?”

“What if I did?” She retorted, pressing the gun harder into his head.

“He did too.” Sam confessed.

“What?” Dedra moved the gun and stepped back. Suddenly, every fiber of her being felt violated.

“He said he saw his name on my message. Eli wanted to know all about you. Told me some story about watching the hotel’s security footage and he saw your face.” Sam leaned toward her. “Eli promised if I kept you busy then I’d be a very happy man.”

“How are you happy?” She growled.

“Besides the obvious?” Sam shrugged. “I should have asked for more right?”

“What the hell did he do, Jennings!” Her gun pointed at her forehead now. “If you don’t stop playing with me, I swear to God I will make you a ghost.”

His smile made her sick. Those eyes traveled up and down her body. Her skin wouldn’t stop crawling. “I helped him find your aunt, Callahan.”