She chuckled. “That’s right. It is. Justice is for the state. Vengeance is for the person. The state wasn’t my family, never provided for me, and didn’t tell me bedtime stories. No, vengeance is taking what it took from you. When you’re done, it won’t take again,” she said coldly.

  Kenneth just stared at the wall. “Did you enjoy it?” he asked.

  “You better believe it. Those were five weeks I’ll cherish for the rest of my life,” she said, grinning in ecstasy from the memory of the cries for mercy. Kenneth looked down at her and saw the cold grin.

  “Five weeks?” he asked, thinking that was a little overboard.

  “It’s not my fault the little bitch died so fast. I still had stuff planned for his ass,” she snapped. “We can look for your family’s killers,” she offered. Kenneth got off the couch and walked to his office, carrying the black box with antennas on it and waving it around. “You think I bugged the house for this?” she asked, more than a little irritated.

  Satisfied, he turned it off and set it on the table. “Drop it,” he snapped. “I was grilled for three weeks when those two went missing. That’s the only reason why I even own a sweeper,” he said. “Did I believe you were a plant? No. What you just said can’t be proven since your crimes took place outside the state. I sweep regularly for a reason,” he said.

  “They went missing?” she asked, feeling better that he trusted her.

  “I’m a cop. They will never be found,” Kenneth said. “Why didn’t you become a cop?”

  Besseta smiled. “I’m something better,” she said with a devious smile. “We’ve talked about enough sorrow. It’s time to see if Bonnie and Clyde like what we bought.”

  “You bought,” he clarified, smiling.

  “We bought,” she snapped. He stood, still smiling.

  “Fine. You bought; I loaded,” he offered.

  “I can stomp on your foot again,” she warned. He laughed, holding out his hand. She took it as he pulled her off the couch, but she didn’t let go as they went to show the dogs all the neat things.

  Chapter 9

  It was before dawn when Kenneth sat at the kitchen table, staring ahead. “Besseta, they can’t read,” he told her as she pulled both of the dogs back and moved Clyde to his bowl and Bonnie to hers.

  Bending over, she turned both of the dogs to face her. “Well, they are going to learn. You have names on the bowls, so use them,” she told them, wagging her finger in each one’s face.

  Mesmerized, Kenneth stared at her trying to teach the dogs to read. Well, she was in one of his dress shirts with the front wide open, wearing panties and bra. Today, he was making no attempt to turn away.

  “Now go,” she said, pointing to the bowls, and they went to the correct ones. “See,” she said, jumping up and down.

  “Yeeeup,” Kenneth said, not blinking as the shirt blew open with each jump.

  She bounced over, and he followed with his eyes. She stopped beside him, looking at the dogs. “Told you they would like the jackets,” she said proudly. “Don’t they look good in them?” she asked, looking over her shoulder at the dogs.

  “Yeah, real good,” Kenneth said and she turned around to find him looking at her chest.

  She smiled. “The dogs are over there,” she said, grabbing his chin and turning his head.

  “They look real good,” he said as she let go of his chin, and his head swiveled back, locking on her.

  Laughing, she jumped up and sat on the table in front of him. “We need to get ready. They will be here soon,” she said.

  “Okay,” he said, staring.

  “Kenneth,” she said, reaching out and lifting his head up to look in her eyes, “we have to get dressed.”

  “What? Why?” he asked, shocked she would suggest something like that.

  “I don’t think they would like me running around in bra and panties with your shirt on and you in lounge pants,” she said, shaking her head.

  “I’ll lock the door,” he said, dropping his eyes to her chest.

  “That’s not nice,” she told him. “Kenneth, they’re just breasts, and they’re not even that big,” she cried out, pulling the shirt closed, breaking the hypnotic effect.

  Disappointed, Kenneth looked up. “Well, I don’t have any.”

  “Your pecs are much bigger than my boobs. Shit, I have to get bras for teens,” she said, throwing her hands up, and the shirt opened, and the hypnosis started as Kenneth dropped his head back down. She sighed. “It’s like they have a gravitational pull,” she chuckled.

  “Yours are better,” he mumbled.

  “You can blink,” she chuckled.

  “Waste of time.”

  “Kenneth,” she said, closing the shirt and lifting his face. “If you get dressed and help me get ready, I’ll wear this around the house tonight after they leave,” she said, and suddenly, she was looking at an empty space as the chair Kenneth had been sitting in hit the floor with a loud BANG. She turned and just caught sight of him running into his room. “Damn, that was fast for a human. Not as fast as one of us,” she said as a loud crash sounded from his room. “Or as graceful,” she added and vanished off the table.

  Finished in record time for a normal person, Kenneth ran back to the kitchen to find Besseta already changed, pulling stuff out of the fridge. Seeing she was dressed, he slumped his shoulders. “What? You don’t like my outfit?” she asked, barefoot, wearing her shorts and a loose t-shirt.

  “You always look great,” he said, “but I liked the other outfit better.”

  Laughing at his expression, she said, “Don’t worry; I have on my bikini.”

  With that brightening up his day, Kenneth stood up straight, smiling. “It’s a good day,” he declared and went out to check the pool.

  She chuckled then looked down at Bonnie and Clyde in their leather jackets. “You would think he would’ve tried to touch as hard as he stares,” she said, looking at them.

  “Arf,” Bonnie barked at Besseta, wagging her tail.

  “I’ve given him clues and hints,” she said, looking up at Kenneth, who was checking the chemicals in the pool. She shook her head. “He’ll come around,” she said and continued pulling stuff out and started cooking.

  When the pool was checked, Kenneth walked back in the kitchen to see every burner had a pot over it, the oven was on, and so was the microwave. Platters were laid out on the counter with finger sandwiches, chips and dip, and cupcakes. Still, Besseta was fixing more. “We aren’t feeding Grant’s army,” he said.

  “His army ate shit,” she said factually.

  “Well, we can eat leftovers,” he said, and she looked up.

  “There better not be much left over,” she told him.

  Throwing his hands up, he said, “Hey, I can’t eat that much.”

  She stopped and looked at the food cooking and everything laid out. “You think this is a bit much?”

  He held up his thumb and index finger almost touching. “Just a little bit, but it looks great.”

  “Well, I won’t fix the pizza, baked potatoes, and chili,” she determined.

  Shaking his head with that revelation, he asked, “Need any help?”

  “You got all the stuff out of the dining room?” she asked, and he nodded. “Well, go ahead and put the plates in there with the silverware.”

  Following her orders, he put them in and came back to see tiny Besseta run around the kitchen with a smile. “You really are enjoying this,” he observed.

  “We’re cooking for company.” She looked up with a smile. “I’ve always wanted to set up house and have company over,” she said with an ecstatic smile.

  Bonnie and Clyde jumped, growling and looking toward the front door. “Looks like they’re here,” Kenneth said, holding out his hand. Besseta clapped, turned down the stove, and ran over, bouncing with excitement.

  Hand in hand, he led her to the front door and opened it. Bonnie and Clyde jumped out, stopping on the grass and growling. As Kenneth pulled her beside him, she shook her head. She looked at him, and he was pointing at Bonnie and Clyde, still growling. “Bonnie, Clyde, be nice,” she commanded. The dogs relaxed and looked behind them to show they were being good then turned back to the driveway.

  Mickey was climbing out of a minivan, opening the sliding door on his side. Besseta gasped and smiled, seeing three girls and a boy pour out of the van, almost knocking Mickey over and yelling, “KENNETH!” as they ran at him. They froze five feet away, noticing Besseta for the first time.

  “Hey guys,” Kenneth smiled. “This is my friend Besseta.”

  The tallest girl moved closer. “Is she in high school?” she asked timidly.

  “No, Ceria, she’s in college,” Kenneth answered. “Besseta, this is Ceria, Tiffany, Carrie, and Phillip,” he said, pointing at each one as a toddler came running around the van as fast as his short legs would carry him. “That is Little Mickey,” Kenneth said, pointing, then dove on the children, dragging them to the ground. The kids let out howls of joy with Little Mickey jumping on Kenneth’s back.

  Watching in awe as the thoughts of the group washed over her, Besseta smiled, watching Kenneth trap the kids under him. She’s pretty but small. She should give him good kids, she heard and looked up to see a big man she knew was Mickey walk over with a very pretty Hispanic lady she took for Maria. Suddenly, her mind filled with Spanish, and Besseta had to will her body not to move; she understood Spanish very well.

  “I take it you’re Besseta,” Mickey said, holding out his hand.

  “Yes, and you must be Mickey and Maria,” she said, shaking each one’s hand. Then, she looked back at the game of dog pile Kenneth was winning with a longing.

  Maria saw the look on Besseta’s face and smiled. She is a good woman, she thought, moving beside Besseta. “So you are just going to stand there letting the kids get trapped?” Maria asked with a grin. Needing no further invitation, Besseta dove on Kenneth’s back, knocking the air out of him.

  Lost in the moment, Besseta forgot her strength and flipped Kenneth on his back—hard. Seeing the shock on Kenneth’s face, she realized she needed to be careful but still dove on his chest, followed by the kids. They cheered Besseta as they piled on Kenneth.

  “Chica may be small, but she’s tough,” Mickey said with a grin.

  “She needs to be to bring Ken out of his world,” Maria said as an SUV pulled up behind their van.

  They looked up to see Harry, his wife Glenda, and their daughter Samantha get out. Seeing the pile, Samantha took off and dove on. Mickey watched as Harry and Glenda walked around the pile, and Harry pulled out a flask from his back pocket, taking a drink as they stopped beside them.

  “Where’s Kenneth?” Harry asked, and Mickey pointed at the pile.

  “He’s on the bottom,” Mickey said.

  “They’ve never got him down before,” Glenda said with a smile.

  “Besseta body slammed him,” Maria explained.

  Glenda looked through the pile and pointed. “Her?” she asked, surprised.

  “Her first name’s Holly. She likes going by her middle name, Besseta,” Harry said, taking a drink.

  “You have to drive,” Glenda said, glaring at him.

  He put the top back on. “And I will,” he said, putting the flask back in his pocket.

  Mickey looked at Harry, knowing he wouldn’t pass a sobriety test now. “Should we save him?” Mickey asked.

  “Nah, Kenneth can wear them down,” Harry said.

  “A!” Maria shouted and clapped once, making everyone jump, and the pile froze. The dogs ran inside. “If you beat him up bad, Ken may not let you swim,” Maria advised them.

  “I’ll put him in a headlock till he does!” Besseta shouted, diving on Kenneth’s head. Seeing that, the kids dove back in.

  Maria turned to the others. “I will not stand between a man and his woman as she sets him straight,” she informed them. “When your kids act civilized, send them to the backyard,” she told Mickey as she walked into the house.

  “I’m going to help Maria. I’m sure she’s going to cook,” Glenda said, running inside.

  Hearing “cook,” Besseta froze, and Kenneth flipped her on her back, slowly pulling the kids under him. “Kenneth, the food!” she yelled and bench pressed him off then jumped up, running for the house. The kids all stopped, watching her, then turned to Kenneth.

  “Pool’s ready,” he said with a smile, and as one, the kids jumped up in a dead run for the door.

  Mickey walked over and helped him up. “That one is solid,” he informed Kenneth.

  “Have no doubt Besseta is solid muscle,” Kenneth said, brushing the grass off as squeals and splashes were heard at the back of the house.

  Letting loose a torrent of Spanish, Mickey spun around, running. When he reached the door, he yelled, “You are supposed to wait for an adult!”

  Harry looked at Kenneth with a smile. “You look good,” he said.

  “Thanks,” Kenneth said, noticing the smell of brandy.

  “She’s taken that dead look out of your eyes,” Harry said, pulling out the flask.

  “A little early,” Kenneth told him.

  After taking a long pull, Harry put the flask up. “Got promoted the next morning,” he told Kenneth with a solemn face.

  “Hey, that’s great,” Kenneth said, clasping Harry’s shoulder and smiling.

  “They made me SAC,” he said, and the smile froze on Kenneth’s face.

  “Harry, Special Agent in Charge was a double advancement,” he said.

  “Yup, they passed over twenty-seven more senior to give the post to me,” he said, reaching for the flask, but Kenneth stopped him.

  “What aren’t you telling me?” he asked.

  “You have been permanently assigned to the FBI,” Harry said, reaching in his other pocket and pulling out an ID billfold. “The sheriff agreed, so don’t look at me,” Harry said, handing it over. “I’m sure it was the incentive package they gave him.”

  Out of reflex, Harry opened it to see an FBI badge and ID with his picture on a Senior Special Agent badge. “Harry,” Kenneth said, looking at the badge.

  “You now have level five security clearance. Your job is to track down more ‘special’ drug users across the nation,” Harry said, pulling out the flask and draining it.

  “So those two got away?” Kenneth said, looking up.

  “That’s classified,” Harry told him.

  “Just what the hell is going on?” Kenneth asked.

  Taking a deep breath, Harry looked at him then let the air out. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” he said then walked around Kenneth, heading to his SUV. Inside the house, Besseta excused herself and ran to her room.

  Kenneth just stood there for a few minutes then followed to find Harry refilling the flask from a really big half-empty bottle. “You need to lay off that,” Kenneth warned him.

  “Every minute I’ve been awake since that night, I’ve been drinking, so don’t start,” Harry said, putting the bottle back.

  “Shit, man, I’m sorry I drove like an asshole.”

  Harry chuckled. “You think that is what’s bothering me?”

  “Well, what is it?”

  “If I tell you, we’re both dead,” Harry said, walking past him toward the door. “You report to us in two weeks.”

  Mumbling, Kenneth followed. Walking inside, he saw Besseta walking up the hall to the kitchen with a forced smile. Puzzled, he just shook his head as he walked in the kitchen to see the women doing more things than should be possible for people with two hands. Seeing Besseta around the other women, Kenneth thought she looked like a teenager helping, and that made him laugh.

  Besseta looked at him, and the haunted look left her face. “What’s funny?” she asked, really wishing she could read the thought.

  “You just seem to be enjoying yourself,” he said, walking out the sliding doors.

  When the food was done, everyone jumped in the pool and had a blast. After a lunch that could’ve fed ten times the people that were there, the kids ran back to the pool. Besseta pulled Maria and Glenda into the living room, calling Bonnie and Clyde in then for an hour showed them the clothes they bought.

  Stunned, Maria said, “You need some babies.”

  Besseta stopped dressing Bonnie and looked at Maria with sadness. “I can’t have any,” she said.

  Maria went over and hugged her tight. “Then you can have some of mine,” she offered. Besseta laughed and wiped her face. “What else did you buy?” Maria asked. Besseta jumped up and ran to Kenneth’s room. I think you are wrong, Besseta, Maria thought, and Besseta looked up in shock.

  Taking a deep breath, Besseta ran back to the living room as Bonnie and Clyde unwillingly put on a fashion show.

  It was dark as Kenneth and Besseta stood outside, watching everyone load up. Glenda was shouting at Harry as he climbed in the passenger seat, and she got behind the wheel. Backing out, Glenda squealed the tires.

  Everyone in the van waved as Mickey backed out, and Kenneth and Besseta waved back. Watching the van pull away, Kenneth put his arm around her. “Did you enjoy that?” he asked.

  “Someone said this was a good day, and he was right,” she said, leaning her head on his chest. “Harry’s going to tell you something, and I want you to promise you will listen,” she told him.

  “What?” he asked, leaning away and moving her in front of him.

  “Just listen to him,” Besseta pleaded.

  “If you know what he’s going to say, tell me,” Kenneth said.

  “I don’t know,” she lied, “but I can tell he wants to tell you something important.”

  Not convinced but not willing to argue, Kenneth promised, “I will listen.”

  “Come on; the house needs to be picked up,” Besseta said, pulling him inside. Starting in the living room, they picked up the fashion show leftovers. As she was picking up a doggie dress, Besseta noticed Kenneth standing beside her. Turning, she saw him holding out one of his dress shirts. She collapsed in a fit of laughter.

  “Hey, you promised,” Kenneth reminded her with a pained expression. Besseta laughed harder, kicking the floor so hard Kenneth felt it in his shoes. “Your little feet and legs aren’t going to be so pretty with bruises on them,” he told her, holding the shirt out further. She rolled over, trying to stand up but collapsed. “That is not even right,” Kenneth said, crossing his arms and looking down at her.

 

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