The Pursuit of Danger

By Stacey Watts

As a big city police officer, Ellie Davis has seen her fair share of crime, corruption and back-room dealings. Nothing; however, could prepare her for the day she came home to investigate the brutal homicide of her father in the line of duty. Davis begins a journey to uncover some of the town's darkest secrets that threaten to destroy her memories of all that was good in Chapleton.

A high school flame arouses her passions, but he is somehow involved in a drama that surrounds her family, and some of the top levels of local Police Department brass. A need to protect; and a desire for passion drive her to the brink of destruction in The Pursuit of Danger

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stacey Watts
• Release date: Feb 20, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393217732

Stacey Watts

Stacey Watts loves telling stories, as her writing reflects this. She currently lives in a small town in Texas with her husband and three children. Her imaginative spirit will not disappoint as she weaves stories of romance and intrigue. An author with Self-Published works; she invites you to consider her words.

Book preview

Prologue

Rubbing his temple with his plump fingertips, the older man stared out the picture window. Hues of orange and yellow painted the sky and blanketed the earth with a golden glow. With a sigh, he tried to remember the last time he'd witnessed nature's beauty. Watching the sun dipping into the horizon was indeed a magical experience.

Charlie Davis started listening to the melodic voice in the kitchen. Every note was out of tune, but he smiled to himself. Simone was beautiful. Why did he care if she could sing or not?

The aroma of garlic, basil, and thyme seemed to travel through the air, making their way to his nostrils. Starving for food, Charlie’s stomach grumbled in anticipation of his favorite dish. Wondering how much longer Simone was going to be cooking, he methodically made his way to the kitchen. Seeing her bent over, pulling Lasagna from the oven made him grin. Her round plump bottom wiggled as if giving him a private show beneath her fifties style apron. Logging too many hours at work, he had given little thought to romance.

He was looking forward to one of many wonderful meals cooked by his beautiful Italian wife. Then later, after her prize-winning tiramisu for dessert, they would retire for the evening. Hopefully making love until dawn.

It seemed like forever since he had a night off. Suddenly, he felt a twinge of guilt as he made his way into the dining room. He knew he'd been neglecting his wife lately. Tonight, all that was going to change. He smoothed his freshly gelled, white hair back with his hand. Charlie sat down in his usual place, at the head of the dining room table.

Simone really went to a lot of trouble to make sure tonight was special as well.

She set the table for two. The china plates were his grandmothers from Italy. She even polished the silver utensils. They sparkled beneath the soft light of the glowing candles. When Simone emerged from the kitchen with the dish of pasta in her hand, he felt compelled to help her and hold her seat for her. He counted his blessings every day for the woman he was lucky enough to marry, thirty-five years ago.

The vibration from his cell phone snapped him back to reality.

Damn the phone, he cursed under his breath.

He thought about sending the call to voice mail, but Ray was his Chief. He watched as he took his call, noting Simone closing her eyes with disappointment. She was no stranger to dinners growing cold.  

Ray needs me, I have to go, sweetheart. He said with a grave smile.

Excusing himself, he walked to the hall closet. Reaching up high to the shelf above his head, he lowered a lock box down. Opening it carefully, he retrieved the gun and holstered it upon his hip. Sighing in exasperation. Leaving Simone was the last thing he wanted to do, but duty called.

Simone watched her appetite slowly fade. Tonight was typical. Every time she wanted to be alone with Charlie, the phone would ring and then he would need to leave. She quickly cleared the dishes away and placed the dinner in the refrigerator for later.

Simone silently sat on the sofa with her glass of wine and the evening crossword puzzle. She tried to busy herself so he wouldn’t see the disappointment on her face.

Simone, I will be home soon. Please don't be angry with me, honey. He cooed softly in her ear.

He pulled her close to his chest, taking in the sweet scent of her jasmine perfume.

Go ahead, I will wait up as usual. She smiled a wounded smile as she walked him to the door to say goodbye.

No, go to bed. I want you well rested when I come home tonight. Charlie playfully slapped his wife on the bottom as if nothing were wrong.

Charlie, please hurry home. I'll miss you. Simone touched her pouty lips to his, giving him a deep passionate kiss.

He smiled, looking back at her lovingly as he walked down the sidewalk to his car. Halfway down the walk, he paused a moment, waiting for the lock on the door to click. Sighing one last time, he wished he could turn around and forget the whole thing. Knowing this would be the last time he would see his beautiful wife again made him misty-eyed. Little did she know he was walking into his own murder.

Driving down the winding road just minutes outside of town, he began focusing on what was about to happen. Tonight would be the night he would come face to face with the biggest drug lord in the county. Taking a deep breath, he tried desperately to slow the frantic beating of his heart. That's the trouble with these damn routine things, he thought. Anything can go wrong.

Pulling into the old, abandoned parking lot, he looked around at his surroundings. Something just did not feel right. Charlie shuddered when he saw the building. It was a gray and dirty old warehouse. Weeds shot forth through the cracks of the concrete sidewalk. Wiping away the newly formed beads of sweat from his brow, he stepped from his car. Relief washed over him when he saw Ray’s four-wheeled drive truck in the parking lot.

Sorry I called you down here. I know you haven't had a night off in a while. I just didn't want to go in there alone. Ray pointed to the abandoned warehouse. Charlie heard the tension in his voice.

No problem. What are old partners for, right Ray? You know I have your back, buddy. Are you okay? He noticed Ray was fumbling nervously in his pockets.

I'm fine. The last thing I hated to do was take you away from Simone. I know how you were looking forward to having a night off with her. How is my sweet God-daughter Ellie, by the way? Ray smiled while trying to make small talk as he nervously jangled the keys in his front right jean pocket.

She's fine. You know her, a big city cop, and all. I worry about her out there on those New York streets. She holds her own, though. She told me they made her lead detective on a recent homicide case. Charlie beamed proudly at his little girl’s accomplishments.

That's great, you and Simone did a wonderful job raising her. You should be proud. She is tough like her old man, Charlie. He grinned lightly.

They both turned to face a car approaching quickly. Long sleek lines made the expensive luxury car look like a speeding bullet. The tinted windows gave it an air of mystery. Charlie recognized the man behind the rolled-down window immediately.

Fear paralyzed Charlie as he watched him emerge from the car.

Watching in slow motion, Charlie could feel his heart pounding as he instinctively reached for his firearm. The sound of a shot rang out, echoing between the metal buildings. Grabbing his chest, he stared into the eyes of Ray, his long-time best friend, who was turning away in shame like a coward. Charlie fell to the cold, hard pavement with a thud. His life was now over.

Chapter 1

Glittery streams of moonlight shimmered in the Bravely River. It was the one and only river that ran through the town of Chapelton. The lights on the squad car seemed to flood the warehouse buildings lining the street with a red and blue color. Ellie stood in utter disgust of the body lying in the pool of blood just mere inches from her.  

When she moved back to her hometown, she vowed to uncover the truth of her father’s murder. Chapelton held some deep secrets. Here in the warehouse district, alone in the last year, there had been four more murders. She knew with each homicide they were all intertwined. Working tirelessly, she tried to connect the dots.

All Ellie had to go on were rumors and speculation on what was going on in town. It involved Salvatore Cartolano and his group of drug runners. This murder had their signature all over it. She looked around the scene to see if anything was out of place to suggest otherwise.

Jotting down some of the most apparent details, she sighed deeply when she heard the clicking of Chief Ray's expensive rattlesnake boots on the pavement. It was a sound she'd become accustomed to, as he insisted on being there for every murder investigation.

Ellie, what do you have for me? he asked, as he tilted a black cowboy hat back on his head.

It looks to be a homicide. Male, early thirties, 9 mm shot to the temple. She responded.

Ray looked over the body and placed the coroner’s sheet over the victim. He turned to Ellie, shaking his head with a scowl.

You and Denny are on this one. I'm going back to the station. Report to me when you’re done. Turning in silence, he began walking back to his pickup truck without another word.

Well, that was quick. He didn’t stick around very long, did he? Ellie raised her eyebrows in surprise.

There was no press here. You know how Chief Ray loves to be in front of the cameras these days. A regular ham, that one. Denny smiled with a mischievous grin, making the wrinkles around his eyes dance.

Denny, let’s bag this evidence. Thanks to my meddling mother, I have plans tomorrow, you know. Ellie said.

Yeah, I heard Princess. I will be on the front lines cheering you on. He chuckled with amusement as he busied himself with collecting the nearby evidence.

When they completed the investigation for the evening, she headed home for the night. She would need a lot of strength for tomorrow, and wished she could just get it over with, putting the nightmare behind her.

The next morning, the crepe paper float glided down the busy boulevard, as the thin paper flowers, decorating the edges of the trailer, swirled around Ellie Davis in a mesh mash of pastel hell. Simple. Colorful. A Princess’ dream. All could describe the float, but Ellie preferred words like dreadful, cheap, and most disgustingly... girlish.

To make the day forever etched in her mind were the words Happy Hearts Dating Service, hung above her head on a large wooden sign. Proof to all, she was single and desperate. Could a woman ask for any more disgrace after being crowned queen of the spring parade?

Every year Chapelton, Texas put on this stupid parade, and every year some poor debutante would wave and smile to the onlookers who cheered excitedly. She was no debutante, but here she sat on the unusual float. Leave it to her mother to meddle in her life.

This year the mayor had a meeting with the city council who had a luncheon with the ladies' auxiliary, and then they voted her mother as president of the club. Simone Davis had become the shining light of Chapelton, and the city loved her.

She'd worked for years with the charities in the small community, leaving her a shoo-in for the position. It didn't hurt either that Ellie's father was killed in the line of duty, or he was hailed a hero. That just seemed to make her mother more attractive to their silly little club.

She didn't believe it when her mother announced she'd put her in a contest for a chance to sit on a float and win a date with an eligible bachelor. Ellie laughed as if it were the biggest joke on the planet. Simone then whipped out the paperwork with all the gory little details.

Ellie balked angrily with colorful language and protests. When that didn't work, she tried every excuse now. She tried to fight her way out of the whole crazy idea, but her mother was too much of a force. Never being able to say no, Ellie figured she could somehow get out of the contest at the last minute. What made things worse was she could just picture what the whole town thought of her. She didn’t take to kindly these days of being the butt of the jokes and snide comments.

Ellie could picture her mother standing behind her podium at a ladies' auxiliary luncheon giving a speech to half the town about how she would never have grandchildren. My poor Ellie will never find a man! Then all the well-meaning little old ladies in town would take pity,