Read Online The Rapture of Omega by Stacy Dittrich - Free Book Online Page B

said he was a Holy Roller in his previous life, didn’t you?”
    That was a possibility I hadn’t thought of, and I hated the fact that Coop came upon it before I did. Regardless, it wasn’t a competition.
    “That never entered my mind, but you may have something there, Coop. It still doesn’t explain the mysterious ‘Derick’ that Brenda Rader was talking about, though.”
    “True.”
    “Naomi, I really think these deaths are connected. I want to put the files together and classify them both as homicides.” I held my breath.
    She scrunched her face up, deep in thought, before asking Coop if the other detectives needed my help on anything.
    “No, everyone is at status quo, completely overwhelmed as usual,” he said. “One more investigation isn’t going to matter.” He winked at me.
    “All right, go ahead, CeeCee. You might want to call Brenda Rader back and let her know what’s going on.”
    “Already did.”
    She raised an eyebrow as I turned and headed for the door. She knew me well enough to know that a lecture regarding the “chain of command” would do no good at this point. Right now, my main concern was getting home and helping Rena.
    Of course, she was almost completely moved in by the time I arrived. My mother was helping her put her bedspread on, and all of her clothes had been put away. I apologized repeatedly for being late, which Rena laughed off.
    “You no have to say sorry! I know you a busy woman. We take care of it just fine!”
    She had a great sense of humor, and I knew she would become an integral part of my family in no time at all.
    The next several days were spent ironing out several glitches with Rena. One, in particular, was that she would wait at the door for Michael and me to come home from work, which was sometimes very late. We had to sit down and explain to her that she wasn’t our servant, and that it was okay to go to sleep after the children. She had taken to Michael and me, and actually wanted to debate the matter.
    “You two no take care of yourselves!” She shook her finger at us. “You no eat, sleep! I make sure you two okay!”
    Michael laughed aloud. “All right, all right, if we promise to start taking better care of ourselves, you won’t wait up for us anymore?”
    “Si. I be watching. Buenas noches.”
    She went to bed while Michael and I got a chuckle or two out of the conversation.
    There weren’t any significant breaks in the homicides either. I spent several days at local tattoo parlors with photographs of Kelly and Ben’s tattoos, but there wasn’t anything unusual enough about them to refresh any of the artists’ memories.
    Rena had been with us for about five days, and Lola had been with us for a little over a week, when it happened one morning.

Chapter Eight
    I awoke to our doorbell ringing and lay in bed, hoping Rena would answer it. I wondered who would pay such an early morning visit. It was only a few minutes later that I heard a light knock at my bedroom door.
    “Come in,” I groaned.
    “Es-cuse me, Miss CeeCee?” Rena poked her head in.
    I sat up. “What is it, Rena?”
    “There’s a woman at the door for you. She says she here about Lola.”
    “I’ll be down in a minute.” I felt my pulse quicken, just a tad.
    “Si.”
    I quickly threw my robe on and dashed down the stairs. Michael was in the bathroom so I hadn’t even spoken to him yet. Since no one was standing at the door, I assumed Rena had taken the guest into the living room. I was right.
    I found Rena chatting away with Lori Kinderman, the children’s services caseworker that was assigned to Lola. I had personally requested Lori to handle Lola’s case. We got along well, and I respected her and the way she performed her job. A large woman, with dark hair and eyesas black as coal, Lori could be intimidating to some. I immediately noticed the look of concern on her face.
    “Lori? What is it?”
    “I’m sorry to come over so early, CeeCee, but there’s a problem