Trust Misplaced by Christopher Flory

Author:Christopher Flory
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: murder;sex crime;serial killer;kidnapping;police procedural;hard-boiled mystery;action;suspense;detective;crime thriller
Publisher: Top Reads Publishing, LLC
Published: 2021-07-08T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Dodge parked outside Anna’s apartment building and took one last drag off a cigarette before flipping the butt onto the sidewalk. He crossed the narrow street in about five strides and was at the front door within a few seconds. A row of mailboxes was set left of the front door. The postal service had used an old-fashioned label maker to mark the postal boxes, and many of the labels had fallen off. Anna had told him her apartment was on the first floor, right side of the hall. That meant Billy’s was across the hall on the left side. There were only three apartments on the first floor—one on the left, one on the right, and one at the end of the hall. Dodge walked directly to the door on the left. He reached for the door knocker for 1B, but before he could pull the small brass U-shaped handle back to knock, the sound of breaking glass from Anna’s apartment drew his attention.

The sound echoed through the halls as he knocked on Anna’s door. His shoulders square to the frame, he took a stance two feet back, allowing the use of light shining through the peephole to see if someone approached the door. He knocked again. He detected the sound of footsteps inside the apartment. The sound increased in volume the closer to the door the person got. Sunlight still shone through the peephole. His muscles tightened, and his heart rate increased in anticipation of an impending fight. Tunnel vision set in, and sound became a constant echo. Agents were trained on how to fight off the effects of fight or flight. Concentrating on breathing, his fists unclenched, allowing blood to flow back to his hands, the tunnel vision subsided, and the echo in his ears eased. Suddenly, something breached the space between the light source and the peephole. A shadow, then light again. And then, just a shadow.

Dodge’s right foot came into contact with the door at the exact spot where the locking mechanism met the jamb, right above the doorknob. The wood around the door handle splintered under the force of the blow. The door continued inward until it met material larger and harder than itself. In this case, the material was bone, one of the hardest bones in the body, the skull. Billy never had a chance. The leading edge of the door pushed through an inch of nose cartilage before coming to rest on his forehead. Billy crumpled to the floor behind the door. Blood spattered from his nose with every breath, and curse words spewed from his mouth. Dodge stepped through the open doorway after looking to see if other tenants noticed the altercation. No one had cared to check on the ruckus, and he closed the door.

“What the fuck?” Billy screamed. “You broke my goddamn nose.”

Sliding past Billy, he peered into the apartment. Always check for accomplices. Always assume there are others.

“Who else is here?”

“Fuck you, man! My nose is bleeding.”

“You already said that,” Dodge said.

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