Background
While wanting to place trust in Logan, McKenzie searches for his sister's murderer. McKenzie doesn't believe anyone would harm her, but Logan feels it's his job to protect her from the threat.
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It's Tueday morning. McKenzie and Logan have known each other 14 days.
Ending of Previous Post:
"Again, maybe not. That evidence still points to Parks." He took a file out of his briefcase. "A copy of Megan's text messages. She mentions a Sidney by name. No proof it's Parks, yet, and he used a burner phone. We're still checking the burner phone you found. It could be one of his. I'm working on identifying where this phone was bought and then maybe we can get a clue by whom."
McKenzie accepted the papers. "Since the Cardinals aren't on, I now have something to do besides redo my planning board."
Bill glanced at his watch, then stood, and grinned. "I'm late for my dinner with Mitch. Happy reading. Logan, I don't want to get your hopes up, but I heard your sister's autopsy report and the body will be released sometime tomorrow."
Logan sighed. "Finally. Have you seen the report?"
"Not yet. I'll bring it by as soon as I do."
"Thank you. I'll walk you to the door."
McKenzie curled up on the couch and began reading Megan's text messages.
When Logan returned, she offered him the first page. "Ready to read?"
"I'll fix dinner. I think I'd rather read them by myself, if it's all right."
"It is. I understand."
TODAY'S POST:
When McKenzie woke up, she sniffed the air turning her head. "Do I smell coffee?"
Logan sat beside her. "Good morning, sleepy head."
McKenzie glanced at the papers surrounding her. "I guess I fell asleep reading this." Her eyebrows crunched together. "I slept on the couch. That's your bed. Where'd you sleep?"
"On the floor."
"NO! Why didn't you wake me or carry me to bed?"
"I've slept in a lot worse places than your floor. Besides, you looked extremely cute." He showed her a photo he'd taken on his phone. "Isn't that the cutest picture you've ever seen?"
"No, let me have that."
He raised his hand out of her reach. "No way! I'm keeping it. Did you find anything we didn't already know?" He walked into the kitchen area.
"Just confirmed what we've suspected. Megan thought she was pregnant and told Sidney. Whoever that might be."
Logan returned and handed her a cup of coffee. "How did he react?"
She took a sip. "Thank you. Funny thing is he never commented. I'm thinking there are only two answers; either he's happy, or upset. I don't see any other possibilities. How would you feel if your girlfriend told you she could be pregnant?"
"Good question. For one thing, I would've made sure something like that didn't happen."
"The only birth control that's one hundred percent is abstinence."
Logan stared at McKenzie. "I know that." He took a drink of coffee and then continued, "What I'm saying is before I found myself in that situation I'd be in love with her and just waiting for the wedding. It wouldn't be a surprise."
"Understood. I'm not surprised that you'd plan things out." She handed him the file. "Your turn." She took a long drink of coffee and then stood. "I'm taking a shower. Happy reading. Let me know if you see anything I didn't see. Another set of eyes is always good." Before she left, she leaned over and hugged him. "Thank you for being you."
"Who else could I be?" Logan watched her go upstairs, petted Arlo, and then Edger. "I guess I'm finally accepted. What do you guys think?"
*****
When McKenzie returned, she saw Logan setting the table. He looked up and asked, "Ready for breakfast?"
McKenzie sat. "Actually, I'm starving." She paused. "Did I understand Bill correctly? Ivan Smart is the man who ordered a hit on my parents and is now after me?"
Logan dished some eggs onto her plate. "That's what I understood."
"I still feel Parks is behind this. I guess we need to look for a connection between him and Smart. There has to be one." She took a bite of eggs. "Did you get very far with the text messages?"
He set his fork on his plate. "Do you guys, females, really text that stuff to each other?"
"What stuff?"
"About men's butts in jeans? Things like that."
"I guess some do. I can promise you that I never have. I rarely text anything." She took a sip of coffee. "Don't tell me you guys don't. I've seen the way you look at women. You practically undress them with your eyes."
"Some men, but not all."
"You're telling me you don't appreciate a pretty woman? What about Delilah?"
"I never gave her a single thought." He grinned. "I'll admit that the first time I met you I thought you were a looker. But I never dissected your body parts. I just thought they fit together in a nice package."
McKenzie wadded up her napkin and tossed it at him. "You're horrible."
"I'm a man." His head turned at a knock on the door. "It's probably Bill. I'll get it."
When Bill sat at the table, he asked, "Did you learn anything from Megan's text messages?"
McKenzie's eyes twinkled. "Yes, that Sidney has a nice butt, and she enjoyed looking at it in jeans." Bill's eyes widened, so she continued, "So I guess I need to get a good look at Parks' butt and see if it looks good in jeans, then we know he's our man."
"Okay, Mac. I was starting to worry about you. Now it's official, I'm concerned about you. The stress is getting to you." He glanced at Logan. "How long has she been like this?"
Logan chuckled. "Since she woke up. She fell asleep reading the texts on the couch. I think it's from lack of sleep."
"Don't blame me. You're the one who brought up body parts."
Bill held up a file. "I don't even want to know. I have Megan's autopsy report." He handed it to McKenzie.
She opened the file. "Pregnant? Drugs?"
"Neither. There are no surprises. She died instantly from a gunshot, so she didn't suffer."
Logan sighed. "That's a good thing."
McKenzie chewed on her lower lip. "Sorry Logan, but I need to know. Was she sexually molested?"
"No. It seems she knew her attacker. There are no defensive wounds."
"That fits with our theory that Parks killed her. We just need to prove motive."
"What motives are you looking at?" asked Bill.
She held up two fingers. "Same as before. First, Megan thought she was pregnant, so mentioned it to Sidney. Who we think is Sidney Parks. He's a married man, so Megan pregnant with his child wouldn't be good. Besides his wife is also pregnant. Also Megan either saw him kill Donny or found out he did and confronted him. We know Megan was in some sort of relationship with Donny. Of course, we need to prove he murdered Donny. Donny was running a meth lab out of his house. We think Parks wanted him to pay protection money. When Donny wouldn't pay or threatened to turn him in, he had to permanently shut him up. Of course there's always a third option that we have no clue what's going on."
"Your ideas are possible. We just need proof. They found the amphetamine, GHB, at Donny's house. He was making it and it had the same formula used on you. So there's another connection." Bill's eyes met Logan's. "They're releasing Megan's body to the funeral home about three-thirty today. I'm sure you'll want to be there with your parents."
"I do. Can you set that up?"
"I'll make sure a team stays with both of you and nothing at all happens here today."
"No." McKenzie shook her head. "I won't be going." She put her hand on Logan's. "This needs to be only immediate family. You and your parents need to grieve privately. I won't be going."
"But..."
"You only want me to go out of sense of duty to me," interrupted McKenzie. "I'll be fine. What could possibly go wrong?"
Characters:
McKenzie 'Mac' Morgan a 27 year old private investigator
Major Logan Nelson 34 years old and an active duty soldier
Arlo McKenzie's black and tan dachshund
Megan Nelson Logan's younger sister - murdered
The Lou local name for St. Louis
Simon Knight and Sheila Logan's former Army buddy and a Lab technician. Sheila's his wife.
Fan name for the St. Louis Cardinals - a major league
baseball team.
Yadi What Cardinal fans call Yadier Molina - Cardinal's all-star catcher.
Edger McKenzie's black and tan rottweiler
George Whitney A former boyfriend of Megan, early suspect in her murger.
John Benson Man who murdered McKenzie's parents
Bill Abbot A D.A and McKenzie's God-Father; he was a high-
school friend of McKenzie's father. Joanie is his wife.
Jose Lopez his wife is Lucy Chicago Police Department undercover police
department.
Kate Hartford Megan Nelson's friend they taught middle school
together.
Donny Carlton A man Megan Nelson dated.
Mitch Gardner St. Louis Police Department detective who has
partnered with McKenzie's dad.
Ivan Smart A bad guy
Peter and Nancy Nelson Logan's parents
Sidney Parks works for the St. Louis Police Detective with the drug unit.
Mack and Helen Morgan McKenzie's parents - both deceased
Gus Piper McKenzie's abusive grandfather - deceased
Austin Bryant an old boyfriend - McKenzie broke up with him because he's a jerk.
Joshua Davis so far a nobody, but is a neighbor to Donny Carlton
Mark Young an acquaintance of McKenzie, a state trooper, and will become important much late
Author Notes
Thank you google imagines for a photo of a male's rear end. I really appreciate your help. This post is a little over 1,100 words. Logan and McKenzie continue their search for Megan's murder as they get closer to becoming a couple.
Yesterday, I made some major changes in this post. I hope I didn't make it worse. I appreciate all of your help. Thank you for your generous support.
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