River of Need

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An Excerpt From: RIVER OF NEED

Copyright ? SHAYLA KERSTEN, 2010

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing,
Inc.

Chapter
One

?Kyle!?

Bleary-eyed
from too little sleep and too many case files read, Detective Kyle Shelton
looked for the source of the familiar voice. ?Ryan.? He waved a hand in
acknowledgement as Ryan Nilsson moved across the squad room.

Maybe
the vice squad had picked up some information on the string of murders
haunting the city. The humid heat of Memphis
made the murder rate rise in the summer. Some people called it the killing
season. The homicide division certainly stayed busy.

Ryan
stopped near Kyle?s desk. ?Tony said you?d probably still be here.?
Homicide detective Tony Costa was Ryan?s lover and he was leading the
Cross-Eyed Killer investigation.

Stupid
name for a serial killer, but the press had a field day when a witness had
spilled the beans on the killer?s signature?crosses painted in blood over
the victim?s eyelids. Kind of like absolution or last rites.

Kyle
glanced down at the files spread out over his desk. ?Yeah. I keep thinking
I?ve missed something. There has to be a connection somewhere between
victims. They appear random, but something has to set off the killer.?

Two
men, one twenty-two and one fifty; a woman in her thirties and an
eighteen-year-old boy. No evidence of anything sexual, none of the victims
apparently knew each other.

Not
the same religion even though the killer?s signature appeared to have
religious connotations. Only common factor was the location?near Union and Vance
and from Third to the river?and the killer?s signature. They couldn?t rule
out copycat killers either.

Kyle
looked up. ?Got something for me??

?Not
about the murders.? Ryan?s frown and the furtive way his gaze darted around
the room made Kyle think this conversation needed a little privacy. ?Got a
minute??

?Sure.
Come on.? Kyle pushed away from his desk. Leading the way, he headed toward
an empty interrogation room. He ducked into the observation side so no one
could eavesdrop. With the door closed behind them, he leaned against the
wall. ?What?s up??

?Dustin
Eldridge.?

Kyle?s
breath caught in his throat but he forced air into his lungs as he faked
nonchalance. His breakup with Dustin had been wrought with agony and
repercussions. He hadn?t talked to him or even heard his name in nearly two
years.

?What
about him?? An ache started in the pit of his stomach. Please
don?t let him be dead?
As bad as the relationship ended, Kyle still had feelings for the asshole.

?He?s
been arrested.?

Not dead.
Shock mixed with relief. ?For what??

?Prostitution.?

Kyle
opened his mouth but nothing came out. His mouth snapped shut. After taking
a deep breath, he tried again. Finally, the only thing he could think of
popped out. ?Are you sure it?s the same Dustin Eldridge??

?Yes.
Remember Tony and I hung out with you two a few times.?

?Right.?
Of course he remembered, but his brain couldn?t conceive of his debonair,
urbane lover being accused of hooking. ?Any basis to the charges??

Ryan
grimaced as he half shrugged. ?He propositioned an undercover. Got him on
tape.?

?Fuck.?
With rubbery knees, Kyle moved to the nearest chair. Dustin always did have
that effect on him. Too bad he was? ?Wait. Man or woman??

?What??

?He
propositioned a man or woman??

?Man.?
Ryan?s brow crinkled in a half frown. ?Why??

Kyle
had never told anyone the main reason for their breakup. ?He was married.
We broke up because he was married. Something he forgot to tell me.? And
Dustin?s wife had caught them.

?Oh.?
Ryan shook his head. ?I would have never??

?Yeah.
Me either.? Kyle took a deep breath. ?Well, thanks for telling me.?

?No
problem. I didn?t want the name to surprise you on tomorrow?s blotter
report.?

?I
suppose his wife?ll have him out by tomorrow.?

?I
don?t think so.? Ryan?s hesitant tone made Kyle look up at his friend. ?I?m
guessing they aren?t together anymore. He listed his address as none and he
looks like he?s been living on the streets.?

A
sudden swell of emotion nearly brought Kyle to his feet, but he forced his
body to stay put. He didn?t want Ryan to notice how his words affected him.

In his
dreams, Kyle wanted Dustin free of his wife, even wanted him back. But
being with someone closeted and on the down low was not something Kyle
could live with. Ever.

?When?s
his bail hearing??

?First
offense?no hearing. He?ll be released as soon as he can cough up the
standard bail. But if you get him out, I doubt you?ll ever see him again.
Or the bail money.? Guess Ryan wasn?t fooled.

Ryan
was probably right, but Kyle couldn?t leave Dustin in jail. His mind rushed
through a million scenarios?from happy reconciliation to Dustin skipping
town?but he forced his thoughts to focus on the task of getting his
ex-lover out of jail.

?Thanks
for letting me know.? Kyle took a deep breath. He didn?t know what to
expect or how he?d react to seeing Dustin again, but he was about to find
out.