To Tell a Tale (Season One)

Nash met up with his captain and partner at the airport. They boarded the plane together and headed to a destination their captain was keeping a secret. The less they know, the better. He kept telling them. Since the couple was in a different country, they had to keep their identities a secret for now. No showing their badges and no announcing themselves as the police. Not until after they find what they’re looking for and talk to the law there.

When the plane landed, Nash and Smitty followed their captain to a car that was sent to pick them up and take them to Veronica. Nash knows what country they’re in. I mean, come on, unless they were deaf like Airianna, who wouldn’t have heard the plane’s captain announce their arrival?

The car ride was long, and Nash had no idea where they were going. Only that the woman they were going to meet up with was someone you did not want to get involved with. She’s the best in her field and not the nicest person. “Don’t let her beauty fool you.” Their captain had warned them.

Luckily for Nash, Airianna is the only woman he will ever have eyes for.

When they entered the building, a tall blond woman turned to them with a grin that said—fuck me, but don’t fuck with me—on her face. Man, no wonder his captain had fallen for the woman. She was gorgeous. Long sexy legs that went on for miles, hips that made you want to grab them and squeeze as you fuck her. An ass that would make a blind man drool and tits so perky you’d think she was in her early twenties rather than mid-thirties. And her eyes were the color of the sky on a clear day.

If he didn’t have Airianna waiting for him at home, he’d be in big trouble. He looked at his partner and almost groaned. The man was practically drooling. He’s going to have to keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn’t fuck this woman. Because according to their captain, once you fuck her, you’re screwed.

“Veronica.” Captain Dish nodded to the woman.

“Michael.” She smiled at the three men.

“This is my two best detectives, Detective Jackman and Detective Smitt.”

Veronica walked up to Nash, a sexy as hell smile on her beautiful face.

“Jackman, huh? Any relations to Hugh?”

Nash smiled a polite smile. “No, ma’am.”

She chuckled. “I guess you get that question a lot.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She turned to Smitty and licked her lips. “Smitt, huh?”

“You can call me Smitty,” the man said, drool practically running down his chin.

Fuck, he should have made Smitty get laid before they came on this trip.

“That’s enough,” Captain Dish growled.

Veronica looked at Dish and frowned. “You always did know how to ruin my fun.”

Dish snorted. “Just get on with it, will you.”

She smiled, then turned and walked to the table on the other side of the room.

“The couple have been living here very nicely for the past ten years. No problems with the law, though some suspect the couple may have swindled a couple of people out of their money. But like in your country, no evidence.” Veronica handed Dish a folder.

Dish opened the folder and passed Nash the papers inside. Veronica noticed and kept her eye on the detective as he read the reports in the folder.

“How do we arrest them if we’re not in America?” Smitty asked.

Nash looked at his partner. Good question.

“Who said anything about arresting them?” Veronica asked with a grin.

Nash looked at her. “What are you saying?”

She looked at Dish, then back at Nash, and shook her head. “Your captain here thinks I plan to kill them. Well, actually, if he wasn’t here, I’d have “accidentally” put a bullet in both their heads, but….” She looked at Dish and grinned. “I guess we’ll have to find enough evidence to have them extradited….”

“That’s something that’s hard to do,” Nash said, a heaviness in his chest.

Damn, no one will convict them of murder just by a ten-year-old’s drawing.

She looked at him and smiled. “So, Detective Jackman. Tell me what they did. Maybe I can help.”

~🔮~

It took three days for Veronica’s contacts to find evidence that the couple had killed Nash’s parents. How they found it, he wasn’t going to ask. But they had enough evidence to extradite their asses and sentence them to life. They may not be able to be charged with the other crimes they were let off for, but murder… Apparently, his mother wasn’t the only person they killed before they left America.

“Now what?” Nash asked, looking at Veronica.

She smiled. “Now, we wait. My men will find the couple while we get the extradition settled. Then, we take them down.”

“I don’t trust her,” Dish whispered to Nash.

“You’re the one who hired her,” Nash said, looking at his captain.

“I know, but she has something up her sleeve. There’s no way she’s done all this just on the favor she owed me.”

“From what you said, it was a pretty big favor.”

“Are you talking about me?” Veronica asked, moving closer to Dish.

“I don’t trust your ass,” Dish growled.

Veronica stopped and stared at Dish. Then grinned. “You always could read me.”

“What is in this for you?” Dish asked. “I know the favor you owe me isn’t worth all this.”

Veronica moved closer to Dish and leaned forward, kissing him on the lips.

“No, the favor I owed you wasn’t worth all this. But the money they have stashed away is. Like you said, they can’t be charged for extortion. Besides, they’ve probably already spent all that American money….”

“You’re going to rob them when you find them.” Dish backed away from her.

Veronica smirked. “Don’t forget that you’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto.” She turned from him and walked over to the table.

Nash looked from Veronica to his captain. “Do we stop her?”

Dish sighed. “No. As Veronica said, we’re not in Kansas. There’s nothing we can do here. Besides, as long as you get to put them away for the murder of your mother and the others they killed, what do you care what happens to their money?”

Nash nodded. “I don’t.”

“Then it’s settled.” Veronica turned to them with a wide grin. “Let’s get on the road, boys.”

~🔮~

“There they are.” Veronica pointed to the couple lounging on their back porch, drinking fancy drinks with umbrellas.

Their house was enormous, and guards were everywhere.

“Guess they knew they’d be found one day,” Dish whispered.

“Looks like it.” Nash nodded.

“My men will take out their guards; we’ll get your targets,” Veronica said.

“Don’t kill them,” Dish growled.

Veronica chuckled. “As you wish,” she said, then disappeared.

“Where did she go?” Smitty asked, looking around for any sign of her.

“She’s shifty like that,” Dish grumbled.

“Come on, you three, half the guards are knocked out,” Veronica said, appearing before them out of nowhere.

“Damn you, woman,” Dish growled.

Veronica grinned at him. “Follow me,” she said, then disappeared again.

“Come on,” Dish mumbled, leading his men after the woman.

The guards were down by the time Nash and his group got to where the couple lounged in the sun, not a care in the world. Well, none until this moment.

“Freeze,” Dish said as they stepped onto the porch.

The couple jumped to their feet. Nash stared at them. Other than being twelve years older, they looked just like the picture Airianna had drawn of them on the boat.

“Who the hell are you?” the woman asked.

“Where are our guards when we need them?” the man grumbled.

“They’re all having sweet dreams right now,” Veronica said with a wicked grin.

“Police,” Captain Dish announced.

The man snorted. “Americans. You have no jurisdiction here.”

“Actually, we have the local cops coming in to extradite your asses back to the states.” Nash stepped closer to the couple.

“You aren’t taking us nowhere.” The man moved to stand in front of his wife.

The sound of sirens had the couple turning toward their gravel driveway.

“You’re under arrest for the murder of Doris Jackman, Daniel Keitherton, Amelia Spenser, and Brenda Frolic.” Captain Dish said, pulling his cuffs from his pocket.

“What are you talking about?” the woman asked, looking innocent.

“That look doesn’t fool us,” Veronica said, pointing at the woman.

“Freeze!” an officer announced as he moved onto the deck.

“Officer, arrest these people for trespassing,” the man said, pointing to the others around them.

The officer looked at the group of Americans, then at the couple; he was sent to arrest. He was told that the American police were after a couple wanted for murder. He remembers this couple; he’d seen their story years ago. They’d been arrested for extortion but released because there was no proof. He smiled at the couple.

“I remember you two. I believe these American police officers will be taking you with them.”

“We’re not going anywhere.” The man pulled a gun from under the table.

Fuck, Nash hadn’t seen that coming.

Nash, Smitty, and Dish pulled out their weapons.

The man pointed his gun at Veronica. “I will shoot her if you don’t let us go.”

Veronica snorted and held her arms above her head. “Go ahead.”

The couple took a few steps back, the gun still aimed at Veronica.

“Put down the gun,” Dish ordered.

“Not happening,” the man growled.

“Make this easy on your wife,” Smitty said.

The woman smirked as she pulled another gun out from under the table and pointed it at Nash.

“I think this will be easy for me.” The woman chuckled as she and her husband backed away from them.

“Don’t do this,” Dish said, moving forward.

“Don’t.” The man clicked the safety off.

Dish stopped and looked at Veronica, who was still standing with her arms in the air, grinning like a fool.

The safety click on the woman’s gun had them turn their weapons on her. She still had her gun pointed at Nash.

“Back-up is on its way,” the officer who was there to help them said, his gun pointed at the man.

“I should have known this wouldn’t be simple,” Dish grumbled.

“We’re leaving,” the man said.

“No, you’re not,” Nash growled.

A man stepped onto the porch; his gun pointed at the couple. Veronica smiled as she lowered her arms.

Nash looked from the man to Veronica and knew it was one of her men come to help.

When the couple took two steps back, they took two steps forward. Nash was getting tired of the dance.

“We’re not going to jail.” The man pulled his trigger.

Gunfire exploded around Nash as he watched Veronica fall to the porch. He pulled his trigger and hit the man. The woman screamed and fired at him. Nash heard Smitty holler his name as he hit the hard porch flooring.

When the firing stopped, the ones still standing looked around at those who had fallen. Smitty ran to Nash’s side, and Dish ran to Veronica.

“Nica!” Dish shouted, pulling her into his arms.

Veronica opened her eyes and smiled up at him. “I knew you still cared for me.”

Dish growled when she lifted her shirt. For once, she listened to him and wore a vest.

Smitty pulled Nash’s shirt up and sighed with relief.

“Did you think I would come here without it?” Nash asked with a laugh. He groaned and pressed his hand to his ribs. “Still hurts like a bitch, though.”

“You fucker, I thought she’d killed you,” Smitty growled.

Nash smiled up at his partner. “Aww, were you worried about me?” he asked, blowing Smitty kisses.

“Fuck you.” Smitty gave Nash a shove.

Nash laughed as he rolled onto his hands and knees.

“What about them? Did they have vests on?” Dish asked, nodding toward the couple, Veronica still in his arms.

Nash got to his feet and walked to the couple with Smitty at his side. Smitty moved over to the man and felt his pulse.

“Dead.” Smitty shook his head.

Nash squatted before the woman and moved to feel her pulse.

“Nash!” Smitty yelled.

Nash looked up and found a gun pointed at him. The woman was alive.

“You fucking killed my husband,” she growled at Nash.

“You killed my mother.” Nash looked the woman straight in the eyes.

The woman grinned as she moved her finger to pull the trigger.

A gun fired, and Nash moved back from the woman. A hole in the middle of her forehead dripped blood. He looked up at his partner, who was still holding his pistol, pointing it at the woman.

“I don’t think she’s going to shoot me again,” Nash assured his partner.

Smitty looked at Nash and smiled. “Looks like you owe me dinner.”

Nash grinned. “Looks like I do, partner.”

“Let’s get this shit taken care of and get home,” Dish said from his place beside Veronica.

Nash turned to his captain and smiled. The man was still in love with the woman, even though he would never admit it.

“Let’s go.” Nash walked toward his captain. “I have a seer to get home to.”

“Do you think Airianna knows the Wizard of Oz?” Smitty asked as he caught up to Nash.

Nash turned to his partner to say she’s probably seen the movie, then realized he meant for real.

“You’re a dick.” Nash gave his partner a shove.

“And you’re falling in love with a psychic,” Smitty said with a wide grin.

Nash snorted. “She’s not a psychic; she’s a seer.”

“And boy, does she see… Owe!” Smitty rubbed his arm as they headed for the car.

Nash smiled, happy he was able to shut his partner up. Even though his friend was right. He’s falling for the seer and hard. But he’s not ready to talk about it.

~🔮~

When they got home, Nash went straight to Airianna’s house and told her everything that had happened. She punched him when he told her about being shot.

Nash pulled Airianna into his arms and held her as they looked up at the stars. A shooting star had her giddy as she made a wish. Nash didn’t need to make a wish. His came true the day he met a beautiful seer. He pinned her to the grass and kissed her.

She’s the only shooting star he will ever need.