Hollywood Assassin: A Hollywood Alphabet Series Thriller Page 16

  “Careful,” Jack said, grabbing my arm and pulling me up.

  I turned and looked up at him. There was a hint of a smile on his lips. His eyes were the color of chocolate syrup.

  “Thanks,” I said, allowing myself to linger in his grasp for a moment, thinking how good it felt to be in the arms of a man again. Maybe being clumsy wasn’t so bad.

  When we reached the backyard patio, I saw there was a candle burning on the glass table, illuminating a bottle of wine and two glasses. My brows lifted as I turned back to him.

  “Took a chance you might stop by and check on your brother. I would have done the same thing.”

  I took a seat at the table across from him. I felt a flutter in my chest. The headache that had been my constant companion all day was finally easing.

  “I never took you for a romantic, Jack.”

  He worked on the wine cork. “I never realized you were so beautiful in the moonlight.”

  My heart beat faster. I tried to regain control by asking about Robin. “Did you tell my brother what’s going on?”

  “I just told him there were some threats being made and you would talk to him tomorrow. He’s going to take the day off work, stay with your mother.” He popped the cork on the bottle and began pouring. “By the way, he’s still determined to see Clark.”

  I took the glass from him and said, “He’s almost as stubborn as his sister.”

  Jack clinked his glass to mine. “To beauty.”

  “And the beast,” I said, thinking about Nathan Kane.

  After a sip of wine, I took a few minutes and told him about my meeting at the prison. The wine was calming after my stressful day.

  I didn’t want to think about IAD or Nathan Kane and changed the subject. “So, where have you been staying, Jack?”

  “Here and there. I’ve still got a friend or two out there.” He tipped his glass. “Trying my best not to wear out my welcome.”

  I sipped my wine again, thinking about how we were two cops, each in trouble in different ways.

  “Tell me something,” I said, my earlier tension finally easing. “Why did you become a cop?”

  He set down his glass. “I was a reckless kid living in a bad neighborhood who grew up without a dad and started to make the wrong choices. Stole a car when I was fourteen and spent six months in a detention camp. There was a counselor there, Ted Riley. He helped me sort things out, find my way back to the right side of a lot of things. We stayed in touch. I eventually got my juvenile record sealed. When I graduated from the academy, Ted was there for me.” He swirled the wine in his glass and took a sip. “He showed me that one guy sometimes really can make a difference.”

  “Nice story.”

  “And you?”

  My eyes drifted to the city below us as I thought about the question. “My dad worked patrol for the department. After a few years on the force, he was shot and killed. The crime was never solved. I was only four when it happened. Had some rough times later as a teenager, but something inside always told me that I owed it to my dad to straighten up.”

  I hadn’t eaten much all day except the chocolate meds. I felt a light buzz from the alcohol, but tipped my glass up anyway before continuing. “When I got hired and took the department’s psych exam, the shrink said something about me trying to make up for what happened to my father.” I smiled, meeting his eyes. “I think she was a pretty smart woman.”

  Jack smiled. “It’s funny how some people can take bad experiences and turn them into something good.”

  His comment made me think about Cassie Reynolds, how what he said wasn’t always true.

  “I had a lot of time to think on my way back to the city, Jack. A couple of things came to mind about Cassie. Did she ever mention her mother?”

  “She said something once about her living in Arizona. I didn’t get the impression they had much of a relationship. Then again, Cassie kept a lot to herself.”

  “Maybe you could do a little checking in your free time. Try to locate Cassie’s mother?”

  He nodded; rubbed the stubble on his chin. “I’ll see if I can work it into my schedule.”

  “I’m going to have Pearl and Natalie look into any relationship Cassie’s father and Conrad Harper might have had. If we can link Harper to John Carmichael we might begin to open some doors to the past and find out what got Cassie murdered.”

  “Just be careful.”

  I realized my head was beginning to spin from the alcohol. I set my glass aside.

  “I think I need to get going, Jack.” Despite my best efforts, my meeting with the IAD detectives and then Nathan Kane drifted into my thoughts. “It’s been a very long day.”

  Jack finished his drink and we stood up. I took a step toward the side yard, but realized he was at my side, taking my hand. I turned and faced him, feeling like my heart was going to flutter out of my chest.

  The words that came out of the darkness were soft, just above a whisper. “Kate, I want you to know whatever happens, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. One way or another we’re going to get to the truth.”

  I wanted to fall against him, let him hold me in his arms. Instead, I said, “Jack, as I’ve said before, this is also about Cassie Reynolds.”

  “I know, it’s just that…”

  I took both his hands and moved closer to him. My head lifted, our eyes meeting. At the last second something made me hold back from kissing him. The image of my ex flickered through my mind. I had trusted once, trusted someone with everything, and then lost it all. I couldn’t forget that, even in the arms of a man who appreciated what I was trying to do for him.

  I turned my head against his chest and said, “It’s okay, Jack. You don’t have to keep thanking me.”

  I felt his hands move around my waist as he came closer. His warm breath was on my cheek. I drank in the scent of him. I knew I was vulnerable, but there was also something elemental and real in the moment.

  When he spoke again, his words were even softer than before. “What I mean to say is thanks for believing in me, Kate. It means everything.”

  I let myself fall harder into him. Whatever happened in the future, in that moment one thing was clear to me. Jack Bautista and I were joined together. Our fate was bound and sealed as one. I prayed that we would somehow prevail.

  Slowly, reluctantly, I stepped back from him. “You’re welcome, Jack.”

  I moved down the path and stopped. I turned toward him. It took every ounce of strength I had left not to go back.

  “Goodnight, Jack,” I whispered before moving off into the darkness.

  I was back in Olive, headed for home when my telephone rang. It was Jimmy Chester, my union attorney.

  “Sorry for calling so late,” Chester said. “But I just got out of a meeting with Detectives Blaylock and Preston.”

  I was exhausted. The last thing I wanted was to discuss the two IAD blowhards assigned to my case with Jimmy the rat.

  “Can’t this wait until tomorrow?” I asked.

  “I’m sorry, Detective, but you need to know where you stand.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “They want you to resign from the department by noon Friday.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Twenty minutes after Melvin Coben picks him up at the prison and gives him the keys to a rental car, Kane cuts off his bracelet and tosses it into a field. Two hours later, he’s knocking on a door.

  Bobby Jenson’s girlfriend sees his knife when the door swings open. He slashes her throat. Blood spurts everywhere as her head flies back. It’s a delicious sight. Bobby’s in the bedroom. He gets the same treatment.

  The killer then checks into a hotel using the false driver’s license and cash his attorney provided. He cleans up and uses the hair dye he’s bought to color his silver hair brown before hitting the road again.

  The elementary school Marianne Wentworth attends is in the suburbs of Fresno, about an hour from Avenal. While he waits for the shrink’s d
aughter to get out of school, he decides to make a call using the throw-a-way phone he bought at the local Wal-Mart.

  Kane doesn’t waste time with pleasantries. “I want an update on what’s been happening.”

  The man on the line tries to sound reassuring. But when Kane hears Bautista is still on the run, it has the opposite effect.

  “As I said before, if you can’t take care of loose ends, I will.” Kane’s anger kicks up a notch. “The female detective also has to die.”

  “We’ve already talked about that,” the man says. “Sexton is facing discipline and running scared.”

  Kane laughs until tears come to his eyes. “She came to see me yesterday, right after my parole hearing.”

  “What?”

  “She talked to Harper and is beginning to put things together. It’s time she disappears.”

  “We know about the meeting with Harper. The producer kept his big mouth shut for once.” The man’s voice takes on a pleading quality. “The timing is all wrong. It’s one thing to kill a felon who’s on the run, wanted for murder, but it’s another to kill a cop on active duty. That changes the entire game.”

  Kane considers this and says, “Let me concentrate on Bautista first.”

  He ends the call and his thoughts drift back to his meeting with the female cop. There’s something about her that interests him. She doesn’t back down. He likes that. Maybe she will be worth saving until the end. In the meantime, they can use her brother and his idiotic boyfriend to keep her occupied. He feels himself getting hard just thinking about how it will all play out.

  The bell rings. Children begin streaming out of the school. Kane sees the third grader run into her mother’s arms. His pulse begins to pound with excitement. God, he loves freedom.

  Nathan Kane puts the car in gear, follows Marsha Wentworth and her daughter. It’s killing time again.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  “I’m just the messenger, Detective.” Jimmy Chester’s BB eyes darted around the office not looking at me. “The department made it very clear. They think they have enough evidence to terminate your employment.”

  It was early morning. I’d arranged to meet with the rat at his office after his late night phone call had ruined another good night’s sleep.

  I set my Starbucks latte on the edge of his desk. “I don’t understand how IAD can make that claim.”

  “Blaylock wouldn’t tip his hand, but he told me that if you don’t resign there could be enough evidence to have the DA file criminal charges against you.”

  “Charges? For what?”

  “That’s all he would say. Believe me, I’m on your side, Detective. But I want you to know something—they want your head.”

  I thought about Charlie’s name for police administration. “Guess that’s why they call it the Tower.”

  Chester’s brow furrowed. “Now, I might be able to work out a suitable arrangement. No prosecution, as long as you’re willing…”

  I was on my feet. “Listen to me, you little… I won’t resign, ever.”

  Chester shrugged. “Your choice.”

  I picked up my latte and started for door. My anger stopped me and I turned back to him. “Our defense?”

  “What?”

  “What is our defense going to be, Mr. Chester?”

  “Well...I guess we can say...you were trying to deflect...” He paused, clearly searching for something.

  “Reasonable force,” I said. “My actions were to keep another officer from violating the department’s policy on reasonable force. It’s on page ninety-one of the department’s Use of Force Manual in case you want to look it up before Friday.” I moved toward the door again. “And, try to remember. You’re working for me, not the department.”

  I slammed the door and walked out. As I headed for my car I did some deep breathing exercises to try calming myself.

  On the way to the station, I stopped at my mom’s house to pick up Bernie. My furry 110 pound partner had fully recovered from his sprain. He jumped up on me when I walked through the door.

  Robin laughed. “He’s ready for duty, Kate. Another night of hearing what Mom calls ‘presidential privileges’ and he told me he’s going to run away.”

  After I recovered from Bernie’s love attack, I got up and hugged Robin. “That bad?”

  My brother turned to Janet Logan and arched his brows.

  “Another rough night,” Janet said. “The nurse should be by again this morning.”

  I looked in on Mom who was still wrapped in bandages but sleeping peacefully. I then found Robin in the kitchen and poured myself a cup of coffee.

  “That guy, Jack, who came by last night,” Robin said as I joined him at the table, “he was pretty worried about both of us. He said something about someone making threats.”

  “It’s a long story. I can’t go into all the details right now, but I’d like you to stay here with Mom for a few more days.”

  Robin looked like he had just been diagnosed with a terminal disease. “I’ll do almost anything for you, Kate. Watch your dog. Loan you money. Might even try going straight for a day. But there’s one thing I can’t do: spend another hour with Mom.”

  I had to smile. “Okay, then please stay home, stay away from Wolf Donovan’s estate, and stay away from Zen. I got word he’s very bad news.”

  “And what am I supposed to do about Clark?”

  “Clark has to learn to take care of himself, Robin. You need to back off and let things sort themselves out.”

  Robin took a deep breath, ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll try.”

  I kissed his cheek. “Thanks little brother. You’re the best.” I heard a sound coming from Mom’s bedroom. Janet Logan rushed down the hallway. I looked at Robin and said, “First one out of here gets a presidential pardon.”

  We nearly trampled one another running for the door.

  When I got to the station, I was surprised to hear Natalie’s voice coming from the break room. I found her with several officers gathered around as she talked about her ride-a-long with Bob Anderson, one of the night shift officers.

  “At first, I thought the girl was just a cabbage head,” Natalie said. “We were drivin’ her to the station when I glanced into the backseat. She was starin’ off into space, all mashed up from being at the pub. A minute later she starts flailing around and somehow gets her skirt pulled up at the waist.”

  Natalie’s hazel eyes were like two full moons as the officers laughed and she went on. “I look down and then I see it. The girl’s got a knob! A moment later, she or I guess it’s he, starts grinnin’ at me and actin’ like Bernie on a poodle prowl.”

  Natalie glanced at my hairy partner who was lying next to me, resting his head on his paws. “Sorry old boy,” Natalie said. “Didn’t mean to get too personal.”

  More officers gathered around as Natalie continued. Then I saw Jessica Barlow walk into the break room.

  “Bitch at one-eighty,” I said to Charlie who’d also heard the commotion and wandered in.

  “Probably here to take notes for the brass.”

  Natalie continued, “So, the twonk starts in with the five knuckle shuffle right there in the back of the ruddy cop car.”

  A roar of laughter rose up. Jessica had her hands on her hips.

  “A second later,” Natalie went on, “he’s pullin’ on his pud faster than a jack rabbit in a rainstorm. So I turn to Bob here and say, ‘I’m just warnin’ you, I think our prisoner is gonna spunk up all over the backseat.’”

  Anderson managed to comment over the laughter, “There was a sense of urgency in the situation.”

  “Urgency?” Natalie said. “I’ll say. By the time we got the car to the curb, the dimbo exploded. It was like that volcano in Hawaii or somethin’.”

  As the room roared with laughter, I said, “Sounds like just another routine evening patrol in Hollywood.”

  Jessica Barlow moved forward. The laughter died. “That kind of conversation is more appropriat
e for the locker room than the break room.”

  Natalie stared at Jessica and said, “You needn’t get your thong all up in a twist, lady. I was just havin’ a little fun with the story.”

  Jessica scowled and turned to Bob Anderson. “And, since when do we allow civilians in the break room?”

  I interrupted. “Since when is this any of your business?”

  “I’m going to report this,” Jessica said, turning on her heel. She looked at the other officers who were still gathered around. “I would think the rest of you have better things to do than listen to sexually inappropriate remarks.”

  “Are you kidding?” Anderson said. “That’s what we live for.”

  As Jessica was leaving the room, Natalie said to the officers, “Fraid she’s got herself all worked up into a cluck fuck for nuthin’.”

  When the laughter finally died down again, I walked Natalie to the parking lot where Clyde was waiting.

  “Can you come by my house around seven tonight?” Natalie asked. “I also invited Pearl. Got somethin’ to tell you both about our investigation.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  I spent the rest of the day doing paperwork and thinking about my meeting with Jimmy Chester. I decided not to tell Charlie about the meeting. Just the thought of resigning from the department made my stomach churn. And criminal charges? I had no idea how my actions in trying to protect an unarmed man from being shot could even remotely be considered criminal.

  The more I thought about what was happening, the more I became convinced I was being set up. And the setup was coming from the highest levels in the department.

  ***

  When Bernie and I arrived at Natalie’s house that evening, I found her pouring a cup of tea for Pearl. I accepted an offer of wine instead of tea as we complimented her on the home she and Clyde had renovated—a mid-century modern with a view to die for.

  As she showed us around, Natalie told us Clyde was out with the boys playing poker. Considering Clyde’s age, maybe they had a card room at a local convalescent hospital.