At Their Own Game (28 page)

When I reached the middle of the bridge, I pulled the small recorder from my coat pocket. Without hesitation, I hurled it out the window and over the edge of the bridge. I knew it would fall into the cold water of the Spokane River and be gone for good. Even if someone recovered it someday, the recording would be ruined as soon as it sank into the river or was blasted into the rocks below the water.
 

“Sorry, Falkner,” I muttered, not meaning it. “I guess you’re on your own.”
 

I drove north on Monroe, finally turning off the main street and into my neighborhood. When I pulled up in front of my house, the light was burning in the kitchen and in the living room, both through drawn shades.
 

I got out of the car, my body aching. Every muscle in my body twinged and sang as I walked slowly up the sidewalk to the front door. I could feel every shovel of
dirt I’d thrown. I could feel the burning on my ear, underneath the bloody crusting. I could feel the deep weariness from adrenaline and battle.
 

But I also felt more alive than ever in my life.
 

I unlocked the door and walked in. Helen was seated on the couch, and she sprang to her feet.
 

“You’re safe!” she nearly shouted. “Thank God. I was starting to worry.” Then she saw my ear, and concern flooded her features. “Are you all right?”
 

I nodded.
 

She threw her arms around me. I let her kiss me but didn’t kiss her back. She pulled back. “Jake…what’s wrong?”
 

I didn’t answer. I pulled out of her grasp and went into the kitchen. The nearly empty bottle of whiskey was still on the counter. I poured a glass and sat down at the kitchen table.
 

Helen came in tentatively, confusion etched on her face. She started to say something, but stopped. She poured herself the final drink from the bottle. Then she sat down across from me.
 

We sipped our whiskey for a minute or two. I stared at her. She stared back, trying to decipher what was happening.
 

Finally, she asked, “What happened, baby?”
 

“I won,” I said simply.
 

That brought a hesitant smile to her lips. “Good. That’s good. Then everything is all right?”
 

“No.”
 

Her eyes flicked to my ear. “Are you hurt?”
 

“More than I can say,” I said. I reached into the small of my back and withdrew my pistol. The weighty metal clunked against the wood of the table as I set it down in front of me.
 

She stared at the gun. Then she looked up at me. “What is it?”
 

“I know,” I said.
 

“You…know?  Know what?”
 

“I know you went to Ozzy with your offer first. With Arturo’s offer.”
 

Her eyes flared slightly, but she recovered. “That’s not true. Whoever told you that is lying. Jake, baby, I love you. Why are you acting this way?”
 

I shook my head. “It is true, Helen. We both know it is.”
 

“It’s not.”
 

I took a long sip of the whiskey. Then I picked up the gun and leveled it at her. “Yeah, it’s true. Don’t deny it. Do you really want a lie to be the last thing that passes your lips?”
 

She stared back at me, her lip quivering. “Jake…please…”
 

“I tried the whole way home,” I told her.
 

“Tried what, baby?”
 

“I tried to tell myself it didn’t matter. Or that I could just pretend it wasn’t true, and we could go on. Move forward. Water under the bridge.”
 

“It
is
,” she insisted. “We
can
.”
 

“No,” I said. “Because there’s a fundamental difference between us, Helen.”
 

“No, baby. We’re the same. We’re –”
 

“You know what that difference is?” I asked, ignoring her protests. “The difference is that loving you was real for me, and it was just a means to an end for you. Even way back when, I was just a tool for you to use to suit your purpose.”
 

“No, Jake. Honey, I –”
 

“It’s over, Helen.” I raised the gun a little further. “If you want to make some kind of peace with God, do it now. I’ll give you that much.”
 

Tears sprang into her eyes. “Jake, no. Baby, I don’t know what you’re thinking, or who told you what, but –”
 

“Shut up, Helen.”
 

She wiped away her tears, then turned her eyes back to me. Instead of the soft, fearful, confused gaze, she gave me a defiant glare. “Fine, asshole. You want the truth? You’re right. I offered it to Ozzy, and he turned me down. So I turned to you. You know why?”
 

“I already know why,” I whispered.
 

“Because I knew you’d do it. I knew you’d do exactly what I wanted you to do. Because I knew you still loved me.” Her face was hard and unrelenting. “And that’s why I know you’re not going to shoot me now, Jake.”
 

“Don’t count on it.”
 

“You need me, Jake. I’m your connection to Arturo. We can still be partners.”
 

“My heart doesn’t work that way,” I said.
 

“You’re not going to shoot me,” she persisted. “You’re not the kind of man who kills people. You’re not a bad guy, Jake.”
 

I stared at her for a final, few moments. In those moments, I wished that were still true.
 

And then I stopped wishing.
 

Acknowledgements
 

The author would like to thank the following readers for making this book better: Louise Saylor, Brian Triplett, John Emery, Melanie Donaldson, and Brad Hallock.
 

Thanks again to Jill and Asa, both of you for asking the right questions and for being thorough.
 

And Kristi, for reading it first. Always first.
 

About the Author
 

Frank was a police officer from 1993 to 2013. He is the author of numerous crime novels.
 

In addition to writing, Frank is an avid hockey fan and a tortured guitarist. He lives in Chattaroy, Washington.
 

You can keep up with him at
http://frankzafiro.com
.
 

Want a free book?
If you’d like to review some of Frank’s titles, contact him at
[email protected]
for a free copy of the book you’d like to review. Kindle or ePub versions only.
 

Other Books by Frank Zafiro
 

River City Series (Crime Novels)
 

From Gray Dog Press
 

Under a Raging Moon
 

A violent robber is loose in River City. Meet the cops that must take him down.
 

Stefan Kopriva, a young hotshot. Katie MacLeod, a woman in what is still mostly a man’s world. Karl Winter, about to retire but with one more good bust left in him. And Thomas Chisolm, a former Green Beret who knows how dangerous a man like the Scarface Robber can be.
 

These are the patrol officers of River City – that mythical thin blue line between society and anarchy. They must stop the robber, all the while juggling divorces, love affairs, internal politics, a hostile media, vengeful gang members and a civilian population that isn’t always understanding or even grateful.
 

Written by a real cop with real experience,
Under a Raging Moon
is like a paperback ride-along. Enjoy the ride.
 

Under a Raging Moon
is the first River City novel.
 

“Engrossing, fast-paced, suspenseful…highly recommended.”
 

LJ Roberts, DorothyL Mystery List
 

“Gritty, profane, and compelling.”
 

Lawrence McMicking,
curledup.com
 

“If you like McBain, or any gritty police procedural, then Zafiro is someone for you to pick up, enjoy, and then wait for the next book.”
 

PJ Coldren, Amazon.com review
 

“Under A Raging Moon
is an extraordinary crime novel. Like Ed McBain’s Isola, River City is a combination of the best and worst of the human species, and its cops are as complex and haunted as the criminals they battle each day. Frank Zafiro has created a gritty, totally authentic world with believable characters, nonstop action, and snappy dialogue (think Hill Street Blues in Washington state). Don’t miss this book–It’ll keep you turning pages well into the moonlit night.”
 

John M. Floyd, award-winning author of
Rainbow's End
 

“In
Under a Raging Moon
, Frank Zafiro doesn’t tell you about the mean streets, he takes you to them with clear, concise writing as solid as the asphalt beneath your feet. You feel the tension between those out there to prey and those there to protect. You feel the anxiety of knowing every routine traffic stop could turn into a killing, and every junkie and pusher you bust wants you dead. He also takes you deep behind the badge. His ensemble cast of cops have issues within themselves and with each other and can’t leave them at home any more than we can. You’ll be there with them in the squad room, in the patrol cars and in their favorite watering hole.
 

“Frank Zafiro has woven a powerful story with realistic, memorable characters, a suspenseful plot and a climax that will leave you breathless. If you’ve ever wanted to know what it would be like to put on the blue uniform, wear a badge and carry a gun, this one is highly recommended.”
 

Earl Staggs, Derringer Award-winning author
 

“Zafiro shows his readers some of the grim realities of law enforcement.”
 

Brian Triplett,
Examiner.com
 
 

Heroes Often Fail
 

The men and women of the River City Police Department are sworn to protect and to serve. But when six-year-old girl is kidnapped off a residential street in broad daylight, each cop must rise to heroic levels. Detectives scramble to solve the kidnapping while patrol officers comb the streets looking for the missing girl. Racing against time, every cop on the job focuses on finding her. Before it is too late. Before they fail her.
 

Heroes Often Fail
is the second River City Crime Novel
 

“[a] complex police procedural with multi layered characters, a rich setting, and plenty of action.”
 

Kevin Tipple, independent reviewer
 

“[An] affecting novel from a writer who knows not only the job, but the grueling toll certain cases can take on the victims and those charged with upholding law and order.”
 

Russel McLean,
Crime Scene Scotland.
 

"Strap yourself in for this citizen’s ride-along! Frank Zafiro pits cop against perp in the race to save six-year-old kidnap victim Amy Dugger. The problem for the River City PD is that Amy’s abductor isn’t the only creep in town. Zafiro not only drops us right into the precinct during business hours, but he also succeeds at presenting the human side of cops. We come to know these men and women who risk everything to do their duty. We hope they become heroes. And we pray they do not fail."
 

Jill Maser, award-winning author of “Unspoken.”
 

“Heroes Often Fail
is a riveting, intimate account of a parent’s worst nightmare and the men and women of the River City Police Department. The author skillfully portrays the protagonist’s inner conflict. Moving and real. Impossible not to get caught up in the emotional roller coaster crafted by this talented writer.”
 

T. Dawn Richard, author of the May List Mystery Series
 

“Heroes Often Fail
delivers what we've come to expect from Frank Zafiro--sharp-edged dialogue, vivid characters, and an intimate knowledge of the way things work in an urban police department. A tense, frightening tale, and the best River City novel to date.”
 

John M. Floyd, award-winning author of
Rainbow's End
 

“
Heroes Often Fail
could be one of the most authentic police procedurals I've read. The story appears deceptively simple--a six-year old girl snatched from the streets, but as it jumps around between the lives of the detectives and uniformed officers trying to find her, it
adds a more layered, sophisticated texture. Written in short chapters and lean, muscular prose, this is an exceptionally satisfying and engrossing read, and a book that would've made Ed McBain proud!”
 

Dave Zeltserman, author of
Bad Thoughts
 

“A standout amongst police procedurals, Frank Zafiro's
Heroes Often Fail
does the job of not only showing the nuances of police work, but also the effects of crime on the victims. In a literary world populated (and dulled) by shiny lab technicians and ridiculously elaborate set pieces, Mr. Zafiro never forgets the dirt under the nails approach and the heart of any great story - the characters. The writing is brutally dark and jolting in places, hopeful in others, not an easy balancing act that Mr. Zafiro pulls off seamlessly. A small(er) town offspring of Wambaugh and McBain, it stands amongst the greats and finds enough room to be completely on its own terms.”