Collared (Going to the Dogs) (27 page)

“And these are your beautiful children, and so I can see that I did the right thing, and that you are blessed.”

“Yes, Harper and Aiden. This must be just as much a shock to them as it is to me.”

“This is all very sudden for us, but I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Mak.”

Malia smiled at them. Then the apartment door opened. “Mom, they didn’t have mangoes, so I got pineapple….” When he entered the room, he stopped dead. “Mr. Sinclair…Harper ...and you must be Aiden…” he trailed off and went white beneath his tan. The bag of groceries dropped out of his hand and hit the rug, apples, pineapples and tomatoes rolling everywhere.

The little Chihuahua who’d followed him in barked, then stood shivering from the tension in the room.

Harper stood up and walked over to Mak. “I knew there was something about you. This is more than overwhelming. Did your mother tell you about us? Who we really are to you?”

Mak’s eyes were filled with trepidation, fear and hope as he turned to look at her father, then back at her. “Yes. A year ago. I wouldn’t leave her alone about who my father was.” He looked at her father again. “I couldn’t understand why she urged me to come to New York. When she told me, I watched for openings at your company like a hawk. I…didn’t want to barge into your life. I wanted to see who you were. That meant a great deal to me your character. Then I met you and I found out exactly what kind of man you were, then I was terrified to tell you. I didn’t want to lose our connection, but I ached for you to know me as your son.”

Malia was crying openly tears streaking down her cheeks and the guilt and pain she had caused her son stood out starkly in her dark eyes.

“I wanted to tell you, sir. So many times, but I wanted to prove to you first that I am a hard worker, that I’m not looking for handouts, just to know the man who fathered me. To be part of your life. That’s all.”

She watched her father’s face change and his eyes go tender. It was easy to see that he had already taken Mak into his heart. Her father rose, walked over to Mak and simply embraced him. Tears welled in his eyes as he hugged her father back, slipping down his face in relief. He squeezed his eyes shut.

“You’ve proved yourself ten times over,” her father said, his voice uneven. “When you could have walked into my office and demanded your birthright, you instead showed that you were already a Sinclair.”

Malia said, “
Ma'ane'i no ke aloha.
For love is here now, and that is all that matters.”

Harper and Aiden exchanged stunned looks.

When her father pulled away, she looked into Mak’s grateful eyes, so very much like hers. He was her brother whether they knew each other or not. His blood was their blood and after meeting him, she was sure he was going to fit in just fine. “Let me be the first to welcome you into our family.”

Aiden stood and walked over to Mak to shake his hand, then they embraced. “I don’t know how this happened, but I am blown away that I now have a brother. This is amazing. Can you give me surfing pointers?”

Mak laughed then nodded, wiping at his face.

Aiden gave Harper a sly look, then said in a stage whisper, “Watch out for her. She’s a meddler.”

She punched Aiden’s shoulder.

“I’m more than relieved to know that our business, our family business, will remain in the family. I’m going to look forward to getting to know you, man. Welcome, Mak,” Aiden said.

“This must be Shark?” Harper said.

The tiny white and silver dog barked again. As ferociously as he could. Charmed, Harper bent down and rubbed his head. “Oh, yes, you are very fierce. You’ll fit right in, too.

After leaving Harper, Caleb walked into the Robbery Division and gave Shane an apologetic look. As he pushed back in chair.

As Caleb sat down across from Shane, he swiveled his chair around. “Everything okay now?”

“Yeah, all worked out. Thanks again for covering my ass.”

“What are partners for?” He scratched his chin. “I’ve been thinking while you’ve been with Harper of the gorgeous fanny. Maybe the thieves were going to wait until the heat died down. Or maybe they went to the heavy-hitters to fence the stones. There’s no doubt that those necklaces would have been broken down. Otherwise they would be too hot. I’m just surprised nothing has surfaced yet.

“Anything hit on the chauffeur?”

“No, not yet, but there’s a lot of faces to sort through. If he’s in the system somewhere, it’ll pop.”

Caleb’s cell rang and he answered. “Shaw, this is Vinnie. I know where Lang is.”

“Where?”

“If I tell you, will you stay off my case?”

“Sure, Vinnie.”

“Damn, cops. He’s holed up with this new chick he met. That’s why it’s been easy for him to stay off the grid. She’s been taking care of him.”

“You got a name?”

“Would I call you if I didn’t?”

After he got the name, he hung up. “We got Lang. Let’s roll.”

At the door to the apartment, the super standing by, Caleb called out. “Rob, it’s Detective Shaw. Open up! I want to talk to you, buddy.”

He heard a lot of commotion and a crash. The super quickly opened the door and Caleb saw Rob going out the fire escape. Caleb called, “Lang!” This time Lang didn’t get far, since Shane was waiting for him at the bottom of the ladder.

When Caleb reached street level, he grabbed Rob by the back of the shirt and slammed him face-first into the brick building. “Where you going in such a hurry, Robby boy?”

“No place, Shaw.”

“I don’t know why,” he mused to Shane, “but I got a feelin’ he’s lying.”

“That’s not good, Rob. Caleb gets meaner when people lie to him.”

“I think you’ve been avoiding me. Gotta ask myself why that is. Is Rob mad at me? We used to be such good friends.” He slammed him against the wall again. “I pay you for information and you help me recover stolen items. That’s our deal. You know, I think you’ve been avoiding me lately, welshing on our deal.”

“This is about that socialite robbery, ain’t it?”

“What do you know about it?” Caleb growled, his jaw tightening.

“Look, Shaw, it’s self-preservation and fear. I’m more afraid of the fence then I’m afraid of you.”

“What fence would that be, Rob?”

He shook his head.

“Don’t make me throw your ass in jail for obstruction, Rob. I’d hate to do that to my friend. With your pretty face, you’d have plenty of admirers.”

“Dammit, Shaw. You can’t let him know it was me who squealed.”

“You know that I’m completely discreet, Rob. Spill.”

With fear in his eyes, Rob said, “Lou Silva.”

“Thanks, Rob. Now take a hike.”

“What about my money?”

Caleb laughed without mirth. “You made me chase you, Rob. Next time don’t waste my fucking time!”

Rob walked away cursing.

“Lou Silva…that’s one nasty piece of work, Caleb.”

“He still needs to be questioned. I say we go in mean.”

Twenty minutes later they were at the warehouse of Lou Silva, who was a major fence that Caleb and Shane had been unable to collar…so far. He’d slipped through their noose a couple of times.

As soon as they arrived, with a black and white for backup, Caleb knocked on the locked door of the warehouse. After a few minutes a skinny guy with long hair opened the door.

“We’re here to talk to Lou.”

“Who are you and what do you want?” his tone surly as he eyed the uniforms.

Caleb showed him his shield. “NYPD.”

“Lou don’t like talking to no cops.”

“Tough, we just have some questions for him. We can either do it here or downtown.”

“Lou still ain’t gonna like it.”

The guy backed up, looking skeptical and fidgety As soon as Caleb and Shane stepped through the door. The guy yelled, “Cops!” and ran to the back of the warehouse. Shane took off after him and two guys in the back opened fire. The uniforms came in while Caleb took cover, pulling his weapon. The uniforms kept the two guys busy. Shane took the skinny loudmouth down before he could reach the stairs, but by now Lou had to know they were here. Shane cuffed his guy and pulled out his weapon.

Caleb stayed low. When he reached Shane, he said, grinning, “I got your back. Go get that piece of shit.”

Caleb ran for the stairs and Shane kept the heat off him. At the top he moved swiftly toward the office.

As soon as Caleb entered, Lou grabbed up a blonde woman sitting at a desk. With a flick of his wrist he flipped open a wicked-looking switchblade.

Caleb brought up his weapon and trained it on Lou. “Let her go, Lou. There’s nowhere for you to go,” Caleb ordered.

“I’ll kill her. Drop your gun.”

He nicked the woman’s neck, and Caleb let go of the grip of his gun and held it out, balancing it on his thumb. “Okay, Lou,” he said with a conciliatory voice. “The gun is going down. Let her go and it’ll go easier on you.”

“Move away from the door,” he shouted. Caleb complied, but as Lou dragged the woman towards the door, she elbowed him in the side. With that opening, Caleb lunged at Lou and grabbed the hand with the lethally sharp blade.

They grappled, Lou pushing Caleb into the desk and punching him in the face with a vicious blow. Caleb let go as Lou slashed at him and he jumped back, but not before he felt a stinging pain across his forearm. The next time Lou slashed wildly at him, Caleb grabbed his arm and disarmed him, slamming his elbow into Lou’s face.

The man stumbled backwards and hit the glass window overlooking the warehouse below. It shattered and Lou pinwheeled his arms as he began to fall. Caleb lunged forward and grabbed onto his belt to keep him from going over.

Lou looked up at him and snarled. “I’ll fucking cut your heart out.”

“You’re not going anywhere yet, Lou. I’ve got a few questions for you.”

Then Caleb cuffed him and sat him in a chair.

Shane walked in and placed two necklaces on the desk. Two of Harper’s stolen items. Luckily the settings hadn’t been stripped of the diamonds yet.

“Where did you get these, Lou?”

Lou stared at him with a sullen I’m-not-talking-to-no-damn-cop look.

Caleb sighed. “These were stolen from Harper Sinclair, and the charges are piling up. If you give me some help here, I’ll ask the DA to go a little easier on you.”

“Fucking go to hell.”

“He got them from this big dude.”

Lou looked at the blonde he had cut.

“You talk, Donna and you’re dead.”

“You tried to kill me, you piece of shit!”

“Shane.”

Shane hauled Lou up and out of the office and closed the door. Lou continued to yell threats and obscenities at her, but the woman was completely unmoved.

“You sure you’re okay? You don’t need to go to the hospital?”

“I’m fine.” The wound on her neck wasn’t life-threating, and the EMTs had taken care of bandaging it.

“Thanks for your help back there, Donna. Nice move.”

He held a chair for her. “What can you tell me about this man who sold the jewelry to Lou?”

“He looked military.”

Something snapped together in Caleb’s brain. “How do you know that?”

“He had that look, just like my father. Buzz cut, sandy hair and these really scary blue eyes like they were lit from within by crazy. He made my skin crawl.”

“Why?”

“He looked like a killer.”

“Height? Weight?”

“Six-two, maybe six-three. At least as tall as you.”

“Six-two.”

She nodded. “He was ripped, just like you. Looked like he worked out.”

“Anything else you can tell me?”

“He was driving a black sedan, a Toyota I think, but I can’t be sure.”

“If I got you to an artist, do you think you could give him a description?”

“Sure. He’s the kind of guy you don’t easily forget.”

Caleb reached out and squeezed her arm. “Thank you. You’re very brave.”

“Lou’s a bastard, but he paid good. But no one holds a knife to my throat. I hope you lock him up and throw away the key.”

He turned her over to an officer to escort her to the precinct.

“Want me to take a look at that, detective?” an EMT said.

Caleb looked down at his forearm. “Just clean it up. It’s shallow.”

An hour later, he had the sketch, and Donna wasn’t kidding. This guy was big and scary. He was already running the sketch through facial recognition while he went back to the security footage the night of the breakin and didn’t see the guy. He wondered if he was working with a partner.

While he waited for facial recognition to finish running, he went back to Harper’s building. He was tempted to go upstairs to see her. Now that there was maybe a military connection, Caleb had some more pointed questions for Harper’s chauffeur. But that would have to wait. He showed the sketch to the doorman, and he didn’t remember seeing the guy, but said he should check in the back, where deliveries were handled.

The security doorman looked at the sketch and didn’t recognize the guy, but said there had been several deliveries that night.

Caleb remembered seeing in the footage a man delivering a bouquet of flowers. The doorman insisted that he was heading to a specific apartment in the building. He remembered that someone had checked this out the day of the breakin, but had listed the delivery as legitimate. Caleb decided to double-check.

He and Shane got in the elevator and went up to the apartment listed on the log. When he knocked, a woman answered the door.

She looked him up and down. “Well, this is my lucky day. You wouldn’t be my secret admirer by any chance?”

He smiled and shook his head as Shane snickered.

“No, ma’am.” He flashed his shield. “I’m Detective Caleb Shaw and this is my partner, Detective Shane Dembowsky. We’re investigating the breakin.”

“Oh, God. I heard about that on the news. Has everyone in the building nervous. If they got into that Fort Knox of a penthouse, you can bet they could easily get in here.”

“Did you receive flowers on the night of the breakin?”

“Yes, I did. The delivery came at about 5pm. The card just had ‘From your secret admirer.’”

Caleb nodded. “Do you remember the delivery man?”

“Vaguely, the flowers were so beautiful that I was looking at them more than him. Average build, average face. He was wearing a green polo with Flower Power stitched in blue. I think he had dark hair.”