Jump The Line (Toein' The Line Book 1) (47 page)

Captain America?  I smile.
 “
It fits
.
”

“
You stupi
d
—”

Why is DeeDee so damned angry?  I made no promises. 

Understanding strikes me like a lightning bolt.  Now that
I’
ve slept with Alaina, DeeDee knows I wo
n’
t be sharing myself with her.  I
t’
s got to be wha
t’
s pissing her off.  I gaze at her.  Dark circles cup her blue eyes.  Sh
e’
s had little or no sleep. 

“
Yo
u’
ve been spying on me, have
n’
t you?  You tailed me last night.  Tha
t’
s how you know
I’
ve slept with Alaina
.
” 

She snorts.
 “
Why would I do that
?
”

I take another threatening step toward her.
 “
Someon
e’
s been tailing me for days
,”
I say.
 “
Was it you?  Did you hide in Alain
a’
s closet?  Take pictures?  Hmmm?  Get your kinky jollies, did you
?
”

“
Fuck you
.
”

And would
n’
t you love to?

“
Your snitch could be wrong about Robin Colby
,”
I say, risking a glance toward the NPD anne
x’
s sixth floor window.  If she decides to shoot me, I want witnesses.
 “
Have you thought about that
?
”

She shakes her head.
 “
Wrong again.  Evidence backs us up.  H
e’
s Megalo Don.  Maybe you do
n’
t want to believe Robin Colb
y’
s our killer because yo
u’
re screwing his sister.  Have you thought about
that
?
” 

I do
n’
t tell her I went to warn Alaina she could be Megal
o’
s next victim.
 “
Megalo Don could also be just some nut case wh
o’
s got a bone to pick with Alaina or Robin
.
” 

“
Then what is that dead gir
l’
s shoulder doing in Alaina Colb
y’
s refrigerator
?
”
 
DeeDe
e’
s blue eyes smolder.
 “
Or . . . now that yo
u’
ve had a little of that Colby pussy, maybe yo
u’
re not inclined to think
she
put it in there
?
”

I almost laugh.  DeeDe
e’
s hidden her foul mouth, but now sh
e’
s showing her true colors.
 “
DeeDe
e
—”

“
Detective Laws, if you will, please
.
”

“
Okay.  Detective Laws, do you think sh
e’
s Megalo Don?  Do you think sh
e’
s been killing those girls and chewing them up like that
?
”

“
She could be his accomplice
.
”

“
Yo
u’
ve lost your perspective for personal reasons, Detective Laws.  Yo
u’
re guessing, and guessing does
n’
t cut it in court.  You need to get your shit together
.
” 

This is starting to feel like theatre of the absurd, and I do
n’
t do ridiculous well.
 “
Fuck this
,”
I say.  Turning from her, I start walking toward NP
D’
s front entry.  If DeeDe
e’
s going to shoot me, no
w’
s her chance.
 “
W
e’
ve got a meeting to get to
,”
I say.
 “
Standing out here arguing is
n’
t getting us anywhere on this case
.
”

“
They found Robin Colb
y’
s overnight bag in that Coca-Cola truck
,”
DeeDee says, catching up.
 “
What about that
?
”

“
I have no idea what was in Robin Colb
y’
s overnight bag, or what it was doing in that Coke truck
,”
I say, absorbing DeeDe
e’
s point.  Agreed: it does
n’
t look good, his overnight bag in that truck, but I keep arguing.
 “
Maybe whoever planted the shoulder in Alain
a’
s fridge put the overnight bag in that truck
.
” 

“
Tha
t’
s what you want to believe
,”
DeeDee says.
 “
Now wh
o’
s guessing, Detective
?
”

The remark shocks me.  DeeDe
e’
s right.  I keep making up reasons not to believe Robi
n’
s Megalo Don.  Why am I refuting the possibility? 

Was the sex that good?

Damn straight, it was.

Pissed, more at myself than DeeDee, I ignore her.  Alaina does
n’
t need defending.  Sh
e’
s done nothing.  My good mood, left over from last night like the residue fumes from a heady perfume, is evaporating fast. 

“
Robin Colb
y’
s on probation, you know.  You read the background report on those Colbys
.
”

I stop and turn toward her.  Standing toe-to-toe with DeeDee, I keep my voice calm.
 “
Why are you so down on the Colbys
?
”

“
The
y’
re deadbeats, criminals.  The
y’
re . . . trash
.
”

“
In your opinion
.
” 

I disagree with her on that point, partly, but ca
n’
t deny that at least the mother and, possibly, the brother are exactly tha
t—
trash.  But Alaina is
n’
t.  

“
The
y’
ve led a crime wave in Goshen for years
,”
DeeDee says.

My mistake was having DeeDee do background on the Colbys.  I shoul
d’
ve done it myself.  Still, i
t’
s water under the bridge. 
I’
ve now got to deal with my screw-up.  DeeDee would have gotten her hands on the information by now anyway.

“
Does that make Alaina a piece of trash, too?  Is that what yo
u’
re getting at?  Is that the real reason yo
u’
re pissed?  You do
n’
t like her because yo
u’
re jealous
?
”
 
I fight the anger seeping into my voice.  DeeDee has gone too far.  Alaina Colby is none of her business.
 “
Because if you ar
e
—”

She steps back.
 “
Why, I believe
y’
all have gone and lost your temper with me, Detective
.
”

“
Damn straight.  Yo
u’
re the rookie. 
I’
m team lead, so if I want to bed a witness, or if I want to fuck Megalo Don himself, I will.  Got it?  So stay the
fuck
out of my personal life, DeeDee
.
”

“
And your professional life, too, Aidan?  What about that
?
”

Sh
e’
s threatening me with her mother.  I shrug. 
I’
m done with her.
 “I’
ll ask Captain Meyers to transfer you to a different partner
.
”

“
Do
n’
t bother. 
I’
ll do it myself
,”
she says, tailing me. 

I mount the steps and head for the statio
n’
s front door. 

“
Yo
u’
re such a bastard
.
”

“
Yo
u’
re not the first woman to call me that
.
” 

Alaina had, too.  But in her case
I’
d only gone to her apartment to warn her.  I ca
n’
t say truthfully I had
n’
t hoped sh
e’
d at least kiss me, or that sh
e’
d agree to go on a date.  But the result of last nigh
t’
s visit with her far exceeded my initial goal.  However, I have no regrets.  In fact,
I’
ve every intention of repeating it, once I find a way to work out our differences.

“
I hope my mother gets you fired
,”
DeeDee says.

Ever the gentleman, albeit a bastard, I open NP
D’
s front door for her.
 “
Ladies first
,”
I say, smiling.  I
t’
ll be a cold day in Hell before DeeDee Law
s
’ mother gets me fired.  My famil
y’
s a network of judges and lawyers.  Wh
o’
s hers? 

“
Your mothe
r’
s the mayor
,”
I say, feeling small but unable stop myself from speaking harshly
,“
so
I’
m betting sh
e’
ll protect her ass over yours and do wha
t’
s best for Newport, which does
n’
t include keeping you on the force
.
”

“
Oh, you think because you slept with my mother sh
e’
ll do you any favors
?
”

She strides ahead of me, shoving through the thick glass doors.  Turning, she gives me one last scathing glare.
 “
Yeah, I know about you and her.  For the record, I do
n’
t give a damn.  I know yo
u’
re a man whore, but
I’
m still going to make your life a living hell, Hawks
.
”

“
I guess this means our dat
e’
s off for tonight
?
”

Sh
e’
s already marched inside.  

I follow.  I
t’
s going to be a long day, if DeeDee has her way.  I was right when I guessed sh
e’
d turn venomous.  Wha
t’
d she say? 

I’
ll make your life a living hell?
 

The only living hell I can imagine is one in which Alaina Colby does
n’
t figure prominently.

Chapter 42

Every organizatio
n’
s got its proverbial water cooler, where rumors get started and spread.  NP
D’
s is the kitchen off sixth floor conference room. 
I’
ve never thought
I’
d be the source of those rumors, but when Wes stops to grab a cup of coffee, I lear
n—
I am.

Since suffering DeeDe
e’
s outburst in the parking lot,
I’
m growing a mood blacker than the sludge Wes dumps from the pot, so it does
n’
t help when he says
,“
I gotta tell you, Laws is boiling mad
,”
he says.
 “
Wha
t’
d you do to that poor little girl
?
”

“
Sick bastard, you watched, did
n’
t you
?”
I say, catching the mischievous gleam in We
s
’ eyes.  W
e’
d been partners before Meyers busted us up, sticking me with breaking in the forc
e’
s rookie, DeeDee Laws.  Wes and I are like brothers.

“
Guess the Captain wants to see me
?”
I say, gulping coffee.
 “
Damn, this tastes good.  I need it
.
”

“
Mayor Laws is in there with him
,”
Wes says, nodding toward the conference room as we leave the kitchen.
 “
Sh
e’
s called for a case review.  Meyers is pretty riled.  It wo
n’
t help that yo
u’
re late
.
”

“
Did he watch the fight in the parking lot
?
”

“
He did.  Still wo
n’
t cut you any slack, though
,”
Wes says
,“
although yo
u’
ve got my sympathy. 
C’
mon, le
t’
s go get your flogging, bro
.
” 

I nod.  Captain Meyers is Mayor Darlene Law
s
’ lap dog.  H
e’
ll do whatever she asks.
 “
Guess
I’
m in for it, huh
?”
I say, and wink. 
I’
m not too worried h
e’
s going to try to cut me from the force.  He ca
n’
t get it done.  My famil
y’
s got too much pull.  Still, I do
n’
t need this right now.  The case requires my full attention. 

Wes swings a wiry arm around my shoulders and then wallops me center mass.
 “
Yep, Hawks, yo
u’
re in deeper than flies in my grandm
a’
s shithouse
.
”

I laugh.  Small and wiry and mean as hell.
 “
Devil Anse II
,”
the murderers h
e’
s convicted, and his NPD brothers, call Wes, usually with less than full admiration.  Wes migrated to Kentucky from West Virginia, home of the infamous Hatfields and McCoys.  I like him, though, most of the time.  He and I are just two old homicide buds, partners. We can read each othe
r’
s minds, but
I’
ve learned the hard way he can be quirky, unpredictable. 

“
Wha
t’
s going on with the little honey from Oma
r’
s
?
”
 
He laughs when I choke on my coffee.  More rumors.  Damn.

“
Do
n’
t deny it.  I
t’
s all over NPD.  You got busted with your pants down this morning at her place, bro
.
”  

My thoughts turn to Alaina, the chief source
I’
m certain of this mornin
g’
s rumor mill.
 “
Le
t’
s discuss her over a beer at Buffalo Wild Wings.  Right now
I’
ve got to focus on finding Megalo Don
.
”

“
Sure thing, Hawks.  Your FBI budd
y’
s in there waiting on you, too
.
”

“
SAC Smith
?
”
 
I say, and then I tell him about the FBI agent wh
o’
d scoffed when I arrived late at the scene where Megalo dumped his most recent vi
c’
s body.
 “
You know anything about why the FBI was at that scene last night
?
”

“
Not sure
,”
Wes says.
 “
Maybe the latest vic, the one whose shoulder showed up in Alaina Colb
y’
s fridge, was murdered in some other state, and then dumped across a state line
.
”

“
Maybe
,”
I say, nodding
,“
but he could also be snooping around because of Meera.  No one knows her state of origin.  Maybe sh
e’
s from Florida.  Hell, maybe sh
e’
s not even from the U.S.  Who knows
?
”

“
Ther
e’
s always the chance Sheriff Cornwell screwed up, and Meyers invited the Feds in to help with the case
.
”

“
Yeah, I know
,”
I say, mulling over We
s
’ comments.  But same as before, same as I told DeeDee, i
t’
s all speculation, guess work.  SAC Smith is here for only one other reason I can think of.  I did
n’
t permit myself to contemplate that reason last night.  This morning, however, as I conjure an adequate greeting for Darlene when I hit that meetin
g
—
“
Nice to see you again, Mayor Laws, outside the bedroom.  No, sorry, but
I’
ve no idea wh
o’
s killing all these women and dumping them in your alle
y
”
—
I have to consider the third option, the one I did
n’
t want to at all last night.

And want to even less this morning.

“C’
mon, Hawks
,”
Wes says.
 “
Face the music
.
”

* * *

First thing I see when I walk into the meeting, other than DeeDee still looking ready to kill, is Mayor Darlene Laws, DeeDe
e’
s mother.  Her presence at the head of the conference table is no surprise.  Darlen
e’
s Newpor
t’
s mayor, and I know well how she has to be on to
p—
in everything.  Darlen
e’
s smile, a more worn version of her daughte
r’
s, freezes when she sees me.  I do
n’
t expect her to be as crazy about me as she once was, not after the way I cut her loose, but a little civility would be nice. 

“
Mayor Laws, nice to see you agai
n
—”

“
Detective Hawks, have you seen
this
?
”

I stare at the
Cincinnati Enquirer
, which the honorable Mayor Laws holds off to her side like a beautifully aging TV game show hostess.  If sh
e’
s not careful, sh
e’
ll break her index finger pointing at the headline. 

I glace around the room.  Darlen
e’
s passed out copies to all, including Captain Meyers, Wes, and Sheriff Cornwell, who has claimed his favorite seat by SAC Smith. 

The headline screams: Police
-FBI Find Frozen Body in Serial Murder Suspec
t’
s Apartment.

Below the fold, where everyone can read it and arrive at their own conclusions, another article reads
: NPD Detective Involved with Murder Suspec
t’
s Sister?

I want to choke DeeDee. 
I’
d been right.  Sh
e’
d tailed me to Alain
a’
s apartment.  Figuring out
I’
d stayed all nigh
t—
and all the other lascivious detail
s—
sh
e’
d called her compatriot at the
Enquirer
and given Stewart the headline.  Controlling my anger, I keep my steady gaze on the newspaper Darlen
e’
s holding.

“
That headlin
e’
s inaccurate.  There was no body
,”
I say
,“
only a shoulder
.
”

But why argue?  I do
n’
t know what Captain Meye
r’
s has or has
n’
t told Mayor Laws about the investigation and, frankly, I do
n’
t care.  Besides, wor
d’
s out in print now, and it ca
n’
t be retracted.  I
t’
s borderline libel, but since i
t’
s worded as a question and
I’
m a quasi public figure and my nam
e’
s not used, I do
n’
t have much of a case against DeeDee or the
Enquirer.
  I
t’
s not my fault, but the thing I hate is that i
t’
s just one more problem Newport PD now has to contend with, when we need our attention focused on finding Megalo Don.  Still, i
t’
s hard not to miss that accusing headline, even tougher not to realize who was responsible. 

I gaze at DeeDee for the first time since entering the conference room and make a decision on the spot.  I can engage on her level, or I can stick to my guns and ride this out. 
I’
ve done nothing wrong, so
I’
m not going to be intimidated. 
I’
ll also not sink to her level.  I was tasked with mentoring her. 
I’
m going to teach her the ultimate lesson, one every street criminal knows: never roll over on your partner.  My focus this morning has to be on the investigation, not the character assassination campaign DeeDee has mounted against me.  Her behavior, partly due to ambition, partly due to personal jealousy, is predictable.  I wish I could say I saw it coming.

Feeling We
s
’ amused gaze, I ignore my former partner.  The headline was
n’
t even the one
I’
d at first expected.  I thought Stewart might have printed the story from last nigh
t’
s crime scene in the alley, but he mus
t’
ve decided not to, maybe because that was a Newport headline. 
I’
ve no doubt, however, that a headline as lurid as this mornin
g’
s
Enquire
r’
s
is soon going to be plastered all over this mornin
g’
s Newport
Gazette
.

“
I do
n’
t know who gave the
Enquirer
that scoop
,”
I say, gazing directly into DeeDe
e’
s and then into Mayor Law
s
’ eyes.  I
t’
s a lie, but giving up DeeDee to her draconian mother is
n’
t going to happen.  I
t’
s a point of honor with me.  I
t’
s a lesson DeeDee needs to learn.  You do
n’
t roll over on partners, not even venomous shits like DeeDee.  I instead
teach
them lessons.  Why?  I was a rookie once, and someone had to teach me.