Madison Westin 02-Deception in Paradise (24 page)

“I asked myself the same question in reverse. What did I do to deserve you?”

He pulled me into a hug, and we both laughed and walked to the parking lot. I breathed a sigh of relief when we passed the guard.

“Does Tucker know you’re getting out?” I asked.

“Hell no.” He opened the driver’s side door for me before going around to the other side. “I didn’t say a word when he showed up for an early morning visit. I worried every second, until the guard called my name, that somehow Tucker would find out and block my release. I honestly thought one of the guards would tell the bastard.”

I sped out of the parking lot. “How do they decide who goes first?”

“They get a list, and it depends on where your name comes up. My luck, mine must’ve been down at the bottom.”

“You need to watch your back with Tucker,” I said. “He’s a good lawyer, but if he thinks you’re standing in the way of him getting what he wants, you’re screwed.”

“What about the papers I signed?” Jax asked.

“Tucker won’t know about those until after your case is settled.”

Jax waved his middle finger out the passenger window. “That guy honked at you and flipped you off.”

“That happens on occasion.” I laughed.

He shook his head. “It’s no wonder. You drive like you’re ninety-nine. I could give you driving lessons.”

“You’re not funny. I’ll match my driving record to yours any day.”

“On second thought, don’t listen to me.” He laughed and tussled my hair. “Can I stay with you?”

“Stop with the hand gestures before someone shoots at us.”

“The next time someone honks at us, I get out at the signal and beat the hell out of them.” He flexed his muscle.

“You only act like that when you’re trying to make someone think you’re a tough guy.”

“Yeah, you’re right, so I guess I’ll calm down.”

We laughed and he took my hand holding it tightly. Images of many moments like this crept through my mind as I drove. It made me think about good times.

“I’m taking you to The Cottages, and you need to stay out of trouble. There are a few people who aren’t going to like that you’re out.”

“Tucker told me during the meeting this morning that he’s working on a plea where I’d get six months, out in four.”

“That’s a great deal,” I said.

“Would you visit if I agreed to four months?”

“I uh…” That was the last thing I wanted to agree to.

“I’m going to make this up to you. I’m going to start by paying back both you and Brad.”

I stared at him. “Does this mean you’re not going to run and leave me on the hook?”

“I don’t want to go to jail, but even I know this a good deal that won’t be offered again if I run.”

“I need something in return.”

He frowned. “I don’t have anything to give you.”

“I want you to get rid of Robert. And make it clear to Apple that she can never set foot on my property. Robert can stay until the day you go to jail, and then I want him out, same day. Agreed?”

“Robert’s already made plans to move out. He’s sticking around the area, got a job at a stripper bar.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Doing what?”

“He’ll be working the door.”

“Wasn’t the first wife, the one he beat the crap out of, a stripper?”

“Only wife, or are you confusing her with the girlfriend who bashed his head in with one of those black frying pans, sending him to the hospital?”

I laughed. “I love these sweet family stories.”

“The only reason I helped Apple was because she was homeless. I have no illusions about her. She’ll go down to the Croc and hook up with the first guy who buys her a drink.”

“When is your next court hearing?” I asked.

“Next week, and if I accept the plea deal, they’ll take me into custody from the courtroom.”

“Seriously, watch yourself,” I said, pulling into the driveway.

“When I get out of jail, I’m going to put my life back together and show you why we should be together.”

“Don’t do anything stupid. If you think you’re going to, call me.”

He leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Harder told me you murdered someone and got off. I didn’t believe him, but he seemed sure of himself.”

“I killed someone,” I sighed. “It was self-defense, not murder. That’s an ugly memory I’ve tried to block out. Thanks for bringing it up again.”

“I knew he was full of shit. Did you know Harder and Tucker are friends?”

“Unfortunately. I try to avoid them both, and yet, here we are. I believe you didn’t murder anyone, either, Jackson Devereaux.”

“Watch your back. Harder wants to keep his distance from Tucker, but they’re in bed together on some business deal from what I could piece together.” He opened the car door.

“Thanks, Jax.” I leaned out the car window and yelled, “I call dibs on the shoes!”

He laughed. “You’re crazy.” He walked back, took them off, and handed them to me.

“I remember when it was psycho bitch.”

“I drove you to it.” He winked and walked barefoot down the driveway.

I looked down and smiled. It wasn’t every day a girl got her own pair of jail-issue orange shoes.

CHAPTER 34

I loved eating out, especially in new restaurants, but not tonight. Fab had arranged a meeting for us with Zach. The Grotto was the newest seafood restaurant in town and was like walking into a giant aquarium with its floor-to-ceiling views of colorful tropical fish. A sign said there were over one hundred species from the all over the globe. I wondered if the fish knew some of their friends hadn’t made it into the giant fish tank, but were dinner instead.

Fab and Zach sat at a table facing the entrance, along with Slice.

“I’ll have a margarita, rocks,” I told the waiter as I sat down. Fab and Slice looked uncomfortable, and Zach seemed irritated.

“Imagine my surprise when Fab called and asked to meet for dinner,” Zach said.

“Hi, Slice. Thanks for your help with Liam.” I leaned over and kissed his cheek.

“I’m here for backup.” Slice had a completely different personality off the job, easygoing and always in a good mood. There was no mistaking that underneath the charm, he was lethal, much like his partner.

“Me, too,” I confided. “Fab, since we didn’t flip, you go first.” The waiter set my drink in front of me, and I had to stop myself from gulping it down.

“Okay, here’s the deal,” Fab started. “I’ve been asking a few discreet questions regarding Pavel and have uncovered some information.” Fab had finished her drink and her fingers wrapped tightly around the stem of her glass, a bad sign.

Zach glared at Fab. “Nobody talks to you. It must have been her.” He pointed at me.

“You’re right, it was me.” I narrowed my eyes at Zach. “I asked Joseph to find out what he could about Pavel. Fab and I have information, and it’s more than the two of us can handle.”

“I knew you wouldn’t stay out of it and let me do my job,” Zach growled.

“Didn’t you tell me case closed? You came up empty-handed. Unless you lied to me.”

His dark blue eyes turned to slits. “What did you find out?”

I related everything Joseph had discovered, and that he had put me in touch with one of Pavel’s co-workers, who had since left town. I made it sound like Tomas had told me about the things Fab and I had seen on the docks.

“No one in this town is going to make a move against Sid Byce based on the word of a disgruntled co-worker who’s left town,” Zach said.

“Lower your voices,” Slice said. “The whole restaurant doesn’t need to hear you accusing Byce of murder.”

Fab patted me on the shoulder.

“When did you get so touchy-feely?” Zach asked Fab.

I interrupted before Fab kicked him out of his chair. “Zach, it’s okay with you that drugs come into The Cove via our docks?”

“That’s not what I said. I know Sid Byce, and frankly, I don’t believe any of this. He would never allow drug trafficking out of his warehouse.”

“I’m not a liar. I didn’t make this up.”

“You may not be a chronic liar, but you only tell the truth when it suits you and only what you think I want to hear, which you’ve been doing a lot of lately.”

“Takes one to know one.”

Fab and Slice laughed.

Zach looked at me as if he wanted to strangle me. “That was childish.”

“You only tell me what you want me to know, which is nothing,” I said. “It’s always in my best interest. Didn’t you tell me I was stupid? Madison needs a keeper if she leaves the house?”

Zach leaned forward. “That’s right.”

There was complete silence at the table for a full minute.

“Let’s get back on track,” Slice suggested.

“For you to believe me, you’d need to catch Byce with a suitcase full of drugs in one hand and a briefcase full of cash in the other,” I said.

“We can get that kind of proof,” Fab spoke up.

“You two keep up your snooping, and you’ll both end up a missing person’s case that never gets solved,” Zach hissed.

“Why are you involved in this, anyway?” Slice asked me. “You’ve no part in any of this case, or am I wrong?”

“Wouldn’t you want your murder solved? The real killer on trial?” I asked. “But hey, I guess if Byce murdered someone and deals drugs, it’s okay with everyone in this town. Who am I to speak up?”

Zach looked at me with disgust. “Sid Byce didn’t kill anyone. You’re delusional, and I’d stake my reputation on it. That’s how well I know him. And another thing, if Tomas really saw drugs being unloaded, that doesn’t equal murder.”

“Drug dealers want to move their product in peace,” Slice said. “The main goal is to stay under the radar of the cops. What you’re suggesting is pretty brazen.”

“If this is where I apologize for getting involved, don’t hold your breath,” I said. “If you’re half the investigator you advertise, Zach, even you can see this makes more sense than no-motive Jax killing Pavel.”

“It all comes back to the husband.” Zach smirked. “Isn’t that sweet?”

“Ex,” I said loudly. “What’s with you? You’re like Byce: blame anyone you want.”

“Keep it down, you two. People are staring,” Slice reminded.

“If it makes you feel better, I heard the same drug
rumors
. I spoke to Kevin, and detectives were assigned and are conducting an investigation,” Zach said.

“Why not just say from the beginning that there’s an open investigation?” I asked.

Zach shrugged. “I needed to find out what you knew.”

“All I ever asked was for you to be straight with me, keep me in the loop,” I said. “You created this situation with your inability to be truthful.”

“Yeah, okay, blame me,” Zach said. “I was up-front when I told you to stay out of it. This situation is being handled by professionals, which you are not.”

“You’re a bigger bastard than ever,” Fab said.

“When did you speak to Kevin?” I asked. I found it hard to believe that Fab and Zach occasionally worked together on cases in the past.

Zach shot Fab a dirty look. “I forget the exact date.”

“Was it before you came to my house, looked me in the face, and said you knew squat?” I asked.

“What matters here,” Slice intervened, “is that there’s an active investigation going on now. No one else needs to get hurt or worse. Can you two agree to let the police handle this and stay out of their way?”

Frustrated, I counted to five so I wouldn’t yell. “With Sid Byce’s connections, the drugs and any evidence will be swept right out into the Gulf, and nothing will come of it.”

“It’s nice that you have Sid tried and convicted,” Zach said.

“Just like Byce did Jax,” I shot back. “But then, Byce’s your friend, and Jax isn’t.”

Fab cut in, “Slice is right. If the police are involved and there’s any connection to Pavel’s death, they’ll figure it out. Kevin’s one hundred percent straight up.”

Slice nodded. “Are we ready to order?”

“No, thanks.” I stood and walked out of the restaurant. It depressed me to think that there might never be a resolution to the murder case.

CHAPTER 35

I stood at the kitchen sink and watched the postman walk across the courtyard, an oversized envelope in his hand. I opened the front door before he could knock.

“Too big for your box,” he said, turning to go back to his truck.

“Thanks, Henry.”

After going back in the house, I studied the envelope. There was no return address. I opened it, stripped away the bubble wrap, and pulled out a DVD. A note was taped to the case. ‘I knew you would be the right person to send this to. Thanks for your help in getting home.’ Signed “Tomas.”

I put the disk in the DVD player and hit
Play
. Two men appeared on the screen, sitting in what looked like an office. I recognized the dark-haired one as the one who had sent me airborne into water that night on the dock.

“What in the hell happened last night?” The blond-haired one sitting behind the desk asked. He was clean cut, wearing a polo shirt and expensive Topsiders, which were kicked up on the desk. He had the spoiled, snotty look down to a tee.

“I saw Pavel sneaking around. When I came around the building, he stopped to take a pee in the channel, and I shot him. I shoved him into the water with my foot,” the dark-haired one replied. His hair slicked back into a ponytail, and he sported a black beard. He looked ready for a fight with a gun holstered to his left side. “You said to take care of any problems.”

“Are you fucking crazy?” Blondie shouted. “I didn’t tell you to kill anyone.”

“He won’t wash up.” The dark one sounded confident.

“You’re not much of a thinker, are you? Did you weigh him down and take his body out to the middle of the Gulf? No, you didn’t.”

“He’s a nobody. No one’s going to care anyway.” The dark guy shrugged.

“When the cops find out Pavel worked here, they’re going to be all over this place, dimwit.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“I want you to stay out of sight and not open your trap to gloat to one single person about what you’ve done. In short, shut up. Got that? Now get out of here.” The blonde guy pointed at the door. “You wait to hear from me.”