Big Girls Don't Cry (27 page)

When he started to disagree, she shook her head and clicked on her cell phone. Jake groaned at the gruesome message, damming Sergio to hell in his mind. The fucker was going to be sorry, sorrier than he’d ever been in his worthless life. Nothing like attacking the innocent, not acknowledging the danger he’d ignored in his midst.

“Listen, baby. Sergio is striking out. He knows damned well what was going on under his nose. He let it happen. Didn’t care who got hurt as long as he protected his ass. He preferred to ignore it and get a monstrous payoff in the process. He’s a piece of worthless shit, Lexie. Don’t let him get to you.”

Jake jumped to his feet, nearly knocking her off the sofa. Seeing the fear on her face, he did his best to stay calm. Not alarm her further.

“Okay, Lexie. That’s quite a bombshell. Tell me what you know, baby.”

A massive tremor shook her body. She buried her face in her hands.

“You don’t understand, Jake. I…I could have prevented it. It’s my fault Bella is dead. I didn’t tell you last night. If I had, she’d be alive…”

Her voice trailed off to a grief-stricken whisper.

Jake took a deep breath then knelt in front of her. He bracketed her face between his big hands.

“Lexie, listen to me. Whatever you know, or think you know, you could not have prevented her death. Darlin’, Bella was killed while we were fighting those fucking drug lords in the alley. The cops found her when they answered our call. The chief didn’t call me until after I left here last night. I didn’t have the heart to come back and tell you. I hoped that I could get to you this morning before anyone else did. But somehow the fucking press got wind of it early and…well, you know the rest.”

He picked her up and stood her by the sofa.

“But, before you tell me what you know, we’re gonna take care of you.”

He steered her toward the bedroom, then on to the bathroom. He held her in his arms, hating how fragile she was. He tipped her chin up and gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

“First, darlin’, we’re gonna get you cleaned up. Then you and I are going to have a long conversation. And while we’re doing that, you are going to sip on the tea I’m about to make and maybe even eat a piece of toast. Meet me in the kitchen, sugar, when you get rid of that smelly t-shirt. And wash your face.”

He laughed when her face flushed bright red. He pushed her into the bathroom and added, “You might want to put on a pair of jeans. I’m gonna get Brady and Clint and likely Chief Burton over here. As much as I like those black lacy panties, I don’t think the chief’s ticker could take the shock.”

Jake’s chuckle at her shocked gasp died after he closed the door and headed to the kitchen. He shook his head as he placed the call. Fuck. This promised to be a hell of an interesting morning.

~~~

Chief Burton’s frown bordered on a scowl as he glared at Lexie.

Jake interrupted what was sure to be a tirade.

“Look, John, nobody likes to think they’ve got a viper in the nest. Unfortunately, in my line of work, we always suspect the home team first. What Bella told Lexie were Bella’s suspicions with no corroborating data. Brady’s information is more compelling.”

Brady nodded. “Yeah, Chief. After Lexie turned us on to the fucker, we planned to be on the “Watcher” like white on rice. Unfortunately, for some reason, the Watcher didn’t show last night. The girls confirmed the fucker doesn’t miss his little personal fetish breaks, come hell or high water. Last night he did.”

Jake leaned forward, resting his arms on the kitchen table, putting a barrier between Lexie and the Chief. He kept his hand on her knee, gratified that she didn’t pull away. If anything, she’d moved in closer. He wished like hell that everyone was gone and he could wrap her in his arms and do what he could to erase the agonized pain straining her face and body.

But they had a murder to solve and a drug ring to bust. Jake’s neck was alive with prickling sensations. He was missing something, something big. And it was close. So damn close he could almost taste it. The chief shattered his reverie and brought the conversation to a standstill.

“So you’re saying this ‘Watcher’ fucker is one of my men?”

Jake shrugged. “It’s looking like a good bet, John. There’s a quick way we can test it. Did anybody call in sick today or hell is just missing?

“Lexie, there was a note by Bella’s body. It said, ‘It should have been you, Blondie.’ Look, Lexie, I’m sorry as hell that you had to find this out…I’d hoped we could…”

Lexie jumped to her feet. Her face was pale as a ghost, except for the two bright red splotches flaming her cheeks. She glared at Jake. Her voice was icy cold.

“The murderer wanted to kill me, but instead killed Bella? Is that what you are telling me? And you neglected to tell me that? ”

Jake stood up and took hold of her arm, but she jerked it away.

“So much for being a team, right, Colonel? Apparently your concept of team is closer to mine than I realized. When it’s convenient – for you that is, we’re a team. When it’s not—poof--there goes the team.”

She tried to move around him, but Jake blocked her.

“Uh uh, Lexie. Sit down, darlin’.”

Jake ignored the chief’s snort and raised eyebrows at the endearment. He tightened his grip on Lexie’s arm and eased her back into her chair. His tone was crisp, unwavering.

“I admit it. I should have told you. I apologize. You were in bad straits when I arrived. I’d hoped we could figure out what the hell the note meant before we burdened you with it. And, yes, we do need to figure out what the fucker meant by the note.”

He hadn’t thought her face could pale more, but her soft skin could have been carved from alabaster. She shook her head, gnawing on her bottom lip.

”It’s him, Jake. The Watcher. He killed her. But he didn’t want to. If you saw the way he looked at her, you would know. He loved her.” She gazed up at him. “He…he wanted to kill me.”

“Used to be active duty. A patrolman, low level traffic stuff his whole career. Couldn’t advance through the ranks. Ran into a major problems about five years ago. Went through several bouts of forced rehab. Never got clearance to go back on active. Been working as an evidence clerk for the last five years. I guess waiting out his retirement.”

Jake held Lt. Thomas’s gaze. “Description?”

“Matches. Except Walt’s hair is grey and he doesn’t have a mustache. Duty clerk said he didn’t come in today. Didn’t call in either. They didn’t think much of it. Seems he misses a lot of work. Sounds as though the rehab didn’t take.”

The lieutenant turned to the chief. “We have three squads on their way over to his apartment. A dump close to the barrio. Told dispatch to assume hostile. ”

~~~

Jake leaned against the jeep, his one foot on the nerf bar and grinned at her. “Sorry, darlin’. Only big tough men with guns are going in. You’re going to have to wait in the jeep until we do a sit-rep.”

Lexie glowered at him, but sat back against the hard backrest next to Clint. She frowned at him.

“How did you get relegated to babysitting your
team
member, Clint? What did you do wrong? Not jump fast enough to wipe the big man’s ass?”

Jake roared. “Hell no, sugar. Clint never misses that opportunity. But two weeks ago, he forgot to put creamer in my morning coffee. That’s rises to the level of a court martial charge.

Clint smiled at her.

“No, Alexis. Being asked to stay with you means I’m at the top of the heap. You notice the big guy didn’t trust that insufferable surfer dude with you. I’m proud. Could mean a promotion is coming my way.”

Jake smiled to himself when Lexie’s cheeks flushed. She hadn’t missed the implication of Clint’s response. And hell, Clint was right. Being responsible for her safety was his number one priority and every man on his team knew it.

Brady and the Chief walked up. Both were frowning.

The chief spoke first.

“Guess the fucker likes to write notes. This one didn’t leave anything to the imagination. He explained how sorry he was that he had killed Sgt. Beloi and Bella. That was before he ate his gun.”

Chapter 28

“Look, Jake. I know this is hard. Sgt. Beloi was your friend, as well as your team member. Hell, do you think I don’t know how hard it is to let go of a guy that meant that much to you? But this investigation is finished. Done. They got the guy who did it. Turns out he was a crazy mixed up drunk, a psycho. Hell, he even cut up that stripper. And son, we can count ourselves damn lucky. I don’t mind telling you. We’ve all had some hard moments over this. For a while there, it was getting too damn close to the base”

The general looked around the table, including each of the men in his assertion.

“Hell, Mike here has practically gone without sleep for ten days trying to keep this investigation under wraps. You think he is an ornery son of a bitch, try him without sleep for twenty-four hours at a time.

Mike Pierce gave a snort.

“Who’s calling who a son of a bitch, General? But the general’s right, Jake. Christ, all you have to do is look at the way the press is raking the YPD over the coals. Hell, the only thing worse than a cop killing a cop is the army being involved in the death of one of its own, especially a war hero like Beloi. Fuck, can you imagine what the press would do to us? They’d fucking crucify us. Don’t want hurt your feelings, Colonel, but I won’t be sad to see you go.”

Jake quirked a brow.

“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me, Colonel. But what about the drug ring? None of you can be blind to the fact that if it was any closer, it’d bite every one of us on the ass.”

Dirk broke in. “Jake, this is what we do. It’s part of life on the border. Those gangs live to make us squirm. Let us handle it. This is what we do every damn day of the year. Take some time off. You deserve it. Take that beautiful sister of Beloi’s and go somewhere special. I‘ve got a place in Belize that’s standing empty now. You’re welcome to it.”

“Thanks, Dirk. I might take you up on that.”

Jake surveyed the men in the room. He’d never stepped back from a fight in his life. But even he admitted, this dog wouldn’t hunt. Every one of these fuckers was counting the minutes until he was gone. May as well leave them with a bone to chew on. Hope they don’t choke on it.

“One thing you should know, gentlemen. I’ve requested a leave of absence from C.I.D. Looks like it’ll be confirmed quickly.” He grinned as he stood up, underscoring he was the one ending the meeting. “As you all know, rank does have its privileges.”

He stopped in the doorway.

“I’m posting with the YPD for the next several months. I’m not satisfied that we’ve reached the end of the road on this investigation. Chief Burton agrees with me.”

Mike Pierce’s ruddy face flushed dangerously.

“Fuck, Jake. Burton would do anything to take the heat off his guys. You know that. What’s got the bug up your ass, if it’s not too much to ask? Sure as hell hope it has nothing to do with the base.”