In the Arms of the Wind (11 page)

Kaycee sighed as she finished the pie he hadn’t even gotten to taste. She motioned the waitress as she hurried by and asked for the check.

“Oh, the boss man will take care of it, ma’am,” the girl said. “The tip too.” She popped her gum. “He likes you.”

“You think?”

“Big time,” she said. “You be good to him, okay?”

Kaycee nodded. “I’ll do my best.”

As she walked out to her car, she wondered what crime had been committed that had called Danny away and hoped whatever it was, it wouldn’t interfere with their date.

* * * * *

Danny found Jack Barnes standing beside the victim in the backroom of the shop. His partner glanced up at him.

“Death was about an hour ago from what the ME tells me. Single slug to the side of the head but they had fun with her first,” Barnes said.

Danny looked down and winced. The dead woman was tied to an overstuffed chair, her wrists lashed to the chair arms, mouth covered with duct tape. Her eyes were open, her face frozen in a grimace of agony. All ten of the victim’s fingers had been sheared off.

“My guess is the perps were looking for information she didn’t have or wouldn’t give ’em,” Barnes commented, exchanging a look with his partner as Danny got to his feet.

“That would be my guess,” Danny agreed, looking away from the body. He was feeling nauseous and he felt lightheaded. “Find the fingers?”

“Not yet.”

Danny looked around him then up at the ceiling where a security camera looked back at him.

“Tape’s missing,” Barnes said. “I checked first thing.”

“What about surveillance cameras along the boulevard?” Danny inquired.

“We’re contacting shop owners,” one of the uniformed officers commented. “Should have something later on today for you.”

“There’s no sign of breaking and entering so she let her killers in. She either knew them or came here to meet them. Probably posing as wealthy buyers who saw something in her window and didn’t want to wait until Monday to purchase it,” Barnes said with a shrug. “I’m told it happens. They’re dusting for prints but whatcha wanna bet they don’t find any?”

“A professional hit,” Danny said.

“Like the Gerring murder,” Barnes stated. “I’ll lay you odds the murders are related, maybe even the same guys.”

Danny frowned. “Maybe.”

Danny and Barnes asked the patrolman who had found the victim a few questions, but the young man was new to the force and shaken by his first murder, especially one as bad as this one had been.

“We’ll canvass the neighborhood, but this is a high-end establishment. Most of the owners of the stores around here are at home on a Sunday afternoon,” one of the investigating officers told them.

“You learn anything, give us a call. I want a full report on my desk tomorrow morning,” Barnes said, and walked with Danny back to Gallagher’s car.

“Who do we know who likes to whittle on their vics?” Danny asked softly.

“The Malone bunch,” Barnes replied readily. “Tim Shannon to put a name to the crazed bastard. Used to be with the IRA.”

“But why go after Adams? What information could they have been trying to get from her?”

“Maybe they thought she knew who has the thumb drive,” Barnes grumbled. “Johnny suspected Adams was in cahoots with Gerring, moving shit she wasn’t telling us about. I guess this proves it.”

“Maybe, maybe not,” Danny said. “I knew her and didn’t get any vibes that she might be double-dipping.”

“Well, someone had a reason for offing her. What if they go after the Connor woman?”

Danny froze with his hand on the car door. “What?” he asked, turning to face his partner. “Why would they?”

Barnes lowered his voice. “Because whoever did this hit, did their homework. You better believe they know there’s a woman who worked in the shop with Adams. Adams would have spilled everything she knew while she was being tortured.”

Dread such as he’d never known moved through Danny Gallagher. Fear as well. For the first time in his adult life, the taste of it was bitter in his mouth.

“Kaycee’s not involved in any of this,” he said.

“Malone may not see it that way, Dan-o,” Barnes told him. “He might go after her just to houseclean. Maybe the Connor broad knows something she doesn’t know she knows.”

Danny thought of Kaycee going home to a house where intruders might be awaiting her. He jerked open the car door. “Get a unit over to her house. Now!”

Barnes stepped back as the BMW roared to life and Danny shot away from the curb like a bat out of hell. A nasty smile tugged at the corners of the Scotsman’s lips as he sauntered slowly over to one of the black and whites to have them radio a unit to 6001 Anderson Lane.

* * * * *

Kaycee looked up as a black and white patrol car came speeding around the corner at the end of the street with its siren blaring and lights flashing. She was getting groceries out of the trunk of her car and straightened to watch the speeding car. Her neighbors came out on their porches and into their yards at a run. When the police car slid to a screeching halt in front of her house, Kaycee’s mouth dropped open and she all but dropped the sacks of groceries as the officer shot out of the car, drawing his weapon as he hurried toward her. It was the same officer who had driven her home two nights earlier.

“You all right, Miss Connor?” the officer asked.

“Yes, why wouldn’t I be?” she questioned then looked past him as the squeal of brakes rounding the corner drowned out his answer. She recognized Danny’s car as he sped toward her.

He slid the BMW so close to the police cruiser, Kaycee was afraid the two vehicles would collide—so close he had to vault out of his convertible and roll across the hood of her car to get to her.

“What the heck is going on?” she heard a neighbor call out, but her attention was locked on Danny. He was coming at her like a bulldozer.

“Give me your key,” he demanded, face grim.

“Danny?” was all she could manage as she juggled the bags to hand him the key.

“Officer, what’s happening?” Mr. Phillips asked. He was standing on the curb clutching his little dog tight to his scrawny chest.

“Stay here,” Danny ordered Kaycee then ordered the patrolman to the back of the house.

“Danny, you’re scaring me,” Kaycee said, but he didn’t answer her. He was already on the porch and opening her door, stepping quickly inside with weapon drawn.

“Kaycee, what have you gotten yourself into, child?” Mr. Phillips asked.

No one spoke until Danny and the uniformed patrolman came out of the house then a loud exhalation of breath could be heard from those assembled in front of Kaycee’s home. The two men came down the steps, Danny heading for Kaycee while the officer made a beeline for the old man holding his dog. It was Mr. Phillips who demanded to know what was going on.

“Sir, please move along,” the uniformed officer said, putting a gentle hand on the old man’s back. “Everything’s under control.”

“I demand to know what is happening!” Mr. Phillips declared, eyes flashing and thin lower lip quivering. “We have a right to know! This is our neighborhood. If there is danger, we should be apprised of it!”

There were mumbles among those gathered.

Danny took the sacks of groceries from Kaycee’s arms and turned to face the small crowd. “Go home, Mr. Phillips. This doesn’t concern you and it doesn’t affect anyone other than Kaycee. If you believe you have the right to barge into someone else’s personal business and make it your own, then watch the six o’clock news. I’m sure you’ll understand then.”

“Danny,” Kaycee said with a flinch. “That wasn’t very…”

“Go in the house, Kaycee,” he said, cutting her off. He nudged her toward the porch with his shoulder.

“Well, I never!” Mr. Phillips snapped. “Young man, you have no manners whatsoever!”

Danny ignored the old gentleman and kept close behind Kaycee, refusing to allow her to either stop or turn around. When they were inside, he kicked the door shut with his foot then continued on into the kitchen with the groceries. Kaycee was right behind him.

“Tell me what just happened,” she ordered. “I…”

He put the groceries on the kitchen table then turned to face her. “Rosemary Adams was found murdered in her shop an hour ago,” he told her.

Kaycee staggered beneath the news, backing up until she was pressed against the refrigerator. Her eyes were huge in her suddenly pale face and her lips parted.

He didn’t give her time to recover from his announcement. “That was the call I got at the diner.”

“How?” she said, tears flooding her eyes.

“Same as Gerring,” he said gently. “A shot to the back of the head.”

Kaycee put a trembling hand to her mouth. “Oh my God!”

Danny went to her, gathered her in his arms, holding her head to his chest. He knew she’d hear the rest of it on the news and figured it was better coming from him than the television.

“Baby, I hate you have to hear this but you’re going to find out anyway. She was tortured before she was killed.”

She jerked as though she’d been hit. She tried to push him away but he wouldn’t allow it.

“What d-did they d-do t-to her?” she stuttered, shaking violently now.

“They obviously wanted information from her.” He took a deep breath. “They cut off her fingers.”

Her knees nearly buckled and if he had not been holding her, she would have slid to the floor at his feet. She clung to him with her fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt.

“Why?” she asked. “Danny, why would they do that?”

“For information, revenge. I don’t know, but listen to me, Kaycee. You need to pack a bag,” he said. “Take enough for at least a week. I’ll put these groceries up for you while you’re doing that. Anything that will spoil, I’ll bring along with us.”

“What?” she asked, confusion making her voice sound very young. “Bring it where?”

“I’m taking you to my place,” he said. “You can’t stay here, baby. It isn’t safe.”

She shuddered then pressed her palms to his chest, putting distance between them, looking up at him with wide eyes. “You think they’ll come after me?”

He put a hand to her hair, stroked it back from her face. “They might.”

“Oh God!”

“It’s gonna be all right, sweetie,” he cooed to her. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I promise I won’t.”

“Why, Danny? Why did they kill her?” she asked.

He wondered the same thing. It made no sense. Malone had to know whoever had taken out Gerring was now in possession of the thumb drive and the list. Why take out Rosie Adams, and why the brutal torture?

There was more to this than met the eye and that worried Danny Gallagher.

Chapter Five

“Whoa,” Kaycee said as Danny opened the French doors and ushered her out onto the deck. The afternoon sun was sparkling on the water and there was only open sea, soaring seagulls and a soft tide coming lazily to shore.

“When I’m feeling a little too full of myself, I come out here,” he said as he put his forearms on the railing. “The ocean has a way of humbling you.”

“The view is breathtaking,” she said. There were people on the private beach but she saw no children, remembering Kathleen telling her that no one under twenty-one could live at or come to visit Rampart Villas. The gated condominium rules were strictly enforced.

“When I’ve got a tough decision to make or I’m hurting, I spend the night out here,” he said, nudging his chin toward the extra-wide hammock at the far end of the deck. He laughed. “One night I got rained on but was too drunk to get up so I just laid there until morning.” He shook his head ruefully. “Got one helluva head cold, lemme tell you!”

“It’s a wonder you didn’t get pneumonia,” she said. She leaned against the railing too with her hands cupped over the edge and peered over—sixteen floors down. “I could really get used to this.”

“I want you to,” he said, and slipped an arm around her, bringing her to his side.

She laid her head on his shoulder, feeling safe and wanted, but reality intruded and she took a shuddering breath.

“What am I going to do, Danny?” she said. “I’m out of a job and criminals may be after me. My sister’s baby is due any minute.”

“You called her,” he said. “She knows where to reach you.”

She looked up at him. “But she doesn’t know why and I didn’t dare tell her. She’ll worry herself sick as it is. I’m suddenly staying with a man she’s never met, never heard of before today. I can’t begin to imagine what she’s thinking.”

“That you’re having a wild, torrid affair with a hot guy who can’t keep his hands off you.”

Kaycee blushed. “If only,” she mumbled, burying her face against his shirt.

“Hey, I have every intention of ravishing you before the day is over, Connor. You can count on it!”

She turned so she was in his arms, clinging to him. “I’m scared, Danny. I really am.”

He swept her up into his arms and carried her inside and over to the sofa, sitting down with her in his lap. She felt his thighs bunching beneath her rump as he kicked off his deck shoes.