Jump The Line (Toein' The Line Book 1) (35 page)

Another dumb question.

Freaks will crawl from the woodwork calling and claiming to be Megalo Don.  One of those callers might even be Megalo Don.  But I will expend so much of my limited resources chasing down useless leads that
I’
ll miss the critical one, the one I need, the one lead that can stop the bastard and save another young girl from ending up in this damn alley. 

“
Are
you
going to spend time running all the crackpot
s
’ leads down
?
”

She glares her blue-eyed murderous glare at me.
 “I
—”

“
Do you give a shit about
her
?
” 

Not giving her time to answer, I point behind me.  All I see is our vi
c’
s head and a partial torso.  The rest of her body is obscured by darkness and the fact that her chewed-up remains are stuffed into one of those big black commercial garbage bags Megalo Don uses, making me wonder if h
e’
s got stock in Hefty.
 “
Do
n’
t you care about helping her
?
”

“
Why, Aidan, of course. 
Y’
all know I do
.
”

It has
n’
t taken me long to figure out DeeDe
e’
s
modus operandi. 
Like many rookies with their caps set on becoming career cops, th
e“
ass lickers and shit kicker
s”
we dicks call them, DeeDee cares about networking, about building relationships between NPD and the Press.  Most of all, she cares about growing her reputation. 

One day sh
e’
ll be my boss.  Sh
e’
ll make case assignments, which means
I’
ll sit at a desk until my Bates Lite
s
’ rubber soles crumble.  Sh
e’
ll decide promotions:
I’
ll remain a detective until they shove me out the door with my pension.  If sh
e’
s even attracted to me at all, sh
e’
ll dump me for the first alpha stud with the most power at NPD, and then sh
e’
ll kick me in the teeth while I watch her do him.  

“I’
m really sorry, Aid.  I do
n’
t see how I could be jeopardizing our case
,”
she says, her vinegary voice of a moment before turning sugary, her tone growing contrite.
 “
Timmy would
n’
t do anythin
g
—”

“
Aw, Je-sus
!
” 

“
—
other than his job
.
”

“
Do
n’
t do it again
,”
I say
,“
not if you want to continue working with me
.
”

Before I stride to the man waiting patiently for me to finish chewing out DeeDee, I give her an assignment I hope will keep her out of my hair until I can cool down.
 “
Find out who Alaina Colb
y’
s friends are.  Get me their names, addresses, sexual preferences
.
”

“
Sexual
preferences
?
”

“
Yes.  You know.  How they do it, what they like, and any special equipment they like to use while the
y’
re fornicating.  Crap like that
.
”
 I’
m tempted to let go a line of vulgarity to make my point, but I hold back. 

“
But Ai
d
—”

I turn.  Stewart and his flunkie are watching from the sideline, camera rolling.  If I choke DeeDee, i
t’
ll be all over tomorro
w’
s paper.
 “
Yes
?”
I say, gritting my teeth.

“
Is
n’
t that sexual profiling
?
”

“
Just
get
it, dammit
.
”

Rebellio
n’
s brewing in her eyes. 
I’
ve obviously mistaken them for sexy blue bedroom eyes, but I quickly realize they are infinitely bureaucratic and calculating.
 “
Get it
,”
I repeat, leaving no doubt what
I’
ll do if she screws u
p—
again.
 “
And bring it to me tonight when you come to my place for dinner
.
”

Yo
u’
ll suffer for using her like this.
 

My brai
n’
s telling me
I’
ve made a mistake, but I no longer give a damn.  I have
n’
t had a turf war like this since I first joined NPD and one of the old dudes took me o
n—
and lost.  If DeeDee shows up tonight for our
date
,
I’
ll screw her into the mattress and then pick her brains to see what she and Meyers are up to.

“
W
e’
re still on
?”
she asks, incredulous.

I do
n’
t need to glance at my watch to know i
t’
s morning, but I do because weariness is taking its toll.  Two
o’
clock. 
I’
ve been going non-stop now for a couple of days.  I
t’
s been longer since
I’
ve slept.
 “
Yes, tonight.

“
What?  You do
n’
t think I can compartmentalize my professional and personal lives, Rookie Laws
?
”

She smiles.
 “I’
m sure you can
.
”

Game on! 

“
Okay, so no
w—
get my shit like I asked
.
”

W
e’
re back to our usual game, a move or two before checkmat
e—
for one of us.

“
Why,
y’
all do
n’
t think
I’
d let a little old disagreement stop me from having dinner with you, do you
?
” 

Her coy smile makes me sick.  Sh
e’
s blending our relationship the way an egg gets scrambled.  I
t’
s dangerous.  I know what sh
e’
s thinking.  Dinner at my place means we have a date.  And if we have a date, unprofessional bastard that I am, she will have leverage, and she will use that leverage to destroy me. 

I’
ve avoided agreeing with her so far that dinner at my place means we have a date, but DeeDe
e’
s taken it that way because she wants to.  I know i
t’
s dangerous to play her, but I have to, at least until I learn what she and Meyers are up to.  Alaina Colb
y’
s life could potentially be in danger.  So tonight is a
date
or whatever DeeDee Laws wishes to tag it.  I check my watch again.  Tonight, a mere few hours away, will arrive quickly. 

“
Aid
,”
DeeDee says, her breast brushing against my arm
,“I’
m sorry
.
” 

I step back, putting professional and physical distance between us.  No doubt, Stewart has gotten something from DeeDee, maybe enough for a story, but I have to ask
,“
Did they get photos of the vic
?
” 

“I’
m not sure
.
”

Sh
e’
s lying, but I ca
n’
t do anything about it. 
I’
ve called DeeDee out in front of NPD.  She deserved it, but dressing downs should take place in private.  I hate it that she got under my skin.  In the chilly night air and framed in the glare of the flashing light bars and headlamps, our gazes catch and lock, two enemies sworn to mortal combat, each calculating what i
t’
ll take to bring down the other, but for the moment both forced into unwilling cooperation.  I know, though, that whatever it takes, sh
e’
ll get even eventually.  

And I have a severe handicap. 
I’
m not political, but DeeDe
e’
s a political predator.

“
Do
n’
t be sorry
,”
I say.
 “
Learn from your mistakes
.
”

She wo
n’
t.  Sh
e’
ll continue maneuvering over top of her mistakes.  Sh
e’
ll connive and wiggle her pretty ass into the most powerful position possible at NP
D—
if I let her.

I’
m counting on being right about her, when she comes over tonight.  With enough wine and my charm offensive, I can get DeeDee to talk. 

“I’
ve got a crime scene to analyze
,”
I say, leaving her chewing her lipsticked mouth, eyes calculating her next move.  Sh
e’
ll catch up in two seconds flat, if I know Rookie Laws.  I only hope I can wrap this up and then get home and sleep.  I want t
o—
I
nee
d
—
to be rested for tonigh
t’
s date.

Chapter 31

“I’
m going to have a look at our vic
.
”

I head for the dumpster and the latest vi
c’
s body.  The man wh
o’
s been standing back, listening to me chew DeeDe
e’
s ass, joins me.  H
e’
s a suit, FBI, gauging from his clean-cut looks.

I like clean.  My only concession to the gents over in NPD Vice, scruffier than the criminals they chase, is my tattoo.  I had it done at Kin
g’
s Point, where Dad shipped me off after my fiasco with law school.  But this guy, even in the pre-dawn dimness and the mist rolling in from the Ohio River, is so clean he squeaks.  At two in the morning, h
e’
s clean-shaven, his fingernails groomed.

Breaking my stride, I stop and we shake hands. 

“
Sir
,”
DeeDee says, catching up with us easily and giving him her mega kilowatt smile
,“
this is Detective Aidan Gerar
d
—”

“
Aidan Hawks
,”
I say, cutting her off.
 “
Detective Aidan Hawks.  NPD Homicide
.
”

He smells like Brownel
l’
s gun cleaning solvent and lunch meetings in the best restaurants at Quantico.
 
Desk man, I think, feeling the smooth palm.  With a sui
t’
s usual sneaki
n
’ MO, he might seem soft, yet h
e’
s got that unmistakable hardcore aura.  I figure he could be ready to rock-n-roll in a shit storm at a momen
t’
s notice. 

“
So yo
u’
re the man w
e’
ve all been standing around waiting on
?”
he says.  His voice low and gravely, h
e’
s about as polite as a downtown parking attendant, but
I’
m in no mood to give a damn. 

“
Yup.  Tha
t’
d be me
.
”

The suit flips open a leather wallet and flashes his shield.
 “
Roger Smith
,”
he says
,“
Special Agent in Charge, FBI
.
”

The suits are standing in the wings, ready to jump in?
 

SAC Smit
h’
s presence here tonight tells me one of two things has happened.  I
t’
s possible the vic over by the dumpster was murdered in some other state and dumped across the state line here in Kentucky.  But I have no facts on which to base this, and I do
n’
t even want to imagine Megal
o’
s been killing in other states, or that ther
e’
s yet more vics than the ones w
e’
ve identified from Kentucky. 

At this point, if we knew Meer
a’
s country of origin and it was
n’
t the U.S., w
e’
d already have called in the suits, but w
e’
re still working on identifying Meera, so tha
t’
s not why h
e’
s here.

The second reason why i
t’
s possible h
e’
s here is that the Campbell County sheriff, coordinating the investigation with NPD, has screwed up something and Captain Meyers has caved and invited the Feds.  I also doubt this.

If neither of those reasons work, then the Feds are here because they invited themselves, and they do
n’
t give a shit whether we like it or not.

“
Glad you do
n’
t mind waiting
,”
I say, not explaining why I arrived late.  Ther
e’
s been no shooting and no kidnapping, so this is still my crime scene, not the FB
I’
s.
 “
Medical Examine
r’
s here
,”
I say, glad when the van pulls in at the alley entry next to Sixth. 

Doc Smalley unfolds from the passenge
r’
s side and then strides to the va
n’
s rear.  He opens the double doors and then orders the tech
,“
Haul out that mobile CSU evidence lab.  Hurry
.
” 

The other techs who arrived earlier are already collecting evidence.  They do
n’
t look up when Doc Smalley starts working the scene.  The
y’
ll be coordinating with him and the va
n’
s driver, who is the lead tech.  Noses to the grindstone, focused on their tasks, they have no desire to irritate their demanding boss.  

“
Le
t’
s have coffee later
,”
SAC Smith says.
 “
You and I need to talk.  I can offer you pointers on handling rookies
.
”

“
Do
n’
t need any
,”
I say
,“
but when I get a minute
I’
ll spot you a cup
,”
I add, not wanting to piss him off, but letting him know
I’
m in charge. 

With the M
E’
s arrival, my sense of smel
l—
the scent of blood and murde
r—
is flaming inside me. 
I’
m on, quivering deep down in my groin like a bitch in heat.  But i
t’
s a temporary high.  In another hour,
I’
ll either be asleep on my feet, or
I’
ll have to crash for an hour in the Buic
k’
s back seat.

“
You want to do the grid walk with me
?
”
 
Preparing to check the scene, I invite the SAC along for the ride. 

“
Yes,
I’
d planned on it
.
”
 
SAC Smit
h’
s already pulling on latex gloves.  I note with a satisfied glance h
e’
s wearing sensible shoes, the FBI equivalent of my clunky Bates Lites.  His feet are already ensconced in white cotton booties.

“
Wha
t’
ve we got
?”
I ask.

“
I
t’
s another topless dancer from Oma
r’
s
,”
DeeDee says.

SAC Smith nods.

“
I
t’
s Megalo Do
n’
s
,”
she adds.
 “
Same signature
.
”  

“
Is that right
?
”
 
I grit my teeth. 
I’
ve given her an assignment. 
Go do background on Alaina.
  Sh
e’
s ignoring me, and now
I’
m stuck with her, unless I want another head-on with her in front of SAC Smith.
 “
Where does Megalo Don find all these topless dancers, so many willing young ladies without tops
?
” 

“
Huh
?”
DeeDee asks.  SAC Smit
h’
s expression darkens.

So my joke fell flat.  I do
n’
t like the way she berates topless dancers, her syrupy voice dripping moral judgment.  Her remark was a cut on Alaina,
I’
m certain.  From his dark expression, I can see SAC Smith does
n’
t miss the tension between me and DeeDee.

“
Omar Jain just hired her
,”
DeeDee says
,“
to replace Angie Miller
.
”

I swing my gaze to the back door of Oma
r’
s, which closes the same time as the Brass Ass. 
Keep your eye on the mouse, son, not the cornfield yo
u’
ve found him in.  Think like a Hawk.
  Could I have been sitting on Megalo all this time and not realized it?

“
Where is Omar Jain right now
?
”

DeeDee shrugs, her gaze following mine to the back door of Oma
r’
s. 

“
Okay
,”
I say
,“
he and I are going to have a talk
.
”

“
He was here earlier tonight
,”
she says.
 “
The deputies sent him packing.  He was acting crazy, distraught over the murder
.
”

“
How distraught
?
”

DeeDee snorts, but
I’
m in no mood.
 “
What?  Tha
t’
s funny
?
”

“
He was trying to interview witnesses and ordering deputies not to let anyone out of the alley.  He said the murderer was still here
.
”

I wonder why Omar Jain would act crazy or distraught, but I let that go.  If he said Megalo Don was still here when the police were, someone shoul
d’
ve done her homework, but
I’
ll take that up with DeeDee later.  Right now, SAC Smit
h’
s suited up and ready to roll. 

“
Did they get a statement from Jain before they tossed him out of their way
?
” 

“
Wel
l
—”

They did not.  And I do
n’
t fault them.  To preserve evidence, the deputies cleared the alley of rubberneckers, one of them being the distraught Omar Jain, the other quite possibly our killer.  Maybe Omar Jain ca
n’
t help it that Megal
o’
s chosen the alley behind his bar as a convenient stash.  Maybe i
t’
s a coincidence Angie Miller and the latest victim were dancers at Oma
r’
s.  But I do
n’
t believe in coincidence.  And now, I know one dancer wh
o—
if i
t’
s the last thing I d
o—
is
n’
t going to show up in a garbage bag behind Oma
r’
s.  If anyon
e’
s gnawing on her shoulders and toes, i
t’
s going to be me. 

That thought floors me. 
I’
m taking Alaina Colb
y’
s safety way too personally.  But then,
I’
m aware, I want her alive for my own undeniably selfish purposes.  

“
The victi
m’
s bod
y’
s over behind the dumpster
,”
DeeDee says.

Before the words are out of her mouth, I sprint off.