Ratio: A Leopold Blake Thriller (A Private Investigator Series of Crime and Suspense Thrillers) (22 page)

Chapter 37

LEOPOLD RAN BACK to the convention center. Out of breath, he flagged down Johnson and had her escort him up to Harper’s office. She looked a little taken aback, but obliged. 

“You don’t look so good,” she said, as they boarded the elevator. 

“I guess I’m a little out of shape.” 

“I’m guessing the news is putting a dampener on your plans for the weekend.”

“Putting it mildly.” He looked at her. “Looks like you’ve got it under control.” 

Johnson smiled. Leopold caught the scent of her perfume. He hadn’t noticed it before. Sweet and floral, just an edge of spice. Her hair wasn’t tied up today. 

“We’re used to it,” she said. “If anything, now the President’s not coming, we’re a little overstaffed.” The elevator slowed to a halt and the doors opened. “I guess there’s a first time for everything.” She stepped out and led the way down the corridor, turning her head. “I forgot to say thanks for the drink last night.”

Leopold nodded. “My pleasure.”

They reached Harper’s office. The door was shut, blinds drawn. 

“Maybe if you’re around tonight…” Johnson said. 

“It’s looking less and less likely.” 

“Some other time, then.” 

“Sure,” he said, absent-mindedly. He knocked on the door. A voice called out for him to enter. He turned to Johnson. “I guess I’d better do this alone.” 

“Sure. Yeah, whatever.” She forced a smile and walked off, muttering something under her breath. Leopold opened the office door and stepped inside. Harper was pacing the room. 

“What now, Blake?” she said. 

“We need to talk.” 

“On the contrary,” she grabbed a paper file from the desk and held it out. “I need to talk, you need to listen.” 

Leopold took the file. “You got eyes on the park?” 

“Yes.” She stopped pacing and sat down behind her desk. Looked up at him. “I had my boss’ boss on the phone. Someone called in an anonymous tip about a potential bomb threat at Seattle Center. Said they saw two Asian men in a white VW van leave the scene, dressed in coveralls and high-visibility vests. We’re having Seattle PD set up a roadblock. They won’t get far.” 

“Any info on the tipster?”

“No accent that we could place. Sounded American, male, that’s about it.” She arched her fingers. “But that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.” She glanced at the empty chair across the desk from her. “Sit.”

Leopold obliged. 

“I trust you did your due diligence on the Kato woman,” she said. 

“We triple checked the files Melendez’s people sent over. We did a little digging of our own, too.”

“Public records?” 

“Yes.” 

“Read the file.” 

Leopold opened the manila folder. Read the first page. “Where did you get this?” 

“We have access to databases private civilians don’t,” Harper said. “Including sealed court records, witness protection programs, personnel files. After our little chat yesterday, I called in a few favors. Did some digging.” She paused. “I wanted to know who we were dealing with.”  

“You don’t say.” 

“We turned up quite the backstory,” she said. “I think it’s safe to assume you don’t know Ms. Kato as well as you think.”

Leopold felt his brain spin. He got up, still leafing through the file. “I think that would be the understatement of the year.” 

“Get your house in order, Blake.” Harper stood and walked to the door, held it open. “Before I have to do it for you.”

Chapter 38

WALKING UP PINE Street from downtown back to the hotel, June kept the pace slow and easy. Jerome hung back a little, still too close for comfort. He had insisted they return to their rooms, ruining any further opportunities for a little alone time. Still, it felt good to hold Jack’s hand. His thick fingers were strong, heavy in her hand; she had never held a hand so large before. She squeezed a little tighter, tugging him closer as they sauntered up the hill toward the hotel. 

“Sorry we didn’t get to spend much time together,” Jack said. “I don’t know what’s going on, but hopefully it’ll all blow over soon.” 

“I hope so too,” June said. “Looking forward to spending the night with me?” 

He looked her over for a moment. “Not in Gangsta Kitty lingerie, I hope.”

“I’ll see what I can come up with. I have this really cute outfit I’ve been wanting to wear.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Transparent, head to toe. Invisible, actually.”

Jack smiled. “I like the sound of that.” 

Somehow they found a way to snuggle closer all the way back to their hotel. They hit the lobby. June looked around, surprised how packed it had become. There was noise and commotion all around, people chatting animatedly. There was a television blaring somewhere over in the bar, but it was too far away. She couldn’t quite make out what was playing. 

Jerome stepped out in front, helping them carve a path through the crowd. They reached the elevator. Nobody seemed to pay them a second glance. It would only be moments before they were back in the privacy of a bedroom. June felt flushed with excitement and knew her face and chest were pink. She reached up to touch her cheek, letting her fingertips float down to her chest. A finger found the pearl necklace hanging from her neck.

“Never got to the shops,” June muttered quietly. 

Jack looked over. “What’s that?”

“My sister. I still haven’t got her anything.”

“Tomorrow,” Jack said as they stepped into the elevator. He slipped his key card into the slot and punched the button for their floor. They rode up and the doors slid open. Leopold was waiting for them. He looked a little out of breath. 

“Have a good time?” he asked.

“Better than hanging out here,” June said back, going toward her room, dragging Jack behind her. She wanted it to be clear she didn’t like having a chaperone.

“Before you run off, we need to talk,” Leopold told her.

“About?”

He led June and Jack down the hall to his suite. Jerome closed the door behind them.

“More intel,” Leopold said. “Secret Service has received what they consider a direct threat.”

“What, exactly?” Jack asked.

“It’s credible. There was a bomb scare at Seattle Center. A little over a mile from here. Evidently, several suspicious parcels were found. Bomb dispersal technicians are working on them as we speak.”

“How does this affect us?”

“Harper has already cancelled the President’s speech. She figures it won’t hurt him politically, given the circumstances. He’s already been diverted.” Leopold looked Jack square in the eyes. “And it might be time to seriously consider getting you out of town also.”

“You’ve got to be kidding,” June said. “We don’t even know the details. This might not have anything to do with the conference or the President. Or Jack.”

“It doesn’t matter. Now the President’s pulled out, if his running mate shows up it’ll look like he’s being careless, desperate for attention despite the risks.” He kept his eyes on Jack. “You know I’m right.”

Jack nodded solemnly. “He’s got a point. This could end up looking bad for me.”

“So you’re just going to pull out?” June said. “What about my speech? What am I supposed to do?”

Jerome cut in. “The roads are blocked off right now. Nobody’s going anywhere for a while. The Secret Service or the police might want to talk to us anyway, so we’re going to have to stay put for the time being.” He glanced at June. “If this plays out okay, you might get to give your talk. Just so long as Jack stays in lockdown, we’ll be okay.”

“Harper said they’ll get traffic moving again once the threat is contained,” Leopold said. “The explosives look home made. It shouldn’t take more than a few hours. Hopefully we’ll get you on an evening flight out of here.”

“We’re not staying another night?” June said.

“No. Whatever happens, we’re out of here as soon as the roads clear. But we still have more to talk about, Doctor,” Leopold said. “A few things about you, as a matter of fact.”

“What kind of talk?”

He folded his arms. “We’re still concerned over one or two details that just didn’t add up.”

June frowned. “Such as?”

Leopold produced a sheet of paper. “Courtesy of Special Agent Harper.” He read aloud, “The Oguchi clan, also known as the Sandoh family, organized crime family in Tokyo, relocated to LA two years ago to start an organized Asian prostitution ring.”

“Oh, them.”

Jack stood up. “What’s the problem?”

“Try as we might, we can’t find any evidence the Sandoh family has any significant presence here in North America,” Leopold explained. “But it doesn’t mean they aren’t here.”

“Even if they are rebuilding operations back in Japan, they could be expanding here on the west coast of America also,” Jerome said. 

“And you think they might’ve sent someone to kill me?” June asked. “A grudge killing?”

“Why would you think that, honey?” Jack asked quietly. 

June was a little surprised at the term of endearment, but she ignored it. “The Yakuza doesn’t let people off that easily,” she said. “I think the only thing that’s kept me alive was the alias I used last time we ran into each other.”

“Aiko Murata,” Leopold said.

June looked up at him. “How the hell do you know that name? Everything associated with that name has been completely deleted from my life.”

“Like I said, courtesy of Special Agent Harper,” Leopold took a step forward. “And if the Secret Service know about it, chances are others do too.”

June got up and went to the kitchenette for a bottle of water. Jack watched her the whole time with a knitted brow, but remained silent. She set aside the water and took a bottle of wine from the bar. Pulling the cork out, she splashed some into her glass and drank it. Pouring more, she abandoned the bottle and took the glass back to a chair.

 “Let me ask you this. Who else are you concerned about?” she asked Leopold. 

 “One Los Angeles Police Department Patrol Officer James Burkins.”

June felt three sets on eyes focusing on her. “Oh, him. That would be
ex
-police officer.”

“What happened?” Jack asked.

“Several years ago there was a homicide at my home, and he was the first officer on the scene. For whatever reason he became obsessed with me, convinced that I was the murderer, even before collecting any evidence.”

She went on to tell the story of how she had found a young woman in her back garden, what looked to her an obvious suicide. The truth had turned out more sinister. Blaming June, Burkins had turned on her. It didn’t end well for him. 

“And you think he might have it in for me still, even though it’s been a few years?” said June. “Is he even bright enough to get past you?”

Jerome shook his head. “He doesn’t have to get past us. He doesn’t even have to be present here at the hotel, at least not right now. But for safety sake, the two of you can’t go out together again. We’re now officially on lockdown.”

June felt her stomach sink. She turned to Jack. “I guess the romance is over, huh?”

Chapter 39

KANEZAKI FELT HIS phone vibrate. He checked the incoming message. Kato had arrived back at her suite, looking like she and Melendez were staying put for now. He frowned and slipped the phone back into his pocket.