Uncovering Officer Smith (The Discovering Trilogy #2) (28 page)

“Yeah, I think I know who you’re talking about.”

“Listen.” He pauses. “No one is telling me what happened. Eric hasn’t been at work since. I’m just trying to figure out what is going on.”

“I don’t think he will be back anytime soon,” I mutter. “But I can’t really discuss an ongoing investigation.”

“I understand. It’s just I’m getting married in a few months. They are both my best men. How am I going to get married with them at my side if they are going to tear each other apart?”

A sigh escapes my lips. “I’m sorry, Mack. What went on between them was somewhat serious. You should talk to Jared about it.”

“That’s the thing; he won’t talk about what happened. I don’t know whether my job is in jeopardy or what.”

“Mack, Hoffman Construction is the most prominent company in Angelica. I don’t think you have to worry about that.”

“Okay. But, I shouldn’t expect to have both of them at my side?”

“It’s not going to be easy getting them in the same room after what Eric did.”
Crap
. I already said too much.

“I don’t know what do. I’m supposed to go to Atlantic City for a weekend of gambling and drinking… Would you like to take his place?”

“Eh, I don’t know. I have to check my other work schedule.”

“Oh right, well, let me know. I’m guessing it’ll be open.”

“You got it.” I pat him on the arm before heading out to the parking lot.

“So, I told that kid, Mack, ‘Grab the one with the leather jacket’ – who does he grab?”

“Who?”

“The one with the
vest
! I’m here dragging this guy out and leather jacket comes running and gets in my face –”

Seems like ever since Matt took the job at The Bar, he has an endless supply of stories to tell me come Monday morning. I’m glad I quit. I don’t think I could handle all this drama anymore. I’m trying to turn over a new leaf. I have to focus on my career and becoming detective. Plus, Matt enjoys the bouncing life more than I ever did.

The phone beside me rings. I pick up the receiver.

“Hello?”

“Officer Smith? It’s Luce, from the lab.”

“Hey, Luce, what’s up?”

Matt looks up, “Luce! My future girlfriend Luce?”

“Shh,” I hiss across the desk.

Luce continues, oblivious. “That sample you gave me… I have more results.”

“More results? What do you mean?” I cover the receiver with my hand.

“Well, I ran more tests on it. It’s a specific strand of GHB. They’ve been lacing it with Ecstasy.”

“Okay, so what does this mean?”

“Luce! I love you!” Matt screams. I put my finger in my other ear.

“Smith, I’ve only encountered this specific strain once or twice before. You didn’t hear it from me, but in your area, there’s only one dealer that handles this kind of stuff.”

“Really? Do you have a name?”

“He only goes by one.” She lowers her voice on the other end. “The Godfather.”

“The Godfather?” I scoff. “Really?”

“Laugh all you want. His business is only growing and he’s becoming a big problem. This guy specializes in college parties. A few serious cases are on his hands.”

“Thanks, Luce, I’ll look into it. Thanks for the call.”

“Anytime.”

She hangs up first. I wish all women were quick and to the point like Luce. At least now, I have a lead.

“No! Why didn’t you let me talk to her?” Matt slumps back into his chair, disappointed.

“Matt, focus.” My eyes roll. “She said Becca’s GHB was laced with E. Only one dealer around here deals this kind of stuff.”

“The Godfather?”

“Yeah, how did you know?”

“You said it before.”

“Oh, right. We have to contact narcotics. We need to find ‘The Godfather’.”

“I’ll place a call.” Matt picks up the receiver to his phone. He has a cousin in the county’s narcotics department. It’s only a matter of time before we have a direction.
Finally
. Looks like I can’t go to Atlantic City this weekend. I have work to do.

I’m distracting my anxious self with past due paperwork while we wait for Matt’s cousin to return his call. When the precinct door opens, I know who it is before I even glance up. April’s green eyes scan the row of desks. My heart seizes inside my chest. Our eyes meet and a slow smile creeps across her face. Her fingers wave a little hello before heading directly for my desk. I close the folder with her husband’s file inside and shuffle a few papers on top of it.

“Why, hello, Officer Smith.” She smiles as she says this, telling me she still has that sense of humor of hers.

“Mrs. Hoffman.”

She smiles deeper at the sound of her new name. “Can we go somewhere to talk?”

I glance toward the interrogation rooms, but the thought of April sitting behind one of those metal desks makes me sick. “Come, let’s go grab some coffee.”

“Mm, coffee.” She groans as I climb to my feet and lead her to the door. “Coffee has become my new best friend.”

“I can imagine. You work almost as much as I do.”

“More,” she says, nudging me slightly with her elbow.

I hold the door to the precinct open for her.

“You’re looking good, John. Have you been working out?”

“When I get a chance.” That’s a lie. I’ve replaced sleep with working out in one fashion or another. My arm hovers behind her back as we walk down the pathway leading to the sidewalk. It was the simple things like this. April fills me with the sense of comfort. I don’t feel like I’m with a beautiful girl. I feel like she’s one of my closest friends. It sounds nuts; I can see that now. I barely knew her. I still barely know her. It’s just when you see something you’ve been looking for in someone – how do you let it go?

Somehow, I did.

“Let’s take the cruiser.”

“Oh, no. I’m not getting in one of those again.”

“Come on, hop in the back seat—For old time’s sake.”

“You’re a jerk,” she teases, nudging me again.

“Nah, I’m only kidding. Hop in the front seat.” My arm grazes the small of her back as I move to open the passenger door for her.

“Thanks.” She squeaks as she plops into the seat.

I allow myself a deep breath before slipping around to the driver’s side. This is just coffee. She just wants to pick my brain about her husband.

The cruiser roars to life. It’s on its ninth life.

“You know, I haven’t had a decent cup of coffee since Jack’s closed.” Her fingers twist in her lap, but it’s her face that glances blankly out the window that tell me there’s more to the story. There’s regret behind those sparkling blue eyes.

“Yeah, that place always hit the spot.”

“Do you know what happened to it?” she asks.

“He just closed up. Open one day, closed the next.”

“With everything still inside? It just never made sense to me,” she whispers, growing quiet again.

“Me, either, but there was nothing to investigate.”

“Uh, missing persons.”

“See, that’s the thing. No one reported him missing. No one saw where he went, no forwarding address. Keys and everything were still behind the counter. His house had enough dust it was apparent he hadn’t been there in months. He just vanished.”

She shivers in the seat beside me. Her fingers are twitching now.

“I was the last person to see him,” she murmurs under her breath.

“What?” I crane my ear to hear her.

“It was the girl with the red hair.”

“What are you talking about?” I lower the radio to hear her. The radio has become background noise to me; I forget it’s even on sometimes.

“I was working the night Jack went missing.” I glance over at her, slowing for a red light. “The girl with the red hair came in dressed like a weird soldier and told me to leave.”

“The girl with the red hair?”

“Oh, what was her name?” She’s snapping her fingers now. “It was something weird.” She bites her lip. I’m slightly distracted until I notice the light has turned green. I pull the cruiser into the parking lot and shift into park.

Her eyebrows are scrunched in the center of her face as she mumbles to herself. “S… Ss… Sera! She spells it with an E.”

It’s my turn to shiver; feeling like ice dripping a slow path down my back. “Sera?” I cough.

“Yeah, do you know her?”

“Her name has come up in a few cases, actually.”

“That girl is trouble,” she grumbles before slipping out of the car and closing the door behind her.

“Why didn’t you come forward before? This is almost two years later. The trail is cold.”

“I should have.” She’s biting her lip again. “But that night was the accident – and…”

She doesn’t need to say any more. I know exactly the one she’s talking about, having heard the call come over the radio. Motorcycle accident on the interstate. I knew she rode around on the back of Jared’s bike; I’ve watched them zip past while on patrol. I can’t even explain it, but a feeling in the pit of my stomach knew it was them. Even though my shift was ending, I took a ride. My heart was in my throat upon pulling up. The entire highway was at a standstill. I had to ride the shoulder the entire way. The tractor-trailer was on its side, smoke spewing from somewhere. But I only saw †he blood. My first thought—There’s no way anyone survived this. My eyes followed the trail of blood to her; helmet still strapped to her head. Leg limp at her side, her foot was facing the wrong way, and she had dirt smudged across her face.

But you would never have known, because she was rocking back and forth with someone in her arms. His helmet was nowhere to be seen, blood soaking her shirt. His eyes were closed and the puddle around him told me this wasn’t going to be good. She was hysterical, threatening staff and refusing to leave him. That is, until she saw me. She ran – fell into my arms and cried. I held her.

I was even there when she woke in the hospital. I didn’t want her to be alone. Her family couldn’t get a flight out in time and knew Jared would’ve been there if he could. I just didn’t want her to be alone. Isn’t it ironic that now it is
me
who is alone?

“It’s okay,” I mutter. “I’ll look into it.”

“So, enough about me – what is going on with you?”

“Nothing, just working crazy hours.”

“No lucky ladies in the picture?”

I pause. “Not one in particular.”

“You’re lying to me. Someone crossed your thoughts just now. That’s why you hesitated.”

Becca pops into my mind and I can’t help the smile that crosses my face. “No, there isn’t anyone. Not anymore.”

“But there was?” she pries.

“Over the summer.”

“What happened?”

“It just didn’t work out.”

She sighs. “John, doesn’t it all get tiring?”

“Does what get tiring?”

“The charade? The trying to pretend like you don’t have feelings? Having a different girl every night? Doesn’t there come a point in time when you just have to grow up?”

“Whoa.”

“Sorry, too abrupt? I haven’t had much sleep – I’m pretty lousy at judging when I go too far.”

“Anyways, what is going on with you, April?”

“Nothing; just working crazy hours. Now I have to deal with this mess with the construction company.”

“Yeah, I heard from a friend of yours. Things aren’t doing so hot?”

“From who?”

“Mack—”

“Oh, yeah. He would worry. The size of an ox, but the heart of a teddy bear.”

“Is everything okay?”

“It will be fine. I don’t think Jared will even press charges, but we are out that money. So, Jared took it from his salary. I needed to pick up some overtime to pay the bills this month.”

“You really do a lot, April. It’s taking its toll.”

“I know. I’m starting to find it hard to get up in the morning. I’m always hungry because I’m constantly burning calories. My feet ache from being on them all day and I’m starting to get a little nauseous.”

“You need to take care of yourself.”

And then she said something I didn’t expect. She glances up at me and says, “Well, I chose this. I chose Jared and that means through good times and bad. This just happens to be a bad time. I love nursing at the hospital, too. Yes, I’m constantly on my feet and exhausted. But, it’s also the most rewarding job. I’m helping people. If I didn’t love my life then I would change it. However, I’m absolutely in love with my life and everyone in it. Can you say the same?”

“I think you’re one of the lucky ones to be able to say that. It’s not something afforded to all of us.”

She leans in, placing her soft hand over mine. “John, you are the only person who can make yourself happy. If you feel otherwise – change it.”

April’s green eyes sparkle in the light filtering through the window. I remember how lost they used to look. This woman standing in front of me is far from that girl. Maybe I should listen to her. I guess there’s only one thing left to figure out. What the hell will make me happy?