Caliber Detective Agency Box Set 2
Author: Kane, Remington
Date: 2016-08-26
Keywords: Mystery; Crime; Private Detective
Description: From Remington Kane Caliber Detective Agency - Box Set 2 Caliber Detective Agency - Missing - Book 4 Caliber Detective Agency - Deception - Book 5 Caliber Detective Agency - Crucible - Book 6
Publisher: Year Zero Publishing

CALIBER DETECTIVE AGENCY – BOX SET 2

BY

REMINGTON KANE

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

CALIBER DETECTIVE AGENCY - BOX SET 2

First edition. August 26, 2016.

Copyright © 2016 Remington Kane.

Written by Remington Kane.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Caliber Detective Agency - Box Set 2

CALIBER DETECTIVE AGENCY – MISSING | BY | REMINGTON KANE

PRELUDE

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

EPILOGUE

CALIBER DETECTIVE AGENCY - DECEPTION | By | REMINGTON KANE

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CALIBER DETECTIVE AGENCY - CRUCIBLE | By | REMINGTON KANE

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

ALSO BY REMINGTON KANE

Further Reading: Blue Steele - Box Set 1

About the Author

Join my Mailing List and Learn about New Releases. Also, get access to FREE Books and Short Stories, including The TAKEN! ALPHABET SERIES, QUICK – A TANNER Short Story, and A LITTLE OFF THE TOP – A TANNER Short Story. REMINGTON KANE http://www.remingtonkane.com/contact.html

CALIBER DETECTIVE AGENCY – MISSING

BY

REMINGTON KANE

PRELUDE

The old man came out of the office and greeted everyone, then, he asked a question.

“Have you seen your mother this morning? They’re looking for her downstairs.”

“No,” Chris said. “Velma and I stopped by her office, but she wasn’t in yet. I figured she must have an appointment. She’s never this late.”

“Jake and I thought the same thing,” Kelli said.

“They say they’ve left messages on her phone, but that she hasn’t called back.”

“Well, I wouldn’t worry, Granddad,” Chris said. “Maybe the battery on her phone went dead.”

The old man nodded, but he didn’t look reassured.

When hours passed and there was still no sign of Gail, the old man began pacing about his office. Jake, Chris, and Velma, were all out on a Red Case together and weren’t expected back until later.

After calling Gail’s phone once more and getting no answer, the old man grabbed his trench coat and fedora and headed for the elevator.

“I’m going out to run an errand, Kelli. Call me right away if Gail shows.”

“Yes sir, and I’m worried about her too. This isn’t like her at all.”

He sent her a smile.

“It’s probably nothing,”

He hailed a cab in front of the building and headed to her home in Forrest Hills, Queens. The Tudor home had five bedrooms and three baths. She had inherited it from an aunt who recently passed away. The house sat between two that looked much like it, with their deep driveways and detached garages.

Jake walked up the stone steps that led to the front door, and as he did so, his eyes searched the windows for movement, or damage. He saw neither, and once he reached the wide front door, he rang the bell.

No answer, even after four attempts.

The old man drifted around to the back of the home and that’s when he spotted the blood trail. It began at the top of the cobblestone driveway and threaded towards the home’s back door, which sat open.

With his gun in hand, Jake slowly climbed the wooden steps at the rear of the home, while being careful not to tread in the blood. A sickening realization struck him as the coppery smell of blood became so strong that he could fairly taste it.

Someone had died at this house and they had done so very recently.

With his gun leading the way, Jake stepped through the back door and into the home’s large kitchen, then staggered back a step at the sight that greeted him.

There was so much blood splattered about that whoever it came from could not be alive.

Jake Caliber was a man who had been around bloodshed and killing for most of his long life, but to see this horror show of gore in the home of someone he loved put fear in his heart. He pushed it aside, stepped carefully around the blood and proceeded to search the rest of the home.

When he found nothing else amiss, he left the way he entered and checked out the garage and the toolshed, near the dormant garden at the back of the property. He found all of it to be normal.

With a trembling hand, he took out his phone.

“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”

“It’s my daughter... she’s missing.”

CHAPTER 1

HOURS EARLIER

––––––––

Gail Caliber wiped at the sweat beading her forehead and kept running, as a smile crossed her lips.

She was jogging along a trail in Forest Park and it was one of those mornings when everything came together on a run. Gail felt more like she was floating than pounding along on two feet.

Gail had been a devoted runner years earlier, but had given it up when her husband died and she subsequently moved to L.A.

She’d taken it up again after moving back to New York last year, as middle-age spread began creeping up on her. Now knew that she would keep the habit the rest of her life.

Feeling invigorated by her high spirits, she veered onto one of the dirt trails she’d never been down before and ran along it as the sounds of Motown filled her ears through headphones. When she spotted a deer, she left the trail and ran along behind the animal playfully as she darted among the trees

After cresting a hill, she came upon a group of four men wearing street clothes. One of the men, a gruff-looking type with long dark hair framing a craggy face, was handing one of the other men a white envelope.

Gail locked eyes with the man receiving the envelope as she ran past him and felt an unaccustomed blush color her cheeks, as she found the tall man to be handsome.

Gail called out, “Good morning!” in a breathless voice and disappeared from sight as she ran down a slope that would place her on the trail again.

Had she turned around to look back before doing so, she would have seen the guns come out.

***

Dawkins slammed a hand against Jim Tate’s chest and pushed him back against a tree, even as he brought out his gun with his other hand.

“What the hell was that, Tate? Is this some sort of sting?”

Tate pushed Dawkins away, as he took note that Dawkins’ men also had their guns aimed at him.

“That was a woman out for an early morning jog, don’t be so paranoid.”

“Yeah, I guess, but she also saw us together, that’s not good.”

“It’s meaningless, and by now she’s probably forgotten all about us.”

Dawkins relaxed and put away his gun. He was a man of average height and build who had spent his life as a successful criminal. He had only served time once, and that occurred while he was still in his teens.

“I guess you’re right, but now listen, by taking that envelope there’s no turning back. You do your part Saturday night and you’ll get the rest. Got it?”

Tate nodded.

“I got it, Dawkins, and we both know that I need this to work out more than you do.”

Dawkins smiled.

“Everybody wins, now you head off that way and we’ll go this way, just to be safe.”

Tate gave Dawkins and his men one final look and then headed off in the direction that Gail had come from. When he’d gotten out of earshot, Dawkins gripped one of his men by the arm.

“Javier, that bitch that saw us with Tate, track her down, kill her, and make it look like a robbery or something.”

Javier’s eyes went wide with surprise. He was a handsome man in his twenties with dark wavy hair.

“You really think that’s necessary?”

Dawkins shrugged.

“If she’s dead she can’t pick us out of a line-up.”

Javier sighed.

“Yeah.”

Dawkins pointed at the trail.

“You’d better hurry if you’re going to catch her.”

Javier took off at a sprint as he ran after Gail.

The remaining man with Dawkins was a man named Gannon. Gannon, like Dawkins and Tate, was in his fifties.

“Maybe you should have sent me to take care of that bitch. The kid ain’t really the killer type, is he?”

“He did time for shooting a security guard and word is he wasted a guy in prison, besides, I doubt you could catch up to her.”

Gannon laughed.

“Yeah, I guess neither of us is as young as we used to be, but what about Tate, you think he’ll work out?”

“He’ll behave; he needs the money so his daughter can get an operation. If he screws us, his kid is screwed too.”

“Good, then I guess we’ve got nothing to worry about once Javier takes care of that woman.”

“The jogger? She’s as good as dead.”

***

Gail pressed her hands flat against the side of her car as she leaned over and stretched her calves after running.

Standing amid a group of nearby trees, Dawkins’ man, Javier, watched her as he gripped the gun on his hip.

He had caught up to her, but there were too many people around the parking lot to kill her there.

Javier rushed over to his own car and waited for Gail to leave. He would follow her home and either kill her there or somewhere else.

He had killed before, while in prison, to protect himself, and he would kill this woman even though he thought she was no threat. Still, he believed that Dawkins knew what he was doing, and when Saturday came and the job was done he would be a rich man. If Dawkins thought that this woman threatened that, then so be it, she would die.

As Gail drove out of the park and towards her home, Javier followed along behind, intent on causing her death.

***

Gail arrived home and set-up the coffeemaker before heading up the stairs to shower and change for work. When she reached her bedroom, she laid her keys and phone atop the dresser before realizing that she had forgotten to actually start the coffeepot to brewing.

With a huff, she descended the stairs and walked back over to the counter, and as her hand reached out to press the button marked BREW, the back door opened and a young man stepped inside her kitchen holding a gun. He was dressed in jeans and a black hoodie with the sleeves pulled back. Gail realized she had seen him before.

“You were in the park with those other men,” she said.

Javier let out a long sigh as he raised his gun and aimed at her face.

“Sorry lady.”

An instant later, a shot rang out and Gail’s body fell to the floor.

CHAPTER 2

“Mr. Caliber?”

Jake had been thinking of Gail, and of the day she had married his son, when his name was called.

The old man broke free of his reverie and reached out to shake the hand that was being offered by a woman who had just arrived on the scene.

“How do you do, sir? I’m Detective Lena Alvera.”

Alvera was Hispanic, in her mid-thirties, and neatly dressed in a gray business suit and black boots. Her handshake was firm and she had a no-nonsense air about her.

“Are you in charge here, Detective?”

“Yes sir and I want you to know that everything is being done to locate your daughter-in-law.”

“Are you treating this as a missing person’s case?”

“No sir, for now we’re investigating it as, ‘suspicious circumstances’ but I’m sure the investigation will change once we learn who lost all the blood in that house.”

“I searched the home and found no one, but from the blood trail it looks like the victim was brought out to the driveway here and loaded into a vehicle.”

“Yes, my officers concur.”

“The first cops on the scene, are they still checking the house?”

“They finished that, now I’ve got them walking the neighborhood. When we get more bodies here we’ll canvass the neighbors.”

“I already tried the homes on either side and no one answered. I suppose they’re at work.”

Alvera’s radio came to life and she excused herself and stepped away.

When she was finished speaking, she walked back over, looking grim.

“There’s a vehicle with blood on the trunk and bumper parked down the street. I’m going to walk down there and open it.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“I thought you might, and if you weren’t who you are I wouldn’t even have mentioned it.”

“Thank you for that, good or bad, I have to know what happened to my daughter.”

The car was a 1969 Mustang in excellent condition, with New Jersey license plates. Someone had put a lot of care into its maintenance, but the car’s bright blue paint job was marred by the reddish-brown stains on its rear.

A uniformed cop stood by with a pry bar, waiting for Alvera to give the word.

“Ready, Mr. Caliber?” Alvera asked.

“Yeah, open it.”

Alvera sent the cop a nod. Seconds later, the trunk lid popped open, revealing the corpse.

***

Not far away, Chris Caliber swerved around a truck in an effort to keep up with his brother as they drove to their mother’s house. Sitting beside him, Velma held on to the door with a tight grip.

“He’s driving like a maniac, and so are you.”

“I know, but we have to get there as soon as possible. You heard what my grandfather said about the blood.”

“Blood, yes, but there was no body in sight.”

“What the hell happened to my mother, Velma?”

Velma reached over and touched his cheek.

“We’ll find her, baby.”

“I know; I only hope it’s not too late.”

***

Detective Alvera winced at the sight of the corpse in the trunk.

“Mr. Caliber, do you know him?”

“No. I have no idea who that is.” Jake said.

The body stuffed into the Mustang’s trunk was a Hispanic male in his twenties. It was Dawkins’ man, Javier.

Javier had been good looking in life; however, only hours after dying, the skin of his face was becoming mottled and stark white. There was a gaping exit wound in the front of his throat, broadcasting that he’d been shot from behind.

Alvera put on a pair of latex gloves.

“I would normally wait for the coroner’s okay before touching a victim, but I don’t want to waste a second.”

She reached in and began patting down the victim.

“He’s wearing a holster on his right hip, but it’s empty. Ah, here’s what I need.”

Alvera pulled her hand out and it was holding a wallet. She opened it and read from his driver’s license.

“Javier Bahena, twenty-six, five-foot-nine and a hundred and sixty pounds, his address is in Jersey City and the wallet contains... one-hundred and thirty seven dollars.”

One of the uniforms held open an evidence bag and Alvera dropped the wallet inside. She then reached back into the trunk and felt around some more.

“He’s really stuffed in tight, but... ah, I found it.”

This time Alvera was holding a Glock G38. She ejected the clip and checked the gun.

“There’s a full clip of eight and a round in the chamber, so I doubt this is what killed him, also, it doesn’t appear to have been recently fired.”

Down the street, at one of the barricades, two cars screeched to a halt. Alvera got a call from the cop manning the barricade.

“Let them through, they’re with Mr. Caliber.”

When the two cars parked, the old man saw his grandsons and Velma getting out of them.

They ran over to him.

“Is there any news?” Chris said, and then he saw the body. “Oh no.”

His brother, Jake, pointed into the trunk.

“Is that the blood donor?”

Alvera nodded.

“That would be my guess, but I’ll have the M.E. confirm it.”

The old man introduced everyone and Alvera went back to checking beneath the body. She was hoping to find a clue or evidence that would lead them to Gail.

“Hmm, no cell phone, maybe the killer was afraid it would lead us to them.”

The body of Javier Bahena was dressed in jeans and a black hoodie with the sleeves pulled back. As Alvera shifted Bahena slightly, his left arm fell over, revealing a tattoo. The tattoo was a heart with two names written inside it. One of the names was Javier, Bahena’s first name, but the other name was Rayne.

Velma pointed at it.

“The tattoo has the name, Rayne. Is it possible that Rayne Carver could know this man?”

Chris looked doubtful.

“It’s an unusual name, but what are the odds?”

“Who is this Rayne Carver you’re speaking of?” Alvera said.

The old man answered.

“She works for Gail as an insurance investigator, and she’s topnotch from what I hear.”

Jake took out his phone.

“I don’t like coincidences. I’m going to call Kelli and get Rayne’s number.”

Chris brought out his phone.

“Don’t bother, I have her number.”

“You do?” Velma said.

“Yes, we worked a case together, remember?”

“And also had dinner, if I recall,” Velma said.

Chris opened his mouth to reply, but then heard Rayne’s voice in his ear.

“The answer is yes,” Rayne said.

“What?” Chris said.

“I said the answer is yes, you’re calling for a date, right?”

“No, I wish it was that pleasant a call, but I’m investigating my mother’s disappearance.”

“Disappearance? I thought that she just took a day off for once.”

“No, Rayne, we can’t find her, but listen, I need to ask you a question.”

“Ask away, anything to help.”

“Do you know a man named Javier Bahena?”

“Javier? Yes, we dated in high school, why?”

“I think you’d better come to my mother’s house as soon as you can.”

CHAPTER 3

HOURS EARLIER

––––––––

Gail lay on her kitchen floor, shaking, and splattered with blood.

Lying before her was the body of Javier Bahena. He was face down and blood was pouring from a ragged hole in his throat.

When Jim Tate stepped through the door holding a gun, Gail gazed up at him with wide eyes.

“What’s going on?”

“You stumbled across something in the park that you weren’t meant to see.”

She looked back at Javier.

“He was sent here to kill me?”

“Yes.”

“You saved me.”

Tate hung his head.

“And by doing so I doomed myself... and my daughter.”

“Your daughter?”

“Never mind that, stand up.”

Gail rose up on shaky legs and Tate took her by the wrist and slapped one end of a pair of handcuffs on her, afterwards, he attached the other end to the handle on the refrigerator door.

“Give me your phone,” Tate said.

Gail stared at the cuffs and then up at Tate.

“You’re a cop, aren’t you?”

“Yes, now give me your phone.”

“I don’t have anything on me now; it’s all upstairs.” Gail said, and watched Javier’s gun disappear into Tate’s pocket, along with a cell phone.

With a heave and a grunt, Tate lifted Javier up and carried him out through the open kitchen door.

Gail heard the sound of a car trunk opening and closing before the Mustang’s engine caught and drove away.

“Help!” Gail shouted repeatedly, while doubting that anyone would hear her. She knew that her neighbor on the left was off visiting relatives, while the one on the right had been backing out of his driveway when she left to go jogging.

She opened the door on the refrigerator to extend her range and stretched for the phone on the wall, but found that it was still out of reach, and the heavy refrigerator was wedged in an alcove and wouldn’t budge.

Then came the sound of another car, a heavier vehicle backing up near the door, and moments later, Tate reappeared and began uncuffing her from the refrigerator, only to then cuff her hands behind her back.

“What are you going to do with me?”

Tate looked confused by the question.

“I... I don’t know. I need time to think.”

“People will be looking for me, and they’re people who won’t give up.”

“You have family on the job?”

“I’m Gail Caliber. Jake Caliber is my father-in-law.”

Tate’s face paled a shade.

“Oh Christ... I still need time to think, and I promise I won’t hurt you.”

“Let me call, Jake. I’m sure he can help you.”

Tate sighed with despair.

“Nothing can help me now.”

Then, they were out the door and driving away.

CHAPTER 4

“My prints? Why do you want to take my fingerprints?” Rayne said. She was in her mid-twenties, with long dark hair and dark eyes. A shapely five-foot-four and trim, she was also highly skilled in karate and firearms.

She had joined them on the scene and verified that it was really Bahena, even as she wiped away tears.

They were all standing together on the porch now, waiting for word about Gail.

Detective Alvera asked Rayne if she knew why Bahena would be in Gail’s house, and Rayne told her that she had no idea and hadn’t seen or spoken to him in years. When she stated that she had never been to the house before, Velma suggested that she be fingerprinted, so that her prints could be compared with those at the scene. The prints would also be checked against those found in Javier’s car.

“If you’ve never been here before then you shouldn’t have a problem with the police checking them against the prints they find,” Velma said.

“I’m not a liar, Mrs. Channing.”

“If that’s true, well then you have nothing to fear, and my name is Miss Parker now.”

Rayne looked over at the old man.

“Mr. Caliber, I have no problem with being fingerprinted, but I had nothing to do with Mrs. Caliber’s disappearance.”

The old man nodded.

“I trust you, kid; Chris says you’re all right.”

Rayne smiled at Chris.

“Thanks for being in my corner.”

“Miss Carver, would you know who Mr. Bahena’s associates are?” Alvera asked.

“No, Detective, when I knew Javier his known associates were high school kids. It’s been that long since I’ve seen him.”

“I have a portable fingerprint scanner over there in that patrol car, would you object to having your prints taken?”

“Am I a suspect?”

“Not at all,” Alvera said, but her eyes said differently.

Rayne looked at everyone.

“I can’t believe you would think I’d hurt Mrs. Caliber.”

“No one has accused you of anything,” Velma said. “But you are the only one here who knows both Gail and the dead man.”

“Fine, take my prints, the sooner you stop looking at me, the faster you’ll look in the right direction.”

Rayne and Alvera walked off towards the police car.

“She’s not involved in this; she’d have no reason to be,” Chris said.

“We don’t even know what this is yet,” Velma said.

“Velma’s right,” the old man said, “We don’t know what this is, but we’ll sure as hell find out. Jakey, hook up with Tommy and see if this Javier Bahena has a record, then go pay a visit to any known associates. Chris, you and Velma go back to the office and go through customer complaints. I know that Caliber Investigations has received threatening letters, but find out if any of them were directed specifically at your mother, and if so, check them out. Meanwhile, I’ll approach this from your mother’s end, her friends, boyfriends, that sort of thing.”

“Mother has a boyfriend?” Jake said.

“I don’t know, do you?” The old man said.

Chris shook his head.

“Mom’s been all about growing the business since Dad died; I think it’s been her way of coping with the loss.”

“She must have a best friend, who is it?”

“Here, no one that I know of, but back in L.A. she was good friends with an investigator named Maggie Keegan. Maggie still works for us in L.A.”

“All right, I’ll get in touch with her.”

“Mr. Caliber, not to accuse her of anything, but shouldn’t one of us begin looking into Rayne Carver?”

The old man hesitated, but then nodded,

“Discreetly, Velma, be discreet, that girl is one of us.”

“I’ll be discreet.”

“All right, let’s get to it, but Jakey?”

“Yes sir?”

“Try to keep a handle on things, boy; I know that you inherited my temper.”

“I’ll be calm, cool, and collected.”

“Right, now everyone get going. Wherever your mother is, we’ll find her, count on it.”

CHAPTER 5

Jake reached across the desk and took the sheet of paper that Tommy Delaney had just written on. They were in Delaney’s office, a small windowless room at One Police Plaza.

“There are only three names here.”

“Along with home and work addresses, and I’m not even supposed to give you those.”

“I’m not complaining, Tommy, I’m just surprised. Javier Bahena is a young guy, guys like that usually run with a crew.”

“You’re right, but those are his only known associates, they were the ones with him when he got busted for that jewelry store heist years ago.”

Jake stood and Tommy stared up at him.

“You’re going to check out those names now?”

“The sooner I do, the quicker I find my mother.”

Delaney made a face of disgust as he looked at the pile of folders on his desk.

“Damn, I wish that I could go with you, but there’s no way I can shake free right now.”

Jake held up the list of names.

“You’ve already helped.”

“I’m worried about her too, buddy, but at least you know that the blood in her kitchen wasn’t hers.”

“Yeah, that was likely Bahena’s, but who shot him? And why grab my mother afterwards?”

“You’ll find her, Jake, you or the old man, between the two of you, you’ll find her.”

Jake winked.

“See ya around, Tommy.”

He left the building and walked back towards his car. When he was halfway there, a young woman fell in step beside him. She had shoulder-length dark hair and a dark complexion, and her name was Shea O’Reilly.

“What are you doing here?”

O’Reilly answered in her strong Brooklyn accent.

“I heard about your ma, saw you leaving the building and thought I’d tag along.”

Jake looked down at her and saw that she was dressed in jeans and a leather jacket.

“Why aren’t you in uniform?”

“It’s my day off, but I came in to have lunch with a friend in Narcotics.”

“I might be doing some very uncop-like things today, you sure you want to be around for that?”

“What’s that mean, you’re going to kick some ass?”

“Exactly.”

“Then count me in, I haven’t busted anyone’s head in a while, and I like your ma.”

Jake grinned.

“You’re a trip, O’Reilly, a real trip.”

***

“You two better settle in if you’re going to read all of these complaint letters,” Kelli said.

She was talking to Chris and Velma. They had called on their way back to the office and asked her to have all of the complaints and hate mail sent up to the Detective Agency, mail that went back years.

There were over a hundred letters.

Most of them had to do with the B-Girls.

The B in B-Girls stood for bait. One of the courtesies provided by Caliber was a service called Fidelity Check, wherein a suspicious wife or girlfriend could send out a B-Girl to tempt their husband or significant other.

The B-Girl feigned interest in the suspected cheater and offered to exchange phone numbers or even to meet at a later time. If the man took the bait and said yes to the offer, the wife had her suspicions verified. If the man declined, the wife could be assured that her mate was likely faithful. It was a rare man who wasn’t tempted by a B-Girl.

Their success rate at unearthing cheaters was over eighty percent; what that percentage didn’t reveal however, was that nearly half of those men had never cheated on their partners before, and many, after having weakened and succumbed to their charms, were not very happy.

It’s one thing to be tempted and satisfied, quite another to be tempted and left not only frustrated, but also facing the wrath of your spouse, and sometimes, your spouse’s lawyer.

“The majority of the complaints involve the B-Girl service,” Kelli said, “While the rest are mostly insurance cheats who we’ve busted. Rayne Carver is so good at catching them that she has her own file. She’s been personally threatened more than anyone.”

“I can understand the sentiment,” Velma said.

Kelli smiled at that and left them alone to work. The letters had already been separated into three categories, the thinnest of which was marked, Disturbing, next there was, Profane, and finally, Simple Complaints.

Before they began scanning over them while looking for specific references to Gail, they crossed checked them to make certain that none had been placed in the wrong category.

“How come we don’t have any B-Boys?” Velma asked.

Chris laughed.

“We actually do, it’s Gregory in the accounts department.”

“Oh, yeah I could see that, Gregory is very handsome, but he’s the only B-Boy?”

“There’s not the same demand for a B-Boy service as there is for the B-Girls. Either men are more trusting or more naïve than women are.”

“More like clueless, and I find the whole idea behind the service... I don’t know... icky?”

“My mom and granddad had one of their biggest fights ever over the B-Girl service when Mom first implemented it. Granddad said it was ‘low-rent.’”

“I agree with him, but it must be profitable, no?”

“It’s very profitable, and the women get paid well for doing what is essentially part-time work. Being a B-Girl was actually Kelli’s first job at Caliber.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, but then your Aunt Velma took her on as a protégé.”

They went to work scrutinizing the complaint letters, but took a break when Kelli brought in coffee. After Kelli returned to her desk, Velma tucked an errant strand of her blond hair back behind an ear and asked Chris a question that had been on her mind.

“What was Rayne’s reaction when you called her?”

“She was helpful, you know that.”

“That was her response; I’m asking you what she said when she answered the phone.”

Chris sighed.

“She thought I was calling to ask her out.”

“And why would she think that?”

“Velma, she was being playful.”

“I’d bet she’d like to be your plaything.”

Chris laughed.

“You really don’t like her, do you?”

“I don’t like the way she looks at you.”

“Don’t be jealous, Rayne is just a friend, and you two are a lot alike you know? She’s a great investigator.”

Velma made a sound of disagreement and they returned to searching the files.

“Some of these threats against the B-Girls are frightening,” Chris said, “So much so that I see a notation here that Mom had the police investigating them, but nothing came of it.”

“How recent are they?”

“Very recent, but there’s no reference to Mom in them, however, there is a reference to Selina Clayton, you know, the blonde with the... um, obvious assets.”

“You mean big breasts?” Velma said, while smiling.

“Yes, and whoever wrote this letter has it out for her, here, read this.”

Chris passed over the letter and saw Velma grimace at the vitriol contained in it.

“That’s disturbing, does Selina know about this?”

“I’m sure she does, and the girls are protected while they’re working. There’s a bodyguard that watches out for them.”

They finished looking over the letters and found no direct mention of Gail, other than references made to her in letters sent by law firms on behalf of their clients, and all of those seemed civil and professional letters of complaint.

Their next step was to search Gail’s office, and as they rode down in the elevator, Chris began nuzzling Velma’s neck, as his hands roamed over her.

Velma giggled.

“What are you doing?”

“Exploring your ‘obvious assets.”

The elevator chimed and Velma kissed him.

“We’ll continue this later.”

As they stepped off the elevator and headed for Gail’s office, Velma pointed at the restrooms.

“Give me a moment?”

After Chris nodded and entered his mother’s office, Velma walked over to the right. When she found the desk that belonged to Rayne, she began searching through it.

CHAPTER 6

The old man arrived back at the office and Kelli greeted him with a hug.

“You’ll find her, sir, don’t worry.”

“Thanks kid, but I need your help right now. I have to get in touch with a Maggie Keegan in the L.A. office, do you know her?”

“Maggie? Sure, in fact, I Skype her every week for updates.”

“Skype?”

Kelli smiled at the old man.

“It’s a way to make video phone calls.”

“You mean I’ll actually be able to see her?”

“Yes, should I set it up?”

“Yeah, and then give me a few moments to talk to her alone.”

As Kelli typed on the keyboard, she asked a question.

“You want to speak to Maggie about Mrs. Caliber?”

“Yeah, I need to know if there’s anything in her personal life that might be behind her disappearance.”

“Well, despite the distance apart, she and Maggie are still very close, so if anyone would know it would be her.”

Minutes later the connection was established and Jake saw the image of an attractive brunette appear. Maggie Keegan was sixty, but looked younger and vibrant.

Kelli made the introductions and left the office, as Jake took her seat.

Maggie Keegan’s smile came across as warm even on the laptop’s monitor.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Caliber, so to speak, and of course I’ll help in any way I can.”

“Thank you, doll, and I guess what I most need to know is if Gail was seeing anyone recently?”

Maggie’s smile turned melancholy.

“Gail and I both lost our husbands at a young age; it’s something we share, and as far as I know, sir, there’s been no one since your son. Gail’s whole life revolves around the business and her boys.”

The old man stared at the screen with raised eyebrows.

“No one? But it’s been over ten years since my son passed away.”

“I know, and I have tried to get her to date friends of mine, good men who would have treated her well, but... she loved your son a great deal.”

“I see, and is there anything at all you can tell me that might help us find her?”

Maggie Keegan looked thoughtful, but then shook her head.

“I can’t think of a thing, sir. When I spoke to her last night she seemed in good spirits and didn’t mention any problems.”

“Okay, but if anything comes to mind, contact Kelli.”

“I will, and please let me know when you find her.”

“I’ll do that.”

“Sir, Mr. Caliber?”

“Yes?”

“Wherever she is, if she’s in trouble or danger, she knows that you’ll find her. I know about the disagreements you two have had, but sir, deep down, Gail thinks that you walk on water, and I know she loves you very much.”

The old man cleared his throat before speaking again.

“I love her too, Maggie, that girl is my daughter.”

“Give her my love when you see her, and tell her to call.”

“I will, and thank you.”

***

The younger Jake tracked down one of Bahena’s former associates at a body shop in lower Manhattan that specialized in custom paint jobs.

The man’s name was Hector Coffey, and when the woman at the service counter pointed him out to Jake, O’Reilly made a whistling sound.

“That is one seriously big dude, Caliber, and a hunk too.”

“I’m just going to ask him a few questions, so don’t worry.”

The woman at the counter grabbed Jake’s arm.

“Just so you know, Hector can be an asshole sometimes. If he wasn’t so good at custom painting he would have been fired a long time ago, but the man’s an artist with a paint sprayer.”

“How big an asshole is he?”

“The kind with a bad temper.”

Jake took off his suit coat and handed it to O’Reilly.

“I’ll be right back.”

“Call me if you need help.”

“You think you could beat him?”

O’Reilly patted the gun on her hip.

“Hell no, but I can kneecap him.”

Jake walked over to Hector Coffey and the closer he stepped the bigger the man looked. Jake was a big man; Hector was a giant. If the man wasn’t seven-feet tall, he was damn close to it and as wide as a refrigerator, although his stomach was flat. Hector had skin the color of chocolate, with dark, close-cropped curly hair and large hazel eyes.

The body shop smelled of burnt metal, grease, and paint. There was a radio atop a red, tiered toolbox that was blasting out vintage rock & roll. The music competed with the sounds of hammering and drilling that the workers made.

When Hector saw Jake walking towards him, he made a sniffing sound and curled his lip.

“What do you want?”

“I need information about Javier Bahena.”

“You a cop?”

“Private cop; and I need to know what you know about Bahena.”

“Fuck off!”

O’Reilly let out a laugh; she was standing a few feet behind Jake.

“Way to make friends, Caliber.”

Hector looked over at her and smiled.

“What’s your name?”

Jake blocked Hector’s view of O’Reilly.

“Javier Bahena, and don’t make me ask again.”

“Hey dude, I did my time for that jewelry store robbery and now I’m living the straight life, so get lost.”

“I just want to know what you know about Bahena.”

“Yeah, and what if I don’t want to tell you?”

Jake stepped closer.

“Oh you’ll tell me, one way or another.”

Hector scowled at Jake and then reached out to grab his tie. Jake gripped a thumb with one hand and the pinkie with the other and pulled in opposite directions as hard as he could.

Hector let out a cry of pain and tried to yank his hand back. Jake had expected the reaction and let the hand go, which caused Hector to be off balance. Before he could recover, Jake sent a hard kick into the big man’s stomach.

Hector doubled over from the pain, but didn’t go down and managed to land a glancing blow above Jake’s left eye, Jake took the shot and punched Hector on the side of his head, and then he punched him again, and again.

A look of bewilderment came over Hector as he fell to one knee and shook his head, as if trying to clear it. Hector was so big that even on one knee he was still nearly eye-to-eye with Jake.

“Tell me about Bahena, or do we move on to round two?”

“What the hell did you hit me with?”

“A fist.”

“Bullshit! Nobody hits that hard.”

Jake glared down at him.

“Bahena!”

Hector smiled as he sprang up from the floor, “Round two!” and the fight was on again.

***

Chris heard the yelling even from behind his mother’s closed office door.

When he looked out through the window over the sofa, he could see Velma and Rayne arguing. He rushed out to intervene.

“What’s going on?”

Rayne jabbed a finger at Velma.

“I came back here after being subjected to fingerprinting to find her going through my desk.”

“You’re damn right I’m searching your desk, because I know better than to trust you.”

Rayne opened her mouth in shock.

“What have I ever done here to deserve that? I clear more cases than anyone and I have nothing against Mrs. Caliber.”

Velma smirked.

“Your name was tattooed on the dead body of our only lead in the case; I think that’s reason enough to suspect you.”

Rayne looked at Chris.

“You trust me, don’t you?”

“Of course I do, but we’re really worried about my mother.”

Rayne touched him on the arm.

“We’ll find her, Chris, don’t worry, and search my desk all you want, Mrs. Channing, but you won’t find anything.”

“My name is Parker,” Velma said, while knowing that Rayne was only trying to get a rise out of her.

“Why don’t you two make it Rayne and Velma, hmm?” Chris said. “I mean we all want the same thing don’t we, to find my mom?”

Velma finished her search of the desk and stood up.

“Let’s see what we can find in your mother’s office.”

As Velma walked off, Chris stayed behind and spoke to Rayne.

“I’m sorry; she gets a little carried away sometimes.”

Rayne smiled.

“Jealous is what she is, I only wish she had a reason to be.”

“Chris, are you coming?” Velma called.

“I’ll be right there,” he said, before turning back to Rayne. “What are you working on?”

“Everything is on hold until we find your mother.”

“You have an idea of where to look?”

“I’m going to talk to Javier’s family, maybe they know something.”

“Good, and be sure to keep in contact.”

Rayne touched him on the arm again.

“You can count on that.”

Chris watched her walk away, and as the doors closed on the elevator, Rayne sent him a wink.

***

Hector sprang up from the floor with far more speed than Jake would have thought him capable of, and slammed into him, then picked him up.

Jake knew what was coming next, and before Hector could crush him against a wall, he struck the huge man in the throat, causing Hector to release him.

Jake staggered backwards through a set of open doors that led to an alley on the side of the building. His ribs hurt from where Hector had held him and he knew that he could not let the big man get his hands on him again.

As Hector sped towards him, Jake saw the smile on his face and knew that he was enjoying the battle. He smiled his own grin, charged at Hector, and at the last possible instant, he fell to the ground at Hector’s feet.

Hector’s momentum was too great and he went tripping over Jake, and was just able to put his hands out to cushion his fall. A moment later, Jake was atop Hector’s back and applying a strangle hold.

It took nearly a minute of struggle, but finally Hector slapped a hand against the oil-stained concrete to signal his surrender.

Jake climbed off Hector as O’Reilly came to stand beside him.

“I didn’t know you wrestled, Caliber.”

“Not since high school,”

O’Reilly squeezed his right biceps.

“I’m up for a match anytime you want.”

“Let me guess, you only wrestle in the nude?”

“Yeah, but there are no losers.”

Jake looked over at the doors leading back inside and saw that Hector’s co-workers were watching.

“Don’t you people have work to do?” Jake said.

They drifted away as Hector made it back onto his feet.

“Bahena?” Jake said.

Hector looked as if he were considering going for a third round, but instead, he made a sound of derision and threw his chin towards O’Reilly.

“I’ll talk, but first I want to know her name.”

Jake sighed.

“Her name is Shea O’Reilly; now tell me what you know about Bahena.”

Hector and O’Reilly exchanged smiles, and then he looked back at Jake.

“I haven’t hung out with Javier in years, but I did run in to him sometimes. The last time I saw him was a few days ago, but we didn’t talk, he was parked at a light in some sweet vintage Mustang. The car was nice, and the chick he was with was even nicer.”

“I know about the car, but what about the woman?”

Hector looked at O’Reilly.

“She was hot like this one here, but older, small chick with dark hair and dark eyes.”

“What were they doing?”

“Just talking,”

“You said they were stopped at a light? What street were they on?”

“JFK Boulevard.”

“In New York City?”

“Nah, Jersey City, just the other side of the tunnel, Javier and I grew up there.”

“Do you know Rayne Carver?”

Hector smiled.

“Hell yeah, but how do you know her?”

“We work at the same place.”

“Well hell man, she might know how to get in touch with Javier, even though they broke up back in high school.”

“Sorry to give you the bad news, but Javier is dead.”

“No shit?”

“No shit, the cops found him stuffed into the trunk of his car.”

“Oh hell; that’s going to kill his mom.”

“You know anything else?”

“I know how to find Javier’s friends in Jersey City.”

“Give me their names and addresses.”

“I’ll do better than that, I’ll come along.”

“What?”

“Yeah, and while you’re driving us around, me and Shea O’Reilly here will get to know each other.”

Jake looked over at O’Reilly.

“Do you believe this guy?”

O’Reilly smiled at Hector.

“Take the deal, Caliber.”

Jake rolled his eyes.

“Oh crap, you two got the hots for each other.”

Hector rubbed his jaw.

“Where’d you learn to hit like that?”

“I’ve been in a few fights, plus my grandfather taught me some tricks.”

Hector squinted at him.

“What’s your name?”

“Jake Caliber.”

“Ah, so you’re one of those Calibers, damn, I’m lucky you didn’t shoot me.”

“O’Reilly here is a cop.”

Hector stared at her in surprise, but then shrugged.

“What the hell, nobody’s perfect.”

CHAPTER 7

Rayne climbed the brick steps of a home on Virginia Avenue in Jersey City, New Jersey, as memories of her youth came flooding back.

When her knock was answered, she was surprised to find an unfamiliar face gazing back at her from the doorway. The woman was in her mid-thirties, Hispanic, and beautiful, despite the look of street toughness lighting her eyes and showing itself in her stance.

“What do you want?”

“Hi, I’m looking for Mrs. Bahena.”

“We ain’t buying anything, so get lost.”

The woman attempted to close the door but Rayne stuck her foot inside to block it.

“I’m not selling anything. I’m an old friend of Mrs. Bahena’s son and I want to see her.”

A young woman pushed past the woman at the door and her moist eyes lit up as she spotted Rayne.

“Hi Mia,” Rayne said.

“Oh Rayne, I’m so glad you’ve come; I guess you’ve heard about Javier?”

“Yes.”

Rayne was let inside and Mia introduced her to the other woman.

“This is my sister, Ariana.”

“Ariana? Javier told me that you ran away from home when he was still little.”

“Yeah, well I’m back now.”

Mia wiped at her eyes.

“It’s so sad. Just as we get Ariana back, we lose Javier.”

Rayne gave her a hug.

“I’m so sorry for your loss, Mia.”

“Thank you, but you won’t be able to see Mama; she’s not up to seeing anyone right now.”

“I understand, and I actually came here to speak to you.”

“Oh, well, why don’t we take a walk? Ariana, can you stay with Mama until I get back?”

“Yeah, no problem,” Ariana said, while still glaring at Rayne.

When Mia went upstairs to grab a jacket, Ariana spoke to Rayne.

“My brother had your name tattooed on his arm, said you broke his heart.”

“It was the other way around. I ended things with him because he wouldn’t stay out of trouble.”

Ariana made a face.

“What are you, a social worker or something?”

“I’m a fraud investigator for Caliber Investigations.”

“Shit, you might as well be a cop.”

Mia returned, and she and Rayne left the home. Once outside, Rayne asked Mia about Javier’s life, who his friends were, and what sort of work he’d been doing.

“Javier had a good job. He was working for Ariana’s boyfriend, a man named Bill Dawkins.”

“What kind of work was he doing?”

“He was his driver, you know, like a chauffeur.”

“And what kind of work does this Bill Dawkins do?”

“Ariana just says he’s a businessman. Why are you asking about him?”

Rayne smiled.

“I was just curious. Javier and I had been out of touch for a long while.”

They walked along until they were standing in front of the school that they had both attended as children. Rayne thought that the building looked smaller than she had remembered it to be.

“Javier still loved you, Rayne, you know?”

“I still had feelings for him too.”

“The police say he was shot inside some woman’s house in Forest Hills, but they don’t know what happened.”

“The cops have been here?”

“Yeah, she just left, a woman, a Detective Alvera, do you think she’ll figure out what happened?”

Rayne gave Mia a reassuring smile, as she thought about the Calibers.

“It will all get sorted out, and you can be sure of that.”

***

Back at the house, Ariana was speaking to Dawkins on the phone.

“This shit gets worse and worse, now there’s a woman snooping around here who’s from Caliber.”

“I’m telling you, this was that bastard, Tate. He must have figured out that I wouldn’t risk leaving that woman alive and decided to play hero.”

“You find that cabron for me. He killed my brother.”

“You can’t have him, he’s mine for double-crossing us, and I really could have used him on Saturday.”

“He’s not going to help you and you can’t trust him anymore.”

“I’ll kill him myself, but first I have to find him and that Caliber woman.”

“Expect the cops to come by; my little sister gave them your name.”

“I’m clean, as far as the cops know I’m a businessman. I’m totally legit on paper.”

“Baby.”

“Yeah?”

“Find Tate.”

“I got Gannon working on it now, so don’t worry.”

“I worry, that woman is a Caliber, and Jake Caliber and his grandsons are people that don’t mess around.”

***

Jake dangled Oscar Vito by his ankles as O’Reilly and Hector gazed up at them.

Jake was on the roof of a warehouse on Communipaw Avenue in Jersey City, where Oscar had been part of a crew applying new tar to the roof’s surface.

When Jake asked him about Javier Bahena, after informing him of his death, Oscar stepped onto one of the scissor-type lift trucks that roofers use, and rocketed upward, leaving Jake standing on the sidewalk. He never counted on Jake charging up the metal stairs inside the building to follow after him.

“Hector! Make this bastard stop!”

Hector spread his hands in helplessness. He was standing beside O’Reilly on the curb as they took in the spectacle. Behind them, traffic hummed along on the busy road.

“Tell him what he wants to know and he’ll leave you alone,” Hector yelled up.

Oscar stared upside down at the passing traffic fifty-feet below.

“All right! I’ll talk!”

Jake took four steps back from the edge and let go of Oscar, which caused the little man to fall on his head.

When he righted himself and stood up, he screamed at his workmates.

“You guys could have helped!”

One of the men scoffed at that.

“I get paid to be a roofer, not protect your ass, and you better straighten this shit out before the boss gets back.”

Oscar glared at Jake.

“Why you gotta be such a hard ass?”

“My mother is missing and Bahena was involved somehow; you’re lucky I didn’t drop you.”

Oscar motioned for Jake to follow him.

“You’re not supposed to be up here, if my boss sees you I’ll get fired, and besides, I don’t trust you around heights.”

They rode the lift truck back down together to ground level, and after lighting a cigarette, Oscar began talking.

“Javier was working in the city, driving for some rich dude that’s dating his sister.”

“I thought I heard that Mia was engaged to Carlos’ little brother?” Hector said.

“No, I mean his other sister, Ariana.”

“Ariana is back? Wow, she ran off when Javier and I were like eight-years-old. That’s probably the woman I saw him with.”

“What’s the rich dude’s name?” Jake said.

“His name is Dawkins. He owns some parking garages and laundromats over in the village.”

“Is Dawkins legit?”

Oscar got a sly smile on his face. He was a weasel-like man with shifty eyes and a slight build. After blowing out a plume of smoke, he answered.

“From what Javier said, Dawkins has something in the works, something that was going to make Javier a lot of green.”

Jake questioned Oscar a little longer, and then he, O’Reilly, and Hector returned to his car and stood outside it while talking.

“I’m beginning to think my mother stumbled across something that she shouldn’t have.”

“Do you think she killed Javier?” Hector asked.

“No, she might have in self-defense, but Bahena was shot from behind. It must have been someone else.”

“And that someone else has your mother,” O’Reilly said.

“Get in the car; we’re going to pay this Dawkins a visit, that is, if I can find his address.”

O’Reilly took out her phone.

“I’m on it. I’ll call Delaney and see what the computers say.”

“Hector, I can drop you off somewhere if you want?”

“No man, I want to see how this ends, and besides, I’m enjoying the company.”

“All right, but I’ve got a feeling that things are going to get rougher, and God help the bastard that took my mother.”

CHAPTER 8

SOME TIME EARLIER

––––––––

Orange County, New York

––––––––

Jim Tate drove his silver Yukon as close to the cabin door as possible and helped Gail out of the backseat.

Gail had been forced to sit on the floor in the rear, as Tate had handcuffed her to the bracket beneath the seat. She had tried several times to get Tate to talk during the trip but each time she was told to be quiet, and she could tell that the man was under a tremendous stress of some kind, and so she stayed silent.

Gail got up stiffly and Tate looked at her with concern.

“Are you all right?”

“No I’m not all right. I’ve had my life threatened, seen a man killed in my kitchen, and now I’ve been kidnapped—by you.”

“I haven’t kidnapped you. I’m trying to protect you.”

“Why did that man want to kill me?”

“He worked for one of the other men I was with in the park. That man, a man named Bill Dawkins, he’s the one that wanted you dead, and all because you saw us together.”

Gail thought back to the brief exchange she had witnessed.

“The envelope you took, was that a payoff of some kind?”

“Yes.”

Gail studied Tate carefully as they stood outside the car and her scrutiny seemed to make him uncomfortable.

Tate took her by the arm and led her inside the cabin, which to Gail’s surprise was nicely furnished, and even homey-looking. There was a set of stairs at the back of the large room that led to the second floor loft, which held the bedroom and full bath.

In front of the stairs was a kitchen area whose appliances looked nearly new.

The rest of the room was filled with two recliners, a sofa, a coffee table, and floor lamps, which faced the fieldstone fireplace. On the floor was a Navajo style rug.

Gail turned around and thrust her wrists at Tate.

“Could you please take these off? Also, I need to use the bathroom.”

Tate guided her to a room on the right side of the cabin that held only a toilet and a sink. There was a small window covered with a shade, and after removing the handcuffs, Tate pointed at it.

“I’m pretty sure that’s painted shut so don’t try anything.”

Gail gripped the doorknob.

“Can I have some privacy?”

The look of embarrassment that came over Tate was nearly comical as he backed away from the door.

“Of course, and take your time.”

When Gail emerged from the bathroom she found Tate standing near the front door and looking out the windows, but when he turned around, she saw that he was holding the cuffs, and something else.

“What is that thing?”

Tate held up the cuffs by one end and showed her the tri-pointed hunk of metal attached to their other end.

“This is an old river anchor. It weighs fifteen pounds and will insure that if you try to run that you’ll do so very slowly.”

“I don’t want to wear that.”

Tate sighed.

“I’m sorry, but it’s either this or I cuff you to something that doesn’t move at all. At least this way you’ll be mobile.”

“Please, just let me go.”

“I... I can’t, not yet, not until I figure out what to do next.”

Tate held out the cuffs with the anchor attached and Gail walked over to him with a resigned look on her face.

As Tate clamped the cuff on her wrist, Gail spoke to him.

“My family must be looking for me by now, and they will find me.”

“Are you really a Caliber?”

“Yes, as I told you before, my name is Gail Caliber and my father-in-law is Jake Caliber.”

Tate looked at her ring finger.

“You’re married?”

“Widowed.”

“I’m sorry, I know what that’s like; I lost my wife a year ago.”

They sent each other looks of sympathy, and afterwards, Gail turned towards the kitchen.

“Can I have something to drink, please?”

“Yes, I’m sorry, yes, please come sit at the table.”

Gail carried the boat anchor into the kitchen area and sat at a round wooden table. Tate sat a bottle of water before her and then proceeded to make coffee.

“Are you hungry?”

Gail thought about it and was surprised to find that she was, even though she hadn’t eaten all day.

She nodded, and Tate began rummaging through the refrigerator.

“What’s your name?” Gail said.

“Jim Tate.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, why?”

Gail smiled.

“Most kidnappers don’t give out their real names to their victims.”

Tate winced at her characterization of him as a kidnapper.

“I’m not a kidnapper; I’m trying to protect you.”

“You did save my life this morning, and I thank you for that, but hiding isn’t going to keep either of us safe for long.”

“I know.”

“Call Jake Caliber, whatever it is you’re involved in, I know he can help.”

Tate stared at her.

“I’ll consider it, but for now, please, just give me time to think things through.”

“Do you have any bacon? I like bacon.”

Tate smiled.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

CHAPTER 9

Rayne put her car in gear and began following Ariana through the thick midday traffic of Jersey City.

She had gotten a bad vibe from Javier’s long lost relation and decided to listen to her gut and find out more about the woman.

As Rayne followed Ariana out of Jersey City, she activated her phone to give Chris a call.

***

Back at the office, Chris and Velma were filling the old man in on what their search of the files and computers found, which was nothing.

Chris paced anxiously about the office as he talked.

“Has Jake found anything?”

“Yeah, he just called, said he’s got a line on Javier Bahena’s employer. He’s going there to talk to him now.”

“Employer? I thought Bahena was nothing but a thug?”

“Even crooks have jobs sometimes as a cover, at least the smart ones do.”

Chris pulled at his hair.

“It sounds like a dead end. We’re no closer to finding Mom than we were before.”

“Christopher,” the old man said from behind his desk. He uttered the name in such a way that it made his grandson stop his pacing.

“Yes, Granddad?”

“We’ll find her, boy; you have my word on that.”

Chris let out a long slow breath, while looking more relaxed, but when his phone rang, he ripped it off his belt as if it were about to explode.

“It’s Rayne,” he said, and saw Velma make a face of dissatisfaction.

“Please tell me you’ve located my mother.”

“No,” Rayne said, “But right now I’m trailing behind Javier’s long lost sister who I think may be connected to your mother’s disappearance.”

“You have proof of that?”

“No, just a hunch, but my hunches are seldom wrong.”

“Your record proves that, where are you?”

“We’re headed north up Route 21 in Jersey.”

“I’ll follow you as you follow her, but text me updates along the way.”

“All right, and hey, how are you holding up?”

“I’m good, and thanks for asking.”

“I ask because I care; now get going and I’ll see you soon.”

Chris put away his phone and explained the call.

“Talk about your long shots,” Velma said. “Bahena’s sister could be going anywhere.”

Chris spread his arms.

“I’d rather be on the move than sit here, and I trust Rayne’s intuition.”

Velma said nothing more and then both she and Chris stared at the old man.

“Go,” he said, “Chris is right about Rayne Carver’s instincts, from what I’ve seen in her case files she’s uncanny at sniffing out bad seeds. Maybe this Ariana was involved in something shady with her brother.”

After Chris and Velma left, Kelli appeared with a carafe of coffee and sat it on the old man’s desk.

“I can’t concentrate on work today, so I might as well wait in here with you.”

The old man smiled at her.

“I could use the company.”

“What could have happened to her, Mr. Caliber?”

“I don’t know, doll, but Gail is a smart lady. She might very well get herself out of whatever hole she’s fallen into.”

CHAPTER 10

EARLIER

––––––––

Gail was watching Jim Tate with an intense gaze as he took a seat beside her on the sofa. Tate saw a hint of discomfort in her eyes and raised up his hands.

“You don’t have to worry about me, you know, trying anything with you.”

“I never thought that I did; despite everything, you seem like a decent man.”

“I used to be.”

Gail heard the self-condemnation in his voice and lowered her head inquisitively, to catch Tate’s eye.

“Tell me what’s going on?”

Tate leaned forward, his broad shoulders slumping as his chin fell to his chest.

“The man who tried to kill you worked for a man named Bill Dawkins. Dawkins runs a crew of professional thieves and I was going to take money from them to look the other way on a security detail where valuable works of art are being transferred. I need the money to pay for a heart operation for my daughter.”

“How old is your daughter?”

“Oh, she’s grown, however she is mentally challenged, and since my wife died, we’re all each other has, and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her... or almost nothing.”

“Such as allowing Dawkins to have me killed?”

“Yes, I saw the look in his eyes this morning and I knew that he wasn’t willing to take the risk that you wouldn’t remember what you saw and somehow endanger him. He’s a very careful man.”

“He may be careful, but he’s not wise. Had he let it go, I doubt I ever would have thought about seeing the four of you again.”

“Yes, but he didn’t count on my intervention.”

“That’s true, and again, thank you for saving my life.”

Tate’s cell phone rang once and then stopped. When he checked it, he saw that he had no bars on it.

“Service can be spotty up here,” he told Gail.

The cabin phone rang and Tate looked startled, but when he checked the caller ID on the answering system, he relaxed.

“It’s from my partner, the one on the job. We were supposed to meet for lunch, and I guess he’s trying to find out why I didn’t show. Excuse me.”

Tate walked off into the kitchen to talk on the cordless phone and Gail looked at the door and thought about running. She doubted she would get very far while carrying the anchor, and from her brief glimpse of the surrounding landscape, it appeared as if they were in a secluded location.

She turned her head and watched Tate as he spoke softly into the phone. Despite the fact that he’d taken her captive, she found that she trusted the man.

Tate returned to the sofa and gave her a guarded smile.

“He guessed where I was.”

“Is he a part of, you know, ‘looking the other way’ as you put it?”

“Bob? No, he’s strait-laced.”

“And you? Have you taken money from people before?”

Tate looked offended.

“Never! And if it wasn’t for my daughter I—forget it. I’m dirty now and that’s all that matters.”

“It’s not too late to make things right.”

Tate looked up at the ceiling as he released a long breath.

“Everything is ruined now. No matter what I do, I’ll be sent to prison and my daughter will have to face life alone, and she... she won’t even get the chance to do that without the operation.”

Gail gestured at the room.

“Why didn’t you sell this cabin to raise the money?”

“The bank will probably foreclose on the place any day now, and I’m still paying off medical debt from when my wife passed away.”

“You can get clear of this, of all of it, let me help you?”

Tate stared down at the floor.

“It’s too late for me. I’ve only one option left now.”

“What’s that?”

“I can take you to safety and hand myself over to Dawkins.”

“That’s insane. He’ll kill you.”

“I have life insurance, and it would be enough to help my daughter... after I’m gone.”

Gail saw the despair etched on Tate’s face. She reached over and took his hand.

“Death is not an answer, and It’s never too late, Jim, not while we’re still alive.”

Tate lifted his head and gazed into Gail’s intelligent blue eyes.

“Tell me what you think I should do.”

CHAPTER 11

Tommy Delaney had come through with a 23rd Street office address for Bill Dawkins. Jake, along with Hector and O’Reilly, were about to pay the man a visit, when Detective Alvera called Jake’s name.

Jake smiled at Alvera as she joined them in front of the building.

“I see you’re still on the case.”

Alvera squinted at O’Reilly.

“You’re a cop, right?”

“That’s right, Detective, Officer Shea O’Reilly, we met once at a PBA seminar.”

“I hope you’re off duty?”

“I am, and Caliber here is a friend, thought I’d help out.”

Alvera craned her head back to take in Hector.

“I don’t know you, and I would remember you.”

Hector offered his hand and introduced himself, and Alvera told him that he was on her list of people to speak with about Javier.

“Mr. Caliber, if you want to come with me as I speak to Mr. Dawkins I’ll allow it, but I don’t think we should crowd the man.”

O’Reilly chuckled.

“I can take a hint; Hector and I will sit this one out.”

Jake tossed her his keys.

“Wait for me in the car.”

As they were riding up in a creaking elevator together, Jake studied Alvera, admiring her.

“My grandfather is Mr. Caliber; you can call me Jake.”

“And you can call me Lena; also, I hope that you’ll stay in control. I just came here from interviewing a Mr. Oscar Vito who claims you dangled him by the ankles off the edge of a roof.”

“He needed... encouragement, but I’ll be good as long as you’re around.”

“I would appreciate that.”

The elevator opened up onto a hallway with a gray carpet that looked as old as the building. The corridor was lit by four evenly spaced ceiling fixtures, of which only two had bulbs in them that worked. The air was stale, and the peeling wallpaper was yellow with age and decades of tobacco smoke.

Jake made a face.

“I see this Dawkins likes things low rent.”

“Not all things,” Alvera said, “His home address is in a zip code where the houses go for seven figures.”

“What’s that tell you?”

“That this just may be camouflage so that he looks legit, either that or he’s just cheap when it comes to business.”

“I vote for camouflage. A legit guy wouldn’t have hired Bahena.”

At the end of the hall was a door marked DAWKINS INC., and Jake and Alvera pushed it open and walked into a tiny reception area that contained a dust-covered glass-top desk and a set of plastic chairs.

From behind a wall divider, a gruff voice called out.

“Who’s there?”

“This is Detective Alvera; I’m looking for Mr. Bill Dawkins.”

Dawkins emerged smiling from behind the screen, his long dark hair looking incongruous as it hung about his craggy face.

“Detective, what’s this about?”

“I’m sorry to inform you that your employee, Mr. Javier Bahena, was killed this morning.”

Dawkins nodded sadly.

“Yes, so I heard, his sister and I are dating.”

“Do you have any information regarding the death of Mr. Bahena, or of the disappearance of Gail Caliber?”

Dawkins sent her a blank look.

“Who’s Gail Caliber?”

Jake stepped close to Dawkins, so close that Dawkins leaned back slightly in response.

“She’s my mother, Dawkins.”

Dawkins swallowed as Jake’s stare intensified.

“I don’t know anything about what’s happened to her.”

Jake sneered.

“You’re not fooling us. This so-called business of yours is little more than a front; you got the smell of crook all over you.”

Dawkins regained his composure. After clearing his throat, he began counting off on his fingers.

“I’m a legitimate businessman, I own parking garages, laundromats, food trucks, and I pay taxes on all of it.”

“Those are all cash businesses too; and I’d guess that’s how you launder your real income, which probably comes from drugs or heists, am I right?”

Dawkins’ eyes portrayed his shock at Jake’s insight, a shock that was replaced by anger.

“That’s it! If you want me to answer any more questions, Detective, then contact my lawyer, but right now I want both of you to leave.”

Alvera sighed and headed for the door, “Come on, Jake,” but Jake leaned in until his face was an inch from Dawkins’ sweaty visage.

“If I find out you had anything to do with my mother’s disappearance I will kill you.”

Dawkins staggered back and pointed at the door.

“Get out!”

As they rode down in the elevator together, Alvera looked at Jake sideways.

“Threatening to kill a man, that was your idea of being good?”

Jake turned his head and stared at her.

“That wasn’t a threat; it was a promise.”

***

In his office, Dawkins slid back into his chair behind a wooden desk and made a phone call to his man, Gannon.

“I think these Calibers could be trouble, maybe we’ll keep the woman alive for insurance against them, at least until after the heist on Saturday, but once we make the score, we’ll kill her and head out of the city.”

“Does Ariana know that you want to keep the woman alive?”

“No, and I can’t reach her, her phone goes to voicemail, but I already sent back-up and they should get there about the same time that she does.”

“Who did you send?”

Dawkins grinned.

“Someone Tate won’t even see coming.”

***

Rayne drove along a twisty, single lane road as she tried to keep Ariana’s car in sight without being spotted.

As she emerged from a final curve, she could see ahead for over a mile and knew that Ariana must have turned off onto a side road, the first of which was only a few hundred yards ahead.

Rayne made the turn onto the gravel road and crept along while scanning ahead.

Just as she was considering turning around, she spotted Ariana’s Mercedes parked at a fork in the road that led off to two narrow dirt tracks barely big enough for a vehicle. Rayne studied the scene and took note that the front wheels of Ariana’s car were turned slightly to the right.

After verifying that the car was empty, Rayne sent off a text to Chris, informing him of her location, and then she headed down the right hand lane. When she spotted the fresh shoeprints mixed in among an accompanying set of tire prints, she knew that she had chosen the right path, and quickened her pace.

***

Jim Tate escorted Gail from the cabin with a worried, but determined, look on his face.

They had talked over his options and Tate had come to see that seeking Jake Caliber’s help was his best move, even though he knew that it likely meant the end of his career as a cop, and possibly worse.

Tate studied Gail’s face.

“Did you really mean what you said, that you’ll pay for my daughter’s medical care?”

“I mean it, and I also promise to help you too. You’re not a criminal, Jim; you just made a bad choice while under great stress.”

“I’ll pay you back someday. I don’t know how or when, but I’ll pay you back.”

“That’s not important right now, but the sooner I return to my family the better it will be for both of us.”

Tate looked down and saw that Gail was still lugging around the anchor.

“I think it’s past time that I freed you from that thing, hmm?”

He reached into his pocket to take out his keys and that’s when the bullet passed through his right arm.

Gail let out a scream and ducked down behind Tate’s Yukon.

Tate barely managed to free the gun on his hip with his damaged right arm and switched it over to his left to fire.

When he spotted Ariana taking cover behind a tree, he knew that Dawkins had tracked them down.

Gail blanched at Tate’s wound.

“Who’s shooting at us?”

“Her name is Ariana; she’s one of Dawkins’ people.”

“We need to get in the car and get out of here.”

Tate had dropped the keys when he was shot and they were kicked beneath the car as they took cover. As he got down on his left side and reached for them, Ariana opened up with a barrage of gunfire that flattened the tires on the driver’s side and shattered several windows.

Gail cried out as a million bits of glass cascaded over her and Tate.

“Good Lord!”

Tate abandoned the keys and returned fire, but Ariana ducked behind a tree.

Gail headed for the cabin but Tate shouted a warning.

“No! She wants us dead and she might be crazy enough to burn the cabin down around us, and besides, the door is locked. Our best bet is to head for the trees and lose her in the woods, I know the forest and she doesn’t.”

Gail held up the anchor.

“I can’t run with this.”

Tate switched the gun to his right hand and gripped the fifteen-pound anchor in his left as if it weighed nothing.

“I’ll carry it.”

“Can you shoot with your injured arm?”

“No, I can barely hold the gun, but we’ll be running not fighting, and besides, I’m nearly out of ammo.”

Ariana fired again, but then cursed, and when Tate peeked over at her, he saw that the slide on her gun was in the locked back position, indicating that the weapon was empty.

“Now Gail! Run!”

As Ariana fumbled at putting in a fresh clip, Tate and Gail headed into the trees. So thick was the patch of forest that they were lost from sight in seconds.

With her gun reloaded, Ariana went in pursuit.

CHAPTER 12

At the sound of the first shot, Rayne quickened her pace and headed towards the gun battle. She arrived at the cabin to find spent shells, a car impaired by bullet holes and a disturbing amount of blood.

It wasn’t until she heard Ariana thrashing about through the foliage that she realized the battle had turned into a chase through the woods. As she ran into the forest, her thumb worked feverishly at her phone as she quickly sent off a seven-word text to Chris.

In the woods near the cabin, hurry!

***

Chris read the text and slammed the palm of his hand against the steering wheel in frustration.

He and Velma were miles behind Rayne and he didn’t dare drive faster than he already was, because getting a speeding ticket would only slow them down more.

Velma made a face as she read the text.

“She’s not much on detail, is she?”

“Actually she is, up until that post her texts weren’t so succinct, which makes me think there’s real trouble.”

Chris mashed down the pedal and the car accelerated.

“Screw it! If we run into a cop he can just follow us to the scene, and the knot in my gut is telling me that we might need him.”

***

Ariana smiled, as once again, she spotted drops of blood among the leaves.

Tate might know the woods surrounding his cabin better than she did, but his wounded arm was leaving behind a trail that made it impossible for him to hide.

The cop was climbing higher, probably hoping to crest the hills and reach one of the small towns on the other side.

Ariana increased her pace, certain that she would catch her prey before it escaped, and to hell with what Dawkins wanted, she would kill Tate herself.

***

Gail forced Tate to take shelter behind a wide tree as she attempted to use one of the sleeves of her jogging outfit to staunch the bleeding in his arm.

“We don’t have time for this,” Tate said.

“You can’t just keep bleeding the way you are, and besides, it’s leaving a trail.”

“I hadn’t realized that, but it’s something we can use to our advantage. I’ll leave blood in strategic places and lure her towards the cliff up ahead on the right, and then we’ll double back and come up behind her.”

“It sounds good, but we’d better hurry, I don’t think she’s too far behind us.”

Tate hefted the anchor aloft with his good arm and they began running again, and as they ran, he transferred blood onto foliage leading up to the cliff.

It was a good plan, but it had been implemented too late, and when they turned from the edge of the cliff to double back, Ariana walked towards them with her gun aimed right at them.

***

Rayne also followed the blood trail, but when Ariana’s voice rose up from ahead, along with the deep voice of a man, she abandoned it in favor of following their conversation.

When she grew closer, she knew she had to slow her pace or be detected approaching. As she crept nearer, she heard noises coming from behind her, back in the direction of the cabin. It sounded like a car door slamming and she smiled at the sound.

It sounds like Chris made it here, good; I can use the back-up.

With her gun leading the way, Rayne moved towards the voices and prepared for a showdown.

***

Back in Manhattan, the old man rubbed his chin in thought as he spoke to Jake on the phone. He was with Kelli in the reception area and Jake had just filled him in about his conversation with Dawkins.

“You stay there and keep an eye on him, Jakey, and if he moves, follow him.”

“All right, but what about Chris and Velma, have they uncovered anything yet?”

“They’re running down a lead that Rayne Carver came up with, with any luck they’ll find your mother.”

“Rayne used to be involved with Bahena, but I think she’s clean of this. From everything I’ve learned, she cut ties with him years ago.”

“Yeah, I think she’s on our side for sure, and if her hunch is right, Chris may be coming home with your mother.”

“Put Kelli on, will you, I want to hear her voice.”

“She’s right here, hold on.”

The old man passed the phone to Kelli, and as she spoke to his grandson, he paced about, while thinking. When Kelli ended the call, the old man grabbed his trench coat and fedora and headed for the elevator.

“I’m going to keep watch with Jakey; I want to get a look at this Dawkins character.”

Kelli called to him to wait as she grabbed something from a drawer on her desk.

“Take your cell phone again, in case we need to get in touch.”

Jake looked at the device with distaste.

“I don’t need that thing. I’ll be with Jakey in less than twenty minutes.”

Kelli continued to hold it out to him.

“Please sir, it would make me feel better to know that I can reach you at any moment, and it did come in handy this morning when you used it to report Mrs. Caliber missing, didn’t it?”

Jake took it from her.

“Okay kid, you win, and I guess it’s time I got used to carrying it wherever I go. God knows you can’t find a damn phone booth anywhere anymore.”

Kelli, who has owned a cell phone since she was a child, tilted her head at him in inquiry.

“What’s a phone booth?”

Jake sighed with a sadness that only the very old know, and gave her a wistful smile.

***

Ariana grinned as Tate tossed his gun away as she demanded.

“Ariana, I’m begging you, let Mrs. Caliber go.”

“You murdered my brother you prick, and you expect me to show mercy to this bitch?”

Tate moved in front of Gail in an effort to protect her as Ariana took aim at them.

“Drop it!”

Ariana whirled around at the sound of Rayne’s voice and Rayne shot her in the side, the bullet grazing her. The gun tumbled from Ariana’s grip and she curled up into the fetal position, moaning as if in great pain.

Rayne gathered up Ariana’s gun and joined Gail and Tate.

Gail smiled at her and told her to lower her gun, which was pointed at Tate.

“Detective Tate’s a friend,” Gail said.

Rayne hugged her.

“Chris is on his way, how are you?”

“I’m good, and I knew that someone would find me.”

“We’ve all been looking ever since Mr. Caliber went by your home to check on you.” Rayne said, as she found the right key on her ring and unlocked the handcuff from Gail’s wrist.

A sound came from behind and Rayne turned, expecting to see Chris. What she saw instead was the flash of a gun as a bullet ripped into her flesh.

Rayne was struck in the left shoulder and the impact made her stumble backwards. She teetered for the briefest of moments and then fell backwards off the cliff and towards the rocky landscape over a hundred feet below. Her scream echoed in the air until its abrupt and violent ending.

Gail turned from the cliff; her face streaked with blood from Rayne’s wound.

As rage replaced the look of horror on her face, she charged at the man holding the gun, but was held back by Tate.

“Don’t Gail, or he’ll kill you too.”

“Who the hell are you, you bastard! Are you Dawkins?”

“He’s not Dawkins,” Tate said. “He’s someone I thought I could trust, my partner, Detective Robert Monroe.”

Monroe sighed.

“You screwed up, Jimmy, and now you and the lady are going to die.”

CHAPTER 13

Ariana sat up while clutching her side with a hand that was wet with blood.

When her eyes focused on Detective Monroe, she nodded at him and gazed around.

“Where’s that puta that shot me?”

“Dead, I wounded her and sent her falling over the cliff.”

Ariana made it to her feet, while wincing from the pain.

“The bullet that hit me bounced off a rib, it’s broken.”

“We’ll get you to a doctor, but Dawkins wants these two back in the city.”

“Yes, but only so he can kill them. Why not let me do it?”

“The Calibers are sniffing around, so Dawkins thinks he might need the woman as a bargaining chip, as for Jimmy here, I think he’s really looking forward to killing him himself.”

Gail took a step back towards the edge of the cliff and Monroe shouted for her to stop.

Gail turned to him, her eyes wet with tears.

“Maybe the fall didn’t kill her; Rayne could still be alive down there.”

Tate caressed her cheek.

“I’m sorry Gail, she’s gone, it’s a long drop and there’s nothing down there but rocks.”

Gail’s sobbing increased and Tate took her in his arms.

“We’ve got no time for this,” Monroe said, he was a tall man in his forties, with thinning brown hair and a mustache. “Dawkins wants them back in the city as soon as possible, and the gunshots might have been heard by someone.”

Tate released Gail and charged at him, but Monroe was quicker and hit him on his wounded arm with the butt of his gun. Tate howled in pain and fell to his knees.

Ariana removed a knife from her pocket and took Gail by the arm.

“Bring your partner along, Monroe, and if he tries anything again I’ll slice this woman’s face open.”

Monroe leaned over and spoke to Tate.

“You heard her, Jimmy, now on your feet.”

“I thought you were my friend, Bob.”

“I was; it’s why I pointed Dawkins your way, to help you get money for your daughter. It’s not my fault that you’re too stupid to make it work out.”

“I couldn’t just let him kill her. I couldn’t.”

Monroe shrugged.

“And so now you both die and there’s no one left to take care of your daughter. You should have just let things be, Jimmy. Now get up.”

The foursome made their way back through the woods and Monroe cuffed Gail and Tate together, while wrapping the chain of the handcuffs around a bracket at the base of the fold-down rear seats.

Ariana’s broken rib was obviously causing her pain, and she hissed through her teeth as she climbed into Monroe’s car.

“Are you going to be okay to drive?” Monroe asked.

“Yeah, and besides, I can’t just leave my ride parked out here.”

When they reached Ariana’s car, she got out and leaned in the window.

“I’m going back to the city and find a hospital. I’ll tell them that someone tried to mug me, they should believe it.”

“All right, and tell Dawkins I want extra for cleaning up this mess and killing that girl.”

“What happens when the cops dig your bullet out of her?”

“Nothing, the gun is a throwaway. I’ll toss it down a sewer somewhere.”

Ariana looked into the backseat.

“You can handle those two?”

“Not a problem, the way I got them cuffed they’re not going anywhere, and no one can see them through the tinted windows.”

Gail spoke to them.

“You two will pay for killing Rayne Carver, and for everything else, Jake Caliber will see to that.”

Monroe laughed.

“That old man’s time has passed, lady.”

“That old man is ten times the man you’ll ever be, and so are my sons.”

Ariana sent Monroe a smile.

“You’re going to have a fun trip back.”

“Yeah, but listen, follow me out of here, I know a shortcut that goes past the lake.”

Monroe waited until he heard Ariana’s car start and then drove off. Ariana followed along behind him, leaving Rayne’s vehicle sitting alone.

***

Back at the cliff, a struggle was going on, the struggle to survive, as Rayne held on to one end of a set of handcuffs, while the other end was attached to the anchor, an anchor that had embedded itself into the side of the cliff.

The anchor was designed to be used horizontally but had proven itself just as useful vertically.

When Rayne fell over the side of the cliff dragging the anchor along behind her, the anchor’s prongs began throwing off sparks as they struck the cliff face, and then, one of them began digging into the friable rock, finally embedding itself deep into a crevice.

The stroke of luck saved her life; however, her left shoulder was severely damaged from the bullet, and hung uselessly, as blood flowed from its wound. Her knees were skinned as well, along with her chin, because when the anchor caused her fall to suddenly stop, the recoil scraped her against the face of the cliff.

All Rayne could do was hold on and pray that Chris would arrive and find her before she weakened too much to sustain her grip on the cuffs.

She dared not call out while she still heard voices up above, but knew she had to risk it eventually or she may not be discovered.

“Help! Somebody help me!”

No answer, Chris had not arrived yet or he was out of reach of her shouts. As the handcuff bit into her fingers, Rayne looked down at the jagged rocks below and knew that her chance of survival was getting narrower with every second.

CHAPTER 14

After finding Rayne’s car sitting alone, Chris aimed his vehicle down the dirt track and came upon the cabin.

Velma pointed at Tate’s Yukon.

“Look at that car; it’s been shot-up.”

Chris skidded to a stop thirty feet from the cabin and he and Velma got out and used his car as a shield.

“Rayne! Where are you?” Chris called.

When there was no answer, his face grew dark with worry and he headed slowly towards the cabin.

Velma grabbed his arm.

“Be careful, this could be a trap you know?”

“Set by who, Rayne?”

“Yes, I mean we don’t know that much about her, do we?”

“I’ll be careful, but I think it’s more likely that she got hurt by whatever went on out here.”

They spotted the blood and saw the trail leading off into the woods.

Chris froze at the sight and Velma noticed.

“That could be anyone’s blood, not your mother’s.”

Chris took a deep breath and continued walking.

“Rayne’s last text said to go into the woods, so let’s follow this trail.”

“We have to check out the cabin first and then we can—did you hear that?”

“What?” Chris said.

“It came from the woods, someone calling for help, and I think it was a woman.”

The sound came again, and this time Chris detected it too. He tried the cabin’s front door and found it locked.

“Forget the cabin for now, that could be my mother calling for help.”

They followed the blood into the trees and Chris called out.

“Hello! Who’s there?”

When he listened again, Chris heard his name being called.

“I think that’s Rayne; she must be in trouble. Rayne! Keep calling out so we can find you!”

As Rayne’s voice grew clearer, they followed it to the edge of the cliff.

Velma spotted her first, and cried out in shock.

“Oh my God.”

Chris followed her gaze and saw Rayne staring up at them with a mixture of pain, fatigue, and relief shining in her eyes.

“Chris, thank God you found me.”

“Hold on honey and we’ll bring you up with a rope.”

“Do you have any rope in your car?” Velma asked Chris.

“Damn, no I don’t.” Chris checked his phone and found that he also had no service. “I’m not getting a signal here. Go back to the cabin and look for anything we can use. I’ll stay here with Rayne.”

Velma nodded in agreement and sprinted back towards the cabin.

“Hold on honey and Velma and I will get you back up here.”

“Please hurry, I don’t think I can hold on much longer.”

“How did this happen?”

“I saw your mother and she was fine. She was with a man named Tate. Ariana was about to kill them, but I wounded her before I was ambushed.”

Chris stared at her wound, which was dripping blood down the left side of her body.

“That shoulder looks bad.”

“I don’t think I can hold on much longer, Chris.”

“Yes you can, do you hear me? You just keep holding on and I’ll come down there and get you.”

Velma returned carrying a stack of sheets along with a pair of scissors and a knife.

“I couldn’t find any rope, but we may be able to make a rescue line with these. There was also a phone inside the cabin connected to a landline. There should be help here very soon.”

“How did you get inside the cabin?” Chris asked.

“I broke a window and climbed in; there was no one there and no signs of violence inside.”

Rayne called up to them in a weak voice.

“Guys, please hurry, my, my hand is slipping.”

Chris looked at the sheets and grimaced.

“I don’t think she’ll last long enough for us to fashion a lifeline.”

Velma ran a hand through her hair as she gazed about in distress.

“There’s nothing else to do.”

Chris undid his tie and began unbuttoning his shirt.

“I’ll climb down and stay with her until help arrives.”

“Climb down? How?”

“I used to climb a lot when I lived in California and I still do it occasionally here.”

“But that was with equipment, right, and likely on solid rock?”

“Most of the time, but I’ve also done some Free Climbing without any ropes.”

Velma took him by the arm and pulled him away from the ledge.

“You can’t risk your life like this, and besides, there’s help on the way.”

“What timeframe did they give you?”

“They said twenty to twenty-five minutes because of the remoteness of the location.”

Chris cupped Velma’s face in his hands.

“Baby, she won’t last that long. If I don’t do something she’ll die.”

“I know, but I can’t lose you.”

“You won’t. As much as I want to help her, I’m not suicidal, but I have to try.”

Chris returned to the edge and called down.

“Hang on Rayne, I’m coming.”

After laying down flat, he eased his legs over the side and gripped the edge of the drop off. The cliff face was full of crevices and divots where rock had fallen off, but not all of them seemed strong enough to bear his weight.

Rayne shouted up at him in a weak voice.

“Go back! It’s too dangerous!”

He ignored her shouts, which were barely loud enough to hear, and wondered if her blood loss was weakening her further. If she passed out, no one could save her.

Chris found a rhythm that worked and was able to quicken his descent. When at last he lowered himself beside Rayne, he was shocked to see that she was clinging on to the end of the handcuff by only two fingers.

With his left hand firmly secured in a crevice and one foot jammed into a hole, Chris used his right arm and grabbed Rayne about the waist.

“I’ve got you, honey, I’ve got you!”

“Thank you, oh God thank you.”

Rayne collapsed against him, barely conscious, as blood flowed freely from her wound.

Up above, Velma lay on her stomach and peered down at them.

“How is she?”

“She’s lost a lot of blood, but she’ll be fine once she gets medical attention.”

“How long can you hold on like that?”

“As long as it takes,” Chris said.

It took another thirty-two minutes before rescuers rappelled down to them and brought them up.

Chris’s left arm was numb from the strain, but it was in far better condition than Rayne’s left shoulder, which had suffered a bullet wound.

Chris had just finished explaining what little he knew about what went on there to the local police when an ambulance attendant waved him over.

Rayne lay atop a gurney with an intravenous drip attached to her good arm.

“After I fell, I heard them talking as I was hanging there and it must have been Tate’s partner that shot me, a man named Bob Monroe.”

“This Tate and Monroe, what are they, business partners?”

“They’re cops; your mother called Tate, Detective Tate. She said he was a friend, but Monroe is dirty and working for Dawkins, Javier’s boss. He said that Dawkins wanted your mother and Tate brought back to the city.”

“You did great, Rayne, more than anyone could have asked.”

Rayne took his hand.

“You saved my life, Chris, and you risked yours to do it.”

“Get better, honey, and we’ll talk when you’re back on your feet.”

As the ambulance rode away, Chris told Velma what Rayne had overheard.

“It sounds like she saved your mother’s life.”

“I think she did, at least for the time being, but we have to learn where they’ve taken her and this man Tate.”

“If Tate and Monroe are cops then that sounds like something Tom Delaney could help us with. He should be able to track down what station they work out of.”

“We’ll use the phone in the cabin to make our calls; Granddad is going to want to hear about this right away.”

Velma took his hand and gave it a squeeze.

“Your mother is alive, Chris, and now that we know who took her, we’ll get her back.”

He smiled.

“Thanks to Rayne.”

Velma gave him a forced smile back.

“Yes, thanks to Rayne.”

CHAPTER 15

“Shit,” Jake hissed, more from embarrassment than fear, as he felt the tip of a gun barrel press against the back of his head. “My gun’s in a shoulder rig on my left side.”

A gravelly voice answered him.

“I’m more worried about the knife you just slipped out of your inside pocket.”

Jake spun around at the sound of the voice and found his grandfather smiling at him.

“I should have known. You’re the only one I never see coming.”

“Only because I’ve got more experience than you, but hell, I’ve got more experience than anybody.”

As the old man put his gun away, Jake refolded his knife. They were standing three doors down from Dawkins’ building, where Jake was keeping watch on Dawkins’ car, waiting for the man to move so that he could follow him.

“Chris called me with news.”

The old man held up his phone.

“I heard.”

Jake smiled.

“I see Kelli is teaching you new tricks.”

“I gotta admit it, the damn thing comes in handy.”

“I called Tommy and he’s looking into Tate and Monroe, especially Monroe; it sounds like he could lead us right to Mother.”

“Since you’re still here I guess that Dawkins hasn’t moved. Are you sure he hasn’t slipped out the back way and caught a cab?”

“Shea O’Reilly is back there keeping watch, her and a giant named Hector.”

“O’Reilly I know, but who’s this Hector?”

“A new friend, particularly to O’Reilly.”

“It sounds like Hector has good taste, and how did you get that bruise above your eye?”

“The same Hector, before we were friends.”

Jake’s phone vibrated and he took it out and read the caller ID.

“It’s O’Reilly,” Jake said, and put the call on speaker mode. “What’s up, is it Dawkins?”

“Nah, but listen, I called around and found what you needed. Detectives James Tate and Robert Monroe work out of the 35th Precinct. I’m not enough of a big shot to get his home address, but at least now you’ll know where to find him.”

“I could kiss you, O’Reilly.”

“Promises, promises, but hey, have you heard back from Delaney?”

“No, and it’s not like Tommy to ignore my calls.”

“I bet he could find Monroe’s home address.”

“So can I, but that would take time we don’t have.”

“What about that Queens detective, Alvera? She’s working the case isn’t she?”

“Yeah, but I wanted to confront Monroe alone. I may need to get... persuasive.”

“Dirty or not, Monroe is still a cop, Caliber.”

“He has my mother, Shea.”

“I hear you, Jake.”

“Listen, my granddad is here. While I hook up with Alvera he’ll be keeping an eye on Dawkins.”

“So I get to work with the top dog? Hot damn.”

“I’ll give you both each other’s number so that you two can stay in touch.”

“Right, and good luck with Monroe.”

***

It turned out that Alvera was still nearby, and Jake told her about Monroe’s connection to the case.

She used her resources to get his home address, and Jake rode with her to Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn.

“That’s that new apartment building by the park. I know the area and the rents aren’t cheap,” Jake said.

“I noticed that too, but dirty or not, you realize that I can’t just stand by and let you beat answers out of the man.”

“You could wait in the car.”

Alvera turned her head and stared at him for a moment before returning her gaze to the road.

“I can’t do that, Jake.”

“He knows where my mother is and he damn near killed Rayne Carver.”

“Yes, and he doesn’t know that Carver survived. We can use that to make him talk. He’ll be facing an attempted murder charge for shooting her; he won’t want to add murder on top of it.”

“And what if he lawyers up, what then?”

Alvera said nothing more, but just kept driving.

***

In Brooklyn, Detective Robert Monroe returned to his apartment after handing Gail and Tate over to Dawkins’ man, Gannon.

He felt bad about what was going to happen to Tate, but working for Dawkins had proven too lucrative to let anything threaten it.

Monroe opened the door to his apartment, a two-bedroom two-bath luxury unit with a view of the Manhattan skyline.

The rent cost more than he brought home on his detective’s salary and Monroe thought that the view alone was worth Tate’s life. He had talked Dawkins into bringing Tate onboard in order to help his partner with his money woes, but if Tate was stupid enough to risk everything for the life of a stranger, well then, let that be on his head.

After entering the apartment, Monroe turned to close the door and that’s when the man in the ski mask forced his way in and aimed a gun at him.

“Whoa! What the hell is this? A robbery?”

“Gail Caliber, where is she?”

Monroe hesitated before speaking, as his mind raced over possibilities.

“You’re one of them, aren’t you, a Caliber?”

“Gail Caliber, tell me where she is or so help me I’ll kill you.”

Monroe sent the masked man a shrug.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The man in the mask fired, and Monroe’s right knee was shredded by the impact of the bullet passing through it, collapsing him to the floor.

“Aaaahhhggg! Oh sweet Jesus...” Monroe moaned, as the masked man pressed the warm barrel of the gun against his forehead.

“Gail Caliber!”

Monroe, eyes damp with tears from the agony in his knee, squinted up at his attacker.

“Dawkins has her... 45th Street Parking, near 3rd Avenue... oh God, please call me an ambulance.”

The masked man stared down at him.

“You’re an ambulance.”

The gun left Monroe’s head followed by the man in the mask leaving the apartment.

***

The old man headed for his car after seeing Dawkins exit the building. He only had Jake’s description to go by, but Dawkins’ long hair made him stand out.

As the old man followed Dawkins, he called O’Reilly.

“I’m tailing Dawkins, so you and Hector can stand down.”

“I’m in this for the duration, so just call every few minutes and let me know where you are.”

“I will O’Reilly, and Shea?”

“Yes sir?”

“You’re good people to help out like this, and I won’t forget it.”

“Hey, you’re Jake Caliber, the Jake Caliber, so it’s my pleasure.”

“Thanks doll.”

***

Alvera double-parked her car, and as she and Jake got out, he received a text message.

“Son of a bitch...”

Alvera stared at him.

“What is it?”

“Listen to this text. ‘Gail Caliber is being held at 45th Street Parking, near 3rd Avenue.’”

“Who sent it?”

“It says, Unknown.”

A man stuck his head out the front door of the building. He had graying temples, wore a black suit and tie, and spoke with a Russian accent.

“You’re police, right? Thank God you were quick, but where’s the ambulance? Mr. Monroe is in great pain.”

“Monroe?” Alvera said to the man. “Detective Monroe is injured?”

“Yes, he’s my neighbor, he was just shot in the knee not five minutes ago by a man wearing a mask; I explained all this to the 911 operator.”

Alvera turned toward Jake with accusing eyes.

“Was this your brother or your grandfather’s handiwork?”

“Neither of them; my brother is still miles from here and my grandfather is keeping an eye on Dawkins.”

A patrol car arrived moments later, followed by an ambulance, Jake and Alvera headed back towards Manhattan with lights and siren going.

“I hope that information is solid, Caliber, but I don’t like the way it was acquired.”

“I thought we were Jake and Lena now.”

Alvera sent him a smile.

“I’m already seeing someone.”

“So am I, and I swear to you that I don’t know who was behind that mask.”

“But you could guess, right?”

Jake said nothing to that and took out his phone to call his grandfather.

CHAPTER 16

The old man put away his phone after speaking with Jake, and later, when Dawkins made the left turn on 2nd Avenue and onto 45th Street, the old man knew the info was solid.

After making the turn, Dawkins pulled up to an underground parking structure with a sign above it that said it was closed for repairs. Dawkins blew his horn loudly several times and the wide metal door rose up on its tracks as chains and gears rattled loudly, then a man came out and he and Dawkins spoke.

The old man parked his car in front of a fire hydrant and made a call.

***

O’Reilly double-parked Jake’s car and she and Hector met the old man near a cigar store. Hector had an awed look on his face as he shook the old man’s hand.

“You saved the President, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t vote for him.”

“What do you need us to do?” O’Reilly said.

“Dawkins just drove down into that underground garage there and we think that Gail’s inside. I need you and Hector to take out the man standing guard at the gate and then keep watch in case any more of his men show up.”

O’Reilly took Hector by the hand.

“This won’t take but a minute.”

***

Gannon watched the street with nervous eyes.

He normally didn’t second guess Dawkins but his decision to kill the Caliber woman had turned into a first-class screw-up.

So the woman saw their faces for a second as she jogged along through the woods, so what? Now, Javier was dead, Ariana was wounded, and the Calibers and the cops were sniffing around. While all this was going on, he would soon have to drive Tate’s body somewhere and bury it. What a day.

The sound of the woman’s shrill voice startled him and he smiled as he watched her and the big man walking towards him. The man towered over the woman who was cute as could be, but man oh man what a mouth she had. Gannon doubted that the big man ever got a word in edgewise, and as they drew closer, the giant looked at him pleadingly.

Gannon was just about to send him a sympathetic smile when the woman spun around and kicked him in the groin.

The sudden attack bent Gannon forward and he felt the man’s giant hand slip under his shirt and find the gun clipped to his belt.

***

When the old man approached them, Hector had an arm wrapped around Gannon’s shoulders as if they were the best of friends, but if one were to look carefully, they could tell that the big man was all but squeezing the life out of Gannon.

O’Reilly held up a key ring.

“This one fits the lock on the gate controls, but as soon as that gate goes up, Dawkins will hear it for sure.”

The old man stared at Gannon.

“Where’s my daughter?”

Gannon tried to speak but couldn’t, and Jake noticed that he was turning blue.

“I don’t think he can breathe, Hector; you need to loosen up a bit.”

Hector relaxed his arm a little and Gannon took several deep breaths before finally speaking.

“Dawkins is keeping Gail Caliber alive for insurance... against you, but he’s going to kill Tate for helping her and turning on him.”

“Is there another way in there besides this gate?”

“Yeah, the side door in the alley, use the blue key.”

“Who’s down there?”

“Just Dawkins, but Tate and the woman are chained to a pipe, and hey, Caliber, I’m just a flunky. I’ve had nothing to do with taking your daughter-in-law or killing that Rayne Carver girl.”

“Rayne survived, and you’re the D.A.’s problem now. O’Reilly, you and Hector stay here and wait for Jakey. I’ll go handle this Dawkins punk.”

O’Reilly bit at her bottom lip as concern showed on her face.

“Let me help, sir.”

The old man stared back at her.

“Dawkins threatened my daughter’s life, he’s mine and mine alone.”

O’Reilly handed him the keys.

“I hear you, and be careful.”

***

Gail stared defiantly at Dawkins as he explained to her how much trouble she had caused him.

They were underground and far back from the entrance where a wall had collapsed and needed to be repaired. Both Gail and Tate were handcuffed to a thick chain that was wrapped around a drainage pipe and secured with a padlock.

“You tried to have me killed, and for what, because I witnessed a payoff? I didn’t even know what I had seen,” Gail said.

“I had no way of knowing that, and if I had known who you were I would have been doubly suspicious of you.”

“Well now that you know who I am you should turn yourself in and beg for mercy, otherwise you’ll have to deal with Jake Caliber.”

“That old man doesn’t worry me, but your son Jake made a threat, said he would kill me if he found out I was behind what happened to you.”

“My son doesn’t make idle threats, and neither does his grandfather. They’ll find me soon. I know they will.”

Tate spoke up, but weakly, as the still untreated wound to his arm had sapped the strength from him.

“Let Gail go and do what you want with me, Dawkins.”

“Hey, Tate.”

Tate stared at him. “What?”

“This is for Javier.”

Dawkins fired into Tate’s midsection from only a few feet away. Tate cried out in pain and slumped to his knees, only to then fall back against the pile of debris from the collapsed wall. He gasped out in agony as blood began leaking from his stomach.

Gail let out a scream of incoherent rage and lashed out at Dawkins as she strained at her restraints. The fingernails of her left hand raked across the craggy face leaving deep and bloody gouge marks.

Dawkins hissed from the pain and retreated backwards, then, he holstered his gun and gingerly explored his wounds with his fingers. When both hands came away wet and sticky with blood, he cursed at Gail vehemently and charged at her. She tried to fight him off, but within seconds, he had his hands around her throat and was strangling her.

***

At the sound of the shot, the old man quickened his pace along the dark, curving lane of the parking garage.

He heard Gail scream in rage just before she came into view, and then he watched, horrified, as Dawkins attacked her.

“Dawkins!”

The man didn’t respond, as his rage towards Gail consumed him.

The old man fired a shot that hit Dawkins in the leg and he released Gail and staggered back.

When he went for his gun, Jake shouted a warning.

“Don’t do it!”

No sooner had Dawkins’ gun cleared the holster then the old man shot Dawkins twice in the chest; Dawkins fell to the ground, gun clattering away, and lay on his back gasping for air with both lungs collapsed.

The old man took Gail in his arms and hugged her.

“Are you all right, Daughter?”

Gail swallowed once as her hand touched her tender neck, which was reddened from irritation and the blood transfer from Dawkins’ hands.

“I knew that you would find me,” she said in a croaking voice.

Footsteps approached and the old man raised his gun, but lowered it when he saw Jake arrive with Detective Alvera.

Jake freed his mother with the help of Gannon’s keys, and swept her up in his arms as he kissed her on the cheek.

Alvera checked on Tate’s condition.

“He’s losing a lot of blood, but there’s an ambulance on the way.”

Jake released his mother and walked over to stare down at Dawkins, who was gasping pitifully.

“It looks like my grandfather kept my promise for me; you’re drowning in your own blood.”

Dawkins’ hand went up beseechingly, but then fell to the concrete floor. A final gasp and he was dead.

Gail got down amid the rubble and cradled Tate’s head in her lap.

“You hold on Jim and you’ll make it, and don’t worry about your daughter; I’ll see to it that she gets that operation.”

Tate nodded at her; he was too weak and wracked by pain to respond by speaking.

The sound of the gate going up greeted everyone’s ears and an ambulance sped down the ramp, with O’Reilly and Hector following behind on foot.

“I sent Gannon off in a patrol car,” O’Reilly said, and then she smiled at Jake. “I see you got your ma back.”

“With your help, thank you.”

Alvera read a text from her phone.

“Ariana Bahena is at Metropolitan Hospital with a gunshot wound. She told them that someone attempted to mug her. Officer O’Reilly, would you like to ride along while I go talk to her?”

“Hell yeah.”

O’Reilly motioned for Hector to lean over, and when he complied, she planted a long kiss on his lips.

“We still on for tomorrow night?”

Hector grinned.

“Absolutely.”

“Pick me up at eight, big boy.”

When Tate was loaded onto the ambulance, Gail rode along.

As he and the old man watched the flashing lights fade into the distance, Jake cocked his head.

“I think Mother likes that Tate too much, after all, he is a dirty cop.”

“He saved her life, Jakey; that counts for a hell of a lot in my book.”

“Yeah, Granddad, there is that.”

Lieutenant Tom Delaney arrived on the scene just as the detectives were finishing taking statements, and Jake whisked him down the alleyway to talk in private.

“How come you didn’t get back to me before, Tommy? You know I needed Monroe’s address.”

Delaney sent him an apologetic look.

“The station has been a madhouse all day, I’m sorry that I couldn’t have been more help.”

Jake looked around to make sure that no one else was nearby. He leaned in toward Delaney and whispered.

“I hear that was some job you did on Monroe’s knee, masked man.”

Delaney jerked his head up.

“How did you know it was me?”

“Because I know you, brother, and badge or no badge, you do what’s right.”

“I figured he wouldn’t talk without being forced to, and I didn’t want to see you get into trouble.”

“I owe you, Tommy.”

Delaney shook his head.

“Your mom was like a second mother to me as we were growing up, so you don’t owe me a thing.”

The two men began walking back towards the street.

“What were you going to do if Monroe still wouldn’t talk after you blasted him?”

“Whatever it took,” Delaney said.

“Amen to that.”

EPILOGUE

WEEKS LATER

––––––––

Gail Caliber entered a drab visitors’ room at the Rikers Island correction center, and after a lengthy wait, Jim Tate was escorted in by a guard and joined her at the table.

“One hour,” the guard said, before walking just out of earshot.

Tate smiled at her.

“I can’t believe you’re here.”

“I thought about writing, but then I thought I owed you more than a letter.”

“You don’t owe me, Gail.”

“You look well.”

“There’s still some pain, but I’m recovering from the shooting.”

“That Dawkins was an animal.”

Tate stared at her, and smiled.

“My lawyer says that I have you to thank for my light sentence.”

Gail winced as she looked around.

“I would think that serving 90 days in a place like this would feel like an eternity.”

“After all I’ve done, only being charged with leaving the scene of a crime is a blessing.”

“Still, you’ve lost your job and now you’ll have a record.”

Tate’s face became solemn, but a moment later, he brightened.

“Um, my daughter’s operation went well.”

“That’s great to hear, Jim, but have you spoken to her?”

“I did, and I was even allowed to see her in the hospital before I began serving my sentence, but my daughter, Becca, her IQ is such that she really wouldn’t understand what went on. I mean she’s able to function in society, and even has a job and her own place in a group home, but she doesn’t know that I’m serving time. I’ll never tell her. I wouldn’t want her to think less of me.”

“You love her a great deal, don’t you?”

“I love her more than anything, and I’m proud of her, of what she’s overcome in her life.”

“I can see the pride in your eyes when you speak of her,” Gail said, and it was followed by an awkward silence.

Tate cleared his throat.

“I intend to pay you back someday for your generosity, but I really have no way of knowing when that will be.”

Gail started to reach across the table to take Tate’s hand, but then remembered that the rules of the visiting room prohibited it.

“We’re even Jim, if anything I owe you for saving me from Javier Bahena.”

“That woman that died, Rayne, was she a good friend of yours?”

Gail looked startled before realizing what Tate meant.

“Oh, Rayne didn’t die, that old anchor of yours actually saved her life by catching in a rock crevice as she fell.”

Tate grinned.

“That’s fantastic!”

“My youngest son, Christopher, he saved her by climbing down the side of the cliff without any ropes. Thank God I wasn’t there to see it; I would have died from worry just watching it.”

“So, both your sons are in the family business?”

Gail sighed.

“Yes, unfortunately, although I must admit that they could do worse than emulate their grandfather.”

“I saw the way you two greeted each other. You love that old man a great deal, don’t you?”

“Yes, although we have had our battles over the years.”

Tate leaned back in his seat.

“Tell me more about your family.”

“Oh, you don’t want to hear about all that.”

“I want to know more about you Gail. I want to get to know you.”

Gail blushed slightly.

“I’d like to get to know you better too, Jim.”

And despite realizing that it would elicit a warning from the guard, they reached across the table and took each other’s hand.

***

Gail returned to the office late that afternoon for a meeting that was being held in the old man’s office.

Before going upstairs, she stopped into her own office on the second floor, where a friend was waiting for her.

“Maggie, oh God, it’s so good to see you in person, and tell me, how was your flight?”

Maggie Keegan smiled at Gail with a toothy grin and the two women hugged. Maggie was a tall woman, sixty years old, and a brunette whose hair was streak with silver strands. Her mature figure was still shapely and she looked younger than her years.

After engaging in small talk for a few minutes, Maggie closed the office door and lowered her voice.

“When I agreed to take the position here as your chief insurance investigator I thought the position was empty, but from what I understand Rayne Carver still holds it.”

Gail grinned at her.

“That will all be explained at the meeting, and work isn’t the only reason that I asked you to move to New York.”

“And what’s the other reason?” Maggie asked.

Gail grinned.

“I missed having you around; I missed my best friend.”

“I missed you too, Gail, and L.A. wasn’t the same without you.”

Gail glanced up at the wall clock.

“It’s time for the meeting.”

After Kelli greeted them, all three women filed into the main office of The Caliber Detective Agency and Gail introduced Maggie to Velma, Rayne—whose left arm was in a sling—and also Jake and his grandfather.

The old man looked Maggie over with an appreciative gaze as he shook her hand, and Maggie smiled back at him.

“It’s an honor to meet you in person, Mr. Caliber.”

“Can the honor stuff, Maggie, and call me Jake.”

“All right then, Jake,” Maggie said.

The meeting began, and when Gail announced that Maggie would be the new head insurance investigator, Rayne got a worried look on her face.

“Mrs. Caliber?”

“Yes Rayne?”

“Ma’am, I know that I’ve been sidelined because of my shoulder injury, but I assure you that I’ll be back to a hundred percent in no time, and able to resume my duties.”

Gail looked over at the old man.

“Do you want to tell her, or should I?”

“I’ll take it,” the old man said, and rose from behind his desk to offer Rayne his hand.

“Sir?” Rayne said as she shook it.

“Welcome to the Agency, doll; the job is yours if you want it.”

Rayne’s face lit up.

“You mean, work up here with you and Chris? On Red Cases?”

“On Red Cases, like a real P.I. should.”

Rayne let out a laugh and hugged him with her one good arm, as over on the sofa, Velma sighed inaudibly.

“Oh thank you, you and Mrs. Caliber, and I swear I won’t let you down.”

“You’ve already proven yourself, Rayne. Gail wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t.”

Velma stood up and offered her hand in congratulations.

“Welcome aboard.”

Rayne studied her carefully as she took her hand.

“Velma, I know we’ve had our differences, but I hope we can put them behind us?”

“Of course we can, in fact, why not come to dinner with Chris and me? It’ll be my treat?”

Rayne grinned.

“I accept.”

When the meeting ended, everyone walked out to the reception area, where Chris, Rayne, and Velma walked onto the elevator.

Rayne stood on her toes and kissed Chris on the cheek, as she rested her hand on his chest.

“I just want to thank you again for saving my life.”

And as Chris smiled back at Rayne, Velma’s eyes narrowed to slits.

Jake pointed at the elevator after the doors closed.

“That triangle there could be trouble.”

Kelli disagreed.

“Rayne was just being nice, and Chris would never cheat on Velma.”

Jake shrugged.

“I’m just saying.”

A few minutes later, Maggie stepped onto the elevator with Gail, and the two women wished everyone a good night.

When the doors closed, Maggie fanned herself.

“Oh my God, but that is one good looking man.”

Gail slapped her playfully on the arm.

“You stay away from my son, you old cougar.”

Maggie laughed.

“I wasn’t talking about your son; I was talking about Jake. Is he really in his eighties?”

“You’re not serious, Jake Caliber?”

“I think he’s hot, so sue me.”

Gail was left speechless, and when the elevator doors opened, she stayed inside until the sound of her phone roused her and she stepped out.

After answering the call, she said, “Yes, that would be nice. We’ll wait for you in the lobby.”

“Who was that?”

“Jake, he wants to take us to dinner.”

Maggie smiled, took out a compact from her purse, and put on fresh lipstick.

After the old man joined them in the lobby, they were about to head out, when Tommy Delaney walked in with O’Reilly standing beside him in her uniform.

“Tommy, Shea, are you two here to see Jakey?”

Delaney shook his head sadly and spoke to Gail.

“This is about Selina Clayton. You filed a report a few weeks ago stating that she had been threatened in writing?”

“Yes, but that investigation went nowhere,” Gail said. “Why do you ask, Tommy, has something happened to her?”

“Mrs. Caliber, I’m so sorry, but Selina Clayton was murdered. Her body was discovered in an alley behind a midtown bar.”

The news staggered Gail and the old man steadied her by putting his arm around her shoulders.

“Do you have a suspect?” Jake asked.

“No sir, but... O’Reilly, show him the photo.”

O’Reilly handed Jake a computer tablet with a photo on the screen.

“It’s not pretty to look at,” she said, “and the words are transcribed beneath the photo.”

The photo showed Selina Clayton face down and nude. Her body was laying among garbage, with tiny words carved into her back that looked like bloody hieroglyphics.

CALIBER WHORE!

B IS FOR BITCH!

THIS IS ONLY THE FIRST TO DIE!

Jake handed the tablet back to O’Reilly and looked at Gail and Maggie with a grim expression.

“You girls will have to eat without me; I’ve got work to do.”

CALIBER DETECTIVE AGENCY - DECEPTION

By

REMINGTON KANE

CHAPTER 1

Kelli Ross stepped off the elevator as she arrived for work at the Caliber Detective Agency.

As she was putting her purse in the bottom drawer of her desk, she heard the rustling of a newspaper come from behind the door to the inner office.

She smiled. The old man was in early.

Kelli started the coffeemaker, and once it had completed brewing, she poured the strong dark liquid into a white china mug.

She was just about to carry it inside to the old man when the elevator chimed and Maggie Keegan walked off holding two Styrofoam cups.

“Hello,” Kelli said, as she eyed the cups.

“Hi, Kelli, I see you start early.”

“And so do you, is one of those coffees for Mr. Caliber?”

“Yes, and I take it that cup is for him as well?”

Kelli nodded.

Maggie looked down at the cups in her hand.

“I... just came to visit with him.”

“Really?”

“Yes, why, is that not allowed?”

“There’s no rule against it, it’s just never been done. I think most of the people that work downstairs are intimidated by him.”

Maggie grinned.

“Oh, they are, believe me, but I’ll come back at another time. I wouldn’t want to step on any toes.”

“You mean the coffee? Don’t be silly, and why don’t you bring this in to him? I think he’d like that.”

Maggie smiled, placed her cups upon the desk, and reached for the mug that Kelli was holding.

“You’re sure you don’t mind?”

“Of course not, and let me pour you a mug for yourself. How do you take it?”

“Black, with two sugars.”

Kelli prepared the coffee, handed it to Maggie, and opened the door to the office.

“Good morning, Mr. Caliber, you have a visitor, sir.”

“A what?”

“A visitor, it’s Maggie Keegan.”

The old man dropped his feet off the edge of the desk and stood.

“Now isn’t this a pleasant surprise.”

Kelli went back into the outer office, closing the door as she left.

“I’ll see you two later.”

The younger Jake walked off the elevator just as Kelli returned to her desk.

After kissing him hello, Kelli filled him in on his grandfather’s visitor.

“Maggie, hmm, you know, she ain’t bad looking for a woman her age.”

“She’s lovely, and your grandfather seems to like her.”

“I guess I’ll stay out here with you for a while and let things develop in there.”

“Do you think they’ll start dating?”

Jake smiled.

“Now wouldn’t that be something?”

***

Inside the office, Maggie filled the old man in on her latest insurance investigation.

“It’s a two-million-dollar life insurance policy on a decedent who died only seven months after the policy took effect.”

“Who gets the dough, a spouse?”

“Yes, a man named Curtis Willoughby.”

“Does it look suspicious?”

“The amount is suspicious, because the Willoughbys never earned more than thirty thousand a year, and the policy payments weren’t cheap. Mrs. Willoughby was sixty-eight and reportedly, a heavy drinker.”

“The husband gets all the money?”

“He would, except for one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Mrs. Willoughby has an estranged daughter who is insisting that the dead woman isn’t her mother. She claims that her mother had a very distinctive burn mark on the back of her left hand, and the body in the morgue doesn’t have it.”

“So I take it you’re waiting for the DNA to come back?”

“You got it.”

“The insurance company was smart to have you look into it.”

Maggie sighed.

“The insurance company wanted Rayne Carver to look into this, but they settled for me.”

“Rayne’s reputation is tough to beat; it’s why I moved her up here to work on Red Cases.”

Maggie stood.

“Well, thanks to DNA, this one should be a slam dunk.”

“I took a look at your file, Maggie. You’re as good as Rayne is, don’t sell yourself short.”

Maggie stood.

“With that vote of confidence ringing in my ears, I think I’ll go downstairs and get to work.”

The old man sent her a smile.

“Don’t be a stranger, Maggie.”

“I won’t, and I’ll let you know how the case turns out.”

“I hope you do better than we are so far, there are still no leads on who killed Selina Clayton.”

“I know, and Gail is taking her death hard. It’s almost as if she blames herself for what happened.”

“The B-Girls were all her idea. We fought about it and I finally gave in, because I agreed that Caliber Investigations was hers to run the way she wanted.”

“Still, it’s not her fault that a madman is targeting the girls.”

“Of course not, and I’ll have a talk with her later... after Selina Clayton’s funeral.”

“That’s right, that’s today, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, the cops finally released her body. I’ll be going to the funeral with Gail and the boys.”

“Good, I think she’ll need your support.”

They grew silent and gazed at each other, but before the silence could grow awkward, Maggie gestured at the door.

“I’d best get going.”

“Go get ‘em, doll.”

Maggie laughed.

“You too, handsome.”

CHAPTER 2

Chris and Velma had just entered the Caliber building when a red sports car pulled up in front.

Rayne Carver was in the passenger seat, and after giving the young man driving the car a hot kiss, she got out.

“Looks like somebody’s got a new boyfriend,” Velma said.

“Yeah.”

“Has she stopped hitting on you?”

“She was never serious about that, and she knows we’re together.”

“Oh, she was serious, but I’m glad to see that she’s moved on.”

Rayne entered the lobby and gave them a smile. She was dressed in black, as were Chris and Velma, in preparation of attending Selina Clayton’s funeral.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning to you too,” Velma said. “And just who was the stud in the Ferrari?”

“Oh, that’s a new friend.”

“I see.”

Chris pushed the call button on the elevator, as outside a horn blew.

Rayne giggled.

“He has trouble saying goodbye, you two go up and I’ll be along shortly.”

“We have a meeting this morning,” Chris reminded her.

Rayne said nothing in return, as she was already headed out the door. Before stepping on the elevator, Chris and Velma watched her lean back into the car for another kiss.

Velma grinned.

“Oh yeah, I’d say she’s moved on.”

Chris said nothing, but he mashed the elevator button for the third floor with a little more force than was needed.

***

The man who murdered Selina Clayton was headed south of the Caliber building, and in the process of dumping his second victim’s body.

Shannon McKeown, like Selina Clayton before her, was tortured, murdered, and then mutilated by words carved into her flesh. However, while the first few cuts resembled letters, his message had soon devolved into slash marks, as his rage had gotten the better of him. Still, he reasoned, they would tie this body to the first victim, Selina Clayton, and the four he planned to follow.

The killer was driving a green garbage truck much like the one that regularly serviced the alley he was backing into, but this truck was stolen solely for transporting a victim.

After looking around and seeing no prying eyes, the man moved aside bags of trash and lifted the dead woman from the back of the truck, to dump her unceremoniously onto the ground. He was at the rear of a popular bar that closed hours earlier, near a door that was the employee entrance, a door now blocked by Shannon McKeown’s body.

With his grisly task done, the man left the scene as quickly as possible, and as he motored away, he giggled, and paid no attention to the shambling figure drifting along the sidewalk.

The figure was covered in rags and reeked of his own urine and feces, and he made his home in the alley where the killer just disposed of his victim.

***

John Byrd had been a somebody once, but that was before the drugs and alcohol ruined his mind, now he shambled along the city’s streets as little more than a ghost, a figure of pity and derision.

When he saw the naked, violated body of the once lovely Shannon, his warped brain couldn’t quite comprehend that she was dead, and so he spoke to her.

“Hey, you can’t just sleep out here in the alley or they’ll call the cops on you.”

He received no answer of course, and yet, his imagination was as warped as the rest of his mental faculties, and so John imagined a response.

“Sure, I got a place, and it’d be nice to have company.”

He grabbed Shannon’s cold right hand and began dragging her through the filth of the alley, and the blood and fluids seeping from her wounds left a streak of gore in their wake.

When John reached the opposite end of the alley, he flipped back a layer of green garbage bags. The layers of plastic were the door of his cardboard home. The structure was the size of a large closet and covered with hundreds of plastic bags in various sizes and colors.

John built it weeks earlier and had gone unmolested by the property owners because a legal battle raged in the courts concerning who would receive the vacant building in a divorce.

At night, the sounds from the nearby bar soothed John, as some remnant of his former self recalled the days of laughter, of music, of a time when he played jazz piano in the city’s clubs and nightspots, of a time when he was happy.

The body of Shannon McKeown disappeared inside the cardboard palace of John Byrd, and when the rain began falling minutes later, it washed away all traces of her passing.

***

The old man gazed about the room and saw five amused faces staring back at him, as Jake, Kelli, Rayne, Chris, and Velma studied him.

“What are you all staring at?”

Chris smiled.

“We heard about your visitor this morning; it looks like you’ve still got it, Granddad.”

“You people have dirty minds; Maggie was just being friendly.”

“I think it’s sweet that she likes you, and I hope it turns into something,” Kelli said.

The old man blew a cloud of cigar smoke into the air, and then pointed at Jake.

“What’s the latest on the B-Girl case?”

Jake sighed.

“We got nothing. The cops are running point on this of course, and Tommy is doing everything he can, but so far every lead has been a bust, like those letters mentioning Selina. We’re still hoping that the killer goes after one of the decoys the cops have out at night.”

“What have you been doing?”

“We’ve all been doing follow-up on the leads the cops develop and I’ll say this, they’re not dogging it. Tommy’s got as many people on this as he can spare, including Shea O’Reilly.”

“All right, it looks like for now we’ll just have to wait for something to break. Kelli, are there any new cases?”

“Yes sir, but I scheduled the meeting for tomorrow morning.”

“Any idea what it’s about?”

“There are two clients actually, and they say that their lives are being threatened.”

“I think that they should have come in today if that’s true.”

“They said there was no hurry and that they wouldn’t be in danger until two days from now.”

“How the hell would they know that?”

“I asked the same question, in a nicer way of course, and they said that they would explain when they met with you.”

The old man blew more smoke.

“It sounds like a doozy, and tomorrow would be better anyway. I doubt any of us will feel like working after this funeral.”

“Mother is probably waiting for us downstairs,” Chris said.

The old man crushed out the cigar, stood, and grabbed his fedora.

“Let’s go say goodbye to one of our own.”

CHAPTER 3

The hundred-year-old brick church in Queens, New York was filled to capacity as the family and friends of Selina Clayton gathered to say their final farewells.

The old man’s white hair looked all the more radiant in contrast with the black suit and trench coat he wore, as he escorted Gail inside the church with the other attendees from Caliber following behind.

As they stood in the aisles talking, a woman called the old man by name, and when he turned to face her, she slapped him. The woman then spoke, as a hush fell over the church.

“I’m Selina’s mother, Simone, and I blame you for her death. I told her for years that that job was beneath her and that it just wasn’t right to go around flaunting her body to tempt men into breaking their vows. I used to think that you were a man to look up to, but you’re just another fool who will use anyone to make a buck.”

The old man gazed about with an uncharacteristic look of dismay on his face. He then locked eyes with Simone Clayton.

“You have my deepest sympathy for your loss. I’m sorry that my presence here has upset you. I’ll be leaving now.”

As he turned to leave, Gail spoke up.

“Wait! Mrs. Clayton, my father-in-law has always been vehemently against the B-Girl service. I’m the one who is responsible for its creation. If there’s any blame to be placed on anyone other than your daughter’s murderer, then let it fall on my head.”

Simone Clayton moved within inches of Gail and looked her up and down with disgust.

“I can understand a dinosaur like Jake Caliber treating women like bait, but another woman? You don’t have any daughters, do you?”

“I... I, no, only sons.”

“I knew it, because if you had one, the last thing you would do is dangle her in front of any man with a working libido. Now get out of here, all of you, and let us mourn in peace.”

Gail began crying, and the old man placed his arm around her shoulders and guided her out of the church, and into the dreariness of a rain drenched day.

***

On Staten Island, Maggie Keegan was meeting with Anne Willoughby in a coffee shop. Willoughby was the daughter of the dead woman in Maggie’s insurance investigation, or rather, she wasn’t the woman’s daughter, because Anne Willoughby was convinced that the dead woman wasn’t her mother.

Anne Willoughby was forty, with dark hair and brown eyes. She had been estranged from her mother for years, and had never been close to her father, Curtis Willoughby.

“My mother must be a part of this fraud, right?”

“That’s the assumption, yes,” Maggie said.

“I keep thinking, where the hell did they get this woman’s body?”

“I’m looking into that as well, but tell me, other than the burn on the back of her hand, have you thought of anything else that could distinguish your mother from the dead woman?”

“No, and I’ll admit that the woman in the morgue resembles my mother a great deal, but it’s definitely not her.”

“Have you spoken to your father?”

“I have, and I can’t believe how confident he still is. Doesn’t he realize that the instant the DNA results come back that he’ll be in serious trouble?”

“Perhaps he hopes to claim innocence and blame the scheme on your mother.”

Anne gave her head a slight shake.

“Where could my mother be hiding while all this is going on?”

“I’m sure it will all come to light once the DNA results are known,” Maggie said, even as she began to fear that Curtis Willoughby might have done something desperate to his wife.

***

The old man followed Gail into her office on the second floor of the Caliber building and shut the door. Outside, in the main office, only a few people worked, as many had gone to the funeral or were out on business.

Gail settled behind her desk and then looked at the old man standing beside her.

“I should have listened to you years ago, but no, all I saw was the profit potential.”

“You weren’t wrong there; the B-Girls bring in a lot of business.”

“You’re being kind, but you were right, the whole thing was low-class and not in keeping with everything else we have here.”

“Most of which is here due to your business savvy.”

“I only built on the solid foundation of your name and reputation, and today I feel as if I’ve sullied both those things.

“What are you going to do now?”

“End it. All the girls are already on paid leave until this killer is caught, I’ll just extend that into a severance package.”

“You didn’t kill Selina Clayton, Gail.”

“No, but I did send her out there year after year. She started at eighteen and only became more beautiful. She stayed on even after college. She said it gave her plenty of free time.”

There was a knock on the door, and Kelli could be seen through the glass.

When Gail told her to come in, Kelli entered and sent them both a smile.

“I just wanted to check on you two, what Mrs. Clayton said was very unfair.”

Gail smiled at her.

“You’re a sweetheart for saying that, Kelli, but not all of her anger was misdirected, but please do me a favor and inform all the B-Girls that I want to meet with them tomorrow morning at ten.”

“All right, and what’s going to be discussed at the meeting?”

“I’m ending the service and giving them all severance pay, generous severance pay, but just tell them that I have something important to tell them.”

“Okay, and Mrs. Caliber?”

“Yes?”

“I just want to say as a former B-Girl that I never felt like I was being used. Unfortunately, there’s a market for a service like the B-Girls, and you were only filling that need. Don’t let what some madman did to Selina make you doubt yourself.”

Gail stared at Kelli for several seconds before speaking.

“Kelli.”

“Yes ma’am?”

“Call me Gail from now on.”

Kelli grinned.

“All right, Gail, and I’ll set up that meeting.”

After the door closed, Gail looked up at the old man.

“If my son has any sense, he’ll marry that girl.”

“And when he does, then you’ll have a daughter.”

Gail smiled.

“Yes, that’s true isn’t it?”

The old man leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

“Absolutely, daughter, absolutely,”

CHAPTER 4

8:56 p.m.

––––––––

Jake and Kelli walked into the crowded bar in Times Square and were soon joined by Tommy Delaney. The lieutenant was dressed casually in jeans and a New York Yankees sweatshirt, as he attempted to blend in.

“Where’s O’Reilly?” Jake asked.

Delaney gave him a wide grin and tossed a thumb to his right.

When Jake spotted O’Reilly, he almost didn’t recognize her.

Shea O’Reilly was attired in a lavender silk dress that displayed her shapely legs to mid-thigh, while also granting a generous view of her cleavage, up top, her black hair was swirled in a complicated arrangement that made her look sophisticated. However, what made Jake’s jaw nearly drop to the floor was her voice, which revealed none of her normal Brooklyn accent, but was rather more fitting for a graduate of Vassar.

There were four men in suits gathered around her, and Jake pegged them all as stockbrokers. The four men were staring at Shea as if she were their queen. She repaid them by holding court, as she spoke with authority on the subject of municipal bonds.

“The tax-free nature of muni bonds can offer a lower yield and still attract buyers, of course, but I still steer my clients towards taxable funds, because of the higher yields.”

“What the hell...?” Jake said.

Delaney nodded.

“Yeah, brother, it looks like our Shea has more layers than an onion.”

“Where’d she learn to talk like that?”

“She told me that she studied acting for years, but she does that hoity-toity voice so well, that now I’m wondering if maybe the Brooklyn accent is an act and this is the real O’Reilly.”

“I’ve got to remember not to underestimate that one,” Jake said.

Delaney excused himself as he went to check on the other policewomen acting as B-Girls at other area bars. After he left, Kelli had a question for Jake.

“I know that you and Officer O’Reilly are friends, but did you two ever...?”

“Become more than friends? No, but it wasn’t from lack of trying on her part.”

“You weren’t attracted to her?”

“Oh no, it wasn’t that, it’s just, I don’t know, but maybe it’s because we were friends. If things didn’t work out as lovers, then I would have lost her as a friend too, and Shea there is a good person to have in your corner.”

Kelli stared over at her.

“She certainly is interesting; I’ll say that for her.”

“She’s still seeing that big guy, Hector, and what a pair they make.”

“Ask them to double-date sometime soon.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes, if she’s a friend of yours, then she should be a friend of mine too.”

***

When Shea was done holding court, she came over to the bar, and when she spoke, it was all Brooklyn.

“Caliber, and I see you brought the missus.”

“We’re not married, Shea,” Jake said.

Shea sent Kelli a wink.

“It’s cute the way he still doesn’t realize you own him.”

Kelli grinned back at her.

“I love that dress, and how do you know so much about the stock market?”

“It’s a hobby, and I’ve even made a buck or two at it.”

“How goes the sting?” Jake said.

“You ask me, this is a waste of time. If our boy is targeting B-Girls, he’s not going to fall for a bunch of undercover cops just because he sees us leave the Caliber building together. Delaney agrees and says that this is the last night.”

“My mother hired bodyguards to protect the real girls, and there hasn’t been a sign of trouble. With any luck, the bastard got run over by a train.”

“Fat chance, but listen, I gotta get back to work.”

Two steps from the table, a middle-aged man in a $4,000.00 Canali suit asked Shea if he could buy her a drink. She answered the man in a Russian accent that was spot on, and the two of them moved down the bar.

***

Across the street from the bar, the killer stood in the doorway of a dry cleaner’s, as his heart threatened to burst from his chest.

The third one, and she’s so close.

He was staring at Kelli, and from his position in the doorway, she might as well have been on stage, as the brightly lit bar showcased those inside, even more so given the overcast sky.

A smile lit the killer’s face as he imagined killing Kelli. He reached into his coat and fondled the handle of his knife, as fantasies of revenge flitted through his fevered mind.

***

At the Caliber Building, Gail pressed the intercom button after hearing the door buzzer sound. It was after business hours, but as usual, she was working late.

“Yes, who is it?”

“Gail?”

“Yes?”

“Gail, it’s Jim Tate.”

Gail’s hand left the button and flew to her mouth, but a moment later, she pressed the button again.

“I’ll be right there, Jim.”

She closed up the office for the night, and after freshening her makeup in the bathroom mirror, she went downstairs to open the door. She sent Tate a tentative smile through the glass door and then unlocked it and let him inside.

Tate looked thinner than she remembered, but his handsome face and probing eyes still made her heart beat faster.

He smiled at her.

“I didn’t escape if that’s what you’re thinking. They gave me and over a hundred other men early release due to overcrowding.”

“I heard about it on the radio and I wondered if you would get out.”

Tate gazed around the darkened lobby.

“I remembered that you said you worked late most nights, and so I took a chance and came by, should I have done that?”

Gail nodded.

“I’m glad you did.”

“Are you hungry? I thought that maybe we could have a bite to eat.”

“I’d like that, Jim.”

Tate grinned.

“Good, but you know, I half thought that you wouldn’t even open the door for me. We didn’t meet under the best of circumstances, did we?”

“No, but that’s in the past.”

“Thank you, Gail.”

“For what?”

“For giving me a second chance to make a first impression.”

“You saved my life, Jim; I’d say that was a pretty good first impression.”

Tate’s smile faded.

“I heard on the news that you had some trouble here, that someone was targeting your people?”

“Yes.”

“I’m a good listener, if you want to talk about it.”

Gail opened the door and unfurled her umbrella.

“I’ll take you up on that, but only if it’s over a bottle of wine.”

“Sounds good to me,” Tate said, and out into the rain they went.

CHAPTER 5

2:26 a.m.

––––––––

O’Reilly’s feet were killing her.

She was not a woman used to wearing high heels and as she slipped on an ancient pair of sneakers, she sighed.

She was in her car, which was parked down a side street two blocks from the bar. Just as she was about to start her engine, a car raced by with a woman in its passenger seat, and the woman was screaming bloody murder.

She went after the car, but as she turned the corner, she saw no sign of it but viewed only a few stray trucks and cars. She drove along, but slowed as she spotted a narrow alley on the right, and as she looked down towards the end of it, she saw a set of brake lights fade out.

Shea left her car near the alley’s entrance and used her cell phone to make a call to police dispatch. When they informed her that back-up was three minutes away, she said she understood and then began creeping down the alley by hugging the brick wall and staying to the shadows. She was careful not to step on the debris blown in from the street, such as newspapers and food wrappers, whose crinkling sounds might give her position away.

Shea swallowed repeatedly, while shivering, as the rain soaked wall dampened her back, and a cold pit of fear blossomed in her stomach.

She was halfway to the vehicle when the passenger door flew open and a body hit the ground. It was the woman that had been screaming, and she was either dead or unconscious.

When the driver’s side door creaked open, Shea gripped her weapon tight with both hands and held her breath.

The man that emerged from the car was over six-feet tall and weighed twice as much as the petite O’Reilly, and in his right hand was an automatic, possibly a Glock, such as the one Shea held, while a gleaming machete dangled from his left hand.

O’Reilly separated herself from the shadows and announced that she was a cop.

The man looked startled, but then smiled at her.

“You ain’t no cop.”

“This dress is our new uniform; they think it’ll do wonders for public relations.”

The man chuckled at that, and then he jerked his weapon up to fire.

Just as his finger tightened on the trigger, Shea fired and sent three shots into his chest, killing him, but a moment later, she was sitting on the wet ground as blood poured down into her eyes.

She reached up, felt the warm, stickiness in her hair, and knew that she had suffered a head wound.

“Ah crap,” Shea said, and then the darkness came and swallowed her up.

CHAPTER 6

The killer ran his hand over the nametag on the mailbox and giggled.

KELLI ROSS - Apartment B

B as in B-Girl

B as in Bobcats

B,B,B,B,B,B,B,B,B,B,B,

Outside, the sun was barely up, but the rain had ceased and the sky gave the promise of a clear, bright day.

The killer had followed Kelli and Jake to her apartment. After breaking into a car, he watched the apartment building from the vehicle’s back seat until he fell asleep, but he awoke just a short time later, as Jake rushed from the building and drove away.

The killer waited for Jake to return, thinking that he had gone out for coffee or food, but after more than an hour passed and he didn’t return, the killer assumed that he had gone for the day. That was good; it meant that he could take Kelli this morning.

He was outside her door, preparing to force his way inside, when he heard the apartment building’s front door open.

He moved quickly but quietly to the stairs at the end of the hall and went up several of them, before stopping and listening.

When the new arrival halted outside Kelli’s door, the killer peeked out from the stairs and saw a middle-aged woman with shoulder-length blond hair ringing the buzzer, and sitting beside her on the hallway floor was a suitcase.

***

Kelli blinked in surprise when she opened her door to find her mother, Claire Ross, standing in the hallway.

“Mom? Hi, what are you doing here?”

Claire Ross grabbed her suitcase and entered the apartment.

“I’ve come to see you of course, how are you, baby?”

Kelli hugged her mother and gave her a kiss.

“I’m good, but why didn’t you call? I could have met you at the train station.”

“Arriving at this hour is enough of an intrusion. By the way, we are alone aren’t we?”

“Yes, I told you, Jake and I aren’t living together.”

“But he stays over, doesn’t he?”

“Yes, he was here last night, and don’t try and talk me out of seeing him again. I told you, he’s changed, and he’s ready to settle down.”

“If that were true you’d have a ring on your finger.”

“That will come in time.”

“You can’t trust that boy, baby. He broke your heart once, please don’t let him do it again, end things now, you’ll only be saving yourself heartache.”

“I love Jake, Mom, and someday we’ll marry.”

Claire made a face, and then asked a question.

“You said he was here last night, well then, he must have left awfully early.”

“He got a call. One of his friends was wounded last night; she’s a cop.”

“She? And let me guess, this she isn’t too hard on the eyes, right?”

“She’s attractive, yes, but Jake and Shea are just friends.”

Claire shook her head sadly.

“Oh baby, you’re just going to have to learn the hard way.”

As Kelli talked with her mother, the killer walked by her apartment door and back out onto the street. He knew exactly where to find her, and so he could be patient, but her day was coming he told himself, oh yes, and that day was coming very soon.

***

Shea moaned as she awakened, and the pounding in her skull made it hurt to blink.

“Officer O’Reilly, my name is Dr. Gartner, how do you feel?”

Shea searched for the source of the voice through squinted eyes and saw a slim man in a white coat staring down at her. As she opened her eyes a little wider, she realized that she was lying down and that she was in a hospital room.

“My head hurts something awful, Doc.”

“Yes, a bullet caused a deep laceration atop your skull. You can count yourself fortunate that it didn’t strike you even a fraction of an inch lower, had it done so, you might not be here.”

“What happened to the perp? And the woman, what happened to the woman?”

“There’s a Lieutenant Delaney outside, I’ll have him come in and then he’ll answer your questions. Also, we’ve given you something for the pain, it should begin to lessen shortly.”

Shea opened her eyes fully, and realized that her head hurt less.

“Yeah, it’s kickin’ in already, thanks, Doc.”

The doctor left, and a moment later, Delaney appeared with Jake and a tearful Hector.

Hector cupped her face in one of his massive hands.

“How are you, baby? Oh God, you scared the crap out of me.”

Shea smiled up at him and then kissed him as he leaned over.

“I’ll be fine, Hector, now dry those tears before you make me start crying.”

Delaney took her hand, as Jake smiled down at her.

“You scared the crap out of all of us,” Delaney said.

“What happened to the perp? I killed him, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, and the woman is alive thanks to you, actually, a lot of women will live thanks to you.”

“What’s that mean?”

Jake spoke up.

“You bagged a big one, O’Reilly. That guy was Ruben Carter Keane. He was a serial killer. The FBI says that he’s killed over sixteen women.”

“No shit?”

“No shit.”

Delaney gave her hand a squeeze.

“Listen, Internal Affairs will want to talk to you, but that’s just S.O.P. for them. The shoot was righteous and you’re a hero.”

“I just did the job, Lou, you know?”

“I know, Shea, and I know something else. Your days in a uniform are numbered. I checked, and you passed the Detective’s Test, and now with this feather in your cap, you can choose where you’ll go.”

“Holy shit, hear that Caliber, now we’ll both be detectives.”

“You got what it takes, O’Reilly, hell, you’ll be commissioner someday.”

“Nah, you gotta kiss too much ass to get that gig.”

From the doorway came the sound of a throat being cleared, and when they all looked to see who made the sound, they saw the Police Commissioner with two of his entourage.

O’Reilly moaned.

“Ah crap.”

CHAPTER 7

Gail opened her bedroom door and stared down the hall at her guestroom, where Jim Tate was sleeping.

They had gone for drinks and a meal, and talked past midnight, and when Gail learned that Tate had barely enough money left to rent a cheap motel room, she offered him a place to stay.

Sleep had eluded her for over an hour while she lay awake listening for the sound of footfalls, as she half-expected Tate to come knocking on her door. When he didn’t appear, she realized that she felt equal parts of relief and disappointment at his absence.

She was just drifting off to sleep when an idea came to her, and she spent another hour awake as she thought it over from different angles. When she made up her mind to present the proposal to Tate, she immediately fell asleep and didn’t awaken until her alarm clock roused her from a dream.

Gail decided to skip her usual run at the park, but once she was in the kitchen, she began her normal morning routine, but then reminded herself that she had a houseguest and made twice as much coffee as was usual.

Tate appeared before she had time to cook her eggs.

“Good morning,” Gail said.

“Hi, and is that coffee I smell?”

“Sure, help yourself, and would you like bacon, eggs, and toast?”

“Yes, please, and I’ll take the eggs scrambled if it’s not too much trouble.”

“No trouble, that’s how I like them too.”

Tate prepared his coffee, as Gail scrambled the eggs, and soon they were sitting down to eat. After making small talk about the weather. Gail asked Tate a question.

“How are things for you, financially I mean?”

“Well, we both know that I owe you money, and my legal cost ate up everything I have. If I had rented a room last night, it would have taken a chunk out of what’s left.”

“So you need a job, I remember last night that you said you were handy at fixing things, home repairs, that sort of thing?”

“Sure, my old man was a carpenter and my uncles were electricians and plumbers. I would work with all of them during the summers when I was a kid, but I haven’t done that sort of work since I joined the force.”

“You might have noticed that this house is a bit old and in need of repair? I inherited from an aunt and I haven’t fixed it up yet, but I would like to restore it, it’s a fine old house.”

“Are you saying you want to hire me to do it?”

“I could pay for the material and give you room and board while you work. That way I’ll get my house in good repair and you’ll no longer owe me a thing.”

“You want me to stay here?”

“You might as well, you’ve no money to stay anywhere else.”

“That’s true, and it’s a hell of an offer, but tell me the truth, are you making it out of pity?”

“No! I’m making it out of practicality, and I don’t like you feeling as if you owe me something.”

“Why does that bother you so much?”

Gail answered, but broke eye contact as she did so.

“I like you, Jim. If we ever become more than friends, it might not feel right for either of us if there was a sense of indebtedness between us.”

Tate reached over and took her hand, causing Gail to look up.

“I accept the offer, and I’ll get this place looking new in no time flat.”

“There’s no hurry.”

“There is for me, if that’s what it’ll take for me to have a chance with you.”

Gail smiled, and then blushed.

CHAPTER 8

The younger Jake Caliber was stopped at a traffic light while on his way to work, when he spotted a familiar face. He pulled around the corner, double-parked, and then walked back on foot to a motel parking lot, to sidle up to the passenger door of an old van and stare through the open window.

“Who are you peeping on now, Pruitt?”

Trace Pruitt nearly leapt out of his seat and spilled coffee down the front of his shirt.

“Damn you, Caliber, why do you have to be such an asshole?”

“Who are you spying on, a husband or a wife?” Jake said.

Pruitt was a private eye, but his specialty was in gathering evidence of infidelity for divorce cases.

“This time it’s the wife, and man is she a looker. I can’t decide if I want the money the husband’s lawyer will pay me, or if I should offer her the pictures first, for ah, other remuneration, if you know what I mean.”

“I know what you mean, and you’re a dirt bag.”

“Hey, if I was a dirt bag, I’d bang her, give her the pictures, and then still sell copies to her husband’s lawyer, but I don’t do that, you know why, because I got scruples.”

Jake laughed.

“Pruitt, you’re gonna wind up in the can someday, you know?”

“At least I’m my own man, and not a lackey for my grandfather.”

“Now you’ve hurt my feelings, see you around, Pruitt.”

Jake got back to his car and cursed when he found the ticket on the windshield. After parking his car in a garage, he walked to the Caliber building, and saw Rayne sitting in a sports car at the curb. He waved to her.

Rayne waved back at him and he went into the building.

“Looks like somebody has a new boyfriend,” Jake mumbled to himself.

***

Trace Pruitt tapped a fist on his steering wheel as a worried look came over his handsome face.

Of all the mornings for Jake Caliber to come along, almost as if he knew something. Pruitt shook his head as he decided that it was just a coincidence. He didn’t even know the name of his new client, so how could Caliber know?

Pruitt opened a worn-looking laptop bag and took out a file; he then opened it and looked at the photos of Chris and Velma that the mystery client had sent him. He ran a finger over Velma’s face as he whispered to himself.

“You’re a hot one baby, and somebody’s got it in for you.”

***

Maggie stepped off the elevator and was greeted by a smiling Kelli.

“Good morning, Maggie; I was hoping we’d see you again.”

“Is he in?”

“Yes he is, and the coffee is brewed.”

“Kelli.”

“Yes?”

“Jake, is he seeing anyone?”

“No, I asked him that once and the answer he gave made my heart break.”

“What did he say?”

“He said that all his old girlfriends were either dead, in a nursing home, or had moved to Florida.”

“He is quite old, isn’t he?”

Kelli made a face, and nearly whispered the answer.

“He’s eighty-seven.”

“He does not look it, or act it.”

“You haven’t changed your mind, have you, about... well, about these visits?”

“I like Jake Caliber, even if he is old enough to be my father.”

Kelli sent her a wide grin.

“Good, because I know he likes you too.”

“Should I let you announce me?”

Kelli rose from her seat.

“Just one more time, and then starting tomorrow, just knock and go on in.”

“He’s lucky to have you, Kelli. I can tell you look out for him.”

“Thanks, and yes, I love the old man. He’s very special.”

Kelli once again announced to Jake that he had a visitor, and then watched as he beamed at Maggie.

When Kelli departed, the old man pulled out a chair for Maggie.

“I see you came back.”

“I hope you don’t mind?”

“I was looking forward to it.”

“I heard about what happened at the funeral yesterday. That woman had no cause to slap you.”

“I only hope it made her feel better. I know what it’s like to lose a child.”

“Yes, you do, don’t you?”

“Do you have any children, Maggie?”

“I have a daughter, and I had another daughter too, but she died very young.”

“Were you ever married?”

“Yes, twice, and you?”

“Yes.”

“To the mother of your son?”

“No, it was another woman, and it was quite a while ago.”

“I married the first time fresh out of high school. He died a month later in Vietnam.”

“That had to be hard for a young girl to handle.”

“It was, but I rebounded, married again, had twenty-two good years, and then lost my second husband to cancer.”

“The years take a lot, but they give back too. I lost my son, but he left behind Gail and the boys, and so I have a daughter and two grandsons.”

“I know what you mean, and I’m a grandmother three times over.”

They smiled across the desk at each other, and after sipping their coffee in silence for a few moments, the old man asked about her case.

“Curtis Willoughby is threatening to sue the insurance company. His check should have been released yesterday, but they’re holding it up while they wait for the DNA report to come back, and they’re doing so under my direction.”

“That’s taking a risk, isn’t it?”

“Only if the DNA test proves that the body in the morgue really is his wife, but I believe the daughter, and burn marks don’t just fade away. That woman in the morgue is not Anne Willoughby’s mother.”

“When is the DNA report due?”

“Sometime today actually, but how is your case going?”

“Things are at a dead end, which doesn’t make sense; this type of killer doesn’t just stop cold.”

“Perhaps he was arrested on some other charge and is incarcerated somewhere.”

“Yeah, Tommy is looking into that.”

“Lieutenant Delaney?”

“Yeah, but he’s Tommy to me, his granddad and I went through the war together.”

“World War II?”

“Yeah.”

Maggie smiled.

“I wasn’t even born until years after that.”

“I’m an old man, Maggie; there’s no denying that.”

Maggie stood, walked behind the desk, and placed a hand on his cheek.

“You’re a hell of a man, and there’s no denying that.”

The door opened and Jake walked in. When he saw Maggie, he smiled.

“I could come back later.”

Maggie grabbed the empty coffee mugs and headed for the door.

“No need, it’s time for me to get to my desk.”

“I enjoyed our talk, Maggie.”

“So did I, Jake, and I’ll see you soon.”

After Maggie left, Jake threw a thumb at the door.

“Sorry to interrupt things, but Kelli wasn’t at her desk to give me the heads up.”

“How is O’Reilly doing?”

“You know about that?”

“I heard about it on the radio, and I knew that you would want to check on her.”

“I did, and she’s good.”

“That girl is the real deal. Tommy is lucky to have her.”

Chris and Velma entered and said good morning.

“How did you guys beat Rayne up here? I saw her outside when I arrived,” Jake said.

Chris rolled his eyes.

“She’s probably still saying goodbye to her boyfriend.”

“What’s the matter, Baby Brother; you miss the loving looks she used to give you?”

“Cut it out, Rayne never had a crush on me. She was just grateful that I saved her life.”

This time it was Velma who rolled her eyes.

“Please, Chris, Rayne wanted you and you know it. I’m just glad she had the decency to respect that we’re together, or else working with her would have been hell.”

“Let’s drop it,” the old man said, “Rayne’s not here to say her piece.”

“Granddad’s right,” Jake said, and a moment later, Rayne walked in the door.

She smiled.

“So, what time are the new clients coming in?”

“They’ll be here at nine,” the old man said, “And in the meantime, I want to go over this B-Girl case again, there’s something we’re not seeing.”

“I’ve been thinking the same thing, and I’m wondering if we’ve been going at this from the wrong angle.”

“What do you mean, Jakey?”

“We’re all convinced that this ties in with the B-Girls because that sick message mentioned them, but what if this is all about Selina Clayton, after all, she’s the one he killed. I asked Tommy to look into her personal life more, and I’ll be hooking up with him later to see what he’s come up with.”

“That’s good thinking, Jakey. Maybe we have been too lost in the B-Girl angle because it hit us where we live, but it could be a diversion. This killer is crazy, but being crazy doesn’t necessarily mean stupid.”

“So I guess the ladies and I will be handling this new case then, huh?”

“That’s right, Chris, and by the way, have you talked to your mother?”

“No, why?”

“I glanced out my apartment window last night and saw her leaving with a man, and I’m pretty sure it was Jim Tate.”

Jake sighed.

“I think Mother likes that guy, dirty cop or not.”

“Dirty cop and now an ex-con too, don’t forget,” Chris said.

The old man shouted at them, causing Velma and Rayne to jump in their seats.

“Hey!”

The boys looked over at the old man with trepidation showing on their faces. They knew by the tone of that one word that they were about to get reprimanded for something.

“Your mother has been lonely for a lot of years. If this Tate guy works for her, then she doesn’t need any grief from us, understand?”

“Yeah, Granddad, we got it,” Jake said, as Chris nodded in agreement.

“All right then, now let’s take a look at the facts in this B-Girl case again.”

Jake started reciting the facts from memory, but the old man was barely listening, he was lost in thought, thinking of Maggie Keenan, and wondering if his own string of lonely nights was soon to be broken.

CHAPTER 9

Gail gazed around her office, while looking at the assemblage of seven lovely ladies that made up the service known as the B-Girls.

In the outer office was another gathering, but that one was made up of large, beefy-looking men. They were the bodyguards hired by Gail to watch over the B-Girls, an expensive precaution to be sure, but one that Gail felt obligated to provide.

“I want to thank you all for coming here.”

One of the women spoke up.

“Have they caught the guy that killed Selina?”

“Unfortunately no, not yet.”

“Then what is this about?”

“If you let Mrs. Caliber talk, Debra, we might find out.”

“I’m sorry, Lin, I’m just scared, you know?”

Gail figured she might as well just blurt it out.

“I’m ending the B-Girl service.”

The women all looked startled, and two of them, Leslie and Karen stepped forward. Leslie was a stunning twenty-one-year-old blonde, while Karen was a generously endowed brunette of only nineteen. Both women were studying business administration in college, and had often talked about their classes with Gail.

“Mrs. Caliber, I think that would be a mistake. I know our service is profitable,” Leslie said.

“It’s been very profitable, but I’ve given it much thought and have decided to end it.”

“But why, if it’s been so profitable?”

One of the other women spoke up. She was black, with skin the color of caramel. Her long hair was a mixture of auburn, red, and brown curls, and her eyes were large and blue, with lovely features that were exotic.

“Can’t you see that Mrs. Caliber feels responsible for what happened to Selina? But you shouldn’t ma’am. You’re not to blame for what some crazy person does, still, I understand your reasons.”

“Thank you, Marla.”

“How soon are you ending the B-Girls?” Karen asked.

“Immediately, but you’ll all receive severance packages that match your last six months of earnings.”

Debra, the one who had previously interrupted Gail, pointed towards the outer office, at the bodyguards.

“I guess they’re gone too, hmm?”

“No, I’ll see that you’re all guarded until they catch the monster that killed Selina.”

“But what if they never do?”

“Jake Caliber is involved in the manhunt, trust me, the man will not escape justice.”

“When you say, Jake Caliber, are you talking about the old man or your son?” Leslie asked.

Gail smiled with a sigh.

“My dear, it doesn’t matter, they’re two of a kind.”

After further clarification and assurances, the meeting ended, but Gail asked one of the girls to stay. It was Marla, the young black woman with the exotic features.

“Yes ma’am?”

“Do you still work days at the temp agency?”

“I do, why? Do you need me to come in for a few days?”

“Actually, I was thinking of something more permanent, a position as my assistant.”

“Really? Well I’m definitely interested, I learned a lot by working at different offices as a temp, but I would love to settle in somewhere, and I like it here.”

“Great, if you have time, we can discuss the responsibilities and salary right now.”

“I can do that, but the temp agency already set me up with a one-day job for tomorrow, and so I wouldn’t be able to start until I handle that obligation.”

“I understand, and it’s good to see that you’re responsible.”

“Mrs. Caliber.”

“Yes, dear?”

“Why are you offering this position to me and not Leslie or Karen? They know more about business than I do.”

“That’s true, but you have something they don’t.”

“What’s that?”

“You possess a degree of empathy that they lack. It’s why you could understand the reasons behind why I would end a profitable service, while Leslie only saw the lost dollars. In other words, you have heart.”

Marla grinned.

“I think I’m going to like working with you.”

“Same here,” Gail said.

CHAPTER 10

The new clients were escorted into the office by Kelli, but both men froze when they saw Jake sitting on the sofa. They then spotted the old man behind his desk, and sent each other an amused chuckle.

The men were both dressed in conservative three-piece suits and they also possessed manes of white hair that rivaled the old man’s, while the taller of the two wore a well-trimmed beard.

Kelli introduced the distinguished-looking gentlemen as Mr. Ross Merriweather and Mr. Lincoln Chancellor, and then asked them to take seats before the old man’s desk.

The old man grinned at them.

“Skeeter and Bones, it’s been a long time, fellas.”

Merriweather, or Skeeter, as the old man called him, ran a hand over his beard and let out a curse.

“How the heck did you recognize us, Caliber? Hell, we ain’t seen you in forty years.”

The old man pointed over at Jake.

“For just a second, you thought he was me, didn’t you?”

Chancellor let out a laugh.

“We sure did, but can you blame us, the boy looks like you spit him out.”

“You two look prosperous, and I take it you’ve mended your ways?”

“We did,” Merriweather said. “Not long after we saw you last, we got busted for possession and did six months in the county jail. We both found Jesus there and were born again. Once we got out of jail, we worked at car washes and crap jobs like that, but when they opened the casinos in Atlantic City, we traveled there and got jobs, good jobs, and today we own our own restaurant there.”

“But you’ve got trouble and so you came here.”

“Yeah, you remember a dude named Carter Hollie, a real redneck?” Merriweather asked.

The old man searched his memory and nodded.

“He worked as a bodyguard for a pimp named Cougar, but didn’t he go away on a murder rap?”

“He did, but he did his time and he’s been out for years now.”

“Has he threatened you?”

“Yeah, he got word to us; it was me, Bones, and another guy that testified against him. We saw him whack one of Cougar’s runaway girls, he only hit her with his fists, but hell, she was a little thing, broke her neck he did.”

“That court case was decades ago, why are you afraid of him now?”

“Maybe you don’t remember, but Carter Hollie is a genuine nutcase. There was a cop named Rusch that loved to hassle him over petty crap like parking too close to a hydrant. One day Carter Hollie gets enough of it and tells Officer Rusch that he’s going to kill him, but he was going to wait a year and a day to do it. Rusch blew that off and just wrote him another ticket, but a year and a day later, Officer Rusch was found dead in an alley.”

“How did you remember the date?”

‘The threat happened on my birthday, and Rusch was killed the day after it a year later.”

The old man blew cigar smoke into the air.

“You tell this to the cops?”

“Not back then, because they found Jones’ gun and badge in a junkie’s crib a day later, and so we thought it was just a coincidence.”

“What’s changed your mind?”

Merriweather looked over at Chancellor.

“Let him see the letter, Bones.”

Chancellor took a folded piece of paper from an inside pocket and passed it across the desk, and as he did so, Jake, Chris, Velma, and Rayne, came over to stand near the old man and see what the letter said.

It was a yellowing piece of lined notebook paper and the threatening words written on it were in block-like letters.

I WILL KILL YOU BOTH

However, it was the numbers that caught everyone’s attention, for the numbers matched tomorrow’s date.

“Carter Hollie sent this to you?”

“He did,” Merriweather said. “He had been in prison for less than a week when that skinny sister of his dropped by our corner and said that her brother told her to give that to us.”

“And you’ve been worried this whole time?”

“Heck yeah, Carter Hollie doesn’t make threats, he makes appointments, and then he keeps them.”

“Did you go to the police with this?”

“We did, and they looked at us like we were nuts. They said that Carter Hollie has been out of prison for years and that if he held a grudge he would have acted on it by now.”

“They have a point, but you said that a third man testified against him, what was his name?”

“He was the dude that sold the German sausage out of that pushcart on 39th, a guy named Johansson, Frederick Johansson, and he got a note too, with a date that was a week earlier than ours, that would make it six days ago, but he threw his away and said he wasn’t scared of Hollie.”

“Do you know where Johansson can be found?”

“Heck no, Caliber, the dude could have gone back to Germany for all we know.”

The old man pressed a button on his desk, and a moment later, Kelli walked into the office.

“Yes sir?”

“Do me a favor, doll, and see if you can find anything recent on a man named Frederick Johansson.”

“How far back would you like me to go?”

“A week should do it.”

“Okay, just give me a few minutes.”

“Thank you, Kelli.”

Merriweather and Chancellor turned around in their seats and watched her all the way out the door, and then turned back around and looked up at Velma and Rayne standing behind the old man’s chair.

“I’ll say this for you, Caliber, you always had an eye for the ladies,” Merriweather said.

The old man laughed and tossed a thumb over his shoulder.

“Either one of these women could have kicked your asses on your best day, just because they’re lookers don’t mean they ain’t tough.”

Merriweather laughed.

“Like that girl of yours, Velma, was it? Now that was a good-looking woman, and tough as nails.”

“She was my aunt,” Velma said, “And I was also named after her.”

Chancellor sent her a smile.

“Yeah, I think you got her eyes, didn’t you?”

“And her toughness,” Velma said.

Kelli came back in and passed a folder to the old man.

“That’s a printout of a news story about a man named Frederick Johansson. It says the poor man was killed when he surprised a burglar in his home in Arizona.”

“When did that happen?”

“Six days ago.”

The old man stared across at Merriweather and Chancellor.

“It sounds like Carter Hollie is a man of his word.”

CHAPTER 11

After meeting the new clients, Jake left for his meeting with Tommy Delaney, but as he left the building, he saw Kelli’s mother exit a taxi.

Claire Ross handed the driver cash as she spoke to him.

“Please wait for me; this shouldn’t take long.”

Jake walked up to her and smiled.

“Mrs. Ross, how are you?”

“I’d like to speak with you about my daughter.”

“Kelli mentioned that you don’t approve of me, but I promise you that I won’t hurt her.”

“You mean that you won’t hurt her again, right? Because you do realize that you already broke her heart once before.”

“I understand that, and I’m sorry it happened, but it wasn’t intentional. I love Kelli, Mrs. Ross.”

“What wasn’t intentional?”

“Excuse me?”

“You said that breaking my daughter’s heart wasn’t intentional, but you deliberately slept with one of her friends.”

Jake took a deep breath and cleared his throat.

“I regret sleeping with Amanda, but I’ve matured since then and Kelli has forgiven me. I hope someday that you will too.”

Claire shook her head.

“You devastated my daughter with your betrayal and now you’re looking to do it again. No, I’ll never forgive you and I won’t stop trying to get Kelli to leave you.”

Jake spread his hands.

“I don’t know what else to say, except to tell you that you’re wrong, and that Kelli is the only girl for me.”

“You’re a bastard, Jake Caliber. You may have fooled my daughter, but you’ll never fool me.”

Claire climbed back into the cab and slammed the door in Jake’s face. He let out a great sigh and then headed off for his meeting with Delaney.

***

Maggie Keegan felt the blood drain from her face as she read the results of the DNA test. The dead woman in question was in 99.999% probability Sarah Willoughby and the mother of Anne Willoughby.

The results had been faxed to her along with a letter from the insurance company stating that they would be requesting that Caliber Investigations reconsider her appointment as head insurance investigator. They also stated that they were ending their alliance with Caliber when their contract expired. In addition, they made it clear that while the contract was in effect, that Maggie was not to be assigned to work on their cases.

Maggie knew that the letter was an overreaction drafted by an empty suit. She still felt like a failure, and worse yet, she felt as if she had let not only Gail’s faith in her be proven false, but also felt like she had failed Jake Caliber.

When she looked up, she saw that Gail was not in her office, and wondered if she were avoiding her. Maggie crumbled up the faxed message, tossed it in the can, and then started looking over the file of a new case that had come in that morning. In the back of her mind was the nagging feeling that she would fail once again.

***

The old man had assigned Rayne to track down Carter Hollie, while Chris and Velma were given the task of protecting Merriweather and Chancellor.

Rayne couldn’t find a trace of Carter Hollie, but was able to locate his sister, Sally Hollie, who was fifty-nine and living in Newark, New Jersey.

Sally Hollie lived on Irvine Turner Boulevard in one of a row of garden apartments that looked to be nearly new, with their small but manicured lawns, and wide sidewalks.

Ross Merriweather had said that Sally Hollie was skinny forty years ago, and she had not thickened with age, as the woman that answered the door was all but cadaverous, with sunken cheeks and twig-like arms.

“Who are you and what do you want?”

The woman’s voice startled Rayne as much as her appearance, because the voice was a contrast, and was nearly the deep voice of a man. She also had a southern accent.

“Hi, are you Sally Hollie?”

“Yeah, so?”

“My name is Rayne Carver and I’m looking to get in touch with your brother, Carter.”

“Ain’t seen him in years, anything else?”

Rayne handed her a card.

“If you do make contact, please call, or have him call me.”

“Sure, goodbye.”

When the door slammed in her face, Rayne smiled, because as Sally Hollie moved back to shut it, Rayne got a glimpse into the apartment. She had spotted two things near the foot of a bed. One was a suitcase, while the other was a pair of men’s shoes.

Carter Hollie was staying there and Rayne intended to follow him wherever he went.

***

Merriweather and Chancellor owned a steakhouse inside the Royale Casino and the glass wall at the rear offered a fine view of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Royale was one of the oldest Casinos and was also the one built nearest to the water.

Velma admired the view, but paid more attention to the exits and entrances. Merriweather and Chancellor planned to spend the next day hunkered down inside their restaurant, as they sweated out the day Carter Hollie had chosen for them to die on.

Chris nodded in agreement at their decision.

“You were smart to close the restaurant tomorrow, and by holing up in here, you’ll make it nearly impossible for Hollie to get to you. Not only does he have to get by us, but he would have to make it past the casino security as well.”

“That’s why we’re staying here,” Merriweather said. “There’s plenty of food and we figure once he makes his move, he’ll be cut down.

***

They ate dinner inside the restaurant, and then Merriweather and Chancellor took Chris and Velma on a tour of the casino.

The two men seemed to know every employee by name and received smiles and warm greetings.

“You two seem to be well-liked here,” Chris said.

“Bones and I have been working in this place since it opened. We love it here, and we ain’t leaving until they carry us out feet first,” Merriweather said.

Chancellor stopped walking and stared at Chris and Velma.

“Are you two as good as Jake Caliber says you are?”

Chris looked both men in the eye before speaking.

“We’ll keep you safe. You have my word as a Caliber.”

“Well, all right then,” Chancellor said.

Chris and Velma escorted the men to the business offices where there were armed guards to watch over them, and since they had a few minutes of respite from their protection duties, they decided to play the slots while they waited for the men to return from their meeting.

“Velma? Hey, honey, is that you?”

Those words came from a tall, thin man with stringy blond hair. He was in his mid-thirties and dressed in well-worn jeans and a red, long-sleeved T-shirt. The T-shirt had the words, EAT, SLEEP, and DIG on it, along with a drawing of a metal detector. When Velma swiveled around and looked at him, her eyes went wide and her face turned white.

“Peter?”

“Hell yeah, baby,” the man said, and then he kissed Velma on the mouth.

Chris stood up and gawked at the two of them.

“Velma, who the hell is this guy?”

The man sent Chris a bright smile as he extended a hand.

“Hey there, bro, I’m Peter Gates, Velma’s husband.”

CHAPTER 12

Jake was in Tommy Delaney’s office, and the two of them were looking through the belongings of the late Selina Clayton, while searching for a clue to the identity of her murderer.

Delaney grinned.

“The fact that you’re here and doing this, it shows you how much pull the old man has.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hell, Jake, when I told my captain that I wanted to bring you in to help he never even blinked, you think that would be the case if I said I wanted to bring in some other P.I., say like Trace Pruitt?”

“Trace Pruitt is a dirt bag, and he’s only been in business for a few years, my family has been doing this for five generations now, and yeah, thanks to my granddad, the name Caliber means something in this city, but so does the name, Delaney. We both have generations of men who have paved the way for us.”

“True,” Delaney said.

They worked in silence for a time, as both men sorted through a voluminous amount of text messages, emails and business correspondence while searching for anything out of the ordinary.

After a time, they stopped for coffee, and Delaney asked a question.

“Selina Clayton, were you and she ever close?”

“You mean did I ever sleep with her? Yeah, but it was years ago.”

Delaney grinned.

“Are there any good looking women at Caliber that you haven’t slept with?”

Jake’s face turned serious.

“Do you ever regret getting married so young, Tommy?”

“No, and I wouldn’t trade my family for anything.”

“Your kids are great, and so is Jenny. Don’t get me wrong, but is it hard, just you and Jenny, year after year, with no variety, and being with only one woman?”

Delaney cocked his head.

“Are you thinking about marrying Kelli?”

“I am. I love her to death and I can’t imagine not having her with me, it’s just that... I sometimes wonder if I’ll be able to do it, stay faithful to one woman, I mean.”

“That’s not a question I can answer for you, Jake, but I can tell you this, if the two of you are really the right fit, then you won’t ever be tempted again. I mean you’ll lust after women, what man doesn’t, but the thought of actually doing something about it won’t be there, because you’ll be too busy loving your wife.”

“Hey, Tommy.”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks, I needed an ear, you know?”

“I’m always here for you, brother, now let’s—”

The door to the office popped open and an older cop stuck his head in.

“Great news, guys, Officers Dawson and Chaney just nailed your perp, unfortunately, he took out another victim first.”

Delaney stood up.

“Mike, where did this happen?”

“Near the village,”

Jake stood too.

“Let’s check it out.”

***

Claire Ross entered a trendy clothing store on 58th Street and found that the shop was empty, save for the woman behind the counter, who was looking at her with daggers in her eyes.

“What the hell are you doing here, lady?”

Claire smiled.

“Hello, Amanda.”

“Oh, you know my name now. The last time we talked you called me a conniving bitch.”

“I was very upset then because my daughter was devastated by your betrayal.”

Amanda softened at those words. She was a natural redhead with green eyes and a face that once helped her finish second in a Miss New York State beauty contest.

“How is Kelli?”

“She is in danger of having her heart broken again, that’s how she is.”

“What’s that mean?”

“She and Jake Caliber are back together.”

“Oh, wow, I would have thought she’d want nothing to do with him.”

“My daughter lacks good sense where that man is concerned.”

“I still don’t understand, why come and see me? I’m the last person Kelli would listen to.”

“I have a... proposition for you.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yes. I want you to break them up again.”

“What? Why?”

“Every day they’re together will only make it that much more difficult for Kelli when Jake finally does cheat on her, and so it’s better that it happens sooner rather than later.”

“We ended as friends, Jake and I, and it’s not unusual for me to run into him since we live in the same building.”

“So you’ll do it?”

“What if he doesn’t want to sleep with me?”

“You’re not my favorite person, Amanda, but you are an extremely attractive woman, and if you assure Jake that it would be a one-time thing with no strings attached, I’m sure he’d jump at the chance.”

“What’s in it for me? I mean besides the sex,”

Claire smiled; she had been waiting for that question. She reached into her purse and took out an envelope.

“Five hundred dollars, and from the lack of customers here, I’d say you could use it.”

Amanda stared at the envelope and then looked down at the counter for several moments, but when she raised her head, she nodded.

“I’ll do it, and I’ll hook up with him tonight.”

“Fine, and I’ll see that Kelli is kept occupied, but there is one thing though.”

“Yeah?”

“I want you to tell Kelli after it’s done. Meet us for breakfast at eight, at that deli near the Caliber building.”

Amanda let out a huff.

“I don’t want to hurt her again, but you’re right, Jake Caliber will cheat on her eventually, and so, in a way, I’ll be helping her.”

“So we have a deal?”

“Yes.”

Claire set the envelope on the counter.

“When you tell Kelli about Jake, make no mention of this, just let them both think it was all you.”

Amanda smirked.

“Who’s the conniving bitch now, hmm?”

Claire looked startled by those words, and then she turned and left the shop without another word.

CHAPTER 13

When Jake and Delaney reached the scene, they were greeted by the old man and Kelli.

Jake had called his grandfather and told him what little he knew, and he and Kelli rushed to the scene.

The cops at the heart of the matter were off limits, but Delaney found one of the officers that responded after the shooting, and he filled them in. The cop’s name was Tomás Rivera and he was a friend of Delaney’s. Rivera spoke with a slight Spanish accent.

“The perp was a homeless guy, real nasty one too from the look of him.”

“Who called it in?” Delaney said.

“There’s a barber shop on the other side of the alley wall, and the owner called in a suspicious odor, said it smelled like something was dead. He was right, it was the second victim.”

“Has she been ID’d yet?”

“Not officially, but they think it’s a woman named Shannon McKeown. She’s been missing for three days.”

“Shannon?” Kelli said, as a shocked look crossed her face.

Jake placed a comforting hand on her arm.

“You knew her, baby?”

“Yes, she went to high school with me, and so did Selina, now that I think of it. But Shannon was never a B-Girl, she was going to be, but then she got a job with Rockport Insurance.”

“When’s the last time you saw her?”

“It’s been maybe two or three weeks. Caliber handles the background checks on their new hires, and sometimes Shannon would stop by to pick up the reports on her way to lunch. The Rockport building is only a block away from Caliber.”

The old man sighed.

“Maybe the perp saw her coming out of the building and assumed she was a B-Girl. Was she good looking, Kelli?”

Kelli wiped at tears.

“Shannon was beautiful, inside and out.”

Delaney grimaced and spoke to Rivera.

“What about the body, were there words carved into her back?”

Rivera returned the grimace.

“They might have been words when they were fresh, but she’s been dead a while, and they just looked like wounds to me, but I guess the ME can figure it out.”

“The perp, was he armed?”

Rivera eyed the Calibers and Kelli.

“Maybe we shouldn’t talk in front of civilians, Tommy.”

“It’s all right, Tomás.”

Rivera nodded.

“Yeah, I guess it is, considering who they are, and yes, the perp had a weapon, but it was a knife, not a gun. Dawson shot him in the leg, but the bullet hit an artery and so he bled out.”

Delaney slapped him on the shoulder.

“Thanks Tomás, and tell Reva I said hi.”

“I’ll tell her, Tommy, and give my best to Jenny too.”

***

The killer watched them from the edge of the crowd that had gathered.

He stared at Kelli while wishing that everyone else would just go away and leave them alone. He had no idea why it took so long for the second body to be discovered, but he assumed it had something to do with the bum that was being given credit for his acts.

It was all a mess now. If the bum took the blame for his acts, then they would know he was innocent once he had paid back this third bitch, and they would keep looking for him as he went after the others.

He smiled.

Let them look. He was too smart for them. Didn’t he already have them looking the right way but also in the wrong direction.

“B,B,B,B,B,” he whispered, “Follow the bouncing B’s.”

A giggle escaped him, and he saw one of the uniform cops that were keeping back the onlookers gaze his way. The officer took note of his disheveled clothes and gaunt look. He sent the young cop a pleasant nod, and when the man looked elsewhere, he turned and scurried away.

Tomorrow, he would take the third B-bitch tomorrow and to hell with the consequences.

Kelli Ross had to die.

***

They had walked over to Tommy’s car to talk away from the scene. Kelli had come along with the old man so that she and Jake could leave the scene together. However, on the way there, Kelli’s mother had called and asked her to join her for dinner and a movie, and thereby leaving Jake on his own, and giving Amanda an opportunity to seduce him.

Jake looked at his grandfather.

“What do you think?”

“I think we need to learn more about this perp, and his new victim, the poor girl.”

Delaney spoke to Kelli.

“Did Shannon McKeown have any enemies that you know of?”

“Shannon? No, but then I really don’t know her... didn’t know her that well anymore.”

“I’ll look into it,” Delaney said.

“All right, but I doubt you’ll find anything. Shannon was a good person.”

“Everybody’s got a past, doll,” the old man said, “And you never know what you’ll find lurking there.”

***

“A husband? You were married once before Michael and you didn’t think it was something I should know?”

Velma touched Chris on the cheek tenderly, as she sought to calm him down.

“I was a stupid seventeen-year-old girl when I ran off and married Peter Gates. It’s not something I’m proud of, and so yes, I kept it hidden.”

They were in the short hallway that led to the steakhouse’s office, where Merriweather and Chancellor were watching TV.

Chris was trying to keep his voice steady, but he was angry that Velma had kept her first marriage a secret from him, and so his voice was threatening to grow into a shout.

“I can understand not revealing it to most people, but I thought that we were closer than that.”

“I should have told you, I admit it.”

“What the hell did you see in that guy?”

Velma shrugged.

“Back then, Peter was hot, at least he was to a seventeen-year-old. He had much better hair, a motorcycle, and played in a band. He swept me off my feet.”

“How long were you married?”

“Just a few days, and then I caught him in bed with the motel room maid.”

Chris calmed down, as he saw the look of discomfort in Velma’s eyes. He leaned back against an electrical panel on the wall and sighed.

“You should have told me about him.”

“Yes, and I’m sorry that I didn’t.”

“Do you still have feelings for him?”

“God no, my infatuation with Peter ended before the ink dried on the divorce papers.”

“Is there a husband number three somewhere?”

“No, Chris, Peter is the only skeleton in my closet.”

Chris nodded.

“All right, um, listen, stay here with them while I go speak with the casino’s security chief.”

“Okay, and Chris?”

“Yeah?”

“Are we good, baby?”

Chris kissed her.

“We’re good, I’m a little hurt and angry, but I understand your side too.”

Velma grinned.

“When this case is over, why don’t we stay and enjoy the casino for a day or two? After all, we already have rooms here.”

“Sounds good.”

Velma watched Chris walk away. She then took out her phone to try to track down Peter Gates.

***

Gail returned to her home, and when she entered into the kitchen through the back door, her mouth immediately began to salivate.

Jim Tate smiled at her.

“I hope you like Italian food.”

“It’s my favorite, and it smells so good, what is that?”

“Lasagna, made from my grandmother’s recipe.”

“I didn’t know you could cook this well.”

“We’ve a lot to learn about each other, don’t we?”

Gail smiled. “Yes, we do,”

***

After eating, they sat at the table with coffee, as Tate filled her in on his day.

“I went over the house from top to bottom and I agree with most of that checklist you had from the contractor that looked the place over, plus, I’d like to resurrect that garden area in the back there. With a little work, that could supply you with all the vegetables you’ll need.”

“Have you estimated how much it will all cost?”

Tate removed a slip of paper from the pocket of his shirt.

“I did, I dropped by the home improvement center and checked out the prices, the amount is right there at the bottom.”

Gail looked at the figure and then looked up.

“This can’t be right. It’s less than half of what the contractor wanted.”

“That’s true, but most of his expense comes from hiring labor, and you won’t have that expense.”

“If you can rehab the house for this amount, I’ll wind up owing you money.”

Tate smiled.

“I’m glad you said that, because I need a favor.”

“Yes?”

“That old car in the garage, if that runs, I want to know if I can use it to get around. I had to sell my vehicles along with my other property to pay my legal fees.”

“That’s not a problem, it runs, and I’ve kept up the insurance.”

“I’ll also need money to go buy tools to work with, but don’t worry, I included it all in my estimate.”

Gail looked at him with concern.

“You’ve really lost everything haven’t you? Your career, your reputation, and even your home and transportation.”

“I’ve no one to blame but myself, Gail. But you’re wrong, I haven’t lost everything. I still have my daughter, Becca, and... I’ve made a new friend, you.”

“I’d like to meet your daughter.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes.”

“Good, because I’d like her to meet you too.”

“Jim.”

“Yes?”

“This is going to work out, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Gail.”

“I’m not talking about just the rehab either, I mean us.”

Tate leaned over and kissed her and Gail kissed him back, but a moment later, Tate stood up in a rush.

“I’m sorry. You told me just this morning that you weren’t ready for this yet.”

Gail stood and took him by the hand.

“Jim.”

“Yes?”

She smiled.

“To hell with what I said.”

Tate smiled back, and then the two of them went upstairs hand in hand.

CHAPTER 14

Rayne was drinking warm Pepsi when Carter Hollie returned to his sister’s apartment in a battered old pickup truck.

Hollie was a big man in his mid-sixties with a craggy face and a head of wispy white hair.

Rayne was happy to see that she was right about Hollie living with his sister, and also glad that she hadn’t missed his return. She had been away from the apartment for a time as she went off in search of a toilet.

This surveillance should have been done by two, and normally she would have been teamed with Jake, but the B-Girl case took precedence. Rayne had promised the old man that she could handle it, as she had done many times in the past while working on insurance cases alone.

When the lights in the apartment went out around eleven, Rayne made another quick trip to use the restroom of a nearby gas station, and then settled into her car for the night. Hollie’s truck ran loud enough to wake her if he left before dawn, and so Rayne shut her eyes and drifted off to sleep, while thinking of the man she loved.

***

In Atlantic City, Velma parked outside the motel room of Peter Gates. After taking a deep breath, she left her car and knocked on the door.

She was supposed to be back at the casino hotel catching a few hours of sleep while Chris kept watch, but felt compelled to speak with Gates again. She had called around to different hotels and motels until finally locating Gates, but he only agreed to talk to her if it was in person.

Gates opened the door and sent her a grin.

“You’ve missed me, haven’t you?”

Velma walked into the room and saw a half-eaten pizza and empty bottles of beer, while on the TV, a baseball game was playing. Velma found the remote and muted the TV.

“What are you doing here, Peter?”

“I’m here to do what everyone else is doing, gambling.”

“You weren’t deliberately looking for me?”

“No, why would I be, after all these years?”

“I don’t know, but I don’t like coincidences.”

“That pretty boy, Chris is it? Are you with him now?”

“Yes.”

Gates moved closer and placed his hands on Velma’s shoulders.

“You two aren’t exclusive though, are you? I could sure use a roll in the hay for old times’ sake.”

Velma blinked rapidly.

“You can’t be serious?”

Gates kissed her, and Velma brought her hands up and pushed him away.

“Try that again and I’ll hurt you.”

“We were good together, Vel. I know that you remember that.”

Velma walked over and placed her hand on the doorknob.

“I’m not the same girl you knew, Peter, and I only came here to see if you were up to something.”

“I’m not, Vel, but I am glad I ran into you.”

“Fine, but try not to do it again; it causes trouble for me.”

“Pretty boy didn’t know that you were married before, did he?”

“No.”

“You weren’t my first wife, or my last, but you were the best.”

“I’m going now. Have a good life, Peter.”

Gates stood in the doorway as Velma climbed into her car and drove off. Afterwards, he walked over to a van in the parking lot and spoke to the man slouched down behind the steering wheel.

“Did you get pictures?”

Trace Pruitt smiled at him, as he straightened in his seat.

“The kiss was good, but you should have tried harder to get her into bed.”

“She’s done with me; I can see it in her eyes, and hell, her coming here was a bonus, right?”

“That’s how I’ll present it to the client.”

“When do I get the rest of the money?”

“Tomorrow, after you speak with the boyfriend one more time.”

Gates sighed.

“Poor Velma, she just seems to be unlucky in love.”

***

Jake returned to his apartment building. As he was about to place his key in the lock, he noticed the light streaming from out of Amanda’s apartment at the other end of the hall.

When he reached the open doorway, he gave a tap on the frame and peeked inside.

“Amanda?”

“Who’s that?”

“It’s me, Jake Caliber, are you okay?”

Amanda walked out of the bedroom wearing a short robe that exposed her legs and the tops of her breasts.

She smiled at Jake.

“I guess you’re wondering why my door is sitting wide open.”

“Yeah,” Jake said, as his eyes took in her legs.

“There was a bee in here, a big one. I was hoping he’d fly out into the hall.”

Amanda walked over and shut the door.

“I should close that before he flies back in.”

Jake smiled.

“Well now that you’re safe, I guess I’ll go.”

Amanda took him by the hand and led him over to the sofa.

“Stay and have a drink. We haven’t talked in a while.”

“If you’ll recall, we never did much talking when we together.”

“I had no complaints, but let me grab two beers and well catch up.”

Jake shrugged, sat on the sofa, and loosened his tie.

“A beer sounds good, and I’m a little too wound up to sleep.”

When Amanda returned, she leaned over to hand Jake his bottle, which granted him a view of her breasts. She then sat close beside him on the sofa and placed a hand on his thigh.

“I think about you sometimes, Jake, remembering what we were like together. I just want you to know that I’m here whenever you’re lonely, no strings attached.”

“I thought you were seeing someone?”

“That didn’t work out. He wanted a commitment and I like to stay loose.”

“What’s wrong with commitment?”

“It’s not natural. Imagine having to leave here to go home to a wife... instead of spending the night.”

“Who says I’m spending the night?”

Amanda smiled, stood up, and let her robe fall to the floor.

“I do.”

CHAPTER 15

The growl of the pickup truck’s engine woke Rayne as she sat slumped in the front seat of her car.

By the time she had wiped the sleep from her eyes, Carter Hollie had put his truck in gear and was motoring away.

Rayne yawned, started her engine, and followed along behind, as the first hint of daylight breached the night sky.

***

Chris tapped on the restaurant door and Velma let him in.

“You’re back early,” she said.

“Sleep can wait, today’s the day, and I have a feeling that Carter Hollie wasn’t bluffing.”

“Have you heard from Rayne?”

“No, you?”

“Of course not, you know she likes to play the lone wolf,” Velma said.

“She’s just not used to working on a team, but I’ll speak to her about keeping us updated.”

“Why don’t you call her?”

“If she has something to say, she’ll call. How are our guys doing?”

“They’re fine; they’re both conked out in the office in their matching recliners.”

“If you want to get a couple hours of sleep, I’ll be fine here alone.”

“No, I’m as keyed up as you are, and I think you’re right, trouble is coming.”

“This is the only way in here now that we blocked the others, and between us and the casino security, Carter Hollie doesn’t stand a chance.”

Velma let out a sigh.

“Let’s hope you’re right.”

***

Rayne followed Hollie south on the Garden State Parkway, fully convinced that he was headed straight for Atlantic City. However, Hollie had other plans, as he exited the highway after a short time and wound up at a marina in Sayreville, New Jersey.

The marina wasn’t opened yet, and to Rayne’s delight, Hollie left his truck and jogged across the highway to a strip mall, where he went inside a coffee shop and sat down at the counter. Rayne went to the donut shop on the other side of the parking lot and bought a thermos of coffee along with a yogurt.

She then returned to her car and made a call.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Velma, it’s Rayne, I’m checking in.”

“We were just wondering about you.”

“Yeah, sorry, I should have called earlier, but there was really nothing to report.”

“And now?”

“I’ve followed Carter Hollie to Sayreville, New Jersey, and it looks like he’s waiting for the marina to open.”

“A marina? Do you think he’s coming here by boat?”

“It would be a clever way to cover his tracks. There are no traffic cameras out on the water.”

“How will you follow him if he does that?”

“I’ll find a way. How is everything there?”

“We’re good; did you want to speak with Chris?”

“No, it’s not necessary. I’ll check back with you later, bye for now.”

“So long, Rayne, and watch yourself, Hollie is dangerous.”

“I’ll be careful, goodbye.”

***

Chris had been standing by, but when Velma closed her phone, he pouted.

“She didn’t want to speak to me?”

“No, she said there was no need.”

“Still, she could have said hello.”

Velma pinched his cheek.

“I bet she couldn’t wait to call that new boyfriend of hers.”

“I guess.”

“Hey, you’re really hurt that she didn’t ask to speak to you, aren’t you?”

“I... we were getting along well, but lately it’s like she doesn’t even want to know me.”

“That’s best isn’t it? Better than when she wouldn’t stop flirting with you?”

“Yeah.”

Velma pinched his cheek again.

“I still think you’re cute.”

Chris kissed her.

“That’s all that matters.”

CHAPTER 16

The old man stepped out of his office and looked at Kelli.

“Good morning, sir.”

“Good morning, Kelli. I thought that you were meeting your mother for breakfast?”

“I am, but I thought that I’d come in and make coffee first.”

The old man stared at the coffee pot and went back inside.

Ten minutes later, he came out again, as Kelli prepared to leave.

“I guess Maggie’s not visiting today.”

Kelli gave a little shrug.

“She could be running late.”

“I’m sure she has better things to do than sit around talking to an old man.”

Kelli went to him.

“You could go see her... to show her you’re interested?”

The old man sighed.

“Why the hell not, it’s been a while since I’ve made a fool of myself.”

Kelli kissed him on the cheek.

“Good luck.”

“Thanks, doll.”

***

Besides Maggie, there were eight other people in the office. All of them froze in place and stared, as the old man stepped off the elevator.

As he walked by them, a string of, “Good Morning, Mr. Caliber’s,” followed him to Maggie’s desk.

“Jake, hi.”

“I figured it was my turn to visit you.”

“I’m surprised you want to be seen with me.”

“What’s that mean?”

“I lost my case; the DNA was a near perfect match.”

“I thought that wasn’t possible?”

“So did I.”

“Is that why you didn’t show this morning?”

“I feel like I’ve let the company down, like I let you down.”

“There’s only one way you can let me down, Maggie, and that’s to quit. You’re not quitting are you?”

“I don’t know what you mean, the case is done. It’s been proven that the body in the morgue is Sarah Willoughby.”

The old man shook his head.

“Not according to Anne Willoughby, you told me that she said her mother had a burn mark on her hand. Do you think she was lying or mistaken?”

“Well, no, I don’t.”

“Then DNA or no DNA, the woman in the morgue is not Sarah Willoughby, even if she is Anne Willoughby’s mother.”

“I don’t understand.”

The old man offered his hand, and Maggie took it and stood.

“Let’s go hash this out upstairs.”

Maggie smiled.

“Only if you’ll buy me a coffee.”

“You got it, doll.”

***

Claire Ross entered Joe’s Deli, and to her surprise, she found Jake sitting across from Amanda in a booth.

She walked over and smiled down at them.

“My, don’t you two look cozy.”

Jake began to rise, but Claire motioned for him to stay seated.

“Here comes Kelli now, and I want her to see you two together.”

When Kelli approached the table, she came to a sudden stop, and stared at Jake and Amanda.

“What’s going on here?”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it, baby,” Claire said. “These two are sleeping together again.”

Kelli’s face crumbled.

“What?”

Jake slid out of the booth.

“That’s a lie. Tell her, Amanda.”

Claire smirked.

“Yes, tell us, Amanda.”

“It is a lie,” Amanda said, and received a look of scorn from Claire.

“Then... why are you two here together?” Kelli said.

Amanda pulled a tablet computer out of her purse and activated it.

“I came here to show you this.”

She handed it to Kelli, and a moment later, the screen filled with a clip of video surveillance from Amanda’s shop, the camera angle was from above, and the sound quality was far from perfect, but the clip clearly showed Claire soliciting Amanda to seduce Jake.

Kelli handed the tablet back to Amanda before the clip finished playing. She had seen enough. She turned to her mother as she fought back tears.

“Why don’t you want me to be happy?”

“Oh baby, that’s exactly why I did it, so that you would be happy in the long run.”

Kelli took Jake’s hand.

“I love Jake, Mom. Don’t you ever try anything like this again, or it’s you I’ll be cutting out of my life.”

Claire took Kelli’s face in her hands.

“Oh baby, you don’t mean that.”

“Maybe you should go back home now.”

“I was only doing what I thought was best for you, Kelli.”

Kelli didn’t respond, and Claire walked slowly out of the deli.

Amanda slid out of the booth.

“That’s some mother you got there, Kelli, and just so you know, I did try to bed Jake last night, and he turned me down cold. He said he was in love with you, and by the size of that rock, I’d say it’s true.”

Kelli looked back and forth at them.

“What rock?”

Jake glared at Amanda.

“Thanks a lot, big mouth.”

Amanda looked chagrinned, whispered, “Sorry”, and hurried out of the deli.

“What was she talking about, Jake?”

“I was gonna do this in private, but what the hell.”

Jake got down on one knee and reached into his pocket to take out a ring box. When he opened it, Kelli gasped.

“Marry me, baby, please Kelli? I can’t live without you.”

By now, the entire deli was staring at them, and it had grown so quiet inside that you could hear the bacon frying on the grill.

Kelli smiled down at him.

“Yes I’ll marry you, Jake Caliber, and I’d thought you’d never ask.”

A collective cheer went up from those gathered, and it was followed by a sigh, as Jake and Kelli kissed.

CHAPTER 17

Gail smiled across the breakfast table at Jim Tate, who was looking back at her with a silly grin of his own.

“I haven’t been this happy in years, in fact, not since before my husband died.”

“I know what you mean. When my wife died, it felt like the end of the world. The only thing that kept me going was my daughter.”

Gail stared at him.

“Is this really as good as it seems, or am I being a fool?”

“Oh, honey, Gail I, I won’t make you any promises, because I’ve lived long enough to know they’re meaningless. The only thing that matters are actions, and all I can say is, I have the best of intentions where you’re concerned, and I’ll prove myself day by day.”

“Day by day, yes, I think that’s how I’ll take things, and it’s time I left for work.”

Tate followed her to the door.

“I’ll map out how I think the work on the house should go, and when you get back, we’ll sit down and discuss it.”

Gail kissed him.

“It’s nice to have someone to come home to.”

“It’s nice to have someone, period.”

“Amen to that,” Gail said.

***

In the detective agency, the old man hugged Jake so hard that he nearly cracked a rib, and then afterwards, he placed a kiss on Kelli’s cheek.

“I finally have a granddaughter.”

Kelli grinned.

“Does this mean I can call you Jake now?”

“Hell yes, in fact, it’s overdue.”

Maggie held Kelli’s hand and cooed over her ring.

“It’s beautiful, Kelli, and you look so happy.”

“We’re celebrating as soon as Chris gets back with the girls,” the old man said.

“We still have to tell them,” Jake said. “And Mother too, she hasn’t come in yet.”

“She called,” Maggie said. “She should be in soon.”

The old man laid a hand on Jake’s shoulder.

“You handle things here today, boy. Maggie and I are going out to Staten Island on a case.”

“A Red Case, or an insurance investigation?”

“A little of both,”

Kelli looked concern.

“Do you have your phone, sir?”

“Yes, and I thought you were going to call me Jake.”

Kelli made a face.

“I can’t. Not yet anyway, but once we’re married, I’ll try.”

“Call him, Granddad, he’ll really love that,” Jake said.

“Yes I would,” the old man said.

As they were walking towards the elevator, Kelli held Maggie back for a second.

“Please take care of him. He’s the toughest man I know, but I still worry.”

Maggie took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

“I’ll look out for him; you can count on it.”

***

Rayne watched with frustration as Carter Hollie sailed away.

When she heard footsteps behind her, she turned and found a teenage boy of about eighteen staring at her legs, but a moment later, he raised his eyes and smiled.

“Can I help you?”

“Do you work here?”

“Just part-time, but my grandfather owns the place.”

Rayne pointed out at Hollie’s boat.

“How fast is that ship?”

The kid smiled.

“That’s a sailboat, an old Sharpie actually, and on a calm day like this with very little wind, she’ll be lucky to do eight knots.”

“What’s that in miles?”

“Oh, about nine, nine and a half miles an hour.”

“That’s it? So, it would take him all day to reach Atlantic City, right?”

“Yeah, I’d say so. Why, is that where he’s headed?”

“Yes, and I have to follow him. Is there any way I can rent a boat? I’ll need a pilot too.”

The boy looked her over again.

“I’d be glad to take you if you’ll pay for the fuel and throw in a hundred on top, but it’ll be a while. I don’t get off work until four.”

“Four? If I wait that long, I’ll never catch up to him.”

The boy pointed to an ‘89 Savage Streaker, which was a small cabin cruiser. It was blue and white and had a Mercury outboard motor on its rear.

“That’s my boat. I can catch up to that rickety old sailboat in no time.”

Rayne frowned.

“I appreciate the offer, but I think I’ll try and find someone else who can take me sooner.”

The boy gave her a little salute.

“I’ll be here if you change your mind.”

“Thanks.”

The boy went back into the office and Rayne began the search for a boat.

CHAPTER 18

The old man was with Maggie on Staten Island, sitting in front of the home of Curtis and Sarah Willoughby.

“You say they never made more than thirty grand a year?”

“According to the information they filed with the insurance company.”

“That looks like too much house for that income.”

“You think that they’ve been underreporting?”

“I do, and I also think they have a good reason for it. What kind of work did Mrs. Willoughby do?”

“Nothing, she was unemployed.”

Jake opened the door of his Cadillac.

“I think we need to talk with the neighbors.”

***

Sometime later, they were speaking with Anne Willoughby in the same coffee shop that Maggie had spoken with her in previously.

“The DNA results are wrong, Mr. Caliber. That woman is not my mother.”

“Actually, Miss Willoughby, I believe she is, which doesn’t mean she’s the woman that raised you.”

“I don’t understand.”

“How much do you know about your family, grandparents and such,” Maggie asked.

“Almost nothing, my mom said her parents were dead and she never talked about them, and on my father’s side, his people are all down in Tennessee and I’ve never met them.”

“Your mother ran an antiques business online, did you know that?”

“Yes, in the early days I helped her with it, and she made good money too.”

“Did you know she never reported any of the income?”

Anne looked shocked.

“None of it?”

“No, and in fact, she’s never claimed to have any income, ever.”

“She watched the neighbors’ kids for years, but that was all cash. Still, she should have declared something.”

“She didn’t dare to,” Maggie said. “Otherwise it might have exposed the truth.”

“What truth, Maggie?”

The old man’s phone rang in his pocket and he took it out and checked the caller ID.

“It’s Tommy getting back to me.”

The old man listened, asked a couple of questions, and then said goodbye. Afterwards, he spoke to Maggie.

“I think your hunch may be right, but Tommy says it will take time to gather the evidence.”

Maggie sighed and looked over at Anne.

“I was hoping I was wrong, even if it does change everything.”

Anne Willoughby looked back and forth at them.

“What’s going on, Maggie?”

“Anne, I know you told me that you often argued with your mother about her drinking, but is that why you stopped talking to her, or was there something else as well?”

“My parents they... they have a sick relationship. My mother loves my father, and despite everything, I think he loves her too, but, he’s an abuser. It’s why I stopped talking to both of them. I told her I couldn’t stand by anymore and stay silent and that I wouldn’t talk to her again until she sought help, but she never did.”

“There’s no record of spousal abuse,” Maggie said.

“My father, he’s not extremely violent, but I’ve seen him slap her and leave bruises on her arms, and my mother would have lied for him if he ever hurt her badly.”

The old man’s phone rang again.

He spoke for a short time to Tommy Delaney and then handed the phone over to Maggie.

“Tommy said the theory checked out, he also said he sent me pictures, but I’ll be damned if I know how to find them on this thing.”

Maggie laughed.

“That’s just one of the new tricks I’ll teach you, you old dog.”

Maggie was still grinning as she fiddled with the phone, but the smile faded when she came across the photos.

She looked up at Anne.

“I need you to study these photos, and I’m so sorry, but I think they’ll upset you greatly.”

Anne took the phone from Maggie as if it were a poisonous snake, and then gasped as she saw the first photo, the photo of a hand with burn marks.

“That’s my mom, my mom’s hand.”

She scrolled through the photos, as a steady stream of tears fell from her eyes.

“She looks dead; she’s dead, isn’t she?”

“Yes,” Maggie said.

Anne wiped at her tears as she handed the old man his phone.

“What the hell is going on?”

***

Hours later, a very sharp Staten Island homicide detective named Mallory had broken Curtis Willoughby down and learned the truth.

In essence, there were two Sarah’s and had been for many years.

Anne’s mother was actually her older sister, whose real name was Mary Carson. The real Sarah had Mary when she was only thirteen, and thanks to help from her parents, she raised the child, and later gave birth to Anne when she was in her late-twenties and on her own.

That’s when fifteen-year-old Mary began seeing twenty-year-old Curtis Willoughby, and soon became pregnant. Mary had the baby, a girl, but it died only weeks after leaving the hospital.

Mary and her mother fought all the time, mostly about Curtis, and about her mother’s drinking.

When her mother fell asleep drunk on the bathroom floor while her baby sister was in the bathtub, Mary decided that she would take the child, runaway with Curtis, and raise her sister as her own child, the one she’d lost.

Curtis Willoughby said that Mary had just turned sixteen when they left, but that Mary looked much older, and with makeup, could pass for her twenty-nine-year-old mother. After stealing her mother’s identity, Mary ran off with Curtis and took her baby sister with her. She then began living as her mother, Sarah Carson, then later, she married Curtis and became Sarah Willoughby.

***

Anne Willoughby was stunned by the revelations, and full of questions. The old man and Maggie spoke to her in a small meeting room inside the police station.

“So, my mother was actually my older sister?”

“Yes,” Maggie said. “You were only about three months older than the baby she lost, the real Anne, and she took you as a replacement, and also to protect you.”

“My name is not really Anne?”

“It is and it isn’t, Anne was the name of the child who died, the name of your niece. Your real name is Lisa Anne Carson, and you’re about three months older than you thought.”

Anne looked up at the ceiling as her mind reeled while absorbing the news. After nearly a minute, she looked at the old man and asked a question.

“How did she get away with this for so many years?”

“She flew under the radar by never having a real job and Curtis Willoughby lied for years to help her keep things a secret. If not for this scheme, this might have never come to light.”

“How did you figure it out?”

“It was the DNA. It proved that the woman in the morgue was your mother, but it also proved that the woman who raised you couldn’t have been your mother. Willoughby couldn’t possibly have just stumbled upon a perfect genetic match, and so that meant that he knew the woman would match you.”

“And what, he went back to Tennessee and kidnapped her for this insurance scam?”

“No, your real mother lived in Connecticut,” Maggie said, “Your father stumbled upon her at a flea market while helping your mother look for antique pottery to sell online. The women never noticed each other, and your father hustled your mother away before they could reconnect. He says he then followed the real Sarah home from her booth at the flea market a week later... and that by then, he had already come up with the insurance fraud.”

“But, how did he kill them?”

“He said he used poisonous mushrooms. The death isn’t a pleasant one, and the toxins destroy the liver, but since both mother and daughter were heavy drinkers, the liver damage was blamed on alcohol during the autopsy.

Anne wiped at tears.

“And to make it work, he had to kill both women, my real mother, and my mother?”

“Yes, he then switched the bodies and waited for someone like me to come along and order a DNA test. It was ingenious, ruthless, but ingenious.”

“But didn’t anyone connected to my real mother notice that she wasn’t the same woman?”

“As mother and daughter, the two women resembled each other greatly, and your real mother had no one close in her life. Her elderly husband died years before, and all she had was her hobby, buying and selling things at flea markets, but she did stop drinking, there was a pin on her dress, the one the body was found wearing, and it marked her as being sober for forty years. Your father had to plant liquor bottles around her home to make her look like a lapsed alcoholic, but she had been sober for decades.”

“She stopped drinking when she lost me, when I was stolen away?”

“Yes, and she looked for you and your sister over the years, but, I guess she never thought to search for someone with her own name.”

“My father almost got away with this, didn’t he?”

The old man nodded.

“He was counting on DNA to make his case, and instead, it’s what sunk him. Once he realized that the authorities knew to look for a second body, he knew he was done. When the DNA case comes back on your mother, it’ll prove that she was really your sister, but if not for that burn mark on her hand, I think he might have pulled it off.”

“But... he’s not really my father, is he?”

“No,” Maggie said. “And Curtis Willoughby says that the real Sarah wasn’t sure who your father was, apparently, she was promiscuous in the days when she drank.”

“So what do I do now, change my name to Lisa Carson?”

Maggie reached across the table and took her hand.

“I’ll help you in any way I can, and call me if you ever just need to talk.”

Anne smiled. “You’re a very kind woman, Maggie, and if you hadn’t believed me, I don’t know what would have happened, thank you.”

***

Once they were back in the Cadillac, Maggie gave the old man a kiss on the cheek.

“Thank you for not letting me quit on this.”

“You’re welcome, but my grandfather, the original Jake Caliber, he gave the detective agency a motto, We Never Give Up, and we never do, not when we know we’re right.”

“I think I was just feeling sorry for myself, after all, I replaced a woman less than half my age, and then it looked like I was going to fail on my first major case.”

“Don’t let age stop you Maggie, just keep doing the best you can.”

“That’s what you do, isn’t it?”

“You’re damn right, and I have no plans to retire.”

Maggie leaned across the seat and kissed him.

“I like you, Jake Caliber, and I don’t give a damn how old you are.”

The old man caressed her cheek.

“You make me feel young again, do you know that?”

Maggie laughed.

“The strange thing is, you do the same to me.”

CHAPTER 19

Rayne came up empty on trying to find another boat to help her catch up to Hollie, and so she took the kid up on his offer and waited until he got off at four.

She had checked in with Velma again and let her know that Hollie was likely heading their way and that she would do her best to follow him on the water.

Rayne still assumed that Hollie planned to dock the boat somewhere close by to the casino and then make his way in on foot. She wanted to stay on his trail in case he had discovered a way to get past the security measures, but in all probability, Carter Hollie would be stopped the second he walked inside the building.

While waiting for the boy, Rayne had caught up on her sleep and eaten lunch, but as four o’clock neared, she paced along the dock in front of the boy’s boat.

He grinned when he saw her anxious face.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get you there, and say, what’s your name?”

“I’m Rayne.”

“That’s a pretty name, and I’m Joe.”

A short time later, they were under way. Rayne stood beside the boy as he piloted the boat, while enjoying the rush of wind in her hair.

“This is fun. How fast are we going?”

“About thirty knots,”

Rayne smiled. “Go faster.”

The boy increased their speed, causing the boat to jounce a bit, and Rayne howled with delight.

***

Gail returned home from work, happier than she had been in years, after learning of Jake and Kelli’s engagement.

She entered through the kitchen door and heard voices coming from the living room. One of the voices was Tate’s, but the other was female, and when she walked into the room, she saw that Tate had brought his daughter over.

“Gail, hi, let me introduce you to my daughter, Becca.”

Rebecca Tate had an air of innocence about her that Gail felt immediately, and to her surprise, the young woman greeted her with a hug.

“You were right, Daddy, she’s beautiful.”

Becca was blond and stood a little taller than Gail. Gail knew that the girl was developmentally challenged, and had expected to meet someone less capable than most, but she had not expected to feel the sense of loving acceptance that the girl radiated towards her. Tate had told her that Gail was his friend, and to Becca Tate, that meant that she was as good as family.

Gail hugged Becca back, while smiling at Tate.

“She’s adorable, and Becca, you’re very beautiful too.”

Becca released her and grinned.

“I’m so glad that Daddy has a friend. He’s been very sad since Mommy died.”

“Your daddy has cheered me up too, sweetie, and so have you; it’s so nice to meet you.”

“Are you hungry, Gail, I cooked,” Tate said.

“I’m famished, and I skipped lunch, plus I have news, my oldest son has gotten engaged.”

“That’s fantastic, and you’ve told me how much you like his girlfriend.”

“I’ve known her since she was a child and she’s a sweetheart. I couldn’t be happier.”

They sat down for dinner, and as Gail looked around her table, she smiled, while wondering if her days of eating alone were over for good.

***

Kelli arrived back at her apartment to find her mother sitting on the sofa with her bag packed.

Claire sent her a sheepish smile, and Kelli frowned.

“I can’t believe what you tried to do; don’t you know how devastated I’d be right now if your plan had succeeded?”

“Devastated, yes, but wiser.”

Kelli walked into the kitchen, sat her purse atop the table, and grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator.

“Jake passed your little test, Mom, and he also gave me this.”

Kelli extended her hand and Claire’s eyes boggled at the engagement ring, and then she rushed back into the living room, as tears fell from her eyes.

***

Shea O’Reilly took a seat in front of Delaney’s desk. She was dressed casually, because she was still on medical leave.

Delaney pointed to the motorcycle helmet she carried.

“You bought a bike?”

“Nah, but Hector has one, and he gave me a ride here.”

“I like that Hector, Shea, and he cried like a baby when he first saw you in the ER.”

“Hector’s my big teddy bear,” Shea said, and then she pointed at Delaney’s cluttered desk. “What’s all this stuff, part of a case?”

“Yeah, the B-Girl case. I’m still looking through things. I know the captain likes the homeless guy, John Byrd, for the perp, but I’m not convinced. This stuff belongs to the first victim, Selina Clayton.”

“So, hey, your boy Caliber finally pulled the trigger, huh?”

“Yeah, I was actually with him yesterday when he picked out the ring. Get this, the two of us walk in together and when Jake asked to see engagement rings, the girl behind the counter smiled at us and said that we made a cute couple.”

O’Reilly laughed.

“What did Caliber say?”

“He told the girl that our fling ended years ago, and that now we were just friends.”

“That Kelli is a lucky girl.”

“Jake’s the lucky one, Kelli’s an angel, but tell me, why are you here?”

“I want to join homicide.”

“Really? I thought Brooklyn Narcotics wanted you?”

“They do, and I know my chances for advancement are better there, but I liked it here as a uniform, and I want to stay here as a detective.”

Delaney grinned.

“That’s great, I would have missed you. I think you’ll close a lot of cases, you’re one sharp cookie, O’Reilly, but wait here a second, I’ve got to grab the paperwork and get the ball rolling.”

While Delaney was gone, Shea looked at the desk and spotted Selina Clayton’s high school yearbook. She glanced through it, while laughing at some of the captions beneath the photos. As she turned the pages, she came across photos of both women that had been slain by the killer, and also saw photos of Kelli as a teenager.

Towards the back of the book, she turned a page, and froze, as a photograph birthed an epiphany in her mind.

The photo was of six girls in cheerleader uniforms. From left to right, the girls were Selina Clayton, Shannon McKeown, Kelli Ross, and three others. All six girls were smiling, all six girls held pom poms, and all six girls were wearing tops with the capital letter B prominent on their front.

Beneath the picture was a caption.

The Bobcats’ cheerleaders are always ready to lead the cheers.

They were B-Girls, but the B stood for Bobcats, the name of the high school’s football team.

“Shit!”

Shea was sticking her hand in her purse to grab her phone when Delaney walked back into the office.

“Lieutenant, take a look at this.”

Delaney studied the photo, looked at Shea, and then back at the photo.

“Nah, it couldn’t... I mean it’s got nothing to do with... oh hell.”

Delaney snatched his phone off his belt, found Kelli’s number, and dialed.

There was no answer, just voicemail.

“I’ll call Jake and see if Kelli is with him. I hope to God she is, because I’m beginning to get a very bad feeling.”

***

At that moment, Jake was actually outside the building talking to Hector about his motorcycle, a Ducati Monster, whose top speed was well over a hundred miles per hour.

After answering his phone and hearing Delaney explain about the photograph and their failure to contact Kelli, Jake grabbed Hector by his collar.

“Give me the keys to your bike!”

“What?”

“My girl could be in trouble and I’ve got to get to her. Give me the keys!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Hector said, and fumbled the keys from his pocket. Seconds later, Jake rocketed away, as Hector watched in wonder.

***

Claire looked up at her daughter with red eyes.

I never believed that Jake would marry you. I thought that he was only using you, but even so, I still don’t trust him.”

Kelli sat down beside her, and then heard the faint ring of her phone from where it sat inside her purse on the kitchen table. The sound was muffled, and she ignored it and let it go to voicemail.

“Isn’t it enough that I trust him, Mom? After all, it’s my life.”

“You really love him, don’t you?”

“You know I do, and even when I was a girl I had a crush on him.”

Claire wiped at her eyes.

“I actually thought that you might wind up with his brother, Chris. You two seemed very close when you were younger, and I still think that if he hadn’t moved away that something would have developed there.”

“Chris and I were always just friends, but I think I loved Jake from the moment I saw him.”

“Let me see that ring again?”

Kelli held out her hand and Claire studied the ring.

“That diamond did not come cheaply.”

“Jake has money, family money from the business.”

“You wouldn’t know it to look at him.”

Kelli sighed.

“Can’t you say anything nice about him?”

“Yes.”

“What?”

“He was smart enough to win your heart, and baby, I truly hope you’ll be happy.”

The two women embraced, as the phone in the kitchen continued to go unanswered.

CHAPTER 20

The kid wasn’t wrong about his boat being fast and Shea was near Atlantic City before she realized it.

The kid, Joe, slowed the boat considerably, as Rayne searched ahead with binoculars.

“Why are you following this guy, Rayne?”

“I’m a P.I.; I work for Jake Caliber.”

“No shit, hell, that guy is like the best there is, you must be good too.”

“I just hope I’m good enough to catch up to this man, Hollie.”

“If he’s headed to AC, he’s ours, and you should spot that boat of his any minute.”

Rayne looked up at the sky.

“I’d better spot him soon, or it’ll be dark.”

She went back to searching and a few minutes later let out a shout.

“I got him, and I can even make out his white hair with these things.”

“Should I move closer?”

“No, we’ll just follow him for now, and good work.”

Joe grinned.

“I told you we’d catch him.”

Rayne attempted to use her phone but couldn’t get a signal.

“You have to use the radio out here, who did you want to call?”

“My partners, they’re inside one of the casinos.”

“If it becomes an emergency, I’ll call the Coast Guard and try to pass a message through.”

“How long would that take?”

“I’m not really sure, I’ve never tried it, but hey, what’s this guy up to?”

“We think he wants to murder two people.”

“Out here on the ocean?”

“No, they’re in the casino.”

“Then, why come out here?” Joe said, and as Rayne considered the question, she began to wonder if Hollie chose to arrive by boat for a reason she hadn’t considered.

***

Kelli hugged her mother as the two women stood in her doorway saying goodbye.

Claire Ross looked at her daughter and sighed.

“I hope I’m wrong about Jake, and that you’ll be very happy.”

“He loves me, Mom, and I trust him completely now. Please don’t ever try and break us up again.”

Claire picked up her suitcase. She was standing halfway in the hall, and with the door open, you could hear the sound of someone entering the building.

“When I get back home to Westchester, I’ll begin planning an engagement party for you.”

Kelli smiled.

“Really?”

“Yes, dear, and I’ll do my best to get along with—Aaaaahhhgg!”

Claire cried out in shock and Kelli looked on in horror as her mother’s face twisted in a grimace of agony.

“Mom! What’s wrong?”

Claire dropped the suitcase and slid down along the doorframe. That’s when Kelli saw the killer withdraw the long, blood-covered stiletto from her mother’s back.

***

Kelli let out a shriek of despair as she watched her mother hit the floor, then, turned and bolted for the kitchen.

The killer stumbled over Claire’s form in the doorway, but regained his balance and went in pursuit.

When he reached her, Kelli was dumping the contents of her purse atop the kitchen table, while mewing in fear at his approach. With his left hand, he grabbed her hair and yanked her backwards. Kelli screamed from the pain, but twisted in his grip, and sprayed him directly in the eyes with pepper spray.

***

Kelli felt a surge of hope as she heard the killer scream in pain, but could still not get free of his grip. The man was calling her a string of vile names, even as he attempted to wipe his eyes clear by rubbing his face upon his shoulder.

She reached out, gripped the edge of the countertop and pulled herself forward, lurching away from the madman with the knife, and in the process, she left a clump of her hair still firmly gripped in his hand.

The man made a swipe with the knife, but it was a move of desperation and Kelli could tell that the pepper spray had blinded him. More curses followed along with several arcs of the blade, and after each one, Kelli attempted to leave the kitchen, but then pulled back.

The killer was still in the way and if he swiped at her while she passed by, he could very well slice her open. She looked around through eyes filled with tears, and when she spotted the blades in the butcher block, she rushed over and removed the carving knife.

The sound of her footfalls gave away her position and the killer rushed towards her, while swinging his blade in an arc about chest high.

Kelli ducked below the swing, made a desperate thrust with her own blade, and buried it to the handle in the man’s abdomen. It was a sickening act, and the accompanying sensations, such as the spray of blood and the feel of squirming intestines, nearly made her vomit. The subsequent howl that erupted from the killer was so animalistic, that it made Kelli tremble.

***

The killer felt the blade enter his body and his considerable madness increased.

Killing the delicate, yet resourceful creature before him became all there was, and he reached down, felt the arm holding the blade, and followed it past the shoulder, to take hold of its tender neck, and to squeeze it as hard as he could.

The creature’s hand left the knife and began prying at the fingers squeezing the life from it, and although he could no longer see, he imagined the she-beast as he drove her to the floor, her back braced against a corner of the kitchen counter, with nowhere to run.

As choked cries of pain issued from her throat, the killer released her, raised his knife, and prepared to hack her to pieces.

***

Kelli couldn’t breathe, and the hand around her throat felt as if it were made of steel. She clawed at the ever-tightening fingers, drawing blood, but having no effect whatsoever, and then she felt herself being driven down to the floor and knew that she had only seconds to live.

When the hand at last loosened its grip, she felt the briefest moment of relief, before terror again gripped her heart, as she saw the killer raise his bloody blade high in preparation to strike. Kelli raised her right hand in a feeble attempt to ward off the inevitable thrust, and screamed one word from her damaged throat.

“Jake!”

***

The killer thrust the blade down and felt sweet pleasure as it sliced through the flesh of his victim, so much so, that a giggle escaped his lips. However, the laughter died in his throat, as he realized that he and his prey were no longer alone.

***

Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!

Jake fired frantically into the back and head of the killer and saw his shots tear the man to pieces.

He reached the body as it was still falling and shoved the fresh corpse backwards and away from Kelli, then made a choked sound in his throat as he saw her wound.

Kelli stared up at him with a mixture of pain, relief, and wonder, and then gazed at her hand, and the knife jammed through her palm up to its hilt.

Blood pulsed from the wound with each beat of her heart. Jake reached up, grabbed a dish towel, and wrapped it as tenderly as he could around the hand, while murmuring words of comfort. He then lifted Kelli from the floor, ran past her wounded mother in the doorway, and exited the building, and as he did so, a police car pulled up.

The cop that emerged from the passenger seat was Delaney’s friend, Tomás Rivera, and when he saw the embedded knife, and the blood dripping from the ends of Kelli’s fingertips, he cursed in Spanish, opened the rear door of the patrol car, and waved Jake over.

“The perp?”

“Dead, and there’s a woman inside who’s badly injured.”

“My mother,” Kelli said in a hoarse voice. “Jake, stay and help my mother.”

A second police car arrived and Jake kissed Kelli, and then watched as Rivera’s partner ferried her away to the hospital with the lights and siren going.

Minutes later, the three remaining cops and Jake gathered around Claire Ross while waiting for an ambulance, as it was determined that she shouldn’t be moved without proper care.

Claire was barely conscious, but Jake kneeled beside her in the hall and held her hand.

Her lips moved, but no sound could be discerned, and so Jake leaned over and put his ear to her mouth.

“Kelli?” she said.

“She’s safe.”

Claire gave a slight nod, and then passed out.

The ambulance arrived, and care was administered on the scene before they loaded her onto a stretcher and drove off.

Delaney arrived a moment later with Shea and Hector.

“Kelli?”

“Injured, but she’ll be okay, and I need to be with her.”

“I’ll take you.”

Jake pointed at Hector’s bike, which lay on its side near the steps. “Let me know if there’s any damage, and Hector, I owe you, brother.” He then went to O’Reilly.

“Thank you, Shea, if you hadn’t... thank you.”

O’Reilly winked.

“It was my first bit of detecting, not bad, huh?”

Jake laughed, reached down and gave her a heartfelt hug, and then left to be with his fiancée.

CHAPTER 21

Gail and Tate had just dropped Becca back at her group home when she received the call about Kelli’s attack.

She entered the hospital with Tate at her side, and when they reached the elevator, they found the old man and Maggie standing among a small group waiting to go up.

Gail gave the old man a hug, and then eyed him and Maggie.

“You two came together?”

Maggie nodded, as the old man extended a hand to Tate.

“We don’t seem to meet under pleasant circumstances, do we?”

Tate sent him a nervous smile.

“No sir, we don’t.”

The elevator came, and when they reached Kelli’s room, Tate decided to wait out in the hall for Gail.

“It’s all right if you come in.”

“No, I’ll wait here. I don’t even know the young lady, and as your father-in-law said, it’s not the best of circumstances.”

“All right, but I’ll introduce you to everyone soon.”

Tate smiled.

“I look forward to getting to know them.”

Gail left him, entered the room, and found Kelli in good spirits. Kelli’s hand was heavily bandaged and her throat was bruised. When she spoke, it was in a whisper, as she could speak no louder

Gail took her good hand and smiled down at her.

“You’ve had quite a day, young lady.”

“Yes, but right before you came, we learned that my mother will recover, although she suffered a punctured lung.”

“That’s excellent news.”

The old man looked over at Jake.

“What’s the story on this killer?”

“His name was Wayne McKay. He was a classmate of Kelli and the other girls, but it seems he’s spent the last nine years inside a mental hospital, that is, until he escaped over a month ago.”

Kelli shook her head in dismay.

“I don’t even remember him; I don’t know why he fixated on the six of us.”

“It probably all made sense in his sick mind,” Gail said. “And in reality, I guess our B-Girls had no connection to him at all, except as a red herring.”

Maggie looked at Gail.

“Since that’s true, are you going to change your decision about ending the service?”

“No, that decision stands, but at least now I know that the girls are safe.”

Jake was sitting beside Kelli’s bed, but he stood and offered his mother a seat.

“Thank you, honey, but no, I won’t be staying long... I’ve a friend in the hall waiting.”

“Who’s the friend?”

Gail hesitated, but then raised her chin and said, “It’s Jim Tate.”

Jake stared at her for a beat, and then went out into the hallway.

Gail watched him go with a worried look on her face.

“Gail,” the old man said.

She turned back and looked at him.

“It’s nice to see you with someone, daughter, and I hope it brings you happiness.”

Gail smiled, and then glanced at Maggie.

“I wish the same for you.”

Jake returned with Jim Tate, and led him over to the bed.

“Mr. Tate, I would like to introduce you to my soon-to-be bride, Kelli Ross.”

Kelli smiled at Tate and sent him a whispered greeting.

Tate smiled back.

“It’s nice to meet you, young lady, and it’s also nice to be welcomed.”

Gail mouthed the words, “Thank you,” to her son, and he sent her a wink in return.

***

Rayne had told Joe to use the radio to try to reach Chris and Velma through the Coast Guard, but so far there was no word back.

Darkness had fallen, but thanks to a moon that was nearly full, Rayne was able to keep Carter Hollie’s boat in sight.

Joe pointed ahead, where the lights of Atlantic City sparkled on shore.

“Something’s not right, that guy Hollie is getting too close to shore.”

“What will happen?”

“He’ll run aground, that’s what they call a Sharpie, it’s got a flat bottom that’s made for shallow water, hell, he might even make it to shore.”

“To shore?” Rayne said, and then she looked at the lights of the city again. “Oh my God, he’s not planning on going into the casino at all. He’s going to walk right up the beach to the windows and then open fire, and from inside, I doubt they can see anything outside because of the glare. Joe, you have got to get me in contact with somebody. We’re running out of time.

***

Inside the restaurant, Chris and Velma were sitting at the bar, while Merriweather and Chancellor played cards at a nearby table.

Jake had called and told them about Kelli being attacked, and also about their engagement. The news had made them both anxious to return to the city.

Velma smiled.

“Despite everything, I know Kelli must be in heaven. She’s wanted to marry Jake for a long time.”

“My big brother hit the jackpot there, Kelli’s the best.”

Velma reached over and took his hand.

“I want to say once again that I’m sorry about not telling you about Peter.”

“I know, and I’m past it. It’s just that a marriage is a big thing, even if it did only last a few days.”

“What skeletons are in your closet?”

“I stole a candy bar when I was nine, but I’ll never do it again. My butt still hurts from the whupping my dad gave me.”

“What was your father like, was he like the old man?”

“Some, but a little more laid back. I guess I take after him in that respect.”

“Speaking of family, I’ve actually been thinking of taking a trip back home soon. It’s been over a year since I’ve seen my family and friends back in Texas.”

“Would you like some company?”

Velma smiled.

“Yes, I would love for everyone to meet you.”

Chris looked around the empty restaurant.

“This day seems like it’s never going to end.”

“Yes, waiting for something to happen makes for a long day.”

Merriweather stood up from the table and pointed at the huge window that faced the beach.

“Hey, there’s something on fire out there, oh man, it looks like a boat.”

Chancellor followed him to the window to take a look and Velma and Chris left the bar and began walking that way as well. When the phone at the bar rang, Merriweather turned and spoke to Chris.

“Grab that will you, kid? And just let them know that we’re closed until tomorrow.”

“Right,” Chris said, as Velma reached the window and stood beside the clients.

“Hello, Winner’s Steakhouse... I’m Christopher Caliber... the Coast Guard?... oh, yes patch her through please.”

***

“Oh man,” Joe said. “The crazy bastard just set his boat on fire. Why would he do that?”

“He’s trying to draw them to the window. Oh God, Chris.”

The radio squawked and Joe snatched it up.

“Yeah, yeah, Mr. Caliber, she’s right here.”

Rayne took the radio from Joe.

“Chris?”

“It’s me, Rayne, what’s up?”

“Stay away from the windows and turn off the lights. Carter Hollie is on the beach.”

Rayne heard Chris say, “Oh my God,” and then he shouted Velma’s name, followed by the sound of gunfire. When she looked over at the beach, she saw the muzzle flash of a high-powered rifle.

***

“Velma! Get down, Hollie’s on the beach.”

Velma’s eyes grew wide and then she told Merriweather and Chancellor to get on the floor.

Chris knew that they were all exposed as long as the overhead lights were on, and so he looked for a switch to shut them off. That’s when his eyes fell upon the electrical control box in the hallway. He took out his gun and fired at it, just as a barrage of gunfire blew apart the glass wall.

Chris called into the sudden darkness.

“Velma!”

“We’re safe!”

“Stay with them. I’ll deal with Carter Hollie.”

“Do you see him?”

“Oh yeah, I see him.”

With the electrical power in the restaurant disabled, only the flames of the burning boat lit the beach, and reversed the advantage that Hollie had enjoyed. Now the restaurant was a black void, while Carter Hollie stood revealed, silhouetted against a fire that he himself had ignited.

Chris charged out of the blackness towards Carter Hollie with his gun arm extended.

“Drop the rifle!”

Hollie made a sound of contempt, raised his weapon, and received a 9mm round directly between his eyes.

As Chris stared down at him, he sensed movement coming from behind him, and watched as Velma stepped onto the sand, along with two casino guards.

“That was close,” Velma said.

“Yeah, it looks like this time we owe Rayne for saving us.”

“That’s what that call was?”

“Yes.”

“Merriweather and Chancellor were shaken up, but they’re fine. They were escorted away by casino security.”

Chris spotted a stain on the back of Velma’s blouse.

“You’re bleeding. Were you cut?”

“Yes, by the glass, but it’s not a deep cut and it’ll heal in a few days.”

One of the guards offered Chris a handheld radio.

“It’s for you, Mr. Caliber, A Rayne Carver.”

Chris took the radio.

“Rayne, we’re all safe, thanks to you.”

“Thank God, and Hollie?”

“Dead.”

“I’ll join you and Velma as soon as I can, but first we have to dock back at the Marina.”

“We’ll see you later, and thanks again.”

Chris handed back the radio just as the police arrived, and a long day became even longer.

CHAPTER 22

The old man stood outside Maggie’s apartment and gave her a kiss goodnight.

When they separated, Maggie smiled and took his hand.

“Why don’t you come on in and have a drink?”

“That sounds good, do you have beer?”

“Sure.”

They entered and Maggie pointed to a stack of cardboard boxes.

“As you can see, I’m still unpacking.”

“I hope you’re here to stay?”

“I am, thanks to your help, when I woke up this morning I felt like a failure, but with the Willoughby case solved, I’ve got my confidence back.”

They settled on the sofa together and Maggie turned sideways to look at the old man.

“Where do you live, Jake?”

“I have an apartment back at Caliber.”

“Oh, is that what’s down that little hallway by the elevator?”

“Yeah, years ago, the whole building was office space, but the detective agency has been in the same spot for decades. The man who owned the building left it to me in his will, and soon after that, Gail opened Caliber Investigations.”

“You know, I was watching TV that night when you saved the President, and to this day, it’s the bravest act I’ve ever seen.”

The old man reached over, took Maggie’s glass from her hand, and sat it on the coffee table. He then leaned over and kissed her, while letting his hands explore her body. When they parted, Maggie let out a sigh.

“Oh God, is this really going to happen?”

“I think that’s up to you, Maggie. Am I moving too fast?”

She grinned.

“Jake, neither one of us is getting any younger. Let me show you the bedroom.”

She took his hand, and the two of them rose from the couch.

***

It was nearly midnight when Chris and Velma stepped off the elevator and headed towards their rooms in the hotel.

To Velma’s shock, Peter Gates was sitting on the floor outside their door.

“Peter, what the hell are you doing here?”

“I came by to warn you.”

“Warn me about what?”

“My wife had me followed by some sleazebag P.I., no offense, and the dude took pictures of us, take a peek.”

Peter held up his phone and both Chris and Velma looked at it, as Peter scrolled through a set of four photos, photos that showed Velma entering and leaving Peter’s motel room, and two filmed through a gap in the window curtains, which showed them seemingly locked in a kiss.

Chris snatched the phone from Peter’s hand and held it up to Velma.

“What the hell, Velma?”

“That’s not what happened. Yes, I went to see him, and yes he kissed me, but I shoved him away and left.”

“Why did you go to see him?”

Peter gave Chris a playful punch on the arm.

“Oh, I think you know the answer to that, partner.”

Chris dropped the phone, twisted Gate’s arm behind his back, and shoved him face first into the wall.

“Touch me again, Gates, and see what happens.”

When Chris released Gates, the tall man moved away from him and rubbed his shoulder; he then bent down and scooped up his phone.

“You’re too sensitive, Caliber, but anyway, Velma, if you get a call from my wife’s lawyer, you’ll know why.”

Velma grabbed him by the arm.

“Tell Chris the truth, Peter. Tell him that nothing happened.”

“Yeah, Chris, nothing happened, Velma just stopped by to talk about old times,” Gates said, but he was smiling as he said it.

“Goddamn you, Peter, why are you trying to screw up my life?”

Gate’s face turned serious, and he touched Velma on the cheek.

“I still think we would have lasted if you hadn’t lost the baby.”

“Baby?” Chris said, and the look on his face was one of astonishment. “You were pregnant with his child?”

Velma wiped away a tear.

“Yes, but I miscarried early in the first trimester.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about it before? You know, like maybe before you said you had no more secrets.”

A man peeked his head out of a nearby room and shouted at them.

“Hey! People are trying to sleep, if you want to fight, fight in your room.”

“We’re sorry,” Velma said, and then she took out her keycard. When she turned back around, she saw that Gates was heading for the elevators.

“Peter, come back here and tell the truth.”

“The camera doesn’t lie, Vel, and thanks for the new memories.”

“Bastard!” she said, and then she and Chris entered the room. When she turned to look at him, she noticed that Chris was staring at her strangely.

“What? You don’t really think that I went to his motel room for sex, do you?”

“Why did you go?”

“I wanted to find out what he was up to.”

“Up to? He just happened to run into you in a casino, what would he be up to?”

“I... I did not sleep with him.”

“I saw the pictures, Velma.”

“He grabbed me and kissed me and then I pushed him away.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about the baby?”

“What?”

“The baby you lost, how come you never told me about it? Why are you keeping things from me?”

Velma rushed over and poked a finger in his chest.

“Listen, I don’t have to tell you every personal minute detail about my life. We’re not married, we’re not even engaged, so don’t keep demanding that I reveal my soul to you.”

“I just want a little honesty.”

“No, you want me to bare my soul.”

“What else is there, Velma? Is there another husband somewhere?”

“Another...? Oh Chris, just go to hell.”

Chris shook his head, dismayed.

“I don’t really know you, do I?”

Velma wiped away tears, and then rushed into the bathroom.

***

Trace Pruitt pretended to be getting ice as Chris stormed by him and onto the elevator. Once the elevator closed its doors, Pruitt took out his phone and dialed.

“Yes?”

“It’s Pruitt, oh mysterious client.”

“You have something to report?”

“Yeah, it looks like Velma Parker will be sleeping alone tonight; Caliber-lite just slammed the door and left the room. Hello? Damn, you could at least say thank you.”

***

Chris was on his fourth drink in the hotel bar when he looked out towards the lobby and saw Rayne headed for the elevators with an overnight bag hanging from her shoulder.

He dialed her number, and saw her answer just as the doors opened on the elevator.

“Rayne, it’s Chris, turn around.”

She did as he said, and then spoke into the phone.

“Where are you?”

“In the bar, come on in and I’ll buy you a drink.”

“At this hour? Aren’t you tired?”

“Come on, I could use a friend.”

Rayne turned and watch the doors close on the elevator.

“All right, but just a quick one, I’m beat. I just drove here from Sayreville after retrieving my car.”

“One drink,” Chris said.

***

Hours later, Rayne awoke to bright daylight, showered, and then slipped into a white, silk kimono. She had ordered coffee before showering, and heard room service knock on the door just as she stepped into her slippers.

With coffee in hand, she entered the bedroom and slid the glass door aside to sit out on the suite’s balcony. As she was removing her laptop from the overnight bag, a phone inside the bag began ringing, and she answered it.

“Yes?”

“It’s Pruitt; I just thought you’d want to know. Peter Gates is on a plane back to Texas.”

“Good.”

“And ah, listen, I think those pictures are worth a bonus, don’t you?”

Rayne sighed.

“Yes, Mr. Pruitt, and I’ll send along another money order, anything else.”

“Yeah, look, I don’t know who you are or what’s going on, but did you get what you wanted?”

Rayne looked back through the glass patio doors, where Christopher Caliber lay sleeping amid tangled sheets, naked and sated.

“Yes, Mr. Pruitt, I got exactly what I wanted.”

CALIBER DETECTIVE AGENCY - CRUCIBLE

By

REMINGTON KANE

Join my Mailing List and Learn about New Releases. Also, get access to FREE Books and Short Stories, including The TAKEN! ALPHABET SERIES, QUICK – A TANNER Short Story, and A LITTLE OFF THE TOP – A TANNER Short Story. REMINGTON KANE http://www.remingtonkane.com/contact.html

CHAPTER 1

When the elevator chimed its arrival on the second floor of the Caliber Building, those already present naturally gazed in its direction, to see who was about to step off.

However, what normally deserved but a glance of interest turned into long stares, as the doors of the elevator slid aside to reveal the old man and Maggie.

Two people elbowed their office mates, while others whispered, and the newly formed couple walked past them with nods and words of greeting as they made their way to Maggie’s desk.

Maggie smiled at the old man.

“I told you they would stare.”

“Let ‘em, and hopefully the two of us together will become a familiar sight.”

“Hopefully? There’s no hopefully, Jake Caliber, you’ve got me firmly on the hook, and ah, why don’t we really give them something to talk about?”

Maggie leaned in, put her arms around his neck, and kissed the old man, causing all activity in the office to stop.

When they parted, the old man looked around and saw several shocked faces.

Maggie grinned.

“Should I not have done that?”

The old man held her chin between two fingers and kissed her on the lips.

“I like your style, woman.”

The elevator chimed once more and Gail stepped off. When she saw the old man, she walked over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“I guess I’ll have to get used to seeing you down here more often now that Maggie works here, hmm?”

“Yes, and anyway, I’m in no hurry to get upstairs. Without Kelli there it won’t feel the same. I guess I have to make my own coffee too.”

Gail smiled.

“I’m looking out for you, you old goat. My new assistant, Lauren, will be filling in for Kelli until she returns. In fact, she should be there already.”

“She may be, I haven’t been up there yet.”

Gail looked perplexed.

“What do you mean? You live up there.”

Maggie answered.

“He didn’t make it home last night, Gail.”

For a moment, Gail appeared even more perplexed, and then she got it.

“Oh, I see, well um, I should be getting to my office. Have a great day you two.”

Maggie spoke to Jake as they watched Gail walk towards her office.

“I think I shocked her, and she doesn’t understand my attraction to you.”

“Neither do I, I’m just glad it’s there.”

Maggie gave him a peck on the lips.

“I have to get started on work, but I’ll come up and see you later?”

“Make sure you do that,” the old man said.

***

A short time later, when he stepped off the elevator on the third floor, the old man found Jake talking to Lauren in the outer office.

Lauren stood and introduced herself. She was an exotic-looking black woman with caramel-colored skin. Her reddish brown hair was curly and long, and her large eyes were blue.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.”

“You too, doll, but I thought Gail said you were new, and I’m sure I’ve seen you around the building before.”

“I’m a former B-Girl.”

The old man smiled.

“So is Kelli, Gail’s last assistant, and soon to be my granddaughter-in-law.”

“Yes, I was just congratulating your grandson on his engagement.”

The old man looked around, saw the coffee, and grinned.

Lauren followed his gaze and headed for the table in the corner that held the coffeemaker and cups.

“I was told you drink it black and strong; I hope I made it the way you like it.”

“I’m sure it’s fine.”

Lauren handed him a cup and the old man sighed as he took the first sip.

“That’s good, any new clients coming in today?”

“No sir, but there are two scheduled for Monday, the files are on your desk.”

Jake spoke up.

“It’s good that it’s calm today, it’ll give Chris and the girls time to decompress after Atlantic City.”

“Will there be anything else, Mr. Caliber?” Lauren said, and then she looked at Jake, “Either Mr. Caliber?”

The old man opened his office door.

“No, we’re good, Lauren, and welcome aboard.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Jake followed his grandfather into the office and over to the desk, where he sat atop a corner of it.

“That’s the same suit you had on yesterday.”

The old man chuckled.

“You don’t miss a thing, boy, do you?”

“I guess that means that you and Maggie are working out, and I’m glad, Granddad, she seems like a winner.”

“Thanks, and I’m so damn happy that you’re marrying Kelli that I could burst, but say, when does she get out of the hospital?”

“I’ll be picking her up later this morning. I’ll try to get back after lunch.”

“Don’t rush things; we’ll only be having our usual Friday meeting. You just see that Kelli has what she needs to recover.”

“She’ll be staying with her aunt in Brooklyn. Her place is still a crime scene.”

“Thank God you got there in time to stop that sick bastard that tried to kill her.”

“She barely needed my help. She had already blinded him and jammed a knife in his gut.”

“Yeah, Kelli’s a tough girl, and she belongs in the family, and speaking of family, have you talked to your brother yet today?”

“No, but he should be back in time for the meeting with Velma and Rayne, or at least to check in before going home.”

“That boy saved the clients and did the agency proud yesterday.”

“He’s got the grit, that’s for sure,” Jake said.

The old man stood.

“I have to go and change clothes.”

Jake put a hand on his shoulder, as a smile crossed his face.

“Did your father ever have a talk with you, you know, about girls?”

The old man grinned back at him.

“He sure did, I think it was in 1940, since then, I’ve sort of figured things out on my own.”

Jake laughed.

“Have you come to any conclusions?”

“Just one,”

“And what’s that?”

“That a good woman only gets better with age.”

CHAPTER 2

Chris Caliber awoke with a smile on his face, as he drifted out of a dream and into reality.

For just a moment, he was disoriented by his surroundings, but then remembered that he was away from home and staying at a hotel in Atlantic City. He yawned, and then sighed with pleasure as parts of the familiar dream replayed itself in his head.

Rayne, he had been dreaming of Rayne again, and as usual, he felt the twinge of guilt that came upon awakening from the fantasy. However, as his mind cleared of sleep, the memories sharpened, and he sat upright in bed as the truth hit him.

This time it had been no dream. This time he had actually been with her, and the guilt feelings that came from that realization were accompanied by a simple truth. Having Rayne, really having her, had been better than any dream of fantasy his mind had yet concocted.

“Rayne?”

She walked towards him from off the balcony, looking radiant in a white silk kimono, as a smile lit her eyes.

“Good morning,” she said, and then leaned over and kissed him on the lips.

Christopher sighed.

“Oh God, what did we do?”

Rayne sat on the side of the bed, facing him.

“I know that you’ve had more than your usual to drink, but I doubt it was enough to make you forget last night.”

Chris met her eyes, then, looked away.

“No, I remember everything.”

Rayne put a finger under his chin and turned his head back until he was gazing at her again.

“I’m not looking to cause you any trouble. What happens from here on is up to you.”

“What do you mean?”

Rayne sighed.

“I know you love Velma, and I only want to see you happy. If it makes you happy to be with her, then, I won’t cause trouble. She’ll only know about us if you tell her.”

“If? I feel like she’ll know the second she looks at me.”

“She won’t, didn’t you tell me last night that she’d been keeping secrets from you, and that you had no idea?”

“Yes, it’s why we argued, and why I wound up in that bar... and in your bed.”

Rayne placed her hand on his cheek and kissed him.

“I’ve wanted you for a long time, and I think it’s been mutual, no?”

Chris stared into her dark eyes, and then gazed downward, where a gap in the kimono exposed her cleavage.

“Yes, I’ve thought of you, I’ve even dreamed of you.”

Rayne kissed him again, and this time he returned it, then gasped, as he felt her hand take hold of him beneath the covers.

And in the midst of the gasp, Rayne slipped her tongue into his mouth, and once more, the fantasy came to life.

***

Down the hall, Velma sat at the small desk in her suite making travel plans.

She was going back to Texas. She had told Chris that she wanted to go back there to see her family, and that would be the reason she’d give for the trip, but she was actually going to track down her ex-husband, Peter Gates, who she learned had checked out of his motel. If she had to, she would beat the truth out of Gates.

She was certain of one thing, that his reappearance in her life was not a coincidence. Someone wanted her and Christopher to break up and Velma had little trouble thinking of a candidate. There was only one name on her list of suspects, and that name was Rayne Carver.

***

At that moment, in the West Texas town of Pachaw, Peter Gates’ current wife, Emmy, was cursing her husband’s name as she tripped over one of his metal detectors. She was a cute blonde of twenty-three and Gates’ fifth wife.

“Stupid things,” Emmy mumbled, as she went about cleaning up the trailer. In one of Peter’s shirt pockets she found a folded letter that had been written by a man in New York City. The man was a private detective named Trace Pruitt, and in the letter, Pruitt gave Gates a number to call, stating that it would be worth $500.00 to him if he visited New York City for a few days, but that everything would be explained once Gates had called.

Emmy kicked the metal detector. Gates had told her that he was visiting his grandmother because she had fallen and hurt her back.

Emmy grabbed her cell phone, and a few moments later, she heard the voice of Trace Pruitt.

“Pruitt Investigations.”

“Hey, my name is Emmy Gates and I want to know just what you’ve been up to with my husband.”

There was a pause, and then Pruitt spoke.

“Why don’t you ask your husband, lady? He should be back there soon.”

“If it’s illegal, I’ll put the law on you. Peter doesn’t need to be involved in anything shady.”

“Shady, like what?”

“Never mind, just stay away from my husband. He doesn’t know anything.”

“He doesn’t know anything about what?” Pruitt said, and heard the line disconnect. He was in his van, as was usual, since it also doubled as his office.

He had been driving along the Garden State Parkway while headed back to New York City, but now he decided to pull off the highway and do a little research.

After visiting the restroom of a convenience store, and grabbing a soft drink, Pruitt opened his laptop and researched the name, Peter Gates. He found a surprising amount about the Gates’ family in the Pachaw, Texas, local newspaper, and discovered that at one time, the Gates family had been wealthy. Twenty minutes into his search, he found Gates mentioned in the account of a home invasion robbery in which he was suspected of being a member of the home invasion team, although the police later described him as simply a person of interest.

Four home invaders robbed a mid-level drug lord in Houston, and also killed the man and his crew. A neighbor alerted the police, and the robbers were stopped on the highway atop a bridge by a roadblock. Two of them were captured in a shootout, while two others escaped by diving into the fast flowing river below the bridge.

One of the men was later discovered near the riverbank amid loose bills and an empty satchel. He had drowned and it was believed that the rest of the money was lost to the river. As police searched for the fourth man and possibly more of the money, they came upon a sinkhole in a stream that led down into a collapsed mineshaft. They then surmised that the fourth man had been sucked down the narrow vortex and drowned in an underground stream.

However, the alleged fourth man was fatally wounded in a separate shootout a day later in El Paso, and most of the money they’d stolen, as much as one million, according to various sources, was never recovered. The fourth man was named Randy Gates, and judging by the strong resemblance Pruitt saw, he had likely been a brother of Peter Gates.

Pruitt looked at the number on his laptop’s screen, one million, and then recalled Emmy Gates words, saying that Peter Gates didn’t need to be involved in anything shady again, suggesting that he had been in the past, such as a robbery, even if it was a robbery of a drug dealer.

Pruitt shook his head. If Peter Gates had even half that money, he wouldn’t have traveled back and forth from Texas for a measly $500.00.

Still, that little voice in his head was talking, whispering, and that little voice had rarely been wrong.

Pruitt typed in the name of a travel site and made a plane reservation for Texas, and then began dreaming of what he would do with a million dollars.

CHAPTER 3

Chris had just enough time to return to his room and get dressed before it was time to check out of the hotel. As he was hefting his overnight bag onto his shoulder, Velma knocked on the door.

Chris opened the door and stared at her, as a sickening certainty gripped his mind that she could tell he had been unfaithful.

“Hi,” Velma said.

“Good morning.”

“I didn’t sleep very well last night, did you?”

“No, I barely slept at all,” Chris said, as memories of his night with Rayne flashed through his mind.

Velma gestured with her head to the left, at Rayne’s room.

“Have you seen her?”

“Yes.”

“When?”

“Um, last night, she got here late and I spotted her as she was waiting for the elevator.”

“You were in the lobby?”

“I was in the bar.”

“Did she see you?”

“She had her back to me,” Chris answered, telling the truth while also lying through omission.

“Listen, Chris, about last night, I—”

Rayne’s door opened and she stepped into the hall with her overnight bag. She was wearing designer jeans along with a green, long-sleeved blouse, and her hair was worn long and loose.

“Good morning, you two.”

Velma answered her with a chilly good morning that Rayne couldn’t decipher, but when she glanced at Chris, she saw him shake his head slightly.

Rayne closed her door and sighed.

“I have to report in with the police about my part in the Carter Hollie case, and so I guess I’ll see you two back in New York later.”

Velma stared at her.

“When do we get to meet this new love of your life, you know, the guy in the sports car?”

“Actually, that ended, I found out that he was married.”

“Really? I’m surprised that he was able to hide that fact from a trained observer like yourself.”

“Yes, well, life would be so much easier if people just didn’t lie about who they really were, don’t you think, Velma?”

Velma’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Some people are more devious than others, but I’ve found that their type rarely gets what they want.”

Rayne shrugged.

“You may be right, but anyway, that relationship is over. You two drive safely, and if I don’t see you later at Caliber, have a great weekend, bye bye.”

As Rayne walked off, Chris felt a sense of relief, even as a part of him ached to go with her. He took his head in his hands. What the hell was wrong with him? He loved Velma, and Rayne was a friend, just a friend.

“You have a headache, don’t you,” Velma asked.

“A little, and I think I’ll skip breakfast.”

“I’ve already had room service, but just toast and coffee. Give me your keys and I’ll drive while you catch some sleep on the way back.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

Velma took the keys and they headed to the elevators.

“Chris?”

“Yes?”

“Um, remember I mentioned about going back to Texas to see my family? Well, I’ve decided to go.”

“When?”

“I’m flying out tonight, and, I think I want to go alone.”

“Oh,”

“You don’t mind do you?”

“No, I guess not, but when are you coming back?”

“I’ll be back Sunday afternoon.”

“That’s a quick trip. I’m sure my grandfather would let you have more time off.”

“That’s all right,” Velma said, as the elevator doors opened, and the faint scent of Rayne’s perfume still lingered inside the metal box. “I don’t want to leave you alone for too long.”

***

Twenty minutes later, they were driving along the Atlantic City Expressway as the guilt became too much for Chris to take. He told Velma to pull over onto the shoulder. She did so, and then turned to look at him with a worried face.

“What is it, are you ill?”

“No, I need to tell you about last night.”

Velma wiped at tears.

“I’m sorry, Chris.”

“What?”

“About last night, the things I said. I was wrong. You had every reason to be hurt that I’d hidden things from you, but I swear to you, I never slept with Peter. I simply went to his motel room to find out what he was up to.”

“I believe you, but listen, Velma, what I need to say is, last night at the bar I—”

“I want to start over.”

“What?”

“I want to put Peter Gates behind us and start over. Can you do that? Can we just pretend that the last two days never happened?”

“Start over?”

“Yes, please baby, I love you, Chris, and I never want to lose you.”

Chris stared at her.

“I love you, and I don’t want to lose you either, so... yes, we’ll pretend that the last two days never happened.”

They embraced amid kisses, and soon, Velma pulled back onto the road.

“Chris.”

“Yes?”

“About Rayne, I’ve a feeling that she may still want you.”

Chris had to steady his breathing before he could ask the question.

“What makes you say that?”

“It’s just a hunch, so let me know if she shows any signs of that from here on, and I’ll straighten her out.”

“Yes, I’ll let you know.”

Chris closed his eyes, and soon slept, and once more Rayne Carver invaded his dreams.

CHAPTER 4

Pachaw, Texas

––––––––

Peter Gates managed to duck just in time to avoid being brained by the boot thrown at him by his wife, Emmy.

“I know you went to New York City, you liar, and I want that five-hundred dollars too.”

“Calm down, Emmy, and who the hell told you about New York?”

Emmy held out the letter from Trace Pruitt.

“I found this.”

Gates hung his head.

“Shit, I thought I’d lost that while I was out digging.”

“What were you doing in New York? I told you that if you ever did anything illegal like your brother did that we would be through, and I meant it.”

“Calm down, what I did wasn’t illegal. I just had to show up in New York, and then Atlantic City, so that I could speak to an old friend.”

“Why would somebody pay you to do that?”

“I don’t know and I don’t care, but I promise, I didn’t do anything illegal.”

“Where’s the money?”

“I spent it already.”

“Five-hundred dollars? On what?”

“A new metal detector,”

“Peter, are you stupid or something, you’ve already got three of them.”

“Yeah, but two of them don’t work and this new one is twice as good as the one I got.”

“Why can’t you have a hobby that brings in money, like selling stuff on the Internet or something. You’ve been out in that desert for over a year and haven’t found a thing.”

Peter smiled.

“I’ll find something soon, don’t you worry.”

“I know, you think that money from the robbery is hidden here, but baby, I think you would have found it by now, you’ve covered almost every bit of the land your brother could have buried it on.”

Peter rushed over to a map on the trailer wall.

“One more grid, Emmy, just one more grid is left to search and so that must be where it is.”

“How long will that take you to search?”

“Oh, another month or so.”

Emmy smirked.

“You’ve run out of time.”

“What’s that mean?”

“Roxana was released from prison yesterday. I bet you that she’s on her way back here and won’t be too happy that you’ve been looking for that money on your own.”

Peter headed for the door, and Emmy rushed after him, calling to him as he ran down the trailer’s steps.

“Where are you going?”

Peter was at the car and removing a new metal detector from the back seat.

“I’m going out to look for that strongbox again, hell, maybe I can find it before Roxana gets here.”

“You’re crazy, but listen, I’m going into town to shop for food, so give me some money.”

“There was sixty dollars left from the five-hundred, it’s in my jacket pocket. The jacket is in the car.”

“Weren’t you supposed to work this weekend? Don’t wear yourself out in that desert.”

“I’m not going in tonight, and I’m going to stay out here until I find that money.”

“Peter, that money ain’t here or you would have found it by now. And damn it, don’t get fired from another job or I’ll have to go back to cleaning out the cages at Dr. Penn’s place, and I hate cleaning out cages.”

“I’ll find it, you’ll see.”

Emmy scowled as she watched Gates stride out towards the hills that bordered the property, and then afterwards, she went back inside to change and grab her shopping list.

When she got in the car, she found the promised sixty dollars inside Peter’s jacket, along with something else, his cell phone.

Emmy scrolled through the call log and found several calls from Trace Pruitt, including one that had attachments, photos. More searching brought up the photos of Gates with Velma, photos that made it appear as if they had slept together.

“An old friend,” Emmy muttered, as her hand gripped the phone tightly.

Emmy wiped at tears while studying Velma’s face, and made a vow to herself that she would not only pay back Peter for cheating, but given the chance, she would repay his lover as well.

A swipe at one last tear, and then Emmy Gates turned from the emotion of betrayal, and began forming plans for revenge.

CHAPTER 5

The old man grabbed his fedora and headed for the elevator.

Lauren stood and smiled at him.

“Stepping out, Mr. Caliber?”

“Yeah, doll, I tend to take a walk most days, plus, I’m almost out of cigars.”

“Ms. Ross called and asked me to make certain that you carried your phone with you if you left the premises, sir. Is it on your person?”

“It is,” the old man said, and then he studied her.

“Is something wrong, sir?”

“No, but you were an army brat, weren’t you?”

Lauren grinned.

“How did you know that?”

“It’s something about your demeanor, so where did you grow up?”

“Oh, my father moved us about quite a bit. I’ve lived in Europe, Japan, Africa, and even a year in South America, although, we never settled in one place for very long while there.”

“It sounds interesting, but I hope you’ll stay put for a while; I know that Gail could use your help.”

“I plan to, sir. I like New York City a great deal.”

“It’s the best, and I’ll see you later, doll.”

***

Once outside, the old man lit his last cigar and then had a thought.

He smiled when he figured out how to find a name and number in the phone’s address book, and soon Maggie’s voice filled his ear.

“Hi handsome, what’s up?”

“Can you break free for a little while?”

“Yes, and I was actually about to come up and visit you.”

“I’m out in front of the building. I usually take a walk around this time of day.”

“I’ll be right there.”

After putting away his phone, the old man looked across the street, where a new, glass tower stood. He had liked the old brick building that once sat there, and in his younger days had dated many secretaries and assistants who had worked in the insurance offices and medical practices the old building housed. The new tower didn’t match anything else on the block, and looked to the old man like a shiny dime among pennies.

Maggie appeared two minutes later with a smile on her face.

“This is something else we have in common; I normally take a walk on my lunch hour.”

“It’ll be good to have company. Jakey used to tag along when he was a kid, but now he just goes to the gym and works out.”

“I asked Gail to join me, but she prefers to run in the mornings.”

The old man offered her his arm.

“I guess it’s just you and me, kid.”

Maggie linked her arm through his.

“You won’t hear me complain.”

***

Pachaw, Texas

––––––––

Emmy Gates smiled as she spotted her sister-in-law, Roxana, who was getting off the bus in front of the post office. Emmy had gone shopping, and while driving back home, she stopped at a traffic light and saw Roxana.

Emmy pulled up beside Roxana and saw the street-smart woman look at her suspiciously until she recognized her. Roxana Gates had reached thirty-five the hard way, while spending nearly a third of those years behind bars for prostitution and drug charges. Her black hair was long, and her lean curves were feminine, but tough.

“Hi, Roxana.”

“Hey there, Emmy, you still married to that no account, Peter?”

“I’m married to him, but sometimes he forgets he’s married to me, but hop in, and I’ll give you a ride to our place.”

“I thought you two lost that house?”

“We did, in a foreclosure, but Peter bought an old trailer home, and we’ve been living on your land.”

“What land?”

“That piece of desert off the old county road. Peter said that his daddy gave it to you and Randy when you married.”

Roxana laughed.

“Honey, here’s a hint for you, if Peter’s lips are moving, he’s lying. That land ain’t mine; it belongs to Peter. His daddy gave it to him when he thought he was going to have a kid of his own years ago.”

“What?”

“That’s right, now let’s see, that would have been his second wife, a real tasty blonde she was. Her name was Velda something or other, no wait, Velma, her name was Velma, and I’ll be damned if Peter didn’t knock her up when she was still a child herself.”

“You say she was a blonde?”

“Yeah, why?”

Emmy took out Peter’s phone and showed Roxana the photos taken by Trace Pruitt in Atlantic City.

Roxana smiled.

“Well now, that’s her all right, and it looks like Peter is getting nostalgic with her, if you know what I mean.”

“Roxana, did Randy tell you where he hid the money before the cops killed him?”

“No, he couldn’t talk to me, the cops were questioning me about the home invasion, besides, that money was either found or got washed down a sinkhole, remember? The cops only found a few thousand.”

“I think Randy buried at least some of that money and told Peter, and I think the money is hidden on that land our trailer sits on. Peter’s been searching it with metal detectors ever since the robbery, which means it’s probably buried in a metal box.”

Roxana sat back in her seat and pursed her lips as she thought that over.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Peter’s searched every bit of that land except for one grid, and with his luck, that’s where the money is, the last place he’d look.”

Emmy held up the phone that showed a photo of Peter and Velma.

“I want to take that money from him and pay him back for cheating on me, but I can’t do it alone, will you help me, and then we can split it fifty-fifty, all right?”

Roxana looked over at her trusting sister-in-law and smiled.

“I’ll help you, and when we find that money, we’ll split it.”

Emmy reached across the seat and hugged her, and Roxana thought she just might cry, if, when all was said and done, the little dumb bitch had to be put down.

***

New York City

––––––––

Gail kissed Christopher on the cheek and stared into his eyes, as Velma stood nearby and watched.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, Mom, I did what needed to be done in Atlantic City and I don’t regret it.”

Gail sighed.

“Why do the men in this family lead such violent lives?”

“We do it because it’s needed and we’re good at it. I know now that I would have been miserable as a lawyer. That doesn’t mean that I’ll be a P.I. forever, but for now, it’s right for me.”

“You did save lives, and so I’m proud of you, but I’ll never stop worrying about you or your brother.”

“What about Granddad, don’t you worry about him too?”

Gail grinned.

“Your grandfather is too ornery to die, and you might like to know that he and Maggie are now officially an item.”

Velma stepped forward.

“That’s great; I’m happy for both of them.”

“Maggie certainly surprised me when she told me she was interested in him, but then, the old goat always did attract more than his share of women.”

Velma kissed Chris.

“It runs in the family.”

Chris smiled weakly at that, as once again a stab of guilt went through him.

Jake entered the office and Chris and Velma congratulated him on his engagement, and then asked about Kelli.

“She’s good,” Jake said. “Her voice is recovering and the bruises on her throat are fading, but she’ll need time and therapy for her hand. We’ve also postponed the celebration dinner that Granddad planned for us until she’s feeling better.”

“I’m glad it’s been rescheduled since I’ll be out of town this weekend,” Velma said, “but I can’t wait to see Kelli; I know she must be ecstatic about her engagement.”

When Gail and Velma began talking about Kelli’s ring, Chris pulled his brother aside.

“I need to talk to you, but not now, later, and over a beer.”

Jake studied him.

“I know that look, what did you do?”

“Oh no, is it that obvious?”

“Not really, but I am your brother, and if you want to talk about it over a beer it must be serious.”

“Velma is flying home to Texas and I’m dropping her off at the airport this evening, but we could meet afterwards, say, eight o’clock?”

“Fine, but hey, are you okay, Little Brother?”

“I’m good; I just need to talk something out with you.”

“I’ll meet you at eight, at O'Malley's Tavern, okay?”

“Yeah, and thanks.”

Velma walked over.

“Why don’t we go upstairs?”

Jake answered her.

“Let’s wait for Rayne to arrive, she called and said that she should be here any minute.”

“Oh goody,” Velma said.

“You have a problem with Rayne, Velma?” Jake asked.

“No, not as long as she stays away from Chris, and now that she’s dumped her new boyfriend, I think she may have eyes on him again.”

“I see,” Jake said, and then stared at Chris, and suddenly he had an idea what Chris wanted to talk about later.

***

Rayne pulled into the lot of a car dealership in Midtown Manhattan, and headed to the service desk to drop her vehicle off for routine maintenance.

When she was done, she took a short subway ride, and then began walking towards the Caliber building.

As she strolled, she thought about the previous night, and about Chris.

She would have him for herself someday, of that, she was sure, and she was clever enough to go at it incrementally because she was patient. Her ability to be patient, to plan and execute, had always been her greatest strength as an investigator, and would also serve her well in love.

She loved Chris, and had realized just how much she loved him on the day he risked his own life to climb down a mountain and save her from falling to her death. She also knew that Chris loved Velma, but felt that she had a chance with Chris, because on more than one occasion she had caught him watching her.

She smiled as she thought about what happened that morning after Chris awakened. He claimed to be full of guilt over their night of passion, but that guilt didn’t stop him from disrobing her and making love once again.

As she approached the front doors of the Caliber building, she wiped the smile from her face, calmed herself, and put on a serious demeanor. She would keep her promise to Chris and not say a word to Velma, because she had not lied when she said she didn’t want to hurt him.

If Chris truly loved Velma, then, he would stay with her, and she would accept that. Rayne had promised herself that she would accept it, but she was betting that their love wouldn’t last, and that Chris would be unable to forget their one night together and come back for more.

She had spoken to Jake and learned that they were gathered together in Gail’s office, and so, she went there first.

***

Rayne stood on her toes and gave Jake a kiss on the cheek.

“Congratulations on your engagement, and how’s Kelli doing?”

“Thanks, and Kelli’s doing good, but why don’t we all get this meeting over with so we can start the weekend early?”

Rayne agreed, turned, and followed Jake, with Chris and Velma following along behind her. Once they were in the elevator, she made a point of standing away from Chris, and never letting her eyes linger on him for too long.

It was tough to pretend disinterest, but she could be patient, and she would be, for after all, it was patience that placed Chris in her bed in the first place, patience, planning, and a little time, and Chris would be all hers.

CHAPTER 6

Pachaw, Texas

––––––––

Roxana was inside Emmy and Peter’s trailer. She was studying Peter’s map and noted that every grid but one was X’d out.

“Why did he save that area for last?”

Emmy answered her as she handed over a bottle of beer.

“That country back that way is all hilly and full of rocks, boulders really.”

“Maybe Randy hid the strongbox under one of those.”

“Maybe,” Emmy said, “But Peter doesn’t think so, he says that Randy wouldn’t have been able to move them by himself, and they are huge.”

“Where is Peter now?”

“He’s out there somewhere, and he could find that money at any minute, so we have to move fast.”

“I hear you, and I’ve seen enough, take me back to town.”

“Okay, but when will you be back?”

Roxana grinned.

“When I come back for that money, you’ll know it.”

***

New York City

––––––––

When they stepped off the elevator, Jake introduced Chris, Velma, and Rayne, to Lauren, while explaining that she was his mother’s new assistant and was just filling in for Kelli.

Chris sent her a bright smile, while Velma and Rayne were courteous, but eyed the beautiful young woman with a bit of envy, as Lauren’s looks could be described as exotic.

The four detectives joined the old man in the office, and when the food arrived from Joe’s Deli, everyone ate and talked about their weekend plans.

“I’m going with Kelli tomorrow to visit her mother in the hospital, and then we’ll probably spend the rest of the weekend relaxing,” Jake said. “Kelli’s hand needs time to heal, but she plans to be back here as soon as possible.”

Rayne looked over at Velma, after it was revealed that Velma planned to go home to visit her family in Texas.

“Do you come from a large family, Velma?”

“Not especially, and you?”

“I’m an only child.”

“That’s reassuring,” Velma said.

Rayne then turned her gaze on Chris, and spoke in as nonchalant a manner as she could muster.

“What do you plan to do while Velma’s gone?”

Chris had been about to take a bite from his sandwich, a corned beef on rye, but stopped with the food inches from his mouth.

“I won’t be doing that again, I mean, I won’t be doing anything, and I’ll probably just catch up on my reading.”

“And what about you, Rayne, any plans?” Velma said.

“No, but something will come up. Maybe a friend will drop by and we’ll pick up where we left off.”

Chris coughed as he nearly choked on his food, but after a sip from his bottle of iced tea, he recovered.

Jake watched him for a moment, and then asked his grandfather a question.

“Do you have plans this weekend?”

“I do. Maggie and I are going to see a matinee at the theater tomorrow, a play.”

“Please tell me it’s not a musical,” Jake said.

“It’s not, thank God.”

Velma and Rayne said, “What’s wrong with musicals?” at the same time, and all three men laughed at them.

With the food eaten, they began the usual Friday afternoon meeting.

“It was a great week,” the old man said. “Jakey stopped the B-Girl killer, and Rayne, Chris, Velma, you guys did topnotch work there in Atlantic City. Skeeter and Bones called me this morning and said any of us can eat for free at their steakhouse.”

Velma held up a section of the newspaper.

“Did anyone else notice this? Bart Jansen is marrying his father’s ex-wife, Veronica.”

“Who’s Bart Jansen?” Rayne asked, and Jake explained.

“Victor Jansen was a former client who thought that someone was trying to kill him, and he was right. While working the case, I found out that his young wife, Veronica, was cheating on him with his son, Bart.”

“Tacky, to say the least,” Rayne said, as Velma handed her the newspaper. After looking at the photo, Rayne held it up. “Is that a baby bump I see?”

“Yes,” Velma said, “And I would guess that’s also why they’re marrying.”

“Hey Velma,” Jake said. “You once worked for the Sam Sloan Agency in Vegas, right?”

“Yes, for years, why?”

“I heard through the grapevine that the agency closed.”

“Oh, that’s such a shame, but how did that happen? They were very successful and had been around forever.”

“Sam Sloan’s son, Jackson Sloan, he died after a long illness, and between medical costs and back taxes, things fell apart.”

“What about Sam Sloan Jr., Jackson’s younger brother, is he all right?”

“Word is, he’s the reason the agency failed, I guess he’s got no head for business.”

Velma looked lost amid memories, as she said, “No, Sam was always a free spirit.”

“That’s a real shame,” the old man said. “I believe the original Sam once told me that he started that agency in the 1950’s, and staying afloat ain’t easy. Without Velma, the first Velma, this place would have tanked too, the woman was a whiz with the books, and she kept me on my toes.”

They discussed other news, but soon the old man steered the conversation back to current business, and after a few minutes more, brought the meeting to a close.

“I’ll see you all back here on Monday.”

They said goodbye and filed out of the room and into the outer office, where Lauren greeted them with a smile.

As they rode down in the elevator, Rayne once again made it a point to stand apart from Chris, even as she noticed that Jake was watching her.

She reasoned that Chris must have told his brother about them, and if so, it would be only a matter of time before he confessed to Velma as well.

All the better if he did, Rayne thought, as her confidence in the final outcome was high.

The four of them left the building, and while Chris, Velma, and Jake, headed right, towards the parking garage, Rayne walked off to the left, towards the subway, after having dropped her car off earlier for servicing.

She had wished Velma a good flight to Texas, and she meant it, because she was certain that before the weekend was over that Christopher Caliber would be showing up on her doorstep. Once that happened, she would be sure that he wanted more than her body, and that she had found her way into his heart.

Rayne settled herself upon a seat on the subway and gazed about at all the people, most of whom appeared either bored or weary.

She was neither of those things, for she had hope of love, and on her lips was a secret smile.

CHAPTER 7

Pachaw, Texas

––––––––

Roxana stepped from the air-conditioned comfort of Emmy’s car and out into the hot desert air.

“Thanks for the ride, Emmy.”

Emmy looked past Roxana to the Roadhouse Bar & Grill, where more than a dozen motorcycles sat in the sun.

“Are you sure you want to go in there? That place looks dangerous.”

Roxana smiled.

“It is.”

She checked out the bikes as Emmy rode off and realized that she recognized most of them. That was good, because she had been inside for over a year this time and had wondered if many of the old group would still be around.

She walked up the steps, placed one hand on the door and the other over her closed eyes. She was giving her pupils a chance to dilate, so that she wouldn’t be sun-blind when she entered the dark tavern.

When she was ready, Roxana opened the door and watched every head in the bar turn to look at her.

“Holy shit! It’s Roxie.”

Those words came from a man named Hombre, he was wearing a leather vest over his bare chest and was one of several men dressed that way. They were all members of the same motorcycle gang, Diablo’s Doubles.

Roxana walked over to the bar, smiling, and was soon swigging cold beer from a mug while catching up with the gang.

When it was just her and Hombre left at the bar, Roxana asked a question.

“Is Bronco around?”

“I was wondering when you’d ask,” Hombre said. He was a wide man, although not fat, and he wore his dark hair in a long single braid down his back, while his bushy beard had specks of white.

“I might have something that Bronco would be interested in.”

“How much?”

“It could be half a million, maybe even more than that.”

Hombre nodded.

“Hell, we ain’t seen that kind of money since before the Cartels took over, but what is it, H?”

“No heroin, it’s cash, good old cash.”

Hombre stared at her.

“Bronco’s got a new bitch, some stripper named Sophia, and you really gutted him when you went and married that Gates dude.”

“Is the new bitch bringing him half a million dollars?”

“I get you, but business is one thing, and you and him back together, that’s another.”

Roxana smiled.

“He’ll take me back.”

They drank another round and then squinted against the glare, as the door opened and let in the bright day.

Bronco blinked several times to adjust his vision, and then blinked several more after spotting Roxana.

“Well, I’ll be damned.”

Bronco was a large man with a muscular build and a mane of dark blond hair. His eyes were an emerald green, and his back, chest, and arms, were covered in tattoos.

Standing beside Bronco was a nineteen-year-old woman in a tight pair of denim shorts and a halter-top that barely contained her enormous breasts. She watched Bronco stare at Roxana, and after snapping her gum, she pointed at her.

“Who’s the old bitch, Bronco, your grandmother?”

Roxana walked over smiling, and then elbowed the girl on the side of her head.

The girl fell to the floor as if she were suddenly devoid of bones, and the men in the bar broke up in laughter.

Bronco reached over and cupped Roxana’s face in his hand.

“You’re back?”

“I’m back, and I’ve brought a gift.”

Bronco’s hand left her face and he put an arm around her.

“We’ll talk later, right now, we’re heading for the back room.”

As they walked past him, Hombre pointed towards the girl on the floor.

“What about Sophia?”

Bronco slapped him on the back.

“She’s yours if you want her.”

“Hell yeah,” Hombre said, he then walked over, tossed the still senseless Sophia over his shoulder, and headed for the men’s room.

***

New York City, 7:59 p.m.

––––––––

Chris opened the door of O'Malley's Tavern, and then he held it open to let a young woman pass through.

“Hello, Lauren.”

“Mr. Caliber, it’s nice to see you again.”

“Same here, and call me Chris; Mr. Caliber is my grandfather.”

They entered the bar and Chris spotted his brother, and also two other familiar faces. They were Leslie and Karen, two of the former B-Girls. Chris waved to them as he spoke to Lauren.

“Are you here to meet them?”

“Yes, and I see your brother is here as well.”

“Yeah, well, I’ll see you around, Lauren.”

“Goodbye, Mr. Caliber.”

“Chris.”

Lauren smiled.

“Yes, Chris.”

Chris joined his brother at a table near the back and ordered a beer.

“Was that Lauren I saw you with?” Jake asked.

“Yeah, she’s here meeting Leslie and Karen.”

“I guess the three of them became friends when they all worked at Caliber, but never mind that, what do you want to talk about?”

Chris’s beer came and he took a long swallow, sighed in satisfaction, and then blurted it out.

“I slept with Rayne while we were in Atlantic City.”

Jake nodded.

“I thought that might be it, but where was Velma while that was going on?”

“We had a fight. She’s been keeping certain parts of her past a secret and this weekend it all came out.”

“How did it come out, she told you about it?”

“No, I learned it all from her ex-husband... her first ex-husband, from when she lived in Texas. His name is Peter Gates, and Velma also went to see him at his motel and didn’t tell me.”

“You’re saying she slept with this guy Gates?”

Chris hesitated, but then answered.

“No, I don’t believe so, but she did keep him a secret, along with other things.”

“Hey, Chris, Velma’s always been on the secretive side. How long did we all know her before we learned about her other husband, Michael? And don’t forget, the reason she came here in the first place was to be a sort of undercover agent for Mother. The girl likes keeping secrets, and she may have more.”

“So you’re saying that I shouldn’t trust her?”

“No, I’m just saying that it’s part of who she is. I also think that she really loves you, and up until now, I thought that you loved her back.”

“I do love her.”

“Then why were you in Rayne’s bed last night?”

“I don’t know.”

“Was it just sex... or something more?”

Chris took another long gulp of beer and then grabbed a handful of peanuts from the bowl on the table.

“I’m attracted to Rayne, and... it’s not all physical, but I love Velma and I don’t want to lose her.”

“If that’s true, you’d better tell her about what happened before Rayne does.”

“Rayne told me that she won’t say a word. She said that she wasn’t looking to mess me up with Velma, and I believe her.”

“Shit.”

“What?”

“If she wasn’t lying, then, that means she’s in love with you.”

“You think that Rayne loves me?”

“She’s had a thing for you since you first met and then you saved her life, so yeah, I think she might really love you.”

Chris leaned back in his seat, a small smile playing on his lips.

Jake pointed at him.

“That smile worries me.”

“Was I smiling?”

“Yes you were.”

Chris smiled once again, and Jake hung his head and sighed.

***

Across the bar, Lauren was getting an offer from Leslie and Karen. Leslie was a twenty-one-year-old blonde, while Karen was nineteen, and a brunette.

“You want to start up the B-Girls again?”

“Why not?” Leslie said. “As we reminded Mrs. Caliber, it’s a profitable business.”

“I’m sure it is, but it would take a lot of capital to rebuild it. You would need office space, a management structure, and loads of advertising, and advertising is not cheap.”

“We’ll handle the expenses if you’ll agree to run things and also work as a B-Girl.”

“You have that kind of money?” Lauren asked.

Karen smiled.

“We have enough to start, and we’ve thought up a few ways that things could be tweaked in order to cut costs. So what do you say? We’ll cover the expenses and do the bookkeeping, while you handle the clients and the girls, and we split the profit three ways.”

“It sounds like I would be doing most of the heavy lifting, no?”

“You will be, that’s true, but we have the capital and the business plan.”

“I’ll have to pass. Mrs. Caliber has hired me to work as her assistant.”

“Really?” Leslie said, and then she and Karen exchanged disappointed glances.

“Yes, and so far I like the job, but I’ll be filling in for Kelli Ross for a while.”

“Oh, yeah, she was hurt by the B-Girl Killer, wasn’t she?” Karen said.

“Yes, but she’ll be back to work in a short time. So, what else have you two been up to?”

“Nothing much,” Leslie said. “But I see you move fast, or did you think we wouldn’t notice that you and Chris Caliber came here together.”

“Mr. Caliber and I didn’t come here together, we just happened to arrive at the same time.”

Karen sent her a wink.

“Whatever you say,”

Lauren knew that they were kidding her, but it irked her anyway, she then looked across the bar at Chris, and for the first time, really noticed him.

***

Jake had ordered another round of beers and he and Chris continued to talk.

Jake shrugged.

“Okay, you slept with Rayne once and got it out of your system. Now be honest with Velma, beg her to forgive you, and move on.”

“Twice.”

“What?”

“I actually slept with Rayne twice. We made love again this morning before I left her room.”

Jake threw his hands in the air.

“This is a mess.”

“I know it is, and the truth is, I want them both.”

“That’s not going to happen, Little Brother, and so you’ll have to choose.”

“That’s easy; I choose Velma.”

“And you’ll tell her what happened between you and Rayne?”

“I... I don’t know about that.”

“You want my opinion, tell her, or someday Rayne will.”

“Rayne will keep quiet. She’s a woman of her word.”

“And Velma, what’s she?”

“Velma is a woman who likes to keep secrets.”

“If that’s true, then, how can you be so sure that she’s really going to Texas to see her family? Didn’t you say this Peter Gates guy was from Texas too?”

Chris put down his beer, and did it a little harder than was needed.

“She wouldn’t do that, not after promising me that there would be no more secrets.”

Jake held up a hand.

“I’m probably wrong and it’s my suspicious P.I. brain talking. But you know, as long as you keep what happened with Rayne a secret, you’ve got no moral ground to stand on.”

Chris sighed.

“I’ll tell her as soon as she gets back, and hell, I doubt I could live with it anyway.”

“Good man.”

“You cheated on Kelli, and now look at you, you’re about to get married to her, so, maybe Velma will forgive me too.”

Jake held up his beer mug.

“Here’s to history repeating itself.”

Chris clinked glasses and smiled.

“Thanks, Jake, I know what I have to do now. I also feel better after talking with you.”

“That’s what big brothers are for squirt.”

Chris smiled back at his brother, even as the thought nagged at him that Velma might have lied again.

***

At that very moment, Velma was boarding her flight to El Paso, Texas.

The flight was full, and as she made her way down the aisle, she noticed a man staring at her. As a good looking woman, Velma was used to being eyed by men, but the handsome man with the dark wavy hair seemed to be looking at her with something more akin to recognition.

When the man realized that he was staring, he looked down and pretended to be checking his seatbelt. Velma soon moved past him along the aisle and gave him no more thought.

***

Trace Pruitt sighed with relief as Velma went by without saying anything, but then he wondered what she was doing on the flight. She obviously had no more feelings for Peter Gates, but then why fly to El Paso, Texas, which was only a short drive from Gates’ home in Pachaw? Was she going there to look for the drug money too?

Pruitt took out his phone, turned it back on, and made a call.

“Mr. Pruitt? I thought our business was concluded?”

“So did I, Madam X, but I thought you might like to know that Velma Parker is on a flight to El Paso, and El Paso is very near to where Peter Gates lives.”

“She’s trying to find me through Gates, and Gates will lead her to you. By the way, why are you on a flight to El Paso?”

“I have some personal business there.”

“It might be in both our interests if you were to get to Gates first, yes?”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I also think that this info is worth another bonus. Hello? Hey, you still there? Aw hell, she hung up.”

Pruitt turned in his seat and spotted Velma several rows back.

That is one good looking woman.

He kept staring, admiring her until she noticed him, and then he sent her a smile and turned back around in his seat. Pruitt wondered just how grateful Velma would be if he were to lead her to Madam X.

Pruitt nodded to himself. He might just have to find out.

CHAPTER 8

New York City

––––––––

The old man opened his apartment door and let Jake inside, where several men were already settled around a poker table in the living room.

The old man’s apartment took up most of the third floor of the Caliber building and the rooms were all large with high ceilings. The building was old and the windows in the apartment were both wide and long, while the walls were made of real plaster and boasted intricate carved filigree at their tops.

“I thought your brother might be sitting in on a few hands this week,” the old man said.

“No, Chris would lose his shirt with the place his head is in now.”

“What’s that mean?”

“Nothing, but he and Velma have some things to work out.”

The old man sighed.

“He slept with Rayne, didn’t he?”

Jake looked surprised, and then smiled.

“You don’t miss a thing either, do you?”

“I’d have to be an idiot not to have noticed that something was going on between those three during lunch, still, I would have expected Velma to be angrier.”

“She still doesn’t know about it, but Chris plans to tell her when she gets back from Texas.”

“That boy better decide which one he wants, or they might both grow tired of him.”

“Velma is not helping her case; Chris says she’s been keeping secrets.”

The old man made a sound of disgust.

“That’s enough gossip for now; let’s go play poker.”

Jake walked over and saw familiar faces at the table.

There were four other men present. They were all long-time participants, Tommy Delaney, his grandfather, who was also named Thomas Delaney, and who wore tubes in his nose that fed him oxygen from a tank at his side. There was an assistant DA named Carr, who was a black man in his forties, and also another old man named Simon Kruger, who in his earlier years was a world-class thief.

Although from week-to-week the players changed as people had prior commitments or obligations, over the many years that the old man had held the Friday night game, the poker table had hosted politicians, a smattering of celebrities, and even a crowned prince.

Jake grabbed a bottle of beer from the fridge and then took a seat and anted up.

As the first hand was ending, the elder Delaney looked over his glasses at the old man.

“So, Jake, when do I get to meet this Maggie, and does she have a sister?”

“We’ll drop by your restaurant tomorrow and say hi.”

“Do that, and how old is she anyway?”

“She’s sixty.”

“Sixty? So when you were forty, she was just fourteen? Hell, that almost makes you a pervert.”

That made the others at the table crack up in laughter, but the old man waved it off.

“That’s jealousy talking, boys.”

Delaney laughed.

“No, really Jake, I’m happy for you, and I meant what I said, see if she has a sister.”

“There’s only one Maggie, Tommy, and I ain’t letting her go.”

Simon Kruger threw his cards down in disgust.

“You always were a lucky bastard.”

The old man smiled.

“That’s why I host these games.”

***

Velma had just loaded her luggage into her rental when her phone rang, and when she checked it, she saw that the caller was Chris.

She let it go to voicemail, and when she listened to the message, there were only four words.

“Talk to me, Velma.”

She winced, not liking the message’s tone, and with a sigh, she called him back.

“Hello, Chris.”

“Where are you, and please don’t lie to me.”

“I’m in El Paso, and yes, I came to Texas to find Peter, but only because I want to learn who’s behind him, who was it that made certain that you knew about him.”

There was a pause, and then Chris spoke.

“You think it was Rayne, don’t you?”

“I do.”

“If someone was behind Gates appearance in AC, then yes, it was probably Rayne. Did you ask her about it?”

“No. Why would I? She’d only lie about it.”

“Maybe, maybe not.”

“She wants you, Chris, I know she does, and I want you to be on guard this weekend, since you’re there alone.”

There was no answer, and Velma spoke his name.

“Chris?”

Still no answer, but when she looked at the phone screen, she saw that the line was still active.

“Chris?”

“I... I slept with Rayne, in Atlantic City, I slept with Rayne.”

“What!”

“I’m so sorry, Velma. I know that it sucks to tell you this on the phone, but I just couldn’t keep it inside anymore.”

This time it was Velma who grew silent.

“Please say something, Velma.”

She did, in a voice that was barely a whisper.

“I thought you loved me.”

“I do! I swear to God that I do, it’s just that I was weak, and, ah, I think I have feelings for her too.”

Chris heard Velma take a deep inhalation, and after she sniffled, she asked a question.

“Do you love her?”

“I don’t know; I only know that I love you and I don’t want to lose you.”

“Sleeping with Rayne is not the way to do that.”

“I know, and I’m so sorry, please, come back home. Even if Rayne was behind Gates coming to see you, it doesn’t matter.”

“It matters to me, because it means she’s messing in my life, and it pisses me off that it doesn’t make you angry too. She deliberately tried to break us up, Chris.”

“Tried to? Does that mean that you’re willing to give me a second chance?”

“No. Well, yes, I mean, I don’t know. I’m still dealing with it, and I swear I could strangle the bitch.”

“Jake thinks that she’s in love with me.”

“I don’t give a damn if she is, do you?”

“It, it just complicates things, that’s all.”

“It also flatters you. I’m not blind. I could always tell that you liked what you saw when you looked at her, but now that you’ve been with her, is she out of your system?”

“I won’t sleep with her again, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“It wasn’t, not exactly, but it’ll do. I’ll be home Sunday afternoon, and then we’ll talk.”

“I love you, Velma, and I’m so damn sorry that I’ve hurt you.”

“Goodbye, Chris.”

“Wait, I want to say—”

“Goodbye.”

Velma ended the call, tossed the phone onto the seat, and began to sob.

CHAPTER 9

Pachaw, Texas

––––––––

Trace Pruitt made a right off an old county road and drove down a dirt track. The night sky was filled with a thousand more stars than the skies of New York, and Pruitt marveled at the sight.

After rounding a curve, he came upon Peter Gates’ trailer, which sat up on concrete blocks. Before he’d even left the car, Gates had opened the trailer door to see who had come to call, as he stepped out onto the stairs.

“Pruitt? What the hell are you doing here?”

“For one thing, I’ve come to warn you.”

“Warn him about what?” Emmy said, as she stepped around Peter to take in Pruitt.

Pruitt gazed back at her and saw the glint of approval in her eyes, the glint was in his eyes as well, as Emmy Gates was a young, good looking woman. For Pruitt, that was like raw meat to a dog.

Pruitt smiled ay Emmy.

“Who are you?”

“She’s my wife, Pruitt, so stick your eyes back in your head and say what you came here to say.”

“Velma Parker is in Texas; she’s coming to see you.”

“She’s here?” Emmy said, and both men stared at her.

“How do you know about Velma?” Gates asked.

Emmy shouted up into his face.

“Because I saw those pictures of you with her on your phone, that’s how, stupid.”

“Now, Emmy, I can explain, see, me and Velma, well, we’re old friends and—”

Emmy slapped him, ducked back into the trailer, and came out again with a set of keys jingling in her hand.

Gates rubbed his cheek as he called to her.

“Where are you going?”

“To stay with my mama, and I won’t be back.”

“You’ll be back, as soon as I find the—well, you know, as soon as I find that, you’ll come crawling back.”

“Screw you, Peter!”

Emmy took off in a hurry, and Pruitt winced when she nearly scraped the side of his rental.

“Shit, Pruitt, did you have to mention Velma in front of my wife?”

“You said that you were going to find something, and that means that you’re looking for something, now, just what would that something be, Gates?”

Gates stared down at him.

“Never mind, it was just talk, and speaking of talk, if Velma came all this way to see me, well then, I think I’ll talk to her. I’m sure she’d like to know all about you, Pruitt, you and your secret client.”

“That wouldn’t be smart, Gates, what if the client is up to something illegal? It wouldn’t help either of us to admit to being involved.”

Gates thought about that for a moment, and then nodded.

“Yeah, I guess you’ve got a point there.”

“Listen, I gotta get out of here, Velma Parker and I came in on the same plane and she would recognize me if she saw me.”

Gates looked over at the road as if he expected Velma to appear at any second.

“You think she’s coming tonight?”

“Tonight, or early tomorrow, but she’s coming, so be ready and keep quiet.”

Pruitt got back in his car. The window was down, and Gates called a question to him.

“You didn’t come to Texas because of Velma, so why are you really here?”

Pruitt grinned.

“I’m looking for something too, Gates, and I’m not leaving without it.”

Gates watched Pruitt drive away, as a worried frown covered his face.

***

New York City

––––––––

Chris raised his hand to knock on an apartment door, but then dropped it to his side.

This is the last damn place I should be.

He turned away, then stopped, walked back, and knocked.

I’m just going to talk to her, just talk.

The peephole darkened, and a moment later, Rayne Carver opened her apartment door.

“Hello, Chris, I’m so happy to see you.”

Rayne was dressed in a red negligee that was covered by a matching gossamer silk robe. Beneath the fabric, Chris could see her breasts.

“I need to talk to you, just talk, Rayne, and I want you to tell me the truth.”

Rayne took him by the hand and he drifted inside.

“I’ve never lied to you, Chris, and I never will. It’s one of the ways that Velma and I differ.”

“Peter Gates, does that name mean anything to you?”

“Yes, I looked into Velma’s past and came up with Peter Gates. I then hired a P.I. named Trace Pruitt to entice Gates to New York to confront Velma in front of you, but of course, it all took place in Atlantic City.”

Chris appeared taken aback by her honesty, and then he went over to the sofa to sit. Rayne followed him, but stood before him instead of sitting.

“You went through a lot of trouble, and I assume, expense, but why? Did you want me that much?”

Rayne reached out a hand and caressed his face.

“I love you, Chris and I don’t care who knows it. Velma isn’t right for you. She likes to keep secrets and I know you hate that.”

“You have no secrets?”

“Nothing that I would hold back from you, and now let me ask you a question; did Velma really go to visit family, or to try to track down Gates?”

Chris nodded.

“She’s looking for Gates.”

“She told you that, or did she lie about it first?”

“I don’t want to talk to you about Velma. I love Velma, and last night, what happened between us, that was a huge mistake.”

Rayne lowered herself to her knees between Chris’s legs.

“I love you, Chris. I think you could love me too, just give us a chance.”

She raised her head slightly and kissed him.

When their lips parted, Chris said, “No,” but made no effort to move.

Rayne slipped off the robe and the fabric beneath it did absolutely nothing to hide her body. When she felt Chris touch her, she moaned.

“I can’t do this again,” Chris whispered, even as his hand stroked Rayne’s flesh.

“You want me,” Rayne said, and the truth of those words numbed Chris’s mind while energizing his body, and when Rayne’s hands went to his zipper, all resolve was lost.

CHAPTER 10

Early Saturday morning in the town of Pachaw, Texas, found Velma calling on her ex-husband, Peter Gates.

Gates had been expecting her after Pruitt’s visit, and had purposely come to the door of the trailer dressed only in a pair of tight briefs, as he hoped to woo Velma into his bed.

He opened the door, smiled at her, and Velma frowned in return, as she pushed by him.

“Put some pants on.”

“And hello to you too, Vel. Can I take it by your presence here that you want me back in your life, and your bed?”

“All I want is the truth. Who sent you after me in Atlantic City?”

“Baby, like I told you before, I was just there gambling.”

“Liar! I know that someone paid you to go there, and damn it, Peter, I am not leaving here until I get a name.”

Peter leaned forward to kiss her, and Velma punched him in the stomach.

“I’m not playing games, and I’m sure as hell not the same stupid girl that once took your crap. Now you give me a name or so help me I will hurt you.”

Gates stood holding his stomach, as he looked at her with genuine offense in his eyes.

“You hit me. Hell, Vel, I never hit you—until now.”

Gates threw an open-handed slap that was so loud it sounded like a shot. Velma’s knees buckled, and a moment later, Gates was on top of her.

***

Emmy stepped inside the Roadhouse Bar & Grill and blinked rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the dim light.

“Hey lady, you Emmy?”

Emmy nodded at the voice that asked the question, because she was still unable to see well after coming inside the murky bar from the bright light of morning.

When her eyes finally cleared, she saw an old man with a long gray beard stacking bottles behind the bar.

“I’m Emmy, is Roxana here?”

“I’m right here, honey.”

Emmy looked to her right and saw Roxana coming out of a back room with a muscular man with tattoos and a lot of blond hair.

This is Bronco,” Roxana said, and this is Emmy. Emmy wants to get back at that no good husband of hers; he’s sleeping with his ex.”

Bronco looked Emmy over and smiled.

“You should start fooling around yourself, that would teach him.”

Emmy wondered if Bronco was volunteering, but then looked back at Roxana.

“She’s here in town, that Velma Parker.”

“She’s here? Where?”

“I guess she’s staying at the hotel Mayor Penn owns, you know, the one on Main Street? But she might be at the trailer right now. There’s this guy named Pruitt, and he’s here from New York too, I think he’s a private eye or something.”

Bronco and Roxana exchanged glances, and then Bronco cursed.

“Gates must have told his ex-wife enough to get her curious and now she and the P.I. are looking to cut him out. She’s probably bedding him right now so he’ll spill the rest of the beans.”

Emmy looked teary.

“You think Peter and this Velma are in my bed right now?”

“Why not?” Roxana said, “The quicker she gets him to talk, the quicker she gets the money.”

Emmy turned red with anger and rushed out of the bar.

“That’s a little spitfire, that one is,” Bronco said, as the sound of Emmy squealing out of the parking lot reached their ears.

***

Velma sent a knee into Gates' groin that missed his testicles, but it did manage to push him off of her and allow her time to get to her feet.

“Stop it, Peter! Stop it and just tell me the name.”

Gates laughed.

“That pretty boy Chris must have dumped you. That’s why you’re so damn angry, isn’t it?”

Velma spoke through gritted teeth.

“Give me a name.”

“I don’t have one, Vel, but I do know that it’s a woman behind it, and I’d be willing to bet that she’ll be the next one in pretty boy’s bed, or ah, is she already in it? That’s it, isn’t it? That’s why you’re so damn angry, because some girl already took him from you.”

“That’s a lie, and I don’t believe that you don’t know her name.”

“Hell, I never even spoke to her. She used a middleman, the same guy that took the pictures.”

“Give me his name then.”

Gates lit up a cigarette, pushed aside a stack of old newspapers, and sat on the sofa.

“I’ll give you his name, but I want something in return.”

“What?”

Gates patted a spot beside him on the sofa.

“One last roll in the hay, that’s my price.”

Velma’s breathing grew faster, and Gates smiled as he foolishly took it for passion, but it was anger, and it was about to explode. Velma grabbed a baseball bat that was leaning against a chair by the door. As she started towards Gates, the door burst open and she was grabbed from behind.

A second later, and Velma was falling to the floor, after having already blacked out.

CHAPTER 11

Velma awoke coughing, and she felt as though she had been deprived of sleep for days.

She forced her eyes open at the very instant she registered the heat. When she saw that the window curtains were aflame, she let out a shriek and struggled to stand up, only to slip in something and fall to her knees on the floor of the trailer.

What she slipped in, was the lifeblood of Peter Gates.

As she rose again, she spotted him, or rather, what was left of him. Half his face was caved in and there was a crude gash on the side of his neck, while both his left leg and arm appeared to be broken. Velma took a step towards Gates, then doubled over as smoke entered her lungs and made it impossible to breathe.

She turned, got a glance of herself in a broken mirror, and saw that she too was covered in blood, but there was no time to ponder why, only the singular desire for a clean breath of air.

She wrenched open the door and was blinded by the sun and blessed by the breeze, as she stumbled down the stairs while taking deep breaths. With the door open, the fire fed quicker, and soon the interior of the trailer was completely ablaze.

Velma had left her purse under the front seat of her rental. As she walked towards it, Emmy Gates drove in at a high rate of speed, only to come to a long skidding halt, which caused a plume of dirt and dust to rise.

“Peter!”

Emmy exited her car while screaming her husband’s name, as she watched her home be destroyed. She gave Velma a venomous stare, leaned back into the car, and emerged holding a gun and a phone.

“You whore! Did you kill my husband? Damn you, answer me.”

Velma held up a hand in a calming gesture, but then both she and Emmy saw that it was coated in blood.

Emmy stepped closer, aimed the gun at her face, and called the police.

***

New York City

––––––––

Chris woke up in Rayne’s bed and felt like the lowest thing on earth.

He’d had many girlfriends before Velma, along with one other relationship that was serious, with a woman he loved, a college classmate. He had never cheated on any of them, and then Rayne came along.

He turned his head and saw her sleeping face, so beautiful.

She had one arm across his chest and he could feel the rhythmic beating of her heart against his side, a heart that claimed to love him.

But do I love her?

The question seemed insane to him. How could you not know whether or not you loved someone? But then he remembered that the woman he loved before Velma had also started as a friendship, and that he only realized that he had loved her when she was thinking of transferring to another college.

Is it possible to love two women at the same time?

He eased out from under Rayne’s arm and began to dress, but she awakened as he was putting on his shoes.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning, I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“You mean that you didn’t want to wake me, but that’s all right, I understand.”

Chris spread his arms in a gesture of helplessness.

“I don’t know why I’m here. I love Velma.”

“I know you do, and I’m still not asking you for anything. I love you, Chris, just remember that. I love you, I’ll never lie to you, and if you never come back again, I’ll still love you.”

Chris went over to the bed, leaned over, and kissed Rayne on the lips.

“I’ll call you, later, after I’ve had time to think.”

“I’ll be here.”

Rayne rose from the bed as he finished dressing, and followed him to the door wearing only a short silk robe.

After opening the door, Chris leaned over and kissed her again.

“I don’t know if I love you, but I do know that this isn’t simply about sex.”

“I know that, Chris, because if it was, you wouldn’t have come back.”

“I won’t be back again. I can’t lose Velma.”

Rayne gazed at him with a blank expression, and Chris let loose a great sigh.

“Goodbye, Rayne.”

Rayne closed the door behind him, smiled a satisfied grin, and headed for the shower.

***

Pachaw, Texas

––––––––

Sheriff Rich Hennessy stared at Velma Parker and the bloody clothes she wore.

Hennessy was a man of average height, 37, and married with three kids. He was a handsome man who, despite his average height, was an exceptional amateur basketball player, and the sport kept him in good shape.

He wore no uniform, but a silver star was prominent on his denim shirt and there was an automatic hanging from his right hip. He favored cowboy hats, and was rarely seen outside without one perched on his head, as one was this morning.

One of Hennessy’s deputies walked over to him. She was carrying two large, clear evidence bags. One contained the broken handle of a bat. The handle was bloody and fingerprints were discernable in the drying blood. The second bag contained a straw hat with a wide brim, this too was bloody. The deputy’s name was Amy West, and she was slim, blonde, 23, and a cousin of Emmy Gates.

“What’s her story, Amy?”

“Her name is Velma Parker and she’s from New York City. She says that she got the bruise on her face when Peter Gates hit her. As far as the blood, she has no idea. She says that she passed out and that when she came to the trailer was on fire and Gates was dead, and oh yeah, Gates was her ex-husband.”

Hennessy ran a hand over his clean-shaven face as he thought things over.

“We’ll need her clothes for Reese Brown to study, and I also want a blood sample.”

“I have everything I need in the truck; I’ll start setting up.”

“Do that,” Hennessy said, and then he walked over to Velma, who was sitting atop a large stone and watching a firefighter douse a nearby area, where several brush fires had begun. They’d been caused by the blaze that had engulfed the trailer.

“Miss Parker, I’m Sheriff Hennessy, ma’am. Is there anything you’d like to say to me?”

“I’m innocent, Sheriff, I did not kill Peter.”

“What sort of work do you do, ma’am?”

“I’m a private investigator, and I work for Jake Caliber.”

“Really? Now that’s something, the man is a true legend. But now, seeing as how you are such an accomplished investigator, do you have any idea what might have happened here?”

“Yes, I believe that I may have been drugged. When I first woke up in the trailer I was groggy, and I’m still a little woozy, but I don’t seem to have suffered a blow to the head, and so I think I was injected with something.”

“By whom?”

“Whom?”

“Sorry, my education is showing, and sometimes I forget that I’m supposed to be a hick sheriff.”

Despite her predicament, Velma grinned.

“Well, to answer your question, the whom is unknown, because they injected me from behind. I know it wasn’t Peter, because he was in front of me.”

Hennessy took out his phone and made a call, when the other party answered, he spoke.

“Hey, Sis, I need you at a crime scene, we got a DB... it’s off of the old county road... yeah, where the fire is... and uh, Sis, the DB is Peter Gates.”

There was a pause, and then Hennessy said, “I know, but I’m still sorry... uh-huh, yeah, and also a tox screen, and bring a magnifying glass, you’ll need it, and thanks.” Hennessy put away his phone and smiled. “My older sister is a doctor and the town’s coroner. If you have an injection mark on you, she’ll find it.”

Velma gazed around.

“She’s going to examine me out here?”

Hennessy pointed towards Deputy West, who was busy setting up a tent.

“She’ll examine you in that tent, and we’ll also need those clothes. Deputy West there will see that you have something to put on. She’ll also make certain that she and the doctor are the only ones with you. And, she’ll be taking pictures of any wounds you might have, such as that bruise on your face.”

Velma nodded.

“You’re thorough, that’s good, and I’m sure the evidence will prove me innocent.”

Hennessy pointed at her.

“That blouse sure doesn’t help your case.”

“I don’t know how the blood got on me.”

“I’m sending your clothes to a blood expert in El Paso named Dr. Reese Brown. He should be able to shed some light on things, he’s a recognized expert on blood splatter, he’s even written a book or two on the subject.”

A car entered the scene and was let through by the deputy at the entrance, as he moved a traffic cone aside to let it pass. When the driver emerged, Velma saw that she was a tall woman in her late-forties with short dark hair. She had prominent freckles sprinkled across her nose and very blue eyes.

Hennessy tipped his hat as the woman walked over and stared down at Velma.

“Good morning, Mayor Penn.”

The mayor pointed back at the entrance to the driveway.

“Your man there should move those traffic cones closer together; if I had wanted to, I could have driven straight in.”

“I’ll be sure to mention that to him, ma’am,” the sheriff said.

“Is this the woman that killed, Peter?”

“That has yet to be determined.”

Mayor Penn looked at him with shock showing on her face.

“Are you serious? Look at the blood.”

“Yes, ma’am, I see it, but we’ve evidence to process before we make a determination.”

“I see, crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s, but I still say that it’s obvious that she killed Peter.”

“I did not kill Peter, Mayor, and I would appreciate it if you would stop saying that.”

Mayor Penn stared at Velma while squinting her eyes.

“I know you. You’re the little tart that Peter ran off with years ago, aren’t you?”

“I... we’ve met?”

“No, but I remember when he was prancing you around like a prize calf. If I recall, the marriage didn’t last a week. I guess your hatred for him has been building all these years.”

“I didn’t hate, Peter. I simply came here to talk to him. He had information that I needed.”

Mayor Penn smiled.

“She’s guilty as sin, Rich. Are you sending her clothes to a lab?”

“Yeah, Reese Brown.”

“Good, the evidence will prove her a liar.”

The mayor spun around and headed back to her car, on the way there, she stopped to advise one of the firefighters on the proper way to hold a fire hose. She then left the scene as quickly as she showed.

Velma sighed.

“Your mayor likes to jump to conclusions, doesn’t she?”

“Oh, Mayor Penn knows everything, just ask her,” Hennessy said.

Deputy West walked over.

“The tent’s ready.”

“Don’t forget to document her wounds.”

“I know,” West said.

Velma stood, and made a face, as the blood drying on her caused the clothes to stick to her skin.

Hennessy looked at her.

“Are you going to call Jake Caliber?”

“Maybe, if things go bad.”

The sheriff pushed his hat back a ways on his head.

“Ma’am.”

“Yes?”

“Things are bad, and if I was you, I’d call a lawyer too.”

Velma nodded in understanding, and then walked to the tent with Deputy West.

CHAPTER 12

Pachaw, Texas

––––––––

Emmy Gates cried genuine tears as she sat in front of Sheriff Hennessy’s desk, as the sheriff and Deputy West watched her.

“I can’t believe he’s dead.”

“I’m sorry for your loss, Emmy, but can you tell me what you know about this Velma Parker?”

“I know she’s a murdering whore and that she killed Peter.”

“Maybe, but is there anything else you can tell me?”

“Peter went to see her the other day, in New York, and in Atlantic City too, and then last night, that man, Pruitt, he told us she was here.”

“Pruitt, who’s he?”

“He’s a private eye from New York, and he’s the one that got Peter to go there and see that Velma, but I don’t know why?”

“What’s this Pruitt look like?”

Emmy blushed and lowered her eyes.

“He’s handsome, real handsome, and tall, with dark curly hair. He’s still in town, I saw him leave the motel earlier.”

“You were at the motel?”

“No, I was down the street, at Dr. Penn’s, the vet? I used to clean out the cages there and I was looking to see if he was hiring.”

“Is that where you were this morning, while Peter was meeting with Ms. Parker?”

“No, Dr. Penn wasn’t around, and so I stopped by the Roadhouse, the bar, Roxana is there and I went to see her.”

“Roxana is back, huh?”

“Yeah, and she’s with some biker guy.”

“I know about those bikers, and so far they’ve been behaving, but they’ve been involved in some very nasty business over the years, and that Roxana is nothing but trouble.”

Emmy shrugged.

“She’s nice to me.”

“What did you and Roxana talk about?”

Emmy told Hennessy about her husband’s obsession with finding some of the money his brother had stolen.

“Did he know for certain it was there?”

“Peter never said, but I think he did because he was so sure that he would find it, but I really don’t know if it’s there or not.”

Hennessy stood, indicating that the interview was over, and after a few words of condolence, he asked Deputy West to escort Emmy outside to her car.

As Emmy left, Hennessy’s sister came in. Dr. Gloria Hennessy was blond, had a curvy figure, and was two years older than her brother.

“Find anything, Glo?”

“Yeah, Richie, Velma Parker has a fresh puncture wound on her back. There’s also a fairly new scab there from a cut, but she says she suffered that two days ago.”

“So, she could have been drugged?”

“I’ll know more when the tox screen comes back.”

“Thanks, Sis.”

Gloria Hennessy gave her brother a careful look.

“You don’t think she’s guilty, do you?”

“No, I don’t, she doesn’t give off that vibe. She also works for Jake Caliber, and I doubt that man goes around hiring murderers, and sloppy murderers at that.”

“It would only be a sloppy murder if she did it. If it was someone else, well then, it could turn out to be a clever frame.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking.”

Gloria leaned over the desk.

“I had nothing to do with this.”

Hennessy shot out of his seat.

“I know that. You put Gates behind you a long time ago; it’s why I let you examine Ms. Parker. I know you’re not holding a grudge.”

“She has no idea that I was dating Peter when he went off and married her, she showed no reaction to my name.”

“You’re not performing Gates’ autopsy, are you?”

“No, I sent the body on to El Paso; they have equipment there that will help with the charred remains.”

“That’s good. I know that you no longer loved him, but you shouldn’t have to cut him open either.”

“Is there any chance that Jake Caliber might come here? I’d love to meet that old man.”

“Could be, Velma Parker is calling in the cavalry right now.”

***

New York City

––––––––

Chris saw the unfamiliar number on his caller ID and nearly let the phone go to voicemail. He was in his apartment, sipping on a beer, as he tried to sort out his feelings for Rayne.

“Hello?”

“Chris, it’s me, Velma, I need your help.”

Chris put down the beer bottle and sat up straight.

“What’s wrong, baby?”

“It’s ah...”

“Velma?”

“Peter has been murdered, and I’m the main suspect. Chris, I need your help, your professional help, and Jake’s too.”

“Oh God, Velma, what the hell happened?”

Velma explained the little she knew, and when she was done, Chris moaned.

“It sounds like a mess, but don’t worry, we’ll be there soon and get things cleared up.”

“Chris, I love you, baby.”

“I love you too, Velma. I swear I do.”

“Please hurry, I need you.”

“Yes, see you soon.”

Chris hung up, dialed again, and heard a gruff voice answer.

“Hello?”

“Granddad, it’s Chris.”

***

Pachaw, Texas

––––––––

Trace Pruitt smiled at Sheriff Hennessy, but the lawman didn’t smile back at him.

“Exactly what is it you were doing with Peter Gates in Atlantic City, Mr. Pruitt?”

“That’s confidential, Sheriff, I’m sure you understand.”

As Pruitt talked, he was looking with interest at the young, blond Deputy West, who was standing to the left of Hennessy’s chair. For her part, West stared back at him with a blank gaze.

“Deputy West,” Hennessy said.

“Yes, Sheriff?”

“Please place Mr. Pruitt here into one of the cells. I think he needs time to gather his thoughts.”

“Whoa!” Pruitt said. “What cell, I was kidding, what do you want to know?”

Hennessy leaned forward in his chair and stared at Pruitt until the man looked away in discomfort.

“I want to know everything, Pruitt, and the second I think that you’re lying or holding something back I’ll walk you into a cell myself, now talk.”

Pruitt did, starting with the first email he received from the client he called Madam X and ending with his visit to Gates’ trailer the night before.

Hennessy leaned back in his seat.

“You came all this way on the off chance that Gates would find the money his brother stole? But didn’t you know? That money was either recovered or washed down a sinkhole.”

“Some of it was, yeah, but I figured that Gates’ brother must have told him that he’d hidden it there, or at least some of it, because there could have been as much as one million, but only a few thousand was accounted for.”

“Hell, Gates’ wife said that her husband had been searching that land for over a year with a metal detector while looking for a strongbox. If it was there, he should have found it.”

Pruitt shrugged.

“I was following a hunch.”

“You say you saw Velma Parker on the plane, does she know you?”

“No, but I guess that she would recognize me now.”

“And this mysterious client, this Madam X, any idea who she is?”

“No, she paid me with money orders, but she sounds hot, I’ll tell you that.”

Hennessy turned in his chair and looked at West.

“Deputy, but out an APB on a woman with a hot voice, oh yeah, and she goes by the name of Madam X.”

“Ha ha,” Pruitt said. “Hey, can I go now?”

“You can leave here, but stay in the area. I’m not done with you.”

Pruitt looked away from Hennessy and spoke to Deputy West.

“If you need me for anything, I’m in Room 12 at the Penn Motel.”

Deputy West returned Pruitt’s gaze with the same blank stare.

“Goodbye, Mr. Pruitt,” Hennessy said.

Pruitt rose from his seat and left the office.

Hennessy pointed at the door.

“It’s dudes like him that give New York City a bad name. Keep an eye on him, Amy, hmm?”

“Yes sir,” West said, and then she too left the office.

Hennessy got up from his seat, poured a cup of coffee, and as he looked out the window, he tried to put a face to the man or woman who killed Peter Gates.

***

New York City

––––––––

The old man left his apartment when he heard the elevator doors open, and met Chris and Jake in the office.

He patted Chris on the arm.

“Don’t you worry, boy, you’ll be bringing Velma home.”

“How soon can we leave?”

“I won’t be going; Jakey will be running point on this one.”

Jake had been sitting on the sofa, but he stood and walked over to his grandfather.

“I think we’d all feel better about it if you were there.”

The old man looked at Chris.

“I want to speak to your brother alone.”

“Yes sir,” Chris said, and then he went back into the outer office.

“What’s up?” Jake said.

The old man took him by the shoulders and stared into his eyes.

“It’s your time now, boy. Go to Texas and show them what it means to be a Caliber.”

“I know I can handle it, it’s just that this is about Velma. I know she didn’t kill anyone, but the evidence is not in her favor, and if I fail on this one, the stakes are huge.”

“And that’s why you won’t fail, because you can’t.”

Jake nodded.

“I understand, and I won’t let you down.”

The old man grinned.

“Hell, boy, you’re the best there is, believe it.”

They heard the elevator chime and walked out to see who had arrived.

It was Gail, and she was giving Chris a hug.

Jake kissed her on the cheek.

“Hello Mother, what brings you here?”

“I’ve come to see you off at the jet.”

“What time will it be ready?” Chris asked.

“You’ll be leaving at two.”

“That’s good, and I didn’t even know that Caliber had a corporate jet.”

“We actually don’t, but we’re in a program where you can rent them when you need them. I nearly closed our account earlier this year for lack of use, and now I’m glad that I didn’t.”

Chris kissed his mother and headed for the elevator.

“I’ll meet you all at the airport. I want to get Rayne; we might need her.”

Jake raised an eyebrow.

“Do you think that’s a good idea, Little Brother?”

“Yes, she’s got a ton of investigative experience and... I trust her, even though it’s about Velma, I trust her.”

“Go,” Jake said.

After the elevator doors closed, Gail looked back and forth at the old man and Jake.

“What’s this about Rayne?”

Jake grinned.

“Chris has been a bad boy.”

CHAPTER 13

New York City

––––––––

Rayne opened her door and smiled at Chris.

“I didn’t expect you back this soon.”

She reached up, put her arms around his neck, and kissed him, but Chris pushed her away.

“I need to talk to you, and this time I really do mean talk. Actually, I need a favor, and a promise.”

Rayne studied his face.

“Something’s wrong, what is it?”

Chris guided her over to the sofa and then explained to her what had happened. When he was finished, Rayne stood and began pacing.

“This is partly my fault. Oh Chris, I’m so sorry.”

“It doesn’t really matter why Velma is there, what matters is discovering who is framing her, and other than Jake and my granddad, you’re the best detective I know. Will you help her, Rayne, will you help, Velma?”

“Of course, my God, you don’t even have to ask. Velma and I are rivals but I don’t hate her, and I don’t believe for a second that she killed Gates.”

“Fine, but please pack a quick bag, we have to get to the airport. My mother has gotten a jet for us.”

“Just give me a minute and I’ll be ready to leave.”

Rayne headed towards her bedroom, but stopped short.

“What was that promise you wanted me to make to you?”

Chris walked over and stared into her eyes.

“I want you to promise me that you won’t do anything to harm Velma.”

Rayne took a step backwards.

“What the hell do you think I am? I love you, but I wouldn’t send Velma to prison for a chance with you. Tell me you don’t believe that.”

Chris hugged her.

“No, baby, and forget I said anything. If I really believed that about you, then, I wouldn’t be here.”

“Velma will be fine, Chris, and we’ll all come home together.”

“Thank you.”

Rayne went into the bedroom to pack and Chris plopped onto the sofa, while praying that he was doing the right thing involving Rayne.

CHAPTER 14

Pachaw, Texas

––––––––

Emmy Gates sat inside the Roadhouse Bar & Grill and told Roxana and Bronco about Peter’s murder.

“So, I guess the area is all taped off with that yellow crime scene tape they use, hmm?” Bronco said.

Emmy shook her head.

“I think it says Arson Investigation, and the tape is red.”

“Still, there will be official types looking around out there, and by now, the sheriff knows that Gates was searching for that money.”

Bronco looked thoughtful for a moment, before turning to Roxana, who was sitting in the booth on his left.

“We’ll go in tonight. The sky will be clear, there’s a mostly full moon, and with any luck we’ll find that money before the sun comes up.”

Emmy raised her hand as if she were in school.

“But how are you going to find it? All of Peter’s metal detectors got burned up in the fire.”

Bronco and Roxana laughed at that, and then Roxana answered her.

“Oh, don’t worry, honey, we know where to get more.”

***

Morris Whitaker applied sunscreen to the tip of his nose and then headed back out into the field.

The weekend was his favorite time and he was doing his favorite thing, along with his fellow club members, The El Paso Treasure Hunters.

It had been a great morning, he’d found a gold ring in his first hour and also a necklace. He couldn’t wait to go home and show them to his wife, Myra. Morris’ wife thought that walking around with a metal detector was a stupid waste of time and money, but Morris told her that it was great exercise and beat watching TV twelve hours a day, which is all his wife did on the weekends.

He was walking along in the field with his head down and listening for beeps when a pair of large booted feet came into sight.

Morris raised his head and looked up at Hombre, saw the beady eyes, the evil grin, and knew that he was in trouble.

“Uh, Hello?”

Hombre thumped him on the top of the head, and Morris fell to the ground and moaned.

As Hombre stripped him of his metal detector, Morris spoke words of feeble protest. He then noticed that several of his fellow diggers were laying upon the grass as he was, while in various states of pain and distress. Afterwards, he followed Hombre with his eyes, watching the man’s long braid swing across his wide back like a pendulum, and then saw him join several other men wearing leather vests, who were standing around a group of motorcycles. However, Morris couldn’t hear what they were saying because of the ringing in his ears caused by the blow to the top of his head.

Morris sighed. Myra was right. He should have stayed home and watched TV.

***

Hombre returned to his bike and climbed on.

“I’m keeping this one for myself, it looks fancy.”

One of the other men spoke to Hombre; he was a huge man with bulging biceps.

“How many we get from those nerds?”

“This one makes fifteen, that should be enough; now let’s get back, I could use a beer.”

Multiple engines rumbled, and the Diablo’s Doubles biker club roared away.

***

Jake stepped off the jet with Chris and Rayne following, and watched as a man with a badge on his chest walked over.

The man looked at each of them in turn, and then looked behind them.

“Howdy, I’m Sheriff Hennessy, and I was hoping to meet Jake Caliber.”

“You’re in luck,” Jake said.

The sheriff stared at him.

“You’re the grandson, the one that got the name?”

“That’s right.”

“You sure as hell look like him, I’ll give you that much, and who are these folks?”

Jake introduced Chris and Rayne, and the sheriff tipped his hat, while admiring Rayne’s beauty.

“I came out to escort you folks to town.”

“Any reason why, Sheriff?” Jake said.

“To tell you the truth, I wanted to meet your grandfather, but I also want to know what you people have planned, this isn’t New York.”

Chris stepped forward.

“When I talked to Velma she said that you were a good man and that you knew what you were doing, so do you have any leads on who really killed Gates?”

“Yeah, I do. I sent the clothes Miss Parker was wearing to a blood splatter expert, and I just heard back from him.”

“What’s the verdict, Sheriff?” Jake said.

“According to the expert, the blood patterns strongly indicate that Miss Parker was the one who murdered Peter Gates, and because of that, I’m officially charging her with murder.”

“Your expert is wrong!” Chris said.

Sheriff Hennessy shook his head.

“My expert is the best in his field. Miss Parker’s prints were also found on the murder weapon, a baseball bat. Now, let me ask you folks a question, just how well do you know Velma Parker? What I’m wondering is, is she the deceitful type?”

Chris looked frozen by the question, as Jake lowered his eyes, but Rayne strode towards Hennessy and stood before him.

“Velma Parker is not a murderer, and I’d like to see that blood report.”

“All right, as a courtesy, just follow me back to town.”

The sheriff got in his car, and as Jake and Chris walked over to a rental they had ordered, Rayne headed towards a second car.

“You ordered another rental?’ Chris asked.

“Yes, I think I’ll need to poke around out here, and we should have more than one vehicle.”

“I’ll ride with you.”

“No, Chris, go with your brother, I need time to think.”

“Thanks, Rayne, for standing up for Velma just now.”

“She didn’t do it, and we’ll prove it.”

“Damn straight,” Jake said, and the three of them left the airport.

CHAPTER 15

Deputy West opened the cell door and let Chris inside to see Velma.

“I’ll be at the end of the hall,” West said.

Velma and Chris barely heard her, or the clanging of the bars, as they held each other.

Once they separated, Chris sucked in air in sympathy as he took in Velma’s bruised face.

Velma took Chris’s hands in her own.

“I didn’t kill Peter. I swear it.”

“Velma, what the hell, you don’t need to say that to me.”

“Yes, I did, and I know that you’ve doubted my word lately, and with good reason, but it’s just hard for me to open up, you know?”

“Do you have any idea how that blood got on your blouse? The expert says that it marks you as the killer.”

“No! That’s impossible, I was unconscious.”

Chris led her over to the cell’s thin cot and they sat.

“We’ll figure it out; Jake is speaking with the sheriff right now?”

“And what about your grandfather, where is he?”

“He stayed in New York, he has complete faith in Jake and so do I, and he said to tell you to do the same.”

“I do; your brother is an excellent investigator.”

“There’s one more thing,”

“What’s that?”

“I’ve brought Rayne along too; I think she can help.”

Velma stood in a rush.

“Chris, are you insane? It’s partly her fault that I’m locked in this cell.”

“That’s not true, although she did admit to me that she was behind Gates showing up in AC.”

“I knew it, and what did it take to get that out of her?”

“I simply asked, Velma. I asked and she told the truth.”

“Unlike me, who lies constantly; is that what you mean?”

“You don’t lie constantly, but you don’t volunteer anything, you don’t let me in.”

Velma sent him a sarcastic smile.

“Little Rayne lets you in though, doesn’t she?”

Chris whispered, “That’s crude, Velma,” and looked away.

Velma lifted his chin and stared into his eyes.

“You’ve been with her again, haven’t you?”

“Yes, damn it, yes.”

“Go!”

“What?”

“I said, go, I don’t want you near me, not when you practically reek of her.”

“Velma, we have to put that aside. All that matters is getting you out of here.”

“Leave, Chris. I don’t want to even look at you right now, but before you go, know one thing, if you so much as kiss Rayne again, we’re done, and that doesn’t mean that I’ve decided to stay with you, now go.”

“Velma, I—”

“Deputy! Please get this man out of my cell.”

West appeared so quickly that Chris wondered if she’d been close enough to hear everything. She opened the cell door and gestured for Chris to leave.

“I love you, Velma, and I’ll always choose you... goodbye.”

Chris walked out, the bars slammed shut, and Velma sank onto the cot and cried.

***

Jake and Hennessy were sitting across the sheriff’s desk from each other as they discussed Velma’s case, and despite Hennessy’s claim that he was going to charge Velma, he had yet to do so.

“Not that I’m complaining, but why haven’t you charged her?” Jake said.

“I’ve decided to wait for the tox screen to come back, she was examined and a puncture wound was found near the small of her back; that wound worries me.”

“You’re not convinced she’s guilty? That’s good, because she’s not, and tell me, since it seems unlikely that someone could have planned to drug Velma, who in the area would be traveling around with drugs powerful enough to knock someone out?”

“There are only two that I can think of off the top of my head, one is the vet around here, Dr. Penn, the mayor’s husband. The other is, ah, my sister, the town doctor.”

“Your sister? And does she have any connection to Peter Gates?”

“She does, or rather she did years ago, they were actually dating when Gates went off to Fort Worth and met Velma Parker.”

Jake raised an eyebrow.

“Gates dumped your sister for Velma? Pardon me, Sheriff, but that sounds like a motive for murder.”

The sheriff grinned.

“It does, don’t it? Luckily, my sister was with twenty witnesses at the diner in town when the murder took place.”

“I see, then what about this vet? Could he have a motive?”

Hennessy laughed.

“The mayor’s husband? Bill Penn is as timid and mild as they come, Mr. Caliber. No, I can’t see him doing that, but I am checking into it.”

“How?”

“Dr. Penn is a stickler for doing things right, and he keeps meticulous records and receipts. One of my deputies is with him right now going over the inventory of his drugs, if there’s a discrepancy, then, we’ll know where the drug came from.”

“Is he really the only vet around here?”

“Local, yeah, and the other two that are nearby have alibis, while Dr. Penn was at home, and the housekeeper confirms it. But there’s something else, one of my deputies noticed that the side door to the veterinary clinic had a busted pane in its glass. He said the hole was big enough to reach through and undo the lock.”

“So if drugs are missing, anyone could have taken them.”

“No, my deputy said that the drug safe wasn’t broken into. He also found a baseball lying nearby on the ground, and so the busted window could have just been an accident caused by kids playing in the field behind the storefronts.”

“Or the baseball was an attempt to make us think that.”

“Yeah, also, the victim’s wife, Emmy Gates, she used to work at Dr. Penn’s and could possibly know the combination to the drug safe. Her alibi for the time of the murder is her sister-in-law, Roxana, who just got out of prison on a drug charge of her own.”

Jake thought for a second, and then asked a question.

“What about the vet’s wife, the mayor?”

Hennessy leaned back in his seat.

“There was talk years ago that she and Gates were fooling around, but let’s wait and see what the inventory shows, hmm?”

“Yeah, but tell me, Velma’s blouse, where is it now?”

“Our blood expert in El Paso still has it, but we’ll have it back tomorrow, why?”

“I want a second expert to look at it, not that I doubt your man’s abilities, but a second opinion never hurts.”

The sheriff nodded. “I hear you.”

There was a knock at the door, and through the glass set into it, Chris could be seen. The sheriff waved him in and Jake looked up at him.

“How did it go?”

“She’s in good spirits overall,” Chris said. He then asked a question. “Where’s Rayne?”

“She went out to look at the scene of the crime,” Jake said.

“There’s nothing out there but a burnt trailer and some scrub land,” the sheriff said, “But your Miss Carver said she still wanted to look at it. Maybe she’s got it into her head that there’s money hidden out there, same as that fella, Pruitt.”

“Pruitt? Not Trace Pruitt?” Jake said.

“That’s him, he’s from New York too, do you know him?”

“I know him,” Jake said, and if he’s involved in framing Velma I’ll choke his lights out.”

“Mr. Pruitt is here fortune hunting.”

“What does that mean?”

Hennessy smiled, and then told them about the robbery of the drug dealer and the possible missing money.

During the conversation, Chris had pulled up a seat and sat next to Jake, but now leaned his elbows on the desk and spoke to Hennessy.

“So, Gates had been searching on that land with a metal detector for over a year?”

“According to his wife, Emmy, and she said there was just one more section left to check.”

Chris stared at his brother.

“Maybe Gates was murdered for that money?”

“There is no money,” Hennessy said. “Just a bunch of fools chasing dreams.”

“Still, it’s worth looking into.”

“I told Miss Carver the story earlier and I think it’s what prompted her to go have a look, but even if there is money buried out there, Gates didn’t find it, so I still think the murder was about something else.”

“Passion,” Jake said. “Looking at the way he was beaten with that bat, there was a lot of passion behind that, and hatred, so it could have been a scorned lover.”

“Or an ex-wife,” Hennessy said, and both Chris and Jake sighed.

CHAPTER 16

Rayne wrinkled her nose as the wind wafted the odor of the charred trailer towards her.

There was more land on the property than she had imagined, and she thought that Gates had been dogged if he really had searched most of it singlehandedly with a metal detector.

Unlike the sheriff, Rayne found the thought that Gates’ brother had hidden money on the land to be feasible. If he had come during the day, he could have buried the money and left without ever being seen, as the area couldn’t be viewed from the old county road that adjoined it.

The sound of a vehicle approaching roused her from her thoughts and Rayne turned to see a car drive in, when the driver parked and got out, Rayne couldn’t hide her surprise.

Trace Pruitt walked towards her, smiling, as his eyes took her in from head to toe.

“Hello, and what’s your name?” Pruitt said.

Rayne hesitated in answering. She knew Pruitt was in the area, but she had not expected to run into him, and she feared that he would recognize her voice from their phone conversations. She then discarded that thought. Her voice was not unique, and she sounded like many other women.

“My name is Rayne Carver, and I’m here investigating a murder. I work for Jake Caliber.”

Pruitt smiled and offered his hand in greeting.

“I’m Trace Pruitt, Rayne, and I work for me.”

Rayne shook his hand, and Pruitt held on just a bit longer than was necessary. He was a good looking man, but Rayne barely noticed, as the focus of her heart was on Christopher Caliber and Christopher Caliber alone.

“Why are you here, Mr. Pruitt, and is that a New York accent I hear?”

“Yeah, I’m from New York, and I came here to find money, same as you.”

“You’re talking about the missing drug money? That’s just a myth. I came here to see the crime scene.”

Pruitt looked her over again.

“Why don’t we go have a drink, Rayne?”

“I don’t think so, Mr. Pruitt.”

“Too bad, I’d like to get to know you better... Madam X.”

Rayne spun around to look at Pruitt fully.

“How did you figure it out, was it my voice?”

“Not your voice, but your tone, you say my name like it was something you stepped in.”

“That’s because a real private detective never would have agreed to help me get Gates to Atlantic City, only a bottom feeder like you.”

Pruitt laid a hand upon his chest, as he appeared to be genuinely hurt by her words.

“Bottom feeder? I provided you with a valuable service, and hell, seeing as how it turned out, I think you owe me another bonus.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m not stupid, you wanted Caliber-lite all to yourself, didn’t you?”

“His name is Christopher.”

“Whatever, thing is, with Velma Parker rotting away in a Texas prison, he’s all yours.”

Rayne cocked her head.

“Did you have something to do with framing Velma?”

Pruitt moved closer to Rayne, and the top of her head only reached his chest. He smiled down at her.

“If I did have something to do with it, just how grateful would you be, hmm?”

Rayne smiled back, then, kneed Pruitt in the groin and performed a sweep kick that knocked him onto his back. Before he could recover, she had a gun pointed at his face.

“What did you do, Pruitt? Did you kill Peter Gates?”

“No, no, hell no, I was acting like it so I could get into your pants. Hell woman, I’m no killer, and how did you get a gun on a plane?”

Rayne stared at him for a few moments, and then told him to get up, as she put her gun back in her purse.

“You’re an idiot. You nearly confess to murder just for the hope of sex, stupid.”

“Still, I bet you’re glad that Velma Parker is screwed.”

“She’s not screwed. Velma is innocent and I won’t leave here until I prove it.”

“Whatever, just calm down, and really, how did you get that gun on a plane?”

“I flew here on a private jet, along with Chris, and Jake Caliber.”

“The old guy or the jerk grandson?”

Rayne smiled.

“The grandson, why, do you know him?”

“Yeah, I know him, and he thinks he’s hot shit.”

“Jake Caliber is worth ten of you.”

Pruitt laughed.

“You’ve tried him out too, hmm?”

“What?”

“You’ve slept with him, Jake?”

“No!”

“All right, calm down, knowing Caliber, I figured you two had tangled, that dude is a hound.”

“He’s engaged now.”

“Really, wow, the chick must be hot if he’s willing to give up every other chick for her.”

“You really are a pig, Pruitt.”

“More like a horse, if you know what I mean.”

Rayne rolled her eyes and went back to staring at the trailer.

“You really think there’s money here, Pruitt?”

“Let’s go have a look.”

Pruitt ducked under the red tape that was hung about and headed off into the desert.

“Hey,” Rayne called out, but then she followed him.

The terrain was uneven and full of rocks and brush. Cactus were plentiful and stuck out of the sandy soil on most of the land, but as they topped a rise, the land dipped and a field of boulders was revealed, many wider than a man and nearly as tall. Past the field of boulders, the land rose up into a steep bordering hill that was about thirty feet high.

Rayne was impressed by the enormity and stillness of the landscape.

“Gates must have known for certain that the money was hidden here, I can’t imagine he would even attempt to search all this alone on a hunch.”

“Maybe,” Pruitt said. “But probably not, since Gates looked over nearly the whole thing and didn’t find anything.”

Rayne studied the landscape, turning in a circle as she did so. When the epiphany struck her, she nearly laughed out loud, and was unable to hide her smile.

“What’s so funny?” Pruitt said.

“Peter Gates, he wasn’t very bright, was he?”

“You wouldn’t have run into him at any Mensa meetings, but so what?”

“Nothing,” Rayne said, but the smile stayed in place.

“Hey, listen, as long as you’re in a good mood, why don’t we go have that drink?”

“Fine, let’s do that, but it will be coffee. I want to hang out at the diner and see what we can learn about the townspeople, because one of them killed Peter Gates.”

“You mean we’re working a case together?”

“You could prove useful, because I’ll stand out less as part of a couple.”

“You and me, a couple, I like that.”

“Dream on, Pruitt.”

“Whatever you say, Madam X.”

“Don’t call me that again.”

“Whatever you say, Rayne”

“That’s Miss Carver, to you,” Rayne said, and then she headed for her car.

CHAPTER 17

Forest Hills, New York

––––––––

Gail opened her front door before the old man could ring the doorbell, and then welcomed him and Maggie inside.

Afterwards, Jim Tate shook the old man’s hand as Gail and Maggie kissed each other on the cheek.

The four of them settled in the living room, where coffee and pastry waited.

“Have you heard anything?” Gail asked the old man.

“Jakey called while I was driving here. The blood expert out there says that Velma’s blouse marks her as the killer.”

“That’s not possible; I won’t believe that she killed that man.”

“It’s not over, there’s also proof that Velma was drugged, a needle mark, and now they’re waiting on the toxicology report.”

Gail stood up and paced, and then she looked down at the old man.

“Why didn’t you go to Texas?”

“For Jakey’s sake; he’s ready to run the agency, but as long as I’m there, he’ll always be second fiddle.”

“You’re thinking of retiring?”

“No, but I’m no longer needed, I know that. It’s time that Jakey knew it too.”

Gail let out a long breath.

“If he fails to clear Velma, not only will she be in serious trouble, but his confidence will be ruined.”

“I know, but that boy is ready. I’m Jake Caliber, Gail, but so is that boy, and he’s every bit as good as I ever was.”

Gail sat, and appeared to relax.

“He won’t fail.”

“Damn right,” the old man said, and Gail sent him a smile.

***

Pachaw, Texas

––––––––

Rayne and Pruitt entered the diner and everyone turned to stare at them.

The diner was twice as long as it was wide and had booths along the right side, while a counter and several tables lined the wall on the left. The mirror behind the chrome counter reflected the sun that streamed through the glass windows, and the color scheme was red and white.

After taking seats across from each other in a booth, Rayne told Pruitt why they were there.

“I want to know as much about Peter Gates as I can, and some of these people grew up with him, so be friendly, talk up the waitress, and see what comes up.”

Pruitt laughed at her.

“Is that how you do it at Caliber?” Pruitt held up his phone. “Why not just Google him? That’s how I found out about the money.”

“That has limitations, and nothing beats talking to real people.”

“That’s crap, and if you want a suspect, I’ll give you one.”

Pruitt fooled around with his phone for over a minute, during which time the waitress came over and took their orders. Rayne tried speaking with her, but the woman was busy at the moment and couldn’t talk. When the waitress went off to get their coffee, Pruitt found what he was looking for, and turned his phone around so that Rayne could see his screen.

She squinted at it.

“That looks like Velma, is it?”

“That picture is from the town’s newspaper. She’s seventeen there, and the guy with the great hair standing next to her, that was Peter Gates, but it’s the woman in the right hand corner that I wanted you to see.”

“The screen is too small, wait, let me take out my tablet.”

Rayne loaded the website onto her tablet and studied the picture.

“Wow, look at that face, that look is pure venom. Who is she?”

“I don’t know, but I bet one of these hicks does.”

The photo showed a smiling young Velma with Peter Gates’ right arm around her. In the background was a woman glaring at the two of them with a look that could kill.

The waitress returned with the coffee, and Rayne showed her the picture.

“Excuse me, but do you recognize that woman in the background?”

The waitress squinted at the screen. Her nametag said that her name was Jeanne. She had gray hair cut short, and her eyes were blue.

“Oh, wow, she’s so young looking there, but oh yeah, I know her.”

“Who is she?” Rayne said.

“Oh, that’s the mayor, Mayor Penn.”

“So, I take it you know her?”

Jeanne smiled.

“Everybody knows the mayor, and she sticks her nose into everything.”

“A real busybody, hmm?”

“Well, it’s not so much that, as it is that she thinks everyone’s an idiot. She’s always correcting people, but don’t get me wrong, she’s a nice woman, just a little bossy.”

“Do you know if the mayor knew Peter Gates, the man that was killed?”

“Everyone knew Peter, the Gates used to be respectable before the father lost all his money, but Peter was living out there in that old trailer, and his brother was shot by the police after a robbery. Such a shame. I went to school with his mother. I’m glad Rhonda didn’t live to see what became of her boys.”

Another customer held up a coffee cup and Jeanne went off to give him a refill.

Pruitt smiled across the table.

“See, I’m useful.”

“Yeah, it could turn into something,” Rayne said.

“So, you’re grateful?”

“Yes.”

Pruitt reached over and took her hand.

“How grateful?”

The kick to his shin was hard enough to make him cry out, and he released her hand.

“You know, I don’t know who killed Gates, but I’m sure of one thing.”

“And what would that be, Mr. Pruitt?”

“It was a woman that did it, and a mean one like you.”

Rayne smiled, and then took a sip of her coffee.

***

Jake had studied the preliminary autopsy on Peter Gates, and had also taken a look at the photos Deputy West had taken of Velma’s injuries. He had then visited her in her cell and asked her about her visit to the trailer.

Before leaving, he took her in a hug and promised her that he would see her free.

Velma thanked him with tears in her eyes, and Jake felt the full force of his responsibility, a responsibility he had carried before for clients, but never for a friend.

Jake tapped on the sheriff’s door as the sheriff was preparing to leave for the day.

“I have a favor to ask before you go.”

“What’s that?”

“This blood expert of yours, he has a proper lab, correct?”

“Of course.”

“Please ask him to run another test, but this time ask him to search for skin cells inside the blouse.”

“Why?”

“You trust your expert. I checked his reputation online and found that you were right to do so, he’s one of the best. If his findings are correct, then, whoever was wearing that blouse killed Gates.”

“Ah, I see where you’re headed, you think someone put on that blouse once Miss Parker was unconscious, and then put it back on her to frame her.”

“Exactly.”

“Hmm, that would cover it, and it would also give them a reason to torch the trailer, because the other blood evidence would contradict the evidence on the blouse.”

“Yeah.”

Hennessy grinned at him.

“You didn’t just inherit the name Caliber, did you? You also got the smarts.”

“I sure as hell hope so, for Velma’s sake.”

Hennessy took off his hat.

“I’ll call Reese Brown and have him look into it, and then I’ll call my wife to tell her I’ll be late. I want to stay and wait for the results of that test.”

“And if he finds a second set of skin cells, what then?”

“That’s when I’ll start putting pressure on other people, because, once we have those skin cells, we’ll also have the key to the murderer’s DNA.”

“And will you let Velma out of that cage?”

“I’ll consider it, but not until morning when the toxicology is due to come back. If there’s anything weird in her blood work, then I’ll set her free.”

“Fair enough,” Jake said, and reached for the doorknob.

“Where are you headed, Caliber?”

“To find my brother, he could use a bit of hope.”

“He loves Velma Parker, doesn’t he?”

“He does, Sheriff, even more than he realizes.”

CHAPTER 18

9:44 p.m. Pachaw, Texas

––––––––

One of Hennessy’s other female deputies opened Velma’s cell and Rayne entered and sent her a cautious smile, as the cell door clanged shut behind her.

“I see you’ve come to admire your handiwork,” Velma said.

“Excuse me?”

“I know you didn’t plan to have me framed for murder, but I can just imagine how happy you’ll be if I get convicted.”

“Shut up.”

“What?”

“You heard me, I said shut up. Yes, we both want Chris, and yes, I sent Gates to screw things up for you, but damn it, Velma, I’m not your enemy and I don’t hate you. I’m trying my best to get you out of here.”

“How do you expect me to trust you?”

“Ha, look who’s talking? You know why Gates worked so well to screw things up for you? It’s because you like your little secrets. Did you really expect to keep something as big as an ex-husband hidden forever?”

“I would have, if not for you, and Chris doesn’t love you, you know that, don’t you?”

“No, I don’t know that. I only know that he keeps coming back for more.”

Velma looked at her with disgust.

“Slut!”

Rayne sighed.

“I didn’t come here to fight, really, I came here for answers. How well do you know the mayor, Mayor Penn?”

“Mayor Penn? All I know about her is that she jumps to conclusions, but she claims to remember me from the time I visited Peter’s family here.”

Rayne took out a printed copy of the photo Pruitt had uncovered.

“That’s her on the right, and look at how she’s staring at you and Gates. That’s hatred.”

“Where did you get this?”

“Off the Internet, from the local newspaper’s archives, actually, it was a P.I. named Trace Pruitt that found it, he’s the man I hired to bring Gates to AC.”

Velma thought for a moment, and then asked a question.

“This Pruitt, was he on my flight?”

“Yes, but that wasn’t my doing; he came here for another reason.”

“He kept looking back at me during the flight as if he knew me, but I didn’t recognize him.”

“I’m not surprised you spotted him; he’s strictly third-rate.”

Velma held up the photo.

“Have you shown this to Jake?”

“I have, and the sheriff as well. I came here to get you free, Velma, and that’s just what I’m going to do, we all are, Chris, Jake, and me.”

Velma stared at Rayne for several seconds, and as she did so, her gaze softened.

“I believe you, and when I’m free, Chris has a decision to make.”

“You’ve given him an ultimatum, haven’t you?”

“Yes, and if he really wants you, then to hell with him.”

Rayne smiled.

“What’s that smile about?” Velma said.

“I love Chris, and if he chooses you, I’ll still love him, and see, that’s where we differ.”

“You’re a doormat, and I won’t be, not for any man.”

Rayne called for the deputy, but as she was leaving, she gave Velma something to think about.

“Just remember, you gave him an ultimatum, I didn’t, and I’ll be available whenever he wants.”

“Goodbye, Rayne.”

As Rayne walked off, Velma cursed the day that Chris met her.

***

Pruitt returned to his motel room and lay across the bed with his shirt and shoes off.

He was thinking about Rayne, and had been thinking of her ever since he met her.

Madam X is hot.

He then recalled the smile she wore while they were in the desert, smiling as if she had figured something out.

Before he could ponder the smile further, a knock came at the door. When Pruitt opened it, he found Deputy West staring up at him with her noncommittal gaze. She was out of uniform, but Pruitt still didn’t like seeing her on his doorstep.

“Uh, hey, what’s up? Don’t tell me the sheriff wants to hassle me again?”

“Sheriff Hennessy told me to keep an eye on you.”

“Yeah, so?”

West reached up and loosened her hair as she stepped into the room.

“I figured that I should watch you night and day. What do you think?”

Pruitt didn’t think much at all, he just picked up Deputy West and placed her atop the bed.

***

Jake was in a local bar with Chris as they discussed the newest report on Velma’s blouse.

“Doesn’t that prove she’s innocent?” Chris said. “I mean, why else would there be a second contributor of skin cells?”

“She could have borrowed the blouse, or a friend tried it on without her knowledge, but it’s much more likely that those cells belong to the person that framed her.”

“Hell yes it is, and thank God you thought to look for it.”

A loud rumble was heard, as over a dozen motorcycles roared by on the street outside. Jake waited for the sound to recede before speaking again.

“Rayne has come up with a suspect, the town’s mayor.”

“Why does she suspect him?”

Jake showed Chris a copy of the photo.

“It’s a woman.”

“What’s the sheriff say about her?”

“That’s she’s a pillar of the community. She owns the motel we’re staying at, and her husband is a veterinarian.”

“And so she would have access to the drugs?”

“Yes, but according to her husband’s records, none are missing.”

“Okay, but at least we have a suspect now.”

“We have two suspects. I asked around, spent a little money, and discovered that the sheriff wasn’t exactly telling the truth about his sister’s whereabouts. She was at the diner when the smoke was first spotted, but she had just arrived there, and Gates’ land isn’t that far a drive.”

Chris nodded in understanding.

“And she’s a doctor, but she did find the puncture mark on Velma.”

“Yeah, there’s that, but maybe she didn’t deny finding it because another doctor could have spotted it easily, and then we would be questioning why she didn’t find it.”

“So, can we trust this sheriff?”

“I think so, but he does have a blind spot where his sister is concerned.”

“Thanks, Jake, you’re doing a great job and I really don’t think that Granddad could do better.”

“Thank me when Velma is free.”

They left the bar and headed back to the motel on foot, as it was a short distance away. When they arrived, they saw that Rayne’s rental was parked outside her room.

“Chris?”

“Yeah?”

“Where are you sleeping tonight?”

“Not with Rayne, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“I was. I like her, Little Brother, and I think she loves you, but I don’t know if you’re right for each other.”

“And what about Velma?”

“Same thing, and I wouldn’t have said that before this week, but it’s your call.”

“I choose Velma, and I think Rayne knows that.”

“Things will be different when we get back. I don’t think that they’ll be able to work together.”

A look of pain flashed across Chris’s face.

“That hurt you, thinking that you might never see Rayne again?”

“It did, I admit it, and goddamn it, but I think I love them both.”

Jake put an arm around his brother’s neck and gave him a one-armed hug.

“I don’t envy you, and I think I’d rather face a dozen baddies than be in your shoes.”

“Thanks a lot,” Chris said, and Jake laughed, little realizing that he had just prophesied his near future.

CHAPTER 19

12:02 a.m. Sunday, Pachaw, Texas

––––––––

Pruitt and Deputy West lay in his bed discussing the missing drug money. They had each had several beers after making love, and Pruitt was telling her what he would do if he ever found the money.

“I’d get a real office. Right now, I work out of my van. If I had an office, I could be just as big and important as Jake Caliber.”

“I met him, he’s hot, and his brother is cute.”

“I’m as good looking as he is; I just don’t have a famous grandfather.”

West smiled, she had a dazzling smile, but seldom showed it.

“Let’s go out there and look around, I talked to Emmy and I know what section her husband didn’t check yet.”

Pruitt sat up.

“Hell yeah, and I bought a metal detector earlier, it’s a cheap one, but it should work. But wait, if we found it, wouldn’t you have to hand it in? I mean, you are a deputy.”

West grinned.

“I’m off duty.”

“Cool, then, let’s go.”

They went out into the parking lot, and when Pruitt grabbed West from behind and nuzzled her neck, she giggled.

Neither one of them noticed that Jake Caliber was looking out his window, watching them.

***

After retrieving Pruitt’s metal detector from the trunk of his rental, they took West’s car, because she didn’t want it to be seen parked in front of the motel for too long.

When they reached the Gates’ property, they were surprised to hear faint voices, while off in the distance were what looked like the beams from over a dozen flashlights.

“Shit, I think someone is after our money,” Pruitt said.

West began walking past the burnt trailer, and the streams of trampled red tape.

“Let’s have a look.”

They traveled across the uneven ground and the sound of the voices grew louder. Most of the voices were male, and gruff, but Pruitt heard at least one female voice among them.

They came upon the motorcycles on a shelf of sand that lay just below the same rise that Pruitt had stood on with Rayne, and since leaving the car, their eyes had adjusted to the moonlight.

There was a loud triumphant cry from the section of the field where the boulders sat, and the flashlight beams all began converging on the spot where the voice had shouted.

“Damn,” Pruitt said. “It sounds like they found the money, but who are these guys?”

“The sheriff said they’re a biker gang called Diablo’s Doubles. The FBI arrested two of their members last year for doing contract killings. They’ve been suspected of smuggling drugs and weapons across the border, but since they’ve been hanging around here, they’ve stayed clean.”

“Damn, I’m sure as hell not going to fight them for the money, let’s get out of here.”

West nodded in agreement as she turned to leave, but then froze in her tracks when she heard Emmy Gates’ voice. The widow of Peter Gates was going on about something, but they were too far away to make out exactly what it was. West grabbed Pruitt’s arm, and pulled him back below the rise.

“That’s Emmy, my cousin, Emmy Gates, what the hell is she doing down there with them?”

“I guess she made a deal to share the money.”

West stared at Pruitt.

“The Diablo’s Doubles aren’t into sharing. If she doesn’t shut her mouth they’re going to toss her into the hole they take the money from.”

***

Down in the boulder field, Emmy Gates was red with anger.

Hombre had stumbled across something that made his metal detector sound off, and according to the screen, the object was rectangular, and just about the width of a strongbox.

When Emmy yelped with joy over the prospect of finding the money, and began talking about her half, Roxana finally explained the facts of life to her.

“What do you mean I get nothing? This is my land you’re on, and I don’t care how many ways you have to split your half with these bikers, but half that money is mine.”

Bronco laughed at her, took out a gun, and handed it to Roxana.

“She’s your problem, deal with it.”

Roxana took the gun, but held it limply at her side.

“Bronco, you know I’ve never wasted anyone. Can’t we just mess her up real good so she’ll shut up?”

“We can’t risk it. Even though that’s drug money down there, the cops would still be all over us if she talked, not to mention the dead drug dealer’s partners.”

Roxana nodded.

“Yeah, you’re right. Sorry, Emmy, but I have to do what I have to—aaarghh!”

Roxana cried out in pain as Emmy raked her nails across her face, gouging out lines of flesh.

Hombre laughed.

“That’s gonna leave some nice scars.”

Roxana recovered and fired at Emmy, but the younger woman had scampered behind a boulder and was gone. Roxana chased after her.

“I’ll kill you, you little bitch! Do you hear me?”

***

Up on the hill, West took a gun from her purse and started down the slope.

Pruitt called after her in a hushed voice.

“Where are you going? There’s too many of them.”

“That’s my cousin,” West said, in a voice that was too loud.

In the boulder field, Hombre pointed up the slope.

“Turn out those flashlights; we got company!”

He fired a shot, missed, and then West returned fire, hitting a boulder twenty feet in front of Hombre. Hombre fired back, and West went down with a wound to her abdomen.

“Got her!” Hombre said, “Now some of you guys go on up there and make sure she’s dead.”

Pruitt watched as West writhed on the ground in pain. He rushed down the hill to help her, but then ran back up as he drew gunfire from the three men rushing towards them. The shots were either wide or short, as the weapons the men used weren’t as powerful as the one fired by Hombre to wound West.

After Pruitt passed the motorcycles, he soon returned to the top of the rise. He then stayed low to the ground and crawled back onto the other side where he couldn’t be seen. He had just exhaled in relief and was about to run off, when he heard West call out his name.

“Trace... help me.”

Pruitt stood, took two steps towards the road, but then froze, as self-preservation battled conscience, after cursing, he rushed back over the hill and towards West.

His return startled the men, and the three bikers scrambled to take cover, while thinking he had a weapon. Pruitt then scooped West up in his arms, turned, and ran.

A moment later, nearly a dozen bullets whizzed about Pruitt, and one of them caught him on the leg. However, the contact was so slight that the bullet didn’t even draw blood, but merely bruised Pruitt’s left calf. Still, amid the shifting sand, he lost his balance and fell to his knees near the motorcycles.

As he started to get up, a hand gripped his shoulder and spun him around, causing him to fall backwards onto his butt, even as he held West in his lap like a child.

The bearded man who had grabbed him let out a chuckle, and then he and the two men with him raised their guns and took aim.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Two of the three bikers fell to the ground and began tumbling back down the hill, each with a bullet in their chest, and when Pruitt swiveled his head around, he saw Jake Caliber, weapon drawn, and firing once more.

Pruitt cringed from the sound of the large gun and then watched as the third biker dropped his weapon and fell to the sand, dead.

“Holy shit, Caliber, do you have good timing or what?”

“Can you walk, Pruitt?”

“Yeah, I think so, but look, there are more of them headed this way.”

West had slipped into unconsciousness, but Jake gave her wound a quick check and found that it was serious.

“She’ll die if you don’t get her help. Take her and go.”

“Yeah, let’s get the hell out of here.”

“I’m staying, if we all run, with these bikes, they’ll be on us before we reach town.”

“Staying? Dude, there’s still a lot of guys down there and they’re not fucking around.”

“Go Pruitt, or Deputy West will die.”

“I’ll call for help when I reach the car.”

“Just go!” Jake said, and then he sent several shots towards the figures running his way. When he looked back, he saw Pruitt topping the rise. At his feet, one of the wounded bikers moaned. That’s when Jake noticed the Ka-Bar knife strapped to the man’s belt. He took the knife, fired several more shots down the hill, and then hit the ground as they returned fire, then, while gripping the knife between his teeth, he crawled towards the motorcycles.

***

Pruitt heard the shots getting closer and wondered if Jake Caliber had just died. After laying West across the back seat of her car, he suddenly recalled that he didn’t have the keys, and that West’s gun and purse were lying back in the sand. He was happy enough to cry tears of joy when he discovered that West had left the keys in the ignition.

He then took out his phone and called for help, as he rushed West into town.

***

Jake laid flat in the sand, watching a group of four bikers, Hombre among them, move cautiously up the slope, too cautiously for his purposes.

He was dressed in the dark slacks of the suit he’d worn the day before as well as a black T-shirt, along with a shoulder rig. When he heard Pruitt and West leave the motel, he had been sitting up in bed watching a sports channel, but curiosity led him to follow Pruitt.

Jake sprung up suddenly, fired two shots, and heard one of the bikers grunt in pain. He then sprinted for the rise and disappeared over it as a barrage of bullets zipped around him. He reappeared atop the rise only a moment later with a lit cigar in his hand, and as the bikers came to a stop near their motorcycles, Jake tossed the cigar through the air and at their feet.

WHOOSH!

The motorcycles all went up at once, as every other one had a punctured gas tank dripping fuel. Jake smiled in satisfaction, even as the screams of the bikers reached his ears. Three of the men were still afire, while a fourth one, Hombre, was rolling about, unlit, but still smoldering. Hombre screamed in agony, his long braid had burned away, and his scalp was red with blisters.

Now confident that they’d be unable to pursue, Jake turned to run to his car.

BAM! BAM!

The two shots were fired from his right and just barely missed him. Jake came within a hair of killing the figure running towards him, but then he saw that she was not only unarmed, but running for her life.

It was Emmy Gates, and following behind her was Roxana.

“Help me!” Emmy cried, and then she slammed into Jake with enough force to make him lose his balance. The two of them tumbled backwards down the hill and landed in a heap at the bottom.

When Jake shook off the impact, he realized that he no longer had his gun.

Emmy cried out in pain, and Jake saw that she had broken two fingers on her left hand.

BAM! BAM!

It was Roxana again, firing wildly, but getting closer. Jake rolled to his right near the corpse of one of the men he’d shot earlier, and plucked the gun from his dead hand. He fired off a shot at Roxana, and saw the woman run off to the left, where a biker joined her behind a cactus. Jake cursed, his fall down the hill had given the bikers time to maneuver in front of him, and now he was cut off from the road.

Emmy came crawling over to him and gripped his arm.

“They want to kill me, especially Roxana.”

“Who are you?”

“I’m Emmy Gates; this is my land.”

“How many of them are there?”

“I don’t know, maybe fourteen or fifteen, counting Roxana.”

Jake gritted his teeth. That meant that there were as many as eight still left to deal with.

He spoke to Emmy.

“Stay close to me; I’m heading towards those boulders, they’re the only cover out here.”

Emmy nodded, and Jake thought that he had never seen eyes so large with fear.

He checked the gun’s clip, and found that it had only four rounds left. He then searched the dead man for more ammo, and found only a cell phone and a wallet.

“Let’s go,” Jake said, and Emmy followed along behind, as a string of bullets raised up the sand near their feet.

***

Pruitt watched Dr. Hennessy rush off with West down a corridor of her clinic, as she called back words of assurance that the young woman was still alive.

Pruitt said a whispered prayer of thanks and then went back outside into the night air. He had called the sheriff while driving to town and learned that the lone deputy on duty was dealing with a fatal traffic accident far down the highway, but that Hennessy himself was on his way.

Pruitt looked along the street and saw the motel. He had followed Rayne to her door earlier with the hope of being invited inside, and so he knew which room was hers.

He ran down the street, while still feeling a throb of pain where the bullet grazed his leg, and when he reached Rayne’s door, he knocked lightly.

Rayne answered the door as if she had already been awake, and Pruitt saw that she was still dressed, but had changed into dark clothing.

“Pruitt, you’ve got to be—”

Rayne stopped talking as she saw the blood on Pruitt’s clothing.

“Are you hurt, what happened?”

“Rayne, it’s Jake Caliber. I think he might be dead.”

“What?”

Pruitt explained quickly, and even before he finished, Rayne had retrieved her weapon and was knocking on Christopher’s door.

Chris answered the door with a sleepy gaze, but when he saw the blood on Pruitt, he startled awake.

“What is it?”

“It’s Jake,” Rayne said.

***

Jake had made it to the boulder field with Emmy following behind, but they had three men closing in on them, and one of them had already fired at them with what sounded like an Uzi. Jake took Emmy by her good hand and dragged her behind a boulder. He then took out his phone and tossed it behind a second boulder a dozen feet away.

Emmy opened her mouth in shock, but Jake silenced her by holding up a hand, before taking out the phone he had stripped off the dead man.

The three men drew disturbingly close, and Jake could hear the sound of a fresh clip being fed into a gun.

One of the men whispered. “Do you see them?”

A second voice whispered in return. “They ran back this way, so they have to be behind one of those three boulders.”

“Right, then we’ll split up and—”

Jake had dialed his phone as the men talked, knowing that it would grab their attention with its shrill sound.

Ring!

“There!” one of the men said, as he pointed at a boulder, and the three rushed behind the rock while firing their weapons. The Uzi ripped Jake’s phone to pieces, even as he raised his own weapon and fired until empty.

BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!

All three men fell to the sand, but only two were fatally wounded, as the third one, the man with the Uzi, had suffered a through and through near his left ribcage.

Jake plucked a rock from the ground, advanced on the man, and crushed his skull with a savage blow. When he heard the retching sounds behind him, he saw that Emmy was vomiting after having witnessed the violence. He called to her.

“Get over here before we get separat—”

Shots ricocheted off the boulder that Emmy was behind, and Roxana’s voice filled the night, as she shouted for Emmy in a screech.

“I’m going to kill you! Kill you!”

Emmy bolted away into the shadows of the nearby cliff, and Jake had just enough time to scoop up the dead men’s guns and hustle away, as the sound of multiple footfalls sounded in the night around him.

***

Chris hit the dashboard of Rayne’s rental in frustration.

“All I get is voicemail.”

Rayne reached over and squeezed his hand.

“Your brother can handle himself well, you know that.”

Pruitt spoke up from the back seat.

“There were a shitload of bikers out there, Rayne. I think your boy here should prepare himself for the worst.”

“Shut up, Pruitt!” Rayne said, and then she rounded a curve so fast that the car nearly flipped, but as they landed back on all four wheels, they saw flashing red lights approaching from the other direction.

“It’s the sheriff,” Chris said, “Thank God.”

And in the back seat, Pruitt whispered, “I hope he brought the Marines with him.”

***

Jake dived behind a small boulder that just barely hid him from view and checked his arsenal. Thankfully, most of the Diablo’s Doubles appeared to use 9mm weapons, and so the ammo was interchangeable. He had an Uzi and two Berettas, guns he had taken off the last men he’d killed.

He filled the Uzi’s clip and then discarded the gun he took the ammo from, afterwards, he shoved the second gun in his waistband, behind his back. He had twenty-three rounds all together and guessed that there were as many as five hostiles left.

He sighed as he thought about Emmy Gates, but knew that he could do nothing to help her now.

The soft sound of footfalls came from the right, and Jake sprang up and flung the Ka-Bar knife into the throat of a biker with a clean-shaven face, the man had been foolishly walking along with his gun hanging limp at his side, while swiveling his head about wildly.

Even as the man dropped his weapon and cried out in agony, Jake felt a bullet nip his ear as another one literally passed through his hair. With a grunt of shock and surprise, he hit the ground and scrambled away on his knees and elbows, as instinct drove him close to the ground.

After rolling behind a boulder, Jake sent several shots from the Uzi towards the location he thought the bullets had come from, when he ceased firing, he heard the sound of movement behind him, both to his right and left, and knew that at least three men were trying to surround him. The sounds weren’t nearby, and so he concentrated on the man in front.

After sending two warning shots towards his rear, Jake crawled forward behind the trunk of a cactus, and searched for movement. He saw it seconds later, as a stick thin man with a very long beard came slithering along the ground like a snake, while headed for the boulder that Jake had just left. The man didn’t spot him until it was too late, and Jake placed a round into his forehead.

“Creeper? Did you get him?”

The words were whispered and came from so close behind that Jake expected the man to soon step on him. He left the area in the same snake-like way as the man he had just shot and made it behind another boulder.

“Shit, Creeper’s dead too. Who the fuck is out here, Rambo?”

Those words were spoken by Bronco, and Jake tried to pinpoint their source as he rose from behind the rock and fired until his gun was empty.

He didn’t hit Bronco, but did managed to seriously wound the man who had been crouched to the left of him, and he was also able to see that there were three of them, and that Emmy had underestimated the count by at least one.

When the Uzi made the distinctive clicking sound of an empty gun, Jake racked the slide several times, pulled the trigger, and again heard only clicks.

Bronco laughed, and cried out, “He’s empty!” and not being one to argue, Jake pulled the trigger several more times to add confirmation to the thought. Then, even as he tossed the Uzi out with one hand, he pulled the second gun from behind his back, and waited.

Bronco laughed louder as he saw the discarded weapon hit the ground.

“There’s no surrendering, dude, we ain’t cops, we’re just going to come back there and whack you.”

Jake waited until he could hear their breathing, and then leapt out and began firing.

And as Bronco’s bullets tore into him, Jake’s mind filled with thoughts of Kelli.

***

Hennessy saw the car flying towards him and figured that it must be Chris and Rayne. While he normally would have become furious upon seeing civilians headed towards an active crime scene, he welcomed the extra guns at his back, as his deputies were still minutes away.

Hennessy made a wide, skidding turn onto the Gates’ dirt road, and then looked into his rear view mirror to see Rayne do the same.

“Hold on, Caliber, we’re coming.”

***

Bronco lay in the sand, while dying from a head wound that had ripped away his jaw and exited just under his left eye. Behind him was another man with blood spurting from his neck.

Jake noticed all this from his vantage point on the ground, as he leaned back against a boulder and checked his wounds.

One bullet had passed through the outer part of his left shoulder, and thankfully had missed hitting bone, while the bullet in his right thigh was still lodged there, and blood seeped from the wound, but so far, the pain had yet to rise up. The same could not be said for the earlier wound he had suffered to his ear, which throbbed madly, and out of all proportion to its slightness.

He rose to his feet and found that his leg could support his weight, and heard the sound of a siren growing closer. However, the sound was soon eclipsed by the screams of Emmy Gates.

Jake looked around, saw only the dead and dying, and limped towards Emmy’s cries, as several shots rang out.

***

Roxana cursed her rotten aim. She had fired so many times at Emmy Gates and missed each time, but finally managed to hit her in the arm with her last round. Emmy was laying on the ground, and with her back against the base of the cliff, Roxana knew she would soon see her dead.

“Bronco! I finally shot the bitch. Did you guys get yours... Bronco?”

“Whichever one was Bronco, he’s probably dead, they’re all done for and you’re all alone.”

Roxana spun at the sound of Jake’s voice and saw him looking out from the shelter of a boulder. Her face was a bloody mess, as the wounds inflicted upon her by Emmy’s nails were beginning to swell, and one eye was nearly closed.

“Bronco ain’t dead. Bronco! Bronco! Hombre! Denny? Coots? Ruben? Hey! Come kill this bastard. Bronco! Bron... Bron... Bronco?”

Emmy let out a laugh.

“They’re all dead, Roxana, all dead!”

Roxana spun back around and pulled the trigger, having forgotten that her gun was empty.

Jake advanced on her cautiously in a limping gait, while still looking about for other shooters. When he reached Roxana, he hit her with a right cross that knocked her out and sent her sprawling.

The siren was close now, and stationary, and Jake knew that Hennessy had at last arrived, when he turned, he saw the flash of red and blue lights atop the hill.

He walked over to Emmy as the bullet lodged in his thigh began to burn like a hot coal. After helping her up, the two of them started back towards the road. As he reached the line of burning motorcycles, he saw Hennessy walking towards him while wielding an assault rifle, with Christopher and Rayne following.

Hennessy called to him.

“Talk to me, Caliber!”

“It’s safe, they’ve all been handled, most are dead, but there’s some wounded.”

Hennessy stopped in his tracks, gun still held up and ready, as his mind struggled to process the words.

“How many were there? That fool, Pruitt, he claimed that there were over a dozen.”

“He was right,” Jake said, as Chris and Rayne gathered near him, and they both winced at his bloody wounds.

Out by the hulk of the burnt trailer, more flashing lights arrived, and with them was a van from the local cable television station.

Hennessy walked over while staring at Jake with awe in his eyes, awe, respect, and just a touch of fear. When he spotted Emmy’s wounded arm, he placed a gentle hand on her back, and began guiding her towards the road.

“Let’s get you folks some medical care,” Hennessy said, and with a nod of agreement, Jake followed.

And in the early morning hours of a Texas day, another legend was born, and yet, it was one that bore a familiar name. Caliber, Jake Caliber.

CHAPTER 20

Chris had gone with Jake to the clinic, but Rayne and Pruitt had stayed behind with Sheriff Hennessy.

In all, there were eleven men dead, and four seriously wounded, including Hombre, who had severe burns over more than fifty percent of his body. Roxana Gates was charged with attempted murder; she also suffered a broken jaw, thanks to Jake’s punch.

Even as the bodies were being taken away, Hennessy enlisted the aid of two deputies and followed Emmy Gates’ directions to the spot where she believed that Hombre had discovered the strongbox that contained the money.

Rayne and Pruitt stood by watching as the ground was dug into. When the first shovel tinkled against metal, they exchanged glances, and Pruitt saw the stark look of disappointment cover Rayne’s face.

“You were hoping to find it yourself, weren’t you?” Pruitt said.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Rayne said, but there was the sound of sadness in her voice.

“Yank it out of there, men,” Hennessy told his deputies, and soon their treasure was revealed, causing Hennessy to bray with laughter.

“It’s just an old road sign,” one of the deputies said. “Hell, that probably blew off in a storm and got covered over decades ago.”

The sign was flat, made of heavy metal, and still held some of its green paint.

Hennessy, still chuckling, picked it up and handed it to Pruitt.

“There’s your treasure, Pruitt. I hear those things go for a few bucks to collectors on eBay.”

Pruitt gave the sheriff a sour look, and tossed the sign in the sand.

“There’s nothing here, what a wasted trip.”

Rayne seemed cheered by the find, and patted Pruitt on the arm.

“Sorry.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“How sorry? I mean, if you really want to cheer me up, we could go back to the motel and—ooofff!”

Rayne punched him in the stomach and headed back towards the road, but then called over her shoulder.

“If you want a ride back, you’d better hurry, Pruitt.”

Pruitt smiled at Hennessy.

“She likes to play hard to get, you know?”

“Yeah, keep telling yourself that,” Hennessy said.

***

Rayne and Pruitt arrived at the clinic and found Jake with a heavily bandaged leg and shoulder. Chris was with him, and still looked a bit subdued by the realization that he had nearly lost his brother.

Emmy was doing well, as her arm wound wasn’t serious, and Pruitt learned that West would live, and that he was being praised for getting her to the doctor so quickly.

Jake stared at him, and then smiled.

“You’re not as big a dirt bag as I thought you were, Pruitt. You actually risked your life to help West.”

“Not only that, but I was wounded too.”

“Where were you wounded?” Rayne asked.

Pruitt lifted his pant leg and showed them the burn mark on his calf where a bullet had touched him as it whizzed past, it was about the size of a dime, and was turning purple.

Rayne tried not to laugh, but lost the battle, and pointed at Pruitt’s leg.

“That has to be the tiniest bullet wound of all time, I mean, Jake’s ear suffered more damage.”

Pruitt appeared genuinely hurt and began to sulk, but he brightened as Rayne stretched up and gave him a peck on the cheek.

“I shouldn’t have laughed; you were very brave to save that deputy,” Rayne said.

Sheriff Hennessy entered the room with two men and introduced them as FBI agents.

They needed Jake and Pruitt to walk them through the night’s events, but said that it could wait until morning, after everyone had gotten at least a few hours of sleep. Hennessy then warned Jake that the story had gotten out, and that the media was already gathering.

“I even saw on the news where they had your picture alongside your grandfather, and his grandfather,” Hennessy said. “And I know that they’ll be looking to speak with you.”

“I’ve got nothing to say. I came here to prove Velma innocent and that’s still my goal, so tell me, is there a chance that those bikers had anything to do with Gates’ murder?”

“I don’t think so, but the toxicology results should be in by morning, and once they come in, I’m calling a meeting, and then we’ll get to the bottom of this.”

Jake studied the sheriff’s face.

“You have a suspect?”

“I do, actually, two of them, but we’ll talk in the morning, right now, why don’t we all get some sleep.”

It was decided that Jake would stay at the clinic and rest under medical care, while the others went back to the motel.

As they stepped outside, Chris, Rayne, and Pruitt all yawned at the same time, and when she checked her watch, Rayne saw that it was after three a.m.

“What time does the sun come up around here?” she asked.

“About six-thirty, why?” Pruitt said.

“Just curious,” Rayne said.

Rayne drove the short drive back to the motel, where Pruitt said goodnight and went to his room, leaving Rayne and Chris alone.

Rayne smiled, as she stood in front of her room.

“Are you coming in?”

“No, and... I won’t be, ever again.”

“Because if you do, you’ll lose Velma.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll be available, Chris. I just want you to know that.”

Chris shook his head.

“Goodnight, Rayne.”

Rayne leaned back against her door.

“At least you didn’t say goodbye.”

Chris entered his room, and Rayne remained leaning against her door. She checked her watch again, and calculated that she had just enough time to do what she needed to do.

She then left the motel on foot, while keeping to the shadows.

CHAPTER 21

6:03 a.m., New York City

––––––––

The old man turned on the radio while he shaved and heard his name mentioned, but as he listened, he realized that it was about Jake and the events of the previous night in Texas.

He went into the living room and put on the TV, and after a few minutes, the news covered the same story, but with more detail.

The local television station had been on hand when Jake emerged from his desert crucible and the old man grimaced as he saw his grandson’s bloody wounds, but then the camera zoomed in on Jake’s face, and he saw the eyes. They were the eyes of a warrior, the eyes of a conqueror, the same eyes that have stared back at him in the mirror for most of his life.

With a towel, he rubbed off the remaining shaving cream, and then used the back of his hand to wipe at the tears of pride that rolled down his cheeks.

“I love you, Jakey, I love you, boy.”

***

Pachaw, Texas

––––––––

At 9:00 a.m., Jake, Pruitt, and the sheriff returned from their walk about the Gates property, and learned that the toxicology report had come in.

Hennessy picked up the folder from his desk, passed it to Jake without even looking at it, and said one word.

“Diapolenax,”

Jake opened the file as Pruitt leaned in to read it with him, and saw that an animal anesthesia named Diapolenax was found to be in Velma’s system.

“How did you know what it would be?” Pruitt said.

Sheriff Hennessy sighed.

“Dr. Penn is dead; he died last evening. He had been called out to a farm to treat a bull that had cut itself badly on a broken fence post and he gave it that drug to knock it out while he stitched the wound. The thing is, the drug had been diluted with water, and the bull recovered too quickly and crushed him.”

“What’s his wife say about this?” Jake asked.

“The woman is still in shock over her husband’s death and has not commented, but I have a deputy fetching her now. We’re going to get to the bottom of this.”

“She’s a suspect, but she’s also the mayor, are you going to get any flak from this?”

“She could cut my department’s funding to the bone, but then, none of that matters.”

Jake passed the folder back to Hennessy.

“Given those results, are you willing to free Velma?”

Hennessy pointed behind Jake.

Jake turned and saw a smiling Velma headed his way with Chris and Rayne beside her. When she entered the office, he took her in a hug, then, grunted in pain, which was caused by the wound to his shoulder.

Velma released him and shook her head in wonder.

“Chris told me what happened last night, thank God you survived that.”

He smiled.

“Kelli wouldn’t believe I was okay until I sent her a picture, and I had to talk her into staying in New York.”

“Did you speak to your grandfather?”

“I did.”

“What did he say?”

“He said that he was proud of me, that he loved me, and that I was to bring you home.”

Velma looked over at Hennessy.

“Is that why I was released? Am I free to go now?”

Hennessy didn’t answer her, but walked around from behind his desk and over to his door.

Two deputies approached, one deputy escorted the mayor, while the other arrived with Emmy Gates, whose left arm was in a sling.

“Mayor Penn, Mrs. Gates, thank you both for coming, and please let me say again how sorry I am for both of your losses.”

Emmy looked shocked.

“Something happened to Dr. Penn?”

Hennessy explained how the doctor had been killed, and Emmy wiped at tears. She then grew quiet, as she took in the crowd in Hennessy’s office, but the mayor felt the need to talk.

“Thank you for your condolences, Rich, and by the way, that deputy that just left should be given a driving lesson. He drives much too fast.”

“Yes, ma’am, I’ll speak to him,” Hennessy said, as he took a good look at her, and thought that the mayor appeared genuinely upset by the loss of her husband, as her eyes were red and puffy from crying.

Hennessy had the mayor and Emmy take seats in front of the desk, and then he asked Mayor Penn if she had any idea who might have tampered with her husband’s drug supply.

“I don’t know anything, Rich; perhaps it was a bad batch?”

“It was no bad batch, some of the missing drug was found in Miss Parker’s system, it seems that someone drugged her and then tried to frame her for Gates’ murder.”

Mayor Penn stared up at Velma.

“She killed Peter, the bloody blouse proved it.”

“No ma’am, that was just part of the frame.”

“I still know nothing about it, and I resent that you have dragged me in here today, only hours after my husband’s death. Can’t you let me mourn?”

“If what I suspect is true, well then, your husband’s death was caused by whoever stole the drug and replaced it with water. I assume that they were going to dispose of the faulty ampule once the inventory was done, but didn’t get to it in time before Doc was called out again.”

The mayor wiped at tears.

“I know nothing, nothing,”

Sheriff Hennessy looked at Emmy.

“Reverend Thomas says he was passing by in the opposite direction when he saw you come flying out of the Roadhouse Bar & Grill parking lot on the day your husband was killed. He also assures me that the time was 8:30 a.m. So tell me, why is there a fourteen-minute time difference between the driving time to the trailer, and the time we received your call about the fire?”

Emmy looked surprised by the question as she gazed about the room, but then answered.

“It was the train. I had to wait for a long, slow train to go by, and I was so mad that I caught it too, maybe if I hadn’t, I could have stopped the murder.”

Hennessy nodded.

“I’ll look into that, but tell me Emmy, do you know the combination on Dr. Penn’s drug safe?”

“No. I’ve seen him open it a bunch of times, but he never told me the numbers.”

Hennessy studied the two women, then nibbled on his lower lip.

“I guess we’ll just have to wait until the DNA comes back on those skin cells.”

Rayne recalled what the waitress, Jeanne, had said about the mayor’s need to correct everyone, and then moved behind Velma.

“We believe that whoever drugged Velma injected her in the back, like this,” Rayne said, and then proceeded to pantomime jabbing a needle into Velma.

The mayor nodded at the demonstration, and Rayne did it again.

“Dr. Hennessy found a puncture mark right about here I believe,” Rayne said, and pointed to a spot just below Velma’s neck.

The mayor looked annoyed.

“It was lower.”

“Excuse me?” Rayne said.

The mayor pointed.

“I said the mark is lower, near that cut on her—”

She stopped talking as she realized what she had done.

“What cut?” Rayne said.

Sheriff Hennessy pulled a photo from a file on his desk. The photo was one that was taken by Deputy West, a photo that showed the small cut on Velma’s lower back. A photo that the mayor couldn’t have previously seen.

“This cut, Mayor?” Hennessy said. “But how could you have known it was there, or that it was near the spot she received the injection?”

Mayor Penn looked down at the floor.

“I... I have nothing to say.”

The sheriff knelt down beside her chair.

“That blood on Miss Parker’s blouse proved that whoever was wearing it killed Peter Gates, but there’s a question about just who was wearing it at the time. Reese Brown found a second set of skin cells inside the blouse. Once we match their DNA to a suspect, there will be no doubt that Miss Parker was framed. Now, is there anything you’d like to say to that, Mayor?”

Mayor Penn gazed at the sheriff with tears in her eyes.

“I want a lawyer.”

CHAPTER 22

Pachaw, Texas

––––––––

Sheriff Hennessy shook Jake’s hand as the two men said goodbye.

They were at the airport in El Paso, and with Velma cleared of murder, they were preparing to fly home.

“I wanted to meet Jake Caliber, and by God if I didn’t. That battle you had with Diablo’s Doubles will be talked about for years.”

“I just did what I had to do to stay alive.”

“But that’s just it, most men in your shoes would be dead.”

“Take care, Sheriff, and I guess I’ll see you again when I come back to testify.”

Hennessy smiled.

“I look forward to it.”

A few yards away, Chris was speaking to Rayne, as Velma watched them just out of earshot.

Rayne wiped at her eyes.

“You don’t want to see me again?”

“Not in the way you mean, but I do hope that we can still be—”

“—friends?”

“Yes, and partners, but I guess it remains to be seen if you and Velma can work together.”

Rayne looked over at Velma and was surprised to see that her face was blank. She had expected to find a smug look of satisfaction staring back at her.

“I want you to remember two things, Chris.”

“What’s that?”

“That I’ll always love you, and that Velma can’t be trusted.”

“Rayne.... I won’t change my mind.”

“We’ll see.”

They were boarding the plane when Pruitt came running over with a suitcase.

“Hey! Caliber, can I hitch a ride?”

Jake sighed, and then laughed, before telling Pruitt to stow his suitcase and climb aboard.

Pruitt did so, and afterwards, he took a seat across from Rayne and Jake.

As the plane leveled off in flight, Pruitt looked at Rayne and saw that she was crying.

“Hey, what’s with the tears, Madam X?”

“I told you not to call me that again,” Rayne said, as she looked over at Chris and Velma, who were seated ahead of her, and on the other side of the plane.

Velma turned in her seat, spotted Rayne, and gave her the look that she had expected to see earlier, a smug look of triumph.

Pruitt saw where she was looking, and understood.

“Oh, he chose her over you, huh? Well, that just makes him a fool.”

Rayne looked at Pruitt, and smiled slightly.

“Thanks for saying that.”

“I mean it, hell, you’re hotter than she is.”

Rayne’s smile faded.

“Is everything about sex to you?”

Pruitt looked confused.

“What do you mean? That was a compliment. I mean, Velma’s hot, don’t get me wrong, but I’d take your type over hers any day.” Pruitt looked her over. “I mean, you’re kind of petite, but you’re really built, and I bet that once you get going you’re—”

The slap was so hard and sudden that it made Jake cringe and caused Pruitt to slump in his seat.

“You’re a pig, Pruitt! A pig without a heart.”

Rayne grabbed the duffle bag at her feet and moved towards the rear of the plane where there was a rest area that was separated from the seats by curtains.

Pruitt looked over at Jake as he flexed his jaw.

“Do you think she’ll stay mad at me?”

“What do you care?”

Pruitt thought about it and then laughed.

“You know something, Caliber, I think I’m falling for her.”

Jake said, “Oh God,” and buried his face in his hands.

***

Rayne sat behind the curtains with tears rolling down her cheeks, as the sound of Velma and Chris laughing together pierced her heart.

She had not lied when she told Chris that she would always love him, or when she told Velma that she’d always welcome Chris back.

However, she feared that she had lost her chance with him, and that she might be alone in love forever.

She wiped at her tears and then gripped the duffle bag tighter.

The bag contained nearly a million dollars in cash, all in unmarked fifty and hundred-dollar bills. It was the remaining money stolen from the drug dealer.

On the previous day, when Rayne stood on the rise with Pruitt and gazed about, the answer to where the money was hidden came to her, and she had prepared for her return to the site that afternoon.

She had gone shopping and bought the duffle, a small shovel, gloves, and a pick hammer. She then hid them among scrub brush a hundred yards away from the Gates’ fire-ravaged trailer and drove back to her motel room to wait for nightfall.

She had a short window of time between the aftermath of Jake’s firefight and the coming of dawn, and she used it to crawl beneath the trailer and excavate the money.

Fool that he was, Peter Gates had parked his trailer near the dirt road and then proceeded to spend over a year searching the surrounding landscape for the money his brother had stolen. It never once occurred to him that he might have parked the trailer on top of it.

It occurred to Rayne though, had come to her in a flash of insight, and she had laughed with pure joy when she yanked the strongbox out of the earth beneath the trailer.

With the money inside it, the duffle had heft to it, but also had straps that could convert it into a backpack, as Rayne did, before hiking back to the motel just before dawn, to count her prize.

Rayne laid the duffle down atop the bench seat she sat on, and then leaned over and rested her head upon it.

She would not give up on her quest to have Chris Caliber, but she would wait, wait and be patient, because she could afford to be.

Rayne smiled as she closed her eyes and hugged the duffle of cash like a pillow.

Yes, she could afford to be patient; she could afford many things now.

ALSO BY REMINGTON KANE

The TANNER Series in order

- INEVITABLE I - A Tanner Novel - Book 1

- KILL IN PLAIN SIGHT - A Tanner Novel - Book 2

- MAKING A KILLING ON WALL STREET - A Tanner Novel - Book 3

- THE FIRST ONE TO DIE LOSES - A Tanner Novel - Book 4

- THE LIFE & DEATH OF CODY PARKER - A Tanner Novel - Book 5

- WAR - A Tanner Novel - Book 6
- SUICIDE OR DEATH – A Tanner Novel – Book 7
- TWO FOR THE KILL – A Tanner Novel – Book 8
- BALLET OF DEATH – A Tanner Novel – Book 9

- MORE DANGEROUS THAN MAN – A Tanner Novel – Book 10

- TANNER TIMES TWO – A Tanner Novel – Book 11

- OCCUPATION: DEATH – A Tanner Novel – Book 12

- HELL FOR HIRE – A Tanner Novel – Book 13

- A HOME TO DIE FOR - A Tanner Novel – Book 14

- FIRE WITH FIRE – A Tanner Novel – Book 15

- TO KILL A KILLER – A Tanner Novel – Book 16 (Coming Soon)

The TAKEN! Series in order

- TAKEN! - LOVE CONQUERS ALL
- TAKEN! - SECRETS & LIES
- TAKEN! - STALKER
- TAKEN! - BREAKOUT!
- TAKEN! - THE THIRTY-NINE
- TAKEN! - KIDNAPPING THE DEVIL
- TAKEN! - HIT SQUAD
- TAKEN! - MASQUERADE
- TAKEN! - SERIOUS BUSINESS
- TAKEN! - THE COUPLE THAT SLAYS TOGETHER
- TAKEN! - PUT ASUNDER
- TAKEN! - LIKE BOND, ONLY BETTER
- TAKEN! - MEDIEVAL
- TAKEN! - RISEN!
- TAKEN! - VACATION
- TAKEN! – MICHAEL
- TAKEN! – BEDEVILED
- TAKEN! – INTENTIONAL ACTS OF VIOLENCE

The BLUE STEELE Series in order

- BLUE STEELE – BOUNTY HUNTER
- BLUE STEELE – BROKEN
- BLUE STEELE – VENGEANCE
- BLUE STEELE – THAT WHICH DOESN’T KILL ME
- BLUE STEELE – ON THE HUNT
- BLUE STEELE – PAST SINS (Coming Soon)

The CALIBER DETECTIVE AGENCY Series in order

- CALIBER DETECTIVE AGENCY – GENERATIONS

- CALIBER DETECTIVE AGENCY – TEMPTATION

- CALIBER DETECTIVE AGENCY – A RANSOM PAID IN BLOOD

- CALIBER DETECTIVE AGENCY - MISSING
- CALIBER DETECTIVE AGENCY - DECEPTION
- CALIBER DETECTIVE AGENCY - CRUCIBLE

Also by REMINGTON KANE

- THE CONTRACT: KILL JESSICA WHITE – A TAKEN!/TANNER NOVEL – Book 1

- BOUNTY OF BLOOD – A TAKEN!/TANNER NOVEL – Book 2 (Coming Soon)

- MONSTERS – A Detective Pierce Novel – Book 1

- DEMONS – A Detective Pierce Novel – Book 2

- ANGELS – A Detective Pierce Novel – Book 3

- REDEMPTION... Someone's taken her
- DESOLATION LAKE
- PARKER & KNIGHT
- SLAY BELLS

Join my Mailing List and Learn about New Releases. Also, get access to FREE Books and Short Stories, including The TAKEN! ALPHABET SERIES, QUICK – A TANNER Short Story, and A LITTLE OFF THE TOP – A TANNER Short Story. REMINGTON KANE http://www.remingtonkane.com/contact.html

Did you love Caliber Detective Agency - Box Set 2? Then you should read Blue Steele - Box Set 1 by Remington Kane!

From Remington Kane

Blue Steele Box Set 1

Blue Steele - Bounty Hunter - Book 1

Blue Steele - Broken - Book 2

Blue Steele - Vengeance - Book 3

Read more at Remington Kane’s site.

About the Author

REMINGTON KANE is the author of the wildly popular TANNER SERIES as well as the equally thrilling TAKEN! SERIES.

While The TANNER Series and The TAKEN! Series are similar in that they're both packed with action, the hit man Tanner has a little more grit to him.

Please visit www.remingtonkane.com to learn more.

Read more at Remington Kane’s site.