Just the Facts, Volume 1

by Edward Kendrick

  “At which point he waits outside and watches until I drink the coffee? Fine in theory, but he’d have to come back to strangle me. I think Carolyn might object. Hell, she’d probably find me passed out before he returns.”

  “One can hope, but…”

  “Yeah.” Michael barely smiled. “So I don’t drink anything except when I’m at home. I’ll be real dehydrated by then.”

  “Better than being real dead.”

  “You had to point that out.”

  “I did. I like you, Michael. Probably, no, definitely more than like, and you know it. I don’t want to lose you to some crazy guy who thinks he can get away with murder, again.”

  “Then we have to find him.”

  “That’s Daniels’ job.”

  “We could speed things up,” Michael said, nodding slowly.

  “Uh-uh. Whatever you’re thinking…” Reid tapped Michael’s forehead. “Forget it.”

  “It was just an idea.”

  “What was?”

  “Okay, we don’t know he’ll come looking for me. I don’t see why he would when it comes down to it, despite what you two think. But he will if we give him a good reason to.”

  “Let me guess. You want to let it out that you saw a man with Ms. Lee on her balcony and can describe him.”

  Michael waggled his hand. “More that I have a vague description of him, and the police want me to be hypnotized to see if I’ll remember details which could help them. Of course if he never went out there with her, he’s not going to worry, but…”

  Reid obviously gave his idea some thought before saying, “You don’t have to be that specific. You, or the police, claim you saw her several times in the three weeks she lived here, and most of the time she had a man with her. With the exception of Trask, they were probably johns. It could have been a john who killed her because she was blackmailing him. Unfortunately, doesn’t explain why Trask was stalking you.”

  “It might, if Trask or the man he works for thought I could identify the john. Or…” Michael worried his lip between his teeth. “Or she and Trask were in on it together. Obviously Trask knew I saw him with her. He turned away when I opened my door, but he couldn’t know if I’d seen enough to identify him. Then, after she was murdered, he began to wonder if I had, which is why he stalked me and accosted me at the restaurant. Not his brightest move.”

  “Not really,” Reid agreed. “If we’re right and they were blackmailing one of her johns, the guy would have wanted Trask out of the picture, too. He just had to find the right time and place, which is why it took a week between her killing and Trask’s.”

  “We need to run this by Daniels, and then get him to ‘announce’ that there’s a witness who saw some of the men she entertained at her place,” Michael said. “But so briefly that his descriptions are worthless, so Daniels wants him; okay me, to be hypnotized to see if I remember more. Especially the man I caught a glimpse of on Sunday when he…what? He’d know I didn’t run into him in the hallway.”

  “You might have seen him getting on the elevator as you came into the lobby.”

  “I park in the garage.”

  “Okay.” Reid paused momentarily. “You pulled in right when he was getting on the elevator. He could have parked in one of the visitor spots down there, instead of outside. Probably would have, the same way I do sometimes. Daniels doesn’t have to go into detail about when you saw the man. In fact he can’t, because he doesn’t know when the guy killed her. Not down to the minute. That’s almost impossible for even the best ME to figure out.”

  Michael leaned back, closing his eyes as he thought about what they were planning. He jumped when Reid tapped his shoulder, asking if he was falling asleep. “Not even.” He repressed a yawn. “I think this will work, if Daniels is willing.”

  “We’ll find out in the morning. What time do you have to be at work?”

  “We open at ten.”

  “Okay. I’ll call Daniels and try to set up a meeting for nine. I’ll call you to let you know if that works for him. Right now, go back to bed.” Reid pointed to the bedroom.

  “I have to let you out, first,” Michael replied.

  “Good point. One night sleeping on your sofa was enough. Not that it isn’t comfortable, but…”

  Michael chuckled as they walked to the door. “Your bed is better.”

  “Definitely.” Reid waited for Michael to open the door. Then, before stepping into the hallway, he put his arms around him. “This might not be the best time to do this. I’m going to anyway.” With that, he kissed Michael.

  Michael had no problem with returning the kiss. When they parted, he said, “There’s no wrong time as far as I’m concerned.”

  “I hope not, because I’m going to do it again, although not right this second. I’ll see you in the morning, or whenever Daniels agrees to talk with us.”

  “The sooner the better. If he goes for it, I’d like to get it set up and over with.”

  “Absolutely.” Reid hugged Michael then walked down the hallway. Before going around the corner to the elevator, he turned back, smiling. “Set the alarm and then get to bed.”

  Michael grinned tiredly, saying, “I am, I am.” As soon as Reid disappeared from view he closed and locked the door, turned on the alarm, and did go back to bed.

  Chapter 6

  “Tell me what this great plan is so I can say no and finally go home and get some sleep,” Daniels said at eight-thirty Tuesday morning, after taking Michael and Reid up to his desk in the squad room.

  One look at him and Reid knew he was serious—at least about the sleep part—so he quickly explained. He ended by saying, “I can do a story for the paper that’ll come out tomorrow morning. Then it’s wait and see if the killer takes the bait.”

  Turning to Michael, Daniels said, “This would put you dead in the killer’s sights, if you aren’t already. Are you willing to take that chance?”

  “I am,” Michael replied firmly. “Are you okay with it?”

  “Not in the least. That said, at this point we found nothing at the scene of Trask’s murder that points a finger at the killer. Trask was seen in the hotel bar by two people who work there, but they say he was by himself. According to the bartender, he appeared to be waiting for someone, because he kept checking the time, but the bartender says no one approached him, that he saw, and he didn’t leave with anyone. He did get a call, however, right before he left.”

  “Was he drinking?” Reid asked.

  Daniels rolled his eyes. “It’s a bar. What do you think?”

  “I didn’t, the few times I went to one after I got out,” Michael said.

  “Not even water or a soda,” Reid asked.

  “Okay, yeah, water with a twist, but…” Michael nodded. “It would be as easy to spike that as a beer or mixed drink.”

  “Exactly,” Reid agreed.

  “The bartender says Trask was drinking. Scotch and soda,” Daniels told them. “Only one before he left, but that’s all it would take.”

  “So he’s there, has a drink, then leaves when he gets the phone call,” Reid said. “It takes around twenty minutes for the effects of a roofie to kick in. The killer would know that. He spikes the drink when no one’s watching, goes into the hallway, and waits. When it’s time, he calls Trask to say he’s…waiting in the hotel lobby, maybe, or whatever. Trask leaves, the killer’s right there to catch him when he passes out. If anyone saw it happen, they’d figure Trask was drunk and the man was helping him get to the restroom.”

  Daniels smiled dryly. “At this point, that’s how I’m figuring it went down. The killer got lucky that no one was in the restroom at that point because they’d have been able to identify him.”

  “Not if he kept his head down, or put Trask between him and whoever,” Reid said.

  “True. Anyway, back to your plan, which sucks, but it could still work.”

  Reid chuckled. “As much as you hate the idea of civilians being involved?”

 
“Exactly. The problem is, Ms. Lee’s pimp won’t give up the names of her johns because he says he doesn’t know who they were. He claims she was what he calls an ‘independent contractor’ who paid him a percentage to be able to work in his territory.”

  “Huh? That’s a new one,” Reid said.

  “I agree, but he won’t back down on his story. He also claims that Trask was a minor enforcer, to keep his stable in line, and he had no idea that he and Ms. Lee knew each other.”

  “Right. As if.” Reid drummed his fingers on Daniels’ desk. “What if, and maybe this is pushing it, the pimp found out what Ms. Lee and Trask were doing and wanted to stop them? Blackmailing a john would not be good for business. So he…Does he have a name?”

  “Joe Fine,” Daniels replied.

  “Okay. So Fine decides to get rid of both of them, to teach everyone who works for him not to step out of line. Our plan would still work. Michael could have seen Fine the way we’re going to claim, but not well enough to identify him unless he can be hypnotized into remembering more details.”

  “Give me a moment,” Daniels said. He opened a file on his desk, thumbed through it, and took out a photo. “This is Fine. Have you seen him in your building, Michael?”

  Michael studied it then shook his head. “Not that I remember.”

  “Okay. Didn’t figure you would have, but it was worth a try.” He put the photo back in the folder. “I’ll need to run your idea past my lieutenant before we can move on it,” he told Michael and Reid. “If he’s willing to go with it, we’ll have you under twenty-four-seven surveillance, Michael, and hope Fine, or whoever the killer is, bites.”

  Michael grimaced. “Even when I’m at home?”

  “Can you think of a safer place for the killer to take you out, if he could get into your place while you were at work?”

  “The building security is very good.”

  “Michael, no matter how good it is, someone who knows what he’s doing can break in,” Daniels replied.

  “Yeah, I guess. Okay, talk to your lieutenant. I have to get to work, so call me when you have an answer?”

  “I will, and if it’s a go I’ll let Reid know, too, so he can write the story. I’ll also have an officer come by…What time do you close?”

  “At six.”

  “He’ll be there at six.”

  “So will I,” Reid said. “You’ll have a double escort home.”

  “I won’t need one until your paper publishes the story and that won’t be until tomorrow morning.”

  “I’m not taking any chances,” Reid replied. “Neither is Daniels, apparently.”

  “I’m not,” Daniels agreed. “Better safe than sorry.”

  Michael nodded. “I’ll be waiting for your call,” he said, getting up.

  “We both will,” Reid added as he and Michael left.

  When they were at Michael’s car, in the lot where they’d parked, Reid said, “I’ll follow you to your shop.”

  “Damn it, I’m a big boy. I think I can make it there on my own. Besides which, whoever the killer is, he’s not going to be interested in me until after the story comes out.”

  Reid wanted to argue that they didn’t know that, but the tight look on Michael’s face stopped him. “All right. I’ll see you this evening.”

  Michael started to open his car door, sighed, and said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have jumped down your throat.”

  “No problem. You’re tense, which isn’t surprising.” Reid stepped close enough to put his arms around him. “This is going to work, if Daniels gets the okay.”

  “If you think I’m tense now…”

  “I know, which is why, starting tonight, I’m not letting you out of my sight until Daniels catches whoever murdered Ms. Lee and Trask.”

  For a moment Reid thought Michael was going to argue with him. Then Michael smiled. “If you can stand sleeping on the sofa, I can stand having you around. I’ve even got enough food, believe it or not.”

  “I believe it.”

  “Good. Now give me a kiss so I can get going.”

  Reid had no problem with that. When it ended, Michael got into his car and took off. Reid watched until he was out of sight. He was tempted to follow, to make certain he got to the shop safely—but didn’t. He’s right; the killer won’t be interested in him until the story breaks. If I did tail him it would only piss him off. But I meant it. Starting tonight I’m not letting him out of my sight. That is if I can figure out a reason to be hanging around the shop while he’s working. He didn’t know how he’d do that, but he would, because he wasn’t about to let the man he already cared deeply about die if he could help it.

  * * * *

  Michael looked up when he heard the shop door open and saw Reid, followed by man he’d didn’t recognize. “We’re about to close,” he told the man.

  “He knows,” Reid said. “This is Officer Barnet. He’s your official watcher.”

  Barnet snorted. “Not sure I’d put it like that. You’re Michael, I presume. Why don’t you give me a quick tour of the place? I need to know the layout and it’ll make me look like I’m here legitimately.”

  “I’ll tag along since I’ve never been in here,” Reid said.

  Michael did as Barnet suggested, including taking them into Carolyn’s domain, which took up the back quarter of the building. It served as her sewing area and the laundry room, with a small fridge and a table for the coffeemaker next to the back door leading out to the alley.

  “Company?” Carolyn asked as she hung up the costume she’d been working on.

  “This is Reid,” Michael replied.

  “The infamous reporter.” Carolyn grinned, holding out her hand, which Reid shook while admitting he was.

  “And this is Mr. Barnet,” Michael told her.

  Carolyn eyed him. “You’re a cop. Why are you here? Before you deny it, my dad was one. I can spot you guys in an instant.” She turned to Michael. “Why’s he here?”

  “Well…” Michael sucked in a breath.

  “It has to do with that woman’s murder, doesn’t it?” she said. “The killer saw you and now the cops are protecting you. A bit late, but still.”

  “Sort of.” Michael got a nod from Barnet, so he explained to her what was going on.

  “Are you crazy?” she said when he finished.

  Michael shrugged. “Probably, but whoever it is has killed two people, so I volunteered to help catch him.”

  Carolyn turned on Reid angrily. “You’re letting him?”

  “Well, yes. Not that I could stop him. He’s going to be all right, I promise. I’ll be with him every second until this is over.”

  “Oh…really?” She grinned. “Every second?”

  “He’s sleeping on my sofa, so get that idea out of your head right now, Carolyn,” Michael said hastily.

  “Bummer. I guess I’m okay with this, as long as both of you keep him safe. I like my job. I don’t want to go looking for a new one.”

  “They will, I promise,” Michael replied, giving her a hug.

  “How will you keep an eye on him when he’s here?” she asked Barnet.

  He looked around the room before replying, “I’ll keep you company. There’s no reason for the killer to come in here. As soon as you close tonight, two of our people will come by to set up surveillance cameras. The monitor will be in here.”

  Carolyn seemed mollified by his answer. “You, however…” She pointed to Reid.

  He grimaced. “I haven’t figured that one out, yet.”

  “You don’t have to be here during the day, since Barnet will be,” Michael said. “Come by just before closing and we’ll act like we’re heading out to eat before going back to my place.”

  Reid nodded. “That works.” He thought for a moment. “Better yet, on our way home tonight you’re going to drop your car off at a garage to get it looked at, because it’s acting funny. It’ll give me a reason to drive you everywhere for the next couple of days.”

&n
bsp; “Good idea,” Barnet said. “Once they’ve finished here, one of our men will come by your place, Michael, to put up cameras there, as well. I’ll need your key to the back door of the shop so they can get in and lock up when they’re done.”

  Michael took the one they’d need off his key ring and told him what the security code was. Then, since it was after six, he suggested it was time to leave. Barnet and Carolyn did, first, while Reid waited for Michael to turn off his computer and shut off the lights. After setting the alarm, they left as well, walking down to the lot where they’d parked.

  “Do you have a garage you use?” Reid asked when they got there.

  “Yep.” Michael told him where and twenty minutes later they had left his car there and were heading to Michael’s building in Reid’s car. “The mechanic did his best not to grin full-out when I said the car was acting up and I needed him to figure out what was going on. I have the feeling I might be looking at a pretty large repair bill.”

  “If our plan works, we’ll let the police department pay it.”

  “Uh-huh. I’m sure Daniels’ lieutenant will love that.”

  “He won’t complain too much if we catch the killer.”

  Reid pulled into the parking garage, taking one of the visitors’ spaces. Before he let Michael get out, he went to check the emergency stairs and the elevator when it arrived. Only then did he come back to say it was safe and get his bag. When they got to Michael’s floor, Reid had him wait while he made certain they were the only people in the hallway.

  “Now you’re going to make me wait out here while you make certain no one’s hiding in my place,” Michael said, shaking his head. “You know no one will be. They’d have to know the security code and how to pick the locks.”

  “Remember what Daniels said about that.”

  “Yeah, and? I’m going in with you.” He smirked. “You can’t get inside without me disarming the security box.”