Croaker: Grave Sins (Fey Croaker Book 2)
Page 40
“I don’t know,” Ash said. “We haven’t looked yet.”
“No,” Fey said. “Below.” She pointed down. “Under the restaurant in the water.”
“I’m sorry,” Ash said.
“I saw him. Kenny made me look.”
She realized Kenny’s broken neck was still twisted between her legs. She unlocked her ankles and kicked out with her feet hitting the torso wedged in the hole in the floor she’d seen Tommy through.
She kicked at Kenny’s head again and again until Ash put his hands under her armpits and dragged her away.
“Fey,” he yelled “He’s dead.”
She pulled away and kicked the body again.
“He’s not dead until I say he’s dead.”
She kicked out again and again – her father, her brother, her whole life exploding through her anger.
Chapter 66
A month later, Fey was waiting in the hallway outside Division 93 of the West Los Angeles courthouse. The preliminary hearing of the rape charges against Darcy Wyatt had been put over to the afternoon.
There had been a ton of fallout from the night at the Sea Otter. Fortunately, the department chose to put the best face they could on the whole situation surrounding the arrest of JoJo Cullen and the subsequent apprehension and death of Kenny Kingston.
The Internal Affairs investigation had cleared Fey without even an admonishment. Somewhere, somehow, Fey figured Hammer and Nails had a hand in the decision. There had also been a number of kudos to go around for everyone.
There was a fine line between victory and disaster.
Devon Wyatt materialized beside Fey. “Detective Croaker,” he said. “I was sorry to hear about your brother.”
“Thank you.” She still didn’t trust herself to say more. A week of compassionate leave from the department had been almost too much to bear. After the private funeral she had needed to get back to work as soon as possible.
The week, however, had been spent in what seemed like continuous sessions with Dr. Winter. The Doctor had a new receptionist. Fey no longer let her sessions be recorded.
Sometimes the therapy helped. Sometimes it didn’t. She hadn’t been in time to save Tommy. Dr. Winter tried to convince Fey it wasn’t her fault. Fey didn’t believe it yet. It hurt her deeply.
“I admired the way you handle yourself,” Wyatt told her “You’re very, tough; a worthy adversary. Even when you were telling me I’d won, you were still playing the game. You got what you wanted from me.”
“I did my job. Nothing more,” Fey said. “Same as I’m going to do my job today in court, against your kid.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Wyatt said.
Fey gave him a hard stare. “Don’t ask for your favor back today.”
Wyatt smiled. “I wouldn’t waste something like a favor from you on a lost cause.”
“You’re a cold fish.”
“I’ve heard the same thing said about you.”
A bailiff came out and called Wyatt into the courtroom.
“JoJo asked me to give you this,” Wyatt said. He handed Fey an envelope and walked away. “We’ll cross swords again,” he said over his shoulder.
When Fey looked up from the envelope, she saw Ash walking down the hall toward her. He had a cane and used it with noticeable effort.
“Hi,” Fey said, smiling at him. They didn’t ever mention the ALS. They simply took things one day at a time.
“Where are Hammer and Nails and the others?” Ash asked.
“They’re going to meet us at the restaurant,” Fey said. “I think you’ll like this place.”
“I like any place with you,” he said.
“Stop it,” Fey told him. “You’re embarrassing me.”
“Then I guess you don’t want these,” Ash said. He took a small bouquet of flowers out from behind his back.
“Good grief, Ash.” Fey took the flowers. “What do you think we are? High school kids or something?” Secretly, she was pleased.
“What’s in the envelope?” he asked. “A payoff?”
Fey slit it open with a fingernail and shook out the contents. “Would you look at these?” she said. “Center court tickets for the Lakers and Sails tonight. I understand JoJo Cullen has been ripping up the boards lately.”
There had been times during the past weeks when she had felt a type of kinship with JoJo. His world had been torn apart, much as hers had, but he was continuing on despite his personal tragedies.
“Who are you going to take?” Ash asked, innocently.
She put her arm through his. “I’ll take you,” she said. “But you have to tell me something first.” They turned and began walking toward the exit and lunch.
“Okay.”
Fey smiled at him. “What’s your first name?”
A Look at Croaker: Tequila Mockingbird
When Fey Croaker and her homicide team are brought in to investigate an apparent case of deadly domestic violence, they soon become tangled in a web of police corruption, internal politics, and international terrorism.
COMING SOON.
Books By Paul Bishop
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Paul Bishop
About the Author
Paul Bishop is the author of fifteen novels and has written numerous scripts for episodic television and feature films. A novelist, screenwriter, and television personality, Paul is a nationally recognized behaviorist and deception detection expert.
A 35 year veteran of the LAPD, his high profile Special Assault Units produced the top crime clearance rates in the city. Twice honored as LAPD’s Detective of the Year, he currently conducts law enforcement training seminars across the country, is an adjunct professor at the University of California Channel Islands, while also focusing on numerous writing projects.
Find Paul online:
www.paulbishopbooks.com