Wild Spring

by Tripp Ellis

  "You didn't tell me you worked for the mob."

  She chuckled. "I don't work for anybody. Nico is my brother." She said, still holding her nose, her fingers crusted with blood.

  I examined her face. Her cheek was already starting to swell. "Does he do that a lot?"

  Her pretty eyes flicked around to Nico's goons, then back to me. I could tell she wasn’t comfortable talking here. She smiled. "Only when I get out of line."

  “Do you get out of line a lot?”

  "Some might say I have a strong personality. Others might just call me a bitch."

  I laughed. "That's not the impression I got of you."

  "What impression did you get?"

  “A favorable one.”

  She smiled.

  “I need to get a statement from you,” I said.

  “I’m not pressing charges against my brother.”

  “You don’t have to. It’s the prosecutor’s discretion, and two deputies witnessed the battery.”

  “See... you don’t need me.”

  "When he gets out, he’s going to be plenty pissed off," I said.

  "I can handle myself."

  "I see this all the time, and it never ends well. You should think about distancing yourself from him."

  "Nico is the only family I have. Things are complex.”

  I could understand complex family relationships. But violence was inexcusable.

  "How long will he be in jail?" she asked.

  I shrugged. "It will take at least 24 hours for him to process through the system. I'm sure he’ll make bail quickly after he’s arraigned.”

  She smirked. “A night in jail serves him right."

  She moved the napkin away from her nose. The bleeding had finally stopped. "If you’ll excuse me, Deputy, I'm going to freshen up and find a pack of ice for my face."

  "I'll need to get your contact information. I may have more questions for you."

  She arched an eyebrow at me. "More questions, eh?” She paused. "You seem to have adequate detective skills. I'm sure you can figure out how to get in touch with me if you need me."

  She spun around and sauntered away.

  The goons continued to glare at me. They could glare at me all they wanted. They weren’t going to do anything. Not now. Not with another unit on the way.

  I smiled at them and left the building. I met Jack on the sidewalk. He stuffed Nico into the back of a patrol car, and Deputy Mendoza whisked him away to the station.

  We climbed into the Porsche and followed.

  Nico was processed and printed. This wasn't his first battery charge, which made it an automatic felony. I was sure he’d be pleased when he found out the gravity of the situation.

  We let him sit in the interrogation room for a while before questioning him. JD and I took a seat across the table from him, and a cocky smirk tugged his lips. Hate blazed in his eyes. "You guys are fucking morons, you know that? Coming into my club and starting trouble…”

  "We're not the ones who started trouble,” I said. “Maybe you should learn to control your anger. It takes a real man to beat up on his sister.”

  His face reddened, and the smug smirk faded.

  "I'm gonna ask you one more time about Chuck Kennedy," I said.

  “And I’m gonna tell you one more time, I don't know anybody named Chuck Kennedy."

  “I think you’re lying.”

  “I don’t give a shit what you think. I'm not answering any more of your questions. I want to speak with my attorney right now."

  I shrugged ominously.

  That was the end of the interrogation. "Enjoy your night in jail."

  "That's all it's gonna be. One night. Then I'm back out, and I'll get this bullshit arrest dismissed.” He grinned. "You guys have no idea who you're messing with, do you?"

  I laughed. “Oh, I know. And I'm not impressed."

  We left the interrogation room.

  In the hallway, JD said, "I'm beginning to think you like pissing off gangsters."

  "It keeps things interesting," I said.

  "And you banged his sister. When he finds out, you're definitely going to be on his shit list.”

  18

  I used my detective skills. It only took a few keystrokes while I was at the station. Nico’s sister’s name was Caprice.

  She had a clean record.

  I couldn’t say the same for Nico. While managing to avoid any felony convictions, he had a number of misdemeanors and run-ins with the law. These days, he let his goons handle his dirty work. I had no doubt that if he was responsible for Chuck Kennedy’s death, he didn't do it himself. Why take the risk?

  Nico was a weaselly bastard with a short fuse and a vindictive spirit. The kind of guy who smacks women around because it makes him feel powerful. But take away his goons, and he wouldn’t be so tough. His tyrannical behavior was an overcompensation for deep-seated insecurity. The little dogs bark the most.

  JD got a text from a girl he had met earlier at Tide Pool. She wanted Jack to serenade her privately, and he was more than happy to oblige.

  After we filled out paperwork, we left the station, and Jack dropped me off in the parking lot at Diver Down. I wished him luck and told him I’d catch up with him in the morning. He peeled out of the lot with a wide grin and the stereo blasting. The exhaust echoed in the night air.

  I debated about getting a drink at Diver Down, but the large crowd made me think twice. I wasn't in the mood. Instead, I strolled across the parking lot toward the dock. I heard a car door open, and my eyes flicked to the sound. Long legs emerged from a white Ferrari. The legs were attached to a sumptuous body that belonged to Caprice.

  She closed the door, clicked the alarm, and strutted toward me. I waited for her to catch up. She'd reapplied her makeup, concealing the bruise on her left cheek. Dark sunglasses covered her eyes, making her look somewhat conspicuous at night.

  "Nice car," I said.

  "It gets me from A to B,” she joked.

  I smirked. "What brings you around these parts?"

  "I got bored hanging around the club. And I really don't feel like being seen in public like this." She tilted her glasses down, revealing the bruising under her eye. It had turned a shade of purple that even concealer couldn’t fully cover.

  "So you figured you'd settle for an evening with me," I teased.

  She smiled. "I could do worse."

  I nodded toward the Avventura, and she walked beside me. The waves lapped against hulls, and music spilled out from revelers partying aboard boats.

  "I know you think I'm stupid," she said.

  “Why would I think that?”

  “Nico’s not a bad guy," she said, trying to convince herself of that.

  “Sure. If you don't count the illegal gambling, the mafia connections, or his abusive tendencies."

  She looked at me flatly. “When our parents were killed, Nico was all I had. He took care of me. I was a kid when it happened. He made sure I always had a roof over my head and food on the table."

  "You're a grown woman now. You don't have to put up with abuse. I don't care where it comes from. It’s not acceptable.” I escorted her across the gangway to the aft deck.

  "Nico is very protective."

  "If that's your idea of protective…"

  She sighed. "You're right. I'm trying to justify his behavior. And I can't."

  I slid open the door to the salon, and Buddy greeted us excitedly.

  Caprice knelt down and loved on the little Jack Russell.

  He didn't mind at all.

  I grabbed his leash, and we took Buddy to stretch his legs. We walked down the dock, and the stars flickered above.

  "How involved are you in his business?" I asked.

  She knew what I was getting at. "I'm not involved in his business. I help him look after the club. That's it. In return, he pays for my apartment, my car, and he keeps my bank account full."

  "What about the illegal gambling? And I’m sure there is money laundering
that goes along with it.”

  "Are you asking as a cop? Or as a friend?"

  "So, we're friends now?"

  She eyed me curiously. "That remains to be seen." She paused. "Like I said, I don't get involved in his business. I know where the money comes from, and maybe that makes me just as guilty."

  "Why don't you walk away from it all?”

  “It’s complicated. I tried to leave once. I moved to another state. Got a job. Nice apartment. But it didn’t take long for Nico to find me.” She sighed. “His goons brought me back. Said I wasn’t safe. A guy like Nico has a lot of friends, but he also has a lot of enemies. Unless I sneak out, one of Nico’s goons is always with me. Drives me up the wall, but at the same time, there is a degree of comfort knowing I’ve got a bodyguard.”

  "You sneak out a lot?"

  “A girl’s gotta have her space."

  "What about your boyfriend?" I asked, fishing.

  Her eyes narrowed at me. "I don't have a boyfriend.”

  “A beautiful young woman like you… I find that hard to believe."

  “If I had a boyfriend, we wouldn’t have hooked up. Please don’t think I’m one of those. I may be a lot of things, but I’m not a cheat.” She paused. “I happen to be quite picky. You should consider yourself lucky.”

  “Oh, I do.”

  “Most men don't measure up. So, when I see what I want, I go for it. Besides, Nico has a habit of running off potential suitors. Most are too afraid to get on Nico’s bad side." A thin smile tugged her plump lips. "You don't seem to be afraid of anything. I like that.”

  “So, I’m a potential suitor?”

  “Don’t get ahead of yourself. This is just fun. And by definition, it can’t go anywhere. I’ve got enough complications in my life. I don’t need relationship drama. Besides, it would never work. You’re a cop. My brother is a…”

  “Gangster.”

  She shrugged.

  “If he’s guilty of murder, I will send him to jail.”

  She smirked. “I’d expect nothing less.”

  “What do you know about Chuck Kennedy?”

  “I don’t know the name. Like I said, I stay out of Nico’s business. I hire and fire the waitresses and bartenders. I handle scheduling. I purchase liquor and handle promotions. I don’t look at the books, and Nico handles all the finances.”

  “You really expect me to believe you’re oblivious to everything that goes on in the club?”

  “See, that’s why this isn’t going to work out. You’re going to ask me questions that I can’t answer. And you won’t believe what I say. Maybe this is a bad idea. I should go.”

  I frowned at her. “No. Don’t go. We’re just having a conversation.”

  She paused for a long moment, staring at me with those blue eyes, contemplating the situation. “I told Nico a long time ago that I didn’t want to know about, and I didn’t want to be involved in, any of his dealings. We agreed that the less I know, the better.”

  I showed her a picture of Chuck on my phone.

  Her pretty eyes surveyed the screen. “Yeah, I’ve seen that guy in the club. But that doesn’t prove my brother had him killed.” She paused. “Look, I came over here for a good time, not to get interrogated. You can ask me all the questions you want in the morning. Until then, how about we just stop talking and get down to business?”

  I had to admit, I didn’t mind doing business with her.

  19

  Daniels called first thing in the morning. I peeled open my eyes and snatched the phone from the nightstand. My hand felt the empty sheets next to me, and they were still warm.

  Caprice was gone. It wasn’t surprising.

  "There was a fire at Coconut Key Medical Supply sometime during the night," Daniels said.

  I groaned.

  "Arson investigators are sifting through the rubble now."

  "Let me guess… All the records were destroyed."

  "Get over there and see what you can find out."

  "Will do," I said.

  I called JD, and he picked me up after breakfast. We cruised across the island to the smoldering remains. There was hardly anything left of the structure. Wisps of smoke rose from the ashes. The roof had collapsed, and the interior was charred black. The acrid smell of wet ash filled my nostrils. Red fire trucks and patrol cars filled the parking lot, lights flickering. Firefighters doused the debris.

  "The burn pattern indicates use of an accelerant, and we found what appears to be the remains of a plastic gasoline can,” the fire marshall said. “We'll send samples off to the BFFEA. But, from experience, I can tell you the computers and the file cabinets were torched. It looks like somebody used a road flare to ignite the blaze."

  “Any witnesses?" I asked.

  The fire marshal shrugged. "Somebody cut the phone and data lines, so the alarm company was never notified. Whoever did this knew a little something about the building."

  I thanked him for the info and called the owner of the supply company, Graham Miller. He wasn't too pleased to hear about the news.

  "Did you have any surveillance cameras?" I asked.

  "No," Graham replied.

  "What about off-site data backups for your files?"

  "We were looking at off-site storage solutions but hadn't implemented anything yet. Is there anything left?"

  "I don't know if the computer forensics team will be able to pull any data off those hard drives. The fire was pretty intense, and it burned for quite a while before the fire department arrived."

  "Do you have any idea who started the fire?" Graham asked.

  "I think we both know who the prime suspect is," I said.

  Graham grumbled under his breath.

  “You’ll need to come to the station when you get back in town and make a report. Hopefully, we’ll have some definitive answers soon."

  "Thank you for keeping me updated, Deputy,” he said in a dejected voice.

  I had no doubt the building was insured and Graham would come out okay. He might even come out ahead. The insurance company would most certainly send their investigators as well.

  I ended the call and glanced around the area. There was a strip center across the street. I waited for the traffic to slow, then jogged across the road and began canvassing the storefronts. They were all closed this time of the morning.

  I saw cameras that caught angles of the storefronts as well as the parking lot. I noticed a camera on a light pole in the parking lot that captured a wide-angle view of the lot and hopefully the medical supply building.

  There was a For Lease sign on one of the vacant storefronts. I called the number, which put me in contact with a commercial realtor who in turn put me in touch with the owner of the strip center. The owner told me that the cameras were connected to the Internet. He said he would review the footage and send a link to download the files.

  I jogged back across the street and rejoined JD amid the firefighters and first responders. There wasn’t much for us to do, so we left and headed down to the station.

  The office was already buzzing with activity. I made a beeline for the coffee maker and poured a cup for myself and JD. I mixed in cream and sugar, then we ambled to Denise’s desk.

  "Just FYI," Denise said. "Nico was arraigned this morning. Judge tossed the case."

  My face tensed.

  "Which judge?"

  "Echols."

  I groaned. "Figures."

  "I bet Nico's got him in his back pocket,” JD said. "I swear to God, I don't know how some of these judges get elected."

  “Look at who’s financing their campaigns. That will give you all the answers.”

  JD frowned.

  “Toxicology report came back on Vivian Grey,” Denise said.

  We waited eagerly for her to continue.

  20

  "Brenda said there were trace amounts of cocaine in Vivian Grey's system, but not enough to cause death,” Denise said.

  I lifted a surprised brow.

  The
gorgeous redhead continued. "She found no evidence of a heart attack. No signs of stroke. There's nothing to suggest Vivian died from an overdose."

  "What caused her death?"

  "She doesn't know."

  "What do you mean she doesn't know? Brenda always knows.”

  Denise shrugged. "She's still working on it. Brenda suspects maybe some type of poison, but she's not sure. Said it's going to take time. But she can't rule out natural causes."

  I frowned.

  "And there's one more thing," Denise continued. “Vivian was pregnant."

  That hung there for a moment.

  Our eyes rounded.

  "How far along?" I asked.

  "Maybe six weeks."

  We were silent a moment. I hated to hear that.

  “I wonder if she knew she was pregnant,” JD said.

  “You’d think she wouldn’t be doing cocaine if she knew,” I said.

  “I don’t think she was doing cocaine at the time of her death,” Denise said. “From the trace amounts in her system, Brenda said it looked like she hadn’t done any in a few days. Maybe she had discovered she was pregnant, found out, told the father, and the father didn’t want anything to do with it.”

  “So he kills her?” JD said. “Seems like an extreme length to go to.”

  “For rational people, yes,” Denise said. “But we’re clearly not dealing with rational, are we?”

  She had a point.

  “What about the cocaine?” I asked. “Was it tainted with anything?”

  “No,” Denise said. “It’s surprisingly pure. Good quality.”

  The owner of the strip center had sent me a download link for the surveillance footage. I forwarded the link, and Denise pulled up the security footage on her computer. According to the timeline, around 4 AM, a dark blue or black truck pulled into the parking lot of the med supply company. The license plate was blacked out. A man in a ski mask hopped out of the vehicle and moved to the rear of the building. I figured that’s when the phone and data lines had been cut. The man returned a few minutes later, grabbed a brick from the truck bed, and threw it through the glass door.

  Glass shattered, and shards rained down.