McAllister Justice Series Box Set Volume Two

by Reily Garrett

  “If you don’t send it, your boss may get wise. That’s not a healthy position for you.” Matt shoved his chair back and strode to the window.

  “Uh, guys? There’s malware on Katt’s phone. Looks like someone is viewing her text messages. But that’s all they’re able to do.” Lexi advised.

  “Figures. Can you trace it?” Caden asked.

  “Probably, but it’s going to take a while.”

  “How the hell did that happen? I’m very careful with my electronics!”

  “Hey, it’s easy enough to do. Don’t sweat it. A lot of people don’t know they’re carrying viruses.” Lexi slid the phone across the table.

  Further grilling bared every aspect of her short professional life. Lexi pulled up a variety of records, from DMV, school, license, and more. Thorough and methodical, they dissected her world until satisfied she wasn’t colluding with the enemy. Suspicion eventually yielded to probationary acceptance.

  “Business is over. Ethan’s here with a late-night snack.” Matt opened the door to admit his brother carrying two large bags.

  The abruptness of the change in topic didn’t seem to faze the others. Each stood and prepared the table while Lexi stored her laptop.

  Hoover, Lexi’s dog, ambled closer for a sniff and greet, so Katt held her hand out for inspection. “Aw, what a pretty baby. I bet you keep your mom warm at night. She doesn’t have such a nice warm coat.” A yearning she couldn’t contain infused her words. “I’m thinking about getting a dog.” A wry glance at Matt, “He’d be good protection against the rabble of the world.” The expected glare induced her to fidget, twisting the wolf’s head silver ring on her right hand, a final gift from her mom.

  “Hmm, a good judge of character and likes dogs. That’s a good start in my book.” Megan smirked at Luc.

  “I second the motion, since both Hoover and Buckeye have already given their stamp of approval.” Remie agreed. “If you need any help with his training, both Lexi and I can lend a hand.”

  “Jesus. You guys base your opinions on how a dog reacts? Are you nuts?” Luc held his hands up in a silent gesture for alliance with his brothers.

  “Hey. Everyone knows that animal abusers are five times more likely to commit acts of human violence. You can research it at Forensic Veterinary Investigations in Boston,” Megan concluded, giving Lexi a high five.

  Probational acceptance put Katt on the right track.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  “Remie, what’s up? You sounded a little strange on the phone.” Billy cringed and studied the checkered floor pattern at the sound of an electric saw cutting through bone. It was no less unnerving than the first time he’d visited the facility and heard the soul-screeching grind.

  At the end of another frustrating day, he just wanted to take Remie home and relax. Their developing relationship granted a semblance of normal in a world gone mad and proved an addiction he had neither the desire nor energy to refuse.

  Another pathologist performing an autopsy on a nearby gurney glanced up, a knowing smirk declaring him a member of an exclusive club whose associates girded their softer sides with emotional barbed wire.

  Remie offered an apologetic smile. “We have another problem.”

  A month ago, he would have asked himself what kind of problem a pathologist could encounter. Now, he mentally braced himself as he stepped closer.

  “This lady came in today.”

  “Unless she walked in asking for a gentle autopsy, I don’t see cause for alarm.”

  Remie blew out a slow breath, a parent refraining from chastising a child. “She was killed late last night. Yet according to vice’s report, a pusher cut off her ear during an earlier encounter. As a warning.”

  “Drug war related?” It wasn’t an uncommon punishment.

  Remie pointed to the woman’s left ear. “Look. Intact.”

  “Okay, she’s had reconstructive surgery.” The twisting in his gut signaled the worst yet to come.

  “Which would reflect in the records, both hospital, insurance, etc. There is no such record with the hospital or the insurance company. I checked. Twice.”

  “Shit. Who is she?”

  “Her name is Sarah Gensfield. She got caught in a crossfire between her daughter and her supplier.”

  “You’re saying her ear is what, remade?”

  “Yeah, I have to take tissue samples and check for foreign substances, hydrogel, etc.”

  “How long will that take?” He didn’t want her working late since that would mean justifying extra time spent on a particular victim. If the killer was able to monitor specific work details, he’d track the investigation’s progress. The tests would have to wait for her next shift.

  “Not long, but I want to tackle it as a fresh start in the morning.”

  They’d agreed to not discuss details of the investigation anywhere they could be overheard. Discovering the little PI’s involvement equaled a surprise that had set his brothers on edge. The fact Lexi and Katt eventually bonded over unknown circumstances galled the McAllister men, especially Matt, who seemed the most irritated by the snoop’s presence.

  “You ready to go? Let’s see what trouble the others have stirred up while we were working.”

  “Any problems reporting to your boss?” The oldest McAllister scrutinized Katt over the rim of his coffee cup.

  At least tonight she’d come to the doctor’s house of her own free will. “No. You saw the text I sent him last night about Celtronic’s break-in. To answer your next question, no one followed me here. I’m better than that.” Katt straightened her shoulders, trying not to squirm. Her glare received Matt’s arched brow and the reminder of his hand on her nape guiding her through rows of corn. She was glad she hadn’t followed her instincts and run.

  “Even if you were, you parked your car in the same spot. It would appear that you’re still keeping tabs on our good doctor.” Billy handed her a steaming mug before taking his seat beside the pathologist. Even to an untrained eye, it would’ve been obvious how in tuned they were with each other.

  For the second night in a row, she sat beside Matt at Remie’s table, rehashing everything she knew. The McAllisters were nothing if not thorough. At least the only men present are Billy and testosterone on a stick. I can deal with Remie and Lexi. Matt…not so much.

  “I found emails between Ari and a company called Biobotics. It seems they want to hire Ari to further their research. So far, he has declined each offer. Jesus. Look at what they’re willing to pay.” Lexi swiveled her laptop so the others could see.

  “Damn. Think what you could do with that kind of cash.” Katt whistled low, and then hunched her shoulders under Matt’s glare.

  “Come to think of it, Katt, your car’s muffler sounded kinda rough when you left last night.” Lexi smiled then started a rapid-fire staccato tapping on her keyboard.

  “No, Lexi. We’ve had talks about misappropriating funds, even for a good cause.” Matt’s calm authority received a twist of the lips accompanied by Lexi’s groan.

  From prior observations, Matt’s word held sway over group meetings, yet he remained open to logic and others’ ideas. Overbearing, check, control freak, check. Good looks provided a counter balance.

  The eldest McAllister didn’t seem the type to want or need anyone other than family in his life. From what Katt gathered, he only hooked up with women occasionally, and then for short periods. Try as she might, she couldn’t find anything fundamentally wrong with him, anything that screamed stay away.

  “Back on target, guys.” Billy gestured to Lexi’s laptop. “Can you find anything indicating a strain between Ari and his partner? If Farabee has seen Ari’s files or knows about the depth of his obsession for Remie, it could be a bone of contention or something he’s using to his advantage.”

  “I had no idea he’d kept those pictures. It’s kind of creepy when you think about it. The timing of my return to Portland and this crap starting doesn’t sit well.”

 
“I think it’s time to have another chat with Ari and his partner.” Matt drummed his fingers on the tabletop.

  “If I could figure out who hired Katt, it would help. I have no way of tracing cash sent to her PO Box. There’s been no like withdraws from either the Celtronics bank accounts, Ari, or his partner. If they’re involved, and I can’t imagine otherwise, they’re pulling money from a large petty cash fund or a stuffed mattress.” Lexi heaved a sigh of frustration.

  “All righty then. Thanks, guys, for keeping me in the loop. I’ll be seeing you guys later.” After inclusion for the short conference, she hated the idea of keeping watch from her junker. No method of stalling came to mind.

  “You prefer cold cereal to fried chicken and fixings?” Matt’s half-grin signaled knowledge of her eating habits. “You might as well eat since you’re already here. I don’t want to be responsible for you passing out on the job due to hunger and dehydration. Not to mention the fact that, well, girls who get poison ivy have a much more difficult time of it.”

  One day, those smirks are gonna get you in trouble.

  When the rest of the McAllisters and their better halves arrived, none seemed taken back by her presence. Unlike their initial meeting, each greeted her with a smile, if a little hesitant. “No interrogation tonight? I expected more questions about my background and training, etc.”

  “Naw, we’ve reviewed all your records, just to make sure we didn’t miss anything.” Caden’s confession, while expected, brought a sliver of hope.

  “But we respected your personal life,” Lexi added.

  Which means they looked but won’t comment? “Thanks, but if you have any questions, fire away.”

  “Okay. Why didn’t you get a job with an experienced detective once you completed your training? You opted for the additional hours of instruction over work experience. Whereas the education is great, there’s no substitution for fieldwork. Kudos for the associate’s degree in criminal justice, by the way.” Matt’s casual summation of her education earned tactful nods from the others.

  “First, I don’t have cop experience, and this is a boy’s club whose members don’t appreciate the opposite sex. No one takes me seriously even though I’ve shadowed you guys for over a week without getting caught. Second, I did work under someone else’s license.”

  “Um, you mean Carlson, the drunk on Canal Street? I didn’t think he took cases anymore.” Billy snagged a piece of chicken from the basket and passed it on.

  “He doesn’t. He felt sorry for me, I guess. Anyway, I am legally licensed in the state of Oregon.”

  “With a ton of debt?” Lexi asked. “That can’t be easy, especially just starting out. I’ll bet these guys could help you out with some work.” Lexi nodded toward Caden and Lucas, both ex-cops turned investigators. “Portland’s a big area. Plenty going on, right?”

  Both men nodded in agreement.

  It was more than she could’ve hoped to achieve so early in her career.

  “There was one thing we couldn’t find in your files. What made you take this path? Not many people opt for jobs demanding dangerous situations and all-nighters.” Matt’s intensity zeroed in and locked onto his objective.

  “Unlike people from the Mesozoic era whose idea of an all-nighter equals sleeping without having to pee, in my generation it means working from dusk till dawn. I happen to like the peace and quiet, not to mention the anonymity.”

  Various chortles and hoots erupted from the group. Sarcasm bought her time to think through her reply. To give a pat answer wouldn’t suffice. Matt would hammer until she spilled. “I’ve wanted to be a private investigator since I was eight, to learn enough to find my mom.”

  Conversation stopped, but she held her chin high and shoulders straight. Never let them see you bleed.

  “Kudos to you, kid. Maybe we can help you with that once we’re in the clear.” Matt’s no-nonsense throat clearing rebooted general conversation.

  “In case you haven’t noticed yet, I’m not a kid.”

  She expected his look of disbelief but was still disappointed.

  Further conversation contained lively banter and brotherly bickering. In the back of her mind, she recognized the tentative acceptance as provisional. She also realized they worked together as a team. Each shared a special relationship with their better halves but held their place in the group as a whole.

  Billy drew her attention to the cat settled in his arms and Remie reached over to first rub the cat’s chest, then Billy’s shoulder. They seemed to touch a lot. Their relationship is new.

  In a show of testing her animal EQ, he placed the furball in her lap, directing her to not move until Holly gave approval by grabbing Katt’s fingers between her paws.

  Matt’s shifting to loom over her shoulder to scratch behind the feline’s ears proved more unsettling than sitting on a gravestone at night with a camera and tape recorder at the ready. It struck her as odd that the head of the K-9 unit liked cats.

  “You should have a cat or dog for companionship, nugget.” Matt’s hand settled on her shoulder then gave a light squeeze.

  Despite the jovial atmosphere, an undercurrent of tension lined several McAllister faces. They’re up to something. She made a mental note to check her clothing and backpack hanging on her chair for tracking devices before going to bed.

  When they were finished eating and had cleaned up, Matt escorted her back to the car. She missed the warmth of his palm on her nape. The time spent in their presence rivaled the best night of her life.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “Where and at what time are you meeting Abby?” Billy’s grudging respect of his sister’s new relationship came with a price. Royden’s chipper attitude would drive him to drink.

  “I’m picking her up at the courthouse at four.” Royden’s usual cockiness lacked its edge. His gaze scanned the lot of Celtronic’s perimeter while exiting their vehicle. Four other cars, each lacking the dings and dullness from long-term use, dotted the pavement.

  “What’s up?” Billy slid his hand to briefly rest on the handle of his gun as he shoved his door closed. Nothing appeared out of place, yet the hair on his nape pricked just as he suspected his partner shuddered from the same sensation.

  A modern brick and glass building stood sentinel on the lot, daring all but the bravest to enter. Brilliant sunlight glittering off the water of the birdbath tucked against shrubbery couldn’t negate the quiet but sinister atmosphere invading his morning Zen.

  “Something doesn’t feel right.”

  A stiff morning breeze arched the central leader of a budding young sapling. Opposing belt-like straps maintaining the narrow trunk’s position tensed with the effort to keep the young tree upright.

  “This place gives me the creeps, too.” Apprehension and suspicion trailed Billy like an eager puppy, nipping at his heels until he faced it head on. He knew better than to not trust his partner’s instincts yet failed to discern the threat. The mind perceived danger through all the senses, oftentimes on a subconscious level.

  “Maybe having only one sibling encouraged the idea, but when I was a kid, I wanted to grow up to be an evil genius. Had I succeeded, this setting would be a workplace I’d be glad to call home.”

  “Let me guess. The neighborhood bully picked you as his favorite target because you were a nerd or because your father was a lawyer.”

  “Something like that. Looks like I’m not the only one who’s good at evaluating circumstances and people. You don’t need a psych degree. You’re as observant as any psychologist I’ve met.”

  “Yeah, Freud. Let’s see what these docs have to say then pay a visit to Biobotics.” Thanks to Caden sharing a video of his late-night escapades, Billy knew the interior’s layout.

  “This is a very progressive and competitive field, maybe there’s more friction between the two companies than we suspect.”

  Billy grunted his assent. “Which whacko do you want?”

  “I’ll take Ari and you can have Fa
rabee. I don’t want Ari to have an accident and crack his skull on a work counter.”

  A strong gust of wind aided Billy’s opening the door, the whoosh of bracing coolness a welcome relief before entering what he considered the lion’s den. At least I’m not breaking in.

  The secretary sitting at the receptionist desk eyed them both before donning a pasted-on smile. “What can I do for you officers today?” A slight twitch emphasized the bright red lipstick on plumped-up lips. The darker outline resembled a mismatched coloring book. Pseudo-flawless skin carried a radiance not requiring the penciled-in exaggerated eyebrows.

  In accordance with the marble tile and ultra-modern couch set against the glass wall, she wore a formfitting suit and had wound her braided hair in a fancy bun.

  “We’d like to speak to Drs. Farabee and Slenktock.” Billy’s deadpan expression came at a cost, the inside of his cheek. In his line of work, he dealt with all types.

  “I’m afraid they’re busy at the moment.” Her expression declared the doctors would remain that way.

  “Well, darlin’. That’s a shame. You see, we have information about the attempted break-in last night.” Royden slipped into his good ‘ol boy mode, charmer and down-home friend. It rarely failed.

  “Break-in? What? When? Why didn’t I know about it?” Alarm tightened her lips and straightened her spine.

  “Maybe your bosses didn’t want to alarm you. Why else would we be here?” Royden leaned over her desk, crowding and eroding the secretary’s confidence in slow degrees.

  “Uh, okay.”

  A murmured conversation over the phone preceded her gesture to proceed through the heavy paneled double doors to the nerve center of the building. “Right this way, detectives.”

  “How long have you worked here?” Royden’s small talk accompanied an appreciative smile as he walked beside her in the hallway. It never reached his eyes.