DEATH ON THE NEW MOON (A Troubled Waters Suspense Thriller Book 6)

by Michael Lindley

  His father was at his usual spot at the bar when Alex walked into Gilly's. Ella Moore was hanging on him, laughing at some comment he'd just made, and she kissed him on the cheek as Alex walked up. The bar was near full as always and the music from the juke box could barely be heard over the loud talk and noise of the crowd.

  Skipper and Ella were both taking long drinks from their beer bottles when they noticed him coming up behind them. Ella pushed her stool back and almost fell over. Her eyes were glazed, and her cheeks were flushed from the alcohol. With a drunken slur in her voice, she said, "Alex, honey... we been wunderin' if you was comin' down." She kissed him on the cheek now and he could smell the beer and sweat on her.

  "Damn, son, you missed a helluva day out on the salt," Skipper Frank said. "More damn shrimp than we've seen in months."

  "That's great, Pop."

  "Pull up a stool. Ella slide that stool over here."

  Alex sat down next to his ex-mother-in-law as she cozied back up to his father. He watched as Gilly brought three beers over and placed one in front of him. His head was already in a daze from the pills, but he took a long drink anyway, then leaned around Ella. "Pop, I need to talk to you. I've got some serious shit back in town I need to talk to you about."

  "Nothin' can't wait ‘til morning, boy," Ella said, and then clinked her beer bottle against his.

  Alex stood and walked around to his father, taking him by the arm. "Really, Pop, let's go outside for a minute."

  Skipper reluctantly slid back his seat and whispered something in Ella's ear before he stood. She laughed and slapped him on the rear before he followed Alex out the front door.

  Alex led his father to the far end of the parking lot and a walkway along the river. The night air had cooled some and the first signs of a fog coming off the marshes drifted through the lights above them.

  "What the hell's so important?" Skipper said.

  Alex turned to face him and saw him holding onto a bench to steady himself. "Sit down, Pop." He joined his father on the old bench. "I wanted you to know I'm going to turn myself in to the Department in the morning."

  Skipper seemed confused and didn't respond.

  "Internal Affairs is building a case I tipped off the shooter in Lonnie's death."

  "That's bullshit!" the old shrimper roared. "Why in hell would you do somethin' like that?"

  "Pop, somebody set me up. They found a phone in my desk linked to this guy. Call records for this phone back up their case. They've got a picture of me with this killer."

  "Who's tryin' to set you up?"

  Alex stared back at his old man for a few moments, considering the question. He'd been asking himself the same thing ever since Guinness and IA had confronted him about the phone and now the picture. He'd thought through every scenario and the only one that fit was Beatty. Nate Beatty was the only other person who had survived that morning at the downtown bar. Who else would also have access to his desk? But why? To cover his own tracks? Asa Dellahousaye's tentacles reached deep and surely money in the right hands would provide access and information within the Department. He would deal with Beatty in the morning.

  "Alex, you gotta fight this!" he heard his father say. He looked back at him and nodded slowly, continuing to think about Nathan Beatty and a confrontation in the morning with Guinness and Internal Affairs.

  "You need a good lawyer, son. Can Hanna help you with this?"

  His father's question startled him, and he thought again about Hanna and how it had all fallen apart between them in the past couple of days. He shook his head and looked away down the dark flow of the river. "Not sure..." He didn't finish the thought.

  "What are you talkin' about?"

  He looked back at his father. "Me and Hanna are through, Pop."

  Skipper looked back at him for a moment, then said. "Don't know what happened, but you need to fix this."

  "Nothing to fix, Pop. I blew it. I drove her away." He hesitated. "She's got someone else now."

  "Sorry to hear that. She was the best thing I seen happen to you in a long time."

  Alex heard what he said but didn't answer.

  Chapter Forty-five

  Caine was sitting on the aft deck of his boat, tied up to his slip in Charleston. The night sky had been clear with stars out all over and the first sliver of a new moon, then he'd noticed a fog blowing in. He could smell the damp air of the Low Country marshes pressing in over the city. His cell phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out to check the screen. The number was blocked, but he knew it was Asa Dellahousaye.

  "Yeah, boss."

  "Where the hell are you?"

  "Down on my boat," he answered, his senses on full alert at the tone of the gangster's voice. "What is it?"

  "I thought you were going to take care of that lawyer we discussed."

  "It's done."

  There was silence on the phone for a few moments and Caine stood and walked to the transom of the big fishing boat.

  Dellahousaye finally said, "Then why in hell did I just get off a call with the sonofabitch?"

  Caine tried to remain calm, keep his voice steady. "There must be some mistake."

  "There's no goddamn mistake!"

  "Boss..."

  "He just called me to say someone had tried to take him out, but he got fished out of the river. He threatened me again and said if anyone comes after him, he'll blow the whistle on this deal we're working."

  Caine's mind was swirling. He'd seen the man go down in the water below the docks and when he came back up, he was face down. The blow he'd given him against the pier piling would have been enough to kill him. "I'll take care of this, boss."

  "I want this cleared up now!"

  "I said I'd take care of it," Caine spat back, his anger flaring.

  "And what about the cop?" Dellahousaye asked. "Too many damn loose ends here. I want this all cleaned up by tomorrow, do you hear me?"

  "Loud and clear, boss."

  Phillip Holloway knew he couldn't stay in the hospital. He was a sitting duck for this madman killer to come back and finish the job he'd started down at the docks. The FBI had talked about security and protection, even relocating in the Witness Protection program, but that would take time. He was barely able to walk on his own to the bathroom, but he was certain he had to get to somewhere safe. He had just called his latest girlfriend, Ruth, to come down to pick him up. He would have her drive him to his condo down in Hilton Head. It was owned by the firm and he doubted Dellahousaye would even know about it.

  The night nurse had just checked in on him and the halls outside were dark and quiet as the day wound down. He reached for his phone again and found the number he was looking for. The call rang four times before he heard, "I told you not to call me here." Senator Jordan Hayes' voice was clear and firm.

  "Jordan, they tried to kill me today."

  There was no response at first, then, "We're not going to talk about this on the phone. I have to be in South Carolina tomorrow. Where can we meet?"

  Holloway said, "I need to get out of town tonight. I have someone taking me to the place we held the fundraiser at last month down on the coast." He didn't want to say the location over the phone. God knows where Dellahousaye has eyes and ears.

  Hayes said, "I'll be there early afternoon tomorrow.

  Chapter Forty-six

  Hanna gave up trying to sleep and looked at the glaring red numbers on the digital alarm beside her bed for the tenth time... 5:15. She got up and went into the small kitchen in her apartment to put coffee on. She looked out the window over the sink across the parking area behind the house. The early morning light was just beginning to show through the heavy canopy of trees. She sat down at the table against the wall and put her head in her hands, trying to clear her mind and push the exhaustion she was feeling away to get her focused for the morning.

  All night she had been thinking about Sam. When she had almost convinced herself she wo
uld leave with him today, all the doubts about their time apart, about Alex Frank, about all the responsibilities she had here in Charleston would rush back and change her mind.

  She couldn't get the kiss out of her brain. It was just a damn kiss goodnight!

  But it was more than that and she knew it. She had felt the old connection between them rushing back, all the time apart suddenly slipping away.

  The coffee pot beeped, and she got up to pour her first cup. She knew she had to get matters cleared up for Calley Barbour, regardless of new men and entanglements in her own life. She would call the judge's office first thing to check on final approval of the waiver for Calley's abortion.

  She still hadn't returned any of Alex's messages and all night she had been trying to think through what she was feeling, what she would say. She couldn't let this just hang between them.

  Hanna showered and dressed, then went down the steps to her offices. It was just past six o'clock when she turned on the lights and sat behind her desk. No one else would be in this early. Normally, they opened at eight and most of the staff would be in a few minutes early.

  She tried with all her will to put thoughts of Sam and Alex aside and started sorting through the work in front of her, making piles for what was truly urgent in the next couple of days and what could wait or be handed-off. An hour passed quickly and she, thankfully, lost herself in the work.

  A loud banging on the front door down the hall in the reception area startled her and she looked at the clock on the wall. Molly wouldn't be here yet to answer. She got up to go see who it was, and the pounding intensified. "Alright, already."

  When she got to the front of the office, she saw the silhouette of a man through the glass in the door, his face obscured in the low morning light, still pounding. She got to the door and hesitated to open it with no one else around. The man seemed unhinged. Then she recognized the face and a sudden panic swept over her. Calley Barbour's father's face was now clear, and he was obviously enraged.

  "Open the damn door!"

  Hanna stepped back, trying to decide how to handle the man. "We're not open yet. Come back after eight," she yelled through the door.

  "Open the damn door or I'll knock it down!"

  "I'm going to call the police!" she yelled back. This got him to stop pounding and step back.

  Trying to calm himself, Reverend Barbour said, "We need to talk. I don't know what you've put in their heads, but this is all wrong."

  Hanna's anger was growing, and she was finding little patience with this man's depravity and unthinkable behavior with his daughters. "I have nothing to say to you!" she snapped back. "I'm calling the police unless you leave immediately."

  Barbour pressed his face close to the door. "What's this about my daughter being pregnant?"

  Hanna had no idea how he had learned about Calley but wasn't going to offer anything.

  "She wants to have an abortion and you're helping her!"

  "I'm going to ask you one more time...".

  "I don't know where my daughters are staying but I reached Calley's older sister on her cell. She told me everything, all the lies they've been telling you."

  For just a moment, Hanna hesitated. Could she really trust Calley Barbour and her word? Hadn't she already lied the first time about her pregnancy? She reached in her pocket for her cell and held it up in front of the window in the door. "I'm calling 911 unless you're gone immediately!"

  Barbour started backing away, the fury in his face returning. "I will be back, and we will straightened this out. You're ruining our lives!"

  "It's up to the courts now and I will not discuss this with you. Your daughter is my client. Have your lawyer call me. And get the hell off my porch, now!"

  By the time Molly and the rest of the staff arrived at eight, Hanna had mostly calmed herself from the encounter with Calley's father. She had them keep the door locked in case the man decided to come back.

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Alex had stayed at his father's house in Dugganville the previous night and slept little as his mind stressed about the events of the coming day with his job, thoughts of Hanna, how he was going to handle the evidence against Asa Dellahousaye that Amelia Richards had left with him, and generally, how his life was swirling out of control. Skipper's first mate, Robbie, had agreed to drive him back to Charleston this morning and dropped him at his apartment to get showered and changed.

  He was sitting in his car now in the parking lot of the Charleston Police Department precinct downtown. It was just past nine o'clock. He had managed to avoid taking any of the pain pills today. His head was clearing, but he was still trying to shake off the lack of sleep. He watched as officers and civilians came and went through the back door of the precinct. He was parked at the back of the lot under the shade of a sprawling live oak tree.

  He saw Nate Beatty pull into an empty space. Alex quickly got out and was standing next to the car when Beatty opened his door. The man looked up and was obviously surprised.

  "Alex, what are you doing?"

  Alex stepped back so the man could get out of the car and then stood facing him. "I have the same question for you?"

  Beatty reached back into the car and grabbed a leather bag and put the strap over his shoulder. "What the hell are you talking about?"

  Alex had decided to take the direct approach. "I know you planted that phone in my desk, Nate."

  Beatty looked back with a confused stare, then said, "Excuse me?"

  "You and I are going up to see the Captain right now," Alex said, "and I swear, you sonofabitch, if it was you who tipped off that shooter and got Lonnie and those boys killed..."

  "Alex, whoa... wait a minute!"

  Alex watched carefully to make sure the man didn't go for his gun or do something else stupid.

  "You got this all wrong, man," Beatty said. "I lost my damned partner that morning, too, or don't you remember?"

  Alex looked into the man's eyes for any sign of lying, but only saw the face of a man who looked completely bewildered and surprised by the allegation. He pressed on. "And how is it you're the only one who walked out of there without a scratch?"

  "Lonnie set me as backup to cover the front of the place. You remember," Beatty insisted. "When I heard the shots fired, I came into the kitchen. The shooter was on his way out the back door."

  Alex was starting to waiver about his certainty of Beatty's guilt.

  "I swear to you, Alex, I didn't rat anybody out on this. I would never do that."

  "Then who did?"

  Beatty stood staring back at him, an empty look on his face, then said, "The whole damn department thinks it was you. So does IA. Tell me why they're wrong."

  "You know I would never do anything to put Lonnie or any of you in harm's way. He was my best friend, Nate."

  "Your sergeant on TV seems to have a different opinion on how you handled that deal in Afghanistan," Beatty said. "Sorry, man, but it doesn't look good."

  Alex wanted to put his fist through the man's face but controlled himself enough to just say, "That was a long time ago and a very different situation."

  "Look, I'm sorry," Beatty said, reaching out and holding his arm. "If I were you, I'd get my ass up there," he continued, glancing toward the precinct building, "and I'd cooperate with IA as best I could and help them find who's trying to set you up."

  "They've already made up their minds, Nate. They're gonna lock me up."

  "So, what are you going to do?"

  "I want you to do something for me," Alex said.

  "Okay."

  "I want you to go up and tell the Captain we talked and that you think these charges are bullshit. I want you to tell him I'm not coming in until I figure out who's behind this."

  Beatty hesitated.

  "Please, I need your help."

  "This is only gonna make it worse with IA, Alex."

  "Let me worry about that."

  Chapter Forty-ei
ght

  Hanna was sitting in the outer office of Judge Kraft. The judge had agreed to see her before her morning court session. As she waited, she thought about the earlier visit of Calley's father, Reverend Barbour. The man was clearly unhinged and a possible danger to his daughters. The Women's Shelter was secure, but Calley and Carolyn couldn't stay there forever. Their father was out on bail and would eventually find them. She planned to ask the judge about a restraining order to keep the man away from the girls. It was only a slight deterrent, but she had to try to keep them safe until the man was tried and hopefully convicted, which could take months.

  Sam had called just before she left her office. He wanted her decision on leaving with him at noon. She wasn't ready for the call and she surely wasn't ready to commit to the trip. She put him off until after her meeting with the judge, assuring him she would call as soon as she could. His final words were stuck in her mind. We have another chance here, Hanna. Let's not waste this one.

  Her phone chimed and she looked down to see another text message coming in from Alex. Five minutes. Please!

  She hesitated, her mind swirling with Sam's invitation, Alex's behavior these past few days, the emotions of helping young Calley Barbour get approval for an abortion and the dark memories coming back of giving up her own child so many years ago... Sam's child.

  Reluctantly, she typed, Back in my office at eleven.

  She knew she had to clear the air with Alex. She couldn't just walk away without hearing him out. She certainly couldn't decide to leave with Sam later today without telling him. The thought of that discussion made her stomach churn.