by Mac Fortner
“We could ask for his help. Tell him it’s over our head, but he might have some connections that would be able to get information,” Chad said.
“I guess it’s worth a try. At least we could see his reaction when we ask.”
“I can tell you right now, the reaction won’t be good.”
Our conversation was brought to a halt when Robin entered the bar.
“Hi Chad,” she said.
“Hello, Robin. Will you join us?”
“Can’t right now. Just wanted to tell you I’m leaving, and that I ran a trace on Adrian Boykov. We found him in the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow. He was murdered two years ago.”
“Well, it was a long shot anyway,” I said.
“Yes, but if this man is the one who murdered him, it seems he can freely move in and out of Moscow anytime he wishes,” Robin said.
“So he could easily be Bloodshot,” I added.
“Yes, he could.”
Chapter 32
Chad and I spent the next day at the office. We had two cases to prepare for. Author Hicks shot his girlfriend through their closet door. He was inside, and she was trying to talk him out. He swears he thought she was an intruder trying to kill him.
She didn’t die from the shot. She says they were sitting on the sofa watching an old rerun of True Detective about a man hiding in his closet to kill his wife, when he jumped up, grabbed his gun from the drawer and locked himself in the closet.
She didn’t connect the two events and tried to talk him out. He shot through the door, hitting her in the arm.
The other case was much worse. A woman, Iris Stetson, supposedly came home from work at her lunch break, found her husband and another man in bed together and shot and killed them both. She then cut off their private parts and sewed them in the others mouths. She returned to work, finished her shift, came home and rediscovered them. Then she called the police and frantically told them what she found.
A neighbor says she saw her come home around eleven-thirty and leave around twelve-thirty. Iris says it wasn’t her that came home and has a witness that saw her at Denny’s at that time. No gun was found.
I’m trying to find the other man’s wife, who has disappeared. From a picture, I can see a resemblance in the two women.
These cases won’t come to trial for about a month if at all, but we need to set the wheels in motion and have our team investigate.
Around four o’clock we called it a day. Chad said he and Alexis were going to Per Se at seven and wanted Robin and me to join them. I told him I would check with her schedule and let him know.
I caught a taxi and went home. I debated as to call Robin. Things weren’t going too well with us right now, and I think we need a day off.
I was standing on my balcony having a drink when my cell rang. It was Robin.
“Hello,” I said.
“Hello,” she sounded a little sheepish. “What are ya doing?”
“I just walked in from work and fixed a drink.”
“I had lunch with Alexis today. She wanted to know if we wanted to meet them for supper at Per Se.”
“Yes, I was just about to call you. Chad said something as we were leaving work. You wanna’?”
“Sounds good to me,” she said.
“Alright, I’ll pick you up around six-thirty.”
“Come a little early if you can, and we’ll have a drink before we go.”
“Alright. See you about six.”
“Bye.”
“Bye.”
Well, I guess I’m going out to supper.
I picked up my guitar and returned to the balcony. Writing songs relieves my mind for a while. I started playing a country tune and threw in some words I had been thinking about. I decided to call it–Where the sun don’t shine.
The streets are crowded in New York City
I’m all alone, and it’s just a pity
That I’m not home breathing fresh air
Out on my boat, without a care
This might be your home, but it’s not mine
I’m stuck here where the Sun don’t shine
Gotta get back where my soul can rest
Back home–to old Key West
I was writing another verse when I looked at the clock. I was running late. I hurried to the shower and then dressed.
Lucky for me a cab was letting someone off just as I exited the building.
I rang Robin’s apartment precisely at six. She told the concierge to send me up.
When I entered, she kissed me and handed me a drink.
“Service with a smile,” I said.
We laughed.
“Let’s don’t talk about work tonight,” she said. “Okay?”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
We stood on her balcony and stared at the city lights. She slipped her arm around my waist. I leaned around and kissed her. It was nice. I am glad I came.
We stood in silence. Finally, I said, “What do we talk about if we don’t talk about work?”
“I don’t know. That’s all we’ve been talking about lately.”
“Where did you and Alexis have lunch?”
“Hot dogs in the park.”
“No, not you. You’re always preaching to me how they’ll kill me.”
“I felt like living dangerously.”
Silence again.
“How’s Robert?” she asked.
“He’s okay. He’s still at Chad's. They have a visiting nurse stop by twice a day to scratch his back, or whatever he needs.”
“Good.”
We finished our drinks. “Another?” she said.
I looked at my watch. “Sure we have about fifteen minutes before we have to leave.”
She fixed two more drinks, and we took a seat at the kitchen island. I sipped my drink in silence as she did.
“Okay,” I said, “if we need to talk about work, we can. We seem to be having a hard time getting this conversation going.”
“You’re right. But only good stuff. No arguing.”
“Fair enough,” I said, “you first.”
“Well, I showed the tapes of The Barclay to my staff. You were right, we can’t see his face. I told them that you identified him as the man who attended the Bachelor party. They would like for you to go through a book of suspects and try to pick him out.”
“On one condition,” I said, “they go through it first and pick out the ones that fit the description I give them.”
“Fair enough,” she said.
I held my glass up, and she clinked it with hers. “Here’s to agreeing,” I said.
“Yeah, that wasn’t so hard,” she said and kissed me.
We held the kiss too long. We were breathing heavy and moving closer together. Finally, she broke it off.
“Not if we’re going to make it to Per Se,” she said.
“I’m not hungry,” I said.
“Save it for dessert.”
“Can’t wait.”
~***~
Per Se was packed as usual. The hostess, who knows me, escorted us to Chad's table next to a window.
“Looks like we beat them here,” I said as I pulled Robin's chair back for her to sit.
Before I could sit Chad and Alexis walked in.
I remained standing until Alexis sat. “How are you two tonight?” I said, kissing Alexis on the cheek.
Chad did the same to Robin.
“Tired, but ready to party,” Alexis said.
“She’s always ready to party,” Chad said.
“Oh, to be young again,” I said.
We ordered drinks and made small talk. We had a spectacular view of Central Park from our table. We laughed and joked as if we didn’t have a care in the world.
Our drinks were refilled, and we ordered our food. The women excused themselves and headed for the restroom.
When they were gone Chad asked me if I was caught up enough to take tomorrow off and go with him to see William. I said no, but I would go any
way. We decide on ten A.M.
“No one was shot today as far as I know,” I said, “Do you think he’s taking a break or do you think he’s trying to decide if he should come after me again?”
“I hope he doesn’t come after you again.”
“If this is a game as it was in Ontario, why is he just shooting our little group? In Ontario, it was a random thing.”
“I know, I thought about that. Even the more reason to believe it's someone we know.”
The women returned. They were laughing.
“What’s so funny,” Chad asked.
“You wouldn’t want to know,” Alexis answered.
“Alright then.”
Our food arrived, and we spent a seemingly calm night. We said our farewells around ten-thirty and went our separate ways.
Robin and I didn’t waste any time picking up where we left off.
Chapter 33
William Arlington was sitting in his office, drinking coffee and reading the Wall Street Journal when his phone rang. Since his secretary wasn’t in yet, he answered it himself.
“Hello,” he barked, in a gruff, morning, coffee voice.
“Mr. Arlington,” Chad said.
“Chad, is that you?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I told you to call me Bill,” he puffed.
“Sorry Bill. I’ll try to get used to that.”
“What do you want on this beautiful morning, so early?” his voice calming back down.
“I was hoping Cam, and I could come by around ten-thirty and have a talk with you. It won’t take long.”
Bill looked at his schedule book.
“I don’t have anything until one o’clock. We’ll do brunch out on the veranda.”
“Sounds great. Thank you. See you then.”
“Are you going to bring my little girl with you?”
“No, sir. Not this time.”
“Too bad. I’ll see you around ten-thirty.”
“Goodbye,” Chad said, but Bill had already hung up.
The limo stopped at my apartment at nine-thirty. It was a cloudy morning which made me dread the business at hand all that much more. William will see right through our little plan. But, I guess there isn’t any other way to do it. If we don’t confront all our suspects, we’ll never get to the end of this.
We picked Chad up at nine fifty-five. He was ready and waiting on the sidewalk.
“Good morning,” he said, “are you ready for this?”
“Good morning to you. And no.”
The drive to the Arlington estate was as remarkable as I remembered. The sky was starting to clear, and by the time we arrived, it was a beautiful sunny morning.
“Mister Arlington is waiting for you on the veranda,” the butler said as we stepped in.
“Thank you,” I said.
As we were making our way to the veranda, we saw Kailey coming toward us. She looked magnificent in a short black dress with a plunging neckline. She hugged Chad and kissed him on the cheek. She then turned to me and said, “Mister Derringer, so sweet to see you again.” She hugged me and kissed me right on the lips.
I turned and looked at Chad. He was trying to hold back a laugh.
“I’m sorry I can’t join you for brunch, but I have plans this morning. Enjoy your meeting,” she said and kissed me again. “Toodles,” she said and left.
“You old hound,” Chad said and slapped me on the back.
“I hope no one else saw that. I could get into real trouble.”
“Yes, you could,” he said and laughed again.
Bill was sitting at a table on the veranda talking on his cell. He was dressed in blue jeans and a T-shirt. I never realized how athletic he was. His biceps were stretching the cotton sleeves.
“I have to go now,” he said and hung up.
“Good morning gentlemen,” he said.
“Good morning,” we said.
We sat, and a buffet was started immediately on a side table.
“Brunch will be ready in a moment,” he said.
“How is Robert this morning?” he asked.
“Not bad for getting shot by an assassin,” Chad said.
“What are we going to do about that?” Bill asked.
“Well, that’s why we are here,” I said, to take a little pressure off Chad.
“We were hoping you might be able to help us.”
Bill laughed, “I wondered how long it would take to come to me to try to find out if I was behind this.”
“No sir,” Chad said, “we don’t suspect you.”
“You would have to be stupid not to,” Bill said. “I already threatened your life.”
Chad was silent.
“Bill,” I said, “we thought maybe you might be able to help us. We don’t have the connections you have, and the FBI only knows what we’ve told them. I would really like to stop this before someone gets killed.”
I told him about the game in Ontario and how we suspected that Bloodshot was the other shooter there.
“Sounds plausible,” he said, “but if it’s a game, where’s his adversary’s shots? He’s the only one racking up points.”
“Good thought,” I said.
“Anyone else bidding on the resort?” Bill asked.
“I don’t know of anyone,” Chad said. “I can ask Robert.”
“Could be someone doesn’t want Robert buying it.”
“Why would they shoot us?” I asked.
“Maybe the message will come. They might be setting the stage for a warning.”
“Maybe.”
“Gentlemen, I can assure you, it’s not me. I have no need to bring in outside help for something like this. As I said before, I have people for that,” Bill said. “Understood?”
“Understood,” I said.
“Chad?” Bill said.
“Understood,” Chad said.
“Good, it looks like brunch is served.”
We filled our plates and sat back down at the table. There was enough food to feed an army.
“You know what this man looks like?”
“Yes,” I said, “we both do.”
“I’m not sure I would recognize him,” Chad said, “I only got a glimpse of him at the party. He didn’t really talk to me.”
“But he killed your friend I understand,” Bill said.
“Yes, he did.”
“Do you think they were actually friends?”
“Not now I don’t,” Chad said.
“You need to find their connection. There might not even be one. Maybe they just got to be friends at the party.”
“That’s what I think,” I said. “He just needed someone to fall back on if he were questioned, which he was, by me.”
We were interrupted by the butler, “Sir, a detective McNally on line one for you,” he said.
Bill thought for a second.
“I think you should take it, Bill. He’s the one working with us on this case,” I said.
Bill picked up the phone, “Hello, William here.”
He listened. He turned white and said, “We’ll be right there.”
He laid the phone back down and looked at us, a look of shock on his face. “It’s Kailey, she’s been shot in the arm.”
Chapter 34
Andrei left the hotel where he only yesterday rented a room. He had his case in hand and could hear the sirens as the patrol cars approached.
I hated to shoot that beautiful young lady, he thought, but those were my instructions. She seemed like such a nice person. I would have rather had a few hours with her than shoot her. Cam Derringer is crazy for turning her down. Whoever it is that hired me is as ruthless as I am, but, all in all, it is fun.
Andrei covered his face with his hands and faked a sneeze pulling off his mustache and slipping it into his pocket.
Cam is becoming a thorn in my side. I really need to get him out of the picture. My contract say’s no killing of my targets, though.
Andrei entered the post o
ffice and went to box 408, slipped in the key and removed an envelope. He placed the envelope in his pocket and left.
Eric Meninx, in disguise filling out a mailing slip, watched as Andrei left. He would be an easy target if I chose to kill him, he thought.
~***~
We arrived at the hospital again. Three times in four days. Kailey was being attended to by Doctor Rivers, the same one who treated Chad only four days ago.
We waited in the waiting room. The doctor appeared five minutes later. “Mister Arlington,” he said. Then he saw Chad and me. “I should have known,” he said. “Anyway, Kailey is fine, just a scratch. The police will be here shortly to talk to her.”
McNally entered the waiting room. “I see you beat me here Bill. I’m sorry this happened.”
“Not your fault George,” Bill said.
“Hello Cam, Chad,” he said.
“Hello Chief,” I said. “I wasn’t aware you two knew each other.”
“We’ve met,” Bill said.
“We’ll find this guy Bill. I promise.”
“If you don’t, I will.”
“Leave it to us. We don’t need a war, and you know how quickly this could turn into one if you go around accusing people.”
“You have three day’s to find him, then I’m going to start looking,” Bill said sternly.
Kailey appeared at the door in a wheelchair being pushed by a nurse.
“Kailey, are you okay honey?” Bill said.
“I’m fine, just a little weak. I think it’s just from being scared. Why would someone shoot me?”
“I don’t know sweetie, but I’ll find out.”
“Kailey,” McNally said, “did you get a look at this guy?”
“No, I had just gotten out of the limo at the Osterman Boutique. I dropped my sunglasses. When I bent down to pick them up, I felt a sting on my arm. First, I thought it was a bee, then, when I looked, I saw a long gash. That’s when I knew I’d been shot. The first thing I thought of was Chad and Robert being wounded.”
“It’s a good thing you bent down when he shot you,” Bill said. “If you wouldn’t have, it might have been worse.”
McNally’s cell rang. He answered and talked a few seconds, then disconnected. “We found his calling card in the hotel across the street. He rented the room last night.”