by Mac Fortner
Jack asked, “Do you have his address?”
“Yes,” Diane said and copied it for him.
Jack stood, “I’ll be back in a while.”
“I’m going with you,” I said.
“No, you’re not. You can’t be seen anywhere near this guy,” Jack said sternly, placing his hand on my chest. “I’m going alone. I’m not going to contact him. I’m just going to tail him.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Be careful,” I said.
When Jack left, I changed clothes and put my gun in my belt.
“Where’re you going?” Kailey asked.
“I have some things to check on,” I said.
“Give me a minute, and I’ll go with you,” Kailey said.
“Not this time. I won’t be gone long.”
I kissed her and left. I could hear her calling my name, but I didn’t look back. I knew she was too persuasive and right now I needed to be alone.
I drove near the beach and parked. I wanted a good observation spot where I could see if Tracy returned. I was hoping she was staying around here somewhere.
After about fifteen minutes I came to the realization that I was wasting my time. Why would she return to the beach when this is where I saw her last? She would know I would look for her here.
It had to be Tracy that set me up. She knew I ran by here and stopped on this bench. It would be easy to pay a junkie to deliver the package and point the finger. My guess is after the trial, Bret Condors would never be heard from again.
Why did she come to me first with the wild story of her missing husband and the fake name? Did she just want to find Aaron so she could kill him?
I decided to check the hotels along Roosevelt. I knew it was probably a waste of time but what else could I do?
My first stop was The Best Western. I talked to the valet before entering the lobby, showing him a copy I had made of the picture of Tracy on the beach in the Bahamas.
“No sir, I haven’t seen her. I’d remember her if I did,” he said smiling.
“Thanks,” I said and returned to my car.
This wasn’t going to be easy. There were numerous hotels in Key West. I’m assuming she would be staying at one of the larger more grand hotels, but I could be dead wrong.
I drove toward The Sunrise Suites. My phone rang. The caller I.D. said, Kailey.
I debated rather to answer. Thank goodness I did.
“I’ve got her,” she said.
“Who?”
“Tracy. She’s staying at the DoubleTree.”
“How did you know I was looking for her,” I said, realizing how stupid of a question that was as soon as I asked it. She knew me like a book.
“Where are you?” she said.
“I’m almost there. Two minutes.”
“I’ll meet you in the lot,” she said and disconnected.
When I arrived, Kailey was standing next to her car staring across the parking lot.
“Where is she?” I asked.
“I don’t know, but that black Mercedes SUV over there is hers. She must be inside.”
“How do you know that’s hers?”
“I showed the valet a picture and some cleavage. He pointed it out.”
“You’re worth more money,” I said.
“Really. I thought I already had it all.”
“Yeah, most of it.”
“I guess we’ll just wait. She’s bound to come out sooner or later,” Kailey said.
“Let's get in the car. I don’t want her to know we're here,” I said.
We were in the car for about a half an hour before we saw the valet get her car and take it to the entrance. We saw Tracy slide in behind the wheel as she handed the boy a tip.
“Do you want to ride with me or drive your car?” I asked Kailey.
“I better take mine. That way if you have to cut off I can follow her.”
We followed Tracy out of the hotel and onto Roosevelt around old town all the way to Front Street. She pulled into the lot for The Galleon Resort.
I stopped on the street a half block back. Kailey passed me and parked just past the entrance.
We watched her leave her car and take the stairs to the second floor. She stopped in front of room 208 and knocked. She turned to look behind her. I ducked and assumed Kailey did the same. When I rose up, she was gone, and the door was closing. I wondered if this was Bret Condor's room.
“Why have you come back here without my jewels?” Harold said closing the door.
She sat her purse down on the table and glared at Harold, “I’m not going to get them for you. I want you to turn in the insurance claim, collect the money and go home. After thinking it over, I had to steal them twice, and you tried to kill me in the process. I want the money. I can fence them for ten million.”
“You little bitch. I went through all this so I would have the gems and the insurance money. I should just kill you now,” he said with a clenched jaw.
“Not a good idea, Harold. I have left evidence with a lawyer that proves you killed Aaron. It’s to be turned over to the police if I die.”
“You wouldn’t take that chance. That would be incriminating you too.”
“I’d be dead. I probably wouldn’t care,” she laughed.
“You’ll wish you never heard of me,” he said, his face turning red and holding up one shaking fist.
“I already do,” she said.
I watched as Tracy left the room. A man stood in the open doorway and glared at her as she returned to her car. He stepped back inside and slammed the door.
As she pulled out of the lot, I ducked down again. When I heard her car pass, I rose up and saw Kailey drive past, following her. She waved her thumb toward the room. I nodded.
I walked to room 208 and knocked. The man swung the door open with anger on his face. I took it he thought I was Tracy.
“Yes,” he said in a gruff voice.
“Is Tracy here?” I said, waiting for a reaction.
I got one.
“Who the hell are you?” he spat.
“Cam Derringer.
Chapter 28
Diane decided to call Chad Kendall, Cam’s best friend and attorney in New York.
“Hi Chad,” Diane said.
“Diane. Great to hear from you. How is everyone?”
“That’s why I’m calling.”
~***~
The man stood at the door staring at me. I think I might have shocked him.
“Get the hell out of here,” he said and closed the door.
Well, that was interesting. At least now I know what her accomplice looks like. I went to the office and asked if I could have the name of the occupant in room 208. Of course, I couldn’t.
I called Kailey.
“We’re on Boca Chica Key,” she said.
“That’s where Bret Condors lives,” I said.
“Call Jack and tell him he’s about to have company. I’ll cut off at the next turn,” she said.
“Don’t take any chances.”
Jack answered his phone just as Tracy’s car came into sight. He quickly sank into the seat. She pulled up in front of Bret’s apartment and killed her engine. Jack was a half a block away across the street.
Peering over the dash he could see her just sitting in her car. Finally, she started the engine and drove away. Jack stayed down. He could tell she slowed as she passed his car. Busted.
Jack called me back.
“She left,” he said. “I think she saw me.”
“That’s okay. At least we know she knows Bret. It had to be her that set me up.”
“Yeah, no doubt about it,” Jack said.
~***~
Chief Leland returned to Jason's house. It was time to talk to the next door neighbor about the night before.
The door was answered by red-eyed, Tom Shay. He stared at Leland for a moment before recognition hit him.
“Hey Chief,” he said.
“Mister Shay.”
“What you wan
t?” he said.
“I’d like to ask you a few questions about last night if you don’t mind,” the Chief said.
“Sure,” he said sounding annoyed.
“You said a man came to your door and asked about Jason Fields.”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“Can you describe him?”
“Yeah.”
“Would you please?”
“Okay.”
The Chief waited.
“Now.”
“Oh, okay. He was about six-foot-four or five, a tall guy. Handsome with a mustache. Looked like a bodybuilder.”
Chief pulled a picture from his shirt pocket. “Does this look like him?” he said, holding the picture up for Tom to see.
“Yeah, that’s him,” he said. “I don’t think he sells insurance though.”
“Did you see him go to Jason's house?”
“Yeah, before he came to see me.”
“What about afterward?”
“Don’t know.”
“Okay, Mister Shay. Thanks for your help. If I have any more questions, I’ll call you.”
“He had a gun,” Tom said.
“What?”
“Yeah, I could see a gun in his belt.”
Chapter 29
I returned to the boat. Diane was there. I don’t think she went to work. The interior looked as though she had been cleaning all day.
“Hi Diane,” I said.
“Hi,” she said a little distant.
“Are you okay?”
“Uh huh. Just tired. I didn’t want to go to work today.”
“You know, there’s no threat to you now. The situation has been handled,” I assured her.
“Yeah, I know, but it’s still a little scary out there. I’ll be okay. I just need a few days.”
“You stay right here as long as you want.”
“Thanks, Cam.”
She looked at me for a long moment.
“What?” I said.
“Well, I called Chad today. I told him about our situation. He’s on his way here. He wants to defend you,” she said meekly.
“Oh Diane, did you think about what I was going to do with Kailey?”
Her eye’s widened. “No,” she said. “I forgot about that. I’m sorry.”
I thought for a moment. “We’ll work it out. Thanks for your concern. I couldn’t have a better lawyer.”
Kailey was married to Chad’s wife’s father, William Arlington, which made her his mother-in-law for a short time. Kailey had William killed a few weeks later by the assassin known as Bloodshot. Fortunately, I’m the only one who knows this. But Chad is going to wonder why she’s here with me. No one knew she was really Elizabeth Kailey Wessel who watched William murder her father when she was only ten.
“Is Alexis coming with him?” I asked. It would be a real disaster if he brought his wife, Williams’s daughter.
“I don’t know. He didn’t say.”
Kailey and Jack walked in. I didn’t know how much they heard.
“Tracy returned to her hotel,” Jack said. “I guess she was on to us.”
“Is Alexis coming with whom?” Kailey asked.
“Chad,” I said. “He’s coming here to act as my defense attorney.”
“I’ll pack my things,” she said. “It wouldn’t do any good to try to explain this,” she said waving her hand around the boat.
“I’m going to have to explain the boat anyway,” I said. “This is as good a time as any to explain you too.”
“What if Alexis is with him? Will she understand?” Kailey said.
“I don’t know, but she’ll have to learn to live with it. I’m not willing to give you up.”
Kailey looked at me adoringly. I could see the sadness in her eyes.
“I should have thought more about the consequences this relationship would have on you before I forced my way in,” she said.
“You didn’t force your way in. In the end, I was ready to pull you in,” I said.
We were all silent for a few seconds.
“Anyone going to join me in a drink?” I said.
They all raised their hands.
Kailey excused herself for a moment when she returned she had a white sack with her. It sat on a tray with two glasses of whiskey and two glasses of milk.
I looked at it and then at her. “Tell me it’s so,” I said.
“It’s so,” she said. “One for you and one for Diane. I think the two of you could use them right now.”
She opened the sack and pulled out two huge chocolate covered honeybuns, and laid one on each of the paper plates she brought along.
“Okay now, the two of you enjoy while Jack and I retire to the hot tub,” she said. “I think you guys need to talk.”
They took their drinks and left Diane and me there. This is the way we used to spend every Sunday morning. Diane would bring the rolls, and we would find the answers to all of the world's problems while sitting here gazing at the ocean.
“Hope your doctor doesn’t get wind of this,” Diane said.
“Right now, I don’t care,” I said and took a big bite. It felt good to eat one legally. No guilt.
We each ate half our roll and then drank some milk. We turned to look at the ocean and propped our feet up on the table.
“Funny how such a little thing can make you feel as if everything is going to be okay,” Diane said.
“Yes,” I said. “You’re a little thing, and you always make me feel as if everything is going to be okay.”
“Is it Cam?”
“I think it will be.”
“Why is Tracy trying so hard to destroy you?”
“I don’t know, but I need to find out soon. She’s burying me deeper every day.”
“We need to get her fingerprints,” Diane said.
“I think Toby has them. So far no match though.”
“She has to have had some help.”
“She did. I met him today. I don’t think he liked me,” I said.
We took another bite.
“Will you return to work tomorrow,” I said.
“Yeah, I think it would be good for me. Maybe a half day.”
“I’m so glad you’re alright. We were worried.”
“I know you were. I was too,” she said.
We ate.
“Do you think you should call Chad? You don’t want to spring this on him when he arrives,” she said.
I know it sounded like a suggestion, but that’s Diane's way of saying “Call Chad.”
“Yeah, I will, after we eat.”
“You know what really bothers me?” Diane said.
“What?”
“Jack doesn’t have a swimsuit here.”
We looked at each other, eyes wide.
“Too late now,” I said. “Let's finish our rolls first.”
Chapter 30
After we ate, I called Chad. I told him everything about the case and my suspicions regarding Tracy. Then I told him about Kailey and me. He got a good laugh out of that. He always thought it was funny how Kailey pursued me while married to William. Of course, he wouldn’t tell Alexis he thought it was funny though.
“Good for you Cam,” he said. “Kailey is a wonderful woman.”
I wonder how he would feel about her if he knew she had his father-in-law murdered.
“Thank you Chad, but how will Alexis take it?”
“If I were you I wouldn’t worry about Alexis, I’d worry about Robin.”
“Robin? Why would I need to worry about her?”
“Because I called her and told her about your problem. She’s going to meet us in Key West tomorrow.”
Oh no, the head of the FBI in L.A., who happens to have a warrant out for Kailey is going to be here tomorrow. Not to mention she’s my other girlfriend.
“Sorry,” Chad said. “I didn’t know about Kailey.”
“Don’t worry about it. They are the least of my problems right now.”
“Okay, o
ld chap, I’ll see you tomorrow around two,” Chad said.
“Thanks for coming,” I said.
Five minutes later my phone rang. It was Robin.
“Hey sweetie,” I answered nervously.
“Hey, Cam. How’s life treating you?”
“Funny.”
“You just never could stay out of trouble.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Did Chad tell you I was coming there tomorrow?”
“Yes, he did, about five minutes ago.”
“What are you going to do about Kailey?”
“What about Kailey,” I said. Not wanting to give anything away.
“Come on Cam. I’m the FBI I know everything,” she said. “I’ve known ever since she bought you that yacht.”
“Well, I guess the real question is, what are you going to do about Kailey?”
“Nothing,” she said. “I killed the warrant on her two days ago. We went over the case and came to the conclusion that she did nothing wrong. The money was legally hers, and she could go anywhere she wanted to with it.”
I wondered if Robin had any idea that Kailey was actually Elizabeth Wessel.
“Well, that will be a relief to her,” I said.
“And to you.”
“Yes, I guess so. I’m sorry Robin. I wanted to tell you about Kailey, but I knew you were looking for her. Besides, I still have feelings for you.”
“I wanted to call you too, Cam. I have also met someone else,” she said uncomfortably. “Nothing serious. Just casual.”
“You have?” my shoulders dropped. I didn’t know whether to be happy or sad. Sad won.
“Yes. This isn’t the way I pictured things when we left each other, but we knew it was bound to happen.”
“Yeah, I guess we did,” I said.
We sat silent for a moment.
“Why are you coming to help me then?” I asked.
“Because I still love you. That won’t just go away.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow around two,” she said.
“You’ll be on the same plane as Chad then.”
“Great. I hate traveling alone. See you then.”
Robin disconnected the cell phone and thought about the lie she just told Cam. She hasn’t had time to meet a new boyfriend. She works long hours and the truth is, she still loves Cam too much to think about anyone else.