by Mac Fortner
“Next is Jason Fields. He was found on the seventeenth also. About an hour later. You were still with Jack searching for me.”
“Not all day,” I said. “I went to Jason’s house that day looking for you. I talked to the next door neighbor.”
“That’s when they found your gun at my house, and the killing stopped.”
“You don’t have to put it that way,” I said.
“Just stating facts sir.”
“I guess I could have had time to kill Jason,” I said. “But I didn’t.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“When Jack and I left your house it was about nine o’clock. Jason wasn’t there then.”
“They said he was murdered around nine-thirty.”
“Jack and I split up when we left your house.”
“That’s not good,” Diane said. “It’s the only one you don’t have an alibi for.”
“Yeah, and my gun was there.”
We sat a moment looking the file over again.
“We’re going to have to prove Tracy guilty, instead of me innocent,” I said.
“That would be the best solution.”
“I need a car. Would you rent one for me?”
“What about Dave’s car? I saw it sittin’ out front,” Diane said.
“I thought about that earlier, but I can’t find the keys.”
Diane walked around the house and checked places she thought the keys might be.
“I guess he took them with him,” she finally said.
“Knowing Dave, they’re probably in the car,” I joked.
Diane went out and checked. She came back in with the keys.
“Here ya go,” she said, throwing them to me.
We laughed.
“I don’t think anyone would steal that thing anyway,” Diane said. “I had to throw some food bags in the back seat just to sit down and get the keys out.”
His car was a rusted out 1995 Chrysler LaBaron. It was black at one time, but now it was more gray and brown. The brown being rust.
“Do you think it runs?” I said.
“Good question. There weren’t any weeds growing up around it,” Diane said.
“I’ll give it a try before you leave. It would be better if I were caught in it instead of a car that you rented for me.”
“I need to get going now anyway,” she said. “I have early appointments tomorrow.”
“I’ll walk you out and try the car.”
I opened the car door and stepped back. “Do you think anything’s living in there?”
“You might want to take some of Walters treats with you if you drive it. Just in case.”
I put the key in the ignition pushed the pedal to the floor once and released it. I turned the key, and the engine came to life. It was as smooth as the day it was born.
“Thank you, Jesus,” I said.
“You can’t judge a book by its cover,” Diane said.
Chapter 55
“Any word on Cam’s plane yet?” Chief Leland said into the phone.
“Nothing,” Sheriff Reynolds said. “He just disappeared.”
“What’s the FBI doing about it?”
“You mean agent Anderson? Nothing.”
“Isn’t she supposed to be looking for Cam?”
“Well, not exactly. I had her taken’ off that case. She’s investigating Tracy Alexander.”
“Too bad, we could have used the FBI’s help on this.”
“What’s going on with Tracy?” Leland asked.
“Anderson thinks she’s connected to an art theft, in London. Not much to go on though,” Toby said.
“I think we need to let the FBI in on the Derringer case. It’s the only way we can find him. We’ll have them use a different agent. Conflict of interest thing.”
“That’s fine by me,” Toby said. “Make the call.”
This wasn’t the way Toby wanted to start his morning. He didn’t need the FBI on Cam’s case.
Robin received a call from Director Lenley.
“Robin, Lenley here. I want to give you a heads up.”
“Alright,” Robin said.
“Phelps and Rickens from the Atlanta division are taking over the Cam Derringer case. We’re going to do a manhunt for him or his airplane. I told them no matter what they find, to call you immediately.”
“Thank you, sir,” she said.
“I know it hurts, but I can’t put you on the case.”
“I understand that.”
“How’s it going on the Alexander case?”
“Nothing yet. Someone did try to kill me yesterday. I shot one of them, but they all got away.”
“Yes, I saw the report on that. Are you sure you don’t want me to send you some help?”
“I think I would be better off working this by myself,” Robin said.
“Well, okay for now. Take care of yourself and keep me informed.”
“I will.”
~***~
Tracy parked down the street from Bret Condor's house. Toby said the girl lived next door.
She got out of her car and grabbed a clipboard from the back seat.
Tracy walked directly to the house she thought the girl lived in and knocked on the door.
A young girl answered the door. Tracy had never seen her before, but she didn’t even know there was a girl at the house when she killed Bret.
“Hello,” the girl said.
“Hello,” Tracy said. “I’m Lorain Hopkins from Beret and Clark Law Firm. We’re investigating a wrongful death claim filed by the family of” — she looked at her clipboard— “Bret Condors.”
The girl stared at her.
“Did you know him?” Tracy said.
“I’ve seen him around,” the girl said. “But I’ve never talked to him.”
Tracy thought if this was the right girl, she’d look a little more scared. Did Toby fuck-up?
“Have you seen him with any of the other neighbors?” she asked.
“No, not really. Just a girl that visits him a lot.”
“Do you know where she lives?” Tracy asked.
“No, I’ve never seen her around here other than to visit Bret.”
Tracy looked at the girl for a long minute. The girl just returned the stare.
“Do you need anything else,” the girl asked. “I need to get ready for work. I have to be there at ten.”
“No. Not today. Thank you—”
Tracy paused, waiting for the girl to tell her-her name.
“You’re welcome,” the girl said and closed the door.
Tracy walked back to her car. Got in and waited.
Carey leaned against the front door and breathed hard. That lady was the one she saw kill Bret.
~***~
I was up and fixing some eggs when Walter came out of his bedroom.
“Good morning,” I said.
He looked at me for a second and then checked his food bowl. It was full. He smelled it and looked around for his water bowl. It wasn’t there. He looked at me. I raised my shoulders and hands in a—I don’t know gesture.
He walked into the living room, stopped and looked around as if he was trying to remember what he did with that darn bowl. He went to the recliner and pointed at it in perfect form again. I went in, got down on my knees and looked under the recliner. There it was.
I retrieved the bowl, stood and looked at Walter. “Why do you hide your water bowl?” I said.
He ignored me and went back to his bedroom. I laughed to myself. Funny dog.
After frying some bacon and scarfing it down with my eggs. I took a shower and dressed. I thought I should go look for Tracy again. I didn’t really know what to do or look for, but I needed to do something.
I called Kailey on the burner.
“I miss you,” she said.
“I miss you too. How’s Robin today?”
“She’s fine. She already left the boat.”
“I’m going out for a while today. I want to look for
some kind of clue. I just don’t know what. I feel helpless.”
“Why don’t you talk to the girl Leland questioned the other day. She might have seen who killed Bret.”
“Where can I find her?”
“She lives next door to Bret’s house. I’m not sure which side.”
“Okay, I’ll do a drive-by. If it looks safe, I’ll stop.”
“I’ll come walk your dog tonight,” Kailey said in a sultry voice.
“Can’t wait.”
Chapter 56
I got the car key off the hook in the kitchen. Walter came bounding in from the bedroom. I’ve never seen him move so fast. He went to the wall where his leash was hanging, pulled it down and went to the door wagging all over.
I guess he needed to go out before I leave. I hooked the leash and opened the door. Before I knew it, he jerked the leash from my hand and ran to the car. He peed on the tire and then went to the passenger door, sat down and looked at it.
Oh, crap. He wants to go with me. I guess Dave takes him everywhere.
I picked up the leash and said, “Sorry boy, not today.”
I pulled the leash. Walter resisted, so I pulled harder. He laid down.
“Come on Walter. I can’t take you with me.”
He looked at me defiantly. Dogs do have expressions.
“Okay,” I said. “Get in.”
I opened the door, and he jumped in the front seat and behind the steering wheel.
I walked around the other side and opened the door.
“No way,” I said. “You’re not driving.”
He gave up easily. I guess he would count this one as a victory for me. That way he would get the next one.
We left the neighborhood and turned on to Highway One. I heard a rustling noise. When I looked at Walter he had a half of a hamburger in his mouth.
“Where did you find that?”
He just looked at me, the burger still sticking out.
I reached for it. I was afraid it was old and might be poison.
When my fingers were an inch from it he jerked it completely into his mouth and swallowed it. He grinned.
We drove to the street where Bret’s house was located. I drove past the house. On one side of his house, the front door was standing open. I drove past and checked the other house. An elderly lady was shaking a rug in the yard. She turned and went back inside as I drove past. It had to be the house with the door open.
I parked down the street, got out and told Walter I would be right back. I had a window cracked for him. Then thinking it might be better to have him with me, I went around and put his leash on him. If someone saw me walking a dog, they wouldn’t think anything of it.
We went to the house with the open door. When we got to the porch, I could see that the door had been forced open. The jamb was busted. I pulled my gun from my belt and stepped inside.
Someone was here. I could hear them going through drawers. I saw the hair on Walters' neck stand up, and he made a low growling sound.
We walked down the hallway, my gun leading the way. Whoever it was, was in the room on the right.
I stepped into the room with my gun pointing ahead of me. I saw a woman bent over the dresser looking in an open drawer. Walter barked and pulled at the leash. I held him back.
The woman jumped as we surprised her. I could see her going for her own gun.
“Don’t try it,” I said, holding my gun on her with one hand and holding Walter back with the other.
She raised her hands and turned around.
“Robin?” I said.
She let out a breath and put her hands down.
“Cam, you scared me to death.”
Walter was still barking. I bent down and put my arm around his neck.
“It’s okay Walter,” I said. “It’s just an old girlfriend.”
He quit barking and sat down.
“Did you break in here?” I said.
“No. The door was just like that when I got here. What are you doing here? There’s an APB out on you. Of course, they think you’re somewhere else though. The FBI is on your case now.”
“Great, it just keeps getting better. What happened here?”
“I don’t know. I guess you’re here for the same reason I am. It doesn’t look like any foul play other than the door being busted. I think someone else was doing the same thing we are.”
“Tracy?”
“That’d be my guess.”
Robin looked down at Walter. “So this is Walter,” she said.
“In the flesh. You’re lucky I didn’t let him go on ya,” I said.
“He sounded fierce.”
“He is. He was protecting me.”
“So, the two of you have bonded,” she said.
“Only on his terms.”
“I could imagine.”
“What do you think happened to Carey?”
“It looks as if she wasn’t home and someone broke in. The TV and stereo are still here. I found a laptop in the other bedroom, so I guess someone was just nosing around.”
“I think she saw whoever killed Bret. Now they’re back here to find out if she did.”
“Leland says he thinks she was a witness, but she won’t talk.”
“I’ll help you search the rest of the house,” I said.
“I’m finished. Let’s get out of here before you get caught breaking in.”
We left the house, and I tried to close and secure the front door the best that I could.
“I’ll call this in,” Robin said. “Someone can come and fix the door. I need to find out where Carey works and let her know what happened.”
We went to the end of her sidewalk.
“Where’s your car?” Robin said.
“Right over there,” I said pointing at the Chrysler.
She laughed.
“Hey,” I said. “It’s a classic, and it runs like a charm.”
“Which one of you drives?”
“I won that battle,” I said.
Robin laughed. I told her I would see her later if we had a chance.
“Be careful, Cam,” she said and kissed me.
“I will. You too.”
Chapter 57
Tracy sat on a bench outside Malory Square.
She could see The Conch Store where Carey Henderson worked. She looked at the paycheck stub one more time and compared it to the sign over the door.
“This is it,” she said to herself.
Carey was waiting on a customer when she glanced out the window and saw the woman sitting on a bench watching the store. It was her. The bitch that killed her boyfriend was now after her. First at her house and now at work. She was going to have to do something, or she would never be free.
“Could I have a break?” she asked her manager.
“Sure,” she said. “We’ll cover.”
Carey walked out the front door and to the bench where Tracy was sitting. She pulled a cigarette from her purse, lit it and sat down.
“Did you find the girlfriend?” Carey said.
“Yes, I think I did,” Tracy said.
“The police are on the way. I called them.”
“On who?”
“You.”
“Have I done something wrong?” Tracy said.
“Yes. You killed my boyfriend you fuckin’ bitch!” Carey screamed.
She turned and hit Tracy in the same jaw Kailey had hit her. It stung, but Carey wasn’t as strong as Kailey.
Tracy backhanded her knocking her to the ground, and stood.
“You’re a dead little girl,” Tracy said as she turned and left.
~***~
I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket. Walter was sitting in the passenger seat again. He looked at my pocket.
Since I don’t have any caller ID, I wasn’t sure who it was, but it had to be someone I know.
“Cam,” Chad said.
“Hello, Chad.”
“We got a court date today on the drug charges. It’s in two
weeks.”
“If I come in for that, I’ll be arrested for jewel theft. I’m doomed either way.”
“Hopefully we’ll have this cleared up by them.”
“Do you think we’ll ever get this cleared up? Hell, if I was the prosecutor, I’d be all over me.”
“You’re right, Cam. It doesn’t look good. The trick is to take Tracy down. We might have to make those files public,” Chad said.
“I’ll bet she has that Foxhound Diamond stashed somewhere around here. If we could find it, we could bust her for the theft. Otherwise, we can’t prove she had anything to do with this robbery.”
“I’ll keep in touch,” Chad said and hung up.
“Well Walter,” I said. “It was nice to know you for a short time.”
He laid his head on my lap.
~***~
Kailey picked the lock on the door which divided her room from Tracy’s and opened the door. She entered closing the door behind her. She didn’t waste any time setting up the camera to be watched from her laptop.
She made a quick search of the room for the diamond. It wasn’t out in the open anywhere, so she started a more thorough search.
After looking through the drawers and under the mattress, she decided to take a peek in the return vent. That’s when her alarm went off in her pocket. Someone tripped it in the hallway. She hurried to the door and left the room.
Once inside her room, she turned on her computer and clicked on the camera.
She saw Tracy enter the room. She watched as she fixed a drink and put some of the ice in a washrag and held it to her cheek. It looked as though someone else hit her too.
Kailey laughed to herself.
Tracy undressed, laid a towel on the chair, sat down and turned on the TV. She watched the news. When it was over, she finished her drink and went into the bathroom. Kailey could hear the shower running over the computer.
She took the opportunity to fix herself a drink. Something about watching someone else drink makes you want one too.
Twenty minutes later Tracy appeared again. She had a towel wrapped around her head and nothing else.
Kailey envied her body. “I need to work-out more,” she said.