“I was p-protecting her!” Richie said.
“Down!” the first officer shouted.
Richie lay face first on the soggy grass, turned away from Casey.
“What’s your name?” the officer asked Richie.
After Richie stammered his reply, he was handcuffed and read his rights.
“ID, please, ma’am,” another officer asked Casey.
She handed him her driver’s license, while Virginia and the second officer emerged with Danielle between them. She looked too weak to stand on her own.
“Everything will be fine, honey,” Virginia said to Danielle.
Danielle’s hair was a disheveled mess, her eyes sleepy. When she saw Casey, a weak smile formed. “Hey.”
“Hey, yourself.” The lump in Casey’s throat kept her from saying more.
“God knows what kind of drugs the bastard’s given her,” Virginia said.
“Richie didn’t kill Harvey.” Danielle’s voice sounded raspy.
“Any idea who did?” Casey asked.
“No.” Danielle closed her eyes and leaned into Virginia.
“What the hell did you give her?” Virginia yelled at Richie.
When he didn’t answer, the officer hauled him to his feet. “Answer the question.”
“S-sleeping pills.” Richie’s head swayed again. His clothes were wet from head to foot.
“What kind of sleeping pills?”
“D-don’t know.”
“Anything else?” the officer asked.
“Chloro-f-form.”
“Where’d you get the pills and chloroform?” the officer asked.
“The Net.”
“We need to see those pills. Where are they?”
“You can’t go in. My parents don’t like dirty shoes.”
Casey held back a smile. Apparently Richie hadn’t twigged on to the fact that they’d already traipsed through the house to reach the backyard.
“If you don’t want the house tossed top to bottom, then get those pills now,” the officer said.
As Richie was escorted toward the house, he looked back over his shoulder and yelled, “I was trying to help for your own good, s-stupid.”
“Asshole,” Danielle mumbled.
“Did you get to talk to Harvey?” Casey asked her.
“No.” She paused. “Richie told me what happened to him.”
“This can wait,” Virginia said. “You need medical attention.”
Great, a new protector. “Do you want me to phone your mom?” Casey asked.
“Yeah. Thanks.”
As the rain finally stopped, Casey heard an ambulance siren. Once they reached the front of the house, she spotted Liam MacKenna, again not in uniform, talking to one of the constables. Denver must have told him what was happening. The moment MacKenna spotted them, he headed their way. The guy didn’t look happy. Casey crossed her arms and braced herself for another verbal tirade.
“Is Danielle okay?” he asked Casey.
“A little groggy, but she seems fine.”
He plunked his hands on his hips. “So, what part of stay out of the way didn’t you understand?”
“I asked her to come,” Virginia answered, “because you guys wouldn’t.”
“Who the hell are you?” MacKenna asked.
“Danni’s girlfriend.”
He looked Virginia up and down and shook his head.
As the ambulance arrived, Richie and the constables re-emerged from the house. Tears still trickled down Richie’s chubby cheeks. MacKenna marched toward him, while paramedics took charge of Danielle, who looked like she was having a hard time staying awake. Curious about what MacKenna would say to Richie, Casey edged closer.
“The suspect and I have old business to discuss,” MacKenna told the officers. “Isn’t that right, Richie?”
Richie blubbered.
“I told you I’d never let this go,” MacKenna added. “By the way, I saw your binder. Nice work. You’re a smart guy, after all. Enterprising too. Do your parents know you’re a messenger boy for a bookie? Would they be impressed with your binder?”
“You c-can’t tell them!” Richie twitched and whimpered.
MacKenna smirked. “Your memory’s not so bad either, is it, Richie?”
“I keep telling ya, I don’t r-remember everything.”
“You do remember who you were racing the night you crashed. I see fear every time I bring it up, Richie. Isn’t it time I got a name?”
Tears dripped from Richie’s chin as his head began to loll once more.
“This has to end,” MacKenna said. “Here and now.”
None of the officers moved.
“Is D-Demon gonna live?”
“Yep.”
Richie’s head stopped lolling. “Too bad.”
The officers exchanged glances.
“Why’s that?” MacKenna asked.
“He cut B-Bennie off. It was his fault!”
“Bashir Kumar was racing you and Ben that night?”
“He s-said he’d kill me and my family if I told.”
Danielle was being eased into the ambulance. Casey figured she was probably too groggy and far away to hear Richie’s revelation.
“We know that Kumar hasn’t owned his current vehicle long,” MacKenna said. “What was he driving that night?”
“I only remember red. He’s always liked r-red.”
Casey jogged to the ambulance, tempted to tell Danielle what she’d heard. But what if Richie was lying? She poked her head inside. “I’ll come see you.”
“My notebook,” Danielle mumbled. “Get it.”
“Was it in your bag?”
“Yes.” She closed her eyes.
The police had Danielle’s bag. A paramedic closed the ambulance door.
“I’m going to the hospital,” Virginia said.
“Hold it,” one of the officers replied. “We need to talk to you and your cohort here.”
Virginia muttered something under her breath.
“Danielle asked me to get a notebook from her bag,” Casey said to him. “Someone from your detachment picked up the bag the night she was taken. Will I be able to get the book?”
“We’ll let you know.”
Sure. At a quarter past never.
TWENTY-SEVEN
CASEY PEEKED IN DANIELLE’S HOSPITAL room and found her sitting cross-legged on her bed, putting on makeup. The three other beds in the room were occupied by gray-haired women with pasty faces and closed eyes. Two of them were snoring.
Casey approached Danielle’s bed, which was nearest the door. “You look a lot better than you did yesterday.”
“Thanks.” Danielle smiled. “So, it took you five days to find me? Really? I thought you’d be faster.”
“You didn’t exactly leave a trail of crumbs.” Casey hugged her. “You’re all right then?”
“Yep. I’m outta here this morning. Despite the drugs, Richie took fairly good care of me. Supplied food and water and a porta-potty. Even allowed me to use the bathroom when his parents were out.” She zipped her makeup bag. “The asshole.”
“Are you sure you’re allowed to leave this soon?”
“They need beds for sick people.” Danielle tossed the makeup bag into a backpack someone must have brought her. “I’m good to go.”
How much had Danielle learned about yesterday’s events? Did she know that Richie had ratted out Bashir Kumar? Should Casey tell her?
“Richie claimed he was trying to keep you from getting killed,” Casey said, “and part of me believes him. Even that night at the donut shop, he wanted you to stop investigating.”
“Not just for my protection, though. He was afraid I’d tell his parents about him and Roadkill. How long did the idiot think he could keep me locked up?”
“Probably until the killer was caught.”
“I bet his secrets are out now.”
“He’s not a killer, though, right?”
“No. Just a sneaky little dwee
b. I’d already verified that he was at work during two of the hit and runs, but I was shocked when he told me he’d been sneaking out in his parents’ car now and then. Richie doesn’t even have a driver’s license,” Danielle said. “It’s how he got me to his place. Took their bloody car, then returned it to the restaurant without anyone noticing.”
The patient in the bed next to Danielle moaned a couple of times.
“The RCMP have your bag and won’t let me look at your notebook, let alone take it,” Casey said.
“I’m not surprised. There’s info about Roadkill in it—dates and places of races. Alibis for some racers, but question marks for others.”
“Actually, the police have learned a lot more.” Casey smiled. “It turns out that Richie compiled a detailed binder full of racing stats and bios on everyone.”
“Awesome!” Danielle’s eyes sparkled. “I’d love to see it.”
“Maybe Denver can arrange something after this is all over.”
“I doubt it.” Danielle put on a jean jacket. “Cops aren’t eager to cooperate with me.”
“That’s because diplomacy’s not your strong suit. If you ask nicely, maybe he’ll agree.”
Danielle stuck out her tongue.
“See?” Casey laughed.
Danielle fiddled with the cuff of her shirt sleeve, her expression becoming increasingly solemn. “If it wasn’t for me, Harvey might still be alive.”
“You don’t know that.”
Danielle glanced at her roommates, one of whom was starting to stir. “Remember that second date I had with Dom?”
“Yeah. You never did tell me what happened.”
“There wasn’t much to tell. He wouldn’t talk about racing, except to say that he had a date the night Beatrice Dunning was killed and was working at the garage when Anna-lee Fujioko was mowed down.” Danielle rummaged through her backpack. “I was so frustrated that I phoned Harvey and told him I knew he was part of Roadkill.”
“Oh, Danielle.”
“I know. It was stupid.” She stopped rummaging. “I also said I knew he’d been racing his dad’s Lexus the night Beatrice was struck.”
“Did Harvey admit it?”
“No. That’s when I threatened to tell the cops unless I got some information from him. Harvey agreed to meet me at the Regency after work.” She shook her head. “We never got the chance to talk.”
“What happened?”
Danielle ran her hand through her short black hair. “I parked next to Harvey’s car and waited for his shift to end. After all the other cars had left the lot, there was still no sign of him, so I went looking.” She paused. “I heard voices at the back and saw two people fighting by the pond. I couldn’t see faces, but one of them fell and I heard a splash. The second person took off toward the far side of the building.”
“Why didn’t you call the police?”
“I thought it was just an ordinary fight. I also wanted some support, so I called you.”
“When did Richie show up?”
“It must have been while I was talking to you. I remember ending our call and then nothing. The jerk probably came up from behind and chloroformed me like in some dumb movie.”
“He had planned to take you?”
Danielle nodded. “Despite the brain damage, it’s become pretty damn clear that Richie’s more than capable of planning things.”
“How did he know you were meeting Harvey?”
“He’d called earlier and insisted I come see him on his break at work. I told him where I was, and why, then said I’d be over right after.” Danielle zipped up her bag. “Ginny figures he parked at the strip mall on the other side of the fence. None of the shops were open.”
“It turns out there’s a hole in the fence big enough for a person to slip through,” Casey replied. “He must have known the area fairly well.”
“He did. While I was captive, Richie told me the racers had met in back of the Regency a few times. He apparently liked to listen in without being seen.” Danielle fetched her ski jacket from a tiny closet. “The cops should have searched all vehicles in the area. I was probably in the bloody trunk.”
“We now know how calculating Richie is,” Casey replied. “He could have moved the vehicle farther away before coming back to look for your bag, which I assume is what he tried to do.”
“He probably panicked when you showed up.”
“Even more when the RCMP caught him hiding in the bushes in front of the fence.”
Danielle flung the jacket over her pack. “He would have freaked at the thought of being arrested and me being left in the trunk.”
“He was pretty stressed, all right.”
A nurse appeared and headed for one of the patients. Within seconds the patient began moaning. Casey wanted to leave, but there were still things to say. “I wish I’d spotted Richie from the get-go,” she whispered. “He said he didn’t know who Harvey fought with, but I wonder if that’s true. Did he say how long he’d been lurking before he caught you off guard?”
“No, but it’s an interesting question.” She frowned. “How much did he see that night?”
The nurse finished with the patient and left the room.
Casey supposed this was as good a time as any to tell Danielle about Kumar. “Did you hear what Richie told Liam MacKenna yesterday?”
“No, what?”
“He said Bashir Kumar was the one who ran your brother off the road. Kumar apparently threatened to kill Richie and his family if he told anyone.”
Danielle’s mouth fell open. “You’re joking.”
“She’s not.” Danielle’s mother entered the room, clutching a big brown purse with both hands. “Just after I got home from seeing you yesterday, Mr. MacKenna showed up.”
“It really was Kumar?” Danielle asked, her eyes filling with tears.
“It seems so,” Ivy answered. “Mr. MacKenna needs more proof before he can charge him.”
Danielle embraced Ivy before dabbing her eyes with a tissue. “Kumar doesn’t have solid alibis for any of the hit and runs. Guy’s quite the freak.” She scowled. “A natural-born killer who has to be stopped.”
“Let the police worry about that,” Ivy replied. “You’ve been through enough.”
“How can I, Mom?” Danielle stepped back. “Four people are dead and a child was badly injured because some sick freak’s targeting pedestrians!”
Ivy frowned. “I told you, that is police business, young lady; not yours.”
“Kumar won’t be driving anywhere for a while,” Casey said. “He flipped his car while racing Saturday night. Broke a few bones.”
“How ironic,” Danielle remarked and turned back to her mother. “Good to see you again, Mom, but remember what I said about moving in with Ginny?”
Ivy fiddled with her purse strap. “Can’t I see my own daughter before she goes? Heaven knows when I’ll see you again.”
“I’ll only be fifteen minutes away.”
Ivy clicked her tongue. “That doesn’t mean I’ll see you much.”
Danielle sighed, then turned to Casey. “Do you know if MacKenna’s talked to Kumar about sideswiping Ben’s car?”
“I’ve heard that Kumar’s been too out of it to talk to anyone. They’ll try as soon as he’s lucid.”
Ivy walked up to Casey with her hand extended. “Thank you for helping free my daughter from that naughty boy.”
Naughty boy? Was she joking? “Have you talked to Richie since his arrest, Mrs. Carpenter?”
“Absolutely not. I’m still mad at him for not telling me he’d been talking to Danielle, never mind holding her captive, for heaven’s sake. No more treats for some time, I promise you that.”
Casey and Danielle exchanged baffled glances.
“Mom, how long have you been keeping in touch with Richie?”
“Since Ben’s funeral, and don’t look at me like I’ve done something wrong. You know better than anyone that Richie’s been family since he was five years old.
I couldn’t let him go just because his parents wanted to separate us.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“He asked me not to.”
“I bet,” Danielle muttered. “And why did you go along with it?”
“Why didn’t you tell me you’d been talking to him too, Miss Fancy Pants?”
“Journalists aren’t supposed to reveal their sources, not even to their mothers.”
“Hi, everyone.” Virginia strolled into the room, looking relaxed and happy.
Casey noticed Ivy’s disapproving expression and the way she avoided looking at Virginia.
“Ready to go?” Virginia asked.
“In a sec,” Danielle replied.
“Are you sure you can’t come home first?” Ivy asked. “I made cinnamon buns, and your father would love to see you.”
“I’ll come over later today.”
“For supper?”
“If it includes Ginny.”
Ivy hesitated. “Your father’s not up for company.”
The pink crystal stud in Danielle’s nose sparkled as she tilted her head slightly and bit her lower lip. “When Dad’s ready for company, give me a call.”
“May I at least have Virginia’s phone number in case we need to get in touch?”
“Sure, but you know my cell number.”
“The cops still have your phone,” Virginia said, handing Ivy a business card.
“I’ll have to do something about that. Let’s swing by the cop shop, and does anyone know which hospital Kumar is in?”
“Does it matter?” Casey had been relieved that Danielle was here at Richmond General and not near Kumar in New Westminster’s Royal Columbian Hospital. Knowing Danielle, she’d want to confront the guy.
“I’m not interested in interrogating him,” Danielle replied. “But I want to say something, and it’d probably be better if he just lies there, or I might have to kill him.”
“Danielle!” Ivy clutched her purse to her chest. “Hasn’t there been enough death?”
Beneath the Bleak New Moon Page 20