Midnight Reckoning (Leave No Trace Book 1)

by Jannine Gallant

  “Fine. Let’s think about this.” Gilbert was quiet for several seconds. “We want someplace Ms. Gonzales will feel safe making a move—if that’s her intention—but not a location where I can’t step in at a moment’s notice.”

  “Which is why I was against the whole set up with Bobby Bauer.” Levi added the other sandwich ingredients and slapped on the top pieces of bread. “It seemed too risky. We’re just damn lucky Bobby wasn’t the killer.”

  “I agree, although the deputies told me they were close enough to Raine to make a shot, if necessary, during most of the hike.”

  “Most?” Levi snorted. “That’s not good enough.”

  “It worked out fine since I never believed Bobby was guilty.” Raine set her phone beside the sink as she filled her glass again. “What do you suggest I tell Rosa, Detective?”

  “Didn’t you mention a storage unit when we talked before?”

  “Yes. My plan is to retrieve some of my belongings to bring back to Truckee.”

  “Then ask her if she’ll meet you there. Tell her you need a hand lifting something heavy. Chances are decent no one will be around for at least part of the time that you’re there. Seems like an ideal location to whack someone and dump the body in a car trunk for disposal.”

  Levi’s stomach churned, and the sandwich no longer looked appetizing. He swallowed as he sprinkled chips onto the plates.

  “Levi and I can set up out of sight nearby,” Gilbert continued. “I’ll get to the property early and scout out a location. I’ll need the address and your unit number.”

  While Raine gave him the information and settled on a time, Levi put the lunch plates on the table. Turning, he crossed his arms over his chest.

  “What if Rosa isn’t the guilty party? I assume Raine told you I had a conversation with Matt Foster about a trip back to Yosemite with him and Ava.”

  “She did, and I found his suggestion extremely interesting. If nothing definitive plays out with Ms. Gonzales, I want you to accept Foster’s invitation. We’ll take it one day at a time.”

  “Sounds good, Detective.” Raine joined Levi at the table. “I’ll be in touch if anything changes after I talk to Rosa.”

  “Great. I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

  She set down her phone and smiled. “One step closer to ending this.”

  “Christ. You seem happy about the idea of risking your life.” After they both sat, he lifted his sandwich from the plate and then simply stared at it.

  “Not much of a risk. I trust you and Detective Gilbert to have my back.” She shrugged as she ate a chip. “Anyway, I’m confident I can hold my own with Rosa.”

  “You aren’t convinced she’s innocent? Not like you were with Bobby?”

  Her brow creased. “I hope she is. Of course, that would mean either Matt or Ava is responsible for Cooper’s death. I don’t want it to be one of them, either. That’s the worst part about this. Discovering someone we know is capable of killing a man.”

  “Pushing Cooper over the cliff might have been unintentional. Or it could have been a heat of the moment thing.”

  Levi bit into his sandwich and chewed, noting the slight shaking of Raine’s hands as she wiped her fingers on a napkin. She obviously wasn’t as unaffected by the morning’s events as she’d have him believe.

  “Either option is better than believing a friend plotted cold-blooded murder.”

  “Agreed. Eat, Raine.” He softened the order with a smile. “Then go take a hot shower. I know you’re strong and competent, but your little adventure in the woods was rough.”

  “Yeah, it was. Seeing that jerk again . . .” She wadded her napkin into a knot. “It shook me.”

  “Then give yourself a break. What’s your afternoon schedule look like?”

  “I have a doctor’s appointment. Hopefully she’ll tell me when I can get this stupid cast off. And I need to call Rosa. Anything else can wait.”

  He reached across the table to grip her hand. “I’m taking guests on a hike this afternoon, but I can come back here afterward. I don’t want you to be alone.”

  “No, I’ll drive out to the lodge as soon as my appointment is over. All I want to do is hang out at your cabin and not think about that creep.”

  He studied her for a few moments. “You sure you’re okay?”

  “Definitely. I’m with you, and that’s all I need right now.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Levi parked in the lot next to the fast-food joint just off the freeway. “Do you see Gilbert?”

  Raine shook her head. “I guess we beat him here.” She took a couple of deep breaths as she turned on the seat to face him. “We’re a little early.”

  “Probably because I was driving fast. I tend to speed when I’m on edge.”

  “I noticed.” She reached over to lay her hand on his thigh. Heat seeped through his jeans and warmed her palm. “I’m going to be fine.”

  He covered her hand and squeezed. “I wish I was the one our so-called friend is after. What the hell did you do to make Cooper’s killer believe you’re a threat worthy of eliminating?”

  “Originally, I thought it was because I had the trackers. Or that I said something he or she misconstrued.”

  Levi tightened his grip. “Maybe both.”

  “Could be. However, I came up with another possibility while you were driving like a maniac down the mountain. I didn’t say anything at the time since I didn’t want to distract you.”

  “Sorry about that.” He grimaced. “I hope I didn’t scare you.”

  “Nope. You’re an excellent driver. Besides, I know you wouldn’t carelessly put me in danger.”

  “No, I wouldn’t. Unlike Gilbert who hasn’t hesitated to use you as a shiny lure.”

  “Let’s not argue about that again. Back to my theory.”

  “Which is?”

  She frowned. “On the night Cooper died, do you remember me telling you I heard footsteps outside my tent?”

  “Yes. You thought I’d changed my mind about sleeping alone after that kiss we shared.”

  “Right. I called your name softly. When you didn’t respond, I unzipped my tent to look out. All I saw was a shadow in the dark, nothing more. It could have been anyone.”

  “The killer doesn’t know that.”

  “Exactly. If I said something later on that triggered whoever was roaming around at midnight, he—or she—might have decided to eliminate a potential threat.”

  “I suppose that makes sense. But why wouldn’t you have told the detective long before now? Especially after that asshole tried to run you down and failed.”

  “I’ve no clue. Nothing about this makes any sense.” She pulled her hand away from his grasp as Detective Gilbert drove an unassuming silver Toyota into the lot and parked beside them. “I guess we’ll know soon enough if Rosa is the one who wants me dead.”

  “That’s what scares me. Even if we’re nearby—”

  “I’ll have pepper spray in my pocket as my first line of defense.”

  “That doesn’t make me feel any better.” When the detective got out of his car and regarded them over the roof, Levi lowered his window. “Are we still doing this?”

  “Yep.” The man’s dark eyes were watchful. Assessing. “I was just over at the storage facility. There’re a couple of vantage points where we’ll have a clear view of Raine.” He flashed a quick smile, but his dark eyes remained serious. “I’ve also been in contact with the local authorities, and the police chief assigned one of his officers to help monitor the situation. If you feel the least bit threatened, all you’ll need to do is yell.”

  “I won’t hesitate.” She opened the door and stepped down to the pavement.

  Once she walked around the front of the pickup, Levi got out and glanced over at the cop. “Am I riding with you?”

  Gilbert nodded. “I’m not technically on duty since this isn’t my jurisdiction. I’m just an interested observer. No crime has been committed here.”

 
“Not yet.” Levi slid one hand around the back of Raine’s neck and bent to kiss her. “Be smart.”

  “I will.” Reluctantly, she pulled away and climbed into the driver’s seat.

  He shut the door with a firm click. “Keys are in the ignition.”

  “Hang out for another fifteen minutes while we get into position.” The detective glanced at his watch. “You should still arrive well before Ms. Gonzales.”

  “Yep. Rosa isn’t due for another half hour.”

  “Great. Let’s go, Hill. Your job is to keep your eyes open and not get in my way. We’ll meet with the assigned officer before we enter the facility.”

  As Levi got into the Toyota, he met her gaze, his eyes sober. She smiled with as much confidence as she could muster. Once they pulled out onto the street, she sagged back against the seat. On the hike with Bobby B, she hadn’t really been worried. This time, she wasn’t nearly as certain of Rosa’s innocence.

  Time seemed to drag as Raine waited, too keyed up to even play on her phone. Finally, the required fifteen minutes passed, and she turned on the engine. The drive to the storage facility in Oakland was short, the location not too far from Rosa’s apartment. The person in the office didn’t even glance up when she passed through the open gates. Her unit was toward the back of the facility on the north side of the property, and not a soul was anywhere nearby as she parked in front of the sliding metal door.

  If Rosa was looking for a spot to commit murder, she couldn’t do much better than this.

  After a moment, Raine got out, slammed the door, and walked over to the unit. There was no sign of Levi or Detective Gilbert. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing, or not.

  But she might as well be productive while she waited. Bending, she spun the combination lock until it clicked. Once she’d removed the lock from the hasp and slid the door up, she studied the contents. Familiar household items and furniture. Had it been a little less than a month since she’d used the comforter draped over the desk chair? It seemed like a lifetime ago.

  The hum of an engine had her spinning around as Rosa’s blue sedan pulled up at the entrance to the alleyway. When she spotted Raine, she waved and turned in to park behind Levi’s truck.

  Rosa got out and strolled over. Her dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she wore shorts and a tank top.

  “This place is a rabbit warren. I made a wrong turn before I finally found the right section.” She pointed at the truck. “Did Levi come with you, after all?”

  “No. I just borrowed his truck since it carries a bigger load than my Jeep. It’s good to see you, Rosa.”

  “Same.” She eyed the cast. “How’d you break your arm?”

  “Some moron nearly ran me over, probably either drunk or on his phone.” Raine studied her expression carefully, but she didn’t so much as blink. “I landed on my wrist when I dived out of the way.”

  “Well, that sucks. You definitely shouldn’t be lifting anything heavy.” Hands resting on her hips, she took a long look around. “I’m glad you asked me to help. Where do you want to start?”

  Raine edged farther away. “I need the desk, and it isn’t super heavy. If I only use my left hand—”

  “No, I can manage it alone if we remove the drawers first.” Rosa flexed her biceps. “I work out for a living.”

  She wasn’t kidding. As Rosa moved two big boxes of books with ease, Raine touched the small canister of pepper spray in the pocket of her windbreaker. The woman was stronger than she looked.

  While Raine carried an armload of winter jackets and a basket filled with sheets and towels out of the unit, Rosa heaved the desk onto the tailgate of the truck and slid it into the bed. After loading the desk chair and a container filled with pots and pans, she pulled out her phone and typed quickly.

  Pocketing it, she stood with her hands on her hips. “Okay, what next?”

  “The small bookcase, if it isn’t too awkward to carry alone. I hate feeling so damn useless, but I should be able to drag out those rolled rugs.”

  “I’d say you’re managing pretty well with one arm.” When her phone dinged, Rosa checked the screen and texted a response. Glancing up, she smiled. “Looks like my plan’s a go. I have a surprise for you, Raine.”

  Her heart beat faster as her old friend approached. Dropping the rugs, she backed into a standing lamp, nearly knocking it over, and stuck her hand in her pocket.

  “Careful you don’t hurt yourself.” At the hum of a nearby engine, Rosa stepped out of the unit and waved. “Camille’s here. I knew she was in San Francisco on business, so I contacted her to see if she could join us.”

  Raine pressed a hand to her chest as a sleek town car rolled to a stop. The driver got out and opened the rear door. When the petite brunette stepped onto the pavement, Raine sagged against a stack of boxes.

  “There’s my new partner.” Her smile was bright as she approached. “How’s business, Raine?”

  “Great. We have actual clients.”

  “I never doubted you for a moment.” Camille hugged Rosa. “I’m so glad you called me. Lunch together will be fun.”

  “I thought so.” Rosa nodded at Camille’s driver. “How’s it going, Michael? You up for moving some furniture?”

  “Sure. I’m happy to help.” Michael, who looked like he could bench press a small car and probably doubled as Camille’s body guard, ambled over to join them. “Just tell me what to do.”

  Weak with relief, Raine offered a shaky smile. “I was going to leave the dresser for another trip, but between you and Rosa—”

  The man pulled off his jacket and rolled his shirt sleeves over brawny forearms. “I’m on it.”

  While Rosa and Michael finished loading the truck, Raine leaned against the town car and chatted with Camille. She couldn’t exactly call Levi or the detective to give them the all clear, but surely the new arrivals made the lack of danger pretty obvious. If they were nearby watching.

  Had there been a flash of movement in the shadows behind the dumpster at the end of the alley? Or was she seeing things?

  “Tell me how everything’s going at High Sierra Celebrations.”

  Camille’s request jerked Raine out of her contemplation of the big metal bin. Letting out a long breath, she filled her partner in on their current clients and the potential for growing the company.

  “With word-of-mouth recommendations coming in after a few successful events, I think I’ll have more clients than I can handle by the end of the summer.”

  “Excellent. It sounds like you’ll need to hire help soon.” Camille eyed her steadily before her gaze dropped to the cast. “Have you had any more trouble?”

  “Just one incident. I’ve been in touch with Detective Gilbert since he’s still actively working Cooper’s murder. Hopefully they’ll get a break in the case soon.”

  “All things considered, I’m surprised you drove down here alone.”

  “Levi planned to come with me, but his brother needed him at the lodge.” Guilt ate at Raine. She hated lying to Camille but didn’t want to admit she’d suspected their friend was the killer.

  “What about these bar stools,” Rosa called out.

  “Nope. I don’t have anywhere to put them. My apartment is tiny.” Raine pushed away from the car and went to supervise the last of the packing. “I think we loaded everything I need for right now. Thank you for your help.” She glanced from Rosa to Michael. “I really appreciate it.”

  Camille’s driver flashed a smile. “Happy to lend a hand.”

  “Hey, what’re friends for? If we’re finished here, let’s go get some lunch.” Rosa wiped her hands on the back of her shorts. “Are we all driving?”

  Camille glanced up from her phone and pushed it into her purse. “I’ll catch a lift with one of you, and Michael can pick me up later. I have almost two hours before my next meeting.”

  “Sounds good.” Raine smiled at her partner. “Why don’t you ride with Rosa. You two can decide where you want to eat a
nd text me the location. I’ll lock up here and be right behind you.”

  “That works.” Rosa headed for her car, and Camille followed after a quick word with her driver.

  A minute later, both vehicles pulled away, and Raine gave the storage unit door a sharp tug. It rattled to the ground, and she slid the lock through the hasp. At the sound of light footsteps behind her, she spun around.

  Levi approached from the direction of the dumpster. Reaching her, he wrapped an arm around her waist. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes.” She leaned against him, thankful for his solid presence.

  Across the alley, Detective Gilbert edged out from behind a cooling unit on the roof of the storage container. Walking to the front, he lowered himself over the side and dropped to the ground.

  “I heard most of your conversation with Ms. Gonzales.” The detective frowned. “Before Ms. Valentine arrived with her driver, there was a moment when you looked a little panicked—”

  Raine let out a shaky breath. “Rosa said she had a surprise, and my mind conjured up visions of that big guy who’s been following me. Turns out, she’d asked Camille to join us. We’re going to lunch together.”

  “So, you believe Ms. Gonzales is in the clear?”

  “If Rosa wanted to . . . hurt me, she easily could have tried. She certainly had plenty of opportunity. Arranging for Camille to meet us doesn’t make any sense if Rosa believed I was a threat.”

  Gilbert nodded. “I’d have to agree.”

  “I’m sorry I wasted your time by dragging you down to the city.”

  “It wasn’t wasted if we eliminated a suspect.”

  Raine glanced around. “What happened to the officer you were meeting?”

  “I gave him the all clear when the situation turned into a party.” The detective’s dark eyes were thoughtful. “Levi gave me a complete rundown of his conversation with Matt Foster. I’ll definitely be in touch before the two of you arrive in Yosemite.”

  “You think either Matt or Ava will try something while we’re there?”

  “I assume one of them has a very good reason to head back to the scene of the crime.”