High Court (Cid Garrett P.I. Book 2)

by Alexie Aaron

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Now!”

  The patrolman ran to his car and radioed the station.

  “Son, do you think you need an ambulance?” Sheriff Grady asked Jesse.

  “No, a lift would be nice.”

  “Patrolman!”

  “Yes, sir?”

  “Arrange a ride for this young man to the hospital.”

  “We only have the two buses.”

  “Stick him in a patrol car and drive him,” Grady growled. “Come on, son, you’re letting down the blue line. You and your team are making us all look like cartoon characters.”

  “Sorry, sir, right away, sir.” The patrolman turned to Jesse, “This way, please.”

  Cid watched as the second of his group was taken away. “Then there were two,” he said.

  “Pardon?” Sheriff Grady asked.

  “There are two of us left on-site. Wayne Shipley, a big burly guy with a Sam Elliott mustache, and yours truly.”

  “Bring me up to speed.”

  Cid told him all he knew, ending with, “I heard an explosion and walked into this mess.”

  “A mess is one way of describing it. Although, I’ll write down confusion caused by the explosion in my report. The state police were called after they sent an ambulance. By the time I was alerted, Powell was already on the scene, so I took my time getting here. He’s a capable cop but territorial when it comes to crime scenes. I knew I’d be walking into a turf war and wasn’t looking forward to playing nice. The explosion did me a favor.” He looked around him and said, “These men are too green to handle this. I’ve got my deputies on the way.”

  The first patrolman returned and reported, “Miss Pickles is on the way to the hospital.”

  “Excuse me, what hospital are they taking the injured to? I have to contact the men’s families,” Cid said.

  “Saint Joseph in Stepner.”

  “Thank you, Officer.”

  The EMTs rolled Kevin out and packed him into the first ambulance. Soon after, Richard was carried over in a stretcher with Wayne following. He walked over to Cid and the sheriff. “He hasn’t come around yet. He’s got a compound fracture, and his skull is cracked. No patrolmen arrived, so I locked down the evidence,” he said, dangling the key to the chained cellar.

  “Wayne, this is Sheriff Grady.”

  Wayne reached forward and shook the man’s hand.

  Conversation stopped due to the sirens of the two departing vehicles and the arriving ones from the fire department.

  “If you, gentlemen, will excuse me…”

  “Sir, we were told to stay on the property, but I’d like to check on Kiki… Miss Pickles,” Cid said.

  “Get. I’ve got this. I’ll take that key, Mr. Shipley. You can go too. I know where to find you.”

  Wayne took a moment to duck into the site office to get Kiki’s personnel file folder. Cid would need this for the guard’s emergency contact numbers. He locked down the file cabinet and made sure the safe was closed. He turned to leave. There, standing in front of him was Faye. The suddenness of her appearance shocked him. It took him a moment. “Faye,” he croaked. “You gotta knock or something.”

  “Sorry. I was working at the newspaper when I heard the siren calling in the volunteer firemen. I hitched a ride in with them. What happened here?”

  “The two guards were brutally attacked. While we were dealing with them and the cops, one of the state police cars blew up. They thought Kiki did it.”

  “She’s a thief not a pyromaniac,” Faye dismissed. “Jesse’s gone.”

  “He’s on his way to the hospital. He’s not in danger, but I hear he’s got a few wounds that need seeing to. Faye, do you think you can hang around here and keep track of what’s going on? I wouldn’t ask, but Jesse said we could depend on you,” Wayne fabricated.

  Faye’s face perked up. “I won’t disappoint you.” She pulled out a pad of paper and took the pencil that appeared stuck in her hair and jotted down some notes.

  “You look like Lois Lane,” Wayne said.

  “I think I was. Not her, but a reporter. Who’s the man in charge?”

  “It was Sergeant Powell, but he got hit with my… er, debris from the explosion. It’s Sheriff Grady from Stepner.”

  “Sheriff William Grady?”

  “I think it’s Will,” Wayne corrected.

  “Most interesting,” she said.

  “Why?” Wayne asked.

  “When Luminosa was murdered, one of the investigating officers was William Grady Senior. He was also a sheriff.”

  Wayne watched as Faye opened her book and said as she wrote, “Is history repeating itself?”

  Chapter Eight

  Kiki was confused. One moment she was a person of interest and the next she was being treated like royalty. What changed? The hospital staff were quick and efficient. She was triaged quickly. Aside from several contusions, her knee was messed up, and she had been taken to imaging. When she returned, the staff was busy handling the incoming calls from the EMTs. Kevin was wheeled by conscious. Richard was not. Kevin was answering questions for Richard in-between the dry heaves he was experiencing.

  From what she could hear, the state police sergeant Jesse was talking to had been hit with wood debris and knocked out. He had regained consciousness in the ambulance.

  Where was Jesse? If he was next to the sergeant, then…

  “Hello, boss,” Jesse said, walking into her curtained cubical. His right arm was completely wrapped, and the right side of his face had a few butterfly bandages.

  “How is it that you’re walking around? Don’t they realize how much trouble you can cause?” Kiki said. What she was thinking was, how can you look so damn handsome after being blown up?

  “They are too busy with the injured to care about little ole me,” Jesse said. “Nice to see they took your cuffs off.”

  “I’m thinking about suing them. They broke my favorite watch, and if they hadn’t dragged me around, my knee wouldn’t be needing surgery.”

  “I suspect your pride is a bit bruised too.”

  “I don’t understand it. I showed them my freakin IDs, and they blew me off.”

  “Is that why you blew their car up?” Jesse asked.

  “I didn’t! Oh, you’re teasing. Sorry, my funny bone was damage when they tossed me in the cruiser.”

  “About that… You see, my hearing was gone. I just got it back a few moments ago. Anyways, I may have been…”

  The curtain was pulled back, interrupting Jesse’s confession. Cid and Walrus stood there, concern showing on their faces.

  “I’m damaged but fine,” Kiki said to stop her tears of relief.

  “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw them take you away,” Cid said. “Fortunately, Sheriff Grady from Stepner showed up and took over.”

  “I owe him one.”

  “I hope you don’t mind, but I called the emergency contacts,” Cid said. “I know that’s your job but…”

  “Thanks, one less thing to deal with. I’m going to need to get some security on that site pronto.”

  “My pal – the forensic guy I spoke to you about – he’s got connections. I’ll have him email you some resumes of possible replacements,” Walrus offered.

  “Do you trust this guy?” Kiki asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Just have him choose three. Cid, would you make room in your trailer for the extra man?”

  “No problem.”

  “Good. I’ve got to talk to Calvin, but I’m out of the loop.”

  “Would you like me to give him a report?” Cid asked.

  “Not your job, but yes. I’m probably headed to surgery once they wake the orthopedic surgeon. I’d like you three to work in concert with each other and take over until I’m back on my feet. The extra responsibility will be reflected in your pay,” she assured them. “Before you act, Scrub, I already have a signed contract with the Espinas.”

  Jesse’s face fell. “Yes, boss.”
/>   “Who’s at the property now?”

  “Besides the staties and Sheriff’s Department?” Wayne asked.

  “Yes, who do we have watching out for our interests?”

  “Faye.”

  Kiki laid back and closed her eyes. “We have a ghost in charge. Wayne, I want you on-site. Cid, go over to Calvin’s and report in person. Jesse…”

  “Yes, boss?”

  “How much are you going to be able to do with your arm?”

  “It hurts, but I have full use of it.”

  “Then I want you to take down that friggin’ wall in Cabin 4’s cellar. I want that staircase started ASAP.”

  “Not until I get in and support the floors above it,” Wayne argued.

  “I’m surprised it hasn’t been done already.”

  “Kiki, I only have eight supports, and they are currently being used upstairs. You wanted open concept. Well, open concept is dependent upon specially engineered beams and Cabin 4’s have just been ordered.”

  “I see.”

  “Don’t worry, boss, I have plenty of other projects to work on,” Jesse assured her and prayed she wouldn’t ask him to elaborate. “Plus, the cellar is a crime scene. We’re not getting in there for a while.”

  “I suggest we get started,” Cid said. “It’s pretty late to be calling on Calvin as it is. I’ll be available to pick up your sister from the airport when she arrives, so don’t worry.”

  “Wait! What did you say?”

  “Mimi is coming in to see you through this surgery.”

  “But how?”

  “I called her. She’s your emergency contact.”

  “I don’t want her here,” Kiki insisted.

  “Sorry, family is family, and your family has already boarded a plane,” Cid said and walked out of the room.

  Kiki sat enraged with her mouth open, but no words were forming.

  Walrus was inching his way out, and Jesse was ready to flee when Kiki was finally calm enough to speak.

  “He did the right thing. But I don’t really think that Mimi should have dropped everything and come out. She’s a teacher.”

  “Who probably has a substitute trained and lots of family leave time,” Jesse reasoned. “It will do you two good to be with each other for a while. Let Mimi carry the load until you’re on your feet.”

  “She knows nothing about construction.”

  “No, boss, she’s coming here to take care of you,” Wayne said. “I’ve had knee surgery, and you’re not going to be able to do much for a few days. And then there’s the physical therapy…”

  “I planned on hiring a nurse,” Kiki lied. The truth was, she thought she was going to walk out of surgery and immediately continue with her life. “Wayne, if they haven’t already taken the security tapes, see if you can find my brutalization by the cops. I’m in the mood to sue.”

  Jesse and Wayne looked at each other. They recognized the expression on Kiki’s face. She meant what she said. Kiki was going to channel her frustration into rage against the manhandling she’d experienced and sue the state police.

  Calvin met Cid at the door of his rental home. “Excuse the mess, but my housekeeper is out with the flu, and it’s just me.”

  Cid didn’t see a mess, just a little accumulation of dust, and the floors needed sweeping. “I’ve come to report on what happened and what is happening on the site. Kiki is hospitalized. She’s going under the knife for her knee soon.”

  “Who’s going to oversee the project while she is out?”

  “The three supervising contractors, Jesse Holden, Wayne Shipley, and myself.”

  Calvin nodded. “Come into the kitchen. I’ve got some tea brewing.”

  Cid followed him and sat at the counter while the older man stacked shortbread cookies on a plate and poured two mugs of tea. “What do you take in yours?”

  “Honey if you have it.”

  “Yes, I do. I didn’t know anything was up until Sheriff Grady called me, and then I heard the explosion of course.”

  Cid methodically reported all that he had seen happen and had been related to him by the other two contractors. “I’ll be able to assess the damage better in the daylight, but from my cursory look, the motel itself didn’t get hit with any debris. The parking lot’s probably damaged where the police cruiser was, but if memory serves me, Kiki had plans on repaving.”

  “Be honest with me, what is your gut telling you about what’s going on at High Court?”

  “After tonight, I’m convinced that there is a very dangerous human element involved. The way the guards were taken out of commission tells me that the person, or possible persons, are afraid we’re going to come across something. I believe it centers around the Bautista murders and Cabin 4.”

  “What about the paranormal problem?”

  “It’s there. I saw her for the first time without a camera lens. She was hovering over Richard Warren. She’s a very powerful ghost. Luminosa can manipulate matter and is very aware of what is going on. Most active-haunt ghosts are confused by what is going on around them. Rarely are they able to touch things on this side of the veil or have the dexterity to press the lever of a walkie-talkie to communicate with me. Luminosa has tapped into some supernatural power source. On top of it, she’s very emotional, which may cause her to act before she thinks.”

  “Mad?”

  “She’s angry, but she’s also very sad. I think she was genuinely sad that Richard was dying.”

  “Is he dead?” Calvin asked.

  “I think he’ll pull through, but he’s got a long road to recovery.”

  Calvin stroked his beard a moment. Cid picked up that Calvin drew comfort from it.

  “Am I going to see this in the papers, on the internet, or the television?”

  “I didn’t see any reporters around, but I left when Sheriff Grady showed up. If I’m as good a judge of character as I think I am, I’d say that Grady will try to lock down the site and be very close-mouthed about the investigation. Kiki’s got nondisclosure agreements from everyone who works on the site, so I wouldn’t worry there. It’s just the state cops, and frankly, they are going to be too busy trying to explain why they handled Miss Pickles the way they did. Most of her injuries were exacerbated by the patrolmen who cuffed, dragged, and tossed her in the back of a cruiser when she should have been receiving medical help.”

  “Why do you think they thought they could handle a woman that way?” Calvin questioned.

  “I don’t think any thought was involved. I think it was green cops reacting to the explosion and the subsequent injury to Sergeant Powell. Although, his motives are suspect. He wouldn’t allow Kiki on her own construction site. Jesse got the ‘little woman’ vibe out of the man.”

  “Not a racial thing?”

  “I doubt it. His patrolmen were pretty diverse – no females, but I don’t think the group was handpicked. Most likely, it was who was available when the 911 call came in,” Cid said honestly. “Why?”

  “Oh, just my years showing,” Calvin explained. “Back when I was a young man, this country was going through some hard times that, except for recently, I thought were long behind us. Tonight, when my half-Japanese, female employee gets treated like a criminal from the start, I begin to worry if this is the right place to bring my sensitive artists to work.”

  “You mean because it’s not liberal.”

  “No, I mean sensitive. I don’t pick artists for their political views. I pick them for their artistic take on the world around us. Bringing them into a microcosm of hate and bigotry isn’t good for them or my bottom line.”

  “Why did you have Sheriff Grady ask for me? Wayne Shipley would have been a better choice. He’s been with Kiki longer, and I just arrived on-site.”

  “I have it from a very good source that you keep your head on straight even in the most disastrous of times. You’re not an automaton; you do have feelings, but you use them to analyze the situation before you act. And from how you handled yourself tonight,
my source was dead on.”

  Cid pushed away the irritation from discovering that he had been investigated and said, “I’ve had some good people to mentor me.”

  “Cid, try accepting a compliment from time to time. It would do you a world of good. Go get some rest if you can.”

  “Sorry, no can do. I’ve got to get to the airport to pick up Mimi Pickles and deliver her to the hospital.”

  “Well, then I won’t keep you. I appreciate you taking the time to speak to me in person.”

  “Kiki insisted. She’s still the boss,” Cid reminded Calvin.

  “You like her,” Calvin observed.

  “I respect her, and she pays well,” Cid said firmly.

  Calvin watched from the doorway as Cid pulled his truck out of the driveway. The carpenter was smarter than he previously had thought. Intelligence was an asset. But in this case, it could get a guy killed.

  Chapter Nine

  Cid’s first impression of the woman exiting baggage claim was how identical she was to Kiki.

  Mimi’s first impression was how handsome Cid was. Was he single? Did he enjoy short-term relationships? Was that padding in the coat or were his muscles that big?

  “Hello, you must be Cid,” she all but purred.

  “Yes. I’m going to take you straight to the hospital. Jesse just updated me, and if we hurry, you can speak to your sister before she goes in.”

  “Sure. I imagine she’s not happy I’m here.”

  “No, she isn’t,” Cid said honestly.

  “When she fell off the roof and fractured her L5, I took care of her. I was with her all summer vacation. Too much Mimi for anyone,” she said, laughing. “We are as different as it gets, but she’s my family, and I’ll not give up on her.”

  “You’re very determined.”

  “It’s a family gene.”

  Cid stored her luggage in the back and opened the passenger door of the truck. Mimi accepted his hand as she climbed in. “These things should have steps,” she commented, adjusting her skirt around her shapely legs.

  “I’ve never thought about it.”