Hawk and Wolfe: A Life Interrupted

by Edward Kendrick

  “As I told the detective when he interrogated me—” Trenton smiled sourly, “—and it was an interrogation, I was looking for Andy earlier tonight. Because he wasn’t behind the bar, I figured he’d gone to get more bottles from the storage room to restock before his shift was over. He was there, all right, but not for that reason. He had his back to the door and was on the phone. From what I overheard, it sounded like he was arguing with someone, which is why he wasn’t aware I was there. I was about to remind him he wasn’t supposed to take personal calls at work when I heard him mention Celeste’s name, so I kept quiet.” He shook his head. “He asked her why they weren’t meeting at the park, which of course piqued my interest. There was a pause, then he said, ‘Are you sure the money’s there?’ A moment later he said ‘The two of us should be able to handle it, my love, if you can get your hands on a couple of Trenton’s guns.’ That was it, because he started to turn around so I beat it out of there.”

  “And decided to follow him when he left?” Mick asked.

  “You better believe it. It was bad enough finding out he and Celeste were obviously having an affair, but when he mentioned money and guns? There was no way I couldn’t. It was just after eight and he headed straight for our house. They didn’t leave until around nine-thirty, at which point they took his car and drove directly here, Mick. I parked a block away and saw them going around to the back. You know…okay, you probably don’t remember this, but I keep a loaded gun in the glove compartment because I sometimes take large cash deposits to the bank after hours if the club’s had a busy night.” Trenton spread his hands. “The rest, as they say, is history.”

  “One thing I’ll be eternally grateful for. If it hadn’t been for you we might be dead now,” Mick replied.

  “Might?” Shorty snorted. “We’d be grilled human on the half-shell and that bitch and her boy-toy would be toasting our demise with champagne.”

  “I wish I could say you were wrong.” Trenton took a drink of his coffee, set the cup down, and said, almost under his breath, “How the hell did I live with her for so long and not know what she was like?”

  “You loved her,” Mick replied. “It blinded you to her true personality.”

  There was a brief moment of silence before Trenton said, “Not to change the subject…Okay, definitely to change it,” he added wryly. “Are you beginning to get your memory back, Mick?”

  “In bits and pieces, with Richard’s help. Him, I do remember.” Mick smiled at Richard. “Sometimes I’ll look at one of the people who work at The Rainbow and something clicks. Not a total memory but I know that’ll come in time.”

  “Even how you ended up with Andy’s driver’s license?” Shorty asked.

  “To be honest, I hope so. That still bugs me. He had such a good excuse for that and it was obviously a lie.” Mick told his brother what Andy had said about it.

  Trenton looked thoughtful and then shook his head. “It could have been the truth, as far as it went.”

  “How so?” Mick asked.

  “Let’s suppose Celeste was planning ahead to get you out of the picture. From what you told the detective, she began by trying to make it look as if you were dealing drugs out of the club. As much as I hate to admit it, she’s a smart woman, so she figures if that doesn’t work you need to be eliminated permanently, and she’ll need a patsy to take the fall for your murder.”

  Mick nodded. “It would be easy enough for her to get her hands on Andy’s license since they were lovers. The story he told us? He might have thought it was the truth. She might even have suggested that’s how he lost it, when he said something about it.”

  “Exactly. She has it, probably in her purse. That night at the club, after Andy knocks you out, she gives it to the dealer, telling him to leave it with your body. The dealer thinks he’s being clever, suggesting he and Andy dump you miles from the club and make it look like you were the victim of a mugging, to keep the cops from identifying you right off.” Trenton shook his head. “Stupid, but it might have worked, I suppose. The dealer hits you again when they drop you in the alley and…Was the license in your pocket or where?”

  “He was holding it,” Shorty said.

  “Okay. The dealer puts the license in Mick’s hand without Andy’s knowing, and they leave you to die, or so they think.”

  Mick shivered. “I probably would have, if Shorty hadn’t found me.”

  “This is still only supposition,” Richard pointed out after giving Mick a commiserating hug, “but it does fit the facts, as much as we know of them.”

  “I’ve got the feeling, when it finally occurs to Andy that she tried to frame him for Mick’s murder, he’ll rat her out. Hell, maybe he figured it out already but she convinced him he was wrong.” Trenton’s mouth tightened angrily. “She could make you believe black was white and up was down. I’m living proof of that. I thought she loved me, and that my money was merely an added plus.”

  “She sure tried to make you think that’s the reason I was with Mick,” Richard muttered. “She probably told him the same thing, too, whenever she got the chance.”

  “She…she did,” Mick replied hesitantly as another memory surfaced. “We were at your house for dinner, maybe a month ago. Right?” He looked at his brother, who nodded. “You and Richard were, umm, talking about something and she pulled me aside and said, yeah, ‘You should be careful, my dear. That man only wants one thing from you. He wants you to support him and he’ll do anything to make it happen, even convincing you he loves you’. I told her she was crazy, or something of that ilk, and she let it drop, but you know she thought she’d planted the seed of doubt.”

  “Hoping you’d dump me before I got my greedy hands on your money, or the clubs,” Richard said in a scathing tone of voice.

  “She did her best to play us,” Trenton replied. “Instead of being content with what she had, what I gave her, she wanted it all.”

  “Just like a woman,” Shorty said, and then laughed. “This is coming from a guy who hasn’t had a woman in his life since who knows when.” He stood, stretched, and said, “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m beat so I’m going to bed.”

  “Probably a good idea for all of us,” Trenton agreed as he got up. “I’ll call you tomorrow, Mick, or later today I guess.”

  Mick stood as well, going to his brother to give him a hug. “I’m sorry. I wish things had turned out differently and that she was who you thought she was.”

  “But they didn’t,” Trenton replied. “I’ll survive.” He hesitated before adding, “I think I said it earlier. If not, I’m glad we’re brothers and I know Dad made the right choices.” He smiled ruefully. “As much as I hate admitting it, he did.”

  Since he couldn’t think of anything in reply that wouldn’t sound tactless, Mick hugged him again before walking with him to the front door. Impulsively, after opening it, he said, “Love you.”

  Trenton seemed surprised, and then squeezed his shoulder, responding with a grin, “Love you, too—now. Talk to you tomorrow.”

  Mick watched him until he drove away before closing the door and returning to sit beside Richard. “I think, maybe…No, I know that some good came from all of this.”

  Richard gave him a kiss and then replied, “I agree. However, we are not going to talk about it any more tonight. Shorty had the right idea. Let’s get some sleep—” he groaned dramatically, “—as little as it’ll be in my case since I have to be at work in five hours, give or take.”

  “Poor you,” Mick teased as he got up again and pulled Richard to his feet. Arms around each other’s waists, they went upstairs and fifteen minutes later were in bed and asleep.

  * * * *

  Mick was awakened Tuesday morning by a phone call from a local reporter, asking if she could interview him about Celeste’s arrest. He gave her an emphatic ‘No’ in reply before hanging up. His phone immediately chimed again, at the same time that someone rang the doorbell. Swearing under his breath, he turned his phone o
ff before cautiously pulling back the bedroom curtain. Peering out, he saw reporters and TV cameramen on the sidewalk in front of the house.

  “You’re fifteen minutes of fame,” Richard said from behind him.

  “Let’s hope it’s only that long,” Mick muttered. “I bet Trenton’s facing the same thing and then some, since he’s married to Celeste. You’re going to have fun trying to leave for work.”

  “Which I have to do and fast if I’m not going to be late,” Richard replied when he checked the time.

  Fifteen minutes later, he was sneaking out the back door to the garage. Mick watched from the living room window with a bit of amusement when Richard drove down the driveway and a couple of TV people scattered to get out of his way while waving microphones at him.

  Since Mick didn’t need to be at the club until ten-thirty, he wasn’t nearly as harried, so he managed to make breakfast for him and Shorty before they took off. By then, the reporters had disappeared, much to his relief.

  He wasn’t certain what to expect when they arrived at The Rainbow half an hour before opening, so he had the taxi drive by the club, and then The Den, hoping no reporters with cameras were camped out waiting for him or Trenton. As far as he could tell, they weren’t, but to be on the safe side, he asked the cabbie to drop them off at the rear of the club.

  The second they walked into the bar area, Mick was bombarded by his employees, with Ed in the lead.

  “We saw the news,” Ed said, grabbing Mick’s arm. “Unbelievable. Did she really think she could get away with it? How’s Trenton doing? There were a couple of reporters outside when I got here. I told them you weren’t coming in today. Was that okay?”

  “Slow down,” Mick replied with a laugh. “Yeah, that was fine. Thanks. I haven’t talked to my brother this morning. If he’s like me, I’m sure he’s turned his phone off.” He walked to the bar, with everyone in tow, and took a seat. “It’s probably going to be hectic today.”

  “Yeah,” one of the bartenders said. “Everyone and their brother are going to want to make sure you really survived. At least all the regulars.”

  “You’re a nine-day wonder,” a waiter added with a grin. “You might want to hide out in your office. I would if it were me.”

  “Tempting, but no,” Mick told him. He glanced at the front door and sighed. “Or maybe…” There were already several men standing outside, obviously waiting for the club to open. “I suppose I should consider the fact it made the news as good publicity for us.”

  Shorty snorted. “I can think of better ways, like sending up balloons or hiring a dozen half-dressed men to parade outside.”

  Ed nodded. “We’ll have to remember that for the future. Kidding, just kidding, Mick.”

  “Both of you better be,” Mick grumbled. “Still…” He eyed Tony, the day-time doorman. “If you lost the shirt…”

  “Uh-uh. No way, no how,” Tony shot back.

  Mick chuckled then suggested it was time to prepare for the encroaching hordes. Ten minutes later, Tony unlocked the front door and the business day began.

  * * * *

  Mick eventually managed to get away long enough to go down the street to The Den. He had tried to call his brother several times, but as expected, he was sent directly to Trenton’s voicemail, which was full. He had the feeling his was as well.

  When he entered The Den, he looked around, trying to find Trenton in the crowded main room. Maybe he decided he wasn’t up to coming in? Very possible, he figured. He made his way to the bar, easing into a narrow space at the end next to the wall.

  “Didn’t expect to see you here,” the bartender, Dan—Mick remembered him and his name with some relief—said a moment later. “Not after seeing the news.”

  “I had to get away from the crowds at The Rainbow,” Mick replied. “It’s just as bad here. Not that I’m in the least surprised. Is Trenton around?”

  Dan grinned. “Last I saw of him, he was race-walking to his office after being bombarded with questions from some of our patrons.”

  “Can’t blame him for that,” Mick said before heading in that direction. When he got there, he found his brother sitting at his desk, staring off into space.

  Trenton turned to look at him, shaking his head. “I figured it would be a circus, but damn it, Mick.”

  “Yeah, I know,” Mick replied, taking a seat by the desk. “How are you holding up?”

  “I’ve had better days,” Trenton muttered. “Still, all in all, it could be worse. Everyone I’ve talked with had been supportive. Nosy—” he grinned briefly, “—but supportive, too. When it comes down to it, yeah, it could be worse. I could be sitting in jail for your murder.”

  “Not a great thought,” Mick replied. “Have you, umm, visited her?”

  Trenton scowled. “No, and I’m not going to. I did hear from her lawyer. I told him to fuck off. Well, not those exact words, although it was tempting. If he thinks he can get me to stand by her and be a witness in her defense, he’s got another think coming.”

  “He has to be crazy to expect that from you.”

  “No kidding.” Trenton took a deep breath. “How are you doing?”

  Mick shrugged. “I’m okay. Worried about you, though.”

  “I’ll be fine. At least I’ve got the club to keep my mind off everything, while I’m here.”

  “If you want, why don’t you come over to the house after the club closes? It might be better than going home alone.”

  “Thanks, but no. I need to get used to having the house to myself.” He smiled dryly. “It might not be such a bad thing, when it comes down to it. The last couple of months weren’t exactly great, what with her sulking whenever she couldn’t get something she wanted—that she thought she deserved. I should have seen it, then, but I didn’t. Instead, I tried to placate her, and look how that turned out.”

  “I shouldn’t say this, but you’re well rid of her, though it would have been better if she’d asked for a divorce.”

  “Like that would have happened, the greedy bitch,” Trenton retorted. “She wanted it all and…Okay, I am not rehashing this again. You’re right. I am well rid of her.” He gripped Mick’s forearm, hard. “I’m going to be all right, I promise. It will take time but having you around will help.”

  “I’ll be here whenever you need me.” Mick put his hand over Trenton’s. “I’m glad we’re brothers. I know I couldn’t have said that, even a week ago, but I am.”

  “I’m going to make it up to you for how I’ve behaved,” Trenton replied. “You didn’t deserve it.”

  “It’s forgotten already, I promise.” Mick stood, smiling at his brother. “I’ll call, when things calm down a bit. Maybe we can have dinner?”

  Trenton nodded. “You and Richard, at my place. I owe him an apology, too.”

  “Trust me, if you do apologize, he’ll accept it and that’ll be that. Right now, though, you really should get back out there.” Mick gestured toward the office door. “Drink in the love you’re getting from everyone. It will help.”

  “Yeah, you’re probably right.” Trenton got up, and together he and Mick went back into the main room of the club. “You take care,” he said before Mick headed out.

  “You, too.” Mick gave him a hug, much to Trenton’s obvious surprise. “Oh, and turn your phone on.”

  Trenton snorted. “You might want to do the same.”

  Grinning, Mick replied, “Not really, but I will.”

  * * * *

  When Mick got back to The Rainbow, he found it as crowded as when he’d left. Some of the people he was certain were regulars from the way they greeted him. Others, he had the feeling, were there to check out the club because of the news stories they’d seen or read. Not that he particularly cared. Business was business and it gave him something to do. Or would have if Shorty wasn’t already being the penultimate host. Hanging back, Mick watched him as he circulated between the tables, chatting up everyone he came in contact with, bringing smiles or laughs to the
customers’ lips.

  “Yep, you’re hired if you want a job,” he said under his breath. He crossed the room, waylaying his friend before Shorty could greet a new set of people once they were seated. “I need to have a word with you,” Mick said.

  “Uh-oh. What now?” Shorty asked with a worried frown.

  “Nothing bad,” Mick told him.

  “Whew. Okay. So?”

  “Why don’t we go into my office?”

  Shorty chuckled as he followed Mick. “Why do I feel like a kid being told he has to go to the principal’s office?”

  When they were seated, Mick pressed his fingers together, studying Shorty for a moment. Then he said, “I have an offer I hope you’ll accept. I’d like to hire you to be a host, here.”

  “Are you serious? Me?”

  Grinning at Shorty’s shocked expression, Mick replied, “Yes, you. You’re good with people, from what I’ve seen. Much better than me, I suspect. Think of it as doing me a favor, if you want. If you take over as the host, I can spend more time doing the day-to-day things that require my attention without feeling guilty that I’m neglecting our customers.”

  “Well…umm…” Shorty looked down at his hands, which were curled in his lap. “What about…? I can’t keep on staying with you. That’s not fair to you or Richard.”

  “I’m sure we can find you an affordable place to stay.”

  “Not in a damned shelter,” Shorty said defensively. “You know how I feel about them.”

  “Of course not. That never crossed my mind. I’ll pay you enough that you can afford a small apartment. We’ll have to look online to see what’s available in decent neighborhoods, but not so far away that you’ll spend an hour on the bus, getting here.”

  “You mean you won’t pick me up and drop me off?” Shorty replied with feigned dismay.

  “I can’t, until I retrieve my car from the lot,” Mick told him. “Something else to add to my ‘to-do’ list.”

  “I was kidding.” Shorty got up and began pacing the office. “You do know that my record for holding onto a job ain’t the greatest. I’ve told you that.”