The Gamble and the Grave (Veronica Barry Book 4)

by Sophia Martin

  Stepping out of the shower, she noticed that the floor was uneven linoleum, with rot in the corners of the walls and against the edge of the tub. A glance down her body showed she was a young man, dripping water that stained his skin purple where it hit. The mirror was fogged over, but she reached out and grabbed a small towel from where it lay on the counter and wiped the glass.

  Simeon was probably in his mid-teens. He’d dyed his hair purple, she saw. His jaw had a faint layer of fuzz, but he wasn’t shaving yet. He was very, very thin.

  “Come on, Simeon!” Liz shouted from the other side of the door. “He’s going to be here and I’m not ready.”

  “Shut the fuck up Mom!” Simeon bellowed, and Veronica recoiled from the rage in his voice.

  “You get out here right now!” Liz yelled back. “I need to get in there! Sean is going to be here any minute!”

  “I don’t give a fuck about your fucking pimp!”

  Everything whirled and went cloudy then, but a series of images followed.

  ~~~

  Liz, leading him by the hand—he was so much smaller, no more than six years old, and she took him up the steps of a small house that too Simeon’s eyes looked very big. A man opened the door—he was scary, with angry eyes that looked too long at Simeon, as if he wanted to eat Simeon, and he said, “This the kid?”

  “Yes,” Liz said. “You got the stuff?”

  The man thrust out a bag and Liz grabbed it. The man reached for Simeon and took him by the upper arm, and Liz let his hand go.

  Simeon began to pull away, but the man yanked him in the house.

  ~~~

  The vision shifted and Simeon was standing in a kitchen—he was still small. For a moment Veronica braced herself to see what the awful man would do to him, but she realized the man wasn’t there—this was a different vision. Then she heard a crash and Liz stormed in. She did not look well—her skin had the worn out look of a habitual meth user, and when she opened her mouth to scream at Simeon, Veronica saw she had lost a front tooth.

  “Where the fuck is it, you little shit? Where did you hide it?”

  Simeon bolted, his muscles fluid with panic and adrenaline, but Liz caught the back of his shirt and hauled him to her. She struck him hard in the face and Simeon fell to the ground, his vision narrowing so all he saw were his small hands pressed to the dirty black and white tiled floor.

  “Where did you put it?” Liz screamed.

  “I didn’t!” Simeon cried. “I never touched it!”

  “You fucking little liar I will skin you alive!”

  ~~~

  With a dizzying pivot the scene dissolved and now she was walking through a school corridor. She turned into a classroom and had just enough time to catch a glimpse of the words “Mrs. Green’s Fifth Grade Class” on a plaque on the wall outside it as she did. Simeon stood for a moment hesitating as he entered the room.

  A brown-haired boy, a tall brown-haired girl, and a shorter blonde girl stopped talking when Simeon entered, staring at him. The blonde snickered and whispered something to the brunette, and the boy shouted, “Hey, stinker, why don’t you ever take a shower?”

  The girls dissolved into giggles and kids in a farther row joined in. As Simeon made his way into the classroom the kids parted to avoid him.

  “God, the smell!” a girl exclaimed. “Can you believe how bad the smell is?”

  “We need to open a window!” cried another boy.

  “Now class, that’s enough,” said an older woman with gray hair. She came to Simeon’s side just as he’d reached a desk. Leaned close to him, and failing to hide a grimace, she whispered, “Now Simeon, we talked about this, remember? You have to take a bath every night from now on.”

  Simeon just nodded, eyes down. His face going hot, and took his seat.

  ~~~

  Okay, thought Veronica. I understand, Simeon. It doesn’t get better. Message received. I promise I will do my best to come up with a solution.

  He must have heard her, because the next thing she was aware of was the feeling of the shower against her back. Then, the sound of knocking at the door came through to her.

  Veronica let out a heavy sigh and turned off the water.

  “Ronnie? Are you okay in there?” Daniel called.

  “I’m fine,” she called back. She considered telling him she’d had a vision and then rejected the thought. She was doing pretty well, considering, with her resolution not to lean on him so much. Simeon’s sending had upset her, but she wasn’t hurt or feeling out of control. Handling this herself might be harder, but she could do it. “I just needed a long shower.”

  “Okay, well, I’ve got to go,” Daniel said. “I got the call I was waiting for.”

  “Okay. You go,” she answered, though it made her heart lurch. It was one thing to keep the visions to herself with Daniel sitting a few feet away while she processed them. It was another to have to stay in a hotel room and deal with them alone. “I’ll be fine.”

  “I’ll call you when I’m done and I’ll try to be back in a few hours.”

  “Don’t worry about me,” she said. “Just do your thing.”

  “Okay, well, I love you, Ronnie. I’ll see you soon.”

  Veronica’s heart swelled—it wasn’t often that he said he loved her. She stepped out of the shower and opened the bathroom door. “I love you, too,” she said.

  Daniel gave her a grin and a once-over, then wiggled his eyebrows and chuckled. “You’re making it awfully difficult to leave.”

  Veronica smiled back, though she wasn’t sure she was really feeling playful after what Simeon had shown her. It wouldn’t hurt to pretend, though—Daniel couldn’t stay anyway. “Am I making it difficult, or making it hard?” she asked with an arched eyebrow.

  “Ooh,” Daniel said appreciatively. “You minx. We have business later.”

  Veronica gave him a quick kiss. “Get to work, you. The citizens of Sacramento are depending on you to put away the bad guys.”

  Daniel gave a mock groan. “If you insist.” Then he gave her a kiss back. “Okay, I really do have to run. I’ll see you soon.”

  “Be safe,” she said to his retreating back.

  “Of course,” he said as he let himself out of the room.

  Veronica was alone.

  With a sigh she turned back to the bathroom and grabbed a couple of the white hotel towels. Nothing to do now but puzzle over what she could possibly do about Simeon. She had a feeling it was going to be a long day.

  ~~~

  Two hours later she still didn’t have any good ideas and she was starting to go stir crazy. It was too early to go knock on Miguel’s door, though it was getting late enough now, she might do that next. She’d tried watching TV but there wasn’t anything on she wanted to see. There was nothing to read. Daniel’d taken the laptop with him when he left. Calling Sunny to postpone the movie marathon had been quick, and then she’d spend a half an hour chatting with Melanie. Veronica had managed to present her situation in a way that didn’t panic her friend, so at least that was a win. But eventually there really wasn’t much else to say. Now she was staring at her phone, considering giving Khalilah a call, when she felt the hairs on her arms stand up.

  A strange breeze passed through her hair, though a quick glance at the window and door told her they were both still firmly shut.

  You have to go.

  Veronica swallowed as a mild wave of nausea hit her.

  You have to stop him.

  “Ariana?” Veronica murmured.

  You have to stop him!

  “Ariana, that’s you, isn’t it?”

  Go now.

  “Go where?”

  To stop him. You have to stop him.

  “Who? Ariana, give me a vision or something, you’re not telling me enough for me to know what you’re talking about.”

  BAYER!

  It was a howl in Veronica’s ears, like a sudden stormy wind. She flinched and put her hands up as if to ward Ariana off.
r />   BAYER! HE’S GOING TO DO IT AGAIN! YOU HAVE TO STOP HIM!

  “Okay! Easy does it, Ariana! I can hear you just fine!”

  YOU HAVE TO GO!

  “To the convention?”

  Yes! Ariana seemed to back off a bit then. It must have helped that Veronica guessed right.

  “You’re saying he’s going to hurt some girl at the convention?”

  YES. GO NOW.

  “Okay, okay! Don’t get upset again.”

  Veronica gave her cell a longing look, but she couldn’t phone Daniel even if she wasn’t trying to stop leaning on him so much. He was in the middle of whatever it was they’d called him away to do. But she had another cop she could turn to.

  She grabbed her coat and purse and half-jogged to Miguel’s door. Sure enough, when she knocked, Posey answered.

  “Good morning,” he said, stepping aside so she could enter.

  “Officer Posey, good morning,” Veronica said, hearing the anxiety in her own voice. “I need to talk to you.”

  “Hey Veronica,” Miguel said. He was lying on the bed with his ankles crossed. Across from him, the TV was on. “What’s up?”

  Veronica was happy to see that both men had changed already. “Hi Miguel,” she said. “Officer Posey, I had a—well, a spirit gave me a message.”

  Miguel sat up and Officer Posey took a step back from her. He knew she was the real deal because months before she had warned him and his partner about a domestic violence call that would result in their getting shot if they proceeded as usual. Posey had gone out of his way to thank Veronica, but she knew he was profoundly uneasy about her gift.

  “Was it from Ariana?” Miguel asked, scooting to put his legs over the edge of the bed.

  Veronica nodded, though she didn’t take her gaze from Posey’s face. “It’s about—someone at the convention center. They’re having a Christmas event and this spirit knows this person—he’s—the person she knows—he’s going to hurt someone.”

  Posey ran a hand through his hair. “Uh… can you be more specific?”

  “The person is… he’s pretty famous.”

  “The one who’s going to hurt someone, or the one who’s going to be hurt?” Posey asked.

  “The one who’s going to hurt someone,” Veronica said.

  “Bayer!” Miguel exclaimed, standing up. “Ariana said he’s going to hurt someone? A girl?”

  Veronica nodded at him again, and her left hand grabbed the right, wringing her fingers together. “Yes. She’s very concerned.”

  “Bayer?” Posey echoed. “Thad Bayer?”

  “Yes,” Veronica said.

  “He assaulted my sister!” Miguel exclaimed.

  Posey glanced at him, his eyes wide. “Has she informed the police?”

  Miguel shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. “She’s dead.”

  “Oh,” Posey said. He looked back at Veronica. “She’s the—she’s the spirit with this—information about Thad Bayer?”

  “That’s right,” Veronica said.

  A frown darkened Posey’s face. “Bayer didn’t kill her, did he?”

  “No,” said Miguel.

  “We’re not sure,” Veronica said at the same time.

  Miguel stared at her.

  “Daniel thinks he might have had her killed in jail,” Veronica told Posey. “He was going to look into it, but he hasn’t had a chance yet.”

  “Couldn’t she just… tell you?” Posey asked.

  “She could, but she’s really not focused on that right now,” Veronica said. She could feel the hairs on her arms tingling again and she knew Ariana was getting impatient. “Look, we have to stop Bayer from hurting another girl. We have evidence that he’s a serial rapist.”

  “Evidence?” Posey said, perking up.

  “Yes,” Veronica said. “Daniel has it. He’s supposed to talk to someone in San Jose about it because one of the victims is from there. That’s why someone tried to kill me—didn’t Daniel tell you?”

  “He said you and Miguel were involved in an open investigation and that the suspect tried to have you killed, Miss Barry. But he didn’t say anything to me about Thad Bayer.”

  Hurry.

  “Okay, well, either way,” Veronica said. “Ariana is really sure he’s going to hurt a girl at the Christmas thing going on at the convention center. We have to send someone to stop him. I mean, ideally, to arrest him!”

  “Whoa,” Posey said, raising his palms. “Slow down. I can’t do anything like that.”

  Go. NOW. He’s going to hurt her.

  “You have to call and get the Sac PD to send someone,” Veronica said. “And like, now. Ariana’s really pushing on this.”

  “I can’t do that! If Daniel thought that he had enough, evidence-wise, to arrest Bayer he’d have done it already. I can’t go charging into someone else’s case, I could screw it all up,” Posey said. “From what you’re saying, Bayer hasn’t actually done anything today, yet.”

  “Yeah, yet,” Veronica said. “We have to keep him from doing anything!”

  GO NOW.

  “I know, Ariana!” Veronica said. Posey blinked and Miguel looked around.

  “Ari?” Miguel said. “She’s here?”

  “Yes,” Veronica said. “She’s shouting in my ear that we have to go stop him, now.”

  “Look, there’s nothing I can do,” Posey said. “It’s not that I don’t believe you, but I’m a police officer, I have to do things the right way—”

  He sees her. He’s choosing her. GO NOW.

  Veronica let out a groan of frustration. “Okay, fine!” she exclaimed. “You can’t call anyone. Fine. But I am not going to just sit here and let that—that sleaze hurt another girl.”

  “Now hold on a minute, Miss Barry,” said Posey.

  It was probably crazy, her going after Bayer herself. But what choice did she have? How could she live with herself if she didn’t try to stop him, and some poor girl got hurt? It might be crazy, yes—but it was a gamble she’d have to take. A big gamble.

  Pulling out her phone, Veronica searched her contacts for the taxi service she occasionally used.

  Hurry!

  “Miss Barry, you have to stay here. Daniel said someone tried to shoot you yesterday,” Posey said.

  Sometimes you have to roll the dice, right, Ariana? Veronica thought, clenching her jaw.

  As she found the contact, she punched send. Listening to it ring, she wrapped her free arm around herself.

  Hurry!

  “Who are you calling?” Posey asked.

  “Sac Taxi,” a female voice answered on the line.

  “Yes, I need a cab at Stoughton Inn,” Veronica said.

  “I’m coming with you,” Miguel said.

  “What? No!” Posey exclaimed. “Neither of you can leave!”

  Hurry!

  “One moment,” said the female voice. After a pause, she returned. “You’re in luck, we have a taxi in the area. Please be in front of the hotel in five minutes.”

  “Thank you,” Veronica said, and hung up.

  “Miss Barry, you can’t leave, it’s not safe!” Posey said.

  “Look, the bad guys don’t know we’re staying here, right?” Veronica said. Posey just stared at her. “And the last thing they’ll expect is for me to go find Bayer at the convention center. So I’ll be fine.”

  “I’m coming, too,” said Miguel.

  “Well, hurry up. Your sister’s going nuts and we have to get there now.”

  Miguel opened a drawer in the night stand closest to him and pulled out a wallet and phone. He grabbed a jacket that was slung over the arm rest of the chair.

  “Miguel, don’t do this,” Posey said. “Neither of you should go anywhere. Daniel was very specific!”

  “We’re not in official protective custody, and even if we were, we could leave voluntarily, right?” Miguel said. “Look, it’s not your responsibility to keep us safe anymore, Matt. I appreciate your staying overnight, especially when you
were off duty and all. But we have to do this.”

  “Come on,” Veronica said, opening the door. “We have to get going.”

  Miguel and Veronica started to exit and Posey made a strangled noise of frustration.

  “Alright!” he cried. “I’ll go too. But it’s like you said, I’m off duty—I can’t take you in the black and white.”

  “So hurry up and you can come in the cab,” Veronica replied.

  Chapter 14

  As they neared the Sacramento Convention Center, Veronica couldn’t spot a single parking space. It made her grateful for taking a cab. The taxi pulled up just outside the main doors and the three passengers exited, hustling to get inside as fast as possible.

  The dice were rolling. The gamble had begun.

  Tables had been set up and people dressed in red sweaters greeted them. A tall man with gray hair smiled at Veronica and her companions. “Merry Christmas!” he declared. “I’ll need to see your tickets, please.”

  Veronica closed her eyes for a moment in distress.

  “Oh, we don’t have tickets,” Miguel said, stepping in front of her and smiling at the man. “We’re here looking for someone.”

  “You can purchase tickets at the box office on the J street side,” the man said in a firm but friendly tone. “You won’t regret it,” he called after them as Miguel spun on his heel and grabbed Veronica’s hand, pulling her with him. “There’s going to be some great speakers—don’t miss the choir singing at eleven thirty and two o’clock!”

  “We just have to get tickets,” Miguel said through clenched teeth.

  “We don’t have time,” Veronica said.

  “They won’t let us in without them!” Miguel said.

  Veronica allowed him to pull her to a half-run and, Posey following close behind, they made their way around to the box office.

  Veronica noticed that as they did, Posey scanned around them constantly, as though he was certain there would be some sort of attack. Somehow, she didn’t think there would be. Bayer didn’t expect her to show up here. He would no doubt have bodyguards, of course. But all she had to do was find him and watch him, and the moment he made contact with any young woman, then she’d figure out how to stop him. She wasn’t above making a scene if she had to.