by Style, Linda
“We don’t have more time, so I suggest you figure out how to get those results and get it done. One way or another.”
On her way out, the captain repeated himself. “One way or another, Santiago.”
What did that mean? He didn’t expect her to arrest just anyone, did he? Not without evidence. But the more she thought about the urgency in his voice, she realized that maybe he did expect her to arrest someone—anyone. If they had a suspect in custody, it would appear as if they’d solved the case—or were close to solving it.
The very idea went against everything Crista stood for. Her stomach knotted, her anger impossible to disguise. She stormed back to her desk. How the hell was she supposed to arrest anyone when the evidence results hadn’t come back yet? All those TV shows that portrayed detectives sweet-talking other departments to get information sooner than they could pump it out, was a lot of fiction. It didn’t happen that way in real life.
The captain knew that. Which meant he was telling her to fudge the case. Arrest anyone so Englend could let it be known his department had a suspect in custody.
Too riled to sit when she reached her desk, Crista shoved a stack of files aside, causing them to nearly topple off her desk. Wrap it up. One way or another.
She couldn’t do it. Not even if it meant her job.
At that moment, realization dawned. Given the captain’s unreasonable demands on the Encanto case, and that he’d never wanted a woman on his team, that may have been the plan all along. Assign her a difficult, time-sensitive case, show she can’t do the job and then get rid of her.
Despite the fact that she didn’t want to be working with the Chicano Squad, being forced out, for any reason, wasn’t what she wanted, either. She felt anger so strong and deep it made her tremble.
She shoved a stray hair from her face and glancing around, saw Hanover’s weasle eyes on her. Did he know what was going on? He and the captain went way back.
She shuffled some papers, pretending she was trying to find something, and then she sat down. She didn’t know why, but she got the feeling Hanover liked to see her squirm.
Too bad. She wasn’t going to squirm for anyone. She was going to do something. If she only knew what. File a complaint and break the code of silence? What proof did she have? She closed her eyes, remembering how she’d been shunned when she went against her team to support Risa. She couldn’t imagine going through that again.
She girded her reserves and opened the Encanto file. Whatever the outcome, she wasn’t going to let this case be her downfall.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“IT’S A GIRL!” Pete’s voice reverberated.
Crista pulled the receiver away from her ear before her eardrum split. She was glad she’d stayed in the office and delayed her lunch in order to meet Diego at two o’clock. “Mary Elizabeth Richter. Six pounds, ten ounces and she has a really healthy set of lungs.”
Crista chuckled. “How’s Sharon?”
“Great. After all those false labor pains, she breezed through it in only six hours.”
“Wonderful,” Crista said. “And how’s dad doing?”
Pete let out a blast of air. “I’m fine now. But I was a basket case before. How are things at the station?”
God, she wished Pete were here. He was the only person she’d been able to confide in these past two months. The only person in her unit she trusted. But she wasn’t about to spoil his euphoria. “Fine,” she said.
“You don’t sound fine.”
“I’m fine. Really.”
He was silent on the other end of the line. “Okay, things could be better, but it’s no big deal,” she said hunching over and talking softly so Hanover couldn’t hear. Most of the guys were out, either on cases or at lunch, but Hanover was working in today.
“Better? How so?”
Crista hedged. She hated complainers and didn’t want to become one herself. Problems were part of the job. “It…it’s nothing.”
Pete was silent for a moment, then said, “I don’t think so. And I’m not hanging up until you tell me.”
Knowing he meant what he said, she told him, “Alex brought me some information last night and when I was saying goodbye to him on the front steps, someone took potshots at us.”
“Are you okay?” His voice was raised, concern edging his words.
“Yes. I’m fine. No one was hurt. But I’m worried. I think the shooting has to be connected with the Encanto case, but since I have no evidence, it’s just a hunch.”
“Sounds like a good hunch to me. Unless you’ve made some enemies yourself.”
She had a few of those—her ex for one. And more than a few criminals she’d arrested and who’d vowed to get even. She wasn’t number one with a couple of the guys she used to work with, either. But none of that was anything new.
“What does Englend say?”
Crista gave a scornful laugh. “He wants the Encanto case wrapped up and has threatened to take me off the assignment if I don’t arrest someone immediately. I know the mayor is on his back, but I can’t make a collar if I don’t have a suspect.”
Pete was quiet again, so she asked, “Any suggestions?”
He cleared his throat. “I think…you should watch your back.”
Surprised, Crista said, “That’s a joke. Right?”
“No, it’s not.”
He was serious. And while she hated herself for getting into it, today of all days, she had to ask. “What’s going down?”
He was quiet again and she realized that even if Pete had heard something, he wouldn’t tell her. He’d never break the code of silence. He was that kind of a cop. But what he’d said was a warning for sure.
“Take my advice, okay? Just do your job and stay on Englend’s good side.”
Stay on Englend’s good side. As far as she was concerned, he didn’t have a good side. “Thanks for the advice, Pete. I appreciate it.”
“You’ll be fine. I know. I’ve seen you in action.”
She wished she felt as sure as he did. She heard some voices in the background and a muffled sound like a hand over the receiver. Then Pete said, “Hey, I hate to rush off, but I gotta go see Sharon and the baby. I’ll get in touch when we get home.”
“You’ll be busy. Don’t worry about it. And give my best to Sharon, will you? A healthy baby is a wonderful early Christmas present.”
“It is, isn’t it,” he said. “A family for Christmas. That’s the best present anyone could get.”
Letting the receiver drop slowly into the cradle, she felt a familiar ache in her chest. One she’d felt every holiday season for fourteen years. Diego was her only family and time and circumstance had destroyed whatever closeness they’d once shared. More than anything, she wanted to repair the years of damage, but she didn’t know if it was possible. Especially not if Diego was involved with the Pistoles again. Gang culture dictated that members break from their loved ones so the gang became their new family.
She glanced at her watch one more time. Still too early to meet her brother, but it was difficult to think of anything else. If what he had to tell her was important enough to make a lunch date, it had to be significant.
She picked up the phone. Maybe Diego was at Marco’s house. Maybe she could get him to meet her now?
ALEX SIGNED IN at the front desk in Homicide’s Chicano Unit. The officer in charge cleared him and then directed him to the main area where uniformed and plainclothes officers milled about; some were standing and some sitting behind a sea of desks butted against one another. A man, dirty and ragged, sat dejectedly at an officer’s desk, apparently not happy to be there. One of the homeless, maybe.
Crista’s desk was in the middle of the room, but she was on the phone with her back turned to him. Another clerk led him to Captain Englend’s office.
“Mr. Del Rio is here to see you,” the girl said, then left him standing at the door.
“Come in, Mr. Del Rio.”
Alex noted the captain seemed frien
dlier than last night, and he went inside and sat in the chair the captain indicated with a wave of his hand. No handshake this time.
“Thank you for coming, Mr. Del Rio.”
“No problem. My office isn’t too far from here.”
The silver-haired man nodded. “I know. I understand you’re an invaluable asset to Mayor Walbrun’s team.”
Alex gave him a tight smile. “The task force is making progress. The mayor can be proud of everyone involved.”
“Which brings me to the reason I asked you to come in. I thought you might talk a little more freely in private than last night with so many people around.”
Surprised, Alex shrugged. “I told you everything I saw last night.”
“Right. But now that I’ve had a chance to go over my notes, I have a few more questions.”
“Okay. I’ll do what I can to answer.”
The captain went right to it. “The information you brought for Detective Santiago. What did you do with it?”
“I gave it to her. It was a picture my daughter drew about the night of the shooting. Samantha asked me to give it to Detective Santiago, and since she’s the investigator on the case, it seemed the thing to do.”
“You thought it was important?”
“I didn’t think anything except that Sam asked me to show it to Crist—Detective Santiago. And I was worried the picture might indicate that she’d seen something that night.”
“You think she saw the shooter? Do you think she could she identify him in a lineup?”
A lineup? Astounded, Alex drew back. “She’s four years old,” he said incredulously. “I don’t know what she really saw, if anything. It was dark, and even if she did see something, I’d have to think about it long and hard before I’d subject her to such a responsibility.”
Captain Englend nodded as if in agreement. “Kids make up a lot of stuff. It’s hard to depend on a child as an eyewitness to any crime. Prosecutors have difficulty with that because no matter how certain a kid is, when the child gets into court, it’s always another story. That’s why kids under five aren’t swearable as witnesses.”
Well, Alex had news for him. It didn’t matter what Captain Englend, or the court, or anyone else wanted. Samantha wasn’t going to do anything Alex didn’t feel was right for her. Including picking someone out of a lineup. He wouldn’t allow it.
But as quickly as the captain finished his sentence, he changed the subject. “Based on the evidence we have so far, we suspect that both shootings were by the same person.”
“Really?” Alex said, again a little surprised. Crista had told him they had no evidence. What was that all about?
“Statistically, most crimes against an individual are committed by someone they know. So we’re looking close to home.”
Crista had said the same thing, and his data bore out the statement. But drive-by shootings usually involved gang activity and were in another category altogether.
“So what can you tell me about the people you’ve recruited for your programs. Would any of them want to harm you?”
They were back to that again. “Of course not. And I gave that answer more than once. Not only to you, but to Detective Santiago.”
“Okay,” Englend drawled. “If something comes up…if you remember anything, give me a call.”
Alex frowned again. “Are you saying I should call you and not Detective Santiago?”
“No, but I’d like you to call me first.”
“Okay.” But even though he’d agreed, Alex felt as if he’d be going behind Crista’s back if he did that. Maybe Crista knew about it already. “And if you get a lead or make an arrest, I’d appreciate it if you could let me know, too.”
The captain nodded. “We’ll tell you what we can.”
“Thanks,” Alex said, feeling as if the captain was giving him lip service. Most of all, he didn’t understand the purpose of his visit, other than the captain telling Alex he should call him first if anything came up. He reached out, shook the captain’s hand and turned to leave. On his way out of the office, he glanced toward Crista’s desk. Her head came up and she waved him over.
“What are you doing here?”
He sat in the chair next to her desk. “The captain asked me to come down for more questions.”
“Really. What kind of questions?”
“He asked if Sam saw the shooters—if she could identify them. After that, he asked all the same stuff as before.” Suddenly Alex wasn’t sure who he should tell what. Crista had told him they had no evidence, but the captain had said they did. Englend had also said Alex should notify him first if he had any new information. What was that about? Didn’t he trust his own officer to do the job? Disappointment flashed in Crista’s eyes, and Alex realized she knew he was holding out on her.
He felt like a rat. He was beginning to care about her, and if he cared at all, he couldn’t keep secrets. Besides, the captain never indicated theirs was a private conversation. “Does the captain usually get information on the evidence before you?”
She looked surprised at the question. “Why do you ask?”
He shrugged. “He said there was evidence that both shootings had been by the same person.”
For a moment, she just sat there. Then she said, “I hadn’t heard that yet, but I imagine the information will come down to me soon.”
“He also asked that I call him first if I have any new information.”
Crista’s breath hitched. She didn’t have a response to that. She didn’t know what to make of Alex’s assertions. He obviously felt uncomfortable about his conversation with the captain or he wouldn’t have mentioned it. It made her uncomfortable, too. Why did the captain want to be called first? Why hadn’t he mentioned the new evidence? It was her case, and she needed all the facts to be able to solve it.
But these were her problems, no concern to Alex. “Have you thought about setting up a time for me to talk to Samantha? It should be soon.”
“She’s at preschool right now, but tonight would work. I’d like to get this over with so we can get on with our lives.”
“Okay. Tell me when and where?”
“How about coming for dinner? I can let Elena know we’re having a guest.”
“Oh, I don’t—”
“It would make things easier for Sam. She could get comfortable with you before you start questioning her.”
That made sense—even though she couldn’t launch into a formal interview with a four year old anyway. There were major considerations when questioning a child, especially since children were easily led by interviewers. “Okay. I’m all for making Sam comfortable. What time?”
“I can pick you up after work.”
Not knowing how long her meeting with Diego would take, she shook her head. “I have some things to take care of and I don’t know where I’ll be. It’s probably best if I just drive over.”
His gaze softened as he looked at her. “Darn. I was hoping to spend more time with you myself.”
She could tell by the glint in his eyes that he was teasing, but was there a note of truth there, too.
“But after last night, I guess that’s no surprise, is it?”
She glanced around, hoping no one had heard. Hanover, the office gossip, would have a field day with that kind of information—even if she had no interest in seeing Alex again. But she was interested in seeing Alex again. Too interested. She’d be lying to herself if she denied it.
Apparently seeing her discomfort, Alex lowered his voice. “How about six o’clock then? We usually have dinner early because Sam can’t wait much longer than six.”
“Fine. Six o’clock it is,” she said with a quick glance at her watch. She had to leave immediately to meet Diego. “I’m sorry, but I have another appointment right now.”
Alex stood to leave. “I understand. I shouldn’t have interrupted you like this.”
“It’s okay. I wanted to talk to you, too.” She glanced around, then added, “About Samant
ha.”
The look in his eyes said he knew what she meant—and she wasn’t fooling anyone, except maybe herself.
“Okay. I’ll see you tonight then.”
CRISTA OBSERVED the restaurant from across the street. The parking lot was deserted, the writing on the pink adobe facade faded and chunks of stucco peeled away from the walls like layers from an onion. Frozen in time, the building was a relic of the past when the neighborhood had bustled with life. Now the only people she saw were two raggedy men and a woman crouched outside on the concrete. Homeless people, she guessed. Hungry and waiting for a handout.
She headed toward the door, peering through the glass as she came closer to see if Diego was there and hoping he wouldn’t stand her up.
“Got a cigarette?” One of the street people reached out to her as she came closer.
She shook her head.
“Can you help out with a dollar?” another asked.
“Sorry,” Crista said as she pulled open the door to go inside. If she gave one person money, she’d have to give them all money. She stopped. “But there’s a shelter one street over where you can warm up and get some food.”
All three waved her off, so she went inside. They probably knew where the shelters were better than she did. A quick scan of the room told her the place was ready to fold. Even so, it was clean, and the man behind the counter said, “Have a seat, Ma’am. Anywhere.”
“Thanks,” she muttered as hope plummeted. No Diego. He’d said it was important. If he screwed up again…
“Hey,” a deep voice came from behind her. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
She swung around. She must have missed her brother where he sat in a corner booth. “Diego.” Crossing to meet him, she noticed his gaze darting nervously around the room.
Her coat was bulky, so she shrugged it off and laid it on the bench before she sat across from him.
“What’s good?” She picked up the menu. “Lunch is on me.”
Diego didn’t respond, but glanced at the menu himself. Then he said, “It’s been a while. I don’t know what’s good.”