Vendetta

by C. M. Sutter

  Jade sighed. “At least my pictures are backed up on another SD card, but the contacts are worrisome. As soon as I get a new number, I’ll have to let everyone know to block the old number and not to answer any calls coming from it.”

  “Definitely, but when we catch the perp, we might get your phone back too. Ready to go?”

  “Yep, let’s do it.”

  We climbed into the car, and I headed to Paradise Drive. The Super Walmart carried all kinds of cell phones and had specials for every service provider available. Jade could pick out whatever she wanted while I milled around.

  “The guy from the electronics store is setting up the outdoor security system this afternoon.”

  “That was quick, and what about the Mustang?”

  “The appraiser is going to the evidence garage tomorrow to look at it and to pick up the report. I hope it doesn’t take too long before I can buy another car.”

  I grinned. “Another sporty one, I imagine?”

  “Of course. I have a lot of years ahead of me before I cave in and buy a Chrysler 300.”

  Chapter 31

  Kate waited nervously on a bench just inside the doors of the Mexican Cantina restaurant. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been by herself with a guy, let alone one who held some mystery, but something she couldn’t place her finger on nagged at her. She brushed it off as guilt over lying to Amber and Jade. Pretending she was taking her car through emissions at lunchtime was the only way she’d be able to drive alone without a barrage of questions thrown her way. She lifted her chin, sat up straight, and tried to give herself a boost of confidence.

  I’m an adult and can do whatever the hell I want without my every move being scrutinized by Amber and Jade. I need to learn more about Craig Hartman.

  “Hi, Kate.” Warren flashed his trademark smile that had always made women weak in the knees. He looked forward to the minutes after lunch when he’d have Kate all to himself. The eight-thousand-dollar bounty on her head would be well worth the hour he’d waste on lunch and listening to her yammer about whatever she was interested in.

  Kate stood and gave him a smile of her own. “Craig, it’s nice to see you again.”

  Warren placed a protective hand on her back as she led the way to the hostess stand. He knew how to play the game well.

  A perky blonde wearing a high ponytail addressed them. “Table for two?”

  “Yes, please,” Warren said. He eyed her up and down.

  The hostess led them to a table near the fireplace. “How’s this?”

  Kate smiled. “It’s just right. Don’t you agree, Craig?”

  “Of course, it’s perfect.” Warren helped Kate with her coat and pulled out the chair for her. His gentleman routine had been perfected years earlier. Warren hung Kate’s coat over the back of her chair and did the same with his own before sitting. “I’ll admit, I felt flattered that you wanted to have lunch today. I was sure you were only being friendly at Tap and Tavern because you felt sorry for the new guy in town.”

  She smiled. “That’s the farthest thing from the truth. I’m looking forward to learning more about you.”

  “Same here. So how have the last few days been treating you?” Warren enjoyed toying with her. He knew everything that had been going on in Kate’s and the Monroe sisters’ lives.

  “It’s been great, especially now. Going out to lunch with an interesting guy is a nice change of pace.”

  The waitress came to their table, introduced herself as Amy, and set two glasses of water in front of them. “Are you ready to order?”

  “Give us a few minutes,” Warren said, taking the lead. “I’m anxious to hear about your life, Kate. Being a detective sounds very interesting. Have you solved any crazy cases lately?”

  She took a sip of water then dabbed her lips with the napkin before responding. “We’re working on a tough case right now. I can’t go into details, but it’s hitting very close to home. There are always risks in law enforcement, of course, but this one is particularly personal.” Kate leaned forward, only inches from Warren’s face, and studied his expression. “I have a bad feeling about this particular one. I think somebody is out to get me.”

  He almost laughed but played her fear for all it was worth. “You can’t be serious.”

  “I’m totally serious. Please don’t laugh, but I want to tell you something about myself.”

  “Sure.” Warren feigned interest.

  “I’m a psychic detective.” Kate put her finger to her lips when the waitress returned.

  “Have you folks decided?”

  “Yes,” Warren said. “I’ll have the chicken burrito lunch entrée.”

  Kate took one more look at the menu. “And I’ll have the cheese enchiladas.”

  “Sounds good, and anything to drink besides water?”

  “I’ll have iced tea.”

  Warren spoke up. “And I’ll have a Scottish Ale.”

  Kate watched the waitress until she was out of earshot. “So, my role as a psychic detective is because I have horrible nightmares that sometimes come true. They’re considered premonitions.”

  “So your nightmares tell you what has happened, or what is about to happen?” Warren doubted her ability. If she had known what her fate would be in less than an hour, she would never have met him for lunch, and he would already be behind bars. His eyes twinkled with curiosity.

  “Both. My colleagues say I’m gifted, but I’ll be honest. At times, it feels like a curse.”

  “I bet it does. So you said you think somebody is after you. Is that because of recent nightmares?”

  “Absolutely. I had a horrible nightmare on Sunday night. The next day we found out my old landlord had been murdered.”

  “Holy cow, in this sleepy little town? Maybe I should think twice about putting down roots here.”

  Kate smiled. “I’ll keep an eye on you.”

  The waitress brought out their lunch on a tray. “Here you go. Enjoy.”

  Chapter 32

  I left Jade at the mobile phone area of the store and walked around aimlessly for the next forty-five minutes. I looked at things that I never checked out, like new baking sheets and casserole dishes. It was nearly time for me to head back to work when my cell rang. Since I didn’t recognize the number, I was sure that it was Jade with her new phone.

  I hit Talk. “Hello.”

  “Hey, it’s me. I’m all done, and I’ll meet you by the exit.”

  “Sounds good.” I clicked off and made my way to the front of the building. Jade was playing with her new phone at a table in the sub shop attached to the store. She snapped a picture of me as I approached. “Come on, dork. I have to get you home before Jack chews me out for being late.”

  “Sorry it took so long, but at least you have your phone back now. What do you think of this color?”

  “Totally cool. Champagne, right?”

  “Yep.”

  I pulled out of the parking lot and headed east on Paradise. My neck almost spun off my shoulders when I saw Kate walking through a parking lot on the left side of the street. “What the hell!”

  “What?”

  “Look over at the Mexican Cantina. That’s Kate walking with a guy, isn’t it?” I glanced at the clock on my dash. I didn’t have time to make a U-turn and double-check.

  “I’m pretty sure that was her, and there was a red car in the side lot. Who’s the guy?”

  “I couldn’t tell, but that isn’t the problem. What bothers me is why did she lie to us about driving herself to work because she had to take her car through emissions at lunchtime?”

  “Humph. Good question.”

  Chapter 33

  Warren opened the car door for Kate, and she slipped in behind the wheel. She rolled down the window, and he rested his elbows on the doorframe.

  “The lunch was great, and the company wasn’t so bad either,” Warren joked.

  “Thanks, I like you too. It’s nice to get an outside opinion on things. I fi
nd myself primarily talking to other cops, and we usually think alike. You don’t blame me for being worried, do you?”

  “How could I, especially since you can almost predict the future. I’d be especially careful if I were you. I’d hate to see anything happen to my only friend in town.” Warren reached for the folded knife in his pocket. He pressed the blade release and lifted his hand. He’d lean in to give her a kiss on the cheek, jam the knife in her jugular vein, then walk away. Nobody would notice a thing, and she’d bleed to death quietly in the driver’s seat of her car.

  Warren had scouted out the area that morning and saw two cameras at the front doors. Parking where Kate was, at the side of the building, gave him plenty of privacy to do the deed then drive away as if nothing had happened.

  One down, two to go, and eight grand in my pocket. I like the sound of that.

  “Hello. Excuse us.”

  Warren cupped the knife in his hand and spun around. A woman and man were walking toward Kate’s Civic.

  “You dropped this scarf on your way out.”

  Kate instinctively touched her neck—it was bare. “I guess I did, thanks.” She reached for the scarf as the woman handed it to her. “I better go, Craig. I’m going to be late the way it is.” Kate felt her face flush. She was sure her scars were obvious, and she didn’t want to explain them at that moment. “Thanks again for lunch. I really enjoyed myself.” Kate turned the key in the ignition, backed out, then waved from the open window as she drove away. “Damn it.” She checked the time and stepped on the gas.

  Warren punched his open hand with his fist as he walked to his car. That twenty thousand dollars would be harder to earn than he had thought. He wondered if those women were actually that lucky or if his skills needed a major honing.

  Chapter 34

  When I heard the beep of the security door, I looked back. Kate entered five minutes behind me. “Long wait at the emissions station?” I wondered why she felt the need to make up that story.

  She nodded and took a seat at her desk. Billings sat next to her as they went over their findings. They talked between themselves until Jack walked out of his office.

  He leaned against the doorframe and addressed Billings. “So what did you learn from USP Atlanta?”

  Billings scratched his cheek. “Not as much as we had hoped for.”

  Jack raised his right brow and sat on my guest chair. “Yeah, let’s hear it.”

  “We spoke with several people at the prison, but it sounds like Tony Lynch has had the same cellmate since he’s been there, and that person is also serving a life sentence. Other than that cellmate, there isn’t anyone the guards are aware of that Tony would spend extended time with. I was told that they have nearly two thousand inmates and keep a close watch on them during meals and exercise time when everyone is out of their cells. They don’t want any outbursts. In short, they weren’t much help.”

  “What about phone transcripts?”

  “They were fine with that as soon as we produce a warrant for those recordings.”

  Jack shook his head. “Damn bureaucracy. We need answers now. Has anyone checked into the Lynch family yet?” Jack looked from face to face. “I’ll take that as a no. Amber, you and Clayton do some digging on the matriarch and her brother. Kate and Billings, see what you can find out about the cousin and his wife. After that, call the casino and have them give you the total of Shawn’s losses and wins for the last year.” Jack squeezed his eyes closed. “What business has the best view of the hardware store entrance?”

  I pulled up Google Street View on my computer. “Give me one second and I’ll tell you, but I’m almost positive it’s Candyman on Main.” I clicked on the street and watched as the camera zoomed down to the center of Main Street. I reached the hardware store and spun the arrow around to see the storefronts on the opposite side. “Yep, it’s definitely Candyman.”

  Jack groaned. “We may end up pulling video feed for every person who walked in and out of the front door of the hardware store on Sunday after all. Amber, call them and give them a heads-up. Make sure they don’t record over anything they’ve taped since Sunday.”

  “Yes, sir.” I pulled up Candyman’s phone number and made the call. It helped that I knew the family well, and I was sure they’d offer any assistance they could.

  We dug into the Lynch family history beginning with Lea Lynch. She had been arrested twice in her life, but both cases were petty, and only misdemeanor charges had been filed. Her brother, James Ross, had served one year in jail in 1999 for forging checks. Those two were a dead end. Neither had charges serious enough to give us reason to believe they had a hand in murdering anybody.

  Billings pushed back his chair and let out a sigh. He scratched his belly and then his forehead. “The cousin, Mark Lynch, and his wife, Sarah, are clean. Neither of them have a criminal record.”

  “Damn it.”

  I could hear the frustration building in Jack’s voice.

  “Okay, I guess it’s time to head to Candyman. What did they tell you, Amber?”

  “They have a relatively modern security system. It’s all digital, and they have all the footage from Sunday until now on their computer if we need it.”

  “Then call them back and tell them you’re on your way.”

  “Sure thing, boss. Would you mind if Kate joined me?”

  Jack jerked his head toward the door, and Kate gave me a confused look. “Go ahead. They say women are better at catching details than men are, anyway. Clayton, you and Billings check into getting that warrant for the phone transcripts. Get the casino receipts for Shawn too.”

  Chapter 35

  “Why did you do that?” Kate climbed into a cruiser with me and fastened her seat belt. My stern expression caused her to look away.

  “Why did you lie?”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” Kate folded her arms defensively across her buttoned coat.

  “When did they start doing emission tests at the Mexican Cantina? Do you eat while you’re waiting or what? Explain that to me, Kate.”

  “Whatever.”

  I turned the key and shifted into Drive. “That isn’t an answer, and I’m not letting it go. Who was that guy walking through the parking lot with you?”

  “So you were spying on me because you’re jealous?”

  I smirked at her audacity. “I was leaving Walmart with Jade. Remember, she needed a new cell phone? I wasn’t spying on you, and don’t turn this around to be about me being jealous.”

  “You don’t remember Craig from Tap and Tavern?”

  “Barely. Why are you hanging out with him? You don’t know him from Adam, and we kind of need to keep our focus on finding Marvin’s killer. Did you forget how serious this is? We’re pretty damn sure that same person was the one who went after you and Jade too. Kate, he’s probably hiding in plain sight right here in North Bend.”

  Kate glared at me. “So now you’re controlling my personal life? I can do whatever I want during my lunch break, and furthermore, Jade’s car was tampered with in Glendale, not North Bend.”

  I groaned. “You’re acting like a fifteen-year-old. Do whatever you want with Mr. I’m New in Town and Need Friends after we find the killer and throw his ass in jail. Right now our full concentration has to be on apprehending him before he tries something again.”

  Kate sat silently and stared out the window. It looked as if she was angry with me for the second time that week. I turned right on Main Street off Cedar. Candyman on Main was halfway down the block, and Kate’s old apartment and that ominous alley were directly across the street. I parked, and we climbed out.

  I turned to Kate as we headed to the front door. “Can you act normal while we’re in there? You can be pissed off at me later when we get home.”

  “You mean when it’s two against one?”

  I shook my head and pulled open the door.

  “Amber, it’s great to see you again, and Kate, always a pleasure.” Mr. Glassman stood behind th
e counter and pointed out the dark chocolate turtles I had always been fond of. “I’ve already bagged up a half dozen for you ladies. They’re on the house.”

  I smiled. “You’re too kind, Charlie.” I tipped my head toward the back room. “Is it okay if we check out Sunday’s outdoor surveillance tape?”

  “You bet. Right this way.”

  We followed Charlie to their office, a room surprisingly large compared to most retail offices I had seen. He pointed at several empty chairs against the wall. “Grab a seat. I’ll get the footage set up. You want the entire day?”

  “Unfortunately we need everything you have for Sunday, probably from sunrise until sunset.”

  “Sure thing. I’ll just set the parameters for a twenty-four-hour block of time. You can fast-forward the footage until the point where you want to watch it in real time for that day.” Charlie made a few adjustments and clicked three keys. “There you go. It’s all ready for you.” He pointed at the coffeemaker at our side. “Feel free to help yourselves.”

  I nodded a thank-you, poured two cups of coffee, then Kate and I settled in for what might be hours of useless footage. I pushed the scrubber bar to the right and zoomed past everything until morning lit the sky. The hardware store wouldn’t have been open prior to that, anyway, and there wouldn’t have been a place upstairs for the killer to lie in wait. I felt certain he would have entered the vestibule after the hardware store opened, just like everyone else.

  “Logic would say that Mr. Myers arrived first, otherwise the killer would have arrived at a locked-up, vacant apartment.” I stared at Kate and waited for her to agree. I wanted us to work as partners. We both needed to watch the footage closely. “Kate? You agree, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, it makes the most sense.”

  “Okay, so we have to watch for Mr. Myers to enter the building first and then really concentrate on everyone going in after that.”

  “We won’t have a front view of the people going in, though. How are we going to know which person is the killer?”