Ryker (Hope City Book 5)

by Kris Michaels

  Brie chuckled and started detailing things that Roger would be responsible for during the next week. Two sheets of paper later, Roger shook his head. “How the hell do you do all of this and help us?”

  “Organization, I guess.” She stared at the open programs on her computer and the stacks of invoices on her desk. “I’ll come in on Sunday and pay the bills.”

  “I can write the checks, so all you have to do is sign them.” Roger stood. “Don’t worry, I’ve got this. If I don’t know what to do or can’t figure it out with common sense, I’ll call you.”

  “Thanks. I owe you.”

  “No, we all owe you.” He walked her to the kitchen and snagged a white plastic bag that held their lunches. “Here, go see your man and let us worry about this place. I don’t want to see or hear from you for a week.”

  She spun and pointed a finger in his face. “But you’ll call if you have any problems, right?”

  “Absolutely.” He spun her and gently pushed her toward the door. "We’ll take care of your baby. Go.”

  She drew a deep breath and looked back, searching the busy kitchen. Finally, she nodded. “Okay. Thank you.” She gave him one more smile and pushed the heavy metal door open. The smell of today’s special, steak quesadillas with rice and beans, filled her senses as she skipped down the stairs. The asphalt radiated the heat of the day back into the small confines of the alley. Brie shrugged her purse over her shoulder and rounded to the driver’s side door.

  The pain of her wrist being grabbed and twisted a fraction of a second before a hand clamped over her mouth immobilized her. On instinct, she screamed. “Shut your mouth, bitch, and maybe you’ll live to see tomorrow.”

  No! Frozen to the spot, she felt the man’s spittle land on her cheek. She panted as her eyes darted to the restaurant door, but there would be no help with lunch service in full swing. The man holding her wrenched her purse from her shoulder. The leather of the strap scraped the bend of her arm when she tried to stop the son of a bitch from taking it from her.

  She narrowed her eyes as her panic-induced immobility receded because she knew what to do. Her brothers, her father, and all the hours of self-defense classes had primed her for this moment. She was still scared, but damn it, she wouldn't let these men touch her without a fight.

  She struck out with her foot, catching the other bastard approaching from the front of the SUV in the kneecap. He dropped to the asphalt. The man behind her lurched when she bit his hand. He clung to her wrist and spun her. The side of her face exploded in pain. The blond moved closer and pushed her to the ground, kicking her in the back. The other used her SUV to push himself up. He grabbed her purse and plucked out the money she had in her wallet. “You’ll pay for that, bitch.” They both swung toward the opening of the alley. The blond crammed her money into his pocket and launched her wallet at her. She turned, and it missed her face but hit her shoulder. They skittered away like rats.

  Brie groaned and sat up. A sudden cascade of tremors shook her body. Oh, God. She'd fought back. She swallowed hard and drew several short, panting gasps of air. She rubbed her wrist which was sore from where the man had gripped it. She flexed it back and forth before lifting her quivering hand to her cheek. The pain there wasn't going to abate anytime soon and when she touched the swollen cheek, shooting stingers radiated from the bruise. A sound down the alley shook her out of her stupor. She grabbed her wallet and her purse, picking up the comb, pens, lip gloss, and various receipts that she’d left in the bottom. A car rolled past her. From where she was, unless they were looking between the cars, no one would notice her, even at noon. Get up before they come back.

  Carefully, she got up and searched the ground. The bastards had taken her food, too. Great. She half-laughed and half-cried. Why in the hell would she notice that? What was she going to do? She turned and stared at the back door of the restaurant. If she went back in, she’d have to explain what happened. No, that would be a zoo. It seemed she was their target, and she was leaving for a week. By then, Roger would have the camera installed.

  When they saw the security system, they’d find easier pickings. Growing up with cops in the house, she knew most small-time criminals targeted people who were unsuspecting and unprotected. She straightened and rolled her shoulders. No, there were a hell of a lot more important things going on right now. Two punks mugging her didn’t even come close to the top of the pile. She opened her SUV, got in, and locked the doors immediately.

  She glanced at her face and winced. Damn it. Makeup would not cover that up. She started the vehicle and she made her way from the alley into the flow of traffic. She coasted through the drive-through lane of Famous Mike’s Burger Barn and ordered Ryker a double-double stacked. Double cheese, double meat, with everything on top of it. Two orders of waffle-cut fries, a large soda for him, and a chocolate shake for her. She’d eat her fries and drink the shake on the way to the hospital.

  She moved forward to pay for the order and a young woman leaned out of the window and pointed toward the side of her face. “Oh, that looks like it hurts. What did you do? Hit yourself in the face with the car door? I’ve done that before. Man, did I feel stupid. That will be twenty-three fifty.”

  Hell, that would work as an explanation, wouldn’t it? She wasn’t exactly accident prone, but she’d had her fair share of ungraceful moments. Twisting her ankle when she stepped off a curb, falling down a couple of steps when she wasn’t paying attention. “Actually, yeah, I did.”

  “You want a cup of ice? You can hold it up against your face. Maybe it won’t bruise too much.”

  “Thank you. That would be wonderful.” She handed the woman her debit card, which the cashier swiped and handed back to her.

  “No worries. Pull up to the next window.” The woman shut her drive-through window and lowered her mic, taking the next order.

  Brie collected her order and a large cup of ice. She’d eat at the hospital with Ryker instead of on the way. In the meantime, she pressed the thin cardboard against her cheek and prayed the ice held the swelling at bay.

  “Hey, Cap.” At Brody’s greeting, Ryker opened his eyes. Damn, he’d fallen asleep again, hadn’t he?

  “Hey.” He cleared his throat and glanced at the clock on the wall in his room. “Shit, those pain pills really kick my ass.”

  “Well, yeah. That and, you know, major blood loss and surgery.” Brody grabbed one of the plastic chairs, spun it, and straddled it, his arms folded across the top of the chair. “I went to visit Mrs. Thorn this morning. She’s quite the character. Makes damn good cookies.” Brody smiled at him. “I had a bag full.” He reached in his pocket and produced a baggie with crumbs in it. “Didn’t quite make it here.”

  “You’re an ass.” Ryker chuckled and hit the button on his bed to sit up higher.

  “Yeah, but I’m a damn good detective.” Brody arched an eyebrow.

  Ryker stilled. “What did you find?”

  “That SUV parked down the street. Three days in a row. It was on the far side of her camera, parked down by the row of townhomes. They watched you come home. After you went into the house, they drove forward. Two men. The footage is too grainy to get an ID without tech enhancing it. They parked directly in front of Mrs. Thorn’s home and watched your house for about a half-hour, then they left.”

  “You watched the entire feed? They didn’t come back later?”

  Brody drew a breath. “You’re worried they saw Brie come to your house after closing the restaurant?”

  He nodded. Worried? Damn it, it terrified him. Protecting the woman he loved was the only thing that mattered.

  “So was I. I watched that video three times. They showed up about the time you left the precinct and headed home.” Brody rubbed his face. “Which means they were watching you and knew when you left work.”

  “I’m assuming you’re pulling the feed for the precinct cameras?” Fucking hell, how had he not seen someone observing him?

  “That’s where the lieutenan
t is right now. Oh, and by the way, the commissioner’s office announced the realignment of the JDET team during the morning media call. Seems we are out from under Fenton for good. And that is a good thing because after Brianna called him a dickless wonder, I don’t think I could keep a straight face while talking to him.”

  Ryker chuckled. “She’s a firecracker.”

  “Always has been.” Brody cleared his throat. “She’s my sister, Cap. Don’t hurt her.”

  Ryker stared at his sergeant, and yes, his friend. “I’d kill myself before I purposely hurt her.”

  Brody stared at him for a second before he dipped his chin.

  Ryker blinked back his emotion and searched for a less emotional topic. “Did you get a plate from the video?”

  “I did. You’d be proud of me. I gave the video and the plate number to Callaway and Forsythe.” Brody shrugged. “After I ran the plate, of course.”

  “Of course.” Ryker shifted his arm to ease the tension in his shoulder. “Stolen?”

  “Yep. Reported stolen last month,” Brody confirmed his suspicion.

  “Dead end.” Ryker sighed. “It all comes back to Mouse, doesn’t it?”

  “I think so. We need to talk to Mouse.”

  Ryker shook his head. “She’ll only talk to me, and she’s in lockdown right now. Rehab.”

  “Well, that gives us some time. Forsythe told me they found Alice face down in the Cascade River. According to the report, she’d been floating for a couple days. It wasn’t pretty. Even after being fish food, he said the coroner could tell they did a hell of a job on the poor girl.” Brody shuddered. “I don’t see how Brock can do that shit.”

  “You learn to separate yourself from it.” Working for the living, not the dead. There was literally nothing he could do for a decedent, but he’d worked damn hard to find a murderer, and in doing so find closure for the family.

  “Damn, that’s right. You worked Homicide for a couple years, right?” Brody rubbed his chin.

  “Seven years, until I promoted myself out of it. I called in favors to get Mouse to a rehab center in New York. I’ll call and set up an appointment to go see her.”

  “You going to be up for that?” Brody nodded at his shoulder.

  “I’ll let someone else drive. I don’t want to wait any longer. Mouse knows something, even if she doesn’t know she knows it.” He stared out the window at the brilliant blue sky.

  Brody nodded. “Why would Peña act against a high ranking HCPD officer? He has to believe you have something of his.”

  Ryker swung his eyes toward Brody. “Mouse.”

  “What?”

  “What if he thinks Mouse is his?”

  “Cap, Mouse was a pro, right?”

  He nodded. “But she said something. She said she and others were party favors, that’s how she knew Peña and Rubio. What if Peña or Rubio decided Mouse was the flavor of the year?”

  Brody nodded his head. “That would do it. If either of them is looking for what they consider their property and they thought you had Mouse, they’d steamroll you to make a point.”

  “Don’t mess with cartel property.” Fuck, Mouse was terrified. If she’d been claimed as property, there was no telling the shit she’d endured. It was a miracle she’d escaped.

  “She’s probably heard and seen a lot more than what she admitted.” Brody rubbed the back of his neck.

  He nodded. “Yeah.” He unlocked his phone and scrolled down through his call log until he found the New York number he needed and called it.

  “Springside Rehabilitation Clinic, this is Andie.”

  “This is Captain Ryker Terrell, Hope City Police Department. I’m calling to check on a patient I dropped off recently. Sarah Mulligan. I’m on her form for release of information.”

  “One moment, Captain.” They placed him on hold, the mind-numbing classical music interspersed with static.

  Brody moved out of the way when an aid brought in his lunch. Ryker glanced at the tray and rolled his eyes. Brie was bringing him lunch. The crap on the tray was just going to sit there. Brody carried his chair to the other side of the bed, straddled it, and waited.

  “Captain, thank you for holding. I had to validate you were on the information release forms. Due to HIPPA concerns we need to authenticate your identity. Would you please tell me the password you both decided on when she was dropped off?"

  "Cottages." Ryker gave the password.

  "Thank you, sir. Sarah is doing well. The notes indicated extreme exhaustion and depression, which isn’t uncommon. She’s progressing as expected. If you have any further questions, I can try to find one of the doctors.”

  “I have one question. If she chose to check herself out, could she?”

  “Yes, sir. She’s a voluntary admit. We couldn’t hold her. Why? Do you believe she’d want to leave?”

  “No, as a matter of fact, I think she’ll stay as long as possible.” Mouse was smart—she’d probably figured out as long as she wasn’t on Peña’s scope, she was safe. “However, I need to talk with her. I’ll be coming down next week. What do I need to do to make that happen?”

  “Normally, sir, we discourage visitation for the first thirty days.”

  “I understand that, but she is a witness in a case we are working, and we need to speak with her. It is a life and death situation.” Hers and his. Obviously.

  “Well, I can leave a message for Doctor Missolli. He must approve the visit.”

  “Please do that, and give him my number if he has questions.” He rattled off his cell number and then gave them the number at the office just in case he didn’t answer. Brody gave him a thumbs up, acknowledging the secondary number.

  He hung up and dropped his phone to his lap. Brody shifted and leaned forward. “We aren’t giving this information to Callaway and Forsythe, are we?”

  “No. She's a witness who has information on an ongoing case JDET is working against Peña and Rubio. If we get other intel that specifically supports the assumption that Rubio and Peña are behind the attempted hit on me, we’ll make the call to share information at that time.”

  Brody dipped his chin in acknowledgment. "We got the preliminary on the three bodies from the fire the other night. Desoto was an easy match as we suspected he was one of the victims. The ME confirmed him through his dental records. No ID's on the other two as of yet."

  Ryker felt his gut drop. "Those fuckers need to be taken down."

  Brody’s attention riveted outside the open door. “What the––”

  “What? What do you see?” He tightened his stomach muscles and sat up.

  “Brie.” Brody was up and moving.

  “Fuck. What?” He swung his legs out of the bed before he saw her.

  She held a white plastic bag. “I brought lunch.” There was a red welt across her cheek and a puffy eye with a dark ring forming under it.

  “What the fuck happened to you?” Ryker and Brody spoke at the same time.

  She sighed heavily and set the takeout beside his hospital-supplied tray of food. “This is embarrassing. I had my purse and the lunch that Roger prepped for us, and I was trying to open the door to the SUV, and somehow, I got tangled up and popped myself with the door.” She pointed to the burger bag. “Our lunch disappeared in that little tussle. So, you’ll have to settle for a double-double.”

  Ryker reached for her with his good arm, and when she took his hand, he tugged her to where he sat, moving her between his legs. She bit her lip and flinched a bit as he reached up to push back her hair so he could see the extent of the damage. He narrowed his eyes. “How hard did you hit the door? Can you see okay?”

  “I clocked myself, that’s for sure, and yes, I can see fine.”

  “No headache?”

  “No.” She leaned forward. “But you can kiss it better for me.”

  “And with that, I’m out of here.” Brody gave an exaggerated full-body shudder. “Never going to get that image out of my mind.” He winked at them both before
he left.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” He carefully ran his finger across the tender skin of her cheek.

  “I am. You don’t need to worry about me. I can handle things myself.” She spun and reached for the bag she’d brought in.

  “What?” He placed his hand on her arm. “Babe, why would you say something like that?” She hesitated for a moment before she turned to meet his gaze.

  Brie sighed and shook her head. “I’m just embarrassed. You have so much on your plate already.” She made a motion to her face. “You don’t need to worry about things like this.”

  He shook his head and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. “Wrong. You will always be my first priority. Always.” He leaned forward and winced a bit before she leaned in and met his lips. They moved apart but didn’t separate. “I love you.” He whispered the words against her lips.

  She leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against his lips. “I love you, too.” She leaned back and nodded toward the bag. He noticed the wince at the action, but she turned away and asked, “Hungry?”

  “I could eat.” He nodded to the tiny table by the window. “Let’s sit there. I’m tired of being in bed. Are you sure you're okay?”

  “You haven’t even been in bed twenty-four hours, and I'll be fine.” She was at his side as soon as he stood.

  He held the hand she offered, noticing the way it shook. "You're trembling."

  "I haven't eaten anything, and I've had a pot or twenty of coffee. You're shaking, too."

  He chuckled. “I got dressed this morning and thought I’d run a marathon. Wiped me out.” He sat down and adjusted his position so he could face the table. “I slept most of the morning.”

  She retrieved a massive burger and two large orders of waffle fries. “What did the doctor say?”

  “He wants an x-ray this afternoon and then, if everything is good, he’ll release me tomorrow morning.”

  Brie unwrapped his burger and poured his fries onto the wrapper. She shook down a ketchup packet and opened it, squirting the contents onto the wrapper so he could dip his fries. Her hand still trembled.