Her Final Watch (A Detective Blanchette Mystery Book 2)

by Marguerite Ashton

  By the scorching fury displayed on the detective’s face, Ibee was certain she wasn’t going to like what she had come to say. Was it about the case?

  Ibee had never given an explanation before and she didn’t see what good it would do to explain now. What would warrant a personal visit from Lily? What did she need to say in person that she couldn’t say over the phone?

  If Lily knew Ibee’s side of the story about the investigation, it’d only make things worse. The decision to push Ariel into staying was a mistake that would haunt Ibee for the rest of her life.

  To get the Suraces once and for all, she had needed Ariel to help put those mob freaks in jail. Lily’s dad ruined my first attempt, and now I have to deal with her heel dragging questions.

  I may be a case digger, vying for cases that would keep my name in the papers, but over the years, looking the other way when it came to certain evidence and skirting within the legal boundaries was no easy task.

  Ibee’s eyes fell upon the picture of her father, Reverend Walters—an ordained pastor who ruled with an iron fist at home and judged a person by how often they read the Bible. You said I’d never amount to anything. I have and will continue to prove you wrong.

  Ibee slid the papers across the table toward Rae. “Hold on a second before filing these.”

  She glanced up at Lily. “You’ve asked me to push off my appointment so you could see me. You’ll need to make this meeting as quick.”

  “I’m willing to work with you, Ibee, but something’s got to give. Surace needs to be charged with aggravated assault on Diamond Reese. Technically, I can push for intimidating a witness, and you’d have to prosecute him. If Surace was the one behind that wheel, I’d like to have a little leverage on him. Bumping the charge from assault to intimidating a witness would do just that. If he wasn’t responsible, I’m pretty sure he knows who did it. If Diamond dies, that’s premeditated murder.”

  Ibee put her head down pretending to look through the paperwork sitting before her on her desk. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  “You’re stalling on this case because you want Surace on the drug charge.”

  “Damn it, Lily, I’ve been working on this case for some time. Ariel and the DEA agent she was with were putting everything together before—”

  “Before they were killed! Ariel told you that her identity had been compromised. You were Ariel’s handler. You were responsible for Ariel. Her blood and the blood of that agent is on your hands.”

  “How did you find out I was Ariel’s handler?”

  “It doesn’t matter how I found out. What matters is that if you don’t do something quick to get me what I want, I’m going to my sergeant. Whatever else the FAPD may find out about what you didn’t do to protect two cops who you knew were in danger will make for an uncomfortable seat as D.A.”

  Ibee shot out of her chair. “Are you threatening me?”

  “No threats. Just facts.”

  “You have no proof.”

  Lily reached into her pocket and placed a flash drive on Ibee’s desk. “I’ve got the last four meetings between Ariel and you on video. Don’t worry, I have a copy. Make this right.”

  Ibee studied the flash drive. “I had the Surace’s right in the palm of my damn hand. That bust could’ve broken up Surace and anybody tied to him.”

  Lily shook her head and marched out of Ibee’s office.

  Ibee snatched up the flash drive and jammed it in the USB port of her laptop. When the folder came up, Ibee saw a list of several files titled Meeting with I.W. Her heart raced. Fuck.

  She clicked on the file that had the date of her last meeting with Ariel. She fast forwarded through the video, stopping near the end of their conversation. “Things are getting bad. I want out.”

  “Tough. You knew the danger when you agreed to it. Just hang in there one more day. The drop happens tomorrow night. After that, you can go home to your family. Think of how good it will look in your personnel jacket that you were part of the biggest drug and vice bust in this city. You’ll be a hero.”

  “I don’t care. They know and I want out.”

  Ibee stopped the video and rested her chin in her hands. “Ariel was recording our meetings.” She turned to face Rae. “If this gets out, it’ll ruin my career.”

  Rae shook her head. “Ruin your career? I don’t think so. Unless, they learn of all the other things you’ve done over the years.” She rose slowly out of the chair. “It may cost you your position as district attorney if you don’t do what Lily wants. Lily’s right. That’s why I’m going to do what I should’ve done a year ago.

  “I’ve known you for fourteen years. I’ve sat quietly when your ambitions stopped you from making the right decision when trying a case. I kept my mouth shut when you cut corners on murder and rape cases because the last thing you wanted was for them to go free. In a way, it almost seemed honorable.

  “But this year was the worst for your desperate decisions. Like the one a while back involving Lily’s dad. That was the lowest I’d ever seen you sink.”

  Rae gathered up the paperwork, walked over to the file cabinet, and placed the papers in the wire basket sitting on top. “I think it’s time for me to retire and enjoy what sanity I can manage to find for my remaining years with my husband. I’m putting in my notice as of today.”

  Ibee turned in her chair and faced the computer screen. “Leaving when I need you the most.” She refreshed the web page and noted the email:

  Sender: Not Guilty

  “Again,” Ibee wondered, opening up the message.

  Do you think about any of the innocent defendants you’ve sent to prison? You’ve never responded to my first plea for help, showing there was new evidence to prove I didn’t commit the crime I’ve been accused of.

  It seems the only plea you accept is the ones that help the state’s case. Not even my public defender will give me the time of day. Since you grew up in the church, I’m hoping you’ll show compassion as I work on forgiveness.

  Praying for a response,

  Not Guilty.

  Perhaps this email didn’t mean anything and that it was like all of the other crazy notes that had come and gone. Threats from former defendants over the years had begun to play like old reruns on Retro TV channels.

  Then she thought about the past trials she’d won. Nothing came to mind. Even the ones in which she was positive that she had her perp. Still, nothing came to mind.

  She checked the box and moved it to the folder marked: To Be Watched.

  *

  1:22 p.m.

  An hour after visiting Ibee, Nick and Lily—armed with the A.D.A.’s promise that she’d do whatever was needed to help on the case—stood outside the doors of On The Edge.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” Lily asked.

  “I owe you one.” Nick opened the door.

  As Lily and Nick walked into the club, people stopped talking. The eerie silence was like being in a tomb.

  If Lily’s plan didn’t work, she’d get suspended, and it would be a while before Sarge placed her as lead on another case. If it did, she’d get his fatherly look of disappointment and have the pleasure of catching up on paperwork for the next week.

  No one was up front, except the same burly bartender, Quentin. Towards the rear, Lily saw the man she believed to be the elder Mr. Surace, sitting at a table having a meal.

  Three hired guns stood guard behind Mr. Surace while several more got up from their tables, positioning themselves behind Lily and Nick.

  As the detective and officer walked toward the table, Lily took the lead. Mr. Surace tossed a match into the glass ashtray and placed his arms on the table. “Detective Blanchette, I didn’t invite you here. It must be police business.”

  “Yes, Sir. I’m here to take your son back to the station. I’ve got an injured woman who was knocked around before her car accident.”

  “You’ve got a warrant?”

  “I don’t need a warrant to bring Mikey in
. I’ve established probable cause, and that’s enough for the courts.”

  Mr. Surace smiled. “Your father and I grew up together. I respected him and still do till this day. May he rest in peace. But you, coming into my place of business and accusing my Mikey of doing something so demeaning to a woman, is not only disrespectful to me, but it’s an insult to my entire family. I’d never do that to your father.”

  “Please forgive the insult Mr. Surace, but Diamond stated that it was Mikey who beat her face in before the accident.”

  “If you don’t mind, I’ll believe my son before I’ll believe some whore who broke the rules to get what she wanted.”

  “I’m not here to debate about who in your club followed rules.” Lily looked at a pair of dice next to the ashtray. “I’m here to bring your son in for domestic abuse charges against my witness. The same witness who has information about the operations of this club and two people murdered in my district.

  “Out of respect to you, I’d like to keep it at domestic abuse charges instead of charging your son for intimidating a witness. So if you don’t mind, I’m inclined to do a thorough investigation. It’s nothing personal.”

  Surace took a few deep puffs from his cigar and looked around at his bodyguards who were spread out, blocking all of the exits. “After all this stuff started, I warned my men not to give you a hard time. As you can see, they’ve listened.”

  Lily stiffened.

  Nick touched Lily’s elbow and lowered his voice. “I’ve got your back.”

  “My son, he doesn’t listen so good. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.”

  Lily shoved her sweaty palms into her pocket.

  “Mikey,” Surace yelled.

  Mikey descended the flight of stairs and stood next to his father. “There’s no way. I’m not going—”

  “Shut your mouth. You’ll go with the detective and answer her questions.”

  “Pop, you said I didn’t have to answer to anyone.”

  “That was before you slapped your fiancée around.” Surace put out his cigar and eyed Lily. “I try to teach my son to follow some of the rules. Hitting women isn’t allowed in this family. It’s time my son learned his lesson.”

  Lily turned to Nick. “Go ahead and cuff him.”

  Nick clicked the cuffs around Mikey’s wrist and led him outside.

  Lily said, “Thank you, Mr. Surace for your cooperation.”

  Lily walked into the interrogation room as Mikey Surace sat up in the chair and buttoned up his vest. Men like you who like to hurt women. Too bad you’re not getting all fixed up to go before a judge for what you did to Diamond. As if that wasn’t enough, you decided to get into a vehicle nearly the size of a tank and crash into the person that you love. Are you really that heartless? Maybe, just maybe. “Is there anything you’d like me to get you before we start?”

  “You can hurry up and take my statement so I can get the hell out of here.”

  “For the record, do you know why you’re here?”

  “Beating my old lady.”

  Lily strode over to an empty chair but remained standing. “Did you physically abuse your fiancée, Diamond Reese?”

  “I had good reason to do what I did.”

  “Why did you do it?”

  “That’s personal.”

  Dad’s words: Treat suspects with dignity. Let them confide in you. “Are you aware that Diamond was involved in an automobile accident?”

  Mikey adjusted his tie. “Yep.”

  “Are you concerned about whether or not Diamond will make it?”

  Mikey stared blankly at Lily.

  “If Diamond dies, it becomes a homicide,” Lily said. “Premeditated.”

  “Look, lady.”

  “It’s Detective Blanchette.”

  “Detective. If you’re trying to get me to say it was me behind the wheel, it’s not gonna happen.”

  Lily flipped through some of her notes. “All I want is the truth. Where were you around eight this morning?”

  “I was out driving.”

  Lily scribbled in her notepad. “Do you know anyone who’d want to cause Diamond harm?”

  “I can give you a list.” Mikey leaned back in his chair. “The lives that we live are different than yours, Detective. You’d never understand our line of work.”

  “What is it that I wouldn’t understand?”

  “The moment a customer steps into the club, my contractors are like moving marks. A married man caught cheating; we have to worry about the wife. Or a wacky customer, who gets hooked on one of the girls and makes promises to take care of her forever. Either way, it’s never good.”

  “Okay. Then you make me that list. But before you do, you and I are going to have a real conversation about what happened with Diamond. Not this line of bullshit you’ve been feeding me. As it sits, you’re looking at being charged with aggravated assault. If at any time, I think you’re lying to me, I’ll make sure that you’re charged with intimidating a witness. Are we on the same page, Mr. Surace?”

  “Ask your question.”

  Lily grabbed her phone and tapped on the photo of the Tahoe. “At any time, were you in this vehicle?”

  “I was in one like that, but I can’t say if that’s the one.”

  “This is the SUV that slammed into Diamond’s car. Were you a part of or aware that an attempt was going to be made on your fiancée’s life?”

  “No.”

  “I don’t believe you, Mikey. Word on the street is that you’re the man that knows what’s going down and when. People have said that when someone wants another person taken out, you’re the one they call. Who’d want to incur the wrath of Mikey Surace by killing his fiancée? Whoever rammed Diamond had to do it on your say-so.”

  “I hit women. I don’t kill them.”

  Time for the 80/20 rule. “I get that you live a different life and if that’s what works for you so be it. I’m not here to judge, so don’t lie to me. With the type of business you run and the connections that you have, don’t tell me that you have no clue who had the balls to run into your fiancée’s car. They did it in broad daylight. Now she’s in the intensive care unit.”

  Mikey sat forward and stared straight ahead. “Diamond’s hurt that bad?”

  “Yes. The doctor doesn’t think she’s going to make it.”

  Mikey exhaled. “You gotta a cigarette?”

  “One second.” Lily stepped out, and Evan handed her a pack of cigarettes and lighter. She stepped back in the room and gave Mikey the entire pack.

  Mikey placed the slender roll of tobacco to his lips while Lily lit it for him. He took a couple of hits and set it in the beat up tin ashtray on the table. “I was told it was one of Diamond’s old customers.”

  “I need a name.”

  “That’s all I can say.”

  “That’s not going to fly. Give me something else.”

  Mikey took another hit of the cigarette, blowing smoke through his nose. “This customer set up dates four days a week, like clockwork. And he has a clothes fetish. In fact, his friend was a client of Diamond’s too. If you find him, you’ll find your man.”

  Lily sat down in the empty seat. “Do you know who was responsible for the deaths of the two undercovers who worked at your club?”

  Mikey took a long drag of his cigarette. “Not really.”

  “Were you in Kyle’s apartment the night he was killed?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did you kill Kyle?”

  “No.”

  Lily was aware of the mob’s number one rule, silence. There was a slim chance that she’d be able to get Mikey to reveal anything more of what he knew. Still, she had to try. Stay on his level. “Do you know who it was?”

  “You got what you did because I want justice done for Diamond. I want that cock sucker to suffer in prison like Diamond’s suffering now. Having him killed gives him an easy out.” Mikey stabbed his cigarette in the ashtray. “End of conversation.”

  �
��Okay,” Lily said rising out of the chair. “Officer Levins will take you down to the holding area where you’ll wait for your turn to see the judge.”

  Nick walked into the room. “Stand for me, Sir, and place your hands behind your back.”

  As Mikey stood and did what was asked of him, Lily stepped out into the hall. She had hoped to get more information but was grateful for his ability to bend the “no talking to cops rule,” just for Diamond.

  I love using my eighty-twenty rule.

  *

  5:13 p.m.

  The stretch of Mount Calvary Cemetery and Mausoleum property was surrounded by large burr oak trees. The low hill was crowned with rows of chest tombs and grave markers. To the north, a family mausoleum stood with the Surace name.

  Jeremiah walked up to the oversized vault door and with a strained tug, opened it and walked inside. The final light left before nightfall shined through the small stained glass windows depicting pictures of saints, revealing stacked crypts five high on each side.

  Flowers and mementos were displayed neatly in the altar centered between two busts of a male and a female. Jeremiah took a deep breath, stepped up to the crypt and placed his hand on the stone. A chill raced through him as he rubbed the cold granite, fingering the gold lettering etched on the plate. Rachel. I still miss you. I think Diamond was right. We were marked from the day we met and I’m tired of running.

  Everything in his life couldn’t get any worse. The damage had been done. He was a moving target standing at the burial site of a woman he’d wanted to save, but couldn’t.

  The wind howled outside, mixing with the male voices on the other side of the door.

  He tiptoed over to a window and gazed out into the darkness. Flashlight beams darted over the upright headstones as he made out two beefy outlines, headed in his direction.

  He was trapped.

  Jeremiah ducked next to an armchair, pressing his back against the wall.

  The door opened and the two men stormed in and looked around. There wasn’t enough room between the men and the door, but Jeremiah had to get out. He stepped out of the shadows, yanked the door open and jerked his head back, but it was too late.

  A fist slammed into Jeremiah’s jaw, forcing him to the ground. The pain rebounded in his lower cheek as he rolled over and rested on his knees. He looked up and glared at the man he’d wanted to meet face to face. Hatred zipped through his eyes.