by Polly Iyer
“And she didn’t say anything?”
“Nothing. I didn’t know she was gone until my replacement came on duty. A couple of hours ago, she came in and said she was going to read in the sunroom. I went to say goodbye, and she wasn’t there or anywhere else. She must’ve snuck out the back door.”
“Did you try to call her?”
“Didn’t have her number. Besides, why would I call her when she was in the next room?”
Beecher pinched the bridge of his nose. “Okay. Go back to your regular duty.”
“What?” Halloran asked when Beecher closed the call.
Beecher told them what had happened. “If there’s trouble, that woman will find it. She was born to tempt fate.”
“Where could she have gone?” Cash said. “Her car’s there.”
“I’m right here,” Diana said.
All three men spun around as if someone had called “Fire.”
“What the ―” Beecher said.
* * * * *
Diana closed the door after her. “Sit down, everyone. I’ve got a tale to tell.”
For the next hour, Diana filled in Lucier’s team on Rickett/Kohl, Lucier, and the FBI’s investigation. Most of their questions centered on Lucier.
“He’s in bad shape.” Tears came to her eyes when she thought back to how he looked when she left the safe house. “I didn’t want to leave, but I want to get these bastards for what they’ve done to him.”
“When can we see him?” Beecher said.
“I don’t know. The guy helping him is a specialist in drug withdrawal and counseling.” She didn’t want to get into Walt’s past and the fact that he was a former addict. That was his information to share. “Rickett didn’t know you guys had zeroed in on what was happening until he read Jake Griffin’s column in the paper.”
“I bet,” Beecher said. “They didn’t have our secret weapon.”
“What was that?” Halloran said.
Beecher and Cash leveled their eyes on Diana.
“Ah, yes, of course,” Halloran said.
“So what are you supposed to do now?” Cash asked.
“Proposition Hodge.”
They all looked at her.
“Not the way you’re thinking,” she said. “Hodge knows Ernie suspected him, so if he’s the only clue I have to find my boyfriend, wouldn’t I follow him? When I did, I found the house and broke in when Hodge left.”
Cash tsked. “Right, so now you’re a lock picker. Come on, Diana. That’s crazy. He’ll never fall for it. And if he does, what’s to stop him from coming after you? Rickett is putting your life on the line.”
“He’ll be backing me up, Willy. I’ll tell Hodge I’ve left a letter with my attorney with all the information about him to be opened if anything happens to me, and I won’t report him until he has six hours to get away. But he has to tell me who the head honcho is.”
“That’s nuts on so many levels, I don’t know where to begin,” Beecher said. “First, if I were Hodge, I’d just kill you. He’s got nothing to lose. One more dead body won’t change the verdict if he goes to trial.”
“I agree,” said both Cash and Halloran.
“Why would he trust you?” Cash said. “Do you really think he’ll give you the boss’s name and you’ll let him walk away after he shot up your love with drugs? No way.”
“What other choice do we have?”
“Arrest him and make him talk,” Halloran said.
“Bring him into the district?” Diana said. “Which district? You’re investigating cops who might have a foothold in all the districts. Do you think he’d live through the night?”
“We’ll put him in protective custody,” Halloran said.
“You think you could keep that quiet?”
“She’s got a point,” Beecher said.
“No,” Cash said. “She can’t just walk up to Hodge. They’ve already tried to kill her once.”
“The plan is to make the deal while he’s at work. He can’t kill me there.”
“I don’t like it,” Cash said. “It’s too dangerous.”
“I’ve done this before,” Diana said. “I’m getting good at it.”
“Yeah, and the lieutenant wanted to kill you himself for taking such a risk the first time. He’d be dead set against this one, for sure.” Cash focused on her. “He’ll have my head when he gets well.”
They all stopped, exchanged glances.
“You didn’t see him, Willy. If you did, you’d take any chance to get the guys who did that to him.”
“I would, but not you. I’m a cop.”
Diana waved off his comment. “Rickett described where they had Ernie. I can pull it off. You can’t stop me from going to his office.”
“Are you sure Rickett said we can’t tell the captain?” Halloran asked. “Does he believe Craven is involved?”
“He’s not counting anyone out. He wants to keep this tight.”
Beecher shook his head. “I don’t like taking orders from the feds without someone higher up’s okay. We could get left holding the bag if this turns to shit and something happens to Ernie.”
Diana froze. “Something’s already happened to Ernie, Sam. He’s been shot full of dope, shivering and shaking, going through hell.” Tears slid down her cheek, and this time they were tears of frustration and fear and anxiety. She needed to convince them that she could do what Kohl wanted. “You can arrest Hodge, but he has no incentive to give up the boss. He knows if he does, he’ll be dead. But give him an opportunity to get away, and he just might rat out the others.”
“Do you really believe he’ll fall for this, Diana? He’ll know it’s a trap.”
“Maybe, but it’s a chance worth taking, and I’m willing to try. Hodge’ll make demands, promise to tell me when he’s far enough away. He’s a cop. He knows how to cover his trail. But he won’t get lead time if he doesn’t tell me up front.”
Beecher fiddled with a pencil, Halloran raked his fingers through his curly hair, and Cash kept shaking his head.
“We need time to discuss the best way to do this,” Beecher said. “We also need to meet with Rickett.”
“He doesn’t want to blow his cover.”
“He’s been here for three months,” Beecher said. “If they haven’t invited him to join their group yet or figured out he’s a fed, they sure as hell aren’t going to now. Arrange a meeting at Kitty’s Kabaret tonight. We’re taking you out to drown your sorrows.”
With Ernie suffering withdrawal, going out to have fun was the last thing she felt like doing. But if Rickett could convince the team his men would be covering her back, she might, just might, get the boss’s name. She wanted to see whoever he was shot full of drugs too. The kind that spelled lethal injection.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Ugly Rickett
Kitty’s Kabaret was jam packed. Diana looked around. She didn’t see anyone she knew, especially not Dave Rickett.
“Well, I’m honored to see you at our club, Diana,” Miss Kitty said, putting her arm around Diana’s shoulders. “So sorry to hear about Lieutenant Lucier. After getting out of the hospital to disappear like that. I do hope he’ll turn up. Doing police work can be a nasty business.”
Miss Kitty’s statement threw Diana off guard. Other than Captain Craven and the team, no one else was supposed to know Lucier was missing. Officer Burel didn’t know. Even Jake Griffin, who’d written about Lucier being shot, hadn’t found out about Lucier’s disappearance. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Miss Kitty. What about Ernie?”
“Oh, just something I heard. You know this place is a sieve of information. But if you don’t want to talk about it, I understand.”
Diana glanced at Beecher, who overheard the conversation. He lifted his brows in reaction. “Exactly what did you hear?”
“Just that he seems to be missing. Am I wrong?”
“He’s out of town but hardly missing,” Diana said. “I talked to him this morning.” T
hat wasn’t a lie.
Miss Kitty huffed. “Well, the information around here is getting unreliable. I’ll have to watch what I repeat.”
A burly guy muscled in between Diana and the bar. “Where’s your boyfriend, lady psychic? Off catching crooks?”
“Am I supposed to know you?”
“Leave her alone, Rickett,” Beecher said. “We’re entertaining the lady while the lieutenant’s out of town. I’d ask you to join us, but ―”
“Thanks, I’d love to,” Rickett said. “I don’t often get a chance to have a drink with a famous personality.”
“I’d rather you didn’t.”
“Nonsense,” Rickett said. “A round of drinks for the table, Miss Kitty. On me. Take their order. You know what I’ll have.”
“No need, Rickett,” Cash said. “We pay for our own drinks.”
Rickett didn’t pay any mind to what they said and shooed away some people to clear a table for them. He perfectly played the same obnoxious cop as the first time Diana saw him.
Miss Kitty took their drink orders. Beecher, Cash, and Halloran acted genuinely disgusted, but they sat down at the table anyway. One of the waitresses delivered the drinks, and they slipped into quiet conversation.
“How is he?” Diana asked.
“I told you he’d be rough for a few days, so don’t ask. You can see him day after tomorrow. Just be prepared.”
“What’d they shoot him with?” Beecher asked.
“Heroin. High grade.”
Diana gasped.
“Easy,” Rickett said to Diana. He nodded to the others: “I understand you have problems with Diana meeting Hodge at Headquarters tomorrow.”
“You bet,” Cash said. “You’re putting her life in danger.”
“I’ll have men there. Nothing will look out of the ordinary. He’ll be followed and tracked, before and after he gives us the name.”
“If he gives us the name,” Beecher said.
“He’ll take the deal. He’s seen what happens to cops like Chenault and Alba who screw up. Probably shot them himself on boss’s orders. And he already screwed up when he lost Lucier.”
“He’ll ask for guarantees,” Halloran said. “I would. I’d want safe passage.”
“He can hardly do that with Diana,” Cash said. “She’d have to bring someone else in, which defeats the purpose of him leaving without getting caught. He’s trapped. If she outs him, he might as well shoot himself, because if he doesn’t, someone else will.”
Beecher hadn’t said anything. Diana knew he was weighing the situation, wondering what Lucier would do. Everyone knew the answer to that, a definite no, but she guessed he was taking her out of the equation and examining the plan.
“Why can’t we arrest him and keep him in a safe house or under guard?” Beecher asked.
“You saw how that worked firsthand,” Rickett said. “Or have you forgotten your black eye and the lieutenant’s disappearance?”
After a slug of beer, Beecher nodded. “What’s your plan?”
“Diana goes to his office tomorrow and poses the deal. She’ll be wired but not so anyone could tell even if he checks her out. We have some pretty nifty devices these days.”
“What about Michel?” Cash asked. “He has to be involved in this, and who knows how many others. Maybe the Garcias since the wife alibied Hodge.”
“Michel hasn’t screwed up. Yet. Besides, Michel is a drone, an order taker. Hodge is the order giver, as was Chenault. Frankly, I was surprised when Chenault got iced. I had pegged him for high up the ladder.”
“Whoever’s at the top plays hardball, for sure,” Halloran said.
“Another round, Rickett?” Miss Kitty asked. “You seem to be playing nice tonight. Not your usual asshole self. What gives?”
“Ha,” Beecher said. “She’s got your number. So, Rickett, you paying for another round?”
“Asshole, huh? That what you think of me, Miss Kitty? Asshole? After all we’ve been to each other?”
“Hey, what have you two been to each other?” Emile said, crashing the party. “You put one finger on my lady, and you’ll have me to answer to.”
“Woo, I’m scared shitless, Emile,” Rickett said laughing, climbing nicely into his obnoxious persona. “But don’t you worry. I like women more like Diana here. Cute and petite, with all the right parts.”
Miss Kitty looked like she was going to haul off and club Rickett, but she cooled quickly and said, “Good thing Miss Diana has better taste than to choose you, Rickett. You ain’t nothing compared to her partner.” She snorted, thrust out her chest, and said, “Drinks coming up.”
“Man, you must have a split personality,” Halloran said to Rickett.
“Undercover work can make you schizo. Sometimes I don’t know who I am.” He turned to Diana. “Here’s the plan. You go to Hodge tomorrow morning around ten. They’ll let you in because everyone knows you work with the police. You won’t see the men I’m putting there, so don’t look for them. Just know you’ll be covered.” He looked at the three men. “You okay with this?”
Just then, Miss Kitty herself delivered the drinks. “Here you go. And here’s your bill, Rickett. We only take cash from you.”
Rickett laughed. “I always pay in cash here. I wouldn’t trust this place to have my credit card number.” He checked the tab and put cash on the table. “Keep the change, Miss Kitty. Buy yourself something pretty.”
Kitty snatched up the money, sneered at Rickett, and trotted off, shaking her booty for all she was worth.
“Quite a character,” Rickett said. “So what do you all say? You in?”
Beecher and Halloran nodded.
Cash scowled. “I’m not, but looks like I’m overruled four to one.”
Diana felt Rickett’s hand on her lap. She started to say something, but Rickett said, “Don’t look. It’s a pin for you to wear tomorrow.”
She dropped the pin in her slacks pocket.
Without looking like a nice guy, Rickett said to Cash, “I understand your concern. Your lieutenant is in good hands, and I know he’d be against this. But he’s in no condition right now to make any decisions. Diana will be fine. No one else can do this. No cop, anyway. She has a reason to make this pitch, and anyone following her story for the last year knows she’s fearless. Hodge’ll buy it.” Rickett looked around the table. “Now let’s get this son of a bitch.”
“I want to,” Diana said. She looked at Lucier’s team. “I’ll be fine. He can’t do anything to me while I’m there, and Rickett said I’ll be covered.
All three men nodded, Cash hesitantly.
“Now, I’m going to take my drink, make some kind of nasty Rickett comment, and leave ugly.”
Chapter Fifty
A Way Out
The next morning, Diana entered Headquarters. Rickett must have pulled a few strings, because she passed through security without a hitch and made her way to the tech department wearing the pin with a tiny recording device attached to her blouse. No one stopped her. Some people actually smiled and bid her good morning. How many of them belonged to the FBI, tracking her every move? She saw the standard guy with the newspaper, a janitor, and a few more people at the information desk. Were they her guardian angels?
She reminded herself that she’d been an entertainer more than half her life. This was just another performance.
She half expected Hodge to be absent from his cubicle, but he was there. Surprise flashed across his face when he saw her.
“They’re sending in the second team, I see,” Hodge said. “What’s the matter, boyfriend using you to get information?”
She wanted to smack him. Boyfriend indeed. Hodge knew Lucier was in no condition to conduct an interrogation. “Lieutenant Lucier wouldn’t ask me to do that, at least not this morning. He’s otherwise occupied.”
Hodge’s jaw dropped, and his face turned red. He recovered quickly, but the change wasn’t lost on Diana. “I’m sure he’ll be speaking to you shortly. And when
he does, Mr. Hodge ― is it mister, officer, or do you have a title?”
Hodge scowled. “I’m a Senior Digital Forensic Analyst, among other things. You can skip the small talk and tell me what you want.”
She softened her voice. “Is there somewhere we can talk in private?”
He led her into the stairwell.
She hoped her recorder picked up everything in the enclosed space.
“I want to make a deal,” she said. “Your life for the name of the vigilante-in-charge. Don’t deny your participation. Lieutenant Lucier knows you’re involved. He saw your eyes. Recognized them.”
Hodge was momentarily struck silent. As red as his face was moments before, his complexion now appeared bloodless.
“Vigilante? Where do you get that?”
“Let’s not play games, okay? I know, and you know I know.”
“If he’s so sure I’m a so-called vigilante, which is ridiculous, why isn’t he here to arrest me?”
“You know why. And for that reason, I honestly didn’t expect to see you here this morning. I thought you’d be joining Chenault and Alba, two cops who screwed up, just like you did yesterday. Have you been looking over your shoulder, Senior Digital Forensic Analyst Hodge? Bet you have.”
Hodge snorted. “I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”
“Let me clarify.” She leaned against the wall, exhibiting as much confidence as she could muster. “I know what went on because when I touched Lucier this morning, I saw you and the other guy, Michel. Ernie’s team doesn’t know yet, but when Ernie is lucid, he’ll make sure one of them is here with handcuffs. But he’s not lucid, yet. Frankly, I hate you for that with all my heart, and I’d like nothing more than to see you dead. But I want something else more: the name of your boss.”
Hodge barred his arms across his chest and studied her. “Why isn’t your boyfriend lucid?”
“This isn’t a game, Hodge. I’m offering you a way out, with your life. You don’t have long to make up your mind.”