Ribs sat up quickly on the edge of the bed. “What!”
“Somebody killed Martin. Call me when you get there.”
“Did you call Cruz?”
“That’s your job. I was still asleep.”
“I was asleep, too,” Ribs said.
“You’re not the captain,” Coop said, and she didn’t laugh.
Ribs hung up, then leaned over and kissed Rosalee on the cheek. “Body at the hospital. Gotta go.”
“Who is it?”
“That guy from yesterday.” He dressed quickly and called Cruz before leaving. It took forty-five minutes to get to the hospital. Cruz was waiting.
“Have you been in there?” Ribs asked.
“You’re not gonna believe it,” Cruz said.
“Tell me.”
“It would be better if you see it yourself.”
A small group of hospital staff had gathered nearby, even though Martin’s room had been sealed off. Two uniformed officers guarded the door. One of them nodded to Ribs as he approached.
“They already processed it,” he said. “It’s all yours.”
Ribs stared at the onlookers, mostly nurses and techs, plus one doctor. “Everybody loves a dead body.”
“Especially one like this,” Cruz said, and led the way into Martin’s room.
Ribs followed. “Dios mîo.”
Blood covered the sheets and the floor, and a knife was stabbed into each of Martin’s eyes. “Dios mîo,” Ribs said again.
“Somebody wanted him dead for sure,” Cruz said.
“The question is, why?” Ribs asked. “It couldn’t have been the stickers. For that, they could have waited until he got out.”
“How about that Terrible guy?” Cruz said.
“Julie said he was a professional killer. What the hell did Martin do to warrant this?”
“I guess we better take a look at the apartment,” Cruz said. “There must be more to Señor Martin than we suspected.”
“We’ll go in a minute,” Ribs said, and dialed Coop.
“What’s going on, Delgado?”
“He’s dead, all right. Big-ass knife jammed in each eye.”
“I heard. What’s it look like down there?”
“Captain, I need help on this. Cruz and I are going to Martin’s place to see what we can find, but I need some uniforms down here to question people. Somebody had to have seen something in a damn hospital.”
“I’ll get a few people down there. I hope the hospital has video, and that we got a good picture of whoever did this. I don’t need the chief all over my ass about this.”
“Okay, we’re off. I’ll call you later.”
Martin’s apartment was on the ground floor. A patrolman met them at the front entrance.
“Good morning, detectives.”
“Jakes, how’s it going?” Ribs said.
“Quiet. I hope I can get out of here soon.”
“Did anybody come by?”
“A lot of people came by, but nobody that looked out of place, and nobody tried going in. Millner’s inside.”
Ribs and Cruz entered Martin’s apartment, both wearing gloves. A couch sat against the outside wall, and a chair was on the adjacent wall, facing a big-screen TV. The rest of the room was bare. Officer Millner sat at a table in the eating area, munching on a burger.
“I hope you didn’t touch anything,” Ribs said.
“Do I look like a fuckin’ rookie?”
“You look like a fuckin’ pig,” Cruz said. “Are you eating this man’s food?”
Millner wiped his mouth and stared at Cruz. “Do you think I’d eat something that was already in this place? Give me a break, Cruz. Besides, it’s not like he’s coming back for dinner.”
“I’ll check the bedroom,” Cruz said.
“I’ve seen a lot worse,” Ribs told Millner. “This place is clean.”
“Except for the naked girl pics on the bedroom wall,” Cruz said as he came back down the hall. “You need to come see this. The whole damn wall is covered in naked women. And they’re not posters.”
“Same one?” Ribs asked.
“All different,” Millner said. “And some of them look damn sweet.”
Ribs shot him a sideways look. “Goddamn pervert.”
Cruz was checking under the bed when Delgado walked in. “Damn, Cruz, I think Señor Martin has a problem.”
“Had a problem,” Cruz said. “And I don’t think he was gay.”
“They look like working girls.”
“That’s my guess. Do you recognize any of them?” Cruz said, then he pulled a small box from under the bed and set it on the nightstand.
“Let’s see what’s inside,” Ribs said.
Cruz opened the box and started pulling things out. “St. Anthony medal, rosary, a picture of an old woman—probably his mother, a money clip with nothing in it, and a pair of dice.” He shut the box. “Not much to take through the gate.”
“Not much?” Ribs said. “What do you think the rosary and medal are for? That’s for St. Peter to let him pass.”
“And the old woman’s picture?” Cruz asked.
“To show St. Peter his mother is there waiting for him,” Ribs said.
“What about the dice?”
“In case St. Peter doesn’t believe him. That’s when he takes the dice out to gamble.”
“In other words, more of your Catholic bullshit but no clues.”
Ribs shook his head. “I don’t know. That St. Anthony guy could have done it.”
“Or the old woman,” Cruz said.
“We better keep looking,” Ribs said.
They went through the bathroom, the closet, and the only dresser in the room, but found nothing other than a couple of days’ worth of clothes and an empty wallet. The kitchen took only five minutes to search, and then they checked under the cushions of the couch and chair. Cruz walked to a waste can next to the table where Millner sat.
“Did you look through here? Or throw anything in it?”
“Didn’t touch it,” Millner said.
Cruz knelt and searched the can, bringing out a few crumpled pieces of paper, some of them stained with ketchup. Ribs set them on the table and unfolded them. “Receipt from a grocery store and another from Wendy’s.”
“Couple of lotto tickets here,” Cruz said.
“Hey, Cruz, this note has ‘Mandy’ written on it, with a phone number next to her name.”
Cruz looked down at the paper he held in his hand. “Got a phone number here, too, but no name. Just says, ‘lawyer.’”
Ribs took the note from him. “Lawyer? Didn’t Martin ask for a lawyer?”
“Sure as hell did,” Cruz said. “Why would he ask for one if he already had one?”
“Let’s see who owns this number.” Ribs took out his phone and dialed.
A receptionist answered on the third ring. “Barnes, Griffin, and Lipscomb.”
Ribs paused. Lipscomb was the dead guy’s name. “Is Mr. Lipscomb in?”
A long hesitation, then, “Who may I say is calling?”
“Oscar Salinas.”
“And what is the nature of the call, Mr. Salinas?”
“What are all the questions about? Is Mr. Lipscomb in or not?”
An even longer hesitation followed, then, “I’m sorry, Mr. Salinas, but Mr. Lipscomb has passed away. May I connect you to Mr. Barnes, our senior partner?”
“No thanks,” Ribs said, and hung up.
Cruz looked at him. “What the hell was that all about?”
“That body we found in the Four Seasons, the lawyer? That was no other than Mr. Lipscomb, the guy who used to be at the other end of this number.”
Cruz narrowed his eyes. “Something doesn’t sound right about that.”
“What are the chances that a guy like Martin even knew a high-priced lawyer? And how do they both end up dead a few days apart?” Ribs started to dial another number.
“Who are you calling?”
“Gotta
call Coop. She’s not gonna believe this shit.”
Chapter 10
Just Like Old Times
We stopped at the station so I could get my car, and then I headed out. Tip said he had work to catch up on.
“I’ll come by later,” I said. “I have to feed Hotshot, and I could use a shower.”
“You could always shower—”
“With you?” I said, and laughed. “I see nothing’s changed in Tip’s world.”
“See you tonight,” Tip said. “I’ll cook something.”
It felt strange going to a house instead of an apartment, but strange in a nice way. I liked the privacy and the space, and I felt sure Hotshot was going to love being able to go outside more often. After I got Hotshot introduced to the yard, I began the arduous task of cleaning a new house. It wasn’t dirty, not by any means, but it wasn’t mine. I didn’t feel like a place was mine until I’d cleaned it and fixed it up.
I scrubbed the cabinets, did a quick dust job, and then an even quicker vacuum run. Then I unpacked a few things and placed my pictures of Dominic, and Zeppe and his family on a shelf in the living room. After that I tackled the bathrooms. No way was I showering without a thorough scrubbing. After cleaning tile for almost an hour, I took a shower, fed the cat, and decided I’d better call Uncle Dominic.
“Pronto.”
“It’s me,” I said. “I wanted to let you know I’m in Houston, and I’m safe.”
“I would have heard if you weren’t,” Dominic said.
“Zio!”
“No reason for concern, Concetta. You know I have no connections in Houston.”
“I don’t know anything about your business, and that’s the way I want to keep it.” I laughed, and he did too. It felt good. “How are Zeppe and the kids?”
“You know Zeppe. He has never seen a cloudy sky.” He paused for a moment then said, “Sometimes I wish our roles were reversed, that Zeppe and I could have traded places.”
I had never heard Dominic like this. It seemed strange. “Maybe you should come visit me, Uncle Dominic. Take a vacation, ditch the FBI, and we’ll go to a nice restaurant and eat Mexican food.”
“Don’t be surprised if I knock on your door one night.”
“I’ll be waiting,” I said, and then, “I need to get going. I just called to let you know I got here okay.”
“No need to explain. I’ll say hello to Zeppe. Call when you can. And be safe.”
“Ciao, Zio Domenico. Ti voglio bene.”
“Ciao, Concetta.”
I pulled up Tip’s address on the map and routed it on my phone, then headed out. I thought back on my conversation with Dominic and realized it was the first time in many years that I’d talked to him without getting stressed or have the feeling that someone was watching me. I looked forward to more of that, especially at work. I could do without other cops second-guessing my motives or my loyalty to the department.
Before I knew it, my exit came up on the freeway. I was tempted to check the map but waited to see if I’d remember. Within minutes, I was close, and as I reached the exit, it all came back to me.
As I crossed through Tip’s “private property” gate and headed down that old gravel drive, fond memories returned—deer, coyotes, the sounds of the woods. A far cry from Brooklyn. Back home, I’d have to go to the zoo to see as much wildlife as Tip had on his few acres.
The car in the driveway wasn’t Tip’s, and it sure as hell didn’t look like it would be something Elena would drive. As I wondered whose car it could be, it hit me—Mollie’s. Tip hadn’t mentioned her since I’d been back, but I’d bet the few bucks I had that she was still cleaning his house and sticking her nose into his investigations.
I walked toward his back porch. The barking started before I got within twenty feet. A light went on in the family room, and then the door opened and Mollie poked her head out. She stepped onto the porch. Inside, the dogs still barked.
“Could’ve told a damn person you were coming,” she said. “That would’ve been the civil thing to do.”
Same old Mollie. It is good to be back in Texas. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“Tip knows you’re comin’?”
“He told me to meet him here.”
She opened the door and shook her head. “Should’ve known. Damn inconsiderate man is what he is. But there I go wastin’ words again. Man would’ve been enough to say.”
I hid my laugh as I greeted the dogs. “Flash, how are you, girl?”
She gave me one of her crazy snarls and jumped on me. Then I was drawn to the quietness of the other dog. “Come here, boy. Who are you?”
“That’s Sacco,” Mollie said. “Damn dog acts like he’s royalty. Don’t even bother to say hello.”
I reached over and brushed my hand across Sacco’s head, but that’s all I could do because Flash was up to her old jealous ways, squeezing in and demanding attention. “I see it’s gonna take a lot more than a bullet to slow Flash down.”
“Come in the kitchen,” Mollie said. “You want coffee?”
“I remember Tip’s coffee. I’ll take a beer.”
“Smart girl,” she said, and grabbed two beers from the fridge then sat in the chair next to me. “What brought you back?”
I didn’t know how to answer that. After a brief pause, I said, “Things weren’t the same back home.”
“They never are,” Mollie said, and then she looked me up and down. “You look good, considering.”
“It took a while,” I said. “And for a long time, I thought I’d never be the same.”
She nodded. “I reckon that’s what brought you back. Had to come back to where you were done wrong so you could face your demons. My husband had to do that when he quit the bottle.”
As I gave thought to what Mollie said, a car pulled into the driveway. Flash barked. Sacco stayed where he was.
Tip walked in a half a minute later, gave Flash the mandatory greetings, waved to Sacco, and then came into the kitchen. “I see y’all started without me.”
“I’d have been just as happy to have finished without you too,” Mollie said. “Didn’t even have the courtesy to tell me that Connie was coming.”
“You weren’t supposed to be here, so why should I have told you?”
Mollie got up from the chair and got another beer. “Not supposed to be here? You tell me how one person’s gonna clean this house the way you keep it.”
Tip gritted his teeth. “Mollie—”
“Don’t go cursing me. Sit down and drink your beer and tell me what case we’re working. I’ll cook something up for us.”
“Get it straight—we are not working any case. But you can cook something if you want.”
Mollie tapped me on the shoulder. “You need to thank me. If it wasn’t for me, he might never have solved that case. As it was, you got hurt ’cause he wouldn’t listen. Too damn hardheaded.”
“Bullshit,” Tip said. “I had that case solved six ways from Sunday.”
“Six ways from Sunday? What the hell is that supposed to mean?” She walked off mumbling, “Man walks around spitting out shit that don’t make sense.”
“It was just as much my fault,” I said. “I missed the same clues. Maybe you and Tip should partner up.”
“Don’t even say that as a joke,” Tip said. “God might punish me in my next life and stick me with her.”
“You could do worse,” Mollie said.
Tip gulped the rest of his beer. “We don’t even have a case, Mollie. Not a real one.”
“I wouldn’t worry too much about that. Won’t be long before some crazy starts killing people.” Mollie went to the fridge and pulled out a few containers. “Who wants leftovers? We’ve got BBQ and some damn good potato salad.”
“Count me in,” I said.
Tip and I ate dinner while Mollie talked, or at least it seemed that way. Not only could she talk almost nonstop, but she jumped topics without any transition. Tip finished his plate then started
on the dishes in the sink.
“I’ll get them,” Mollie said. “You talk with Connie.”
We went on the side porch, and for a while, we just sat there listening to the night and rocking in the chair. A few minutes passed, and then Tip said, “You ready for this?”
“Of course I am.”
After another minute or so, I looked at him. “Truth is, Tip, I don’t know if I’m ready.”
He nodded. “I know.”
“Have you ever…”
“Been afraid?” he said, and then he nodded again. “Too many times to count.”
I stopped rocking and leaned forward as I turned to face him. “It’s not like this is the first time I’ve been scared…But up north, I had family. Even during the time I didn’t associate with them, they were still there. I know that sounds crazy, but it’s how I felt.”
“Don’t worry about it; you’ve got family here, too. You’ve got me. And you’ve got Mollie.”
I almost choked on the beer I’d just sipped. And then I laughed. Hard. Tip joined in. “On that note, I’m getting another beer,” I said.
“Time to go in anyway,” Tip said, and as we walked into the kitchen, his phone rang. He pressed the speaker button and answered. “Tip Denton, best damn detective in Texas.”
“You better put your detective hat on.”
“Why’s that, Delgado? You need help already?”
“We have a guy in the hospital on this sticker case, or I should say we had a guy in the hospital. Somebody walked in this morning and stuck a blade in each of his eyes.”
“What the hell? Did this guy kill somebody’s mother or something?”
“I don’t know, but Cruz and I went to his apartment afterward, and we found a piece of paper with ‘lawyer,’ written on it and a phone number. Guess who the lawyer was?”
“Don’t tell me it’s our guy.”
“None other.”
“What the hell’s that all about?”
“You tell me,” Ribs said. “How about you and your new partner check out the law firm. Cruz and I will do the hard work by figuring out who killed Señor Martin.”
“Sounds good. We’ll catch up afterward.” Tip hung up and looked at me. “Looks like we got a case now.”
“We sure do,” Mollie said, and shook her head. “A knife in each eye. Told you it wouldn’t be long before the crazies struck.”
Bullet From Dominic Page 7