Retribution

by Jasmine White

  Chapter Thirteen

  The yellow-orange ball of the rising sun spilled out its rays of light directly into Katherine’s eyes as she exited the front door of her apartment complex. She inhaled the crisp morning air and the cobwebs of her mind fell away. The night before had been terrible, sleepless. She'd tossed and turned all night thinking about Johnny, debating what to do. She wondered again what she should do about his cigarette lighter she'd found in her apartment the night it was searched. The fact that'd she'd found it, not Bailey, and that she hadn't told him disturbed her. She shivered, pulled her red cardigan closer and made her way to her car determined to start the morning fresh. The perfectionist inside her demanded she measure Pamela’s house once more to double-check the accuracy of her floor plans before the construction crew started their work the next day.

  The possibility of being able to finish the project brought a flush to her cheeks. She looked both ways before quickly crossing the street to where she customarily parked her little Chevy. It was while she was fumbling with her keys that she caught notice of an officious-looking black sedan parallel parked behind her car.

  She stopped handling her keys and peered closer to the sedan to catch sight of a man sitting in the driver’s seat, an open newspaper spread out over the steering wheel. He must be the man Detective Bailey had posted to watch her, she realized in exasperation. She was grateful for his presence at night, but in the day? It seemed absurd.

  Her high heels clicked smartly on the asphalt as she marched over to the car and rapped loudly on the window. The man jerked up in surprise. Kate covered a snicker with a cough; he’d fallen asleep holding his newspaper. As he rolled down the window, she noticed yesterday’s date on the top of the paper.

  “You must be Bailey’s man. Don’t worry,” she added when a look of concern crossed his face, “he already told me you were assigned to follow me. Haven’t I seen you somewhere before?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He extended his hand through the open window. “Detective Green. I was with Bailey the night of Professor Drake’s death.”

  “Of course. I wanted to tell you there’s no reason to be following me today.” She straightened up as though to prove her competence. “I guess you’ve seen Pamela, my friend and client. I’m just going to be working at her beach house. I really don’t think anybody would follow me all the way out there.”

  He hesitated and cast his eyes downward briefly before he looked back up at her; faint blue circles were visible underneath his eyes, fine lines radiated out from their corners. He looked as though he hadn’t slept in a week. “My job is to follow you. Dangerous or not, I’m not going to let you out of my sight.”

  “Really.” Katherine exhaled in exasperation. “If that’s not the stupidest thing. Why, anyone could see you’re exhausted.” He was silent. “Honestly, I’ll be fine,” she pleaded, continuing more forcibly as he appeared to be considering it. “If it’ll make you feel any better I can ring up my friend Wesley and have him meet me over there.” He still didn’t answer but merely sat there sullenly. “Fine! Be exhausted and act like you’re half dead all day while you follow me around doing my errands—I don’t care.”

  She was turning on her heel to go when he called after her. “Wait!” He smiled sheepishly as she turned to look at him. “You should be fine if you’re with your friend. Want to call him real quick and make sure he’s available?”

  She nodded. “Be right back.”

  It took her just under five minutes to reach Wesley and find out he just had a strenuous game of golf planned until noon that day and then was free.

  Then she was back at Green’s car. “It’s all set. He’ll meet me over there soon as he is done golfing.”

  “Okay. I’ll just follow you over to make sure you get there okay,” he said and covered a yawn. “Could you stop by the drive-in on the corner on the way so I can get myself a quick cup of coffee?”

  She rolled her eyes. Of all the dumb things. She had to escort her escort to get coffee so he would be awake enough to follow her. “Fine. I’ll drive to Dave’s Drive-In at the corner, but you’ve got to make it quick. I need to get some work done today.”

  “It’ll only take a few minutes, I swear,” he called after her.

  Pulling her car out onto the narrow street, she watched Green in her rearview mirror as he drifted into the lane behind her at a covert distance. Why had she never noticed him before? Now that she knew he was there, he stuck out like a sore thumb.

  A minute later as she turned into the small parking lot in front of a Dave’s, she looked at the giant tin replica of a cup of coffee leaning at an angle on top the building. Supported by rebar, it balanced precariously on the shingled roof and looked as though the most mild of storms would see it finished and lying in the parking lot. And yet, despite the danger of being squashed by a cup of coffee, the small parking lot was bustling with people grabbing a drink or a bite to eat before starting their morning.

  Apparently this was the place to be when you were in a hurry, Katherine thought as she waited impatiently for a parking spot. The loud honking of a car she’d just cut off blared into her ears and the upward gesture of the person lifting both their hands in that classic road rage motion unnerved her as she slid into a newly vacant parking spot. Green had better find a parking spot quick. She impatiently pulled up the parking brake and waited for the attendant.

  “What can I get for you, miss?” A sandy-haired teenage boy with a sprinkling of freckles across his nose passed her a small one-page menu through her window. It only took her a moment of looking at the little menu to realize how hungry she was. “I’ll take scrambled eggs, toast, and coffee. How long will that take?”

  “Just about ten minutes, ma’am.” The boy scribbled in a little notebook he’d pulled from his surprisingly spotless white apron. “Is that it for you?”

  “Yes, thank you.” She smiled politely, the boy turned away, and she settled back in her seat. Green’s coffee stop had worked out for the best after all. Her stomach growled from the smell of spicy sausage and hot coffee wafting in from a black car parked beside her.

  A newspaper boy was going from car to car selling his wares. She raised her hand out her window to buy one. If Green insisted on following her, at least she could give him a current newspaper to hide behind. Where had he parked? She looked around and recognized his car, two spaces over. A girl was taking his order now. An attractive young man in the car to her right smiled and nodded, touching the tip of his hat in greeting as her eyes met his. She quickly returned her focus to the front.

  The blue of a silk-sleeved arm resting on the passenger window of a brilliant blue Buick in front of her caught her eye. A man impatiently got out a second later. His short stature, receding brown hair, ruddy skin, and slouched posture registered suddenly in Katherine’s brain. Jerry? What was Johnny’s boss doing here? She must’ve accidentally discovered his morning routine. Half raising her hand, she was about to call a greeting to Jerry when she got a large grin and wave from the man beside her, who apparently thought she was waving at him. She quickly withdrew her hand, and determined not to look to the right again.

  Being in a sour mood seemed to be one of Jerry’s trademarks, Katherine thought to herself. The man in the driver’s seat next to him didn’t appear any happier. His jerking hand motions as he spoke to Jerry betrayed anger. Diamond cufflinks flashed brilliantly in the morning sunlight.

  No wonder Johnny had been in such an angry mood lately. He had implied it was something to do with his work. Was the man in the driver’s seat a new boss? One that didn’t appreciate Johnny’s hard work? The man looked like he’d come straight from the heart South America with dark black hair slicked neatly back, his black suit immaculate, his short frame slightly stocky. Katherine noticed that their heads seemed about level—he probably had a short-man complex and took his lack of height out on Johnny, she concluded ruefully.

  Finally a server skated up to their car, and Jerry quickly
paid her in cash, looking cranky while he waited for the girl to figure the change in her head. After seeing his angry mood, Katherine was glad she hadn’t been successful in attracting his attention.

  “Here you are, ma’am.” The boy blocked her view as he attached a metal tray to the door of her car and set her plate of food and cup of coffee onto it.

  “Thank you.” Katherine pressed a tip into his hand before eagerly reaching for the coffee. If that young man weren’t right beside her she’d offer a toast to Detective Green. Maybe this shadowing business would work out well after all.