A Critical Tangent

by Reily Garrett

  “Porter?” Coyote suggested.

  “No. He’s just a crony. I don’t know who they are, but hopefully we can find out. Maybe Gabby left a clue on the flash.”

  Conjectures and suppositions filled the remainder of their drive with no definitive answers but multiplying the determination to get them.

  Spinyneck School sat at the end of an outlying, sparsely populated street. A chain-link fence surrounded the side yard inhabited by monkey bars, swing sets, shortened basketball hoops, and teeter-totters. Parking spaces in the front were minimal due to recent expansion.

  Coyote pulled into the circular bus loop and cut the engine. “Do we need to go inside, Keiki?”

  “No. Around the side, there’s a place we used to hide stuff when we were kids.”

  “What makes you think it’s still there, not degraded by time or changed with the renovations?” Coyote paused in opening his door.

  “Because Gabby said it was there. She hid the flash within the last two weeks. Our wall is on the south end and protected by an overhang which extends from the side entrance.”

  A soft expletive accompanied her sliding off the seat to stand beside the vehicle. Obvious pain from an ankle injury forced a slight hobbled step. Her outstretched hand prevented Nolan from scooping her up.

  “I got this.”

  If she thought she deserved the discomfort for leaving her friend behind, she was wrong. Still, Nolan wondered about what she hadn’t said. Her best friend endured rape and beatings. Keiki was with them long enough to have suffered the same.

  Either way, the world as she knew it, had further disintegrated before her eyes, again altered by death and deceit.

  “Don’t touch the flash once we find it, Keiki. Its evidence we don’t want altered.” Nolan’s reminder stiffened her shoulders.

  We especially don’t want your fingerprints on it.

  “Yeah. I know. We need it to incriminate Harock. He’s ultimately responsible for Shelly’s death and for Porter kidnapping Gabby.”

  Nolan shook his head, following Keiki’s limping form around the building’s corner. “This is no longer a we situation, kid.”

  “I’m in this, too, and I won’t back off.” Her warning held the steel of a determined mama bear.

  Low-growing shrubs fronted the building but ended at the corner. The west side included a tidy lawn without flowers or shrubs, its smooth expanse interrupted by a large compressor for the system’s heat pump.

  “Let me guess. You’ll enlist your PI buddy’s help and use your drones to do your own investigation?” Frustration nudged Nolan’s voice a little further south. He intended to protect her, despite her penchant for meddling.

  “I’m guessing its been cleared out after they took me?”

  “Yeah, they did a pretty thorough job.” Coyote halted when she indicated a brick in the wall. With a frown, he crouched beside the boxy compressor to examine the mortar around each piece of masonry. “How’d you know which one?”

  Keiki pointed toward the roof. “See the light? When they expanded on the other side, they didn’t move the wiring. The old compressor used to be a lot smaller, but the light marks the spot.”

  Nolan snapped on a pair of gloves and knelt beside his partner. Gentle probing near the base revealed a loosened piece. “Here.” Dirt packed around the joint didn’t crumble as he expected when he jiggled the brick free. “What did she use to pack around this brick?”

  “Who knows? She’s a chemistry whiz, remember?” She leaned over Nolan’s shoulder, and her warm breath tickled his ear, sending a shudder washing down his spine.

  His partner shook his head and scrubbed a hand over his nape.

  Once out, the half brick exposed a tiny compartment. In it, a baggie containing a small flash drive rested against the back.

  “Got it.” Nolan stood, holding the evidence.

  Coyote held a paper bag open expectantly. A twist of his lips granted a single outward sign of indecision as he tucked the bag in his jacket. “If we take this in and something happens to it…”

  “I’d like to see what’s on this before anyone else does. Make a copy?” Breaking procedure didn’t happen often for either detective, but Nolan’s glance flicking in Keiki’s direction conveyed all he couldn’t say.

  His partner nodded.

  “We’ll take this to my house and not—” Hair raising on his nape forced Nolan to glance back the way they’d come. The ensuing click and slide of a gun impelled him to draw his own after yanking Keiki down behind cover.

  The first shot pinged off the compressor inches away. Considering its construction, it offered little protection.

  “Shit.” Coyote’s weapon was drawn, and he faced the back of the building. “Clear this way. I’ll go.”

  Thirty yards of open space meant an unhindered shot for anyone circling behind the building.

  “She’ll follow.” Nolan leaned to the side and returned fire as Coyote ran in a crouched position to the back corner. No shots came from that direction, and a quick thumbs up indicated the coast clear.

  Keiki nodded.

  “Give me the flash and I’ll walk away. I’ve no desire to kill a few more but won’t hesitate.”

  The accented voice struck a familiar chord in Nolan’s mind. “Is that Porter?”

  Keiki’s fear became a living, breathing beast in Nolan’s mind. No one should cower like a beaten dog. “Stay down. As soon as Coyote makes it around the front edge, he’ll double back and give me a signal. Once he does, you high-tail it to him. Any problems, you head for the woods, then follow the copse of trees to Langdon Street. It’ll screen your route out of town. Got it?”

  “What about you?”

  In that second, he wanted more than anything to hold and comfort her, kiss her senseless, and tell her it would all work out. Life seldom happened that way. She’d already experienced the dregs of fate’s offerings. “Pincer’s move. We’ll sandwich him between us. Go. I’ll provide cover. Stay low and don’t slow down.”

  Porter fired three more shots but failed to hit a target.

  Nolan returned fire, each shot a reminder of what could happen. Each bullet struck the brick where Porter’s head had been a split-second prior thrust home the division between himself and Keiki. The life she led shouldn’t include firefights, kidnapping, and rape.

  Fate and unpredictable circumstances dictated the shifting world they faced.

  In loosening his guard, he’d placed his witness in the thug’s crosshairs. Seconds passed. Sweat trickled between his shoulder blades. Bullets ricocheted off the brick to his side and the unit granting spotty cover.

  Knowing they couldn’t guarantee her safety rekindled his memory of waking up in the woods and not knowing what had happened to his charge.

  A short whistle marked his time for procrastination at an end. Coyote and Keiki had made it to the opposite corner. He’d continue with minimal cover, leaving her at the front edge.

  Seventy-five yards separated the building and the trees lining the perimeter’s back and other side.

  Silence stretched out. Either Porter fled, waited for his target to break cover, or anticipated reinforcements. None of the options suggested Nolan’s dawdling a good choice. If they waited for backup, first arrivals might be hostile forces.

  Nolan shoved to his feet and bolted away from the building in a brazen move to draw fire. His partner was in position to end the threat.

  His gaze swept the area for signs of movement. Thirty yards out, and no bullet pierced his flesh.

  Angling back toward the front corner, he noted shadowy movements darting through the copse of trees ahead. Catching Porter took a back seat to protecting Keiki.

  Instead of giving chase, he returned to the vehicle where Coyote waited. Keiki’s slight frame hobbled forward with a quick gesture.

  “I’ll check for trackers.” Dropping to the pavement, his partner searched the undercarriage.

  Magnetic pucks could be slid into place in less than ten
seconds. Porter wouldn’t have had time to plant a more sophisticated device.

  The all-clear gesture signaled it time to leave.

  Keiki’s legs wobbled when scrambling to the back seat. Her exhale filled the small confines.

  “Keys.” Nolan held his hand out. “Change of plans.”

  “Yeah. Straight to the office.” Coyote slid his weapon back into his shoulder rig. “They want this thing real bad.”

  “Which means Gabby told them what’s on it.” Keiki didn’t have to finish her thought.

  Nolan exchanged a measured glance with his partner.

  In the rearview mirror, slumped posture and head down signaled her understanding.

  Once Porter confirmed the information, he had no reason to keep the chem student alive.

  The neighboring sheriff’s mission had become one of recovery, not rescue.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “Coyote arranged for your car to be moved to the impound lot. Since they’ve seen it, you shouldn’t be driving.”

  His partner suggested a divide-and-conquer strategy.

  Nolan dropped Coyote at the office then took Keiki to the ER, where they collected fingernail scrapings and documented the myriad cuts and bruises.

  Her statement he’d collect at home instead of an interrogation room. Silence in the back seat disrupted his ability to sort priorities. He could feel her defeat.

  “I’ll need you to write down everything that happened.” Making her relive the horror was reminiscent of dealing with a rape victim. Resurrecting her terror would bring the horrific experience closer to the surface and prolong the nightmares to come.

  She’d need to talk to someone, someone she trusted, someone who could reach her on her own level. That number now amounted to two. Coyote would defer to him.

  Once at his home, she shuffled in, each step an indicator of her mood. He didn’t interrupt her silent introspection, his silent prayer her path would lead back to him.

  On the sofa, she leaned forward to scratch behind the dog’s ears when he plopped his butt down in front of her. He set pen, paper, and a glass of water on the table beside her.

  It didn’t take her long to write her statement.

  She drank a little and continued to pet Horace. Her mind would rewind and replay until every detail was searched for fault and negligence.

  He gave her the space, reviewing his notes and the file until she was ready. She no longer had the stamina to resist or hold anything back.

  The silence broke when she started cooing over the dog.

  “I think you should’ve let them X-ray your ankle.” He wanted to soothe her pain, to provide a balm for her shattered soul. Instead, he was helpless.

  A vehement shake of her head closed the subject for the time being.

  Everything she’d known, every one she’d believed in, either died or betrayed her. Trust was a precious commodity, more so for those alone in the world and who endured deceit and treachery at every turn.

  “She saved my life. Her ankle was broken, and she knew from the start she wouldn’t escape.”

  Unable to sit, Keiki paced, ending in the middle of the kitchen. Her eyes glazed over as if little mattered. “I know she’s dead. I feel it.”

  He couldn’t deny her gut instinct nor defend her long-term friends, not without knowing more. “You said you had little physical contact with Porter. Still, we had to send your clothes to forensics for trace evidence. Just being—where you were—should pick up something that might help us nail him.”

  “God, I hope so.”

  “When you’re ready, you can get a shower. I can find you something else to wear.” Helpless agitation carried him to stand in front of her.

  She was so lost, so alone.

  To hell with appearances. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close.

  She inched forward with a sniffle and a sob, followed by more of the same. “How did I not see any of this coming? I’ve thought of Franklin Harock as a second father for years. He’s family.”

  “It’s the people closest to us that hurt us the most.”

  Filtered light dappled the borrowed clothes big enough to house a second body. The end result reaffirmed her status as lost waif.

  Nolan held her through the tears and self-recriminations, knowing time would wear away the rough edges enough for her to see the truth. Until then, he’d offer whatever support she’d accept.

  “I’m all alone now. I’ve got nobody.”

  Gripping her shoulders, he tightened his hold, needing to make sure she understood. “No, Keiki. You’re not.” Ticking of the grandfather clock timed her calming breaths. He waited until she met his gaze, needing her to understand the depth of his commitment.

  “I may not be the friend you want, but I’ll be around for as long as you need.”

  Keiki leaned forward and rested her forehead against his chest. “You’re a detective, one who saved my life. I have no idea what to do with that information.”

  “I’m also a man, a friend, and a good listener.”

  Moments passed, her steady breath warm through his cotton shirt, stirred sensations he had no business feeling.

  “I never thought a cop would be my friend.”

  “That’s because you’re still in college. Life will change and offer a new perspective once you graduate.”

  “You’re wrong. I’ve been on my own for the last four years, making my own decisions and mistakes.”

  Maybe Carolyn was right, and the distance he’d forced between them stemmed from his need for self-protection. “You want to get cleaned up now? I can find some clothes that fit you better.” Against his chest, she nodded.

  “I want a dog. They’re always honest about what they feel, never hold a grudge, and don’t know deceit.”

  “Sounds like a good idea. I think Carolyn would love it. She often borrows Horace for the day.” Deep down, he hoped she’d opt to stay at Carolyn’s after this was all over, where he could keep an eye on her.

  “I have time to train a puppy and enough funds to take a break after I graduate. ’Sides, I plan on working at home for a while.”

  The way she hesitated sent up a red flag. “You’re planning on continuing to work with Tucker, aren’t you?”

  She shrugged a shoulder as if nothing mattered. It was a discussion for another time, an argument suffered through once clearer heads prevailed.

  When she snuggled closer against his harder frame, he noticed the subtle change, the softening of her body as it molded against him.

  Shit.

  Certain parts more interested in a physical relationship responded immediately. When he pulled back to step away, she tightened her hold.

  “Please? I need the contact.”

  He wasn’t sure which she desired most. The comfort of a caring human or the continued response of a man who wanted a woman.

  Not just any woman. This one.

  He hadn’t remained celibate after Clare’s passing, but he hadn’t become emotionally involved with another woman or brought one to his home.

  Keiki was a young lady in crisis. Now was not the time to take the plunge into a sexual relationship.

  When she lifted her head, the look in her eyes gutted him, destroying all thoughts of resistance.

  “Keiki? I… you’re vulnerable right now. I don’t think—”

  “That’s the problem. Too much thought. I swore if I escaped I’d let you know…”

  She closed the distance before he could react, not that his body was capable of retreat.

  The soft brush of her lips started a tingling sensation in his own which soon spread through his chest. Butterfly wings couldn’t have been softer.

  He fisted his hands in her hair and held her in place with gentle assurance, offering himself to any degree she would take. Gone was the guilt of yesteryear, replaced with a need so strong, a hunger so wild, it would consume his soul.

  Her hands drifted up his back to clutch him tighter, her
body melting into him so every curve, every soft, rounded, supple inch of her molded to him like a gift fashioned by cosmic design.

  He’d done nothing to deserve this, nothing to merit the potential paradise her arms offered. Yet his body overrode conscious thought, delving into her tender submission with a zeal matching her passion. Tilting her head to the side granted better access, a groan escaping when she opened her mouth at the touch of his tongue along the seam of her lips.

  Inside, he found ecstasy. The kind of bliss which could sustain a spirit for a lifetime, a hundred lifetimes, an eternity of never-ending euphoria. Outside stimuli became white noise where nothing could intrude on the enchantment of their moment, frozen for all time.

  A soft whimper resounding in her chest compelled him to deepen the kiss, tasting, exploring, exalting in a union of minds and souls.

  The sound of his front door opening equaled a bucket of cold water. Damn! If he didn’t kill whomever had entered, they’d be lucky.

  Both his family and Coyote had keys. The current situation forced a re-examination of priorities.

  His partner’s throat clearing then feigned retrieval of an envelope from an inner jacket pocket claimed his attention, negating the sight of Nolan’s transgression.

  Keiki backed up, her eyes glazed and her hands trembling. “Hi, Coyote. I was just, um, talking with Nolan.”

  “I see. Awful quiet.”

  “Sign language.”

  “With your tongues?”

  “Yeah, it’s a new fad.”

  “Hmm. Maybe I’ll have to take lessons.”

  Coyote smiled in the face of Nolan’s groan.

  “I’m gonna go get a shower.” She didn’t look higher than Nolan’s chest. “Can you set some clothes out on the bed?” Crimson cheeks and a somewhat less than steady stride accompanied her sight line never leaving the floor in passing to the hallway.

  “Sure.” He didn’t need to see Coyote’s face to know what thoughts rambled through the man’s mind. Once the door shut to his bedroom, he focused his full attention on his partner. “Don’t say it. It won’t happen again.”