Caliber Detective Agency Box Set 1

by Remington Kane

  Chris looked at Velma.

  “I’ll meet you here at three tomorrow afternoon and we’ll take my car.”

  Velma nodded agreement while yawning.

  “That sounds good; it means that I can sleep late.”

  The old man stood, signaling that the meeting was over.

  “Don’t underestimate this John Jansen. I know that nothing in his record indicates it, but if he was behind that bomb, then he’s damn dangerous.”

  “We’ll be careful,” Velma said.

  “Jakey?”

  “Yeah Granddad?”

  “Stay a minute, will ya?”

  “Sure.”

  After Chris and Velma left, the old man asked Jake a question.

  “About this hit and run that killed Victor Jansen’s first wife...”

  “Yeah?”

  “Don’t you think that it’s a bit of a coincidence that he came to us because he was nearly run over too?”

  Jake smiled at the old man.

  “I certainly do, which is why I’ve got a lunch date tomorrow with the first cop on the scene of the wife’s hit and run.”

  “Jakey?”

  “Yeah, Granddad?”

  “You’re a hell of a P.I.”

  Jake put an arm around the old man.

  “I learned from the very best.”

  CHAPTER 10

  The following morning, Tommy Delaney stopped by the office with a box of donuts.

  Jake was there with the old man, and after Kelli brought in a carafe of fresh coffee, the three men sat around the elder Jake’s desk and talked.

  Delaney pointed at the door after Kelli had left the room.

  “She’s in a very good mood today; she was singing to herself when I came in.”

  “New boyfriend,” the old man said. “And he’s one of yours, Officer Jason Kent.”

  Jake bristled at that.

  “Kent’s not her boyfriend, they had one lousy date.”

  Delaney dipped his donut in coffee and smiled.

  “I think I’m detecting the presence of the green-eyed monster.”

  “I’m not jealous; it’s just that Kelli is too good for Kent.”

  “What do you have against that boy, Jakey?”

  “I was working a case last year and he wouldn’t let me onto a crime scene until the lead detective gave the okay in person. The lead detective was ten stories up and had to come down to get me. It pissed both of us off, didn’t it, Tommy?”

  Delaney laughed.

  “That’s why you don’t like him? Hell, I forgot all about that. The kid was just green as can be back then. All rookies are sticklers for the rules, but Kent has what it takes to be a detective someday.”

  “He’s still not good enough for Kelli.”

  “That’s for Kelli to decide,” the old man said, before gesturing with his donut at Delaney. “What’s going on with the Remmi Harlow case?”

  “He’s looking to skate on all charges by giving up a partner; the one he says is the brains behind the operation. According to Remmi, he was nothing but a pawn.”

  “Is the ATF ready to deal?”

  “No, they want Remmi to do some prison time, but he doesn’t want to do even a day, so right now they’re at a stalemate.”

  “I’m willing to bet that his partner is either the missing James Preston or John Jansen, but I’ll be damned if I can figure out where they would be getting the guns from.”

  “Yeah, and unless we figure that out, those weapons will keep appearing on the streets.”

  “How is Victor Jansen holding up?” Jake said.

  “The guy is scared to death and heartbroken over learning about his wife and son, but you know, evidence or no evidence, I can’t buy Veronica Jansen as a mad bomber.”

  Jake nodded in agreement.

  “No, she’s being set-up, and all of this, Remmi, Victor Jansen, the guns, it all points back to John Jansen.”

  There was a knock at the door, and the old man yelled, “Come in!”

  A moment later, Kelli entered with a young man in a blue suit. The man was holding an easel and carrying a poster-size piece of cardboard.

  “Mr. Caliber, this is Ron Hart from downstairs. He has that enlargement you wanted.”

  The old man walked over to meet Hart, who was busy setting up the display. When he was done, there was a giant blow-up of the picture that the old man had gotten from Russell McKay.

  Ron Hart held out his hand and the old man shook it.

  “It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Caliber.”

  “Thanks kid, and you do good work; this photo came out great and I was afraid it might blur.”

  “No sir, I was able to increase the resolution.”

  “Well, whatever that means you did a fine job.”

  “Thank you, sir,” Hart said, and then he kept staring at the old man with a wide-eyed gaze.

  Kelli broke the spell.

  “Okay Ron, you’d better get back downstairs before you’re missed.”

  “Oh, right, and again Mr. Caliber, it was an honor to meet you.”

  After Kelli left with Hart, Delaney let out a laugh.

  “That kid was looking at you like you were his hero, Uncle Jake. What’s that like?”

  “Annoying, this living legend crap ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. I’m just a guy who’s always done the best that he could, just like you two.”

  “Yeah, but your best is better than anybody else’s,” Delaney said.

  The old man waved that off and began studying the photo enlargement. A moment later, he went to his desk and got a magnifying glass.

  Delaney chuckled.

  “I didn’t know you P.I.’s really used those things.”

  “Ha ha,” Jake said.

  “But seriously, Uncle Jake, what are you looking for?”

  “I’m not really sure, Tommy, but I’ll know when I find it.”

  ***

  At the New York City jail complex on Rikers Island, Remmi Harlow’s man, Gino, made a phone call to the elusive James Preston.

  “Hello?”

  “This is Gino, Remmi and I got arrested last night.”

  “Has Remmi talked?”

  “No, but he’s looking to make a deal.”

  “What kind of heat are you facing?”

  “They don’t care about me. My lawyer says he can get me out on bail later today.”

  “I would be very grateful if my problem were to disappear.”

  “It can be arranged, but just how grateful would you be?”

  “Grateful enough that a man free on bail could start a new life.”

  “Consider your problem solved.”

  “Thank you, Gino. My gratitude will be delivered in the usual way.”

  ***

  At lunchtime, Jake showed up at Joe’s Deli for a meeting and saw Kelli having lunch with Jason Kent.

  “I didn’t know you were such a cheap date, Kelli. What’s the matter, Kent, you can’t spring for more than a pastrami sandwich?”

  “Get lost, Caliber, Kelli and I want to be alone.”

  “Relax, I’m just jerking your chain a little, but Kelli, if you’re free later, why don’t I take you to dinner and then you can tell me all about your trip to Texas.”

  Kelli stared up at him.

  “I don’t think so, Jake.”

  Kent reached across the table and took her hand.

  “How about I take you out to dinner this weekend? I’ll even throw in a movie.”

  Kelli grinned.

  “I’d love that, Jason.”

  Jake made a sound of disgust and marched over to an empty table, where he plopped into a seat that afforded him a view of Kelli.

  His lunch companion arrived a minute later.

  Officer Shea O’Reilly sauntered into the deli wearing civilian clothes, jeans and a leather jacket. O’Reilly was five-two, a hundred and twenty pounds with shoulder-length dark hair and a dark complexion. Her face said angel, but her eyes said devil, and wh
en she spoke, her voice was pure Brooklyn.

  “Please tell me that you’re not really interested in an old hit and run and that you’re gonna take me somewhere and rock the walls.”

  Jake laughed.

  “You’re a horny little thing, O’Reilly.”

  “Is that a yes?”

  “I need my strength; I’m working an overnight stakeout.”

  “That’s it, play hard to get.”

  “Let me ask you something, how’d you get the name O’Reilly? You’re as Italian as they come.”

  “My old man was Irish; my mama says that the only thing I got from him was his temper.”

  O’Reilly noticed Jake looking past her and realized that he was watching Kelli.

  “You’re checking out that redhead, huh? What’s she got that I don’t?”

  Jake sighed.

  “My heart.”

  “What?”

  “Never mind, tell me what you know about Jennifer Jansen’s hit and run.”

  “There ain’t much to tell,” O’Reilly said, as she consulted a small notebook, but then the waitress interrupted her and the two of them placed their orders. After their beverages came, O’Reilly continued.

  “Jennifer Jansen, Caucasian, age 55, was struck as she was getting into a cab after leaving her hair stylist on Twenty-Third Street. The vehicle then dragged her approximately thirty feet and she was pronounced dead at the scene. I got there right after it happened, and let me tell you, it was bloody.”

  “It sounds like it, but what did the witnesses say?”

  “The cabbie said that the car never slowed down and—Hey! You want to hear this or what?”

  “What? I’m listening,”

  “You were eyeballing that redhead again. She’s really gotten under your skin, huh?”

  “We used to date.”

  “Ah, so that’s it, but who’s the cop with her?”

  “How do you know he’s a cop?”

  “I can spot my own kind.”

  “His name is Jason Kent, and he’s a jerk.”

  “A jerk with a girl you want.”

  “Let’s get back to the hit and run. What did the cab driver tell you?”

  “Like I said, the cabbie told me that the car never slowed down, he also said that it was a man driving it, but he didn’t get a good look.”

  “What about the car’s color?”

  “The witnesses said every color in the rainbow, but the cabbie swore it was a black car and I believed him.”

  “A black car, hmm?”

  “Yeah, does that mean something to you?”

  “The husband, Victor Jansen, he was nearly run over by a black car not too long ago.”

  “I got something else, the cabbie caught the first letter on the license plate, it was an L.”

  “New York plates?”

  “He thought so, but he said that they were the old blue and white ones.”

  Their food came, and as they ate, they talked about cases they worked and people they knew in common. When Kelli and Kent got up to leave, they had to pass by their table.

  Kelli looked O’Reilly over with eyes of ice.

  “I see you found someone to eat with, Jake.”

  “She’s a friend.”

  “Right, well, have fun with your, ‘friend.’”

  As Kelli walked out the door, O’Reilly laughed.

  “That babe is as jealous of you as you are of her, and that Kent is sexy.”

  Jake pushed the remainder of his food away and stared at O’Reilly.

  “We could be at my place in ten minutes; let’s go rock those walls, eh?”

  O’Reilly stared back at him for a moment, but then reached over and patted him on the cheek.

  “I hate being a consolation prize, and you ain’t gonna get that girl out of your heart by putting me in your bed.”

  O’Reilly stood, then leaned over and gave Jake a hot kiss.

  “You’re gonna owe me one.”

  “What’s that mean?”

  “You’ll find out, see ya around, kid.”

  ***

  At the visitors’ room on Rikers Island, the old man looked through a glass partition as Remmi Harlow took a seat on the other side. Both men picked up their respective phones and Harlow started the conversation.

  “Jake fucking Caliber, I understand that shit who set me up was your grandson. That bastard cost me my girl.”

  “He played you well all right, and you’re still being played.”

  Harlow laughed.

  “You don’t know anything, old man.”

  Jake held up the photo he took from Russell McKay.

  “I know the three of you were in the army together. What I don’t get is why Preston is in hiding. Is he afraid of you? Is he afraid of John Jansen, or is he dead?”

  Remmi smiled.

  “That’s the million dollar question, where is Jimmy Preston? But I’m not giving the answer until the Feds drop all charges.”

  “They won’t do that.”

  “We’ll see, but in the meantime, I ain’t saying shit.”

  “Did it ever occur to you that this partner of yours might try to keep you from talking?”

  “I can take care of myself.”

  “Your best bet at staying alive is to cooperate; otherwise, you’re betting your life on getting full immunity.”

  Remmi slammed the phone down on his side of the wall and mouthed a curse at the old man.

  Jake got up from the stool and headed for the door, more certain than ever that James Preston was the key to everything, and equally sure that he was still alive.

  ***

  Chris and Velma found themselves in Greenwich Village. They had followed John Jansen from his job at Jansen Toys, to his apartment house.

  Chris pointed at the building.

  “The rents here aren’t cheap. Jansen is living the good life.”

  “His uncle must pay well, and he also inherited money.”

  “I’m not surprised that business is good, like Jake said, the Jansen’s make a tough toy truck. I got one every year from my dad... and later on, from my granddad.”

  “Speaking of family...”

  “Yes?”

  “I had a long talk with my husband the other night.”

  “What? You mean he’s—”

  “No. I did all the talking, but I unburdened myself and told him the truth about how my life has been since he was injured, about the loneliness... and about you.”

  “What are you telling me?”

  Velma wiped at her eyes.

  “I’m saying that I’ve let him go. I’ve finally accepted that I’m not strong enough to live without him, or to go through life alone.”

  “Does this mean that you’re ready to move on, ready to give us a chance?”

  “Yes, but I don’t know when. I only know that the next time it’s right between us that I won’t pull back.”

  Chris breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Thank God, I wasn’t sure how much longer I could be around you every day and not go insane with longing. I love you, Velma. I hope you know that?”

  “I do... and I think I love you too, it’s just that I’ve fought it for so long that I don’t really know how I feel.”

  Chris reached over and took her hand.

  “You come to me when you’re ready and we’ll find out what we have, what we can be.”

  “There’s only one thing I want to be.”

  “What’s that?”

  Velma stared into his eyes.

  “I want to be happy again.”

  ***

  That evening, Jake entered Kelli’s apartment building and knocked on her door. When she didn’t answer, he cursed under his breath and walked outside, where he saw her climbing out of a taxi.

  When she drew closer, he could tell that she had been crying.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Leave me alone, Jake, just leave me alone!”

  He followed her inside and when sh
e opened her apartment door, he kept following her, but as soon as the door was shut, she turned and screamed at him.

  “What are you doing here! You don’t want to be with me. You made that clear a long time ago.”

  Jake shrugged.

  “I was a dope. I never should have let you go.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me.”

  Kelli came closer and studied his face.

  “Tell me the truth; did you put her up to it?”

  “Put who up to what?”

  “You really don’t know what I’m talking about, do you?”

  “No, you wanna give me a hint?”

  “That ‘friend’ of yours, she’s now a friend of Jason’s. I caught them together at his apartment.”

  Jake suppressed a smile as he recalled O’Reilly telling him that he would owe her one.

  “You weren’t really falling for Kent, were you?”

  “In love? No, I’ve only ever loved one man.”

  Jake took her by the arm.

  “Who?”

  Kelli frowned at him.

  “You really are a dope.”

  “You mean me?”

  “Of course, not that it matters, you’ll just spend your life hopping from bed to bed and I’ll just grow old and ugly.”

  Jake laughed.

  “Oh, baby, you could be a hundred and you’d still be a hottie... and my bed-hopping days are over.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying that I want another chance with you.”

  “No Jake, you’re not hurting me again.”

  Jake kissed her.

  “I’m not the same man, and seeing you with Kent drove me crazy. Please baby, don’t tell me that it’s too late for us, please?”

  Kelli sighed.

  “I must be a fool.”

  They kissed, and then Jake lifted her up and carried her into the bedroom.

  ***

  Back at the Caliber building, Gail stepped off the elevator on the third floor and was surprised to see a light under the old man’s office door. After dropping a folder atop Kelli’s desk, she entered the office to find the old man staring at the enlargement of McKay’s picture.

  “You’re working late.”

  “Look who’s talking.”

  Gail studied him.

  “I know you, Jake Caliber, and I know that look; you’ve figured something out, haven’t you?”

  He nodded.

  “Yeah, yeah I think I have, but to prove it, I have to find James Preston.”