Gotcha Detective Agency Mysteries Boxed Set (3 Books)

by Jamie Lee Scott

  Nick looked at me again. I didn’t even bother to smile. Mostly because I wasn’t sure I’d gotten all of the chocolate off my teeth.

  Charles broke the silence. “I’ll even help you get into his laptop.”

  Nick blew out a breath. “The M.E. says he was bludgeoned with something that had a pattern, like a lead crystal vase, or carved wood.”

  “So, the so called weapon in the back of my truck, wasn’t the murder weapon?” I spat the words.

  “It was a murder weapon, all right,” Charles said, before Nick could answer. “I killed a freaking cat with it.”

  I was appalled. “What?”

  “Someone ran over the cat in the street, but it wasn’t dead. I couldn’t watch it suffer, so I bashed its head in.” Charles looked sickened by the memory.

  “Yes, that’s what the lab tests revealed. It was cat hair and blood on the bat.”

  I was livid. “So let Jackie out of jail!”

  Nick glowered. “I don’t tell you how to do your job, don’t tell me how to do mine.”

  Charles made a T sign with his hands. “Time out, children.”

  We both stared at Charles. He’d shut us up.

  “There is still the issue of Jackie’s prints in several places in the house.”

  “We were headed to see her this morning. Is that possible?” Charles had relaxed a bit, too.

  “Sure, but can we take care of this information first?”

  “The only thing I’ve found so far is the logins and passwords to his social accounts. He’s got several aliases that he uses to flirt with tweens and teens. Seems he likes twelve to fourteen-year-olds.”

  “Sick bastard.” I didn’t realize I’d said it aloud until Nick looked at me.

  “I just don’t understand how a pedophile’s mind works. I look at girls that age, and the way their parents let them dress, and I think, ‘Put some clothes on,’ not ‘Wow, I’d like to see you naked.’”

  “I didn’t even think, ‘Wow, I want to see you naked,’ when I was their age.” Charles tried to lighten the moment.

  “Tell us something we don’t know.”

  Nick stood. “I’ll meet you at the station. You can talk to Jackie. Maybe she knows something she’s not telling me. And then we can get a look at Garrison’s laptop.”

  “I’ll set up a flash drive so you’ll have all of his login information. There’s a lot more there than just what Mimi and I saw this morning.”

  Nick and I snapped our heads in Charles’s direction at the same time. In stereo we said, “There is?”

  CHAPTER 9

  When the police officer opened the cell Jackie was in, I ran in and hugged her tight. She hugged me back, but didn’t say anything. I could feel her shaking. I said, “I’m sorry.”

  She pulled away and looked at me. “Nothing to be sorry for. How are the twins?”

  “They’re good. I picked them up and took them to my house. I told them you were working on a job, wouldn’t get home until late, and you couldn’t call from where you were.”

  “And they believed you?” She laughed.

  “Probably not, but I bribed them with pizza, and all was good.”

  “Thanks for taking care of them.” I could see a tear in her eye.

  “It’s good for me to see what I’m not missing.” After a night with teens, I wasn’t so sure about being a mom.

  “It’s a hard life, but someone has to procreate.”

  “We couldn’t find anything to get you released, and Nick swore you were spending the night, no matter what.” I looked behind me to see if Nick was in range. “He’s being such an ass.”

  Jackie sat on the cot and patted the seat next to her. I sat down. The cot was more comfortable than I expected, but I wouldn’t want to sleep on it.

  “Nick’s just doing his job.” She smiled a bit. “Did he talk to you last night?”

  “Yeah, he came by to make sure I wasn’t mad about you being detained, which of course I was.” Just thinking about it made my blood boil.

  “Did he talk to you about anything else?” Jackie’s smile broadened.

  I just looked at her. I had no idea what she was getting at.

  “He brought me General Tso’s chicken last night, along with some pork fried rice. I thought maybe he asked you about my favorite takeout food.”

  Maybe he wasn’t such an ass after all. “Charles must have told him. He didn’t have much to say to me. Sebastian stopped by while he was there.”

  “So I heard. He bought enough dinner for two, and we talked about you and Sebastian while we ate.”

  I nearly choked on my own spit. “Excuse me?”

  Jackie laughed. “Oh girl, he’s got it bad for you.”

  “No, he’s got it bad for his new partner. You’ve seen her; she’s a goddess. I hate her.” I had to stop thinking like that. Hate is a very bad thing.

  Jackie shook her head. “Don’t be so sure about that. He asked me a hundred questions about what you’ve been doing in the last few months, how long you’ve been seeing ‘Vampire Boy,’ and what the hell you see in him.”

  Now I was smiling. “What did you tell him?”

  “I said your private life is your business. And then I explained that he had a chance, but he disappeared right after the Bailey murder. That maybe he should have stayed around a bit, wooing you with his good looks, and servicing you the way you need it. Then you wouldn’t have to get your sex from a vampire wannabe.”

  “Please tell me you didn’t say I was having sex with Sebastian.” Secretly, I hoped she did.

  “I didn’t come right out and say it, but I implied it. I hope that was okay.” She bumped me with her shoulder.

  “Whatever. Nick is the past, just like he was all those years ago. I’m not letting him get to me again.” I stood. “So, let’s get out of here.”

  Jackie didn’t move. “Honey, I’m stuck here for the duration, remember? They think I bashed that creep’s head in.”

  I grabbed her hand and pulled her up. “Not anymore. They have your prints at the scene, but that’s it. We are outta here.”

  Jackie jumped up and hugged me tight. “Really? I’m a free woman?”

  I grabbed her and held her at arm’s distance. “Besides, you need a shower in a big way.”

  I stood with Jackie as she signed her release papers, then an officer escorted us to the homicide division, where Nick and Charles were dissecting a laptop.

  Charles’s head was down close to the computer screen, as if he was listening for something.

  “Anything?” Nick asked. He looked flustered.

  Charles looked up. “Too many distractions and way too much background noise. I just can’t get it.”

  “I thought you could break into any computer,” Nick mocked.

  “This guy is good. I mean he’s got, or had, his life to protect. I’m sure he has blocks and firewalls in layers. I just can’t get through them without my diagnostic equipment.” Charles slammed the laptop shut.

  “Well, beating up the computer isn’t going to make it give up its secrets,” Jackie said.

  Charles’s mood did a one-eighty. “Sweetie!” He jumped up and hugged her. “Orange is so not your color.”

  Jackie squeezed Charles tight and whispered in his ear. “I will never even look at this color again.”

  Everyone, including Nick, laughed.

  Then Nick had to go and ruin the moment. “Don’t go out of town, Jackie.”

  Jackie stepped away from Charles and walked over and kissed Nick on the cheek. “Thanks for everything. I’m guessing that was the nicest stay anyone ever had in one of those cells.”

  Nick looked down at his paperwork. “Sure.”

  I wanted to be mad at Nick, but everyone was making it so difficult, especially Jackie, and she’s the one who should’ve been the maddest.

  “I’m going to talk to Catey, just like I said I would. There won’t be any sweeping this under the rug.”

  Nick looked up and pa
st us. I turned in the direction he was staring. Piper had walked into the homicide division, her face grim.

  She leaned in close to Nick’s ear and whispered, “We have a problem.”

  Nick jumped up from his chair. “You three, stay here. Don’t go anywhere.” Then directly to me, “And don’t go nosing through my stuff.”

  Who, me?

  Nick followed Piper from the room. I think Jackie, Charles and I were too scared to speak. The look on Piper’s face told a terrifying tale.

  Minutes later, Nick came back, without Piper. His skin was ashen.

  “Charles, can I see you alone for a minute?”

  Charles looked at me, as if questioning if I was okay with it. I took Jackie by the arm, and we walked out to the main room of the cop shop.

  Jackie leaned in close. “What the hell?”

  I looked over my shoulder at the closed door. “Not sure, but I know it’s not good. Did you see his face?”

  Piper approached with two cups of coffee. “Ladies.”

  Too stunned to refuse, we both took the cups. “Thanks.” I wrapped my hands around the paper cup.

  Piper whispered, “There’s a girl missing.”

  Jackie sat hard against the table next to us. “Please tell me it’s not what I think.”

  “I shouldn’t be telling you this, but they ran the logs on the girl’s cell phone. William Garrison’s phone number was on the log. The girl has been missing since yesterday.”

  Jackie stood abruptly, knocking over her coffee, but completely ignoring the mess. “She’s been missing more than a day, and the parents are just now calling about it?”

  Piper gestured to a rookie cop, “Hey, Stewart, can you get some paper towels over here?”

  Stewart, moving at the pace of January molasses, went for the paper towels.

  Piper sat at the table, so Jackie and I sat, too. “No, she’s been in the system since yesterday. She’s not the runaway type, so we put out a BOLO as soon as the parents called. There’s been an Amber Alert out since yesterday. They just found the match in the cell phone logs and called me.”

  “How did they know to call you?” I asked.

  “The name William Garrison is on everyone’s lips, so when the match came through…”

  “Where’s the bathroom?” Jackie could barely stand up straight.

  Piper grabbed the paper towels from Stewart. “Take her to the bathroom, quickly.”

  Stewart half-glared at Piper as he took Jackie by the elbow and led her to the bathroom.

  “Does this mean…” I felt sick, but I wasn’t going to show it.

  “We don’t know what it means. Garrison may have nothing to do with the girl’s disappearance.” She didn’t look like she felt it in her bones.

  Before Jackie came back from the bathroom, Charles exited the homicide division with Garrison’s laptop, and Nick, in tow.

  “We need to get a move on. Suddenly, time is of the essence.” Charles bolted past me toward the entrance of the police station.

  Piper glanced at Nick, then at Charles. “Um, chain of evidence?”

  Nick said, “Don’t worry about it.”

  Piper stood to full height, stepped in front of Charles before he got to the door. “Hold up.” To Nick she said, “You aren’t going to fuck this up. We need a chain of evidence.”

  “Look, Detective, I’ve been doing this a lot longer than you have, and I’m your senior officer, so don’t tell me how to do my job.” I swear Nick hissed.

  Lots of people seemed to be telling Nick how to do his job lately.

  Charles stepped between them. “Detective Mason, I have a contract with the Salinas Police Department. I’ve been doing computer forensics on a freelance basis for several years now. Detective Christianson and I understand the importance of the chain of evidence.”

  Nick glared at Piper. “Detective Ambrossen undersigned the evidence sheet. Charles is the best at what he does.”

  “Why can’t he just do what he’s so good at right here?”

  I decided to defuse the situation. “Detective Mason, Charles has more equipment in our offices. He’s having problems, just like the other tech, getting past Garrison’s lockdown of this computer. At the office, he has tools and such that can get past it.”

  Nick and Charles walked out together. Piper watched them go, the red in her face fading.

  “That asshole. Why didn’t he just tell me that?” Tears welled in her eyes.

  “Because he’s Nick, and he prides himself on being an asshole. It’s even worse when you’re sleeping with him.” I really should have left that last part off, but it was out there and I couldn’t take it back.

  “You’re having sex with him?” Piper asked, incredulous.

  I laughed. “No.” Maybe a tad bit defensive.

  “Then what are you talking about?”

  Jackie was back from the bathroom. “She thinks you’re doing it with Nick.”

  Piper’s eyes widened. “Doing what?”

  I shot Jackie a look. What the fuck?

  Jackie looked at Piper like she was an alien. “Having sex, silly.”

  Piper nearly doubled over laughing. “Oh, honey, the only penis shaped thing I’ve ever had was made of silicone and hot pink.”

  I stood there, speechless. Yeah, I know, hard to believe.

  Now Jackie was laughing too.

  I said, “Oh my God, I should’ve seen it.”

  Suddenly, Piper wasn’t laughing anymore. “Excuse me?”

  “Charles. He knew from the moment he met you. I wondered why he was so attracted to you. So helpful.”

  “Helpful?” Piper asked.

  “At the crime scene, when you had barfed. He was so caring and even gave you his shirt.”

  Jackie stopped laughing and deadpan, said, “Charles gave someone the shirt off his back? Surely you jest.”

  “I jest you not,” I said. “That’s what I mean. Charles has never done a chivalrous thing for a female in his life.”

  Jackie interjected, “That’s not completely true. He’s pretty good to you and me.”

  I had to agree. “Most of the time.”

  Charles popped back into the room. It was like he knew we were talking about him.

  “Ladies, let’s go. There’s a life…” He caught himself before he said too much.

  Thoughts going back to the missing girl, we sobered up fast, and Jackie and I scooted toward the door.

  Piper called after us, “Hey, God speed.” Then she winked at Charles. He winked back.

  CHAPTER 10

  Charles was snappier than usual when we got back to the office, so Jackie and I decided to leave him alone with Gemma, who was still sulking.

  Normally Gemma would be in on the case, but I needed her to pick up the slack on other clients and cases. I’d left her a long list of tasks, so she’d be busy, and not completely left out.

  Jackie had wanted to keep Catey’s improprieties between us. She was embarrassed enough that we were involved.

  “How long before Catey gets out of school?” I asked.

  “Now, as far as I’m concerned. I let her get away with not telling me everything.” Jackie sniffed her armpits. “I should probably shower, but I want to get to the bottom of this. I don’t smell like a homeless person yet, so do you want to come with me?”

  “Shouldn’t you two work this out in private?” I really wanted to go.

  “You were with her when she started her period. It doesn’t get much more private than that.” Jackie grabbed me by the arm. “Let’s go.”

  I snagged my handbag as I let her drag me out of the office.

  “Besides, I may need you for moral support. You always were able to be a bit blunter about things than I was.” Jackie waited at the passenger door to the Land Rover.

  I guess I was driving. “Ouch, that kinda stings.”

  Jackie got in the car and said, “It wasn’t a slight. I wish I could speak more bluntly to my kids. It’s just that, I don’t kno
w, I guess it’s harder to talk to your own kids than it is to someone else’s.”

  I understood what she meant. Not many parents got jazzed about the idea of talking to their kids about sex and drugs.

  As I drove toward the school, I said, “I’ll just be a fly on the wall.”

  Jackie laughed hard. “That’ll be the day.”

  “That stung, too.”

  I sat in the driver’s seat and waited at the loading zone while Jackie went into the school to get Catey. I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of the song on my CD. I was so into it that I jumped when I heard the tapping on my window.

  I rolled down the window. “Are you following me?”

  Nick smiled. “Maybe.”

  Damn, he looked good. He’d changed clothes and was wearing a white T-shirt with a navy sweater vest. Not many men can pull off this look, but Nick could. I remained casual, though my heart was thumping. “What’s up?”

  “What are you doing right now?” He leaned in closer to the window.

  “You do know there’s this thing called a cell phone, right? You could’ve just called me.” But I was really glad to have him there in the flesh.

  “Yeah, I know. But I was driving down this street and saw your car. Are you busy?”

  So it was random, he wasn’t following me. I felt much better that he just happened to see my car.

  “I’m waiting for Jackie. She decided to take Catey out of school and have a talk with her now. Being that time is of the essence, she wants to know if anything Catey knows will help the missing girl.”

  “We don’t even know that the two are related,” Nick said.

  “But if they are, this can only help.” I looked past Nick and saw Jackie walking out of the administration building with Catey in tow.

  Nick looked back, following my gaze. “I’ll leave you be. Can you call me later tonight? I’d really like to talk.”

  Really? Seriously? We hadn’t spoken in months until this incident, and now he wanted me to call? “You have my number. Call me later if you aren’t too busy.”

  Nick grinned and stepped away from the window. Jackie and Catey walked up as Nick turned and walked away. He looked back and waved, but didn’t talk to them.