Heartbreaker Hero: Eddie's Story (Maine Justice Book 4)

by Susan Page Davis

  Jennifer was still on the phone there. She said, “No, I’m trying to put together something for breakfast. Are the boys going to school? Really. Yes, they’re working day and night. I’m okay. Is Leeanne there?” She threw a glance at Eddie. “Hi, hon. How are the goats? How you doing? Thought so. Eddie’s here. Want to talk to him?”

  She held the receiver out to him, and he walked over and took it. “Thanks, Jennifer.”

  “Don’t mention it.” She went out into the sunroom, and Eddie sat down on a chair.

  “Hi.”

  “Hello,” said Leeanne. “I got your message. I guess everything went all right last night?”

  “Yeah. We made one arrest, but not the one we really wanted.”

  “I’m sorry. You’re at Jennifer’s awfully early.”

  “I slept here after our late shift.”

  “I miss you.”

  He took a deep breath. “I miss you, too. I still want to come up Saturday. Is it okay?”

  “Yes, I asked Mom and Dad.”

  “I’ll come as early as I can and leave that night.”

  “All right. What do you want to do?”

  “Anything.”

  She gave the contented little laugh that caught at him.

  “Leeanne, come back down.”

  “Oh, Eddie.”

  “Please?”

  “I can’t right now.”

  “Sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you to. I just wish you were here.”

  “Are you reading in the Bible?” she asked.

  “Yes. I try to every day, if I don’t forget. I usually read at night after I get home.”

  “Where are you reading?” she asked.

  He was glad he could answer without having to think too hard. “I’m up to II Corinthians 5. It’s really interesting. How we’ll be with the Lord as soon as we leave this body. When we die, you know. And we’ll go to the judgment seat of Christ and get rewarded for what we’ve done.”

  “Mom and I were talking about that,” she said. “A woman in our neighborhood died last week, and Mom and Dad went to the funeral. I guess the pastor used that verse. Absent from the body, present with the Lord. Mom is really close to salvation, I think.”

  “I pray for your folks every day,” Eddie said.

  “I’m praying for your family, too.”

  “Thanks. Pray hard, because every time I try to talk to them, they get upset.”

  “God can soften their hearts.”

  “I don’t know. My mother wants me to come over all the time, but when I do, she gets really up tight.”

  “God changes people.”

  “I guess so. Oh, I know he does. He’s changed me and Harvey and Mike. I can see that. But my folks … I would never in a million years think they would leave the Church.”

  “Did you think you would?”

  “Hmm. Know what? You’re too logical.”

  She laughed. “You want me to be scatterbrained?”

  “No. Why do you want to be a journalist?”

  “I just ... I love writing, and I think it’s important to get the news out to everyone in a clear, accurate way.”

  “Why do you need a degree?”

  “Most employers want it,” she said.

  “I guess so. I just can’t help wishing you were closer.”

  “We’ll be together Saturday.”

  “I want to be with you all the time.”

  “That’s sweet. I guess I should get moving. I have to pump water and haul it to the goats.”

  “Okay. I still love you, Leeanne. I want to be able to look you in the eyes every day and tell you that.”

  “Maybe … someday. I’ll see you soon, Eddie.”

  He hung up the phone, lonelier than before, and wandered out to the sunroom. Three pans of ice and snow were melting on the woodstove. Harvey and Jennifer were sitting on the wicker settee, drinking bottled water and eating Pop-Tarts off china plates.

  “Morning,” Harvey said.

  “Want some?” Jennifer asked, starting to get up.

  “I can get it myself.” Eddie went to the kitchen and found the Pop-Tart box on the counter in the twilight. He took one and went back in where they were, by the stove. Harvey had finished his, and he was unbraiding Jennifer’s hair. She was eating placidly. Eddie sat down and ate.

  “How’s Leeanne?” Harvey asked.

  “Good. Hauling water to the goats.”

  Harvey fluffed Jennifer’s long hair out over her shoulders and put his arms around her. “Maybe we’ll get a break today.”

  “We’re not running, are we?” Eddie asked.

  “I don’t think so. If we go to the station early, we can have showers in the locker room, before the shift changes and the generators are put to peak use.”

  “Great.” Eddie stood and picked up his empty bottle and took Jennifer’s from her. He went to the kitchen and put them in the sink. No water for dish washing. There were a few dirty dishes, but not many, mostly silverware.

  Abby hadn’t shown her face. Eddie packed up his stuff and said goodbye to Jennifer. He and Harvey went out and drove to work separately, passing two fender benders on the way. All the stoplights on their route were out, which made it tricky, especially with the ice-covered pavement. People were in the park, chopping ice with hatchets and filling buckets. They would take it home and melt it to wash with. Eddie hoped they wouldn’t drink it unless they boiled it.

  Harvey brought two gallons of bottled water to the office.

  “Jennifer stocked up when she heard we might get iced up again,” he said. “She bought twelve gallons of water and a pile of flashlight batteries and candles and protein bars.” He handed Eddie one. “That’s in case you don’t get lunch.”

  They hit the showers.

  Nate and Jimmy were at their desks when Eddie had dressed and went out into the office. Harvey allowed they could use enough electricity to make a pot of coffee, since it was a critical service for cops, so Eddie made it.

  “Hey, guys, get over here,” Harvey called ten minutes later. They all crowded around his desk.

  “A license plate reader just picked up Cynthia Sheridan’s car on Market Street. I called the gatehouse at the condos, and the morning watchman said she left about fifteen minutes ago.”

  “Was she alone?” Tony asked.

  “As far as I know.”

  “Where’s she headed?” Nate asked. “She doesn’t hold down a job.”

  “I have no idea, but you guys get out there, and I’ll let you know if we get another hit.”

  The three detectives scrambled to get to their vehicles. Harvey stayed at the office to use all the available tracking software. The men cruised around the main arteries of the peninsula, looking for Cynthia’s car, without success. Eddie even drove to the condos and had a talk with the gateman. He said the car hadn’t returned. Eddie showed him Hawkins’s picture, and he said he hadn’t seen him for a couple of days.

  After about an hour, Harvey called him.

  “Eddie, do you know where Peter Hobart’s dealership is?”

  “Yeah, I’m about a mile out. What’s up?”

  “I’ve got Peter on the phone. Let me patch him through to you.”

  Eddie pulled to the curb.

  “Eddie? Harvey said to give you the scoop,” Peter said. “There’s a woman here who wants to buy a vehicle for cash. A used Blazer with a twelve-thousand-dollar price tag. When I asked her how she wanted to finance it, she opened her purse and took out a stack of hundred-dollar bills. I’m supposed to report this, right?”

  “Yup, any purchase over ten grand in cash. Does she have a name?”

  “She didn’t want to give it, and she’s putting the title in some scruffy-looking man’s name.”

  “What?” That didn’t sound right.

  “Yeah, she wants to pay and give him the Blazer.”

  “Weird. Why didn’t she just give him the money outside and have him buy it?”

  “I get the feeling she doesn
’t trust him completely.”

  “Stall her. I’m there in five minutes.”

  Peter said, “I guess I can offer her a rebate on that Blazer. She ought to be willing to wait for a discount.”

  “There you go.” Eddie put his strobe on and moved into the street. He hit his shoulder mic. Charlie Doran answered his call.

  “Tell Captain Larson to send any other unit from Priority to back me up.”

  “Will do.”

  When he was within a couple of blocks of Peter’s dealership, he cut the light.

  “Eddie, I’m on your six,” Nate said in his ear.

  “Good.” He could see Nate’s car in his mirror, four lengths back.

  He nosed the truck cautiously into the lot. Peter was putting a bearded, fortyish man into a five-year-old Blazer and handing him the keys. Eddie parked beside a van so they wouldn’t have a good view of him, but he’d be able to get out to the street quickly.

  “I see Ms. Sheridan’s Lexus,” Nate said.

  “Where?” Eddie looked around, but couldn’t see Cynthia’s car in the parking lot.

  “She’s heading back toward her condo.”

  Eddie made a quick decision. “Stick with her. Charlie, you there?”

  Charlie, in the com center, said, “Affirmative.”

  “Send me another unit. Tell the captain.”

  “I’m here,” Jimmy Cook said. “Almost to the dealership. What do you want me to do, Eddie?”

  “Cruise through the lot and block the far exit. There’s a black Chevy blazer I don’t want leaving here.” Eddie reeled off the dealer plate number.

  The Blazer was moving. Eddie eased his truck out of his spot and got into position right behind it. Eddie passed Peter, who stood there watching, and waved.

  Jimmy drove in at the exit and turned his car sideways. The Blazer’s driver slammed on his brakes and leaned on the horn. Jimmy got out of his car and approached the vehicle. Eddie stopped a few yards behind the Blazer, drew his gun, and walked up on the driver’s side.

  The bearded man jumped out swearing. He roared at Jimmy, “What are you doing, idiot?”

  “Take it easy,” Jimmy said.

  The other man’s hands swung up, and Jimmy’s eyes widened.

  “There’s no need for that.” Jimmy reached toward his holster.

  “Police,” Eddie barked. “Drop the weapon.” He couldn’t see it, but from Jimmy’s reaction, he was pretty sure the driver had a pistol. He stood still for a second. They always had a brief moment of decision, and Eddie took advantage of it. He really didn’t want to shoot him.

  “Don’t do it. Just drop the gun.”

  The man still stood there, his back to Eddie. Jimmy reached slowly inside his jacket and brought out his .45. “You heard the officer. Put down the weapon now, Mr. Bentley.”

  Eddie had figured it was Rooster Bentley, but he hadn’t clearly seen his face yet. Slowly, Rooster stooped and laid his pistol on the pavement.

  Eddie exhaled and sent up a mental prayer of thanks.

  They ordered transport, and after the car arrived, they drove back to the station. Nate reported in that Cynthia had returned to her condo.

  By the time they had finished the booking and paperwork, Eddie was exhausted.

  “We ought to be able to charge Cynthia with something,” Nate said.

  “I’ll fill in the D.A.,” Harvey told him. “If they think they can make aiding and abetting stick, we’ll arrest her.”

  “She bought him a getaway car,” Eddie said.

  “Yeah.”

  “And his license is suspended.”

  Harvey shrugged. “We have no evidence that Bentley committed or intended to commit a crime, other than the fake driver’s license he handed Peter. Be glad we had one civilian out there on the ball, or we might not have caught him.”

  “Peter really is sharp,” Eddie agreed. “Abby doesn’t know a good thing when she sees it.”

  Nate said, “Does this mean we don’t have to keep guarding the chief?”

  Harvey shook his head. “When Kyle died, Hawkins just hired another shooter.”

  “You’re right,” Eddie said. “We have to get Hawkins.”

  Chapter 22

  The lights came on full strength, and all of the married men called home to see if their wives had electricity. Eddie called Leeanne.

  “I miss you,” he said, as soon as he heard her voice.

  They’d been through that before, but this time, she said, “Come up tonight.”

  Eddie thought about it. Maybe he could. “I’ll try. If we’re not too busy at work, I will. Your folks won’t mind?”

  “No, it will be fine.”

  “Do you have power?” he asked.

  “Not yet, but they’ve got it downtown. We’re supposed to get it anytime.”

  “Can I bring anything to help out?”

  “No, we’re okay.”

  “Leeanne, you know I won’t be able to keep from telling you I love you.”

  “Why would you want to?”

  He took a deep breath. “No reason at all.” His resolve to wait for her was renewed.

  Harvey came to his desk as he put away his phone.

  “Jennifer says we’ve got power. How about your neighborhood?”

  “I don’t know. I can call Maman and ask.”

  “If it’s still out, come stay with us again,” Harvey said.

  “Leeanne just told me to drive up there tonight.”

  “Oh. Well, that’s progress.”

  Eddie grinned. “Yes, it is.”

  Harvey huddled with an assistant district attorney for a half hour, but Bentley wouldn’t talk to them without his lawyer. Eddie tied up his paperwork as tightly as he could.

  Nate said, “Jackie tells me our street is still dark.”

  “Bummer,” Eddie said.

  “There are a few pockets still out, but the power company’s on it,” Harvey told them. “You should have power by this evening.”

  Nate sighed. “I’ll bet there have been a lot of thefts.”

  “Yeah,” Harvey replied. “Generators. And quite a few business break-ins.” On the dot of five, he said, “Get out of here, everyone. I’ll see you Monday, unless something breaks on this case.”

  Eddie drove straight to his apartment. The heat was on, and the microwave and DVD player flashed the wrong time at him. He packed his duffel bag for the trip to Skowhegan. There was no time to do laundry. He decided to make do with what was hanging in the closet.

  He called his mother before he left the house. His parents were still in darkness, which made him feel a little guilty. “It shouldn’t be long,” he told her. “The power’s on here.”

  “I think we’re the last,” she said.

  “Well, I’m going up to see Leeanne, but if you want to, you can come over here and take showers or whatever.” Pop and Maman had had the key to his place since the day he moved in.

  “Merci,” she said. “I think we’ll be okay, and your father’s tired.”

  “Did he work today?” Eddie asked.

  “Yes. They can’t afford to get behind on this job.”

  Eddie wished he could help somehow. “I’ll call you Sunday, okay?”

  “Sure,” said his mother.

  He threw away a few things from the refrigerator and headed out.

  *****

  Leeanne had left the porch light on for Eddie, and when his truck drove in, she hurried out onto the steps and stood there shivering. Eddie jumped out of the truck carrying his duffel bag and walked quickly toward her.

  “Hey, you’ve got power.”

  “Yeah.” They went in, and he pulled the door shut behind him.

  “It’s ten below,” she said.

  “It feels like it out there. Glad I didn’t have a flat tire on the way.”

  She pulled him into the kitchen, over to the line of coat hooks on the wall. He unzipped his coat and took it off, and she hung it up for him.

  “Everybody gon
e to bed?” he asked.

  “Mom’s still up. Dad and the boys crashed early because they’re going ice fishing in the morning. They were hoping you would go.”

  “I came up here to see you, not spend all day in a freezing little shack on a pond.”

  “That’s what I told them.” She was glad, in a way, but she wished he had some chance to get to know her father better.

  Eddie put his arms around her. Her pulse ratcheted up at his touch. She wasn’t sure what her mom would think if she walked in at that moment. Eddie moved to kiss her, and she stepped away from him. He let her go, but looked at bit disappointed.

  Leeanne caught her breath. “Are you hungry?”

  “A little.”

  She brought out leftovers from their supper, lasagna and salad and pie. Eddie sat down, and she brought him the plate of lasagna from the microwave. She sat opposite him, and he started eating, but kept glancing over at her, as though he was self-conscious with her sitting there watching him eat. She hadn’t supposed he ever minded anyone looking at him. People must have stared at him all his life.

  Her mother came into the kitchen.

  “Hello, Eddie. Glad you made it here safely.”

  He jumped to his feet. “Thanks, Mrs. Wainthrop.”

  “Oh, sit down and eat.”

  “Thanks. It’s very good.”

  She smiled and went into the laundry room off the kitchen. The dryer door opened.

  “Tell me what you’ve been up to,” Eddie said.

  Leeanne shrugged. “After the power came on, we did laundry and opened the freezer to see if we lost any food, and Travis and I cleaned out the barn. Do you want a cup of coffee?”

  “Not unless it’s decaf.”

  “Milk?”

  “Sure.”

  She got a glass and took the stoneware pitcher from the refrigerator. Eddie watched her pour it.

  “Goat’s milk?” he asked.

  “Yes. Geneva had twins in the middle of the ice storm. It’s early, but what can I say?” She handed him the glass of milk.

  “I thought you had a scientific breeding program.”

  “So did I, but I forgot to tell them. Lucerne will wait until March, I hope.”