Kill Shot (Romantic Suspense)

by J. D. Faver

  Oz flashed the badge and saw the man’s expression change from irritation to alarm.

  “You’re the head of maintenance?” he asked.

  “Director of Maintenance and Custodial Services,” the man said, puffing his chest out a bit. “I’m Lloyd. What can I do for you, Officer?”

  “I was told that you have some boats at your disposal.” Oz fixed him with a cold stare. “Who has access to the boats?”

  “The boats are for maintenance personnel only,” Lloyd said. “The custodians use them to clean trash off the lake or to cut back the growth of water plants when they get too thick.

  “I’d like to see those boats.”

  A muscle tightened in the old man’s jaw. “What do you want to see them for?”

  Oz drew his brows together. “Lloyd, do I need to contact your supervisor?”

  “No, no Officer. Let me get the keys.” He turned back to his ratty office and rummaged in the drawer of his cheap metal desk. Motioning for Oz to follow, he headed out the door with the keys dangling from his pocket, and climbed into an equally ratty golf cart.

  Oz raised a brow, looking at the cart and the man in turn.

  “Get in, Officer. It’s a ways to the boat house.”

  Oz climbed in and Lloyd started the cart. They bumped along the rutted back road to a small pier with a covering over it, not unlike a covered bridge with a door.

  Oz waited while Lloyd fumbled with the keys and finally opened the lock. A single bulb hanging from a cord was the only light source for the structure. Oz walked along the pier, examining the four boats in turn. Three were row boats and one was powered by a small motor. It was the motor boat that matched the numbers in Micki’s photograph, and in which a dried pool of something resembling blood embellished the floorboards.

  Oz dismissed Lloyd, promising to lock up when he left and called Aida Bounds. She arrived with a pair of uniformed officers and full brace of lab geeks who started their evidence gathering in earnest.

  “Good work, Oz,” she said. “At this rate you’ll be investigating the big cases.”

  “Yeah,” he said, more concerned that Micki might get tired of waiting and take it into her head to do some exploring on her own. He called her cell, but it went straight to voice. He left her a stern message admonishing her to stay put.

  His cell rang and a wave of relief washed over him as he answered it.

  “That you Oz?” Lieutenant Qualls asked. “Aida just told me you found the boat that may have been used in the body dump. Good work.”

  “Thank you, sir.” He listened to Qualls extol his virtues and encourage him to follow up on any leads that evolved from the discovery.

  “See you later,” Qualls said and rang off.

  Oz tucked the phone in his pocket and squared his shoulders. His task was to stay sharp and pick up on all the details of the case while his brain fretted about Micki.

  #

  Micki printed three sets of proofs of Zondra’s wedding. One additional set was for the mini album she hoped to sell to Zondra’s mother and the other in case someone punched her in the face to steal it.

  She glanced at the big round clock in Gus’ backroom. It was getting late. She began to print the photos from the previous wedding for which she’d received payment.

  Gus looked in on her and said he’d be closing in an hour.

  “I’ll be done by then.” A tingling started at the base of her neck when she’d said the words. She wondered again where Oz might be.

  Since she’d seen him sprawled on the floor of the parking garage she no longer took his well-being for granted. So this was why he wanted her to stay in the box.

  At the end of the hour Gus looked in on her again. “I’m locking the front door, Micki. In or out?”

  “I’m done here, Gus,” she said. “Give me a minute to clean up.” She swept away paper scraps and arranged the finished photographs into two piles, Zondra’s and the prior wedding.

  Gus gave her a large bag for her work and she paid for the use of his lab and materials.

  Micki stood outside looking around as Gus locked the door and, with a wave, departed. A prickle of fear kissed her neck. She wondered if Phillip Luka had her in his sights.

  People jostled past her. Her nostrils filled with the smell of the city, smoke and exhaust fumes and somewhere fresh bread.

  Clinging close to the building, she sat on the ledge formed by Gus’ plate glass window and stared longingly in the direction from which Oz would arrive.

  Ten long minutes later he pulled up to the curb.

  She tried to quiet the surge of emotions warring within her. Relief and joy were waging a battle with impatience and concern. She slid inside and swung the door closed behind her.

  Joy won out when she turned to see the same emotions displayed on Oz’ face. A kiss, a hug, a quick grope and she was fine.

  #

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  A few minutes before midnight, Micki slipped out of Oz’ apartment and down to the underground parking garage. When the elevator doors opened, she looked around but the garage appeared to be ominously empty. She stepped out and the doors closed behind her with a whisper. Feeling alone and vulnerable, she tried to quell the jumble of jitters playing in her stomach.

  “Hello?” she called. Her voice sounded hollow as it echoed off the hard surfaces.

  She glanced around nervously, slowly placing one foot in front of another until she reached Oz’ car. She climbed on the back bumper and used the added height to survey the entire parking garage but saw no one else inside the cavernous structure.

  Heaving a sigh, she tried to calm her queasiness. She sat on the trunk and pretended to examine her fingernails. The lights went out, plunging the entire garage into semi-darkness. Only the streetlights spilling down from the street provided an eerie illumination.

  Micki sucked in a gulp of air and said a silent prayer. “Come on, Phillip,” she called out. “Do you have to be so melodramatic?”

  The utter silence closed in around her, seeming to mock her brave words. She forced herself to keep breathing. “Okay, Phillip. I’ll give you a 9.5 for special effects.”

  “Just a precaution, Chickie,” he said from beside the car.

  Micki’s heart raced, but she tried to appear unshaken.

  “You know my name,” he said.

  She nodded.

  “That means you’ve been to the police.”

  “Your fault,” she said. “You shouldn’t have assaulted one of them. They get testy about that sort of thing.”

  He laughed close to her ear and heaved himself onto the trunk beside her. “Call me Luka.”

  “Luka,” she said experimentally. “Do you have my money, Luka?”

  “I do.” He patted his chest.

  “Can I see it?” she said.

  He chuckled softly. “Oh, Micki, my little chickie, you’re so my kind of girl. Show me the money she says.” He continued to chortle when he handed her a large manila envelope.

  She looked inside and smiled when she confirmed that it was stuffed with bundled hundred dollar bills. She clasped it against her chest, trying to control the giddiness gathering in her chest. She knew, given the volatility of the situation, she should be more fearful, but the volume of cash in her hands made her feel reckless.

  “Aren’t you going to count it?” Close to her ear, his voice was low and intimate,.

  “Nope,” she said. “I saw Ben Franklin faces and there were lots of them, so I’m happy.”

  “Got something for me?” He flexed his fingers before holding out his hand.

  “This,” she said. “Everything’s on it.” She placed a CD in his hand.

  He snapped on a small but bright maglight. “Michael Bolton? You gotta be kidding.”

  “I figured it would be safe.”

  He shook his head and slipped the CD inside his jacket. “You are really somethin’, Chickie. What’s to stop me from snapping your neck right now?”

  �
�Then I wouldn’t get to spend all this luscious green money you brought me.”

  “What are you going to do with it?” he asked.

  She felt a tingle stir her spine. “I’d like to take a trip. Go somewhere I’ve never been and see something I’ve never seen.”

  “Why don’t you let me show you some of those places? I think you and me would make a good team. Have you been to Brazil or Singapore?” I could show you those places like you wouldn’t believe.”

  A stirring inside Micki at the mention of the faraway destinations was almost more frightening than the man sitting beside her. “I’ve never been anywhere, Luka,” she said. “Tell me something. Why is this CD worth so much money?”

  “It’s worth nothin’ to me, but someone thinks you have somethin’ that would damage him.”

  “Why did you try to kill me when I was in the park?”

  He chuckled softly. “I wanted to scare you. If I’d wanted to kill you, Chickie, you’d be dead.” He grazed the back of his fingers against the side of her neck and followed them with his lips.

  Micki shivered in spite of her resolve.

  “Don’t worry Chickie,” he said close to her ear. “I ain’t gonna hurt you. I think you and me got a future together. We want the same things.”

  “Do we?” Micki heard her voice break, felt her heart beating against her ribs like machine gun fire.

  The garage was flooded with light as Oz appeared. He jerked her off the trunk and stowed her behind his back.

  His Glock was pointed at Luka and he looked angry.

  Other police from the unit surrounded Luka who remained seated on the trunk looking at Micki with a slight smile on his lips. “Oh, Chickie, you shouldn’t oughta done that.”

  #

  Oz drove and they argued.

  She couldn’t believe he was being so stubborn.

  “Look Micki, I’m going to be at the station all night. This is the safest place for you.”

  “You got the guy. There’s nothing else to worry about.”

  “You, Micki,” he said. “I’m worried about you. I can’t turn my back without you getting into some kind of trouble.”

  “But why there?” she asked.

  “You got two choices.” He held out two fingers as though that strengthened his argument. “You can go to your mom’s house or mine.”

  Micki huffed out a stream of air. “I’d rather go to jail.”

  Oz made a U-turn in the middle of the street, his tires squealing. “That can be arranged.”

  “You’d put me in jail?”

  “It was your idea,” he said. “Maybe a little cooler time would be good for you.”

  “You are such an ass!” She folded her arms across her chest.

  “But I’m the ass who loves you.”

  “Just one of them,” she said. “Don’t forget, I have options. Luka wants to take me to Singapore.”

  He shot her a dark glance from the driver’s seat. “If you go to Singapore, it will be with me.”

  “Oz, I don’t want to go to either one of our parents.”

  “I need to do my job without worrying about you.” He glanced at her again. “Please help me out here.”

  Micki heaved a huge sigh of capitulation. “I can’t decide which one is worse,” she said. “You pick.”

  Oz made another U-turn and drove back to the neighborhood in which they’d grown up. He pulled into his parent’s driveway and switched off the ignition.

  “Come on, Micki,” he said. “You know my mom will treat you like a princess. You can sleep in my bed and I’ll be here in the morning.”

  Micki tried to quell the dread gathered in a knot in her stomach. “Whatever.”

  #

  At the station house, Luka was being held in an interrogation room, cuffed to a chair that was bolted to the floor. He stared straight ahead through the two-way mirror with a slight smile on his face.

  Oz and the others who regarded Luka from the behind the mirrored

  glass weren’t smiling.

  “What a scary man,” Aida said.

  “He’s not that big,” Oz said.

  She glanced at him over her glasses. “It’s not always about big, Oz man.”

  Oz glared at Luka.

  “He’s a tough customer,” Qualls said. “We’re holding him over for the FBI. They have some questions for him too.”

  “He didn’t have any trouble spilling his gut for Micki,” Oz said.

  Aida looked up at him, frowning. “She’s the chink in his armor. No matter how tough, every man has his weakness.”

  Oz ground his back teeth together. “I think he really would have hooked up with her and taken her anywhere she wanted to go.”

  Qualls looked up at him. “You oughta take some time off, Oz. After this case is closed, you oughta take her on a nice vacation...somewhere warm and romantic.”

  Oz nodded, his gaze on Luka. “He’s not even breathing, Lieutenant.”

  “But he’s hot,” Aida said.

  “Are you kidding?” Oz said. “That man is a stone cold killer.”

  “Yeah, but he’s one solid muscle,” she said. “And he’s kind of cute in a bad boy way.”

  “And he was slobbering all over Oz’ girlfriend,” Vinnie said. “It’s a wonder he ain’t dead now.”

  “Who’s going to question him?” Aida asked.

  “The DA is sending someone over, but until he arrives, Luka is all ours.”

  “Mine,” Oz said.

  Qualls nodded. “Don’t get your hopes up.”

  Oz entered the interrogation room and walked slowly to Luka’s chair. He checked the handcuffs making sure they were tightly affixed to his wrist.

  Luka followed him intently, the smile in place.

  “How’s Chickie? Does she miss me?”

  Oz laced his fingers around Luka’s throat and squeezed ever so slightly. “Do not,” he said close to Luka’s face, “ever refer to my girlfriend again.”

  Luka grinned up at him. “I completely understand why you feel that way. Chickie is such a fine little piece.”

  Oz eyed him coldly and tightened his grip until Luka’s face changed colors.

  “I thought I made myself clear.” Oz’ voice was just above a whisper.

  Luka nodded and Oz released him.

  Luka stared at the two-way mirror. “I don’t think you’d kill me in front of witnesses.”

  Oz smiled. “You’re assuming that they care.” He took a chair across from Luka and stared at him without a blink.

  “So, what’s the deal?” Luka finally asked.

  “Deal?”

  “Don’t you have some kind of deal to offer me? Some sweet enticement to make it worth my while?”

  “I’m not authorized to offer you a deal.”

  “Then what good are you?” Luka glared at him, the smile erased from his lips.

  “Because I’m the guy who wants to kill you the most.”

  Luka laughed. “I’m not that easy to kill. Lots of men have tried, but they’re not around to tell about it.”

  “And yet you’re sitting there handcuffed to a chair. I’m not scared.”

  “It wasn’t you who put me here,” Luka said. “It was a slinky little blond with an attitude.”

  A muscle in Oz’ jaw tightened and he inhaled. “You have a weakness for blondes?”

  “I do for that one,” Luka smiled. “She’s somethin’ else.”

  “Who are you working for?” Oz asked. “Who gave you the hundred thousand for the CD?”

  Luka grinned. “Who do you think? It was the CD fairy.” He laughed out loud. “I’ll wait for my lawyer.”

  “I wasn’t aware that you’d asked for a lawyer,” Oz said.

  “I didn’t have to,” Luka said. “But he’ll be here.”

  Oz got up and quietly left the room.

  Qualls nodded and patted him on the arm. “You can’t do a thing once they say the magic word.”

  Oz stretched his fingers, flexing the
m rhythmically as he glowered at Luka through the glass.

  “Let it go, Oz,” Vinnie said.

  “I can’t.”

  “I thought you were going to choke him right in front of me,” Aida said. “Oz, you’re such a bad boy.”

  “Not me, Aida. I’m a sweetheart.”

  #

  Micki ate dinner with Oz’ mother and father and his sister Candy, who still lived at home. Candy was a year younger than Micki and had been involved in athletics like Oz. She was tall and broad shouldered like Oz. Somehow the tall, dark and handsome didn’t translate as well on Candy.

  “So, you and Oz are back together again?” She gazed eagerly at Micki across the table.

  Micki nodded.

  “So, tell me all about it? Was it romantic?”

  Micki laughed, remembering their reunion. “Not exactly.”