“Not as much fun.”
“You eat naked…alone.”
“I don’t want to know this,” Jaxon said.
“Yeah, but that was before I met you. Now I can never go back.”
“You two are nauseating me.”
She pushed Ray away from her. “We need to be professional.”
“Jaxon. I’m quitting.”
“Will you stop!” She said.
“You can’t quit,” Jaxon said. “It’s in your contract. I have to fire you.”
“Son of a bitch.”
They all piled into the car and Ray asked, “Where to now?”
“To see a man at a body shop.”
Laurelyn looked at Ray who shrugged.
They drove to the west side and parked at a small garage on Normandy Boulevard, just off Lenox Avenue. A dog sat by the front door and rose to its feet when they approached. Laurelyn knelt and let it lick her hand. She rubbed his sides and back.
“What a good boy,” she said. She smiled up at Ray.
“He hates dogs,” Jaxon said as he walked past.
“You do not,” she said.
“Ok. Maybe it’s they hate him.”
“I can’t believe that,” she said. “Come over here and pet this big guy. He’s a sweetheart.”
Ray looked uncomfortable, but moved toward the dog. It started to growl. Ray stopped.
“See? They hate me.”
She soothed the dog and continued to rub his sides.
“They can sense when you’re afraid.”
“I’m not afraid.”
She gave him a look.
“You don’t have to be embarrassed in front of me, Maningham. You can tell me what happened later. Trust me.”
Jaxon paused at the door and watched. The dog had calmed down, his tail wagging and his tongue hanging out. Ray stood still and glanced at Jaxon. He licked his lips.
“Take a deep breath and remember you’re with me,” she said.
Ray shook his head, but took the breath, and he walked slowly to where she was kneeling and stopped. The dog continued to wag its tail.
“Come down here,” she said, smiling.
Ray knelt.
She took his hand and placed it on the dog’s back. The dog whined for a second and she talked to it soothingly. He pulled his hand away.
“It’s all right. Just be yourself. Show him you don’t mean him harm.”
“This is me,” he said.
She smiled at him.
“Be the Ray I know. The one who’s been with me these last few days. Nothing could be angry at that.”
He took a deep breath and put his hand on the dog. He moved it slowly down its back and the dog wagged its tail. Ray grinned and stroked its fur some more and the dog licked him.
“You’ve made a new friend,” she said.
Jaxon watched the change in his friend’s attitude with amazement. Jaxon smiled at Laurelyn, who smiled back, and then he winked at her. Ray didn’t see any of this. Jaxon had been completely wrong about her and he hoped his friend held on to this one.
“Come on kiddies,” Jaxon said. “We have work to do.”
He held the door open and they went inside. The dog returned to its spot by the door.
The body shop was owned by Buck Lockwood and he was the best in town. At least with classic American muscle cars. Jaxon knew him from DC and had looked him up when he moved down here. He saw them approach, pulled the unlit cigar stub out of his mouth and grinned.
“Jaxon. You piece of shit. How the hell are you?”
He gripped Jaxon’s hand in what felt like a vice and pumped it once.
“You know,” Jaxon said. “I’m getting by.”
“How’s Vick?”
“She’s good. Though she was under the weather this morning.”
“You tell her I said to get better. We need to have ribs and pilsner one night soon.”
“You bet.”
Buck noticed Ray and Laurelyn and his eyes lingered on her longer than was comfortable. She seemed to be having that effect on people.
“This is my partner, Ray.” Buck shook his hand. “And this is Detective Hawks. She’s with Clay County.”
He gripped her hand lightly and said, “Any of those boys give you trouble down there, you tell me. I’ll straighten ‘em out. I used to be DC PD.”
She grinned at him. “I can handle them.”
“A beauty like you? I’m sure they’re talking behind your back.”
She blushed, but Jaxon could tell it bothered her a bit.
“She’s good, Buck. You don’t have to worry about her.”
Laurelyn glanced his way and raised one eyebrow. She turned to Buck.
“Thanks for looking out for me,” she said. “I’ll be fine.”
He grinned and stuck the stub back in his mouth where he chewed it for a bit.
“What are you doing here, Jaxon? I know it’s not a pleasure trip, unless you’re in the market for that Chevelle you always wanted. I have one in the back. Just got it in. It’s a beaut.”
“Not for me, Buck. But we are looking for a Chevelle.”
He eyed them and pulled the cigar from his mouth. “Tell me.”
“Blue, ’69, and a rocket ship,” Jaxon said. “Good shape.”
“Blew the doors off my Mustang. I couldn’t keep up,” Ray said.
Buck nodded and put the plug back in his mouth. He talked around it.
“I know this car. Worked it last year. She was in good shape, but I made her immaculate. Up front it had the LS6 454 and nitrous. Serious shit.”
“Who owns it?” Jaxon asked.
“Collector in Daytona. He’s really a trader, but he comes across nice specimens all the time. I’m not his regular guy, but he uses me when his guy’s backed up.”
“Can you get his info?”
“Sure. But what did he do? He’s pretty clean.”
“Ran us off the road,” Jaxon said. “But we think he’s dirty. Another guy was with him. Both wore ski masks and carried cannons.”
“I don’t think this is your guy,” Buck said. “But I’ll get his number and address. I can call him too, ask about it, you know, like I have a customer who wants it.”
“Yeah. That would be great. Thanks.”
They followed Buck to a back office cluttered with greasy engine parts and shiny chrome.
His desk was littered with oil stained receipts and paper, and his phone was so old Jaxon’s grandmother might have used it. He pushed some papers around and came up with a ledger of sorts. He turned to a page and put a finger to a name. He picked up the phone and used the rotary dial to call the number.
“Jim. It’s Buck Lockwood…yeah…good, good. No,” he laughed, “she’s still cookin’ it the way I know…I’ll tell her, but you know she’s a bitch for change…” He laughed. “Yeah, yeah. Hey, I got a guy wanting a Chevelle and I thought of that hot number you brought up last year…Yep. The blue one…Uh huh…too bad…Look, he was really into it when I told him about it. Are you willing to give your buyer to me? It would be worth his while…” He grabbed a pen and scribbled something down on a scrap piece of paper.
“No…that’ll do. I’ll let him know and he can track him down…You bet…Bring it to me…I’ll do it justice…Be waiting for the call. Thanks.”
Buck hung up and picked up the piece of paper.
“He sold it right after he picked it up from me. An offer he couldn’t refuse. He didn’t have an address. The guy paid cash, but he has a name and number. It’s local.”
Jaxon looked at his scribble. Roy Hubble. Meant nothing to him so he handed it to Laurelyn. It was a 904 area code.
“You did good, Buck. We should be able to track him down. I owe you.” Jaxon reached for his hand.
“Anytime. We go way back. You don’t owe me nothin’.”
Buck walked them out. At the door, Ray stooped and scratched the old dog behind the ears and grinned at Laurelyn who displayed the most gorgeous smil
e Jaxon had ever seen. Buck glanced at Ray.
“Geezer here has been around since I’ve been here. I’ve always called him Geezer. One of these days I’ll come to work and he’ll be gone. He’s an old friend, though. I’ll miss him.”
“He’s a sweetheart,” Laurelyn said.
“He’s a sucker for a pretty lady.”
She rubbed his back and said goodbye. He wagged his tail and followed them to their car. He watched as they drove off. Ray turned to her and Jaxon watched out of the corner of his eye. Ray didn’t say anything, just smiled at her.
“You’re welcome,” she said quietly.
* * *
Laurelyn tracked Roy Hubble’s name down with the phone number and they had an address. Tate wanted to know what she was doing and she explained she was with Ray and Jaxon.
“We’re following a lead,” she said. “I’ll keep you in the loop.”
She hung up and stared out the window.
“He was pissed,” Ray said.
“He’ll get over it,” she said.
“We can drop you off at the station,” Jaxon said.
She shook her head. “No.”
She had gone cold. Tate must have said something.
The address was on the north side, just off of Dunn Avenue, and they took the interstate. Traffic was light for the lunch hour and they made good time.
The GPS in her phone said the place was up ahead and they drove by slowly, scoping it out first. They would park a couple of blocks away and approach on foot.
“This is out of my jurisdiction,” Laurelyn said.
“You’re with us,” Jaxon said. “I have a license for Duval.”
“He’ll even pay you,” Ray said. “Not quite as much as me, but close.”
“That’ll help,” she said.
“Buck fifty an hour,” Ray said.
Jaxon gave him a look.
As they drove by, Jaxon noticed no vehicle parked in the drive, but that didn’t mean the garage was empty. The place was in decent shape. Older, with wood siding and a porch swing. The yard was unkempt, though, and overgrown with weeds. Kids played in the street, kicking a bright red ball around and watching them creep past. Jaxon knew they were going to be a problem.
“I don’t like this,” Laurelyn said.
“I don’t either,” Jaxon said.
“Too many kids. What do you want to do?”
“I think we proceed.” He turned to her. “With caution.”
She frowned, but nodded.
They parked two blocks away and got out of the vehicle. She looked at herself.
“Shit. I forgot about my shirt. I’m sticking out like a sore thumb.”
“Too late now,” Jaxon said and shrugged.
She shook her head.
They walked the two blocks, the neighborhood mostly quiet with a few folks in their yards or walking a dog. They approached the kickball game. The kids eyed them and stopped playing as they walked by. One little boy whispered to a little girl and she nodded.
“You gonna ‘rrest Roy and Joey?” The girl asked.
Laurelyn stopped and looked at Jaxon.
“We only want to talk to them,” she said.
“You’re gonna ‘rrest them, I know.”
“Are they bad?” Laurelyn asked, kneeling down in front of the girl.
She nodded. “My mamma says not to talk to them. But they always talk to us.”
“What do they say?”
“They always tell us to watch out for the police.”
“Do the police come around here a lot?”
The little girl shook her head. “Just you.”
Laurelyn stood up.
“Why don’t you go in for a bit,” she said.
“We don’t want to. We’re playing a game.”
“Just for a bit. Be a good girl and go on.”
The kids grumbled, but took their ball and went to their own houses. A woman stuck her head out when the girl approached, but saw them and grabbed her little girl’s hand, pulling her inside. She slammed the door.
Laurelyn turned to Jaxon and Ray.
Jaxon stepped to the driveway and approached the house. He stopped and looked in the garage window. She raised her eyebrows and he nodded. She drew her gun.
“We need back-up,” she whispered. “It’s going to be my ass if we go in there.”
“We don’t have time,” Jaxon said. “Go back and wait at the car. Ray and I will risk it.”
“No.”
“Are you going to stop us?”
She shook her head. “I don’t like this.”
“Do you think I do?”
She looked to make up her mind. “Ray and I will go around back. You knock on the door.”
“My plan exactly.”
“Then what?” Ray asked. “We wait for them to start shooting?”
“They won’t shoot.”
“Bullshit.”
Jaxon heard a woman’s scream deep inside the house and then a crash.
“Go! I’m up front!”
Ray followed Laurelyn around the side of the house and they disappeared. Jaxon walked to the front door and waited a beat. When he felt they were in position out back, he knocked.
Silence.
He peered in through the window and saw shadows of furniture, but nothing else. He knocked again and heard something shift just inside the door.
He stepped to the side and drew his gun. A hole ruptured outward from the door as a large gun blast sent shotgun pellets through it. Jaxon’s ears rang.
He reached in through the hole in the door, grabbed a hand and yanked. A figure crashed through what was left of the door and fell to the walkway, the gun clattering away as it slipped from his grasp. Jaxon pushed his gun barrel into the man’s temple and said, “Freeze.”
The guy’s hands went up.
Shouting came from within the house and a woman screamed again. Another gun went off, and then silence. Ray appeared at the shattered door a second later, his gun panning around.
He saw the man on the ground and grinned at Jaxon.
“We got the other two,” he said.
“Get back in there and help her,” Jaxon said. “I’ve got this one.”
Ray ran back inside.
Jaxon told the one he was guarding to stand and turn around. He pulled a pair of handcuffs from his pocket and cuffed the guy. He knew he wasn’t a police officer, but he couldn’t just let the guy roam free.
He prodded him with the gun and said, “Move. Inside.”
The guy moved.
Jaxon followed the voices and found them in a back bedroom, a big man on his belly on the floor, plastic cuffs around his wrists and a partially naked woman on her stomach in the bed, cuffed as well. Laurelyn had her gun still drawn, and when Jaxon came in with the other guy she holstered it and pushed him to his knees.
“What the fuck, bitch?” The big guy on the floor struggled to turn over.
“Stay where you are,” she said.
The woman on the bed cried, but said nothing. The little guy looked dangerous.
Jaxon went to him and looked him in the eye.
“I know you.”
“I know you too, dipshit.”
“Don’t Jaxon,” Laurelyn said as she pulled her phone out and dialed a number.
She gave the Jacksonville Sheriff’s office the situation and their location. She hung up and they waited. The big guy kept running off at the mouth, calling them all every name in the book and Jaxon laughed at him.
“Laugh it up now, asshole,” the guy said. “Just wait. I’ll find you.”
“No need,” Jaxon said. “I’m right here.”
“Un-cuff me mother fucker and I’ll fix you right here.”
“Let me see if my lovely associate will let us be.”
She shook her head.
“Lucky for you she’s by the book,” Jaxon said.
“I think you have it wrong pal. You’re the one who’s lucky.”
Jaxo
n ignored him and took Ray and Laurelyn to the side.
“Recognize them?” Jaxon asked Ray.
“Yeah. These are the two from the warehouse.”
“The crayon lab?” Laurelyn asked.
They both nodded.
“What is going on here?” She asked.
“Layers on layers,” Jaxon said and walked away.
The sirens approached.
* * *
The Jacksonville sheriff’s deputies were not pleased. Jaxon knew they wouldn’t be, but it was tough shit. They would have to deal with it.
Laurelyn, on the other hand, was in deep trouble.
Tate showed up about forty-five minutes after the Jacksonville cops and took her aside, reaming her a new one. Jaxon watched Ray and worried he would intervene. At one point, Ray started over to them and Laurelyn waved him back. He slumped against the wall looking miserable.
“She’ll be fine,” Jaxon said to him.
“We got her in a shit-load of trouble.”
“They’ll let it slide. We got the bad guys.”
“You don’t get it,” Ray said, “She won’t trust us now. She won’t trust me.”
Jaxon pondered that and thought Ray might be right. She did agree to go in without backup, though.
“She knew what was going on. She made up her own mind.”
“She didn’t have much choice when you yelled ‘Go!’” Ray said.
He walked away and went outside. Jaxon let him go.
He called Vick to see how she was feeling and she told him she was fine.
“It must have been something I ate,” she said. “I’ll be all right.”
He told her the situation and she grew silent on the other end. He knew he had messed up then.
“You don’t agree,” he said.
“I’m glad you three are safe, I think you could have handled it better.”
“It was a spur of the moment decision. Did I do wrong?”
“I think so,” she said. “Laurelyn Hawks is in a lot of trouble.”
He told Vick he’d be home later and hung up. He went up to Tate and pulled him aside.
“This is all me,” Jaxon said without preamble.
“I know, Jaxon. I’ve been here with you before.”
“Laurelyn didn’t want to go in and I made the call. Don’t ride her for it.”
“It’s not my decision. I’m her superior and I understand what happened, but I can’t control what the sheriff does with this. He’s talking with the Jacksonville sheriff as we speak and I know he’s pissed off.”
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