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He jumped quickly and looked around. A cruiser pulled into the gas station. Two officers went inside.
“I’ll take us out of here so they won’t bother you. I’m sure someone put out an APB on my car. Do you know what that means?”
“I told you I ain’t stupid! I watch television!” He wiped his face with the back of his hand. “Drive out of here. Now!”
* * * *
The sign on the front door of the law firm of Birch and Petrie listed their hours as 9 to 4:30. It was 9:10 and the door was still locked. David pounded on the glass and held out his badge. A stout woman dressed in bright green ran over and unlocked the door.
“Yes? Can I help you gentlemen?”
They saw Quincy standing by the coffeemaker. Isaac hurried past the woman in green, moving with the same agility he displayed on the football field. Skip and David ran after him.
“All right you son-of-a-bitch!” He grabbed the lapels of Quincy’s jacket and pushed him against the counter. Coffee spilled on Isaac’s pants and Quincy’s shoes. “Where is she?”
The woman who had opened the door and two other female employees stood back. David and Skip flanked Isaac, all staring at Quincy.
“Oh, ah…Isaac is it?”
“You know damn well who I am. Tell me where Chelsea is, and don’t look back at your friends. I’ve got a policeman right here, so don’t bother calling one, but this is between the two of us. Now, start talking or when I finish with you, you’ll be nothing but a small grease spot on this nice carpet.”
Quincy tried to stand. Isaac braced and held him in place.
“I would like to answer you, but I don’t know what you’re talking about. How would I know where Chelsea is?”
Isaac balled his right hand into a fist. “I’ll count to three. I want to know where she’s being held and none of your bullshit. One—”
“Wait a minute! You can’t come busting in here making threats just because you can’t keep up with your woman. My guess is she got wise and moved on.”
“Moved on where?” Skip asked. “She’s not home. She had no purse and no phone.”
Isaac held his forearm over Quincy’s neck. “Now you listen to me, you weak ass punk!
Chelsea was kidnapped, but I’m sure you know that. You also know who broke into her place and left threatening messages on her machine. I’m already up to two—”
“Excuse me.” An older man walked rapidly toward them. “I’m Dallas Petrie, the law
firm’s managing partner. Maybe Mr. Beckham knows what you’re talking about, but I certainly don’t. You have no right coming in here this way, and for the record, I’ve already alerted the authorities of your uninvited arrival.”
“I am the authority.” David moved closer to Isaac, holding out his badge. “I’m
investigating a kidnapping, and every finger we have keeps pointing to your man Quincy.”
“If this is some lover’s triangle, I invite you take your problems with Mr. Beckham out of my office before—”
“I’m Isaac Charbonnette, and since you interrupted me, I think it’s only fair that I let you in on a few things.” He loosened his grip and Quincy broke free. “Your boy here is a weasel who tries to intimidate women. When that fails, he cries and calls his momma, or he kidnaps them.
Isn’t that right, James Pugh?”
Quincy gasped. “I don’t know anything about Chelsea being kidnapped. I saw her
yesterday in the courtroom and that was it.”
Petrie hedged closer. “Obviously I know who you are, Mr. Charbonnette, but I have no idea who you’re dating, or why you feel this person was kidnapped by a member of my staff. If you’re speaking of Chelsea Constantine, from the DA’s office, I am certainly aware of the case.
Everyone in the city who reads, watches television, or listens to the radio knows she is prosecuting a case where this firm, or Mr. Beckham directly, is providing defense.”
“Since you’re familiar with the case, the only thing you need to know beyond that is Chelsea Constantine is my woman. My woman—yes, creep,” he leered at Quincy. “The
prosecutor in your big case is my woman. Someone has been trying to scare her off the case, and since your boy, your firm, is fronting for the real attorney on this case, you were probably in on it, Mr. Petrie. If you’re any kind of managing partner, surely you know what’s going on around you.”
“Are you saying that someone affiliated with this firm has been harassing Ms.
Constantine?” He looked back at Quincy. “Do you know what he’s talking about?”
Quincy stared at the floor. “Let’s talk about this in private, Mr. Petrie. This man is out of line.”
“I’ll ask again, do you know anything about this?” The mustache beneath Mr. Petrie’s nose twitched in annoyance. “Are his accusations true?”
“Go ahead, my man. Tell him how you’ve been doggin’ her to go out with you, how you sent somebody to break into her place. It was you, wasn’t it? You broke into her place. You probably left the note on her car. The cops didn’t notice any strangers in that parking lot because it was you.”
Quincy looked puzzled. “You’re crazy, man! Why would I do those things to Chelsea?”
“Keep saying I’m crazy. I’m not an attorney, but I think insanity is a good defense to use after I break your damn neck.” He grabbed Quincy’s neck with both hands.
“Hold on, now.” Petrie held up his hand. “Let’s sort this all out before anyone gets hurt.
Quincy Beckham just joined this firm, and I give you word, if he’s done any of these things, I’ll kick his ass myself, and I’m an old man.”
David stepped in front of Isaac. “I can’t let you do this, man. This is a matter for the police. We came here to question Mr. Beckham, so if you don’t mind, allow me to conduct an official inquiry.” His voice dropped to a low and threatening level. “In private.”
“We’ll give you whatever privacy you need.” Mr. Petrie waved the others away.
“As you know, Mr. Beckham deserves counsel, and I’m that counsel. Ask your questions. Mr.
Beckham will respond under my direction.”
“I’m a police officer, Mr. Beckham. You’ve been named as a possible suspect in
the disappearance of Chelsea Constantine. If you choose not to answer questions here, we can take a ride to the station. Your attorney can follow.” He gave Quincy a look that Mr. Petrie could not see.
“I’ll answer your questions. I have nothing to hide.”
David spoke close to Quincy’s ear. “You’re an attorney, but there are a few rules I’m not sure you understand. I’ve been a cop all my life. My daddy was a cop. My uncles. Four brothers and three brothers-in-law are cops. I have about twenty-six cousins on the force.” He waved his arms. “We’re all over the city. The damn state. We protect our own, and Chelsea Constantine belongs to us. Both of those men over there will kill you, Mr. Beckham, but that’s nothing compared to what will happen when I put out the word down at the station. You can stay here or you can leave town. Practice law wherever you choose. But unless you tell us every damn thing you know about this, and make it seem like it was your idea, you’ll spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder. Our arms are widespread, Mr. Beckham. Just when you relax, become successful, and think your life is good, we’ll crash your whole damn world apart. We’ll make you wish Isaac or Skip had killed you.”
“Look, you’ve got this all wrong. Nothing was supposed to happen to Chelsea. I wouldn’t have been a part of anything like that.”
“Then you need to cooperate.” David walked back toward the others. “Tell us what you know.”
“I don’t know anything about Chelsea’s kidnapping. I swear. I’m shocked that she’s missing and didn’t know it had happened until now.”
David pressed harder. “So you’re saying you harassed her and broke into her home, but you didn’t kidnap her.”
Quincy tried to move past them to where Mr. Petri
e waited. “Mr. Petrie, this is something you and I need to talk over with Bob Strickland.” Quincy’s smooth voice was now shaky and frail.
“This is my firm. I want to know what’s going on, and I don’t want Strickland to tell me.
A woman has been kidnapped after a list of improprieties I can’t imagine a member of this firm committing. Tell me what’s has happened. I’ll represent you, but I will not become a part of any wrongdoings.”
“You will tell us, Mr. Beckham,” David said. “Do it here, or we’ll take a slow ride down to the station.”
Skip moved close to Isaac. “Chelsea Constantine is my sister, but you know that, too. She introduced us. I saw you trying to get with her. Remember? She said you were unethically coming on to her. We also figured out who you are. My whole family remembers the crap you stirred up when you and Chelsea were kids. If something has happened to my sister, or if she’s harmed while we’re standing around listening to you lie, you won’t be able to find a hiding place deep enough to keep you alive.”
Isaac pressed his forearm against Quincy’s neck. “Spit it out before something happens to her, or I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure yours is a living hell. I’ll hurt you the way you’re hurting me—by going after someone you care about.”
The room had filled, but the crowd scattered quickly when Quincy started squirming against Isaac’s grip. He was not a small man, but was no match for the muscles or the mindset before him.
“Hold on!” Petrie, alone, stepped forward. “Both of you. Stop this minute!”
He tried to pry them apart, but Isaac had a death grip on Quincy’s neck. Quincy gasped and Petrie screamed.
“Let him go! If he did what you say, if he knows anything about this woman’s
disappearance, I’ll make sure he’s prosecuted and disbarred.”
“Okay, I’ll give you the same three-count I gave him. Chelsea’s safety is all I want. If you can make him talk, do it quickly.”
“This was not supposed to happen,” Quincy said, coughing and straightening his
clothing. “I don’t know anything about a kidnapping, and I wasn’t the one in her apartment. I’m not crazy. I would never commit a crime to win a case. It’s not that important to me, but it is to Strickland.”
“Tell me how Strickland figures into this.” Mr. Petrie demanded. “A woman’s life is on the line. I will have no part of whatever you’ve done. I want this firm taken out of this immediately. Tell them what they need to know.”
“I applied for a position at Strickland’s firm about the same time I applied here. He didn’t hire me. You did. Strickland called me after Curtis Hamilton was arrested, and asked me to first chair the case. He said he would be in the courtroom every minute, giving me pointers.
He never said he would be giving the pointers from the back of the courtroom.” He looked at Mr.
Petrie. “He just said he would make it well worth my time to help get the boy acquitted. He offered me a position making twice what I’m making here…and a fifty thousand dollar bonus.”
“Why didn’t he just hire you?” Petrie asked. “Why were you harassing this woman?”
“He didn’t want to bring the trial into his firm, and I didn’t harass her.”
Isaac had not moved. “Don’t lie. I was with Chelsea on Sunday night. I saw you. I should have kicked your ass right them and there.”
“What’s he talking about?” Petrie asked.
Quincy dropped his head.
“Your boy here was a little weepy jerk when he was a kid, just like he’s now an
overgrown jerk, who goes around leaning on women. Lean on me, why don’t you.”
“It’s nothing, Mr. Petrie. What they’re talking about happened back when Chelsea and I were kids. She stood me up for a school dance.” He looked at Isaac. “Yes, I’ll admit, I came on to her this past week. She’s my opponent. I wanted to rile her. Maybe there were some personal feelings mixed in. I leaned on her, but I never would have broken the law.”
“So you took part in this for a high salary and to get back at her for something that happened when you were a kid?” Isaac spat the words in his face. “Man, you’re sick!”
“I didn’t break the law.” With everyone looking on, Quincy defensively responded. “I asked her out.” He smirked. “I gave her a hard time about that, but I sure as hell didn’t break into her home, and I don’t know anything about her disappearance.”
“I’m nearly eighty years old,” Mr. Petrie said, looking at Isaac. “But if this man is in any way responsible for Ms. Constantine’s disappearance, his reprimand will be mine as well as yours. You have my word on that, and I don’t lie.”
“No disrespect intended, but I’m sure you’ll say anything to keep this from coming back on your firm.” Isaac was not convinced. “It’s part of your job.”
David, Isaac, and Skip surrounded Quincy.
“I don’t think you got the message, man,” David said. “Let’s just work it out at the station. I’ll pass the word along to the cops I know. They’ll pass it on to their—”
“I’m not lying when I say I know nothing about Chelsea’s disappearance,” Quincy
protested loudly. “I saw a chance to make a pile of money and join the hottest firm in town. I knew Chelsea was with the DA’s office, but I didn’t even know she was the prosecuting attorney on this case. I’ve never seen Chelsea in court, but…”
He dropped his head and then looked at Isaac. “When I realized she was, I knew
Hamilton’s defense would be difficult. Chelsea was always good at everything. I asked her out and saw it made her uncomfortable, so I…turned up the heat, I guess you could say.”
He moved closer to Isaac and raised his hand. “I swear I didn’t participate in, and I know nothing about her kidnapping. I can’t speak for Strickland, but I would never do anything like this. I’ll swear under oath. I’ll take a lie detector test. Anything you want.”
“Why would Strickland dirty his hands for this boy?”
Quincy didn’t answer Mr. Petrie right away, but started to speak when Isaac moved
toward him.
“He never told me this, so I’m not betraying a confidence.” He looked at the floor. “I overheard a conversation in the hallway. The boy’s mother and father were arguing about Strickland participation in the boy’s defense. A woman I can’t identify said it was only natural for Strickland to want to defend his own son.”
David and Skip moved to the door when three uniforms entered. Isaac was still standing toe-to-toe with Quincy, but moved away when David called.
“Let’s go,” David said. “We just got lucky. The cops know where her car was last
night.” He looked at Quincy. “If you’re involved at all, we’ll find out. Chelsea Constantine has many friends in high places, but it’s the ones on the pavement you need to worry about if she’s harmed.”
“If you do know something, and my sister is harmed, I’ll make your life a living hell.”
Skip promised. “No matter where you go.”
Isaac looked at Petrie. “I apologize for disrupting your workplace. I’m not a violent man, but the woman I love is missing. Her safety is all I care about right now.” He fanned the back of his hand close to Quincy’s face. “Even if you’re telling the truth, I’m still kicking your ass for messing with her.”
David moved closer and whispered to Quincy. “I’m an officer of the law. We have our own ways of retaliation.”
* * * *
CHAPTER EIGHT
They rushed into the hallway with David leading. He did not speak until they were in the elevator.
“The owner of a dry clearing service called about a car blocking his driveway up on Dryades Street. The description and license plate is a match. He knocked on doors until someone remembered seeing this boy who lived upstairs, and a woman getting out of the car yesterday.”
David looked from Skip to Isaac. “He said he knocked on the boy’s door and
asked him to move the car. The boy didn’t respond immediately and he called the police. We haven’t found anyone who saw them leaving, but the car was gone when the police arrived.”
“Did they check this boy’s place?” Isaac asked, quite fearful of the answer.
“They did. Found an old necktie that he might have used to tie her up. It was cut in half.
There was blood…not a lot, maybe where she struggled to get free. We’ll know more when we get the lab results.”
Skip answered his phone and Isaac pulled David aside.
“Was there anything else?”