“So what we have to do,” Josie said, “is be on his tail when he drives out of the city and hope he leads us right to them.”
“Yeah. It’s not sophisticated, but I can’t think of anything better. Feel free to chime in with a plan if you have one.”
Josie wished she had a half dozen brilliant ideas to impress Stan with, but she had nothing. Her brain was too active to be that sharp, her need for action too great to put any real thought to the strategic aspects. “No. That sounds best for now,” she said confidently. “I’ll take first watch.”
“No, you won’t. You look like shit. I’ll take between now and midnight. Tommy can do the overnight, and you be on the job at eight tomorrow morning,” Stan said.
“I take it you’re the captain of this ship?”
“Let’s say I still outrank you. And the client hired me, after all. Now go home and get some rest. Seriously. I don’t want you useless on watch.”
They paid the bill and headed their separate ways. Josie’s first inclination was to find Lauren and reassure her they’d find her parents, especially now she was on the case, but she didn’t want to promise anything yet. She was halfway downtown when Sarah DeAngeles called.
“This is Harper.”
“Harper? Is that what people call you?” Sarah had a teasing edge to her voice, veering slightly toward flirtatious.
“It’s what people called me when I was a cop. Old habit, I guess.”
“Well, Harper, I’m afraid I’m calling with bad news.” To Josie that could mean only one thing.
“You’re calling off the investigation, aren’t you?”
“I’m afraid so. The board has been divided on it all along. Now the majority feel it’s unnecessary. There are other factors they’re considering.”
“Like what?” Josie said, trying to sound as professional as she could. “I’ve only been at this for a week, and I did warn you it might take some time.”
“Harper,” Sarah said. “I can’t tell you anymore than I have, but this has nothing to do with your performance. You worked hard and I appreciate everything you did.” Josie again felt relief. Maybe she’d ask Sarah for a testimonial. She needed a brochure and something to put in it.
“Aren’t you curious?” Josie asked.
“Not as much as before. Lauren has essentially faded from my life. Ever since she was released from jail she’s been unreachable. Let’s say that’s slowly dampened my desire to help her out. Also, I’m moving my next book to a new publisher, one that will probably overtake Wade-Fellowes not too far down the road. I’ll be resigning from the board.”
“I see,” Josie said.
“You’ll keep the rest of the retainer, of course, and bill me for any expenses you’ve incurred. That’s only right.” Josie had nothing to say. She was relieved about the money but pissed off about being fired. “And, Harper, this doesn’t have to be good-bye between us. I’d love to meet you for dinner sometime.” Josie tried to imagine what that would look like, she and Sarah on a date. She came up blank.
“Maybe I’ll run into you sometime,” Josie said indifferently. “And thanks for telling me of your decision so we didn’t waste any more time.” Josie had no intention of stopping her investigation now, but Sarah didn’t have to know that.
She pulled into the parking lot of Lauren’s building and made straight for her office. She leaned over Eva’s desk, looking her straight in the eye. “I need to see Lauren right away. It’s extremely important.”
Eva must have understood Josie was there to help Lauren, not get something from her.
“Ms. Wade has left for the day. I’m afraid I can’t tell you where she’s gone.”
“Can’t or won’t?” Josie said.
“Can’t. She said she wouldn’t be coming back in today.” Eva looked a little annoyed, and for once it wasn’t at Josie. “She doesn’t realize the work I need to do when she disrupts her schedule like that.”
“Does she do that a lot?” Josie leaned her hip on the desk and spoke as if they were old mates.
“She has lately. I’m worried about her. If you can do anything to help her, then you have my blessing,” Eva said, quite seriously.
Back in her car, Josie twirled down the umpteen levels of parking that would take her back on the street. She was parked in Scotland, level eleven. It was a long way down to the United States at level one, and when she got finally got there she shot onto Madison. She knew where to go. She drove back to Lincoln Park, where Lauren lived on quiet Burling Street, lined with outrageously expensive single-family homes that loomed like cudgels.
She’d found the address by paying for a professional background check, something she’d have to learn to do. Police databases had spoiled her. Lauren’s house was among the less ostentatious, but it was on a double-wide lot, with a big extension in the back. Josie didn’t want to guess what it was worth. And what did it matter? She was here on the job, not to ponder Lauren’s net worth. She pressed on the bell and heard movement inside. She saw Lauren check her out from one of the windows to the side of the castle-sized wooden door. She imagined a soldier opening the door and nodding her into the keep, where servants scuttled about, all in service to the queen. Jesus, where had that come from? She pulled on her jaw as if to reshape her brain and had it back in place by the time Lauren unlocked the dead bolt.
She opened the door and motioned Josie in, as if she weren’t at all surprised to see her there. Lauren shut the door quickly behind her. When she turned to look at her, Josie found her expression a jumble. There was frustration, curiosity, and interest. At least that was Josie’s observation. Its accuracy was open to question, she knew.
“What are you doing here, Josie?”
Josie met her look with as calm an expression as she could muster, even though the mere proximity of Lauren was doing terrible things to her insides. How had this happened? Physical attraction she was used to, but not this pull she had no defense against. It felt like a whirligig had taken over where her heart used to be. It was fucking uncomfortable. “I thought I should check in with you. There’s a lot going on.”
Lauren simply nodded and led Josie into the kitchen. “Would you like some coffee?”
“Sure,” Josie said. Lauren seemed fine with her being there, which made her happy. Happy? What was that, exactly? When she was in the beginning of mania she felt euphoric. It was the best feeling in the world. But was it happiness? What she felt standing in front of Lauren was different than that revved-up “I can do anything” feeling she now knew was her disease. But she had no time now to tweeze out one feeling from another. She’d go with happy and leave it at that.
“I assume you’ve talked to Stan Waterman,” Lauren said as she started a pot of coffee.
“Stan and I ran into each other near your brother’s place. I was there because I’m nearly convinced Tim was Kelly’s killer.”
“I am also. He’s as much as said he did it.”
Lauren was leaning against the counter in her big kitchen, the afternoon sun lighting her tired face. She’d changed out of her business suit and into well-worn jeans and a rumpled button-down shirt. She was barefoot and sexy as hell.
Josie stood a few feet from her. “That would have been helpful to know the day I interviewed you about Kelly’s murder. But you’re not forthcoming about a lot of things.”
“I can’t afford to be,” Lauren said.
“This whole story about Tim keeping your parents hostage and you not able to do anything about it. I wish I’d known that earlier, too.”
Lauren smiled at her, as if Josie had just handed her a rose. “Do you think you would have come to my rescue?”
“I know I would’ve tried.” Josie was looking for signs from Lauren there was something more going on. It was ridiculous and selfish, of course, given the two lives at stake, possibly Lauren’s life as well, if they didn’t rescue John and Helen. The drama of that should have been enough to charge up a conversation between any two people. But s
he was sure the buzz was something else.
Lauren turned her back on Josie and poured two cups of coffee. Josie could see her hands trembling, not a lot, but enough to be noticeable. She stepped forward and took the mugs to the kitchen table while Lauren brought cream and sugar and watched Josie obliterate her coffee with both.
“I told Stan I’d like you to work with him, if you agree to it. You struck me as very tenacious the first time we met,” Lauren said. She drank her coffee and kept her eyes on Josie.
Josie would take “tenacious” as a compliment, though it wasn’t the sexiest one she’d ever had. “It turns out your offer is well-timed. I just got fired by my clients.”
Lauren looked surprised. “You mean the mysterious client has given up hope?”
Josie hesitated. “I don’t know the reason, but I thought you would be glad. I didn’t think you were thrilled about me poking around your life. This should be good news for you.”
“I wasn’t thrilled, that’s true. But now anything you have on Tim that I can use as leverage to help free my parents would be welcome. I think he’s going to do something soon.” Lauren got up and brought the coffeepot over. She looked exhausted enough to drop it and not even notice. Josie took if from her and put it on the table.
“I didn’t get any new evidence against him,” Josie said. “If Tim had keys to your house, he had access to your gun. I thought his motive could be the resentment he felt about how your parents favored you over him. He told me about it when I interviewed him. Made a point of it. I don’t know where he was when Kelly was killed. He didn’t give me an alibi.”
“No, he wouldn’t think that kind of thing applied to him. And yes, he has keys to my house. He insisted.”
Josie finished her coffee. “I can’t imagine the stress you’ve been under.”
Lauren looked almost amused. “Are you wondering why I’m not more distraught? I am, actually, but you have to remember Tim took them at the beginning of the year. I’m past the hand-wringing stage, but I’m still frightened for them.” Lauren continued looking into Josie’s eyes. “I don’t imagine you’ve had as strange a homicide case when you were with the police.”
Josie returned the gaze. “I never was a homicide detective. I think I had a shot at the promotion, but a bunch of crap happened and I chose to leave the department. It’s a long story.”
“I’d love to hear it sometime.” Lauren smiled. The amusement was replaced with a look that was hard to identify—as if someone was staring at an ordinary object and by doing so began to see all of its interesting properties. Like a bed of moss or a shelf of sedimentary rock. Josie felt she was being intensely examined and a blush started to move up her neck.
Incredibly, she heard herself say, “Maybe when this is all over we can get together for dinner. But now I need to get back with Stan and put our plan in motion.”
What she needed was to get away from Lauren. She was aroused and she didn’t want it to show in her eyes. But she really wanted to see it in Lauren’s. She didn’t think she could be wrong that the attraction was mutual, but she’d finally learned to wait a bit before acting on what she thought. That had gotten her into so much trouble before. She stood and Lauren followed her to the door.
“I’m glad you’ll be working with Stan. I feel more confident already.” They paused at the door and looked at each other silently. “No matter what else happens,” Lauren said, “the most important thing is to find my parents. I know you understand that.”
“Of course,” Josie said. She stepped out the door and turned around. “I—we—won’t let you down.” She handed Lauren a card. “Here’s my cell number. Call me if you need anything. I mean that.”
“I know you do. Good-bye, Josie.” Lauren gently closed the door and Josie trotted to her car.
Jesus. She was ready for her beer. She headed to Tillie’s.
Chapter Twenty-nine
Josie walked into Tillie’s and took a seat in front of the owner, who was tending bar. Tillie was a pre-Stonewall war horse, worn out by activism and content now with looking out for the community that had formed in her bar. She had a mop of gray hair, a sturdy body, and a demeanor that left no doubt who was in charge.
“Hi, Tillie. Been a long time.” Josie climbed onto an old bar stool, its back wobbly and the leather worn. “I’ll take a draft beer, please.”
“I’ve been here. Where have you been?” Tillie said as she pulled the beer from the tap. She seemed wary, as if knowing that taking that first beer would turn Josie into a totally different person. She’d cut off Josie more than a few times and broken up a few fights, too.
“You think I’ll be raising hell again, I can tell,” Josie said. “But don’t worry. I’m under control these days. One beer a day and that’s it.”
“Yeah, that’s what Lucy told me. She said you were sick for a while but now you’re nearly all better.” Tillie leaned over the bar to slap her on the shoulder. “I’m glad you’re back,” she said, before leaving to tend to customers at the end of the bar.
Josie saw red. Jesus H. Christ. What the hell was Lucy doing telling anyone anything about her? That was a deal breaker. She broke up with Lucy in her mind right then. She wasn’t even going to tell her they’d broken up. She’ll figure it out. She felt relief; now she wouldn’t have to sort out how she felt about Lucy. No more dates. No more taking things at a glacially slow pace. If her drinking and mania were under control, she didn’t need to be with someone as grounded as Lucy. She could branch out a little, have some fun. It wasn’t that she wanted to pick anyone up; she simply wanted to know she could if she felt like it. And there was no way she was going to be with someone who gossiped about her.
What she really wanted to do was go back to Lauren and make love to her until she couldn’t take any more. Josie could make pleasure last, she was good at that. But it would hardly do for her to seduce her new boss. She should show at least some resistance to it, even though she knew at her core she and Lauren both felt the palpable sexual tension between them. As soon as they had been alone together in her house, Josie could feel the atmosphere change, like walking in a lightning storm when the air seemed to crackle and buzz. She couldn’t be making it up.
She sipped her beer and surveyed the room. It was early evening and the bar was filling fast. She saw Ann-Marie and Gabby at one of the tables. Since she was no longer being paid to look for Kelly Moore’s killer, whether Gabby was a suspect didn’t matter. She had a new job now. She couldn’t wait to report for her shift the next morning. She even liked the fact Stan was giving the orders. She knew she had a lot to learn.
Josie looked down the bar and around the room once again, looking for Lucy, with whom she’d just broken up. The whole “who gets the tavern after the breakup” thing worried her. Tillie’s was Josie’s bar, not Lucy’s, for God’s sake. She’d fight her hard on that one. Just as she was about to finish her beer and head home, she heard a chair scrape hard across the wooden floor. She turned to see Gabby standing over Ann-Marie, holding on to her upper arm and giving her a good shake until Ann-Marie rose from the table. Gabby kept her vise-like grip on Ann-Marie, who was in obvious discomfort, and pulled her toward the door. Josie didn’t think twice before rushing over to help Ann-Marie.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Gabby said. Josie was pulling on her hands trying to free Ann-Marie, but she could tell she wouldn’t be able to wrest them away. Gabby was strong, no question, and her fingers were dug so deep into Ann-Marie’s thin arm it would take pliers to set her free. Instead, Josie pulled her arm back and punched Gabby square in the face, which hurt her hand like absolute hell. That was more than made up for by seeing Gabby scream in pain as she windmilled backward, crashing into the table of two women drinking chocolate martinis. Gabby was drenched by them, as well as bleeding profusely from her nose.
Josie turned to Ann-Marie. “Do you have your own car here?”
Ann-Marie looked terrified, but she nodded in answer.
“Take your car and go to a friend’s house until I call and tell you it’s safe to come home.”
“But I’m sure she wouldn’t harm me,” she said, the sobs starting.
“Right. And I’m sure world peace will break out tomorrow.” She guided Ann-Marie through the door. “Please do as I say. Quickly.”
She saw Ann-Marie leave and turned to watch Gabby struggling to right herself. Blood was still streaming from her nose, but Gabby was tough. She was soon up and barreling straight at Josie. She swung with all she had, a punch Josie barely managed to evade.
“Outside!” Tillie yelled, suddenly right beside them. “Get your asses outside. You know I don’t tolerate fighting in my bar!”
Gabby grabbed Josie in a bear hug, pinning her tight as she dragged her out the door Tillie was now holding open.
“I figure you have ten minutes to sort yourselves out before the police come,” Tillie said. She shook her head as she walked back in the bar, muttering something about acting like children. Josie had to agree. Breaking Gabby’s nose was not something she’d overlook, and Gabby was much more muscular than Josie was. She was a firefighter, Josie a cop. It was well established who was the stronger of the two. Cops were no slouches, but she might be in over her head. As Gabby pulled her onto the sidewalk, Josie saw faces plastered at the windows, eerily illuminated by the neon “Tillie’s” sign, eager to watch the fight. There wasn’t a single one likely to step out and put a stop to Josie getting her ass kicked.
She started to struggle in Gabby’s arms until Gabby suddenly dropped her at her feet. Tillie’s was on a quiet street with a small row of commercial properties nestled among brick two- and three-flat buildings. They were all closed for the day. No one was out walking their dog or sharpening their sword or patrolling the neighborhood. No one was there to intervene. Josie wasn’t scared, exactly. She simply wanted to avoid getting killed.
“Get up, you coward,” Gabby said. She was drunk, same as every time she’d seen her at Tillie’s. “Now you’re going to pay for messing my face up.” Like she was Cate Blanchett or something. No one was going to notice a broken nose on Gabby’s face.
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