Avenged

by Janice Cantore

  “This morning. He said he was going to be out following clues and leads but that he’d call me before lunch. No call.”

  Carly frowned. That wasn’t like Alex at all. “Did he say where he was going to be following these leads?”

  “No, and that’s what scares me. He said he didn’t want to tell me because he didn’t want me to get in trouble.”

  Carly hit her forehead with her palm. “Oh, man. I think I know where he may be. Andi, keep trying to get ahold of him, though.”

  “Swell. You’re not going to tell me either, are you?”

  “I think he went to the restaurant where Barton was shot.”

  “That’s still off-limits, isn’t it?”

  “Yep.”

  She heard Andi sigh. “I hope he doesn’t call me to bail him out of jail.”

  Carly ended the call and was about to try Alex’s number when Jonah walked up, face lined with concern.

  “Any word on Londy?”

  “Sorry, not so far. Mary Ellen is pretty upset.”

  “Not surprised. Just about everyone she’s cared about in her short life has died. Please pray for her heart while you pray for Londy.”

  Carly nodded that she would, and Jonah entered the coffee shop.

  A sudden weariness enveloped Carly and she sat down at a sidewalk table, holding her head in her hands. Her thoughts went to Mary Ellen and what Jonah had said. First the girl’s mother had been killed in a traffic accident, and then her father abandoned her to foster care. After being in foster care for years, she ran away at sixteen and hooked up with a loser burglar who was eventually murdered. Jonah and Londy were the most stable parts of her life, and now she might lose Londy.

  But why? Was everything happening in Las Playas because someone wanted revenge against Londy? For what? If it was a gang beef, he could have been taken out in a drive-by. No one else would have been involved or hurt.

  Carly rubbed her forehead and thought about the Burke trial. Yes, Burke had tried to frame Londy for his wife’s murder. To Carly’s knowledge the teen hadn’t yet been subpoenaed for the trial, though he could be. Is Londy a big threat to Burke?

  No, no, she decided. Burke would have a bigger beef with me.

  Chewing on this, she phoned Captain Jacobs. She got his voice mail and left a message while an idea floated around in her head. Then she hung up and dialed Alex’s number. It went straight to voice mail, just like Andi said it would.

  After leaving a message, she shook her head. Not another missing.

  Clues and leads. Alex had told Andi he was looking for clues and leads. To Carly that meant Alex was at the construction yard. She prayed she was wrong and that Alex hadn’t trespassed at the site.

  A lump of dread developed in the pit of her stomach as the realization dawned that that was exactly what Alex would do. But Nick’s team hadn’t found anything. Yet she knew Alex would want to see for himself.

  As Carly pondered her next move, Ned came out of the shop and sat down at her table. “I guess by the look on your face there isn’t any news.”

  “No, sorry. And I’m afraid that a good friend of mine may have done something stupid.”

  “And you’re going to try to save his bacon?”

  Carly smiled. She was concerned about the situation with Londy, but Nick was working on that, and she knew he’d call with news as soon as he had it. She’d decided to go look for Alex, but it surprised her that she was so transparent. “Pretty much.”

  “Mind if I tag along?”

  “Uh, I’m not sure what I’m going to do exactly.”

  “Yeah, but you’re going to do something and you really shouldn’t be by yourself.” He hiked a shoulder. “Things have quieted down here. Hey, I’m a gimp, but I can still use a phone or call out a warning.”

  Carly thought for a minute. Is it wise to have Ned hanging around? Suppose something comes up? What am I worried about? Nick just came from the site. And she didn’t want to see Alex get arrested for trespassing. She decided he’d probably call her before she even got to the yard. Besides, something about Ned reminded her of Joe. He had a calm, confident presence, and she felt comfortable having him tag along.

  “Sure, Ned, let’s tell everyone where we’re going and then take a drive.”

  36

  CARLY WAS ABOUT TO TURN the key in the ignition when her phone buzzed. It was Alex.

  “Hey, I was about to come looking for you.”

  “Sorry, I had my phone off. I only realized it now. I know Andi isn’t going to be happy with me.”

  “You’d better call her. Are you where I think you are?”

  “Yes and no. Can you come down to the old marina, dock 15, slip 22?”

  “Why? What’s there?”

  “Nothing right now, but I’ve got a lot to tell you.”

  Carly bit back an impatient response. “Alex, Londy is missing. He’s been kidnapped. Victor Macias saw him being forced into a van and driven away.”

  “Kidnapped? When?” Alex sounded startled.

  “A couple of hours ago now.”

  Alex whistled low over the phone. “Just come down here. Maybe this will answer some questions.”

  Sighing, she said, “Okay. Be there in about five.” She hung up the phone and turned to Ned. “That’s who I was going to look for. At least now I know that he hasn’t done anything illegal.”

  “I’d still like to tag along, if that’s okay.”

  She nodded and started the car.

  “Where did you think he’d be?” Ned asked.

  “I thought he’d be poking around in the construction site.”

  “Where the environmentalists are always trying to get into?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I read in the paper that the protestor who got shot the other day died.”

  “You’re kidding. I hadn’t kept up on that story.” What a mess, Carly thought. It looks as though Jarvis really screwed up.

  Carly drove the few blocks to the old marina parking lot. She saw Alex’s red sports car and was able to park next to it. Dock 15 was the one closest to Walt’s, part of the old structure that wasn’t being knocked down. The slips here were the smallest in the marina, so there weren’t many people living aboard boats docked in any of them. All the boat docks were gated and only boat owners had keys. It was difficult to get a slip in Las Playas. Carly knew there was a long waiting list. Compared to marinas north and south of the city, Las Playas was smaller, quieter, and more desirable to older folks or anyone who liked a peaceful setting.

  Carly had a master key to the gates, which she used at dock 15. Slip 22 was near the end. She saw Alex and started that way with Ned on her heels.

  “What’s up, Alex?” Carly asked when they reached him.

  “I came down here and tried to get into the construction yard. One of the marina guys stopped me.”

  “Good for him.”

  “Yeah, yeah, but I charmed him into talking. I think something is going on in Walt’s. When I look around the area, that’s the only place Barton could have been coming from when you saw him.”

  Carly nodded. “I figured that. I’m even thinking that maybe Victor saw his brother meet Barton at Walt’s, not the Bluestone.”

  “Great minds think alike. Anyway, this marina guy was telling me that Jarvis was particularly attached to Walt’s, didn’t want anyone else checking the place out or even going near it. He even watched it from his boat.” Alex pointed to dock 16, a dock with bigger slips and therefore more live-aboard boats. “See that ugly turquoise number? That’s Jarvis’s.”

  “He can watch Walt’s. So? Maybe he found something to be diligent about.”

  “So you know him to be a slug as well? The marina guy says the reason Jarvis shot that environmentalist was to keep him away from Walt’s. Now the guy is dead. Isn’t killing someone to keep them away a little too diligent?”

  Carly folded her arms and looked at the boarded-up restaurant in the fading daylight. “I haven’t followed
that investigation too closely. But okay, say you’re right. What is he trying to protect in Walt’s? And why did you bring me to this empty slip?”

  “The marina guy told me there’s usually a boat docked here, a thirty-six footer. Jarvis and the guy who lives on the boat are tight. I asked him to check on who rents the slip, and he couldn’t tell me.”

  “Why? There’s no confidentiality here.”

  “That wasn’t the problem. No one is listed as renting the slip. Yet he knows someone has been here regularly for months. But this is a dock that falls under Jarvis’s sphere of responsibility. So either he’s just a sloppy administrator or . . .”

  “Or he’s letting someone live here under the radar.” Carly chewed on a thumbnail and considered the possibilities. She turned toward Walt’s. “Why didn’t the marina guy stick around to talk to me himself?”

  “He wants to remain anonymous. He’s afraid of Jarvis.”

  “And it’s dusk now, so he’s off. But we’ll have to talk to him sooner or later, Alex. Who is it?”

  Alex got a little testy. “He’s my confidential informant.”

  Carly sighed and decided to leave the pressing to Harris. “Did you try to get inside Walt’s?”

  “The marina guy stopped me. But the three of us might have better luck now.”

  “Yeah.” Carly started walking down the dock as the gangway lights came on. “Like I’m going to bust in there with you two. I have to give this to Harris. By the way, did your CI know where Jarvis is?”

  Alex shook his head and opened his mouth to speak, then stopped. Carly followed his gaze to the gangway where Harris, Romo, Nick, and Fernando approached the neighboring dock with four SWAT guys in tactical gear.

  She looked at Alex again. “Relax. They’re here for Potter. His boat must be docked over there close to Jarvis’s.” She turned toward the gangway and motioned for him to follow. “Let’s go tell them what you found.”

  “If you insist,” he said, falling into step with her. “But you know how I feel about storm troopers.”

  In spite of the gravity of the situation, the comment brought a brief smile to Carly’s lips. She regained her composure by the time they reached the other dock.

  “What are you doing here?” Nick asked.

  “Long story, but it might be one you—” she pointed to Harris—“want to hear.”

  “Can it wait until after we serve our warrant?”

  “Definitely. I don’t want to get in your way.”

  “Thanks,” Harris said as he slipped on a Kevlar vest and tightened the Velcro straps. “Nobody has seen or heard from Potter for days. We don’t think he’s here, but we’re not taking any chances. Hang on, and as soon as we clear the boat, Romo will come back and listen to what you have to say.”

  “Happy hunting,” Carly said as she leaned against a post.

  The men stomped off toward Potter’s boat. Proving that the living space was small, Nick and Romo returned a scant fifteen minutes later.

  “No one home,” Nick said with a shrug. “But they found a 9mm handgun with its serial number filed off.”

  “What?” Carly stared at Nick for a minute. “You think it’s the gun used to shoot the gangbangers?”

  Nick and Romo exchanged glances.

  “It will have to be checked out. Harris will send it to ATF,” Romo said.

  “I can’t believe Potter was the shooter!” Carly thought of the mousy man who’d been following her around for months. Could he really have shot and killed teenagers in an attempt to start a gang war? What possible motive would he have?

  “Well, first the foundation money, now the gun. The evidence is piling up. Now what’re you guys doing?” Romo asked.

  Carly let Alex fill him in.

  “Let’s go check Walt’s out,” Romo said when the reporter finished. “We’re here, and we can look around if we can get in.” He radioed Harris, who was still inventorying Potter’s boat, and everyone headed to Walt’s.

  “You guys will have to wait out here,” Carly told Alex and Ned.

  Alex argued, but Ned took a seat on a bench on the dock.

  “I would have gone into law enforcement if things had been different,” he told Carly. “And I certainly don’t want to get in the way.”

  Alex threw his hands up. “This is my lead, my story.”

  Carly patted him on the shoulder. “No one’s here to scoop you.”

  Romo unlocked the gate around the old restaurant and then the lock on the boarded-up door. The dock beneath them creaked and moaned, and there were still remnants of the crime scene tape from Jarvis’s shooting.

  “Is Jarvis going to be charged with homicide?” Carly asked.

  Romo nodded. “Looks like it. That kid he shot wasn’t a threat. He was trying to climb onto the dock, and Jarvis shot him three times. We’ve tried to talk to him several times since then and he had nothing to say. He was ordered to come in and didn’t show. He’s not helping himself.”

  By now it was dark, but Romo and Nick had flashlights. Carly stayed close to Nick as they checked out the main dining room. Nick found a loose board on the water side of the restaurant. He pulled on it until it became an opening large enough for a man to slip through.

  “It’s been laid into place to look closed,” he said, “but I’ll bet someone has been coming in and out that way.”

  Romo began a systematic search of the old restaurant, but it was empty.

  Carly began to think this was a wild-goose chase. She left Nick and was heading for the front door to apprise Alex when Nick called from the kitchen. “Look here.” He shone his light on the floor, and Carly saw footprints and a clean spot in the dust. “Something was stored here recently.”

  A shadowy form caught Carly’s eye and she grabbed Nick’s shoulder. “Shine your light over here.”

  In the far corner near where the restrooms would be was a chair with clothing draped over it—a black shirt and black chinos.

  “Those are the clothes Dean Barton was wearing the first time I saw him.” Her adrenaline ramped up. Maybe there was more here than she initially thought.

  The four of them moved to the corner and saw a cot folded up and leaning against the wall.

  “He must have been staying here,” Carly added.

  “He told us he was living with his girlfriend, and she confirmed,” Romo said.

  They continued their search, retracing steps and looking more carefully. Romo found several bullets in various places and collected the unspent rounds. They were all 9mm.

  Carly found some wiring and picked it up, not certain what it was but wanting to take it outside to study it. When they did go outside, it was fully dark but for the gangway lights.

  “Where’d you find that?” Ned asked, pointing to the wiring Carly was fiddling with.

  She held it up. “In the kitchen. There was a lot of stuff there. We think your brother had been staying there.”

  “Do you know what that is?”

  She shook her head.

  “That’s a detonator—a military-grade detonator.”

  37

  BY THE TIME NICK AND CARLY returned to their cars, it was after midnight. Ned’s identification of the detonator Carly had found turned the investigation at Walt’s into an ATF affair. They had descended on the dock with personnel and plenty of artificial lighting. Carly could still see the glow of the lights when she reached her car.

  “Ohh,” she said with a yawn, turning to Nick, “what a day.” The excitement over the discovery they’d made in Walt’s was tempered by the fact that Londy was still missing.

  “That’s an understatement.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her close. “I’m starved. I haven’t eaten since breakfast. You want to stop at Harbor House?”

  “No,” she said into his shoulder, “I just want to go home.” She wanted to be alone with Nick and pray for Londy.

  “Okay, we do have plenty of leftovers. Follow me?”

  “Anywhere.”

  Th
ere wasn’t much traffic, so the drive down PCH through Sunset Beach to Huntington Beach didn’t take very long. Nick turned onto their street. Carly nearly ran right into him when he stopped in the middle of the street.

  She looked but didn’t immediately see anyone in front of him. Then he moved, pulling his plain car to the curb and parking. Frowning, Carly looked toward their house and froze. Parked in their driveway was a white van with Arizona license plates.

  She swallowed as her mouth went dry. There was no one near the van, but what was it doing in their driveway?

  They both got out of their cars and met at the back of Nick’s. He was on the phone, calling Huntington Beach PD and asking for backup.

  “They’ll be here shortly,” he said as he disconnected and then punched in the watch commander’s number so he could apprise their department of the situation.

  Wide awake now, Carly felt an icy fear seep into her veins as she considered what might be in the van. It could be Londy.

  It could be Londy’s body.

  When the Huntington Beach unit arrived, Nick identified both himself and Carly to the officer, who advised them to remain where they were for the moment. The officer positioned his vehicle to shine both his spotlights and his headlights directly onto the van. The advantage was theirs if someone came out of the car shooting because they would only see the blinding lights. He then got on the PA and ordered the occupants of the van out.

  They waited and nothing happened. The most dangerous part of any car stop was approaching the vehicle if you didn’t know who was inside or if they were armed.

  Nick moved toward the squad car and told the officer that he and Carly would approach with him. The officer had no problem with that. Nick drew his duty weapon and Carly took her off-duty gun from her backpack. The three of them fanned out to approach from the rear.

  Guns trained on the van, they moved to the side, and Nick gestured to the HB cop to open the side door while he and Carly kept the van covered. On a count of three, he jerked down on the handle and the side door slid open.

  Nick’s flashlight illuminated the interior, and Carly jumped when she saw Londy.