Fatally Linked

by Juliann Vatalaro

“Same thing as you, I guess. I’m here to talk to the bouncer.”

  “Fine. You take lead.”

  They stepped up to the door. “Good evening. You mind if we ask you some questions?” Jake asked the bouncer as they both flashed their badge.

  “What do you need?”

  “We’ll start with a name.”

  “Trevor Jones.”

  “Mr. Jones, you were working last night?”

  “Yes.” He looked away while he checked the ID of two young women.

  “See anything out of the ordinary between twelve and two?”

  “Nope. It was pretty quiet last night.”

  “Nobody hanging around across the street.”

  “I saw Sleeter go down the alley. Not sure what time it was, though. What’s this about?”

  “Sleeter?”

  “Homeless guy. Hangs out in that alley. What’s this about?”

  “Don’t watch the news, do you? There was a body found by the dumpster behind the pizza place this morning.”

  Again, he looked away to check an ID.

  “Sorry about that—but as I said, it was pretty quiet last night.” He looked down, rubbing the back of his neck. “There was a Mustang that went down the alley. I’m not sure of the time, but it was after Sleeter.”

  Dani jumped in. “What color Mustang?”

  “It was a dark color. Maybe blue or black.”

  “Any idea of the year?”

  “No, but it was a convertible.”

  “Anybody besides the driver in it?”

  “Not that I noticed.”

  “How long was it back there?”

  “Sorry, I didn’t see it come out. I was talking to some customers that were leaving for about a half hour. It might have come out in that time.”

  “Regulars? Do you know their names?”

  “Yeah, Tommy and Johnny. Brothers. They live around the block. Come here because it’s in walking distance.”

  “Last name?”

  “Sorry, no idea. But you could check with Gina, the bartender.”

  Jake asked. “What time does Sleeter usually show up?”

  “Between eleven and one.”

  “Thanks,” Dani said and opened the door. She walked straight up to the bar. “Gina?” she asked as she flashed her badge.

  “Yes. What can I do for you?”

  “Tommy and Johnny. You have a last name?”

  “Carro. What did they do?”

  “Nothing. I just need to talk to them. You know where they live?”

  “Around the corner. Third building on the left. But they are over at the pool table if you want to talk to them.”

  Dani and Jake both looked over. “How come they are never small guys?” Dani said as they started over. “You’re still lead.”

  Jake nodded as they headed over. “Tommy and Johnny?”

  “Who wants to know?”

  Jake flashed his badge. “Detective Santos and Lieutenant Castello. We need to ask you a few questions.”

  “We don’t know anything.”

  “I haven’t even asked you anything yet.”

  “I doesn’t matter. We didn’t do anything and we don’t know anything.”

  They both held their pool sticks as if they would swing them at any moment.

  “Look, you are not in any trouble. Put the sticks down. We just want to know what time you left last night.”

  Dani put her hand on her gun behind Jake. Tommy and Johnny relaxed their grip on their sticks. “It was around one-thirty.”

  “Not an ‘around’ time. The exact time.”

  “I guess it was closer to two.”

  “Did you see anything outside? Specifically in the alley across the street.”

  “I saw a Mustang pull out from the alley.”

  “You sure it was a Mustang?”

  “Yeah, It’s kind of my favorite car. I would never mistake one for another car.”

  “What year?”

  “It was dark and I was a little drunk, but I would say two thousand, two thousand one.”

  “Color?”

  “Black. Maybe dark blue.”

  “Did you see the driver?”

  “I told you. It was dark, and I was drunk.”

  “How about you?” Jake looked over at Tommy.

  “No. I was in worse shape than Johnny.”

  Jake stepped away. Dani took her hand off her gun and closed her jacket. “Thanks for your help.”

  “We didn’t get much, but the Mustang’s a start. I’ll run it first thing in the morning,” Jake said as they left the bar.

  “Yeah, you do that.”

  Dani started crossing the street.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I thought I’d see if Sleeter showed up.”

  “It’s only ten-thirty.”

  “I’m here. I figure it won’t hurt to check it out.”

  Dani took a better look around the alley than she had this morning. Slowly she made her way to the end scanning from side to side. It was your typical alley. Dumpsters and trash cans. Dead ended to a six-foot wall. Under the steps at the last building was a cardboard refrigerator box with old, dirty sheets hung around it.

  “Sleeter’s home,” she said as she pushed the sheet aside. Both stepped back, covering their noses with their arm at the same time.

  “I guess Sleeter hasn’t found a shower he could use in a while,” Jake laughed.

  Dani glared at him. “Why don’t you go? I’ll wait for him and get with you in the morning.”

  “I’ll wait with you.”

  “I’m sure Zach told you I can take care of myself. I don’t need a babysitter.”

  “Not babysitting, just doing my job.”

  They were quiet for over a half hour before Dani spoke up.

  “Tell me about you.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  “You could start with whatever the reason was Zach thought he couldn’t tell me about you.”

  “If I knew what that was I would tell you, but I have no idea why he didn’t tell you about me.”

  “Then tell me what he didn’t.”

  “Well, you already know we’re twins. When we were born, my mother took me to California and my father kept Zach in New York. The lawyer says they had already started the divorce process before she got pregnant. It seems they had breakup sex and she got pregnant.”

  “Your mother just gave up Zach? She didn’t think it was wrong to separate the two of you?”

  “From what we found out, Mom was a drunk and Dad gambled. They were not the most responsible people. I guess they thought it was the only thing they could do.”

  “Zach did say his father gambled. They weren’t very close.”

  “It took me ten years before I realized my mother was a drunk. We were not very close after that either. But she did keep food in my stomach and clothes on my back. I had to give her credit for that. I was sixteen when we found out her liver was shot. Nineteen when she died from it.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Thanks. Anyway, I was in on a drug bust four months ago. Zach saw me on the news and got in touch with me. We got together. After talking, I ripped my mom’s possessions apart and found the divorce papers. We went to the lawyer and found out what they did.”

  “It’s just a coincidence that you both became cops?”

  “Yes.”

  “You married?”

  “No. I was for about six months, but it didn’t stick. I was too wrapped up in the job. She couldn’t take it.”

  “Yeah, it’s hard for cops to have a relationship. You seeing anyone?”

  “No. After the divorce I decided it would be best not to get close to anyone.”

  Their conversation was interrupted as Sleeter stumbled down the alley.

  “Hey, that’s my stuff,” he yelled as he tried to run toward them.

  “Mr. Sleeter we don’t want your stuff. We’re with the police. We would like to ask you some questions.”


  “I don’t know anything. Now get away from my stuff.”

  They both backed away from the steps. “What time did you get home last night Mr. Sleeter?”

  “It’s just Sleeter.”

  “Okay, Sleeter. What time did you get home last night?”

  “I don’t have a watch.”

  “Guess.”

  “I guess around twelve-thirty.”

  “Did you see anything unusual in the alley last night?”

  “No.”

  “Did you hear anything?”

  “No.”

  “Sleeter, you are not in any trouble. A body was found over by that dumpster this morning. We just need to know if you saw or heard anything.” Dani took out a twenty and handed it to him.

  He looked at it and smiled. “I heard a car. When I looked out a man was helping someone out of the car. He leaned him up against the dumpster and left.”

  “What did he look like?”

  “It’s kinda far, and my eyes aren’t what they used to be.”

  “Any description will help.”

  “About your height, with gray hair.”

  “What about his build or what he was wearing?”

  “Wasn’t heavy, but not skinny either. I didn’t notice what he was wearing. When he drove away I laid back down and went to sleep.”

  “You didn’t go check on the guy up against the dumpster?”

  “Where someone wants to sleep is none of my business. Now I would like to go to bed.”

  He wobbled over to the steps, pulled the sheet, and went inside.

  “Not much help,” Jake said as they walked out of the alley.

  “Nope.”

  “Come on, I’ll take you home.”

  “No, I’ll walk. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Dani, it’s late. You’ve had a long day. You’re exhausted. Get in the car and let me take you home.”

  “Fine, but don’t talk to me.”

  “Where do you live?”

  “Third and Monroe.”

  She closed her eyes and put her head against the window. He entered the streets into the GPS and slowly pulled out into traffic.

  Jake slowly moved down the block. “Didn’t Zach live on this block?”

  “How would you know?”

  “I was in his apartment.”

  Dani sat up straight. “You were in his apartment and he didn’t introduce you to me? Where was I?”

  “He told me you didn’t live together. I guess you were home.”

  “Yeah, well, officially we didn’t live together.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You might as well come up. I’ll show you. Park in the underground garage.”

  They rode the elevator up to the sixth floor in silence. When the doors opened, Dani walked out slowly. She stopped in front of her door and unlocked it. “This is mine.” She pointed to the next door. “That was Zach’s.”

  Jake stared at Zach’s door. “You lived right next to each other?”

  “For two years. Come on in.” Dani threw her keys on the table by the door, took off her jacket and threw it on the couch in the living room.

  She walked over to the bookcase. “A month after we finally gave into our feelings for each other, we did this.”

  She pulled out a book and flipped a switch behind it. The bookcase opened into the room. “Then we were living together.”

  Jake walked through the opening. “He didn’t show me. You mind if I look around?”

  “Yes, but he was your brother. I guess you have a right.”

  She walked to the kitchen and grabbed a beer.

  When Jake returned Dani was lying on the couch sleeping. He took the beer and set it on the table. He grabbed the blanket that was on the end of the couch and tucked her in.

  “I didn’t know him all that long, but I miss him, too. I promise I’ll find out who killed him for you.”

  He took a sip of the beer and walked out, closing the door quietly behind him.

  CHAPTER 4

  DANI’S HEADACHE WAS STILL THERE when she woke up. It was a real chore getting ready for work and walking out the door. She rubbed a hand over Zach’s picture as she walked into the squad room. Jake was already there, sitting at Zach’s desk. She actually did a double take as she passed to her office.

  Jake followed her in as she was closing the door to her office. “We got a hit from the email.”

  “Excuse me, I don’t remember asking you to come in,” she said as she sat behind her desk and glared at him.

  “We’re not going back to square one again, are we?”

  She closed her eyes tight and slowly opened them. “No, we’re not. What do you have?”

  Jake sat across from her. “The email came from a coffee shop on Eighth Avenue.”

  “The one a few doors down from the bar?”

  “I don’t really know the area, but I’ll check.”

  “Do we know who sent it?”

  “Not yet. I thought I’d take a ride over and take a look around, but Wilson tells me they have a hit on the tattoo.”

  “Wilson tells you!” Dani jumped up and pulled the door open. “Wilson! In here now!”

  When he walked past her, she slammed the door behind him.

  “Did you tell him any information about the tattoo?”

  Wilson looked at Jake and back. “Yes, ma’am. Is that a problem?”

  “Yes, Wilson, that’s a problem. I’m the lead on this case. Everything goes through me first. In my absence, it goes through the captain. I’m sure you know and understand that bit of standard procedure.”

  “Yes, ma’am. I just figured since he was with you all day yesterday that he’s your partner on this.”

  “You figured wrong. He will not be here long. If you have any information on this or any case, you come to me. Got it?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Sorry.”

  Dani walked back around her desk and sat. Jake shook his head and laughed.

  “Tell me about the tattoo,” Dani ordered.

  He flipped through some pages of his notebook. “Tattoo parlor on the West side. ‘River City Tattoo’ has it displayed on the wall. It’s not exact, but pretty damn close. Split Michaels…”

  “Split?”

  “Nickname. Real name Henry. Split says it has been up on the wall since his grandfather bought the place back in the eighties. Doesn’t know who designed it or much about it. He was going to ask his grandfather next time he sees him.”

  “Don’t you think you should have had him call his grandfather and ask while you were there?”

  “Grandfather’s eighty-two and in a nursing home. He has good days and bad.”

  “Great. Just great. What about Split’s father? Does he know anything?”

  “Dad’s not around. Took off when Split was seven. His grandfather raised him.”

  Dani looked over to Jake and back. “Type it up and send me the report.”

  “Yes, ma’am. Do you want me to follow up on this with the grandfather?”

  “No, I’ll do it.”

  When he left Jake spoke up. “Don’t you think you were a little hard on the kid?”

  “The kid has been a detective for over a year. He knows the chain of command. He’s lucky I don’t write it up.”

  She rubbed her temples to relieve the tension.

  Jake walked over to her desk and opened the drawer. He pulled out the bottle of aspirin and shook two out. He took Dani’s hand, dropped them in it, picked up her coffee cup, and pushed it toward her.

  “Take them,” he said. “And don’t you mean we will follow up on the tattoo?”

  She swallowed and looked at him. “If I meant ‘we,’ I would have said ‘we’… and how did you know I had aspirin in that drawer?”

  “That’s the drawer my lieutenant kept them in. I took a shot.” He shrugged. “Do I need to go to the captain and get reassigned to a different case?”

  “You need to go to the captain and get reas
signed to a different department. Preferably one back in California.”

  “If that’s really what you want I will.” She looked up at him. “But not until I find out who killed Zach. Once he is behind bars or preferably six feet under you will never have to see me again. Until then, let me do my job.”

  Dani sat back and sighed. “Why didn’t he tell me about you?” she asked again, because she just couldn’t believe he didn’t.

  Jake lowered his head and clasped his hands tightly together. “I wish I knew.” He looked at her. “I’m sorry he didn’t. He told me so much about you. He was so in love with you. From what he told me about you and what I have seen so far, I can understand why. If you weren’t his woman I would be all over you.”

  “Isn’t that flattering?” She turned on her computer. “Did you find anything in his apartment?”

  “No. His computer is password-protected. I was going to ask you if you knew what it is, but you were asleep and I didn’t want to wake you.”

  Dani stopped typing. “You put the blanket on me?” she asked quietly.

  “Who else?”

  She turned her back and wiped the tears. She couldn’t tell you how many times she had fallen asleep on the couch. Zach always threw a blanket over her and left her there. Just knowing that Zach cared enough that she was comfortable made her smile.

  Jake went around her desk and knelt in front of her. “Dani, are you okay?”

  She nodded.

  “Did I do something wrong?”

  She shook her head.

  “I miss him, too. You can talk to me.”

  She got up quickly and wiped the tears away. “No, I can’t.” She walked to the door. “Let’s go.”

  Jake hesitated before following her out.

  He was barely in the car when Dani pulled out. “Where are we going?”

  She didn’t want to talk to him. From what she could tell, Jake and Zach are very much alike. Having Jake sitting next to her was too much like having Zach sit next to her. The thought scared the hell out of her and gave her comfort at the same time.

  Tonight she was going to rip Zach’s side of the apartment apart. She had to find out why Zach would keep Jake a secret from her.

  “To get Split. We need to talk to his grandfather. It will go easier on him if Split is with us.”

  Jake smiled. She really is sensitive to other people’s feelings. So far, everything Zach said about her has been dead on.