Fatally Linked

by Juliann Vatalaro

  He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly.

  I have to find Zach’s killer quickly. If I stay around here too long I am going to be in trouble. Seeing the tears in her eyes a few minutes ago touched my heart. Zach was a lucky man. I could see why he loved her. I can see myself falling for her. That’s after only being around her for twenty-four hours. How did Zach pull off staying away from her for two years?

  CHAPTER 5

  IT WAS A LITTLE AFTER ten a.m. when they walked into River City Tattoo. Dani went straight up to the counter. Jake scanned the walls for the tattoo.

  Dani took out her badge and flashed it to the man behind the counter. “Lieutenant Castello, that’s Detective Santos. We’d like to speak to Split Michaels.”

  “He’s not here. Can I help you with something?”

  “And you are?”

  “Franky Trumble.”

  “Over here, Lieutenant,” Jake called.

  She looked up to where Jake was pointing.

  “Are you in the market for a tattoo, Lieutenant?”

  Dani smiled. “No, the one I have is plenty. Do you know who designed that one?” She pointed up.

  “A detective was here yesterday asking about that tattoo.”

  “Would you mind telling us what you told him?”

  “I don’t know much about it. It has been up there on the wall since I started here. I’ve never been asked for it.”

  “How long have you worked here?”

  “Eight years.”

  “Would you mind taking it down? Maybe it’s signed on the back.”

  “Sure thing.” He pulled a step stool out of the back. Slowly, he removed the drawing from the wall. I guess he figured it was up there so long it might rip if he pulled it down too fast. He handed it to Dani.

  “No signature. I don’t suppose you’d let us take this?”

  “If there is any way around that I’d appreciate it. Pop is real proud of his wall. I’d hate to disturb it.”

  “Do you have a copy machine?”

  “Of course. It’s a color one.” He took it back and made ten copies.

  “When do you expect Mr. Michaels?”

  “Not until after twelve. He visits his grandfather every morning.”

  “Where does his grandfather live?”

  “Retirement home on 92nd and Lincoln. Grandville Hotel.”

  “Thanks for your help, Mr. Trumble.”

  “Anytime. I hope you find the guy. Nobody should do that to a kid.”

  Jake grabbed for the handle of the car door and spoke over the roof. “So where’s the tattoo?”

  She smiled at him but didn’t answer. They both got in.

  “What is it?” Jake persisted.

  Again, a smile, but no answer.

  “Okay, just tell me where it is.”

  She took her eyes off the road to look at him. His smile was like a dagger through her heart.

  His smile lights up his face, just like Zach’s did, she thought.

  Quickly she turned back to the road. How am I going to work with this man when every time I look at him I see Zach?

  “Nowhere you will ever see.” She wiped a tear away as she rested her head on her hand.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “It’s not something you can stop. Just looking at you upsets me. Why can’t you just go home?”

  He didn’t answer until Dani parked the car in front of the retirement home. “For you, I wish I could walk away. For Zach, I have to stay. I’ll stay out of your way as much as possible after this.”

  Again, she had no answer. She walked up to the desk, found out what Mr. Michael’s room number was and in silence headed to the elevator. There was a man standing outside the room. She walked right up to him.

  “Is this Henry Michaels’ room?”

  “Who wants to know?”

  “Lieutenant Castello and Detective Santos.”

  “Split Michaels.” He shook their hands. “I was just going to call Detective Wilson. Pop is having a good morning. I thought he might be able to answer some questions about the tattoo.”

  “Can you tell us anything?”

  “Not really. It’s been on the wall for over thirty years.”

  “How long has your grandfather owned the shop?”

  “About thirty-five years. Pop can probably help you more. The nurse is helping him wash up now. It should only be a few more minutes.”

  “How’s business?” Jake asked.

  “We do pretty good. Times are tough all over. Most people can’t afford to spend money on things they want instead of need.” He shrugged. “But we do okay.”

  A few minutes later, the nurse came out and Split led them into see his grandfather.

  “Pop, this is Lieutenant Castello and Detective Santos. They would like to talk to you about one of the tattoos that’s on the wall.”

  “How can I help you?” Henry Michaels was not a tall man. Maybe only five-seven, but built well for a man of his age. He has a full head of gray hair. His arms were filled with tattoos. Not like a full body tattoo. You could still see skin between each one. It was different, but Dani had to admit it was nice.

  Dani took lead. “This is the tattoo we would like some information on.” She handed him one of the copies.

  It was a long moment before he said anything. “Geronimo.”

  Dani and Jake looked at each other, to Split and back to Mr. Michaels. Split spoke. “Pop, do you understand what they’re asking?”

  “Of course I understand what they’re asking. They want to know about this tattoo.” He held up the paper. “And I answered them. Geronimo drew this.”

  “Geronimo?”

  “Geronimo was a guy that used to hang out at the shop. He lost his little granddaughter.” He shook his head. “Only five years old. Such a tragedy.”

  When he was quiet a minute Dani pushed a little. “Was Geronimo his real name?”

  “Nah, it was a nickname.” He thought for a minute. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know his real name.”

  “Why the nickname?” Jake asked.

  Pop laughed. “He was riding with a bunch of his friends from this gang he hung out with. They were up in the mountains. He wasn’t paying attention and he ended up riding over a cliff.” Again, he laughed. “All his friends started calling him Geronimo.” He shrugged. “It stuck. Kind of like Split.”

  Dani and Jake looked at Split. “High school wrestling team. My opponent had me around the waist, pushing me down. I did a perfect split as I hit the mat. I spun around, took out his legs and scissored his waist. From there I was able to pin him.”

  Pop laughed. “He won the match but couldn’t walk straight for a week.”

  Dani and Jake laughed with him. “Do you remember the name of the gang he hung out with?”

  He looked at the drawing. “Fallen Angels.” He looked up again. “That little girl was his angel. He drew this for her. He asked if I could tattoo it on his chest.” He rubbed the left side of his chest. “When the others saw it they all came in. I must have tattooed that on fifty people.”

  He pulled the bottom of his shirt up to reveal his tattoo of the angel on his side. “Not all in the same place or the same size, but every one of them got it.”

  “Do you know where we might be able to find Geronimo?”

  He shook his head. “I haven’t seen him in years.”

  “How about any of the others in the gang?”

  He thought a moment. “Flyer would come in once in a while, but it’s been at least a year since I’ve seen him.”

  “I don’t suppose you have a real name for Flyer?”

  “Nope. Most of them had nicknames. Flyer was a pilot. There was another pilot in the gang. His nickname was Wings.”

  “How old would these guys be now?”

  “Oh, they were young back then. Maybe early-to-mid-twenties.”

  Again, they looked at Split. “Pop, you said Geronimo drew that because he lost his grandda
ughter. How can that be if he was only in his early twenties?”

  He stared at Split a moment before turning back to the drawing. “Did I say that?”

  “Yeah, Pop. It’s okay if you don’t know, but it’s important to the Lieutenant.”

  “I know. Just give me a minute to sort it out.” He looked at Dani. “Why is this important?”

  “There have been two teenagers killed in the last two weeks. Both of them had that tattoo. From what our tech tells us, it was done within forty eight hours of their death.”

  “Then it’s not okay if I don’t remember.” He stared at the drawing again. “I’m sure it was his granddaughter. And I know it was an older guy that drew it. Maybe it was Geronimo’s father that did the drawing.”

  He looked up. “Yes, that’s it. The grandfather drew it for the granddaughter. I’m sorry I don’t remember his name, but he was part of the gang also. The older generation of the gang.”

  “That’s okay, Mr. Michaels. You’ve been a big help.”

  “I’m sorry my memory isn’t what it used to be.”

  “You did great, sir,” Jake said. “What would be great is if you can take a break from thinking about it, then maybe in a few hours give it another shot. Anything you remember will be a big help. Any real names or maybe anything about the gang.”

  “I’ll try. Maybe after lunch.”

  “That would be great,” Dani said, extending her hand. “We appreciate your help.”

  Split followed them out. “How much of what he just said may be true?”

  “All of it. He might have been a little confused on the circumstances, but he never forgets an artist of a tattoo.”

  “So we won’t be spinning our wheels running down Geronimo, his father, Flyer, Wings, and all the other Fallen Angels?”

  “No, ma’am. You can count on Pop. He’s probably in there now staring at the drawing. He won’t rest until he can give you something that will help.”

  “We don’t want him to do that. Getting upset can’t be good for him.”

  Split laughed. “He’s not upset. He’s determined. Pop is physically fit for the most part. A few aches and pains here and there, but he is good physically. He is here because sometimes he forgets to eat, shower, and clean up after himself. Things like that. I can’t be with him twenty-four, seven, so I set him up here.”

  “Does he like it here?”

  “Yeah, he does. He says all the women are after him.” He laughed. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they are. He still comes into the shop every Saturday. He hangs out, talks to the customers, sets and cleans up for us.” He shrugged. “Anyway, when he clears his head he’ll have more for you.”

  “Thanks for your help.”

  They shook hands and walked away.

  “I’ll start on this when we get back to the precinct,” Jake said.

  “Fine.”

  How the hell was he going to work with her? Everything Zach had said about her was dead on. He hadn’t lied to her when he had said if she was not Zach’s girlfriend he would be all over her.

  Okay, Jake. Find Zach’s killer and get the hell away from her.

  “I’d like to get into Zach’s computer tonight.”

  “I’ll do it.”

  “I understand if you’re not ready, but I came here to find his killer. I really want to figure it out. I really, really want to figure this out.”

  Dani looked at him and back to the road. “Yeah, I’m sure you do.”

  “So are you going to let me know the password?”

  “No. I’ll let you in as soon as I look through it.”

  “Ah, you’re afraid there might be something on there I shouldn’t see. Maybe some pictures that might tell me where and what your tattoo is.”

  Dani smiled to herself, but yelled at Jake. “Don’t be an ass.”

  Twenty minutes later, she parked two blocks from the café.

  “I thought we were going back to the precinct?”

  “We’re not. Call Wilson and tell him to find out all he can on the Fallen Angels.”

  “I need his number?” Jake took out his phone.

  “What, you’re not going to question me?” Dani took out her phone and brought up the number.

  “As fun as that would be, right now I just need to get away from you for a few hours.”

  Dani looked at him sideways as they walked. “Did I offend you in someway?”

  “No, Just the opposite.” He turned his attention to the phone. “Wilson, the Lieutenant would like you to dig up some information.”

  It was a little after twelve when they walked into the café. The place was packed. They scanned the restaurant as they stood in line.

  “Anyone you think we need to talk to?” Dani asked.

  As Jake looked around, he noticed a young girl trying to hide behind her laptop. “You think it’s weird that a teenage girl would be sitting in this café when she should be in school?”

  He motioned with his head to the booth in the corner.

  Dani looked over and nodded her head. “This place is packed. Maybe we should share her table.”

  It took another ten minutes by the time they made it to the counter and got their food. Dani was not going to eat, but Jake made a crack about her not wanting to get another headache. She ordered a turkey sandwich and a Coke. He had roast beef, fries, two pickles, and coleslaw. They walked right up to the booth in the corner and sat.

  “Mind if we share the table?” Dani asked as she sat across from her. Jake sat next to her, blocking her in.

  “This place is packed,” Dani added.

  Katie froze with her hands on the keys and stared at him.

  He’s dead, she thought. How could he be sitting next to her? She took a deep breath to get some control.

  “As long as you don’t talk too loud. I have to finish this paper,” she said, and looked away from him.

  Jake and Dani looked at each other and dug into their meal.

  “Did the morgue come back with anything on the kid?” Dani asked.

  “Nothing we can use. He said if he did drugs, it was the first time he used a needle. He figures the kid didn’t know what he was doing and just took too much in at once.”

  “What was the drug?”

  “There were six different drugs in his system. He figured the dealer was playing some games and figured he would use the kid as a test rat.”

  “It’s a shame. He was a good-looking kid. So was the other one. I’ll never figure out what could be so wrong in their young lives that would make them want to kill themselves.”

  “I guess we’ll never know in this kid’s case. Are we going to write it off as an OD?”

  “Can’t find any reason to think anything else. Might as well.”

  Katie stopped typing halfway through their conversation. She didn’t look at them, but she listened to every word. She thought the email she sent would keep them on the case. The lieutenant seem like she cared.

  “Did you ID him yet?” Jake asked.

  “William Textler.” Dani shook her head. “Only sixteen. He was a runaway from Chicago. The captains going to have one of their guys notify the parents.”

  Katie drew in a quick breath at the mention of Willy’s name. They both looked over to her. “You didn’t happen to know William, did you?” Jake asked.

  Katie shook her head and started to type again.

  “You seem upset with what we were saying,” Dani said. “Are you sure you didn’t know him?”

  “No, ma’am. I never heard of him.”

  “If you did know him, you might be able to help us figure out why he would kill himself. It would help to have a reason to give his parents.”

  Katie made a fist and looked Dani straight in the eyes. “I told you he did not do drugs. He didn’t kill himself.”

  She sucked in a breath and looked back at her computer as she realized she slipped.

  “Are you the one that sent me the email? Are you William’s friend?”


  She slowly nodded as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

  “We’re sorry for your loss,” Jake said. “Is there anything we can do to help you deal with this?”

  “Find out who killed him.”

  She shut down her laptop and put it away. She started to get up, but Jake had her blocked in.

  “Is there anything you can tell us that would help us do that?” Dani asked.

  “No. Can you please get up? I have to go.”

  “What’s your name?”

  “None of your business. Now please let me up. I have to get back to school.”

  “What school is that?” Dani knew as soon as they sat down that the girl was probably a runaway, too. She could see her hands shaking as she pretended to type.

  “I don’t have to tell you. Now get up before I call the police. I’m sure there is some kind of law against you keeping me here.”

  “You know we are the police. I’m Lieutenant Dani Castello. He’s Detective Jake Santos.”

  She slowly turned her head to Jake again and took another deep breath. “I told you everything I know in the email. I have nothing to say to you. I have no idea who killed him, but I guess I’m going to have to figure it out since you think he did this to himself. Now please let me go. I have work to do.”

  “Tell us why we should continue to look into this?”

  “I told you,” Katie yelled. “He didn’t do drugs.”

  Everyone in the place turned to look at them.

  “Why don’t we take this somewhere more private?” Dani said as she got up.

  “I’m not done with my lunch,” Jake laughed.

  Katie was staring at him. Dead men do not eat.

  “You could stand to miss a few bites.” She smiled at him and headed for the door.

  He choked down his last pickle and got up. “Come on.”

  Katie slowly got up. She couldn’t go with them. They would send her back home. There is no way she was going to go back home.

  I have to get out of this.

  Katie was between Dani and Jake as they walked to the car. Jake had his hand loosely on her shoulder. She kept the pace slow so she could figure a way out. As Dani split off toward the driver’s side, Katie made her move. There were two old women walking toward them.

  “Get your hands off me,” she yelled. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”