Yuletide Defender

by Sandra Robbins

  It was the last of the conversation that really excited him. He listened with rapt attention as Matt and Rachel argued over whether or not she should go with him to a meeting with the head of the Vipers. He chuckled when Rachel won out. That suited him just fine.

  When the call ended, he closed his phone and thought about what he should do. Opportunities like this didn’t present themselves every day. He couldn’t let Rachel and Matt have all the fun. He’d have to crash their little party and make sure it was one they’d never forget. That is, if they lived to tell about it.

  Laughing to himself, he climbed from the car and headed back inside. He could hardly wait to see Rachel and Matt at the One Day Dry Cleaner this afternoon. It should be a memorable meeting.

  Matt pulled into a parking place on Commerce Street around the corner from the dry cleaner. Next to him, Rachel looked tense with her hands clasped in her lap. He wished she wasn’t with him, and he’d tried to keep her away. Knowing how determined she could be, he supposed it was better to have her close where he could keep an eye on her than to attempt to confront the leader of the Vipers alone.

  She glanced over at him. Her face didn’t convey her usual self-control. Her lips flashed a weak smile and her chin trembled slightly as she spoke. “Well, I guess this is it.”

  “Yeah. I guess so.” He swiveled in his seat to face her. “It’s not too late to change your mind. I’ll tell you everything that happens if you want to stay in the car.”

  She shook her head. “I have to see this thing through, Matt. I’ve had a death threat, my apartment has been broken into, I’ve been followed by someone in a beat-up car and now the custodian that I trust is buying high-powered rifles. I’ve got to find out what’s going on.”

  He laid his arm on the back of her seat. He wanted to grasp her shoulders and pull her closer for protection but he didn’t. “You’re still upset over the incident with Toby this morning. Maybe you shouldn’t go with me.”

  Rachel pulled her gloves from her coat pocket and slipped them on. She tried to steady her hands but he saw the tremble. “I’m not staying behind.”

  Matt flexed his fingers as he pulled his arm away and reached for the door handle. “Then let’s go see if we can get the guy in the cleaners to set up a meeting for us.”

  He stepped onto the pavement and waited for her to join him. As they started up the sidewalk, he studied her out of the corner of his eye. She might be scared but to anyone else it probably wasn’t visible. She looked every inch the determined investigator. He admired her for being able to project that appearance when he knew all that happened in the past few days had taken a toll on her emotions.

  When they rounded the corner onto Union Avenue, people clustered at the corner waiting for the light to change so they could cross. Matt glanced up and down the sidewalk crowded with pedestrians. With a college two blocks from this part of the city, quite a few trendy shops and restaurants had opened in the area. Every time he drove down Union, he was shocked at how this section of the inner city was reinventing itself.

  He took Rachel’s arm as they worked their way through the people and leaned toward her. “There’s a lot of people on the streets today.”

  She glanced up at him and pointed to the sale sign in a boutique window. “They’re Christmas shoppers out to get bargains. I saw all the ads in this morning’s paper.”

  A woman carrying a huge shopping bag in each hand barreled toward them as if oblivious to those around her. Matt let go of Rachel’s arm and the woman walked between them without taking notice of either one.

  When she’d passed, they stopped and stared in her direction. Matt shook his head. “She looks like she’s on a mission.”

  Rachel chuckled and pointed to a store across the street where a group of people were entering. “Maybe she’s going over there. They must have a big sale….”

  Matt glanced at Rachel, but she didn’t move. Her gaze appeared locked across the street on the store with sports apparel displayed in the window. He touched her arm. “Rachel, what’s the matter?”

  Without a word, Rachel bolted into the street in front of an oncoming car. The vehicle squealed to a halt. Matt ran in front of it in pursuit of Rachel. The driver rolled his window down and shook his fist. “Watch out where you’re going!”

  Matt turned and waved to him. “Sorry.”

  He caught up with Rachel at the sidewalk curb and grabbed her arm. Jerking her around, he stared into her wide eyes. “What’s the matter with you? You almost got killed.”

  She pulled away from him and pointed toward the store. “Toby just went inside that store. What’s he doing on the street where we’re going to meet the Vipers?”

  Matt reached inside his jacket and touched the gun in his shoulder holster. “I don’t know but I think we’d better find out.”

  The revolver seemed to heat up and spread its warmth through his shirt to his skin. Matt tensed. Toby had looked harmless enough when he saw him at the newspaper office, but you could never tell what went on inside another person’s mind. It was always better to be prepared. He touched the gun again, frowned and pulled his hand out of his jacket. Drawing his weapon in the middle of a crowded store could lead to disaster.

  His heart beat out a tattoo as he stepped through the door of the sporting-goods store and let his gaze sweep the shoppers. The mass of bodies in front of him concealed a man who had a penchant for high-powered rifles as did the vigilante. Before he could blink, he and Rachel could be cut down by gunfire and left to die in the middle of screaming holiday shoppers.

  He glanced over his shoulder and motioned for her to stay behind him. Leading the way, Matt inched forward and began his search for the Daily Beacon’s custodian.

  FOURTEEN

  Rachel stayed behind Matt as they stepped into the customers crowded around display tables at the front of the store. The ad in the morning newspaper had attracted a lot of attention from the looks of the shoppers. Matt squeezed between two women rifling through sweatshirts with professional football insignia and another examining a display of hooded pullovers. Rachel stopped to keep from running into a man who darted into her path and lost sight of Matt.

  Pushing through the shoppers, she spotted him down an aisle with boxes of tennis shoes on either side and hurried to catch up. He glanced over his shoulder as she stopped and asked, “Do you see him?”

  Matt shook his head and walked to the end of the aisle, then started up another. “There’s a lot of people in here.”

  “Maybe we need to split up. I’ll call you if I spot him and you can do the same.”

  “All right. If we don’t find him, we’ll meet out front in fifteen minutes.”

  “Okay.”

  Rachel walked back to the middle aisle of the store and began a sweep of the area. Every person she saw appeared intent on studying the sales items and paid her no attention. Hoping to blend into the crowd, she sauntered up one aisle and then another, but Toby was nowhere to be seen.

  After fifteen minutes of searching, she pushed back through the crowd and stepped onto the sidewalk. She glanced up and down the street, but Toby had disappeared.

  Matt emerged from the store and joined her. “Did you see him?”

  “No, it was like the crowd swallowed him up. Did you?”

  “No.” Matt glanced back at the store. “Maybe he went out the back before we got inside. He could be anywhere. I think we should give up on Toby and go on to the dry cleaners.”

  The business sat across the street from where they stood. A young man wearing a football letterman jacket from the college nearby emerged from inside. He carried several pieces of clothing on hangers. Rachel tilted her head to one side and watched the young man get into a parked car. “It doesn’t look like a place that would be involved with gang activity.”

  “Most of them don’t.” Matt took a deep breath. “Well, let’s go see what we can do.”

  They stopped at the front door of the One Day Dry Cleaners. Matt pulled
it open and stepped back for Rachel to enter first. Together they approached the counter.

  A young man with bushy hair and the name Lauren tattooed in large letters on the side of his neck looked up from the cash register as they approached. His gaze swept their hands. “Are you picking up cleaning?”

  Matt shook his head and pulled out his badge. “I’m Detective Matt Franklin with the Lake City Police Department. We’re here on other business.”

  The young man glanced from the badge to Rachel. “You a cop, too?”

  “No, my name is Rachel Long. I’m a reporter with the Daily Beacon.”

  His facial expression revealed no hint of recognizing either one of them. “So what can I do for you?”

  Matt shoved his badge back in his pocket and stared at the man. “You probably know there’ve been some shootings on the street lately with a lot of gang members being killed.”

  “I heard something about that.”

  “The police thought the Vipers and the Rangers were trying to kill each other off until Miss Long here discovered there was a vigilante who wanted to provoke a gang war.”

  The man’s gaze flickered toward Rachel. “Yeah, I heard about that, too.”

  Matt leaned forward. “I want to stop this guy before that happens. I need to make sure nobody gets nervous and makes a hit on the other gang before we can catch this vigilante.”

  The man shrugged. “So, dude, what you want me to do about it? I just run a dry cleaners.”

  Matt didn’t break eye contact with him. “I know you can get word to Shorty. Tell him we want to meet with him. Today.”

  A smile cracked the man’s face. “What makes you think I know anybody called Shorty?”

  Rachel stepped up to the counter. “Please. We need your help. This vigilante is going to keep killing until he’s stopped. Get word to the Vipers. I know they’ve read my stories. Tell them they can trust me and they can trust Matt. David Foreman will vouch for both of us.”

  His forehead wrinkled. “You know Mr. Foreman?”

  “He’s my godfather. Will you help us?”

  The man glanced from one to another before he shrugged. “I’ll see what I can do, but I don’t promise nothing. Wait here.”

  He walked to the front door, locked it and turned a sign that hung in the middle of the glass from the Open side to Closed. Walking past them, he disappeared through a door into the back of the building. Rachel turned to Matt. “What do you think?”

  “I don’t know. We’ll see.”

  The minutes ticked by as they waited. Rachel paced back and forth, glancing at her watch from time to time. After fifteen minutes, the door the man had entered reopened and he motioned for them to follow.

  Rachel followed Matt into a darkened room. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dim light. In front of her Matt hesitated before he took a step forward. She heard the click of the door and looked over her shoulder. The man from the dry cleaners had followed them, closed the door and now stood beside it with his arms crossed. The expression on his face sent tremors of fear through her. She stepped up beside Matt and peered at the man who sat alone at a table in the rear of the room.

  To Rachel, he didn’t look very different from many of the young men she’d seen on the streets of Lake City, but she sensed something in his attitude that chilled her blood. He wore the same colors she’d seen on three of the murder victims and recognized them as the mark of a Viper. He sat with his chair leaned on its hind legs, one arm draped over the back.

  His eyes narrowed as they approached. “Come on in and have a seat. I ain’t gonna hurt you. You the ones wantin’ this meetin’.”

  Matt pulled out a chair for Rachel and sat in the one next to it. “I understand they call you Shorty. Thank you for meeting with us. I know your time’s valuable and I don’t want to take up too much of it.”

  The Viper gave a slight nod. Rachel remembered what Matt had told her about treating gang members with respect. This man appeared to expect it. He glanced from Matt to Rachel. “What can I do for you?”

  Rachel listened as Matt related the stories she had written, how they were shot at by the vigilante and how they witnessed the explosion at Pepper’s Bar. When he finished, he sat back in his chair. “We hope you believe what we’ve discovered about this vigilante, and we want to ask you not to take any aggressive measures against the Rangers. They aren’t responsible for your members’ deaths.”

  When Matt finished speaking, Shorty pulled a quarter from his pocket and began to flip it up and down in his palm. He didn’t speak for a few minutes. Then he glanced up at Rachel. “I been readin’ those stories in the paper and I think you right. But I got some upset brothers. They ready for some revenge.”

  Rachel swallowed and hoped her words would come from her now dry throat. “I understand, but there’s no need for that. If you kill a Ranger, they’re going to retaliate. Then are you any better off? All we’re asking is that you get word to the Rangers that you want a truce until the police can find out who’s behind all these murders.”

  He stared at Rachel before he pushed to his feet. “I ain’t gonna promise nothing. But I’ll talk to my brothers. Maybe we can hold off for a little while.”

  Matt stood and Rachel rose to stand beside him. Matt stared at Shorty. “I hope you’re successful.”

  Shorty motioned to the man who still stood by the door that led into the dry cleaners. He left his post and hurried across the room and unlocked the back door.

  Rachel smiled and waved to Shorty. “Thank you for meeting with us.”

  Shorty stepped outside and turned to wave just before the sharp crack of a rifle echoed down the alley where he stood. Rachel watched in horror as he spun around and fell facedown in the street. Beside her Matt whipped out his gun and sprinted to the back door, but the man from the dry cleaners had already pulled a gun from his pocket and rushed outside. Another shot ripped the air and he fell forward over his friend.

  “Get down!”

  Matt’s scream propelled Rachel downward. Her fingernails clawed at the floor underneath her. She peeked up to see Matt crouching at the back door, his phone to his ear. She heard him calling for help, but she jammed her hands over her ears as another shot struck the side of the building.

  Near her the report of another gun exploded. Matt was exchanging fire with the shooter. Once again she was reminded of the dangers that policemen faced each day and she was terrified for Matt’s safety.

  The shooting ceased. The silence scared her more than the gunfire. The thought that Matt might be hit forced her to her feet. She could hear the sirens of approaching police cars. Rushing to the closed back door, she opened it and peered into the alley. Matt leaned over the two bodies. He glanced up and saw her in the doorway.

  He stood and came toward her. “You need to stay inside.”

  She backed into the room and he followed. Rachel looked up at him and tears gushed from her eyes. He smiled and wiped at them with his thumb. “It’s over. You’re safe.”

  Her heart burst with relief that he was alive, and she threw her arms around him and clung with all her might. He stiffened for a moment, then relaxed. His arms circled her back and drew her closer.

  Rachel just wanted to hold him and know that he was all right. “I was so scared. I thought you’d been shot, too. I couldn’t stand it if something happened to you.”

  “I’m okay, Rachel.” His breath fanned her ear. She clung to him for a few more moments before he gently pushed her away. “I have to go outside. Will you be all right here?”

  She shook her head. “No, I’ll go with you. After all, this is a story and I need to cover it.”

  Before he could respond, the back door opened and Philip stuck his head inside. “Hey, partner, we have a crime scene out here. Are you coming to help?”

  Matt smiled at Rachel and inclined his head in Philip’s direction. “Duty calls.”

  She wiped at the tears on her face and turned toward the door. She really didn’
t want to see the bodies in the alley. A few minutes ago, she was talking to the two men who now lay dead a few feet away.

  It wouldn’t take long for word of their deaths to reach the Vipers, and they might begin plotting a revenge that could engulf the city in an all-out street war. She had to make sure that didn’t happen. Her story might be the only thing that could stop it. She was a reporter and right now she had a job to do.

  Straightening her shoulders and taking a deep breath, she turned from Matt and strode toward the back door. She pushed away the fears that had attacked her earlier, stepped into the alley and pulled her notepad from her purse.

  Hours later, Matt sat in his office filling out the reports on the deaths of the two gang members. He let the pen drop from his fingers, propped his elbows on the desk and raked his fingers through his hair. He couldn’t forget the look on Rachel’s face when she peered into the alley and saw him bending over the bodies.

  The way she shook when she clung to him had puzzled him at first. Then his heart had pounded like an anvil when he realized she was scared for him. Her words still echoed in his mind. I couldn’t stand it if something happened to you. Did she really mean it?

  The door opened. He straightened as Philip walked into the office. He stopped in front of Matt’s desk. “You okay, buddy?”

  Matt nodded and picked up the pen. “Yeah, just thinking about the crime scene. You’d think after a while I’d get used to it, but I never have.”

  Philip dropped the papers he held on his desk and leaned against the edge of it. He crossed his arms and exhaled. “I know. I’ve forgotten how many crime scenes I’ve been to in my fifteen years of police work, but it never gets any better. Every time it’s like I’m seeing one for the first time.”

  Matt rose and walked to the one window in the room and stared outside to the parking lot. “Me, too. I guess this one today was worse because I had just finished talking to those guys.”