The anger took him back in time to when he had two legs and the perfect MO. Picking up stupid girls, doing what he wanted with them because he was stronger and smarter, was a blast, proving each and every time he was at the top of the food chain. He’d successfully dumped three empty-headed girls out in the desert before this one, and it irritated him to no end that she got away. That night, when he saw her running, and then the other headlights, he panicked. The first and last time he’d ever given in to that emotion.
He’d fled, knowing that he was headed out of the country the next day. It was an irony. He’d been trying to get out of the trip to Iraq, was having too much fun hunting girls, had even considered not showing up and letting the plane leave without him, no matter the consequences. As it was, he was the first guy to arrive at the staging area, congratulating himself because being in Iraq was the perfect alibi.
He remembered thinking he’d finish the job with the girl when he returned home, but the accident changed everything, changed him forever. Until this stupid pair of cold case warriors reminded him of his one great failure, Gil had actually begun to think of life after the accident as different, but better. He’d proven he was still as dangerous and capable as ever, maybe more so because of his talent with computers.
This could not stand. He had to deal with this girl, put an end to any investigation as soon as possible. He knew that he could; he had the skills. But he needed to figure out the best way, the most devastating way. And he would. Maybe he’d even take care of Faye Fallon as well.
CHAPTER
-45-
ABBY PRAYED about her meeting with Althea. She wasn’t sure what the woman could want with her, but she knew it was the right thing to accept the invitation.
Grounds Bakery & Café was one of Abby’s favorites, but she didn’t make it to the shop on Spring Street often. Abby arrived early and ordered coffee, hoping that by having it in hand, and already sipped, her nerves would settle.
She took a seat in a corner where she could look out the window and saw Althea arrive. There was a man with her, and Abby tensed. Was this some kind of setup?
The couple stopped at the curb and seemed to be arguing. Althea was insisting he stay outside—Abby could discern that much by her gestures—while the man was trying to keep her from going inside. A lot of hand gestures and angry expressions went back and forth before Althea turned away from the man. Was he the lawyer, Freeman? Abby had never seen the man, so she didn’t know. But Althea left him standing there fuming and strode into the bakery.
Abby stood and the woman saw her immediately. Althea was a striking woman. Adonna had looked like her mother. Smooth chocolate-brown skin; tall, lean frame; she’d played professional basketball and moved purposefully, like an athlete. But her lean frame was thinner today, painfully thin.
Her features were set in pain—Abby could see that and almost feel it when the woman saw her. She pointed to the coffee counter, and Abby understood she was going to purchase a beverage. Nodding, Abby sat down in her chair again, fiddled with her coffee cup, and worked to stay relaxed. People in pain were dangerous; she knew that and fought the jolting urge to leave, to say this was a bad idea.
A few minutes later Althea arrived at the table and sat across from Abby. She was silent for a moment and sipped her coffee. She shifted in her chair and looked up. “Thank you for meeting me, Detective Hart.”
“Please, it’s Abby.” She gestured to the man outside, who was still there, pacing and occasionally looking their way. “I take it that man didn’t want you to meet me.”
“No. That’s my brother. He can’t forgive you. He wants me to sue, to get you fired.” A muscle jumped in her jaw, and she set the cup down, looking toward her brother. “Part of me can’t forgive either. It hurts. I’ve lost my family.”
Abby paid no attention to the threats of lawsuits or of a firing. Althea’s pain was too obvious, her struggle too apparent. Abby felt it across the table, and a lump rose in her throat.
“If there were anything I could have done differently, I would have done it,” Abby said, voice thick.
“I try to put myself in your place.” Voice breaking, Althea drew in a breath. “I hate what happened, but I can’t hate you.” A tear rolled down her cheek; bracelets clanked on her wrist as she swiped it away. “I know you did your job. It’s not just forgiving you I struggle with; it’s forgiving Clayton as well. He never should have rushed out there like he did.” She paused to blow her nose and looked Abby in the eye. “I’ve been on my knees in prayer about this. I know I will see my baby girl and my man again in heaven someday. I also know I can’t honor their memory if I stay bitter and angry like my brother. I hurt worse than I ever thought I could hurt and still be standing. I needed to look you in the eye and say that I forgive you.” She reached her hand across the table and gripped Abby’s. “It’s only by saying it that maybe, one day, I’ll feel it.”
Abby couldn’t stop her own tears from falling as she held Althea’s hand. “I’m so sorry. I thank you, Althea; I do.”
“Don’t thank me. Thank the Lord we both serve. The Lord can and does bring good out of the bad, the painful. And I know that you know my hurt. My prayer for you is that you keep working for those like my Adonna, to make sure we are safe, even if you run into more people like Clayton who can’t wait for justice and try their own way.”
“I promise you that I will.” With those words, and the burning in her throat and eyes, Abby resolved never to run and hide from the work she did. Her calling was law enforcement, and she gritted her teeth and vowed to remember the most important thing: being a voice for those who couldn’t speak, catching killers. Even through the tears she knew her vision was clearing.
CHAPTER
-46-
AFTER MEETING WITH FALLON, Luke and Woody returned to their hotel room and set up a mini investigation board. Luke ignored the raised eyebrows Woody tossed his way at the mention of Faye’s invitation.
“Gil Barone is all we have to explore right now,” Luke said.
“I agree,” Woody said. “I’ve been racking my brains looking for another angle but . . .”
The buzz of Luke’s phone stopped his response. It was Faye.
“Good news,” she said. “Molly wants to talk to Abby.”
“You sound surprised,” Luke said.
“I guess I am. But Abby’s background touched Molly. The only thing is, Molly’s mom wants to meet her first.”
“I’m sure that will be fine. We’ll call Abby, and my bet is that she’ll head up here first thing tomorrow. Why don’t we plan on meeting again for lunch at the same place?”
Faye agreed, and when Luke disconnected, he asked Woody to call Abby.
Woody got her voice mail and left a message.
While they waited for her call, they returned to Barone and discussed how to handle his interview.
“I’d like to get a feel for the guy,” Luke said. “I realize this is a long shot . . .”
“But right now it’s our only shot. If he doesn’t pan out, we’re back where they were when the tips began to dry up.”
“If he comes up hinky, how do you want to handle it?”
“I thought about trying to put together something of a six-pack, or just asking Molly to take a good look, but . . .”
“We’re not sure how strong Molly is, what her frame of mind is like.”
“Right, so maybe the best thing to do would be to try to get an opportunity DNA sample and have it tested and wait and see.”
“That’s an idea.” Luke wrote that on the board with a question mark. He knew the term. An opportunity sample was obtained by recovering something the suspect touched, drank from, or smoked. He’d read about officers getting viable samples by swabbing the door handles of the suspect’s vehicle, or from discarded cigarette butts or coffee cups. If Barone did prove to be suspicious, Luke doubted he’d voluntarily give a sample.
Woody’s phone rang. From the conversation, Luke recognized it
was Abby returning his call. She was excited about being able to help and would be up the next day around lunchtime to meet them. Woody looked at Luke as he relayed the news.
Luke hiked a shoulder. They were planning on a side trip to Bakersfield regarding Lucy Harper tomorrow. “We’ll be back in time, I’m sure.”
Woody told Abby about the deli and made the meeting firm before ending the call. Luke shot off a text to Faye that they were set for the next day.
They worked for a little while longer before calling it a day. The plan was to stop at the computer shop on the way to Bakersfield. Whatever happened with Barone, they would still continue the search for Lucy Harper. Again Luke found himself bothered that they had not mentioned the possible Triple Seven lead to Abby.
He calmed his anxiety by telling himself they really wouldn’t know anything until they found Lucy, if she was even the right person, so his worry was useless.
The computer store was one of three businesses in a corner center. There was a Starbucks on one end, an Italian restaurant in the middle, and then the Tehachapi Computer Depot, and it was on the way out of town. As Luke turned into the lot and parked, Woody’s phone rang.
“You go ahead,” he said to Luke. “I need to answer this. Be right behind you.”
Luke nodded and headed into the Depot. The store was well stocked with all types of electronics, reminding Luke of a RadioShack. There was a glass case that spanned the back wall where the cash register was, and a man Luke assumed was an employee standing behind it. Because there was no way the skinny guy with a pockmarked face was Gil Barone. He was helping someone with a laptop, and he reminded Luke of one of the nerds from Revenge of the Nerds.
Not wanting to interrupt, Luke browsed, slowly moving closer to the counter. The shop was neat, orderly. Barone took care of Apple computers and PCs. He sold home security systems and electronics of all kinds, even drones. It was a fascinating shop, and Luke almost wished he were here to make a purchase. He did need a new security system, and it’d be cool to be able to take home a drone and play with it.
The customer finished, thanked the salesman, calling him Bart, and then left the store. Luke approached the counter.
“Can I help you?” Bart asked.
For a second, Luke thought he saw recognition cross the man’s face and he wondered why but let it pass. “I’m looking for Gil Barone.”
“He hasn’t come to work yet. Is there something I can help you with?”
“I need to speak with him. Will he be in later?”
“He should be.”
Luke pulled out one of his cards. “Here’s my card. I’ll try to stop by later. He can call me if he wants.”
“What is this about?” Bart frowned as he looked at the card.
“I’m investigating an old crime. Mr. Barone might have been a witness.” Luke fibbed because he doubted saying that Barone was a suspect would get him anywhere. “I’d just like to speak to him.” He heard the door open, and Woody walked in.
Luke turned away from Bart. “He’s not in. We’ll try to catch up with him another time.”
Woody nodded.
Luke thanked Bart, wondering to himself what the bewildered, stressed expression on his face meant. An innocent person would likely be curious about what an investigator wanted, but a guilty person would likely be stressed. Did this employee know something about Barone that caused his stress?
Or am I just reading too much into the situation? Am I too anxious to find a suspect? Luke cautioned himself to dial it back a bit. Barone was innocent until proven guilty.
Once back in the car, Luke entered the address for Lucy Harper into his Garmin.
“You want to call first?” Woody asked.
Luke shook his head. “I’ve found that it’s often better to just show up. Calling gives people warning; sometimes that means warning to disappear. I’m 95 percent certain this is our Lucy Harper. Let’s just hope we catch her home.”
As they pulled out of the lot, Luke noticed a van in the handicapped parking spot. A wheelchair ramp was being lowered, but traffic cleared, and he pulled out of the lot without seeing who got out of the van.
CHAPTER
-47-
“WHY WOULD THOSE INVESTIGATORS, the ones we’re supposed to be keeping an eye on, be looking for you?” Bart asked.
Gil hated the whine that slipped into Bart’s voice when he was stressed. He looked down at the card in his hand. “I have no idea.”
“You don’t think they’re onto us?”
“What?” Then realization dawned. Bart was afraid this had something to do with their hacking. Even though the crime they were supposedly looking into happened long before he’d begun hacking and had nothing to do with computer crimes. That was what stress and panic did to a person, made them think stupid. Gil smothered a smile. Maybe I’ll just let him think that. It might ensure that he keeps his mouth shut.
“I don’t see how they could be. Even if they are, those are just two private investigators. Not real cops. Nothing to be afraid of.”
“He said it was an old case and that you might be a witness. Before, when I spied on Faye, I thought he was looking into an old rape.”
Gil shook his head. “Like I said, I have no idea what they want,” he lied. “I guess we’ll have to wait until he comes back.”
“You’re not going to call him?”
“Nah. If he wants to talk to me, he’ll be back. I’ve got work to do.”
He rolled into the back room to work on a computer someone had dropped off because it crashed. But he had another reason for wanting to be in the back. The card unnerved him more than he’d ever let on to Bart. Murphy had surprised him and he hated surprises. Why did the rent-a-cops want to talk to him? If they were working on that old rape case with no new evidence, what was it that brought them to him? He’d lived in Northridge when he picked up the girl, not the AV.
Working calmed his nerves and cleared his thinking. He refused to let the surprise visit diminish his spirits. He’d dug into the victim’s life in his effort to think of a way to deal with her, settle the score he had with her, and he’d learned something that made him laugh. The victim had a sister, a girl Gil knew well, a girl he’d toyed with because he didn’t really think her worth his time. But he’d been careful to Haskellize her just the same.
I’ll just have to come up with something to deal with this problem sooner than I thought. But he already had a plan forming. He’d show those stupid cold case warriors just what they’d stepped into.
“I am the top of the food chain,” he muttered under his breath. “And they’ll regret the day they crossed my path.”
CHAPTER
-48-
THE DRIVE TO BAKERSFIELD was about forty minutes, and it took another fifteen to find the address for Lucy Harper. The neighborhood was working class, but neat. The houses were small and close together, and the business district they passed through before they turned on Lucy’s street sported Spanish language signs and storefronts. Luke knew there was a lot of farming in and around Bakersfield and a large population of migrant workers.
The address they parked in front of was a clean, bright single-story house painted a cheery yellow.
“Let’s just go knock,” Luke said in response to Woody’s questioning gaze. The two men got out of the car and walked up a short path to the front door.
The woman who answered their knock was definitely not Lucy Harper. She was at most in her twenties, too young.
Luke introduced himself.
The woman frowned. “You the police?”
“No, I’m a private investigator. I’m looking for Lucy Harper.”
“Why?”
“I just want to ask her questions about an old crime.”
“She didn’t do nothing.” Fear spread across the young woman’s face, and she started to close the door.
“I’m not accusing her of anything. She was a witness.”
The girl shook her head. “My mom isn’t here
. You should go.”
“Wait, please.” Luke held his hand up, as it was clear the girl was going to shut the door. “Just give your mom my card. I only want to ask her a few questions. Please.”
The door was now only open a crack, but at least it was still open. Luke quickly pulled a card from his wallet. “Here, give this to your mother. Ask her to please call me anytime.” He held the card out and for a moment feared that the girl would not take it. But eventually she did take the card and then slammed the door all the way closed. Luke could hear the dead bolt being set.
“That went well,” Woody said.
“Win some, you lose some,” Luke said with a shrug as the pair got back in the car and returned to Tehachapi. “She was definitely afraid of something.”
“Agreed.”
When they were on the road again, Woody said, “I’m wondering if maybe we’re going at this case wrong.”
“What do you mean?”
“We’re dealing with skittish women all the way around. Maybe a couple of ugly mugs like us aren’t going to get what we need from them.”
Luke frowned. “You suggesting we ask Abby to help us with this as well as with Molly?”
“Maybe. We’d have to let Abby in on this eventually.”
Luke said nothing, hoping his face didn’t betray just how he felt about the thought of Abby helping them with everything they were working on. He’d love it. This would solve the problem of keeping things like Lucy Harper from her. But he wasn’t entirely sure she’d be happy that they hadn’t told her about the woman. Would she want to help if she thought they were keeping secrets?
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