“Yes,” CC said, “the dishwasher has been giving us trouble.”
“Let’s have a look at everything.” Brenda gave Val a thumbs up.
Stevie looked bewildered. “What is…”
“The plumber needs to check things out,” Val calmly explained. She felt a bit off center standing so close to the woman she had made love to only a few short hours ago. Val wasn’t one for morning-after chitchat. Most of Val’s dates ended with her leaving just before sunrise.
“More coffee?” CC smacked Val in the back of the head.
“Sure.” Val wanted to kick the cocky detective’s ass. She peered inside the bag she was holding and was shocked by the contents. Clothes. “What the f—” The sound of Dr. Jameson clearing her throat cut off her expletive. “Sorry.” She took a moment to calm herself.
Brenda returned from scoping out the kitchen and moved upstairs. Val’s ire grew as she looked over her new wardrobe. She couldn’t figure out if Brenda was playing her or had simply lost her mind.
“It’s clear,” Brenda said and set her toolbox down. “Which is good, since you’ve already blabbed everything.”
“No listening devices,” Val said for Stevie and Jamie, who each sported a look of confusion. “What’s with the new clothes?” She held out the bag that contained various items in pink or pastel.
“Everything in your closet has a navy insignia or US Marshal emblazoned across it. I know we’re all married to our jobs, but hit the GAP every once in a while.” Brenda turned her attention to Stevie. “Emma is fine. The trip went very smoothly. Bright kid.”
“Thank you,” Stevie mumbled. Val didn’t miss the distant look in her eyes.
“You have a great security system in place,” Brenda said. “3M film on all the windows so they won’t break no matter how hard you hit them. Charlie bars on the sliding doors and basement windows. Security cameras all over the property, although, Miss Calloway, you need to turn yours on,” she told Stevie.
Stevie simply nodded and set about powering up her laptop.
“I don’t usually see this much detail with civilians,” Brenda said.
“We had problems in the past,” CC grimly informed her.
“Well, I might as well take a look at the dishwasher, since I’m dressed for the part. Then I need to get back to DC. Unless there’s something else you need, Brownie?”
“Not at the moment. Thanks, Brenda.”
She motioned to Val. “Why don’t you join me?”
Val followed her, curious as to what was going on. She feared perhaps Brenda had found something she didn’t want to reveal in front of the family. Val stood in CC’s kitchen and watched Brenda fiddle with the dishwasher.
“What is it?”
“Have you lost your mind?” There was no mistaking the disappointment in Brenda’s voice. “You slept with her?”
“How did… Never mind. Look, it was a moment of bad judgment.”
“Never happened to you before.” Brenda’s eyes bored into Val. “Except that time in Milan when you slept with what’s her name. Geez, Brownie, you’d think after that disaster—”
“I screwed up, okay?” Val cut off Brenda’s tainted view of the situation. “Just for the record, this is nothing like that bi-curious wench from Milan, okay. Dimitra was a bored housewife.”
“A bored senior officer’s wife.”
“How’s the dishwasher?”
Val jumped when she heard CC’s sharp tone.
“Seen better days. I can patch it up. You might want to start shopping for something new. I fixed the upstairs toilet while I was snooping around. Hope you got a good price on this place.”
“We did. Short sale, but it needs work.”
“No kidding.”
“Is the place secure?” Val said in an effort to change the subject.
“Yes.”
“You’re not off the hook,” CC said to Val. “But Stevie’s over thirty. It’s not like I can ground her.” She turned to Brenda. “So what’s it like working for the CIA?”
“Doesn’t suck.” Brenda finished patching up the dishwasher. “I have to go.” She packed up her tools and brushed off her work clothes. “Brownie, call if you need me.”
After Brenda’s hasty exit, Val watched CC open the refrigerator and remove a carton of eggs. Her heart hammered in her chest as CC beat the eggs.
“What happened to Dave?” CC asked out of the blue while pouring the eggs into a skillet. Val stiffened, not wanting to answer the question. “You said Dave was DEA.”
“Line of duty.”
“Sorry.”
“Part of the job.”
“Doesn’t make it easier.”
“Yeah. Want to go over things for today?”
“No.” CC waved her off while she finished throwing together a couple plates of scrambled eggs. “Jamie’s going to ask her boss for the weekend off. I’m heading to Waltham. Other than that, I guess we’re just sitting around and waiting.”
“We’ve got troopers canvassing the hotels, mostly down around Beacon Street,” Val said She couldn’t understand why she felt a need to prove to CC that she was on top of things. “Everyone in the Boston area is looking for him. We released his picture to the local schools. I hit Emma’s school first. I also put a couple of extra field officers around the main business areas. If he’s near here, we have a chance of spotting him before he makes his way to your block.”
“I’m not questioning what’s being done. Nothing short of seeing him in chains is going to make me feel better.”
“I also moved my vehicle into your garage. Having a black sedan with government plates parked out front wouldn’t bode well.”
A Cher tune echoed in the kitchen. “Jamie’s idea,” CC grumbled as she began to search for her phone. “She’s programmed in all these ring tones. That would be Brad.” She found her phone. “Hello? Hey there, peanut! I can see you.”
“I know,” Emma squealed. “This place is so cool. We’re going fishing later, and I saw a deer this morning.”
“Sounds like you’re having a great time. Can you see me, or do I need to turn this around?”
“The old phones have the camera on the back,” Emma said with a dramatic sigh.“Your phone has a camera on both sides. We can see you. Ricky made breakfast. He even caramelized the bananas.”
“Did he now?”
“Yes!”
“Did you want to talk to your mother?”
“I called her first. I’m having fun, Auntie Caitlin. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
Val stepped back to give CC some privacy. Needing to make herself feel useful, she gathered up the breakfast plates and took them into the other side of the house. Val offered Jamie and Stevie breakfast. She wasn’t surprised that no one seemed interested in eating. She had endured some very odd mornings-after in her life, but not once had she offered breakfast to the woman she had spent the night with while making plans to hunt down her father.
“No eggs for me,” Jamie said. “I had a bowl of Fruit Loops. Don’t give me that look, Stevie. You know I think you’re jealous because your sister never let you eat the fun stuff for breakfast.” Stevie just stuck out her tongue. Val found it positively adorable.
“I need to get going,” Jamie said when CC joined them. “I hope I can convince Jack to give me the weekend off. Maybe he’ll pick them up.”
“He didn’t have plans?” CC asked while Val tried to disappear into the background.
“He might. I think he was going to try to get together with Joyce.”
“I can’t believe those two haven’t worked things out yet.”
“Jack doesn’t seem to think there’s a problem.” Jamie’s voice turned bitter. “In his mind, Joyce is overreacting. I’m off. You kids, play nice.”
“We’ll try.” CC gave her wife a quick kiss. “Oh, Brenda fixed the toilet.”
“The CIA fixed our toilet? Our lives are truly surreal.”
CC watched Jamie leave i
n a fake taxi driven by an undercover cop. Then she stood in the middle of her living room with nothing to do. It was an unnerving feeling. In an effort to center her world, she checked and rechecked every nook and cranny of both sides of the house. Still feeling antsy, she climbed up onto the roof with a jug of water for the crew.
“How’s it going?”
“Thanks for the water. Roof is coming along nicely,” Mills said. “No sign of our guy.”
“I can’t take much more of this.”
“Calloway, we’re on it.”
“I’m not doubting you. I’m just not good at sitting on the sidelines. Unless something comes up with the Stern case, I’m just in the way.”
“Did she really fry his nuts?”
“Oh, yeah.” CC couldn’t help but laugh. “Never piss off a soccer mom.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Sorry to do this to you, but you need to head back inside. Doesn’t look good if you’re up here hanging out with the help.”
“Thanks, Mills.”
CC scanned the street as she made her descent down the ladder. The normalcy of the view did nothing to calm her nerves. There was a storm brewing; she could feel it. Everything was being handled perfectly. Perhaps too perfectly. She gave the tree-lined street one last glance and returned inside.
“Hey, sis,” she said. Stevie looked like she was ready to break down. “Emma sounded like she was having fun.”
“She’s having a blast.” Stevie didn’t look at CC. She just sat in an overstuffed armchair and stared out the front window. “I told her the pumpkins are rotting. I swear you carve them early, just so you can do them again.”
“I do.” The sight of Stevie slumped in the chair looking defeated tore at CC. “This will be over soon.”
“I believe you. There’s not much I believe in this world. Just you. So no lecture about last night.”
“I won’t. You found yourself in an extreme situation, having your daughter taken away in the middle of the night, and you found comfort. Not for me to judge you.”
“She’s a good person.”
“Seems to be.”
“Are you sure you want to see Mom?”
“I have to.” CC suddenly felt nauseous. “Sure you don’t want to go?”
“I have nothing to say to her.”
“Fair enough.”
“Tell me again that this will be over soon.”
“You have my word. Like you said, he doesn’t win this time. We have every federal agency and most of the cops in the city on our side. No offense to your genetics, but Bert isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer.”
“None taken.”
CC didn’t know how to feel about anything. A part of her hated that she had to face her mother. Then there was the other part, the little girl that still remembered the good times, that wanted to see her mother.
“Come on, Deputy Doo Daa,” she said to Val. “You’re coming with me.”
“Because?”
“Because you’ve already made contact with her.” CC was relieved when Val nodded and yanked out her cell phone.
“Marino, give me a twenty on Gallagher.” CC tapped her foot impatiently as Val listened to the response. “She’s at home,” Val informed CC. “The address is 372 Prospect Street. Do you know where that is?”
“I’ll figure it out.”
“You could just enter it into the GPS in your phone.” Val tried to explain. “You don’t even need to type it in you could just hit that symbol and tell your phone where you want to go.”
CC stood there, stunned, as Val snatched the phone from the holder on her belt. Val’s fingers furiously entered the data. CC’s jaw dropped when her phone began speaking in careful detail, a crisp mechanical voice providing directions.
“See there’s an app for that.”
CC snatched her phone back with a sneer. “Everyone is a smart-ass today.
The drive over to Waltham was an eerily quiet affair. Which suited CC just fine. She had no intention of making idle chitchat with the woman who had bedded her sister the night before. Val kept herself busy with her own phone, while the GPS voice that CC had decided to call Mandy directed her towards her mother’s address. Navigating the streets was easy for her except when Mandy decided to recalibrate because she felt CC should take another route.
“Starbucks!” Val shouted, startling CC. “They do exist.”
“Yeah, there are a couple here and there.”
“Can we please stop?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Shall we start with you taking my gun or bedding my sister?”
“Which bothers you more?”
“My sister, you ass.” CC zoomed past Starbucks. “What are you doing?”
“Checking the reports from my team.”
“Don’t get grumpy. You can do that on your phone?”
“I could do it faster if I had your phone. It’s not fair. You don’t even know how to use it.”
“What are you, five years old?” CC wanted to smack the irritating woman. “Faster? Just how much technology do we need?”
“What are you, one hundred?”
“Not liking you.”
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
“We’re here. You take the lead.”
CC was confused when they entered the apartment building. “This place is a retirement community.”
“Yes.”
“My mother is…” CC’s voice trailed off. She had no idea how old her mother was. “Never mind.”
CC’s anxiety grew as they rode up in the elevator. When they stepped off, she hung back, feeling like a coward. She wanted to run.
Val’s knock on the door was answered. CC could barely see her mother. The years hadn’t been kind. Her mother looked worn and weary.
“Miss Gallagher?” Val kept her tone professional.
“Deputy.” She stepped aside to allow Val to enter. “Any news? Please tell me you’ve caught him.”
“I’m afraid, not.” Val nodded for CC to follow. “We just have a couple of questions.”
CC stood in the hallway with her feet firmly rooted. Finally, she exhaled and followed Val into the apartment.
“Cattie?”
“Yeah,” she said in a clipped tone. She wanted to say more. To ask a litany of questions that might help her understand why her childhood had turned into a nightmare.
“My heavens.” Maria sobbed and reached for CC before withdrawing her touch. “It’s really you. I saw you on television last week. You look well.”
“I’m fine.” Finding her voice was a struggle. She couldn’t look at her mother. Instead she looked around the simple setting that was her mother’s home. The walls were bare, with the exception of an oil painting of Jesus. Mom found Jesus. I wonder if she’ll be pissed if I ask if he was behind the sofa. She shook the random thought from her head. “I’m only here to be certain that you’re not helping him.”
“I wouldn’t.” Maria sounded offended. “After I accepted the truth, that was it. I filed for divorce and took off. I never want to see that man again. He ruined everything.”
CC studied her for a moment. As far as she could tell, Maria was indeed clueless about Bert’s whereabouts.
“No contact with him at all?”
“None. The only contact we had was through lawyers to finalize the divorce. That’s it. You’re married?” Maria pointed to CC’s wedding band.
“Yes, five years now.”
“And your husband?”
“Wife. My wife and I have been married for five years.”
“Oh, so you’re still that way?”
“Yes, Mother, I’m still a big lesbian.” CC rolled her neck at the absurdity of the situation. “Always was.”
“Oh.” Maria’s gaze moved from her daughter’s face to the carpeting. “I suppose that’s my fault as well.”
“I’m gay, not defective. Honestly, given what happened… You know what? Never mind. Your shortsi
ghtedness isn’t the issue at the moment. Have you felt like anyone was watching you? Anything strange happen here or at work?”
“No, Caitlin, I…”
CC tried to be patient as her mother searched for the right thing to say. It seemed like an eternity, just standing there waiting. Maria opened and closed her mouth several times, still not speaking.
CC was unable to endure the agony for any longer. “If you hear or see anything, contact Deputy Brown.”
“Wait! Stevie is she…”
“Stevie is happy and healthy,” CC said in a somber tone. Her original plan had included telling her about their lives. Maybe mentioning Emma, if she felt confident enough that Bert was truly out of the picture. She doesn’t deserve to know, she silently concluded. If Maria Gallagher wanted to know more, she’d have to find out for herself. CC didn’t waste time with goodbyes; she just walked out the door.
Deputy Brown could barely keep up with her as she charged towards the elevator. She needed to get out of there, breathe the fresh air, and forget everything. To her credit, Val kept silent. CC stormed outside the building struggling to breathe. Again, the deputy gave her space. CC paced around the sidewalk until she felt the tension ebb. Without a word, she climbed into her car and slammed the door.
Val had barely enough time to buckle her seatbelt when CC threw the Subaru in gear and sped off. She navigated the streets of Waltham until she found her way to Route 16. Back in what passed for civilization, she pulled into one of the few Starbucks. Val stared at her, almost as if she were waiting for instructions.
“Bring me back a spice pumpkin latte.” CC wasn’t really surprised at the stunned look Val was sporting. “What? I can be flexible.”
CC sat there with the engine running and reviewed the short amount of time she had spent with her mother. She tried to be analytical and search for some clue of deception. She had to focus on catching Bert; her mother’s ignorant attitude wasn’t the issue. From what little had transpired, she doubted that her mother knew anything about Bert’s whereabouts. Then again, she could be lying.
She was still pondering the possibility of her mother’s deceit when Val returned with the beverages. “Your surveillance on my mother, did it turn up anything?”
“No.” Val handed over a very large latte. “She works, she stays in her apartment, and every Sunday morning she attends mass at Sacred Heart Church down the street from her apartment. Other than that, she does nothing. Is it just me or did you feel like that painting of Jesus was watching us?”
Checkmate (Caitlin Calloway Mystery Book 2) Page 23