by Carsen Taite
“I don’t need a dog to get laid.”
There was no mistaking the angry undertone. Was she jealous of the dog or jealous of me? Whatever the case, I needed to move things along before she got pissed at me, so I launched into the real reason for my visit. “Ronnie Moreno is back in town.”
Her eyes flashed steel, but she made kissing noises. “Bet that’s keeping you busy.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Why else would you hang around her? Although, I can’t believe you’d sleep with that woman after what she did to you.”
“Like I said, it’s not like that. You know her brother, Jorge?”
“I know of him. He was promoted not long before I was, but just like his sister, he’s into wasting opportunities.”
I ignored her innuendo. No one had understood when I spent last summer fucking Ronnie after she’d lied, broken the law, and almost gotten me killed on a case. Like I’m the only person with bad judgment when it comes to women. Hell, when the bad parts were over, I’d figured she’d already done all the harm she could. Why shouldn’t I get some kind of bonus out of it? And sex with Ronnie was a big bonus. The memory of it made me question why I wasn’t collecting this time.
Nancy waved her hand in front of my face. “Earth to Luca. You want to tell me what you want?”
The list of things I wanted was longer than it had ever been, but I narrowed it down to only what was related to this case. “I want to know everything you know or can find out about Jorge and the charges against him.”
The burgers came at that moment. The twink waiter set down all four baskets and then tsked his disapproval. He’d probably never eaten an entire burger in his life, and he clearly thought we were gluttons. I let Nancy stew over my request while I tore up one of the burgers for Cash. I set the basket in front of him and he stared between it and me until I nodded my head and then he scarfed the contents like it was his last meal. I started in on mine while Nancy picked at her food.
“Luca, I’d love to help you.”
“I hear a ‘but.’”
“Yeah, mine. I just got promoted. The last thing I need is IAD to find out I’m poking around in a pending investigation.”
“I think it’s past IAD. Public Integrity has it.” I referred to the unit at the DA’s office that prosecutes cops and other public officials who run afoul of the law. “The case has already been indicted.”
“Then it sounds like you already know more than me.”
“What I know you can get from the papers. What I want to know is more about Jorge. What kind of a cop was he? Was he respected? Who did he work with? How did he get set up with CIs all on his own so soon after joining vice? That’s all stuff you can tell me and no one else can.” I waited to see if the flattery would work. Nancy didn’t gossip for her health. She did it to be the most popular kid, the one everyone gathered around to find out the juiciest news, the one in the know. I didn’t judge her for it—everyone does what they need to—but I wasn’t above taking advantage of her ever-hungry ego.
“And you don’t want to go to Jess.”
It wasn’t a question. Sometimes Nancy was smarter than I gave her credit for, although she couldn’t possibly understand my real motivation for not asking Jess for help. Better she think I was heartbroken about losing my fuck buddy to some real relationship potential than find out I had come close to being the real relationship potential. Nancy liked me and Jess, but she’d never really liked us together since she had me pegged as a rogue who would never settle down. I wasn’t about to dispel her of the notion. Wasn’t sure I could.
I assumed what I hoped was a beat down expression. “No, I don’t want to go to Jess.”
She reached a hand across the table and briefly squeezed mine. “I’ll help you, but promise me you won’t do anything stupid.”
Easy promise since, despite the opinions of others, I didn’t usually view my own actions as stupid.
Seemingly satisfied, she said, “Moreno’s in deep shit.”
“That’s what I hear. Anything to it?”
She shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. The main evidence against him is from a confidential informant and your best friend Teresa Perez. Whatever you may think about Teresa, she has lots of credibility in the department.”
“And she hates Ronnie Moreno.”
“Only because she hates all criminal defense attorneys. Oh, and the fact Ronnie’s associated with you, probably doesn’t help.”
“But would she really throw a fellow cop under the bus because he’s the brother of a woman who happens to be a defense attorney who dated me?”
She shrugged and took a bite of her burger. While she chewed, I had an epiphany. “You know, I hadn’t given this any thought before, but where was Jorge’s partner during all this? You’d think if Jorge was making side deals with CIs, his partner would either be in on it or suspect something was up.” I started to think I was on to something. I hadn’t seen any reference to Jorge’s partner in the reports Ronnie had given me. Of course, maybe internal affairs was holding back some info. Wouldn’t be the first time. “You wouldn’t happen to know who his partner is, would you?”
“Sure. It’s Greg Jackson. He’s been around vice for a while. You know how it is. They pair up new detectives with old ones. I’m paired up with an eighty-year-old. Bet she was the first female cop. Ever.”
“Poor you. Do you know Jackson?”
“I know him well enough.”
“You think he would talk to me?”
“Maybe, if you ask him.”
I leaned forward and did my best attempt at begging. “I was really, really hoping maybe you would ask him for me.”
“I don’t know, Luca. I shouldn’t get involved.”
“You don’t have to. Just ask him. If he says no, I’ll leave it alone,” I lied.
“I’ll think about it, but I don’t think he’s the type to talk out of school.”
Unlike you, I thought, but wisely decided not to say out loud. The best and worst thing about Nancy was her big mouth. I took advantage when I could and tried to avoid giving her too many personal details to divulge. Which made me think of Jess and whatever was going on with her personal life. As much as I wanted to pump Nancy for more information about what she knew and how she knew it, I wasn’t sure I could handle whatever else she might say.
Stick to the case. When it’s over, when Ronnie’s back in D.C., you can sort things out with Jess. Or crawl back into your lonely little life.
I looked down at Cash, who lay prone underneath my chair, letting rip some major post-burger snores. Guess my life wasn’t as lonely as it could be.
Chapter Eight
Nancy didn’t think about it long. An hour after I dropped her back at the station, she sent me a text. The meet with Jackson was scheduled for eleven p.m. He’d been working solo since Jorge had been suspended, and he agreed to meet Nancy and me at a bar south of town. That he agreed to meet me at all was a big step, and to celebrate the small victory, I decided to take the rest of the afternoon off until Nancy showed up to collect me for the meeting.
I considered a quick trip to the casino, but the small part of my brain that dwells on things responsible told me I’d never make it back in time. Once I got started, I usually kept going until I ran out of money, met a woman who distracted me, or got too drunk to handle either. With a fresh five grand at stake, I had more to lose than usual. Instead, I washed a load of clothes, did the dishes, and then instructed Cash on the finer points of taking a nap.
I was well into my lesson plan, when I heard knocking at the door. Wasn’t the fierce pounding of a not-yet-paid landlord, but I considered ignoring it anyway. Until I heard the voice.
“Luca, I know you’re in there. Please.”
There’s something about the pleading tones of a desperate woman I should learn to resist. Ronnie, dressed in sharp blue courtroom drag, stood on my doorstep, hand raised. I tugged her through the doorway and glanced around for
signs of Withers before I shut the door. “You should call before coming over.”
“What? So you could give me a ton of reasons why I shouldn’t come?”
Hands on her hips, she was fiery, a trait I’d come to love and hate. Her passion had been the thing that attracted me to her in the first place. Quick and sure, she inspired arousal and retreat in equal measure.
I contemplated acting on old impulses. And why not? I wasn’t tied to anyone. Whatever it was that had sparked into flame between Jess and me had just as quickly burned out. For all I knew I was the only one who’d felt anything anyway.
I raised a hand and brushed my finger along Ronnie’s puffed up, angry lips, and her frown fell away. I felt her breath hitch, and I traced a line from her lips to her hairline, pushing her thick waves away from her face. I could lean in and kiss those lips. I should. Shouldn’t I? I wanted to. Didn’t I?
The desire grew faint with every question mark. And this is why I don’t think things through. Thoughts kill action. Happens every time.
I backed away and motioned for her to sit down. She was disappointed, and I could tell she had been hoping for more. She could hope all she wanted. Thankfully, Cash rushed over and took the only free spot on the couch.
“When did you get a dog?”
“His name is Cash.” I deliberately avoided her questions. This wasn’t a personal call. Not as far as I was concerned. She could answer my questions, but her money didn’t buy her the right to ask me a bunch of personal questions. Five grand wasn’t nearly enough for that.
“He’s handsome.”
“Yep. You want to tell me why you stopped by?”
“I thought you might have an update for me.”
I picked up my phone from the table between us and glanced at the display. “See this thing? You call it and you can either talk to me or leave a message. If I have something to tell you, I’ll use it to make contact.”
“And when you decide to ignore me?”
“I need free rein. I told you I’d meet Jorge in the morning.”
“You also said you were doing some legwork today.”
“And I did.”
“Did the cop you had lunch with today tell you anything?”
I’d had enough. As much as I’d hate to do it, I’d march right down to the bank and pull out what was left of the money she’d paid, but no way was I going to be micromanaged, followed, and spied on.
I stood up. “I’ll get you your money back tomorrow. We’re done.”
“I have a right to keep up with what you’re doing. You really think talking to cops will help? They’re the reason he’s in this mess.”
I started to defend Nancy’s honor, but bit back the words. She’d hired me to do a job, and it was none of her business how I did it. I told her as much.
“Luca, he’s my brother. If anything happens to him, my mother will die.”
“Don’t drag your mother into this.”
“Don’t make me beg.”
“Why not? You’re really good at it. What you’re not so good at is being grateful. Maybe I’ve had enough of sticking my neck out for you.”
“If that’s true, then you wouldn’t have agreed to help in the first place. You may like the money, but I know that’s not what it’s all about for you.” She moved closer, her breath warm with whispered promises. “And you know it too.”
I backed away. Not because I wanted to, but because I knew if I didn’t I was going to fall for her charms one more time. She sensed my fear and played it.
“I’ve never known you to be scared of anything. Am I really too much for you? Or are you just so hung on up on Jessica Chance that you won’t take advantage of what’s ripe and ready?” She closed the distance between us again, and before I could sidestep, I was locked in a searing kiss.
I’m not a rock. I kissed her back. For a while, focusing on the physical and ignoring all the warning bells that clanged a symphony in what was left of my brain. When she finally pulled back, I struggled to breathe, but there was no air left in the room.
“She holds back when she kisses you, doesn’t she?”
If not for those words, I probably would’ve remained in a haze, hypnotized by her sexuality. But no way was I going to stand there and let her try to dissect whatever it was Jess and I had. Even if it was nothing, it was our nothing, and I refused to discuss Jess with Ronnie.
I decided against telling her that. She was stubborn. Tell her you don’t want to talk about something, that’s all she wants to talk about. So I did what I do best, I avoided the issue by changing the subject. “Tell you what. I won’t quit until after I talk to Jorge. Tell him to be on time tomorrow. But if you don’t leave now, we’re done. You understand?”
Her know-it-all smile pissed me off. “I understand. But, Luca, I hope you know we’re not even close to done.”
Before I could say another word, she was out the door and I was left wondering what she really wanted from me.
*
Nancy showed up at ten fifteen and I met her at the door. When I motioned to Cash to follow us, she didn’t say a thing. She drove a two-seater Corvette. I glanced at Cash and considered our options. “I think I’ll take my own car.”
“Don’t be silly. We’ll fit.”
I knew we could make it work, but when I’d agreed to let her pick me up, I hadn’t considered riding shotgun to an unknown destination, and the thought made me a little edgy.
“Come on. Don’t be a baby. You scared of a little speed?”
Whatever. I wasn’t scared of anything, and to prove it I opened the door and peered in. “Nice car. You work a lot of overtime to pay for it?”
“I always work a lot of overtime, and not everyone can drive an antique.”
“Very funny.”
She patted the wide console between our seats. “Cash can sit here.”
I motioned for him to take his place. Once she hit the highway, I crossed my fingers he’d live through the ride. The way she drove, he might fly through the windshield if she had to make a sudden stop.
When we finally pulled off the interstate and I could hear myself over the engine, I asked Nancy exactly where we were going.
“Lucky Seven.”
“Sounds like a casino, not a bar.”
“It’s both, but casino is kind of a fancy word for what goes on in the back room. Mostly small-time card games. Nothing big enough to interest us.”
Maybe it didn’t interest Dallas vice, but I’d been itching for a decent card game since a local mob boss had put my favorite game out of business. Bingo, aka Morris Hubbard, had been running a gambling house in Dallas since I’d been old enough to remember, but just a few weeks ago, local mobster Geno Vedda had left a couple of dead bodies at Bingo’s house. Between the cop scrutiny and the blood in the carpet, Bingo had had to shut his place down for a while. Maybe the Lucky Seven would be my new local haunt.
“Careful, Luca. I can see your wheels turning.”
“Seriously? Gambling is not a vice. The city would be better off if you guys investigated real crimes instead of consenting adults playing table games. Besides, the state has no problem running its own sanctioned gambling.”
I’d had this same conversation with Jess more times than I could count, and she had a tendency to agree with me in the abstract, but she was always quick to point out how quickly I ran through my paydays at the gambling table. What can I say? Other people like to go to the mall and buy useless shit. I like to wager my money. At least sometimes it actually paid off, and I didn’t have a closet full of clothes I would never wear.
Nancy just shook her head. “Fine. Do what you want, but don’t call me when you run into trouble. These guys don’t run a tab, and you’ll get your legs broken if you can’t pay your debts.”
“I thought you said it was a small game.”
“Small to us, but to them it’s everything.”
“Bet they love having vice in here.”
“Far as I know, th
is isn’t a regular hangout for Greg. I don’t have a clue why he suggested this place, but that’s his truck.” She pointed at one of the two vehicles in the lot. “You plan on leaving the dog in the car?”
It was cool enough, but I had no idea how he would behave in what I imagined was a pretty expensive ride. Besides, I liked the idea of strolling into a bar with a big dog at my side. “No, I think I’ll bring him with.”
We entered the dimly lit building, and Nancy pointed to a guy at the bar and whispered, “That’s him.” Like I wouldn’t know since he was the only live body in the place. He looked up as we entered and motioned for us to join him at a booth in the corner. The low light couldn’t hide the scattered bits of trash on the sticky floor. When we sat down at the booth, I was careful not to place my hands on the table. Instead of his customary sprawl on the floor, Cash, following my lead, stood beside the booth.
Nancy introduced us, and Jackson said, “Barkeep’s in the back. He should be back soon.”
“That’s cool.” I wanted a beer, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to risk botulism to drink it. That was saying a lot for me. “I guess Walters told you what I want.”
“You want to figure out a way to pin Moreno’s crimes on someone else. Am I right?”
I glanced at Nancy who nodded, prompting me to be straight with him. “That’s about right.”
“And I’m thinking I might be the prime candidate.”
“Actually, I hadn’t gotten that far, but if the shoe fits.”
He took a deep pull from his beer bottle and then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Then I guess I shouldn’t be talking to you at all.”
“I guess you knew that before you ever agreed to meet with me, so I’m thinking you have something to tell me or we wouldn’t be here at all.” I waited while he contemplated the inside of his bottle. I wasn’t hopeful. I imagine he’d decided to show up tonight out of some cop solidarity thing or maybe just to size me up, but no way was this guy going to give me anything that would help Jorge. I’d just about decided it was time to take off, when he spoke.