by Nora Kane
“Twenty-four. If the cartel is really after her, I don’t like her chances of getting to twenty-five. I don’t like my chances much either.”
“Maybe it’s not them.”
“Then who else?”
“I wish I knew,” Ames said. “It would make it easier on me. The only reason the shooter is still around and not in South America somewhere is you and Cassie are still alive.”
“Well, I hope I can keep her around then.”
“You want to come over to my place?” Radcliff asked. “Our shift was ending when we got the call. We can go straight over.”
“I’ve still got work. I was actually going to ask if you can stick around until they bring a new door.”
“You sure you want to do that? I think Shaw would understand.”
“He would, but I’m not sure Mrs. Dithers would. She really wants to know if her husband is seeing someone on the side. Besides, I’m going to have to pay for a new door and microwave.”
“Alright, but be careful.”
“I don’t think a middle-aged banker with a possible wandering eye should be much of a threat.”
“I’m not really worried about him. If she was healthy enough to run away, she’s healthy enough to keep coming after you.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Chapter 8
Margot feared giving her statement about the shooting had taken too long. Now she had to hustle, given the traffic. She was glad to see Mr. Dithers’ black Cadillac sedan was still in the lot outside the bank where he worked when she arrived.
He told his wife he went to the gym before he came home, so Margot could have tried to pick him up there. However, if Mrs. Dithers was correct, he never went to the gym, so Margot wanted to pick him up after work.
It wasn’t long before Dithers came out of the building. He was an athletic-looking guy, so the idea he spent a lot of time in the gym wasn’t far-fetched. He looked about ten years younger than his wife even though he was, in fact, a year older. He wore expensive clothes and drove an expensive car. Margot could see how, if he had the desire to cheat, he wouldn’t have trouble finding prospects.
She followed two cars behind as he worked his way through town. She hoped he was going to the gym; she took no pleasure catching guys like him. Though, if she did catch him, she wouldn’t feel guilty.
For a while, she was thinking she’d be able to give Mrs. Dithers good news as the caddy was on the route to Mr. Dithers’ gym, but when it came time to turn in the parking lot, he drove by and turned two blocks later. Dithers pulled into the parking lot for a bar that didn’t look like the type a successful banker would typically choose to frequent.
Margot drove past and found a parking space on the street. In the rearview mirror, she watched him get out of his car and go inside. She noted he took his briefcase with him. She wondered why he’d be taking a briefcase into a dive bar.
After giving him a few minutes, she followed him inside. She spotted him sitting at a table in the corner by himself, drinking a beer. Margot took an empty stool at the mostly empty bar and ordered a beer for herself. She sipped it while she watched Dithers in the mirror behind the bar.
After a short time, a man walked in. He went to the bar and stood next to Margot. He had a lot of scars, muscles, and tattoos. He was wearing a leather jacket and carrying a motorcycle helmet.
When he took off the jacket, he reminded Margot of a bigger meaner looking version of the door-to-door guys she’d met right before the shooting started. He was wearing a dress shirt and tie, but unlike the weather-beaten and faded leather jacket, he didn’t look comfortable in that getup. He was dressed like a banker, but he was the first one Margot had ever seen with a neck tattoo.
Margot thought he might be getting ready to hit on her, which wouldn’t be the worst thing, as long as he took no for an answer. It would keep Dithers from thinking he was being watched. Instead of talking to Margot, however, he ordered a shot of Jack Daniels and a bottle of Bud. When he had both, he joined Dithers at the table without saying a word.
Margot began to think this was not the romantic rendezvous Mrs. Dithers thought it was, though just because it was a man joining Dithers didn’t guarantee it wasn’t. Mrs. Dithers had assumed it was another woman, but she wouldn’t be the first wife to discover it was actually another man.
Margot watched them both. If it was romantic, they certainly weren’t acting like it. They didn’t appear to be glad to see each other, and as far as Margot could tell, they didn’t say a word to each other. The young guy with the tats downed his shot and chased it with the beer. Dithers downed his drink and then got up and left without saying a word.
Margot noticed he left the briefcase behind. His silent drinking buddy didn’t chase after him to give it back.
Margot stayed where she was and drank her beer. If she got up to follow, it might draw the attention of the guy sitting at Dithers’ table. She thought Dithers might come back inside again, but he didn’t. Margot finished her beer and then looked at her phone like someone had just contacted her. Margot had already paid for her beer, so she kept looking at her phone as she walked out the door.
The Cadillac was gone. There was a performance bike, a green Kawasaki Ninja, parked on the sidewalk in front of the bar that Margot figured belonged to the guy inside.
She hated that she’d lost Dithers, but it sure seemed like something shady had just gone down. If her impression was correct, at least one of them was eyeing her with some suspicion. Margot went back to her car. Since Dithers’ gym was only a few blocks away, she drove over and cruised the parking lot. She was pleasantly surprised to see Dithers’ Caddy in the lot.
Margot parked and walked over to the gym. She was able to see Dithers working hard on a treadmill by the window. Margot hoped he didn’t notice her since seeing her twice might get him to thinking she was following him. Margot kept her head down and went back to her car.
She wasn’t sure what to think. It didn’t appear Dithers was seeing another woman, but he certainly was up to something. She drove back past the bar Dithers went to and parked. She considered going back inside; if anyone asked, she could say she’d stepped out to take a call. Instead, she decided to wait outside. Margot figured she would give him fifteen minutes or so. If he was planning to tie one on, she didn’t want to be sitting there until the bar closed, but if he was just finishing the one beer, which would be prudent if he was riding his bike home, fifteen minutes should be plenty of time.
He walked out fourteen minutes later. He wasn’t wearing the tie anymore, but he did have the briefcase. He strapped it on the back of his bike with a pair of bungee cords. The way he strapped the case on looked practiced to Margot. She got the feeling he’d brought the cords for the purpose of carrying the briefcase and the way he easily and quickly secured it made her think he’d done this before.
Margot considered following him, but the way he looked around before he took off made her think he was aware of the possibility someone might try to tail him. Instead, she took note of which way he went and where he turned. It was probably a mystery better left unsolved. Her job was to determine if Mr. Dithers was seeing someone on the side; what he did beyond that wasn’t really her business.
Margot considered what to do next. According to Mrs. Dithers, her husband didn’t come home late enough to both workout and carry on with a mistress. There was no reason to wait for him to finish his workout and follow him home.
If he’d been seeing someone else, Margot would have stuck around and gotten as many photos as possible of them going in somewhere together and coming out together. Since Dithers didn’t appear to be a cheater, at least on gym night, Margot felt she’d gained an hour.
She decided to use that hour to check out Marv’s condo.
Chapter 9
Marv’s condo wasn’t in the best of neighborhoods, unless being near your crack dealer was a high priority. Margot wasn’t surprised he was having trouble finding a tenant. Margot got
the feeling Marv had bought it back in the day for illicit use. Since he was no longer an outlaw biker, now it was just an empty unit in a bad neighborhood.
Margot drove past the building. It held four units on each of its two floors and since Marv’s unit was 203, Margot figured it was on the second floor. Two of the units on the second floor had lights on. Since Margot didn’t know the configuration of the building, it was impossible to know if one of the lit-up units was 203.
Even if the lights were off in Marv’s unit, it didn’t mean Mal wasn’t there. If he was laying low, and he should be smart enough to know he should be, he wouldn’t turn on the lights. He’d also park at least a block away, so Margot took some time to check the surrounding area for the white Buick. She didn’t find it.
Again, this didn’t mean he wasn’t there. He may not have known about Cassie’s video or how the Buick was out on the World Wide Web for all to see, but he had to figure the car was burned this afternoon when they’d tried to take out Margot. Once it had turned from a quick hit into a shootout, there was almost no way someone wouldn’t have noticed the car.
Margot parked and checked her purse. She had a freshly loaded gun and a spare magazine, plus a can of mace and telescoping baton. She was just about to open the door when she thought about what she was doing.
There was a time when she would have never even considered turning Mal over to the authorities, but there was also a time when she never would have considered it possible he’d be driving the car for a person looking to do Margot harm.
As much as it hurt to even think it, she wasn’t dealing with the same Mal anymore.
She found herself thinking about Radcliff as well. Unlike Mal, he’d never lied to her and never asked her to lie for him. He’d done nothing but treat her well. Considering how she treated him sometimes, he was better to her than she thought she deserved.
She wished she could say she’d never lied to him. It was only hours ago that she’d committed a lie of omission when she didn’t tell him about Marv’s condo. She knew if things were reversed, she wouldn’t be happy. His anger would be even more righteous since, unlike her, he’d never done anything similar.
She realized by acting this way she was choosing Mal over Radcliff. She knew it was the wrong choice but it wasn’t the first time she’d done it.
Right then, Margot decided that this afternoon’s lie would be the last. Instead of opening her door and heading over to see if Mal was still hiding out in Marv’s condo, Margot reached into her purse and took out her phone.
“Are you on your way back? They delivered your door and put it up. You’re lucky you found someone to work so fast,” Radcliff said as soon as he took her call.
“The landlord's maintenance guy is top notch, but that’s not why I called.”
“What’s up?”
“I’ve got a possible lead on Mal.”
“You got a lead on Mal while tailing a cheating husband?”
“Not exactly. I talked to Marv today.”
“You two just ran into each other at the gas station?”
“No, I went to see him to ask about Mal.”
“I thought you promised to stay out of the investigation.”
“I did but would Marv have told you anything?”
“That’s not the point.”
“It kind of is. He told me Mal could be hiding out at a rental property he owned.”
“Thought?”
“That’s what he told me. He was skeptical but thought it could be possible.”
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“I’m telling you now.”
“Is that so I don’t tell Ames or anyone else?”
“No, you can tell anyone you want to. I should have said something before, but I messed up. I let my misguided loyalty to Mal get in the way. I’m sorry and I understand if you’re mad, but I’m telling you now.”
“Better late than never, but I can’t say I’m happy about it.”
“I understand.”
“Where is it?”
Margot gave him the address.
“Not the best of neighborhoods.”
“I noticed.”
“Are you there now?”
“I’m outside on the street, but I’ll go home if you think it’s the right thing to do.”
“You care what I think now?”
“I always have.”
“Stay there, Margot. I’ll be there in a few. I’ve got the keys to your new lock so I’ll lock up.”
It wasn’t long before Radcliff pulled up and parked in front of her. He got out of his car and walked over to the passenger side of Margot’s Toyota Prius. She unlocked the door and he took the seat next to her.
“Did Marv give you a key?”
“He did.”
“Shall we go check it out?”
“We? I’m not a cop, and this sure feels like police business.”
Radcliff nodded. “I actually like the sound of that. I might have told you to go home, but Ames thinks if Mal is there, you can talk him down. If it was just us—or worse, a whole S.W.A.T. team—there’d be no way he’d go down without a fight. He knows too much to kill him if we don’t have to.”
“Is Ames coming?”
“He’s on his way. Is that a problem?”
“No. Is he mad at me?”
“Not as mad as I am. He doesn’t take you lying to him as personally.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Well, I suppose you got around to doing the right thing, but it’s got to stop. If you keep going this way, I can’t help thinking I’m going to be seeing you either behind bars or in a casket. Sometimes I wonder if that’s what you want.”
“Trust me, I don’t.”
“You say that, but your actions don’t always match up.”
“You’re not wrong. I let my feelings for Mal get in the way of good sense in the past, but I’m done with that. I think I wanted to save him, but I’ve finally figured out that’s never going to happen.”
“It took someone taking a shot at you for you to figure that out?”
“I can be a little slow sometimes.”
Radcliff shook his head and let out a humorless laugh. “I wonder sometimes if I’m the same way.”
“Slow?”
“No, I wonder if I think I can save you.”
“I might have given up on Mal, but you shouldn’t give up on me. Not yet anyway.”
“I won’t be able to follow you as far as you followed Mal.”
“I hope you won’t have to.”
“Hope?”
“You won’t have to. They call you the choirboy. Well, from now on, I’m the choirgirl.”
“I hate it when people call me that.”
“Good, I don’t think I really want to be called the choirgirl. I’m not even sure if that’s a thing.”
Ames pulled up and parked behind Margot. Radcliff lowered his window and Ames leaned in.
“You want some Kevlar, Margot? I’ve got a vest in the trunk.”
“That’s not a bad idea.”
