by W L Knightly
Darek paused. “No, I haven’t. It must have been someone else.”
“The cleaners said a detective. I assumed you. They didn’t specify if it was a man or a woman.” Lane wondered who had been in the house, and he had an uneasy feeling.
“It might have been Lizzy,” Darek said. “She’s on this case like her ass is on fire. She’s been in and out of the office, and it’s a safe bet she wanted to make one more pass through the crime scene.”
“Could you make sure?” Lane asked.
“Sure, but I wouldn’t worry. It’s common even for one of the other cops to check out the cleaners.”
“Okay, just let me know,” Lane said. “I think I’ll try and stay the night here. I’m not sure that I can make it, but Bay has enough shit going on. He’s not dealing with what’s happening in a healthy way, and I can’t fucking handle the stress. Since you have Max, there shouldn’t be any reason to worry, right?”
“You’re good. I can have an officer drive by if you want.” Darek was a good friend to be concerned. “As for Bay, he doesn’t handle anything emotional well. He doesn’t really have the ability. He’s already convinced that Mia is dead.”
“What do you think?” Lane asked. “Do you think that asshole didn’t kill her the first chance he got? I didn’t want to tell Bay, but I think she’s gone too.”
“Bay’s sure of it, but considering that Max had a relationship with Mia, there’s a chance that she’s still alive. I’m going to do my best to get to the bottom of it. I’m going in to meet with him in five minutes. The guards are getting him ready now. Bay showed up earlier, throwing a fit to see him, but I told him to go home and handle his shit. He hasn’t even told his wife anything yet.”
“He’s afraid for her health,” Lane said. “She’s carrying his child, and despite the fact that I know he loves Mia, there isn’t anyone on the earth that he loves more than that child.”
That was just how Bay worked. He loved himself more than anything, and he would naturally see his child as a part of himself.
“I know,” Darek said. “I just wanted to make sure you’re good and that you know I’m going to nail this guy’s head to the fucking wall for you, man. Nona was a good girl. She deserved better.”
“Thanks, man.” Lane’s chest swelled with anger, and he wished he could react the same way that Bay did, by lashing out at the world. Lane was furious, but he just couldn’t let himself go there. He had to stay busy. There wasn’t anything he could do for her now.
They ended their call, and he eased back in the chair. There was one more thing he could do. One that he had to do. He had the number dialed before he could think of what he would say.
“Hey, boss.” Jennifer’s voice matched her lively personality, and with everything around him dead and dying, he needed it.
In an instant, he changed his whole purpose for calling. He wasn’t going to back out on her like he’d planned. “Hey, how’s it going? Is business good?”
“Business is fabulous, but I hope that’s not the only reason you called. Didn’t you want to hear my voice?” She was so flirty, and he could see the smile on her face as he closed his eyes. It was the best image he’d imagined in the last few hours. Even though guilt was burning him up inside, he had to let it go. He had to live.
“Yeah, that’s part of the reason, but the truth is, I might have to stay in New York a little longer. I’ve had another emergency come up.” He wasn’t going to explain what had happened. He was sick of explaining himself, and the last thing he wanted to do was relive all of the wretched moments from the past day.
“Oh no,” she said, sounding sincere. “I’m so sorry. You just can’t catch a break, can you?”
“I guess not,” he said, feeling like a tool. “I’ll need you to keep things afloat down there for at least a few more days. I guess at this point, I’ll just call you when I’m on my way home.”
“I can’t wait to see you,” she said. “There’s so much I need to tell you. You’re, like, so behind on the kitchen gossip.” She gave a little giggle.
“I’m looking forward to hearing it,” he said. “Maybe we’ll have to get together outside of work, and you can catch me up.” He shocked himself for making it more than it should be, but she was a nice girl, and he needed a good distraction.
“I’d love that,” she said. “You could call me on my cell later if you need someone to talk to. I don’t ever do anything but go home at the end of shift and watch old episodes of Jersey Shore.”
He couldn’t help but smile because Nona had loved that show too. “Maybe I will.” He wasn’t going to make any promises. But he sure felt better knowing that there was light at the end of his dark tunnel.
Chapter 6
Darek
Waiting to talk to Max took longer than Darek expected, but that was only because the guards were taking their sweet time. He hoped that none of them were particularly close to his ex-partner. While he waited in the room, he kept his eyes peeled to see how they would react to the dirty cop.
The guards came in holding Max by each arm because his hands were cuffed in front of him. They gave Darek a nod. “Do you want him cuffed to the table?”
Max wore a shit-eating grin. Darek knew that having him cuffed to the table was probably the smart thing to do, but it was also going to make him look like a fool who was scared of a confrontation.
“We’re good,” said Darek. “We’re old buddies, Max and I, so I’m sure he’ll behave like a gentleman.”
Laughter erupted from Max, whose mocking tone was unmistakable. “Yeah, we have a real bromance, man.” He met Darek’s eyes, shaking his cuffs. “I’d give you a high-five, but as you can see, I’m a little tied up here.”
“I’ll be right outside,” said Officer Patrick, who turned and walked out the door.
Darek looked down at Max, who took his chair and did his best to move it closer to the table. “Where is Mia?”
“Aw, is that why you came to see me?” Max asked. “I had hoped it was because you found out who my old man is.”
“Was,” Darek corrected. “I found out who your old man was.”
Max glared at Darek with narrowed eyes, angry at the detective’s taunting. Darek watched Max struggle to regain his composure.
The smile slid back on his ex-partner’s face. “And what did your girl think of that?”
Darek shrugged. “She doesn’t know what to think of it. She had defended your father, you know? She told me that she thought he was innocent, and she was out to prove it.” He had steered her away from it, and she was still angry with him over that. It turned out to be the right call.
Max nodded. “So now I just get to sit back and wait for this all to fall apart. It must be eating at you, wondering when I’m going to tell Lizzy everything. When she knows, it’s going to tear you apart, and you know it.”
“I’m more concerned about Mia. If you have her somewhere, don’t make this shit any worse on yourself by letting her die. If she’s already dead, have some fucking respect and tell me where to find her.”
“Who am I showing respect to?” Max asked. “You? How about Bay Collins? You think that asshole deserves my respect? He’s the one who organized everything.”
“We’re not going to waste time talking about Bay,” Darek said. “You got your jab in. You fucked his girl, and you tried to fuck mine. Now let’s stop with the petty shit. You’re a coldhearted killer, remember? You’re too badass for this weak-sauce bullshit.”
Max laughed. “It’s so much fun, though. Riling you up is so easy. You’ve always been a weak cop. I’ve seen you with Lizzy, and it’s obvious that she wears the pants when it comes to the job and your partnership there. I just wondered if she took charge like that in the bedroom too.”
Darek sighed. “Where’s Mia? She’s got family; a sister, a mother, people who love her. At least let’s give them some closure if you’ve already killed her. It could go a long way in making you comfortable later.”
/> The words seemed to amuse him. “I’m not worried about being here, bro.”
“You should be.”
Max shook his head. “No, because I’ll end up accomplishing what I want. You’ll see. I’ll have the last laugh, my friend.”
“Then what are you waiting for? Tell me all about it. How you devised a clever plan and carried it through. How you killed Alicia David once you no longer needed her.”
“Alicia.” Max closed his eyes and smiled as if he had fond memories of the girl. “She could suck cock like a champ. I can’t tell you how many times I unloaded into that throat of hers, and she never missed a drop.”
“I saw what you did to her,” Darek said, leaning forward. “It’s hard to believe you’d give that up. I guess you had all you needed from her? Did she know a lot about the Zodiacs?”
“She knew enough,” Max said. “Alicia was good about doing what she was told. She trusted me wholeheartedly.” His smile faltered a moment, and Darek couldn’t help but wonder if Max missed his partner in crime.
“Where’s Mia, Max? Come on and tell me.”
“You know I can’t do that,” Max said.
Darek sighed. This was just the kind of attitude he didn’t want from Max. As long as he didn’t tell them where Mia was, he still maintained a little bit of control. He was still on a power trip and trying to hold on to it on the inside.
“You should be happy,” he said. “I’m going to keep my mouth shut about you and your friends. For a while, at least. As long as I feel like I’m safe in here. If you try anything stupid, like put me in general population, or if your boy Bay thinks he’s going to be able to pop me off like he did his buddy in here, then he’s mistaken. You want to talk about a partner in crime? Bay’s the one who should be sitting right here with me. Did you know he popped Hannah? Or Finn? Did you know that he did that?”
Darek’s blood began to boil. He had long suspected what had happened with the others, but he never had solid proof until right then. But was Max telling the truth? Bay was certainly capable, and he’d all but admitted to having Logan killed.
“We’re not here to talk about Bay,” Darek said.
“Okay, let’s talk about you, Darek. What is your part in all of this? You’ve covered up an entire investigation, and I have to say, I applaud you for managing to not only cover up your misdoings, but you also managed to nail your partner. Talk about the ultimate distraction. But then again, Lizzy is pretty easy like that. At least, I found her to be.”
Darek’s temper got the best of him, and he got up and leaned over in Max’s face. “Where is she?”
He wished he would have just let Bay in to take care of Max. Darek wanted to punch him in his smug face so badly. He couldn’t even deal.
Officer Patrick was right outside, and he walked over and stood closer to the door. Darek waved him off. He didn’t need the man overhearing anything. He turned back to Max. “Look, I’m sorry about what happened to your old man, but Mia didn’t have shit to do with that.”
“No, she’s just someone who Bay cares about,” Max said. “I finally found the one person I could use to get to him, so why would I ruin that? You know, when he punched me after I fucked her, I knew then just how much he cared, and I knew I would use Mia to get my revenge. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I had a great time with her. He’s taught her well, and let me tell you. She’s properly trained. I would have taken her for my pet if I was really serious about her.”
Darek wanted to tell him how Mia didn’t want him any more than Lizzy had, but Max’s temper was just as bad as Darek’s. If Darek riled him up too much or made him feel threatened, he was going to make sure they never found Mia.
“Give me a clue,” Darek said, hating the pleading tone in his voice. “Anything. You texted me all those times, wanting to communicate. So let’s talk now.”
Max shook his head slowly. “It sucks to be so helpless, doesn’t it? I imagine that’s how my old man felt when he was locked up all those years. He’d had it rough enough already in life. Do you know he served our country? Not that it mattered in the end. He couldn’t even get anyone to listen to him when he said he was innocent.”
Darek was responsible for putting Gough in the position to be found with Emily Johnson. If Darek hadn’t left Emily where he had, if he’d left her in the woods or even at the millhouse, no one would have blamed Gough. The man might still be alive.
But Darek had tried to do the right thing. Just like he was trying to do the right thing now by finding Mia. “So that’s it? You’re not going to give me anything?”
Max smiled. “Not a chance.”
Darek walked out of the interrogation room. “Get him back to his cell.”
He stormed down the hall and headed back to his desk. On the way, his phone buzzed in his pocket.
“Yeah?” he answered.
“It’s me,” said Bay. “Did you ever get to talk to the asshole?”
“I just did, but he’s not talking. Which is good when it comes to us, but not Mia.” He had hoped he’d have better news for Bay.
“Fuck him. He’s going to use her as leverage, isn’t he?”
“He likes the power, so yes.” Darek tried to take a few calming breaths and ducked into the bathroom. “He thinks it’s going to give him an advantage.”
“Meet me at my house tonight. I have Lane coming too. We need to regroup.”
Darek didn’t think getting away from Lizzy would be a problem. She was still wanting to keep her distance since Reed was suspicious of them. Reed’s problem with them having a relationship was dangerous to both of their careers.
“Yeah,” Darek said. “I’ll be able to make it. I’ll see you there.”
Chapter 7
Bay
Bay sat in his study, looking at Lila’s portrait that hung over the fireplace. She had given it to him as a Christmas gift some years earlier. Although it was pretty risqué, he had hung it in the downstairs room so everyone who entered could see what a knockout he was with.
When Bay met Lila, she had it all—or so he assumed. She was not only the prettiest girl he’d ever seen at the time, but she came from money and was a favorite among the others in her sorority. Unfortunately, her level of common sense gave new meaning to dumb blonde, but while she wasn’t the brightest bulb in the box, she had book smarts, which was good enough for Bay. The rest only made her more malleable, and that was something Bay could work with.
He looked into her painted eyes, which were nothing more than a couple of brush strokes carefully placed on the canvas, and he wondered what he would tell her about Mia. The shock was going to do a number on her, and there was no getting around that.
The doorbell rang, and while it played out the chiming tune, he looked up at the monitor hanging in the corner of his room. Lane was at the door. Darek walked up behind him, and the two shook hands.
Bay went to the door, and when he opened it, he found Darek patting Lane on the back. The man was clearly upset about everything going on.
“Come on in,” Bay said. “You’re both right on time.” He led them to the study, opting to keep things in the private room in case any of the staffers were lurking around. “Have a seat.” He pointed to the small sitting area around the fireplace where Lila’s half-naked body sprawled out on the canvas above them.
Lane’s eyes went to the portrait as he sat, and a moment later, so did Darek’s. The thing was unavoidably larger than life, and probably too big for the space, but that was just how he liked it. A little overwhelming. Just enough to make the other two men uncomfortable. He liked to throw people off balance. Through the years, it had made things more interesting to him when he was the only one who wasn’t out of sorts.
He cleared his throat and grabbed the two men’s attention. Darek was the only one brave enough to mention it. He put his arm over the back of the couch and gave the painting a sideward look. “Is that your wife?” he asked in a tone that clearly showed his surprise.
Bay walke
d over to the bar to pour them all a drink. “Yes. Isn’t she phenomenal? Can you imagine how amazing our child will be?” Their baby would no doubt have the blondest hair and the palest eyes.
Darek didn’t take his eyes off her. “She’s beautiful.”
“The likeness is striking,” said Lane. “Who was the talented artist?”
Bay smiled. He walked the two drinks over and handed them off. “I’m not sure, but they sure got an eyeful, didn’t they?”
“I’d say no more than we have,” said Darek. “Lizzy would never pose like that.”
“Nona would have,” Lane said with a sad smile. “I have a few photographs I’ll cherish.”
Bay grabbed his own drink and walked over to stand near the mantle. “Speaking of your dearest Nona, I can’t help but mention Darek’s visit to Maxwell Gough behind bars.”
Darek nodded. “He isn’t going to talk, so we’re good for now, but I can’t guarantee for how long. He is angling for his safety, which I can’t blame him for. He knows we want to take him out, and I know he’s enjoying dangling Mia over our heads. He hates you, Bay. Like, a lot.”
Bay couldn’t give a fuck if the asshole liked him. “Well, the feeling is mutual,” he said. “So, fuck him.”
“Well, he said that when you punched him, you showed him how much you really cared about Mia. That was what he wanted to use her for. To figure out what you loved most. I’d say you’re very lucky to have hidden your unborn child away.”
“I’m going to have to ask her to come back into town,” Bay said. “I’m not entirely sure how to tell her Mia is missing and presumed dead via the telephone.”
Darek shook his head. “No, you’re right, and she’s good now. It should be safe. We have the killer locked up. Now our focus needs to be finding Mia while there is still hope that she’s alive. Part of me thinks that if she were dead, perhaps he would have already fessed up. But I’m not a hundred percent on that. Max has shown me a whole different side to himself, so I have to assume that everything I know is the opposite of what it is.”
