rose like that of an outraged teenaged girl.
"Sir, I was following orders of the chief of police. I wasn't trying to hide anything from you."
I was impressed; my partner's voice was as smooth as spit-shined shoes. Conrad's face heated from scarlet to purple.
"Cutter, one of the first things they teach you in the academy is to use common sense. Any idiot would have called his immediate supervisor and let him know he was en route to a high-powered meeting."
I couldn't hold back. A girl doesn't get too many shots at her boss, and I never missed an opportunity to knock Larry-the-Wife-Beater down a notch or two. I figured he deserved it, and Mrs. Conrad would most likely agree.
"Lieutenant," I said, "Detective Cutter tried calling you, but his city-issued cell phone kept failing. Once we got to the mayor's office there was no time to call before the governor's arrival."
Darius shut his eyes and braced for the inevitable fury.
Conrad stood like a mute ventriloquist's dummy with his mouth opening and closing but no words coming out. His wild-eyed gaze ping-ponged between Darius and me.
Darius opened his eyes.
"You met with the governor?" Conrad choked out.
"Sir, we didn't know. The chief didn't know the governor was coming," said Darius. Gamely, he continued. "It was the governor who provided information on the missing woman from her medical records."
"You two have really screwed yourselves. I think you intentionally kept me from that meeting." Spittle flew from the lieutenant's mouth as he pointed his index finger at us. "I'm telling you both right now, I don't care how short-handed this unit is I will do everything in my power to move you out. Now, get to work and find that woman!"
Darius and I said nothing as we left the office and sauntered back to our desks.
"Well, I think Larry-the-Wife-Beater just experienced a major meltdown," I said.
Darius dropped in his chair and took a swig of his now-cold coffee. "Yeah, and you were the flame under his ass. You just couldn't wait to tell him Truesdale was at the meeting."
"Oh, come on Darius, you can't tell me you didn't enjoy watching him freak out. He's such a brown-noser and he's mad he missed a 'tête-à-tête' with the chief. My guess is the chief intentionally left him out of the loop."
A small smile tugged at Cutter's lips. "Maybe." He sat at his desk as I sat at mine. "But entertaining as it was to watch Larry flip out, he's gonna make us pay. You can count on that."
PRESTON – 2
"Dad, why can't I spend the night at Penny's? After my blood transfusion yesterday I'm feeling really good today. Besides, after my transplant operation I won't be able to go out with my friends for a long time," complained sixteen year-old Tiffany.
Preston inwardly flinched at the mention of the transplant. He had no intention of telling his daughter her bone marrow donor was missing unless absolutely necessary. "Damn it, Tiffany, the Capitol dinner is tonight. You've missed so many other events with your illness. Re-election isn't that far away. How would it look if the governor's daughter isn't there?"
"How would it look if your gravely ill daughter with Aplastic Anemia wasn't allowed to spend time with her friends?" Tiffany countered. "Besides, that news show that filmed me last week working at the women's shelter is supposed to run the story in the next day or so. Isn't that enough of my face on TV to keep you in good standing with the voters?"
Preston knew he was being manipulated, but Tiffany's logic was real. If he made her go to the dedication, she'd make sure she was pale and frail for the media's benefit. Then the press would slaughter him, and the pundits would take potshots at him for exploiting his daughter. He sighed. If the state legislature wasn't screwing him, his daughter was doing the honors. That was the price he paid for having a daughter whose IQ was in the near genius category.
"Okay, you can spend the night at Penny's but your security team goes too."
A scowl crossed Tiffany's face as she tossed her highlighted tresses over her shoulder. "Why do they have to go?"
Preston crossed the living room and pulled his daughter close in front of the large picture window that looked out onto the large trees in front of their Bel Air mansion. "You're the governor's daughter, and you need protection from any weirdos out there who might use you to get to me."
"Dad, you're such a dork. You've been the governor for three years and no one's gotten me yet."
Preston gave his daughter a big hug. "And I want to see it stays that way."
Tiffany's face grew serious. "It won't hurt your chances for re-election if I don't go to the Capitol dinner, will it?"
"Only if you do something stupid and the paparazzi are there to get it on film," said Preston. "You can stay here in L.A., but I want to talk to Penny's parents so they'll understand security will be posted outside their house while you're there. I don't want Penny's folks calling the cops on your security detail."
Tiffany giggled and threw her arms around her father. "Oh Dad, I love you."
MADDIE – 3
Larry-the-Wife-Beater's hysterics lightened my spirits enough that I was ready to face talking to my husband. I took a final swig of my now cold coffee and then called my house. While the phone rang I started filling out a Missing Person's report on Heather McCall.
"Hi, it's me," I said when Travis answered.
"It's about time. Is your asshole partner gonna hang up on me again? Just who in the hell does he think he is?"
I stopped typing the report and turned away from my computer. I lowered my voice. "Look, we got called, along with the chief, to the mayor's office. I've got a high profile case I'm working."
"And your missing person case is more important than your marriage?"
"Today, for a well-connected young woman, it's a matter of life and death that I do my job and do it well. Which do you think I should choose?"
"I think eight years ago you put a ring on my finger and vowed your allegiance to me, not the LAPD," Travis said.
I sighed. "You're right, I did. But, as a cop, you know sometimes family has to take a back seat."
"I need to talk to you. Is that too much to ask? Can you meet me for dinner?"
I ran my hand across my eyes. His timing stunk. "Where?"
"Does Brady's at seven work for you?"
"Travis, I thought you had to work tonight."
"I do have to work. But I'll meet you. See you then."
Before I'd agreed or said goodbye, he'd hung up. The fact he wanted to talk was atypical for our marriage. My husband sounded like maybe he was ready to confront some of the demons he faced. That was good. I only hoped he wouldn't try to make me face mine. Pushing the thought out of my mind, I buckled down to digging into Heather McCall's life.
About two hours later, after making another coffee run, I strode into the squad room balancing two large cups of coffee in a carrier while holding my cell phone to my ear. I reached across to Darius's desk and set down one of the cups.
"Okay, Mr. Winston, thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly," I disconnected and dropped my cell phone on my desk and took a sip of coffee. Nectar of the gods. I unbuttoned my rust-colored jacket and sat.
I made eye contact with Darius. "Heather's bank manager says there's been no activity on any of her accounts. No unusual transactions before she disappeared either. I contacted the REACT unit. They're going to help us out and check out sexual predators."
"That certainly doesn't bode well for her," Darius said. "Thanks for the caffeine. I should probably mainline it."
"Late night?" I asked, arching my eyebrows.
Darius took a sip from the paper cup. "You might say so," he said, grabbing a stack of papers from his desk. "I've done a Master Inquiry on Heather and the only thing I've found was a speeding ticket she got last year in Chatsworth. Other than that, she's clean."
"Whoa there, Sparky. Nice try at changing the subject, but take a minute and tell me about your hot date." Although my partner is single, makes good money, an
d is more handsome than Blair Underwood, he rarely dates — or at least he doesn't talk about it.
"Your listening skills are slipping Detective Divine. I never said I had a hot date. I said I had a late night."
"Yeah, well did this late night involve music sung by Barry White?"
"It might have."
"Well then, you're right. You didn't have a hot date."
Darius discretely flipped me off by using his middle finger to scratch his temple.
I ignored his gesture.
"I guess we'd better talk to Heather's neighbors," said Darius.
"Should we brief Larry-the-Wife-Beater before we head out?"
"I don't think so. Let's let him cool down. We'll wait until we're done with the interviews in her neighborhood. Hopefully, we'll get a lead and can make him forget he's mad at us." Darius snatched up his coffee cup.
"Screw him," I said, and patted my jacket pocket. The last thing I wanted to do was leave the office without my lipstick and gum.
Since we'd already missed the morning traffic, it only took us a half an hour to get from downtown to Northridge. Parking was tough. I slid the silver Crown Victoria next to a fire hydrant. Most of the cruiser was parked legally, but about two feet of the car jutted into the red portion of the curb. I crammed a business card in the crevice between the corner post and the windshield and hoped any parking control officers would recognize the vehicle as a detective's ride.
The lack of graffiti and battered cars indicated Heather McCall's neighborhood hadn't yet fallen victim to the gangs infiltrating much of the valley. I'd
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