Caliber Detective Agency - Legendary
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CALIBER DETECTIVE AGENCY - LEGENDARY
Book 7 of the Caliber Detective Series
Remington Kane
Contents
Introduction
Join My Inner Circle
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Caliber Detective Agency Returns
Join My Inner Circle
Bibliography
Coming Soon
Make Contact
Introduction
CALIBER DETECTIVE AGENCY – LEGENDARY
Book 7 of the Caliber Detective Agency Series
Velma and Rayne take on the case of a missing girl to see if they can still work together without killing each other.
Meanwhile, Chris works his first solo case as he tries to locate a frightened man before the ex-con who threatened the man’s life catches up with him.
Jake Caliber the fifth receives an honor.
Join My Inner Circle
REMINGTON KANE’S INNER CIRCLE
Chapter One
A meeting was taking place inside the inner office of the Caliber Detective Agency.
Present were Velma Parker, Rayne Carver, Gail Caliber, and the old man, Jake Caliber.
The meeting had been called together by Gail, who wanted to get to the bottom of the trouble between Velma and Rayne, trouble that involved Gail’s youngest son, Christopher.
Rayne had used questionable tactics against Velma to gain favor in Chris’s eyes, and the love triangle had spilled over into their professional lives.
Rayne and Velma were standing in front of the old man’s desk, while Gail was seated to Jake Caliber’s left behind the desk. As usual, the old man had a cigar going, and he took the occasional puff on it as he listened to Velma list her grievances against Rayne.
Rayne stood at Velma’s right and said nothing while displaying no reaction. The old man had been around a long time and experienced more than most men would in three lifetimes. He knew people, knew their habits and ways.
Rayne had the look of a woman who had decided to move on.
While Velma recounted the events that had led her to travel to Texas and confront her ex-husband, Peter Gates, Rayne was thinking of her next move.
She was wealthy now, after having secretly recovered money once stolen from a drug dealer. She didn’t need to work if she didn’t want to, and certainly not at Caliber, where Chris and Velma would be in her sight all the time.
Chris had chosen Velma over her, but Rayne was certain the couple wouldn’t last. If they were as in love as they thought they were, then Chris never would have slept with her.
No, Chris and Velma would end someday, but in the meantime, Rayne had to build a new life for herself.
“What is your response to Velma’s accusations, Rayne?” asked Gail Caliber.
“Everything Velma said was true, Mrs. Caliber.”
“Hanky-panky aside,” the old man said. “You caused Velma and Chris to become distracted while they were on a case, a case that involved keeping two clients from being murdered.”
“That’s true, sir, and I would like to apologize for the timing of my actions.”
Velma turned her head and glared at Rayne.
“The timing of your actions, but not the actions themselves?”
“All’s fair in love and war, Velma,” Rayne said.
“Rayne,” Gail said, and Rayne turned from Velma to look at Gail.
“Yes, ma’am?”
“While I’m upset over your tactics, I find that I’m unable to be mad at you. After all, your motives stem from love for my son. However, Christopher has made it clear that he’s chosen to stay with Velma. I hope you’ll respect his decision?”
“I do, ma’am, and I’ll back off and leave Christopher be. In time, he’ll come back to me.”
“And what if he doesn’t?” Gail asked.
“Then I will have to accept that. I’m not a stalker; I’ve just fallen in love with your son.”
“Here’s the thing, ladies,” Jake said. “We need to know if you two can work together. If not, then Gail and I will be forced to make a decision.”
Velma frowned.
“I don’t want the woman fired. Speaking for myself, I can work with Rayne, she just needs to respect that Chris and I are together.”
“What do you say, Rayne?” Gail asked.
“Pair us on a case. I assure you that I’ll be professional and act courteously toward Velma.”
“We have one case, but I’ll give it to Chris. With his brother out recuperating from the injuries he received in Texas, I figured it was a good time to let Chris work solo.”
Both Velma and Rayne looked upset, and each woman asked the old man the same question.
“Will Chris be in danger?”
Rayne and Velma gave each other a look of annoyance, then Rayne shrugged.
“Just because I’ll no longer pursue Chris, it doesn’t mean I don’t care about him.”
“There’s some danger, but not much,” the old man said. “And Chris can handle himself in any event.”
“I have something you ladies could work on,” Gail said. “It involves helping out a friend of mine. Her daughter has run away from home and she’s worried about her.”
“When was the girl last seen?” Velma asked.
“Yesterday afternoon.”
“How old is the girl?” Rayne asked.
“Eighteen.”
“Eighteen? Then she’s an adult.”
Gail sighed.
“Andrea is legally an adult, but emotionally she’s… well, my friend, Marsha, she pampers the girl and has always given in to Andrea’s temper tantrums.”
“What upset the girl enough to run away?” Rayne asked.
Gail laughed.
“Now that I think of it, it’s another love triangle. Andrea’s boyfriend dumped her for her younger sister, Teresa.”
“This sounds like a case of a brat throwing another tantrum,” Rayne said. “But I’m willing to locate the girl if Velma is.”
“I’ll do it,” Velma said, but we’ll need more information, along with the girl’s photo.”
Gail stood, then she slid the client chair she’d been sitting in back around to the front of the desk.
“Go down to my office, ladies, and please wait for me. I’ll fill in the details down there, but first, I want a private word with Mr. Caliber.”
After Rayne and Velma left the office, Gail spoke to Jake.
“What are your thoughts on this whole thing?”
The old man used his cigar to point at the door.
“Rayne is only staying long enough to prove that she’s a professional. If I had to guess, once she finds your missing girl, she’s out of here.”
“Oh, I hope not. Rayne is one of the finest investigators we’ve ever had. I wonder who she would work for next.”
“She’s got something up her sleeve. Despite losing out to Velma over Chris, that girl has a confident look about her.”
“I hope you’re mistaken, Jake, but then, maybe Rayne leaving would be best. That way, Christopher and Velma could start over without her shadow hanging over them.”
“Remember something, Gail. Chris was the one who cheated. Maybe Rayne is right about Velma not being right for him.”
“Well, at least one of my sons is settled. Kelli called this morning. She and Jake have set a date for the wedding.”
“When is i
t?” Jake asked, and Gail answered with a date.
“I guess I’d better get out my old tux.”
“When was the last time you wore one?”
“It was at your wedding.”
Gail laughed.
“I think we’ll get you a new one. And thank you for not protesting my use of your people to help out a friend of mine.”
“No, that’s a good project for them to work together. It’s low risk in case anything goes wrong, and it shouldn’t take them long to find the girl.”
Gail sat again.
“Tell me about this solo case you have for Chris, and it better not be dangerous, you old goat.”
“Chris is a grown man, Gail, but you know I wouldn’t give him anything he couldn’t handle.”
Gail smiled.
“I know that, so, what’s the case?”
Rayne and Velma had exited the office to find that Christopher was in the reception area.
Rayne noticed that Chris wore a wide smile as he spoke with Kelli’s temporary replacement, a young woman named Lauren, who was an exotic beauty with caramel-colored skin and blue eyes.
When she studied Lauren, Rayne thought the woman was giving Chris a look that showed she found him interesting. Maybe she wasn’t the only competition for Chris that Velma faced.
Chris had been leaning over the desk as he spoke. Upon seeing Velma, he straightened and gave her a kiss.
“How did it go in there?” Chris asked.
“I still have my job,” Rayne said, “And Velma, I’ll be waiting for you in Gail’s office.”
Rayne stepped onto the elevator, and as the doors were closing, she sent Velma a smile.
“You two are working a case together?” Chris asked.
“It’s more like we’ll be helping out your mother, but I’ll call you later and explain.”
“All right, but wish me luck. I’ll be working my first solo case today.”
“I heard, and be careful, whatever it is.”
“It can’t be too dangerous, or my grandfather would have someone watching my back.”
“Not true, Jake knows you don’t need anyone to babysit you. You’re as much a P.I. as your brother now, Chris. You proved that by saving our clients in Atlantic City.”
“Thanks, but now I better go see my grandfather.”
Gail walked out of the office. After hugging Chris, she stared into his eyes.
“Be careful on your case, young man. And don’t be as pig-headed as that old fool in there. If someone shoots at you, run.”
Chris laughed.
“Calibers don’t run, Mother, we win.”
“Oh, you and your brother try too hard to make that old goat in there proud of you, but I’ll let you in on a little secret, Jake would love you no matter what.”
“That’s not a secret, and I’ll be careful.”
Gail and Velma took the elevator down to the second floor as Chris poured himself a cup of coffee.
With coffee in hand, he headed for the office door.
“See you later, Mr. Caliber,” Lauren said.
“Chris, call me Chris.”
“All right, Chris,” Lauren said.
Christopher opened the door and went in to find out what the old man had in store for him.
Chapter Two
In lower Manhattan, someone else was working their first case, that is, she was working her first case as a homicide detective.
Shay O’Reilly followed her new partner, Detective Kim Williams, up three flights of stairs to the apartment of the late Rhonda Hart. Mrs. Hart, who had been eighty-eight-years-old, was found bludgeoned to death after a neighbor complained of hearing a struggle shortly after dawn.
Detective Kim Williams, Shay’s partner, was a black woman in her forties. Williams stood five-foot-nine, wore her hair straight, but short, and had a no-nonsense demeanor about her.
Shay had only known the woman for an hour, but Williams had one of the highest solved rates for homicides on the N.Y.P.D., which spoke volumes about her professionalism.
Williams’s last partner retired after the two of them had worked together for over twelve years. Shay hoped that she and Williams would click together as partners, if not, the days would be long.
An assistant coroner smiled when he spotted Shay and Williams together. His name was Jerry Oldston, and Shay had known him for years.
“Kim, is Shay your new partner?”
Williams looked at Shay, then back at Oldston.
“Yes, Jerry, why do you ask?”
“Shay’s the best, and Shay, Kim knows her stuff. You’ll learn a lot from her.”
“I hope to do that,” Shay said, but Williams was already moving away toward the senior officer on the scene.
“What do we have here, Bob?”
“Hey, Kim, what we got here is a dead cat lady.”
“A cat lady?” Williams said.
“That’s what the people in the building called her. There were six cats living in there until animal control came and got them.”
“Lovely,” Williams said. “That will play hell with forensics. What else do the people in the building say? Are there any obvious suspects?”
“Nah, the old lady was well liked as far as I can tell. She may have been all alone in the world too. One of the neighbors said her son died in Nam.”
“Okay, I’ll see you around, Bob, and oh, meet my new partner, Shay O’Reilly.”
“Hell, I know Shay. She volunteers down at the Police Athletic League. She taught my youngest son to shoot three-pointers.”
“I see,” Williams said.
Williams led the way into the apartment. The old woman, Rhonda Hart, was lying face down atop the carpet with one hand outstretched, as if she had died while reaching for something.
The back of the woman’s head was caked with dried blood and her old skin looked as white as a sheet of paper. On the floor beside her was a bronze statue of a cat. The statue was coated in fingerprint powder, which had revealed nothing.
Williams pointed back at the door as she spoke to Shay.
“If you even think you might get sick, throw up outside.”
Shay shook her head.
“I’m good, Kim. I saw a few dead bodies while growing up in Brooklyn, and a few more when I was in uniform.”
“What part of Brooklyn are you from?”
“Bensonhurst,” Shay said.
“My husband grew up there, on 18th Avenue, but he’s a little older than you.”
Shay snapped her fingers.
“Are you married to Kevin Williams?”
“Yes, you know him?”
Shay laughed.
“I met him a few times when he came back to the neighborhood to visit his ma. She said he married a cop.”
Williams frowned.
“Kevin’s mother and I don’t get along.”
“That’s too bad.”
Williams cleared her throat.
“Let’s look around some more, but don’t touch anything.”
“I won’t, but I already noticed something weird.”
Williams looked amused.
“And just what have you detected, Detective?”
“Well, they say this woman was called the cat lady and had six cats in this apartment, but I don’t smell any cat boxes, and that’s not an odor you can miss.”
Williams sniffed the air, then she looked at Shay. On her lips was a faint smile.
“Nice observation, O’Reilly, now let’s take that look around.”
The reason for the lack of odor became clear when they entered a rear bedroom. The room had six litter boxes lined up against a wall. Three of the boxes had clean litter, while the other three showed signs of recent use.
“Wow,” Shay said. “The old lady had her act together. It looks like she probably cleaned the boxes every night before going to bed.”
“If you’re going to have six cats, that’s the way to do it,” Williams said.
Shay pointed to the pos
ters on the wall, many showed actresses from the 1960’s wearing bikinis, while others were psychedelic in nature with vivid colors.
“Look at these, they’re all old. It looks like she never got rid of her son’s things.”
Williams shook her head.
“The Vietnam war ended before we were born. I guess this woman never had the heart to change anything.”
“What’s our next step?” Shay asked. “Talk to the neighbors?”
“We’ll work this floor together, then split up to talk to the rest of them.”
On the way out, Shay checked the door and saw that it hadn’t been kicked in, nor were there any pick marks on the lock.
“Whoever she let in, she must have known them.”
“Maybe,” Williams said.
“So how come you don’t like Kevin’s ma?”
“She once called me a scheming bitch.”
“Yeah,” Shay said, “That would do it for me too.”
Once they were back in the hallway, Shay and Williams met the building manager and his wife.
They were Dan Jones and Celia Jones. Dan Jones was built like a former linebacker and had brown hair worn in a crew cut. His wife, Celia, wore a sad expression, and she asked the detectives a question that was on her mind.
“Do you think the killer is still in the building?”
Detective Williams asked the couple a question of her own.
“Did Mrs. Hart ever have trouble with anyone that you know about?”
Dan Jones smiled.
“That old lady was a saint, Detective. I can’t imagine anyone ever had a problem with her.”
“Would you happen to know the names of any of her visitors?”
“I don’t think she had any visitors,” Dan Jones said. “Not since her sister died, and that must have been three or four years ago.”
“What about you, how often have you had to go inside the apartment to repair something?”
Jones shrugged his huge shoulders.
“I replaced her bathroom faucet a few weeks ago,” Jones said, then smiled. “She made us cookies, remember that, Celia? They were some of the best oatmeal raisin cookies I ever had.”