The Wages of Cin (Cin Fin-Lathen Mysteries Book 4)

by Alexie Aaron

  The place was small but cozy, the furniture a mixture of rental leftovers and one delicious-looking recliner. Harry tossed the bag of brownies on the counter and sat in the chair, smiling. I made do with the sofa, curling my legs under me.

  Dave got off the phone and walked into the room. He looked at Harry in his chair, and I thought for a moment he was going to toss him out. I patted the sofa next to me. He looked down at me and smiled. “I’m at cross purposes. I’m not going to be able to work on this if I’m sitting next to you, Cin. Harry, get out, and give the chair to Cin.”

  I was surprised. I jumped up. Harry got out and glared at me as we passed. I sat down and sunk in. “Oh my god. I’ve got to get me some of this. Oh baby, this is so…”

  Harry and Dave looked at me oddly.

  “What?”

  “Can’t you hear yourself?” Dave said, his voice breaking.

  “I’ll be quiet,” I promised. I couldn’t help sighing though.

  Dave looked at me again.

  I hid my face and volunteered to get out of the chair. I went into the kitchen and dragged back a chair from the table. I sat down in the rigid wooden chair, crossed my ankles primly, and put my hands in my lap.

  “Any news?” Harry asked, breaking the silence.

  Dave sat down in his chair before he answered, “Vicki admits that Sidney was at her place the first night, but after that, she doesn’t know where he went. We searched Gareth’s apartment but didn’t find anything that would explain why they would kidnap you or kill Meyer.”

  “I keep having this nightmare. Meyer comes to me and grabs my hand and says ‘Remember.’ Remember what? I thought if I told you as much of the meeting I had with him, perhaps you guys could see something that I can’t see.”

  “I’ll try,” Dave said.

  I pulled out a square of folded papers and handed one to Harry. “I wrote down what I said. Harry, you be me. I’ll be Meyer.”

  I, as Meyer, came in and closed the door.

  “I’m gay,” I said.

  “I know,” Harry said, playing along.

  “Good. I was wondering if I should come out on the tour.”

  “That’s up to you. You’ll break a couple of hearts but maybe open some others,” Harry said.

  “I hear you. I have a partner. His name is Sean. We were thinking of adopting some kids. That’s why I need a steady job. I didn’t like Caroline.”

  “She wasn’t easy to like.”

  “I fought with her at the party.”

  “When?”

  “Remember when I saluted you and Stoneridge?”

  “Yes.”

  “Stop,” Buslowski said. “How did he salute you?”

  I put two fingers to my forehead and pulled them away, pointing at Dave.

  “Do that again.”

  I did.

  He wrote something down. “Go on, please.”

  “After the salute,” Harry said, reminding me where I was.

  “Right before that. A lot of people heard us screaming at each other,” I continued.

  “I talked to her after that, so I’d say you were in the clear.”

  “But I could have waited for her. Lured her outside and killed her.”

  “Tell me, do you smoke?”

  “Stop. Why did you ask him that?” Dave asked.

  “I wanted to see if he was the one watching Mandy in the dark.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He said he didn’t. Cigarettes killed his father. I then shifted the conversation back to children.”

  “How many kids are you thinking of adopting?” Harry asked, resuming his role as me.

  “Three. Sean wants four, but three is an odd number and lucky.”

  “I see.”

  “Sidney’s an ass.”

  “Thank you, I’m beginning to see that. Hey, it was only a few days. I enjoyed myself, and I survived,” Harry said, his voice falling off, looking over at me.

  “Kind of a concert hookup,” I said as Meyer.

  “Yes, exactly. I don’t regret it, even if it makes me look weak. Sometimes you just have to go for it.”

  “I agree,” I said. I saw that Dave was a bit uncomfortable, but I needed his help. He would just have to suck it up.

  “I hope you get your kids. I’ve enjoyed mine,” Harry said.

  “I keep forgetting that Alex is yours.”

  “I have a daughter too.”

  “One of each,” I nodded, as Meyer had done. “One boy, one girl, sibling symmetry. I guess Sean and I could rethink this. We wanted three but then four, and then my mind’s back at two, sibling symmetry,” I repeated.

  “Sibling symmetry sounds like a song title. Or a children’s book.”

  “Stop! Say that again, Cin.”

  “One of each. One boy, one girl, sibling symmetry. I guess Sean and I could rethink this. We wanted three but then four, and then my mind’s back at two, sibling symmetry.

  “Wait.” He wrote down numbers, talking at the same time, “One of each, that’s one and one, three wanted but back to four, and the mind’s back at two. It could be a combination.”

  “What?” Harry asked, getting up and walking over to look at the paper.

  “If it’s a combination lock, we separate these numbers into 3. Like: 11 34 2 or 1 13 42, something like that. Or it’s an alarm code: 11342. Finish the conversation, maybe there’s more,” Dave said.

  Harry started, “Sibling symmetry sounds like a song title. Or a children’s book.”

  “Could be. I’m not such a nice person, Cin. I’m angry inside.”

  “You’ve got to let that go. Do you want me to get you some help?”

  “No, I don’t know. Sean thinks that I need to see a shrink.”

  “What do you think?”

  “Ha, I see what you did there. That’s very shrinkish.” I continued, “I should have warned you that you were just a bucket-list item.”

  “Nah, it’s not that important,” Harry said.

  “Cin, most of the guys are alright. Gareth has changed, but Elijah and Manuel are the same dudes.” I added, as myself, “We then just talked about Gareth not being worth knowing, and we finished the conversation with Meyer inviting me to join him and his partner on a trip to Miami. That’s it,” I said, looking over at Dave.

  “Let me ask you a couple of questions. What was Meyer like at the meeting?”

  He made a point to hold my hand, and I mean all the time. It was getting a bit embarrassing. At one point he whispered, ‘Duas mãos juntas.’ I didn’t understand him at the time. Still don’t actually.” I said.

  “Something to do with a hand and the numbers 11342 or 11 3 42,” Dave said.

  “Don’t forget the two-finger salute,” I said.

  “I don’t think he was saluting you, Cin. It was who you were with,” Harry said.

  “Sidney? But why? You don’t think Meyer was in on something with Sidney, do you?”

  Dave had his eyes closed, but he was talking. Cin turned and listened. “Duas mãos… I think that’s Portuguese. One hand, no, two hands. Juntas… together?” His eyes popped open. “Brazil has a shipping company whose name translates to Two Hands Together. Its logo is two clasped hands. I think the number is a shipping container.”

  Harry and I looked at each other and said, “Drugs.”

  “I bet Meyer was in on it, and he was in charge of the information on the shipping container. Only he knew the number. He memorized it. Cin, he probably decided to back out, and the only way he could be sure that he wasn’t charged with anything was for there to be no crime. No container, no drugs, no crime,” Dave theorized.

  “I can see why they would kill Meyer but why Caroline?” Harry asked.

  “They did that to frame me,” I said a bit too quietly.

  Dave looked over at me, concerned. I looked away, fighting back the tears. It took a moment, but I was able to rein in the guilt.

  “But it doesn’t all fit, especially the sabotage of the com
eback of their own band. Why go to all this trouble? It doesn’t make any sense,” Harry said.

  “It does if they were mining investors, looking for easy money. Forcing, let’s say, Tom’s hand or Susan’s or both. They have a lot of money sunk into the band. The Richardses could recoup all their losses and more if they financed the original buy down in Brazil,” Dave said. “Gareth’s cruise ship stops in Brazil. He bought the drugs. Meyer arranges to ship them. Sidney handles distribution.”

  “Caroline was dragged into this because Gareth saw her coming out of Karen’s hotel room. I bet he used this information over the years to extort money,” I guessed.

  “This is great, but guessing isn’t evidence,” Dave pointed out.

  “What if we trap them? Stake out the container?” Harry asked.

  “But they don’t know the number?” I said.

  “You’re going to have to give them the number,” Harry said.

  “Me?” I looked at Dave.

  I could tell that he didn’t like it, but it was the only way. “You,” he said. “Logically, you’re the only one who could have the number besides Meyer. Let me talk to my contacts in the DEA first. Maybe just getting ahold of the container is enough.”

  “I’m fine with that,” I said.

  “If not?” he asked.

  “I’ll do it. I’ll do it for Meyer,” I said.

  Chapter Twenty

  Dave was on the phone and had been for hours. Harry had left to meet up with Alex and friends to play pool. Dave told him that he would make sure I got back safe. I lost track of the conversations he was having with the various departments, and I couldn’t keep up with how many balls that were in play. The first thing, I gathered, was to find out if there was a container in the first place. Once Dave could convince the DEA we had a case, then the wheels would be put in motion.

  “Cin Fin-Lathen,” he said loudly. I turned around to see he was repeating my name into the phone. “Yes, that one.”

  Hey, I was that one. I thought. Insecure, I decided to have a brownie. I opened the bag and hunted for a plate, finding a stack of paper plates in the almost empty cupboards. I took one and took my brownie, mumbling “That one is going to eat this brownie in Dave’s best chair.” I sat down, brought the brownie to my mouth, and then it was gone! Dave snatched it out of my hand. I didn’t even get out a “hey.”

  “Cin, I want you to answer some questions with the agent on the phone. Careful, you’re being recorded.”

  “Okay,” I said. Dave handed me the phone.

  “Ms. Fin-Lathan, this is DEA Agent Arthur Morris, badge number 1687.”

  “Yes.”

  “Lieutenant Buslowski indicated that you would give your consent to work with us in an operation to bring in this drug ring.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Do you accept the risks?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Thank you, we’ll be in touch.”

  I handed the phone back to Dave. He talked some more and ended the call. He came over and knelt beside me and said, “They’re going to go over our facts. When those check out, I believe they will handle the operation. You’ll just be asked to deliver the numbers to Sidney.”

  “I figure that he’s not going to stop until he gets them at this point,” I said.

  “You’re amazing,” Dave said.

  “Am I?” I asked, sitting straighter in the chair.

  Dave stood up and pulled me out of the chair and sat down himself. He patted his lap. “Agent Fin-Lathen, I have a mission for you.”

  I giggled but sobered up when he lifted an eyebrow.

  “Yes, sir,” I said, sitting down.

  He reclined the chair, putting his hand on my waist, steadying me. “Do you accept the risks?”

  “Yes, sir,” I said as he pulled by hoodie off.

  “Where we’re going, there is no return.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  He pulled me to him. “I have waited so long for you. I have imagined us here together in this chair.”

  “Really?” I asked, kissing his lips while his hands moved over me.

  “Cin, can I ask you a question?”

  My stomach dropped. What was it now?

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Why do you have so many bloody clothes on?”

  “Layers,” I squeaked out.

  “It’s July in Florida.”

  “I’m aware of that, but I couldn’t anticipate the temperature – what if your place was too cold? So I was prepared.”

  Dave’s eyes crinkled. “Cin, you’re sweating.”

  “I’m hot.”

  “Then take some layers off, please.”

  I got up, pulled off my sweat pants and got them stuck on my tennis shoe. Dave rescued me. He then proceeded to take care of anything else that was between the two of us.

  ~

  Brownies are never better than when they are eaten with milk or right after sex. I fed tiny bits to Dave who was recovering.

  “Cin, you’re wearing me out. If you’re not in jeopardy, you’re getting me blown up. My heart beats twice as fast when you’re around.”

  “It could be the sugar in the brownies. Harry calls these heart attack brownies.”

  “Are you trying to kill me?” he asked.

  “Not that I’m aware of. I just want to give you some energy.”

  “Cocoa has a lot of caffeine in it,” Dave said, taking another bite. “We’re going to be up all night if we eat anymore.”

  “And that’s a problem why?” I asked, looking down at him.

  “None that I can think of, but I think I should get you home. I don’t want to worry Noelle. I don’t think she likes me.”

  “I talked to her today. She’s kind of protective of Michael, but I told her I talked to him.”

  “You did?”

  “Yes, he doesn’t like it, but he understands,” I said.

  “He’s a strange sort of guy,” Dave said. “I get the conflict. Who would choose to be celibate?”

  “Let’s not talk about him or Harry. I’d like to spend my time getting to know you,” I said, trailing my finger through the hair on his chest.

  “I’d like that. I mean, I know all about you, paper trail wise. But knowing what your spending habits are and who you talk to on the phone…”

  “Isn’t that illegal?”

  “I still have the court order from before.”

  “So, you’ve been spying on me?” I asked.

  “No, just… Oh hell, Cin, you and Harry seem to naturally fall into things, some, pretty dangerous. I was just looking out for you.”

  “Thank you, I think.”

  “We didn’t have much trust for a while there.”

  “I didn’t do much to earn it,” I admitted. “But I let you stay in my house when you got kicked out.”

  “About that… I didn’t get kicked out, I left.”

  “Uh oh.”

  “I told myself I was doing it so I could keep an eye on you. I was afraid of a reprisal from the terrorists. But I realized that wasn’t it. So I did the right thing and proceeded to separate from my wife. She wasn’t surprised. You can’t really keep an obsession under wraps.”

  “I’m an obsession?”

  “Keeping you safe was. I didn’t really realize what it was in the beginning. Sure, I was attracted to you. Who wouldn’t be? The way you took Harry in…”

  “Ah, he just moved in,” I clarified.

  Dave smiled. “You could have stopped that at any time.”

  “I tried, but he just wouldn’t leave.”

  “When your husband moved back, I thought reconciliation was afoot.”

  “No, we’re happier not together. The kids are fine with it. I don’t like him living there. He’s a constant reminder that I failed at my marriage.”

  “You didn’t fail. He did.”

  “It was mutual then. But let’s get back to you, Dave. How does your daughter feel about the divorce?”

  “Maureen saw
the edges fraying before we did. I was enjoying my career with CID while my wife hated every moment of being in Washington. It wasn’t fair. I was having all these adventures, and she was home waiting, marking time with the other officers’ wives. When I came home, I couldn’t talk about most of what I was doing, so I couldn’t include her. She, justly, grew impatient with me. She gave me an ultimatum: I retire or give her a divorce. I was shell-shocked. I retired, and we moved down here and bought a homestead out in Loxahatchee. Maureen was in college and refused to move with us. I think she saw the writing on the wall. When she got married, we threw her the wedding of her dreams and depleted a lot of our savings in the process. I wonder if I agreed to all the expense just to have an excuse to go back to work. A friend pulled some strings, and I became a deputy.”

  “Your wife hates me.”

  “Ex-wife,” he corrected. “I know. You got me blown up.”

  I smiled sadly.

  “Cin, it isn’t your fault that the moment I saw how you interacted with Harry that I lost my focus. Here was this accomplished musician, a suspect in a murder, playing detective with a boy your son’s age. I looked into the situation you got yourself in overseas, and I was blown away. You’re exciting, clumsy and wild.”

  “I would agree with the clumsy part.”

  “You’re beautiful, smart, funny, strong, and yet, so vulnerable. How could I not fall in love with you?”

  “You’re embarrassing me,” I said. “I’m glad you think so, but I fear it’s a delusion that’s going to fall away all too soon.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Well, until it does, let’s see where life takes us,” I said.

  “Us? You said us.”

  I was puzzled. “I don’t understand.”

  “Psychologically you just paired us.”

  “I think you’re reaching, Dave. But I forgot you’ve studied all that mumbo jumbo.”

  “Mumbo jumbo? Are you talking about my degree in Psychology?”

  “Maybe. You’re a smart man, sexy, strong and stubborn.”

  “That I am.”

  “I like that,” I said, sliding out of the bed. “Do you mind if I shower before you kick me to the curb?”

  “Be my guest,” he said. “Do you need any help?”