ONE OF THEIR OWN (Det. Jason Strong(CLEAN SUSPENSE Book 6)

by John C. Dalglish

  Meyers could tell she’d unnerved Menendez, but he seemed to control his demeanor well. He sneered at her. “So if you think you’ve got an air-tight case, why am I here talking to you?”

  The Internal Affairs officer looked at Menendez for the first time. “You’re here because I want you to tell me why you had Nina Jefferson murdered.”

  The blood ran out of his face, and she watched as he forced himself to regain his composure. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. That’s ridiculous.”

  Meyers pushed on. “Here’s what I think happened, Frank. I think you had Magnus kill Nina, then you murdered him to tie up a loose end.”

  “And why did I do this?”

  “That’s what I want you to tell me. You’re going down for murder, so it’s time to come clean.”

  Meyers was gambling Menendez would want to cut a deal for a confession, but she wasn’t sure it would work. It didn’t.

  “The death of Slimy Stan was self defense. I met him to discuss information he was supplying on one of my cases. He pulled a gun on me, so I shot him.”

  “And why didn’t you report it?”

  “You know how it is, Meyers. I didn’t want to embarrass the SAPD.”

  Meyers rolled her eyes. “Is that your story? Really?”

  Menendez had pulled himself together now. “That’s what happened, and I don’t know anything about a connection to Detective Jefferson’s death.”

  Shelly Meyers waved at the glass window behind her, and an officer came into the room. “Take him to his cell.”

  Chapter 20

  When Jason and Vanessa arrived at Nina’s home on Sunday afternoon, there were only a few scraps of the yellow crime tape left. Jason had brought the key, but he knocked first.

  There was no response. “I wanted to be sure we didn’t just walk in if Nate was here,” he explained as he opened the door.

  Vanessa just nodded as Jason unlocked the door and let them in. Nate had obviously picked the place up, and while it wasn’t completely organized, he’d returned most things to their original place.

  Once the door was closed, Vanessa looked at Jason for direction. “Your show. How do you want to do this?”

  “Let’s each take a room, search it as completely as we can, then we’ll switch, you searching my room, while I backtrack over yours.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “Okay, I’ll start with the master bedroom. Why don’t you take the guest room? Look everywhere you can think of. Just about any flat surface, whether vertical or horizontal, could have something stuck to it.”

  Vanessa nodded and went off to start her search. Jason went into the master bedroom and stood there for a moment. He decided to start by the door and work his way clockwise around the room. It took him nearly an hour before he was satisfied.

  He and Vanessa then switched rooms, taking almost forty-five minutes to re-check each other. Jason came out first and called to Vanessa. “Anything?”

  “Nope. You?”

  “Same. I’ll take the bathroom, you take the kitchen.”

  “Okay.”

  Jason went through every drawer, cabinet, pill bottle and even pulled the drain trap under the sink. Nothing. He pulled the toilet lid, nothing. Finally, he took off the showerhead, looking for a little tube or key, anything. Still nothing. He fought the frustration building inside.

  Going to the kitchen, he found Vanessa on the floor looking under the sink. “Any luck?”

  She sat up, bumping her head on the cabinet door. “Owww! No. How about you?”

  Jason didn’t answer.

  “Jason?” Vanessa looked up at him, extending her hand. He helped her up, without looking at her.

  His focus was the fridge, positioned away from the wall an extra two inches on one side, sitting slightly askew. “Vanessa, did you move the fridge?”

  “No, why?”

  Jason walked over and pulled on the front of the refrigerator. It rolled easily away from the wall. As Jason pulled it out completely, Vanessa saw it.

  “Jason, there’s a package taped to the back!”

  He reached around and peeled the duct tape loose. A manila mailing envelope dropped into his hand. Jason opened the clasp and looked inside. He tipped the bag toward Vanessa so she could see what he did.

  Inside sat four micro-cassettes. Jason closed the bag and headed for the door, Vanessa right behind.

  Once in the car, Jason drove to the station. “Vanessa, call the lieutenant. Tell him what we found. I want him there when we listen to them.”

  After a couple minutes, she hung up. “Patton is on his way.”

  *******

  Patton was waiting in the conference room, a micro-cassette recorder on the table, along with a second, larger recorder, to tape the events in the room.

  Jason and Vanessa went in and closed the door. The seriousness of what they were about to do was not lost on any of them. Tension filled the air. All three hoped these tapes held the answers to why Nina was killed.

  Jason slid the envelope across the table to the lieutenant.

  Patton started the big recorder. “This is Lieutenant John Patton. I’m with Detectives Jason Strong and Vanessa Layne. We are about to listen to potential evidence obtained from the residence of former Detective Nina Jefferson.”

  The lieutenant loaded and started the first tape. There was some rustling, presumably of clothing, and then the voice of Frank Menendez. Jason’s heart jumped into his throat.

  “Did everything go okay?”

  “Yeah, no problem.”

  The three looked at each other, trying to identify the second voice. No one recognized it.

  “You got my money?” Menendez asked.

  “Yeah, here.” Something rustled.

  “Tell Martinez to keep the money coming and he won’t have to worry about any of his people getting busted.” Menendez bragged.

  “I’ll tell him.”

  Footsteps reverberated on concrete, getting closer. The tape went dead.

  Jason looked at the lieutenant. “Drugs?”

  Patton nodded. “That would be my guess. He’s protecting Martinez, whoever that is.”

  The lieutenant removed the tape and put in the second one. It was nearly identical to the first, a payoff delivered, a promise issued by Menendez, and a quick end to the tape. The third followed the same pattern.

  John Patton put the last tape in. Menendez was heard first.

  “Where have you been? I don’t have all day.”

  “I had something to take care of.”

  The second voice on the tape was a new one. It wasn’t the contact on the previous tapes, but Jason didn’t recognize it, either. Menendez sounded more stressed.

  “Do we have an agreement?” he asked.

  “Yeah, twenty grand.”

  “It has to happen soon.”

  “It will. Probably Friday.”

  “Here’s the address and your advance.” Rustling and the sound of paper.

  “Good. I’ll call when it’s done.”

  There was the sound of footsteps, as if someone was running, then the tape stopped.

  Jason, Vanessa, and the lieutenant sat staring at the small tape player. Vanessa had tears in her eyes, but Jason was filled with rage. It seemed likely they’d just heard Menendez arrange the murder of their friend.

  Patton turned off the big recorder. He handed the micro-cassettes to Jason.

  “Take these down and have them admitted to the evidence locker. I’m going to play this other recorder for Shelly Meyers.”

  Chapter 21

  Jason didn’t sleep well Sunday night. He kept waiting for the phone call from Patton saying he had a warrant. This time, Jason wanted to be there.

  Even though the D.A. had argued against it, Menendez had been allowed to post bail, because the judge didn’t find him to be a flight risk. Jason thought it had more to do with Menendez claiming self-defense as a member of the SAPD.

  The voices on the last tape p
layed in Jason’s head over and over until he finally got up around six in the morning. He’d told Sandy the news when he got home from the station, and even though Jason suspected she was awake, she didn’t ask why he was getting up so early.

  He made coffee, went into the family room, and absentmindedly ran his hand over Penny’s fluffy head. The phone jarred him when it rang.

  “Yeah?”

  “Jason, it’s Patton.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “I have the warrant.”

  “When are they going to serve it?”

  “They aren’t, we are. I’ve already called Vanessa, and I want both of you here before seven. Can you get here?”

  Jason looked at his watch. Six-twenty. “Yes.”

  “Good, see you then.”

  The line went dead and Jason rushed to get ready.

  *******

  At seven sharp, Jason and Vanessa were sitting in front of the lieutenant’s desk. He showed them the warrant.

  Jason read it out loud.

  “One count conspiracy to commit murder, one count murder for hire, three counts obstruction of justice.”

  Vanessa had anger painted across her face. “Where is he?”

  The lieutenant stood. “A condition of his bail is house arrest. That’s where we start.”

  The three headed out to the parking lot. Jason and Vanessa stopped at their cars and put on their bulletproof vests. When they got to the lieutenant’s car, he was waiting for them, already in his vest.

  The drive over to the Menendez residence was quiet, the officers each lost in their own thoughts. When they turned onto Menendez’s street, John Patton stopped the car and turned to his detectives before approaching the house.

  “You two go to the door. I’ll wait by the vehicle, watching for Frank to make a run for it.”

  Jason and Vanessa nodded, and the lieutenant continued to the house. They pulled into the driveway and got out quickly. The two detectives went to the door and rang the bell. Vanessa stood to one side, while Jason waited for the door to open.

  After several minutes, a woman opened the door, looked at Jason, and pointed toward the side gate. “He’s out back.”

  Jason and Vanessa left the door and went back to where Patton stood. Jason had an idea. “I’d like to go down the neighbor’s fence. If Frank tries anything, I might be able to surprise him from behind.”

  Patton nodded, then Vanessa and he went to the gate. Letting themselves in, Vanessa drew her gun and they moved toward the backyard. Coming around the corner of the house, they spotted Menendez sitting in a lawn chair, on the far side of a large cobblestone patio.

  He was holding his gun. “What brings you two out here?”

  Patton waved a paper at Menendez. “I’ve got a warrant for your arrest.”

  “Haven’t you heard? I’ve already been arrested.”

  “This warrant is for conspiracy in the murder of Nina Jefferson.”

  Frank didn’t say anything for several moments. He tipped his head, looking past Vanessa and Patton. “Where’s Jason? I figured he’d be here for something like this.”

  “He’s taking care of other business.”

  Frank turned his attention to Vanessa, who had her gun trained on him. “You found something, didn’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “What was it? Pictures?”

  “Tapes.”

  “Really? I knew she had something when I found out she’d gone to Internal Affairs. I never did trust her.”

  “A dirty cop can never trust an honest one.”

  Menendez started to lift his gun.

  Vanessa tightened the grip on hers. “What are you doing with that gun, Frank?”

  “Don’t worry, I’m not about to make you shoot me. That would be painful.”

  Patton moved slowly toward Frank’s left, drawing his eyes away from Jason, who was behind Menendez. “You need to come with us, Frank. Face the charges like a man.”

  “Yeah, I don’t think so. Life for a cop in prison is not something I want to experience.”

  Menendez cocked his pistol and started to raise it to his head. Jason, behind a fence and some bushes, saw what Frank was about to do.

  No coward’s way out for out for you, Menendez!

  He jumped the fence, bursting from the bushes, and launching himself at Menendez. The gun went off as Jason threw him to the concrete.

  Jason began to punch Menendez, driving his fist into his face repeatedly, blind anger taking control. Suddenly, Jason felt someone catch his arm.

  “Jason, Jason!” He looked up to see Vanessa holding his arm. She spoke gently. “You’re going to kill him.”

  Jason allowed himself to be pulled off Menendez, and Vanessa cuffed the bleeding cop. It was then Jason noticed the lieutenant standing and staring at his pants. A crimson stain seeped down both legs.

  Jason rushed to his boss. “Lieutenant, you okay?”

  Patton slumped onto the patio. Jason grabbed the lieutenant’s radio. “Officer down! Officer down! Send help now!”

  Jason ripped off his shirt, and pressed it into the Lieutenant’s groin, doing his best to stem the bleeding. “Stay with me, John!”

  Epilogue

  Jason stood out front of the Menendez home, a towel wrapped around his hand. He’d done a lot of damage to Menendez, but he’d also banged up his hand pretty badly.

  Patton had been rushed to SAG, his status unknown. A patrol car had taken Menendez downtown.

  Jason and Vanessa needed to wait for crime scene techs to come out and search the house. Vanessa had called her husband, asking him to pick up Jason and her.

  Jason’s phone began to vibrate as Rob came pulling up to get them.

  “Hello?”

  “Jason, my water broke!”

  At first, with his mind on his lieutenant, what Sandy said didn’t register. “Your water. . .what. . .you’re in labor!”

  “Yes. Mr. Thomas from next door is driving me to the hospital.”

  “Okay, I’ll see you there.”

  Jason hung up and ran over to Vanessa, who was talking to Rob.

  “We’ve got to go!”

  “Why?”

  “Sandy’s in labor!”

  Jason was already getting into the backseat. Vanessa ran around the other side and got in. Rob gunned it.

  *******

  Seven hours later, Jason sat in a chair, holding his daughter next to Sandy’s bed in the hospital.

  Sandy lay watching him, sore but happy. “You look good as a dad.”

  Jason smiled at her. “Thanks.”

  A knock at the door announced visitors. Vanessa and Rob came into the room, Rob carrying roses for Sandy.

  Sandy’s smile glowed. “Thank you, guys. That’s so sweet.”

  Jason looked up at his partner. “How’s the lieutenant?”

  “He made it through surgery, and they expect him to make it. He’s pretty messed up inside, but they’ve got him stabilized.”

  Jason had managed to focus on Sandy and their baby during labor, but he’d never stopped praying for his friend.

  Vanessa was watching him hold his daughter. “You’re going to be a great dad.”

  Jason smiled up at her. “Thanks.”

  “Did you decide on a name?”

  Jason looked over at Sandy, who nodded, and then back at Vanessa.

  “Nina Michelle Strong.”

  Tears welled up in Vanessa’s eyes. “It’s beautiful.”

  A Note from the Author

  Dear Reader,

  It’s a humbling experience to write and have people enjoy your work. So many have written to say they enjoy the books, especially the characters.

  Thank you so much.

  This is number six in the series, and it was one of the most enjoyable to write. However, it was sad to say goodbye to Nina. She was a nice character, and had appeared in #2 and #5, as well as this one.

  More changes are coming, and I hope you’ll stay along for the ride.
<
br />   God Bless,

  John Dalglish

  February 28, 2014

  I John 1:9

  I welcome any and all comments at: jdalglish7@gmail.com,

  My website is: http://jcdalglish.webs.com

  You can visit Jason at his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DetectiveJasonStrong

  Cover by Beverly A. Dalglish