by Leigh, Jo
“Do that. I mean it. Emerson has completely lost his sense of humor.”
“Haven’t we all?”
* * * * *
“Shouldn’t you be getting ready?”
Kate didn’t look up. She and Nate were at the kitchen table, in theory eating lunch, but neither of them seemed to have much of an appetite. “I’ve been thinking.”
“About?”
“Not going.”
Nate sighed. “I kind of figured this might come up.”
“I have no business leaving,” she said. Now, she looked at him, wanting him to see how serious she was. “It’s not right, and it’s not safe to leave you here alone. I know you like to think you’re a superhero, but, Nate, you’re not. Just like Seth isn’t.”
He winced, and she held herself back from saying how damn tired he looked. “You’re too visible,” he said quietly. “We could have all been killed last night.”
“I know, and I’m sorry about that, but they don’t know where I am now, and that’s just how it was before my picture was in the paper.”
“It’s not smart for you to stay. We have the place in Colorado for just this kind of circumstance. You go there, you’re off the map. No one will find you. They won’t even know where to start.”
“They’ll just keep looking for me here. Just like they keep looking for you. Nate, I can’t. It wasn’t his fault and it wasn’t mine, but Vince is in danger now. I know he’s not going to stop looking for those men that killed his friend. The safest thing for him would be to find them, as quickly as possible. Then he could disappear, too.”
“You know they’re going to be watching him like a hawk. Waiting for you to show up.”
“Then I’ll have to be incredibly careful, won’t I?”
Nate shoved his plate aside and leaned back in the chair. “You care about this guy.”
“I do.”
“You willing to die for him?”
“It won’t come to that. I suppose the answer would be yes, because I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t help him.”
“Help him how?”
“I have no idea.”
“I have a lot on my agenda, Kate. That storage facility, for one thing. Seth and I were supposed to go check it out, make sure it’s what we think it is. Now I have to figure out how to do that alone. And Seth, he’s going to need a lot of help.”
“I’ll go with you to the facility,” she said. “And I’ll help with Seth. I’m not turning my back on our goals. I just don’t want to see Vince get killed for something he had no part of.”
“I don’t suppose I could stop you.”
“Nope. I’d appreciate your help. You know us forensic accountants aren’t known for our superspy skills.”
He laughed. “I’d say you’ve earned your secret decoder ring.”
“Gee, thanks.”
He looked at his watch. “I need to spell Harper.”
“Why don’t you go get some sleep. You look like hell. I’ll take over downstairs.”
“You sure?”
She grinned. “Don’t even think of waking up until you’ve had at least three hours of solid sleep. You hear me?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She got up and collected the dishes, putting them in the dishwasher before she headed down to the basement.
Harper was standing next to Seth’s bed, but Kate didn’t see what she was doing until she got close. As Harper was changing the bandage, Kate got a glimpse of Seth’s mangled hand, which made her stomach turn. She kept her mouth shut and her face relaxed as she went to the other side of the bed.
“How you doing, big guy?”
His face was still far too pale, and at the moment, Seth appeared to be in considerable pain. “Shitty,” he said.
“Sounds about right. Harper, can I do anything?”
“Not at the moment. I’m just going to finish this up, then I’m going to get something to eat. I’m even going to feed our friend here. You like chicken soup?”
“No.”
“Too bad. That’s what’s on the menu.”
He turned his head to the side, his lips pressed together tightly.
Harper wrapped the new gauze around his hand. “I’m giving you some pretty strong medications, and I don’t fancy cleaning up after you vomit all over the place. So today, it’s soup. It’s got to be better than Meals Ready to Eat, right?”
“I’m not hungry,” he said.
“That’s why soup is the perfect answer,” she said.
Kate admired Harper for her composure. Seth wasn’t an easy man to deal with when he was angry, and God knew he had every right to be. But Harper didn’t coddle him. She just did what had to be done. It reminded Kate of Kosovo. So many people there were wounded, with so few doctors, let alone proper medical equipment. But Harper had never let it get to her, at least not in front of the patients. Kate had seen her blow up a few times, and it had been something to behold. The woman didn’t simply suffer no fools, she hit below the belt and didn’t care who went down. Generals had quaked in front of Harper’s wrath.
She couldn’t wish Seth a better doctor. Maybe Harper wasn’t a vascular surgeon, but she was incredibly well-trained for just about anything, and the woman never gave up. She’d get Seth fighting again.
When his hand was bandaged, Harper took his temperature with one of those ear deals, then peeled off her gloves. “How’s the pain?”
“Bad,” he said.
“Okay. I’ll give you something, but then I’m going to get the soup, and you’re going to drink it.”
Once Harper was gone, Kate touched Seth’s good arm. “I’m sorry.”
He looked at her, and she could see the pain in his eyes. “What the hell happened out there last night? How’d they find you?”
“We think they figured out that Vince was babysitting and were planning to snatch me from his mother’s house.”
“They were dressed like gang members.”
“I know. They probably wanted my death to look like a gang killing. Easy for them. No repercussions.” She swallowed, and said it again. “Seth, I’m so sorry.”
“Not your fault. You didn’t shoot me.”
She wanted to say more, to let him know how deeply she appreciated all he’d done for her, but there was a lump in her throat. The last thing she wanted to do was start bawling over his sick bed.
“So this guy, this cop. What’s that about?”
“He’s a stubborn ass, just like a couple of other men I could mention, but he’s a good one.”
“I see. What about your trip to see Cade?”
“Called off on account of I’m needed here.”
“Be careful, Kate. They’re not gonna be happy after last—” He coughed, choking on his words. His face got red. Just as she was about to run up and get Harper, he stopped.
“You need some water?”
He shook his head. His eyes were closed and he looked as if he might pass out any second.
She pretty much had given up on prayer. But for Seth, she pulled out all the stops.
* * * * *
It took an hour and fifteen minutes to sweep his small apartment for bugs. He found three. It made him paranoid as hell, so he did the sweep all over again, this time the little light didn’t flash. Still, he wasn’t going to do or say anything in his apartment that could get him, or Kate, in trouble.
Once he was done, he fixed up some coffee and got out the day’s L.A. Times. By the time he was finished reading Baker’s article, he was so pissed he threw his coffee mug at the wall.
Not his brightest moment, but, dammit, every word of the article was a lie. All he wanted to do was find Baker and strangle him with his own intestines.
He just couldn’t afford to be stupid. Not now. He might need his job back. He definitely couldn’t do much good from jail. Still, he couldn’t just sit on his hands.
He thought about going to Purchase House and seeing how things were there. Or to Chinatown to do a li
ttle soft investigation of the Wu Chang.
It wasn’t a large gang, and its members normally didn’t go in for wholesale murder. Why had they wanted Tim dead? Vince tried to remember if any of the newer kids at Purchase House were from their territory, but he hit a blank.
And why hadn’t they taken credit for the kill? Something was off with this whole business. Vince didn’t believe this was a territorial dispute. All his instincts told him there was another story, a deeper, more dangerous tale.
Shit, he couldn’t go to Purchase House, could he? He had no car. Thank God he had no life, because if he had he probably wouldn’t have such a nice amount in his savings account.
He grabbed his jacket, checked to make sure he had both cell phones, and, before he walked out of the apartment, he put a small piece of paper in the crack of the door, way down low. Jeez, this was going to be a pain in the ass. But if it helped Kate…
He thought about her the whole time he was checking out the used cars at Jimmy’s Auto Sales. He made sure they knew he was a cop, so the price on the 2004 Taurus wasn’t too bad. They did all the paperwork, and by the time he drove off the lot, he knew just where he was going. Not to Purchase House, not yet. He thought he might run over to see Eddie, his informant. Maybe Eddie wasn’t high this time. Maybe.
It wasn’t all that simple to find him. He wasn’t at the coffee shop. Or at his crib. Vince finally found him eating a slice of pizza from a sidewalk joint.
Vince parked half a block down, and he waited until Eddie had finished his slice, then he sidled up. “How you doin’, buddy?”
Eddie didn’t seem all that thrilled to see him, but he also didn’t seem out of it. In fact, his eyes weren’t dilated at all. “Shit, Yarrow. Why you want to do this on such a busy street?”
“Come on. I’ll take you for a ride in my new car. Just make sure you don’t have any grease left on your fingers.”
Eddie, who was all of five foot eight and weighed maybe a hundred pounds, glanced about as if he was about to ditch, then followed Vince to the Taurus. He got in and looked over the new wheels. “Nice.”
“It’ll do.”
“Can we go already? I don’t want to be seen wit’ you.”
“Sure thing.” Vince drove him about six blocks away and parked in an alley that wasn’t used much, except by rats and stray dogs. He pushed his jacket back so the butt of his gun was visible, just making sure Eddie realized he wasn’t interested in bullshit. “What have you heard about Tim Purchase?”
“Like I told ya. Nothin’.”
“I let it go last time, Eddie, but that’s not gonna fly now. So just get it over with. Tell me what you know.”
“How come you think I know everything? People don’t tell me all the shit that goes down around here.”
“Eddie,” he said, his voice a warning.
“Shit.”
“What about this rumor that Tim was skimming off five meth labs?”
“That Mary? He wasn’t doin’ nothin’ like that.”
“No? Then how come a reporter says he’s got evidence?”
“I don’t know, man.” Eddie was playing with the buttons on his jacket. Every time he moved, his sleeve would pull up, showing a deep line of tracks all the way to the wrist. “I never heard of no reporter.”
“So, what have you heard?”
The junkie looked away, and his hand made an abortive gesture toward the door handle.
“You’d better tell me, Eddie. You know I can make your life a living hell.”
“Too late, dude.”
“You can’t even imagine the hell I can come up with.”
Eddie looked at him, then down at his hands. “You’re not gonna believe me if I tell you.”
“Try me.”
“Just don’t hit me, okay? It’s just shit I heard. I ain’t seen any of it wit’ my own eyes, so it could be all bullshit, okay?”
“Okay, fine. Just tell me.”
“I heard that it was a cop. From South Central.”
Vince didn’t speak. He didn’t want to scare the snitch too soon. And if the quiet went on too long, Eddie would talk.
“I heard this cop was doing the skimming, only it was a lot more than five labs. He coverin’ all downtown L.A. Chinatown, Koreatown, Little Vietnam. Even over into some of them Crips and Bloods. Not the MS gang. Nobody stupid enough to shake them dudes down.”
“What cop, Eddie?”
“I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do. I can see you’re lying. Do not screw with me. Understand?”
“Why you don’t believe I don’t know? I’m just one dude. I don’t know everything that goes on out here.”
“Eddie, I swear to God, if you don’t tell me the cop’s name, I’m going to shoot you in your left kneecap. Right here in my nice, new car. You understand me?”
“Don’t, man,” he said, his voice about an octave higher. “Why you gotta get to the gun, huh? I ain’t lyin’.”
Vince put his hand on his holster and undid the snap. “I’m losing patience, Eddie. If I don’t hear a name, I might just have to pop both your kneecaps. Hard to get a date without any kneecaps.”
“You promise not to hurt me if I say?”
“I promise. But you’d better be telling me the truth.”
“It’s what I heard, not what I seen.”
“Okay, tell me exactly what you heard.”
He touched the door with his hand, ready to run, and Vince kept his hand steady on the butt of his weapon. “It’s your partner, man.”
“What?”
“Don’t shoot, don’t shoot. I told ya. It’s what I heard. I ain’t seen him.”
“Who told you it was Jeff?”
“I don’t know. I heard it from three different dudes. One of them rumors, you know? When I buyin’.”
“Names, Eddie.”
“I don’t know names. I don’t write that shit down. It’s just, you know, talk.”
“Get out.”
“Hey, you ain’t gonna leave me in this alley.”
“Get out, now.”
Eddie cursed, but he got out of the car, his jacket swinging behind him, his ratty knit cap low on his forehead. He slammed the door shut just as Vince cranked the engine. Eddie jumped out of the way as Vince jammed it out of there.
It couldn’t possibly be true. Why would the street be saying it was Jeff? No way his partner was skimming. Couldn’t happen. Jeff was a good cop and a better partner.
So what the hell was going on? Who was doing all this talking, and why?
He needed to get to the bottom of this, and that led him straight to the Wu Chang.
Chapter 15
The message came through on the phone Vince had gotten from Nate. It was in text, and it was an address, followed by a number. He hadn’t been sure what the number meant until he pulled up in front of the Skylight Apartments.
He parked the Taurus on the far side of the parking lot, not at all sure he wanted to do this. It couldn’t be good news. Nate had made it pretty damn clear that communication between them would be limited to life or death situations. Which could only mean…
He got out of the car and locked it, then headed toward apartment 104. He knew this area of L.A., though not this particular building. It was nondescript, boxy, rundown. The paint had chipped on the door, and the numbers were crooked.
He hesitated before knocking, thinking once again that he shouldn’t have left Kate. He should have told Nate to go screw himself and taken her with him. He had friends, connections, he could have protected her against the CIA, the gangs, everyone. Losing Tim had been a tremendous blow, but to lose Kate. Jesus.
He checked to make sure there was no one watching him, then realized it was useless. Anyone could hide themselves on this moonless night. They could be in one of the other apartments or across the street. Sitting in one of those parked cars. So he knocked on the door, bracing himself for the worst.
He got the best, instead. Kate opened the door. Kate,
with her long hair pulled back, wearing a dark green shirt and smiling so hard it made him ache.
“Get in here,” she said, pulling at his arm.
The second he was inside, she shut and locked the door, and then she was in his arms and he was kissing her. He ran his hands all over her back, her sides. She was supposed to be in Colorado. Or dead.
He pulled back to look at her face, to make sure she was really all right. “I didn’t think I’d see you again.”
“Plans changed. I’m staying.”
“Nate said it was too dangerous for you here.”
“It’s always dangerous, and I can’t leave him to fend for himself.”
“So, you’re going to step in for Seth?”
She nodded. “As best I can.”
He ran his hand down her back and drew her closer. “I don’t know. Maybe I could help.”
She touched his cheek with her fingertips. “I’m sure you could, but you’ve got it backward. We want to help you.”
“With what?”
“Finding out who killed Tim.”
He pulled away from her. “What are you talking about?”
“Come on. Sit with me.” She took his hand and led him past the couch in the studio apartment, to the bed that was in the back. Vince wondered who lived there, who’d left a pair of cowboy boots on top of the dresser, next to a copy of Newsweek.
The bed was good and firm, the same size as the one at Harper’s, and had been made the same way he made a bed. Kate sat on the end, and he joined her, still not sure what this was all about.
She smoothed back a loose strand of hair, and he learned all over again how achingly beautiful she was. “It would have been bad enough if you were just facing the gangs, but now you’ve got Omicron on you, and there’s no way you should have to deal with them alone. I want to help. We want to help. Let’s nail those gang bastards, okay? Let’s get them off the street, and then…” She looked away, to the door, then down to her hands.
“And then?”
“Omicron’s not going to give up. They’ll keep watching you for as long as they have to. You won’t know where they are or if they’ll try and do more than just watch. God, I’m sorry. I wish like hell I’d never been in that room. I dragged you into this, and I can’t stand back and do nothing about it.”
