The rest was a blur of blue frosting, slimy noodles, and barbeque chips being mashed in my already gooey hair. The bit about the chips was courtesy of Anne, but I deserved it after stuffing a cupcake down her swimsuit and then tackling her to the floor.
Five minutes later, we lay in a pile of arms and legs on the floor, no longer throwing food but laughing. We were a mess. The kitchen was a mess.
“If my wife asks,” Ryan started to say, “everyone loved the cupcakes.”
“Good thing she’s a good baker,” I said, looking over at Whiskey and pointing. “Since someone crammed one into my mouth.”
Whiskey laughed as he used his hand to knock a pile of noodles off the top of his head.
“What in the world got into you?” Anne asked me. She was half lying across my legs, with an arm wrapped around Sara. “I’ve never seen you like this before.”
“I have,” Charlie said from the kitchen entrance, looking down at us with a smile on her face. “Been a while, though.”
Alex, Maggie, and a woman in a pantsuit stood next to Charlie.
“The food fight at our wedding reception was way better,” Wild Card said as he picked something out of my hair and ate it.
Jackson chuckled. “There was a lot more food to throw and a lot more people to throw it.”
“This was pretty good, though,” Reggie said, wiping frosting from his left eye.
“Uhh,” Alex said, looking around and turning to the woman in the suit. “Let’s talk about that deposit,” he said, leading her from the room.
“Who was that?” I asked Charlie.
Charlie smirked. “The realtor in charge of the house rental. She stopped in to make sure we had everything we needed. I better go help Alex smooth this over.”
I couldn’t help but bark a laugh, which made everyone else start laughing again.
“Okay,” Wild Card said, crawling out of the pile and standing. His feet slid sideways on the greasy floor. He bent his knees to steady himself. “Half of you stay on the floor and gather the big bits to be tossed into the trash. The other half of you start with the counters, walls and appliances.”
“What about the ceiling?” I asked.
Everyone looked up to see blue blobs of frosting stuck to the ceiling.
“Shit,” Wild Card said, laughing. “At least our wedding reception was outside.”
“Pushups!” Nicholas and Sara said in unison.
“I’ll do my pushups when the floor is less slimy,” Wild Card said as he helped me, then Anne, then Katie up from the floor.
Everyone except the kids got up from the floor, but Sara and Nicholas didn’t care. They were both having fun as they used their bodies to slide piles of food together for Anne and Aunt Suzanne to scoop with paper plates into the trash can. We applied similar methods with the table and counters, Wild Card and I using our arms to slide the mess to one end where trash bags were held to snare it.
Then came the scrubbing, which took a lot longer. By the time we got the worst of it cleaned up, we all went outside to hose off. Afterward, the kids ran toward the pool. The rest of us went to our rooms to shower and change. We regrouped in the kitchen where we found Katie, Tech, Charlie, and Maggie finishing the final wipe down.
“Thanks,” Wild Card said to them as he pushed me toward the table. “I ordered pizzas. Jackson went to pick them up.”
“Whatever happened to my sandwich?” I asked, looking toward the back counter.
Wild Card laughed. “I ate it. I snuck out of the mix and ate it while I watched the food fight.”
“You did not,” Anne said. “We would’ve seen you.”
Wild Card flashed his devilish grin at her. “Then how do I know that it was you who snuck up behind Bones and dumped the entire bowl of baked beans over his head?”
Anne’s eyes widened as she stepped closer to Whiskey.
“It was you?” Bones asked as he pointed at Anne.
Anne giggled into Whiskey’s chest. “I’m so dead.”
Charlie chuckled as she walked over and sat on the other side of the table. “Not today, you’re not. We have too much to do. And I need some help.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
CHARLIE
Tuesday, 3:07 p.m.
Tech ordered Kelsey and me to pause our case discussion until everyone regrouped in the tiki lounge. Not only was it a larger space, but it had a bar which most of us appreciated. Maggie made a pitcher of margaritas while Wild Card made mojitos.
“Aren’t you supposed to be catching a flight?” I asked Maggie.
“I called in sick. Between the Marshals hassling you, and Kelsey working a human trafficking case, you guys might need me. Kierson said it was fine. He also asked me to tell you hi.”
“Uh, yeah, hi.”
Maggie laughed. “Breakups are awkward,” she said, watching something across the room.
I looked over to see Grady settling on the couch next to Kelsey. She ignored him, taking a drink of her Pepsi.
“You’re the profiler,” I said to Maggie. “What do you think about that situation?”
“That situation—” she shook her head “—is beyond my abilities.”
My phone dinged that I had a text and I read the message. I walked over to Kelsey. “I invited Spence, Sergeant Quille, a rookie detective assigned to me for research, and a seasoned detective from another precinct. I need you to trust my judgment, and not cause a fuss.”
“You trust them?”
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “Do you think I’d invite them here if I didn’t?”
She glanced over at the kids, then back at me. “I’ll play nice as long as they stay out of the house.”
I shook my head as I turned to walk away. “I’ll tell them they have to pee in the bushes,” I called over my shoulder.
The security team had already ordered them to remove their guns, likely making them lock them in their vehicles. Spence raised an inquisitive eyebrow. Quille scowled. Detective Chambers looked confused. Gibson looked like he was about to pee himself, watching the guards’ every movement.
Tyler jogged up beside me, grasping my elbow. He turned to my guests. “I’m Tyler, head of security. Consider this afternoon a one-day pass to enter the crime-fighting version of Disney. If at any point you are asked to leave, you are to do so immediately. Visitors are not allowed to carry weapons past this point. We also ask you do not discuss this location or anyone here, once you leave. Is that clear?”
“Or what?” Quille asked.
The security guards pulled their guns and stepped forward.
“Okay, okay,” Quille said, holding his hands out with palms facing us. “Got it. Keep our mouths shut.” Quille turned to Gibson. “One slip up from you, and I’ll hand you over to these guys.”
Gibson swallowed. “Yes, sir.”
Quille turned to me and winked.
“One more hiccup,” I said, holding up a finger. “Kelsey doesn’t want anyone inside the house. It’s a security issue. If you need a bathroom, you’ll have to pee on a bush or something.”
“Smart in theory,” Spence said. “But this is a rental. I’m sure there’s enough pictures online to get the general layout. Still doesn’t hurt to keep people outside, though.”
“Actually,” Tyler said, turning to lead us around the house. “The real estate company might be having issues with their website right now.”
“Just their website?” Spence asked.
Tyler smirked over his shoulder at Spence. “From what I hear, the problem is affecting all the photos and descriptions online linked to this property. Even the real estate office’s files were corrupted, so they can’t email pictures either. Sounds like a headache to me.”
Spence laughed. “That must’ve taken hours.”
“Took ten minutes and a carton of blue moon ice cream,” I said. “We have a guy with mega skills, but a short attention span.”
“Can I borrow him?”
Tyler glanced back at Spence. �
�I’d love to say yes, but he’s family, so no.”
We entered the tiki lounge and introductions were made as necessary. The boys were offered their beverage of choice and everyone finally settled. Gibson had made several trips with his boxes and laptop and sat on the edge of a chair at a nearby table, practically bouncing with excitement.
Chambers sat down on one side of me and Spence on the other. Quille sat next to Uncle Hank.
Chambers leaned closer to whisper, “What exactly did I walk into? You said this was casual drinks to discuss the case. I get here and find my temporary boss here and a battalion of armed men.”
“It is casual. And don’t worry about the armed men. They’re family.”
“And my new work assignment?”
“Ah, yeah. That’s my fault. I needed your help. You mad?”
“Not even a little. I was bored in Belle Aire. Just wish I’d made a better first impression,” Chambers said as he tugged on his shirt to straighten it.
Chambers was a good decade older than me, had a bit more body fat, and wasn’t as snappy of a dresser. He also seemed to be slightly intimidated by his new surroundings, which was odd since he’d been working in the Belle Aire district.
Spence, on the other hand, was leaned back on the couch, one arm stretched across the back, and exchanging jokes with Bones who sat in the lounge chair with Bridget sitting on his lap.
Hearing a rattling noise, I turned to watch Katie push a large whiteboard across the patio and into the lounge.
“It’s not fancy,” Katie said. “But it should do the trick. I’ll take notes.”
“Which case are we starting with?” Bones asked.
“Start with the biggest,” Tech said. “Is that Kelsey’s human trafficking case or Charlie’s double homicide?”
“My double homicide might now be four bodies deep, with a possible fifth body in one of those boxes,” I said, pointing toward the stack of boxes next to Gibson.
“It’s also the case most likely linked to Mr. Tricky,” Kelsey said. “I agree, it’s the priority at the moment, but the dentist case—”
“Don’t,” Tech said, interrupting her. “One case at a time, please. Or my head is going to pop.”
“Fine,” Kelsey said, winking at me. “Give us the rundown, Charlie.”
“Wait,” Katie said, holding the uncapped marker. “Who’s Mr. Tricky?”
“The guy hired to kill me. He deserved a name given his expertise.” I stood, but my phone beeped. “Tyler,” I said after reading the text. “It appears I have another guest. Can you escort Tasha to the inner realm?”
Tyler looked at Kelsey, Kelsey looked at me, I raised an eyebrow, Kelsey sighed and gave Tyler the nod.
“Wild Card, she’s going to want a mojito. She’ll ask for it to be extra strong but make it weak. She can’t hold her liquor.”
Wild Card, still behind the bar, grabbed a glass and started mixing the drink.
A minute later Tasha stomped ahead of Tyler down the path, mumbling complaints. When she saw me, she veered through the decorative tall grass to cut the distance. “Those men out front need to learn some manners. They wanted to frisk me! Can you imagine?”
I pressed my lips together, trying to keep a straight face. “Tasha, you’ve just entered a black ops site. I’m afraid if you try to leave, you’ll be shot.”
Tasha looked at me, looked around at all the serious faces, noticed the guns that almost everyone was wearing at their sides, then looked back at me. “I need a drink.”
Everyone broke out laughing. Wild Card walked over and handed her a cocktail.
“I was just kidding about the black ops thing. Sit. We’re just getting started.” I turned to the group. “Tasha is a friend of mine and a top-notch doctor with the medical examiner’s office. But she also knew one of the victims, so she has a personal stake in this case.”
“Which victim?” Kelsey asked.
“I’m getting to that,” I said, pointing to Katie to start writing. “My theory starts two years ago, when Terri Weston, Tasha’s friend, was jogging at night in an upscale park. She fought her attacker. But while trying to escape, the perp fell on top of her, stabbing her in the back of the thigh, which severed an artery. Then he climbed on top of her and used his body weight to brace his forearm against the back of her neck.”
“Was cause of death asphyxiation or blood loss?” Quille asked.
“Blood loss,” Tasha answered. “But she might’ve been unconscious from the choking while she bled out.”
“How’s this—” Kelsey started to say but stopped when I held up my hand.
“Detective Chambers,” I said, gesturing to him on the couch, “came back from vacation to find his partner had completed a less than stellar investigation, but the DA’s office was already too far down the path to stop. Chambers’ hands were tied, but he’s up to speed on the case.”
Detective Chambers looked around the room. “I’ll do whatever I can to help. My partner had good intentions, but his work was admittedly sloppy.”
“Is he still working cases?” Kelsey asked in a steely voice. Moments like this were when Kelsey could be the most intimidating. It didn’t matter what side of the law you were on. If Kelsey deemed you unworthy, she’d take you down. And her confidence to do so emitted a powerful current of energy around her.
Chambers shifted with unease at Kelsey’s directness. “He’s a researcher now.”
She tipped her head in a clipped manner before refocusing on me. Chambers released an audible breath.
I gave Kelsey my what the hell expression, but she merely shrugged. Knowing that arguing with her was a lost cause, I turned back to Chambers. “Can you go to the prison tomorrow and re-interview Terrance Haines? I want his statement on the record about that post light being out. Start from the beginning and get a full account. There might be additional details we’re missing.”
“Sure. I’ll leave at dawn.”
Quille held up a hand. “What about the guy Beast bit? Was he the killer or this Mr. Tricky?”
“Beast bit someone?” Spence asked, looking at where Beast was lounging under the table. “He’s never bitten anyone.”
“It was a justified biting,” Chambers told Spence. “Someone was in the crop of trees and Beast took off after him. Witnesses say the guy ran out on the other side of the park and got as far as opening his car door before Beast latched onto his calf. The perp kicked Beast a few times with his other foot, finally getting him to release. Then drove away.”
Quille leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees. “Beast brought back a piece of the guy’s pants. Greg’s running it now.”
“But who do we think he was? The killer? Or Mr. Tricky?” Tasha asked.
I thought about it a moment before answering. “It had to have been the killer.”
“Why?” Kelsey asked, pulling my attention to her. “How do you know it wasn’t Mr. Tricky?”
I shrugged at her. “While Mr. Tricky is good at sneaking up on me, he wouldn’t have known the park the way this guy did. This guy knew where we’d be and knew to park his car on the other side of the woods. Mr. Tricky wouldn’t have known either.”
I thought about the other times Mr. Tricky had attacked me. The time in the alley was after I’d chased him. Then at the truck stop where he could’ve followed me and waited for an opportunity. The shooting though, that also required some scouting and forethought. I’d have to puzzle about that one later.
“Where did you go?” Maggie asked. “Why do you have that confused look on your face.”
I looked up to see everyone studying me. I turned to Kelsey, as if just looking at her would help the pieces in my brain fit together.
Kelsey shook her head. “You’re looking at me as if I have the answer, but I don’t know the question.”
“The shooting,” I said. “How did he know where to set up? How did he know which floor of the building was vacant? And why did he suddenly change tactics?”
“Ab
out that,” Kelsey said, glancing over to where Tyler stood. “Tyler, share your theory.”
Tyler, as usual, stood on the outskirts of the conversation, listening while he watched our surroundings, including the kids. “This isn’t really my thing. You guys investigate; I just run security.”
“I trust your opinion,” I said, encouraging him to tell us. “And obviously Kelsey feels it’s relevant.”
Tyler moved a few feet closer. “Well, seems to me, you’ve got two different people after you. One wants to kidnap you—that’s Mr. Tricky. He’s the guy from the truck stop and who kicked your ass in the alley. On both occasions, he could’ve killed you but chose not to. He wants you alive. And the other guy, well, he shot at you. He might also be the guy from the park today. It’s obvious he’d rather you quit breathing.”
“This new theory is not making me feel any better,” Quille grumbled.
“Me either,” Uncle Hank agreed.
I chewed on my lower lip, thinking.
“What are you holding back?” Kelsey asked me.
Maggie read my thoughts before I could answer. “You’re not sure the photo Ford found was the shooter. You think your kidnapper was watching you when the shooting occurred. The photo was him deciding to get the hell out of there before we shut down traffic.”
“Then, how’d the shooter get past us?” Quille asked, looking between Maggie and me.
“I don’t know,” I answered. “Maybe he blended in with the employees or hid in a bathroom until the coast was clear. But if Tyler’s right—” I paced a few feet to the right before turning to the left “—if the shooter and the kidnapper are two different people, then I need to rethink every interaction. And that includes figuring out which one was the hitman Benny knew about.”
“It’s time I pay Benny a follow-up visit,” Kelsey said. “See if he feels like sharing any additional details.”
“I’ll go with you,” Grady said.
“No,” Ryan said, turning hard eyes on Grady. “Not with all the drama between the two of you. The last thing we need is a psycho like Benny reading the body language between you two. Jackson and I will escort her.”
Hunt and Prey (Kelsey's Burden Series Book 8) Page 24
