by Taylor Lee
After the girls left, Kate went to the kitchen cupboard and brought down a bottle of Jameson and two glasses. She poured each of them a healthy portion and then handed a glass to Sam. “I don’t know about you, girlfriend, but after that I can use a stiff drink.”
She sunk into the chair next to Sam’s and tipped up her glass in a salute. “What’s your read, Chief, other than that none of those girls were about to tell us anything. Even when you told them outright that you thought Isabella was murdered by pimps.” She took a long pull on her drink then eyed Sam. “Which raises another question in my mind. I thought we weren’t going to reveal that Isabella might have been involved with pimps. I thought that was just between you and me. Or did you decide to bring Commander Justice into the equation? Decide that you couldn’t investigate it by yourself, after all?”
Sam was surprised at the clear rancor in Kate’s voice. She quickly denied her accusation. “No, Kate, you’re wrong. No one but you knows about my suspicions. I’m determined that we investigate this without any interference from the DPD.”
Kate shot her a sly smile. “Hmm, Will told me that Henry brought you home early last night. Don’t tell me that something is wrong in La La Land? Did the big bad commander smile at another woman or three? I can’t imagine what beside jealousy could make you run from that major league hunk!”
Sam almost laughed to keep from crying thinking how off base Kate was. There was no way that Kate would believe half of what had happened to Sam in the last twenty-four hours. She looked up, surprised to see Kate staring at her with a hard, angry expression. She frowned, wondering if she’d somehow insulted her, said something to the girls that Kate objected to. Before she could ask her friend what was wrong, the door opened and Will and another man walked in.
Will grinned at her. “Howdy, Chief. I heard you had a rough night.”
Before she could come to grips with the fact that Henry must have told Will that he had to bring her home from the party, Will nodded to the beefy, dark-skinned man beside him. “This is a buddy of mine. Chief Delgado, Sanchez Morales. I’m thinking it would be good for you to get to know him.” He turned to his friend and said with a salacious grin, “I told you she was a looker, didn’t I? A little older than we like them, but hell, man, if you could see her when she’s all gussied up, you’d know a few years haven’t done a bit of damage. If anything, that haughty attitude of hers just adds value.”
Sam turned to Kate in shock, refusing to believe that Kate wasn’t as shocked as she was. It only took seeing the evil glint in her friend’s eyes to know that Kate was anything but shocked. Instead, she looked excited.
****
Jake had spent most of the day going over the evidence they’d collected in the course of the investigation. He and Jude had interviewed each of their prime suspects yet again and then went to court to watch Jorden arraign them. He was gratified when the judge remanded the three back to jail rather than granting bail as their court-appointed attorneys requested. After the hearing, he went back to his office to wait for Jude and Jared. He’d invited Bobby Mackey to join them. He’d told them he wanted to go over their case one more time, struggling with the niggling feeling that they were missing something.
Chiding himself, he acknowledged that the only thing he was missing was Sam. With a soft groan, he took out his phone and hit redial, hoping that Henry would be patient with his repetitive calls.
“Nope, Jake, she’s still there. Don’t know what she and Kate are doing, but I can tell you that for a while at least, they weren’t alone. I just saw Mary Ellen Slattern, Carrie Middlecroft, and Sadie Thompson leave. All three girls were in a mighty hurry to get away from there.” He paused, “I’m wondering if they have anything to do with the new angle that the chief is pursuing. Whatever it is, she sure as hell wasn’t ready to bring me or Mark into it.”
Jake muttered, “Or me.”
Henry agreed. “No, Commander, definitely not you.” He chuckled and then quickly apologized. “Sorry, Jake. It’s just that I’ve never been in the middle of a lover’s quarrel before and much as I hate to admit it, it’s kind of entertaining.”
Jake snorted and said brusquely, “Enjoy yourself, Henry. Wouldn’t want to spoil your fun.” After he hung up, Jake was embarrassed. He didn’t have to take out his angst on Henry. Although from the way everyone had been treading carefully around him throughout the day, apparently Henry wasn’t the only one who’d felt his banked anger.
Several hours later, when everyone except the night crew had left and Bobby had arrived, he and Jared and Jude put away their files, deciding to drink in earnest. Jake scrubbed at his temples, willing the painful drumsticks hammering at his head to cease. It wasn’t to be. Clearly the stress of the last couple of days, make that weeks, had caught up with him. Giving in to his misery, he poured himself another shot of Maker’s Mark. He was about to toss it back when Jude’s excited exclamation stopped him.
“Holy fuck, Sky. You are one amazing woman.” Putting his hand over the mouthpiece on his phone, he explained, “This incredible woman of mine has done it again. She got a match on our fourth DNA sample. The owner was last seen in New Mexico. He’s a mixed race Indian, Mexican asshole who’s spent most of his adult life in one prison or another. He’s changed aliases often, which was why it took Sky this long to find him. His real name is Will Munoz.”
Jake rose to his feet, grabbing his Glock and other backup weapons. As he headed for the door he said, “Also known as Will Fleming, Kate Fleming’s husband.”
Jake knew how bad it was before he looked at the incoming text. The message on the screen said 10-00, ten double zero, the universal police code for “officer down.”
Chapter 30
“Don’t worry about help coming, sweetheart.” Glancing at his cohort, Will’s malevolent grin split his face. “Sanchez took care of Deputy Jones. Good ole Henry’s been following you like the good little puppy dog he is. No doubt on orders from the big bad Commander. Jake’s had him keeping tabs on you now that you and he are on the outs. Too bad that Mark got called away on an emergency that Kate manufactured, or he might have been able to help his fellow deputy. Nope, ’fraid Henry drew the short straw. He won’t be following anyone on his trip through the pearly gates. At least he died trying to protect you.”
Sam forced herself not to reveal her shock, determined to maintain as solid a front as she could. She would grieve for the rest of her life that Henry had been killed protecting her, but at the moment she had to ensure that the men who killed him would die an agonizing death. She’d managed to text Jake but knew there was no way he could find her on time. Planning her attack, she raised her chin, essentially daring the two swarthy men to make a move.
Will rose to his feet, his eyes darkening perceptibly. He turned to his partner with a mirthless grin. “Haughty little bitch, ain’t she? Somethin’ tells me that won’t last long. I gotta believe that after three or four days in the ‘hole’ with multiple all-night visitors, she’ll be a little less haughty.” He gloated. “Hell, even I’ve been surprised at what the hole can do to take the sass off the sassiest ones. Look at my Kate. You’d never seen a sassier fifteen-year-old bitch when I got hold of her. Fuck it, man, look at her now. She’s still a bitch, but the best bottom bitch a crew could have.”
Putting out his arm, Will dragged Kate next to him and pinched her ass. At her squeal, he laughed uproariously. “C’mon, baby, tell this uppity bitch what it’s like to have a real man fucking her. Make that real men—we work in teams, right, Sanchez?”
Kate tossed her head. “I don’t have to tell her anything, big guy. She saw what you two did to Isabella. Why, she was practically in tears wondering how anybody could possibly do something that cruel to that to another human being. But I can tell you and Sanchez both, in addition to freaking out the big bad police chief, you put the fear of God in those little girls we’re recruiting. We’re gonna be adding at least three more to the crew before week’s end.”
&nb
sp; Sam knew it was now or never. The three of them had been so busy congratulating themselves on their evil accomplishments that they’d taken their attention off of her. Knowing that she had to take them down before they could draw their weapons, she stood up, and with all her strength, drove the edge of the table into the trio, knocking all three of them against the wall. Her luck being with her, Will slammed his head against the edge of the counter and fell to the floor. Kate screamed and dropped to her knees beside him.
With a fierce warrior yell, Sam went for Sanchez. She knew if she didn’t kill or immobilize him within three moves she’d be dead. A driving thrust of her knee into his groin had the expected result. He doubled over shrieking in pain and shock. Not giving him time to recover Sam spun around and in a move she’d only used in practice smashed her boot heel into the sweet spot above Sanchez’s ear. The gratifying sound of splintering bones was amplified by the gush of blood and gray matter spraying across the room. Not letting up, Sam spun around to see Will coming toward her, a murderous rage flushing his face a bright purplish red. He’d obviously seen her distracting drive to Sanchez’s groin and came at her almost doubled in half, protecting his stones. She managed to turn quickly enough to avoid his full-on kick to her head but staggered back when his heel caught her shoulder in a punishing blow.
Only twice before in her life had Sam been forced to fight a death match. She’d won them both. Knowing to the essence of her being that she was in one now, she prayed her luck would hold and make it a trifecta. Her guardian angels stepped in and as if in a dream, she saw Isabella’s battered body. Nodding to clear her vision, she made her move. Years of disciplined practice had taught her that you never pull back, never give your opponent an inch. Rather, the voices of her master instructors, hardened killers themselves, intoned in her ears. “Go for every vulnerable body part. Hard, fast, relentlessly, as viciously as you can.” Galvanized by the memory of Isabella and the knowledge that this evil man had killed Henry, Sam attacked like the killing automaton she’d been trained to be. Somehow over the sounds of crashing furniture, Will’s screams, her own shrieks and the blessed sound of breaking bones, she heard him. It was Jake.
Not losing her focus, she heard him say, “Don’t even think about it, Kate. Put the gun down or I’ll sic her on you when she’s done beating the crap out of your husband.”
****
It took Sam at least ten minutes to get a full breath of air after Jake called the fight. He grabbed her off Will’s unconscious form and held her hands against her sides holding her tightly in his arms. “It’s okay, darlin’, that’s enough, baby. You’ve done enough, tiger. How about leaving some pickings for the opposing cartels. Leavenworth is full of them.”
In minutes the small room was filled with police, most in DPD uniforms but some in tribal garb, with more coming in. A bit dazed, Sam allowed Jake to hold her, not sure she was steady enough to stand by herself. Three of her men dragged a screaming, cursing Kate out to the waiting vans. Sam watched as the medics hoisted Will on to a gurney. She couldn’t tell if he was dead or just unconscious. Seeing all the blood and bruises on his beaten body and his barely recognizable face, she breathed a satisfied sigh. Maybe Jake’s concept of justice was better. Let the animals in prison finish him off. They fought dirtier than she did.
Leaning against Jake, who had her firmly in his grip as he issued orders to the arriving squads, she whispered, “Henry…is he?”
Jake hugged her tighter and said, “It’s gonna be touch and go, baby. The shot him but missed his heart. He’s lost a lot of blood, but he has a fighting chance to make it.”
****
Four hours later, Sam sat in Jake’s office in the big chair he parked her in after they left the hospital. He’d ignored her steadfast claims that she wasn’t hurt anywhere and carried her in his arms into the emergency room at Duluth General. At his orders they’d x-rayed every part of her body, and done every test including a CAT scan and an MRI. Finally, when the doctors had followed his every order, they pronounced her battered and bruised but otherwise unhurt, and that she was free to go.
Sam leaned against the back of the big chair. Knowing that Henry was going to make it, she gave in to her fatigue. Jared and Jorden were with her, as were their women. Bobby Mackey had joined the group. They were waiting for Jake and Jude to finish meeting with the media. Jared had told her that they had television and print representatives from every major network. Sam wanted to go home but had stopped asking when Jake didn’t bother to answer what he obviously thought was a ridiculous request unworthy of a response.
Jared brought her the glass of Maker’s Mark that she had requested with an abashed grin. “I know I’m taking my life in my hands, but I gotta tell you, there isn’t a guy here who wouldn’t hijack the first spaceship to heaven to capture the moon if that’s what you said you wanted. So, honey, take a big gulp of this before the big guy returns.”
Jake spoke from the doorway. “Too late, brother. But I sympathize. It’s going to be hard to refuse any request from this remarkable woman. As long as she isn’t foolish enough to think that I’m going to be more than five feet away from her for the rest of eternity.”
Sam joined in the laughter and raised her glass to Jake. She knew she looked like hell but the expression on his face made her feel as though she looked like an angel.
In the rounds of toasts that ensued, Bobby Mackey spoke for the group when he raised his glass to her, “Chief Delgado, I’d heard tales of what you could do in a ring or even an interrogation, if you so chose.” He waited until the laughter died down then continued. “Never in my life have I seen a more accomplished fighter with the exception being the commander here. But, Sam, you did something that few fighters can do—men or women. When the chips were down, and it was your life or his, you went for the gold. I’m impressed as hell, Chief.”
Reveling in the resounding chorus of cheers, Sam felt a wave of fatigue sweep over her. As if she’d called out to him, Jake was at her side. Turning to his brother he said, “Jude, how about you hustle up a squad car to drive me and the chief home. I need to get her in bed before she falls asleep in my arms.”
Later Sam would realize that was the last thing she remembered until she awakened a full fourteen hours later.
Epilogue
The sounds of her stomach growling fiercely at the luscious smells coming from the kitchen convinced Sam that it was high time she get out of bed. She had foggy memories of Jake helping her into the bathroom throughout the last night and day and giving her sips of water and occasional pain pills. Each time she’d wakened crying frantically at the hideous images of Isabella’s battered body morphing into Henry’s bullet-ridden corpse, Jake was there. He held her, petted her, and told her over and over that he was here, that he’d never leave her. When she’d settled down, he’d rocked her back to sleep in his arms.
Forcing herself to get out of bed, she gingerly made her way into the bathroom, marveling again at the stunning home Jake called his cabin. Looking in the mirror, she saw that other than a nasty bruise on her cheek and a painful one on her shoulder, she didn’t look half bad. Surprised, she saw that she was wearing her own trusty sweats and realized that Jake had arranged for her clothes to be brought to his cabin. She was thankful that clearly he intended that she would be here for a while.
In the reflection she saw Jake standing in the doorway, a concerned expression on his face. “Hey you, you weren’t supposed to get out of bed without my help. Don’t tell me the tough police chief has reared her official head? Does that mean I don’t get to be your nursemaid anymore?”
When he moved toward her and reached for her, Sam leaned into his strong body. She gave a grateful sigh when he folded her into his embrace. Snuggling against him she murmured, “Unless it means that you aren’t going to hold me and chase away all those awful dreams I was having.”
He held her tighter. “No, Sam, whether you want it or not, I’m going to hold you in my arms until I can get ri
d of the picture of you taking down three hardened killers, two of whom were prison-trained fighters. Especially when that fucking asshole came within inches of slamming his boot into the side of your head.” He tipped up her chin and focused a narrow gaze on her. “Just so you know, Sam, it will take at least four or five lifetimes to get rid of that horrendous image.” He stroked her cheek then said, “How about we head out to my deck and have a moonlight supper?”
Sam laughed. “If whatever I’m smelling tastes half as good as it smells, I’m in heaven.”
“I’m hoping you like seafood corn chowder. It’s one of my best dishes.”
Sam shook her head and sighed. “Is there anything you can’t do, Jake?”
Nestling under the woolen throw Jake had wrapped around her to ward off the chill of the summer evening, Sam sighed contentedly. She finished her second bowl of the savory chowder and three slices of toasted ciabatta bread, and was on her second glass of Elyse Zinfandel. She didn’t know how the starry night could be more perfect. Glancing up when Jake dragged his lounge chair over closer to hers and reached for hand, she felt a chill streak over her. Seeing his narrowed gaze as he studied her, she wasn’t surprised when he said firmly, “We need to talk, Sam.”
Knowing that they couldn’t avoid the upcoming conversation, Sam decided to intercept him. “I know what you’re going to say, Jake. Before you do, I need to say that I’m sorry.” Her words spilled out in a rush. “I know I was horrible at your grandfather’s party, Jake. I blamed you for what happened. I took out my anger on you. I said terrible things. I accused you of tricking me.”
He nodded in agreement. “Something you knew I would never do.”
Sam raised her hands and gave a helpless shrug. “I don’t know what to say, Jake, except that I’m sorry. My grandfather told me that neither you nor your grandfather knew that he—that man—was coming to the party. But seeing him—my father—for the first time was shocking. You need to understand. When my mother told me about him, I wouldn’t listen to her. I blamed him, certain that he’d taken advantage of her. I hated him for being my father. I didn’t want to be the bastard child of a rich, white man. I promised myself I would never speak to him, never allow a man to do to me what he did to my mother.”
