The Untimely Death Box Set

by James Kipling

  “What are you going to do?” Collins asked.

  I walked over to one of the walls in the lobby and pulled the fire alarm. The concierge was at the table, and saw me pull it and gave a scowl. If the gun and the tactical vest wasn’t enough, I took out a badge and flashed it in his smug face. “This is not a drill. I want everyone outside right now!”

  The hotel staff did as they were told and ushered everyone out of the hotel. I still didn’t see Tina anywhere, but with less people around, it made things a little easier. As I was looking over guests as they were leaving, we heard a shot ring out. I turned to face Collins. “That was the second floor.”

  Collins nodded. “Someone’s making a move on our people.”

  We dashed through the lobby and hit the stairs. The stairwell was full of people trying to evacuate the hotel, but Collins and I had no trouble getting up the one flight to arrive on the second floor. We paused for a moment and Collins opened the door as I walked through, gun raised and ready to shoot.

  The first hallway from the stairwell was empty. Chances are people from this floor were either out already or hiding in their rooms, afraid this was a trick to get them to wander off to be killed. I wouldn’t blame any of the players for taking chances with the fire, but I couldn’t afford to watch out for them all.

  I knew there was no fire so I wasn’t going to call for all the players to get out and risk exposing them to Tina, who could be anywhere on the floor, eager to kill as many players on this team as possible. It had been one thing to try to get them all out at the same time with the drill – there was safety in numbers – but I wouldn’t roust out single players and ask them to try to make it out alone, or even with an officer. If they weren’t already out, they were better off in hiding.

  With Collins behind me, I didn’t have to worry about my six as I wandered down the hallway looking for any sign of the woman, or that one of the rooms had been entered. That’s when I saw it: one of the doors had a dent in it.

  Someone was banging on the door, demanding to be let out. I stopped at the door and tried to remember who was in there. I disregarded it when I heard a commotion coming from down the hall. There was another shot and I followed Agent Collins as he darted down the hall, but as he turned the corner, Tina was waiting for him with gun drawn, and she fired at him.

  One of the bullets caught him in the left arm and it knocked him down to the floor. I peered around the corner and Tina hesitated when she realized it was me there. Obviously her feelings were more legit than I’d thought, as she seemed unwilling to turn her gun on me. I, however, had no such feelings, especially for someone who was my suspect. “Drop it, Tina!”

  She hesitated again. “You need to understand, Jake.”

  “All I need to understand is that if you don’t drop that gun, I will put you down,” I said as I never took my eyes off of her, even to see if Collins was alright. I stood there, waiting for her to respond and possibly give me a sign that she was going to surrender. I never got one.

  Things got even more complicated when two people came into view further down the hall from where Tina was standing. I looked out of the corner of my eye to see that Melvin and Cassie were trying to get out, and had picked the wrong hallway to do it. Tina turned around, and the moment she recognized one of the players is when I ran out of options.

  She started to swing her gun around in an attempt to shoot at the football player and my daughter, leaving me no choice. I fired two shots, sending them across the hallway and into Tina’s chest. She slammed back violently against the wall and slid down, leaving blood marks on the wall. Only seconds after hitting the floor, she stopped breathing. It was over.

  I looked back down the hallway and saw that Melvin had shielded Cassie with his own body, which told me that this boy at least had serious potential. I slowly walked over and helped Cassie to her feet before giving her a big hug. “Are you alright?”

  “I’m okay,” Cassie said as she cried over what she had just witnessed.

  “I could use a little help,” a voice called out.

  I called for a medic on my radio and walked over, kneeling down to see how Agent Collins was doing. “Like this is the first time you’ve ever been shot.”

  “Not really,” Collins admitted. “But it still hurts like hell.”

  “Just stay where you are,” I said. “I’ve called for help. You’ll be on your way to General in no time.”

  “Is she gone?” Collins asked.

  “Yup … deader than Dillinger,” I confirmed. “Not how I wanted to end it, but she didn’t give me much of a choice.”

  “Still, you knew her,” Collins observed. “That couldn’t have been easy.”

  “It’s never easy,” I replied. “Even if the person is a complete stranger.”

  “I know,” Collins said as he laid back and waited for help.

  I didn’t want anyone to see Tina in the state she was in so I took my jacket off and put it over her out of respect for the dead. Some might question my respect for our killer, but I also didn’t want the press catching onto the identity of our killer until we wanted them to. Besides, given what her daughter had been through, I had to consider this woman a victim also.

  It was important that we wrapped up all the details before releasing any information to the public. Paramedics arrived and started attending to anyone who was injured.

  As Collins was being carted off on a stretcher, Captain Bancroft arrived to survey the damage for himself. “Is that her?” he asked.

  “It is,” I said as I lifted just enough of my coat to show him.

  “Damn it,” the Captain said as he turned away. “I was really hoping you were wrong on that one.”

  “Forget how the press will respond,” I replied flatly. “At least it’s over.”

  “You’re sure about that?” he asked, feeling very nervous. “No accomplices that could be lurking around to finish the job?”

  “I’m pretty sure, boss,” I answered. “From what I’ve gathered, she was working alone the whole time. She didn’t travel with anyone to the other cities, and with the Taser, she really didn’t need any help overpowering the players.”

  “All right,” the Captain said. Then he held out his hand. “Hand it over.”

  “Hand what over?” I asked as I stood up.

  “Your gun,” he answered. “Standard procedure for any shooting.”

  I wanted to argue the merits of my shooting, but he was right. I pulled the gun from the holster and handed it over to him. “Anything else?”

  “That won’t be necessary,” my boss answered. “When you’ve done the paperwork for this case, I’m giving you two weeks off with pay. During that time, you’re going to meet with the station shrink a few times before returning to work.”

  “Are you serious?” I asked, shocked.

  “I am,” he answered. “Take some leave and hang out with your girls until all of this blows over. I’m just going to say you’re taking some long overdue vacation time. You kind of deserve it after solving this one.”

  Rather than argue with my boss over something I really didn’t disagree with, I nodded to acknowledge his decision and then left the hallway to look for Cassie. She was back in her hotel room and Melvin was holding her as she cried in his arms. “Hey, baby,” I said as I walked in. “How are you doing?”

  Cassie jumped up, walked over, and gave me a big hug. “Is it really over?”

  “It is,” I told her. “Everyone is allowed to go home, even you.”

  “I don’t want to go back,” Cassie replied. “Not yet.”

  “You want to crash at my place?” I suggested. “I’m getting some time off so we can hang out and catch up on some things.” I looked over at Melvin as I said that.

  “Thanks, Daddy,” Cassie said as she wiped a tear from her cheek. ”I would appreciate that.”

  “You still have a key, right?” I asked.

  “Yes,” Cassie answered.<
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  I turned to face Melvin. “I’m going to be here a while. Take her to my place, and I had better see you crashing on the couch when I get there. Understood?”

  “Yes, sir,” Melvin confirmed.

  “All right, you guys can take off.” I said as I motioned to the hallway leading towards the elevator. I knew they were both eager to get out of there, and with the suspect dead and unable to hurt anyone, there was absolutely no reason to hold anyone at the hotel any longer.

  After they left, I stood there in the hallway and watched as the boys from the morgue took Tina’s body and moved it into a body bag before lifting her up to a stretcher and rolling her out of the hotel. A part of me was sad to see her go, as we had become rather close during the course of this investigation.

  At the same time, there was always a chance she was only getting close to me to find out how close we were getting to her, pumping me for information as it were. I would never know Tina’s true intentions, but that didn’t change the fact that she was our killer. Even if I hadn’t shot her, I would have arrested her for what she’d done to Wally and all of the others.

  I didn’t want to shoot her, but she left me no choice. I wasn’t going to let her kill another student, or Cassie, for that matter. Cassie’s presence had made my decision that much easier, I had to admit.

  For a change, I didn’t disagree with what my Captain was saying. It was time for me to take a break. I was due to take a vacation anyway, spend more time with the girls and recharge. This was as good a time as any to do just that.

  I caught a ride with an officer back to the station and spent the rest of the night tidying up the paperwork and closing the case. I was so relieved to be done with it. Many people had died because of secrets that should never have been kept hidden in the first place. I was aware that no matter how the public responded to the truth, it was all going to hit the fan for someone.

  17

  I watched with interest from the back of the room as the Captain, who had expertise in handling the media, revealed the truth about what was going on in the ‘Card Counter’ killings. I really hated the name, but the media seemed to be all over it and they didn’t take the news of one of their own being the killer very well.

  It was clear that Tina had used her press credentials to not only get close to the investigation, but to interfere with it as well. This was going to result in some stricter rules regarding how officers and detectives interacted with the media, for sure.

  Knee jerk reactions like this were common. In her death, Tina had also managed to accomplish the one thing she wanted: bringing the truth to light. The story about what happened to her daughter at the hands of the football players, which led to her suicide, was revealed to the public, as well. There was an outcry once that little nugget was dropped, and the University was sure to take the heat again.

  If they had thought the spending scandal was harsh, the University hadn’t seen anything yet. Jasmine was finally going to get the justice she deserved. It was just a shame so many people had to die in order for it to happen.

  There was only so much of the press conference I could handle, so I walked out. As I was leaving the building to take my much overdue leave, I noticed Agent Collins was there. He was wearing a sling, but still looked pretty badass to me. “How is the arm?”

  “It hurts,” Collins replied, “but I’ll live. Hazards of the job.”

  “I don’t think you want to make that a part of your recruiting pitch,” I said with a chuckle as I shook his other hand. “Thanks for your help.”

  “It’s I who should be thanking you,” Collins retorted. “We were hunting the Card Counter for a while. You were also right about the cards. They meant nothing. She was using them to cover her true motives.”

  “Theatrics like that are only found in novels and their cheesy film adaptations,” I said as I gave Collins a friendly pat on the shoulder. “You of all people should know that.”

  “Some of us honestly thought there was a reason for that effort,” he replied.

  “There was,” I said. “It was to confuse and distract you. It worked.”

  “Speaking of work,” Collins continued, “I heard you’re going on leave pending speaking to the shrink about what happened.”

  “That would be true,” I confirmed. “I’m due for a break anyway, and being told to take one is usually how I end up taking any time off.”

  “Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Collins asked as he chuckled. “Seriously, we could use someone like you in the bureau. Ever consider playing in the majors?”

  I appreciated the offer, I really did. Yet there was no way I was going to be able to accept. “I’m sorry, I can’t. I’m not ready to make that step yet.”

  “We can offer more money, more travel,” Collins insisted.

  “It’s not the money or the job,” I replied. “I’m not ready to be away from my girls at this point in their lives. Maybe when they’re all in college, I might be more receptive to what you guys have to offer.”

  “I understand,” Collins said disappointedly. “Let us know if you ever change your mind.”

  “I will,” I replied as I started to walk away. “Thanks again for your help.”

  As I drove back home, I was tempted to stop in the grocery store and pick up a few things for Cassie. The truth was, I was curious to see if Courtenay was back at work, but I was sure she wasn’t there. Not so soon after her husband had been killed, and this was most likely not the time to speak to her about it, considering my job.

  I was probably going to give her some space, maybe even shop somewhere else until I was comfortable enough to face her. Instead I kept heading home, eager to see how Cassie was doing considering what she had been through. I didn’t like the fact that she had had to witness the shooting, but that was purely accidental. She didn’t mean to put me in that position ... it just kind of happened.

  I also couldn’t blame her for being there, as it was Tina who had forced everyone to be at that hotel. She had forced my hand when trying to shoot at Melvin and Cassie, so I felt little remorse for what I had done. Had Collins not taken one in the arm, I would have let him take her down, but I’d had no choice but to end things myself when it came down to it.

  As I pulled into the driveway, I could see that there were no lights on. I was thankful they were getting some rest, but eager to wake Melvin up if he wasn’t sleeping in the place where I had ordered him to. Yet, when I entered the small place, I was surprised to see it was Cassie lying on the couch with a blanket on her. She was startled as I walked in and sat up. “It’s all right, baby,” I said as I turned on the light. “It’s just me.”

  “Hey, you were out all night?” she asked.

  “I was,” I said as I took off my coat and put it in the closet. “It happens on occasions, especially when the Captain wants things cleaned up rather quickly. I prefer it that way, as it’s nice to have something closed before heading home. I usually sleep better when I don’t have a case nagging my brain. Where’s Melvin?”

  “He had to go home,” Cassie answered. “His parents heard what had happened at the hotel and panicked. I think a lot of parents did.”

  “Well, the good news is they’re all okay and coming home,” I said as I walked into the kitchen to get a glass of milk. “Want some?”

  “I’m okay,” Cassie said as she followed me into the kitchen.

  As I put the milk away, Cassie was sitting on one of the stools at the counter, looking at me. “Is everything okay?”

  “How many times have you done that?” she asked.

  “Done what?” I replied with a question of my own.

  She gave me that face her mother used to give me when she got annoyed. It was downright scary how similar it was. “How many times have you killed someone?”

  “Tonight was only the fourth time it’s happened,” I answered as I took a sip of my milk. “And each time the person had a weapon and refused to surrender
. If she wasn’t armed, I would have aimed for a leg or an arm to take the person down. I don’t try to kill people, but she left me no choice.”

  “You did it because of me?” Cassie then asked.

  “No,” I said, but it was an obvious lie, at least in part. “I did it because someone else’s life was in jeopardy: you were included in that and so was Melvin, but nothing would have changed had it been others in your shoes. It was kill or someone else, possibly myself, could have been killed instead. I couldn’t take that chance. I had to take her down.”

  “I understand,” Cassie said, but I really couldn’t tell if she did. I could only imagine how difficult it was for her to witness anyone being shot, but to witness someone she knew doing it and not getting in trouble for it, that had to mess with her a bit.

  I hoped that one day she would understand that my job sometimes required me to do things that I was not proud of. It was a little hypocritical, but life isn’t perfect, and we couldn’t all have the perfect endings we wanted. “How about I make you an omelette?” It had been a while since I’d made her favorite breakfast and I thought that might help her return to the good memories, and distance herself away from the bad one she’d just experienced.

  She nodded and smiled. “That would be great, Dad.”

  I took some eggs, butter, cheese, and leftover kielbasa out of the fridge and started to make one of my signature daddy dishes for her. I always enjoyed making breakfast for the girls, as I loved to see the smiles on their faces as they ate one of the rare things I could make that was edible.

  As I stood there by the stove, sleeves rolled up and eggs cooking, I couldn’t help but reflect about everything. About the divorce, my job on the force, the short fling I had had with Tina, if you could even call it that, and even Collins with his offer to work for the feds.

  I had a lot on my mind and I was finally happy the Captain had given me some time off to work through all of it. Things seemed a little better as I made Cassie her breakfast. For a moment there was no Card Counter, no nagging wife, and just me and my kid. The simplest joys that made my life worth living, and it was moments like these that reminded me why I enjoyed being alive and in the moment.