Biloxi Blue (The Biloxi Series Book 2)

by Jerri Ledford

  The kid stared at Jack’s shoes. “Yes, sir. Of course.”

  Jack stepped through the doorway, leaving Nelson to find something different to focus on. Inside the building, he could hear serious voices and what he thought was the click, click, click of a camera shutter. The salty-sweet tang that clung in the air gave him the sensation of sucking on a penny.

  Blood. That was a smell he’d be just as happy to never smell again. He was grateful there were no overtones of decay. That smell got into your clothing and your skin and it seemed like there was nothing that would get rid of it.

  He followed the sounds, walking close to containers, staying out of the center of the path between them in case there was some evidence there. He noticed a small gathering of uniformed officers up on the concrete walkway around the administrative offices and wondered what was going on up there. He made note to check it out when he was done with the death scene.

  He stepped around a shipping container and someone slammed into him with the force of an angry guard dog.

  The momentum knocked him off balance. He instinctively stutter-stepped to regain his balance and wrapped his arms around the person that had run into him.

  “I’m sorry…” Kate’s face was so close to his that he had a hard time focusing on her features.

  He tightened his hold on her. She felt good in his arms. “No need to be. I’m not.” He could smell her perfume, a heady mix of oranges and spice with a hint of a musky overtone.

  Her hands were on his shoulders, and for the fraction of time it took Jack to inhale deeply, she remained still in his arms. His phone vibrated from where he’d dropped it into his pocket. He tried to ignore it, but the sensation seemed to bring Kate back to the present. She stepped back.

  “You better get that.” Then she was gone. Replaced only by the damp air and the cloying scent of blood. Jack’s heart went with her. He closed his eyes against the assault of loneliness that pummeled him and ignored the phone.

  When he opened them, she stood a few feet away, hands on her hips and fire in her eyes. He noticed the ball gown she wore. The blue was striking against her skin. Her thick blonde hair fell over her bare shoulders in soft waves. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Gorgeous and angry.

  “I didn’t hear you coming,” he offered in place of an apology. He should have. He glanced down at her strappy heels. He wasn’t sorry his brain hadn’t registered the sound. If he’d heard her, he might not have run into her. He wanted her back in his arms.

  “I was leaving.” Kate’s words were flat. They reminded Jack of his purpose for being here. He wanted to see her. Wanted to talk with her.

  Please stay.

  “I got a call there was another body.” He cleared his throat and shoved his hands into his jean pockets to still the urge to reach out for her. “I just wanted to find out what’s going on. This is likely to get messy when the press catches wind that there’s another body in the same building.”

  And I wanted to see you. You look…amazing.

  “Why don’t you ask them?” Kate tipped the back of her head in the direction where all the activity seemed to be focused. “Maybe they’ll be more forthcoming with you.”

  She pushed past him before he could ask her what she meant. He stood, listening to her heels clicking on the concrete floor until the warehouse door slammed shut. What had that been about?

  He continued into the shadows until he reached the crime scene. Bright, portable lights pushed shadows back and revealed the stark violence of a man’s last moments.

  Two crime scene investigators worked a body into a black body bag.

  Caleb stood quietly by watching every move but saying nothing. The photographer moved around the scene, shooting pictures that might seem obscure to someone who didn’t understand that he was capturing details that might be helpful later. To a detective, the pictures were worth far more than a thousand words, as the adage said.

  Three other officers stood watching or talking in quiet voices about things unrelated to the investigation going on around them. None of them noticed Jack.

  “Chief?” Jack heard Caleb’s voice behind him.

  He turned and found the man, dressed in a tux, standing a few feet away. Caleb’s gaze questioned what Jack was doing at the scene.

  Jack shook his head. Don’t ask. They could discuss it later.

  Caleb started toward him, and Jack met him halfway.

  “How did you hear about this?” Caleb asked.

  “Sinclair called me. I wanted to know what was going on.” Jack repeated the same line he’d given Kate. Since he was here, he may as well act in an official capacity, but he knew he sounded lame. He could learn everything he needed to know from the detectives in the morning.

  His stomach clenched. He noticed Caleb was still in his tuxedo, and he had to admit, the other man looked good, maybe even comfortable, in the tux.

  Bet Kate liked that.

  He inhaled, straightening his posture. He didn’t need to think about that right now. Whatever was, or wasn’t, happening between he and Kate right now was his own fault.

  “Let’s talk outside.” Caleb pushed past him and stepped into the hallway without looking back.

  Jack followed him. Outside, Caleb took a left and then another to walk up the side of the building closest to the waters of the Gulf. He kept walking, and Jack followed silently until they were standing at the edge of the dock.

  “This has been an interesting night.” Caleb ran his hands through his thick hair.

  I’ll bet.

  Jack tamped down jealousy.

  Get hold of yourself, man. Caleb is not the enemy.

  “Explain.”

  “Two bodies in the same warehouse, and an angry Kate. That makes for a volatile combination” Caleb stared out over the dark waters of the Gulf.

  Jack watched him for any indication of what he meant. When Caleb was quiet for too long he prompted him to continue.

  “We showed up here to find Causey dead. Then, the second body – Greg Harrington – was found in the offices upstairs. And Kate’s got a bee in her bonnet because Devlincourt dressed her down for entering the second scene before the photographers snapped pictures. She was hot when she left out of there.” Caleb paused and drew in a deep breath. “By the way, did you know that Kate is a social butterfly? She was all over the bigwigs at that charity event.”

  Jack’s phone went off again. Someone wanted to talk to him, but he didn’t have time to deal with it right now. He was still processing what Caleb said. Jack hadn’t known about the second body, and he hadn’t known that Kate was socially adept. It seemed when they were together she was content to let him do all the talking. She could carry on conversation, but she never upstaged him. He led, she stood beside him, offering support and encouragement.

  “It seemed like everyone wanted to talk to her. We got separated and while she was off making nice with the suits. We also had a good conversation with McKenzie.” Something passed over Caleb’s face, but Jack couldn’t tell what. He dismissed it as information overload with everything Caleb told him in the last few minutes. “I think he’s part of the vigilante group.”

  “McKenzie?” Jack asked. They had been friends for a long time. Jack would never have suspected McKenzie. He seemed like a good man. But he was Darnow’s nephew, and around here family was more important than anything except God and maybe football during the playoffs.

  “I think so. I don’t have anything solid, just yet. I’ll look closer and let you know when I find something.”

  Caleb turned to face Jack. Standing with the light at his back, his face was shadowed so that Jack couldn’t read his expression.

  “What makes you think he’s involved?” Jack wanted clarity before he went off chasing threads that could turn out to be fuses.

  “I’m not sure.” Caleb ran his hands through his hair. “It’s just a couple of comments he’s made. And a gut feeling. I know folks are not happy about you becoming chie
f.” His voice was a low growl. “And I know they want Kate out. Now.”

  Jack knew the vigilantes would be coming for him. That only made sense once he became chief. He suspected that Darnow was killed to make a way for someone who was more sympathetic to their case. It made sense the vigilantes would be unhappy when Jack was made chief instead.

  The problem was Kate. He’d put their relationship on the line trying to protect her. He didn’t want her to become a pawn in this game.

  Too late.

  His heart ached. How had this gotten so out of control? What did Kate have to do with anything? Unless they wanted to hurt her to get at him, none of this made any sense.

  “Why do you think that?” Jack hoped Caleb had an answer that didn’t point to Jack as being the reason that someone wanted to hurt Kate again.

  “Given what I just saw inside, I’d say they want her out because no one trusts her. But that’s a guess. I don’t know anything for sure.” Caleb paced back and forth in front of Jack.

  “What happened tonight?” Jack felt like his heart was in a vice. Was Kate in danger?

  “There was an exchange between Kate and Devlincourt. Again. I think it could be related to Kate’s past, but then my instinct says it was more.” Caleb gave Jack the details about what had set Kate off.

  “I haven’t talked to her about it yet. She stormed out, and I wanted to give her time to calm down. At the very least, Jack, it’s negligence.” Caleb stopped pacing and stared hard at Jack. “I think there’s more to it than just some stupid way to make Kate pay for her past. I just don’t have enough information to know what yet.” Caleb sounded frustrated. Jack understood. He felt it, too. For the thousandth time since taking this position as chief, he wondered if they would survive the fallout from this whole mess.

  “Maybe someone is setting Kate up to look incompetent.” Jack’s words came out sharp. Clipped. Was someone trying to throw Kate off the trail of a murderer? Or were they trying to hurt her? He didn’t have the answers, yet, but he intended to find out.

  THIRTY-ONE

  Kate watched Jack and Caleb disappear around the side of the building. She wondered if Caleb would tell Jack about what had just happened with the ME’s assistant. It wouldn’t matter. Jack would do nothing about it. They had talked about how the people in the Homicide Unit treated her.

  The conversation always ended the same. Jack said she should be more confrontational about it. “Call them out, Kate.” He had told her on many different occasions. “Don’t let them push you around like that. The only way you’re going to earn their respect is to be strong and stand up for yourself.”

  In Kate’s mind, she wasn’t letting people push her around. She just kept her head down and hoped the storm would pass. It was still raging, and she’d finally come to terms with the fact that this was an everlasting storm, at least as long as she stayed at the Biloxi PD.

  I won’t finish this case soon enough.

  Then what? She wasn’t sure. She loved police work. Loved feeling like she was making a difference, but was she? For every criminal they got off the streets, it seemed like two more popped up. The cycle was never ending.

  She considered moving to another precinct. Maybe Mobile or New Orleans. Even Pensacola. But what about Jack and Lisa? Kate’s heart ached at the thought of them both. She loved the little family they were creating. Moving away, being around only on the weekends would damage that.

  If there is anything left.

  Tears welled in Kate’s eyes. She wasn’t sure what was happening between her and Jack. Would they find a way back together? If they didn’t, would her relationship with Lisa survive? It was all so overwhelming.

  The anger she had been trying to walk off in the parking lot returned. Jack had done this. What was he hiding from her? Would he let things between them end? Why?

  Kate didn’t have any answers. Her heart thudded dully in her chest and her shoulders ached. She wondered if a person could die from a broken heart.

  Tired of waiting for Caleb, she walked up to the officer standing watch outside the entrance to the Ingram Logistics building. “Nelson, is there someone here that can take me home? It looks like my ride is going to be tied up for a while.”

  She knew Nelson had seen Jack and Caleb come out and head for the dock side of the building. He raised an eyebrow at her, which she ignored.

  “I’ll find someone,” he finally said with a smile. He keyed the mic on his shoulder. He must not know that Kate was the enemy.

  Well, there’s at least one person in this department that doesn’t think I’m a pariah.

  Within minutes a patrol car rolled to a stop at the front door and Nelson opened the passenger door for Kate.

  “Thanks,” she muttered as she tried, and failed, to lower herself gracefully into the seat. She’d barely managed to arrange the skirt of her gown around her ankles before he shut the door and the patrol car shot forward across the parking lot. As she settled into the seat, she realized her feet were throbbing from being in heels for hours.

  “Where are we going?” The officer driving wasn’t one Kate had met before.

  She gave him her address. “Thanks for playing taxi. I don’t know how much longer my partner is going to be.”

  “No problem.” He made a smooth turn onto Beach Boulevard and accelerated like only a cop does. “I’m Keith Thorn. Nice work on the serial killer case last year. I’ve watched you, and you’re one hell of a detective.”

  “Thanks.” Kate wasn’t sure exactly what to say. Jack and her previous superior officers were the only ones to compliment her work. She knew some of the other members of the Homicide Unit whispered that Jack was the only reason she’d stayed on so long. That’s why she worked so hard. She had to prove to them that she was a good detective.

  “You’re awfully dressed up to be at a crime scene.” Thorn glanced at Kate and chuckled. Kate liked the sound of his voice.

  Glancing at his profile, she took in his features for the first time. Deep tan. Dark hair. She wouldn’t call him handsome, but he wasn’t a troll either. He also seemed to have an easygoing manner that Kate found comforting.

  “I was at this charity thing when I got the call. I didn’t have time to go change.” Before she realized it, they had carried on an easy conversation about everything and nothing the whole way to her house.

  “Thanks again for the ride,” she said as he pulled into her drive. “And the conversation.” The distraction was all she needed for her anger to lift and her mood to lighten.

  “Not a problem.” He watched as she climbed out of the car and then leaned back in to say goodbye. “I’d gladly be your taxi anytime.” He smiled and Kate began to rethink her initial impression about him being handsome.

  She smiled back at him. “Thanks,” she said then pushed the door shut and started up the walk.

  Thorn watched as she trudged up the stairs and let herself into the apartment. He was still sitting there when she closed the door.

  Nice guy.

  The thought surprised her. It was the first time that she remembered thinking another person from the Biloxi PD was a nice person. Thinking through the last few hours, she realized Nelson had been okay, too. At least he wasn’t obviously hateful toward her. Maybe the tide was finally shifting?

  She dropped her keys and the small clutch she carried onto the table in the hallway and noticed a light blinking on the answering machine. A message.

  She pushed the play button and Conner’s voice filled the space around her. “Kate, it’s Conner. I’ve been trying to reach you for over an hour. Call me. It’s important.”

  Over and hour? Her phone…was probably still sitting in the cup holder of Caleb’s car where she had dropped it to fasten her seatbelt on the way to the crime scene.

  She grabbed the handset for the land line and dialed Conner’s number then opened her clutch while it was ringing. No phone. Great.

  Conner picked up on the second ring. “Kate. Where have you been?” C
onner sounded frantic.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t have my cell phone.” Kate rushed through an apology, then the tone of Conner’s voice sunk in. “What’s going on?”

  “I need you to come to the warehouse. Now. It’s important.” Conner’s tone was clipped. Tight.

  “It’s almost three in the morning, Conner. What’s going on?” Suddenly Kate was tired all the way to her bones. She wasn’t even sure she could make it to the bedroom. The couch looked awfully comfy.

  “It’s important Kate. Just get over here.” Conner disconnected before Kate could say anything more.

  She stared at the phone for a long moment then sat it in the charging cradle and sighed. Conner was usually so much more forthcoming. What could she have that would make her sound so... Kate decided she had sounded scared, and in a hurry to share whatever she had with someone else.

  She trudged into the bedroom, unzipping her dress as she went. In the closet, she let it slide to the floor and stepped out of it. Artificially cooled air caressed her skin, causing goosebumps to rise. She glanced over her shoulder at the bed. It looked inviting. It had been such an emotional day. She just wanted to quit for tonight and start over again tomorrow.

  Shaking away fatigue she rummaged for a pair of jeans and a shirt and tossed them on. Then she grabbed her running shoes and eyed the bed again. Better not sit down there to put her shoes on, she might give in to the temptation to just lay back and shut out the world for a few hours.

  Instead, she headed into the dining room and dropped into one of the hardwood chairs. No chance she would decide to stay there for long. By the time she finished putting on her shoes, her brain was working overtime to figure out what Conner thought was so urgent. Had she found something on the computer? Or was this about something else?

  Speculation kept her thoughts occupied all the way to Conner’s warehouse.

  When Conner pulled open the metal door, Kate was shocked. The small hacker usually had a healthy glow, even though it seemed she never got out of her loft. Tonight, her skin was pale and dark circles ringed her eyes.