“Right there with you?”
“No, it’s in my nightstand.” I reached into it as I answered.
I wrapped my hand around the cold metal, thinking it would calm me. It didn’t. I checked the barrel of my little snub-nosed .38 to be sure it was loaded. A futile move since I lived alone and always kept it loaded. I shoved it into the pocket of my robe.
“Get it now. Keep it with you until I get there.” I heard a car door shut. “Don’t answer the door to anyone but me. I’ll call the crime scene unit from the road.”
“Nick,” I screamed into the phone. “Don’t hang up.”
I didn’t want to be alone. Even though I was standing by myself, I felt like Nick was with me as long as I could hear his breathing. In a flash I was pissed. This person had reduced me to a pile of shivering goop.
I’m not a weak person. Why did I suddenly feel so vulnerable? In looking at the last few days, I realized I’d never been on the receiving end of a burglary, never been followed, and never had my private space violated. The last time I’d felt this alone was right after Dominic died. I swore I’d never let myself feel that way again, and here I was acting like a blithering idiot.
“I have to. I’ll be there within a few minutes.” The line went dead.
I said aloud, “Stop!” No one answered.
I looked around the room, but I couldn’t move. Whoever had killed Esme knew where I lived. He was targeting me. Why? I wasn’t the only one investigating. I had to be on to something. The phone calls weren’t enough, and now he’d been in my house. A shiver ran through me as I realized he may have been watching me sleep. I couldn’t decide if the book was there before I got home or not. I was so focused on the doors and windows I didn’t even turn on the lights in the kitchen.
At that moment, Lola decided to trot into the room, looking around as if she might have missed something. She came up to me and put her front paw on my foot. I held her head against my thigh, and we stayed like that until Nick arrived. It was then that I decided the book was there before I got home. Lola would have at least growled if someone was in the house while I was there.
So did that rule out Sebastian? He showed up at CV Ranch quite a while after I did. But he had to have followed me. No one but Charles knew where I’d be. Had he been to my house? If only I knew exactly when the book was left on the table.
I heard rushed footsteps on the porch and ran to open the door.
“Where’s your gun?”
I pointed to my robe pocket. It made one side of the chenille fabric hang heavily. I looked down and tried to adjust the robe. Lola stood behind me, away from Nick.
“It’s okay honey, he’s a good guy.” She didn’t care, she stayed right there.
“Where’s the book?” He stormed past me.
“In the kitchen, on the table.”
I followed him into the room. He stood, staring at the highlighted passage. “Zeke is on his way.”
As Nick said this, there was a knock on the door. “I’m coming in,” Zeke said, by way of hello.
“Hey Zeke, take a look here.” Nick motioned him to the table.
Zeke pulled a pair of latex gloves from his black CSU windbreaker. He gently lifted the edge of the Post-it note, then he placed his fingertip on the corner of the book. The book was held open by the weight of a coffee mug on the left side pages.
“I’ll get my dusting kit.” Zeke turned to leave, then turned back. “How did the perp get in?”
Nick looked at me, and I looked back, blank. I hadn’t even looked. I’d been too stunned to look for the mode of entry. “I didn’t look around.”
Nick went back to the front door and looked for any sign of violence around the door. Next, he walked around the perimeter of the house, looking for windows that were ajar or broken. Nothing. Nick went back to the door. He scrutinized the lock.
“Whoever did this had a key. Who has a key to your house Mimi?”
“No one.” I thought about it. “My mom, but that’s it.”
I thought back to any copies I had of my house key. The house had been a rental that Dominic and I owned. I moved in after selling the house we lived in before he died. The house had been empty when Dominic died because we were replacing the foundation. He’d had all the locks changed when the last tenant moved out. Then it struck me. There was a copy of the key at Dominic’s office, and that would be the current offices of Gotcha.
“Whoever broke in here also broke into my office. They got a key when they trashed my offices.” The revelation really spooked me.
“Are you sure?” Nick was taking notes now.
“Yes. The only other key was at the office. This used to be a rental house, and Dominic kept a key at work in case he had a possible tenant who was looking to rent. He had so many keys, he didn’t like to keep them on his keychain. It was in the kitchen cabinet at the Gotcha offices.” I was positive.
“After we eliminated the prints of the people who belonged there, we couldn’t tie the rest to anyone in our database.”
Zeke was back. Upon hearing our conversation, he said, “I’ll stop by your office and print the kitchen cabinets.”
“Someone would have had to know there was a key,” Nick suggested.
“Not necessarily,” Zeke said. “Did you see the place? They did a thorough job of trashing it. In all the mess the perp probably opened the kitchen cabinets and saw the keys. He took them and got lucky.”
“He likely didn’t know which key it was. He could have stopped by while you were out of town and tried all of them. Cocky, he came in while you were home.”
The word cocky made me think of Sebastian. He’d known where I was. He’d followed me to Carmel and maybe even followed me home. My sense of unease last night had been justified. I had no desire to have my head in a bowl on the kitchen table.
“We need to find this guy,” I said. “And I think the guy may be Sebastian.”
Nick spun around to look at me. “What?”
“I was going to call you when I got to the office. Sebastian showed up at my decoy gig last night. The man I was working on had just gotten up to leave when Sebastian came up behind me and kissed me on the cheek.”
Nick’s eyes widened. “He what? What the hell?”
Something in me hoped Nick was jealous. But I couldn’t think about that right now with my life at stake. “He told me you came to see him, and that you think he killed Esme.”
Nick smirked, “That’s not what I said. He heard what he wanted to hear.”
“Well, you freaked him out. He was in a panic because he has no alibi.”
“And he came to you about this?” Nick paced a four-foot path between the kitchen and living room.
“I guess he thought I could help. And he wanted to let me know he’d lied to me. He said you’ll probably find his fingerprints in the house, and on the bottle of wine I told you about. Said he’d had sex with Esme on the kitchen table that night.”
“Holy shit. If this doesn’t beat all.” Nick turned to Zeke. “He’s trying to tie himself to the scene, leaving a possibility of doubt.”
Zeke nodded.
I wasn’t really sure Nick was right. Had Sebastian admitted it to cast doubt, or to show he was willing to work with us and be honest on all accounts? I didn’t like Sebastian, but I also couldn’t say for sure that he was the killer. But if I let myself think too much, I could see him wielding that sword.
“Get your locks changed today. Immediately. Have locks put on the windows too. I’ll have twenty-four hour surveillance started by this afternoon.”
He looked at me. I stood bare-footed, in my bathrobe, holding Lola’s collar like she was my lifeline. He stared at my chest, not even coy about it. I looked down. Somehow my robe had pulled open. I wasn’t flashing a nipple or anything, but close.
Nick looked back to Zeke, and then he stepped toward me. I thought he was going to offer comfort by hugging me and I started to lift my arm. But he just pulled the fabric back over my ch
est. Embarrassed, I touched his arm and said, “Thanks.”
“Go get dressed. We’ll get out of Zeke’s way and let him do his job. You can call the locksmith from your office. I’ll have an officer here to meet with him.” He shooed me toward my bedroom.
“I’ll be fine. I’ll call you when I get to my office.”
“I’ll wait,” he insisted.
“Please go. I’m going to take my time getting ready. I need to soothe my nerves. If you wait, I’ll feel obligated to hurry and I don’t want to.” I all but stamped my foot like a child having a tantrum.
“Fine.”
When I walked into the bathroom, Lola close on my heels, I looked into the mirror. Oh good heavens, I still had the towel on my head. I turned the water in the shower on and climbed back inside.
It was forty-five minutes before I was ready to leave the house. I let Lola ride in the passenger seat of the Land Rover and walked around to my side of the car. As I climbed in my cell phone rang. I flipped it open.
Before I could say anything I heard, “Do you understand?”
CHAPTER 18
I’d never been so happy to have a busy day. With the calls to and from the police station, the locksmith, and the security alarm company I planned to hire, I barely had time for my regular appointments. When I looked at my watch, it was already seven o’clock. I had an hour to get ready to meet with Nick.
Lola’s head was resting on my thigh. It didn’t look comfortable, but she’s fallen asleep standing up that way, so maybe it was.
Charles stopped in for only the third time all day. Earlier he’d asked about my morning, gotten his head snapped off, and decided he’d best leave me alone. Now he peeked in and asked, “We leaving soon?”
At the sound of Charles’s voice, Lola jumped. I looked up from my computer and said, “Soon. I have a few more reports to fill out. You ready?”
Taking a chance with his life, he stepped all the way into the office. “Nick stopped by earlier and asked about you.”
“And he didn’t talk to me himself?” I’d called him early in the day to let him know I’d set up the locksmith, and he’d updated me on the surveillance. That was the last I’d heard from him.
“I told him you were having a bad day.” Charles leaned against the door frame. “He told me what happened.”
“I figured he would.” Soon everyone would know. It wasn’t a bad thing, but I hated sharing my vulnerability.
“I realize you’re shook up about it. But shutting yourself in your office and brooding over it isn’t the way to handle things.” Charles was getting braver by the second.
I didn’t want to admit it, but he was right. “I know, but I needed to be by myself, to figure out why I’d been flattened by the situation. You know, it’s not even a fear for my life. I’m not afraid to die. I’m more afraid to live in fear.”
“We’ll get this guy and there will be nothing to fear,” Charles said.
I stood up, gathered my papers and shoved them into my briefcase. Charles came over, took my briefcase from my hands and put it firmly on the top of my desk. He wrapped his arms around me and held me tight.
“As long as I’m in your life, you’ll never have to live in fear. I’ll destroy the son of a bitch who lays a hand on you.” My hero.
If only my hero liked women. If only my hero could be a homicide cop named Nick. I mentally slapped myself: He was the past. Regardless of him being in my present, he’d never be my future.
“Have I told you lately that I couldn’t live without you?” I said into Charles’s chest.
“No, but I know.” Charles shook with laughter. “Come on, let’s get some food.”
“I’ve got to drop Lola with Jackie. Her twins are doggy sitting tonight.”
I hated leaving Lola with someone else tonight, but she wasn’t staying at the house alone. She was worried about me, and I could sense the difference in her. She probably sensed it in me too.
After a quick trip through the Taco Bell drive-thru on Main Street, we headed to the cop shop. Nick was standing outside talking to a young uniformed officer. He stood close, looking at her as if she was the most interesting thing on earth. His head flew back with a hearty chuckle, and he placed his hand on her shoulder. The officer leaned into him, laughing along with him. I willed her perfect little face and body to leave. And my willpower must have been strong because she touched his forearm and walked away.
When Nick saw my Land Rover pull up, his body stiffened. He no longer smiled. Charles hopped out of the passenger seat, taking the bag of Taco Bell garbage with him, and got into the back seat.
Nick looked at Charles, said nothing and climbed into the passenger seat. “I’d planned on taking my car,” he said.
Charles said, “Sorry man, but I’m never going to be caught riding in a Crown Vic. Back seat or front, this is a much nicer ride.”
He was right. My Land Rover had a lot of leg room, and the back seats were elevated, so the person stuck in the back could see out, and not just see the headrest of the seat in front of him. I looked at Charles in the rearview mirror. It was weird seeing him in the back seat.
“Who was that?” Now what on earth possessed me to ask such a stupid question?
“Who?” Nick responded.
“The officer. I’ve never seen her before.” I tried to keep my voice neutral. I wasn’t jealous, but curious.
“Affirmative action at work. She’s new. Both Hispanic and female. Human Resources kills two birds.” Nick looked in the direction the Hispanic officer had gone.
“She’s a hottie,” Charles said.
“You look at women?”
Charles never missing a beat, said, “And you look at guys. The difference is that I openly comment, and you’re afraid to say another man is hot.”
Nick smiled and shifted to look at Charles. “Right and wrong. I wouldn’t use the word hot to describe a man. But I’m secure enough with myself to admit if another man is good looking.”
“Really?” Charles was skeptical. So was I.
“Yes. As a matter of fact, I think you are one of the handsomest men I’ve seen in my life. For someone who likely never played a sport, you have the look of an athlete and the face of a model. I’m sure your body would be perfect for their underwear ads.”
I’m sure I saw Charles blush, but he recovered quickly. “Right back at you, Nick.”
“Thank you.”
“Okay, before you two start making out, are you ready to go?” The sappiness was nauseating, but kind of cute too.
I stomped on the gas a little harder than needed. Maneuvering into the Friday evening traffic on Main Street wasn’t as bad as when I was a kid. Growing up, South Main Street had been the main drag. I can’t begin to imagine the gallons of gas we wasted driving up and down the street. I drove my mom’s station wagon and everyone knew me. The car may have sucked, but the stereo rocked. Back then, it took at least twenty to thirty minutes to drive the two-mile stretch. Now that it was a “No Cruising” zone, we were headed out of town toward Highway 1 in no time.
Charles broke the silence. “Hear anything on Mimi’s break in?”
“Zeke didn’t pull any prints we could use. The book was wiped clean. Not even prints from the bookstore where it was purchased.”
“You know where it was purchased?” I was excited. Maybe we could track it.
“No, but I’m sure he had to buy it somewhere.”
“He, huh?” Charles asked. “You know the perp is a guy?”
Again Nick said, “No.” Snappier this time. I could tell he didn’t like not having the answers to the questions. “He is just easier to say, rather than he or she, or even they.”
“I get it.” Charles flipped on the DVD player in the headrest and put the headphones on. We had been dismissed.
“It’s related to the phone calls,” I said. “I have no doubt.”
“True. But we don’t have anything more than that,” Nick said.
Charles must
have been listening music because he was humming and dancing in his seat. Both Nick and I looked at him.
Charles opened his eyes. “What?”
We both turned back to the front without comment. I saw Nick smile.
“Do you think anything will come of this? Zeke sent a guy to print the kitchen. I’m pretty sure he’ll only find prints from Charles, Gemma, Jackie, and me. No one else really goes in the kitchen. Well, he may get a few paw prints if he dusts fairly low.”
Nick smiled. “Lola has her own cabinet or something?”
“Or something.”
“Where are you staying tonight?”
Startled, I mumbled, “Home.”
“Are you going to be alone?” Now Nick was getting personal.
“Maybe. Why?”
“I know you’ll have a cop outside, but I think you should have someone in the house.”
“Really?” I was being silly. I was worried about going home tonight.
“Maybe Jackie can stay with you, or Charles.”
“Just don’t worry about it. I’ll work something out.” I wanted to ask him if he had plans, but that would have been a mistake.
Nothing else was said until we reached Santa Cruz and turned onto Laurel Street, then right onto Pacific Avenue. We drove around and finally found a parking space off of Front Street. The space was perfect because the meet up was at the clock tower at the intersection of Front and Pacific.
As we got out of the car, I could see several cape-clad characters approaching the clock tower.
I turned and put my hands up in front of Charles and Nick. “Stay here. I want to ask a few questions, as a tourist, before Charles goes in.” To my surprise, they stopped.
“Fine. I want to get an overall picture and see if I can pick out our players without being noticed.” Nick looked around.
I walked up to a woman in a black cat suit. Her fleshy rolls were partially concealed by the hip-length cape she wore. On her head she wore a black hair band, covering her forehead and keeping the edges of her ponytail in place.
“Hi, may I ask you a question?” I put on my pleasant tourist voice.
Unsure, she said, “Okay?” Her pale flesh creased as she smiled.
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