Textual Relations

by Jamie Lee Scott

  “Something good?”

  “Nick dropped off a flash drive from William’s work computer. They went by his office last night, and the general manager let them make a copy of William’s hard drive.”

  Interesting.

  I grabbed the chocolate from Charles and took a bite as we headed to his office. Just as I sat in the chair next to him at the desk, Gemma poked her head in.

  “Good morning.” She looked around. “Where’s Jackie?”

  Charles and I looked at each other. I said, “Oh, this isn’t a meeting. Charles and I are working on a new case.”

  Gemma’s mood dimmed. “Oh, so no meeting again today?”

  Charles looked over his shoulder at Gemma. “Nope, we had it already. You’re late.”

  I smacked Charles on the shoulder. “No, Gemma, you’re not late. Something came up with Jackie, so she’s not coming in today.”

  “Oh.” Gemma stepped back as if to leave, then stopped. “So what’s this new case?”

  Charles ignored the question. I thought about doing the same, but I didn’t want her to walk in and look over our shoulders. “It’s not really a new case. Well, it is, but it’s sort of for our eyes only.”

  Gemma turned on her heel and left without saying anything. I heard a murmur as she stomped down the hall. “None of your fucking business Gemma, as usual.”

  “Great, now I’ve pissed her off.” I started to get up.

  Charles grabbed my arm and pulled me back to my seat.

  “She’ll get over it.” He pulled up a social networking page. Suddenly, Gemma was an afterthought.

  My stomach did flips as I watched Charles scroll through pages and pages of this predator’s networking profile. He claimed to be a high school senior, varsity football player, varsity lacrosse player, and vice-president of his class. He had the pictures and awards to back it up. William had an elaborate plan to suck these girls in. The private messages he’d been sending were flirtatious, boarding on pornographic. I’d stopped reading after the first few, because my coffee was threatening to come back out the way it went in.

  “This is sick.”

  “You haven’t seen anything yet.” Charles logged out of this account, then logged back in with another email address. “This is even creepier.”

  I watched as a picture of a girl, who looked to be about seventeen appeared in the profile at the top of the page. “No freaking way, he’s preying on boys, too?”

  “I don’t think so, but he’s using this profile to lure others in.” Charles prowled around the site some, and stopped on a comment from a younger boy.

  I sat back and stopped looking at the computer screen. “But this is all Internet stuff. Couldn’t he get in trouble for being on this site at work?”

  “I don’t know for sure that he logged on at work. I haven’t looked into it that much. The date stamps on the site tell me enough. What I got from the flash drive was the logins and passwords.” Charles typed in something that brought up another log.

  “What’s this?”

  “His phone logs.” Charles slowed the page a bit.

  I leaned forward to look. “I think I’m going to vomit.”

  “Me, too.” Charles shut the whole thing down just as Gemma knocked on the open door.

  “You have a visitor,” Gemma said flatly. She walked away without announcing the visitor.

  I sort of hoped it was Sebastian, but at the same time I hoped it wasn’t. I didn’t know if I was ready to face him. I blushed again just thinking about making out with a man so young. I realized that when I was a high school senior, he was eight years old. I shivered. Thinking like that was creepy. I had to remember, we were both experienced, consenting adults.

  When I walked into the reception area, no one was there. “Gemma?”

  “What?”

  “You said we had a visitor.”

  She pointed toward my office without looking up from her file. Oh, yeah, she was still pissed at being left out.

  I entered my office and saw Nick standing at the window, looking out toward the front yard. My breath caught. I know it shouldn’t have, but it did.

  “Hey,” I said.

  Nick looked back at me. “You got a minute?”

  I went to my desk and sat. Just for fun, I pulled out and unwrapped a chocolate. “Would you like one?”

  “What is it?” Nick came over to the desk and leaned across.

  His freshly showered scent made my mind swirl. The chocolate in my mouth suddenly tasted like him, just the way he’d tasted the night we made out so many months ago.

  “Are you going to tell me what it is?” Nick said.

  I came out of my aroma-induced trance and handed him a chocolate. “Peruvian chocolates.”

  Nick took the piece I offered and sniffed. “This smells better than your average chocolate.”

  “It sure does. Sebastian sent the selection of chocolates and some wine this morning.” Oops, did I say that?

  Nick handed back the candy. “Smells good, but no thanks.”

  Charles grabbed the chocolate from Nick’s hand. “Then I’ll take it.”

  “So Charles, what did you get?” Nick said.

  “I got a piece of chocolate, and Mimi got a nice piece of ass to give her some chocolate.” Charles grinned, but Nick didn’t think it was so funny.

  “What can we do for you, Detective Christianson?” This had to be police business, or he wouldn’t have been at Gotcha.

  Nick settled into the chair across from me. “What did you get from the flash drive used to gut Garrison’s computer?”

  “We didn’t gut his computer.” Charles plopped down next to Nick. He had a look that said, “This is going to be fun.”

  “I can’t get anything off of it. His laptop has some very nice security on it. I haven’t been able to get past the login.”

  I watched as Charles savored his chocolate, one small bite at a time, and contemplated Nick’s words. “Who else is doing your forensics these days?”

  “I’m not at liberty to say.” Nick crossed his arms. “What did you find from the work computer?”

  Charles mimicked Nick and crossed his arms. “I’m not at liberty to say.”

  Nick smiled, and looked at me. I smiled back.

  Nick pointed at his teeth. “You have some chocolate…”

  I ran my tongue over my teeth and resisted the urge to go look in a mirror.

  Charles unfolded his arms and leaned in close to Nick. “Damn, you always smell so good.”

  I nodded.

  “Not going to work, Charles,” Nick hissed.

  “What? You smell good. Jeez.” Charles leaned even closer. “You help me, and I’ll help you.”

  “Help you how?”

  “Tit for tat. Tell me what you have on the case, and I’ll tell you what I’ve found.”

  Nick looked at me again. I didn’t even bother to smile. Mostly because I wasn’t sure I’d gotten all of the chocolate off my teeth.

  Charles broke the silence. “I’ll even help you get into his laptop.”

  Nick blew out a breath. “The M.E. says he was bludgeoned with something that had a pattern, like a lead crystal vase, or carved wood.”

  “So, the so called weapon in the back of my truck, wasn’t the murder weapon?” I spat the words.

  “It was a murder weapon, all right,” Charles said, before Nick could answer. “I killed a freaking cat with it.”

  I was appalled. “What?”

  “Someone ran over the cat in the street, but it wasn’t dead. I couldn’t watch it suffer, so I bashed its head in.” Charles looked sickened by the memory.

  “Yes, that’s what the lab tests revealed. It was cat hair and blood on the bat.”

  I was livid. “So let Jackie out of jail!”

  Nick glowered. “I don’t tell you how to do your job, don’t tell me how to do mine.”

  Charles made a T sign with his hands. “Time out, children.”

  We both stared at Charl
es. He’d shut us up.

  “There is still the issue of Jackie’s prints in several places in the house.”

  “We were headed to see her this morning. Is that possible?” Charles had relaxed a bit, too.

  “Sure, but can we take care of this information first?”

  “The only thing I’ve found so far is the logins and passwords to his social accounts. He’s got several aliases that he uses to flirt with tweens and teens. Seems he likes twelve to fourteen-year-olds.”

  “Sick bastard.” I didn’t realize I’d said it aloud until Nick looked at me.

  “I just don’t understand how a pedophile’s mind works. I look at girls that age, and the way their parents let them dress, and I think, ‘Put some clothes on,’ not ‘Wow, I’d like to see you naked.’”

  “I didn’t even think, ‘Wow, I want to see you naked,’ when I was their age.” Charles tried to lighten the moment.

  “Tell us something we don’t know.”

  Nick stood. “I’ll meet you at the station. You can talk to Jackie. Maybe she knows something she’s not telling me. And then we can get a look at Garrison’s laptop.”

  “I’ll set up a flash drive so you’ll have all of his login information. There’s a lot more there than just what Mimi and I saw this morning.”

  Nick and I snapped our heads in Charles’s direction at the same time. In stereo we said, “There is?”

  CHAPTER 9

  When the police officer opened the cell Jackie was in, I ran in and hugged her tight. She hugged me back, but didn’t say anything. I could feel her shaking. I said, “I’m sorry.”

  She pulled away and looked at me. “Nothing to be sorry for. How are the twins?”

  “They’re good. I picked them up and took them to my house. I told them you were working on a job, wouldn’t get home until late, and you couldn’t call from where you were.”

  “And they believed you?” She laughed.

  “Probably not, but I bribed them with pizza, and all was good.”

  “Thanks for taking care of them.” I could see a tear in her eye.

  “It’s good for me to see what I’m not missing.” After a night with teens, I wasn’t so sure about being a mom.

  “It’s a hard life, but someone has to procreate.”

  “We couldn’t find anything to get you released, and Nick swore you were spending the night, no matter what.” I looked behind me to see if Nick was in range. “He’s being such an ass.”

  Jackie sat on the cot and patted the seat next to her. I sat down. The cot was more comfortable than I expected, but I wouldn’t want to sleep on it.

  “Nick’s just doing his job.” She smiled a bit. “Did he talk to you last night?”

  “Yeah, he came by to make sure I wasn’t mad about you being detained, which of course I was.” Just thinking about it made my blood boil.

  “Did he talk to you about anything else?” Jackie’s smile broadened.

  I just looked at her. I had no idea what she was getting at.

  “He brought me General Tso’s chicken last night, along with some pork fried rice. I thought maybe he asked you about my favorite takeout food.”

  Maybe he wasn’t such an ass after all. “Charles must have told him. He didn’t have much to say to me. Sebastian stopped by while he was there.”

  “So I heard. He bought enough dinner for two, and we talked about you and Sebastian while we ate.”

  I nearly choked on my own spit. “Excuse me?”

  Jackie laughed. “Oh girl, he’s got it bad for you.”

  “No, he’s got it bad for his new partner. You’ve seen her; she’s a goddess. I hate her.” I had to stop thinking like that. Hate is a very bad thing.

  Jackie shook her head. “Don’t be so sure about that. He asked me a hundred questions about what you’ve been doing in the last few months, how long you’ve been seeing ‘Vampire Boy,’ and what the hell you see in him.”

  Now I was smiling. “What did you tell him?”

  “I said your private life is your business. And then I explained that he had a chance, but he disappeared right after the Bailey murder. That maybe he should have stayed around a bit, wooing you with his good looks, and servicing you the way you need it. Then you wouldn’t have to get your sex from a vampire wannabe.”

  “Please tell me you didn’t say I was having sex with Sebastian.” Secretly, I hoped she did.

  “I didn’t come right out and say it, but I implied it. I hope that was okay.” She bumped me with her shoulder.

  “Whatever. Nick is the past, just like he was all those years ago. I’m not letting him get to me again.” I stood. “So, let’s get out of here.”

  Jackie didn’t move. “Honey, I’m stuck here for the duration, remember? They think I bashed that creep’s head in.”

  I grabbed her hand and pulled her up. “Not anymore. They have your prints at the scene, but that’s it. We are outta here.”

  Jackie jumped up and hugged me tight. “Really? I’m a free woman?”

  I grabbed her and held her at arm’s distance. “Besides, you need a shower in a big way.”

  I stood with Jackie as she signed her release papers, then an officer escorted us to the homicide division, where Nick and Charles were dissecting a laptop.

  Charles’s head was down close to the computer screen, as if he was listening for something.

  “Anything?” Nick asked. He looked flustered.

  Charles looked up. “Too many distractions and way too much background noise. I just can’t get it.”

  “I thought you could break into any computer,” Nick mocked.

  “This guy is good. I mean he’s got, or had, his life to protect. I’m sure he has blocks and firewalls in layers. I just can’t get through them without my diagnostic equipment.” Charles slammed the laptop shut.

  “Well, beating up the computer isn’t going to make it give up its secrets,” Jackie said.

  Charles’s mood did a one-eighty. “Sweetie!” He jumped up and hugged her. “Orange is so not your color.”

  Jackie squeezed Charles tight and whispered in his ear. “I will never even look at this color again.”

  Everyone, including Nick, laughed.

  Then Nick had to go and ruin the moment. “Don’t go out of town, Jackie.”

  Jackie stepped away from Charles and walked over and kissed Nick on the cheek. “Thanks for everything. I’m guessing that was the nicest stay anyone ever had in one of those cells.”

  Nick looked down at his paperwork. “Sure.”

  I wanted to be mad at Nick, but everyone was making it so difficult, especially Jackie, and she’s the one who should’ve been the maddest.

  “I’m going to talk to Catey, just like I said I would. There won’t be any sweeping this under the rug.”

  Nick looked up and past us. I turned in the direction he was staring. Piper had walked into the homicide division, her face grim.

  She leaned in close to Nick’s ear and whispered, “We have a problem.”

  Nick jumped up from his chair. “You three, stay here. Don’t go anywhere.” Then directly to me, “And don’t go nosing through my stuff.”

  Who, me?

  Nick followed Piper from the room. I think Jackie, Charles and I were too scared to speak. The look on Piper’s face told a terrifying tale.

  Minutes later, Nick came back, without Piper. His skin was ashen.

  “Charles, can I see you alone for a minute?”

  Charles looked at me, as if questioning if I was okay with it. I took Jackie by the arm, and we walked out to the main room of the cop shop.

  Jackie leaned in close. “What the hell?”

  I looked over my shoulder at the closed door. “Not sure, but I know it’s not good. Did you see his face?”

  Piper approached with two cups of coffee. “Ladies.”

  Too stunned to refuse, we both took the cups. “Thanks.” I wrapped my hands around the paper cup.

  Piper whispered, “The
re’s a girl missing.”

  Jackie sat hard against the table next to us. “Please tell me it’s not what I think.”

  “I shouldn’t be telling you this, but they ran the logs on the girl’s cell phone. William Garrison’s phone number was on the log. The girl has been missing since yesterday.”

  Jackie stood abruptly, knocking over her coffee, but completely ignoring the mess. “She’s been missing more than a day, and the parents are just now calling about it?”

  Piper gestured to a rookie cop, “Hey, Stewart, can you get some paper towels over here?”

  Stewart, moving at the pace of January molasses, went for the paper towels.

  Piper sat at the table, so Jackie and I sat, too. “No, she’s been in the system since yesterday. She’s not the runaway type, so we put out a BOLO as soon as the parents called. There’s been an Amber Alert out since yesterday. They just found the match on the cell phone logs and called me.”

  “How did they know to call you?” I asked.

  “The name William Garrison is on everyone’s lips, so when the match came through…”

  “Where’s the bathroom?” Jackie could barely stand up straight.

  Piper grabbed the paper towels from Stewart. “Take her to the bathroom, quickly.”

  Stewart half-glared at Piper as he took Jackie by the elbow and led her to the bathroom.

  “Does this mean…” I felt sick, but I wasn’t going to show it.

  “We don’t know what it means. Garrison may have nothing to do with the girl’s disappearance.” She didn’t look like she felt it in her bones.

  Before Jackie came back from the bathroom, Charles exited the homicide division with Garrison’s laptop, and Nick, in tow.

  “We need to get a move on. Suddenly, time is of the essence.” Charles bolted past me toward the entrance of the police station.

  Piper glanced at Nick, then at Charles. “Um, chain of evidence?”

  Nick said, “Don’t worry about it.”

  Piper stood to full height, stepped in front of Charles before he got to the door. “Hold up.” To Nick she said, “You aren’t going to fuck this up. We need a chain of evidence.”

  “Look, Detective, I’ve been doing this a lot longer than you have, and I’m your senior officer, so don’t tell me how to do my job.” I swear Nick hissed.