by Tawny Taylor
Mandy risked a dash back to the pool house. No lights. She peered in the window, spying two forms, one male the other female, in an embrace.
Yes! At last, she had this guy.
But dammit, she had no way to nail him. She stuffed her hands into her pockets, wishing she had a camera.
She visually searched the pool house’s open space for Sarah. No Sarah. She guessed she might be hiding in a bathroom somewhere. With no other choice, she took a position along the darkest side of the building, where she could watch for Sarah when she snuck out.
Twenty minutes later, she was still waiting.
Ten minutes after that, a muffled scream cut through the silence.
Thirty seconds later, Sarah put those running shoes of hers to the test, making record time in the hundred-yard dash. Clark came stumbling after her, his pants down around his knees. She vaulted the fence in a single bound and disappeared from sight. Clark hauled his pants up and followed, but Sarah had a solid head start on him. There was no chance he’d catch her. Mandy didn’t move, knowing Clark’s lover was somewhere close by. She held her breath and watched, eyes sharp, heart pounding. Finally, the woman scampered back in the direction from which she’d come, hopping the fence. This time, Mandy paid attention to where she went.
Into the house next door.
Aha. She could now find out a name.
Ironically, thanks to Sarah, she was going to earn that retainer Clark’s soon-to-be-rich ex-wife had paid her.
She headed back to her car, figuring Sarah would eventually meet her there. Five minutes later, Sarah was giving Mandy a blow-by-blow description of what had happened inside the pool house. Looking oh so proud, Sarah waved her phone. “And I’ve got proof! That bastard’s busted.”
“I can’t believe you pulled it off. I’ve got to hand it to you, Sarah. You’ve got nerve.”
“Thank you. Coming from you, that means a lot. So, does that mean I get the promotion?”
“I’ll have to think about that. What time is your cop off the clock?” Mandy asked, driving them back to the office. She was anxious to take a good look at the pictures on Sarah’s phone, see if she’d managed to take any quality shots.
“Midnight. Want to go have a drink?” Sarah asked as they pulled into the office parking lot. She tipped her head at the restaurant a few doors down.
“I don’t know ...”
“I’m buying. Come on. I’m in the mood to celebrate.”
“What’re you celebrating?”
“The bonus you’re going to give me when we close the Clark case.” Sarah gave Mandy a big Cheshire-cat grin and bounded out of the car.
15
Mandy groaned.
Mandy sighed.
Mandy shook her head.
If it wasn’t for the two beers she’d had, she might actually be disappointed. Mandy handed Sarah back her phone. “There isn’t a single useful shot here.”
Sarah’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Are you sure?” she slurred. Sarah’d had a lot more than two beers. “I thought I had at least one good one.”
“I’m sure. Take a look.” Mandy leaned to the right to allow Sarah to look over her shoulder at her laptop’s screen. A cloud of alcohol-laced air wafted over her.
“Oh. I guess I wasn’t holding my hand very still.” Sarah straightened. “But in my defense, it isn’t easy holding your hand perfectly still when you’re running. And it isn’t easy aiming for a target in the dark either. I was shooting blind, as they say.” Sarah waved her hand. “Doesn’t matter. We can go back tomorrow.”
“I have a feeling they won’t be going for any more midnight swims after tonight.”
“Damn.” Sarah plunked down on her butt. “That’s okay. We’ll get ’em.” She flung one knee over the other. “What time is it?”
Mandy checked the clock on her computer. “A quarter after twelve.”
“Shit. I’m late.” Sarah staggered to her feet. “Where’d I leave my purse?”
“Hold up.” Since Mandy’d had only two beers, versus Sarah’s two beers and three shots of tequila, she beat Sarah to the keys. “You’re in no condition to drive anywhere.”
“But I’m supposed to meet ... um ... Whatshisname at midnight.”
“You’ll have to make plans for another night.”
“No, I won’t. You can drive me home. I’ll call him.” Listing to the left, Sarah dug a slip of paper out of her purse, then poked at the numbers on her cell phone. “Hello? Hello? Is this the sexy police officer I met at Buca’s? I have your handcuffs. Wanna play?” Sarah’s face wrinkled up. “What do you mean I have the wrong number?” She poked a button, cutting off the call. “That bastard! He pretended he didn’t know who I was.”
“It’s probably for the better.” Mandy threw an arm over her drunk friend’s shoulder. “I think there’s a reason why you got tanked tonight, and it doesn’t have anything to do with celebrating the bonus I’m paying you.”
“So, you are still paying me the bonus?” Her friend turned watery, bloodshot eyes her way. “Even though the pictures sucked?” Sarah threw her arms around Mandy’s neck. “You are the best boss in the world. I love you.” She started sobbing on Mandy’s shoulder.
“I love you, too, hon.” Mandy patted her blubbering friend on the back.
Several minutes later, after she’d stopped crying, Sarah said, “You’re right. I got drunk because I was scared.”
“I kind of figured that out.”
“I haven’t been with another man in four years. I mean, I haven’t had actual intercourse without Eric being there with me. I don’t know if I can do it. I don’t know if I can start over with someone else. Someone new.” She dragged the back of her hand across her tear-smudged face.
“You need to give yourself some time.” Mandy steered Sarah toward the door, figuring it was past time to get her home. Better to do it now, while Sarah was upright and moving. Once she crashed, it would be impossible to get her anywhere. Especially since Sarah outweighed her by at least thirty pounds.
Sarah wobbled outside with Mandy, using her for support. They made it to Mandy’s car. Mandy held Sarah upright with one hand while opening the car door with the other. After she had Sarah inside, she rounded the car and slid into the driver’s seat.
“Love sucks. Yeah, yeah,” Sarah sang.
“I think it’s ‘Love Stinks,’ ” Mandy corrected, starting the car.
“That it does.” Sarah’s head flopped back. “Whatever you do, don’t ever fall in love. Men are good for only one thing—and it sure the hell isn’t commitment.”
“Thanks for the advice.”
“What happened to the fancy restaurants? This place is beyond creepy,” Sarah grumbled the next evening as she trotted across the trash-strewn parking lot toward the dilapidated building. Granted, after Sarah had made such a mess of things last night, Mandy had sworn that she’d never take Sarah along again. But when it had come time to head out tonight, Mandy couldn’t stomach the thought of going alone.
The truth was, whenever she was by herself, especially in a quiet place, she still kept thinking about Zane. Even now, after almost a week, she couldn’t stop wondering what had happened. His non-excuse had been confusing, frustrating. But because they’d been no more than casual lovers, she hadn’t felt like she could demand a better explanation.
With the exception of last night—she’d crashed the minute her head had hit the pillow—she’d had a horrible time falling asleep.
“Hey, you know this job isn’t all five-star restaurants,” Mandy said, stepping over a used condom lying in a puddle.
Sarah shook her hands like a little girl seeing her first earthworm. “Ew! I think we might catch something just by walking into the place.”
Highly amused by Sarah’s squeamishness, Mandy pointed out, “You wanted to be a PI... .”
“Yeah.”
“You know what kinds of places I’ve had to go into before.”
“Sure, but it’s differen
t now.” Sarah tiptoed around an overturned cup.
“How’s that?”
“Because now I’m going into these places, too.”
“Would you rather go back to answering the phones?”
Sarah stopped walking. “Can you give me a few minutes to think about it?”
“No. Let’s go. Whether you like it or not, you’re with me now. We’re going in.” Realizing Sarah had fallen behind, Mandy waved over her shoulder. “Come on, this place isn’t so bad.”
“This place is worse than bad. I mean, look at it.” Sarah swept an arm in a wide arc.
Mandy could agree it was probably the most disgusting dump she’d ever laid eyes on. But this was her job. This was what had to be done.
“Why would a guy like Nickerson bring a girl here? He has money. And he’s already proven he doesn’t mind spending it.”
“Maybe his wife tightened the purse strings.”
“She’d have to pull them so tight he couldn’t squeeze more than a handful of pennies. Shit, it would probably be better to just go park somewhere and have sex in his car.”
“Maybe she’s been checking his car, too.”
“The poor bastard.” Sarah shook her head. “Having to resort to this?”
Mandy halted midstep. “Tell me you’re not feeling sorry for him.”
“Well...”
“Sarah. What did I tell you was the number-one rule?” She continued up to the building’s front entrance.
Behind her, Sarah recited, “ ‘Just do the job. Don’t take sides. Don’t get emotionally involved.’ But I’m not getting emotionally involved. I’m just ... disturbed.”
“Get undisturbed.” Mandy covered her hand with her sleeve, grasped the motel office’s door handle, and pulled, holding it open for Sarah. “Ladies first.”
Sarah shuffled inside, hanging back by the door.
Mandy strolled up to the counter, smiling at the dark-complexioned man behind the safety glass. Please tell me he speaks English. “Good afternoon, sir.”
“You and girlfriend want room?” he asked in broken English.
“Oh, no—”
“She not girlfriend?”
“No. We’re here—”
The clerk’s eyes narrowed. “Friend want date?”
“No. I’m sure she doesn’t ‘want date.’ ”
“Too bad.” The man frowned. “What you want?”
“We’re looking for someone who just checked in.”
“Sorry. Don’t know him.” The man backed away from the counter.
“Wait. You haven’t even seen a picture yet.”
“No matter,” the guy sneered. “But maybe I remember if friend go on date. With me.”
“Are you kidding me?” Sarah spat.
“Not happening,” Mandy said, shoving a ten-dollar bill through the opening in the smudged barrier between her and the disgusting, horny clerk. “How about a date with Hamilton?”
“No, thanks.” The clerk took the money.
“Do you like threesomes? How about two more Hamiltons to sweeten the deal?” This time Mandy just waved the bills in front of the man’s face.
The man’s lips pinched.
Mandy shoved the bills back in her wallet. “Your loss. You could’ve had a threesome... .” She looped her elbow through Sarah’s and walked her outside.
“That got us nowhere,” Sarah said, grimacing.
“It rarely does. But that doesn’t stop me from trying.” Mandy led Sarah back to the car. They took their respective places, she behind the steering wheel, Sarah in the passenger’s seat.
“What now?” Sarah asked.
“We’ll drive around back, find Nickerson’s car, and do things the hard way.”
A cluster of young, threatening men walked by. Pants hanging off their asses. Hats backward. They leered. Sarah scowled. “Are you sure this is safe?”
“It isn’t. But I have my gun.”
“That’s fine and dandy for you. I don’t have a gun.”
“And you won’t carry one until you learn to use one safely.”
“What are you trying to say? It wasn’t my fault I shot that guy in the ass last year. He stepped in the way after I pulled the trigger.”
“You shouldn’t have been pulling the trigger at all. Not in a store.”
Sarah smacked her arms across her chest. “Yeah, well, he shouldn’t have had ammunition in the gun, either. Who keeps a loaded gun in a shop? Isn’t that like the first rule of gun sales?”
“That, I will agree with. It shouldn’t have been loaded. But still, the first thing you learn about gun safety is never to point a gun at anyone unless you’re prepared to shoot.”
“Consider that lesson learned.”
They cruised around the dumpy single-story, U-shaped building until they located Nickerson’s car, parked behind a line of overflowing Dumpsters at the far end of the lot.
“I’m guessing he’s in one of these back units.” Glad each motel room had its own entry outside, exactly like the Red Roof Inn, Mandy parked around the corner from the south-facing wing of the building. She grabbed a camera and shoved her gun into the waist of her pants before getting out of the car. “Stay close to me. God only knows what we’ll run into back here.” Trying not to be too obvious, Mandy strolled along the front of the west-facing units, peering through gaping curtains. She saw a lot more than she would have cared to, on more than one occasion, but she didn’t see Nickerson.
When she reached the south end of the building, she glanced over her shoulder, looking for Sarah, who had stopped a few units back. She was gaping like a landed fish.
“Pssst!” Mandy waved a hand.
Sarah turned widened eyes toward Mandy.
“Come on.” Mandy motioned with a hand. “You need to stay with me.”
Sarah jogged over to her, whispering. “Did you see what I did?”
“I did.”
“That’s ... disturbing.” Sarah wasn’t exaggerating. There’d been a dog in that room. A big Doberman. And from what Mandy had seen, it wasn’t there for security purposes. “I need to disinfect my eyes—and my brain—after seeing that. Isn’t that animal cruelty?”
“From the looks of the man who was being serviced by the dog, maybe.”
Sarah gagged.
Mandy practically gagged, too. “We don’t have time to worry about any potential animal abuse right now. We need to catch Nickerson in the act. Help me check these rooms.”
Peering in a hazy window, Sarah asked, “Are we going to bust the door down when we find them?”
“Not if we can avoid it.”
They made it to the end of the south-facing wing of the motel without seeing any more bestiality. That was a good thing. But they didn’t find Nickerson either.
“That is his car. He’s here somewhere.” Sighing, Mandy headed toward the corner. “You’d think he’d take one of those units in the back, where he’d be less likely to be found.”
“Unless he doesn’t care, or doesn’t expect to be found.”
Mandy halted.
Sarah bumped into her from behind.
Mandy did a one-eighty, pushing Sarah back around the corner.
“What’s wrong?” Sarah asked, stumbling.
“Those guys we saw earlier are huddled in front of one of the units. And I think I saw a gun.”
“Where?” Sarah poked her head around the corner.
Mandy yanked on her arm.
Sarah didn’t budge.
Mandy took a peek, too.
One of the guys gave a signal, then kicked in the door. Suddenly, the air filled with the pop, pop, pop of gunfire.
Frozen in place, Mandy watched as the three men dashed back out of the room. The ringleader looked right at her, shoved his gun into the back of his pants, then strolled away as if nothing had happened.
“Ohmygod,” Sarah mumbled.
“One of them saw us,” Mandy said.
“What should we do?” Sarah was wringing shaking han
ds. Her face was the color of milk.
“We saw what happened. We need to call the police.” Mandy wobbled on shaky legs back around the south end of the motel, making a beeline for her car.
“But what if those guys find out who we are?”
“Chances are they won’t. How would they?”
“I don’t know.” Sarah counted off the possibilities with her fingers. “First, they could find our car. Look up our license plate...”
“Do you really think they’d go to that much trouble? Or have access to that kind of information?”
“Probably not. At least, not on the latter.”
Back at the car, Mandy plopped into the driver’s seat, grabbed her cell phone, and dialed 911. The line rang fifteen times. She was about to hang up and redial when the line clicked and an operator said, “Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?”
Mandy blurted the basics and followed up with a few details. The operator told her a unit had been dispatched and thanked her and ended the call.
Mandy stared at her phone. “Well, I guess that’s that.”
Sarah, sitting beside her and looking anxiously out the window, still hadn’t regained much of her color. “Do we need to wait?”
“I think we should.”
“What if the men come back? What if they see us? What if they decide to shoot us before we get a chance to give our report ?”
“Hmmm.” Mandy started the car. She wasn’t a big fan of being shot. And she didn’t want to risk being seen in her car by a felon with a loaded gun. A license plate might offer them some way to track her down, if they were so inclined. And yet, she wanted to do the right thing. “What if we drove to the police station? We could give our statements there. Chance are, the shooters aren’t hanging around outside the city administration buildings.”
“Good point. O-okay. I guess that would be all right.” Sarah strapped on her seat belt.
Mandy shifted the vehicle into gear, and it rolled toward the road. “Would you rather I take you home first?”
“Yes, I’d rather you take me home first. But if I go home and let you report the crime, that would make me a spineless chickenshit. And, even as scared as I am, I don’t want to be that.”
“Okay. So we’ll go file a report?”
