Andy, being a good cop, must have had that instilled into him from an early age. And Cathleen had been with the man forever, so she was bound to have picked up some of his legendary traits. Poor Cathleen. She had lost her life partner, and was still appearing to be strong for her family.
Familiar feelings began to return to her, the ones she had been experiencing ever since Coop’s murder. The ‘what if’s,’ as they were known. What if she had called Coop sooner? What if she had put the blues and twos on a little earlier? What if she had gone a different route that day? What if. What if. What if. Stop! she chastised herself inwardly. No matter how much she blamed herself, it wouldn’t bring him back. She found herself staring at the casket again, covered with the stars and stripes.
The service came to an end, and the mourners began to disperse, all eager to get to the diner and pay their respects to the family at the wake. Maria stayed at a respectful distance as she followed the Coopers to their waiting vehicles. As Cathleen approached the lead vehicle, Maria noticed three dark-suited figures standing to the left. She blinked to clear her still slightly blurred vision and took another look. She was surprised to see Franco Baresi and his bodyguards. What were they doing here? And what surprised her even more was to see Cathleen break from the family and be enveloped by a hug from the known gangster, without so much as a batted eyelid from her superior officers in close proximity.
She watched intently as the pair embraced for a few moments, then Baresi signaled to Andy and Chris to join them for a group hug. Again, no one flinched at the sight of a top-ranking mobster embracing a leading detective and his family. Sure, it was a sad time and emotions were running high, but—
“You okay?” Travis interrupted her thinking.
“What?” She looked at him. “Yes, fine.” She nodded and looked back at the group, who had separated and were heading for their vehicles. “Come on. Let’s get to the diner,” she said as she walked away, keeping her eye on Baresi. “I need a drink.”
***
Maria and Travis stood away from the crowd, watching the mourners pass on their condolences to Cathleen and the rest of the family as they filed into the diner. The place was becoming pretty congested, and it wouldn’t be long before the doors would have to be closed, and late arrivals would have to stay outside in the parking lot.
“Apart from when you were working with me,” she broke the silence between them, “had you ever heard of Coop?”
“I’ve got to be honest.” He sipped his drink. “I had heard a few stories. All good, and making the guy sound like a mythical legend.”
“Yeah? Well, let me tell you. The guy was, and always will be a legend,” she said, as if informing of a fact.
“Hey, you’ll get no argument from me there.” He waved his glass around. “You only have to look at this turnout for him to realize how special he was.”
“Well, I can only hope I get to being half as good as he was…” She stopped talking when she saw Cathleen approaching.
This was the moment she had been dreading more than anything. Apart from Andy, she had not had a chance to speak to her or any of the family since the shooting. Her heart began pounding and she passed her drink to Travis, who respectfully stepped away a little to give them some privacy. The two women looked at each other for a couple of seconds. Maria’s promise to herself that she would not break down in front of any of the family went straight out the window. She lurched forward and grabbed her, hugging her like she was never going to let go.
“I’m so sorry. Cathleen!” She began sobbing. “I feel so responsible for this; I shouldn’t have encouraged him. You have to believe I never thought for one second anything like this would happen.”
Cathleen broke free of the younger woman’s grasp just enough to make eye contact. She gently cupped Maria’s face, placing her hands on either side and wiping away her tears with her thumbs.
“Don’t you blame yourself, child. That stubborn old fool would have found a way to get involved in something.” She paused and smiled. “You know, he actually thought I didn’t know when he was doing his private investigating.”
“You knew?” she asked between sobs. A smile began to form as she thought about how Coop thought he was being clever by hiding those things from his wife.
“Of course I knew.” She shrugged. “It bothered me at first, but then I realized, that was who he was. The only time he was truly happy was when he was working something.” She stopped again. A different kind of smile formed. She moved in and lowered her voice. “Besides, when he was doing something, it was like he was alive again. It was like he was that young, virile cop I first met.” She winked at Maria. “If you catch my drift.”
Maria’s cheeks reddened as the realization of what she was being told sank in. “Oh . . . I . . . erm . . . I see,” she flustered.
Cathleen laughed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to embarrass you. It seems like an eternity since I last laughed.” She removed her hands from the detective’s face and placed them on her shoulders. “Thank you for that.”
Maria had an awkward look on her face. She tried to avoid eye contact with the older woman by looking down at the floor.
“Could I ask one favor?” Cathleen asked.
“Of course,” she said, looking up at her. “Anything you need.”
“Well, first off, will you keep an eye on Andrew for me? He is not as mentally strong as he makes out. Plus, he’s going to have to be strong for the girls. I just fear he may be storing his grief and have a meltdown at some stage.” She sighed.
“Of course,” she said. “Although I think he’s tougher than you give him credit for.”
“Oh, I know he’s a tough and hardened cop, but, I know my son. And I know this will affect him more than he’ll let on.” She looked at Andy, then back at Maria.
“Well, I’ll be there if he needs to talk,” she reassured her.
“One more thing. My door is always open to you.” She swept her arm around the diner. “As, of course, is this place. Don’t be a stranger, you hear?”
“Loud and clear.” She leaned in and hugged her again. “You’ll have to brick this place up to keep me away.” The two women embraced and when they stopped, Cathleen again took Maria’s head in her hands and kissed her on the forehead. Then she dropped her hands to gently hold the younger woman’s hands for a second or two before giving them a squeeze, and walking off to face more mourners.
“That looked intense,” Travis said, as he awkwardly stepped forward to pass her drink back to her.
“Yeah, it was.” She let out a heavy sigh. “Listen, I need to get out of here.”
“Are you okay?” He looked concerned.
“Not really. This place is a little too much for me today.” She looked around the diner at all the mourners. “I keep expecting to see the old man come out of the kitchen, and it’s going to drive me to drink.” She focused on Jen, who was still sobbing. “You know what?” She looked at him. “Fuck it, I need to get wasted.” Then turned her attention back to Jen.
“Good God, not you?” The sarcasm in his voice was very apparent. “Surely I misheard you? You want to get wasted?” He laughed.
Maria’s body went tense. Her face lost all expression and she snapped her head back to stare wildly into his eyes. “What did you just say?”
“I was just joking.” He fumbled his words. “Because you haven’t been drinking . . . ”
“No, seriously, what did you say?” she demanded.
He frowned and looked confused. “I said, ‘Surely I misheard you—’”
“No, no that,” she interrupted him. “What you said before that.”
“What? The ‘Good God, not you’ thing?”
“That’s it!” she said in a raised voice, which drew everybody’s attention to them. She stared at him. Her mind was racing.
“Maria, are you okay?” he asked, as he put his hand on her shoulder.
She quickly looked around and noticed they were being watched, so
she grabbed his arm to turn their backs on the room. “I heard Coop say that on the phone when he was shot, ‘Oh God, not you’,” she said in a lowered voice.
Travis had a blank expression. “I don’t follow.”
“Don’t you get it? He knew who shot him!” She paused and looked around her surroundings. “Look, let’s get out of here; I need to run something by you.”
They turned around to see Andy walking towards them.
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
“Fine, I just think I need to get out of here.” She embraced him.
“You sure you’re okay?” He held her away by her shoulders.
“The… err… the emotion is getting to me.” She looked at him closely for the first time that day. Perhaps Cathleen was right about him. He looked disheveled. His eyes had black rings under them and they were bloodshot.
“Okay. You know the old guy had a real soft spot for you,” he said, and pulled her in for another hug. “Thank you, for being here today.”
“You know I wouldn’t have been anywhere else today.” She hugged him tighter. “I’m so sorry for your loss, partner.” She released her grip and stepped back.
“It’s been a long day.” He nodded to the rest of the family. “I’m about ready to get Mom and the girls out of here. Then I’m going to sit on my porch and get good and drunk.”
“You want company?” she asked.
“Not today. Jack Daniels is the only person I want to talk to.” He attempted a smile.
“I hear what you’re saying, but if you change your mind, give me a call.” She patted him on the shoulder. “See you on Monday.”
“You bet.” He winked at her. “You take care of her,” he said to Travis, and walked away to join his family.
“Come on, let’s get out of here,” she said, and led them outside to the fresh air of the parking lot.
***
The waitress was speedy in both taking their order and returning with their drinks. She placed the beer bottles on the table and left Maria and Travis sitting in silence for a while, enjoying the cool, fresh air conditioning of the bar and the refreshing taste of their first mouthful of alcohol. An awkward atmosphere developed between them as she went into deep thought, frowning every now and again, as if arguing with herself inwardly. It was Travis who broke the silence.
“So, are you going to tell me what’s going on?” he asked.
“Well, something has been bothering me about what I heard when I was on the phone to Coop,” she began. “I’ve run it over and over in my head a thousand times, but it wasn’t until you said that back there that I realized what I had missed.” She picked up her bottle and took a good swill of beer. “That’s when the light bulb went off. Two things struck me. First, Coop recognized his assailant. And, as far as I’m aware, no connection has been established between him and the dead guy.” She stopped and had finished off her beer before looking around for the waitress. “You think we can get two more beers over here?” she asked after making eye contact with her.
Travis looked at her empty, then at his own, which was still half-full, and quickly drained his in anticipation of the fresh ones arriving. “Okay, so what’s the second thing?”
“According to the coroner’s report, four shots were fired, which I heard.” She stopped as the waitress deposited the fresh drinks on the table. “Can we get two shots of bourbon to go with these, please?” The waitress nodded and left; Travis looked worried. “I have to admit, things were hazy at the time,” she continued. “What with the sirens blaring, screeching tires, and not forgetting I was on hands-free.” She took a mouthful of beer. “However, I’m sure I heard movement after the fourth shot. Like footsteps walking away.”
“Hmmm.” He rubbed his hand lightly over his chin. “Could it have been the kid?”
“That would explain it; but why would the kid return to the scene, then disappear again before we got there?” she answered.
“That’s a good point,” he conceded.
“We need to find that kid, and fast.” The shots of bourbon arrived. “He may have seen something that made him bolt the way he did.”
“So let me get this straight,” he said, as he put his elbows on the table and leaned forward. “You’re not going with the shootout scenario that forensics has presented?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I know I heard footsteps, and I’m certain this was staged to make it look like a shootout. Whoever did this had to make it look that way because Coop recognized him.” She lifted her shot glass and fired the alcohol down her throat before slamming the glass back on the table and signaling to the waitress for two more. “If I’m right, I owe this to Coop. If someone else is guilty of killing him, then they need to be held accountable.” She pointed to his bourbon. “Come on, drink.”
Travis looked at the shots. “I take it we’re really drinking tonight?”
The waitress arrived with a full bottle of bourbon in her hand. “Excuse me, may I ask, have come from the funeral at Coop’s Diner?”
“Yes, ma’am, we have,” Maria replied.
“In that case.” She placed the bottle on the table. “This is on the house.” She reached into the pocket of her apron, retrieved a handkerchief and wiped the tears that welled in her eyes. “That man was a true gentleman, and it’s a crying shame what has happened.”
“Oh no,” Maria tried to protest her generosity. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Oh yes I do,” she said adamantly. “He helped us out so many times. The day we opened these doors he came in and introduced himself. He gave us a gift, a good luck horseshoe, which we hung over the bar. And he said if we ever needed anything to just call him.”
“And did you?” Travis joined in.
“Never needed to.” She shrugged. “Whenever we had a problem, he always showed up. We asked him if he had a sixth sense and he always used to smile, tap the side of his nose with his finger and say ‘I have my sources.’” She laughed. “And he never asked for anything in return. I tell you, that man was something special in this community.” She turned to leave, then stopped and turned back to them. “Let me know if I can get you anything else, and don’t forget, it’s on the house.”
Maria grabbed the bottle and poured two shots. Putting the bottle down she raised her glass. “To Coop, and the justice he deserves.”
Travis followed suit and raised his. “To Coop.” He touched glasses with her and they both fired down the shots. “So, what’s the plan?”
“First thing tomorrow, we find that kid. We’re going to have to use all of your contacts, do whatever it takes. I need to talk to that kid.” She pointed at him. “Before whoever did this gets to him first.”
“You think that’s a possibility?” he asked.
“If this guy is capable of gunning down an ex-cop and staging it like he did, he’ll have no problem taking out that kid if he thinks he can ID him.”
The Genesis Chamber
Chapter 32
Early the following morning, Maria sat outside in the screened-off pool area of her ground-floor apartment, studying the information she had pulled up on her laptop. The dark sunglasses and a half-empty gallon of fresh orange juice were a tell-tale sign of her delicate state. She and Travis had certainly completed their mission of getting wasted last night. Leaving a bar before closing time was an alien concept to her, but that is exactly what they had done. But the drinking hadn’t stopped then. When they got back to her place she dug out the bottle of Jack Daniels she had kept in anticipation of a momentary relapse. With a mixture of heavy drinking and high emotions the inevitable happened, and they had slept well after their vigorous, drunken sex session.
When she awoke, the thought that she had heard footsteps and movement after the fourth shot was fired would not leave her mind. She got up to go over the report on the shooting and, so far, had read it three times, but still couldn’t work out what she was missing. Ironically, the one person she would normally turn to at times
like this was Coop.
She sat back and sipped her juice, staring at the screen. Her thoughts went back to that day. Why hadn’t she put the blues and twos on earlier? Maybe she would have got there sooner and he would still be alive. The look on Catherine’s face at the graveside flashed through her head. That woman deserved the truth, she told herself. And if someone else was involved she would bring them to justice. Her mind whirled with thoughts and memories until she was snatched back to reality by a noise from behind her. She turned around to see Travis at the patio doors that led to the kitchen, and burst out laughing.
He was wearing her pink robe that was at least two sizes too small for his muscular frame. His hair stuck up, which reminded her of a troll doll. His face was pale, the classic look of someone suffering from a monstrous hangover. He squinted and held his hand up to protect his severely bloodshot eyes from the bright morning sun.
“Morning,” was all he could manage, in a voice deep enough to make Barry White envious.
“Wow! You look hot!” she teased.
“Shhh… I feel like shit,” he whispered, and took her glass of juice from her. Before she could make any form of protest, the refreshing liquid was gone. “I need coffee.” He gasped for air, and passed the glass back to her. “Lots of strong, black coffee.” He eased himself into the seat next to her. “And food. I need food.”
“Get dressed. We can get something on the way.” She folded down the screen on her laptop.
“Okay. Wait; on the way where?” he asked.
“Sunny Glades.” She poured some more juice into the glass.
“The theme park.” He picked up the refilled glass. “Do I look in a fit state to be riding roller coasters today?”
“No. I want to check something out at the crime scene.” She stood up.
“It’s Sunday, I have the hangover from hell, and you want to go look at a parking lot?” He folded his arms and placed them on the table before gently resting his head on them.
“Yes. Are you coming or not?” She picked up the laptop.
The Genesis Chamber Page 24
