“Man, did I misjudge that woman.” Merl’s voice softened with chagrin. “I actually felt sorry for her because of her husband’s affair.”
“Some people can fool you. Listen, Merl—”
“Are you bringing her in?”
“Not until morning. Lock your doors, okay?”
“Why?”
“Just humor me. Vasquez might tip off his free ride.”
When she didn’t reply, he said, “Merl? Are you there?”
“I didn’t sell the video to Channel Eight. It’s true, I never said no. I was still considering the idea. They offered me a lot of money. But in the end, I couldn’t. I didn’t.”
Cody closed his eyes. “Why not?”
“Because some things are more important than money to me.” The sound of a dial tone echoed in his ear.
Cody replaced the receiver cursing himself as every sort of damn fool. He should consider himself lucky she was even speaking to him. He’d babbled on and on about trust, then hadn’t trusted her. Hadn’t trusted her or himself. Did they have any chance at happiness together?
He sure as hell would give it another try.
* * *
A FEW HOURS later, Cody glanced up at his partner’s surprised grunt. Per Montoya’s orders, they’d been digging through records for hours trying to find anything they might have missed.
But Jake shook his head. “Nothing.”
Cody grabbed another file as the phone rang. The only person he was interested in talking to was Merlene.
“Warren,” he said.
“Cody, this is D. J. Cooke.”
“D.J.” Cody settled back in his chair as Jake looked up with raised eyebrows at the name. “What can I do for you?”
“Have you talked to Merlene lately?”
Cody could tell the investigator was worried about something. “Couple of hours ago.”
“Did she fill you in on her, uh, results?”
“She’s been very helpful. Why?”
“Well, she was plenty steamed there for a while. I got concerned she might not tell you what she discovered.”
“So you were going to clue us in if she didn’t?” Cody held out his cup for his partner to fill when Jake rose to pour fresh coffee.
“Something like that,” D.J. replied. “I didn’t want her in trouble for withholding information. She’s really a fine young lady.”
“Thanks.” Cody suppressed a laugh at D.J.’s obvious attempt to set things straight for Merlene.
D.J. cleared his throat, and Cody knew the old-timer had something else to say. “Did you know that your dad and I were partners for two years?”
Cody sat up straight in his chair. “Yeah, I remember something about that.”
“Bill Warren was a good cop for most of his career, Cody. Don’t let anyone ever tell you different.”
“Don’t worry. Nobody so much as mentions his name around me.”
D.J. cleared his throat again. “Well, it’s damn awkward, you know.”
“I know.”
“Yeah, I imagine you do.”
Cody looked at the crumpled form in his hand and relaxed his fist as D.J. continued. “I remember how pleased he was when you decided to follow in his footsteps and enter the Academy. I’d made detective by then, but he came to my squad room to tell me. Never seen him so happy.”
“Then you’re one up on me,” Cody said, surprised he didn’t mind talking about his dad with the old P.I. “Seemed to me he was always angry.”
“Frustrated might be a better word. It ate at him bad that he couldn’t pass the sergeant’s exam. All his career plans kind of went up in smoke.”
“That’s no excuse for turning.”
“Maybe not, but his mom, your grandmother, was in a bad way financially, in danger of losing her home. Your dad couldn’t help out, and I think that’s what pushed him over.”
“I never heard anything about that,” Cody said after a moment.
“You were too young when it started. Anyway, your dad would be proud as hell to see you now. No matter what anyone says, Bill Warren loved his family.”
“Listen, D.J.—” Cody said as he accepted fresh coffee from Jake.
“I’ll shut up. I just thought you might want to hear a few nice words about your old man from someone who remembers the good times.”
“Yeah. Thanks,” Cody said.
“You bet. Now, why don’t you and purty Miss Merl make up?” D.J. said, hanging up before Cody could reply.
Cody shook his head as he digested D.J.’s revelation. So Pop had a good reason for the shakedown, a legitimate need for the money. Yeah, that surely helped him understand, but it didn’t justify the crime.
An old memory of his parents and Grandma Warren sitting around the kitchen table popped into his head. He’d been—what? Maybe eight or nine years old. He remembered thinking something was up with Grandma because she’d brought all kinds of papers and letters, and his mom and dad were going through everything. His mom kept shaking her head, but the look on his dad’s face was what Cody remembered most before being sent to bed. So sad and helpless. So full of what he realized now was the beginning of his dad’s bitter anger.
He sat back and closed his eyes, realizing the tension strangling his guts since his father’s suicide had loosened its tight grip. He’d forgiven his father and it was all crazily tied up with his feelings for Merlene, her own family history and her need to help D.J. Learning of her own tortured past had allowed him to find this peace.
Way past time he accepted that he wasn’t the only human being on the face of the earth with family issues. If Merlene could forgive her parents, he could forgive his dad.
He loved Merl. Now he needed her to forgive him.
He sipped strong, hot coffee, itching to see her, to set things straight. But that had to wait until he’d solved the last piece of this mystery.
Could their love survive his mistrust? He didn’t know, but he’d sure try like hell to—
“Now, that’s interesting,” Jake said.
“What?” Looking up, Cody found his partner examining an old arrest warrant.
“Ray Price and Nurse Linda Cole were arrested together back in 2008.” Jake sat back in his swivel chair with a squeak. “Says here she was a physical therapist during that con. The victim decided not to prosecute.”
“Ray Price and Linda Cole.” Cody whistled. “That is interesting. Did they ever share an address?”
“Not now.” Jake sat forward and leafed through the file. “But guess what? With aliases, they’ve had the same address on and off for years.”
“I’ll bet Linda’s not too happy about what happened to Ray,” Cody said.
“Probably not,” Jake agreed.
Cody stood, his mind racing. Or would Linda Cole have any reason to kill Ray Price? Most murders were impulsive crimes of passion. “Let’s find Ms. Cole and have a conversation.”
* * *
AT SIX O’CLOCK the next morning, the sun barely lighting the eastern sky, Cody turned the unmarked police vehicle into the parking lot of Linda Cole’s apartment complex. His partner rode in the seat beside him. At their lieutenant’s instructions, they’d gone home the night before to grab some sleep in preparation for the busy morning ahead of them.
“She’s got a white 2012 BMW,” Cody told Jake.
They cruised through a quiet lot but didn’t spot Cole’s vehicle. Few people were out this early. Cody glanced toward the spot where Merlene had secreted her car while watching Cole’s apartment. He’d called Merl before leaving the station last night, alerting her to the news about Linda’s connection to Ray Price.
Cody parked in an empty space, and he and Jake took the elevator to Cole’s unit on the second floor. Jake used his cell
phone to call her listed number as they proceeded down a long hallway. Close to Linda’s unit, Cody heard the phone jangling inside.
They waited ten rings.
“No answer,” Jake said, cutting the connection. The ringing stopped.
“Not home,” Cody muttered.
“Better make sure,” Jake said, and pounded on the door. “Linda Cole,” he yelled. “Police.”
No response from inside the unit, but a neighboring apartment’s door opened and a dark-haired, thirtyish man poked his head out. Cody held up his badge with his left hand. His right hand went to his hip.
“She’s gone,” the man said.
“When was the last time you saw her?” Cody asked.
“Been a couple of days.” The man glanced at Jake, whose jacket was also drawn aside for easy access to his weapon. “Looks like good riddance.”
“Please stay inside, sir,” Cody cautioned. The man disappeared, slamming the door.
Jake shrugged, relaxing his stance and scanning the exterior wall of Cole’s apartment. Cody did the same.
They’d get nothing here without a warrant. Not even a window to peek through. No way to know what was going on inside.
For all they knew, Linda Cole could be in there, murdered herself.
“Damn,” Cody said.
“I’ll draw up the warrant,” Jake said.
On the way back to the station, they drove by Dr. Johnson’s office just in case Nurse Cole had final business there, but came up empty. A cruise by the Johnson home gave them nothing but confirmation that Pat Johnson’s Cadillac remained in the driveway, parked exactly where Merl’s Toyota had sat yesterday.
They checked all known addresses, but Linda Cole was off the grid. Missing. Now they had a waiting game.
At the station, Jake worked on the warrant for Cole’s home. Cody put out an All Points Bulletin on her vehicle and arranged for a unit to watch her apartment complex in case she returned.
At 9:00 a.m. Lieutenant Montoya approached Cody’s desk. “Fill me in,” he demanded.
After receiving a report on their morning activity, Montoya nodded. “Good start. Now get off your butts and arrest Pat Johnson for the murder of her husband.”
Cody glanced at his partner and exchanged a grin. At times like this, he loved his job.
* * *
PAT JOHNSON ANSWERED her front door in an elegant floor-length silk bathrobe, a garment that covered her better than if fully dressed in street clothes.
Cody held up his badge. “Pat Johnson?”
“Yes.” Her gaze jerked from Cody’s face to his badge, then to the two marked units with blue lights flashing parked in her front yard. Their backup of four uniformed officers was posted at strategic locations around her yard. A woman walking her dog stopped to stare.
Cody said, “You’re under arrest for the murder of Dr. Richard Johnson.”
Her mouth dropped open, then closed. Her eyes widened, and Cody saw acknowledgment. She knew she’d been caught. Then her eyes narrowed as she plotted a way out.
Cody stared at her. There was no way out.
“There must be some mistake,” she said, probably to give herself time to think. She stepped backwards into the mirrored foyer. Cody and Jake followed her inside.
“I’ve seen you before,” she said. “Both of you. I saw you at my insurance agent’s office.”
“You have the right to remain silent,” Cody said. “Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law.”
“I want to call my attorney.”
“You can call your lawyer from the station, ma’am,” Jake said.
Cody continued with the Miranda rights. “If you can’t afford an attorney—”
“I can afford an attorney, you fool.”
“Yes, ma’am. If you can’t afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you.”
She drew herself taller, as if offended.
“Do you understand these rights?” Cody asked.
She looked down at her clothing. “You have to take me to your station?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jake said.
“I need to get dressed.”
“Do you understand these rights?” Cody repeated.
“Yes, I understand. Now may I put on some clothing?”
“No, ma’am,” Cody said. “I’m sorry. But you may get a jacket or a coat to put over your night clothes, if you’d like.”
“Thank you for that, at least,” Mrs. Johnson said bitterly, moving backward. “I have a coat in that closet right there.” She pointed to a door across the living room and hurried in that direction.
Why the rush? Cody wondered, staying close behind her.
When she reached the doorway into the kitchen, Pat broke into a run, obviously intent on rabbiting out the back door.
She was quick, but Cody caught her as she flung open the back door. He grabbed her arm to keep her inside the house, but the change in momentum threw her off balance. Cody steadied her before she could fall.
She closed her eyes, leaned against the kitchen counter and slid to the floor without a sound.
Cody squatted, releasing cuffs from his belt. He cuffed her wrists behind her.
“Oh, no,” she wailed. “No!”
Jake joined them and shook his head at the sight of Pat Johnson collapsed on the floor, her legs sprawled at an awkward angle.
Cody rose, glancing at his partner. “Help me get her up,” he said.
Jake grabbed under one shoulder, Cody the other, and they pulled Pat to her feet.
“How dare you,” she said with a sob. “How dare you.”
“We could have done this the nice way,” Cody said, nudging her toward the front door. “It was your choice.”
“Don’t touch me,” she screamed, pulling away.
Cody released her. Better if the woman calmed down.
“Now, seriously, ma’am,” Jake said. “Do you want your neighbors to see you like this?”
She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “All right,” she said. “Let’s get this over with.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Cody said.
“My attorney will have me out on bond by noon. I promise you that.”
“That could be, ma’am,” Jake said.
“I’m telling you this is all just a huge misunderstanding,” she said.
“I’m sure it is,” Jake agreed.
Cody opened the closet door, retrieved a tan trench coat and draped it over Mrs. Johnson’s shoulders.
“You’ll pay for this,” she hissed.
“Are you ready?” Cody asked.
She nodded, tears now glistening in her eyes.
When they stepped into the front yard, a small group of neighbors had gathered, but the uniformed officers kept them at a distance. Pat ducked her head in an attempt to hide her face.
“Watch your step, ma’am,” Jake said.
Cody nodded thanks at their backup as they escorted Pat to his vehicle. Yeah, he thought, some days I just love my job.
Today, hard work paid off and a murderer was going to jail. A few loose ends remained, but soon this case would be wrapped up. He could talk to Merlene, square things with her and they could get a fresh start.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
MERLENE GRABBED THE PHONE as soon as it rang, hoping to hear Cody’s voice. She’d barely slept, waiting all night for him to call.
He had to call. He couldn’t leave her hanging after he’d dropped a bombshell late last night about Linda Cole and Ray Price.
Linda Cole and Ray Price. Lovers, ex-roommates? Unbelievable. She’d never been involved in a case with more twists and turns.
She didn’t even bother to check caller ID. If Cody called from his d
esk phone, the display always said, Unavailable.
“Hello,” she breathed into the phone.
“Hey, Merlene.”
“Oh. Hi, D.J.”
“You don’t sound too happy to hear from me,” D.J. said with a chuckle. “Expecting a call from Cody?”
“And what makes you say that?”
“I may be old and sick, but I’m not dense,” D.J. said. “It’s obvious to anyone paying attention there’s something going on with you two.”
Merlene started to object, but bit back her comment. D.J. knew her too well. “It’s just that I’m dying here waiting to hear if the police arrested Pat Johnson or talked to Linda Cole.”
“Linda Cole? Isn’t that the dead doc’s nurse?”
“Yep. Turns out she and the dead Ray Price have a connection.” Setting herself on the sofa, Merlene filled D.J. in on the latest developments. “So of course I can’t wait to hear what she has to say. Cody thinks she’s involved in Price’s murder.”
After a pause, D.J. issued a long whistle. “This is one extremely bizarre situation.”
“If you think so, then I know this case is out there.” Merlene considered her next words carefully, knowing how testy D.J. could get when she tried to mother him. “You sound better,” she said in as casual a manner as she could manage. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better. I tell you, Merl, modern medicine is a wonderful thing. A week on that new treatment has helped my breathing more than I dreamed anything could.”
“Oh, I’m so glad. So are you sleeping better?”
“You bet. Plus, I think putting my brain to work on this crazy Johnson mess got my blood flowing again. Did you find anything when you searched the Johnson home? You never called me back with details.”
“I didn’t want to go into it while I was driving, but Cody followed me and caught me inside.”
This time the laugh from D.J. was far heartier than a chuckle. “So that’s why he never showed up at the love nest. You’re lucky he didn’t arrest you.”
“So are you since you’d have to post my bail.” Merlene found herself laughing, too, although it rankled that she hadn’t noticed Cody on her tail.
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