Father Figure (A Jaxon Jennings' Detective Mystery Thriller Series, Book 3)

by Richard C. Hale

  She leaned into it and then said, “None of that, now. I have to work today,” but she smiled at him and handed him the shampoo. “You can wash my hair, though.”

  “Oh you’re all about that, huh?”

  “I’m all about that.”

  He washed her hair and then did his own when she got out. He toweled off and kissed the back of her neck as she did her own thing in front of the mirror. She hummed a response to it and closed her eyes as he held her from behind.

  “Maybe I’ll call in sick today.”

  He laughed. “I’ll leave you alone. You finish and I’ll cook us some breakfast. Eggs and bacon?”

  “Sounds yummy.”

  He left her there and found things in the kitchen to cook. She came out just as everything was ready and they ate, sitting at the kitchen table.

  “I think I’ll get some new furniture,” he said.

  “You don’t like the cinder blocks anymore?”

  “It’s kind of embarrassing.”

  “I think it’s cute.”

  “You didn’t when you first saw it.”

  “I did too. The couch especially.”

  “I thought it would be nice to have a decent place to sit when you come over.”

  She stared at him for a second and then took a bite of eggs.

  “You don’t have to spend money for me,” she said. “I know you’re just passing through and you’re not ready to stay.”

  “That’s the thing. I think I’m over that. I’m ready to make a more permanent move.”

  “Are you going to put in for the job?”

  “Yeah. I think I am. I’d like it and I’m hoping I can still work for Jaxon part time if he wants.”

  She smiled. “That would be great. And I’d get to train you.”

  “Do I get special treatment?”

  “All the special treatment you want.”

  “I’ll come down today,” he said.

  “Find me when you get there and I’ll introduce you to the sheriff.”

  “I’ve met him before.”

  “But I’ll butter him up for you. He likes me.”

  They cleaned up the dishes and she finished getting ready. Twenty minutes later she came up to him with her cell in her hand, a big smile on her face.

  “My baby is all fixed. Can you drop me off at the shop instead so I can pick her up?”

  “For you, anything. As long as you let me drive her soon.”

  “I’m excited. I’ve missed her.”

  He dropped her off and headed over to pick Jaxon up. The day was hot already, even with the sky looking dark and ominous. Looked like thunder and lightning was going to be the theme of the day.

  Jaxon came out of the house with a spring in his step and Ray was worried he was in for a rough day. Jaxon never looked chipper. Maybe the world was coming to an end. Jaxon opened the passenger door and climbed in.

  “Should I be worried?” Ray asked.

  “I’m not allowed to be in a good mood?”

  “Usually when you’re upbeat about something it involves me and some surveillance equipment.”

  “You don’t like sitting in your car watching monotonous human beings for hours on end?”

  “Not particularly.”

  “You’re in luck. I’m not sending you on a day of boredom. We need to go see Tate. He left me a message.”

  “Why the stellar mood?”

  “I just had some good news is all.”

  “Spill it.”

  “I’ll keep it to myself for now.”

  Ray looked at him, but couldn’t guess what was going through his head.

  “What? Did you find out you like dudes or something?”

  “If that had happened, you would have found me dead with a gun in my hand. No. Nothing like that. Where’s Laurelyn?”

  “I dropped her off at the shop. Her car was ready.”

  “Have you moved in yet?”

  Ray gave him a look. “It’s only been a few days.”

  “The way you two have been, I’m surprised you’re not hooked up yet.”

  “It’s not like that.”

  “Don’t let her get away. She’s good for you.”

  “Yes, Dad.” But he grinned at him all the same.

  They arrived at the Clay County Sheriff’s office a few minutes later and walked in to find Tate. He was at his desk and Laurelyn was talking to the sheriff. She saw him and gave him a smile. The sheriff looked his way and nodded. She and the sheriff headed over and Ray saw Jaxon pause. There was still tension between them, but Jaxon didn’t seem as angry toward him today. He actually extended his hand first.

  “Sheriff,” Jaxon said. “Good to see you again.”

  “Jaxon. Keeping busy?”

  “Yes sir. Tate and Laurelyn share the love a bit and I’m grateful for it.”

  Tate had a funny look on his face and Laurelyn glanced sideways at Jaxon.

  “Well, that’s good. I’m glad you four have been able to work together. Can I borrow your associate here for a minute? I’d like to talk to him.”

  Jaxon hesitated and Ray could see that he was unsure what was happening.

  “Sure. Everything all right?”

  “Fine. Fine. I would just like to discuss something with him.”

  Ray followed the sheriff to his office and shut the door.

  “Have a seat, Mr. Maningham.”

  “Ray, sir. You can call me Ray.”

  “Ray, Laurelyn tells me you might be interested in the position we have open here. She speaks very highly of you and in my book that’s as good an endorsement as any.”

  “I’ll have to thank her, sir. I am thinking about it, but I haven’t made up my mind yet.”

  “What’s holding you back? I think you’d be a great fit here. Experience carries a long way in this job.”

  Ray hesitated for a second trying to find the right words so as not to offend the man.

  “I owe Jaxon a lot, sir. My life, actually, and I don’t want to betray that. I have a feeling he would tell me I needed to do what was best for me, but I don’t want to let him down.”

  The sheriff frowned.

  “Jaxon and I have our differences, as you know, but if I were to make a prediction, I would say he would support a decision like this.”

  “I know he would, even if he needed me. I guess what I’m saying is that I really want this job with Clay County, but I’d like to stay on part time with Jaxon if that’s permissible.”

  The sheriff sat back in his chair and thought about what Ray said. He spoke after a moment.

  “I have a lot of respect for loyalty, Ray. It goes a long way in this job as your partner has to trust you with their life. If that’s what you want, I’m sure we can accommodate the situation.”

  Ray smiled. “That’s great news, sir. I’ll fill out the paperwork and talk with Jaxon today.”

  The sheriff stood and extended his hand.

  “Glad to have you aboard, son. And just between you and me, your training partner is not only easy on the eyes, she’s a great officer. Learn all you can from her before she leaves.”

  “I will. Thank you.”

  Ray stood, shook his hand and then turned to go. He couldn’t help the smile on his face as he walked out of the office. He looked up to see Laurelyn watching him and when she read his expression, her face glowed as she smiled at him. He’d get to spend the next six months with her and nothing in Ray’s world could be better.

  * * *

  Jaxon watched Ray walk off with the sheriff and he turned to Laurelyn who glanced at him and looked away quickly. Something was up.

  “What have you got for me, Tate?” Jaxon asked.

  “That information you wanted on the shipping place.”

  Tate grabbed a manila envelope from a tray on his desk and handed it to Jaxon.

  “They were reluctant to give over specifics, but I was persuasive enough and they finally coughed it up.”

  “What did you threaten them with
?”

  “Obstruction of justice. The manager in there looked about to piss her pants.” Tate grinned.

  “What’s the gist of this?” Jaxon asked, waving the envelope.

  “The woman who shipped the package to your house lives on the west side. The address is in there. She has no priors or even a speeding ticket in the last forty years, so I don’t think anything criminal is going on, but you never told me what the package contained and I’m going on assumptions.”

  “A woman, huh? I wasn’t expecting that. The box had a bunch of my father’s personal stuff.”

  Tate frowned. “I’ll assume you tasked me with this because there is something special about your father’s stuff.”

  “I know what you’re thinking. He was a decent man. The box showed up at my doorstep filled with his war memorabilia and commendations. Stuff I’d seen as a kid, but not since then. The kicker is my dad died six months ago and I have no other living relatives besides his wife, my stepmother. She didn’t send it.”

  “You suspect something like blackmail?”

  Jaxon shook his head. “He wasn’t a wealthy man.” He paused. “I just didn’t like the circumstances of his death. It’s been gnawing at me since that day. I think someone is trying to feed me some information because the hunch meter is pegging in the red.”

  “You think he was murdered?”

  Jaxon eyed him.

  He didn’t really want this in the headlights of the sheriff’s office as he might be paranoid and seeing things that weren’t really there. For all of his career he had relied on his senses and hunches, and though he learned to respect what he was feeling, he wasn’t sure if some part of his psyche was failing him with this. Was he grasping, or was there something really going on?

  “I’m not ready to commit to it yet,” Jaxon said. “I just want to look into all possibilities.”

  “What’s pegging the hunch meter?”

  “He had cancer. Prostate. He had undergone chemo and radiation and was in remission. His doctor had given him a clean bill of health. He died days later after becoming delirious and slipping into some kind of coma. The docs couldn’t give me a rational explanation.”

  “Sometimes people just die, Jaxon.”

  “I hear ya.’ And between you and me, I’m starting to doubt myself. Do you think I’m too close to this?”

  Jaxon normally would not be this forthcoming with personal issues, but he wanted to hear what another detective thought.

  Laurelyn came up next to him and touched his shoulder. “Do you want me to look at what you have and give you an honest opinion?”

  He hadn’t realized she was listening and when he looked her in the eye, he saw genuine concern and not pity, just somebody who was willing to help.

  “In my opinion,” Tate said, “it wouldn’t hurt to let her look. You might be right. You’re pretty close to this.”

  “All right,” Jaxon said, looking between the two of them. “Can you two keep this under wraps until then?”

  “Of course,” Laurelyn said. “What does your wife think?”

  “She’s like me. She wants to know what really happened.”

  Laurelyn looked at Tate and then back at Jaxon. “I’ll come over tonight. Is that good?”

  “Thanks.”

  “The other thing in there,” Tate said, pointing to the envelope, “is where that shipment of crayons went, and I’d like you and Laurelyn to follow up on it since you’re close to the situation.”

  “What are we talking about?” Jaxon asked.

  “The shipment went to Ben Rothstein’s corporate address.”

  Jaxon cursed.

  * * *

  On the way to Ben Rothstein’s offices, Jaxon could sense something going on with Ray and Laurelyn and he finally had to say something.

  “All right. Spill it.”

  Jaxon watched Ray look to Laurelyn and then he said, “I’m going to be joining the Clay County Sheriff’s office.”

  Shit.

  “Is that what you want?” Jaxon asked.

  Ray nodded.

  “I miss police work and the opportunity is there. Laurelyn put in a good word for me and the job is mine if I want it. He’ll let me stay on part time with you.”

  “If it’s what you want then I say congrats.”

  “You’re pissed.”

  “I’m disappointed, but not pissed. I could still use you full time, but I’m not your daddy and you have to do what’s best for you. You’ll always be welcome back if you change your mind. You’re good at this, and I picked you for a reason, not just because you needed a handout.”

  “Thanks, Jaxon. I mean it. It’s a good opportunity and I don’t want to miss it.”

  “He’ll be good at it,” Laurelyn said. “And he’ll still be helping you when you need it.”

  “Was this your idea?” Jaxon asked.

  “Yes. I told him about the opening.”

  Jaxon nodded. “When?”

  “As soon as you can let me go,” Ray said. “But I don’t want to put you on the spot. I’ll finish up whatever you need me to.”

  Jaxon was thinking it was horrible timing. He needed Ray, especially since Vick was pregnant. He glanced at Ray and knew he couldn’t hold him back. He’d have to make do.

  “Any time you’re ready will be fine with me.”

  “Thanks, Jaxon. For everything.”

  They drove the rest of the way in silence.

  Chapter 17

  Jaxon strode into Ben Rothstein’s office as his new secretary, Leslie Wilde, tried to stop him. He ignored her protests and walked right in. Ray and Laurelyn followed behind.

  “It’s all right, Leslie,” Ben said, standing, when he saw Jaxon’s face.

  “Why don’t you sit,” Jaxon said as Leslie left the office, closing the door behind her. Jaxon watched Ray go to the bookshelf and look for the peephole that the O’Neils claimed was there.

  Ben sat slowly, his eyes moving from Jaxon to Ray and Laurelyn.

  “What’s this about, Jaxon?”

  “Crayons.”

  “What about them?”

  “Why don’t you tell me where you really were the night your wife was murdered?”

  He cleared his throat and glanced at Ray and Laurelyn.

  “You know I was right here…with Candice.”

  “Why don’t I believe you?”

  Ben seemed to get his confidence back and showed some anger.

  “I don’t know, Jaxon. Why don’t you believe me? You have a DVD showing me in the act with my secretary.”

  “That proves nothing,” Jaxon said. “You could have cheated on your wife at any time in the past and adjusted the date on the video recorder.”

  “I didn’t even know about the video recorder.”

  “So you say. I think you told O’Neil to film you with his wife to give you an alibi. And he had no problem with it, because he’s a freak and he’d do anything to get his wife on film bent over a desk.”

  “I swear to you Jaxon. I didn’t know. I was with Candice the night Mary Beth was killed and I hate myself for it. You don’t see that?”

  “Tell me about the crayons,” Jaxon said. “Why is there a large shipment of sixty-four count crayon boxes sitting in your storage room downstairs? Two hundred and forty boxes to be specific.”

  “How do you know about that?”

  “Doesn’t matter. What matters is what you tell me in the next ten seconds.”

  Ben looked from one to the other, then ran his hand through his hair and pushed his chair away from the desk. He leaned back, trying to look calm and relaxed. It wasn’t working.

  “Mary Beth was doing a charity thing. She would buy school supplies in bulk and donate them to the kids and needy schools in town. She shipped them here because they wouldn’t deliver that large a crate to our house.”

  “Try again,” Jaxon said.

  “That’s the truth.”

  “That’s bullshit!” Jaxon shouted. “You tell me the fuc
king truth. You and your old man are the biggest drug dealers in town and you’re using this business as a front to move shipments in and out.”

  Ben looked like a trapped rat as he squirmed in his seat.

  “Look. I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”

  “I think you killed her. I think you had Moore and Mary Beth shot in your own house, because he was fucking you both ways. He was screwing your wife and he was screwing you. You guys had a shipment go missing, didn’t you?”

  Ben said nothing, but beads of sweat broke out on his brow. Ray was standing next to Jaxon keeping silent, but staring at Ben intensely.

  “Moore fucked you out of a crap-load of crayons and sold them behind your back. Him and three others.”

  “Where are you coming up with this stuff, Jaxon? You’re delusional.”

  Jaxon leaned forward and lowered his voice.

  “Your old man is going down,” he said. “Tony is spilling it all. And it won’t be just drug trafficking and production. It will be murder too. I think you’re going to join him.”

  Ben showed panic in his eyes. He stood and paced behind his desk.

  “I didn’t sell a thing. I just had the business and dad moved the product through it as a front. I don’t know anything about Moore, or Tony, nor anything about killing my wife. You’ve got to believe me. Jaxon, listen, you know me. I wouldn’t kill Mary Beth. You know that.”

  Jaxon stood up straight.

  “I don’t know shit.”

  Jaxon turned and headed for the door.

  “Jaxon. You’ve got to help me!”

  “Get a lawyer.”

  Jaxon opened the door and walked out with Ray and Laurelyn on his heels.

  * * *

  “I should have arrested him,” Laurelyn said.

  “Not yet,” Jaxon said. “Let’s see if he goes running to daddy. Besides, all we really have is a shipment of generic crayons and Tony’s word, plus a lot of guessing and circumstantial evidence. We need more.”

  “He might run down to his storeroom and get rid of the crayons now,” Ray said.