Thread of Innocence (Joe Tyler Mystery #4)

by Jeff Shelby

  THIRTY SIX

  Simmons and Benning drove me home. They didn't ask about lunch, didn't ask how the conversation went, and they didn't ask if I needed anything else. They pulled into the drive, unlocked the doors, said it was nice to meet me and drove away as soon as I was out of the car. I appreciated the ride, but I was agitated that I didn't feel any closer to knowing what happened to Elizabeth and I wondered if I was just going to have to let it all go. I'd made the promise to myself that I would do exactly that if I didn't have it solved by the time the girls came home and I wasn't going to waver from that.

  The window of time was closing quickly.

  But I felt like there wasn't much more to do other than wait now. I'd exhausted my options. I'd spoken to everyone on my list. I'd done the legwork. Sometimes, there was nothing to do but wait and I felt I'd reached that point. Even when it was the last thing I wanted to do, waiting was my only option.

  I made lunch, a sandwich I only nibbled at, and cleaned up the kitchen. I checked my emails and responded to the ones I could, once again reminding myself that if I was out of the investigating business, I needed to put the word out there, so people could look elsewhere for someone to help them. I checked Elizabeth's room, which was still clean from when I'd cleaned it earlier in the week, and I checked the laundry, confirming that there was still nothing in the washer or dryer awaiting attention.

  I wasn't good at waiting.

  I felt stifled and claustrophobic in the house, so I grabbed my phone and wallet and decided to walk in to downtown Coronado.

  The streets were quiet in the mid-afternoon, the hustle and bustle missing from the weekends and early evenings. Fewer cars were parked along the streets and the bikes that I saw were locked up rather than whizzing along the road. I remembered taking Elizabeth on late afternoon walks in the stroller when she was a toddler, knowing that I could unbuckle her and let her roam on the sidewalks in front of the stores without her getting in anyone's way. My parents had done the same with me.

  I walked down the boulevard and over to the Hotel Del, the stately white and red hotel that was arguably the most iconic place in all of San Diego. I walked through the opulent lobby, beneath the massive chandelier and found my way out to the back deck. It had been remodeled with a new bar and grill that offered comfortable lounge furniture and a breathtaking, unobstructed view of the Pacific.

  The aroma of food made my stomach growl and I ordered a beer and a hamburger before sitting down on one of the couches. The small fire pit was ablaze even though it was afternoon and not that chilly. I was halfway done with the beer when the burger arrived and I was halfway done with the burger when Mike Lorenzo sat down in the chair across from me.

  He leaned back in the chair, looking tired and irritated. “How's the burger?”

  “Good. Like always.”

  “I thought you'd be full from lunch.”

  “Lunch?”

  “Mexican food?”

  The hair stood at attention on the back of my neck. “You following me now?”

  “When you're doing stupid shit like meeting with Mario Valdez, yeah.”

  I set the burger down on the plate and pushed it away. “I didn't ask for your help.”

  “And I'm not helping,” he said. “I just wanna know why you'd be so stupid as to meet with one of the five most dangerous guys in Mexico.”

  “I had my reasons.”

  “Let me guess. Elizabeth.”

  “You didn't answer my question,” I said. “Why were you following me?”

  He pushed himself up in the chair. “Because you've frozen me out, Joe. I have no idea what you're doing and it pisses me off.”

  “It's none of your business.”

  “The hell it isn't.” He shrugged. “So until you decide to open your mouth and let me in on whatever it is you're doing, I'm watching.” He smiled. “And there isn't a damn thing you can do about it.”

  I picked up the beer from the table. “So you've been what? Running a tail on me? Tapping my phone? What?”

  He didn't say anything.

  I looked past him at the ocean. The waves were sloppy, uneven, messy. The breeze had picked up and was rolling over the top of the water, pushing it in different directions.

  I looked back at Mike. “Did you have anything to do with Elizabeth's disappearance?”

  He tilted his head to the side, squinting at me with the tired eyes. “What?”

  “Were you involved with Elizabeth's abduction? In any way?”

  He stared at me for a few moments, then shut his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I'm gonna pretend you didn't just ask that.”

  “Why? I'm asking it.”

  “Hey, Joe?”

  “What?”

  He opened his eyes. “Fuck you.”

  I shrugged. “Still haven't answered my question.”

  “Because I don't fucking need to,” he said. “You know the answer.”

  “Actually, I don't. Not anymore.”

  He stayed silent for awhile, his eyes looking past me. Then they refocused. “You've got to be kidding me,” he finally said.

  “I'm not.”

  He sat there, staring at me like he'd never seen me before. Then he stood and put his hands in his pockets.

  “I had nothing to do with Elizabeth's disappearance,” he said, his voice low, tight with anger. “I shouldn't have to say that. But I didn't. No idea where this is coming from, but you want an answer, there it is.”

  I nodded slowly.

  “And I came here to see if I could talk some sense in to you and tell you to stay away from Valdez. But you know what?” He shook his head, looked at me like he felt sorry for me. “Do what you want. They find your head in a box somewhere, oh well.”

  He walked past me down the deck, leaving me to think about that.

  THIRTY SEVEN

  I sat there for awhile, nursing my second beer, watching the ocean and thinking about Mike's reaction.

  I'd stunned him. Unless he was the world's greatest actor, I'd stunned him with what I'd asked him. And angered him. Which I understood, especially if I was out of line. But I wasn't sure where the line was anymore. I felt like everyone was fair game for me to find the answers to Elizabeth's disappearance. Even people who I had always considered allies. If I'd had to question Lauren at that point, I would've. I didn't care. The only thing that mattered to me was finding the truth and moving forward. If relationships fell by the wayside as collateral damage, then so be it.

  I wanted the truth.

  I finished my beer, dropped some cash with the bill and left the hotel. I walked home, glancing at the Coronado police building as I passed. I wondered if Mike was inside, stewing or setting up surveillance on me or something else I had no clue about. I shook my head. I knew Mike. He'd gone home to have a beer of his own and think hard about what I'd asked him. If he'd really had nothing to do with Elizabeth, I'd heard from him when his head cleared. If he had been involved...well, then I wasn't sure what was going to happen.

  I made it back to my neighborhood and slowed as I turned the corner.

  Bazer was parked in my driveway.

  I shook my head, crossed the street and walked up the drive.

  He got out of his car, dressed in jeans and a long sleeve button down shirt. Late day stubble dotted his chin and sunglasses rested on top of his buzzcut.

  “Joe,” he said. “I was just about to leave.”

  “Don't let me stop you.”

  The corner of his mouth twitched. “I just came by to see how your daughter was doing.”

  “She's fine. We're all fine.”

  “I heard she went back to Minnesota.”

  “And where'd you hear that?”

  “Just chatter.”

  He could've been telling the truth or he could've been lying through his teeth. I'm sure everyone was whispering around us and people did know that Elizabeth and Lauren were gone. For all I knew, Blundell had spoken to Bazer. I had no idea. But I didn't
like hearing it come out of his mouth.

  “She and Lauren are there,” I said. “They'll be home tomorrow.”

  “Any trouble?” Bazer asked.

  “Nothing we can't handle.”

  He nodded slowly. “You make any headway? You learn anything more?”

  I hesitated a moment, then said “Yeah, actually we have.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

  I nodded.

  We stood there in silence for a minute. I'm sure he was waiting for me to share what I'd learned, but there was no way I was telling him anything. For the same reasons I'd been wary of Mike, I wasn't going to lay my cards on the table with Bazer. I didn't trust him.

  He put his hands on his hips, glanced down the street, then looked back to me. “Okay. If you need help, let me know.”

  I tried not to laugh. “Yeah. Will do.”

  “I'm serious, Joe,” he said, staring at me. “If you need anything, let me know.”

  I wasn't sure if he was trying to play me or if he was guilty or what the deal was, but he was confusing the hell out of me. But if he was offering to help, I thought I might be able to leverage that a bit.

  “What's going on with Mike?” I asked before I could think better of it.

  He raised the eyebrow again. “Lorenzo?”

  I nodded.

  He blinked several times, then made a face. “He hasn't really been himself lately. Distracted. Took a couple days off because he was sick. Not sure what the deal is.”

  “He was sick?”

  “Well, he called in sick. I'm not sure if he was or not.”

  In all the time I'd worked with Mike, I couldn't him remember him taking a single sick day. “What? You think he was calling in for some other reason?”

  Bazer shrugged. “I don't know. Just seemed odd. Like I said. He just hasn't been himself, so I'm not sure what his deal is.”

  I knew full well that Bazer could've been feeding me a line of crap. Mike could've been just fine and I wouldn't know any better. If he was trying to drive a wedge between Mike and myself, he could certainly do it by helping to create doubt in my head about Mike and his intentions. But I was still wary. I didn't like that Bazer was just showing up at my home and offering up information about a guy I'd trusted implicitly for years.

  It was like walking through a maze with a blindfold on.

  Bazer slipped the sunglasses from the top of his head over his eyes. “I don't wanna take up more of your time, Joe. I really did just stop by to make sure you were doing okay. You and Elizabeth.”

  I didn't say anything.

  “And I meant what I said,” he continued, opening the door to the car. “If I can help, let me know. If you've got information that you need ferreted or whatever. You let me know. I'll help however I can.” He forced a smile onto his face. “Tell Elizabeth and Lauren I said hello.”

  I stood there and watched him back out of the drive. He gave a quick wave as he drove past the house and I watched him turn at the corner, his taillights disappearing.

  I stood there, once again staring at the grass where Elizabeth had been taken from. I felt like I had more information than I'd ever had but I was no closer to knowing the truth. Every single person I spoke with confused me further and I couldn't find it within myself to trust anyone I came in contact with. It seemed like I could make anyone a suspect if I worked hard enough at it.

  I didn't want to be that guy, the one who couldn't leave the past behind, who was cynical about everyone and everything. I'd already been him, to some degree. I'd done my time. I just wanted it to go away so I could be a dad and maybe a husband.

  I felt like there was one person who could really give me the answer I needed, only he was keeping his mouth shut. A cold, hard knot formed in the center of my gut as I thought about it. Maybe I'd been too nice. Maybe I'd lost my edge. I'd been relentless looking for Elizabeth and others I'd been hired to find. But maybe getting Elizabeth back had softened me.

  Maybe I was taking no as an answer too easily.

  Maybe it was time to find that edge again.

  THIRTY EIGHT

  “I was starting to think I wasn't going to hear from you,” Chuck Winslow said.

  “Just takes me some time to take people up on their offers,” I said.

  Darkness hovered over the eastern edge of the California desert and I could see the lights in Brawley off in the distance as we crested the highway and descended down into the desert valley.

  “You gonna tell me what we're doing?” he asked.

  “No,” I said. “Do I need to?”

  He shook his head. “Nope. Just tell me what you need from me.”

  I'd sat in the darkened living room for awhile, thinking about my options. I hadn't called Lasko because I didn't want him to talk me out of going. And I also didn't want to get him into any more trouble than I'd already managed. But I didn't want to go to Brawley alone, either. I was trying to be smart. At least as smart as I could be.

  So I'd finally taken Chuck up on his offer to help.

  I called him, asked if I could come pick him up, then jumped in the car and headed out before I could talk myself out of anything. True to his word, Chuck was ready and got in the car, ready to help however I needed him. I wasn't sure yet how I was going to need him, but if anything, it was nice to have the company.

  “It won't be much,” I said. “And I'll keep the ugly stuff away.”

  “You don't have to keep anything away, Joe.”

  “I know. Thanks. But the less you know the better.”

  He started to say something, then stopped. Then he shrugged his big shoulders. “You're the leader.”

  I nodded, my thoughts already shifting to the reason for our drive. Mosaic Farvar was the one guy I felt actually had contact with Elizabeth and he hadn't told me and Lasko anything. He was a bad, bad guy and I'd let him off easily, even when I knew he had an answer to give me.

  I wasn't going to leave without an answer this time.

  I retraced the path Lasko and I had taken before. The cul-de-sac was still empty and Farvar's house was unlit, all of the windows dark. I passed the cul-de-sac and as soon it was out of view in my rearview mirror, I pulled to the curb and parked. I checked my phone and tucked it into the pocket of my jeans. I reached across Chuck, opened the glove box and pulled out my gun. It felt heavy in my hand. I checked the safety, then leaned forward and slid into the waistband at the back of my jeans.

  “This is where I ask again what we're doing,” Chuck said, eyeing the gun.

  “We aren't doing anything,” I said. “I'm going to go visit with a guy. You are going to stay here.”

  “That's it?” Chuck asked, raising his eyebrows. “I'm supposed to sit here?”

  I pointed over my shoulder. “There's a house back there in the cul-de-sac. Only one that's got someone living in it. I'm going there. Give me 30 minutes inside. If I don't come out, you drive back to Coronado and call a San Diego cop named Paul Lasko.”

  “Joe,” he said, shaking his head. “I'm not much for this Mission Impossible shit, alright? What's going on?”

  “Keep an eye on the street,” I said. “You see anyone turn into the cul-de-sac or whatever, get the hell out of here.”

  “I'm not gonna leave you,” he said. “We're in the fucking desert.”

  “I'll be fine.”

  He stared out the window for a minute, then shook his head. “Look. I meant what I said. I'm here to help you, Joe. Whatever that means. I'm not stupid. You don't pick me up, drive to Brawley and pull a gun out of the glove compartment because we're gonna go grocery shopping.” He paused. “If there's some piece of shit out there that was involved with Elizabeth, go do what you need to do. I'm with you. Whatever happens here, stays here.” He paused again. “But there's no way in hell I'm leaving you here.”

  It struck me that maybe if I hadn't been so hard-headed and stubborn and withdrawn for so long, a friend like Chuck might've been able to help me find Elizabeth sooner. I h
adn't trusted anyone and that had been a mistake.

  “Okay,” I said. “Just watch where I go. Thirty minutes. If I don't come out, then come check it out. Anyone shows up, don't let 'em into the house.”

  Chuck nodded. “Got it.”

  “If you need me, you're gonna have to come get me.” I paused. “You're sure you're cool with that? Because you're right. I'm not going grocery shopping.”

  “Do what you need to do,” he said. “I'm cool with it all.”

  THIRTY NINE

  I opened the car door and stepped out. The air was colder than I expected, dry. I shut the door and listened. It was eerily quiet. The desert was different than the city, the roar of cars and muted, the sounds of crickets and other night creatures noticeably absent. I looked in the window at Chuck and pointed in the direction I was going. He nodded and twisted in his seat to watch me.

  I walked quickly on the sidewalk back to the cul-de-sac, crossed the street and came up on the side of Farvar's house. I moved along the side, then opened a wooden gate to the back of the property, staying close to the house. The back yard was a small rectangle of dead grass and neglect. I found a window on the backside of the house and there was a small glow on the other side. I put my ear near the exterior of the house and barely made out a couple of voices and then laughter.

  A television.

  Someone was home.

  I went back to the front, thought for a moment, then knocked on the front door. Farvar already knew me. He had no reason to keep me out. I hadn't threatened him or done anything that would make him fear me when Lasko and I had come the first time.

  I heard footsteps behind the door.

  Farvar opened the door and squinted at me. He wore a pair of corduroy shorts and that was it. A tattoo of a panther stared at me from his left shoulder and he held a half empty bottle of Bud Light in his right hand.

  “The fuck you doing back here, Mr. Ex-Cop?” he asked with a sneer. “I thought we did all of our talking.”

  “I had one more question,” I said.