by V. B. Tenery
She gave him that beautiful smile again. “Thank you, Matt. You’ll stay with me?”
“Wild horses couldn’t drag me away.”
“You married?”
He nodded.
“Kids?”
“Yes, two. A boy and a girl.”
For a moment, her gaze focused somewhere behind him. She smiled then closed her eyes. And just like that, Julie Landers was gone.
Matt remained there for a long time, holding her hand until a firefighter walked up behind him. He hadn’t even noticed when the emergency team arrived.
“I’ll take over now, Chief.”
Matt stood, released her hand, and placed it against her cheek. He filled his lungs with cold air, drawing it past the heavy weight in his chest.
The pickup driver looked at him with wide, frightened eyes. When Matt nodded, he burst into tears. “I couldn’t stop...I tried . . .”
A sheriff’s deputy walked over. “You want to notify the family, Matt?”
He shook his head. “No, I’m going to let you guys handle this one.”
As he walked back to his car, a fireman called to him, “Chief, don’t forget your jacket.”
“Keep it until you free her. I’ll pick it up later.” Matt turned to the man. “Take good care of this one.” His voice became husky, and he cleared his throat. “She’s special.”
The Foley Residence
Twin Falls, Texas
It was almost one o’clock when Matt called to say he was on his way home. Sara sat before the fireplace, and watched sparks float up the chimney like bright fireflies while she waited for him. She’d made the apple cider he liked, in case he wanted something hot before he went to bed.
He’d sounded down when he called. Being the wife of a cop meant she would have to understand that Matt would see things in his day-to-day job that most people could only imagine. Quiet moods were to be expected. After all, he’d just left a violent murder scene.
The purr of the high performance engine easing into the garage told her Matt was home. She stood as the kitchen door opened and he crossed the room to meet her. Without a word, he gathered her into his arms and held her close for a long time. “It’s great to be home,” he said, his breath warm in her ear.
“You hungry?” she asked.
“Not really. Davis and I grabbed a bite before we left Oklahoma. I’ll keep you company if you want to eat.”
“I ate earlier. Bad trip?”
“The worst.” He put his arm around her waist, and they went upstairs to the inviting warmth of a blazing fire in the hearth.
Sensing it wasn’t something he wanted to talk about, she didn’t ask any questions. He would tell her when he was ready.
Twin Falls Police Station
Twin Falls, Texas
Matt was surprised to find Doug Anderson waiting for him in his office. His boss was a tall man, lanky, with auburn hair and honest brown eyes; a handsome man for his age of fifty-something years. Sunlight bounced off the melting snowbank outside, filling the room with blinding brilliance. Doug stood gazing out the window behind Matt’s desk. He didn’t turn when Matt entered.
“Hey, Doug, what brings you down from your tower?”
There was a long pause before Doug spoke. “I’ve made an executive decision,” he said, still facing the window. “I didn’t want to tell you over the phone.”
“I guess it can’t be good if you don’t want to look at me. Spit it out, Doug.”
The city manager swiveled around, his mouth formed a grim, straight line. “I want you to put Luther Donnell in the Internal Affairs slot when it opens up in April. That’s my decision. I expect you to implement it at the appropriate time.” He turned back to the window.
Matt sat on the corner of his desk and let what the man said sink in for a minute. He had a responsibility to the people who worked for him. If he couldn’t protect them from political appointments, he couldn’t protect them at all. “It’s inconceivable to me that you would want to put Donnell in such an important position. You’ve never interfered with the way I run the police department, so I have to assume you have a good reason for doing so now. But I can’t do what you’re asking.”
“Can’t or won’t?” Doug asked.
“Whichever, it amounts to the same thing. I have three months until the IAD position opens up. The Davenport case should be wrapped up before that. You’ll have my resignation on your desk before then.”
Doug turned and strode to the door. “Don’t threaten me, Matt. I don’t want to lose you, but I won’t be bluffed.”
“You should know me better than that. I don’t bluff.”
A surge of deep disappointment seemed to wash over Doug’s face as he reached for the door knob. “You’re a cop. What else would you do?”
“I can always send out my resume, or take up the offers I’ve received to run for public office. Then again, I may decide to retire and just take care of my wife and kids.”
He stood and walked around the desk to his chair. “Irrational people across this country have painted targets on the backs of the very people charged to protect them. I won’t be a party to anything that puts them in more danger. That includes installing an incompetent individual in the IAD spot. When I leave, I’d like to recommend Miles Davis as my replacement. He’ll make a fine Chief of Police.”
“It’s your choice.” Doug opened the door and closed it silently behind him.
This move was totally out of character for Doug Anderson. Unlikely as it seemed, Matt couldn’t help but wonder if the mayor had something incriminating on Doug and forced his hand.
Matt was still in shock when Chris Hunter knocked on the door jamb and stuck his head in. “Was that your boss I just saw in the hallway? He doesn’t come around often.” When Matt didn’t respond, Chris said, “You got a minute to go over what Cole and I learned at the court house about Bauer?”
Feelings could wait. Matt had plenty of time to make a final decision about his future. But he needed time to compose himself. “I have a few things to take care of first. Give me an hour, and I’ll meet you in the conference room.”
The phone on his desk rang. Sheriff Gates was on the line from Norman. Matt put his personal issues aside as the sheriff brought him up to date on what was happening on his end.
*****
The smell of fresh brewed coffee greeted Matt when he entered the Detective Bureau conference room. He reluctantly avoided the refreshment counter. He’d had his caffeine quota for the morning.
Chris and Cole waited for him to be seated.
“We asked a lot of people in and around the courthouse about Bauer,” Chris said. “Bottom line, most folks are afraid of him.” He chuckled. “Women say he considers himself a ladies’ man, and goes into a James Bond persona around them. He stops just short of sexual harassment.”
Chris flipped his notebook open. “For the record, he has a concealed carry permit and, according to the deputies and courthouse staff, he’s always packing.”
“Anyone ever file a complaint?” Matt asked.
Chris shook his head. “Not that we could determine. Maybe out of respect for his father. Old man Bauer was admired by almost everyone. I got the feeling they were afraid to push Junior’s buttons.
“Bauer was at the courthouse while we were there. Don’t know if he suspected our purpose, but he didn’t look happy to see us there.”
CHAPTER 12
Indian Casino
Durant, Oklahoma
After checking in with Matt, Davis headed the new unmarked Dodge Charger east toward Oklahoma. He had liked the old Ford Crown Victoria, the most popular police car ever made, but Ford decided to stop offering it to police departments. Davis had been on a committee to find a replacement, and the group finally settled on the Charger. The reason was simple. Like the Crown Vic, the Charger was the only rear-wheel drive, V8, full-size vehicle available.
Davis and Turner needed to question the casino staff about Bauer’s presence
there.
Davis offered to take Chris Hunter with him because of Turner’s aversion to returning to her home state, but she declined. “I’ll go. I can’t let that jerk ex-husband of mine interfere with my job. He’s had too much power over my life as it is.”
He admired her courage, but noticed she kept reaching for the cigarettes in her purse, then putting them back. There were rules against smoking in police vehicles, not that Turner always followed the rules.
The casino sat just across the Texas/Oklahoma border, a little over an hour’s drive, barring traffic problems. It was a massive complex, with gaming of all kinds, and hotel facilities.
The parking lot was almost full when they pulled into the closest spot available. He shouldn’t be surprised. Gambling could be as addictive as drugs. Davis led the way through a thousand slot machines to the reception desk.
He introduced himself and Turner to the pretty blonde girl behind the desk. He showed his credentials, and asked to speak to the manager.
Five minutes later, a man stepped through a door behind the counter. His wide shoulders, long dark hair tied back in a ponytail, and high cheekbones reflected his Native American ancestry. He wore a charcoal gray suit, a black shirt, and a black-and-white-striped tie. Piercing dark eyes gave Davis a questioning look. He introduced himself as Waya Mann. “How may I help you?”
Davis again showed his credentials and explained they needed to speak to all hotel personnel who had direct contact with James Bauer, dealers, waiters, or whoever, from Saturday evening until his departure Monday.
The casino manager nodded. “Of course; I’ll make sure you have the cooperation of the hotel and casino staff.”
“We have a copy of Bauer’s bill,” Davis said, and handed it to Mann.
“Our records will be more detailed.” Mann signaled to the clerk behind the desk. With nimble fingers, she clicked the keys on her terminal keyboard. After a few minutes, she printed off a copy of the hotel’s account archives of Bauer’s stay. She handed it to Mann. He scanned it quickly. “I see Mr. Bauer is a frequent guest here.” He then passed the bill to Davis.
Having seen Bauer’s copy, Davis gave it a light once-over. The symbols meant nothing to him. Bauer had ordered room service at twelve o’clock Saturday and breakfast at nine Sunday. “We’d like to speak to the room service waiter who delivered the meals Saturday night and Sunday morning; also the maid who took care of his room.”
“It will take a few minutes to make them available. Would you like to wait in my office?”
Davis inclined his head towards the restaurant. “Thanks, but we’ll grab some coffee until you’re ready for us. You have surveillance cameras in the casino.” It was a statement, not a question.
“Yes, in all the gaming areas, and certain parts of the hotel.”
“Parking lot?” Davis asked.
“Yes, all outside areas.”
“Good. Then we’ll also need to look at the gaming and parking lot surveillance tapes from the time he arrived until his departure.”
“It’ll take a few minutes,” Mann said, “but I’ll have security set it up.”
It took more than the few minutes Mann alluded to for him to arrange the meetings. The waiter didn’t come on duty until one. He and Turner decided to grab lunch in the casino’s massive buffet dining area in the interim.
Shortly after one o’clock, they were led to a small conference room, where the Hispanic waiter sat stiffly in a chair, wrinkles of anxiety etching creases around his mouth. His name tag was imprinted Antonio Perez. “Am I in trouble?”
“This isn’t about you. We just want to ask some questions about meals you delivered a week ago, late Saturday night and breakfast Sunday morning to room 209,” Davis said, and placed photos of Bauer on the table. “You remember him?”
The waiter’s shoulders relaxed and he studied the shots. “Yes, I see him before, many times.”
“What time did you deliver the food?”
“Between eleven-thirty and twelve that night.”
Davis pulled up a chair, straddled it, and faced the timid man. “Did you see Mr. Bauer when you made the delivery?”
“Yes, he was there, but a lady answered the door. The man was on the phone. I placed the food on the table, asked the lady to sign the ticket. She gave me a big tip and I left.”
“Do you know the woman’s name? Was she staying with Mr. Bauer?”
“I don’t know her name; she is a regular at the casino. She dates many men.”
“Does that mean she’s a prostitute?” Davis asked.
The waiter’s gaze dropped to the floor then back to Davis. “I don’t know if she gets paid.”
“But you did see the man in the room?” Turner asked.
Perez nodded.
Davis continued. “Did you pick up the tray later that night? Were both meals eaten?”
“Yes, I gather the trays left outside the rooms before I leave. If the food had not been finished, I would have noticed. That would say they didn’t like the food. The hotel is very concerned that food service customers have no complaints.”
“You delivered breakfast Sunday at what time?” Davis asked.
“At eight o’clock. The woman was still there. She say he had gone to get cigarettes,” the waiter said.
Davis placed his arms on the chair back and leaned forward. “So this time the man wasn’t in the room? You never saw him?”
The waiter shook his head. “Yes, only the woman.”
Next they questioned the maid. She had nothing to add to what the waiter said. She had not seen Bauer Sunday during the day or Monday when he checked out.
A knock on the conference room door sounded, and Mann said security was ready to roll the surveillance tapes.
The tech room was down a long hallway, large, quiet, and cold, probably in deference to the equipment. Men sat in suit coats and ties, watching banks of monitors; spotters trying to catch cheaters. Cameras covered every square inch of the large gaming room, but the main focus seemed to be on the card tables.
The security guard led them to a small room with more video equipment and banks of stored tapes. A man sat at a console, ready to follow their directions. He had already loaded the date parameters Davis asked for.
“We’re looking for this man,” Davis flashed a photo of Bauer. “Roll the tapes slowly; we’ll see if we can spot him.”
The tech pointed them to two chairs in front of a twenty-inch monitor, and started the tape feed. It was real time and slow-going, the pictures in grainy black and white.
Bauer showed up at the blackjack table at six-thirty Saturday night. A young woman with dark hair watched over his shoulder for a while then drifted off to the slot machines.
“Let’s speed it up a little,” Davis said.
With a nod, the tech made a few clicks of the mouse, and the film speed increased significantly. Judging from the chips Bauer started with and what he ended with, he didn’t do too badly. He left the table at ten-fifteen, walked over and said something to the dark-haired woman, handed her some bills, then headed to the bar and out of sight. The girl stayed at the slots for another thirty minutes, and then exited towards the bar.
“Stop right there,” Davis said. “Can you print off a picture of the girl?”
“Yes, no problem,” the tech said. He made a print, and then resumed running the tape.
The parking lot video reflected the time of Bauer’s arrival and when he and Locke left. They came in the same car, and the vehicle hadn’t moved during their stay.
Davis tapped the tech’s shoulder. “That’s good. Thanks for your help.”
Before leaving the casino, he located Mann again and showed him the print. “Do you know this woman?”
Mann nodded. “Yes, I’ve seen her around. She’s one we watch. She never approaches men, they come to her. We never see any money change hands, except to give her money to gamble with. They usually buy her dinner. Sometimes she goes to their room, sometimes not. I can’
t keep her out since she does gamble...we just try to keep the pros out.”
“I’d like to show this photo to Antonio, if I may, to confirm she was the woman in Bauer’s room Saturday and Sunday.”
“Sure,” Mann said. He had the receptionist page Antonio.
After the waiter confirmed the woman as Bauer’s guest, Davis pulled a card from his inside pocket and handed it to Mann. “If she comes in again, give her this. I’d like to make an appointment to ask her a few questions.”
Mann slipped the card into his jacket and nodded.
Davis and Turner left the building and he got behind the wheel of the unmarked car. The parking lot was still full as they pulled away. “So what do you think?”
“I think Bauer is guilty as sin, but nothing back there proves it,” Turner said. “His car was stationary the entire time, but he could have brought another car and left it close by. He wasn’t filmed leaving the building at any time, but, again, he could have left through a side exit where there are no cameras. And since he is a frequent guest he would know where those are. He had plenty of time to leave after midnight, drive back to Twin Falls, commit the murders, and return to the casino, even with the bad weather. The woman in his room may have lied Sunday when she said Bauer left to get cigarettes. So what’s next?”
“We try to run down all the calls Bauer made before and after the murders. We can split the job up with Chris and Cole. Also, we need to see if he rented a car during that time.”
Turner groaned. “That’s a tall order. He could have made a hundred calls, and there are about that many car rentals. Too bad we don’t have enough evidence to get a court order for his credit card receipts.”
Davis glanced over at her and shook his head. “I didn’t say it was going to be easy.”
Italian Restaurant
Plano, Texas
Matt asked Sara to meet him for dinner at his favorite Italian restaurant. He needed to fill her in on his conversation with Doug. After they were seated, Matt told her everything…what his boss wanted and why he’d refused.
