Justice (A Rocky Mountain Thriller Book 3)

by Ann Voss Peterson

  Maybe someone else had recognized that tone, too. Maybe that’s why someone had to stop him. “Did Calhoun ask for anything? Like your home phone records or Jimmy’s cell…?”

  “No.”

  Interesting. He must have gone through the phone company to get a record of current calls, but to do that, he’d either need a warrant from the court or Tammy’s permission. Melissa would love to see those records herself. “Do you have your last few months of phone records?”

  Tammy narrowed her eyes on Melissa. “Why are you asking all these questions, Melissa? What is going on that you haven’t told me?”

  “Just tying up some loose ends.”

  “It’s more than that. You’re acting like Jimmy is the one being investigated.” Tammy’s mouth flattened to a hard line. Her eyebrows pulled low. “You and your district attorney, you’re trying to prove Jimmy did something wrong. He’s not even in the grave and you… How dare you?”

  CHAPTER TEN

  “HOLD ON.” NICK COULDN’T SIT back and watch this anymore. This might be Melissa’s friend and Melissa’s city, but he just wasn’t built to let things fall apart in front of him.

  He pushed up from his chair. In two steps, he was in front of Tammy Bernard. “Melissa doesn’t deserve this. She’s trying to clear your husband’s name, damn it. Calhoun is the one investigating.”

  Melissa’s hand tightened on his shoulder. “Nick. No.”

  “There is an investigation then. Into Jimmy.” Tammy’s voice barely rose above a whisper.

  The woman sounded shell-shocked, her voice monotone, and for a moment Nick could understand why Melissa had wanted to shield her from additional emotional stress.

  Too bad they didn’t have the luxury to just sweep any unpleasantness under the rug and focus on cookies and milk. “Melissa just found out about it last night.”

  Melissa took Tammy’s hands in hers and stared straight into the older woman’s eyes. “I didn’t want you to know. Not until I cleared it all up. You have too much to deal with as it is.”

  “What do they say Jimmy did?”

  “Melissa?” Jason called from the kitchen.

  Melissa glanced at Nick, the look holding a silent plea.

  Nick gave Melissa a nod. He was far from sure his son would be content with him as a substitute for Melissa, but he’d give it a try.

  “Jimmy was always straight with me,” Tammy continued. “He always trusted me enough to tell me the truth. You need to be straight with me, too.”

  Melissa let out a heavy sigh and started explaining the suspicions of bribery and ties to drug gangs. With each word, her voice grew more rough and raw.

  Nick circled back to the kitchen table where Jason was watching, his toy cars held in frozen hands. He had devoured his cookies and sucked down most of his milk. Nick slid back into his chair at the kitchen table and picked up a blue Camaro, the only tool left in the distraction arsenal. “Let’s play cars.”

  Jason shook his head, craning his neck to see Melissa.

  Nick remembered the horseback-riding advice Melissa had tossed back at him. Take control. Focus on the result you want. He zoomed the little car across the oak surface.

  Jason’s eyes flicked down to the car. His fingers tightened around the vehicle in his hand.

  Nick made his car take a sharp turn, imitating the screech of tires on pavement. Taking a looping detour around cookie plate and milk glass, he drove it back toward his son.

  Jason moved his car, bringing it alongside Nick’s. He blew air through his lips, providing engine sound effects for their game.

  So far, so good. He made a fishtailing turn with the Camaro and started back the other way, an ear cocked for the conversation in the living room. Melissa might never forgive him for confirming Tammy’s fears, but at least on the Jason front he was holding his own.

  At least he could hope.

  ______

  By the time Melissa explained everything she knew about Calhoun’s investigation, she felt she’d been wrung dry. At least Tammy had dealt with it far better than Melissa had feared. The older woman had loaded her up with the past year or so of phone records, none of which showed any suspicious calls. And when they left, with cabin keys in hand, all three of them were weighted down with some form of casserole or desert.

  But before they could go to the cabin, Melissa had to talk to Seth. As soon as she left Nick and Jason parked on the street outside a playland-equipped McDonald’s just a few blocks from the D.A.’s office, she felt strangely alone. And strangely uncomfortable. She half ran all the way to the office.

  Melissa might have been alone when she stepped into Seth’s office, but Seth wasn’t. Cory Calhoun leaned back in one of the chairs in front of Seth’s desk, ankle propped on knee. His orange hair looked extra bright against the pale of his skin. He turned squinty eyes on her. “Glad you’re back, Melissa.”

  “Hi, Cory.” She looked past him and focused on Seth.

  For a man who prided himself on his looks, Seth was dangerously close to disheveled. Dark circles cupped under bloodshot green eyes. His hair appeared as if he’d raked his fingers through it a bit too often. And his red tie was slightly askew.

  No doubt these past few days had been tough on him, as well. She could only hope his patience was still intact. At least his patience with her, if not Calhoun. “I need to talk to you, Seth.”

  “Have a seat.”

  “Alone.” She didn’t let her gaze slide to Calhoun, but she could sense the smug look that had to be on his face about now.

  “Listen, I have enough on my plate without having to act as some sort of referee between you two.” Seth said.

  Calhoun held up his beefy hands. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’m just doing my job.”

  “And I’m not?” Melissa said.

  Seth gave her a sympathetic look. “Let’s just say I know this mess is a little more personal for you.”

  Damn right it was personal. Melissa managed to bite her tongue before the words slipped out. All she needed was Calhoun to convince Seth she was a hysterical female who couldn’t separate her personal feelings from the job. “I just want to find the truth, Cory. Same as you.”

  “Glad to hear everyone’s so agreeable.” Seth motioned to the chair next to Cory. “Have a seat and we can get started.”

  So much for privately questioning the preconceived notions of her fellow investigator.

  Melissa lowered herself into the chair. Carefully crossing her legs only at the ankles, she suppressed the urge to fold her arms. Best to appear open, relaxed, like she had nothing vital invested.

  She gave Seth a controlled, businesslike smile. “You were going to fill me in?”

  “There’s not a lot that you don’t already know. Jimmy was accepting payoffs from Sanchez in return for ignoring the drug activities of him and his gang.”

  “Do you have proof of that?”

  “I have witnesses,” Calhoun said.

  “Witnesses who don’t have a reason to lie?”

  Calhoun didn’t answer.

  Score one for Jimmy. “Do you know how the Latin Devils supposedly contacted him?”

  Seth’s green gaze flicked up to Calhoun then dropped back to the report. “Phone? In person?”

  “All of the above,” Calhoun answered.

  “Really?” Melissa pulled out her envelope of phone records. “Then why don’t these calls show up on the phone company’s records?”

  Calhoun held out his hand.

  Melissa turned away and placed the copies on Seth’s blotter.

  Seth slapped the phone records down on top of Calhoun’s report and started perusing.

  “There aren’t any calls to Gayle Rodgers or gang members.” She tossed a look Calhoun’s way. “Jimmy was clean.”

  Calhoun snickered. “He could have communicated some other way. Maybe they met in person. Maybe he used a cell phone we don’t know about. There are a lot of explanations.”

  He was guessing. If
he knew, that shouldn’t be necessary. “I thought you had proof Jimmy was in touch with Sanchez.”

  “I have proof.” He gestured to the report on Seth’s desk. “Bernard and Sanchez had a history.”

  “Of course he knew Sanchez. Jimmy busted him twice. You don’t have proof of any calls between them though, do you?”

  “Not yet.”

  Seth looked up and met Melissa’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Melissa. He’s right. As encouraging as these records are, all they prove is that Jimmy wasn’t sloppy.”

  Melissa shook her head. “Since when do you have to prove a man’s innocence, Seth?”

  “Since the press will be swarming all over this as soon as they get a whiff.”

  He had a point. The press loved police scandal, and it seemed as if they didn’t require even a shred of evidence before splashing such rumors all over the front page and using them to lead their newscasts. But though she believed in Jimmy’s innocence beyond a shadow of a doubt, she couldn’t prove it. Not yet. But she might be able to open up different possibilities. “Have you ever considered that there might be something else going on here?”

  Seth leaned forward, elbows on desk. “Something? Like what?”

  “Jimmy had a brand-new lead about Gayle Rodgers’s death. He was telling someone about it the night before he died.”

  “How do you know this?” Seth glanced down at the phone records, as if the answer might be right there in front of him.

  “His wife remembers the call, but she’s not certain of the time.”

  Calhoun arched his brows. “Who was he talking to?”

  She glanced at Calhoun. “I don’t know. Yet.”

  “Well, I guess that’s all the proof we could ask for.” Calhoun brushed his palms together with a light clapping sound. “Case closed.”

  Melissa felt like strangling the guy. “You’re the one who has no evidence. This is a witch hunt.”

  Seth shook his head slowly, as if the movement took all his energy. “There are things you don’t know, Melissa.”

  “Then tell me. I thought that’s why I was here.”

  Seth nodded to Calhoun.

  Calhoun all but rubbed his hands together, eagerly this time. “We think Bernard was involved with Gayle Rodgers on the side.”

  The words hung in the air for several seconds before they sank in to Melissa’s mind. Jimmy? And Nick’s ex-wife? She shook her head. “Impossible.”

  “Not so impossible,” Calhoun said, his voice strangely soft this time. “We have credit card charges for nearby hotel rooms. We have evidence that Gayle was buying little gifts a man might appreciate. And the landlord, he saw a boyfriend.”

  “That doesn’t mean it was Jimmy.”

  “The landlord’s description says different. Tall, good-looking, graying hair.”

  “I don’t believe it.”

  Calhoun went on. “We don’t know why Gayle turned on him, woman scorned or something, but that’s when she called our office.”

  “You have recordings of those calls? Specific information she offered?”

  “We’re getting it.”

  “What do you mean, you’re getting it?”

  “Just that. When I have more, I’m sure Seth will let you know.” Calhoun focused a put-out look on Seth.

  Seth nodded. “Go on. Tell her how the rest fits together.”

  “When Bernard found out Gayle Rodgers was in touch with us, he told Sanchez. Sanchez needs to protect his investment. Dirty cops aren’t that easy to come by, you know. So he kills Gayle Rodgers, takes some stuff to make it look like a burglary gone bad.”

  Melissa had to admit, the scenario might be possible, but not for Jimmy. “Jimmy arrested Sanchez for Gayle’s murder. Why would he do that if Sanchez killed to protect him?”

  Calhoun shrugged a shoulder. “He didn’t ask Sanchez to kill anybody. Just because he takes bribes doesn’t mean he’s a murderer. So he pops Sanchez for his crime. Figures it will make him right with the Lord or something, who knows?”

  “And the men who shot Jimmy?”

  “Sanchez’s gang brothers—fine, upstanding members of society that they are. They pull a drive-by to pay back the cop who framed their amigo.”

  “You know who the shooters are? You got an ID on them?”

  Another shrug from Calhoun. “They were gang members. We’re working on the rest.”

  She eyed Calhoun. At this point, she’d like to think he had something to do with all this. Of course, she had even less evidence of that than he had against Jimmy. “Two men came to Nick Raymond’s ranch last night.”

  “To kill him?” Calhoun asked.

  “That was their goal.”

  “I told you to get him back to Denver.” Seth narrowed his eyes on her. “I assume he’s here with you?”

  She nodded. “He’s in Denver.”

  “But not here.”

  “No.”

  “How about the items Gayle Rodgers sent to Raymond’s ranch? Toys? Papers? Did you bring them back with you?”

  Melissa nodded. With Calhoun involved, the last thing she wanted was to turn over the boxes. Not until she and Nick had a chance to go through their contents more thoroughly.

  “Do you have them?”

  “Not here.”

  “Bring them in, then. Whatever is in them might fill in a few holes. And bring Raymond and his son with them. This attack in Wyoming is all the more reason they should be in protective custody.”

  Calhoun nodded, a little too eager for Melissa’s liking.

  Seth turned his probing frown on Calhoun for seemingly the first time since the meeting started. “It seems to me you have a lot left to prove. I want this kept under wraps until you can answer more of these questions with evidence.”

  “Will do.”

  Melissa let out a relieved breath. Once news of the investigation got out, no matter what she proved in the long run, Jimmy’s name would always have a dark mark beside it in most people’s minds. So maybe her arguments tonight had done some good. At least Seth had enough questions that he didn’t feel comfortable going public with the investigation. At least Tammy wouldn’t hear the rumors of an affair on top of everything else.

  “Go ahead, Cory.” Seth stood and ambled toward the door. “We’re done here.”

  Melissa sat still and quiet until the door closed behind Calhoun. Seth settled back behind his desk, his gaze riveted to hers. “Where is Raymond now?”

  She’d known this was coming, and she was braced for it. “He’s in Denver, and he’s willing to cooperate. But he doesn’t trust our office or the police after what happened the last time his son was in our custody. And I have to say that until we find out how the gang knew where Jimmy was picking up Nick’s son, I can’t blame him.”

  “I’m sorry, Melissa. I can’t leave this up to you alone.” His voice held the tone of an adult talking down to a not-so-bright kid about what was best for him. “The fact that you are insisting on hiding them has me more than a little worried.”

  “What are you saying, Seth?”

  “I know how you felt about Jimmy. And I’m afraid you’re too personally involved in this to be objective.”

  No, no, no. She thought she was doing so well. She thought she was getting through to him. “It’s always personal, Seth. You know that. Especially when it involves someone in law enforcement.”

  “Not like this is with you. Listen, I understand what you’re going through. You and Jimmy Bernard were close. I get that. But as sorry as I am, I can’t sit back and watch you try to undermine this office.”

  “I’m not trying to undermine anyone. I’m trying to get to the truth.”

  “So is Cory Calhoun.”

  “Is he?”

  “Yes.”

  “I don’t buy it, Seth. From where I’m standing, I think he’s out to get Jimmy.”

  Seth canted his head to the side. “Melissa…”

  “Calhoun’s forcing evidence to fit his theory. He’s convinced Jimmy wa
s corrupt and he’s grasping at anything he can to justify it. The question we should be asking is why would Calhoun do that?”

  “Because I asked him to be thorough? I know this whole thing is hard on Jimmy’s wife, but we can’t think about that. We have to know what Jimmy was into. We can’t afford to tiptoe around hurt feelings. We can’t afford to even appear as if we’re willing to look the other way just because he was a police detective.”

  “This is about your run for D.A.”

  “That has nothing to do with it.”

  “You’re willing to let Calhoun drive Jimmy’s name into the ground so you can appear as if you aren’t showing favoritism to police officers.” She knew she was walking on thin ice talking to him like that, but she couldn’t help it.

  Seth tented his hands in front of his lips and studied her through narrowed eyes. He let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his forehead as if trying to ward off a headache. “You’re off this case as of now, Melissa. I’m putting you on administrative leave. Turn in your identification and your weapon.”

  “This is bigger than politics, Seth.”

  “Damn right it is. It’s about you losing all perspective.” He reached out his hand, palm up, and cupped his fingers. “ID and gun.”

  Melissa pulled out her identification with trembling fingers and laid it in his open hand. She removed her gun, unloaded the clip and checked the chamber and placed the pistol and ammunition on his desk.

  “I’m sorry to have to do this to you, Melissa. But it’s for the best.”

  Sure. The best. Whose best was the question.

  “Now where are those boxes? And Raymond and his son?”

  She raised her gaze and met her boss’s eyes. “Sorry, Seth. I don’t remember.”

  Melissa’s head was still buzzing when she left Seth’s office. She walked through the halls, nodding and murmuring her hellos to coworkers, yet she barely saw them. She wasn’t in any shape to talk right now. And God help her, if she ran into Calhoun milling around, waiting to rub in his victory, she wasn’t sure what she’d do.