by Stacy-Deanne
“How the fuck would I know?” He laid his hands on the table. “Shit, it’s your job to go out there and find the answers. Can you guys get Danny on Alicia’s murder?”
“We have to know he did something first,” Alexis said. “All we have is hearsay, and to be honest Danny doesn’t look like the only person who would want Alicia murdered.”
“This is straight up bullshit.” Khalil jumped up. “What the hell do citizens pay your asses for? You know damn well Danny did this shit. Either you go get his ass or I will, and this time he won’t come out alive.”
“Okay.” Alexis pointed her finger. “Let me give you a tip. It’s not smart to threaten a man’s life in front of the police. I suggest you sit down and think before you speak next time, okay?”
He looked away, exhaling. “Have you talked to Danny at least?”
“We’ve tried,” Alexis said. “But every time we find out where he might be he isn’t there.”
“And he conveniently disappears whenever we show up at his house,” Penelope said.
“Well, he’s at home right now.” Khalil pointed to the door. “I suggest you get your asses over there before he takes off again.”
Chapter Twelve
“Let me get this straight.” Danny X showed Alexis and Penelope to the pool behind his two-story home. “I’m the one who gets attacked and you’re accusing me of murder?” He held an icepack on his swollen jaw.
He had a round, broad face and angular nose that made him look younger than his age of forty.
“We’re not accusing you.” Alexis took off her shades. “But it sure is funny how you’ve been dodging the police.”
“I haven’t been dodging anyone.” He stared at them with close set, brown eyes the color of cognac. “I’ve been busy and I didn’t know you guys were looking for me.”
“Oh come on, Danny.” Penelope grinned. “You and I are old ‘friends’.” She winked. “I know how you operate.”
“Do you?” He massaged his jaw, a breeze shifting his oaky cologne Alexis’ direction.
“Are we supposed to believe that you didn’t know we’d been looking for you when we’ve spoken to several people who know you knew Alicia?” Alexis hooked her shades on her blouse.
“Just because I know someone means I killed her?” He groaned as he sat on the lawn chair. “If you know me so well, Penelope, you should know I’m not a killer.”
“How do I know that?” She rocked with her hand on her holster.
“Danny.” Alexis sat in the chair beside him. “We know a lot about your extracurricular activities. You know something.”
He took the icepack off his jaw.
“Unless you want to be pinned for Alicia’s murder and if you really didn’t do it…you’ll cut the shit right now,” Alexis said.
“Okay. I knew Alicia through Angel Page.”
“Who’s that?” Penelope squinted from the sun.
“He’s a trainer,” Danny said. “Alicia was one of the boxers he works with.”
Penelope glanced at Alexis. “What do you have to do with this trainer?”
“Nothing,” he said. “We’re not friends or anything. We got a common associate, that’s all.”
Penelope chuckled. “Now Danny, you’re not connected to any underground fight clubs or anything like that?”
“Me?” He grinned. “What would I know about a fight club?”
Alexis looked at Penelope who shook her head.
“You guys need to talk to Angel, not me. He and Alicia were having problems. Alicia didn’t wanna work with him anymore and he didn’t like that.” Danny looked at Alexis. “Angel’s not the kind of guy you walk away from.”
“Funny, that’s what folks say about you,” Alexis said.
“I’ve told you what I know.” He stood. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna take some ibuprofen and lie down.” He headed inside.
“Hold on.” Alexis slipped on her shades. “Where can we find Angel Page?”
“I don’t know.” He rubbed his jaw. “Alicia was friends with a fighter named Mercy Cokes. Angel’s her trainer, too, so she can tell you where to find him.”
* * * *
Alexis and Penelope walked down the long halls of the recreation center and ended up in a spacious room with a boxing ring. Three men stood by the ring chatting about a new all-in-one computer. They dropped their conversation and stared at the detectives.
“Well, well, well.” The bald black man strolled up to Alexis and Penelope. “What can I do for you two lovely ladies?” He flashed a golden smile. “Looking for a fighter? I might be the man for the job.”
“Cool it, Barry.” A short Hispanic man with slicked-back hair and a jumpsuit joined them. “Excuse him. He loses his mind when it comes to beautiful women.”
“That I do.” Barry rubbed up against Penelope. “I love Asian women. What are you, Chinese?”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m Vietnamese.”
“Sorry, darling.” Barry backed away with his hands up. “But we can’t automatically tell the difference. You speak Vietnamese?”
“Yes.” Penelope glared at him.
He bent down to her. “Say something in Vietnamese for me, darling.”
“Get out my face.” She smiled. “Is that Vietnamese enough for you?”
Alexis covered her grin.
“Ooh, excuse me.” Barry whistled. “I like my women with a little fire.”
“You’ll get it in spades if you don’t leave me alone,” Penelope said.
“Hey, can’t blame a man for trying.” Barry backed out of the room. “Catch you later, sweet thing.” He checked out Alexis’ backside as he left.
“He’s an interesting character,” Alexis said.
“Excuse him.” The Hispanic man crossed his arms. “Can I do something for you ladies?”
“We’re looking for Angel Page,” Alexis said. “The woman at the front desk said he was back here.”
“It’s your lucky day,” he said. “I’m Angel Page.” He took their hands and kissed them. “What can I do for you?”
“We’re with the Tate Valley Police.” Alexis took out her badge. “I’m Detective Alexis Adams and this is Detective Penelope Dao.”
Penelope nodded.
“Wow.” He looked them over. “You’re the best looking cops I’ve seen in a long time.”
“May we speak to you for a little bit?” Penelope asked.
“Sure.” He turned around and snapped his fingers at the other man. “Give us a minute, okay?”
The man grabbed his Coke can and left.
Angel focused on the women. “What’s this about?”
“Alicia Bellows,” Alexis said. “Is it true that you’re her trainer?”
He cleared his throat. “Who told you that?”
“Doesn’t matter who told us,” Penelope said. “Is it true?”
“Yeah, but I don’t know nothing about her murder. I hadn’t seen her since the day before her death.”
“Where were you Monday evening between five and six?” Alexis dug for her notepad.
“I was here working with a fighter.”
“Mind giving us a name?” Alexis asked.
“Holly.”
Alexis wrote it down. “Her last name?”
“I don’t know her last name.” He fidgeted with his arms behind his back. “We just started working together. I’m thinking about taking her on, but nothing’s official yet.”
“Do you have her number?” Penelope asked. “Know where she stays?”
“All I know is she works at some pizza place.” He looked back and forth at them. “I don’t know her well at all.”
Alexis studied his peculiar expression. “Can anyone besides Holly verify that you were here during the time of Alicia’s murder?”
“We were alone.” He shrugged. “No one would’ve seen us.”
“I see,” Penelope said. “Do you do more than train your fighters?”
“Are you trying to ask i
f I have sex with them?” He held his head to the side. “No. I take my job very seriously. I care about the fighters I work with. I want them to get the best out of working with me. I don’t mix business with pleasure.”
“Do you train men too?” Penelope asked.
“No. I prefer working with female fighters.”
“I just bet you do.” Penelope smirked.
Angel shook his head at the comment.
Alexis waved her pencil. “You know Nadine Williams?”
He nodded. “She’s one of the fighters I train.”
“Are you aware that she disappeared around the time Alicia was murdered?” Alexis asked.
“Yes, but I don’t know anything about that either.”
“We heard that Alicia wanted to split from you,” Penelope said.
“Who told you that?” He chuckled. “No, we got along good. Everything was fine.”
“Any idea why someone would say she wanted to get away from you then?” Alexis squinted. “I’m sure you wouldn’t be happy about that, right?”
“Alicia and I were fine. We got along great and she loved working with me. If someone told you this then maybe they’re trying to throw you guys off, because Alicia and I didn’t have any problems.”
“We know you train Mercy too,” Penelope said. “You’re yet another common denominator between Nadine and Alicia.”
“Am I under arrest or something?” He pointed to himself. “Do you think I killed Alicia?”
“We didn’t say that.” Alexis tapped the notepad. “We’re just asking questions.”
“I didn’t do anything to Nadine or Alicia.” Angel’s smile disappeared. “Are we done?”
Chapter Thirteen
“That was an interesting meeting, wasn’t it?” Penelope and Alexis exited the recreation center. “What do you think of Angel?”
Alexis stretched. “I think he’s hiding something.”
They made it to Alexis’ car.
“Unfortunately almost everyone we’ve spoken to seems to be hiding something.” Alexis unlocked the car with her remote and they got in.
“Wanna get something to eat on the way back?” Penelope checked her watch. “We can stop by that burger place down the street.”
“Damn, a fat, juicy piece of cow flesh sounds good.” Alexis put the key in the ignition but didn’t start the car.
Penelope grinned. “Lexi.”
“I’m serious.” She put on her seatbelt. “I’m so hungry I could eat a cow out of the field.”
Penelope laughed.
“Hey.” Alexis sat back and looked at her. “You’re my best friend, right?”
Penelope gripped the armrest. “I always worry when you ask me that.”
“You’re one of a few people I can trust in this town.” Alexis rubbed the steering wheel. “I know no matter what happens you always got my back.”
“Okay, now I’m getting worried.” Penelope chuckled, gaping. “What’s this about?”
“I need your help probably more than I ever will.”
Penelope turned in the seat.
“It’s about Grant.”
“Gee.” Penelope touched the dashboard. “I’m shocked.”
“I have a plan that might get Grant to confess that he killed Nolan. Or at least to get him to admit that he had Base set up Leo.”
Penelope snickered, pinching the bridge of her nose. “You really believe Grant killed Nolan?”
“I don’t see anything funny.”
“What’s this grand plan?”
“I’m going to wire Base through a phone and send him to talk to Grant. Hopefully he’ll admit to something and I’ll have it on tape.”
“You can’t be serious.” Penelope batted her eyes. “Are you out of your mind?”
“I’ll do whatever it takes to get Grant. I’m sick of tiptoeing around and not getting any results.”
“You can’t wire Base for your own personal benefit, Lexi. You’re breaking serious policies if you do this. You can’t abuse your power like this.”
“Oh girl, please.” She laughed. “Look who we work for. Like the Tate Valley Police gives a damn about policy.”
“So it’s not okay for the police department to do underhanded things, but it’s okay for you to do them?”
“I’m not doing something crooked to further my job or to get perks from Grant Copeland like the other cops around here. I’m doing this to get justice. I thought you understood.”
Penelope straightened up in the seat. “Let’s forget policy for a moment and remember that this is illegal, Lexi. You can’t just wire people without a court order. You could be thrown off the force.”
She waved her finger. “I won’t because I won’t get caught.”
“I don’t think you realize the trouble you could get in.”
“I don’t care, Penelope! As my friend and partner, you’re supposed to back me up.”
“You lose all sense when it comes to Grant, and I don’t understand it.” Penelope turned straight ahead.
“Maybe if he’d broken up your parents’ marriage and took you away from the guy you loved for nineteen years then you would.”
“Do you even care that you’re putting Base in danger? Think of what would happen to him if Grant found out you tried to set him up.”
“Base is a police informant. He knows how to handle himself in these types of situations.”
Penelope scoffed, shaking her head. “It’s one thing to want revenge on Grant, but when you put other people’s lives in danger…that’s wrong, Lexi.”
“I can’t believe this. You’re my best friend and should be on my side.”
“I’m on your side but you have to do things the right way.”
“That man might’ve killed someone.” Alexis threw her palm in Penelope’s face. “He has this entire town running scared and you expect me to just sit back and take it? Think about what you’d do if you were in my shoes.”
Penelope put on her seatbelt. “I wouldn’t do this.”
“I need your help whether you agree or not.”
“Count me out.” Penelope moved the seatbelt off her breasts. “You’re putting yours and Base’s life in danger and I won’t be a part of that.”
Alexis stared with her mouth open. “You’re really not going to help me with this?”
“I can’t.” Penelope whipped her hair away from her face. “It doesn’t feel right.”
“Wow.” Alexis started the car. “Will you at least keep your mouth shut?”
“I can’t believe you’re actually doing this.”
“Believe it.” Alexis backed out of the parking lot. “I’m going to prove Grant’s a murderer, and I don’t give a damn how I have to do it.”
* * * *
Two Nights Later
“Base should be at the door by now.” Alexis turned up the volume on the speaker of the surveillance cell phone. She and Leo Pacheco sat in his car a few blocks from Grant’s estate. “It sounds like he’s knocking on the door. Damn, he’s breathing like a bear.”
“He’s nervous.” Leo stroked his trimmed black beard. “Trying to trap Grant Copeland is much different than trapping some punk who’s selling weed.”
Alexis held the phone between her and Leo. “Okay, the doorman let him in.” She crossed her fingers. “Let’s hope this works.”
“I thought you had all the confidence in the world.” Leo took out a candy bar and unwrapped one end.
“Thank you so much for agreeing to help me.” She patted his arm. “Somehow I imagined Penelope would be sitting here with me. I can’t believe she turned her back on me.”
“Don’t be too hard on her. You know she’s big on doing what’s right even if she does work for the Tate Valley Police.”
“You think she’s scared of Grant?”
He bit off the edge of the chocolate bar. “That might have a little something to do with it.” The moonlight hit his black hair, giving it a bluish glint. “I worked on the force a long
time, and most cops were intimidated by Grant’s heavy hand.”
“You’re not scared of Grant. I wish everyone else in this town were like you.”
“Grant took my career away from me.” He chewed. “But that’s not why I’m helping you. I’m doing it because it’s the right thing to do.”
“Thank you, Leo.” She gripped his hand. “So when are you and Penelope going out on a date?”
He cut his gaze to her.
“Oh. Sh.” Alexis listened into the phone. “I think Base just went into the living room.”
Chapter Fourteen
“I would be lying if I said this visit wasn’t a surprise.” Grant got up from his computer desk and went over to the mini bar beside the baby grand piano. “You want a drink, Base?”
Sweating like a fish in a shark’s mouth, he clenched up to stop the shaking of his knees.
“Base?” Grant got a half-empty bottle of Brandy and a glass off the shelf. “Do you want something to drink?”
“No…thank you.” Sweat dripped behind his ear. “Jesus,” he whispered.
* * * *
“God,” Alexis said. “He sounds like he’s gonna explode he’s so nervous. I bet he’s sweating like a pig.”
* * * *
“You look awfully nervous.” Grant set the brandy and glass on the bar. “Is something wrong?”
“No.” Salty sweat stung Base’s eye. “It’s hot as hell in here.”
“Really?” Grant filled the short, square glass with brandy. “The air’s on. It feels fine to me.” He smiled. “What did you want to see me about?”
“Uh…” Base took another deep breath but each time he did he became even more apprehensive. “I’ve been feeling bad lately.”
“Sick?” Grant set the Brandy on the shelf and closed the cabinet.
“No uh…” Base leaned on the bar. “You ever feel…guilty? Like when you do things wrong?”
“No.” Grant sipped. “I never do anything wrong.”
* * * *
“Give me a break.” Alexis rolled her eyes.
