by Temple Hogan
“How do you know?” she asked. She would have put money on it being Kermit Nolan.
“I went down to Lambert Street and kept him under surveillance all afternoon.”
“Who else would want to kill me?” she said. “He’s the only logical one. He knows I can identify him as the one who shot Geronimo.”
“It wasn’t him.” He looked at her contemplatively.
“Maybe one of his gang members is trying to do the job for him?”
“Maybe,” Nick conceded. “How did your guy know you were going to the hospital? Did you tell anyone?”
“Only Ray. Obviously, the killer was following me.”
“You’ll have to take extra precautions,” Nick said. “You don’t go anywhere without me.”
Charlie thought about protesting but finally nodded in acquiescence. Nick swept her into his arms.
“I’m glad you’re not going to argue with me, woman,” he said with mock machismo. “I want my woman to do what I say.”
She laughed. “You’d better wait about that until I tell you something,” she hedged.
“This sounds serious.” He kissed her deeply, weaving around in a mock dance, his arms enveloping her, angling them toward the bedroom.
“Wait, Nick, please,” she said, trying to resist the delicious chills that chased down her spine with each caress, every kiss.
“Can’t it wait?” he asked. His hands spread wide, kneading her breasts. She felt her breath tighten in her chest.
“I can’t talk to you when you’re doing that,” she protested because now he was nibbling her earlobe.
“Good, let’s not talk,” he said, chuckling.
“But this is important, Nick,” she said faintly. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about it, but I always get distracted.”
“Then it can’t be that important, so let me distract you and we’ll talk later.” He swept her up in his arms and carried her to their bedroom.
Making love with Nick was like breathing air. She had to do it. She had to give herself over to the rousing passion he evoked and seek her own pleasures in him while giving of herself. He sucked on her nipples until she thought she might peak on that alone. Then he licked her clitoris until she shuddered and gave in to a shattering culmination. Before she could even get her breath back, he had on her back and was plunging into her. When she felt a climax coming over her, he shifted positions with her on top, and she became lost in the new sensations. When they reached their pinnacle together, she cried out and he held her tight and shouted hoarsely. They laughed in mutual delight and rested, her head on his shoulder, their legs entwined. She loved the feel of being so enmeshed with him they were one. She dozed for a little while, and when she woke, she poked him to wake him up.
“I have to talk to you,” she said.
“Not now, woman,” he grumbled. “You wore me out.”
“I have to tell you something about myself that you need to know. I should have told you before we got involved.”
“Whatever it is doesn’t matter,” he said. “I’ll love you anyway.”
“You might not,” she persisted.
He raised his head and looked at her. “I promise I will.”
Her cell phone rang.
“Don’t answer it,” he groaned.
“It might be important,” she said and answered.
“Officer Spencer?” A woman’s tearful voice came over the line.
“Yes,” Charlie answered.
“Charlie Spencer?” the woman inquired carefully.
“Yes. Who is this?” Charlie glanced at Nick who was watching her intently, a questioning look on his face.
“I’m Adelina Rodrigo, Jerome’s wife. He told me to call you. He cannot reach Captain Hilliard.”
“Captain Hilliard is here with me. Is something wrong?” Charlie asked quickly and held the phone so Nick could hear what was said.
“It’s Jerome. Someone tried to kill him today.”
Chapter Eight
“What the hell happened?” Nick asked when they stepped into Geronimo’s hospital room.
Though every officer in the precinct knew him, Nick was happy that he and Charlie had been required to identify themselves to the guard outside the door. Geronimo rested on his bed with his wife, Adelina, as a nurse fussed around him. He seemed relieved to see Nick and Charlie.
“Captain,” he called out cheerfully, although his eyes were overly bright, and Charlie guessed he was still dealing with the emotions of his attempted murder. “I knew you would want to come and talk to me about it. I don’t know much of what happened.” He shrugged. “I was sleeping and woke up to find someone holding a pillow over my face. I struggled, but I was too weak to throw him off. Then I heard a woman scream, and the killer ran off.”
He held his hand out toward the nurse. “This is Gloria Hermosa. She’s the lady with the big scream that frightened the killer away. If not for her, I would not be here.”
“Thank you so much,” Charlie said. “You saved my partner’s life.”
The nurse laughed nervously and turned toward the door.
“Stay, Ms. Hermosa,” Nick said quickly. “I have some questions to ask you, unofficially, of course. Do you mind?”
The woman paused and waited obediently.
“Did you get a look at the man?”
“Si, he was a big man, very tall, like you, and he pushed me aside like I was nothing.”
“What else did you notice about him?” Nick asked.
The woman shrugged. “Not so much after he pushed me. I fell against the bed, and when I got back to my feet, he was gone.”
“Did any of the other nurses see him come into this room?” Charlie asked.
Gloria rolled her eyes. “I will ask,” she said.
“I saw a man getting off the elevator when I arrived,” Adelina spoke up. “He was a very tall man, and he was rude, pushing people out of his way as he hurried toward the door.”
“Besides being tall, what did he look like?” Nick asked.
“He had dark hair, and he had broad shoulders although not so broad as yours,” Adelina said.
“What was he wearing?” Charlie asked.
“He had on a green jacket like some of the volunteers wear around the hospital, but as he walked toward the door, he took it off and threw it on the floor. He had a dark suit on and that was all I could see.”
“You did good,” Charlie told Adelina. “You’re an excellent eyewitness.”
She glanced at Nick who was talking to Geronimo. Nick nodded and headed toward the door.
“Where are you going?” Charlie called, following him.
“I’m going to find the bastard who tried to kill a police officer while he was helpless in the hospital.”
They took the elevator down, and Nick looked around for the green jacket Adelina had described as being thrown on the floor. One such jacket was draped across the arm of a seat in the waiting area. Nick picked it up between his thumb and one finger and crossed to the receptionist desk where one of the volunteers found him a clean plastic bag.
“Why are you taking that?” Charlie asked, trotting along beside him as he headed back to their car, which they’d left parked in the emergency lane.
“The fingerprint people can take prints from some cloths now as well as the buttons. If we find the killer, this may be needed as evidence that he was here and tried to murder Geronimo.”
“Where are we going?” she asked once she’d buckled her seatbelt and they were waiting at a stoplight.
“I’m going back to Lambert Street to look for our friend, Nolan. He may have gone to the hospital to finish what he’d started. I’ll drop you off at home.”
“I’m going with you,” Charlie protested.
“This may be dangerous.”
“You don’t have to worry about me. I can take care of myself.”
“Charlie, I don’t have time to discuss this with you now, but I don’t want you in danger. I can’t worr
y about you and catch Nolan.”
“I’ll help you catch Nolan.” When he opened his mouth, she quickly continued. “There’s something I haven’t told you about myself, so before you go on with that big strong protector of helpless women machismo, you’d better hear what I have to say.”
“Can we talk about this later?” Nick asked, distracted by a panel truck that pulled out in front of them, cutting them off. He slammed on his brakes and swerved. The car’s tires squealed and they sideswiped a cement divider before coming to a rest three inches from a water hydrant. He swore as part of the front panel and hood crumpled, muttering under his breath when the motor coughed and died. Cursing, Nick pressed the gas and turned the key. The car made a whining sound and died.
“Not now,” he said, hitting the steering wheel before trying again to start the motor. After several attempts, he reached for his cell phone.
“Wait,” Charlie said. “Let me try.”
“What can you do?” Nick asked.
Charlie shrugged, nodded her head and said, “Try it again.”
“It’s no good,” he said in exasperation.
“Try it again,” she insisted, and after a moment, he sighed deeply and did as she instructed. The motor started immediately.
“What the hell?” He glanced at her. “How did you know it would start if I tried it once more?”
“Well, that’s part of what I have to tell you about,” she said.
“Okay, tell me later,” he said and stomped the gas, maneuvering back into traffic.
He kept his gaze on the road ahead and soon drew up before her condo building. He cast a quick glance at her, waiting for her to get out, but Charlie stayed where she was.
“This is how it works,” she told him. “If I get out, the car won’t work.”
“Charlie, I love you dearly, but now isn’t the time for a debate. Please get out so I can go after Nolan.”
Charlie shrugged then crawled out of the car and stood on the sidewalk as Nick tried to restart the car. He tried several times, but the motor wouldn’t catch. Charlie leaned into the window and tried her best not to seem smug.
“See what I mean, it won’t go without me.”
“You’re not suggesting that the motor won’t start without you in the car?”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
“Get in,” Nick said. “I don’t have time for this argument.”
“Try it again,” Charlie instructed, refastening her seatbelt.
Immediately, the motor started. Nick looked at her astonishment but made no further comment until they were well on their way to Lambert Street.
“Okay, you’re going to have to explain that one to me,” he said finally as if he’d spent the past minutes trying to figure it out for himself and had failed.
“I’m a witch,” she said quietly. “I’ve been meaning to tell you, but it just seemed other things needed our attention.”
“You’re a witch?” he repeated.
“Uh-huh.”
She saw his tight profile in the flare of headlights. His lips were a grim line, and he looked straight ahead as if he couldn’t believe what he’d heard. She decided not to press the point at this time. This kind of news took some getting used to. They were on Lambert now with its people wandering about. It was business as usual. Up ahead, a car turned into an alley and Nick headed for it, barely braking to veer in behind it. When their headlights hit the car ahead, the passengers looked out the back windshield and hollered instructions to the driver. The sedan picked up speed, spun out of the alley and into the next street over. Nick followed with more daring and expertise than she’d expected from a desk jockey. She hung onto the hand bars and tried to stay upright as their car bounced out into the street and gave chase.
“You’d best call for backup,” Nick ordered, and Charlie pulled out her cell phone, got the station and requested help, giving their location and the make and color of the car they were pursuing.
In no time, she heard sirens up ahead. Within a few minutes, the car was trapped between them and came to a halt. Kermit Nolan was the last guy to come out of the car with his hands up.
“Where you headed?” Nick demanded, patting him down for a weapon. He took a gun from a holster hidden under his jacket and handed it to one of the officers who’d helped with the chase.
“None of your business,” Nolan snarled.
“Better yet, where have you been?” Nick asked. “You been to see a sick friend at the hospital?” He shoved Nolan around so he could face him. “Did you try to take out the cop you shot?”
“Hey man, I ain’t shot no cop,” Nolan said. “I just come from Barney’s back there.” He nodded back the way he’d come. “You can’t blame a man for getting something to eat. Ain’t no law against that yet.”
“No, but there is a law against shooting a cop,” Nick said. “And another law for attempted murder of another police officer. You’re under arrest, Nolan.”
He nodded to the cops surrounding him. “Take him and his cronies downtown to the lockup. We want this all legitimate. We’ll follow in our car.”
They made a stop at the hospital to pick up Adelina before driving to the station. Nick called in a favor and had a friend arrange an immediate lineup. Adelina was put in the observation room, and Charlie was beside her for moral support. Carefully, Geronimo’s wife regarded all the men in the lineup and finally shook her head.
“I don’t see him,” she said, shaking her head again.
“Are you sure?” Charlie asked in surprise. “Look again. Take your time.”
“No, the man who left the elevator at the hospital is not here,” she said adamantly.
“Perhaps you didn’t get a good enough look,” Charlie said despondently.
“Oh, I did,” Adelina said. “I will always remember the man who tried to kill my husband.”
“Thank you for trying,” Charlie said and turned to Nick. “We can still hold Nolan because I’m an eyewitness, can’t we?”
“Yes. We have him solid for that. We have his gun down at ballistics right now. I think we’ll find a match for the slug they took out of Geronimo.”
“Jerome? My Jerome?” Adelina asked, not understanding.
“We have the man who shot your husband in the first place,” Charlie explained.
“Where is he? Was he in the lineup? I want to see him,” Adelina said heatedly.
“We’ve already sent him back to lockup.” Nick reassured her. “I’ll have someone drive you back to the hospital.”
“Thank you. You have been very kind,” the Latin woman said and picked up her sweater.
Charlie accompanied her back to the squad room, and they stood talking while she slipped on her sweater. She turned with a farewell smile then her smile died as she stared at someone behind Charlie.
“There is the man, you do have him,” she said with a joyful note to her voice.
“Where?” Charlie said, looking around. But there wasn’t anyone present that shouldn’t have been there.
“There, he just went through that door.”
Charlie raced out of the squad room and down the corridor. Out on the steps, she scanned the area but saw no one who appeared suspicious, only police officers leaving and arriving for their shift changes. She spotted a familiar figure and called after him.
“Ray, wait.” She ran to him just as he was about to get into his car. “Did you see a man leave the station? He would have been tall and wearing a black suit.”
He stared at her in confusion. “What are you talking about?” His car door was open, and he had his keys in his hand.
“Maybe you haven’t heard. Someone tried to kill Geronimo today. His wife saw a man she thought might have been the attempted killer. We brought in Kermit Nolan and put him in a lineup for her to see. He wasn’t the man she saw, but later, she thought she saw the man in the squad room.”
“That’s an incredible story, Charlie,” Ray said, closing his door and leaning against
his car while he regarded her. “Where’s the woman now?”
“She’s still inside. We were making arrangements for someone to take her back to the hospital to be with Geronimo.”
“You want me to give her a ride? I know her, and she might be more comfortable with me than a stranger.”
“Aren’t you heading home?”
Ray nodded. “But I can run by the hospital and drop her off.”
“That’s terrific, Ray. I’ll go get her.”
She ran back into the station and looked around for Adelina, but she was nowhere in sight.
“Sam, do you know where Geronimo’s wife went? I have a ride for her.”
“Nick took her to the hospital. He said he wanted to talk to Geronimo some more. His car isn’t working so he took mine. He said to tell you to wait for him here. He doesn’t want you on the street without backup.”
“Thanks, Sam,” Charlie said, hiding her irritation.
Nick had to get over this protective attitude. She’d have a talk with him later and make him see that she could take care of herself. She retraced her steps out to tell Ray Adelina already had a ride.
“Where’s she headed, back to the hospital or home?”
“Nick took her to the hospital. He wanted to talk to Geronimo some more.”
Looking annoyed, Ray straightened. Charlie was suddenly aware of how tall he was.
“Thanks for offering to take her,” she said, pushing back at a thought that nagged at her.
“No problem,” he said and glanced at her. “Can I give you a ride?”
None of it made sense, she told herself. There had been two murders and two attempted murders so far, and she couldn’t connect the dots. Were they all by the same tall man in a black suit that Adelina had seen? Seized by a sudden dread, she reached for her cell phone. She had to call Nick, give him a warning to watch out for Geronimo and his wife. She couldn’t tell him why, but the premonition was growing.
Charlie met his gaze, and something deep in his eyes stunned her, the dark, secret light of a man who was capable of doing anything. Immediately, all the pieces fell into place.
“You’re the one,” she said. “You and Ralph were stealing heroin from the compound and reselling it on the streets.” She paused to take a breath as a thought came to her.
