by Philip Cox
‘It certainly answers a lot of questions.’
‘Yes. A pity Justin’s no longer around to put it all into context.’
‘Very much. He’s crazy.’
Leroy said, ‘That’s what I’m afraid of. He’s certifiable, or simple, or both. I’m not even sure if the DA will consider him fit to stand trial.’
‘Hm,’ muttered Quinn.
‘I know what you’re thinking, Ray: assuming those guys were guilty of what Justin said, then did they have it coming?’
‘That’s not -’
‘I was thinking the same thing myself. But remember Barbara Hutchinson and Anthony Wong. And remember justice and the law aren’t always the same thing.’
Quinn said nothing.
Neither of them said much until Leroy reversed into his space in the police parking lot, and his phone rang. Quinn watched him as he took the call, a blank expression appearing on his face.
‘Well?’ Quinn asked as Leroy slowly ended the call.
‘That was Officer Jenner - the one I left at the hospital.’
‘And?’
‘He called to say Pine’s just flatlined.’
FIFTY-EIGHT
LIEUTENANT PEREZ SAT back in his chair and rested his chin on his steepled fingers. ‘So,’ he said quietly. ‘Case closed?’
Leroy brushed some imaginary dust off his sleeve. ‘Well, Ray and I have a few more angles to check out, just to be sure nobody else is involved; but all the evidence corroborates what he told us.’
‘And you and Ray have made full statements? I take it you weren’t recording what he said.’
Leroy shook his head. ‘Didn’t expect him to flatline half an hour after we left. We weren’t expecting to speak to him anyway.’
Perez signed. ‘Well, I guess that does clear everything up. Both suspects killed in a chase. And tell me again, what was the motivation?’
‘Pine himself I think was a bit - not simple, not retarded - vulnerable. He implied he was abused himself by a family member as a boy: that clearly had a lasting impact on him. Just very open to suggestion. And I think he had something of a crush on Justin, though he denied anything like that. Maybe by going along with everything, he figured he and Justin might…you know.’
‘And what about this Justin? What was he like? What was his motivation?’
‘Justin Smits. Blond, tanned. Surfer dude. Probably attractive to someone like Pine. According to Pine, some years back Justin lived with a guy - a much older guy - who was one of the runaways Avalon Mission found and put into their boys’ homes. Got abused - physically and sexually - while he was there, and still had nightmares about it. Eventually shot himself. This seemed to have traumatised Justin so much, he vowed to punish those he considered responsible.’
Perez looked up. ‘Why the hell didn’t he come to us?’
‘Come on, Roman. Twenty, thirty years ago, if somebody had come to us making accusations about respectable members of the community, men who do valuable, charitable work, would they be taken seriously?’
‘There would have been corroboration, surely?’
‘These days, yes; but then? I’m not so sure. The victims would have been ashamed, in denial, wanting to put it in the past. Think about it.’
Perez rubbed his chin. ‘Yeah, maybe you’re right. I’ve spoken to the Captain and he’s going to the Chief. There is the question of the other facilities the Mission ran. You could have opened one mother of a can of worms.’
‘The home outside Avalon was just for boys. Apparently the girls lived somewhere here on the mainland.’
‘Don’t even go there. It’s not your concern anyway, Sam: the Chief’s going to refer it to the Sex Crimes Division. Now, you and Quinn finish off your paperwork, and get off home for some sleep. Be here bright and early tomorrow.’
‘I won’t argue with that,’ said Leroy and left Perez alone in his office.
It was almost 5PM by the time they had completed all the paperwork and could finally say that the case was over. Now it was time to go home. Quinn began to chat to a couple of officers in the entrance, so Leroy wished him good night and headed to his car. He was looking forward to the evening: no cases to ponder; just a nice, relaxing evening with Julia.
He had been driving for ten minutes when Julia rang his cell.
‘Your ears must have been burning,’ he said to her. ‘I was just thinking about you.’
‘Sam, are you on your way home yet?’
‘On my way now. Shall I head to yours?’
‘Please, yes. And be quick.’
‘Why? What’s up?’
‘It’s just…oh, it’s nothing.’
‘Julia - what are you talking about?’
‘Well, when I got home, I noticed a car parked a little way down the street. I kind of recognised it, but couldn’t place why it was familiar. Then I remembered as I got indoors that it was the same colour as the car that had been parked outside the school the other day.’
Leroy jerked in his seat. ‘What? Are you sure? Did you see the driver?’
‘No, I just came inside. Wait a minute; I’ll see if it’s still there.’
‘Julia – wait.’
‘I’m just looking out of the window. Oh, my God.’
‘What is it? Julia?’
‘It is. It’s the same guy who was in the car. And he’s standing on the sidewalk, staring right up at me.’
FIFTY-NINE
‘JULIA! JULIA! WHAT’S he doing?’
‘I told you. He’s just staring up at my window.’
‘Can he see you?’
‘Not sure. I have no lights on, and I’m standing a couple of feet from the glass. Sam, what does he want?’
There was no reply.
Again, Julia asked, ‘Sam – what does he want? Are you still there?’
‘Yes; sorry, I am still here. I was calling Despatch. They’re sending some patrol cars. Is he holding anything?’
‘I can’t see. He’s standing on the sidewalk, but that bougainvillea bush or whatever it is, is in front of him. I don’t see if he’s holding anything.’
‘He’s still there, then?’
‘Julia, go lock and double bolt your door. Now. Don’t answer the door to anybody. Anybody. The first patrol car will be five minutes or so. I’m about fifteen minutes away. Do it now.’
‘I’ve done it, Sam. What should I do now?’
‘Just stay put. I won’t be long.’
Julia slid the bolts shut, checked the spy hole, and backed away from the door. Rushed into the kitchen and took out two long knives. Sat down at the dining table staring at the door, and thanking God she lived in a second floor apartment with one door, rather than a house with many doors and windows and ways of entry.
*****
As soon as Julia told him Dwight Mason was outside her building, Leroy switched on his strobe and siren, and floored the gas pedal. A grim expression on his face, he recalled his previous meetings with Mason. It was during a previous investigation - about the same time he met Julia - that he and the odious Mason first met. Leroy was investigating the case of several men being found in various parts of the city, pumped full of drugs. It turned out that a former Secretary of Defence, in partnership with the former Police Captain, was running what was no more than a high class, top of the range whore house off Mulholland Drive. Where this differed was that the Secretary liked to watch, and was disposed to sit behind a two-way mirror and CCTV to get his jollies that way. At the end of the case, Leroy ended up shooting the Police Captain, after taking a slug in the leg himself. The Secretary ended his own career with a shotgun in his mouth. Dwight Mason was the Secretary’s Legal Counsel come Personal Assistant. An obnoxious and repellent little asshole, it was Mason who did the dirty work for the Secretary. When the whore house was closed, Mason disappeared. He surfaced a few days later, stole Julia’s cell phone and made a call to Leroy subtly threatening Julia. Then went off the radar until his appearance at her school. Leroy just knew i
t was him waiting outside the school.
And now he was outside her home.
He was on Venice Boulevard now, crossing Walgrove Avenue, then Lincoln Boulevard. Now Venice Boulevard divided into two, like a giant V. ‘Shit!’ Leroy shouted. Ocean-bound traffic had to take the right; Leroy needed to go left. This was all wasting time.
He took the right arm of the V past Centennial Park. ‘Yes!’ he cried out as he noticed the entrance to the parking lot of the Venice-Abbot Kinney Library. The exit was into the left hand edge of the V, into Venice Boulevard South. He swung the Taurus into the lot and crossed the blacktop, narrowly avoiding hitting three cars trying to park. Now along Ocean Avenue, round the left hand bend into Holly Court and Julia’s home. And Dwight Mason.
As he turned into Holly Court, he could see the red and blue lights from two patrol cars, possibly coming along Harbor Street. But coming towards him at speed, was a silver sedan. Leroy frowned and peered ahead: it had to be.
And it was. As the sedan got closer, Leroy could see the wild face of Dwight Mason driving. Once Mason realised it was Leroy fifty feet away, he swung his own wheel, maybe to make a left into Beach Avenue. However, he was not going fast enough: Leroy reached the corner a fraction of a second after Mason made the turn, and the front of Leroy’s Taurus slammed into the side of Mason’s trunk. Mason’s car spun round twice, and came to a stop after smashing into a tree. The Taurus had ridden up onto the sidewalk; Leroy reversed back onto the road and ran down to the sedan. Mason was still in the driver’s seat. Unlike Justin Smits the previous night, he was still alive, but dazed. The two patrol cars had now arrived, and Leroy and the four officers slowly stepped towards Mason, weapons at the ready.
‘Get out of the car, Mason,’ Leroy called out. One of the patrolmen opened Mason’s door and manhandled him out. He did not seem injured, but was too groggy to resist. The patrolmen searched him, took away a long knife, and handcuffed him.
‘We’ll take him now, Detective,’ the sergeant said.
Leroy nodded. To Mason he said, ‘Time’s up, Mason. You’re going away for a very long time.’
Mason gave Leroy a sneer. ‘Perhaps. But when I get out, Detective, I’m coming for you. And for your bitch.’
‘Get him out of here,’ Leroy snapped, and watched as Mason was dragged away to one of the patrol cars.
‘I shouldn’t worry, Detective,’ said one of the other patrolmen as they watched Mason being driven away. ‘By the time he gets out, you’ll be long gone.’
Leroy looked at the officer. ‘You looking for a career in the Venice Police Department?’ he asked.
The officer looked serious. ‘Absolutely.’
Deadpan, Leroy replied, ‘Well, if that fails, you could always try the Diplomatic Service.’
SIXTY
IT WAS A warm evening. Warm for the time of year. Leroy and Julia were escorted by the hostess to their table. It was on a veranda, in a corner. Two large baskets filled with bougainvillea hung from the white posts at the corner, and the white trellis fences were topped with white vases with pink and yellow flowers.
Off Vine was almost full tonight.
Leroy looked around. ‘It was lucky I’d booked.’
Julie replied, ‘You mean you can’t just walk in, and the maitre d’ says, “Ah, Detective Leroy. Your usual table?”’
He shook his head. ‘Only in the movies.’
Julia picked up the menu. ‘Are you ready to order?’
Leroy looked at the menu card. ‘Damn.’
‘What is it, Sam?’
‘It’s Thursday, isn’t it?’
‘Yeah. So what?’
‘There’s a special half price menu Monday nights,’ Leroy grinned.
Julia cast her eyes to the ceiling. ‘Cheap. Cheap.’ She read her menu. ‘I’m going to have Wild Atlantic Salmon. Sounds delicious - topped with wild mushrooms, spinach, pepper.’
‘Yes, it does.’ He looked up at the server. ‘I’m going to have Pecan Encrusted Chicken.’ He looked at Julia and said knowingly, ‘Sautéed with a chilled pear-rosemary sauce.’
Both meals were washed down with a 2011 Zinfandel. For dessert, they both opted for Creme Brulee. As they waited, Julia said, ‘Remember the last time we were here?’
Leroy stared at her. ‘I think so. Why?’
‘On the way home you thought you’d do some ambulance chasing. Remember?’
‘Ah, yes. That’s right.’
‘And that was the start of one big case for you.’
‘It sure was.’
Julia said, ‘So…those two kids had like a hit list?’
‘U-huh,’ Leroy replied as the desserts arrived.
‘Of the men who’d run the children’s home years back?’
Leroy nodded, his mouth full of dessert.
‘Men who’d regularly abused the children in their care?’
‘That’s right.’
‘So, couldn’t you argue that -’
‘I know exactly what you’re going to say. Ray said the same thing. But we can’t be judge and jury as well as police officers. They didn’t deserve to be murdered, but they did deserve to be arrested and tried.’
‘Tried and fried.’
Leroy shook his head. ‘There’s not been an execution in California since 2006. Only last year it was ruled to violate the Eighth Amendment.’
Julia shook her head slowly.
‘But,’ Leroy continued, ‘if the victims had come forward years earlier, then it might have been a different matter.’
‘It’s not fair.’
‘Like I said to Ray, there’s a big difference between justice and the law. We have to follow the law.’
Julia nodded. She picked up her wine glass. ‘Let’s talk about something happier.’
Leroy picked up his too. ‘I’ll drink to that.’
And so they ate and drank and smiled and laughed and on the street outside, diners and movie goers and tourists and passers-by and vagrants spent their time and money on that warm Thursday night.
THE END
ALSO BY PHILIP COX
AFTER THE RAIN
Young, wealthy, handsome - Adam Williams is sitting in a bar in a small town in Florida.
Nobody has seen him since.
With the local police unable to trace Adam, his brother Craig and a workmate, Ben Rook, fly out to find him.
However, nothing could have prepared them for the bizarre cat-and-mouse game into which they are drawn as they seek to pick up Adam’s trail and discover what happened to him that night.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FZ0RAI
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005FZ0RAI
DARK EYES OF LONDON
When Tom Raymond receives a call from his ex-wife asking to meet him, he is both surprised and intrigued – maybe she wants a reconciliation?
However, his world is turned upside down when she falls under a tube train on her way to meet him.
Refusing to accept that Lisa jumped, Tom sets out to investigate what happened to her that evening.
Soon, he finds he must get to the truth before some very dangerous people get to him…
www.amazon.com/dp/B007JMWBM2
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007JMWBM2
SHE’S NOT COMING HOME
EVERY MORNING
At 8.30 Ruth Gibbons kisses her husband and son goodbye, and goes to work.
EVERY EVENING
At 5pm she finishes work, texts her husband leaving now, and begins her walk home.
EVERY NIGHT
At 5.40 she arrives home, kisses her husband and son, and has dinner with her family
EXCEPT TONIGHT
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www.amazon.com/dp/B009US94U0
DON’T GO OUT IN THE DARK
A WET AUTUMN NIGHT
Newspaper reporter Jack Richardson lends his coat and car to a friend
AN ACCIDENT
Within thirty minutes, Jack’s car lies in flames
The crash see
ms suspicious, and Jack wonders if it was an accident, or murder.
But if it was murder,
Who was the intended victim?
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LG005GM
www.amazon.com/dp/B00LG005GM
INTRODUCING SAM LEROY…
SOMETHING TO DIE FOR
Los Angeles, late September, and the hot Santa Ana winds are blowing, covering the city with a thin layer of dust from the Mojave and Sonoran deserts.
That night, there are three mysterious, unexplained deaths.
The official view is that they are all unrelated. The deceaseds had no connection, and all died in different parts of the city.
However, Police Detective Sam Leroy has other ideas, and begins to widen the investigation.
But he meets resistance from the most unexpected quarter, and when his life and that of his loved ones are threatened, he faces a choice: back off, or do what he knows he must do…
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00FNMWI28
www.amazon.com/dp/B00FNMWI28
SHOULD HAVE LOOKED AWAY
It began on a Sunday. An ordinary Sunday, and a family trip to the mall.
Will Carter takes his five-year old daughter to the bathroom, and there he is witness to a fatal assault on an innocent stranger.
Over the next few days, Will tries to put the experience behind him, but when he sees one of the killers outside his home, he becomes more and more involved, soon passing the point of no return.
Becoming drawn deeper and deeper into something he does not understand, Will feels increasingly out of his depth and is soon asking where this is going and was the victim as innocent as he first thought…
