A faint beeping interrupted Cait’s dream of gold bricks, each one about twenty-seven pounds. She wanted to know how much a brick that size would be worth, but before she found out, persistent ringing pulled her from the dream. She reached out to locate her cell on the nightstand. “Hello.”
“It’s Rook. Did I wake you?”
She blinked a few times, dazzled by the morning sun, trying to focus on the red numerals on the clock. Almost 8:45. “No,” she said struggling not to sound sleepy.
“We found a body.”
Wide awake now, Cait pulled herself up to the edge of the bed. “Where Fumié said?”
“Yes. I’ll have to learn not to underestimate her.”
“I never doubted for a second there was a gunshot, but I thought it might have been a rancher shooting at crows. Have you identified the body?”
“John LeBow.”
Cait ran her hand through her tousled hair. “Wow. Wally’s cousin.”
“Yes,” Rook said. “And the guy who shot up your windshield from that pickup we towed a week ago.”
“That’s one less bad guy to worry about. Find anything else besides the body?” Like a gold necklace?
“We looked, but it was too dark. Also wanted you to know Vanicheque and Perough will return. Did you hear the officers during the night?”
“I doubt I’d hear a blast of dynamite up here on the third floor,” she said. “You might remind Vanicheque and Perough that the actors will be here today. Will the officers be dressed in plainclothes?”
“Yes. They’ll let you know when they’re there.” He hesitated. “Should Manning turn up, have one of the officers call me. I want to have a few words with him.”
“You and me both.” After they hung up, she tossed her cell on the bed and headed to the bathroom to shower. She reflected on how LeBow’s death would affect Wally. Would he give up or intensify his vendetta against her? And who was the other guy Fumié said was there? Before she turned into a prune, she shut the water off and grabbed a thick towel from a rack.
She slipped into jeans and a white blouse, applied light makeup, fluffed her curly hair to dry it naturally, and roused Niki from his favorite place in the sun. She took everything she’d need and went downstairs. Shep called as she poured a cup of coffee.
“Cait, is Manning there?”
“No, why?”
“Good. There’s something you should know before you see him. I talked to Wally’s mother. She wasn’t too cooperative at first.”
Cait took her coffee into the front room and looked out the window. “She’s used to hearing bad news about her boys. Rook also talked to her.”
“I know. Mrs. Dillon wouldn’t let me inside the house because I’m a cop, but she agreed to talk on the porch.”
She sipped her coffee. “You must have charmed her. What did she have to say?”
“When I asked if she’d met Calder Manning, she said she met him at church and liked his family.”
“I should hope so, if she let them adopt Hank.”
“She saw Manning again at his dad’s funeral.”
“Oh. Not the best of circumstances.”
“No. After some prodding, she opened up and told me Mr. Manning didn’t die from natural causes. He was an innocent bystander in the wrong place at the wrong time and got caught in a line of fire during a grocery store robbery. She said Calder took it hard.” He paused. “The bullet that killed Manning’s dad came from a police officer’s gun.”
Her breath caught in her throat as she digested the news. “Now I understand Calder Manning’s attitude toward me.” She rubbed her aching temples.
“Yeah, and why he’s there. Remember, Hank’s adoption was never finalized after Mr. Manning’s death.”
“Unfortunate for everyone.”
“I don’t think not signing adoption papers changed the outcome,” he said. “Mrs. Manning, in effect, adopted Hank.”
“There you are.” Marcus walked into the room. When he saw she was on the phone he said, “Sorry to interrupt, but the police officers are here. They want to talk to you.”
Cait nodded. “Shep, Fumié was abducted yesterday while she was jogging. She’s okay. She got free, but she heard a gunshot. Rook and his officers searched the area where she was abducted and found a body—John LeBow, Wally’s cousin.”
Cait heard Shep release a long sigh. “The body count’s growing, but at least the girl wasn’t hurt.”
“Rook’s officers are here. Thanks for the news. I’ll call you later.”
“Isn’t that Manning in the driveway?” Marcus said.
Cait stared out the front window and watched Manning step out of his rental car. When she opened the door, she set off the alarm. Marcus quickly punched in the code while she went outside. “Where have you been?” she asked Manning.
Manning took his time going up the steps. “I didn’t know I was supposed to report in and out.”
Cait’s eyes narrowed on the gold chain around his neck. “Nice necklace. One like it keeps turning up in unexpected places.”
Manning removed his sunglasses. “What’s that supposed to mean?” He looked at Marcus standing in the doorway. “He’s not wearing one.”
“Hank did. Does Wally wear a gold necklace?”
He frowned. “Why would you think that?”
“Because a guy fitting his description abducted Fumié yesterday. He wore a similar necklace with a cross. Know anything about that?”
His smile threw Cait off balance for a second. “As a matter of fact, I do. The necklace is a sign of brotherhood. I gave one to Hank to make him feel part of my family. Wally wears it now. As for the girl, I’m taking care of that. What happened to her shouldn’t have happened.”
Surprised, she said, “She could have been shot and left in a field . . . like John LeBow.”
Manning’s jaw clamped shut.
Officer Vanicheque appeared in the doorway next to Marcus. “Everything okay?”
“I think Mr. Manning’s about to explain Fumié’s abduction and John LeBow’s murder,” Cait said. Or I’ll pull it out of him one word at a time.
Vanicheque stepped onto the porch as Perough walked around from the side of the house and stood at the foot of the stairs blocking Manning. “This should be interesting. Let’s hear it,” Vanicheque said.
Manning’s eyes shifted between the two officers, and then he held his hands out in a “calm down” gesture. “Wally told me what happened when I confronted him, but he didn’t hurt her.”
“Did he kill John LeBow?” Perough asked.
“I don’t know any John LeBow.”
Frustrated, Cait said, “Sure you do. He’s Wally’s cousin. He and Wally have been busy taking shots at me, breaking into the theater, and murdering one of my actors. LeBow also supplied guns to Wally.”
Manning shrugged. “I’ll have to ask Wally about him the next time he calls.”
“Cut the crap, Manning. We’ll escort you to Wally’s hideout,” Perough said. “Where is he? Pagan Alley?”
“Look, I’ll handle it. I don’t trust the police any more than Wally. You guys are all trigger-happy.”
Cait’s thoughts flashed to Manning’s dad and how he was cut down with a police officer’s bullet. She chose a softer touch to get him to cooperate. “Can you bring Wally in like you promised? There’s been enough tragedy, and I have a busy weekend ahead. I’d like to end this today.”
Manning nodded. “I agree, but I’ll bring him in my way.”
She looked at Vanicheque and Perough for their reaction to Manning’s cavalier attitude.
The officers exchanged glances. Vanicheque looked at his watch. “You’ve got twenty-four hours. If Wally’s not in custody by then, we’re coming after both of you.”
Manning nodded and returned to his car and drove off.
Cait released a long sigh and looked at Vanicheque. “You’re to call Detective Rook.”
He reached in his jeans pocket for his cell.
“Whew, glad that’s over. If anyone’s hungry, I brought bagels,” Marcus said. “Would anyone like scrambled eggs to go with them?”
“Sounds good,” she said. “The way things are going, it may be the last meal I get today.”