Sam pivoted and walked toward Cam. “What do you mean?”
“I was out all night helping to look for Kent. Gigi texted that she was going home from my place this morning.” His voice was as shaky as his hands. “I texted her a while ago, but she didn’t reply, which is weird because she always replies. I’ve tried calling her a couple of times, and I just went by her place. Her car is out front, but she didn’t answer the door. I don’t have a key.” He ran his hands through his hair as if trying to keep his head from blowing off his neck. “We haven’t gotten there yet, and I don’t know what to do. I feel like something is wrong, because she’d never let me worry this way after everything with Jaycee.”
No one could miss the underlying hysteria in his voice. “Are you able to track her phone?”
“It’s off. It’s never off. I feel like I’m coming out of my skin.”
“What about Jaycee? Are you able to track her phone?”
He shook his head. “I deleted her out of my phone after she slashed my tires.”
To Gonzo, Sam said, “Let’s get Jaycee’s mother on the phone and find out where she is.”
He went to see to that while Sam guided Cam into the conference room.
“This is exactly what I was afraid of. I told Gigi we should take a break, but she wouldn’t have it. She said we’re cops, and we can take care of ourselves. But what if Jaycee hurts her?” His voice caught. “I don’t know what I’d do.”
Sam kept a hand on his shoulder while she put through a call to Gigi’s partner, Dani Carlucci.
“Hey, LT, what’s up?”
“Cameron is here and says he can’t get in touch with Gigi. He said her phone is off.”
“We never shut off our phones.”
“He’s worried. Do you have a key to her place?”
“No, but her mother would. Should I call her?”
“I think so. Gonzo and Cam will meet you there.”
“I’m on it.”
“Keep me posted.”
“Will do.”
Gonzo came back from calling Jaycee’s mother. “She hasn’t seen her since last night. She can’t track her phone.”
“Go with Cam to Gigi’s place. Dani is calling Gigi’s mother to get keys and meeting you there.”
“Should we get SWAT over there to ram the door?” Gonzo asked.
Sam thought about that for a second. “Yeah, do it.”
“Address?” Gonzo asked.
Cameron gave it to him.
Gonzo made the call
“You don’t really think…” Cameron swallowed hard.
Sam put a hand on his shoulder. “Try not to think the worst.”
“Right, why would I do that?” He seemed to realize who he was talking to. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. Go with Gonzo and keep me in the loop.”
As they took off, Sam hoped and prayed that Gigi was okay. Then she had to get herself together and force her head back into the interrogation of Richard Kent.
Captain Dawkins came into the pit. “What’s up with you guys calling SWAT?” He was tall and thick, with reddish-gold hair and broken blood vessels in his face.
“It’s possible that Detective Dominguez is in some sort of trouble, and we need their help breaching her residence.”
“What makes you think she’s in trouble?”
Summoning patience she didn’t have, she quickly recapped the trouble Detective Green’s ex-girlfriend had caused since he’d begun seeing Detective Dominguez, including throwing a rock through Detective Green’s window and narrowly missing them.
“Lotta drama in your squad, huh?”
“Pardon me?”
“Always something happening with some member of your team.”
“How is being harassed by an ex who can’t take no for an answer drama on our part?”
“Just saying. Seems like a lot.”
“Are you here to help? If not, I have work to do.”
When he didn’t reply, she opened the door to interview two, went in and shut the door, sitting across from Richard Kent, who was still wearing the black shirt with the restaurant’s logo. His wispy blond hair was standing on end, and he looked terrified.
Good. She wanted him afraid.
“Why’d you run from us?”
“I didn’t. I had somewhere to be.”
“And you just happened to have somewhere to be when you heard cops were asking for you?” She leaned in, making eye contact with him. “Here’s what I know, Richard. Innocent people don’t run from cops.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“I just talked to Kyle Atkins.”
Richard flinched.
“You know what he was surprised to hear? That your real name is Richard Kent, and you’re on probation after doing time for dealing drugs. He was positively shocked to learn you lied to get the job at his restaurant.”
Richard dropped his head into his hands. “I need that job. I have kids to support.”
“Tell me what you know about the bad dope sold or given to Morgan Newell and Angelo Diaz.”
His head whipped up. “What?” He looked and sounded genuinely shocked, or he was doing a good impression of shock. “I don’t know anything about that. I had nothing to do with it.”
“Here’s the thing, Dick, I don’t believe you. Consider the facts. We’ve got a convicted drug dealer working with two people who turn up dead within a week of each other due to overdoses, and you expect me to believe you had nothing to do with that?”
“I didn’t!”
Sam sat back and crossed her arms, staring at him without blinking.
He stared right back, also not blinking.
“Why’d you run from us?”
“Because I’m on probation, and any time cops show up, it freaks me out.”
“When have cops shown up before today?”
“After Morgan and Angelo died.”
“Who was it?” Sam asked, flabbergasted to hear that someone else had investigated their deaths, but she’d heard nothing about that.
“I can’t remember who it was. Some big, bald dude.”
“Cooper?”
“Yeah, that was it.”
Sam was outraged to hear that the Narcotics lieutenant had investigated their deaths and did nothing to alert the public or the department that someone was possibly selling laced pills. That information could’ve saved Spencer’s life—and Mary Alice’s, among others. She felt sick all over again as she processed that news.
“Can I go?”
“Do you know anything at all about where those laced pills came from?”
He squirmed in his seat. “No.”
“You’re lying.” She leaned in again. “This is a Homicide investigation. You can be charged for obstruction if you don’t tell us what you know. Do you want to end up back at Jessup? What good will you be to your kids then?”
To her immense frustration, he began to cry. “I’m trying so hard to go straight. Do you know what that’s like when you’re used to making the kind of money I made before? It’s really, really difficult.”
Sam stayed quiet, hoping he would say more.
“The people in that world… They’re bad dudes.”
“I assume they must be if they’re selling pills that they know will kill people.”
“They don’t always know that. Sometimes, they get stuff from others and only find out it’s bad when they hear someone dies.”
“Am I supposed to feel sorry for them?”
“No, I’m just saying… It’s not always the fault of the frontline dealer.”
“If you give me something that helps, I might consider letting you go. After I fully investigate the lead, that is.”
Once again, he dropped his head into his hands. “If I tell you anything, they’ll kill me. They might kill me just because they know I’m in custody.”
“We have ways we can protect you.”
“And my family?”
“Yes.”
His deep sigh echoed through the small room. “There’s a guy named Riggs Lawton. Lives in a penthouse in Shaw. If you want insight into the drug business in this town, he’s your guy.”
“Is he a customer at the restaurant?”
“I’ve seen him there a few times.”
“What’s he look like?”
“Handsome white guy. Drives a Bugatti and lives large.”
Sam wrote down the name and other details. “Stay here.”
“For how long?”
“As long as it takes.”
She met Faith in the hallway outside the interrogation and observation rooms. “I tend to believe he didn’t know where the pills came from—or he’s putting on a good show for us.”
“I agree.”
Sam put through a call to Gonzo, anxious to know what was up with Gigi. “Anything?” she asked when he answered.
“SWAT is getting ready to go in. I’m this close to cuffing Green to keep him from jumping the gun. He’s out of his mind.”
“Can’t say I blame him. Keep me posted.”
“Yep.”
After the line went dead, Sam glanced at Faith. “What do you think about Cooper sitting on the fact that two workers from the same restaurant died under suspicious circumstances in the same week?”
“I think he’s going to wish he’d done something about that before you’re through with him.”
“Right you are. Why can’t people just do their fucking jobs? Do your job and my brother-in-law isn’t dead.”
“That was my thought, too. I can’t imagine how you must feel.”
“I’m pissed and outraged and all the things.”
“What’re you going to do about it?”
“Normally, I’d take it right to Malone, but I’m not sure I can trust Dawkins, the captain on duty.”
“Call Malone and ask what he’d do.”
“That’s a good idea.”
“People are on edge around here since the FBI report hit and the Stahl stuff. It’s been a lot. I’d recommend treading carefully.”
Sam eyed her longtime colleague warily. “Are you giving that advice to everyone or just me?”
“Just you, so far, but it applies universally. People have a lot of ‘feelings’ about Ramsey’s son being killed.”
“I was there. He was going to kill that woman if we didn’t take him out.”
“Still… There’s a sense that more could’ve been done to keep it from getting to that point.”
Sam laughed, but it had a bitter edge to it. “I love a good Monday-morning quarterback. Anyone who was there will say the same thing. He wasn’t going to let her go, and there was no way she was getting out of there alive if we hadn’t taken him. If you don’t believe us, ask her.”
“I have.”
That shocked Sam. “Are you investigating it as a crime?”
“I’m investigating it in conjunction with IAB’s inquiry.”
“The involvement of the USA gives a routine inquiry a different level.”
“I understand. We’re being thorough. I expect it will go the way you want it to in the end, but in the meantime, tread lightly. People are on edge.”
“Over me being first lady, too?”
“I’ve heard some of that.”
“Do you have a problem with it?”
Faith held up her hands. “Not at all. Don’t shoot the messenger.”
“I’m not really sure what message it is you’re trying to convey.”
“Look at it from an outside perspective. You have a long-running beef with Ramsey, and you’re standing next to Malone, your father’s close friend, when the order is given to take his son.”
“I had nothing to do with giving that order, Faith. The captain did what needed to be done to defuse the situation before we added another victim to Shane Ramsey’s list. I’ll take whatever flack that comes my way if it means saving that innocent woman’s life. And I have no doubt the captain would say the same thing.”
“He would,” a voice said behind them.
Sam spun around to find Captain Malone in uniform. “You’re back.” She’d never been so happy to see him in her life.
“I am. Is there a problem, Faith?”
“No problem,” Faith said. “I need to get back to the office. Sam, keep me in the loop on the investigation.”
“I will.”
“What was that about?” Malone asked when they were alone.
“I have no idea. I feel like she was giving me some sort of warning, but I can’t say for sure. And she let on that the USA is investigating the Ramsey shooting.”
That clearly shocked him as much as it had her. “Why?”
“IAB brought them in on it.”
“What the hell? Why would they do that unless they thought a crime had been committed?”
“I have no idea. Are there Ramsey allies in IAB?”
“He doesn’t have a lot of allies. Wait… Walcott.”
“Who?”
“His first partner, Doug Walcott, is in IAB now. I think he might’ve been Shane’s godfather. Damn, I never even thought of that.”
“Well, that explains a lot.” Sam gestured for him to come to her office with her. When he closed the door, she updated him on the situation with Gigi and Cameron’s fear that his ex might be involved.
“I would’ve thought that two felony charges would’ve scared her straight.”
“Or it made her think she has nothing left to lose.”
Cameron Green was losing his mind one minute at a time as it seemed to take forever for the SWAT team to get into position to breach Gigi’s townhouse.
“They aren’t going to break the windows, are they?” the super asked.
Cam wanted to punch his teeth out. Despite Gigi’s hysterical mother arriving with a key, SWAT had decided to go in through all points of egress at the same time.
“If they do,” the super said, “I hope she’s got good insurance.”
“Will you please shut up and go away?” Cameron gave him his most sinister look until the guy did what he asked and moved away from Cam, saving the guy’s teeth. Right about now, he was capable of that and much worse.
He’d known something terrible was going to happen, but he’d let Gigi talk him into going forward with their relationship despite his fear that Jaycee wasn’t done with them yet.
A hand landed on his shoulder.
He startled and then turned to see Jeannie. “I came as soon as I heard. What’s the latest?”
“Waiting on SWAT. They’re taking their own sweet time.”
“They want to get it right.”
Cam knew that, but in this case, all he cared about was Gigi and making sure she was safe. He had a terrible, sick feeling in his gut. If she was hurt, he didn’t know how he would cope with knowing his ex was the one who’d harmed her. His knees buckled, and only Jeannie’s hands on his arm kept him from falling.
“Come sit,” she said.
“I don’t want to.”
“Don’t make me order you, friend,” she said with a kind smile.
Cameron let her lead him to a bench in a common area within sight of Gigi’s front door. Thanks to Jeannie’s radio, he could hear the chatter of the SWAT commander communicating with his team.
Gigi’s partner, Detective Dani Carlucci, came over to be with him, bringing Gigi’s sobbing mother with her.
“Everyone is in place,” the SWAT commander said over the radio. “Can we get the order to go in?”
“So ordered,” Jeannie said as the senior officer on the scene.
Cameron held his breath as the SWAT team blasted through windows and doors. What if he was wrong and she wasn’t in there? What if he’d overreacted and caused massive damage to her home all for nothing?
It wasn’t nothing. His gut was telling him it was definitely something. Gigi didn’t just fall off the grid. None of them did that. Their job required they be accessible all the time. The only time they checked out was when they were on vacation, and she wasn’t on vacation.
“Clear.”
“Clear.”
“Clear.”
Every report was like a knife to his heart.
“Captain! Up here.”
Cameron took off running toward the front door.
Jeannie and Dani were right behind him, holding him back.
He fought against them with everything he had, desperate to get to Gigi.
“Call EMS. Tell them to hurry.”
Cameron’s knees buckled under him. “Oh my God. Gigi…”
Dani attended to Gigi’s hysterical mother while Jeannie kept her arms around Cameron.
“Breathe,” Jeannie said. “They called for EMS, not the ME.”
“Please, Jeannie. Let me go to her.” He pulled his arm free of her grip and ran for the door, flashing his badge at the officer who met him. “She’s mine. Please…”
“You need to prepare yourself…”
Cameron died a thousand deaths as he raced up the stairs to Gigi’s bedroom where the activity was centered. In the doorway, he stopped short at the sight of her, bruised and bloody, sitting on the bed, wearing a robe. Her big dark eyes shifted to him, but she barely reacted to him. Her service weapon was in her lap.
Jaycee was on the floor in a pool of blood.
“Possible DOA,” one of the SWAT officers said, using his chin to point to Jaycee.
Relieved beyond measure that Gigi was alive, Cameron sat next to her and put his arm around her.
Every muscle in her body stiffened.
“Baby…” He couldn’t speak or breathe. “It’s me, Cam. I’m here, and I love you. I love you so much.” He would be forever thankful that she’d survived whatever had happened.
Gigi trembled violently as he held her.
“We need to take your weapon, Detective Dominguez,” Jeannie said as one of the others called for the ME. That meant Jaycee was dead. All he felt was relief that she couldn’t hurt either of them ever again. If that made him a monster, then so be it.
“She… She said she was going to k-kill me…” Gigi said.
“You’re safe now,” Cameron said as he blinked back tears. “I’ve got you.”