I spun my ring with my thumb, watching the intricate silver designs rotating. I could see Veronica picking over the contents of a file folder on the far side of the café, near one of the large windows. Her pale blonde hair was drawn back into a frazzled bun with a few stray locks framing her face. Her white blouse showed tear-stains that she tried to hide under her dark corduroy jacket. She started to write some notes when she fumbled the pen and dropped it. Tears welled, forcing her to close her eyes to the pain. The downpour outside covered her quiet sobs, but my heart bled for her.
I stopped rotating my ring and saw the world switch. She was picking over a folder I had brought with us but back to wearing the pink blouse and jeans. It was still raining outside but everything else had shifted. The café even had a few more patrons than I had just seen.
“Huh.” I stared at my ring.
“Sir.” The Barista placed a pair of fresh coffees on the counter. I nodded at the small gentleman and he headed off to the other end of the shop. A blonde woman in a light dress started complaining to him about her coffee. The vision of Veronica stirred in my mind. Right now, Veronica seemed fine but one look in her eyes told a different story. She needed something to hold onto, and at the moment, it was understanding why Rostern had killed her sister. I picked up the two ceramic coffee cups by the saucers and walked over to her.
“Anything?” I set the cups on our square table before sitting across from her. She dropped the open file next to them.
“You’re right, there isn’t much here.” Veronica picked up her cup and blew on the coffee before taking a sip. She cradled the cup with both hands, staring at the file.
“Yeah, but the answers are here somewhere or at least a lead.” I picked up my cup and took a gulp while flipping through the pages and photos. The shooter had to be tied to Rostern somehow. The evidence we had collected from Rostern’s place was useful for giving us a clearer picture of his thoughts but it only raised more questions. The journal was an incomprehensible mess of bad handwriting, and the computer was full of metaphysical nonsense. The best lead was the photo with missing faces, three men and it looked like two women. It was thin.
“Well, maybe Alison will be useful.”
“Yeah, not counting on any miracles. Alison is good but not that good.” I watched her eyes.
“Oh, so there is something she can’t do.” I sucked in a breath to answer her when I heard my phone chirp. Pulling it out, I saw a waiting text from Alison.
“Looks like they were parked for quite some time waiting…deep tire-tracks no casings, but I’ve got a couple of pix for you.”
“Alison?” Veronica took another sip from her coffee. I grunted and went to reply when another message chirped its arrival followed quickly by two more. The first was an image of the tire tracks with a quarter in one of the tracks for reference. The second photo had a picture of a boot print with the caption “Looks 150-60.” Using the quarter as scale again, it looked like our shooter was fairly solid. The last was a wide-angle shot of the entire scene including the scorched tree where the flare had hit. I texted back a “thanks” and handed Veronica the phone to look at the pictures.
“Well, that narrows it down a bit.” I rubbed my temples as I felt a growing headache. I picked up the coffee and took another gulp. This wasn’t good.
“They were waiting?” She glanced up from the phone.
“Worse. It means they were there specifically for us.” I set down the cup and turned the files around so I could look at them again. That confirmed it, the shooter and Rostern were tied together.
“Who’s to say they couldn’t be targeting one of us and just not want to leave any witnesses?”
“Yeah, but I think we need to look at this from a different angle.” I drummed my fingers on the table. “How did they know where we were and when we would be there?” My phone chirped again in her hands, and she leaned back crossing her legs. She made a face and passed the phone back. It was another text from Alison.
“Catch up with you tonight at the case.” I closed the message and dropped my phone back inside my coat. Veronica cradled her cup and shook her head, focusing on the coffee.
“So, what’s the deal with the thing tonight?” She refused to take her eyes off her coffee. Her emotions were gutting me, but at least she gave me another direction for the conversation.
“The warehouse out near Cordage Park?” I finished my coffee and set the cup back on the saucer.
“Yeah, give me the details.” She watched the remains of her coffee swirling at the bottom of her cup to avoid looking at me. “What have you got?”
“The warehouse is a large structure consisting of a series of interconnected rooms around a central storage area. Built in the twenties, the building has had several incidents over the years.”
“Accidents?”
“Mostly, but in forty-three eight people died in a fire that destroyed a large portion of the building. Arson was suspected.”
“Uh-huh.” Veronica flicked her clear manicured nails against the cup.
“Lately they had some of the inventory items ‘get misplaced’ including a number of TVs. We were contracted to provide a site analysis and our recommendations to help with their issue.”
“All night?” She gave me a disgruntled look.
“Well, if things are as simple as I expect, and the client doesn’t object, I don’t see why we can’t get out within a couple of hours.”
“Why don’t I see that happening?” Turning, she watched the rain pouring off the eves. A few people with umbrellas traversed the sidewalks. Police cruisers with lights blazing raced toward the campus. Apparently the campus police finally investigated our anonymous tip.
“Because Jason told me that Brandon and his ghost hunters are investigating the site tonight as well?” I gave up on her, and focused on the metal spoon sitting on the saucer with a few sugar crystals stuck to it.
“Ghost hunters?” Veronica tapped her polished fingernails against the cup with a chinking sound.
“Long story, Alison’s friends.”
“I’ll get us some refills.” She uncrossed her legs and stood. Taking the two empty cups, she walked past me. I turned to look at my reflection in the window and watch the rain. I needed some breathing room. Between everything that had happened in the last week and the girls, I was steadily on my way to an ulcer. Maybe dealing with Nate might actually be worth it.
“Maybe.” I watched my reflection while picking at the paperclip attached to the file folder.
“Maybe? We’ll see.” A deep male voice grumbled from behind me.
“What?” I spun around to see an older man with silver hair and a black suit talking on his cellphone at a nearby table. I lowered my gaze.
“Don’t I know you?” The man asked, covering his cellphone. I shook my head. Dismissing him as another loud talker, I spared Veronica a glance. She was leaning on the counter and, for a moment, I saw tears again. Nothing was ever simple.
****
Veronica paced along the ocean walkway under the warm glow of the park’s lights. She needed answers, and Nate was going to be the first step. As an investigator you can never control what your sources will share with you or even if their information is legitimate but sometimes it’s all you have. The wind picked up, rustling the bushes and carrying small bits of litter across the grass. She swore she could handle it but it was unmistakable. She couldn’t hide her anxiety.
Her pacing quickened until another gust rushed her and the rolling waves sprayed higher than the railing. She forced herself to stop and flipped up the hood on her dark sweatshirt to hide her expression. She calmly walked over to the railing to lean on it and watch the ocean. In the distance to her right, a figure clad in dark windbreaker and jeans walked through the latticework gazebo, carefully avoiding the lights. In a matter of moments he arrived behind her.
“Nate?” She asked, still watching the waves. He grabbed her shoulder and spun her to face him. She opened her mouth to complain but he covered her mouth with one hand and forced her up against the railing. He looked wild with his unkempt blonde goatee and shaggy hair in the dim lights. His other hand traveled down over her chest and she readied her response but he drew a small pistol. He pointed it over her head and shot out the streetlight with a small puff of air. She fought to say something, but he placed the muzzle under her chin while his other hand continued to explore the contours of her body. She struggled as he ran his hand over her chest one more time for good measure.
“Who told you about me? Jamie?” Nate asked in a gruff voice, pressing himself even tighter against her body.
“Mikey.”
“So, lil’ Mikey sent me another strawberry, did he? What can you do, baby, and what are you wanting?” He licked her cheek and lowered the weapon.
“I just want some information.” Veronica winced as the ocean spray kicked up behind her. His free hand started wandering again, making her shudder.
“And just what is it you’re wanting to know, sweetheart?”
“Guns.”
“I got one for you.” He gave an evil snicker.
“That’s not…”
“I know what you meant.” He pressed the weapon to her temple. “Mikey didn’t send you for fun, darling. I asked you what are you willing to do for it?”
Not every plan survives initial testing in the field. You need to have contingencies in place to assure that you succeed. It may be elaborate or it can be as a simple as listening through a hidden microphone from the shadows while remaining a couple of paces away from your target.
“You’re never getting that, Nate.” I caught his wrist from behind and smiled. Fear widened his eyes. Before he could react, I pulled him away from her and flipped him onto the wet concrete, disarming him in the process. He hit the walkway with a heavy thud. I examined the air pistol and casually pitched it into the ocean. “Still haven’t learned how to treat a lady, have you?”
“Connor.” Nate sounded less than enthusiastic. “What do you want?” He stared up at me as I stooped down next to him.
“Now is that any way to treat one of my associates?” I smirked at him.
“She’s with you?”
“Bingo.” I smiled. Nate let out a loud groan. “I told her you wouldn’t play nice and I would have to step in to do proper introductions.”
“What do you want?” He resolved to watch the overcast sky. Informants can be invaluable when working cases but it is a give and take relationship. Sometimes it requires you to give a little encouragement to assure that they will share information.
“Quite simple, actually.” I held out my hand and Veronica dropped the evidence bag into my palm. “Jacketed three-oh-eight rounds, person about a buck fifty driving a black pick-up.”
“Man, I’ve never seen anyone like that.”
“Don’t lie to me, Nate.” I drew a switchblade stiletto with my other hand and clicked the knife open. I leaned forward, holding the evidence out so he could see it in the moonlight.
“Those are some serious business. I don’t handle things like that. You know me. That’s not my style.”
“As if you had any sense of style.” I pointed at his mullet with the tip of the knife.
“Aw, come on.”
“Connor…” Veronica took a step forward drawing my attention. Nate used the distraction to start scrambling away from us. I sighed and grabbed his ankle. A quick tug and he belly-flopped on the wet grass.
“That’s just rude.” I moved over and looked down on him. “Now, we were having a conversation, Nate. Where are your manners today?”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he pleaded as Veronica moved closer to keep him between us.
“Don’t be sorry, just help us out.” I pointed the knife at evidence bag. “What do you know?”
“I can only tell you what I’ve heard.” I motioned for him to continue as the rain kicked in again. “Somebody’s got it out for you in a bad way. I haven’t heard anything myself but others have been telling me about people around you go missing. It’s all I know, man.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Not really helping,” Veronica interjected. “What about the ammo?”
“I don’t know.”
“Who would?” I glared at him.
“I don’t…”
“Name,” I commanded.
“The… Italians. Striga.”
“Huh?” Veronica frowned. My phone chimed and I drew it walking toward the rover. She glanced at me then Nate. “Wait, that’s it?”
“Come on, we’re on a schedule.”
“That’s…” She started to argue.
“Yeah?” I answered the phone.
“Is this, uh, Connor Maitland?” A woman’s deep voice asked politely. Great, just what we needed. I heard a sharp howl of pain that made me look back. Nate was holding his groin while Veronica confidently strode after me. She definitely knew how to leave an impression.
“Yeah. How can I help you?” I tried not to grumble. I didn’t have time to deal with any more cases let alone uncertain people.
“Uh, Cassandra Brooks told me I should call you.”
“Uh-huh. So, what have you got? I mean, what can we help you with?”
“You check on things, right? Help people?” I grunted a response. I was fast losing my patience. “Uh, this is going to sound crazy.”
“Just let me know what’s going on and I’ll be the judge.”
“Well, we’re being harassed by…someone. My daughter is scared and honestly, so am I.” The woman sounded weary and ready to dismiss her own reason for calling, with the way she was downplaying the subject.
“Okay, does Cassie have your address and the details?”
“Yeah, she’s… she’s our cousin.”
“Ah, I’ll see if we can’t get out there and get to the bottom of it as soon as we can.” I tried to keep the woman appeased but for the moment I couldn’t care less.
“That would be great. Thank you.”
“Yep.” I hung up on her. Great. “That was pretty much useless.”
“Got a name though, didn’t we?” Veronica asked falling into step beside me.