A Bullet for Carlos (44 page)

“About time,” she said, and moved to the kitchen, picking up her purse and the money Tip left on the table. “Sorry about the closet, Tip. I won’t mess it up again.”

Now she made Tip feel bad. “That’s okay, girl. I appreciate it.”

She was petting the dogs good night when Tip called to her. “I appreciate your thoughts on the case, too. I just—”

She waved her hand. “I know. You don’t like nobody messing with them charts. Won’t do it no more. ‘Night.”

“Good night.”

Tico showed up with
the lawyer four hours after Carlos was processed. Tico hoped Carlos blamed the lawyer and not him for being late, although Carlos would probably do both. The guards escorted them to see Carlos.

Tico bowed. “Señor, my apologies for being late.”

Carlos’ expression didn’t change. “What time did you get to his house, Tico?”

Tico gulped. He knew the
“
his” meant the lawyer. “Soon after you instructed, señor.”

“How soon?” Carlos’ eyes never left the lawyer.

“I cannot be certain, but—”

“I
know
you can be certain. Don’t worry about protecting Señor Griffin. He is beyond protection unless he has a
very
good excuse.”

The lawyer stepped close. “Tico arrived right away, but I had a…situation that I couldn’t leave.”

Carlos smiled, but his eyes were not smiling. “Tell me, Counselor Griffin, what is a…situation?”

“There was an important gentleman at my house. I couldn’t find a reason to leave without embarrassment.”

“Fine, now do me this small favor, Counselor. Find a way to get me out of here immediately, or I will find a way to have your head.”

“I’ll get on it right away.”

After the lawyer left, Carlos turned his attention to Tico. “I want them.”

“Señor, you—”

He clenched his teeth, and his eyes turned to burning embers. “I don’t care what it takes, I want them hurt.”

“Señor, to kill cops is to bring down all the weight of the system on us.”

“Find a way to make them suffer.”

Tico lowered his head and nodded. “Si, señor. Consider it done.”

Chapter 55

Snakes Come out at Night

I
was excited about seeing “Jersey Boys,” and about eating a good dinner, but I put it out of my mind and spent most of the day detailing the notes on the interviews with Carlos and Manuelo, as well as the ladies from the ball. We had to ensure everything was documented perfectly or Carlos’ lawyer would tear us a new asshole. When it was time for me to leave, I searched for Tip, finding him in the coffee room with Fat Charlie. “Hey, Charlie, still losing weight?”

“Losing it, Connie, but I occasionally find it, too.” He let the words flow with laughter on the tail, the kind of laughter that made me go along with it.

“Charlie, you’re a riot, but keep it up. Don’t forget ‘one pound a week is fifty-two pounds a year.’”

“That’s what they say. I never was good at math though.”

I walked past Charlie, grabbed a coffee, then joined Tip at the table. “How’s it going, partner?”

“Glad to see somebody’s in a good mood.”

I propped my feet up on Tip’s legs and leaned back in the chair. “Damn right I’m in a good mood. Going out on a date.”

“With that degenerate?”

I sipped coffee, but let a smile slip by.

Fat Charlie pulled up a chair. “I was going to leave but it’s getting too juicy.”

Tip kicked at his chair, but it didn’t budge. “I’d tell you to eat shit, Charlie, but I’m afraid you might do it.”

I gulped the last sip of coffee, tossed the empty cup into the trash can, and headed for the door. “Much as I’d love to stay here and trade bullshit stories with you two studs, I’ve got unpleasant work to do.”

“Have a good time,” Tip hollered, and Charlie joined the chorus.

All the way home I planned what I’d do with Maxwell, how I’d act, talk, walk, even what I’d eat after the show. Most of all I thought of how I’d play it to get information out of this guy
without
going to bed with him.
No way
that was happening. When I got home I showered, laid all my clothes out on the bed, then started the God-awful process of preparing. I wrapped my hair in a bun, applied make-up and eye shadow, lipstick, then had a quick cup of coffee before dressing.

My dress was a baby-blue, tight fitting strapless that showed off every curve I had. I don’t even know why I brought it to Texas, but now I was glad I did. I checked the mirror three times, then focused on finishing. I slipped on a pair of shoes that complemented the dress and what little jewelry I brought with me, did one final check on lipstick and eye shadow…

Damn, I look good. He’s gonna tell me everything tonight.

***

Tip and Charlie drank
more coffee, then Charlie worked up the energy to stand and make his way to the door. “See you later, Tip. Let me know if I can do anything, huh?”

“You’ll be the first, Charlie. Count on it.” Left alone in the coffee room, Tip thought for a minute about drinking more, but worried he’d have to stop and piss before getting home, so he refrained. After a call to Renkin and another one to the DA’s office to make sure they needed nothing else, he headed home. His messages showed a missed call from Emily Miller, the daughter of an old neighbor. He’d reamed her ass out a week or so ago for drinking. Damn kid was probably in trouble again.
Should have never given her my card.

He called Elena to see if she wanted to grab dinner, but he got no answer. He stopped and got a few things at the grocery store, and twenty minutes later he was entering the gate to his private sanctuary, gravel drive and all. He parked the car, got out with his two bags of groceries and started up the walk. Kassie was lying next to a pile of mulch that he had yet to clean up, something he should have done long ago. Damn dog didn’t even get up to say hi. There’s man’s best friend for you. “Kassie, how’s it going, girl?” Nothing. She didn’t even stir. “Kassie, get your lazy ass up.”

He continued up the walk, but then from the corner of his eye he caught sight of Kelly, lying in one of the flower beds.

She never lies there
.
Kelly hates to get dirty.

He dropped the groceries and broke into a half-run, calling as he got near. “Kelly. Kelly! What’s going on, girl?” When he got halfway there he saw a splotch of blood by her side. A long plastic drink stirrer was sticking out of her chest next to two big holes.

“What the fuck!” He dropped down beside her, knees settling into a pool of blood. He reached his arms under her and scooped her toward him. “Kelly, baby, what happened?” Even as he said it, realization hit. Someone had shot his dogs. Tears came and burned his eyes.

He lowered his ears to Kelly’s heart, listening, then felt her mouth to see if any breath came out. “What the fuck is going on here.” He lay her down then raced to where Kassie lay. Blood was everywhere. He confirmed what he already knew, then jumped up, drawing his gun as he called for Flash. “Flash! Where are you?”

Tip raced to the door, kicked it open and entered the house, gun drawn. “Flash.” He crept in, his gun leading the way, eyes alert, listening. A trail of blood led from the dog door toward the kitchen. Tip heard a whimper and threw aside all caution, racing to her. Flash lay on the floor, blood pooled under her. Tip scooped her up and raced toward the car, placing her in the back seat then climbing in and gunning it. As he raced down the driveway he thought about Connie.
She might be in danger, too.
He pulled the cell and punched in her number.

***

I was about to
walk out the door when the phone rang. “Hello.”

“Are you all right? Is everything okay? Where are you?”

I wasn’t prepared for the emotion that came through the phone. “I’m home. What’s wrong?”

“They killed them, Connie. They killed my babies.”

My chest grew tight and I paused for breath. “Slow down. What’s going on? Who’s hurt?”

“Fuck
hurt.
That motherfucker
killed
them.”

“Settle down. I’m coming right over.”

“Damnit, don’t you hear what I’m saying? He killed Kassie and Kelly, and maybe Flash.”

Oh my God.
“Where are you?”

“On my way to the vet. Flash was still alive when I put her in the car.”

“Which vet?”

“Animal hospital, by my house, the one—”

“I’ll be there in a minute.”

I kicked my heels
off and grabbed tennis shoes, then raced out of the apartment and down to the car, squealing tires as I turned corners in the apartment complex.
Who the hell would do something like this?

In less than fifteen minutes, I screamed into the parking lot of the emergency veterinary clinic. I jumped out and ran into the building, presenting an odd sight wearing a baby-blue gown and tennis shoes. As soon as I walked in I saw Tip, sitting on the floor holding Flash in his arms, blood covering his pants and shirt. I knelt beside him and hugged both of them.

“How is she?”

He shook his head, tried to wipe tears with his sleeve.

“I don’t know,” Tip said. “They said they’d be out in a minute.”

“Screw them.” I got up, raised my voice. “We need a doctor here.”

“The doctor is with another animal. She will—”

I reached behind the desk and grabbed the assistant. “Listen to me. This is a police dog, which means she is a police officer. Get a doctor out here
now
. We have an officer down.” I let the glare frighten the girl. “Did you
hear
me? We have an officer down.”

The girl ran from the room, returning momentarily with a young doctor dressed in scrubs. As the doctor pulled her latex gloves off, a scowl crossed her face. “Are you the one who caused the ruckus?”

“We’ve got a dog dying here. Shot, and bleeding bad.” I leaned so close I almost touched the mask dangling from her chin. “I don’t care what you’re doing back there. Unless your other patient is worse than this one, I need you to take care of this dog.”

She tried to stare me down, but it didn’t work. Thirty years of growing up in New York, had its advantages. The doctor knelt next to Tip, gently moving his arm aside. “Let me see her, sir.”

Tip moved his arm but kept the other wrapped around her. The vet remained silent as she checked Flash. After a few seconds she stood, calling to the assistant. “Get the room ready. And get a gurney out here to carry her back.” She started to address Tip, then, “And tell Dr. Marks to wrap up by himself. I’ll be busy.”

She unwrapped Tip’s hand from Flash’s neck, whispering. “Let us take her now.”

Tip was covered in blood, his eyes full of tears, and he was trembling. His voice cracked when he spoke. “You save her, you hear me, doctor. She’s all I got left.”

***

Standing in the lobby
of the Hobby Center, Jeff Maxwell grew more embarrassed by the minute. Between offering excuses to the countless people he saw as to why, and who, he was waiting for, he kept looking at his watch.
Where the hell could she be?

When they made the announcement for the five minute call, he panicked. Never had he been this humiliated. He kept telling himself that she might have gotten caught in traffic—but why wasn’t she answering her cell—and he even granted her the unbelievable possibility that she might have been in an accident. But the one answer that kept haunting him was that she was paying him back for him forgetting about their date on Tuesday.

If that’s what this is about, I’ll…

At 8:20 he stormed out the door. He threw the tip to valet parking on the street and hit the accelerator as if he were driving in Daytona. “Fucking whore,” he screamed as he made the turn to get on I-45 North. “I’ll kill her.”

***

I helped Tip into
a chair. “She’ll be okay.” I patted his back, got out a handkerchief and handed it to him. “Don’t worry. We’ll make sure Flash is okay, then we’ll get whoever did this if it’s the last thing we do.”

“He’s dead. He doesn’t know it yet, but he’s dead.”

“Who?” I hugged him and found myself crying. “Who did it?”

“You know those drink stirrers, the Mexican flags they put in your drinks at Mexican restaurants? One of them was sticking in Kelly.”

“Son-of-a-bitch,” I said, almost a whisper.

Tip sat up straight, dried his eyes. “He’s dead. Even if I have to get him out of jail first.”

I patted his back. “It’s okay. Just relax. Let’s worry about Flash.”

Almost an hour and
a half later the doctor came out, looking exhausted. She headed straight for Tip, who jumped out of his chair and ran toward her. “Is she okay?”

“I think she’s going to be all right.”

Tip hugged her then turned to hug me.

“Sir,” the doctor interrupted. “She’s not out of the woods yet. There is still some risk, it’s just…” she must have seen the desperation in his eyes. “Well, maybe I’m being overly cautious, but…”

“Looks good though?” Tip asked.

She smiled. “Yes, it looks good. We’ll have to keep her tonight, maybe for a few days, but you can come by tomorrow and check on her.”