Death on the Sound (9 page)

I reported in to the captain since he never goes home
before six. We called the DA together, and a meeting was arranged for ten the
following morning to go over Francis’s, I mean, Tate’s statement. I leaned back
in my chair thinking about Tate, and then moved on to Maya. I admit to liking
the chase, the courting, the getting to know the other person, and yes the sex,
but with Maya there was something more there. I’d been with several women to
this point in my life, but Maya plucked at some inner strings that hadn’t been
touched before. I reached for the phone and dialed her number. It rang five times.

    
“Hello, Dr.Sinaga.”

    
“I’ve got this pain in my heart, and I need
some medicine,” I said.

    
“Abby, what are you doing. Are your in
motel in Walla Walla?”

    
“No, I’m at my desk in Seattle. We got back
forty five minutes ago. I’m sorry, but I wanted to surprise you, but part of
that surprise is you picking me up so I can take you to dinner. How’s that for
a date request?”

    
“Novel but nice, give me thirty minutes and
I’ll pick you up in back, okay?”

    
“I’ll be the one with the smile on my
face.”

    
“Pick up more jokes in prison did you?”

    
“I’m always trying to improve myself.”

    
“Still needs work,” was her last comment.

I heard the chuckle as Maya hung up. I started to map
out how we’d approach Gino and where. This was not a two or three person
arrest. Gino had too many body guards and shooters around him. I pulled out the
yellow pages, and found the restaurant I was trying to remember. I found
Palisade and called them to see if there was a problem getting a table for
tonight. There wasn’t, and I even got a window table, after a little female
whine was applied. Palisade is in the Magnolia district and overlooks Elliott
Bay. It’s a class place, and just right for Maya.

    
I walked around back and watched the night
patrols heading out to their neighborhoods, after roll call. I was glad I was
out of that now. We all have to go through it, but I was happy as a detective.
I saw the Maya’s BMW careen around the corner three blocks up. She looked like
a stock car rounding the last turn and heading for the pit. Her top was up, but
I saw the gorgeous smile as she passed the last corner before stopping in front
of me.

    
“Going my way?” Maya said as the car hadn’t
even stopped yet.

    
“Always.”

I climbed in and was greeted with a quick kiss. I
glanced around to make sure we were still alone on the street. It’s the one
thing about being a lesbian that continues to make me angry. Although our
society is making progress with gays, we’re not there yet. People still have a
problem with women or men kissing in public. Consequently, we all feel like we
have to sneak around a bit. I was kind of glad Maya was not quite as guarded. I
like bold.

    
“Where are you taking me?”

    
“Palisade, I’ll give you directions.”

We
rocketed away from the curb as I started giving her the turns and direction. Twenty
minutes later we pulled into the lot. Maya took my hand as we walked up to the
front door. You can always tell a class restaurant by the size of their sign.
The smaller it is the better it is. Class doesn’t require a gaudy display.

I gave my name and we were shown, as promised, to a
window table. It was in the corner and kind of set off from the rest of the
restaurant. It was a tiered table arrangement that resembled stairs, so
everyone had a view. We sat quiet both watching the ferries moving across the
sound over to one of the communities on the other side, carrying workers home
from a day at the grind stone. I turned back and looked over at Maya, and
smiled to myself as I watched her intense look; the dark long eyelashes that
set off the piercing eyes that I loved so much, her soft rounded cheeks, and
over to her pouting lips that were so kissable. As I watched, she turned, and I
was caught.

    
“What are you staring at? Do I have
something on my face?”

I
reached across and put my hand over hers as I spoke.

    
“I was just admiring how beautiful you are.
We’ve known each other for over two years, and until this past week, I wasn’t
sure how you felt about me, now I know, and it makes me happy. I could sit and
look at you all evening.”

Maya
looked down at my hand as the waiter brought our wine and we ordered. Her hand
didn’t move, why should it? Maya raised her glass, and I touched hers with
mine.

    
“To the start of something special.”

I
looked over the rim of my glass as I sipped. Her eyes were locked into mine,
and I felt myself start to melt. Her hand squeezed mine as we both sipped our
wine.

    
“Abby, I have a confession to make. I think
my shyness may have given you the impression that I wasn’t interested in you. I
was raised by parents who thought a daughter should be seen and not heard. It
was not their fault. It was how they were raised as well, so they were just
following in their own parents footsteps. When I moved to the west coast and
UCLA, it was hard for me to speak up and be heard. I worked at it long and
hard. I’m better at work, but I haven’t gotten better in my private life. I’ve
always thought you were a beautiful woman, and I wanted to get to know you
better, but I could never say the words to start myself off with you. I’m glad
you started us off because I feel comfortable around you, and I’m starting to
feel more confident. All of this is leading up to the fact that I like you very
much, and I want us to keep going together.”

If
there was ever a time that I wanted to take Maya into my arms it was now, but
that would wait until later, I hoped.

    
“Maya, I feel the same about you and I
definitely want us to continue with our relationship, but you’ll have to get
used to one thing.”

    
“What’s that?”

    
“I’m going to probably continue to stare at
you, a lot. You’ve captured my imagination, and I love to be around you and
take you all in.”

We
traded more revelations about how we felt about the other tucked away in our
little corner. As we sat back from a wonderful meal, we both sat digesting what
the other had just said. It was to be a turning point in my life and Maya’s,
but I didn’t quite know that yet.

    
Later, we walked out to Maya’s car, and we
stood under a bright halogen light and kissed.

    
“Can you stay tonight?”

    
“Yes, I came prepared.”

    
“Sneaky devil aren’t we?”

    
“I stopped by my apartment and got some
clothes for tomorrow. I wanted so much to be with you tonight.”

We drove home with very little conversation. Maya
punched in the security code of my gate, and we parked at the end of the ramp
to the docks. I packed her clothes to my front door. As I turned on the lights,
I was met with the meows of a pissed cat. Felix was none too happy that he’d
been forgotten and had missed his meal. Maya held him as I fixed his dinner,
and gave him a bit extra as an apology. He was leaning into his petting, but
when he saw the dish hit the floor, Maya was forgotten. A cat has his
priorities after all. It was nine o’clock, and we had time for a glass of wine
before bed. With wine glasses in hand, we walked out and sat on my deck feeling
the undulation of the houseboat move under us. For some people, it would cause
them to run to apply their patch, but for me it was heaven. Maya put her arm
around my shoulder as we sat sipping.

    
“I love it here Abby. I’m jealous of your
view.”

The
words were circling in my mind, but I wasn’t sure about saying them. I’d never
said the words before, but those strings that had been touched inside me were
vibrating again. It was now or never. Why miss out on a great companion for the
lack of guts to move forward.

    
“Maybe we should discuss you moving in here
and enjoying it with me.”

Maya
looked over at me with those eyes, those gorgeous eyes that were staring
intently into mine. I held my stare as she set her glass down and turned into
my arms. I held her warm body to me, and closed my eyes for just a moment,
recording the feel of her against me for those times when she wasn’t.

    
“Abby, I like you very much but let’s wait
for awhile to make sure we’re as good for each other as we think. It’s a big
commitment, and I want to make sure, just like I know you do too.”

I
hate myself when I jump the gun. Impulsiveness can be good sometimes, but not
when you’re talking about changing two people’s lives.

    
“I have my faults and being impulsive is
one of them. See how good we are for each other. You can help me keep my
impulsiveness under control. You’re right Maya we should make sure.”

We
went inside, locked up and I apologized to Felix one last time as Maya and I
walked up to our bedroom.

She
stood at the end of the bed as I slowly removed her clothes, letting my lips
and hands caress her dark skinned body. I bit gently at her nipples as my
fingers pressed against her pubic area. She had a narrow landing strip of hair,
and it was smoothly shaved at the sides. I stroked her soft skin, as she spread
her legs for me. Her hands worked the buttons of my blouse as I pushed easily
insider her. Her breath caught as I sunk deep inside her.

    
“Mmmm, yes Abby,” was all she said.

She
worked quickly to remove my clothes, and mirrored my actions to her. Her hand
found me center as her fingers sought my warm sheath.

    
“Mmmm, I like the bare feel,” she said as
her lips met mine in a nice sultry kiss.

We
continued for a few more minutes masturbating the other, and decided a shower
was in order before we continued.

Later,
as my tongue was busy working along the trimmed center of her she was doing the
same to me. I’d added two fingers along with my tongue as I sought her clit. I
wanted to hear her when I found it only seconds later. Her hips came off the
bed as my fingers worked the wetness inside her. She was having the same affect
on me, when she found my clit almost at the same time. We both were in a sexual
frenzy to make the other have their orgasm first. Maya’s hips thrust up in to
my tongue, and my fingers went from two to three sheathed inside her. She did
the same.

Our
moans and dirty talk filled the room as we told each other what we wanted. I
easily found Maya’s clit and began to suck on it, hearing her moan of pleasure
as I did. We were writhing together on my bed our heads buried in the other’s
crotch. It was a screaming crescendo that announced our orgasms as our tongues
and fingers performed their magic. It was a total accident, but we both were
sated and panting slightly from our oral journey. Maya turned as I took her in
my arms.

    
“I think we both get high marks,” I said
caressing her hard nipple.

    
“We did do well, didn’t we,” she said.

We
lay in each other’s arms talking about our sexual likes and dislikes. The discussion
was making us both very horny again, but Maya quelled our discussion with a
discussion terminating kiss,

    
“I think we should get some sleep. We’ll
continue this when we have a weekend to delve deeper,” she said snuggling up to
me.

    
“Probably a good idea,” I said.

As
I lay in the dark listening to my new lover’s soft breathing, I was more sure
now than ever that I’d done the right thing. Felix even jumped on the foot of
the bed to give his seal of approval, as well. All was right with the world.

    
We were up at six. Well, Maya was up I was
watching her naked body move around the bedroom searching for her makeup bag. I
finally got up, as Felix gave me his morning meow. He knew breakfast was close
at hand. I walked into the bathroom and hugged Maya from behind, kissing her on
the neck.

    
“I’ll refrain from kissing you on the lips
until after the brushing of teeth is done.”

    
“Always the thoughtful lover,” she
responded, giving my bare butt a pat.

We
dressed and had our breakfast, then paid homage to the guard cat before we left
for the day.

    
“Good luck with the DA Abby. Call me if you
get a chance.”

    
“I will and in the light of day, what we
decided last night is the right thing to do.”

    
“I think so too Abby.”

Maya
started up the ramp to the gate and waved to me as I trudged up the hill to
catch the bus. She’d offered to give me a lift, but I was still a bit pensive
about getting out of her car in front of the patrol officers that were in the
middle of their shift change. No use poking the bull. In time, we would get
there.

    
The meeting with the DA went very well and
Friday was the day for arresting Gino. It was not an easy decision to make. It
would be a very public arrest, and in the busiest part of the city. There were
many chances for issues to unfold, but we had no other choice.

    
“Abby, are you sure we can trust this Tate
person? His rep isn’t the best in the world,” said the DA.

    
“I looked him straight in the eye as he was
telling his story and I believe him. How about you Tom?” I said, turning to my
partner.

    
“I’m with you Abby. I think he was on the
up and up.”

    
“Okay, you two, the arrest warrant is being
typed up now, and I’ll page you with the time and place tomorrow, before nine.

Gino Canutillo’s office was downtown in a high rise bank
building, trying to make him look like a regular businessman, and not the hoodlum
he really is. The rest of Thursday would be spent tracking him, and projecting
his schedule for Friday so he could be intercepted and arrested. We had to make
sure where he was before we struck. If we were wrong he could escape, and be
gone for good.

    
Tom and I
left the DA’s office at ten fifteen and headed back to our office. The day went
quickly as Tom and I put the finishing touches on our case books for Sharon
Keller. I was dotting the last “i” when my phone rang. I glanced up at the
clock, it was one twenty.

    
“Detective,
this is Chuck at the state prison. One of my snitches just overheard one of our
guards calling what sounded like Gino Canutillo. He told him that Tate had made
a statement and the police would be after him. I’m sorry detective, but I
thought I’d better warn you.”

    
“Thanks
Chuck. It looks like our day just got more excitement than we’d planned.”

I hung up and called the DA. He was needless to say
pissed at the half way mark of my call, and if beheading could be brought into
the state, the guard would be the first to feel its blade.

    
“I’ll call
the chief and get the swat teams moving. Our current schedule shows Gino has
meetings in his office all afternoon. You head over that way just in case he’s
already moving.”

    
“Okay, I’ll
radio for two patrol cars to back us up,” I said.

I
hung up and called dispatch to have two black and whites sent to Columbia and
Fifth Avenue. Tom and I scrambled downstairs and got our car. Tom drove while I
contacted the black and whites that were already onsite circling the block.

    
“1050, this is 4150. We’ve got a limo
backed into the loading dock area. We’ve got it blocked, and unit 4162 is
checking.”

    
“Tom, go down Fourth Avenue, and let’s
check the front,” I said hoping we’d get lucky.

Tom
flipped on the lights, and blipped the siren to get us through a red light. We
shot down fourth with three blocks to go. Tom pulled up to the corner as we
watched Gino running with a large satchel in hand, and his two body guards
scanning the street. As the body guards were closing their doors, Tom shot away
from the curb, and pulled in front of the limo. A cloud of blue smoke poured
out of the rear tires as the limo backed around the corner, narrowly missing
three pedestrians, and headed down Columbia toward the sound. Tom wheeled back
and left his own cloud of blue tire smoke as we followed the limo. I radioed
dispatch that we were in pursuit, and to notify all units that the downtown
area would be the area of pursuit.

    
The limo careened around the corner of
Third Avenue and headed north. It was mid afternoon, and delivery trucks were
scattered on each side of the street. The limo broadsided itself eastbound
around the corner at University as Tom was closing the gap. I gave our
location. We looked ahead to see a cruiser across the street, attempting to
block the limo. The limo plowed into the back quarter of the patrol car sending
it spinning to the curb. The limo then turned north up Fifth Avenue. Tom and I
now had three patrol cars behind us, and I radioed our last turn as Tom was now
two car lengths behind. There were three patrol cars blocking the street at
Pike. The limo made another hard left and headed down the hill, west toward the
sound. We were barreling down the steep hill, and pedestrians were jumping to
the side at intersections as our siren, and all those behind us were giving our
warning. By now all main streets were blocked. The limo and we were on a course
for the front door of the Pike Street Market, one of the busiest areas of the
city.

    
We crossed over Second Avenue as a bullet
gouged its way into our windshield, but didn’t make it through the heavy glass.
Tom closed the gap as we sped closer to the turn at the bottom of Pike Street.
When we had turned onto Pike, I’d radioed to clear the streets at the market.
We had almost every patrol car in downtown Seattle in the chase or blocking
streets and keeping pedestrians out of the chase. First Avenue was a hundred
feet ahead as another bullet hit the windshield. The limo was fishtailing
wildly as it avoided cars, and delivery trucks that had been abandoned in the
street. Tom slowed slightly to have more control on the corner at the market.
It was now dead ahead of us as we watched the limo start its broadside turn
around the corner and onto Pike Place. The backend of the limo wiped out a
large stack of produce that had just been delivered. There was lettuce,
cabbage, and broccoli from one side of the street to the other. Tom’s tires lost
traction in the mush of squashed vegetables, and we took our own stack of
vegetables out as we jarred to a temporary halt. Tom floored it, and we shot
forward as our tires moved onto dry pavement. The limo was a half a block ahead,
but was having to slow because of all the parked cars. We were coming to
Stewart Street, and I saw a black and white swerve into the path of the
speeding limo. The patrolman leaped out and rolled away, on the ground, just
before the limo slammed into the side of the patrol car, and started its flight
over the hood of the patrol car. The limo had become airborne, and was
spiraling in the air like an NFL football on Sunday afternoon. Tom slowed and
stopped just as we crossed Stewart. We both jumped out, and started to run. The
limo continued its pirouette and slammed through a chain link fence. I slowed
my pace as I realized where we were, finally. The limo had just flown into the
construction site where Sharon Keller had been killed. Gino was involuntarily
returning to the scene of the crime. We both were trotting now, and heard the
crash of the limo as it struck the ground at the bottom of the muddy hole. Tom
and I skidded to the edge of the large hole, and looked down at the smoke and
fire that was just starting below us. Four patrolmen were already mired in the
muddy ground pulling at doors and hauling people out. As we watched, four
people were pulled out. Two looked like they hadn’t made it, but Gino and his
driver were moving and yelling for help.

    
Tom and I walked around to the top of the
ramp. Gino was favoring a nasty looking broken leg, and the driver’s arm was
hanging at an unnatural angle. Four medical units were at the curb. There would
be a long escort of police cars to take them to the hospital. Jamison’s car
came sliding to a stop as he jumped out and ran to where Tom and I were
standing.

    
“What’s going on? Did anyone survive?”

He
then noticed Gino and his driver being helped up the hill, and his face lit up
with a smile.

    
“Alright!” he said as his arm pumped into
the air in front of him.

Jamison
turned and gave Tom and me a high five as the patrolmen hauled the two
survivors by us.

    
The rest of the afternoon was spent
cleaning up our mess from the car chase. There were a few injured pedestrians,
but most of all we were all glad that the jerk hadn’t gotten away. I sent Tom
home at four. In the excitement of the chase, he’d missed his lunch again, and
he looked a bit off.
 
I sat at my desk
entering the final notes to Sharon’s case, and my phone rang.

    
“Sounds like you caused quite a stir
downtown today ran out of things to do?” said my sweetie.

    
“Yeah, it was getting slow. There hasn’t
been a good car chase downtown for four or five years. How’s the new almost ME
doing?”

    
“Since, you don’t have anything to do
tonight, I thought I’d buy some steaks, and we could barbeque at your place. I
know you hate to leave Felix alone.”

    
“He does get a bit peckish at the end of
the day.
 
How about six?”

    
“I’ll see you then and good work today
Abby.”

    
“Thanks Maya.”

I hung up and closed up shop. I stood at the bus stop,
still feeling the remnants of the high that I’d been on during the chase.
There’s always the adrenalin that surges inside you, and the thrill of the
chase can’t be matched for a policeman. The down side is sometimes you don’t
come out the other side alive. Luckily the statistics are on our side, but lady
luck sometimes rolls snake eyes and one of us dies. We that are left behind
grieve and cry, but in the end it’s about the chase.

    
It was almost May, so my shorts and a
T-shirt felt good. I always dress up for barbeques with my dates. Felix, true
to form, followed and hounded me until his food was opened and placed before
him. I setup the grill and got it heating at five til’ six. At six ten, Maya
walked in with a bag in one hand and two garment bags.

    
“Are we going on a trip and you haven’t
told me?” I asked.

    
“No, but since I seem to be spending a lot
of my time here, I thought I’d bring some clothes over.”

    
“Good idea. You go get your clothes put
away, and I’ll start the steaks.”

I took the bag from her and was rewarded for my
harrowing day with a kiss. Sometimes that’s all the reward I need. Maya headed
upstairs while Mr. Barbeque and I got the steaks ready for the grill. However,
that lasted for about a minute until Felix smelled the lack of evidence; I
wasn’t cooking fish. He walked off in a huff, and gave me that look that only
disgruntled cats can give as he turned five times, and laid his fat-self down.

The steaks were sizzling outside as I stood at the
sink cutting up a salad. I felt my favorite arms around me as I worked.

“Excuse me madam, but could you check the steaks while
I finish here,” I said.

I
set the knife down and turned into a hug and a pre dinner kiss. I looked into
Maya’s eyes, and got lost for a second or two. I swatted her lightly on the
butt, and turned her toward the barbeque.

    
“Don’t let the steaks burn.”

    
We finished our dinner, sleeping cat and
all. We talked about Maya’s promotion and my closed case. After two glasses of
wine, a hot shower, and some serious fooling around, we lay snuggled in my bed.
Maya’s soft purring snore finally lulled me to sleep.