Rock Her (12 page)

“Annie, I have seen many good men do some really evil things,”
Kip tried to say with some level of comfort in his voice. “A lot better men
than Stewart.”

Annie looked down as Kip bent to pick up the rifle. She shook
her head again, as if trying to sort out all that has happened in so little
time. “Kip, why the hell would Stewart try to have me killed? We are already
divorced. What could he possible gain from it?”

Kip kept his eyes on the rifle, examining it. He popped the
clip out. It was full. The shooter must have changed clips when he was spying
out of the doorway, just before Kip jumped on him. “Does he have an insurance
policy out on you?”

“What? No. I mean… I don’t know.”

Kip looked at her finally and raised his eyebrows. “Do you know
where he is right now?”

“I, uh, at work I would presume. Lacey and Associates.”

Just then Kip heard a shuffle of feet from somewhere out of
sight and he knew immediately that the police were about to make their
appearance. He dropped the rifle, just to avoid the obvious confusion. As soon
as it hit the ground the men in blue rounded the corner, weapons drawn.

After ten minutes of being ordered to get on their face and
lace their fingers behind their heads, being frisked, interrogated and held
against the wall, they were finally able to get their story out. Eventually,
the two officers that had visited Kip’s room yesterday morning arrived, the one
named Capuli and the other one, and verified Kip’s identity and back story. It
was Annie Beecher’s apartment that was in pieces across the street, so their
story seemed to check out. Although some of the officer’s present had a hard
time believing that Kip had actually tracked and jumped the hit man all alone.
He was either Superman or had a serious death wish.

Kip gave the officers his theory about the identity of the bum,
and they actually seemed to find it reasonable, since the guys hands didn’t
match the rest of his look, and neither did his shoes. But, Kip was sure the
real convincing evidence was the Mossberg Tactical AR-15 left behind by the
shooter. This was clearly a professional’s weapon. Not something some lone
demented lunatic bum would have the money to invest in.

Then one of the lieutenants pulled Annie away from Kip for a
‘private word’. Kip watched them from a distance as Annie cried, then nodded,
then looked around in concern, then nodded again. When she returned, the
officer offered them a ride back to the hotel. Kip readily accepted.

“But, Kip, what about my stuff?” Annie asked him.

“You mean the stuff in your apartment? The stuff that is strewn
around the floor and shot all to hell? That stuff?” Kip asked, realizing that
he could have said that with a little more tact.

Annie nodded.

“Annie, I’ll buy you more stuff. Whatever was in your
apartment, I’ll replace it. Hell, I’ll replace the whole apartment building. If
you have something in there that you cannot part with, let’s ask the cops to
get it for you. There is no reason for you to go back there. Today or really
ever.”

Annie nodded, her tears welling again and streaming down her
face.

“Annie, I am really sorry. I know how crazy this has all been.”

Annie looked up at the sky. “It’s just that my whole life has
changed so much in the past few days, even hours.”

“I know,” Kip said, and he reached out and pulled her into him,
hugging her tight.

As Kip breathed deep the sweet scent of her hair, he asked her:
“Annie, what did the lieutenant want with you?”

“They want to do a sting on Stewart. They want me to confront
him about the hit while I wear a microphone.”

Kip held her away so he could look her in the eyes. “No shit?
And you said?”

“I said yes.”

“So, you think I am right, then?” Kip asked.

Annie nodded. “It’s the only real explanation. The only one I
can think of.”

“When do they want to do it?” Kip asked.

“Tomorrow,” came the answer.

“Great, so we have time to go shopping tonight then,” Kip said,
trying to sound chipper.

Annie smiled. The first smile he’d seen on her since this
morning.

Kip looked around for officer Capuli and he waved at him,
motioning him to come over.

“Do you have anything in your apartment that you want brought
over to the hotel?” Kip asked.

Annie bit her lip, thinking. “For now, just my notebook, and
laptop. They can both be found in my bedroom on my vanity. Oh my God I hope my
laptop did not get shot up!”

Kip shrugged as Capuli walked up. “If it is, I’ll get you a new
one. No worries.”

“No, Kip, you don’t understand,” Annie said. “All of my work is
on there. Every bit of writing I have done. It’s all there. I kept meaning to
get an external hard drive, but I never did.”

Kip asked Capuli if he would retrieve the laptop and notebook
from the apartment and bring it to the hotel. “If you could just leave it at
the desk,” he added. Capuli agreed and expressed his sorrow about the way the
day had turned for them.

Then Kip and Annie went to the waiting deputy and climbed into
his car.

“Uh, we decided we weren’t quite ready to go back to the hotel
yet. Do you think you can drop us off at the City Center?”

“That works for me,” the deputy agreed.

During the drive to the City Center, which is a mall downtown,
Annie was mostly silent. Kip could tell she was worried about her laptop.

“I am sure it will be fine,” Kip said. “Most of the gunfire was
at me in the living room. I don’t think the bedroom even got hit at all.”

Annie finally gave his a faint smile in appreciation of his
concern. “Thanks Kip,” she said. “But I wasn’t so much thinking about that as I
was about Stewart.”

Kip nodded.

“I mean, I know it is the logical answer, I just still can’t
see it in him. Never in my wildest dreams…”

“Did you ever in your wildest dreams think he would ever hit
you?” Kip asked. “Even in public like he did the other night? I keep telling
you, Annie, this guy is not the same guy you married. He is deeply disturbed.”

“I know Kip. I know. But still, murder?” My God, I just can’t
get my head around it.”

“I am sorry you have to go through this, Annie. Really.” Kip
told her.

“Kip,” Annie said, suddenly looking seriously concerned again.
“Should we be out in the open walking around at the mall?”

“No!” came the gruff voice from the front seat. “Absolutely
not!” The deputy had spoken.

Kip shrugged. “Maybe you could walk around with us?”

“You mean like a body guard?” the deputy asked?

“Sure.” Kip said.

“I am a cop,” the deputy said. “Not a hired hand.”

“Deputy, what is your name?” Kip asked him, leaning forward in
the back seat, crossing his arms over the seatback and talking into the rear
view mirror.

“Sparks,” the deputy answered.

“Do you know how much money I give to the police benevolent
association, Deputy Sparks?” Kip asked. He tried to make it sound as good
natured as he could, though he really meant the implication.

“I don’t even know who the fuck you are!” the cop replied with
a heavy Brooklyn accent. “And I am telling you, I ain’t no fucking hired
bodyguard. My orders were to take you where you wanted to go. You want to go to
the City Center, ain’t no skin off my neck. That’s where we’ll go.”

Kip leaned back into the seat again; embarrassed that he had
tried to pressure the cop into doing something for him just because he had
money. He thought that he had forgotten himself for a moment.

“Hey, Deputy Sparks,” Kip said, trying to sound contrite. “I am
sorry. Really. I didn’t mean that the way that it sounded. Or, I guess I did.
Like I said, I am sorry.”

“Forget it,” Sparks said.

They arrived at the City Center moments later. The deputy
pulled up to the doors that lead into the food court. The place looked no
busier or less busy than it ever did. Typical day for everyone else, it seemed.

Kip and Annie slid across the seat and let themselves out.

“Hey, buddy,” the deputy said.

Kip leaned back into the car. “Yeah?”

“You want me to wait?”

“Nah,” Kip replied, waving his arm at him. “We’ll grab a taxi
back to the hotel when we’re done.”

“I don’t mind, really,” Sparks said. “If something should
happen to
ya
, I’d feel pretty shitty.”

“Thanks Deputy.” Kip said. “Fact is I am not sure how long
we’ll be. I told her I would replace everything in her apartment. Might take a
while, you know?”

Sparks nodded. “Hey, buddy.”

Kip leaned back into the squad car. “Yeah?”

“Nice work today. I mean, acting the bad ass and all,” Sparks
said under his thick mustache. “That was real hero shit. You have my respect
for that.” He threw his arm over the seat and held out his hand. Kip took it.

“Thanks,” he said. “But frankly, I’d really like to leave that
shit behind, you know?”

“Yeah, believe me, I know.” Sparks said.

Kip was on edge as they walked through the food court. He
hadn’t really thought about the danger of being out in the open until Annie
asked him about it. He had just assured himself after the assassin hobo
disappeared from the alley that the immediate danger was over. Much like it was
in Afghanistan. After a firefight, the enemy would disperse, if they hadn’t all
been pieces of meat strewn about the battleground after the shooting stopped.
Army guys would secure the perimeter and his platoon would police the area for
their dead or wounded. He very rarely gave thought to his safety then.

But this was the real world here. A dedicated hit man could
easily have followed them from the scene of the initial attack. The more he
thought about it, the tenser he got. But before long it was clear that Annie
was relaxing and that made Kip relax. She felt safe with Kip, even after the
day’s events. Kip went from scanning the shopping crowd to only being able to
watch Annie smile and laugh as she began to forget about the possible danger
she was in. Kip never forgot about the danger, though he did begin to relax
along with Annie.

In a couple of hours, Kip had been into several boutiques, and
was carrying six or seven bags full of clothes, shoes and jewelry. He reassured
Annie that when they return from Afghanistan he would buy her new furniture and
appliances, and set her up in a new apartment. Annie look embarrassed at the
idea.

“What?’ Kip asked.

“I guess it’s just, well, I don’t want to feel like I am taking
advantage.”

“You’re not taking advantage, I offered,” Kip said.

“Yeah, but Kip, we met just three days ago,” Annie reminded
him.

“Well, yeah, but we spoke on the phone for the first time four
weeks ago. So, really, we met then.” Kip was joking with her. He knew what she
meant.

“Kip, I am just saying that we aren’t really in a
relationship,” Annie said. “I mean, to spend so much money on me.”

Kip stopped walking and turned to her. “Annie, I have spent
hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars on people I have never even
met through my charities. Remember? I told you that I gave away nearly
everything I make except what I make from the concerts and albums.”

“Yes, I remember,” Annie said, blushing.

“And besides, Annie, who’s to say we can’t or won’t be in a
relationship?” Kip just threw it out there.
And
there it is
, he thought.

Annie’s face changed. She looked deep into thought. “I have
always been so practical about dating and relationships, Kip. I mean, well, I
don’t know what I mean.” She laughed.

“Well, we have dated,” Kip said. “And besides, all practicality
aside, I have judged you to be a really good fuck and pretty solid in a tough
situation. There’s really only one question left.”

“Annie laughed. “Oh? What’s that?”

“Can you cook?” Kip smiled, then started walking again, taking
her hand. “My Mom was such a great cook. Frankly, I haven’t met anyone that can
match her. It’s pretty important, you know?”

“Is that what you’re looking for? Your mother?” Annie asked.

“Oh, hell no! I would never fuck my mother!” Kip said.

“Well, good. Because I am the shittiest cook you have ever
known. God knows how I keep this figure with the crap I eat from takeout and
fast food.”

Kip stopped again and scanned her up and down. “Well, Hell,
Annie, whatever you’re eating, let’s get some more of it in you.”

Annie laughed. “I think I saw a PF Chang’s at the far end of
the mall. I am famished,” she said.

“If that’s what it takes to maintain your curves, I am ready
for some oriental.” Kip said.
Then later,
some
ching
chang
bada
bing
bang
.

Kip made a scan of the area as they headed toward the
restaurant and saw something that caused a double take. Over to the right of
them, standing halfway behind the fountain, Kip spied deputy Sparks trying to
look inconspicuous. The uniform did not help. Kip smiled at the thought of this
guy acting tough in the car, but clearly he was a true softy, and he actually
cared. It helped Kip to relax more knowing he was there. And he just smiled
again at Annie. He did not intend to tell her they were being watched by the
deputy. Frankly, he didn’t want to bring up anything more about the attempt on
her life today. It seemed she was truly having fun and he didn’t want to spoil
it.

But as he glanced back at deputy Sparks, he saw that his face
had taken on a sterner look as he gazed over Kips shoulder, and then he saw him
move. Reach for his gun to be more specific.

Kip turned around to look at what caught Spark’s eye. The hobo
was there. Walking out of the men’s room and lifting his arm toward them. In
his hand he held what appeared at first glance to be an Uzi, or some kind of
small fully automatic weapon. Kip’s first reaction was to grab Annie by the
neck and throw her to the ground. She fell with a look of outrage on her face,
which pained Kip to see, but not as much as it would have pained him to see her
shot and bleeding.