The Chilling Spree (22 page)

I stared at him hard.  “If someone like
that hurt the only person in the world that you love, wouldn’t you
feel like killing them, if for no other reason than to be sure they
didn’t get another chance?”

Briscoe swallowed hard.  “I suppose I
might.”

“And say for instance, this person was
someone who knew you and understood you like no one else ever had,
and you never loved anybody more in your entire life–”

“All right,” Briscoe interrupted.  “I
guess I just wasn’t so sure you really had such strong feelings
about Johnny, Helen.  It sure didn’t seem like it when you up
and disappeared and wouldn’t give him the time of day.”

“Tony,” Crevan said softly, “he didn’t
remember who she was.  Can you imagine how much that had to
hurt?”

“I guess.”

“Can the two of you agree that you’ve both
behaved pretty irrationally since Johnny got hurt?” Crevan
asked.

I sort of felt like I was five years old and
being dressed down by the kindergarten teacher for fighting over
something as inconsequential as the last carton of chocolate
milk.  “As long as he’s clear on one thing,” I said.

“What?” Briscoe’s eyes stared hard at the
floor.

“That you don’t know the half of what Johnny
and I feel about each other, and therefore, you’ll stop interfering
and trying to convince him that you’re some kind of authority on
the subject.”

“Fair enough,” Briscoe said, “but only if
you stop avoiding him.”

“Does it look like I’m avoiding him? 
Jesus Christ, Briscoe.  He spent the night with me last
night.”

Eyebrows waggled suggestively.

“It wasn’t like that.  You’re such a
Neanderthal.”

His meaty paw extended.  “Truce?”

“Maybe.”  I gave a reluctant
shake.  “Maybe a truce, but don’t think I’ll ever forgive and
forget.  You wanted him to wake up and throw me out.”

“Hey, if you can say dumb shit because
you’re scared and worried, so can I.”

It was the closest I’d ever get to a real
apology.  The irony was that Briscoe and I shared a lot in
common in that regard.  The demand – no,
order
– that I
apologize to Aidan Conall was poorly received on my part.

Johnny jerked Finkelstein’s door open and
beckoned with one slicing motion.

“Uh-oh,” Briscoe murmured.

“The gallows await,” I said.

I wasn’t even completely inside the room
when Johnny spoke.  “You will apologize to Aidan Conall as
soon as I can facilitate the meeting.”

My mouth opened with the thought of
objecting until I saw the glint of something else in Johnny’s eyes,
deeper than anger.  I bit back the defensive retort and
nodded.  “All right, I’ll do as you ask, Johnny.”

Shelly’s eyes widened.

“OSI is officially taking this case,
Helen.  Shelly has graciously agreed to let me use you and
Briscoe and Conall as I see fit, however, if there is any further
indication that you’re not capable of following orders, that
arrangement will cease immediately.”

Understood.  People were concerned that
Johnny wasn’t capable of reining me in.  No small
wonder.  It was a feat that nobody in law enforcement had
managed to do throughout my career, with the minor exception of
David Levine for brief spurts during my ten year history with the
FBI.  “I apologize, Johnny.  I honestly don’t know what
came over me when I met Aidan Conall.  Something about him
rubbed me the wrong way and I couldn’t control the urge to push him
like that.  I really am sorry.”

That one was sincere.  His shoulders
relaxed a little bit, not enough for Shelly to notice, but it
occurred to me that maybe Johnny and I knew each other better than
anybody else did. 

“I’m glad you sound remorseful this time,
Helen.  It’s probably going to take more than an act of God to
get Aidan calm enough to cooperate now.  Then again, he got
defensive right off the bat,” Johnny said.

“I agree.  Shelly, it was as if the
mere notion that any of his religious group were capable of doing
something that might possibly violate civil law was
offensive.  He also gave the impression that civil law is
somehow trumped by the Old Testament.  No offense to your
people.”

She tried to smile, but it was still laced
with a little too much anger.  “None taken. 
My
people
as you call us, tend to view the lessons in the Old
Testament as allegorical, not literal laws on punishing those who
fail to conform to the standards of the herd mentality.”

“Johnny, how soon do you think this meeting
might take place?”

“Go back to the hospital.  I’ll let you
know when I’ve got him calm enough to at least listen to your
heartfelt apology.”

“Are you sure?  What if the Goddards
–?”

“Helen, that was an order.  Until you
hear from me, consider yourself off duty,” he said.

I cringed.  Bad plan to sound so
challenging right on the heels of being handed my rank in the grand
scheme of things.  “Of course.  Thanks for the time
off.  You’re absolutely right. I’m sorry.”

Humor twinkled in his eyes.  Yeah, I
laid it on a little thick, but I wanted Shelly to understand that I
wouldn’t go rouge again, that Johnny could control my often
impulsive behavior.  At least I hoped he could control it.

I loitered in the squad room for a few
minutes, hoping that I could have a private word with Johnny before
I left, but the door remained closed, and the angry voices were no
longer audible.  It became clear that whatever they were
discussing wasn’t going to end anytime soon.

“Well, I guess I’ll follow orders and head
back over to the hospital,” I said.

“Helen, I’ll walk you out,” Crevan
offered.  “I’d like to have a private word.”

“Please don’t scold me again.  I
already said I was sorry, and I really meant it, Crevan.  I
didn’t mean to make your dad attack you.”

“Water under the bridge.”  He held my
coat while I slipped into it.  “What we need to talk about is
personal.”

“Oh.”

We were out the back door of division when
he spoke again.  “I don’t think Shelly thinks that Johnny is
up to handling this case,” he said.  “In fact, I suspect she
plans to ask you to sort of keep an eye on him from the
psychological end of things.”

“Crevan, he’s starting to remember things
now.  When we talked to Rham Goddard earlier, he remembered
the protest in October spontaneously.  I really believe it’s
just a matter of time before he regains his memory and his
confidence.  Shelly doubting him now is the worst thing for
him.”

“Oh, believe me, I get it.  My father
on the other hand…”

“He throws his weight around and suddenly
the doubts about Johnny’s fitness are front and center, huh.”

“Looks that way.  Please be sensitive
to that when Johnny asks you to do things his way.  Normally,
I wouldn’t bet against him if it came to a popularity contest
between him and my father.  Right now, I’m not so sure.”

I gripped Crevan’s wrist.  “I meant
what I said earlier.  I love him that much, Crevan.  No
matter what else happens, I don’t want Johnny doubting his
abilities because I did something stupid and he got hurt.”

“Give Devlin my best.  Tony and I will
try to stop in later and see how he’s doing.”

“Make sure your partner doesn’t say or do
something that makes Dev feel like he wishes Ned had been the one
who survived.”

“I don’t think Tony feels that way,
Helen.  It doesn’t mean he’s glad Ned died, but he really
isn’t a bad guy.  He just doesn’t express himself so
well.  I’m glad we’ve achieved a little ceasefire between the
two of you.  I have a feeling it’s gonna be necessary,
especially if Goddard’s murder turns out to be a hate crime.”

“You know I love you too, Crevan,
right?  I’m your friend first and foremost.  Your private
life is nobody’s business, and I’ll defend that with my dying
breath.”

“Let’s hope that breath doesn’t come anytime
soon.”

We converged on Central Division at 08:00
hours the next morning.  I fell asleep in a chair at Devlin’s
bedside the night before.  One of the nurses woke me at six
and gave me a message from Johnny.

“Meet me at central.  Eight sharp.”

He hadn’t called my phone, hadn’t stopped at
the hospital, didn’t ask me to meet him at home.  If I let
myself think about it too much, the fear that it meant something
unpleasant was unbearable.

Johnny’s expression was inscrutable when I
met him on the executive level at central.  The conference
room had far too many stern male faces for my liking – and Shelly’s
to boot.  It felt more like a firing squad than the
gallows.  I had to constantly remind myself that I didn’t need
to work, and that in reality, being released from that stupid
contract I got conned into signing in October would be a
blessing.

George Hardy, the mayor, Chris Darnell,
Johnny, Don Weber and Shelly stood until I pulled out a chair and
sat down.

“Aidan Conall will be here in ten minutes,
Helen,” Weber said.  “Johnny explained the content of your
statement to him yesterday, and while we all agree that there was
nothing inherently wrong with what you said, it was the wrong
approach to use with a man like Aidan Conall.”

“I understand.”

“We’re not going to formally reprimand you
for your conduct, but you should consider this a stern warning that
there are times when you must follow the lead of others who might
have a deeper understanding of certain dynamics in this city.”

“My apologies, sir,” I said.  “I
believe that Commander Orion already knows how much I regret my
impulsive statement yesterday.”

“Of course I do, Helen,” Johnny said. 
“That said, when Aidan arrives, you should expect him to be less
than gracious no matter what you say to him.  I’m going to
tell you exactly what those words will be.”

My jaw tightened.  “All right.”

“You’re to simply say that you were wrong to
speak with a combative tone and that you regret it very
deeply.  It will never happen again.”

But
.  It was on the tip of my
tongue, and I’m pretty sure that Johnny read the flash of protest
in my eyes before I tucked my chin in a demure nod.

“After you apologize, you should leave the
room.  Wait for me downstairs.  We need to talk about
what happens next.”

Hardy’s assistant knocked on the door. 
“Commissioner, Mr. Conall is here.”

“Please show him in,” Hardy said.

My heart lurched upward into the back of my
throat while my mind went blank.  What had Johnny told me to
say again?  Shit!

Conall stepped into the room, tugging his
diamond spiked cuffs down over his wrists.  The aura of
self-righteousness choked me, ignited the same intense reaction I
felt the first time I met the man.  I willed an image of
someone I respected in place of the smug man trotted in front of me
for the most humiliating order I’d ever received.

Under the table, Johnny’s hand gripped mine
for a gentle squeeze.  The words fell from my lips.  “Mr.
Conall, thank you for giving me the opportunity to apologize for my
behavior yesterday.  I was wrong to disrespect you, an
upstanding pillar of the community, with such a combative
tone.  I regret it very deeply.  It will never happen
again.”

Conall snorted.  “You’re not the first
woman to make that mistake with me,” he said.  “Kathleen’s
mother was the same way.”

I had no idea who Kathleen was, but felt a
small measure of satisfaction that I was not alone in my intense
dislike.

“If you’ll excuse me,” I said.  Before
I could rise, Conall stopped me.

“I’d like to say something to you before you
go, Detective Eriksson.  I realize why you’re here apologizing
to me.  It isn’t because you’re sorry.  People like you
never are. These fine officers are forcing you to make amends for
your outrageous and offensive statement.  You should
understand fully that you have made an enemy, and I will not rest
until I see to it that you are no longer a member of law
enforcement in this city.  Enjoy your position while it
lasts.”

If I thought I could’ve gotten away with it,
I’d have drawn my sidearm and drilled a hole in his head on the
spot.

“I respect knowing where you stand, Mr.
Conall.”

Johnny’s tension started smothering me.

“But you should also be aware that it has
never been my intention to remain a member of law enforcement in
this city or any other.  These fine officers gathered here
this morning did everything they could to lure me out of
retirement.  You may not like it, but Darkwater Bay is a safer
place today because of me.”  Defiance shot from my eyes. 
“When I’m finished working, I’ll go, but not because of your
wishes.  I go because I choose to be done following men into
madness of their own creation.  Do you understand what I’m
saying?”

A pin drop would’ve echoed like a sonic boom
in the stunned silence.

“Perfectly,” he said.  “Good luck with
your murder investigation.”

I paced the homicide squad room on the third
floor until Johnny appeared at the door to the stairwell.  He
crooked one finger.

“Am I fired?”

“Of course not.  I did feel the
compulsion to use my tie as a gag at one point.  You’re never
going to be one to follow orders, are you?”

“I said what you told me to say.”

“Laid it on a little thick with the
upstanding citizen bit,” he grinned.  “Relax.  We all
about died laughing after Aidan left.  I thought you should
know that he answered the questions I had yesterday but didn’t get
the chance to ask.  We figured that if you tucked your tail
and apologized in front of the brass before I sprung an official
request for cooperation on him, he’d have no choice but play along
in order to save face.  If he refused, he’d look like the
complete dick that he is in front of all the people he’s so eager
to impress with his greatness.”