The Silent, page 22
part #4 of L.A.P.D. Special Investigations Series
“What can we do?”
“You can go talk to Cait before she thinks the worst.”
“She should be thinking about what she did…the worry she caused.”
“But she doesn’t know the danger. Maybe it’s time she knew the truth.”
Her mouth fell open. “You can’t mean that.”
“I do. Wouldn’t it be easier if she knew?”
“Easier for whom?” She turned, eyes wide. She shoved her hair back from her face and stared at him. “I—I can’t tell her the real reasons,” she said incredulously.
“Why not?”
“Because she’s only seven.”
“She’s almost eight, and from what I’ve seen, she’s more mature than most twelve-year-olds.”
“But what would it prove?”
“It would keep her from finding out about it somewhere else. It would prove that telling the truth is important. It would prove that you trust her enough to tell her. And then, she probably wouldn’t be taking any jogs off by herself if she knew.”
“It’s a lot for a child to comprehend.”
He shrugged. “Make it simple.” He hesitated, wondering how far he should go with this. Finally, he decided he couldn’t put it off. “Do you ever plan to tell her about her father?”
She gazed down the hallway. Moistened her lips. “When she’s old enough to understand.”
“And when might that be?”
She didn’t answer. “If Cait knew your concerns, she might be able to explain what she saw at her father’s. She might have seen more than she told you.”
Laura’s eyes flared with anger. “Is that why you think I should tell her, so you can get more information?”
He flinched at the accusation. “That isn’t why,” he said, fighting the urge to shake her, to tell her this wasn’t about the case. It was about telling the truth. It was about Cait.
He stepped closer, looked into her eyes and said softly, “I’m sorry you think that. I was concerned about Cait. She could be suppressing what she saw…and that can’t be a good thing.”
She stared blankly, then gave a terse nod. “I’m a counselor. Don’t you think I’ve thought of that?” She raised a hand to her forehead as if she might be fighting a headache.
“It’s such a big step.” Her voice was a whisper.
He reached out, held her by her arms. “I know.”
Abruptly, she pulled away. “There’s no way I want her to testify at any trial.”
“That’s your choice.”
“Eventually, it’s going to come up.”
He nodded. “It would help if she could identify the person she saw in a lineup. It might mean the difference in taking a killer off the streets.”
The furtive look in her eyes said she was scared. “But you don’t know if he’s Eddie’s killer. Just being in the house doesn’t mean anything.”
“True.” Fact was, they had no solid evidence DeMatta had been involved in any of the murders. Which was why the guy was still on the streets. “But Cait’s identification would give us reason to get a warrant and search his home. It might be all we need to find our killer.”
“Eddie’s and not Anna’s?”
“Both, maybe.”
Her green eyes darkened. He could tell she was considering it. “Think about it. That’s all I ask. Think about how much better your life will be when all this ends.”
Fatigue dulled her eyes, circled underneath by dark smudges, and she seemed thinner than the last time he’d seen her only a week ago. He hated this. He wanted to comfort her. But he’d only be asking for more trouble.
Finally, shoulders sagging, she said, “I’ll think about it.”
“Time is of the essence.”
“I know.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
LAURA COULDN’T BELIEVE she was considering Jordan’s advice. All this time she’d done what she thought best for her daughter. And now he’d made her question it all. Their lives were falling apart and Cait was in the middle. Maybe Jordan was right.
Rubbing the tops of her arms, she shivered at the thought. Was her reluctance because of Cait or because she’d have to admit to Cait that she’d lied…and the reason they’d had to flee was because of her lie?
The dilemma weighed heavily on Laura as she walked down the hall and knocked on Cait’s door. When she didn’t get an answer, she edged it open. “Hi.” Cait lay on the bed, looking up. Laura walked over and lay next to her, staring at the ceiling, too.
“I’m sorry,” Cait said.
“I know. But sorry doesn’t make lying and disobeying any better.”
“I won’t do it again.”
“I know, because you’ll be grounded if you do.”
“I don’t know what the big deal is, anyway. Why do you need to pick me up all the time? I’m not a baby and all the kids tease me about it.”
Laura let out a long breath, exasperated. Jordan was right, she did need to tell Cait. She hoped he was also right about Cait being mature enough to hear it. “I understand. I really do. In fact, I felt the way you do many times when I was growing up. But there are a few things you don’t know that makes this different.”
“What things?”
Laura paused, thinking of how to phrase it. “I have a story to tell you about your father and it’s important for you to listen to everything and try to understand that some things have been done for your own good.”
“Are you going to tell me my dad was murdered?”
Laura bolted upright. She stared at Cait. “Where did you hear that?”
“One of my friends. Her brother told her.”
“What did he say?” Laura’s mouth was so dry the words barely croaked out.
Cait sat up and crossed her legs. “He said my dad was a criminal and he got killed because of it. He said it was in the newspapers.”
Laura’s thoughts raced. “Why didn’t you say something to me?”
Caitlin shrugged. “’Cuz I thought it would make you sad.”
Oh, Lord. “Well…I know about your father, and what the boy said isn’t true.”
“He said it was in the newspaper.”
“The newspaper isn’t always right, either. Your father was actually going to help the police. That’s why he was…why he’s dead. He put himself in danger to help the police and the bad guys found out about it.”
“You mean the man I saw?”
Laura pinched the bridge of her nose with two fingers, her head beginning to throb. “No, I don’t mean him…not exactly.”
“But he was there the night when Dad was sick. Maybe he came back and killed him.”
She realized then that for a seven-year-old this was all some abstract concept. She was just repeating what someone had said and putting it with what she’d remembered. To her, the murder and her father being sick were two separate events. Laura had to clear up whatever misconceptions the child had.
“Just because he was there doesn’t mean he did anything bad.”
An hour later, she’d explained as best she could why they needed to be careful and why they should help Jordan. Cait didn’t seem any worse for it, but then she couldn’t be sure Cait actually understood it all.
“So, if someone wants to hurt us, why doesn’t Jordan arrest him?”
“Well, they don’t know who to arrest. But Jordan would like to talk to you about when you were at your dad’s. Do you think you could do that?”
“Uh-huh. I remember lots of stuff.”
Yes, her daughter had a mind like a steel trap for some things. She’d have to make sure she was really okay, get her counseling for sure. But for tonight, this seemed enough. “Well, then, maybe we should look at what homework you have to do and get busy.”
***
“IT’S A CRAPSHOOT,” Luke said, turning a corner on their way to Vincento’s. “Do you think a guy like DeMatta would keep stuff around to incriminate himself?”
“No, but he might inadvertently.” Jordan cracked his knuckles. “Besides, it’s all we’ve got.”
“And you want to tell him ahead of time before the kid even identifies him? That’s screwed up.”
“No it’s not. I want to see his reaction. And I’m not going to say anything about Cait.” Jordan’s cell phone chirped. “St. James here.”
“Hi,” a female voice said. “This is Alysa O’Connor and I really need to talk to someone. I think I’m in big trouble.”
“Can you talk now?”
“No. Can you meet me somewhere? Somewhere Laura won’t know about?”
He hauled in some air. “Sure. Where and when?”
“Right now. It’s got to be right now.”
“Are you in danger?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Where are you?”
She told him and he said, “Stay put. I’ll be there as soon as I can. I’m about a half hour away. Will you be okay for that long?”
“Uh-huh.”
Jordan hung up. “Hollywood and Vine. One of Laura’s kids is in trouble.”
Luke turned the wheel heading for the freeway, but he looked at Jordan as if he was nuts. “Are we working for the shelter now?”
“It’s the girl who was with Stanton.”
“What about DeMatta?”
“DeMatta’s been on hold for years, he can wait a little longer.”
Once on the freeway, Luke said, “Speaking of Laura, what’s happening with you two?”
“Nothing. Nothing ever will, so don’t ask.”
Luke snorted derisively. “What’s up with that? I know you’re crazy about her.”
“That was before. Before I knew more about her.”
“Ah, a dark past?”
Jordan exhaled. “Something I never imagined.”
“Like?”
He clenched his teeth. Just thinking about it made him angry. “She was a prostitute. She got pregnant and was going to give away her child. The only reason she didn’t was because she had a miscarriage. She’s just like…”
“Just like your real mother?” Luke finished for him. “But what if you’re wrong. Maybe her circumstances were different.”
Jordan eyed his partner with disdain. “She is what she is.”
Luke let out a weary sigh. “Yeah, she’s just like everyone else. We’re all plagued with some kind of history we want to forget. Laura’s nothing like Kolnikov’s women. I talked to her long enough to know that.”
“And I think I know her better than you do.”
“I doubt it. I don’t think you know yourself, much less anyone else.”
The words hit Jordan like a punch in the gut.
“You think because you discovered your mother was a whore, that somehow taints you. You think because of Laura’s past, she’s the same as your biological mother.”
“Ridiculous. I don’t think that at all. I had two wonderful adoptive parents who raised me to have integrity and to be honest, and Laura’s—” He stopped, realizing Luke had manipulated him. “Let’s drop it.”
“Sure. But it’s your loss.”
They were quiet until they reached the exit.
“Well,” Luke said, “I want to say one last thing, then I’ll be quiet. I haven’t learned much over these past few years, but I have learned a couple things. One, I can’t blame my demons on someone else. And two, I have to deal with them myself because until I do, I’m always going to be searching for the next high, whether it’s a drink or something else.”
Jordan frowned. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Luke gave Jordan a critical squint. “Deal with your own demons, buddy. Don’t look for a place to hide or a place to lay blame. I’ve done it all and it doesn’t work.”
Within minutes they reached the corner where Alysa said she’d be waiting. Dusk fell in graduating layers after the sun set, the eerie time when it was neither dark nor light. When darkness fell, neon lights illuminated the streets as if it were Las Vegas.
During the day, the tourist-attraction factor kept the city clean…but at night, the disenfranchised came out to play. Or work, such as it was.
“Is that her?” Luke pointed to a young girl who looked like she’d been an extra for The Walking Dead.
“No. Alysa is tall and blond. Model material.”
“How about we park and get out?” Before getting an answer, Luke pulled into an empty space next to a fire hydrant.
“You’re gonna get a ticket,” Jordan said facetiously. They got out of the car and stood next to it on the sidewalk.
“I could get a mega bust right here if I wait around a few hours,” Luke said.
Jordan saw movement in the shadow of a doorway near a trendy restaurant. “That might be her.” He walked toward the door.
Alysa huddled in the corner, her gaze darting four directions all at once.
“You want to come with us?” Jordan asked.
“I don’t want anyone to see me with you,” she said.
“I can make it look like an arrest. Will that help?”
She nodded.
Jordan pulled out his shield, so if anyone was watching, he was covered. Then he took his cuffs and turned the girl around to secure her hands. She kept her head down as he led her to the car. Luke was already in the driver’s seat when Jordan got in. “Go.”
“I’m on it,” Luke said.
As they pulled away, Alysa said, “I didn’t know you were going to bring along another cop.”
“Detective,” Luke said over his shoulder.
“He’s cool,” Jordan added. “Trust me.”
“We’re not going to the station, are we?”
“No. How’d you get my cell phone number?”
“I—I got it from the card you gave Laura. But please don’t tell her.”
“Can’t make any promises until I know what’s going on.”
“Where are we going?”
“Luke’s going to find a private spot to park and then we can talk.” No sooner than Jordan got out the words, Luke made a turn in to an alley behind a warehouse. “Let’s get those cuffs off,” Jordan said.
She leaned forward so he could reach her. After the cuffs were off, she rubbed her wrists. “Geezus, those things hurt.”
Something they heard all the time. “Good thing you have no reason to be in them for a longer period of time.”
Alysa didn’t meet his eyes.
“So why are we here?” Jordan asked. “You said you might be in trouble.”
Her big blue eyes expanded. “I think so.”
“Why do you think so?”
“There’s this guy—”
“Start from the beginning.”
She bit her lip, then flopped back against the seat. “Before I came to Victory House, about six months ago, I was a real mess. I was a mess for a long time afterward. Just when I started to get my act together, I had a setback.” She chewed on her lower lip as if it was difficult to go on.
“A setback?”
“Yeah. It’s not the same as a relapse. Anyway, this setback really put me down. I couldn’t think or do anything, and when this guy offered me money for some information, I said okay.”
Jordan and Luke’s attention was piqued. “What kind of information?”
“He asked me get some information about the shelter, and the director. Laura.” She glanced at Jordan, guilt in her eyes.
“Specifically her?”
“Yes. He wanted to know about her money, how she got funding for the shelter and all kinds of stuff I don’t know about. I told him I didn’t know anything and he said he’d give me even more money if I found out.”
Luke eyed Jordan. “And did you?” Luke asked.
Tears pooled in her eyes. “I did.”
“Did he say why he wanted the information?”
“He said something about taxes and being with the government, but I really didn’t know what he was talking about. I copied the information from the records he asked for and then I told him about the hidden money.”
“Money?” Jordan asked.
“Money in brown wrapping. Lots of money.”
“What happened to the money?”
“Nothing that I know of. But last week when I met this guy and told him about the money, Laura was at the shopping center and she saw me getting out of his car.”
“Did you tell her what you’d done?”
She was shaking now, tears flooding down her cheeks. “I told her I had a relapse.” She sniffed and wiped her eyes—to no avail. The tears kept coming. “I didn’t tell her I gave information to this man…a-and now I’m afraid I did something terrible and got her in trouble, too.”
Laura had told him about Alysa’s meeting with Stanton. Now he knew why. Damn! But what reason would Stanton have for wanting information about Laura’s accounts? And where had the money come from? She’d mentioned money from DeMatta, but that was three years ago. Had he given her more? And why would she be hiding it?
***
Laura paced the room, waiting for Jordan to arrive. He’d called more than an hour ago and said he had to talk to her again. She definitely wanted to talk to him about her conversation with Cait.
She glanced at the time again. Jordan should be there any minute. It was after ten and Alysa wasn’t home, either. And because Phoebe and Rose were on street duty, she didn’t have any way to go looking for the teenager even if she could. She’d left a call on Phoebe’s cell phone for them to keep an eye out for the teen. She felt helpless to do anything more and it irritated the hell out of her. Maybe Jordan would have some ideas.
She knew better than to call the police to report Alysa missing. They would get on it, but not immediately since she had a history of running. It was normal to think the kid had run again.
But Alysa was different from other troubled kids. The child longed for the security she’d never had, and Victory House had given her that. Maybe not in the way she wanted, but enough to get her back on track. That’s what bothered Laura the most. Alysa had to be in trouble. Something she couldn’t talk about with her counselor. But maybe with a friend?
Deciding that would be her approach when the teen returned, Laura flipped on the television set for company. Then the doorbell rang. Still on edge, she went to the door and peered between the curtains. The outside light gave the night an eerie yellow cast… Jordan and Alysa stood on the steps.
