Rough Road: A Bad Boy MC Romance, page 24
His heart began to hammer.
The dogs hadn’t barked or come running to meet him.
“Portia, I’m home,” he called, moving his weapon into the deep pocket of his leather jacket and closing his fingers around the handle.
“I’m in the living room.”
“Where are Antony and Cleopatra?”
“With me.”
“I’m starving,” he continued, wanting to keep her talking. “I’m going to fix myself something to eat. Do you want anything?”
“Uh...”
“Portia?”
“Can you come here first? I need to talk to you.”
She wasn’t alone, but who was with her, and what did they want?
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Forcing himself to stay calm and not race to the hall to Portia’s rescue, Koda grabbed his phone and texted Barry.
Portia’s in trouble. There’s someone with her in the front room. I’ll call you and leave my phone on so you can hear what’s happening, but I’ll turn off all sounds.
“Koda?” Portia yelled again. “Please, will you join me?”
“I’m coming,” he shouted back as he placed the call to Barry. “Just grabbing a beer. You want one?”
“No, thanks.”
“You probably don’t want to risk talking,” Barry said urgently as he answered. “I’ll be in the house shortly but I need to get assistance. I can’t do that if I don’t disconnect. I just need a minute.”
“Okay,” Koda whispered. “Have you seen those water crackers?” he called out to Portia, continuing the charade. “The ones in the blue package?”
“Um, no, but please, hurry.”
“Where are the dogs?”
“On my lap.”
“Why don’t you come into the kitchen and join me?”
“I, uh, I don’t want to disturb them.”
“Okay. I’ll only be a second.”
* * *
In his office, Detective Monroe had finished reading the document prepared by George Caruso. It was standard fare and called for transactional immunity, but as the lawyer had said, it would have to be presented to the district attorney.
David didn’t want to wait.
He couldn’t.
Rising from his desk, he checked his watch.
He’d be hearing from the young officer at any moment.
Quickly returning to the interview room, he sat back down.
“This is fine with me,” he began, “but I need the information now. I can’t wait for the D.A.”
“What are you suggesting?” George asked.
“Join me for a burger and fries at the steakhouse across the street. We can have an unofficial chat and talk in theories, what might have happened, conjectures,” David replied, then leaning across the table, he dropped his voice. “Benny, if someone whacked Eddie and his crew because they’re trying to take over his operation, I have to find that person yesterday. We’re dealing with a cold-blooded, unpredictable killer who could cause havoc in the community. Any information could help. I’m asking you to trust me.”
Benny looked at George.
George nodded his head.
“Yeah, okay,” Benny agreed. “I’ll tell you what I might have seen if I had been at Calhoun’s compound that night, but it will just be a dream I had.”
“Of course,” David said with a nod, feeling a wave of relief. “Excuse me, this will only take a second.”
His phone had chimed, and lifting it from his breast pocket, expecting to see a quick, okay, he glanced at the screen.
911 at 528 Maple. Full situation unknown. Portia Perry and King under threat in front room. Proceeding into house. King calling to leave his phone on so I can monitor. Will not be able to receive calls. Send backup.
David quickly responded.
On my way.
* * *
Still in the kitchen anxiously waiting for the long seconds to tick by, Koda had finally called Barry back.
“I’m in the yard. Help is on the way,” Barry said hastily. “Don’t risk speaking, and good luck.”
Willing his heart to stop its wild thumping, Koda placed his phone in his back pocket upside down with the microphone facing out, then opened the refrigerator and grabbed a beer. Gripping the gun in his jacket with one hand, and carrying the beer with the other, he moved slowly down the hall.
The lounge was a long room, the front half opening to the hall. Reaching the entrance, he spied Portia sitting on the couch. Antony and Cleopatra were on each side of her, and her arms were draped around their large necks.
“Hi, Koda. We have a visitor. Come and sit with us.”
Her voice was tremulous, and she stared at him with wide, frightened eyes.
“Where is he?” Koda asked, trying to keep his voice casual as he scanned the room.
“You need to sit with us,” she repeated. “Please, Koda, just do it.”
“With you and the dogs there’s no room for me,” he declared, purposely sounding irritated. “Where is this visitor? I don’t see anyone.”
“I, uh, please just join me,” she insisted, her voice rising.
It was obvious she’d been told to get him on the sofa, but Koda had no intention of making things easy for the intruder, and he wanted to draw him out.
“Portia,” he said angrily, shooting her a quick wink and hoping he wasn’t making a grave mistake, “you know how tired I am when I come home from that damn tavern. It’s so full of smoke I can hardly breathe. I’m sorry, but I’m not in the mood for one of your games. All I want to do is take a shower and get rid of this putrid smell. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“Fuck you, Dakota King.”
Spinning around, he found Hazel standing in the hall glaring at him.
“Hazel!” he shouted, wanting Barry to know who he was dealing with. “This is a surprise. What’s going on? Why are you here?”
Like a jigsaw puzzle the pieces suddenly fit. Hazel had been part of Eddie’s gang, but did she kill Eddie? Was she taking over the reins?
* * *
Creeping through the back door into the laundry, Barry had heard the scene playing out through his phone, but worried the voices might alert the woman to his presence, he muted the volume. Cursing himself for leaving his earbuds in his car, he raised his gun and stole silently through the kitchen. Though he could make out a muffled conversation, he couldn’t hear what was being said, and the hall was empty.
“Dean, get the fuck in here!” Hazel suddenly shouted.
Barry fell back against the kitchen wall, then peered around it.
A tall, brawny figure stepped from a doorway into the passage. Knowing his footfalls would be silent on the thick carpet, Barry strode swiftly forward.
“Police! Not a sound and put your hands up,” he whispered, pressing his gun into the thug’s back.
Hastily patting the man’s body, he found a weapon shoved into the waistband of his slacks. Bustling the goon back from where he’d appeared, Barry pushed him to the floor and hastily cuffed him.
“Take it easy,” Dean groaned. “I just got outta the hospital.”
“One sound and you’ll go right back in, then you’ll find yourself in prison for a long time. Are we clear?”
“Yeah, man, we’re clear.”
* * *
Adrenalin pumping through his body, Koda had managed to keep Hazel talking, but he was running out of things to say, and the woman’s mood was worsening by the minute.
“Can’t you do anything right?” she railed. “Why do you have to be so much fucking trouble?” Then taking a step backward, she yelled, “Dean! Where the fuck are you? Get in here now!”
“I always wondered why my dad was broke,” Koda declared, praying Barry had dealt with whoever Dean was, and trying to recapture her attention. “He had a successful business and worked his ass off, but he never had any money. I assume that’s because he was giving it to you and Calhoun?”
“We’ve all gotta make a living,” she sneered. “Your old man was my first client. He would’ve done anything to protect you.”
“Don’t you mean victim?” Koda hissed, his fingers tightening around the gun.
“Enough!” she suddenly barked. “I’m done fucking around. You see those papers on the coffee table?”
“Yeah?”
“That’s a partnership agreement. It’s got all the legal shit just right. Sign it and send me a check every month, and you and your girl here will have no trouble.”
“And if I don’t?”
“See this?” she declared, holding up what looked like a remote key for a car. “All I’ve gotta do is push the little red button and Portia and her cute doggies will be splattered across this fuckin’ room.”
Koda’s hammering heart thumped even harder, but he forced himself to think.
Hazel’s thug still hadn’t appeared.
Barry must have disabled him.
Help was seconds away.
He needed to stall just a little bit longer.
“Okay, fine,” he grunted, moving slowly toward the coffee table, “but I’m curious. How long have you and Eddie lived in that gated community?”
“Eddie was already there when I bought my place about two years ago. You wanna hear how lucky I am? My house is right across the street from you, Portia. I’ve enjoyed watching you come and go.”
“If you knew I was there, why did you deliver that note telling Portia to reach out to me?” Koda demanded.
“Why do you think, dumbass? Those annoying guards were constantly driving around, and that house would have all kinds of fucking security, then I had a thought. If you had to move her you’d probably bring her here—and you did! It’s the only thing you’ve done right so far, but I’m getting tired of this. Now sign the fucking document.”
“Not yet,” Koda said firmly, wondering where Barry was. “I have to know why you killed Eddie. Did you finally get tired of being bossed around?”
To Koda’s shock, she threw back her head and laughed out loud, but as she did, Koda glimpsed Portia moving her arm from around Antony’s neck and putting it behind her.
“Oh, man, you haven’t got a clue,” Hazel cackled. “I didn’t work for Eddie, you moron! Eddie worked for me. The business is my operation. Always has been. I only brought Eddie in as a front, and he had a good crew, at least he did until those three idiot brothers got themselves caught breaking into your garage. But I call the shots, all of them.”
“So... why kill him?” he pressed, his concern growing as he saw Portia continuing to wriggle.
“You think I killed Eddie?” Hazel exclaimed, shaking her head. “Funny thing, I planned to. Dean, his bodyguard, was unhappy. He came to me and suggested we get rid of him, but someone beat us to it. I figured it must have been you, or maybe that fucking Skewer finally found out where Eddie lived. Skewer and his fucking Tornadoes,” she grunted. “He was another pain in the ass,” then taking a breath, she yelled, “Dean! Where are you? Get your ass out here.”
“I may be many things, but I’m no murderer,” Koda said vehemently, hearing worry in her voice, “and neither are any of the guys in my club.”
“Freeze!”
Barry’s voice echoed down the hall.
“Who’s this?” Hazel growled, turning her head. “Whatta you know, it’s the Lone Ranger. Where are all your friends, Officer?” she smirked. “You think I’m worried about you waving that water pistol at me? If you don’t back off and put it down, you’re gonna see pretty little Portia get blown to smithereens.”
“No, you won’t!”
Screaming the defiant words, Portia jerked her arm from behind her back and hurled an object across the living room.
“You fucking bitch!” Hazel screeched, charging toward her.
Before Koda had a chance to react, Antony launched from the couch, his one-hundred-and-twenty-pound body hitting Hazel with full force and toppling her to the floor. He sank his mighty jaws into Hazel’s shoulder, and the woman howled in pain, fighting furiously to get the ferocious beast off her. Not wanting to be left out, Cleopatra jumped effortlessly across the coffee table to join in the attack.
Rushing around the frenzy, Barry bolted to the object Portia had thrown the length of the lounge. To the sounds of Portia yelling owst, owst, he hurriedly opened a window, snatched the device off the floor, and tossed it outside.
“Koda, Portia, get down.”
His urgent call came as he threw himself on the floor and covered his head with his arms.
Nothing happened.
Catching his breath, he straightened up and looked down the room. Though still snarling, the dogs had backed off leaving Hazel groaning and sobbing on the floor. Koda was on the couch next to Portia holding her in his arms.
* * *
“It’s over, princess,” Koda murmured, feeling her body trembling against him. “The whole thing is over.”
“Come here, Cleo. Come on, Antony,” she murmured. “Come back to me.”
“Why didn’t it go off?” Barry demanded, marching up to Hazel and crouching next to her.
Though she was sobbing and begging for help, Barry ignored her pleas, opened her closed fist and removed the remote control.
“Hazel, look at me, is this bullshit?” he insisted, holding it up. “Answer me. Is this bullshit?”
“Wh-what?”
“The explosive! Was it all a bluff? Tell me or I’ll let the dogs get it out of you.”
“No, no, please, not the dogs.”
“Then tell me.”
“That’s just my c-car k-key. It was an old cell phone,” she stammered. “Please g-get me to a hospital. I’m d-dying.”
“You’ve got some bad injuries, but you’re not dying!”
“I don’t know who you are,” Portia managed, staring across at Barry, “but thank you.”
“Barry Parker,” he replied. “I’m a cop. Koda and I met the night his garage was broken into.”
“Please don’t let anything happen to my dogs. They’ve never so much as growled at anyone.”
“Don’t worry. As far as I’m concerned they deserve a medal. Ah. Sirens. The cavalry has finally arrived. I need to go outside and meet them.”
“Fucking dogs,” Hazel grunted, suddenly trying to sit up.
Antony growled.
“I’d be careful if I were you,” Koda warned. “I’ll be happy to let him go.”
“Hazel, stay put,” Barry said brusquely. “I’ll call for an ambulance, and by the way, you can forget about your boy, Dean. He’s already handcuffed and waiting to be arrested.”
Chapter Thirty
Dean was whisked away in a squad car, Hazel loaded into an ambulance, and though the driver of Hazel’s town car tried to leave, he was quickly picked up. Detective Monroe spoke to each of them briefly, but he wanted to wait until the following day to conduct the formal interviews. With the hubbub of the police presence, Portia and Koda had taken Antony and Cleo into the kitchen and gave them bones to settle them down.
“What a nightmare,” Portia groaned, dropping into a chair at the table. “I hope all those cops will be gone soon.”
“I’m sure they will, but Detective Monroe will probably want to talk to us before he leaves,” Koda replied, grabbing a beer from the refrigerator. “What was it you yelled to get the dogs off Hazel?”
“Owst. It means stop. My father bought them in Germany on one of his trips. The trainer gave him lessons, then Dad taught me. I could have commanded them to attack, but I thought she could blow me up. I’ve never been so scared in my life.”
“I wish I knew how the hell she got in.”
“I didn’t tell you? Sorry. She had a key! She let herself in, her and that creepy guy.”
“Shit. I’ve never changed the locks on this place. Dad must have given it to her.”
“Or she made him.”
“All that time,” Koda muttered, letting out a heavy sigh as he finally sat down. “I knew he was stressed, but it never occurred to me he could be the victim of a protection racket. Damn, who the hell is this,” he muttered as his phone rang in his pocket. “Of course. It’s Leo. Hey, Leo. I suppose you heard all the craziness over the scanner.”
“Yeah. Are you two all right?”
“We’re fine.”
“I was going to call you and tell you about Hazel when the shit hit the fan. I found out she and Eddie go way back. She ran a brothel in Nevada. That’s where they met, and she brought him out here. From what I could gather, she was the boss.”
“I know. She told me.”
“No shit.”
“Yeah, but she didn’t kill Eddie.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Trust me, she didn’t. Sorry, Leo, I have to go,” Koda said, as there was a light tap on the door and Detective Monroe stepped in. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”
“Sure. Take care. Let me know if you need me.”
“Thanks, Leo.”
“Hi, again,” the detective said as Koda ended the call. “I’m sure you’re still a bit shaken up, but do you mind if we have a quick word? You can wait until tomorrow to make a formal statement.”
“No problem,” Portia replied. “Please, have a seat.”
“I’ll get right to the point,” he said, settling in at the table. “I need you both to account for your whereabouts at the time of the shooting at Calhoun’s compound. We estimate it was late last night, sometime between ten p.m. and two a.m.”
“Sure. We were together at Portia’s parents’ house, though I’m sorry to say his compound is only a few blocks away.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that. The thing is, Mr. King—”
“Koda, please.”
“The thing is, Koda, we know about the speech you made at your tavern. Eddie Calhoun was trying to shake you down.”
“Detective, you can check the alarm system in my parents’ house,” Portia interjected. “I turn it on when we go to bed. If either of us had left without turning it off, the noise would have woken the entire street, and the alarm system has a record. It logs every time it’s activated and deactivated, all the entries and exits, everything.”
“Really?” Koda said, looking across the table at her. “I never knew that.”
