Suckered, page 12
part #6 of Rylie Cooper Mystery Series
But how was I to know Babbitt would react so strongly to someone in a hoodie?
I made a mental note to talk to Garrett about it when I saw him that night.
“Let’s go guys,” I said, and Babbitt and Fizzy both trotted next to me as I stormed back to the car, more embarrassed than I’d been since I’d sat in that little girl’s sand castle.
The sun was high, but the air was cooler than usual when I arrived at the reservoir. Fall was finally approaching.
“How are you?” Shayla asked when I met her in the plaza area.
“I’m okay. I visited Garrett this morning. He seems to be holding up. Then I took Babbitt and Fizzy to the dog park which ended in disaster.”
“Oh no. Doggie drama?”
“Kinda. Babbitt went nuts when he saw someone in a hoodie. We basically got kicked out.”
“Kicked out of a dog park. That’s gotta be a first.” She patted me on the shoulder. “Have you heard from Luke?”
I glanced out at the small crowd of teenagers who were likely on their lunch breaks from the school just outside the walk-in gates. “I saw him this morning after I talked to Garrett. He told me to stay out of the investigation.”
Shayla put her hands on her hips. “Haven’t I told you that a hundred times already?”
I ignored her comment. “Do you know anything about Zineclara and Oretaline?”
Shayla looked at me with a skeptical glare but before she could answer a voice came from behind us.
“Did I hear someone say Zineclara and Oretaline?” Carmen came bobbing up behind us, from the deck area around the main office.
“Yeah, do you know anything about them?” I asked.
“Sure do. I used to work at a pharmacy. They’re anti-anxiety drugs.”
Anti-anxiety? Garrett seemed like the least anxious person I knew. Probably because of the medications.
“You don’t look happy with that answer,” Carmen said her gum smacking between her teeth.
“It wasn’t what I was expecting.” If I’d dug deeper on Google, I probably could have figured that out myself.
“Why are you asking about prescription medication?” Shayla asked.
“No reason. I was just curious.”
“You know, now that I think about it, those two drugs when taken together are sometimes used for multiple personalities.”
My ears felt like they perked up. “Multiple personalities?”
“Yep.” She nodded vigorously. “I knew this guy once, came into the pharmacy all the time to get them, but sometimes he was Tom and others he was Damon. If he came in as Damon, we’d have to ask to speak to Tom to fill his prescription. He’d snap right over to Tom. It was the strangest thing.”
My head spun. Did Garrett have another personality? Could his other personality have killed Boy Boy?
“You don’t think Garrett—” Shayla started, but I cut her off with a look.
“No. This has nothing to do with the investigation that I’m not sticking my nose into.” I shifted from one foot to another.
Carmen shrugged. “Too bad that guy you were dating was a killer. From his pictures on TV, he looked pretty hot.”
Carmen was the last person I’d let judge the hotness of a guy. She dated nasty creepy Dave.
“I don’t think he killed anyone. He was so nice on our date.”
“Maybe he didn’t kill Boy Boy.” Carmen shrugged. “But I’m not sad Boy Boy’s dead.”
I wish I could say the same. Not that I wanted a big gang member running around killing people, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I should have done more to save him. A life was a life after all.
“Did you hear they finally posted Kyle’s position?” Carmen asked.
My mind flipped from Boy Boy to my future. “No. I didn’t know.”
“It’s on the city website. Come see.” Carmen led Shayla and me into the park office. She pulled up a tab on her computer and there it was the full-time position listing. I scanned eagerly down the page looking at all the qualifications needed checking them off in my head as I went.
“Is this open to the public or just internally?”
“Looks like its open to the public. But didn’t Ursula practically say you had the job on television?”
I didn’t trust Ursula to stick with any promises she made whether on TV or not. My fifteen minutes of fame was quickly coming to an end meaning my profitability was too. If I didn’t act quickly, I might not have a chance after all.
“Do you mind if I work on my application a little bit this afternoon?” I asked Shayla.
“Nah, it’s a slow day. I’ll call you if I need you.” She turned to walk out of the office then turned back. “And Rylie?”
“Yeah?” I asked.
“Please stay away from the murder investigation.”
“I will,” I lied.
Shayla frowned as if she didn’t believe me, but with Carmen standing right there, she probably didn’t want to get into it too much.
“I’ll be in the back office,” I said to Carmen. “Thanks for giving me a heads up on the position.”
“Sure thing.” She gave me a toothy grin. “And don’t worry, if your guy does have multiple personalities it’ll almost be like dating multiple guys. Could be an adventure.” She winked.
I laughed nervously. I had no interest in dating someone with a personality that could kill someone.
I hit the submit key from my laptop at home that evening saying a quick prayer that my application would be looked upon favorably and then pulled out my cell phone. Tinder had paired me with a bunch of guys, but I just didn’t have it in me to go through them. At this point, dating was starting to sour my stomach.
Garrett still hadn’t reached out which meant the judge had probably denied his bail. I couldn’t imagine they had enough evidence to keep him unless they had found the money.
I texted Luke.
Did Garrett get out on Bail?
Almost instantly the little bubbles appeared indicating Luke was typing his reply.
No. Judge denied bail.
Why?
Because he’s a murderer . . .
I clicked off the screen and tossed the phone onto my bed next to where Babbitt and Fizzy were snuggling as if they hadn’t had a crazy morning.
Garrett didn’t have multiple personalities. There had to be another explanation. Especially since I could see him in my future.
My heart leaped in my chest, a mixture of excitement and anxiety.
We had only been on two dates. And he was in jail. If there was going to be a future for us, I had to talk to him about what was going on. I had to ask him if he had multiple personalities.
19
I arrived at the jail an hour earlier than I had the day before. I didn’t want the girl at the counter to have any reason to deny my visit. My plan was flawless, I would hold up a note to the glass, out of view of the cameras, asking if he had multiple personalities. I only hoped he would be honest.
“I’m here to visit Garrett Henry again.” I smiled at the same girl who had helped me the day before.
“I’m sorry, I can’t let you see him.” She looked back at me with an icy stare.
“But why not? Did Luke—”
“Luke did nothing. Garrett doesn’t want visitors.”
I nearly choked on my own spit. “Visitors as in me? Or has he had other visitors?”
“I am not at liberty to discuss this with you. If you don’t have anything else, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
“But I need to talk to him. It’s crucial.”
She shook her head once. “I don’t care how important it is, he doesn’t want to see you.”
“So it is just me then?”
“I didn’t say that.” She looked down at the papers on her desk. “He doesn’t want visitors. Please leave.”
I stood there for a moment longer.
“Rylie.” Luke stood behind me, his hands on his hips. “I need you to come with me.”
The girl behind the glass looked up and blushed.
“I was leaving. Geeze.” I threw my hands in the air and cleared my throat trying to clear the tears clouding my vision.
“No, I need you to come with me,” he said motioning at a door I hadn’t been through before.
“Why?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Am I under arrest now too? Do you think I’m a murderer too?”
Luke’s face was turning red. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Then why?”
“Just please come with me.”
“Fine,” I said and followed him.
“It may be my fault he doesn’t want to see you,” Luke said as we walked down a corridor that had offices on both sides.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, we questioned him this morning after we listened to the recording of your conversation yesterday.”
“Why? I didn’t say anything.”
“You mentioned something you knew about the boat,” Luke said. “So we asked him. He probably wants to make sure you don’t incriminate him any further.”
Knife. Twisted. I was only trying to help. “I didn’t mean anything by the boat.”
We came to the end of the hallway and walked out a door leading to a huge parking lot surrounded by tall barbed-wire-topped fences.
“What’s going on?” I asked Luke. “Why are you taking me to the impound lot?”
“We brought Garrett’s boat and truck here to search more thoroughly—and we did.”
“And did you find anything?” I asked trying to keep the emotion out of my voice.
“Enough to get Garrett’s bail request denied.”
They’d found the money after all.
“Okay,” I said. “And . . ?”
“We found fibers in the cab of Garrett’s truck matching the ones from the blanket that covered the first body you found.”
Not the money, but definitely enough for the judge to think Garrett did it. Dammit.
“But now we’re taking a closer look at the boat.”
He led me around a row of cars that looked like they’d been there for months, to where Garrett’s boat and truck sat side by side. Uniformed officers looked like an infestation of ants invading a yummy picnic basket. They were inside, underneath, and all around it looking for something they’d missed.
My heart pounded out of control. They were going to find the money and then Luke would know that I knew about it and then . . . what? Would I be arrested for impeding an investigation?
One officer stood on top of the seat where I had slipped revealing the cash. One slip and he’d uncover the same thing I had, and then Garrett would be toast.
“This may be a good time to come clean.” Luke looked down at me. “What were you talking about when you mentioned the boat?”
I was in a corner. “There was nothing. I don’t know why I said that. I must have been talking about how I thought I saw two people in the boat, but I was obviously mistaken and—”
Luke held up his hand, and his face softened. “Cut the crap, Ry. I can only protect you if you’re honest with me.”
I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. Why did he think I needed protecting? “Okay.” I took a deep breath. I had to fess up. “The other day I was—”
“Luke, we got something over here.” One of the officers called out.
Shit. They found it.
Luke looked torn. “Hold that thought,” he finally said. “I want to hear the rest of that sentence.”
I began to follow him closer to the boat, but he stopped me. “Stay here.”
Yeah, not likely. The moment he turned back to the boat, I tiptoed slowly behind him.
“Right here, it looks like this bench seat opens. But it’s wedged shut.” The officer showed his attempt to open the lid. I didn’t know I’d closed it so securely, though the officer had been standing on it.
“Use the crowbar,” Luke said, and one of the other officers handed up a crowbar.
“You can’t destroy his property,” I objected and every head turned to look at me. I puffed up my chest and put my hands on my hips.
“I thought I told you to stay back there,” Luke growled in my direction.
“You aren’t the boss of me.” I sounded like a sixteen-year-old arguing with her mother.
“Well? Open it,” Luke barked at the officer holding the crowbar.
He looked from Luke to me and back again.
“She is not your boss, I am,” Luke said. “Pry it open.”
I could feel the gazes shift from me to the seat as the officer wedged the bar under the piece of wood and push down with all his might. The wood crackled under the pressure.
The entire group held a collective breath.
Finally, the top popped off, clattering to the metal hull of the boat.
We all leaned in to get a better look.
A disappointed sigh stole through everyone but me. Mine was in surprised relief.
It was empty.
Wait.
How was it empty? Where had all the money gone?
“Keep looking,” Luke grumbled coming to stand at my side. “You were saying?”
“Was I? I’ve forgotten.”
Luke quirked an eyebrow. “About the other day.”
“Yeah, I don’t recall.” I couldn’t tell him about the money. Not now. Not when it was gone and if I had told him before he might have been able to use the evidence to convict Garrett.
“I find that very hard to believe.” He eyed me. “I know you think Garrett is innocent and you’re trying to protect him, but there is a murderer on the loose and if Garrett is the murderer . . .”
“But he’s not. I know he’s not. Maybe someone is setting him up.” Or maybe it’s his other personality.
Luke nodded. “It’s a possibility. But if that’s the case, then the murderer is still out there, and if he or she thinks you’re trying to find them, they’ll have no problem killing you too.”
“Then I need you to help me find the real killer.”
“No. I’m not helping you. I will find the killer. It’s my job. You’re a park ranger—not that there’s anything wrong with that,” he added quickly, “but you’re not an investigator. You don’t even have a gun. And I don’t think you know Garrett as well as you think you do.”
“What do you mean?”
Luke looked down at his feet. “I don’t know. But something doesn’t seem right. I can’t pinpoint it, and he’s not talking at the direction of his lawyer, but this isn’t the type of case you should be getting involved in.”
“Does this lot have cameras?” I asked.
“Yeah.” Luke looked confused. “Why?”
“Maybe you should take a look at them.”
Someone had stolen the money from the boat, and it couldn’t have been Garrett because he was still in jail. If they found the person who stole the money, they’d probably find the killer.
“Why won’t you tell me what you know?” Luke asked reaching a hand out to touch my arm.
Part of me wanted to. But I was in too deep. At this point, I would definitely be charged with stealing evidence, messing with a crime scene, and probably as an accessory to murder or something crazy like that. And if I was charged with those things I’d never get the full-time job. “Just look at the cameras. They might help clear Garrett’s name.”
Luke let out a sigh. “You’re not going to stay out of this are you?”
“I’m going to try,” I said.
“You really care about him, don’t you?” he asked, his tone defeated.
“I guess I do,” I replied as gently as possible.
He looked back over at the boat. “Come on, I’ll walk you out.”
I had an idea of where I could find more information, but first I had to stop by Garrett’s house and pick up some more food for Babbitt.
When I pulled up to the house, a short raven-haired woman was making her way up Garrett’s front steps. She stuck a key in the lock and opened the door, closing it behind her.
What the hell? Was this the girl that belonged to the lacy bra? Her boobs were big enough to fit the profile.
I marched up the steps and opened the door to find raven-hair standing in the kitchen.
“Hello,” I shouted.
She pulled one earbud out of her ear. “Who are you?” Her nose stud and gauged earlobes added to her badass who cares attitude. And she made it look so good. Ugh.
“I could ask you the same thing.” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“I’m here to clean the house, duh.”
Duh? Did she just duh me? “You’re a housekeeper?” Her tight jeans and black tank top weren’t exactly what I imagined a housekeeper would wear. “Where are all your cleaning supplies?”
“In my car.” The look on her face was a challenge to question her further. “Just because I don’t look like someone who would clean houses doesn’t mean I don’t.”
A housekeeper would explain the extreme tidiness of his home.
“Are you his dog walker or something?” Her narrowed eyes and the way she stood at the ready made me uneasy.
“I—I’m his—” Friend? Girlfriend? “We’re—uh—dating.”
“You’re his girlfriend?” She looked me up and down. “I didn’t know he had it in him. I mean, there was that one time, but otherwise, I assumed he was mostly gay.” She shrugged.
Before I could ask what she meant about that one time, she continued. “Have you seen him lately? I haven’t gotten my payment for the week, and my stash is getting low if you know what I mean.” She held two fingers up to her mouth acting like she was taking a drag from a joint.
“You haven’t heard?” I asked.
“Heard what?”
“Garrett’s in jail for the murder of Boy Boy—you know—the drug dealer.”
“Yeah, I know him,” she said. “Saw in the paper he broke out of prison or something.”
“And now he’s dead.”
