The Partners in Crime Collection, page 71
“Okay,” Doc said. “So where’s the sticking point?”
“The first one is – if Sam didn’t know she was pregnant, and someone else found out from her medical records after her most recent appointment, then we need to know who got that information before Sam did. That person is possibly the connection to the murderer.”
“What if they just killed her because of her mother? Or because she had Kade Burke wanting to marry her? What if they didn’t know about the baby, either?” Doc said.
“See? That’s why talking it out with you is so useful,” Jack said. “I had only started considering that it might be related to her mother’s work as a DA – but I’m not convinced of that, since they did it while the DA was in Davos, and they didn’t make it a spectacle. If they were trying to impact the DA, then I believe they would have found a way to make sure Marissa Cabot saw the body herself.”
“True,” Doc said as he brushed crumbs from his shirt. “What about the Burke angle?”
“That would be the most obvious, wouldn’t it? But I keep going back to the fact that Sam didn’t know she was pregnant and someone who had that brand new information might have acted on it.”
“I’ve done all of the samples, testing, full body scans and photographs. I’ll be releasing the body to the funeral home her mother selected tomorrow afternoon. We don’t need the physical remains any longer, and I can do a full 3-D holographic replication if we have to,” Doc said. “I have to admit, I love what tech can do these days. I always felt bad that I had to keep the bodies and deny the families closure, just in case.”
“I handled Ellis’s burial, since she had no family. Knowing that last task had been handled properly does help with processing it all. Of course, having Ellis up my ass as a ghost didn’t give me the same kind of closure I might have had without her presence,” Jack said with a chuckle. “But it does help. Marissa Cabot may have been frustrated with her daughter, but she loved her. And no, we did not tell her about the pregnancy. Not yet.”
“Oh, lucky me. I get to be the one to tell her,” Doc sighed.
“Or not,” Jack said. “I didn’t want to say anything until we knew who the father was. Can you not tell her until we know that?”
Doc looked at his phone again. “No notifications yet. Maybe we’ll know today so I can pass that off to you and Jamie.”
“You’re so considerate,” Jack teased and leaned over to kiss him. “It’s okay, love. I know it’s our job, not yours – I just didn’t want to face a barrage of questions or assumptions without the relevant data.”
“As soon as I have the information, I’ll get it to you,” Doc said and kissed her back.
Doc’s phone chirped and he looked at the screen. “Huh. I need to make a call.”
Jack watched him take the phone into the other room, so she finished cleaning up the kitchen.
When Doc came back, he was scowling. “Came back inconclusive for three different people. I’m thinking there’s a problem with the database. I’ll have to see if I can access the actual stored sample, or maybe…”
“Hang on, you can’t tell if Senator Burke is the father or not?”
“No. Something’s damaged in the database. It shouldn’t have this many potentials. That’s not how DNA works. Can you get me a fresh cheek swab or something?”
“Maybe. I don’t know. I can probably get one from Kade Burke faster than I could his father,” Jack said.
“Then see if you can do that. I can’t tell you who the father is of Sam’s child right now. I’m so sorry,” Doc said.
“Just save those samples and put extra samples in a separate place just in case. We’re going to need them,” Jack said.
“Good point. Let me head in and take care of that now. Then I can release them both to DA Cabot.”
“I’d better call Jamie and head over there, then. Will you release Samantha and the fetus today or tomorrow?”
“Yeah, today - in about three hours. I’ll call the funeral home and you can warn DA Cabot about the baby. Good luck, love,” Doc said and kissed her cheek, clearly bothered by this failure.
Jack finished up, changed her clothes, and headed over to Jamie’s place. It may be late morning on a Saturday, but she knew he’d be home. Time to destroy Marissa Cabot’s world once again.
Sometimes the job really sucked.
Dead Ringer: Chapter Nine
Jack and Jamie sat at The Copper Ceilidh, more affectionately know as “The Copper”, a bar located about two blocks from Harbor PD’s main precinct house. They had both agreed they needed a drink and the company of other law enforcement and legal types that would understand they just wanted to be left alone.
“Been a while since I’ve been in here,” Jamie said as he took a sip of his pint.
Mike showed up and perched on the booth seat beside him. “You’ve not been in here since the day I died.”
“Is that true?” Jack asked.
“Pretty much. I came in once to ask someone a question, but I haven’t been in here to sit and drink since then. I think, in my head, I equated this place with that whole nightmare,” Jamie said.
“And now we get to match it to a new one,” Jack grumbled. “I thought for sure we were going to have to call a bus for the DA. She looked like she was going to hit the floor.”
“Or one of us,” Jamie said.
“Finding out your dead child was also pregnant? That’s rough. She lost her daughter and her grandchild – and she lost whatever mental image she had of her daughter that had been comforting her since she’d learned of Sam’s death,” Mike said.
“Speaking of Sam, has she remembered anything else yet? Like, maybe who shot her?” Jack asked.
“Nope. Something that traumatic can take a while to remember. She is trying, but who knows how long it’ll take, or if she’ll ever remember?” Mike said.
“At least she’s not dropping donuts all over my car,” Jamie muttered.
“Hey, not my fault,” Mike retorted as Jamie grinned.
“What are you two talking about?” Jack asked.
“I got absolutely hammered the night we found Mike’s body,” Jamie said. “I went home after notifying his family, changed clothes, locked up my gun and badge, then walked the two blocks to this pub. So many people bought me drinks, I still have a surplus on my tab here. When I couldn’t see straight, the bartender cut me off and just added the rest to my tab for next time. I got mugged on the way home and Joey got me home and onto my couch.”
“I woke him up the next morning and he couldn’t remember how pants worked,” Mike said with a snort of laughter.
“Mike’s yelling at me that we’ve got a case and so I stumbled into the shower, got dressed, grabbed my shit and headed out to the car. I should not have been driving because I was so hungover. I stopped at Dunkies to get coffee and donuts, then headed to the station. Mike’s chattering at me the whole way. I took out a donut, handed the box to Mike – and it landed on the floor. My brain must’ve processed it in the background because I slammed on my brakes and nearly got rear-ended by the truck behind me. I pull over to the side of the road, and announced to the ghost in my car, ‘You’re dead’. Like he didn’t know.”
“He thought he’d suffered brain damage from the mugging the night before, so he heads over to the ER and gets checked out. Leaves me sitting there wishing I could have that donut and coffee he bought for me,” Mike said.
Jack is chuckling into her beer as she listens to the two of them. “You two sound like an old, married couple.”
“Well, he was my ‘work wife’,” Jamie said. “Now you are.”
“Good thing Doc understands,” Jack replied. “And Tara. Speaking of which, we need to do a couples dinner thing again, soon. “
“Yeah, we do,” Jamie replied.
“Slumming it, Kennedy?” A voice interrupted them as Mark Deegan stepped up to their table.
“I must be, if you’re in here,” Jamie replied. “What do you want, Deegan?”
Deegan’s eyes flicked from Jamie to Jack. “Interesting pairing. The traitor cop and the crazy transplant. The only reason you’re still a cop is because you kissed Tremont’s ass so much your nose got stuck up there.”
“Interesting commentary from a reject who lost his badge for being a criminal – and not a very good one, either,” Jamie replied. “What was it? Bribery and corruption charges? A plea deal that had you pinning three more cops to the wall, just to get a six-month sentence with ten years’ probation?”
“Sounds like a real stand-up guy,” Jack said to Jamie. “I’m sure the department misses him just somethin’ awful.”
“Shut up, bitch,” Deegan snarled.
Jack snorted laughter and shook her head. “I’m scared, aren’t you?”
Mike went from sitting next to Jamie, to standing behind Deegan. He reached out and smacked Deegan in the back of the head and the guy stumbled forward, catching himself on the table.
“Hey! What the hell?” Deegan yelled and whirled around to…nothing. “Who did that?”
Of course, no one answered, but a few more people started to chuckle. The bartender, Owen, leaned over the bar. “Deegan, leave ‘em alone, or I’m cuttin’ ya off.”
“I didn’t do nothing,” Deegan yelled back.
“Then go do nothin’ somewhere else,” Owen replied.
“And he says I’m the crazy one,” Jack said.
That got those nearby laughing harder and Deegan snarled as he stormed away. He grabbed his coat off of the back of a chair and slammed the door so hard it bounced off the outside of the building before it closed behind him.
“Well, he’s in a mood,” Jack said.
“He’ll try again. Probably not here, because most bars don’t let you run a tab anymore, but he’ll try again,” Jamie said.
“Thanks, Mike,” Jack murmured. “I wanted to hit him, but what you did worked so much better.”
“I’m gonna have to go recharge. I’ll pop back around later and see what’s what,” Mike said as he faded away.
“He’s getting stronger,” Jamie noted. “A few months back, he would’ve done that and faded immediately, then been gone for a few days to a week. He didn’t even go invisible until after he’d spoken to us.”
“Well, Mari said he was one of the strongest she’d known,” Jack said.
“True. Okay, now my mood has improved with the removal of Deegan, how about we try a game of darts?” Jamie suggested.
“That won’t help your mood,” Jack warned. “I was league champ three years running.”
“Yeah, but that was in New York, not Harbor,” Jamie replied.
They spent the next hour playing darts and finishing their pints, then headed back to their respective homes. It would be their last lighthearted moment for a while.
Jack’s phone rang and she fumbled for it in the dark. “Forbes here,” she answered.
“Detective Forbes? I need your help. Someone just tried to kill me.”
Jack snapped awake and sat up. She thought she recognized the voice. “Cady?”
“Yeah, I’m in the Old King’s Church on Boylston. I think he’s still outside.”
“Stay where you are. Hide if you have to. Turn off your ringer but keep an eye on your phone. I’ll call you if I can’t find you, but I’m on my way. Stay safe, Cady,” Jack said as she pulled on her clothes. “I’ve got to hang up to call Jamie. I’ll be there in about ten minutes.”
“Please hurry,” Cady whimpered into the phone. “I’m so scared.”
Jack hung up, stomped her feet into her boots and strapped on her weapon, then pulled on her coat. “Love you, Kendrick. I’ll be back when I can.”
“Be safe, Jackie,” Doc replied and watched as she hurried out to her SUV.
“Call Jamie,” Jack said once she was in her vehicle and had it warming up. She didn’t wait as she backed out and sped down the street, turning on the flashing lights as soon as she got out of the neighborhood.
“Kennedy here,” Jamie answered.
“Jamie, it’s Jack. Cady called. She’s hiding at Old King’s Church on Boylston. She said someone tried to kill her.”
“I’ll meet you there,” Jamie said. “Stay safe.”
It was seven minutes after Cady had called when Jack pulled up outside the church. She’d turned off the lights a block away, then parked and got out, gun drawn. The light over the side door was on, so Jack headed there first.
The door opened with a soft creak and Jack slid inside and off to the side. She gave her eyes a minute to adjust to the dim lighting and listened.
Off to her right, the sound of slow, measured steps could be heard. Jack rolled her feet from heel to toe as she moved towards the sound, making sure her own steps couldn’t be heard. The chapel looked empty, but she couldn’t get a clear view with the huge pillars that lined the main seating area.
The faintest sniffle snapped Jack’s attention towards the center of the church where two rows of pews gleamed in the low lights. She suspected that was where Cady was hiding, but she didn’t want to give away her position to the other person walking ahead of her. The person scuffed a foot, then hurried away from Jack towards the middle aisle of the church. All she could see was a tall outline with a long coat and a knit cap.
“Freeze, police!” Jack called out and the man slowed, turned to look towards Jack, then hit the middle aisle and raced towards the back and the main doors.
“I said, freeze!” Jack yelled as she ran down the side aisle to try and cut the person off. The sound of someone slamming into the metal bar that opened the door echoed through the space and she slid on the wet marble and almost went down. Once she regained her footing, Jack pushed the door open and used it as a shield, peering out around it. Jamie pulled up to the front of the church, lights flashing, and Jack sighed. She shook her head and turned to go back inside. Whoever he was, was long gone.
“Cady, it’s Detective Forbes. Come on out,” Jack said as she stood at the back of the church.
“Is he gone?” Cady asked.
“Yeah, I lost him. He took off,” Jack said. “Come on, hon. It’s safe enough to come out.”
Cady slowly got to her feet, then ran towards Jack and hugged her. “Thank you for saving me. I was so scared.”
Jamie slowly opened the door and Jack waved him over. “Six three, long wool overcoat and a knit cap. He was white and didn’t have a beard. That’s all I got. It’s too dim and he was hauling a…uh…running fast.” She didn’t feel right, cursing while standing in a church.
“I didn’t see anyone running when I pulled up, so he might have ducked into the cemetery. Need me here? Or I can take a spin around the block and see if I spot him,” Jamie said.
“Take a spin. I’ll get Cady into my car and meet you at Dora’s Diner. It’s warm, close, and I need coffee,” Jack said.
“See you there,” Jamie replied and gave Cady a small smile before he left.
“Come on, Cady. Let’s get in my car and go get some coffee while we talk.”
Dead Ringer: Chapter Ten
They got to the diner a few minutes later and settled into Jack’s favorite booth. Babs, the waitress looked up and Jack held up three fingers, so she came over with a carafe of coffee and three mugs. “Can I get you ladies anything?”
“Not yet. My partner’s joining us. We’ll just do coffee for now,” Jack replied.
“You got it, Detective,” Babs said and left them alone.
“Coffee enough or do you want some food?” Jack asked.
“Just coffee for now,” Cady murmured. “Thank you.”
Jack gave her some time to fix her coffee, take a couple of sips, and let some of the adrenaline fade. Jamie came in and slid into the booth next to Jack and poured his own cup.
“So, what happened?” Jack asked Cady.
“I had gone to the grocery store. I like shopping in the middle of the night because there’s less people. Besides, I’ve been sleeping on a weird schedule, so I was awake and figured why not. About ten minutes after I got to the store and had gone up and down a couple of aisles, I felt like someone was watching me. I turned around, and no one was there.” Cady took a sip of her coffee and looked from Jack to Jamie. “I felt crazy, to be honest. The feeling that something was seriously wrong kept getting stronger. At the end of one aisle, I caught movement in one of those round mirror things up near the ceiling, and saw this tall guy in a long wool coat and knit cap. He had one of the handheld baskets in one hand, but nothing was in it.”
“Did you see his face?” Jamie asked.
“No, just that he was white and didn’t have a beard. I got the impression he was maybe mid-thirties? Not old, not young.”
“He kept his head down so I couldn’t see his face. Then I…you’re going to think I’m crazy, but I swear I heard Sam tell me to run. I took my carriage back up front, grabbed my bag, and left the store. I got into my car, and he came running out of the store, right for me. I floored it and took off, but as soon as I got through the light, he was behind me. I don’t know how he found me, but he stayed with me until I sped through a red light, and he got stuck behind someone. I pulled into the church lot and ran for the door. I heard a gunshot, and something pinged off the stone near the side door, so I pushed it open and ran inside. I don’t know if he shot at me, but I think so?”
“We can check that out. Did you see what kind of vehicle he was driving?” Jack asked.
“A silver or gray Ford pickup with one of those extra grill things on the front and a light bar on the roof. I didn’t see anything but the front of it,” Cady said.
“That’s still helpful,” Jamie said. “I’m going to go make a call and get a team to check out the church, and get a BOLO out on that truck.” He slid out of the booth and smiled at Cady. “We’ll make sure you’re safe.”
When Jamie walked away, Cady gave Jack a faint smile. “He’s nice. You both are. Thank you. I have never been that scared before. I thought for sure he was going to shoot me in the church.”
