AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It could be a coincidence; your family does own that hotel. Or Sadie could have been following your wife to see what she was up to, and shit went sideways. Or she found out what Bonnie was doing, didn’t like it, and pumped both her and Mueller full of lead. Those are the most likely scenarios, Cal.”
He nodded as if he’d reached the same conclusions. “Which one do you think happened?”
“As a cop, option three is most likely. Option two is just as likely, but you know your family better than I do.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not so fucking sure about that, man.”
Maddie had already told me about the game his family had played with him over Sunday dinner, which I thought was pretty fucking cruel, but Cal didn’t need to know I knew that much.
“Isn’t it possible that Bonnie was trying to renew her faith after everything she’d been through? Madison said she was falsely accused of murdering a priest. That’s got to shake anyone’s faith, even a good girl like your wife.”
Cal blinked. “You knew Bonnie?”
“In passing. She and Maisie were thick as thieves in college, so she spent some time at the house, but she was quiet as a church mouse most of the time. Nice girl, but quiet.”
He flashed a grateful smile at the memory. “That’s what I want to believe too, Jameson, that my wife was with him because of her faith. But she knew he was mixed up with the Crusaders and Rhymer, so why Mueller? Why not go to Father Eric’s church up the street with the new priest?”
I searched my brain or the right words. I was dealing with a man in pain I couldn’t even imagine. “Man, I know you’re looking for answers, and I don’t have any right now. Any other reason she might have met with him? Did she say anything to you about it?”
“Digging for information, Officer?”
“You came to me, dude,” I said. “Mueller trafficked in women and children, and as far as I know, the Ashby’s don’t. I’m just trying to eliminate all other possibilities for this deadly meeting.”
“Right. Shit man, I’m sorry.” Cal shook his head. “My head hasn’t been right lately.”
I nodded. “Understandably.” His shoulders seemed to soften at that. I got the sense he wasn’t getting much TLC. Or, as much as he needed.
“Bonnie didn’t know much about the Ashby Organization and definitely not as much as she thought she did. I mean, she knew we own hotels, have card games, and Sunday dinner, but that’s about it.” Calvin let out a long breath and added, “well, she also heard all of the rumors about the family. Damnit, why didn’t I think of that? Shit!”
“Rumors?”
“You know the history of Glitz and how my grandpa took over the city. Just stupid rumors. It’s nothing, but to Bonnie, it may have been something.” I wasn’t sure if he was hiding something out of guilt or if he was protecting his family out of habit, so I let him keep talking.
“She did try to get me to go to church with her, even knowing my own issues when it came to those soul-sucking perverts. She missed it. Probably from her upbringing. Her parents fucking suck. She felt guilty as hell after her drug use. Shit, I gotta go.”
“Welp, until there’s evidence of wrongdoing, believe what will give you the most fucking peace, man. All right?”
“So you’ll look into this? FBI style? And no one can know.” Calvin held up a red flash drive, eyes eager and pleading.
“Damn right, I will. Everyone at the precinct has their panties in a fucking wad over this crime, and we’re all working around the clock to figure it out. If you think of anything else, let me know, and I’ll do my best to keep you out of it.”
“You will? Why?”
“Because it seems like you have enough shit on your plate right now.”
“Thanks.”
Cal walked away, and I stood there, about ten feet from the corner, wondering what, if anything, he planned to do about it. I wasn’t naïve or foolish enough to think he’d tossed this intel in my lap only to forget about it. No, he planned to use it somehow, too. I didn’t really give a shit how he used it, unless it meant more dead bodies littering the city.
I turned and strolled back into the precinct.
“I knew you’d end up being more than just a pain in my ass.” Beck’s voice broke through my thoughts, and I fought hard to roll my eyes. “I knew you’d be more asset than ass hat.”
“Ha,” I deadpanned. “Did you come up with that all on your own?”
“Yep. Right off the top of the old noggin,” she shot back and tapped her head with a laugh. “I’m impressive like that.”
“If you do say so yourself.”
