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“So, you don’t remember the combination?” I asked her and immediately she shook her head. Of course, she didn’t. It was something no child should memorize. But then again, it was Emilie, who was sharp as a tack, and I wouldn’t put it past her.
I slid off the bed and took my phone with me. “Stay here. I need to go outside and make a call.”
Emilie nodded, and I walked out to the patio, closing the sliding glass door behind me. I had to call the only person who would need this information Emilie just gave me, Detective Lawrence McCrae.
Learning that her father did not differ from Levi Shields changed everything. No wonder he was relaxed with the Chrome Poppies in the house. He wasn’t afraid of Levi or the rest of us. Ozzy was just as cunning and dangerous as Levi and could have taken us out as easily as Levi did.
TWENTY
LARRY
“Dammit all to hell,” I blurted out, waking Sherman up from his power nap. I didn’t expect the call from Jensen and certainly didn’t expect to be hundreds of miles away from the evidence we needed. “I just had a call from an informant.”
“Okay,” Sherman responded sleepily and rolled over on his pillow.
“Oswald Dillon Senior, treasurer for the Akicita Antelope motorcycle club wasn’t an innocent victim after all and that son of a bitch took his family down with him. If he wasn’t dead already, I’d kill him just for being a selfish asshole.” I yelled, gripping my phone tightly to keep myself from tossing it.
Sherman begrudgingly sat up, rubbing his eyes. “Let me guess? We need to head back down to Lancaster?”
“No, I am going to call on two deputies. Emilie confessed to the informant that her father had stolen the money and stashed it in a safe under her bed.” The wheels were turning, but I forgot to get one important piece of information—the damn combination to the safe.Great detective work there, McCrae.
“So, Ozzy Dillon stole from Levi and lied about it?” I nodded to Sherman’s question. “Does this mean Shields is going to get off with less time?”
I wanted to smack some sense into Sherman’s pea-brain, but I had to be calm and not take my adrenaline out on him. “Don’t be a fucking idiot. He killed six people in one fail swoop and fuck knows how many more over these last few years. He’s going to get the death penalty, regardless. Then again, I am not a judge and jury, so that’s only wishful thinking on my part.”
Sherman reached over and lifted his phone, “Dude, it’s like ten at night and we’ve got to be up early.”
It was ten at night, early by my internal clock. Not only that, but this case wouldn’t be closed until Emilie was safely with her relatives and Levi was plugged with bullets or arrested, whichever came first. The latter I doubt. He was the king of evading arrests, but unless he was superhuman, he’d never be able to escape from a bullet.
“My informant also recorded Emilie’s statement. So that means when we catch up with them in Napa, we will need to talk to her.”
Sherman groaned at my comment and asked on his way to the bathroom, “If it’s already recorded, why does she have to tell us in person?”
He had a good point; however, what was the chance of catching up to Jensen to get the recorded statement? We weren’t even close to him, and I had no idea where he was. It occurred to me that I had his number, and I could just inquire about his location. I clicked on the last call on my phone and Jensen immediately answered.
“I told you what you needed to know, Lawrence. What else do you want?”
Never put it past Jensen Grimes to be helpful one moment and aloof the next; he’d always been like that and will more than likely never change. “Where are you and Miss Dillon?”
“Why would I divulge our location? Who’s saying you’re not working with the Chrome Poppies and will leak my location?”
“Why would I leak said information to the man I am after for murdering Miss Dillon’s family? I need that recording of evidence—um, you know? To use in court. Because you know if Levi isn’t taken care of during this goose chase, this fucked up case will go to court.” I paused and ran my fingers through my hair, suddenly nervous about speaking to a ghost.
“It won’t go to court, because I have every intention of putting a bullet in his skull.”Jensen gave a menacing chuckle over the phone. “We are in a hotel in Porterville, and I was planning on taking a side trip to the Sequoia National Forest. I need some Zen, as does Emilie, and this is also a way of putting more distance between me and the Chrome Poppies.”
“Are you aware the Weatherlys could be in danger if Levi gets them first?”
There was silence on his end and a deep satisfaction that I got the one up on him until he responded. “The man has no idea where they live. So, he’d be waiting on the sidelines to follow me there. Have you thought of that, Lawrence? But you’re right. I will head to Napa Valley tomorrow. Levi will kiss his existence goodbye because I never break my promises—he’s already dead in my mind.”
The phone line went dead as he disconnected. What did Jensen Grimes have to lose in killing Levi Shields? Not much more than he’s lost already—which was everything.
I sighed heavily and told Sherman. “We need to continue up north. Jensen is going to head that way too. But we need to stop Levi before he can canvass the area until he finds the Weatherly Vineyard.”
Sherman nodded, “How come you’re just now telling me it is the Weatherly Vineyard?” I shrugged with the idea I thought I told him all the same information that was reported back to me. “We got a bottle of the Weathered Pinot Grigio one year for our anniversary. It was a gift from Sal’s parents. You know that’s an eighty-dollar bottle of wine. Needless to say, Sal and I polished it off.” He chuckled and continued, “I know we made love, but don’t remember it. I was too plastered.”
The latter I didn’t need to hear and now I couldn’t get rid of the visual of this hog rolling around with his wife.
Sherman reached for his phone and shuffled into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him, which was typical. I don’t think that man did anything quietly.
