The Right Woman Page 10

  “Well, if it ain’t Detective Daniel Garrett,” Boyd snickered. “Aren’t you a little out of your jurisdiction?”

  “Your crimes are in my jurisdiction,” Daniel replied with as much calm as he could muster.

  Boyd leaned back and stretched his shackled feet as far out as he could. “Crimes? Now that’s where you and I disagree. I was just giving people what they wanted, something to make them feel better, something to make them forget their problems.”

  “Heroin.”

  “Yeah. The good stuff. I only sell the best.”

  “And you shot Greg Larson because he was getting too close to nailing you.”

  Boyd’s eyes darkened. “No one puts the screws to me. No one, not even you, Detective Garrett.”

  “Well, Boyd, I’d say you’re pretty well screwed sitting here on death row.”

  The leer altered for a split second, long enough for Daniel to notice it. He’d hit a nerve.

  “How’s the lovely Sarah?” Boyd taunted, the leer firmly in place. “You seemed very attached to her during my trial and appeal.”

  Daniel’s heart rate quickened, but he kept his expression blank. “Why are you asking about Sarah Welch?”

  “She’s a beautiful woman, hard to forget. Long legs, tiny waist, breasts made for a man to caress, porcelain skin and all that red hair. Mmm, mmm, what a picture. She’s like fire and ice. You have to chip through the ice to get to the fire, but it’s worth the effort.”

  “But you never got to the fire,” Daniel reminded him, trying not to react, trying to play it cool.

  The dark eyes blackened to fever pitch. “Because of you, Garrett, and you will pay for that in ways you can never imagine.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. You and your Keystone Cops.”

  “We got you and you’re waiting for them to stick a needle in your arm.”

  Boyd leaned forward. “That will never happen. Never.”

  There was such confidence in his voice that Daniel had to go further. “Do you know something that I don’t?”

  “A pissant knows more than you, Garrett.”

  Daniel stood. “I know you’re the lowest form of life and I know you have something to do with the young girls being raped and murdered in Dallas.”

  Boyd didn’t deny it, just kept watching Daniel. Then he shook his head. “So sad—those beautiful young girls, their lives gone just like that.” There wasn’t an ounce of remorse in his voice or on his face.

  “The heroin in the arm—that’s your calling card.”

  “That is a bit suspicious, now isn’t it?”

  The needle in the arm hadn’t been released to the press so there was no way Boyd could have known about it unless he’d had firsthand information.

  Boyd lumbered to his feet, the chains rattling. “Have the D.A. put something on the table and I might help you.”

  The bastard—he was after a deal to save his rotten life. Daniel’s stomach churned.

  “No deals, Boyd.”

  “That’s a pity, a real pity. Because if I die, a lot of young women in Dallas will, too.” He shuffled toward the door. “Guard,” he shouted. Then he looked back at Daniel. “Look after Sarah baby, won’t you?”

  Daniel restrained himself from jumping across the table and strangling the life out of him. That would come soon enough.

  The door banged behind Boyd and Daniel called to the other guard and quickly left the prison. On the flight back to Dallas, his mind was buzzing. Boyd was behind the whole thing—that was very clear. All to save his sorry life. That wasn’t going to happen, not on his time. He had to put the pieces together, and fast.

  The only person seeing Boyd was Arnie Bishop, so he had to be the one carrying information to the outside. But to whom?

  The helicopter landed and Daniel jumped in his car and headed straight for Bill’s office. He would want to know what Boyd had said, as would the D.A. Daniel felt sure they wouldn’t deal with Boyd. It would take a lot to overturn a death sentence.

  He picked up his phone and called Chad. “How is she?”

  “She’s still sleeping.”

  “What? It’s after twelve.”

  “I know, but you said to let her sleep.”

  Sarah was exhausted physically and mentally, but he worried that she was sleeping so long. “Have you checked on her?”

  “Yes, sir. She was on her back, but now she’s on her side.”

  For an insane second, Daniel was jealous that Chad was watching her. He quickly curbed such a ridiculous thought, and told himself he just didn’t want Sarah to be uncomfortable. “You might pull the door closed a bit so she can have some privacy.”

  “Sure.”

  “Anything suspicious happen?”

  “No. Everything’s quiet.”

  “You did tell the people at the desk to leave the towels and linens at the door?”

  “Yes, sir. I told them I didn’t want to be disturbed for anything. The towels and linens are in a bag outside the door now.”

  “Okay. Look outside and make sure no one’s around, then get the bag while I’m on the phone.”

  Daniel waited.

  “It’s done, sir.”

  “Good. I’ll call later.”

  Daniel spent the next hour with Bill going over what Boyd had said.

  “He’s behind these murders and rapes,” Daniel said. “He’s set it all up to gain his freedom. I feel that in my gut.”

  “He might be yanking your chain.”

  Daniel shook his head. “No. He knew about the needle in the arm and he’s very smug and arrogant. He’s confident that he won’t be executed.”

  Bill tapped a pencil on his desk. “This is sick. I’ll have to get with the chief and the D.A., but I can tell you right now that no one’s going to deal with Boyd. We just have to keep this out of the press and find who’s raping and killing these women for Boyd.”

  Daniel got up and paced back and forth. “I feel it all goes back to five years ago. We had a leak in our department and never found who that person was.”

  “Internal Affairs checked that out thoroughly and everyone was clean.”

  “They missed someone.”

  “Daniel…”

  “Boyd knew our every move five years ago and he knows our every move now. He knows we’re busting our asses to catch this killer rapist, but we still don’t have a clue. He called us Keystone Cops.”

  “I don’t like this.” Bill grimaced.

  Daniel knew he had to drive his point home to get Bill’s approval. “We never found out how Boyd knew Greg was a cop. Sarah didn’t know how he got the information. That means the snitch that was sneaking Boyd tips also ratted out Greg.”

  “Goddammit.” Bill leaned back and tapped the pencil on the arm of his chair, watching it as if mesmerized. Suddenly he glanced up. “What’s your plan?”

  Daniel felt a moment of relief. “First, we need to put a tail on Arnie Bishop and do a background check on him to see if he’s just Boyd’s attorney or if he’s something more. Then I’d like to go through the personnel records and do a background check of the officers that were here five years ago and are still here today, and that includes homicide.”

  “Personnel records are confidential. What makes you think you can find something when Internal Affairs couldn’t?”

  “I don’t know that I can, but I’m closer to the situation and if I look at each officer’s background and his immediate family something might jump out at me—there has to be a connection to Boyd.”

  “This isn’t going to sit well with the officers.”

  “It doesn’t sit too well with me that there are two women dead, another in the hospital and yet another in hiding.”

  Bill threw the pencil on the desk. “I’ll have to get this okayed by the chief.”

  “Thanks, Lieutenant. I just need some time to put all this together.”

  “How much time?”

  “Four days.”

  “Okay. You have f
our days. But you’ll have to clue Russ in.”

  Daniel ran both hands through his hair.

  “You do trust Russ, don’t you?”

  “Right now I don’t trust anyone, but I’ll have to give Russ the benefit of a doubt.”

  “Do this very carefully and try not to step on too many toes.”

  “Yes, sir.” Daniel turned toward the door as it opened and Russ walked in.

  “I’ve been waiting for you to surface,” he said to Daniel. “How did it go with Boyd?”

  Daniel glanced at Bill and he nodded. He went through the whole thing again.

  Russ frowned. “I worked Greg’s case, so will you be poking into my life, too?”

  “Yes.”

  “And who will be checking you out?”

  “I know I’m not the informant.”

  “I don’t,” Russ shot back. “So maybe I’ll look into your affairs.”

  “Enough,” Bill shouted. “You two will work together and solve this case as Lieutenant Bauer and I have decided. Understand? There’s a lot to be done and we don’t have time for this bickering. And to answer your question, Russ, I’ll be looking into Daniel’s affairs. Everyone is under scrutiny and I mean everyone. Now get out of my office. I need a damn ant-acid.”

  Outside in the squad room, Russ said, “That Boyd just keeps on pulling an ace out of his sleeve.”

  “Not this time. We’re going to solve this and we have to do it together.”

  Russ scratched his head. “That’s hard to do when you don’t trust me.”

  Daniel faced him, knowing he and Russ had to resolve the tension between them. They’d clashed many times over Russ’s attitude and methods, but Daniel felt Russ was a good cop. “Give me a reason to trust you.”

  Russ stepped back and seemed about to give one of his smart answers, then he did a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn. “I’m a cop through and through—just like you. I put my life on the line for people I don’t even know and I never get a thank-you. My wife divorced me and took my kid and I only get to see her every other weekend. That is if I continue to pay the child support. My wages are crappy, the hours are lousy and I’m broke. If Rudy Boyd offered me money to put food in my kid’s mouth, I’d turn it down and arrest his ass for trying to bribe a cop. That’s just the way I am. I’m a little offensive sometimes, but I get the job done and no amount of money would ever make me tarnish the badge.”

  Daniel knew that. Russ’s personality needed an adjustment, but he was a diehard cop. He had to be sure, though.

  “Then let’s get to work,” Daniel said as he walked to his desk. “Did you get anything out of Colley?”

  “Not much. He said the older guy went by the nickname of Bear and he just showed up at the party. He likes the college crowd, especially the girls. I don’t think the kid really knows who the man is, but I have him and several others looking at mug shots.”

  “Damn. A name would have been a great help.”

  “After he gets through looking, I’ll have to let him go.”

  “Yeah. There’s not much we can hold him on.” Daniel took a deep breath. “So do you want to take Boyd’s lawyer or do you want me to?”

  Russ grinned. “Oh, I’ll take Bishop. Been wanting to nail him for years.”

  “Okay, then,” Daniel said. “I’ll see if I can find a leak in this department.”

  “That sure goes against the grain.”

  “Yes. It kind of rubs me the wrong way, too, but I’ll still do my job.”

  “Especially since Sarah’s life depends on it.”

  Daniel glared at him. “Saying things like that makes me want to punch you in the mouth.”

  Russ raised an eyebrow. “Is it a lie?”

  Instead of answering, he mumbled, “Get to work. I’ve got things to do.”

  Russ walked off with a snicker.

  Daniel pulled out his cell phone and called the motel.

  SARAH WOKE UP feeling rested and relaxed, then everything came flooding back and she trembled with mind-numbing reality. Yesterday she’d been feeling so great about herself and now… She sat up and pushed the hair away from her face, not letting the fear get to her. She noticed the door was ajar and she wondered if Daniel was out there. No. She remembered he’d said that Chad would be here during the day. Last night she’d poured her heart out to Daniel. She’d never shared that part of herself with anyone but Serena, yet she wasn’t feeling embarrassed or uncomfortable. Talking was good for the soul. She told people that every day, but she’d never practiced her own advice…until last night.

  Daniel had listened with such compassion. She didn’t remember coming to bed—had she fallen asleep on the sofa? Daniel must have carried her here. That didn’t embarrass her, either. She trusted Daniel. She trusted him with her life.

  She swung her feet to the floor, hoping he’d be back soon, and went into the bathroom. A few minutes later she came out in jeans and a T-shirt and made her way into the other room. Chad was talking on the phone.

  “Yeah. She’s here now. Okay.” He handed the phone to Sarah. “It’s Daniel.”

  She quickly grabbed the phone, her heart beating a little faster. “Hi.”

  “Hi. How are you?” His voice, his concern, was soothing.

  “I feel much better this morning.”

  “It’s almost two o’clock.”

  “What!”

  “I was getting a little worried you were sleeping so long, but it’s what you needed.”

  “I suppose,” she mumbled, hardly able to believe she’d been sleeping most of the day.

  “I’ll be back later.”

  “Okay. I have my cell phone and I was planning on calling Brooke.”

  “Are you asking or telling me?”

  “A little of both.”

  “Go ahead.” She heard laughter in his voice. “I know you’re worried about her.”

  “Have you found out anything?” she asked, not wanting to let him go.

  “We’ll talk tonight.”

  “Okay.”

  She gave Chad the phone.

  “I brought you a breakfast taco, but it’s not much good now,” Chad was saying.

  “I’m not very hungry.”

  “I have fruit, too.” He held up a banana.

  “Thanks.” She smiled slightly. “I’d like that.”

  She sat on the sofa and ate the banana and drank bottled water wondering how long she’d have to stay in this room. How long would she have to put her life on hold?

  “Do you like to play cards?”

  She glanced up. “Yes. My Gran is an obsessed bridge player.”

  “I don’t know much about bridge. How about poker? And not strip poker. Daniel wouldn’t like that.” Instantly he realized his faux pas and apologized. “I’m sorry. That was crass of me.”

  “It’s okay.” He’d said it so innocently that it didn’t bother her.

  “Damn. Daniel’s gonna kick my ass.”

  “Don’t worry. I won’t tell him.”

  “But I will. I don’t keep anything from Daniel, even the stupid things I say or do.”

  Sarah was taken aback for a second, but then realized why Daniel had picked Chad. He was honest and straightforward and totally dedicated to his job.

  “Where are those cards? I’ll see if I can kick your ass.” She laughed and Chad seemed to relax.

  They played and talked as if they’d known each other for years, but Sarah was acutely aware of his shoulder holster and gun. On the table was another gun and there was a bag on the floor that she knew contained more weapons and ammunition. She shivered and tried to focus on the cards.

  Even as they played she could see that Chad’s concentration was not on the game, either. He was attuned to every noise, every sound outside the door and she had no problem beating him.

  She called Brooke and talked for a while. Brooke was glad to hear her voice and it helped Sarah, too, to talk.

  The day dragged on and Sarah waited for Daniel.

/>   DANIEL CALLED SERENA and Ethan to make sure Mrs. Farrell had arrived safely and to tell them Sarah was fine. He then drove to the hospital to check on Brooke, who said she’d had a long talk with Sarah and she felt better. He was impressed with Sarah’s unwavering support of Brooke even though she herself was in trouble. But Sarah was so strong that he knew nothing was going to deter her now. She was a survivor in every sense of the word.

  After stopping at his apartment to take a shower and change clothes, he went to see Drew because he didn’t feel he’d be able to come back for a few days and he wanted to let Claude know that.

  Drew and Claude were playing pool in the game room, a gift from their parents. When Drew saw him he ran and threw his arms around his waist.

  “D-D-Danny, D-D-Danny,” he said, his voice high.

  “How are you, buddy?”

  Drew looked at him. “I—I—I beat Claude.”

  “Way to go.” Daniel gave a thumbs-up sign.

  Claude walked over and Daniel saw that his upper arm was bandaged.

  “What happened?”

  “C-c-cat got him,” Drew answered in an excited voice.

  “I was helping a neighbor,” Claude explained. “Her cat got stuck up a tree and I offered to get it down, then the damn thing scratched me. I won’t be offering my help again.”

  “Maybe you should get it looked at,” Daniel said. Beside the risk to Claude’s health, Daniel wanted to make sure someone was here for Drew while he was tied up with this case.

  “Don’t worry. I’ve already been to the emergency room and got a tetanus shot—everything is fine. The cat’s well taken care of, had all its shots, no worry of rabies so that’s not a problem.”

  “Good.”

  “I—I—I go, too,” Drew put in. “W-w-wanna play pool?”

  “No, but thanks, buddy. I gotta go.” He glanced at Claude. “Could I talk to you for a second?”

  “’B-b-bye, D-D-Danny,” Drew called, already back at the table.

  “I’ll phone you later,” Daniel called back.

  In the foyer, Daniel turned to Claude. “I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be around for the next few days. You can always reach me on my cell phone if there’s an emergency. Otherwise I’ll be very busy.”