Be Careful What You Wish For (20 page)

‘OK, do you want me to call someone to come over?’ I gripped her hand tightly.

She shook her head. ‘No. I’ve got all the company I need.’ She eyed a brandy bottle on the coffee table with hungry desire.

‘Maybe you should lay off the booze,’ I said, feeling bad about leaving her in that state. Letitia hadn’t asked for any of this. All she’d wanted was a happy family life with Levi, and look what was happening. Levi had been keeping a big secret of some kind from her all this time. What would she do when she finally found out what it was? I hoped she wouldn’t completely crack and fall apart.

She stared at the drink. ‘It’s my crutch at the moment.’

‘Why don’t I call EJ and get him to come over?’ I suggested.

Letitia tore her eyes away from the brandy and glanced up at me, surprised. ‘I never thought Levi was right keeping his dad at a distance. EJ’s a good man, and he really loves Levi. If anyone deserves being shunned by Levi, it’s his mum. She was a useless excuse for a mother.’ She nodded softly. ‘Yes, call EJ.’

I waited until EJ showed up and watched the hugs and tears pass between them before slipping out unnoticed.

Now another idea was churning around inside my brain, and I didn’t like it one bit. 

It was entirely possible that Levi was somehow involved in the accident that injured Edward’s spine. His secretary said it had happened about four years ago. It could’ve been the night of the party. What if Levi caused the accident and kept it quiet? Turning an able-bodied man like Edward into a cripple in a split second car accident was horrific. Not to mention there could’ve been criminal charges for reckless or dangerous driving on Levi’s part, and he could’ve been looking at jail time. And what did Levi want more than anything? He wanted to be heavyweight champion of the world. If he was in prison, he’d never keep his dream. That was a big motive to keep it quiet.

I slid behind the wheel of my car, my mind wandering. Vinnie could’ve known about the accident and blackmailed Levi into signing the new contract. Maybe that’s what Carl had found out and why he was shouting at Levi at the fight. Carl and Edward had been business partners for a long time and were good friends. No wonder Carl was so upset and angry, and no wonder Vinnie and Levi looked scared that he’d found out.

Yes, It all made perfect sense.

****

Next stop, Amanda Forsythe’s house. I couldn’t wait for pussyfooting around this time. I banged on the door and waited.

No answer.

I heard soft footsteps inside, so I knew someone was in there.

I banged again.

Nothing.

I opened the letterbox and shouted through it. ‘Amanda, I’m not going away until you answer the door.’

I saw her nervous approach through the letterbox, and I straightened up as she swung open the door.

She looked at me like she’d seen a ghost. OK, now I was starting to get a complex. My hand automatically jumped to my hair to smooth down the out of control curls.

‘Where’s Levi?’ I asked.

‘Wh…what?’

‘Where’s Levi? I know you’re having an affair with him, and I need to know where he is.’

Her eyes widened to the size of saucers, and she tried to shut the door on me. Too late, though. I’d already anticipated that move after the last time she did it, and my size six was already wedged in place for just such an occasion.

Realizing she couldn’t shut it, she swung it back open. ‘Leave me alone.’

I made a buzzing sound. ‘Wrong answer! Where is he?’ I peered over her shoulder to see if there was any sign of Levi inside.

‘Go away! You don’t know what you’re getting into.’ Her eyes narrowed with anger, but underneath I could see she was as scared as hell.

‘Why don’t you tell me what I’m getting into,’ I said calmly.

‘You’ll get me killed.’ Her gaze darted past me, up and down the street.

I followed her gaze behind me to see what she was looking at, and she took the opportunity of my distraction to kick my foot out of the doorway, slamming the door in my face.

‘Shit!’ I muttered to the door. I thought about banging on it, but I didn’t think she was about to open it again for a little cosy chat.

What did she mean, I’d get her killed? Did she think Letitia would kill her if she found out? I’d seen the terror in her eyes. She was scared of something, and whatever or whoever it was, I didn’t want to draw their attention to it by creating a scene at her house.

No. I’d just wait. If I was patient, maybe she’d lead me to Levi.

****

Note to self: Whenever on stakeouts, make sure you go to the loo before you start.

I’d been sitting in my car, parked at the bottom of Amanda’s road for an hour and a half, and she hadn’t left. I was busting for a wee. I crossed my legs, but that made it worse. I hummed nursery rhymes, but gave up after Humpty Dumpty because I couldn’t remember any more. I counted red cars. I recited the alphabet backwards. But nothing took my mind off my bladder. I was worrying whether it was possible for a bladder to actually burst when I saw Amanda emerge from the house carrying a small suitcase. She put it on the front seat of her gold Porsche and backed out of her drive onto the road to the sound of a horn from an oncoming motorbike.

I followed her as she drove to the end of the street and swung a left, tyres squealing as she rounded the corner.

She burned rubber as she headed out of town. I kept up at a safe distance behind. It was going pretty well, too, until a stupid, inconsiderate lorry stacked high with house bricks decided to pull out suddenly in front of me from a side turning and proceeded to drive at thirty miles an hour.

I hit the steering wheel in frustration and tried to overtake it, but the oncoming traffic was heavy and I couldn’t find a gap.

‘Come on! Come on! Move!’

When I finally managed to overtake the truck, the Porsche was nowhere in sight.

Chapter 13

‘I’ve just done a sandwich run, and I got you a panini,’ Tia said from behind the reception desk as I stepped out of the elevator doors at Hi-Tec. ‘It’s on your desk.’

I grinned at her. ‘What’s in it?’

‘Mozarella and Parma ham.’

‘Wow. I just fancied that. You really are psychic, aren’t you?’ 

She glanced up and down the corridor. ‘Congratulations, by the way,’ she whispered, beaming at me.

I rolled my eyes. ‘Shush! Don’t say anything to anyone about Brad and me.’

‘OK.’ She mimed zipping up her lips. ‘Why not?

I knew it. I knew she’d be unable to zip them for long. Maybe she was more like me than I realized.

‘Because…’
Because what, Amber? Because you’re afraid to be happy? You’re afraid of hurting Romeo? You’re afraid of commitment? You’re afraid Brad will disappear in the night for three months without a word?

 Afraid, afraid, afraid. Scaredy Fox.

‘Just…because.’

‘But you two belong together. Anyone can see that.’

‘Hmm.’ Was all I could manage.

Amber Fox rule number five: If in doubt, discontinue conversation. I gave her a goofy grin and waved at her, hurrying away to my desk.

‘Hey! Come back.’ She stepped out from behind the reception

I stopped abruptly and swung around.

She stood there, hand on hip, trying to give me a forceful glare. It wasn’t working, though. She still looked sweet.

‘What?’ I asked.

She beckoned me towards her, then glanced about to make sure no one was listening. ‘You have to do a spell for happiness in love,’ she whispered.

I rolled my eyes at her. ‘You know what happened the last time I did one of your spells. Everything exploded!’

‘Stop exaggerating. It was only the ashtray that exploded.’ She gave me a knowing look. ‘You still solved the case, though, didn’t you?’

I groaned. ‘I haven’t got time to do a spell. And you know I don’t believe in all that stuff.’

She grabbed her bag with one hand and my arm with the other and practically dragged me towards the toilets. Barging through the door she finally let go of me and rummaged in her bag.

I tapped my foot, watching her pulling out a blue candle, the shell of half a coconut, a small bottle of some sort of liquid, and two whole nutmegs.

‘Come on, this is ridiculous!’ It was my turn to put my hand on my hip.

‘No it’s not. You need something to put some sense into you about Brad. I’m just giving you a helping hand to see what’s right.’

‘But this is a unisex toilet. What if Brad walks in and sees what we’re doing?’ I threw a hand up in the air. Why did I let her talk me into these kooky things? Well, at least nothing was likely to explode this time.

She ignored me. Above the sink, there was a glass shelf. Above the shelf, was a mirror. She put the coconut shell on the shelf and carefully placed the candle next to it. Then she handed me the bottle. ‘OK, add a few drops into the shell.’

I did another exaggerated eye roll and took it off her, reading the label. Rose oil. ‘Yes, but–’

She glared at me. ‘Just do it. It’s for your own good.’

‘O-K.’ I added the drops, and she gave me the nutmeg.

‘Put the nutmeg in, too, and swirl it around the oil with your finger.’

I poked my finger in and gave it a half-hearted swirl.

‘Not like that!’ She fussed around me. ‘Do it with feeling.’

I sighed and swirled with feeling.

‘Now light the candle.’ Tia handed me a lighter.

I lit the candle and stared at my reflection in the mirror. A gothic apparition of the candle burning in front of my face stared back at me. I puckered up my brow at her. ‘Now what?’

‘Right. Close your eyes and visualize yourself with Brad in a happy, loving relationship. Visualize the happiness of enjoying your life with him as your soul mate.’

I closed my eyes.

She waited a few minutes. ‘Are you visualizing?’

‘Yes!’ I pictured us walking hand in hand in the moonlight on a deserted beach. I pictured his smile that made his eyes crinkle around the edges. I pictured his strength – his arms around me, holding me tight. I pictured me overflowing with happiness. I pictured me as Rapunzel, locked in the tower, and Brad charging up on his white horse to save me. I pictured him loving me until we were old and grey (he was grey, I had the benefit of hair dye).

‘Now say these words after me.’ Tia’s voice broke into my visions. ‘The bonds of the past can no longer chain me. My heart has mended and is growing stronger. I release all old sorrow and pain. I’m free to love again. I awaken the love between Brad and me. So it is and so shall it be.’

I repeated the words just to shut her up. The quicker I got on with it, the quicker I could get on with trying to solve this case.

I’d just finished the last word when I heard a cracking sound and the noise of Tia jumping.

My eyelids flashed open, and I stared at the mirror as it cracked into zigzag lines. My feet felt like they were glued to the spot and my jaw went slack.

I looked back at my splintered reflection that made me look like my eyes had sunk into my nose and my mouth was all distorted. The candle flickering in the glass gave the appearance that my head was on fire.

Tia’s hands flew to her cheeks, and she pressed so hard I thought I’d have to crowbar them off. ‘That’s not supposed to happen.’

I blew the candle out as quick as I could. ‘No kidding. I told you. Didn’t I tell you? No more. I’m never doing any more spells with you. Never, never, never.’ I stomped out of the bathroom.

What was Tia thinking? No, even more to the point, what was I thinking going along with her?

‘Yo,’ I said to Hacker as I sat down. I tried to stop my eyes wandering to Brad’s office. Too late, I looked. Hey, a girl can look, can’t she?

Yum was the first thought that sprang to mind then I couldn’t stop thinking about that bloody stupid spell and the mirror cracking. What did it all mean? And what if my head really did catch on fire in real life? With my frizzy curls, I’d go up in a puff of smoke in no time. I was sure it could only mean one thing – and it couldn’t be good.

Brad winked at me when he caught me looking and headed over.

I suddenly found my panini incredibly interesting and kept my eyes locked on it as I munched and ran through things in my head, reciting, c
oncentrate on the case, Amber!
over and over again.

‘Guess what?’ Brad strode out of his office towards me.

Er…you want us to have wild, passionate sex on your office desk? You want to wash my back in the bath? You want to marry me? Yikes! He really wanted to marry me!

A piece of panini lodged itself in my throat and I started choking. Brad patted me on the back and Hacker handed him a bottle of water.

‘Drink it.’ Brad shoved the water in my hand.

I took a swig and waited for the coughing to subside.

‘What?’ I said when I could finally talk again.

‘Vinnie has another fighter who’s doing a weigh-in for a boxing match on Saturday night. It’s on live TV and starts in…’ He glanced at his Rolex. ‘Two hours. Which means that Vinnie and Thuggy will be at the TV studio for a while. Want to use my tool to get in and poke around his house?’

Well, when you put it like that, hell, yes.

‘Sounds good to me.’ I took another swig of water. ‘Levi and Amanda have gone missing. I tried to follow her, but she managed to get away.’ I pulled a face, disgusted with myself that I’d managed to lose her. ‘And that’s not all. Deborah’s dead. She was hanged, and I’m betting it wasn’t suicide.’

Brad sat on the edge of my desk, crossing his arms over his chest. His biceps strained against the sleeves of his black shirt. ‘Busy morning then.’

‘You could say that,’ I said. ‘Letitia doesn’t have a clue what Levi might’ve done to make him sign that contract. And I think this is the key to the whole thing. What am I missing?’

Brad rested his hand on my shoulder. Even through my leather jacket, the touch was enough to send red-hot lightning through me. ‘Don’t worry, Foxy. I have every faith in your ability to find out.’

‘Can you keep a watch on Levi’s and Amanda’s bank accounts and credit cards to see if they make any withdrawals or payments?’ I asked Hacker. ‘If they’ve run off together, I’m hoping they’ll lead a trail to where they might have gone.’

‘Sure thing. I’ll let you know if there’s any activity. I checked out Edward Kinghorn’s medical records,’ Hacker said. ‘It was a road traffic accident that injured his spine, not a skiing accident. The doctor’s report said he suffered extensive bruising and muscular tears to his back, along with some nerve damage to his spinal cord. They were hoping that eventually he might be able to walk again after a period of recuperation and physio, but it never happened. The doctors thought it could be some sort of psychological problem that was preventing him from fully recovering.’

‘That’s possible. It could be from some kind of post-traumatic stress,’ Brad said. ‘I’ve seen plenty of it with men in my SAS unit. It can do a lot of strange things to your mind that affects your whole body.’

‘But why did he tell me it was a skiing accident then?’ I wondered out loud.

‘Maybe he’s a bit touchy on the subject. Maybe the accident was his fault and he felt guilty,’ Brad said.

‘Were there any other vehicles involved in the accident?’ I asked Hacker.

He shook his head and handed me a printout of the police report.

My eyes devoured the page, hoping for some proof to the theory I’d come up with.

There were two problems with the police report. One of them was that it hadn’t been completed by a traffic police officer, which was completely against protocol, and the other was it had been filled out my ex-boss, Janice Skipper – a DCI in charge of a criminal unit.

The report said she’d been the first officer on the scene, closely followed by a traffic unit, but she was the one who’d investigated the accident. There’s a reason why traffic cops investigate traffic accidents. They have a whole wealth of specialist knowledge and training in it. There was no reason in the world why she should’ve done the investigation. She didn’t have a clue about things like braking distances, how to distinguish skid marks, how to analyse the scene of a traffic accident. She didn’t even know how to analyse a special criminal operation, but that was another matter.

I chewed on my bottom lip. What the hell had she been doing?

I thought back to the investigation that she was running into the allegations of Vinnie Dawson’s illegal betting scams a few years ago. The order to investigate Vinnie had come from up high. The Chief Constable himself had entrusted Janice with it, but she hadn’t come up with any solid evidence against Vinnie and the case had been dropped by her. Why? Anyone with half a brain knew what Vinnie was involved in. He was a nasty piece of work who didn’t let anything or anyone stand in his way. There were probably at least a dozen murders of Vinnie’s rivals that could have been pinned on him.

Why? The question kept pounding away in my head.

One part of me thought that it was because Janice Skipper couldn’t investigate a crime even if it was staring her in the face. She had no skills to speak of, except her ability to sleep her way to the top, apply lots of make-up, and manipulate people into believing she was the best thing since the police side-handled baton was invented. Lies oozed off her tongue easily. Not that I’m bitter and twisted or anything. OK, maybe a little bitter. Janice got me thrown off the force by lying and manipulating. She was jealous of my rather superior investigative skills (even if I do say so myself), and she wanted to get her pointy little talons into Romeo. She hindered any chance of my advancement up the promotion ladder for years because she was jealous of me. She told me she’d slept with Romeo one day when we were both at the police shooting range, and in vast detail she told me how she’d stopped me getting promoted all these years. Then she blabbed about how she was going to get me thrown off the force if it was the last thing she did. And then, totally against protocol, she stepped in my line of fire and…well, that’s when I kind of had a freak flip-out moment and shot her in the ass (told you I was a good shot). When I finally exposed her sick little vendetta against me, I’d been vindicated and offered my old job back and she’d been sacked. Ain’t karma a bitch?