Detective Partners (4 page)

"Detective Maxwell," Mary said, her face draining of color. "It's a-"

"I need to speak with your sister, Ms. Henson," he interrupted.

"She's not here," she told him.

"You don't mind if we come in and look, do you?" Nicole asked as she stepped around Galen.

"I - I suppose not." Mary let them in and closed the door behind her, "but you won't find Donna. I told you she's not here."

"I'm going to check the apartment," Galen informed Nicole. "Stay with her."

"I was planning to," she said.

Galen did a thorough search of the bedrooms and bathrooms and came up empty. Frustrated and angry, he rejoined the women in the living room. "She's not here."

"I told you." Mary sat down on the couch. "Why do you want to see my sister anyway?"

"She's responsible for the deaths of Mr. Chappell and Ms. Green." Nicole stared down at her, "but you knew that all ready, didn't you?"

The other woman averted her gaze. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't you?" She took a seat on the couch. "I've had a feeling ever since our interview this morning that you're hiding something."

"Detective Goodwin," Galen said coolly. "What-"

"Please," she cut in. "Let me speak."

"Very well."
He settled in the recliner across from the couch.

"I'm not hiding anything," Mary retorted.

"Oh but I think you are." Nicole crossed one leg over the other and folded her hands on her lap. "If you weren't hiding anything you wouldn't be having trouble looking me in the eyes. You see it's all about body language and right now your body is telling me that you're hiding something." She paused. "Ms. Henson, did you know that your sister killed Mr. Chappell and Ms. Green?"

With a heavy sigh, Mary
slumped
her shoulders. "Yes. In order for you to understand why she did it there's something you need to know. Candace Green wasn't the only woman Jim was sleeping with. He was sleeping with Donna too. Candace didn't know about my sister, but my sister knew about her. At first, she didn't mind sharing Jim, but as time went on, she found herself falling in love with him. She asked him the other day to stop seeing Candace. When he refused, she was livid. She had wanted him all to herself. When she couldn't have him, she decided that no one could, so she killed him. Candace had to die because in
Donna's
eyes it was her fault she couldn't have Jim. Donna called me early this morning. It was around three I think. She told me what she did." She shook her head sadly. "I would give anything if this were all just a horrible dream."

"Where is she?" Nicole asked.

"I don't know."

"Ms. Henson." Galen leaned forward and stared at her intently. "By not telling us where your sister is you are keeping us from doing our job. We could arrest you for obstruction of justice. We don't want to do that."

"I swear to you," Mary said firmly. "I don't know where Donna is. She wouldn't tell me."

Nicole uncrossed her legs and scooted closer to the other woman. "I believe you. Does your sister have a cell phone?"

Yes. I tried calling her several times. She won't answer."

Galen reached into his coat pocket and brought out his notepad and ink pen. "If her phone is turned on we can put a trace on it and find her. What is her number?"

Mary gave it to him. "If you find her will you let me know?"

"Of course," Galen promised her.

"Think for a moment," Nicole said to Mary. "Did your sister have a favorite place? A place she liked to go to when she wanted to get away."

"No," Mary said after giving it some thought.

"What about friends?"

"She has one that she hangs out with a lot," Mary muttered. "I don't know his real name. She always called him Scorpion."

Galen wrote the name down. "Do you know where we can find this Scorpion?"

"He hangs out at a bar over on Washington St. I think Donna said it was called 'Lucky Seven'."

"Anything else?"
Nicole asked her.
"Anything that might help us."

"I can't think of anything else," Mary mumbled.

"You have my card." Galen got to his feet. "If you remember anything don't hesitate to call me."

Nicole stood. "We'll be in touch." She looked down at Mary with sympathy. "I'm sorry you have to go through this.
If you need someone to talk to call me."
She wrote down her cell number and placed the scrap of paper on the coffee table. "We'll let ourselves out."

Galen led the way out into the corridor. The minute the door was shut, he turned to face her. "I'm going to have a trace put on
Donna's
phone."

"All right."

"I want to check out the bar and see if I can have a talk with this Scorpion guy."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Nicole said. "Let's go."

"Are you sure you want to go with me?" he asked, gazing down at her. "I have a feeling this 'Lucky Seven' isn't a place for a-"

"If you say woman I swear I will take out my gun and shoot you," she snarled, her eyes flashing. "Yes I'm a female and yes I'm small, but I can take care of myself. I don't want you thinking that you have to protect me every step of the way. I don't need a babysitter, Detective. I need a partner. We're not getting anything done standing here." She moved around him and started down the hallway.

Gritting his teeth, Galen turned and followed her.

Chapter  3

Lucky Seven
looked anything but lucky. Graffiti covered the façade of the brick building. Bullet holes riddled several dirty windowpanes. The sidewalk in front of the bar had cracks in it. Weeds were growing between the cracks. As Galen pulled into a parking space, he took it all in and had a sinking feeling that trouble waited inside for him and Nicole. He put the car in park and turned off the ignition. Turning his head, he gazed at his partner. She was staring at the bar, her mouth set in a grim line. "What are you thinking?" he found himself asking her.

Nicole looked his way. "I'm thinking that I'm about to walk into a lion's den." She reached for the door handle. "Let's get this over with."

Galen and Nicole got out of the car and made their way toward the entrance. The minute they stepped inside Galen quickly scanned the people that were seated at the tables and the bar. Several people turned in their chairs and stared back.

"What do we have here boys?" a male voice drawled.
"Looks like we have us a couple of cops on our hands."

"Do we look like cops?" Nicole muttered to her partner.

"I guess so." Galen turned a little to his right and saw a giant of a man standing in front of the pool tables. He had a pool stick in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other. Men that were slightly smaller in stature stood on either side of him.

"We don't want any trouble," Nicole told the man. "We're just looking for a man. His
na
-"

"I just bet you are little lady." He took a drink of beer. "Why don't we step in the back?" He licked his lips. "I bet I can help you find what you're looking for."

Galen glared at him. "Unless you want me to haul you in for harassing an officer I suggest you shut your mouth." He glanced around the room. "Listen up people because I'm only going to say this once. We're looking for a man that goes by the name Scorpion. If you know him I suggest you-"

"What do you want with Scorpion?" a woman sitting down asked.

"We just want to ask him a few questions," Nicole answered. "We're not here to arrest him. After we speak with him we'll be on our way."

"I'm Scorpion." The big man smirked, "but since I was told to shut my mouth I guess you won't get any answers to your questions."

"Damn," Galen breathed. "If you don't answer our questions I'll haul you down to the station and-"

"I'll talk," Scorpion interrupted him, "to your little partner. Not you."

"That's fine," Nicole told him. "Why don't we sit down?"

"I'm coming with you," Galen informed her.

She tilted her head back and gazed up at him. "He might not talk if you're around."

"He'll talk."

She frowned. "You don't-" She nodded stiffly. "Whatever you think is best."

Galen arched an eyebrow. "You're not going to argue with me?"

"What's the point? It wouldn't do any good. Besides, we don't have time to stand here and argue with each other. Let me do the talking." Nicole pivoted on her heels and walked toward Scorpion.

'It's been a long day," Galen murmured. Shaking his head, he followed her.

"What do you want to know little lady?" Scorpion asked once Nicole and Galen sat down.

Nicole started to take her notepad and ink pen out of her pocket and stopped when she saw Galen doing the same. She decided to let him do the note taking while she asked the questions. "How did you get the name Scorpion?"

"Tattoo."
He winked at her. "You want to see it beautiful?"

Galen tightened his grip on the ink pen. He didn't like the way the man was talking to and looking at Nicole. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell him to knock it off. He opened his mouth only to close it again. Nicole was a big girl. If she didn't like it, she would say something. As she had told him earlier in the hallway outside Donna Richman's apartment, she could take care of herself.

"No, thanks," Nicole said dryly. "I'll leave it to the imagination. I understand
you're
friends with Donna Richman."

"That's right." He glanced from Nicole to Galen and then back again. "Is Donna in some kind of trouble?"

"I'm afraid so." Nicole tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Do you know where she is?"

"Sure do," he replied. "What do you want with her?"

"She's wanted for the murder of two people."

"Damn it," Scorpion snarled. "She promised me she wouldn't do it." He ran a hand through his hair. "She came to see me the other day. She was upset because Chappell refused to dump that
Green chick. She asked me to get her a gun. When I told her no she said she'd get one on her own. I got her to calm down and then we talked. Before she left I made her promise that she wouldn't do anything stupid."