Enemies and Playmates (38 page)

“Where are you going?”

“I’ll be back in an hour. Get some rest.”

“Please don’t do it, Jesse.” Tears welled up in Lauren’s eyes and slid down her pale cheeks. She tried to wipe them with bandaged hands.

***

Alex stood by the wall of windows, staring down at the busy city below. He’d been released on an absurdly high bale two hours ago. Since then, he’d been alternately pacing his office and checking his watch. The job should be completed by now. He should have heard something.

He tapped his knuckles gently against the thick glass. Eliminating Kara relieved an enormous stress from his life. He’d no longer need to worry about her speaking to the press, saying things publicly that, true or not, could seriously damage his reputation and career. That left only Lauren and she wouldn’t talk. His daughter may be willful and stubborn but she was not stupid.

Handled correctly, he could spin the story in his favor. Play it up with the media. Claim he was being stalked, that whoever had attempted to kill him had now murdered his wife.

Alex smiled at that. He had no doubt that the tragedy would also give him what he needed to sway Lauren back to his side. In her distraught state, she’d be easily malleable. He’d convince her that he was being persecuted. That Ryder had somehow caused the horrible cycle of events. Perhaps he’d send her on a vacation to Europe, get her out of the way for a month of so.

The plan for dealing with Forenzi was already in motion. That only left Ryder to contend with. The unstable domino who’d been throwing everything around him off balance. The one who’d almost brought Alex’s entire world tumbling down around him. He’d worked too hard to climb to where he now stood. No one was going to take it away from him.

Eliminating Ryder would bring immense gratification. Alex intended to witness the event from beginning to end. He wanted to see Ryder squirm, hear him ultimately beg for help, watch him endure as much suffering as possible before being allowed the mercy of death.

Ryder’s body would never be found. No body. No evidence. No murder.

As for the plethora of evidence Ryder had cleverly pieced together, that would be eliminated as well. Alex had contacts currently working to see that the evidence would be lost, the methods of its origins tainted and questionable. The star witness would have disappeared. The cloud of suspicion would follow Ryder.

Luckily for Alex, his closest contacts had led him to the perfect replacement for Forenzi. An ex police officer whose loyalty followed the dollar and who knew how to work the system. No more children’s games.

Alex smashed his fist on his desk. “Running is out of the question. What the hell happened with Kestler? He was a cop. He should have been able to handle himself.”

Alex took a moment to absorb that information. Kestler had attacked them with a knife. He’d specified that he wanted Kara to suffer. Of course he hadn’t expected Kestler to be unable to handle a woman. Or even two women. The amount of complete incompetence around him was incomprehensible.

Lauren would live. She’d be traumatized, which meant he should have even less trouble manipulating her. Perhaps Lauren being with her mother would work to his advantage. Not that he had wanted her hurt. Yet it was done. And he could use it to spin things in his favor.

Naturally Kara had to die. Hopefully that would happen of its own accord. If not, he’d find a way to ensure she didn’t leave the hospital. Not alive, anyway.

Alex smiled as a thought occurred to him. Kara’s new lover would make the perfect scapegoat for today’s tragedy.

“Alex?” Barnes said. “You still there?”

“Yes, I’m here,” Alex said. “I apparently have a few details to attend to. Finding competent help is proving more elusive than ever before.”

“You sure you don’t want to take a vacation?”

“James, don’t be ridiculous. I am far from defeated. Any news on the disposal of evidence?”

“No. I’m sorry. The place is in an uproar, Alex. You may want to seriously reconsider your decision to stay. I hear the skiing is amazing in Switzerland.”

“Not at all humorous,” Alex said. “Just remember, James, I will not go down alone. Connecting you to me will be an easy step for a worthy investigator. You may want to keep that in mind.”

Barnes sighed. “Yeah, okay. I’ll do everything I can.”

30

Jesse strode past a few empty desks, past a female officer who watched him curiously, and stopped at Tim’s desk. “Are they charging Covington with this?” he said.

“Hell.” Jesse picked up a pencil, tapped it against the desk, dropped it. “She’s in rough shape. But she’ll be okay. Her mother… I don’t know.”

Tim said nothing. Jesse blew out a heavy breath. He sank onto the wooden chair beside Tim’s desk. “I’m sitting. And I won’t make a scene.”

“Guy’s name was Andy Kestler. Used to be a cop.”

Jesse’s body tensed. He wanted to react. He wanted to rip the damn police station apart until he found every last scum on Covington’s payroll. But he did nothing. Tim worked in this place. He had to keep his cool.

After several deep breaths, Jesse found he was able to speak without shouting. “What do you know about him?”

“Thirty-seven years old. Quit the force, in a matter of speaking, about two years ago. Looked like he might’ve been dirty but no one would talk. You know how it is.”

“This is fucking nonsense,” Jesse said. He stood and began pacing a short path beside Tim’s desk. “What the fuck is Eldridge doing? How fucking stupid -”

Tim rose. He put a hand on Jesse’s arm, stilling him. “Get hold of yourself,” Tim said. “Losing control in this building will not help you.”

“I’m going to kill the bastard.”

“Stop talking.” Tim glared at Jesse. “Come with me.”

Tim led Jesse to an empty cove in the back of the room. Tim kept his voice low and his eyes fixed on Jesse. He said, “You can’t storm in here and announce you plan on killing Covington. Christ, Jesse, you know better.”

Jesse nodded, though he wasn’t truly listening. Lauren’s bloody body was constantly flashing before him. She’d trusted him to protect her. He’d let her down. He should have been there for her. He should have seen this coming.

He should have killed Covington long ago.

Now the bastard was out on bail. No prison walls, no guards. But also nothing to protect him. Jesse could disassemble Covington like a jigsaw puzzle in reverse, one piece at a time. Slow, one finger, one toe. Let him scream. Let him know true agony.

But he’d promised Lauren.

He could hire someone else to do it. Then technically he wouldn’t be breaking his promise. But, damn, he wanted the pleasure of doing it himself. He wanted to feel Covington’s life drain away. Up close. Personal.

Maybe he could watch?

Maybe he could just break the damn promise.

“Are you even listening?” Tim asked. “You do something stupid and you’ll be hurting Lauren even more than she’s already hurt. She needs you with her now. You won’t do her any good from a prison cell.”

“Yeah,” Jesse said. “You might’ve thought that when they locked him up. Didn’t stop him, though, did it? He was sitting in prison when that attack went down. Best alibi a guy could hope for.”

Tim sighed. He said nothing. Just gave Jesse that look that said he knew there was no use arguing.

“Hell, maybe you’re right,” Jesse said. “Maybe Covington will take his millions and the coward’s way out. Live it up in style on some remote island. Order the hit from his fucking beach house. Never get his hands dirty. No one will even know where he is.”

“You’re going to make yourself crazy,” Tim said. “Let the cops handle it.”

Jesse slammed his fist against the wall. “Cops like Captain Barnes whose strings are pulled by Covington? C’mon, I can’t depend on the system to handle this. Look how well that’s gone so far.”

“And you can’t go all vigilante, especially while everyone is under a damn microscope, including you. You know damn well they’ll be looking for any possible excuse to put you away. Covington would love nothing more than to see you rot in prison for his crimes.”

Jesse swiped a hand through his hair. He didn’t like that Tim was right. “Did he make bail before he heard about the attack?” Jesse said.

“I’ve got to get to him first,” Jesse said. “Knowing Covington, he’s at his office, plotting. Cops have his office and house covered?”

“I’m not positive but I’d say they must. Jesse, you need to stay the hell out of this.”

“Okay, so the office is out.” Jesse went on speaking, almost to himself. “Unless I can get him from a distance. Or somewhere in between…”

“Christ, Jesse.” Tim’s voice grew hushed. “Do you hear yourself? Get a grip. You can’t pick this guy off like you’re out target shooting.”

“Answer me, please.” Jesse’s voice was suddenly eerily calm. “Don’t make me inquire elsewhere. I’d rather not leave any sort of impression.”

Tim’s expression registered defeat. “I heard talk about an hour ago that a friend of his was working on bail for him. Forenzi no longer wants Eldridge’s deal. Says he won’t talk, won’t testify. Recanted what he’d said earlier.”