Mimi's Mix - A Book From Each Series! Hot Suspense & Active Spirits! (2 page)

“Thanks, but I’ll take you up on that another time. I’ve got some good leads I’m working on and need to keep searching.” She pointed at the computer screen as if it gave credence to her refusal. No way did she want to play third party in a dinner date between her boss and old partner. When those two were in the same space with each other, the lovey-dovey crap was nauseatingly romantic. Just like the stories in the books that Aurora secreted all over her house. Mind you, only through torture, would she ever admit to reading them.

Debbie accepted her refusal. “Okay, if you’re sure. What’re you working on now?”

Aurora sped behind the desk and quickly closed the page. “Sorry, Ma’am. This is for department eyes only.”

Instantly, the big belly shifted as Debbie’s stance took on attitude. Thankfully, before she could utter the swear words hovering on her lips, her husband came up from behind, wrapped his arms around her big belly and hugged. The smile that lit up her friend’s face was a thing of beauty. It swelled the gladness that Aurora felt every time she saw them together.

“Hey Aurora, did Debbie invite you to come with us tonight?

“I did but… surprise! She refused.”

“Go, shoo! Working here!” Aurora held open the door.

“You’re sure?” The two lovebirds spoke as one.

“Oh, yeah. Go have some fun.” Aurora waved them away, and then watched as the two moved towards the elevators, holding hands. The familiar ache raised its ugly head. She couldn’t call it jealousy because she cared about her friend too much to resort to being that low. More like envy, or craving, or just the desire to know that for once in her life a man cared about her in the same way. The stupid sigh she couldn’t help grabbed her attention and she shook off the silliness.
Get your ass back to work and stop mooning around
. The familiar mantra clamoring in her head grounded her and she moved back behind the desk.

The screen lit up again as soon as she jiggled the mouse, and she brought up the earlier page. Her eyes scanned the details she’d collated. Missing—Earl Rhondo, scum of the earth, a hundred and seventy-five pounds and six feet of muscle, fat and meanness. The man who’d waited in Debbie’s apartment on the night of July fourth and almost got away with rape. Even though she’d managed to stop the assault in time, her partner had suffered terribly. Broken wrist, lacerations and contusions, bruises everywhere and a heart that took months to mend.

Only Aurora saw the shadow behind her friend’s smile, noticed the nervous habits that were new to a girl who’d always been steady as a rock. The chewed nails and lying ‘tells’ that she’d been trained to see. Even with her, a wall had risen after that night. Debbie lived on one side and the world on the other. No one would get close without an invitation, and they weren’t forthcoming.

Could be that until the sick prick Rhondo was behind bars where he belonged, her old partner would continue to sleep with her gun within reach and her nerves on high alert.

That’s why Aurora had worked so hard to catch the slimeball. Spending hours of her free time trying to dig him out from the hole he’d crawled into. She’d used every resource and all her connections, but so far, the man played ghost.

“Hey, Morelli. Your guy Luke called. At least he gave the code words, ‘May the force be with you’. Idiot wouldn’t say a word until I answered ‘and with you’.” Hampton shook his gray head sadly, the sour look making his bushy eyebrows meet above the glaring eyes.

“Humor him. He’s a good snitch. Just has this thing about Star Wars. What’d he say?”

“Wants you to meet him in the alley.”

Aurora’s chair smashed against the wall. She reached in the desk drawer for her gun, checked the chamber and put it in the side holster on her waist. Her tone changed from conversational to confrontational in the time it took her to close down the screen. “What else?”

“Nothing. That’s it. You want me to go with you?”

“Thanks Ham, but he’s harmless. I’ll go alone.”

The other detective held her arm as she moved to pass. “Then why do you look so pissed off?”

“The alley is behind Debbie and Cory’s apartment. Remember, he moved in with her cause she’d just found the new place and fixed it up. We used it for a meeting place when we were after the Mexican street gangs. Just don’t know what the hell Luke’s doing there now. I’ll call in if there’s any trouble, don’t worry.”

“Okay. Just be cool.”

“Yeah, yeah!” Aurora felt a ringing in her ears that only ever happened because of two situations. Either the noise would pre-empt her passing out from the sight of her own blood… or that of someone she loved. Or it would drive her mental when something wasn’t right. Mind you, this time it wasn’t a loud ring. Just a soft pinging that forewarned.

Chapter Three

Good thing her own car was still in the garage after her last high-speed chase and she had to use the squad car. Gave her the cover to drive like a maniac and get to Luke before he took off. He didn’t like to be kept waiting. She’d pulled that trick once too often, and he’d paid her back, left and hadn’t surfaced for weeks.

Skidding around the corner, she pulled up behind the apartment building. Sure as hell the lights were burnt out and the alley was black as the devil’s heart. Leaving the car, she strode over to where she knew he’d be waiting. He leaned against the bricks with his long hair straggling over his shoulders and a glowing Star Wars t-shirt hanging almost to his bony knees. Only eighteen, the kid had more savvy than many officers she knew, and a certain respect had built up between them after she saved his ass from a stepfather who liked to kick it. Luke, as he called himself now, worked in a sleazy bar where a lot of lowlifes hung out. His ability to blend into the background helped him gain all kinds of information. Information she gladly paid him for—a win-win situation for them both.

“What’s up?” She spoke softly. “And why are we here at Debbie’s place?” This question had her tone hardening.

“Chill, Lady. I have the information your partner’s offered me good money for, and like, she’s not around, so I figured your money is just as good. You know what I mean?”

The clanging in her ears grew loud enough for Aurora to give her head a shake. She moved next to him, angled her back against the wall, and shifted until their shoulders were only inches apart. “What you got for her?”

“She promised me a hundred bucks.”

“What the hell! You found out the combination to a bank safe…”

“Don’t try and play me Lady. Just pay up, and I’ll give you what she’s been after for months, been riding me like I’m a racehorse for Christ sake. Glad to be rid of her busting my chops all the time.”

Okay, the pinging had switched to a constant ring. No more games. She reached into her wallet and pulled one of the hundreds she kept tucked away for this kind of situation. “Fine, I’ll give it to you but only on one condition.” She held the money away from his reaching hand. “If I’m paying, it’s my info, mine alone. If she asks, you know nothing. You got that?” She moved in threateningly.

“Deal.” He straightened and stepped back.

Since she hardly ever used that tone with him, she saw the effect and was satisfied. He’d never lied to her yet. “Tell me.”

“It’s about that Rhondo jerk, the guy who disappeared from the planet eight months ago. Well his buddy, Johnny Ross, just showed up, the one he hung with before he left. The dude’s back and bragging up a storm about how him and his friends are gonna score big-time with some new shit they’re putting on the streets.”

Her head felt like it would blow apart from the inner noise. “Let me get this straight. This Ross character is Rhondo’s friend? How did Debbie know about him?”

“That’s easy. She asked me. I told her.”

“And you didn’t think to tell me?” Anger hardened her voice.

“Hell Lady, you never asked!” Cocky at first, he tempered his tone with the truth. “Anyway, I thought you two were partners?”

“Yeah, I thought so too. Okay, where can I find this Ross character?”

“He’s in an apartment over on Alexander, the one beside the Chinese restaurant. I heard him say the food is great and he goes to sleep at night smelling chow mien and flied lice. Thinks he’s funny.”

“He’s a hoot! Okay, scram and remember our deal.”

The look said it all. Luke was a snitch with morals.

Chapter Four

“Ham, you busy?” Aurora sat in the car around the corner from the Chinese restaurant, her phone held to her ear.

“Not if you need me.”

“I’ve just run across a known peddler who’s been lippin’ off about some new shit on the streets. Luke says he’s tight with Rhondo. Thought I’d bring him in, ask him a few questions. You up for it?”

“I’m your guy. Give me an address and hold the fort. I’ll be there pronto.”

She gave him what he asked for and went back to the computer on her car dash that provided access to information on Johnny Ross. He wasn’t a big player, but he did have a record for misdemeanors a mile long and he likely knew where she could catch up with her main prey. If for no other reason than that, she wanted this guy. Real bad!

Being that she wore jeans and an ordinary black fitted jacket, she felt comfortable enough to go into the Chinese joint and pass under the radar. She sauntered over and stopped to look in the window. The image reflected back was of a slender woman with dark hair, long, tousled and messy, and a face trained not to smile. With a quick fluffing of her hair, and a fake grin, she sauntered inside and checked the menu. She knew from reading the report that this Ross character liked to pierce his body and had enough tattoos to belong in the freaking circus. It shouldn’t be too hard to pick him out if he happened to be there but he wasn’t.

A younger Chinese girl came to ask if she wanted a table and showed no signs of placing her for a cop. An act she’d perfected as a young girl needing to protect herself flooded back.

“Hey, I wonder if you could help me. I have a friend who lives next door, Johnny Ross. He was supposed to meet me here tonight. Have you seen him? I’m a bit late.” She smiled and made sure to look worried.

“He not here.”

“No, I can see that. Was he here earlier?”

“No, we delivered. To his place…” A slight hesitation followed and then she continued. “… apartment forty-three.” The slight twitch of the left eye could have been a wink. In fact, Aurora was sure of it. Casually she thanked the girl, but this time she also smiled with her eyes.

The hostess nodded and turned to the people coming in behind her.

The black sedan that pulled up soon after she’d stepped outside had her breathing a sigh of relief. She waited for Detective Hampton to park and join her. No way she wanted to miss out on this guy Ross. This lead was the best she’d had in months. However, she knew she’d have gotten her chops busted if she’d gone in alone.

Ham, mean and burley, a cop who’d seen it all, came to stand beside her. He nodded when she shared her information, and they moved forward together. She double-timed to keep up with his long stride and hated feeling so small. Feeling inadequate next to some of the bigger guys on her team pissed her off. Guess it’s why she favored boots with heels, kept her back straight and walked tall. Still, her head only came up to the shoulder of his six-foot-three frame.

Because they’d worked together before, the operation proceeded smoothly like dancers in a well-rehearsed samba. He halted on one side of the apartment door. She knocked and waited.

“Whaddaya want?” After reading his rap sheet while she’d waited for backup, Aurora knew Ross only stood a couple of inches taller than her, but his voice sounded surprisingly deep.

“It’s me Johnny.” Sweet and sugary, she answered.

“Who?” This time the interest was evident.

“It’s me, honey. You remember, you promised me a party. Well tonight’s your lucky night so open up.”

Hearing him approach, she quickly shook her hair down around her face, undid the top two buttons on her blouse to show some cleavage, and adopted a sexy stance. Working it even more, a look of being high replaced the eagerness she felt.

At first, his voice was rough. “You wanna party with me? Why?”

“Heard you had some good shit. I need it. I’ll be good to you.” She softened her tone sounding like a little girl. Bingo! He obviously liked little girls.

“I sure do have some good shit but you gotta pay for it, and I know just how you can do that, you pretty little thing.”

Feeling his eyes peering through the peephole, she licked her lips enticingly. “Whatever you want, Johnny. I need it real bad.”

God, she was good!
Once he unlatched and opened the door an inch, she slammed it the rest of the way, and Ham had him down before he knew what hit him. Handcuffed and surly, he whined like the girl she’d imitated earlier.

“Hey! You can’t come in here like this. I’ve got my rights.”

“You let me in. Remember, sugar?”

“You tricked me.”

“And you promised me a party.” She pointed at the bags of pills and powder on the cigarette-stained table. Her evil smile made him turn away. Ham threw the weasel onto the sagging couch then searched the place while she bagged the evidence and read him his Miranda rights.

Chapter Five

Back at the precinct, Aurora left the jerk to wilt in the holding cell while she did the paperwork. This guy was crud, but the more she found out about him, the more she realized he might be the answer to her ongoing search for Rhondo. Slamming the desk drawer, she stood. Two hours should be enough time for him to imagine his future as a lifer’s girlfriend. She opened the door and strutted into the holding cell.

“Hey Johnny, you’ve got some information I want and I’ve got the get-out-of-jail card you want. So, what say we play a game here?”

From slouching asshole to alert and ready, the fish took the hook, swallowing the wiggly worm in one big gulp. Didn’t even chew! No surprise there. It never failed to amaze her how some turned over and showed their bellies quicker than a mistreated mutt.

“Whaddaya want from me?” His eagerness to spill his guts made her sick. It didn’t seem to matter what it was she wanted. He looked ready and willing to share.