Sweet Dreams Boxed Set (21 page)

So she’d met briefly with Matt Elliott. They’d gotten into the habit of meeting once a week on Mondays for lunch—when Jim worked and she didn’t—someplace outside the city. And it felt like an affair without the benefits, though Matt had never once made a pass at her. But that day, she’d called him and he met her downtown. Told her not to worry, document the confrontation, and he’d call Dean Hooper to find out more about the drug dealer and what might be up.

She’d gotten home late and Jim was furious.

“What the fuck is going on?” he asked.

She feared he knew everything. That he would be angry because if she turned on a fellow cop, it would rub off on him. Image meant everything to Jim.

“It’s been a shitty day.”

“Tell me about it.”

“You’re mad because I’m late? I texted you, told you I had some errands.”

“Errands. Right.”

“I’m not your ex-girlfriend.” This argument was getting old. But at least he didn’t know about Matt. Shit. She felt like she was cheating on him. That made everything worse. She was the scum of the earth.

“What’s going on with you and Cordell?”

That confused her. “What?” Her head hurt. She just wanted to eat dinner and have a beer.

“You heard me.”

“If I was going to cheat on you, it certainly wouldn’t be with Tommy Cordell!”

“Maybe you’re not screwing him, but something’s going on. Is little miss high-and-mighty falling off her high horse?”

“Jim, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but you’re making no sense. I’m tired. It’s been a fucked day. You know why I’m pissed? Because my partner decked a kid selling pot.” That was partly the truth. The drug dealer wasn’t really a kid, he was closer to twenty. And Tommy had taken cash, but she decided to hold back sharing that. After all she’d complained about that to Jim before and had gotten nowhere.

“Must have done something.”

“I wouldn’t know, Tommy had me sit in the car like I was on a fucking ride-a-long.”

“Hmm.”

“What’s that mean?”

“Maybe you should ask for a reassignment.”

“Like hell I am. Haven’t you always said to suck it up? That female cops who complain get a bad rep? You’re right.”

“It’s not just women. You’ve got to let it go, Alex, or you’re going to burn out.”

It was his tone, not his words. If he hadn’t been so angry, the words could have been kind. Concerned. But he was sneering at her. As if he had no respect for her. Or was she reading something into it because she was so twisted up inside?

“Right. Well, I didn’t report him, if that’s what you mean. I fucking let it go. Told him to control his temper, not let the dirtbags get to him.” She tossed her hands in the air.

“What aren’t you telling me, Alex?”

“I’m hungry.”

“You’ve been so secretive lately. So you’re not screwing Tommy. What are doing?”

“Fuck you.”

He grabbed her wrists and stared at her. Maybe he knew. Maybe she talked in her sleep. If Jim found out she was working for the feds he’d be livid. Because cops didn’t do that to each other. She almost said something right then, just to get it off her chest. The lies were killing her.

“Let. Go.”

He did. She stepped back. “I need some space. I’m sorry I came home in a shitty mood, but I thought you of all people would understand.” She stomped off to the bedroom and grabbed her gym bag. Stuffed some clothes and toiletries inside.

“Don’t you dare walk out,” Jim said.

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

God, she sounded like a spoiled brat.

“You walk out that door, don’t plan on coming back.”

“Fine. I’ll send my brother to pick up the rest of my stuff.”

She walked to the door and Jim grabbed her again. She was about to tell him off when he kissed her. It was hard and violent and possessive. When they’d fought in the past, make-up sex had always been hot and heavy. But she was tired of the cycle. Tired of the ups and downs of this emotional roller coaster. It wasn’t normal. It wasn’t healthy. She was already on edge with the investigation into Tommy, walking on the edge in her own home was no longer an option. She couldn’t do it.

“Stop,” she said, trying to push him back.

“No,” he growled. “Alex, don’t leave me.” His voice cracked, and she almost gave in. He kissed her again, her mouth, her neck, touching her in places she liked to be touched. Except he was too rough, too aggressive. He pushed her shirt up and squeezed her tits until they hurt. This was a power play, pure and simple. Why hadn’t she seen it before?

“Stop!” she pushed him back. “Dammit, Jim!”

He was breathing heavily. “You leave, it’s over.”

She left.

Alex’s phone rang. It was Matt Elliott. Damn, it was 1:30. She was really late to the meeting.

“I’m sorry, I got sidetracked.”

“Where are you?”

“River Road. I’m parked about a half mile away from the address. Tommy used to come here. I never went inside, but there was something else going on there other than boat repair.”

Matt said, “Jim Perry graduated from Rio Americano High School with Sergei Rykov.”

She froze. “Are you certain?”

“Yes. I verified it with the school.”

She didn’t say anything. But puzzle pieces suddenly started fitting together.

Jim. The arguments. The fighting. The suspicion. He knew that Cordell was working for Rykov because
he
was working for Rykov. Did he know that she was spying? Or did he suspect she was? Or was he worried that she would learn what Cordell was doing? Is that why he started dating her in the first place?

She was angry. Furious at being used like that. Yet ... she was also embarrassed that she hadn’t figured it out. She should have, dammit.

“Alex?”

She cleared her throat. “I didn’t know.”

“Of course not, but you need to get out of there. The building is owned by Travis Hart. It’s managed by a property company with connections to Rykov. We don’t know exactly what’s going on, but Dean’s on the phone with D.C. working on getting a warrant.”

“Jim’s at the boathouse now.”

“Then what the hell are you still doing there?”

“Thinking. Don’t get your panties in a wad, I didn’t knock on the door or slow down. I didn’t expect him to be there.”

“Dean and I are on our way.”

“I’ll wait for you.”

“There’s a small grocery store on the east side of the river, right when you cross the bridge,” Matt said. “Meet us there.”

“I know it. I’m about ten minutes away.”

“So are we, we’re just merging onto I-5 south now. Be careful.”

“Always.”

She hung up and for a split second considered going back and confronting Jim. But she wasn’t an idiot.

More pieces of the puzzle slipped into place. Jim’s suspicions about her and Tommy. It wasn’t sex, he knew that Tommy was working for Rykov and wanted to know how much Alex knew. She’d shared with him some things—things that she would have shared even if she wasn’t working for the feds. He said all the right things, until the fight.

He knew something. What else had happened that day that made him suspicious? Had Tommy called him? Said something about her reaction? She hadn’t over-reacted ... but maybe that was the problem. Maybe she
should
have reported him. Because if she wasn’t working for the feds, she might have. She would have at least told her supervisor about it. She wouldn’t have said anything about the money, but she would have spoken up about the physical assault. It was over the top and could get the department into serious trouble, especially with the national incidents of police brutality.

She was reading too much into this. If Jim was involved with Rykov, that didn’t mean that he had been spying on her. Why would he have? She hadn’t even gone to Matt until months after she and Jim started dating. And just because he’d gone to high school with the mob leader didn’t mean that he was on his payroll.

Then why is he at the boat shop now?

Selena called just as Alex turned on her ignition. “Yep,” she answered.

“Just checking in.”

“I’m fine. I’m heading back.”

“Find anything?”

“I didn’t stop.”

“John had some questions about the gun so went to talk to the ballistics expert and was stopped dead in his tracks when he got to the crime lab.”

“Who stopped him?”

“No one. The gun is gone.”

“It can’t be gone.”

“It was sent to the state lab from further testing.”

“That’s bullshit. We never send ballistics test to the state. It’s across the damn street from our own lab.”

“And they claim they don’t have it,” Selena said. “John isn’t going to let it go, unless he’s told to back off. I’m sorry—I know you need this to be discreet. But you should know that Jim signed the evidence log.”

Jim was involved with Rykov. If she hadn’t had enough proof before, this was clear as day. “Can you get John to stand down until I can talk to my FBI contact?” Though Jim must already know that John Black was looking into the murders of the prostitutes. Otherwise, why move the gun? How did he know?

“Yes—but you know John. I can get him to sit on this for a day or so, but not indefinitely.”

“I don’t need longer,” she said. “Thanks, Selena. And tell John to be careful, this case may blow up on everyone.”

“John isn’t afraid of pissing people off. You’re the one who needs to be careful, Alex. I’m worried.”

“I’m meeting Matt in a few minutes. I’ll call you later.” She hung up and pulled onto the road.

Seconds later, Jim’s truck loomed in her rearview mirror. Before she could react and wonder how he could have surprised her so quickly, he slammed hard into her Honda. She tried to turn with the road, but he slowed and hit her again, this time on the rear driver’s side, effectively pushing her off the road. She slammed on her brakes, but her tires spun in the gravel. Jim hit her again and her front wheels went over the edge of the embankment.

The first dead body she’d seen on the job had been pulled from the Sacramento river. An accident, in the rain, a college student had taken one of the river turns too fast and skidded off the edge and into the river. He’d been trapped in his car. He hadn’t died of his injuries; he’d drowned because he’d been unable to escape the submerged vehicle.

But with the drought, the river current wasn’t as violent and the water levels were low. As long as she could get out of her car she should be okay. It was summer. The water wasn’t too cold and she was a good swimmer. But the plunge would still be dangerous.

She leaned back in her seat, trying to prevent the car from tipping over the edge. She didn’t want to move for fear of disturbing the delicate balance, but one more hit and she would be rolling down through the shrubs and saplings. They weren’t strong enough to hold back a vehicle.

But Jim would know all that. He would know her chances of survival were good. He wasn’t going to let her just float away, not when she knew who had rammed her off the road.

She reached over for her gun and glanced into the rearview mirror. Jim was already out of his car. He had his gun drawn and aimed at her. The passenger door opened. Jim wasn’t alone.

The rage on his face was unlike anything she’d seen before.

He was going to kill her.

She released her foot from the brake and pressed the gas while leaning forward as far as she could. The front end of the car dipped, and then she was falling down the embankment, faster than she expected to. She hit a tree and her airbag deployed, hitting her in the face with such a force that she was certain her nose broke. Powder burned her lungs, blood clogged her throat, and she couldn’t see anything. Darkness enveloped her as she felt her whole body tilting to one side.

No. No. No!

This was why people died in the river. They got knocked out and drowned. Or tangled with weeds and debris, unable to break free. She fought the pain in her head, fought the dizziness. She didn’t feel the car moving, but suddenly she was wet.

She opened her eyes and pushed the deflated airbag out of her way. Her car was resting on the driver’s side in the river, only her trunk partly on the riverbank.  Through the cracked front windshield she saw that more than half her car was submerged. Sunlight streamed through the passenger half of the window. The only way to escape was through the passenger door.

Jim was be at the top of the embankment waiting for her to emerge. She would be an easy target for a good shot. Fifty feet? Sixty, maybe. She could stay here, wait it out. But Jim could empty his clip into her car. He could come down the riverbank and shoot her in the head. Waiting really wasn’t a good option.

If she hadn’t been slowed down by the tree, she would have had enough momentum to take her further into the river, without the broken nose and the pain in her head and lungs. She found her gun, and thank God it wasn’t wet. It could still fire, probably, but no guarantee.

She undid her seat belt. Her entire left side was wet, but the car couldn’t fill up with water, not when it was partly on the embankment and the passenger side was still exposed. The flowing water was surprisingly loud, but maybe that was her fear. Her car creaked and swayed with the rhythm of the river. If she stayed where she was, she’d be a sitting duck. Matt and Dean would soon start looking for her. She’d said she was ten minutes away—that was ten minutes ago. When would they start looking for her? When she was five minutes late? Fifteen minutes? Could she hide in here for fifteen minutes? When she didn’t show, they would retrace her steps, but there was no guarantee as to how fast, or if they’d wait for back-up, or anything. She needed to be proactive and save her own ass.