The Chilling Spree (18 page)

I’m sure he expected an answer.  I
chose to view the question as rhetorical, mostly because I wasn’t
sure which one of us was more confused, Johnny or me.

The headline of the Sentinel proved that
Downey Division was bearing the brunt of Belle Conall’s frustration
that nobody would share information with her regarding the
suspicious death at a Pan Demon concert on New Year’s Eve. 
The fact that she managed to weasel her way close enough to Scott
Madden to shoot off a few questions which were promptly answered
with utmost hostility hadn’t done much to improve her mood.

Crevan shook his head and tossed the morning
rag onto my kitchen table.  “It’ll only get worse from
here.”

“I haven’t forgotten how
she
operates,” Johnny snapped.  A not so subtle dig at me. 
Maybe a lie would’ve put him in a better mood this morning. 
“This isn’t about what Downey is or isn’t willing to divulge to
that vicious harpy.  OSI is taking the lead on this case, so
for her to think she’s gonna wring some kind of exclusive statement
out of Downey is flat out stupid.”

“I don’t disagree, Johnny.  I hope
you’re prepared for part two of her attack.  She’ll come at
you any way she can now that her former in with Downey isn’t quite
so keen on talking to her.”

“Crevan, you didn’t share sensitive
information with her in the past, did you?” I asked.

“No, but she helped herself to anything she
could eavesdrop on or outright steal out of my notebooks. 
When I moved out, my police scanner mysteriously disappeared.”

“How childish,” I muttered.  “It’s not
as if they aren’t for sale to the public anyway.”

“Exactly,” Crevan said.  “But that’s my
darling ex-wife.  I’m just saying.  Keep your guard up
where she’s concerned.  She plans to scoop every reporter in
the city on this story, by hook or by crook.”

“Remind me to get someone else on speed dial
for breaking news in the case,” Johnny said.  “So, speaking of
the job at hand, are the Goddards coming back to town today?”

“Earliest we expect them is tomorrow
afternoon,” Crevan said.  “Tony’s out right now setting up a
time for you to talk to the other Goddard brother, Rham.  We
can get a head start on what’s really brewing between these
brothers.  Maybe it’ll help us determine if Madden is really
involved in what happened to his nephew.”

“His alibi is tight for both times in
question,” I said.  “Then again, if Underwood was telling the
truth, we’re looking at a scenario where Scott Madden has
surrounded himself with people who wouldn’t bat an eye over lying
to protect him.”

“What is it about that guy that inspires
such loyalty?” Johnny fumed.  “He’s not attractive.  He’s
a hell of a lot older than even I am, struts around playing music
like he’s the Second Coming, drinks and uses drugs, can’t settle
down in a steady relationship because he can’t keep it in his pants
– yet the world stands in awe before him.”

“He’s the quintessential bad boy,” I
said.  “Women swoon.  Men envy.  We, and by that I
mean society, don’t want our rebels to grow up and become
responsible.  We want them to continue to represent that free
spirit we all wish we could embrace but are too level headed and
responsible to grab.”

Johnny snorted.  “I never thought of
that bullshit as freedom.”

“Is that so?  When I first came to
Darkwater Bay, I had no less than a dozen people warn me that you
were an avowed bad boy, a real womanizer who never got beyond a
one-night stand.”

“That’s a lie.”

“No, it isn’t.  Briscoe, Forsythe,
scores of others said the same thing about you.  You wanted me
to believe it was only a façade you maintained while you were
undercover for OSI, but you convinced a hell of a lot of people
that it was true.”

He ignored my accusation, even though I
didn’t intend it to be one, and refocused on Crevan.  “I
presume Tony will call when he’s got a time set with Rham Goddard
to talk about the prodigal brother.”

“Yeah, though we weren’t sure if you wanted
to take the interview or if you wanted us to do it.”

Johnny glanced at me.  “I’d be
interested in her take on what he has to say.  She’s the one
who talked to Madden and found out that Kyle Goddard was his
nephew.”

“I’d be happy to interview him with you,
Johnny.”

He grinned without humor.  “I was
thinking that maybe you and Briscoe should talk to him.”

I squeezed all the blood out of my
knuckles.  “If you think that’s best, I’ll be available most
of the day.  Just let me know when and where Rham Goddard will
be available.”

“You’ve got something else on the agenda
today?”

“Yes,” I said.  “I have a friend who
not only wants me around, probably needs me at the hospital
too.  I think you should know now, so you’re not surprised by
this later, but I plan to offer Devlin a place to stay here with me
while he recuperates.”

“Which room?” Johnny’s eyes narrowed to the
predatory hawk glare.

“The one he has used every time he stays
here,” I said.  “Second floor master suite.”

“You two are hopeless,” Crevan sighed. 
“I thought you were coming back here last night to get things
settled.  Why are you still sniping at each other?”

“Because she expects me to believe that she
loves me, but all the while she’s been here, she planned to leave
just as soon as Datello was behind bars.”

“Are you nuts?  I told you why I’m
still here!”

“Right,” he drawled.  “You’re not so
sure you can live without me.  Let me know when you figure it
out, Doc.”

My shoulders caved inward.  “Crevan,
you know how to get in touch with me when Briscoe is ready to talk
to Rham Goddard.  I’ll be at the hospital.”

“Run off to the other guy you’re not sure
you can live without,” Johnny muttered.

I didn’t stick around to hear what else he
had to say, but Crevan’s admonishment followed me toward the
garage. 

“Are you trying to push her into the arms of
another man?  Jesus, Johnny!  What the hell is wrong with
you?”

Devlin was sitting up in bed with a tray
peppered with a variety of clear liquids for his first breakfast
after surgery.

“Would you like to join me for a cup of weak
tea and lime Jell-O?”

I grinned.  “No thanks, I had my fill
of that lovely menu when I pulled my post operative stint here a
few months ago.  I may never be able to stand the taste of
Jell-O again.”

“How goes the case?  Did you have any
luck with Madden at the concert last night?”

I explained what I learned the previous
night.  Devlin’s eyes widened.

“Damn.  I knew that Madden had family
here in Darkwater Bay, but I didn’t know he changed his last
name.”

“Apparently he did.  He seemed pretty
shaken by the news that Kyle, aka Kylie was the murder victim the
other night.  Underwood insinuated that Madden had some deep
dark secret that he’d likely kill to keep buried.  I couldn’t
help but wonder if that’s what it was.”

“No way,” Dev shook his head.  “When
Madden told you that he’s open minded enough to live and let live,
he wasn’t lying.  If there’s any kind of secret, it isn’t a
sex scandal, I guarantee.  Madden had a pretty colorful drug
history before he cleaned up his act.  Rumor had it that his
side business used to be more lucrative than the music.  I
suspect that if there was even an ounce of truth to it, that Scott
wouldn’t want it known widely.”

“Surely a statute of limitations would
prevent him from prosecution at this point,” I said.

“Maybe, then again, who knows for sure?”

“Interesting,” I mused.  “So I guess
it’s on the agenda today that Briscoe and I talk to the younger
Goddard brother.  Orion wants his take on this alleged family
feud.  Madden admits to distance, but says it’s nothing in the
grand scheme.  He was merely concerned because Theo Goddard
never discouraged his son from being quite so out and proud, and
Scott felt that it invited undue risk to Kyle’s safety.”

“I’m glad Johnny’s come to his senses,
Helen.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.”  I shrugged
at his concern.  “Eh, we’re talking at least.  It’s a
step in a better direction than actively avoiding each other.”

“Are you sure that isn’t what you’d rather
do right now?”

“No, Devlin.  I love him.  We
might both be equally confused on a few things, but that is one
fact that I can’t escape, and I wouldn’t want to even if I
could.  I miss my lover, my best friend, the only person that
I’ve ever trusted completely.”

“I hope that’s not an indictment on our
friendship.”

“Of course not, Dev.  But with
Johnny…”

His eyes drifted past me.  “With Johnny
what?”

“I finally realized that he knew me better
than I know myself.  On one hand, that scared the hell out of
me.  Now that it’s gone, I miss it like crazy.  I don’t
think I’ve ever felt so alone in my life.”

Hands came to rest on my shoulders. 
“You might’ve said that last night, Helen.”

“Johnny…”

He crouched beside my chair and peered up at
me.  “Is that how you really feel?”

“Yes.”

“Did you tell Devlin that he’s coming home
with us to recuperate when he leaves the hospital?”

“I hadn’t gotten around to it yet.  Are
you sure you’re all right with that, Johnny?”

He lifted one of my hands and pressed the
knuckles to his lips.  “We’re good now.”

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“Goddard is on his way to OSI.  Are you
ready to talk to him?”

I swallowed the knot in my throat.  “I
guess.”

“I’m not gonna force you to do the interview
with Tony, Helen.  We need this information too much for any
interpersonal conflict to block progress.  You and I will talk
to Goddard.”

“Devlin, when do they plan to let you out of
here?”

“If all goes well with Jell-O, I should be
ready to leave day after tomorrow,” he said.  ”Just in time
for the funeral.  That is, if I dare show my face.”

“I don’t imagine I’d feel a whole lot
different if I were in your shoes, Devlin,” Johnny said.  “And
I can’t speak for anyone but myself right now.  I knew Ned
Williams as well as any detective at Downey Division.  He
wouldn’t want you to feel guilty for surviving.  Anybody who
wants that doesn’t deserve to call themselves Ned’s friend.”

“Thanks, commander,” Devlin said
gruffly.  “It means a lot to hear you say that.”

“Helen, we should probably head over to
OSI,” Johnny said.  “Do you need a minute to say goodbye?”

I shook my head.  “I’ll be back later
tonight, Dev.  Try to get some rest.”

“If you were a real friend, you’d smuggle in
a burger and fries when you come back.”  He toasted with a
spoonful of Jell-O.  “Good luck with the case.  Remember
what Chris and I said about Underpants.  He’s by far your most
likely culprit in this mess.”

Johnny was quiet until the elevator opened
in the basement level of the parking garage.  “Chris really
hates this Underwood character too, Doc.  I trust him. 
At the same time, I can’t quite shake the feeling that somebody
might’ve made all of this land a little too conveniently at
Underwood’s feet.”

“I can’t disagree with that feeling. 
For as bright as Underwood claims to be, I get the sense that he’s
truly clueless when it comes to realizing how bad all of this is
starting to look for him.  Beyond what Chris and Devlin have
told us about his history, is there any other motive he might’ve
had to murder Madden’s nephew?”

“Beyond the obvious, that he hates
homosexuals?  I can’t think of a one.”

“Plenty of reasons that people might want to
see Underwood arrested for murder though,” I said.  “This case
shouldn’t be so confusing.”

“That seems to be this week’s recurrent
theme.  Our case is a confusing mess, along with my memory,
our relationship, your feelings about friendship versus how they
gel with your feelings for me.”

“Johnny –”

“I’m not chastising you, Doc.  I get it
now.  The majority of this is my insecurity, because I can’t
remember jack shit that would help me trust what I feel.  Then
again, you’re pretty adept at sending mixed signals.  You want
me living under your roof so maybe I’ll remember.  Meanwhile,
you want your friend recuperating there and clearly, he’d leap from
the mountaintops if you gave him the slightest indication that you
were interested in more than friendship.  I feel like every
time I turn around, some dude is leering at you.”

“That’s not true.”

“Don’t tell me how I feel.”  Johnny
pinned me against the side of my Expedition.  “Just because
you’re clueless doesn’t mean I’m blind.”

“Well I am blind.  Or at least have
tunnel vision.”

“Oh yeah?”

I nodded.  “All I can see is you.”

“That was true,” he eyed me
critically.  “My gut hasn’t let me down with you, has it?”

“Not so far.”

“I guess that was the part I was struggling
with the most.  Well, that and one other thing.”

“What?”

Johnny shook his head.  “I’m not sure I
should tell you.  Given your anger toward Tony right now, I
suspect that I already know how you’ll react.”

My heart hardened to a stone lump in my
chest.  “What did he tell you?”

“He thought you would literally kill Mitch
Southerby for what he did to me.  He believed it, Doc. 
It scared the hell out of him.”

“And?”

He pinned me to the car with a steady
gaze.  “I get the distinct impression it wouldn’t have been
the first time you killed somebody that hurt you that much.”

My heart pounded out a verbal rhythm. 
Don’t panic.  Stay calm.  Don’t panic.  Stay
calm.

“Doc?”

“I did want to kill him for what he did to
you.  I think that’s a pretty human response when someone
hurts the person we love most in the world.  Do I need to
remind you that you
did
kill Fredrick Jackson after he shot
me?”