Kill Shot (24 page)
A fit of laughter assailed her. She leaned her head against his shoulder. “You must be the only person in the world to feel sorry for them. People hate them for all that they have. People envy them for their power and possessions, but nobody feels sorry for the Jobes.”
“I’d rather be us,” he said.
“Me absolutely too.” Micki placed a kiss on the side of his mouth, right where the dimple appeared if he was grinning; only he wasn’t grinning. He hugged her, but his melancholy continued to prevail.
“So, it was the father of the Jobe’s nanny who killed her boyfriend?” she asked.
“Lissa had a restraining order against the dead guy so she technically wasn’t dating him at the time of his death, but I gather she still had feelings for him.” Oz absently stroked her hair as he stared into the darkened television screen. “The ex came looking for her and her father tried to protect her and resisted when he was attacked. He dumped the body to keep the fact from his daughter.”
Micki nodded. “I see what’s going on. Cave man having sympathy for killer because he understands crime of passion.”
He looked at her earnestly. “I can understand doing anything to protect someone I love. To protect you.”
“I know that Oz. It’s just one of the many things I love about you, but it’s also one of the things that makes me crazy. You don’t think I can take care of myself.”
Oz looked at her, quirking up one side of his mouth in a funny little smile. “No, I don’t.”
“Don’t make me remind you about Luka.”
“Ha! You’re feeling pretty good about that, aren’t you?”
“I’m just pointing out that I’m not as helpless as you think.”
Oz narrowed his eyes, giving Micki a look that sent a shiver down her spine. “And you’re not as tough as you think either.”
#
The next morning Oz got an early call from the dispatcher. Yawning, he sat up, running his fingers through his hair and squinting at the clock.
Four thirty. Too early for Micki.
He gazed at her sleeping soundly, like a child with her arms flung wide. Any other time he would lay back down beside her and enjoy the fact that she was in his life, that they were engaged and that she would wake up and he would make love to her again.
He slipped out of bed, grabbed his clothes and crept to the bathroom with as much stealth as he could muster. He stubbed his toe and gritted his jaw together to keep from cursing aloud.
When he left, he set a quickly scrawled love note on the bedside table to explain his absence. It had ended with, ‘call me when you wake up’.
He smiled as he drove to the crime scene. Yes, he was a lot luckier than Hobart Jobe.
Pulling up into the alley behind the Jobe Towers, he parked along side the police cars with red and blue flashing lights reflecting off the buildings.
Vinnie was there in a patrol car. “Hey, Oz,” he called. “Look at this guy.”
Oz followed Vinnie to the dumpster and stopped cold when he recognized the victim slumped against the brick wall with his mouth hanging open. He felt a fist clench in his stomach as he looked into the blank, staring eyes of yet another of Laurel Jobe’s lovers. Jason Best had been shot at close range with a small caliber weapon.
Perhaps Hobart Jobe had blood instead of ice water running through his veins after all.
Oz squatted down beside the body, shining a flashlight over it. He could see gun powder residue on the side of Jason’s face and the tiny hole behind his right ear. Only a small trickle of blood escaped indicating that the killer used a hollow point that had exploded on impact and would leave minute fragments inside Jason’s skull for the coroner’s man to retrieve.
There were no defensive wounds. His skin had lost the bloom of his fake tan. Jason was dressed in a set of fleece warm ups and his cross-trainers.
Oz wondered if Jason had been coming from or going to Jobe Towers at the time he was killed. He stepped back and let the crime scene photographer do his thing. Another tech stood by to gather trace evidence that might bring the killer to justice.
“Whadda ya’ think, Oz man?” Vinnie asked.
“It looks like someone dragged the body back behind the dumpster to keep it from being seen right away. The back of his white tennis shoes have scuff marks.”
“Good one, Oz,” Vinnie said.
“Let’s expand the perimeter and see if we can find the murder site.”
Oz directed the other officers to block off both ends of the alley and he and Vinnie searched the area with the crime techs.
“Here’s a shell,” Vinnie called and a tech photographed and bagged it. “It’s small, a twenty-two, I think.”
“It’s a twenty-five caliber shell casing, Sir,” the tech said.
“One thing for sure,” Vinnie said. “It wasn’t that Luka guy. He’s in the slammer.”
Oz tried to envision Hobart Jobe gathering enough passion to cap his wife’s boy toy, but couldn’t.
#
When Micki awoke, she felt disoriented, not knowing where she was for a moment. The missing factor was that Oz’ big loving form wasn’t wrapped around her. She stretched out her arms and legs, trying to take up the whole bed by herself, but it wasn’t the same.
She rolled over and spied his note. Smiling, she reached for it.
Call me. He says, call me.
Micki dialed his cell and waited until he answered.
“Good morning, sleepyhead.”
“What time did you leave?” she asked.
“Way too early. I’ll try to come home for lunch. Any leftovers?”
She chuckled. “I know what you’re doing. You’re trying to anchor me here so I don’t go out.”
There was a silence. “Maybe.”
She heard the grin in his voice. “Face it, Oz. I’ve got your number.”
“And I’ve got yours,” he said. “Is there any reason why you can’t put off whatever you have planned and meet me there for lunch?”
“No, there isn’t. I have no plans and will be happy to nuke some leftovers for our lunch. And, I’ll be naked.”
There was another silence. “Naked?”
“Just in case.” She hung up giggling.
#
“What are you grinning about,” Lieutenant Qualls surprised him with a clap on the shoulder.
Oz tried to contain the grin. “My girl is making something special for lunch.”
“Oh,” he said and then again, “Oh,” when he gathered Oz’ meaning. He beamed at Oz. “I sure do miss being young and in love.”
Oz blushed sheepishly as Qualls slapped him on the shoulder again.
“Sir, anything on Jason Best, the dead guy?”
“I was headed for the lab. Walk with me.” Qualls started off at a rapid clip and Oz fell into step beside him.
When they arrived Aida was in her office, arranging papers on her desk.
“It’s unusual to find you here, Aida,” Qualls said. “You’re usually working in the lab.”
“You caught me. Even I have to play housemaid occasionally.” She closed a file folder and slid it into a drawer.
“Anything yet on the spa guy?” Qualls asked.
“The coroner said he died between eleven yesterday evening and three this morning. He was killed by a .25 caliber hollow point bullet that entered just behind his right ear and he died instantly.”
“Luka’s in custody so that lets him out. It’s not his style, anyway.”
“Do we know what Luka’s style is?” Oz asked.
“No we don’t. I guess he could do the up close and personal thing, except that he’s cooling his heels in a cell.”
“That Luka guy gives me the creeps,” Oz said.
“Actually, he’s very attractive,” Aida said. Both men turned to look at her. “I mean, I find his moral values totally reprehensible, but he is a hot guy.”
Oz raised his brows and Qualls shook his head.
Aida turned to each man in turn, fixing them with her clear, no nonsense gaze. “If it was an equally hot woman, every cop in the shop would have his tongue hanging out, so don’t give me any grief.”
“Alright, alright. We get your point.” Qualls waved her off. “Any lab results to report?”
“Only the scuff marks on his shoes. His cash and watch are missing, but I’m guessing that was for show. This looks like an execution. Or it could have been a gang-banger, judging from the angle the weapon was held to the head. There’s a mark from the muzzle showing it was held sideways. The bangers think it’s so cool to hold their guns like that, but it isn’t nearly as accurate for shooting at any distance at all.”
“That lets the Jobes out, too.” Oz said. “Security cameras in their private elevator show that they both went up to their penthouse and didn’t come down until after the time Jason Best was being murdered.”
“Damn!” Qualls said. “I thought it would be linked to them.”
Oz shook his head. “I can’t imagine Hobart Jobe committing a crime of passion.”
“Nah, me neither. But I can imagine him ordering an execution without batting an eye.”
“He didn’t know we were going to pick him up,” Oz said. “If he was planning an execution he had time to plan an alibi, and he knew the cameras would provide a good one.”
“We’ll see how this plays out.” Qualls turned back to Aida. “That’s it?” Qualls asked.
“So far,” she said. “Check back later.”
#
Micki opened the door to a frowning Oz.
“Don’t do that,” he said.
Micki raised her brows and gave him a long look. “No hello?”
“I’m serious. Don’t ever open the door without looking out the peephole. You never know who might be lurking out here to ravish you.”
“Yeah, I can see that.”
“Speaking of which, you’re not naked.” Oz dropped his jacket on the back of a chair.
“I was kidding,” she said.
Oz removed his tie and began unbuttoning his shirt. “No, you weren’t.” He grinned at her.
“Yes, I was. I was just teasing you.”
“That was your mistake,” he said. “Some things are way too beautiful to be taken lightly.”
Micki grinned as she visually cruised the length of Oz’ body. He’d shed his shirt, shoes and socks and was down to his pants. The feathery feeling around her heart made her lightheaded.
“I’ve never noticed before that you held nudity in such reverence.”
“Well you were wrong,” he whispered, unsnapping her jeans. “I hold your nakedness in extreme awe and reverence.” The jeans slid to the floor and Oz cupped her bottom in his hands.
Micki gasped as he squeezed her rear affectionately. “I can’t believe you came home in the middle of the day to...”
He silenced her with a kiss. “I can’t believe you can’t believe. You know how I feel about you.”
Micki ran her hands over his chest and shoulders, appreciating the firm muscles upholstering his torso. “Yes, well, ah...”
His fingers unhooked her bra so deftly she didn’t even feel it, just the loosening of the band and the straps slipping off her arms.
Standing before him wearing only her panties, she gave him a quirky smile. “I’m unarmed, Officer.”
He made a noise in the back of his throat. “Baby, you are never unarmed and you’re always dangerous.”
“You seem to be pretty well armed yourself.”
Oz enfolded her in his arms and lifted her against him. “Let’s go,” he said, his voice smoky with desire. “I only have about forty minutes left.”
“I guess you’re not eating lunch.” she said.
“Who says?”
#
CHAPTER TWENTY
Micki laughed, hearing the doorbell ring a few seconds after Oz had left. She’d gotten her jeans back on and was about to button her shirt.
She threw the door open wide. “Forget something?” A gasp of fear died in her throat as she stared into the eyes of Philip Luka.
He glanced down at her open shirt and smiled. “I’m glad to see you were expecting me.” Something feral flickered in his hypnotic gaze.
Micki took a step back. “You’re out of jail?”
“No thanks to you, Chickie.” He stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. He gave her an intense, totally untamed look before turning slowly to twist the deadbolt into place. “I wouldn’t want us to be disturbed.”
Micki swallowed hard against the taste of bile in the back of her throat. “How did you get out?” she asked in a whisper.
“I had a good lawyer. He arranged my release.” He slowly walked toward her.
“You’re out on bail?” She took a step backwards.
“Yeah, somethin’ like that, but they don’t got nothin’ on me.” He stepped toward her and reached out his hand, touching a finger gently to her neck and running it down to the snap of her jeans. “So, you wearin’ a wire wasn’t any good at all. The only thing I did was sell you a very expensive CD.”
