Sticks & Stones (A Hollis Morgan Mystery) (21 page)

Hollis met his gaze. “They were waiting for me? But why?”

He sat beside her. “When your place was broken into, drawers and cabinets were tossed but nothing was taken, not even your laptop. But they took the time to batter it.” He picked up her hand. “Someone thinks you have information that could hurt them.”

She just stared at him, but slowly
the answer dawned on her. “It must be Fields.”

“Tell me about this article Cathy Briscoe wrote.”

Hollis went through the story line. “I gave up finding any real dirt. We’re in the process of making a settlement.”

“From what I read about him, the guy seemed to be one of the good ones, but if he’s afraid that you could ruin his reputation, he might be willing to kill to stop you.”

They both looked up as the doctor walked into the room with a clipboard.

“You’re here for Ms. Ross? She’s going to be fine. It was more messy than serious. The bullet missed the aorta. She’s conscious but she’ll be off to sleep soon. You can see her later this morning.”

“Oh, thank you, Doctor.” Hollis got up and shook the doctor’s hand. “How long will she have to be here?”

“Just a
few days. Does she have someone at home? She’ll need help with meals and return visits.”

Hollis brightened.
“I can stay with her. I’ll bring her back for her checkups.”

John held the door open for Hollis as she climbed into the car. “Uh, don’t take what I’m about to say wrong, but I have a sofa you can sleep on. You can get a couple of hours sleep, then I’ll take you home. They won’t have to impound your car and you can get into your condo.”

She could feel her heart start pound with a staccato
rhythm. “I … I ….”

“I know what you’re going to say. I have an early shift today, so I won’t be home except to shower and leave again. I plan on checking with Perry to see if the neighbors saw anything. Then I’ll come for you and take you to back to the station to have your talk with Perry.”

“No, I didn’t mean that … I …. Yes, thank you.”

She wondered if she would ever stop sounding like a babbling idiot.

They drove in silence. He lived in a small ranch style house on the edge of Castro Valley. Inside it was clean and had a certain charm if you had a preference for 1970s jazz musician art. Too tired to peruse the bookshelves stuffed with books, Hollis gratefully took the blankets and pillow to make her bed. She set the alarm on her cellphone and was asleep in minutes.

The next morning they stopped outside the large police station anteroom that led to security. Hollis called George to brief him about the shooting and to tell him that she would be late to the office. He told her to just take the day off. She was appreciative but she wanted to keep her mind busy with filing the new Koch papers.

She rubbed her arms. She should have brought a jacket. It was warm outside
, but the station air conditioning was blowing an arctic cold. John had dropped her off a few minutes before nine. He offered to come with her to the meeting with Perry, but Hollis felt he had already done more than enough to help.

“I’ve got to wrap up some things, but I’ll be checking periodically to see if you’re done.” He accompanied her down the corridor. “I don’t think I ever got the chance to tell you what a great time I had yesterday.”

“Me, too.” Hollis smiled. “My life really is not this complicated. It seems like you’re always catching me in the midst of a crisis. But I’m glad you were there to help me with Stephanie.”

“Uh, I can think of some pretty good moments.”

“Good, then maybe you’ll let me cook a meal for you.”

“Say no more. You got a deal.” He bent over and kissed her on her forehead
; then he looked into her eyes and kissed her lightly on the lips. “I’ll be back when I think you’ve finished.”

Faber had no sooner turned the corner when Perry entered the lobby. “Ms. Morgan, I appreciate you coming here. Take the hallway in front of you
. My office is the second door on the right.”

He walked behind her.

She took the only chair in front of the desk.

“I understand that Stephanie is on her way back to health. That’s real good news. She’s excellent at what she does. We miss her already.”

Hollis gave him a tentative smile. “Yes, she’s doing well. I spoke briefly with the doctor early this morning. She may only have to stay a few more days.”

“Good, good.” He scratched his neck. “So, how do you know her?”

The next few minutes Perry took notes and asked follow-up questions. He didn’t look up.

“So, this wasn’t the first time she’d been to your home?”

“No.”

“Detective Faber thinks the shooter was after you
. What do you think?”

Hollis paused. “I think so, too.”

He looked up. “I did a little research. You served time.”

She could feel the heat climbing up her neck. “If you know that, you know that I received a pardon.”

“Yeah, a pardon.” Perry pulled on his ear. “So, why would someone want to kill you?”

“I think this is linked to the Briscoe murder, Detective. I must have—or the killer thinks I have—some information that could incriminate him, or her.”

“What kind of information?”

“That’s just it. I don’t know.”

He rubbed his hands over his head.

“You said you got a file from Briscoe
—articles, sketches but nothing significant? Nothing that made any sense to you?”

“That’s right
. I gave it all to Detective Cavanaugh.”

“Well, Cavanaugh is close to retirement,
” Perry snorted. “He’s not happy about this attempted murder at all. He’s likely to be assigned to this case because he has the two murders. I’ll get with him later. Now … you said you found some papers later in this hiding place in Briscoe’s apartment and gave those to Cavanaugh too?”

“Yes.” She didn’t think he needed to know she was doing her own investigation. “Did either of you speak with her boyfriend?”

He rubbed his hand over his balding head. “Ah, yeah, the so-called boyfriend you ran into.”

“Right, Michael Carver.”

“Funny thing,” he said, rubbing his palms together. “We can’t find any evidence of a Michael Carver. He’s disappeared.”

H
ollis stared out the window waiting for Stephanie to return from X-ray. The view from the hospital room gave an uninterrupted vista of the faux brick façade of the apartment building across the way.

She mulled over her conversation with Perry. He went on to tell her he was trying to decipher the true identity of Cathy’s boyfriend, Michael Carver, if he really was her boyfriend. Hollis had tried to contact Carver using the number he gave her, but it led nowhere. Her fears were confirmed when Cathy’s true beau contacted Evelyn Briscoe
, wanting to know about the funeral arrangements. Evelyn had given him Hollis’ number. Evidently, he was still within the ninety-day probation period.

Hollis didn’t doubt that Carver was sent to make sure no other evidence of Cathy’s notes remained.

Her reverie was broken by approaching voices.

“If you didn’t want me to borrow your car, all you had to do was tell me.” Stephanie walked gingerly on the arm of a nurse
while hanging onto a mobile rail holding two bags of liquid and long tubes that ended in her arm and the back of her hand. Her voice was weak.

Seeing her friend, tears streamed down Hollis’ face.

“Oh Steph, I am so glad to see you, and I am so sorry this happened.”

She helped the nurse get Stephanie re-settled into the bed.

“What are friends for?” Though she was trying to put up a good front, Hollis could see the strain of pain in her expression.

“Do you remember what happened?”

“Not really. I was about to put your newspaper on the landing. Then, someone—a man—came from the side of the house holding out a .38 caliber. I examine tens of those a week, but nothing brings it home like having it pointed at you. I don’t remember hearing the shot or falling.”

“It should be me in this bed, not you.”

“I’d give you the chance, but like most things, it’s non-transferrable. I’m going to be all right, just a little tired and sleepy.”

“Are you in a lot of pain?”

Stephanie managed a little smile. “Nothing I can’t handle. But there’s something I want to ask you. The doctor told me that I could leave day after tomorrow, if I had someone to stay with me.” She licked her cracked lips. “If—”

“Of course I’ll stay with you.” Hollis wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Good,” Stephanie’s voice faded. “My keys are in my purse. The nurse will get it for you. I don’t want you staying in your condo. Promise me, Hollis.” She laid her head back down.

Hollis’ eyes filled again with tears and she nodded. “I promise.”

Stephanie closed her eyes.

“She’ll sleep.” The nurse motioned for Hollis to meet her in the hallway. “She’s a little too optimistic. It may be more than a couple of days
before her release. But she’s making good progress.” She handed her a plastic bag. “Here are her keys and her wallet. It’s best you take them with you.”

W
ith one last look at Stephanie, she hurried out of the hospital.

Hollis entered her condo tentatively, as if she were a visitor to her own home, and quickly and quietly went through all the rooms. She just as hurriedly packed a bag of clothes. Whoever shot Stephanie apparently hadn’t tried or at least hadn’t succeeded in entering the house. The thought flashed through her mind that Michael Carver or whatever his name was could easily have been the culprit. She took a last look around her living room and locked the door on her way out.

At Stephanie’s
, she emptied her suitcase onto the bed in the spare bedroom and looked around. It was a good-sized room with the basics for a guest who shouldn’t count on staying too long. She placed her things in one of the two empty dresser drawers and hung up her clothes. She’d brought enough clothing to get her through several days.

She picked up Cathy’s files and headed to Mark’s office.

Mark, who had decided that coming into the office on Sunday would give him a head start on the week, listened in worried disbelief while Hollis recounted Friday night’s events. “If you’re frightened, I can get you a patrol officer drive-by.”

“Already done.” Hollis sat comfortably in the overstuffed chair in his office with a hot cup of tea. “I’m not frightened, I’m angry. The only good thing about these horrible events is that
they’re keeping me from obsessing over waiting for my bar scores. I feel like I’m being jerked around because I’m missing the whole point.” She briefly closed her eyes and gave him a grim smile. “Besides, I told Stephanie I would stay with her.”

“Good
,” Mark said. “I don’t like the idea of you staying by yourself. First the burglary, now this. Things are escalating. Also, there’s been a major snag. The settlement is off. Field’s attorneys weren’t impressed with the article rewrite. They came back with ‘too little, too late.’ But I think they have really overplayed their hand.” Mark tossed papers from his briefcase onto the desk.

“I notice they didn’t withdraw until after
Transformation
rewrote the article.”

Mark nodded. “Yeah, so much for fair play. Devi is not pleased. Still, it’s not clear that Cathy was really on
to something. On the other hand, there’s
something
going on, because people are getting killed and hurt. How does the attack on your friend Stephanie fit in? Scratch that, the attack was meant for you.”

“There’s more.” Hollis took a sip
of her tea. “Cathy’s ‘boyfriend’ has dropped out of sight.”

“What!”

Hollis nodded. “It’s clear now. Carver fooled me into thinking he was her boyfriend. He must be on Fields’ payroll. I think he was trying to wrap up any loose ends. Then last night he tried to wrap up one big loose end—me.”

“Using a gun
. That’s the move of a desperate man.” Mark frowned.

Hollis mused
, “Fields is in panic mode. I must be getting close, too. Unfortunately he’s giving me more credit than is due. I don’t know what I’m looking at.”

“Step back and start over,” Mark said. “What have you got?”

“I’ve been kicking around this theory. Cathy finds out information about how sloppily Fields runs his non-profits. She makes contacts from the charities themselves to the donors at the fundraisers that benefit them. If you follow the money, I think she found out something about a donor.”

“Go on.”

“She discovers it’s not the charities that are the story, it’s a donor. Someone with a secret he or she would do anything to protect, even kill.”

When Cavanaugh showed up at her office early Monday morning, she was prepared. He had called ahead to ask if he could “stop by.”

“Boy, Ms. Morgan, you don’t exactly live a boring life do you?”

“No, Detective, I don’t. To save you time, I don’t know who tried to kill Stephanie, or rather, kill me. I told Detective Perry everything I know.”

They were sitting in the firm’s conference room.

“Yeah, he’s pretty sure you did.”

“Have you found Michael Carver yet?” Hollis asked.

“No, and I can tell you when we do, he won’t be using the name Michael Carver.”

That’s for sure
.

“What happens now?”

“First, we are going to give you regular surveillance. I don’t have the budget to give you twenty-four-hour protection, but we’ll have units pass by your home on a regular basis. Let us know if you think anything looks or feels suspicious.”

Hollis frowned. “I’m going to stay with Stephanie Ross while she’s recuperating. But I don’t think I like the idea of having the police follow me around.”

“There have been two murders and an attempted murder. You don’t have a lot of say in this. I don’t like the idea of having another murder on my turf.” He took his cellphone out of his pocket and glanced down. “Staying with Miss Ross is a good idea. She’s a good employee. We all like her and she lives close to the station.”

She nodded in acceptance. “What about Fields? Are you going to arrest him?”

“We questioned Mr. Fields, and he has an alibi.” Cavanaugh was wearing his best poker face. “Let me worry about Fields. You take care of our girl.”

Stephanie was propped up in bed when Hollis visited the hospital on her lunch hour. The color had returned to her face, and her blond hair was gathered in a loose ponytail.

“Hey, thanks for coming by. Did you get all your stuff moved in?” When Stephanie tried to sit
up in the bed, she gave a slight grimace of pain, followed by a rueful smile.

Hollis felt a new pang of guilt. “Yes, I did. And everything is all ready for your homecoming, day after tomorrow. Do you know what time they are going to set you free?”

The doctor entered. “You can pick her up at eleven a.m. We need her bed for sick people.”

Stephanie smiled. “I agree.”

This was not the doctor Hollis had met earlier. He was short and slim with the air of efficient competency. He extended his hand. “Hello, are you my surrogate?”

Hollis laughed. “Yes, I’m ready for my nursing orders.”

He talked her through care instructions while checking Stephanie’s wound. Hollis held her breath as the bandages came off, and although she wasn’t squeamish, it still hurt her to see her friend deal with pain that should have been her own.

“Things look good
. She’s healing nicely. Bring her back Friday and I’ll take another look.”

He left with a wave of his clipboard.

Stephanie turned to Hollis, who stood at the side of her bed. “I know you’re busy helping Mark with Cathy’s case and assignments from your own job.” She pointed to her bandages. “Are you sure you’re going to be able to do this?” Her voice cracked. The examination must have tired her.

“Not even a concern,” Hollis said. “I’m done with the Koch matter and I’m onto a new case George just gave me.
Transformation
is moving forward, and Cathy’s case has been taken over by the police.”

She knew Stephanie wouldn’t pick up on her lie about
Transformation,
and after debating with herself, she decided not to mention the police surveillance until Stephanie was released. It also didn’t seem a good time to tell her that she was still pursuing leads in Cathy’s murder.

“You don’t fool me.” Stephanie said as if reading her mind. “Be careful, Hollis.”