the First Rule (2010) (11 page)

Pike was bothered by the absence of a phone. He looked under and around the desk, then pulled a mound of sheets and a comforter from the bed. He found rumpled clothes, two open boxes of cookies, an open box of Pampers, some magazines, three partially consumed bottles of water, a paperback novel about vampires, an unopened bag of Peanut M&M's, and a single unused tampon still in its wrapper. He found the messy clutter of a young woman who liked to shove everything in the corner, but no phone. Pike lifted the mattress. Nothing.

Pike realized he had not found a purse or wallet, either. It occurred to him that her phone had probably been in her purse, and the paramedics might have taken her purse along when they rushed her to the hospital. Pike made a mental note to tell Cole. Cole could check to see if this was what happened, and whether or not the hospital still had the purse in their possession.

The tiny room held a closet smaller than a phone booth. The bathroom was across the hall. Pike went through the closet first, then the bath. The closet floor was deep with clothes, shoes, and an empty backpack. A corkboard had been tacked to the inside of the door and was covered with snapshots, cards, pictures cut from magazines, ticket stubs, and drawings. Ana was in most of the pictures, but not all, posing with people her own age, everyone smiling or mugging for the camera. Most of them had probably been taken in the past couple of years, and a few had writing. Luv, Krissy. You da bomb! BFF! Like that.

Pike didn't take them all. He selected pictures that appeared the most recent, and those with handwritten notes and names, and tucked them into the yearbook. He had just crossed the hall into the bathroom when he heard a car door. He picked up the computer and yearbook, hurried to the front of the house, and saw two unmarked Crown Vics. Terrio and Deets were already out of their car, and two more detectives were climbing out of the second car. Terrio and Deets went to Pike's Jeep, then scowled toward the house.

Pike left the way he had entered, went around to the side of the house, then slipped through the hedges to the wall. He didn't go over. He stripped a .25 caliber Beretta from his ankle and a Colt .357 Python from his waist, then chinned himself up to see what was on the other side. He dropped the computer, yearbook, and guns into a soft cushion of calla lilies, then let himself out the side gate onto the drive.

Terrio and the others were halfway up the drive when Pike stepped out, letting them see him.

Terrio said, You forget what that yellow tape means?

I wanted to see what happened.

You have no business seeing what happened. Did you enter the premises?

Yes.

Why?

To see.

Deets grinned at the other detectives.

I like it. We have breaking and entering, illegal entry, interfering with a lawful investigation. How about adding burglary, Pike? Did you take anything?

Pike spread his arms, offering to let them search.

See for yourself.

Deets moved behind Pike.

Good idea. I've heard about this guy, Jack. Never know what he might be packing.

The younger detective ran his hands over Pike's legs, pockets, and belt line, but his grin collapsed when he found nothing.

Terrio didn't look so happy about it, either, but he tipped his head toward the house, speaking to the other detectives.

I'll catch up with you. I'm going to walk Mr. Pike to his car.

Terrio didn't say anything more until they reached the street. He leaned against Pike's Jeep. This bothered Pike, but he didn't object.

Terrio studied Frank's house for a moment.

Why'd you come here?

To see. Like I told you.

That why you went to the hospital?

Pike wondered how Terrio knew.

That's right.

The girl died this morning. That makes twelve homicides. If you think I'm spending all my resources digging up dirt on your friend, you're wrong.

Pike didn't respond. He figured Terrio would make his point soon enough.

I've got the mayor, the police commissioner, and the brass on my arm. I've got a rising body count, and no certain suspects. If you know something that could help, you should tell me.

Can't help you.

Terrio stared at Pike for a moment, then laughed.

Sure. Sure you can't. You're here because you want to see.

Pike's cell phone buzzed. It buzzed so loudly that Terrio stepped away from the Jeep.

Why don't you get it, Pike? Might be important.

Pike didn't move. The buzzing stopped when the call went to voice mail.

Terrio said, Get out of here.

Pike watched him head toward the house. Pike knew Terrio would glance back when he reached Frank's door, so he got into his Jeep and pulled away. He drove far enough so he couldn't be seen from Frank's house, then jogged back through the neighbor's yard to the calla lily bed, recovered his guns and the things he had taken, and walked away.

PIKE DROVE TO THE far side of the park before he pulled over to check his phone. Cole had left a message, asking him to call.

When Cole answered, Pike said, Me.

You wanted to know how a gangster could be connected to the nanny?

Cole was being dramatic, and continued without waiting for an answer.

Here's a hint. Your girl Rina works for the Serbian mob.

Ana's sister.

That's right. Her sister is the connection.

Pike watched the children in the park. He watched the toddlers run with short, awkward steps, and little ones try to stack blocks, and fail, because their tiny hands were too small to hold the blocks well.

You've been on this less than two hours.

Am I not the World's Greatest Detective?

Pike glanced at his watch.

Ninety-two minutes.

Karina Markovic, also known as Karen Mark, age twenty-six, arrested twice for prostitution, once for assault, and once for robbery, a john claimed she stole his wallet. Total jail time served is nine days. She was busted in a Serbian sex crib up in the Valley. She's been in this country for at least eight years, and she's probably here illegally.

The San Fernando Valley was the porn capital of the world, and the Russian gangs discovered it as soon as they arrived. The sex trade was an easy moneymaker, but American women were difficult to control, so the Russians brought Russian girls over, and each new wave of East European gang sets followed the pattern, from the Ukrainians to the Armenians to the Serbs.

Pike said, Does she have warrants?

None at this time, but that doesn't mean there won't be. Her license plate came back as inactive, which means the plate is not in active registration through the DMV.

Her car is stolen.

Stolen, or built from stripped parts. The Eastern Bloc gangs are into that, they build them from stolen parts, and ship them home. She might not know it was stolen. She might not even know the plate is no good. But the apartment address you gave me? Definitely not hers. The registered tenant is one Janic-with-a-J Pevich.

Cole pronounced Janic with a y. Yanni.

He have a record?

Nothing that I found, but the day is young.

Pike lowered the phone, but did not move. He watched the children playing, and thought that now he understood why Rina Markovic was armed and afraid. The Serbian mob owned her, and someone in the Serbian mob had killed her sister. Pike wondered if this was the fourth man.

Either way, Rina knew who pulled the trigger.

Pike made his way toward Yanni's apartment, wondering if Rina was there or if she had already moved on. Pike wasn't worried about it. Even if she had gone, he could make Yanni tell him where to find her.

Pike cruised through the small visitors' parking lot where Yanni's truck had been parked before, but now it was gone. He took a space at the end of the lot, and tucked the Python under his belt. He didn't bother to hide the pry bar.

Pike waited until two joggers passed, then hopped the gate into the residents' parking lot. Rina Markovic's car was still in the parking spot for apartment 2205.

Pike left the parking garage like any other resident and made his way along a sidewalk between the buildings. The grounds were large, with eight separate three-story buildings laid out like four equals signs end to end in a line. The buildings followed a curve of land between the river channel and a residential street, and were pleasantly shaded with tall gray eucalyptus trees and thick oleanders. Pike searched almost ten minutes before he realized the apartment number wasn't 2205, but was apartment 205 in building number 2. He found the apartment in the second-to-last building.

It was quiet at the rear buildings, with all the daytime activity around the pool and up front by the mailboxes and parking garages.

Pike climbed a flight of stairs, found 205, and listened at the door. The apartment was silent, so he covered the peephole and knocked. When no one answered, he knocked again, harder, but still heard nothing.

Pike checked the area to make sure no one was watching, then wedged the end of the pry bar into the jamb where the dead bolt was seated. The door had more play than he expected, so Pike pressed harder, and realized the dead bolt wasn't locked. He gave the pry bar a hard shove, and the jamb gave at the knob lock. Pike stepped inside, then closed the door, having to force it past the splintered jamb.

Pike found himself in a small, simply furnished apartment that was dim because of the pulled curtains. He was in the living room, facing an open kitchen to his right and a bedroom to his left. The kitchen and bedroom were separated by a door that was probably a bathroom. The bedroom door was open, but the bathroom door was closed. The shower was running.

Pike drew the Python as he crossed to the bedroom. He made sure the bedroom was empty, then moved to the kitchen as the shower stopped. Quick glance into the kitchen, then he turned toward the bathroom, waiting, the gun hanging along his leg.

The door opened an inch, then suddenly opened wider with a billow of steamy air. Rina came out with her eyes down, vigorously toweling her hair. She was naked, with very white skin and a fleshy body. In the instant before she realized she was not alone, Pike studied her, seeing that corded pink scars crisscrossed her belly as if she had been clawed. The scars were so deep they puckered, and Pike knew by their faded color they were old.

Then she saw him. She shrieked and lurched sideways, bunching the towel to cover herself.

Pike raised the gun enough to make sure she saw it, but did not point it at her.

Who killed them?

She was as still as an ice sculpture. Her white face paled to translucence, her gaunt cheeks and hollow eyes highlighted by points of blue. She stood with the towel, water leaking across her shoulders and down her legs.

Pike said, Who?

Get out of here. I will call the police.

Who?

You are insane. I will scream.

She glanced at the door just as Pike heard the knob, and Yanni stepped through carrying what looked like a large gym bag. He was so big he filled the door, and had to tip sideways to enter.

A scowl flickered on the big man's face even as he dropped the bag and charged. Rina shouted something in the other language, but Pike simply waited as he watched Yanni come.

Yanni came hard and large the way big men do, trusting his size to do everything for him, so Pike knew Yanni had never been properly trained. He came in with his arms up and out, planning to drive Pike into the wall. Pike was so far ahead of the play he saw the steps of what was about to happen as if they were preordained.

He let Yanni reach him, then pushed Yanni's hand down to hook his arm. Pike dropped under and brought the arm with him, rolling the big man over his hip, and put Yanni flat on his back. Pike hit him on the forehead with the Python. Pike hit him again, harder, and this time the skin split deep and Yanni's eyes turned glassy.

It took less than two seconds, but when Pike glanced up Rina was already in the bedroom.

He reached her as she turned from the bed with the pistol, caught it, and twisted it away. She didn't quit easily. She punched at him and tried to claw his eyes as Pike dragged her backward to the living room so she could see Yanni. Her elbows cut into him, and she stomped at his feet and made grunting noises while trying to rake his eyes.

Pike said, Stop.

Yanni was still down, blinking in confusion at the blood filling his eyes.

I know you know. The mob owns you. You know who did this.

She fought even harder, whipping her head from side to side. She was strong. Muscles like rope under the pale skin.

Pike squeezed so tight that something in her cracked. He hammered back the Python.

I won't ask you again.

Yes.

Yes what?

I know. I know who killed them. I know who did this.

Who?

My husband.

Pike held her trapped in his arm, the water from her hair soaking into his skin, her chest heaving.