Midnight Rambler_ A Novel Of Suspense Part 12

Melinda didn't own a car and relied on the largesse of other dancers for rides. I drove her to a sprawling apartment complex near Weston and parked outside her unit. A giant palmetto bug smacked into the winds.h.i.+eld, making us both jump.

"Oh, Jesus, I hate those things," Melinda said. "Make it go away."

I cleaned the bug's remains off the gla.s.s and got back in.

"Will you do it?" I asked.

She looked away. "Leave Florida? I don't know."

"You need to get out of here for a few weeks," I said. "I'll buy the airline ticket, send you money for food."

She placed her hand on my thigh. "Will that make me your kept woman?"

I got out, came around to her side, and opened her door. I was all business walking her up the path to her ground-floor unit. She caught my drift, but at the door she embraced me anyway.

"One day, Jack. One day."

"Will you do it?"

"You sound like a recorded message. I hate that."

"I'm sorry. Will you?"

Her key ring came out, and she unlocked her door.

"Let me sleep on it," and she was gone before I could reply.

During the drive home I remembered Jessie's basketball game. It was late and she was probably asleep in her dorm room, but I called her anyway. Her voice was groggy when she answered.

"I'm sorry I woke you," I said. "How was the game?"

"We won," my daughter said. "Your dream was right. I shot eight for twelve from the three-point line and hit 80 percent of my free throws."

"You're a star."

My daughter giggled. "Thanks for calling. How was your day?"

"Couldn't of been better."

"Good. Good night, Daddy. Love you."

"Love you, too."

I ended the call. Talking to Jessie gave purpose to my day, and I looked out my window at the s.h.i.+mmering lights from hundreds of houses visible from the interstate. It wasn't that long ago that I'd lived in one of those neighborhoods, with a wife and a child and a big backyard, where I'd hoped to put a swimming pool. Back then, my life had been filled with headaches and dreams, and I was always wis.h.i.+ng for things I didn't own. It had never occurred to me how good things really were and that I should have been content with what I'd had. Now, I knew. And I wanted that life back, and all the problems that went with it. Somehow I didn't think that was too much to ask for.

PART TWO.

G.o.d BLINKED.

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CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

G.o.d blinked.

My five-year-old daughter stood before me, wearing a pink polka-dot bikini and clutching a plastic bucket. We were visiting friends on Hutchinson Island for the weekend, and Jessie wanted to go sh.e.l.l hunting on the beach with the older kids.

"Please, Daddy, I want to go," she pleaded.

The beer bottle in my hand was empty, and I was craving another. Outside the screened porch stood the other children, waiting expectantly. I did not like letting Jessie out of my sight. Seeing my hesitation, Jessie stomped her foot.

"Please, Daddy!"

I sensed a tantrum coming on and felt myself start to cave.

"Promise me you won't bother the turtles we saw last night," I said.

Jessie began to pout. Last night, under a full moon, our family had watched giant loggerhead turtles that had swum all the way from South Africa lay dozens of perfectly round white eggs in nests they'd dug on the beach. Jessie hadn't stopped talking about it.

"But I wanna see them," she said.

"I'll take you later," I said.

"You will?"

"Yes. Now promise me you'll stay away from them."

She stared at the floor. "Okay."

"Good. Now go have fun."

I watched her leave, then went to the kitchen for a fresh beer. On the way I was besieged with orders from my friends.

"Hey Jack, how about another cold one?"

"Jack, I could use more wine."

Jack, Jack, Jack.

We'd been partying all day long, and no one was feeling any pain. In the kitchen I fixed the drinks and put them on a tray, then returned to my friends. I served Rose, and she kissed me. Then I served my friends, and they tried to kiss me, too.

I returned to my chair. Something didn't feel right. Rising, I went to the screened window and stared at the sand dunes behind the house. The kids were having a blast and making plenty of noise. Finally I realized what was wrong. I didn't hear Jessie. Opening the screen door, I called her name.

No answer.

The dreadful void of silence was a sound worse than any cry or scream. Stepping outside, I went to where the older kids were playing in the dunes, half expecting to have my daughter jump up and yell "Boo!"

But she didn't.

"Where's Jessie?" I asked them. "Where is she?"

The older kids gave me blank stares. Then one pointed down the beach. I ran to the next dune and found Jessie's bucket. There were three sand dollars in it.

I couldn't believe this was happening. I was a cop. I should know better.

"Daddy!"

I ran to the sound of her voice. Twenty yards away, Jessie sat in the tall gra.s.s, crying and clutching herself. I gathered her into my arms.

"Make him go away," she sobbed. "Make him go away!"

"Who, honey? Make who go away?"

"The man in the gra.s.s!"

"What man?"

"The naked man! He said he wanted to play with me. Make him go away!"

I clutched my daughter against my chest. My heart was pounding out of control, and I could not stop blaming myself for what had happened. Rose appeared, looking shaken, and I handed my daughter to her.

"Don't let her out of your sight," I said.

Then I ran down the beach as fast as my legs would carry me and searched for the man who'd tried to molest my daughter.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

A pounding on my door awakened me the next morning. Pulling the sheet over my bare torso, I grabbed Buster by the collar. pounding on my door awakened me the next morning. Pulling the sheet over my bare torso, I grabbed Buster by the collar.

"We're all friends here," I said.

Sonny entered my rented room wearing black jeans, a Black Sabbath T-s.h.i.+rt with holes in the armpits, and a black crucifix-a dark messenger if there ever was one.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty, you need to see this," he said.

I threw on yesterday's clothes and followed him downstairs. A steaming cup of coffee awaited me in the bar. I sipped my drink and watched Bobby Russo on the TV. Russo was holding a news conference at police headquarters and fielding questions from a handful of reporters. He was dressed up and had traded his trademark fish tie for a more respectable solid blue one.

"How did the police confirm that the body found in Julie Lopez's backyard was her sister Carmella's?" a reporter asked.

"Dental records," Russo said.

"How long was the body there?"

"There's no way for us to know. The rain washed away a great deal of evidence."

"Have the police confirmed she was murdered?"

"Yes."

"Do you know the cause of death?"

"Strangulation."

"Do you have a suspect?" another reporter asked.

"We do," Russo said. "Ernesto Sanchez."

"Can you tell us what evidence you have against him?"

"Mr. Sanchez was an acquaintance of Carmella Lopez and lives in the same house with her sister," Russo said. "We also found an item of Mr. Sanchez's clutched in the victim's hands."

"Can you tell us what the item was?"

"A gold crucifix."

"Has the suspect been charged?"

"The suspect has not been arraigned," Russo said.

"When will that happen?"

"I can't comment at this time."

The news conference ended. Russo was stalling Ernesto's arraignment to give his detectives more time to study the Skell file. It was a smart tactic, but he was only delaying the inevitable. I finished my coffee and told myself that I had done everything I could. I'd fought the good fight, and tomorrow would be another day. The words were hollow, but they were all I had left.

A perky female newscaster came on the screen. Imposed on a screen behind her was a photo of Simon Skell with a banner that read Hollywood Calling?

"The Simon Skell case is attracting attention in Hollywood," she said cheerfully. "According to Variety, Variety, Paramount Studios is purchasing the rights to Skell's life story from Skell's wife, Lorna Sue Mutter. Possible stars being considered to play Skell are Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Russell Crowe. No word on who might play Jack Carpenter, the Broward County detective who Lorna Sue claims tortured and framed her husband." Paramount Studios is purchasing the rights to Skell's life story from Skell's wife, Lorna Sue Mutter. Possible stars being considered to play Skell are Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Russell Crowe. No word on who might play Jack Carpenter, the Broward County detective who Lorna Sue claims tortured and framed her husband."