The Innocent

Chapter





34


ROBIE SLID INTO the Beemer, started it, and peeled off. As he drove he called the phone he had left Julie. She didn’t answer.

Shit!

He punched it. Driving this fast in town, even at this late hour, was problematic. Traffic and lots of lights. And lots of cops.

But then he had a thought. Vance seemed the highly efficient type. That meant…

He looked over the dashboard. Then he saw the box under the steering column. It had been an add-on, obviously.

I love you, Agent Vance.

He hit the switch and blue grille lights were activated and a siren started blaring. He ran four red lights and shot across town so fast it would’ve made a kick-ass commercial for the German car company. Within minutes he found himself tearing down the street where his apartment was located. A couple of times he saw cops in cars glance suspiciously at the Beemer with police lights, but they let him go.

He parked on a side street, jumped out, and zigzagged his way on foot to the building where he’d left Julie. He took the stairs two at a time. He raced down the hall. He’d texted her twice on the way over and had gotten no response. He eyed the door. No forced entry. He pulled his gun, slid the key in the door, and eased it open.

The front room was dark. He did not hear the beep of the alarm. That was not good.

He closed the door behind him. He moved into the room, his gun swiveling in a defensive arc.

He didn’t call out, because he didn’t know who else might be in here.

He heard a noise and moved quietly into the shadows.

The footfalls were heading his way. He pointed his gun, ready to fire.

The light came on. He stepped out.

Julie screamed. “What the hell?” she gasped, holding her chest. “Are you trying to give me a freaking heart attack?”

She was dressed in pajamas and her hair was wet.

“You were in the shower?” he asked.

“Yeah. Am I the only person in the world who likes to be clean?”

“I called and texted.”

“Water and electronics don’t mix, so I’ve heard.” She picked up her phone off the coffee table. “Do you want me to text you back now?”

“I was worried.”

“Okay, I’m sorry. But I couldn’t exactly take the phone in the shower.”

“Next time, at least take it to the bathroom. Why wasn’t the alarm on?”

“I went down to the lobby to get a newspaper. I was going to set it before I went to sleep.”

“A newspaper? I didn’t think your generation read old-fashioned newspapers.”

“I like information.”

“All right, but I want you to keep the alarm on all the time.”

“Fine. But why were you so freaked about me?” She stopped and glanced at his arm. “You’re bleeding.”

He rubbed the spot. “I cut myself.”

“Through your jacket?”

“Forget about it,” he said sharply. “Did you notice anything suspicious tonight after I left?”

She noted the strain on his face and said, “Tell me what happened, Will.”

“I think I was followed. But I don’t know from what point. If from here, it’s not good, for obvious reasons.”

“I saw or heard nothing suspicious. If someone wanted to get me, they had their chance.”

Robie looked down and saw that he still had his gun out. He holstered it and looked around. “Everything okay? You need anything?”

“I’m great. I did my homework, ate a healthy dinner, brushed my teeth, and said my prayers. I’m good to go,” she added sarcastically. She pulled a piece of paper from a pocket on her pajama top and handed it to him.

“What’s this?”

“The assignment you gave me? Anything weird in the last couple weeks? I also put down the addresses of the places where my mom and dad worked. Things I know about their past. Friends they had. Things they used to do. I thought it might be useful.”

Robie gazed down at the precise handwriting on the page and nodded. “It will be useful.”

“Who shot you?”

He instinctively glanced at his arm and then at her.

“I’ve seen people shot before,” she said matter-of-factly. “It’s just sort of the world I grew up in.”

“I don’t know who did it,” answered Robie. “But I intend on finding out.”

“Does this have to do with that woman and her kid getting killed?”

“Probably, yeah.”

“But then you strike me as the kind of guy who might have lots of enemies for lots of different reasons.”

“Maybe I do.”

“But you’re still going to help me find out who killed my mom and dad, right?”

“I said I would.”

“Okay,” she said. “Can I go to bed now?”

“Yeah.”

“You can stay if you want. It won’t freak me out.”

“I’ve got some things to do tonight.”

“I understand.”

“I’ll set the alarm on my way out.”

“Thanks.”

She took her phone, turned, and walked down the hallway. He heard the bedroom door lock behind her. He set the alarm, locked the door behind him, and left.

Robie was pissed.

He was getting played. That he knew.

He just didn’t know who was doing it.