Red market, p.13
Red Market, page 13
“Fine.”
On the ride up to Castro’s floor, I swear I heard a Muzak version of a Joan Jett tune. What was this world coming to? The rise of fascism and domestic terrorism was bad enough, but to create an easy-listening version of “I Love Rock and Roll?” A sure sign of the approaching Armageddon.
When we reached Castro’s door, Frank the security guard knocked on the door. “Mr. Castro, building security. We’re conducting a safety check.” When no immediate response came, he repeated his actions.
“We need to get in there,” I snapped.
Frank inserted a keycard into the lock slot. A green light appeared, and the door buzzed.
I drew my Taser and followed Frank into the apartment. The glass inserts from the coffee table had been smashed to shards. A floor lamp was knocked over. A mirror on the wall was cracked. And there was blood on the floor.
“Rodeo, take the kitchen. Z and Caden, the guest bedrooms and bath. I’ll take the master bedroom.”
“Wait a minute,” Frank said. “You have no authority here.”
“Shut up, Frank,” I said. “And stay out of our way.”
I found the doorframe to the master bedroom shattered. The comforter was pulled askew and smeared with more blood. “Sebastian? You in here?”
A pair of feet stuck out from the other side of the bed. Sebastian lay on the floor, unmoving. Face swollen and bloody. I checked his pulse. He was alive.
“Found him! Call for an ambulance!” I searched the master bath to make sure Cooper wasn’t still there, then holstered my Taser and rushed back to Sebastian.
“Hey, Sebastian? You okay, buddy?” I shook his shoulder gently.
He moaned, then cried out in pain and sobbed.
“Easy, easy. Help’s on the way. Can you tell me what happened?”
“Tod.”
“How’d he get in the apartment?”
“I let him in,” he said and sobbed harder.
Seriously? I wasn’t about to guilt-trip him, though. “It’s okay. He’s gone now.”
I helped him onto the bed just as Zahara walked in.
“He okay?” The concern in her voice was so genuine, it broke your heart to hear it.
Frank marched in behind her, looking unsure what to do. He had his phone to his ear. “I’ve got 911 on the line. They’re sending an ambulance.”
“No,” Sebastian shook his head. “I don’t want to go to no damn hospital. I’m fine.”
“You can tell them that when they get here,” I said. “But you were out cold. Could have a concussion. Can you tell us what happened?”
I’d spent only a year as a cop, and in situations like this, my brain switched to rescue mode, making me ask questions to track down the bad guy. And Tod was already on my list of assholes I needed to snap the cuffs on.
“He called. Said he was sorry for everything. Coming out for a guy like him, it’s hard, you know? Lotta internal homophobia to overcome. Afraid of losing his friends.”
Listening to Sebastian making excuses for the guy made me want to shake him, but I just listened and nodded.
“He even brought flowers and wine. And not that cheap shit.”
Zahara held his hand. “How did things go from apologies to violence?”
“Like they always do, I guess. We had drinks and were making out, and then, I don’t know. It’s like something switches in his brain. Same old of Jekyll-and-Hyde shit. Started calling me a fucking whore. No matter what I say, it’s the wrong answer. Next thing I know, he’s wailing on me. I got to the bedroom and tried to call you, but he broke in.”
“Why didn’t you call downstairs?” Frank asked.
Sebastian glared at the man. “I have, you asshole. All you people do is tell me to wait while you call the cops. At least Jinx and Rodeo came right away. Where is Rodeo?”
“I’m here,” he said, holstering his Taser. “Cooper’s in the wind again.”
Sebastian tenderly touched his bloodied lip. “Fuck.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll get him. I’m sorry this happened to you again.” And I meant it.
Some people really knew how to fuck with your head and push all the right buttons. “You shouldn’t let him in anymore. You’ve got a restraining order against him. He’s not supposed to be here. Even if you want him here.”
“I know. But I miss him. I know it’s stupid.”
“Just hang in there,” I told him. “The EMTs will get you patched up, okay?”
Sebastian sobbed quietly for a moment. Then he said, “One-Eyed Jack’s.”
“What’d you say?” The name sent a chill down my spine.
“The straight bar where Tod hangs out with his buddies. I remembered the name. Real shithole. Even for a straight bar. Nineteenth Avenue and Dunlap.”
“I know it,” I said glumly. “A real bucket of blood.”
Voices came from the living room. “Mr. Castro?”
“Cops are here,” Rodeo said.
“Look, Sebastian. I know you like this guy when he’s not in asshole mode, but he’s not worth it.”
I wrote down my father’s name and work number on one of my cards, unsure about the ethics of referring business to my own father. But this kid needed help, and my father needed new clients since returning to work.
“This is my dad’s information. He’s a therapist specializing in trauma and abuse. He can help.”
“Great, just what I need. A shrink poking around in my head.”
“Up to you. But he’s helped a lot of people. And he’s queer friendly.”
That last point registered with him, if his eyes were any indication. “Thanks.”
“In the meantime, we will find Tod the Bod and put him behind bars where he can’t hurt you anymore.”
The cops walked in. We gave them a brief statement. I mentioned nothing about the bar where Cooper hung out, and to my surprise, neither did Sebastian.
Chapter 23
The Boyfriend at the Bar
Outside in the condo parking lot, the western sky was an explosion of clouds and color, the kind that no sunset photo could do justice.
“Jinx, if you’re thinking of going to One-Eyed Jack’s and grabbing Cooper…” Rodeo started.
“Why not? We apprehended Freddie Colton there a few years back.”
“And nearly got murdered by that angry mob.”
“Only because Fiddler bailed on us in the middle of an operation, leaving the two of us to fend for ourselves. Now we’ve got twice the number. Odds are much more in our favor.”
“What is this place?” Zahara asked.
“A hellhole,” Rodeo answered. “When a fight breaks out, they don’t bother calling the cops. They just mop up what’s left.”
“Doesn’t scare me,” Caden said. “I’m in.”
“It should scare you, little man. These people are monsters. They’d chew you up like a bowl of beer pretzels.”
“Hello, I worked as a corrections officer for four years. I can handle myself.”
“You worked at Tonopah’s women’s prison. Nothing like these guys, trust me.”
“Yeah, yeah, big scary dudes,” I replied derisively. “We took on those psycho gun nuts in White Nation and came out okay.”
“I seem to recall someone didn’t fare so well.” Rodeo shot a look at Caden. “As I recall, someone nearly died from a gunshot wound. How long were you in rehab, Caden?”
“I survived. But if you don’t feel you’re up to the challenge, dude, feel free to bail.”
“I’m not bailing. Just concerned,” Rodeo said. “Smart move would be to tail him when he leaves and grab him when he arrives wherever he’s going. And that’s assuming he’s even at this bar in the first place.”
I looked over at Zahara. “You care to weigh in?”
“Sorry, Jinx, but I’m with Rodeo on this one. If he’s at this bar, we grab him when he’s alone after he leaves. Better odds.”
Two in favor, two against. Of course, being the boss, I got the deciding vote. “This guy drives like a maniac when he’s being chased. It was how I lost him the first time.”
Rodeo shrugged. “So we don’t tip him off that he’s being followed.”
“Four nearly identical SUVs?” I asked. “He might get suspicious.”
“Not if he’s already half in the bag,” Z added.
“Well, if that’s the case, we owe it to public safety not to allow him to drive home.”
No one spoke for several minutes.
Finally, I said, “Compromise. We don’t grab him inside. We wait for him to come out. Grab him when he’s getting into his truck.”
My team members exchanged glances. “Fine. I can live with that,” Rodeo agreed.
“Z?” I asked, turning to her.
“Seems prudent. Don’t need any deaths from a drunk driver.”
“And Caden?”
“Not as much fun as going in guns blazing, but I can live with it.”
“Sounds like we have a plan. Let’s just hope he’s there. Otherwise, this whole discussion is academic.”
We drove north a few miles, then turned west onto Dunlap and finally into the small parking lot at Nineteenth Avenue. Besides the bar, the L-shaped shopping center was home to a check-cashing business, a massage parlor, a gun store, and a shuttered doughnut shop.
A bald man with a linebacker’s physique sat on a stool by the bar’s entrance, focusing on his phone.
I immediately spotted Cooper’s pickup truck in the second aisle of spaces and parked next to it. I could still see the bar’s front door. The others parked at strategic locations across the lot to be ready when he emerged from the bar.
I turned on my radio. “Here’s the plan. Coyote Four, I want you to wait near the bus stop on Nineteenth. When the target comes out of the bar, move in and follow. Make sure the target can’t run back inside. And keep an eye out for the bouncer. Make sure he doesn’t interfere. Over.”
“Copy that, Coyote One. Over,” Caden replied.
“Coyote Two, when the target passes the first row of cars, close in behind him. Coyote Three and I will intercept him from in front. We take him down quickly and quietly so as not to draw any undue attention. Got it? Over.”
“Roger wilco. Over,” Rodeo replied. Zahara also acknowledged the plan. And the waiting began.
At a quarter after seven, Conor called. Shit, I’d totally forgotten.
“Hey, love. Ya coming home? Stew’s all ready. Leia helped me make some soda bread to go with it.”
My stomach growled. Had I eaten lunch? I couldn’t remember. “Sorry, babe. I’m staking out a fugitive at a bar.”
“Just grab the wanker outta there and call it a night.”
“It’s One-Eyed Jack’s.”
“Ah. Perhaps a wait-and-see strategy might be the most prudent approach. How long’s the bloke been in there?”
“At least two hours.”
“Shite! Okay, well, the longer he’s in there, the easier he’ll be to grab.”
“Hope so. I’ll be home when I can.”
A few long hours later, movement caught my eye, but it wasn’t at the door of the bar. “Target’s in sight,” I said into my radio. “Everyone move in. Over.”
“Where?” Caden replied. “No one walked out of the bar. Over.”
I slipped out of my truck and quietly shut the door. “Massage parlor two doors down. Looks like he’s headed toward the bar. Coyotes Two and Four, move in to intercept. Watch the bouncer. Over.”
“Shit, I got him.”
Zahara and I approached his truck from opposite ends of the row on the side nearest the intersection.
“Hey, Tod!” Rodeo called in a seductive voice. He’d ditched his vest and his tactical belt and now strolled toward Cooper. The bouncer was on the far side of them, with Caden approaching cautiously from behind.
“Can’t believe you let me fuck you last night, but then you leave before the crack of dawn. Didn’t take you for a love-’em-and-leave-’em kinda guy.”
“Who the hell are you?” Cooper yelled back with a threat of violence in his voice.
The bouncer looked toward Rodeo and Cooper but stayed put for the moment. Caden had his Taser in hand, gradually closing the distance.
Rodeo approached. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten my name already? It’s Lance. We met at Stallions, remember? I suppose you were kinda drunk. By the way, you owe me a new comforter after you threw up all over the old one.”
“Stay the fuck away from me, you goddamn faggot!”
“What the hell’s going on here?” The bouncer stood up from his stool.
“Stay put,” Caden told him from fifteen feet away. “And stay quiet.”
The bouncer turned to stare at Caden, who had clearly surprised him. He raised his hands in surrender. Was that a pistol in his waistband? “It’s cool, man.”
“What the fuck’s going on?” Cooper looked back and forth between Rodeo and Caden.
“Let’s move,” I told Zahara. “Keep your eyes on the bouncer. Make sure he doesn’t pull that weapon in his belt.”
“Copy that.”
Zahara leveled her shotgun at the bouncer. “Sit your ass back down, Tiny. Keep your hands in the air. You reach for that piece and you’ll wish you hadn’t.”
I focused on Cooper, my Taser pointed at his chest. “Tod Cooper, your bail bond has been revoked for failure to app—”
He charged me like an enraged bull. I hit him with the Taser. The juice flowed, but he was already hurtling toward me like a planet-killer asteroid.
Drawing on my police training, I stepped to the side, grabbed his shirt with my free hand, and used his momentum to drive him face-first into the tailgate of a Ford pickup. He hit with a sickening thud then dropped to the pavement.
Distant voices echoes through the lot, but tuned them out while I flipped Cooper onto his stomach and cuffed him. He groaned, letting me know he was still alive.
“Tod Cooper, your bail bond has been revoked for failure to appear. I am returning you to the custody of the Maricopa County Jail. Any attempt to resist may result in additional charges and jail time.”
I didn’t know if he could hear me, much less understand. I was just glad to have him finally.
“Rodeo, help me get him up.”
“Bitch,” Cooper muttered groggily.
“What the hell do you people think you’re doing?” the bouncer asked.
“Sir! Sit back down,” Zahara ordered. “This is a legal matter that doesn’t concern you.”
Rodeo grabbed Cooper's other arm, and we hefted him to his feet. He managed to stand. Barely.
When we were within ten feet of my truck, I heard the thunder of a shotgun, followed by a baritone howling.
“I told you to stay put.”
“Get off me. You people ain’t cops.” Cooper tried to shake us. “Fucking kill you, bitches.”
“Shut the hell up, Cooper, or I’ll tase you again.”
“Jinx!” Zahara called. “We got company.”
I opened the back door of my SUV and glanced back toward the bar. A couple of guys must have heard the shotgun and come out to investigate. I shoved Cooper inside the truck and shut the door.
“Come on!” I shouted to Z and Caden. “Time to go.”
“You need me to follow you to the jail?” Rodeo asked.
“No, get on outta here. Make sure Z and Caden get away okay.”
“Roger that, boss.”
I hopped into the driver's seat. “Comfy back there, Cooper?”
“Fuck you, bitch.”
“Same to ya.”
I hadn’t had time to buckle him in. Oh well. If he got bounced around a little, he sure as hell had it coming.
Chapter 24
Where's My Son?
I drove Cooper to the Fourth Avenue Jail and got him checked in. When I arrived home, it was nearly ten thirty. With Rayna’s car in our garage, I parked in the driveway and walked around to the front door.
Just as I stepped onto the porch, movement caught my attention. A man I didn’t recognize stumbled from the shadows. His clothes were disheveled, and he sported a few days’ worth of stubble.
“Where the hell’s my son?” he shouted.
“Excuse me?” I rested a hand on my Taser.
“My son! Luke Ripley. You took him, you stupid bitch.”
It clicked. Ripley. Asshole was talking about Leia. This guy must be Rayna’s ex, Mike Ripley.
“I didn’t take anyone’s son, buddy. I’d advise you to go home and sleep it off.”
“I saw you, you perv. You and my woke bitch of a wife are grooming him, brainwashing him into thinking he’s a girl.”
“Sir, you are trespassing. If you do not leave right now, I will have you arrested. You will not enjoy it, I promise.”
Instead of walking away, he started shouting. “Luke! Luke! You get your pansy ass out here this minute! This is your father.”
“Suit yourself.”
Since he was so close, I used the Taser as a stun gun. Ripley’s body stiffened and shuddered, then dropped onto the concrete. I cuffed him as he lay there. The guy’s breath reeked like a brewery.
The front door opened, and Conor stepped out. “What the bloody hell’s going on?”
“Leia’s dad.”
“Shite! Ya need me to call the police?”
I contemplated the idea. Calling the cops might put Rayna and Leia in further danger if they searched the house. But I couldn’t just let this guy go.
For starters, he was too inebriated to drive. And who knew what else he might try? Unless I somehow convinced him that Rayna and Leia weren’t here.
“Luke,” Ripley grunted. “His name’s Luke.”
I put my knee into his back, just in case he got any ideas. “Listen up, asshole. Luke is not here. So we can play this one of two ways. Either I call the cops and have you arrested for trespassing. Or I call you a taxi, and you go home and sleep it off. So what’ll it be?”
“I want my son.”
I dug my knee harder into his back. “Your family is not here, asshole. They left. Gone. Do you understand?”
