Biloxi Blue (The Biloxi Series Book 2) Page 5

  Kate chewed on her lack of information and her problems with the department as she walked up to the dispatch desk.

  “Giveans.” Sergeant Mike Wilson caught her as she headed toward the pit. “It's about time you got here. Chief Roe wants to see you. He said as soon as you get in.” A phone behind the desk rang incessantly. Wilson, who looked larger than he actually was sitting behind the glass enclosed desk, reached for the phone. His voice was deep and loud over the ringing of the phone. “The Chief checked on you several times already, so don't get lost on your way back. I'm too busy to keep answering his calls.”

  What was going on? Jack called twice while she was at the scene, but he didn’t leave a message. Now he wanted her attention. Why was he so impatient to see her? He wasn’t the kind of guy that needed to know where she was and what she was doing all the time. It must be something important.

  “Thanks.” Kate grumbled as she headed down the hall to the pit – an area where all the detectives worked when they weren’t out in the field doing the physical work of investigating crimes. It was a large open room, with desks shoved together either in pairs, or sitting alone in a strange maze that had no beginning and no real end, and seemingly no organization at all.

  Phones, printers, copiers, and people talking all the time fed into the same space creating a chaotic environment. Some people might find it distracting. Kate used to find it exhilarating, but now she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. She wasn’t sure how she felt about anything lately, especially her job. That complicated things. A lot.

  She spotted her desk and emotion punched her in the chest. Her own desk sat butted up against another, empty desk. It hadn't always been empty. Once upon a time that desk belonged to Jack — Chief Roe. It seemed like an eternity ago. So much had changed in three months between her and Jack, personally and professionally.

  His belief that shouldn’t waste time looking for the person who killed Dale Abernathy had shocked Kate and she still wasn’t sure what to do with that. His explanation was that Abernathy’s murder righted a grievous wrong by saving the girls that Abernathy kidnapped for the human trafficking trade. To Kate, it felt wrong. Who was Jack to determine which criminal was better or worse than another? Wasn’t that the point of the justice system? Law enforcement’s job was to catch criminals. It wasn’t their job to play judge and jury, and it bothered Kate that Jack didn’t feel the same way.

  If he was willing to look the other way concerning that murder, what else was he willing to turn his back on? Things were changing here at work, and even within herself. Her wants and desires were different now. Even Jack changed after he was promoted and Kate wasn’t sure how she wanted to move forward. The thought of staring at an empty desk day after day only amplified all the discomfort and difficulty she’d experienced since first coming to this department.

  She hated not being partnered with Jack, but she also didn’t want another partner. She’d just as soon be alone if she decided to stay in police work.

  Jack’s only choice had been to take the promotion when it was offered. He had his niece, Lisa, to think about. Kate even told him as much but that didn't make her feel any better. Knowing she should be happy for him and actually being happy were two concepts that might as well have been on different planets because she could find no way to bring them together.

  Kate laid her gun in the top, right-hand drawer of the metal desk that had probably been around since the fifties and pushed the door shut. She locked it and dropped the key into her front pocket.

  “Giveans!”

  Jack's voice boomed across the pit, bringing Kate back to the present.

  She turned, hands in her pockets, but didn't make a move toward his office. The pit was quiet. Even the phones didn’t ring for a breath as Kate took it all in. All of the detectives scattered around the pit waited for her to respond. They wanted to see how she would handle the new norm, how she and Jack would handle it together. Would Kate get special treatment? Or would he be harder on her than anyone else? The people that didn’t want her here weren’t sure if he would stand with her or with them. Kate knew Jack was in a difficult position.

  She focused her gaze on him and raised an eyebrow in question. She knew she was pushing it, but this was Jack’s opportunity to prove to the other detectives in the department that she might be his girlfriend but he was still chief.

  Quit fooling yourself, girl. After the morning you’ve had, you want to push his buttons just a little.

  She did. Even though she knew she shouldn’t.

  It worked. Even from across the room she could see the red creep up his neck and flush his cheeks. “My office. Now!” Without waiting for acknowledgement, he turned back into his office.

  As Kate watched him go, she spotted someone else sitting in his office. The other person, a man, with his back to the glass walls that separated the office from the pit. Except this guy wasn’t average. His shoulders were wider than the back of the chair.

  Kate hurried toward Jack’s office. She shouldn't have goaded Jack. She hadn't known there was anyone else in his office. If she had…

  She needed to stop. She could second guess every look she gave him and every word she said to him. At the end of the day, he was her supervisor and she shouldn't antagonize him.

  I shouldn’t have taken my mood out on him. I should apologize.

  Later, when they were alone. Apologizing here and in front of whomever sat in front of his desk would only make things worse.

  At Jack's door, Kate removed her hands from her pockets and cleared her throat. Jack's eyes still flashed with anger when he looked up, but she could see him slide a mask of indifference in place, which only made her feel worse about her rude behavior.

  “Detective Giveans.” Jack motioned to the other man, who now stood, facing Kate. “This is Detective Caleb Castille.”

  Kate could only stare. He was a big man, but every inch of his body was like chiseled stone. His forearms were tight ropes of muscle. Unbidden a picture of his cut abs filled her mind. The athletic cut of his dress shirt accentuating a small waist and bulging shoulders. Kate was certain that shirt was made specifically to fit his physique.

  Kate concentrated as she stuck out her hand in greeting. “Nice to meet you.” She sounded calm, but her mind raced. The only flaw she could see in the man so far was a scar running across the top of his bald head. Somehow, it accentuated his facial features which were also nicely carved, though not sharp or chiseled. Rugged. She could picture him in jeans and a T-shirt or a three-piece suit. He looked like the kind of man that would be comfortable in either. To top it all off, his warm handshake was firm but gentle. She could feel power and control, and that sent a stinging current racing up her arm spreading warmth all the way to her center.

  Kate pulled her hand away and wondered what this detective was doing in Jack's office. What did it have to do with her?

  She opened her mouth to ask, but Jack spoke first.

  “Detective Castille, has come to us from New Orleans.” Jack glanced from Kate to the floor. “How's the new case going?”

  Did Castille have some information that could help her case? “It's not really going. There was nothing immediately helpful at the scene. I’ll have a few dozen employee interviews to conduct and…” Kate bit off the rest of what she was about to say. She’d already decided to keep Paul Usry’s actions to herself. Whining about it would do no good. “But so far there's been nothing useful.” Kate turned her attention to Castille.

  “Is that why you’re here,” she asked. “Do you know something about this case?” It seemed unlikely, but Kate could think of no other reason he would be here.

  Castille didn’t say a word; he just glanced back at Jack. Surely the news couldn't be that bad. Or maybe he was just slow. What a shame. A handsome guy like that should have brains, too.

  “Giveans, he's not here about your case.” Jack wouldn't look directly at her. He rose from his desk and came to stand between her and the new
guy, but his gaze wandered across the pit as he closed the distance.

  Once directly in front of her, Jack straightened his back and drilled her with a stare that made her feel like an ant caught under a magnifying glass. A deep breath expanded his chest. Then, “Castille is your new partner.”

  Kate felt as if someone had slipped a white-hot knife beneath her breastbone. “Excuse me?”

  A new partner?

  This had to be a joke. It wasn’t. The look on Jack’s face said he was completely serious.

  Fury boiled in her chest and coursed through her veins. They talked about this. Jack knew that she didn’t want another partner. He’d as much as promised she wouldn’t have one.

  Not true. He never committed one way or the other.

  Still. He should have given her some kind of warning. This couldn’t have just come up today. That’s now how things work. It took time to hire a new detective.

  More secrets. More lies.

  Kate went rigid. She straightened her back and squared her shoulders. At attention. “Jack…” She checked herself. “Chief Roe, I requested to remain without a partner,” she said through clenched teeth.

  “I'm aware of that Giveans. However, I think you’ll be more effective with a partner.” Jack took a casual pose but remained between her and Castille. Casual with Jack could be deceptive. His shoulders weren’t quite as wide as Castille’s but Jack held rank over them both. Kate could tell every muscle in his body was being held in tight control.

  She should back off. “I don’t need a partner. I can handle my workload just fine.”

  And let's face it, my luck with partners doesn't seem all that good.

  She’d gotten her first partner killed. She'd nearly allowed Jack to be killed last year. She had protected him from John Juarez, but then he’d been promoted. Now she was partner free, and she preferred that over having someone who wasn’t Jack. Even someone that looked as good as Caleb Castille.

  “You don't have a choice. Castille is your new partner, and I expect that you'll treat him with respect. This is not open for discussion.” Jack's tone betrayed the anger he was working to hold back.

  That didn't stop Kate from trying to stare him down.

  Jack stared back. His military discipline wouldn’t allow him to be intimidated. Kate respected him too much to push it any further. She looked away. She couldn’t win this fight. Not here. Not in this way. But it wasn't over yet. He would have to deal with the fallout later.

  “Fine.” She turned and without another word to Jack she started out of his office.

  “Follow me.” She didn't need to look back to know her Goliath of a new partner was following her. It was written on the faces of every other detective in the pit.

  “Giveans,” Jack called after her as she stalked through the pit.

  Kate stopped and turned back, feeling the heat rise from her neck to her hairline. She sidestepped around Caleb to see Jack. Their gazes met. Jack’s eyes flashed with the same anger she felt.

  “The next time I call your phone? Answer it.” Jack turned back into his office and closed the door.

  NINE

  “That’s yours.” Kate pointed at an empty desk. Caleb walked around and dropped into the chair that sat in front of the desk.

  Kate stood in front of her own desk and Caleb watched her fingers fly over the keyboard. Then she stood motionless, reading the screen. . “Let’s go,” she said without looking at him. She unlocked a desk drawer, retrieved her Glock 9mm, and snapped it into a holder. Then she headed for the double doors that led out into the main lobby without pausing to see if he was with her.

  Caleb rushed to catch up with Kate. He was taller than her by almost a foot, but she could move. By the time he was beside her, she was pushing through the double doors into the gray April afternoon. This should be fun. He watched the back of her neck as she strode through the parking lot.

  He was up for the challenge Kate represented. He wanted to know what made her tick. Why was she so against having a new partner? Was it just because he wasn’t Jack, or was it because of her previous partner? Caleb intended to find out what ghost crab had crawled into her shorts. By the time he was done, she would be happy to not only have him as a partner, but to let him take the lead. He just had to bide his time and let everything come together.

  He followed her to the Charger and folded himself into the passenger seat. As Kate whipped out of the parking spot he clicked his seatbelt in place and gripped the door handle to keep from being slung into the side window.

  “Where are we headed?” Kate drove like a NASCAR driver. He braced himself against sliding on the leather seat and tried not to look like he was afraid for his life. He wasn’t comfortable in the passenger’s seat at any time, but especially not when the person driving handled the car like a racer and was a woman.

  “To track down a security guard.” Her voice was clipped and tight.

  Caleb bit back frustration. He needed to find a way to get her talking.

  “Okay. That's a start. Care to give me some details about this security guard and why we need to speak to him?” He kept his voice business like, and free of any emotion that might make her feel like she had the upper hand. That was not going to happen. Caleb understood that if a woman like Kate knew she was bothering him, she would consider it a win. She would not gain any ground in this particular battle.

  Kate shot him a glare that could discourage a hungry gator and looked back to the road in time to crank the steering wheel hard to make a turn.

  Caleb could hear her teeth grating. He had decided she would continue the silent treatment when she heaved a sigh like an exhaust vent and her posture relaxed enough for her shoulders to ease down some. She sank deep into the bucket seat.

  “We've got a female victim, killed inside the offices of a logistics company after hours. There's nothing to go on yet, so we get to do the legwork.”

  Good. She was talking. Caleb began formulating his next question, but he held his tongue because Kate continued to speak. As she went through the details of the case and what she knew, Caleb watched her features. Her long blonde hair was pulled back from her face, but that only served to accentuate her high cheekbones and full lips.

  She was definitely good-looking. When her face wasn’t pinched in anger. As she talked, the frown lines on her forehead relaxed, revealing smooth, fair skin. Her green eyes never looked away from the road as she swerved in and out of traffic, but Caleb didn’t need to see them to know their depths. During the moments they were face-to-face in Jack’s office, he had watched emotion dance in her eyes. Anger darkened the color but when she looked at Jack, even when she was angry, sadness shadowed them. Something was off between them, Caleb realized, and he intended to find out what.

  The absence of Kate’s voice brought Caleb back into the moment. She had finished reciting the details about the murder scene.

  “So, what’s the deal with the security guard?” he asked.

  Kate was quiet for a long time. Caleb watched as frown lines pulled down the corners of her mouth. He waited. She would fill him in when she was ready, he knew. Pressing for details would only delay the process.

  “Brandon Causey,” she said, the muscles in her jaws tight. Her shoulders had tightened back up and her posture was rigid again. “He was released before I had a chance to speak to him this morning.” Her voice was flat.

  “Released?” Caleb’s voice rang with surprise. He knew there was no way a witness should have been released before the lead homicide investigator said it was okay. There had to be more to it. Something she wasn’t saying, and Caleb knew that patience would yield all the information he needed to know. He gave Kate the space to continue when she was ready.

  His patience paid off faster than he expected.

  “One of the patrol detectives, Paul Usry, decided he wasn’t essential to the investigation and let him go before I could talk to him.” Kate’s voice remained quiet, but Caleb could hear notes of strain as
she struggled to remain calm. “The real issue, though, is that I just looked the kid up. He’s got a sheet. Drug-related and violent priors. He could be involved in this.”

  “Are you serious?” Caleb’s deep voice boomed inside the confines of the car.

  Kate jumped.

  “Sorry.” He checked himself and asked in a quieter, calmer voice, “Why did Usry release him? It’s completely against protocol. Did he know about the priors? Did you report it?”

  Kate glanced at him when he finished firing off questions. “You done?”

  “Kate, this is serious.”

  “No, it’s not.” Kate pressed the accelerator and sped through a yellow light then switched lanes to avoid rear-ending a car that was stopping for the light. “It was a mistake, Castille. That’s all.”

  “At best, it’s incompetence.” Caleb shot a look of disbelief at her profile. She chewed her bottom lip with such intensity that he was afraid she would bite through it.

  She knows it’s serious but she doesn’t want to deal with it.

  “There’s more to it, isn’t there?”

  Again, Kate was quiet.

  “Why didn’t you tell the chief?”

  Kate exhaled in a gush. “You’re not going to let this go, are you?” She gripped the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles had gone white.

  “No, Kate. This is not something that you just let go.” Caleb wanted her to stop the car so they could have a face to face conversation. He needed to see her facial expressions clearly as she answered and he needed her to see him so she could see that she could trust him.

  Kate didn’t seem interested in stopping. In fact, the more they talked, the more recklessly she drove. She slid the car onto an onramp for Interstate 10 West and floored the accelerator. When the speedometer hit 95 miles per hour, she eased off a little and allowed the car to settle into a steady speed. Then she began to talk.

  “He’s aware. Just not of specifics.”