“What is it?” Colt asked.
Krissy pulled the photos out of the envelope and handed them to Colt. “Those are my parents,” she said. “She’s sending me a message.”
“So now the race is on. We have to stop Jailene before she gets to your parents.” Colt was already thinking of a plan even as he said the words. “She hasn’t given us a deadline yet. The crazies always give a deadline.”
“Never use the words ‘crazies’ and ‘always’ in the same sentence.”
On the outside Krissy was wearing her brave cop face, but this was beginning to get very personal. Underneath her solid exterior, Colt could see the fear in her eyes. He could see pain and anger and he felt his need for justice being coupled with a need to protect Krissy from this terror that was beginning to creep around her shell and permeate her being.
“We’ll get her,” Colt assured her. “But first we need to protect your parents. Let’s send them somewhere. I’ll take care of all the arrangements.”
Taking care of the arrangements was really quite simple for Colt. Once he had all the information he needed from Krissy, he dialed his office and spoke to the receptionist. “Hi, Jamaica. It’s Colt.” They got the small talk out of the way for a few minutes before he handed off the assignment. Turning his attention back to Krissy, Colt announced, “They will leave first thing in the morning. We’ll have a shuttle service pick them up and take them to the airport. Now,” he paused. “Let’s catch Jailene Arroyo.”
** Author's note: The kids are being really loud right now and I can't think. More to come tomorrow.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Colt Crawford - Chapter 14 (Tuesday)
“Jailene Arroyo. Thirty five, single, rents a small apartment in Santa Barbara that she never uses. According to Mathis she’s rich, but there are no records of her anywhere.” Colt ticked off the little that they knew about their prime suspect.
“Don’t forget vindictive,” Krissy added. “And I think we can safely assume that the name is an alias. She’s also involved with Steven Mathis.”
“With Mathis out on bail, they could still be working together.” Colt thought back to the conversation they had had with Mathis at the police station. At the mention of her name his demeanor had changed. “No matter what he says, he still has the hots for her.”
Colt and Krissy were sitting at the small cubicle that Krissy called her office. There decor was somewhat bland, the beige walls interrupted only by the occasional memo that one of the detectives had posted as a reminder. Behind her, a freestanding white board told the story of the lives they were investigating. It began with a picture of Samantha Woods and progressed to Mathis, then to Kevin, the university bookie. Next to him was a photo of Jailene Arroyo. At the bottom was a final picture of Jasmine Kennedy, Mathis’ assistant who was attacked at the university.
Right in the middle, at the bottom of the board, was a picture of Creighton Ford. “We have two victims, one attempted suicide, and three suspects.” Krissy was really talking more to herself than to anyone in particular as she studied the photos. Then she looked right at Jailene’s picture and spoke to it. “Where are you, you little rich princess? Where do you hide?”
“She must know we are on to her by now. I would bet she’s using a new alias,” Colt said.
“Or she’s gone back to her real identity, which is where the money is,” Krissy speculated.
Krissy’s phone rang and she pulled it off the clip on her belt to answer it. “Malone,” she said without expression. “Where is it? I’ll be right there.”
“Uniforms just found a car with a banged up right front fender down by the beach.”
“And that makes them think it is the one that hit us last night? Don’t they need more evidence than just a banged up car?” Colt asked.
“Oh, yeah. Did I mention that Kevin was inside it? Dead.”
Colt could feel the whole case change in the blink of an eye. This had been an assault and battery case, not a murder investigation. Now the stakes had just been raised. Together they made their way to the parking lot and arrived at the scene within only a few minutes.
Sitting in the front seat of his 1992 Camaro was the body of a sturdy college boy with a troubled, yet bright future. Clutched in his arms, the detective noticed a manilla envelope. “Did you open the envelope?” Krissy asked the uniformed officer who had made the find.
“No, ma’am. We just pulled his ID online from the car’s plates. Haven’t touched the scene,” a well-trained young man replied.
Slipping her hands into white rubber gloves, Krissy examined the body. One gunshot wound to the center of his forehead. “Someone wanted him dead,” she commented as she reached down and carefully disengaged the envelope from the boy’s hands and lifted the flap. She glanced inside and gasped as she pulled out the contents.
“Don’t forget vindictive,” Krissy added. “And I think we can safely assume that the name is an alias. She’s also involved with Steven Mathis.”
“With Mathis out on bail, they could still be working together.” Colt thought back to the conversation they had had with Mathis at the police station. At the mention of her name his demeanor had changed. “No matter what he says, he still has the hots for her.”
Colt and Krissy were sitting at the small cubicle that Krissy called her office. There decor was somewhat bland, the beige walls interrupted only by the occasional memo that one of the detectives had posted as a reminder. Behind her, a freestanding white board told the story of the lives they were investigating. It began with a picture of Samantha Woods and progressed to Mathis, then to Kevin, the university bookie. Next to him was a photo of Jailene Arroyo. At the bottom was a final picture of Jasmine Kennedy, Mathis’ assistant who was attacked at the university.
Right in the middle, at the bottom of the board, was a picture of Creighton Ford. “We have two victims, one attempted suicide, and three suspects.” Krissy was really talking more to herself than to anyone in particular as she studied the photos. Then she looked right at Jailene’s picture and spoke to it. “Where are you, you little rich princess? Where do you hide?”
“She must know we are on to her by now. I would bet she’s using a new alias,” Colt said.
“Or she’s gone back to her real identity, which is where the money is,” Krissy speculated.
Krissy’s phone rang and she pulled it off the clip on her belt to answer it. “Malone,” she said without expression. “Where is it? I’ll be right there.”
“Uniforms just found a car with a banged up right front fender down by the beach.”
“And that makes them think it is the one that hit us last night? Don’t they need more evidence than just a banged up car?” Colt asked.
“Oh, yeah. Did I mention that Kevin was inside it? Dead.”
Colt could feel the whole case change in the blink of an eye. This had been an assault and battery case, not a murder investigation. Now the stakes had just been raised. Together they made their way to the parking lot and arrived at the scene within only a few minutes.
Sitting in the front seat of his 1992 Camaro was the body of a sturdy college boy with a troubled, yet bright future. Clutched in his arms, the detective noticed a manilla envelope. “Did you open the envelope?” Krissy asked the uniformed officer who had made the find.
“No, ma’am. We just pulled his ID online from the car’s plates. Haven’t touched the scene,” a well-trained young man replied.
Slipping her hands into white rubber gloves, Krissy examined the body. One gunshot wound to the center of his forehead. “Someone wanted him dead,” she commented as she reached down and carefully disengaged the envelope from the boy’s hands and lifted the flap. She glanced inside and gasped as she pulled out the contents.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Colt Crawford - Chapter 13 (Thursday)
Don't forget that today is voting day. If you have read this during the voting period before and not voted, now is your chance to redeem yourself. The buttons are on the right. Enjoy!
---
Colt’s side of the car was undamaged, but Krissy’s side was pinned against the tree. “Are you hurt?” he asked.
“Not bad,” Krissy said, “But I’m sure I’ll be sore tomorrow.”
Colt glanced around and saw no other cars on the dark road. “I think we are going to need a ride.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and made a call. “This will be a busy place in a few minutes.” As they sat in the darkness, safely strapped inside the damaged car, Colt reached his hand toward the black button on the dash. To his surprise, it worked. The motor began its faint hum and the top began to tuck neatly away behind the rear seat. “Might as well enjoy the stars.”
Krissy smiled as she looked up. “That makes it a little easier for me to get out too.” Colt slid his hand over toward Krissy and let it rest on hers. She felt the comforting squeeze and was thankful she was not alone. A thin smile spread across her face as she looked directly at Colt. The couple sat in silence as they waited for the arrival of flashing lights to come to the rescue.
Wednesday morning was rough. As a precaution, both Colt and Krissy had been taken to the hospital for an evaluation. They were released at 3:00 in the morning and both were ready for bed. “I’ll get us a ride,” Krissy said. “I happen to know people who are awake this time of day.” She pulled out her phone and made a quick call.
Colt was grateful when the officer dropped him off at the hotel. With eyes half shut and soreness setting in, he made his way up to his room. It only took a minute for him to give in to the call of sleep. It had been a long day.
The sound of the waves crashing on the shore provided a soothing accompaniment to the glow of the morning sun as its warm rays crept around the edges of the hotel curtain casting a dim light into the darkened room. Colt rolled over and stared at the clock for several minutes before the numbers came into focus. It was just after 9:00, yet it felt like the middle of the night.
Despite his muddled head, Colt decided to get up and face the day. After pulling the curtain back and allowing the sun to fully illuminate the room, Colt took a quick shower and decided that he had better find a place to rent a car. His iPhone provided him with a list of choices and after only a few minutes he had a car reserved a few blocks inland.
After a quick bite to eat at the continental breakfast bar, Colt began the short walk to the rental agency. His muscles were tight in places and his left knee had some bruising, but other than that, he was fine. The sun was warm despite the cool air and Colt was beginning to feel refreshed. His mind ticked off what he knew about the accident and the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to find Jailene Arroyo. A block later he began forming a list of all the things he would need to do now that his car had been wrecked. He would have to start with the insurance company.
By the time he reached the next intersection his mind had drifted to the “what if” stage. What if the accident had been worse. What if someone had been hurt? What if Krissy had gone to the chief's alone? He grew angry as he thought about what could have happened.
It didn’t take long for him to transition to the “why” stage in his mind. Why did this happen? Did God want it to happen? Did God make it happen? His anger intensified as he thought. It was not anger at God, he was angry that someone had tried to hurt him and Krissy and he became determined to hunt the person down at all costs.
Then his mind flashed back to the verse he had heard in the small L.A. church on Sunday. “Consider it pure joy when you face trials.” This was a trial, but joy was not on his mind. Revenge was. Or maybe, more appropriately, justice, but either way it involved the guilty being caught and punished and Colt knew it would consume him.
---Results---
Krissy is going to receive more threats to back off the investigation. What should the next threat be?
A) Pictures of her parents delivered to her at the police station - 42%
B) Slashed tires on her car - 42%
C) A phone call - 14%
---
Colt’s side of the car was undamaged, but Krissy’s side was pinned against the tree. “Are you hurt?” he asked.
“Not bad,” Krissy said, “But I’m sure I’ll be sore tomorrow.”
Colt glanced around and saw no other cars on the dark road. “I think we are going to need a ride.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and made a call. “This will be a busy place in a few minutes.” As they sat in the darkness, safely strapped inside the damaged car, Colt reached his hand toward the black button on the dash. To his surprise, it worked. The motor began its faint hum and the top began to tuck neatly away behind the rear seat. “Might as well enjoy the stars.”
Krissy smiled as she looked up. “That makes it a little easier for me to get out too.” Colt slid his hand over toward Krissy and let it rest on hers. She felt the comforting squeeze and was thankful she was not alone. A thin smile spread across her face as she looked directly at Colt. The couple sat in silence as they waited for the arrival of flashing lights to come to the rescue.
Wednesday morning was rough. As a precaution, both Colt and Krissy had been taken to the hospital for an evaluation. They were released at 3:00 in the morning and both were ready for bed. “I’ll get us a ride,” Krissy said. “I happen to know people who are awake this time of day.” She pulled out her phone and made a quick call.
Colt was grateful when the officer dropped him off at the hotel. With eyes half shut and soreness setting in, he made his way up to his room. It only took a minute for him to give in to the call of sleep. It had been a long day.
The sound of the waves crashing on the shore provided a soothing accompaniment to the glow of the morning sun as its warm rays crept around the edges of the hotel curtain casting a dim light into the darkened room. Colt rolled over and stared at the clock for several minutes before the numbers came into focus. It was just after 9:00, yet it felt like the middle of the night.
Despite his muddled head, Colt decided to get up and face the day. After pulling the curtain back and allowing the sun to fully illuminate the room, Colt took a quick shower and decided that he had better find a place to rent a car. His iPhone provided him with a list of choices and after only a few minutes he had a car reserved a few blocks inland.
After a quick bite to eat at the continental breakfast bar, Colt began the short walk to the rental agency. His muscles were tight in places and his left knee had some bruising, but other than that, he was fine. The sun was warm despite the cool air and Colt was beginning to feel refreshed. His mind ticked off what he knew about the accident and the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to find Jailene Arroyo. A block later he began forming a list of all the things he would need to do now that his car had been wrecked. He would have to start with the insurance company.
By the time he reached the next intersection his mind had drifted to the “what if” stage. What if the accident had been worse. What if someone had been hurt? What if Krissy had gone to the chief's alone? He grew angry as he thought about what could have happened.
It didn’t take long for him to transition to the “why” stage in his mind. Why did this happen? Did God want it to happen? Did God make it happen? His anger intensified as he thought. It was not anger at God, he was angry that someone had tried to hurt him and Krissy and he became determined to hunt the person down at all costs.
Then his mind flashed back to the verse he had heard in the small L.A. church on Sunday. “Consider it pure joy when you face trials.” This was a trial, but joy was not on his mind. Revenge was. Or maybe, more appropriately, justice, but either way it involved the guilty being caught and punished and Colt knew it would consume him.
---Results---
Krissy is going to receive more threats to back off the investigation. What should the next threat be?
A) Pictures of her parents delivered to her at the police station - 42%
B) Slashed tires on her car - 42%
C) A phone call - 14%
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Colt Crawford - Chapter 13 (Wednesday)
It was just after 10:00 when Colt and Krissy began to wind their way down from the Chief’s hilltop home. The moon wasn’t quite full, but it did shed some light on the dark road. Colt was carefully maneuvering the car back toward the main road that would take them back to sea level when he glanced at the rear view mirror and noticed two headlights approaching. At first he thought nothing of it, but when he realized that it was traveling at much faster rate than his car was going, he began to get nervous.
***
Creighton Ford sat alone in his living room. He had taken a huge gamble and, for once, it had paid off. His own stunned silence was drowned out by the sound of the screaming Texas fans on his TV set. No one had predicted that Texas could defeat the undefeated Gators, but it had just happened and Creighton’s financial worries were about to end.
The feelings of relief and invincibility that flowed through his veins made his mind jump to the next big event. The Super Bowl. Could he pick the final score for that game too? Images of financial security flooded his inflated ego. No more day job. A new TV. A place on the beach. It was all too good to be true. But for now, he had a payment to make to save his girlfriend’s life. Even if the relationship was doomed by his suicide attempt, he still owed it to Samantha to call off the killers.
***
The impact of the speeding vehicle against the back of Colt’s car was sudden. The angle of the carefully planned collision caused the back end of the BMW to slide to the right and veer toward the side of the road. As the convertible skidded across the dark and narrow street, fear gripped its two occupants. Colt was fighting the wheel, attempting to steer back onto the road just as a second impact rattled the car.
The once pristine vehicle with the scarcely used copilot seat came to rest with the passenger door wedged up against a large oak tree. The side-impact airbags had deployed, thus cushioning Krissy’s head from the window, but doing little to prevent rattled nerves.
Struggling to clear his head, Colt glanced out his window to see two red tail lights disappear in the distance.
***
Creighton Ford sat alone in his living room. He had taken a huge gamble and, for once, it had paid off. His own stunned silence was drowned out by the sound of the screaming Texas fans on his TV set. No one had predicted that Texas could defeat the undefeated Gators, but it had just happened and Creighton’s financial worries were about to end.
The feelings of relief and invincibility that flowed through his veins made his mind jump to the next big event. The Super Bowl. Could he pick the final score for that game too? Images of financial security flooded his inflated ego. No more day job. A new TV. A place on the beach. It was all too good to be true. But for now, he had a payment to make to save his girlfriend’s life. Even if the relationship was doomed by his suicide attempt, he still owed it to Samantha to call off the killers.
***
The impact of the speeding vehicle against the back of Colt’s car was sudden. The angle of the carefully planned collision caused the back end of the BMW to slide to the right and veer toward the side of the road. As the convertible skidded across the dark and narrow street, fear gripped its two occupants. Colt was fighting the wheel, attempting to steer back onto the road just as a second impact rattled the car.
The once pristine vehicle with the scarcely used copilot seat came to rest with the passenger door wedged up against a large oak tree. The side-impact airbags had deployed, thus cushioning Krissy’s head from the window, but doing little to prevent rattled nerves.
Struggling to clear his head, Colt glanced out his window to see two red tail lights disappear in the distance.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Colt Crawford - Chapter 13 (Tuesday)
Krissy handed the note to Colt. He scanned it and realized that their investigation must be on the right track. “If this is from Jailene, she’s not nearly as smart as Mathis says she is.”
“If she’s stupid enough to threaten me, she’s stupid enough to follow through with it.” Krissy flipped the note over in her hands looking for anything that might tip her off as to where Jailene Arroyo might be hiding. “I can’t let her intimidate me, but we need to be careful. She’s got money, connections, and 25-to-life reasons to want us to stop digging into this.”
“We can forget about it for now. As long as we are on our way to watch a football game, she’ll think we dropped it. We are safe for tonight.” Always the gentleman, Colt offered his arm to Krissy. With a slight blush she gently placed her hand inside his elbow and walked toward the car.
Chief Brown’s house was located about five miles inland and was situated high atop one of the countless hills that lines the Santa Barbara coast. The view of the city lights and ocean below was spectacular as the road weaved its way up the bluff. The outside of the house presented an older, more modest facade, but it was deceptively simple. Given the hillside construction, the main entry was actually on the upper floor. The lower floor, which was not visible from the street, was built into the cliff and offered breathtaking views of the ocean far below.
Colt rang the doorbell and listened as the chime played inside the home. The chief himself, dressed in civilian attire, answered the door with his wife by his side. “It’s so good to see you again, Krissy,” Vicki Brown said as she gathered Krissy into a matronly embrace. “Please, come in.” Chief Brown extended his hand and Colt met him halfway. His grip was firm and friendly.
“The game’s about to start. We have plenty of food and lots to drink, so make yourself at home.” The chief escorted his guests through a wide hallway and past the recently remodeled kitchen. Tucked into the back corner of the house was a large informal living room lined with floor to ceiling windows along the back wall. A flat screen TV hung on one side and a large sectional couch was nestled into the opposite corner allowing anyone who sat upon it to take in a football game and the impressive view at the same time.
“My guess is that Florida is going to have this thing won by half-time,” Chief Brown announced as the opening kickoff sailed across the vivid screen and into the hands of a Florida player. “You asked me about my health earlier, so clearly you have been busy detecting something. That’s what you detectives do, right?” Krissy nodded. “I’ve been at this game long enough to know when something is going on. What is it you are looking into? I have nothing to hide.”
“Krissy, feeling as if she really could trust the man began. “You were seen associating with one of our key suspects and we need to clear your name in order to continue with the investigation.”
The chief looked surprised. “And who is this suspect of yours. I do try to avoid the criminal element in my social life. It’s bad for P.R.”
Krissy explained that she and Colt had seen Chief Brown at Mathis’ office and that she had recalled his suspicious extended vacation a few year back. She really wasn’t employing any interrogation techniques at the moment, rather she was talking to a friend.
“As I said, I have nothing to hide...anymore,” Brown said with a sigh of resignation. “Two years ago I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. I kept it a secret while I was undergoing treatment so as to not disrupt the flow of things within the department. I preferred my privacy during that time. I’m fine now. As for Mathis, I only know him because I bought my boat from him. We’ve been friendly ever since. He’s a bit odd, though, so I’m not surprised if he has a side I haven’t seen. What exactly are you suspecting him of?”
“He’s a yacht broker by day and a bookie by night. We think the attacks we are investigating have to do with attempts to collect on unpaid balances,” Colt said.
The conversation continued off and on through out the first half of the game. By half-time, the chief’s prediction was right on. Florida was up 17-3. “You sure you haven’t put a little wager on this game, Chief?” Colt asked with a grin.
“If she’s stupid enough to threaten me, she’s stupid enough to follow through with it.” Krissy flipped the note over in her hands looking for anything that might tip her off as to where Jailene Arroyo might be hiding. “I can’t let her intimidate me, but we need to be careful. She’s got money, connections, and 25-to-life reasons to want us to stop digging into this.”
“We can forget about it for now. As long as we are on our way to watch a football game, she’ll think we dropped it. We are safe for tonight.” Always the gentleman, Colt offered his arm to Krissy. With a slight blush she gently placed her hand inside his elbow and walked toward the car.
Chief Brown’s house was located about five miles inland and was situated high atop one of the countless hills that lines the Santa Barbara coast. The view of the city lights and ocean below was spectacular as the road weaved its way up the bluff. The outside of the house presented an older, more modest facade, but it was deceptively simple. Given the hillside construction, the main entry was actually on the upper floor. The lower floor, which was not visible from the street, was built into the cliff and offered breathtaking views of the ocean far below.
Colt rang the doorbell and listened as the chime played inside the home. The chief himself, dressed in civilian attire, answered the door with his wife by his side. “It’s so good to see you again, Krissy,” Vicki Brown said as she gathered Krissy into a matronly embrace. “Please, come in.” Chief Brown extended his hand and Colt met him halfway. His grip was firm and friendly.
“The game’s about to start. We have plenty of food and lots to drink, so make yourself at home.” The chief escorted his guests through a wide hallway and past the recently remodeled kitchen. Tucked into the back corner of the house was a large informal living room lined with floor to ceiling windows along the back wall. A flat screen TV hung on one side and a large sectional couch was nestled into the opposite corner allowing anyone who sat upon it to take in a football game and the impressive view at the same time.
“My guess is that Florida is going to have this thing won by half-time,” Chief Brown announced as the opening kickoff sailed across the vivid screen and into the hands of a Florida player. “You asked me about my health earlier, so clearly you have been busy detecting something. That’s what you detectives do, right?” Krissy nodded. “I’ve been at this game long enough to know when something is going on. What is it you are looking into? I have nothing to hide.”
“Krissy, feeling as if she really could trust the man began. “You were seen associating with one of our key suspects and we need to clear your name in order to continue with the investigation.”
The chief looked surprised. “And who is this suspect of yours. I do try to avoid the criminal element in my social life. It’s bad for P.R.”
Krissy explained that she and Colt had seen Chief Brown at Mathis’ office and that she had recalled his suspicious extended vacation a few year back. She really wasn’t employing any interrogation techniques at the moment, rather she was talking to a friend.
“As I said, I have nothing to hide...anymore,” Brown said with a sigh of resignation. “Two years ago I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. I kept it a secret while I was undergoing treatment so as to not disrupt the flow of things within the department. I preferred my privacy during that time. I’m fine now. As for Mathis, I only know him because I bought my boat from him. We’ve been friendly ever since. He’s a bit odd, though, so I’m not surprised if he has a side I haven’t seen. What exactly are you suspecting him of?”
“He’s a yacht broker by day and a bookie by night. We think the attacks we are investigating have to do with attempts to collect on unpaid balances,” Colt said.
The conversation continued off and on through out the first half of the game. By half-time, the chief’s prediction was right on. Florida was up 17-3. “You sure you haven’t put a little wager on this game, Chief?” Colt asked with a grin.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Colt Crawford - Chapter 13 (Monday)
Krissy’s work schedule kept her busy. As a result she spent a lot more time out of her house than she did in it. On the bright side she was rarely in her house long enough to get it dirty, but conversely, she was rarely home long enough to get it clean. Early Tuesday evening, Krissy busied herself cleaning the kitchen while she waited for Colt to arrive.
The plan was for him to pick her up at home so they could drive to Chief Brown’s house for the big football game together. As she rinsed the few dishes that had been left out, she realized that she was nervous and it had nothing to do with making a social visit to her boss’s house. She was nervous about Colt.
Krissy couldn’t help but notice that her relationship with Colt could very easily turn into more than just a professional arrangement. There was something about him that was different from other guys. She could see it in his deep brown eyes each time he looked at her and she knew he could see the same thing in hers. An undeniable attraction existed between them and it was something that she was going to have to face.
The nagging thought that kept eating at her was the lack of any kind of faith in his life. Krissy had been raised in a Christian home and had made the decision to own that faith as her own while still a teenager. She intended to honor that decision her whole life, but with the addition of Colt in the picture, there was an added degree of complication. To Krissy, her faith in God was her highest priority. It was the reason for living. If Colt didn’t share that where would they find common ground?
Krissy’s hands mindlessly rinsed the dishes then settled them into the scarcely used dishwasher. Reflecting back on the last several days her mind sorted through countless thoughts and emotions. The file cabinet in her head was opening and closing drawers so quickly that Krissy couldn’t even keep up with her own thoughts. She had only known Colt for a weekend, but they had spent nearly every waking minute together. Her mind ping-ponged back and forth between what her head was telling her and what her heart was telling her. She knew that, despite all of Colt’s wonderful qualities, he was not on board with her spiritually and to get involved with him would be a recipe for heartache down the road. Then why did it feel so right to be with him?
“God,” she prayed, her head bowed above the kitchen sink. “Help me do the right thing.”
The doorbell chimed her out of her state of self-reflection and back into the moment. She glanced at the clock on the microwave. Right on time. Gathering up her coat and purse with trepidation and hope, she walked to the front door.
“This must be for you,” Colt said as he handed her an envelope. “It was taped to the door.”
She almost didn’t open it, but something compelled her to take a quick peek inside. As she read, Colt could see her face changing.
“Is there something wrong?”
The plan was for him to pick her up at home so they could drive to Chief Brown’s house for the big football game together. As she rinsed the few dishes that had been left out, she realized that she was nervous and it had nothing to do with making a social visit to her boss’s house. She was nervous about Colt.
Krissy couldn’t help but notice that her relationship with Colt could very easily turn into more than just a professional arrangement. There was something about him that was different from other guys. She could see it in his deep brown eyes each time he looked at her and she knew he could see the same thing in hers. An undeniable attraction existed between them and it was something that she was going to have to face.
The nagging thought that kept eating at her was the lack of any kind of faith in his life. Krissy had been raised in a Christian home and had made the decision to own that faith as her own while still a teenager. She intended to honor that decision her whole life, but with the addition of Colt in the picture, there was an added degree of complication. To Krissy, her faith in God was her highest priority. It was the reason for living. If Colt didn’t share that where would they find common ground?
Krissy’s hands mindlessly rinsed the dishes then settled them into the scarcely used dishwasher. Reflecting back on the last several days her mind sorted through countless thoughts and emotions. The file cabinet in her head was opening and closing drawers so quickly that Krissy couldn’t even keep up with her own thoughts. She had only known Colt for a weekend, but they had spent nearly every waking minute together. Her mind ping-ponged back and forth between what her head was telling her and what her heart was telling her. She knew that, despite all of Colt’s wonderful qualities, he was not on board with her spiritually and to get involved with him would be a recipe for heartache down the road. Then why did it feel so right to be with him?
“God,” she prayed, her head bowed above the kitchen sink. “Help me do the right thing.”
The doorbell chimed her out of her state of self-reflection and back into the moment. She glanced at the clock on the microwave. Right on time. Gathering up her coat and purse with trepidation and hope, she walked to the front door.
“This must be for you,” Colt said as he handed her an envelope. “It was taped to the door.”
She almost didn’t open it, but something compelled her to take a quick peek inside. As she read, Colt could see her face changing.
“Is there something wrong?”
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Colt Crawford - Chapter 12 (Thursday)
“She’s a smart woman.” Steven Mathis was looking down at the table, his breathing deep and methodical. “You are going to have a hard time finding her.” As Mathis revealed what he knew about Jailene Arroyo, Krissy took careful notes. They had known each other for about five years and had been closer than just friends for much of that time.
Jailene came from a wealthy family and had no need to work. Like so many other spoiled rich kids, she grew up bored of having everything handed to her. When she met Mathis, she saw an excitement to his life that she had never known before. He seemed so normal despite actually living on the edge of danger.
As Mathis built his betting empire, he needed cash to keep him afloat while he waited to collect from some of his slower paying clients. Jailene provided the line of credit he needed, but in turn, she took up a very personal interest in his accounts receivable.
“Tell me about Creighton Ford.” Krissy was digesting all that he had said and wanted to steer the conversation toward the crimes at hand.
“The guy couldn’t pick a winner if his life depended on it,” Mathis said, failing to see the irony of that statement. “He owes me about $50,000.”
“And he’s been paying you off in cash? About $500 a month,” Krissy interjected.
“Yeah. I go to his work and he hands me the cash. Jailene is actually the one who fronted that money and she was getting impatient about his slow payment plan.”
“So you went after his girlfriend to send him a message?” Colt was the one asking now.
“I never went after anyone.” Mathis was frustrated, but he knew he was in deep if he didn’t talk.
“Who attacked her then?” Krissy prodded.
“I don’t know. Jailene made those kind of arrangements.”
“So this has happened before?”
“Not like this. No one has ever gotten hurt before, but there have been,” he paused choosing his next word carefully, “reminders.”
“So what happened with Jasmine? Why would someone go after your assistant.”
“Jailene and I got into a fight last week. I told her that Creighton was paying all he could and that we’ll never get more out of him. She wasn’t happy with that. She wanted all 50 grand right away. She’s never had to wait for anything in her life.” Mathis again collected his thoughts before continuing. “She got mad and told me she would take care of it herself.”
“And what about Jasmine?”
“Somehow Jailene got it into her head that I was seeing Jasmine on the side.”
“Are you?”
“I’ve thought about it, but never did. She’s totally innocent. She handles the yacht sales side of things. She’s never had anything to do with my other business Like I said, Jailene may be spoiled, but she is smart. You are going to have a hard time pinning this on her.”
“She’s a criminal. They are never that smart,” Krissy said.
---Results---
As Colt and Krissy search for evidence of Jailene’s involvement, what should they find?
A) She is hunting down Creighton on her own - 50%
B) She has gone into hiding - 0%
C) She is now stalking Krissy in an effort to intimidate her into backing off - 50%
Jailene came from a wealthy family and had no need to work. Like so many other spoiled rich kids, she grew up bored of having everything handed to her. When she met Mathis, she saw an excitement to his life that she had never known before. He seemed so normal despite actually living on the edge of danger.
As Mathis built his betting empire, he needed cash to keep him afloat while he waited to collect from some of his slower paying clients. Jailene provided the line of credit he needed, but in turn, she took up a very personal interest in his accounts receivable.
“Tell me about Creighton Ford.” Krissy was digesting all that he had said and wanted to steer the conversation toward the crimes at hand.
“The guy couldn’t pick a winner if his life depended on it,” Mathis said, failing to see the irony of that statement. “He owes me about $50,000.”
“And he’s been paying you off in cash? About $500 a month,” Krissy interjected.
“Yeah. I go to his work and he hands me the cash. Jailene is actually the one who fronted that money and she was getting impatient about his slow payment plan.”
“So you went after his girlfriend to send him a message?” Colt was the one asking now.
“I never went after anyone.” Mathis was frustrated, but he knew he was in deep if he didn’t talk.
“Who attacked her then?” Krissy prodded.
“I don’t know. Jailene made those kind of arrangements.”
“So this has happened before?”
“Not like this. No one has ever gotten hurt before, but there have been,” he paused choosing his next word carefully, “reminders.”
“So what happened with Jasmine? Why would someone go after your assistant.”
“Jailene and I got into a fight last week. I told her that Creighton was paying all he could and that we’ll never get more out of him. She wasn’t happy with that. She wanted all 50 grand right away. She’s never had to wait for anything in her life.” Mathis again collected his thoughts before continuing. “She got mad and told me she would take care of it herself.”
“And what about Jasmine?”
“Somehow Jailene got it into her head that I was seeing Jasmine on the side.”
“Are you?”
“I’ve thought about it, but never did. She’s totally innocent. She handles the yacht sales side of things. She’s never had anything to do with my other business Like I said, Jailene may be spoiled, but she is smart. You are going to have a hard time pinning this on her.”
“She’s a criminal. They are never that smart,” Krissy said.
---Results---
As Colt and Krissy search for evidence of Jailene’s involvement, what should they find?
A) She is hunting down Creighton on her own - 50%
B) She has gone into hiding - 0%
C) She is now stalking Krissy in an effort to intimidate her into backing off - 50%
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Colt Crawford - Chapter 12 (Wednesday)
In a sparsely furnished room behind a small metal table, Mathis waited alone. His hands were not cuffed and he was free to move around, but instead he chose to sit in the uncomfortable metal chair that had been tucked under one side of the table. Krissy’s plan was to let him sweat for a few minutes. The drive had been long, but a few extra minutes of uncertainty just might loosen up his tongue enough to reveal more than he intended. Krissy and Colt watched from the one way glass that overlooked the room. To Mathis, they were nothing more than his own reflection in a mirror, although, given his intelligence, he had to have suspected that they were there.
When she was satisfied that he had waited long enough, Krissy made her entrance. “Let’s get right to it, Mr. Mathis.” She sat in the chair opposite the suspect while Colt sat beside her. “We have reason to believe that you were involved in one, and perhaps two, assaults in the last three days.”
“Please tell me all about them. I might as well know what you are attempting to nail me for,” he replied with a smug grin that revealed his arrogant attitude.
Krissy knew that they really had nothing solidly linking Mathis directly to the crimes, but the circumstantial evidence had been enough to cast suspicion. She would need to get something out of him in the next few hours or she would be forced to let him go. “Tell me about Jailene Arroyo.”
“I don’t know anyone named Jailene Arroyo.”
“You have never met her?”
“I said I don’t know her.” Mathis was appearing evasive and Krissy took note of his body language. He had looked toward the ceiling when he answered the question, avoiding eye contact with the detective.
Krissy dropped the photo of Jailene in front of Mathis. “Maybe this will help. Have you ever seen this woman?”
Mathis glanced at the photo and again, his dark eyes darted around the room. They finally settled in on a target over Krissy’s shoulder. “I told you I don’t know this Jailene woman.”
“I never said this was Jailene,” Krissy retorted. Mathis cringed slightly when she said this. The next picture she pulled out of her file was a still shot taken from the video of Jailene entering The Yacherty. “Did you see her last Thursday afternoon when she walked into your office 18 minutes after you walked in?”
Mathis was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t anticipated being caught so easily. He thought for a moment before answering. Krissy silently counted the seconds in her head. It seemed like forever before he spoke, but she was just barely reaching 12 when the words came. “Okay. We’ve gone out a few times.”
“I need some truth from you, Mathis. We’ve caught you in a lie, so now your credibility is shot. Give me something to make me have a reason to believe you.”
Mathis paused again before responding. He took a deep breath, carefully weighing his options. “I told you we’ve gone out a few times.”
The room fell silent once again, this time Krissy was organizing her thoughts. After several minutes of silence, she spoke, taking another stab in the dark. “You tell us all you know about her and we drop the gambling and bookie charges.” Again, she had no proof of this activity, but her gut told her that she could find it I she needed it.
Mathis looked as if he had been hit by a ton of bricks. He sat in the chair deflated. The police seemed to know about everything, yet he remained tight lipped, so Krissy continued. “Fine. I’ll file charges on extortion for your tactics of reclaiming the gambling debt from Creighton Ford. Then we’ll tag on the assault and kidnapping of his girlfriend as a message to him. Then we have you for assault on your own assistant, Jasmine.” Krissy was about to say more, but she stopped short when a look of shock swept across Mathis’ face.
“Jasmine?” he said. “When did this happen? Is she okay?” Either he was a phenomenal liar or he really didn’t know what had happened to Jasmine Kennedy.
“Come on, Mathis!” Krissy was firm, but she wanted to make sure he was being honest. “We have evidence that your girlfriend was at the scene of the crime.”
“Jailene attacked Jasmine? She’s gone to far.” Mathis let out a tirade of profanities under his breath as he mentally tore her apart.
Up until this point, Colt had kept silent, opting instead to let the real police officer do her job. Once Mathis had calmed down, he chimed in. “Tell us about Jailene.”
“We have a deal?” Mathis questioned. “I’ll tell you what I know about her and in exchange you leave my business out of this.”
“I’ll do everything I can for you,” Krissy replied. Of course, all she could do was tell the D.A. to go easy on him, but the ultimate decision was out of her hands.
Mathis took a deep breath, then began to speak.
When she was satisfied that he had waited long enough, Krissy made her entrance. “Let’s get right to it, Mr. Mathis.” She sat in the chair opposite the suspect while Colt sat beside her. “We have reason to believe that you were involved in one, and perhaps two, assaults in the last three days.”
“Please tell me all about them. I might as well know what you are attempting to nail me for,” he replied with a smug grin that revealed his arrogant attitude.
Krissy knew that they really had nothing solidly linking Mathis directly to the crimes, but the circumstantial evidence had been enough to cast suspicion. She would need to get something out of him in the next few hours or she would be forced to let him go. “Tell me about Jailene Arroyo.”
“I don’t know anyone named Jailene Arroyo.”
“You have never met her?”
“I said I don’t know her.” Mathis was appearing evasive and Krissy took note of his body language. He had looked toward the ceiling when he answered the question, avoiding eye contact with the detective.
Krissy dropped the photo of Jailene in front of Mathis. “Maybe this will help. Have you ever seen this woman?”
Mathis glanced at the photo and again, his dark eyes darted around the room. They finally settled in on a target over Krissy’s shoulder. “I told you I don’t know this Jailene woman.”
“I never said this was Jailene,” Krissy retorted. Mathis cringed slightly when she said this. The next picture she pulled out of her file was a still shot taken from the video of Jailene entering The Yacherty. “Did you see her last Thursday afternoon when she walked into your office 18 minutes after you walked in?”
Mathis was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t anticipated being caught so easily. He thought for a moment before answering. Krissy silently counted the seconds in her head. It seemed like forever before he spoke, but she was just barely reaching 12 when the words came. “Okay. We’ve gone out a few times.”
“I need some truth from you, Mathis. We’ve caught you in a lie, so now your credibility is shot. Give me something to make me have a reason to believe you.”
Mathis paused again before responding. He took a deep breath, carefully weighing his options. “I told you we’ve gone out a few times.”
The room fell silent once again, this time Krissy was organizing her thoughts. After several minutes of silence, she spoke, taking another stab in the dark. “You tell us all you know about her and we drop the gambling and bookie charges.” Again, she had no proof of this activity, but her gut told her that she could find it I she needed it.
Mathis looked as if he had been hit by a ton of bricks. He sat in the chair deflated. The police seemed to know about everything, yet he remained tight lipped, so Krissy continued. “Fine. I’ll file charges on extortion for your tactics of reclaiming the gambling debt from Creighton Ford. Then we’ll tag on the assault and kidnapping of his girlfriend as a message to him. Then we have you for assault on your own assistant, Jasmine.” Krissy was about to say more, but she stopped short when a look of shock swept across Mathis’ face.
“Jasmine?” he said. “When did this happen? Is she okay?” Either he was a phenomenal liar or he really didn’t know what had happened to Jasmine Kennedy.
“Come on, Mathis!” Krissy was firm, but she wanted to make sure he was being honest. “We have evidence that your girlfriend was at the scene of the crime.”
“Jailene attacked Jasmine? She’s gone to far.” Mathis let out a tirade of profanities under his breath as he mentally tore her apart.
Up until this point, Colt had kept silent, opting instead to let the real police officer do her job. Once Mathis had calmed down, he chimed in. “Tell us about Jailene.”
“We have a deal?” Mathis questioned. “I’ll tell you what I know about her and in exchange you leave my business out of this.”
“I’ll do everything I can for you,” Krissy replied. Of course, all she could do was tell the D.A. to go easy on him, but the ultimate decision was out of her hands.
Mathis took a deep breath, then began to speak.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
The Novel Snoozer
So Tuesday has come and gone and there is nothing new from The Novel Blogger. Due to a lengthy battle with fussy baby syndrome, sleep has been inconsistent lately and early this morning the snooze button was a whole lot more attractive to me than a keyboard. You will have to forgive the interruption, but rest assured, the story will continue!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Colt Crawford -Chapter 12 (Monday)
Buried in the back office of the art gallery, Colt and Krissy stared at frame after frame of the surveillance video. The view of The Yachtery office was completely unobstructed and, as predicted, very few people came and went. The task was tedious, but after only a few minutes, Colt figured out how to set the video playback to scroll through one frame every fifteen seconds.
The frames clicked by for what seemed like hours when Colt finally stopped the video. “Look here.” Krissy followed Colt’s pointing finger and caught sight of a woman approaching the front door of the Yachtery. The angle of the camera allowed them to see her face as she approached. Now Colt advanced the image one click at a time until he had optimized the view of her face.
“Can you zoom in?” she asked.
“Just a second.” Colt clicked on the mouse and chose the area to enhance. He then zoomed in for a closer look at the woman’s face. The two detectives glanced down at the photo that was resting on the desk. The video image was grainy, but the woman’s features were decipherable. “Looks like a match to me,” Colt said.
A few clicks later, Colt had e-mailed the video file to himself and to Krissy, making sure to note the exact time Jailene Arroyo was seen entering the building. “So now that we have Arroyo connected to Mathis, what’s next?” Colt asked.
“Let’s bring Mathis in,” Krissy suggested. “He’s a suspect in his assistant’s attack, so we can start there and then move on to Samantha. Then we can see what he has to say about Jailene Arroyo.”
Since Mathis was now a suspect in two attacks and posed a flight risk, Krissy made the decision, and her lieutenant agreed, that they would need to bring him in right away. They could have officers down south make the arrest, but the paperwork would be a lot less complicated if Krissy and Colt made the drive once more and took care of it themselves. “You up for a drive?” she asked.
“Always,”Colt replied.
Gambling on the fact that Mathis would be at his Long Beach office, Colt and Krissy made the decision to stop there first. As they pulled into the parking lot of the marina, they scanned each row of cars. “There’s his truck,” Colt said pointing to the silver behemoth in the second row. “This should be easy enough.”
Krissy’s unmarked police car was parked within 20 yards of Mathis’ truck not far from the rows of shops that lined the harbor. It was somewhere within these shops where they suspected they would find The Yachtery’s satellite office. The wooden siding on the buildings coupled with the countless seagulls gave the area a nautical feel. From inside his car, Colt scanned the front doors of the shops he could see. None of them bore the logo of Mathis’ company.
“There he is.” Krissy was already reaching over to open the car door. “Let’s get him.” She waited and watched as he came closer to his truck. When he was within ten feet , she pulled out her badge and a pair of hand cuffs and announced, “Steven Mathis. You’re under arrest for kidnapping and assault.”
Mathis turned at the sound of her voice and broke into a sprint in the opposite direction. Without losing a second, Krissy took off after him with Colt by her side. They gained on him quickly and, realizing he couldn’t outrun the pair, Mathis slowed to a stop then turned to face them.
Krissy methodically slapped the cuffs on his wrists and escorted him back to her car. It was a long, quiet drive back up to Santa Barbara. Since Krissy wanted to wait until the setting was in her favor before she began any questioning, she resisted the urge to probe from the front seat. There would be plenty of time for that at the station.
The frames clicked by for what seemed like hours when Colt finally stopped the video. “Look here.” Krissy followed Colt’s pointing finger and caught sight of a woman approaching the front door of the Yachtery. The angle of the camera allowed them to see her face as she approached. Now Colt advanced the image one click at a time until he had optimized the view of her face.
“Can you zoom in?” she asked.
“Just a second.” Colt clicked on the mouse and chose the area to enhance. He then zoomed in for a closer look at the woman’s face. The two detectives glanced down at the photo that was resting on the desk. The video image was grainy, but the woman’s features were decipherable. “Looks like a match to me,” Colt said.
A few clicks later, Colt had e-mailed the video file to himself and to Krissy, making sure to note the exact time Jailene Arroyo was seen entering the building. “So now that we have Arroyo connected to Mathis, what’s next?” Colt asked.
“Let’s bring Mathis in,” Krissy suggested. “He’s a suspect in his assistant’s attack, so we can start there and then move on to Samantha. Then we can see what he has to say about Jailene Arroyo.”
Since Mathis was now a suspect in two attacks and posed a flight risk, Krissy made the decision, and her lieutenant agreed, that they would need to bring him in right away. They could have officers down south make the arrest, but the paperwork would be a lot less complicated if Krissy and Colt made the drive once more and took care of it themselves. “You up for a drive?” she asked.
“Always,”Colt replied.
Gambling on the fact that Mathis would be at his Long Beach office, Colt and Krissy made the decision to stop there first. As they pulled into the parking lot of the marina, they scanned each row of cars. “There’s his truck,” Colt said pointing to the silver behemoth in the second row. “This should be easy enough.”
Krissy’s unmarked police car was parked within 20 yards of Mathis’ truck not far from the rows of shops that lined the harbor. It was somewhere within these shops where they suspected they would find The Yachtery’s satellite office. The wooden siding on the buildings coupled with the countless seagulls gave the area a nautical feel. From inside his car, Colt scanned the front doors of the shops he could see. None of them bore the logo of Mathis’ company.
“There he is.” Krissy was already reaching over to open the car door. “Let’s get him.” She waited and watched as he came closer to his truck. When he was within ten feet , she pulled out her badge and a pair of hand cuffs and announced, “Steven Mathis. You’re under arrest for kidnapping and assault.”
Mathis turned at the sound of her voice and broke into a sprint in the opposite direction. Without losing a second, Krissy took off after him with Colt by her side. They gained on him quickly and, realizing he couldn’t outrun the pair, Mathis slowed to a stop then turned to face them.
Krissy methodically slapped the cuffs on his wrists and escorted him back to her car. It was a long, quiet drive back up to Santa Barbara. Since Krissy wanted to wait until the setting was in her favor before she began any questioning, she resisted the urge to probe from the front seat. There would be plenty of time for that at the station.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Colt Crawford - Chapter 11 (Thursday)
We have a lot of new readers this week, so keep in mind that today is voting day. The poll on the right will be open until midnight on Saturday. Enjoy!
---
The address that the university had given them for Jailene Arroyo was a dud. It led Colt and Krissy to a small apartment about fifteen minutes from the campus in a seedy area of town. By the time they got there, the place was cleaned out and all that remained was the occasional stain on the worn carpet. As they walked thorough each of the empty rooms, the thought occurred to Colt that maybe it had been empty for a long time. “There are cobwebs on the stove,” he said. “No one has lived here for a while.”
“So she never even moved in,” Krissy deduced. “Or she just can’t cook, but it could be that she is part of a much bigger plan.”
“Now the question is, ‘Does Jailene Arroyo have anything to do with Steven Mathis?’” Colt commented taking one last peek around the empty apartment. “And if so, how can we connect them?”
Krissy thought for a moment. “I’ll run her name through the system, but something tells me it is an alias.”
“What we need is a picture.” Colt was thinking through his options when he added, “Call your friend at the university. Have him check with Kevin to see if he has any photos. I want to know if anyone ever saw her around the apartment. Then we can show it around the marina and see if anyone there recognizes her.
Krissy made the call and the university police promised to stop at Kevin’s dorm to request a picture. “While we’re waiting, I can send you a copy of her student ID photo,” the cop at the front desk said. Krissy rattled off her e-mail address then she and Colt headed back to the station to print the picture.
After a quick lunch and armed with Jailene’s photo, Colt and Krissy returned to the marina. During their quick stop at the police station, Krissy had made a call to the service writer turned salesman at the Ford dealer where Creighton worked. In just under two minutes she had confirmed that Steven Mathis was indeed in the L.A. area for the day. He had stopped by to pay Creighton a visit on his first day back at work. “At least we won’t have to worry about Mathis catching us snooping around about this girl,” Krissy said.
“Let’s start with the secretary if she’s in today,” Colt replied. “She’s pretty easy to manipulate.”
“Easy targets are good.” The two detectives stepped out of Colt’s BMW and made their way through the half-full parking lot toward The Yachtery. Peering through the darkened front window, their optimism faded. “Looks like no one is home today,” Krissy said.
A thought flashed through Colt’s mind. The office hours were posted on the front window. The sign indicated that The Yachtery was scheduled to be open Monday through Thursday and on weekends by appointment. Given the fact that it was Tuesday, Colt grew concerned. “Did you get the name of the girl who was attacked at the university?”
“Yeah,” Krissy replied thumbing through her notes. “Jasmine Kennedy.”
“Have the university guys send her photo to my e-mail address. I think I found part one of our connection.”
Ten minutes later, Colt’s phone buzzed to life and began singing its familiar tone. “That’s what I thought.” He looked at the photo on the iPhone and then compared it to the photo of a smiling woman snuggling up to a man that was positioned on the secretary’s desk in Mathis’ office. “His own assistant. Now someone is sending Mathis a message.”
Krissy glanced at the two photos. “Who is close to Mathis? So far we haven’t found anyone who knows him on a personal level.”
“I’m guessing she is,” Colt said waving the picture of Jailene Arroyo in front of Krissy. “Let’s go back to the art gallery. Maybe they will recognize her.”
Colt stepped away from the front window of the Yachtery where he had been standing and made his way next door. The same young proprietor was on duty and Colt went straight for him, Krissy a step behind. Pulling out the photo, he began to ask if Jailene had been seen in the area. The trendy young man shook his head. “I already told you, the guy keeps to himself.”
Ready to move on, Colt stopped short of the front door. He looked up and noticed a surveillance camera staring out the front window. “Can I look over your security tapes?” Colt asked. “Specifically this camera?” The camera in question had a perfect view out the window of the gallery and had to have covered the front of The Yachtery office as well.
“Suit yourself.” The proprietor escorted Colt and Krissy to a back room where a fairly new iMac was sitting on an uncluttered desk. He pulled up the video footage from the front camera and left them to look it over.
--- Results ---
Who is sending Mathis the message?
A) No one. He attacked Jasmine Kennedy to throw the cops off of his trail. - 45%
B) Jailene Arroyo, because of a personal conflict she had with Mathis - 55%
C) Creighton, in an effort to buy more time (Is he really that stupid?) - 0%
---
The address that the university had given them for Jailene Arroyo was a dud. It led Colt and Krissy to a small apartment about fifteen minutes from the campus in a seedy area of town. By the time they got there, the place was cleaned out and all that remained was the occasional stain on the worn carpet. As they walked thorough each of the empty rooms, the thought occurred to Colt that maybe it had been empty for a long time. “There are cobwebs on the stove,” he said. “No one has lived here for a while.”
“So she never even moved in,” Krissy deduced. “Or she just can’t cook, but it could be that she is part of a much bigger plan.”
“Now the question is, ‘Does Jailene Arroyo have anything to do with Steven Mathis?’” Colt commented taking one last peek around the empty apartment. “And if so, how can we connect them?”
Krissy thought for a moment. “I’ll run her name through the system, but something tells me it is an alias.”
“What we need is a picture.” Colt was thinking through his options when he added, “Call your friend at the university. Have him check with Kevin to see if he has any photos. I want to know if anyone ever saw her around the apartment. Then we can show it around the marina and see if anyone there recognizes her.
Krissy made the call and the university police promised to stop at Kevin’s dorm to request a picture. “While we’re waiting, I can send you a copy of her student ID photo,” the cop at the front desk said. Krissy rattled off her e-mail address then she and Colt headed back to the station to print the picture.
After a quick lunch and armed with Jailene’s photo, Colt and Krissy returned to the marina. During their quick stop at the police station, Krissy had made a call to the service writer turned salesman at the Ford dealer where Creighton worked. In just under two minutes she had confirmed that Steven Mathis was indeed in the L.A. area for the day. He had stopped by to pay Creighton a visit on his first day back at work. “At least we won’t have to worry about Mathis catching us snooping around about this girl,” Krissy said.
“Let’s start with the secretary if she’s in today,” Colt replied. “She’s pretty easy to manipulate.”
“Easy targets are good.” The two detectives stepped out of Colt’s BMW and made their way through the half-full parking lot toward The Yachtery. Peering through the darkened front window, their optimism faded. “Looks like no one is home today,” Krissy said.
A thought flashed through Colt’s mind. The office hours were posted on the front window. The sign indicated that The Yachtery was scheduled to be open Monday through Thursday and on weekends by appointment. Given the fact that it was Tuesday, Colt grew concerned. “Did you get the name of the girl who was attacked at the university?”
“Yeah,” Krissy replied thumbing through her notes. “Jasmine Kennedy.”
“Have the university guys send her photo to my e-mail address. I think I found part one of our connection.”
Ten minutes later, Colt’s phone buzzed to life and began singing its familiar tone. “That’s what I thought.” He looked at the photo on the iPhone and then compared it to the photo of a smiling woman snuggling up to a man that was positioned on the secretary’s desk in Mathis’ office. “His own assistant. Now someone is sending Mathis a message.”
Krissy glanced at the two photos. “Who is close to Mathis? So far we haven’t found anyone who knows him on a personal level.”
“I’m guessing she is,” Colt said waving the picture of Jailene Arroyo in front of Krissy. “Let’s go back to the art gallery. Maybe they will recognize her.”
Colt stepped away from the front window of the Yachtery where he had been standing and made his way next door. The same young proprietor was on duty and Colt went straight for him, Krissy a step behind. Pulling out the photo, he began to ask if Jailene had been seen in the area. The trendy young man shook his head. “I already told you, the guy keeps to himself.”
Ready to move on, Colt stopped short of the front door. He looked up and noticed a surveillance camera staring out the front window. “Can I look over your security tapes?” Colt asked. “Specifically this camera?” The camera in question had a perfect view out the window of the gallery and had to have covered the front of The Yachtery office as well.
“Suit yourself.” The proprietor escorted Colt and Krissy to a back room where a fairly new iMac was sitting on an uncluttered desk. He pulled up the video footage from the front camera and left them to look it over.
--- Results ---
Who is sending Mathis the message?
A) No one. He attacked Jasmine Kennedy to throw the cops off of his trail. - 45%
B) Jailene Arroyo, because of a personal conflict she had with Mathis - 55%
C) Creighton, in an effort to buy more time (Is he really that stupid?) - 0%
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Colt Crawford - Chapter 11 (Wednesday)
“So we’re watching the game at your boss’s house?” Colt said. “That wasn’t exactly the way I had imagined your conversation would go.”
“But I am on to something. He didn’t deny a thing.”
Krissy’s phone was lying on her desk when it started to ring. “Malone,” she said as she raised it to her ear. She listened making an occasional grunt and nod then promised to stop by within the hour.
“What was that?” Colt asked, eager to chase down a new lead.
“That was my friend over at the University Police. They found a woman on the side of the road who looked like she had been thrown from a moving car.”
“Sounds familiar,” Colt said, disgust evident on his face. “Have they identified any suspects?”
“Yeah, our friend, Kevin. That’s why he thought I might be interested.”
“Let’s go talk to Kevin.”
The small conference room at the University Police station was a familiar sight, especially with Kevin once again sitting at the table. “Surveillance video shows your car at the scene,” Krissy said giving the campus bookie a hard stare.
“I may arrange bets for people, but I have never hurt anyone,” Kevin insisted. “Well let’s start with the obvious. Where were you between eleven and midnight last night?”
“I was at a study group for an accounting mid-term.”
“Who can confirm that?”
Kevin rattled off a list of four names. Colt wrote them down, then slipped out to have the university cops check them out while Krissy continued the interview. Assuming the alibis checked out, Krissy decided to pursue a new line of questioning. “Who has keys to your car?”
“No one but me,” Kevin said, relief evident on his face.
“There was no indication it had been stolen and you have your keys in your pocket.” Krissy gestured down at Kevin’s right leg where an irregular bulge was evident in his front pocket.
Kevin paused before responding as if he was weighing his next words. He took a deep breath then let it out. “I was seeing someone a few months back. She never gave me my spare key back.”
“Name,” Krissy demanded. Colt slipped back into the room impressed with her no nonsense demeanor.
“Jailene.” He took another deep breath as if he still wanted to protect her. “Jailene Arroyo.” Kevin looked down, knowing he had just passed the buck to someone else and clearly regretted having done so. “Look, it was a stupid thing. She wasn’t married, but she was sort of with someone else at the time. I don’t know the guy, and I don’t really want to if you get my drift. She went back to him and, as far as I know, he never knew about us.”
Krissy was about to end the interview when Colt chimed in. “You said she wasn’t married. Does she go to school here or did you meet her somewhere else?”
“She was only taking one class last semester. I met her at a party at a friend’s house.”
Looks like this Jailene Arroyo is going to be fun to track down,” Colt said once they were back in the car. “One class, then she disappears.”
“We’ll find out once we check out her forwarding address,” Krissy said. “Let’s go ring a doorbell.”
“But I am on to something. He didn’t deny a thing.”
Krissy’s phone was lying on her desk when it started to ring. “Malone,” she said as she raised it to her ear. She listened making an occasional grunt and nod then promised to stop by within the hour.
“What was that?” Colt asked, eager to chase down a new lead.
“That was my friend over at the University Police. They found a woman on the side of the road who looked like she had been thrown from a moving car.”
“Sounds familiar,” Colt said, disgust evident on his face. “Have they identified any suspects?”
“Yeah, our friend, Kevin. That’s why he thought I might be interested.”
“Let’s go talk to Kevin.”
The small conference room at the University Police station was a familiar sight, especially with Kevin once again sitting at the table. “Surveillance video shows your car at the scene,” Krissy said giving the campus bookie a hard stare.
“I may arrange bets for people, but I have never hurt anyone,” Kevin insisted. “Well let’s start with the obvious. Where were you between eleven and midnight last night?”
“I was at a study group for an accounting mid-term.”
“Who can confirm that?”
Kevin rattled off a list of four names. Colt wrote them down, then slipped out to have the university cops check them out while Krissy continued the interview. Assuming the alibis checked out, Krissy decided to pursue a new line of questioning. “Who has keys to your car?”
“No one but me,” Kevin said, relief evident on his face.
“There was no indication it had been stolen and you have your keys in your pocket.” Krissy gestured down at Kevin’s right leg where an irregular bulge was evident in his front pocket.
Kevin paused before responding as if he was weighing his next words. He took a deep breath then let it out. “I was seeing someone a few months back. She never gave me my spare key back.”
“Name,” Krissy demanded. Colt slipped back into the room impressed with her no nonsense demeanor.
“Jailene.” He took another deep breath as if he still wanted to protect her. “Jailene Arroyo.” Kevin looked down, knowing he had just passed the buck to someone else and clearly regretted having done so. “Look, it was a stupid thing. She wasn’t married, but she was sort of with someone else at the time. I don’t know the guy, and I don’t really want to if you get my drift. She went back to him and, as far as I know, he never knew about us.”
Krissy was about to end the interview when Colt chimed in. “You said she wasn’t married. Does she go to school here or did you meet her somewhere else?”
“She was only taking one class last semester. I met her at a party at a friend’s house.”
Looks like this Jailene Arroyo is going to be fun to track down,” Colt said once they were back in the car. “One class, then she disappears.”
“We’ll find out once we check out her forwarding address,” Krissy said. “Let’s go ring a doorbell.”
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Colt Crawford - Chapter 11 (Tuesday)
“I was thinking about the chief last night,” Krissy said early Tuesday morning. She was sitting next to Colt in the front seat of his car enjoying the free ride to work. As promised, he had arrived at her front door at 7:45 and would have her at the police station right on time. “His son had mentioned that he seemed to have something to hide and that it started about two years ago. I remembered that he took a trip on the boat right after he got it and was gone for about a month. Let’s swing by the marina again and talk to the Harbor Master. They keep records of when the boats leave for extended periods of time. I am curious if that boat really ever left.”
“That is an interesting idea. What are you thinking?” Colt chimed in.
“When he got back from that trip, he was not the same man. It was as if the big cop in him had died. Mentally he was still sharp, but he’s not as strong as he used to be. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but now it might make sense. If you took a month-long trip in a new boat, wouldn’t you come back full of adventure and stories?
“I would imagine.”
“He didn’t come back refreshed. He was tired.” She paused, her mind seeming to fade back in time. “And maybe even a little frail.”
“Maybe he just gets seasick.”
“Or maybe he was sick and took some time off to get better.” Krissy was on a roll now. Her theory was taking shape and it protected the integrity of a good cop. “Maybe that’s what he was hiding. Cops by nature are proud people and Chief Brown can be the proudest of them all.”
“Would you say he is rebounding? I mean is he back to his old form or he is still weaker?”
“He’s not nearly as bad as he was, but still not his old self either.”
“Other than verifying that the boat never left the harbor, how do we prove this theory of yours?” Colt asked.
“Let’s do it the old fashioned way. Let’s just ask him.”
“But what if he is dirty? What if he lies to cover himself?”
“It’s all in the way you ask.” Krissy smiled. “If I don’t accuse him of anything illegal, he won’t have anything to cover up.”
***
Chief Brown’s office was located in the back of the building. It was not lavish, but it was tastefully decorated with a nautical theme. Krissy glanced around the walls looking at the various awards and commendations that were displayed on one side. Pictures of the chief with his wife were on another wall as well as plenty of shots of the boat.
She quickly focused her attention back on her boss and got right to the point, avoiding any opportunity to beat around the bush. “Chief,” she began. “I’m concerned about your health.”
Chief Brown looked up from his desk. “I’ve never felt better. Why the concern?”
Krissy was about to go out on a limb, but she knew she’d never get the chief to open up if she didn’t. “Ever since that health scare a few years back, you don’t seem the same.” She waited for a reaction, not sure what to expect. If she was right, he might start talking about it. If she was wrong, he’d probably think she was a lousy detective who jumped to conclusions.
“I assure you I am as healthy now than ever.” He didn’t deny having a health problem so Krissy decided to dig deeper and take another risk.
“Cancer free?” She had no idea if he had been fighting cancer, but it seemed like a logical guess.
The chief stopped and gave her a hard stare. He didn’t speak at first. It seemed as if he was trying to figure out the right words to say to deny everything. “You’re a good detective. I knew that when I recommended you for the job. There’s a football game on TV tonight. College championship. Why don’t you and that new boyfriend of yours come over and watch it? We can talk then.” Krissy blushed at the word “boyfriend.”
“Don’t deny it. I’m a good cop, too.” The chief just smiled as Krissy rose to her feet and promised to show up in time for the game.
“That is an interesting idea. What are you thinking?” Colt chimed in.
“When he got back from that trip, he was not the same man. It was as if the big cop in him had died. Mentally he was still sharp, but he’s not as strong as he used to be. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but now it might make sense. If you took a month-long trip in a new boat, wouldn’t you come back full of adventure and stories?
“I would imagine.”
“He didn’t come back refreshed. He was tired.” She paused, her mind seeming to fade back in time. “And maybe even a little frail.”
“Maybe he just gets seasick.”
“Or maybe he was sick and took some time off to get better.” Krissy was on a roll now. Her theory was taking shape and it protected the integrity of a good cop. “Maybe that’s what he was hiding. Cops by nature are proud people and Chief Brown can be the proudest of them all.”
“Would you say he is rebounding? I mean is he back to his old form or he is still weaker?”
“He’s not nearly as bad as he was, but still not his old self either.”
“Other than verifying that the boat never left the harbor, how do we prove this theory of yours?” Colt asked.
“Let’s do it the old fashioned way. Let’s just ask him.”
“But what if he is dirty? What if he lies to cover himself?”
“It’s all in the way you ask.” Krissy smiled. “If I don’t accuse him of anything illegal, he won’t have anything to cover up.”
***
Chief Brown’s office was located in the back of the building. It was not lavish, but it was tastefully decorated with a nautical theme. Krissy glanced around the walls looking at the various awards and commendations that were displayed on one side. Pictures of the chief with his wife were on another wall as well as plenty of shots of the boat.
She quickly focused her attention back on her boss and got right to the point, avoiding any opportunity to beat around the bush. “Chief,” she began. “I’m concerned about your health.”
Chief Brown looked up from his desk. “I’ve never felt better. Why the concern?”
Krissy was about to go out on a limb, but she knew she’d never get the chief to open up if she didn’t. “Ever since that health scare a few years back, you don’t seem the same.” She waited for a reaction, not sure what to expect. If she was right, he might start talking about it. If she was wrong, he’d probably think she was a lousy detective who jumped to conclusions.
“I assure you I am as healthy now than ever.” He didn’t deny having a health problem so Krissy decided to dig deeper and take another risk.
“Cancer free?” She had no idea if he had been fighting cancer, but it seemed like a logical guess.
The chief stopped and gave her a hard stare. He didn’t speak at first. It seemed as if he was trying to figure out the right words to say to deny everything. “You’re a good detective. I knew that when I recommended you for the job. There’s a football game on TV tonight. College championship. Why don’t you and that new boyfriend of yours come over and watch it? We can talk then.” Krissy blushed at the word “boyfriend.”
“Don’t deny it. I’m a good cop, too.” The chief just smiled as Krissy rose to her feet and promised to show up in time for the game.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Colt Crawford - Chapter 11 (Monday)
The question didn’t catch Krissy off guard at all. She had expected it, mostly because her parents bring up the subject so often. She looked down at her plate and chased a few pieces of pineapple with her fork. “I’ve just never found the right guy,” she said. “There have been a few who were sure I was the right girl, but they never really took the time to get to know me.”
Daring to take things to the next level Colt looked back at Krissy, his eyes locking in on hers. “What is it you would want a guy to know that they have never listened to in the past?”
“You’re not wasting much time, Colt Crawford.” A smile crept across Krissy’s face.
“My clock’s ticking, too.”
“In that case, I’d better hurry up and answer your question. All the guys I date like the fact that I am a cop. That’s why they date me. They want a secure, confident, driven woman.” She paused. “I can be those things, but it’s not what I want. Like I told you before, I would love to leave law enforcement behind, get married and have a couple of kids. It always annoys me to see parents drop their kids off at day care and expect someone else to raise them. I think that if you have kids, it is your responsibility to raise them yourself. The best baby sitter in the world could never love a child the way a mother can.” She looked down at her plate, then back up at Colt. “I’ve just spilled my guts. What about you? You’re still single”
“I’ve never taken the time for a relationship. Been too busy building my business, chasing my career.”
“Will that ever change?” Krissy asked with a hint of hope in her voice.
“This runaway trip of mine is the first step. And it hasn’t taken long to figure a few things out.”
Colt and Krissy sat on the patio at Sambos, staring out at the stars twinkling above the vast Pacific Ocean. “How long are you planning to stay here in Santa Barbara?” she asked.
“I have no plans. I didn’t exactly think things through when I left L.A.”
A waiter came by with their check, but it didn’t make any difference. Colt and Krissy were absorbed in their conversation and neither had any intention of leaving. “Do you ever see yourself settling down with a stay-at-home wife who raises her own kids?”
“To be honest, until recently, I never really gave it any thought. But it would be nice to have a hot dinner on the table every once in a while. And someone to share it with. It gets old eating alone.”
“We’re not alone tonight,” Krissy said, her eyes gleaming in the moonlight.
It was close to 9:00 when they finally wrapped up their conversation and walked hand in hand back to Colt’s car. “I’ll drop you off at home,” Colt offered. “I can pick you up in the morning and take you back to the police station.”
“I’ll need to be there by 8:00.” Krissy couldn’t recall feeling this content with any other guy she had dated. There was something different about Colt and she liked it.
Daring to take things to the next level Colt looked back at Krissy, his eyes locking in on hers. “What is it you would want a guy to know that they have never listened to in the past?”
“You’re not wasting much time, Colt Crawford.” A smile crept across Krissy’s face.
“My clock’s ticking, too.”
“In that case, I’d better hurry up and answer your question. All the guys I date like the fact that I am a cop. That’s why they date me. They want a secure, confident, driven woman.” She paused. “I can be those things, but it’s not what I want. Like I told you before, I would love to leave law enforcement behind, get married and have a couple of kids. It always annoys me to see parents drop their kids off at day care and expect someone else to raise them. I think that if you have kids, it is your responsibility to raise them yourself. The best baby sitter in the world could never love a child the way a mother can.” She looked down at her plate, then back up at Colt. “I’ve just spilled my guts. What about you? You’re still single”
“I’ve never taken the time for a relationship. Been too busy building my business, chasing my career.”
“Will that ever change?” Krissy asked with a hint of hope in her voice.
“This runaway trip of mine is the first step. And it hasn’t taken long to figure a few things out.”
Colt and Krissy sat on the patio at Sambos, staring out at the stars twinkling above the vast Pacific Ocean. “How long are you planning to stay here in Santa Barbara?” she asked.
“I have no plans. I didn’t exactly think things through when I left L.A.”
A waiter came by with their check, but it didn’t make any difference. Colt and Krissy were absorbed in their conversation and neither had any intention of leaving. “Do you ever see yourself settling down with a stay-at-home wife who raises her own kids?”
“To be honest, until recently, I never really gave it any thought. But it would be nice to have a hot dinner on the table every once in a while. And someone to share it with. It gets old eating alone.”
“We’re not alone tonight,” Krissy said, her eyes gleaming in the moonlight.
It was close to 9:00 when they finally wrapped up their conversation and walked hand in hand back to Colt’s car. “I’ll drop you off at home,” Colt offered. “I can pick you up in the morning and take you back to the police station.”
“I’ll need to be there by 8:00.” Krissy couldn’t recall feeling this content with any other guy she had dated. There was something different about Colt and she liked it.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Colt Crawford - Chapter 10 (Thursday)
“I can’t exactly tell anyone that I am nosing around the chief’s personal business,” Krissy said. The two detectives were sitting on the outdoor patio at Sambos restaurant. The view of the ocean was magnificent. As the sun was going down, the outline of the Channel Islands interrupted the distant horizon.
“So what have you found out?” Colt asked eager to solve this case.
“The chief bought the boat from Mathis about two years ago. I knew that he was somewhat estranged from his son, so I decided to work that angle. They had some sort of falling out just after he bought the boat.”
“Is the son a cop too?” Colt inquired.
“He was a local cop. That’s how I know him, but he moved out of state after their blow up. He’s now up in the Seattle area living on a boat in the harbor.”
“So what did you find out.”
“Jeff, that’s the chief’s son, said that his dad got really stressed out after he bought the boat. He said he paid cash for it. He’d been saving for years, but once he got it, something changed.”
“Buyer’s remorse?”
“I asked about that, but he said that the chief loves the boat and when he is on it, he is relaxed and comfortable.”
“So what did they fight over?”
“Jeff said that their falling out happened when Jeff accused the chief of being secretive. He felt like there was something that the chief was holding back and not being honest about.”
“Did he ever find out what it was?”
“Not a clue.”
Colt looked again across the vast expanse of sea then across the patio to a table where a young family was seated. He twirled a pile of pasta with his fork as he contemplated the situation. “You see those kids over there,” he said gesturing with his nose so as to not be too obvious. Samantha nodded. “Not a care in the world. They are just happy to be eating dinner. Must be nice.”
“They look like good kids. Their parents must be doing something right.”
Colt flagged down the waiter he came over and Colt spoke quietly. “I want to buy ice cream for those kids over there. Don’t tell them it was me, just put it on my bill. Anything they want.”
“That is so sweet,” Krissy said as a genuine smile spread across her face. “I can’t wait until I have kids.”
“You’re still young enough,” Colt said with a sarcastic grin.
“Thanks,” Krissy said feigning a left hook.
“There is something I wanted to ask you.” Colt paused as Krissy nodded.
“What might that be?”
“Have you ever been married? I mean, you seem like a pretty good catch and it surprises me that you are available.”
---Results---
How should Krissy respond to Colt’s question?
She’s never been married. - 100%
She was married for a short time at a young age but divorced. - 0%
She was married but her husband died of cancer. - 0%
“So what have you found out?” Colt asked eager to solve this case.
“The chief bought the boat from Mathis about two years ago. I knew that he was somewhat estranged from his son, so I decided to work that angle. They had some sort of falling out just after he bought the boat.”
“Is the son a cop too?” Colt inquired.
“He was a local cop. That’s how I know him, but he moved out of state after their blow up. He’s now up in the Seattle area living on a boat in the harbor.”
“So what did you find out.”
“Jeff, that’s the chief’s son, said that his dad got really stressed out after he bought the boat. He said he paid cash for it. He’d been saving for years, but once he got it, something changed.”
“Buyer’s remorse?”
“I asked about that, but he said that the chief loves the boat and when he is on it, he is relaxed and comfortable.”
“So what did they fight over?”
“Jeff said that their falling out happened when Jeff accused the chief of being secretive. He felt like there was something that the chief was holding back and not being honest about.”
“Did he ever find out what it was?”
“Not a clue.”
Colt looked again across the vast expanse of sea then across the patio to a table where a young family was seated. He twirled a pile of pasta with his fork as he contemplated the situation. “You see those kids over there,” he said gesturing with his nose so as to not be too obvious. Samantha nodded. “Not a care in the world. They are just happy to be eating dinner. Must be nice.”
“They look like good kids. Their parents must be doing something right.”
Colt flagged down the waiter he came over and Colt spoke quietly. “I want to buy ice cream for those kids over there. Don’t tell them it was me, just put it on my bill. Anything they want.”
“That is so sweet,” Krissy said as a genuine smile spread across her face. “I can’t wait until I have kids.”
“You’re still young enough,” Colt said with a sarcastic grin.
“Thanks,” Krissy said feigning a left hook.
“There is something I wanted to ask you.” Colt paused as Krissy nodded.
“What might that be?”
“Have you ever been married? I mean, you seem like a pretty good catch and it surprises me that you are available.”
---Results---
How should Krissy respond to Colt’s question?
She’s never been married. - 100%
She was married for a short time at a young age but divorced. - 0%
She was married but her husband died of cancer. - 0%
Thursday, March 4, 2010
The Novel Blooper
As I was rereading the story up to this point, I realized there was a mistake in the plot. Last Thursday in chapter 9, Krissy and Colt were discussing the fact that Mathis had no police record. I had to update that conversation because earlier in the story, it had been revealed that Mathis knew Samantha and was upset with her. You will recall that she was his tax attorney and she got his fines with the IRS reduced, but he still had to do some jail time for tax evasion.
I also missed today's post due to illness in the family. The Novel Wifer was sick today, so I spent my day as Mr. Mom. No time for writing much. Hopefully I will get the next installment up tomorrow morning.
I also missed today's post due to illness in the family. The Novel Wifer was sick today, so I spent my day as Mr. Mom. No time for writing much. Hopefully I will get the next installment up tomorrow morning.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Colt Crawford - Chapter 10 (Wednesday)
Colt’s only prior contact with the secretary at The Yachtery had been two days before when he and Krissy first talked to Mathis. She had provided them with a copy of the bill of sale for a boat, thus establishing Mathis’ alibi for the attack on Samantha. She was a woman of about 30 years, slim, somewhat fashionable. Her brown shoulder length hair had evidence of highlights in it.
It took a second, but she a flash of recognition eventually crossed her eyes. “You’re the cop from the other day.”
Neither confirming nor denying his actual occupation, Colt maintained his most serious cop face and began. “We are looking into a brutal attack on an innocent woman and we have reason to believe that one of your clients may be involved.”
The woman looked concerned, so Colt decided to keep going. “I need to see a list of everyone Mr. Mathis has worked with in the last 30 days. People who bought boats, people who looked at boats, people who sold boats or thought about selling a boat. Anyone who walked in the door.” Colt didn’t ask. He wanted it to sound like she had no choice without actually telling her she had no choice. If she gave up the information voluntarily, there wasn’t really an issue.
“Do you have a warrant?” she asked hesitantly.
“I could get one, but that takes time, and while I am waiting, this guy is going to hurt someone else. Someone like you who is on her way home from work and is snatched out of the parking lot, beaten and dumped on the side of the road to die. Do you want to wait until that happens, or do you want to voluntarily give me the records?”
The secretary looked worried. Maybe she felt trapped. It didn’t matter as long as Colt got what he wanted. Seconds passed in silence before she spoke. “I can get you a list of all the files we closed last month plus any current pending files, but it will take a few minutes. Some of them are not even in the computer yet.”
A warm smile swept across Colt’s face. “I can wait.”
Fifteen minutes later, Colt held a sheet of paper in his hand with the names, addresses and phone numbers of all The Yachtery’s clients and perspective clients for the last month. The list wasn’t long. There were a total of twelve names and they were divided into three categories: Completed Sales, For Sale, and Potential Buyers. There were only two names listed under Completed Sales. The For Sale column had another three names. The rest were potential buyers. Colt quickly noticed that Chief Brown’s name was not on the list anywhere, suggesting that perhaps the Chief’s dealings with Mathis were off the books, but he’d have to wait and see what Krissy turned before he jumped to any conclusions.
Colt started back toward the parking lot when he realized that Krissy had taken his car to the police station. Using the endless technology available on his iPhone, Colt quickly made arrangements for a cab to pick him up. Within fifteen minutes he was in Krissy’s office.
“We shouldn’t talk here,” Krissy said in hushed tones, her face revealing nothing, but the mere words suggesting she knew something she didn’t want to know. “Let’s get some dinner.”
It took a second, but she a flash of recognition eventually crossed her eyes. “You’re the cop from the other day.”
Neither confirming nor denying his actual occupation, Colt maintained his most serious cop face and began. “We are looking into a brutal attack on an innocent woman and we have reason to believe that one of your clients may be involved.”
The woman looked concerned, so Colt decided to keep going. “I need to see a list of everyone Mr. Mathis has worked with in the last 30 days. People who bought boats, people who looked at boats, people who sold boats or thought about selling a boat. Anyone who walked in the door.” Colt didn’t ask. He wanted it to sound like she had no choice without actually telling her she had no choice. If she gave up the information voluntarily, there wasn’t really an issue.
“Do you have a warrant?” she asked hesitantly.
“I could get one, but that takes time, and while I am waiting, this guy is going to hurt someone else. Someone like you who is on her way home from work and is snatched out of the parking lot, beaten and dumped on the side of the road to die. Do you want to wait until that happens, or do you want to voluntarily give me the records?”
The secretary looked worried. Maybe she felt trapped. It didn’t matter as long as Colt got what he wanted. Seconds passed in silence before she spoke. “I can get you a list of all the files we closed last month plus any current pending files, but it will take a few minutes. Some of them are not even in the computer yet.”
A warm smile swept across Colt’s face. “I can wait.”
Fifteen minutes later, Colt held a sheet of paper in his hand with the names, addresses and phone numbers of all The Yachtery’s clients and perspective clients for the last month. The list wasn’t long. There were a total of twelve names and they were divided into three categories: Completed Sales, For Sale, and Potential Buyers. There were only two names listed under Completed Sales. The For Sale column had another three names. The rest were potential buyers. Colt quickly noticed that Chief Brown’s name was not on the list anywhere, suggesting that perhaps the Chief’s dealings with Mathis were off the books, but he’d have to wait and see what Krissy turned before he jumped to any conclusions.
Colt started back toward the parking lot when he realized that Krissy had taken his car to the police station. Using the endless technology available on his iPhone, Colt quickly made arrangements for a cab to pick him up. Within fifteen minutes he was in Krissy’s office.
“We shouldn’t talk here,” Krissy said in hushed tones, her face revealing nothing, but the mere words suggesting she knew something she didn’t want to know. “Let’s get some dinner.”
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Colt Crawford - Chapter 10 (Tuesday)
It was close to 4:00 on Monday afternoon. Colt and Krissy had been watching for Mathis for about three hours and had nothing to show for their efforts. Boredom was setting in and the risk of missing something important was growing. Colt breathed in the fresh ocean air, sighed and said, “Let’s give it one more hour.”
Krissy agreed. She needed an end in sight in order to stay focused. Glancing down toward the parking lot, movement caught her eye. “Someone’s coming.”
Colt looked up and saw a man walking quickly toward the Yachtery office. “Isn’t that your chief?” Colt asked.
Krissy studied the figure in the distance. “Yeah, he might be coming down this way toward his boat.” Chief Brown appeared to be in a hurry and, as he passed in front of the Yachtery, he made a sharp left turn and entered the office. “Let’s hope he’s buying his wife a new boat,” Krissy said under her breath.
There was no way for Colt or Krissy to monitor the conversation inside the building. Colt turned around and found the boat that he had seen the chief leaving the day before. It was a newer cabin cruiser of about 30 feet. His was not the fanciest boat in the marina, but Colt could see no logical reason for an upgrade. Just then, the door to the office opened and Chief Brown emerged with Steven Mathis. The two men were talking in obviously hushed tones, though Colt and Krissy were unlikely to have heard them from their distance anyway. It appeared that Mathis was controlling the conversation. The chief’s face was of stone, never changing expression. “Does the Chief look nervous to you?”
“Uncomfortable at the least,” Krissy replied. “He’s usually very outgoing, but I don’t think he likes what Mathis is saying.”
“How do you want to play this?” Colt asked. “He’s your boss.”
Krissy paused, then said, “Very carefully. I plan to be a cop for a long time.”
“We could get a warrant and search Mathis’ records. See if he has any legitimate financial connections to the chief.”
“Based on what? The fact that Creighton called him and talked to him. Creighton’s not even a suspect.”
“I guess I’ll have to rely on the ‘I’m not a cop’ strategy then,” Colt said with a mischievous grin.
Krissy’s eyes rolled as she sighed. “Just be careful. I like my job.”
Chief Brown and Mathis wrapped up their conversation and parted ways. Brown went back toward his car and Mathis returned to his office, but only for a few minutes. The next time he appeared, he was carrying a brief case in one hand and had a cell phone pressed to his ear with the other.
Colt tossed Krissy his keys. “You follow him. I’m going to stay here for a while and snoop around. Call me if you need me.”
Krissy was nervous about Colt’s plan, but figured plausible deniability would save her career if the man did anything stupid. She quickly made her way off the boat and up the dock, maintaining a safe distance from Mathis. Colt stayed behind and cleaned up their trash from lunch before making his move.
Since Mathis’ secretary had already seen him in the office previously, his undercover angle wouldn’t work. Instead, Colt just decided to take advantage of the fact that the boss was gone and simply march in and start asking questions. As he had anticipated the secretary was still seated behind her desk busily typing away on her keyboard.
“Can I help you?” she asked, pausing to make eye contact.
Krissy agreed. She needed an end in sight in order to stay focused. Glancing down toward the parking lot, movement caught her eye. “Someone’s coming.”
Colt looked up and saw a man walking quickly toward the Yachtery office. “Isn’t that your chief?” Colt asked.
Krissy studied the figure in the distance. “Yeah, he might be coming down this way toward his boat.” Chief Brown appeared to be in a hurry and, as he passed in front of the Yachtery, he made a sharp left turn and entered the office. “Let’s hope he’s buying his wife a new boat,” Krissy said under her breath.
There was no way for Colt or Krissy to monitor the conversation inside the building. Colt turned around and found the boat that he had seen the chief leaving the day before. It was a newer cabin cruiser of about 30 feet. His was not the fanciest boat in the marina, but Colt could see no logical reason for an upgrade. Just then, the door to the office opened and Chief Brown emerged with Steven Mathis. The two men were talking in obviously hushed tones, though Colt and Krissy were unlikely to have heard them from their distance anyway. It appeared that Mathis was controlling the conversation. The chief’s face was of stone, never changing expression. “Does the Chief look nervous to you?”
“Uncomfortable at the least,” Krissy replied. “He’s usually very outgoing, but I don’t think he likes what Mathis is saying.”
“How do you want to play this?” Colt asked. “He’s your boss.”
Krissy paused, then said, “Very carefully. I plan to be a cop for a long time.”
“We could get a warrant and search Mathis’ records. See if he has any legitimate financial connections to the chief.”
“Based on what? The fact that Creighton called him and talked to him. Creighton’s not even a suspect.”
“I guess I’ll have to rely on the ‘I’m not a cop’ strategy then,” Colt said with a mischievous grin.
Krissy’s eyes rolled as she sighed. “Just be careful. I like my job.”
Chief Brown and Mathis wrapped up their conversation and parted ways. Brown went back toward his car and Mathis returned to his office, but only for a few minutes. The next time he appeared, he was carrying a brief case in one hand and had a cell phone pressed to his ear with the other.
Colt tossed Krissy his keys. “You follow him. I’m going to stay here for a while and snoop around. Call me if you need me.”
Krissy was nervous about Colt’s plan, but figured plausible deniability would save her career if the man did anything stupid. She quickly made her way off the boat and up the dock, maintaining a safe distance from Mathis. Colt stayed behind and cleaned up their trash from lunch before making his move.
Since Mathis’ secretary had already seen him in the office previously, his undercover angle wouldn’t work. Instead, Colt just decided to take advantage of the fact that the boss was gone and simply march in and start asking questions. As he had anticipated the secretary was still seated behind her desk busily typing away on her keyboard.
“Can I help you?” she asked, pausing to make eye contact.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Colt Crawford - Chapter 10 (Monday)
Colt and Krissy got out of the BMW. They had only known each other for a couple of days, but Colt was starting to feel as if he had known her his whole life. When he was with Krissy, Colt found himself at ease, comfortable. There was no awkwardness about their relationship. Perhaps that was because it was simply a professional, working relationship and the baggage that accompanies romance was only a distant thought. Despite this, there was one lingering question that had to be answered before he could see their relationship moving anywhere beyond its present state. He would wait for the time to be right, but he knew it was a question he would eventually have to ask.
Colt clutched the plastic bag with the styrofoam containers of beef and broccoli and orange chicken as loose chow mien noodles tried to make a last minute escape from the over-stuffed box. Krissy took care of the drinks and they headed across the lot toward The Yachtery. About 50 yards from the front door was a small picnic table with an umbrella. It would have made for a perfect spot to quietly watch Mathis, but it was directly in the line of sight of his front window. If Mathis were to look out, he could easily see them sitting there. “We need to find a place more discreet than this,” Colt suggested. He glanced around the harbor and his eyes fixated on something near the docks. “Just go with me on this.” Krissy instantly grew nervous, not sure what he was about to do. Regardless, she hesitantly agreed to play Colt’s game. He hadn’t led her astray yet.
A middle-aged man with wispy gray hair, faded blue jeans, and a red windbreaker stepped off a large boat and walked up the ramp from the docks. He opened a gate right in front of Colt and started to walk through. “Excuse me,” Colt began with a sheepish grin. “My wife and I are on our honeymoon.” The words just poured out and, as they did, Colt hoped the man wouldn’t notice a lack of rings on their fingers. Using as much blushing and charm as he could muster, Colt Crawford somehow managed to convince the man to let them eat their lunch on the bridge of a timeless 1972 42 foot Grand Banks Classic.
“I can’t believe you just did that,” Krissy said twirling a pile of chow mien with her chopsticks.
“Hey, it’s a perfect view to Mathis’ office from here and he’ll never suspect a thing. How’s the chicken?”
“Cholesterol ridden and heavenly. Such a curse.” From the top deck of the wooden sided motor yacht, Colt and Krissy could see the entire harbor. They were in the fourth slip on the right side of the dock about a hundred feet from the front door of The Yachtery. As a matter of fact, a sleek 35 foot sailboat two slips down had a for sale sign on it’s bow listing The Yachtery as the broker.
In order to allow both detectives to keep watch on the office, they sat side by side on a bench along the starboard side of the spacious vessel. Given the need to keep a constant eye on the target, the conversation was sparse and mostly focused on business. The time wasn’t right for Colt to ask his lingering question. It was too soon to get that personal.
Colt clutched the plastic bag with the styrofoam containers of beef and broccoli and orange chicken as loose chow mien noodles tried to make a last minute escape from the over-stuffed box. Krissy took care of the drinks and they headed across the lot toward The Yachtery. About 50 yards from the front door was a small picnic table with an umbrella. It would have made for a perfect spot to quietly watch Mathis, but it was directly in the line of sight of his front window. If Mathis were to look out, he could easily see them sitting there. “We need to find a place more discreet than this,” Colt suggested. He glanced around the harbor and his eyes fixated on something near the docks. “Just go with me on this.” Krissy instantly grew nervous, not sure what he was about to do. Regardless, she hesitantly agreed to play Colt’s game. He hadn’t led her astray yet.
A middle-aged man with wispy gray hair, faded blue jeans, and a red windbreaker stepped off a large boat and walked up the ramp from the docks. He opened a gate right in front of Colt and started to walk through. “Excuse me,” Colt began with a sheepish grin. “My wife and I are on our honeymoon.” The words just poured out and, as they did, Colt hoped the man wouldn’t notice a lack of rings on their fingers. Using as much blushing and charm as he could muster, Colt Crawford somehow managed to convince the man to let them eat their lunch on the bridge of a timeless 1972 42 foot Grand Banks Classic.
“I can’t believe you just did that,” Krissy said twirling a pile of chow mien with her chopsticks.
“Hey, it’s a perfect view to Mathis’ office from here and he’ll never suspect a thing. How’s the chicken?”
“Cholesterol ridden and heavenly. Such a curse.” From the top deck of the wooden sided motor yacht, Colt and Krissy could see the entire harbor. They were in the fourth slip on the right side of the dock about a hundred feet from the front door of The Yachtery. As a matter of fact, a sleek 35 foot sailboat two slips down had a for sale sign on it’s bow listing The Yachtery as the broker.
In order to allow both detectives to keep watch on the office, they sat side by side on a bench along the starboard side of the spacious vessel. Given the need to keep a constant eye on the target, the conversation was sparse and mostly focused on business. The time wasn’t right for Colt to ask his lingering question. It was too soon to get that personal.
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