Alex Kava Bundle - Alex Kava [432]
“Lucky guy.”
“Jesus! Racine.”
“Sorry.”
“If that’s what this conversation—”
“No, it’s not. Really, I’m sorry.” Racine hesitated, as if there was something more on the subject she wanted to add before going on. Then she said, “I’m in deep shit with the chief. Senator Brier wants my ass kicked off the force because of those photos Garrison managed to get in the Enquirer.”
“I’m sure things will cool down as soon as we figure out who is responsible for his daughter’s death.”
“I wish it was that easy,” Racine said, only this time there was something different about her voice. Not anger, not frustration. Maybe a bit of fear. “Chief Henderson is seriously pissed. I may lose my badge.”
Maggie didn’t know what to say. As much as she disliked Racine and questioned her competency, she knew this was harsh.
“To make matters worse, that asshole Garrison called me.” The anger returned. “He said he has some photos to show me that might help the case.”
“Why would he suddenly want to help?”
Silence. Maggie knew it. There had to be something in it for Garrison. But what?
“He wants something from me,” Racine admitted, going from fear to anger to embarrassment.
“He wants something like what? Sorry, Racine, but you’re not getting off that easy. What does he want?”
“He wants photos.”
“What photos could he possibly want from you?”
“No, he wants to take photos of me.” Racine let the anger slip out.
“Oh, Jesus!” Maggie couldn’t believe it. No wonder Racine sounded like an emotional wreck. “And why would he think that’s possible?”
“Cut the crap, O’Dell. You know why he thinks it’s possible.”
So the rumors were true. The stories about Racine exchanging favors weren’t just crude locker-room talk.
“Does he realize we could already have him arrested for obstructing a police investigation?”
“I told him.”
“And?”
“He laughed.”
“Let’s do it, then.”
“Are you kidding?”
“No. I’ll talk to Cunningham. You talk to Henderson. Let’s bring him in.”
“I’m in enough trouble, O’Dell. If Garrison is bluffing—”
“If Garrison’s as arrogant as I think he is, and he does have something, then we’ll just convince him it’s in his best interests to share that information.”
“And just how do we convince him?”
“I’m gonna give Cunningham a call. You talk to Henderson and call me back. Let’s bring this asshole in.”
Maggie hung up the phone, put the Scotch aside and felt a renewed energy. Gently she nudged Harvey awake. Suddenly, she found herself grateful for bastards like Garrison.
CHAPTER 58
WEDNESDAY
November 27
Washington, D.C.
Ben Garrison pretended to keep his cool while he sat and waited in the middle of the twelfth precinct, handcuffed to a fucking chair. Officers shoved their way around him, ignoring him. A stoned, toothless hooker kept smiling at him from across the room. She even winked at him once, uncrossed her legs and gave him a Sharon Stone view of her merchandise. He wasn’t impressed.
His wrists itched under the too-tight handcuffs. The chair’s wobbly legs drove him nuts, and he shoved it back against the wall, drawing scowls from the two bastards who brought him in. He still couldn’t believe Racine would do this. Who would have thought she had it in her? Oddly, it only made him want to fuck her all the more.
He returned from Boston to find two of the District’s finest waiting for him at his apartment. At first, he thought Mrs. Fowler was having him evicted, especially if she smelled the fumigator crap he had left for the cockroaches to enjoy. And if the little bastards had escaped into the rest of the building, the poor old woman probably would have a coronary. But, no, it wasn’t Mrs. Fowler. It was Racine. What a surprise. The little cunt had a game plan all of her own. And part of it, obviously, was to make him wait.
Well, he refused to let her ruin his lucky streak, especially after he had just spent the morning blowing away Britt Harwood with yet another Garrison exclusive. Ben smiled. Not much Racine could do about the photos that would be in this evening’s Boston Globe.
Hell, he had done what he wanted with the prints,