Iris Johansen - Quinn

“I’m glad to hear it. But the FBI doesn’t deal with drugs.” He handed him Kim Chen’s sketch. “Do you know him?”

Cavanaugh frowned. “He’s… familiar.”

He handed him Eve’s sketch. “Is this clearer?”

Cavanaugh’s eyes widened. “Hell, yes. Ralph Fraser.” He looked at Joe. “But Fraser is a good guy. Been working for us for years and never caused any trouble.”

“Where is he working now?”

“In the flower bed behind the clubhouse, next to the pool. But he’s not the guy you’re looking for. He’s real quiet, works hard and-”

“Stay in the truck.” Joe started for the clubhouse.

And saw Ralph Fraser come around the corner toward him.

Shit!

Fraser stopped, then whirled and ran into the clubhouse.

Joe tore after him, but instead of going through the front entrance, he ran around back and entered from the pool area.

A bullet splintered the jamb of the door as he dove down and to the left.

“Put down your weapon. You’re under arrest.”

“The hell I am.” Another bullet, closer.

But Joe had the direction now. Fraser was behind the bar across the room. He aimed and got off a shot. “Give it up, Fraser. Last chance. I’ll kill you. It’s what I want to do anyway. Why waste the taxpayers’ money on shit like you?”

“You’re not going to kill me. All these years, and you assholes haven’t been able to touch me. I’ll get out of here and kill you and that whore, too.” Another shot. “Just like I did that newspaper reporter.”

“But it’s really me you want to kill, isn’t it, Fraser?”

Oh, my God, Eve.

She was standing in the front doorway. But only for an instant, then she dove to the right behind the couch in front of the huge fireplace.

A bullet embedded itself in the soft cushions.

“You missed,” Eve called. “Stupid, Fraser. Incompetent and stupid and-”

Take advantage of Eve’s distracting him.

Another bullet struck the coffee table. “Bitch.” It was a scream of rage. “I’ll blow your-”

The scream was cut off as Joe dove across the bar on top of Fraser, jerking the gun from his hand and tossing it aside.

“No!” Fraser struggled wildly.

God, he was strong. Joe would have to put him out quickly.

But Fraser had rolled over, taking Joe with him. His face was contorted with rage as he looked down at him. There was fierce malice imprinted on every line of his heavy face. “You helped her. You helped the bitch. I’m going to cut your-”

Joe’s knee jerked up into Fraser’s groin.

Fraser groaned with pain.

Joe bucked him off his body. He moved swiftly to give him a karate chop to the neck.

Fraser went limp as he lost consciousness.

Joe was breathing hard as leaned back against the bar.

Eve was beside him, looking down at Fraser. “It’s him. It’s Zeus?”

“Ralph Fraser.” He reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out handcuffs. “And you were supposed to stay in the car.”

“And you were supposed to call in the police when you knew where Fraser was.” She was still looking down at him. “And then I saw you run after him. What could I do?”

He cuffed Fraser and sat back on his heels. “And you wouldn’t have come running to the rescue anyway? I could have handled it, Eve.”

“I had to be sure.” Her glance shifted to Joe. “And I had to make certain that you didn’t kill him.”

“I gave him the usual warning.”

“But I think you wanted him dead. Didn’t you?”

“He’s a son of a bitch. I didn’t want some slick lawyer to find a way of getting him off.”

“That’s not all. You’re my friend. I think you wanted it over for me.”

“Maybe. And now we have to wait for a jury to pull the plug on him.” His lips twisted. “And I have to watch what that does to you. Is that what you want?”

“I have to talk to him. I have to make him tell me if he lied about killing Bonnie.”

It was coming as he’d known it would. Joe could almost see the dark shadow looming over her.

“Maybe he lied,” she added shakily. “Maybe he’ll tell the truth if he thinks it will get him off.”

“And maybe he’ll lie again.” He got to his feet. “Come on, let’s get you in the car and away from him.”

She didn’t move. “I have to ask him, Joe.”

“You’re not going to get anything from him but curses if he regains consciousness anytime soon.” He took her elbow. “We need to call Slindak and get those squad cars up here.”

“They should be here any minute. I told that man in the truck to go down to the gates and get them as I ran past him toward the clubhouse.”

“Good.” He glanced once again at Fraser. He still wasn’t stirring. “I don’t think he’s playing possum, but perhaps I’ll stay here until Slindak gets here.”

“Because he might be strong enough to walk away from this? I never thought evil could be as strong as good. I hoped it couldn’t be that powerful.” She shuddered. “But that was before I lost Bonnie.”

Joe heard the sirens and gently took her elbow again. “He won’t walk away from this.” He nudged her toward the door. “I promise you, Eve.”

“When can I see him again?” she asked. “I have to see him. He has to tell me about Bonnie.”

“We’ll talk about that later.” A long time later, he thought. When she was stronger, when he could find a way to cushion the blow. As if he could ever cushion that blow. “Let me take you home.”

Two Weeks Later

PAPERWORK, JOE THOUGHT SOURLY as he finished the third page of the report. It was the bane of every law-enforcement officer’s life, and that went double when you had to make reports to the local police department as well as the Bureau.

“You look pissed.” Slindak had stopped by his desk. “You shouldn’t mind doing a little bragging on paper. You’re a rising star. The Bureau is probably going to give you a promotion.”

“Knock it off.”

Slindak hesitated. “How is Eve Duncan?”

“Fine.”

“Did you see her today?”

“Last night.”

“Did she mention Fraser?”

He raised his head. “Every day. She wants to see him. I’ve been making excuses.”

“I think that she saw through them. I just got a call from the jail. She’s talking to Fraser now.”

“What?” He jerked upright in the chair. “How did she get in to see him?”

“She went to his lawyer, and he arranged it.”

Joe was cursing as he jumped to his feet. “Damn him. Do you know what that’s going to do to her?”

“I have an idea. I thought you’d want to know. She doesn’t need any more…”

The last words were lost as Joe ran out of the squad room.

Fifteen minutes later, he was taking the stairs two at a time to the second-floor room where they’d brought Eve for her visit with Fraser.

She was coming out of the room when he reached the top of the stairs.

She was stark white and was moving slowly, like an old woman.

“Eve, dammit.”

She looked at him as if she didn’t recognize him. “Joe?”

“Why did you have to do it?” He put his arm around her waist to support her and pulled her down the stairs. “I knew he’d do this to you.”

“Did you?” She almost fell as they started down the next flight. She was walking stiffly, as if her legs weren’t be able to function. “I guess I knew he would do it, too. But I had to ask him. It’s Bonnie. Do you know what he told me?”

“Shh. Not now. Let me get you home first.”

“If that’s what you want.”

“That’s what I want.” They were walking out of the station, and he put her into the passenger seat of the car he’d parked at the front entrance.