Tami Hoag - Dark Horse

Landry shrugged. "So he's a psycho. He thinks he's omnipotent."

"I could go for that explanation regarding Van Zandt. But I don't see Jade risking everything on some scheme, and I don't see him partnering with a loose cannon like Van Zandt."

Landry took another sip of the scotch. Trying to decide whether or not to share with me, I thought.

"One of the phone numbers you gave me from Seabright's incoming calls belonged to a prepaid cell phone we traced to the Radio Shack in Royal Palm Beach. We couldn't get an ID from the clerks off Jade's photo, but one of them thinks he took a phone call from a man named Jade, asking him questions about the phones, and asking him to set a phone aside for him."

"Why would Jade do something so stupid?" I said. "He wouldn't."

Landry shrugged. "Maybe he figured a disposable phone would be untraceable, so it wouldn't matter who he talked to."

I got up to pace, shaking my head. "Don Jade hasn't gotten where he is by being an idiot. If he wanted a phone held for him, why not give a phony name? Why not give them just his first name? No. This doesn't make any sense at all."

"It's the lead we have," Landry said defensively. "I'm not going to ignore it. You know as well as I do, criminals fuck up. They get careless. They make mistakes."

"Yeah, well maybe someone made this mistake for him."

"What? You think someone's trying to frame him?"

"It looks that way to me. Jade has more to lose than to gain by any of this."

"But he's done it before-the insurance scam with the dead horses."

"Yes, but things were different then."

"Tigers don't change their stripes."

"Look," I said, "I'm not trying to defend him. I just think there are more rotten apples in this barrel than Don Jade. What did Michael Berne have to say for himself about the night Jill was murdered?"

"He was at Players for drinks with a client, the client was a no-show. Berne went out into the hall to call the client, and witnessed the scene between Jade and the girl."

"And after that?"

"Went home and spent the evening with his wife."

I rolled my eyes. "Ah, yes, the accommodating Ms. Alibi."

"What?" Landry said, looking irritated. "You think Berne masterminded the whole thing? Why?"

"I'm not saying that. I still don't see why anyone would risk getting caught at the kidnapping scheme. But Michael Berne hates Don Jade with a vengeance-and I mean that literally. Berne lost a lot when he lost Trey Hughes as a client. He's the definition of bitter. He might have killed the horse. Maybe he thinks if Jade was out of the way, he would get back in with Hughes. Even if that didn't happen, he would have the satisfaction of ruining Jade's life."

"And where does Van Zandt fit in with Berne? You still believe he killed Jill, don't you?"

"Yes, but maybe he doesn't fit in. Maybe he killed Jill and it didn't have anything to do with anything but sex," I said. "Or maybe he's partners with Berne, or he's partners with Paris Montgomery-who's screwing Trey Hughes, by the way-but I don't believe he's partners with Don Jade. And then there's Trey Hughes. This whole nightmare is revolving around him."

"Jesus, what a fucking mess," Landry mumbled. He finished his scotch and set the glass on the coffee table. "I wouldn't mention any of this to Lieutenant Dugan, if I were you."

"Why would I?"

Landry's pager went off. He checked the display, then glanced up at me. "Because he wants you in his office ASAP."

L andry held the door for me as we entered the building. I didn't have the manners to thank him. My mind was on the meeting ahead. I needed a strategy going in or Dugan and Armedgian would run me off the case on a rail.

They were waiting in the lieutenant's office: Dugan, Armedgian, and Weiss. Weiss gave me the glare as I entered the room, the flat cop eyes with a mountain of pent-up anger behind them. I dismissed him and went straight to Dugan, looking him in the eye, offering my hand.

"Lieutenant. Elena Estes. I'd say it's a pleasure, but I'm sure it won't be." I turned to Armedgian. "Wayne. Thanks for the info on Van Zandt. The whole truth would have been more helpful, but what the hell? Nobody liked Jill Morone anyway."

Armedgian's round face colored. "I can't give sensitive information to a civilian."

"Sure. I understand. And that's why you called Lieutenant Dugan here straightaway, right? To warn him, so he could have someone keep an eye on the guy, right?"

"We had no reason to believe Van Zandt was an immediate danger to anyone," Armedgian defended himself. "I hadn't been made aware of the Seabright girl's kidnapping."

"I'm sure that will be a comfort to Jill Morone's family."

"Your concern for the family is touching, Ms. Estes," Dugan said. "And surprising, considering the way you've treated the Seabrights."

"I've given due courtesy to the Seabrights."

"Not according to Bruce Seabright."

"He wasn't due any, as you've probably found out for yourself by now. Frankly, I'm not convinced he isn't involved in the kidnapping."

"I'm not interested in your theories, Ms. Estes," Dugan said.

"Then why am I here?"

"The Seabrights want to lodge a complaint against you. Seems you've misrepresented yourself to them."

"Not so."

"You are not a private investigator," Dugan said.

"I never told anyone that I was. The Seabrights have made an erroneous assumption."

"Don't try to bullshit me with semantics. If you want to play word games, become a lawyer."

"Thanks for the career advice."

"Too bad she couldn't have taken it before she got one of ours killed," Weiss muttered behind my back.

I kept my focus on Dugan. "I got into this to try to help a little girl who believed her sister was in trouble when no one-including this office-believed her. That's my only purpose in this, Lieutenant. If Bruce Seabright somehow feels threatened by that, you might want to have a hard look at why."

"We've got it under control," Dugan said. "I want you out of it. Now."

I looked around the room. "Gee, did I miss something? Have I been rehired by this agency? Because, if I haven't been, then I'm pretty certain you can't tell me what to do or where to go or with whom I might have a conversation. I'm a private citizen."

"You're impeding an official investigation."

"There wouldn't be an investigation if not for me."

"I can't have a citizen running loose, breaking and entering homes, tampering with evidence-"

"Breaking and entering is a crime," I said. "If you have some kind of proof I've committed a crime, then you should arrest me."

"Say the word, Lieutenant," Weiss offered. "I'll do the honors."

"Van Zandt is our business now, Elena," Armedgian said. "The sheriff's and the FBI's."

I looked at him, bored. "Uh-huh. Great job. He came to my house this morning and threatened me. Where were you then, Wayne? And you know what? I'll bet a hundred dollars you don't know where he is right now. Do you?"

The look on his face spoke for him.

"The Seabrights intend to file a restraining order against you, Ms. Estes," Dugan said. "If you go near them, their home, Mr. Seabright's place of business, we'll have to pick you up."

I shrugged. "You could have sent a deputy to tell me that. Unless you really want to talk about this case, Lieutenant, you're wasting my time."

Dugan arched an eyebrow. "You have pressing business somewhere?"

I pulled my cell phone out of my jacket pocket, scrolled through a few numbers, and hit the call button. I kept my gaze on the lieutenant as the phone rang on the other end.

"Van Zandt? Elle. Sorry I had to rush off this morning. Especially after you took all that time to scream at me and make me feel like I couldn't ride a bicycle, much less a horse."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. Only background noise. He was in a car. I figured to proceed with the conversation even if Van Zandt hung up on me. I wanted Dugan to know he didn't own me, and at the same time know that I could be an asset, whether he liked the idea or not.