Филипп Марголин - The Perfect Alibi

Hastings grabbed Robin by the throat with one hand and slapped her hard with the other. “The address, bitch, or…” Hastings’s eyes went funny and he released Robin.

He started to turn, and a massive fist adorned with brass knuckles crashed into the side of his face. Hastings staggered and tried to raise his arms, but he was too dazed to get them up. The next punch flattened his nose and sent him to his knees. Everett Henderson’s final punch put Blaine out.

“How you doing?” Henderson asked.

“I’ve been better. How did you know I needed help?”

“I was downstairs waiting for Bill when I saw this asshole watching the building. I didn’t think about it until his hood fell back for a moment, and I recognized him. Then you came out and he started following you. I decided to tail him.”

“I’m glad you did. He was way too big for me.”

“Hey, you tried.”

“I’m going to call 911. Those brass knuckles are illegal, so I think you should disappear.”

Henderson smiled. “Good advice, Counselor.”

“And thank you.”

“No need after what you did for me. Hey, I just got an idea. We should go WWE. We’d make a good tag team.”

Robin laughed. “Get lost.”

Hastings started to come to before the police arrived. Robin hesitated. Then she remembered what Blaine had done to Randi, and she stomped his head hard enough to put him out again. Two police officers arrived moments before the ambulance.

Robin had told Dispatch who had attacked her and asked them to notify Carrie Anders and Roger Dillon. The detectives showed up fifteen minutes after the first responders. The EMTs had Hastings strapped down in the back of the ambulance. The detectives checked on the prisoner, then walked over to Robin, who was sitting in her car with the door open.

“You’re going to have a tough time getting dates if you keep beating them up,” said Anders.

“Blaine Hastings isn’t my type, Carrie. I don’t date rapists.”

“I took a good look at Mr. Hastings’s injuries. I didn’t know you could hit that hard.”

“I can’t. A Good Samaritan came to my rescue.”

“Did you get a name?”

“No. And I was too dazed to give you a description, so don’t ask.”

Anders studied Robin for a moment. Robin met her gaze and Anders smiled.

“Maybe Prince Charming can give us a description. But he’s going to have his jaw wired shut for a while, so I’ll have to wait. Why did he attack you?”

“He wanted Randi Stark’s address.”

“Lucky for her, he’s in no condition to pay a visit.” Anders frowned.

“What are you thinking about?” Robin asked.

“I was just wondering if Hastings murdered Rex Kellerman.”

“Kellerman’s dead?”

“You haven’t heard. It’s been all over the news.”

“I was in court and out of town all day. What happened?”

“Les Kreuger gave Rex all the files in the case against Doug Armstrong, those New York cases, all that stuff. Someone shot him early this morning, then set fire to the files. His house burned down.”

“And you think Hastings might have killed him because he prosecuted him?”

“It’s possible. Especially now that you tell me he was going after Randi Stark.”

“Why would Blaine or anyone burn case files? Plenty of people have duplicates.”

“That’s a question we’ve been asking. Les Kreuger told us that Rex left a message in his office voice mail last night. He claimed he’d found something odd in the files, but he didn’t say what it was. I have someone going through our copies to see if he can figure out what Rex noticed.”

Robin was about to say something when she grew dizzy and reached out to brace herself.

“Are you okay?” Carrie asked.

“I think my adrenaline tank just went dry.”

“Do you think you have a concussion?”

“I hope not.”

“Did you make a statement already?”

“Yeah, to the first officer who responded to my 911 call.”

“Can you drive safely?”

Robin thought about calling Jeff but decided against it. She’d see him at the apartment. “I’ll be okay. I’ll just sit for a minute.”

“Okay. Then go home. If I need anything more, I’ll get in touch.”

When Robin walked in the door of her apartment, Jeff saw her black eye and swollen jaw.

“What happened!?”

“I had a run-in with Blaine Hastings.”

Jeff looked shocked. “Are you okay? How badly are you hurt?”

“I’m good. Just a little shaken up.”

“Did you go to the hospital?”

Robin smiled. “Relax, Jeff. I used to fight professionally. I’ve been hurt worse in the octagon, believe me.”

“Not by someone who tried to kill you.”

“Blaine didn’t try to kill me. He just wanted information. And he’s in jail, so I don’t have to worry about him. He also got much more of a beating than I did.”

Robin told Jeff about the attack and the rescue. By the time she finished, he’d calmed down.

Jeff wrapped his arms around Robin and pulled her tight. “I should have been there for you.”

“It’s not your fault Blaine got to me.”

“We dropped our guard. I should have known better.”

Robin pushed Jeff far enough away to look into his eyes. “I’m okay. Please don’t beat yourself up.”

“I love you, Robin. If anything happened to you…”

“Neither of us can live in a bubble. If I could go back in time, I’d keep you from going into that meth lab, but I can’t, and you can’t go back in time and walk me to my car.”

Jeff started to say something, but Robin silenced him with a kiss.

“Who rescued you?” Jeff asked when they came up for air.

“I’m not saying, because I don’t want to get him in trouble.”

“I won’t tell anyone.”

“You won’t be able to if I don’t tell you the identity of my knight in shining armor.”

Jeff decided it would be futile to pursue this line of questioning.

“Did you hear about Rex Kellerman?” Robin asked to divert Jeff.

“Yeah. Do you think Hastings killed him?”

“I don’t know. And right now, I don’t want to think about Kellerman, Blaine Hastings, or anyone but the sandman.”

Robin had a splitting headache when she woke up the next morning. Jeff was concerned, but she told him that he shouldn’t worry. Then she took two Advil and fixed a bagel and tea for breakfast. Jeff read the newspaper while they ate. Every once in a while, he would comment on an article, but Robin seemed miles away.

They were almost finished with breakfast when Carrie Anders called to see how Robin was feeling and to ask her to come in to give a formal statement. Robin called her secretary to tell her she’d be in late.

“Do you want me to drive you downtown?” Jeff asked.

“I’ll be able to drive myself.”

“Are you really okay? You seem a little spacey.”

“More than usual?” Robin said, flashing a smile that made it look like she felt a lot better than she actually felt.

Jeff didn’t return the smile.

“I’m okay, Jeff. Please don’t worry.”

“Will you promise me you’ll see a doctor? You could have a concussion.”

“I’ll go right after I give my statement to Carrie.”

Robin went back to her breakfast, and Jeff turned to the sports page. He was about to comment on an upcoming football game when he saw Robin staring into space.

“What is it?” Jeff asked.

Robin frowned.

“Out with it,” Jeff said. “I know when a weird idea is whirling around in your little brain.”

“It’s something Carrie told me. Les Kreuger gave Rex copies of the files in Doug Armstrong’s case. Rex left Les a message on his voice mail. He said he’d found something odd in the files, but he didn’t say what it was. The person who killed Rex burned the files. Could Rex have been killed because he found something in them that put someone in danger?”