Echo's Crusade Part 11

"Roan...you never take time off. You had a near fatal shooting and decided to leave the hospital without your doctor's consent. You almost died. Why don't you use some of that vacation time you have? Go chill out on a beach someplace and take your friend. She's probably as washed out as you are with all that's gone on in the past few months. The world will still be falling apart when you get back. Unfortunately, that's a certainty these days." Renaldo glanced back at the file on Layla Greystoke. There was no way a judge would sanction an arrest warrant.

Disliking the personal reference to Echo, Roan asked, "Is that an order, Captain?"

Renaldo gave Roan a long hard look and shook her head. "No, Lieutenant, merely a gentle reminder that there's more to life than death."

Roan nodded and began to leave the room before spinning back around. "Sometimes dedication to what is right means you have to sacrifice life to bring justice to the dead."

Renaldo let out a held breath at Roan's words. "I hope you don't lose yours to make your point."

Echo called Roan on her cell. As usual, it automatically went to messages. She was of two minds as to what to do next. Wait for Roan to call, which was the logical action or...go and see Mahoney with her folder and see what his reaction was. She could meet with him on the premise that she agreed to help on the marketing angle for the project, and someone told her that he was the contact. It was partly the truth.

It was a no-brainer. She needed to wait for Roan. Her deductions could be wrong, and in turn, that could cause trouble between Mahoney and Roan. She didn't want that. She couldn't overlook the fact that if the chief was a murderer, she would put herself in danger by confronting him.

Her phone rang and she reached for it hoping it was Roan. It wasn't. "Can you join me in my office?" Stan said. "A potential new client whose business could put us in the stratosphere is due in an hour."

Echo smiled. "Stan, you say that about every client." She chuckled and heard him do the same. "Sure, I'll be with you in five minutes." The phone went dead and she replaced the receiver on its cradle. Roan would have to wait. She picked up her writing case and headed for Stan's office.

"Anything change since I was here last?" Roan asked the detective who had replaced her earlier.

The young man shook his head. "No...a couple of derelicts tried to get in but moved on when it was locked. A gang appeared in the street half an hour ago. They disappeared, too, when they saw me. No sign of Greystoke."

"c.r.a.p." Her gaze roamed the area, and she placed her hand over her mouth in concentration.

"We could always break in, Lieutenant. Don't we have a warrant?"

Roan raised her eyebrows. "I don't need you to remind me of that." Her gaze traveled to the old church and the surrounding buildings. Except for the twenty-four-hour grocery store on the corner, most were dilapidated. "Come on, Painter, we'll ask some questions at the grocery store on the corner."

As they headed into the store, Roan's cell beeped and she saw Echo's name on the display. She almost answered but decided to let it go to voice mail. There really wasn't time to speak with Echo. She needed all the time she could get before Renaldo found out she hadn't gone home.

Ten minutes later and not much to show for their efforts, the two detectives left the store and wandered back to the squad car. "What next, Lieutenant? Sit around and wait for Greystoke to turn up? Someone could have tipped her off. She has powerful friends."

Roan had considered that, but the only people who knew about the warrant were her uncle and Echo. She felt in her gut that neither of them would have informed Greystoke. "Let me make a call." She turned her back on the detective and pressed Echo's number on her cell.

The call went to Echo's voice mail, and Roan didn't leave a message. Instead, she reached inside her jacket and pulled out an old notebook. Once she found the number of the Austin Agency, she dialed the number.

"Austin Agency, may I help you?" a female voice asked.

"Yes, this is Lieutenant Keating. I need to speak with Ms. Radar."

"Let me check."

Roan heard a twenty-second blast of aMy Kind of Town' while she waited for the woman's return.

"I'm sorry...Ms. Radar is in a meeting. If it's urgent, I can pull her out, Lieutenant."

Roan frowned. "No, thanks for your time."

"She's due back by lunch...do you want me to give her a message?"

"No message. I'll call her later." Roan ended the call and debated her next action. She turned back to Painter. "What was that you said about entering the church?"

He gave a grin as they returned to the squad car to go back down the street toward the building.

It had been a longer session than Echo antic.i.p.ated when she met with Stan. She hadn't expected to meet with the prospective new client, but Stan insisted. The client wanted her view of every product in their portfolio, and to her, it seemed like an endless corridor with no end in sight. Fortunately, Stan had another appointment for lunch and managed to extricate them tactfully from the meeting. After the client left, Echo heaved a sigh of relief and raised her eyebrows in Stan's direction.

"Tough going, Echo...I think you won him over with that last idea you had for his cereal campaign."

They both laughed as she glanced at the cheesy slogan she'd come up with. A cartoon drawing she'd marked on the art board. "Yeah, I guess. If he goes for it, may I recommend Jeff as my replacement? He's a great cartoonist."

The older man smiled. "I'll consider it. Now, my dear, how are you doing?"

"Good, thanks for asking. The police have reopened Karen's case. They now think it wasn't suicide. They're cautious about saying exactly what they think, but accidental death is a possibility." Echo stood to leave, then smiled slightly. "How would it be if I worked out of the upstate office for six months?"

Stan's smile froze as he motioned for her to sit. "That's rather sudden. I always thought you hated it there."

"I do, but with everything that's happened lately, I need a change. It isn't for good, just six months...maybe a year."

"I know Karen's death has been hard on you, but you love working here...at least you did. The people here can help you move beyond the pain of your grief if you'll let them."

Everyone liked Echo, and he'd heard other members of staff remark on a change for the worse in her since Karen died.

Echo felt a welling up of tears as she stared at the man. He always had been a father figure. "I'm not leaving all this behind. I just need a break...if you were me, wouldn't you?"

Stan stood up, went over to Echo, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Yes, yes, I would. I have a better idea...why don't you take a proper vacation for a month? After that, we'll talk about it. You might change your mind."

Echo looked up at him with tears shimmering in her eyes. "I can't do that. I've already taken more leave than I'm ent.i.tled to...what will people say?"

"They can say whatever they want to. When you come back, we're going to talk about that partnership." He held up his hand. "Don't say anymore. Think about it, okay?"

Perplexed by his offer, Echo's eyebrows knitted. "Thank you for everything. I'll seriously think about it," she said before she left the office.

Echo's head was in the clouds. Stan's generous offer was completely unexpected. The notion of the partnership that she and Karen discussed on many occasions was so far into the recesses of her mind that she'd forgotten all about it. As she walked closer to her a.s.sistant's cubicle, the younger woman stood and waved at her for attention.

"Echo, do you remember that detective..." She looked down at the pad on her desk. "...Keating?"

Echo gave her a sharp glance. "Yes?"

"Well, she called earlier and wanted to speak with you. She said she'd call back." Kelly saw disappointment flood her boss's face.

"Thanks, Kelly. Look, I need to run an errand. I'll be back before my next meeting at two. Will you order me a sandwich and leave it on my desk?" Without waiting for an answer, Echo entered her office and s.n.a.t.c.hed up her purse and left.

"Sure." Kelly watched her boss rush out of the office. She speculated about the sudden departure and the idea that Lieutenant Keating might be more than a cop to Echo.

"I hate places like this," Painter muttered as they proceeded farther into the dank-smelling church.

Roan lifted her head a fraction. "Get over it. Greystoke has an office at the front to the left."

Painter had heard all about Roan Keating. There was no lack of malicious remarks about her beauty and brains, not to mention her irascible nature. That naturally led to the respectful comments about her policing methods. Rumors were that they were grooming her to be the first female chief of police, which would be in keeping with the family tradition. When a.s.signed to the case and her name was a.s.sociated with it as the lead detective, he knew it was where he wanted to be. "Want me to force the office door if it's locked?"

"Go for it, we have a warrant to search where necessary if we feel it will provide the evidence we're missing," Roan said confidently. The scope of the warrant was narrow and specifically noted seizure of the keys to open the door and search inside for the contraband substance. There was no mention of using force to get inside. However, she was certain she could make a case for exigent circ.u.mstances, but that would be a slippery slope if Greystoke's lawyer challenged the course of her action. "Force it if necessary, but wait for me."

"You got it, Lieutenant." Painter quickly walked over to the office door and tried it; it opened without force.

Roan arrived at the font and what she saw changed her whole att.i.tude. A trail of blood leading toward the wood-framed pulpit gleamed in the sun streaming in from the stained gla.s.s window. She reached inside her pocket and extracted a pair of examination gloves, which she slipped on as quickly as they would allow.

She advanced cautiously along the trail of blood, careful not to touch anything. When she turned her attention to the pulpit, she drew in a breath. Sprawled halfway up the wooden structure was the crumpled body of Layla Greystoke. From Roan's initial glance, she saw a distinctive head wound and several bruises on the woman's face. Sighing heavily, she checked the pulse, though she didn't need to; full rigor made it clear the woman died at least twelve hours earlier.

"Painter, did you find anything?" Roan shouted as she pressed a number on her cell.

He shot his head out of the office. "No, everything is neat and tidy in here. You?"

"Yeah...Greystoke," she said as her cell connected with the number she'd dialed. "This is Lieutenant Keating. We need a bus along with backup and a forensics team at the Church of the Good Shepherd on Adams."

Painter whistled as he saw the broken woman on the steps of the pulpit. "What do you think? Did she die here, or was she transported here to make a point?"

Roan frowned. "I don't speculate."

"Guess we need to find another prime suspect now. It could be revenge. Anyone know anything about the change in the case that might do something like this?" Painter stared at the open but otherwise blank eyes of the woman who all the papers touted as the Mother Teresa of this century.

"No," Roan said automatically. She'd already gone over that scenario. She preferred to review the facts silently. Only two people could have murdered Greystoke in that scenario-her uncle or Echo. If she a.n.a.lyzed it logically, her name would fit the bill, too. There could and probably was only one other scenario. Greystoke had a partner in crime. It should be interesting to compile that list.

It wasn't long before the crime team along with the coroner took over the scene. The pathologist's initial findings indicated that Greystoke had died at least twelve to fifteen hours earlier. She'd been bludgeoned to death, although there were a few other injuries, which were puzzling. Once they did the autopsy, they would know more.

Roan glanced at her watch. It was almost lunchtime. Not that she was hungry, but Echo might be available. She needed to speak with her to ensure she had an airtight alibi. "Painter, I need to go across town for an hour. Keep me posted if there's any news."

"You got it, Lieutenant," he said as he watched his superior slip out of the church unnoticed by the others.

Chapter Seventeen.

Chief Mahoney threw down the phone receiver as his cheeks turned red in rage. Renaldo had informed him of Greystoke's death, which fueled the already out-of-control fire that had been started by his niece.

If only he hadn't accepted that meeting with the woman who was a friend of Thompson. Not to mention that d.a.m.ned file that showed the lack of attention to pertinent points on the original case. If it had been anyone other than his niece compiling the details, they might have been able to sweep it under the rug. Roan, on the other hand, would have accepted nothing less than reopening the case and investigating it until its conclusion. He never expected the disastrous fallout. Striding to the door, he flung it open and saw his a.s.sistant looking preoccupied.

"Robert, get my car. I'm going to the ninth precinct."

Surprised and annoyed at the chief catching him off-guard, Douglas tried to look nonplussed. "Right away, Chief...is there something I can help you with?"

Mahoney shook his head. "No. Cancel the rest of my appointments for today and reschedule them." Slamming his office door, he walked back to his desk.

Douglas became thoughtful as he contacted the driver of Mahoney's car. Five minutes later, his boss left the office and Douglas looked at the man's diary. He began calling all the numbers except for one. That particular appointment was in five minutes, and there was no way to prevent the visitor from arriving on time. Just then, the door to his office opened and the one twenty appointment arrived.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Radar, but the chief has been called away unexpectedly. He said to reschedule, and as you were already due, it was impossible for me to divert you." Douglas gave Echo a careful appraisal and watched with a degree of satisfaction her crestfallen expression. How he loved the power trip the office afforded.

"Oh, I guess there's nothing I can do about it. I had information about the Greystoke Project that he might find interesting. Can I see him later today perhaps?"

Douglas gave her a thoughtful look. The Greystoke Project was on everyone's agenda it appeared. He gave her a thin smile. "He specifically wanted the rest of the day free. As you have particular information on that project, he'll want to know sooner rather than later, I suspect. You could go to the ninth precinct and see him there." He saw her frown. "I can arrange for you to see him later...perhaps after you've finished work. Would that be more convenient?"

Echo gave him a second look. He was one of those people you dismissed without a second thought. "Thanks, I have a business meeting at two and I can't keep them waiting. Where shall I meet him...here?"

Douglas gave her a long lingering look, and Echo felt discomforted by the intensity.

"I'll need to send you that information later," Douglas said with a nod. "All I ask is that you don't make it public...it's a matter of police security."

Again, Echo frowned. "Sure, no problem."

"Goodbye, Ms. Radar."

Echo turned to go, and a shiver went down her spine when he wished her a smarmy goodbye. She was certain the slimy man was undressing her in his mind.

In the elevator, she heaved a sigh of relief to be out of the claustrophobic office. When she was alone, she whispered, "Well, I hope I never see him on a dark night. He's one of those men that gives me the creeps, even though they might not deserve it. What a pair he and the chief make...ugh!" The doors opened, and she left the building and headed back to her office.

Roan arrived at the Austin Agency at one thirty-six and pa.s.sed through security after showing her badge. She took the elevator to the floor where Echo worked, annoyed by the receptionist who begrudgingly gave her the information. When she exited the elevator, she glanced around unsure where Echo's actual office was. She recalled that the guy who ran the place was on the next floor and wondered if Echo had an office with a view. That was a sure sign of success, according to the movies and television. Several heads turned in inquiry as she walked past numerous cubicles. As she did, she noted the names on the door of each office.

A woman who had an easygoing smile walked up to her. "You seem lost...can I help you?"

Roan grimaced at the reference to her being lost. It wasn't in her nature to be lost-in anything. "No, I'm good."

The woman continued her friendly way and spied the door Roan was looking at. "James is away until next week...paternity leave. Is there anyone else who can help you?"

"Ms. Radar," Roan replied automatically.

"Echo...isn't in accounting. Her field is marketing...are you sure she's the one you want?"

Roan was annoyed. She should have called Echo before she entered the building. "My name is Lieutenant...." Roan began but stopped when she heard a familiar voice say her name.

"Roan, what are you doing here?" Echo said with a warm smile as she stepped out of the elevator. "It's okay, Judy...I'll take it from here."

"You called me," Roan said without emotion.

Echo raised her eyebrows at the brusque reply rather than the smile she was expecting. "I did that's true, but I didn't expect to see you in person. Let's go to my office. Have you eaten? You look pale. What about your meds, are you taking them?"

"Echo," Roan warned. She wasn't a child and could look after herself.

"Sorry," Echo said. As they pa.s.sed the cubicle of Echo's a.s.sistant, Kelly looked up. "Kelly, do you think that you can rustle me up another sandwich and coffee? Any chance the Johnson people will be late?"