Chapter 13
The doorbell sounded.
Meri jumped, jostling the wine in her glass.
“I’ll get it.” Chase stood. “You stay here.”
“No, I’m coming, too.” Meri stood and followed him to the foyer.
He looked through the peephole and then opened the door. “Officers.”
A blond-haired man, who was about half a foot shorter than Chase. He was wearing a black suit, a white shirt and black tie.
The brunette woman with him stood in the doorway. She was the same height as Meri, but was about thirty pounds heavier. She also wore a black pants suit with a white shirt and black tie.
The man held up his gold shield. “I’m Detective William Monroe and this,” he pointed at the woman, “is Detective Rosemary Brady.” He looked at Marco’s body sprawled on the floor. “You called about a shooting.”
“Yes. I’m Chase Harper, Harper Security.
” He put out his right hand and shook hands with Detective Monroe and then Detective Brady.
Chase nodded at Marco’s body. “Yes, this man posed as an officer and forced his way in, holding a small girl in front of him. He aimed his gun at me. Meri was still in the kitchen.”
Meri nodded and wrapped her arms around her stomach. “But I heard everything. When I came out, he cursed, aimed at Chase’s head and then I shot him.”
Chase nodded and put an arm around her waist. “He’s the man who has been trying to kill her for several weeks. He already shot her once. This is Meridith Anderson.”
Meri shook Detective Monroe’s hand and then Detective Brady’s. “I wasn’t about to let that happen again or let him kill Chase just because we saw him at the scene of a murder.”
“I can understand that.” Detective Brady took a notepad and pen from her pocket and wrote furiously. “Do you know the man?”
“Yes.” Chase pulled Meri closer. “His name is Marco Cabrel. I believe he is also responsible for the murder of Paige Thompson three years ago.”
Detective Monroe looked down at the body again. “Marco Cabrel, huh? We’ve been after him for a while. He always slipped away, though. We’ve only gotten a look at him once or twice.”
Chase nodded. “Same. Until he came here, that is. He shot Ms. Anderson while we were at the ice show a few weeks ago.”
Detective Monroe’s eyebrows furrowed, and he looked at Meri. “You’re the one who was shot? I was with my wife and kids at that show. It was a madhouse when someone shouted gun and then the stampede for the exits began. I wasn’t sure I could get my family out before I was called back to the scene.”
Meri leaned into Chase’s side. “So you investigated? Did you find anything?”
The detective took a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and dabbed at his neck. “One shell casing. I guess in the shot’s aftermath, he didn’t have time to pick it up. We didn’t find the gun. So either someone else picked it up and got out with it or he kept it.”
“You’re right, it was bedlam. I barely got us out of there and got Meri medical attention.”
Detective Brady turned her gaze from her notebook to Meri. “I’m glad to see you have recovered, Ms. Anderson.”
“Thank you. I’m fine now.”
“I know what you went through,” said Detective Monroe. “I’ve been shot before, too. It is definitely not fun.”
She laughed. “That’s putting it mildly.”
“I think we have all we need. You can reach me here.” Detective Monroe handed Chase a business card. “Where can I reach you if I have more questions?
Chase handed him his own business card. “We are going to my ranch in Montana, but we can be back here in a few hours, if you need us. You can reach me any time at that number.”
Detective Monroe accepted the card. “That is not acceptable. I can’t let either of you leave town until the coroner has completed his inquest. The coroner and CSI unit are on their way. I think they got stuck in traffic.”
“Oh.” Meri lifted her hand to her mouth. “I’d forgotten about the traffic. And it’s got to feel worse driving that big van the coroner uses.”
“They get around pretty good in it. Don’t worry about them. They’ll be here shortly. You can sit at the table, if you like, until they’re done. I’ll wait by the body at the door.”
“I have to put some clothes in a suitcase. Can I go to my room and do that?” asked Meri.
“Detective Brady will accompany you.”
“Okay.” Meri turned toward her bedroom. “Follow me, please.” She headed to her bedroom to get her suitcase and left Chase to deal with their meal.
She changed out some of what she’d packed before.
For this trip, she packed extra jeans, her flannel shirts, and basically all the clothes she had for riding and fishing, including her cowboy boots.
She refilled her toiletry bag and stuffed it into the suitcase, closed it and rolled it out to the foyer. “I’m ready.”
Detective Brady led the way back to the living room.
Meri placed her bag next to the dining table where Chase was sitting. He’d grabbed his bag as well and had it on the floor by him.
Detective Monroe was still with the body, as were two more men and one woman, all three wearing white coats. Two additional men were standing in the hall with a gurney.
“CSI and the coroner arrived while you were packing. We’ll wait at the table until they’re done.” Chase reached across the table and took her hand. “How are you doing?”
“I’m okay. I’ll be glad to get out of here. I never thought I’d be saying that about my home.”
About twenty minutes later, the coroner approached the table. “I’m done here. I’ll be taking the body back to the morgue for the full autopsy. As soon as I’m done, I’ll get the results to Detective Monroe.”
“Sounds good. Thank you.” Chase shook the man’s hand.
So did Meri. “Thank you.”
“No problem. CSI should be done in a few minutes.” The man picked up his case and headed out the door, following the gurney and Marco’s body. They’d placed it in a black bag with a long zipper on it.
The CSI team finished about half-an-hour later.
Once they were gone, Chase picked up their suitcases and walked out of the loft, waiting for her in the hallway.
She followed and locked the door.
“Where are your men?”
“I sent them back to the apartment, but when we get there, I’ll let them go for the rest of the week. They’ve earned some time off.”
He put their suitcases in the Yukon. He’d had the vehicle delivered while they waited for CSI. Then he headed to the apartment. “We might as well wait at the apartment until Detective Monroe gives us the okay to leave.”
She sighed and nodded. “Might as well. It won’t hurt me to have a little more recovery time under my belt before I go riding.”
“That’s true.”
One week later
They had finished breakfast and were sitting at the table playing gin when Chase’s phone sounded. He pulled it from his pocket.
“Chase Harper.”
He listened for a few moments, and then a smile spread across his face. “Yes, Detective, that is wonderful news. Thank you for calling.” Chase disconnected.
Chase lifted his gaze to Meri and grinned. “We’ve been cleared. Detective Monroe said there was nothing to indicate that the incident happened in any way other than what we had related. We’re free to go. Are you still packed?”
“Yes. I knew we’d be cleared, and since I still had clothes here, there was no need to unpack. Let me call Mom and let her know we’re leaving.”
“Good idea.”
Chase followed her into her bedroom and grabbed her suitcase from where she’d stashed it in the closet.
She called her mother. “Hi, Mom. I just wanted to let you know we’re finally cleared and we’re heading to Chase’s ranch in Montana.
” Meri listened for a moment. “That’s right.
Outside of Bozeman. Here is Chase’s number if you need us and I’ll have my cell with me.
” She rattled off his phone number to her.
“Yes, we should be back in about ten days. I’ll call you when we return.
” She walked out to the entry door. “I love you, too. Tell Dad, hi.” She ended the call.
Chase looked at her. “Ready to go?”
She visibly relaxed, her shoulders loosening. “Yes. More than ready.”
He walked directly out the door and they took the elevator to his parking level, where the Yukon was parked.
He placed her bag in the back of the vehicle and climbed behind the steering wheel.
From downtown Denver, he went straight south to the airport at Centennial.
He preferred the smaller airport rather than Denver International Airport.
DIA was too big and too busy, regardless that he had a full size jet.
He drove to the front of the terminal and let her out before going to park.
The sunshine made her glad she had her sunglasses with her. The air conditioning from the terminal rushed out every time someone entered or exited, which meant the doors remained open most of the time.
She stood at the side so as not to get in anyone’s way.
Chase must have parked close because she hadn’t waited long before he came striding up.
“Ready for your first ride in a private jet?”
She grinned. “Yes, sir. Ready, willing, and able.” After she said it, she realized it could be taken a couple of ways, and the naughty way made her face heat.
He waggled his eyebrows and then laughed before taking her suitcase and entering the airport building. Chase walked straight through and out the doors to the tarmac.
They walked up to the prettiest plane she’d ever seen. It had a sleek body, painted bright green with silver accents and white lettering.
At the bottom of the stairs into the plane, a man in a uniform with stars on his shoulders waited.
“Good morning, Chase. And Ms. Anderson.” He took Meri’s bag from Chase. “I’ll take care of this.”
“Thank you, Paul. Paul Smith is our captain.”
Paul held the suitcase like it weighed nothing and turned toward Meri, extending his right hand. “Pleased to meet you, Ms. Anderson.”
She smiled and shook his hand. “And you, Captain Smith.”
Then he turned toward Chase. “I understand you gave Judy the day off?”