Chapter 12
Jax
The morning after the kickball game, I'm at the station going through security footage when the door bursts open. The Walking Ladies storm in dressed like FBI agents—black suits, sunglasses, and what appear to be toy badges from a Halloween store.
"FBIs! Freeze!" Gladys shouts, then looks around the empty bullpen. "Oh. Where is everyone?"
"We're not impersonating," Florence says, removing her sunglasses dramatically. "We're the FBIs."
"The what?"
"Fabulous Badass Investigators," Betty explains proudly. "We're doing our part to protect Kendall."
"By dressing like the Men in Black?"
"Women in Black," Joan corrects. "Much more stylish. Now, what have you found?"
Before I can kick them out, Declan walks in, takes one look at the Walking Ladies in their ridiculous outfits, and immediately turns around.
"Nope. It's too early for whatever this is."
"Declan Hayes, you get back here!" Gladys orders. "We have information!"
That stops him. "What kind of information?"
The Walking Ladies exchange looks like they're about to reveal state secrets. Betty pulls out a manila folder marked "TOP SECRET" in glitter pen.
"We've been investigating," Florence says with a huge smile that makes me nervous. "Did you know Valerie's been having an affair?"
"That's not relevant—" Declan starts.
"With whom?" I interrupt suddenly interested.
"With Kendall's boss," Joan finishes triumphantly.
I freeze. "Mr. Morrison?"
"The very same," Gladys confirms. "We have photographic evidence. Well, Florence has photos. They're a bit blurry because she forgot her glasses."
"I can see shapes very clearly!" Florence protests. "And those shapes were definitely canoodling."
"Canoodling?" Declan asks.
"It's what we called it in my day," Betty says primly. "Much nicer than the words you young people use."
"The point is," Gladys continues, pulling us back on track, "Morrison's been feeding Valerie information about Kendall's schedule. Every property visit, every inspection, every meeting. And get this—he's been trying to buy these properties for two years."
"Why would he want to buy properties he already manages?"
"He doesn't want the buildings," Joan says, pulling out another folder. This one's marked "SUPER SECRET" in even more glitter. "He wants the land. Prime real estate for development if the buildings were, say, destroyed or deemed unsafe."
My blood runs cold. "You think Morrison's behind everything?"
"We don't think, dear. We know." Joan opens the folder, revealing bank statements, emails, and what looks like architectural plans.
"Financial records showing payments to Brad.
Development proposals dated six months ago.
And this—" She pulls out a photo of Morrison and Valerie at what appears to be an intimate dinner.
"How did you get all this?"
"My grandson works at the bank," Joan says innocently. "Such a helpful boy. Single too, if you know anyone."
"That's illegal—"
"So is conspiracy to commit arson," Gladys points out. "Besides, we didn't steal anything. We just happened to notice the papers that fell out of Morrison's car."
"Fell out?"
"After Betty accidentally bumped into it with her walker. Seventeen times."
I rub my temples. "I can't use illegally obtained evidence."
"This is inadmissible," Declan mutters. "They've contaminated everything."
Captain Ramirez appears, overhearing. "The evidence is compromised, but it gives us probable cause for warrants. We'll get clean versions legally." He looks at the Walking Ladies. "Ladies, your information is invaluable, but please don't touch anything else. We need pristine evidence for court."
"We were helping," Gladys protests.
"And you did. You've given us the roadmap. Now let us follow it legally."
"Then get it legally," Florence suggests. "We're just concerned citizens sharing our observations."
My phone buzzes. It's Eli who drew protection duty this morning.
Eli: Kendall's heading to Building 3 for inspection prep. Her boss just showed up. Tried to stop her, but she insisted she's fine. That woman of yours is more stubborn than a mule.
My stomach drops. Building 3—the one that was vandalized, still empty of residents while repairs are being made. Morrison alone with Kendall in an empty building sets off every alarm in my head.
"I have to go," I tell them, already grabbing my keys.
"We're coming with you!" Gladys announces.
"Absolutely not—"
"We're FBIs! We have badges!" Betty waves her plastic badge like it's real.
"Those are from Party City!"
"They were on sale because they were going out of business. We got them two-for-one," Florence says proudly. "Very economical."
I don't have time to argue. Every second Morrison is alone with Kendall is a second too long. "Fine. But you stay in the car."
"Of course," Gladys agrees, and I already know she's lying.
Declan follows in his patrol car while I drive like a maniac toward Building 3.
Twenty minutes later, we pull up to Building 3. Eli's patrol car is here, but I don't see him. Then the Walking Ladies' Buick pulls in behind us, and Florence has the window down, making siren noises with her mouth.
"WEEE-OOOO-WEEE-OOOO!"
I wave frantically for them to stop. "Stay here," I tell them. "And stop making that noise."
"We couldn't get a real siren in time, and you wouldn't let us use one of the police cars, so we had to improvise," Florence argues.
"It's very authentic," Betty adds supportively.
I shake my head and head towards the building with Declan, hands on our weapons. The front door is ajar. Inside, I hear voices—Kendall's confused, Morrison's different. Harder. More threatening than I've ever heard him.
"—told you to take the week off," he's saying.
"I wanted to check the damage before the insurance adjuster arrives," Kendall responds. "Where's Officer Martinez?"
"I sent him for coffee. We need to talk privately about your future with the company."
That's when I notice the smell. Gasoline. Strong enough to make my eyes water. This whole place could go up in flames any second.
Through the doorway, I can see Morrison standing too close to Kendall, blocking her path to the exit. She's backed against a wall, phone in her hand, and the look on her face tells me she's finally sensing danger.
"Mr. Morrison, what's going on? Why does it smell like—"
"Gasoline? Yes, that's unfortunate. Old building, you know. Electrical problems. Could go up any minute." His voice is casual, but there's something dark underneath.
I'm moving before he finishes the sentence, but somehow the Walking Ladies beat me to it.
"FBIs! FREEZE!" Gladys shouts, bursting through another entrance with her toy badge held high.
Morrison spins around completely bewildered. "What the hell—"
"Citizen's arrest!" Florence adds, waving her badge enthusiastically. "We're making a citizen's arrest!"
"Is this a joke?" Morrison looks between them and Kendall, who seems equally confused.
"The only joke here is your hairpiece," Betty says. "And your criminal conspiracy."
That gets his attention. His face goes pale. "You don't know what you're talking about, old lady."
"We know about you and Valerie," Joan says. "The affair, the development plans, paying Brad to terrorize Kendall."
"You can't prove—"
"Actually, we can," I say, stepping into view with my weapon drawn. "Hands where I can see them, Morrison."
He looks around wildly, like a trapped animal. For a second, I think he might make a run for it or fight me. Then his shoulders slump in defeat.
"James Morrison, you're under arrest for conspiracy to commit arson, conspiracy to commit fraud, and attempted murder."
"Attempted murder?" Kendall gasps.
"This building is soaked in accelerant," Declan says, waving the fumes from his eyes as he enters behind me. "With you in it. That's attempted murder."
"I haven't done anything!" Morrison screams as I cuff him. "This is harassment! I'll have your badge!"
"Can't you smell the gasoline?" I ask him. "That's probable cause. I'm sure we'll find a lot more once we start digging."
Sirens approach—lots of them. Captain Ramirez arrives with half the department, followed by Chance Carter and Captain Morgan from the fire department's arson unit.
"We need to evacuate immediately," Captain Morgan says after one sniff. "This place is a bomb waiting to go off. One spark and the entire building goes."
We evacuate quickly, Morrison still screaming about lawyers and lawsuits. The Walking Ladies are taking selfies with their fake badges while giving statements to confused officers. And Kendall... Kendall's standing apart from everyone, arms wrapped around herself, looking lost.
"Are you okay?" I ask, approaching carefully.
"Why are you arresting him?" Her voice is shaky, confused. "He's my boss. He's been nothing but professional—"
"There's evidence that he and Valerie orchestrated everything. The vandalism, the threats, all of it."
"What? Are you kidding me?" She shakes her head in disbelief. "Mr. Morrison? I don't believe it."
"I'd bet my entire career that he's the one who put that gasoline in there." I point to Building 3. "Didn't you smell it when you went in? What were you thinking?"
Her confusion shifts to anger. "Don't you dare talk to me like that, Officer By-The-Book." She jabs her finger into my chest. "I had no reason to suspect my boss of anything. He noticed the smell too. We were about to leave and call it in when the girl gang showed up."
"I told you to stay in your apartment. To stay safe. What the hell are you doing running around without Eli?"
Now I'm the one getting angry, fear making me irrational. The thought of what could have happened if we'd been five minutes later...
"You. Don't. Own. Me." She yells back, and now everyone's watching our show.
"No, but I do love you. That should count for something!"