Chapter 22
“Itold you,” Wescott said. “I saw Liam on the court, and I confronted him. Words were exchanged, and I shoved him. That was it.”
I gave him a doubtful look.
“I went to the bar and had a drink to cool off.”
“One drink?”
“I had a few.”
“A few?”
“Okay, maybe a few too many. My phone died. When I left the bar, I saw Liam on the court again. I couldn't help it. I just marched back over and gave him a piece of my mind.”
"Is that all you gave him?" I asked.
John frowned. "That's when I punched him." His eyes filled. “He hit the ground.” His sullen eyes fell to the table. In a regretful voice, he said, “I don't remember what happened after that."
"I'll tell you what happened after that. You picked up the racket, and you beat him to death with it."
John's face contorted. The tears spilled over, and he began to sob. "I don't know what happened. I was so mad. What would you do? He was fucking my wife and my daughter. I couldn't let him get away with that."
"So you killed him."
"No.” He paused. “I don't know.” He shook his head. “I would never do something like that. It's not in my nature.”
Without his workout gloves on, the abrasions on his knuckles were obvious.
"Your prints were on Liam’s racket.”
John said nothing. He continued to sob.
"How did you get home from the club?”
"I don't remember."
We asked a few more questions, but we had enough. John was going to go down for murder. There was no doubt in my mind. Even the best defense attorney couldn't get him out of this one.
The cuts and abrasions on his knuckles were photographed.
After that was taken care of, he was transferred to the pod where he would wait overnight for arraignment.
I had no doubt John Wescott had the funds to make bail.
With no prior history, there was a good chance it would be a reasonable amount.
He’d probably be out by tomorrow afternoon.
JD and I spoke to the sheriff afterward, feeling reasonably confident.
“Nice work,” the sheriff said.
Jack beamed with pride. “What would you do without us?”
“How much time do you have? I’ll give you a list.”
Jack frowned at him.
“Don’t pat yourself on the back just yet.”
“He’s not getting out of this one,” JD assured.
“Pull his phone records,” I said.
“What am I going to find?”
“That he’s a hypocrite. My source tells me his phone makes numerous calls and texts to Megan Altman. Their phones show up together numerous times at the Seven Seas.”
“Who’s Megan Altman?”
“From what I can tell, she’s his daughter’s best friend.”
The sheriff groaned. “Good Lord. Those people in Stingray Bay are more messed up than anyone on the island.”
He shook his head in disgust as he walked off.
I jogged after him and caught up. “Hey, you got a minute?”
“What is it?”
“It’s about Denise.”
“What about her? You didn’t get her pregnant, did you?”
My brow wrinkled at him. “No. We are keeping our relationship strictly professional.” I told him, “She’s getting a little antsy.”
“Antsy?”
“Sitting behind a desk all day.”
“Maybe she needs a vacation. Hell, we all need a vacation.”
“It’s more than that,” I said in a hushed tone. “She wants to take a more active role. Get out in the fray. Catch bad guys. Make a difference.”
“She’s making a difference.”
“She doesn’t feel like it.”
Daniels took a deep breath and grimaced. “When she came to work here, I promised her father I’d take care of her and keep her out of trouble. The world is full of degenerates, and I’m not going to put her in harm’s way.”
“You’re gonna lose her to the FBI if you’re not careful.”
“She’s going to apply to Special Agent Selection?”
“She’s making noise.”
"We need her around here,” Daniels said. “She is a valuable member of the team."
"Tell her that. She's got a college degree, she's got enough years of service here, and she can pass the physical fitness test.”
"You know how hard it is to get in?"
“I think she's a prime candidate.”
The sheriff frowned. "What kind of ideas have you been putting into her head?"
I raised my hands innocently. "This isn't my idea. I don't want to lose her either. I also don't want to see her getting shot at.”
"I'll talk to her." After a pause, he said, "Thanks for letting me know."
JD and I left the station. We headed back to Diver Down and grabbed lunch at the bar. We shot the breeze with Teagan and dished the latest dirt.
Jack ordered the Baja Burger, and I went with the steak tacos. We chowed down and kicked around theories about the cases.
Just as we were finishing up, my phone buzzed with a call from Catalina. I stared at the screen for a moment before answering. "Have you decided to confess?"
"There's nothing to confess,” she said in a devilishly innocent voice.
I scoffed. "Look, I'm busy. I've got a lot going on. I don't have time for you to jerk my chain.”
"I'm not jerking your chain. If I was jerking your chain, you'd know about it," she said in a sultry voice.
"What do you want, Catalina?”
"I want you to know that there is indeed a contract on your life. It's not limited to the Navarro cartel. It's an open contract.”
"Did you put it there?”
"Would I be telling you if I did?”
"Tell your father to call it off. I'm sure you can be persuasive.”
"If you knew anything about my father, you would know that he is a man who cannot be influenced or persuaded. He is a man who sees the world in black and white. You are either on his side, or you are not.”
"I am most certainly not on his side.”
"There is nothing I can do or say that would change his mind.”
"You expect me to thank you for telling me this? Give you some kind of pass?”
"I don't expect anything from you. I'm just telling you because I want you to stay alive."
"Why?”
"Because I find the world more interesting with you in it.”
I said nothing.
There was a long, awkward silence.
"I'm going to be at Pandemonium later tonight if you want to join me.”
"You think I'm dumb enough to walk into a trap like that?"
An exasperated sigh escaped her lips. "Why would I call and tell you about the hit, then ask you to meet me for drinks?”
I shrugged. "Maybe you think that by telling me that, you’d gain my trust, and I’d let my guard down.”
Catalina laughed. "I don’t expect you to ever let your guard down. That would be foolish, and I don’t think you are a fool.”
“Well, I got involved with you, didn’t I? That was pretty foolish.”
“Ouch. You know how to hurt a girl.”
“You know how to hurt a guy.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way. I’ve got to run, but I hope to see you tonight. Perhaps we can discuss this further.”
I said nothing.
Catalina ended the call.
JD asked, “What was that about?”
“She still misses me.”
We finished our meal and returned to the Avventura. I took Buddy out to stretch his legs.
Brenda called. “I’m not sure how you’re going to feel about this.”
“What is it?”