Chapter Nine #2
“Probably,” she agreed, but she wasn’t allowing herself to think about that.
She’d made her choice. She’d live with the consequences.
Especially since Detective West was a fucking wuss who was afraid to leave the precinct, much less investigate this case.
“I didn’t lie. I just didn’t tell them the whole truth.
I wanted to get answers from Nicchi first. Ito cares about Akiko.
I know he does. Nicchi cares about Ito. I know he does.
His reaction at seeing Ito unconscious was genuine. ”
“I agree,” Sam said. “He was devastated.”
“He could have been faking it,” Harlan said.
“Maybe.” Though Kit didn’t think so. “But if Akiko was in danger, which we believe is why Mary made contact, why didn’t they come straight out and tell her? Why didn’t they go to the police?”
Harlan frowned. “Are you thinking cops are involved?”
Kit shook her head hard. “I didn’t say that. But until I know who I can trust and who has Akiko’s best interest at heart, I’m not volunteering information. That’s not negotiable.”
Harlan sighed. “I see your point. Will you tell Navarro?”
“I’d planned to once I got answers from Nicchi.
” Kit brushed a hand down Akiko’s arm. Her sister looked so defeated, it broke Kit’s heart.
The man Akiko had trusted had been hiding at least one secret.
How many more were there? “Hey,” she murmured.
“Your Hanshi did regain consciousness for a few moments. He said, ‘Tell her I’m sorry.’ I think he meant you. ”
Akiko wiped at her eyes. “Sorry for what?”
“Akiko McKittrick?”
As one, they turned to the door where a nurse stood, smiling gently.
Akiko stood. “That’s me. Is he okay?”
“He’s in the ICU. Still unconscious, but you can see him now. Just you and one other person.”
Akiko looked from Harlan to Kit.
“Take Kit,” Harlan said. “If he wakes up, she’ll know the questions to ask.”
Akiko tugged Kit to her feet. “Let’s go.”
Kit gripped Akiko’s hand as they followed the nurse. “I’m sorry, too,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to keep things from you.”
“Yeah, you did. And I understand why. But I swear that if you risk your life again for me, I’ll take care of you myself.”
“I can’t promise that I won’t. Y’know. Risk…stuff.” My life. Because she would risk her life again for her sister. In a heartbeat.
“I know. But I can’t promise that I won’t lock you in a bulletproof closet.”
The nurse paused, glancing over her shoulder. “Um…I feel like I should report something.”
“She’s my sister,” Akiko said. “And she’s a cop. She takes risks that she shouldn’t and she’s going to get herself killed.”
“Ah.” The nurse nodded. “My husband is a cop. I know exactly what you mean.”
“We’re okay?” Kit asked Akiko.
“We’re always okay,” Akiko said. “But don’t get killed. I can’t do this without you. Any of it. I need my sister and I need her alive. I love you.” Her voice broke. “Don’t get killed.”
“I love you, too. I’ll be more careful. I promise. But I’m not letting this go.”
Akiko seemed to brace herself. “What are you going to do next?”
“Find Ricky Nicchi. Talk to Paolo. Investigate the hell out of Ito. Find out what the hell is going on.”
Los Angeles, California
Tuesday, January 31, 1:15 a.m.
“I didn’t think he’d be here,” Kit said as they walked away from Ricky Nicchi’s front door.
“Me either.” Baz wore a weary scowl. “But I’d hoped.”
Sam unlocked his SUV, studying Baz as the older man slid into the back seat. Baz was looking pale, with dark circles under his eyes. He needed to rest.
We all do. “We need to call it a night, guys.” He got behind the wheel and closed his eyes. “I don’t know about you, but I’m beat.”
“Same,” Baz murmured. “Nicchi’s not at his house or his dojo and he didn’t go back to Ito’s condo.”
Because the three of them had gone back and asked Ito’s neighbors. No one had seen Ricky Nicchi since Ito had been transported to the hospital, although Ricky was known to nearly everyone in the building. It seemed he was a frequent visitor to Ito’s condo.
Sam started his SUV. “I honestly thought he’d come back to the hospital to sit with Ito. I hate to think he was faking his shock and devastation at seeing the old man hurt, but now that might be a possibility.”
“I believed him, too,” Kit said. “And I don’t have his cell phone number to call.
The nurse at the desk wouldn’t give it to me.
She said they’d called him with an update on Ito’s condition but had to leave a message.
That’s all they can do. Drop me off at the hospital.
I’ll stay with Akiko tonight and Pop can sleep at Anson’s house with you two. ”
“Nope,” Sam said, typing Anson McKittrick’s address into his GPS. “Already talked to your father and he said you’re to get a good night’s sleep. He knew you’d want to spend the night with Akiko and he said, and I quote, ‘I’m not gonna be chasing the bad guys. Kit is and she needs to be rested.’ ”
Kit sighed. “Dammit. Ganging up on me.”
“Poor you,” Sam said, amused. “Too many people care about you.”
She made a face at him. “Ha ha.” And then she groaned as she stared down at her buzzing phone. “It’s Navarro.”
“Surprised it took him this long,” Baz said. “Better answer it. Rip that Band-Aid off.”
Sam put the SUV back into park. “We’ll wait.”
Kit hit accept, putting her phone on speaker. “Sir.”
“Sir, she says.” Navarro sounded angry. “Sir, like she’s got respect for me or something.”
“I do.”
“You do not!” Navarro’s tone was more than angry. There was a tension that Sam hadn’t heard before. “We discussed this, Kit. We agreed. No more investigating this case.”
“You commanded and I told you that I’d do what I thought was right,” Kit said levelly. “And since the two detectives on the case haven’t left the precinct because they’re afraid they’ll get shot, I decided that the right thing to do was to protect my family.”
Sam was proud of her. Her jaw was tight, but she’d kept her tone far more professional than Navarro’s.
Navarro sighed. “This place is a fucking gossip mill.”
“This is true.” Kit bit at her lip. “What have you heard?”
“From my end? Nothing. From the LAPD? That two of my detectives and my police psychologist were on the scene of a brutal beating that left a man unconscious. Care to explain?”
For a moment, Sam thought she’d say no. But she squared her shoulders as if Navarro were right in front of her.
“We arrived at the home of Akiko’s sensei, the man who’s been her karate master from the time she was five years old.
The door had been forced open and he was lying on the floor, beaten and unconscious.
I entered the premises to see if he was still alive.
He was, so we called an ambulance and the police, and that was that. ”
She hadn’t mentioned Ricky Nicchi, Sam noticed.
Baz had lifted his brows at the omission as well.
“And what brought you to this karate master’s residence?”
“We were looking for connections. Mary Sherman’s daughters studied karate at the same dojo as Akiko.”
Another long beat of silence. “You’re trying to tell me that on the basis of a very, very nebulous connection, the three of you drove to LA?”
“Not nebulous, sir. Edwin Ito is a common denominator.”
That, Sam had to admit, was pretty damn brilliant. She hadn’t lied to Navarro or the LAPD detectives. Exactly. And she’d protected Connor, who’d found the Nicchi connection.
Of course, when Navarro found out about Ricky Nicchi, there’d be hell to pay.
“I see. And how is Ito?”
“Still unconscious. Akiko is with him. She has his medical power of attorney.”
Navarro made a noise of surprise. “Really?”
“I was surprised, too, but she said she’s had it since she was twenty-one.”
“They’re close, then.”
“They are. Up until she came to McKittrick House, he was the one steady person in her life. Do…do you have any updates?”
“There was another man in the victim’s condo—a Riccardo Nicchi.”
“Yes, we met him.”
Whoa. She was cool as a cucumber.
“Why was he there?”
“He said he’d called Ito and the man hadn’t answered. He told the medics that he was Ito’s son.”
Again, all true.
“And,” Kit added, “he’s a big guy. Big feet.”
Sam grinned, shaking his head. She’d found a way to kind of tell the truth.
“The shoes found in Mrs. Sherman’s living room?” Navarro asked.
“I believe so, yes. But he went to the hospital in the ambulance with Ito and disappeared. We just left his house and he’s not home.”
“I see. So you’re still investigating.”
“I am. Sir. Have Lennox and West left the precinct?”
“They have.” He drew a breath. “To go home for the night.”
“Goddammit,” Kit whispered. “I don’t understand, sir. I get why not me. But why not someone else? Somebody qualified?”
Then she tilted her head. Sam knew that expression.
She’d just figured something out. And by the set of her mouth, she didn’t like it.
“Are you getting pressure from the higher-ups? Is that what this is? That I have to be shown that I’m not more important than anyone else?
” Her voice rose a half octave. “That I should have to deal with incompetence like any other victim’s family? ”
“Detective,” Navarro snapped.
“Well?” Kit demanded. “Is that the case? If so, tell me straight out. I might not be special when it comes to this case versus the others we’re all working on, but I feel like I deserve the truth. Sir.”
“You make ‘sir’ into a slur.”
Kit swallowed and she met Sam’s gaze, her eyes filled with tears. Because Navarro’s non-answer was answer enough. “Don’t change the subject. Sir.”
“We can’t look like we’re playing favorites,” Navarro said stiffly.
“I see,” Kit whispered, then cleared her throat. “That your detectives are getting shot at doesn’t move the needle at all?”
“It does. Of course it does. But it’s also made us all cognizant of the risk.”
“So you approve of the fact that Lennox and West just camped out at their desks all day and didn’t go interview a single witness?”
“No, but it’s an understandable fear. As you well know.”
“Yet I’m out here asking questions.” Her voice had gone cold. “As I would be for anyone else.”
“I know,” Navarro said quietly.
Sam held out his hand and she took it, squeezing hard enough that he had to hide a wince.
“I’ll be going now, sir. We’re tired and we’re going to get some sleep.”
“Where will you be?” he asked.
“At my brother Anson’s house. He lives in Anaheim. I can send you the address if you don’t believe me.”
“Goddammit, Kit,” Navarro muttered.
“Good night, sir.” She ended the call and blew out a breath. “Well. Guess I know where I stand.”
“I’m sorry,” Sam murmured.
She braved a smile. “I know. Let’s go. My eyes won’t stop leaking.”
Baz leaned forward and gripped her shoulder. “He’s being an ass.”
She covered Baz’s hand with hers, so that she held on to both of them. “He really is.”
Sam put the car in gear and pulled into the street. He didn’t know what else to say, but he could be there for her. And for now, that seemed to be enough. She hadn’t let go of either of their hands and, for Kit, that was telling.
Then her phone rang again.
“I don’t recognize the number,” she said. “Maybe it’s Nicchi.” She let go of Baz’s hand and hit accept, once again putting it on speaker. “Detective McKittrick.”
“I have DNA results,” Navarro blurted out.
Sam immediately pulled into a gas station parking lot. “And?” he asked, because Kit was staring at her phone like it was a grenade.
“Did you call me from a burner phone, sir?” she asked, looking dumbfounded.
“I did. I’ve been working this case, too, Kit. And if you tell anyone I called you, I’ll call you a liar.”
“Understood, sir. What did the DNA results say?”
“Mary Sherman was Akiko’s maternal aunt.”
She made a disappointed face. “Was that all?”
“No. The DNA came back on the skin cells found under the victim’s fingernails.”
Kit sucked in a breath. “Is the shooter related to Mary Sherman?”
“No. He’s related to Akiko.”
Kit turned slowly to stare at Sam, who was staring back, glad he’d pulled over.
He hadn’t expected that.
Neither had Kit.
“Holy shit,” Baz muttered, and then he raised his voice so that Navarro could hear him. “How are they related, Navarro?”
“He’s Akiko’s half brother. On her father’s side.”
“Oh,” Kit breathed, blue eyes wide and shocked. “Oh my God.”