Chapter Eighteen #3
Akiko smiled, but it was frosty. “Look, I don’t know you, Mr. Takahashi. What I do know is that Kit and Pop are my family. When this is all over, when your son’s accomplices are apprehended, I might like to get to know you. But until then, I’m sticking with my family.”
Takahashi clenched his jaw. “What accomplices? To whom do you refer?”
“We don’t know,” Lennox said. “We were hoping you did. There’s no way a seventeen-year-old kid acted alone. I’m surprised that LAPD hasn’t called you, seeing as how Danny is still a minor and your son.”
“If the authorities have called me,” Takahashi said, “I haven’t been told about it.”
“How did you know to come here?” Harlan asked. “How did you know Akiko would be here?”
That was a very good question. Sam had been too thrown by the man’s sudden appearance to think about the logistics.
Takahashi regarded Harlan coolly. “I have my sources.”
“And what sources would those be?” Navarro asked. His tone was level, but harsh in a way that Sam had only heard a few times.
Beside Sam, Kit stiffened, but he wasn’t sure why. Something had happened, though.
“Let’s go, Akiko,” she said. “Apologies, Mr. Takahashi. We need to be going now. I hope you understand. Akiko was nearly shot an hour ago by your son, and it’s simply not safe for her to be out in the open.
Do you have a business card? I imagine my sister will be happy to call you when this is all over and she’s safe. ”
Takahashi frowned, and Sam was honestly intimidated. There was a sense of power rolling off him. Sam got the feeling that few people told this man no and that he wasn’t at all happy about hearing it now.
Harlan put one hand on Kit’s shoulder and the other on Akiko’s. “I’m sure you’ll agree that Akiko’s safety is paramount. Being her biological father and all.”
“Of course.” The words were gritted out as Takahashi pulled a silver business card case from his pocket and removed a card.
He scrawled something on the back, then took Akiko’s hand, placed the card in her palm, and closed her fingers over it.
“Call me. Please. I can tell you much about your mother.”
“I’d like that,” Akiko said quietly. “Thank you.”
“It’s time to go,” Kit said. “Lieutenant Navarro, will you please follow us in your car, and Lennox, can you get us out of here?” They hustled Akiko to the SDPD sedan, where Kit put her in the back seat, sliding in beside her.
Harlan took his place on Akiko’s other side.
Lennox got behind the wheel and Sam took shotgun.
“Drive,” Kit said tersely, snapping a quick photo out the side window with her phone. “Please.”
Lennox obeyed, waiting until they were out of the hospital parking lot before looking at Kit in the rearview mirror. Sam hadn’t taken his eyes off her. Her face was tense and a little pale.
“What is it, Kitty-Cat?” Harlan asked.
“Lennox, can you pull into that parking lot?” Kit pointed to the next driveway. “I’d like Navarro to hear this, too, and he’s right behind us.”
Lennox complied and a minute later, Navarro had stopped beside them and was climbing out of his vehicle.
The lieutenant bent over to lean into the car when Kit opened the back door. “What was that about?”
“There was a man with Takahashi,” Kit said. “Got out of the Mercedes and stood there, watching us. It was when Takahashi said he had his sources. He wore a nice suit. Had a gun in a shoulder holster.”
“Guns in both shoulder holsters,” Lennox added grimly.
Kit leaned forward to see Lennox. “You saw him too?”
“I sure did.”
“Who?” Sam asked impatiently. “Who did you see?”
“Yes, Kit,” Akiko said quietly. “Who?”
Kit exhaled. “Joe. He works for Takahashi.”
“Then why didn’t you talk to him?” Akiko demanded.
“Because Ito’s keeping secrets,” Kit said. “Secrets that involve Joe. And I didn’t like Takahashi. He’s oily and…slithery. Like a crocodile. Until we know what secret Ito is keeping, I don’t want to tell Takahashi anything.”
“I agree,” Navarro said. “I didn’t see him, but I agree that Ito hasn’t disclosed Joe’s information for a reason.”
“Is Hanshi safe?” Akiko asked shakily.
“Anson’s man is standing outside the ICU,” Kit said. “He knows not to let anyone in who isn’t cleared.”
“But he has no official jurisdiction,” Lennox said.
“Lieutenant, if you’ll stand guard over Ito until LAPD’s uniform gets there, I’ll drop these guys off at a hotel, then I’ll head to LAPD in case Desoto is able to get Danny Takahashi talking.
Also, Kit, if you can send me the photo you just took of Joe, I’ll have someone in the lab run facial recognition on it.
It’ll be a better photo than the one Leo Sherman took. ”
Kit held up her phone. “Just sent it. Also, you don’t need to take us to a hotel. We’re staying with my brother Anson in Anaheim. He has room. If you stay, text me and I’ll send you the address.”
That she hadn’t included Navarro in the invite was telling. The lieutenant didn’t say a word, just returned to his own vehicle, his shoulders slumped.
“Thank you.” Lennox put the sedan in gear. “I’ll let you know. For now, I’ll get you all settled at your brother’s house so we can all get to work.”
That Kit would continue investigating didn’t seem to be a question in Lennox’s mind, and Sam appreciated that. So, apparently, did Kit.
“Meghan,” she said quietly as Lennox pulled into traffic.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you,” Kit said simply.
“You’re welcome.”