Chapter 42
Dom climbed out of his SUV and looked at the scene.
He’d been called in specifically for this.
By request. He had no idea why. But damn it, he had been running around all over the city for days.
It didn’t feel like he was getting anywhere.
And he needed to find a way to carve out time to go over the reports that had been found in Kimball’s place once again, and compare to the thousands found at Victor Scott’s.
There was a familiar face standing next to Miller’s squad car. Jarrod had a pissed off expression on his face. He stepped toward Dom. Hell, the man was actually flexing his fists. “You deal with him. Forensics has already been called in.”
“Who is it?”
“Gordon Harris. Says two guys jumped him when he was taking out the damned trash. Considering the circumstances, I can’t even step inside. Even if I wanted to.”
“Harris? Connected?”
“My future father-in-law.”
And that was what it was. Haldyn’s father had physically abused her.
It had come out during her abduction by Sol Kimball—her father’s ex-partner.
Just bad luck Jarrod got stuck on this call—but he was handling the Assault division right now.
Considering Kimball had once been the head of it. “I’ll handle it.”
Jarrod was taking his Protecting Haldyn duties very seriously now. He’d probably pulverize Gordon Harris or something. Hell, Dom might just do that on his buddy’s behalf, anyway.
Dom was feeling a bit surly himself now.
Jarrod just nodded. “I’m out for the day, anyway. I need to take her to a follow up. Then we are going to pick out rings. Biggest one I can afford. I moved my things into her place this weekend. Still staying at the Barratts until we…know more here, though.”
Dom smirked at the other man. Jarrod wasn’t wasting any time. “Good. That woman deserves bright and shiny. She grow up here?”
Jarrod shook his head. “Parents moved here after the youngest sister graduated. They kicked that girl out, too. Would rather be together than be good parents, I think. Disgusting. My kids aren’t going to have anything to do with either of them. Hal completely agrees.”
“You two are so cute together. I want to be godfather.”
“Get a good woman of your own and make my kids some playmates. I can think of a pretty little tech just waiting for you to scoop her off her feet.”
“Never going to happen.” He wouldn’t do that to her. Madison deserved so much better than him. Dom couldn’t ever see himself settling down into domestic bliss, with a wife and three kids.
He took a look at the small sandstone ranch house where Gordon Harris and his wife lived.
It wasn’t remarkable. Close to the same neighborhood as Sol Kimball’s place—but nicer.
Houses were a bit newer—maybe a decade—a bit larger, a bit cleaner.
The Harris yard was ruthlessly mowed. Almost too short.
There were six flower pots on the concrete drive.
Concrete that had fresh blood. And overturned trash cans, with garbage strewn everywhere.
The evidence recovery van pulled up.
“Looks like the lab rats have arrived,” Jarrod said. “I’m out of here. Tell me what you find.”
Dom waited, while Madison and the new girl stepped out of the van and took their first look around. Madison had her digital camera in her hand. She’d video everything.
Dom just waited until she stopped in front of him. She was scowling at him again. “You are dangerously close to contaminating my scene.”
“I’m far enough back.” He was still in the street, outside the tapeline. Standing just close enough to irritate her. “Victim’s inside with his wife.”
“He isn’t at the hospital yet?”
“Transport was called, but he’s arguing about it. I’ll probably have Miller drive him in.”
“Why won’t you do it?”
“Gordon Harris. Ever heard of him?”
Madison’s face immediately tightened. “Haldyn’s father?”
“Exactly.”
Dom filled her in on everything he knew so far.
Why in the hell would someone have jumped Haldyn’s father like this?
Madison didn’t want to do this. Not with this man.
She knew some of Haldyn’s history with her parents.
And it wasn’t good. She didn’t even think Gordon Harris had bothered going to the hospital to see Haldyn after she’d been shot.
Haldyn’s sisters had shown up about an hour after Haldyn had been brought out of surgery, but Haldyn’s parents… no.
He looked like his daughter in some ways. Hair and eye color were the same. The same mouth, too. But the man was big and burly and snarly. Haldyn was delicate and graceful and quiet.
He just had a scowl in his eyes when he looked at her. "You work with my girl."
"I work with Haldyn, yes. She is the head of my department. And she's a good friend, Mr. Harris."
"Commander Harris. Retired."
He’d said it like he expected her to automatically give him respect.
Well, that wasn’t going to happen. This man…
had hurt his daughter. Had abandoned her, too.
She knew, had long suspected, there had been physical abuse in Haldyn’s childhood, just from things Haldyn and Powell had said in her hearing.
He wasn’t deserving of a moment of Madison’s respect.
"Mr. Harris. I'm just here to process you. Gather what forensic evidence I can find."
"Never did buy into all that bullshit scientist crap. Good investigator uses his gut. Finds what he wants. Gets it out of people when needed."
"Well, in my experience, far more cases are solved by forensic evidence than somebody beating it out of their suspects.
" She wasn't going to sugarcoat this. She didn't like this man.
He was a total asshole. His daughter had been shot a month ago, and he hadn't even bothered showing up at the hospital to check on her once. What kind of parent did that? Madison’s mother had stayed by her side the entire time Madison had been in the hospital after the choir hall shooting.
Because she loved her. "Just so you know, she's recovering.
She's happy now, too. In case you care."
"Heard she’s paired off with that damned Foster boy instead of McKellen’s kid. Fool girl never did have any common sense. McKellen is heir to some serious cash. Idiot girl."
"Haldyn is one of the smartest, most loyal, kindhearted people I've ever met," Dom said, with a warning in his tone. “She and Jarrod care about each other very much. He’ll make her happy, and he adores her. Isn’t that what you want for your daughter?”
Neither one of them wanted to be there. Not hard to miss. But Madison had been next up when the call had come in.
She studied the man's injuries. Put into simple terms, someone had worked Haldyn's father over pretty good. Madison had to wonder why.
"Tell me, Harris, who's got it out for you?" Dom asked. He stood right there next to her, muscled arms crossed over his chest, as he glowered. Dom was the king of the glower, after all.
“What do you mean? This was just some punk wanting some quick cash. Hardly worth Major Crimes strutting in like he’s some god. What the hell is major crimes, anyway. Getting fancy now? Or that just a way to help yourselves to some funding?”
“Apparently, a division that was needed a long time ago. Clean up the dirt polluting the TSP. You know anything about that?” Dom asked. “Everyone knows there were dirty cops going back years. You got any names I should check out?”
“Not a damned thing. I don’t like what you are insinuating.”
“Tough. You getting mugged on one of the safest streets in the city, just a handful of weeks after your daughter is nearly killed intrigues me, Harris. She was attacked by your former partner. Not so sure I believe in those kinds of coincidences. Even if I am a god.”
Madison just stayed quiet and did what she had to do, while Dom and the jerk went around and around.
Everyone knew Gordon Harris was lying. And he wasn’t very good at it.
Haldyn’s mother just stood there behind him, not saying a word.
Haldyn was built like her mother, but that was where the similarities ended.
There was an empty look in the other woman’s eyes.
Madison didn’t understand it at all. The woman had three daughters—she didn’t even have a photo of them on her walls.
"Harris, these bastards put a bullet in your daughter.
She almost didn't survive, in case you missed the memo.
Now here you sit, a month later, having been turned into hamburger.
And you're telling me you don't know why someone might want to target you?
That's bullshit. We know you and Kimball were pals for years.
Funny enough, your name came up in our investigation already. Good old Sol kept very detailed notes."
Haldyn’s father’s face tightened then. He looked away.
She knew Dom was going through Kimball's logs. She had not known that Haldyn's father was one of the names on the list. This was going to hurt her friend. She was so tired of the good people being the ones that were hurt all the time. It wasn't right, and it wasn't fair.
"What is it one more time, Harris? Either you start cooperating, or I'm going to get the warrant myself. Have you brought in on obstruction charges."
"You can't make that work. I've not done anything. I’m just the victim here."
"Material witness. And I know you're hiding something from me. Now you either cooperate, or it's a lot more difficult for you now."
There was silence. It stretched out between them.
"I can stay here all day," Dom said. “So what will it be?”
“Fuck off, Acardi. All I am going to say is if this had something to do with Sol Kimball, that bastard, you’ll find what you’re looking for in his damned notes.
Idiot kept a journal every damned day so he wouldn’t miss anything.
Practically a woman that way. Would get so fussy when you touched his fucking diary.
So sure he was going to miss something. Sol was a good cop, though.
Didn’t realize he’d gone so bad. Never would have thought he’d do what he did, though.
Shame. Heard he’s going to be nothing more than a lump for the rest of his days.
Hadn’t he suffered enough with what happened to his daughter? ”
Seriously? He was concerned for Sol Kimball? More concerned for that man than for his own daughter. It disgusted her completely.
“What about what happened to your daughter? The men who orchestrated it all—they nearly killed her. You just wanting to let them get away with doing that to your kid?”
Dom was angry. Very, very angry. Madison just listened as she continued scraping the man’s nails.
“Just make this clear. Today, I don’t have a fucking clue what today was about. Probably just a mugging gone bad. If I knew a damned thing about what that idiot was going to do to Hallie, I’d have already taken care of that problem myself. Just something to keep in mind.”
Well, wow. He almost sounded as if he cared.
Talk about good acting. She didn’t believe him at all.
Madison just continued to do what she had to do.