Justice

“You know how it goes,” Kayla offered nonchalantly, but there was nothing casual about the way she braced herself for facing her partner. He’d already said plenty on the phone. He’d no doubt saved his best disciplinary remarks for this morning when they would be face-to-face.

In reality Kayla outranked Jim, but he’d been in this business twenty years longer than her so to his way of thinking, he was senior.

Couldn’t argue that. Most of the time, anyway.

“Good morning, Jim,” she said, all smiles and as chipper as hell as she strode into their office. If he wanted a fight he’d have to start it.

He growled something that resembled “morning”, then folded his newspaper into a wadlike mass and tossed it aside.

“So tell me again how you got this anonymous tip.”

Kayla sat down at the desk that faced her partner’s. She propped her feet on the edge and crossed them at the ankles, then took a long swallow from her coffee. Might as well let him stew another few seconds. She swallowed and made a contented sound in her throat. Jim’s left eyebrow arched, indicating his patience had reached an end.

Eventually she shrugged. “I was at home minding my own business and the phone rang. End of story.” The statement sounded like a truly bad lie but it was the God’s truth. She understood that it was unusual. But a good cop took tips anywhere she could get them. They didn’t always pan out but this one had.

His elbows propped on the arms of his chair, Jim steepled his fingers. “It didn’t cross your mind that the whole scenario went down a little too smoothly?”

“Sure it did.” She sipped her designer coffee blend. “I figure the snitch was someone the perp had pissed off. Somebody who wanted revenge.”

“Or maybe someone who wanted to throw the cops off his own scent.”

That had entered her mind as well. “It’s possible.”

“Investigator Devon says one of the guys is trying to cop a plea. He wants immunity for what he knows.”

Kayla sat up, her county-issue shoes slapping against the tile floor. “Does he have anything that important?”

Jim kept his expression closed but Kayla didn’t miss the flicker of a smile around one corner of his mouth. “He says he can give us the number one player, who deals not only in bikes but cars.”

Now that would be a major coup. “We should go down and see what he has to say.” Anticipation bubbled like an uncorked bottle of champagne.

Jim shook his head and held up one hand. “Can’t do that. Devon doesn’t want us anywhere near this guy. Apparently the perp’s still a little ticked off that you shot him. Even threatened to sue for excessive force.”

Kayla swore. “It wasn’t like I was aiming for his artery. I was just trying to keep him from running. If I’d wanted him dead I would have aimed a few feet higher.”

“He could walk,” Jim said, his tone as well as his expression solemn. “If he rolls over on a player that big, he could walk.” His gaze leveled on hers. “There’s always the possibility that he’ll want to get even.”

Kayla absorbed the implications of that statement. In this line of work there was always that possibility. But it didn’t make the prospect any easier to deal with, especially not with a young daughter at home. “Is Devon going to keep us informed?” Investigator Steve Devon was generally very good about keeping the cops who made the collars up to speed, but this time could prove different.

“I’m sure he will.” Jim leaned forward, braced his arms on his desk. “Tell me how your friend Detective Hadden got involved.”

She’d known that one was coming. Even an old dog like Harkey could get jealous when someone invaded his territory. Kayla would need to tread carefully here. Yesterday she’d done what she had to do, and today she had to smooth her partner’s ruffled feathers. Jim would have done the same thing if the situation had been reversed. For that she felt no guilt.

The big difference between the two of them was that Jim would have found her yesterday. He wouldn’t have given up until he did. Maybe she hadn’t tried as hard as she should have to locate him. She’d wanted those guys. Wanted them bad. Had the fire burning in her belly to finally bring them down adversely affected her judgment?

Maybe she had stayed in this job too long. Gotten too cocky. Too self-assured. It happened to the best.

Just something else she’d have to consider. Her years at Athena Academy had planted the yearning for growth, for advancement, deep inside her. Maybe she was fooling herself by thinking she could be happy staying at this level any longer. When she considered the high-profile careers of her fellow Cassandras she had to admit that even Darcy’s self-made private investigations business and covert support of abused women took a big leap out of the box.

Was complacency Kayla’s real problem? Professionally as well as personally? She didn’t want to believe there was any truth to that theory, but could she risk being wrong? One glance at Jim’s expectant expression and she knew she’d better get him placated first.

The infirmary at Athena Academy looked deserted. Giving Nurse Betsy Stone grace, it was lunchtime. Still, Kayla had called and left a message. It seemed that Betsy Stone either never got her messages or chose to ignore them.

The latter fit more conveniently into Kayla’s profile of the woman. She was avoiding further questioning.

Kayla shuffled around the room and considered reviewing more of the files, but it felt like a monumental waste of time. For three months she had been using every opportunity to look into the files.

It wasn’t always easy. Not that Christine or the school hadn’t cooperated. To the contrary, Christine had pretty much given Kayla carte blanche. But it took time to go through decades of files. Thousands of young women had passed through these walls. There were only so many chances within a given week. Kayla did have a job and a daughter, both of which had to come first.

Still, she had spent several hours each week during the past three months reviewing and analyzing data. And what had she learned? Not much.

Rainy had been an outstanding student. Physically, she had been an excellent candidate, if one were looking for a good specimen on which to experiment. But why here? Who was responsible for allowing it to happen?

The first question was a no-brainer. Here, because attendees of Athena Academy were the cream of the cream of the crop. The second question needed answering.

The invitation Jazz had received in the mail flashed through her mind. Definitely she would not rest until she had solved this puzzle.

According to Cleo Patra, the one surrogate they had located alive in the investigation, she had been under Dr. Reagan’s care in Phoenix. According to what Kayla had learned so far, Reagan was indeed dead. His files were who knows where. Kayla desperately wanted to find those files. She had a feeling that answers lay within those medical notes.

And what of this Lab 33? Did Josie or her sister, Diana, who was in Army Intelligence, dare look more deeply into that aspect? That kind of digging could get them killed. There were elements, government-sponsored ones, that were never supposed to be exposed. Shadow and black-bag operations.

Kayla huffed out a breath and admitted defeat. She had no alternative except to go to the files room and take up where she’d left off. It was all she had at this point. Somewhere in those files there had to be something. All she needed was one little lead and maybe it would take her the distance. Rainy couldn’t have been the only one taken advantage of.

The hour she’d given herself to devote to the case had flown by when a sound jerked Kayla’s attention from the mound of manila folders. Someone had entered the infirmary.

She hoped Nurse Stone had returned from lunch or some errand. She could let Jim know she needed a few more minutes if she got the chance to grill Stone again. The idea that Betsy Stone could have left for vacation since Athena was closed for December pinged her thoughts.

“Kayla, here you are.”

Christine Evans. Principal and friend. A friend with secrets, however.

Kayla relaxed from her alert status. “Looking through a few more files.”

Christine nodded but didn’t meet Kayla’s gaze. “Have you spoken with Betsy?”

It was more the way she asked the question than the question itself. Like Betsy Stone, Christine was hiding something. Kayla narrowed her gaze and scrutinized the woman. She had known Christine for many years. No one could ask for a better school principal. As headmistress of Athena Academy since its inception more than twenty years ago, Christine had devoted herself completely to the school and its students.

What could she possibly be hiding?

“No,” Kayla said in answer to her question. “She always seems to be out of pocket when I come looking for her.”

Christine’s gaze did meet hers then. “Kayla, you must know how busy Nurse Stone is when the students are on campus. One nurse with two hundred adolescent girls. Surely you remember.”

Kayla nodded, acknowledging the point. “But what about now?” The girls were gone for winter break. “Why is it I can never nail her down now?”

Christine shrugged, her gaze scooting away once more. “There’s a lot of catching up to do at the end of a session. Just ask any of the teachers or other staff members.”

“She hasn’t left town as far as you know?”

“Not that I’m aware of. Why don’t I make it a point to have her call you?” The smile that made an appearance didn’t reach the principal’s eyes.

“Sure, why not?” Kayla started to leave the issue at that but the need to learn the truth wouldn’t let her. “Christine, do you think what happened to Rainy had anything to do with Dr. Bradford?”

Christine paled as she usually did whenever the subject of Rainy came up.

“I don’t see how it could.”

Kayla drew in a deep breath and released it as she settled onto the edge of Nurse Stone’s cluttered desk. “You told me that the two of you had parted ways on a sour note.” Kayla’s brow furrowed as if she’d lapsed into deep concentration. “I believe you said that he was harassing Nurse Stone and that you recommended he not be called back as a guest lecturer.” Athena Academy searched far and wide for ways to broaden the student learning experience. Guest lecturers from around the world were a regular feature of the curriculum.

“That’s correct,” Christine allowed, her tone, her entire demeanor closed, guarded. “When Nurse Stone reported to me that Dr. Bradford had behaved inappropriately toward her, I immediately sought action to see that he never returned.”

“If he behaved inappropriately toward a staff member, how can you be certain he didn’t do the same with students?” The notion made Kayla shiver with revulsion.

“Of course he didn’t harass any of the students!”

There was the reaction. Christine was incensed. Offended even.

“But his behavior wasn’t above reproach,” Kayla cut in. “Why else would you have asked that he not be allowed to return?”

For several seconds they stared at each other. Silent. Kayla was certain there was more. Then Christine broke. Vulnerability flashed in her good eye.

“All right.”

Christine turned away, clearly unable to look at Kayla as she uttered whatever confession she was about to make. “I wasn’t completely honest with you before, Kayla.” She spread her hands in defeat. “I didn’t want to tell you.”

Kayla pushed off the desk and went to her. Whatever she had to say it wasn’t going to be easy. She needed to know that Kayla was only trying to help.

“Just tell me the truth, Christine,” she said gently as she placed one hand on her arm. “I know you. Whatever it is it couldn’t have been your fault.”

Christine’s head came up, her suspiciously bright gaze collided with Kayla’s. “Well…yes it was. What happened to Rainy may have been entirely due to my foolishness.”

The earth shifted slightly beneath Kayla but she held herself steady, kept her touch light. “Tell me what happened.” It was all she could do to keep the shock out of her voice.

“Carl Bradford and I had an affair.” She closed her eyes and visibly fought to control her emotions. “I didn’t mean for it to happen. But I felt so alone. Changing careers, in charge of this whole, new school…I needed someone. He was a handsome man.” Her eyes opened, sought Kayla’s. “He knew all the right things to say and do to make me feel like a woman.”

Kayla nodded, genuinely understanding. Though she’d been much younger than Christine and her motives had clearly been different, she did understand. Hadn’t she sought solace in the arms of the man who’d fathered her child?

“Bradford never harassed Betsy. That was the story I told the board to save face. I caught them together one night.” She shook her head, her features going hard. “I’d been so stupid. We argued. I told him he could never come back.”

So Betsy Stone had been involved with Bradford. Yet she’d gone along with Christine’s story, saying he’d made a sexual move on her and she’d reported it to the principal to ensure he was sent away.

“I was jealous,” Christine admitted. “At that moment the only interest I had on my mind was my own.”

Kayla squeezed her arm reassuringly. “You made a mistake. We all do.” She, of all people, knew.

Christine was shaking her head again. “You don’t understand. Before I found them together, I had caught him going through the files. He said he was pulling together some information on the brightest students to use in a statistical paper about private schools.” She pressed her hands to her face, looking nothing like the tough former Army officer and strict taskmaster Kayla knew her to be. “I should have known better. I should have told someone.” She lifted her tear-filled gaze to Kayla’s. “What if I let this happen to Rainy? What if that’s what Bradford was looking for? An egg-mining candidate? Dear God!”

Kayla turned this new angle over in her mind. As much as Kayla didn’t want Christine to shoulder this burden alone, she suspected that Christine was right on at least one score. Bradford had been looking for something. Was he connected to Dr. Reagan? Like Reagan, Bradford had once run his own private practice in Phoenix, but it had closed years ago. And no one knew where Bradford had gone. But she damn sure intended to nail down Betsy Stone. She was the only link they had to Reagan and Bradford, whether she admitted knowing about any unethical dealings or not.

“Christine.” Kayla drew back, held the woman firmly by the shoulders. “I have to talk to Betsy. She may very well know what Bradford was doing and who he was working with.”

Christine nodded. “I understand.” She let go a shaky breath. “The way I see it, we’re going to have to trap her into a meeting.” Christine’s watery gaze leveled on Kayla’s. “I’ll help you. I’ll do anything you need me to do.”

Christine told Kayla what she could about Betsy Stone’s schedule. Betsy might not know anything that would help, but one way or another Kayla intended to find out.

When she would have left, Christine stopped her. “Kayla, I know you must have gotten Jazz’s invitation by now.”

Kayla turned back to her, unprepared to discuss the matter just now. “I did.”

Christine’s hands knotted together in front of her. “Whatever my past sins,” she urged, “please don’t hold them against this school. Jazz deserves this opportunity the same way you did. You know what attendance at this school could mean for her future.”

Kayla managed a smile. “We’re going to talk about it.”

As Kayla left the Athena campus she wouldn’t allow herself to consider that Jazz’s invitation might be a prod for her to leave this investigation alone. No way. This school was too important to too many powerful people. They would never invite a student for any reason other than a legitimate one. Athena Academy wanted Jazz. There was no second-guessing that conclusion.

The only question that remained was if Kayla was ready for her daughter to take that kind of step.

Kayla called Shirley to let her know she’d decided to stop at home for a sandwich before heading back to the office. The morning had been long and emotionally draining. Kayla wanted to recharge before dealing with the afternoon.

But that wasn’t going to happen.

The red SUV sitting against the curb between her house and the next didn’t give her much of a pause on first glance. But when she parked in her driveway she saw that someone waited for her on her front steps.

It only took one look for her to recognize her unexpected visitor.

Mike Bridges.

Jazz’s father.

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