Seconds Away

CHAPTER 45

We didn’t wait for Rachel to extricate herself from the Taylor household. She was a big girl. She’d figure that one out on her own. Besides, I had things to do before I met up with her.

“Well?” Ema said. “What did you find?”

“I have to think this through.”

Ema shook her head. “Seriously, do you know how annoying it is when you say stuff like that?”

“Yeah,” I said, “I guess I do.”

“So think it through while talking to me.”

I didn’t really want to, so I told her what I’d seen in the plainest “just the facts” language. Her mobile phone buzzed. Ema looked down at the screen. “It’s my mom.”

Still felt so weird-her “mom” being one of the most glamorous women in the world.

Ema picked up the phone with a sigh and spoke with lots of “I’m fine, Mom”s before hanging up and turning to me. “Your uncle is with her. They both want us to go home pronto.”

That was okay by me. I wanted to be alone for a bit. I wanted to sort through this and consider my next step closely. Most of all, though, I wanted Ema to be someplace safe and away from me. I had already gotten one friend shot. I did not relish the idea of putting another in jeopardy.

So Ema and I went our separate ways. I got home, still lost in my thoughts. I had figured out what had happened in the Caldwell household. Most of it, anyway. I was having trouble making all the pieces fit. There was, I knew, only one way to get the answers I needed. It was going to involve putting myself in more peril. I didn’t relish that either. There was a fine line between being daringly brave and foolishly suicidal. I wasn’t in the mood to find out just how fine.

But what choice did I have?

When I got home, I headed into the basement and texted Rachel: Are you out of there?

Rachel: Just leaving Troy’s now.

Good. I didn’t even bother to reply. Knowing she wouldn’t be there, I quickly dialed Rachel’s home phone. As I did, the front door opened, and Myron entered. “Mickey?”

I put my hand over the phone. “One sec,” I called back.

On the third ring a man picked up and said, “Hello?”

“Mr. Caldwell, this is Mickey Bolitar.”

“Oh, hello, Mickey. Rachel isn’t here right now.”

“I wasn’t calling for her.”

“Oh?”

“I know what happened to your ex-wife and daughter.”

There was an odd tightness in his voice now. “Then you should tell the police at once.”

“You mean, like Chief Taylor?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Well, sure, I guess I could tell him, but we both know he’d just cover it up.”

There was a pause. I could hear Mr. Caldwell’s breath through the phone.

“What are you trying to say here, Mickey?”

“You and I need to meet,” I said.

“Come by the house then.”

“I’d rather meet somewhere else. Do you play basketball, Mr. Caldwell?”

“That’s an odd question.”

“I’ll meet you by the outdoor courts in the center of town,” I said. “Oh, and wear basketball clothes. Shorts and a T-shirt.”

“Why?”

“Because this time,” I said, “I want to make sure you aren’t armed.”