Part 39 (1/2)
”That's what I was coming to tell you before you pigheadedly stormed off and we ran into that guy.” Jennifer stood up. ”They found a car on Woodlawn. A jogger called it in. When the fire department got there, they found a body in the back.”
”The county ME isn't there yet?” Jack asked.
Jennifer shook her head. ”He was at some family thing upstate. He's on his way back, and they taped off the car.”
”I bet that's the guy Paolo shot.” Jack looked at Kiku.
She nodded, walked over, and picked up her jacket.
”Wait a minute.” Replacement looked for her coat.
”You need to stay.” Jack slightly raised an eyebrow.
”I'm not staying.” Jennifer limped over for her coat. ”I'm not going to be used as an excuse for babysitting.”
”You're the one who needs a babysitter, you clueless-” Replacement snapped.
”Knock it off.” Jack held up his hand. ”I need to check this out. Your ankle is in no shape to go right now. Ice it because I'm going to need you.” Jack walked over to Replacement's bag and rummaged inside.
When he pulled out the GPS device and slipped it into his pocket, Replacement's eyes narrowed but she didn't say anything.
Good girl.
”We'll be back within an hour.”
Jack looked at Kiku, and she gave a sharp nod. He walked out the door and headed for the parking lot.
”Transportation?” Kiku looked at the parking lot that was now lacking the Impala.
Jack stopped.
”I don't want to drive around in my car right now, but we need to get to Woodlawn, which is over toward Big Blue, and then to Hometown Suites near the police station.”
Kiku nodded over to the garage across the street. ”Come on.”
I can't believe I'm doing this.
Kiku walked at a casual pace beside him. ”The cars on the left should be the ones they finished working on but haven't been picked up yet. You stay on the pa.s.senger side and talk naturally. Give me a minute.” She smiled.
”I know how to steal a car.”
She raised an eyebrow.
”I learned. I figured if I knew, it would help me catch car thieves.”
”If it makes you feel better, Officer, I plan to bring it back.”
”Great. Now I feel just fine.”
Kiku walked past two cars and over to the third. Jack's mouth fell open when she opened the door in a flash, slipped in, leaned over, and started the car.
He blinked quickly, yanked his door open, and jumped in.
”How did you do that so fast? That was...” His voice trailed off when he saw the keys dangling out of the ignition.
”When they work on the cars, sometimes people pay by credit card and the mechanics just leave the key under the seat so the guy can come get the car after hours.” She grinned broadly. ”You tend to over-complicate things, Officer.”
”And here I thought you were some master car thief.”
”I am.” She pulled out and Jack pointed to the left.
”Woodlawn is east. It's also heading out of town. I'll have Replacement check if there were any cars stolen out there.”
Kiku clicked her tongue. ”You think they only had the one car?”
Jack nodded.
Kiku adjusted the rearview mirror. ”They ditched the car with the fatally wounded man and stole another.”
”It's what I'd do.”
”If you were that kind of man.” Kiku smiled. ”You are a dangerous man, Officer. It would be a scary thing if you were not caged in by your principles.”
”Letting something out of a cage sometimes isn't the best idea.” Jack pulled out the burner and dialed Replacement. ”Hey, kid. Can you check for a stolen car for me while that thing is running? Great. Check if anything was reported out near Woodlawn and call me? Thanks.”
”You keep her at a safe distance.” Kiku checked her mirrors as she sped up.
”What?”
”Calling her kid. Having her stay with Jennifer.”
”I want her to be safe.”
”She doesn't want that.”
Jack leaned against the door. ”Really?”
Kiku nodded. ”She likes the danger. Did you see her face during the shootout? She had a hard time keeping her head down. I like that.”
”I'm not keeping her at a distance. Just safe.”
”If you build a cage, it won't keep her.”
Jack opened and closed his mouth. He was about to argue the point when he saw Woodlawn Avenue approaching quickly up ahead. He pointed to the left, and his phone rang.
”Hey. Did you find out anything?” He looked out the window.
”No cars reported stolen today at all. I'm running the report on the cars from the tollbooth, too. Where are you?”
”Pulling onto Woodlawn. I'll call back. Thanks.”