Daddy's Little Killer

Chapter 36

Chapter 36

 

A second later, Orion staggered out of the alley.

"You're hurt. Unlock my wrist and let me drive. You need medical attention."

"It knocked me down. I'm not hurt."

"What happened?"

"I don't know." Johnny thrust my purse at me and noticed that I was still holding his identification. "Just couldn't leave it alone, could you Doc?"

I shoved the badge back into the glove compartment and closed the door. "It explains a few things. I don't know why you felt that you couldn't tell me the truth from the beginning, Orion."

"It's not the nature of cops working under cover to blow it, Helen. Besides, I'm not inclined to share information with people who lie to me. Repeatedly."

I shook off the condemnation. We both told more than our fair share of untruths anyway. That some of them had been to each other came as no shock. "What happened to my car?"

"I didn't want it to look completely out of place, so I went back to shut the door. I grabbed your purse, got the keys and started down the alley." Orion shook off his haze and tore away from the curb with the headlights off. "I was about half way to the end of the alley and realized that all your luggage was crammed into the back seat, so I engaged the lock on the remote. Ka-boom."

I hadn't locked the car since I picked it up from central. Someone had wired a bomb to explode the moment the remote activated the locks. "That makes no sense."

"Doesn't it? Somebody wants you dead."

"Were you lying when you said you believe this perp wanted me out here, that he wanted me to play his game?"

Orion frowned. "No, that was the God's truth. You're right. It doesn't add up. Why would he try to kill you after getting what he wanted?"

"Oh my God. I really am getting too close. He knew we were looking for Candy Blevins."

"Candy? What for? She's a complete psycho, Doc. Even if you can find her, which will be extremely hard to do, believe me, she's not about to be cooperative."

"Oh, we found her all right," I murmured. "Uncuff me, Johnny. For better or worse, it seems like we're on the same side." This time.

He dug the key out of the pocket of his jeans and passed it over to me. "Have you talked to her yet?"

"Not possible. Sometime between ten and eleven last night, Candy Blevins was murdered."

Orion slammed the heel of his hand against the steering wheel. The sound of flesh against metal reverberated in the darkness. "Murdered in what manner?" he finally broke through the soft hum with a question.

"Like Gwen. Like Brighton. Like the first Gwen Bennett I suspect. Why doesn't Harlan Hartley like you, Johnny?"

"Who?"

"Vinnie's only living relative. Although, I'm not sure Hartley is a blood relative now that I know the truth about Vinnie."

"I've never met the man, Doc." His fingers flew off the steering wheel at my doubtful stare. "I'm not holding anything back at this point. You already know the big secret."

"Somehow I doubt that." Rather than launch into the laundry list of my complaints about being kept in the dark, I revealed the content of my interview with Harlan Hartley. "So you see, if he's really Vinnie's uncle, either he's related on the Bennett side of the family or he knows who the perp in this case is and related to him."