Avarice

CHAPTER THREE

Homicide detectives Loshi and Mack were already seated in straight-backed chairs on either side of Rosemaria’s bed when Josh walked into her room the next morning. Her eyes were still sunken in, and the black-and-blue bruises on her face were even more pronounced, but she was thoroughly enjoying the conversation. Her face lit up when she saw him. “Josh, pull up a chair and sit beside me.” Loshi stood up, grabbed another chair by the window, and placed it next to the bed. Josh leaned down and gave Rosemaria a gentle peck on the cheek before easing into the chair.

“You guys have met before, right?” Rosemaria asked.

Josh acknowledged the cops with a nod.

“I’ve been filling them in on what happened. Thank God Raul was there and for the bulletproof glass. We would have been shot to pieces otherwise.” She smiled as if she were talking about a football score. “They have no leads on who the shooters were, just that they were probably pros. I can’t think of anybody I’ve put away who has that kind of money. Vick and Hernandez are destitute.” She explained to the two detectives, “Two mutts who were given twenty to life a couple of months ago for armed robbery of a liquor store and for the attempted kidnapping of yours truly.”

Loshi reacted. “They were fool enough to try to kidnap an officer of the court?”

Rosemaria laughed, “Apparently, I was a major annoyance. Anyway, I didn’t even prosecute them. I was just a witness. No one I’ve put away since I moved back to L.A. would be able to afford to hire a couple of assassins, not even the crooked politicians I put in the federal pen.” She suddenly stopped, took a deep breath, and looked down in shame. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I don’t mean to make light of the fact that a bullet meant for me ended up killing an innocent girl. That wasn’t fair.”

“We get it,” Loshi said.

She looked up at the two cops and Josh. “No, no, you don’t. I feel guilty that she died and yet relieved it wasn’t me, and that’s a terrible thing to feel. It should have been me.”

Josh said, “I get it. I do.”

Mack, clearly uncomfortable with the intimate direction the conversation was taking, interrupted. “I hate to break up this bare-it-all therapy session, but my partner and me better get back to the office and look over what we’ve got so far on these two dirtbags. The gym has cameras on every side of the building, and we collected ammo rounds up the yin-yang. The sniper left his rifle behind. Forensics will come up with something. There was a stolen car by the side of the road, apparently driven there by the sniper. That was his intended getaway vehicle until he missed his target, and everything went sideways.

“I want to help if I can,” Rosemaria said.

Mack grimaced. “Hearing you say that sends chills up my spine, Ms. Baker. I’ve heard about you from your friends Larry and Vanessa. Larry told me about some of the close calls you had working with him at BHPD. Keep out of the line of fire. You’re not a cop anymore. You stay home and let us do the investigating.”

Rosemaria sighed heavily. “I still have a job to go to.”

“Take leave until we get these guys,” Loshi said.

“Can’t do that.”

The two cops stood up and shook hands with Josh. “I leave it to you to control this woman.”

Josh shook his head. “Can’t be done.”

The cops headed for the door.

“And here I thought San Diego was just a quiet little beach town,” Rosemaria called after them.

Mack snorted. “Yeah, like Hollywood is full of movie stars and Lamborghinis.” And he was gone.

Rosemaria took Josh’s hand. “Raul came to see me. I got to thank him for saving my life.”

“I stopped in his room and did the same. He’s just down the hall.”

“If it hadn’t been for him, the downpour, all the umbrellas”—She stopped. “The dog. What happened to the little dog?”

“He’s fine. One of the uniformed officers took him home with her.”

“I’m glad about that, but it’s possible he could be a clue. Where did he come from? Does he have a chip? Maybe they can track down the real owner and ask—”

“Whoa. Let your cop brain rest for a few days. Mack and Loshi are on it.”

“Yeah, but I’ll call them and make sure.”

Josh closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. “Ah, maybe leave it to them, okay?”

“I don’t know why they don’t want to take advantage of my experience. I’m not just a victim; I was a homicide cop, for God’s sake.”

Josh puffed up his cheeks and blew out air. The woman was uncontrollable. “The doctor said you’ll be here a day or two, and then I’ll be able to take you home. I don’t intend to leave you alone for a minute.”

“You can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“You’ll be on your tour.”

“I already told Joell I couldn’t go.”

She stared at him. “Why would you do that?”

“Somebody’s trying to kill you. Do you really think I can get up on a stage and sing when all I’m doing is thinking about you?”

“I’ll have police protection. I have a gun, and I know how to use it. You’re not blowing the best chance you ever had because of me.”

“It’s already been decided. Joell understands, so let’s not argue.”

“You can’t make a decision like this without talking it over with me. It’s too important.”

“Wow. This is a first.” They both turned and saw Larry walking toward Rosemaria’s bed. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard the two of you argue before. I thought you guys were perfect together like pancakes and syrup, peaches and cream, Sonny and Cher—oh no, that didn’t turn out too well. What seems to be the problem here? You’re not even married yet.”

“He told Joell he’s not going on the tour and didn’t even discuss it with me. I’m so pissed I could spit nails.”

Josh was unmoved. “You can scream bloody murder, and I’m still not changing my mind.”

Larry stood at the foot of the bed rubbing his palms together, a smug look on his face. “Being the great detective that I am, I foresaw this problem yesterday and already solved it.”

“Josh studied him skeptically. “I’m not going.”

“Oh, ye of little faith.”

“Out with it, Larry,” Rosemaria said. “I like it already.”

“As you know, my parents are obscenely wealthy. Their house in Holmby Hills is practically an armed fortress with alarm systems up the wazoo. They have agreed to let Rosemaria stay there for as long as Josh is on tour. They will hire two more armed guards and put Rosemaria in a room deemed fit for foreign dignitaries. Rosemaria will be safer there than with you in your tiny apartment and will be waited on hand and foot. I await your humble expressions of gratitude.”

Rosemaria stared at Larry for a moment then reached out to grab Josh’s arm. “Say yes,” she whispered.

Josh’s skepticism slowly faded, and he looked like Christmas had arrived early. “She’d be guarded day and night?”

“A whole lot better than you could do, my friend.”

Rosemaria was excited enough to run out of the hospital and join a marathon with her ass hanging out of her gown. “Call Joell, Josh. Find out if you can still change your mind about the tour, and you have to go to the premiere too. There’s no reason for you not to.”

Josh hesitated, then: “I’ll call her out in the hallway. I don’t want either of you to hear me beg.” He took out his cell phone and headed out the door.

Rosemaria’s bruised and battered face was shining. “Thank you, Larry. You’ve given us a wonderful gift.”

He leaned over and made a move to hug her, then saw her cringe. “Sorry, I forgot. Am I still your favorite ex-partner?”

“No one even comes close.”

“I’m going to stay in touch with the San Diego homicide detectives. Your old pals from BHPD, Jimmy Waite and Daryl Osborne want to be a part of the investigation as well. The lieutenant signed off on it.”

“The killers are probably long gone. Who hired them is the question.”

Josh walked back in. They looked at him in anticipation.

“Tell my secretary to clear my schedule. I’m off to Prague next week.”

“Yes!” Rosemaria yelled, waving her good arm wildly in the air, winced in pain, then let it fall back on the bed and barely whispered, “Oh,” closed her eyes, and sank back on her pillow as the guys hovered anxiously over her.

She opened one eye. “Just kidding.” She smiled. “If whoever is doing this thinks they can turn me into a mass of quivering jelly, they better think again.”

Josh patted her hand. “Not you, my fierce warrior. Never you. You can leave the quivering to me. Just label me strawberry rhubarb.”

At that, Rosemaria and Larry guffawed in unison. It only hurt her side a little bit.