The King Tides (Lancaster & Daniels Book 1) Page 8

  Pearl recoiled in horror. “He bit you? What kind of animal does such a thing?”

  He’d seen worse behavior from suspects, only talking about it wouldn’t add anything to the conversation. “According to the airline ticket in his pocket, he flew into Fort Lauderdale from Toronto this morning. Does that mean anything?”

  Pearl shook his head. “I don’t know anyone from Toronto.”

  “Neither do I,” Melanie said.

  He shifted his attention to Nicki. She had grown unusually quiet, and he sensed that she was holding back. “How about you, young lady?”

  Nicki released her parents’ hands and stared at the floor. “A strange man called the house from Toronto last week. I spoke to him. We didn’t talk very long.”

  Her parents looked shocked. Melanie said, “You spoke to a stranger? Why didn’t you tell us?”

  “I thought you’d be mad at me,” she said.

  “And you were right,” her mother said.

  Lancaster gently touched Nicki’s shoulder, and she lifted her gaze.

  “Tell me what you said to him,” he said.

  “I’d just gotten home from school and was in the kitchen making a snack when the phone rang,” she explained. “I didn’t recognize the number on caller ID, so I ignored it. Then it rang again. Same number. I was curious, so I checked the area code on my iPad using Google, and saw the call was from Toronto. I don’t know why, but I answered it. The caller was a man, and he was very excited. He called me this weird name, and I told him that he had the wrong number. He asked me what I was wearing and some other stuff, and I hung up.”

  Lancaster spent a moment processing this information. There was no doubt in his mind that the caller was the creep who’d just bitten him. But why had he called? And why would he have spent the time and money to fly here if Nicki had hung up on him?

  “Did he call back?” he asked.

  “Yeah, a couple of times,” Nicki said, sounding ashamed.

  “Did you take his calls?”

  “No, I was freaked out. I just wanted him to go away.”

  “You said he called you a weird name. Do you remember what it was?”

  “No,” she said, shaking her head.

  It was not uncommon for victims to block out details from bad experiences. This was especially true when the victims were young and vulnerable. He crouched down so he was eye-level with Nicki and said, “I think you do remember, but shoved the name into the recesses of your memory. I want you to help me drag it out. Can you do that?”

  “Sure,” she said. “Is this an interrogation trick?”

  “Yes, it is.”

  “Will you teach it to me, so I can show my class at school?”

  “I’d be happy to. I want you to close your eyes and imagine you’ve just gotten home from school. You’re standing in the kitchen fixing a snack.” Nicki closed her eyes and wrinkled her forehead in concentration. “Good. Now imagine you hear the phone ring. You check the caller ID and see it’s from Toronto. You hesitate, but decide to answer it. You say hello, and it’s a strange man. He calls you a name.”

  Nicki’s eyes snapped open. “Got it!”

  “You remember the name?”

  “He called me Cassandra.”

  “Cassandra. That’s great, Nicki. Is there anything else you remember?”

  “He was breathing hard, like he’d just run a race.”

  “Very good. Anything else?”

  “There was a movie playing in the background.”

  “How could you tell?”

  “I could hear a woman talking, only I couldn’t understand what she was saying. She kept talking while the man was speaking to me, so I knew it was a movie.”

  “Did you make out what the woman in the movie was saying?”

  “No. She was talking in a quiet voice, real seductive. I thought he might be watching a porno.”

  Melanie let out a tiny gasp. She’d come to the same conclusion that Lancaster had, which was that the caller from Toronto was masturbating while talking to Nicki.

  “Okay, so you think the man from Toronto was watching a porno movie, and that he was out of breath. You said that he asked you what you were wearing, and some other stuff. Do you remember what that other stuff was?”

  “He wanted to meet me. He asked me if I was okay with that.”

  “What did you tell him?”

  “Nothing. I hung up.”

  “Is there anything else you remember? Think hard.”

  Nicki gave it some thought and shook her head. “No, that’s it. I guess I should have told my parents. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize,” he said. “The call was from another country. You thought he was a weirdo and hung up, and then you forgot about it. Those are natural reactions when dealing with a situation like that. You did nothing wrong.”

  Nicki hugged her mother and then her father, and everything was good between them again. Lancaster walked to the front of the gallery and stared out onto the street. There were no suspicious-acting males lurking about, and he spent a moment adding the things Nicki had told him to what he already knew. It still didn’t make any sense, unless there was a piece to the puzzle that he wasn’t seeing. Pearl appeared by his side.

  “We’re hungry. Do you think it’s safe to get lunch?”

  “What did you have in mind?”

  “The Cheesecake Factory down the street. It’s Nicki’s favorite restaurant.”

  “Okay, but you need to let me pick the table.”

  “Of course, Jon. Whatever you think is best.”

  “Let me ask you something. This guy from Toronto called the landline in your house. Is that number listed in the phone book?”

  “The house line is unlisted. I don’t know how he got it.”

  Nicki’s stalkers were determined, and they were resourceful. In his experience, that made them the worst kind of adversary.

  “Let’s get some lunch,” he said.

  CHAPTER 12

  GEL HEAD

  The Cheesecake Factory on East Las Olas was popular with the lunchtime crowd, and there was a fifteen-minute wait to be seated. Lancaster slipped the hostess a folded twenty-dollar bill and said, “I need a secluded table in your restaurant, please.”

  The hostess hesitated. “Define secluded.”

  “In a corner, backed up to a wall.”

  “Let me see what I can do.”

  The waiting area was next to the hostess stand. Nicki sat on a bench with her parents to either side and Lancaster standing guard in front of her, facing the entrance. No one was going to get close to her without first going through him.

  The hostess appeared holding menus. “You’re in luck. Right this way.”

  The Pearls rose from the bench and followed the hostess. Lancaster came up from behind, looking for any sign of trouble. The restaurant was packed, the tables positioned so closely together that it reminded him of a mess hall. Their destination was a corner table across from the noisy bar that ran the length of the wall. When everyone was seated, the hostess passed out the menus and said a waitress would be over shortly.

  So far, everything looked normal. But he was not going to let his guard down. While the Pearls read their menus, he studied the other diners. Two groups of people made up the lunch crowd. Families and business people. He didn’t spot any suspicious-acting males—the profile of Nicki’s stalkers.

  A waitress appeared. The echo coming off the tile floors made normal conversation impossible, and the Pearls shouted their orders.

  “Coffee,” he said when his turn came.

  Water and bread were brought to the table. Nicki chose a sesame roll and tore it into small pieces before buttering it. She hadn’t uttered a word since the art gallery and acted withdrawn. Her parents tried to engage her in conversation and got nowhere.

  “Am I ever going to be able to go back to school?” she asked. The question caught her parents off guard. To Lancaster she said, “Am I?”

  Nicki was
looking into the future and not liking what she saw. Projecting was never healthy, and he tried to allay her fears.

  “I don’t see why not,” he said.

  “When?” she asked.

  “As soon as I get to the bottom of this.”

  “But what if you don’t figure out what these men want? What then? Do I have to go into hiding like someone in witness protection? I want my life back.”

  Helping people in distress was like taking a trip, and it always took time. He tried to find an answer that would calm her down, but came up short. There was no answer that wasn’t an exaggeration or outright lie, and he wasn’t in the habit of telling those.

  “I’ll figure out what these men want. That’s a promise,” he said.

  “Oh no,” Melanie said under her breath. “I just spotted a creep at the bar watching Nicki in the mirror. He won’t take his eyes off her. What should we do?”

  If Nicki’s stalkers shared a common trait, it was a deep fear of being caught, and they were quick to run the moment they sniffed trouble.

  “Stop staring at him,” he said. “I don’t want you to scare him off.”

  “Whatever you say.”

  He glanced at the bar. The creep sat on a stool with his back to them. He wore a dress shirt and blue neck tie, nice slacks, and a pair of expensive shoes. He had a weight lifter’s broad shoulders and tiny waist, and his short blond hair was slicked back with gel. He alternated watching Nicki in the backbar mirror and looking at his cell phone. A plate of untouched pasta alfredo sat in front of him. Gel Head had lost his appetite.

  Nicki kicked him beneath the table. “I’m scared.”

  “To be forewarned is to be forearmed,” he said.

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means that we’re going to protect you.” To Melanie, he said, “You said before that you have a can of Mace. Please pull it out of your purse and pass it to your daughter beneath the table.”

  Melanie passed her Mace to Nicki.

  “If he gets near you, spray him in the face,” Lancaster said.

  “Got it,” Nicki said.

  He addressed her parents. “Has either of you ever fired a handgun before?”

  “I have,” Pearl said.

  “I’m going to pass you one of my handguns beneath the table. I want you to stick it in your pocket. It’s loaded and doesn’t have a safety, so you need to be careful.”

  Pearl’s face lost its color. “What exactly are you planning to do?”

  “I’m going outside the restaurant. Once I’m gone, I want you and your wife to put the fear of God into this sicko. Hopefully he’ll run out the door, which will give me the opportunity to confront him. Sound good?”

  Some men caved in the face of uncertainty and danger, while others rose to the challenge. Pearl squared his shoulders. “I’m good if Melanie and Nicki are,” he said.

  “I’m good,” his wife said. “How about you, honey?”

  Nicki held the canister of Mace in her lap. Making her part of the attack plan let her stop feeling like a victim, and she no longer seemed scared.

  “Let’s get him,” she said.

  Lancaster laid out his plan of attack and explained each of their roles. There were no questions, and he rose from the table and placed his napkin on his spot.

  “Is Team Pearl ready?” he asked.

  They said yes. He slid away from the table and headed toward the lavatories on the other side of the dining room. His journey took him past Gel Head, who still hadn’t touched his food. A cell phone lay on the bar playing a video. As he passed, Gel Head flipped the cell phone facedown, hiding the screen.

  There was no stronger instinct than survival. Nicki’s stalkers’ attraction to their prey was only surpassed by their desire not to get caught. He turned a corner and came to the restrooms. He waited for a customer to come out, and used him as a shield to walk to the front of the restaurant. Reaching the hostess stand, he spun around. Gel Head was still at the bar, his eyes focused on Nicki in the mirror.

  The Pearls were watching him. He made the “okay” sign with his fingers.

  Melanie and her husband rose from their chairs. Nolan moved in front of the table, creating a shield in front of Nicki. His hand was in his pocket, touching the handle of the gun. He looked ready for trouble.

  Melanie brushed past him and came up behind Gel Head. She forcefully tapped his shoulder, and Gel Head turned to stone and stared at the reflection in the mirror. Melanie tore into him, her voice angry enough to cut through the other diners’ conversations.

  “You sick bastard! You’ve been staring at my daughter for the last ten minutes. Don’t pretend we didn’t see you!”

  Gel Head picked up his cell phone and made it disappear into his pocket. He threw money on the bar for his food and hopped off his stool.

  “Running away, are you? You coward!”

  Gel Head had been confronted before and knew the drill. Walk away and don’t say a word. Feeling empowered, Melanie wagged a finger in his face. “My husband took a photo of you on his cell phone. We’re going to show it to the police, and file a complaint.”

  Conversation in the restaurant had stopped. Every diner was watching the scene unfold. Gel Head turned his back and headed for the exit. Melanie kept the barbs coming. “You’re a pervert! She’s only fifteen years old.”

  Gel Head picked up his pace, desperate to get away.

  “Did you hear what I said? She’s fifteen years old!”

  Lancaster went outside to wait on the sidewalk. Melanie’s threats were nothing more than an angry mother venting. Gel Head hadn’t done anything that warranted the police arresting him, and Lancaster needed to be careful in how he handled this.

  Gel Head exited the restaurant. Lancaster tried to block his path, and their bodies collided. Gel Head was rock solid, and Lancaster fell backward into the gutter. So much for the nice guy approach. He jumped to his feet and gave chase.

  “Wait! I need to talk to you!”

  Gel Head was running hard. Reaching the public lot on the south side of Las Olas, he jumped into a black Lexus and was backing out when Lancaster caught up.

  “I just want to talk!”

  The Lexus nearly ran him over. It was an LC 500, which ran a hundred grand with all the bells and whistles. He memorized the license plate and hobbled back to the restaurant. He called Devon at DMV and caught his friend at his desk, eating lunch.

  “Hey, Jon, what’s shaking?” Devon asked.

  “Any luck on the license plate I sent you?”

  “It belonged to a dead guy.”

  “Crap. I need you to check another plate for me. Same terms as before.”

  “I’m game. Fire away.”

  He recited the Lexus’s license plate to Devon. His phone vibrated, and he checked the screen. Pearl was calling to check up on him. He switched calls and said, “Eat your lunch, I’ll be right in. Tell your wife she’s a star.” He hung up and resumed speaking to Devon. “Any hits?”

  “You’re in luck this time,” Devon said. “The car is registered to a dude named Zack Kenny from Lauderdale. I’ve got his address, date of birth, and social security number, in case you’re interested.”

  “Lay it on me,” he said.

  CHAPTER 13

  RESTRAINING ORDER

  The Pearls awaited him at their table. Their lunches had been served and were untouched. He pulled up a chair and sipped his cold coffee. The profile of Nicki’s stalkers had just expanded to include a man who made enough money to drive a luxury sports car that 99 percent of the population couldn’t afford. It was in sharp contrast to the Hispanic in the pickup and the Canadian tourist with bad teeth.

  “Please eat,” he said.

  “Did you get him?” Melanie asked.

  “In a manner of speaking, yes. I know who he is, which is enough to get me started. You guys did a great job getting him out of the restaurant.”

  “Thanks,” Melanie said. “The manager came over afterward, an
d asked us if everything was all right. Nolan explained the situation, so we’re good.”

  “Is that blood on your knuckle?” Nicki asked.

  “It’s just a scrape,” he said.

  “Did you fight him?”

  “Not really. He knocked me to the sidewalk and ran to his car.”

  “Why didn’t you punch his lights out? He’s a sicko.”

  “I can’t prove that, Nicki. If I hit him, it would be grounds for the police to arrest me, and we don’t want that happening. But I have his name and some other personal information courtesy of my friend at the Department of Motor Vehicles. Would you like to help me track him down?”

  Nicki’s face lit up. “You bet I would. When can we start?”

  “Right now.”

  Her parents weren’t as excited. Pearl said, “Jon, we’re not keen on using Nicki as bait again. It’s too risky.”

  “I just want Nicki to help me do some cybersleuthing and get a bead on this guy. She won’t be put in harm’s way.”

  “Maybe if we find him I can get extra credit with my CSI class,” Nicki said.

  Pearl and his wife exchanged glances. Melanie nodded she was okay with this.

  “Very well, go ahead,” Pearl said.

  “Okay, Nicki, pick your weapon. Cell phone or iPad,” he said.

  “iPad,” Nicki said.

  “Pull it out, and let’s get started.”

  Nicki’s purse was slung over the back of her chair. She pulled out her iPad and made a space on the table in front of her. It was an iPad mini and the size of a paperback book with a hot pink cover. She tried to get on the internet and frowned.

  “I need a password to get on the restaurant’s Wi-Fi,” she said.

  He waved down a waitress and got the password. Nicki connected her device to the internet and said, “Where do you want me to go?”

  “Broward County Clerk of Courts. Just type it into Google. When it comes up, you’ll have a list of options. Click on ‘case search.’” While Nicki typed away, he explained to her parents how he planned to track down Zack Kenny. “About ten years ago, the Florida Supreme Court directed every county in the state to provide electronic viewing for most court records. I’m going to have Nicki find how many court cases Kenny has, which should give us some insights into his motive.”