Julia let her backpack slide to the pavement and opened the box. “I’ve never seen these.” She’d learned at an early age that mentioning her father to her mother or aunt triggered the same response. Time hadn’t changed much.
The first set of pictures was of her as an infant. She was about three months old, and her dad had long hair and a beard.
“He was working undercover then,” Cindy said. “He came home every few weeks to see you two. But he was also gone a lot.”
Feeling a rush of unwelcome emotion, she set the picture aside and dug for the stack that would have been taken at the park. Midway through the pile, she spotted the park location. She handed them off to Novak, not wanting to do the digging. “Here are your pictures.”
He took them. “I’ll get them back to you.”
“Keep ’em.”
“No. I’ll get them back to you.” He slowly folded back the yellowed envelope flap of the drugstore photo developer and pulled out about ten pictures. He laid the first on the hood like a playing card. The picture looked identical to the one found on the body. The next two were the same. However, the fourth was of Julia and Rita.
Rita was wearing a bright-yellow dress, and her red hair flowed in soft curls around her shoulders. Julia was standing close, grinning.
Julia cleared her throat. “She was at the soccer field that day. Where was Mom?”
Cindy frowned. “I thought she was at the game as well.”
“In 1992 your league hosted a tournament on September 15,” Novak said.
“You looked up my team?” Julia asked.
“I needed the timeline,” he said.
“Cindy, why did Jim take me to the game?”
“He was trying to be a father. I didn’t think it would last, but you were so glad to see him, I hoped he’d stick around this time.”
“Why was Rita there?”
“I don’t know,” Cindy said.
Novak laid out the remaining three pictures. Two more were of Rita and Julia, and the last was of the three of them grinning.
“I don’t remember her at all. You’d think I’d remember,” Julia said.
“Your father’s death really rattled you. There’s a lot from that time and the year after that you didn’t recall,” Cindy said.
“Like what?”
“Nothing too dramatic, just details. You were in a fog for a good year.”
Novak carefully stacked the photos and placed them back in the envelope. “We are working the same case, Julia.”
We. He spoke about them as if they were a team. The last time she’d been a part of a team, she’d nearly gotten killed. “Thanks, but I have Shield helping me.”
“Computer work doesn’t take the place of legwork,” he said.
“What about your caseload?” she challenged.
“I’ve doubled up before.” A wry grin tugged at his lips. “We make a good team.”
“I’m not a team player, if you haven’t noticed.”
“I think it’s a good idea,” Cindy said. “Julia, you’re too close to the Hangman case. He will see the facts with an uncolored view.”
Both were right. But Novak saw too much.
“Worried I’ll steal your thunder?” Novak challenged.
Julia’s practiced smile brightened. “You’re welcome to all the credit for all I care. I want answers.”
“We want the same thing.”
He brought objectivity to the case. And she had only five more days before her vacation was up and she would be back to working her regular cases. “Sure. Let’s do it. Makes good sense.”
“That makes me feel a lot better,” Cindy said to Novak. “She goes it alone too much.”
“I’ve noticed that,” he said.
“I’m standing right here,” Julia said.
Novak slowly closed the flap on the photo envelope. “Cindy, any fresh coffee in the bar?”
“You bet.”
When Cindy was out of earshot, Novak said, “Now, tell me who you think left the rope.”
“I have this under control.”
He grabbed her arm. “Whoever did this also knows Cindy works here. Your stubbornness could get her hurt.”
She cared about Cindy’s safety more than her own.
He tucked the pictures in his breast pocket. “Talk to me, Julia.”
If not for Cindy, she’d have blown him off. “I think it was someone associated with Benny Santiago.”
“Tell me about his case.”
The nudge of the painful memories scratched inside her.
“Long story short, I hurt Benny’s operation worse than he hurt me.”
He was silent for a second. “Why hasn’t Benny sent one of his people after you?”
“I’m sure it’s on his to-do list. Right now his goal is to compel his very expensive attorney to file an appeal. Benny may have a hair-trigger temper, but he’ll get his revenge when it suits him best. I’ll be watching my back for a long time with this guy.”
“You don’t look too concerned.”
“Believe me, I’m concerned.” She shook her head. “More and more, I understand why my father stayed away from us. He was trying to keep Mom and me safe.”
“So you tried to save the girlfriend, and she turned on you?”
“I ruined a good gig for her, sans the beatings, when Benny was arrested. I guess she thought that like before, she could take the beating, he’d cool off, and life would go back to normal for a while longer.”
“And if it’s not Lana?”
“Benny has lots of people who work for him. Lana might have voiced her frustrations loud and clear with me at the courthouse yesterday, but she’s only posturing. I’d wager his crew is acting on Benny’s behalf. Hurting me could leverage anyone up Benny’s food chain.”
“Let’s drop it off at the lab. Then we can walk the old crime scenes.”
“Sure, we can do that.”
He looked around the alley. “You don’t think it’s odd that you grew up and still live near the site of the murders?”
“My mom needed a place to live after Jim died. Cindy’s bar was here, and the rent was free. None of this area had much significance to me until I read up on the case. And I don’t plan to stay here forever. But Cindy’s getting a little older, and she likes having someone on the property after she goes home at night.”
“Good place to be until this case is solved. You never forget about it.”
“Doesn’t matter where I live. I never forget about it.” The intensity of Novak’s stare had her shifting her stance, eager to get going. “You don’t have to come with me to the lab.”
“We’re a team.”
“Maybe we should get jerseys and a mascot.”
“Smart-ass.”
She muzzled a grin. He was right. The lone-wolf act had not cracked the case so far. And yes, Shield was helping, but no guarantees there. Still, this case was a deeper quagmire than a guy like Novak deserved, especially with her on the team. “Be patient with me. I’m not the easiest person to work with.”
A dark brow rose. “You’re funny.” He pulled keys from his pocket. “I’ll drive.”
“We’re standing by my ride.”
Cindy emerged, carrying two to-go cups of coffee. “Julia takes her coffee black. How about you, Novak?”
“That’s perfect.” He accepted the cup.
“Take care of her,” Cindy said.
Julia sipped coffee. “I’m still here.”
“I will,” he said to Cindy, and then to Julia, “I’ll drive.”
“I can drive.”
Behind the smile lurked steel. “Not today.”
“I like this guy,” Cindy said.
For her aunt’s sake, she accepted this small concession. “Have at it.”
As they headed toward his SUV parked on the street, she asked, “What’re you going to do with the pictures?”
“Go through them.”
“Why?”