View Park, page 3
“I won’t.” Carter blinked, cursing himself inside for doing that.
Chief of Police, Charlie Jackson, the do-right man, was an attractive, well-built man in his forties, whose dignity and poise was evident in the way he carried himself. He had his island parents’ light complexion, but no hint of the accent since he left at the age of five. He had been poor most of his life, but a stellar career in the police force carried him and his family out of the ghetto and into View Park, where they lived an honest middle-class life. Still, Charlie couldn’t get used to the other side of View Park. Ten million miles above middle class; the side the Chase family represented. When their maid opened the expansive doors to the home for him, he had to smile. He had never had any desire to live this well, but he loved the fact that black folks were.
“Can I help you, Chief Jackson?” Maya asked.
Charlie looked around the immense home. So many homes in this town were extravagant, but there was something different about the Chase home. He felt it every time he came here, and every time he came here it was because of Haley Chase.
“I need to speak with Mr. and Mrs. Chase.”
Expecting to see Haley, Janet rushed to the door. When she saw Chief Jackson, her chest tightened. She was a mother first and foremost. The expression on his face sent a chill through her. Something was wrong. She turned back, looking for her rock.
“Steven!”
Haley wanted to explode. She was cold and wet, wrapped in a thin blanket and sitting on a wooden seat that was harder than rock. The room was gray and morbid and nothing like the room she was in the last time she was at the police station, but that was another story. Her entire life was crashing down on her and facing her parents was still to come.
The detective in the room with her wasn’t helping the situation any. He had introduced himself as if she gave a damn what his name was. She was shocked they sent her someone who looked like a college kid and pissed that he was staring down at her with judgment written all over his face.
“What are you looking at?” she asked.
Sean Jackson, the Boy Scout, rolled his eyes and turned away as the door opened. Grady McCann, a middle-aged uniformed officer entered and dropped a file folder on the table.
“She’s got a little rap sheet of her own,” McCann boasted. “Property damage, shoplifting and disorderly conduct. Surprisingly no convictions. Money goes a long way.”
Haley wasn’t insulted. Her last name made her better than him and certainly better than the junior detective.
“Thanks.” Sean didn’t need to look at it. He knew all about Haley Chase. Who didn’t?
“You think you can handle her?” McCann asked. “If not, I can stay and help you.”
“Go on home, McCann.” Sean looked at Haley. “I can handle Ms. Chase.”
“That’s what you think,” she mumbled under her breath just loud enough to be sure he heard her.
“You two should have a lot in common.” McCann folded his arms across his very large stomach. “Both kids of big shots.”
Did this guy think he could rile him up? Sean had heard every little jab about his father being chief of police since he’d joined the force five years ago. They all admired Charlie Jackson, but the son had to be getting a ride. The fact that he wouldn’t look the other way when the blue did something wrong didn’t make him their favorite person either, but Sean didn’t care. He was a detective—a good detective—and the law was the law.
He just gave McCann a lazy, bored smile, refusing to give away anything, and McCann simply walked away.
“It’s freezing in here,” Haley snapped, but Sean didn’t respond. He just looked at her and her frustration was building. Something about his look, she couldn’t describe. It made her feel like she was on trial. “Are you hard of hearing? I said it’s freezing, and it’s too dark. This blanket isn’t dry anymore. Get me a new one.” Haley tossed the blanket at him, but he didn’t even blink.
“Who do you think you are, looking at me like that?” She wanted to slap him. At least that would get a reaction out of him. She hated his calm demeanor. It reminded her of Carter, who annoyed her because he never indulged her. “I’m the victim here.”
Sean smiled with an air of pleasure, knowing it would only anger her more. “You are some piece of work.”
Satisfied with a response, she leaned back in the chair. “You don’t know the half of it.”
She was a deceptive one. Every time he had seen Haley Chase, whether dressed up like a spoiled princess or the mess she was now, she was incredible to look at and the raspy tone of her voice turned him on. If he hadn’t known who she was, and how this all got started, he might think of her as a victim. “I know more than you think. I’m a good enough cop to see people like you coming a mile away.”
“Your job is to protect and serve, not pass judgment. You can’t get past my last name or who I was with on that boat, but that’s none of your damn business.”
“Whatever.”
When he turned away from her, Haley wanted to throw something at him.
The door opened and Sean watched Steven enter. His family followed behind, but Sean was focused on the man of presence who stood before him. The great Steven Chase.
“Who are you?”
“Mr. Chase, I’m Detective—”
“Mr. Chase.” Charlie entered the room, holding his hand up to stop his son. “This is my son, Sean. He’s been keeping Ms. Chase company while she waits.”
Sean’s eyes widened. Had he just heard him right? Keeping her company? He had graduated at the top of his class at the academy, had the highest solve rate in the department and his father had turned him into a babysitter with one sentence.
“Detective Jackson,” Sean added, unable to let that one slide.
Steven wasn’t listening to him. He had turned his attention to his daughter, as had everyone else. Sean watched as they showered her with attention, kisses and hugs, and found it amazing how injured she suddenly appeared.
“You aren’t hurt at all?” Janet asked.
“I’m fine.” Haley leaned away. She looked at Leigh, envying her angelic features. “You’ve gained weight, Leigh.”
Leigh had hoped some time would pass before she had to remember how nasty her little sister’s jokes could be, but it didn’t matter. “This isn’t the time to be funny.”
“You’re the only person in the world who can go to Africa and actually gain weight.” Haley chuckled until her mother pinched her arm.
“Chief Jackson,” Steven said. “I want more information than you’ve given me. It’s not enough.”
Charlie knew how to deal with men like Steven Chase. “Sometimes drug deals get made at sea, innocent people stumble upon them and get caught in the crossfire. Your daughter and the congressman were lucky. For some reason they didn’t go after them.”
Michael slapped the wooden table, laughing as he spoke. “Hittin’ it with a married congressman. I got to hand it to you, Haley.”
“Shut up, Michael,” Janet sniped. “Chief, that part won’t get out will it?”
Here it goes, Charlie thought. “Mrs. Chase, we can’t—”
“Chief.” Steven approached him, already in a posture of negotiation. “We need to talk about how we can keep the situation with the congressman under wraps.”
Leigh couldn’t believe this. “Haley was shot at by drug dealers and you’re talking about keeping secrets?”
“You’ve been gone too long,” Haley said. “You forgot what’s most important to Mom and Dad.”
“They called the police on the way back to the dock,” Charlie continued. “Our guys were waiting for them. When the Coast Guard went out there to look around, we couldn’t find anything. Your daughter was too upset to help us identify any boats. She didn’t want to go back out there.”
“So they got away?” Steven asked.
“How did she get wet?” Carter asked.
“Jack was taking too long,” Haley said with a shiver. “When he realized what was happening, he started freaking out. He couldn’t even remember where he was supposed to dock. I jumped off the boat and swam to shore.”
Janet smiled. She’d taught her daughters to save themselves instead of waiting for a man to do it for them. “Let’s just get her home.”
“We haven’t interviewed her yet,” Sean retorted.
Steven turned to the detective who looked no older than Haley herself, but held himself well. He had an eye for a man of character and he saw that in the man in front of him. “You won’t tonight. She’s been through enough.”
Leigh flipped open the file on the table. “What is this? She’s not the criminal here.”
“According to junior, I am.” Haley smirked at Sean’s reaction to her choice of words.
Sean grabbed the folder from Leigh. “We needed to know who we were dealing with. When she got here, she was raising hell. She practically tore the place apart.”
Haley innocently responded to everyone’s stares. “I was upset. They were interrogating me.”
“Is that right?” Janet laid an accusatory look on Sean.
Sean didn’t bother to answer. The woman obviously didn’t want to believe anyone but her daughter.
“What my son means,” Charlie added, “is that we were trying to get information out of her so we could find the boat. Time was essential. We need Haley to—”
“Steven.” Janet shook her head.
“Chief, we’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Steven said. “Haley is coming home now.”
“What about protection?” Leigh asked.
“They didn’t come after us,” Haley explained. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”
Sean couldn’t believe she was acting as if this were over. “If the man you saw get shot was at the helm, it’s possible they just didn’t know how to navigate the boat quick enough to get you.”
“Nothing to say they won’t try again,” Steven said.
“I don’t think they saw me,” she returned. “I mean…my face.”
“We can’t take that chance,” Steven said, already flipping open his cell phone. “We have a security company we work with. I’ll have them come over tomorrow.”
“We’ll have two cops stay outside overnight,” Charlie pointed out.
Sean watched as if in synchronized movement, the family stood up and walked out.
“And Chief,” Steven called back. “No press!”
“He gets to walk all over us?” Sean asked as soon as they were out of earshot.
“It wasn’t that bad, son.”
Sean felt irritation riding up on him. “You’re not supposed to call me that at the station. This delay could hinder our case.”
“Don’t worry. That man has power, but we’re the law.” Charlie hoped that sounded convincing.
CHAPTER 2
It was nine in the morning and Sean was already on his last nerve thanks to Haley. He was willing to forgive the fact that Steven somehow got his father to delay this interview for three days, even though he knew it was going to hurt his case. He was willing to forgive that he had to come to the Chase mansion to do the interview instead of her coming down to the station like everyone else. What he wouldn’t forgive was Haley’s attitude and the fact that her mother encouraged her self-pity by wrapping her arms around her like she was a helpless baby. Only Steven seemed to put forth any attempt at cooperation.
“I can’t remember!” Haley slammed her cup of coffee on the table. What did these people want from her?
“I’m not asking you to remember exactly,” Sean said. “Just estimate how far away the boat was or what you could see of their faces through the binoculars.”
“I couldn’t see their faces at all.” She smirked. “See there, I helped you.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.” Sean met Janet’s angry glare with one of his own. He didn’t care if he made her angry. Neither Janet nor the princess understood what was really going on here.
“She’s doing the best she can,” Janet argued.
“She’s gonna have to do better,” Steven said.
Haley glared up at her father, certain this man hated her. Maybe it was Leigh’s return that had turned him so cold to her these past few days. He seemed impatient and unresponsive, but she wasn’t going to let him get to her. She turned back to Sean. “I’ve told you all I know. Why aren’t you asking Jack? He was there, too.”
Sean wanted to strangle her. “You had to have seen something, like a design on the boat or outstanding physical characteristics of the shooter.”
Haley felt her mother squeeze her hand and it urged her to try to play along. “I think they were white, but they could’ve been Latino. It was hard to tell. That’s it. I don’t remember anything about the boat.”
“We’re going to bring you a book and we’ll need you to see if you recognize any of the boats.”
Haley leaned forward with fire in her eyes. “Aren’t you listening to me? I didn’t pay attention to the damn boat.”
Sean refused to even blink. He had dealt with murderers, rapists and thieves. He wasn’t going to let a spoiled brat make him lose control.
“Haley, calm down.” Steven leaned forward, placing a firm hand on her shoulder, which she promptly shrugged away.
“I’m through here.” Haley got up and began walking away. Let the detective deal with that.
“Haley,” Steven called after her. “Get back here right now!”
Haley turned around. “Don’t yell at me!”
Steven didn’t hold back. “He’s only trying to help you!”
“They’re trying to scare me!” Haley pointed at Jason, one of the goons her father had following her around everywhere standing in the corner. “I don’t need him or the police stalking me. And I certainly don’t need your fake attention, Daddy.”
“Haley.” Janet’s tone was harsh for the first time that morning.
“No, Mom. He doesn’t need to bother with me. His favorite daughter is home now.”
As she stormed out of the room, Sean threw his hands in the air. It was like watching a freaking soap opera. “Mr. Chase, we can’t help protect her if she’s going to be—”
“A spoiled brat?” Janet asked, standing. “That’s what you were going to say, wasn’t it?”
Sean chose not to respond. He was more interested in the large man who had been standing in the corner and was now leaving to follow Haley. He was at least two hundred fifty pounds with a neck the size of a normal man’s thigh. Sean had a sense about him. It was how he had gotten so far in his career, faster than anyone in the history of the Los Angeles county police. When something wasn’t right, it just wasn’t.
“Hold on, Jason.” Steven waved the man back and introduced him to Sean as one of the two bodyguards he hired for Haley from the Attaché security agency.
Sean gave the man an icy greeting who returned it likewise. He waited until he was out of the room before questioning Steven on the choice.
“We’ve used the Attaché company for myself a few times.” Steven appreciated the young detective’s concern, but he shouldn’t assume a man like himself hadn’t done all the necessary research. “They’ve been here since Sunday and they’re doing a good job.”
“How many people know about them?” Sean asked.
“My husband knows what he’s doing.” Janet was on edge and needed a Valium. “Are you finished here?”
“Things have changed a little.” Knowing this moment would come eventually didn’t make it any easier for Sean. “The department did everything it could to keep this a secret, but—”
Janet gasped. “Oh, dear God.”
She had allowed the few days passing to give her hope, but she was asking for too much. As Sean showed her the rolled up issue of South L.A. magazine she squinted as if it was the glaring sun. It was worse. It was a picture of a wet Haley getting out of the back of a squad car in front of the police station with Congressman Flay clearly visible right behind her. Big bold letters atop read: “Another Chase Scandal!”
In seconds, Steven was in Sean’s face, bearing down on him. “I thought I discussed this with your father.”
Sean stood strong against the formidable man even though his stomach was tightening. “Sir, the chief of police made sure information on the incident was sealed. The article just speculates based on the photo.”
“So what does this mean?” Janet asked.
“It means,” Sean began, pulling himself together after Steven finally backed down, “that whoever went after Haley and Jack last Saturday, is probably checking around to see who is saying what. This might give them some ideas.”
Janet and Steven looked at each other, able to speak without words after so many years together. Steven reached for her, wrapping his arm around her and squeezing tight. She had to know he would never, ever let anything happen to their baby.
Sean suddenly felt as if he didn’t belong in this scene anymore. “Can I check Haley’s room?”
“Take a left at the top of the stairs,” Steven answered. “It’s at the end of the hallway.”
Leigh nodded to the detective as he left the room. She stayed at the edge, staring at her parents as they held each other. With so much to doubt in the world, the strength of her parents’ marriage and love for each other had never been one of them and it was the foundation for everything Leigh believed in. Strong black love. It was what kept her strong when she had been immersed in so much suffering the last year.
She didn’t want to interrupt them, but she needed to reach out to them. She had been doing everything she could to lay the groundwork these past few days, trying to build up her confidence. Looking after Haley had distracted her a bit, but she was clearly on course for her goal. This was the next inevitable step and from the looks of things, it couldn’t have come at a worse time.
She cleared her throat, entering the living room. “What’s going on?”
“We have everything under control,” Steven said. “It’s going to be all right.”
