Killing With Kings Read online

  Killing With Kings

  A Georgia Coast Cozy Mystery (Book 4)

  Lois Lavrisa

  Sunlake Press

  Copyright © 2018 by Lois Lavrisa.

  Published by Sunlake Press

  www.sunlakepress.com

  Graphics by Karen Phillips

  Editing by Alyssa Kress

  Additional Editing by Clio Editing

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without express written permission.

  This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, locations, places and incidents are either products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, organizations, locales is entirely coincidental. However, I’ve taken great pains to depict the location and descriptions of the many well-known locales in Savannah to the best of my ability. All Trademarks mentioned herein are respected. All quotes are intended as fair use and not intended to abridge copyright.

  Contents

  Dedication

  Join the Newsletter

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Acknowledgments

  Also by Lois Lavrisa

  About the Author

  Dedication

  For my cousins Erik and his husband Jonathan, and Kathy and her husband Tim. I think that one of my favorite feelings is laughing with someone and realizing half way through how much you enjoy their existence.

  Join the Newsletter

  If you’d like to receive the latest news and information about my upcoming books, please sign up for my free author newsletter at:

  loislavrisa.com/newsletter

  Chapter 1

  Officer Nowak fumbled with her bomb squad tool kit. In the cavernous gymnasium, I stood off to the side, next to my buddy Howie, and exhaled in exasperation. Chances were good she’d fail to deactivate the explosive when the upcoming simulation exercise began. Since I was her trainer, that would be interpreted as my failure. At least this was the squad’s final training day, and soon I’d be in Miami visiting my family.

  Nowak wasn’t my only problem. For the past week, Howie had been hinting about setting me up for a double date. So far, I’d successfully avoided the topic, but I had a feeling he was here to revisit the idea. I wanted to make sure I controlled the conversation so that I wouldn’t have to answer him.

  “Look who I get to train.” I pointed toward Nowak.

  “Rookie Nowak reminds me of Einstein’s quote, ‘Two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe,’” Howie smirked. We’d met fifteen years ago in the police academy, and now Howie was a narcotics detective with the Savannah Police Department.

  “Go figure. Ray makes lieutenant, and the first thing he does is dump his newbie niece on my bomb squad.” I was glad Howie was allowing me to distract him.

  “Nepotism sucks for you, José.”

  “She’s got a fancy college degree, though, so she must be pretty smart.”

  “Maybe book smart. But she seems completely street stupid to me. She’s as genius as Wile. E. Coyote. Might have even gotten her degree from Acme.” Howie chuckled.

  “Look past her overeager, reckless attitude, and I think she has the potential to be a great cop. Give her some time. I bet she’ll surprise you.”

  “Let’s hope so.” Howie laughed. “By the way, for what it’s worth, I think you should’ve gotten the promotion over Ray. You’re better qualified in every way—test scores, record, and experience.”

  “But that doesn’t seem to matter.” My gut twisted anytime I heard Ray’s name. He always seemed to be gunning for me. Part of me wondered if he knew I was hiding my homosexuality, and he wanted to out me in order to shame me. I wouldn’t put it past him. He seemed to enjoy making himself look better at the expense of others.

  “He went from sergeant to lieutenant in record time. Which leaves me to wonder who Ray’s putting the screws to this time.” Howie grimaced.

  Years ago, Howie and I had been beat cop partners. After Howie and his wife Nicole had had their first kid, they’d begun having marital problems and decided to separate. During this time, Nicole had had an affair with Ray. The whole PD knew about it, as did half of Savannah. After counseling and mediation, Howie had reconciled with his wife, but I knew he’d never forgiven Ray. I noticed how his jaw clenched every time he spotted Ray in the same room. Sleeping with a cop’s wife, either current or former, went against an unspoken hard-and-fast code.

  Howie opened his arms wide. “Why can’t anyone see through Ray’s bullshit? Granted, he’s a pretty decent cop, but c’mon, he’s a horrible human being. I mean, who in the hell promotes someone like him?”

  I shook my head. “Someone who has the power to slide a lame promotion by without notice.”

  “Maybe his dad helped him?”

  “Could be. Although I don’t know if he still has any influence. I guess he could. I mean, he was chief of police.”

  “Like, twenty years ago. But, yeah. Either it’s his dad or someone on the city council. He’s always kissing someone’s ass.” Howie mused, “Do you think it could be Patrice DeLeon who helped him?”

  “I don’t know for sure.” I shrugged. “Nothing we can do but play the cards we’re dealt.” I felt torn. Yes, Ray’s promotion over me had sucked, as I had been next in line for lieutenant. It would have made my dad so proud of me, his only son. The pay raise and the increased responsibilities were minor benefits compared to how happy it would have made my father. Then again, as twisted as it sounded, I was a bit relieved that I hadn’t gotten the promotion. I didn’t want to undergo the heightened scrutiny once I advanced. A higher rank would shine a spotlight on me and put me more in the public eye. If that ended up exposing me as a gay man, it would tear apart my safely guarded world.

  Howie rubbed the top of his crew cut. “Man, if Ray were gone, I’d throw the biggest party Savannah has ever seen.”

  “Bigger than the Saint Patrick’s Day parade?”

  “That would not even come close to my celebration.”

  “I’d be your grand marshal.” I eyed my group of trainees, all gathered and waiting for the simulated bomb exercise to begin. “You know, Ray’s been a thorn in my side for years. Every chance he gets, he tries to undermine my work. He wants to make me look incompetent and ruin my career.”

  “Tell me something I don’t know.” Howie bumped my shoulder with his.

  I grunted.

  “Ray must really hate you,” Howie added.

  “Yeah, I know.” I glanced over at Nowak. “Is that why you stopped by? For sheer amusement, seeing what I have to deal with?”

  “Yup. I was in the area and had to get a load of this.” He grinned.

  “It’s going to be quite a show. I have to turn her from a fumbling newbie into a freaking hero. If I can’t accomplish that near-impossible feat,
my flawless record of turning rookies into top-notch bomb squad officers will be in the toilet.”

  “Based on what I’m seeing, you’ve got your work cut out for you. I bet you’re glad you’re leaving on vacation soon. Doesn’t it start in a few days?”

  “Yeah. Going to Miami to see the family.”

  “Miami in May. It’ll be pretty hot there.” Howie paused, and then it came. “Hey, you’re still single, right?”

  I averted my eyes and nodded. “One, I have a feeling this is going to lead somewhere, and two, that’s the real reason you showed up here.”

  “Yup. You got me on both accounts.” Howie held up his hand in surrender. “So, when you get back from vacation, what do you think about going on a double date with me and my wife and her sister Janet? She’s been bugging my wife about us setting you two up. Janet has the hots for you.” He fanned himself as though heated. “You’re both in your mid-thirties, unmarried with no kids. She’s athletic, pretty, and has a great career. It’s the perfect match.”

  I nervously laughed, shoving my sexuality deep into the pit of my stomach. It would be such a relief to be out, not to have to pretend. To be myself and therefore not get fixed up with women who thought we had a chance of being together. It was wrong. I felt like I was misleading them, playing with their hearts. I hated that feeling. I wasn’t a user.

  Nonetheless, I’d rather continue faking heterosexuality than face rejection and abandonment by my family and peers. I’d kept my secret at work for fear that my fellow officers might not understand and, worse, might not back me up when I needed assistance.

  My phone alarm sounded, and I shut it off. Saved by the bell. Now I could avoid the Janet-date conversation. “That’s my cue to start. Wish me luck.”

  “You don’t need luck—you need a miracle,” Howie called after me.

  I flipped him the finger before joining my group. Four trainees had successfully completed the exercises this morning before we ran out of time and broke for lunch. Now, at the start of the afternoon session, one trainee was left. “Nowak, you’re up.”

  “I think you gave the easier bombs to them.” Nowak pointed at the four trainees behind her.

  “There’s no whining in the bomb squad, Nowak. And for your information”—I shook my finger side to side—“you can’t choose which bomb you have to defuse. Get over it and focus on the task. Let me hear the bell of success and not the buzzer of failure, got it?” I hated that I’d already lost my patience with her before she’d even begun the exercise.

  Nowak approached the petite, young black female actress who was sitting on a chair rigged to a bomb.

  “José, you’ve got to be kidding me.” Nowak craned her head under the chair. “Jeez, there must be fifty wires. And a pressure-sensitive bomb with a trip wire? Really?”

  Her round baby face and large dark brown eyes reminded me a bit of my eldest sister, Juanita, when she was Nowak’s age.

  “First, what did I just say about complaining? And second, and most important, you must be under the delusion that we’re equals. I’m Sergeant Rodriguez to you.”

  “Yes, Sergeant, sir.” Nowak knelt next to the chair and opened her toolkit. “Sorry.”

  “Sorry isn’t a part of our vocabulary when defusing a bomb.” Maybe I’d been too hard on her.

  A bead of sweat formed on Nowak’s forehead. “Do I start now?”

  “Unless you want your victim to get antsy and move.” I smirked.

  The actress must have taken the cue from my exchange with Nowak. She screamed, “Get me off this thing. Help me. I’m, like, ready to pass out. Oh my God, am I going to explode?”

  “No. I mean, I don’t think so,” Nowak answered as she seemed to study the wires under the seat.

  “You don’t think so? Seriously? Do you even know what you’re doing?” the actress asked.

  “Ma’am, please sit still and be quiet. Any movement can set this thing off.” Nowak took a deep breath as she eyed the wires.

  “How in the world am I supposed to be quiet and not move? I’m freaking out, sitting on a bomb that will explode any minute. I’m going to die. We’re all going to die,” she cried. “Hurry up and get me off this thing before it blows!”

  “I’m doing the best I can,” Nowak grumbled as she pulled out a penlight from her kit. With a clatter, it fell to the floor. She retrieved it with a trembling hand.

  “Then why are you dropping stuff? Holy smokes! What’s taking so long?” she demanded. “I have to pee!”

  “Hey, lady, knock it off,” Nowak burst out. “I can’t concentrate with you complaining.”

  The actress let out a blood-curdling, skin-prickling shriek. “There’s going to be a zillion pieces of me scattered all over the room.”

  “Shut up,” Nowak yelled.

  “Oh, no, you don’t.” The young black woman zigzagged her finger in the air. “You’re hollering at me? You’re supposed to be saving me!”

  “Hey, lady, I can’t with you freaking out on me,” Nowak returned.

  “My name is Chantal, not hey lady. And if you haven’t noticed, I’m sitting on a B-O-M-B. If there’s any time to freak out, it’s now!” she squawked.

  Things were getting out of hand. I had to intervene.

  “Chantal, right? That’s a pretty name. Is it a family name?” I asked in my most soothing tone of voice. I made sure I made eye contact and held it. I modeled the appropriate behavior for dealing with a victim, hoping that Nowak and the other trainees took note.

  “Seriously, you want to know that as I sit here one sneeze away from implosion?” Chantal, eyes red and cheeks flushed, stopped sobbing. She eyed me up and down.

  My peers have told me I look like a younger version of Dwayne Johnson. Because of this, I guess, I’ve had to tolerate many flirtatious women. Too bad I batted for the other team.

  “I’ve been watching you for a while. And aren’t you a gorgeous mocha-colored hot mass of muscles?” She winked at me. “Chantal is my grandmother’s name.”

  “Well, it’s a great name. Would you do me a favor, Chantal?” I asked.

  “Anything for you.” Chantal fluttered her eyelashes.

  “Nowak is going to do her very best to get you out of this in one piece. Right now, the only job you have is to sit there, take deep breaths, and not move one inch off your chair. Okay, Chantal? Could you do that for me?” I placed a hand on her shoulder and felt it relax under my touch.

  “As long as you don’t let this klutzy cop screw it up.” Chantal looked down at Nowak, whose face was inches away, next to the maze of wires connected under Chantal’s chair.

  “Chantal, you have my word. Sit tight a minute. Nowak, I need you for a second over here.” I motioned to her.

  Nowak slowly got up and stepped next to me, out of earshot of Chantal.

  “You’re making some big mistakes that can cost lives. First, you need to calm down your victim. If she moves a butt cheek, we’d all blow up. Got it?”

  Nowak waved a hand in the direction of Chantal. “She’s being such a drama queen, screaming at me and acting all crazy. I can’t concentrate.”

  “Poor baby.” I narrowed my eyes at her. “Next time I’ll make sure to get you a victim who’s relaxed while sitting on top of a bomb. Like in real life.”

  Nowak scowled, appearing to get my sarcasm. Maybe she wasn’t as dumb as Howie thought.

  “But this is so much pressure, with everyone watching me and with her yelling and—” Nowak stopped midsentence, sensing that I was losing my patience.

  In a calm voice, I explained, “That’s why we’re here. You’ve practiced on dozens of different IEDs in our labs and out in the field. Now you’re training in a simulated real-life scenario to get you ready for the real deal out there when some jackass decides to make a bomb. That’s when there will be lots of chaos, people watching, and a very terrified victim. If anything, today is a cakewalk compared to what could happen.”

  Nowak slumped. “Yes, Sergeant, sir.”
r />   “Concentrate. Remember what I’ve taught you. And if you can’t handle that, just say the word, and I’ll take you off the bomb squad.” Please say you want off my squad, please.

  Nowak looked down at her feet. “I want to remain on your squad, Sergeant, sir.”

  Damn it. “Okay, then. Get back to work.”

  “Yes, sir. Got it.” Nowak jogged back to Chantal.

  On cue, Chantal screamed at Nowak. “No more taking little chitchat breaks while my life is on the line. Get me off of here!”

  Nowak took an obvious deep breath, her chest rising and falling. “I’ll take care of you. I promise. What do you do, Chantal?” She knelt down again, pulling out her penlight.

  I saw the light follow the wires to the detonator. Good, she appeared to have gotten rid of her nerves and was tuning in to the task at hand.

  “I’m a college student,” Chantal said.

  “Do you have family around here?” Nowak studied the device as she spoke in a comforting voice.

  “No, I don’t.” Chantal added, “But they’ll be in town soon.”

  “Oh, that’s good. Any special occasion?” Nowak’s hand was steady as she held a wire cutter.

  “Yes, for my freaking funeral, you moron, if you don’t get me off this bomb!” Chantal screeched.

  I caught myself laughing, so I turned away to avoid undermining Nowak’s concentration. Glad that my pep talk had gotten her back to business, I walked over and stood next to the four rookies who were observing the simulation.

  Howie sidled up to me. “Okay, this is the best one you’ve built yet. Before the simulation, I took a look at it. Simple but ingenious.”

  “Thank you.” I bowed.

  Howie rubbed his chin. “You have the activator, fuse, and explosive all leading to the battery by multiple colored wires. Bet I know which one will ring the bell.”

  “You think so or you know so?” I asked.

  “Ten bucks it’s the yellow one.” Howie pulled out his wallet.

  I waved his outstretched hand away. “Save your money for poker.”

  A buzzer announced the bomb had exploded.

  “Yellow was right. Too bad Nowak didn’t figure that out.” I punched Howie in the arm as I shouted to the trainees, “Great. We’re all dead.”