do, Beth, if it were you?”
The chief left without answering.
CHAPTER 46
SO WHERE’RE our rides?” asked Mace. She and Roy were standing out in front of the district police station while the sun rose above them.
“Impoundment lot,” he said, stretching his arms over his head.
“Are you kidding me?”
“That’s what they told me inside.”
Mace groaned. “Great. My Ducati’s probably been chopped and shopped all over the Northeast by now.”
“I doubt your sister would let that happen. My Audi, on the other hand, was pretty beat up. Should we cab it over there?”
It took a few minutes to run down a dilapidated taxi. The cabbie seemed surprised to see them flagging him down.
“What’s his problem?” asked Roy.
“Well, we don’t look like we belong around here, do we, Roy?”
“Why, because we’re white?”
“No, because we’re not shoving a gun in his face and asking for all his money.”
When the cab pulled from the curb she turned to him. “Okay, how did you show up last night? You followed me, right?”
“Not exactly, no.”
“How not exactly?”
“I was waiting for you at the spot where the car came after you.”
“I’m not liking where this is going.”
“Hey, I’m not in cahoots with the guys in the black sedan.”
“Oh, good, glad that’s all cleared up. I think this is where you and I part company.” She tapped on the cabbie’s shoulder. “Hey, buddy you can let me—”
“Mace, will you hear me out! I almost got my head blown off last night.”
She turned back to him. “Okay, I’m listening.”
“You said you were going downtown. I knew what that meant, or at least I thought I did. To the place where you were kidnapped.”
“How did you even know where that was?”
“I Googled you on my iPhone.”
“What?”
“I Googled the stories. Two of them had the street location where it happened. I went there and waited, figured you’d show up at some point. You did. Then the car came at you and I, well, I…”
“Came to my rescue?”
“A little better than I did with the Captain, I guess.”
“So you didn’t see Razor, then?”
“Who?”
“Never mind. So why did you do it? I mean, you going there at that time of night in your fancy-pants Audi was pretty stupid.”
“As stupid as a chick on a Ducati?”
“That’s different.”
“Anyway, they’d probably just assume I was looking to buy drugs or a hooker.”
She folded her arms across her chest and her suspicious look faded. “I’d be in the morgue right now but for you. Thanks. I owe you.”
“I also got us arrested with my big mouth.”
“I ran to the hoodle, you were just following.”
“You think it was somebody from your past shooting at you?”
“Don’t see many street crews using suppressor cans and piloting Town Cars. Their usual method is a double tap to the head and then the sounds of running feet.”
“Okay, what now?”
“I get my bike back, hopefully in one piece. And you get your Audi back in several hopefully repairable chunks.”
“What about the key to the mailbox at A-1? You want me to check it out?”
“No, I’ll check it out.”
“What if we check it out together?”
“People are watching, you know. They see you with me, probably not good.”
“Hell, I’ve spent more time with you over the last couple days than I’ve done with every girlfriend I’ve ever had.”
“Really? Then no wonder things never worked out for you.”
The cab dropped them at the impoundment lot. Beth had made arrangements so they weren’t charged any fees. Mace’s Ducati was parked right next to the small office building. A thick chain wrapped in plastic was wound around the front forks and the other end padlocked to a ten-foot-tall steel post. The bike was in pristine condition. It even looked like someone had washed it.
“Like I thought, your sister was looking out for you,” said Roy. Mace was staring at something. “But I don’t think she has the same level of commitment to you.” She pointed up ahead.
Across the lot Roy’s Audi was parked next to a rear section of fence. The entire left side was crunched from the collision with the Town Car and the heavy trash cans. But someone had obviously come in the night to do some more damage. All its wheels were gone along with the passenger door. Someone had also keyed the entire body of the vehicle multiple times and slashed the convertible top. As they walked over and looked inside they could see that the steering wheel, gearshift, CD player, and built-in navigation system were also missing. The seats were ripped open and the foam