JACKS ARE WILD Read online

  Jack felt the color rush to his cheeks, and he moved in his seat.

  As they pulled onto the road, Kiku put her mouth next to his ear and whispered, “I don’t know if even you could teach me how to love, but it would be very nice trying.” She kissed his cheek, leaned back in her seat, and grinned wolfishly.

  Dead man’s hand

  Jack walked into the hotel room, and Replacement jumped up and rushed over to him. Jennifer sat on the bed and gazed at the floor. She looked up at Jack with red, puffy eyes and a downturned mouth and then stared back at the floor.

  Jennifer found out.

  “Did you tell her?” Jack asked.

  “No.” Replacement crossed her arms. “It’s a tiny room.” She pointed at the computer. “She saw.”

  Jack and Kiku walked over to the computer. The image on the screen was from a security camera on the tollbooth. The car was the same one they had just seen at the Hometown Suites—Prescott’s car.

  “Prescott came over on the day Marisa was taken,” Replacement pointed out. “I expanded the search and he’s come to Darrington at least three times in the past month.”

  “How do you know?” Jennifer looked up, and it was evident she’d been crying.

  “Prescott told me.”

  “What?” all three women asked.

  “When I first met him, Prescott said only three people knew Marisa was in Darrington: him, her, and his supervisor. I’ve been asking myself who kidnapped Marisa, but that’s the wrong question. Whoever took her knew Marisa Vitagliano was Angelica Mancini and she had moved to Darrington. They knew where she was.”

  “She never told her family where she was.” Replacement sat on the bed next to Jennifer and put her hand on her shoulder.

  Jack nodded. “The Yakuza didn’t know where she was, either.”

  “But if Prescott is behind the kidnapping, who are those guys working for him?” Kiku asked.

  “They’re Yakuza and Mancinis,” Jack answered dryly.

  “Huh?” Replacement’s face scrunched up. “You just said they didn’t have anything to do with it.”

  “They used to be Yakuza and Mancinis. Paolo said traditore. It means traitor. A rat. Paolo recognized him. He must have gone into the witness protection program, and—”

  “Prescott’s using guys he placed in witness protection as his own gang. That’s brilliant,” Kiku remarked. “They already know how to operate.”

  “That son-of-a-bitch.” Jennifer pounded her leg. “Prescott has access to them all.”

  Jack looked at Kiku, and she nodded slightly.

  “So is he setting her up?” Replacement jerked her thumb at Jennifer.

  “Looks that way.” Jack sighed. “He needed someone naïve and inexperienced to ride shotgun while he made his plan.”

  Jennifer sat there, shaking her head and glowering at the floor. “Jack, you knew in the interrogation room?”

  “Walter was trying to get under my skin. He said he saw Marisa’s tattoo. He also said he hasn’t seen her in years. She just got the tattoo, so Walter’s seen her recently,” Jack explained.

  “We need to call someone. I can go to my supervisors,” Jennifer offered.

  Jack shook his head. “No. What do we have on him? They pick him up and Marisa’s dead. Someone tips him off, she’s dead.” Jack cracked his neck. “I have a plan.”

  Jennifer folded her hands. “No offense, I have no idea what I’m doing now, but I think I know more about handling a kidnapping than you. What’re you going to do?”

  Jack walked over to the round table and sat down. “The exchange has to happen soon. They shot up my apartment, and one of them is dead. The heat is on, so Prescott will want it finished. We can’t do anything until Prescott calls the Mancinis for the money drop.”

  “What do we do in the meantime?” Replacement got up.

  “We wait.”

  **********

  They sat around the small hotel room and waited. Jack paced the floor while Replacement surfed the Internet. Jennifer lay on the bed and stared at the wall, and Kiku finally gave up trying to get the TV to work.

  “Can you get something to watch on your laptop?” Kiku walked over to Replacement. “My phone reception keeps cutting out.”

  “Yeah, but the download speed I’m getting blows. It would take me an hour to download a commercial.” Replacement made a face. “It’s because of the mountain; reception out here sucks.”

  Kiku grabbed her backpack and pulled out a deck of cards. “Anyone up for a game?” She sat down and started to shuffle.

  “I’m in.” Jack spun his chair around so he could lean into the back.

  Jennifer shook her head.

  Replacement shrugged and sat down at the table.

  “Poker?” Kiku offered.

  “I know how to play.” Replacement grinned.

  Jack scratched his face to cover his smirk.

  Kiku looked up at Jennifer. “It will help take your mind off it if you join us.”

  Jennifer shook her head. “I just want to lie down and die.”

  Replacement put her hands behind her head and her mouth pulled down.

  Kiku reached back into her backpack and pulled out a fifth of whiskey. “Do you need a little antidepressant?”

  Jennifer exhaled, got up, and walked into the bathroom. She came back with four paper cups.

  “Rules?” Jack asked.

  “Five card draw. Jacks are wild.” Kiku winked.

  Jennifer took the bottle and poured.

  “What do we bet?” Replacement asked.

  “Hold on.” Jennifer handed Kiku the bottle and reached for her purse.

  She fished around inside and came up with a large handful of coins she dumped onto the table. The girls started to divide the pile, and Kiku dealt. Once everyone had their piles of change, Kiku raised her plastic cup.

  “To my victory.” She smiled and took a swig.

  As everyone else did the same, Jack’s eyes widened. “Wait, kid.” He warned her a second too late.

  Replacement’s eyes crossed, and her mouth fell open before she started to cough.

  Kiku looked up at the ceiling and laughed long and hard.

  Replacement waggled her finger at her as she worked on speaking. Finally she coughed out, “It just went down the wrong way.”

  “Anyway is the wrong way. You’re nineteen,” Jack growled.

  “That’s the legal age in Panama.” Kiku grinned.

  “We’re not in Panama,” Jack quipped. “Don’t give her another.”

  Kiku held out the bottle to Replacement and Jack grabbed it.

  “We could get the call anytime. One-drink limit tonight, ladies.” Jack set the bottle at his feet.

  Replacement held up her cup and winked at Kiku.

  “She’s old enough.” Kiku picked up her cards, and her smile vanished when she looked at them.

  She can’t be that obvious.

  Replacement huffed.

  She can. What a poker face.

  Jack kept the slightest smirk on his face.

  “Ante is two cents. Max bet is a dime raise, or it’ll be a fast game.” Kiku wiggled her eyebrows.

  Jennifer tossed her cards down. “Fold.” She looked over at Jack. “Is there any chance you’re wrong?”

  Jack shook his head. “No.”

  Jennifer turned her hands flat on the table and looked at the ceiling. “Why would Walter do it? Money?”

  “Money makes people switch loyalties.” Kiku tossed in a nickel. “Raise.”

  Jack tossed in a nickel. “It’s more. Prescott spent years trying to catch these guys. He’s about to retire. It was his whole life’s work and not one conviction stuck. That can drive you over the edge.”

  “I think it’s for revenge.” Replacement rolled a nickel in.

  “For what?” Jennifer downed her shot.

  “One of the Mancinis put his first partner in a wheelchair,” Replacement said.

  “That has to be it,” Kiku
added.

  Jennifer muttered, “Karl Weaver.”

  “That was his partner,” Replacement pointed out.

  “He’s dead. He died last year. They had a ceremony for him at the Bureau. They dedicated some conference room to him.” Jennifer searched their faces. “Walter wants revenge.”

  Jack cracked his neck. “Now we know why.”

  “I wonder who else is involved?” Jack tapped his cards and tossed in a nickel.

  “Have you ever kidnapped anyone?” Replacement asked Kiku.

  She nodded, but didn’t look up from her cards.

  “How many people did you bring?” Replacement tossed in a dime.

  “She goes first.” Jennifer pointed at Kiku.

  Replacement rolled her eyes and took the dime out.

  “Four.” Kiku threw her dime in. “Not including me.”

  Replacement looked at Jennifer as she tossed her dime back in. “Is that typical?” She looked around the table.

  Jack thought for a second. “I was guessing four, not including Walter.” He tossed his dime in. “Two guys grabbed her. Paolo kills one. Three guys at the apartment, though…and I wouldn’t figure they’d leave Marisa alone. I’m thinking there were five, and there are four now.”

  “How do you get three guys at the apartment?” Jennifer asked. “I thought it was only two.”

  “Two shooters,” Jack explained. “They split so fast they had to have a driver waiting.”

  Kiku nodded. “They did.”

  “So it might be four guys and Walter.” Jennifer exhaled and looked at the ceiling. “I started to think you weren’t crazy, Jack, but now I’m not sure. It sounds like you’re planning on taking them all on by yourself.”

  Kiku tossed out another dime.

  Replacement’s dime landed at almost the same time.

  Jack grinned and tossed his dime in.

  Kiku frowned. She flipped her cards over, and Jack laughed.

  “A pair of nines? And you said I shouldn’t play poker.” He turned over his three queens. “Come to Daddy.” He reached out for the pot, and Replacement swatted his hand.

  “Read ’em and weep.” Replacement put down her cards and clapped her hands together. “Full house.” She fanned her cards out. Black aces and eights with a jack of hearts. “Jacks are wild, right?” She giggled. “I bet it means you’ll be lucky tomorrow, Jack.” She held up the jack of hearts. “See? That’s you.”

  Kiku looked at Jack but didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to. Jack knew the cards—it was the dead man’s hand.

  Face-sucking vampire

  They played poker for another two hours. Jack cut everyone off at one shot, but the damage was done to Replacement. She made a huge deal out of every round and bet wildly, but she only won the first hand. Jack was sure Kiku even tried to throw a few her way, and so did he, but she still ended up losing—badly.

  Suddenly, she got up and stumbled. “Jack, I just thought of something. I need to talk to you…privately.”

  “I think it’s time for bed, kid.”

  She shook her head, took him by the hand, and headed for the bathroom. He had to steady her twice, afraid she was about to take a header into the wall.

  Jack shut the door, and she leaned heavily against the sink. “I’m not second-guessing you…because you’re always right.” She slurred a few of her words. “But, shouldn’t you call for backup?” She wrinkled her nose.

  He smiled. She was even cuter when she was a little tipsy. “I have it covered. We’ll get the proof, and then I’ll call backup. Okay?”

  “On cop shows they always call for backup before they go in.” She waved her finger.

  “If I call anyone, they’re going to arrest me.”

  Replacement frowned and looked at the floor.

  Jack lifted her chin and smiled. “Trust me.”

  She looked up at him and started to grin, but then her eyes zeroed in on him. Her hand shot out, grabbed his head, and tilted it to the side. “What’s that?” She snapped as she peered at his cheek.

  No…

  “Uh…paint?”

  Replacement’s eyes blazed. She was clearly ripped with him. “Red black cherry lipstick?”

  Damn.

  “It was Kiku?”

  “No…”

  Replacement yanked open the door. Jack tried to block the opening but she ducked under his arm.

  “Seriously?” she yelled as she charged into the room, her anger overriding the alcohol.

  Kiku jumped up from her chair.

  “Listen, you little face-sucking vampire. Keep your stinking hands and lips off my guy.” She stuck her finger right in Kiku’s face.

  Kiku didn’t blink. She nodded slightly. “My apologies. I did kiss Jack on the cheek and I’m sorry it has upset you.”

  The formal apology seemed to bring Replacement up short. She scratched her head and looked back and forth between Kiku and Jack.

  It’s like she’s playing eeny, meeny, miny , damn it, I’m moe.

  Replacement stopped to glare at Jack. “It’s his fault. He does that to you. Gets you all—” She moved her hands rapidly in front of herself. Her head swung back to eye Kiku suspiciously. “On the cheek? Nothing else?”

  “Nothing. But again, Alice, you are right. It was his fault, but I apologize to you.” Kiku winked quickly at Jack when Replacement looked away.

  He rolled his eyes and mouthed, “thanks.”

  Jennifer walked over to Replacement. “Why don’t you and I take the first shift?”

  “Yeah.” Replacement snarled at Jack. “We’ll take the first shift.”

  Jennifer smiled and led her over to the bed. Replacement looked at her, confused.

  “That means that we sleep first.” Jennifer helped Replacement lay down and pulled the blanket over her.

  Replacement nodded and wrapped herself up in the blanket. She huffed once or twice but slowly the alcohol began to win the war again. She was asleep in minutes

  Kiku headed over to the couch and whispered, “If no one has an objection, I need some sleep, too.”

  Jack looked at her and noticed the circles under her eyes. He nodded and moved over to the chair.

  “I got first watch.” Jack picked up the deck and shuffled.

  He dealt out a game of solitaire, but before he started, Jennifer propped herself up on her elbows and looked at him. Jack nodded over to the chair, and she slipped out of bed.

  “You wanna play?” he asked, but she shook her head as she sat down.

  “What’re we going to do?” Her forehead creased with worry.

  She has a job and she needs to keep it.

  “I planted a GPS device on Walter’s car. I have an idea to get him to take us to Marisa, but it has to wait until the Mancinis get a call.”

  “What if they don’t call?”

  Then Marisa’s dead.

  “They’ll call. Then we’ll follow Walter. Once we get our proof, we call for backup.”

  Jennifer inhaled deeply. “There are a lot of loose ends.”

  Jack sat back. “It’s all I got. You can write up that I came to you with the information on Walter.”

  “Your career is done then.”

  “It’s done anyway. That email killed me.”

  “She wrote it?” Jennifer pointed at Replacement sleeping.

  Jack nodded and smiled.

  “You’re pretty laid-back considering she cost you your job.”

  Jack shrugged. “Collins could use anything. It’s my attitude that cost me my job.”

  “You can’t follow the rules?”

  He shook his head. “I follow rules fine until I don’t anymore. I’d rather be wrong and look stupid than do nothing and have someone get hurt.” Jack looked down at the cards. “I remember I heard this story when I was in the Academy. Some guy took this little kid from a shopping mall. All these people saw it, but no one stepped up and confronted the guy. The kid was calling for help, but no one did anything. Officers interviewe
d them afterward and they all said they didn’t want to get embarrassed if they were wrong, and maybe it was just the kid throwing a temper tantrum.”

  “This isn’t about getting embarrassed. Now it’s not even about your job. You could get killed, Jack.”

  He shrugged. “None of us make it out of here alive. Besides, there are worse things than dying.”

  “Like what?” Jennifer sat back in the chair.

  “That guy killed the little kid. Before the kid went through hell, he begged for help, and everyone turned his back on him. I’d rather die than live with myself if I did nothing.”

  “Would you trade your life for hers?”

  “I don’t think the Reaper offers deals.” Jack smirked and tapped the deck of cards on the table. “But if he did, it would be a fool’s bargain, trading me for Marisa.”

  Jennifer’s lips pressed together in a thin smile. “I trust you, Jack.” She patted his shoulder and got up. “I didn’t expect you to back down.”

  She walked back over and slipped into bed as Jack started his game.

  A favor

  When the burner phone rang, it danced on the table like water dropped in a hot skillet. Jack flipped it open before the second ring.

  “Yeah?” He walked into the bathroom and closed the door.

  “Jack, they called.” Ilario sounded out of breath. “They want twenty million dollars by two o’clock this afternoon.”

  “Where?”

  “The base of Big Blue. A parking lot of a walking trail.”

  “Anything else?”

  “No. It sounded recorded.” Ilario must have switched ears with the phone. “I wrote it down. Twenty million dollars. Two p.m. Base of Big Blue. South side. Parking lot. Then—they hung up.”

  He’s holding back.

  “Ilario. There’s something else. What happened?”

  “They…they put Angelica on. She was crying.”

  Jack wanted to put his fist through the wall.

  “Did she say anything?”

  Ilario sobbed. “Just my name. Twice.”

  Jack walked into the bathroom. “Listen closely, Ilario.” Jack looked at the clock: 6:30 a.m. Big Blue is a twenty-minute drive. “I need you to be there at nine thirty. Got it?”

  “Why? I don’t—”

  “You have to do this, Ilario. Nine thirty.”