Kansas City Cover-Up (12 page)

Chapter Ten

He’d served his time.

When the hands on his watch flipped to nine o’clock, Gabe swallowed the last of the tepid champagne he’d been nursing all evening, and set the flute on the next waiter’s tray that went past. While he was happy to do this favor for Mara Boyd, and attend the elegant soiree along with hundreds of wealthy donors, state and local politicians and a cadre of reporters, he was more than ready to be done. He unhooked the button behind his bow tie and pulled out his cell phone, heading past mammoth oil paintings to the wide marble stairs that would take him out the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art’s original entrance into the covered walkway that led to the parking garage.

He was looking for a text or voice mail from Olivia, hoping she’d share whatever she found after he’d left her at the precinct office to get ready for tonight’s black-tie gala. He wished he was with her instead of marking time at this see-and-be-seen social event, even if she was still glued to her desk and phone and endless mug of coffee. Working side by side with Olivia these past few days, Gabe had discovered a sense of drive and intellect that was his equal, if not his better, and he found that invigorating and as irresistible as the velvety waves of her hair.

He paused halfway down the steps and frowned at the blank screen on his phone.

Nothing. No word on whether they were getting the Kobers’ appointment schedules or not, or if Misty Harbison had admitted to an affair. Nothing. He wondered if that meant she hadn’t found anything or if she just didn’t want to share the information with him. Then, not liking the instant internal debate as to which explanation bothered him more, Gabe tucked his phone into the chest pocket of his black tuxedo jacket and continued down to the ground floor.

Maybe she’d simply gotten tired and had gone out for a decent cup of coffee. Or the ache in her pulled muscles had gotten bad enough that she’d taken a pain pill and gone to bed. But if she had found something, and thought she was leaving him out of the loop on any part of this investigation, then she didn’t know him at all. He’d call her as soon as he got to the privacy of his car and demand an update.

He’d made nice with the mayor and gotten a couple of good sound bites from her for his column tomorrow. He’d let his boss decide whether the standard promises to repair streets, grow the economy and bring more green space to KC’s urban environment were compelling enough to earn the
Journal
’s endorsement. He’d chatted with his colleagues and listened to Adrian McCoy’s support the party speech. He was beginning to understand Olivia’s aversion to an endless barrage of conversations and noise because right now, all he wanted was to be alone in the quiet confines of his car and get a hold of her.

Quickening his steps through the clusters of guests sharing conversations and admiring displays, Gabe headed through the museum’s open bronze doors and turned down the ramp leading to the parking garage. But a bottleneck of people entering and leaving the museum gift shop near the exit stopped him. Craning his neck, he searched for the best path and excused his way through the crowd. But just when the bank of glass exit doors was in reach, Gabe halted.

The crowd filled in around him as his gaze landed on the stout man with dramatic silver sideburns and a pretty brunette on his arm—Leland Asher.

It had been some time since Gabe had met face-to-face with the alleged crime boss. His companion was different, a more mature woman than the bimbo he’d seen him with six years ago when Gabe had pressed the man for answers. The bodyguard lurking behind his shoulder was the same loyal hulk who’d prevented Gabe from getting too close to his boss at any time since. A young man Gabe didn’t recognize completed the entourage. He was too short and skinny to offer much protection, so Gabe was guessing a nephew, or even an accountant or attorney on Asher’s payroll.

But knowing that only a couple of people in the loitering crowd stood between him and the man whose illegal activities had inspired Dani’s last story, and almost certainly sealed her fate, wasn’t the most startling observation.

It was the fact that Adrian McCoy, the state senator Ron Kober had once worked for, the politician who’d taken money from Asher, according to the notes he’d read the night Dani had been murdered, was standing close enough to Leland Asher to shake hands. Had the two men been thrown together by the jostling of the other guests? Or was this “accidental” meeting no accident at all?

Whatever the two men were discussing, the din of the crowd made it impossible to hear. Leland smiled. The senator nodded. Leland patted the senator on the shoulder and Adrian McCoy smiled.

Then one of Senator McCoy’s handlers spotted Gabe zeroing in on them, and the entourage of aides and security quickly escorted the senator out the door.

Leland and his crew exited into the garage, too. But Gabe pushed through the remaining crowd and hurried out the door after them, catching the group at the valet stand. “Mr. Asher.” He pointed to the car with the state flags pulling away toward the garage exit. “Care to comment on what just happened between you and Senator McCoy?”

The bodyguard put his hand on Gabe’s chest and pushed him back a step, but Leland ordered his man to stand aside. “It’s all right, Dominic. I’m not afraid of the press.” The self-important lout smiled. “The senator and I exchanged pleasantries. I wished him well on his reelection campaign.”

“Any idea why the senator and his team hustled him away from you as quickly as they could? Perhaps they want to distance their candidate from a man who’s been investigated for making illegal campaign contributions in exchange for government contracts, tax breaks and other considerations.”

“You’re like a dog with a bone, aren’t you, Knight?” His smile widened, but never reached his eyes. “As I recall, our fine police department cleared me of any charges of collusion. A fact which your paper printed.”

“There’s a difference between clearing your name and not having enough evidence yet to make a charge stick.” Gabe kept the bodyguard in his line of sight and moved in closer. “I stand by my article—I never said you were innocent, only that KCPD wasn’t able to make a case against you.”

“Well, they’ve absolutely cleared my name of the murder of your fiancée that you keep trying to pin on me. As you well know, I was at my niece’s wedding in Saint Louis on the night poor Miss Reese died.”

“Leland...” The dark-haired woman rested her hand on her escort’s arm, quietly diverting his attention. “Let’s not ruin the evening by reopening old wounds.”

“It’s all right, Bev. This is business.” He patted her hand with his thick fingers and directed her to the limousine that was pulling up. “You run along. I’ll be quick. I promise.” Leland leaned in to kiss Bev’s cheek and handed her off to the young man.

But Gabe noted the older man wasn’t willing to stand here and face him alone. He nodded for Dominic to wait right behind his shoulder.

“What game are you playing now, Asher?”

“No games, I assure you, Mr. Knight. If you have questions, ask them. I don’t want you printing that I didn’t cooperate with the press.”

Gabe refused to back down from the subtle show of intimidation. “I saw you talking to Senator McCoy. Did Ron Kober’s name come up? That’s convenient for both of you to have him out of the picture.”

“I may have extended condolences. But Mr. Kober was loyal to his former employer. He would never betray him by telling lies to some upstart reporter.”

“You mean feeding information to Danielle Reese.”

“That’s where this interview is headed, isn’t it? Don’t they all come back to your accusations that I was somehow involved in your fiancée’s death?” That big fake smile vanished. “I know you and your girlfriend are looking into my affairs. The lovely detective
is
your girlfriend, isn’t she?”

Gabe bristled. The girlfriend part felt right, yet didn’t feel big enough to describe the feelings for Olivia growing inside him. Still, that carefully worded statement got under his skin and put him more on guard than the hulking shadow behind Leland Asher did. “What do you know about Detective Watson?”

“I know she’s Thomas Watson’s daughter.”

“You know her father?”

“We’ve had conversations over the years. Some less pleasant than others. He seems to think I know things.”

“I’m sure your ignorance frustrated him.”

“From what I hear, Ms. Watson is a bulldog like he was.” Asher gave a mock fist pump. “Truth, justice and the Kansas City way. Determined to live on her own, determined to forge her own successful career, even after that embarrassing setback with her partner, Marcus Brower.”

Right. The jerk on the elevator who’d set Olivia off this morning. Other than calling Brower her ex, Olivia had been closemouthed about her former partner. But with the look Sawyer Kincaid had given her when they’d discussed Ron Kober cheating on his wife, and the hints Leland Asher was dropping now, Gabe was beginning to piece together a relationship that had been more personal than professional. A relationship that had ended badly. The fact Asher seemed to know more about Olivia’s past than he did stuck in his craw...yet reignited that protective urge that seemed to flare up whenever his thoughts turned to her. A reputed crime boss had no business knowing that much about a cop.

“Detective Watson is one of Kansas City’s Finest,” Gabe insisted. “If she’s on your trail, you’d better be looking over your shoulder. No matter how long it takes, she and her team will solve Dani’s murder.”

“I don’t know about that. I saw a picture of the two of you in the paper, with that story about last night’s fire.” The portly man clicked his tongue against his teeth in a pitying
tsk-tsk.
“You seem to be an exceptionally bad-luck charm for the women you get involved with. She might survive longer without you.”

Gabe ignored the stab of guilt Asher had intended to inflict. “Is that a threat?”

“I wouldn’t threaten a police officer.” Asher touched the handkerchief in his chest pocket and sighed as if truly offended. “I don’t know what kind of man you think I am, Mr. Knight.”

“Off the record?” Gabe leaned in to whisper in his ear. “I think you’re a greedy SOB who’s taken advantage of this town and gotten away with murder, or, at least, murder for hire.”

Asher was smiling again when Gabe backed away. “It’s a good thing your opinion doesn’t matter. I certainly won’t be going to jail for a crime I did not commit. You and Ms. Watson be careful about pursuing this, or I’ll be taking you both to court for harassment and defamation of character.”

Gabe shook his head at the man’s venom-laced charm. “You’re responsible for Dani. And I’m guessing you’re responsible for Ron Kober’s murder, too.”

“And I’m guessing that, after all this time, you still can’t prove a damn thing. Neither will your cop girlfriend.”

“I’ll take that bet.”

“I’m a tough businessman, Mr. Knight. I’ve made millions and I’ve made enemies. I don’t apologize for that. But I’m not this serial killer you seem to think I am. I never even met Miss Reese, and Ron Kober was a friend.”

A line from Elaine Kober’s curtailed interview this afternoon replayed in Gabe’s head. “His wife seems to think you were just a business acquaintance.”

Asher shrugged. “That’s how we met, of course. But I’ve known Ron and Elaine for several years. I should call on her—I imagine she’s struggling right now and could use the support. I hope you’re not pestering her with these incessant questions.”

“Then maybe you should start answering a few, so she doesn’t have to.”

“Blame me if you want for whatever difficulties Elaine is going through right now. Because, even though you’ve yet to prove anything, in your book, apparently, I’m guilty of every wrongdoing in this city.” He twisted the signet ring on his left pinkie finger, then casually adjusted his cuffs and cufflinks. “Just think, if something was to happen to your detective friend right now, you’d probably accuse me of hurting her, too. But look...” He opened his arms, gesturing to the guests inside by the gift shop and filtering through the glass doors to the parking garage. “I have hundreds of people who can verify where I am, and that I had nothing to do with it...including you.”

A chill ran down Gabe’s spine. “Nothing to do with what?”

“Just giving an example of how wrong you are about me. This interview is over, Mr. Knight. Dominic?” Leland’s bodyguard led the way to the limo and opened the back door for his boss. When Gabe caught a peek inside the tinted windows of the long black car, he saw the young man on his cell phone, staring right back at Gabe as he relayed some kind of message to the caller at the other end of the line.

What the hell? Gabe read the threat between the lines—Asher’s calm demeanor, the cryptic words, maybe even the twist of his ring—it all meant something. He didn’t bother chasing Asher to his limo and demanding straight answers. For once, he didn’t try to make sense of all the details. There was just one glaring fact that mattered. He and Olivia must be getting close to uncovering the truth.

So what were Asher and his cronies willing to do to stop them?

Gabe slapped the departing limousine out of his way and ran down the parking aisle to his SUV. He pulled out his phone and punched in Olivia’s number before unlocking the door and getting inside to start the engine.

The number rang and rang. “What kind of cop doesn’t answer her phone?” Gabe’s stomach knotted as tightly as it had when he’d seen her plunge beneath that twisted stair railing toward the fire beneath them. But he couldn’t just reach out and save her this time. “Come on, Liv. Pick up.”

He glanced behind him, seeing the vehicles of departing guests starting to line up. He shifted the Chevy into Reverse and backed out of the parking stall, then sped as quickly as he dared toward the nearest exit before he got blocked behind traffic.

When the call finally went to voice mail, his warning was brief. “It’s Gabe. Leland Asher is up to something. Be careful, love—Liv,” he corrected before disconnecting the call and dropping the phone into the console beside him. He swung out into the street, flipped on his headlights and stepped on the gas. Let one of Kansas City’s Finest try to stop him now.