Читать книгу Rita Royale 2 (The Beach House) - Terry JD Anderson - Страница 8

After breakfast, Rita watched Alex drive off to work, followed closely by an Army MP. She hopped on her motorcycle, rode out of her driveway, after leaving the other MP at the beach house to keep an eye on things.

She parked at the rear of the office, walked inside the empty building, slipped off her riding pants and boots and donned her black skirt and low heeled shoes, sat at her desk and looked at the ocean.

Her mind was on Mamoud. A very dangerous terrorist who had so far eluded capture. Thought to be responsible for several murders, including one Badger Troop officer. It would be just like Mamoud to go after the military. To go after her. Maybe the drugs were his and Zamani was just his dealer? He could have ordered Zamani to attack her. Rita heard someone unlock the front entrance and walk inside the building. Soon saw Dixie’s smiling face as she peeked in her open office door.

“You’re here early, Major.”

She smiled. “I had to make sure Alex was up and ready for his new job as a painter.”

“He’s a handsome kid.”

Rita grinned. “A little young for you, Lieutenant.”

“I don’t know. He seems very mature.”

“Forget it, Lieutenant.”

She smiled. “My boyfriend would probably have something to say about that anyway.”

“So today is lunch with the mayor?”

“Dorothy Malone. I still haven’t decided whether I like that woman or not.”

Rita nodded. “I only met her one time.”

The front door opened and Cathy walked to Rita’s office, stood beside Dixie. “Good morning, Major.”

“Hi Cathy. Now you’re both here I need to tell you something. Mamoud is around somewhere.”

Cathy just looked at her. “Mamoud?” She shook her head. “I hope not.”

“So do I, but I think he is, and we have to find him fast. Don’t talk to anyone in the Army. We’ll do this ourselves.”

“You think someone in the Army is helping him?” asked Cathy.

“Just a hunch. Better we keep this just between us three.”

“Yes, Ma’am. Any leads?”

Rita shook her head. “Not yet.”

“Is Lieutenant Sweet handling the investigation?” asked Dixie.

“I think so.”

She nodded. “He seems okay. I think he’s a good MP.”

Rita looked at her. “Perhaps, but say nothing to him or Sergeant Lewis, should they be in touch.”

“No, Ma’am. Not a word.”

Rita waited for Dorothy Malone in a small Italian style restaurant. She watched the older heavy set woman walk to the table dressed in a skirt and blouse, graying hair tied in a bun. She looked harried.

“Hello Dorothy.”

“Hi Rita. Sorry to be late.” She pulled out a chair and plopped herself down. “Have you ordered?”

“Not yet. The linguini looks good.”

“Sounds good.” Dorothy focused on the major. “Any word on what’s happening with the investigation? People are afraid. They’ve been calling my office all week.”

“I don’t think the Army has found out anything yet.”

“But you were involved. Shouldn’t you be handling things?”

“That’s the Army’s job.”

“Does General Arnold know about all this?”

Rita nodded. “He knows.”

“And what’s he doing about it?”

“Colonel Robinson is head of the MPs. He’s on the case.”

Dorothy took a quick glance at Rita’s chest, this new major obviously not wearing a bra. She bristled slightly. “I hope so, because things have become very dangerous around here. I mean, going after children? What kind of animals are we dealing with?”

The waiter walked to their table, asked the women if they wanted anything to drink before ordering. Rita ordered a soda and lime, Dorothy a glass of dry red wine and they both ordered the linguini.

Rita looked at her. “I don’t know what kind of people we’re dealing with. My guess is the Islamists.”

The mayor studied the new Liaison Officer, the air of confidence about this younger woman. She didn’t know whether she liked this new braless major. Her new boss. “Islamists? They’re still around?”

“Yes, Dorothy, they’re still around, but we’ll find these guys.”

“Well I certainly hope so, Major. Our little town has become much too dangerous of late.” Dorothy glanced again at Rita’s braless chest. Could not believe a Liaison Officer could be so vulgar. She played with a spoon and smiled politely.

Rita smiled, said nothing. She wasn’t sure she liked this mayor very much. Something about her was irritating. Grating even. She glanced to the waiter walking toward the table with their drinks.

After lunch, Rita decided to walk the few blocks to Kats Klub to check on Alex, as it was a perfect day for a walk. She strolled briskly along the busy sidewalk hoping to work off the linguini, which was actually pretty good. People passed her, some smiled, some didn’t, but all looked at her black uniform and shoulder holster.

Rita quite enjoyed the smells of the west coast. A very different smell from southern Saskatchewan. That was sage and rough grass and dry desert heat. This was cool humid and salty. The smell of the ocean.

As she approached the building she spotted Alex. He had more paint on himself than the wall she thought, still, what she could see looked pretty good. The whole of the front was covered in colorful looking flowers of some unknown variety. Rita wasn’t sure which variety, but they certainly stood out.

“Hi Rita. You won’t guess what happened.”

“What?”

“A person saw me painting and wants me to paint his place too.”

Rita smiled, his big multicolored grin spread across his face. “You may have found a business to run.”

“No, I want to be in Badger Troop like you.”

She nodded. “Well, its a good summer job.”

“Nicki said she’d pay me four hundred dollars to paint all four walls.”

“Good. A little walking around money. Now you can buy gas for your truck.”

He smiled. “Yes, Ma’am.” He looked at her uniform, her face. “How is your day?”

“So far so good.”

“I talked to a couple lesbians a while ago. They like the flowers.”

“Imagine that? Lesbians who like flowers. Who ever heard of such a thing?”

“I know when your joking, Rita. The eagle has been circling over me most of the day too.”

“That’s good. It must like you. Unless of course its a lesbian eagle.”

“There’s no such thing.”

Rita tilted her head, smiled. “There might be.”

He laughed. “Maybe.”

She glanced at her watch. “What time will you be home?”

“I already had lunch. Nicki made me a cheeseburger and fries. I guess about five o’clock maybe.”

“Okay. Where’s the Army guy?”

He nodded. “He’s over there. All he does is sit and watch me. He could help me.”

“Then you’d have to pay him.”

“Yeah. I wouldn’t mind his job.”

“No. Its an awful job sitting and watching people all day. Time drags.”

“Do you like the wall?”

She nodded, smiled. “Very much. Have fun, Picasso.”

He looked at her. “A couple of the lesbians were nice looking. Not as nice as you, but still pretty nice looking. They might be someone you could date.”

Rita blurted out a small laugh. “You playing matchmaker? I’m okay, Alex. I don’t want a date.”

“Yes, Ma’am. I just don’t want you lonely.”

She touched his arm. “You keep me company. I’m not lonely.”

He smiled. Nodded. Tried to memorize the shade of green in her eyes.

Rita arrived at the office just as Cathy hung up the telephone. She looked at Rita. “Sergeant Lewis is dead, Major. He was found a short while ago with his head cut off.”

“His head cut off? Where was he found?”

“Near his apartment. He doesn’t live on the base. Some passers by spotted the head in some bushes. The body was found a few feet away.”

“He had to have been involved in this.” Rita thought for a moment. “Who’s in charge of the drugs that were confiscated?”

“I believe he was, Ma’am. Or maybe Lieutenant Sweet. The drugs were due to be destroyed apparently.”

“What if the sergeant didn’t destroy the drugs and someone like Mamoud found out? Maybe the sergeant tried to sell some of the powder and Mamoud heard about it?”

“I don’t know, and Colonel Robinson didn’t mention it.”

“Sergeant Lewis might have told Mamoud the drugs were destroyed. If Mamoud thought he was being conned he would do something like cut off a head.” Rita felt like she was reaching.

“How can we find out?”

“I wish I knew someone at the base. I’m afraid to trust anyone there.”

Rita and Alex had steaks and salad for dinner, Alex eating like he hadn’t eaten in months. The hard day of painting gave him a good appetite.

“You’re hungry?”

He smiled. “I guess I am.”

“How did the painting go?”

“I have two walls left to do.”

“That’s good. You did a lot of painting today.”

“A lesbian in an Army uniform said she really liked the flowers. She said she likes to paint and asked me to have a coffee with her and talk about painting.”

Rita just looked at him. “An Army woman? How old is she?”

“Eighteen or nineteen I think.”

“You’re only sixteen.”

“Sixteen and a half. I wouldn’t mind talking to her about painting. She seems pretty smart.”

“How do you know she’s a lesbian?”

“She was going into Kats Klub when she stopped to talk to me.”

“What’s her name?”

“Amanda.”

Rita thought about this. “Feel like going to the gun range in a while?”

“Do I get to shoot a gun?”

“I’ll show you how to use a gun safely.”

“Okay. What kind of gun?”

“Like the one I wear. A Glock 9 mm. Less kick than a .45.”

He smiled large, didn’t know much about guns, looked at Rita as he finished the last of his steak. Rita wasn’t that hungry and she gave him the rest of her steak, which he finished in two bites practically. Rita was thinking a trip to the grocery store was in order. She didn’t realize teenage boys could eat so much and stay so skinny.

The Army range was busy this evening, as MPs practiced shooting their weapons, both rifle and pistol. While Rita was waiting for an opening to shoot, she showed Alex how to load and cock the pistol. How to handle it safely. Alex took to it like a fish to water. Couldn’t wait to fire off a few rounds at the target shaped like a person.

Rita now stood beside him, told him to aim at the chest of the target and fire three quick rounds then stop. Alex aimed at the target, pulled the trigger, the gun kicked in his hand and he missed the target. His second and third shots were better.

“I didn’t know it would jump in my hand like that.”

“It has a little recoil. You’ll get onto it. Try another three.”

This time Alex didn’t miss. Three shots to the chest of the target.

“Very nice. Try three more; only think about grouping your rounds. Try and place them as close together as you can. Don’t pull the trigger, squeeze it.”

He looked at his finger. “Yes, Ma’am.”

Again he fired three rounds. Two were close together, the third round a little high. Rita thought he was natural. With a little practice he’d be a good shot. She took the gun and put in a fresh magazine.

She looked at Alex. “When you shoot, don’t hold your breath, just breathe.”

Rita fired three quick rounds, all three hitting the target in the head. She fired again, this time putting three into the chest. All in the heart.

Alex just stared. “Wow. You must be the best shooter in the world.”

“No, but I’m not bad.”

“Better than anyone I’ve ever seen.”

She smiled. “You try a few more shots.”

After another hour of shooting Rita took Alex for a cheeseburger, while she ate an ice cream cone. She couldn’t believe how much food the kid could pack away. As she watched him a feeling of motherhood crept over her. She’d never imagined herself in this position and now felt a protective instinct growing inside her. It frightened her and made her happy at the same time. A confusing feeling.