Breaking Point

I picked up the remote and tuned in to a channel that was in the middle of Casino Royale, you know the one with Daniel Craig that rescued the James Bond franchise. I kicked off my heels and jumped into bed next to Sky, still wearing my dress.

"Are you James Bond and I'm just the pretty young face?" she asked me.

"You're certainly the pretty young face, but you know James Bond is a man."

"You know what I mean."

"James Bond is in a tuxedo shooting bad guys with unerring accuracy. I wear jeans and I don't always hit what I'm shooting at. You know my first shot at Kreshnevsky only winged him."

"Max, you killed the bad guy. And this was real life when he was going to kill me. It wasn't some make believe movie stuff."

"Honey, I don't know. I don't believe in this superhero secret agent or detective shit. The real world doesn't work that way."

She looked at me with soulful eyes. "You did get the girl, didn't you?"

I put my arm around her and kissed her on the cheek. "That I did."

"Let's cuddle and watch the rest of the movie," she said.

I pressed up next to her until she fell fast asleep on my shoulder.

* * *

Lesley burst into the breakroom announcing, "Barkov... Max... I got a hit." She was bright eyed from her research success, eager to share the news with me. I loved her enthusiasm.

I took another bite of my donut and a sip of my special coffee blend. "Do tell."

"It's a restaurant Max... a fucking Russian restaurant in Cincinnati," she said, as if it was the most bizarre fact that I'd hear that day. I wasn't surprised at all. It was a good way to create a front for meetings and to wash cash. I asked the more important question.

"Who're the owners?"

"Some shell company. It'll take some serious research to find out who's behind it."

No doubt about that. There would be multiple layers of holding companies between the restaurant and the true owners.

"Let's get Sky on it," I said. "She's a whiz at these sorts of things." Sky was back at work, getting right back on the horse. She was still proving to herself and others that she was tough. I thought some back-office research would be a good way for her to ease her into her job and keep her off the streets.

"That's a great idea," Lesley said to me. "I'll track her down and see if she's willing to help."

* * *

"Shut the door Max," Lieutenant Odette said to me in a calm voice.

Billie had called me to her office. I sensed good news. She motioned for me to sit in one of the guest chairs.

"The ballistics report confirmed that Kreshnevsky was the shooter in Lily Chao's execution," Odette told me. "I'm sure they'll pin the other five murders on him as well."

"Great news Sir," I acknowledged, pleased that Lily's dying words were confirmed and that her death was avenged.

"Don't get smug on me Pemberton," she said to me in a scolding tone. "Don't treat this as a license to do what you please. You were right, but that doesn't make what you did right. We have procedures in place for a reason, and your little escapade with Sky almost got her killed."

That was true. Our off the books pursuit of Kreshnevsky put Sky in peril, and if I hadn't gotten to the warehouse in time, she would have been another victim.

"I hear you... Lieutenant," I said, suppressing the urge to call her "boss."

"I hope so. The next time you jump off the tracks I may not be as kind. A suspension was a gift. By all rights I should have fired you."

The shine on the good news had already faded. I scolded myself for... well... being myself.

"Got it," I said, hoping that I did.

"You were right about the Bratva connection with New York," said Billie. "I've got reports that the cocaine and heroin flowing into the West End does have a New York source. It looks like Bratva is taking over the supply chain now that Lily is dead. Her organization is in complete disarray."

That information confirmed what my CI's (particularly Eddie the pimp) had told me.

"What about Jumbo?" I asked.

Jumbo Williams oversaw the West End drug trade until Lily framed him and he went to jail. Once the frame job came to light, he was released and put back on the street. We hadn't gotten any intelligence on his activity since he was out of jail, but I knew he was up to something.

"You read my mind Max. You know I thought Jumbo's crew offed Lily. He must be lurking in the background."

"Maybe teaming up with the Russians?" I speculated. "They certainly took care of Jumbo's 'Lily problem'."

"Interesting theory," Billie added to my surprise. In the past she wasn't really that keen on my unproven theories. Maybe the Bratva connection woke her up.

"Jumbo's got the local muscle. Bratva has the wholesale supply. It makes sense, but we've got nothing to link them together," I said.

Billie's eyes betrayed her interest. I struck a nerve with her, and for once she started to back me.

"Why don't you snoop around with Lesley? You seem to have a nose for this, so maybe you can focus your talents and connections on seeing if this is true."

This was my opening to strengthen my team.

"I'd like to enlist Sky to help. She has the training to do the background research we need."

I didn't tell Odette that I already had Lesley get Sky started on the research.

"I'll speak to Campos about that. It shouldn't be a problem. Homicide's got to finish their investigation on Kreshnevsky to close out Lily's file. She should be pleased to have a clearance on all those high-profile murders. For once she owes me," Odette said, thrilled that for once she had some leverage over those smug bastards in Homicide, Campos notwithstanding.

Gabriella Campos was the new head of Homicide, a Brazilian woman who was brought in from Dayton to clean up the department. I'd forced their former head, Bobby Bickel, into early retirement after he sexually harassed Sky. It wasn't the best place for an attractive woman like Sky, but I heard Campos had been tasked with ridding Homicide of its misogynistic tendencies.

The word was that Campos was a straight shooter, but I hadn't met her yet. Lily, and five other people at her headquarters, were slaughtered by Kreshnevsky. That meant six murders off Homicide's books. That made Campos look good.

"Great," I said. "I'll get rolling on this right away."

"Keep your nose clean Max," Odette said as her parting shot.

My nose was clean. Only my mind was dirty.

* * *

I found Lesley in the break room.

"Sorry I missed you at Bailey's last night," she said to me. "Our cat was sick, so I had to stay home."

"That's all right," I said. "It was pouring outside so it was a shitty night to be out." I didn't add that I was stinking drunk when I got there and almost ruined the whole evening, but for Sky's understanding.

"So what did Odette want?" Lesley asked. She was drinking coffee, and from the smell I could tell that she'd raided my stash of coffee beans in my locker. I poured a cup for myself out of her thermos. The station coffee sucked.

"You get into my locker?" I asked, taking a sip of the coffee and confirming it was my blend from Seven Hills, a local roaster.

"Fuck you Max. I went to Seven Hills and bought my own."

"Good. I finally got you on the right bandwagon," I said, ignoring her insult and my errant accusation.

"Even a blind pig finds an acorn every now and again," she said, giving me a backhanded compliment.

"So Odette?" she asked again.

"Billie confirmed through the ballistics report that it was Kreshnevsky's gun that killed Lily and her crew."

"That's a relief. At least one bad guy off the street."

"She's also confirmed Bratva's probably the new supplier. I told her that maybe they're connected with Jumbo. She wants us to find out if that's true."

Lesley rubbed her chin with her hand. "That's an interesting theory. Maybe it was Jumbo that sanctioned the hit on Lily."

"Did you get Sky started?" I asked.

"Oh yeah, I had a conversation with her about that. She wasn't sure she could spend time on it."

"Odette said that she'd speak to Campos about that. Since we got her six clearances, she ought to be in a giving mood."

"Right," said Lesley. She rolled her eyeballs.

"What's that about?" I asked, picking up on her cue.

"Max... Sky spent a bit of time talking about you."

Shit.

"What can you share?"

"She's still in love with you Max. But you don't know how to handle a long-term relationship. You're going to have to clean up your act if you want her to be a part of your life."

Fuck.

"You have to grow up Max. You can't just jump into the sack with someone whenever you please, and..."

Don't say it Lesley, I thought.

"You've got to move out of the Royal Palms. That shithole gives you the permission to live like a derelict."

She said it. She'd been on my case ever since she became my partner for me to move out of the Royal Palms. I had taken a liking to that place because any kind of behavior there was perfectly acceptable, which included drinking and fucking at any time of the day or night. She and Sky must have been conspiring.

"You're not going there again, are you Lesley?"

"You're God damn right I am," said my partner, stiffening up her back. "I think that living there gives you license to be the worst part of yourself."

I let out a long sigh. I knew deep down she was right. That Sky was right.

"The real world?" I asked.

"Yes Max, the real world. You've got to live like a decent human being."

"Let me think on that," I said, trying to buy time.

"You better think fast."

My phone rang. Rescued again.

"Hello?" I said. It was a number I didn't recognize, though it was local.

"Hi Max. It's Bibi. Sky said you'd be expecting my call."

"Who is it?" Lesley whispered. She was so fucking nosy. My life was an open book to her, or at least that's what she thought.

"Shut up," I said back to my nosy partner.

"What?" Bibi asked.

"Sorry," I said. "I was talking to my partner."

"Lesley?"

"Yeah."

"Sky told me all about her."

Lesley could hear everything we were saying, even though I had the phone pressed against my ear. She leaned over to talk into my phone.

"What did she say?" Lesley asked.

"She said that you're terrific. And pretty," Bibi said.

Lesley mouthed "terrific" to me.

"Shut up," I said to Lesley again.

"What?" Bibi asked.

"Sorry, talking to Lesley again," I said. "So what's up?" I asked, trying to move the conversation along.

"Sky mentioned you might be interested in buying a condo at Worthington Greens. Are you free to meet?"

"I have a million things to do in the next few days," I said, which was true, like trying to find a group of murderous Russians.

"How about five minutes for coffee? I can give you a brochure and take down some basic information. Then we can schedule a trip out to Worthington Greens."

"How about 3 p.m. Happy Donut. West End?" I suggested.

There was a long pause on the phone. "I don't get out to the West End much."

I doubted that Bibi, sorority sister, had ever been to the West End. This was going to be precious, I thought.

"You'll find it. Just put it in your GPS," I said.

"OK," she said. "3 p.m."

I hung up the phone and put it back in my pocket.

"Who's Bibi?" Lesley asked the moment I hung up.

"None of your fucking business," I said, not having a snowball's chance in Hell of holding my partner back.

"C'mon Max tell me. I heard Worthington Greens. You moving out there? Leaving the poor folk?"

"I haven't committed to anything," I insisted.

"Sky set this up," Lesley said.

"Uh huh."

"But you're dragging your feet," she observed, correctly.

"No I'm not," I said, denying her true statement.

"You're meeting this poor girl at Happy Donut. At 3 p.m. there's usually a line of derelicts outside. That's when Bea gives out the donuts she didn't sell that morning."

I knew that. I figured that maybe Bibi needed to see the "real world."

"What of it?" I asked.

Lesley looked at me like an angry school marm. "Max... you know what you're doing."

"What?" I asked innocently.

"Max... I think you're subjecting this cute young girl to Bea and all the scum that hang out there. You're trying to scare her away."

"No I'm not," I insisted, when indeed it was exactly what I was doing.

"Max... you devil."

* * *

Campos sent me a message that she wanted to see me. I was pretty sure it was about Sky. I was looking forward to the meeting, but less enthusiastic about seeing Sky in person again, given my commitment issues. Sending Lesley was my way of keeping the bridge open, without having to confront the inevitable. I took the walk to Homicide, which was on the other end of our building. Campos's door was open. I knocked on it anyway.

"Enter," she said. I poked my head in.

"Pemberton?" she asked.

"Yes Sir," I said. I gauged Campos to be in her early 40's. Short dark wavy hair, olive complexion, thin and unfortunately very attractive. Another distraction for me. She had a commanding presence about her.

"I talked to Lieutenant Odette," she said. I tried not to stare at her.

"She said she'd be calling you," I added gratuitously. I was a bit nervous, and my mouth flapped before I could stop it.

"Let's get something straight from the get-go," she said, focusing her amber colored eyes on me. "I'm doing this as a favor to Odette and to spread a little love for the six clearances you've given me this month. Billie filled in the rest of the details on your adventure with Sky. And in the short time I've been here I've heard plenty of scuttlebutt about your relationship with her. I want to tell you that I don't like it. I don't like any of it."

Her face was stern. I got the distinct impression she was someone I didn't want to fuck with.

"So I'm lending you Sky on a temporary basis to work on this case with you. I stress the word temporary. If you pull any more shit like you did with Odette, she comes back to me immediately. And as far as your relationship with her goes, what you do on your own time is your business, but if it affects her performance then it becomes my business. Do you understand?"

"Yes Sir, I do."

"Good. Those clearances bought you some goodwill with me. But that goodwill has a short shelf life."

She stood up, which meant our meeting was over.

"I'll do my best Sir," I said, and meaning it.

"You do that. From what I've seen so far, Sky has a future in our department. She's bright and she's a hard worker. I heard you had something to do with her promotion, and that was a good thing. Treat her right."

"I will," I said, telling myself I needed to do that.

Chapter Three

Reconnecting

My usual instinct would be to go back to my desk and have Lesley work with Sky, thereby avoiding contact with Sky while I sorted out my feelings. I felt adrift. Would I move out of the Royal Palms? Would I make a real effort with Sky? I couldn't live with these unsettled feelings for a moment longer. I went to Sky's desk. She was busy at her computer, presumably doing the research that Lesley requested. I hovered over her shoulder.

"Max!" she said, surprised, when she realized I was standing over her.

"I thought I'd check on you. I just talked to Campos."

"She's great, isn't she?" Her eyes sparkled. I was getting a warm and fuzzy feeling.

"She is... she's also all business," I said, ignoring Campos's exotic good looks.

"I like that," said Sky. She swiveled around in her chair so she was facing me. God she was cute. She made me forget Campos.

"Bibi called me," I said, breaking the ice on what was unsaid between the two of us.

"She did?" Sky's expression was hopeful, which I wasn't.

"Yeah, we're getting together for coffee at three."

"At Worthington Greens?" she asked.

"No, at Happy Donut. I don't have time to go out there today."

"Happy Donut?" Sky asked. "Are you serious?"

Sky had been there a number of times. It was a place you wouldn't take your mother... or Bibi.

"Sky, it's that or nothing, OK?"

"OK," she said, but she didn't hide the disappointment on her face.

Then I addressed the elephant in the room.

"Skylar," I said, "we need to talk."

"I know Max."

"Landing Point?" I asked.

"Not Bailey's?" she asked.

I didn't want to go to Bailey's. I didn't want to have this conversation with Sky while Candy was looking on.

"Naw," I said. "Change of scenery."

I could see on Sky's face that she realized that I was close to Candy, and still depressed by Maddy's death.

"Sure, the Landing Point, around six?"

"I'll see you there."

* * *

I got to Happy Donut five minutes late. Bibi was sitting at my usual table at the front window where you could see everything going on outside. There was a line of homeless people snaking out the door waiting for the free donuts that Bea was handing out. Bea spotted me as she was handing a bag to a shirtless man with his toes sticking out of his tattered second-hand sneakers. He probably hadn't taken a bath in a month.

"Max," Bea called out from behind the counter. "Your girlfriend sitting over there," she said, pointing to Bibi. Bea immigrated to the United States from Vietnam with her husband and $20 in their pockets. They'd built Happy Donut into a thriving business. Bea was just a friend, but I think she thought she was my mother. She said what was on her mind without any filter and took shit from no one. The people in line waiting for a handout were well-behaved because they knew Bea would throw them out if they weren't.

"She's not my girlfriend," I said back to Bea, though I don't think she heard me.

"You have so many girlfriends Max. I lose count," said Bea in a voice loud enough for Bibi to hear.

Bibi stood up to greet me. She could have been Lesley's twin sister. Natural blonde hair to her shoulders, on the short side with generously sized breasts. I recognized her. She was Sky's roommate, the one who opened the door for me when Sky had already gone off to the warehouse and almost gotten her head blown off.

"Max, good to see you again," she said, holding out her hand and smiling like a well-trained real estate agent. She was wearing expensive clothes and designer high heels, far beyond the station of a fledgling real estate agent.

"Bibi," I said. "Thanks for coming out. You're Sky's roommate, right?"

"Right. I saw you that day..."

"You mean the day that Sky almost got killed," I added.

"Yeah, that day. She told me what happened."

"It was awful," I said.

"Yeah..."

She looked outside. I could see a shiny new BMW parked across the street. "Is my car going to be OK?" she asked. There were two homeless men sleeping on flattened cardboard boxes on the sidewalk next to her car.

I squinted. "Yeah, those are regulars. They won't bother your car. Any problems finding this place?"

"Oh no. The GPS worked great," she said, sitting. She had a cup of coffee and a jelly donut in front of her. She looked like the jelly donut type.

"Meet Bea?" I asked.

"Oh... yes. She asks a lot of questions."

"Like what?" I asked.

"Like if I was one of your girlfriends."

"That's Bea. She thinks every attractive woman who comes here is one of my girlfriends."

"Are they?"

"Well, not all of them," I answered.

Bibi gave me a puzzled expression.

"There do seem to be some... umm... unusual people around here," she said, looking around at the homeless people lined up out the door.

"That's Bea. She gives away all her unsold inventory at 3 p.m. It's turned out to be a popular event."

"That's nice of her."

I had to give credit to Bibi for showing up at that dive donut shop, pushing past a line of homeless people, and then facing an inquisition from Bea.

She handed me a colorful and expensive looking multi-page pamphlet. "Here's the brochure on Worthington Greens." She opened to a page she had flagged with a red tape sticker. "And here's the floor plan for the Chardonnay units. One bedroom. Nine hundred square feet. GE Profile appliances, a jacuzzi tub and full privileges to the indoor pool and workout facilities," she said proudly.