Rebound

"No... no... Sharon and I were just playing... it's nothing," I insisted, pleading to stone deaf ears.

"We're done Max," she said, then storming out of the room and slamming the door behind her.

"I guess that was your girlfriend," said Sharon.

"Was is right," I said.

I shrugged my naked shoulders. "Hand me the other bottle honey."

_|/_

I hit bottom for the hundredth time. Odette wanted a piece of my ass. Sondra gave me the middle finger salute. Lily was dead and I wasn't much closer to finding her killer. I got my partner in deep shit. Life sucked, but what was new?

I was in my third day of exile, watching baseball on television, eating junk food, and drinking vodka. My room was a unholy mess. I was adrift at sea. I so wanted to catch Lily's killer. I knew I was on the right track, but being relegated to the scrap heap was killing me. I felt helpless because I was.

Lesley came to visit me. She was carrying a bag from Happy Donuts and was in uniform, which was good news. She came into my room and shook her head. I was sprawled out on a chair with potato chips bits stuck to my shirt. I stood up and brushed them off with my hand.

She crinkled her nose. "About what I expected Max. You live like a teenager. I'll follow you to the ends of the Earth, but sometimes you go over the edge."

I felt bad about her being punished as well as me.

"So what did Billie do to you?" I asked her.

She swept fast food wrappers off a chair and sat on it.

"I got off easy," she said. "I got an official reprimand. Behind closed doors Odette told me that she was doing this as a personal favor to my dad. If it was up to her, she would have suspended me as well. She said it was my last and final chance."

"I'm sorry I put you in that position," I said.

She shrugged her shoulders.

"It was my choice," said Lesley. "I could have said no."

"I appreciate that. So what are you doing?"

"I've been assigned another partner, Emil Martinez."

"He's a good guy."

"Yeah, but he's not you." She opened up a big bag of pretzels and ate one. "So what are you doing about your lead with this Andrew guy?"

"Nothing. I'm been sitting on my ass."

"I wish I could help you."

"Don't," I told her. "You don't need to ruin your career over this. Let me do it."

I opened the bag she gave me and took out a donut.

"Thanks for these. How's Bea doing?"

"She's fine. She asked about you. I didn't know what to say."

"Tell her I'm on the shelf."

"OK, and how's your Nordic hottie?"

I knew she was going to get around to this eventually.

"We're not seeing each other anymore."

She laughed.

"You fucked it up, didn't you?"

"Why do you have to be so judgmental?" I asked her.

"Because I'm right, aren't I?"

"Yeah... but you don't need to be so cutting."

"Max, nothing gets through to you. First Sky, and now Sondra? I feel like you're taking girls out of a vending machine."

"That's not fair," I insisted.

She sluffed off my resentment and put her hands on her hips.

"So what did you do?"

Ah fuck. Another confession? There was no point in lying to the human lie detector. "She caught me having sex with Sharon."

I surprised even her. "The prostitute?"

I tried to explain. "It's a long story. I saved her from getting arrested and..."

"Max, I do a lot of favors for people, but I don't let them say thank you by fucking them."

"I know. It seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Do me a favor. Next time you have a 'good idea,' throw it in the garbage can OK?"

"I'm trying Lesley."

"No you're not. You're pandering to your whims. You can't live like that."

So true. I could try to make everyone else's life right, but I couldn't do it to my own.

She took another handful of pretzels and showed herself out.

"Get your shit together Max," she said, standing in the doorway before she left.

_|/_

I was in purgatory at the Royal Palms, indefinitely suspended. I racked my brains, trying to figure out how I could start unpeeling the onion on this Bratva thing. I went out for convenience store coffee and was working on my second donut when a bolt of lightening hit. Sky knocked on my door. I opened it, astonished.

She did the once over to my room, like Lesley, only she didn't say anything. She just gave me a disapproving look with those cute green eyes.

"I suppose you're surprised to see me," she said.

That was the understatement of the century. I admitted to her that I had sex with Lily while I was dating her. So ended that relationship.

"I would have been less surprised if the Easter Bunny showed up," I admitted.

"I'm here on business," she said.

"I figured as much."

"I've been assigned to the team investigating Lily's Chao's death."

Of course she had. Why else would she be at my place?

"I see."

I knew where this was going. She wanted information, and I had it.

"I've heard rumors you have a lead on the shooter," she said, trying to be nonchalant about it.

Like flies to honey, I thought to myself. Even Sky, who probably hated my guts, would swallow her pride to get a lead to solve her case.

"I might," I said. I wasn't going to give it to her. She was going to have to earn it.

Sky scowled at me. She crinkled her nose. It was cute. I missed her.

"Don't bullshit me Max. Honest. Aren't we past that? Just put your fucking cards on the table."

Challenge accepted.

"OK, I'll put my fucking cards on the table. I think I have a lead that will break open your case. You're the junior member of the team. You need to catch a break, otherwise you'll never get to move up."

Her non-response told me I hit the nail on the head.

"So what do you want?" she asked. This was supposed to be a business transaction, but there was no such thing when I dealt with a beautiful woman. I was going to win her back.

"I want to be able to help you," I offered.

She knew I had a hidden agenda. She was a detective after all.

"No," she said flatly and immediately. It was a kneejerk reaction. I knew she'd give in eventually. The promise of a lead was far too tempting.

"Then no information," I said, driving in the nail.

She tried to threaten me. Good luck with that.

"Max, you'd be obstructing an active investigation. That's a terminable offense."

I threw up my hands. Did I fucking care?

"You can't kill me twice. Odette's already suspended me and I'll probably be fired."

She had no fucking leverage. None. And she knew it.

"Max?" she asked as more of a plea. I wasn't going to let her go. Maybe I was being selfish. I wasn't going to give her the info without strings.

This time it was my turn to say "No."

"Sorry to waste your time Sky," I said. I knew she wasn't going anywhere. I just stood there and waited until she gave in, which she did.

"All right. Fuck. What have you got?"

"Promise," I said.

Another cute crinkly scowl. I realized I really missed her.

"Promise," she said. I think her heart was already starting to melt. Mine had.

_|/_

I cleaned up my room with a decidedly positive outlook. After staring up from the bottom of the well I was back in the game. I took a long, hot shower and changed into fresh clothes. Sky had to go to the station to put the picture of the shooter into the international databases. Good thing she spent over a year as a researcher in Homicide. She was a quick little bugger. She called me and told me that she'd already gotten a hit on the Interpol database.

"Interpol. The guy's name is Konstantin Kreshnevsky. Wanted for murder in Germany. Apparently a contract killer."

"Russian?"

"Uh huh."

"What the fuck is he doing in Cincinnati?"

"Hell if I know. He was last spotted in New York, not Cincinnati."

"New York? One of my CI's told me that the drugs are coming from New York now."

"So maybe they're trying to expand their territory?" Sky speculated.

"That would make sense," I said.

"And Lily was in the way and had to be eliminated," Sky continued.

"What else have you got?" I asked her.

"Konstantin has a couple known associates." She showed me a picture taken with a telephoto lens. It was a grainy image of a woman and man getting into a car.

"Do you have an ID on them?"

"According to Interpol, it's Mikhail Volkov and his wife Anya. They're known drug traffickers.

Mikhail... Mike... it jibed with Eddie's intelligence.

I told Sky about Eddie. She was starting to warm up to my theory. She was ready for the next step.

"So we need to find out if Mikhail and Anya are in Cincinnati," she correctly observed.

"So are you going to call in the cavalry?" I asked her.

"Not on your life. This is my lead. We're going to chase it down."

Spoken like I would have.

"My?" I asked, questioning her possessiveness.

"Our," she said, correcting herself.

"That's better. Sure?"

"Yeah. They'll just take it away from... us... and put us on the bench. I didn't pay my dues in Homicide to watch somebody else have all the fun."

"OK, obviously I'm in," I said in agreement.

"Let's go find them," she said.

She was all in.

_|/_

I was half watching Dirty Harry on late night television for the umpteenth time. I loved that fucking movie. Harry had just sat down to enjoy a hot dog at the beginning of the movie as I finished the last bottle of vodka I had in my motel room. I cursed to myself as the scene started as Harry asked the short order chef to report a robbery in progress. I laughed when he took out his ridiculous.44 magnum and squeezed off six rounds, picking off the bad guys and causing a shitload of havoc in the streets. No one shoots that well while eating a hot dog. Then the classic line where he leans down and whispers to a wounded robber reaching for his gun: "in all the excitement, I couldn't remember if I fired five rounds or six. But being that this is a.44 magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, it could blow your head clean off, so you have ask yourself one question, do you feel lucky? Well do you... punk?" Then the classic Clint Eastwood sneer.

Yeah. That's a movie detective. Hits everything he shoots at, gets to fuck beautiful women, and gives the finger to the police chief and the mayor and still gets to do whatever he wants. I, on the other hand, wasn't the best shot in the world. I've had some beautiful women, but I was still on suspension with no hope of redemption after I gave the finger to my boss. Maybe Odette had never seen Dirty Harry.

The movie went to commercial. I got my ass out of my chair to go the liquor store. I wasn't going to get a decent buzz without more.

It was almost midnight. The bright white lights from the liquor store's interior lights flooded the decaying asphalt parking lot. Eddie and his girls were huddled in the corner parking space next to his SUV, sharing a joint. I could smell the pungent odor of weed from twenty feet away.

"Hey Max!" some blonde yelled to me from Eddie's gaggle. I didn't recognize her. I walked over to them. I figured I'd ask Eddie if he knew anything more.

The blonde stepped out from the group. I could tell that she was pretty attractive behind the heavy make-up and her face seemed vaguely familiar.

"Remember me?" she asked.

I studied her face again but was drawing a blank.

"Hannah... remember? The Royal Palms. I was there with my boyfriend. He was beating me up in the room next to yours. You kicked his ass and then gave me $700 out of someone's wallet."

Hannah... right... I was fucking Courtney and Hannah's fight was so noisy I had to go next door and tell them to shut the fuck up. Her "boyfriend" was slapping her around so I taught him a lesson, I think with my fist, in the proper treatment of women. It was DaVanna Caruso's wallet and her money. [ed. note, see Deception]

"Yeah... Hannah, I do remember you," I told her after the light bulb went on.

She smiled. "The money helped me out of tight spot. I owed a dealer and he was going to fuck me up good, so I used the money to pay him off."

"That's great Hannah," I said. At least DaVanna's money saved her from a beating. "So you tricking with Eddie?"

Hannah put her arm around Eddie. "Yeah, he treats me good. Got my ex-boyfriend off my ass."

"So what's up?" I asked her.

"Eddie said that you were interested in finding Lily's killer."

Eddie took a puff from a joint and offered me a toke, which I politely declined.

"So anyway," Hannah continued, "sometimes Eddie fixes me up with guys in exchange for cocaine. I think I may have fucked Lily's shooter."

I pulled out my phone. I had the picture of Konstantin on my phone. I showed her the image from the shooting range.

"Is this the guy?" I asked.

She squinted and enlarged the picture on my phone with her fingers to get a better look at the face.

"I think so. The picture's not so clear. Big, scary dude. He had a tattoo of a lightning bolt on his arm. I remember that. He had a big gun."

"Do you know how I can find him? Anything will help."

"Well, I did meet him at a bar not far from here. You know. The one on 47^th, near the KFC?"

I did know that bar. I knew it well. It was run by a dirtbag named Syd. A lot of people of questionable character hung out there, though it was primarily a biker bar.

"Thanks Hannah for the tip."

"No problem Max. I go by Crystal now." Then she thought for a moment. "You really helped me out... if you're going home... I'm not busy... I'd fuck you... for free."

Hannah looked sweet, and probably would have been a good time, but last time I took an offer like that I got into a world of hurt.

"No thanks... I think I'll take a raincheck on that."

Then I turned to Eddie, "You got anything for me?"

He shook his head. "Nope. And make sure no one knows about this talk with Crystal."

"You've got it," I said. I gave him the thumbs up.

_|/_

Nigel wasn't there. His day off. Counter was manned by some pimply faced teenager. I got my vodka and left. Hannah/Crystal was already talking to a potential john who had pulled up in a minivan. I waved to her, she waved back, and I left.

I called Sky on my way back. She was itching for a lead. I had one. Fuck it that it was past midnight.

"Hello?" she answered. It was clear I'd woken her up.

"It's Max."

I'd woken her up before at a late hour. She was usually as grumpy as a bear.

"Fuck off Max, it's... it's fucking 12:30."

"I've got a lead."

"Now?"

"Yeah... you want to get started on it?"

"Fuck... really?"

"Come over. I'll explain on the way."

"OK. This better be good."

"We're going to a biker bar. Dress appropriately," I said.

_|/_

Sky rapped impatiently on the door. I opened it. It was pitch black and freezing cold outside. I could see her breath hanging in the night air.

Sky did a good job on her clothing selection. Black leather jacket, ripped jeans, low cut blouse, heavy make-up. She looked hot.

"Alright Max. I'm here. I've got to get up in five hours so it looks like I'm not going to get any sleep tonight."

I played the world's smallest violin with my fingers.

Another scowl. Cuteness.

I grabbed my jacket and some snacks. "Let's go. You drive. I'll tell you on the way."

We left the apartment and I followed Sky to her Toyota Corolla. It was nice and clean, as opposed to my Civic. I'd fix that in no time.

As soon as I shut my door I started the briefing. "So we're going to Syd's. Go to 47^th and Webster. It's a dive bar, mostly bikers. One of Eddie's girls thinks she knows the shooter. Did a trick with him. I showed her his picture. Says he's got a lightning bolt tattoo on his arm and met him at Syd's. I know most of the action at the bar happens right before it closes, which is at 2 a.m. Since Syd knows me I thought you could check out the bar inside and see if he's there. Maybe it's his regular spot.

"That's it?" she asked, sounding a bit disappointed.

"Look. Do you have other leads you're working on?" I asked, knowing she didn't.

"Not yet."

"This is something. We need to catch a break."

"All right Max." She wheeled onto 47^th.

"There," I said, pointing out of the windshield. "Park over there."

She pulled her car over. We were a half block from Syd's.

"The bar's right down there. See the sign?"

Sky stared out at a neon sign where the "d" in "Syd's" was out. "Yeah, I see it."

"Just get a drink and sit in the corner. Pretend you're on your phone."

"OK," she grunted.

She rolled her eyeballs at me and got out.

I sat in the car for what seemed like an eternity. I went through a bag of pretzels and started on a fresh bag of Cheetos. A fine dusting of orange cheese powder was on my seat and floormat. Now her car looked like mine. I checked my phone. 2:30. The outside sign for the bar was switched off. Sky looked a bit tipsy as she wove her way back to the car.

"Nothin'... absolutely fuckin' nothin'," she said when she got back in the car. Her breath reeked of whiskey.

"No trace of him then?"

"Three men and one woman tried to pick me up. I almost went home with the woman..."

"Glad you had a good time. What do you think about Syd's?"

"It's the shithole you said it would be. I loved it."

"Good. We'll try to come here again. Maybe we'll get lucky."

"I could have gotten lucky tonight."

"Not that kind of lucky."

_|/_

Two more trips to Syd's and two zeroes. Sky was getting a little cranky from the lack of sleep and so was I. We were on our way to try one more time.

"Max, this is the last time. People there are starting to wonder why I'm there. I've gotten to know Syd. What's the deal with him?"

"Typical sleezebag. Has always got some side hustle going. Drugs, women, stolen goods, bootleg liquor... whatever he can do to turn an illegal buck. I've shaken him down a few times, which is why I can't show my face in there."

I could tell Sky's nerves were getting frayed and it was getting more likely her cover would be blown. Maybe Hannah was mistaken, or Konstantin's appearance was a one-time event.

"This is our last try," I said, agreeing with her. "If you get uncomfortable just leave. We'll figure something else out."

Sky got out. I watched her walk down the deserted street at 1 a.m., turning into the windowless bar with several motorcycles parked in front. I had to give her credit for being persistent. She wanted to crack this case as badly as me.

I tried to keep from dozing off while waiting for her. No one went into the bar and a couple bikers left. It was cold in the car, but I was hesitant to turn on the engine because anyone who passed me could see the exhaust coming out of the back. I zipped up my jacket to the neck and thought about Sky, and how I'd ruined our relationship. I told her that I loved her, and then stepped out on her with Lily. She had no reason to ever forgive me, and in the time we'd spent together she'd never given even the slightest hint that door was open. I had many regrets. Courtney... Sondra... Sky. Like Joni Mitchell, I counted lovers like railroad cars.

About a half hour later Sky came out of the bar and walked briskly back to my car.

"I saw him!" she said excitedly, closing her door. "He was sitting at the bar alone. I don't think he noticed me. Big guy, matching the picture, with a lightning bolt tattoo on his arm, just like Hannah said. Scary, and I have no doubt he had a gun under his leather jacket."

"What was he doing?"

"Mostly drinking something clear, probably vodka, and checking his phone. He chatted with Syd briefly."

"Let's see if we can follow him," I said.

Sky nodded.

Not more than five minutes later the man emerged from the bar. Big, burly man, fit, probably more than six foot and well over two hundred pounds, with a dark heavy trimmed beard, wearing a brown leather jacket. He went in the opposite direction from us and got into a black late model SUV parked on the street. He started his car and turned on the lights, driving away from us. I waited a few seconds before starting ours and following him at a safe distance.