Watching The Detectives Ch. 08

'What am I doing? I don't need to run away. What's he going to do in broad daylight?'

Kat slowed down to match the speed limit. Billy continued to follow closely, two feet from

her bumper. Still miles from home, she felt dread knowing this wouldn't end soon. Billy played a game, backing off and then speeding up to within inches of her car.

'Where the hell are the cops when you need one?'

Kat had an epiphany, 'Zone Four.' She turned on Wilkens Ave towards Squirrel Hill. Two stressful minutes later, she turned on Northumberland Street with Billy close on her tail. Ket punched the accelerator. Billy followed suit, gaining on her. In front of the Zone Four police station, Kat slammed on her brakes. Billy did not.

In front of the precinct, a pair of uniformed policemen heard the impact. As they turned toward the sound of metal colliding, Kat's Toronado lurched forward, broken glass tinkled on the wet pavement. She looked at the cops, then back at Billy in her mirror, enraged, his arms flailing. The cops stepped off the curb. The older man walked to Billy's car. Kat rolled down her window as a young officer approached.

"Are you okay ma'am?"

"Yes, I think so." She gestured towards Billy's car. "Officer Barnes has been following me, tailgating for miles."

"Do you know him?"

"No. Well, yes. I know who he is. He's an ex-cop and now a private detective who's been harassing me."

There was a commotion coming from Billy's car. In her side mirror, Kat saw him standing in the street having words with the older officer. Kat got out of her car to hear what he was saying.

Billy pointed at Kat. "That bitch cut me off." He took steps in Kat's direction. Both cops moved between them.

The young officer got his partner's attention. "She knows him." He turned to Kat. "Tell him what you told me."

"He's been tailgating me, all the way from downtown."

"Bullshit!" barked Billy. "She's a liar."

"His name is Billy Barnes, Officer William Barnes," Kat said calmly. "My husband hired him to keep tabs on me. There are police reports to corroborate my story. My husband struck me, then he went after Barnes and he beat the crap out of my husband, who was then arrested." Kat stared at Barnes intensely, "It's all in the public record."

The older cop shook his head. He appeared to know Billy. "I'm familiar with the incident," he said as he pushed Billy towards his car. "Get this thing off the street, Barnes. Park it. You're coming inside. You too Miss. We have a damn accident report to fill out."

"That's fine," said Kat. "But you must keep him away from me. He's sick."

"Why the hell did you slam on your brakes," Billy shouted over the cop's shoulder.

Kat answered with a smug smile. "I was trying to get the officer's attention."

The Toronado could still be driven, but the rear-end damage was considerable. Billy's Coronet took the worst of it. It was disabled. Antifreeze spilled on the pavement. He and the young cop pushed it off the street. The commotion moved indoors, where dozens of police heard the story. That evening, when Raymond saw the damage to Kat's car in the driveway he rushed into the house.

"What the hell happened?"

"Here." Kat handed him a bourbon on the rocks. "Have a seat." She patted the kitchen table as she took a seat. "Sit down. Don't lose your cool. It'll only make matters worse."

Raymond took the chair across the table and listened to Kat's account of her run-in with Billy Barnes. When Ray angrily interrupted, she took his tumbler into his office and poured him another drink. Ray followed, in a huff.

"That son-of-a-bitch. I talked to Casey about this just yesterday. I'm not taking this shit any longer. If he comes near you..."

"What, Ray?" Kat handed him a fresh drink. "What are you gonna do, wreck his fists with your face again?"

"Not this time!"

"Stay away from him, Ray. I'll call Art Casey first thing in the morning. That car is insured through his business. I'll tell him if he doesn't rein Billy in he'll be paying medical bills and damages far exceeding the repairs to my car."

"Are you hurt?"

"No, but I think I feel some neck stiffness coming on... if you know what I mean. I'll see a doctor and play it up if I have to."

The second drink appeared to calm Raymond. A little alcohol mellowed Ray, which Kat used from time to time. Five drinks had the opposite effect. Ray was not a fun drinker and Kat knew his limit.

Raymond sat up straight. "Hey, why did you pull half the cash from our checking and savings?"

"Because I'll never again allow you to manipulate me with money. You're lucky I'm still here." She pointed at him. "One more strike, Ray, and I'm out for good."

Ray didn't reply. Kat had the upper hand.

"Dinner will be ready in an hour." She retreated to the kitchen leaving her husband to himself.

While preparing a salad she heard the front door open and close. Seconds later a car door slammed followed by the sound of an engine. Kat walked into Ray's office, he was gone. Kat opened the humidor on his desk and removed the book of matches she had discovered months ago: Art Casey, Private Investigator. She dialed the number.

"Hello, Art?"

"Yes."

"Kat Landry. My husband is on his way over there and he's furious that Billy's still following me."

"What? I told Billy to back off."

"Well, he didn't, and he crashed into my car today."

"Goddamnit!"

"Don't let Raymond get anywhere near him."

.

.

--- IDLE THREATS ---

Ray had already been on the wrong end of a beating with Billy Barnes so he wasn't going in hot this time. He walked into the private eye's office at a bad time. Billy had company, a beat cop he had served with who was now a police detective. Art Casey made a beeline attempting to get between Ray and the office Billy was in.

"Mr. Landry," said Casey. "You don't want to go in there."

He was late. Ray walked into the office. When Billy saw Ray in the doorway, he smiled.

"Hey, look who's here?" He chuckled. "Are you answering the bell for round two?"

Billy and his cop buddy laughed harder and longer than the taunt warranted, school boys mocking a classmate. Ray's face turned red, but he kept his cool.

"I need you to stay off my wife."

They laughed at Ray's poor choice of words. This was not how Ray had imagined this talk would go. He started over.

"Stop following my wife. We're trying to fix our problems. I don't need you messing with her. You wrecked her car, asshole."

Art stepped around Ray to get between the men, just off to the side. Billy leaned back in his chair and put his feet on the desk. His guest had his butt on the desktop, arms folded, staring coldly at Ray. Billy pulled a pack of smokes from his shirt pocket, removed a cigarette, and put it between his lips.

"She caused the accident by slamming on the brakes. The dumb broad did it on purpose. Don't you worry, our insurance will cover it." He lit his cigarette.

"This is over. Stop tailing her."

"I'm working on another case, man. It's got nothing to do with you."

"What case?" Ray stepped closer to the desk. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Billy blew smoke toward Ray. "I'm afraid I cannot provide information on that work, client confidentiality. Let's just say it's some old business from before you met Miss Price."

The idea that Billy Barnes was following his wife and wouldn't tell him why made Ray's temperature rise. He was helpless to do anything which only made him angrier. Ray couldn't handle Billy alone, never mind him and another cop. Ray again moved closer causing the cop to unfold his arms and stand straight.

Art took a side step to remain between them. "Mr. Landry, you don't want another police call over this mess."

"There are already three cops in the room," Ray said, "and two of them are crooks." He pointed his finger at Billy. "You listen to me, punk. Stay away from my wife. You got it?"

Billy laughed. "What are you gonna do about it?"

"He might bloody your fists with his face again," laughed the cop, repeating Kat's joke.

The men snickered as Ray's anger was approaching the boiling point. He was being mocked and humiliated and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. Ray's fists clenched so tight that the veins on the back of his hand bulged as well as the vein on his neck.

"Take it easy, buddy," the cop said. "Don't do anything stupid. I'd be happy to watch Billy kick your ass again, but then I'd have to do paperwork. I hate paperwork."

"Stay the hell away from Kat, or it'll be your last..." Ray stopped himself. He had taken their bait. He calmed his tone. "Just back off." He turned on his heel and stepped toward the door.

"You have a nice day Mr. Landry," Billy said in a mocking tone. "Tell your wife I'll see her at the salon next week." He turned to his buddy "She looks so nice after her hair gets done."

Ray turned back. "I'm warning you," he pointed his finger. "Stay the fuck away from my wife! If you don't, you'll regret it."