Daddy's Little Killer

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

 

Orion's long legs didn't help him match my stride when I rushed out of the Montcliff Wednesday night. 

"Where are we going?"

"We are not going anywhere, Orion. I'm going. Alone."

"I thought you wanted to talk to me."

I spun on my heel, nearly causing a collision. "Why didn't you tell me that Gwen Foster has a child out there somewhere?"

"What? Gwen didn't have any kids. Sure, she's been raising Vinnie since Frank died ten years ago, but he's her cousin, Doc. Why would you think-?"

"I thought she was an old friend, Orion. Was that another lie?"

"Of course it wasn't, but if Gwen had a baby, don't you think I would've known about it? A lot of people would've known."

"What about her employer, a man that could very well be keeping Vinnie Bennett from the police right now? Wasn't that a detail worth mentioning to me last night? It's not like I didn't bring Datello's name into the conversation."

"Datello is a dangerous man. I wouldn't advise that you treat him like a suspect in this case unless you've got hard evidence, Doc. Or is it your goal to amass as many enemies as you possibly can before one of them finally gets to you?"

"Were you really at a convention in Washington when we met?"

"Yes and no."

"Remarkably clear. And you wonder why I can't seem to bring myself to trust you even a little bit," I fumed. A moment later, my car was in sight in the parking garage.

"Goddammit, Doc!"

"Let go of me."

"Or what, you'll show me how mass is irrelevant when you're in the mood to throw down?"

I lunged close to his body, which effectively weakened his grip on my arm. One heel dug into the back of his calf with a swift jab, while I grabbed his wrist and jerked him out of balance. Orion hit the concrete with a thud and audible loss of breath. My gun aimed between his eyes before he had time to react.

"Now you know what I'm talking about, Orion. I can defend myself. When I tell you not to touch me, I mean it."

"Jesus," he groaned. Orion rubbed the back of his head.

I reached down and offered a hand, which he ignored while slowly dragging himself to his feet.

"Are you all right?"

"You have me at an unfair disadvantage, Doc."

"What's that?"

"I would never hit a woman, no matter what she does to warrant a physical response."

"Did you contact Detective Briscoe?"

Orion nodded. "He's meeting us at my office."

"I'll need the address. I could be delayed a few minutes."

"May I ask where you're going?" Orion rubbed the back of his head and checked his fingers for blood.

"Don't be such a baby, Orion. You didn't hit the ground that hard."

"Martial arts, huh?"

"Jujitsu. I'm a black belt."

"I should've let Dumb and Dumber have at you. They deserve it."

"Thank you for preventing things from going that far."

"Jesus," Orion muttered a second time. "Are you bipolar or something?"