Read Chapter 1 of Exploding House
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Chapter 1
Alex
Roland Spade���s birthday party had not gone down the way Alex expected. For one, he had never intended for Fiona to end up in his bed, and two, he never thought he���d be working the scene of a triple murder.
He walked back into the venue, thinking about the woman he���d left alone in his room and hoping that for once Fiona would listen to him and not try anything foolish like leaving.
LA���s finest were working the scene, and since Alex had called the chief and told him what he was up to, no one blinked an eye when he returned. He scanned the broken glass and bloodstains where one of the forensic team, a shrimpy little guy named Eli, snapped photos.��
���Hey,��� said Alex, getting his attention. ���I���m looking for a necklace. Did you find one?�����
There was no telling who might have picked it up and stuck it in their pockets, and he wanted to get it back for Fiona.
���Is this it?��� Eli asked, walking over to a table where he had a few things in bags. ���Looks real. Do you think it is?��� He held up a plastic baggie where the beautiful diamond necklace was still covered in blood.
Alex knew better than to let on how expensive the thing was. ���Nah, it���s clearly a fake. It���s Fiona Wilde���s. She was upset. We left it behind. I���ll make sure she gets it back.�����
Alex stuck it in his pockets. Chief Swanson walked over and pulled him to the side behind the large planter just inches away from Mrs. Spade���s bloodstain.
Her body had been removed, but Ethan and his father were still lying where they had been gunned down.
Alex glared at Ethan. The bullet wound in his neck had been lethal, and his father had been shot right between the eyes.
���How���s Fiona?��� asked Swanson. ���Is she safe?���
���She���s fine. I had to get her out of here. I was afraid they were after her too. That there might be more than one.���
���You followed the other one?���
���Yeah, but it turned out just to be a frightened party guest. I let him go and took Fiona to safety. I think we���ve got our only shooter. Every shot came from above and right in this general location.���
Chief Swanson seemed okay with that, and Alex knew he would believe anything he told him. They had that kind of relationship. Swanson let out a breath and walked over to look down at Roland Spade. ���He never saw it coming,��� he said. ���Where were you?���
���I had gone to the back. Mr. Spade wanted me to check the kitchen entrance and make sure it was locked. It was. I had told him it would be. The caterers used the side doors. I made sure the place was secure, but the shooter must have slipped in somehow with the staff and hid out before the party ever started. That takes dedication.���
Alex looked up to the second floor, where there was another team of two working that area.
���Well, he must have been waiting for the chance you���d be gone. Pretty brave move, doing it in front of everyone and just after the toast.���
���Yeah.���
Swanson sighed. ���Come on. Maybe you can give me a positive ID on this asshole. Tell me if he���s who I think he is.���
Alex nodded and followed the chief to the stairs. They went up and walked into the area where the crew was still taking photos and laying markers. It was all a lot of busywork that was solely to cover their asses. No one was going to trial for this.
Chief Swanson walked over and looked down at the man. ���Do you know him?���
���Danny Swearingen.���
���That���s who I thought he was. Only a sniper as good as him could pull something like this off with specific targets. It���s a wonder he didn���t get Fiona too.���
���I got to him before he could. He was in a good spot too. Unless you���re standing right down there where they were, you don���t have a good shot up here. I was already on my way back when I heard the first shot. It was during the toasts, so I think that���s why there was a delayed reaction from the crowd.���
���Well, some of the witnesses claim that they only saw him. So I���m pretty sure you���re right about it being one shooter. Any reason why he���d do the job? Someone hire him maybe?���
���Actually, I think it was personal with Swearingen. I know he used to work for Spade a while back, and I also know they had a falling out. It���s why Spade wanted me here. He was afraid of Swearingen and a few others. None of the others seemed like much of a threat.���
���Who were they?���
���Well, he thought Jack Wilde might attend, and with him and Fiona both here, he was afraid that whoever killed their old man might try to do the same to them.���
He glanced over at Roland. ���He and Wilde were shot in a similar manner. It���s possible. Let���s just hope we find something that helps us out.���
Alex agreed. ���It would seem likely with Spade and Wilde doing business together.���
���Yeah. I hope we���re right. But let���s keep digging. If we let a killer go on a hunch, we���re not doing our jobs.���
���I���m on it.���
���Get with Detective Russel later,��� he said. ���He was okay with me taking the helm before, but he���s starting to get a bit antsy about this one. I���ll hold him off as best as I can, but you know him.���
The detective was busy working the scene, and while Alex usually worked undercover, he had worked with Russel on many occasions.
���Looks like I���ll get my chance now.��� The man was walking over to them with a clipboard in his hand.
���Moore,��� he called, addressing Alex, ���I wanted to talk to you about your involvement.���
���What do you want to know?��� Alex wished the chief had stayed between him and Russel as he had with the Wilde investigation. He was back from his first vacation in five years and still acted like he had a wedge up his ass.
���Well, for one, what did you do with the necklace Eli gave you?���
���It���s in my pocket, and I���m going to return it to the owner. She���s in protective custody.���
Before he could make a fuss, Swanson spoke up. ���It���s hardly evidence, Russel. What do you want to do? Keep it locked up in evidence? For what? This case is solved.��� He nudged the dead man with his foot. ���This is our killer. I���m sure your evidence will indicate that to be true. Mrs. Wilde lost the necklace when Alex got her the hell out of here. He saved her life.���
���Good, I���d like to talk to her and get her account. There might have been a second shooter.���
���The only second shooter was me. I was hired to be on watch at the event, and I killed him after his third shot. You see where those landed. He���s an ex-Marine sniper. One of the best, and pulling this off was like morning coffee to him.���
���Funny how you always know so much about these people. And you���re a lousy guard.���
���It���s funny to me how you don���t know anything. Isn���t that your job, Detective? Oh, that���s right. That���s why the chief puts me on it instead of you. You handle the fluff. I���ve got the rest.��� He and Russel had never worked well together, and if the chief didn���t play referee on a daily basis, Alex would have already had him replaced.
���You���re an ass,��� said Russel, narrowing his grey eyes. Alex was about a foot taller and twice as bulky. It was like comparing a Semi to a Pinto.
Chief Swanson grumbled. ���Okay, I���m tired of you two pulling each other���s dicks. I told you this is a sensitive case, and I need Alex on it. I���m calling the shots until you two learn to play nice.���
Russel stormed away, not looking back as he ran down the stairs.
���That guy is such a pussy,��� said Alex, giving him a death stare.
���He���s a good detective. He just doesn���t know when to mind his own business.���
���Good thing for you, I do.���
Chief Swanson ignored that remark and looked down over the railing to the scene below. ���Well, this is all a waste of taxpayers��� dollars. If it were any other family, we���d be packed up and done with this already.�����
They went to the stairs.
���I���ll still look into it a bit, just in case,��� Alex said, pausing at the top step.��
���Okay. Well, I���m going back to the office.��� Chief Swanson turned to the forensic team. ���Get that piece of shit tagged and bagged. I want him out of here before he starts to stink any worse than he already does.���
The men nodded and went about their work.
When Alex got downstairs, he watched as they zipped up the old man���s body bag. Ethan lay in his, the zipper still down, while they arranged his hands and smoothed down his suit to close it.
You didn���t get her, you piece of shit. But nice try.
He stood and watched as he was zipped up, just like his father. ���Well, that takes care of that,��� he mumbled, shaking his head.
He was about to leave the scene when he spotted Rick, the washed-up reporter sneaking around behind one of the backdrops, a camera in his hand.
Alex let out a breath and shook his head. The man was never going to learn. He went the opposite way and made his way around so he could sneak up behind him.
���What have I told you?��� said Alex, tapping the asshole on the shoulder.
Rick turned around and cowered at the sight of Alex. ���I thought you left.���
���No, I was just going to take out the trash.��� He grabbed Rick���s camera strap and twisted it. Then he dragged him out of the side entrance, away from the credible sources and the few stragglers from the party who were still hanging around. They were all up at the front, and the other cops had done their job keeping them away.
He grabbed the man���s camera and took the card out.
���Hey! That���s mine. It���s my personal property!��� He tried to grab it, but Alex put his hand on the man���s forehead and pushed him away.
���You didn���t have any permission to be inside taking photos. Consider it confiscated.��� He took the camera and slammed it against the brick building. ���And now it���s trash. Good thing I���m working on that.���
���You���re a dick! I saw you run out of here with Fiona Wilde. You���re really protective of her, aren���t you? Seems like the two of you have a past. And now this is four deaths in her life in what, a matter of weeks?���
���Are you sniffing around for a fight? Because that���s all you���re going to find. Fiona Wilde���s name better never be spoken from your mouth again. Do you hear me?���
���Ah, she is something special. I have a feeling she���s the key to all of this. And when I find out if my hunch is right, I���ll expose you both. You might break my camera, but you can���t break me. I���m not afraid of you.���
���I wouldn���t be so sure about that.��� Alex took a step toward the man.
He scurried back, hopping on his feet like he was ready to run. ���I���m going to make you pay for that camera, too!���
Alex reached into his wallet, found a couple dollar bills, and threw them at him. ���Here, go buy yourself another cheap piece of shit.���
He reached into his pants and pulled out his phone. ���I���ll use this on you. Everyone will see how you treat me.��� He fumbled with the phone as if he had no idea how to use the device.
Alex walked away, finding his car. He needed to get back to Fiona before she woke up. If she had ever gotten any sleep.
He got in his car and drove back to the motel. He parked, took a deep breath, and got out to go inside. Having her there was against his deal with Jack, but he had to do it to save her life, and maybe this was just the loophole he could take advantage of.
He went in to find her sound asleep, her hand tucked up to her chin and the big ring still on her finger.
Alex sighed, thinking he should have never had her put it back on, but at least he had just saved himself from a huge mistake.
He undressed, put on a pair of shorts, and crawled into the bed, careful not to disturb her.
