“It is the car I owned,” Charlie said.
Sin’s head snapped in his direction. “What?”
“It took me quite a while to find it but, hey, if I could figure out the Kennedy assassination then I thought finding an old car would be easy. I found it northeast of Boston. It was a real mess, but I massaged her back into shape.” He lovingly ran his hand over the hood. “All matching numbers. 383 small block, just the way it should be.”
“Charlie, I can’t—”
“Of course you can. And you will. Let’s not kid ourselves, Sinclair. I could tell by your eyes when you first saw me that you know I have cancer. It’s an inoperable brain tumor. I also know you traced my cell and know that I was in Sweden when I called. I was actually there the entire time I was gone, getting an experimental treatment.”
Tears fell down Sin’s face as she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on as if her life depended on it.
Charlie kissed her tears as they fell. “What the heck are you crying for? It worked!”
She looked at him in wonder, not knowing whether to be happy, sad, or to just punch him in the jaw for scaring the hell out of her.
“I’m not cancer free,” he said. “Never will be. But it’s in remission, and I have at least one good year left.” He reached into his pants pocket and handed her a key ring. “These are yours on one condition.”
“What would that be,” Sin said, wiping her nose with her own shirt sleeve.
Charlie watched and his face puckered like he just ate a lemon. “Make that two conditions.”
Sin laughed and punched him on the shoulder. “What’s the condition, old man?”
“I want to take a trip home; a trip to where I grew up so I can see my parents’ graves, visit whatever relatives I have left, and I want you to come with me.”
“Trip where?” Sin leaned back against the car. “Relatives?” She crossed her arms and looked dismayed at what Charlie had just said. “Home? Charlie, what are you talking about? I thought you were born in Key West. You told me you were the last of the Johnsons.”
“Well, sometimes we make our own truths in order to wipe away the pain,” he answered. “Truth is, I was born in Meredith, New Hampshire. My parents passed away when I was young. My mom when I was fourteen, my dad when I was eighteen. That’s when I left New England for Quantico. There just never seemed any reason to go back. I landed in Key West during an assignment that took me to Cuba. I loved the Keys and never left. I am the last of the Johnsons, but there is another side to my family.”
“And what side would that be?”
Sin’s phone rang. “It’s Frank.”
“You better answer it.”
Sin listened and gave an occasional ah-ha. “Would you mind if I put you on speaker for the last part of that dissertation,” Sin interrupted, teasingly. “It involves Charlie, also.”
Frank agreed.
Sin placed her phone on speaker and held it out for Charlie to hear.
“The salvage crew located Miranda’s car under the Rickenbacker Causeway. They also found the skeletal remains of Brianna Willow.”
“You’re sure it was her?” Sin said.
“Of course I’m sure.” His voice rose in amplitude as he continued, “I’m staring at the forensics report as we speak.”
Sin winked at Charlie as Frank grew angrier with each word. “Don’t get your panties in a wad, Frank. I’m just dotting my ‘i’s’ and crossing my ‘t’s.’ ”
“Speaking of that, Agent O’Malley, where is the official report that was supposed to be filed this morning, and why haven’t I heard from you?”
“Sorry, Frank, you’re breaking up. I will call you later.” Sin hung up as Frank was in mid yell.
“Why do you push his buttons like that, Sinclair?”
“I’m still pissed off at him for canning my ass seven years ago. This is just a little payback.”
Charlie laughed. “Remind me never to get on your bad side.”
“Consider yourself warned. You were about to tell me about the other side of your family when Frank called.”
“There will be time later. What’s your plan?”
“I’m going to meet up with Fletch and Garcia. Sergeant Glenn’s men will keep an eye on Ashley while we decide our next step.”
She straddled her Harley, tying her hair back in a quick braid, secured by a rubber band.
“I’d like to come along,” Charlie said.
Sin cocked her head to the side as she slid her sunglasses over her eyes.
“I started this case forty-five years ago and I’d like to finish it, if that’s okay with you.”
Sin nodded. “I will meet you at the Miami Beach office. Oh, and by the way, sorry about your boat.”
“Consider this paying me back in full,” Charlie said.
70
It was almost eleven p.m. by the time Sin and Charlie arrived at the district office. Everyone was happy to see Charlie, especially Evelyn.
“I finally get to meet the infamous Barracuda,” she beamed. “It’s not every day you get to meet a living legend.”
“Barracuda?” Sin said. “Oh, I’ve got to hear this one.”
“Nothing to tell, Sinclair,” Charlie said as he cupped Evelyn’s hand between both of his. “We all had monikers back then, that’s all.”
“Sure, whatever you say, Cuda.”
Charlie ignored her biting wit and held on to Evelyn’s hand a little longer than necessary. “Please call me Charlie.”
Evelyn blushed. “And you can call me Eve.”
“Okay, now that everyone’s hot and sticky, can we please meet in the conference room? I want a report on the information I asked for, Ashley’s daily activities, and we’ll need a fresh pot of coffee. It’s been a long day.”
They all sat around the table with Garcia taking post in front of the whiteboard. “Evelyn was able to obtain the security footage from the apartment complex where Joel lived.” He turned on the laptop which was attached
