Payback by Lee Goldberg

Author:Lee Goldberg [Goldberg, Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Adventures in Television
Published: 2009-10-06T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

Monday, May 21, 10:23 a.m.

Macklin's helicopter streaked over Chace Harbor, where the frothy swells were cluttered with all manner of pleasure craft, and across the rooftops of dozens of stylish condominium and apartment complexes.

Looming up in front of Macklin were the four, staple-shaped Marina Del Rey towers, facing each other and forming an imposing, eighteen-story steel cloverleaf without the rounded edges. A shimmering blue swimming pool and lush green putting green filled the center space between the towers.

"It's the tower on your left," Shaw instructed.

The helicopter veered towards the building and closed on it in a slow, gentle descent. Mordente hastily finished wiping the blood off her arms and face with alcohol-soaked gauze pads from Macklin's first aid kit.

A pale young police officer who looked like he was just out of high school appeared on the roof as the helicopter touched down. He had a perplexed, lost expression on his face. Macklin pushed open his door and jumped out, faintly aware of how strange he must look in his Kevlar vest and jogging shorts. Why, he wondered, had Shaw insisted they come here?

Shaw and Mordente dashed past him. The reporter shot an icy glare at Macklin and stayed close to Shaw's side. Her hair was mussed, her face was lined with scratches, and her blouse and slacks were specked with dirt and blood. Yet she hardly showed the trauma. Her stance was firm, and her face reflected a strong anger and determination. Her whole body radiated strength. Macklin regarded her with genuine admiration. She was quite a woman.

Macklin remained at the helicopter and watched while the officer animatedly explained something to Shaw, who waved Macklin over with his arm.

"C'mon, Mack," Shaw yelled over the sounds of the whirring chopper blades. Macklin reluctantly sprinted to the doorway to the stairs leading into the building. Their footsteps clattered down the stairwell to the penthouse.

"Tate was found ten minutes ago by one of his aides," Shaw explained as he turned and started down the second flight of stairs. "The aide called the paramedics and the police. Unfortunately there's nothing any of us can do."

"What do you mean?" Mordente asked impatiently.

Shaw pushed open the door that led to a hallway carpeted with thick, white shag. The walls were covered in dark wood. Two medics paced in the hallway in front of a pair of open double doors and turned abruptly when Shaw, Macklin, and Mordente appeared in the hallway. Behind them, in the living room, Macklin could see two bodies crumpled on the floor and splashes of blood on the walls.

"Hey, don't be mad at us, we're just following the law here," one medic said, raising his hands defensively in front of his chest and nodding his head toward the door to his right.

"They don't pay us enough to deal with that shit," the other one said, dispensing with a defensive posture altogether.

Macklin and Mordente followed Shaw past the medics and right through the double doors. Mordente involuntarily grabbed Macklin's wrist in terrified surprise and froze in the doorway.

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