Caliber Detective Agency - Box Set - Case Files 1-6 by Donald Wells Page A

money they had stolen from the bank, as their grips grew tighter on their guns.
    “Three!”
    Six guns rose, their barrels aiming at Jake, as his hand flew to his holster, then six fingers began tightening on six triggers, as six bullets flew from Jake’s gun, and six men fell dead at his feet.
    The good citizens of Dallas, some tucked away safely inside, peeking from windows, a few, hidden beneath the wooden sidewalks, others, lying flat atop roofs, trembling in their fear.
    These are the people that witnessed the birth of a legend, and to their last breath, they would claim that it was the most amazing thing they ever saw.
    The door of the jail leaped open and Eva stepped around the dead men, and flew into Jake’s arms, as tears of both joy and fear rolled down her cheeks.
    They were soon joined by dozens of their fellows, and in the weeks and months that followed, the name, Jake Caliber, would become known across the land; a name that to this very day, is still a legend.
    ***
    N ew York City, Present day
    “Someone here to see you, Lou,”
    Lieutenant Thomas Delaney looked up from his desk and saw Officer Shea O’Reilly standing in his doorway, behind her stood Chris Caliber. O’Reilly was five-two, a hundred and twenty pounds with short dark hair and a dark complexion; when she spoke, her voice was pure Brooklyn.
    O’Reilly was chewing gum, and she made a loud popping noise with it, as she tossed a thumb back at Chris.
    “The kid here claims to be a Caliber, but I thought that they were all nine feet tall and wore red capes.”
    Chris smiled. “You’re thinking of my grandfather, and he’s ten feet tall.”
    O’Reilly turned around and sent him a grin.
    “You’re a Caliber all right, you’ve got the wise mouth, and hey, when you see your brother, tell him that I’m still waiting for that call.”
    “What call?”
    “He’ll know what I mean. Now stop wasting my time and go in and visit the Lou, see ya around.”
    Chris watched O’Reilly walk off and thought that the gun on her uniform-clad hip looked too big for her; he then looked over at Delaney.
    “She’s cute.”
    “She’d eat you alive.”
    “Probably, why does she call you Lou?”
    “It’s short for Lieutenant,”
    “Right,” Chris said, as he walked in the office and sat across from Delaney.
    Tom Delaney looked at him and let out a sigh, before reaching into his wallet and taking out two twenties, which he then tossed over to Chris.
    Chris looked down at the money.
    “What’s that for?”
    “One each for your brother and your grandfather; I bet them that you wouldn’t come here, wouldn’t keep digging into the Reuben Smith/Mira Asher mess. You’d think I’d know better than to bet against a Caliber’s stubbornness.”
    Chris grinned as he picked up the money.
    “Granddad knew that I wouldn’t give up?”
    “And Jake too,”
    “So, what do you think about the case? I can tell you that Mira never called her husband, which means that she had a partner.”
    “Only if you believe that she murdered him, and that it wasn’t a case of self-defense,”
    “I think it was planned. I think Reuben Smith never mugged anyone, that Mira’s dates were beaten up by her partner, and that that partner also made the call that sent Reuben Smith rushing to her apartment. I also think that same person killed her, but staged it to look like a suicide.”
    “Let’s say that’s all true, now what?”
    “We follow the money. Before her death, Mira inherited Smith’s money, now who inherits hers?”
    Tom Delaney looked down at a paper on his desk.
    “Her next of kin is a younger sister named Michelle. She lives in California, the San Francisco area.”
    “Let me guess, she’s been in town visiting?”
    “No, Ms. Asher, wait, Mrs. Garrett, according to this she just got married, is at home in California, and has been all week. The cops out there verified her whereabouts.”
    “Well, if she’s not our anonymous partner, then I’d vote for