by Robin Mahle
“Good.” Franklin started to leave. “I’ll be in touch after I meet with Sadler.”
“Hey, Franklin, don’t go in there wired, okay? I know we’re close to nailing him, but people are dropping like flies.”
“How else am I supposed to get something we can use?”
“Just find out where his people are. We find them, we’ll bring them in. Sadler won’t be far behind,” Milo replied.
“If you say so. This is your operation.”
Milo waited for Franklin to leave before picking up his phone. He double-checked the time noting that it was later in the day than he thought. With the phone to his ear, he waited for her to answer.
“Milo,” Allison began. “You have no idea how good it is to hear from you.”
“Allison. Am I disturbing you? You sound half-asleep.”
“It’s been a long day and I didn’t sleep last night, so I was just closing my eyes. There are things we need to discuss and…”
“Listen, something’s about to happen and I need to make sure you and Charlie don’t get caught in the middle of it.”
“What do you mean? What’s going on, Milo? Because last night, well, let’s just say Charlie and I came across some men who we’re pretty sure were responsible for the murder of Finley Dawson.”
“Wait. Hold on. What?” A heated flush crawled up his neck and landed on his rounded cheeks.
“I couldn’t just sit and wait for you and Shane to track down the Mercedes. We needed to know if there was anything at Fin’s house that would explain his connections and if it related to Tommy Boyce. I understand it was dangerous…”
“No. No, you can’t be serious. Criminy sakes, Allison. Do you have any idea what could’ve happened to you two? There are people embroiled in this that you wouldn’t want to cross paths with, you understand?”
“I know. I know. But Milo, hear me out,” she pleaded. “We found something. Charlie found it. It was a flash drive. Some man I don’t know, but it seems you might, was on that video and discussed the mayor, Clay Sadler. Then there’s video proof that the mayor’s people threatened Fin. It had to have been Sadler’s people who killed Fin and probably Tommy, too. Milo, you said you were working with Tommy to help bring down Carlos Diaz. You knew what Fin was doing, too, didn’t you? After you sat there and told me he and Tommy were just helping each other out.”
Milo inhaled a breath to tamp down his anger and guilt. “I didn’t know everything Dawson was dealing with, but I knew it had something do with my investigation. He was FBI. I didn’t get in his way. But how could you go back to his house? Allison, the FBI is going to be all over this.”
“No doubt. But you’re missing my point. We have evidence that the mayor threatened Fin.”
“Indirectly,” he shot back. “Things are going on behind the scenes that you have no idea about.”
“Then maybe it’s time you fill me in because here I thought we were on the right track. And now Lucy Boyce is missing. Did you know that? That’s what Charlie and I have been doing most of the day—trying to find her.”
“I know where she is,” he interjected. “She’s safe and far away from here. My God, Allison. Why didn’t you come to me with any of this? The risks you took. I told you I’ve been working on something.”
“You took her? Milo, I’ve been worried sick that she was in danger.”
“Hey, the last we spoke, you were cozying up to Tracy Diaz’s friends who you thought might know something. Allison, you said nothing about the rest of it. I thought I could trust you to do what you set out to do, not get sidetracked and risk your life and Charlie’s.”
“Yeah, I went my own way, but Milo, it paid off. Tell me this video evidence will help bring down the mayor, Carlos Diaz and whoever else is wrapped up in this insane investigation. And then, you can tell me when you’re going to bring home Lucy.”
“Do you have the flash drive?” Milo asked.
“I left if with Shane. He was going to take it to Detective Montoya.”
“When?” Milo jumped in.
“Now, I imagine.”
“I have to go.” Milo ended the call and grabbed his keys, rushing through the door of his office. He picked up his cell phone again and pressed Shane’s contact. “Sully, did you hand over the flash drive Allison gave you?”
“You know about that?” Shane asked.
“Did you turn it over?” He demanded.
“I was going to but Montoya’s out. Due back inside the hour. I didn’t tell him about it over the phone because I didn’t know who he was with or who else might be listening. What’s going on, Milo?”
“Sit tight. Don’t do anything. Don’t hand over that flash drive. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” Milo ended the call and headed straight into the parking lot.
The sun had set, and the street lamps flickered on. Milo fidgeted with his keys before pressing the button on the fob to unlock his doors. The pearl-white Lexus sedan flashed its lights and clicked open. He slid onto the ivory leather driver’s seat and pressed the button to start the engine. With the Bluetooth button on the steering wheel, he made the call to Franklin.
“Milo, long time, no hear,” Franklin joked.
“We have ourselves a real problem, Franklin. I have people going rogue on me and now I have to find a way to stop them before it hits the fan.”
“I just left you. What happened?”
Milo turned the wheel and peered over his shoulder before merging onto the highway. “I’m headed to the police station to see Detective Shane Sullivan. Allison found some new information and I need to make sure it doesn’t implicate you.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“My friend, Allison Hart? She broke into Dawson’s home hours after he was murdered. Long story short, she found video evidence of a threat to Dawson’s life on the order of Clay Sadler. And there’s another video too. I won’t know until I see it, but I have a feeling it’s you talking to Dawson two days before he was killed.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah. I’ll get with Sullivan and clean this up.”
“Milo, whatever evidence he has will need to be put on hold until we find Sadler’s men. Forget about what he’s got on me. If not, and the cops go after Sadler, his people will scatter in the wind. We’ll never learn if there’s anyone higher on the food chain involved and we’ll never put those men in jail for the murders.”
“Believe me, I am well aware of that. Which is exactly why I’m going to talk to Sullivan now. I’ll keep you posted. Stick to our initial plan.”
“You know I will,” Franklin replied.
Milo pressed the end-call button and drove hastily toward the station. His anger at what Allison had done masked his true feelings. She could so easily have been scrubbed the same way Dawson had been. And it would have been Milo’s fault. He put her in the line of fire the moment he facilitated an introduction to Tommy Boyce. “But it was just supposed to be pictures.” He shook his head knowing that it had gone so utterly cockeyed that he’d lost control of the situation. And it could have meant Allison’s life and Charlie’s. That was the reason he directed his anger toward her. Fairness didn’t play into it.
Milo pulled into the parking lot of the station and started inside; his soft belly bouncing as he hurried.
“Hi, Milo. What are you doing here?” The officer behind the admin desk smiled at him.
“Can’t talk now, Reese. Need to find Sully.”
She pointed toward the bullpen. “He’s at his desk.”
“Thanks.” He waved without stopping and marched onward to Shane’s desk. “We need to talk.”
“Good evening to you too, Milo,” Shane replied.
“You still have the flash drive?” Milo dropped into the chair across from him and was out of breath.
“Right here.” He held the drive between his index finger and thumb. “I hope you have a good reason for asking me to hold onto this.”
“Buddy, you have no idea.�
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Allison sat on the edge of the sofa reflecting on what Milo had said. Maybe she wasn’t cut out for this line of work. Her disregard for her own safety was bad enough, but then to drag Charlie into it made it that much worse. Milo had trusted her to follow the leads they discussed. And she had until a wild hair crawled up her backside and led her in a different direction. One she thought would end it. Instead, it seems to have compounded whatever situation Milo was handling.
She eyed her car keys on the side table near the front door. Then she eyed the hall toward Nolan’s bedroom. Tomorrow was his big chance and she couldn’t miss it. He would be trying out for the Triple A team. What a strange thing to think about and how entirely normal in her current world filled with murderers and crooks.
“It’s almost over.” She tried to convince herself it was true. Allison marched toward the door, swiped the keys from the table and walked out. She was going to the station.
Allison stepped into her faded blue Honda and keyed the ignition, reversing out of the driveway. Glare from the streetlamps shone through her back window as she made her way onto the road causing her to squint, but her eyes quickly sharpened, and she headed toward the station.
The bridge was just ahead, and Allison caught sight of headlights in her rearview mirror. She glanced at the vehicle but continued. It wasn’t until she realized that at each turning, the car seemed to follow. Allison paid closer attention. “Don’t be paranoid like the last time. Stay calm,” she told herself.
Allison slowed and the car slowed behind her. She sped and the car followed. “The Mercedes.” She pulled off the road, diverting from her intended destination and instead headed toward Downtown where lights were abundant. She eyed her cell phone in the center console. Help was only a phone call away if she needed it. But she wasn’t about to alert anyone until she knew for certain this was actually happening.
“You want to follow me? Come on, then. I’ll lead the way.” She peered through the rearview mirror again and headed toward the well-lit area of bars and restaurants. The car followed and it didn’t take long to see what she initially suspected. “I figured that was you. How did you find me?” She rummaged through the past few days’ memories and thought she had been careful to avoid detection. But then how to explain this? Something she did or something she said brought the men in the Mercedes to her now and while drilling down for an answer was important, perhaps she was overlooking the significance of this event. Allison could be in real trouble. And she was reminded of Fin’s haunting words of warning.
It was time to double back and go to the police station. They were trying to intimidate her, which was working, but she wasn’t about to engage these dangerous men.
Allison stopped at the next light and turned left. The Mercedes followed. She continued until reaching the bridge. On the other side of that bridge was the police station—only a few minutes, ten at most, away from her current location.
She leaned over and opened the glove box, and as it dropped down, her gun fell forward. Allison started carrying a gun after a case a couple of years ago. A man who had for years been defrauding the system to pull in tens of thousands of dollars in disability payments didn’t take too kindly to Allison confronting him on that mild winter’s day.
The man had rushed toward Allison and shoved her against her car. He then used his forearm to press on her neck. She’d never been so afraid in her life. When the man finally calmed down and God only knew why he did, he released her. From that point on, Allison carried a gun. She’d been trained and wasn’t afraid to use it. Though she hoped it wouldn’t come to that tonight. “Stay in the car. Go to the station.” Her words of assurance were doing little to calm her nerves.
Unless these men were crazy, which was a possibility, they wouldn’t follow her to the stationhouse. She would be safe and now could identify them without a doubt. Maybe that would be enough to both smooth things over with Milo and help put them in jail for murdering Fin Dawson and probably Tommy Boyce, too.
With the gun resting on her lap, Allison drove on, keeping one eye on her rearview. So far, they weren’t leaving. “You’re going all the way, huh?”
When she made it across the bridge, the Mercedes roared toward her, inching so close she could have sworn it was about to hit her bumper. Her heart raced and her pupils shrunk into tiny specs. With her attention diverted from the road, the bumps along the shoulder sounded as her tires veered toward them. “Shit.” Allison pulled back, nearly overcorrecting. The Mercedes continued to ride her tail. Now it was time to panic.
Allison held the gun in her right hand and kept her left on the wheel. She thought about Nolan and the prospect she would miss his tryout tomorrow. Allison was first and foremost, a mother. Thinking about her children even in the face of danger couldn’t be helped.
The car swerved to the side and pulled up next to her. The man in the passenger seat glared.
Allison recognized him immediately. The man who was at Fin’s home. It was the younger one, the one who didn’t say much. But at that moment, Allison realized he identified her as well. His eyes sparked with that flash of recognition and suddenly, Allison felt like this was it. This was how it was going to end.
“No!” She slammed on the brakes and dropped back, far back from the men who were after her. With a sharp pull on the wheel, she spun around and started in the opposite direction. There was another way out and it came to her in an instant. She reached for her phone and while trying to keep ahead of the Mercedes before it turned around, she called Shane. Relief swelled in her chest the moment he answered.
“Oh, thank God. Shane, I’m in trouble. I’m being followed by the Mercedes.”
“Where are you?” Shane’s tone was sharp with worry.
“Downtown. I’m on my way to see you…”
“Allison, listen to me, drive to the nearest station. There’s a substation 4 blocks from the business district, off Granby Street. Go there—now!”
“What if they follow?” Her voice cracked.
“I’m going to tell them you’ll be there any minute. Someone will be outside. No way those guys will get that close, not unless they’re stupid. And somehow, I don’t think they are. Put me on speaker and set down your phone. I’m not leaving you.”
Allison placed her phone on speaker and listened as Shane used his landline and made the call to the substation. She was close and knew the street but couldn’t recall the police station. A quick check in her mirror; they were gaining on her. “Come on. Come on!” She slammed down the gas pedal and the 4-cylinder engine whined.
“Allison, I’m on my way. They know you’re coming. Stay on the line,” Shane said.
She could hear Milo’s voice in the background. What was he doing there? It didn’t matter. What mattered was that she made it to the station in time.
“How close are you, Allison?” Shane asked as he started the engine of his car.
“Close. A block, maybe two. They’re still on me and coming up fast.”
“Stay calm. We’ll be there soon.”
Allison recognized this new voice. “Milo, is that you?”
“I’m here with Shane. Just stay focused, okay? Get there as fast as you can.”
Allison nodded and remained eagle-eyed on the road ahead. “I see it! I’m almost there.” She dared to allow a hint of relief, but this wasn’t over yet. “Come on baby, just get me there,” she said to the car.
It was just ahead now—a few hundred yards, at best. The Mercedes roared up to her once again. When she peered into the rearview mirror, it seemed to drop back. Its headlights became smaller as it fell farther away. “They’re leaving. Oh my God. They’re leaving.” Allison pulled to a stop directly in front of the station where two uniformed officers stood outside.
She thrust the gearshift into park and leaped out of her car, her gun tumbling to the ground.
“Are you Allison Hart?” One of the officers asked.
“Yes. They’re gone. They saw me coming
here and they’re gone now.” She turned back just to be certain.
“Come inside. Detective Sullivan is on his way.”
“Hang on. I need to grab my phone.” Allison returned to her car only a few feet away and spotted her gun on the ground near the driver’s seat. She yanked her phone from the console and stored the gun in the glovebox once again. “Okay. I’m coming.”
25
The doors of the police substation burst open and Shane and Milo hurried inside. The small outpost was virtually empty and it was easy to spot Allison.
“Thank God you’re okay.” Shane rushed to her side before turning his sights to the officer at his desk. “Did you get the plates?”
“Running them now,” he replied.
“It was the same one, I know it was,” Allison replied.
“I know. We just have to be sure,” Shane replied.
Milo, who caught up to them, put his hand on Allison’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re safe.”
“They’re behind all of it,” Allison began. “I don’t know who they work for, but it has to be…”
Milo raised his hand to stop her. “We’ll find them, don’t you worry about that.”
The other cop who had waited outside approached with a piece of paper in his hand. “I got a hit on that plate. Care to take a look?”
Shane took the paper from him and studied it with Milo peering over his shoulder. “Matches what we found on Charlie’s phone.” He looked at the officer again. “Did anything come up on this name? Criminal records?”
“No, sir.”
Shane nodded. “Yeah, we didn’t have much luck on that front either. Okay, thank you. We have some work ahead of us. This car has been involved in other investigations. This is good work.”
“I’m glad we could help.” The officer turned to Allison. “You’re a gutsy woman, Ms. Hart. Most people would’ve panicked, but you stayed clear-headed and knew where to go.”
