Across State Lines

by C. J. Johnson

  “Okay.”

  London stood on the stool next to her coat hook. Frankie watched as the tiny girl stood on her tiptoes and pulled the jacket from the hook. She took great pains in buttoning each button of the purple garment. When she was finished, she said, “I’m ready now.”

  Noticing a backpack on the hook where her coat had hung, Frankie asked, “Do you go to school?”

  “Yes. I go to Miss Ebony’s class.”

  “Cool. Let’s get some things for you to do at the hospital.”

  Frankie helped London get a coloring book, crayons, and her teddy and put them inside her backpack.

  “Miss Ebony won’t like me putting this stuff in my pack back. It’s s’posed to only be for my papers from my school.”

  Frankie smiled at the way she transposed the words back and pack. Her son Tyler used to do the same thing.

  “I think it’ll be okay this one time.”

  “She says we can’t bring stuff from home to school ‘cause it makes kids fight.”

  Frankie pulled a business card from her badge holder, wrote a note on the back, and handed it to London. “If Miss Ebony says anything tomorrow you can give her this card, okay? It’s a special, one-time-only, take stuff from home in my school bag, kind of card.”

  London’s eyes lit up, “Really?”

  “Yep. If you show her this card, she’ll say it’s okay this one time. Okay?”

  London nodded vigorously.

  Chapter 17

  London’s grandmother arrived at the house just as Frankie was preparing to take her to the hospital. Once the grandmother and child were gone, Frankie let out a deep sigh.

  Mia turned to her partner and asked, “Do you want to hear the rest of the story?”

  Frankie laid her head against the outside wall of the house and asked, “Do I want to know what this was about? Did you see the bullet hole in the seat by where London was sitting?”

  “Yeah, and yes you do. Apparently, London’s dad and this other dude got into it on the phone. Based on the kitchen, I’m going to say it was over drugs. Definitely crack and maybe some weed. Anyway, the fight escalated, and the guy said he was going to come over and light the place up. London’s dad Jerome, and his brother Dominick, told him to bring it, they would be outside waiting. Sure enough, the guy comes over and Jerome was true to his word. He was waiting on the porch with Dominick, a handgun and an SKS. Dude gets out of the car and starts waving his gun around. They exchanged a few rounds and the guy got into his car and left. Jerome and Dom weren’t sure if they hit him. Dom tossed the SKS to the side of the house when he realized his brother was hit and the cops were going to come.”

  Frankie shook her head.

  “Can you believe that dumbass with the tourniquet? I don’t know what he thought he was doing putting that belt on the wrong leg.”

  At that both women started to laugh.

  Frankie looked at her watch then at Mia, “Want to try to go to the house on Wabash again? Mac and Payne are going to be out here all night, but I bet we can get Fitz to go with us.”

  Mia looked at her watch. 8:40 PM. “Sure, we can try it.”

  Frankie waved Fitzmeyer over and he agreed to go with the two detectives. The trio walked back through the houses, following the path they had taken earlier. The street was quiet compared to the scene they left, with only the occasional bark of a dog or sound of a car nearby.

  Frankie stood adjacent to the front door, took a deep breath and then knocked. A few moments passed before she heard a throaty, “What? Who is it?”

  “Kansas City Missouri Police Department.”

  “Just a minute.” The sound of boots hitting the floor echoed from behind the closed door. The door was opened slightly, chain still clasped.

  Frankie held up her badge and asked, “Are you Bruce?”

  “Why do you want to know?”

  “Sir, we have reason to believe you may have some information on a case we are working. Can you open the door, please?”

  The door slammed in Frankie’s face. She raised her hand to knock again but stopped mid-air when she heard the chain being undone.

  “Come inside. I don’t want no one seeing me talk to you.”

  Chapter 18

  Frankie walked through the front door, scanning the room for people and weapons as they entered.

  “You can have a seat at the table,” Bruce said.

  “Thank you.”

  Fitz asked, “Is there anyone else here with you?”

  “No. It’s just me. My girl’s at the store.”

  “Mind if Detective Boden and I take a look? We’re just looking for people. Nothing else,” Fitz said.

  Bruce shrugged his shoulders and said, “Go ‘head. You ain’t going to find nothin’.”

  After collecting Bruce’s demographic data, Frankie grabbed the piece of paper she had forgotten was inside her pocket. “Do you recognize this girl?

  Bruce looked at the photo carefully. Under his breath he said, “That didn’t take long.”

  Frankie’s expression didn’t falter as she waited for him to explain.

  “Yeah. I recognize her. She okay?”

  “How do you know her?”

  Bruce stood up and started to pace. Frankie sat patiently and waited. After a few moments he returned to his seat and exhaled loudly.

  “Couple days ago, I got a call from one of my son’s associates. He said he was coming by and needed to leave something at my house while he took care of some business. I told him no because I was getting ready to go to work, but ‘bout ten minutes went by and there was a knock at my back door. I looked out my kitchen window and see Corey standing there. I opened the door and asked him what the hell he wanted. I didn’t have time for him or his nonsense. He told me he needed to stash that girl in the picture down in my basement while he used her car. I looked out at the car but only saw William and one other boy with him. I told him to quit playin’ and went to get my lunch from the refrigerator. Next thing I know he and that other boy are lifting that girl out of the trunk and bringing her in through the back door.”

  “How exactly were they bringing her in?”

  “They were carrying her. Cory had a hold of her at her shoulders and the other boy had her feet.”

  “Did you notice anything about the girl?”

  “She looked scared. She had duct tape on her hands and legs. Another strip was across her mouth.”

  “What happened next?”

  “I asked what in the hell they were doing, that’s what happened next. They told me the same thing again, and I told them to put her in the living room.”

  “Did they do what you told them to do?”

  Big Bruce nodded. “Those boys know I don’t play. After they put her down, Corey came back into the kitchen with William. Corey was spouting off about how that girl had disrespected him. He was going to leave her here while he went and took care of some business. He handed me a cellphone and said he was going to call it when he was on his way back to get her. He said not to worry about her seeing our faces ‘cause she wasn’t going to be able to do anything about it when he finished with her.”

  “What do you think Corey meant by that?”

  “What do you think he meant, detective? From what I hear, Corey isn’t someone you want to mess with and he was pretty pissed off when they got here. But I didn’t see him do anything to that girl.”

  “Do you know where the third guy was?”

  “I think he was in the living room with the girl. Keeping an eye on her, I guess.”

  “About how long were they alone?”

  Bruce shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. Five minutes? Ten?”

  “What happened next?”

  “The boys left. I called off work. I wasn’t ‘bout to leave her or them boys in my house by themselves. When they were gone, I went in to check on her. She was on the couch. Her arms and legs were taped up but the tape was off of her mouth. I asked her if she was hungry and made her
some food. I also cut the tape on her legs and hands so she could move around a little bit.”

  “Why didn’t you call the police?”

  “I didn’t want to get in the middle of their beef. I figured they was together and had gotten into it over something stupid. With some time, he’d cool off and bring her car back.”

  Frankie resisted the urge to call the man a dumbass. To herself, she thought, “Apparently, it’s okay to duct tape someone and put them in the trunk of a car if you are having a lover’s spat.”

  “After a while, it didn’t seem like they were going to come back and my lady friend was coming by. I wasn’t about listening to her bitch at me for having a girl in my house, so I took her where she wanted to go.”

  “How did you end up with her cellphone?”

  “The boys came back to the house a few hours after I dropped that girl off at the bus stop.”

  Frankie waited to see if Bruce would elaborate. When he did not, she asked, “What happened then?”

  “Corey started runnin’ his mouth so I told him to leave. I told you he had plans for that girl and he was pissed that I quashed them.”

  “Did he tell you exactly what his plans were?”

  Bruce paused before answering, but then said, “All he said was if they ever found her body, it would be down the river a ways.”

  “How did your lady friend end up with her phone?”

  Bruce chuckled. “She saw it lying on the kitchen counter and thought I bought it for her. It made her happy, so I didn’t say nothing.”

  “Do you know any of the boys’ names? Or how we can reach them?”

  Bruce hesitated and then said, “They are my son’s associates, not mine. I know William ‘cause him and Li’l Bruce played basketball together. I’ve only seen Corey a time or two. The other boy – I ain’t never seen him before.”

  “Can you call Li’l Bruce and see if he has William’s number?”

  “He’s locked up, so I can’t call him.”

  “Is he in county or state,” Fitz asked.

  “County. They got him on a bullshit dope charge.”

  “They are always bullshit,” Frankie thought. To Bruce she said, “What about William’s last name?”

  “I’m not sure if he has his momma’s name or his daddy’s. I only know his momma.”

  Frankie was getting tired of playing games with Bruce but patiently, she asked, “What’s his momma’s name?”

  “Miss Laronda. Cole, I think.”

  Frankie handed Bruce her business card, “Give me a call if you think of anything else.”

  Bruce nodded. He was about to escort them to the door when his lady friend walked in with a bag of groceries.

  “Who the hell are you?” she demanded.

  “I’m Detective Thomas, and these are my colleagues Detectives Boden and Fitzmeyer. We understand Bruce gave you a new phone yesterday.”

  “What about it,” was her gruff reply.

  “We think it may belong to a young woman named Heather. Can I please see the one Bruce gave you?”

  The woman shot Bruce a look filled with anger, then retrieved the phone from her bag. A silver iPhone with a pink Hello Kitty case.

  Chapter 19

  Frankie leaned her head against the headrest and said, “What a night.”

  “No kidding,” Mia said.

  “I just want to go home and give my kids a hug. That little girl could have died tonight. I wonder if her parents realize just how close that bullet came to their daughter?”

  “I doubt it. I don’t think we were dealing with the brightest bulbs in the box. I mean the dumbass uncle didn’t even realize the tourniquet was on the wrong leg Frankie.”

  With that both women broke into a sleep-deprived, stress-relieving laughter. They laughed so hard they fought to catch their breath as tears filled their eyes. Laughter was the release they both needed to cope with a scene that could have ended so differently. In the midst of their laughter Frankie’s phone rang.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Frankie said. “Sex Crimes, Thomas.”

  “Hey Frankie, it’s Fitz.”

  “Don’t tell me you scared up another scene.”

  Laughing, Fitz said, “No. I was driving home, and it dawned on me that we never talked about the tattoo.”

  Frankie put her cell on speakerphone. “Heather’s tattoo matched the tattoo on the other women. When I asked her about it, she clammed up so I thought I’d do some research before I bring it up again. I don’t think the guys that kidnapped and raped her are connected to the homicide cases, but I’d bet money she is connected to the women. The tattoo and its location are too unique. At the very least, I bet she can help us figure out who else is involved.”

  “Let me know what you find out. Did you want to try to talk to Tessa again?”

  Frankie looked at Mia and chuckled.

  “She shut Mia and me down pretty quick the other day but I’m willing to try again. Maybe tomorrow?”

  Mia nodded.

  “Fitz, we’ll try again tomorrow.”

  After Frankie and Mia said their good-byes in the parking lot, Frankie sat in her Jeep and stared at her cell phone. She pulled up Derek’s contact and was about to hit the send button but stopped herself. She wouldn’t, no, she couldn’t, call him. Frankie put the Jeep in first and headed towards home.

  The ten-minute drive went by quickly. Frankie pulled into her dark driveway and shut off the engine. She leaned her head against the headrest for a moment before grabbing her bag and jumping out. Frankie cursed herself for not leaving the outside light on.

  “Hey Frankie.”

  Frankie almost jumped out of her skin at the voice echoing from the shadows of her front step. Her hand instinctively went to her holster. She had been pretty jumpy since her neighbor James was shot in front of her house while preventing her daughter from being kidnapped.

  “Dammit Derek, you scared the hell out of me! What are you doing

  here?”

  “I needed to see you.”

  “What if my kids would have been here?”

  “It’s Sophie’s night to have them.” Derek smiled slightly, “You see I do listen

  when you talk. You wouldn’t answer my calls…”

  Frankie started to speak, then stopped.

  “What’s going on, Frankie? I thought we were in a good place, then you started

  giving me the cold shoulder.”

  “Where were you last night, Derek?”

  Chapter 20

  Derek’s jaw stiffened.

  “Home. Why?”

  “I was driving by the courthouse early yesterday evening. I saw you leaving with a woman who looked a lot like Jessica Moon. Then when I drove back by after a late call, I saw Jessica’s car was still in the parking lot. You told me you were going to stop seeing her.”

  Derek shifted his weight from one foot to the other, “I have.”

  Frankie looked past Derek to the street.

  Derek reached out and touched her on the arm and felt her body stiffen.

  “I did end things with her just like I told you I would, but yesterday was a bad day. Your buddy Fitzmeyer came to my office with an FBI Agent. Jim something.”

  “Craven,” interrupted Frankie.

  “Yeah. We were discussing a homicide case they are working.”

  “Three dead people in a trunk.”

  “Yes. How did you know that?”

  “Mia and I found two dead girls in a hotel. We think it’s connected to that case as well as to another rape case we are working.”

  “Yeah, well apparently the dead woman in the trunk had reported a rape that Jessica was assigned to review. She had not done anything with it, and seeing her dead hit her pretty hard. She was pretty shaken by the photos and was beating herself up, wondering if she could have done something to prevent the girl’s murder. I gave her a drink from the bottle I keep in my desk. One drink turned into several. I didn’t want her to get behind the whe
el of her car, so I drove her home. I made sure she was safe inside and then went to my house. If you would have returned at least one of my calls or text messages, I could have told you that.”

  Frankie thought about what Derek said. She wanted to believe him. He leaned forward and reached his hands out to her as he cocked his head to the side.

  “Come here.”

  Frankie reluctantly extended her hands and let Derek take them into his. He bent forward and gently kissed each hand.

  “I need you to believe me.”

  Frankie leaned in and let her forehead rest against his.

  “I know. I want to.”

  Frankie pulled away from Derek’s grasp and put her keys into the door. She looked over her shoulder and asked, “Want to come inside?”

  Derek answered with a gentle kiss on her lips.

  Frankie felt her defenses crumble as the electricity coursed through her veins, igniting the desire within. She pushed the door open and let her bag fall to the floor. Frankie dropped her keys on the side table, took Derek’s hand, and led him to her bedroom.

  With only the light from the streetlamps illuminating the room, Frankie ran her hands up Derek’s t-shirt, feeling the strength in his chest, as his manhood pressed against her body.

  Their clothes fell and crumpled on the floor by the bed. Derek explored Frankie’s body with the deftness of someone who knew it well. She let the doubts leave her mind as she let her hands and mouth explore his fit body.

  Satisfied, they lay spent in one another’s arms. Derek traced a pattern on Frankie’s back as she lay with her head on his chest. His fingers gradually stopped moving just as Frankie fell into a dreamless sleep.

  Chapter 21

  The 1050 squad was packing up to go home when Frankie walked into the office.

  “Anything brewing today?”

  “Nope. It’s been…” began Sergeant Kramer.

  “Don’t say it!”

  Frankie laughed with Kramer then went about getting things ready for the night. Fitzmeyer had texted her before work to say he would meet her at the county jail at 4pm. It would only take ten minutes to walk to the jail but might take a little longer to get access to Tessa.