Godsend Series 1-5

by K Elliott

  Echo backed Detective Freeman’s Trailblazer out of the parking space, whipped it around, and tore out of the area. He said, “Muthafuckas must think I’m a sucka . First, I get my back fucked up, and then a muthafucka steal on me while people looking.” He shook his head, changed lanes and sideswiped the hell out of a limousine. “Get that long-ass shit off the road.” He could see the Infiniti up ahead, taillights blinking, slowing for traffic. But Echo wasn’t about to slow the SUV down yet.

  Echo changed lanes again, weaved around a Prius, and heard police sirens for the first time. He forced the Trailblazer between a truck and a Volkswagen, sideswiping both and clipping the front fender of a truck, then blew right through a red light, cutting in front of a Volvo. The Volvo smacked the rear corner of the Trailblazer but Echo kept speeding. He could see that the Infiniti was now stuck in traffic. Echo slowed the SUV down, veered around all the vehicles, and began driving on the sidewalk, weaving past light poles and making pedestrians scatter.

  11

  Sheree Lockhart was on her cell phone with Brian as she drove a Spyder GT. She was almost home and was now waiting at a traffic light in San Bernardino. She

  said, “I just got a cal from one of my sources. They think they may know the identity of one of the Tibetzu robbers but they can’t confirm it yet. We’ll see how that turns out.”

  Brian said, “I’m kinda busy right now. What else you got?”

  The light changed and she continued driving. “Nothing for now. You wanted me to cal as soon as I heard anything, so that’s what I was doing. She could see the townhouses now.

  Brian said, “Still no word from Radar?”

  “No, and it’s been two days. I thought I’d be dead by now.”

  “Off this is the last night you’ll have to worry about him. I need to get off this phone to stay alert.”

  She pulled into her parking lot and could see Radar’s Cadillac parked next to her Mercedes. “Brian, wait.” She stopped the Spyder and contemplated. “What’s up?”

  “Radar is at my place, probably waiting inside.”

  “What makes you think that?”

  “I just made it home and I see one of his cars. Oh shit! His light just came on and he’s backing out.”

  “Sheree, stay where you’re at. He might kill you if you try to run.”

  She was still considering pulling off in reverse. “He’ll definitely kill me if I don’t run. And there’s another guy in the car with him.”

  “Don’t leave, Sheree. Stay right where you are in your car. He wants his money and he wants to know why Art’s body was found charred a few miles from your place. So you’re no good to him dead just yet. Do whatever he asks you to do.”

  “You sound like a big fucking help,” she said, as Radar pulled up and stopped at her driver’s window. Brian said, “You can thank me later.” He terminated the call.

  Radar and Sheree lowered their windows at the same time. He said, “Get out. Once my friend here searches you, I want you to get in. You and I need to take a ride.”

  “What about my car?”

  “My friend will take good care of it.”

  DeAnna was only eight years old, but she was old enough to follow directions. She stood by the nightstand with a telephone handset pressed against her ear. She said, “Grandaddy, please come home.” She was scared and almost started crying. “Something is wrong with Grandmommy.”

  Radar said, “What’s wrong, 1eAnna?”

  “I don’t know. Hurry up.”

  “Did you cal anybody else? Can she talk?”

  “No. When will you be here? Come now.”

  “I’m on my way. I’ll be there in about ten minutes.” And he wasn’t lying. His home in Riverside was only eight miles away from where he was.

  DeAnna placed the handset back on the cradle then walked up to her grandmother who was sitting at the foot of the bed. Her grandmother hugged her and they both looked up at the gunman as he leaned against the wall.

  Brian said, “Don’t cry, DeAnna. Nothing is going to happen to you and your grandmother. I’m going to need for both of you to go to the bathroom and stay in there until I straighten some things out with your grandfather.”

  12

  Echo slowed the SUV down, veered around al vehicles, and began driving on the sidewalk, weaving past light poles and making pedestrians scatter.

  Detective Freeman was forced to bring the Infiniti to a stop because the traffic allowed no room to maneuver at the traffic light. The little boy opened the passenger’s door and darted without closing it. He ran between several cars, crossed the street, and was gone.

  Two police cars were arriving on the scene.

  Echo saw that the Infiniti was stuck, and while watching to see if the Detective would try to make a run on foot, Echo slammed the Trailblazer into a light pole, causing an airbag to deploy. Still he collected himself, fought his way out of the SUV, and sprinted for the Infiniti He was aware that two police cars with pulsating strobe lights and sirens were about forty yards behind him, but he really didn’t give a fuck at this point. The Detective would have to pay for sneaking him. He had a semi-automatic handgun in his right hand and many passengers and drivers were paying attention to him.

  Detective Freeman looked back and saw the overzealous FBI agent. He gripped his department-issued handgun and rushed out of the car. He aimed the gun in Echo’s direction and fired twice, hitting the windshield of a Mustang once.

  Echo stopped and ducked behind a Bentley. He looked back and saw a police officer on foot, catching up with him, so he rattled two shots off at the cop and actually caught him in the shoulder with one. Lucky shot. When the cop fell, Echo looked ahead and saw the Detective on the run again. Echo broke out full speed—this time he jumped on top of the hood of a car and high-stepped from one to another. He fired another shot at the detective as the man rounded the corner of a restaurant.

  Echo jumped to the street and decided not to continue to chase. He had another plan. He began sprinting toward the back of a different restaurant.

  Less than a minute later, Echo made it to the next street over with his gun concealed in his jacket pocket. The traffic wasn’t as congested but there was still too much traffic. He was tired as he waited on the side of a dry cleaner. He could hear more sirens in the area now. Things were not about to get better if he waited around, so he peeped around the corner of the building, waited patiently for a pickup truck to arrive with the flowing traffic, pulled his gun again, and ran to meet the Dodge Ram.

  Echo threw himself onto the back of the truck as it as moved fifteen miles per hour.

  The driver, an older white man, thought he’d been rear-ended, so he slammed on brakes, which caused a small compact car to do just that.

  Echo was tossed and shaken up but he quickly collected himself and crawled up to the back window of the truck. He aimed the gun at the driver and said, “Drive! And your ass better not violate any traffic laws."

  13

  The little girl and her grandmother were waiting inside the main bathroom while Brian stood outside the door in the hallway. His cell phone rang and he saw that it was Echo. Brian answered the phone. “Man, I’m busy right now. I need to keep my ears open.”

  “I was tailing the detective to see if he would deviate from the after work pattern and route he took yesterday, and the muthafucka spotted the tail.” “What happened?”

  Echo said, “Long story, but I tried to arrest him and he ran. The muthafucka racked up a carjacking and a kidnapping charge in the process.” “So you had to leave the scene. We’ll get him later.”

  Echo couldn’t lie this time; he knew Brian would learn more about the chase on the news. “I had to chase him, Brian. The man knocked the fuck out of me, so wasn’t about to let that slide. I shot at his ass and another regular cop. I think I capped the cop.”

  Brian sighed, “Where the fuck are you right now?”

  “Down at the precinct.” He paused. “Just bullshittin, man. I left t
hat whole crime scene downtown.”

  “Where’s the rental car?”

  “Listen, that’s what I called you for. It’s across the street from the store where I tried to arrest the detective. It’s in the parking lot of a chicken joint. You need to

  pick it up; I’m not going back that way.”

  Brian said, “Let it sit there for now. I’ll call you later. I think I got company.” “Cool. I got some more shit to handle anyway.”

  Radar parked the Cadillac in the driveway of his large Riverside home and saw Sheree’s Spyder pull up and park curbside. He saw the driver get out and stand by the driver’s door of the sports car.

  Sheree sat in the passenger’s seat of the Cadillac, wondering how all this would play out.

  Radar said to her, “Get out and go wait in your car with James until I take care of some personal matters. Our conversation isn’t over. I’m still not satisfied with your answers.”

  Sheree got out and headed toward her own car. She wanted to run but she knew she would be shot. When she made it to her car she got in and closed the door. She regretted listening to Brian. She’d only known the black guy a few days. She thought she should have sped away when she first saw Radar’s car parked next to hers.

  James got back inside the Spyder and closed the door. The seat had been slid back as far as possible but the car was too small for him. Radar entered his home through the front door. He closed the door and said, “Tabitha? DeAnna?”

  Brian stepped around the corner and met him, keeping a silenced handgun aimed at Radar’s midsection. “Where is she?” Radar was startled. “Where...where is who?”

  “The goddamn woman you sent Art to attack. I should kill you for not even knowing her name.”

  Radar said, “You’re talking about Sheree.”

  “Ah, so you admit Art was acting on your behalf. Where is she?”

  “She’s outside in her car.”

  “Yeah? And what’s stopping her from leaving?”

  Radar said, “She wanted to finish a conversation we were having.”

  Brian lowered his aim and blasted the man’s left knee with a silenced shot. When Radar yelled out and hit the floor, Brian walked up to him and began searching for a weapon. He retrieved Radar’s gun then stepped over him to peep from the front room curtain. He saw Sheree’s Spyder waiting curbside but he couldn’t tell if that was her in the passenger’s seat, which made him wonder who was in the driver’s seat. “Who’s out there in the car with her?”

  Radar was holding his injured leg just below the thigh. The damn thing hurt like hell...brought water to his eyes. “His name is James, and he’s just an assistant of mine.”

  Brian said, “Use that cell phone in your pocket to get him to come inside. If you tell me he doesn’t have a cell phone on him, I’ll get your wife and granddaughter out of the bathroom and make you out of a liar.”

  “No problem. I’ll call him. Just don’t hurt my family.”

  14

  Detective Freeman arrived at his girlfriend’s place on foot. Actually, Yolanda was his mistress but she wasn’t allowed to date anyone else. He knew that every police in the city would soon be looking for him, but nobody knew he was seeing Yolanda. He used his key to enter her small, cozy house, which was on the outskirts of Santa Barbara and in a peaceful neighborhood.

  He closed the door and leaned against it, exhausted and still breathing hard. “Yolanda?”

  Echo stepped into view. He was aiming his handgun at the detective’s head. “She’s in the bathroom. I started to fuck her but I knew you was coming to cockblock.” Freeman’s face displayed a look of resignation.

  “Put your hands on top of your head, turn around, and press yourself against the door. Do all this shit in slow motion.”

  Freeman cooperated. It was over now, and he was ready to go to jail. He needed the rest.

  Echo approached him, conducted a thorough search, and removed a Glock handgun from the detective’s shoulder holster, which was underneath a windbreaker jacket. Echo then took two steps back and stomped him in the ass, banging Freeman against the door with backbreaking force.

  Freeman fell to his knees and grabbed his groin area.

  Echo said, “You thought you was just gonna knock the fuck out of me then haul ass back here for some seconds with Yolanda?” I was supposed to get a confession out of your ass and some DNA. When you ran, that was enough confession for me.”

  “Just read me my rights and take me to jail.”

  Echo smiled. “Muthafucka, you ain’t that lucky. Eight years ago you was a patrol officer in Santa Paula when you killed Sylvia. You done made detective now and been hiding in plain view from the police all these years. You’re the reason why I don’t trust the police. They’re human; they do crooked shit just like anybody else.”

  Freeman said, “So I guess you think the FBI is not the police.”

  “You really wanna know what I think? Echo squatted while Freeman was still on his knees. “I think you shoulda never fucked me over at the store.” He pressed the barrel of the handgun against Freeman’s left pelvis bone and pulled the trigger.

  Freeman screamed out in agony and collapsed against the door and slid to the floor.

  “That fake-ass federal murder warrant is still in your truck. That ought to tell the real police why you were running. They’ll want your DNA, and you’re leaking enough right here. I wanna kill you so bad my nuts are itching.”

  Freeman was seething. He kept making faces of pain.

  “But I’mma let you live. You’re gonna have to live with some pain, though.” And he pulled the trigger again, this time shattering an inner ankle bone. Freeman hollered and squealed, almost like a woman.

  Echo said, “You’re a burglary detective now. I’mma do you a favor before I leave. I’m taking that fancy-ass watch off your wrist. If that makes this a burglary, you can say you got injured on the job. You might get a medal before they lock your ass up for murder, carjacking and kidnapping.” Echo laughed then reached for Freeman’s Hublot wristwatch.

  15

  James kept watching Sheree as he sat in the driver’s seat of her Spyder. He was about to say something to her when his cell phone rang. He removed his Blackberry from his inner coat pocket, glanced at the screen, and answered the cal. “Everything is fine, Mr. Radar.”

  “Good. I need you to come inside and help me with something. This is serious.”

  James looked at Radar’s home. Something was wrong. Whenever Radar says something is serious it meant the use of a gun might be required. James remained calm and said, “What about the girl?”

  “If that’ll help. Now get moving.”

  Radar ended the cal then looked up at Brian from the living room floor.

  Brian took the cell phone from Radar and peeped from the window again.

  Inside the car James said, “You better start talking.”

  He pointed a gun at Sheree. “Whoever killed Art is probably inside with Radar. How many?” “I don’t know who killed Art. He never showed up at my place, I swear.”

  “I’m wanted inside but you’re leading the way.” He slipped the gun inside his coat pocket and kept his hand inside. “Let’s go. If anything goes wrong, you won’t stand a chance. Get out.” He got out of the car and walked around to her side.

  Sheree got out of her car and stared at Radar’s home. She was nervous and had no idea what was going on.

  He pushed her and said, “Ladies first.” He’d left the engine running just in case he needed to leave quickly.

  Sheree walked slowly, hoping the man didn’t have to shoot her in the back. When she reached Radar’s Cadillac she stopped and took a deep breath. James was still gripping the gun in his coat pocket. He said, “Keep walking, and stop taking your damn time.”

  She continued walking, moving only a little faster than before. When she reached the doorstep he was only two feet behind her.

  Brian was outside to their left, standing at the corner of Radar’
s home, pressed against the side. He allowed ten more seconds to pass then spun off the corner aiming his silenced gun at James. He got off three shots and watched James crumple from the doorsteps to the ground.

  Sheree covered her face with both hands and cowered at the front door. The shots had not been loud but she knew someone was shooting. Brian rushed up to James and shot him again, this time in the head.

  Sheree finally looked up and saw Brian.

  He said, “Let’s go. I’ll drive.”

  A few seconds later they were leaving the area in her Spyder. She still hadn’t said a word, but she felt safe now and was relieved. Brian said, “I need an associate for my agency, a West Coast associate. Want the job?”

  “You probably saved my life. How can I turn you down?”

  “You don’t owe me anything. Like you said,, I probably made things worse between you and Radar.” She picked her Blackberry up from under the passenger’s seat. “Is he dead?”

  Brian said, “Got the same treatment as bin Laden.”

  She was checking her voicemail.

  Brian yawned. “Make sure you get rid of this car tomorrow. My Yukon is just ahead. Call me when you get home.”

  She said, “I got a message from one of my sources. She says she expects to be $200,000 richer tomorrow. Says her proof will definitely put at least one T.R. in your lap.”

  “At least one T.R.? What’s that?” “A Tibet7u robber.”

  16

  At almost ten o’clock the next night, Brian was in his suite at a Pasadena hotel called the Lavisan. Echo was one floor above him in his own $300 suite and Brian had just gotten off the phone with him.

  Brian heard a knock at his door. He was expecting Sheree. He answered the door wearing dress slacks, a long-sleeve dress shirt and leather dress shoes. His shirt was unbuttoned at the neck and his tie was very loose.