The Way of the Guilty

by Jennifer Stanley

  There was nothing to use in their defense. Cooper looked at her sister in despair.

  Ashley sniffed. “We wanted to wait until we saw the doctor—to make sure everything looks the way it should.” Her sapphire blue eyes were wide with fear. “Please don’t hurt us!” she pleaded with Alek. “No one needs to know about this. We have money . . .”

  Alek laughed and took three steps in their direction, holding the gun in a comfortable, familiar grip. “Money, but no brains. Your husband is the most gullible fool I’ve ever met! He was so desperate to impress his daddy that he was eating out of my hand from the moment I presented him with my fake resumé!” She made a tsk, tsk sound with her tongue. “As long as our sales numbers went up, he didn’t bother to take a second look at a single piece of paperwork. If he did, he might have noticed that all those expensive cars we sold were reported missing soon after the first payment was made. The banks never saw a second one.”

  “And Maria Gutierrez falsified the titles,” Cooper stated, finally understanding Maria’s declaration of guilt and regret.

  “For the DMV, yes. Of course, we have someone on the inside there, too. We are very thorough and we pay well.” She looked around the sparse room with disgust. “There are so many people trying to start a new life in this country. They are more than willing to type a few little words in exchange for cash.”

  “You knew Maria Gutierrez when she lived in Norfolk.” The pieces began to form a picture. “Double A Autos! You’re the other A!”

  Alek uttered a haughty snort. “We train many of our special employees there. Maria, Nina, Hector, Miguel . . . call them what you will. Except for Nina, they all worked under false names. We’ve already operated in Roanoke, but I wanted to live near my brother, so I interviewed for jobs with five dealerships in this city.” She cast Ashley a look of pity. “As soon as I met Lincoln Love, I knew I’d found the perfect boss and the perfect dealership. Maria got hired first and then I came aboard a few months later. It was so nice of the former title clerk to decide to move to California. Like I said, this was the perfect place.”

  “To be a lowlife swindler, sure!” Cooper snarled and then tried to stall for time as her eyes traveled around the room in search of a weapon. “What happened to the stolen cars?”

  “They are exported to my country. To Russia.” Alek’s icy eyes ignited at the mention of her homeland. “With no lien on the titles, those vehicles were halfway across the world before they were even declared missing. And when these institutions went after Mr. Hancock or Mrs. Mitchell or any of the rest, they either wouldn’t find them or they’d learn that these people lived in different states altogether and had had their identity stolen.”

  Realization slapped Cooper in the face. She pointed a shaky finger at Alek’s face. “That’s why you seem familiar! You have the same eyes as Albion!”

  Alek smirked. “I should. He’s my brother.” She smoothed her blunt-cut auburn hair. “But I am the attractive one of the two, no?”

  “You’re both killers! You took advantage of illegal immigrants in need of money and then disposed of them the second they disobeyed your slightest order! That’s a nice gene pool you’ve got going on! Attractive? You’re an ugly, ugly person!”

  Ashley whimpered as Alek’s lips thinned in anger. Pretending to be unable to meet the finance manager’s menacing glare, Cooper raked her eyes around the room. The only potential weapon she could see was a stapler. Other than the file cabinets, the desk, and the single chair, there was nothing else in the room. The desktop was neat and uncluttered, having only a small clock, a tissue dispenser, the stapler, a three-ring binder, a pink memo pad, and a Far Side daily calendar on the surface.

  “Either way, our Russian genes are more impressive than your weak, American ones,” Alek remarked, following Cooper’s covert assessment of their situation with amusement. “A trophy wife and a woman who fixes Xerox machines.” She huffed. “I haven’t killed an American yet, but this is the land of opportunity, is it not?”

  Confused, Cooper couldn’t help but ask, “Then who killed Miguel and Hector if not you?”

  “Those puppets were not real Americans, now were they?” Alek spoke of the two young men as though they’d barely been human. “Miguel was my responsibility, and it was nothing to tie him up and suffocate him. He was such a little man and he underestimated me in many ways. However,” she glared at Ashley, “you were not supposed to have been given that Cadillac to drive. That was a mistake by one of the idiots in the service department. You were supposed to get the white one, but they brought you the one I had used to . . . store Miguel’s body in.”

  “And Hector?” Cooper prodded, still trying to think of a way out of their dire predicament.

  Alek sighed, indicating the conversation was becoming tiresome. “Albion took care of Hector. We would have completed the circle with Maria and Nina, had you not interfered.”

  “Nina,” Cooper murmured. “She was the person inside the DMV. That’s why Maria was still so afraid. Both she and her sister worked for you. They knew you’d come for them.”

  Suddenly, a cell phone began to vibrate from the bottom of her coat pocket. Alek pulled it out and flicked it open. “Where have you been?” she hissed impatiently. “Come to the file room in the back of the service garage this instant! Use the key my brother gave you.” Rolling her eyes, Alek began to describe the shape and color of the key.

  While the finance manager’s focus was diverted by the phone call, Cooper began to slowly edge toward the desk. She wanted to put space between herself and Ashley, in hopes that she could attack Alek and allow her sister at least a chance to escape. Pulling out the chair, she settled into it and then grabbed a handful of tissues from the plastic dispenser. She pressed the soft cloth into her eyes and then gave Alek a tearful glare as their assailant snapped shut her cell phone.

  “Why did you have to kill Miguel and Hector? Couldn’t you just punish them? Fire them? Did you have to murder young men in the prime of their lives?” Cooper asked angrily.

  Alek pivoted the gun so that it was aimed right at Cooper’s heart. “Hector got greedy. The fool started selling documents to unapproved customers, like you. Miguel’s problem was also one of greed. His only job was to drive the cars to Norfolk and return with our product. He began to steal said product to sell himself.”

  “You can stop with the vague talk. I know your brother deals China White.” Cooper did her best to sound calm. “So you traded stolen cars for heroin?” It was an educated guess.

  “Even with your self-centered American education you must be aware that China is quite close to Russia.” Alek shot Ashley a disgusted glance. “Our family has imported cocaine and opium from China for many years. When the Russian economy grew too weak to sustain our customer base, Albion and I decided to relocate our half of the business to this country. We have two brothers overseeing the operation in Russia.” She grinned nostalgically. “The Ivanovich family runs the finest car dealership in Kiev.”

  Cooper felt flattened by the complexity of it all. “An international smuggling ring. Right here in Richmond, Virginia.”

  Alek straightened her shoulders proudly. “It was so easy. All it takes to fool people around here are some forged documents and a smile. That is why we chose this state. Too many foreigners in New York and California. They tend to be more suspicious. We needed a shipping port in a . . . more naïve state.”

  “I take it your last name isn’t Jones. Ivanovich suits you much better. Though Stalin might be more appropriate,” Ashley murmured through trembling lips.

  “No, my name is not Jones.” Alek seemed surprised to hear Ashley speak. “I have never married. Like I told you at dinner, I am not interested in such things. I take lovers when it suits me, but they are insignificant. Now, it is time for me to return to Russia and live off the fruit of our labors for a while. First, I will kill you, and then I will pack.” Her finger stroked the trigger, but a knock on the door interrupted her. “It’s ta
ken you long enough to get here! Come in at once!” she barked and then gestured at the two sisters when the newcomer entered. “I believe you already know my friends.”

  Cooper’s mouth hung open in disbelief as Edward Crosby slipped into the room, leaving the door slightly ajar behind him. He stood right next to Alek, surveying the situation calmly. He then gave Alek a slight but subservient nod and apologized to her for his tardiness.

  “I’m sorry to see you here, ladies,” he stated flatly and removed a revolver from the pocket of his black leather jacket. He held the gun in his left hand and his motorcycle helmet in his right.

  “You weren’t at the auction to sell your bike!” Tears spilled from Cooper’s eyes, but the pain of Edward’s betrayal was overshadowed by the anger bubbling inside of her. “You’re a lying scumbag! Didn’t you learn anything about honor after your father was killed? He’d be so ashamed of you right now.”

  “Good thing he’s dead then, huh?” Edward replied flatly. He chuckled and Alek joined in, her gun jerking up and down in her hand as she lost herself to a moment of unaccustomed laughter. It was as though the sound were emanating from below the earth, like an animal rising from a dry, dark burrow.

  Cooper grabbed the stapler and stood, taking both Alek and Edward by surprise as she hurled it through the air. It struck Edward on the forehead and he dropped the gun. As Alek turned to look at her partner or subordinate or lover—Cooper didn’t care what he was at the moment—she shouted at her sister, “RUN, ASHLEY!”

  Time slowed as Cooper’s words floated through the air. Ashley, white-faced and paralyzed with fear, did not react with the speed necessary to take advantage of the diversion Cooper had created. Her sister’s terrified glances darted from the door, to the duo wielding guns, and back to Cooper.

  “GO NOW!” Cooper bellowed angrily and Ashley started finally moving toward the exit and hopefully, to safety.

  But Alek recovered quickly. She turned her shoulders in order to point the gun at Ashley, but even as she pivoted, Cooper was flinging the clock, calendar, and binder at the female assailant’s face. Instinctively, Alek raised her arms to fend off the assault of office supplies and, with Edward preoccupied by wiping blood away from his eyes, Ashley was able to make it to the doorway.

  That was as far as she got, however, before Cooper ran out of things to throw. All of the action had taken place in a matter of seconds, and those precious measures of time had not been sufficient to allow Ashley to escape. Alek raised her gun and as Cooper yelled, “NO!” her heart rent by fear for her sister, Edward moved.

  In a flash, the arm holding the motorcycle helmet pulled back and then rammed into Alek’s gun hand with enough force to knock the weapon loose. But not before it discharged.

  The gun went off with a roar. Ashley screamed. Cooper lunged forward, straining to see if her sister was hurt, but Alek’s body obscured her view. The finance manager recovered quickly and leapt for her gun, which had come to rest at the base of one of the file cabinets.

  Her arm stretched forth to wrap around the grip, but Cooper launched herself upon her enemy as though she was a running back diving into the end zone. She and Alek grabbed the gun simultaneously and the two women began to wrestle for control of the pistol.

  Cooper was stunned by the other woman’s strength. Alek pulled at the gun and tried to roll away from Cooper, but as she shifted her weight to her left shoulder, Cooper followed the movement exactly, her fingers closing over Alek’s as two pairs of arms pointed in the direction of the door. The combined pressure of their fingers released the gun’s hammer.

  The report of the shot stunned the two women for several seconds, but Alek recovered first, and, taking advantage of Cooper’s hesitation, broke free with the weapon in her hand.

  “FREEZE!” a deep voice barked from the doorway.

  Alek and Cooper both turned. Rich Johnson stood in the threshold, wearing a Kevlar vest and a ferocious glare. “Put the gun down, Aleksandra Ivanovich. It’s over.”

  Cooper’s gaze traveled from the policeman to the supine figure on the floor. Edward lay with his face turned toward the ceiling. His skin was glistening with sweat and his breathing was labored. As Cooper rose to her knees, she looked at the carpet and cried, “No!”

  Blood was seeping from beneath Edward’s body, forming a dark, crimson stain in the gray carpet.

  “Drop it now or I shoot!” Rich repeated, easing into the room and lifting the gun so that it was parallel with Alek’s chest.

  Alek locked eyes with the officer and smiled. “You cannot win.” The gun fell with a muffled thud on the carpet. “My lawyers won’t let you hold me.”

  Cooper watched just long enough to witness the policeman kick the gun out of Alek’s reach. He pinned her against the wall and fastened a pair of handcuffs on her wrists using adept movements, reciting her rights in an even, professional tone. Alek began to writhe in anger, her shoulders and arms twisting as though she had the strength to escape her bonds. When it was clear that she couldn’t get free, she began to mock Rich Johnson by listing all the charges her brother had escaped in the past, extolling the craftiness of her family’s legal team, and cataloguing the deficiencies of Richmond’s police force. Her voice rose as she spoke, until she was spitting and hissing like a feral cat.

  Officer Johnson did not speak a word beyond the Miranda. He gently pushed Alek into the hallway and only then focused his attention on Edward.

  “Looks like the bullet went through his lung,” he said as he listened to Edward’s rasping. “He’s losing too much blood. Put pressure on the wound while I call for help.”

  Cooper shed her coat and scarf. She gently lifted Edward’s shoulder from the floor, though her emotions were in turmoil. How long has he known the Ivanovich siblings? Did he work for them before he went to jail? Does he still?

  “Whose side were you on?” she whispered angrily to Edward while her tears fell. She balled up her scarf and pressed it against the leaking wound with one hand and used the other to slide her coat under his head.

  His eyelids flickered, opened. He fixed his gaze on her face. “I’m on your side,” he whispered, the words gurgled and slurred.

  Fear washed over Cooper. “Don’t talk. Help is coming.” She placed her palm on his forehead. “Hang in there.”

  Edward winced, battling with the pain and the supreme effort to draw in breath. “Just in case,” he said so softly that Cooper had to put her ear closer to his lips in order to hear him. “Will you say a prayer for me?”

  “Of course,” Cooper answered and moved the hand touching his face over his heart. She closed her eyes, forcing more tears out. “Heavenly Father, I lift up this man to your care.” A calmness flowed into her body as the words welled inside of her. “Lend him Your unsurpassed strength, Lord. He has fought so hard to make the right choices. Please give him the chance to witness how powerful goodness feels.” She sniffed. “Allow him the time to continue growing. Please, God. I know he longs to serve You. Give him the chance to do that. You are ever loving, ever merciful. Hear my prayer.” She opened her eyes. Edward was alive, but unconscious. “Hear my prayer,” Cooper repeated until the sound of footsteps running down the hall made her raise her head again.

  “Step away, miss,” a bearded paramedic ordered firmly as he removed a long needle and a valve from his case. He tugged Edward’s shirt until the bare skin of his chest was exposed, located the two ribs he was searching for, and plunged the needle into Edward’s flesh. A hiss of air rushed out. The second paramedic, a pretty young woman, finished intubating the patient. She fastened a breathing mask on Edward’s face and then signaled to her partner. Together, they slid him onto a board and then hoisted him onto the gurney.

  Rich Johnson reappeared as the paramedics positioned themselves to wheel the gurney out of the room. “Is he going to make it?” he asked.

  “We’ve seen worse,” the female paramedic replied, brushing past him. “But he needs blood. We only carry saline.”


  Cooper stepped after them, not wanting to lose sight of Edward. “Where’s my sister?” she demanded without turning to the police officer.

  “In her husband’s office. She’s shaken, but uninjured. Luckily, the stray bullet hit the wall several feet away.” The policeman took her arm as they hustled toward the outer door. “Are you hurt?”

  “No.” Cooper’s fear rapidly morphed to anger. “But I am confused! How long has Edward been playing both sides? And exactly how long were you out in that hall while Alek was getting good and ready to kill us?”

  Rich waited for the paramedics to load Edward into the ambulance and shut both doors before answering. “Not long enough to hear what sounded like a full confession, unfortunately. Please understand, Ms. Lee, I only hesitated until I knew what was going on inside that room. Despite what one sees on television, the police don’t routinely burst into every space with weapons drawn. We’re actually more cautious than that.” He looked pained over not having appeared sooner. “Be comforted by the fact the we’ve got enough evidence to nail the Ivanovich siblings and shut down their smuggling ring for good. Of course, there’ll be half a dozen federal agencies involved, but Albion will not slip through the bars of his holding cell this time. He’ll be wearing an orange jumpsuit before the ice melts.”

  As the ambulance pulled away, sirens wailing, Cooper rounded on Johnson. “Why didn’t Edward fire his gun?”

  “He’s not allowed to carry a loaded weapon,” the officer answered sheepishly. “Convicted felons cannot own, possess, or transport a firearm.”

  “So you used him, too,” Cooper stated, her anger seeping away as fatigue set in.

  “Mr. Crosby wanted to be involved. Against my better judgment, I agreed.” Johnson removed his coat and slung it around Cooper’s shoulders. “I believe in redemption, Ms. Lee, and that is why I agreed to incorporate him into this investigation. Now,” he resumed his authoritative tone. “You’ve experienced quite a shock. Come inside and join your sister.”