Wrong Exit: Nick Stryker Series, Book Four

by Vicki Graybosch

  Jen was glad to go home but suspicious. She walked over to Nick. “You’re not going home are you?”

  Nick answered, “No. I’m going to Lacey’s. Then home…honest.”

  Jen wagged her index finger at him, “No chasing down bad guys unless you call me first. Promise?”

  “Promise.”

  ******

  Lacey hadn’t been home ten minutes when the buzzer sounded at the front door. She looked at her security camera and saw Nick grinning at her.

  “What’s the secret password?”

  Nick looked thoughtful and then said, “I have three. I love you.”

  “Close enough.” She buzzed him in.

  ******

  Jen tiptoed through the condo. The lights were off meaning John had already gone to bed. She entered the bedroom silently and rested her pistol on the dresser. As she grabbed a towel for her shower John said, “I love you.”

  Jen walked over to the bed and sat next to him. “I love you, too. Did I wake you?”

  “I hadn’t gone to sleep yet. Have you seen the news?”

  “Nope.”

  “It seems the cops have closed down Sunrise Hospital. Was that you?”

  “Yep.”

  “You want to talk about it?”

  Jen leaned in close to kiss him. “Nope.”

  ******

  Derrick leaned into the back passenger door as the thug next to him kept a pistol pointed at his head. He could feel his can of Prestone De-Icer spray cutting into his hip. There was alcohol in that spray and it had a high pressure, long-shot stream. It was not exactly his weapon of choice, but it was the only one available. A shudder of fear ran up his spine. His heart pounded. Now, could he actually do it? Yes. If these men killed him, it would mean J.T. had won.

  The driver of the S.U.V. was careful not to break any traffic laws. Wherever they were taking him had already been decided. There was no conversation and no outward signs of nervousness. Derrick realized that these guys had done this before.

  Derrick had to get out of this vehicle. It was hard to think clearly. He was probably still in shock. Traffic was slowing down for a construction zone ahead. This was the perfect place to escape. It would be miles before the S.U.V. would be able to turn around and come after him. He slid his hand between his hip and the door and felt the De-Icer can. He glanced quickly to locate the button to unlock his door. He guessed that there was a man following them in another car. He had watched the man driving his S.U.V. checking the rear view mirror. The odds of him being able to roll out of a moving vehicle and not get run over or hurt badly were slim. The odds of him being able to get up and run after that were even slimmer. On the flip side of those risks, he had one big advantage. He was already dead inside. Heather was gone. He had nothing left to lose.

  He wrapped his right hand around the can and felt for the nozzle. The car had slowed to a near stop. A highway construction worker held a large red sign that said ‘slow’. He waved the traffic past a vehicle sized hole in the pavement surrounded by orange cones and men with jackhammers. As soon as they passed the construction cones Derrick raised the can and sprayed the eyes of the man next to him. He unlocked the door, threw it open and sprayed the driver’s face before jumping out.

  He rolled to the edge of the shoulder, hurdled the guard rail and then ran into the adjoining Walmart parking lot as fast as he could. A row of tightly parked cars gave him refuge to assess his injuries. Surprisingly, he was fine. A loud thud nearby nearly stopped his heart. He peeked through the spaces between cars and saw a young man unloading a cart into the bed of a truck. Derrick stood and walked quickly over to the young man.

  “Young man? I find myself in an awkward situation and in dire need of a ride to Drake Street. Might I pay you for that ride?”

  The young man looked skeptical. Derrick pulled his wallet out and counted off five one hundred dollar bills. “Would $500.00 do?”

  The young man’s face broke out in a big smile. “You must be running from cops.”

  Derrick shook his head, “Bad guys. Cops are probably next.”

  “Hop in.”

  ******

  Agent Phillips had just arrived at his condo when his phone rang. His team had located Sanford’s S.U.V. abandoned near Garfield Park. Sanford was gone.

  ******

  Derrick sat in Heather’s apartment with the lights off. It was only a matter of time before the police would look for him there. In the meantime, he used his phone to transfer some of his office programs to Heather’s computer. As soon as he finished, he walked six blocks and slipped his phone into the pocket of a drunk leaving a bar.

  He walked back to Heather’s apartment. He felt close to her in the midst of all of her belongings. Tears began to rush from his eyes. His heart ached so badly he imagined a sword protruding from his chest. Then came the sobs. With his head buried in his hands, he sat at the kitchen table and lost himself in his grief. Hours passed. A shrill scream of passing sirens slowly faded in the distance but left him with a lingering thought.

  The FBI was looking for him.

  Derrick wiped his face with his sleeves and willed his heartbeat and breathing back to normal. He didn’t have time for a pity party. He needed a solid plan to revenge Heather’s murder.

  He glanced at the cookie jar he had given Heather for Christmas. He had showed her the secret bottom and put five thousand dollars there for her. He walked over and twisted the bottom. Hundred dollar bills floated to the counter. Heather had never used any of it. Tears streamed down his cheeks. He took a deep breath. Could he really do this? Could he revenge Heather’s death? He put the bills in his wallet, grabbed Heather’s laptop and stepped outside to catch a cab.

  The cabby suggested a modest motel a few miles away. Derrick sat expressionless in a near daze as the brilliant colored lights of the city washed through the cab creating a fascinating and hypnotic strobe light. Each bright color beckoning the living to stop and take notice.

  Derrick’s thoughts returned to Heather. She would never see colored lights again. His soul had turned into a burnished, black mass, cemented by hate. Hate for himself for developing the program. Hate for J.T. for using it.

  C H A P T E R 24

  10:00 a.m. Tuesday, 107th precinct

  Wayne and Jen reviewed the GPS histories of the dumped cars and mapped them for the District Attorney’s evidence file. They had two piles. One was the GPS history of the hospital’s grey van and the other was the GPS histories of the cars found at the dump site. The GPS histories didn’t lie. Exit 141 was the car-jacking location and the parking lot behind the vacated rail building was the dump site. The victims had been transported to the brewery and later to the hospital.

  Wayne leaned back in his chair and frowned. “Unbelievable. I hope D.A. Jones fries these guys.” He leaned forward and held up one paper. “This one for the Schultz family is different from the rest.” Wayne put it back on the pile. “Nick said he was working on it.”

  Jen nodded, “He is.” She glanced up at the clock. “He’s been with Internal Affairs for over two hours now. I thought the Chief told them to keep it brief?”

  Wayne said, “I heard the Chief requested they bypass protocol and let him keep his gun and finish this case. They’re trying to get me off from desk duty right now, too.”

  Jen pointed to the white board. “We still have Lucas Costellano and J.T. Barrimore to deal with. It’s going to be a fun day.” Jen remembered the men in holding. “Heck, we still have three guys in holding to interview.”

  Wayne smiled, “Did that. Nick thought they’d all lawyer up. They did.”

  Jen held up the information they had received from the ‘missing persons’ division. “Not one of these people have ever been found. Are we ever going to be able to tell their families anything?”

  “Not until we have some kind of proof.” Wayne’s computer notified him that an email had been received, “Good! I’ve been waiting for this. This is a report from the World Health
Organization. They have compiled a list of the organizations that Sunrise has worked with legally at an international level.”

  Wayne began reading the document displayed on his monitor. “Hmmm. They start this report out with a bold disclaimer that international organ trade information is provisional at best and often subject to international law. Here’s a quote: “Organ exporting countries like China and Pakistan are alleged to have procured organs from inmates. The insufficiency of a legal framework or enforcing mechanism is highlighted by an increase in demand.” In other words, I think they’re saying they don’t really know.”

  Jen said, “I have the lists from the U.S. organizations for the last two years. It looks like about 70% of the transplants done at Sunrise were probably through legal donor channels. Sunrise has earned the highest ratings listed.”

  Wayne said, “That doesn’t make the last 30% less ugly. Evidently rich people don’t want a prisoner’s heart.”

  ******

  Nick rolled his shoulders and adjusted his position in the chair. “You two about done with me for now? I’ve got a busy day planned.”

  The two I.A. officers glanced at each other. A full legal pad of notes sat on the table top. They both knew from experience that if Nick said he was going to be busy, they were going to be buried.

  One of the officers said, “Yeah, we can stop here for now. It’s going to be a damn month to go through all of this. Stay on this case until every last bastard is caught. We’ll go over the details when you’re done.”

  Nick grinned, “That means I’ve got my wheels and gun, right?”

  The I.A. officer smiled. “Right. Lord help us.”

  Nick knew they had made a judgment call in his favor so he could finish the case. He was grateful not to be tied to a desk or relieved of his duty weapon.

  Nick stood and smiled. “I almost forgot, I have a present for you.” Nick slid a small piece of paper with a phone number over to the lead I.A. officer. “Check this out. Sal Cutler, works for Lucas Costellano called this number between 6:30 and 7:00 last night and found out where patrol was taking our kidnap victim. I overheard Sal’s side of the conversation. Sal only gave his name; that was all that was needed. I have Sal’s phone. I also have Sal, he’s around the corner in holding.”

  Nick opened the door to leave the interview room. “I called the number myself, rings to a direct line at Headquarters, Senior Internal Affairs Lieutenant.”

  ******

  Assistant D.A. Trisha Jones had arrived at the precinct while Nick was being interviewed by Internal Affairs. She sat across from Jen’s desk and marveled at the stacks of evidence they had acquired on the kidnapping case.

  “The D.A.’s office is in chaos right now. I think every wealthy person in Chicago and New York has had a relative that swears by Sunrise Hospital. This case has become an overnight nightmare. You’ve done a tremendous job Detective Taylor. I can’t believe all of this happened in one day.”

  Jen smiled and pushed another stack of evidence across the desk. “Call me Jen. Thanks for the compliment but we’re hardly done.”

  Trisha sheepishly said, “I know. The D.A. plans to offer a deal to Dr. Scalla. I brought a copy for your review.” She leaned forward, “We need his testimony against the others. I hope you and Detective Stryker have no objections.”

  Jen frowned, “I hope the hell he isn’t going free!”

  “Who’s going free?” Nick walked up behind Trisha.

  Jen handed Nick the D.A.’s offer to Scalla. Nick scanned it and dropped it on the desk. “Fine by me.” He shrugged, “He’s going to get shanked as soon as you put him in general population anyway.”

  Trisha stood, “That brings me to part two. We have that same concern. He has to live long enough to testify for us. The FBI has offered to put him in federal witness protection.”

  “In exchange for….”

  “Lucas Costellano.”

  “Lucas is mine. I want him for murder.”

  “Agent Phillips says the FBI is building a National Security case on Costellano regarding some software program.”

  “He’s building a case. I’m ready.”

  “He has National Security.”

  “I have a six-year-old named, Allison.”

  Wayne interrupted from across the room. “Let the games begin.”

  ******

  Lucas had been sitting in his chair in front of the television since the first airing of the ‘breaking news’. How could so many things have gone wrong in just one day? He tried once again to reach his contact with the Family. The last thing he needed was for them to find out about Sunrise on television. He had to convince them that he had this under control. He dialed and waited through eight rings.

  Lucas hung up. They weren’t taking his calls. They knew. He pulled up his bank accounts on his cell phone. Gone. It was all gone.

  They were coming.

  ******

  J.T. contemplated what punishment, if any, his men deserved for failing to kill Sanford. His security team didn’t really do anything wrong other than underestimate Sanford. In truth, J.T. had underestimated him, too. The man was a genius. It didn’t change the fact that Sanford was a risk. He had to be found and eliminated. He would have to do it himself.

  ******

  Nick wasn’t surprised that he and Assistant D.A. Trisha Jones did not come to any agreement regarding the ultimate fate of Tony Scalla and the arrest of Lucas Costellano. What did come from their discussion was his realization he needed much more evidence on Lucas than he had, if he was going to win a fight with the FBI The ambulance driver, the remaining driver from the muffler shop shooting and Sal, had already lawyered up.

  Nick rolled his chair next to Jen’s desk. She was hunched over a thick stack of papers. The various cell providers of the five phones Nick confiscated yesterday had provided printouts of the last thirty days’ calls.

  Jen moved her eyes to glance at Nick. “Are you here to help me with this?”

  Nick grinned, “Nope. I want your advice.”

  Jen straightened her shoulders and twisted to face him. “Shoot.”

  “What do you think Phillips and the FBI really want?”

  Jen thought a moment. “Trisha said they want Lucas.”

  “I think they really want the software program code and whoever has it now. I think J.T. has it. Not Lucas.”

  Jen asked, “You think that’s why Sanford went to J.T.’s nightclub and then got kidnapped?”

  “It’s the only thing that makes sense. If J.T. didn’t buy the program, why risk doing something to Sanford? Why would Sanford go to J.T.’s nightclub after his daughter was shot?”

  Jen answered, “Revenge?”

  “Maybe. Something has the FBI thinking Lucas has the code. I wish I knew what it was.”

  Nick started clicking the end of his pen while he thought. Jen took it away from him and said, “If we can prove J.T. has it and not Lucas we won’t have to fight the FBI to keep Lucas for ourselves.”

  Nick pointed to the phone logs. “How many times are you finding Lucas’ number?”

  “I just started…a lot.”

  “How many times are you finding J.T.?”

  “None.”

  J.T. had nothing to do with Lucas’ operation.

  Nick stood, “I’m going to take a swing at Sal. The ambulance driver is toast but I might be able to cut a deal for Sal.”

  Jen said, “You just had a knock down with Trisha and you’re going to ask her to cut a deal on Sal?”

  Nick knew Trisha was in the Chief’s office. If he could catch her before she left, he might be able to repair any damage he’d done. “You’re saying I need to draw on my charming inner child?”

  Wayne looked up from his papers and chuckled, “You’re going to need a whole pee-wee team of charming inner children to win this one.”

  Nick knocked softly on the Chief’s office door before he stuck his head in the room. “Sorry to interrupt but I need a favor from Trisha.” N
ick grinned at her.

  “Don’t think your cute grin makes me inclined to do you a favor.” Trisha rolled her eyes and then looked pleadingly at the Chief. “Nick isn’t playing well with others today.”

  The Chief smiled.

  Thirty minutes later Nick left the Chief’s office with a signed deal for Sal if he could give verifiable information on Lucas’ illegal deeds.

  Nick walked into holding and glanced at the ambulance driver and the driver from the muffler shop shooting. “You two are screwed.”

  Nick unlocked Sal’s cell. “Come on buddy, time to set you free.”

  Sal’s eyes got big and he followed Nick to the interview room. Nick pointed to a chair at the long table and shut the door.

  Sal asked, “You’re setting me free?”

  Nick smiled, “Hell no. I just wanted your co-workers to think you made a special deal against Lucas.”

  Sal frowned, “You set me up!”

  “I prefer to think of it as offering you a clearer choice. Your only choice.”

  Nick took a disclosure from his pocket and placed his pen on top. He slid the paper across the table to Sal. “Sign here that you are willingly giving up your right to an attorney.”

  Assistant D.A. Trisha Jones and Jen watched the interview from behind the one-way mirror wall.

  Sal asked, “Why in the hell would I do that?”

  Nick said, “Because Lucas is already going to believe you took a deal. Why pay the price and not get the goods? I’m going to have Lucas by the end of today. Period. What I want from you is some shit to puff up my case.” Sal wasn’t convinced. Nick continued, “The way I see it is you are either tied to the kidnapping of Sharon Perez and the murder charges of everyone associated with Lucas and Sunrise Hospital, or you were simply at the wrong place, at the wrong time in Happy Burger’s parking lot.”