by W L Knightly
Jo reached back and produced her cuffs. “I have enough on you to use these, but I’m more interested in what you know.”
“So, see what you can do for me, sweetheart.”
“Hey, no one calls her that but me,” said Jake. He realized that came out all wrong. “Show some respect.”
“Find me later with a deal, and I’ll tell you all about him. But let me go back to work. I missed yesterday, and if I don’t watch it, my boss is going to shit can me faster than you can say, Hangman.”
Jake didn’t like what he was about to do, but if he wanted the information, he knew he had to tread lightly to get it. “Later.” He pointed his finger at Tanner’s face. “Don’t make me come looking for you. I’ll see if we can make a deal, but if you run, all deals are off, and I’m going to personally lock you away for so long, your kids will have kids when you get out.”
“Noted,” he said with a cocky grin. “I’ll be here or at my house. Waiting.”
Jake turned and walked away, and Jo ran up behind him. “Are you kidding me? We could have taken him in for those warrants.”
“And we will, eventually. Trust me. If I don’t make him think I’m playing his game, we’ll never get anything out of him. He’ll sit in his cell and clam up. I need him to talk more than I need him in jail over some goddamned speeding tickets, and you heard him. He has kids. They need an old man with a job. If he goes to jail, that’s it for him.” There was always a method to Jake’s madness.
“You really are a big softie, aren’t you?”
Jake sighed. “Get in the car.”
They made their way to the station, and when they got there, O’Connor was standing at the front desk talking to a few of the other officers. When he saw Jake and Jo, he excused himself and headed over to see them.
“Your office is all clear,” he said like they hadn’t already talked to Kevin.
“Yeah, we heard. Thanks. Any news of how the Hangman got into my office?”
The chief looked nervous at the mention of the name. “I’m not certain, but we think it was the supply closet near the back door. There isn’t a camera on that exit, and anyone could slip in undetected, go right into that room, and up through the ceiling by removing a tile. There’s enough shit in there to stand on. That’s for sure. I have the janitor cleaning it up today. I never realized what a mess he keeps it until this happened.”
“I bet he’s pissed off.”
“He can direct his anger to the Hangman,” said O’Connor. “So, where have you two been?”
“My car is broken down, so I called Jake for a ride in.” Jo patted Jake on the back, and the chief gave a nod like he bought it.
“We went to find our informant’s lead. He got away from us once, so we cornered him at work. He said he ran because he had some speeding tickets and thought he had a warrant. Turns out, he did.”
“Did you haul his ass in?”
“Not yet, but that’s why I need to talk to you. He said he knows the Hangman’s next victim, and he wants to make a deal, or he’s not talking.”
O’Connor’s face paled. “He knows the next victim? How does he know that?”
“I guess he knows our killer maybe? Or someone linked to him. All I know is, this lead is important. We could save someone’s life. I need to know if we could do something, maybe give him probation instead?”
“No, it’s not a problem. We’ll make them go away. They’re just parking tickets for fuck’s sake. This is a person’s life. Besides, we’ll get him another day.”
Jake hated to agree, but he knew it wasn’t like letting a drug pusher off or someone who beat children. “Okay.”
“I want you to act fast. You need to get down to Judge Mathews’s office. He’ll help you with what you need. And as soon as you find out who the next victim is, let me know.” O’Connor walked away like his ass was on fire.
“Was it me, or was he a bit shaken?” Jake watched him go, thinking the man was working too hard.
Chapter 24
Jake
After getting their next order of business from O’Connor, they walked across the street to the courthouse and made their way inside. Jo seemed mesmerized by the place and looked it over from ceiling to floor. “I think this is one of the prettiest courthouses I’ve seen.”
“Yeah? Well, they spent enough on it. They completed building it a couple of years ago, and then they were supposed to do the station, but that didn’t go as planned. They suddenly ran out of money, and we ended up with our addition to the original building and not much else. City Council justified it somehow, but the department was pissed.”
“I bet. Seems like there is corruption everywhere you look. I still can’t believe we’re making this asshole’s tickets go away.”
Jake nodded. “I know, but it’s not that big a deal compared to the grand scheme of things.”
“Oh, trust me, I know. Today parking tickets, tomorrow something worse.” She let out a sigh. “I just want to do the right thing, you know?”
“I can tell that about you, and I’m sure everyone else can too. So don’t worry about it.” He stopped at the double doors of the courtroom. “Judge Mathews’s office is down there. You can wait here if you don’t want to be involved.” He mostly teased, but it wouldn’t have offended him if she had wanted to.
“Stop, I know it’s not a big deal. And I’m not being left behind. I already told you. I’m in this. I have to be ready next week when you’re out of here.” The days were going by, making his time shorter and shorter, and yet, he really didn’t know what he wanted to do.
Part of him was second-guessing his decision, but the other part of him still wanted to run the minute he got the chance.
“Then let’s get this over with. I’d like to be waiting on Tanner when he gets home from work. I’m eager to know who the Hangman wants to off next. Maybe we can find out why and arrest them for corruption first and put them in jail where the Hangman can’t get to them.”
“That’s a plan,” said Jo. “Or we can use him as bait.” She grinned mischievously.
“You’re coming along nicely,” he said with laughter in his voice. “Come on, before he decides to go to an early lunch. And just a warning. Don’t expect much from him. He’s known to be a dick.”
They had already blown half of the morning getting ready and talking to Tanner, and Jake didn’t want to waste any more time.
Jake went up to the door and stuck his head inside. “Hello, Linda.” He had known the woman since he’d begun working for the force.
“Hi, Jake. What brings you by?” She smiled a little bigger when Jo stepped in behind him. “Oh, hello there.”
“Hi. I’m Detective Jo Calloway.” She put out her hand, and the older woman took it.
“Oh, you’re the replacement?” Linda asked with a smile. “I heard that you’d been hired. It’s good to meet you.”
“Thanks.” Jo gave a polite smile
Jake cleared his throat. “We’re here to see the judge actually. Is he in?”
“Sure, let me call him and make sure you’re good to go in. He sometimes likes to take a power nap after morning court, and he has a big window before his next hearing.”
Jake wondered how the asshole could sleep at night, considering some of the rumors he’d heard about him. He waited while Linda checked in with him. “He said he was expecting you. Chief O’Connor called ahead. You can go in now.”
“Thanks,” said Jo. “And it was nice to meet you.”
Jake wasted no time with long goodbyes or formalities and headed right to the judge’s chambers. He gave a short rap on the door out of courtesy and then opened it. “Hello, Judge Mathews.”
“Come on in, you two. I got a call, and I already know why you’re here.” Judge Mathews sat behind his desk, writing something on a piece of paper. “Give me one good reason I should let this little shit off with his warrants.”
Jake was confused. “I thought that O’Connor had called ahead.”
“He tells me that he knows the name of the Hangman’s next victim.”
“The Hangman? Is that what we’re calling him? I guess this asshole thinks he’s something with a new fancy nickname. That he’s somehow intimidating.”
“Have you not heard who he likes to target?” Jake asked.
“He’s out for some kind of vigilante justice from what I’ve heard.” Judge Mathews didn’t seem like it bothered him.
Jake knew he’d think otherwise if he knew the killer’s intentions. “The Hangman is out to cleanse the corrupt system by taking out everyone he feels has done wrong by justice. We’re not sure if it’s personal yet, but the signs point to it. If you could possibly think of anyone in your past who might feel like they were slighted, I’d like to know.”
Judge Mathews narrowed his eyes. “Are you insinuating that I’ve done an injustice?”
“No, not at all. But we both know that sometimes, the people we arrest and judge think they are innocent. Perhaps one of those types is our killer. I’m sure you’ll do all you can to help.” Jake wasn’t sure if the judge was paying attention. He’d had his eyes on Jo since they’d walked in.
“Who are you? I don’t think we’ve met. I usually always know the more attractive females in the department.”
Jo took a deep breath, and Jake held his too, hoping that she wouldn’t mouth off at the judge. “Thank you, Your Honor, I’m Josie Calloway,” she said, sounding like a bubble head. “I was sure hoping you could help us, seeing how important it is that we get this information.”
“Josie Calloway. You’re the new detective. That’s right. She’s taking your place. I can’t say that I’m disappointed to be losing you if this what my view will look like from now on.” He gave her a wink. “I guess what’s a few parking tickets? I’ll go ahead and take care of the warrants, but I want you to nail this asshole’s dick to the wall if he doesn’t deliver.”
“Yes, sir,” said Jake, still wondering what had gotten into Jo. She had turned on her charm when needed, but he hoped she wouldn’t regret it later. Judge Mathews wasn’t someone to fuck with, and once he set his sights on someone he wanted to go after, they’d have a hard time losing him.
“Thank you so much,” she said with a big smile.
“Yeah, well, try not to get yourself killed.” He gave her a hard look as if he had her number after all, and then he pulled a piece of paper from his desk and wrote something before folding it and handing it to Jake. “This is what you want. Take it downstairs and make sure they put it in as pending. If he refuses to help, the deal is off.”
Jake gave a nod and then took Jo by the arm. “Come on, Josie.”
Once they got out of there and cleared Linda’s office, Jake turned to her. “What was that about, Josie?”
“So, I played along with his expectations? Who cares?” She shrugged, and Jake grabbed her hand and pulled her to a stop. With her back to the wall, her eyes widened as Jake put both hands on the wall beside her.
“Don’t dumb yourself down for anyone. You’re a fucking detective for this department. They have to respect you. People like Judge Mathews? He’s just going to treat you like shit if you let him, and that bubble-headed bimbo impression was the quickest way to get in his sights.” He couldn’t believe how angry he was at her and disappointed.
He stepped back, but she stayed there a moment against the wall as if letting it all sink in. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know it would upset you.”
“Why wouldn’t it?” he asked. He headed out of there with the letter clutched in his fists. “You want to be respected, you don’t want to be talked over or left behind, and yet, when you have the perfect opportunity to assert yourself, you bat your eyes at some asshole to get what you want? Who are you? Dannie? Because you’re not my Jo. That’s for sure.”
“Your Jo?” She narrowed her eyes. “I didn’t realize I was yours.”
“You know what I mean. The Jo I know. Don’t disappoint me. Believe it or not, you have to fill my shoes. I need to know that you can.”
“Okay,” she said, looking down the hall at a man who was walking toward them to one of the other offices. “Can we go before we make a scene?”
“Yeah, let’s.”
Jake was quiet as they headed back to the car, and he wondered if he really knew her at all. They were still getting to know one another, and he’d let the whole staying over at her place happen. You slept on her couch, man. Don’t make more out of that than it is.
In the car, Jo slumped down in her seat. “I’m sorry. I was just trying to get him to give us what we wanted to get out of there. His kind are a lot easier than you think.”
“The fact that you believe that is another reason you shouldn’t have done it. He’s a power junkie, and you’re nothing to him.”
“Noted. Just don’t be mad at me.”
Jake knew he should let it go, but another reason it made him so angry was because he didn’t like other men looking at her like they wanted to fuck her. Her dangling herself like a carrot sent him into protective mode. “It’s fine. Let’s focus on Tanner. I’ve got what he wants, and now he had better hold up his end of the bargain.”
They were quiet for the rest of the ride, mostly because Jake couldn’t stop wondering who Tanner was going to name as the next victim. After driving past the construction site and seeing that they’d called it quits for the day, he pulled up at the apartment complex and drove toward his unit.
“You keep an eye on his window exit, and I’ll knock on the door,” said Jo as Jake parked in front of a visitor sign. “But let’s hope he doesn’t run this time.”
“It’s in his best interest not to,” said Jake. They got out and walked into the corridor of the unit and to the blue door with chipped paint.
Before Jake could knock, the door opened. Tanner had cleaned up from work and now had wet hair and a towel around his neck. He’d put on clean clothes and wore socks that were so white, they had to have been brand new. “Did you make your magic happen?”
“Are you ready to talk?” asked Jake.
“Always, when there’s something in it for me.”
Jake held up the letter. “I have this. It clears your warrants as long as you aren’t lying about knowing the next victim for your own gain. Tell me what you know.”
“Come on in,” he said, pushing the door open and standing back. “I don’t want anyone to see me out there with you. The landlord will think I’m in trouble again.”
Jake waved his hand and allowed Jo to go before him. She didn’t bother sitting down, and neither did Jake. They weren’t there to get cozy.
But Tanner had no problem sitting on the couch, and even though he’d put himself in the more vulnerable position, his attitude was big enough that Jake could tell he wasn’t shaken.
“About two years ago,” he said while lighting up a cigarette. “I worked with a man on a job. He was a pick up. I think he just wanted some extra cash for whatever reason. So, we’re talking on the site, and someone mentions a parking ticket. Another man mentions a court hearing. Before too long, when the others went back to work, this guy gets on a rant to me about the corruption in this town. He said you couldn’t trust anyone.”
“Did he name any names?” Jake wanted to get to the point.
“Yeah. The first two victims’ as a matter of fact. He said that he wished he could erase a few of the corrupt bastards off the map and said he’d start with that crooked Elliot Gaines. Then right after, he said the dirtiest cop in town was Officer Daniels. I heard about their murders, and I was like, holy shit, that was the guy.” He took another pull from his cigarette and looked at the both of them. “Has to be, right?”
“What was the man’s name?” asked Jo.
“That, I wish I remembered. We are bad about giving everyone nicknames at work. He was a big guy though, strong as a fucking ox, and so that’
s the nickname that stuck. Ox.”
“And who else did he name?” asked Jake, losing his patience. “You said you could name the next victim.”
Tanner nodded. “He mentioned a few others who had gotten under his skin somehow, but I can’t remember if it was a judge or chief of police who he mentioned next.”
“The new chief? O’Connor?”
Tanner shrugged. “That’s all I remember. But there’s only one chief, right?”
Jo shifted on her feet. “Did he say anything else that you can remember?”
“No, not in that conversation, and trust me, I’ve already wracked my brain on it.”
Jake pegged him with a hard look. “If you think of anything—”
“I’ll let you know. As long as my warrants go away. It’s been a while, but I just remember this dude being really creepy, the kind of man you’d expect to have an underground bunker of weapons. He was always dogging out the justice system. But that one conversation was intense.”
“And he never gave a reason why he felt this way?” Jake asked.
“Fuck no, and I didn’t ask. And that dude better not come knocking on my door because of this. He’ll kill me.”
Jake knew he needed to get back to the station to talk to the chief and figure out which judge might be a possible target, although he already had a good idea. “Consider yourself an unwanted man, and stay close. We might need you again.”
Jake turned and gestured to the door. “Ladies first.”
He and Jo walked out, and he heard Tanner shut the door and the turning of his locks.
Jo gripped Jake’s arm on their way to the car. “We’ve got to get back to the station and warn the chief!”
“Yeah,” he said as a feeling of dread crept in. “I’d sure like to know why the Hangman would target him to begin with.”
Chapter 25
Judge Ray Mathews
The next hearing had taken the rest of Ray’s afternoon, and he waited in his chamber for the jury to come back with the verdict. As he sat alone in his office, he took the time to call his girlfriend and eat a turkey sandwich. Ray smiled as he dialed her number, knowing that soon, he and Kami could be together, and he just had to get through his next big move.
