Justified

by C. M. Sutter

  I saw both of them clearly now. I continued walking forward. He had Kate in the typical hostage choke hold with his large forearm pressed against her throat. She was his human shield, and he could snap her neck in a second. Her gun was in his right hand.

  “Put your hands up higher,” he yelled.

  I did as he asked and continued toward them. “Kate, just focus on my eyes. It’ll help keep you calm. We don’t want Max to do anything rash. Just look at me, nothing else.” I knew she understood my command and knew exactly what to do. “Let her go, Max.”

  “Not yet. You need to be within reach.”

  I deliberately jerked my head to a sound behind him to get a five-second distraction. It was all I needed. I gave Kate the cue. She elbowed him hard in the right ribs, dropped, and rolled. A shot rang out from the back of the building. Max was hit in the left shoulder and fell to the ground.

  “Run, Kate!”

  I waited until she was safely behind the cruisers, then I approached Max and kicked away the gun lying at his side. He rolled over and looked up at me then laughed in my face. This was our moment, just Max and me. I raised my hand for everyone to hold their positions.

  “Why don’t you just kill me, Jade? That’s right, you don’t have the stones, and your gun is fifty feet behind you. It’s your duty to apprehend criminals, not murder them in cold blood, right?” He laughed again. “You wouldn’t kill an injured man, anyway.”

  “You mean like you did to my dad? He was an injured, innocent man, and you murdered him because Darryl told you to, and it gave you pleasure. Now get on your knees! You’re going to spend the rest of your pathetic life behind bars.” I kicked him hard in the leg. “I said to get on your knees. Put your hands behind your back. Now!”

  Max rolled over and got on his knees. I approached him with my cuffs then saw a flash of movement. He grabbed something from his left pocket then lunged at my ankles and pulled my legs out from under me. I fell hard to the ground.

  I heard people running, and Jack’s voice yelled out, “Knife!”

  I spun on the ground and faced Max then reached into my waistband. I drew my gun and shot him point blank, taking off half his head. Max was thrust backward, and it was over. That devil was finally dead, and the nightmare had ended. I lowered my gun, put my head in my hands, and wept with relief.

  I felt arms around my shoulders, comforting me, and then dozens of voices calling out commands. More tires squealed to a stop, and the sound of car doors opening and closing were at my back. Jack squeezed my shoulder then stood and walked away.

  Familiar voices talked among themselves twenty feet behind me. It sounded like J.T., Spelling, and Jack. Footsteps got closer, and I heard the conversation unfold.

  “Hold up, J.T. Give Jade a few minutes. She needs some time alone with her thoughts.”

  “What went down here, Jack?” J.T. asked.

  “Max was holding a deputy hostage and Jade offered herself in exchange. A scuffle ensued, and she shot his head off. End of story.”

  “Just like that?”

  Jack smirked. “Give yourself a year, J.T. Once you know Jade better, you’ll realize how brave and dedicated she is. Jade Monroe is the most fearless woman I’ve ever known.”

  Chapter 53

  Two days had gone by since that night. I felt ten pounds lighter, and by the expression on Amber’s face, she did too. Happiness and a sense of justice for our dad filled our hearts again. Life would be better now. What needed to be done was done, and now we could move forward with our lives in peace. We’d never get our dad back, but I felt justified with my actions. Max was dead, and nobody deserved death more than he did.

  I guzzled down my half cup of cold coffee and kissed Amber’s cheek. She handed me a travel mug filled with more Colombian brew.

  “What would I ever do without you?”

  She shrugged. “Don’t know and don’t plan to find out. I love you, Jade, and I hope to be as brave as you are someday.”

  I smiled. “It needed to be done, honey, that’s all. Anyway, I’m checking in at the office, and I need to fill out the same slew of papers I did at the sheriff’s department. After that, I’m asking for a couple days off. I have some loose ends to tie up.”

  She raised her brows as she took a sip of coffee. “Like what?”

  “Like taking care of unfinished business, but I promise to call you later. I may not be home until tomorrow.” I checked the time and grabbed my overnight bag. “I’ve got to go. I love you, Amber.”

  “Back at ya.”

  I drove the forty minutes to work with renewed joy. The anger that had eaten at me for almost six months was gone. I couldn’t imagine encountering another criminal as sadistic and demented as Max Sims, other than his own father, but I couldn’t predict the future.

  Unlike Kate. I grinned at the thought. She could have warned us that Max Sims was going to take her hostage. I reminded myself to rib her about that at a later date.

  I didn’t know what kind of criminals I’d be led to down the road, but whoever they were, I’d do my best to bring them to justice.

  I slowed at the driveway and turned in then parked next to J.T.’s Corolla. I knew at some point I’d have to have a serious talk with him about his choice of vehicle. Maybe he’d want to donate that car to his sister and get something more manlike. I looked back at my Cobra and nodded. “Yeah, like you.”

  On my way into work, I had called ahead and asked Spelling for two days off. There was important personal business I had to address. He agreed, but first I had to complete the necessary paperwork that pertained to Max. The man didn’t deserve a millisecond of my thoughts any longer, but red tape always followed a shooting that involved law enforcement.

  Once the hour-long questioning and paperwork were complete, Spelling walked me down the hallway to the back door.

  He raised a brow as we stood near the exit. “You’re quite an agent, Jade, and I’m impressed by your bravery. Tell me one thing before you leave.”

  “Sure. What’s that, boss?”

  “You aren’t going to do anything today that you’ll regret later, are you?”

  “Not in the least. Actually, it’s way overdue, and I promise to behave.”

  “Fair enough. I’ll see you in two days.”

  The drive was nearly three hours long, and that was just my first stop. I had planned ahead since I didn’t want to waste any time getting there. The small insulated lunch bag on the passenger seat held everything I needed. I pulled out the bottle of iced tea and the sandwich I had made last night and put in the Ziploc bag. I ate my lunch as I drove.

  I arrived at the outer gates of WSPF Boscobel at twelve thirty. I showed the guard my badge and told him I was on the list to visit inmate number 450-A72. He checked the visitors’ sheet and nodded then raised the gate and allowed me through. I parked my car and walked to the first door. I knew the routine. I had to sign in, wait until called, deposit all my belongings into a locker, go through a pat down, and then finally, after close to forty-five minutes of preparation, I’d be face-to-face with Darryl Sims. The inconvenience would be well worth it. The last time I had visited the man, he won. He wouldn’t be lucky twice.

  I had requested a private meeting with him and asked for anonymity. Darryl had no idea who his visitor would be. I wanted to see his initial expression when he saw me. That would be an expression I would hang on to and remember. That day, I would deliver the best news ever to the father of the worst criminal I had ever dealt with.

  With the guard at my side, I stared at Darryl through the one-way mirror. Darryl sat linked up to the stainless steel table, and he tapped his fingers with obvious impatience. I’m sure he was anxious to find out who his visitor was. The orange jumpsuit he wore looked unusually large on him. Something was off. He was thinner, and his skin looked ashen.

  I pointed at Darryl through the glass. “What’s up with him?”

  “He’s old and sick. I heard he has terminal cancer.”

&n
bsp; “So he’s going to die?”

  “Sooner or later, ma’am.”

  “Sooner sounds good.” I jerked my head toward the door. “Let me in.”

  The guard unlocked the steel door between me and the man that had called the shots in my father’s death. I wanted to jump over the table and kill him with my bare hands, but I had something else in mind. I crossed the threshold, and the heavy door closed at my back. Darryl’s eyes widened, and he was clearly surprised. He threw back his head and roared with laughter.

  “If I didn’t know better, Sergeant Monroe, I’d say you have a crush on me. Coming back for more abuse?”

  I leaned over the table, just out of his reach. “Get your facts straight, asshole, I’m an FBI agent now.”

  He laughed even harder. “Is that supposed to impress me?”

  “I don’t care if it does or not, I’m just stating the facts. You see, as an FBI agent, I can go anywhere. I’m not stuck within Wisconsin borders anymore, but I’ll get to that in a minute. I just heard some good news, Darryl.”

  “Yeah, what’s that, bitch?”

  “I heard you have terminal cancer. Think of the money that’s going to save us taxpayers.” I chuckled when he wrenched at the chains. “What? Did my comment hurt your feelings? Let’s get down to the real reason I’m here. God knows, I wouldn’t waste three hours of my life driving here to visit you unless it was important. Anyway, back to the thing about being in the FBI.”

  “Yeah, why don’t you get to the point?”

  I smiled and checked my manicure for a minute. “Okay, here we go. Now that I can chase criminals anywhere, imagine my surprise when the name John Pratt popped up on my radar.” I took a seat across from him and noticed how quickly his demeanor changed. “Oh, so you know that name?”

  “I don’t know shit.”

  I chuckled. “Finally, something we agree on. But I did notice how quickly you became nervous when I said John Pratt.” I leaned in even closer. “Are you sure that name doesn’t ring a bell? From where I sit, there’s only one person that has used his name recently, and now you’re wondering how I know that.” I kicked his chained leg under the table. “Right, Darryl? Cat got your tongue? The only other piece of shit to use John Pratt’s name lately would be your son, Max, and now your thoughts are all over the board, aren’t they? Let me ease your mind and make things perfectly clear for you. Two nights ago I put a bullet in John Pratt’s—I mean, Max’s—head. Yeah”—I slapped my hands together—“he’s dead now and as stiff as a board in the morgue’s freezer. His lifeless body will be slid into the incinerator soon enough. I guess that didn’t work out the way you had envisioned, did it? Was my death supposed to be the coup de grace before you kicked the bucket, the final order for Max to fulfill? Sucks for you, but I’m kind of stoked. You see, I’m healthy and plan to live a long life, but you? Now you can die from cancer and join your son in hell. This time you lose, and I win. The bad guy always loses in the end, Darryl. Why do you think you’ve spent the last twenty years in this hellhole? Enjoy what’s left of your disgusting life.” I pushed back from the table, turned away, and walked out. Silence surrounded me as the door slammed at my back. That time, Darryl Sims wasn’t laughing.

  I collected my belongings and left WSPF Boscobel, hopefully for the last time. Before I drove away, I pulled up the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list on my phone and scrolled to the picture of Max. This time when I stared at his face, a red banner across the image read Deceased. I smiled, clicked off, and headed south as another lengthy drive lay ahead of me. I’d stop for dinner at a restaurant along the freeway then continue on to Iroquois Memorial Hospital in Watseka, Illinois. A sweet, young lady was in need of some good news.

  Chapter 54

  I made the call to Dr. Adams as I drove. He told me Jane was being released in two days. Physically, she would make a full recovery, but the emotional and physical scars would likely remain forever. I asked him not to tell Jane I was coming. I wanted it to be a surprise. Before I hung up, I said I’d be there around six p.m.

  “The timing is perfect, Jade. Jane should be finishing her dinner right around then, plus her parents usually visit at that time too. She’ll be very happy to see you again, I’m sure of it.”

  “Will you still be at the hospital then?”

  “Actually, yes. I’m covering the mid-afternoon to mid-evening rounds today.”

  I said goodbye and clicked off then checked the time—4:30. I’d stop for dinner in a half hour, and I’d call Amber. I had a great idea to run by her.

  I took exit 172 and turned right. The sign along the freeway showed several decent sounding restaurants at that exit. The Iron Kettle caught my eye, and I turned in. The number of cars and semis in the lot told me they must serve good food. The hostess seated me at a small table along the wall. It felt odd to eat alone, but I wouldn’t be there long. I was too excited to see Jane again to linger at a restaurant. I turned my cup up and browsed the menu.

  “Decaf or regular, ma’am?”

  I looked up and saw a cute girl, probably no older than Jane, smiling at me and holding two coffee carafes.

  “Regular, please. Thanks. I’ll take a bowl of clam chowder and an order of fries too.”

  “Sure thing.” She poured my coffee and walked away.

  I thought back to Jane and how vulnerable a young lady of her age was. Jane was lucky to have lived through her ordeal. I called Amber while I had the time.

  “Hey, sis, are you home?”

  “Yep, just walked in the door. Ouch, go away, Spaz! What is wrong with this cat? He’s biting my ankle.”

  I laughed. “He just needs more attention. We’ve both been pretty busy lately. I have a great idea, though.”

  “Involving Spaz?”

  “No, silly, involving us.”

  “Okay, I like how that sounds. What’s going through your mind?”

  “How about a dinner gathering tomorrow night? I’ll be home by early afternoon, so I can get things started.”

  “That sounds scary. Why don’t you stick to buying the ingredients and leave the kitchen duties to me?”

  “Fair enough.”

  “How many people are we talking about?”

  I grimaced. “How about nine?”

  “Seriously? Like who?”

  “I’m thinking it’s time for my old friends and colleagues to get better acquainted with my new ones and preferably in a place where everybody doesn’t have their guns drawn.”

  She chuckled. “I agree, and J.T. is pretty handsome.”

  “Don’t even go there, Amber. I’m thinking Clark and his wife, Spelling and his wife, J.T., Jack, Kate, you, and me.”

  “Yep, that’s nine. Okay, I’ll put together the menu and text it to you tomorrow. You can hit the grocery store on your way home. Just make sure you actually call everyone tonight. It’s kind of short notice.”

  “No problem. All right, I’m getting close to my destination. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Night, hon.”

  “Night, Jade.”

  I turned in to the hospital’s entrance and parked in the visitors’ lot. I rode the elevator to the second floor and waited as the bell dinged and the doors parted. I saw Alice standing behind the counter at the nurses’ station. She looked up, gave me a wide grin, and waved me over.

  “Agent Monroe, it’s good to see you again. Does Jane know you’re here?”

  “Not yet. Are her folks in the room with her?”

  “They sure are. They’ll be so happy to see you.”

  “And I have good news to share with them.” I glanced down the hallways. “Where’s Dr. Adams?”

  She shrugged. “Probably napping in the lounge. I’ll page him to Jane’s room.”

  “Thanks, Alice. Shall I—”

  She waved me off. “Nah, just go on in.”

  The glass doors to the ICU wing parted, and I walked to the third room on the left. The slider was half open, and the curtain was pulled aside. I knocked, anyway.

 
I heard Jane’s voice say to come in.

  I peeked around the curtain and grinned. “It’s me again.”

  “Agent Monroe, I can’t believe you’re here!” Jane’s wide smile warmed my heart. “Please come in and have a seat.”

  “First, I need to give you a hug, then I’ll sit.”

  She laughed and pushed the roller cart that held her dinner tray away from her bed. Mr. and Mrs. Weeks shook my hand.

  I noticed how the swelling had gone down from Jane’s face. Some of the gauze bandages had been removed too. She was progressing nicely.

  “You’re looking really good, honey, and I hear you’re going home in a few days. That’s exciting news.”

  “I’m happy, but—”

  “But what?”

  “I have so many scars. It’ll take some getting used to when people stare.”

  “Scars do fade, Jane. Give it some time. There are plenty of good dermatologists that can recommend helpful skin treatments.”

  “Yeah, I guess. So”—she patted the edge of the bed—“why are you here?”

  I took a seat at her side and took her hand in mine. “I’m here to tell you it’s over. Your attacker will never bother you again. You’ll never have to look over your shoulder in fear.”

  Her eyes welled up, and I handed her a tissue.

  “You’re safe, honey.”

  She stared at me. “You really caught him, and it’s the right man?”

  “Yes, and he was definitely the right man.”

  A knock sounded on the door, and Dr. Adams walked in. “I heard you had company, Jane.” He grinned at me and extended his hand. “Good to see you again, Agent Monroe.”

  “And you too, doctor.”

  Dr. Adams leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest, and smiled. “Jane is recovering nicely, don’t you agree?”

  “I absolutely do.”

  “Agent Monroe?”

  “You can call me Jade, honey.”

  “Okay, Jade. I really wasn’t expecting to see you again. You kept your word.”

  “It’s all we have, Jane. Our word is our bond, especially in law enforcement. I’ll always do whatever I can to live up to that.”