by Terri Reid
“Last night?” Sam asked, coming up behind Art. “Now that sounds interesting.”
Brooke felt her face growing red. “No, it wasn’t…” she stammered.
“Brooke wasn’t feeling well yesterday,” Art inserted. “I stayed with her until her friend was able to pick her up.”
Sam smiled and nodded. “That’s my partner, the knight in shining armor.”
Niki came around the kitchen counter and walked over to them. “Hi,” she said.
“Niki, right?” Art asked.
Niki nodded. “Right. Good to see you again.”
“You, too,” Art replied. He turned towards Sam. “Niki, this is my partner, Sam Sidney. Sam, this is Niki…”
Niki extended her hand to Sam. “Niki Jhang,” she supplied.
Sam took her hand and then studied her face for a moment. “Niki Jhang of Jhang Securities?” Sam asked.
Smiling, Niki nodded. “The same.”
He released her hand and smiled back. “You’ve got some impressive skills,” he said.
Her smile widened. “Why, thank you.”
Art looked back and forth between the two. “Mind filling me in?” he asked.
“Miss Jhang here owns and operates one of the highest level, computer security companies in the United States,” Sam explained.
“Well, actually, in the world,” Niki inserted with a grin and a quick shrug of her shoulders. “But, you know, who’s counting?”
“I’m counting,” Sam replied earnestly. “She helped the force stop a cyberattack on the CPD’s computer system. They were accessing personnel information, schedules and reports. Could have caused the department a whole lot of trouble. Now her company has a contract to keep an eye on our system, just to make sure no one sneaks back in.”
Art turned from Sam and looked at Brooke. “How interesting that you would have a friend who has access to the CPD’s files,” he said, meeting her eyes with clear understanding.
Brooke smiled and shrugged. “Yes, it is, isn’t it,” she replied as evenly as she could.
Art studied her for a moment, watching her carefully. “But I’m sure she’s never used that access to research any of the cases you’ve worked on.”
She’s going to lie, he thought. And unbidden, the second thought followed, they all lie.
Like a good lawyer, Brooke thought about her answer before she spoke. Sure, she could lie; he would never know that she’d used Niki’s access. But he was helping her. He had been honest with her, more honest than her parents. She glanced at Niki for permission.
“Yes, I’ve used Niki’s access to examine documents on cases I’ve worked on,” she admitted. “It wasn’t illegal. All of those documents were available to me through the court, but Niki has an amazing eye for detail and picks up things most people miss.”
“Like a bad date,” Art said.
Brooke nodded. “Yeah, like a bad date,” she replied.
She didn’t lie, Art thought, more pleased than he would like to admit.
When he didn’t say anything, she smiled anxiously at him and shrugged. “So, you wanted to talk to me…”
He studied her for another long moment and then nodded. “Yes,” he said, shaking his head ruefully. “Yeah, we wanted to talk to you. Sam actually knew about Bruce Blackwood. Said he’s a legend in the 12th District.”
“Really?” Brooke asked, turning to look at Sam. “You knew my dad?”
“I didn’t exactly know him,” Sam admitted. “But I heard the stories. He was one of the best detectives on the force, and he was incorruptible. Which is probably what killed him.”
“What?” Brooke asked.
“Maybe we all ought to sit down,” Niki suggested, motioning to the dining room table.
“I’m sorry,” Brooke said. “Of course, please sit down. Can I get you something to drink?”
“Water would be good for me,” Art said. “It’s nearly my bedtime, so I don’t want coffee.”
“Yeah, make that two,” Sam added.
A few minutes later, seated around the table, Sam repeated what he’d told Art about the secret society. “That’s all I know,” he finished. “But it sure looks like this was an inside job.”
“I can’t believe someone inside the force would do this,” Brooke said, standing up and walking over to the kitchen counter to pick up her phone. “I’m going to call my dad…”
“Wait,” Art said, jumping up and placing his hand over hers and her phone. “There’s something else you should know.”
She looked up into his eyes and knew it was something she wasn’t going to like. “What?”
“Sam and I decided to pay a visit to the 12th District to see if we could find your dad’s old files,” he said.
Her jaw dropped. “You did that?” she asked, excited. “Last night?”
Art nodded. “Yeah, we figured that once word got out that you discovered you were Blackwood’s daughter, the files might disappear.”
“Why?” she asked.
“Okay, let’s say for the moment that the theory of a secret society within the police force is true. And let’s also say that your dad was close to finding out who they were.”
Brooke nodded. “Okay, I can believe that.”
Sam stood up and walked over next to Art. “Let’s also say that when you’re in a secret society, you tend to be a little nervous about people finding out, especially if this group’s been around for over twenty-five years. You’ve probably done a lot of things that could put you away for a long time. And, if you’re a cop, the last place you want to be is jail.”
Brooke nodded.
“So, let’s say you hear that one of the toughest attorneys in the city finds out her dad was murdered and his case was never solved,” Art continued. “You know she’s going come knocking on doors to get his old files.”
“If the files weren’t already on the computer system that her friend can easily access,” Niki said.
They all turned back towards her. She raised her hands in surrender and shook her head. “I looked last night,” she said. “But there was nothing there electronically. It’s all been wiped clean.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Sam said. “The only files were going to be hard copy.”
“That makes sense,” Brooke said. “But I still don’t understand why I can’t call my dad, um, my stepdad.”
Sam looked over at Art and then back at Brooke. “We went over to the 12th, and I used the excuse that I needed to see some of my old files,” Sam said. “The record system hasn’t been working…” He glanced over at Niki and smiled. “They should hire you for that one, too. Anyway, it was a good cover.”
“While Sam and I were down in the file room,” Art inserted, “we heard the door open. We were back behind some shelves, so they didn’t see us. During their conversation, they mentioned that the judge asked them to look for anything suspicious.”
“The judge?” Brooke repeated. “That’s strange. But I still don’t understand…”
Art sighed. “We also overhead them say that if they found us looking into Blackwood’s files, we weren’t supposed to leave the basement alive.”
“What? No. Why would anyone…” she stopped, her eyes wide, and shook her head slowly. “No, you can’t believe that my father…” She met Art’s eyes and saw the suspicion there. “No, my dad…he wouldn’t do that…he’s an honest man.”
“Your dad never told you that you were Bruce Blackwood’s child,” Art reminded her.
“But he wouldn’t have you killed,” she said.
“Who else knew that you discovered you were Blackwood’s daughter?” Art asked. “Who else would have raised an alarm?”
She shook her head. “It could have been anyone standing in the hallway in the courthouse,” she argued, praying she was right. “Anyone could have overheard our conversation. And there are a lot of judges in the courthouse.”
“Okay,” Art replied. “We can consider that our private conversation w
as overheard by someone who just happened to know your secret, and they moved on it. But, you also have to consider that Judge Callahan might also be involved. Brooke, you’ve got to consider it, for your own safety.”
Brooke took a deep, uneven breath. “He can’t be involved,” she said to Art, pleading for understanding. “He’s not perfect, but he’s the only father I’ve ever known.”
“Or the only father he wants you to remember,” Niki interjected.
Closing her eyes, Brooke released her phone and let it clatter onto the countertop. “I don’t want to believe that,” she whispered.
“Then let us help you prove otherwise,” Art said. “We’ll conduct our own covert investigation and not let anyone else know about it. Then, if we clear the judge…”
“When we clear the judge,” Brooke insisted.
Art nodded. “When we clear the judge,” he continued, “we will know who the bad guys are, and then we’ll prosecute.”
“Damn right we will,” Brooke said. “When do we start?”
Chapter Seventeen
Trying to mask a yawn, Art paused for a moment. “How about this afternoon?” he asked. “Sam and I both need a little sleep so we can think clearly.”
“Works for me,” Sam said. “Where do we want to meet?”
“Why not here?” Brooke asked.
Art considered it for a moment. “Does your dad know that I was the one who told you about Blackwood?” he asked.
She huffed impatiently. Art was wrong about her dad, and she’d prove it. “Not that it matters,” she said, “but no, he doesn’t know how I found out.”
“But what about those guys at the 12th?” Niki asked. “Won’t they be suspicious when they realize the files are gone?”
Sam chuckled. “Well, unless they look real close, they’re not going to figure it out,” he said. “We swapped boxes, so it looks like we just took my old files out, not his.”
“Well that was clever,” Niki said with an admiring nod to Sam.
Sam grinned. “Yeah, I have my moments,” he said.
“So, we’re meeting here?” Art asked.
“Yeah,” Brooke said, walking around the counter, opening a drawer and pulling out a key. She handed it to him. “This will get you in through the garage without having to check in with the doorman,” she said. “It will be a lot more discreet.”
“Do you have a freight elevator?” Art asked.
She nodded. “Why?”
“Because I’d like to bring the file boxes up here,” he said. “And I don’t want to risk having anyone see me.”
“Sure, let me show you it,” she offered. She turned to Niki. “Are you guys coming?”
“Yeah, we’ll be right behind you,” Niki replied. “I want to ask Sam some questions about the 12th first.”
Brooke and Art headed to the door, and Niki led Sam back to the table.
“What do you want to know?” Sam asked.
Niki glanced over her shoulder, saw the door closing behind Brooke and Art, and then turned back to Sam. “Your guy, O’Reilly,” she said. “Is he a straight up guy?”
Sam sat back in the chair and folded his arms over his chest. “I’m guessing that you already checked him out, when you went searching for those Blackwood files, so why you asking me?”
Niki folded her arms, mimicking his actions. “Well, as we both know and as we’ve discussed tonight,” she said, “files can lie.”
“You asking me because of the investigation or because of your friend?” Sam asked.
“A little of both,” Niki admitted.
“O’Reilly’s one of those rare people who stills believes in truth, justice and the American way,” Sam said. “He’s a good guy, an honest guy and I trust him with my life.”
Niki leaned forward on the table. “Okay, so I would hire him for my company,” Niki said. “But how about for Brooke?”
Sam smiled and shrugged. “Yeah, I sensed the sparks between those two,” Sam said. “But, I don’t know. He just found out his fiancée was cheating on him, so he’s more than a little cautious. Got some trust issues to work out.”
“Thanks, that’s good to know,” Niki said. “She’s led a pretty sheltered life, as far as dealings with the opposite sex. I don’t want to see her hurt.”
Sam winked at her. “You’re a good friend,” he said.
She smiled back at him. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
Chapter Eighteen
Brooke peeked out the door before leading Art into the hall and down to the freight elevator. She covertly glanced at the man walking alongside her. He seemed so sure of himself, so confident in his purpose. And, really, why was he helping her? She was sure she was not his favorite person.
“So, I have to ask,” she finally said. “Why do you care? Why are you getting involved with this? I mean, it’s not like we’re friends. As a matter of fact, after the trial yesterday, I’m not sure why you don’t avoid me altogether.”
Art stopped and turned to her. “Well, first, I never got the chance to apologize to you,” he said sincerely. “I never meant to hit you with an emotional hand grenade like that. I had no idea you didn’t know about your dad.”
“I know,” she reassured him. “I think you were just as surprised as I was by my reaction.”
Nodding, he reached out and put his hand on her arm. “I felt so bad,” he admitted. “Really, I am so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault,” she said. “I should have known. I should have been told.” She shrugged. “Actually, you did me a huge favor. I don’t know when I would have learned the truth.”
They continued walking down the hall. “That’s very generous of you,” he said. “And now to answer your question, my da knew Blackwood. Thought the world of him. He felt it was a shame that no one ever investigated his murder.”
“So, you felt compelled to get involved?” she asked with a smile. “Do you have a hero complex?”
Turning to her again, he smiled. “My parents have always said that I have an overdeveloped sense of right and wrong. I always root for the underdog, and I’m always trying to fix things.” He shrugged. “Which tends to get me in trouble.”
The smile on her face disappeared. “If what you heard was true, it seems like this investigation can get you more than just in trouble,” Brooke said. “It sounds like it can get you killed.”
They stopped in front of the freight elevator and hit the button. The clang of the elevator gears echoed in the hall as it made its way up to them.
“We need to find out who did this to your dad,” he said simply. “We need to stop them if they’re still operating. We need to bring them to justice even if they’re not.” He was quiet for a moment as the elevator came to a stop in front of them. Lifting the release bar, he opened the metal doors of the elevator and allowed Brooke to step inside first. “Besides, I feel like there’s a connection between your dad and me.”
Turning sharply to look at him, Brooke thought about the ghost in her bedroom. “Why do you say that?” she asked.
If I tell her about the ghost, Art thought, she’s going to think she’s trapped in a freight elevator with a crazy man.
“It must be a cop thing,” he finally replied.
She nodded slowly. “Yeah,” she replied softly. “That makes sense.”
“So, are we in this together?” he asked as they reached the garage level.
Inhaling deeply, she turned to him and extended her hand. “Yes, together,” she said, shaking his hand. “And thank you.”
He held her hand in his for a long moment and smiled down at her. “You’re welcome.”
They walked across the garage to his car, and he unlocked the trunk. Inside were the six boxes with Sam’s name on them. He lifted one of the boxes and handed it to Brooke. “You got that?” he asked.
She smiled and nodded. “Yeah, no problem,” she replied.
A moment later the freight elevator opened again, and Niki and Sam stepped out.
> “Just in time,” Art called. “We can do this all in one take.”
Fifteen minutes later, the boxes were stacked in the corner of her guest bedroom and Brooke was home alone. She pulled the Polaroid photo out of her shirt pocket and looked down at the man whose face was becoming more and more familiar. “I’ll do it, Dad,” she whispered. “I’ll find out who killed you.”
Chapter Nineteen
The car slowed as it neared the high-rise apartment and pulled over to the curb across the street from the entrance. Jacarius Robbins had been out of jail for nearly twenty-four hours. After being released from jail, he’d immediately gone back to the old neighborhood to straighten a couple of things out. He’d been in jail for a couple of weeks, and word got to him that some of his boys had decided he wasn’t coming back. They’d fought amongst themselves and ended up losing his turf to a rival gang. First thing he had to do was make sure they knew he was back and he wasn’t going to be going anywhere.
It had only taken half a day to regain his position, half a day and the deaths of three young drug pushers. Their bodies left in the middle of the street sent a strong message that he’d returned and he meant business.
Then it was time to celebrate his newly found freedom. He picked out a couple of the finest women under his protection and partied hard until the early morning. Then he got up, showered and left his apartment, telling them he had a final score to settle.
Yeah, a score to settle with a bitch who thought she could insult him. A bitch who thought her white ass was better than him. A bitch who needed to learn a little respect. He checked the address again and nodded. Yeah, this was the place.
Shoving his gun in the belt in the back of his pants, he pulled his jacket over the telltale bulge and strolled across the street. The front lobby was all glass, and the sidewalk in front of the building was busy. So, he needed to be discreet and quick. There was no way he was going back to jail again.
He pushed open the front door and walked with confidence to the desk.
