The Runaway Reporter (A Police Procedural Mystery Series of Crime and Suspense, Hyder Ali #3)

by Thomas Fincham

  She leaned over and kissed him.

  “I love you, Tom Nolan.”

  “Thank you, I love me too.”

  “Jerk,” she said.

  He smiled. “I love you so much, Marina Lopez.”

  They kissed again. Then he looked at her and said, “How’s Hyder?”

  “He’s good,” she said, not knowing what else to say.

  “Where is he?”

  She wished she had an answer for him.

  ONE HUNDRED-FOUR

  Pascale couldn’t believe the gall on this man.

  Ali was telling them wild and outrageous lies. He mentioned someone named Felix Dent, who was involved in the murder of Francine Robeault. He then mentioned another name, J. Robert Munn, who was really Byron Smith.

  According to Ali, Smith was really the person behind all this. He had somehow managed to sabotage the drugs both Nolan and Rudy Jr. were taking, which then turned them into killing machines.

  Pascale had heard fantastic stories before, but this guy was unbelievable.

  “Mr. Ali,” Pascale said impatiently, “Where is this DVD you keep mentioning?”

  “I had it, but when you guys stormed the apartment building, I ended up leaving it behind.”

  “You said your friends would have it, what were their names?”

  Hyder hesitated. “I don’t want them involved.”

  “Oh, believe me, they’re involved. They hid you from the law, which makes them aiding and abetting a fugitive. That’s a crime, Mr. Ali.”

  “You have me, so leave them alone.”

  “You’re right, we do have you, but you’re wrong in thinking we will leave them. Sooner or later we’ll find who they are and we will charge them. You can count on that.”

  Ali looked down at his hands.

  “Now, tell me about this file that is supposed to show the connection between this fellow Munn and the pharmaceutical company, Devon Pharma. Where is it?”

  “I dropped it when I ran out,” Ali said.

  “Oh, you lost that too?” Pascale made a face. “How convenient, isn’t it?”

  “I’m not lying. What I told you is the truth. I swear.”

  “Mr. Ali, you wouldn’t believe how many people have sat in that very chair and have sworn to God, to Allah, to Jesus, to Krishna, to even their mothers, and they were all guilty as sin. So please, stop this bullshit.”

  Halton was next to him, but he let Pascale do his job.

  Pascale continued. “Now, this is what’s going to happen. We are going to formally charge you with the attempted murder of Tom Nolan. We have confirmation of you being at the scene when the crime happened. We have your fingerprints on the weapon used to commit the crime. We also have you evading capture for this crime. If I were in your position, I would seriously consider calling your lawyer now. There’s nothing you can tell us that would change the fact that you are guilty of this crime.”

  Someone knocked on the door.

  Pascale was annoyed. He was enjoying this moment. “Yes?” Pascale said.

  An officer entered. “Sorry, sir, but you have to see this.”

  Pascale and Halton looked at each other.

  They went down to the lobby of the building. A group of officers were standing in a circle on the steps leading up to the front entrance.

  The officers moved aside to let them through.

  A man was sitting on the steps. His hands were tied and his mouth was covered with duct tape. The man had a black eye, and blood underneath his nose.

  An envelope was taped across his chest.

  Written on the envelope in big bold letters was: FOR HYDER ALI.

  ONE HUNDRED-FIVE

  After reviewing the DVD, Pascale headed back to the interview room. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. He had never seen the spectacle he saw outside the department’s entrance. The way the man was placed there, it reminded him of when his parents left wrapped gifts underneath the Christmas tree for him to come down and open.

  But this gift wasn’t for him. It was for Ali. It confirmed what he was saying. The footage clearly showed the murder, and to top it off, the person responsible was included with the gift.

  He took a deep breath and entered the room.

  Ali was sitting with his head down.

  Pascale sat across him. “Some new information has come to light,” he said. “We’ve found evidence of the murder you were mentioning earlier.”

  “You saw the DVD?” Ali quickly said. “Who could have…?” He paused, smiled as if he knew the answer.

  “Yes, and it was exactly what you had told us.”

  “Then you should go and arrest Felix Dent. He works at the Daily Times.”

  “No point. Mr. Dent came with the DVD. Let’s say he didn’t have any choice.”

  At first Ali looked confused, but then he smiled again.

  “So you know I’m telling the truth,” Ali said.

  “Yes, perhaps, but it still doesn’t negate the fact that you shot Detective Nolan.”

  Ali leaned over. “If you go and find that file, you’ll know I’m not lying about everything.”

  Pascale said, “I’ve already sent a cruiser over there. I’m supposed to hear back from them soon.” It was Pascale’s turn to lean forward. “But even if we did find this file of yours, do you really expect us to believe that J. Robert Munn was behind what happened? Plus, do you think we would even entertain the possibility that Nolan was somehow brainwashed into attacking you?”

  Ali didn’t say anything.

  “Mr. Ali, this all sounds like something you would find in a fiction novel. It is something only you are capable of coming up with, considering the profession you are in.”

  “I’m not a novelist,” Ali said. “I’m a journalist. I don’t make up stories, I report them. This happened, and if you don’t believe me, you can call Detective Lopez.”

  Pascale put his hands up in the air. “Don’t bring another officer into your mess.”

  “She will confirm exactly what I’ve told you. In fact, she was the one who told me about the effects of the drug.”

  Pascale sighed. “I know you are friendly with Detective Lopez, but you don’t expect me to believe she would actually help you after what you did to her boyfriend?”

  “She believes me. She knows I’m telling the truth.”

  Pascale gave him a hard look. “Even if she did, it still doesn’t change anything. You shot Detective Nolan and we have your prints on the weapon. It’s attempted murder, plain and simple. If you confess now and save us all the trouble of a lengthy trial, then I’ll request that they give you a lenient sentence.”

  “But…”

  “Mr. Ali,” Pascale cut him off. “Did you or did you not shoot Detective Nolan?”

  “Um… I don’t…”

  “It’s a yes or no answer.”

  “I should have my lawyer here.”

  “I’ve already advised you to do so. In fact, I’ll get you access to a phone now.”

  Pascale’s own phone buzzed. He answered it and then hung up. “As expected, they didn’t find any file in that apartment building.”

  Ali’s head dropped.

  Pascale stood up, “Let me get you that phone.”

  Suddenly, the door swung open. Halton came in and whispered something into Pascale’s ear. He then turned to Ali.

  “You have to come with us.”

  ONE HUNDRED-SIX

  Hyder was in the back seat. His hands were cuffed. He wasn’t sure where they were taking him, but from the way they looked, he knew they weren’t happy.

  He had told them everything. Every word of it was the truth, or what he knew to be the truth.

  He had done everything in his power to find out what was going on, and this had left him drained physically and mentally.

  He could only elude the law for so long. Sooner or later they would’ve caught him. He was glad they finally did. He could stop running.

  He thought of his mom and what she was goin
g through knowing her son was a murder suspect. He didn’t have the courage to face her now.

  He saw they were approaching a building. It took him a few seconds, but then he recognized Franklin General Hospital.

  Why are they bringing me here? He thought. Did something bad happen?

  His heart sank.

  Did Nolan not survive? Is that what they want me to see, the damage I have done to another person?

  He didn’t want to suffer through it, but right now he had no choice on the matter. Even if he protested, they wouldn’t listen.

  They parked the car and took him into the building.

  Pascale and Halton flanked Hyder as they walked towards the elevators. Several people looked Hyder’s way, but he avoided making eye contact.

  On the second floor, they moved down the hall until they stopped in front of a door with an officer standing by it.

  When he went inside, he felt a wave of pure happiness wash over him. Sitting upright on the bed was Nolan, and standing next to him was Lopez.

  They were both smiling.

  “You asked for him, so we brought him.” Halton said.

  “I want it noted that I don’t want to press any charges against Hyder Ali.” Nolan said. “I would like you to set him free.”

  “But he assaulted you,” Pascale said. “That is a crime.”

  “He did it in self-defense. I attacked him first.” Nolan looked over at Lopez. She encouraged him to continue. “I don’t know what overcame me, but it was overpowering and all consuming. I no longer had control of my body. All I kept thinking during that time was kill Hyder Ali. Had Hyder not responded the way he did, I would have surely killed him. It would not be him in handcuffs but me. I guarantee that you would’ve had a dead body to deal with instead of just a wounded person.”

  “I found the knife Tom used to attack Hyder. It will have Tom’s prints on the knife and Hyder’s blood on the blade.” Lopez said.

  Pascale and Halton were speechless.

  “You have evidence of Hyder attacking Nolan and I have evidence of Nolan attacking Hyder.” Lopez added. “There is no way we can charge them both for the attempted murder of each other.”

  Halton sighed. “We’ll leave him under your supervision. He’s now your responsibility.”

  Halton pulled out the keys and removed Hyder’s handcuffs.

  “But…” Pascale protested.

  “Come, Detective,” Halton growled. “There is nothing for us here.”

  They left.

  “I’ll give you guys some privacy. I’m sure you have a lot to talk about,” Lopez said.

  Nolan smiled as she walked away.

  “I’m glad you’re alive, Tom.” Hyder said when they were alone.

  “I’m glad too, buddy.”

  Hyder walked over. “I’m sorry for what I did.”

  “I could say the same to you.”

  Hyder nodded.

  Nolan then added with a grin, “How does it feel to finally shoot someone?”

  “It sucks,” Hyder admitted. “You suddenly realize how much power you have over someone. It’s scary.”

  “Why do you think I don’t like pulling my gun out as often as I should?” he replied. “How’s the fasting going?”

  “It’s not.” Hyder shrugged. “I had to stop when I was running from the law.”

  “So how did it feel to be a fugitive?”

  Hyder thought about it. “It was actually quite thrilling, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.”

  “I’m sorry you had to break your fasting, but if it’s any consolation, during my time here I never once felt the urge to drink.” Nolan quipped.

  They both laughed.

  ONE HUNDRED-SEVEN

  Nolan’s medications had put him to sleep, so Hyder and Lopez moved to the hospital’s cafeteria, where they had a meal and talked.

  Hyder was grateful that Lopez hadn’t jumped to any conclusions in order to arrest him. Lopez was grateful that he took it upon himself to find out what was going on.

  It was bad enough that Nolan was hurt. It would’ve been worse if Hyder was charged for it.

  They discussed the case. Hyder filled her in on what he found in the file. She told him about Luiz and what happened in the distribution center.

  Lopez asked if Hyder found something on the forum. Hyder shook his head. Lester was unable to penetrate it.

  “Then we have nothing,” she finally said. “If Munn was involved, we don’t have anything linking him to what happened to Tom or what happened at Riverfield Street.”

  They were quiet for a moment.

  They were both thinking of what to do next when Lopez said, “What about the money?”

  “What money?” Hyder asked.

  “When I was searching for the package in Luiz’s van, I found a bank statement and a one-way plane ticket to Brazil. The ticket was first class, and with Luiz’s income I’m not sure how he could afford it. Plus, when I looked at the bank statement I saw several deposits totalling half a million dollars. I have a feeling they came from Munn, and if I can link Munn to Luiz, then we might have something to nail him with.”

  Hyder thought about it. “I’m not sure, but it’s a start,” he finally said.

  ONE HUNDRED-EIGHT

  The audience was filled with people from all walks of life. He spotted doctors, lawyers, accountants, retirees, teachers, nurses, and even politicians. Next to them were students, construction workers, waiters, cashiers, nannies, cooks, and even the unemployed.

  They all came to listen to him. They all came with questions, hoping he would have the answers.

  As he looked out at the crowd, he couldn’t help but smile.

  He would give them a speech for the ages. He would show them the ills of society and how, if they followed his teachings, they could overcome them.

  He would rail against the governments and how they used fear and disinformation to control their citizens. He would rail against the big corporations, starting with the banks who made people indebted to them so that they would never stray from the status quo. He would rail against the pharmaceutical giants who were poisoning everyone’s bodies with medications that were far more harmful than the actual ailments they were being prescribed for. Then there were the law enforcement agencies that were making sure that all drugs and narcotics were illegal, regardless of their benefits, in order to keep getting funding for their initiatives.

  The list was vast and comprehensive, but he felt it was his duty to present it to them. They had, after all, paid a handsome fee to be in the same room as him.

  By exposing the lies that constantly surrounded them, he would be freeing them from the shackles of deceit.

  They had been lied to from the very beginning. It started from the moment they entered the education system. They were taught to never question was they were told. They were fed lies about history, about science, about religion, about everything. History was written by the conquerors and it was, therefore, biased and incorrect. Science was forever changing, and in most cases it was manipulated to satisfy the general presumptions. Religion was even worse. Only a country’s predominant religion was taught, while all others were pushed aside as false and blasphemous.

  The host was in the middle of his introductions. Soon he would take the stage.

  J. Robert Munn was preparing for this opportunity from the moment he had decided to take on his new name.

  After tonight, he would bury his past forever. Dr. Byron Smith would be no more. He had vanished twenty years ago, but he had always lived on in him. But not anymore. He was ready to move forward with his life.

  He had enacted his revenge. Devon Pharma had gone out of their way to destroy his reputation. Now their reputation was in tatters.

  They would be forced into insolvency and very quickly some corporation would take them over for far less than they were worth. Their name would disappear like his had years ago.

  Creating a drug that made people homicidal was death for any
organization. Devon Pharma would live in infamy for doing just that. No one would ever trust them, and no one would buy their products again.

  The police had no idea he was even remotely involved. Even if they did, there was nothing that would link him to what had happened. He had planned it perfectly, and even with some minor hiccups along the way, it had been executed flawlessly.

  Now it was time to forget about it. He had lived with the anger for far too long. He had shown a different face to his fans, one that was confident and without worry, but deep down he was forever haunted by what happened. It had changed him.

  He had a life that he had worked hard to create and it was all gone in an instant. He had wanted justice, not for himself, but for that woman who had lost her child and, ultimately, her life.

  Hopefully she could rest in peace now.

  He regretted the deaths of those involved in his scheme, but it was a small price to pay for what he had lost.

  The host completed his remarks and then called upon him to take the stage.

  He walked up to the microphone with a huge smile on his face. Today it wasn’t fake or fabricated. Today he didn’t have to force himself to be happy. He just was.

  The audience got up from their seats and gave him an ovation. Some even waved at him, hoping he would notice them. He did. Each and every one of them.

  After a minute of continuous applause, he had to ask them to take their seats. He had a speech to give and he was ready for it.

  “I would like to thank you all for coming here today,” he said. His voice boomed throughout the auditorium. “Today is a great moment for me. Today will be a great moment for you. For today I will not only open your minds, but also your hearts, your spirits, your every being. When you leave, you will not be the same person that came in. You will be a new person. You will be reborn. And through this rebirth you will see the world like you have never seen it. You will be like a child who learned something that they never knew existed before. So please leave your misconceptions at the door and come with me as I take you on a journey to enlightenment.” He paused, allowing the crowd to prepare themselves for what he was about to tell them. “I will start from the beginning…”