by Terri Reid
She nodded. “Okay, I’ll be in the hotel lobby at eleven. Thanks, Kevin.”
She hung up the phone and took a deep breath.
“Well, it’s done.”
Bradley shook his head. “No, it’s just beginning. Where is he…”
A knock on the hotel room door interrupted him. “Hey, it’s Sean,” he called from the other side of the door.
Mary got up and let him in. He was carrying a shopping bag from a local restaurant. “I thought I’d bring in breakfast,” he said. “And then we could set things up.”
He took a look around the room, noting the blankets piled on the couch and Bradley still stretched out on the couch. “Any problems last night?” he asked.
“None,” Mary said. “I slept like a babe in arms.”
Bradley coughed to cover his laughter.
“Something wrong?” Sean asked.
Bradley turned and looked directly at Sean. “No, as a matter of fact, we’re good,” he said. “Mary just made contact with Kevin and she was about to give me the details. So, you’re timing is perfect.”
Sean brought the bag over, pulled out two bottles of diet cola and handed them to Bradley and Mary with a smile. “I’m nothing if not observant,” he said.
“You’re my hero,” Mary said, taking a long drink.
“I second that,” Bradley said, mirroring Mary’s actions.
“Kevin’s going to pick me up at eleven and we’re going to a Mexican place out near Loyola University,” she said. “Do you know the place?”
Sean nodded, “Yeah, I’ve been there with him. It’s a family-owned place. A hole-in-the-wall, but the food is great and at eleven it’s not going to be very busy.”
“Can we get access to the hotel room next door?” Bradley asked.
“Why? Kevin is going to pick me up in the lobby?”
“You said you’d meet him in the lobby at eleven,” Bradley replied. “My guess is that he comes here, to the hotel room, at ten-thirty to get some alone time with you.”
“Do you think he’s plotting something?” Mary asked.
“Yeah, but it has nothing to do with murder,” Bradley answered. “He’s hoping to get lucky, Mary.”
“Ohhhhhh,” Mary said, blushing. “Wait, how would you know he’d do something like that?”
“Be very careful with how you answer that question,” Sean advised.
Bradley grinned. “Mary, you are a beautiful woman and he’s a ladies’ man,” he said. “Of course he’s going to try and push you.”
“Good answer,” Sean whispered.
“Sean, I heard you,” Mary replied.
“Yeah, I know,” he grinned.
After Sean gained access to the room next door, they set up both listening devices and cameras throughout the suite. As Sean moved into Mary’s bedroom with a camera Bradley stopped him. “You’re not going to need one in there,” he said.
Sean was confused. “Why not?”
“Because if he pulls her in there, I’m coming through the door and it’s all over.”
Sean studied Bradley for a moment, saw the steely determination in his eyes, and nodded. “Okay.”
By ten they were done getting the hotel room ready, just in case Bradley’s intuition proved correct. Mary excused herself to get ready for her date.
“Where’s your car?” Bradley asked.
“I have a rental today, no marks at all,” Sean replied. “I’ve got a portable siren in case we need it, but I didn’t want Kevin to spot us.”
Bradley nodded. “Good. How many minutes do we wait before we follow?”
“I’ve got officers planted around the area,” he said. “They will inform us once they get into Kevin’s car. We also have cars situated along the route to confirm he brings her where he says he’s going.”
“Okay, good. How close can we get to the restaurant?”
Sean shook his head. “Not real close,” he said. “That’s a problem. The place is really small and tucked in under the L-tracks. I’ve got a couple cops who go in there regularly who will just happen to be there for lunch when Kevin walks in - but you and I are going to have to stay back.”
“Will someone be in the next room once we leave, in case he brings her back up here?”
“My plan is that he doesn’t get that chance,” Sean said. “Mary will send me a text when she’s received the information from Maria. Then I’ll call her and tell her that you’ve taken a turn for the worse and she needs to get back to the hospital. I’ll tell her I’m on my way to get her.”
“I like that,” Bradley said. “Get her away from him as soon as possible.”
“Well, you might not like this. After this date, once Mary gets the information, I want you both out of Chicago,” Sean said. “We’ll handle the investigation.”
“Yeah, you’re right, I don’t like it,” Bradley agreed, “but I get it. I can have us on the road within thirty minutes.”
“I’ll have my guy in Freeport keep you up to speed,” Sean said.
“Good, I want to meet your guy,” Bradley said.
Sean laughed. “Yeah, I bet you do.”
Mary stepped out of her room dressed in skinny jeans, a form-fitting black turtleneck and high-heeled half-boots. “Don’t you have something, I don’t know…looser, you could wear?” Sean asked.
“Yeah, like sweats,” Bradley suggested. “You’ve always looked good in sweats.”
Mary shook her head. “What are you talking about?” she asked. “I wear this all the time.”
“I’ve never seen it,” Bradley said.
“You just don’t remember,” she replied.
Bradley studied her for a moment; the fabric hugged her curves and emphasized every feminine attribute. “No, I would have remembered,” he stated.
Mary blushed. “Well, I’m wearing it today, so get over it. Both of you.”
A few minutes later Sean and Bradley were in the room next door and Mary was waiting for Kevin’s arrival. As Bradley had predicted, a knock sounded on the suite’s door at ten-thirty. Mary answered it.
“Wow, you look good,” Kevin said, inviting himself into the suite. “I thought I’d come by a little early just to see how you were doing.”
Mary smiled. “Thanks, that was nice of you. I’m doing okay. Sean said he’d let me know if anything changes with Bradley.”
Kevin took her hand and brought it to his lips. “The idea for this outing is to make you forget about Bradley,” he said. “So, first rule.”
He kissed the tip of her finger.
“We don’t mention his name. Second rule.”
He kissed the next finger.
“You only think about me. Third rule.”
He kissed another finger.
“I only think about you. And fourth rule.”
He took her baby finger into his mouth and lightly sucked on it.
“We get much better acquainted with each other.”
Mary slipped her hand from his grasp. Really, did that work with other women? she thought. I wonder if he would be offended if I used some hand sanitizer?
“Okay, this guy is just plain gross,” Bradley whispered to Sean. “She’s going have to disinfect that hand.”
“Well, I’ll just get my coat,” Mary suggested, walking to the couch to pick it up.
Kevin grasped her arms and pulled her back against him. He lowered his mouth to her neck and kissed her. Mary was glad she was wearing a turtleneck.
“We could order in,” he suggested. “I’m sure I could make our stay in your room pleasurable beyond your wildest imagination.”
No self-esteem problem here, Mary thought.
“Wildest imagination? I’ll show him wildest imagination?” Bradley muttered.
Mary twisted her way out of his grasp. “As delightful as that sounds, I promised Sean that I would get out and get a change of scenery. And you know how demanding Sean can be.”
“He’s nothing but a tight ass, Mary,” Kevin said, grabbing
hold of her arms. “You don’t have to listen to him.”
“I’m a tight ass?” Sean whispered. “I’m a tight ass?”
Bradley nodded. “Yeah, you are, but it’s always for a good reason.”
Sean glared at Bradley.
“But, Kevin, I always listen to my brother.”
Both Sean and Bradley snorted.
Kevin pulled her closer. “He doesn’t have to know, Mary,” Kevin said. “It can be our little secret.”
“That’s it, I’m going in,” Bradley growled.
Sean put a hand on Bradley’s good shoulder to hold him down. “Give her a minute.”
Mary put both hands on Kevin’s chest and pushed him away. “Kevin, if I had wanted to be mauled, I would have gone to the zoo. I’m not in the mood, okay?”
Bradley and Sean grinned at each other.
Kevin shrugged. “All you had to say was no,” he said.
Mary picked up her coat. “Okay, no, Kevin,” she said. “So, do you still want to go to lunch?”
“Yeah, what the heck,” he said, with a shrug. “Maybe I can charm you with my scintillating conversation.”
Mary nodded. “You can try.”
*****
Chapter Twenty-six
The place was exactly as Sean had described… a small store-front restaurant with a scattering of tables covered with cheap plastic table cloths. Each table had plastic flowers in a vase in the middle and an assortment of hot sauces in a small plastic container.
The food smelled heavenly, and if Mary hadn’t had knots in her stomach, she might have actually enjoyed it. Kevin greeted the owners by name and ushered Mary into a table near the corner. He sat so his back was against the wall and he was facing the door. Typical cop seating, Mary thought.
Mary glanced behind Kevin to Maria, the ghost who had been following him and tried to make eye contact, but the girl refused to look at her.
“What would you like to eat?” Kevin asked.
“I have to admit my stomach’s been a little nervous lately,” she said. “What do you suggest that’s not too spicy?”
Kevin reached across the table and caught Mary’s hand in his. “Babe, you need to relax,” he said. “I could tell in the hotel room that something was bothering you.”
Yeah, you, Mary thought. She looked up to respond and noticed Maria was staring at their clasped hands, her face filled with anger. Mary turned her hand over and intertwined her fingers with his. “You always did understand me,” she said. “Perhaps better than I understand myself.”
He smiled and brought their hands to his mouth. He kissed her hand and then turned it and pressed a kiss on her wrist. “I can feel your pulse racing,” he said. “I know I excite you. I’d love to be able to show you just what you do to me.”
Mary smiled at him while her stomach turned. “That could be nice,” she said.
She quickly looked up and saw Maria staring at her. Hate filling her eyes. Their eyes met and Maria reacted with surprise. “You can see me?” she asked.
Mary smiled and nodded slightly.
“Mary, where did you go, sweetheart?” Kevin asked.
Mary turned back to Kevin. “I’m just taking all of this in,” she lied. “I have a feeling this little restaurant is going to be fondly remembered.”
His smile reminded her of a snake, cold and calculating. “Let’s get take-out,” he suggested. “My place isn’t too far from here.”
Mary considered the request for a moment. Thought about how much evidence she would be able to find at his place. Then she considered how Sean and Bradley would react to that idea. No, that wasn’t going to work. However, she didn’t need to let Kevin know.
“Why don’t you order for us, while I go to the Ladies Room and freshen up before we leave,” she said, trying to ease her hand out of his grip.
“Babe, you can freshen up at my place,” he said, tightening his grip.
Mary smiled slowly, running her tongue over her lips, “Kevin, there might not be enough time.”
He released her hand. “Hurry back,” he choked.
Mary looked at Maria and subtly motioned to her to follow. The Ladies Room was in the back of the restaurant, next to the back door and loading area. Piles of black garbage bags and stacks of boxes filled the tiny hallway next to the bathroom. She opened the door and then made sure it was locked behind her. The floor was concrete, the fixtures were stained with rust and a half-used roll of paper towels sat on a shelf next to the toilet. Maria glided through the closed door.
“He is mine, you pig,” Maria spat. “You leave him alone.”
Mary nodded. “Okay, I’ll leave him alone if you answer some questions.”
“Really? You would give him up so easily?” she asked. “Why?”
Mary shrugged. “He’s the kind of man who flits from woman to woman,” she said. “I don’t like to be a notch on some man’s belt.”
Maria sighed. “You’re right, he is like that. But I love him.”
“Sergeant Monroe told me about you,” Mary said. “You are Maria Hernandez?”
Maria nodded. “Sergeant Monroe is a good man. How is he?”
“He’s dead, Maria,” she said. “He died the day you were supposed to go home.”
Maria was surprised. “Go home? How could I go home?”
“Sergeant Monroe bought you a plane ticket,” she said. “He had contacted your parents and they wanted you back.”
Tears flowed down her translucent face. “Why didn’t I go home?” she asked.
“Maria, how did you die?” Mary asked. “Do you remember?”
“I think it had something to do with this,” she said and lifted her shirt.
Mary gasped. Maria’s abdomen had been sliced open, two flaps of skin hung to the sides, exposing her internal organs.
“Who did this to you?” Mary asked.
“I can’t remember,” she sobbed. “The last thing I remember is Officer Brady telling me that he would take care of me when I was feeling sick. He loved me.”
“He told you he loved you?”
Maria nodded. “He was so sweet, so tender. Not like the other men.”
“Officer Brady had sex with you?”
“We made love together,” she insisted. “He told me he loved me. It was different than the other men.”
“Where did you meet Officer Brady?” Mary asked.
“By Navy Pier,” she said. “That’s where I hung out. Traffic is good there.”
“Traffic?” Mary asked.
“You know, tourists looking for a good time,” she said. “I could make some real money there.”
“Did you have a pimp?”
“Yeah, sure,” she said. “I met him at the bus station. I didn’t, you know, didn’t want to do this. I knew my parents wouldn’t want me to… But, he gave me some pills and then I didn’t care anymore. I really needed the pills.”
“What was your pimp’s name?”
“Angelo. He said he was my angel and he would save me,” she said. “But he didn’t save me or any of the other girls.”
“Did Officer Brady know Angelo?”
Maria nodded. “Yeah, they had an agreement,” she said. “Officer Brady got to use the girls whenever he wanted and then he would looked the other way when it came to the stuff Angelo was doing.”
Mary knew that her time was running out. “Maria, do you know where your body is?” she asked. “Where are you buried?”
“Cold water,” she said, “I remember cold water.”
The pounding on the door startled them both. “Mary is everything fine in there?” Kevin demanded.
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said. “I’ll be out in a minute.”
She turned to Maria. “I’ll find you,” she whispered.
Maria nodded and faded away.
Mary turned on the faucet and let it run while she texted Sean. She washed her hands, dried them on the paper towels and opened the bathroom door. She nearly ran into Kevin. “Who were you talk
ing to?” he asked, blocking her way back to the restaurant.
Mary stepped to the side and pushed open the door. “Really, Kevin? Does it look like I was having a party in there?”
