High-Risk Reunion

by Margaret Daley

  In the past ten days, she’d come to know a side of him she’d never seen as a teenager. He wore his badge with honor and dignity. His presence in the room commanded attention, and signaled caution to every member of Mederos’s gang sitting behind their leader. And respect. Three other gang members were in jail right now because of their kidnapping of Michelle. And she knew without a shadow of doubt they would go to prison for their crimes because Cade was the witness and nothing would stop him from testifying.

  As people filed out of the courtroom, Tory stuffed all her papers into her briefcase, then turned to find Cade standing close to her. He’d moved quickly and quietly.

  “You did a great job of walking Dietz through his testimony.”

  “Yeah, but this afternoon will be the toughest part. Mederos’s attorney will try to make the man out as an unreliable witness who didn’t know what he saw that night his son was gunned down.”

  “You’ve done a good job preparing him. Let’s go grab lunch in your office. Rachel should have our food for us by now.”

  “I’m not sure I can eat anything. I won’t rest easy until Carlos is finished testifying.”

  At the back door to the now empty courtroom, Cade poked his head out of the entrance, looking up and down the corridor. “Clear. Let’s use the stairs this time.”

  Ten minutes later she was inside her office on the first floor, sitting on her leather couch, afraid to relax while she tried to force herself to eat some chicken salad. What little she ate ended up in a tight ball in her stomach.

  Her secretary was manning the front office making sure no one disturbed her unless there was an emergency.

  “I need to call Michelle before I go back into the courtroom, but I’m not looking forward to it.” She took a long sip of her sweetened iced tea.

  “If it’ll make you feel any better, she’s doing fine. Uncle Ben told me she’s been sleeping on Paul’s couch most of the morning.”

  “I’m at a loss about what to do with her. In the past, we always had a good relationship. It changed a little when Derek died, but she didn’t openly disobey what she was supposed to do.”

  “I imagine she’s scared. The break-in at your house brought your job to your front door. That’s hard to ignore.”

  Yes, she knew that, and when this trial was over, she knew she needed to make a decision. She loved her job, but her daughter was more important.

  “Call Uncle Ben. If she’s still sleeping, wait. She’s got to be exhausted.”

  “I sure am, and I wasn’t sneaking out of the cabin like she was.” Tory took another bite of her salad, and managed to chew it although it seemed tasteless. “I might as well call her now.”

  While she punched in Ben’s number, Cade received a call. He stepped outside to answer his phone. When Ben answered, she asked, “Is Michelle awake?”

  “No, she paced for the first part of the morning. I think she finally wore herself out.”

  “Everything okay?”

  “A lot is going on here with the three prisoners.”

  “Are they talking?”

  “No, but Paul just came in and told me one of them was involved in your break-in. His fingerprints, previously not in the system, now are, and they matched the ones taken in the bathroom. Paul is in with him. He’s new to the gang and might take a deal to flip on Mederos.”

  “How about the other two? Anything?”

  “They asked for their lawyers immediately. Not a word yet.”

  “Tell Michelle I called to see how she was doing.”

  “I will. Hang in there.”

  As Tory put her cell phone down next to her lunch, Cade entered. “That was Paul. He thinks there’s a chance one of the kidnappers will talk.”

  “I heard. Which one?”

  “Leon Blackwell. He’s only been with the gang for about six months. He was in the passenger seat of the car. He told Paul he had no idea Tomas Jones, the driver, was going to take the girl. When prompted to say more, he clammed up and said he wouldn’t talk without a deal and protection.”

  “Do you think he knows about Carlos making it to testify against Mederos and that he’s being given a new life?”

  “It’s possible. It would be huge if we could weaken the biker gang.”

  “I hope so. If you hear anything while I’m in court, let me know.”

  “Paul emphasized that Dietz is alive and well and that he’ll be able to start over someplace. A new beginning. That can be tempting for some.”

  “Paul must have told you about a set of fingerprints that matched ones in my bathroom. Whose prints were they?”

  “Leon Blackwell. He’ll have a lot to answer for.”

  “I’d love to put him in prison and throw away the keys. These past couple of weeks have been awful. I’ve been a DA for years and never had to deal with something like this, but if he can help us bring down Mederos and his gang, then...” Her voice faded into silence. Deals were made all the time in order to convict a criminal like Mederos.

  Cade took the seat next to her on the couch. He slid his arm around her shoulders. “If you’re not going to eat, then at least try to rest. We have half an hour before we have to be back in court.”

  She didn’t move from his embrace, but even when she closed her eyes and breathed deeply, tension gripped every part of her.

  “Relax, Tory. Don’t worry about what might happen. Let God take care of it.”

  Still within his embrace, she lounged back and rested her head on the cushion. Slowly the tightness in her muscles eased. Lord, that’s all I can do right now. Trust You.

  Sleep descended.

  * * *

  Cade tried not to raise his hopes too high, but he’d received a text from Paul Drake that Blackwell wanted to make a deal. He was sending two officers to be in the courtroom. Then they would bring Tory to the police station if he was still interviewing the biker.

  When he let Tory know what was happening, she smiled for the first time today. He left when his two replacements appeared and took their positions in the courtroom. Maybe he would have good news by the time she finished. So far Mederos’s attorney hadn’t been able to sway Dietz to change his testimony nor had the lawyer been able to discredit the grieving father. The man’s love for his son came across in each of his replies.

  Ten minutes later, Cade entered the back of the police station and immediately headed for Paul’s office. He knocked then went into the room. Michelle sat next to Uncle Ben on the couch with a notebook open.

  “Homework?” Cade asked as his daughter looked up.

  She nodded, then lowered her head as though she were engrossed in the algebra problem.

  “Since Tory forgot to bring her math book to the ranch, Paul picked it up when he went by Tory’s house to check to make sure the new alarm system was in place,” Ben said.

  “Does that mean we get to go home today?” Michelle asked while still keeping her head down.

  “Yes.” Tory could still be in danger, but the star witness had done his damage to Mederos’s case already and would be shortly on his way to a new life.

  Uncle Ben stood and stretched. “You’re early. Are you and Tory finished for the day?”

  “She’s still at the courthouse. But it should wrap up in the next hour. Two officers are watching her and will bring her to the station.”

  Michelle looked up. “You left Mom at the courthouse? Why?”

  “She’s well guarded. Her usefulness to Mederos has been defused today when her star witness testified, but even with that, Tory is being protected.” He glanced from Michelle to his uncle. “I’m here to conduct an interview with one of the men in the car this morning.”

  Michelle stiffened, her pencil falling onto her notebook, then rolling off to land on the couch.

  Cad
e picked up the pencil and sat next to Michelle. “This is a good thing. The more we know the how and why of what went down, the better off we are.”

  Uncle Ben opened the door. “I’m gonna get some coffee. Be back in a few minutes.”

  “One of them stunk. I don’t think he’s taken a bath in weeks. He tossed me into the trunk like I was trash.”

  Most likely Tomas Jones.

  “But the other one smiled at me and told me not to worry right before he closed the trunk. I don’t think he liked how the others behaved.”

  “Did he say or do anything else?”

  “No, everything happened so fast. I came around the side of the diner and suddenly was grabbed from behind with a stinky, dirty hand over my mouth, dragged to a car and stuffed into the trunk. I... I...” She swallowed hard.

  “Michelle, those men will pay for their crime. They won’t be able to hurt you. We caught them in the act.” He didn’t know how she would react, but he needed to comfort her. He put his arm around her and held her. “Anytime you want to talk about the abduction, I’ll listen, but I hope you’ll talk with your mother and maybe a counselor.”

  She shivered. “All I want to do is forget it.”

  “I know, but you still need to process it. When I was in the army, I saw a lot and all I wanted to do was forget. The thing is, the memories wouldn’t let me go until I dealt with my feelings.”

  Michelle sighed. “What if you feel overwhelmed?”

  “Take it one step at a time. When I tried to force myself, it didn’t work. And remember what worked for me, might not for you, but in the end you have to do something.” He’d let his experiences in the Middle East override everything else to the point he nearly shut down. It had taken him a long time to admit there was a problem and seek help from the army chaplain.

  The door opened and Uncle Ben came into the room with a cup of coffee and a drink for Michelle. “Paul needs you in the interview room.”

  Cade left the police chief’s office with mixed feelings. All he could do was tell his daughter how he handled stress and emotions that twisted him up inside. He didn’t have any experience in the dad department, but now that Michelle knew the truth, he wanted to be there for her.

  He met Paul in the hallway outside the interview room. “How do you want to do this?”

  “He’ll get a deal for a new identity in the Witness Protection Program. He’ll have to wear an ankle monitor for three years with his movements restricted. But only if the evidence he gives us helps to convict Mederos and the other two involved in the kidnapping. And if he deviates from the agreement, he’ll be sent to prison.”

  At least Blackwell wouldn’t get off scot-free. “Okay. Let’s get this over with. The more members that go to prison, the harder it will be for the gang to function with their leader gone too.”

  “I agree and we can put pressure on the ones that are left.”

  Paul opened the door and went inside first, taking the chair across from the suspect. Cade sat beside Leon, a skinny kid with dark hair and eyes. He grasped his shackled hands together to hide the quivering, but the eighteen-year-old couldn’t cover the fear. It poured off him.

  “Normally the DA would be in on this plea bargain, but she’s in court and the girl you took this morning is her daughter. Ranger Cade Morgan is here instead.” Paul stated the terms of the agreement. “Where is your lawyer?”

  “I don’t got one. That guy that came earlier works for Mederos.”

  “We can give you a court appointed one.” Paul set his elbows on the table and laced his fingers together.

  “I waive my rights to a lawyer. I don’t wanna stay in El Rio any longer than I hafta.”

  Paul slid the paper toward Leon, then laid a pen down next to it. “If you need me to read it to you, I can.”

  Blackwell frowned. “I know how.”

  “Good. While you’re going over the plea bargain, I’ll contact the US Marshals. If you provide all the information we need, they will take you somewhere safe tonight. Then you’ll only return to El Rio to testify when the time comes.” Paul rose and left Cade with the prisoner.

  After he read the document, Cade gave him another. “If you’re giving up your rights to talk to a lawyer before taking the plea bargain, I need you to sign this paper stating that first.”

  When the paperwork was taken care of, Cade set the signed sheets to the side. “This interview is being recorded.”

  “Fine. Let’s get this over with. Mederos has men everywhere.”

  “At the police station?”

  Blackwell shrugged. “Maybe but I don’t know nothing for sure. If I was him, I’d have a cop or two on the payroll.”

  “I don’t want any speculation. I want the truth. Things you know for sure.”

  “Sure. Just saying the guy is smart and mean as a rattlesnake.”

  Cade withdrew a piece of paper from the folder Paul left on the table. “Can you explain how your fingerprints were found inside District Attorney Carson’s house in her daughter’s bathroom?” He passed the young man the sheet with his prints on it.

  Blackwell shrugged. “We dinna have a lot of time. I got sloppy.”

  “Who sent you to that place?”

  “I don’t know. Pedro asked me to go with him.”

  “So Mederos’s brother was at the house too?”

  Blackwell nodded. “I don’t have a beef with the lady.”

  “But someone does? Who? Pedro?”

  “I guess so. He dinna like his bro in jail.”

  Cade flipped through the folder and produced the photo left on Tory’s pillow. “Where did you get this?”

  “Pedro had it when we left the courtroom at noon. We were gonna trash the whole place, but the lady came home. We had to hightail it out of there.”

  “So you didn’t plan to confront her and her daughter?” Cade squeezed his hand into a fist.

  “No. Just scare her.”

  “How did you know she wouldn’t be home right after the trial?”

  “Pedro heard her talking earlier about going to her daughter’s high school basketball game. She was supposed to be there.”

  “You came in and out of the bedroom window?”

  “Yep.”

  “So far you haven’t told us anything we don’t already know. One of your fingerprints was in the pig’s blood in the bathroom. If you don’t give us something of value, then there’s no deal.”

  “I said I’d talk about what I know.”

  “So were you part of Judge Parks’s kidnapping and death?”

  Blackwell’s eyes grew round. “No way. None of us were.”

  “How about Pedro? His fingerprints were on the tailgate’s handle.”

  “Pedro and me were gettin’ stinkin’ drunk at the garage. A few others were there with their gals.”

  “If you think they’ll be an alibi for you and Pedro, think again,” Cade said.

  “They dinna leave until Buck showed up the next morning.”

  “Joe Buckner, Mederos’s right-hand guy?”

  “Yep. Wasn’t too happy with us.”

  “Why?”

  “’Cuz Mederos was mad at us for tearin’ apart the lady’s place.”

  “So he didn’t tell his brother to trash the house?”

  “Nope. We messed up his plans.”

  “What plans?” Frustration knotted Cade’s gut. This wasn’t going to help him get to the bottom of what was going on.

  Blackwell lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “Pedro dinna know either.”

  “Where’s Pedro then?”

  “Dunno. He went with Buck, and I never saw him again.”

  Cade’s patience shredded at Blackwell’s nonchalant attitude. Obviously he didn’t understand what making a de
al meant. Cade brought his fist down on the table between them. The teenager jerked back. “You lying—”

  He shook his head, his long hair flying all over the place. “I ain’t. I dunno. Just ask Pedro when ya find him.”

  “If I find him. Do you have any idea where he would go? It sounds like you two were friends.” He wasn’t going to leave this room until he got something useful out of Blackwell.

  “He has a girlfriend. Kara Myers. I don’t know if he’s there, but they were tight. She lives on a ranch between here and San Antonio with her grandparents.”

  “Who else knows about her and Pedro?”

  “No one. She’s different from women who hang around usually. Pedro was thinkin’ of leavin’ the gang. He was tryin’ to get his nerve to say somethin’ to his bro.”

  He decided to move on to the kidnapping. “I’ll check it out. Tell me how you and Jones ended up at the diner. It wasn’t by coincidence.”

  “Buck got a call, then sent us there to take the girl.”

  My daughter! Cade’s anger overwhelmed him again. He could be tough with a suspect, but throughout his career he’d learned kindness and calmness worked better. He shoved down the rising fury. “Who called?”

  “I—I—dunno.” Blackwell looked toward the camera mounted on the wall, then leaned toward Cade and whispered in such a low voice Cade barely heard the teenager. “Turn off the recording.”

  He assessed Blackwell. His gaze flitted from one place to another. His breathing was shallow, and his hands twisted together over and over. Fear took hold of the teen.

  Cade rose and went to the camera and flipped it off. “This takes care of the video and audio feed.” When he retook his chair, fear still held Blackwell as though a vise had clamped around him. “What are you afraid of?”

  “The US Marshals will pick me up right away? I won’t have to stay in this jail tonight?”

  “Yes. They’re on their way from San Antonio.”