Guardian of Justice

by Carol Steward

  “Yeah, right. Heard that before. It’s been two houses already, probably a third tonight, right?” He looked around the tiny office, his gaze landing on Dallas. “What’re you doing in Officer Johnson’s office?”

  “He needed some time off. I’m filling in.”

  That seemed to settle okay with the kid. Kira sat down again and motioned for Cody to do the same.

  Then she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “Cody, Officer Brooks and I need to talk to you a little more about what happened the night we were called to your house.”

  “How come? Did something else happen?”

  Kira looked at Dallas, silently asking him to do the honors. No use wasting time here.Dallas crossed his arms over his chest. “Yes, something more has happened, Cody. First I want you to tell me about your relationship with Mickey, before that night.”

  Cody eyed Kira, who had a strained look on her face. “Betsy and I don’t like him.”

  Dallas waited a minute, hoping the boy would go into more detail. “Can you tell me why?”

  He squirmed in his chair, holding tight to his backpack. Finally he shrugged. “I dunno. Why? What’d he tell you?”

  “Nothing. We haven’t talked to Mickey,” Dallas said. “Did you and he fight a lot?”

  “Yeah, kind of, I guess.” Cody glanced at Kira and his eyes got huge. “You’re not going to send us back with him, are you?”

  Kira was caught off guard. “No,” she said, shaking her head. “Never.” Then she added, “And you know that your mother isn’t going to be able to come home, either, don’t you? I don’t want you to have a false expectation.”

  “Yeah, I know. She’s an idiot to have gotten mixed up in drugs again.” Cody said it with such seriousness that Dallas lost his edge. “But I’m going to take care of Betsy. I’m all she has left now. She misses Mom.”

  “Of course she does,” Kira said sympathetically. “And I know that you feel responsible for taking care of Betsy, but that isn’t…that isn’t your responsibility.”

  Dallas understood. She had probably wanted to be there for her brother, and never forgave herself. She wasn’t about to let Cody live with the same guilt. This case hit too close to home, just like returning to a school setting did for Dallas.

  “Cody, we need you to help us figure out why Mickey was trying to find Miss Matthews. Do you have any ideas why he might have wanted to find her?”

  Kira was still trying to regain her composure, and Cody frowned. “Did he beat you up, too?”

  She shook her head. “No,” she said hesitantly. “Did he beat you up?”

  “Nah, but he did my mom.” Cody looked at his backpack. “I don’t think he really liked her. He’s just using her and our house to hide his business.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  Cody shrugged. “He never really talked nice to her. He made her run errands for him all the time. You know, meet his clients for him.”

  Dallas tried to ignore the insults popping into his head. “Did Mickey ever meet with his customers?”

  He shrugged. “Not as much as Mom did. Sometimes, if she had to run a package when she was dropping us off at school, we’d go along. But don’t tell Mickey. He don’t know we found his stuff.”

  “Stuff?” Dallas said innocently.

  “You know what I’m talking about, or we wouldn’t be in foster care. I’m a kid, but I’m not stupid.”

  “Mickey can’t hurt anyone anymore, Cody. But we need to find out who he was working with. We’re hoping you can help us with that information.”

  Cody looked at Kira, then back to Dallas. “You caught Mickey?”

  Dallas shook his head, watching Cody’s expression as he broke the news. “Someone killed him yesterday.”

  Fear filled his eyes. “Really? You aren’t pulling my leg, are you?”

  “We won’t lie to you,” Dallas promised, watching as Cody tried to hide his tears. “Miss Matthews and I need to know why you were fighting with Mickey. What started the argument?”

  The boy wiped his eyes. “Mickey was always mad when a new shipment came in. This time was even worse.” Cody sobbed harder the more he fought for control. Kira started to comfort him, and Dallas held her back. Finally, Cody regained control. “I just wanted him to get out of our lives. He was a bully.”

  Kira nodded, but then she noticed Dallas looking at her, and she stopped. She switched mode, from sympathetic to the tough woman he needed to see right now. “We want to make sure everyone is safe now, Cody, and somehow, things just don’t seem to be adding up.”

  The teen shrugged.

  Dallas was out of ideas. Cody was holding back. Until he trusted them, they were out of luck. “Miss Matthews. Why don’t you check him into classes and—”

  “I don’t want go to school here,” he insisted.

  “From what I understand, you didn’t like it in Fossil Creek, either,” Dallas said. “At least you know everyone here. You can pick up on your classes again. You know the teachers, and they’ll work with you to get caught up. You’ve only missed a couple of weeks.”

  Kira agreed. “You only have four more weeks of school, Cody. Mickey’s not a threat to you anymore, so we really have no reason not to bring you back home, do we?” She paused. “Okay then, your new foster home will be ready for you after school. I’ll be back to meet you out front.”

  Cody sulked.

  She stood and motioned for him to lead her to the office. “Officer Brooks will be here if you have problems.”

  The instant the words were out, she froze, as if she realized what she’d said. She stood and rolled the chair back to Dallas, mouthing a silent apology. Much as he wanted to ignore that this was part of his responsibility now, truancy, teenagers and their safety all went with the oath he’d taken to serve and protect. “You know where I am if you need something, Cody.”

  “I shouldn’t even be in this school, and you know it.”

  Dallas recognized the attitude, and wasn’t about to let him lay any guilt on him or Kira. “Unless you have other information for us, we have no reason to believe you’re not safe here. So why do you think otherwise?”

  Cody jumped up, opened the door and ran out of the office.

  Kira stared at Dallas. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t get too involved, Kira. You’re going to get hurt.” He watched as she joined Cody and the two of them walked down the hall. Dallas had the distinct impression he’d just been conned into mentoring another teenager.

  Closing the door, he wondered how in the world he’d gotten back here, into the same situation he’d been in four years ago. “This wasn’t in the message I heard, God. Not the school, and especially not the woman.”

  He dropped into his chair and opened his computer. looked at his watch and noticed that he had several minutes before the fifth-hour bell would ring. He picked up the phone to check on Cody’s enrollment status. He didn’t especially want to run into Kira again. She had enough to deal with right now.

  “He just enrolled,” the secretary said. “Mr. Davidson took him and the social worker to the classroom. You have some messages here.”

  “Thanks, Miss Carson. I’ll come get them in a while.”

  Two hours to go until the day was over. A few minutes after sixth period started, he heard a soft knock on the door. He looked up from his e-mails and leaned back in the chair, motioning Kira inside.

  “Cody settled?”

  “He’s here physically, but he definitely doesn’t want to be.” They talked for a few minutes about the case before Dallas realized that wasn’t her reason for being here.

  She took another tentative step.

  “Have a seat,” he suggested.

  She leaned against the corner of his desk and folded her hands in front of her. “I’m so sorry about what I said, Dallas. It just slipped out.” Kira fumbled with her words, and he found himself happy to see her again. “I don’t want you to worry. I’ve told the school, and Cody, to ca
ll me if he needs anything. He won’t bother you.”

  “I worry about you, Kira. And I don’t think there’s anything you can do to prevent it.” Dallas felt his resolve weaken for the second time today. Much as he wanted to lock himself away from getting involved with others, he couldn’t stop it.

  “Why are you smiling?”

  He raised his eyebrow. “I don’t even know for sure. It’s been a week of constant affirmation that as much as I want control over my life, and to close people out…” He felt the weight lift off his heart as he spoke. “God sends the most unlikely people to remind me that I need to forget what’s behind me, and reach for what lies ahead. Or maybe in this case, reach out to the woman in front of me.”

  Though he longed to hold Kira, he crossed his arms over his chest, the protective bulletproof vest reminding him of the reality of his job. As impenetrable as the vest was, God’s healing had gone right through it, he realized. Dallas couldn’t shield himself from the Lord, or his purpose. And despite that realization, Dallas still struggled with handing all of the control to him. He’d worked too hard to get back on the job, back behind the badge, back in control. He knew his healing was God’s plan, but he didn’t like feeling as if God was his crutch. His faith had gotten him through the worst time in his life and enabled him to handle it. He couldn’t let go this easily.

  “I guess that answers one question I wanted to ask you,” Kira said quietly, pulling his attention back to her.

  A thoughtful smile curved her mouth and sent his pulse racing. “Yeah? And what was that?” As she spoke, he realized that the only way to keep from hurting those he cared about was to keep them at a distance. That meant Kira, too.

  “If you’ve let God into your heart,” she said softly. “If you’ve turned your life over to Him, the healing will come in His timing. I’m glad you’ve already started that process. Thank you for showing me that I can’t separate myself from others because of a painful past.”

  Dallas felt the bars of his emotional prison slam shut. He couldn’t stand the thought of Kira being hurt. Even though he wouldn’t mean to, it was bound to happen. She was a strong woman who had been through a lot in her life. With the shadows she already dealt with, she didn’t need more. She didn’t need his piled on top.

  Suddenly, she turned toward the door, and Dallas realized they weren’t alone. Kira reached into her bag, pulled out a business card and scratched a number on the back. “Call me after work and we can set a time to talk to Cody’s sister,” she said, so smoothly he wondered if the intimate discussion they’d just had was only in his mind.

  Kira turned to leave, but was unable to get past the fuming receptionist.

  Miss Carson held out a handful of messages, flicking them at Dallas before he took hold of them. “These are parents who want an explanation on the locked door policy. The superintendent’s wife is one of them,” she snapped, then turned and left.

  He looked around the tiny office and back to Kira. They shared a sympathetic smile. Kira whispered, “One suggestion, Officer Brooks. Office romances are a really bad idea.”

  “Thanks,” he said, “I’ll keep that in mind, Miss Matthews.”

  Apparently the flying sparks weren’t just in his imagination. Great. Just when I thought things were looking up.

  Chapter Fourteen

  FOURTEEN

  After a talk with Betsy, an unproductive one, Dallas and Kira went to the county jail to talk to Shirley Mason, who’d just been transferred over from the drug rehab center. As part of the county-wide drug task force, Kent met them there. His connections to the DEA had been invaluable thus far, and they couldn’t afford to burn any bridges now.

  Dallas broke the news that Mickey had been killed.

  Shirley shook her head, muttering swear words as tears streamed down her face. She looked like a zombie, and open sores spotted her face from years of meth abuse.

  “In recent weeks, Mickey Zelanski vandalized a police car, left you to face drug trafficking charges, broke into Miss Matthews’s home and threatened your son and daughter, ma’am. I don’t think it’s because he wanted to raise your children. What was he after?”

  The string of profanity continued while the mother cried. “He and Cody had that fight. Cody was just trying to protect us. He begged me to help him find Mickey’s drug money and run away.”

  Dallas nodded. “Do you have any idea where he kept the money?”

  She mumbled something, but Dallas couldn’t make it out.

  “In a safe somewhere?” Kent asked. He wrote down the numbers that they’d found in Mickey’s wallet and pushed the sheet of paper across the table. “These mean anything to you?”

  Shirley jumped, as if she’d not seen Kent earlier. Her eyelids drooped, despite her surprise.

  Kira sat next to her brother, hoping her presence would help ease Shirley’s nerves. Shaking, the woman picked up the piece of paper and studied it, moving her lips in silence.

  “Shirley, do you know what the numbers might refer to?” Kira pressed.

  She started scratching a rash on her arm. “He’d just gotten a new cell phone, some berry thing, a few weeks ago. After this unexpected shipment came in.”

  “We haven’t seen any cell phone. Do you know where it might be?” Kent asked.

  Shirley looked at the table. “He insisted Cody took it, but he’s a good boy. He wouldn’t take something like that.”

  “Are you sure this isn’t some part of his phone number?”

  She looked at it again. “I don’t think so, but…” She started reciting numbers to herself.

  Kira leaned closer so she could hear to write them down.

  Shirley shook her head. “Maybe it is. I just can’t remember. It’s not like I’ve been calling him lately.” She began sobbing again. “He hasn’t even sent me any lawyer.”

  “How did you reach him?” Dallas asked.

  “Called him from my cell phone,” she said cynically.

  Dallas perked up. “Where is that?”

  “Well, I don’t happen to have it with me. I’m sure it was confiscated by your friends at the DEA when they arrested me.” She was obviously becoming fed up with the questioning.

  “Shirley, Cody feels very responsible for his sister, and it’s clear that he was trying to help get you away from Mickey and the drugs. Do you think it’s possible that he thought something on the phone could help you get away from Mickey?”

  Shirley burst into tears again, and this time it took several minutes for her to calm down. “He’s not a bad kid. He just don’t know when to keep out of my business.” She rambled on about wanting Cody to stay out of trouble and find a good life. Her twitch was getting worse.

  Kira sympathized with the mother, but it was clear they weren’t getting anywhere. “He was trying to help get you out of trouble, Shirley. And we want to make sure no one hurts him, or Betsy.”

  Dallas and Kent eyed one another. Shirley wasn’t expecting them to push harder, so that’s exactly what Kent did. “We need the names of Mickey’s supplier and his dealers, Shirley. If you don’t have them, where can we find them?”

  Shirley’s eyes opened wide and she began scratching her arm again, this time drawing blood. Kira pulled a tissue from her bag and handed it to her. She wondered how Shirley had managed to keep up with the day-today needs of her family.

  The woman must have finally realized she was the only person left to keep her kids safe. “My life’s already ruined, they told me.” She spilled her guts. “He pays someone named Sorento. They’d just moved Mickey up in the operation, which doubled his take. We was trying to get it all out to the dealers that weekend. I don’t know where to reach anyone now. Mickey said his old phone was broken, so he bought one of those fancy things where he can do e-mail, the Web, and find where he’s going if he’s lost. He’d just enter an address and it would tell him how to get there.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I can’t believe he needed all that fancy stuff. He was always messin’ with the t
hing. Between that phone and refurbishing that dumb old RV, he wasted more money on toys…”

  “What did the phone look like?” Dallas asked, making a mental note to come back to the recreational vehicle. Sounded like a good way to move drugs, and maybe a place to hide money.

  “I dunno….” She shrugged again. “Rectangular, kinda like one of those old Game Boy things, only thinner and black. It’s no wonder the kids thought it was a game. The fight that night was over a lousy phone!” Shirley dropped her head into her hands. When Dallas asked where Mickey kept the RV, and what it looked like, she said, “It was some old silver thing. Supposed to be worth something when he got done. He kept saying we’d move to a big, pretty house one day, too.” She called Mickey a string of bad names and looked up to Kira. “Don’t ever get mixed up with men,” she said seriously. “They’re nothin’ but trouble. Look where it got me….”

  “Shirley, if you think of anything else that might help us keep the children safe, let us know,” she said soberly.

  “Don’t hold your breath. I don’t have any idea where Mickey hid any of his stuff, I swear. I just want you to find it and get the…” She looked up at Kira and changed what she was going to say. “Catch that killer, before he kills my kids. Please!”

  “What now?” Kira asked as they left the jail. “We don’t know a great deal more than we did before.”

  “If Mickey had bought a new phone, there’s a record of it somewhere, and if it’s brand-new, it has a GPS chip. That means we can track it,” Dallas said, “if we can find out the number.”

  “I’ll get a warrant for the major cell phone companies to search their records. If we’re up against Sorento and his thugs, we need to get answers quick,” Kent stated as they reached the parking lot. “We need more information about that RV, too. And it’s interesting that she mentioned the shipment arrived early. I’d lay odds Mickey’s the one who took that shipment out from under Sorento.”

  “I’ll keep a close eye on Cody at school, but I think it’s wise to give him some space, see if he won’t lead us to the phone, and maybe even the money, or the killer,” Dallas said. “Or all three. Kira, can you let the foster family know we’re looking for a cell phone or electronic device? Maybe he’d leave it at home while he’s at school.”