Evil Without a Face sj-1

by Jordan Dane

  Jess knew the look. “Yeah, but people like me keep churchgoers in business.”

  “Funny, Jess. But I’d settle for a little Laverne and Shirley, instead of the constant life or death drama of Thelma and Louise. I’ve got my shift in a couple of hours, so don’t screw with me. I don’t have time for games.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  Jess knew she was a toxic influence on those around her, but she didn’t know how to change. The circumstances of her childhood set her on a collision course with life, and there had been consequences, but she wasn’t the type to take the easy way out for herself. Some things were worth fighting for, even if it meant she had to go it alone.

  “You used me to back you up yesterday, but you didn’t tell me the whole truth about Baker. You know it and I know it.”

  When she didn’t answer quickly enough, Sam jumped in.

  “Why Baker? What’s going on between you and this particular loser? What’s the trigger that sets you off? I think you know what I’m talking about.” She set down her coffee cup. “Does it have something to do with—”

  “Please…don’t go there.” Jess got to her feet, too antsy to sit. She dragged fingers through her mussed hair. “I don’t want to talk about that.”

  Sam had been the only person she had shared the darkest moments of her life, something no one else should know about another human being. Yet they’d remained friends through it all. She knew it took courage for her to keep Sam in her life, a living reminder. But there were times when she wondered if her childhood friend had become part of her penance, an odd form of self-abuse.

  “I think we need to, Jess. That situation with Baker could have turned ugly. And Seth Harper would’ve been caught in the middle.”

  Jess knew she was right, but it didn’t make it any easier to hear. She took a deep breath and ventured onto treacherous ground.

  “I don’t want to be defined by my past anymore. It’s not who I am. I’ve left that part of me behind.”

  “Have you, Jess? Have you really?” Sam pressed. Her voice raised, it echoed in the stark silence of early morning. “Ignoring the past isn’t dealing with it. You’ve shoved the tough stuff so deep that you’ve convinced yourself it’s gone. But every time another Baker comes along, something goes off in your head that turns you into a crazy person. Your judgment gets…clouded.”

  Sam voice’s softened. “Maybe it’s not about leaving the pain behind. Maybe you have to face it head on.”

  Jess leaned against a wall, staring across the room without seeing anything in particular. Morning had edged its way onto the horizon, and a dull gray leached through the blinds.

  “Have you talked to anyone else?” Sam asked. “I mean, about what happened back then?”

  Sam’s subtle way of asking if she’d undergone any recent therapy. When she was a kid, after she was rescued, she’d become a ward of the state of Illinois and had her fill of third-rate therapists and counselors to last her a lifetime. No thanks.

  “No, you’re the only one who…really knows how it was.” Jess closed her eyes, taking comfort in the quiet. And Sam let her find words, in her own time. “Most days, I distance myself from it until someone like Baker stirs it up again. Then you’re right, I’m out of control. Sometimes I can’t even breathe, I get so…sick that it’s never gonna be over.”

  The abuse she had endured as a kid had left its marks, literally. No human being should endure that kind of shame, especially a child. She had dug deep for the courage to survive, but she still had nightmares because of it, instigated by any number of triggers.

  “I hate this…the fact that I can’t shake it?” she finally admitted.

  “You’re a survivor, Jess. And I’m proud of who you’ve become, but being a survivor is not a sin that you have to atone for the rest of your life.”

  Sam reached for her hand, forcing her to sit.

  “Look, I know we’re not going to solve any of this tonight, but I did have a reason for coming here, Jess. I know about the skate rink and what you put into the locker. You should have told me the full story about Lucas Baker.”

  She flinched enough for Sam to notice.

  “Wait, how did you—” She stopped herself. She could have kept up the charade, but why? Sam was right. It was time to come clean with her friend. Frankly, she was relieved.

  “I needed proof, Sam. No cop was gonna believe me without concrete evidence. And that laptop is the key. Baker is up to his eyeballs with an international organization that is bartering in kids. I just…know it.”

  “And what exactly did you figure would happen?”

  “I had every intention of giving his damned computer back. Hell, it practically fell into my lap when I tried to wrangle his SUV. What was I supposed to do? I had to take a peek at what he had on his computer. But then the bastard got his hands on Seth and forced an exchange. He beat the kid up, for cryin’ out loud.” Jess took a swig of black coffee, then reached for a cheese Danish and pinched off a small bite with her fingers. “But by that time, Seth had already rigged Baker’s laptop with his Trojan horse program.”

  Nibbling on breakfast, Jess shrugged and went on.

  “I just figured we’d give the computer back and track the bastard’s movements firsthand. You know, not breaking the chain of evidence. Baker would have his laptop back and we’d track him using Seth’s really sweet software. Eventually, I figured we’d get the proof we’d need to put him away and save some troubled kids. A pretty slick idea.”

  “What makes you think Baker is running kids? If the man is working as an informant with CPD, don’t you think we’d know what he was up to?”

  Jess knew Sam wouldn’t want to hear about Baker running a scam on the CPD. The man didn’t flaunt his business in front of the law. He had played it smarter than that, flying below police radar, from what she could tell. She had a theory he was operating outside Chicago, keeping his nose clean in town. The guy didn’t piss close to home. And for the CPD’s efforts, he gave them a token lead every now and then, probably throwing them his competition. Sweet deal when you can get it. But it was time for the CPD to take a hard look at the bastard, and she hoped to convince Sam to be her messenger.

  “Well, where Baker is concerned, someone better open their eyes.” She set down her coffee cup and wiped her mouth with a napkin. “’Cause the guy is dirty. Seth found an e-mail on his computer, saying a delivery from Alaska was coming to Chicago yesterday. And the sender had a Russian name. The delivery was probably some poor kid. But with all the flights scheduled, no way I could cover ’em all. He’s running kids, Sam. I know it.”

  “From Alaska, you say.”

  “Yeah. Probably Anchorage. And the sender used a Russian name that was probably fake. It was linked to a classic Russian fable. Seth looked it up.” She might have laid it on a little thick about her theories on Alaska and a Russian connection, but she had Sam’s ear and took advantage of it. “Baker’s involved with a big operation, an international organization with a Web site called ‘Globe Harvest.’ He hits the site all the time. A site under construction, I might add. You’ll see. When Seth gets a login for Baker, you’ll see the whole setup for yourself. Baker’s not exactly a brainiac. He won’t outsmart my resident genius.”

  “Baker won’t be logging on anywhere, Jessie.”

  “Yeah, he will. He’s got his laptop back. In fact, I’m expecting a call from Harper anytime.”

  “Baker’s dead, Jess. He got gunned down outside the skating rink.”

  “What?” Jess slumped back into her chair. “When did this happen?”

  “Sometime around midnight.”

  “Who did it?”

  “Eyewitnesses weren’t clear. Some even reported seeing two shooters, maybe even a woman.” Sam crossed her arms. “Besides being dead, Baker’s got another little setback. His laptop is missing. Until now we didn’t know what was in the black bag. Thanks for filling in the gaps.”

  “Damn it! I thought I
had him this time. Shit!” It didn’t take long for her to do the math, but when she did, she narrowed her eyes and glared at Sam.

  “Wait a minute. You set me up. You knew about Baker, but you wanted to see what I’d say. You played me like…a suspect.” She thought about it for a minute, then added, “You’ve been hanging around me too long. I don’t know if I should be mad or damned proud.”

  “Well, two can play the bluff game, but that’s not how friends should treat each other. Right now, you and me need to stick together. Detective Ray Garza is running his own investigation on the murder of Lucas Baker. And as of now, you top his list of suspects.”

  “But I didn’t do it. You know I didn’t do it.” She knew she was preaching to the choir, but she couldn’t help jumping to her own defense.

  “When he looks for fingerprints on that note you slipped Baker and that locker key, I’ve got money that he’ll find yours.”

  Jess thought about it for a second, then winced. “No bet. Shit! I’m totally screwed.”

  Sam leaned forward and grabbed her shoulder.

  “I know you didn’t kill Baker, but the way I see it, we’ve gotta stay one step ahead of Garza. Will Seth work as your alibi? If Baker was killed at midnight, you were with Harper, right?”

  Jess shrugged, but after thinking about Harper, more than a few things didn’t add up about her boy.

  “I’m not exactly sure what Seth actually does for a living. Believe it or not, he’s not getting rich on what I pay him, but he may not stand up to close scrutiny from the local cops…if you know what I mean.”

  “Oh, that’s just great, Jess. You do realize how much trouble you’re in, right? You need an alibi. And preferably not somebody on the FBI’s Most Wanted list.”

  Jess got up to pace again.

  “Hell, for all I know, Seth has pulled up stakes. I nearly got him killed, Sam. I practically handed him over to Baker on a silver platter. If it were me…I would’ve quit me.” She dragged a hand over her face. “And the address I have for him may not be…exactly his.”

  “I swear to God, Jessie. You know the strangest people.”

  “Don’t forget, you’re at the top of my Christmas card list. Don’t be casting stones at my peeps.”

  Sam grimaced, then looked at her watch. “Look, I’ve got time before my shift. Get dressed. Let’s see if we can track down Harper. First and foremost, you need a legitimate alibi.”

  “I do have his cell phone number. Let me try calling first. If he ignores the call, I might consider that a very bad sign.”

  Jess went to her bathroom and took her phone off the charger to place a call to Seth. She walked back into the kitchen as his phone rang. On the fifth ring it beeped and rolled into voice mail without an outgoing message. She tried again and got the same result. Not having a good feeling about all this, she didn’t leave a message.

  When Sam narrowed her eyes in question, Jess shrugged and said, “Strike one. He didn’t answer my call.”

  “Well, it’s bottom of the ninth with bases loaded. And it doesn’t look good for the home team, Jessie. We gotta find Harper.”

  Before she got dressed, Jess wanted Sam’s take on her chances, being a glutton for abuse.

  “Sam? What if we can’t find him? Without an alibi, when would Detective Garza come looking for me?”

  “Hard to say.” She shrugged. “He won’t know the note is from you. I recognized the handwriting and didn’t say anything. And it’ll take time for the lab to lift prints, but he’ll find a fingerprint match when he conducts his usual database searches. He’ll score a hit on your permit to carry the Python.”

  Sam took a swig of coffee and continued speculating.

  “But you’re already on his list of suspects after your recent beef with Baker. He could act on that alone and bring you in for questioning as a person of interest. And I’d say you’re gonna look awfully bad when he backtracks Baker’s time prior to his murder. Folks will remember that fight you had at The Cutthroat. Another run-in with Baker on the night of his murder won’t sit well with Garza.”

  Jess crossed her arms, feeling a sudden chill in the air. “Damn it! I almost forgot about that.”

  “I could lie for you, Jess, and say I was with you until after one,” Sam offered without hesitation, looking her straight in the eye. “Harper’s the only one who’d know otherwise.”

  “Ah, Sam.” She hugged her friend and whispered in her ear, “That’s a tempting and generous offer, but I can’t let you do that.”

  After she pulled back, she added, “Nice to know you’d drive my Ford Bronco if I ever needed a lame getaway. But if I get dragged into this, I want a cop in good standing to help me. Taking down Baker’s organization is a bigger picture worth pursuing. I hope I can convince you of that.”

  After thinking about her predicament, Jess offered her hand.

  “I promise. No more lies, Sam. I mean it.” She gripped her hand and shook on their pact. “Now let’s find Harper. Maybe I’m only being paranoid about the kid. He’s probably right where I left him, licking his wounds. My luck has got to turn sometime.”

  Jess headed to her bedroom to change, sounding more confident than she felt. Her future rested on Seth Harper—whoever he was.

  Downtown Chicago

  “Shit, I can’t believe this!” From the secured foyer, Jess tried the buzzer to the penthouse suite again. Nothing. Seth was either gone or not answering. Neither prospect bode well for her. And out of respect for Sam, she didn’t try her usual antics to get buzzed into the building unannounced.

  “Are you sure this guy lives here?” Sam asked. “Hard to imagine a kid like that…here. This is a real upscale neighborhood. I doubt any of these people have even heard of Jerry Springer.”

  “Yeah, I thought the same thing when I first came here. Damn it! I should have listened to my gut instincts.”

  “Yeah, I bet the next time you hire an intern as slave labor, you’ll go through a legitimate temp agency to find the next sucker…I mean, employee.” Sam slathered abuse on thick. “Well, what now? You have any clue where to look for him?”

  Jess plopped down on a marbled step inside the secured foyer with her elbows propped on her knees.

  “No. I tried his phone on the way down, but no answer. I’ve got nothing.”

  Sam joined her on the step. “I hate to say this, but maybe he saw the TV news coverage on the shooting. Being hauled into a murder investigation tends to test the loyalties of a new employee, especially during probation period.”

  “God, I’m never gonna hear the end of this, am I?” She shot a sideways glance at Sam and grimaced. “Harper’s a damned wimp. How could I have been so wrong about that guy?”

  “Look, knowing you, you’re thinking of the many ways to break into the penthouse, and an officer of the law wouldn’t make a good accomplice, so I’m gonna vacate the scene of the crime. I want to get to work early today, see what I can find out.” Sam patted her knee with affection and smiled, not a very convincing display of reassurance. “Call me if Harper shows, and I’ll give you a heads-up if I learn anything new.”

  Jess nodded, and her cop friend headed out the glass door. After she left, Jess stood and walked up to the row of buzzers again, cracking her knuckles like a concert pianist. She wasn’t done with Seth Harper. Not by a long shot.

  Jess eventually got inside Harper’s building again and went straight to his penthouse suite, but Seth didn’t answer the door. She didn’t take the snub personally. To show no hard feelings, she let herself in by way of a lock pick and made herself at home. But once she got inside, her worst fear became a reality. Seth Harper was nowhere to be found, and there was no trace of him, not a speck of proof that he’d even been there.

  No trash. No scraps of paper. Nothing. She even hit the redial button on the suite phone and got 411 information. The place was as pristine as if no one lived there at all. Harper was a damned ghost. She thought about staking out the place to see if he came back, but
she knew he’d cleared out for good.

  “Damn it, Seth. Who the hell are you?”

  Jess tried his phone again, but only got voice mail. This time she left a message, though she didn’t give her SOS much chance of getting to him. Being in the dumper had become a full-time job for her, and she’d never felt so low.

  After getting into her car, she drove to her favorite breakfast joint to grab some coffee and read the newspaper for more on Baker’s murder.

  Nothing like a little murder over easy with a side order of bacon and home fries at Red’s Grill, a little hole in the wall joint off I-55 on South Kedzie Avenue. She’d discovered the place during a stakeout three years ago. Decent food priced cheap, and patronized by corrections officers, local cops, and the folks they should have been monitoring. A real microcosm of the universe.

  Sitting in a booth, she was nearly done with the paper, saving the funnies for last, when her cell rang. She recognized the number.

  “Please tell me you’re gonna make my day.”

  “First things first. Did you find Harper?” Sam asked.

  “No. Not even a precious hair off his thick skull. And I’ve left messages for him on his cell. Nothing. I think he pulled a rabbit on me.”

  “Well, then maybe what I’ve got will lift your spirits. I don’t know what this means, but it doesn’t exactly suck.” Sam had an edge of excitement to her voice.

  “Go on. Try me, babe. I could use some good news.”

  “Chief Keller announced this himself at our shift briefing. You better sit down.”

  “Enough with the buildup already.” Jess rolled her eyes and shook her head.

  “We got a missing person bulletin today. Get this. There’s a missing girl from Anchorage and they think she’s in Chicago. She flew in yesterday. That’s too much coincidence for us to ignore, Jessie.”

  She grinned. She couldn’t help it. “I knew it.”

  “Yeah well, don’t get all worked up. I mean, on the surface it gives me a pretty good idea you were right about Baker’s e-mail on that delivery from Alaska, but we need more than a hunch to point a finger at a dead guy. Allegedly speaking, you didn’t happen to keep a copy of that pilfered e-mail, did you?”