“All the energy you’re wasting on me, you could invest it in improving life for you and Andre.”
Gloria nodded a few times as she thought of a reply. “My time is being invested wisely. I’m not only thinking of me, but of Andre and the other boys. They need you; a strong male figure who will steer them to success.”
Jesse reached over and squeezed Gloria’s hand. “My journey has not been wasted. And if being here is part of it, I’m not going to question it. Eventually things will fall into place and I will be back where I am happiest, guiding the boys to success.”
Gloria dabbed at her eyes with her finger tips. “You’re a beautiful man. Whatever it takes I will stand at your side.”
“Me too,” Andre said showing his missing front tooth.
“The lawyer is working hard. He says he believes he can get you out. I tried to tag along, but he shook me off like an old sweater. How could they have made such a horrible mistake arresting you for drugs?”
“I’ve been wondering the same thing. I have played the scenes backwards and forwards, and I come up empty handed each time. But, there is one thing that rides my back. I can’t let it go.”
“Like a piggy-back ride?” asked Andre.”
“You could probably call it that.”
“What is it?” asked Gloria.
“That Gina chick who hangs out with big John.”
“She’s a strange one,” Gloria replied.
“She works here.” He lowered his voice. “After the meeting with some of us, she became angry. She told me I had no idea why I’m here.”
“No kidding?” asked Gloria.
“She said she knows.”
“Did she tell you?”
“Unfortunately, I angered her and she stormed out. I think she is the key to this whole thing. And that guard, Ethan, he’s a strange dude. The two of them together have cooked up something, and I think I am caught in the middle.”
“What angered her?”
Jesse glanced at Andre. “That’s a story for another time.”
“Did she try some funny stuff? I don’t play that.”
Jesse looked down at Andre and then back at Gloria. “She claimed she was testing me and that I had passed.”
“I guess that means you said no.” Gloria held her breath waiting for the answer she wanted to hear.
Jesse nodded. She was pissed.”
“Her Highness will get over it. If she come at you again, I have something for her.”
“We only need one of us in here. You have...” Jesse paused before saying his next utterance long enough to see how it tasted on his tongue. “You have our son to look out for.”
Gina’s lips quivered. Her hands flew to her mouth pressed together like a prayer. “Now I have no doubts about us getting through this.”
“I have one favor to ask of you.”
Anything. You name it and it’s yours.”
Jesse asked silently for a little help from above before saying, “Trust the lawyer. Let him do his job.”
Chapter 45
Billy should be here soon,” said Chief Randall. “Mrs. Harden refused to touch the package.”
“Why?” asked Copeland. “What makes her think it’s something sinister?”
“Well,” the chief began as he ran a hand through his thinning hair. He paused looking at the mayor. “Maybe we should go to my office so you can sit down.”
“You don’t have to handle me like I’ll break with any of the details of this case. I am still the mayor, and the buck stops with me on any big investigation.”
“Yes, but, sir,” Chief Randall said, “We should—”
Mayor Harden’s eyebrows scraped across his forehead, his lips thinned. “If you would like to continue to bear the title of Chief, I suggest you start talking, or step the hell out of the way and I’ll replace you with someone with a spine.”
Romero and Copeland eyed each other. Jeffery remained silent. Watching. This was his first time seeing the mayor in action.
“As usual, I’ll have to step in to close this case.” Mayor Harden glared at the chief.
“Have it your way, sir. The box has a return address of Gina Parts.”
The corridor went silent as each person processed Gina Parts.
“Was there anything else,” asked Romero.
“We’ll have to wait—”
The chief’s phone rang out. He answered, listened, and ended the call. “Billy has arrived with the package,” he told the group.
When no one moved, the chief said, “Why are we standing here like we’re stuck at a red-light? Let’s see what the detective has.”
“What about the detainee?” asked Jeffery.
“He’ll keep,” answered Romero. “Let him sweat out some of that arrogance.”
As the group vacated the corridor, Jeffery glanced back at Ethan. He was sitting with his legs and arms crossed, staring at the two-way mirror.
“He’s all closed up,” Jeffery said to himself.
Chief Harden led the group to the interrogation room down the hall. When they entered, they saw Billy waiting. He was dressed casual in khakis and a jersey. The box sat on the table inside a plastic bag.
“Any guesses what the box may contain?” asked Mayor Harden.
Billy frowned. “No clue, but I will guess that it is too small to contain a head, but just right to transport a hand, a foot, or—”
“Hold your tongue, Billy. “Remember, this is the mayor’s niece we’re talking about.”
“I’m a big boy, Chief. If Billy has something to say, let him express himself.”
“First, I want the opening of this box on video. Romero, check the camera and turn it on.” Chief Harden turned to Billy. How was the box delivered?”
“Not sure, sir. The neighbor four doors down delivered it.”
“How in the world did the neighbor know the box was for the mayor?” asked Jeffery.
Billy pointed out the landmarks on the box. “It’s has the neighbor’s address, but Mayor and Mrs. Harden as the recipients.” Billy’s finger traveled up the box to the left-hand corner. “See here, the return address is Gina Parts, 1222 Missing Road.”
“I can see why Mrs. Harden refused to touch it,” said Copeland.
“We’re not going to learn a thing if we stand around talking about the box like it’s the guest of honor,” said Mayor Harden.
Copeland moved close to the mayor. “Aren’t you worried about the contents? It could possibly be—”
“Get on with the unwrapping,” the mayor bellowed.
“The camera is rolling. We’re ready,” said Romero.
Billy and Romero donned gloves. Billy hefted the box from the plastic bag.
“It doesn’t weigh much, less than a pound. He sat it on the table as gingerly as if was suspected of being a bomb.”
“Romero, you can have the privilege of opening the box,” said the chief.
Romero turned the box so the camera would get a good view of its contents. He peeled back the tape, released the flaps. All eyes fell inside of the box where their gaze was transfixed, afraid to blink.
Chapter 46
Gina had questions, plenty of them, but the conversation was one-way. He talked, she listened.
“Don’t worry, your time will come and you can ask all the questions you want. I’m sure you have plenty.”
He chuckled as if the whole situation was amusing. Gina was at the opposite end of the spectrum.
“Are you ready to see your knight who has travelled across the globe to rescue you? Maybe, I exaggerated that; across a couple of states.”
Gina shook her head wildly, feeling she had a chance to live as long as she could not identify her captor.
“No? You can’t be serious. I’m a good-looking guy. All the women enjoy my presence. Wouldn’t you like one little peek? Maybe, a secret look so you can point me out to the cops.”
She could hear the man pacing the floor. His movements stopped. Gina imagined him s
taring at her, planning the best way to dispose of her remains when he was done torturing her.
“You know, the first time I saw you, I thought to myself, now that is a gorgeous woman. How can she be... No, it can’t be true.” He let out a sinister laugh. “I did my homework. I am a man who believes in the words of no person. I have to see concrete proof. Something I can lay my hands on.”
The unknown was pressing down on Gina. She had no clue what he was talking about, why she was here.
“Confused? I can understand. I’ll bet you’re wondering why you’re here, who I am, and—”
“What are you doing?”
The man had not heard the door open or the footfalls of the woman. He turned and gaped at the elderly woman. Although, the woman was up in age, she stood up to the man.
“We agreed to do this as nice as possible.” The woman dropped her pocketbook onto the sofa and shirked off her sweater.
“I’m being nice. We’re just talking.”
The woman walked over and stood next to the man. He was a foot taller than her.
“You mean you’re talking and hoping she’s listening. Frightening her was not in the plan.” She scanned Gina, looked up at the man. “You have her trussed up like an animal.” She smacked his hand. “Take that stuff off of her.”
The man frowned. “Did you think she would come willing; just toss her little Prada bag in my backseat and hop in?”
“Why is she still tied up, and for God’s sake, why is she gagged and blindfolded?”
“Precautions, Gran.” He was talking with his hands flying all over the place. “If she had screamed and drew attention to us, I’d be in jail instead of talking to you right now.”
“There’s nothing to worry about now—untie her.” She narrowed her eyes. “Now, DeShawn!”
He glanced at Gina and then at Gran. “You always take her side.”
Gina’s breath caught in her chest. She had never met this man. Listening to his voice, she didn’t remember ever talking to him. Now, the woman, she wasn’t so sure about her—maybe. She couldn’t be sure. There was something familiar. The more she thought, the less information she received from her memories.
“DeShawn, you know I don’t take sides. You get to undoing all that stuff. Now!” She popped him upside his head.
He rubbed his head where she had smacked him. “Alright, but I’m going to start with the blindfold. That will give me time to see how cooperative little Gina is going to be.”
DeShawn reached behind Gina’s head and untied the bandana he had placed around her head to blind her. Gina felt the cotton material slip away as the man and woman saturated her visual field.
Gina’s brows raised, eyes opened wide as if to let in more of the sights.
“Now, you be a good little girl and don’t scream when I take this gag off. If you do, I’ll put everything back. Got it?”
Gina nodded. He removed the gag. Gina’s mouth opened slightly—she gasped audibly. “It’s you.”
Chapter 47
Billy reached into the box and removed a coffee cup containing a plastic sandwich size baggie. He held it toward the camera and the light. Strands of pale red hair lay at the bottom, smears of blood on the sides.”
“Jeez,” said Romero.
“Gina’s a red head, isn’t she?” asked Copeland.
Mayor Harden let out his breath. “It’s not a body part.” He wiped sweat from his brow. “That could be anybody’s hair, and that doesn’t have to be blood. He’s messing with us. Look at how he weighted the box with a cup.”
“Anything else in the box, Billy?” asked Romero.
“Just a piece of paper.” He reached inside and took the folded, lined paper out, flipped it open. “The next box will have an eye,” he read aloud. “Cut-out letters.”
“What do they want, Mayor?”
“I’m not at liberty to say. He’s forcing my hand.” Mayor Harden’s upper lip curled. “I know if I cave in to this man there will be other criminals who will come along and try to extort us of valuable city property or worse.”
“Is that what they want?” asked Jeffery. “Property?”
“I guess you could call it that, except what they want will ruin me, my family, and the city. I won’t let that happen.”
Chief Harden stepped forward. “With all due respects, sir, I think we should all have a say on this. A woman’s life is at stake, your niece, for God’s sake. How can you be so cavalier about this?”
“Sir, I agree with the chief,” said Copeland. “You need to come clean with us before we get an eye in the mail.”
The mayor began ambling towards the door. “I can handle my end. You handle yours.” He crossed the threshold without a look in his rear.
“Billy,” said Chief Randall, “Get that box over to forensics. I want prints and DNA, pronto.”
“Got it, Chief.” Billy loaded the contents into the box and left the same way the mayor had.
“Romero, I want to know why that man is being so stubborn and what he is hiding,” Chief Randall said pointing at the door the mayor had used to exit through.
“It has to be something damaging to his career,” said Jeffrey. “He is so arrogant, I don’t believe he cares about his niece at this point.”
Romero shook his head slowly. “Everything is always about Mayor Hardass.”
“I’ll let that pass,” said Chief Randall. “At this point, I have to agree with you.”
There was a light tap on the door. Becky peeked her head inside. “Chief, that reporter, Pool, is interviewing Ethan King on the news.”
“How can that be?” bellowed Romero. “He’s locked—”
“Uh-oh,” said Copeland. He came in voluntarily. We never took away his property when we arrested him.”
“The asshole distracted us with all that mumbo jumbo in there. Dammit.” He hit the table with his palm.”
“Becky has it on in the breakroom. You can watch it in there.” She fluttered her black eyelashes with mascara as thick as tar.
The group rushed out following Becky. When they entered, they heard Ethan’s voice. He sounded like a scholarly man giving an oral dissertation.
“These protests are about more than locking up a man. They are about the unfairness and the inequality of the law. You have one strong-arm law for one group and a lenient law for another group. You know, those with money. The poor little league coach sits behind bars without receiving bail for a crime he more than likely did not commit. Let us be honest—this happens all the time. Your skin is too dark, your hair is not straight, you are of other descent, not Caucasian. You are considered beneath the grade. You are nothing. You do not count. That is what the unrest is all about.”
Pool asked, “Mr. King, you have been arrested for the kidnapping of the mayor’s niece?”
“Yes, they are holding me without cause just like they are holding the little league coach without bail. I have done nothing to Gina, except be a mentor to her. Mark my words, Mr. Pool, this unrest and rioting will cost the city millions, and the mayor will not care. I urge you to look back to Baltimore City, 2015. Take a look at those riots and protests. Add up the costs. They topped twenty million dollars. Is that what Mayor Harden wants? Or is he protecting something more?”
“Romero!” yelled the chief, “get in there and confiscate that cell. We’re going to get backlash for this oversight.”
Romero’s cell rang before he could respond to Chief Randall. He pulled the cell from his pocket and checked the display—Northwest district. He answered without hesitation.
“Detective Romero Griesenbeck, here.”
“Sergeant Oliver, here. I have some news on the shooting you were involved in. Care to join me for some information sharing?”
“Give me an hour. I have to wrap up some loose ends first.”
Part IX
Chapter 48
Romero, Copeland, and Jeffery were standing outside the interrogation room watching as Ethan slipped his phone into his po
cket.
“I say we kick him loose,” Romero said. “Maybe he’ll lead us to something.”
“You want a tail on him,” asked Copeland.
“Absolutely. Twenty-four-seven.”
Copeland disappeared to make the tail happen.
“I think he has somehow helped my client. I’m just not sure how, yet.”
“I saw him pointing a finger squarely in the mayor’s face,” Romero responded.
“I saw the same,” said Jeffery. “I’m going to head out. If you get anything you can throw my way, let me know and I’ll do the same for you.”
“Will do,” Romero said.
Jeffery left. Romero went in and kicked Ethan loose. “Now, you be good, you hear me?” Romero said to Ethan.
Ethan stood up, pressed his shirt and pants with his hands. “Maybe, you will be smarter, Detective, and figure out what dirty laundry is stinking up your city.”
“When was the last time you washed yours, Mr. King?” Romero asked.
“The clock is ticking, Detective.” Ethan made a show of checking his watch. “Do you have any clue what is going on in your city?” He scoffed at the detective. “I think, no, not a clue.” He pinned Romero with a heated stare. “I would never hurt Gina. She is special. Soon, Detective, soon you will know the truth as I know it. And the name is Dr. King, not Mr.”
“Sure, Dr. King, be on your way. Have a great evening.” Romero walked over and held the door open.
Ethan walked through, turned and held his watch up to Romero. He tapped the face, once, twice. “Time is ticking away.” Ethan walked the length of the hall, turned the corner, out of sight.
Copeland returned. “Everything is set.”
“Get hold of Billy,” Romero said. “Let him know I offered his muscle to the M.E. We can drop him on our way to the Northwest and then he can ride back to the station with Doc.”
The 13th Hour: A Marston Thriller (The Marston Series Book 4) Page 13
