“Are you using your charms on someone else?” Coop peered over his glasses, appearing to be hurt by Maria’s interest in another man. “You’re breaking my heart here.”
“I said that he was cute, not that I was fucking him.” She nudged him. “Please, concentrate. Underneath is a list of the kids that have turned up. According to him, there’s a network of hostels and safe houses where these kids hole up.” She grabbed the empty metal waste bin from under the desk, turned it upside down to make a seat and sat next to him. “Now, federal law requires that these places report any minors that turn up on their doorstep immediately to the authorities.” She paused to sip her coffee.
“Makes sense,” Coop agreed. “Go on.”
“The problem is, if they report a kid who then returns home the next day, the hostel is still left with a mountain of paperwork.” She tapped her index finger on the papers he was holding. “This costs time and money. So what they tend to do is leave it a couple of days before reporting them, to make sure that they are genuine runaways and not your everyday teenager throwing a hissy fit.”
Coop stopped her by holding his hand up. “So you’re telling me that because of this bureaucratic BS it’s difficult for the good guys to do their job effectively and efficiently?”
“Exactly. How fucked up is that?” She pointed at the papers again. “Anyway, these are the kids that have either returned home or are located in hostels. Eight of them are in the files I gave you. Well, on your corkboards now.”
He handed the papers to her and walked to the wall filled with the information. “Read them out so we can eliminate them.”
She read out the names of the kids that had been accounted for while he carefully took down the photographs and notes for each of them.
When they had gone through the list, he took a couple of steps back and looked at the remaining photographs. Maria stood up and joined him. The pair stood there in silence, looking at each photo individually.
“What are your thoughts?” she asked, not taking her eyes off of the boards.
He looked thoughtful for a few moments, then pointed to one of the pictures.
“Take that one down for a second,” he requested. “And those two.”
She obliged and removed the three photographs.
“Now, come and stand back here,” he ordered. “Have a look at what we have left. Tell me what you see.”
Maria stared blankly at the boards, trying to figure out if her mentor had actually spotted something, or if he was just testing her. Either way, she was failing to see anything in the photos.
Without speaking, he stepped forward and started rearranging the pictures. He put all of them next to each other on one board in a single line and stepped back again.
“Now tell me what you see,” he said, while studying the photographs again.
“Holy sweet mother of God!” She exclaimed. “All these kids look pretty much like each other. Fair hair. Similar ages. Similar height and build. Fuck, they even look similar facially.” She looked at him open-mouthed. “Tell me you’re seeing this, too.”
“I am.” He frowned and got closer to examine the pictures in more detail. “But, there’s something else.”
“What?” she inquired.
“These kids look familiar for some reason.” He glanced from picture to picture. “I wonder if there’s anything linking these kids. Dig out their files.”
She spread the files out on the desk so she could see all of the names. “Okay, who do you want first?”
“James ‘Jamie’ Straite.” Coop read the notes he’d made. “Does it say where his last known sighting was?”
She quickly checked the report sheet. “Yeah. Last seen at the bus terminal on Americana Boulevard.”
“Check the last known sightings of the others,” he demanded.
Maria quickly went through the files, noting that all the missing kids were last seen at bus terminals.
“Mother fucker! That’s it; they all went missing around bus terminals.” She was excited by her discovery.
“It’s more than that. All the routes end at the same type of place.” Coop scribbled on a piece of paper and stuck it on the board above the photos. “Here.” He pointed at the note. “Theme Parks.”
The female detective stepped forward, glancing from picture to picture, and then to the note above them. “You have got to be shitting me.” Her mind raced as she tried to comprehend the gravity of the discovery. “This could be huge. We have to take it to Regan.”
“Slow down there, we don’t have anything concrete yet. This could all be coincidental,” he said, curbing her enthusiasm. “Let’s just take a bit of time here and go over everything again before we start raising the alarm.”
“Coop, I don’t think this is a coincidence. It’s in the reports.” She waved the files in his direction. “Granted, this has been overlooked, but I shouldn’t have to remind you that I am a serving officer and you know the rules, I have to report this.”
“You went to Andy with this and he didn’t want to know; he passed it over. This is our case now, and until we have something concrete to offer him, then this stays between us. Am I clear on that?” The retired cop’s whole demeanor changed. He was no longer the friendly diner owner. Standing before her was the intimidating, hard-nosed cop that he once had been. Almost snarling, he looked at her.
His penetrating eyes actually made her feel slightly uncomfortable. The reputation he had was renowned around the department for this kind of thing, but it was the first time she had witnessed it first-hand. It became clear to her why he had his legendary status.
“Okay. Firstly, you need to calm the fuck down. Don’t be getting in my face like that or I will put you down.” Her words were not a threat. “Secondly, if you ever speak to me like that again, I will put you down.” She paused and glared at Coop, who suddenly looked a little embarrassed by his outburst. “Thirdly, I’ll hold back reporting this until we have more to present to the lieutenant.”
She didn’t raise her voice, staying cool, calm, and collected as she laid down her rules to him. This tactic worked when confronted with any form of conflict. Staying extremely composed and using threatening terms had an incredible impact on the person it was directed at.
He bowed his head for a moment and when he looked up, the anger had gone from his eyes. He was back to the loveable Coop again.
“Sorry, Maria,” he said with sincerity. “I thought you were going to take this away from me. It’s the first thing in years that’s got my juices flowing, and the thought of not being able to see this through… well... I’m really sorry.”
“Forget about it.” She opened her arms and moved towards him. “Come here, give me a hug.”
He sheepishly accepted a hug from her and gave her a peck on the cheek.
“Listen,” she said as they separated. “It’s getting late, and I need my beauty sleep.”
“Okay. You get out of here. I’ll just tidy this up a bit.” He walked to the door and unlocked it, then led the way to the door to the kitchen area, and unlocked and opened it.
“See you tomorrow?” She patted him on the shoulder as she passed.
“You bet.” He smiled and watched her till she went into the restaurant area.
He stood leaning against the door for a few moments, and then went back into the office to continue studying the evidence on the corkboards.
The Genesis Chamber
Chapter 13
“Please, mister, can I go home now?” the boy asked nervously.
He sat opposite an obese man who was sweating profusely and sloppily eating his food, while glaring at the boy from behind the pig mask concealing his face.
The wolf pointed at the boy’s plate with his knife. “Eat your food, boy,” he demanded in his usual Southern drawl, which wasn’t as prominent as previous occasions at the cabin. “This man wants you to be full of energy.”
“Yeah, full of energy,” the obese pig spluttered, before taking
another mouthful of food.
The boy’s whole body visibly shook underneath the red cape he wore. A tear slowly trickled down his left cheek. The host leaned forward to peer under the red hood that cast a shadow over the upper part of the boy’s face.
“Please don’t cry. Be brave,” he said in a reassuring tone. “Listen to the words of this song.” He put down his cutlery and sat back, closed his eyes, and lifted his head towards the ceiling, letting the words of Billie Holiday singing “God Bless The Child” drift through his mind.
Money, you’ve got lots of friends
They’re crowding around your door
But when you’re gone and spending ends
They don’t come no more
Rich relations give crusts of bread and such
You can help yourself, but don’t take too much
Mama may have, Papa may have
But God bless the child that’s got his own, that’s got his own
“I don’t understand, sir,” the boy whimpered.
Wolf opened his eyes and looked at the boy. “Never mind. Have you ever read the Bible?”
“Yes, sir.” The boy looked up enough to reveal his tear-filled eyes.
“Are you familiar with the story of the Last Supper?” the host continued.
The boy didn’t answer. He burst into tears.
The wolf looked at the pig and stood up. “Let’s not prolong this for the poor child. Bring him.”
The pig threw his cutlery down and reached out to grab the child.
“No!” The boy shrugged away but, for a man of his size, the pig leapt out of his seat with remarkable speed, managing to get ahold of his prey.
Unable to stop his momentum, they crashed to the ground and wrestled for a moment before the sheer strength and weight of the pig subdued the terrified boy. The wolf stormed over and helped the pig to his feet and held the kid down with a well-placed foot on his chest.
“You finished?” he snarled at the breathless man.
“Y-y-y-yeah.” The sweating man gasped for air.
“Then quit playing round and let’s get this done.” He took his foot from the boy’s chest, pulled him to his feet, and shoved him into the waiting arms of the pedophile, who immediately put him into a headlock.
“No, please! Leave me alone!” the boy pleaded. “Let me go! I promise I won’t tell anyone.”
“Shut up, boy!” Pig shouted, as he struggled to follow the host, who led them to a curtain. He swiped it to one side, revealing a door.
“What’s in there?” the kid screamed.
“In here is the reason you shouldn’t have disobeyed your parents when they told you not to go with strangers,” the wolf hissed as he swung the door open, allowing his ‘guests’ to see inside.
The sight of what was in the room sent the kid into a struggle to get free from the sweaty pig’s grip but it was useless; the grip visibly tightened.
The wolf bent down to look the boy in the eye. “Welcome to the Genesis Chamber, kid.”
The pig dragged the boy into the chamber followed by the Wolf, who closed and locked the door behind him, leaving the mellow tones of the song filling the interior of the isolated lodge.
Here just don’t worry about nothing cause he’s got his own
Yes, he’s got his own.
When the record finished the continuous click, scratch, click was the only sound that could be heard in the log cabin. Whatever went on in the Genesis Chamber could not be heard from the outside. Every sound was swallowed up by the sound-proofed walls.
The Genesis Chamber
Chapter 14
Andy was awakened by the alarm going off. He fumbled in the darkness for the snooze button and gave it a deliberate push to silence the annoying sound, then rolled over, hoping for a cuddle or, time permitting, a little more from Kim. His wanting turned to disappointment when he realized he was alone, so he reluctantly pulled the covers back and left the comfort of his king-sized bed.
After a quick shower he dressed, grabbed his gun from the bedside cabinet, holstered it, and headed downstairs to the kitchen. The unmistakable aroma of grilled bacon greeted him. As he entered the dining area, he saw his wife by the stove.
Jen sat at the table, a plate of half-eaten food in front of her. It was a scene of domestic bliss, something that Andy hadn’t seen for a long time.
He stopped and adjusted his tie. What the hell is going on? he asked himself. A cooked breakfast, a smiling wife, and a normally grumpy teenage girl sitting and eating with a smile on her face. His cop instinct told him he was about to walk into an ambush of some kind, one that would inevitably cost him money. He surveyed the scene one more time, and briefly wondered if he had time to make a break for the car and get the hell out of there.
“Good morning.” He greeted the two women in his life with a great degree of apprehension. “And to what do I owe this pleasure? Have one of you crashed my car, or am I writing a check for something else today?” Andy laughed nervously.
“Honey, don’t be so cynical. You’re turning into a very distrusting, grumpy old man,” Kim teased.
“Yeah, Dad, I agree with Mum on that,” his daughter affirmed.
“So, my car is in one piece, and neither of you want money from me?” he asked with caution.
“God, Dad! There really is no pleasing you, is there? I get up early, show enthusiasm for the job you wanted me to do, and you still find fault,” the perplexed teenager ranted. “And why would I need money from you when I’ve just got my bonus from work, anyway?”
“I wasn’t complaining darling, I was just saying…wait, you got a bonus?” He wasn’t sure if he was shocked, angry, or proud at that moment. “You’ve only been there two minutes and you got a bonus already?”
“Yes. Quite a large one, too,” she said smugly. “Mum said we can go to the mall this weekend so no, I don’t want your money. I just wanted to have breakfast with my dad. Looks like I was expecting too much.”
Andy looked embarrassed; his daughter’s words left him feeling awkward.
“I’m sorry, sweetie. I didn’t expect to see you up so early.” He desperately tried to fix the situation. “I really am pleased for you. My little princess is growing up. Tell you what; how about we all go to the mall on Saturday. And by way of an apology, I’ll take us all for dinner on the way back.”
“That sounds like a great idea,” Kim butted in. “It’s been too long since we all went for a meal together.”
Jen looked up at the ceiling as if considering the offer. “Sure.” She smiled and nodded her head in acceptance. “As long as I choose where we eat. There’s this new restaurant everyone is raving about.”
“Deal!” He high fived his daughter. “Hey. This restaurant, it’s not that dodgy place they call Coop’s, is it?”
“Ooh… I don’t think Grandpa would be pleased if he heard you talking about his pride and joy like that.” The youngster winked at him.
“Jennifer Cooper!” he exclaimed. “Are you trying to bribe a police officer?”
All three laughed.
“Right, young lady, are you ready?” He grabbed a piece of bacon and quickly scoffed it down. “Sorry, sweetheart. I appreciate the breakfast, but I’m going to have to leave to drop this clever girl off and get to roll call.” He put his arm around his offspring.
“No, Dad, it’s okay.” Jen continued eating her breakfast. “Martin is picking me up.”
“Martin?” he quizzed. “As in Miller?”
“Yes, as in Martin Miller. He’s just moved into a house nearby so he said I can get a ride with him.” She smiled at him reassuringly. “He’ll drop me off, too, so you don’t have to worry.”
Before he had a chance to object, a car horn beeped outside, followed by the sound of screeching tires and the distinctive sound of a high-performance engine being revved filled the air.
“That’ll be him now. Got to go.” She jumped off her stool, dropped her mobile into her handbag, then went to the mirror by th
e front door and applied some lipstick. “I’m out of here; see you tonight.”
“Erm. Excuse me.” Kim stopped her as she reached for the door.
Jen turned around to see her mother signaling for a kiss by tapping her index finger on her cheek.
“Oh, yeah, sorry.” Jen rushed over and kissed Kim on the cheek, then went back to the door.
“Hey, what am I, chopped liver?” Andy called after his daughter. “Where’s my kiss?”
Jen doubled back, nearly dropping her bag as she did so. He bent down slightly to receive his good-bye kiss on the cheek, and before he had a chance to thank her, she was out of the door.
Curiosity got the better of him, so he followed his daughter out of the house and watched as she approached the vehicle. The roof on the new Porsche was in the process of folding away so the occupants could take advantage of the glorious weather that was forecast for the day.
Miller was being the perfect gent by holding the passenger door open. She gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek before getting into the car. He made sure she was safely inside, then closed the door and walked around the back of the car to get in the driver’s door. Andy looked on as they settled into their seats and fastened their seatbelts.
“Good morning, Martin!” he shouted.
The computer programmer looked over and waved. The nervous look and the forced smile let Andy know he had the young man’s attention.
“You drive careful now. That’s precious cargo you’re carrying there!” the doting father said assertively, and turned his body so the driver could see he had placed his hand on the handle of his gun. “I’d hate for anything to happen to her.”
Miller’s reluctant smile turned to a look of terror. Satisfied he had got his message through, Andy kept his hand on his gun as the red convertible reversed out of the driveway.
“See you later guys.” His daughter smiled as she waved.
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