by David Carner
John sighed. This was the frustrating part of his ability. To John things seemed so black and white. He just knew things, and it was hard to remember that others didn’t see the same things he did. It suddenly dawned on Trip how John knew. Trip almost visibly smacked his forehead.
“You found the whole thing fishy when you were made to go to see Stephen?” Trip asked. John nodded. “But how could you have known by just that?”
“Trip, I’m an old-school investigator. That’s what everyone seems to forget,” John said. “Just because I figure something out by body language or whatever it is, at the end of the day, it’s just a direction I know to look in. I do try to find actual evidence to back things up.” John looked over at the burned wreck of the vehicle. “When I saw him it felt like he was trying to make me think Chet was a mole. Then there were little things that he did that set off my internal . . .” John paused looking for the word, “alarm. But the final straw was when I mentioned ‘The Duck’. Stephen never asked how he got the name. All of those things made me think it was worth looking into Stephen’s financials. Arthur cut through the red tape quickly and found out Stephen was more than maxed out in loans. I was positive Stephen was Archibald’s mole. I left it alone, because I wanted to feed misinformation to Archibald. Apparently he did something wrong in Archibald’s eyes.”
Jessica put her hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. John turned toward her questioningly.
“For once,” Jessica began. “I think your wrong on who had Stephen killed.”
Chapter 101
“There are some similarities here to two other murder cases John,” Jessica said. John’s face got serious real quick. Jessica didn’t say anything. John pressed his lips together and shook his head no. Jessica tilted her head slightly, and nodded yes.
“I don’t know in what secret language you two are speaking, but here’s what I know,” Trip began. “Bruce was in the area when all three suspects were killed. We cannot locate Bruce’s original file. The one currently on file has been doctored. Bruce got Stephen today to sign off on a leave of absence to deal with his father’s kidnapping.” That bit of information caused John to look at Trip sharply.
“What are you two trying to say?” John asked quietly, staring at the floor. “Are you saying I’ve been working with a guy for a week that killed my wife, and because I didn’t get a feeling on him that I let him get away? Are you saying that I may have let him walk, and I’m never going to catch the guy? Because if what you have told me is true . . . then that is what I’m saying. I’m saying this is my fault.”
“I am saying,” Trip said very quietly. “We are keeping this murder under wraps. I am saying I have a person of interest in all three murder cases that are currently being run by Agent Hammerstein. I am saying that all four of us are going to your in-laws house, and we have a chance to interview some people who might have some knowledge of the killer that they don’t realize they have.” Trip reached out and put his hand on John’s shoulder. John looked up at Trip, directly in the eye. “I am saying John, Bruce is a person of interest in the murder of your wife, my girlfriend, and the late Dr. Freeman.”
Jessica took Johns free arm into hers. She placed her chin on his shoulder for a second, and then lifted it off. She spoke softly.
“If it’s Bruce,” she said. “We are going to nail him, I promise.” She looked at Trip. “Same goes for you Trip, I promise we’ll nail him.”
Trip smiled ruefully, “I know you will, Agent Hammerstein, I know you will.” Trip looked back over to the car. “You two go. I’ll meet you at the Moore’s. I’ll bring the latest file on this, Jessica.” Trip turned and went back to the crime scene.
“You ready?” Jessica asked.
“I need to do something in the morning, Jessica. I need to go to Sam’s gravesite for a minute. There’s something I need to say to her,” John said without ever looking at her. John stared at the car. He was thinking. Could it really be Bruce? If it was, did he miss it because Bruce really was a sociopath, or was it because John didn’t want to have to face Sam’s killer?
Chapter 102
Chet watched Jessica and John leave. He really didn’t think this was the time for John to find out about Stephen. Chet walked over to Trip and tapped him lightly on the shoulder. Trip turned around. Chet gestured with his head to follow him. The two of them walked away from the crime scene, and Chet handed Trip the folder.
“What did you find?” Trip asked as he began to leaf through it.
“You were right, Stephen was in debt. Worse than I ever thought about being,” Chet replied. Trip looked up at Chet. Trip was frowning.
“You’re lucky, you know,” Trip said. Chet nodded.
“I know. That could have been me if I had continued down the road I was heading,” Chet replied. He stuck his hands in his pockets and looked down at the ground. Trip looked back over at the crime scene.
“We’ve got to sit on this,” Trip said. Chet’s jaw dropped. Trip didn’t look happy, but continued. “We can’t let Archibald or Duck know how close we’re getting. If I write this up as anything but an accident . . .”
“How are you going to pull that off?” Chet asked.
“I’ll take care of it,” Trip replied. “Do you think anyone will really want to admit that our security can be breached?” Chet nodded. “I’ll tell the investigating officer that I was talking to Stephen about Thelma. I’ll tell them that he wanted to see something similar to the incendiary device that was used to kill her. I’ll tell them I checked out a similar device. I can get the evidence people to fix the checkout dates. I’ll make sure that it gets written up that Stephen was taking the device home to study when it accidentally went off. We’ll say it was all an accident and that will be the public story. We’ll internally flag the case.” Chet didn’t like the idea at all, and he didn’t hide it with his expression. “I know it’s risky, but right now there is someone very high up that is playing a very dangerous game. Chet you do realize that this leak, or mole, or whatever you call it has to come from a very high position?”
“Trip, how high?” Chet asked. Trip ran his hand over his bald head and looked back at the wreckage.
“Too high,” he replied.
Sam’s Gravesite
The Next Morning
Chapter 103
John stood over Sam’s grave. He had practiced in his head what he would say all night. As he stood over her grave he began to chuckle.
“Sam what would you say to me if you knew I had practiced a speech to your gravestone?” John asked. He looked around the cemetery. He had felt like he was being watched, but he didn’t see anyone; except for Jessica. That had to be what he was feeling. John continued. “Sam . . . I am so, so sorry.” Tears begin to form in John’s eyes. “I am sorry for taking you for granted. I am sorry . . .” John choked up and burst into tears. He sobbed for a few minutes. Jessica was standing at the car watching. She wanted to go put her arms around him, but she just didn’t feel it would be appropriate. This was something John had wanted to do by himself, and she was going to honor his request.
John cried for a few minutes. As the tears dried up he looked up to the sky. The sun was trying to break through the clouds. John thought about how cliché this scene was. He burst into laughter. From her vantage point, Jessica heard the laughter and was worried. Had John finally lost it?
“Sam,” John began. “I was a freaking idiot. I didn’t notice you were pregnant, your friendship with Jessica, and who knows what else. Sam, I’m sorry. I’m sorry your last moments on Earth weren’t happy and that was because I was too wrapped up in myself. I was too wrapped up in my problems. The alcohol didn’t help matters, but I had a choice. I had a choice to be happy with you, but I chose to make my career. I chose to be the greatest FBI agent of all time. You know what that got me; loneliness.”
John looked down at the ground. Tears were in his eyes, but he was composed. “Sam, I saw a therapist. I have a thingamajig. I’m not too sure how
much I can trust him since he was probably on Archibald’s payroll, and now he’s dead, but I talked a lot of things out. Sam . . . Sam, you’re dead and you’re not coming back. I know I’ve said this before, but never to your body, here at the cemetery. Sam, I can’t change what happened between us.” John sunk down to his knees. “You would have been such a good Mom. I’m so sorry I never will get to find out.”
John slumped his shoulders and began to cry again. He continued. “I’m going to find out who killed you, Sam, and I’m going to finish him. If it kills me, I’m going to make this right. Whoever did this is going to pay.” John paused, and then sighed. “Starting this weekend, Chet, Jessica, Trip, and I are headed to your parent’s house to open the case files and go over everything. I’m going to find out who did it, Sam, I promise.” John placed his hand on the headstone and then began to quietly sob. After a minute or so, he collected himself and stood up. He smiled down at the tombstone.
Sam, I love you, and I always will, but it’s time I let go. It’s time for me to live.” John looked over his shoulder at Jessica. He looked back down at the gravestone. “I think you would approve.” John grinned. “Good-bye, Sam.” John turned and left. He and Jessica got in the car and drove off.
After the car pulled away, a lone figure walked out of the woods. He walked up to Sam’s grave and looked behind it. On the bottom of the stone, where the grass had grown over, was a microphone. Bruce reached down and took the microphone and placed it in his pocket.
“Sam,” Bruce said. “I hope you miss him, because I’m about to reunite the two of you.” He held out his hands and shrugged. “It’s not my fault. If he would just leave this alone . . . but we both know better than that, don’t we. I mean he just told you he was going to do whatever it took to find your killer and bring him to justice. I don’t want justice Sam, I want what’s mine. What you, my father, and John keep trying to take away from me. I want the credit I deserve.” Bruce turned to leave and stopped. He turned back to the headstone. “Oh, sorry about the kid thing, I really had no idea. You realize that it’s best this way. I mean, I would have had to hunt down the kid if it had been born. Clean up the bloodlines and all of that.”
Bruce reached in his coat pocket and pulled out the bag that held a ring. He looked at the inscription inside and snorted. He spoke softly to himself, “If I had a sister, I wouldn’t miss her.” Bruce laughed and walked back to where his car had been parked in the woods.
Chapter 104
John stared out the window as the car Jessica was driving headed toward the Moores. He felt a hand squeeze his thigh right above his knee. He looked over quickly at Jessica.
“Whatcha thinking about, John?” Jessica asked.
“I’m thinking I’ve got to get through this weekend with Sam’s parents while telling them about my worst moments as a husband. And if there are any I have forgotten, you, Trip, and Chet get to fill in any holes,” John replied. Jessica grimaced at the thought.
“I’ll be there with you, if it helps,” Jessica said. John squeezed Jessica’s hand and smiled at her.
“It will,” John replied. “It will.” John paused, and grinned. “Of course you have problems of your own,” he said slyly. “I mean, I’m going to be telling the Moores all this, and they may be mad at you.” Jessica looked at him, confused. John went on, trying to sound diplomatic. “I mean, they may think that you’ve replaced her since you’re my new girlfriend, how,” Jessica cut him off mid-sentence.
“Who says I’m your girlfriend?” she interrupted.
“I thought I just did,” John replied. Jessica put both hands on the wheel and gave him a look. John had seen that look before. John thought he would never have to see that look again, but he was obviously wrong. Sam had given that look to him at least a thousand times. He thought only Sam possessed it, but he quickly realized he was wrong. Either all women possessed that look, or John had the special ability to bring it out of people. As his mind screamed at him not to ask the question on his lips, he ignored it and did so anyway. “Did I say something wrong?”
“I don’t recall you ever asking me to be your girlfriend,” Jessica replied, very briskly.
“Oh,” John replied. He sat there not saying anything. He continued to look out the window. Jessica sat there driving. The silence became deafening. John was trying his best not to burst into laughter and to keep a straight face. The two of them traveled down the road for ten minutes in complete silence. Jessica refused to say anything, mostly on principal. Finally John spoke, very quietly.
“So, would you like to be my girlfriend?” John asked.
“Of course I would, you idiot,” Jessica replied quickly. Annoyance was dripping from her voice. “I just didn’t appreciate you assuming I was your girlfriend. You should have asked me. I told you we have a relationship, and I’d take it slow with you, but if you’re going to start labeling things, you had best make sure all parties involved are comfortable with that label!”
“I see,” John replied.
“And another thing,” Jessica continued ignoring John. “Where do you get off thinking that the Moores won’t like me? They love me. It was you that Arthur was so mad at!”
“I just thought with you being my girlfriend in my ex-“
“That’s what you get for thinking,” Jessica interjected. “Now understand this, if you start unilaterally making decisions for the two of us, John Fowler, there will be problems. You don’t own me or control me. I am my own woman.”
“I wouldn’t dream,” John began, but Jessica cut in again.
“Well don’t!” She interrupted, and then paused. “Don’t you have anything to say?” John took a second to think this one through.
“You’re the first girlfriend I’ve had in a really long time,” John said quietly.
Jessica looked over at John. Her lips were pursed, and her eyes were slightly squinted. She was trying to decide if he was about to feed her some line of bull or if he was being sincere. She gave him the benefit of the doubt. She looked back at the road. She spoke quietly.
“I never would try to replace her,” Jessica said quietly. She looked at John. He was nodding his head. Jessica decided it had gotten too heavy, too quickly and she needed to do something to lighten the mood. “I’ve never had one you know.”
“A boyfriend!?!” John asked in disbelief.
“No, silly, a girlfriend,” Jessica replied smiling. John shook his head at her bad joke. The smile faded from Jessica’s face as she seemed lost in deep thought. They were approaching the Moores. “I mean I don’t guess you could call her one . . .” Jessica said softly. John’s head whipped around in shock. Jessica was looking right at him with a “gotcha” look.
“Why do men always get so goofy when they think women did things in college?” Jessica asked.
“So you’re just messing with me?” John asked. Jessica shrugged. She parked the car, leaned real close to John, and answered very softly.
“We’ve only been boyfriend/girlfriend for such a short time, I don’t know if our relationship is strong enough to handle that yet,” Jessica replied, and exited the car.
“I’m sure it is!!” John cried out. The door to the Moores opened, and there was Arthur and Madeline. Jessica was standing in front of the car and turned and looked over her shoulder at John. She gave him a wink that the Moores couldn’t see. She cocked her head as if to say, “Come on” and headed toward them. Madeline met her with a hug.
John opened the door and got out. He stood there for a minute and watched the three of them together. He smiled and nodded.
“Sam,” he said quietly to himself. “We’re going to get him . . . if it kills me we’re going to get him.” John shut the door and walked toward the Moores and Jessica.
The End . . . For Now.
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