Murders of the Zodiac Boxed Set

by Paris Morgan

  “Crap!” Leslie’s hand crumpled the plastic cup in her hand. “I’d say let’s go, but everyone’s leaving, and that’s going to leave Shea and Flora alone. They can’t drive back by themselves.”

  “What if I take them back now and meet you there?” Adam offered. “I’ll only be a few minutes behind you, and when the warrant is signed, I’ll be there in time to help you execute it.”

  “We’re going to have to hurry,” I urged.

  “Got it,” Adam agreed as we all headed toward Shea and Flora.

  “Babe, I’m going to have to leave. Adam’s going to take you and Flora back because we’ve got something going down. I’m sorry,” I apologized, kissing her forehead.

  She grabbed my hand before I walked away. “Be careful, and make sure you come back to me.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” I nodded at Adam as Leslie and I raced out to my car.

  I threw the light on the top of the car and sped out of the driveway as fast as it was safe to do. No sirens, since this wasn’t an actual 9-1-1 emergency, but it was urgent enough that I was going to be racing through the neighborhood traffic. Once on the freeway, I turned off the lights and continued speeding toward Dallas. If someone wanted to pull me over, I’d be able to flash my badge and continue on my way.

  “We finally have enough to pin on the guy, huh?” Leslie grabbed the door handle as I took a corner a little faster than I should have.

  “Nope. We’re not going to be able to arrest John Reed yet. If we can find the evidence Kevin has on the club, then we can see if it ties back to him. He may have it set up as a business venture and have no actual oversight, which is what his lawyer will argue if we arrest him too early.”

  “But Kevin does have evidence that the Black Tie Club is doing something illegal, right?”

  “Yeah. They bring in undocumented or kidnapped girls and force them to work at the clubs for the night. Any of them that make it to the next morning are shipped out immediately to a different area and made to work the next weekend somewhere else. Most of these girls only last a month or two at most with the brutal abuse from the members.” I gripped the steering wheel tighter.

  “That’s why it’s a member’s only club, where the elite can order girls up to fit their preferences and do whatever they want to them with no repercussions.” Leslie frowned. “It was under our noses the whole time.”

  “They were given the heads-up, and it looked completely legit. But this time, we’re not going to let them slip through our fingers.”

  “Agreed.” I could only hope that it worked out the way we wanted.

  ***

  We made the trip in about half the time it would normally have taken and pulled into the parking garage, just as Agent Watson arrived.

  “I see that Kevin notified you as well,” he greeted us cordially, not showing any outward signs that he was concerned with our arrival.

  “Yes. We’d just finished up with the baby shower and came right over. Do you know what he’s got exactly?” I questioned, hoping for something that would prove me wrong about the man standing in front of me.

  “Nope. Just that he’d be here, and it was a big deal. Let’s go see what he’s found.”

  Leslie raised an eyebrow questioningly, but didn’t comment.

  We approached the judge’s chambers, and the guard outside opened the door for us.

  Kevin was sitting in one of the chairs while the judge examined a folder containing numerous photographs.

  “Kevin, I see you started without me.” Agent Watson nodded toward him as he faced the judge. “I’m sorry, sir. I haven’t been briefed on this, so I really hope we haven’t wasted your time.”

  “Not at all, Agent. Considering the connections most of these people have, I’m sure the extra steps that Agent Johnson went to to keep this quiet were more than necessary. I’ve signed the warrants, and I hope you catch these bastards.”

  “Guess there’s not much left to do, then. Thank you so much, Judge.” Agent Watson had a smile plastered across his face. “Kevin, can I see you outside?”

  “Certainly.”

  Agent Watson wasn’t expecting all of us to accompany him outside, but there wasn’t a reason to stay in the judge’s chambers now that the warrants were signed.

  My phone buzzed with a text. “Adam says he’s alerted SWAT and they’re standing by, along with Homeland Security. I called our team when the judge assured me of the warrant. We’re all meeting in the parking lot of a neighboring club before we move in.”

  Anger filled Agent Watson’s features. “Someone is going to answer for this when everything is over. I’m the agent in charge, and I should have had a say in this.”

  Kevin managed to look sheepish. “I’m sorry, sir. I thought you’d gotten my emails about this. Next time, I’ll be sure to speak to you personally instead of through emails.”

  I wanted to laugh so bad, but knew that wasn’t going to help the situation. Kevin had the ability to send emails and have them look like they’d been read and in Agent Watson’s inbox for a few days.

  “Shall we go meet the others?”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Leslie responded, not giving Agent Watson a chance to reply.

  The next two hours were spent just out of sight while we waited for the members of the Black Tie Club to arrive, and for the girls to begin mingling.

  We didn’t want to wait too long into the evening, but long enough that our main players would be there so we could take them into custody.

  “If we can prove they’re members, then they get a ride downtown. Otherwise, any guests are free to go because they’ll just say they’ve never been before and had no idea who these girls were. We’re looking for the big fish in this scenario,” Agent Watson instructed.

  Adam kept an eye on him and made sure that he never got a chance to use his phone, which might warn our possible targets to flee.

  The multiagency operation surrounded the place quietly while the members of our team and SWAT made their way to the front entrance.

  The bodyguard manning the door of the club blocked our way. “Sorry, this is a private club. You can’t go in without another member to vouch for you.”

  “Will a warrant get us inside, do you think?” Agent Watson held up the piece of paper and his badge. The bodyguard started to fumble with his phone.

  “I wouldn’t if I were you,” Adam warned, walking around the podium to hit the door buzzer. “Open sesame.”

  And just like that, we were inside the smoke-filled room with few lights and lots of men in suits watching the show.

  “We’re going to ask that everyone line up against the walls while we sort this out,” Adam announced loudly as one of the SWAT guys pulled the plug on the music.

  “There, that’s better. We have people out back and out front, so to make this easier, please wait patiently and we’ll get to you as quickly as possible.”

  “I’m sorry, sir, but this is a private establishment. You can’t do this.” A man in an evening jacket approached, trying to stall us.

  Adam had already explained to SWAT and Homeland that we might have someone trying to hide the girls.

  Agent Watson stepped up with the warrant and his credentials. “We have a search warrant, and will arrest everyone in this establishment before the night’s over. I suggest that you turn around and put your hands behind your back.”

  I wanted to snicker as he read the poor man his rights and pulled the ties over his fancy suit.

  While Agent Watson was dirty, he was certainly keeping up the act by doing his part.

  My phone rang, but I ignored it. I had too much going on to worry with a phone call. They could leave a message or call back if it was important.

  Homeland had quickly separated all of the women out from among the private rooms and dressing rooms in the back, hustling them out and away from the members of the club.

  That left the guests, members, and employees of the Black Tie Club, which had to be sorted out accordingly.
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  The phone vibrated again, and I glanced at it this time. Shea was calling for the second time. It must be urgent, because she knew we were on a bust.

  I got Adam’s attention and pointed to the phone as I moved outside where I could hear a little better.

  “Shea, honey, I’m in the middle of something right now,” I started, but was interrupted when I heard Flora’s voice.

  “Ryan, we’re headed to the hospital right now. I’m not sure if its actual labor or Braxton Hicks, but we need to get her checked out. Meet us when you can, and I’ll update you when they figure out what’s wrong.”

  “I’ll meet you there as soon as I tell Adam. They’ll just have to make it without me.”

  I wasn’t about to have my fiancé go through this alone. She should have me by her side.

  I made my way back into the club. “Adam, Shea’s headed to the hospital. I’m going to meet her and Flora there. Can you get Leslie home?”

  “Sure. Update us, because this is going to take us a while,” Adam said.

  “Hold on.” I pointed to the lady standing against the back wall. “I think she’s the one I sat next to on the plane.”

  “You go on and I’ll let you know who she is.” Leslie patted my arm. “Shea needs you more than we do. I’ll look into it.”

  “Yeah,” I chuckled, “you’re right.”

  All the details would be worked out. Right now, I had other things that were more important, and that was something I never thought I would say about arresting a sex trafficking ring.

  I had a baby on the way. Without another thought, I ran to my car in the next parking lot and took off.

  Deep breaths, Ryan. First babies might take a while, and it wouldn’t do for the baby’s father to get into an accident trying to get there.

  Gone were all thoughts of the Zodiac Master and his recruits, and in their place was the wonderment of what was about to happen.

  Chapter 9

  Kevin

  It had been a good night, and one hell of a sting operation.

  Agent Watson hadn’t seen what was coming, and we’d been able to coordinate with the other seven clubs. In just one evening, we’d dealt a huge blow to a group of people enslaving others for their own pleasure.

  All the women we’d rescued had been taken to nearby shelters for trafficked victims as we processed them and took their statements. These poor women weren’t very trustful of law enforcement, and some of them couldn’t even speak English.

  We’d made sure that they were going to be given asylum if possible, or at least a temporary one until we could assure that they were safe. It would take weeks, or even months to get all the actual crimes committed against the victims, but the hardest part had been getting them out of there and giving them a chance.

  I’d been lucky the past few weeks and hadn’t gotten any indication that the Urban Energy Company was onto me yet. I might be able to find more stuff out that would let me help others, but my time was running short.

  The information that Barbie had gotten for me about the club had been a valuable piece of information that had managed to keep everyone from learning the truth. The information that I was hiding needed to stay hidden until I had more evidence to convict them with.

  I was so close. Thankfully, Ryan was as trustworthy as they came, but even he wasn’t invincible. He also had a baby to think about, and I wasn’t going to get him killed all because someone thought we might have information they didn’t want out.

  With these thoughts, I wasn’t paying attention as I went to open the back door of my house, when something sharp pressed against the back of my neck.

  “Hi. Thought you were going to get away with everything from yesterday, didn’t you?” the voice behind me questioned.

  I paused with my hand on the knob, the door opened just an inch.

  “I think you have me confused with someone else. I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Sure you do, Kevin. You planned most of the raid from last night, and took money right out of John Reed’s pockets. You didn’t think that was going to a slight ignored, did you?” she cackled. “Oh, wait, you did. I’m so sorry. Why don’t we go ahead and go inside and have a little talk?”

  The sharp point dug a little deeper, and I decided that I might as well do as she asked.

  “Take a seat and make yourself at home.” She laughed again and handed me a set of cuffs, just like those we’d been putting on those rich men last evening.

  “Now you’ll have a chance to see what it felt like all night for those other guys.”

  She started looking around, poking her head in each room before she came back to where the computers were located in my dining room.

  “I’m going to need to wipe these clean and clear out all the evidence that you gathered. The man I work for isn’t happy that you’ve made his father look bad. He can’t let you continue with what you’re doing.”

  “Well, I assumed that it was going to catch up to me sooner or later.” I shrugged, unable to really do anything.

  This woman was going to kill me, and there wasn’t anything I could do about it.

  “I heard that today is your birthday. Your team wasn’t thinking about that, or the fact that you would fit into the Zodiac Master’s plan in more ways than one.”

  She leaned her hip against the desk with all my equipment on it. “Cheer up. Your sacrifice is going to let the person who was supposed to die today live to a ripe old age.”

  “That’s supposed to be comforting?”

  “It all depends on how you look at it. You’re going to die anyway. Wouldn’t you rather save someone if you can? Isn’t that what all of you law enforcement types do?”

  “Don’t take this the wrong way. I mean, I’m happy that someone else is going to live, but I was kind of hoping to not die today. I really wasn’t done living yet, you know?”

  She nodded. “I get that, but I’ve got to send a message to the detectives because they’re getting really good at their jobs. They need to drop anything to do with the Urban Energy Corporation and move back to trying to find my boss. Not that that’s going to happen, but maybe your death with help it along. You’re also helping me. I’m going to keep the information that you’ve uncovered as leverage for when he wants to do away with me.”

  She swung the katana playfully in the air. “You see, he plans to kill me at the end of the month, and I don’t want to die either. So, he’s going to let me live, because otherwise, I’m going to spill the beans to the local news stations. John Reed and the Zodiac Master won’t be able to recover from that.”

  “That’s very ambitious, and smart,” I praised, hoping to build a rapport with her.

  “Sorry, Kevin. You still have to die.” With those words, she swung and severed my head from my body.

  “Bye-bye, now.”

  ***

  On the table, I opened a bag of candy corn and laid out a message.

  “Trick or treat. Bet you think I can’t be beat. I’ve got Kevin’s info so we need to meet.”

  Collecting all of his equipment took a few minutes, but I didn’t want to take any chances.

  ***

  Ryan

  When I arrived at the hospital, they directed me toward the maternity wing. Flora was waiting for me and started to explain what they were doing with Shea.

  “Ryan, they took her in and are getting her examined. The baby’s heartbeat is fine, but it’s a few weeks early. For now, they want to stop the contractions and see how things look in the morning,” Flora advised me, stopping me from rushing in inside.

  “But they’re okay?” I asked, running a hand through my hair in frustration.

  “Yeah, they are. What she needs from you right now is to be calm and let her know that you’re there. She’s been worried that you’d miss it.”

  I paced up and down for a minute, and then gave myself a mental shake. I got this. Women have been having babies for years. I just need to be strong for her.

  �
��All right, I can do that.” I didn’t feel like it, but I was going to pull it together for Shea. I just didn’t want to lose her.

  Flora opened the door and stood outside while I went in alone.

  Shea was lying there on bed with her eyes closed.

  “Hey, babe.” I quietly pulled up the chair and took her hand.

  “You made it.” She spoke slowly and smiled. “The baby…”

  “Flora already filled me in. What we need you to do is rest and help her decide to stay in there until it’s time. Got it?”

  She nodded.

  “I’m going to be right here the whole time,” I reassured her.

  Flora knocked softly before she came back in.

  “The doctor said they’re going to give her magnesium to slow things down. They’ll monitor her overnight and see if they can slowly take her off. When she’s been contraction free for twenty-four hours, they’ll send her home.”

  “Well, I’m going to be here. Adam and Leslie have got all that taken care of. Between them and Kevin, those victims will get a chance to start living again. If they’re able to put the past behind them that is.”

  “That’s harder to do than you think.” Flora frowned, but brightened when Shea opened her eyes again.

  “He made it.”

  “I told you he would.” Flora giggled.

  We got comfortable while we waited for the medicine to take effect and keep my girls safe.

  ***

  Adam and Leslie rushed in around noon looking exhausted.

  “How did things go?” I stood to greet them, my body groaning from being in that one position all night.

  “The bigger question is, how is Shea doing?” Leslie asked, turning toward her.

  “Tired, but the contractions have stopped for the moment. This medicine makes it hard to think.”

  “Then you just rest. It’s good for you, ’cause that baby isn’t going to let you rest after she gets here,” Leslie reminded her.