The Key to Betrayal

by John Matthew Lee

  T.J. just shakes his head. Dugan escorts Dr. Kent from the pub and thanks him for his services. He tries to pay him, but the doctor refuses payment and takes a rain check on the drink. Liam and T.J. return downstairs to the bar and sit in a booth across from the counter. Dugan walks back into the bar and comes over to T.J. and Liam, and asks, “Drinks, anyone?”

  Liam looks at T.J. and says, “How about a couple pints of Guinness, Dugan?”

  Dugan leaves to retrieve the beer, and Liam notices he's still limping. He laughs, and then cringes in pain, as his ribs are hurting when he laughs or moves. T.J. looks at Liam and says, “You didn't have to let me in on the pub, Liam, but thank you.”

  “Oh, you heard that? I didn't know if you were inside or outside the shop,” says Liam. “So you heard everything, then.” Liam just looks at T.J. and smiles. “It's good this way. Maybe some soul food is what this place needs.”

  McSweeney brings the drinks, and he looks at Liam and says, “I'm glad you're okay,” and walks from the booth.

  T.J. and Liam drink from their beers and Liam says, “I'm a little tired tonight, T.J. It might just be one or two beers.”

  T.J. says, “It's okay, Liam, no problem.”

  They continue to drink when Liam turns to T.J. and says, “Have I told you about this woman I met in Port Saint Lucie?”

  T.J. looks surprised, as this is the first time Liam has ever talked about a woman since Kelley's death.

  “There's something about her that gets under my skin a little. Can't explain it, really,” says Liam.

  T.J. looks at Liam with a big smile and says, “Tell me about her. No, let me guess. She has dark hair and big boobs, right?”

  He looks at T.J. and says, “Well.”

  “I knew it,” says T.J. “You're a boob man. Liam, all the years I've known you, you like tall, dark-haired women with big boobs.”

  “T.J., what can I say? It gets cold in Boston. I need to be properly warmed up at night,” smiles Liam.

  “Good for you, Liam, good for you! You deserve to be happy. You're a good man.”

  “T.J., these past several days I've felt more alive, more driven, and more useful than I've felt for months,” says Liam.

  “You have always been driven to succeed. That's how I knew you weren't going to be beaten by Roman. I knew as long as you were conscious, you would continue to fight. There's no quit in you. That's why I was surprised when you retired and moved from Boston after Kelley's death. It was like you just gave up living, like you just quit on yourself,” says T.J.

  Liam and T.J. order another beer and drink into the early morning hours before Liam walks upstairs and goes to bed for the night.

  Chapter 12

  RESURRECTION OF A LONELY MAN

  LIAM IS AWAKENED BY PAIN IN HIS CHEST, ribs, face, and many other parts of his body shortly after 10 a.m. He rolls over on the couch to see a note left by T.J. that reads, “I'll be there at 10:30 a.m. to pick you up for breakfast before I have to go to work.” Crap, thirty minutes to shit, shower, and shave, thinks Liam. Liam rolls off the couch and remembers he should take his daily meds. He takes his pills and works his way into a shower, carefully working around his bandaged chest. He lets the warm water rejuvenate his achy muscles for several minutes before ending his shower.

  Thirty minutes pass, and Liam is ready for his breakfast date. He walks downstairs and sees T.J. talking with Dugan. Dugan looks at Liam and says,

  “I heard what you did for T.J. and me with Pennilli. I don't know what to say, except thank you.” Dugan puts his hand out for Liam to shake.

  Liam pauses and reaches over, and then shakes Dugan's hand and says,

  “Keep up the good work. A fine neighborhood pub is all my father ever wanted.”

  Liam and T.J. leave the bar and go across the street to a Starbucks.

  Liam and T.J. place their orders and wait for their coffees. Liam tells T.J. that he'll be leaving for home today. He says,

  “Mama expects you to come and visit her soon. Look, the weather in Florida is a bit warmer. You and Rhonda should come down and stay with me awhile. I'll show you the sights. I mean, they've got Guinness there too.”

  “I'd like that, Liam. Maybe I'll work on my tan,” says T.J.

  Liam laughs and looks outside, and sees it's raining. The two sit for a few more minutes before they cross the street and go back into the pub. Liam and T.J. start moving Liam's bags from the office and pack the Cruiser.

  They return inside. Liam gives the key to the pub to T.J. and thanks Dugan for the use of the office. He turns to both of them and says he'll be back in the summer. Maybe then they can all catch a Red Sox game. He walks out the back door, gets into the Cruiser and looks back to see T.J. at the back door. He drives off, headed to Interstate 95 South.

  Liam navigates the highways of Boston and thinks to himself, I feel like shit. Every bone in my body hurts, yet I feel more alive than I have in months. He drives for about three hours before he decides to stop and get gas. He knows he needs some beef jerky and Gatorade. After getting some supplies, he sees a pay phone and decides to make a phone call home.

  “Hello, Mama. Yeah, it's Liam. I'm okay, I'm coming home. I'll be home in a day or so. I'm fine... Oh, is that right? T.J. called and told you everything. Well, I'm on my way home, I'll see you soon. I should what? Mama... I know, she's a very nice lady. Okay, I'll call her. I love you too, Mama, goodbye.”

  Liam just shakes his head, thinking about T.J. calling Mama, T.J. the informant! Liam looks at the pay phone and hesitates to call Tina. He finds himself getting nervous just thinking about calling her. He smiles and dials her cell phone number.

  “Hello Tina, it's me, Liam. I'm okay... I'm coming home. It's really good to hear your voice too. How are you doing? I don't know, I'm on the road now, but it'll be a day or so. She is...good, I miss that old dog. Okay, I'll call you again when I'm closer to home. Tina, if you get a chance, can you tell Lieutenant Tibedoe the little matter with the two dead bodies has been taken care of? There won't be any further problems in Port Saint Lucie. Okay, Tina, I'll be safe... I look forward to seeing you too. Goodbye.”

  Liam continues to drive south toward home, eating his jerky and drinking Gatorade. The energy and drive he had going to Boston seems to be as strong going home. He drives and thinks about Molley, Kelley, Tina, and his mother. My little fab four, thinks Liam. Liam drives for several hours, making gas and coffee stops in several states. He stops in Florence, South Carolina, and has dinner. Liam is having difficulty walking, and his face has bruised up pretty bad. He notices people are looking at him like he's the Elephant Man or something.

  He sits and eats his meal and starts to feel tired. He decides to stay the night in Florence, and start back on the road in the morning. He finds a hotel off the freeway and checks in for the night. Once in his room, he looks at his chest injury. There's been some seepage of blood from the stitches, but things seem all right. He sleeps through the night and doesn't wake until 10 a.m. the next morning. An unusual occurrence for Liam—not his normal routine. He is accustomed to waking at 5 a.m. every morning.

  Liam gets back on the road at around 11 a.m. and knows he has about eight hours of driving time left. He continues to drive, stopping several more times to get fuel and drink. Just after 8:00 p.m., Liam drives into Port Saint Lucie, where it's dry and the temperature is 65 degrees.

  He unloads the old Toyota Land Cruiser and walks to his condo. Mrs. Sandrini is walking her dog in the complex and is surprised to see Liam. She says hello to him, and then notices his facial injuries. She asks if Liam is all right and continues walking her toy poodle. He walks to the front door of his home and opens the door. He steps through the entryway and sees his mother, his daughter, and Tina seated at the table, having chocolate cake together. Sandy is lying on the floor near the ladies and gets up to greet Liam.

  Liam looks at the startled ladies and can see them looking at his face. He can't believe what he's seeing. He looks at Molley and wan
ts to say so much to her, but is speechless. He looks over at Tina and smiles, and thinks to himself, “T.J. was right... tall, dark-haired, and big-boobed!” Somehow Liam feels like a little kid who just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He begins to feel nervous. He thinks, what have they been talking about?

  He walks slowly into the condo, carrying his bags. He walks over to the ladies and hugs his mother first. She stares at his face and notices blood on his shirt. Liam looks over toward Molley and she stands up and hugs him. He then looks over at Tina, who has gotten up from the table. He focuses on Tina and steps closer to her, reaches out and hugs her. She puts her arms around his waist and says nothing as her head lays on his chest. Tina hugs Liam and has difficulty letting go. She finds herself breathing faster, and the hairs on the back of her neck are tingling again. She tells herself, “just breathe.”

  Liam releases Tina and steps back from the table. Tina says,

  “I thought you were going to call when you got closer.”

  “We made dinner for you. We thought you might be home earlier,” says Molley.

  “We had dinner without you and had ourselves a bit of cake and coffee,” says Mrs. O'Connor.

  “Oh, is that right, Mama? Your special Irish coffee, I bet,” says Liam.

  “We put the food in your refrigerator. All you had in there was beer anyway, Liam. It was good that Tina bought food to make a meal for us all,” says Mrs. O'Connor.

  Liam puts his bags into his bedroom and goes back out to the living room, where he answers all the question the ladies have about Roman and Uncle Pennilli. As the evening gets later, Molley says she is staying with her grandmother and is going to drive her home before it gets too late. She says,

  “I want to see you again tomorrow sometime, Dad! I'll call you tomorrow.”

  Molley and Liam's mother leave. Liam and Tina continue to talk for awhile in the front living room. Tina says to Liam,

  “Have you been seen by a doctor? You look like you have some broken bones in your face.”

  “I was seen by a doctor who looked at my injuries and stitched me up. My face and ribs are pretty sore, but I'm feeling better every day.”

  Tina tells Liam that she has been staying at his place since he left, just to make things easier for Sandy. He says,

  “Fine by me. I'm sorry I didn't have any food in the place.”

  Tina says she has to work in the morning and should get home. Liam looks at Tina and wants her to stay, but feels slow and steady is the best course. He asks Tina if she would like to go and have dinner tomorrow night. She accepts and leans over and hugs Sandy, and tells her to take care of Liam. As she is walking out, Tina turns and looks back at Liam. He steps toward her and they kiss. He steps back, and Tina looks at him and says,

  “I've got to go, but I'll see you tomorrow around 6:00 p.m. or sooner, Liam.”

  She walks away, and Liam closes his door and thinks, she smells good, too.

  Liam makes his way to the couch and watches an old movie with Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. He lays on the couch and notices it smells like Tina. This could be a long night, he thinks. He falls asleep as the movie continues on. While Liam is sleeping on the couch, Sandy is sleeping in her favorite chair.

  Liam awakens the next morning just before 5:00 a.m. He takes a shower and allows the hot water to soothe his aches and pains. He removes the dirty bandage on his chest and sees the stitches are healing fine. He puts some old, comfortable clothes on, goes to the kitchen and makes some coffee. He sits at the kitchen table drinking his coffee, thinking about taking Sandy for a long-awaited walk, when Sandy begins to growl and walks toward the front door. He hears a knock at the front door.

  Liam walks over to the door and wonders who could be at his door this early on a Sunday morning. He opens the door and is greeted by Chief Green and Lieutenant Tibedoe of the Port Saint Lucie Police Department. He asks them in and if anyone would like a cup of coffee. They both ask for coffee and apologize for coming to his place so early.

  “Liam, would you look at something for us, please?” asks Chief Green.

  Lieutenant Tibedoe gives Liam a digital camera and prepares the camera for him to see a series of photos. He's shown the first photo that shows an old box truck parked on the side of the road just outside the city, leading to the Savanna Preserve State Park. Chief Green says one of his patrolmen found the truck there last night.

  “The truck was stolen out of Miami four days ago,” says Lieutenant Tibedoe.

  Tibedoe brings up the next picture on the digital camera that shows the back doors to the box truck opened and what appears to be three young women in their late teens or early twenties, all hanging from the roof of the box truck.

  Lieutenant Tibedoe gives the camera to Liam, who scrolls to the next photo. That photo shows three women bound by military-grade parachute det cord around their hands and ankles, with all three hung by the neck with a hangman's noose. The cord continues up through eye-bolts attached to the roof of the box truck. All the women are nude. He scrolls to the next photo and sees that the women appear to be Caucasian. Two of the murdered victims have had their breasts cut off by a sharp cutting instrument. All three have been incised from their vaginas to their abdomens. Blood has filled the floor of the truck, and it appears to have dried in most places. The eyes of the women are intact, and all the victims are facing the two back doors of the box truck. Liam scrolls to the next picture, but Lieutenant Tibedoe tells him, “That's enough for now.”

  Liam asks, “Have you arrested anybody yet?”

  Chief Green says, “We have no suspects. We don't have shit! I'm here this morning asking if you would consider working with us as a consultant. I've talked to Deputy Superintendent Finnegan about you. He said you were the best homicide detective Boston ever had. We've never seen anything like this here before. Will you help me—will you help us?”

  “Well, Chief, just what haven't you told me?” asks Liam. “Because I'll tell you this much. Whoever did this, has done it before.”

  Liam pauses, looks at Chief Green and says, “I'll give you an answer tomorrow morning. Is the box truck still out on the road, or have you finished processing the crime scene for evidence and moved the truck?”

  “We've completed the processing out on the road, but the crime lab wanted the truck transported to their lab. They plan on completely going through the truck for any evidence, starting tomorrow. The bodies have been taken to the morgue and autopsies are being conducted as we speak. The pathologist probably won't get to all three of the ladies today, so there should be a great deal of additional information tomorrow,” says Chief Green.

  “That's good to know, Chief,” says Liam.

  d

  Chief Green and Lieutenant Tibedoe thank Liam for the coffee and leave his home, and begin to walk out toward the parking lot.

  “Chief,” asks Tibedoe, “do you think he'll help?”

  Chief Green looks at Tibedoe and says,

  “He's working on the case right now. He's going to view those digital photos in his mind over and over, throughout the day. We sure need him!”

  The two get into their vehicle and start back to the Port Saint Lucie Police Department. Once at the department, Chief Green turns to Lieutenant Tibedoe and says,

  “John, I'm going to temporarily assign Officer Youngblood to the detective division until this case concludes. We could be in for a long and disturbing investigation. Deputy Chief Finnegan told me Liam O’Connor worked with several FBI profilers throughout his time in homicide at the Boston Police Department. He said by the end of O'Connor's career, he had been successful in profiling several killers, which in turn helped lead to their arrest.”

  The two return to the city's crime lab. They watch the crime scene technicians and serology experts start the long, methodical process of gathering evidence from the box truck.

  d

  Liam closes the front door, walks back to his kitchen and sits at the kitchen counter, thinking abou
t Chief Green's proposal. He sees his left arm start to shake slightly and thinks to himself, this is not going to slow me down. Besides, it's a constant, rhythmic movement, like I'm a human metronome. He walks back to his bathroom and takes his daily medication for Parkinson's. Liam's head is flooded with thoughts. He thinks to himself, I just returned home from one incident in Boston, only to realize I want to live again. I now have feelings for another woman, other than my deceased wife, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. My mind tells me one thing and my heart another. Am I ready to be in a relationship yet? My daughter has reached out to me for the first time in a long while. Is she finally wanting a relationship? Of all the times to be asked to hunt a killer! Kelley always said, “You need to show your daughter your love. She needs your affection. To you, love is a noun. You need to make it a verb and show her.” I always hated when she did that schoolteacher shit.

  Liam thinks about Chief Green's proposal and keeps thinking of a line from the movie The Godfather. “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!” All kinds of thoughts race through his mind as he walks back to the kitchen. He takes a sip of coffee, looks over at Sandy and says, “It's a fine mess I've got myself into.” She barks at him and stares as she sits in her favorite chair in the living room. “Sandy, old girl, I don't think I'm wired to just sit and watch old movies with you all the time. Will you forgive me?” Sandy barks once at Liam. He looks at her and thinks, what a great communicator you are, and cute too. He bends down and hugs her, and says, “You're my girl.”

  Liam reaches for the leash, and Sandy gets up from the chair and walks toward the front door. He looks at her and says, “You ready for a walk?” He takes her for a walk around the complex. He can't help but see the photos of those murdered women in his head. Each photo pops up over and over in his mind. He thinks, the killer is very organized, neat, and careful. He knows this not from possible evidence collected, but from what was not present in the photos. He's already thinking about the killer or killers and what the photos are telling him. “Homicide scenes will always speak to you, Liam, either by what is left at the scene, or by what is missing.” This was something Gordon Zimmer, his old homicide partner, had taught him during their brief time together.