Into the Dark (The Cincinnati Series Book 5) (Cincinnati 5)

by Karen Rose

  ‘That she was wrong.’ Michael lifted his chin. ‘That I’d go to the cops.’

  Rex’s smile was gentle. ‘That was very brave. What did she say then?’

  ‘She said she’d throw me out. That I’d have to go to the homeless shelter.’ Michael gritted his teeth, but a tear leaked out of his eye. Angrily, he dashed it away. ‘I’m fourteen. I’d end up in the system. And I’ve heard the stories about kids in the system. Plus that would leave Joshua alone. I don’t think the bastard hurt him, but if I left, he might. I wasn’t going to let that happen. So I shut up and stayed.’

  ‘For your brother,’ Rex clarified.

  ‘Yes.’

  Rex took a moment, and it was only because Diesel had known him so long that he knew the man was shaken. Rex had a good heart under his Armani suits. Diesel hadn’t been lying when he’d said that he’d trust him with his life.

  ‘Okay,’ Rex finally said. ‘Where did you get the gun?’

  ‘From Brewer’s safe.’

  Rex’s brows went up. ‘You knew the combination?’

  ‘I watched him open it once. He didn’t know I was there.’

  ‘Weren’t you afraid he’d miss it?’

  Michael shrugged. ‘He had five more. I got the one at the back.’

  Diesel wondered what else was in the bastard’s safe. The contents would fall into the hands of the cops soon enough, if they hadn’t already been entered into evidence. He wished he could get a look at that haul.

  Brewer’s finances were hinky as hell.

  ‘Do you know how to fire a gun?’ Rex asked, jotting more notes.

  Michael nodded. ‘I found a YouTube video with captions. I didn’t fire it, but I practiced loading, aiming, and flipping the safety.’

  ‘The police will be able to verify that the gun hasn’t been fired recently,’ Rex said. ‘So I don’t want you to worry too much about having it. They have the gun now. When did you take the gun from your stepfather’s safe?’

  Michael drew a deep breath, let it out. Glanced at Diesel, looking for encouragement.

  Diesel nodded. ‘You can trust him.’

  Michael squared his shoulders. ‘Last Friday night. Or maybe it was Saturday morning by then. A week ago. I don’t remember what time, but it was still dark outside.’

  ‘Why then?’ Rex asked. ‘If he’d been abusing you all that time, why did you get the gun just last week?’

  Another deep breath, another shuddering exhale. ‘You won’t believe me,’ he said, his face the picture of misery.

  ‘We believe you, Michael,’ Diesel signed.

  ‘It’s stupid. It sounds stupid to me, and I saw it.’

  Rex put his pen down. ‘What did you see, Michael?’

  Michael gave Diesel another quick glance before returning his full attention to the lawyer. ‘I saw a man kill my stepfather.’

  Diesel’s eyes widened and he looked at Dani, who’d turned to him, her expression equally stunned.

  Rex blinked once. ‘Who was it?’

  ‘I don’t know. But I think he broke Brewer’s neck.’ Michael had grown pale again, dangerously so.

  Dani tapped the boy’s shoulder. ‘Breathe,’ she told him, and together the two took long, deep breaths. ‘Maybe you should start with the beginning of this part,’ she said once Michael no longer appeared to be on the brink of fainting.

  ‘I woke up to pee that night, and I saw Brewer going into Joshua’s room. So I followed him and . . . I saw him sticking a needle into Josh’s arm. A big syringe. I grabbed Brewer and we fought. He threw me on the floor and I was dizzy. By the time I got up, he was down the stairs, carrying Joshua to the front door. Joshua was sound asleep. I think he didn’t wake up because of the drug.’

  ‘So you followed?’ Rex asked.

  Michael nodded. ‘I got Joshua away from him before he reached the front door and we fought some more. He kicked me in the ribs a few times. That really hurt. So I . . . I grabbed a shovel from the fireplace and hit him with it. After he fell down, I grabbed Joshua and ran.’

  ‘Where were you going?’ Rex asked.

  ‘I didn’t know, but I needed to get Joshua away from him. I was going to the road. I guess I was going to try to stop a car so I could take Joshua to the ER. He was out cold. I didn’t know how much Brewer had given him, or what he had given him, but Josh is so little. He could have died. Anyway, I got to the old orchard and tripped on a branch or something. I went down, but I didn’t drop Josh.’

  Dani had stiffened where she sat, her cheeks flushed with anger, and Diesel wondered which part of the exam she’d done corroborated this part of Michael’s story.

  Rex shot a questioning look at her before turning to Michael. ‘Did your stepfather follow you?’

  ‘Yeah. At first I thought maybe I’d knocked him out with the fire shovel, but he came after us in his car, down the driveway. I hid in the orchard. That’s when another car came up the driveway – an SUV – and blocked Brewer’s car. A man got out, dragged Brewer from his car and . . . He put his hands on Brewer’s neck and he went limp. But that was after Brewer pulled a gun on him.’

  Rex looked up from his notepad. ‘What did the man do with your stepfather?’

  ‘Put him in the back of his SUV. Then he drove away.’

  ‘And left Brewer’s car in the driveway?’ Rex asked.

  ‘Yes. For then.’

  Rex’s brows went up. ‘He came back?’

  ‘Later that night. I was standing guard in Joshua’s room with the gun.’

  ‘That’s why you got the gun,’ Rex said. ‘Because of the man who killed your stepfather?’

  ‘Or Brewer. I didn’t know he was dead then. I thought he might come to, then come back. I wasn’t going to let him try to take Joshua again.’

  Again Rex smiled gently. ‘How many nights have you guarded Josh, Michael?’

  ‘Every night since then.’

  Dani’s expression softened with sympathy. ‘You must be so tired.’

  Michael nodded wearily. ‘I really want to just go somewhere and sleep.’

  ‘You can do that when we’re finished,’ Rex promised. ‘Where was your mother Friday night and Saturday morning?’

  ‘She has rich friends in Louisville. She was partying with them.’

  ‘Does she do that often?’ Rex asked.

  ‘Once or twice a month. Sometimes more.’

  Rex noted it. ‘And your stepfather was always home then?’

  Michael swallowed. Nodded.

  ‘That’s when the abuse happened?’ Dani asked him.

  Another nod. Two tears ran down Michael’s face and Diesel’s eyes stung. Michael’s mother had basically sold her sons for a good time.

  At least my mother didn’t know, Diesel thought. It would have killed her if she had.

  Diesel squeezed Michael’s good shoulder very lightly, just to remind him that he was there. ‘You said the man who killed Brewer came back. Have you seen him since he left in the SUV?’ he asked the boy.

  Michael sagged in his chair. ‘Yes,’ he voiced in a ragged whisper. He was growing too weary to even sign.

  ‘When?’ Rex asked.

  ‘A few hours after he took Brewer away in his SUV. I was in Joshua’s room and felt the shaking of the garage door opening. I thought Brewer was coming back.’

  ‘You didn’t think it could be your mom?’ Rex asked.

  Michael shook his head. ‘She’d be too stoned to walk, much less drive home. She didn’t get home until Monday morning.’

  ‘Did the man come into your house?’ Dani asked.

  Michael’s expression became haunted. ‘He came into Joshua’s room. He was so . . . big. I had the gun in my hands, but they were shaking.’ He shook his hands to demonstrate. ‘I was hiding behind the chair.’

  ‘So he didn’
t see you?’ Rex asked carefully.

  ‘No. I don’t think so. He just came in and stood at the foot of Joshua’s bed.’ Michael frowned. ‘Like he was . . . checking on him or something. I just hid there, frozen, until he left,’ he added, his mouth bending in disgust. ‘Lot of good I was.’

  ‘You were amazing,’ Dani said. ‘You saved Josh from your stepfather that night. He’s here because of you, Michael.’

  ‘I guess so.’

  Rex tapped the table, getting Michael’s attention. ‘Can you describe the man?’

  Michael’s gaze darted up to Diesel, half guilty and half apologetic, confirming Diesel’s suspicion that he’d been afraid of a man who resembled him.

  ‘He was bald,’ Michael told Rex. ‘Really big. Like Coach. But not Coach,’ he insisted. ‘I saw the guy’s face. It wasn’t Coach Diesel. The man had no tattoos.’ He sighed. ‘Sorry, Coach.’

  ‘It’s okay. I thought as much.’ Diesel looked at Rex, continuing to sign as he spoke. ‘When Michael arrived at the soccer practice field this morning, he was so shocked when he saw me that he fell backward. He was having a panic attack, I think. But then he realized I wasn’t the person he was afraid of and we were fine.’ He locked gazes with Michael. ‘We are fine, right?’

  Michael’s nod was immediate and firm. ‘Hell, yeah.’

  Rex’s lips twitched as he wrote it all down. ‘Got it. The police will probably want you to sit with a sketch artist and describe the man, since you saw his face. Will you do that, Michael?’

  ‘Yes. But they won’t believe me.’

  Rex put his pen down. ‘We believe you. Besides, they don’t have enough evidence to keep you. I want you to tell them everything you told me. If they don’t believe you, we’ll begin investigating on our own, so that we can back up your story with facts.’

  Michael’s eyes grew wide. ‘You can investigate? Like the cops?’

  ‘Sometimes better than the cops,’ Rex said with a smile. His eyes flicked knowingly to Diesel. Like he knew Diesel had already begun. ‘I have a private investigator on my staff at the law firm.’

  Michael frowned. ‘I can’t pay you.’

  Rex leaned across the table, his hand extended. ‘Some work I do for free. If you’ll let me, I’ll represent you.’

  Michael shook his hand, then dropped it to sign. ‘For free? Seriously?’

  ‘Seriously. It’s called pro bono and it’s legit. You won’t owe me anything. Plus Diesel is one of my best friends. I’m happy to do this for him and for you. Although I think we’ll be okay. I think the detectives will believe you. At least enough to search for the facts themselves. Kimble and Novak are good men.’

  ‘They’re my family,’ Dani said. ‘My cousin and my brother. They won’t rest until you’re safe and they know the truth.’

  Michael finally relaxed – so much so that he swayed in his seat. Diesel put an arm around his shoulders. ‘Just a little longer, kid,’ he signed one-handed. ‘Then you’ll go to Dr Dani’s house to sleep.’

  ‘Will you stay?’ Michael asked.

  Diesel risked a glance at Dani, relieved when she nodded once. ‘I will. I’ll keep you safe. You and Joshua.’

  Michael tilted until his head rested on Diesel’s shoulder. ‘Thank you. I don’t know why you’re being so nice to us, but thank you.’

  Rex stood. ‘I’ll go get the detectives. Hopefully we’ll be out of here soon.’

  Cincinnati, Ohio

  Saturday, 16 March, 8.30 P.M.

  Cade blinked hard, trying to stay awake. He was fucking exhausted. He hadn’t slept in over twenty-four hours and he wouldn’t be able to sleep until he’d taken care of the fisherman. Which was why he was sitting in a darkened SUV outside a darkened house, waiting for CSU tech Charlie Akers to get home.

  He’d been able to find everything he’d needed on Mr Akers’s social media, including his most recent photo, which confirmed he was the same man Cade had met at the crime scene, and that Akers complained a lot about money.

  That explained the man’s minute hesitation before declaring he wasn’t interested in what Cade would pay for information. Akers had left himself open to convincing. Cade could be very convincing.

  Sitting up straighter, Cade slapped both his cheeks to wake himself up. ‘Come on, Akers. Get your ass home.’

  As if obeying his command, a car pulled up in front of the small house, stopping long enough for Akers to stagger out and wave to the driver. Cade rolled down the window.

  ‘I’m good,’ Akers said loudly, with a slur to his words. ‘You can go.’

  The man was totally drunk. While that might make him more pliable, Cade hoped he wasn’t so drunk that he’d forget what he’d heard at the crime scene.

  ‘You sure, man?’ the driver asked. ‘I can walk you to the door.’

  ‘Yep. I’m just fine.’ Akers waved him on. ‘I’m gonna go to sleep.’

  ‘You do that,’ the driver agreed. ‘Maybe things won’t be so shitty tomorrow.’

  ‘Yeah, they will be,’ Akers said sadly. ‘’Cause Quincy fuckin’ Taylor is still my fuckin’ boss and I’ll still be on fuckin’ suspension.’

  Suspension? That was good news. Akers’s anger might make him more inclined to spill the beans.

  The car drove away and, pulling on a pair of surgical gloves, Cade got out of his SUV, reaching Akers just as the man stumbled, nearly falling to his knees.

  ‘Whoa there,’ Cade said. ‘Let me help you.’

  Akers looked up at him, frowning. ‘I know you. You’re that fucking reporter that got me fucking suspended.’

  ‘You got suspended? You didn’t even tell me anything.’

  ‘I know!’ Akers said vehemently. ‘Fucking Agent Taylor. He didn’t believe me.’

  ‘He’s a prick.’ Cade led Akers up the front steps, giving him support when his knees started to buckle again. ‘Seems like you should at least get paid for information if you’re being suspended. I mean, you’re doing the time without doing the crime.’

  ‘S’true. All of the above.’ Akers fished his keys from his pocket, closing one eye and squinting at the lock. Cade took the keys and opened the front door. Akers stumbled in and spun, pointing one finger at him. ‘You need to go.’

  ‘I will. Let me help you first.’ He put his arm around the man and led him to his bedroom. ‘You sure you won’t take my money? Seems like you earned it.’

  Akers nodded. ‘I did.’ He squinted. ‘How much?’

  ‘Five grand.’ Like hell, but Akers was too drunk to know better.

  ‘That’s a lot,’ Akers said. He dropped backward onto the bed, resting on his elbows. ‘Depends on what you want to know.’

  ‘The name of the fisherman.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because nobody else has it. I’ll get a scoop and my boss won’t fire me.’

  ‘Somebody should keep their job,’ Akers muttered. ‘Sorry, though. Can’t tell.’

  Cade had to focus on not clenching his fist and punching Akers’s lights out. He smiled instead, backtracking and coming in from a different angle. ‘Why didn’t Agent Taylor believe you?’

  Akers’s head fell backward, like he was too tired to hold it up. ‘’Cause I might have talked to a reporter in the past.’

  Cade’s lips twitched. ‘Might have?’

  Akers harrumphed. ‘Fine. Did. It was just a little thing.’

  ‘Did you get paid for that?’

  ‘No,’ Akers said sullenly.

  ‘Then let me pay you, since you’re already kind of convicted, dude.’

  Akers raised his head slowly, blinking owlishly. ‘I am, aren’t I?’

  Cade said nothing, just let Akers ruminate on this truth for a few seconds. If I have to, I’ll get the fisherman’s name with a threat. He still had his gun, after all. But he’d have more confidence in the
information if it were freely given.

  ‘Garrett,’ Akers said abruptly.

  Cade managed to conceal his excitement. ‘That’s his name?’

  ‘Yep. George Garrett. He was a fucking mess, I gotta say.’

  I guess so. Cade felt a tiny bit of pity for the man who’d wanted to catch some crappie but had pulled up a human head instead. ‘Do you know where he lives?’

  ‘That’ll cost you extra, dude.’ Akers began to laugh as only the truly drunk could do. ‘Double.’

  ‘Fine. I’ll pay it,’ Cade lied.

  ‘Fine. Somewhere in Oakley. Don’t remember the street.’

  ‘That’s okay. That’ll be sufficient.’ He pulled Akers to his feet. ‘Come on, you need to take a little trip.’

  Akers frowned and struggled. ‘No. Wanna go to sleep.’

  ‘Don’t worry. You will.’ Cade hoisted the man over his shoulder and carried him to the entrance of the basement stairs, right off the kitchen. Akers was fighting him now, the surprise of being lifted like a sack of potatoes having sobered him up enough to know something was not right.

  Duh. Having a stranger follow you into your house shoulda been your first clue, Einstein.

  Setting the man on his feet, Cade gripped his head and twisted, satisfied at the cracking sound. He then gave Akers a little shove, watching as he tumbled down the stairs, landing in a heap. Gingerly he walked down himself, careful to touch nothing until he got to Akers’s body. He wouldn’t leave prints, but he might leave a mark in the dust that coated the railing and the walls. Pulling his trusty stethoscope from his coat pocket, he listened to be sure Akers’s heart beat no more. It did not.

  He knew it would look like an accident. After all, he’d watched his father kill his mother in the exact same way.

  Now to George Garrett’s house. And then I can sleep.

  Seven

  Cincinnati, Ohio

  Saturday, 16 March, 8.30 P.M.

  Dr Dani’s house looked nice, Michael thought as he got out of Coach Diesel’s truck. Opening the back passenger door, he unbuckled the safety belt on Joshua’s booster seat and started to scoop him into his arms because Joshua had fallen asleep within minutes of leaving the newspaper’s office.