Cadence sighed. “That sounds good, but I won’t be satisfied until he’s sentenced.”
Officer Douglas spun on his heels, aiming his gun, causing Jackson to grab Cadence abruptly, almost knocking her down.
Jackson scanned the area, following the direction of the gun.
“Stop where you are,” Officer Douglas ordered, taking deliberate steps onto the sidewalk, leaving them partially shielded behind the trunk of Cadence’s car.
Every cop on the scene had their weapons drawn in the same direction.
“ADA Aaron Knox,” the man called out in a calm but loud voice. “Don’t shoot. My credentials are in my inside breasts pocket on the left.”
“Why is the ADA here?” Officer Douglas said to no one in particular.
“I was wondering the same thing,” Jackson whispered to Cadence.
She tugged on Jackson’s arm, and he bent over, bringing his ear to her mouth. “I forgot to tell you he was coming.”
Douglas told an officer via two-way radio to verify Knox’s credentials. Once confirmed, he ordered everyone to lower their weapons, then Knox proceeded in his direction.
“Good evening, Officer???” Knox raised an eyebrow.
“Kent Douglas, sir.” They shook hands. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Where is he?”
“In the back of the squad,” Officer Douglas replied.
“Jackson. Cadence.” Knox walked over to them. “Are you alright?”
“Better now that Lester’s in custody,” Jackson replied, putting an arm around Cadence, catching movement in the living room blinds.
Jackie. How much had she seen or heard?
“Hang in there. We’ve got five days until the trial,” Knox said with a slight turn of the corner of his lip. “And now we’ve got Lester.”
“There’s something I need to ask you,” Cadence said to Knox.
“Not here,” he warned.
“Jackie’s downstairs,” Jackson informed Cadence.
“Officer Douglas,” she called out. “Are we done? My daughter needs me.”
“Yes. I’ll let your husband know if there’s anything else we need.”
Jackson watched as Cadence made her way up the front steps and into the house.
“Do you know how much longer this is going to take?” Jackson asked.
“He should be done extracting fingerprints and fibers from the trunk and backseat of Cadence’s car soon,” Officer Douglas said, glancing over at Officer Byrd pulling the chip and candy wrappers from the trunk and placing them in separate clear evidence bags. “I’ll be escorting Lester to the county jail myself.”
“If it’s all the same to you,” Knox interrupted, plucking keys from his pants pocket and clutching them in his fist. “I’ll be tailing you to lock-up. This is not up for debate.”
Chapter 16
“How is she?” Jackson asked, rushing into the living room, tripping over his feet.
“Shaken up, but okay,” Cadence responded, touching his arms, which stabilized him. “Jackie had a lot of questions, and I answered them as best as I could, but she’s asking for you.”
“I can’t go up there like this,” he retorted, glancing down at his dirty clothes smudged with splotches of Lester’s blood. “My hands––– they look rough like a street fighter. I don’t want to scare her.”
“You could never,” Cadence said, lifting his hands and examining the bruises. “Go shower. I’ll toss these clothes in the washer, and when you’re done, I’ll put some ointment on your knuckles.”
“I don’t want Jackie to think I’m avoiding her.”
“She just got out of the shower about five minutes before you came inside,” Cadence countered, unbuckling Jackson’s jeans. “She should be getting dressed for bed. I’ll let her know you’ll come upstairs once you’re cleaned up.”
“Thanks, baby,” Jackson said, kicking off his shoes, stepping out of his jeans and boxers, then pulling the shirt over his head.
Jackson dug in his pants pocket, retrieving his wallet and phone before handing the clothing to Cadence. He placed the wallet on the side table but kept his phone.
Entering the bathroom designed with a Japanese theme, Jackson sat on the white bath bench encased in a block of glass from the floor to the ceiling. He dialed Sly’s number, then Tony’s. Both went straight to voicemail.
“Officer Johnson.” Jackson grimaced. “Officer Douglas had to be mistaken.”
After trying to reach his cousins a second time, he called their mother, Aunt Mable.
She was the matriarch of the family at seventy-five years young. No one thought she would have children, but at the age of forty-five, she gave birth to Sly and Tony, who were more like Jackson’s little brothers than cousins when they were coming up. Jackson’s grandmother passed when his mother was a teenager. Aunt Mable embraced the role of mother and raised her two siblings, putting them through college and making sure they never went hungry. Jackson would always treat her with the utmost respect.
“Hi, Aunt Mable.”
“Jax, darling, is that you?” she asked, her voice shaky and tired.
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, wincing as he stretched his fingers. “I’m sorry for calling this late. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“It’s no bother, nephew,” she replied, clearing her throat. “Anytime you call is a good time.” Jackson could hear the smile in her voice. “What’s troubling you?”
“I’m trying to get a hold of Sly and Tony, but neither of them are answering the phone. Have you heard from them?”
“They’re at work,” Aunt Mable replied, yawning. “You know they can’t bring their phones in that jail.”
“Ma’am?” Jackson’s shoulders straightened.
“They have to keep them in the car. It’s a liability or something like that; Sly tried explaining it to me,” she said, yawning a second time. “But it never made sense. If I had an emergency, I’d have to call the prison, and someone would connect me. Hell, by the time they finally get him on the line, I’d be dead,” she fussed, having a coughing fit.
“Are you alright?”
“Just a little cold stuck in my throat. Nothing a warm glass of water can’t fix,” Aunt Mable dismissed. “As I was saying––– I think it’s a crappy system if you ask me.”
“I agree,” Jackson said, not wanting to go against her beliefs, although he understood why the policy was in place.
“Did you want me to deliver a message for you?”
“That’s alright,” he countered. “Do you know what time they get off?”
“Six,” Aunt Mable answered. “But they don’t make it home until seven thirty-ish.”
“Thanks, Auntie. I appreciate it. Now go back to sleep.”
“Anything for my favorite nephew,” she shot back. “And don’t let another four years go by before I see you again.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Jackson ended the call and placed the phone inside a waterproof compartment in the wall.
Sly and Tony. Correctional officers. “Wow,” he mumbled, pressing a platinum panel.
A large mirrored square in the ceiling illuminated, and a hot downpour of water massaged the top of his head and tense shoulders.
Jackson emerged from the bathroom, feeling refreshed with Lester’s smut washed down the drain. He tucked the bath towel around his waist, sat on the side of the bed, and laid back.
“She’s finally down,” Cadence said, entering their bedroom, claiming the space next to Jackson, and lying back.
They looked like two people relaxing on a beach towel, sunbathing, staring at the clear blue sky. Cadence turned into him, resting a hand on his chest. The warmth of her touch was comforting.
“Thanks,” Jackson said, angling his body toward Cadence, pulling her even closer. “I didn’t want her to see me like that.”
“I know.”
He closed his eyes, laying his face against her soft hair. “I called Aunt Mable, and she
told me the twins work at Cook County Jail. Whatcha think about that?”
“Wowwwwww.”
“That’s exactly what I said,” Jackson shot back.
“They have the grit for it. That’s for sure,” Cadence commented, propping on her elbow, forcing Jackson to adjust his angle. “I take it their presence tonight wasn’t by coincidence.”
He propped on his elbow and gazed into her eyes. “After that first night back, I couldn’t take any chances. I know I should’ve told you, but I didn’t want to argue,” he said, placing a finger over her lips when she started to protest. “Superwoman needs extra protection sometimes, too.”
“Thank you.” Cadence smiled, pursing her lips against his finger. “I appreciate you.”
* * *
A bone-curdling screech woke Cadence and Jackson from their sleep.
“Jackie,” he shouted, kicking off the covers and climbing out of bed half-awake.
He knocked over the table lamp, dashing across the room.
“Jackson. Wait,” Cadence yelled, digging in the drawer and tossing him a pair of boxer shorts.
He tripped over his feet while stepping into the boxers, then took off running toward the stairs with Cadence on his heels.
“Daddy,” she shrieked as Jackson barged into her bedroom, turning on the light.
She was huddled in a fetal position on the bed with her back against the wall.
“Daddy’s here, baby,” Jackson said, sitting on the bed. It was damp.
Jackie climbed into his arms, weeping. He looked up at Cadence, and she seemed troubled and concerned; all the things he was feeling.
“Did you have a bad dream?” he asked, holding her tight.
She cried even harder.
“You can tell us,” Jackson said, rubbing her back. “We’re here to make everything okay.”
“But you can’t,” Jackie mumbled, pushing away from him. “Don’t promise to do something that’s impossible.”
Cadence sat beside them. “What do you mean, darling?”
“Ms. Donnella said she can’t promise to make things better. How can you promise to do that if you don’t even know what’s wrong?”
He glanced at Cadence.
Jackie had a point. Her therapist, Ms. Donnella, had been working with her since they moved to Stuttgart. It took some time, but she had pulled Jackie out of her shell and gave them their happy daughter back.
“Did you have a nightmare about what happened tonight?” Jackson asked.
Jackie’s grip around his middle got tighter, and she buried her head further into his chest. Her hair shielded her face from view.
He and Cadence shared a worried glance.
“Lester can’t hurt you or me,” Cadence reassured Jackie. “He’s been arrested.”
She slowly lifted her head, wiping the tears away. “In my dream, he killed you and daddy, then told me I was going to be an orphan. When I tried to fight him.” Jackie began to cry again. “He vanished, and I was in an abandoned building with hundreds of girls in raggedy clothes. We didn’t have any food or water, and no adults were there to take care of us.”
“That’s horrible,” Jackson remarked, rocking her. “No wonder you woke up screaming.”
Cadence scooted closer. “I’m sorry that Lester came back into our lives, but he is in custody and will be for a long time.”
“But it seemed so real, especially after he got in that fight with daddy.”
“Nightmares can feel very real, but I can assure you that your daddy and I will never let him hurt you.”
Jackie looked up at Jackson with questioning eyes. “Daddy. Is that true?”
“That’s a promise,” Jackson vowed, cupping her face and placing a kiss on her forehead.
“Can I sleep with y’all tonight?”
“Sure thing,” Jackson said, and the three of them embraced.
Chapter 17
The following morning, Jackson woke Jackie up just in time for her to sign-in for her virtual learning class through Zoom. It started at seven-thirty in the morning, which translated to one-thirty in the afternoon in Stuttgart.
He and Cadence discussed enrolling Jackie in her previous school in Chicago for the remainder of the term, but since it was already late January and Jackie’s grades were exceptional, they agreed to let her finish up the school year via e-learning with her school in Stuttgart.
“Good morning, Jackie,” Jackson said, smiling, wiggling her toes. “Time to get up, sleepyhead.”
Jackson was on the fence about making her sign-on today after the rough night she had, but he wanted to keep her routine normal, and not give much weight to the Lester incident. Although, he and Cadence would keep a close eye on her to make sure she’s okay.
“Ms. Schneider’s waiting for you,” he warned, pulling the covers back. “If you’re not logged in by the time she takes attendance, you’ll be marked absent.”
“I knowwwwww,” Jackie grunted, reaching for the covers. “Five more minutes.”
“It’s seven-twenty-three,” Cadence called out from the dining room. “Let’s get it. Your breakfast and hot cocoa are on the table.”
“You better hurry up before I eat your food,” Jackson teased, walking toward the door. “A second helping of chocolate chip pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon would hit the spot.”
“Daddy quit playing,” Jackie whined, sitting upright and stretching her arms.
Jackson turned, examining her face. Jackie’s eyes were a little puffy, but other than that, she looked normal. He knew that didn’t mean Jackie was okay, but at least, it wouldn’t trigger any questions from Ms. Schneider. She’d probably think Jackie didn’t get enough sleep, and she would be right.
Once Jackie got settled into her class, Jackson went to the media room to call Sly. He got comfortable on the leather recliner, put his feet up, and stared at the blank seventy-inch flat screen.
“Hey man, is there something you want to tell me?” Jackson asked, rotating the remote in his hand.
“First things first, cousin. I didn’t know you could still scrap like that. It’s nice to see you haven’t lost your fighting abilities,” Sly commented; a sense of pride dripped from his voice. “You missed your calling. We could use a guard like you, Jax. Someone that can hold his own, who’s not afraid of getting physical with these knuckleheads.”
“And that brings me to why I called,” Jackson commented, tossing the remote on the recliner beside him. “When did you become a corrections officer?”
“It’s going on three years now,” Sly responded. “Tony talked me into it. He was already in the training program and convinced me to join.”
“Doesn’t your record have to be clean?”
“My record is clean,” Sly fired back. “I’ll be the first to admit, I did some dumb shit when I was younger, and some stuff that should have me under the jail, but I wasn’t stupid enough to get caught. Thank God and my momma for sparing Tony and me.”
“Why didn’t you mention it?”
“You never asked,” Sly replied. “Besides, the hood doesn’t know what we do for a living. We dress at work and change before we leave. If the bangers knew we were correctional officers, my information train would dry up. I hear about all kinds of things.”
“I bet you do.”
“Anyway. I was at work when transport brought Lester in,” Sly stated with a devilish snicker. “He didn’t look too good.”
“You don’t say,” Jackson remarked, and they shared a hearty laugh.
As they simmered down, Sly added, “I didn’t see him much. They probably took him to the infirmary.”
“Do you think Lester recognized you?”
“I’m positive he did,” Sly confirmed, sounding very sure of himself. “This isn’t his first stint in the joint. He knows how it works. He ain’t no snitch.”
* * *
Soon as Jackson was done speaking with Sly, he reached out to Ms. Donnella and explained what the last three weeks had been like
for Jackie, focusing on last night’s confrontation and the nightmare. He wasn’t sure how to help his daughter, but he knew Ms. Donnella was the best place to start. She agreed to work Jackie into her evening schedule at seven o’clock, which was perfect. That was noon Chicago time, giving Jackie a chance to finish her virtual classroom sessions and have lunch.
The rest of the afternoon went by without incident. They visited Caden, ordered a pizza to be delivered by the time they returned home, and was able to watch The Secret Life of Pets with Jackie before she went to bed.
Cadence turned in early. He straightened up the house and made sure it was cleaned to her liking, leaving her nothing to do when she got up in the morning. Jackson had finally settled in the bed when his phone vibrated. He almost didn’t answer because he didn’t recognize the number.
“Hello.”
“Jax. He’s gone,” Sly said, panting like he was in the throes of an asthma attack. “I don’t know where the hell he is.”
“Who?” Jackson asked with bated breath, fearing Sly’s response.
“Lester,” he whispered into the phone. “I don’t know who he knows to pull these kinds of strings, but he isn’t here.”
“How’s that possible?” Jackson spoke in a hushed tone. “He has warrants.”
“I don’t know,” Sly said, his voice lower than before. “I checked the infirmary. He’s not there. Maybe he got transferred to another facility or something. But the bottom line is, Lester isn’t here. I wanted to give you a heads up. I gotta go.”
Not even a full twenty-four hours had passed, and Jackson’s promise to his baby girl guaranteeing her safety from Lester had been voided. His rap sheet was way too extensive for him to be out on bond. As far as Jackson knew, Lester hadn’t even gone before a judge for arraignment. If a person had warrants against them, do they still get to be arraigned?
Jackson glanced over at his wife, who was sound asleep. He hated to do it, but he had no choice. “Cadence, wake up,” he said, nudging her arm. “Baby, wake up.”
She rolled over, snuggling the pillow.
“Cadence.” Jackson shook her hip.
Deadly Deception Page 8
