“Did Glenda or Bea show you a warrant?”
“No.” Cadence frowned. “Glenda asked if Jackson was Jackie’s parent and, in the same breath, told him he was under arrest.”
Crystal sighed, rolling her eyes. “They had no right to enter your home without a signed warrant from a judge unless you invited them in. You didn’t have to open the door, but I’m sure they knew you wouldn’t know that.”
“Glenda forced us, saying that they would take Jackie and put her in foster care if Jackson refused to go with them.”
“For truancy?” Crystal scowled, whipping out her phone. “That’s some bullshit. The only reason the police would be with the social worker is if they believed the child was in imminent danger. Then and only then, they can enter your house without a warrant.”
“Who would do this?” Cadence asked, flailing her arms. “What’s to gain by locking up my husband and trying to take my daughter away?”
“I don’t know,” Crystal replied, her thumbs sliding across the screen of her phone. “What were the worker’s names again?”
“Glenda Powers and Bea Evers.”
“I’ll look into this when I get to the office,” Crystal said, grabbing her coat off the arm of the couch. “The charges should be in Jackie’s case file.”
“Jackie doesn’t have a file,” Cadence retorted, staring at her sister. “She’s never been in the system. Not even when she was with her mother.”
“She does now since DCFS is involved,” Crystal informed Cadence, sliding her arms in her coat, and lifting a black purse from the couch. “I’ll be in touch. Love you, Sissy.”
“Love you, too.” Cadence embraced Crystal. “I need to call Jackson’s parents, and let them know what happened. They’re going to be devastated.”
Chapter 20
As much as Jackson wanted to say something, he knew better than to question the police. His father drilled that into his brain as a young boy. The objective was always to be compliant, so he could live to see another day, which meant keeping his mouth shut, regardless of the injustice.
The officer guided Jackson by the head into the back of the unmarked police car. Residual marijuana fumes lingered in the confined space, burning his eyes and nose.
Glaring at Jackson, the officer slammed the door and sneered. He ignored the intimidation tactic and searched for a name or badge number on his uniform, but he had neither. Jackson shifted on his hip, looking in the opposite direction for the second officer, but he was nowhere in sight.
Mere seconds past before Glenda and Bea occupied the front seats, catching Jackson off guard.
“Get comfortable,” Glenda ordered, putting the butt of a blunt between her lips, lighting it, and taking a pull. “We got a long ride ahead of us. If you act right, I just might let you hit this.” She smirked, blowing clouds of smoke through the gated partition in Jackson’s face before pulling away from the curb.
“Stop fucking with him,” Bea warned, loosening her ponytail, letting her shoulder-length hair fall, and placing a red and black checkerboard skullcap on her head. “We got enough shit to deal with without you antagonizing him.”
Instantly, Steven’s words played in his head. Cops on Lester’s payroll wear those hats.
Bile rose from Jackson’s stomach to the back of his throat. They had the perfect set-up, and the execution was flawless. What parent wouldn’t do what was needed to protect their kid? The only thing he didn’t understand was why.
“My daughter was never in danger of being taken from me, was she, officer?”
Glenda huffed, glancing over at Bea. “Took him long enough to figure it out.”
The sarcasm in her heavy voice infuriated Jackson. He looked around, trying to figure out a way to escape, but he was at a disadvantage with his wrist cuffed behind his back. Jackson’s heart raced as Glenda got on Interstate-57, heading southbound. He had no clue as to where they were taking him.
The burning question surfaced, and he couldn’t help himself.
“How long have you been working for Lester?” he asked, but regretted doing so as soon as the words left his mouth. He knew better.
“You think you know something,” Glenda spat, jerking the wheel to the far right, landing them on the shoulder with no guardrail.
Horns blared as traffic zipped by, recovering from the abrupt lane change.
Bea hopped out of the car and flung Jackson’s door open. “You talk too damn much.” Her fist crashed into his nose, causing it to bleed.
For a woman, she threw a solid punch. Jackson shook it off, never changing his expression. He refused to give Bea the satisfaction of knowing she hit like a trained boxer.
Glenda flipped the blue lights on atop the roof of the car, then snatched open the rear door on the driver’s side. “You’re determined to be a tough guy. Don’t worry,” Glenda said, holding up a syringe with a long needle.
“Get that the hell away from me,” he barked, thrashing, trying to scoot away, but Bea was right there, blocking his movement.
“We’re used to breaking cock-strong guys down like you,” Glenda released a sinister laugh.
“I won’t say anything else,” Jackson pleaded as Bea straddled him and grabbed both sides of his head. “I’ll do whatever you say.”
“I know you will,” Glenda remarked, plunging the syringe in his neck.
* * *
The doorbell rang, and Cadence dropped the glass she was washing in the sink. She ran full speed to the front door with Crystal on her heels. Her sister had been staying at the house since Jackson had been arrested.
Cadence pulled the curtain aside, then frowned. “Where have you been? I called you two days ago,” she cried, swinging open the front door for Knox and another person. “Who’s this?”
“Detective Xavier Carter,” the burly dark-skinned man with perfect waves said, extending his hand, but Cadence didn’t return the gesture. “I understand your hesitation considering everything you’ve been through. I’m going to find your husband, and that’s a promise.”
“I’m Crystal Edwards, her sister,” she said, taking Cadence’s hand and pulling her out of the entryway. “You’re the one I spoke with over the phone.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Please, come in.” Crystal moved aside, leading them to the sunroom.
“Knox, where is Jackson? Do you have any leads?” Cadence questioned. “I’ve called every precinct, and no one knows what I’m talking about. How is that possible? Where did they take my husband?”
“From here on,” Detective Carter interjected, sitting on the edge of the tangerine cushioned sectional. “You speak directly with Knox or me.”
“And how do I know I can trust you?” Cadence shot back. “It was two police officers that whisked him away.”
“I vouch for him,” Knox countered. “He’s the one who’s been running the covert investigation for me against Judge Duncan and Lester.”
Cadence was distracted by Jackson’s arrest that she forgot all about Lester, mysteriously missing from jail.
“We learned that Glenda Powers is actually Gloria Powell, and Bea Evers is Bernice Everly. Cops on Lester’s payroll, and Glenda’s his old girlfriend,” Knox informed Cadence.
Crystal scooted closer to Cadence on the couch. “The DCFS angle was a roost.”
“Why are you just now telling me this?” Cadence questioned Crystal. “I’ve been asking you for the past two days about those workers and you said you couldn’t find any information.”
“Don’t be upset with her,” Knox chimed in. “She was only doing what we asked. I didn’t want her to say anything until we had more information.”
“Well, what about the two guys that were with the women?” Cadence asked, glancing from Knox to Detective Carter. “Are they really cops?”
“No,” Detective Carter replied. “They are enforcers in Lester’s gang operation.”
Cadence sprung to her feet. “What does that mean for my husband?”
&n
bsp; “Does Lester have any beef with Jackson that you’re aware of?” Detective Carter asked, staring into Cadence’s eyes.
She fell silent, trying to decide if she should tell them about the fight the night Lester was arrested.
“Can you think of anything? No detail is too small,” he added.
Cadence glanced at the detective, then said, “Lester attacked me several nights ago. He’d hid in the trunk of my car and ambushed me when I got home. Jackson was tailing me, but he made a detour.” She swallowed, moving to the floor to ceiling windowpane. “I fought him off as best as I could.” Cadence paused, remembering Lester’s filthy hands on her body. “Jackson finally arrived and pulled Lester off of me.”
“From the look of things, Jackson beat him pretty bad,” Knox commented.
Detective Carter joined Cadence at the window. “This could be about revenge, or it could be about O’Brien’s trial.”
“Jackson doesn’t have anything to do with that,” Crystal said.
“But his wife does,” Knox replied with his eyes fixed on Cadence. “This could be a tactic to throw you off before testifying or scare you from taking the stand.”
“How do we know O’Brien isn’t behind this whole thing?” Cadence asked, her voice trembling.
“We don’t,” Knox countered, leaning forward and resting his forearms on his knees. “I don’t think he’s stupid enough to come after you while his trial is pending.”
“He’ll just have someone else do his dirty work for him,” Crystal growled, walking out of the room.
“I’ll petition the court to see if we can have the trial pushed back due to the unusual circumstances,” Knox said, getting to his feet.
“I hope so,” Cadence muttered, keeping her tears at bay. “Because three days is too soon for me to take the stand and not know where my husband is, or if he’s okay.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Knox said under his breath. “And that’s what they’re banking on.”
Chapter 21
“Dear God, please bring my husband home to me, safe and unharmed. In Jesus’ name, amen.” Cadence made the sign of the cross, and then kissed her clutched fist as she rose from kneeling alongside of the bed.
She brushed the knees of her black slacks, pulled her hair into a neat bun, applied conservative makeup, then slipped on a pair of moderate heels.
“You ready?” Crystal asked, standing in the bedroom doorway.
“Not really, but what choice do I have?” Cadence responded, trying her best not to fall apart. “I can’t do this without Jackson.”
“You can,” Crystal encouraged, moving closer and embracing Cadence. “I’ll be right there the entire time. I know I’m not a substitute for Jackson, but use me. Pull your strength from me.”
“I don’t know what I would’ve done the past three days. You’ve been the biggest blessing. Especially, accompanying me to the hospital when I was afraid to go out alone. Because of you, I was able to maintain Caden’s feeding schedule, giving him the nourishment he needs to keep his progress moving forward. He may be able to come home in a couple of weeks instead of months,” Cadence expressed, trying to hold back the tears. “By then if not before, Jackson will be home, and this nightmare will be a faded memory.”
“I’m here as long as you need me to be,” Crystal reassured, squeezing Cadence tighter. “We’re going to get through this, but right now, we have to get going. We don’t want to get caught up in the rush hour traffic.”
Cadence set the house alarm, then opened the front door. “Dear God,” she screamed. “You almost gave me a heart attack.”
“Detective Carter, what are you doing here?” Crystal asked, placing an arm on Cadence’s shoulder.
“Good morning, ladies,” he greeted, pressing praying hands together. “Please forgive me. I didn’t mean to frighten you. I’m here to escort you to the courthouse.”
“That’s not necessary,” Cadence countered, glancing at Detective Carter.
“Maybe not, but here I am anyway.” He gestured toward the stairs. “After you.”
Cadence wouldn’t admit it, but she was glad to see him.
“Any leads on finding Jackson?” Cadence asked, sliding into the backseat of the detective’s car.
“We have some things in the works,” he responded.
“What does that mean?” Crystal interjected, climbing in next to Cadence and closing the door. “You said something, but didn’t give any information at all.”
“You promised that you’d find my husband. I’m holding you to that Detective Carter. That’s the only thing keeping me sane.”
“And I will.”
* * *
Forty-five minutes later, they pulled in front of the massive Cook County Criminal Court Building. Detective Carter parked, then walked the ladies inside and through security without incident. Instantly, Cadence flashed back to the first time she and Jackson came to court. Mayhem surrounded them. She’d give anything to go through that chaos again if it meant Jackson would be by her side.
The three of them entered the courtroom. Immediately, Cadence spotted Knox at the prosecution table bent over, looking at documents. She proceeded forward in his direction.
“Excuse me,” a guard in a tan uniform said, grabbing her arm. “You can’t go past the divider.”
“Get your hands off of me,” Cadence shouted, snatching away.
“Was that really necessary?” Detective Carter asked, stepping between Cadence and the sheriff. “You didn’t have to handle her like that.”
“What’s going on here?” Knox asked, approaching fast.
“I was informing the lady that she needs to stay in the gallery,” the guard replied.
Cadence cut her eyes at him. “I know that. If you look at where we are, it would be clear to you that I wasn’t anywhere near the front of the courtroom.”
“If you’re going to argue with me, I will escort you off the premises.”
“She’s my witness,” Knox defended, splaying a hand. “And she won’t be going anywhere.” He glanced at the guard’s name badge. “Officer Grady, I’ll take it from here.”
Cadence gave him the evil eye as he tucked his tail and retreated to his station by the courtroom entrance.
“Are you alright?” Knox asked.
“I’m as fine as I can be under the circumstances,” she replied, taking a deep breath. “Just antsy and missing my husband.”
“We have a strong lead. I didn’t want to say anything until everything was concrete,” Knox commented, glancing at Detective Carter. “We’re close to bringing him home. I just hate that it’s taken this long.”
“Thanks for everything that you’re doing. Both of you,” Cadence said, nodding at Knox and Detective Carter.
They all shared a glance and a smile, followed by a brief silence.
“You can’t be in here during the proceedings,” Knox warned, sliding his hands in the pockets of his black pin-striped slacks. “Judge Duncan said all witnesses must wait in the hall until called to testify.”
“That wasn’t a problem before,” Cadence disputed, fidgeting with her wedding ring.
“If the judge is concerned about a witness changing his or her testimony based on what they heard while listening to the trial, he has a right to invoke such an order,” Knox informed Cadence. “He has sole authority on that matter.”
“Humph.” Crystal huffed.
“Does this just apply to me, or are the other witnesses subjected to the same measures?”
“It’s normal procedure,” Detective Carter chimed in. “Usually, the police and sheriffs will provide security.”
“The witnesses all wait together,” Knox added, stepping in closer. “But if you’re uncomfortable or just want to be alone with your thoughts until it’s your turn to testify, you can wait in a separate room,” he whispered, coming in even closer. “Truthfully, with everything going on, I prefer you to wait in an isolated area with trusted law enforcement.” Knox angle
d a steely gaze on Detective Carter. “We can’t be too careful.”
“I’m on it,” he responded. “We can sit in the hall up until the trial starts; that way, Crystal can be with you.”
“Thanks.” Cadence forced a smile.
People trickled inside the courtroom. They still had thirty minutes until the trial started.
Cadence and Crystal claimed the bench to the left of the doors while Detective Carter stood guard.
“Hey Steven,” Cadence said, bounding to her feet as he approached. “Thanks for coming to support me.”
“Steven Bekker,” a woman called out, wearing a cream pantsuit, cutting him off before he had a chance to speak.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t have a choice.” He mouthed to Cadence before giving the woman his attention. “Yes.”
“Do you have your subpoena?”
Cadence eyed the professionally dressed woman. Her face was so stern and wrinkle-free that she resembled a plastic barbie doll.
“Yes,” Steven responded, handing an envelope to the woman.
“Follow me,” she instructed.
Steven glanced at Cadence and said, “Sorry.”
Cadence watched as Steven trailed behind the woman like a trained animal.
“Who’s that?” Crystal asked, glancing at Cadence.
“I don’t know,” she replied, continuing to watch them until they disappeared behind a door with a guard standing post.
“That’s Maria Pious, co-counsel for the defense,” Detective Carter said. “She’s taking Steven to the holding area for their witnesses.”
“Come again,” Cadence shot back, tilting her head to the side.
“Steven is testifying for the defense.”
Chapter 22
“Unbelievable,” Cadence whispered, covering her mouth with the palm of her hand. “Why wouldn’t he tell me?”
“I can’t answer that,” Detective Carter replied. “Steven must have testimony pertinent to their case; otherwise, they wouldn’t be bothered.”
“He’s Braelyn’s biological brother, and he did help her, and Lester try to steal money from me,” Cadence said, noticing two women gaping at her as they walked in her direction with a sheriff escorting them. “I don’t know how that would help Detective O’Brien’s case.”
Deadly Deception Page 10
