The streets were empty as he pulled up to the curb where his CI was. The car was one of the department’s beater cars. It was shit brown and looked like a heap, but the engine was well maintained. No reason to give himself away as the law and get his CI killed in the process.
His CI walked up to the car as Travis rolled down the window.
“Tweak, I want two bundles.”
“Only two, what happened to the three?“
“I only got enough for two, if it’s any good, I’ll get one more.”
“Son of-"
“I can go down the road and get what I need. I’m sure you’re not the only one looking to stay-”
Tweak handed over what looked to be bundles of heroin as Travis handed him two hundred dollar bills. “I’ll find you later if I am happy with this.”
“It’s good. My supplier is right on — always.”
“We’ll see.” Travis pulled away from the curb, wanting to open the small envelope right there, that Tweak had given him, knowing better he waited until he reached the ramp to 676. As he opened it, his heartbeat hitched slightly. If this panned out, it would be so much closer than they have been in the 19 months of this investigation. On the sheet of paper were two words, that read “The Tramp.”
Frustration rolled over him as if he was standing in the break of a wave. Something in the recesses of his mind tried to knock, but Travis wasn’t answering. He couldn’t quite put his finger on what was giving him the feeling of familiarity, to this so-called name.
34
The Sketch
The last thing Travis wanted to do was get back in the car and drive back to Manhattan, just to have to go back into Camden later. He had made the calls he needed to and had grabbed any files that were necessary to the case before leaving to meet Tweak. The one thread he didn’t pull, was to see Gerry, but it could wait. The downside to it all would be having to drive the department's beater, if he didn’t pick up his car. He only had to debate a for a moment, the beater car it was. Better than driving all the way there and back again. He turned the car towards the Camden Police station but not before stopping for coffee. The coffee at the station was like drinking sludge. He grabbed a cup for himself and one for Krista.
She was still in the hall outside the room they had given Anderson when he arrived. She had her phone in her hand, a regular occurrence of late.
“I was just about to call you,” she said.
Travis handed Krista her coffee saying, “They’re not done yet?”
Krista's eyes widen, and she smiled like The Cheshire Cat. “Thank you, I can use this. Stevenson said they are just finishing up. They took a break, and I brought Rosa and her kids to get something to eat. It took longer than I expected. You were right on the money, Anderson is amazing. She can coax a memory from a stone.”
“Yeah she is, that’s why I asked her to make the trip.”
“She’s going to give us the sketch and bring Rosa to get her kids. I want to take a look at it without her standing there. I wish they were finished already, but I guess you don’t want t rush it and maybe get it wrong.”
“True. On another note, have you heard anything from Griffin or Simons? Did they get any further with the bone case?”
“Bone case? Oh, the burial ground. They are still working leads. They called in the medical examiner who determined that the bones were over one hundred years old, he intern called an anthropologist to conduct phase one testing.”
“Phase one for what?”
“That’s where they test for fragments of archaeological artifacts. The site isn’t federal land, but because the bones are older the one hundred years, there are new laws in place. You know as well as me, we need to go by the book.”
“So now Griffin and Simons have to sit on their hands until the testing is over?”
Krista laughed shaking her head. “And what planet are you on? There are always other leads to pursue. For instance, who piled the bones on top of each other and then decided to pour cement over them? They can’t seem to nail that down.”
With that the door open and Anderson escorted Rosa out, handing Krista the sketch. Krista's heart felt like it would come out of her chest it was pounding so hard. Her adrenaline was pumping through her like an open fire hydrant. The cup of coffee added to it. She could only think how this one piece of paper could set her brother free.
Rosa wasn’t even two steps away when Travis reached out and grabbed the paper. As he looked down at what was in his hand, his mouth dropped. “Son of a bitch, Son-Of-a-Bitch, Anderson.”
Anderson's brows knitted together as she turned, she held up a finger and continued to walk down the hall to Rosa’s children.
Krista’s head jerked up as she looked Travis dead in his eyes, “What, what’s the matter?”
“I need to know if this is precisely how Rosa described the shooter.”
Before Krista could say anything, Anderson was back. “What the hell Wilks. What is your problem?”
“Did you add anything to this? Anything at all?”
“Oh yeah, that’s what I do for a living, I’m a fantasy drawer. Are you kidding me?”
Travis inhaled deeply, closing his eyes he exhaled slowly. “Sorry, it’s been a day. And here I just told Levell how good you were. Got it, this is what she told you.”
“You look like hell, so I’ll cut you some slack - this time. I have hit the road. This took a lot longer than I thought it would.” She threw a sideways look towards Krista, turned and left.
“The kids had to eat.”
“Don’t worry about her. The good ones are always high strung.”
Krista just shrugged her shoulders. “What got you so wound up?” She took the paper back from Travis, to take a better look at it. As she did her eyes shifted back and forth as her eyebrows almost became one. “He looks familiar; I’ve seen him somewhere before.”
“I just saw him. That’s my CI.”
Krista stammered as she said, “Yo - you’re CI. You know him? You know where to find him?”
“Yes, I do. Take Rosa and the kids home. I’m going to pick him up.”
"He must be the hooded guy I saw running from the building."
"Maybe, we'll find out soon. Now go get Rosa home while I pick him up."
Rosa’s shoulders slumped, and her eyes were wild as Krista approached her. “Rosa, what’s the matter?”
“Yo, Yo soy, oh sorry, I am, how do you say, um … asustado.”
“Afraid, Rosa, that is afraid in English. You don’t have to be afraid.”
“You don’t live here, too many people die. I want to help Evan, but now I don’t think it was too inteligente.”
“It is the smart thing to do. The more criminals we get off the street, the safer it will be for you and your children.”
“I don’t want to testificar. I no do that to me, babies. They need their mama.”
“We are going to need you to testify. You were an eyewitness, the only eyewitness.” Krista put her hand lightly on Rosa’s back saying, “Come, come back in here and sit down a minute. Let me get you some water.”
Rosa’s hands were starting to tremble, and her eyes were glistening, they were full of tears that were threatening to spill over. She held on to her children’s hands tightly as she walked back into the room she had just exited not two minutes before. Krista went to get her water, and she came back with Oreos from the vending machine for the children.
“Rosa, stay here for a minute, I’ll be back as soon as I make a call.”
Rosa looked up at Krista through her long dark lashes and slightly nodded her head. When Krista walked out of the room, Rosa held her children, one on either side of her as if they were an extension of her body.
When she turned from closing the door, Stevenson was coming down the hall.
His eyes wide in his narrow face had the look of shock. “You’re still here?”
Krista shook her head as one side of her mouth lift into a half smile. “Yeah, it t
ook longer than expected. I'm glad you're here. I need to contact the Bureau. I put Rosa and her children back in the break room, just figured someone should know what is going on. Travis - Wilks, went to pick up a suspect.”
“Hot damn, she did know something then.”
“Yes, now let's see if it pans out.”
“I’ll be here for a while. I have some reports to write up. If anyone asks about her, I’ll let them know.”
“Thanks.”
Krista’s mind was racing; she didn’t know where Travis had to go to find his CI. She wanted to tag him before he reached the CI. She pulled out her phone. Relief washed over her like honey over a hot stone when he picked up.
“Can you talk?”
“Yeah, but not for long, I have a bead on my CI.”
“We have a slight problem. Rosa is afraid to testify. She’s freaking out. Talking about how people die here all the time. How she needs to take care of the kids.”
“You're getting ahead of yourself again. We only have her for proof, and you know how it goes with eyewitnesses. Wits are always seeing what they think they see, not always what is actually there. Let’s wait and see what happens, how it all comes together. I will tell you this; I have a hunch that this is so much bigger than your brother's case.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I can’t get into it over the phone. Just trust me on this one. If this has to do with what I think it does, we can offer her witness protect. If and only if, as I said, let's not get ahead of ourselves. I’m going to put a call in, see what I can do in the meantime. We can probably set up a temporary situation on the premise that this is all connected.”
“I’ll have her stay put. Get back to me as soon as you can.” With that Krista clicked off.
35
Tweak
Travis pulled off to the side of the road. He arranged for temporary protection for Rosa. He told Krista where to meet the Marshal Service and looped in Boyd, asking him to meet him in the Cherry Hill office. Then he placed a call to the lab checking on an updated from Gerry.
“You got anything for me? We got an eyewitness and it’s looking like Levell’s brother is off the hook.”
“We were able to lift a print; we’re still running it. If it hits in any of the databases, I’ll send it thru to your phone.”
“I’ll be on the lookout.” He ended the call just before he pulled up to where Tweak was standing.
This time when Tweak turned and noticed Travis from where he had parked himself for the day. He had a smug look on his face that Travis wanted to knock off.
He knew Tweak would be expecting him, but not to arrest him. Tweak would think he was getting another hundred dollars for his information. That added an edge for Travis, he needed, giving him the upper hand.
He didn’t roll down his window, he opened the door and got out. Tweak’s expression turned from smug to concern. As Travis approached him, in the lowest whisper Tweak said, “What are you doing man, trying to get me killed?”
Travis continued towards him, grabbed his arm pulling it behind him, growling into his ear, “Get your ass in that car and do it now.”
Tweak already light competition went pasty white. He wasn’t about to make a scene. If anybody figured out he was working with the law, he’d be dead faster than a seventeen-year-old boy got off, looking at porn.
Travis pushed him into the back seat, realizing his luck at having to drive the department's beater. The rear doors didn’t have handles; there was also a divider installed that could be raised with a push of a button. He didn’t want to cuff him on the streets. If it turned out that Rosa screwed up, he had the potential to lose a good CI and at the same time have his cover blown. He would wait until they were off these streets to do that.
Pulling off to the side of the road after exiting Camden, Travis turned and said, “Swing your back to the passenger side door, put your feet on the seat with your hands behind your back. Don’t try anything bullshit. I’ll have my gun drawn, and I’d like nothing better than to use it. Got it?”
Tweak didn’t answer.
“Got it, or am I going to have to shoot you?”
Inhaling sharply, Tweak said, “Got it.”
He got out of the car, walked around to the passenger's side, opened the door and cuffed Tweak.
“You are under arrest; you have the right to remain …” after reading Tweak his Miranda rights, he got back into the car and headed towards Cherry Hill. When he entered the building and rounded the corner going to the interrogation room, he saw Boyd was already set up.
He cuffed Tweak to the table and motioned for Boyd to follow him out of the room.
“What the hell, did you fly?”
“Very funny, I told you I had leads to follow too, I was in the area.”
Just then, Travis’s phone pinged. When he looked down, he saw he received a message from Gerry, from the lab. When he opened it, he said, “Dead to rights, we got him dead to rights!” It read ‘The print belongs to one Clifford Fox.’ Travis thought, A.K.A. Tweak.
Boyd glanced at Travis, his one eyebrow-raising with a look of — well, as his hand shot out into the air. “What, what’s that face for?”
“Fuckin’ Tweak, Clifford Fox, that’s him. The prints they pulled from the .38 are his. He’s my CI, that who gave me the name connected to the shipment. It looks like we’re not handing this one off.”
Boyd blew out a hard breath, shaking his head saying, “These dirt bags are all alike, always playing both ends.”
Travis stood there, dazed for a second; then he looked at Boyd saying, “Yeah, but we know the game better than them. I’m going in, give me a few minutes, come in make like you have some information for me.”
Travis opened the door, never once taking his eye off Tweak as he sat down at the opposite side of the table. The room was hot and stuffy, just the right amount of uncomfortable.
Tweak shifted in his seat; he could hear his heart pounding in his ears as beads of sweat ran down his spine. He decided to break the silence, also hoping to break Travis’s stare.
“I gave you good info. Why you doin’ this?”
As Travis stood, his chair screeched across the floor, teetering on its back legs. He grabbed it just before it went over.
“This isn’t about the name you gave me, and you damn well know it. You shot and killed Nelson Hendricks.”
Tweak took in a shaky breath; he was not about to go back to the joint on murder charges. “I don’t know what you talkin’ ‘bout; I had nothin’ to do wit dat.”
At that very moment, Boyd knocked and walked into the room. He stepped over to Travis as if whispering in his ear. Travis gave Tweak a sideways look and let a slow cocky smile spread across his face. He pushed the chair back to table with the back of if facing Tweak. He straddled the chair and sat down crossing his arms and resting them on the top of its back. He lifted his arm and fisted his hand and leaned his chin into it, his thumb on one side and his fist on the other as if he was thinking.
Tweaks eyes hollowed in his pasty face, he wanted to wipe his hands on his pants, but couldn't move them more than an inch in cuffs attached to the table. He tried to push away from the table, but the motion only tighten the cuffs even more.
“Okay Clifford, let me get this straight. You had nothing to do with the murder of Nelson Hendricks, is that correct.”
Tweak’s cheeks puffed out as he took an easier breath. “Yeah, I ain’t done nothin’.”
Travis slammed his hand on the table as he stood.
“Then why is it, that we have an eyewitness and your prints on the bullet that they took out of Hendricks? You want to explain that?”
Tweak eyes darted around the room, sweat was running down his face and the back of his neck, making a trail down his back.
“I need me some water, can I have some water?”
Boyd left the room and came back with a bottle of water. Tweak drank the entire bottle in one swig.
�
�You brain not connecting or sometin’ you the one that’s on drugs, not me.”
“No, you don’t seem to understand. You tell us what happened and maybe the DA goes easy on you. We know it was you and the jury will too, so start talking, or I’m walking, and you’re on your own.”
Tweak just sat there. His hands cuffed together, he laced his fingers, twisting them back and forth, not saying a word, he just stared at Travis.
Travis turned towards the door as he said, “If this is the way you want to play it, you’re on your own.”
“Wait, they’ll kill me.”
“I wouldn’t worry about them as much as I would worry about all your homey’s you helped us lock up. Once I get the word out that you’re a snitch-“
“Come on man. You can’t do that.”
Travis looked over to Boyd. “Now he thinks he’s going to tell me what I can’t do.” Looking back to Tweak he said, “I already told you not to mess with me. Word will be out before you even get down to holding.”
“This is how you repay me. I give you what you want, but I won’t forget this.” Tweak hung his head shaking it side to side. He let out a breath that puffed out his cheeks, before saying, “I just finished up some of my binness. It was dark, the only light in the building was sneaking through the windows. I hear me a noise, when I turned the only thing I could make out was a gun, so I shot. I was thinkin’ - no, I didn’t think. I just shot. You see a gun and bitch, you shoot, or you get shot.”
“How did Evan end up with Nelson’s blood on him?”
“You mean that skinny ass ‘I think I’m better than you’ druggy.”
“His name is Evan, and once again, how did he end up covered in Nelson Hendricks blood?”
“Nelson’s gun popped off when I shot him, the next thin’ I know, dat skinny - um, Evan is fallin’ down the stairs. So I’m seeing my way out of dis mess, ‘cause when I went ta see who I blasted, I couldn’t believe what I see. More like who I see.”
Travis wanted to stop him and ask questions, but he didn’t want to stop the flow of shit coming out of Tweaks mouth. He took a breath and let Tweak hang himself higher. “Dat’s when I see what to do. I took his hand and popped off another cap into Nelson and left the gun between the two of them.”
Vindication- Ties That Bind Page 16