Vindication- Ties That Bind

by Patricia Kasdan

  “You thinking he has master keys?”

  “Yep, how the hell else would he be able to get into the car and move it. I’m sure Hendricks didn’t leave him his keys.”

  Travis yelled across the lot to Grimes, “Grimes, if you hope to have a snowball's chance in hell of cutting a deal, I suggest you get me the key you used to open this door.”

  Grimes turned on his heels and headed towards the office. When he came out, he was carrying a set of keys. As he went to take one off the ring, Travis grabbed it saying, “What do we have here? I’ll take all of these thank you.” Grimes' eyes widened to the size of quarters, as he tried to snatch them away from Travis saying, “They’re mine, you can’t have them all.”

  Travis just smirked as he said, “Warrant, remember?” He opened the Mercedes door and went directly to the strap he spotted sticking out. It was a briefcase. He called Boyd over to the car, showing it to him. “The damn thing is locked. There must be something of value inside, it’s locked up tight.”

  “We can probably crack the lock. Give me a minute, and I’ll see if the crime guys have anything we can use.”

  When Boyd came back, Travis said, “What are you going to prune some trees?”

  “They are sharp, not sure why they have them, but I think it should work. I would hate to cut through the side; it looks expensive.”

  “Not your money, what are you worried about?”

  “Yeah, but still. The thing looks like it costs more than a month’s salary.”

  “Just get it open already.”

  Boyd tried to cut under, through and around the lock, to no avail. “Looks like I have no other choice.” He slid the edge of the cutters along the leather and slipped the blade into the opening. The blades gnawed through the case like a hot knife through butter. “I got it.”

  Travis moved closer as Boyd pulled files from the case. “This is definitely Hendricks. There's a stamp in the leather with his name.”

  Travis took some of the files from Boyd and started flipping through them. “Looks like we hit gold. Are you seeing what I'm seeing? We have more dirt for their grave.”

  “This goes even deeper than we thought. Hendricks kept complete files of every one of his dealings that went down.”

  “Looks like the DOJ Auto Theft Division arrived. With that handed off, we need to get this back to headquarters and comb through all of the files. See if we can search his house too.”

  Boyd reached for the files, “I’ll take them back, you check out with the DOJ

  “I’ll be right behind you.”

  41

  The Plan

  Walking up the front steps to Tom and Dana, had Evan’s stomach was in knots. He felt as though someone had grabbed hold of his insides and were twisting them non-stop. He had thought he was nervous when he talked to Dana, but those nerves had nothing on the feeling of anxiety that was running through his veins knowing he was about to see her.

  Tom answered the door, rubbing his head of curly reddish brown hair with a towel. “Good timing, I just got back from the gym and out of the shower. He stepped aside to let them in the house saying, Dana is in the kitchen fixing dinner.” His bright hazel eyes filled with concern when he glanced over towards Evan. “How you holding up?”

  “I’m okay”; he said as he walked into the house. The smell of Mexican food filled the air and made his stomach grumble.

  Tom chuckled, “Smells good, doesn’t it?”

  “Yes, it does, I could sure use a home-cooked meal. Evan extended his hand, thank you for all that you’ve done. Seriously, I don’t …”

  Tom took Evans hand and pulled him into a man hug, bumping shoulders as he patted his back. “You can thank me by cleaning up your act and keeping it clean.”

  “Seems like you are all on the same page.”

  “As you should be.”

  Krista left the guys and went to help Dana. As she walked into the kitchen, she saw an array of bowls, pans, and vegetables scattered across the kitchen island. “Umm, I thought you said tacos, something simple.”

  “You know me, once I get started I can’t stop. I made mom’s Spanish rice, cut-up all the vegetables for the tacos, which by the way will be either fish or chicken. I also made some Mexican sweet corn cake that she always made. You remember, the one you use a scoop for.”

  “That was one of my favorites. What can I do to help?”

  “You can mix the avocado-cilantro sauce for the fish tacos. I have everything all already cut up in the bowels to the left of you. The sour cream is still in the fridge.”

  Krista retrieved the sour cream and started mixing the sauce, looking around the kitchen she said, “Were you able to get through to the insurance company?”

  “Yes, I was probably the last call they took for the day, but the woman who answered the phone was very informative. Let's finish up here and get this on the table, and we can talk over dinner. This way I’m not repeating myself.”

  “Yes Ma’am!”

  Dana laughed just as the guys walked into the kitchen, “What is so funny?”

  “Your sister-in-law.”

  “Utt-oh, she must have done something wrong to be MY sister-in-law.”

  Laughing again she just said, “Can you please set the table?”

  They all sat at the table and Tom filled wine glasses with iced tea. He raised his glass for a toast. “To Krista, for her unrelenting search for the truth.” Raising his glass again said, “To Evan, for his fresh start, stay strong and to family.”

  “Speaking of Evan’s fresh start, what did you find out?”

  “Believe it or not the insurance we kept from mom and dad will cover one hundred percent of the cost for approved facilities.”

  “Let me guess, Loving Light is not one of them.”

  “No, Krista, it is. As a matter of fact, it is one of their top five they recommend.”

  “That is a little unbelievable.”

  “I was also able to get through to Loving Light. They have a twenty-four-hour hotline. They have a bed open, and they will take Evan.”

  “Hey, I’m sitting right here.”

  “Sorry Ev, they arrange it so when you get off the plane they are there to pick you up and take you to the facility.”

  “When would I have to go?”

  Tom laid his hand on Evan’s forearm saying, “I bought a ticket for tomorrow.”

  Evan’s face paled even more than it already was. “Tomorrow?”

  “They told Dana, the sooner, the better. Even though you detoxed in prison, this is when it will get even harder on you. It’s up to you.”

  Krista glared at Evan, not saying a word.

  A shiver ran down his back from somewhere in the middle of his head. “I know what I said Krista. I’m glad I’m never on the wrong side of your gun.” Looking over to Tom he said, “Tomorrow is fine, I need to do this. I promised I would do this. More important, it’s time I do this.”

  “Mom and Dad would be proud of you.,” Dana said as she smiled.

  “I don’t know about that.”

  “They would, especially dad, ‘Always do the right by yourself and others and life will be good to you.’, We must have heard that a million times.”

  Silence fell over the table like a cloak of sadness. Dana cleared her throat and said, “Remember the first time I tried to make mom’s rice, instead of Spanish rice, it tasted more like burnt cardboard.”

  Evan laughed, “Yep, I remember that night, that was the night mom and dad went out for their Date Night and dad came back wasted, I don’t think I ever remembered him so drunk.”

  Krista had a faraway look in her eyes. She remembered that night all too well. That was the night of his cryptic message. “You’re right Evan; Dad was trashed. He seemed awfully sad that night too!”

  “I wonder what was going on with him.”

  “I’m beginning to think we may never have the answer. He seemed to be off if you know what I mean? I figured it was because we were all getting ol
der and moving on.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Dana said. He seemed genuinely excited about my wedding plans. All of my friends couldn’t believe how involved he was. They said their father never showed any interest at all.”

  “I know Dana, that’s what I mean. At first, I thought it was because you were getting married and Evan and I were in college.”

  “At first?”

  “Something else was going on. He spent so much more time at home in his office then was usual. I remember once wanting to go in to talk to him, and the door was locked. His office door was never closed, let alone locked. I didn’t think too much of it then, but after the so-called accident, I started thinking about everything that happened before.”

  Tom cleared his throat, “What do you mean, everything that happened before? I know I wasn’t here all the time, but I was here quite often. He seemed okay to me.”

  “He never would burden you with his problems. You were going to be his son-in-law. My mother seemed concerned too. I overheard a conversation with them once when I came home unannounced. She was asking him to please talk to her, that whatever was going on, she could help. Nothing could be as bad as it seemed. Saying how they made it through some rough times and they could make it through again. He seemed so unsettled back then, when I called out to let them know I was there, they both walked out of his office with big smiles on their faces, too big. Dad’s eyes looked so troubled.”

  Raising his glass once again, Tom said, “To your parents.”

  “To Mom and Dad,” all three said at once.

  Tom could feel the sadness that settled over the table. “Dana, why don’t you and Krista go and relax, Evan and I will clean up. Right, Evan?”

  “Definitely, that was the best meal I have eaten in a long time. Thanks, Danes.”

  Krista and Dana filled their wine glasses with more iced tea and took them into the family room. Dana placed her glass on the table and curled her long legs up and under her, sinking into the overstuffed sofa. She was tall and graceful, taking genes from both her mother and father, her height from her father and her gracefulness from her mother.

  Krista laughed, “You always remind me of a cat the way you tuck your legs up under yourself. Mom did the same thing.”

  “It’s comfy. You should try it.”

  “When I do, I feel all tangled up, and my feet go to sleep.”

  “What can I tell you other than, it’s comfy for me?”

  Krista settled on the opposite end of the couch, her body melting into the cushions.

  “Krista, you look wiped out. You need to get some rest. How much have you been sleeping?”

  “It’s been a long week. I was so wrapped up in getting Evan out of prison, even when I did sleep I would dream about his case or dream the dream. I couldn’t win.”

  “You are still having the dream about the accident? I didn’t realize that.”

  “Yes, I guess it keeps me focused on their case.”

  “They don’t have a case; it’s closed. You need to remember that.”

  “I do, but until I get to the bottom of what really happened, it’s open in my mind.”

  “Well, Evan is home and going tomorrow to get help. You have to take care of yourself. I want my ‘little it’ll’ to be able to meet their aunt.”

  Krista was just about to drink her iced tea as Dana was talking. She almost choked, laughing as she said, “Little It’ll?”

  “Yes, It’ll be a girl or It’ll be a boy. My Little It’ll.”

  “Leave it to you Dane.”

  “Seriously, you need to take care of yourself. I can’t remember ever seeing you so pale.”

  “I will. I have to check in with Kane tomorrow and get back to work. It’s been driving me crazy that I couldn’t work on mom and dad’s case. I feel like I’m getting closer. Travis has helped a lot.”

  “Um huh! Travis, is that why you're not sleeping?”

  “I’m talking about …” Krista couldn’t help but smile. “Well since you brought it up.”

  “I knew it. So much for a working relationship. Spill, I want all the dirty details.”

  “Dirty detail, I don’t know what you are talking about.”

  “Don’t play innocent with me, I know better.”

  “Let’s just say he is force to be reckoned with.”

  “That’s an interesting way to put it.”

  “If you must know when he…”

  Before she could finish Tom and Evan walked into the room. She looked over at Dana and then to Evan rolling his neck to the side.

  “Did we interrupt?”

  “No, I was just telling Dana we need to get going. The traffic is going to be crazy. It’s Friday night. Evan has to pack.”

  “Pack what? I don’t have much to pack.”

  “That’s my point, looks like we are going shopping.”

  “We have a large duffle bag that doesn’t match our set. Evan, you can have it, it’s just been sitting in the back of the closet.”

  With the duffle in hand, a lot of hugs and some tears, Evan and Krista made their way back to Manhattan. They stopped at a large chain store and bought a week's worth of clothes and other essentials. On their way out, they passed a phone kiosk.

  “We need to get you a phone. You probably won’t be able to use it right away, but when you can, I want you to be able to. I’ll add you to my plan. This way I’ll know you will have service and won’t run out of minutes as you have in the past.”

  Evan’s eyes misted over as he looked at his sister. He reached out pulling her into a bear hug he said, “What would I do without you?”

  “You’ll soon find out. You need to do this without me; it’s all you. Now let go of me and let’s get home. By the way, I love you too!”

  42

  The Hunt

  A wave of relief washed over Krista as she watched her brother walk down the corridor leading to the gate where his plane was boarding. She looked around for a Starbucks, the promise she made to herself would have to wait.

  This past week felt like a year. She could only figure, the adrenaline that ran through her veins for the last week was seeping out of her leading to a major crash. She needed to get back to work. Her Director only gave her as much time as it took to help Evan. The case didn’t belong to them, and she had no right infringing on another agencies business. She could only check in with Travis from time to time and get updates.

  The thought of Travis made her heart quicken. She felt a blush raise up on her cheeks. “I am going to miss working with him. I think the past week would have been even more stressful, if not for him. There was just that something about him - Get a grip.”

  She was so caught up in her thoughts she handed a dollar bill to the barista for a seven dollar cup of coffee. Laughing she took it back and gave her a ten dollar bill saying, “Keep the change.”

  Balancing her coffee in one hand, she pulled out her phone a called Director Kane.

  “Kane,” was all he said, when he answered the phone.

  “Director, this is Levell.”

  “Krista, I was expecting your call.”

  “Sir.”

  “Your brother was released yesterday. I also understand that you had an integral part in connecting the two cases the DEA are working on down there and you didn’t step on any more toes in the process.”

  “Yes, sir, that’s correct sir. How did you get the info so fast?”

  “Do you think I let one of my best agents go out of the area solo and don’t keep tabs?”

  “One of your best, thank you. I guess not, sir.”

  “Good work. When are you going to be back in town? I understand you need to get your brother situated, but I can use you in the field.”

  “Evan is taken care of already. He’s on a plane down to Florida for rehab. I just saw him off. I can be there in twenty.”

  “Take the balance off the day. I’ll see you in the morning 0800 sharp.”

  “Thank you, sir.”
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  Krista heard the line go dead as she went to end the call. The day seemed to be progressing nicely. First Evan, just knowing he was getting the help he desperately needed and now a full day to work on her father's case before having to report back to work.

  She decided to call Travis and thank him for all the help he had given her. Both with the case and having her back when she felt as if at any moment she would shatter into a million pieces. She wanted to talk to him about something that had been tapping around in the back of her mind since a conversation they had.

  He answers, “This is Wilks.”

  Laughing into the phone, she said, “Wilks, Levell here.”

  “Hey Krista, I was just thinking about you.”

  “Oh yeah, it better have been all good.”

  “Oh, it was, trust me. You get your brother situated?”

  She gave him the rundown, including her conversation with Evan.”

  “Tough love, sometimes, that’s all that works.”

  “Seems to here. We’ll have to see. That’s not why I called you though. I have something I want to run by you and get your thoughts.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Do you remember when we were having lunch and you said something about what happens to my eyes when I get mad?”

  Oh, he can remember having lunch with her, and he definitely remembered those eyes, but he had a feeling that’s not what she was talking about. “Yeah, that they turn a fire blue.”

  “And I told you that was what my father called me?”

  “I do, and I could see why.”

  “Well, I have a day to delve back into my parent's case, or lack thereof and it has been tapping around my brain since.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “I’m going to need your help. It involves my father's files.”

  “They confiscated them during the investigation, didn't they?”

  “They did, but I think there may be more that were not touched. I don’t think anyone found them.”

  “How is that possible?”