by C. M. Sutter
“Thank you, and I’ll send the report right now.”
I ended the call, and our entire group let out relieved yelps.
Taft lifted the receiver from the conference room phone and called the West Allis PD. She asked them to pick up Erik Smalley at his residence immediately, and if he wasn’t there, to put out an APB on him. He would be charged with the murder of Brandon Dalton.
I rattled my fingertips on the table. “Okay, so we assume Erik killed Brandon, but why? The only thing I can think of is that Brandon went back to the tent city because he dropped something the night before and was looking for it. Erik might have seen him purely by accident once Brandon was walking Hemmer Street, or he was following Brandon, saw that he returned to the scene of the crime, and was given the order to take him out. It would sure be nice to find that gun.”
Taft frowned. “Erik doesn’t have any firearms registered to him, correct?”
“That’s correct,” Renz said.
“So he borrowed a gun, or was given a gun to commit the murder, and then returned it to the person he got it from. That person may be literally calling the shots.”
“And I’d put my money on both Brandon and Erik as two of the killers of the homeless people,” I said.
Maureen agreed. “And there’s a good chance that Erik is one of them who took part in killing the five people last night.”
“Hmm… there’s still a missing piece to the puzzle,” I said.
“Go on.”
I nodded at our boss. “We know who was killed and the whole six-degree thing that leads back to the mayor, but two of those five people don’t actually have any affiliation with Michael Kent at all. Only his daughter, his personal assistant, and his attorney have a direct connection to him. The owners of Silver Shores and the bartender who might have worked there during a charity event that the mayor might have been at, likely don’t know Michael Kent on a personal level at all. So how do they fit in?”
“Good question, and instead of speculating, we need to know definitively if there was an event that the mayor went to and if Paul Lawrence bartended that night.” Maureen turned to Tommy. “Since you and Fay spoke with Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy, make that call, have them pull the records or connect you with whoever handles scheduling those events, and find out the date that the mayor and Paul Lawrence were there at the same time, if they ever were. Everyone else, take a ten-minute break.” Maureen rose from the table and walked to the door. “I’ll start a pot of coffee.”
Chapter 32
While I took my break, I called Amber to tell her not to expect me home anytime soon. I would be fine with a warmed-up plate of leftovers later. We gathered in the conference room at eight thirty and waited for the results to come in from Tommy, who was still on the phone.
Maureen poured coffee into nine cups, and we all helped ourselves. Seconds later, her phone rang. She listened, spoke, then hung up and passed on the information. The West Allis PD said they hadn’t located Erik Smalley, but an APB had been put out on him.
“It’s going to be tough finding him since he doesn’t have a vehicle on file, and when a vehicle is necessary, they just steal one. A weasel like him can scurry in and out of the shadows easily, especially if he suspects somebody is tailing him.” Something popped into my head as soon as the words came out of my mouth. “We need to locate the closest bus stops to his house and put down anchors. It’s the best way to find him.”
“I agree,” Maureen said, “and—”
Tommy hung up and interrupted Maureen midsentence. “We have the connection! There was a fundraiser held on the fifth of May at Silver Shores for the new firehouse on the northeast side. The mayor was the guest of honor at the function, and the celebrity bartender was none other than Paul Lawrence.”
“Okay, you two need to rattle his cage right now. I know he’s distraught, but so are all the other families, and we have to find out what happened between them that night.”
I gulped down my coffee with intentions of leaving too. I had a suggestion to run by Taft, and I hoped she would okay it. “Maureen, back to the bus-shelter idea. I just looked on my phone, and there are two of them within three blocks of the duplex Erik lives in. Brandon spoke of taking the bus, but then they both ended up in a stolen car. I’m figuring that’s how most of them get around, either by bus or stolen vehicles. Just a few more ways to keep under the radar and make tracking them down hard on the cops. I’ll be heading north to go home anyway. I can sit on one of those shelters, and as long as they stay out of sight, a squad car can sit on the other. I know what Erik looks like, and in my personal car, I can get pretty close without raising a red flag.”
She rubbed her forehead. “I don’t like the idea of you taking on that responsibility alone.”
“I won’t be alone. I’ll have the West Allis PD sitting on the other shelter only a few blocks away. I can let them know if I spot Erik, and if it makes you feel better, I’ll have them assist in the arrest.”
“Okay, let’s go that route. I’d really like to have that punk in custody tonight.”
“Hold up,” Renz said. “Why would Erik go back home? Don’t you think Lucas or Cole would have told him we were there earlier and took his windbreaker, and then the cops showed up later? Home is the last place he’d go, and that’s likely why he wasn’t there when the cops came back to arrest him.”
Renz had a point, and Erik Smalley was either roaming the streets or bunking up somewhere else, and we had no idea where that place might be.
“Then what about following the roommates?” I asked. “They could be party to all of this since they have the same police records that Erik does. Just because the charges were for rioting doesn’t mean they aren’t real criminals. Now that we have justifiable cause to follow Erik, there’s a good chance his roommates may lead us right to him.”
“That could work. I’ll have the PD bang on the door again to verify that at least one of them is at home. You can sit on the house, Jade, and if anything, they’ll be watching for a squad car planted outside. They won’t even notice you if they do leave.”
“Right, and if they hop on a bus, I’ll be right behind it until they get off. I’ll have whatever police district I’m in assist in following them once they’re on foot. They’ll lead us to either Erik or somebody else who might be part of that group. No matter what, somebody is going to do some talking tonight.”
Taft finally agreed. “Okay, that sounds like a plan. The rest of you start searching archives to see if anything newsworthy went down on that night last May.”
Chapter 33
Two officers met me around the corner from Erik Smalley’s apartment to go over the plan. They would wait for me to get into position with a good view of the duplex, then they’d park in front of it and bang on the door for the second time in several hours. We were setting a trap that I hoped would pan out. If it didn’t, Erik Smalley’s face would be plastered on every news channel until someone from his group gave him up or he was spotted and turned in by a concerned citizen.
As a precaution, I exchanged cell phone numbers with the officers. Nothing about what we were doing would be broadcast over the police radios. For all we knew, the people who were involved in the murders could have scanners.
I found a good place across the street to park, cut the engine and lights, and let the officers know I was ready whenever they were.
A minute later, I saw headlights coming my way through the rearview mirror. The squad car passed me then parked in plain view of the upper unit’s front window. From my position, I saw lights on upstairs. I watched as the officers approached the duplex, walked the sidewalk to the porch, then banged on the door to the upstairs apartment. A man came to the window and looked down. There was no denying that at least one person was home. After the officers waited on the porch for several minutes, the door swung open, and they disappeared inside.
I made the call to Taft and updated her on where I was and what I was watching. I told her I’d k
eep her posted and hung up. Even though I knew I was on Speakerphone and Renz was listening in, I planned to call his cell and update him, too, every half hour or so.
My hope was that the roommates would leave as soon as they saw the police car drive away. Sometimes a little prodding went a long way, and I crossed my fingers that they’d take the bait and leave. That was when the real investigation would begin. There was a good chance that they knew where Erik was and who the puppet masters were, and hopefully, they’d lead us right to them.
Ten minutes later, the cops exited the building, climbed into their squad car, and drove off. That same man came to the window again and looked out. I called Officer Brice to tell him that they had been seen driving away. “Are they both up there?”
“Yep, both Lucas and Cole are home.”
“Okay.”
If the roommates were going anywhere, it would probably be in the next few minutes. While I watched the duplex, I wondered how Erik had gotten to the alley, was in the car with Brandon, yet never showed up on any cameras near his home between seven and eight a.m. that Sunday morning.
Maybe he left even earlier than that or stayed the night somewhere else, yet there is the chance he sneaked out using the fire escape and jumped the fence, but why sneak out at all? That’s just one more puzzle piece we need to figure out. No matter what, he’s good for the murder. Now all we need to do is track him down.
As I stared at the duplex, the upstairs lights went off. “Yes!” I realized I was holding my breath as I watched the front door. A minute later, I saw movement. The door opened slightly. A head popped out and looked up and down the street, then cautiously, both men walked out. I kept low in my seat but still had a good visual of them. They turned right and hurried down the sidewalk. As they walked away from me, I sat up and made another call to Officer Brice. I told him that both men were on foot, walking east down Greenfield Avenue, and would probably pass them as they sat on the next side street within a minute or two. If the guys planned to hop on a bus, they were headed in the right direction. The nearest bus stop was only two blocks away.
I started my car and inched ahead. I didn’t want to get too close, but I didn’t want to lose them either. I made sure to cut in and out of the commercial driveways so they wouldn’t notice a car following them at a slow pace. They were coming up on the bus shelter, so I turned in at a gas station and waited. Brice called my phone and asked my location. I told them where I was, and he said they had passed the shelter on a parallel street and were stationed a half block ahead with a clear view of both men. They had just taken seats in the enclosure and were waiting for the next bus. Brice said that this particular bus went due east and ended at South Barclay Street just blocks from Jones Island. There was nothing in that area except derelict homes, abandoned warehouses, and homeless people, which could be exactly what we were looking for.
I looked to my left, and the city bus was approaching. Cole, Lucas, and one woman were waiting in the shelter. After the bus stopped and the riders exited, both men and the woman climbed aboard. Brice and I were still on the phone, and he reminded me that they could assist the entire way since West Allis and Barclay Street were both part of the second district jurisdiction. I was glad that I wouldn’t have to ask for different officers from another precinct and explain the situation to them. Brice said they would update the precincts on their end and he’d make the call with his cell.
It took twenty-five minutes to reach the end of the bus route, but Lucas and Cole had already gotten off at the First Street stop. I didn’t like the idea that I was completely exposed even though I was in my personal car. The area was desolate, and a car following, even at a distance, would probably raise a red flag. I had to back off, park, and follow them on foot. It was the only way, or I’d lose them for sure. I called Brice, told him my plan, and turned down a side street. The squad car was only a few car lengths behind me. After I exited my vehicle and peered around a building, I saw the men walk north. Brice and Connelly parked behind my car and came my way.
“What have we got?” Connelly asked.
“They’re right there.” I pointed at the men a good block ahead. “The only way to get close enough to see where they’re going is on foot, but we’ll need to split up. I’ll go straight up the middle, Brice, you go a half block to their left, and Connelly, you go a half block to their right. As long as one of us has a visual on them at all times, we’ll be able to see where they went. Set your phones to vibrate, I’ll do the same, and we’ll keep each other posted via texts. Any questions?”
“Nope, I’m good,” Brice said.
Connelly nodded. “Me too.”
The officers scurried off in opposite directions. I lost sight of them as they rounded the buildings, then I sucked in a deep breath and moved ahead cautiously.
Chapter 34
I still had the guys in my sights and moved in even closer while I hugged the brick walls. As I deliberately stayed in the shadows, the phone in my pocket vibrated, momentarily distracting me.
“Damn it.” I checked the screen, and it was Renz. I shouldn’t have, but I answered anyway and whispered. “I can’t talk right now. I’m following Cole and Lucas on foot. Yeah, yeah, the cops are with me, but we split up, each a half block from the other. We have our phones to keep in touch and don’t intend to apprehend them until we’re all together again. We just need to see where they go. I have to hang up now.” I ended the call, pocketed my phone, rounded the corner of the building, and was instantly clocked in the face hard enough to knock me off my feet. Stars swirled in my head as I stumbled backward and fell to the ground, but it took only a second to regain my bearings and right myself. I pulled out my gun and peeked around the corner. Nobody was in sight, but I heard the sound of running in the distance. I could either make a foot pursuit or take the time to call the officers, but doing that meant holstering my gun to pull out my phone and dial. Carefully, I looked around the building and saw a flash of movement when someone turned the corner a block up the street. I holstered my weapon and made the call. “Brice, somebody just cold-cocked me, but I’m okay. I saw a person about a block north of my location, but they disappeared around a corner. Be ready for anything and be careful. I’m continuing on.” I hung up, pulled my Glock out again, and headed in the direction where I last saw the person.
The streetlights were few and far between, which didn’t help in our pursuit, but the lack of light helped us stay hidden. I must have been discovered during my short conversation with Renz. I had known better than to pick up, but I did anyway, and somebody, either Cole or Lucas, had heard my whispers and backtracked to my location. That told me they were as brazen and dangerous as Erik, and even though they were young, they were still a threat. I had to keep in mind that they didn’t hesitate to knock me—a federal agent—for a loop, and killing everyday citizens probably didn’t faze them either.
My eyes darted left and right as I searched the darkness in hopes of seeing more movement, but I didn’t. Connelly and Brice met up with me minutes later.
“Anything?” I asked.
They both said they’d lost the guys as they weaved in and out of alleyways and around vacant warehouses.
“Do you think they entered one of these buildings, or did they just use them to lose us in the darkness? They may have moved farther north where there’s actually a few houses,” I said.
Connelly pulled his flashlight from his pocket. “Close your eyes.”
I did as told while he assessed my facial injury.
“Yeah, you got clobbered good, and your nose is swelling up. Can you breathe okay?”
I swatted the air. “I’ll be fine. I’m just pissed that we lost them. Maybe we should check out the buildings anyway since we all have flashlights and those punks already know we’re here.”
“The problem is, we have no idea how many of them there are and, if they’re still here, what building they might be in.” Connelly took in our surroundings. “It’s damn dark outside,
and you’d think if they went into a building, they’d need a light source. I’d suggest we stay out here but walk past the buildings. If anybody is inside, we’d likely see a bit of light, but in the dark like this, it’s too dangerous to pursue them since we don’t know if they’re armed or not. They could have those knives or garrotes with them—maybe even guns.”
Brice agreed. “But if you want, we could call for backup and go through all of these vacant warehouses.”
I groaned. “I’m sure if we got close, they’d scatter. Going through these buildings is probably wiser during daylight hours. We don’t know if the structures are even safe to enter. There is one thing I do know.”
“Yeah, what’s that?” Brice asked.
“There’s a reason those two came here. That tent city south of downtown and under the overpass is very similar to this area, with abandoned warehouses and factories. This type of place could be where the killers meet to make their plans. No normal citizen hangs out there, and the homeless aren’t going to question why they’re in the area. They’d probably be afraid to make waves.”
Brice huffed. “And maybe seeing those homeless people prompted the idea of using them for their practice murders.”
I knew Brice was on to something, and I needed to get Taft’s opinion on whether we should search the buildings, get more officers out to help, or leave it to the safer daylight hours.
“Let me talk to my supervisor and see what she wants us to do.” I made the call, and Taft said not to pursue, especially after I told her I’d been sucker punched. She said she would have the police departments send officers out there tomorrow when daylight made everything safer. She told me to thank the officers, go home, and get some sleep. An APB would go out for Cole Pratt and Lucas Freeman, too, and she’d have their duplex under constant surveillance beginning that night. Tomorrow, the faces of Erik, Lucas, and Cole would be broadcast on every news station. We would close in, force them out of hiding, and make the arrests. They’d give us the names of the people who were calling the shots, or all three would face murder charges as well as battery charges on a federal agent.