Across State Lines

by C. J. Johnson

  “Hey Frankie, you got in early,” Mia said.

  Frankie looked up, shocked to see thirty minutes had passed.

  “I wanted to make sure we got approval to talk to Tessa before we walked down there.”

  “Any luck?”

  “Tessa’s attorney wants to speak with us before we talk to her. She wants to make sure we aren’t trying to implicate her in anything else.”

  “Did you print the photographs of all the women with the tattoo?”

  “Not yet. Do you mind?”

  “Sure.”

  Frankie and Mia set about their tasks in relative silence. A half-hour passed when the phone rang.

  “Sex Crimes, Detective Thomas.”

  “Got any sex?”

  Frankie laughed at the news reporter, with the odd-nickname, who called multiple times a day, “Hey Killer. We don’t have anything for you tonight.”

  “You think you’ll have anything for me later?”

  “I hope not.”

  “Okay, I’ll check back in before you head home.”

  Frankie hung up the phone just to have her direct line ring.

  “Sex Crimes, Thomas.”

  “Detective Thomas. Kristine Sallow. I am the attorney representing Tessa Kemp.”

  “Hello. Thank you for getting back to me. Is Tessa willing to meet with us?”

  “With a few conditions, yes.”

  “Okay. What are her conditions?”

  “She wants complete immunity.”

  “To the charges she has pending against her?”

  “That would be nice, but no. She hopes her cooperation will provide leniency in that case, but that’s not what she is talking about. She has information that may implicate her in other illegal activities and wants assurances she will not face additional charges from the information she provides.”

  Frankie was silent. She wasn’t sure she could get Tessa leniency in the case pending, but she could almost guarantee no additional charges if she had information that would help solve three murders.

  “Let me call the prosecutor handling the cases and I’ll call you back.”

  “Who’s handling the homicides, Detective Thomas?”

  “Derek Kensington.”

  “If I had known it was Derek, I would have called him directly,” Kristine said.

  Frankie couldn’t help herself, “Why’s that?”

  “Derek and I go way back.”

  Frankie said, “I’ll call you back in a few minutes.”

  Mia asked, “What are her conditions?”

  Frankie answered Mia while dialing Derek’s number.

  “Prosecutor’s office, Derek Kensington.”

  “Hey Derek.”

  “Hey babe, to what do I owe this pleasure?”

  “Remember the cases with the rose tattoo?”

  “Yeah.”

  Frankie gave Derek the breakdown of the phone call.

  “Can you give her anything?”

  Derek paused before saying, “What is she offering up?”

  “I’m not sure yet. Possibly something on at least one of the homicides you have. Her attorney wasn’t very specific.”

  “Who’s her attorney?”

  “Kristine Sallow.”

  “Really? She’s good. I haven’t talked to her in a few years, but if she says Tessa has something good, she probably does. Tell her as long as she cooperates, I’ll give her what she wants. I can’t help her on the pending case, though.”

  “Good. I’ll let you know what, if anything, we get.”

  Chapter 22

  Frankie and Mia made small talk while they walked the two blocks to the county jail. They signed in, locked up their weapons, and were escorted to a private room within the locked-down facility.

  After a few moments, they were met by Tessa and her attorney.

  “You must be Detective Thomas,” Kristine said.

  “I am. This is Detective Boden. You mentioned Tessa may have some information for us. We are very interested in hearing what she has to say. I intend to record our conversation if that’s okay.”

  Kristine and Tessa both nodded their consent to be recorded.

  Frankie hit record on her digital media recorder and identified the case number and people in the room.

  “Tessa, I have a couple of photographs with me. Can you tell me the names of the women in the photographs?”

  Frankie laid two photographs in front of Tessa. Each had a number written on the bottom.

  “That one is Nicki. This one is Andi.”

  “Tessa would you mind stating, for the recording, which number is on the bottom of the photograph?”

  “Nicki has a number one. Andi has a number two.”

  “What’s Nicki’s full name, and how old is she?”

  “Nicole Andrews,” Tessa looked at her attorney.

  “It’s okay, you can answer.”

  “Nicki is 16.”

  Frankie and Mia didn’t blink.

  “What is Andi’s full name, and how old is she?”

  “Andrea Tucker. She is 22, I think.”

  “Can you please provide us any information you may have about these two women?”

  Tessa studied her hands but didn’t immediately answer. Mia started to speak, but before she could say anything, Tessa said, “Nicki was so sweet. We all knew she didn’t really fit in. We kept waiting for her to go back home so when she disappeared… I’m sure no one really thought anything of it.

  “Andi, well, she was something else. She took Nicki under her wing and sort of looked after her. Andi kept an eye out and made sure no one took advantage of her; treated her like a little sister. I’d heard Andi let Nicki move in with her, but I lost touch with the girls when…” Tessa’s voice trailed off.

  Frankie waited to see if Tessa was going to say anything before asking, “Was Nicki from Kansas City?”

  Tessa touched the photo of the sixteen-year-old girl, lightly tracing the girl’s shape.

  “No. She was from a small town in Iowa.”

  “How did she get to Kansas City?”

  Again, Tessa looked at her attorney for guidance.

  “This is where Tessa needs assurances that she won’t get in any trouble for what she is about to tell you.”

  “As I mentioned before, Mr. Kensington cannot do anything about the charges Tessa is facing, but he’s willing to give consideration to any additional charges based on any information she has that can help solve these murders.”

  “Go ahead, Tessa,” Kristine said.

  Tessa took a deep breath then said, “I drove her here.”

  Chapter 23

  Frankie disguised a look of surprise.

  “You know that I used to dance at the Shady Lady. I also did a few private parties. But that’s not everything. I also organized private parties and secured the entertainment based on the clients’ demands. Our clients had a variety of tastes, but most liked the talent to be young. Do you know who owns the Shady Lady detective?”

  Frankie nodded.

  “Then you should know what I was up against. If you worked there, and fit a certain need, you didn’t just leave. The owners like to keep certain women beholden to them. For some of the girls, it’s drugs and for others….”

  “Money?”

  “Yeah. I’d worked there for a while when the Boss made me a deal. I had gotten a little old for the clients’ taste, but I still needed the money. He said he’d put me to work at the dealership if I’d help him recruit new, younger talent. I found Andi working as a cocktail waitress in a little bar north of the river. She was pretty, confident, and had an attitude. I knew she’d be good and wouldn’t take a lot of shit.

  “Nicki was a recruit. Andi, Kat and I went on a road trip to look for some girls that would be open to relocation. We found in Iowa.”

  “How exactly did you identify the girls you wanted to target?” Mia asked.

  “We’d go to malls mainly. We’d set up a table as a talent agency searching for
models and dancers. Which was sort of true. We were in Iowa, and this girl with a baby face and freckles came up to our table. I knew immediately she’d be in high demand. She was pure apple pie and girl next door. She didn’t have any adults with her and seemed, well, lost. We worked our magic and she left with us the next day. I never asked, but I kind of assumed she ran away. All she had was a backpack when she got to the hotel and we never saw any adults. We weren’t exactly checking ID’s or getting waivers signed, you know?

  “We introduced her to the work as easily as we could. She stayed with me in a loft we kept downtown for a few weeks. I was able to get a photographer to do a photoshoot like we told her we would. And…”

  “Was Alexandre Kristof the photographer?” Mia interrupted.

  “Yea. He helped us out whenever we had a young girl we were breaking in. Nicki thought we were going to help her get auditions with dance troupes, so we mocked up a couple of dance auditions and gave her some drugs, telling her they would help her loosen up. Eventually, we eased her into dancing and other things with Alexandre. Then we had her do a few private parties. She did a good job and after a few weeks, I moved her into an apartment with a few of the girls. Eventually, she stopped asking about modeling and dance gigs. She seemed to get along with everyone okay, but you could tell she didn’t really fit in.”

  “To clarify, by ‘other things’ do you mean sex?”

  Tessa nodded.

  “How did she end up living with Andi?” Frankie asked.

  “I’m not real sure. I think Andi was just worried because she was so young and convinced her to move in with her.”

  “Tessa, do you know how they ended up in that hotel? And when?”

  Kristine nodded at Tessa.

  “A few months ago, Andi called me and said she thought she was being followed by a guy in a white truck. She sounded strung out, and I was dealing with my own shit,” Tessa shot Frankie and Mia a dirty look, “So I pretty much blew her off. She called me again a few days later and sounded high. Andi said she and Nicki were on their way to do a private party at one of those big old houses off of Gladstone. While we were talking, I heard Nicki say something about a white truck being behind them. Last thing I heard was Andi scream and the phone went dead.”

  “What happened next?”

  “I don’t know. I never heard from her again.”

  “Did you call the police?”

  “And tell them what? That I was talking to a friend who sounded strung out, was driving somewhere in Kansas City, screamed, and then her phone went dead? Somehow, I doubt there was much they would have been able to do. Plus, I wasn’t exactly a huge fan of the police at that point.”

  “Do you know where the party was that they were going to?”

  “I think it was at Johnny DiCapoli’s house, but I’m not sure. If it was, it was off the books. I didn’t book it, and the Boss would never have sent them there.”

  “Why is that?” Frankie asked.

  “Johnny worked for the Finnegan family.”

  “What would happen if Andi got caught working at a party for the Finnegan family?”

  “If the Boss found out, she’d be dead.”

  Chapter 24

  Frankie let the information sit for a moment before asking, “Why would Andi take a job working for DiCapoli if he worked for the Finnegan family? I assume she knew the dangers of working for the competition.”

  Tessa stared at the blank wall behind Frankie.

  After a moment, she said, “Andi liked Johnny. I think they had been seeing each other, but she never admitted as much. The last time we hung out, she told me she was seeing a guy from Northeast. She did say the guy had offered her a way out from under the Shady Lady, but she didn’t want to leave Nicki behind. I think the party was going to be a way to make introductions so she could take Nicki with her.”

  “What was Johnny’s plan?”

  “I don’t know. He has a few front businesses so maybe he was going to put her up in one of them. Or maybe he was going to move her into his house. Andi and I were friends, but she didn’t completely trust that I wouldn’t tell the Boss what she was up to, so she didn’t tell me a whole lot.”

  Frankie thought to herself, “Smart girl.” Out loud, she said, “You mentioned Nicki said something about a white truck. Do you know if the Boss or any of his crew drive a white truck?”

  “No. They mostly drive high-end luxury cars.”

  “Did any of Andi’s exes drive a white truck?”

  “Not that I’m aware of.”

  “Did any of her exes have a history of stalking her?

  Tessa shook her head.

  “What about clients?” Mia asked.

  Tessa shook her head, “I don’t think so. Working off the books was discouraged. The Boss did not exactly forbid it, but if he caught you, there would be consequences.”

  Frankie looked through her notes and then said, “You mentioned you all did private parties. I need to ask, did the private parties always include sex? And did any of these parties ever happen at hotels?”

  Once again Tessa looked at Kristine, who nodded at her to answer.

  “Some of the clients wanted sex, but that was extra. I think Andi had a few regulars, but I don’t know about Nicki. Most of the private parties were at houses.” Tessa’s eyes bore into Frankie’s, “If I booked any of the girls at a hotel, it was at the casino, not some cheap-ass dive, pay-by-the-hour dump. When I was handling things, I made sure my girls were all well-taken care of Detective Thomas.”

  “Who’s taking care of the girls since you got locked up?”

  “Kat took over at firs. When she disappeared, I heard it was Andi. Now, I don’t have a clue.”

  “What’s the deal with the rose tattoo?”

  Tessa began rubbing the tattoo on her wrist. A small smile began to form on her lips. After a few moments of silence, she said, “I guess you could say it was a badge of honor. You had to earn the rose.”

  “What do you mean?” Frankie asked.

  “See this?” Tessa pointed at the thorny stem of the tattoo. “The Boss makes all the girls get this tattoo when they start working for him. It’s his way of letting you, and everyone else, know you belong to him. You get the rosebud when you start doing private parties. It’s a symbol of moving up in rank, so to speak.”

  For the first time, Frankie noticed the rosebud on Tessa’s wrist had a delicate symbol the others did not have.

  “What’s the significance of the symbol on yours?” Frankie asked.

  Tessa smirked and said, “Trust. I am one of the few the Boss trusts.”

  Frankie noticed Tessa used present tense, not past. It sounded to Frankie like the Boss still trusts Tessa which meant she was probably only getting part of the story.

  “Is there anything else you think might help us find who murdered your friends?”

  Tessa gave the question some thought before shaking her head.

  As they were preparing to leave, Mia asked, “Do you know a girl named Heather?”

  “Name doesn’t ring a bell.”

  With that, Frankie and Mia left the interview room.

  Walking back to police headquarters, Mia said, “I wonder why the Boss didn’t do anything to Tessa for working with the Finnegan family?”

  Frankie, lost in her own thoughts, said, “Huh? Wait, what?”

  “Her partner in the rape conspiracy was Geoffrey Finnegan. Why would it be okay for her to work with them, but not Andi?”

  “There’s definitely something she’s not telling us.”

  “Something tells me there is a lot she’s not telling us Frankie.”

  Chapter 25

  “What the hell did you do, Big Bruce?” Corey’s face was contorted in anger.

  “Watch your tone with me, boy. The cops came to my house. I didn’t tell them anything they didn’t already know.”

  “You shouldn’t have taken her anywhere. I told you we was coming back. Now I gots to find that bitch. She needs
to be dealt with.”

  “Just what exactly are you planning to do to her?”

  “You don’t need to worry about what I’m going to do to her. You should be worried about what I’m going to do to you.”

  “Don’t you threaten me, boy.” Big Bruce stood, puffed his chest out and let his dark eyes bore through Corey.

  Corey immediately changed his tone. Bruce was a big man with an even bigger reputation.

  “Did the cops give that phone back to her?”

  “I don’t know. Probably. They took it from me.”

  Corey took out his phone and called Heather’s number. The phone was answered on the second ring.

  “Hello?”

  “You still want your car back, bitch?”

  “Who is this?”

  “Answer my fucking question. Do you want your car back?”

  “Ye..es.”

  “Meet me at 55th Street and Prospect at the Church’s Chicken at 7. I’ll give you your fucking car back.

  “How am I supposed to get there?”

  “That’s not my fucking problem. Meet me tonight. If you don’t show up, the car will be gone for good.”

  Heather exhaled when she heard the phone disconnect. She stared at the bare walls in her room and wondered what to do next. She wanted…no needed…her car back. It didn’t really belong to her, and if she didn’t get it back, she would be in trouble. Her grandmother…with thoughts of what would happen if her grandmother found out about the car, she pressed the numbers on her phone.

  “Sex Crimes, Detective Thomas.”

  “I need your help.”

  “Okay. Who is this?”

  “Heather. Corey wants to meet me at some chicken place. To give me my car back. Will you take me to get it back?”

  Frankie sat up in her seat and firmly said, “Heather, do not go and meet him.”

  “…but…I need my car,” Heather interrupted.

  “It’s a set up. Did he give you the address for the meet?”

  “It’s by Prospect. Some chicken place. I think it was 55th Street.”

  Recognizing the location Frankie said, “Good.”

  “Will you go with me to get my car?”