by Karen Singer
Since she had gotten back from that island in the keys, nobody had tried to kill her yet. Mr. and Mrs. B had talked several times about the two times that someone had tried to kill them. Both times had sounded bad enough that Jenni figured she would have never been able to handle it. Especially the first incident. But then, she’d had two trained terrorists trying to kill her on the island, and they had both literally chased after her, shooting at her. She still couldn’t believe she had survived that. How could she possibly face something like that again?
The one named Bijan was dead now. But from everything she could tell, it sounded like his brother Pasha was still after Mr. B and Shirley. Question. Was Pasha after her too? How could she be sure? Maybe he wasn’t. Did she dare leave the gun at home now when she went out? Was she safe? Were any of them safe? If nothing more ever happened, how long would it be before she could breathe again?
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In his cheap apartment, Pasha stretched out, supplicating himself in devout prayer as the morning sun came up. But prayer was only partially on his mind. He was far more focused on only one thing. Today he was going to kill the private eye, and also Jenni. As he prayed, he also prayed for Allah to help him in his quest.
What he was doing was righteous. What he was doing was Allah’s will. His uncle had explained it so many times, in so many different ways. It was all perfectly clear to him. As the sun came up, he prayed…and hoped.
Today he would kill. Today, Bijan, his brother, would get his retribution.
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Robbie opened his garage door and carefully looked all around while Shirley got into the car. It was pretty much the same scene he saw every morning when they left for work. The same neighbors leaving at the same time. Everything looked…normal. He backed the car out of the garage, constantly checking his mirrors. He breathed a bit easier as he put the car in drive and headed into the city.
The two mosques they had tried the night before had yielded them nothing at all. Why was it that only a few at that one mosque had known Pasha and Bijan? And why was it that nobody knew much of anything about them? It was puzzling and frustrating. Who were they really?
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“Bye Sally,” Jenni said as she stuck her head into her aunt’s bedroom.
“Have a good day,” Sally returned brightly.
“You too,” Jenni replied, the smile on her face was genuine, as was her love for her aunt.
She walked out the door, locking it behind her, even though she knew her aunt would be leaving for work soon herself. She went down the stairs and outside. The weather was a lot cooler today. She should go back upstairs for a sweater, but she didn’t have time. She hurried up the sidewalk, walking quickly. She tried looking around her once in a while, but too many years of looking only down at the sidewalk and not at anyone else had become a bad habit. Fortunately, the six blocks to the bus stop went by quickly and uneventfully. She smiled at some of the people who joined her waiting for the bus. She said hi to a few others. The same usual crowd. Having them around helped her feel a little safer.
The bus finally came and they all got on, each one seeming to take their usual seats. Jenni always sat alone. Another habit from long ago. Who would ever want to sit with someone like her?
Fifteen minutes and many stops later, she got off. She didn’t go anywhere. She stood there waiting for another bus that would take her to where she needed to go. Riding the busses was second nature to her now since she did it so often, going everywhere in the city. She really wanted a car. She really needed a car. But that was money she’d probably never have.
She was however hopeful about something else now. She didn’t know how much her paycheck would be yet, but if it was enough, did she dare set up an appointment to finally talk with a gender doctor? She didn’t have any insurance yet to help cover any of the costs. Did she dare spend that much money?
She couldn’t wait to see that first check. Even if it wasn’t enough, she knew it had to be more than what Mr. B had ever paid her before. By her calculations, even at minimum wage, it had to be. Of course, Mr. B hadn’t bothered to tell her just how much she would be making, and she was too embarrassed about it to ask Shirley. When was payday anyway? Soon she hoped, even though she had only been a full-time employee for a few days.
The second bus came and she boarded it along with everyone else who had been waiting. The usual people on her usual trip.
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Pasha parked his car on the same side of the street where Bosch Investigating was located, but one block away. Most of the street in front of the building was open for cars to park there, but he didn’t want to be that close. Still, when the time came, he was hoping that he would be able to get back into his car quickly and get away.
He had no wallet in his pocket. No cellphone either. There was nothing on him to identify him at all. There was no registration card in the car. The car had never been registered. The license tag on the car was one they found in a junkyard after they had bought the car. His uncle had drilled it into him to drive carefully. No tickets. No police involvement. Be just another person that would normally be there. Don’t stand out in any way. Be there, but be invisible. Those were the words he had lived by. Bijan too. Until that private eye had ended Bijan’s life. Now it was time for that private eye to pay.
It was early yet. He waited. He watched his rearview mirror and his sideview mirrors constantly. He knew he was going to have to wait a long time before he started. But this time…this morning…he had to make sure everyone he wanted to kill was going to be there before he went in.
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Just another day. That’s what Robbie thought as he took one of the open parking spaces right in front of their office. Judging by the surrounding cars, the architect and the design artist weren’t in yet. Before he got out of his car, he saw another car pulling up right behind his. He recognized the artist’s car. Just another day.
He got out, looking around briefly. All seemed safe. He greeted the artist pleasantly. He listened as Shirley did the same, then paused to talk longer. He mentally willed Shirley to stop talking and get inside, but he said nothing. Instead, he kept turning his head, looking around casually. Checking the area.
The women finally decided to move towards the building while they talked. But they moved slowly. Robbie continually watched the area around them. He was relieved when they all finally got inside. Shirley said goodbye to the woman and together they climbed the steps. Robbie unlocked their office and they went inside. He switched on the lights then he started looking carefully through the outer office and his inner office. All secure. He breathed a sigh of relief.
Just another day.
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Pasha didn’t dare turn around the entire time Bosch and his wife were out there. He had watched them arrive. He had watched them talking to the artist woman. He had watched them all go inside. He had just watched it all through his mirrors.
The entire time he had watched them, his hand had played with the safety switch on his gun, turning it on and off. On and off. He was just itching to shoot the man. Soon now. Soon.
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The bus approached her stop. Jenni was already standing, holding onto the luggage rack over her seat so she wouldn’t fall. When the bus finally stopped, she unconsciously threw the two long handles of her new purse over her right shoulder and slowly followed the few people who were getting off. A minute later, she was down on the sidewalk in the still cool air.
She put the temperature out of her mind and began the long walk from the bus stop toward Bosch Investigating’s office.
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Pasha saw the bus pass his car. Was it her bus? Was that the bus that the Jennifer woman took? He couldn’t be sure, but the bus had passed at about the same time he had noticed it a few days ago. He hoped it was th
e right bus.
Through his mirrors, he constantly watched the sidewalk for the Jennifer woman. He knew the bus stop was many blocks away. She would have a long walk. He smiled. After this morning, she would never have to worry about the long walk again. Ever!
He saw the architect arrive. The man was long gone into his office before he even saw the woman he had been waiting for. There she was, walking up the street. The skinny woman with the nice face. Jennifer. The moment she disappeared into the building, he got out of his car. He ran to the door she had just gone through. He could just see her legs disappearing around the bend in the steps. With his gun in his hand, he flipped the safety off and went after her, fast, but quiet.
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Jenny walked into the office. “Hi Shir…” An arm suddenly came out of nowhere and wrapped itself around her throat, pulling her backwards and up against someone’s body. She felt cold steel being pressed against her cheek. She heard Shirley scream as she struggled with whoever was holding her by her neck. But his grip was too tight. He was too strong for her to get free.
Pasha waited, holding the Jennifer woman tightly, his gun pressed to her head. In moments, the private eye appeared, his own gun out and aimed right at his head. Pasha smiled. He knew the private eye couldn’t pull the trigger. Not as long as he held Jennifer in front of him like he did. “Drop your gun,” he said clearly but confidently.
“No way,” Robbie replied, still aiming right at Pasha’s head.
Pasha smiled. “Drop your gun, or this woman dies. It’s you I want, not her.”
“Not gonna’ happen,” Robbie replied. “Now let’s talk this out. No matter what happens here, it’s not going to end well for you. You’ll never get away with it. We know who you are.”
“Knowing who I am doesn’t matter,” Pasha told him. “Only that you die. My brother died because of you. Now you need to pay.”
“I’m not dropping my gun,” Robbie insisted. “And if you shoot her, the second you do, I’m going to put a bullet right through your head. So let her go and put your gun down.”
“No!” Pasha yelled as he jerked hard against Jennifer’s neck. “You put your gun down.”
The sudden hard jerk seemed to pull Jenni out of the total fear that held her completely paralyzed. Her gun! As she flailed around from the strong pull he had exerted on her, her arm fell to her purse, and it went between the straps and then down inside.
“Like I said, it’s not gonna’ happen,” Robbie replied. “The only way you’re walking out of here alive is if you let her go and put your gun down.”
Pasha smiled again. “I was told that this one had to die first, before you,” Pasha told him. “But you’re the reason why Bijan is dead. I’m not really interested in Jennifer here at all. So…”
“Jennifer!” Jenni suddenly screamed as she jerked against his strong arm.
Pasha was caught off guard by Jenni’s sudden outburst.
“Why can’t people get it right?” she yelled as her hand inside her purse twisted it around behind her. “How many times do I have to say it?” she said as her thumb switched the safety on her gun off. “My name isn’t Jennifer! My name is Jenni…and I spell it with an i!” With that, she pulled the trigger.
Chapter 21
“She what?” Sally screamed as panic engulfed her.
“She shot someone,” the policeman on the other end replied. “She asked us to call you. She’s being held right now at the downtown police station.”
“I’m on my way!”
Sally hung up her phone. She forgot all about the work she was doing. She forgot about anyone else around her. Her only thought was that she had to get to Jenni. Jenni had shot someone? That gun Jenni was carrying around was supposed to help her if she got into trouble. Now it sounded like she should never have been carrying it in the first place. Had Jenni’s temper flared up again and she had taken it out this time with her gun? All she could picture was her Jenni behind bars.
“Something wrong Sally?” one of her coworkers asked as they saw her grabbing her purse.
“Jenni just shot someone. I’ve got to get to the police station.” With that, she ran out.
--- §§§§§§§§§§ ---
The interview room was crowded. Too crowded. And when Captain Glacier walked in and saw everyone there, he suggested they all move to the conference room. Nobody had said anything yet. Jenni was still shaking, and Robbie and Shirley weren’t going to leave her side. They were all waiting for the formal questioning to begin. And Captain Glacier had said he wanted to be there. Five minutes later, they were all sitting more comfortably around the table in the conference room – Jenni, Robbie, Shirley, Philly, Gonzo, and Captain Glacier. They had barely gotten seated when Special Agent Conifer and Agent Monroe arrived.
“Are we all here now?” Glacier asked as the two FBI agents took their seats.
“We appreciate you waiting for us,” Conifer replied.
Glacier looked at Jenni. There was no doubting how scared she looked. Robbie was keeping his arm around her shoulder trying to support her. “Jenni,” he said softly. “You’re not in any trouble. That man came in with the express purpose of killing you. You, and Robbie, and Shirley. So relax.” He saw no sign that his words were any comfort to her at all. He looked briefly around the table. “Can someone start at the beginning and tell us what happened?”
“Which beginning?” Jenni asked. “When?”
“This morning,” Robbie supplied. “I guess it all started when you came into work.”
“Oh. Yeah.” Jenni took a breath and looked around at all the people. They were all waiting for her to answer. “I came into work, and just as I got in the door, he grabbed me around my neck. He pulled so hard I thought he was going to choke me to death.”
“I thought he was going to shoot you right then,” Shirley added.
“When I heard Shirley scream,” Robbie said, “I grabbed my gun and ran out. He was holding Jenni with his arm around her neck so that she was right in front of him. There was no way I could get a clear shot at him. I did my best to talk him down, but he wasn’t having any of it. As we were going back and forth, I noticed Jenni reaching into her purse. The next thing I knew, she was screaming about him calling him Jennifer, and then she shot him, right through her purse. She kind of twisted the thing around behind her and pulled the trigger. She shot him in the side, and he fell like a brick. I did my best to stop the blood, but I knew he wasn’t going to last very long.”
“Did he say anything at all,” Conifer asked.
“Not after she shot him,” Robbie replied. “He was pretty much unconscious right away and I never saw him wake up. I think Philly said he died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.”
“Yeah. He didn’t last long at all,” Philly added.
“So he said nothing at all that might indicate if there’s someone else out there working with him.”
“Actually, he did,” Robbie replied. “While I was trying to talk him down, he said just one thing. He said someone told him that Jenni had to die first, but because of his brother, he was more fixated on killing me than her.”
Everyone at the table knew that was bad news.
“But I shot Bijan, not you,” Philly pointed out.
Robbie shook his head. “I guess somehow, since they were probably supposed to kill Sally and me, he still blamed me instead.”
“So there’s someone else out there, and we don’t know who yet.” Conifer noted.
“Looks that way,” Robbie told him.
“Any luck with better IDs?” Conifer asked.
“Not yet,” Philly replied. “The only thing he had in his pocket were his car keys. And when we found it, the plates were old and stolen and there was no registration either. So far, we’ve come up blank. But it’s early yet. We just started working on it.”
Conifer nodded. “Keep us in the loop. There’s no question that this was a justified killing. Is that the way you see it?�
� he asked Glacier.”
“Absolutely. No question.” Glacier agreed.
“The only part that really bothers me,” Conifer replied, “is that there’s still someone else out there. Maybe many people out there, and we have no way of knowing how many, or who, or where.”
“Trust me,” Robbie replied. “It’s got me nervous too. The only strange thing is that Pasha, the guy Jenni shot this morning, he and his brother were the only ones we ever saw. They were the only ones who ever tried to harm us.”
“Except for the problems that Jenni faced down in the keys,” Philly added. “And I think we’ve definitely concluded that the attempts on her life down there were connected.”
Robbie nodded. “Yeah, except for that.”
“My guess,” Conifer said, “is that there’s a small cell out there, and they’re networked together with other cells just like them. One cell helps out the other.”
“Which means we’re still in danger,” Robbie noted.
Conifer nodded. “I’d say so. One way or another, I think you should keep watching your backs.”
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“Jenni!” Sally exclaimed anxiously the moment she spied Jenni coming out of the conference room. She ran to her and hugged her. “Are you alright? What happened? Did you kill someone?”
“I’m fine, Aunt Sally,” Jenni replied. “I think, anyway.”
“What do you mean, you think? Were you hurt?”
“No. Not really.”
“I thought that you having a gun would be a good thing, and now you’ve gone and shot someone? Jenni, are they arresting you?”
“No Aunt Sally. It’s nothing like that. He was trying to kill me. He grabbed me before I knew he was there and shoved a gun against my head.”