Hidden Crime

by W L Knightly

They had been caught up in the crowd, microphones stuck in his face as he headed out, pushing past. Many who were still outraged gave him the space he needed. Others didn’t. But they all left him standing there with the detective as Kyle Young walked out of the building, eager to get his response as if it meant more to the story.

  “Thank you,” said Kyle. “I just expressed my sympathies to Mr. Madden, and I hope he finds justice for his family. The system prevailed today. I want to thank my lawyer for bringing the truth to the table and my father for standing by my side during this time. It’s horrible to have such disgusting and false charges brought against me. Mistakes happen. It’s a shame. It’s really upheaved my life, and you know, I told my father just last night that while this has been hell on me, my heart is still with Mr. Madden. What he’s lost is so much greater.”

  It was at that time that the senator took the floor. “He sure did, and I’m very proud of my son. Kyle Young has a heart for people and always has. He’s just a chip off the old block in that way. And we do reach out to Mr. Madden and offer our condolences and our heartfelt sympathies. I’m a father myself. What he’s endured at the hand of whoever is responsible for this crime is way more than anyone should have to endure in his lifetime.”

  Jake mumbled in his ear. “It’s not over,” he said. “You can still fight, man. Justice finds everyone eventually.” Jake’s hand was heavy on his shoulder, like the weight of the world. Though all seemed hopeless, Casey still believed. Murderers didn’t walk for such heinous crimes. They were convicted and sent to prison where they lived on death row until they faced the reaper.

  But no, this prick was still walking around, living, breathing, and worse than that, he was enjoyed it. Not for long. “Don’t fear the reaper, asshole. Fear the Hangman.”

  A couple of times, Kyle leaned over and kissed the woman next to him and smiled like a snake, carefree of what was happening around him. The woman still checked over her shoulder.

  “Yeah, I’m watching you, sweetheart. You should be more afraid of him than me.” He thought about that for a moment and realized that as far as he knew, he’d killed more people than Kyle Young. Bad people, he reminded himself. At least that he knew about, anyway. The monster could have a string of victims all over the state for all he knew, and it wouldn’t surprise him one bit.

  Casey Madden had never had any ill intent toward anyone that was innocent. He had wanted to go through proper channels and find justice, but he hadn’t counted on the asshole paying off the entire fucking case. But here he was, sitting behind a burger barn, watching his victim like a madman, and maybe he was one. What had his life become? He honestly felt like he wasn’t living at all but forced to survive long enough to win the game.

  The car started, and the happy couple drove away. The Hangman stayed on their tail as they headed back to the Rockford. When they parked, he drove around the building and then approached them from another angle. He had thought that Kyle might already be out of the car by the time he got back around, but he wasn’t. Instead, he was leaned forward in the woman’s face, screaming at her.

  There was no call for it, but part of him wondered what kind of relationship the two had. “Don’t worry. You won’t have to put up with him long.”

  He sank in his seat as they looked around the lot, and he made sure to have his attention elsewhere when they looked around the lot to see if anyone had noticed his sudden rage. He got out of the car and stormed into the building, and the girl quickly put the car in gear and drove away. He wondered who she was, so he decided to follow her just to see where she went.

  After another half hour of trailing her while she stopped for gas before heading home, he parked down the street from her house, which was in one of the better neighborhoods, and she got out, only to be greeted by a man who walked out of the house and kissed her.

  “Ah. That’s why you’re so scared, is it? Perhaps I’ll be doing your old man a favor soon.” He wondered who the man was and just what the real story was between the three.

  His phone rang, and he reached into the glove box for the burner he kept there. “Yeah? What’s up, Missy?” The girl, Alyssa’s younger cousin, was more like a sister to his wife than anything. She’d been raised in the same family by Alyssa’s parents, and they were all each other had in the world until the murder.

  “Senator Young is leaving today. I heard him telling one of the other girls. I think she slept with him last night. I swear, I’m one of the only staffers here that hasn’t.”

  “And thank God for that,” he said.

  “As if I would. I just thought you’d want to know what’s going on. He also said something about how he had a meeting before he left. I thought you were waiting outside.”

  “I’ll head back that way. I got sidetracked. Kyle Young is there. I followed him to lunch with a woman. Maybe you could help me find out who she is.”

  “Wait. What?” Missy’s voice pitched higher.

  “Yes, see if he’s staying in his father’s room.”

  “There hasn’t been anyone else staying there. But that does explain this weird last name in the system. I didn’t notice until now that we had someone check in under the name K. Senatorson. I don’t know how I missed this.”

  “It’s okay. Can you keep an eye on him too?”

  “Sure. Would you be terribly pissed off if I poisoned his next order to the kitchen and stole your thunder?” She had asked him many times if she could be the one to murder Kyle Young.

  “It’s tempting, I know. But you should really let me handle that part of things. I want to give you the life I couldn’t give my wife. I want you to be happy, Missy.”

  “I will try. And I know my hands have to be clean. But a girl can dream, can’t she?”

  “Stick to the story. It will all be over soon.”

  There was silence on the other end of the phone. “I know. That’s what scares me most. This being over and you being gone. I’ll be all alone in the world again.”

  “You’ve got friends, Missy. Besides, I’m already dead. If I’m all that matters, you’re already alone.”

  “I love you,” she said.

  “I love you too, kiddo.” He had called her kiddo her entire life since meeting her when she was only fifteen. She had been five months from eighteen when her aunt and uncle had died, and he and Alyssa took care of her until she went to college. “I’ve got everything in place to take care of you, Missy. It’s the last thing I can do for you, and I know Alyssa would want it that way.”

  “Let’s not get into what Alyssa would want. I don’t need to be too emotional, and I’m serious about the fucking poison. I know where we keep it. If the customers here only knew about the rat problem, they wouldn’t choose this place to stay.”

  “Well, vermin attract more vermin. Stay out of the supply closet, and let me know if anything important happens. I’m going to be keeping an eye on the senator until he leaves town.”

  Missy’s breath sent static through the phone. “Be safe.”

  “No promises.” He hung up the phone and headed back across town to the Rockford.

  Chapter 11

  Jake

  The sheer panic on Jo’s face got Jake’s attention as she sat at her desk drinking another cup of coffee.

  “You keep that up, and you’re not going to be hungry for lunch.”

  “I’m not going to be able to eat anyway with the amount of stress I’m under.” There came a knock on the door, and when Jake looked up, Kevin was there with a somber look.

  “Hey, Jake. I thought you’d want to check this out. It’s one of the prints we found when trying to determine whose blood that was. All signs point to a man named Clay White. He’s from New York originally but dropped out of sight there. I had the boys look into it, and he has a traffic record from here in Spokane as recent as two months ago.”

  “Clay White?” The name didn’t ring a bell. “Did you find anything else out about the man?”

  “His father was a hitman,
and there was a notation in the report that he was a hitman too.”

  “Do you think he killed the chief?”

  “Not likely. We had his DNA on file, and the blood was his, as well as the skin cell samples from the other noose. I’d guess he’s a victim if anything.”

  Jo narrowed her eyes. “That doesn’t make sense. Where was his body? If the Hangman killed him too, why didn’t he leave him in the other noose?”

  “He didn’t want us to find him yet, I guess. Or he let him go?”

  “Why would he do that?”

  “What if he was hired to take out the Hangman? He was a hitman. What if he got caught?”

  “Well, then he wouldn’t let him go.”

  “Unless it was to send a message. He’s only killing those involved. He’s getting revenge on those who wronged him in the case.”

  “Murderers do crazy things. And while I’d love to stand around and hear your theories, I’ve got to get back to the lab. Could you sign this so I can go?” Jake didn’t miss his bad attitude and hurried up to sign the paper.

  “There, thanks for bringing this over.”

  “Yeah, well I was on my way out for the day. Have a good one.” He left, and Jake and Jo exchanged a look.

  “I think he’s still sore at you,” said Jo.

  “I don’t care. I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to do my job.”

  “There’s no reason you can’t do both,” She took in a deep breath and shook out her hands. “I swear, I don’t know why I’m so nervous.”

  Jake could sympathize, knowing it couldn’t be easy just getting to know the man and then having to tell him you found out about his dirty past. “I can’t believe he actually got on at this department knowing the truth was going to come out sooner or later.”

  “Unless it was my dad who had the casefiles thrown out. I mean, it makes sense. If there wasn’t a record of the trial, I couldn’t stumble across it.”

  “I’m surprised you’d admit that,” he said. “You were so quick to defend him before.”

  “And I’ve had time to think things over. There’s a lot I don’t know about him, but what little I do, I can’t ignore the fact that it leans toward him doing things of that nature. He’s been pushy since I met him, and I remember my mother telling me he always got his way.”

  “Imagine his shock when the Hangman decided to come for his revenge so soon after getting you on.”

  Jo got to her feet. “Yeah, I’m sure that put him in a good mood. And now that I get to go and talk to him about it, I’m sure he’s going to be even more pleasant.”

  “It’s that time, I guess.”

  “You guessed right,” she said, taking her handbag from where it hung on the back of her chair. “Let’s go.”

  “It’s going to be okay. When it comes to the case, you can let me take the lead.”

  “And then he’ll have something to say about that, I’m sure.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m just being a big baby. I’ll be fine once we get there.”

  “If you’re worried that I’m going to say something, don’t. I’ll behave as long as he does.”

  “That’s what scares me.” She turned and left the office, and Jake followed her out. They went to the car and then drove across town to the fancy restaurant.

  “I’ve never eaten at this place,” said Jake as they walked to the door.

  “Big surprise,” said Jo. “I think you’ll love it. I met my father here before.”

  “Let’s hope he’s already here.” Jake didn’t want to wait for him and have to wonder if he was going to show, and he had a feeling Jo felt the same way.

  They stopped at the front, and Jo told the hostess who they were there to see. She smiled and hurried to lead them to the back of the restaurant where the senator sat looking out over the lake in the distance.

  He turned his attention in their direction and seemed glad to see them. “Josephine, darling. It’s good to see you, daughter.” He rose from his seat and hugged her, giving her a kiss on the cheek which seemed to surprise her.

  She gave Jake a strange look and then sat down in the seat that her father had pulled out for her.

  Jake pulled out a chair and then waited for Jo to sit before sitting beside her across from Senator Young. “Thank you for meeting with us, Senator.”

  “Please, call me Michael,” he said. “I was surprised to find out that you’re still on the force. I was under the impression that when my daughter took the position, it was to replace you.”

  “Jake is retiring, Father. I think I’ve already explained that.”

  “Oh, yes,” he said, pausing to sip his drink. “I remember. You needed training? Shown the ropes? As if you’re not capable of handling the position.”

  “Actually, she’s quite capable of handling the job. But with the new case, the chief felt that it required an extra set of eyes. Especially considering that I remember the trial against your son. The fact that it ties into the Hangman’s case makes me a necessary part of the team.”

  Jo shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

  Michael shook his head. “I think you’ll find that the case that was brought against my son was thrown out. It was found that there was not only a lack of communication but that it was an absurd one. My son is not capable of such a crime.”

  “I personally have never been a fan of your son. And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that everyone involved in the case, which you paid to make go away, has been killed for their part in the corruption.”

  Michael sat up a bit taller. “That’s a pretty bold accusation to make against me. And you, Josephine? Surely, you don’t believe that nonsense.”

  “I do actually, but that’s neither here nor there. The problem at hand is this: there’s a man out there who wants to kill you and your son.”

  “You mean your brother.” He waved the waitress over and ordered a bottle of wine.

  Jo waited for the woman to walk away before she spoke. “Who I have never met. What I do know is the Hangman has a reason for what he’s doing.”

  “The man is crazy. He’s probably the one who killed his wife and daughter all along and then decided to blame Kyle out of some plan to get to me.”

  “I’m sure it has nothing to do with you.” Jo leaned back in her chair as the waitress walked over with their wine.

  Jake didn’t bother waiting for the woman to finish before leaning in to the table. “Your son had just left his friend’s house that night when he saw the family leave.” The woman walked away as he continued. “What he saw was an opportunity to get more drug money, and so he broke into the house to steal those weapons. But he didn’t know the little girl would have to go to the bathroom, and so when they returned, your son gutted them like some kind of animals he’d hunted.”

  “Jake,” said Jo, as they fell silent around the table. “We’re not here to rehash the past. It won’t get us anywhere. If my brother is guilty, then he will pay, but I’d rather it not be at the hands of the Hangman. What he’s doing is brutal.”

  “That was all speculation, Detective Thomas. How do you know it’s even the same man? What was his name, Mr. Madden?” Michael Young wasn’t going to crack.

  “Casey,” said Jo. Jake was glad she spoke up because he was about to.

  “That’s right. K.C.” He stressed the name as if it were two distinct letters.

  Jo caught what he was saying too. “K.C., not Casey,” she mumbled.

  Jake cleared his throat. “Regardless, I’m not discussing my theories with you,” said Jake.

  “Oh, but you’re quick to remind me of the theories you brought forth about my son all of those years ago. That’s all this is, and you don’t even know. You’d do the department a great service if you’d go ahead and retire now.”

  “I know more than you think,” said Jake. “Just like I know Kyle is the one who killed his family. I would watch my back if I were you. The Hangman is going to come for you and your son, and I just hope that we can prevent th
at from happening. I’d much more like to see your son rot in jail. Perhaps even beside you.” Deep down, he knew the world would be better without the both of them. The only good thing the man ever did was bring Jo into the world. One angel, one demon.

  “Those are awful strong words, detective. But let me assure you there is no need to worry about me. I’m a big boy and can take care of myself.”

  “I’m sure you can. Do you know a man by the name of Clay White?” He had a feeling the hitman was hired by Young to go after the Hangman. It was the only thing that made sense to him. Why else would the senator be in town at that time?

  Jo’s father reached for his drink and then took a long pull from it before busying himself by taking a bite.

  Jake turned his attention toward Jo as she stared at him wide-eyed, obviously not expecting him to mention the man’s name. “Well?” he asked again. “Clay White?”

  “I heard you the first time, but I’m not sure why you’d want to know. I mean, I know a lot of people. Some, I remember their names, and some, I don’t.”

  “So, is White one of those people you know or not?”

  “I might know the name. But even if I did know him, what would it have to do with this case?”

  “There was evidence that Mr. White was at the scene of the last murder. I can’t help but wonder what a known hitman was doing with the chief.”

  “Maybe he’s your killer?” He shrugged and took another bite of his appetizer. “Want some?” He offered a bite of the bread to his daughter, and she covered her mouth.

  “There was evidence to the contrary.”

  “What kind of evidence?”

  Jo was about to open her mouth, but Jake interrupted. “That’s not really your business.”

  “And this is not an interrogation. If you’d like it to be, then perhaps you’d like to call me into the station. Otherwise, I’d like to enjoy the short time I have left in town, speaking with my daughter about things that actually pertain to me.”

  Jo stiffened in her chair. “We wanted to see you because of the case, Father. I just wanted to warn you what’s coming. We’re doing all we can.”