The Victim of the System

by Steve Hadden

  Then darkness drowned her hopes for Jack. Rossi’s failure would end Jack’s life, but despite the eternal damnation she’d live with, Michael would be safe.

  Lauren leaned back in her chair. “He’s a good man. He wouldn’t let Jack down. He would’ve told me if he didn’t think he could do this. I’m in.”

  Jenna’s dad crossed his arms. “Did you forget? His bar blew up last night and his sister is in the hospital.”

  “No. Oh, no,” Lauren said. “How bad is she?”

  “Serious but stable,” Ed said.

  “I’ll get him back.” Jenna said. It was her best lie. Lauren seemed to believe it because she wanted to.

  Her father’s eyes were filled with suspicion, but she couldn’t tell him about the threat—not yet. He was old-school, and he’d pick up the phone and call the FBI and Michael would be dead the next day. Jenna had no idea if she could get Ike back, but one thing was on her side. Ever since she’d met Ike Rossi, she’d use one word to describe him. Right or wrong, no matter what the consequence, he was always one thing. Determined.

  CHAPTER 46

  It was nearing eleven a.m. and Ike sat in the waiting room of West Penn Hospital thrumming his thumb against the seat. Maria had almost died, and he’d never felt this darkness before. He’d been in and out of Maria’s room whenever staff members interrupted her periods of sleep as they ran a battery of tests to determine the degree of oxygen deprivation from the smoke. With Mac’s help, he’d filled in the fire investigators and the bomb squad during the interims. The ATF had been called, and Ike fully expected to repeat himself again. Detective Cassidy arrived and tried to question them but left when Ike offered to rearrange his face.

  Mac faced him in the opposing chair, asleep and covered in soot. Mac had been with him all night, refusing treatment to remain at Ike’s side. Ike entered another debt in his ledger to Mac. He’d help save them both.

  Over Mac’s shoulder, Ike spotted the nurse assigned to Maria walking toward them. Ike had learned that her smile always preceded an invitation to reenter his sister’s room.

  “Mr. Rossi,” she whispered. “She’s awake and the breathing tube is out. The doctor says you’re welcome to see her.”

  Ike stood and Mac opened his eyes.

  Ike touched Mac’s shoulder. “Going back in.” Ike addressed the nurse. “Mac saved us both. Can he come in for just a moment?”

  “Of course.” She turned and led them through the double doors and into intensive care. As they entered Maria’s room, Ike noticed the bank of monitors tethered to her by a network of cords. A clear IV bag hung at the right head of her bed and dripped into the tube connected to her hand. He tiptoed in with Mac trailing him. They stopped at the foot of her bed. She partially opened her eyes. When she recognized them, she smiled.

  Ike moved to her bedside, knelt beside her, and stroked her forehead. It was the first time he’d seen her without the breathing tube and awake.

  “Hey, sleepyhead,” Ike said.

  “Hey yourself.”

  Her reply was weak, but Ike sensed something else in her tone. For the first time in his life, he felt distance between them. He wanted to write it off to the injuries, but he couldn’t

  Maria’s eyes drifted to Mac. “Mac. You look terrible.”

  “You should see the other guy,” he said, smiling.

  “I am the other guy,” Maria said.

  The doctor appeared at the door, glancing at Mac and then Ike. “Can we talk, Mr. Rossi?”

  Ike nodded in Mac’s direction. “It’s okay. He’s family.”

  The doctor stepped into the room. She was young, younger than Ike, but she’d earned Ike’s confidence with her fact-based approach to Maria’s care.

  “She’s had a rough go. Good thing you were just down the street. The EMTs and ER staff did a great job. I see no permanent damage to her lungs or her heart.” She shifted her eyes to Maria. “Very lucky.”

  Ike squeezed Maria’s hand and dropped his head in thanks to a greater power. He looked up and saw Maria smile back at the doctor. While Ike had no time for guilt, he knew he was on the hook for this. “She’ll be okay?”

  “We need to keep her for a day, but it looks like she’ll be fine.”

  Mac reached down and squeezed her toes through the blanket. “She’s a tough one.”

  The lead weight on Ike’s mind lifted. Maria would be all right. But the weight was replaced by a burning vengeance.

  Ike rose and shook the doctor’s hand. When he turned back to Maria, her smile disappeared.

  “You need to end this.” Maria’s voice was raspy and weak.

  “I’m sorry you were hurt.”

  “Not hurt. Almost killed. And the only real connection we had to Mom and Dad is destroyed.”

  “I’m helping Jack because he needs me. I need to do this.”

  “You’re just fooling yourself. What you’re doing won’t bring Mom and Dad back. And it won’t give you closure. You’ve destroyed everything—and for what? To help a kid who everyone knows is a murderer. He killed someone’s father. Ever think about that?”

  “Yes. And you wanted me to do this.”

  Tears streamed down Maria’s face. “I didn’t know it would cost us everything.”

  Ike was trapped. Jack or Maria. He glanced at Mac, hoping for a lifeline.

  “You two can’t live without each other,” Mac said. “It’s always been that way—always will be. I know this means a lot to you, but she’s right.”

  Both Mac and Maria stared at Ike. The silence was like a thick concrete wall between them. Ike’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and stole a glance. It was Jenna.

  “I’ll be right back.”

  “No. No, you won’t. Get the hell out of here. I don’t want you he—” Maria coughed hard and the nurse came in.

  “Everybody out. Now,” the nurse said.

  As he turned to walk out, he heard Maria say, “He’s kidding, right?”

  He made it to the waiting area and took the call with Mac eyeing him.

  “Jenna?”

  “Yes. Ike. I wasn’t sure if I’d get you. So sorry about your sister.”

  “You heard about that?”

  “The entire country has heard about it. They’re calling it a bombing. Is she okay?”

  Ike hated talking to Jenna with Maria just down the hall. It felt like a betrayal. “No. But she will be.”

  “I hate to call you now, but the case is thirty-six hours away and we’re in trouble.”

  Ike weighed dumping her right now. But Jack’s gravity reeled him back, and the words eluded him. He decided he’d play Solomon and split the baby. “I have more information for you. Can I come out to your office?”

  “Of course. You sure?”

  “Never been surer.” Ike ended the call.

  Mac wagged his head and stared at Ike. Ike didn’t yield and raised his eyebrows. “Can you meet me out front? I need to get to the Shelby.”

  “I’ll meet you out front.” Mac stomped out of the lobby.

  Ike’s world was ripping in half. He knew what he had to do. Maria meant everything to him. She was his responsibility—his alone. He hated what he’d have to do, but he’d do it. He pulled out his phone and scrolled to the contact for The Farm. Moretti answered on the first ring.

  “It’s me. Tonight.”

  He stuffed the phone into his jeans and headed for the front doors.

  CHAPTER 47

  Joseph needed to wrestle this story to the ground and kill it. It was the quicksand that could swallow his family and his business. Decisive action internally and silence outwardly was the only response. He closed the door to his library and faced his family.

  Erin had left Jack in front of the TV in the den, Shannon had run in at the last minute and sat next to her mother on the sofa after doing damage control for the family, and Nick sat quietly in the side chair. The glib expression on Nick’s face pushed Joseph past any guilt he’d had for causing Nick’s
behavior. It was just after four p.m. and the explosion at Rossi’s had been the lead story on every cable news channel. These days, explosions always made the national wires, but it wasn’t the fact that the story had gone national that troubled Joseph. He’d spotted the CNN banner on the flat screen mounted on the wall: “Falzones Linked to Explosion Victim.”

  Joseph pointed to the screen. “Does everybody see that? That’s our name on the national news. This is what I’ve always talked about. It only takes a second to injure our reputation.”

  Shannon responded without hesitation. “I’ve talked to all the major media outlets and sent out a tweet saying the link was coincidental and we condemn the act and want the best for the Rossi family.”

  “Good,” Joseph said. “Let that be the last thing we say publicly about this matter. Any response could lead to more difficult questions.”

  Nick stood and threw a disrespectful nod to the screen. “We have nothing to worry about, Dad. Any inquiries will hit a brick wall, and the things you may be worried about are safe. Besides, they got what they deserved.”

  Joseph scrutinized Erin’s face and weighed his response. She was right there—he could see it in her face—on the edge of an issue that would end her marriage to Joseph. And Nick, with his stupidity, was leading her there. But the nuclear response he wanted to deliver would be confirmation of something big.

  “While Ike Rossi was working against us, violence against him or his sister is unacceptable. Now sit down—I’m not done.”

  Erin tilted her head slightly. “Joseph, what’s going on?”

  Joseph used his rehearsed remarks. “Rossi was the investigator working for Lauren Bottaro and her attorney. We caught him in the office Thursday trying to access some three-dimensional seismic images on the Virginia blocks. We don’t know why he wanted them, but as you can imagine, they’re highly sensitive. We paid a lot of money for those blocks and that data. I had Nick secure it. It’s nothing more than that.” It was his first barefaced lie to Erin and he hoped she didn’t detect it.

  Erin appeared to be unsatisfied. “Okay then.” She stood. “I need to check on Jack. Anything else?” Her tone said everything. Joseph dreaded the private conversation he knew was coming.

  “No, dear. Just a few things for the kids about the PR strategy.”

  Erin didn’t kiss his cheek on the way to the door. Shannon was deep in thought, putting the pieces together, it seemed.

  “Okay, Nick. No more. No more of anything. Take some time off or do whatever you have to, but don’t meddle in this.” Joseph pointed his finger at Nick. “And leave Erin alone.”

  “Sure, Pops.”

  ~~~~

  Shannon hadn’t seen that look in Joseph’s eyes before. Nick had crossed the line, and she rarely avoided Joseph’s wrath when that happened with her. But this was Nick—mister fair-haired, give-him-a-pass golden boy. She’d known about the seismic, but the intensity of her father’s response caused her to think again. It was the first she’d heard of 3D images for the Minuteman prospect.

  “Dad, what’s going on?”

  “Just what I said.”

  She could tell when her father wasn’t truthful. He rarely kept anything from her, which was why this was so obvious.

  “What’s on the seismic?”

  Joseph dropped his head. The truth was coming.

  “It’s an image of the largest structure we’d ever hoped for. And based on the work we’ve done, we think it’s mostly oil.”

  He was still hiding something.

  “What else?”

  “Nothing. That’s it.”

  Nick walked to Shannon. “It’s none of your business. You do the PR and government affairs. That’s your job. Running the company is mine, so just back off.”

  “I won’t back off anything. I’m as much a part of this family as you are.”

  “Is that why they call you my half-sister?”

  Shannon took a step, closing the distance between them to inches. “I want to know what you’re hiding.”

  Nick smiled and wagged his head. “We all have our secrets, don’t we, sis?”

  Shannon felt the warm flush rising in her cheeks and fought it back. There was no way he knew her secret. They’d been too careful.

  “That’s enough, Nick.”

  Nick shot up. “Can I go now?”

  “Get out of here,” Joseph said. “And remember what I said.”

  Nick headed out the door.

  Now it was just the two of them. “Father, I know there’s something else. And I know you’re protecting Nick. I guess that’s your business. But I have a few questions to ask you.”

  “Sure, sweetie.” He walked to the sofa and sat next to her.

  “When did we acquire this seismic?”

  “Why do you want to know that?”

  “Just answer, Father.”

  “Okay. It was in November.”

  “And when was the data processed and the images delivered?”

  “Just before Christmas.”

  She readied herself for the next question. She hadn’t thought of it until Nick mentioned the things Joseph might be worried about. She wanted the answer, but she wasn’t prepared for it. She felt her hands tremble. Still, she dived in.

  “Patrick died in January. Is there any link to his death?”

  There it was. It was as if she were accusing her father of murder. That shock registered on Joseph’s face. But she saw a hint of something else. It wasn’t obvious and she wasn’t sure. She also didn’t want it to be true. It was just the slightest hesitation before he answered. She committed to examining the flight logs for that night.

  “No. Absolutely not. Why would you ask me such a thing?”

  “I never believed Patrick would have crashed on that road. He was the best driver of all of us. He never drank either. And Nick had it out for him. He even said so at Christmas.”

  “Nick says a lot of things he doesn’t mean.”

  “You have to quit protecting him, Father. We both know he’s a loose cannon. And you have him running the company. I don’t want you to go down with him.”

  “We all have problems. I won’t take it anymore from him.”

  Shannon stood. She wanted to leave before she said something she regretted. Regardless of his need to protect Nick, she knew her father was a good man. And she’d protect him if she could. “At some point, you’re going to have to decide whether you want a daughter like me or a son like Nick.”

  She headed to the door.

  “Wait. Shannon, wait.”

  She didn’t. Tears filled her eyes and a seed of doubt acidified her stomach. She needed to check the flight logs.

  CHAPTER 48

  Ike arrived in Cranberry just after four p.m. Taking the case file he’d worked on most of the afternoon, he left the Shelby and headed to the door. With each step, the overheated pressure cooker inside expanded a little more. He entered Price and Price, and Kristin greeted him and hurried him into the conference room. Jenna and Ed were huddled at the far end of the conference table and Lauren sat alone, staring at her phone. Her face was long and drawn, and her eyes sagged under the weight of what Ike imagined had been a terrible night. She looked up and the smile on her face weakened his resolve. He tossed the brown envelope onto the table.

  Lauren rushed to him and enveloped him in a long hug. “Ike. So glad you’re here.”

  He hugged her back hard. It was the best thing he’d experienced in two days. She pulled back. “We’re going back to self-defense. We need your help.”

  Jenna approached and extended her hand with a smile. Ike instinctively shook it and noticed a bruise below her knuckles. “She’s right,” Jenna said. “We need you. I’m so sorry about that mess a few days ago.”

  Jenna’s one-eighty and her repentant demeanor set off alarm bells. Ike wondered what had happened. Less than forty-eight hours ago, his credibility and usefulness had been worthless to her and Jack’s case. Making matters worse, he could see
hope written all over Ed’s face.

  “How’s Jack?” Ike asked Lauren.

  Her energy dissipated. “He’s gone. At his grandparents.”

  “Sorry to hear that. Can I sit?”

  Ike dropped into the nearest chair and Lauren sat next to him. Jenna returned to her spot across from Ed.

  Ike opened the envelope and pulled out the contents. “I have some information I think you may be able to use.”

  “Yes,” Jenna said. “Thanks for the text last night. Does it mean what I think it does?”

  “It means the judge, the DA, the attorneys, and at least the assistant chief of investigations are colluding. Beyond that, I’d be careful.”

  Lauren’s face ignited. “That will help Jack, right?”

  Jenna looked like a cat trapped on a raft in the middle of the ocean. She wrestled for the right words. She eyed Ed, then focused on Ike. “The only thing that will help Jack is evidence that shows Tom was murdered, that Franklin Tanner was involved, and that they planned to kill Jack next.”

  Ike grabbed the stack of papers in front of him and held it up. “I think you’ll find enough mistakes were made at the suicide scene to warrant reasonable doubt that Tom Cole’s death was a suicide. You’ll also see that you can call Tom’s partner as a witness who will testify that he was working on a project for the Falzones. Tom’s job was to take that seismic data and develop detailed three-dimensional images of the subsurface formations on the offshore blocks the Falzones were betting their company on. I think that’s why he was killed.”

  “That’s great, right?” Lauren said. “If we have evidence of that we can free Jack.”

  Ike felt all eyes on him.

  “Do you have evidence to back that up, Ike?” Ed asked. His tone and face said he already knew the answer.

  “No. I think the suicide scene can speak for itself. Tom was meticulous in everything he did. The scene was sloppy and rushed. He’d never do that.”