Heart of Fire

by Carter, Dawn

  He statically turned to face the occupant. “Let’s get started.”

  “Why was I taken in to custody Frank?” Lopez asked his faced masked with fury as he spoke.

  “You know why you’re here Alex,” he snarled. “You have been feeding information to our Suspect.”

  Lopez sat paralyzed; he did not understand why he was being accused of breaking the law. “Frank, you got this wrong,” he stammered over the words. “I never told anyone about the case.” His tall muscular frame withered. He was being accused and did not know why.

  Frank placed the folder with the DNA results. “Open it and read it!” he growled as he pointed to the flap.

  Lopez did as asked and he scanned the pages. His name listed beside two other women. One listed as female A and the other as Female B. “What is this Frank?” He placed his hand over his forehead.

  Danni stepped in the room and stood at the end of the table. She placed a set of four pictures down. One of Kathleen O’Sullivan and one of Mayor Burns, just below those were a picture of his adopted mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Lopez.

  “What is this?” He eyed the array of pictures.

  Danni pointed to the Hispanic man and woman. “They weren’t your parents Lopez. You were given to them when you was a baby, do you think your fair skin and pale eyes came from two people with brown eyes and brown skin? No it was genetically impossible.” Danni looked at Frank, waiting for him to finish. The tag team was his idea but they never discussed cues for when the other needed help.

  “That’s a lie!” he yelled. “I have my birth certificate and had both of them listed as my parent’s.” He taunted her with the same look she gave him.

  “The DNA results don’t lie, Lopez,” Frank interrupted. “We have a mole in the office, so I collected every agents DNA and had it ran against the suspects’ and the unknown blood we found at the last crime scene.”

  “I’m not the mole Frank, give me a lie detector test and I will pass with flying colors,” his voice came across so sincere that Danni had to do a double take. “Wait, this is making sense now.” He looked at the pictures for a moment then back to Frank. “Last night I stopped to talk to this lady who said she needed to talk to me and insisted it was important. When I got there, I was the only person in the bar, and then a butch type woman came in. She was built solid; she sat down next to me and introduced herself.” He paused. “God, what did she say her name was?” He tried to remember but the name did not come. “Anyways, she said she had been searching for me for over a year, and that she was my cousin.”

  He put his head down on the table. “Is she my cousin Frank?” he sobbed when the reality of the situation slapped him in the face.

  “Yes Lopez, she is also our Suspect,” Frank said annoyed that they had her and if Lopez would have just taken the time to get a phone number, an address, any information leading up to her arrest.

  He looked sad almost to the point of tears and Danni didn’t know what would have been worse, learning your life was a lie or finding out one of your cousins is a serial killer.

  “We need to search your place Lopez, we can either get a search warrant or you can volunteer.” She considered her request and reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a pen and piece of paper sliding them across the table to Lopez who tentatively took the pen and scribbled his address on it and placed his keys on the table.

  “Thank you for cooperating,” Danni said softly looking down at the address before putting it in her pocket.

  She stepped out of the room and left Frank to finish the interrogation. She drove without the radio and without thought and without feeling. She had to remove any sympathy she had for him until she finished the search. She knew if she allowed herself to get to emotionally involved she would slip up and miss something.

  She reached his apartment, when she walked in she was surprised to see how small it actually was. The bed pushed up into the wall, a dresser, a single dinner tray and one chair. That was it. It took less than an hour to search through his belongings. There was nothing there, nothing to tie him to the suspect. He had two pictures on the wall and one on the table next to where is bed folded out. There were no letters, not even an indication if he had a girlfriend. What a sad life Danni thought. Danni believed him when he spoke but now she was sure he was as innocent as his twin sister.

  She stopped at Starbucks on her way back in, one vanilla latte for her and a plain black coffee for Frank. She reached the desk he assigned to her and explained her findings when he finally approached. She gestured to the chair next to her which Frank took willingly and sipped at his coffee. He smiled then became serious as he handed her the file. She read over the contents then peered at him over the folder. With her free hand she handed him the paper with the address on it that O’Sullivan gave her.

  She whispered that she was sure that it was where the suspect was living then looked around the room, but they all seemed too busy in their own discussions to pay her any attention so shaking her head slightly she jotted down a few notes and then went back to reading a file he handed her. She looked over the note, her brow had furrowed like it did every so often when she worked.

  She was stilling looking through the file when she felt the warmth that she already knew so well right behind her, she looked over her shoulder and smiled at the tall blonde who reached past her and sat a fresh cup of coffee on the desk where there was space

  “Have you been at this all day?” Annabel asked as she scanned the desk.

  “Do I look that rough?”

  Before Annabel could answer Frank barked out the first of his orders but spoke softer to Danni as he gestured to Annabel who was looking a little pale despite the slight flush on her cheeks. “It’s time to get down to business!” His face masked the fury as he spoke.

  They walked into the conference room where the team was already waiting on instructions. When Danni stood to talk, Frank relaxed his stance and stepped back.

  “Gentleman, we need to cover all the places the Suspect has been known to frequent.” She directed her attention to Annabel. “Flanery, I need you to wait until this evening, we have a special assignment for you. Montgomery, I need for you to keep Lopez under surveillance, and take a few men with you.” Before he could object she reminded him the Suspect was a professional body builder and was probably stronger than most of the men in the room and it could take a few of them to take her down.

  Frank smiled towards Annabel who stood in utter admiration the way Danni handled the meeting. She gave instructions like a pro.

  CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

  Glancing sideways Frank pulled the notepad back to his chest and scribbled down the address for Annabel. “Go there, park just outside, and watch,” he said getting down to business. “If you see anything, call for back-up.”

  She did not question his authority, she was just grateful she was still able to be on the case. Frank had made a few calls and all interviews with Internal Affairs were ended. She was ecstatic when Lieutenant Hagerty called her and said he was filing her statement in the garbage. She was ready to protest but he talked over her and warned her how lucky she was to have the Fed’s on her side. She smiled and knew no explanation was needed from there. She still would have her job, and her life would go on as normal thanks to Frank.

  Frank drove to his next location on the list hoping to interview possible witnesses. He had split the list with Danni that O’Sullivan provided. She was positive that her cousin frequented each place since she had followed her several times to each.

  An hour of driving to one location to another offered no information, he was frustrated. He must have showed the suspect’s picture he acquired from the newspaper to about fifteen people and no one recognized her.

  “Any luck?” he asked when Danni called.

  Her answer was as grim as his. Both tired and frustrated Danni told him she still had one last place to go, he told her he would join her and soon pulled up beside her at a bar located just off in
terstate 40 and Eastern. He licked his lips wishing he could have a drink, but he could not be tempted, he has been sober for fifteen years and would not allow himself to be tempted to throw it all away. The demon almost destroyed his marriage and career, but he woke up from his stupor one day as Tiffany was packing her bags. She was tired of picking him up off the porch each night because he was too drunk to put his key in the lock. That was the day he found the strength to get help and had not had a drink since.

  He looked at the sign and breathed the smell of alcohol which filled the evening air. He licked his lips and took a deep inward breath, the demon would not win he said to himself. “Ready?” He pulled himself together and held his hand out to allow Danni to pass.

  The bar was small, and there were only a few occupants who also included the one waitress and the bartender. “I need to know if you’ve seen this woman in here?” Danni called to the waitress and showed her the picture.

  “Yeah, I've seen her around,” the waitress said, nodding, “She's practically a regular and comes in here almost every Thursday at night. She sits down over there.” She pointed toward the end of the bar near a pay phone.

  “She just sits there? Does she order anything? Does she talk to anyone?” Agent Frank Alexander asked.

  “She usually didn't talk to anyone.” The bartender answered, “She waits by the phone until it rings. Sometimes she's here for a few minutes. Sometimes she's here a few hours. She usually had a draft or two while she waited.”

  “Does she ever meet anyone here or leave with anyone you recognize?” Danni inquired as she walked the length of the bar.

  “She met a guy here a last night,” the bartender replied. “She seemed upset or nervous. They had a few heated words, and he stormed off.” He frowned trying to recall everything. “I do remember him telling her she was no family of his and he wanted nothing to do with her.”

  Frank looked towards Danni, and they both nodded. Lopez was telling the truth. He had no idea he was related to her until last night.

  “Hey,” the bartender shouted out as they reached the door. “Do you want me to call you if she comes back in?”

  Frank turned and handed him his business card. “That is my direct line to my cell call me the moment she walks in the front door,” he concluded knowing that it was not one of the nights he had said she came in.

  Meanwhile driving along the busy highway Annabel had time to think on her past, police and paramedics swarmed about her house, the day she became orphaned. One man who had destroyed the life she knew. She still remembered nineteen years later the hollow feeling that even now was not completely gone when she had found her father smothering her mother. She hadn’t cried that day, she hadn’t cried at all for the death of her parents, she simply put it out of her mind, passed it off as something that could happen but did happen to her. As much as she tried to escape the memory, it would find the worst time to surface.

  She believed it haunted her on this night because of what Danni had told her, how the O’Sullivan woman’s life ended and her life swirled out of control after. She could not compare the two, as much pain they both shared, the circumstances were different. They both understood the loss as well as betrayal. She understood her needing to know who her father really was. She understood the shock of learning her life was a lie. She never told Danni, the man who ruined her life was not really her biological father. She found out be accident one night when her parents were arguing.

  His voice was angry as it carried through the house. He called her mother a slut, that she was nothing more than a common whore. She learned that day, when her father was deployed fighting for his country in the Gulf war, her mother, her idol had found comfort with another man. She never asked her mother who her real father was, but figured one day, maybe by accident she would. Annabel was secretly happy to know his blood was not running through her veins, he was a drunk, mean and abusive. She never understood why her mother stayed with him.

  In the distance she saw her exit, taking in a deep breath she sighed grateful the memories would fade as the investigation progressed. She geared off to the right and turned left at the first stop sign. She paid attention to the numbers on the houses to her left, she was close so she cut her lights and drove slowly.

  “I think I found the place,” Annabel called over the radio when she pulled across the street from the house.

  “Don’t go inside yet. I’m sending backup. Wait until they get there.”

  “Backup? Why?” she asked confused. “The house is dark, no one’s there.”

  “There was a change of plans. Just don’t go inside. It may be dangerous.” She didn’t say anything as she walked the perimeter of the building.

  “You’re already inside aren’t you?” his voice bellowed.

  She did not answer as she peered through one of the windows on the side of the house.

  “I’m not in the house Frank,” she reassured him and strolled back to the car.

  “Damn it Flanery! You are going to cost me my job. Just stay where you are and don’t go inside,” his voice trailed off.

  “Tell me what’s going on,” she questioned frustrated.

  “The Perp is not at any of the locations.” He frowned. “This is the time of day she is known to be there.”

  “Okay boss, I’ll stay put.” She scoffed under her breath. She really wanted to tell him she was not a child and could handle herself, but she was well aware her past few altercations ended her in the hospital. She had to be smarter than the suspect. It was time to start listening to her superiors and stop going rough.

  He did not believe her, his thin face was full of alarm and his prominent Adams apple rippled excitedly as he swallowed. He put his car in drive and sped off. He recalled O’Sullivan saying she followed her to the house and she would enter the premise and not come back out, she was sure either she knew the people who lived there, or she was holing up there. Frank confirmed it earlier in the day, when he questioned the neighbors. The elderly man who lived in the house next door told him after looking at the picture that he had just missed her. He told her she leaves first thing in the morning and does not return until night. He said she was either on foot or riding a bike and that she couldn’t be missed since she was built like a man.

  He called over to Danni and told her was going to stake out the house with Annabel and to take over in a few hours after she checked on Patricia O’Sullivan and the Mayor. She agreed and added she would pick up food on her way.

  He told her there was no need for her to bring him anything to eat; he went on to say he had agreed to meet with Tiffany at the in-laws house for dinner.

  Danni knew he was trying everything to make sure his marriage did not fail and she admired that. She was grateful that Annabel worked in the same field and already understood the hours the job demanded.

   

  The lights shone from the distance, Danni could see there was someone sitting on the front porch. When she pulled up she was greeted by Patricia who sat alone. She could see the distant look in her eyes as she walked closer.

  “All okay here?” she asked concerned knowing the Mayor was not the easiest person to get along with.

  “I guess.” She exhaled a deep breath.

  “Want to talk?” Danni sat on the step next to her.

  The tears spilled over the brim of her eyes as she looked to Danni for comfort. “He acts like I’m one of his staff,” she squealed out the words through the sobs.

  “Give him some time he’s never had to worry about anyone but himself.”

  “I know you’re right, but it hurts.” She wiped her nose on the sleeve of her shirt. “I don’t know what I was expecting.”

  She looked into Danni’s eyes for an answer then looked down to her feet which formed a pile of dirt just on the ground below.

  “Let’s go inside, I have to talk to him about a few things and I think he and I need to have a come to Jesus meeting.

  “A what?” Patricia giggled
.

  “Trust me,” Danni laughed. “Things will be different when I leave.”

  She walked from room to room and her search ended when she found him seated on the recliner. She eyed him from the distance she could see a transformation in the way he looked at her. He appeared sad, maybe a little off balance. She thought either Patricia was getting to him, or playing dead was boring him to death.

  “We need to talk,” the words echoed in the room as she sat in the chair across from him.

  “What’s there to talk about, my career is ruined, and when the papers get a hold of this story I will not be able to show my face in public,” he snarled and welcomed the double shot of bourbon in his hand.

  He was a sad example of a man to stare at and his barely visible neck dripped with day-old sweat. The permanent stains on his shirt warned Danni he had not bathed in days. He was in uncharted territory and she was sure he was drowning in the depths of depression.

  She did not know where to begin, Patricia was feeling alienated and alone still recovering, and here was the Mayor dwelling in the pits of darkness and of self-pity. A few minutes passed and she had all the misery she could take. He had such a wonderful gift bestowed to him and he could not see it, the only thing that mattered to him was people finding out.

  She slammed her fist down on the table which made him jump. “I’ve had it!” she raised her tone as she hovered over him and pointed to the door. “You will go upstairs now, wash your ass, and then apologize to your daughter for making her feel like you hate her.”

  His eyes widened as he took in her demands. “I don’t hate her,” he sobbed, confused by the entire situation and how it got so out of control. “I just don’t know what to say to her.”

  “A good place to start would be to tell her how sorry you are for not taking her in and sending her off,” she lowered her tone, trying to maintain her composure.