by Stacy Green
Then again, being friends with me had already accomplished that.
I decided to call Todd.
He asked me over for dinner, which was the last thing I expected. I’d been in his apartment once before when Justin, Chris and I discovered the truth about their mother. Todd was ready to throttle me that night.
Todd’s small kitchen had an eat-in nook, and he’d gone to great lengths to make sure nothing about our dinner was romantic. All the lights were bright, Barry White wasn’t playing, and he didn’t bother to cook for me. Instead, he ordered pizza and served it on plastic plates.
I settled into the comfortable bench. The three bird feeders in his small yard were busy with hungry visitors. A nervous male cardinal flittered around the largest feeder, his ever watchful eyes on his nearby mate. The female picked through the snow beneath the feeder, gorging on fallen seeds.
“I would never have taken you for a bird watcher.”
He finished his slice of pizza. “It’s calming. Especially when I have a particularly bad case. Sometimes I sit here and watch them, and I figure out what to do next.”
“What are you going to do next?”
“Special Victims has Sarah’s journal,” he said. “That part of the case is in their hands now.”
“Did you read it?”
“I did.”
I picked off a slice of pepperoni. “And?”
“Telling you probably isn’t a good idea.”
“Neither was helping me hide from your colleagues.”
He laughed. He needed to make that sound more often. “Point taken. Her journal–I don’t know why I call it that, it’s more like a case log–is full of potential johns. Unfortunately, this Preacher never gave her full names or identification information. But he did give initials and personal description, along with the designated meeting places. Special Victims is going to start there.”
“But we don’t know the names of the kids? Or the clients?”
“We do know the names of some of the kids. Most of them were boys. Sarah didn’t know where they stayed, and I suspect Preacher moved them around a lot, just like he did Riley. But three of them are missing kids from Ohio and New York. With Riley’s help, we have some hope of finding their locations.”
I took out the crumpled paper from my pocket. Kelly had given me the web address, username, and password with no argument. She was glad to be finished looking at the filth. “Here.”
“What’s this?” He eyed the crumpled paper as if it were about to explode.
Might as well get right to the point. “Preacher and his boss had an online site set up to sell kids. This is the address and your way into it.”
“What? How did you find it?”
“A good friend,” I said. “She knows how to use the software, and she spent hours searching. She’s the one who made the connection.”
He narrowed his eyes. “The same friend who found Kailey.”
“Yes, and no, you’re not getting her name, so don’t ask. The Philadelphia connection is kind of brilliant.” I explained about the historical names. “I’ve no doubt these kids are local, but who they’re being sold to is anyone’s guess. If Special Victims can get into the site–”
“They have a good shot at taking it down,” he finished. “Finding the kids will be first priority. These users scatter like cockroaches. But we might be able to find a few. Thank you, Lucy. And thank your friend.”
“One of the kids has a personal connection to Riley,” I said. “Let her know he’s got a chance at being saved.”
“I will.”
“What’s she giving you?” I went back to my slice of pepperoni. It tasted bland and dry, like everything else.
“Preacher split his time with his mother in Strawberry Mansion and a decent apartment in North Philly,” Todd said. “Riley gave us both addresses. Nothing at the mother’s place–didn’t expect there to be–but we’ve found enough at his apartment to book him on pandering and operating a house of prostitution. Our computer guys have his laptop. It’s encrypted, of course, but we’re hoping to get some information on clients and victims. If not the big boss.”
“Riley said that Preacher didn’t know who the boss was,” I said. “You think he’s lying?”
“I’m not sure.” He pushed his plate aside. His demeanor changed. Nothing extreme but a subtle shift that warned me I wasn’t going to care for his next line of thought. “What’s more interesting to me is that we can’t seem to locate him. Riley’s given us the names of every known associate and location, and no one’s seen or heard from him in more than twenty-four hours. His mother says he always checks in.”
“He must have found out Riley smartened up and started talking to you.”
“She hadn’t heard from him, either. Hasn’t seen him since she took that locket two days ago.”
So Riley was sticking to that story. Smart girl. “You’ll find him.”
“Will we?”
The question hung between us. Maintaining eye contact was crucial in a lie. And lying to Todd should be easy. After all, I’d done it before.
I looked away and took a bite of pizza.
“Lucy, I don’t know what you’ve done, which seems to be a running theme between us.” He sighed. “But I don’t think it’s any coincidence that a prostitute known to be under Preacher’s thumb for a long time is suddenly ratting him out. She doesn’t seem to be afraid he’ll retaliate.”
I tried not to choke on the pizza or the rising gorge of my stomach. “She trusts you to keep her safe.”
“Or she believes he’s no longer a threat.”
“Maybe he isn’t. You think she’s capable of hurting him?”
He rubbed his face. “No. I think you are.”
I set down the slice. “There you go again. Why are you so hell-bent on my being this terrible person? And if you really believe I am, why did you help me? Why am I here now?” I asked in my most gentle voice, even cocking my head so that I looked younger, more vulnerable. All a waste of time. Todd was better than that.
“I think you are incredibly damaged,” he said. “Your sister’s death, your years in CPS. My brother’s case. I think you absorbed it all until it became too much, and your way of controlling the guilt and whatever other emotion you’ve manufactured is to lash out and eliminate threats.”
I’d never thought of it that way, and now wasn’t the time to start. “I don’t feel threatened.”
“Not threats to you. Threats to kids. All of whom represent your sister, of course.”
My blood cooled. “You took a semester of psychology?”
“I’ve been studying.”
“I suppose it could be a sound theory. If it were true.”
He continued as if I hadn’t denied it. “You asked why I help you despite my beliefs.”
“Yes.”
“Because as a citizen, as a person with normal human emotions, as someone who watched my little brother get screwed by this system, I understand what you’re doing.”
“You’re not an average citizen, though.” I tried to smile, but the effort made my face hurt. I was sick of pretending, sick of the game. I needed some time to be myself and not worry about saying the wrong thing. “Aren’t you bound by the law to investigate me if you truly believe I’m doing these terrible things?”
“That’s where the conflict is. I’ve got more cases than I can handle. Robberies and murders and rapes. True threats to society. I don’t think you are. If I did, I wouldn’t be so lenient.”
“It’s a good thing your theories are wrong.” Be done with this. If he wasn’t going to arrest me, why keep on? Did he think he could reach me? More importantly, if he understood why I did these things, why couldn’t he just leave well enough alone?
Leave me alone.
My sweater stuck to my back, and I longed for the cold air outside. Coming here was a mistake.
“Preacher could have been an asset to us,” he said. “Special Victims would like to speak with hi
m. Imagine what trained detectives could have gotten out of him.”
Likely not more than the ketamine. “I hope they find him.”
“I can’t always shield you,” he said. “Preacher’s their guy now. If he’s found dead, I’m not going to be investigating it. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
I didn’t care. What was done was done, and sitting around mulling over whether I’d pay the price or did the right thing was a waste of energy. Maybe Chris was right. “I do. And I think your intentions are admirable if not confusing. You don’t need to worry about me.”
His fingers inched across the table, their tips brushing against mine. I didn’t move. Todd’s hand slowly slipped over mine until our fingers were entwined. My body tensed, and for reasons I didn’t understand, I squeezed his hand.
“Thank you for what you’ve done for me.”
“I won’t always be able to do it.”
“I know.”
“So you should stop while you’re ahead.”
I pulled my hand away and smiled. “Good thing this whole vigilante idea is just a figment of your imagination. Where is Riley now?”
“In a safe house of sorts. They’re part of our children’s advocacy group, and they’ll work with her to get things straightened out. But they’ve got security.”
“In case Preacher comes after her?”
Todd’s mouth twitched. “Or his boys. He’s got a few friends aware of the situation.”
“I’m glad she’s safe. Maybe she really can start fresh.”
He shrugged. “We’ll see.”
“So let’s get to the elephant in the room.”
“Didn’t we already do that?”
I laughed, some of my tension easing. “No, that’s the elephant in your imagination. I’m talking about the Senator. Riley thinks Sarah didn’t trust him. Did you get that from Sarah’s case log?”
“No. But her entries are very precise. They’re not feelings. So if she didn’t have any sort of concrete evidence, she probably didn’t log it.”
“Do you have any suspects for the ringleader?” I asked. “Riley said Sarah noted that.”
“She did. In her code, which our people need to work out. Let them do it.”
Todd’s phone vibrated on the table. He swiped the screen and read the series of texts that beeped through.
“We found Sam Townsend in a morgue on the northwest side of town. Picture matched a John Doe. He was discovered dead in a motel room the day after Sarah’s murder. Hung himself with a vague suicide note about killing his girlfriend.” Todd glanced up at me. “He was wearing a green sweater.”
“So that’s it?” I sat back, waiting for the relief to come. “All of this, and Sarah wasn’t even killed over her betrayal? It was her crazy ex?”
“Looks like it.”
“I don’t believe it,” I said. “Riley said Preacher blackmailed her with Sam. He claimed to know where he was.”
“You think Sam was tipped on her whereabouts so Preacher wouldn’t get his hands dirty?”
“Makes sense,” I said. “The Senator helped hide her. I find it hard to believe he didn’t do a good job.”
“Except Preacher discovered her secret.”
“That’s part of his job. These guys work online now. When your computer people get into his laptop, they’ll find out exactly how sick the man was. Hopefully.”
“Maybe,” Todd said. “But I don’t like it. Preacher’s boss targeted Sarah because she had a weakness he could exploit. And no one but the Senator knew that weakness.”
“Riley said she didn’t trust him.” I still didn’t like the idea. It didn’t feel right.
Todd closed the pizza box. “It’s still early enough for me to drop by the Senator’s office and have a chat. Do you mind?”
“Can I come?”
He rolled his eyes. “No.”
“I mind that, but I’ll see myself out.”
He walked me to the door. “Will you call me when you leave the Senator’s?”
“Again, that’s information regarding an active case.”
I folded my arms. He sighed, looking down at me as though he were humoring a toddler. “Maybe.”
33
I didn’t remember falling asleep on the couch, but the demanding shrill of my phone jolted me out of a foggy dream. Rubbing my eyes, I fumbled for the cell in my dark apartment, knocking off a coaster from the end table in the process. Finally, my fingers closed over the plastic case.
“Yeah.”
“It’s Riley.” Her heady whisper brought me to full consciousness. The microwave’s digital display said it was after midnight.
“What’s going on?”
“I left that place your detective took me to, and now I’m in trouble.”
“You what? Why would you do that? Those people actually want to help you.” I sat up and tried to adjust to the lack of light.
“Those girls were gross. One of them was all messed up on drugs and trying to come down. She had the shakes and kept screaming. Another girl refused to take a bath and smelled like the toilet. I wanted a private room, but of course they don’t have the space. I can do better on my own.”
“You sound like it,” I snapped. “You said you were in trouble.”
Riley coughed. “I left my stuff in that hotel room. I don’t have much, you know? I just wanted to get my clothes. When I got there, one of Preacher’s friends was waiting for me.”
“How badly are you hurt?”
“Not too bad. I kicked him in the nuts and ran. But now I’m on the street and lost.”
“You don’t know your way around?” Stupid girl. She knew better than this.
“Not everywhere. I ducked into some shithole bar at first, thinking I’d be all right if I stayed in a public place. They kicked me out for being underage. Now I’m at a laundromat hoping he doesn’t think to look here.”
“Did he run after you?”
“I heard him screaming at me, maybe running. I didn’t look back.” She started sniffling, followed by loud, gulping breaths.
“Tell me where you are, and I’ll call you a cab.”
“I can do that myself, but I don’t want to go back to that place.”
I wanted to scream. My patience for this kid was running thin. I’d practically handed her freedom on a silver platter. All she had to do was listen. “Riley, that’s the best place for you.”
“Can I come stay with you? Just for a couple of days? Preacher’s buddies don’t know where you live. And it’s your fault I’m in this mess.”
Helping her get her life on track was a mess. I gritted my teeth. “I don’t have an extra bedroom.”
“I can sleep on the couch.”
“Detective Beckett will come looking for you. He’ll check here.” And I didn’t need her watching me, digging her nose into my life.
“Fine,” she said. “Then I’ll go back. But can’t I just have a day of peace? I don’t want to go back to that screaming and fighting right now.”
I dropped back onto the couch and stared up at the shadows created by the bright glow of my phone. My floor lamp looked like a giant scythe ready to slash me in two. “One night, and then I’m taking you back.”
“Thank you so much. I promise, I won’t fight leaving.”
“I hope not. I’d have to call Detective Beckett and have him take you in.” I gave her my address, told her to buzz me when she arrived, and dozed back off.
Caught in a lucid dream, I heard a distant rattling. I should wake up, but my body still hadn’t caught up after my all-nighter with Preacher. A soft thud, followed by the slightest shake of my end table. And then the pattering footsteps of my fat cat.
“Leave stuff alone, Mouse.”
“You’d be better off with a dog.”
My eyes shot open. A face I recognized but couldn’t place. How did he get inside? Why was he here? I raised my arms intending to fight, but the sharp prick of a needle turned them into rolling sludge.
I barely had time to register the irony before I passed out.
34
My senses came back to me in pieces. Smell first. Cologne. Sickeningly sweet and strong enough to taste. A hint of gasoline. My tongue felt thick. Throbbing pain tormented my arms and legs. My wrists burned. They were tied. Sweat burst over my forehead. Salty tears trickled onto my lips.
“You’re waking up, I see.” His voice could have belonged to any shy man on the street.
I forced my heavy eyelids open. “Jake.”
My blurry vision allowed me to see Senator Coleman’s aide sitting in a metal folding chair directly across from me.
I sat in a metal folding chair too.
White walls, gray floors. Tools hanging.
A garage. That’s where he’d taken me.
“What did you give me?”
“Just a mild sedative. I’m sorry if you don’t like needles, but it was really the quickest way.”
I might have laughed, but the reality of my predicament snuffed out any humor. “Riley. Where is she?”
“Over here.” The teenager’s voice sent a new wave of shock through me. She stepped out of the shadows of the SUV sitting next to us. Her small hand rested on Jake’s shoulder. Anger chipped away at the clouds in my head.
“The two of you are in this together.”
She laughed. “You’re the one who told me about bargaining. It worked like a charm on you.”
I closed my eyes, fighting for my bearings. Opened them again. I needed to take stock of my surroundings. The tools on the back wall were basic: a hammer, shovel, nail gun, drill. I’d go for the hammer first. Or the shovel. It had a longer handle, and if I were lucky I could take them both out with one swing. Either way, I’d like to kill her first.
Once I got untied.
“How did you get into my building without my buzzing you up?”
She smiled, looking far sweeter than usual. “Come on, you know how easy it is to charm the right male. I just had to tell him I was visiting my aunt and forgot my code. I didn’t want to wake her. Who’s going to suspect anything else of this face?”