She frequently caught Bobby looking her way, smiling, presumably lost in the same memory. The knowledge of these things should have been enough to calm Piper’s anxiety and jealousy. Still, there were times she thought infringing on the bond that Jules and Bobby shared was a futile task.
Piper continued letting the business at hand trump her feelings. “Along with the pictures I’ll also be planting some micro cameras to ensure that we can keep tabs on the evidence and who is aware of it and when. I’ll use this burn phone to contact Christian.” She saw the look of frustration on Michael’s face as he huffed with annoyance. “Sorry, I mean Rico,” Piper corrected. “Then once we know he’s in possession of the photos we’ll tail him until he makes his move. I’m guessing it’ll be pretty quick, since there will most likely be an enormous amount of emotion involved in all this. I doubt he’ll be doing anything but seeking some revenge.”
“You’re oversimplifying this a bit. How exactly do you plan to tell him about the photos? Don’t you think he’s going to have some questions? It’s not going to be quite as easy as making a quick phone call,” Bobby chimed in. He was concerned that on paper, they were heading in the right direction, but in reality things wouldn’t go as smoothly.
“I’ve got that conversation under control. I’m prepared for it. What we’re not prepared for is what happens when these two men are face to face. I know you’re both against any bloodshed here, but I haven’t heard any other solutions. We can’t let that piece of the puzzle put the brakes on everything else. We move forward on Friday.” Piper heard loud footsteps move above her and then down the stairs toward them. She had learned to tell the difference between Betty’s slow and quiet steps and Jules’s quick and heavy gait. For a small person the girl could certainly stomp around the house.
Like every night before this, she was bored and frustrated to be cut out of the details like a child. She came sulking into the sitting room and planted herself down next to Michael.
“Are you guys finished yet? I’m tired of being grounded,” Jules said, folding her arms obstinately across her chest.
Michael wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into his side. “Yes, we’re done for tonight. Sorry you have to wait around so much. I know this isn’t easy on you. We’re in the homestretch now. There won’t be many more nights like this.”
It was so odd to see Michael comforting Jules. Piper had grown so accustomed to his silly side that she hadn’t realized how good he was at being serious, at being someone’s rock. He was a good man in a storm, and this was certainly turning out to be turbulent weather. They had only come together a few days ago, yet they seemed to balance each other perfectly. Jules was a bit dramatic and emotional while Michael was steady and logical. Certainly, under different circumstances, they’d never grow so close so quickly, but something about this ordeal seemed to make it right to seek comfort in each other.
Jules had spent hours telling Michael about her father and what his death had done to her as well as how grateful she was for Michael’s role in all of this. It had made Michael’s resolve and commitment to see the endeavor through even stronger.
Piper turned toward Bobby, expecting to find him watching begrudgingly as his childhood companion sought solace in the arms of another man. Instead, his eyes were fixed on Piper, and his look was one of deep longing. He knew he didn’t need the distraction, he didn’t need to be clouded by his emotions for her, but it didn’t mean he wasn’t finding it near impossible not to hold her.
Chapter Nineteen
Piper took in a deep breath as she rang the doorbell outside the judge’s house. She could feel sweat gathering all over her body, and she reminded herself that everything hinged on the proper execution of the task at hand. There were so many moving parts, so many things that had to fall into place. She didn’t pray often and didn’t even believe that God would be supportive of what she was about to do, but she sent up a small silent prayer all the same.
The door pulled open and Mrs. Lions stood there smiling warmly. Piper was slightly shocked by her beauty. She assumed perhaps the exotic features she had seen from a distance would look more weathered up close and her age would show. It was quite the opposite. The judge’s wife was stunningly pretty. Her hair was silky black, and perfectly styled. She wore a tracksuit made of luscious pink suede that hugged her fit body. Her jewelry was simple and elegant, but her most attractive accessory seemed to be her confidence.
The smell of cinnamon poured from the house and filled Piper with a sense of temporary calm as the woman began to speak. “I’m so glad you were able to come out so quickly,” she gestured for Piper to come in. The house was so warm, not in temperature, but in its welcoming feel. Flickering candles filled the house with the scent of fall. There was a plate of baked goods laid out on the kitchen counter next to a small plate, cloth napkin, and an empty glass. “Please have a seat and enjoy a little refreshment first. I know how hard you work all day, you deserve a little break.” She waved Piper over to the bar stool in the kitchen.
“Ma’am that is so kind of you. Unfortunately my schedule today is really full, and I have some appointments I’ve already had to push back. I should get right to work. I want to make sure we get you up and running before the end of the day. If not, you’ll probably have to wait until Monday, and I don’t want that to happen.” Piper kept running the word personable through her mind. Michael had been successful in slightly psyching her out about her likability.
“I completely understand. My husband will just die if I don’t have this all sorted out tonight. There is a boxing match this weekend, and we are expecting company. I can’t stand it, such unnecessary violence, but you know how it is, we do anything for our husbands.” She smiled big enough to show her perfect white teeth and, again, Piper couldn’t understand how anyone could turn outside his marriage to such a beautiful woman.
Right on cue, the chimes of Mrs. Lion’s phone began to ring. “The television is right through those doors. I’ll take this call and be right back with you.” She brought the phone to her ear and gave a cheerful greeting. Piper wanted to listen in on the call to ensure it was going as planned but knew she should set up her tools and look thoroughly busy by the time the judge’s wife rejoined her.
“Oh, you’ve already started?” she said as she came fluttering into the room where Piper had laid out numerous tools and rolls of unnecessary cable. “I’ve got to run out for a few minutes and take care of some paperwork down at town hall, is it possible you can come back later on today?”
“I’m sorry, we’ve got so many people anxious to get their cable working before the boxing match that we’re a little flooded. I think I have the problem figured out here. I’ll need about an hour to get it all squared away. I guess if I hurry I could be out of here in forty-five minutes.” Piper knew if Jules had done her job then she had created an urgency Mrs. Lions would not be able to ignore. If Jules had told the story properly then she would have relayed how an auditor was making his way through their files and it was imperative she arrive quickly to correct some missing paperwork.
“I really must go get this paperwork fixed. I know I’m not supposed to, but can I leave you here for just a few minutes? I won’t be long at all.” Mrs. Lions was already pulling on her coat and searching for her keys.
“It is against the rules, but as long as you won’t be too long I won’t tell anyone. I might need to access other televisions in the house; can you point them out quickly before you go?” Piper could feel the corners of her mouth tugging into a smile and she fought the urge to prematurely celebrate.
“Sure, there is another television here in the kitchen that folds down from under the cabinet, and one in the spare bedroom at the top of the stairs. Around the corner here in my husband’s office, but you can’t go in there. All the other rooms are fine but that room is off limits, I’m barely allowed in there,” she laughed awkwardly. “My husband is a judge and has a lot of privileged information. If that television
isn’t working he’ll have one of his guys come by and look at it another time.” Mrs. Lions already had her hand on the door as she threw her purse over her shoulder.
“I understand. I’ll probably still be working on this one by the time you get back. Drive safely.” Piper flashed the southern charm smile she had been practicing and waved warmly.
“Bless your heart. I’ll pack up some scones for you to take with you when I return.” She pulled the door closed behind her, and Piper waited until the car pulled away before fishing her phone out of her pocket and dialing Bobby’s number.
“She’s on her way to town hall now. It sounds like Jules did great. I’m going to be heading into his office and looking for the right spot for the cameras and the pictures.” Piper could feel her heart thumping against her ribs as she pulled everything she needed from her toolbag and moved toward his office.
Bobby sounded all together different to Piper as he began to speak. She assumed this was the serious tone he used at work. “Great job. Michael is at town hall now and he’ll give us a heads-up when she’s leaving. I’m on duty, so I’ll take a couple of swings by the judge’s house and make sure everything still looks clear for you. How are you doing?” Even with the firmer tone, Bobby’s voice was the comforting beacon of a lighthouse that kept Piper from losing herself in the intensity of the moment.
“I’m fine. I want to get this done and get out of here,” she stuttered nervously, hearing her words catch.
“Piper, stop for a second and breathe. I know this is overwhelming but you have this under control. Take it one step at a time. I’ll stay on the phone with you,” Bobby said, with a calm he must have learned in some hostage negotiation class.
Piper drew a long calming breath as she stepped through the threshold of the judge’s home office. The massive furniture was made of rich, dark wood. The walls were a textured espresso color. There was a wall of shelves covered in books and another wall covered in pictures of the judge with various celebrities and noteworthy people.
“What do you see?” Bobby asked, breaking Piper’s momentary frozen state while she assessed the room. He may have wanted her to be calm, but that didn’t include being slow. They were still up against the clock.
“There are a few filing cabinets, a huge bookshelf that’s the size of the whole wall, and his desk.” She pulled the handles of the filing cabinet and they were locked. She ran her hands over the tops of the books that were within reach looking for any gaps or hiding places.
“Take a good look around. If you were going to hide something in there, something you didn’t want to be found, where would you put it?” Bobby felt helpless, like his part in all of this was small and it wasn’t fair to Piper to be in there alone.
Piper closed her eyes and imagined she lived here. She imagined this was her office and she was the judge, trying to live a double life. She opened her eyes and scanned the room until her gaze was pulled upward. “There’s a gap between the top of the bookshelf and the ceiling. I think I could pull a chair over to it and get the pictures up there. I’m going to put the phone down for a minute. Don’t hang up.” She may have been alone in the house, but Bobby was her lifeline and she needed him to keep talking to her.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said reassuringly. He turned onto the judge’s street and drove by the house wishing he could pull over and help Piper.
She wheeled the desk chair over and lifted herself up so she could see the top of the bookshelf. There was a good six inches from ceiling to shelf and it ran the length of the room. It would be a great spot to plant the pictures. The judge wouldn’t be likely to accidently find them before Christian could.
As she tried to position herself better on the bulky office chair she felt the top of the bookshelf give way slightly under the weight of her arm. She noticed a piece of it didn’t match the rest and seemed to be loose. She pulled her keys from her pocket and used one to pry up the wood. It came loose and exposed a small cubby filled with notes and photographs. Piper reached her hand in to pull some out.
She covered her mouth in shock as the reality of what she had found began to solidify in her brain. There were pictures of various boys in compromising positions at the hands of the judge. The boys seemed to range in age from ten to early teens and all had the same empty-eyed look of fear and pain in their eyes. The papers Piper was trying to gather up were all written on the letterhead of the charity, Legal Buddies. They seemed to be files of the young boys and in the margins were handwritten notes in the judge’s familiar scrawl. Piper could hear Bobby’s faint voice from her phone on the desk and knew if she didn’t come down and let him know she was all right he’d be busting down the door any minute. She took a handful of the pictures and paperwork down with her as she dismounted the chair.
“Bobby, I found something. I don’t know if it changes things,” she stammered. “I don’t know what to do here, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.” Piper’s voice was high and Bobby could tell she was beginning to panic.
“What is it? What did you find?” He didn’t want to fluster her further but they needed to be finishing up soon, and the alarm in her voice was scaring the hell out of him.
“I was going to put the pictures on top of the bookshelf and there was this piece of the shelf that seemed like it was loose. I pulled it up and I found all these pictures.” Piper looked down at her hands and felt tears filling her eyes. “Bobby these boys, these poor little boys.” She let the tears fall as she flipped the photographs over, unable to look at the tormented faces of the judge’s victims.
“There are all these papers here, too, from Legal Buddies. It’s like profiles on all these little kids, and the judge has notes written all over them about how to get them to keep quiet. Here’s one that says he’ll rule to reduce the sentence of this little boy’s father if he complies and doesn’t tell anyone about their secrets. This man is a monster.” She felt her hands shaking and her knees starting to buckle. She wanted to grab the pictures and run from the house directly to the police department and scream until someone would help her.
“Piper, I need you to listen to me. Put everything back where you found it and slip the photos of Chris in there with them. Set up the cameras then pack up your tools. We keep with the plan exactly how it is.” Bobby kept his voice steady but rigid. There was no room for emotion right now, not with so much on the line and so little time. “Do you hear me? I just got a text from Michael that the judge’s wife is leaving now.”
“I hear you,” Piper whispered. “I’m okay, I’m putting everything back.” Piper flipped one photograph over and stared at it for a long moment. There was no place on this earth for someone so evil, and she’d never believed that more than this moment.
Piper mounted the micro cameras pointing to the bookshelf, replaced everything, and backed slowly out of the office, trying to confirm that it looked exactly as it had before she entered. She dried all the tears from her eyes and tried to cool the redness in her cheeks with the back of her hands. She hurried back to her toolbag and began collecting all her things. As she zipped it up she heard the car pull into the driveway and readied herself to cheerfully greet Mrs. Lions.
“Are you all done?” she chirped, as she entered the house with a wide grin, surprised to see Piper all packed up and looking ready to leave.
“I am,” Piper responded unreservedly, returning a warm smile. “Your cable will be all set in about ten minutes. I need to work on the box outside for a minute and then you’ll be good to go.” Piper wondered what the judge’s wife really knew about her husband’s crimes, reminding her of her own mother’s willingness to harbor a monster.
“Let me pack some scones for you, dear. You sound like you have a long day ahead of you. We’re so grateful you were able to fit us in, it’s the least we can do.” The judge’s wife tucked four scones into a beautifully decorated paper bag.
“You are so kind. I wish all my customers were as wonderful as you. I’m not sure I’ll h
ave time to stop for lunch today, so these will be a nice treat.” Piper hardly recognized her own voice. Perhaps Michael was right and being nice was indeed in stark contrast to her normal personality.
Piper waved goodbye as she shut the door behind her, toolbag and scones in hand. As she made her way to the van she saw Bobby’s squad car approaching. She knew he wouldn’t stop. They couldn’t chat here, but as he passed, their eyes met, bringing a sense of relief that filled her entire body. There was something magic about that man, even a glance from him could calm her when it seemed like nothing could.
Unfortunately, as his car drove out of sight the magic wore off. Piper backed out the driveway and, after driving a safe distance from the judge’s house, pulled the van over. She swung her door open and vomited onto a pile of freshly fallen leaves. The vileness of the world and the lack of protection for children were too much for her stomach to handle. As she pulled herself back into the van she felt the tears begin again, and she ached for this day to be over, to be safe at Betty’s house.
Chapter Twenty
“Are you going to tell us what this is all about?” Michael asked in a demanding tone. “Tell me exactly what you saw.” His patience with Piper was wearing thin. She had been sitting in her car crying for twenty minutes, begging to be left alone before finally joining Michael and Bobby in the sitting room at Betty’s house.
“Michael, back off her for a minute. This hasn’t been a very easy day,” Bobby barked at Michael, as he rubbed Piper’s back, supportively encouraging her to take her time.
Chasing Justice Page 19