After his confrontation with Tyrone and Willie on Tuesday, determined to bring them down once and for all, Eli convinced the chief to let him go undercover. He picked up their trail around noon on Wednesday when he spotted the Charger at a pool hall on the south side of town. They led him straight here, to this two-story old farmhouse with a picket fence and a yard full of sprawling oak trees on a country dirt road five miles farther south of the pool hall. A quick search on Google Earth revealed the secondary entrance to the rear of the property from the adjacent wooded lot. The name on the property deed, according to county records, was Romana Peebles. Based on her Facebook profile, she was a stunning Asian woman in her late twenties. Eli assumed Romana was either Tyrone’s or Willie’s girlfriend.
Eli had parked his undercover sedan a quarter mile down the road and for the rest of the afternoon on Wednesday and all day on Thursday, he’d conducted surveillance, hidden in the bushes close to the house. He suspected the Bell brothers were operating a prostitution ring out of the house. Although he had no proof, he expected to find drugs inside the house as well. Mass quantities if his suspicions were accurate.
Eli barked out the command, and his men busted down the front, back, and side doors, entering the house with their weapons drawn. He inhaled a lungful of crisp air, holding it as he listened intently for sounds from inside, praying he didn’t hear gunfire. After several excruciatingly long minutes, his friend and sometimes partner, Brad Swanson, reported the all clear.
“You were right, Lieutenant,” Brad said over his walkie-talkie. “The Bell boys are operating a regular whorehouse in here. And get this: his customers are upstanding citizens. The country club set. I caught a glimpse of the doctor who repaired my torn ACL several years back.”
Eli was not surprised. He’d seen the men who frequented the house. Even recognized a few of them himself. Most were dressed for a day at the office in business attire. The women, however, looked nothing like the fashionable ladies he knew to be their wives.
“I guess they stopped in for a little Friday afternoon delight before going home to spend the weekend with their families. What about Tyrone and Willie? Do you have them in cuffs?”
“I hate to tell you this, Eli. There’s no sign of the Bell brothers in here. And aside from several lines of cocaine laid out on a mirror in the drawing room we haven’t found any other drugs.”
Eli raked his hands through his thick hair. “Keep searching. Their car’s out front. They have to be around here somewhere.”
“Roger that. What do you want us to do with these… um… the occupants of the house?”
“I’ll send the paddy wagon around back. Load ’em up and take them to the station. These men have a lot at stake. If they want to keep their extracurricular activities out of the papers, they’ll tell us everything we want to know about Willie and Tyrone.”
“Ten-four.”
Eli called for the paddy wagon and the two K-9 units who were stationed out of sight farther down the dirt road from the house. As they drove up the front driveway, he directed them around to the back and followed them on foot to where chaos awaited. Eli’s men led their prisoners out of the house, tugging and pulling on the handcuffs of scantily clad women and businessmen with their trousers wrinkled and the buttons on their crisp white dress shirts mismatched. The women kept their heads lowered, their lips pressed tight and their eyes trained on the ground, while the men complained about the injustice of their arrest. “I’ll have your job for this, Lieutenant!” one of the men yelled when he spotted Eli. “Chief Andrews is a personal friend of mine.”
“Not for long,” Eli hollered back. “Not when he finds out you were here and why.”
Eli sent one of the K-9 units on a search of the inside and followed the other around the perimeter of the house. Set free to sniff the backyard, the German shepherd led them straight to a toolshed at the rear of the property. The shed, hidden by overgrown shrubs, hadn’t shown up on his Google Earth search. The likelihood that anyone was hiding inside was slim, considering the padlock on the door, but Eli removed his pistol from the holster just in case. He stepped to the side of the door. Speaking softly into his walkie-talkie, he ordered Luke, his most trusted rookie officer, to bring him a crowbar. “Approach with caution,” he added.
Luke pried the lock off and kicked the door open. A John Deere mower occupied the majority of the small space. Yard tools—shovels and rakes and a wheelbarrow with a flat tire—were propped up against the walls on either side.
Eli gave a nod and the K-9 handler allowed his charge to enter. The dog immediately began pawing at the ground beneath the tractor. Eli dropped to his hands and knees and peered under the tractor. “Looks like there’s some kind of trapdoor under here.” He got back on his feet and checked the ignition for the keys. “Naturally the keys aren’t here.” He turned to Luke. “Get a crew in here to move this thing out of the way.”
Four officers arrived on the scene and helped push the tractor out of the shed. Eli lifted the trapdoor and shined his flashlight inside the dark hole. He climbed down the short ladder and yanked on the chain that controlled the overhead lightbulb. “Bingo.”
TWENTY-THREE
Annie
Faith texted Annie during her last period: “We are meeting at Jackie’s tomorrow at three to discuss your situation.”
Annie: “As if it’s anybody’s business but mine.”
Faith: “You’ll feel better once you have a plan. We can talk about it more when I pick you up from school.”
Annie: “You don’t need to pick me up. I already have a ride.”
Faith: “With Thea? I worry about your safety when you’re with her.”
Annie: “I’ll be fine.”
Annie caught up with Thea at her locker after school. “Can you give me a ride home before you go to work?”
Thea slammed her locker door shut and hooked her arm through Annie’s. “You bet. I don’t have to work today.”
“You have Friday afternoon off? Woo-hoo!” Annie punched the air. “Let’s party. Wanna go get some ice cream? I’m buying. Two scoops of salted caramel on a sugar cone.”
Thea laughed. “You’re so on.”
They were pulling into a parking space at Sandy’s Ice Cream Shop on the waterfront when Thea received a call from her mother. Annie’s ears perked up when she heard the concern in her friend’s voice. “Are you hurt? Do you think you broke anything?” Thea paused, listening. “I’m on my way. Don’t try to get up. I’ll be there in five minutes.” She ended the call and put the car in reverse. “My mom tripped over the rug in the living room. I need to go help her get up.”
Annie remembered her promise to Faith and Mike about staying away from the Bell house. But this was an emergency. Surely they would understand. “Should we call 9-1-1?”
“No,” Thea said. “This has happened before. You’ve never met her, but my mom is kinda heavy. Which makes her very clumsy.”
They headed north on Creekside Drive. About five miles outside of town, Thea turned left onto a country road. A few small homes dotted the landscape, but most of the area was rural. They drove another half mile before turning down a dirt driveway. Thea’s house was a cinder block box with concrete front steps, but Annie felt right at home when she crossed the threshold into the tiny sitting room.
Thea’s mother lay spread-eagled on the floor in front of the sofa, her ample chest rising and falling under labored breathing.
Thea rushed to her side. “How did this happen, Mama? You’ve got to be more careful.”
“Clumsy me. I tripped over my own size tens.” Thea’s mother zeroed in on Annie. “You must be Annie. You’re a pretty little thing, just like Thea described.”
Annie’s cheeks flushed pink. “Thank you, ma’am.” She stretched her good arm out to the woman.
Thea’s mother dismissed her with a wave. “You already got one wounded wing, angel. You don’t need old Flora breaking your other one.”
Flora was far fro
m old. With smooth skin and no evidence of gray hair, Annie figured she was probably in her forties, but her obesity added decades, turning a middle-aged mother into a grandmother.
Thea wrapped her arms around her mother’s ample body from behind and helped her sit up. “Okay, Mama, on a count of three.” With a strength Annie didn’t know her friend possessed, Thea hauled her mother to her feet. Leaning on her daughter for support, Flora limped back to her recliner in front of the television. Judging from the threadbare upholstery, she spent a good deal of time in that chair.
Flora settled back in the recliner. “Thea, honey, be a good girl and get your mama some juice.” She waited for her daughter to leave the room before motioning Annie to the sofa. “Have a seat and visit with me for a while. It’s not often I get a chance to talk to someone so young and pretty.”
Annie sat down on the sofa at the end closest to Flora.
“I’ve heard a lot about you, angel. Sounds like you got more than your share of trouble right now.”
Annie lifted her gaze. “She told you?” Does the whole world know I am pregnant?
“Thea and I have been through a lot together. We learned a long time ago it’s best not to keep secrets from one another.”
Annie experienced a pang of jealousy. The Sweeney women had been kind and generous to her. She had two substitute aunts, a stand-in mother, and Lovie, who was like the grandmother she’d never known. But it wasn’t the same. Annie would give anything to have a real mother. One she could confide in. One who put Annie’s needs before her own. One who had nurtured her since birth. One who would never abandon her.
“I’ve been in your shoes before.” Flora glanced down at Annie’s black Chuck Taylors. “Mine were never that snazzy. But I know how it feels just the same.”
Annie’s eyelashes fluttered. “You do?”
“Indeed I do,” Flora said, nodding, her dark eyes bulging. “I was younger than you when I got pregnant with my oldest.”
“Wow! Considering I’m only sixteen, you must have been pretty young. Did everyone try to tell you what to do?”
“Only my boyfriend at the time. Tyrone’s daddy is meaner than he is. He tried to force me to get an abortion. But I couldn’t do it. Everybody’s different, angel. There ain’t no right or wrong in this situation. Only what’s best for you. Listen to your heart and have faith in the Lord, and everything will work out the way it’s supposed to.”
Thea returned with a tray. She handed each of them a glass of orange juice and passed around a metal tin filled with shortbread biscuits. “Do you mind if we hang out for a few minutes?” she asked Annie, lowering herself to the sofa beside her. “I want to make sure Mama’s okay.”
Annie knew Faith would be worried about her. As much as Thea was worried about her mother. But they couldn’t leave until they were certain Flora was okay. “Of course. I don’t have anywhere I need to be.”
Flora pointed a shortbread biscuit at her. “You know, Annie, having people telling you what to do means they care about you. They’ll support you if you decide to keep the baby. But I’m warning you, raising kids on your own ain’t easy. I finally got it right the third time.” Flora winked at her daughter. “I don’t know what I’d do without my baby girl. Those hellion sons of mine have caused me a lot of pain and heartache. But that doesn’t mean I love them any less.”
As she sipped her juice and nibbled at her biscuit, Flora talked of her experiences raising three children on her own. Although she never came right out and said it, she hinted that all three of her children had different fathers. They never had enough money for food or clothing, and the boys were always getting into trouble, but there was plenty of love to go around. Much like the way Annie’s father had raised her. “You can do anything you set your mind to, angel. But having family around to support you will make it a lot easier.”
Could I do it? Could I keep this baby and raise it on my own? She loved Cooper. She would never pressure him into marrying her. But he was all about doing the right thing. He would insist on being a part of the baby’s life. Having his child would bond them together. Then, maybe one day, when he was ready to settle down…
“We’re having a family meeting tomorrow to decide my future,” Annie said. “I thought I knew what I wanted, but now I’m not so sure.”
“From everything you’ve said and everything I’ve heard about you and your people, I gotta believe they gonna stick by you. Just don’t let them talk you into something you aren’t ready for.” Flora leaned over the arm of her chair and patted Annie’s hand. “You gonna be fine, angel. You’re always welcome here, if you ever need to get away.”
Annie managed to say thank you despite the lump in her throat. Damn hormones.
Thea stood to leave. “I’m gonna run Annie home, Mama. But I’ll be right back.”
Flora picked up the remote from the coffee table and clicked on the TV. “Take your time, sweet girl. I’m not going anywhere,” she said and reclined the chair back as far as it would go.
Thea was turning the car around in the yard when a long, sleek BMW sedan whipped in the driveway.
“Who’s that?” Annie asked.
The sedan swerved in front of them and skidded to a stop. Thea squinted to see the passengers. “My brothers. But that’s not their car.”
The driver jumped out of the BMW and strutted across the dirt yard to Annie’s side of the car. He tapped on the window and she rolled it down.
“Whose car is that?” Thea asked.
“Nobody you know. Mine’s in the shop. Why aren’t you at work?”
“I have the afternoon off because they need me for the early morning shift tomorrow. Mama fell again. I think she’s all right, but can you stay with her while I take Annie home?”
Thea’s brother turned his attention to Annie. “I have a better idea. Why don’t you stay here and let me take Annie home?”
The feel of his menacing eyes roaming her body made Annie’s skin crawl. She held her breath, praying Thea would decline his offer. She’d rather walk eight miles home than ride in the car with the Bell brothers.
“Thanks anyway,” Thea said, “but I’d rather take her myself.”
Tyrone fingered a lock of Annie’s honey-colored hair. “Why don’t we ask Annie who she’d rather ride with?”
Annie shrank as far away from him as she could get without ending up in Thea’s lap.
“Are you afraid of me, little girl?”
“I… um…” Annie lifted her chin. She refused to let this man see her fear. She’d encountered worse—her father’s friends who’d shown up at their apartment on the occasional Friday night to play cards and drink whiskey. “No! I’m not afraid of you.”
His top lip curled into a smirk. “Good, because I’m not going to hurt you. But I have a message for you to give Eli. Tell him to watch out, because the Bell brothers are coming after him.”
TWENTY-FOUR
Eli
Eli left the police station and drove straight to the liquor store where he purchased a pint of tequila from a Jose Cuervo display right inside the front door. He wasn’t interested in taste. In fact, he had no preference for variety or brand at all. He was solely interested in getting drunk.
The organized chaos at the farmhouse had escalated into complete mayhem at the station. Prospect’s small police department was ill equipped to handle the arrest of thirty men and women at once. The fingerprinting, photographing, and confiscation of personal items took the better part of two hours. Chief Andrews became distraught at the sight of so many of the town’s upstanding citizens, several of them his golfing buddies, in a holding cell. The chief agreed to drop all charges against the men in exchange for any information they could provide on the Bell brothers. He handled the female prisoners in a different manner. They were prostitutes after all. A weekend in the slammer might teach them a lesson, set them on the path to a better career.
One by one, these gentlemen were led to the interview room. Eli and his coworker
s tag-teamed them, berating them for engaging in prostitution, deflating their overgrown egos until they offered up everything they knew about the goings-on at the farmhouse. They spoke of the drug use, mostly cocaine and marijuana, and they described the act of prostitution in more detail than the officers wanted to know. But none of them had any knowledge of the Bell brothers. When shown mug shots of Tyrone and Willie from recent arrests, these upstanding citizens of Prospect denied ever having seen either brother at the farmhouse or around town. In response to these same mug shots, while they also denied having any knowledge of the Bell brothers, the women prisoners’ faces turned ashen, their eyelids twitched, and their pulses throbbed at their necks.
“I know you’re lying,” Eli said, banging his fist down on the table in front of Romana Peebles when it was her turn to be questioned. “Their car has been parked in front of your farmhouse for the past two days. Are you saying you haven’t seen them, that Tyrone and Willie Bell aren’t your friends?”
She lowered her gaze to the table. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
Eli sat down in the chair opposite her. “Ms. Peebles, I don’t think you realize exactly what’s at stake here. Your name is on the property deed. Which makes you solely responsible for the drugs we confiscated from your toolshed.”
She jerked her head up. “What drugs?”
“My men are sorting through them now. But, hidden beneath your riding mower in the toolshed behind the farm, we found several pounds of marijuana, multiple kilos of cocaine, and too many Ziploc bags of pills to count.”
A bead of perspiration broke out on her forehead. “I don’t know anything about that.”
Eli propped his elbows on the table and pressed his fingers together as if he were praying. “The drugs belong to somebody, Ms. Peebles. If not you, then who? Tyrone and Willie? Is one of them your boyfriend?”
Her lip quivered. “Not my boyfriend.”
Tangle of Strings Page 12