by Sheila Kell
She’d considered holding back on AJ still being alive, but decided he knew what he was doing. He’d run and have a new life soon. He wouldn’t even see the article. And if the bosses returned to clean up as he had said, they would know he was indeed alive.
She couldn’t stop fretting about him. Where would he go? Would he run far away? She hoped he didn’t stay for revenge. Men were stupid like that. Obviously so were some women. But the Magician wanted him dead. He didn’t stand a chance. Please, run as far from here as you can, AJ.
“Finished.” She raised her arms over her head, linked her hands and then leaned back in a much welcome stretch.
“You were there? You fucking witnessed this?” Trent didn’t hold his anger in well. His face burned red and his jaw tightened. He had to be a poor poker player. “You went to this without me? What the fuck were you thinking, Megan?”
“Give me a moment.” Oh, he didn’t appreciate being dismissed. She’d remember that expression of narrowed eyes and a tight-lipped frown. She’d probably earn it many times over in the near future.
The first photo Kyle displayed was a still shot of the boss firing his weapon from the last of the video before she’d dropped her cell phone. It was perfect to go with the story. The killer’s face would be front page. She wished she knew his name. She prayed Kristen didn’t hold it up until she found out.
She crossed her fingers, submitted her article and artwork and then expelled a breath in a long sigh of overburdened relief. Now, she would be required to relay the events to her friends, and Trent. They wouldn’t allow her to do anything else. Then, she had to notify the police. She snorted. Her priorities might be a bit skewed.
She rubbed on her lip balm wondering if AJ had already left Baltimore. Stop it! He’s gone.
“Where’s Merissa?” Not that Megan should care. She was just glad the woman hadn’t taken up space near her desk to tell her again how she would die.
Trent would hire more men and keep her safe until she finished this. Taking this man off of the streets would be huge.
Kelly shrugged. “She left right after you. No one knows where she went.”
“Based on those photos you had a very interesting afternoon,” Kyle said.
“We all saw them, Megan. It must have been scary,” Kelly added.
“We’re all ears.” The gleam in Janet’s eyes told her she was in trouble, no matter what she said.
Trent narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Yeah, we’re all ears.”
She relayed her story, from arriving at the warehouse to being released by AJ. They didn’t interrupt her as she poured it all out, but heard a gasp from time to time. She choked up, tears stung her eyes but she held them at bay.
“Son of a bitch!” Trent walked away removing his cell phone from his pocket.
“My God, Megan. I thought you’d be more careful. You weren’t supposed to go anywhere without Trent.” Kelly crossed her arms over her chest in the stance he’d recently held.
“I went to observe a meeting. I told you that. It wasn’t like I knew they’d start shooting at each other. Besides, I’m okay.” If it had been their lead, they’d have done the same thing. It had sounded safe enough.
As for Trent, he would just have to get over it. She was his employer after all.
Janet furrowed her eyebrows. “This guy, the one who survived, sounds like a real bad guy. What if he comes back after you for publishing? Isn’t that what he threatened?”
“Well, he did leave me alive. Besides, he’s on the run, not after me. I have to tell the police the story.” She rolled her eyes. She didn’t look forward to what the detectives would say. AJ had been overreacting. The police wouldn’t have her killed.
“They will be pissed at you for not telling them what you knew about the meeting.”
Kelly spoke the truth. “They’re always pissed at me, so I don’t see how this will be any different.”
Janet stood. “You know you have a big problem, Megan.”
She’d hoped to avoid this conversation. Hoped they’d just let it go and leave things to Trent.
“You witnessed a Magic Shop boss commit murder. I won’t beat around the bush. They will attempt to kill you. You might not even make it to the police station from here.”
“I’m certain he didn’t see me.” The boss may have heard her, but he hadn’t seen her. Not possible.
“Okay. You’re probably safe driving to the station. Don’t you think the Magician will find out? And very quickly?” Janet asked.
The coffee tossed and turned in her stomach. She would make the crime boss angry. The thought of witness protection popped in her head again.
“Janet, I’ll talk with the police about protection this time.”
“It needs to be protective custody but not from the local police. They’ll lead the bad guys right to you.” She paused as if a thought had suddenly occurred to her. “The FBI should be involved. Report this to them instead.”
Megan hadn’t thought about including the FBI. This conversation was way out of hand. If the police thought it serious enough then she’d follow their advice. Well, follow most of it. Dang Janet for making her worry.
“Surely they won’t care about one murder. They have a lot of major cases to handle.” Megan could probably talk Detectives Cooper and Phillips out of protective custody but not the FBI.
“This criminal enterprise involves major crimes. I believe they’d care. In fact, they’d probably jump on it.”
“Megan, I agree with Janet. This needs to go to them. Otherwise,” Kelly paused then continued in an almost whisper, “well, you know what might happen.”
“Look. I owe it to Detective’s Cooper and Phillips to bring this to them. They’re working hard to bring this group down.
“What can we do to change your mind?” Janet asked.
“I’ll tell you what. I’ll go to the FBI also. If they both offer to protect me, I’ll choose the FBI. Will that work?”
Her pregnant friend hugged her and began silently weeping. “Don’t go to the police, Megan. I beg you, don’t go. Go straight to the FBI.”
Her choked sobs took Megan by surprise. She didn’t know what to say. This was too much to handle after the day she’d already endured.
She released her friend. Tears continued their slide down Janet’s cheeks. “Megan, I’m begging you, don’t go to the local police. We won’t ever see you again.”
“Janet, Kristen trusts the two detectives and so do I. I’ll tell only them. They’ll keep me safe. And I promise to go by the FBI office too. Between the two of them and Trent’s team, Magic Shop won’t be able to touch me. Don’t worry. I’ll be okay.”
Merissa strode over from her desk. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing. Nothing. This pregnancy has me emotional. I cry over nothing.” Janet raised her eyebrows. “Where have you been? Weren’t you supposed to stay here?”
Merissa eyed the two of them suspiciously. “I had some personal business to attend to.” She turned and walked away.
Before they returned to their desks, each of Megan’s friends hugged her as if it would be the last time they’d see her. Surely they were overreacting. Or was she under reacting? She wished Kristen wasn’t tied up with the big boss. Megan needed her advice. Should she avoid the police? She had to report it, and she couldn’t put it off any longer. Unfortunately, she’d have to discuss AJ. He was a victim, a witness, he’d shot the boss and he’d held her hostage.
He had to be safe. She didn’t want anything to happen to him. She didn’t know what was wrong with her in relation to him. Even Marcus was better for her.
Trent returned as she zipped her jacket. “Where do you think you’re going now?”
“I need to report this to the police.”
“Oh hell no you’re not!”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Megan entered the police station with Trent grudgingly in tow. She’d had to threaten to fire him if he didn’t
allow her to speak with the detectives. She wouldn’t actually do it but the possibility kept him in line. He made a few calls, presumably checking them out and appeared satisfied, though his tight jaw held his anger.
A different officer greeted her. She wouldn’t call it a pleasant greeting. It was more like a “why the hell are you bothering me” greeting. The woman did eye Trent, licking her lips seductively several times.
“I’m here to see Detective Cooper or Detective Phillips.” One of them had to be here. She didn’t want to have to return. She needed to tell them today before they saw it in print in the morning.
Detective Cooper walked toward her. “Hello, Ms. Rogers. I wasn’t expecting you today. Witnessed more drug deals in progress that you failed to call in?” He chuckled.
His heavily starched blue shirt had to rub his skin. Did his wife do that to punish him? What made her think of that? She must be more nervous than she thought to veer off on something ridiculous. Yep. She shook a little.
“You told me if something happened to let you know. Well, something definitely happened today, and it wasn’t a drug deal.”
He quickly assessed her. “Come on back.”
Trent grabbed her arm.
The man raised a brow? “Who’s this?”
“Detective Cooper, this is Trent McKenzie, my bodyguard.”
The detective smiled. “So you listened after all. Good girl.”
She bristled at his calling her a girl. “He’ll accompany me.” Another of Trent’s requirements although he did warn her that he would abandon her for a bit, but she’d always be in sight.
Following the detective through the maze to his desk, she tried to block out the noise. She looked across his desk.
Detective Phillips stood and reached out his hand. “Ms. Rogers, it’s good to see you again. I hope.”
He had a red stain on his green tie which had barely missed his white shirt. There she went again letting her mind wonder on something trivial that wasn’t a story or didn’t concern her.
She shook his hand. “Thank you.” Why couldn’t it be Detective Phillips alone? She decided she liked him best. His lectures weren’t as harsh as his partner’s.
She introduced Trent and he excused himself. He stopped in the noisy area and an officer stood and shook his hand. Of course he’d have friends here. He’d been FBI.
“Have a seat, Ms. Rogers. May I get you something to drink? Coffee?” Detective Cooper asked.
Caffeine and warmth on her hands sounded wonderful. “I’ll take a cup of coffee, black please.”
“I’ll get it.” Detective Phillips walked away.
The other detective gestured to the chair beside his desk.
“Have you stayed off the streets? I haven’t seen any new drug deals in your newspaper.”
So, he read her articles. Why was he keeping tabs on her? Were they still hoping to put her in jail for something? It more than likely had to do with her not showing them up again. This will not go over well since she hadn’t called 911, or them.
She nodded, unable to respond verbally. She needed that coffee. Something to still the hands she kept clasping and unclasping in her lap. This nervous fidgeting wasn’t her. She didn’t want to have this meeting, listen to their censure, relive the day.
He leaned toward her and lowered his voice. “I wanted to tell you that I’m glad you flushed out the officers abusing suspects. I’d have rather we’d found out ourselves, and it hasn’t been front page news, but I’m glad they’re off the streets. If anyone asks, I’ll deny saying this to you.” He straightened, returning to the poster boy detective.
Wow. Okay, she changed her mind. She liked Detective Cooper best. “Thank you,” she said with a slight smile of appreciation.
Would he still feel the same when she exposed corrupt police officers? It would be public again. She couldn’t trust them to investigate their own or those officers would’ve already been off the force. The Magician probably had internal affairs on his payroll.
She wouldn’t allow something like that to be swept under the rug. The people had a right to know. That’s why she did this.
“What’re you involved in now? Why did you need to see me?” He pulled out a legal pad and pencil and began tapping it on the paper. He eyed her curiously. “You’re very serious.”
She nervously cleared her lump filled throat. “I witnessed a murder.” She closed her eyes. A dead man in a pool of blood flooded her vision. She struggled to control the almost overwhelming feeling of despair.
She’d witnessed a murder. It finally sank in deep, clawing its way through her body, tightening her chest and tensing her muscles. Her entire body fought to right itself.
His pencil stilled. “Excuse me. Did you say murder?”
A slow nod. “Yes.”
She shouldn’t be nervous. It was over. Maybe it was that thing where it finally hit after the adrenaline wore off. She’d already relived this nightmare twice, in reality and in telling her friends. She could go through it again. She had to.
“Let me get a homicide detective over here.”
She put her hand on his arm. “No. Please. I only want to work with you two.” She’d walk out of here if he handed her over to someone she didn’t know or trust. She wouldn’t need to walk. Trent would drag her out if that happened.
“It doesn’t work like that.”
“But it involves Magic Shop.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Let’s wait for Joe, so you won’t have to start over midway through your story. Then we’ll decide what to do. I’m guessing you have pictures, too.”
“Yes.” She reached into her purse for the thumb drive Kyle had prepared. More of this and she’d need to start charging the police department for them.
“I’d like to tell you my story before you look at the photos and video.”
He accepted the thumb drive and flattened his lips. “Video?”
“Please.” She didn’t want him to see everything just yet. He might put out an APB or something on AJ before he could escape the city.
Detective Cooper’s reluctance to agree with her was noticeable. He looked at the thumb drive and sighed. “We’ll wait. This time.”
She definitely liked Detective Cooper best. Maybe she could get him to help her with her investigation if she agreed to cooperate. She’d speak with him after they finished with this. It wouldn’t hurt to ask.
His partner returned with her coffee.
“Thank you.” Her hands absorbed the warmth to heat her chilled fingers. It worked but now she found herself stuck with terribly tasting coffee. How could they actually call this coffee?
“Joe, you need to hear her story. It involves murder.” A knowing look passed between the detectives.
She hated when they did that. She wanted to know what they were thinking.
“I’m all ears.”
She took a deep breath and slowly released it. Just the facts Trent had told her. Get it over with so it’s out of your mind. Surely telling it the third time would ease the turmoil within her.
“I received a tip about a meeting with a boss in Magic Shop. I arrived early and found a good hiding place. There were three of them, but they met too far away for me to hear what was being discussed. Not long into the meeting, the one I suspect was the boss shot the other two men in the chest. One of the guys shot him. I think he’ll need an emergency room. He was bleeding pretty badly.”
“You went to this, this meeting and didn’t call us first. Didn’t take your bodyguard? Did you not listen to what we told you before? You could’ve been killed.” The harsh tone in Detective Phillips’s voice surprised her. He’d always been polite with her.
He was right though. She could’ve been killed. If the boss hadn’t been shot, he might’ve come for her. No, he hadn’t known she’d been there.
“And their pictures are on here? Video of this occurring?” Detective Cooper held up the storage device.
“Yes, but I’m not done with my sto
ry.” Surely they heard her thundering heart battering her ribcage. If the loudness of it in her ears was any indication, officers on the next desks over had to hear it.
She relayed her experience with AJ. They appeared very interested in him. Of course they’d be interested. They had another witness. Their frowns deepened when she informed them that he’d held her hostage. She wished they’d ignore that part of her interaction with him. He hadn’t hurt her. That didn’t diminish their interest. Since she doubted he’d come in voluntarily, the detectives would have to work to find him.
They made her walk through the story again, this time more thoroughly and with the video. They froze frames from time to time. One of them let a name slip. Damian Powell was Magic Shop’s chief enforcer.
Detective Cooper gestured to the photo of AJ. “He just let you go?” Disbelief was written all over his face.
She slowly nodded. “He had me drop him off at a corner.” A sudden stab of guilt pressed in her chest.
“Did he say why he let you go?”
She shook her head. “No. He told me to keep quiet about what I saw though.”
The detectives looked at each other again. She and Kevin had that same type of silent communication. Her eyes misted thinking about it.
If Damian wasn’t her brother’s killer he’d probably ordered it since he was more senior than the enforcers. It was a good start to finishing this.
“What else do you need me to do to bring this killer to justice?”
“First, we’ll locate him,” Detective Cooper said.
“Once you have, what will I need to do?” She forced down the remainder of the terrible coffee and looked around for a garbage can.
He held out his hand and took her cup, tossing it into a gray plastic garbage can under his desk. “We’ll go through your statement again so the DA can build the case and bring charges. We have to make sure we have all of our ducks in a row. We wouldn’t want to screw this one up. We need the man who survived, AJ you said his name was, to make this case stronger. Two witnesses are better than one, and he obviously knew what had been discussed at the meeting.”
“Okay, that sounds easy enough. You have my statement and the photos. What about for trial? Will I need to testify?”