Assassin's Redemption: Stolen Memories, #1

by Richard Allen Evans

The house was actually a stylish log cabin, complete with a front porch and a stacked stone chimney outside the house. The front and back yards were large — close to an acre of flat lawn he guessed. Blue spruces lined the left, right, and back of the property.

  He stepped out of his vehicle and a short middle aged woman in a light brown jacket was waiting for him.

  “Dr. Eastland?” She asked.

  “Yes, Ms. Abbott?” He asked.

  “It's actually Mrs. Abbott. But please, call me Lynn,” she said as she extended her hand.

  Chuck shook her hand. He noticed she wore no wedding ring on her left hand. She was maybe ten pounds overweight but had big brown eyes and a smile that screamed high school cheerleader. Lynn might have been pushing fifty but she was still a beauty.

  “I'm pleased to meet you Lynn. And please, call me Chuck. Dr. Eastland sounds a bit stuffy, even for a Yankee like me,” he said.

  She giggled almost like a school girl. Lynn was flirty. He liked that.

  “Would you like to take a look inside Chuck?” She asked.

  “Yes, very much so,” he said.

  Lynn walked him through the cabin, showing him the spacious living room/kitchen combination. The cabin had two bedrooms and two bathrooms on the first floor with two bedrooms and two bathrooms on the second floor as well as an indoor balcony. In short, it was every bit as impressive as the exterior. After some small talk about the average electric bill and the generous fire place, Chuck asked about the neighborhood.

  “It's a quiet place. Very low crime rate, in fact a policeman lives just across the street in that cabin,” Lynn said.

  “A policeman? Nice, very nice. Kind of built in security,” Chuck said.

  “And as you can see there's a fairly large shed in the backyard. The former owner used it as a workshop. There's also the brick grill. Great for family cookouts,” Lynn said.

  “Oh, that's not a problem. I'm not married and have no children. The only time I might use it is for some kind of faculty function or entertaining other guests. Who knows? Maybe the policeman and I can compare notes on cabin life over a steak,” Chuck said.

  “There you go,” Lynn said.

  “How long would it take for me to move in?” Chuck asked.

  “As soon as financing is approved and a title search can be conducted,” she said.

  “Financing is a non-issue. I plan on paying cash,” he said.

  “Cash? You know this property is listed at $550,000 don't you?” Lynn asked.

  “And from what I've seen, worth every penny,” Chuck said.

  ***

  “We are of course shocked and deeply saddened by the announcement that the FBI has charged Dean Lee Stasser with the murder of my brother. He was both a trusted friend and employee of the Raven family. On more than one occasion, he led my brother's security detail. Like many of you, we are left asking 'Why?' How could someone we considered part of the family betray that trust? We are waiting for the FBI to wrap up its investigation and we are hoping for closure to this tragedy,” Gene said as cameras whirred and flashed.

  “I'll now take a few questions,” he said solemnly.

  “Have you heard what the motive was?” A reporter shouted.

  “We have but I've been asked by the FBI to not make a comment at this point,” Gene said.

  “Is it true the murder weapon was recovered on the grounds of the estate?” Another reporter yelled.

  “Again, I can't comment on specifics of the case. I can say that if the accusation turns out to be true...the betrayal is almost as bad as the murder,” Gene said as he struggled to maintain his composure.

  “Are you upset the FBI did not find him before now?” A third reporter yelled.

  “No, quite the opposite. We are very grateful for the efforts of the Bureau. They have worked tirelessly. My family has nothing but praise for the hard working men and women of the FBI,” Gene said.

  “Do you expect the Republican Party to offer you the nomination tomorrow?” A pretty blonde reporter asked.

  “This isn't the time or place to discuss politics. My family is still grieving the death of my brother and now we're reeling from the arrest of a man my brother trusted and called friend. At this moment, what the Republican Party does or does not do is the least of my concerns,” Gene said soberly. He sounded so convincing even he half-believed it. That ought to be worth a few points in the polls.

  He stepped back away from the microphones and Kevin Lyons, Jacks' nominal media director stepped up and waved his arms.

  “That's all for the questions. Please, let the family process this most recent information,” he said as Gene walked away. Cyprus couldn't help but notice a wink from his boss as he passed by.

  ***

  “So now the question is where do we go from here? We can't go after Raven on circumstantial evidence from 1968,” Marcus said.

  “No, we look at what we have now and see where that takes us,” Beau said.

  “Most of the evidence is on hold until the FBI is ready to wrap up everything concerning the Raven assassination,” Haley pointed out.

  “I've asked Toby to get a court order to take a look at Gene and Dal's financial records as well as those of Raven Manufacturing to see who was paid to get Ms. Brooke out of custody following the sex ring raid. But truthfully, the court order is a long shot,” Chet said.

  “We do have a list of people who were arrested in that raid. We can question them individually - the ones we can locate anyway - you know, shake the tree and see what falls out,” Beau said.

  Chet nodded.

  “I think that's our best bet at this point,” Chet said.

  “You know, I could be a big help,” Haley said.

  “Not a chance. I want you here with Carlene,” Chet said.

  “I can take care of myself,” Haley argued.

  “And I'm not helpless. You've got two deputies here. I don't want Haley to be in danger but it seems to me the solution is nailing the Ravens once and for all. You stop them, you stop the threats,” Carlene said.

  Chet weighed her words.

  “What do you two think?” He asked Beau and Marcus.

  “We could use the help,” Marcus said.

  “I agree with Carlene. I don't want to see her exposed to danger but we need her. It's going to take time just to sort through the list and track where those people are right now,” Beau said.

  “Okay, you win. But you are not to be alone outside the office,” Chet said.

  Chuck stopped in at the Stone City Pawn and Loan. He looked over the assortment of hunting rifles.

  “Can I help you?” Asked a bearded man in overalls who sat behind the counter.

  “I'm looking for a good deer rifle,” Chuck said.

  The man behind the counter brightened.

  “Gun season opens in less than a month,” he said.

  “Yes, I know. I'm looking forward to it,” Chuck said.

  “See anything you like?” The man asked.

  “Can I see the Springfield .30-06?” Chuck asked.

  “The M1917. Fine weapon and that one's been well taken of - my Uncle Dewey used to own that rifle. It's killed many a deer. I bought it from him a couple of years ago,” the man said.

  Chuck hefted it and checked its weight and then worked the bolt.

  “Very nice,” he said as the man grinned in agreement.

  “You sell the ammo and licenses too?” Chuck asked.

  “Sure do. One stop shopping - license, deer tag, ammo, deer stands, even chewing tobacco,” the man said.

  “Good to know. I'll tell you what, why don't you sell me a license and a run a background check? I want this gun. Oh, and a case of ammo,” Chuck said.

  “Don't you want to know how much the rifle is?” The man asked.

  “Nope. I want this gun. Reminds me of basic training at Ft. Campbell,” Chuck said.

  “Were you 101?” The man asked.

  “Yes sir. Sgt. Chuck Eastland, now Dr. Chuck Eastland,�
� he said.

  “I'm Sgt. Cliff McCloud, 82nd Airborne,” he said.

  “How many tours did you do in Vietnam?” Chuck asked.

  “One and that was plenty. When I got out, I stayed out. How about you?” Cliff asked.

  “Only one. I was wounded about a month before I was scheduled to go home,” Chuck said.

  “Yep, sounds about right. But at least you made it home in one piece,” Cliff said.

  “True. A lot of good men didn't,” Chuck said.

  “So you're a doctor huh?” Cliff asked.

  “I'm a professor of history. I got hired to teach at Baker College,” Chuck said.

  “Well, it's about time they hired somebody with a little sense. They used to have a little feller over there that hated guns, hated hunting, and even hated Vietnam vets,” Cliff said.

  “Did he go back to Canada?” Chuck asked as Cliff guffawed.

  “All I know is he ain't around no more,” Cliff said.

  “When the season opens maybe you can give me an idea on where to hunt,” Chuck said.

  “I'll do that. And if you ever want to try that thing out before the season opens and get a feel for it, come over to my house. I have a few acres over near Shiloh Mountain,” Cliff said.

  “I might take you up on that,” Chuck said.

  ***

  “We've only turned up three people who still live around here,” Haley said as she rubbed her eyes and looked up from computer.

  Chet laughed.

  “The glamour of police work. Be glad you have computers and the Internet,” he said.

  “One of them — Terry McConnell — is in the Anderson County Detention Center, awaiting trial on several counts of statutory rape, among other charges,” said Beau.

  “The other two are Virgil and Lawanna Pike. Believe it or not, they're married. They live just across the Union County line,” Marcus said.

  “Married?” Chet asked.

  “Apparently Mrs. Pike was a working girl when she was arrested during the raid, along with Mr. Pike, who from all accounts, was simply looking for a good time,” Marcus said.

  “It's getting to be late afternoon. Beau, call the Union County Sheriff's Department. Let them know that you three are coming to their county to question a couple of their citizens. A little courtesy can go a long way. Besides Sheriff Harrell is a friend of mine and I wouldn't want to be disrespectful,” Chet said.

  “You want me to go to go with them?” Marcus asked.

  “There's still a threat against Haley. Short of locking her up, I can't make her any safer than with you two,” Chet said.

  “What about McConnell?” Haley asked.

  “I'll take care of questioning him. He used to be a state representative until the big sex scandal. We weren't exactly friends but he was a Democrat and I knew him. At the time, his district included Butcher County,” Chet said.

  “So you think he's more apt to open up to you,” Beau said.

  “Possibly. And I know he hates the Raven family. If he knows anything, I'm pretty sure he'll spill his guts,” Chet said.

  “Let's go now, we're burning daylight. The less time we're in the open after dark, the better,” Beau said.

  “Meet me at the house when you get back,” Chet said.

  ***

  “Blue Team One this is Red Team One. Target is on the move. Two male subjects with target,” Liam said.

  “Roger, Red Team One. Follow but do engage, I repeat, do not engage. I want this one without any bodyguards or at least as few as possible. We can wait. Blue Team One out,” Cyprus said.

  He looked at his watch. It would be dark soon and he did his best work in the dark. He would get to her tonight. Ordinarily, he didn't feel anything one way or the other in such matters - it was just another part of his job.

  But this time, something about this beautiful woman made him look forward to seeing her cry and beg. She dared enter his domain. Her uncle needed to be taught a lesson. If he needed to kill more than her to make it happen, so be it.

  Cyprus was aware of the history between Thurman and the Ravens. One night during a drunken stupor, Gene shared the story of his father paid off various government officials to him Thurman and his partner from arresting him and Bob Tackett. He bragged about how he fired the shot that killed Martin Luther King, Jr. Tackett, he claimed, had a better shot but his rifle misfired. And then there was the professional Dal brought in — the Ghost — that was ready to kill the two of them for jeopardizing his position. It took a great deal of Raven money to settle that issue as well.

  Cyprus assumed it settled the matter because the Ghost had since carried out multiple jobs for the Raven family, including taking out Jack. And one more score coming up when he took care of Thurman and his wife.

  Though he had never seen the Ghost, he imagined he was getting too old to continue to be effective. Perhaps that was the reason for such an outrageous asking price on the Thurman hit - one final big score to retire.

  When Gene got to the Senate he was certain to need someone with that particular skill set; someone younger and on top of his game. There were millions to be made for the person with the right attitude and background.

  Taking care of the squealing woman tonight would help seal his future as the assassin of choice for the Raven family.

  “Mr. Pike? I'm Beau Fullbright of the Butcher County Sheriff's Department,” he said as he held up his badge. “This is Sgt. Haley Garrison and Sgt. Marcus LaSalle. May we come in?”

  Virgil Pike eyed them with disdain. Beau looked at him. He was roughly 5'7 and weighed somewhere in the neighborhood of one hundred and thirty pounds. Virgil had medium length frizzy light brown hair and long sideburns.

  “We ain't broke any laws. We paid our debt to society and we're minding our own business. Why don't you people leave us alone?” Virgil said as he started to close the door.

  Lawanna Pike suddenly appeared. She looked to be about six feet tall and fifty pounds overweight with streaked black and gray hair. She had lines around her eyes and looked tired.

  “We've got a good life here. We started over. Please leave,” she said.

  “Ma’am, we came over in an unmarked vehicle. If we have to come back I'll have two Union County cruisers with lights on,” Beau said.

  The Pikes looked at each other.

  Virgil stepped back.

  “Okay, come in. I don't know why you're here, we ain't done nothing wrong,” he said.

  “We just have a few questions about some people you might remember,” Haley said.

  All five people stood. The Pikes were not about to ask them to have a seat.

  “This isn't about us?” Lawanna asked.

  “No ma’am. Do either of you remember Gene Raven being part of your...circle of friends?” Haley asked.

  The Pikes looked at each other.

  “Gene Raven was never around,” Virgil said flatly.

  “How about Bob Tackett?” Beau asked.

  “Yeah, that asshole was around. Real weirdo. Got off on beating women and having sex with...special women,” LaWanna said.

  “Special women?” Marcus asked.

  “You know...girls with something extra...shemales, chicks with dicks, trannys,” she said.

  “Excuse me?” Marcus asked.

  “Tackett loved sex with men as long as they made an attempt to look like a woman. But he was a total bottom,” Lawanna said.

  “Uh...bottom?” Beau asked.

  “He was the submissive one. You know, the one that bent over,” she said.

  “I see,” Beau said in shock.

  “Was one of the transvestites named Monique?” Haley asked and they quickly eyed each other.

  “Never heard that name,” Virgil said.

  “Really? This looks like it might be you two right the...transvestite with the 'M' monogrammed underwear,” Beau said as he produced a photo.

  “Where did you get that?” Lawanna asked.

  “It's not important. What is import
ant is that we find Monique. He...she...whatever could hold the key in a murder investigation,” Beau said.

  “Do you remember a woman named Savanna Brooke?” Haley asked.

  Lawanna looked sad.

  “Lovely girl. It's a shame what happened to her,” she said.

  “Did Bob really kill her?” Virgil asked.

  “Yes and we're trying to find out why. Are you sure you don't remember Monique?” Haley asked.

  Virgil looked over at his wife again.

  “We don't want any trouble with Gene Raven,” Lawanna said.

  “Just tell us how to find Monique and we'll be out of your life forever. No one will know where we got the information,” Beau said.

  Virgil laughed bitterly.

  “Are you really that naive?” He asked. “Gene Raven's got the power to do what he wants. He'll crush you and us like bugs. Don't you understand?”

  “Not if we get to him first,” Marcus said.

  “The only way he can be stopped is to be killed, like his brother,” Virgil said.

  “Poor Jack,” Lawanna said.

  “You knew Jack Raven?” Haley asked.

  Lawanna looked at Virgil.

  “We might as well talk. If Gene starts coming after people, it won't matter if we said anything or not,” she said in resignation.

  Virgil stepped in and hugged the wife who dwarfed him.

  “You're right,” he said softly.

  “Jack was a regular and so was Gene. Jack was a real sweetheart. Savanna was Jack's favorite. Nothing kinky, just straight sex,” Lawanna said.

  “And what about Gene?” Beau asked. “Was Monique his favorite?”

  Virgil shook his head as Lawanna giggled.

  “Gene was Monique,” she said as the jaws of three investigators fell to the floor.

  ***

  “Hello Chet. I wish I could say I'm happy to see you. Under the circumstances, forgive me if I don't shake hands,” said former State Representative Terry McConnell as he held up shackled hands as high as they would go as he sat down.

  He hadn't changed much. He had a deep baritone voice and bright blue eyes. His face was rather plain but he had an inviting smile. His closely cropped black hair remained its original color and he looked to be a trim six feet, two inches.

  Chet didn't beat around the bush.

  “I need some information Terry,” he said.