by Robin Mahle
Jacob stepped out of the car and suddenly felt ill-prepared, naked even. No weapon at his disposal. Perhaps he should have waited for Riley and Ethan; at least they were armed officers. He was just a civilian, but one who desperately needed his life back. He might be too late for that now. If Blake was gone and Kelly, where would that leave him?
It appeared the home was still occupied. Maybe someone was still searching for evidence against Hammond. Now that they figured his wife had something to do with Chloe’s death, they’d search every nook and cranny for ties to George.
Jacob moved closer to the home but remained stealthy to fully ascertain the situation before he barged inside and might well find himself staring down the barrel of a gun. On the left of the front door was a window. He knew this to be a living room window because he’d been in the home only days before, and had, in fact, been in the home many times prior, when things seemed normal.
He moved closer to the window to peer inside for signs of life. The window was partially enclosed by shutters. A small opening allowed for viewing inside the living room where a few lamps were on, but he saw no one.
Jacob heard the sound of voices inside as he caught sight of two people walking toward the home’s foyer. “Oh shit.” He immediately recognized Kelly Hammond. But the man with her, he didn’t know. He wore a suit. Could have been a cop, it was impossible to know for sure. He listened as they spoke, though it was difficult to understand them from where he stood.
“I need to see my daughter. I have to know she’s okay.” Kelly Hammond’s arms were being held behind her back as the man in the suit escorted her near the foyer.
“She’s been taken to the hospital. She’s fine. You’d better be worrying about what you’re going to say when we get to the station.”
So he was a cop. And what happened to the daughter? Jacob continued to listen.
“I’m not going to say anything. I swear it. I just want to see my girl,” she pleaded.
“I’m going to need you to tell me where your husband is, Kelly. We both know he’s been talking. Someone’s had to reach out to you to offer protection. Look, I did my part. Now I don’t know how the hell someone ID’d you, but when I got the call from my people, I came here so we could sort this out together. We’re in on this together. Remember that.”
“No one was at the plant besides me and that kid. And I didn’t kill the homewrecking bitch. And I sure as hell didn’t kill the kid.”
“No, you sure didn’t. But you knew damn well what the plan was.”
“I don’t know where he is, Dave. I wish to God I did because I’d kill him myself.”
Jacob pulled back. In his shock, he stumbled over a large stone near the shrub over which he was hunched. “Shit.” He peered through the window again. The man in the suit seemed to stare directly at him.
Jacob turned and ran back toward his car as the front door flew open.
“Stop! Police!”
Kelly stood next to Pryce and appeared to recognize Jacob. “Run, Jacob!”
He reached Carl’s car when the cop opened fire and bullets rang out. One struck the car’s front bumper. “Shit!” Jacob pulled open the driver’s side door when another bullet struck it. If it weren’t for the fact that this car was made of good old-fashioned American steel, he might be lying on the ground with a bullet in his chest.
It was then his sights were drawn to an approaching car. “Riley.” He knew right away, and it couldn’t have been worse timing on her part. “Go back! Go back!” Jacob waved his arm at her, shaking his head wildly.
Ethan peered through the windshield. “What the hell? Is that Jacob? What’s he doing?”
Another shot rang out.
“Holy shit!” Riley slammed on the brakes of her patrol car as she entered the driveway. “Jacob!” She jumped out and drew her weapon, firing a warning shot near the front of the home.
“Riley! What the hell are you doing?” Ethan pushed open his door and crouched down, brandishing his gun. “We need backup!”
“That has to be Pryce up there. I think we’re on our own. We have to get Jacob to safety.”
“Who’s the woman?” Ethan asked.
“It’s Kelly Hammond. I recognize her. I have no idea what the hell is happening right now, but we need to get Jacob out of there. You’re going to have to cover me.” Riley started to move, heading around the relative safety of her patrol car door and into the open, toward Carl’s car.
“Riley! No! Get back here!” Ethan said.
Jacob eyed her. “No! No!” He tried to wave her away.
“I’m a cop! Hold your fire!” Pryce yelled with one hand in the air, the other still clinging on to Kelly Hammond as though for a potential shield, should the need arise.
Riley had to believe this man, who she thought was Captain Pryce, wouldn’t attempt to take out all three of them. He was looking for a way out. Her instincts kicked in and she saw something dark behind his eyes. She figured Pryce was on the wrong side of this. But what did that mean? What exactly had he done to get here?”
“Jacob, come on. I got you covered.” She continued a low crawl toward him and Carl’s car.
“No, it’s not safe. It’s Pryce. He’s crooked, Riley. I heard him. I think he killed that girl, Chloe.”
And that was when she saw it. Images flashed before her eyes of Captain Pryce. Only he wasn’t the man who killed Justin. In fact, he didn’t kill Chloe either, but he ordered it. “Drop your weapon, Captain.” Riley slowly stood.
“What? Who the hell are you? You drop your weapon.”
“I’m working with your Lieutenant Moody in Owensville. I’m going to take this man with me, but I need you to drop your gun.”
“Then you’re on our side, Officer. We’re working on the same team.”
“Somehow, I don’t think that’s true, Captain.” She began to see more clearly his role. He had been working with this woman, Kelly Hammond, in some capacity. But the pieces hadn’t quite fit together.
“Call Moody. He’ll tell you. Don’t be stupid, Officer. The last thing I want is for someone to get hurt,” Pryce said.
Riley had never been faced with a situation like this. She needed to get Jacob to safety. She also worried about putting Ethan in danger. Riley made the call to move on him and now she was stuck. It wasn’t until she peered at the woman, Kelly Hammond, that Riley began to understand what it was she would have to do. The woman conveyed pain and fear, and it wasn’t for herself. No. It was for a loved one, perhaps a child. She didn’t know for sure, but that was how it felt. And if that was the case, this woman would do whatever it took to ensure her child’s safety. Riley would have to use her to get to Pryce. “Where is your child? Is there anyone inside?”
Kelly furrowed her brow. “They took her to the hospital. She fell down the stairs when they raided my home, looking for my husband. I swear I don’t know where he is. You have to believe me. Please, I have to see my baby!”
“I believe you. Captain, I’m going to need you to let this woman go now.”
“Are you giving me an order, Officer? You have no jurisdiction here. I’m the one in charge and I need you to see that, or this will end badly for you and your partners.”
She was going to have to do something more. He wasn’t going to just lay down his arms and surrender to her. Whatever he’d done, he was in deep and he wasn’t going to go down without a fight.
Riley focused on the large wooden door behind them. The time had come to unleash what she’d worked so hard to contain. There were things she was capable of doing now that she was older. Carl knew. Ward knew. Even Jacob had been given a taste of it—once. Something had changed in her the night of the storm. While she didn’t have the power to bend Mother Nature to her will, she could, if she tried hard enough, bend objects to her will. And right now, she needed a distraction. Something that would force the captain to look away long enough for her to get a shot at him. Riley was going to have to take him down.
“Offic
er, I’m not going to warn you again. You and your partner need to stand down. Now!” Pryce said.
Riley trained her sights on the door with all her energy focused on pulling at it. “Come on,” she whispered. Her breaths grew labored, her brow line forming beads of sweat.
“Riley, what are you going to do?” Ethan looked at her in a panic.
“I’ve got this.” She continued to stare at it. The object consumed every ounce of her energy now. Lives were at stake. It was time to use what she had to put an end to this. The two men she cared for deeply were counting on her. She would not see harm come to them.
Riley released a deep-throated roar as she threw her head back and clenched her weapon until her hands hurt.
The heavy wooden door slammed shut behind them. Pryce jumped and twisted his body to see it close.
Riley took the split-second diversion, aimed her gun at him, and fired.
Pryce released his grip on Kelly and she darted away. He looked down at his gut as the blood spilled. And as he returned a stunned gaze to Riley, Pryce fell to his knees. His gun tumbled down the steps of the entryway.
Riley tried to pull back her strength, but she couldn’t. Glass shattered from the windows adjacent to the door. The house rumbled. “No. Stop!”
Ethan rushed toward her. “Riley!”
Jacob soon followed. “You have to stop it, Riley! I know you can. Let it go. You have to let it go now. It’s over. We’re safe.”
She eyed them both, but Kelly pulled away her attention as she tried to escape. “Stop!” The gate at the end of the drive slammed shut, almost catching the woman in between it, but she slipped out.
“Come on.” Jacob took hold of her. “Baby, you have to let it go.”
Riley blinked hard as she looked at Ethan, and again at Jacob. She nodded. “Okay. Okay. It’s over.” She was out of breath and struggled to draw more air into her lungs.
“You got this, Riley. You can do it,” Ethan said.
“Yeah. I got this.” Riley closed her eyes, but they flew open when another shot rang out.
Jacob was down.
25
It was Officer Lowell Abrams, a man who wore his conceit like a badge, who made the approach to his captain. Abrams used that badge to fend off any real feelings he might have about a situation, and right now, he was hard pressed not to be worried about his brother and sister in blue. “Captain, I’m sure they’re fine. You know Thompson; she’s tough as nails and no one would ever get the drop on her.”
Ward pulled away from the window he had been peering through for the better part of ten minutes in search of his team. “Yeah. I know you’re right. Thanks.” He headed in the direction of the breakroom for another coffee. It was almost four in the morning and daylight would be upon them soon. Still no word from Riley or Ethan. No word from Pryce either. Even Lieutenant Moody was growing concerned.
“Hey, I wouldn’t mind one of those.” Moody joined him. “Look, I know how hard it is to sit back and wait, but without confirmation from Pryce, I think that’s all we can do.”
Ward poured a cup of coffee for Moody and then for himself. “Why didn’t he keep backup with him? Why didn’t he take that woman to the station, same as he took Rhodes?” He turned to Moody. “You said you didn’t have concrete proof. What about now? Do I need to be even more worried for my officers than I already am?”
“Okay. I’ll be honest with you. Like I said, it’s just a hunch right now, but something smells bad about the relationship between Pryce and these mafia thugs he’s supposedly after.”
“Supposedly?” Ward replied.
“Yeah.”
“For Christ’s sake, you think he’s being paid off?”
Moody sipped on his coffee. “Oh, I think it could be much worse than that.”
“Captain!” Abrams rushed inside the breakroom. “Thompson’s trying to reach you!”
“Shit.” He tossed his half-full cup into the sink, shattering the mug on impact, and rushed back into the bullpen with Moody close behind.
“Channel 4,” Abrams said.
Ward picked up the radio. “Riley? I’m here. What the hell is going on?”
“Jacob’s been shot. We’re waiting on the ambulance now.”
“For God’s sake. Are you okay? Is Pruitt okay?”
“We’re fine. Captain, it was Pryce. I had to…”
“You had to what?” Ward asked.
“I shot him, but I didn’t take him down. He threatened us. I thought we were safe, but he fired at Jacob and fled on foot. We’re in trouble, Captain. His people will be coming.”
“His people?” Ward shot a fearful glance to Moody.
“She needs to get the hell out of there. Forget the ambulance. Get that man to a hospital. Someplace where Pryce can’t get to him. He has people. I’m sure he does,” Moody replied.
“Riley, load up Jacob, and you and Ethan get him to a hospital. Where’s Kelly Hammond?”
“She took off. She was afraid. I don’t know where she’s at.”
“Okay. We’ll figure that out later. Just get out of there and get Jacob some help. We’re on our way.” Ward dropped the radio receiver and eyed Moody. “How quickly can you get us to the city?”
Blake remained in the room alone for too long. He’d been brought here over an hour ago and still no one had come. He’d begun to get a bad feeling about this. He had no idea if they’d talked to Kelly Hammond yet. And on checking the time on an old wall clock, he realized the sun would be up soon and Virgil Howard would wonder where he was. But maybe more importantly, where was Jacob?
This situation had turned into a steaming pile of crap. He couldn’t get word to anyone and he still hadn’t been charged. “Hey!” he shouted. “You need to let me out of here!” He stood up, hands shackled behind his back, and walked to the heavy steel door and began kicking it. “Hey! Let me out of here! You can’t keep me in here like this. I have rights!”
Perhaps if he made enough noise, they would move him. And if that happened, maybe he could glean some information as to what the hell was going on. He heard footsteps approach. “Jesus. Finally!”
The door opened and Virgil Howard walked inside. “I thought I might find you in here.”
“What the fuck? How did you get in here? You should be on your way to Owensville.”
“I have a few friends and pulled a few strings after I got a call from a mutual friend. Guess you thought you’d find George on your own, did you?”
“No, sir. I was just wanting to talk to Kelly.”
“And why is that? You have no reason to speak with her, do you? Do you know her personally?”
“No, but I…”
“No, but I…” Virgil turned down his lips into a deep frown, poking fun at Blake. “You sound like a pussy, you know that? All you had to do was stay put. Now look at this shit.”
“I didn’t know about Pryce.”
“And what is it that you think you know about him, son?” Virgil continued.
“I just wanted to find George and I thought Kelly would know. She probably already told Pryce where to find him.”
“Hammond and Pryce got their own thing to work out. It ain’t my concern right now. But see, the problem now is you sold us out to your boy, Jacob. Now we got major problems to deal with in that hick town. That’s on you, Blakey.”
“Did George kill her? Did he kill my girlfriend?” Blake’s expression hardened.
“You think he’s that ignorant? You must’ve been fed some kind of horseshit and now look at you. Handcuffed. Sitting in here completely defenseless.”
“She was pregnant too,” Blake replied.
Virgil leaned back and roared with laughter. “Of course she was.”
Blake had begun to understand now why Virgil was here. “So you’re not interested in finding Hammond, are you? It was all bullshit, right?”
“Winner, winner, chicken dinner! Oh, don’t get me wrong, he was our A number one priority until someone figured out his w
ife was in on this shit. Now I’m just here to tie up loose ends, brother. Clean up the mess you made before it touches the bossman. I warned him not to bring you into the fold. Oh well.” Virgil drew a knife and pulled Blake close. “Now you’re a great big loose end just flapping in the wind.” He plunged the knife into Blake’s chest.
“Let’s get him inside, Riley. I’m going after Pryce. He’s hurt. He can’t have gone far.” Ethan started in the direction of the gunfire, and with his weapon ready, he searched for the injured Pryce.
“I’m okay, Riley.” Jacob pushed himself forward with his arm and tried to sit up.
“You’re not okay; you’ve been shot. I have to get you to a hospital. Can you try to stand?” Jacob was pushing six feet and weighed in at around a buck-eighty. Getting him in the car on her own would prove a challenge. Of course, she’d just managed to wield the massive entry door, but she didn’t trust her gift enough to consider finessing it, nor did she really have the ability to. “Come on.” She helped to lift him and slide him into the back seat. “You okay like this?”
“I’ll manage. I’m so sorry I got you into this.”
“You didn’t. I did. I should’ve kept my eye on Pryce. I thought if I could just get him to the ground, I’d be able to take him in. And then I lost control and…”
“This isn’t your fault, and Ethan’s right. He’s hurt, badly, and he won’t get far.”
Riley spotted Ethan in the distance. She stood up, looking around for signs he’d seen Pryce, but when he shook his head, Riley knew he hadn’t found him. “Just get in. We’ll worry about him later.”
Ethan slipped into the passenger seat and looked back over his shoulder. “You okay, man?”
“Yeah,” Jacob replied.
Riley got in and turned the engine. “Anyone know where the nearest hospital is?”
“First and Roosevelt. There’s a hospital there,” Jacob said.
“I’ll put it in my phone. I don’t know this city at all.” Ethan entered the address. “Okay, pull out of here and head right.”
“Sirens.” Riley looked at Ethan. “Do you hear them?”