Witness Betrayed

by Linda Ladd

  “I stole it when I took Judith out. How’s she doing?”

  “She’s fine. We’re still sorting through the documents she turned over. She and the children are settled in a house similar to this one in a location that will remain undisclosed to you or to anybody else. My agents are telling me that all of them are doing all right. Nervous, maybe. Now, time to answer my questions.”

  “You’ll find that journal has some interesting facts about his association with some of the criminal networks he does business with. He names names. That should be helpful in your other cases.”

  Leslie took the packet from him, opened the clasp, and pulled out the papers. She spread them out across the table. She took several minutes to examine them, and then she turned to Novak. “This will put those guys away for good.”

  “That’s what you wanted, right?”

  “Exactly. How can I use this in court if you stole it?”

  “You’ll think of a way. Say Judith took it out to prove her case. Or tell them it came to you anonymously or somebody left it in your car. That usually does the trick. I’ll testify once we get Lucy out of their hands. They’ll kill her if they know we involved the Feds. They might, anyway. They’re going to figure out who we are, sooner or later.”

  Leslie didn’t look all that happy with his suggestions, but Novak knew she would find a way to get the evidence into court. She always did. “Okay, Novak, but it would be better if you get Lucy to testify alongside these girls. That would put the last nail in Locke’s coffin for kidnapping a minor. You need to let me know as soon as you get word on her location. We can help you go in. I’m fond of that girl. I want to help.”

  “Maybe. We’ll see.”

  “You don’t trust anybody, do you?”

  “I trust Frank.”

  Ten minutes later, Novak was on his way back to Frank’s cabin. When they left the safe house, the rescued girls were already being bathed and dressed in clean clothes and set up with dinner and a cellphone with which to call their families. Once back at the cabin, the three of them sat around the table once more, pretty much silent and exhausted. All of the cell phones, money, and records they’d confiscated sat on the table in front of them. Novak was thinking about what the children held by Hennessey, now and in the past, had been forced to do. He thought about the girls they hadn’t found yet and what was being done to them. The mental images were hideous. He was now willing to do whatever it took to smash the trafficking ring.

  One of the confiscated phones rang just before dawn. All three of them sat up straighter. Novak found the phone and clicked on but said nothing. He listened.

  An angry voice came from the other end. The Irish brogue was so thick Novak could barely understand him. “What the hell’s going on? Is everything okay out there? Somebody’s been hitting us hard all over the place.”

  “Yes, we did hit you hard, and we enjoyed the hell out of it.”

  Dead silence. “Who is this?”

  “You are Timothy Hennessey, I presume?”

  “Who are you? What do you want?”

  “Not too awfully bright, are you, Hennessey?”

  “Who the fuck are you? You’re a dead man, you hear me?”

  “I’m a guy who doesn’t like you or your line of work.”

  “You are going to regret this night for the rest of your life. I swear to God I’m going to find you.”

  “I doubt that. Know what? I’ve got a huge pile of your cash just sitting right here, all bundled up in nice neat stacks, not to mention most of your cocaine. You want it back? You’re gonna do exactly what I tell you to.”

  Hennessey’s voice got tight. He was so angry his voice shook. “You are dead. We will find you and take your head and put it on a spike, along with anyone who helped you rob me.”

  “I don’t scare as easily as little girls do, Hennessey. How about I send you my favorite video of me burning all your cash, one bill at a time? Or maybe I could film it when I turn all your cocaine and pills and documents over to FBI agents.”

  He sounded taken aback. He got quiet, real quick. “What the hell do you want?”

  “I want Lucy Caloroso back, untouched and unharmed. I mean not a scratch on her, not a chipped fingernail. I want you to tell your buddy, Judge Locke, to rescind his warrant on Frank Caloroso. You do both of those things, you just might see your money again. Deliver the girl to the Houston FBI office by tomorrow morning, or you’ll get to watch that video and see your money going up in smoke. After that, we’ll talk about the children you’re selling for sex.”

  “And if I don’t?”

  “Then you can kiss this cash goodbye. I don’t know how much I have, maybe three mil and fifty kilos of coke. No skin off my nose. I’ve already burned some of it, just because I can and want to put the screws to you. I can do that again. Or, lots of charities around here will love that kind of money if I decide not to burn it. Your choice. Not much of one, though.”

  Hennessey couldn’t get any words out. His voice was shaking with rage. “I’m gonna find you and every single person with you and anybody you’ve ever loved. I’m going to enjoy slicing their skin off, strip by strip, inch by inch. And then I’m going to dig your guts out with my knife while you scream for mercy.”

  “That’s scary talk, but I’m pretty sure you won’t do any of that. What you’re going to do is exactly what I said, or face the consequences. Oh, and by the way, in case you don’t know it, the judge is double-crossing you big-time. I’ve got the evidence to prove it.”

  Novak hung up on him. Lori and Frank stared at him. Frank looked hopeful for the first time.

  Lori looked skeptical. “You think he’ll go for it?”

  “He better, or we’ll start making videos so he can watch us burn up a small fortune. He’s too greedy to chance it. You two need to get some sleep, because this thing is just starting. I’ll take first watch, just in case they track us here somehow. I disabled the phones, but we can’t take any chances, not after tonight.”

  They talked a bit longer, and then Lori and Frank collapsed into bed. Novak walked outside and down to the river dock. He sat down in the stern of his boat and kept an AR rifle lying across his lap. He was waiting for all hell to break loose, because he knew it would sooner or later. No doubt about it. He hoped a gang war would break out and the bad guys would kill each other off. Problem was, hell didn’t break loose the way he wanted.

  Chapter 19

  Somewhere in his mind, Novak knew he was dreaming. It was the same dream he had every night. He was back in New York, working his NOPD shift, standing and staring up at a burning skyscraper until it started to collapse with his wife and children trapped inside. All around him, there was pandemonium in the streets; everyone was screaming and running for their lives, shrieks of terror and horror filled the air. Then the agony hit him and twisted up his heart until he felt he would die. That’s when the dream shifted to Bonne Terre, and he was sitting on the porch swing with his beautiful Sarah, holding her hand and watching their children play. He felt himself relax until somebody grabbed his arm. Awake instantly, he shot up, fists balled and ready to fight. But it was only Lori Garner standing beside his bed. She was shocked at his violent reaction, and Novak didn’t want to explain, so he looked away.

  “You need to see this, Novak. It’s terrible,” she said.

  He looked back at her, his heart still racing as he tried to shake off the effects of the nightmare. That’s when he heard Frank in the other room, sobbing. He stood. “What happened?”

  “They got Judith.” Lori’s voice sounded shaky. “It’s all over the news.”

  Novak couldn’t quite comprehend what she was getting at. “What do you mean they got her?”

  “Local news isn’t reporting Judith’s dead, but I recognized her. There’s no mention of little girls, so I’m hoping they’re all right. I think one of the victims
is your FBI friend, Leslie Taylor. Hennessey or Locke must’ve found the safe house. Frank’s terrified Lucy’s dead, too.”

  “What victims? How many?” Novak stood up and walked out into the living room where Frank stood in front of the television set. There was a grisly scene on the screen. It wasn’t the yellow house where they’d left those abused young girls last night. He’d never seen this house before, but it looked similar in size and was also walled off from the street. The filming looked to have been done around sunrise. Police cars were parked everywhere on the street, flashing lights rotating, cops milling around. Three ambulances and a fire truck were lined up inside a security barricade blocking off the street several houses away. The newscaster was reporting that they were about to air a disturbing video they had obtained from a freelance photographer who got to the scene before the cops arrived. They issued a solemn parent advisory and started the gory clip.

  Novak stepped closer as the guy’s camera zoomed in on the front gate. His stomach muscles clenched when he realized the victims’ decapitated heads were displayed on the fence spikes. The news station had blurred the faces, but Novak could recognize one head by the short and distinctive spiked-up white hair. Just like Judith Locke’s. It had to be. He tasted bile, burning at the back of his throat. He couldn’t believe his eyes at first. Timothy Hennessey had somehow found her; he felt positive he was the one behind these murders. He looked for Leslie Taylor’s long black hair, because she was probably dead, too, and he found it. He could see that silver clip she wore in her hair, despite the blurred focus. The other victim appeared to be man, probably another FBI agent. That was confirmed a minute later when the television returned to the shaken, excited voice of the first reporter to arrive on scene. Novak forced down a swallow. “But they didn’t find Susie and Sammi?”

  Lori shook her head. “They haven’t said anything about little kids, but they probably wouldn’t, not yet. They did say the victims had been disfigured with acid, and there were decapitated bodies inside the house with other victims, but they aren’t releasing names until they’re identified and their families notified. More FBI agents showed up a while ago and took over the investigation from HPD. They haven’t given out much information except that there’s another decapitated female body on the driveway. Apparently, they haven’t found her head. They think the killers took it with them for some reason. Quantico’s all over this, and more agents are en route. Hennessey’s gone too far this time. Reporters are mentioning his name as having the same method of murder. They think it’s the act of several perpetrators who somehow caught the agents off guard. The killers left one of their own behind, and the police hope that once they identify him, that will lead them to the others.”

  Novak turned away when the newscast went to commercial. He felt sick inside. It couldn’t be; not Leslie. He didn’t want to believe it. How could this have gone so wrong? “This doesn’t make sense. Hennessey wouldn’t do something this stupid until he gets his drug money back. We haven’t even had time to negotiate terms. This whole thing stinks to high heaven.”

  Caloroso’s face was ashen. “Lucy could be dead inside that house. They said there were victims inside. He killed her because you threatened him. That’s why he did it.”

  Novak knew that. His threatening phone call had caused Hennessey’s atrocities, all of them. He hadn’t expected that outcome. He should have. Hennessey was a sick and cruel man, crazy and unpredictable. He routinely perpetrated horrendous crimes, but this? So many innocent people dead? Leslie had helped Novak, and she had paid the price with her life. Judith had trusted him, and now she was dead, too. All his fault, every person in that house had died because of his decision to bait Hennessey. His fault and his alone. Surging pain and regret hit him so hard for a moment that he couldn’t deal with it. He forced the emotion down, not willing to believe Lucy was among the dead. She couldn’t be; he couldn’t live with that. There was no proof of her death, not yet. “No, Lucy wasn’t there. It makes no sense for him to kill her, anyway. Think about it, Frank. Why would she even be in that safe house with Judith and Leslie? She was never there, never with the Feds. She has no connection to Judith’s family at all. She wasn’t a part of my trade off with Leslie, either. They’ve got her somewhere else: she’s probably being held by Judge Locke. Don’t give up yet. We will find her.”

  “She can identify them and testify to their crimes. They won’t risk that.” Frank looked up at him, his eyes defeated. He had already given up.

  Novak felt the first nibble of doubt about Lucy’s being alive. He thrust that dark thought from his mind and tried to figure out why Hennessey had done it. He was already suspected of the murders because it was his known M.O. Was it just a kneejerk, violent reaction to Novak’s threats? It was a truly gruesome scene designed to horrify and frighten. He turned back to the television as a news bulletin popped up and showed a second video of a wide tan beach with waves rolling up onto the sand. He listened, fearing whatever was coming at them next.

  “A gruesome discovery was made today at Galveston’s East Beach when an early-morning beachcomber happened upon a decapitated body that had washed ashore. Police believe the victim is connected to the bloody massacre before dawn this morning that left up to six people dead, including several Houston-based FBI agents. No word yet as to the identity of this latest victim, but it is believed to be a white female of slight height and build. The body was clad in a black pantsuit and blue blouse. That’s all we have for you at this time. If anyone has information on the identity of this latest victim or recognizes the clothing, please call the number at the bottom of the screen.”

  “That’s what Leslie had on last night,” Lori said.

  Novak had personally delivered Judith and her little girls into Leslie’s hands, trusting her to be safe and to keep them safe. Now the two women were dead. Still, he couldn’t let himself believe those beautiful little girls would be among the victims. “The judge wouldn’t have done this. He’s not going to kill his own daughter, and he wanted his grandchildren back with him. That’s why he took them away from Judith in the first place. If they’re dead, he didn’t have anything to do with it. They’re already blaming Hennessey. Locke’s going to go after him for this.”

  Lori stared at him a moment and then said something he didn’t want to hear. “Don’t be naïve, Novak. The judge is capable of anything.”

  That brought him back to the moment. Maybe she was right. Calvin Locke was capable of terrible things, but Hennessey had been enraged when Novak had taunted him. He had accused the judge pointblank of betraying Hennessey’s trust. Maybe he killed his daughter in retribution. But how would he find her and where were her children? “Something’s very wrong here. None of this adds up. How would either of them find Judith? How did they know she was there? She hadn’t been there all that long. Leslie took every precaution. She always does.”

  “Obviously they’ve got somebody feeding them inside information,” she answered, thinking more clearly than him and Frank at the moment. She seemed almost too calm. Judith had been her best friend. Lori had taken a severe beating while protecting Judith Locke.

  Lori was frowning now. “That means they might have info on us, too. I’d say somebody inside the Houston FBI office clued them in. Could Leslie have been double-crossed by a fellow agent? Did she have an enemy inside that she was feuding with?”

  Novak considered that idea. “She told me the new SAC in her office sometimes looked the other way, let her do things that weren’t exactly up to FBI standards. She’s had problems in the past with her performance, but she was hanging in there and hoping that bringing in Judith Locke would put her back in the Bureau’s good graces. Damn it, I want to know who betrayed them. Somebody had to.”

  “Maybe there’s something on the videos you took from Locke’s safe. You kept them and some of the other stuff, right? Like that derringer you kept. We need to watch them.” Lori picked up Novak’s bac
kpack and swung it atop the table. She pulled out the surveillance discs and started sorting them by date. Frank stood behind them at the table. She opened her laptop, inserted them, and hit the play button.

  The videos were from a security camera atop Locke’s garage. After watching for several minutes, Frank leaned close when the film showed two men leaving out of the open doors. They were dragging a young girl between them. As one man stopped to put down the door, their prisoner jerked out of their grasps and sent a quick hard jab to one man’s face. They could see the blood spurt out, and he staggered back a bit, grabbing his nose. She took off running, but he was right behind her. He grabbed her under a lamppost, and they grappled in the circle of light it cast down on the pavement.

  “Oh my God, that’s her!” Frank cried out.

  Novak recognized Lucy, too. She was putting up one hell of a struggle, but the two big men easily subdued her. The one she’d slugged shoved her down on the ground, but she kicked at him until they grabbed her legs. They weren’t exactly roughing her up, not as much as they could have. All Novak felt was relief. That probably meant they had been ordered not to hurt her under any circumstances. This was the first good news they’d had, but it didn’t last long. The taller man slapped her hard across the face, enough that she stumbled to one side and would have fallen if the second guy hadn’t grabbed hold of her.

  “That bastard, I’m going to kill him, I swear to God, I’m going to kill him,” Frank got out through gritted teeth.

  Now the other guy was taping her wrists and ankles together. He picked her up bodily and hoisted her over one shoulder. They watched as he carried her to a waiting black Mercedes sitting out on the driveway. One man threw her inside the back seat and got in with her. The other guy, the one who’d hit her, rounded the car and climbed into the driver’s seat. That’s when Lori got a good look at his face.

  “That’s Stephen Locke driving that car.” Lori hit a button, and they watched it again. “I don’t know the guy in the back seat, but it’s probably Stephen’s bodyguard. I know he has one with him sometimes when he travels.”