The Truth of Yesterday

by Josh Aterovis

  “Why the hell does it matter whether it was a professional or an amateur?” TJ suddenly blurted out. I took a good look at him and realized that this whole ordeal had been harder on him than I had thought. In fact, I hadn't been thinking about him at all; I'd been focused on one things and one thing only, catching Fenton Black. I reached over and took TJ's hand. An expression I had never expected to see flickered through Evans' eyes, compassion.

  “You're right, Mr. Jackson. It doesn't matter. We have more than enough reason to bring Fenton Black in for questioning at the very least. It's much more likely that we can do more than that thanks to the contents of that folder you brought in. I have to be honest with you; there's a good chance you'll have to testify at the trial, but there is no reason why your name should ever come up before then. If it would make you feel better, we can place you in protective custody until then, and since I'm sure the FBI will be involved in this before it's over, I can even say it's a safe bet you could be offered the witness protection program.”

  TJ shook his head. “None of that. Whatever happens will happen. I'd like to stay out of the media as much as possible, to protect my job, but if that can't be done then I guess I'll just have to face the consequences.”

  “You've certainly changed your tune since you walked in here,” Evans remarked thoughtfully.

  “Listening to you has made me realize that this is a lot bigger than me. This man has to be stopped.”

  The detective nodded and turned his attention to me. “Mr. Kendall, on behalf of the police department of Washington D.C., I want to thank you for your part in bringing this evidence to our attention. Now you're part is finished. You've done a fine job. We'll take it from here.”

  “Hey, you'll get no argument from me,” I said quickly. “I'm not some maverick who wants to bring this guy down on his own. As you said, I've done my part; the rest is up to the professionals. I only have one request to make.”

  Evans rolled his eyes and heaved a monumental sigh. “Here we go,” he muttered.

  “It's not that big a deal. I just want a little time before you move on this, maybe one day at the most.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “A little time for what?”

  “I'm afraid that's private,” I said quietly. I wanted time to get Jake out of there before the SWAT team burst in and arrested him, but I couldn't very well tell Evans that. I didn't know how I was going to contact Jake if he was holed up with Black, but I had to try. I owed him that much at least.

  Evans stared at me a while longer, then shrugged. “It's going to take about 12-24 hours to get the warrants in order. You have however long it takes. I can't give you any more time than that and I can't nail it down any more than that. When the team and the warrants are ready, the team will move in. Simple as that.”

  “It's something,” I said.

  “It's a damn sight more than you had any reason to expect,” Evans replied.

  I nodded. When you're right, you're right. The detective stood up and TJ and I quickly followed his lead. We both shook his hand and then we were led out. Standing outside the police station, I turned and gave TJ a careful once-over.

  “Are you going to be ok?” I asked.

  He gave me a bleak look. “Only time will tell,” he said wearily. “I don't really expect them to be able to keep it out of the news forever. Eventually it will come out and so will I, out of the closet that is. And then I'll lose my job and quite possibly my life.”

  “You could always take them up on their offer of the witness protection program.”

  “And spend the rest of my life pretending to be someone I'm not? I've done that for the first half of my life, I'd rather not have to do it for the rest of it. No, I'll just take things as they happen.”

  “Maybe it won't be all bad. Things seldom are, you know. You could find another great job at a more accepting school.”

  He shrugged. “There's always hope.” He held out his hand for me to shake. “Thank you, Killian.”

  “For what?” I asked, confused.

  “For forcing me to take some action. That file had been eating away at me ever since Paul died, but I seemed paralyzed to take that first step. You took the decision away from me and it was actually a relief. Come to think of it, I'm half hoping the papers will get a hold of this and out me. It would save me the trouble.” He flashed me a feeble grin and I impulsively reached out and hugged him. He returned the hug, clinging to me for several seconds as if I were a lifeline; then he released me all at once and stepped back as if embarrassed.

  “Take care of yourself, TJ,” I said.

  “I will. And you take care of yourself. You're the one with the dangerous job.”

  “Really, it's not usually all that dangerous.”

  “If you say so.” He waved and walked away to his car. As soon as he was out of sight, I felt all the remaining energy I had just drain right out of me. My vision blurred and I felt myself swaying a bit. A shook my head and forced my feet to walk to my car. I climbed inside and rested my head against the steering wheel. I'll just close my eyes for a few seconds, I thought.

  The next thing I knew someone was tapping on the window. I jumped upright, and for a brief, disoriented moment, I didn't know where I was. Then I focused on Evans' sour mug glaring in through the car window and it all came back to me. I glanced down at my watch as I opened the door. I'd been asleep for almost half an hour.

  “I hope you weren't waiting to bug me some more,” he growled.

  “No, actually I just fell asleep. I haven't been sleeping very much lately.”

  “If you're that tired are you sure you're ok to drive?” he asked, sounding almost concerned.

  “Yeah, I'll be fine after that power nap,” I answered with a cheeky grin.

  “Then get going,” he said with a slap on the roof.

  “Yes, sir.” I sketched a salute and pulled the door shut as I started the car.

  He tapped on the window again, but this time I just rolled it down. “One more thing,” he said leaning down to look in at me. “You be careful. You're one of the good guys; it'd be shame to lose an investigator like you. That was some fine detective work you did. I'd be proud to have you on the force.”

  “Thank you, Detective Evans,” I said, sincerely moved. He moved quickly away across the parking lot. I watched him go, and then put the car in reverse and backed out of the space. I started for Chris' house; I owed her an explanation.

  When I arrived, Chris' father Louis insisted that I stay for dinner so I could tell them what had happened. So that's what I did; I gave them the whole story while we ate a very homey meal of roast beef, potatoes, carrots, and green beans. Their reactions to my account were all that a storyteller could hope for; Louis was impressed, Chris hung on every word, and Kevin was in awe.

  “Man, you're like the Hardy Boys or something,” he said when I'd brought them up to date. “Both of them rolled into one.”

  I laughed. “At least you didn't say Nancy Drew,” I joked. “That would have to be Chris; I couldn't have done it without her.”

  Chris actually blushed a little. “So that's it, then?” she said, in an effort to shift the attention away from her, “The case is closed? Fenton Black killed Paul Flynn?”

  “Well, the case won't be officially closed until they arrest Black, but yeah, all the evidence points to Black as the killer.”

  “But our part is finished?”

  “You're part is finished. I still have one more thing I have to do.”

  “What would that be?”

  I shook my head. “It would be better if you didn't know.”

  “It's not something illegal is it?” Louis asked.

  “No, nothing like that.”

  “Then what did you mean it would be better if I didn't know?” Chris asked.

  “Just that if you knew what I had to do you would probably try to talk me out of it and it would be pointless because it's something I have to do.”

  “So it's something st
upid or dangerous,” she said darkly.

  “Or both,” Louis added jokingly.

  “Killian...” Chris started.

  “Chris, really. You don't even know what I'm going to do, so why try to talk me out of it?”

  “Listen to him, Christina,” Louis said before things degenerated into an argument. “Sometimes there are things on a case that have to be cleared up that aren't part of the official investigation. The investigators need it for closure. God knows we don't often get it, so if we have the chance, we have to go for it.”

  I practically glowed under the inclusion implied in his statement. This veteran cop considered me to be an investigator. I was still basking in the warmth his words had given me when Chris sighed.

  “Well, at least you're spending the night here,” she said.

  “What?” I yelped. “I can't spend the night here; I have to get back tonight.”

  Chris frowned. “Why? What's the rush?”

  “I...I just have to get back as quickly as possible.”

  “Does this have to do with your closure?” She said the last word sarcastically.

  “Yes.”

  “Killian, I'm going to have to side with Chris on this one,” Louis said. “It's obvious you're tired. If you hadn't been telling us about the investigation I think you would have been asleep in your plate by now. It's not safe to drive when you're that tired. Whatever it is you have to do will wait until morning.”

  I shook my head vehemently. “That's just it; it might not. I have a very narrow window if opportunity. I have to take advantage of it now. It could be too late by tomorrow. I have to drive back tonight.”

  Everyone sat in tense silence for a few seconds while Kevin looked back and forth between the three of us, all equally stubborn and determined. Louis finally broke the deadlock.

  “Ok,” he said.

  “Ok?” Chris demanded.

  “Yes, ok. Killian isn't my child. In fact, he isn't a child at all. He can make his own decisions. He knows the risks. If he says he has to drive back tonight, then he has to drive back tonight. I can't stop him.”

  “Thank you,” I said quietly. “I'd better head back soon though, so I'll be that much less tired.” He nodded and Chris scowled. “I have a few phone calls to make first though. I'll use my cell phone outside.”

  “You don't have to go outside unless you need the privacy.”

  “Well, that and I get better reception. I'll say goodbye before I leave.” I excused myself from the table and slipped outside, where I quickly dialed Judy's house. She answered on the first ring, as if she was sitting right next to the phone waiting.

  “Judy, it's Killian,” I said.

  “Oh, hi Killian.” Her voice was filled with disappointment, which pretty much answered my reason for calling. “You haven't heard from Jake?” I asked, just to be sure.

  “Nothing. Not a word since he left for the AIDS Ball.”

  “That's what I figured. Well, try not to worry. I think I know where he is and I'm going to try to go get him,” I told her.

  “Be careful,” she said, her voice carrying much more weight than I would have thought those simple words could convey.

  “Do I have reason to be?” I asked carefully.

  “Yes.”

  “Does this have anything to do with your...feeling? The one you told me about the other night?”

  “Yes. The feeling has gotten stronger.”

  I took a deep breath as the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. “I'll be careful,” I promised.

  I disconnected from her and quickly dialed Micah's number.

  “Hello?” he answered.

  “Hey, it's me,” I said.

  “What's going on? How are things going?”

  “Very well. I'll tell you everything but you have to be quiet until I'm finished because I need to hurry.”

  “What's the rush?”

  “I'll get to that.” I quickly told him everything that had happened since I'd talked to him last. I finished up with, “So Evans told me I only have 12-24 hours before the move to arrest Black. I have to get to Jake before that.”

  “Considering how badly he's wanted, I'd say you're probably closer to the 12 hour estimate, maybe even less.”

  “That's what I figured. So what I need from you now is Fenton Black's address.”

  “Why do you need to know that?”

  “I just told you I have to try to get Jake out of there before the police show up.”

  “You're not going to be able to just waltz in. He lives on a gated estate and I'd be willing to bet he has security guards. You could be walking right into their hands.”

  “It's a risk I have to take. I can't just leave Jake in there.”

  “Killian, this is nuts. Do you have a death wish?”

  “No,” I said between clenched teeth, trying not to think about Judy's premonition. “I do not have a death wish. If you're not going to help me I'll figure it out another way, but I'm doing this with or without your help.”

  Micah didn't say anything for so long that I began to think he'd hung up on me. Finally, I heard a small sigh. “Ok, fine. I'll help, but only on one condition.”

  “What's that?”

  “That you wait for me.”

  “Huh?”

  “Black's house is only about twenty minutes on this side of the bridge. He's closer to you than to me, so I want you to wait for me.”

  “You're not coming,” I said firmly.

  “It's the only way you'll get the address from me.”

  I stewed and argued for a few minutes, but eventually gave in. Micah gave me the address which I scribbled into my notebook.

  “The house is on a back road,” he told me. “There aren't any other houses nearby and it sits back from the road itself by quite a bit. A fence runs around the perimeter of the yard and the only way in is the front gate. The whole fence is electrified so don't try to climb it. If you go by the house, the road ends in another half-mile. There's a little cul-de-sac so you can turn around. On the left side of the cul-de-sac is a small dirt lane. I think it was a logging access road but it's mostly grown over now. There should be enough room for you to pull in and hide your car. Pull in as far as you can so I can get in behind you. Wait for me there.”

  “How do you know all this?” I asked as a funny feeling churned in my stomach.

  “I staked out the house this morning.”

  “Why?”

  “Just in case I needed to know. I like to be prepared.”

  There was a long pause. “When can you leave?” I asked.

  “I'm at work so it'll take me a few minutes to get everything squared away. I can't just walk out. It'll take me about an hour and half at least to drive up, so expect me in about two hours. From DC, it should take you about an hour to an hour and a half depending on traffic and how fast you drive.”

  “I'll wait for you there,” I said and hung up, having no intention of doing so.

  I let myself back in to find Kevin waiting for me by the door.

  “Are you really going to do something dangerous?” he asked eagerly.

  “I don't know. Maybe.”

  “Will there be a shoot-out?”

  “I hope not. Where is Chris?”

  “She went up to her room. Do you have a gun?”

  “No. Can you show me to her room?”

  “Yeah, follow me.” He chattered incessantly all the way up the stairs to Chris' bedroom door, which was closed. I tapped hesitantly on the door.

  “Chris? It's me; can we talk?” I called.

  She opened it and stood glaring at me. I managed to get a peek around her at the room beyond. It was pretty much what I expected, organized and neat as a pin. A few black and white photographs in simple black frames hung on plain white walls. A state-of-the-art computer center shared the wall I could see with a floor to ceiling bookcase filled to overflowing. The only feminine touch in the entire room was the bed; a pastel abstract print bedspread covered an or
nate brass bed.

  “I thought you were in a hurry,” she said peevishly.

  “I sorta am, but I didn't want to leave until we talked.”

  “What's there to talk about? I thought we were partners and here you go running off to do something stupid and/or dangerous and you won't even tell me what it is.”

  “Is that what this is really about? That you're not included?”