St James Gate (James Webb Rescue Book 1)

by BL Burke

  “You stay here.” James said. A pounding of something on the dock door came from below.

  “It’s my place, I can handle it,” Renee said. James shook his head.

  “You don’t need to.” James said. Renee hugged him and stepped off the elevator. “Call Cindy.” James closed the gate and went further down another floor.

  As he opened the door, he saw the spot where the intruders waited for him. There was no sign of them now. James marched across the dock to the door.

  Thunder struck again and a small flash of light came through a glass block window.

  The howling escalated, sending a chill down James spine. It was as if they were all dooming him… or mourning him. A second banging echoed. James could almost feel the vibrations as he grabbed the chain. His arm twitched. I got this.

  James put on a frown and threw the door up with all his strength. It slide on the tracks rumbling to the top then bouncing back down before the springs caught.

  “What!” James yelled.

  “Hello again,” he said reaching out his gloved hand, “Detective Marshall Thompkins…” he was drenched in the rain. A quick breeze took a sheet directly under the awning and hit him in the back, splashing droplets over James’ boots.

  “Can I help you,” James said.

  “We met earlier, I dropped off Adeline.” Marshall said. James crossed his arms.

  “Yeah… you are… with my sister.” Marshall’s eyes opened wider, he glanced at the uniform next to him. A thick built girl who could’ve been Austin’s twin tried to intimidate him with her arms on her hips and a concrete frown.

  “We work together sometimes…this yours?” Marshall said thumbing toward the Jeep behind him.

  “Why,” James said.

  “Where have you been tonight?”

  “Here,” James said, “Tending to the dogs… trying to get ready for the storm.”

  The howling was still loud. “Didn’t do a great job then?”

  “Do you know anything about dogs? We can’t afford a thunder jacket for all of them.” James said. Marshall was trying to crane his neck looking around the little dock.

  “You mind if I come in?”

  “What for? I have a lot of animals to look after.”

  “It’ll take a minute, it’s raining out here.” James shrugged and stepped back. Marshall put his hands on the brown metal lip. He lifted himself up like his body weighed nothing. Tough girl took longer, she had to flip her leg on the ledge and levered herself up.

  “I got towels, but they’re all filled with dog hair.” James said trying to sound helpful. Tougharita, shook her head.

  “I’m fine.” Marshall said, “the reason we’re here is someone decided to jump in front of a train behind your building.” That’s what happened. The engineer didn’t see him with the gun. Marshall’s eyes wandered. The girl started to walk around, she circled behind James. He tried to watch her move toward the storage room.

  “That’s dumb,” James said.

  “He disappeared.”

  “Disappeared? After he was hit?” Marshall nodded. James could barely see anything after the train went by… he thought Kieron got away, but...

  “You know anything about people disappearing?” Marshall said, his eyes were strong but a little bloodshot, he’d been drinking but suspected James too.

  James looked past him, into the rain, his hand began to shake. “I’d like to take a look around.”

  “Why?”

  “The witness said he flew out of your building like a bat outta hell.”

  “How many bats do you know in hell detective.”

  “I’d like to take a look.” Marshall’s eyebrows dropped as he tried to look more intense.

  “For what reason, cause someone supposedly ran from a building. Are you sure the conductor isn’t just on something?”

  “Well, he saw it.”

  “I’d drug test him,” James could barely see him behind the train light, but it looked like he had a few extra pounds around his gut.

  “His company will. Why won’t you let us look around, are you hiding something?” Marshall took a few steps closer to James. He put his nose six inches from James.

  “You want to threaten me like your partner. Especially after you’ve been drinking.” Marshall started to open his mouth, then stopped. “Can smell the whiskey on your breath. And Detective Jefferson, I’m ready to file I complaint against him, you want to be included?”

  Marshall tried to step to his left to get passed James. James mirrored him, he wasn’t letting this punk get to look around. Cindy should be on her way soon.

  Marshall clenched his jaw, he didn’t know that Perry stopped by.

  “Well, you opened the door. Officer, watch him. I’m looking around. With or without your permission.” James pulled out his phone as Marshall took a few steps towards the crates. His eyes and head flicked to every corner like a nervous owl.

  James watched his eyes line up with the coffins for the damned. Running his fingers along the crate he knocked. A hollow sound came from them. Marshall’s eyebrows raised.

  The phone reached Cindy’s voicemail. Shit.

  He watched Marshall as she answered. “Hey Cindy, it's James. How long till you can get here… your boyfriend’s harassing me.”

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 36

  “Cindy’s on her way?” Marshall said as James hung up the phone.

  “Yep, this is an illegal search Mr. Thompkins.” Marshall had little time. he quickly lifted a crate, then dropped it back down. He scanned the room, crates, moving equipment. The entrances were a pair of doors, an open garage like door at the back and an elevator. One of the doors said ‘Safe Haven,’ probably the rescue. The second door said Stairs, he walked toward the open area, most likely where the man ran from, it was filed with dog supplies.

  “Is this were the jumper came from?” Marshall asked. James right arm snapped out.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Cindy will be here soon,” James said. He took a couple of steps back and sat on one of the empty crates.

  Marshall knew he needed to get looking. Find Eddie… but at what cost? Could he give up Cindy? She loved him, right?

  Marshall took a few steps inside and saw a back door. If there was a jumper, he’d have come from there.

  Marshall threaded his way up to it and grabbed the knob. Locked. If someone did run from here, it was bolted up after? Marshall walked back through the maze of dog supplies, James had an arrogant grin on his face.

  “I’m checking the basement.” Marshall said, He knew the video had a concrete floor, like this one. The walls on this floor were red brick, the video had Cream City, and there weren’t any windows.

  “Cindy’s two minutes out.” James said readjusting himself on the crate.

  “You need your sister to fight your battles?” Marshall said. James shrugged. Marshall quickly opened the door to the stairs. Following them to the basement he came to a door.

  ‘Hell’ was written on it in a faded black paint, it looked ancient. Marshall opened the door and took a step inside.

  Instead of a large open space, the basement seemed to have been divided up. Cinder blocks rose to the ceiling on both sides of him making a long hall ending at the elevator. Random doors were dispersed beneath eerie single lights that hung from wires above him. He couldn’t see an original wall, Marshall walked forward checking the door’s. All were locked.

  As he reached the elevator he saw a long hallway shoot into darkness to his right. A wet moldy smell barreled into him and Marshall aimed his flashlight but couldn’t see the end.

  He followed the hall, a drip of water echoed in front of him

  Ten yards in he came to an open door. He shone his flashlight into the room, empty with the exception of a large industrial shelf. The back wall was redbrick.

  These rooms were too closed off, too small to be where the fights took place. Could we be wrong? He turned back around and put his emp
ty hand on his head.

  Marshall took out his phone and snapped a quick picture. He started a little further to the next door.

  Elevator gears started to rumble behind him. No time, he tried to grab the next door. Locked again. The loud ding of the elevator arriving echoed through the hall. Marshall looked back.

  “Marshall?” it was Cindy’s voice. Marshall’s heart jumped.

  “Dammit.” Marshall said quietly. Lowering his head he walked back toward her. “I’m here.” Cindy’s usually light footsteps pounded on the concrete as she marched toward him. “Hi,” Marshall said trying to smile.

  She stopped a foot away and stuck her long index finger in his face. “As James Webb’s and Brew City Animal Rescue’s Attorney, I must tell you… get out now.” She yelled. Marshall smiled, his time was up. It seemed there nothing here but a rescue.

  Cindy held her arm out toward the elevator, her body was rigid, her neck stiff. Her piercing eyes not wavering. Marshall took a deep breath and walked past her.

  “I had to check Cindy.” Marshall said, she didn’t respond, her statue like arm stood like the arrow pointing to the elevator. “You would,” he whispered quickly.

  He could hear her shoes inches behind him, tapping on the ground. Chills went up his spine as Marshall stepped into the cargo elevator. He didn’t know who else is a suspect now. Rival gang? She pressed the up button and he felt the gears and pulleys engage as they rose. Marshall took a back corner and leaned up against it.

  “You look very beautiful tonight.” Marshall said.

  The elevator stopped. She looked directly at him and pointed him out. Marshall complied. Her feet sounded inches behind him. He was sure her eyes were trying to burn through his skull. He stepped to the dock door where he saw James and the female officer from before standing on the ground.

  “Down.” She said. The uniform that was with him rolled her eyes. Marshall lowered himself down, Cindy followed.

  “Off the property now… and tell them to leave too.” She said to the uniform. The uniform looked at Marshall, her eyes were filled with hate… probably roid rage.

  “It’s a crime scene?” The uniform said, her voice almost a baritone.

  “A man was hit by a train… that’s not a crime.”

  “Could be a suic…” She said.

  “Officer,” Marshall interrupted. “Inform the others, we’re packing it in. Not a lot to go on.” Cindy started to pull herself back up, Marshall put out a hand to help her. She glared and he dropped it back… this is my girl. I don’t lose my women.

  He stepped into the rain. It felt like a cool washcloth on his head, took away some of the pain from the headache.

  Why did Knight call him in? It was just a train accident. He doesn’t know about James, that was just between him and Perry. None of it was on the books.

  Marshall brushed away the wetness from his mouth. He stepped back beneath the overhang and placed a cigarette between his cool lips and lit it. He took one big puff watching the flame’s flare pour the poison into his lungs. Marshall couldn’t think anymore. He wanted to go for another drink. A gust of wind blew a sheet of rain and put out the ember.

  Cindy appeared again from the bright dock door. With her wet hair frazzled and her blue eyes so fierce, his chest thumped beneath his wet shirt. He tried to smile, noticing her tight jeans and his UW-Whitewater sweater. she was gorgeous.

  “Hi” he said.

  “Marshall,” She said with her frown, “you want to tell me why you are here and why you are harassing my brother?”

  “Someone ran in front of a train,” Marshall said.

  “So, why are you here?”

  “The conductor, saw the hitter… hittee?” He didn’t know how to phrase it. “run from the rescue.”

  “Where is the person who was hit?”

  “No idea.”

  “No body, no case.”

  “We have a witness.”

  “In the rain at night?”

  “There’s a little blood… not much.”

  “Could’ve hit a deer.”

  “Not many of them in the valley.” Marshall said.

  “I know what’s going on here… your partner, that… that thug,” she wanted to say something else… something worse, “convinced you that James is guilty of something… so he sends you to harass my brother after he drops by and harasses him. You two are unbelievable.”

  “Perry isn’t a thug,” Marshall said.

  “Yes he is, he shot Shadow,”

  “Perry changed, the Army did that for him.” Marshall said, a mistake. Her soft lips puckered, her eyes squared him up. She pulled out her fist and pointed at him.

  “Maybe, but you have no right… you are nothing but a bastard… you don’t give a shit about me do you,”

  “Shhh.” Marshall said and looked around, no one was paying attention.

  “It doesn’t matter, we had a fling, it’s over now… Marshall and I used to sleep together!” she shouted through the pouring rain. “Don’t worry, it’s over.” A pair of officers glanced over at her acting a bit nuts.

  “Cindy,” Marshall said, but he felt that empty hole again, “I don’t want it to end like this,”

  “Tell that to my brother,”

  Marshall knew he was losing it, losing her, he reached up. She just shook her head.

  “I don’t want to see you… or your stupid partner… and if James tells me to, I’m suing the shit out of you and this shitty third rate city.”

  “You’re a city employee.”

  Cindy looked at him, “Not anymore.” She grabbed the chain and pulled the heavy garage door down. The metal slammed, reverberating like a gong through his body. Marshall was alone.

  Chapter 37

  “Please be okay,” Perry whispered to himself as he hit the gas turning north on Miller Park Way. That didn’t sound good at all. The crashing and metal tearing sounded like it did just outside Damascus on his unit’s little excursion. Perry could still see the driver barreling down on them until fifty bullets detoured him into a wall and the bomb inside blew chunks of brick and bone around them like hail.

  Below the Brewers stadium he hit the gas, speeding up the ramp and turned east down Canal St., Perry visualized Kieron at the bottom of the river that ran next to the road.

  Puffs of smoke were drifting upward through the yellow glow of the stadium light. The road curved passed Robin Yount Lot. The glow was getting closer. As he rounded the building he saw the orange cones and a squad car.

  Perry stopped. Angling his car he blocked two lanes. Cars coming from the east were being directed around the crash. People’s wide eyes were staring at the wreck.

  Perry saw the SUV lying on the driver’s side door about twenty yards away. He threw his door open into the storm and ran.

  An officer spotted him and put out the ‘halt’ signal. Perry stopped and cracked his knuckles. Pointing to his badge he said. “Detective Perry Jefferson, what happened here?”

  “I thought that was you,” the officer said. A SWAT trained bulldozer he didn’t know.

  “Vehicle flipped.” Perry jogged past. “Officer’s Kirkwall and Morris are trying to get the driver out.” He yelled out.

  “Fire department?” Perry yelled.

  “On their way.”

  “Tell them to hurry!” Perry yelled. He rounded the front of the SUV. Glass was shattered all around and reflecting more of the lights than the rain would. The smoke seeped from the sideways hood.

  “Keep with me,” an officer said, he was crouched his hand gripping his friends.

  “Kieron!” Perry said and grabbed one of the officer’s shoulders. The cop grabbed his arm and tried to twist it and spin Perry around.

  Perry let him spin then shot out a quick elbow. The officer crumbled to the ground, his partner jumped up but Perry already had his gun out pointing it directly at the officer’s face.

  “Need backup!” the stunned officer yelled.

  “Detective Perry Jeffers
on,” he said and pointed at the badge on his hip. SWAT boy ran around the corner holding his weapon in hand. Perry lowered his gun glancing at the nameplate.

  “Nevermind,” Kirkwall said.

  “He’s my guy,” Perry said looking at Kieron. His eyes were half open, they blinked slowly. Perry crouched down, Kieron’s body was lying on his shoulder. More shards of the windshield surrounded him.

  “Hey man,” Perry said, “I’m gonna get you out of here.” Kieron tried to nod but could only make a small movement forward.

  “Shot… him,” Kieron said.

  “Shot who?” Kirkwall said. Sirens started to sound through the pounding rain. Maybe two minutes.

  “Direct the responders here,” Perry said quickly, “I’ll take care of him.” He turned to Kieron, a trickle of blood ran from his lip, his seatbelt was holding part of him back.

  “I’m gonna cut you out so we can move you.”

  “No, everything… broken…” Perry took out his switchblade, he grabbed a part of the seatbelt and started to saw at it. Then the smell came… gas. “Shit,” He put his knee on the ground and felt a sharp jab from glass. He ignored it sawing faster.

  “Gasoline!” the SWAT man yelled appearing from behind the SUV. Kieron’s eyes opened up, he moved and the seat belt came apart. The smell was getting stronger, moving toward the front of the car. Perry tried to grab Kieron’s arms. Glass dug into his hands. Kieron screamed as Perry pulled.

  “Leg…” Kieron shouted out.

  “It’s gonna explode detective,” Perry looked into his friend's eyes, he could see tears.

  “Oscar… didn’t come out…” Kieron said… “Kid shot him.”

  “It’s okay man,” the sirens were getting closer.

  “He was delivering something…” he coughed, a shot of blood rolled down his bottom lip. “Maybe a body… we followed.”

  “Why?”

  “Looking… E…” he whispered.

  “You should’ve just stayed… watched…”

  “Trying to find your brother…” Kieron put out his right arm and Perry grabbed it.

  “You’re my brother...” Perry said, he felt the water well up as he locked eyes with Kieron.