Cassandra (Fells Point Private Investigator Series)

by Denise Irwin

  Sam reached into his bag and pulled out his gun along with a lock pick for the front door. He cautiously approached the house. If a broken beam activated a device to set off a bomb, he’d end up blown into pieces. As soon as he crossed through the first beam, he heard the alarm. He ran to the front door and used his pick to unlock it. When he stepped inside, he could smell a decaying body. The stench caught him off guard and drove a knife into his heart. He was terrified that the decaying body could be Cassie.

  Marksman’s training kicked in. He un-holstered his firearm and held it with both hands in front of him. He kept his weight centered as he made a sweep of the first floor. If Grossman had returned and entered the house through another door, Sam didn’t want to Grossman to catch him off guard. Sam moved swiftly through the first floor. He found a locked door that he assumed led to the basement. Time was running out so he didn’t bother picking the lock; he kicked the door in. He kicked the door hard enough that when it gave way, he nearly fell down the basement steps.

  The stench from the basement made him sick to his stomach. He slowly descended the stairs taking them one at a time. If the house had an alarm, the basement could also have laser beams. If Sam’s intuition was on target about a second alarm, Grossman had something in the basement he didn’t want anyone to know about.

  He holstered his gun as he descended the stairs. He stooped down on his heels halfway down the stairs and in the dim light through the basement window saw Cassie chained spread eagle to a wall. Even in the dark basement, he saw her body lying on the floor in what appeared be her feces and urine. Her clothes torn to shreds barely covered her battered and bruised body. Sam could see that the shackles on her wrists appeared to be bloody. The bastard had placed duct tape across her mouth. Through the dim light he saw that she was conscious enough to vigorously shake her head back and forth to tell him, no.

  Sam whispered to Agent Henson, “Is this rigged to a bomb?”

  She nodded that it was.

  Brutus lay dead at her feet. His was the decaying body Sam smelled when he entered the house. He gently pulled his cell phone from his coat pocket as he retraced his steps to the first floor. Before he reached the first floor level, he hit Glen’s contact number, which was Glen’s cue that there was a bomb in the house.

  Sam slowly made his way back up the stairs. The bomb’s trigger could have been set to sound and/or motion as well as the beams. He heard sirens growing louder with each step he took. His tense body shook hard. Sam was afraid his legs would give out causing him to fall down the stairs, setting off the bomb trigger, so he stepped cautiously. The vision of Cassie started a fire in his belly. He hoped this bastard arrived before the police, so Sam had the opportunity to take him down.

  Sam turned slowly toward the front door. The police were about to enter the house when he held his hands up palms out. Once he was out of the house, he told the police, “My name is Sam Marksman; I’m a private investigator from Maryland. FBI Agent Cassandra Henson is in the basement shackled to a wall. Her mouth is duct-taped shut. Her dog is lying dead at her feet. She was conscious enough to let me know the laser beams in the basement were designed to set off a bomb if any of the beams are broken.”

  One of the officers called for the bomb squad and then asked Sam, “Do you own this house?”

  “No sir I do not. The owner is Bruce Grossman who is also an FBI agent. They were working together undercover on a federal investigation. Agent Henson told Glen Englar to call me if she didn’t report for work.”

  The officer arrogantly looked at Sam, “Why did he call you, instead of the police?”

  “It’s likely that if she believed Grossman was a dirty cop, she wouldn’t trust any law enforcement agent.”

  “Investigator Marksman, tell me why would this FBI Agent that you say is shackled in the basement call you, instead of the FBI?”

  Sam tried to tell himself this asshole was just doing his job. “She and I had worked on a money laundering case in Vegas. She trusts me. Until we get her out of that basement, you’ll have to go on my word about her trust level.”

  “Inspector, if you don’t mind I’d like to know if that’s why she’s in Atlantic City.”

  Frustrated by the officer’s questions, Sam spoke fast, hoping this moron could keep up. “Yes, that’s why she’s here. The casino owner is sitting in that Cadillac just down the road. He called me when she didn’t report to work. When we arrived, I used my infrared camera to locate the laser beams in the yard. I took a chance that they triggered an alarm system and not a bomb. I told Mr. Englar to call for the police if an alarm sounded. I entered the house and found Agent Henson chained to the wall.”

  “Do you think Grossman is dirty?”

  “Officer, I’m not involved in this case she is here to investigate. I’ve never met Grossman, so I have no idea whether he’s dirty or not, but go talk to Englar who would know a lot more than I do.”

  The Bomb Squad parked its truck in the middle of the road to stop traffic until they knew what they had on their hands. Sam saw one of the police officers talk with a member of the squad, and then the officer pointed to him.

  The squad member approached Sam. “My name is Bradley. Marshal Bradley. If I’ve got this right, you are the person who requested my team.”

  “Yes I did, Officer Bradley. There’s an FBI agent shackled to a wall in the basement. Her guard dog is lying dead at her feet.” Sam told the officer how she alerted him

  “Is it safe to assume that you brought an infrared device?”

  “Yes sir I did.”

  “You can also confirm that she’s alive?”

  “Yes sir, she is, but she’s in bad shape. We gotta get her out of there. Grossman left the house. He might be carrying a remote device to set off the bomb.”

  “Investigator, do you have any training in disarming a bomb?”

  “Yes sir, I do. I received some training when I was with the Bureau.”

  The police milling around in the yard and along the road, focused on Bradley and the person he was speaking with on the porch.

  “In that case since you know the location of the device, would you consider assisting my team?”

  “Yes sir, I would.”

  “Then go to the truck and put one the bomb protective gear.”

  “Bradley, Grossman probably received the same training which means he might have a remote trigger to set the bomb off.”

  “In that case, we need to work fast.”

  Sam suited up and joined the squad. He knew they would first need to know where the laser beam emanated from. Once they found it, they needed to deactivate the device before they attempted to disarm the bomb. Sam led the team into the house. He stepped cautiously down the basement steps. He stopped on the step where Cassie had shaken her head. She looked unconscious when he looked over at her. He’d deal with that later. He needed to find where the device was located.

  One of the squad members handed him a smaller infrared device than Sam’s camera. Sweat streamed off his forehead into his eyes. He blinked his eyes several times trying to clear his vision. He squatted on the stair in the bulky suit and used the infrared device to pan the room. He looked over at Cassie. Her eyes were open and she was trying to guide him with her eye movement.

  Oh, fuck it’s under the stairs. He whispered to her, “It’s under the stairs?” She nodded.

  “Can you hold on a bit longer until we figure out how to get to the device?”

  Cassie’s eyes smiled at him and she nodded that she could. Sam climbed back up the stairs.

  “Bradley, it’s under the stairs. I’d feel a whole lot better if one of your boys looked at it. In this suit I feel clumsy, and while I’ve been trained, your team is better equipped to disarm it.”

  “Not a problem. Kelly, you’re up next. Sam, how far down the staircase can Kelly safely go?”

  “Four, maybe five steps, I could see Cassie when I stooped down.”

  “Kelly, did you hear that?”

/>   Wearing the bulky bomb squad suit, Kelly nodded that he had. Everyone stood as close to the doorway as they could. Sam felt the tension in the group as Kelly started down the stairs. If he descended the stairs just one-step too far, they could all die in the explosion.

  Marshal nodded to Sam. “Good job. We’ll take it from here. Go to the truck to get out of that space suit and wait with Englar. I’ve called the FBI about this bastard they’re sending someone over. I’d feel better if you can update them since it’s likely you know more than us.”

  Sam started to ask Marshal…

  Marshal beat him to the punch, “As soon as I know it’s safe, we’ll call you in to unshackle her and bring her out.”

  “Thanks Bradley, I appreciate that.”

  As soon as Sam was out of his SciFi suit, he went off to find Englar. Glen was anxiously waiting in his car. When Glen saw Sam, he opened his car door to get out of the car, but Sam waved at him to stay in the car.

  “Sam, what the hell’s going on in there?”

  “Cassie’s shackled to a wall in the basement. There are laser beams covering every inch of the basement, but we found the laser device. The bomb squad is currently deactivating the trigger device and then they’ll work on deactivating the bomb. While she’s in bad shape, she’s alive. Someone from the bomb squad will come get me when I can go back in and bring her out. The police also contacted the FBI, so they’re on the way. The Emergency Medical Team will arrive shortly, so for now we sit and wait.”

  “While I was waiting, I saw a set of headlights coming toward me. Then the car turned around in a driveway on the other side of the house and drove off quickly. I think it might have been Grossman.”

  Sam chuckled, “He’s not going to get too far, not with an all-points bulletin on him. The asshole drove away using his government issued car. If he had any brains, he would have taken the other car.”

  “The car, that Cassie was driving?”

  “Yes, if I know my girl, as well as I think I do, she insisted she had a car of her own. She probably requested funding through the communication room.”

  “What’s a communication room?”

  “It’s a room that’s set up with a keypad entry system. If the agent working undercover needs to contact the Bureau he or she uses either an encrypted phone or an encrypted computer.”

  “Did you see one of those rooms in Grossman’s house?”

  “No, but I wasn’t looking for it. If there was one it’s possible that Grossman shackled her in the basement before she had the opportunity to call for backup.”

  “Sam, she said she had a dog.”

  “His name was Brutus. He was lying dead at her feet in a pool of dried blood. It’s my guess that Brutus tried to defend his mistress and was shot trying.”

  Sam jumped out of the car as one of the officers approached Englar’s vehicle. “Inspector, they’re ready for you. The bomb’s been disarmed and I’m sure you’ll be quite happy to hear that the FBI has Grossman in custody.”

  “Glen, I know you’re eager to see Cassie, but I’m going to ask you to wait until we get her in the hospital.”

  “Okay.” Sam didn’t need to ask that of him. It would kill Glen to see her now. He was already blaming himself. Glen knew it was likely that Grossman worked for the mob and was shocked when she told him he was an FBI Agent. If he’d told her his thoughts when he interviewed her, she might not have ended up in this situation. Instead of telling her there weren’t any jobs available, he was so excited that she might help save his casino, he put her in this position.

  When Sam reached Cassie, he found her crying. One of the officers had taken the tape off her mouth and covered her nearly naked body with a blanket. As he stood in front of her to take the shackles off, she choked out a laugh, “I told you that you were a knight in shining armor. I knew you’d come if I needed you.”

  As he gently gathered her thin beaten body up in his arms, she smiled as she looked into his eyes and asked him, “Did you ever marry that woman of yours.”

  Sam’s tears left streaks on her dirty face. He tried to choke them back, but they continued to flow. “We planned to get married tomorrow.”

  Sam cradled her in his arms and carefully carried her up the stairs. At the top of the staircase, the EMT team waited with a gurney.

  “Sam, I am so sorry. I’ve ruined your big day. Please promise me that you’ll tell her I’m sorry.”

  He gently laid her on the gurney. He then leaned over and kissed her on her forehead. “Tell her yourself, but trust me she’s not going to accept your apology. She’s at Glen’s casino. If the doctor lets us near you tomorrow, you can meet her.”

  The EMT team rolled her out to the waiting ambulance while inserting an IV that they connected to a bag of glucose. She waved her fingers at Sam and with a weak voice told him, “Sam Marksman, I love you.”

  Cassie laid still and listened to the ambulance’s siren. One of the technicians asked if she wanted anything for pain.

  “No, I’m fine. I just want a little water if you have it.”

  “Agent Henson, we aren’t permitted to give you water. When we get you into the hospital and the doctors run some tests, you’ll be able to have water.”

  Cassie answered with a weak whisper, “Thank you.” She must have dozed off or passed out because she woke as the EMT’s transferred her to a hospital gurney. An ER nurse running alongside the gurney asked Cassie what happened.

  Close to death from dehydration, she couldn’t make much sense out of anything. “I dunno anymore. I’m just so thirsty.”

  The ER nurse asked Cassie a number of questions while Cassie watched the wall tiles fly past the gurney. “Agent Henson, are you allergic to any medications.”

  “I dunno.”

  “Agent Henson, do you remember if you were beaten. You have a number of cuts and bruises on your body.”

  Cassie’s eyes were starting to roll back in her head. She’d heard the nurse ask her a question, but she didn’t know what it was, so she couldn’t answer it.

  The ER medical team took over when an ER tech moved her from the gurney to an ER bed. The doctor looked her over and asked his nurse, “Ruth, were you able to get any information from her?”

  “No sir, she passed out on the gurney. The EMT techs said she didn’t want pain medication.”

  “Okay, let’s start drawing some blood for the lab. I also want a full body MRI. As soon as I see the results of both, we’ll know what we’re working with. I want her taken to the ICU once they’ve finished.”

  Ruth asked the doctor, “When can I start washing her?”

  “Come on Ruth, you know the police will want to collect evidence before we can clean her up. A crime team is on its way now.”

  Twenty minutes later, the crime team was collecting evidence. They took with them, blood samples, what was left of her blouse, and swaps of what they assumed could be human semen.

  Afraid that when Agent Henson became conscious, she would try to get out of bed, Dr. Kodak ordered arm restraints. He and an ICU nurse were reviewing her MRI scans and blood work, when they heard their patient start to scream. As they ran to her room, Kodak told the nurse, “I want the rape team brought in.”

  “Yes sir”

  When he entered Agent Henson’s room, Cassie was struggling to free herself from the restraints. He quickly moved to the bed and tried to hold her hands down, “Agent Henson, you’re in the hospital. My name is Richard Kodak. You’re safe.”

  She looked up at him with hate in her eyes. She heard a voice that said something about a doctor, but when she looked up, she saw Grossman’s face. She screamed harder and fought to free herself.

  “Jackie, give her a sedative. Whatever happened to her has traumatized her. She’s so exhausted that she’s not going to be able to tell anyone what happened until we get her re-hydrated and rested. Once she’s asleep, you can start cleaning her up. Check with the police to see if they recovered rats in the basement. She’s been bitten
by what appears to be rats.”

  “I’ll call them now. Do you want me to clean her up before the rape team does its examination?”

  “Shit, that’s right, as soon as they’re done, you can start. I’m going back to look over the scans and blood lab work. If you need me, page me.”

  “Yes sir.”

  As Kodak reviewed the scans, it appeared to him that she had four broken ribs and her shoulders were dislocated. There didn’t appear to be any trauma to the head, which was good. Whoever had tortured this poor woman had at not bludgeoned her in the head leaving her a vegetable. The blood work revealed that Agent Henson was close to death from dehydration.

  “Dr. Kodak?”

  He looked toward the office door, “Yes?”

  “My name is George Templeton; I’m with the rape team. Our examination of your patient indicates that someone raped her multiple times and sodomized her as well.”

  “Thank you.”

  Kodak left his office to ask Jackie to give Agent Henson, a morning after shot. “Let’s not take any chances. Templeton said someone had raped her multiple times. Have you heard anything from the police on the possibility of rabid rats?”

  “Yes sir, they collected four rats from the basement and took them to a vet for testing.”

  As he watched the ambulance leave the crime scene, Sam could feel the bile in his stomach screaming to get out. He walked around the police officers who were milling around the front of the house, and vomited in the bushes that separated Grossman’s house from his neighbor.

  By the time, Sam reached Glen’s car he was sobbing. As he slid into the passenger seat, Glen took one look at him and decided there was no way he was driving Sam to the casino in this shape, so he drove straight to a pub the locals frequented.

  Sam looking like a zombie followed him without saying a word. Glen took Sam’s arm and managed to get him to the pub’s bar. He then ordered double scotches served neat. Sam drank his in one gulp. Glen nodded to the bartender for another double. When the second tumbler was empty, the bartender looked to Glen.