Exit Wounds

by V. K. Powell

  Loane raised her head and scrubbed her eyes with her fists like a kid. “We’re going to the hospital first, right?”

  “Absolutely. Officers have the club secured, and Ray and Tiny have been singing since five this morning. Suddenly they’re not such loyal employees.”

  “What about Carl?”

  “In custody,” Abby said.

  “Great. I love it when all the dominoes fall.”

  “What puzzles me is why Carl implicated you in the explosion when he put it all in motion.”

  Loane gave her hand an encouraging squeeze. “I think he was testing you…and it was a diversion plain and simple.”

  “Guess you’re right. I can’t wait to see Kinsey, fill in the missing pieces, and close the book on this one.”

  An hour after landing, they walked into Kinsey’s hospital room. Abby wasn’t prepared for the damage she saw. Purple bruising dotted Kinsey’s normally pale complexion, and discoloration ringed her eyes. A bandage was secured to the right side of her head by several layers of gauze wrapping. Lying in bed, she looked childlike and helpless.

  As they approached, Kinsey opened her eyes and smiled. “Pretty sick, huh?”

  “You look like a raccoon,” Loane said.

  “Loane!” Abby bumped her with her hip and placed a hand on Kinsey’s shoulder. “How are you feeling, honey?”

  “Like I was flattened by a steamroller and inflated with a bicycle pump.”

  “In other words, not so great?” Loane asked.

  “I hurt everywhere. Did you get those gunrunning bastards who shot me?”

  Abby stroked Kinsey’s arm, trying to keep her calm. “We sure did, and we couldn’t have done it without you.”

  “Yeah, I might even recommend you for a departmental commendation or something,” Loane added. “If I go back to the department.”

  Kinsey dropped her head and glanced toward the window. “You might want to hold off on that.”

  “Seriously, we wouldn’t have caught these guys without your mad computer skills. You know that, right? Besides being the biggest pain in the ass I’ve ever met, you’re also pretty amazing.” Loane’s kidding didn’t seem to penetrate Kinsey’s morose reverie. “What’s wrong?”

  “Whatever it is, Kinsey, we’re here for you. After all you’ve done for us, we’ll always have your back,” Abby said.

  “You might not say that when I tell you.”

  “Tell us what?” Loane asked.

  She struggled to sit upright and Abby positioned a couple of pillows behind her. “I haven’t exactly told you everything I know about this case.”

  Abby felt Loane bristle beside her and reached for her hand. When Loane’s cool gloved fingers curled around hers, she knew they could handle anything together. “Tell us, honey. It’ll be fine. Right, Loane?” She looked into Loane’s blue eyes and saw the answer she knew Kinsey needed to hear.

  “Whatever it is, we’ll work it out. The three of us are a team now.”

  Kinsey took a deep breath and sank back into the pillows. “I think I know who set the explosion—”

  At that moment, Abby’s cell phone rang. “Damn. Hold on a second, honey.” She punched the answer key. “Yes, hello.”

  “Abby, it’s Hector Barrio. We’ve had some developments you need to know about.”

  “Can it possibly wait?”

  “I’m afraid not.”

  She looked at Kinsey and mouthed sorry, then stepped into the hallway. “Okay, go.”

  “Carl Torre is trying to make a deal already. He says he’ll name his ATF partner and another local player if he gets to walk. His offer is only good for the next hour. I don’t want to give this bastard any consideration. Are you any closer to identifying the leak?”

  Abby glanced toward Kinsey’s room. “I’m not sure, maybe, but I’ll need a little more time.”

  “The best I can do is thirty minutes. If I haven’t heard from you, I’ll have no choice but to authorize the deal. Understood?”

  “Yes, sir.” She hung up and checked her watch. Whatever Kinsey told her, she prayed it would answer their remaining questions and not implicate her in anything criminal. That would destroy Kinsey’s life and jeopardize the trust she and Loane had placed in her. She took a deep breath and went back into the room where Loane was finishing the recap of the New York arrest.

  “Jeez, you must be some awesome shot,” Kinsey said.

  “Have you told Loane yet?” Abby asked.

  Kinsey shook her head. “I can only say this once.”

  Loane came around to Abby’s side of the bed and put her arm around her waist. “You were saying that you might know something about the explosion.”

  Kinsey bobbed her head and looked down at her hands. When she finally spoke, her voice was barely audible. “The night it happened, I was tailing someone and sort of lost contact for a while. By the time I relocated them, the car was at the Torre house on Strawberry Road. A man came from the back of the house and got into a dark sedan. I followed on my bike, and when we reached 220, I heard the explosion.” Kinsey wiped her tearstained face with an edge of the blanket.

  As Kinsey told her story, Loane’s grip around Abby’s waist tightened. She looked at her face and saw a combination of comprehension and something akin to sympathy. “You were riding a motorcycle?”

  Kinsey nodded.

  Loane said, “I passed you on my way to the house…and the car.”

  “Do you know who this man is?” Abby asked.

  “I do now. His picture was in the paper a few days later, making an announcement about getting rid of organized crime in the city. He’s a bigwig with ATF, Fowler.”

  “Why didn’t you tell someone right away, Kinsey? This case could’ve been cleared months ago and Loane wouldn’t have…” Abby stopped. Stating the obvious would only make Kinsey feel worse and wouldn’t help the current situation. “Why?”

  “Because she wasn’t following Fowler,” Loane said.

  Kinsey shook her head but didn’t meet Loane’s eyes.

  “Then who?” Abby asked.

  “Her mother.”

  Abby couldn’t hide her shock as she looked from one to the other. “Your mother, Councilwoman Brenda Jeffries, was driving the car that night?” Then she remembered that Dan Bowman had told her about the press conference Fowler and Jeffries held after the investigation was shut down. “Of course. And did you happen to call Dan Bowman that night and tell him to go to the Torre house?”

  Kinsey nodded again and finally looked up, her gaze fixed on Loane. “How did you know about my mom?”

  “A hunch. Her press conference claiming credit for something that didn’t happen was strange. Guess it was about throwing everybody off the track. They were pretty stupid to do the dirty work themselves, but I still think there’s more to the story than the money.”

  “Probably didn’t trust anyone else. I’m sorry, Loane,” Kinsey said.

  “Is that why you offered to help me that first night, because you felt guilty for not coming forward, for your mother’s involvement?”

  “Honest to God, I was trying to find June, but I did feel guilty for not telling you. My mother is a lot of things, most of them unpleasant, but she’s still my mother. I couldn’t turn her in. I thought if I helped you and Abby, we could find another way for this to come out. I can’t be the one who implicates her.”

  “She’ll do jail time for this, you know?” Abby asked.

  “Yeah,” Kinsey said. “Can you understand why I didn’t tell you?”

  Abby thought about her own relatives. Would she be able to turn one of them in if she knew they’d committed a crime? Her familial bonds were much stronger than Kinsey’s. Maybe Kinsey’s estrangement from her mother made her even more protective of their tenuous connection. It was hard to predict the intricacies of family ties.

  “I understand,” Abby said.

  “Me too,” Loane added.

  Kinsey exhaled a deep, expectant breath and her face lit up
. “Yeah?” When they both nodded, she asked, “So, what now?”

  Abby pulled her cell off her belt. “I have to call Barrio. My thirty minutes is almost up.”

  “Wait a second,” Loane said. “We have to keep Kinsey out of this if we can. Why don’t you give him the facts without revealing your source? Then suggest that he offer Carl a deal if his statement provides any details we don’t already have. Tell them to print out his statement in full and make Carl sign it along with an agreement to testify in court. That way we can use him as the source and not involve Kinsey.”

  “And we don’t have to honor a deal with the bastard because he won’t be providing any new information.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Thanks.” She kissed Loane, dialed Barrio’s number, and stepped out of the room. As the door closed behind her, she heard Loane say to Kinsey, “We have to talk about living arrangements.”

  When she’d finished briefing him, Hector Barrio said, “Those are excellent ideas, Abby. You’ll make a great field agent.”

  “I wish I could take credit, sir, but they’re Officer Landry’s suggestions.”

  “Too bad the Greensboro police got her. You two are quite the team. Wonder if she’d consider joining ATF?”

  “Not sure, but you can always ask. Your charms worked on me.”

  “You won’t believe all the stuff we found at the Torre businesses. They were into a variety of crimes. We even found a stable of girls being held as prostitutes. These kids worked as dancers in his places along the I-95 corridor and drove guns and money back and forth. If they asked too many questions, they were sent down here until they outlived their usefulness.”

  “Do you have any of their names yet?”

  “Hold on while I pull up the list on my iPad. Are you looking for anybody in particular?”

  Abby sent up a silent prayer. “Is there a June somebody on the list?”

  The line was silent as Barrio searched for what Abby hoped would be good news. “June Lennon, possibly? She’s from the Greensboro area, pretty strung out, but she was able to tell us where she lived.”

  Finally, a bright spot in this horrifically convoluted case. Kinsey would be so happy that her friend was alive. “Make sure she gets back. She has friends here.”

  “Will do. And if it’s all right with you, Abby, let Agent Bowman conduct the follow-up interviews with our suspects. They don’t need to associate you with ATF until trial. I think we owe him that much.”

  “That’s an excellent idea. Can I assume I’m officially no longer undercover?”

  “There will be debriefings and such, but basically yes. You’ve earned a nice long vacation. When you’re ready to go back to work, call me. You can pretty much choose your duty station after this, young lady. You’ve done yourself and this agency proud. Thank you.”

  Abby felt a wave of relief followed by an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. She’d lived in a whirlwind for almost two years, devoid of any significant personal connections. Not many officers could work undercover for such an extensive period. Now she understood why. It required selfless commitment, constant discipline to keep the facts straight, and a willingness to give up everything that mattered to accomplish the mission. She’d proved she was a capable agent who could handle anything the job threw her way. But more important, she’d learned there was more to life than work. She was ready to return to her family and, hopefully, to Loane.

  When she reentered Kinsey’s room, she and Loane had their heads together like a couple of co-conspirators. “You two are up to no good.” She took Kinsey’s hand and squeezed it gently. “Honey, I’ve got some excellent news. June is alive and will be on her way back here very soon.”

  Kinsey’s green eyes filled with tears that spilled over onto the stark white sheet. “Really?”

  “Agents found her and some others being held hostage in a club. They’ve been drugged, so she’ll need some help readjusting.”

  “She can live with me,” Kinsey said. “My new place is huge.”

  “And I’ll do what I can,” Loane added. “Speaking of which, I need to go.”

  Loane’s sudden need to leave caught Abby by surprise. She’d envisioned a long night of getting reacquainted. Was Loane already distancing again? Why the sudden turnaround? “But I thought we’d go somewhere and…”

  “Sorry. I’ve got to take care of a couple of things. Shouldn’t take long. Can I call you later?” Abby nodded, and Loane kissed her and Kinsey on the forehead like siblings.

  Kinsey looked at Abby with wide puppy-dog eyes. “I’d like some company, if you’ve got time. I hate hospitals.”

  Abby shook her head at Loane’s hasty retreat and said, “It seems that I suddenly have nothing but time. I’d love to sit with you for a while.”

  Chapter Twenty-three

  The remainder of the afternoon disappeared as Loane helped close out the case and made arrangements with a last-minute mover to put her personal plan into action. Hector Barrio faxed warrants on the additional suspects to the GPD, and she briefed Chief Hastings on the details. Barrio agreed to let the locals take Councilwoman Jeffries into custody while Abby and Bowman arrested Fowler.

  Now she stood outside Brenda Jeffries’s office with Tyler and Chief Hastings. “Can we wait a bit longer?”

  “What’s going on, sis?”

  She couldn’t admit to him, in the chief’s presence, that she’d tipped off the news media about the pending arrest. Cops didn’t leak information to the press unless it served their purposes, and in this instance it served hers perfectly. It was the most efficient way to release the facts about a case that had been riddled with propaganda and lies. She would be vindicated, but more important, the forgotten ones would be as well—Simon, Sylvia, Alma Torre, the girls who’d been held as sex slaves, the nameless victims injured or killed by illegal guns, and Abby.

  “We have to move,” Chief Hastings said. And as if on cue, the big red-and-white local news van rolled onto the lot.

  “I’m ready,” she said. The chief gave her a knowing glance and shook his head. “I’ll have to promote you to keep you out of trouble on the street.” She and Tyler entered the business while he fielded questions from the press.

  Brenda Jeffries stood in front of the receptionist’s desk, her perfectly arched eyebrows shooting toward her hairline. “What’s the meaning of this?”

  Loane waved the warrant in the air. “This means that you’re under arrest for murder and conspiracy to commit murder. I’m sure we’ll have more for you later—illegal weapons, malfeasance in office, things like that.”

  Jeffries squared her shoulders and assumed all her political prowess. “I’ll have you fired. This is ridiculous.”

  “But you’re such a law-and-order candidate. Surely you can appreciate officers doing their jobs, Madam Councilwoman.” Tyler’s tone was almost jovial in its mockery, and Loane had never loved him more.

  “Yeah, what he said. Now put your hands behind your back.”

  “I want my lawyer,” Jeffries said.

  “Good idea. You’ll need one. Actually, I’m shocked you weren’t smart enough to leave town after your cohorts nearly killed your daughter. Or maybe you thought all that political clout made you bulletproof.” Her comment wasn’t exactly professional, but she couldn’t resist a little dig on Kinsey’s behalf as she locked the handcuffs and nudged her toward the front door and the waiting press.

  “I know nothing about that.” The woman’s lack of concern made Loane wonder how someone with so much ice in her veins could even give birth.

  The media pool had grown in the few minutes they’d been inside, and the cameras clicked like the rapid-fire banging of old typewriter keys. Loane smiled and maneuvered Jeffries in front of each one on the walk to Tyler’s patrol car. She made sure Chief Hastings got a shot worthy of the front page before stuffing Jeffries into the backseat.

  “Ty, could you handle the booking? I’ve got something to take care of.”

 
“Would her name by any chance be Abby?”

  “Smart-ass.”

  “Sure. The guys should be finished with the moving by now,” Tyler said.

  “How do you know about that?”

  “It’s my business to know…and the company you hired is mostly cops. So, Eve is okay with the swap?”

  “Yeah, our friend Kinsey is quite well off, and Eve is happy to take her money. Besides, the penthouse suits her lifestyle much better than mine. We talked about it before I left the hospital. She can’t wait.” She hugged Tyler and whispered, “I love you. You know that, right?”

  “Back at ya. Now go make an honest woman of my future sister-in-law.”

  As she walked past Chief Hastings, he asked, “Is your leave of absence over? It would be nice to have you back on the job…officially.”

  “Thanks, Chief. I’ll let you know.”

  On her way home, she called Abby. “Where are you? Are you all right? Have you arrested Fowler yet? Are you free? When can I see you?”

  “Hold on, hon, let me go somewhere more private.” Loane heard a car door close and Abby’s honeyed voice resumed. “Now…just leaving the jail. I’m fine. Fowler is in custody, spilling his criminal guts. I haven’t been free since the day I met you. And you can see me anytime you want for as long as you want.”

  “Meet me at my house in Sunset Hills as soon as you can.”

  “I thought Kinsey was renting your place.”

  “I’ll explain later. Will you meet me?”

  “Of course. I’ll be there after a quick stop at the hotel to change clothes.”

  Loane was grateful to have time for last-minute preparations as she waited for Abby to arrive. Now that she knew what she wanted and how to get it, the delay seemed interminable. Trusting herself, and anyone else, had always seemed like such a giant leap, but today Abby had made it seem easy. If she trusted Loane with her life, Loane could trust her with her heart. She could imagine traveling that two-way street with Abby and the other people who had stood by her. She’d have some bridge building to do, but it was a small price to pay.

  She showered, scrubbed the damaged-heart tattoo from her right arm, and plucked the fake silver piercings from her face for the last time. Opening a bottle of chilled wine, she selected soft music on her iPod docking station and waited. Brisk autumnal air had replaced the warmth of day and promised a comfortable night as she staged the screened-in porch for Abby’s arrival. All she needed now was the woman she’d waited for all her life. Time to show her hand, figuratively and literally.