Downfall

by V. B. Tenery

  Despite the cold, sweat trickled down her neck as she followed his instructions. She made the second trip around the block, parked, then stepped onto the sidewalk with him behind her, the gun pressed into her spine. The officer across the street wouldn’t shoot as long as Hank held the gun on her.

  She took two steps forward and faked a stumble. When he reached for her, she turned, hooked her elbow into his windpipe, and tore the pistol from his hand, bashing the gun butt into his nose with everything she had in her. The bone cracked, and blood gushed down his shirt.

  Hank roared like an enraged grizzly.

  Adrenaline spiked, and she sent a sharp, powerful kick to his right knee, bent it backward in a way nature never intended. He screamed and crashed to the ground.

  “Lucy, stop,” Ben Stein said behind her. “We’ve got him now.”

  Dazed, she looked back at Ben. She been so intent on taking Hank down, she’d lost focus. She nodded and started to step away, taking her eyes off Hank.

  An unforgiveable mistake, when dealing with Hank Turner.

  He grabbed her ankle, pulled her off her feet, and she hit the ground hard. In a flash, both big hands wrapped around her throat, cutting all breath from her body. “I’m going to kill you, if it’s the last thing I do.”

  She thought as the morning sun became dark, and breath left her lungs, at least Hank would never hurt anyone ever again.

  A shot shattered the neighborhood quiet. “Not today, you won’t,” Ben said.

  Hands released the crushing grip on her neck and he rolled off her. Flashes of light burst before her eyes as she sucked air into her vacant lungs, straining to take a deep breath.

  A red stream slithered down Hank’s neck from the bullet hole in his temple, eyes open, staring into nothingness. He fell back onto the grass beside her.

  Ben holstered his gun and lifted her to her feet. She shivered and looked into his gentle brown gaze. “He’s dead.”

  Ben nodded and pulled her into his arms. “It’s over, Luc. You’re home-free.”

  Thanks to Ben, that was true in more ways than one.

  As he held her, the street filled with squad cars and sirens. Cops came forward to pat them both on the back.

  A dark figure backlit by sunlight moved towards her. “You alright, Turner?”

  Ben released her, and she stepped close to Miles Davis and put her arms around his waist. “Yeah, I’m good. Thanks for the back-up.”

  “Better late than never,” he said. “I’m glad you made it out.” He gave her a lopsided grin. “I was worried about those skinheads.”

  Laughter bubbled in her throat. And it felt good.

  She so wanted to see her sons, Charlie and Mack, to hold them close. Assure them that all was well.

  But she still had a promise to keep.

  CHAPTER 17

  Supremacist Compound

  Near Big Bend National Park

  Lucy sat strapped in the back seat of the chopper flying low over Big Bend country, and tried to spot the compound. She knew it was there, somewhere, lost in sagebrush and sand that covered the landscape as far as the eye could see. The sight of the Chisos Mountains told her they were close to their destination.

  Ben had wanted her to let the local sheriff and DEA handle the bust, but she’d refused. Abby was there, and Lucy had to know the woman was okay. She felt responsible for the physically- and emotionally-abused addict. And she’d made Abby a promise.

  A DEA agent whose name, unbelievably, was Clark Kent, met her at the helipad. She thought he was joking until he flashed his credentials. His face turned a light shade of pink. “My mother had a weird sense of humor,” he chuckled, “but I learned to fight early.”

  “I’ll bet bullies made you live up to the name. Kinda like the Johnny Cash song, ‘A Boy Named Sue’.”

  “Exactly,” Kent said.

  And she thought she’d had it bad in school living with The Beatles’, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”. The song was long before her time, but mean kids seemed to hang onto such nonsense.

  The chopper dropped altitude, and the sprawling racist camp came into view in the dimming evening light. Strobe lights flashed on dozens of county and government vehicles. The cavalry had arrived to clean out the nest of vipers.

  Helicopter rotors whipped up a dust storm as they landed just outside the gate. Lucy ducked her head and followed Agent Kent inside the compound. Deputies and agents hauled people out of mobile homes, Abby’s brother among them. Women screamed, kids cried, and the men called the authorities everything but a child of God.

  Lucy gave Kent a wave and trotted to Hank’s trailer, an ambulance sitting in front with the motor running. She’d told the sheriff to take medical help because of Abby, and apparently he’d listened.

  A deputy stood at the mobile home’s entrance. Lucy fished out her credentials, and he let her pass.

  The inside was as spotless as ever. Lucy couldn’t believe it had been less than forty-eight hours since she’d arrived here, a kidnap victim. And, without Abby’s help, she might well be dead.

  She proceeded down the hallway to the master bedroom, stopped at the partially open doorway, and knocked on the lintel. The antiseptic odor reminded her of emergency wards. The smells evoked bad memories. She’d spent more than her share in ER while married to Hank.

  A medical tech was in the process of hooking an IV into Abby’s thin white arm.

  The frail woman looked up from the gurney with wide eyes, and her gaze locked on Lucy. She emitted a soft whimper. “You came back for me. I didn’t think you would remember.”

  Lucy smiled. Her friend looked much better, not healthy, but her color was better, and although her jaw wore a big, black bruise, it apparently hadn’t been broken. “How could I forget my roadie? Besides, I made a promise. These guys treating you well?”

  “My jaw is so sore, I can barely open my mouth, but they tell me it will go away in a week or so.” She grinned. “Maybe I can lose some weight. Right now I would kill for a hamburger.”

  Lucy chuckled. “Yeah, you really need the weight loss. The fact that you’re hungry must mean you’re getting your appetite back. That’s a good sign.” Lucy reached down and touched Abby’s hand. “Just so you know, Hank is dead.”

  “Yeah, they told me. Can’t say I’m sorry.”

  “I don’t think there’ll be any tears shed over him. You ready to head for rehab when the hospital releases you?”

  “Not really, but I’ll do it. Where?”

  “I’ll have you registered someplace close to Twin Falls...so I can check on you and keep you straight, make sure you do as you’re told.”

  “Lucy, I don’t know how I can thank you.” Her lashes lowered and she had a lost little girl expression, and then she looked up, her eyes suddenly bright with tears. “No one has offered to help in a very long time. When Hank sent me back to the compound, I just knew he would come back and beat me to death. I couldn’t believe it when the sheriff arrived with an ambulance. He told me you sent them.”

  “I did. I had no way of knowing how badly you were injured. We have to stick together; we’re charter members of a not-too-exclusive sisterhood.”

  “Clint?” Abby asked.

  Lucy nodded. “The authorities have your brother in custody.”

  Wrinkles formed on Abby’s brow and the air in her lungs eased out in a low hiss. “He was never much of a brother, but I hate to see him go to prison.”

  Lucy stepped back from the gurney as the tech readied Abby for transport. “Nothing you could do to help him. It was his choice.”

  On the mobile home’s deck, Lucy pulled a twenty from her pocket and handed it to the tech as he carried equipment to the van. “Buy her a hamburger with the works, and the largest shake you can find. She needs the calories.”

  “I’ll see to it,” he grinned and stepped into the ambulance.

  Sliding her hands into her jacket pockets, Lucy walked across the compound to find the DEA agent she came with.
The scene was still utter chaos. The racist camp was a bad thing, with drugs and human trafficking, but the shock and fear in the eyes of the women and children touched her heart. They were the other victims.

  Agent Kent spotted her and they met halfway. “You finished here?”

  She looked back over her shoulder as the EMTs pulled away with Abby. “Yeah, I saw what I came to see. Can you give me a ride home? I’d rather not make the long drive back to Twin Falls.”

  “Lady, I’ll take you anywhere you want to go. Thanks to you, this is the biggest bust we’ve made in a long time. The sheriff wants to pin a medal on you.”

  “Thanks, but I’ll settle for a ride home. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen my boys.”

  Twin Falls Police Station

  Twin Falls, Texas

  Matt threaded his way down the corridor to the detective bureau on the second floor. His four detectives waited for him around the conference room table at the appointed hour. Lucy was back, against his wishes. She’d asked for vacation time once the Davenport case was closed, but, until then, felt she needed to be back on the job

  “Davis, let’s put a twenty-four-hour surveillance team on Eden Russell’s condo.” Matt said. “If James Bauer leaves, have him followed. I don’t want any more dead bodies until we find that gun.”

  “Will do,” Davis said. “We didn’t have enough evidence to get his credit card receipts, so we’re doing the car rental agency search the hard way. So far, nothing.”

  “It won’t be the first time. If Bauer is guilty, he had to have transportation other than the vehicle he drove to the casino. Sheriff Gates said folks in the Russells’ neighborhood reported seeing an older model, dark pickup truck the night of the murder. Not sure of the color or make. That leaves a lot of trucks to look for.”

  Davis slumped in his chair. “We can take another look at the casino parking lot tapes, and zero in on that description. It probably covers seventy-five percent of the trucks there, but it’s a place to start. May be faster than checking the rental agencies.” He glanced over at Lucy. “You ready for another road trip?”

  She leaned back in the chair and nodded. “I’m in for whatever it takes to get this guy.”

  “Anything more from the gun dealer, Chris?” Matt asked.

  “The guy is getting put out with me calling him twice a day. Keeps saying he’ll call me when he finds it,” Chris chuckled. “I offered to help him go through his records. He refused. Probably afraid I’ll find something illegal.”

  Matt’s phone vibrated. It was Sara. He stood and stepped out into the hallway.

  “I’m in the lobby. Want to buy a girl lunch?”

  “Need you ask? I’ll be right down.”

  He stuck his head back into the conference room. “Are we through here?”

  “That’s all I have,” Davis said.

  Chris nodded. “Me, too.”

  The Burger Shack

  Twin Falls, Texas

  Matt placed his hand on the small of Sara’s back and guided her to a booth in the rear of the café. She looked like a teenager in a black leather jacket over black workout pants, her hair pulled back into a ponytail.

  He slid in beside her and grinned. “So, you took Chaim up on his Krav Maga lessons?”

  Her gaze snapped to his face. “How did you know?”

  “Simple, my dear Watson. Your outfit, the ponytail, and you were slightly winded at the station. Either that, or you’re a cat burglar, in which case I’ll have to search you.”

  She quirked a smile at him. “That might be fun. I must remember your amazing powers of observation if I decide to hide anything from you. Today was my first lesson with Chaim. He certainly knows his stuff.”

  “How did it go?”

  She ran her arm through his and snuggled closer. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure I would like it, but it was fun. Tomorrow I’ll probably find muscles I didn’t know I had, but I’m good for now. Chaim says I’m a natural. I’m sure he says that to all his students to keep them paying the big bucks for his classes.”

  Matt shook his head. “I can assure you he doesn’t. I’ve heard him tell students they’re wasting their money.”

  “That’s a great boost to my ego.”

  “Chaim explained this is serious training, that he’ll teach you to kill if your life is in danger, right?”

  Her expression sobered. “He did. I’m not real comfortable with that. I’d prefer to disarm an attacker.”

  “That’s a decision you’ll have to make when, and if, the time comes.”

  “I know. I hope to avoid ever having to make that choice.”

  She opted to change the subject. She had a big heart. He also hoped she’d never have to choose.

  She asked, “Are you coming home early tonight? I’ve missed you.”

  “Me too,” he said and scanned the restaurant for onlookers. When no one was paying attention to them, he bent down and placed a slow kiss on her lips. He raised his head and looked into her eyes. “No promises about tonight, but, when this case is finished, I intend to devote at least one entire week to making up for my absence.”

  Sara rested her head on his shoulder. “I’m going to hold you to that promise, mister.”

  Twin Falls Police Station

  Twin Falls, Texas

  Gabe Morrison, Twin Falls’ District Attorney, rapped on the door-facing of Matt’s door, and stuck his head in. “You busy, Foley?”

  “I always have time for you, Gabe. Come on in and grab a chair.”

  The DA tossed his overcoat and hat on the tree by the door then pulled a chair close to Matt’s desk, sending a slight woodsy fragrance of his cologne wafting across the space between them.

  “What brings you out of hibernation, my friend?” Matt asked.

  “Obviously not to play golf. Man, I wish I was in Florida.” He rubbed his hands over his completely bald pate. “Every time I step outside, my head turns blue.”

  Matt chuckled. “The Smurf look works for you.”

  “Not funny, Foley. Anything new on the Davenport case?”

  “Not since the last time we spoke,” Matt said. “We’re closing in on Bauer, but not fast enough to suit me. Looks like he murdered another couple since the Davenports. I want to stop this guy before he does any more damage.”

  Gabe gave a solemn nod. “You could hold him for seventy-two hours without charges. But, without the gun, all we have is circumstantial; not enough for a conviction.”

  “I know. When I pick him up, I want to ensure the charges will stick. I’ve got a tail on him in the interim.”

  Gabe crossed his legs and leaned back in the chair. “What’s this I hear that you may be leaving?”

  “Is Doug’s office bugged?” Matt asked.

  “Not that I know of; is it true?”

  Matt didn’t want to answer. The last thing he needed to have happen was for this to get back to his people before he resigned. However, he trusted Gabe and he couldn’t lie to him. “Looks like it. But not immediately. Probably not for six weeks or more.”

  Gabe looked at him quizzically. “I don’t like that, Matt. Want to tell me why?”

  Matt shuffled the paperwork on his desk to the side and shook his head. “Not now; maybe later, after the deed is done.”

  Gabe stood and retrieved his coat, then stuck the hat on the back of his head. “For the record, it’s easier to replace a city manager than to find a good police chief.”

  Matt shook his head. “I don’t want to go there, Gabe.”

  The Foley Residence

  Twin Falls, Texas

  Matt turned over and pulled Sara close. He pushed up on one elbow and gazed down at her face, her countenance serene in the bright sun streaming through the window. “You awake?”

  “Uh-huh. What time is it?”

  “Nine-fifteen. You ready to get up and face the world?”

  “Do I have to?”

  “Well, the kids have been quiet, but I’ll bet they’re getting hun
gry.”

  She sprang upright and tossed off the covers. “Of course they are. What am I thinking? Or, more appropriately, not thinking? You made me forget all about them.”

  “So it’s my fault?”

  She beamed and tossed a throw-pillow at him. “Of course it is. You make my mind go blank.”

  He grabbed her arm and pulled her back onto the bed against the pillows.

  She pealed with laughter. “What are you doing?”

  He leaned in and pressed a deep kiss on her smiling lips, then trailed kisses down her neck and murmured, “How am I doing?”

  “I don’t know; my brain is mush.” She took his face in both hands, kissed him soundly, and then gave him a gentle shove. “Enough. We have to spend family time with Poppy and Danny. We were away on our honeymoon, I got the flu, and you’ve been working insane hours.”

  He slid out of bed on his side. “True. We’ll discuss this memory problem of yours in more detail later. What’s your game plan for today?”

  “I’d like to take Poppy shopping. We haven’t done that in a while. She’s a girly-girl and she loves clothes.”

  “Okay, I’ll take Danny rock-climbing. We’ll meet at the Galleria afterwards, go ice-skating, and finish the evening off at the Magic Time Machine in Addison. The kids will love it. They get to dine with their favorite action movie and cartoon characters.” He slipped into grey sweats. “Want to go out to breakfast, or shall we cook?”

  “You did say we, right?”

  “Yep. As you’re aware, I know my way around a kitchen. How does bacon and pancakes sound?”

  She shrugged into her robe and slippers. “Sounds great; you’re in charge of the bacon.”

  Breakfast was ready in record time. As they joined hands at the table, and he blessed the food, he was reminded of the many missed meals lately with this family of his. That needed to be fixed.

  The meal wound down and Matt made eye-contact with both children. “So, how’s school?”

  Poppy brightened. “Danny gots a girlfriend.”