“And then some,” Finn intoned.
JAKE shook hands with Harlan Lassiter, the warden at Jackson’s prison, and took the seat across from his desk.
“Thank you for seeing me.”
“Mr. Hardy explained your situation, although only marginally,” Lassiter said. “I understand how worried you all must be, especially since Pritchard managed to make it into the Macomb County courthouse undetected. Did you guys figure out how he did that?”
“He went in through the garage,” Jake answered. “There are cameras out there, but it’s a municipal lot and only for county employees. He stole one of the parking stickers off a car in downtown Mount Clemens and then waltzed right in with a different car.”
“Where did he get the second car?”
“He stole it from a residential street a few blocks away,” Jake said. “He dumped it on the other side of Mount Clemens upon leaving the courthouse. They’ve closed off the garage for now, but I’m not sure it matters. Pritchard would have to be a moron to return to the building.”
“He’s definitely not a moron,” Lassiter said, glancing at the office window before turning his attention back to Jake. “Is it true you’re close with Pritchard’s daughter?”
“I work for her fiancée and future brother-in-law.”
“What is she like?” Lassiter asked. “I know her mother is evil and her brother is in prison, too. Is she the only good apple in the bunch?”
“While I don’t condone what Jeff Pritchard did – I don’t think theft is ever okay – he’s not a bad guy from what I understand,” Jake argued. “He was desperate to feed himself and Emma. He did some bad things. He did not do them out of malice.”
“That’s not what I asked,” Lassiter pressed. “How is the daughter?”
“Emma is the sweetest woman I’ve ever met.”
“It sounds like you have a thing for her,” Lassiter said, causing Jake to frown.
“I live with a woman,” Jake replied. “In fact, I live with Finn Hardy’s sister. Finn and Emma are engaged. I consider Emma part of my family. I do not think of her in that manner.”
“Because she’s damaged goods?”
Jake knit his eyebrows together. He was starting to dislike Lassiter. “Because I’m in love with my girlfriend,” he corrected. “Emma was already involved with Finn when I was introduced to the family.”
“I’m not asking because I like to gossip,” Lassiter said. “I can tell by your face that I offended you. I’m sorry if my manner is obnoxious. I’m under a lot of pressure for this mistake. I’m trying to cover my bases, and if this Emma is helping her father … .”
“Emma and her brother were Pritchard’s victims, too,” Jake said, cutting Lassiter off. “He did the same thing to them that he did to those other kids.”
“I didn’t know that,” Lassiter said. “There were no charges in his file regarding either of them.”
“They were embarrassed and afraid,” Jake said. “Trust me. Emma is not helping her father. He’s coming after her. We have no doubt about that. The woman he accosted at the courthouse is also a member of the Hardy family. She’s James Hardy’s wife. The only reason he went after her is because we have Emma locked up. He told Mandy he was going after Emma to finish what he started.”
“He’s a sick freak,” Lassiter said. “Was the woman hurt?”
“No,” Jake answered. “She’s okay. Emma is nine months pregnant, though. She’s due to deliver any day now. We want Pritchard taken out before that happens. What can you tell me about his stay here?”
“He was … an enigma,” Lassiter said. “He caused a lot of trouble when he first arrived. He was racist and got his ass kicked a few times before he learned to lead instead of oppress. I’m sure he was still a racist. He just learned to hide it.”
“Did he get in a lot of trouble?”
“Not really,” Lassiter replied. “He manipulated others into doing his bidding and they got in trouble, if that makes sense.”
“How did he do that?”
“He found God.”
Jake tilted his head to the side, confused. “I don’t understand. Are you saying he’s religious? He didn’t act religious when he threw Mandy against a wall and pulled her hair.”
“He’s not religious,” Lassiter explained. “He pretends to be religious. He started holding Bible study. Every single person who fell under his spell went after Pritchard’s enemies. It wasn’t a coincidence.”
“How come you didn’t stop him?”
“I couldn’t stop him,” Lassiter said. “He wasn’t technically doing anything wrong, and we didn’t have proof that he ordered any of his congregants to carry out the attacks. It was one of those things we knew, but we couldn’t prove it.”
“What about the men Pritchard escaped with? Were they part of his religious circle?”
“No,” Lassiter said. “We’ve been over the footage a hundred times. DeAngelo attacked the guard and the other three just took advantage of the situation. None of them were close. They merely became brothers in arms to escape.”
“We’re pretty sure they all split up on the outside,” Jake said. “My co-workers questioned Lupo personally before turning him into the police. Two people are out following a lead on DeAngelo right now. I have a feeling they’re all going to be caught separately.”
“It would be easy if we could find them together, but I’m under no delusion that’s going to happen,” Lassiter said. “The odds of me being in charge when any of those men return are not good.”
“Do you think you’re going to get fired?”
“I think I’ll be forced to give up my post for the good of the prison,” Lassiter replied. “It’s my fault these men managed to escape. It highlights deficiencies in the security system.
“I’m not offering myself up as a sacrificial lamb, if that’s what you’re thinking, but I think I’m the one who should be punished for what happened here,” he continued. “It’s not set in stone yet, but the minute one of those men kills someone, I’ll officially be done in corrections.”
“I’m sorry you’re dealing with this,” Jake said. “Regarding Pritchard, though, did he ever talk about his family?”
“He talked about them nonstop,” Lassiter replied. “He was desperate to see them. He acted as if he missed and loved them, but there was an air of menace beneath his words. You could tell he wanted to hurt them.”
“Did he ever talk about Emma specifically?”
“Not that I can recall,” Lassiter said. “Keep in mind, I didn’t spend much time with the man myself. He made my skin crawl. It was still important for me to keep up to date on our worst criminals, and Pritchard was on the top of that list.
“He never said anything about Emma that I heard,” he continued. “That doesn’t mean she wasn’t on his radar. It simply means he did a good job keeping his intentions secret.”
“Do you think Pritchard will go quietly when caught?”
“Are you asking if he would rather go out in a blaze of glory than return to prison?”
Jake nodded.
“That’s a good question,” Lassiter acknowledged. “I believe that DeAngelo and Marcus will give themselves up and return to prison without a fight if cornered. I have no doubt about that. I honestly can’t answer regarding Pritchard.
“I will say this,” he continued. “If Pritchard has a chance to take a final victim when the police are closing in on him, he’ll do it. He’s the type of man who will sacrifice himself to win. That’s what he cares about the most. This is all a game to him, and he wants to be the ultimate victor.”
“Thanks,” Jake said, getting to his feet. “You’ve given me some things to think about.”
“Good luck,” Lassiter said. “I hope you keep Emma safe. It sounds like she’s already been through enough for ten lifetimes.”
“Good luck to you, too,” Jake said. “I can promise you that if we find Pritchard first, we’ll make sure he doesn’t hurt anyone else. You
might still have a chance to retain your position.”
“I’m not holding my breath.”
Thirteen
“Hello, baby,” James said, swooping into Mandy’s office at the courthouse shortly before five and dropping a kiss on her forehead. “Did you miss me today?”
Mandy made a face. “You dropped me off, stopped by with lunch, and then picked me up,” she reminded him. “I didn’t have time to miss you.”
“I’m wounded,” James said, clutching his heart and sitting next to a giggling Heidi. “I thought about you every second we were apart.” He cast a forlorn look at Heidi. “Can you believe the way she treats me?”
“Hey, if I had you in my bed I would rub your feet every night and treat you like a king,” Heidi said.
Mandy contorted her face. “Don’t feed his ego. It’s big enough as it is.”
“It sounds like everyone is having fun in here,” Judge MacIntosh said, popping his head into the room. “I see Mr. Hardy has come to collect his wife. I’m glad. I was stopping in to make sure she was safe before taking off.”
“I know this is a man thing, but I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself,” Mandy pointed out.
“It’s not a man thing,” James countered. “It’s a husband thing. You’re my wife and I plan to keep you forever. If that means picking you up from work, I think you should be happy with my dedication and worship me accordingly.”
“I agree,” Heidi said. “I would swoon every second of every day if he was mine.”
Mandy knew Heidi was playing a game. It irked her all the same. “I gave up swooning when I was fourteen and he left me for the military. He broke my heart and abandoned me to fend for myself. Does no one care about that?”
“I’m sure he’s more than made up for it,” MacIntosh said.
“I guess he has,” Mandy conceded, turning off her computer and grabbing her coat. “Come on, husband. Your fan club thinks I’m being mean to you. I suppose I should give it a rest, huh?”
James smiled, although the expression didn’t make it all the way up to his eyes. “I’m ready to go home.”
The walk to James’ Explorer was mostly silent as he scanned the parking lot for potential threats. He held Mandy’s hand, although he didn’t offer the usual playfulness she’d become accustomed to.
“What’s wrong with you?” Mandy asked once they were inside the vehicle. “Are you angry with me?”
“Why would I be angry with you?” James asked, slipping his key in the ignition.
“You’re … cold.”
James frowned. “I’m not cold,” he argued. “I’m just … thinking.”
“No, that’s not it,” Mandy said. “You were happy when you came to get me. You played up to your audience and got them on your side. Something shifted, though. I think I said something to upset you. I don’t know what it was.”
James sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. “You know how it bugs you when I’m bossy and I don’t ask you to do things before ordering you to do them?”
Mandy nodded.
“I’m trying hard to adjust my actions on that front,” James said. “I’m going to tell you something that bothers me since we’re trying to share and grow in this relationship.”
Mandy stilled, worry causing her stomach to turn. “Are you about to tell me something awful?”
“Like what?” James pressed, irritation bubbling up. “Where did your head just go?”
“I … .” Mandy bit her lip. “I feel like I should apologize, but I’m not sure what I did wrong.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” James said. “Baby, it bothers me when you tell people I broke your heart when you were fourteen. I know you don’t mean anything by it, but I was too old for you then.”
“It was just a joke.”
“I know it was,” James said. “It still bothers me. I think that in your head you worry about me leaving because you think I’m somehow going to tire of you. I don’t know why you would think that. I’m addicted to you.
“You get in these little digs about being fourteen and me purposely walking away from you, though,” he continued. “I know it shouldn’t hurt, but it does. You were a child. I’m sorry if you don’t want to hear that, but I didn’t walk away from you.”
“James, I didn’t mean to upset you,” Mandy said. “I was just … .”
“Playing to your audience,” James finished. “Baby, you’re my whole heart. It bugs me when you tell people I abandoned you, as if that is something I would ever do. I’m sorry I was too old for you back then. Four years is nothing now. It was a big deal then, though.”
“James, I … .”
James held up his hand. “The last thing I want to do is get in a fight,” he said. “I love you. I know that when I said I wanted to talk about something that was bothering me that your head went to some crazy place where I was about to drop the hammer on you and cut you loose. That drives me nuts.”
“I didn’t really think that,” Mandy protested. “I just … I can’t help it. I’m happy. When you’re happy, sometimes you think it can’t possibly last and that someone is going to yank the rug out from under you and take all of that happiness away. I don’t think you’re going to leave me.”
“That’s good,” James said. “You’re stuck with me for life, Mandy. I don’t want anything other than what we already have. I won’t ever want anything else. You’re all my dreams made whole.”
“Are you angry with me?”
James sighed. “No, baby. I’m not angry.”
“Do you want to pick up dinner on the way home and get naked in the hot tub and make up anyway?”
James didn’t want to smile. It wasn’t a laughing matter. He couldn’t stop himself, though. “Yes. That’s exactly what I want.”
Mandy reached over and grabbed his hand. “James, I hope you know that I love you and never want to hurt you.”
“I hope you know that, too,” James said, leaning over and giving her a soft kiss. “This honesty thing is rough, baby. No deep discussions in the hot tub tonight. That has to be a rule.”
“I’ll be the shark tonight,” Mandy offered. “I think you’ve earned a massage and a chase.”
“I just want you,” James replied. “We can take turns being the shark.”
“WHAT’S going on here?” Sophie asked, sidling up to Stan Wilson, a sheriff’s deputy she knew well, at an accident scene in downtown Mount Clemens shortly before the end of her shift. “Please tell me no one is dead.”
“It’s nothing like that,” Wilson said. “Some guy tried to carjack a woman and she swears up and down it was DeAngelo Jackson.”
Sophie leaned forward and peered around Wilson, her interest piqued. The woman in question gestured wildly as she related her tale to another deputy. “Do you think it was really him?”
Wilson shrugged. “It’s possible,” he said. “We think he was up in New Haven last night.”
“I heard about that,” Sophie said. “What about Pritchard? Do you guys have any concrete leads on him?”
“We’re taking calls left and right,” Wilson replied. “Everyone is certain that they’ve seen him, but you know how it goes with these things. He can’t possibly be in Sterling Heights and Mount Clemens at the exact same time.”
“I can see him hanging around Sterling Heights because that’s where his daughter lives,” Sophie said. “What about Marcus Gibson? As far as I can tell no one has seen him.”
“His ties are to Livingston County, so everyone figures that’s where he took off to.”
“Are you guys following any specific leads on Pritchard?”
Wilson arched an eyebrow. “You’re pretty fixated on Pritchard. How come?”
“I’m friends with his daughter,” Sophie replied, internally sighing when she felt Rodrigo move to the spot behind her. He was her constant shadow these days, and it annoyed her to no end. She’d only stopped when she saw the sheriff’s patrol car because she knew it would irk h
im. “Everyone is working overtime to keep Emma safe. The sooner Pritchard is caught, the sooner our lives return to normal.”
“I get that,” Wilson said. “My understanding is that everyone is convinced he’s going after his daughter and yet everyone is also convinced that she’s untouchable because the Hardys are running security. Who is your bodyguard, by the way?”
“He’s no one,” Sophie said. “Ignore him.”
“Why do they have security on you?” Wilson pressed. “Are they worried Pritchard will try to take a substitute since he can’t get what he really wants?”
“Yes.” Sophie saw no sense in lying.
“I guess that makes sense,” Wilson said. “Still, you guys have to be living on pins and needles with a degenerate like Pritchard out there.”
“Why would DeAngelo be in this area?” Sophie asked, returning the conversation to something more important than Rodrigo’s enigmatic presence. “Does he have ties to this area?”
“Actually he does,” Wilson said. “His sister lives about two streets over.”
“Has she seen him?”
“She claims she hasn’t,” Wilson said.
Sophie read between the lines and knew what Wilson wasn’t saying. The police didn’t believe the sister.
“Okay, well, thanks,” Sophie said, offering Wilson a smile before walking away with Rodrigo.
“What do you think?” Rodrigo asked when it was just the two of them.
“I think the sheriff’s department doesn’t want to share too much information because they want to be the ones to catch DeAngelo and Pritchard and get all of the accolades for it,” Sophie replied. “I think DeAngelo might come back to this area. Come on. I need to talk to Grady … and I need to call Peter and ask him to run a search on the sister.”
“What are you planning?”
Sophie shrugged, plastering her best “I’m innocent and you’re maligning me” look on her face. “I’m not planning anything, my shadow,” she said. “I’m appalled you would think anything of the sort.”
“You’re a trip,” Rodrigo said, although he was resigned to helping. “Let’s see what we can find out. I feel bad for Emma. I want this over for her even more than I want it over for you.”
Deadly Arrival (Hardy Brothers Security Book 16) Page 10