“So you have any new ideas about the case?”
“I sat up most of the night doing some research and I still can’t seem to put my finger on a few things—like why De Leon would want to kill his son and his girlfriend…and why they are so determined to get at you after so many years…”
The same questions occupied Chelsea’s mind but the visit to the prison had provided some answers… and she somehow felt the teddy bear featured in there somehow. But right now, she was too tired to talk about it.
They arrived at a modest block of low rise apartments and went up to the third floor. The apartment was small and neat, consisting of a main bedroom and a smaller one, more like a study in which was a futon that doubled as a bed. It was clearly a man’s place with furniture in earthly colors with metal accents.
“You can bunk here for the time being,” he said as he took her to the smaller room.
“That’s alright, I don’t need much space and I live very frugally.”
“It seems like we have quite a few things in common,” he said.
“I quite agree.”
He gave her a thoughtful look before saying, “I’ll go whip up something for us to eat while you settle in.”
That sounded so good and in a short time they were eating a delicious meal of lasagna. She could not recall the last time she had someone prepare a meal for her. Apart from eating in a restaurant, most times she just scrounged around for something in her always near-empty fridge and ate whatever she found.
“How about some wine?’ he asked.
Not waiting for her to answer, he fetched a bottle from his cupboard and brought two glasses.
“What are we celebrating?” She asked.
“Well, I’m just trying to cheer us up both, and if I am celebrating, it is the fact that you are sitting there and I’m sitting here.”
Chelsea blushed, but liked the warm feeling spreading over her. She was no longer sure if it was the wine or something else. To break the spell, she got up quickly.
“I’ll do the washing up.”
“Okay, you wash, I dry.”
The space was very limited in the small kitchen and they kept bumping into each other. One of the times, Dean was behind her and he wrapped his arms around her.
Instinctively, she froze, but he did not let her go and gradually she relaxed.
“That’s better,” he whispered in her ear.
Confusion flooded her. A part of her wanted to move away, even run, if that were possible; and another part wanted to stay enclosed in the warm security of his arms.
Gently, Dean turned her to face him. Her heart was pounding away on its own. He lifted her face toward him and kissed her. As he pulled her closer, she found herself responding to his kiss. It was exhilarating and heady.
Then suddenly, she pulled herself away.
He looked at her with eyes aflame with passion. “Is something wrong, Chelsea?”
“Yes. We have only just recently met.”
“So? We both know how we feel about each other. So what does it matter if we have known each other for such a short time?”
“Well…” she was scrambling around in her mind to find anything to cover her bewilderment at the passion he had awakened in her and her fear of yielding to it. “Well… I thought you said you did not sleep with the people you worked with?”
“I did, but that was before I met you.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re special.”
She did not want to respond to that, but her heart was following its own tune. Warm pleasure enveloped her.
He stepped closer to her. She did not move.
“Are you really that afraid of loving someone, Chelsea?” He asked tenderly, as he closed the gap between them.
“Sort of…” was all she said.
How could she tell him that she really was afraid of her own emotions and where this would lead? She still did not move as he took her into his arms once more.
He could feel her trembling and so he decided it was best to go slowly. He pulled himself away.
“Tell you what. We’ll take it slowly and not before you’re ready. We’re both tired and I think it best if we both got some sleep.”
She could only nod her head. Her emotions were too strong for her to speak.
“Goodnight, then.”
She watched as he went into his room and firmly closed the door. Only then did she sit down as her knees were too weak for her to remain standing.
She chided herself for her fear. Dean was so kind and considerate and he really seemed to care. When she was with him her burdens seemed less heavy and there was some semblance of order and hope. But somehow it didn’t seem as if she was able to let herself go, or forget her past experiences and learn to trust again. Was there any redemption for someone like her?
She looked around and couldn’t help noticing that he had no pictures of himself or family members on display. It seemed as if he had cut himself off from the world. She wondered if he kept certain memories close to himself, even as she did. Maybe he was a loner just like her. Her heart went out to him. That could be part of the reason for their attraction to each other. As someone once said, like attracts like.
She found herself smiling. Surprisingly, she felt better and stronger to face the challenges ahead. She was confident about this because she no longer had to do it alone. Dean was there to help her and together they would defeat the enemy.
Chapter Fifteen
Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. ~ Theodore Roosevelt
Sitting at his desk, Pierce was playing back all that took place during the visit to Isaac. Something was nagging him at the back of his mind. He felt sure Isaac was giving them a hint about something. He had given very few direct answers – he kept re-directing everything they asked. He seemed outwardly calm, but maybe he was still afraid. Being in prison provided no security from drug dealers. They had their people everywhere.
Why did he talk so much about the teddy bear, a gift from long ago? The damn teddy bear was important to him and to Chelsea or he would not have gone on so much about it. He remembered Isaac telling Chelsea that it was precious. That might hold a clue.
He jumped up from his desk and headed toward the room where the evidence lockers were kept. His mind was already racing ahead as to what he was going to find. He swiped his pass to get access and he hurriedly scanned the headings on the boxes until he found the one he was looking for.
He literally grabbed the box off the shelf. With trembling fingers, he opened it up and he pulled out the bear. It was no longer a child’s innocent toy. In places, the body was tarnished by some old blood stains, but he knew there was something else much more important at stake. He methodically squeezed every inch of the body from top to bottom. Nothing. He crushed it harder but did not feel anything different from the soft stuffing.
Heedless of the consequences of being accused for destroying evidence, he tore the toy open. Something had to be there. The stuffing fell out and he searched it but still nothing. Frustrated, he was about to put everything back together as best as he could when he held on to the label, part of which was sewn inside the body of the teddy bear while the other portion hung loose. Then he felt it, something small and hard.
Quickly he got a pocket knife and cut it open. Bingo! A small microchip fell out. It was sewn in under the label so it was not easily detectable. This was sure to hold something important. This was the breakthrough they needed.
He not so carefully flung everything back into the box and was returning to his desk, when his phone rang.
“Pierce, we’re bringing in Jeanine Groves for questioning right now, so don’t go anywhere.”
“Sure, Parker, I won’t.”
Damn! He had to wait a bit before he could look at what was on the microchip.
He climbed the stairs in a series of bounds and sat waiting for the next suspect to arrive. She could possibly have something to do with Ashlee’s death,
although he was now becoming more convinced that it was drug related. Whatever the girl said would help to confirm whether his hunch was right.
After a few minutes Parker escorted Groves inside. She looked like she was suffering from a hangover. Her mascara was smeared, her brown hair in a wild tangle and she was still wearing her party clothes. Parker took her to the interrogation room and returned.
“She’s all yours, Pierce.”
“Where did you find her?”
“At her house. She showed up some time this morning.”
“Thank you, Parker. I will see you later.”
He went into the room. Miss Groves looked as if she was going to pass out and he hoped he could get a few answers out of her first.
“Jeanine Groves, I am Detective Pierce. Do you know what your rights are?”
“Yes, I do.”
“And you know you can have a lawyer present.”
“I do, but I don’t need one because I know I did not do anything wrong.”
“Do you know why you are here?”
“No, but I am sure you are going to tell me.”
“Yesterday morning Ashlee Thompson was murdered,” he began.
She shot him a look of surprise, but there was no sympathy in her eyes.
“Somebody gave her what was coming to her. The stupid bitch never knew when to back off.”
“Why do you say that?”
“She tried to help everyone and, of course, one of those people so happened to be my boyfriend. Yeah, he was charmed by her somehow. That bitch was a snake charmer and after seeing her he never gave me a second thought.”
“And what was the name of your boyfriend?”
“Austin Rodriquez. Yeah, we had been dating and things were going fine, until she turned up. He was no longer interested in me. I don’t know what he ever saw in her.” She spoke with venom.
“Why didn’t you ask him?”
She sat bolt up upright, fuming with anger. “I didn’t have to ask. Because that bitch was pursuing a college education and came from the other side of town, he thought she was a goddess. But she did not know how to handle his kind of life. Like the typical preppie, she had no idea what life is like on the streets. I’m sure her death is proof of that.”
“Can you tell me what you mean?”
“Austin was a dealer! And not some low class one – but when he met Miss Perfect he wanted out of that life.”
“From what I am aware he had to file a restraining order on you. Why?”
“I wanted him back ... yes, I have my weaknesses, and I wasn’t always faithful, but neither was he… but then Miss high and mighty came along and he would do anything to please her. How silly can one get?”
“I see,” Pierce said. He had been informed that Ashlee was pregnant and he had little doubt that Austin was the father. He decided to test Miss Groves on this one.
“So when you found out Ashlee was pregnant with Austin’s child how did that make you feel?”
He watched as her smugness fell away and was replaced by a look of surprise, then anger.
“He got her pregnant? No wonder she wanted him to change his lifestyle. She was ready to settle down and play mommy and daddy.” She spoke sarcastically.
“From what I was told, Austin Rodriquez was an EMT. He being a drug dealer is news to us.”
“He went into the EMT program because of her. He was doing real work to be something else. I mean who does that?”
“People who want to become better for the person they love.”
“Whatever. It is a good thing that bitch it dead.”
“Well, there is something I think you need to know. Austin was found murdered yesterday evening.”
A look of shock registered on her face and for a moment it seemed as if she was going to cry. But she managed to pull herself together.
“You seem to know more than you are telling me,” she said accusingly. “I may be a little tipsy from last night, but I am not stupid. You brought me here to get information from me. Do you think I want to end up dead like Austin? I have nothing to tell you.”
“Well, if you cared one bit about Austin, as you said, then I suggest you tell us what you know. Anything you say will be confidential. But we must find his killer.”
He watched her struggle in deciding what to do. He knew it was not easy. But he badly needed the information to see if his hunches were right.
“All right. I’ll tell you the little I know, without calling any names.”
She took a deep breath and began. “Austin was a drug dealer but he had a conscience. I know that sounds weird. He was good at what he did, but shortly after taking up with Ashlee word started circulating that he wanted to get out. If you know anything about the streets, then you know that is bad news all around, but especially for the dealers. They can’t afford for this to happen because such people could become snitches. And by now you know there’s only one solution for that. Apparently, that’s what happened to my poor dear sweet Austin…and all because of that bitch.”
Her anger was returning. “Can you imagine he was trying to get out of drugs all because of her?”
Now Pierce knew why Austin’s father had them both killed.
“Okay, since you have nothing to charge me with, can I go now?”
“Not so fast. Just one last question.” He had to make sure his deductions were right. “Where were you on the morning Ashlee was murdered?”
Without batting an eyelid she replied, “In bed with someone I met who could give me what I want.”
“Care to give us his name and number, just so we can check.”
“Sure.”
After collecting the information, Pierce watched as she waltzed out of the room, a little more sober and subdued than when she came in. he felt a little sorry for her, but extremely grateful for the information she had supplied. He now had more answers to fill in the missing, although some needed confirmation. He was hoping the microchip would prove useful.
He hurried back to his desk and slipped the microchip into the computer. A video flashed onto the screen. It was obviously done by an amateur. There were a couple of blank spots before a fuzzy kind of picture emerged. It was a much younger picture of Isaac and the message was obviously intended for his sister Eileen who was also Chelsea’s mother.
“Dearest Eileen, I have been hiding my dark deeds for too long and now I am in too deep to get out. So many times I have wanted to tell you, but couldn’t because it would only put you in more danger.”
Isaac paused and he sighed. “I work for one of the biggest drug lords in Mexico by the name of Emilio De Leon. He is on the most wanted list, but he is untouchable. Anyone who tries to turn him in is soon eliminated and it does not matter if you swear not to talk. I fear that he will soon figure out that I am getting close to walking. So I am sending you this video that if anything happens to me you can get it to the authorities.
I know where to find him and I know who else is working with him. His partner is another drug lord named Enrique Galvez and they control the drug trade in Arizona, California, Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado. To bring down these men, you need to find an area of weakness. Emilio De Leon’s is Bianca Rodriquez, the mother of his son, Austin. She lives in Tucson and if you get to her it would draw him out. However, Enrique Galvez is a psychopath; he shows no mercy or compassion. I’m yet to learn his weakness.
As I said, if anything happens to me and you find this, please turn it over to the police. I love you Eileen and stay safe and I’m sorry.”
The screen once more went blank as the recording ended. Pierce sat there absorbing all this new information. Enrique Galvez had fallen off the radar five years earlier and he was wanted for several murders, but not for drugs. Now he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that De Leon was alive and what his weakness was. He decided to pay a visit to Bianca Rodriquez.
But then he thought again. Maybe he would delay that visit a little to give Chelsea some time to poke around herself. He ha
d promised to keep her up-to-date on anything he found. If he released the information about De Leon too quickly, then everyone would be hunting De Leon. On the other hand, if he kept it between himself and Chelsea for a while, then she could track him down and get rid of him. After all, he was pronounced dead years ago so no one would be any wiser if someone found and killed him.
Chapter Sixteen
Everything you can imagine is real. ~ Pablo Picasso
Clara, the medical examiner, looked again at the results on the monitor and she could not believe what she was seeing. Usually, she never second guessed the results, but now she was doing just that. Maybe the machines malfunctioned or her vision was defective.
She picked up the phone and put it down again. If she made this call it may raise questions about her professional competence. She was the doctor who had produced the evidence that allowed the authorities to declare Emilio De Leon dead several years ago. And now, after all this time, the DNA from skin samples found under Austin De Leon’s finger nails matched his father’s perfectly. That was impossible, unless Emilio De Leon was still alive. But that was ridiculous. He has been dead many years now.
With much hesitancy, she again picked up the phone. She was not sure yet how she was going to explain herself. Pierce was soon on the other end.
“I’m going to tell you something which will surprise you and for which I have no explanation yet. We found DNA on Austin De Leon’s body, under his finger nails. It seems he struggled with someone before he died. And guess what? It matches that of his father perfectly.”
She did not hear the expected gasp and shock.
“Why do you sound so afraid of this fact?”
“Because I pronounced his father dead,” she said slowly. “That explosion several years back – I found evidence that suggested he was one of the victims…I….” her voice trailed off.
“It happens all the time, Cara, don’t blame yourself. He wanted to disappear to escape the heat and I am sure he made that explosion happen so he could fall off the grid.”
She breathed a deep sigh of relief.
Romantic Thriller: Only Time Will Tell – A Romantic Suspense and Romantic Mystery Book: (Thriller Romance, Suspense, Mystery Romance, Suspense Romance) Page 8