Chapter 4 #2
“Or, I could bring one of the small horse trailers we have here, and you can load that up.” They discussed the logistics, and when Kevin hung up, he had an affirmation that Ryan would be there in three days.
Kevin stood there, gathering himself, and walked out into the hall.
Boggs, Bennett, Drake, Brooks, and Finch looked at him, all with raised brows.
“Three days. Ryan will be here, I’m not sure who else, but Ryan will be here. He’s driving and I’ll load up the trailer he’s bringing.”
“Why would you load up a trailer?” Captain Boggs looked at him in confusion.
“I might as well tell you now. When you called me into the office, I was heading to HR.”
“For?”
“My retirement package. I’m retiring next month. I’ll have twenty-five years in.”
“Damn, it’s been that long?”
“Yeah, I’m retiring, then moving. I’m not being difficult, but I’m not telling anyone here where I’m moving to. Let’s just say, it’s out of state.”
“Good, now, we’re waiting on an order from the judge to move Karen to a different facility. If it goes through, then the three of you will transport her in the unmarked Bennett and Drake drove here. There will be an armed escort from here following you, and one will meet you halfway.”
“Where is she being transferred to?”
“Mission Creek, it’s farther away, but to my knowledge there aren’t any gang affiliations that far out.”
Kevin nodded, and stood there as a guard came up to them with papers. He held them out to Finch. She read them with a nod.
“Here’s the order for transfer from the judge. The next step would be to take Karen back to her cell to gather her things.” She went to the door and opened it, then the two guards led Karen out, with her hands back in the cuffs. The four of them walked away, and Boggs went with them.
“I’ll lead you back to the front,” the guard said, and they wove their way back to the front entrance.
Kevin stayed there when Bennett went to get the vehicle.
Fifteen minutes later, with Bennett driving, Drake sat in the front seat, and Kevin sat in the back with Karen, who still had her hands cuffed.
At one point, he looked at her and sighed.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m just sorry you’re in this mess.”
“Don’t be, it’s of my own making, and I’m not sorry for what I did. This might be wrong, but in my mind, I did what I did to protect you and Caleb. Though there was no direct threat against him, there was one against you. Like I said, I saw red and acted blindly.”
Kevin nodded and as they got closer to the new prison, he looked at her. When she looked at him, he said quietly. “Ryan knows. I sent him the video. He’s coming to help protect me and the house. Do you want to see him?”
“I do, but only if he wants to see me. I mean it, Kevin. I was such a fucking bitch to him his entire life that I totally understand if he doesn’t want to see me. Promise me that you won’t force the issue?”
“I promise. I also want to tell you that I haven’t told Caleb yet.”
“Good. Don’t tell him until after this trial.
I know I’ll be tried for murder, and I’m good with that.
I just don’t want him to have to sit through another trial for his mother.
I’m sure he already has nightmares from my past behavior, he doesn’t need this.
” She was silent for a few moments, then asked quietly. “Can you tell me how he’s doing?”
“Great, he’s opened his own practice, has patients, and met a wonderful woman. He’s happy and healthy.”
“That’s all I can ask for. Thank you for telling me.”
The car slowed and Kevin saw they were about five miles from their destination. He looked at her with a smirk. “So, how many more hiding places do you have in the house?”
Karen laughed, and it reminded Kevin of their younger days from decades ago, but there was nothing romantic in the memory. Just a time from the past. “Just the shoes, purses, and Ryan’s insurance money.”
“Tell me again where it is?”
“In the rafters of the attic.” She explained where she thought she had hidden it, and then clammed up when the prison came into view.
It took time to get through security, having the guards take Karen’s possessions, then walk away with her.
There was nothing more the three detectives could do, and they climbed back into the sedan, and headed back to the station.
“Are you hungry?” Drake asked Kevin at one point, and they decided to stop at a diner, but not before calling into Boggs to let him know of their plans.
Two hours later, they walked into the bullpen, and Kevin shook his head when everyone turned to look at him. He saw the captain wave him forward, and he went.
“What’s up?”
“I’m not going to ask you how you’re holding up, but do you know Sargeant Hammer with the bomb squad?”
“Not really. I’ve heard of him, but never met him.”
Boggs pointed, and Kevin turned to see a man standing there. He stuck out his hand, and they shook.
“I’m going to need your home address,” Hammer said. “Along with your vehicle description.”
“Why?”
“Because from this day forward, until the threat is eliminated, I will be personally going over your vehicle for any explosives that might have been planted during the day, or overnight. I will do it before you leave here after your shift, then before you start it in the morning.”
“Starting tomorrow,” Boggs said from behind his desk. “When you arrive here at work, you will be parking behind the fence where the towed vehicles are stored.”
“Do you think that’s wise? What if someone from the gang has a car in there and tries to get to my truck?”
“Won’t happen, they have to have paperwork for the guard on duty. Then another guard will physically go and look for that particular vehicle. No papers, no match, no entry. No customers are allowed in the lot.”
“Has it always been like that?”
“Yes.”
“Oh.” He nodded then gave out the information.
Hammer looked at him with a grin. “I live three blocks from here. I run every morning. It wouldn’t be any problem for me to swing by and check out your vehicle. What time do you leave for the office? Oh, and in case I didn’t mention this before, I’ll be checking out your house also.”
“In three days, you won’t have to do that.”
“What’s happening in three days?”
“Some friends of mine will be coming to protect me.”
“What qualifications do they have that the bomb squad doesn’t?”
Kevin grinned. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because each one has anywhere from twelve to fifteen years’ experience of being a Navy SEAL.”
“Shit, yeah, I’m going to want to meet them.”
“Don’t quote me, but one of them might have munitions experience.”
“Good, I’m still going to want to meet them.” They shook hands again, and Hammer left. Boggs invited Kevin to sit before his desk. He reached over and took a folder off the windowsill behind him, and laid it on the desk in front of Kevin.
“What’s this?”
“I took the liberty of calling HR on my way back from Gig Harbor. They brought this to me when I returned. It’s your retirement package. Take it home, look it over, and then you can proceed with your plans.”
Kevin took the folder, and went back to his desk, but because of the lateness of the hour, he sent a text to Hammer and told him he was getting ready to head home for the day.
It shocked him that Hammer was waiting for him in the parking lot.
It only took five minutes, but when no bomb was found, Kevin headed home, his mind in overdrive about everything he had learned that day.