Chapter 24 #2
“Kendrick is all the help I need.” My words clipped, I meant what I’d said.
After a few seconds of mental debate, she finally nodded.
“You do realize I can’t hide the report from my boss.
While there’ve been no connections formally made with the case involving Denise and the young woman inside, there very well could be.
If Ms. Murphy signs off on the body, her name will be in the system. ”
“For God’s sake, I’m right here. And she’s not a body.
She’s a beautiful seventeen-year-old girl who was lured into some fake modeling contract by an unscrupulous man involved in a dangerous, twisted club where men believe women to be objects bought and sold at will.
How dare you treat her as if she’s nothing but a body on a slab. ”
Kendrick chuckled. “Reese doesn’t mince words, Jackie.”
Jackie remained uncomfortable. “Neither do you. Very well. I’m going to warn you again. Her condition is rough.”
There was nothing else to say at this point.
While Jackie opened the door, Kendrick took a moment to pull me aside and against him, pressing his face into my neck. “You can do this. I’ll be with you.”
“I know.” When he brushed his lips against my skin, a tiny shudder swept through me. This time because he had a calming effect on me.
Jackie led the way, nodding to someone inside.
“I’m Doctor Wright. I’m very sorry for the circumstances. If you’ll follow me.”
We were led through a series of doors into a cold, stark room.
Seeing the tile floor and the dim lighting, a colder shiver trickled all the way down my spine.
Lightheaded, I could barely move my feet to walk close to the steel table positioned in the center of the room.
This wasn’t like any movie I’d watched, the bleakness something that would haunt my nightmares for years to come.
My stomach remained in knots, an intense ache lingering behind my eyes.
After hearing the news, images of Briana’s face had continuously popped into my mind. Always with her smiling and laughing. Even during her illness and at her sickest, she’d always managed to smile. Even giggle. I’d never be able to forget her laugh.
Jackie waited in the shadows while the medical examiner moved to the other side of the table.
Everything was surreal. The chill in the room.
The positioning of the equipment including a deep sink and tall stainless-steel faucet.
Other than my thudding heartbeat, the only other noise in the room was coming from a vent positioned close to the ceiling.
The sound captured my attention and for a few seconds, I concentrated on the oversized grate.
Finally, I forced myself to look at the table. A slender strand of hair was peeking out, blonde with blue highlights. A sob escaped before I could stop it. Kendrick was right there, holding me, keeping me aloft.
Without his arm around me, my knees would buckle.
Focusing was difficult, tears keeping a light fog. I brushed them away, knowing everyone was waiting for me to agree or nod or something.
That’s all I could manage.
With her hands gloved, the doctor gripped the top of the sheet.
She pulled the drape down to the girl’s chest.
And once again, all eyes were on me.
Watching.
Waiting.
Anticipating.
I fell against Kendrick, taking gasping breaths. “That’s not my sister.” But she’d been made to look like Briana. I was certain of it. Was it terrible of me to feel instant glee? A poor girl was lying dead on a piece of steel and I was giddy inside.
“You’re certain?” Jackie asked.
“I’m positive. But I’ve seen her before in the group I was in. Don’t you remember? One of the sketches.”
Turning immediately, as soon as I locked eyes with Kendrick, he nodded.
“She’s right.” He said nothing else and I knew he was being cautious around Jackie. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here.” He wasn’t interested in waiting to talk to the detective, pushing me from the room and taking long strides down the corridor as if with urgency.
“Wait. Kendrick,” Jackie called from behind. “We need to talk.”
“We have nothing to talk about, Jackie,” he answered, still pushing me forward.
“I think we do.” She managed to catch up to us just before we’d walked outside. As soon as she yanked his arm, he snarled, the harsh sound full of unreleased rage.
Without hesitating, he swung around to face her. He was an intimidating man to every other male he’d encountered, but to Jackie’s five-foot-nothing frame, I could only imagine how menacing he seemed.
“Kendrick. Calm down.” My suggestion was met with a deep, throaty laugh. “She’s only trying to help.” Unlike him, I didn’t believe she was working for the monsters. She was genuinely concerned, as horrified with the circumstances as I was.
Jackie wasn’t backing down, hands on her hips as she faced him. “He’s a tough old bird, Ms. Murphy. He doesn’t know when to stop sticking his nose into business where he doesn’t belong.”
“You asked him for help and thank God you did. He’s stubborn for good reason, Detective,” I shot back.
“He’s trying to ensure additional girls aren’t kidnapped off the street and found in a goddamn morgue.
That’s not my sister, but I could get another call tomorrow and it will be.
Kendrick is doing something, which is more than I can say for the police. ”
Maybe my voice was a little loud. I didn’t care.
“I understand,” she said far too quietly. In turn, I hissed and looked away, suddenly feeling the same rage at the machine I’d seen from Kendrick. Maybe there was no such thing as formal justice any longer. Money and power did buy everything. Didn’t it?
“She’s right, Jackie, but my sweet Reese, I have no intention of calming down. And do you want to know why? Because Jackie has been doing the bidding for her master in bringing me the case. Weren’t you, Jackie?”
“What in the hell are you talking about?” Jackie spat back, a look of horror on her face as if she’d been slapped.
Kendrick crowded her space. “Don’t lie to me, Jackie. You were told to drop the case into my lap, which I find fascinating.”
She was befuddled, darting me a glance as if I could help. “I don’t have a clue what you’re trying to say to me.”
“That your boss, the chief of police Darren Ewing is in bed with the Rinaldi Crime Syndicate. Ring a bell to you?”
Instantly, she was flustered, immediately glancing over her shoulder. “Let’s talk about this outside.”
“We talk about it right here.”
“Please.” She was begging him.
“What is going on, Kendrick?” I kept my tone as even and calming as what he’d offered me. This I hadn’t heard, although I’d been busy with Maverick’s story facade right up until hearing about the girl in the morgue. “You need to explain to both of us.”
Very slowly, the tension began to fade and he scrubbed his jaw as he always did when frustrated. “Fine. Outside. But you will tell me the truth.” He slammed his hand on the door with enough force I was certain he’d injured his hand.
He paced the parking lot, glaring at her every few seconds. “How did he convince you to lure me in?”
“You need to trust me. I don’t know what you’re talking about.
But you’re obviously in deep with this case, much more so than you should be.
Why didn’t you listen to me? How deep does this go, Kendrick?
Somehow, you managed to free Ms. Murphy, who was supposedly enslaved by a dangerous organization that no one within any law enforcement agency has managed to undermine or infiltrate.
Yet within two weeks of me bringing you what I hoped would be enough of a case to bring it in front of a judge with another potential witness to any number of horrific crimes, you’re accusing me. Of what? Doing my job?”
“Dante Rinaldi was the first man I put behind bars after moving to this godforsaken town. Remember him? The killer of killers, his acts so heinous that there’s supposedly blood flowing through the sewers.
He’s free, serving his time after good behavior, now the leader of the so-called Privileged.
My guess is he took that over from his father.
He goes by the name of Lucifer. Fitting, eh?
I find it fascinating that suddenly, I’m standing in a club opposite him and he’s asking me to join his illustrious operation.
Now, what I can tell you about the men and their intentions are that they are using blackmail against several of their members and killing them if they don’t comply. ”
“How do you know all this?” she demanded.
His grin was sly. “I have my sources. What about you?”
The exchange they shared was weighing heavily on her. She was also terrified.
“Jesus. I wasn’t sent to you by anyone, Kendrick. I came to you of my own free will because I knew you were the only person who might break this wide open.”
Why did I have a feeling she knew more about what Kendrick was involved in?
He studied her intently, taking several deep breaths. “Why would you come to me specifically?”
“I’m no fool. Justice served? All the interesting situations where criminals who found themselves free men suddenly ending up dead or caught yet in another reprehensible crime that no one could get them out of.
Hell, it’s been all over the news and has your markings all over it.
Maybe other people don’t know what you’re involved with, but you and I have worked closely enough together I know all the earmarks of your work. ”
“Now is when I’ll say that I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said with amusement in his tone.
“You’re the most infuriating man I know. However you want to play this, what I’m telling you is no different than what I said before. This is much bigger than you believe.”
“No, Jackie. I’m pretty clear on how far reaching the situation is. Unfortunately, I just can’t trust you. But out of courtesy, I’ll give you the same warning that you gave me. Back off.”
I knew Kendrick well enough to realize he was flushing out the rats.