Chapter 3 #2
Why was he asking for a rundown of what happened? He’d come to the scene and talked with Butler. Either this was his standard practice following an incident like this, or Supervisor Howard suspected there was more to the story than he’d been told.
“Butler and I were in his truck, watching the motel. Vickers stepped out of room twenty-four and retrieved something from his vehicle. Butler positively identified him. I went into the motel office to find out if Vickers had checked in alone. I confirmed he had but under an alias.”
He paused a moment to get names straight in his mind.
“Albright and Glover watched the back in case he snuck out. Butler, Stanton, Kennedy, and I knocked on the door and prepared to breach if necessary. He didn’t answer.
Albright alerted us that Vickers was sneaking out the back window. He and Glover pursued.
“Butler and I split up, each taking one side of the urban tree lot. I heard Albright yelling and saw movement close to where I was. I went into the trees to assist. Albright tackled the fugitive. They tussled on the ground. There was a gunshot. Albright fell back. Vickers stood up and aimed his gun at Glover. Butler shot him before Glover could.”
Supervisor Howard nodded. “As always, there will be an internal investigation into the shooting. In the meantime, Butler is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome.”
“Yes, sir.” It didn’t matter that Liam thought it was a good shoot, it still needed to be investigated properly.
Supervisor Howard opened his suit jacket and produced a piece of paper. “Here’s your password for the computer and all the important phone numbers. You’ve already gotten your key card, so you’re good to go.”
Liam took the paper. “Thank you, sir.”
“Since Butler’s on leave, I’m going to need you to familiarize yourself with his WITSEC cases and be prepared to handle anything else that comes up.
We’ve got a guy on our radar, Torres, but he’s still working out the details with the US Attorney, so he’s not in the program yet.
I have that file for now.” He handed Liam a manila folder.
“That leaves the Williams sisters, Samantha and Isabella. Everything you need to know is in this file. I don’t have to tell you this is for your eyes only as their case officer.
You’re on courtroom duty starting tomorrow, so take the rest of today to familiarize yourself with the WITSEC case and the courthouse. ”
“Will do, sir.”
Supervisor Howard tapped the desk before standing up and seeing himself out.
Liam used the new credentials to log in to the system.
He checked his email and then turned his attention to the manila folder, starting to look into Butler’s witnesses when his stomach rumbled.
He tugged over the basket and read the card, a small welcome from Aubrey, the receptionist, and untied the bow.
Under the coffee mug and tumbler, both personalized with his name, he found several energy drinks, a box of painkillers, and an assortment of homemade cookies and muffins.
He opened one of the cellophane-wrapped muffins and took a bite. Blueberry spilled over his tongue, and his eyes widened. These were perhaps the best blueberry muffins he had ever tasted. He needed to remember to tell Aubrey thank you.
He turned back to the witnesses. Madison Johanson, now Samantha Williams. Twenty-nine. Her sister Anna Johanson, now Isabella Williams, was fourteen. In the program because Madison/Samantha had been employed as a private nurse for Corvino DeLuca.
Liam blew out a breath. That was a name he’d heard before, and nothing good ever followed it.
Corvino DeLuca was the head of the DeLuca crime family in New York City. DeLuca had ties in guns, drugs, and human trafficking.
He studied the photos in the file. Samantha. Dark-blonde hair and brown eyes. An oval-shaped face, high cheekbones, and full lips.
His heart rate kicked up. She was the attractive firefighter who’d responded to the scene today. He’d had to tear his gaze away from her and focus on what his coworkers had been talking about.
Isabella had brunette hair and brown eyes. A square face with low cheekbones. Despite the differences between the two, there was still a resemblance.
Another knock on the wood frame.
Liam turned and found Butler standing at the door.
“Supervisor Howard said you’re taking over my witnesses. Any questions?” Butler took the seat Supervisor Howard had occupied moments ago.
Liam slid the goodies basket toward Butler. “Want a treat?”
Butler shook his head. “But if I were you, I’d hide the cookies. If the others catch wind, you’re in trouble.”
“That good?” Liam eyed the chocolate chip cookies.
“Better.”
“Noted.” Liam turned back to the folder on his desk. “I see why she’s in WITSEC, and I recognize her as one of the firefighters who responded at the motel earlier. How’d the FBI convince her to testify?”
Butler said, “At first, she refused, scared of retaliation, but her mother got into some trouble, and the FBI offered to go light on her if Madison agreed to testify. The only stipulation Madison had was that the younger sister came with her.”
Liam couldn’t blame her for being reluctant. Anything related to the Mob was dangerous. Some of the torture stories he’d heard about people who’d talked scared him, and he’d seen a lot of things in his career.
“She’s been in Renegade six years. No trouble from her or her sister.”
“Got it.”
A lot of criminals who agreed to testify and enter WITSEC used the opportunity as a new beginning.
Dropping their old ways and taking the straight-and-narrow path, never getting in trouble again.
But some didn’t. Instead, they continued on with their crimes or came up with new ones.
It was difficult to tell who would do what.
For an innocent witness, entering WITSEC was often a lot harder. They’d done the right thing and then had their entire lives upended as a result. The Williams sisters had given up everything for the sake of justice, and now it was up to the Marshals to make sure they were protected.
“Anything else I should know?”
Butler tapped his fingers on the desk. “You’re joining a solid team. I know you’re here for WITSEC and court security, but with me and Albright out, you’ll probably have to pitch in on the fugitive task force.” He clenched his jaw and took a deep breath. “Good luck.”
Liam suspected there was more the man wanted to say but held back as he left the office.
He logged out of the system to take a walk around the courthouse and get his bearings before he started his security assignment tomorrow.
He spent the next hour visiting every office of the courthouse, introducing himself to those he would come into contact with on a regular basis, like Judge Stephen Mullinax and his staff.
The layout of the courthouse was different than Virginia.
Everyone he met seemed the same though. Friendly and welcoming.
He’d known the names and faces in Virginia but hadn’t really known all the people, because he’d spent most of his time in the Marshals’ headquarters or pounding pavement.
Renegade would be the complete opposite, and not only because it was twice as big as Richmond, with a population pushing 500,000.
This building would be his home away from home.
After he’d checked all the boxes on his first day on the job, he could go home and talk to Sophia about the telephone call he’d received earlier. This issue with the school needed to be nipped in the bud.
He took the private elevator up to the second floor and made his way to his office. He’d grab his bag and head out. But first, he needed to thank Aubrey for her welcome gift. If she was still here.
He found her in the break room, rinsing out the coffeepot and preparing it for tomorrow. She wore a white pencil skirt and heels to match the fitted dark-green blazer. Her red hair was pulled back into some fancy knot.
“Ms. Richardson.” He shoved his hand in his pants pocket.
She turned and smiled. “We’re going to be seeing a lot of each other. Please call me Aubrey.”
He nodded. “Aubrey, I wanted to thank you for the gift basket. I appreciate it.”
She smiled brightly. “I figured you’d need the coffee cup and the energy drinks to stay awake during court duty.”
“Yes, that can have its boring moments.” He grinned at the joke. Nothing in their job was boring. They had to be vigilant at all times. “What about the painkillers?”
Her smile faltered. “It was a joke about having to deal with Ethan Butler.”
“He that bad?” Liam crossed his arms over his chest.
“He’s just grumpy sometimes. Mostly when he’s trying to locate a fugitive.
” The chagrin in her expression melted away.
“Do you have some free time this evening? I could take you to meet his witnesses, since you’re taking them over while he’s on leave.
I’m familiar with all of Renegade’s witnesses, and it might be easier on them if someone they know is there when you’re introduced. ”
Liam furrowed his brow. “You know who the witnesses are? That’s unusual.”
Aubrey smiled tightly. “That’s how Supervisor Howard wants things done. I do the menial things so the marshals can do the important things.”
“Okay…” Interesting take on the job.
“I just do what I’m told.” She shrugged. “So, did Butler fill you in?”
“Yeah, he gave me a rundown of their case.” He hadn’t expected to meet them today, but if she was willing to make the introductions, then he’d be happy to do it now. It shouldn’t take too long. “Let’s go.”
She handed him a stack of papers she’d picked up off the table. “We’re going to need these.”
He looked at the papers and noticed a missing poster for a lost cat. “Mr. Whiskers?”
“Yeah, it’s a plausible way to interact with the witnesses and not give away who we are or why we’re there.
It’s what they’re expecting. My precious Mr. Whiskers has escaped, and I’m devastated by it.
” She sniffed. “We’ll go door to door handing out flyers in the neighborhood. That way, no one is the wiser.”
She was a smart woman.
He tapped the stack of papers. “I guess we need to go find Mr. Whiskers.”