Chapter 47 #2
He’s going to pay too and it’s going to be fun…
Katie couldn’t get Junior’s voice out of her head. It was the kind of voice that would haunt you and take over your rational thoughts if you let it.
“You can’t handle one simple thing—even when we were kids you were always the weak link.”
Katie realized the bond between the four boys was strong and even though they’d all had their lives torn apart in some way, they seemed to rely on each other.
Even when we were kids you were always the weak link…
Katie dared move closer. She wanted to see Junior, the man in black who had been watching the crime scene investigation, hiding behind video cameras, and who had attacked her in the woods.
She wanted to look him in the eyes so he couldn’t hide behind being mysterious and mostly off the grid.
He seemed to be one step ahead of the investigation.
He had to be getting some kind of assistance.
C’mon, c’mon, she thought. Katie wanted hard facts or at least facts that proved out her theory.
Then things began to become heated.
“I asked you to do one thing and you even managed to screw that up,” said Junior.
“I swear I didn’t. Somehow they know.”
“They’re cops. It’s their job to think that they can outsmart people—get confessions.”
“You didn’t see it in her eyes. She’s smart.”
There was a dramatic pause. “It doesn’t matter how smart she is… He’s smarter than the cops.”
He?
“No, man, c’mon. Please…” said Grand.
There was the sound of shuffling feet. Some grunting noises as if they were in a physical confrontation.
“Call for backup,” said Katie to McGaven.
One gunshot, then two. The ear-piercing sound rattled around the warehouse leaving a strange echo. No!
Katie ran across the metal overlook, her boots clipping the walkway until she came to the stairs.
She then bolted down, hitting each stair with precision.
She finally reached the ground with her gun drawn and directed ahead of her.
She cautiously made her way, checking around corners, making sure she wasn’t walking into an ambush.
Katie knew McGaven had heard the shots and would be covering the exits. She kept moving forward, not letting her guard down.
Rounding a corner and double-checking the area, she saw the body of Tom Grand lying on his back. She could tell he was breathing; his hands covered his stomach.
“Grand,” said Katie as she kneeled down. “Keep pressure on it. Help is on its way.”
Katie saw the wounds and could tell they were hits to major organ areas. Blood seeped quickly between Grand’s fingers. He looked at her with pleading eyes.
“Please…” he said, barely audible.
“Who is behind this?” Katie kept cautiously scanning around them.
Grand kept shaking his head. “He will not be caught… He can’t…
You can’t stop him…” he wheezed. “Please…” He grabbed hold of Katie’s hand.
“You can’t win… I’m free now. We all want to be free…
every… time… I close… my eyes… I still hear the screams…
and then it was my turn…” His air escaped his lungs with a low wheeze.
“Who’s he? Is it Junior?”
Grand began gasping. Blood pooled around them.
“Is Junior responsible for the death of his dad and Sydney? Why?”
“For all of it…” was the last thing Grand said before he took his final breath.
“Grand. Tom?” she said.
Tom Grand was dead.
“Hey,” said McGaven, out of breath, running to his partner.
“Where’s Junior?”
“In the wind.” He looked down at Grand’s dead body.
“No, no, no,” Katie kept saying. They’d lost their most important lead.
Junior knew they were on to him and he would be going back to wherever he had been hiding—or leaving the area altogether.
Katie’s strength seemed to instantly leave her body as her exhaustion and lack of sleep took over. “He got away in his car?” she said.
“No, he literally disappeared in the wind. I chased him, but then he vanished. I was afraid he was going to circle back and come after you to finish the job.” He caught his breath. “C’mon.” He helped Katie to her feet.
“He’s not coming back now. But he’s going to get rid of the loose ends.”
“Yeah, we’ll just see about that.”
Katie looked at the ground and saw two spent shell casings. “Look. Maybe they’ll match the bullet from Griffin Sr.?”
“That would connect another piece.”
She nodded. There was hope they were getting to the truth.
McGaven drove Katie back to the farmhouse after their backup arrived and they could leave the scene. Both detectives were extremely exhausted. It was almost four in the morning and Katie felt as if she had been up for several days.
“Gav,” she said weakly. “Crash on my couch and get some sleep. I don’t want you driving home this tired. I know how you feel and I wouldn’t want to drive.”
“No, I’ll be okay.”
Katie opened the passenger door and jumped out. Her legs were rubbery and she didn’t think she could make it to her bed. “C’mon. Leave Denise a text message so she knows you’re safe.”
McGaven relented and followed Katie inside.
“Cisco is going to love you sleeping on the couch,” she said.
“Can’t wait,” he managed to say.
McGaven took off his shoes and lay down on the sofa completely exhausted.
Katie went to get him a fresh pillow and a quilt after rechecking the house, windows, and doors.
When she returned, he was already asleep softly snoring.
She smiled. He was always there for her.
Gently putting the blanket over him, Katie turned off the lights.
“Night, partner,” she whispered.