Silenced Justice: A Josh Williams Novel (22 page)

Jennifer smiled and took his hand, "You are a man of mystery, Mr. Moore. I always wondered why you never talked about your family."

As Tommy drove out of the parking lot, Jen glanced towards Sorin. She felt her heart begin to race and a tightness in her chest. This nightmare was real now. Still holding Tommy's hand, she said, "You sure nobody will get to Kelsey, right?"

Tommy felt the warmth, and tension, in her hand. "I'm sure," yet unsure why he let his hand linger in hers. He was certain Sorin was watching them, taking it in, as they spoke.

An hour or so later, as they left City Hall with the necessary documents, Tommy called Josh. "Hey, LT, where's our friend now?"

"He followed you to City Hall then went back to his office," Josh answered. "He made a shit load of calls so we have plenty of new things to work on."

"Great, I'll take Jen back to the office. Want me to come in?"

"No, let's stick to the script. Go to the office and pretend to work, which shouldn't be hard for you, then go to the undercover apartment. You're gonna have to stay undercover for the next few days, until this breaks."

"Well then, we property managers like to unwind with a cocktail and dinner after a long day. I will be exercising the undercover business credit card provided by the FBI."

Josh laughed, "You do that, just don't do too much damage to the national debt."

Tommy hung up and looked at Jennifer. "Want to go to dinner and drinks on the government? Get some of your tax dollars back?"

Jennifer looked confused.

"Part of our cover, remember?"

"Oh sure, of course. Let me call my father and check in with him. He and my daughter should be at his condo in Aruba by now, and then I am all yours."

Alarm bells rang in Tommy's head, silenced by other, more powerful, physiological manifestations.

Tommy took out a disposable phone and handed it to her. "Use this whenever you want to call Kelsey. They won't be able to trace the calls. They may know about the condo, but there'll be some doubt whether they went there."

While Jennifer made the call, Tommy drove to The Federal Tap House on Atwells Avenue in the Federal Hill section of Providence.

"Have you been here before?" Jennifer asked, handing the phone back to Tommy.

"No, but one of my friends told me about it and I figured the name would add some irony, Federal Tap, get it?"

"I do indeed. Umm," leaning in and whispering, "what do I call you?"

"Call me Tom, or Tommy, it will sound natural. This is Rhode Island- someone in here might know us from PC."

"What if somebody recognizes you from the police department?"

"Well, I'm not from Rhode Island, been out of school awhile, and up until a year ago I was working nights. I didn't go out much. We'll just hope for the best."

Tommy asked for a table in the back and sat so he could watch the door. After looking over the menu, they settled on appetizers and a bottle of wine. Once the wine was open, Tommy began to relax.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Let me guess, why did I marry him?" sipping her wine.

"Guilty," Tommy shrugged. "I mean, it's just...."

"What can I say? I met Anthony while I was in Washington doing the internship with Senator Strain. You went off to hike the Appalachian Trail or something," looking into her glass. "We saw each other a few times, worked on a few projects together. After you and I fell apart...I don't know…he was around…."

She held out her glass for more wine. "When you told me you were heading off to OCS at Quantico with the Marine Corps, I thought you wanted to get away from me." Pausing and glancing up as the server delivered the first dishes.

Tommy just sat there, leaning on his elbow, hand covering his mouth, listening.

"It was nice at first, with Anthony I mean," Jen waited for the server to leave. "We didn't even get married for the first few years…."

"I didn't mean to raise bad memories. I was just curious why someone would let you go," Tommy said, finishing his wine and refilling the glasses.

"You did," she said, eyes brimming.

"I got sent to Iraq. I didn't have a choice. The Marine Corps is like that, you know, they don't give you options. I told you that the day I left. I said I'd be back. You didn't wait," he answered. "What about your daughter?" trying to change the subject.

Jennifer started to say something, let out a sigh, and then just sat looking at him.

"Jen, what's wrong? What is it?"

"I knew from the beginning Kelsey wasn't Anthony's child. I let him believe she was that's the kind of person I am. When I found out that’s when he left."

Tommy watched as Jen took a long sip of wine, looking into her glass, lost in the dark memories of the past. Let it go for now, Tommy, let it go.

The rest of the dinner taken up with small talk about the different paths of their lives. When they were through, they had invested two hours and three bottles of wine in their efforts.

As they walked to the car, a voice called out, "Jen?" causing them both to turn towards the sound. Jen lost her balance and reached out for Tommy's hand. He put his arm around her, steadying her.

"Jen? I thought it was you." A woman walked over to them, smiling at the pair.

"Hi, Karen, how are you?" Jennifer asked.

"Not as good as you,” giving Tommy the once over. “I see you’re having some fun tonight, good for you. And this is?"

Jennifer looked at Tommy, then back at her friend, "this is a friend of mine, Tom Meadows. He's my new partner in the property management company," turning to Tommy. "Tom, this is Karen Reynolds. She has an office in the same building."

Tommy reached out his hand, "Nice to meet you, Karen."

"Nice to meet you as well, Tom. Well, I will let you two carry on. Give me a call sometime, Jen," tilting her head and casting a side glance at Tommy. "You can give me all the details about this one. Nice to meet you, Tom," smiling as she turned and walked off.

Tommy watched the woman cross Atwells Avenue, getting into car parked across the street. "Is she going to be a problem?"

"Not if you want Anthony to know we were out together. I bet she's calling him now," Jennifer answered, smiling. "She had a thing for him. I think they had an affair after he left me, while she was still married."

"Well then, at least it will make our association more realistic and believable to him."

They both stood and watched as the car pulled into traffic. As the woman drove past, Jennifer reached over and kissed Tommy. Taking him in a long embrace, she whispered, "Now I am sure she'll call him."

Tommy smiled and kissed her back, the flood of memories filling his thoughts.

Chapter 29

The sunlight leaked through the curtains, waking Tommy from his sleep. As he tried to focus on the clock, he smelled coffee.

Jennifer walked into the bedroom, wearing nothing but Tommy's unbuttoned shirt, carrying two cups. "Cream and sugar, right?"

Tommy pushed himself up against the headboard, still groggy. "Uh, yeah, thanks, I ah…" smiling and trying to act nonchalant.

"Ah yes, those first uncomfortable moments," Jen chuckled. "You realize you started yesterday with your chastity intact and woke up the next day without it. Don't worry; I may have had something to do with it."

"What, no, no I mean I, we both..."

"Yes we did," leaning over and kissing him, "several times if I recall and I do believe we owe the backyard neighbor an apology." Handing him the coffee, she slid in next to him.

"Oh holy shit," was all he could say.

His cell rang. Glancing at the caller ID, he mouthed the words, "It's Josh."

"Well, best not use video calling to answer it. I'll be quiet," draping her arm across his chest, nuzzling against him, "unlike last night."

"Good, um, good morning, LT," Tommy answered, trying to sound innocent.

"Yes, Detective Moore, I bet it is. Why is it you are not at the briefing this morning?" Josh asked.

"Ah, I, ah, I thought I was to stay undercover," Tommy fumbled in response. "Isn't that what you said?"

"Well, be that as it may, please find your way down to Haines Park so we can discuss our next moves. Call Jennifer, tell her you have some project work to do."

Good, at least he doesn't know she's here
. "Okay, will do LT-- Hey," Tommy shouted, reacting to Jennifer's intimate touch.

"Hey what, Tommy?" Josh said. "Stop screwing around and get down here."

If you only knew, LT, if you only knew.

"Okay, on my way. I'll let Jen know I'll be in later," hanging up the phone. "Duty calls, got to go meet Josh. This is official notice to inform you, I'll be in later," trying to slide out of the bed.

Jen smiled, pulling him back. "Well, since you said you'd be in later," moving on top of him, sliding out of his shirt, her erect nipples signaling her arousal. "Let's let you in now and you can be a little late to your briefing."

* * *

Moore flew down Veteran's Memorial Parkway hoping the time-to-make-the-donuts twins were not running radar. The two officers bore a remarkable resemblance to the baker in the Dunkin' Donuts commercials.

The father of one was mail carrier. His job offered many opportunities to distribute his genetic code to lonely women, raising suspicions of the source of their remarkable similarities.

As Moore drove over the hill near the first overlook, there they were. Fortunately, they had two cars stopped and were focused on writing summonses. Moore flashed by and beeped the horn, flipping them off as he passed them.

They did not look up.

Lazy bastards. If somebody flipped me off, I'd be on their ass in a heartbeat.

Moore continued onto Pawtucket Avenue, heading towards the Looff Carousel, the centerpiece of the former Crescent Park, a once thriving amusement park. The historic carousel, one of a handful still functioning in the country, restored to its former glory by community involvement. It stood at the intersection of Crescent View Avenue and Bullocks Point Avenue.

Tommy turned onto Crescent View Avenue. He drove past the housing development built on part of the former amusement park land. He wondered what idiot thought it was a good idea to combine elderly housing with the mentally challenged. People trying to live out their remaining years surrounded by people who believe they are from another planet is not a good mix.

The uniform guys called it Thorazine Manor, since half the residents took some form of anti-psychotic drug.

He turned onto Metropolitan Park Drive, following the road to the city line with Barrington, and pulled into Haines Park.   

Josh, Zach Kennedy, and the two troopers were waiting.

"Nice of you to make it," Josh said.

"Hey, you told me to stay in undercover mode. I did. I slept in."

"Anything else?" Josh asked.

Moore looked up, the iron taste of the adrenaline rushing through his body flooded his senses. "Nope. I am here, ready for the briefing."

Josh shook his head. Moore smiled at the two troopers. "See, none of that saluting nonsense you guys go through. Us real cops just get to work."

"A little discipline might do you some good," Donahue countered.

"Jahwohl, Mein Kapitan," saluting Donahue with his middle finger and goose-stepping around the car.

"Don't waste your time, Tim. He's not even housebroken," Josh said, motioning with his index finger for Moore to come over to the front of the car.

"Okay, here's the latest..."

After detailing Sorin's calls and conversations, Josh said, “So, in a nutshell this is the story. He is trying to find out more about you. He doesn't quite trust her, doesn't trust this unexpected addition to the staff, and suspects I created the issue with the property."

"Do you think the profile the Feds created for him will hold up?" Donahue asked, looking at Kennedy.

"As long as they just use standard law enforcement sources, DMV, driver licenses, educational background checks, it should. We assume they have somebody, a cop or someone working in a PD, they can use."

"And if they dig deeper?" Moore asked.

"You are screwed,” Kennedy said. "The FBI usually take months to set up a phony background for their undercovers, here we did it in a week."

"If we push hard enough we just may be able to force Sorin's hand before they find out you aren’t what you appear," Josh added.

"You mean he's not a moron?" Donahue laughed.

"Bet it took all day and night for you to come up with that one, didn't it?" Moore said.

"Nope, first five minutes in the station and I figured you out."

Josh laughed, "Okay, now that you've practiced your comedy routine, we need to make sure we keep Tommy covered; no lapses in the surveillance. We know what they are capable of and don't want them to get an opportunity; if they find out he's a cop."

Donahue nodded, "Let's get the new tracking device the Feds were telling us about. Have him carry it.” Blowing a kiss at Moore, “I wouldn't want to lose you, sweetheart."

Moore smiled, "I didn't know you cared, you big handsome bitch. Okay, sounds good. I had better head to the office. When you get the equipment, call me and we'll arrange a meeting," Moore said. Quite certain the tracking device was not such a good idea.