Broken Trust (Missing in Action Trilogy Book 1) (10 page)

“And what is the significance in that?”

“I’m not too sure, but if I wanted to become invisible I would’ve changed my name, so I think it’s curious that he didn’t.”

John was silent for a moment and he couldn’t help but agree with her. “That is something we will eventually find out. Anyways, why do you think the department isn’t willing to assist us in our investigation?”

“Most likely because they aren’t wanting anyone to get involved in whatever the hell they are working on. I don’t like it when people won’t cooperate, but we can’t force them to give us any information. That’s why I took it from their system.”

John walked over to her and saw that she still had that tablet in her hand. He wanted to get her a new one to replace it, but he was no good at shopping. He took it from her and began to read over what Sheila found.

“Who is Natalie Granger?”

“She is a murder victim here in town. She was killed the exact way the others were. Whoever started the killings is still out there and they are moving in.”

“You don’t think this is just a copy-cat?”

“No, I think it’s the same person. When they were running the paper in the chronicle about the murders, they never put in there what the signature was.” Sheila took her tablet back and after clicking on a few things she showed him a slide of pictures. They were the different women. They reached the final picture. “Each woman had their tongues cut out and they were never able to find where they had gone. It was assumed that the killer had taken them as keepsakes.”

“But they never found tongues when they arrested Castro, did they?”

“No and that was part of the defense’s argument, however, the prosecution made their case airtight against him. Upon interviews with Castro, he maintained his innocence and that he was being set up. Since he lost his case, everyone left it at that and no one attempted to find the truth.”

“How did the girls find out about him?”

“From what I am aware of, they didn’t know anything until Olivia, or Teresa, or however you want to refer to her, started poking her nose into things. Since all three women knew Castro it was easy to make him look guilty.”

John looked up at Sheila. “And it’s because of this murder that you think that he’s innocent?”

“Well,” Sheila hesitated. “There is more to it than that. I just have this feeling it isn’t him, but that’s why we have to talk to him. If we do, I am sure we will have more information than we do currently.”

“We will still do the web-chat with Castro, but I think it’s best if we also go ahead and set up a meeting with Mr. Geerdes. I think he would be able to provide us more information.”

“He is in Boston. It would be a two hour plane ride or a five hour car trip. Which would you prefer?”

“The quicker the better,” he said and Sheila nodded. John moved closer toward her and he realized they were only inches away. Generally he would feel uncomfortable, mostly because he was concerned about making her uncomfortable. He sighed. “I think you should go and get some sleep. We both need a few hours before we continue this.”

He watched as she closed her eyes for a moment and then she nodded. “I completely agree with you.”

As they stood there John was taken by this feeling to just close the gap. He had been attempting to get these feelings to go away but they were still there. He took a step back and moved towards the door. He noticed that Sheila stood there for a moment as if she too was conflicted by something. She finally followed behind him and they left the office.

***

Marissa was sitting by the window, she looked over to the bed and saw her sister was sound asleep. It was about time the pills worked on her, but she had been afraid of overdosing her. No, all Marissa needed was a few hours and with Olivia knocked out, now was perfect. She wouldn’t be able to notice that she had left to go anywhere.

Getting to her feet now that she was certain Olivia was asleep, she grabbed the car keys and was on her way out. Locking the motel door behind her, she felt the cold wind hit her face. It was more than cold out here and she wanted there to be less snow. She never understood why some people liked it, but then again other people may not understand why she preferred warm weather.

Walking down the street, she noticed this side of town was not as busy as where they had been. That is why she preferred it. Those few people that were out here were shady people as well. If they saw something they wouldn’t speak of it, and that is why she had convinced her sister to come to this side of town.

Making her way to a chain-linked fence, she pushed it open slightly and slipped through. This place was a rundown factory and it had been a home for squatters for years, but those were not the only people out here. Others were hiding. She entered the building. All around were tattered blankets and broken glass accompanied by empty bottles. As she walked she could hear as her footsteps echoed. She finally made it to the stairs.

As she was ascending them, she heard someone down below. Holding her breath for a moment, she saw him standing there. “Isaac,” she whispered. It was always amazing being able to see him because she barely ever had the chance.

“You were supposed to be here an hour ago. What the hell took you so long?”

“It took a while for her to fall asleep. Why, have I missed something?”

“No. He’s still not talking to us.”

“I don’t think he can hold out for that much longer,” she said as she thought about how long he had been here. “What do you think we should do?”

“I think the moment he sees you he’ll put his guard down a little bit. After all he did trust you. Maybe taking him by surprise you will make him reveal more that way.”

Marissa nodded, she knew why she’d been summoned here and she followed behind Isaac. They were heading through the door and then she saw him. He was tied to a chair. She could barely recognize him he had been bludgeoned so badly, but she did see that look in his eyes. Surprise, anger, and betrayal. No one knew what she’d done and she wanted it to be kept that way.

“Hello James,” she said as she stepped closer toward him. “How are you doing?”

He didn’t answer and she flashed him a twisted smile. “You were poking into things you shouldn’t be. I assume you already know that though.”

Again, there was nothing he was saying and Marissa shook her head. “We need to know how much information you have about all of this.”

“Why? If you’re so clever you should have known by now that I have figured most of it out.”

“Oh really? And how is that working out for you? All of that knowledge led you here and no one is ever going to know.”

James could hear how she was taunting him and he locked his jaw for a moment. He was more than angry. He wanted to get out from his bonding and kill her. His wife was related to a monster and she didn’t know it. Marissa kept up her façade and it’s impossible not to believe her.

“The only thing I’ve never figured out is how you got involved in all of this. I mean it was your mother who was murdered after all. And you are now in bed with the son of the man who committed the crime. That barely makes sense.”

Marissa nodded, “It makes perfect sense. You see when my sister was launching the investigation, she thought it would be wise to go ahead and announce it to the world. I started my own investigation and people were beginning to know we were doing it. I was approached by Isaac here and he told me the real story as to why my mother and those other women were murdered.”

“Yes, your mother had her tongue cut out of her mouth while she was still alive all because she was trying to do the right thing.”

“She was going to send a man to prison for a crime he didn’t commit.” James laughed and he sounded like a maniac. He shook his head. “We can prove that William Gemangini killed all of those people. Have you ever wondered why your mother was involved in it?”

“I know everything and he is innocent. He never murdered anyone.”

“Really? Did they brainwash you that well? You see your mother got involved because your Uncle Robert was a hit-man for him. She was instructed by your father, a man you and your sister helped put away, to get the hell away from that life, but she didn’t listen. That was why he remained out of your life.”

“Castro
is
the killer to all of those people including those women,” she said shrilly. “I don’t see why you are arguing with me about something a jury even believed.”

“A jury only heard about how he was connected to those three women, but he would never kill them. You know deep down he was not that kind of man. You know that Gemangini did it and you are ignoring it because you are blind!”

Marissa watched as Isaac struck him across the face with the butt of his gun. She watched as blood started to trickle down his temple. She looked to Isaac and it only took a second for him to turn the gun around. She heard as he pulled the trigger. She stood there stunned. She was not done questioning him. She looked at him.

“You wanted to know how much he knew.”

“Yes, and now I know how much he knows. Now it’s time for me to find everything and destroy it.”

“Why,” she asked quizzically. “He thinks your father is the man responsible and we both know he isn’t. You have proof it was Castro the entire time. The man who supposedly loved my mother had all of them killed.”

Isaac shook his head. “You’ve never doubted me,” he said. “Don’t start doubting me now. I know why he’s trying to exonerate Castro and he is willing to falsify evidence in order to do so. Please Marissa, will you help me find his evidence?”

Marissa looked over towards James’ body and back to Isaac. He had been a friend to her and her sister ever since they were in grade school. She trusted him and she got to know his family. Gemangini treated her as if she was part of his family and she had loved that. It was something she’d always wanted – a father. Her uncle knew them but her mother was always leery, her mother never liked anyone. She died like those other women because she was finally going to speak out about the crimes Castro, her biological father, committed. She remembered how he had attempted to speak to her and her sister and they refused to talk to him. She took Isaac’s hand and walked out with him, leaving James’ body behind.

“I will help you with everything,” she said as the door shut behind them. She wondered when someone would find his body and she wondered how Olivia would feel when she found out he was dead. Her sister would get over him. He wasn’t good for her. He had betrayed her. All Marissa had done was protect her big sister from someone who would’ve hurt her. Olivia would thank her one day.

***

Sheila was standing not too far away from him in a beautiful red dress. Her hair was braided back and she looked as if she was an angel. She was walking barefoot through a meadow and he was laying there in the grass. He couldn’t have been more at peace with the world. Sheila walked towards him, but she stopped and looked up to the sky with horror.

John followed her gaze and saw a slick black raven flying overhead after Sheila. She was frozen there with horror as it approached her. He felt the ground underneath him tremble. He watched as a crack made its way over to near where she was standing and he watched as the earth pulled itself apart. He wanted to get up, to run towards her and save her from falling into the ground, but he couldn’t move.

“Sheila,” he heard himself scream. “Sheila!”

But it was as if she couldn’t hear him. He watched as she fell and the raven circled over where she had been standing. He still could not move. The sky above him turned black and everything began to disappear.

Shooting up from that nightmare he realized he was drenched with his own sweat. His heart was pounding in his chest and he was unsure about what was going on. Sheila wasn’t with him, no, she was at her own place and he couldn’t help but feel concerned. He got to his feet and was looking for his cell phone. He never used the damn thing and he wasn’t too sure where he had put it.

As he was looking for his phone he realized he was becoming desperate and he froze. There was a knock on his door, he walked towards the door. Peering through the peep hole, he saw that she was standing there.

Swinging open the door he was relieved to see her. She looked at him in surprise. It was as if she wasn’t expecting to see him.

“John,” she said as she walked in. “Are you alright?”

“Um, yeah, why?”

He shut the door behind them and turned towards her. “You look as if you saw a ghost. Are you feeling alright?”

“Yes,” he said. He was beginning to relax more now that she was standing in front of him. She was alive and well. It was just a dream and it meant nothing. That was what he kept thinking, but he couldn’t help feeling as though something was wrong and it just hadn’t happened yet.

“I just wanted to come by since we were going to be leaving here shortly. I wanted to make sure you were still doing alright.”

“Of course, why wouldn’t I be alright?”

“Because I know you don’t like heights. You don’t even like being on the fourteenth floor, so flying would most likely be a worse experience for you.”

He nodded. He didn’t realize that she had observed that about him and he smiled. She knew him very well and he couldn’t help but feel secure with her. It was as if they were in sync and he wasn’t too sure how this all worked. He wondered if she felt the same way.

“I will manage. We are doing this so we can find answers after all.”

Sheila smiled and nodded. “Yes. This is what you have been wanting this entire time, is it not?”

“It is,” he admitted. “It’s a lot more work than those divorce cases though.”

He watched as she smiled at him. Her mouth was perfect and her smile had always been stunning. She took a step closer to him and he felt as if he couldn’t breathe. He heard yet another knock on his door. He didn’t want to end this moment with Sheila but he finally stepped away from her and went to the door.

Pulling it open, he saw Nancy standing there. She looked stunning as well and she brushed past him and stepped inside. She stopped. “Why is she here?”

“I was about to ask you the same question,” John said as he shut the door. “Sheila and I are going to Boston to follow up with someone who may have information on a case. She was just stopping by to make sure I was getting ready.”