Deadly Treatment (9 page)

‘Shut up — both of you! And Vince, you slow down and pull in over there a minute. We’re not going to do anything to Joshua’s mother right now. Certainly not until we find out exactly what happened,’ Scott snarled.

Vince reluctantly slowed down and pulled into the curb.

Scott turned to Joshua and held out his hand. ‘Show me this flash drive.’

Joshua quickly handed the device over. Scott held it up in the light and showed it to Vince.

‘What does that prove?’ Vince argued, taking the stick from Scott and looking it over.

‘All I’m saying is…’

‘I get what you’re saying, but I still think the kid’s lying,’ Vince shouted.

‘So, what do you want to do about it then? Lying or not, we have an unfinished job back there. Now, we can call it off tonight and hope we can have another go at it tomorrow — plus maybe have a pissed off contact — or we can calmly work out how we can finish the job tonight — your call.’

‘What about the dead man?’ Joshua asked.

‘Sit down and shut up, kid. Oh, and you can stick this and your story where the sun don’t shine,’ Vince barked, throwing the memory device at him. He went quiet for a moment before announcing, ‘I’m hungry, let’s grab a burger, and then go finish the job.’

They ate their food in the parking lot of the
In and Out
burger restaurant, and then made their way back to the office. Vince drove slowly down one of the streets next to the office and parked.

‘So, how do you want to do this?’ Vince asked.

‘Same burn, but go in through the front. We know the alarm is off, and even with all the commotion from earlier, the security company haven’t been alerted, so a straight “in and out” like the burger we’ve just had! One small addition though, I’m taking Joshua in with me. He’s gonna point out the dead guy that scared him, and start the fire by himself with me watching — then we’ll all be happy.’

With not much to carry, Scott and Joshua moved stealthily down the street towards the office.

‘One thing,’ Scott said before they rounded the corner to the street the office was in, ‘You put a foot out of line this time, and I won’t be able to stop Vince from doing what he wants to your mother. Do you understand?’

Joshua nodded.

They slipped along the shadows until they got to the office door; Scott pulled a crowbar from under his coat and slipped it into the doorframe by the lock. With one quick tug, the frame splintered and the door cracked open. Scott ushered the boy inside and quickly followed him, closing the door behind them

Scott clicked on his flashlight and swung the beam around the room.

‘Show me the body,’ he said sharply.

Joshua took a second to get his bearings, then pointed to the desk at the back left of the room. ‘Under there.’

Scott moved swiftly over to the desk and directed the torch light underneath — all it lit up was an empty space.

‘Come here and look,’ he barked at the boy.

When he saw the vacant space, Joshua’s mouth dropped open; he was about to speak, but Scott cut him short. ‘Now I don’t know what you were trying to do, but believe me, Vince is not the type of guy to fuck with — nor am I, for that matter.’

He flicked the beam around the other desks for good measure in case the body had miraculously got up and moved, but each space proved to be free of dead bodies.

‘Now, get over there and set the paper alight — and be quick about it.’

Scott pointed the flashlight over towards the back exit and Joshua followed the light. He pulled a Zippo and a crushed cigarette box from his fanny pack and snapped open the lid of the lighter; as he flicked the flint, the flame burst into life. He crouched down and set light to the cigarette box; it immediately took hold. He dropped the flaming box into the rubbish bin alongside the wall of paper and the fire immediately began to spread. He rejoined Scott and both of them returned to the street to creep back through the shadows to Vince waiting in the car.

During the drive home, the tension between Vince and Joshua built to an almost explosive level. Joshua continued to protest that there really had been a dead guy in the office, despite the fact that he had somehow got up and left. Vince was spouting words like
reputation
and
professionalism
at them, and indulging in his anger at having to go back to do the same job twice.

‘Get him out of my sight,’ Vince said irately to Scott when they stepped into the house.

Scott marched a tearful Joshua to his room and sat him down on the bed.

‘He’ll lighten up; but for the moment, it’s best that we keep you two apart. It’s okay to be scared, but it’s not okay to make up stories. You did the right thing in the end though, and don’t worry, your mother is safe for now.’

‘I did speak to a man there, and he did give me this. Why won’t you believe me?’ Joshua had pulled the USB flash drive from his pocket. ‘He told me to show everyone what is on this.’

Scott turned the shiny device over in his hand again. Deciding that the only way to put this matter to rest was to take a look at what was on the drive, he said, ‘Alright, let’s see what you’ve got then, shall we.’

Vince had already gone to his own room, evidently still angry, so Scott took Joshua to the computer and switched it on. The machine took a short while to spring into life, omitting its usual whistles and tunes as it configured itself. Once all the icons had come to rest on the screen, the computer waited for its user to give it its first command. Scott rooted around the back until he found the USB port, inserted the flash drive, and the screen popped up with a
new device found
message. He clicked on it and opened the file.

They both looked at the screen, and Scott shook his head as a series of thumbnails appeared, pictures of what could best be described as vacation snapshots. ‘I know you were scared, but lying to us is not going to get you back to your mother. Now, I don’t want to hear any more stories about dead guys, you hear me!’

Joshua was going to argue, but Scott withdrew the memory device and handed it back to Joshua saying, ‘you really put your mother at risk tonight,’ as he silently marched him back to his room.

Already half-way across to the other side of town — and with Anthony Cain’s dead body in the trunk of the car — Elwood smiled at his good fortune.

Before going to visit the home of Cain’s LA contact, Elwood had decided to check on his contractor’s work at the office he’d wanted torched. Finding the work hadn’t been done, Elwood was pissed. He was about to call the contractor when he spotted movement inside the office. He was surprised to see what appeared to be a dwarf being pulled towards the ceiling by a rope, and then disappearing into the ventilation duct. It was quite an odd and amusing sight, and it brought a smile to his face. Scanning the room through the window to see if the dwarf had started a fire, Elwood’s eyes had hit on a leg protruding from under a desk. He waited a few moments to see if the dwarf returned, or if the leg moved; but neither transpired, so he entered the office and retrieved the corpse of Anthony Cain.

Elwood took out his phone and called his boss.

‘Yeah, it’s me... I’ve got him in the car with me now... Yeah, he’s dead; and no, he doesn’t seem to have it on him. I had a quick check around the office while I was there, but couldn’t find it, so I’m thinking any number of things could’ve happened. He could’ve met with his contact here and passed it on, hidden it properly in the office, dumped it, swallowed it, or possibly one of my contractors doing the torching picked it up. One thing that points to him having met with his contact here earlier is there was no sign of forced entry; so either someone let him in, or Cain knows how to pick locks. How do you want me to proceed?’

Elwood listened as his boss gave him orders.

‘Okay, I’ll know more when I get him x-rayed, I’m sure our friends here will be happy to help, and I’ll get his body flown back to you as soon as I’ve finished. Then, I’ll pay a home visit to his contact. Yeah, I’ll give you a call when I know more.’

Elwood hung up and then dialed the number of his contractor.

‘Why haven’t you completed the contract I gave you to do?’ he asked matter-of-factly the moment the phone was answered.

‘It’s being done tonight.’

Tardy,
Elwood thought, ‘You’d better make sure that building is just ashes by the morning.’

‘Have I ever let you down?’

‘No, but believe me, this is not a good time to start. And one more thing, let me know if your dwarf lifts anything from this job.’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘It’s very important that NOTHING leaves this office — so if your torch has anything, I want to know about it. Got it?’

Elwood hung up without hearing the answer; he knew his point was made.

Before heading off to the medical facility, Elwood pulled out his micro laptop and typed up an e-mail report. He punched in his boss’s address and the BCC, and then hit send.

W
ith Logan having called Daniel to tell him he’d do what he could to trace his mother, Shannon, Daniel decided he wanted to fly to San Francisco to see if there was anything the Director of Schools — or
Abbess
as he called her — could do to assist his search. Plus, he thought it wouldn’t hurt to have a nostalgic look at the place he’d grown up in.

He’d booked his flight for late that afternoon and was discussing getting a lift to the airport with Malone when the phone rang. Daniel picked it up.

‘Hi, Daniel here,’ he answered, and then listened to the voice on the other end.

‘Oh hi, yeah he’s here.’

Malone watched with curiosity as Daniel covered the mouthpiece and told him it was Erin Costello.

Malone took the phone.

‘Hi Erin, what’s up?’

‘They’ve found Joshua’s bike, and they’ve got the kid who took it,’ she said excitedly. ‘He’s at the station now, and they’ve said I can come and talk to him. I wanted to know if you’re free to come with me.’

‘Is there any news about Joshua?’ Malone asked.

‘They haven’t said anything, so I would think not. The kid’s clammed up too. That’s why I want to talk to him.’

‘Good enough. Do you need picking up or shall I meet you there?’

‘I’ve already ordered a cab, so I’ll see you there,’ she said and hung up.

‘What’s happened?’ Daniel asked.

‘They’ve found Joshua’s bike, and they’ve got the kid who took it at the station, but he’s not talking.’

Malone was looking for a jacket as he spoke.

‘Do you think I should come along? He may open up to me; plus, I can go straight to LAX from there.’

Malone considered it for a moment.

‘Sure, it can’t hurt.’

While Malone went to tell Taylor what was happening, Daniel threw a few things into an overnight bag and reached for his coat.

Despite the traffic, Malone felt they made good time to the station. He was still getting used to both the driving and the new Ford he’d bought. He opted for the same model as the one he’d recently hired, but it was a little older, so the switches and buttons were still a discovery. The MP3/CD player remained a complete mystery to him, but Daniel had quite happily fiddled with it till he found some music he liked; now, the doof-doof music was still ringing in Malone’s head.

When Daniel and Malone entered the station, Erin was already there.

‘You took your sweet time,’ she said abruptly. ‘Where’s Taylor, and who’s that?’ she asked pointing at Daniel.

Malone was going to respond as curtly, but then decided it was probably just her nerves talking.

However, Daniel chimed in, ‘Have you seen the movie
Driving Miss Daisy
?’ he asked, nodding towards Malone.

‘Taylor thought three of us would be overkill, and I don’t think you’ve met my smart-mouthed colleague — this is Daniel.’ Malone countered.

Daniel’s comment had already put a smile on Erin’s face.

‘Pleased to meet you,’ she said as she shook his hand.

They moved up to the desk sergeant and asked to see Detective Rodriguez. The sergeant took their names, and as he picked up the phone he pointed towards the seats in the waiting area.

It wasn’t long before Detective Rodriguez came out to meet them, and after a brief introduction, he moved them to an interview room neighboring the one that housed the kid. Once they were all seated, the detective began, ‘As I told you Ms. Costello, we’ve picked up the kid who has your son’s bike.’

‘So, I guess now you believe that someone has taken my Joshua! I want to say you lot really haven’t been that much help, have you? Thought my boy was a runaway or off with a bad crowd!’ Erin barked.

‘I assure you, Ms. Costello, we’ve been doing all we can to find your son…’

‘No stone unturned I’m sure,’ she interrupted.

Daniel opened his mouth to speak. However,
now it was Malone’s turn to butt in.

‘This isn’t getting us anywhere. Let’s get back to the kid in the next room. What’s his story so far?’

Folding her arms across her chest and glaring at the detective, Erin reluctantly fell silent.

Detective Rodriguez took his cue.

‘Joshua’s bike has been on the watch list since he went missing. In cases like this, we circulate the details to as many sources as we can. Beat cops and traffic cops, school security guards, and even the odd snitch and trader. It may surprise you that despite the bad press they get; most of the used goods traders and pawn shop owners are legit — and often very helpful. Anyway, this has been just such a case. Yesterday, that kid took the bike into a pawn brokers in Inglewood; the bike’s serial number flashed up as stolen, so the owner told him the bike looked expensive and he’d have to get it valued by a professional, and could he come back this morning.

Greed often overpowers the smartest of criminals, and believe me, this kid is no brainiac. Anyway, he agreed, and the shop owner called us. Poor kid’s face when we met him — there he was, expecting a big pay out and all he gets is a trip downtown!’

‘How did the little bastard get the bike? Does he know anything about my boy?’ Erin couldn’t stay silent any longer.

‘All he’s come up with is that he found it — such a great defense. But he won’t say where or when he managed to find it in case it incriminates him. Like I said, not the smartest of kids…’

‘What have you found out about him?’ Malone asked.

‘His name is Azibo Massey He’s fifteen years old, so still a Juvi. I’ve run a trace, but so far he’s come up basically clean — just some minor misdemeanors inside,’ he said as he tapped the kid’s record. ‘He lives around your area, and like most kids, knows his rights, but at this stage doesn’t want to use anything but the Fifth.’

‘Doesn’t want a lawyer or his family?’ Daniel asked.

‘Like I said, he’s happy to keep repeating the same
I found it
story, and that’s it.’

‘When can I speak to him?’ Erin asked.

‘Whenever you’re ready; I don’t know what you’ll be able to get out of him, but like I said on the phone, I can’t see any harm in it.’

The detective showed Malone and Daniel into the viewing room behind the two-way mirror, and then escorted Erin in to see Azibo.

As they entered the room, the detective nodded to the officer guarding the kid, who took his cue to go grab a coffee and join Daniel and Malone in the viewing room.

‘Who’s this?’ the kid asked as he eyed Erin up and down.

‘Good to hear you’ve managed to extend your vocabulary in my absence,’ the detective said sarcastically.

‘This is Ms. Costello. Her son is the owner of the bike you stole.’

She remained at the doorway looking at the boy.

‘I told you, I found it! Now, you gonna charge me with something, or let me go?’

‘If only it was that simple. You see…’

‘Can I talk to him?’ Erin interrupted. She turned to face the detective and added, ‘Alone.’

Deciding not to object, the detective nodded. ‘I’ll be outside.’

With the door closed, Erin pulled up a chair beside the kid.

He had shrunk down in the seat and his hands were deeply embedded in the pockets on the front of his baggy grey sweat.

‘I ain’t got nuffin’ to say,’ he grunted.

Her eyes flitted around the boy looking for an opening, searching for some common ground to bond with the kid. Baggy pants and hooded tops, urban wear for street kids around the world, she thought to herself.

‘My son dresses the same way as you,’ she began.

‘So what!’ he replied.

‘So nothing… I guess I’m just saying that in some strange way my son wants to be like you, like all of you in fact. His father is nowhere to be seen; it’s just him and me, so he wants to belong to a group or a gang; he wants to fit in. My son, Joshua, is a small boy, but he acts tough. Like I said, he doesn’t have a father and is always searching for someone or something to follow. Hell, in some ways, you and boys like you are the closest thing he’s got to a hero. He so much wants to be part of something.’ She knew she was lying; Joshua was perfectly happy to be a loner.

Azibo began to sit up a bit when he heard the word
hero
.

‘I want to tell you that I have no interest in pressing charges; for all I care, you can keep the bike, sell it, do whatever you want with it. All I want to know is how you got it. But one thing I will tell you,’ she leaned forward, ‘if you’ve hurt my son when you stole the bike from him, I will find any way to get you…’

‘Why won’t you people believe me? I FOUND IT!’ He yelled.

Having joined Malone, Daniel and the officer in the viewing room, the detective was watching the conversation unfold.

‘He’s certainly sticking to his story.’ The detective said.

‘If he’s telling the truth, then why won’t he say where he found it?’ questioned Malone.

‘I think I know. Can I have a look at his file?’ Daniel asked.

Knowing it was against regulations, the detective put the file on the desk and told the officer to join him in getting some more coffees.

With the officers out of the room, Daniel picked up the file and leafed through it. Malone had a bewildered look on his face.

‘What are you looking for?’

Daniel remained quiet as he read the file. It didn’t take him too long to find what he was searching for.

‘Just as I thought,’ he said, tapping the folder under the part marked AKAs and aliases. ‘I think this kid’s a tagger!’

‘How do you know?’ Malone asked.

‘All good taggers have their own signature. If I’m right, I’ve seen some of his work before; this is the infamous Azmass — he’s quite creative.’

When Detective Rodriguez returned, Daniel told him what he thought. Rodriguez then ran the name Azmass through the computer and came up with some hits.

Armed with the new information, the detective joined Erin and the boy in the interview room.

‘Seems that we’ve underestimated you Mr. Massey. I didn’t realize you were so eloquent after all, or would you consider yourself an
artist
?’

Azibo knew he’d been sprung

‘Who’s the rat?’ the boy snarled.

‘That’s not important. What’s important is that we’ve got you for a list of property damage charges now. So, what do you say? Do you need some time to come up with a different story, one that includes the truth?’

Elwood exited the private medical center and took out his cell phone to dial his boss.

‘Yeah, it’s me... X-ray confirms that he hasn’t swallowed the device, so if it’s hidden in the office I’ve got it covered, if not, then we’re back to he’s either ditched it with the LA contact or the hired torch has got it. My suggestion is I go after Cain’s LA contact – but the choice is yours... Ok, I’ll call you with an update.’