03 - Organized Grime (24 page)

“James Harrison.”

“But James Harrison wouldn’t burn his own development nor would he bomb his own office building.”

“I can’t help you there.

“Why do you think you’ll die?”

“They’ve been blackmailing me since then. Now they want to buy me off to assign them other permits that they want. They say if I don’t go along with their scheme that they’ll expose me.”

“There’s a difference between being exposed and being killed.”

“I told them I was going to talk. They said if I did, they would kill me.” He shook his head. “I don’t have a family. But I have to do the right thing. So when I tell my boss today, I fully expect repercussions—not just from the city, but from Harrison Developers.”

“But James Harrison is in the hospital. How has he communicated all of this with you?”

“He hasn’t. His ex-wife has.”

“Lydia? Lydia is in on this?

Clifford nodded. “Yeah, she’s in on it. Big time.”

***

I spent the next hour sitting in my van outside of City Hall debating about what to do…and trying to recharge my energy.

Should I share what Clifford told me with someone? Or should I continue to investigate his claims myself?

My body ached, and I couldn’t imagine driving all over town today for this investigation.

I stared at my bottle of pain relievers on the seat beside me, desperately wanting to take one. I picked up the bottle and shook it like a maraca.

No, deal with the pain, Gabby. Think clearly.

Clifford was going to die. I had to tell Parker. After last night, he probably wouldn’t take me seriously. But I had to talk to him.

Just as I dialed his number, I saw four police cars pull up to City Hall. What was going on?

“Gabby? Is that you?”

I watched carefully as numerous officers rushed inside, nearly forgetting about Parker in the process. “It’s me.”

“Where are you now?”

I told him about my conversation with Clifford.

“Thanks for the information. I’ll look into it. By the way, there’s an update I need to tell you about, Gabby. I can say that you helped us reach this conclusion, thanks to some information you found out.”

“Okay. What is it?”

“We arrested James Harrison last night.”

“James? Did he burn down his own development?”

“No, he hasn’t owned up to that. But he did admit to having one of his men beat you up. He’s guilty of public corruption, racketeering, bribery and a whole list of other charges. We’ve had our eye on him awhile. Best of all, we found bricks of cocaine in some of his antique cars. He was going to make millions off of that.”

“But he’s already a millionaire.”

“For some people, money is like a drug. You can never have enough. He craved money and power. He had men to do his work for him and, in the process, he made a lot of enemies. Enemies who may have hated him enough to burn down that development or bomb his office.”

Someone talked to Parker in the background. “Hold on, Gabby.”

I waited, absorbing that new information. Wow. Was all of this really over? If it was, then where was Sierra?

Parker came back on the line. “What about Sierra, Parker?”

“He claims his innocence there, Gabby. We’re still questioning him, though. Listen, Gabby, one of my guys just came in and told me something you should know.”

“What’s that?”

“Clifford Reynolds just shot himself in his office.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

When I pulled back up to my apartment, I saw Pastor Shaggy waiting at my doorstep. I couldn’t ignore the anxiety I felt at seeing him. Would he tell me that I’d made a mistake by becoming a Christian, that I was a terrible witness to the name of Jesus?

He stood as I approached. “Hey, Gabby. I hope you don’t mind me stopping by.”

“I’m…honored?”

He smiled. “I was hoping I could just have a few minutes of your time.”

I contemplated saying no, but I’d already gotten myself in enough trouble and I didn’t want to add any more to the list. “Sure, how about we go up to my place? Is that okay?”

“Absolutely.”

We sat across the coffee table from each other. I rubbed my hands on my jeans, noticing they were sweaty. What was this meeting about? Would he ask me to leave the church he pastored, condemn me for all of my failures?

He leaned toward me with his elbows on his knees. In that scraggy voice of his, he began. “I hope I’m not out of line here.”

Starting with that sentence was usually the first sign that you were, indeed, out of line. I kept my mouth shut, though. “Don’t beat around the bush. I’m a big girl.” I didn’t feel like a big girl at the moment, though.

“Gabby, I’ve known you for awhile now. What is it? Six months or so?”

“That’s right.”

“I’ve made an observation that I’m going to share with you. I want to tell you this because I worry if you don’t get past this, that you’re never going to be able to live life to the fullest.”

I swallowed, my throat achy with emotion. What was he going to say? That the church wasn’t for perfect people, but I’d gone above and beyond and therefore, needed to leave? I wouldn’t blame him if he said that.

“Gabby, you’ve got to learn to forgive.”

I blinked. “Forgive?”

“Yes. You have to forgive your dad for all the mistakes he’s made in the past, and you’ve got to forgive yourself for all of your mistakes in the past.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The truth nudged the edge of my reason, though. I just didn’t want it to come any closer.

“I know you’re bitter about your father and the way he treated you for all those years. He’s a changed man, though, Gabby. Sure, he’s going to make some mistakes. We all do. But I’ve sat down with him. I think his sorrow is real. He wants to be a better man. He wants a relationship with you.”

I tried to let that truth settle over me, but couldn’t. “He hurt me. How can I treat him with respect after the way he’s lived?”

“That’s what forgiveness is about, Gabby.”

“I’ll think about it.”

He shifted. “More importantly, you have to forgive yourself.”

“For what?” What part of my past was he referring to specifically because there were lots of areas where I’d screwed up.

“You have to forgive yourself for what happened to your brother. It wasn’t your fault.”

“I was watching him.”

“You were a child.”

“It was my fault.”

“Even if it was—and it wasn’t—he’s back now. He’s forgiven everyone involved in the situation. You have to let it go.”

“I can’t,” I whispered. “I should have done more.”

“You can’t save the world, Gabby.”

I wiped my eye. “I couldn’t even save my best friend.”

“You did everything you could. You almost got yourself killed in the process.”

“I should have done more.”

He shifted again, and I braced myself for whatever he had to say. “Gabby, do you know why your dad drank for all of those years? He drank to try and soften his guilt over your brother. That’s what can happen when you don’t forgive yourself. More importantly, Gabby, when you don’t forgive others or forgive yourself, you can’t fully experience the redemption that Jesus offers us.”

I said nothing as I tried to process those words.

“Jesus died to take away that guilt. He died to give us new life. If you continue to carry around these burdens, you’re going to ruin every relationship you ever attempt.”

I sniffled. “You’ve been talking to Riley.”

“He’s heartbroken, Gabby. He’s really worried about you and this obsession you have for finding out who killed Sierra.”

“I don’t like it when people tell me what to do. I don’t. I know it’s wrong, but it’s just how I am.”

“Riley isn’t trying to tell you what to do. He’s trying to protect you because he loves you.”

I blinked. “Loves me? Did he tell you that?”

“He doesn’t have to. I can see it in his eyes and I can hear it in the way he talks about you.” He clasped his hands in front of him. “Will you at least think about what we talked about?”

I nodded. “I’ll think about it.”

Pastor Shaggy left and I curled up on the couch in thought. Where did I even begin? Why did I have to acknowledge that there was truth in his words? I didn’t want to admit it. I wanted Pastor Shaggy to be wrong. But if I kept on the path I was on, I was going to continue in a downward spiral. I was going to end up like my dad. Maybe alcohol wouldn’t be my drug of choice, but would anger? Anxiety? Loneliness?

Lord, I can screw up anything you give me. I seem to have a talent for that. Please, forgive me for not trusting you, for constantly trying to take things into my own hands. Help me to be a better person. Help me to let go of the vices I hold on to and learn to forgive others who have wronged me also.

***

My soul felt empty—or was it renewed?—as I drug myself from my apartment. I guess the best way to describe my feelings were as depleted. Did one have to be brought down to size before they could grow, though?

I had an interview to get to. Afterward, I was going to meet Chad at a job. I wouldn’t be able to help him, but at least I’d have someone to chat with.

As I stepped outside, a figure rounded the back of my van. My senses went on full alert. Had my attacker returned to finish the job?

I blinked. It was my stalker. I braced myself, ready to chase her.

But she didn’t run. She stepped out and held up her hands. I remembered where I’d seen her. She was there on the night Harrison Developers had been bombed. She’d been holding a camera. Was she the same one who’d followed me that evening also?

I stepped closer. “Who are you?”

“My name is Megan.”

“Why are you following me?”

She swallowed somberly. “Because I… because I want to be just like you.”

“Just like me? Why in the world would you want to be just like me?”

“I read the story on you in the paper. You’re just so smart and pretty and you have so many adventures.”

“Listen, you don’t want to be like me. Go and get yourself a college degree and get a normal job. I don’t want to burst your bubble, but what I do is nothing to write home to mom about. I clean up blood and guts…and, every once in a while, kitty poo. That’s it.”

The girl swallowed. She couldn’t be more than a teenager. Was she in high school still?

Her eyes shifted uncertainly. “I don’t agree.”

“You painted those pictures?” I pointed across the street toward The Grounds.

She nodded. “I did. I researched you. Everything’s on the Internet now, you know. I read about your brother. I saw your mom’s obituary. I thought you would like the paintings.” She shuffled her feet. “I guess I was wrong.”

“I might have if they hadn’t been so creepy.”

Her hazel eyes seemed to plead with me. “I wanted you to like me, Gabby.”

What did I say to that? Part of my heart panged with compassion, the other part urged caution. “You’ve freaked me out. You’re the person following me.”

“I’m one of them.”

I arched an eyebrow. Had I heard that correctly? “One of them?”

“Yes, there’s been another man following you.” She nodded so hard that her glasses bobbed down to the end of her nose.

“How do you know?”

“I’ve seen him. Here’s the thing…I’m one of those people who no one notices. I’m a wallflower. I look ordinary. Nobody ever sees me.” Tears filled her eyes.

I ignored the urge I had to give the girl a good hug. Blasted. Why did I have to feel compassion toward this girl who’d been making my life miserable? Why did she have to be near tears?

“Who is he?”

Before she answered, Tim, Teddi and my dad appeared from across the street. What were they doing here? Didn’t anyone believe in calling before they came anymore?

“Why are you coming out now and actually talking to me, Megan?” I rushed. I wanted to finish this conversation before everyone arrived.

The girl’s face looked even whiter than it did earlier. “Because I know something I think you need to know.”

“What could you possibly know?”

“That your friend Sierra is still alive.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

My heart leapt into my throat. “Sierra’s alive? How do you know that?”

“Like I said, no one notices me. I’m practically invisible. She started to approach you on the evening you were beat up. She fled, though. I think she saw something—or someone—that spooked her.”

“Were you the one who called an ambulance?”

Megan nodded. “I couldn’t sit back and do nothing.”

I could seriously hug this wonderful, creepy little leech right now. “Where is Sierra?”

She shrugged. “I can show you.”

Warning alarms sounded in my head. “How do I know this isn’t a set up?”

“You have to trust me.” She raised her chin defiantly.

I made a quick decision and nodded toward my van. “Okay. Let’s go then. I’m driving.”

“Where do you think you’re going?” My dad put his hands on his hips.

“None of your business. I have something urgent to attend to.” Forgiveness, I reminded myself. I was doing an awful job at it so far.

He shook his head. “I don’t think it’s wise that you go anywhere alone right now. Riley said you won’t let him go with you.”

“Great, now Riley’s talking to you?” Who would he talk to next? My seventh grade science teacher who tried to have me expelled? My landlord? Dr. Phil?

“He’s worried.” Teddi wrung her hands together.

“So I’ve heard.” I hopped in the van. “Sorry, everyone. I’ve got to run.”

The back door opened, and Tim climbed in. “We’re coming with you.”

“Really? I don’t have time to waste here, people. I’ve got to get moving.” Could I find Sierra and still make it to my interview with the Medical Examiner’s Office?

“Then we’re coming with you.” Teddi climbed in and then my father.

Megan slid into the front seat.

Really? I needed to take four people with me on this mission?

As luck would have it, Chad’s vanigan pulled up at that moment. I sighed. I’d overcome obstacles before. I’d overcome my friends and family right now.