Edge of the Heat (Westwood Harbor Corruption) (11 page)

Down the steps, bare feet pounding, heart racing. In the lobby of the Coronado she looked left, then right. Her car was parked in the garage but she didn't have her key
s.

Craig thought firefighters had the best hours of any job in the world. Work three 24 hour shifts in one week, and two in the next. Normally, he loved having that much time off but today he wished he were working a busy shift to keep his m
ind off Emma. He went to Hawk and offered to watch the cameras for the day so Hawk could take some time off, or work on other important things.

But still, he couldn't keep his mind off Emma. He watched the 6 monitors, and lightly listened to the conversat
ions, but for the hundredth time that day his mind moved to Emma. Why had she acted that way? Like she was never going to see him again. There was finality in her voice and actions 2 nights ago. Was there another man? Did he do something wrong? No matter how he took the situation apart he couldn't figure any reason for her to be so hot then suddenly cold, as if she had remembered something, and then throw him right out of her house!

Everyone had a past and everyone had their own demons. If only he could con
vince Emma to share hers - maybe they could work through it together. He longed to hold her again and tell her that no matter what it was, they could work through it - or get through it - together.

Craig looked around the apartment, the batcave they called
it, looking for anything to get his mind off Emma. The large, open room was sparsely furnished. The one wall lined with monitors, a huge desk, and a few chairs was all they needed and all they had a budget for. They all had "apartments" in this building with kitchens and beds, even Hawk when he got relief.

This was torture, sitting here, not knowing if he would ever see her again. Well of course he would see her again on 911 calls, but would he ever see her again as a date?

The door to the batcave opened and Hawk came in, striding purposefully.

"Your files," he began, "the ones you got from the Fire Chief's office? Those are gold. We've got records of 48 restaurants, 36 other businesses, and 18 hotels that are paying money under the table directly to the c
hief to avoid meeting code standards in everything from hiring illegal workers to room capacity overage and defunct sprinkler systems. Plus,
plus,
he actually keeps a log of all disciplinary action he should have dished out but didn't. And, I found one reminder entry that I think references the big man himself."

Craig swung around slowly, thoughts of Emma blessedly driven out of his head finally.

"You don't mean ..."

"I
do
mean. Who else would S-E-N period O refer to?"

"Senator Oberlin, hot damn! We're gon
na fry him!" Craig yelled jubilantly.

"Well, don't get too excited yet. It wasn't much, and it certainly isn't enough to arrest him for, much less convict him. But we'll get there, don't worry."

"I'm not worried." Craig muttered. He knew he wouldn't stop until Senator Oberlin was exposed for the fraud and monster he was. The Fire Chief was small potatoes. The Senator and anyone

(Norman Foster)

willing to do his dirtiest work was who Craig was really after.

Craig swung back around and watched the monitors
again. "Any new information on the explosion at the factory?"

"Funny you mentioned that. In fact there is something new. That factory was on the list of other businesses that was paying money to the Fire Chief for some handy looking-the-other way."

Craig turned his chair again and raised an eyebrow.

"And, the name was highlighted in read with a 2 months notation next to it."

Craig's mouth dropped open. "They were two months late? Do you think they were made an example?"

"Well, there's more to it than that.
The owner of the factory, Chuck Nance, has had a lot of trouble lately. It seems his wife was in a bad accident and a fire started in his home too, gutting half of it."

"All because he wasn't paying his bribes?"

"Seems extreme, doesn't it? But maybe there's more to this. I've got to do some more digging and see what ties he may have to Senator Oberlin. It might even be time to break cover and talk to the guy myself."

Craig turned back to the monitors once more. Hawk was the boss and he could say if he was g
oing to break cover or not. It might be just the break they needed to get something concrete on the elusive Senator before he did anything worse. How this guy got off thinking he could order explosions that killed and crippled over 50 people over something that had nothing to do with them enraged him. Emma would go crazy if she knew any of this. He remembered how much it upset her in the debriefing to think that the explosion might have been intentional. Emma. Damn, all roads lead back to Emma in his mind.

Hawk busied himself with some work on one of the desks, but he still seemed to want to talk.

"I hope we get to arrest the bastard ourselves," he said over his shoulder.

"Who, the Senator? Not me. I'd be too afraid of
accidentally
shooting him for what he did to Lucy."

Hawk grunted. Maybe he hadn't considered this before. Or maybe he had, and that's why he wanted to do the arresting.

They didn't have any concrete evidence tying Senator Oberlin to Lucy's death unfortunately. All they had was a few texts sent the evening before she died

(was killed)

to Hawk. She had tried to text Craig, but Craig was busy in training 4 states away so she texted Hawk instead. Craig knew she had to have been really scared, because she usually never admitted to her older brother that she needed help. She had been sent to Westwood Harbor by her boss, one of Senator Oberlin's assistants, in order to shut down an office they had there. While she was working she uncovered something that scared her badly, and apparently was bad enough for her to die over.

Craig had read over the transcript of those texts frequently enough in the last three years that he had them memorized. Lucy had been his fiance, and he didn't know who took her death worse - him or Hawk.

I need to talk to you in person, can you come out here?

What's up Sis I'm pretty busy

Please! I need help Creepy cop threatened me cuz I found something

What? What creepy cop? Threatened you why?

Just come out here please and help me come home. Scared

OK, sit tight, I will call you

No, he's listening

Ok, I'll be there in 4 hours. Where are you?

At my apartment

Stay there. Don't go anywhere text me every 10 minutes. Don't go to sleep

Ok

But Hawk never got another text from her. He broke every speed limit possible from Santa Bella to West
wood Harbor and made it there in under three hours. He didn't call the cops until he hadn't heard from her in 45 minutes, and he had to make up a story to get them to check out her house, but they found nothing once they got there. No forced entry, no Lucy, no nothing.

The next week, her car was found in the Pacific Ocean by some snorkelers. The story was it had gone over a guard rail on a mountain road outside of Westwood Harbor. No body was found.

Craig had picked apart what they knew and didn't know so many times he could do it in his sleep. But he was going to do it again. 1) They did not know who the creepy cop was. 2) They - his cell phone rang, interrupting his thoughts.

"Hello?"

"Craig, it's Emma, I need help, can you come get me at the Coronado?" She sounded breathless, scared.

Craig stood up and gathered his keys before her sentence was finished.

"Yes are you in the lobby?"

"No the restaurant."

He ran to the door quickly and yelled to Hawk as he was going out it "Going to the Coronado, not sure why, possibly Norman related, don't think I need backup, will call when I can." and ran down the hallway, shouldering open the big outside door and climbing into his truck. He reached under his seat to the gun safe strapped to the floor and took out his sig 239, strapping it quickly to his boot holster. He would have like to have it around his waist, but he had no other holster on him and shoving it in his waistband wasn't safe.

He wasn't going to fail this woman like he failed Lucy.

Craig was at the Coronado within 5 minutes. He double parked outside and ran in to get her.

He entered the restaurant cautiously, watching all corners of the lobby and noting all the exits. Emma was standing at the counter on the phone. The host was giving her dirt
y looks. She had no shoes on and looked scared, but otherwise ok. "Emma."

She saw him, hung up the phone, and ran to him. He pulled her into his arms. She fit like she belonged there.

"My truck is out front. Let's go."

She leaned against him and let him wa
lk her there. Only when they got in the truck and locked the doors did he relax a little.

"Where to?"

"My house."

She looked barely in control, and totally miserable. He wanted to push her for details but knew that she would share when she was ready.
She didn't seem to be hurt, so he was content to wait.

Emma didn't have her keys, so she walked around to the back and used the key hidden in a fake rock by the sliding door. Just before she opened it she stopped, turning to Craig.

"Can-can we check the house for bugs again?" she whispered in his ear.

He raised an eyebrow but thought it was probably a good idea.

"Come with me to get the detector."

He led her outside and got it, then back in, and they swept the house in silence. Finding nothing, he poured her so
me water and led her to the couch.

"Now tell me what happened Emma, why are you so scared?"

The dam broke. She burst into tears. She cried and cried for what seemed like hours, but was probably only 5 minutes. Craig's heart physically hurt at the sound and he wished for something to hit. Instead, he gathered her close, smoothed her hair, and whispered sweet things in her ear.

She sat up and wiped her face, making an effort to get herself under control. He waited.

"I was on a date."

A date? What the hell? So
there is another man.
The thought tore at his insides like brambles.

"He tried to rape me."

Craig's fists clenched. His jaw clamped. He bit down on his tongue to keep some control over himself. Now he really wanted to hit something. Specifically, he wanted to pound this asshole into a pulp.

Emma watched his face closely, fear in her eyes.

"Craig, I'm sorry, it's just this doctor that I've been seeing even before you asked me out."

"It's OK Emma, we were never exclusive," he forced out through gritted teeth
. "Here, I am going to call the police."

"The police?" she asked unsure.

"Yes, you need to make a report if some guy tried to rape you."

"But, he didn't. He didn't rape me. What if, you know, what if?"

"What if Norman comes? Norman won't come. They will send a patrol officer over. Norman is the Captain of Vice. They don't handle rape cases."

She looked a little reassured but not convinced.

"Did he hurt you?"

Her hands went to her throat. "He choked me." Her eyes dropped to her lap, embarrassed.

"Sweetheart," he lifted her chin, "you have nothing to be embarrassed or worried about. If a man touches you in any way, uninvited, he is wrong, and you didn't do anything to cause it."

She started crying again. "He said that someone told him I wanted it that way. He
said someone told him I liked to play r-r-rough."

"Who told him that?"

She didn't answer for a minute. Just crying. "He said Jerry did, but I know Jerry didn't. Jerry wouldn't!"

Craig thought for a minute. Jerry certainly didn't seem the type to do someth
ing like that. And Jerry genuinely seemed to care for Emma as a good friend. Jerry doing it seemed unlikely. "Did he say he talked to Jerry in person?"

Emma wiped her face again and considered the question. "I don't know. I don't think so."

"Because if someone told him this on the phone, it could have been anyone, just saying he was Jerry. Does he know Jerry well?"

"No, he only met him once as far as I know. Jerry doesn't like him."

"Ok, and no matter who told him what, he still can't use that as an excuse for rape. We need to call the police Emma."

"OK."

He called 911 and told the dispatcher to send an officer. He texted Hawk and told him everything was OK. He considered getting Emma a beer or some wine, but no, that should wait until after the police came and took her report.

A young officer that he didn't recognize came to take the report. Officer Brooks. He quietly filled his notebook with details as Emma spilled them.

When Emma stoically recounted the part on the bed where she almost passed out, Craig had to get up and walk around. He wanted to stay on the couch to comfort Emma but he felt about to bite his tongue clean through with rage. He got up and paced. This Reece guy needed a lesson in how to treat women.

"Ma'am you don't seem to have any bruises o
n your neck."

Emma's fingers fluttered to her throat and felt there. Craig walked over and looked too, turning on a lamp. He didn't see bruises either, but he did see some redness and blotchiness.

"She will probably have bruises in the morning, but regardless, what does that matter?" Craig asked the officer.

"I'm just pointing it out. I'll need to take pictures of any injuries, but I don't really see anything to take a picture of."

The officer got up and went to his patrol car to call in the information. Craig had Emma come into the bathroom and turned on the lights. He definitely saw redness in here. "Don't worry Emma, you don't have to have injuries in order to report an attempted rape."

She just looked at him. Her demeanor worried him. She seemed defeated
.

The officer came back in and asked for Jerry's number and address. Emma gave them to him but admonished him again that Jerry wasn't the one who told Reece that, it must have been someone else. "I know ma'am, but we still need to talk to him."

The officer took his pictures and had Emma fill out some paperwork. His dispatcher called him on the radio so he went out to his car again. 10 minutes later he came back in with a different attitude.

"Ma'am, a unit went out to talk to Reece Mishra, and he says that
you told him you like it rough, and you told him you wanted him to pretend like he was going to rape you."

Emma's mouth dropped open. "What, what he didn't I didn't" she sputtered.

Craig put an arm around her shoulders. "He's making that up," Craig told the officer.

"Were you there Sir?"

"No, I wasn't there, but if that's all a man has to say in this town to get out of rape charges then we must be living in the 1950s back when men could hit their wives and the police would look the other way!" Craig felt his blood boiling.

"It turns out that Mr. Mishra has two black eyes and a broken nose. He is calling for Ms Hill here to be arrested for assault on him."

Emma pressed into him, her body shaking. Craig couldn't believe his ears.

"You aren't going to arrest h
er for defending herself are you?" he demanded of the officer.

"Look, I tell you what, why don't you just admit you might have overreacted a bit," the officer addressed Emma, "and I'll see if I can get Mr. Mishra to admit the same thing. Just let this whol
e thing blow over."

Craig was at a loss. He didn't know what to say or do. He'd never had this result with law enforcement before. He usually was the law enforcement, or one of his buddies was, and they always tried to err on the side of justice. That didn
't seem to be what was going on here.

Emma spoke up, defeat in her voice. "He has my bag with my keys and wallet. And my shoes. I just want them back."

The officer smiled. "I'll have the officer bring them over here Ms. Hill."

***

After the police left and Emma had her belongings back, Craig brought her that wine finally. "Look Emma, I have a buddy who is in the FBI. We need to report this failure of the Westwood Harbor police department to protect you. He can take your rape case, and he can straighten this mess out.

Emma shook her head again. "No Craig, I just want to sleep. Thank you for caring, but this is nothing new. I'm actually not surprised this happened."

"Look, let me just call him. He can come over and tell you what your options are."

He knew she
didn't want to, but he also knew if he let this go by overnight, she would never report it to anyone.

"Ok, but don't bug him, it's late already. If he's busy, he's busy."

"Ok" Craig got up and paced and texted Hawk. "Send Rollins over here. Tell him he's FBI. Emma almost raped. Police won't take case because asshole wants to press charges too. Need a report made."

"Roger," came the reply.

30 minutes later, Deniz "Dennis" Rollins knocked on the door. He was a tall, dark, half Turkish and half Caucasian, and one of Craig's best friends. He cut an imposing figure in the blue suit he was wearing. Craig wasn't sure what he had pulled Dennis away from, but he hoped it hadn't been anything he was really going to miss. "Sorry man, thanks for coming," he told him at the door.

"Anytime Craig, I got your back." He turned to Emma.

"Miss Hill, I am so sorry for this predicament you are in. I would like to write up a report on your case and send it to my boss. It's a big no-no for local departments to downplay violence of any sort, but especially violence against women and children. Westwood Harbor PD is notorious for this, and they are being investigated for other cases.  I would like to add yours to them."

Emma studied him strangely, and didn't talk for the longest time.
Dennis waited calmly. "Can the FBI prosecute Reece?" she finally asked.

"The FBI will not prosecute a local case, but we can do the report and send it to the prosecuting attorney. If he wants to pursue a conviction the local police will be nothing more tha
n investigative officers at that point. They will do any further investigating that needs to be done but they won't be making any decisions about it."

Emma sat, thinking this over, her eyes crawling over Dennis' face. She seemed distracted. Not there. Crai
g wondered if shock was setting in.

Emma tore her gaze from Dennis, with what looked like great difficulty. Craig watched her turn her head to him, but her eyes stayed on Dennis. Finally, she looked straight at Craig, eyes too. He smiled encouragingly. She
gave a weak smile back and turned back to Dennis, saying, "Ok, what's the next step?"

Craig sat patiently while Emma and Dennis did paperwork. He listened to the story again and his blood boiled again. This
doctor
really needed a lesson in manners. Craig was itching to be the one who gave it to him.

He refreshed Emma's wine and brought Dennis some water. He wondered how Emma would feel about him staying the night. He could sleep on the couch. He would feel better if he did.

Dennis stood up. "That's it Miss Hill, thank you so much for letting me take this case. I will forward it to my boss in the morning and she will send it up to the prosecutor's office.

"Ok, thank you very much, I really appreciate it," Emma replied. "Would you like any water?"

Dennis declined and motioned towards the door.

"How about some wine Agent uh, Rollins."

"No thank you, I have to get back to the office."

"Oh, ok, can I, uh, get your card?"

Craig watched Emma, confused again. She seemed flustered.

"Dennis patted his pockets and lo
oked at Craig for help. "I don't think I have any on me."

Craig wasn't sure what to say either. Dennis didn't really work at the local FBI office, but he did have ties there and the lead agent would accept reports from any of them. Damn, he didn't think of
this. He'd give her Hawk's number.

"I will write down his number for you Emma."

She looked to Dennis again for confirmation and he smiled and headed towards the door. She followed.

They said their goodbyes and Dennis made his way to his car. Emma seemed o
n the verge of following him. He took her hand and pulled her into the room. "Come relax, it's all done now."

She came with him a short way and then pulled out of his grip. "I need to ask him one more thing. You stay here, I'll be right back."

And with that she left, leaving Craig feeling very confused. Oh that's right. He wasn't the hero in this story. Sometimes he forgot he was "just" a firefighter right now.

He watched her run out to Dennis' car and talk to him through the open window. She kept crossing
and uncrossing her arms and pulling on a crease on her skirt. Nervous? Craig hoped she wasn't telling him not to make the report after all. Dennis shook his head. Emma pasted on a smile and said a few more words, then came inside.