The Road to Justice/Sins of the Son combo pack - A John Fowler Novel (John Fowler (Books 1 & 2)) (33 page)

“
I was there to see Jason when Beth showed up.  Jason hadn
’
t got
ten
there yet.  Beth told me that she was gay, and that she wanted me.  She attacked me.  She grabbed my breast and put her hand over my mouth so no one could hear.
”
 
That was strange
,
thought John
.  W
hy
,
deep in a cave
,
would you cover someone
’
s mouth
?
  No one should hear any shouts down there.  That statement was really bothering John, but it was bothering David
even
more.  John realized what was happening but was powerless to stop it; even if he wanted to.  John was afraid
it was going to come down to physical threats to learn the truth, and it seemed he was right.  David shoved the gun back into Lisa
’
s ribs.

“
Do you really think I
’
m a fool?!?!?
”
 
David was furious. 
“
Veronica, tell the truth now, or so help me God I will kill you right here and now!!!
”

John didn
’
t move.  Honestly
,
there was nothing he could
do to stop it.  Lisa looked to
John for help, but John just kept the camera pointed on her. 

“
Ok!!  OK!!!
”
 
Lisa was sobbing. 
“
Beth told me she was gay.  I was . . . 
Don
’
t
make me do this
,
David.
”
 
Lisa was begging now.  David moved the gun and Lisa gasped. 
“
Ok, you
’
ve got to remember this was the late 1980
’
s.  It was Kentucky, and people were homophobic.  Many just assumed if you had a friend that was a certain way
, then
you were as well.  I didn
’
t just
want to be the President, I DREAMED
of being President.  Beth ended my hope that day
. 
I wanted to be the first woman President of the United States and I couldn
’
t have anything that could be questioned on my record.
”

Lisa looked at the ground. 
John couldn
’
t decide if she was near tears because of what happened, or because she was sorry she got caught.  Lisa looked up and continued.

“
So when Beth told me . . . I knew Jason was in the next room.
”
 
Lisa paused, and John was pretty sure what happened next. 
“
I yelled out that I was being a
ttacked.  I grabbed both of Beth
’
s hand
s
.  I put one on my breast.
”
 
John was right
. . .
he was hoping he was wrong.  He was hoping that Lisa wasn
’
t this despicable of a person, but he was wrong.  Lisa continued. 
“
I took my
other
hand,
put it around her wrist and put her hand over my mouth like she was trying to quiet me.  That
’
s when Jason ran in.
”
 

John was barely breathing he was listening so closely.  He was positive that Lisa didn
’
t physically kill Beth, but she was definitely the mastermind behind Beth
’
s death.  Lisa took a deep breath and continued.

“
Jason grabbed a rock and hit her in the back of the head with it.  I
’
m pretty sure it killed her instantly.  Anyway, Jason took Beth and threw her into the boards that
were covering the mine
shaft
.
”
 
David dug the gun into Lisa
’
s ribs.  John started to move, but Lisa put a hand out to stop him. 
“
Jason did it off of my suggestion.  It was an accident and we were kids.  The truth is I never kil
led anyone. 
Jason Sparks killed Beth, and then tried to kill David.
”
 
John about dropped the camera with that revelation.

John regained his composure after that last nugget of information.  He looked at David who nodded.  Lisa continued her story.

“
About that time, David, who was a couple of year
s
younger than us
,
attacked Jason.  It all went crazy th
en.  Our friends showed up. 
I told them that Beth had tried to rape me and they tried to comfort me.  While that was going on
,
Jason and David fought.  I saw Jason shove David.  I don
’
t think Jason knew whe
re David was standing because he
pushed him through the opening in the boards and down the hole.
”
 
John couldn
’
t believe what he was hearing. 
             
“
I landed on my sister
’
s body,
”
David said softly. 
“
Her neck was at a real weird angle, and I was sure she was dead.
”
 
David was quiet for a second.  John thought
,
for just a second
,
he saw the face of the scared little boy who had just seen his sister die and had almost been killed himself.  Then, the softness was gone from David
’
s face and the sternness of the young man who had grown up with the solemn vow to get vengeance for his sister
’
s death returned.  When he spoke
,
it was with confidence.

“
After making sure nothing was too badly hurt I made my way through some tunnels and came out an opening in the cave that was away from town.  I headed up into the hills just wanting to get away from Veronica and the Staples.  I knew it would all be covered up.  I had dealt with Veronica for the past few years and I knew she always got what she want
ed
.  An old couple raised me until I turned 18 and joined the armed forces.  I had basically put it all out of my mind until I saw Jason Sparks in Afghanistan.
”

“
You mean until you killed him and then killed our other four friends at his funeral!
”
Lisa was furious.  John
decided it would be a good time to step in before things got completely out of hand.

“
Well, it
’
s nice to finally see a FBI case have nothing to do with aliens or UFOs,
”
said John.  Both David and Lisa looked at John like he was crazy.  John had to admit it was kinda funny given the circumstances.  He just hoped the right person heard what he had just said.

I
n the News Truck

Chapter 84

Trip heard what John said and smiled to himself.  He had to admit they had one of the strangest code lines, but they both knew exactly what he meant. 

“
Sheila
, thank you for letting me
watch
this.  Remember when I sai
d I might have to help my agent?  T
hat time is right now.  I need you to let me out of here.
”
 
Sheila
looked at Trip.  She saw the seriousness on his face.  She nodded to her partner and
he began to move the barriers from
the door.  Trip got out of the truck and ran over to the command post.  He didn
’
t waste any time going through proper protocols.  He noticed that everyone was watching the news feed. 

“
I don
’
t know who is in charge in here, but I am John Fowler
’
s supervisor, and that was our code phrase he just uttered.  I need in there now!
”
 
Three different people started to object.  Trip didn
’
t play around. 
“
Listen to me very carefully.  I know what each code he uses means and we don
’
t have the time to teach you guys.
”
 
That was a lie, but everyone in the room didn
’
t need to know that. 
“
I
’
m going in there with or without your help!  Now
,
are you going to help me and my agent?
”

Less than a minute later Trip was working his way through the White House.  At each checkpoint agents were aware of his coming and showed him where to go next.  Trip got to the outer office of the Oval office.  The agent in charge there was simply waiting on Trip
’
s command.

“
Here
’
s what
’
s going to happen,
”
said Trip. 
“
I
’
m going in this door and leave it open a crack.  When you
hear me call out that it is all clear
,
you come in.  The only time you get to disregard that command is if you hear a shot coming from inside of that office.  Are we clear
, g
entlemen?
”
 
Trip looked around and the team all nodded in agreement.  It didn
’
t matter what agency or branch of government, most of these agents understood one thing, a command.  Trip took a deep breath and opened the door to the outer office.  He made his way th
r
ough until he was right beside the door to the inner office.  He waited.  It was all up to John now as to when the move was to be made.   Trip just hoped no one got hurt.

Oval Office

C
hapter 85

John had said the phrase.  He knew he had to give Trip a minimum of five minutes, if not ten to get into position.  There was only so long he thought he could keep David from shooting Lisa.  There was only so long he thought he could convince himself David shouldn
’
t shoot Lisa.  John spoke to try to break the tension.

“
So Jason killed Beth and tried to kill David.  What about their mother?  Why did
n
’
t
she report them missing?
”
 
David
’
s eye
s
flashed and for a second John thought he had made a big mistake.  Contempt for John covered Lisa
’
s face.  Oh well, thought John
,
she
’
s
not
the first woman to hate me.  Lisa almost spat out the words.

“
That piece of trash!?!
  When I told her what happened to her children and suggested she shouldn
’
t go to the police because they might arrest her for neglect, she basically traded her silence for $10,000.00.
”
 
John felt sick to his stomach.  What kind of evil girl was Lisa?  Lisa kept on.

“
I then made suggestions to Daddy that I didn
’
t like the kids here and that they should be sent away.  I also told him that I would like to change my name and have nothing to do with that cesspool of a town.  Daddy agreed after I convinced him that everyone had been mean to me.  Daddy sent all of the kid
’
s parents back to their original states.  He gave them raises so it wouldn
’
t look suspicious.  I asked him for $10,000.00 to give to Mrs. George to help out with her kids after we left.  I told him we needed to help those less fortunate than us.
”

She saw the look on John
’
s face.  It was one of disd
ain.  That was fine by Lisa.  She had protected her father from any possible fallout.  She knew the tape would never get out, but John new
Senator Cosby
and John might let Cosby know what was said here.  The last thing she wanted to do was give
Senator Cosby
any kind of idea to look into her father
’
s past.