The Road to Justice/Sins of the Son combo pack - A John Fowler Novel (John Fowler (Books 1 & 2)) (68 page)

“
He
’
s not my boyfriend, Jeremiah,
”
Jessica replied, glancing over her shoulder at John. 
“
He hasn
’
t had the good sense to make that move.
”

“
Is there something wrong with him?
”
 
The Senator asked.

             
“
Hey!
”
 
John exclaimed, in mock annoyance. 
“
I
’
m standing right here!
”
 
Jessica went on, ignoring him.

             
“
I think he
’
s got commitment issues,
”
Jessica said, straightening the Senator
’
s gown.

             
“
Is there someone else?
”
 
The Senator asked quietly.  John threw up his arms in frustration.  Jessica gave the Senator a withering look.

             
“
He
’
s not that stupid,
”
she said.  Jeremiah roared with laughter.  Bruce watched the whole exchange, with hate slowly growing in him.  Here was another trying to push her way into his father
’
s life.  Bruce checked himself discreetly to not give any of his emotions away.  First it was his illegitimate . . . no he wouldn
’
t give her that recognition.  Bruce had to take care of a few loose ends in this case, and then it might be time to take care of John once and for all . . . and if Jessica should get involved, then he would take care of her too.  John spoke, breaking Bruce from his thoughts.

             
“
I hear you
’
re about to get a job promotion,
”
John said trying to change the subject of him and his love life, or lack thereof. 

             
Bruce beamed with pride. 
“
May I have the pleasure of introducing
you
to the future Vice-President of the United States of America . . . my dad . . . Jeremiah
Cosby.
”
 
Jeremiah smiled and squeezed Bruce
’
s hand.  John just couldn
’
t get over how things had changed with Bruce.  Bruce smiled proudly and thought of all the different ways he would soon get rid of John.

“
Look,
”
John said. 
“
While I
’
m extremely happy to see you and hear about your new advancement in the political arena, the clock
’
s ticking on your kidnapper getting away, Jeremiah.  Do you have any idea who might have kidnapped you?
”

“
Party pooper,
”
Jessica said glancing over her shoulder at John and giving him a withering look.  John shrugged his shoulders as if to say,
“
What did I do?
”

“
Ok, ok you two,
”
Jeremiah said, waving his hand at them to get them to quit. 
“
The only thing I know is one of the kidnappers said something about Luke being behind the kidnapping.
”

Jessica and John exchanged a look.  That sounded like a set-up to both of them.  Bruce leaned down beside his dad.

“
Are you sure, dad?
”
he asked
.

“
Of course I am
, S
on, you don
’
t forget something like that,
”
Jeremiah replied.  Bruce put his hand on Jeremiah
’
s shoulder, trying to comfort him.  Jessica patted Jeremiah
’
s hand and smiled at him.  She got up and walked toward the door, touching John
’
s shoulder for him to follow her.  They stepped outside the room.

“
You thinking what I
’
m thinking?
”
 
Jessica asked.

“
That
I didn
’
t know if was possible for
Bruce
to have
a heart and a soul?
”
 
John responded, smiling.  Jessica smiled and lightheartedly punched at his shoulder.  John didn
’
t dodge and she hit him.  Jessica looked at him with an arched eyebrow.  John shrugged.

“
Different circumstances now,
”
John said simply.  Jessica stepped back and stared at John.

“
You
’
re saying I was flirting with you by hitting you back then?
”
 
She asked.  She started to wag her finger. 
“
Un
-
uh.
  That was me being friendly, that
’
s all.  You know,
the way two guys might hit each other when their goofing around.  It was just my way of saying we
’
re friends.
”

“
First off,
”
John said, closing his fingers around her still wagging fingers. 
“
You only do that wagging thing when you block a shot in basketball,
”
Jessica smiled in spite of herself. 
“
Secondly,
”
John continued. 
“
Did you ever hit Chet, or Trip, or Bruce, or any other man that way?
”

“
No,
”
Jessica said. 
“
But I don
’
t have the relationship  . . . .
”
 
She stopped her sentence before John made something out of it that she didn
’
t mean, but she was already too late. 

“
No?
”
John asked, smiling. 
“
I
’
m begging you, please finish that thought.
”

“
I hate you,
”
Jessica said, her eyes narrowing.

“
I can live with that,
”
John said, moving in to kiss her, and he did.  John thought he saw fireworks go off, or maybe that was just in his head.  He was really afraid he was starting to fall in love.  The thought terrified him, and excited him; all at the same time.  When John broke the kiss he spoke quietly.

“
You didn
’
t try to dodge that,
”
he said grinning.  Jessica grinned back.

“
I didn
’
t want to,
”
she replied. 
“
Are you going to dodge this?
”
 
And with that, she leaned in to kiss him, but stopped when she heard a,
“
HRRMP!!
”

Jessica spun around and John straightened up.  Trip and Chet were standing there.  Chet was trying to appear interested in the ceiling tiles.  Trip simply shook his head.

“
Do we have anything?
”
 
Trip asked.

“
I don
’
t know, you interrupted us before I could find out,
”
John replied, and then doubled over from the elbow he caught in the ribs from Jessica.  Trip held his composure, but his eyes began to water from holding back the laughter.

“
One of the men who held Jeremiah said that Luke was his boss,
”
Jessica replied. 
“
I don
’
t know Trip; it all sounds like a setup to me.
”

“
Tell me about it,
”
John replied, trying to catch his breath.  Trip
’
s mouth twitched trying to hold back the laughter.

“
There
’
s more where that came from,
”
Jessica said to him under her breath.

“
The kiss or the elbow?
”
John asked at full volume.  With that comment, Trip lost it.  Jessica tried to appear irritated, but gave up.  John gave everyone a second.

“
Do you have something for us
,
Trip?
”
 
John asked.  Trip nodded, as he tried to compose himself.  He took a moment and then spoke.

“
I just had a phone call from Archibald Staples, turning over evidence to us!
”

Bruce stepped out the door of his father
’
s room just as Trip finished his sentence. 

“
What
’
s the evidence
,
Trip?
”
 
Bruce asked.  Trip looked down at the floor and then over at John.  Bruce grew impatient. 
“
Oh, come on!  I have been on this case since the beginning.  I admit I made a few mistakes, but I want my father
’
s kidnapper brought to justice.
”

“
What
’
s the difference in him and me
,
Trip?
”
 
John asked.  Jessica and Trip both looked sharply at John. 
“
I want to look into Sam
’
s killing, and the whole world has signed off on that, so what
’
s the difference for Bruce to go after whoever kidnapped his dad?
”

Jessica looked at Trip, hoping he would come up with anything to keep Bruce and John from going out together again.  She didn
’
t trust Bruce, regardless of what John thought.  Trip frowned at John, and reluctantly nodded.

“
You
’
re right
, John. 
Bruce deserves the chance,
”
Trip said, hating
himself
for going along with John.  Trip turned toward Bruce. 
“
Archibald has received numerous calls from a burned cell phone that we have tracked to a warehouse in Baltimore.
”
 
John was a little surprised by that news.  Trip looked at John and shook his head no. 
“
It
’
s not the same warehouse,
it
’
s
a little ways away, but very close to the warehouse that Jeremiah was found in.  It is one owned by Archibald, and he has given us permission to search it.
”

Bruce turned to John.

“
Are you with me?
”
 
Bruce asked.  John grinned.

“
Let
’
s go check it out and see if we can
’
t wrap this thing up,
”
John replied.  They started to go, when Jessica grabbed John
’
s arm.

“
Bruce, can you give me five minutes with John?
”
 
Jessica asked. 
“
There are some things I need to discuss
with him.  I
’
ll coordinate with the
local
LEOs if you need any backup.
”

Bruce nodded and headed to the parking garage.  Trip and Chet went into the Senator
’
s room leaving John and Jessica alone.

“
What do we need to talk . . .
“
John
began, but was interrupted by Jessica kissing him. 

As much as John was enjoying himself, he knew he had to go.  He pulled away from Jessica, but she wouldn’t let go of him.

“John,” Jessica began.  “Do not go with him.”

John looked confused.

“Jess,” he started to reply, but Jessica interrupted him.

“John, do not go with him,” she insisted.  “I think he killed Thelma . . .” She paused, not sure how much farther to go.  She looked him in the eyes.  “You know what you keep telling Trip, Chet, and I that we need to wait to tell you?  I think it’s time you know,” she began.