Undercover Justice (6 page)

Charlotte looked at Ollie questioningly. Ollie nodded. So Charlotte suggested, “We could meet tomorrow in the Science Club room. It should be empty because most of the guys have sports on Saturdays still. The room is available to us whenever we want to use it. There is an outside door that each of us has a key to. We can’t get into the school, just into the club. Mr. Cotter has us each sign a user agreement when we join. As long as we follow the rules and take care of the equipment, we can use it.”

“That sounds great,” I said. “Why don’t we plan on meeting tomorrow at noon? We can bring some pizza or something. Are you free Kent?”

Glancing discreetly at Charlotte, he said quickly, “Sure, I don’t have any plans that can’t be broken. Count me in. Nora and I will bring the pizza.”

“I can bring some pop,” Charlotte said brightly.

“Someone needs to let Jed know,” I reminded them.

“I will,” Ollie said, “There’s something I need to ask him anyway.”

Disappointed I wouldn’t have an excuse to talk to him again until tomorrow; I sat back and closed my eyes until we got back to school. He wasn’t even on the bus, so who knew if he would be coming back today. But as the bus pulled up to the school, I found myself excited about the prospect of seeing him again today.

Chapter 5

Walking back through the main entrance, Jed quickly walked towards the police station, before anyone from Pine Hill High School saw him. Rounding the corner that led through the double doors, Jed couldn’t help wondering why the Lieutenant had summoned him back so quickly, instead of waiting until Jed got out of school. He was going to miss his ride back to school on the bus. Kids were really going to talk now.

It must be really important. The other officers were all pretending to look busy, but their eyes kept going back to the closed door at the back of room. Jed walked past one officer who openly glared at him. Jed got the feeling that some were jealous of him, because he was a rookie from another department, and was given a special assignment before they were. The Lieutenant and Sheriff Miller thought it would be a good idea to keep this undercover unit quiet, so many officers didn’t know the details. They didn’t understand why Jed and Mike were singled out and they weren’t.

Knowing the Lieutenant was expecting him right away; he walked straight to Lieutenant Davis’s office and knocked on the door. At the quick reply, he opened the solid door and shut it quickly behind him. Looking around at the four men sitting around the Lieutenant’s office; he was surprised to see his boss, Sheriff Miller, Mike Parker, as well as a detective he had just met this morning

“Deputy Greyson, please have a seat and we’ll bring you up to speed,” Lieutenant Davis said, gesturing to the vacant seat by Mike.

Mike nodded hello to Jed and said, “Sounds like you may have gotten a break in the case.”

Jed sent Mike a questioning look as the Lieutenant opened a manila folder containing photographs. Picking out one, he passed it to Jed. “This boy was reported missing last night. His parents told us they thought he was at the library doing homework. He never came home.”

Taking the picture from the Lieutenant, Jed immediately recognized the boy from this morning. “This is the boy from earlier. The one I saw getting beat up by two men.”

Surprised by Jed’s quick ID, he said, “You’re sure?”

“Yes, not two hours ago, he was in this building, being threatened by two men because he didn’t have something they wanted.”

Sheriff Miller slapped the desk and stood up putting another piece of cinnamon gum in his mouth. “This is the third disappearance in my county this month. We have got to start getting answers.”

“We’re working on it,” the Lieutenant said. “We have our lab looking at the symbol Greyson and that group of high school students found. We also know that the boy, Mark Mason, was very smart and involved in many academic clubs. That will give us somewhere to start. Maybe we will be able to find out why he was in room 35.”

“About the room sir,” Jed said hesitantly, “Something the Mayor said today seemed a little off.”

Four pairs of eye shifted to Jed. “How so son?” Sheriff Miller asked.

“When I asked him if he knew who was meeting in room 35, he denied knowing anything about that room. He said it was a publicly available room. He seemed very nervous but quickly tried to hide it.”

Detective Cooper, who up until then had remained silent, said, “I met with the Mayor and his staff a few months ago in room 35 about a case. We both arrived at the same time and he opened the room with a key he had on his key ring.”

“This isn’t good,” Sheriff Miller sighed. “We need to proceed with caution from here on out. If the Mayor is involved in any way, Jed’s innocent question earlier could have scared him. This is an election year, so he will do everything he can to keep from looking bad in the public’s eye.”

“I agree sir,” Jed said standing up, “Do we have a list of Mark’s friends and the clubs he was involved in? I will see what I can find out. Some of the kids in my project group may be in the same club. Maybe a lead will turn up.”

“If any of those kids know something, I want to know right away. Remember this is your first undercover assignment, don’t be a hero. On the other hand, we must find the link between these three kids who have disappeared.”

“Sheriff,” Lieutenant Davis interrupted. “I have lined up a training session for Deputy’s Greyson and Parker, on the topic of undercover work,” Grinning Lieutenant Davis said, “I am sure they will find the course very... shall we say, helpful.”

Groaning, Jed and Mike exchanged a look. The Lt was famous for his “training sessions” which involved a lot of physical training and grueling classroom work, all crammed into a single day.

“Today?” Jed asked slowly backing out of the room, “I have to get back to school, it’s my first day. I don’t want them to get the wrong idea.”

“Hold it right there, Greyson, they are supposed to get the wrong idea. This will fit perfectly into your tough guy persona. If there is a crime being committed, you have to seem like you are the perfect fit for their organization.”

Knowing what the Lieutenant said was true, and all part of the original plan, Jed resigned himself to the fact that he had a hard day of training ahead of him. Maybe while he was doing all that “training” he could come up with a suitable excuse to give the group as to why he didn’t return to school today.

“Look, dad’s home,” Kent said, as he pulled his bright red Chevy Camaro into our driveway.

On our sixteenth birthday, our parents gave us each a new car. Kent got the Camaro and I got a brand new Ford Escape! Does that seem fair? I still ask myself that every day when Kent insists we take his car to school, because it is much cooler. I know my parents mean well, and are trying to protect me, but the Escape would not have been my first choice. Kent is huge, and well, a guy. I am well… a girl and being short I think my parents still view me as little. To them, an Escape is a much safer choice for their little girl.

Looking up our tree-lined drive toward the house, I saw my dad’s large black BMW parked near the garage of our three-story plantation style home. The house has been in our family for four generations. It truly is beautiful, I thought admiring the flowering apple trees that lined the quarter mile long drive, and the wide white pillared porch that travel the length of the house.

I groaned. Seeing my dad home early, reminded me that we had a dinner to attend tonight.

Looking over at me Kent gave me a funny look. “You are usually excited to go to the Country Club for dinner.”

“Not today,” I grumbled.

“I heard what happened with Tyler Gordon. He probably won’t be there tonight, so you don’t have to worry.”

“Thanks, but if you heard about it, than other people probably did to.”

“I see your point,” he teased flashing me a grin.

Smacking him with my handbag, I climbed out and walked toward the backyard. My parents loved gardening. They have been planning and plotting this year’s vegetable garden, whenever they had a spare moment. Hoping to talk them out of going to whatever dinner was scheduled for tonight; I thought I might as well go look for them now.

Walking into the backyard, I saw my parents standing arm in arm admiring the dirt in the vegetable garden. It looked like my dad had just gotten done tilling the ground with the rotatiller. Shaking my head and smiling, I walked over to them. They were the only ones I knew who could look at freshly tilled black dirt and find it beautiful.

“Hi Mom, Hi Dad!” Giving them both a hug, I quickly voiced my thoughts on dinner.

“Now, Nora,” my mom began, before she got a look at my eye.

“What happened to your eye?” she exclaimed.

“I wasn’t paying attention and a stray football bounced off my eye. I’m fine, it doesn’t even hurt anymore. Do we have to go tonight?”

I knew there was no getting out of it. “You know it is important that we attend every function. We are a prominent part of this community and need to act like it. That means showing our support for Judge Freeman and his retirement. He has been a long time friend of your father’s and it is only right that we attend.”

“I know,” I said, “I just don’t feel like going out tonight.”

“Cheer up,” my dad said hopefully, “Maybe that Gordon boy will be there. Now that is a nice family. ”

Inwardly groaning, I said as casually as I could, “I don’t care if he’s there, dad. I’m not really that into him anymore,” My dad thought that because he now played golf with Tyler’s dad every Monday night, that Tyler must be as great as his father was.

“Why not, did something happen?” my dad demanded. “I am sure it was just a misunderstanding. You have been hinting that you might go to prom with him. I think he would be good for you. Maybe tonight you will be able to work out whatever happened between you two.”

Me fix it? How was I going to do that, when he was probably taking another girl instead? I didn’t realize that my dad liked him so much. If he really knew Tyler, I don’t think he would approve quite so much.

“You better go get ready dear,” my mother said dusting off her hands. “We all better. Right Jack?”

Agreeing, he turned my mother around, keeping her arm still linked with his, and strolled back up to the house, pausing every now and then to admire a new bloom in their vast flower beds as they went.

Following them in, I headed up to my room and flopped down on my bed. What was I going to do? I could either refuse to go and hide in my room like a coward, or I could get up, find a great dress and go have a nice time. Deciding I needed a little help in the confidence department, I closed my eyes and prayed:
Dear Lord, you have been so kind and gracious to me. Please continue to give me the courage and the strength to be the woman you want me to me. Help me hold my head up high and to be a witness to your unfailing grace. Also, Lord, I want to ask for your guidance with someone new you brought into my life. Jed Greyson. I like him Lord. Please show me how to get to know him better that would be pleasing to you. If it is your will. In your name I pray. Amen.

Feeling better and more assured of myself, I rolled off my bed and opened my closet door and started sorting through all my dresses.

Finding a peach colored form flattering dress with opened shoulders and long flowing sleeves, I pulled it out. The color matched my skin tone flawlessly and the material was very comfortable. I always get many complements when I wear it.

I applied myself to my makeup and hair and was ready in a reasonable amount of time. Coming out of my bedroom, I met Kent in the hallway coming out of his.

“You look good, sis.”

“Thanks, you too.” Kent did look nice tonight in his tailor made suit.

“Do you think the Mayor will be there?”

“Probably, it is an election year, so he must keep up appearances.”

“Maybe we can ask him more questions about the conference rooms.”

“That’s a good idea, maybe if he’s distracted, we can get him to admit room 35 is one of his private rooms.”

Hearing Mom and Dad walking into the foyer below, I whispered to Kent, “Let’s keep the incident to ourselves for now, we don’t want Mom and Dad worrying about us.”

Nodding, Kent bounced down the stairs saying, “We’re ready. Let’s go, I’m starving.”

It took about fifteen minutes to get to the Pine Hill Country Club. It was on the other side of town. It sat on two hundred acres of rolling tree filled land, with a 36-hole golf course, tennis courts, racket ball, a swimming pool and exercise room, a full banquet center, a five star restaurant, and a sports bar. Only the wealthiest and oldest families were allowed membership. It was pretty snobbish, come to think of it.

As we pulled up to the light near the high school, we could see Jed climbing out of a police car that was parked next to his motorcycle.

“There’s the new boy at school. His name is Jed. He’s in our social studies group, for the end of the year project,” I told my parents.

They both turned and stared at Jed, who was talking to the officer who had his back to us. All of a sudden, we saw the officer grab Jed, spin him around, and throw him up against the car.