CHAPTER 4

Matt was getting impatient. He was 90 percent sure that Marcus Sumter was the person responsible for the death of Charles Perkins and the subsequent fire that was ignited to try to cover up the crime, but he was nowhere to be found. Hoyt had an APB out on the man and they had even gotten his mother to appeal to him on the local news. It had been over twenty four hours since Matt had received the call to work the scene and he wanted to get it wrapped up. The PI was pacing back and forth across Hoyt's office. "Let's go talk to his mom again; we need to find out who his friends are and where he hangs out."

Hoyt nodded and the pair started out the door headed for the elevator, but were stopped by none other than Tamara Placer. "Good morning. I'm so glad I caught you two."

"Sorry, we're in the middle of an investigation." Hoyt couldn't stand the reporter nor could anyone else that he knew…including Matt.

"This will only take a minute." She followed them onto the elevator along with her cameraman and the two detectives exchanged a look. "Could you tell us about the investigation into the death of Charles Perkins?"

"I can't comment on that. The investigation is ongoing." Hoyt had gotten good over the years at giving out the standard evasive statement.

"Mr. Houston? Do you have anything to add?" She shoved the microphone in his face.

"Nope. I think he said it well enough. 'Scuse me." He pushed between the reporter and the cameraman as did Michael and the pair got into the lieutenant's car and headed to Janice Sumter's home again. This time Teresa answered the door and invited them into the kitchen. As they sat down at the table with the two women, Matt felt guilty. "Ma'am, I know this whole thing has been rough on you and I'm sorry."

Janice nodded. "I just can't believe Marcus would do that to Charles."

"Sometimes people just kind of snap – something gets done in the heat of an argument. What we need to know is if you have any idea where he might be or who he might go to for help - friends, other relatives, anyone."

"He used to hang out with some boys that he went to school with – Kevin Larsen, Terry Bartlett, and Bobby Washington. They're all grown men now, but I remember Marcus saying that they got together every once in a while for dinner."

Matt had written down the names and put his pen down. "That's a good start. We know that he got into a little bit of trouble before. Was he with those three when it happened or someone else?"

"No, they were some friends he made right after he graduated. He went a little wild then – started smoking pot and that's when I kicked him out of the house. I won't tolerate that."

Teresa spoke up. "One of the guys lived over on Chauncey. I think his name was Rod. I gave Marcus a ride over there a couple of times. The guy's roommate was Tyrone – he ran around with them some."

"Do you remember any last names or the address?" The lieutenant leaned forward in his chair.

"No, but I could probably pick out the building."

"Do you mind going with us?"

"No…I just want to ask you to please don't hurt Marcus."

"We have no intention of hurting him." Hoyt stood up as did Matt and the three left headed over to the apartment.

"Okay, it's not the first gray building there, but the one right after it. There." Teresa pointed it out.

"Did you ever go in?" Matt was turned in the front passenger seat looking back at the young woman.

"No…I didn't want to say anything in front of Mom, but Tyrone is pretty rough. The last time I took Marcus there he reached in the car and tried to grab me."

"Okay." Hoyt turned the car around and took her back to her mother's home. "Thanks for your help."

"Just don't hurt him, okay?"

"We'll do everything we can to keep from hurting him." Hoyt opened the door for her and she went up the front steps as they pulled away from the curb. "We don't have a search warrant."

"Nope." Matt had just thought the same thing.

"I've got a feeling that we might find more than just Marcus in there. I'm going to file for one." He headed back to the office and while en route, called Carl Trenton and had him set up surveillance on the building while the paperwork was in progress.

Matt called to bring CJ up to date. "Just be careful, Cowboy – and don't forget your vest."

"I won't. Love you, Babe. 'Bye."

"Love you, too."

The PI hung up and called Fred Tucker to fill him in. "I'm glad you're able to work on this one. I've been swamped. I've been to three scenes already this morning. Thanks for stepping up and dealing with it, Houston."

"That's why y'all asked me to come onboard, remember? I'll holler at ya later, bud." He hung up and made a trip out to the coffee pot, coming back in with a cup for Michael as well as himself. He sat the cup on the lieutenant's desk then stood at the window looking out over the city. Hoyt's phone rang.

"Hoyt." The cop made a whistling sound and the PI turned to look at him. "Yeah, thanks." He hung up. "Ready to go to work?" Michael reached into his filing cabinet and pulled out his vest as Matt headed for the door.

"I'll meet you there, Michael." The cowboy skipped the elevator and hit the stairs, stopping long enough in the garage to put on his vest and holster, checking the load in his Glock before strapping it in place. He left the parking garage as Michael stepped off of the elevator.

Arriving at the parking lot across from the building where the warrant was about to be served, Matt saw Trenton slapping the Velcro into place on his vest and getting ready to go in. The two men nodded at each other and waited for the lieutenant to show up with the paperwork.

Hoyt arrived a couple of minutes later and the three men along with two uniformed officers made their way across the street. The two officers moved into position to guard the back of the building and the three detectives took the front. Matt and Trenton took the right hand side of the door and Michael the left and he pounded on the door. "LAPD! SEARCH WARRANT – OPEN UP!" They could hear sounds of movement from inside and whispers. "LAPD! SEARCH WARRANT – OPEN UP NOW OR WE'LL BUST IT OPEN!"

Michael's radio crackled and they heard yelling. "They're trying to exit the back of the building." One of the uniformed officers radioed. Matt got in front of the door and kicked it near the doorknob causing it to splinter and give in. The three detectives made entry as the yelling from the back of the apartment continued and then two shots were heard coming from the direction of the small kitchen. When they reached the door, the three saw a man with his arm around Marcus Sumter's neck and a pistol pointing at his head.

"Let me go or I'm gonna kill him!" The young man was looking back and forth between the two groups of cops.

"Put the gun down." Hoyt's voice was calm. "It's no good, man. Surely you can see that."

"No."

"Tyrone, please man, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring the cops down on you." Marcus' eyes were wide and his breathing was labored.

"Yeah, you're sorry alright. I oughta just shoot you right now and be done with it."

"Please, man…."

"Tyrone…" Matt's pistol was pointed at the young man's head. "Let him go. It isn't worth getting killed over."

"What the hell do you know?! Nothin' - not a damn thing!"

"I know you're never gonna make it out of here alive if you don't put the gun down. Look around you…there are five people with guns pointing at you. You're outnumbered. Just put it down."

"I may be outnumbered but I ain't dying alone. I'll take him out and some of you, too."

"Not gonna do you much good if you're dead, is it? You'll never know."

"Oh, I'll know." Tyrone looked across the room where another man was lying on the floor bleeding. "Can't believe my own cousin tried to turn on me."

"Where'd you shoot him?" Matt looked over at the young man who appeared to still be breathing but unconscious.

"Hell, I don't know…he tried to tell me to let go of Marcus, too – you see where that got him?"

"I'd say he's got a better chance than you do – he's still breathing. I guarantee you won't be if we all unload on you." Matt watched as the young man chewed on that. "Look, I don't know what kind of trouble you're in, but I'm betting it isn't anything near as bad as murder – is it?"

Tyrone shook his head. "No."

"Alright, so if you kill Marcus or if the other guy dies because you shot him…you're screwed." He waited a minute. "Put it down." Tyrone thought on it for a minute and then pushed Marcus away from him sending the man sprawling on the kitchen floor before laying the pistol on the table. "Good choice." The PI watched as one of the patrolmen moved in and cuffed him. The other officer went to check on the victim.

"He should be okay – got hit in the shoulder and hit his head on the stove when he fell." He called for an ambulance as Trenton frisked Marcus and cuffed him before leading him out to the car.

Matt holstered his weapon and turned to follow Trenton outside with Marcus. When he reached his truck he pulled out his phone and first called Fred to let him know that their suspect was in custody, and then CJ to let her know that it was all over.