Chapter Seven
Four more nights Charlie followed Riley. He collected faces, names, jobs, and more. Once he had enough Charlie decided to put Ted to work. There were two corrupt cops in the group of photos: Erik Slater and Daniel King. He had Ted run financials on them only as Ted could run financials.
As he worked on putting a net around Ed Riley, he and Seever solved the murder. It was a drug deal gone badly. Riley and his people had nothing to do with it. A freelance dealer used the club for exchanges. They got him. Now it was time for paperwork before the weekend came.
"Seever," he said as he took a spiky red and orange fruit of his top drawer, "you have plans this weekend?"
"No," she answered staring at the strange fruit.
He took his folding blade out of pocket and cut around the fruit then pulled it apart exposing an egg shape of fruit meat. Charlie cut a piece of the fruit and put it in his mouth.
"What is that?" Seever asked.
"A Jackfruit. It is from Sri Lanka. Takes like pineapple," he said.
"Why not just get a pineapple?" she asked.
"Because this is new," Charlie smiled.
"You have plans this weekend, Charlie?" asked Seever.
"Yeah. I'm hunting rabbits," said Charlie with a grin.
LIFE
Ted had found that both Slater and King had expenditures that were greater than their earnings and he gave Charlie documented proof. With crime scene gloves on, Charlie packed the proof along with photos of Riley with Slater and King, as well as financials on Riley into a small box. He then addressed it to IAD. He was going to let those who wanted to put him away put the pressure on Riley and his corrupt cops for him.
He locked the walk-in closet door leaving the box in there for now then headed down the stairs. As he got closer to the kitchen he heard Daria's and Dani's voices arguing. He hesitated going into the kitchen, but his stomach was making it clear that he wanted to eat.
"I like living here," he heard Daria said.
"But you don't belong here," said Dani.
"Charlie says that a person belongs wherever they find themselves," Daria said.
"Yeah, that sounds like something Crews would say," sorted Dani. "And stop calling him Charlie. His name is Crews."
"I will call him what he wants me to call him and that is Charlie," said Daria.
Deciding to risk his life Charlie entered the kitchen.
"Good evening," he said cheerily. "I'm starved so I'm going to check the refrigerator for food."
"You don't need to check I'll make you something," said Daria then she looked at her daughter. "And if you are willing to act like a guest and not someone who thinks they are in charge, I'll make you some dinner, too."
"Ma, I just want you home," she said.
"Again, Dani, that is your father's home," Daria replied.
"Then come live with me," she said to her mother.
"I have seen enough of Tidwell already," her mother said haughtily.
"You don't like him?" Dani asked her mother.
Charlie started to walk towards the refrigerator, "You know I'll just help myself."
"No, you will do as I tell you and go sit down at the dining room table," Daria told him.
"I really am willing to take care of myself," Charlie said.
"No, I will make us dinner," said Daria.
"I'll just grab a piece of fruit," he said and started to walk towards the bowl of fruit on the kitchen table.
"Crews," yelled Dani, "here, I'll go to the damned dining room table with you."
Dani grabbed Charlie's hand and led him out of the kitchen. When she got to the dining room, she went to let go of his hand, but instead held onto it and stared up into his eyes. His green eyes seemed to soften as she stared into them then ignite. She could see the want in them, the sexual need, but there was more she saw in his eyes than that and it was that more that frightened her. Finally, she let go of his hand.
"Sit down, Crews," Dani told him.
"You first, Reese," he replied.
Before Dani could respond Rachel strolled into the room. She looked at Dani then Charlie and smiled. Rachel was amused by their obvious discomfort.
"Where's Daria?" she asked.
"She getting dinner ready," answered Charlie.
"Oh, I'll go help her," Rachel said then ran off to the kitchen.
"What is wrong with her, huh? Does she like cooking?" asked Dani.
"I think cooking reminds with your mom reminds her of cooking with her mom before she was murdered by Kyle Hollis," Charlie said then sighed. "You mother has sort of adopted her. I think she feels guilty about Rachel's parents' death."
"Why would she feel guilty about that, Crews?" demanded Dani.
He turned his head and looked at her. She knew her father was probably part of the Bank of LA robbery, but he had denied the rest of it with her.
"Because, Reese, Kyle Hollis was your father's CI," he answered her.
"Shit," she growled.
Charlie noticed that her body looked like it was ready to escape. Her eyes darted to the doorway.
"Sit down, Dani. Dinner is being made and, maybe if you want, we can talk afterwards," he said.
She glared at him, "Are you going to be honest with me this time, Crews?"
"I'll be completely honest with you, Dani," he smiled. "Sit down."
Reluctantly, Dani sat down. Charlie joined her at the dining room table sitting opposite her.
"You know your mom is a great cook," he said.
"I know, Crews," replied Dani then she went silent.
LIFE
Daria made one of Rachel's favorites for dinner, falafels, along with rice, hummus, and salad. As they ate, Dani kept on glancing over at Charlie, who seemed content to head this strange family that was gathering around him.
"I was thinking of maybe taking classes in cooking," Rachel said.
"What are you studying in school?" asked Charlie.
"I'm undeclared right now," she said.
"How can you be undeclared?" asked Charlie. "You are you, which in itself is a declaration. I mean you can be undecided but I'm not sure you can be undeclared."
"Shut up, Crews," said Dani.
"Dani, don't be rude," said Daria.
"Oh, she isn't being rude. That's how she treated me as her partner. I tend to get under her skin with my talking a lot," said Charlie.
"Crews," Dani said in a warning voice.
"Dani, he isn't your man. You can't speak to him that way," said Daria. "Now, if he were your man, you could boss him."
"Did you boss dad?" Dani asked.
"In the beginning, until he changed," she answered.
"What changed him, ma?" Dani asked.
"The men he worked with. He… he decided supporting his fellow police officers was as important to him as family," said Daria, who then looked at Charlie. "Sometimes we mistake who we should trust and support."
"Family," Charlie said.
"Yes, family is most important," said Daria. "More important than being a police officer."
"The police put me in prison," Charlie said with a cold smile.
"Charlie, do you hate the police?" asked Rachel.
"Sometimes," he answered.
Dani stared at her ex-partner and waited for the gate to open and the words to flow.
"But, I don't hate them as much as I used to. Bobby is Bobby. We were partners and he paid a price, too. I don't hate Bobby. Seever … do you know she has a fifteen year plan?" he asked them with a real grin. "I guess I had a twelve year plan."
"You trust her?" asked Dani.
"I don't distrust her," he answered.
"And Dani?" asked Daria.
Charlie looked at her and his opinion of her was easy to read.
"No, I don't hate her," he simply said.
He turned his head so he'd stop staring at Dani.
"I don't hate the police like I used to," he said.
"You have been through too much suffering for one man, Charlie," said Daria.
He looked at her and tilted his head to the right, as if he was thinking.
"I knew an inmate at Pelican Bay, who was there because he killed the murderer of his twelve year old son. He loved his son more than his loved himself. He had only one thing that kept him going in prison and that was his wife, who supported what he did," Charlie started to explain.
He paused for a moment as the memories came flooding back.
"He was defenseless in prison. I tried to protect him. I let it be known that I was protecting him. The first six months we tough, but finally they started to leave him alone then he got word that his wife died in car accident. He wanted to die after that and no matter how much I tried to protect him I couldn't. While I was in the infirmary recovering from a shiv, he was beaten to death. People have had it worse than me," Charlie finished.
Rachel got up and walked over to Charlie ad gave him a kiss on the cheek and a hug then she returned to her seat. Dani couldn't help but stare at Charlie.
"You should forget about your obsessions and concentrate on finding happiness," Daria said.
"My obsession kept me alive," he said.
"Then you need a new one that makes you want to live," said Daria then she looked at her daughter.
LIFE
Rachel and Daria cleared away the dinner plates. It was time for Dani and Charlie to have an honest discussion. Dani stood up and was ready to speak when Charlie put his right index finger to his lips to quiet her.
"Come with me," he said.
Dani followed him up the marble stairs and down the long hallway to the master bedroom. He opened the door and walked to his walk-in closet, took out his keys from his pocket, and unlocked it. Opening the door, he turned on light and motioned her in. Immediately she was drawn to his wall of conspiracy down the other end of the closet. He closed and locked door then joined her, as she walked up to the wall and stared at it.
"Roman Nevikov worked for Mickey Rayborn. He was one of satellite so to speak," he started to tell her.
"Why did Nevikov want Rayborn so badly?" she asked.
"You see Rayborn wants someone to replace him at the head of this crime syndicate he developed. Roman wanted to be that someone. Rayborn had chosen me long ago, though," he said.
"You, Crews, Rayborn wanted you to replace him?" Dani said in shock.
"He told me he saw me at the academy and picked me out. He wanted to groom me. They just had to find a way to corrupt me, so they decided to dirty my friend. Dirty Seyboldt and you dirty me then they could bring me into their corruption, but something went terribly wrong," he explained.
"Who are these damned people, Crews?" growled Dani.
"Cops, Dani, corrupt cops," he said then he pointed to her father and his SWAT Team. "They robbed the Bank of LA. They needed the four million apiece as a buy into Mickey's growing syndicate. Well, almost of them bought in. Your father didn't buy in. He gave his four million to his favorite charity, a convent full of nuns," he said. "It was an anonymous contribution."
"How do you know all this, Crews?" Dani asked.
"Research, detective work, and Ted for the financial stuff. He has his own methods, legal and illegal," smiled Charlie.
"Keep explaining," she demanded.
"Your father, I take it, wanted out but they wouldn't let him out. Once you dirty a cop, he stays dirty, so they used him. Kyle Hollis was his CI. He was supposed to scare the Seyboldts but he arrived high and out of control and killed them all except Rachel. Your father was called in by Hollis. When they arrived they decided to frame me without asking Rayborn. Your father then took Rachel and hid. He then scared Hollis so much he changed his name and became a preacher. Unfortunately, Hollis felt he needed to repent so he found Rachel and stole her to raise as his own daughter," explained Charlie.
"The bastard," hissed Dani.
"Your father tried to find him. I think he wanted better for Rachel but Hollis disappeared too quickly and too well," said Charlie.
"Keep talking, Charlie," she said.
Charlie was so engrossed in the machinations that the wall of conspiracy represented he didn't even notice that she called him Charlie.
"I went to prison and Mickey expanded the syndicate. He owns a great man legitimate businesses, including the area and the MMA league as well as politicians, while his underlings deal with the illegal things and give him a cut," said Charlie. "He is the master manipulator and the syndicate keeps recruiting corrupt cops, though the original members no longer allow buy in. They merely pay the cops off now and use them," explained Charlie.
"How much proof do you have?" she asked.
"I'm sending a package off to IAD to get them investigating two cops and their relationship with Ed Riley," he said then pointed to a photo of Riley. "I could probably squeeze them one by one but that won't get me what I want. To get Mickey, I need one of the original members to turn on him."
Dani noticed he was staring at her father's photo.
"Mickey Rayborn still wants you, doesn't he?" she asked.
"Yes," he answered with a snare on his face. "He thinks prison made me into the prefect replacement."
"He knew Roman was becoming a problem and found a way to deal with him," said Dani.
"Roman owned some FBI agents, who he used to get to you. You were supposed to get me and put me back in prison, where Roman would have me killed removing the competition. Rayborn realized Roman was out of control, so he wound me up then disappeared like he had been murdered and somehow knew that I'd defeat Roman. He knew I wouldn't let you be hurt. He knew I was capable of killing if I needed to," said Charlie.
"You need help with Charlie," said Dani.
"I have enough help," he said then turned away from the wall and looked at Dani. "I don't want you involved in this."
"Is that why you avoided me after Nevikov?" she asked.
"I did what was best, Dani," he said softly.
"What am I to you, Crews?" she asked.
"The answer to a mathematical problem," he smiled.
She didn't understand what he meant, which was what he wanted.
"What do you feel about me, Charlie?" she asked in a voice that sounded like velvet.
"I want to keep you out of trouble, Dani," he said.
"You aren't my father, Charlie," she said. "You can't keep me out of trouble. I'm the only one who can keep me out of trouble. What do you feel for me, Charlie?"
Her voice got more demanding, as she moved closer to him. She came up to his shoulder and had to look up to his face. His expression was almost feral and his eyes had darkened with desire. He wanted her and was having a hard time denying himself.
"I like trouble, Charlie. Are you trouble, Charlie?" she goaded him.
"Don't do this, Dani," he said.
His voice was dry and hoarse. He wanted her and he felt himself being pushed closer and closer to the edge of the point of no return.
"I'm trouble, too, Charlie. Want me to show you how much trouble I am?" she purred.
The words penetrated his skin and were soaked up by his soul. He wanted her to show him that and more. Dani didn't wait for me to respond, though. She grabbed his shirt and forced his face down to her level then devoured his mouth with her own. Her kiss of passion ignited him. Charlie couldn't contain himself any longer. He grabbed her hair and started a war of sexual dominance between them. They began to savage each other like two predatory animals looking to dominate the other. The beasts were out of their cages. There was no going back.
