Chapter Sixteen: Sometimes it's better not to know…

The room was silent.

The detective and officer were both in shock.

"I am at a loss for words—truly. Is this why you wanted to make sure we turned all our cameras off?" Detective Franks looks pissed. "I worked for you nearly my entire career. Next week would be twenty years. What have you done? Are you a Burkley?"

"Don't you worry, Detective. I am not who I pretend I am. Not that anyone can prove it. Everyone here believes the lie, and that works fine for me. I need you to take this man and these two women into custody. They have sins to atone to. Now!" The detective and officer stand there like they do not know what to do.

"Chief, I do not think that would be wise to do…" Officer Williams started.

"I will do as I need to do. I need great-grandchildren. Maybe a new wife. But my younger grandson needs a wife to give him children. So many decisions to be made. There are so many decisions I look forward to making."

I am looking at the two other cops who appear torn. They technically are supposed to do as their Chief orders. But at the same time what they are being asked to do is not legal.

I see a smile come off of Keith's lips. It's a subtle one which, if you aren't as close to him are Jenna and I are, you might miss it. Going on a hunch, I glimpse towards his hands and he has them in what most would call a fist.

I glance over at Jenna; she sees what I see.

Keith's symbol of 'let it go.'

I give Keith a nod, and he dips his head in response. Jenna does the same.

"Who are your grandsons, Chief? Is it anyone I've met?" Keith asks.

I grab the phone in Keith's pocket. I go to make a call to another one of Keith's coworkers. Then it makes me wonder if they are in on what is happening.

This makes me remember an old friend of Keith's, a friend I have not seen since Jenna and Keith got married. One who told me to call anytime.

I try to find a way to let this man realize that we need him.

I find the number of the man that I need and call him. What I understand of the relationship that Keith and this man have, he will probably already be on the alert.

I am not shocked when I notice that the man on the other end of the phone answers without a word.

I try to make use of this time to make the Chief disclose something that will incriminate himself.

"Chief Burkley, I don't understand what you want to happen and why. Can you please explain it again?" The man just laughs but seems to take the bait.

"Miss Magnolia Rose Stephenson, you are dumb, aren't you? Perhaps I should be grateful that nothing connects our families. Your Mamaw was supposed to marry your Papaw. But they were supposed to take over the family business. The Morris Family business, which he decided he didn't want to be a part of because he was a coward. He wanted a simple life for his bitch of a wife and family."

I pray the friend is getting this and that Keith has his GPS turned on so they can find us.

The man rants on and on about the injustices that he has had to live with because of my family. How he has always wanted to be in charge of the family business, but they demoted him to play small-town cop as he worked his way up the chain of command. When he finished and I was sure that Keith's friend heard him based on a text message that read.

This makes my day. OMW. Local FBI, CIA, and whoever else I can get is almost there. Good job Chris.

"I am glad that I am not your family, but please tell me who is? Don't make me ask again." I am firm in my resolve. This needs to end now.

"I am looking at one of them—a useless grandson. Who does not deserve my last name? Not that he has it. Thank God for small miracles," Chief Burkley says. Or Morris... Or whatever his name is.

"So you're telling me that Keith is one of your grandsons? Does that mean that Keiran is the other one?"

The smile I am being given is sickening.

"Of course. Who else would it be?" He goes to his radio. "This is Chief Burkley and I need any available units to assist in the takedown of five individuals, two officers included."

There is no surprise when there are sirens coming towards the house. This works out in my favor.

I see a vision that this is going to turn out well for us. We are going to be alright. After a move, of course. Besides, who wants to stay in Mississippi if this is what I can look forward to?

"I need psych evaluations on three of the five. Jenna and Keith Christopher and Magnolia Stephenson. The two leftover, let them rot in jail."

I watch and listen as they get closer to us; I peek at Keith and he smiles.

"Your knower is going off?" I mouth and he laughs. "Mine too."

With the phone, I touch Jenna, and she looks at me. I smile and mouth "We good." Jenna lets out a sigh of relief and just as quickly as she does, she goes back to looking scared.

We are better off that way.

I can hear voices outside. The front door opens and several people come in.

"Chief Burkley, what seems to be the issue? And what does almost half of your force have to do with what is going on here?"

Chief Burkley tries to express sadness when he talks to whoever is around us. "Trudy, it is odd to see you here, but I am grateful that you are here. See, Christopher here has been stealing from the department, Franks and Williams knew and let it continue. All the documentation is back at the station."

This Trudy lady seems smart and doesn't seem to think he is telling the truth.

"Well, I guess it is a good thing that you figured that out. Officer Christopher, how long have you been employed by the police department?"

Keith lets go of mine and Jenna's hands and thinks about it. "I moved here after I got out of the service. I started about two months after I moved here. So almost five years I think?"

Jenna nods and looks over to Chief Burkley.

"Thank you, Officer Christopher. I know that there has been a lot of money missing over the years in the station, and it started way before he arrived in Mississippi. Honestly, I think it started two months after you joined the force. You, Chief, not Christopher. What we could not determine was how you made the budget look right each time it was ready to read. Or would it have to do with who the secretary was…"

"For those of you who don't know me, my name is Senior Agent Mackenzie Olson. I am here because one of our agents informed me of a possible lead on the Volturi and Morris Crime Families. Did any of you make a call like that?"

"That would be me, doll. How in the hell are you?" A very loud and masculine voice comes from the phone.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Mister James Hunter. I have missed you, man! Thanks for having my back!"

I hear a joyous laugh on the other end of the phone.

"You are more than welcome, my dear! You know I am here for you anytime… Trudy, I have a confession that you are going to want. It's from the Chief there. He seems to know a lot about the Morris and Volturi families. He's a grandson sent to ruin someone named Magnolia Stephenson."

"That would be my sister from another mister, my Maggie Mae! The person who called you. She is one of the smartest women I've ever met!" Keith says with a laugh.

"Damn straight I am. Now, what I want to know is whether anyone here that Chief Burkley wanted to arrest or put into a psych hold able to leave?"

Trudy she smiles at me. "I am sure that we can come up with some reasons you are not under arrest or needing a mental health eval. Can you promise to behave for a few minutes?" Trudy asks.

"I'm not sure, Ma'am, if my wife can handle that. Just saying."

Keith is such a smart ass.

"I am sorry for how my husband is acting…"

Trudy laughs at Jenna's statement. "I think that Mister Christopher and I will get along just fine. Alright, Hunter, let's get whatever you have to me ASAP. Are you able to come down here and help with the investigation?"

"I need to let work know that I am needing some time off unless I can work from here."

Trudy thinks before responding.

"We will work something out. I got an number here; is that yours?" Trudy asks.

"It is. Alright now, I need to go. I am about to watch a piece of history. Well, local history. You'd love it here, Chris. Once you get over everything being different."

With a laugh, this Hunter guy is off the phone.

"Police Chief Brooks Burkley, you are under arrest for the attempted kidnapping of, well, five people and embezzlement. You have the right to remain silent…" A separate officer reads Chief Burkley his Miranda rights.

Keith looks around the room and sighs. He grabs Jenna and me, pulling each of us into a hug. I'm on his right and Jenna on his left.

"I get things are not clear, but my knower says it will all be alright. Might not be today, but soon things will be different. And we will live a good life. Even if it is not here." Keith tries to reassure us.

"I can see things are going to be rough for a while. But, while we wait for the challenges to be over, we will have each other. I love you both. The brother and sister I have always wanted." I pull Jenna into a hug and enjoy the moment of having my adopted family with me.

No matter what changes happen, they will be with me.

AN:

Here we are in Chapter 16! Hope that you enjoyed it. See are seeing Mackenzie again and meet our future good friend James. He will be a good guy in this one.

This has been a fun week in my house. All is well.

Thank you to my team for making this story awesome! Love you all for it!

And those of you who read and comment, you are amazing! Thank you all for your support!

Hope you all are safe and hope to hear from you soon!

-brier