Chapter 5 State Witness

The next day was a busy one for the CIA Agent Wendell Ryan and Police Sergeant Barbara Marshal. Thanks to the team of private investigators and the invaluable information they provided, Wendell and Barbara were able to be in the right place at the right time to execute several arrests. The crooked law enforcement officers tried to get out of the city when they realized the furniture store items were returned.

With charges being laid, it was a wait and see which officer would crack first. So far, they all were keeping their mouths shut as lawyers raced to the court house to request bail. Barbara was really good at reading people and she correctly surmised that Luis Boyle was the most nervous of the lot and would probably be the first to crack if the pressure was exerted in the right place.

An intense interrogation took place but even though Luis was scared, he was more afraid to cut a deal against the crooked officers he was in trouble with. Barbara decided to back off a bit while Luis contemplated his options. After some further investigations, Barbara unearthed the link between Luis and the crooked officers. It became apparent that Luis and Sergeant Gideon Conway were gambling buddies, and when Luis got in too deep in debt, Gideon offered him a way out. All he had to do was use his store room at the back of the barbershop to keep some documents for Gideon. For all intents and purposes Luis was not actively involved in the human trafficking crime but he knew what was going on because he would have been a fool not to take a read of the documents he was storing.

Being an experienced officer taught Barbra to use whatever tools or information that was available as leverage to convince a perpetrator to confess. The gambling problem that Luis had was the information that the seasoned officer planned to use to get him to cooperate. As she re-entered the interrogation room her approach was sympathetic.

"Luis, I know you said that you had nothing to say and I respect your right to be silent. All I ask is that you listen to what I have to say". Luis tried his best to look confident and calm but failed miserably.

"I have been an officer for a long time and in my line of work you see a lot of things that if I had a choice I would prefer not to have seen. Several years ago, the job started to take a toll on me and added to that, my marriage was falling apart. Before I realized what was happening I began dulling the pain of everyday life with alcohol. I know from personal experience that addiction can creep up on you without you noticing. During the drunk period of my life I made some choices that makes me shudder up to now when I think about them". Barbara paused for effect and shook her head before resuming her tale.

"Long story short, I thought I could sober up without help…ha…. what a joke, I only fooled myself. The alcohol began to affect my ability to do my job properly and someone at work who cared about me, someone who saw the mess I was making of my personal and professional life had the courage to speak to me straight, and I listened. It took me two stints in rehab while on unpaid medical leave for me to get my act back together".

Barbara leaned forward and kept her eyes steadfastly on Luis' face. "Luis, you have an addiction problem the same as me. It does not matter whether the poison is drugs, booze, nicotine or gambling…. addiction is addiction. Sergeant Gideon Conway saw your addiction and rather that speaking to you straight as a friend, and encouraging you to get help, he took advantage of the weakness you have. He and his crooked buddies used you. And now here you are sitting in an interrogation room in a Manhattan police department with a long list of charges filed against you. Luis, Gideon and his friends used you before and believe me they will use you again. I would not be surprised if he is cutting a deal with the District Attorney as we speak. It would not surprise me if you are the sacrificial lamb that will be left standing. Remember Gideon and the other dirty cops are experienced officers, they know the loopholes, they know how to work the system. What experience do you have Luis?"

By this time there were beads of perspiration on Luis' face as Barbara's words resonated in his mind. She got up without another word and prepared to leave the room as Luis said in a scared voice "Wait".

Turning back to look at him Barbara asked, "Wait for what?"

Luis hung his head as he began to speak. "I never knew Gideon was mixed up in so much wrong. At first, he seemed like a nice guy, you know, someone to have a beer with and play some cards. Up to now I do not know how the card games got so out of hand. Before I knew it I was in a deep financial hole. Then he told me he would write off the debt if I kept some papers for him. I swear I did not know he was involved in trafficking. It was months before I decided to take a look at the papers I kept for him. He began to act paranoid, and slightly violent so I began to wonder just what was going on. As luck would have it he stopped by the barbershop unexpectedly and found me going through the documents. I had never seen him so angry. He took a swing at me and I punched back. Next thing I knew we were fighting and I got the crap beaten out of me. He told me if I breathed a word to anyone about what I saw in the documents he would find my mother in Florida and kill her and then he would kill me. I believed he would so I kept my mouth shut".

Barbara listened and she believed Luis told her the truth. "Luis, I can speak with the District Attorney and get you in the Witness Protection Program. I can also get you in to a rehab facility for addiction at your new relocation address if you are willing to be a witness for the state and tell me everything you know", Barbara said as she laid her cards on the table.

Slowly Luis nodded his assent and Barbara began putting things in place to make her commitment to Luis become a reality.

"Wendell just called me, he got back from issuing a search warrant at Congressman Sanders business place. Unfortunately, he and his team found nothing suspicious or incriminating. It is possible the congressman could be clean but my gut is telling me he is involved somehow", Terry shared with his co-workers. "I know technically we have closed our case because Mr. Samuel got back his property, I just want all the loose ends tied, I want all who were involved to face jail time".

The guys all agreed with Terry's desire. "At least Barbara was able to get the Luis guy to cut a deal, and the police officers will face the courts. Hopefully more of them will talk and if there are other officers involved who we are not aware of, they too will face jail time", Edgar added. He really hated to see the name of the police department pulled down by corrupt officers. One dirty cop made them all look dirty, and as a former officer who was straight laced he took officers who soiled the image of the department personally.

Jim stood off to the side rubbing his chin in deep thought. "If we knew someone working at the congressman's business place, someone who was honest, it might give us eyes and ears on what is really going on behind the scenes".

David looked at Jim with a smile as he added his two cents to the conversation. "Hey Jim Boy, are you used to hanging out with financial analysts and investment bankers? Maybe you might know someone working there? I can see it now…., you have a rich aunt and you are her favorite nephew so she sent some cash your way. And you have a few rich friends on speed dial in that industry that can help us". By now David was laughing out loud at his own joke.

Jim was not one to take offence at David teasing, so he volleyed the joke back to David with "No not a rich aunt….I have a Sugar Mama". All the guys laughed out right at Jim's alleged Sugar Mama.

After a few more minutes of light hearten teasing among the friends David asked where Hildy and Kami were. "I am not sure. Hildy called this morning and said that she and Kami had a few things to take care of before coming in to work later today", Terry informed the team. "I hope they get here soon. Maybe they can add some ideas on what else we can do to assist Barbara and Wendell with their cases". The guys all nodded they agreement as they began working on other cases that needed their attention.

Earlier that day when the ladies woke up they continued their conversation from the night before.

"Darling, what do you want to do next?" Hildy asked as they lay wrapped in each other's arms.

Kami sighed as she began caressing her lover's arm as she responded in a soft voice. "I have to find out if Dexter is involved. It will keep nagging at me if I don't. The man I knew all those years ago was an upright citizen and would never allow himself to be drawn into any shady business. But a lot of years have passed and who knows what experiences he may have had to colour his outlook on life or to alter some of his core values".

They stayed like that in each other's arms for several minutes before Hildy began to want more. She could not explain it exactly but she felt that she needed to mark her woman afresh before meeting with Dexter. She knew it was inevitable that their paths will cross, maybe as soon as today. Hildy began to kiss and suck, kiss and suck the spot just to the top and side of Kami's left collar bone that she knew make her lady purr. Then she moved higher to the side of her neck and bit down. Not enough to cause serious pain but enough to be firmly felt. She then blew warm air on the spot before doing it again and again. Kami literally whimpered in her arms. Hildy knew the ministrations to her lover's neck would leave a very noticeable mark, and that is why she did it. She wanted everyone... no... she wanted a certain former lover to know that Kami was sexually active and her lover had sole claim on her body.

Hildy felt a passion that was almost animal in nature at times when she thought about her attraction for her future wife. Her feral nature came to the surface as she felt not just protective of her lover but very possessive. When these thoughts filled her mind, she used all the self discipline training she learned through the years to keep an emotionally healthy balance between the protective - possessive feelings. However, on a day like today she could not avoid the tipping of the scales in favor of possession. Hildy's gut instinct told her that the path she and Kami' jointly occupied at present was going to collide with the path Kami transverse in the past. With these thoughts and feelings flooding her mind and heart, she felt the need to mark her territory over her lady.

She proceeded to make love with Kami in a way that while it was loving and considerate as it always was, it took on an added alpha female quality that had Hildy dominating her lover. Her deliberate and knowledgeable touches had Kami's body peaking and cascading repeatedly into a kaleidoscope of colours as she experienced multiple orgasms. Every time Kami's body cascaded into pleasure, Hildy kissed her again. Each kiss was different from the one before. Some kisses captured her lips on her face will others captured the lips in her garden.

Hildy knew her lady's body was almost at the point of over sensitivity so she slowed down the pace that lead to the last orgasm of that morning. When she entered her lover, she did so slowly and then with her fingers buried deeply in Kami's chamber, Hildy used the palm of the same hand to just gently cover while holding Kami's flower bouquet. The gesture was intimate in its simplicity. That one gesture communicated a message that was fraught with meaning. Hildy was the sender and Kami was the receiver. The message Hildy sent said.… I love you and I am here… I will cover you and shield you as I protect you…. your body is mine.

Kami received, understood, and accepted the message. She looked into her lady's dark green eyes while being touched so intimately, and placed her hands on either side of Hildy's face. She gave her own form of feedback by slowly undulating her hips thereby drawing Hildy's fingers deeper and deeper into her. The build up to that orgasm was slow and resulted in an equally slow explosion of feelings and colours.

"You are mine", Hildy softly whispered into her lady's ear.

"Always", was Kami's soft reply.

By the time they got out of bed it was mid morning. Kami felt sore all over but in a way, that kept a smile on her face. Feeling satiated she went to the computer to see what information she could find out on Dexter while Hildy prepared a late breakfast for them.

Using her shadow program to walk between financial records, government records, hospital medical records, and restricted social media contacts, Kami was able to piece together a picture of the present-day Dexter.

"So, what did you find out about Dexter?" Hildy asked as she laid a breakfast tray in front of her lady and gently kissed the top of her head. Kami smiled up at her lover as she thanked her for breakfast. She was grateful to Heavenly Father for allowing her path to cross with Hildy, her life felt so much richer for having Hildy in it. Sometimes words failed her when she tried to adequately express the feelings of her heart.

"Hildy, I know you know this but I cannot say it too often...I love you. You have enriched my life in ways you can't begin to imagine. Heavenly Father knew what he was doing by allowing me to have my past failed relationships, they have made me more appreciative of what I have now. Thank you my love". With those words Kame kissed Hildy's hand and then wrapped arms around her as they held each other in a tight embrace.

"I love you too, sweetheart. After God, you are my world. I don't know how I would survive if you were not here by my side". These words were spoken by Hildy with such solemnity that they brought tears to Kami's eyes. For a few moments, the ladies put aside all thoughts of the case and Dexter's involvement as they looked at each other.

Then Hildy took Kami's hand and lead her back to their bedroom as she knelt at the side of their bed. Kami joined her as they both offered a prayer of thankfulness to their Creator for the blessing He bestowed on them. When they were finished with their Celestial communication they headed back to the office in their penthouse to face what the computer programs found out about Dexter.