9
The next morning, I walked into Intelligence to see everyone still here, moving about as if on a mission. I looked at Kevin as he was passing me.
"Hey what's going on?" I asked.
"Another murder." he said. I winced at the thought.
"When?" I asked.
"Two this morning." he replied walking around me.
"Is it the same guy?" I asked and he nodded.
"Guns a match." he replied. I was confused. I got no calls to come in. I checked my phone to be absolutely sure. Nothing. I moved over to Hank's office and leaned in.
"Hey. There was another murder, and I wasn't called. Who was it?" I asked. Hank was just getting out of his chair with papers in his hands.
"I needed your head to be clear for these interviews so I decided you'd sit this one out." he said. I shook my head even more confused.
"Who was the victim?" I asked. He looked at me with sympathetic eyes.
"Viola Bernstein." he replied. My entire body went numb now as I took in the name.
"Mrs. Bernstein?" I said in shock as I shook my head. This was not happening. Why would anyone go after her? Because she is good and someone wants to kill that good. I turned and began to move back to my desk grabbing my badge and gun.
"Levi stop!" Hank called as he approached behind me. I looked at him.
"I have to go to her, I- I need to figure this out!" I said and Hank shook his head.
"This is not your case! You are way too close to this and I've decided you will be on the sidelines as a consultant only. You will help interview the group members coming in. That's it." he stated and just walked past me leaving me standing there with my mouth hanging open. How could he take me off this case? How could he not want me in the field helping bring this person down. I may know him.
"Hey, Ashta, some of the group members are here." Kim said after hanging up her work phone. I glanced at her and down before nodding. I couldn't believe I had to sit this one out. Why the hell would Hank do that? It made no sense. I merely turned and moved to the door. Antonio walked beside me.
"I'll help you." he said and I nodded. I had no idea how many people were here, so it would be good to get as much help as we could. As we walked down the hall, Antonio grabbed my forearm and turned me to him. "So Hank knows about us." I stiffened at his words and looked him over.
"How bad is it?" I asked. There was no way he'd take me off a case for sleeping with a coworker. He would have already recommended I transfer to a different department. And I knew it would be me because I knew he and Antonio were close. He just shook his head but looked hopeful.
"Honestly not as bad as I thought. He says he trusts we won't be getting too close again so it doesn't interfere with our job." I winced already not liking the fact that this was just another thing Hank knew about me.
"Maybe we should not see each other. If Hank's going to keep us both here on faith alone, that means at any time he could mistake a single gesture from us as something more." I said and I could see the look of sadness on his face as he looked down and nodded.
"Yeah, maybe we should." he said and walked around me now and I groaned and rubbed my face and went after him.
"Antonio, please, you promise you wouldn't get too close and that this all was just us… fooling around." I said lowly and he raised his arms.
"Well I guess I did get too close. Look let's just get these interviews over with." he said. I moved around him, blocking his path.
"Were you there this morning at Mrs. Bernstein's house?" I asked and he sighed and looked away.
"You know I was." he said and I nodded slowly.
"And you didn't think to call or text me at all? I grew up in that neighborhood, that woman didn't do anything wrong!" I snapped.
"Yeah and neither did the Hayne's or the Lane's!" he said and I groaned.
"Why are we even arguing!" I snapped. Antonio just looked at me with weak eyes and he shook his head.
"I don't know." he said with stress in his tone and he ran his hands over his face. "Look Ashta, I like you, more than I should. And I know that jeopardizes us. So I need to know right now if you feel the same way."
I looked into his deep rich eyes wishing could tell him I liked him, tell him I felt butterflies in my stomach when he was near. But I didn't. I have never felt such feelings for anyone in my life and truth be told, I didn't want to. I sniffled some and shook my head.
"I'm sorry, I don't." I replied and he just nodded and looked down some then up at me.
"Okay. Let's get down to business. You lead the charge on this?" he asked, and I looked him over unsure if he was really okay, but I nodded.
"Alright." I replied and walked around him. He followed behind me and we left into the front lobby. I knew we would talk later if something needed to be said. We walked into the lobby, and a swaying flash of gold tresses is what made me smile first. Standing with her back to me was Mirabella Lake. She was slim and tall with bone straight hair pulled back.
"Mirabella." I approached and she turned to me with vibrant green eyes and a warm smile spread across her lips. Familiar faces were all around me and she moved over to me and hugged me.
"Hey, I got your message. I managed to talk a few of the others into coming, too." she said in a melodic tone. I looked at all of them and smiled.
"Thank you all for coming. We need to figure out who has become unhinged so we can stop them before the kill more people. You all can help us." I said and they nodded. I recognized Connie, a mother who is too overprotective of her kids. She rarely lets them out of her sight. Her parents were killed. And Danny, a sandwich shop employee. It's the longest job he's had since he finds it difficult to hold down a job. He's taking some medicine for the night terrors he's had. All of his family was killed to. Diana, a real estate agent who drinks. Her siblings were killed, but she doesn't talk to her parents anymore.
A few other detectives familiar with the case helped direct each person to a room of their own. I sat in a room alone with Mirabelle with a note pad. She shook her head in disbelief.
"I can't believe someone from our group has done something like this." she said and I nodded slowly.
"Has there been anyone in the group who discusses things that makes you worried for them? Maybe you feel like they'd hurt themselves or others?" I asked and she shook her head.
"Oh you know everyone in our group. We all speak from the heart, but nothing that would send off signals." she said.
"What about the other groups? Surely someone has said something that might make you tilt your head or send off a red flag in your mind." I said and she shrugged shaking her head.
"No one in our group. Maybe they're in the second group. We've all been meaning to come together as a whole group and talk things out." she said. So she wasn't much help. I looked her face over.
"How's John and the kids?" I asked and she bit her lip shaking her head slowly.
"Worried. I mean I've never told him about my past. It's something I want locked away forever. But after hearing about Remy… and then the other murders that are connected, I just can't stop shaking. It's like what if the killer turns on us? I mean even though Remy killed himself, the killer may have scared him into it." she said and I nodded inhaling some as I looked down at my hands.
"You know anything about anyone in the group doing heroin?" I asked. Her eyes flashed a bit and she looked away some.
"I've seen some of the members talking amongst themselves, sharing things, but I could never tell what it was exactly." she explained. I tilted my head.
"You see anyone talking with Remy?" I asked and she nodded calmly.
"Of course, your friend Cesar. Those two have gotten close." she said. I hid my wince as I nodded. I was trying not to think maybe Cesar was more involved then he let on. He's lied already. Could he be the one to have given heroin to Remy which caused him to go off the deep end? Could he be the killer? No there's no way. Cesar would never do anything that would result in him being caged like an animal again. Prison would be just that.
"You think Cesaer is giving out the heroin?" I asked and she shrugged.
"I wouldn't put it past him. Cesar always did get what he wanted. Remy practically worshipped him. He's impressionable." she said. I nodded looking away. It seemed there was way more to Cesar than I knew. "You should ask his wife." My head whipped back to her, eyes widening.
"Wife?" I asked and she nodded.
"Yeah. He's been married for five years now. Has kids and everything." she said before tilting her head confused. "You two have been friends since you were 15 and he never told you?" I shook my head.
"Apparently we aren't as good as friends as I thought." I replied lowly. She winced and leaned over for my hand. I knew it wasn't protocol, but I let my hand find hers.
"I'm sorry. Maybe we should get some coffee later and talk?" she asked and I just nodded.
"Yeah. I'll let you know." I replied and she nodded smiling warmly.
"Well I have to head to work. I'll talk to you later." she said walking around the table. I nodded listening to her feet as they left the room. As soon as the door closed, I gasped quickly, before panting heavily from the panic. I covered my mouth with my hand sobbing into my hand. I couldn't believe what I heard. Cesar was married and still sleeping around with me? How the fuck did I become the other woman! Why didn't he tell me?
I quickly got myself together and wiped my face deciding I had to get through the day. There were more people I had to talk to. But I knew one thing was sure: I couldn't trust Cesar and I felt he may have been more involved in all of this then let on. I shut off my brain for a bit and let my body go into auto pilot. I spoke with other members and heard the same information that Mirabella stated. It seemed Remy was spiraling anyways, and Cesar was in a position to help but didn't. Heroin had found its way into our support group. It helped with the pain and the trauma. As I took down information and notes, I couldn't stop thinking of Mrs. Bernstein. Why was she suddenly targeted? Was it because Antonio and I spoke to her? Was the killer watching us the entire time?
But she only spoke about Cesar. Maybe he had something to do with her death. I wanted to rip his face off and hurt him badly for everything I was hearing about him, but I realized I was only hearing things about him. I would need to get him back in here. But how he wouldn't come back again after asking. But I knew one way to get his attention… by not giving him any. Everything may have been hearsay, but I knew I would definitely be able to find out if he had a family or not. If he did, then I would do what needed to be done. I sat at my desk going through the notes from the other members. Most of the team was out in the streets looking for witnesses to any of the murders and talk to their own CI's about the heroin being supplied to support groups.
Hank came up behind me and I just looked at him, still blank, still feeling nothing from the morning.
"Hey what do we find out form the group?" he asked. I looked back at my screen.
"Heroin may be being sold at the groups. No one has seen it for sure though and Cesar was hanging out with Remy a lot more than expected. He may be selling the heroin, but I can't be sure." I explained. Hank nodded and handed me a folder. "What's this?"
"Your boy's rap sheet. Seems to me, there's things about him you don't know." he said and I quickly opened the file. Drug possession, owning an illegal weapon, assault, armed robbery. "He even has a family. A wife and two daughters." My body froze more at the information he said than the information I had read.
"You looked him up." I assumed and he nodded.
"Of course, I did. I had to, so my statement will hold more meaning to you. I want you to stay away from him." he said. I winced as I saw a new picture on the last page. It was of Cesar and a brunette-haired woman. She was slim with long flowing wavy hair and almond shaped eyes. Her nose was mildly pointed, and she was in a long black dress. She was round with pregnancy too and holding a young girl. She was pretty too. But Cesar, he looked happy. A large grin on his face, wearing a checkered shirt tucked into tan pants. It was like they had just left church. I closed the file and nodded.
"He's never betrayed me before, but in two days he's managed to make my world collapse." I said softly. Because I thought we were each other's worlds. "Love is a human emotion. You don't need it. That's what he said to me." Yet here he was in what looked like a loving marriage.
"Hey, I need you to get your head back in the game Ashta-" But I slammed the file down and got up.
"I need to go somewhere quiet to think." I said and felt his hand immediately grab mine.
"Hey! That can wait. Right now we have some bodies dropping all over and I can't have any of my detectives having an emotional break down right now and doing something stupid." he snapped. What did he think I would become unhinged! I wouldn't voice that thought at all. But he's right. I've never been one to show anything hurt me or got to me. I nodded slowly and took a few breaths.
"I'm good." I replied and he nodded.
"Good. Antonio has managed to get a few names of people who may have been spreading the heroin around your group. I've sent Hailey and Adam over to go pick them up so we can get a better lead on who is spreading the stuff. If we get a lead on the heroin it could lead us to the killer." he told. I just nodded and watched as he turned back to his office.
"And what is it you want me to do?" I asked.
"Sit and calm down. When everyone gets back we'll discuss our next steps." he said entering his office and closing his door. I moved back over to my desk and calmed down merely thinking about all the information I had found out today. I didn't know Cesar at all. Never knew he was in and out of trouble or even married. He kept secrets from me even when I kept him close to me. I got a text and looked to see it was Cesar.
We need to meet.
I didn't even respond.