Chapter 17-(b)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"How are things going with you, Hobson?" Brigatti
inquired as she entered her office carrying a large
manila envelope. Gary, already seated, noticed as
she removed her coat, that she was still wearing her
shoulder holster and bullet proof vest, the gun flashing
briefly as she hung up her coat. Pushing up her sleeves,
she sat down briskly in her swivel chair across from him.

"I'm.. ah...doing okay--look, why am I here?" Gary
asked trying to sound calm

Brigatti had phoned him to request that he come
down to the police station to answer a few questions
for her. Although he hadn't be subpoenaed, Gary knew
that if Brigatti wanted to see him for questioning he could
either come down willingly or her way. He chose to go
willingly.

He was exhausted and it had already been a busy day
starting off with having to chase down a
taxi which had taken off with an old woman's purse
still on the back-seat. The purse contained most
of her life savings. After returning it to her safely, it
was all Gary could do to get away from the woman
who began smothering him with kisses and hugs.

Later that day, he had prevented two Pitt
Bulls from attacking a young woman returning
home to her apartment. He had first alerted the
animal authorities of the unchained animals, and
then watched from a distance as the huge beasts
were caught and muzzled before being hauled off to
the animal shelter. Across town, at a local park, he
had prevented the death of a young child by stopping
an older boy from performing a deadly wrestling
maneuver on him. The older boy, about age 11,
had seen the move performed by one of his favorite
wrestlers on television the night before.

Right now Gary was irritable. Glancing over at Brigatti,
he wondered what she could possibly want with
him now.

"I've been doing a little investigating Hobson." Brigatti
informed him tapping her pen idly on her desk
while studying him carefully.

"And w-what has that got to do with me?" Gary asked
trying to keep his voice calm.

"Well," Brigatti sighed, "I have a little problem here
and I was just wondering if you could, you know, help
me out."

Not wanting to get involved, Gary shook his
head, "Well...I-I don' know anyth--"

"It's about my job," she said cutting him off quickly.
Placing the pen behind an ear she leaned back in
her chair to stare at him.

"W-well what do I have to do with your job?" Gary
frowned.

"Let me put it to you this way Hobson," Brigatti leaned
forward in her chair. "Think of me as a Gardner, and that
out there is my garden." With a jerk of her head Brigatti
motioned towards the large picture window looking
over the city.

Not sure where Brigatti was going with this little scenario
Gary sat staring quietly at her, his face perplexed.

"So far, every seed I have sown in this case has taken
root and I'm waitin' around for the harvest." she continued.
" But, lately Hobson, it seems to me that instead of everything
comin up roses, it keeps comin up--" She paused
momentarily her eyes flashing and Gary could see the
muscles in her jaw working,

"You." She accused. Looking perplexed she leaned
forward in her chair asking, "W-Why is that?"

Silence.

Her dark eyes flashing impatiently the way they usually did
whenever she was irritated about something, Brigatti
waited letting what she said sink in, her burning stare
making him very uncomfortable.

"Me?!" Gary finally responded, "I-I don't know what
you're talking about!"

Drawing a frustrated breath, Brigatti grabbed the
large manila envelope she had brought in with her
and reached in pulling out what appeared to be a
snapshot taken of two people.

"Do you know her?" she asked, tossing the photo
down on the desk and tapping on the image of the
girl in the picture. Gary's heart did a double flip
when he saw the girl in the photo. It was April,
smiling happily and wearing a very skimpy bathing suit,
while cuddled up to a man old enough to be her father.

Gary studied the photo carefully, his expression totally
dumbfounded, finally admitting quietly, "Y-Yeah..I know
her." His head shot up."Wh-Where'd you get this?"

"Never mind about that. What I want to know is
what do you know about *her*?" Brigatti arched
a quizzical brow at him.

Stunned, Gary didn't know what to say. "W-We're...friends,"
he murmured, his eyes glued to the photo.

"Um hum." Brigatti murmured suspiciously. She pulled
out another photo and plopped it down on the table
beside the first. This one was a picture of the woman
Gary had saved from a holdup in the little corner store
a couple of weeks ago. Pictured sitting next to her
was the same gentleman pictured with April. Gary felt
the bottom of his stomach lurch as he stared at the
picture. He reached up to slide a hand through his hair
What has April gotten into?

"Mr. Danado," he said, his voice barely a whisper as
he finally began to piece something's together.

"Startin' to get the picture Hobson? Er...no pun
intended."

His mind a flurry, Gary sat there staring at the
disgusting photo. He could only blame himself. He
had never really pressured April into telling him
everything that was going on with her. He had not
wanted to upset her and figured that she would tell him
in due time. He loved seeing her happy and at
ease. But, never in his wildest dreams did he
figure she would be involved with anything Brigatti
would be investigating. Or anything as degrading
as these photos might be suggesting. His mind
was such a haze that he didn't hear Brigatti
calling his name.

"Hobson!" Brigatti called again.

Gary glanced up to find her looking at him.

"So." She sat back in her seat, "Do you want to tell
me about it?"

Gary didn't answer. He couldn't answer. He needed
time to think. He needed to see April.

"She looks familiar, Hobson."

Gary simply shrugged, shaking his head slowly
He didn't want to confess his relationship with April
just yet.

"The night I came to the bar to talk to you,
remember that?" Brigatti reminded him.

Gary was silent.

"That's her...isn't it?"

He ruffled the back of his hair with a far away
look in his eyes still refusing to answer.
Brigatti already knew for a fact that the two were
dating, she felt a twinge of jealously, but quickly
dismissed it, besides she would never let him know it.

Feeling more frustrated than sorry for him now, Brigatti
still didn't want to appear entirely unsympathetic to
his situation. She leaned forward, saying, "I didn't just fall
off a turnip truck, Hobson. I already know her name,
I know where she lives, and that she works for a law firm.
A new law firm under the name Davees, Davis and Daly,
formally known as Davees, Danado and Daly."

Gary blinked, as the name Danado finally connected,
remembering now that April had told him about the
new law firm that rainy night she walked into the bar.
He remembered now that she had mentioned Danado
as being a part of a law team she worked for. However she
also said that something had happened to Danado but
didn't go into any details about it.

"Danado came up missing." Brigatti's voice cut into
Gary's thoughts. "He had been shot in the back of the
head with that same weapon, his body found a week
later dumped on the outskirts of town." Again she paused
giving him time to think. " Now do you wanna talk?"

Still refusing to believe that April could be involved in
something so horrendous, Gary sat quietly.

Brigatti closed her eyes blew out a frustrated breath,
hating to say what she was about to say next.
"We also know, Hobson, that there were others."

Gary's head shot up. "Others!?"

Brigatti sat staring at him, but she did have a job to do.
"Seems as if your pretty Miss Muffet is up to her little
tuffet in trouble."

To be continued.............................