Woody listened to the buzzer go off that signaled admittance to the
visitation room. He spotted Allen Rodriguez immediately; prison tattoos
covered his tan skin, tall, dark eyes. Woody sat across from him, pulling
out a tape recorder he set it gently down on the worn, white table.
"Morning Mister Rodriguez. I'm Detective Hoyt, call me Woody." He announced, looking the man over, he was young, very young, he was surprised.
"Call me Allen," was all the man said eyeing Woody darkly. "I think I know who killed Jennifer." Woody perked up; either the guy was a genius or a complete idiot.
"Who?" Woody asked his voice shaking slightly, this courage thing was harder than it looked.
"Officer Jansen and Tandy Killed Freedmen, she was working with me to prove it. She got the help of the other officer, Officer Smith, she was sure that he could help, trusted him fully, if you want my expert opinion I'd say they were sweet on each other." He stopped for a deep breath. "Anyways four days ago she comes by to see me, all scared like, says she knows who killed Officer Freedmen and she could prove it. Two days later she's dead, in the same cheap motel as the raid, she said she could trace it up to the big man himself, Chief Haralson." Woody took in a deep cleansing breathe, that was just what he didn't want to hear.
"She told me that if Officer Smith came by tell him to meet her at the T-Line, on Tuesday; I'm not sure what that is..." Allen sighed, "She was good people, get the bastard that did this to her." Woody groaned; Jennifer was smart; she didn't leave much of a trail.
"Anything else Allen? Like could you tell me who killed her?" he asked biting his lip, he wished he had his Prozac now, he needed his Prozac and a soothing cup of tea, maybe a lemon.
"You Okay Mister H?" Allen asked a disturbed look in his eyes that brought Woody back to his senses.
"Yeah Mister Rodriguez, fine." He said shutting the tape recorder off and standing.
"Anyways I have my bets on the Chief and his Goon's." he said, sucking on a cigarette.
"Thanks, if I get anything new I'll tell you... promise." Woody murmured
Woody unlocked his car with that remote unlocky thingy, he had never been gladder for that remote thingy. As he was about to get inside of his Black Escalade, he noticed it. Three parked SUV's, four men in neat black suits were watching him, casually lounging against the big trucks. He felt a fear well up threw him, crackling like lightning, he knew who they were. It was funny how he had come to do good, find the bad guy, now the bad guy was the one who was supposed to be the good guy was the bad guy, it was all very confusing.
"Detective Hoyt, I represent the interest of some very important men." The tallest one said sinisterly, Woody noticed the baseball bat that was jammed nonchalantly in his right hand, he smiled. "I understand you're investigating the murder of Jennifer O'Brian." He asked, he looked like, as Jordan would say, an oil slick in a suit, all smooth and greasy looking. His black hair was slicked back with pomade, he teeth were an unnatural white, almost glowing against his tanned skin, But it was his stature that made Woody swallow hard, he was like a refrigerator with a head on it.
"Might be." Woody stated bravely, he didn't come to Boston to be pushed around by a Joe Montana look-a-like.
"Well, I am here to advise you," he took a step closer to Woody, the smell of cheap beer and tobacco was on his breath. "Not to go along with the case." He just had to tap the headlight of Woody's car, it shattered. "After all, wouldn't want anything to happen to your pretty ME... what's her name.... Jordan Cavanaugh?" he asked shouldering past Woody another man, a little smaller in stature, walked past as well, keying his car as they walked past. All Woody could think was 'damned that was a new car!' he groaned as he watched them load into their big, shiny cars.
He almost ran down the corridor to Nigel's office, and when he saw the lanky Brit sitting at his desk he could have hugged him.
"Nigel, please tell me you have something for me, please, I don't have a lot of time and I need to sit." He slumped into the vinyl chair, pausing for a breath.
"Calm down Woodrow, I come bearing credit reports, apparently she has a taste for steak dinners and train tickets... bought a ticket for the five thirty train on tuesday..."
"Train... the T-Line... I think I know where she was going, there's a stop at the T-Line water plant... she was going to meet him." He whispered to himself. He stood up, thoughts running threw his head, he could feel rage course threw him, It was one thing to threaten him, they threatened Jordan. He was beginning to pace, Nigel watched him with confusion... often he wondered about Jordan's farm boy, sometimes he wondered if he was all there.
"What are you talking about?" he asked, watching Woody fall back into the chair, breathing hard, Woody had yet to tell Jordan that he went to visit Rodriguez, he didn't want her to come along, it was getting to dangerous, he also had yet to notice her standing in the doorway.
"I went to see Allen Rodriguez...Jennifer O'Brian was having an affair with Officer Smith, who was the other officer at that raid... she was suppose to meet him Tuesday at the T-Line, that's all I can tell you, I need everything, credit statements, autopsy reports, the works... listen you can't tell Jordan, she'll freak out."
Jordan smiled, he was keeping this from her, she knew why too. She had a nose for trouble, she'd go after the guy, and he'd have to save her ass once again. She was angry with him, yet she couldn't bring herself to blame him. Nigel's eyes focused on her, over Woody's shoulder... Woody knew what that meant; he winced and turned to meet Jordan's pretty face, she leaned against the wooden doorframe.
"He didn't have to." She said merrily, too merrily.
"Jordan"- he started to explain, she waved him off.
"Its fine Farm Boy, I know, you can't trust me with this type of information, I'll go after him... and I could get hurt..." she took a deep breath, fighting with every ounce of her soul not to knee him in the groin, this trust thing was going to take some time and a whole lot of will power. He sighed, a world weary sigh, she saw that the circles had reappeared, his shoulders drooped. Nigel glanced at Jordan then at Woody, he saw the way Woody drifted in and out of that dream-like state. "I'm sorry Wood, I shouldn't of said that, I know that you're trying to protect me but I don't need protecting," the look in his eyes cut her short.
"Jordan, I love you... so I say this as your friend, you boyfriend and also as the lead detective of this case... stay out of it Baby girl, please, these are very dangerous men, very powerful and very dangerous." She was surprised at the emotion in that 'please' and the way he took her face in his hands, the way his voice cracked, he was pleading with every scrap of soul... his eyes begged, searching for some sign that she would listen, it was like the kidnapping incident all over again, only he was searching inside of her core for some sign of trust.
"Alright," she said finally, wrapping her arms around his neck, he laid his head on her shoulder, taking in the smell of vanilla.
"Thank god... I thought that I was going to have to go to Garret." He said, relief evident in his voice. It was that, that trust that made her smile, he trusted her completely, even before they got together, he had that trust, the thing she didn't have... and he was willing to wait. Coaxing her softly, like a wild horse, that was always to spooked to come threw the gate... he left that gate open, waiting, hoping, and one day she had the courage to come through, he made no sudden movements, and softly bridled her... but never breaking her.
She laughed at his tired joke, she could feel his heart against her chest, beating, slowly but it was beating... even though it was subdued and exhausted, it was still beating.
"Morning Mister Rodriguez. I'm Detective Hoyt, call me Woody." He announced, looking the man over, he was young, very young, he was surprised.
"Call me Allen," was all the man said eyeing Woody darkly. "I think I know who killed Jennifer." Woody perked up; either the guy was a genius or a complete idiot.
"Who?" Woody asked his voice shaking slightly, this courage thing was harder than it looked.
"Officer Jansen and Tandy Killed Freedmen, she was working with me to prove it. She got the help of the other officer, Officer Smith, she was sure that he could help, trusted him fully, if you want my expert opinion I'd say they were sweet on each other." He stopped for a deep breath. "Anyways four days ago she comes by to see me, all scared like, says she knows who killed Officer Freedmen and she could prove it. Two days later she's dead, in the same cheap motel as the raid, she said she could trace it up to the big man himself, Chief Haralson." Woody took in a deep cleansing breathe, that was just what he didn't want to hear.
"She told me that if Officer Smith came by tell him to meet her at the T-Line, on Tuesday; I'm not sure what that is..." Allen sighed, "She was good people, get the bastard that did this to her." Woody groaned; Jennifer was smart; she didn't leave much of a trail.
"Anything else Allen? Like could you tell me who killed her?" he asked biting his lip, he wished he had his Prozac now, he needed his Prozac and a soothing cup of tea, maybe a lemon.
"You Okay Mister H?" Allen asked a disturbed look in his eyes that brought Woody back to his senses.
"Yeah Mister Rodriguez, fine." He said shutting the tape recorder off and standing.
"Anyways I have my bets on the Chief and his Goon's." he said, sucking on a cigarette.
"Thanks, if I get anything new I'll tell you... promise." Woody murmured
Woody unlocked his car with that remote unlocky thingy, he had never been gladder for that remote thingy. As he was about to get inside of his Black Escalade, he noticed it. Three parked SUV's, four men in neat black suits were watching him, casually lounging against the big trucks. He felt a fear well up threw him, crackling like lightning, he knew who they were. It was funny how he had come to do good, find the bad guy, now the bad guy was the one who was supposed to be the good guy was the bad guy, it was all very confusing.
"Detective Hoyt, I represent the interest of some very important men." The tallest one said sinisterly, Woody noticed the baseball bat that was jammed nonchalantly in his right hand, he smiled. "I understand you're investigating the murder of Jennifer O'Brian." He asked, he looked like, as Jordan would say, an oil slick in a suit, all smooth and greasy looking. His black hair was slicked back with pomade, he teeth were an unnatural white, almost glowing against his tanned skin, But it was his stature that made Woody swallow hard, he was like a refrigerator with a head on it.
"Might be." Woody stated bravely, he didn't come to Boston to be pushed around by a Joe Montana look-a-like.
"Well, I am here to advise you," he took a step closer to Woody, the smell of cheap beer and tobacco was on his breath. "Not to go along with the case." He just had to tap the headlight of Woody's car, it shattered. "After all, wouldn't want anything to happen to your pretty ME... what's her name.... Jordan Cavanaugh?" he asked shouldering past Woody another man, a little smaller in stature, walked past as well, keying his car as they walked past. All Woody could think was 'damned that was a new car!' he groaned as he watched them load into their big, shiny cars.
He almost ran down the corridor to Nigel's office, and when he saw the lanky Brit sitting at his desk he could have hugged him.
"Nigel, please tell me you have something for me, please, I don't have a lot of time and I need to sit." He slumped into the vinyl chair, pausing for a breath.
"Calm down Woodrow, I come bearing credit reports, apparently she has a taste for steak dinners and train tickets... bought a ticket for the five thirty train on tuesday..."
"Train... the T-Line... I think I know where she was going, there's a stop at the T-Line water plant... she was going to meet him." He whispered to himself. He stood up, thoughts running threw his head, he could feel rage course threw him, It was one thing to threaten him, they threatened Jordan. He was beginning to pace, Nigel watched him with confusion... often he wondered about Jordan's farm boy, sometimes he wondered if he was all there.
"What are you talking about?" he asked, watching Woody fall back into the chair, breathing hard, Woody had yet to tell Jordan that he went to visit Rodriguez, he didn't want her to come along, it was getting to dangerous, he also had yet to notice her standing in the doorway.
"I went to see Allen Rodriguez...Jennifer O'Brian was having an affair with Officer Smith, who was the other officer at that raid... she was suppose to meet him Tuesday at the T-Line, that's all I can tell you, I need everything, credit statements, autopsy reports, the works... listen you can't tell Jordan, she'll freak out."
Jordan smiled, he was keeping this from her, she knew why too. She had a nose for trouble, she'd go after the guy, and he'd have to save her ass once again. She was angry with him, yet she couldn't bring herself to blame him. Nigel's eyes focused on her, over Woody's shoulder... Woody knew what that meant; he winced and turned to meet Jordan's pretty face, she leaned against the wooden doorframe.
"He didn't have to." She said merrily, too merrily.
"Jordan"- he started to explain, she waved him off.
"Its fine Farm Boy, I know, you can't trust me with this type of information, I'll go after him... and I could get hurt..." she took a deep breath, fighting with every ounce of her soul not to knee him in the groin, this trust thing was going to take some time and a whole lot of will power. He sighed, a world weary sigh, she saw that the circles had reappeared, his shoulders drooped. Nigel glanced at Jordan then at Woody, he saw the way Woody drifted in and out of that dream-like state. "I'm sorry Wood, I shouldn't of said that, I know that you're trying to protect me but I don't need protecting," the look in his eyes cut her short.
"Jordan, I love you... so I say this as your friend, you boyfriend and also as the lead detective of this case... stay out of it Baby girl, please, these are very dangerous men, very powerful and very dangerous." She was surprised at the emotion in that 'please' and the way he took her face in his hands, the way his voice cracked, he was pleading with every scrap of soul... his eyes begged, searching for some sign that she would listen, it was like the kidnapping incident all over again, only he was searching inside of her core for some sign of trust.
"Alright," she said finally, wrapping her arms around his neck, he laid his head on her shoulder, taking in the smell of vanilla.
"Thank god... I thought that I was going to have to go to Garret." He said, relief evident in his voice. It was that, that trust that made her smile, he trusted her completely, even before they got together, he had that trust, the thing she didn't have... and he was willing to wait. Coaxing her softly, like a wild horse, that was always to spooked to come threw the gate... he left that gate open, waiting, hoping, and one day she had the courage to come through, he made no sudden movements, and softly bridled her... but never breaking her.
She laughed at his tired joke, she could feel his heart against her chest, beating, slowly but it was beating... even though it was subdued and exhausted, it was still beating.