Chapter 14 Forced Family
Albert stayed behind and saw Tank and Hector enter the interrogation room with the prisoners. Hector and Tank sat him down. They restrained the men with cuffs around their wrists and ankles.
Tank joined Albert outside the room, on the other side of the two-way mirror.
"Okay, now let me get this straight," Hector said as he removed his knife from his pocket. "You were there when our boss, Ranger Manoso and Stephanie Plum got kidnapped. Then you were also in the cave when Stephanie Plum got forced to get pregnant." Hector started throwing his knife at the table.
"Yeah, I was there, and I have a video of Shawn Stevens and Helen Plum. I recorded their conversation to use as an insurance policy," one of the guys told Hector and Tank.
"Where is this video?" Hector asked as he pressed the knife against the man's neck.
"On my phone. I will turn it over to you if you give me my phone," the guy said. Hector removed the phone he stashed in his pocket and gave it to the man. He watched over the man's shoulder as he unlocked the phone.
The guy went through his phone to find the video of Helen Plum and Shawn Stevens making a deal for five grand. If Stevens got the situation organized to get Stephanie pregnant, Helen would pay Stevens.
"Please, tell me we can use that video," Tank asked Albert.
"He's releasing it to Rangeman so we can use it. However, we should get Lester to have the guy sign an authorization form so that Rangeman can use the video as evidence. We need to maintain the chain of evidence," Albert told Tank.
"I'll get Lester to prepare the form. Once he signs, I will get the Rangeman lab to process the evidence to ensure authenticity. Rangeman is getting full custody of Julie, and we don't want to mess it up," Tank said.
"Sounds good," Albert said. He was pleased Rangeman followed strict protocols for processing evidence. Lester arrived within a few minutes with the form for the man to sign. Tank entered the room to place the form and a pen in front of the man.
The bad guy turned his phone over to Rangeman. "Smart decision," Hector said. "Now, where is Stevens?"
"I don't know. After we finished our part of the job, we went our separate ways. However, I have a phone number to call for a meeting," he said. "I am not going down for this alone," Tim added before giving Hector the phone number.
Hector used Tim's phone to dial and place the call. "Tim, my man. How are you?" Stevens asked when he answered his phone.
"Can we meet?" Tim asked.
"Yeah, we can meet. Sunny Side Mall in one hour in our usual spot," Stevens said, then hung up.
"Let's get you taped up," Hector said. Tank returned to the room with a medic bag. With Hector's assistance, they got Tim ready to meet with Stevens.
An hour later, Tank, Hector, Lester and Hal were waiting at the mall to apprehend Stevens there. They informed Captain Thompson to let him know their plan because Stevens was responsible for killing Morelli. The captain was appreciative and had the officers ready at TPD to charge Shawn Stevens with first-degree murder.
Tim approached Stevens. "Hey, man. Things are starting to heat up. The police are all over this, and so is Rangeman. I want my cut. I earned it because I had to watch someone force that Plum slut to get pregnant," Tim told Stevens.
"Yeah, but the old Plum bitch still owes me five grand. She hasn't paid me yet. I had to kill Detective Morelli and ensure Stephanie Plum couldn't find me. So I don't have your cut. I will get it, but I don't know when," Stevens promised.
"Go," Tank said into his mic. In less than thirty seconds, Stevens and Tim were in cuffs. "Nice job, everyone," Tank said. He was happy his team was efficient. Tank personally handled Stevens. He was not going to let the man escape.
A few hours later, Ranger's phone was ringing. "Guess what, boss, we got Stevens," Tank said. "He and his two henchmen are getting booked, and the DA is also working on a warrant for Helen Plum's arrest. She is not the queen of the Burg anymore."
"Nice work, I will let Stephanie know. Maybe, just maybe, we can put this in our past and finally concentrate on our future," Ranger said before ending the call.
Tank hoped Stephanie and Ranger could heal from the emotional hell their capture had caused. He couldn't imagine how his boss and little girl felt.