"Is Jessie asleep?" Robert asked as John came down the stairs.
"Yeah. Where's Patrick?"
"Sleeping."
"Good, he needed it. Have you heard from Nathan?"
Bailey nodded. "He'll be here shortly. There wasn't anything we could use on the apartment building's security tapes but there was a bank across the street so he went over and processed their tapes as well."
"So what's our plan tomorrow?" John asked sitting down on the couch.
"I'm gonna have George go over to the safe-house early tomorrow so he could supervise the installation of the equipment. Sam and Grace are going to take care of getting the essentials we need...so if you have any food requests make a list. I figure you and Jessie can hang around with Patrick until we go to the wake at four. The funeral is at 9:00 a.m. Wednesday morning so we should be at the safe-house no later than noon. Then, we work on nailing the bastards."
"Who's in on where we're going?"
"Just us. Boston P.D. and Patrick's people will continue to watch the penthouse and the businesses but they will not know where we are going." Bailey said as he picked up his vibrating phone from the table. "Nate's here."
"We'll need George's computer," Nate said excitedly as he walked in. "We got 'em."
They all went to Patrick's office, where George had set up his equipment, and waited as George downloaded the information on the disc.
"They managed to avoid all the camera's in the apartment building," Nathan told them. "But they didn't know about the camera outside the bank that faces the street. We've got them clearly as they get out of the car and go into the building and we have them coming out...with blood on their clothes. Fast forward to 10:34, George."
"That's Roy Langston..." Sam noticed as soon as the fast forwarding stopped.
"And Steven Lewis," John added.
"Who's the other guy?" Bailey asked watching the screen.
Everyone seemed to turn to Robert at once.
"I don't recognize him." He told them.
They watched the three men talk for a few moments and then enter Sal's apartment building.
"Okay, now fast forward to 12:22."
They watched as the three men exited Sal's building. Roy Langston and Steven Lewis had blood on their shirts and Steven Lewis was nervously wiping his hands on his jeans, which also had blood on them.
"George, run the third guy through facial recognition...maybe we'll get a hit there.."
They watched as George isolated the suspect's face and magnified it so they could get a clear, close-up of him. George uploaded the picture into the facial recognition program and seconds later thousands of images blinked across the screen before finally stopping.
"That's our guy." Bailey patted George's shoulder.
"Thomas Krieger.." George read the screen. "Age 37...born in Brooklyn, NY...arrested for assault and battery, assault with a deadly weapon...suspect in 1,2,3...8 murder cases...weapon's charges...more assaults..."
"Sounds like he's a guy for hire."
"And you've never seen him before...dealing with anyone Patrick knows or maybe one of the other Boston families.."
Robert shook his head. "No, I've never seen or heard of him."
"Okay, well now that we've put names to the suspects we need to work on motive. John go to the Boston P.D. in the morning and see what information they have on Krieger...we'll need to know if he's a visitor or if he's been in Boston for long...remember to be back to go with Jessie. Nathan, we'll need to talk to Patrick's men again...this time about Thomas Krieger. We have a lot to do before the wake tomorrow, so I suggest we call it a night and start early." Bailey looked at his watch, it was almost midnight. "We'll get everything rolling at 6:00 a.m."
"There are three guest bedrooms...two with double beds and one with two single beds. I'll crash in here on the couch." Robert unsuccessfully stifled a yawn.
"Grace and I could share a bed." Sam offered and Grace nodded in agreement.
"Nathan...George you two take the room with the single beds...John, you can have the other room. I'll take the couch in the living room."
"Bailey, you sure? I can sleep on the couch-"
"Take the bed John, I'll be fine."
Jessie rolled over and looked at her alarm clock. It was 4:30 a.m. She had probably got more sleep in the last twelve hours than she did the entire week so she felt like she was hung over. Like she had been sleeping for days instead of hours. She got up yawning, went to her dresser for some clothes and headed to her bathroom to take a shower.
She felt much better after the shower. She had let the hot water run down her body until it started to turn cold and it seemed to have relieved the tension and she no longer felt hung over. She left her room and went downstairs. Noticing Bailey on the couch she walked down the hall to her Father's bedroom and entered quietly. She stood by his bed and watched him sleep for a few moments, then gave him a feather-light kiss on the cheek before leaving. Not wanting to wake anyone up she headed for the kitchen. She hadn't eaten since the flight from Georgia and her stomach was definitely sending 'feed me' messages.
"Nice...they ordered pizza." She said aloud as she took two plain slices from the box, then she went to the refrigerator to get herself a drink. Passing up the soda, milk, and orange juice, she grabbed a beer. "Sweet."
"Little early for a beer..." Bailey walked into the kitchen and smiled as Jessie jumped when she heard his voice.
"I didn't wake you, did I?"
"No, I was thirsty." Bailey got a glass and poured himself some milk. "Want some?" He shook the milk container at her.
"No thanks...don't like milk."
"Juice then?"
"No thanks, I'm fine with what I have...and don't go all adult on me, I am twenty-one."
"I know...are you okay?"
"I'm fine Agent Malone-"
"Bailey...call me Bailey."
Jessie nodded smiling. "I'm fine, Bailey."
"Really?" Bailey raises his eyebrows in disbelief.
"Well...as fine as I can be considering the circumstances. I'm trying not to think about it so much...cause it hurts...when I do. Both times I woke up I was hoping it was all a dream...that everything was okay. That everyone was okay. They're gonna catch up to us eventually, right? You can't protect us forever."
"We have a lead on who they are now. We'll get them...and I'll protect you for as long as it takes."
"Thanks, Bailey."
"You're welcome. John's family is our family...don't ever forget that." He sat down next to her and went through the pizza boxes until he found a pepperoni slice. "Mmm...cold pizza."
Jessie laughed.
They sat in the kitchen talking quietly about anything and everything for an hour before anyone else got up. They laughed as others started walking around looking like zombies.
"Coffee," Robert said groggily as he went to the cabinet that had the coffee mugs.
Jessie laughed. "Good morning to you too."
Robert smiled a sleepy smile and kissed the top of her head. "Morning, Jess. How long have you been up?"
"About 4:30."
He sat at the kitchen table in front of her. "Yuck...I'm glad you woke up Bailey and not me."
"She didn't wake me...she was very quiet," Bailey told him.
"What time is it anyway?" Robert asked squinting at his watch.
"Almost seven."
"I'm gonna call one of the guys downstairs and have them get some breakfast...any special requests?" Robert stood up as he finished the last of his coffee.
"We had pizza." Bailey winked over at Jessie.
"Cold pizza...yum. Okay then, I'll have him get bagels, muffins and a few orders of pancakes scrambled eggs and toast from the diner down the street. Jess, I'm gonna use your bathroom to take a shower."
"There's a clean towel hanging up behind the door." She told him as he left the kitchen. "Busy day today, huh?"
"Very...we have to follow up on the crime scene, try to get a location on the now identified suspects, get the safe-house setup, go to Ms. Grey's wake and keep the three of you safe."
"I forgot that was today...the wake, I mean." She said sadly, then looked a Bailey. "Safe-house?"
Bailey forgot Jessie didn't know about the safe-house yet, so he gave her the basics. "It's just a location no one is going to know about but us. These guys know too much about where you go and where you stay...so we're gonna change that for a while...for as long as it takes. We're all going so no one has to worry about anyone else...we're going to keep you and your Dad and Robert safe while we track these guys down."
Jessie was unsure but nodded. "When are we going?"
He hesitated for a moment before answering. "Some will go today...and the rest will be there Wednesday."
Bailey sighed in relief when she simply nodded and didn't ask any more questions. He was very happy to let Patrick explain the rest.
TBC...See I kept my promise.. :o)
