CHAPTER 5

HUNTER WOULD NEITHER FORGIVE NOR FORGET

Regal could tell the minute Alexa walked into his office that she'd been told about the Des Moines detectives and their accusation against her fiancé. Between the fire flashing in her blue eyes and the steam he would swear was billowing from her head, the woman was ready to explode. Fortunately, Alexa closed his office door before snarling, "They actually accused Mox of murdering his sister?!"

Regal waved a hand to a chair and waited until Alexa finally sat down before responding. "It appears so."

"Appears?!" Alexa hissed.

Regal patiently waited until Alexa finally calmed down. "Yes, apparently. I had an interesting conversation with Chief Malenko late yesterday afternoon. I called him, as a courtesy, to let him know I was filling a formal complaint with Detectives Kim and Ziggler's commander as well as the Des Moines Chief of Police. Chief Malenko informed me he'd already had a similar conversation with his counterpart in Des Moines regarding their actions. Specifically, that they'd tried to do an end run around the locals to question Mr. Moxley when they knew I'd informed them that all contact was through me."

Regal grimly smiled. "Chief Malenko was not happy, and I don't imagine those two individuals received a kind reception when they returned to Des Moines. Along with the formal complaints, I sent a letter out via next day delivery to the Des Moines Chief of Police stating that if this occurred again, I would be filing a lawsuit against those detectives, the Des Moines PD and the city of Des Moines on behalf of Mr. Moxley for violation of his Constitutional rights."

Alexa nodded in approval.

"Chief Malenko further stated that Detective Styles had investigated the child's death himself," Regal continued. "Apparently, as a father, crimes against children are sometimes somewhat of a trigger for him. He's convinced the cause of death, due to a birth defect of the heart, is accurate and apparently took quite the exception to the accusations of the Des Moines detectives."

"Really?" After a moment, Alexa wryly smiled. "I guess I'll have to revise my opinion of Detective Styles."

Regal hummed under his breath. "Apparently, Detective Cena thinks that the Des Moines detectives planned to use the accusation to pressure Mr. Moxley in regards to the murder of Leah Moxley."

Alexa's blue eyes narrowed as she thought. "They think Mox murdered Leah or had her murdered in order to keep her quiet about his sister's death? Blackmailing him? Maybe even going to use that as a motive for Jack Moxley's death as well?"

Regal nodded in approval. "Mr. Moxley was quite shaken by the accusation which is why I got him out of there before he could say anything which could be misconstrued." He carefully chose his words. "He was mumbling about monsters who hurt babies."

Alexa nodded. "When I couldn't get him on the phone, I called Mr. Reigns. He explained what had happened. After that, Mox texted me that he couldn't talk then…that he just wanted to sleep. But he's coming over to my place for dinner tonight."

Regal nodded. "The two young ladies who came to get him and his car were obvious friends of his. I had no qualms about their taking control of the situation." He sighed. "All in all, I don't believe the Des Moines detectives will get anything more than the minimal amount of cooperation from the local PD."

Alexa got to her feet. "Maybe the Des Moines Chief will pull the case from them."

"In any case, be on your guard in case the buggers return," he snarked. Then he smiled. "Forgive me…how did things go in Columbus? Everything settled?"

Alexa widely smiled. "Went like clockwork. Judge Daniels was very firm and clear about the restitution and community service. He's keeping oversight until the terms are completed in two years."

"Excellent! Hopefully they've learned their lesson."

"So do I."

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"Well, as long as you're here, I can use you," Toni Storm smiled as she sipped her coffee.

Becky Lynch smiled in response. She'd disliked her new boss on sight and felt the other woman disliked her as well. "What can I do?"

"Since you're new in town and no one in the Bloodline here knows you, I want you to keep an eye on this woman." Toni held out her phone.

Becky studied the picture. A pretty blonde-haired woman who obviously went in for the goth look. "Attractive," Becky snarked.

Toni just raised her eyebrows and put her phone in her pocket. "Her name is Scarlett DuBois, and she manages The Tarot Club in the French Quarter. She's also a close associate of Damien Priest who runs the Bloodline here." She gave Becky a crooked smile. "It's rumored she keeps her people in line with voodoo."

"And they believe that?" Becky chuckled.

"Enough they stay in line," Toni pointed out. "Keep an eye on her. I want to know who she contacts and how often. You can email me the pictures from your phone. We won't meet again until I contact you." She got to her feet and casually looked around the crowded coffee shop before walking away.

Behind her back, Becky sketched a mocking salute then settled back in her chair. 'Voodoo…stuff and nonsense.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Mr. Lashley, good morning. Coffee?" Hunter indicated the carafe of coffee and pastries on the breakfast cart.

"No, thank you, sir," Lashley politely declined as he sat down. "I'll be out checking on some of our crews after our meeting. Best I drink some later."

Hunter chuckled. "Good planning. Anything critical I need to know about?"

"Perhaps not critical, but two Des Moines homicide detectives questioned Jon Moxley here yesterday," Lashley reported. "My contact said they met with Detectives Cena and Styles then left with a box that they'd brought in."

"Who are these detectives?"

"Detective Gail Kim and Detective Dolph Ziggler." Lashley put a folder on the table. "I did some checking on them. It's not complete, and I have some feelers out for more…details about their professional careers."

"Hmmm…" Hunter nodded. "Are they clean?"

Lashley hesitated. "Unknown. The best I can say at this point is that there are no open Internal Affairs investigations on them. I have our IT group searching for more, but they are having to move slowly and delicately."

"Let me know as soon as you have anything," Hunter ordered. "Any idea what was in the box?"

"Most likely the released effects of Leah Moxley," Lashley replied. "Those would've been returned to her son. However, all four detectives returned to the precinct with Jon Moxley. At that point, a…disagreement occurred between the detectives. Apparently, it was over questioning Moxley before his attorney arrived."

Hunter raised his eyebrows.

"It was settled by Chief Malenko." Lashley's dark eyes twinkled. "Moxley's attorney, William Regal, arrived soon afterwards. The questioning didn't last long. Regal left with Moxley who looked extremely shaken. Detective Styles, however, left no one in doubt of his opinion of the Des Moines detectives. Moxley had a younger sister who died before the age of one. Moxley wasn't quite two at the time. For some reason, Kim and Ziggler accused Moxley of murdering his baby sister. Styles ranted that he'd investigated the child's death, and it was from natural causes…a birth defect of her heart."

Hunter thought for a few moments. "Possibly a ploy to pressure Moxley because they have him as a suspect in Leah's murder…and possibly her late husband's as well."

Lashley barely shrugged.

"Interesting," Hunter mused. Then he leaned forward and continued, "For your information and reference, Flair's psychiatric evaluation is ongoing. Not surprisingly, the prosecution's psychiatrist says Flair is sane. The psychiatrist engaged by Flair's attorney says he's not. So, the court has ordered their own psychiatric evaluation. While you're out checking on some of the crews, keep an open ear for anyone talking or speculating about Flair's arrest. I don't want anyone getting any ideas or going rogue."

"Understood. And, concerning Mr. Flair, I did some checking on this Steve Austin," Lashley added. "Apparently, Austin was originally with the FBI. His partner on several FBI investigations and operations was Chief Dean Malenko."

Hunter leaned back in his chair in surprise.

"Years ago, the late Mr. Orton was working with Mr. Flair when Austin was part of an FBI investigation that blew up in the FBI's face," Lashley continued. "From what I can tell, the FBI leadership overruled their agents on the ground and moved in too quickly. After that, Austin left the FBI for the DOJ."

"Flair's attorney told me Austin had given her a message for Flair," Hunter recalled. "Apparently, Flair was concerned enough about it that his attorney felt a psychiatric evaluation was necessary."

"What was the message?" Lashley asked.

"Tell Ric that old Stone Cold sends his regards," Hunter answered.

"Stone Cold was Austin's code name in the FBI. Chief Malenko's was Iceman."

Hunter stood and stared out the window for almost a minute. "We sent Friedman to Flair. Flair…took care of that problem. Flair's arrested and one of the people around him, someone we sent to him, turns out to be an undercover FBI agent. When the warrant they had gets dismissed by a judge, Malenko must have contacted Austin. Somehow Austin weasels his way into Flair's investigation."

"You think Chief Malenko must have mentioned Mr. Orton to him," Lashley surmised.

Hunter nodded and turned around. "And Austin sent the same message to Malenko to give to Orton." Which meant Austin was responsible for Orton's decision to commit suicide. And that was something Hunter would neither forgive nor forget.