Backlash, p.21
Backlash, page 21
“The report on this incident will be on your desk within twenty-four hours,” Stinger stated. “My initial report will show this was self-defense pure and simple.”
“We’ll see about that,” Whitaker stated, then slowly walked out of the room.
“Is it me or did that man look to be in pain?” Tess questioned.
“No, it’s not just you,” Stinger said then turned to Nate, “Let your people rally around you. This may be a clean shot, however, anything you say in the presence of me or the Acting Commonwealth Attorney can be used against you in a court of law. I’m going to step out to give my report to my Captain.”
“That was decent of him,” Tony said as Stinger walked out.
“Yeah, and stupid of you Reigns.” Daniels hissed. “You are the big-time attorney here. You know better than to talk to IA without a rep.”
“I am my own rep, Captain. I know what I said to him. And I will say exactly the same thing to each of the next ten interrogators I will have on this.” Nate replied.
“All right…all right…You know the regs inside and out. Is this a clean shoot?” Daniels asked.
“Yes,” Nate replied. “There is nothing here and I have film to back it up.”
Daniels and Tony glanced around the room. “You have cameras in your bedroom?” Tony asked.
Tess stood as her techs lifted the body bag from the floor. “Hmm…that sounds a bit kinky.” She smiled.
“It does, you know,” Tony nodded.
“Nate,” Hayden walked into the room. “Why is the Acting Commonwealth Attorney holding a press conference on your front lawn?”
“He’s being an ass,” Nate replied.
“Are you all finished with him?” Hayden asked.
Nate’s phone buzzed. He pulled it out then glanced down at the message: Frank.
“What the… Where is Chief Williams?” Nate yelled as he looked around. “Is the Chief outside?” He anxiously questioned.
“No. I didn’t see him,” Daniels replied. “Did you call him?”
“He called me to the scene,” Tony replied. “He should have been here by now.”
“Damn it…” Nate cursed then ran into his closet to grab a shirt. “Hayden handle IA for me and secure the house.” He ordered as he put on shoes. Nate pushed a button on his phone then put it to his ear. “Where is he?”
“What in the hell is going on?” Daniels asked.
Suddenly, the cell phone of every officer and detective in the room began to sound. They all checked their phones.
Tony looked at his phone. “Oh shit!”
“Something’s happened with the Chief,” Ledbetter yelled from the doorway.
“What?” Tess stood shocked at the news.
“Where is the Chief?” Daniels yelled into his earwig then listened. “Was he inside the house when it exploded?”
“Unknown,” came the response.
“Get the Chief on the phone now!” he ordered.
“I’m not getting an answer,” Tony replied. “Nate you try.”
“I’m going over there,” Nate replied.
“Reigns you can’t leave the scene.” Daniels stated.
“Like hell I can’t,” Nate replied then ran from the room.
“Hold up Kid, I’m with you,” Tony ran out the door behind him.
Nate ran to his garage and jumped into his vehicle. Tony jumped in as he put the car in reverse. The garage door opened, and he hit the gas.
“Where in the hell do you think you are going Reigns?” Whitaker knocked on the hood of his car.
Nate did not bother to reply. He put his foot on the gas. “Get the hell out of my way!” Whitaker jumped to the side as the car moved forward. Other reporters quickly skirted out of the way as Nate turned onto the main road.
“Slow down, Kid, we want to get there in one piece,” Tony said. “The reporters are going to have a field day with this.”
“I don’t give a damn about the reporters,” Nate hissed. “Do you think this is a coincidence that both of these things happened in one night, Tony?” Nate asked. “Do you think that Vaughan showed up at my house tonight without a plan. I don't know if the plan was to take me and the Chief out in the same night. But that would make sense, right? We're the two people that's coming after them. What other way to make a splash then to hit both of us.”
“Kid, what you're saying is making sense. But we gotta get there to find out, preferably in one piece.”
“I know, Tony. I know. I'm just afraid if I don't get there the Chief may not be there. This is the second time they attempted to take him down.”
“The Chief?” Tony asked. “The second time? They tried to take the Chief down. When? What happened?”
“Another day, another time, Tony. Right now, we have to get to the Chief.”
His cell phone buzzed. He pressed the button on the console in the car.
“Frank is safe.” She announced without hesitation. “His house was hit. He was not there. He was on the way to your place. Your call may have saved his life.”
“Sapphire are you sure the Chief is safe?” Nate asked anxious for more information.
“He is breathing. He is outside of the home surrounded by his boys. Proceed with caution. Nate, there is a lot happening tonight.”
“Did you have a chance to search Vaughan’s house?”
“We did. Found a hidden room where we collected quite a bit of information.” She replied.
“As soon as I check on the Chief, I want to see that information.”
“Understood,” she replied then disconnected the call.
“Ok Kid, the Chief is fine. Now tell me what the hell is going on?” Tony inquired. “And who is Sapphire?”
“It seems to me all hell is breaking loose and it's only going to get worse when they announce the death of Vaughan.”
“Do you think Cory is behind this?” Tony asked.
“I believe Cory may be at the very center of it all,” Nate replied.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Frank Williams’ home and the two homes on either side of his were engulfed in flames, when Nate pulled up. The street was loaded with fire trucks, emergency vehicles and a boat load of police cars. Blue lights were flashing for blocks around the house.
“Chief,” Nate called out as he ran towards him. He had to park his car and run a half a mile to get to the Chief. His sons were all standing there watching as the firefighters did their best to bring the fire under control. From the looks of things, the house was totaled. Now they were attempting to save the rest of the homes on the block.
“Where is Ryan?” Nate asked.
“She’s on her way,” Jarrell replied. “She’s going to be pissed.”
“That’s a damn understatement,” Devin growled.
“She would have been trying to save mom’s things out of there,” Scott added.
“Damn,” Frank shook his head. “Damn.”
“Chief with everything that’s going on I don’t think you should be out here in the open.” Nate suggested.
“I’m surrounded by plenty of men, Nate,” He shook his head in disbelief. “If it had not been for your call, I would have been inside.”
“I thought you were staying with Ms. Martha for the week,” Devin questioned.
“I was here picking up a few things,” Frank explained.
“Who knew you were here?” Nate inquired.
Frank shrugged. “Damn if I know. They blew up my damn home.”
The emotions were clear on Frank’s face as Nate looked around observing the crowd. “Chief has anyone checked on Deputy Chief Duncan?”
That question caught Donnell’s attention. “Do you think the organization is behind this?”
Nate shook his head, not certain how to answer his question. “I don’t think it is a coincidence that Vaughan showed up at my house tonight ready to take me out and this happened here. I ask again has anyone heard from Duncan?”
Nate sent a message on his phone. Check Duncan.
“Why are you checking on Duncan?” Tony asked.
“All our memories were inside of that house,” Frank wiped a hand down his face. “Pictures, trophies, they are all gone. It is all gone.”
Donnell placed a hand on his father’s shoulder. “No Chief, we still have those in our hearts.”
Jarrell tapped Nate on the shoulder. “Do you think Vaughan was behind this?”
“Don’t you?” Nate raised an eyebrow.
“I can't think of any other reason why this house after 30 years of us would just explode.”
“It wouldn’t,” Frank inhaled. “When Chief Hasting is done with this, he is going to find that some type of explosive device caused this. The gloves are off. We're going to take everybody down.”
“Christian Vaughan is dead,” Nate advised.
“Now we have to get the rest of those motherfuckers,” Devin growled.
“We have to put a stop to this now,” Nate hissed. “We cannot keep standing by waiting for the next shoe to drop.”
“Or house,” Tony stated. “It was by sheer luck no one was killed.”
“Chief,” LT approached. “Are you all right?”
Frank nodded. “Mr. Mayor, I don’t know.”
“What about your neighbors? Were any of them home?” He asked.
Frank stared at him. “The neighbors. I had not even considered them. My God.” He looked at Donnell. “Mr. Jenkins.”
“Do you think he was in the house?” Tony asked.
Frank simply stared at the house. Mr. Jenkins had been his neighbor for the last 20 years. He was seldom out this time of night.
He walked around in a circle then swore, “Damn it!”
“There is a possible casualty,” Nate cursed. “That's it. We're going to take their asses down. They're killing innocent people, not that everyone that they have killed isn't innocent, but we chose to be in law enforcement. Your neighbor did not. This has got to stop.”
“Officer down…Officer down.” The voice came across the walkie talkies. “Officer down…Officer down…” it repeated.
Frank responded. “Location,” Frank listened. His eyes grew wide. “That’s Bynum's address. Repeat.” The voice repeated the address.
“What is it Chief?” Nate question.
“Dispatch a team to that address,” Frank began walking towards his vehicle. “I want a report from the first responder.” Frank ordered. “What in the hell is happening tonight?”
“Too much for it to be a coincidence,” Nate stated.
“I have to agree,” LT added. “Frank, you stay here and handle your business.”
“I have to get to Bynum,” Frank continued towards his vehicle.
“Dad, where the hell are you going?” Devin asked.
“I can't do anything here, son. I have a Deputy Chief down. I have to go.”
“You're not going by yourself,” Scott called out in vain.
“Don't worry, guys. He's not going anywhere alone,” LT stated. “Donnell you take charge here.” He began walking towards Frank. “Nate, I’m lifting your suspension. I think we are under attack.”
“I concur.” Nate nodded. “Sir, can you have your people to check on Deputy Chief Duncan?”
LT stopped. “Do you think he is in danger?”
“They hit the Chief’s house. A Deputy Chief is down, I think all the brass is in danger.” Nate replied.
“I want you and Harper to go to Bynum’s address.” LT stated as he walked towards Frank with more urgency. “Report in to Grant every thirty minutes. I will have Duncan contacted.”
“Yes, sir,” Nate replied as he and Tony followed the Mayor to the vehicle Frank was in.
“Grant,” he spoke into his ear bud. “I want every officer, every person who has a badge, to report in right now,” LT stated. “I want to know the location of every officer of RPD hierarchy. I want details on each Deputy Chief. I’ll have Sapphire to put a man on the Chief. Give me a site on Deputy Chief Duncan.”
“We got the Chief until your man can pick up,” Devin, Scott, and Jarrell stated.
“No, I need you to stay here until I know where you need to be dispatched.” LT explained. “Your father is going to be taken to a bunker where I know he is safe.”
“He is going to be pissed.” Devin stated.
“I’d rather him be pissed than dead,” LT replied.
“Mr. Mayor, you need a location on Cory Vaughan.”
“Nate, right now my concentration is on the Chief and his deputies. I don't have time to worry about Cory Vaughan.”
“Mr. Mayor,” Nate stopped him. “I don't mean any disrespect, but you need to find Cory Vaughan. Put somebody on it.”
LT nodded. “I’ll put someone on it.”
“Let’s ride Tony,” Nate said as they ran back to the car.
“Talk fast Kid,” Tony stated. “Is it the crazy people?”
Nate nodded as he started the car and took off. “We have identified people within the department who are actively working with P.I.E. We know Bynum and Armstead are in cahoots with them. We don’t have proof, but my gut is telling me Cory is in with them too. I don’t know all the details, but on the night I was called in on the Mosley murder, Bynum, Cory and Duncan were staring the Chief down. I didn’t like what I saw. I reached out to a friend with resources to check on him. When they got to him, they discovered an explosive device on his vehicle.”
“Get the hell out of dodge.” Tony exclaimed.
“That’s not all,” Nate continued. “At least half of the recruit class is connected to P.I.E., as is Whitaker and a man named Stafford who is connected to the governor’s office.”
“The governor’s office. The governor is in with them too?”
“We don’t know. All we know is the man is an advisor to the governor. One more thing,” Nate exhaled. “We found that Alex’s murder and a number of children’s deaths are connected.”
“How?”
“The serum used to kill Alex and the women was also found in children pulled from a river in Southwest Virginia.”
“Kid none of this is making sense to me. Help me out here.”
Nate shook his head somewhat confused himself. “Mosley, Alex, the women, the children, are all connected to P.I.E. I’m just not sure how. But I can tell you this. The situation with Vaughan and Wyatt Chambers deaths gave me the exact same feeling. It was suicide by cop. Both of those men chose me to take their lives and I’m getting tired of the crap.”
They pulled up to the area with blue and red lights flashing over the entire block. The upscale neighborhood was not supposed to have this kind of activity. They stepped out of the car then walked to where the yellow police tape cordoned off the crime scene.
“Detective Reigns,” Nate reported.
“Detective Harper,” Tony showed his badge. “Who was first on the scene?”
“Officer Becker,” the patrolman replied as he pointed.
Nate recognized the officer as one of those identified as having an affiliation with P.I.E. “He is one of them,” Nate advised Tony as they approached the officer.
The body of Bynum was stretched out on the front lawn of a colonial style two story house, with a beautiful rich green lawn. The large police lights had the scene lit up as if it was daylight instead of midnight.
“Can you tell us what happened here, Officer Becker,” Nate tilted his head to look at the officer’s name.
“Detective Reigns,” the officer spoke as if making an announcement. “It was my understanding that you…sir are on suspension. I am not sure I should share any details with you.”
Nate watched as several officers turned towards him. It seemed they had reached the point where it was no longer necessary for them to hide their intent. Nate could not believe they had gunned down one of their own. But he was certain that one of those officers had taken Deputy Chief Bynum out.
Tony smiled at Nate, “He can’t share any details with you. How about me, Officer Becker? Do you think you can tell me why in the hell a Deputy Chief is lying face down on his front lawn? Or is this his house?”
“Yes, it is his home.” Becker replied.
“You have a Deputy Chief lying here where his family and neighbors can see him on the ground dead?”
“Reigns, what are you doing?” Becker stepped around Tony.
Nate was reviewing the ground around Bynum. “He was shot at close range,” Nate said as he ignored Becker. “A large caliber weapon.”
“Hey,” Becker touched Nate’s shoulder with one hand and his weapon in the other. Within a split-second Nate had knocked the officer to the ground. He stood above him with the weapon he had taken from the officer’s holster.
“You stupid son of a bitch,” Nate yelled down at the officer. “You dare to put your hands on your weapon when addressing a superior officer. I should shoot you with your own damn gun for being so stupid.”
“Hold on Detective,” another officer extended his hand. “Sergeant Mitchell, Detective Reigns, I am the officer in charge of the scene. I told them not to disturb the area until you got here.”
“Sergeant,” Tony called out. “Have Officer Becker placed in a patrol car until we can test his weapon and have a chat with him.”
Sergeant Mitchell waved another officer over. “We have a few hard heads out here tonight Detective Reigns.” He leaned in close and whispered. “Watch your back detective. I don’t know who is friend and who is foe out here tonight.”
Nate glanced around appreciative of his warning. “Everyone is a little up tight, Sergeant,” Nate nodded letting him know he understood. “Do we know what happened?”
“Neighbors said they heard shots, but no one saw anything,” The Sergeant replied.
“Did you canvass the neighborhood?” Tony asked.
“We started, but so far nothing according to the officers on the scene.”
Nate understood the man’s meaning. The officers who reported back to him may not have checked or could have been outright lying.
“Officer needs assistance…Officer needs assistance,” Another alert came across the walkie talkie.
“Give me a location,” Tony responded as Nate’s cell phone rang.
