CROSSFIRE: Ex-CIA JON BRADLEY Thriller Series (TERROR BLOODLINE Book 1) (10 page)

New York City - 2006

Saturday - 5.30 PM

    
The police staff of the day shift was getting ready to go off-duty. 

    Detective Liza Quadros was speaking to her junior partner, Randy Nogart, from the Homicide Bureau, when Bradley approached her desk.

     She turned to Jonathan, “In a moment, Mr. Bradley.” And went back listening to Randy speak
.

   
Jonathan heard them disagreeing about a case that they were discussing and finally, the lady detective appeared exasperated with the junior  detective, telling him angrily, “Randy, you have a lot to learn.  We just don’t do it that way.  You were required to have asked me before you said or did anything  which could be held against you.  You understand that, don’t you, Randy?  Is it on record?” 

    Randy shook his head.

    “Then forget about it.”

    Randy hesitated and would have probably wanted to pursue, if his superior had not ignored him and started talking to the visitor.

    “Good afternoon, Mr. Bradley.”

   
“Good afternoon, Detective Quadros.”

    After the animated discussion with her colleague, the lady still appeared to be flushed with anger.

    “Couldn’t it have waited until Monday, Sir?  I have had my hands full this whole week, investigating three more rape cases.  When I ask for help, they give me rookies.”

    Officer Randy had walked away by then and he did overhear the cynical remark.

    “I have been trying to call you, Detective…”

     “Well, since you are already here, what is that you’d like to know?”

    ‘Since you’re short of assistance, why don’t you accept my offer to assist you in this particular case.  You know  I am with the FBI, but I would be doing so unofficially.  So that no one sees it as interference in the NYPD’s investigation.’

    She thought over it for a few moments, “I will let you as long as you keep it unofficial and report only to me.  Now what do you want from me?”

    “I will need to see your case file of Samantha Clarke including the witness statements, if any, the victim’s medical examination reports, crime scene forensic reports, photos and the follow-up investigation reports so far.  I would also need to go through your files of the two  alleged suspects.”

    “I will have a word with Captain Frank Barros first. You two know each other, don’t you?”

    Bradley nodded.

    “Well, you can start coming from next week.  I will tell Officer Randy Nogart, who you saw me talking to sometime before, to give you access to the files.”

    “Thank you for your consideration, Detective Liza.  I apologize for the intrusion.”

    “I know the lady’s your friend,“ she softened as she went on to say, “For both your sake,  and for the sake of other unfortunate victims, let’s hope we can get to the bottom of this, and the rapist is put behind bars once and for all.”

    Jonathan nodded in silent agreement,

    As hegot up to leave
,
Detective Liza said, “By the way,”  I called on Samantha Clarke at her sister’s place sometime this week.  She was better this time, and we talked for a while.  She was able to provide additional  information, which I have filed in my report of that of visit.”

    “Incidentally, we are meeting for the first time since the incident and perhaps I may learn more from her.”

    “Well, best of luck to both of you, Mr. Bradley.

    “Thanks, Detective.  Bye for now.”  

***

   Having driven straight home from the police station, Jonathan had a shower, a shave and then settled to relax  himself in the lounge of his apartment before dressing to go out for the evening.

   After some thinking, he called Elaine at her apartment.  He hoped to catch her there if she hadn’t already left on a date. The time was 6.45 PM.

    He got her on the second ring.  “Hello.”

    “Hi Elaine, it’s me here.”

    “Hi there, Jonathan.”

    “Elaine, are you by any chance free this evening?”

    “If you mean going out on a date? No. “

    Did he notice there in her voice a tinge of subtle sadness?

    “Think I will catch up with my lessons.”

     “I want to speak to you about Samantha.  It’s important. Could I please take you to dinner tonight?  Promise not keep you out for long.”

    “Certainly, Jonathan.  I’d love to come.” he heard her tone uplift from the earlier low.

    “Thanks, Elaine.  Is half past seven OK for you?”

     “Perfect.”

    “Alright, I will pick you up at the boulevard below your apartment.”

***

   
Elaine was dressed up elegantly and looked like a younger version of Samantha when he saw her standing by the pavement as he drove up to her.  Then he remembered Samantha telling him Elaine had once opted for a career in fashion designing.

    “You look beautiful, young lady,” complimented Jonathan.

   “Thanks. You are no less handsome, yourself,” she said almost coyly, as he opened the front passenger door to let her step into the car.

   
After he had returned to the driver’s seat, Bradley turned to Elaine, “Do you like Italian food?  I know of a family restaurant in the Madison Square Park, not far from here.”

  “Why, yes, Jonathan… I love the taste of Italian food.”

    “This restaurant serves the best homemade
lasagna
, chicken
and
pasta. 
They store some good homemade wine too, but that’s a secret known to only a few.”

     “The way you say it, I can hardly wait.” Elaine made a show of eagerness.

    “The time’s just right,” Jonathan put the car into gears and soon they were heading towards the Madison Square Park.

    “I guess, you and Samantha have gone to this restaurant before” she said with some curiosity.

    “Yes, we’ve been there.  But she has this penchant for exotic cuisine.  So, we try a change of menu or the restaurant every time we desire to celebrate.  For me, it is Italian or Mediterranean type of food.”

    “Samantha tells me you have the old sea-faring
Portuguese
blood in you.”

    “My family ancestors were Portuguese before migrating to New Jersey.”

    “You work for the government?”

    “Did Samantha tell you that?”

    “No.  Knowing that she worked for the District Attorney’s Office, I assumed you did too.”

    “You are in your final year of law, aren’t you?  Maybe you’d later want to work for the Justice Dept.”

    “Seriously, Jonathan, I haven’t decided which way to go.  If I don’t do well in my final year of law, I have the option of doing the next thing I like best and, that is, fashion designing – which is more glamorous than dishing out justice.”

    “Speaking for now, I can vouch for your fashion instincts and skills from the way you are dressed tonight. You will have plenty of heads turning your way.”  

    “Thank you. I already have a boyfriend…”  She paused abruptly, and he thought she sounded a bit reluctant to continue.

    “If I am not too inquisitive, what is he into?  Or is he also finishing law school?”

    “No.  He is a professional basketball player for the NBA.”

   “Wow! Samantha did tell me that you have a boyfriend, but I did not know he played in the NBA league.  I envy him. Who wouldn’t?  I myself, dreamt of becoming a professional during my school and college days.  You must be out watching those exciting NBA matches.  Which team does he play for?

    “I know that at one time he played for the Brooklyn Nets.  I haven’t been out with him for some time now.” Again the same reluctance when talking about her boyfriend.

    “Well, you could at least tell me his name.  The Brooklyn Nets players are all celebrity guys.”

    “Jame
s
Wainsford.”

     Might have heard that name. Jamie Wainsford, did you mean?’

    “Yes. This season he might graduate to the
starters
list from being a
bencher
last two seasons.  He plays the positions
Point Guard
and
Shooting Guard
.”

    “Then he ought to be real good.”

    Jonathan shifted into low gears to slow down the Ford, “I see we have arrived.  Have you been here before, Elaine?”

    “No, not on this side of the downtown.  It looks like a crowded neighborhood.”

    “It is.  You will like the food, anyways.”

    Jonathan parked the Ford in the parking zone and they walked the few steps to the family restaurant.  Quite a few of the tables were occupied amid the buzz of the conversations inside.

    The Italian owner fifty plus something recognized Bradley, and came forward to greet them, “
Benvenuto, Signore Bradley e

Signora.”

    “Di niente prego, Angelo. 
You’re welcome, Angelo.”

    Then Angelo looked at Elaine, smiled and whispered
“Ciao bella,”
winkingat Jonatha
n
and saying, “Come, I take you to the best table,
”
as he led them quickly to an interior reserved table away from the rest.

    “Angelo is a romantic guy.  Most Italians are. He thinks you are my new girlfriend.  Let’s humor him.”

    As they sipped the good old home wine and waited to be served, Jonathan, sensing that the earlier talk about her boyfriend had dampened her spirits, brought up the subject of Samantha’s recovery.

    “Elaine, when you last visited Samantha at her sister’s place, how did you find her?  Did you notice any changes in her?

    “Certainly. She told me she had been seeing a psychiatrist and the therapy was helping her.  I could see the changes as we talked.  Her sister’s family also hinted at it.

“I think, Jonathan, you should call her now.  She may be waiting for you to do just that.”

    “I have just come from visiting her Doctor. Samantha has had two special sessions during the past week, thereby making considerable progress.

   “And, I have news for you, Elaine.  I called Samantha this evening, and we  shall be spending the whole of Sunday tomorrow together trying to catch up with the lost time.”

    “I am really happy for you two, Jonathan.  The past weeks  were really trying ones for both of you.  Well, happy days are here again,’ she concluded cheerfully.

  
Midway their dinner, it was Elaine who brought up the talk subject of basketball again.

    “Jonathan, you played basketball on your school and college teams.  To go that far, you must have been an outstanding player.  What made you stop going professional?”

    “Playing basketball was never my sole passion.  It was kind of a secondary interest.  My first love was climbing up the rungs of the Justice Department, and perhaps becoming a Supreme Judge someday.  Lofty dreams, you’d say.  But fate worked differently for me.”

   
“Jamie is so different from you.  He seems addicted to playing basketball and thinks of nothing else at all.  On free days, he trains juvenile groups in Brooklyn and Bronx.  Says the teens are as bad as they come.  Believes, he can change some of them.”

    “Well, at least he is doing what he knows best. 

    “You know, a few months back, I tried catching up with my practice at the basketball courts in the Greenview Park. I still do sometimes. Come to think of it, we are quite a group of oldies there stretching up our shriveling muscles.  But it feels good, you know?”

     “Would be fun to watch you guys fall over each other to make your throws.”

    “Have you been to the Greenview Park after Samantha’s incident?”

    “No, Jonathan.  The very thought of going there after what happened to poor Samantha gives me the shivers.”

    They were eating the dessert, when Jonathan took the opportunity to inform Elaine, “I invited you to this dinner as a token of our appreciation for being supportive of Samantha and also helping me understand her plight better in those difficult days.

    “This October season when the Brooklyn Nets play, it’d be our pleasure to join you watch your Jamie play.”

    “I hope we remain in touch till then because Samantha and I  are giving up the Crossley Apartment by this month end.  Samantha will not be returning to it.  She will travel to work from her sister’s place, which is really not very far from her D.A.’s office.  I am moving to a smaller apartment in Manhattan until I finish my final year exams.”