Heart of Fire (12 page)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The perimeter of the house was secured.  Danni supervised Stan the glass repair man as he measured the window for the new glass.  He advised he would have the new window ready to install in the morning, and for a temporary fix he put a board over the window and secured it into the window frame.  “I’ll be back in the morning, is there anything else I can do for you tonight?”  He looked at her with curious eyes.

Danni just looked at him up and down and shook her head no.  He gathered all his gear and put it all back in the truck.  Her suspicious nature kicked in, she did not recognize the company name on the truck from around the area.  She wrote it down and called for Tom the one body guard who stayed behind.  “Did you call this guy?”

He stood a foot above her and had to lean down to talk.  He explained the cook’s brother was dating the sister of the man who owned the repair shop.  “He had to call him because no one else would come out in this weather this late at night.”  He shrugged and stormed off aggravated that he had to explain anything to her, but Burns was adamant that he had to treat her with respect and give her full control or he would find himself in the same situation as Smith.

Danni dismissed his attitude as jealousy.  He’s just mad because he has to report to me, well he can get over it.  The thought made her laugh as she found the recliner in the living room which offered comfortable accommodations for the evening.  Danni wanted to be on top of her game.  Whoever threw the brick was not done yet, and she wanted to be ready and able to apprehend the person if something came up.

She made herself comfortable and dialed the number to the hospital.  She had been busy all day and did not have a chance until now to check on Annabel.  She prayed there was a change and let out a frustrated sigh when the nurse came on the line and offered no fresh news.

She recalled the last time they spoke.  Annabel understood why Danni ordered her to stay in the car.  She had leaned in closer and kissed her softly on the lips and assured her everything would be okay, but that was not the case.  Something drastic changed, and if she did not pull through Danni did not know how she could face a tomorrow without her.  She was crying again, she wanted nothing more on earth than to be with her.  Just one more night, not even a whole day; she wiped the tears from her eyes as she watched the ugliest cat she had ever seen lay on the
other chair curled in a ball.  It opened one eye and glared balefully at her, she was a little startled and ready to shoot it if it attacked, but it did not move instead it closed its eyes again and let out a purr.  Her own eyes heavy she was exhausted and emotionally drained, and just ready for this nightmare to be over.




She caught the scent of honey suckle, as though under a spell, she let the fragrance steer her through the pasture.  Her eyes strained to find some indication of sanity.  A strong gust of wind drew her further into the scent.  She felt like she was being transformed, changed in some way but she understood the transformation, she knew she was in a dream state where time was not measured, and reality was what she made it.  The grey haired man who sat beside her on the park bench hinted how to find the suspect, he told her to be aware of those around her and whispered a name, but she could not make it out. 

Then her dream changed, she was dashing towards Annabel in seemingly slow motion.  She was a few feet away but could not reach her.  Then, it all went black and when the light came back on she was standing next to the surgeon as he operated on her.  She could hear him say Annabel’s chances were slim.  She bent down and kissed her hand and prayed for God to take all her strength from her and give it to Annabel.  The scene suddenly changed, she was no longer in the hospital, but by a graveside.  Three headstones erected in the ground and each had the last name Flanery.  It was not until she saw Annabel’s name etching out slowly as she stood watching that she finally reacted.  She reached out for the tool to stop it from scratching into the surface, but she could not stop it.  She cried out and begged for anyone who was listening to not take her future happiness away.  Suddenly a bright light blinded her, and the open field of gravestones changed.  She sat side by side with Annabel on the couch laughing as they watched a toddler run around the house.  The little blonde curly haired girl was the exact replica of Annabel.  A banging noise echoed from a distance, it appeared to come from within her dream, and then all of a sudden she opened her eyes still groggy from the blissful dream.  Reality was still blurred, until the noise got loader.  She jumped up from the chair and surveyed the area.

The sound came from outside, she ran to the front door and flung it open with force and looked in every direction.  She heard a grunt then a moan.  Andy Smith the short fat no longer employed body guard lay stretched out on the ground outside the picture frame window.  He choked and gagged as she lifted him up from the ground.  A rope was wrapped around his throat.  He tried to pull it away but it held him firmly.  She reached down to help him up and released him from the bondage that was choking him. “What are you doing here?”

“I came back to get my gear that I forgot earlier and got attacked from behind,” he choked out the words.

“If you would have died tonight, it was no fault but your own.”  She laughed but she did not think it was funny.  She tried to support his heavy frame against her own.  Just as they reached the front door a shot fired.  The roar swept past her head, she put pressure against her right ear as it started to ring and then  pulled her hand back down quickly to ensure there was no blood.  Just as she pulled her gun and helped him up to get him inside, another shot was fired.  This time it hit Andy.  He went down and hit the ground with a thump.  Danni ducked down behind the bush and tried to see where the shot was fired, but the snow and lack of lighting made it impossible.  She thought she saw something move but it must have been her imagination because when she ran to the spot there was no one there.  Flashes of lights filled the air; she could see the flashing lights of two patrol cars and one unmarked pulled in front of the house.

She ran back to the house and pulled with all her might to get Andy inside.  “Careful now,” she told him as she guided him to the couch.  “Don’t put too much weight on that leg yet, it may have been a clean shot, but you’re losing a lot of blood.”  She called through the house for the Mayor or Tom, but there was no answer.  She motioned for Andy to stay put as she ran up to the Mayors room and pounded on the door for a response.  He yelled through the door that he was okay, but she hesitated when she saw a light silhouette from under the door from across the hall.  She opened the door slowly and there on the floor, the lifeless body spread out.  The words written in blood on the wall, ‘I can get to you at any time.’ Panicked, she pounded on the Mayors door and demanded he open it.  She rushed in around him and searched the room.  There was no sign of an intruder.  She couldn’t understand how someone got in the house without her hearing and how did they get past the alarm system.  She was sure she set it before falling asleep.

She escorted the Mayor down the stairs, he tried to argue with her but she insisted that it was not safe to be alone.  After she pointed to the dead body guard in the other room he hurried down the stairs ahead of her.

Hagerty was the first to rush in through the front door, his thin face was full of alarm and his prominent Adams apple rippled excitedly as he swallowed.  “What the hell is going on Pacelli?  We got a call that shots were fired.  Is everyone okay?”

“We got one down upstairs, and one wounded here.”  She pointed to Andy seated on the sofa. 

He turned his attention briefly then back to Danni.  “Do we know how the perp got in?”

She shook her head no.  “I haven’t had a chance to check the rest of the house.  I had to secure the Mayor first.”  She briefly looked at him awaiting his disapproval but none came.

He turned and ordered the officers on the scene to search the home and to find the point of entry.  He smiled at Danni and waved her into the hall with him.  “We got a problem.”  He scowled when she joined.

The look on his face as his cheeks sunk in made him look older than his age.  Danni said nothing as she waited for him to lay into her. 

“Conner was found dead in the parking lot, his throat was slashed open and his badge is missing, we search the lab and all our evidence is gone.”

Eyes wide, Danni peered into his eyes.  “Conner’s dead?  How did this happen, what the fucks going on Hagerty?”

He lowered his head and said nothing.  He was still in shock.  “The perps knocked out Andrews and Cameron on the way in.  Danni, this woman is a ghost; she has managed to get past every obstacle we’ve set up.”

Her heart pounded in her chest as she listened.  “Does Frank know?”

“I called him as soon as I was called.  I haven’t been there yet.  I was on my way when the radio dispatcher said shots were fired here.”  Tears flowed over the brim of his eyes as he explained.  “I want to get this bitch and I want to pull the plug on her personally!”

Before Danni had a chance to respond, a team of agents that Frank sent arrived to assist in collecting the clues, and a few moments later another team arrived to transport the Mayor to a safe house.  Danni was given instructions to call Frank’s phone as soon as possible.  A reassignment was on the agenda she thought as she watched the coroner wheel out Ted. 

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Burns paced back and forth in the kitchen as he looked down as his watch.  The thought of not being able to conduct his daily business upset him.  “You better find this piece of shit Pacelli!” his voice echoed from the distance but Danni disregarded his apparent outrage as she went over the notes and potential leads.

“I need you to shut up and get your ass over here and make that list that I need,” she huffed as a pain shot in her head.  She pressed the palms of her hands against her temples in attempt to relieve the pressure that was building.  She planned on spending the day at the hospital but all that was halted last night.  The list already supplied only went back ten years and with the data collected this woman had been following him for at least twenty years. 

He did as ordered and sat and looked at the blank piece of paper.  “I was an attorney twenty years ago, and without my client list I don’t know where to start.” 

It was as if a light went off in her head.  “Wait stop with the list.”  She looked at him then back to the notes.  “How old are you now?”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Humor me.”

“I’m sixty four.”  He smirked as he slicked back his hair.  “I know I look good for my age.”

With her left eyebrow raised, she sat back, in the chair trying not to laugh.  “Oh lord.”  She shook her head and handed him another tablet.  “Just write down every man and woman you had contact with or relations in the past twenty years.”  While he wrote, she explained there seemed to be an underlining reason why she was after him, Danni reasoned it had to be someone close to her that she was getting revenge for; a tormented lover took her life, or a father he did not represent hard enough.

He looked at her, and shook his head.  “I never lost a case.”

Danni smiled as she watched him scratch all the men’s names off his list.  “Okay, let’s shoot for a scorned lover.”

Tears spilled over his eye lids as he looked up.  “I never had a serious relationship with anyone,” he admitted.  “It was not from lack of trying, but with my schedule I never had time.”

The thought of a woman really taking him serious seemed farfetched, Danni thought maybe it was more rejection from the women, versus him rejecting them Danni concluded when he slumped in his seat. 

“We’re not getting anywhere,” he whined looking down at the names scratched out on the pad. 

“Actually we are, and I need to ask you a few questions.  What was your real relationship with Hollywood?”

“We had an arrangement.” 

“Stop dancing around my questions Mayor,” she growled.  “What type of arrangement?”

“I saw her from time to time over the past few years, but we spent a lot of time together in our younger years.  She was so beautiful then, I asked her to marry me and she said no.”  He lowered his head.  “The drugs, I could not compete with them.”

The room fell silent as he returned to his list.  His last statement tugged at her heart strings, but she could not let him get to her.  While he worked on the list, it gave her time to call the hospital to check on Annabel.  While on hold, she walked to the window and witnessed how well the two federal agents got along.  The thought of changing careers scared her but at the same time it was a welcome change.  The woman on the other end of the phone announced that Annabel was improving and had been up for a few hours.  Danni was ecstatic by the news but sad because she wanted to be there when she opened her eyes.  With a shrug of her shoulders she turned to view the shackles that held her prisoner.  The rational side of her knew he had no control over what was happening but her heart ached making it hard to have sympathy for him.

“Here!” he spouted throwing the pad on the table, but she did not turn around as he left the room.  The sound of his footsteps echoed from the second floor.  She dared him to go into the same bedroom where she and Annabel slept.  She stood her ground when he demanded the room, and laughed when she witnessed the worse tantrum she ever saw come from a spoiled rotten adult.

He was used to getting the best of everything in his life, but Danni had taken his manhood away by talking down to him, then expecting him to stay in a half-finished room with nothing more than a single bed. It annoyed him the way she stood in front of the master bedroom door and dared him to try and walk passed her. “Who the hell does she think she is?” He scoffed and threw the few items he had a chance to pack on the bed.   

When Danni was sure he was asleep, she went back down the stairs and opened the front door. The gust of wind rushed past her blowing all of the lose papers from the coffee table to the floor, but she was so aggravated by his behavior she disregarded the mess and kept walking out, she needed some fresh air, but most of all she needed out of the confines of the prison she was stuck in.  Her nerves were exposed and she needed release.  She was well aware she was getting on her own nerves, and it would not take much more to make her snap.  She giggled when she watched the two agent argue over who won the last hand.  She deposited herself in the seat next to Kyle.  She observed his posture and his physic and wondered if he used to play football in his youth.  She could see the muscles bulge beneath his white dress shirt as he was passed out the cards for the next game, he asked her if she wanted to play, and when she nodded he nudged her playfully, but as much as she tried to get into the game, her mind was far away. 

“You think I could get out of here for a few hours?” she smiled brightly as she asked hoping they would agree.

“No problem we got the situation under control.”  Daniels, the skinny blonde Agent winked.  “Could you pick us up some burgers from Sonic on your way back?”

“You got it.”  A mischievous smile appeared on her face as she got up and went into the house to gather her truck keys.  She was eager to get to the hospital to see Annabel.  The report on her progress was keeping her going but she needed to see for herself. 

Being an officer of the law has its perks she thought as she flashed her light to get through every red light.  Her stomach was in knots as she drove quickly into town.

It took her longer than she would have liked to finally find a parking spot; the car in front of her blocked the isle as the occupant waited for the other car to pull out.  Finally it pulled in and the engine sputtered down to a silence roar.  The dwindling noise reminded her to much of her own future prospects, but as she pulled into the next available space her heart pounded in her ears, all she felt was hope as her mind reeled with excitement.  She missed her and it had been excruciation lay in the same bed they shared, the same bed they made love in for the first time and not hold her.  She could still smell her perfume on the pillow and she loved it. 

When she stepped off the elevator, the hospital ward was empty not a nurse or doctor in site.  Danni walked into Annabel’s room and smiled as she saw the bright blue eyes smile back.  She did not care if anyone walked in as she wrapped her in her arms around her and whispered how much she loved her.  “I’ve missed you,” was all she could say before their lips met in an urgent kiss.

“I was wondering when you were going to get away to come see me.”

“I’m here now that’s all that matters.”

“Yes it is!”  With the tips of her fingertips she stroked Danni’s lips.  The love projected from her eyes sending the message loud and clear.

“How long do I have you for?”

“I can’t stay long, but I needed to see you.  I heard you will be moved to a regular room later today.”

“That’s what they say.  The doctor came in earlier and told me if I keep up my progress he will release me by the end of the week.”

“About time we get some good news.”

“Tell me how everything is going with the case.”  She pulled herself up to look directly in Danni’s eyes.

“We’re at a stale mate right now and no game plan has been made.  Since we had to move the Mayor to the safe house we have no idea where to go next.  I’m waiting on Frank to get back with me and tell me.”  She shrugged.

“Any leads on our woman?”

“We have a few.  I faxed the list of names the Mayor gave me to Frank.  Now it is a waiting game.  This woman is good babe; she always seems to be one step ahead of us.”  She looked at her watch and the look of dread filled her eyes.  “Baby, I got to go.  I promised to pick up food to get away for a little while.”

“Okay.”  Annabel’s sigh gave a hint of her frustration.  “I have my cell on now, please call me later.”

“I will baby.”  Danni leaned in and kissed her.  “I love you and I will call you later, promise.”

Annabel rolled on her side hiding her eyes from all onlookers.  Tears streamed down forming a puddle on the pillow.  She did not know for sure why she was crying.  Maybe a mixture of being stuck in the hospital, missing Danni, or the news that she would be on desk duty for the next six months while administrative proceedings were being conducted on her for working while on a leave of absence.  She did not want to worry Danni, or make it harder than what it already was.  She asked the lieutenant not to tell Danni as she knew there would have been a big blow out and the last thing she needed right now was more pressure than what she already had.




Annabel sat upright looking out the window of her new room, she was one step closer to being released, but the boredom and frustration became too much to take.  She called Frank and asked him to let her help; he reluctantly agreed and then called the hospital to insure she had private accommodations.  He took her a computer with access to the FBI data bank along with a list of things to look for.  Each time she found a lead she wanted to call Danni but figured she had already put her job on the line once for her and she would not do let her do that again. 

While shifting through the names one stood out.  An old girlfriend who had tried to sue for paternity but the case was dropped before it saw its day in court.  The name stood out to her.  Marlene O’Sullivan she said to herself several times as she shifted through documents, she pulled out her cell phone and called Frank’s direct line but there was no answer.  She said nothing about her findings only for him to call her as soon as he got the message.  She searched for a location of Marlene but came up empty.  Then searched birth records and there was a birth record, but no data as it was sealed.  It nagged at her, the name kept ringing a bell, when she pulled the list of aliases the perpetrator used was when she saw it, it took her breath away.  She had a kid and after doing the math, the suspect fit the right age criteria.  She took notes and saved her search to her desktop.  She did a further search of county and state records for a location but still came up empty.  She pulled vital statistics to see if maybe she had married and changed her last name, but instead what she came up with was a death certificate and the reason listed was complications due to cancer.  She put her hand over her mouth as she read on.  The suspect could not have been more than nine years old at the time when she died.  She pulled the court records for the county and found that Travis, or O’Sullivan as she now had a real name for her, had been sent into foster care.  There records indicated there were no other living relatives willing to take her, but as she read on it indicated there was a living aunt, but the aunt refused.  She looked down at her list.  Paternity test, mother died and foster care.

She gathered all her information and forwarded it to Frank’s email with instructions on the links she found.  ‘This would be enough to make her angry if he is her father and she was abandoned into foster care,’ she thought as she pressed send on the message.