No Pit So Deep: The Cody Musket Story (4 page)

“Sit and don’t move! Drop the knife and kick it away or I’ll make you eat it!” The wide-eyed would-be slasher backed away, kicked the knife, and fell backwards to a sitting position.

The third man pulled his victim to her feet with a chokehold. His cold eyes snarled at Cody through the slots in his mask. He was tall and muscular, towering over her. She tried to free herself but couldn’t. Struggling just to draw a breath, her urgent gasping silenced all gathering witnesses.

What remained of her Coco shirt was dangling from the front of her neck like a limp dish rag. The thin, stretchy left shoulder strap of her workout bra had been torn loose from behind and was swinging back and forth in front.

Bystanders watched in disbelief as this large man, while holding his prey by the neck with his left arm, pulled a knife from his vest and cocked his right hand back to throw the weapon. Cody was a sitting duck.

With the quickness of a cat, he sidestepped to his right to force the assailant to hit a moving target, but unexpectedly, the traumatized woman, with enough awareness, lunged slightly with all her might, threw back her right hand, and interfered just enough to misdirect the toss of the knife. It sliced a two-inch-long flesh wound one quarter inch deep into Cody’s left arm, but missed his heart by twenty inches.

The big man then made a mistake. He backed up, used his victim as a human shield, held her at arm’s length, and forced her into Cody’s path. This allowed Cody to maneuver in between and administer a stunning right palm to the nose.

The assailant lost his grip and staggered backward, his nostrils spewing blood and his ski mask turning scarlet. Cody followed with a left elbow to the throat, an excruciating kick to the groin and a brutal takedown. The large attacker wailed in agony, and bystanders could hear the gruesome sound of ribs cracking and air rushing from his lungs as he crashed to the floor.

The instant this third man hit the carpet, several witnesses shouted, “
Look out!”

The perpetrator sitting had retrieved his knife while Cody’s back was turned. He charged, hoping to blindside Cody, who turned just in time to relieve the would-be backstabber of his weapon. He slammed him to the rug, retracted the knife blade, and then forced the handle into the mouth and down into the throat of this man to whom he had promised to feed his own knife.

Now that all three assailants were down, Cody saw red flashes. Holding the knife, hearing his defeated foe choking, a bitter taste formed in his mouth. His veins protruded and his teeth clenched.
These guys deserve to die.

But just as suddenly as it had come, the rage passed. He pulled the knife handle away and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. He had wanted to kill the three men. What had stopped him? Never had anger overtaken him so quickly and then let go of him so soon.

He took a step backward, then collapsed into a sitting position. The nerve endings in his right foot and lower leg were on fire, but that also passed within seconds.
Thank God I didn’t kill ‘em all.

Cody dragged all three perpetrators, barely conscious, into one pile. He pulled off their masks, checked them for more weapons, and then screamed into their faces a warning loud enough for everyone to hear.

“I could have killed you, but after Afghanistan I swore I’d never take another life. Nobody dies tonight, but if I ever hear that you’ve bothered this woman again, you will never even see me coming, and no one will ever know I was there. Do you copy?”

The witnesses stood in stunned silence and then broke into applause. Cody's eyes scanned the hallway until he spotted her. The badly bruised but gutsy woman who had narrowly escaped a violent end was now crouching in a corner near the entrance to Theater Five.

Her neck and shoulders were dappled with red streaks — brush marks left by the ends of her blood-spattered hair. Tearfully attempting to compose herself again, she would not look Cody in the eye.

Cody collected her purse, cell phone, and flip-flops from bystanders who had picked them up. He walked toward her and reached out his hand, but she moved away, lowered her head and wrapped her arms around herself.

Because a large crowd had gathered, Cody became uneasy. Curious observers were now perilously close to three dangerous men. The police were still minutes away, and only one security guard had arrived, so Cody remained with the attackers, who were injured but conscious. He would help guard them until the authorities came.

Soon, the police entered the hallway. Multiple witnesses came forward. As they described the events, it was clear that Cody had heroically prevented the abduction of Brandi Barnes, local talk show host and editorial writer.

“Sir, could I see your ID please.” Detective Terrance Dupree was chief investigator at the crime scene. Cody reluctantly obliged and gave the detective his driver’s license.

“Mr. Musket, I see you’re from Houston. What’s your business here in Pittsburgh?”

Cody breathed a sigh of relief. The detective had not discovered his celebrity status. “Well, sir, I’m a martial arts instructor, and I’m here for the weekend.”

“How do you happen to know Ms. Barnes?”

“Ms. Barnes?”

“Yes, sir. The victim.”

“I don’t know her at all. What exactly does she do?”

“So you did not know her prior to this evening?”

“I was behind her. I happened to see what was going on and couldn’t just stand by and, uh, you know. Afterward, I gave her shoes, her purse and phone to one of the female officers.”

“Brandi Barnes is a writer and local sports talk show host. You’re here just for the weekend you say?”

“Planning to move on by Sunday night. Uh, Detective, do you know the motive for the attack?”

“Still trying to determine that. We should know after we ID the suspects.”

“Well, sir, I overheard an officer mention a possible organized crime connection. If that’s the case, may I ask that you not release my last name to the press?”

“We don’t know if — Stand by a moment please, Mr. Musket.”

Dupree walked about thirty paces and gave Cody’s ID to an officer in a dark blue uniform. The two had a brief discussion. Cody could clearly read two words from the lips of the officer in blue —
human trafficking.

Dupree then walked briskly to Brandi, who stood with two female officers just a few feet away from Cody. The detective told her she should consider hiring a bodyguard.

“I need to get out of here. I am not feeling well. I’ve told you all I know.” She shivered and fought back tears. They had given her a wraparound blanket to wear. One of the female officers accompanied her as she left.

While Cody waited for his ID, he had the urge to call out to Brandi as she departed, but couldn’t bring himself to make a sound.

Cody asked a nearby observer about Brandi.

“She has a Sunday night sports show,” the young man responded. “She also writes in the paper.”

“What does she write about?”

A young woman wearing a gray University of Pittsburgh jersey emerged from the crowd and spoke up, “She’s been writing exposé articles on human trafficking here in Allegheny County. They’ve been published in the
Gazette.”

As she walked toward Cody, the words
“This Sista Luvs Jesus” became visible on the front of her pink baseball cap. Charming, soft-spoken, presumably in her early twenties, she offered Cody a pleasant smile and warm handshake, but her soft and tearful brown eyes told him she had been crying.

“I’m Sasha. I’ve been following Brandi’s career since she played basketball at Stanford. She also played one year in the WNBA until —”

“Stanford?”

“That’s right. I’m in law school here at Pitt. My older sister Latisha played with Brandi in college. If it hadn’t been for Brandi, my sister wouldn’t have graduated. Thank God for the rainout this evening. Without it, you wouldn’t have been here, and we would’ve lost her tonight.”

Cody looked around nervously and then gently took her arm and ushered her away from the gathering crowd.

Sasha lowered her voice. “She’s been doing editorials in the
Gazette
about a trafficking ring in Pittsburgh. Children have disappeared around here in the past year — about fifty of them.”

“Children?”

“Last week, she gave authorities a tip that paid big dividends. They raided a house in Peters Township. Saved seven little girls and four women and also arrested the bad guys. Now the traffickers have put a contract on her life.”

“You mean she has a price on her head?”

“I know one man they won’t be able to stop when he finds out about this — her father. He’s a decorated US Marine like you. Those three attack dogs who assaulted Brandi might not be alive right now if Captain Barnes had been there.”

“Sasha, I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t tell —”

“Their plan is to force her to give up her informants and then torture her to death. After that, her mutilated body will turn up in a public place as a warning to anyone thinking of standing in their way. It’s happened before. That’s why nobody has the b — Never mind, here comes Dupree. Wanna get together for coffee later?”

“Umm, no thanks. I…I have to meet someone. Sasha, I need to ask you —”

“
Shhh
.
” She placed one finger over his lips and spoke softly. “I know, Cody. I understand why you want to stay anonymous. Don’t worry.”

“Do I know you from somewhere?” He was certain they had never met.

Sasha closed her eyelids, kissed him affectionately on the cheek, and then stepped back with shimmering eyes.

“No, you’ve never met me, Cody, but I know you. My cousin was one of the eight survivors of that Chinook that went down near Helmand Province.” She soft-stroked his cheek. “He wouldn’t be alive today if you hadn’t volunteered to…
what I mean is…
thank you.”

He thought to embrace the tearful young woman, but she turned to walk away, then stopped and smiled back at him. “And you’d better hurry if you want to catch her. She’s not too high on men, but I think she’ll like you just fine. She shouldn’t be alone right now, you know. Next time, they’ll have guns.”

Cody saluted Sasha by tipping his cap as she departed.

Dupree returned Cody’s ID and said he was free to go but not to leave town for a couple of days. He was leaving town after the Sunday game because like his friend Tanner McNair, he was heading to Detroit to play in the All-Star Game.

So far, no one else had recognized him, but by now, half the population of Pittsburgh was swarming the hallway — all gawking at him.

EMS responders gave him alcohol wipes to clean blood from his arms and face. They wanted to stitch the knife wound on his left arm. “No thanks, I gotta meet someone. Could you just clean it and wrap it?”

He was frantic to depart before he was recognized, and his chances of finding Brandi diminished with every passing second. Was anyone guarding her? Did she realize the danger?

Cody trotted toward the lobby of the theater, but by the time he reached the outside door, there was no sign of her. He walked up and down the street and searched unsuccessfully. Rain began pouring down again, so he returned to the shelter of the mall, soaked.

The officers had not recognized Cody’s name since he wasn’t yet a national celebrity. He reasoned that if he could dodge the press, perhaps he could avoid the unwanted publicity. But Brandi
was
the press. She would eventually discover his identity — one more reason he needed to find her.

*     *     *

Brandi was 24. She had enjoyed VIP status since becoming a star athlete, and was accustomed to men throwing themselves at her. She was a popular, well-educated career woman who had no problem attracting status-seeking male suitors.

Other than her father, the men in her life had brought her only one thing — pain. Numerous disappointments had left her with serious trust issues. Ray Barnes, her father, was the only man she trusted.

Her lip was bleeding and puffy. She was battered, bruised, stinging from carpet burns on her legs and feet, but had declined a ride to the hospital from the EMS crew. She could not stop shaking from the ordeal and simply wanted to retreat to her high-rise apartment a few blocks away.

She had left the scene in a daze and wandered into a shop to purchase a jersey so she could ditch the blanket. She had stopped by a ladies’ restroom and attempted to rinse the attacker’s blood from her hair. Moments later, she had exited onto the street.

Even though she often walked to her apartment, Brandi had taken a cab. She was afraid to be on the street alone in the aftermath of her attack, and beside that, it was raining again.

From the backseat of the cab, she called her father, Ray Barnes. “Daddy, is Mama with you? You won’t believe what just happened.” With shaky breath, she related the events. “I’m just trying to hang on to my sanity. What? No…no, Daddy. Daddy, listen to me. No, I’m really okay! The men are in custody. There was this man who showed up. I mean…”

She put her hand over her face. The curious driver was eavesdropping and watching in the rearview mirror. She toned it down as she told about the stranger who had defended her.

Her parents wanted to know more about her mysterious guardian. “I dunno, I had to get out of there. He was still tied up with the cops when I left. I have no idea why he helped me. I assume he’s just a glory seeker like most men I’ve met.” She scooted to the far side of the seat to escape the invasive eyes of the driver still staring at her in the mirror.

“I can’t remember all the details. I breathed some of the chloroform they forced on me. I think he mentioned Afghanistan.”

“If he’s former military, you’d better stay clear of him ‘cause some of those guys can be violent.”

“Oh, he’s
an animal
,
Daddy! I mean those guys had no chance. The way he…I mean, Daddy, he beat the snot out of ‘em!” She chuckled, then sobbed again.

“If he took down three of those mask heads, sounds like special ops to me,” her father said. “They don’t always do well in domestic relationships, so if I were you —”

“Three?” she interjected. “Did I say three? Or were there four? Now I can’t remember. He had these awesome blue eyes that, like, go right through you. That’s the only thing I remember for certain.”

“Baby girl, you need to get some medical help. You said three, and you said this guy appeared out of thin air. Your mother and I are coming down there tonight. Go to your apartment and stay there! It’ll take us a while ‘cause the storm has flooded some roads.”

Just then her smartphone told her she had an incoming call. “Daddy, the police are calling. I’ll ring you back.”

It was Dupree. “Ms. Barnes? We’ve identified one of the suspects. The big guy who had you by the throat is extremely dangerous. The FBI wants him in connection with a double homicide and the abduction of three children in Brentwood. The Feds believe the three kids have been moved out of the country. It’s good your boyfriend didn’t kill him ‘cause they need the perp to talk.”

Brandi managed a shallow groan. She saw dark spots before her eyes.

“You need to get some protection,” the detective continued. “These guys are part of something bigger. Your crusade has them stirred up. Lucky your date was able to handle these baggers. He asked us not to reveal his identity ‘cause he’s afraid that…well, I guess he’s afraid they’ll come after him, so we said we’d oblige him.”

“He wasn’t my date. Who exactly is he?”

“This guy, his name’s Cody. He asked what you do.”

“So he didn’t know who I was? He’s gotta be lying. Is he from around here? What does he do?”

“Oh, I see. So you don’t know him at all? That’s what he said, but we don’t know how reliable he is. You ever seen him before?”

“Never laid eyes on him.”

“Okay. He wasn’t forthcoming about why he’s in Pittsburgh and what his occupation is. Says he’s a martial arts instructor, and his ID has a Houston address. Martial arts my butt! This guy’s no instructor. He’s a — Well, anyway, he wanted us to keep his last name out of the press, and I guess we owe him that much.”

“The press? Why’s he worried about the press?”

“We ran him but got no warrants or criminal records. Why did this martial arts expert from Houston just happen to show up tonight, twelve hundred miles from home, at the very time and place you get assaulted? My instincts tell me he’s holding something back. It just doesn’t add up.”

“What’s he not telling us? I’m coming back. Maybe I can get it out of him.”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Ms. Barnes. This is a dangerous man.”

Brandi no longer had feeling in her right hand holding the phone. She put her head between her knees in the backseat of the cab to keep from fainting. She had been a fool. Why had she just walked away? He was either trouble or an answered prayer, and she would find out which. Her stomach was twisted like a rubber band, but she was determined.

Brandi loved a mystery. Was he a devil? An angel? Why put himself in harm’s way unless he expected to gain something? Was it a setup? Did that even make sense?
Think!

Could she have found a real superhero? She managed a tight grin and then chuckled.
Hmmm, what if his last name turns out to be Kent? Cody Kent?
Ridiculous!

Brandi asked the driver to turn around. Her cabbie could not drive fast enough to suit her. When she walked through the lobby of the Cinema 18, people stared. Everyone was buzzing. Authorities had closed the crime scene. Her superhero was not to be found.

Too late. Maybe someone had taken a picture. Was he in witness relocation? What was his story? Brandi’s hands were still shaking. Her palm felt cold against her forehead. Then, deep in thought, she was startled to hear a raspy male voice behind her.