SACRIFICES (28 page)

              Jessica Avery tilts her head and replies while Todd opens the door. “Tonight’s Friday and big daddy and me are going out.”

              Todd smiles and blows her a kiss. Brad waves and blows her a kiss as well. “I’ll try to sweetheart, See you later.” She waves and walks back in the house.

              Todd sits down and pulls out a cigarette. He glances at Brad and asks. “So where’s your coffee?”

              Brad places his unmarked car into drive and answers. “I wanted to get you first.” He was in a hurry after he left his house. He had to drive his son’s car to the station and then pick up his squad car that he left there last night.

              Todd exhales a huge cloud of smoke out the cracked passenger side window and asks. “Has there been any word back on the bodies yet?”

              “Not yet.” Brad turns the corner headed to the bakery about five minutes from the second precinct.

              “Did the chief say when we should? It would help a lot if we knew for sure, I mean as far as talking to Stein.” Todd flicks his ashes out the window.

              “I know, I know. But for now we’ll just have to hope that a couple of days of stewing have made him want to talk.” Brad nods as he changes lanes.

              “We better hope so.” Todd reaches into his folder that he’s taken from his briefcase and placed on his lap.

“Oh yeah, last night I called Hills mother. I didn’t give her any details as to
who
I really was. Instead I was calling because I was given some information about the time she had taken care of a bullet wound to the leg of Steve Howard one of her son’s friends,” Todd flicks his ashes again. “She was curious as to the call and I told her I was from the Canton hospital and a Mr. Howard had hurt his leg and gave us her name as someone that had fixed his leg when he was in college because we noticed the old wound. I told her she must have done a great job, and she should have been a doctor to take care of it so good...” Brad interrupts. “Did she buy it?” Todd smiles and nods his head as he raises his eyebrows. “...Yes, because she corrected me and said it was actually in the upper thigh. She told me that the boys were messing around with a loaded gun and it went off on accident. So it matches what he told us she‘d say.” Todd closes the folder.

              Brad starts to explain. “I had Tammy get phone records for the past month and a half on any call made from Stein’s office and home as well as his cell phone. I had her look up Howard’s as well. I wanted to make sure that these guys didn’t call each other after the fact to work out the story.”             

“What did it show?” Todd inquires.

              “Not a call from either one. It’s possible they could used a friends or relatives phone but if your Stein or Howard I don’t know if you’d go to all the trouble, especially if you’re Stein. He strikes me as someone who’s truly frightened…Oh yeah I almost forgot, just for the possibility of the others I had Tammy check on the others phone records as well and it appears no one called anyone, period. It would seem that these guys haven‘t stayed in contact with each other since those college years.” Brad nods and smiles.

              Brad then adds. “Plus Howard hasn’t been able to use the phone
‘unmonitored’
since we placed him in protective custody, so for her to have the same exact story as his about his leg I’m inclined personally to believe what he said a little more.”

Todd stretches and yawns. “Well then it seems that Howard was telling the truth doesn’t it. I don’t know what the DA is going to do? But a part of me hopes they send those mother fuckers up for life.” Todd sips his coffee.

              Brad sighs. “Yeah …I know what you mean. But if you look at it from their point of view, you can almost understand them being scared. And if they did have one bit of compassion or feelings about anything you can kind of see how in a sense they felt like they were protecting their families. This Caruthers seems like he was an animal.”

              Todd grits his teeth. “I wish I had met him then, knowing what I know now. It would have been worth losing my job to kill that fucking piece of shit.”

              Brad doesn’t say anything. He knows that Todd meant that. So he quickly changes the subject. “Tammy has in my briefcase,” He tries to reach into the back seat and Todd asks. “Whatcha need?” “My briefcase…” Todd grabs it and sits it on his lap. “Tammy has put together for us profiles and family history on the missing couple. It’s not going to do anything now especially after the FBI finds the bodies. But what I was thinking is maybe we can talk to family and friends of the couple. Try to find out who would possibly know about the whereabouts of the bodies. And who would have plotted revenge. Because I think it’s obvious to you and I that whomever it is that raped the women and the killed the husbands somehow knew what happened to the couple. I also think that whoever is doing this knows every thing; why else would they be giving us clues and kill Speck at the sight of the rape and murder. This guy somehow knows everything...I don‘t know how, but he seems to know every fucking thing.” Brad changes lanes and turns into the parking lot of the doughnut shop.

              Todd scratches his head and lights another cigarette.

“You know Brad. I almost agree with you on this but it seems to me that if someone cared about this couple actually knew what happened they would have come forward and turned these guys in. Why not let the police take care of it? Do you see what I mean? If your a friend or family of this couple. You find out what happened to your loved one. Wouldn’t you want to see these mother fuckers pay? And, why wait so long, I don’t know buddy.” Todd looks out the window.

              Brad stops the car and puts it in park. “I know. You’re right. But you know what got me thinking about that as a possibility? When we found out that Charles Speck was someone that in the eyes of the school and the community tried to hide it. Maybe this person felt that there was no way for these guys to be punished. Maybe they thought the guys would get away with it so they left it alone. Like Howard said about being threatened by quote ‘certain people’, maybe one of these guys had some mob connections and everyone was afraid.
Maybe
that’s why they’re doing it now. Everybody has forgotten about it. It’s ancient history. Now pay these guys back. They’re rich and prominent happily married, pay them back now, what better revenge then take everything from them now after they‘ve had time to enjoy it. Make em suffer then blow out their fucking brains.” Brad smiles. “Hell I don’t know. It’s just a thought.”

              Todd smiles and says. “I never noticed before but you have a really sexy man. I mean that.” Todd smiles trying to lighten the tense atmosphere that has been growing tenser with each passing day. “Go buy me some donuts. I’ll wait out here.” Todd grins as Brad gets out.

BRAD AND TODD DRIVE TO THE SECOND PRECINCT

             
Brad pulls into the parking garage at the second precinct. He shows his badge at the security check in and spends a few minutes talking to the guard. He’s an officer that used to work patrol years ago at the fifth. Many officers in Chicago often transfer from one precinct to another when they move or get married.

              Todd finishes his second cherry filled donut and makes the comment. “Maybe you’re on to something with what you said earlier.”

              Brad pulls his car into an empty spot and turns it off. “What did I say?” Brad tries to figure out what he‘s referring to since they talk all the time about every thing.

              “When you said that this person might know what happened but they could be afraid of the guys getting away with it. I think maybe you’re on to something with that. Everyone said the guys were all treated like royalty. Maybe, and this is a
big
maybe. You might have hit it on the head. Didn’t Betty say something a long time ago about Charles Speck was accused of trying to shelve the story? It turned out he had a cousin or brother on the Champaign PD?” Brad nods his head. “Well let’s have Tammy pull up the family on all of the guys. Maybe this person knew that one of the boys had a family member with some standing in the community, or some mob connections and they figured they’d get away with it or bury it.”

              Brad agrees and tells him. “That’s a good idea,” He smiles again. “I wished I had thought of it.” Brad grins again as they get out of the car.

              Todd walks over and places his arm around him. “I just said maybe
you‘re
on to something. I know it was your idea.” Todd smiles and walks with his arm around him as they walk through the parking lot. “I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen you smile so much. You’re acting like a guy who got ‘
some’
last night. What happened did you rent a porno?”

              Brad gets defensive. “I’m not smiling that much.”

              “Ok, you’re not smiling that much.” Todd smirks. “I know what it looks like when a guys not getting any, and when a guys getting some.”

              “Oh yeah, how can you tell?”

              Todd stops and turns toward Brad and places his hands on Brad‘s shoulders. “Do you see the look on my face?”

              “Yeah.”

              “That’s the look of a guy who’s
not
getting any.” Todd grins as they walk toward the parking garage elevator.

              “The look on your face is the look of a guy who’s getting some. But since you’re not dating and you don‘t have a girlfriend. You must have hooked up with your own hand last night.”

              Brad tells him with a smile and knowing it’s impossible to try and hide anything from Todd for very long so he quickly changes the subject. “It looked like Jessica was happy this morning when she looked outside.”

              Todd pushes number three on the elevator buttons and places his hands in his pockets. “Yeah it’s the damnedest thing. Every time we hire a new landscaper or a contractor she has that look. She even gets that look when we get a new milkman. I can’t figure it out,” Todd jokingly adds. “Wait a minute, your smiling...she’s smiling...by chance did sneak over last night when I was sleeping?” Todd winks at Brad as the elevator door opens.

              Brad shrugs and nods his head. “Ok, ok, you caught me...that’s what happened…“ Brad jokingly slaps Todd on the back. “You’re not too upset about it are you?”

              “No...not at all, your like family, plus I always said you were a mother fucker, you just proved it.”

              After the short elevator ride the two detectives make the short walk to the main office of robbery/homicide division. Todd walks up to the duty officer and asks. “Where’s John boy?”

              John boy is the nick-name everyone calls the lead detective. John Carlson, along with many dozen other officers, he’s also a good friend of both Todd and Brad. He’s been assigned the task of protecting Stein until the officers of the fifth precinct decide what will happen.

              “Hello their Mr. Avery, John’s in the conference room with Stein right now.” The older gentleman wearing a uniform behind the counter that separates the offices from the waiting room explains.

              “What room is it?” Todd smiles as he looks around behind the desk waving at a few familiar faces.

              “It’s down at the end of this corridor,” He points.

“…make a left and it’s the second door on the left.”

              Todd shakes his hand and walks up to Brad. “Let’s go.”

              Brad takes his coffee cup from the automatic dispenser and lowers the plastic see through door and tells Todd. “We need to get one of these back at the fifth on our floor. This is some good coffee.”

              Todd stops and looks at him. “Why are you smiling?”

              “I’m not. I was just saying this is good coffee. Jesus Christ what the hell is wrong with you talking about me smiling all damn day. Jesus Christ.” Brad starts to walk away shaking his head.             

              Todd shakes his head and shrugs as he watches Brad walk away. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen you smile when you talk about coffee. That must be some
pretty fucking good coffee
.” Todd shakes his head.

              Brad continues to walk as Todd follows him to the conference room. When they knock they hear the familiar voice of John Carlson. He yells.
‘Come in.’
both officers walk in and smile.

              “How the hell are you?” John smiles at Brad as he extends his hand. “Who’s this poor excuse of a human being you brought with you?” John smiles as Todd grins back.

              Todd walks over and gives John a hug. “How are you?

You ugly piece of shit…let me ask you a question John Boy, does your wife still call out my name at night?” Todd steps back and smiles.

              “Yeah she does…when she’s having a fucking nightmare.” John winks at Brad and Brad chuckles.

              Todd follows up. “Is she able to walk right yet? I did get a little carried away last time I fucked her.”

              “Oh yeah she’s much better now. She said your dick was so little and sharp it was like you were fucking her with a needle, she said it did hurt quite a bit. She wanted me to tell you that next time to just use your pinky; she said it’s about ten times bigger than your dick.” John gives Todd another hug. Then John looks at Brad and shakes his head in utter disgust. “Now Brad I told you the last time I seen you that you should make this mother fucker wear a mask. Looking at his face makes me SICK.” Brad nods and smiles as John rubs Todd's back.