UNKNOWN ALLIANCE Read online

  “Sounds good. And I’ll see you tonight for jiu jitsu class.” She placed Comet’s leash, grabbed her backpack and gave him one last quick kiss.

  “You’re taking Comet?”

  “She might be comforting to Rae.”

  Chapter 47

  School ended, and most of the kids had gone home. Mac sat at his desk watching the screen he’d set to remain on the Speaker Club meeting in Crosby Nash’s classroom.

  The kids in the Speaker Club meeting appeared to be acting as news reporters interviewing each other in front of the class. The kids seated in the back of the group appeared to have a good time. The kid seated in front of the class looked more serious.

  His mind wandered to Monica. She’d given him some tips on body language cues to watch for when people are in the midst of conversation or interacting.

  He held his head up with both hands embracing his jawline, intently focused on the Speaker Club meeting and the kids’ body language. Marlene buzzed him on the phone. “You have a visitor, the lady cop. Shall I send her your way?”

  “Yes. Thanks, Marlene.”

  He stood in the doorway and watched Monica—lean, fit and pretty—approach his office. Surprisingly, her duty belt made no noise as she walked even with all the gear hanging from it.

  “Hi. This is a nice surprise,” he said when she was near.

  She smiled, and her eyes twinkled.

  He held the door open, and she entered his office.

  When the door closed, he said, “What’s going on?”

  “I was in the neighborhood so I thought I’d check on Rae. It’s her Speaker Class day, right?”

  “Perfect time, I was watching the kids to see how they interact with Brandi. Want to watch with me?”

  She checked her watch. “Yeah, I can stay for a few minutes.”

  “Which one is the lawyer’s son?”

  He bounced from his seat and pointed to Stu. “He just came back to school today.”

  “Because of the fight?”

  “I assume he didn’t want everyone to see his shiner.”

  “Do you think his fight is in any way connected to Brandi’s assault?” she asked.

  “Not really. I suppose it’s possible. Stu has been involved with drugs in the past. If Stu’s into drugs again and someone wanted to teach him a lesson they might go after people who are close to him. It’s no secret he’s nuts about Brandi.”

  “Thinking outside the box,” she said.

  “Thanks.”

  “And which one is the Jackson boy?”

  He pointed to Kevin and then sat back in his chair.

  Kevin, Stu, Brandi, and Rae watched two students do an interview in front of the class.

  “Brandi looks bored,” Monica said.

  “I don’t blame her. I sat in on a meeting. Just about put me to sleep.”

  “When Kevin leans over Stu to talk to Brandi you see her lean away. Re-wind it and watch.”

  Mac rewound the feed a few seconds. Sure enough, Brandi leaned away from Kevin. “Check out Rae. She’s intrigued and then leans toward Kevin.”

  She nodded. “She looks interested in Kevin.”

  The mock news interview concluded, and the group broke up. Stu, Kevin, Todd, and Alonzo huddled around Crosby’s desk. Kevin turned around and looked into the camera.

  “He’s up to something, and he thinks I’m watching. I’m switching cameras.” Mac clicked a few buttons on the remote, and the view was from a different vantage point. Kevin turned again and looked into the same camera. “He can’t tell which camera I’m watching from. That’s good.”

  Crosby dismissed the meeting and kids began to leave the room. Monica called out, “Wait. What’d I just see?”

  Mac hit pause. The screen froze. “Did the teacher just give one of the boys some money?” he asked.

  “That’s what I think I saw. Replay it.”

  They both leaned toward the large screen. Mac froze it at the point where it looked like Crosby handed Todd money, zoomed in and played it in slow motion. “Sure looks like money to me.”

  Monica said, “That’s weird, right?”

  “Seems suspicious. I hope he has a good explanation.”

  “I’m gonna run and see if I can catch Rae before her driver takes her home.”

  “Okay. Thanks for the visit.” He stood and opened the door for her.

  He stood in the doorway to his office watching Monica walk toward the front door when his office phone rang. The readout told him it was Jason. He grabbed the phone before the call went to voicemail.

  “Hey, buddy. How’s it going?” Jason asked.

  “Same old shit, different day. Any new leads on the missing boy?”

  “I know you’re concerned about the boy, but you didn’t hear this from me. They’ve reviewed the security video from a neighbor near the boy’s grandparents and saw Kevin talking to the boy. We have that on him.

  “Are you serious?”

  “Serious as an audit letter from the IRS. But then Kevin walks down the street alone. Later the boy goes in the same direction. Much later, Kevin’s seen walking back to his home. The boy is never seen again.”

  “Hmmm. Will you question Kevin?”

  “We initially questioned all the neighbors. He’ll get a second, more thorough interview. But other than your tips and him talking to the boy, we don’t have much to indicate he did something.”

  “Keep me posted.”

  “Will do.”

  Mac hustled from his office to Crosby’s classroom.

  When Mac neared the classroom, the four boys he’d seen on the security monitor walked out the door laughing and talking. They saw him and stopped talking. He heard them resume their conversation after they’d turned the corner down the hall.

  “Crosby, do you have a few minutes?”

  Chapter 48

  Baby Amora, four days old, had been home from the hospital for three days. Crosby took the week off to help his wife adjust to motherhood. Except, he’d gone in on Wednesday to teach his Speaker Club meeting. So far, the baby cried most of the night, slept most of the day. Kim was frazzled, Crosby exhausted.

  Life at Crosby’s home was so far from normal. He wasn’t sure what normal looked like anymore.

  Crosby felt every one of his thirty-seven years. Nowadays, he rarely found a snippet of quiet time in the house after sunset. Crosby decided to have a little normalcy and watch a few of the kids’ videos to update his grade book.

  He made himself a drink. Put his feet up on the desk. After opening the laptop and starting the first video, he began to feel more relaxed. Then, suddenly, the study door flew open, and Kim entered with a whimpering baby in her arms.

  Crosby slammed the laptop shut and jumped up from his chair.

  Kim glided across the room, handed him the baby and said, “Here, you soothe her, see if you can make her happy.” She did a fast turnaround and stomped out of the room.

  Crosby held his new daughter, baby Amora, snuggly to his chest and gazed into her big blue tear-filled eyes. Her mouth turned down, and her little chin quivered. Her arms were plastered to her sides because she was wrapped tightly in a receiving blanket. Swaddled. A nurse at the hospital had given them a crash course on how to swaddle.

  He gently touched the pacifier to her lips. Amora did her best to suck it into her mouth. With a gentle finger, Crosby held the pacifier in her mouth. Maybe her ability to suck needs some assistance.

  Thinking scientifically, he knew a baby’s needs were basic. Determined to figure out why she was unhappy and fix the issue.

  Amora blinked quite slowly. Her eyes almost remained closed. He rocked her as best he could while seated on the sofa.

  Kim peeked into the room. She walked to where Crosby could see her.

  “Good for you, you got her to sleep.” She applauded without touching her hands together.

  He nodded. Fearful if he said anything the baby would wake up.

  “You’ll need to help out more with
her care. Before she was born, you said you’d be a hands-on father. So far, you’re not doing so well. I’m in tears in the nursery trying to get her to sleep, and you’re in here sipping a drink, feet up on the desk looking at who knows what on the Internet. Sorry, Crosby, that’s not a hands-on father.”

  He frowned and tilted his head to make an I’m sorry face that he hoped she’d understand and accept.

  His wife continued, “Work or no work, taking care of her is a job too. You can be on baby duty every other night. You get to sleep on my nights, and I get to sleep on your nights. Everything I’ve read says she’s mixed up. Thinks day’s night and night’s day. Once she settles in, we’ll be able to get her on a schedule.”

  He nodded in agreement.

  “Tonight’s your night. I’m going to bed.” She left as abruptly as she’d arrived.

  He looked at his little girl. Contentment rested on her delicate face. As he watched her sleep, Crosby wondered what damage they might do to this little bundle of sweetness. She’d arrived with a clean slate. Their bickering and fighting, he’d wager a beat, would have detrimental effects on Amora. Her tiny features were relaxed. Seeing an occasional twitch made him smile. We have to get back to what we once were or we might be passing our dysfunction on to our daughter.

  With that final resolution, he held the baby tight against his chest, and hoisted himself off the sofa with as much grace and as little movement as he could muster.

  Keeping his eyes on the baby, he shuffled to his desk and opened his laptop. He thought if I’m not going to bed anytime soon I might as well get some work done.

  He wedged the baby into the bend of his left arm like a football in the arms of a wide receiver. Whenever she made a noise or moved, he gave her a little bounce. Whatever he did, worked. Even if he went without sleep, he was determined to keep the baby content so Kim could get some sleep.

  He thought possibly his wife was feeling some postpartum blues.

  At close to one in the morning, he finished grading the videos and dared place the baby in her bassinet. Before going to bed, Kim had dragged it into the living room and placed pillows and blankets on the sofa for him.

  Chapter 49

  Brandi couldn’t sleep. Cozy in bed, she opened her laptop. Her attention drifted to the window in her bedroom and the darkness outside. She set the laptop next to her, threw off the blankets and scurried to the window to pull the drapes shut. Now nobody could see inside.

  Once again comfortable in bed, she logged onto Jab. She glanced at the clock on her bedside table. Late, she doubted any of her friends would still be up.

  Rae to Brandi: Hi! What’re you doing up?

  Brandi to Rae: Couldn’t sleep. You?

  Brandi saw CJ was also logged on.

  Brandi to CJ: Hi. You’re up late.

  Rae to Brandi: What’s bugging you?

  Brandi to Rae: The speech I have to do tomorrow at the Board of Realtors.

  Rae to Brandi: You’ll kill it. You’re poised and articulate.

  Brandi to Rae: Thanks. Why’re you up?

  Brandi to CJ: Hello. Are you there?

  Rae to Brandi: Missing my parents.

  Brandi to Rae: I’m sorry.

  Rae to Brandi: What time is your speech?

  CJ to Brandi: Hi beautiful. You’re not usually on this late. Trouble sleeping?

  Brandi to Rae: 9:30

  Brandi to CJ: Nervous. I have to give a speech tomorrow to some Realtors.

  Rae to Brandi: I’m going to try and get some sleep. See you tomorrow.

  Brandi to Rae: Night.

  CJ to Brandi: Why does that make you nervous? You seem confident. When’s your speech?

  Brandi to CJ: Really? I don’t like to be the center of attention. In the morning.

  CJ to Brandi: You’re the center of my attention. Are you wearing your teal pajamas?

  Brandi blushed.

  Brandi to CJ: No. I’m wearing pink pjs. What color are your pjs?

  CJ to Brandi: I’m not wearing pjs.

  Brandi to CJ: What’re you wearing?

  CJ to Brandi: Nothing. I’m naked.

  Brandi lifted her laptop and flipped her blankets off.

  Brandi to CJ: You sleep naked? What if your mom saw you?

  CJ to Brandi: She doesn’t come in my room.

  Brandi to CJ: When am I going to meet you?

  CJ to Brandi: One day soon.

  Brandi to CJ: By then, I might find someone else I like, and it’ll be too late for you.

  CJ to Brandi: You know you’re into me. And you like the flirting. Admit it.

  Brandi thought for a moment. As she considered her reply, she looked around her dark room. The only light was the faint glow under her door from the hall night light.

  Brandi to CJ: I admit the flirting is fun. How can I be into a guy I’ve never met?

  CJ to Brandi: Would you be able to slip out one night and meet up with me?

  Brandi to CJ: Like go somewhere with you?

  CJ to Brandi: No. Just hang out and talk.

  Brandi to CJ: Talk where? Do you live near me?

  Remembering what Rae had said about CJ, she was glad she’d closed her drapes.

  CJ to Brandi: There’s a park near you. We could meet there.

  Brandi to CJ: I’ll think about it.

  CJ to Brandi: Okay. I’ve got something that can help calm your nerves.

  Brandi to CJ: What are you talking about?

  CJ to Brandi: A relaxer type medicine.

  Brandi to CJ: Is it a prescription you take?

  CJ to Brandi: No. It’s not legal.

  Brandi to CJ: No thanks.

  CJ to Brandi: You probably don’t need it anyway. You’ll do great.

  Brandi to CJ: I should try to get some sleep. You should too.

  CJ to Brandi: I’ll think about your beautiful face as I drift off to sleep.

  Brandi to CJ: I’d think about yours except I don’t know what you look like... Hmmm.

  CJ to Brandi: Soon sweetheart. You’ll meet me soon.

  Brandi to CJ: Goodnight.

  CJ to Brandi: Until next time...(blowing kiss Emoji)

  Brandi closed her laptop and chewed on her thumbnail. What if he is a creepy guy like Rae thinks? If I did sneak out of the house to meet him, I’d be in so much trouble. Dad would be so mad.

  Her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She rose and tiptoed to the bathroom.

  Before leaving the bathroom, she glanced at her faint reflection in the mirror. She thought she was pretty. But beautiful?

  Back in bed, she focused her thoughts on the bullet points for her presentation tomorrow.

  Chapter 50

  Parents picked up their pace of moving children to the school entrance. Kevin’s aunt Jane brought her car to a stop at the front of the drop-off line. Kevin quickly bailed out of the passenger seat.

  Mac said to Roni, “Give me some space to speak with Kevin.”

  She looked at Kevin and then did an abrupt U-turn to walk inside the school. “See ya.”

  Mac stepped away from the large brick post and assumed the parade rest position, his hands behind his back. The natural path option for Kevin would be between him and the post. At the precise moment, he stepped one leg to his side and landed it between Kevin’s feet. He pushed his weight into him, pinning the kid against the bricks. His hands remained at his back.

  Agitation registered on Kevin’s face. “What the f....”

  In a low, menacing voice Mac said, “I spoke with your father. You think your grandfather’s going to become your guardian? Do you think you’re going to be party pals?”

  Kevin squirmed a little. “Let me go, jerk.”

  “It’s up to your dad, and he isn’t going to authorize gramps to be your guardian.”

  Kevin wiggled against the wall.

  Mac kept one leg slightly back from the other so he could push his full body weight against the scrawny boy. “You scare off your aunt, you’ll end up in foster care. And I doubt it
’ll be as cushy as Rae’s situation. You harm your aunt, you’ll find out what happens to little rich boys at the juvenile hall detention center.”

  Kevin stopped wiggling and looked into Mac’s eyes. Darkness oozed from within. It appeared he understood the message. Mac stepped back allowing Kevin to dart away seconds before the bell rang.

  After the morning tardy bell rang, Mac met up with Roni in the teacher’s lounge. They planned to gather messages from the tip boxes and meet back at Mac’s office.

  Roni knocked before opening the door. She walked into Mac’s office. “Wow. Hank, the custodian, went off on one of the kindergarten teachers about the mess her classroom was left in yesterday.”

  “What do you mean went off?” He spread out a handful of papers.

  “He didn’t cuss, but he was angry. He told the teacher he’d just vacuumed the night before and he doesn’t have time to vacuum every night. She was almost in tears.”

  “Has he always been a hothead?”

  “Yes and no. He seems to be getting worse. What was up between you and Kevin?”

  “I gave him a message from his father?”

  “The father who is—”

  “Yes, that father. Let’s get busy, time’s ticking away.”

  Mac had watched hours of video and tried to figure out who had left the tips about Kevin. He was almost certain it had to be a teacher or an older student because of the penmanship, and the boxes in the lower-grades were easier to watch. The upper-grade boxes during class change were harder to see when someone slipped in a tip.

  Mac had the upper-grade tips, Roni the lower grades.

  Mac’s first note said, We need more time to go to the bathroom between classes. Mac smoothed it out flat and set it aside.

  His next note said, One of the guys offered my friend an illegal drug. Written in the same squarish female cursive. And another from the mystery person said, Mr. Nash gives kids money.

  “That’s interesting.” He handed the note about the money to Roni.

  She raised her eyebrows while she read the tip. “What do you make of this?” She handed it back to him.