Girl on a Mission: The Dead Do Speak
Chapters 63 & 64
Previously on Girl on a Mission:
Shila supports Liza after a difficult night in the hospital, where Boyd remains comatose. Uncle T instructs Liza to gather her things and keep vigilant, warning her that danger isn't over yet. Meanwhile, Detective Jerry re-interviews Esta Flannery’s sister, Taylor, uncovering nothing new—until a chance encounter with Taylor’s son, Officer Michael, triggers a gut instinct that something crucial has just slipped into view.
Chapter 63
“I’d like to keep this information to ourselves,” Liza told the principal, Henry Campbell. She was referring to Boyd’s current situation. She didn’t tell him what happened, but she did tell him a story about her father being mugged.
Henry raised an eyebrow. Mr. Campbell obviously wasn’t buying it-everyone in Brooklyn knew who her father was-but Liza couldn’t care less. He had her reason and whether he believed it didn’t matter. He could deduce whatever he wanted from the information as long as he gave Liza what she wanted.
But she also didn’t want the rumor mill to spread, hence the lie. Let all the sycophants chew on that for a while. She hoped that by the time the peanut gallery figured it all out, this situation would be done and over and in the past. It was also wise to keep everyone in the dark as much as possible. You’d be surprised how many mob kids are in this school and none of them could keep their trap shut. The fact that the mafia was still in business with the number of stool pigeons in their nest was a miracle.
“I’d rather not have to deal with the rumor mill, Mr. Campbell. It’s no one’s business, anyway.”
Henry nodded while leaning closer to his desk. “I can understand.” He cocked his eyebrows. “Liza, you’re one of our best students. Obviously, you’ll have to speak with your teachers individually, but you have my approval.” He shrugged. “Take as much time as you need.”
“You’re a saint Mr. Campbell. Thank you.”
He walked her to the door, providing his apologies over current circumstances, before Liza walked out the door. The school was quiet as she went to speak with her teachers.
“Liza?”
She snapped around to see Cody leaning against the wall beside the office. She must have walked right past him. He stepped into the hall. “Shila just told me,” he said, shaking his head, his mouth open when he locked eyes with her. “Are you okay?”
She gritted her teeth. Looking at him now, all she wanted to do was run into his arms.
“It is what it is, ya know?” No, he didn’t know. Liza didn’t know what was going on with her, conflicted over wanting to run into his arms and wanting to run in the opposite direction. Cody’s eyes narrowed. The response was not a typical Liza response. “But I’m ok. I just got to get my schoolwork and get back to the hospital.”
He stepped closer. “Shila and I can come after school. Whatever you need, just ask.”
A thought popped into her brain then: What if someone comes to finish the job when Shila and Cody were in the hospital? Would it put them in danger, too? Liza was in this-it was a family heritage-but Shila and Cody were innocent and typically the innocent are the ones who suffer.
“When things settle down, then yes.”
Cody shook his head. “What does that mean? Friends don’t leave friends high and dry.”
She turned away, mostly to stop gazing into his eyes. This situation wasn’t the typical Boyd’s relapsed and needs to go to rehab. The fucking Russian mob was looking for him. The last thing she wanted was for Cody or Shila to get hurt over it. That would put the proverbial nail in Liza’s coffin.
She turned to him, her tears threatening. “I know you’re there and that’s… all the comfort I need. For now.” She had to get away. Had to remove herself from the way he was looking at her, all broken and wanting to be strong and wanting to help, but devastated by her words and her absence. Liza took a step back. “The situation is more complicated than you know. For now, please, just let it be.”
“Liza, that’s crazy. It’s best to stay with the people who care about you. You need support and you’re not going to get it from your uncle or anyone else in your family.”
She didn’t want to respond. At the moment, Liza believed they were all she had. The only means to rectify the situation were through the old methods. “I’ve got to talk to my teachers,” she said. “I’ll be in touch.”
Liza turned around and walked in the opposite direction. A second later, Cody called her back.
He paused before speaking. “Just be careful, please. And… and don’t do anything rash. Or… at least call me before you do so I can talk you out of it.”
Now, to that comment, she came close to smiling. “Okay,” she said. “You better get to class. I’m sure Hans is wondering where you are.”
And with that, she walked away, although she could still feel Cody’s eyes on her. Once she rounded the corner, she stopped and leaned against the wall.
Liza was scared to death. Frightened over every current circumstance and where it will all lead. Boyd, Uncle T, and Grandpa Tommy had made their decisions a long time ago. Hell, Liza was born into this life, but Cody and Shila, their lives were on a different path.
And she’d be damned to hell before allowing either of them to become involved.
She couldn’t help herself, those threatening tears unleashed.
Chapter 64
After Jerry left Taylor’s house, he drove around the block then circled back around to Taylor’s street, parking a handful of houses away.
He was watching the house. The old three-story brownstone sat in the middle of the street. Jerry cut off the radio and sat in silence, waiting.
It was the handshake that had Jerry all confused and rattled. When he shook his hand, the sensation was overwhelming. Guilt married with shame, coupled with a nervousness that was more than troubling. It was downright concerning. Jerry couldn’t shake the sensation.
He had to check himself a few times, realizing he was currently on a stakeout concerning a fellow member of the police force. The situation was uncanny. Surreal was the word Jerry used to describe it.
Jerry didn’t think that Michael was the Play Dead Killer, but he believed he knew more than he was letting on to. In fact, Jerry didn’t believe Michael had any relation to the Play Dead Killer, but something was nagging at him, and he would have thought himself a fool if he didn’t follow up on the instinct.
“But how? Where’s the connection?” And even more, if Michael knows who the killer is, why would he not reveal who the person was? Jerry would have thought that he’d be forthcoming with information that would catch the bastard who murdered his aunt. At least for his mother’s sake.
He gripped the steering wheel tight. His knuckles were turning white. Conflicted.
“Am I really going to investigate a fellow officer?” Jerry knew how incestuous law enforcement was and if the other officers learn what he was doing, the next dead body to come out of the Hudson might be Jerry himself.
Law enforcement was riddled with corruption and that corruption wasn’t reserved to flatfoots turning a blind eye to a crime for a handout. It went all the way to the top. Jerry also wasn’t certain if he was barking up the wrong tree, distracted or forcing his opinion on the subject.
He could be completely off in his judgement. Perhaps Michael is just a nervous person? Then again, maybe he’s on the take and after being confronted by another officer, his guilt came through?
A lot of what ifs, which only brought more confusion.
“Stop thinking with your head,” Jerry coached himself. “Instincts come from the gut, paranoia from the brain. Focus on the gut.”
But what his gut was telling him was to maintain a watchful eye on Michael. That, and monitoring himself. More specifically, to grow eyes on the back of his head.
A peculiar thing happened then. He saw Michael look through the blinds, scanning across the sidewalk and the cars parked in the street. Jerry was grateful his car came with window tint. There was no way Michael could see him sitting in the car. The problem with that, though, is that considering there weren’t many cars on the street with window tint, Michael may deduce that his car was a police issued vehicle.
He was obviously looking for someone. Perhaps he felt Jerry’s suspicion?
Again, Jerry’s gut stirred.
He was wondering if this was a rabbit hole he wanted to tumble down. Also wondering if what he was witnessing had anything to do with Esta Flannery and the Play Dead Killer. He could be picking up on something completely unrelated. Some mischief and scandal Michael’s involved in that has nothing to do with the reason Jerry’s here. Which only means he’s taking time away from his first duty to catch the Play Dead Killer before he strikes again.
Although he dismissed the thought. He didn’t know how, but he believed everything was related.
At least, that’s what his gut was telling him.
