Page 31

CHAPTER 31

“Henry Tate, you are under arrest for breaking and entering, the kidnapping of four minor children for the express purpose of exploitation and immoral purposes,” Grant Miller intoned. “And that’s just the beginning. You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford–”

“I wave my rights!” Henry Tate shrieked. “I can do that, can’t I?”

“I think you’ve been watching too many police procedural programs,” Miller said coolly. “What do you think, Officer Kristopher?”

Kristopher chuckled. “I think you’re enjoying this way too much, Sergeant Miller.”

Tate’s glare at Kristopher was openly hostile. “You’re an officer?”

“Deputized him myself,” Miller said cheerfully. “Although he does have a long and splendid history with the Knoxville Police Department. Now, before I drag your sorry ass down to the precinct, are you sure you want to waive your rights?” Miller paused for only a moment, but when Tate didn’t respond he continued. “Yes? Then you can start by telling us what you’ve done with the Clark and Campbell sisters.”

“And where the hell you stashed them,” Kristopher added.

Sergeant Ted Franklin and Bailey had surprised Tate as he broke into Allison Langley’s home, gun in hand scaring Sofia, Allison, and Alex to death. As expected from their previous meeting, Alex Langley identified Tate as the man who Stan Dembowski had given the bags of discs last week. The Thursday all of this had started.

Now they were seated at the Langley kitchen table while two other officers searched the house to be sure Tate, or someone else, hadn’t planted anymore incendiary devices. The Langleys were in the living room giving their statements about noticing Tate’s dark green car pass up and down the street several times before he broke in.

When Tate remained quiet, Miller stood. “Okay, Tate. You’re not talking after all? We already know most of it. We’re going to take a ride downtown and I’m putting you in the general population and have the officers casually mention why you’re there.”

“You can’t do that!” The handcuffed Tate half rose in his chair. “Someone might kill me!”

“Heard about what prisoners do to those they think hurt children?” Kristopher mocked. “They’ll have you for dinner and breakfast if they find out what your charges are.”

“Okay!” Tate slumped into his chair. “But I want special protection.”

“Talk,” Miller ordered. “Where are the Clark and Campbell sisters.”

“They’ll kill me if I tell you,” Tate protested.

“Talk!” Kristopher shouted. “You’ll probably be dead either way. Did you promise them to The Cadre? Or one of your sick friends?”

“Last time, Tate,” Miller warned. “Where are the girls?”

Tate choked out an address in East Knoxville close to downtown. As far he knew they were still there being guarded by two women. After Miller radioed in the information with a request that a social worker and a female officer accompany another officer to the scene, he looked back at the quietly sobbing Tate. “Ok, that’s good, Henry. Keep talking.”

Between sniffs and sobs, Henry Tate described how he’d been approached to find young girls in state custody, the prettier the better. Once found, he’d pass the information and be paid a great deal.

“You or someone you work with bugged the tables at Daisy’s ,” Kristopher accused. As Tate’s mouth fell open, he added. “But I don’t think you’re smart enough for that. But you did it to listen to any possible conversations about kids in state care. That’s how you learned that Mercy Phillips suspected someone at the shelter was responsible for the Campbell and Clark girls vanishing.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Tate said but his face was the color of parchment.

“We found the bugs,” Miller continued. “And we know you took some of them from an employee at Daisy’s named Stan.”

“You were seen taking a bag from him last Thursday afternoon,” Kristopher added. “And later that night Mercy Phillips was murdered in her home, and her son David hasn’t been seen since.”

“Whoever you gave the bag to listened to those recordings, heard Mercy’s suspicions and killed her or had her killed,” Miller said slowly. “So, you see, Tate, not only are you accused of finding and supplying children for immoral purposes, but you’re also an accessory to murder and kidnapping.”

“Oh my God,” Tate moaned. “Oh my God, I’m dead.”

“You were the Clark sisters case manager,” Kristopher continued. “Did the Taylors help you take them out of the shelter?”

“Yes,” Tate admitted.

“And after the Campbell sisters told Mercy on Christmas Eve that they saw the Taylors dragging the Clark sisters out, you and they arranged for the Campbell girls to ‘run away’,” Miller continued. “Did you kill Mercy Philips?”

“No!” Tate screamed. “I didn’t kill anybody! I just identified and transported the girls. And I didn’t touch them! I’m not a pervert!”

“Just helped the perverts get what they need,” Miller’s tone turned ugly. “You’re as bad as they are, Tate. Who’s behind this? And I promise you, if you lie to me about any of this, I will put you in the population so fast–”

“Tattersall,” Tate sobbed. “Charles Tattersall from Tennessee Cares. He’s working with some organization. I don’t know if they’re Mafia or something else but they’re damn scary and they will kill me if they know I’ve talked to you. You have to put me somewhere safe.”

“Holy sainted Mother of God.” Kristopher sat back in disbelief. The Regional CEO for Tennessee Cares. A man who has access to hundreds of children. Young children. “Why, Tate? Why betray your promise to help children? They trusted you. Lucinda Gonzalez probably trusted you. You better be glad she’s not here, because she would eat you alive. How much were you paid?”

“You don’t understand,” Tate sniveled. “I had student loans out my ass. I started gambling to try to pay them off, but I lost more than I won. I don’t know how Tattersall found out, but he approached me at a workshop and later offered to pay a big chunk of the debt–”

“If you became his personal pimp,” Miller interrupted.

“Yes,” Tate gulped. “And don’t ask me who else, because I don’t know for sure. There’s this guy Tattersall had me tell that David should have been in the house when he went there to kill Mercy Phillips. He threatened to kill me.”

“Tattersall told you that?” Kristopher tried to ignore the roaring in his ears. “That someone had murdered Mercy?”

“Yeah,” Tate whispered. “I guess he was supposed to kill David too, but I swear I didn’t know any of that was going to happen! You have to believe me!”

“Who?” Miller drew out his question. “Who threatened to kill you?”

“I’m not sure,” Tate admitted. “But he’s got this strange accent. Really good English, but funny accent.”

“Bogdan. ” Kristopher exhaled. “Where’s David Phillips, you little prick? Is he with the girls or did you hide him somewhere else?”

“I don’t know,” Tate wept. “I swear to God I don’t know!”

“Others have found children and approached Tattersall?” Miller’s words were more of a statement of fact than a question. When Tate nodded, he asked, “And where’s the party going to be tonight where the buyers for these kids are going to be tonight? Brown’s Hotel on Gay Street?”

“The Bradford. Oh shit!” Horror widened Tate’s eyes as he realized Miller’s trap.

“Thank you. That’s all I need to know,” Miller beckoned at the two officers waiting in the corner who came forward to jerk the now shrieking Tate to his feet. “I’ll be sure to place you in solitary once you’re booked. Happy New Year, Henry.”

“Wait a minute, officers,” Kristopher said. “I have one last question for Henry here. Who threw that pipe bomb at my car?”

“Go to hell,” Henry spat at him.

“Have a nice trip, Henry,” Kristopher called as the officers dragged him from the room. “You’re on your way to Hell already.”

He considered calling Suzanne first but instead called Lucinda Gonzalez with the news of Henry Tate’s arrest. She was overjoyed. “And I have some good news for you. I found Mercy’s parents late last night in Lichtenstein. They’re trying to book a flight to London but with it being New Year’s Eve, it’s impossible to get a last-minute flight and–

“If you’ll send me their contact information, I’ll take care of that,” Kristopher promised. “Or at least Brotherhood Protectors will. I know they’re grieving, but maybe it will make the trip home easier in a private plane with everything they would find in first class. We could have them in the air in two hours.”

“They’re already at the airport,” Lucinda said, and Kristopher could hear she was crying. “Where is Suzanne?”

“She’s working today. Elaine and she had some kind of special project. Do you have plans for tonight?”

“I was thinking of going to the Tennessee Cares fundraiser, but I’m just too tired.” she said. “You know, the one Charles Tattersall mentioned during the meeting. Didn’t Suzanne get an invitation?”

“I’m not sure,” Kristopher said as Miller returned to the room. We’ve been so busy, I’m not sure. Where and what time?”

“It’s at the Bradford,” Lucinda said.

“The Bradford?” Kristopher gave Miller a thumbs up as he returned to the room. At least Tate wasn’t lying about that. “Wow. Isn’t that the one that has a penthouse? The one that can hold several hundred people?”

“That’s right,” Lucinda agreed. “The happy hour starts at nine with a cash bar and lots of hors d’oeuvres. I’m not sure how they’re handling the auctions. But I really don’t like crowds, and I’m too tired, so I’m just going to stay home. If Suzanne didn’t get an invitation, I can let you use mine.”

“I’m not so keen on crowds either,” Kristopher told her. Let me check with her and I’ll call you back. Happy New Year.”

He ended the call and looked at Miller. “Do you need me?”

“Maybe for a bit,” Miller said. “Wanna go check out the Bradford? I need to get a crew inside that can pass as servers and bartenders to watch for Tattersall and his minions. I may have to bust the Bradford’s entire staff for their involvement with this, but it will be worth it. Do you want to come with me?”

“Absolutely,” Kristopher declared. “I want to be there to help take Bogdan, Dembowski and everyone else, even if it’s only as a witness. Catching Bogdan after all this time would be a fitting end to the year. And you can be damn sure I’m going to make Bogdan tell me what he’s done with David Phillips. When we finish at the Bradford, I’m going to tell Suzanne the good news.”