Page 40 of Unbearable
“What happened to Otis?”
“He retired about three months ago and moved to Florida. Sean Ryan is his replacement or at least the new hire.”
“Hmm. Let’s hope he can spot something no one else has. Thanks for bringing this to me, Detective. I’ll hear more about it tomorrow at nine.”
“Yes, sir.” She stood and walked out of his office. At least one good thing was happening from all of this. She got to make another visit to the medical examiner’s office. She could just call him, but where was the fun in that.
CHAPTER 15
Brooke felt somewhatsorry about sacrificing Jack. He was the first man who she felt actually might do some good in the world.
He wasn’t very interesting though, droning on about his job as a lawyer. That had counted against him. In the end, Edmund had been thrilled with her pick. Well, maybe not thrilled, but at least satisfied.
Jack had also made a beautiful sacrifice sitting strapped to the wall, completely nude, harnessed to the winch. The St. Francis medal hung around his neck glinted in the light as the belt tightened.
Edmund explained how his contraption worked once, but the physics had been lost on her. All she knew was that the more the men struggled, the tighter the belt got.
He told her a smart man would understand that. The only way to beat it was to remain calm. So far, none of the men had tried to remain calm. It proved that the only man smart enough for this world was Edmund. She wondered vaguely if Fox would beat it. Maybe someday she’d get to find out.
She shivered with the memory of being pressed against the glass separating her from Jack while Edmund pounded into herfrom behind. Jack continued to cry and beg as he gazed at her naked breasts pressed against the translucent wall. She climaxed as his life slipped from him. It was glorious.
“Mommy?” Ethan’s little voice broke into her musings. “Is Daddy coming?”
“Yes, but we can’t talk to him,” she answered. “Just be quiet and play with your truck.”
Her idiot ex-husband had finally been busted with enough methamphetamine and fentanyl to require prison time. They were currently waiting at his bail hearing.
He’d called her from the holding cells to inform her of when the hearing was so she could pay the bail if necessary. He promised to pay her back, but she would be surprised if that happened.
All she knew was that there would be no hope of any more child support if he went to prison. Chances of that happening, based on what he told her, seemed high.
He claimed he had been set up. That the drug taskforce seemed to know exactly when the drugs were in his apartment. Just a couple hours later, and they would have been gone. No doubt in the hands of teenagers out on the street somewhere. Not that she cared. If those brats wanted to fry their brains, what was it to her?
Since she couldn’t guarantee she could get back to Boston to pick Ethan up from daycare in time, she’d had to drag him along. Fox was tied up on the townhouse job until late every night, so he was no help and she’d rather do anything than ask her scheming sister to keep him.
It would probably do Ethan good to see what being stupid, like his father, would get him. She didn’t care if her ex sold drugs, but he should know better than to get caught. It’s why Edmund had her change up the bars she visited. Routine bred familiarity, and familiarity would make you lazy.
If her ex was nothing else, he was lazy. She looked down at her son. He was kneeling on the floor in front of the bench playing with his truck. A soft motor noise escaped his lips.
She wondered if he would turn out to be just like his father. At least he took after her in the looks department. Edmund hated kids. He had made that perfectly clear to her. She wouldn’t be taking Ethan with her when she left Fox for Edmund. That was for sure.
Her thoughts were interrupted when the current group of prisoners were ushered out and the next group brought in. Ethan popped his head up just in time to see his father walk through the doors in a white T-shirt, gray scrub pants, and handcuffs. He smiled and waved. His father waved, as much as the cuffs allowed, back.
She had to sit through three cases before it was his turn. All of the cases before him involved drugs, but his sounded the worst.
“This hearing is just to determine if bail will be set and how much, if allowed. James Vargas is charged with possession with intent to distribute. I understand this is his third offense. How does the defendant plead?” the judge said.
“Not guilty,” Jimmy answered.
“What does the prosecution say on bail?”
“We ask for remand, your honor,” a man said from the other lectern. “This is a repeat offender with no ties to the community. The prosecution plans to ask for the maximum sentence possible.”
“Your Honor,” Jimmy’s attorney responded. “The defendant has a small child in Boston. He has no wish to flee the area and plans to prove his innocence.”
“The defendant is remanded. Next case.”
Brooke stood and took Ethan’s hand. There was no reason to hang around since Jimmy would be heading right back toholding. At least she didn’t have to pay for bail. She wasn’t sure how that would work anyway. She had nothing to put up for collateral, nor would Fox lend her the money. She could always have stolen it from him, but this way she didn’t have to worry about it.