The Wright One

WILLIAMAll content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.

Getting them to the safe house is easier than I thought. I back track a few times to make sure that we aren’t being followed. Watching our back I make my way to the cabin in the woods that I keep. My family is the only ones that know about it. I only use it when I am needing a way out of town for a little while. It is crazy sometimes.

I look over at Mia and she looks nervous checking the mirrors more than I am. “You can relax, no one knows that you are with me. They aren’t going to know that you are out here.”

“Yeah, but for how long. Brock isn’t exactly one to just give up when he has won. He thinks that I belong to him and he isn’t going to be happy that I am not at that apartment when he comes looking for me.”

I agree. “No, I don’t doubt that he will be. I just think you need to take this as a win for you. You are safe and so is Joe. That is a win.”

She doesn’t even seem to regard it as a win at all. She seems to be thinking of every bad thing that could happen that she isn’t even looking at anything around her and she is just studying the cars with intent. Like she knows Brock is in one of those cars.

Joe looks in between the seats. “Where are we going?”

“I have a cabin in the woods. It only gets used about once a year but it is a great cabin.”

Joe watches the road and tries to see where we are going. As the trees get thicker he seems to be more excited. I wonder if he has ever been outside of town. Not that our town is all that big but big enough that you can feel isolated if you don’t have a lot going on for you. “Have you ever been out this way?” I ask Joe not Mia because if I asked her I am not sure she would even answer me, I think she might be in another universe.

“Na. I have never been an adventure type. I just like to do my own thing and everything is good. But this whole experience is making me appreciate the different things in life. I never thought this would be a cool thing. But it is.”

“I never thought it was cool when I was your age either. My dad used to take us out for camping all the time, but I never really liked it until my dad stopped taking us. I think he is planning another trip though for my nephew. He’s kind of new to the family and I think he thinks of it as a bonding experience. I am actually pretty sure that Caden would love it. He’s a really active kid.”

“How old is he?”

“He is a little over nine. Actually closer to ten now.”

Joe looks confused, “Then how is he new to the family. Is he adopted?”

“Na, my brother just didn’t know about him until last year. His mother got pregnant in high school and then took off. It was a thing. But it’s all worked out now. They are on their second kid.”

“It’s just me and Mia. It must be nice to have a big family.”

“Most of the time, but then they find ways to piss you off. But then at the same time they have your back. I am sure that you and Mia have that.”

Mia looks over at me. “What exactly are you looking to get out of this? That is what I don’t get with this whole thing.”

“I told you, I will get the department to take me seriously. Right now I am just a name that they can show off. I don’t even feel like a real cop most of the time. You should see it when I have to pull one of my brothers over, they think it is just a big joke. My parents mostly think it’s a phase. Isabelle is about the only one that takes it seriously.”

“It just seems like a lot of work to get some people to take you seriously.” For the first time since we started she leans back in her seat. Actually relaxing. I think maybe Mia doesn’t like me.

It isn’t much longer until we reach the cabin. It is surrounded by trees and the road that leads to the cabin is pretty overgrown. I don’t think you can find it unless you are looking for it. When we pull up out front I can see the look on Mia’s face. “This is it?”

“I know it isn’t much but Brock won’t find you out here.” The cabin is small. There is no porch, it is just the stairs that lead up to the door. I lead them inside and let them have a look around. It’s a two bedroom cabin with a small living area and a small kitchenette. At least it has electricity and indoor plumbing. I know there are some out here that don’t.

“Make yourselves comfortable. I am going to run back to town and pick up some things for you and be back in a few hours. I also want to run down some leads that might lead to Brock. Is there anything that you want me to pick up?”

They both just shrug at me and I know that they are going to be bored. I’ll have to bring something for them to do.

Now that I know that Mia and Joe are safe I know that I can go to town and not have to worry about them. After I collect up some of the essentials that they will need and get a few things that I know that will make their stay more comfortable.

I can call up Dex now and get the details on the surveillance for Gus. “Hey, do you have anything good for me?”

He grunts. “Well, you were right this guy is shady as shit. he had a visitor about an hour ago that looked like he was doing rounds at the local drug den. I couldn’t quite hear what it was about, but it sounded like they were looking for a woman.”

“I have a feeling who. Did you find any surveillance in the area he was shot?”

Dex laughs. “Yeah, if he was shot there, but he limped his ass there, then he called the EMT’s himself. He wasn’t shot there. I am going to have to track down where he was shot. All I have on camera is him limping to the sight and then laying on the ground. I’m going to have to start from there and work my way backwards.”

“Keep at it. Already this doesn’t add up. I am sure that the whole thing is a set up. I just want the answers so that the only innocent people in this situation can get back to their lives.”

“You mean the woman that was in interrogation and her brother?”

“Yeah, they are screwed in this whole situation. I’ve talked to them in private, it seems like this guy Brock is really screwing with them. He isn’t a man that I want in my town.”

Dex grunts. “I sure the fuck don’t. I got a kid here. Mia doesn’t live too far from that neighborhood. I have met some of her neighbors and I wanted to punch their lights out. I couldn’t imagine what this girl is going through. I’ll see what I can track down. Do we have a plan in the meantime?”

“The plan right now is to keep Mia and Joe safe from Brock.”

“You do that and I will keep digging. Anything we can dig up to at least get him behind bars is an improvement.”

“I agree.”