Chapter SixAll Those Traps

Margery rushed hearing the news. They moved temporarily into amotel room. Eric was surprised to see her visiting them after he foundout the suspect for the drug lord hunt. He didn’t look her in the eyes thewhole time. She sat across the table and touched lightly on his hand. Heslowly raised his eyes over her aged skinny hands. The engagement ringhis father surprised her with was missing. The ring has left a light markoff the long twenty five years of marriage.‘Is it the man who killed the boy in the neighbourhood?’ She asked, hervoice softened.‘I don’t know yet’‘Can I tell you something son? If you don’t mind me asking’‘go on’‘you should move somewhere else away from here. It won’t be safe forCat and Ben with all this hooligan investigations’‘why do you say that? I’m a cop. I’m here to stop them from makingchaos. Isn’t it strange than someone living in a bloodshed citysuggesting others to stay away from criminals? Look, you are living inWhite Field, and all I could see and hear is that people die daily becausesomeone sat on the wrong table. What happened to you?’‘I’m just saying for your family’s safety. Don’t get upset about it’‘I’ve had this burning in my head for a while but I have to spit it out forreal. Honestly, why are you still staying there? Do you live with them orbetween them?’‘what do you mean by that?’ her face turned.‘I’m not suppose to discuss classified informations, but seriously, Ifound out a number from a drug dealer connecting to MargeryMathews. what’s going on, seriously?’ Eric looked deeply into her eyeslike a lie detector. Her forehead dripped sweat. She looked away fromhim and took a deep breath. ‘who did you get it from? what’s her name?’Eric looked surprised ‘what? it’s not a she. it’s a he. what’s with all theseconnections?’‘let’s not make a big deal out of it. What is that man’s name? Tell me’‘Luke Rampart, he was selling drugs to this girl in the street. He shot atthe cops, but missed it’

‘Hmm’ she fell silent for a moment thinking. ‘He a white male with adragon on his shoulder?’‘Yeah, exactly? How do you know him? Why did he call you?’‘Look, it’s not what it looks like. I first saw this man wounded knockingon my door. He told me he got shot by a burglar and he wantedimmediate assistance. I let him in and took the bullet out of him. It wasno big deal. He said he could still recognize the man so he felt like hewas in danger. So, I told him to file a complaint to the cops. He hatedcops. They once forced him down breaking his jaw. I gave my numberand calmed him down. I told about you and whenever he gets introuble, he called me. He used to bring me groceries and stuff so I didn’thave to buy them my own. Then one day he disappeared. I thought hemight have got killed or found a new life. And you’re saying that hetried to call me when you people surrounded him like SWATS’ Shestared at him for a while. ‘How could’ve you saved him from that?’‘I wouldn’t have to help him this time though, he left me with sayingfarewell’‘This is going to make my files a bit more complicated. You will bequestioned for his connection. You can’t ever say this story in front ofSmith. He won’t believe shit. What am I gonna do?’ He stood up andwent for a beer. It was empty. He slammed the fridge door hard. Andthen walked back and forth of her scratching his head. She looked athim suspiciously. ‘You’re not gonna put me in jail, son?’‘There must be another way’‘If this won’t bother you much, let me suggest you one way’‘Alright, spit it out’ he said sitting roughly on the chair. It squeaked.‘You said only John and you know about this. What if you could make aslight change in the number, if you could find the next digit in thistown?’‘That’s the only way I’m thinking. John can be trusted. I’ll figuresomething out. Mom, you better not speak about this to anyone else’‘I know’She stood up and walked out of the kitchen. Catherine walked in thesame time. ‘Oops, I’m sorry’ she said ‘It’s alright honey, we’re finishedtalking’ Margery said and left the motel kissing Ben goodbye. ‘You alright honey?’‘She said we should move to another city. Probably a transfer wouldtake us far away from here’ and kissed her.

‘Honey, Ben’s got friends here. It would be hard for him to find newones’‘I’ll think about it, first I have to find out the messenger. Check thecamera footages and all that crap’ he held her tight just as when Benwalked in ‘I’m hungry, when are we going home daddy?’‘Soon enough bunny, just a couple of weeks and our home will be newand furnished’ It was getting dark outside. He could hear Margery’s Chevy grindingout of the parking lot. He came outside the room and watched thesurroundings. They were in the corner room. The green arrow shapedbulbs saying “Zac’s Motel” was constantly glowing midst of thedarkening sky. Two black trucks parked near his car reflected the lights.A cold breeze passed through his greying hair. He stood there for awhile catching the wind. A group of kids on their bicycles passed ayellow Porsche parked opposite the motel.

Eric got inside quickly and started packing things up. Catherineasked why ‘We’re being watched’ ‘By whom?’ She shouted. Recently after Nuhman’s murder he was thisguy with pressure on his head screaming and suspecting small thingsand making a mount out of a molehill.‘You know who burned our house?’ he said while zipping his suitcase.‘It’s the man I found a briefcase from. You know what the message was?He was warning me to return it. He dares to kill anyone for it. And thestupid as I am, I never looked into his god-damn files’ ‘But why don’t you call someone from your office? John and Phil couldcome stay in the other room for a while’ ‘That’s not gonna happen. It seems like I can’t trust anyone I know.They all sell us out at the last moment’ Just then, someone knocked on the door. They panicked. Eric took hisgun off his pocket and slowly looked through the peep hole. It wasJohn.

John has come to inform about the updates of the phone trace. Hehad to give some information about it to Smith. They both walked out ofthe room to his car. The Porsche was not there this time. ‘I must give something to Smith, he ordered me to give the files. Ipostponed it for tomorrow’ John said when they were inside. ‘I was wondering about that. I talked to her. It isn’t her fault. She hasnothing to do with that’‘That won’t help. Smith doesn’t hesitate to ignore this reason’

‘I know. I know that. What if we put some one else. what’s the closestnumber to hers?’‘I’ve already checked that. I didn’t know you would ask me that. It’s alittle bit complicated and risky to take that step. And also, it will create awhole town chaos. Imam Rizwan, 312-452-452-7, there is no othernumber closer to hers than his. But, unfortunately, we can’t put him intothis mess. It’ll shake the Muslims’ ‘Oh, God. I can’t think of anything but go on with it. If Smith finds outMargery’s number, then he’ll begin to suspect me of crimes in the city’Eric said with a deep sorrow voice.‘Alright then, it’s done. But, must be careful about the mob’‘Thank you John. What else is there? Did you notice the Yellow Porscheoutside over there while coming?’ He pointed straight towards thewindow.‘Yeah. I noticed. What about it?’‘I think someone is really watching each and every step I take’ Hepushed the seat back and leaned.‘Don’t bother about that. It won’t be what you think. Don’t stress yourmind with unnecessary matters. Take some rest. I gotta show you thefiles we found from the truck. It’s frightening interesting’‘What about it? I think my house was burnt because of that. I must findthat bastard’‘Hey, I told you. That must be other raged criminals. This man haskidnapped thirteen girls and photographed their naked bodies for fun.He didn’t even use them. But, he tortured them to death. Each and everyfiles, girls under age fifteen, all of them. We searched that house withfour officers just now and found cocaine, used syringes, marijuana anddrugs that, in my knowledge, is not sold around these streets. I think hemust’ve been out of storage and got pissed off when Rick said no drugs’‘Then let’s find out what William has to say about it’ Eric said andlighted a cigarette. ‘Alright then. I’m gonna take off. See you tomorrow’‘Thanks man, for coming’‘No problem. Take care’ John stepped out of the car and went to hismotor bike. Eric stayed in the car for a while thinking about the dramashe has to do the next day. He slowly slipped into a deep sleep.

*******