The Wright One

WILLIAM

My cell rings after I just managed to get to sleep and I want to ring the neck of whoever is on the other end of the line. I grumble as I answer the phone. “This had better be good.”

Kyle is on the other end. “That boy from yesterday. The brother of the suspect is on the line. He says he wants to talk to you and only you. He says he has some new information.”

I blink the sleep from my eyes. “Put him through.”

I shuffle around my blanket as I shift to sit up so that I can take some notes. Thankfully I always keep a notebook and pen by my bed to clear my mind before bed. I flip to a fresh page as the line clicks over. “Hello.” His tentative voice goes through the line.

“Hey, Joe, what’s up?”

He seems reluctant, sighing a few times and taking a deep breath. “There is something wrong. I don’t know what happened, but it doesn’t make sense. I don’t know who else to call. Please can we meet somewhere, not the police station. Somewhere just you and me.”

“Do you know the park on fifth avenue?”

“Yeah.”

“Meet at the picnic tables, by the skate ramp.”

“Ok, I’m headed there now.”

We ended the call and I have a good feeling about this. I have a feeling that whatever Joe needs to get off his chest is going to be the thing that cracks this case open.

When I get to the park, Joe is already there. He looks huddled and crushed on the bench. He looks like the weight of the world is on his shoulders. I take a seat next to him. “How are you doing?”

I can see some tears in his eyes. “Something is wrong. My sister is lying to me. I can’t understand what she is doing. I didn’t know who else to talk to.”

“Hey, I’m here to listen buddy. What’s going on?”

He sighs. “You know that guy that we were talking about yesterday? The one that my sister wanted me to stay away from?”

“Yeah, Brock.”

“Yeah, well this morning he was in our apartment. He was holding my sister. I saw him get ready to kiss her. I don’t understand it. She hates him. Then she said that they were dating. I know that is a lie. She wouldn’t tell me to stay far away from him and be dating him at the same time. She wasn’t making sense. Then she called me Joe, she never calls me Joe.”

“You said that he has been kind of watching your sister. Do you think that they were keeping it a secret?”Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

“No, she was repulsed by him. She still seemed repulsed when she was telling me that they were in a relationship. They tried to make it seem like they were keeping it a secret because of me, but I think it’s not a real thing. I think he might be forcing her. He just all the sudden came by this morning and said that we were moving in with him. Something about my sister losing her job. I just don’t understand.”

This is a scared kid who doesn’t know what to do to protect his sister. He knows she is in danger, he just doesn’t understand why. I am beginning to get a clearer picture of what is going on. It’s clear that this Brock guy has some sort of hold over Mia. He is pulling her strings. She is scared of him, but she doesn’t want Joe to know.

“I’m going to ask something of you.”

He looks up at me with his eyes still kind of watery. “Yeah.”

“I want you to get your sister somewhere where I can talk to her without anyone else seeing us. I have an idea where it will work. My brother has a bar, there is an apartment upstairs, I want you to convince your sister to go to the bar and meet me in the back. Then you will both come upstairs and we can talk in private, without cops, besides me. Without Brock.”

He nods. “I can do it. I will just need a little time. Maybe a few hours. I don’t know if that guy will be there.” He sneers when he says that guy. Clearly he isn’t a fan of Brock.

I passed him my card. “On the back is my cell phone. Call me directly when you are on your way. My brother’s name is Luke. If for some reason you can’t find me. Then find him. He will bring you both up to the apartment.”

“What bar is it?”

“Eden Bar.”

He nods. A clear mission in his mind. At least he feels like he can help his sister in some way. I may not be taken seriously at my job but this kid feels like I am a lifeline right now. I am not going to let him down.

After Joe leaves I call up Luke. “Hey, I need your help.”

He sighs. “You do realize that I only have been in bed for like an hour?”

“I know, hell you got more sleep than me at this point. But I need you to be on call at the bar for me.”

He groans. “What the fuck dude?”

“Listen, I have someone I need to meet there. I think something is going on. I need this to be between us. Can you just help me out?”

He sighs. “I’ll help but next time Dad gives me shit about my late nights, I want you to stand up for me.”

“Anything. If I am not there in time, there is a young kid named Joe and his sister Mia that I am meeting. Take them up to your apartment. I have to check on a couple of things and Joe said it would take a minute to get his sister together. I will text you after he texts me. I want to make sure that this is as discreet as possible.”

“Well, how young is this kid? It will look fishy if some ten year old is walking in my bar.”

“He’s sixteen. Can you do that?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll help out. I don’t want to think about the trouble that woman is in if you need to bring her here. Just stay safe brother. I will not explain to Dad and Mom how you died.”

“I am not going to die. I am smarter than that.”

Luke laughs. “I beg to differ.”

“Screw you. I’ll see you later.”

“Late.” Luke ends the call.

Now I have to check in with Dex and that subpoena for the phone records for Gus.