Chapter 115

Chapter 115
Chapter Title: The Bagman's Secrets

Kathy

Reynolds and I stopped by the holding cells before leaving the precinct.

Rat was in a cell near the door. The others arrested at T&A were locked up in a cell at the far end. They couldn't see Rat from there.

Rat had already made himself comfortable. He was lying on the narrow bed, one hand draped over his eyes, apparently trying to get some sleep.

Reynolds unlocked the cell.

Rat's hand dropped. He blinked at us. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“You forgot we have to meet up with Gray in Pocomoke,” Reynolds said.

Rat sat up immediately. “I can't go. If anyone finds out I snitched to the police, I'm a dead man.”

“Well, if you don't keep your voice down, they'll definitely know,” Reynolds countered. “And if you don't help us, your six months will become twenty-five years.”

Rat stared at him. “You really don't play fair, do you?”

“Nope.”

Rat sighed and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. “Fine. I'm going.”

“That's what I thought.”

Rat slipped on his shoes. “Can we grab a sandwich on the way?”

“No.”

He looked at me, hoping I'd help change Reynolds' mind. “I'm starving.”

“Still no.”

Twenty minutes later, Rat was eating a sandwich in the back seat.

Reynolds had apparently changed his mind about the sandwich, because he had one too.

I sat in front, watching Rat devour his food through the rearview mirror as Reynolds drove.

The road toward Pocomoke was dark and nearly empty.

Reynolds kept one hand on the steering wheel while the other held his sandwich. Every few seconds, his eyes flicked toward the rearview mirror.

He wasn't being paranoid. He was checking for a tail.

If anyone had followed us from Crisfield, we needed to know before we reached the docks. Luckily, the road behind us remained empty.

It took about thirty minutes. We arrived in Pocomoke just before midnight.

The Pocomoke State Forest surrounded the area in darkness, the trees forming a thick wall around the road. Several unmarked vehicles were parked among them.

We parked near them.

SWAT was already in position.

A man in tactical gear approached as Reynolds stepped out.

“We had to call in local PD,” he said. “We'll make the arrest, but they want the credit.”

“Let them have it,” Reynolds said. “Anyone come in yet?”

The officer pointed toward the docks. “We got an SUV and a sedan. The sedan had a bunch of teenagers.”

“And the SUV?”

“A group of men. They went north toward that part of the docks.” He pointed again. “The teenagers boarded that schooner over there.”

I looked toward the water. Rows of boats of different shapes, colors, and sizes floated along the wooden docks.

The radio on the officer's vest crackled. “Unit Three to Command. We have movement.”

Everyone went silent.

“Go ahead.”

“Men have boarded a small yacht with the name
Al.”

Reynolds looked at him. “Those are our suspects.” He turned toward Rat. “Get out.”

Rat stepped from the vehicle. Reynolds pulled a protective vest over him and covered it with a jacket.

Rat looked down at himself. “What is this?”

“Insurance.”

“I don't like insurance.”

“You'll like being alive more.”

Reynolds turned toward the SWAT officer. “Give me a radio. Tell your men to stand by.” The officer handed him one. “We're going in.”

Rat looked down at his wrists. “You gotta take these cuffs off. They'll know I'm a prisoner.”

“Not until we reach the boat.”

Rat frowned. “You're enjoying this.”

“A little.”

We moved toward the docks.

The night was still. The only sound came from the water gently slapping against the wooden posts.

Reynolds walked alongside me, one hand resting near his weapon. Rat followed between us. We were almost at the yacht when the first gunshot cracked through the night.

Rat screamed.

Reynolds grabbed my arm and yelled, “DOWN!”

More shots erupted.

“Shots fired! Shots fired!” The radio exploded with voices.

Reynolds spoke into the radio. "Engage, but do not shoot to kill. Those men are witnesses and potential suspects in an active investigation. We need them alive.”

Another burst of gunfire tore through the darkness.

Rat dropped flat onto the dock. “I knew I should've stayed in jail!” he shouted.

Reynolds grabbed his arm. “Move!”

We ran. A bullet struck the wooden railing beside me. I ducked.

Reynolds returned fire, aiming toward the boat. “SWAT, cover us!”

Gunfire erupted from the treeline.

The shooters turned toward the forest, giving us the opening we needed.

“Stay behind this post,” Reynolds ordered Rat. He jumped onto the dock railing and climbed onto the yacht.

I followed.

A man came charging from the cabin. Reynolds slammed into him. They crashed against the deck.

The man swung. Reynolds ducked and drove his shoulder into his chest, sending him backward, his gun sliding across the deck away from them.

I kicked the man's gun farther away.

“Hands!” I yelled. I aimed my gun at his chest. “Hands where I can see them and get down on your knees!”

He hesitated.

Reynolds kicked the back of his legs. The man dropped to his knees on the deck with a thud.

“Hands behind your head!” Reynolds yelled, aiming his gun at him.

Another man emerged from the cabin. He raised his weapon.

I fired.

The shot struck his gun, knocking it from his hand. Reynolds tackled him before he could reach for it again.

Within seconds, SWAT boarded.

The remaining men were dragged onto the dock and placed in cuffs.

Rat slowly lifted his head from behind the railing.
“Are we alive?”

Reynolds looked at him. “Unfortunately.”

Rat groaned. I almost laughed.

Then a voice came from inside the cabin. “That's not very reassuring.”

I turned, my gun raised.

A man stepped out with his hands raised. Dark hair. Tattoos covering both arms.

Gray. The Bagman.

He looked at the SWAT officers surrounding him. Then at Reynolds. Then at me.

“I knew you guys had Rat.”

Reynolds narrowed his eyes. “How?”

Gray gave a small shrug. “He never calls me.”

Rat looked offended. “That's not true.”

Gray stared at him. “Big's the one who calls me every damn day.”

Rat opened his mouth. Then closed it. “Okay. Fair point.”

Reynolds stepped toward Gray. “Turn around.”

Gray complied.

Reynolds cuffed his wrists. “You're under arrest.”

Gray nodded. “Figured.”

SWAT began escorting the other men off the yacht. Rat was taken with them.

Gray looked at Reynolds. “You want to know what I was doing in D.C.?”

“That's why we're here.”

“And what I dropped off at Archer's Diner?”

I stiffened. “Start with that.”

Gray looked at me. “I dropped off Archer's usual cut. Plus damages.”

My stomach tightened. "Cut?"

“You think Archer's rich from flipping burgers?”

I stared at him, barely concealing the shock on my face. “He works for Benny?”

Gray nodded. “Archer gives Benny intel.”

“What kind of intel?”

“Law enforcement intel. Names. Locations. Movements. Whatever Benny needed.”
He shrugged. “The day you arrived in Crisfield, Archer informed Benny. Archer said you were his type, so Benny asked him to get close.”

I shook my head. “Was that how Benny knew where to find me?”

Gray nodded. “Archer told him.”

The words hit harder than I expected. I couldn't believe I'd been so naive.

And most importantly, did Ace know?

Gray continued. “Archer had Benny pay for the repairs on his car. He was pissed at Benny. Told him he almost died.”

I couldn't speak.

I'd trusted Archer. I'd let him get close to me.

I'd allowed him and his brother to fuck me. And all along, he'd been feeding information to Benny.

I felt sick.

“You're sure?”

Gray nodded, a knowing smile playing on his lips. “People think Benny killed Rocky Ryder. But that wasn't Benny.” His smile disappeared. “That was someone higher up the food chain.”

Reynolds stepped closer. “You seem to know a lot for a bagman.”

Gray's cold eyes shifted to Reynolds. “My job is to gather information, Detective. What use am I if I don't bring in intel?”

I raised a finger, silencing Reynolds. “And D.C.?”

Gray's eyes moved back to me. “We were supposed to bring in Hank.”

“Why?”

“Benny wanted leverage.”

“Leverage for what?”

Gray's brows lifted. “Leverage against Divine and the Senator. His daughter was killed. He knew he was next.”

“What time did you leave T&A?” Reynolds asked.

“Around one. Got to D.C. just before four.”

“And where is Hank now?” Reynolds asked.

“That's the problem.” Gray looked at me. “He isn't in D.C.”

“What?” My voice came out sharper than I intended. “But Ace told me Hank was in D.C. finishing a brief for his father.”

“That's another thing.” Gray's expression hardened. “His father isn't there either.”

I glanced at Reynolds. “What do you mean?”

“Benny sent us to bring Hank in. We went to D.C., but when we got there, the secretary told us they'd been on leave for almost two weeks."

“When are they supposed to return?”

“After the Senator's birthday party.”

I shook my head. “That doesn't make sense. Every time I ask for Hank, he's in D.C.” I paused. “And sure, the Senator was in Crisfield a few days ago, but his Cadillac hasn't been there since.”

“I thought the same thing. Benny said he saw the Senator when he dropped by the Williamson estate looking for Allison.” Gray looked toward the water. “So I started asking questions.”

He turned back to us.

“After the Senator's secretary said neither of them had been in the office, I asked around the Senate building. The janitor said he hadn't seen them. The staff of the other senators in the building confirmed they were on leave. I even went to the Senator's apartment building.”

“And?”

“The superintendent said they haven't been home since the Fourth of July.”

“Well, there were no signs of them at the Williamson estate,” I said.

“Exactly.” Gray continued. “I called the marina. The Senator's yacht isn't in its usual place.”

“He owns a boat?” I asked.

“He does,” Reynolds replied. “And father and son are both skilled at sailing.”

I drew in a shaky breath. The Senator wasn't in D.C. He wasn't at his estate either.

And Hank wasn't where Ace said he was.

Something was very wrong.

Gray took a breath. “Benny's dead, and I've been undercover long enough.” He looked at me. “Take me in. Then have me transferred to the FBI. I'll tell you everything I've found.”

He glanced toward the dark water, and I noticed the sadness in them.

“And I'll help you find them—the killer and the missing people. I owe it to Benny."