Chapter 25: The Chase

Chapter 25: The Chase
Jimmy and Thompson continued their long drive, keeping their eyes on the road for any other strange sign apart from the tree log they had seen earlier. Thompson was eager to get to the caves, so they could apprehend Laila Danvers. He was starting to get bored. He wanted to explore. He wanted some action. He thought being on the most wanted case in the city was going to give him a lot of action and thrill but so far he was only getting a lot of driving and dust. The sooner they got to the caves the earlier this case became fun for him.
But Jimmy was calmer. He knew this case was not a simple tag and bag case. He knew it wasn't going to be as easy as Thompson may be putting it. As innocent as Laila Danver looked in the pictures they got of her, the case was turning out to be anything but simple. If not anything, it was getting more bloody and creepy. Yet, the suspense and the long wait were tiring. But he knew at the end they will arrive at something. The caves they were heading to were not even proof or assurance that she would be there. For all Jimmy knew, Laila Danvers might have already left the country if she was smart. Or maybe even she was already dead.
"Who are those?" Thompson suddenly whispered pointing to a fleet of trucks heading their way, breaking Jimmy out of his thoughts. "That part of town they are coming from is a no-man land, where are they coming from and where are they going to?"
Jimmy got interested, he stared long at the approaching vehicles, wondering who they could be. For fine cars like this to be on this road, then it had to be something funny. They could be the government doing their shady businesses or the mafia. Maybe it even had something to do with their case.
A tugging feeling pulled at Jimmy's stomach and he had this gut feeling that the approaching trucks had to have something to do with their case. As the vehicles got closer, the feeling grew stronger.
"Reduce your speed, I want to see their faces, " Jimmy told Thompson who was driving.
The trucks got close and the first was right by the side of their patrol car. Thompson honked at them to slow down and they reduced their speed. Jimmy looked into the first vehicle and he saw two guys. The one driving gave them a salute, with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, Jimmy paid him zero attention because he looked like one of those regular guys that got involved in petty theft. His focus was more on the one in the passenger's seat. He didn't make a single move to even greet them or flash a fake smile like his friend, rather he glared at Jimmy like it was his life's purpose. As their eyes met though, that gut-itching feeling returned and Jimmy knew they had to be involved in something. It might not be their case, but they weren't the government either. That meant they were either into Mafia or other criminal activities.
"Wave at them to pull over, we need to search them!" Jimmy told Thompson through clenched teeth. He had to search for them.
"Did they do something? They look like simple gentlemen to me," Thompson shrugged, not getting why Jimmy wanted to stop them. They didn't look like criminals in his eyes so he wondered what made Jimmy insist on stopping them.
"No, I feel they are hiding something. Let's do a quick stop and search," Jimmy stated, moving his gun — which was on the seat— to his belt.
Thompson nodded. Jimmy was more experienced than he was, he may be right. At least it was better to be right than to be wrong and hear a terrible thing happening because one didn't trust their partner.
"Slow down," Thompson said to them. A flash of anger passed through the driver's eyes, but they pull their vehicle to a stop. Like an independent action, the rest of the trucks also came to a stop.
"You handle the ones at the back, I'll take care of this one," Jimmy commanded. He walked confidently to the first car and flashed them a smile.
"Where are you gentlemen heading to?" He asked them, his smile never faltering.
The one on the passenger's seat kissed his teeth in annoyance. Jimmy expected him to open his mouth and say something, yet the guy remained quiet.
"We are heading to New Orleans," the one driving said with an innocent smile, that Jimmy once again noted it to be false, but he smiled back and continued with his questions. The tough guy was bound to break character. He couldn't be mute forever. With his experience, he has learned that criminals always gave off hints as to what they were hiding. No matter how good they were.
"Ah, I see. May I see your papers, sir?"Jimmy said addressing the one on the passenger's seat directly. If he was a criminal it was better to just get it over with than drag on the matter for too long.
The guy brought out his wallet without saying a word. With his eyes never leaving Jimmy, the guy took out an Identification card and handed it to him. Jimmy took the card, still staring at him. This was a very strange person. He had the body of a fighter, yet not a scar marked his body. Unless his skin found a way to heal itself continuously, his tough look didn't match aby skin.
"You are not much of a talker are you?" Jimmy wondered out loud but the guy sent him a death glare that if Jimmy were a child, he would have peed on his pants, yet Jimmy only grinned. A strange one indeed! And a criminal. Only a criminal would have the audacity to look at a police officer like that.
"Sir, we have had a really bad day, please forgive his manners." The driver pleaded on behalf of his mute friend.
"I can see that," Jimmy said as his eyes finally fell on the card in his hands. His eyes increased in size. What was he looking at? This was a golden hit! He looked back up at the guy and his grin grew even larger. This was Damon Mathews! This couldn't be a coincidence. This Damon Mathews was also heading to New Orleans!
He turned around to where his partner was talking to the other men. "Thompson, you have to see this," Jimmy said as he walked closer to him.
"What did you get?" Thompson asked, waving off the guy he was questioning.
"Check out this ID." Jimmy handed the identification card to him and waited to see the recognition on Thompson's face, yet it never came.
"I don't see any connection, Jimmy," Thompson said rolling the card over in his hands, not seeing the big hit Jimmy seemed to be making a fuss about.
Jimmy facepalmed himself, remembering that he hadn't shown Thompson the complementary card he and Mike got from that receptionist in the Lonely Place. He quickly searched his pockets for the small black card and fished it out. Then, he handed it to Thompson.
"When we got to the Lonely Place, two nights ago, Mike threatened the receptionist there and we were able to get this," he said pointing at the card. "The guy came looking for Laila Danvers too. He said she was his sister and someone had kidnapped her." Jimmy explained to Thompson.
Thompson looked at the identification card and the complimentary card, they did have the same name. Though, Jimmy's explanation was a bit crooked because Laila's last name was Danvers and not Michaels, how then could they be related?
"Well, this does look like a potential lead. What do we do now?" Thompson asked him.
"We apprehend him and take him to the nearest precinct for questioning," Jimmy stated.
"Great," Thompson said, his eyes falling on the cards again comparing the names and findingngng that it was the same name. Unless the guy stole someone's identification, then he needed to be questioned.
As both Jimmy and Thompson looked up at the guy again, something shifted in his eyes and Jimmy knew the guy had understood. He was going to take flight.
Damn it!
"Let's move!" Jimmy said running towards their vehicle. Just as he was about to reach their vehicle, the bastard zoomed off. The rest of their vehicles also followed suit and they all zoomed off from the police car.
"Damn it!" Jimmy cursed again as they ran to their car. He never anticipated a chase but what could he do? A detective never knows what would come his way until it happened.
Thompson started their car and they chased after the five trucks speeding into town. Jimmy took out a megaphone from their vehicle and started speaking to them.
"You all have to pull over! Damon Mathews, you have to stand down or we shoot! " he warned. He knew he wasn't authorized to shoot because Damon was only a suspect since he refused to be questioned, they had no right to shoot but he didn't know that!
"We are losing them! Drive fast!" Jimmy yelled.
Damon Mathews and his men increased their speeds, taking advantage of their new trucks. The old patrol car did not stand a chance.
"You have to pull over!" Jimmy repeated through the megaphone, hoping they would get to stop. But Damon Mathews and his men refused to stop. In a few more minutes, only the rising dust was left as a tale of their presence. They were long gone. The good thing was, they knew where they were headed.
Thompson took out his radio and spoke to it, "all units in New Orleans downtown, we are on a hot chase, flagging down five trucks. The first truck is black with the registration number, NX123 765. Hold them down and report if seen at once. I repeat hold them down and report if seen."
"I hope we get them, only he can tell us what's going on..." Jimmy trailed.
"Do you think Miss Danvers is in those trucks with him?" Thompson asked.
"I don't know. But I have a strong feeling he knows where she is," Jimmy said, running his fingers along his jaw.
Not long after Thompson sent the message, Jimmy's phone rang out and it was Captain Carter.
"Sir!" Jimmy replied.
"What is this I am hearing about you chasing a fleet of cars in downtown Orleans, have you found Miss Danvers?" Carter asked.
"No, sir. We found someone else who could lead us to her but he refused to cooperate and ran off."
Carter was quiet for a good two seconds and Jimmy was starting to think he had gone off the call.
"Who is this 'someone'?" Carter asked, making his presence known.
"A certain Damon Mathews, Sir!" Jimmy responded.
"Damon!" Carter growled.
Jimmy was confused. The way Carter had pronounced the name Damon. Did the Captain know the young man?
"Sir, Is he a household name?" Jimmy asked referring to the term they had given prominent criminals in the city.
"Jimmy, go back to South California. Go find Laila there!" Carter ordered, completely ignoring Jimmy's question.
"But, Sir-" Jimmy started but was caught off.
"Don't ask questions, Jimmy. Go back to the field and bring that criminal. I will send people to find this Damon you speak of," he stated ending the call abruptly.