Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven
My question to Jill got her to think about how the detective knew the guy who broke in, was Pakistani. It was a question that we wanted to answer. 

Jill said, “Maybe they were already watching the guy.”

I said, “They didn’t know who he was until I told them about him or at least they shouldn’t have.”

Jill and I hadn’t been home long when I got a call from Detective Hagan. He told me they did get a warrant and had begun to watch the house. He also told me that John McKinley had a record of a lot of offenses. I didn’t ask how he knew the man that broke into my house was Pakistani. I decided to drop that unless I heard something else suspicious. I would however be cautious about what I shared with law enforcement.

I wanted to wait another day before bringing Lincoln home. I still had a night shift to work tonight. I ate a quick meal before putting on my uniform and driving to work. My mind wasn’t on work, it was still on the detective and what he said. I was confused and a little scared. If the detective was in with the crooks they would now know I was watching. My life could be in danger. I was very glad I had installed the security equipment to at least protect Lincoln and myself.

I had the television news on when there was a newsbreak that interrupted the regular program. It was showing a police bust at a local home. It displayed a little girl being brought out of that home with smiles on her face. Her dad was waiting for her. The report said that thanks to a tip from a local citizen and weeks of work they had found the girl and the men responsible for the abduction. 

The report said the men arrested were believed to be part of a Pakistani trafficking operation. I was still confused, more than ever. I didn’t have time to think about that now because I had to get to work but I had questions that still required answers. I just didn’t know how to get those answers.

I went to work my usual shift, with high hopes that Lincoln was safe with my mother. Jill had told me that her mother would be getting out of the hospital soon and she may have to stay with her for a couple of days so I arranged for my mom to keep Lincoln a couple more days since I had no one to keep him while I was working. It would be better anyway to wait till I thought it was safe for him to return home. I didn’t want someone breaking into my house seeking revenge and having Lincoln there. 

My shift went well without any mishaps. Most of my customers were regulars which I enjoy. Before closing time a group of reporters came into the store and gathered around my register. At least we weren’t busy at that time. 

One of the reporters asked, “Is it true that you were the informant that led the police to the house where the kidnappers were found?”

I was shocked that I was identified and a little scared. I didn’t want to say much but I managed to answer.

I said, “I have no comment for the time being. I don’t want to say anything that will harm the case. When the case has been completed and prosecuted I will comment afterward.”

The reporters kept trying and I kept evading their questions. I did pretty well I thought. Maybe I should have gone into politics. The store manager came over and escorted the reporters out of the store. He told them it was time for us to close and we needed to lockup for the night. 

When the manager came back over to the registers he asked me what was that all about. What he actually said was “What the hell was all that?”

I tried to explain things as completely as I knew but I did have questions over a few things that I would hopefully be getting answers to soon. He started getting me out of the register but he also asked me if I needed our security guard to walk me to my car. 

I told him I was fine and didn’t need an escort. I didn’t tell him I had a 9mm pistol in my purse, which was against company policy. I also didn’t tell him I was very proficient with its use. I didn’t tell him that I practiced with it several times a week and I also left out that I had started taking self-defense classes. There were some things he didn’t need to know and I wasn’t going to enlighten him now.

The manager unlocked the door and let me out to walk to my car. I didn’t see any reporters in the parking lot so I walked briskly to my car and as quickly as I could manage, got it started and drove away. When I drove down my street I noticed a lot of cars parked and a group of reporters and several cameramen standing on the lawn in front of my apartment. 

I kept driving and didn’t stop. I didn’t want to face that mob tonight. I was tired and just wanted to rest from a very exhausting day. I drove several blocks away and called Jill at her mom’s house. I told her what happened and what was waiting for me at the apartment. She told me to come to her mom’s house and spend the night. 

Jill’s mom didn’t have any security equipment as could be attested to by what happened to her but I still had my 9mm and I could keep it close. It appeared that the police had arrested those involved and maybe I wouldn’t have anything to fear from them. 

I thanked both Jill and her mother after they let me in. I didn’t know where to go. I didn’t want to get my mother or Lincoln involved but if the reporters found out about them they would go after them anyway. 

I didn’t have any clothes to wear except what I had on so I would have to eventually go back to my apartment anyway. Jill said she had extra pajamas I could borrow and I could wash the clothes I have on while I wore a pair of pajamas. I told Jill that my pistol was with me in case there was any trouble. I was still not trusting the police completely. 

I put on the pajamas that Jill loaned me and put my clothes in the washer and started it. Jill told me wasn’t ready for bed since she had taken off a few days from work to stay with her mom till she was able to get around better. 

I told Jill what I saw on the news about the police arresting our guy and his friend and that they said it was a human trafficking ring that was operating from Pakistan. I didn’t know any other details. 

We sat and talked together for a while. I ate a hamburger that I had stopped and bought on the way. I ate the burger while we talked. I was hungry. I worked the whole shift without anything to eat or drink. Jill had found a box of snack crackers in her mother’s pantry and was eating them while we talked. Every once in a while she would steal one of my fries and I would pretend I didn’t see it. 

We talked about the suspects that were arrested and our involvement with the case. I finally started yawning and she could take a hint. It had been a long day and I was tired. I
slept soundly and woke refreshed. I went in to take my clothes out of the washer and put them in the dryer so I would have something to put on later. When I got there Jill had already put the clothes in the dryer and they were drying. I can get them out in the morning after a short run to smooth them out. We continued to talk.

I said, “It looks like we discovered a sex trafficking ring.”

Jill replied, “It looks like you discovered one. You were the one who was suspicious from the beginning.”

I replied, “You came on board easy enough and you were responsible for placing the cameras. I still can’t figure out why he needed the gloves and bleach.”

Jill said, “I think there will be a lot of information coming out in the near future. There are enough reporters working on the case. Somebody will discover the reason.”

The chatter soon slowed down and it was evident that we were both tired and needed rest. My bed was waiting for me. It wasn’t fancy but it was close by. It was the couch Jill and I had sat and talked on. I got a pillow and a blanket so that would have to do. Jill advised me to go to sleep soon because her mom always got up early and since I wasn’t exactly in a private room she would probably wake me up. 

Jill and I said good night but I lay on the couch staring at the ceiling. I couldn’t quieten my mind. It kept wondering. I thought about what a mess it was going to be to get rid of the reporters. I thought about how hard it was going to be to protect Lincoln. I wondered why my suspect bought bleach and gloves. I was very curious about what items the police would find in the house and I wanted to know how the lead detective on the case knew he was Pakistani before they arrested the men. 

I don’t know officially when I fell asleep but I knew it was late. It seemed like no time at all before I heard the sounds of Jill’s mom dragging out pans and starting to cook. I could hear everything. I heard her light burners on the stove in the kitchen. I heard her run water and start coffee brewing. I could hear sizzling and when the smell of bacon filled the house that was all that was needed. I was up and the smell of bacon kept me from being mad about it. 

The warmth from the oven where biscuits would soon emerge filled the whole house. I loved breakfast food, especially prepared by someone who knew how to cook and that wasn’t me. It was my favorite meal of the day and it brought back memories. Memories I have tried to forget but they kept resurfacing. 

When my husband, Charles, was still alive he would get up and make breakfast. He was good at it and I enjoyed the time we shared together. He would always get up before me and light the oven for biscuits. He would start the coffee and while it was making he would throw bacon in a skillet and those aromas filled the air and always woke me up. It would wake Lincoln too because he knew his daddy was up. 

Jill came over when she saw me lost in thought with a tear dripping down my cheek. She didn’t have to ask, I answered without it. I was thinking of Charles. Jill gave me a hug but it made me miss his hugs even more. 

Jill had seen me lost in a daydream about Charles before. She could see it in the things I did and she understood where my head was. She would let me know she was there if I needed her but she would never interfere with the moment.