Journey Into Darkness – Chapter 7

He could hear the two of them in the kitchen as he made his way from the couch to the washroom. He looked at his watch; it was 7:32. He must have drifted into a half sleep sometime after dawn. He felt exhausted after two nights with practically no sleep. He decided he would follow Cassie’s example and help himself to a shower.

            The hot water felt better than good as he stood below the spray for several minutes, allowing the warmth to loosen his tired muscles.

            When he emerged from the washroom fifteen minutes later Eva and the girl were busy preparing breakfast. The girl looked at home in the kitchen.

            “Well, Bradford, how was your sleep? “

            “What sleep?”

            “Oh, the man has had a restless night. That’s what you get for a guilty conscience. I slept like a baby. How about you, Eva?”

            Eva Swensson looked at Trumper. He tried his best not to look embarrassed but failed the test.

            “I had a very good sleep, Cassie. Short, but restful. Thank you for asking.”

            Cassidy Monroe realized she had overstepped the mark. She had no right trying to embarrass this lovely lady who had taken her, a complete stranger and on the run, into her home. Her own life could now be in danger.

            “I’m sorry, Eva. That was a stupid thing to suggest. Please forgive me.”

            She looked truly remorseful, and on the point of tears. Eva Swensson closed the two paces between them and embraced the young girl.

            “It’s alright, Cassie, I understand. You’re going through a very difficult time and everything seems against you right now. But we’re here to help you, and Bradford, Trumper, will make sure nothing happens to you. You’ll be safe with him.”

            “That’s what I keep telling him, but he can’t wait to offload me.”

            “Diamond’s going to be looking for me and I don’t want you in the firing line when he finds me.”

            “You’re going to take him out, then?” Suddenly she was brightening up.

            “I’m going to make sure he doesn’t take me out. Now, I have to make a couple of calls. I’ll be about ten minutes. Is that okay?”

            Eva nodded, still embracing the girl. Bradford Trumper stepped outside.

            “Jake, it’s Trumper.”

            “Well, I’ll be damned,” Jake Cooper said. “How you doing, Pal?”

            “I’m fine, Jake, but I need you to do something for me.”

            “Okay. Where are you?”

            “I’m up in Montana, fishing.”

            “And you need me to bait your hook?”

            “I need you to check out a little accident for me, Jake. A couple, probably mid-forties, shot somewhere up in Butte, or maybe Bozeman. Presumed dead, but no confirmation on that score.”

            “Time of the accident?”

            “Yesterday, again presumably.”

            “Any names to go on?”

            “Monroe, but I’m guessing that’s a smoke screen. There are two kids involved, a youth named Robbie, mid twenties, maybe slightly younger, and a girl, Cassidy. Calls herself Cassie, claims to be seventeen. Again, the names are probably not real.”

            “Are the kids okay?”

            “Robbie’s bear fodder, out in the National Park, but the girl’s with me.”

            “And you’re, where?”

            “Near the Park, but I’ll be gone from here as soon as I hang up.”

            “Was this a hit, Trumper?”

            “Something like that. I’m being fed information, Jake, and I don’t know how much of it is accurate, if any at all. Except that the young man was shot in the Park. Oh, and he was driving a pale blue Toyota Corolla, circa 2004.”

            “Plate numbers?”

            “The plates had been removed. I didn’t have time to get the ID number.”

            “Okay, Pal, I’ll get onto it. How can I get in touch with you? Your number was blocked.”

            “I’d like to keep it that way, Jake. Just to be safe. Nothing personal.”

            “I understand. Give me a couple of days, then call me back.”

            “Thanks, Jake. One other thing.”
            “What’s that?”
            “Could you get Wes to have someone watch my place for a few days. I could be getting some unwanted visitors.”

            “What are we looking at, Trumper, a drug hit?”

            “I don’t think so.”

            “Why’s that?”

            “I mentioned that to the girl and she jumped all over it, but she’s clean, and that would be unusual for someone her age if she was a pusher. The guy who’s after her, a man she calls Diamond, really has nothing to worry about from her trying to identify him. He knows she’s scared out of her mind and she’s not going to run to the cops to give them a description of a drug dealer, especially since she would be involved, if that was the situation. No, Jake, I think there’s something bigger going on than a cocaine deal gone wrong.”

            “Any idea what that might be?”

            “None at all, but the guy, Diamond, bothers me.”

            “How so?”

            “I’ve seen him before, but I can’t place him.”

            “Wait a minute, wait a minute! You’re telling me you saw this guy yesterday?”

            “Yeah, we drove past each other on the trail.”

            “And the girl was in your car?”

            “That’s right.”

            “And that’s why you want your place watched?”

            “You’ve got the picture.”
            There was a deep sigh on the other end of the line.

            “Why don’t you want me calling you back, Trumper?”

            “You know how these things can go, Jake. Someone overhears something, traces the call and before I can spit twice, I’m surrounded with nowhere to go.”

            “Jesus, Trumper! You think this involves someone on the Force?”

            “I have no reason to suspect that, Jake.”

            “So, why are you suspecting it?”

            “I’ve seen that Diamond guy before. Which means he’s probably seen me before, and he won’t have too much difficulty tracking me down. And you and I know that some of the boys don’t have too many scruples when it comes to a handout under the table.”

            “Don’t get involved, Trumper.”

            “I’m already involved, Jake. Through no choice of my own.”

            “If the girl’s spinning you a line about drugs, then you have nothing to worry about, do you?”

            “Diamond’s not going to know what the girl’s told me.”
            “Maybe it is drugs, Trumper? Maybe her old man tried to split with the proceeds and Diamond took offence?”

            “That’s exactly the story the girl tried to pitch me.”

            “Maybe it’s the right one.”

            “Then why is Diamond so desperate to track her down?”

            “Maybe the girl has his money.”

            “She doesn’t have his money, Jake.”

            “How do you know that?”

            “She wasn’t carrying so much as a tissue when she came out of the bushes in the Park.”

            “So, she’s hidden it somewhere under a rock and she’s going to go back for it when the smoke clears.”

            “Don’t think I haven’t considered that, Jake. And maybe it’s true. But if Diamond turns up at my place, then we can assume that it’s more than some missing coke.”

            “I see your point, Pal. Leave it with me. I’ll see what I can come up with on the Monroes. And I’ll have your place watched.”

            “Thanks, Jake. I’ll call you in a couple of days.”

            “Pancakes for breakfast, Trumper,” Cassie said as he came through the front door. “Can you handle that?”

            “I thought we already had breakfast.”

            “That was a late dinner. It’s Aunt Jemima, though. Apparently the Swedes haven’t discovered maple syrup yet.”

            Trumper shot Eva an apologetic look.

            “It’s alright. Cassie and I have already had this discussion.”

            “She’s a slow learner when it comes to etiquette.”

            “I don’t think you’re in any position to criticize, Trumper.”

            “That happens to be my moniker, Cassie.”

            “Isn’t that some sort of one-eyed spectacle? The description would suit you.”

            “You have to keep trying to claim the high ground, don’t you, Cassie?”

            “No, I’m defending it.” He made no retort. “So, Trumper, we understand each other, don’t we?”

            “The pancakes are ready,” Eva interjected, keen to bring calmness back to the interplay between her two visitors.

            “Well, Trumper,” Cassie said through a mouthful of pancake, “what’s the plan from here?”

            “I’m hoping Eva will put you up until I find a more permanent place for you.”

            “And we know where that permanent place is going to be, don’t we?”

            “He’s not going to find you, Cassie.”

            “This is too close to Billings. He’ll probably be knocking the door down before we stack the dishes.”

            “I haven’t lived here for nineteen years.”

            “You lived here!”

            “I was a sergeant in the local force before going to Frisco.”

            “Oh, that’s just terrific! Why don’t you just place a notice in the paper telling Diamond where to pick me up!”

            “It will only be for a day or two. Diamond isn’t going to trace me that quickly.”

            “This is a freaking nightmare, Trumper. You must want to get me out of the way real bad.”

            “I’m going to make sure you’re safe, Cassie. Believe me.”

            “I wouldn’t believe you if you told me what day it was.”

            “He’ll take care of you, Cassie,” Eva said. “Bradford is a good man, and he’s very good at what he does.”

            “Well, it doesn’t look like I have much of a choice, does it? Two against one.”

            “We’re on your side, Cassie.”

            The three of them were silent for a moment.

            “This will be the best place for you for now, Cassie. I’ll look after you.”

            The girl looked at the woman. There was something other than resignation on her face, but she agreed to the decision.

            “Thanks.”

            There was silence again.