“Everybody is sorry after the fact.”
“Did you kill Noah Warner?” Maloney asked, hoping he would say yes, then the feds could pounce and end his misery.
Benson smiled cryptically. “I think there’s a good chance you may have arrested the wrong man in that case.”
“What do you mean the wrong man?”
“I think we both know the man they have in custody is an imposter. He’s as fake as that testimony you gave in Judge Buford’s court.”
“I was forced to say those things—I had no choice,” Maloney pleaded. “Please, I have children. It wouldn’t be fair for them to grow up without a father.”
“Fair?” Benson asked incredulously. “Was it fair for Marilyn Lacey’s children? They lost their mother, while Kingsbury walked away, thanks to you taking their blood money. Did that judge make you do naughty things to get your money, Bobby?”
“They twisted my words.”
“I have your taped conversations with Buford, along with your deposition that the judge kept in a safe in his home, ironically, to protect himself. He kept his records in very neat order.”
“How did you get those? Did you kill him?”
Benson laughed. “Buford died from an accident, resulting from his hedonism. I was his neighbor, and he provided the records to me in case something happened to him. Sort of an insurance policy.”
Maloney realized that Benson was much better trained for this fight, and was going to win it. He was the judge and jury, so Maloney threw himself on the mercy of the court. “I was just a kid. I’m a different person now. Nothing we do can bring back Mrs. Lacey or Brad. I never meant for…”
He angrily cut him off, “It doesn’t matter what your intentions were. Your bad choices led to death and misery and it’s now time for you to pay for your sins.”
“I wasn’t driving—Kingsbury was.”
Benson began to respond, but stopped when he noticed something in the rear-view mirror. In a flash, he reached across the seat and ripped open Maloney’s sweat-drenched shirt, exposing the wiretap. He tore the wires off, ripping off patches of chest hair.
With steely determination, Benson picked up his speed along Main Street. And now that their conversation had gone wireless, he spoke freely, “You want to know who really killed Senator Kingsbury? You did! By covering up his actions you sentenced him to death. As you did to everyone else involved in your ‘prank.’ They are all gone now, and I’m here to deliver justice to the last remaining murderer.”
Maloney was fairly certain that by justice, Benson wasn’t referring to a long trial with an expensive lawyer and a consultant to pick the most sympathetic jury. He shouted desperately, “The FBI is following right behind us in a van—you will never get away with this!”
“Neither of us is getting away. We’re going to die together, Bobby. We will die just feet away from each other, but our legacies will be miles apart.”
Benson picked up the receiver of the police radio and squeezed. “For those of you listening in the van, you have failed.”
“Kyle, this is Chief Tolland. I implore you to stop your vehicle so we can discuss this,” Rich’s desperate voice shot through the radio.
Benson clicked the radio again and responded, “I will only negotiate with JP Warner. I know he’s in your vehicle.”
Chapter 85
The young FBI agents looked at each other with confusion—Benson’s surprise request wasn’t in the manual. I was sure the same blank looks were going on in the van. So I did what I always do—I took the initiative.
I limped to the police radio in the command center and picked up. “Yeah, I’m here, Jones.”
I visualized the angry look on Hawkins’ face, but I didn’t care. Some two-bit bureaucrat wasn’t going to be able to save Gwen. It would take someone willing to put his life on the line for her. That person wasn’t Agent Hawkins.
“If you ever want to see Gwen Delaney again, I suggest you keep the van at a safe distance.”
“If you harm one hair on her head, I will break every bone in your body. Then I’ll wait for them to heal and break them again!”
“I think you are overrating your negotiating leverage. Now back off the van!”
I stood and kicked a row of historical books in disgust, spilling them to the ground in a clutter of dust. But when I observed the feed of the surveillance camera shooting from the front of the van, I noticed that they were actually getting closer!
Benson must have noticed the same thing, because he lashed out, “I said back it off or you will never see her again!”
I scrambled for my phone, but came up empty. I’d left my phone in North Carolina. And then Agent Hawkins had confiscated the new one I’d purchased as part of the babysitting guidelines. So I went to Plan-B. I turned to Officer Williams, who seemed like a better option than the two feds, and demanded his cell. He surprisingly handed it to me.
I panic-dialed Rich Tolland, who answered on the second ring. “Back the van off!” I yelled into the phone and ended the call.
Silence filled the airwaves, before Benson responded, “I’m glad to see you are being sensible, Warner.”
They had backed off. I felt relief.
The cat and mouse game was all well and good, but I had to get into the fight. I demanded Officer Williams give me the keys to his police cruiser. He didn’t look as willing this time. And on top of it, the two young agents stepped in and announced that their orders were to not let me out of their sight.
I didn’t have time for this, so I apologized to Williams. Before he could ask why, I punched him across the face. I struck him clean and a fountain of blood spilled over my mother’s carpet. I was never going to hear the end of that. I scooped up his gun and aimed it at Ellsworth. I held it on his temple and shouted at Williams, “Give me the keys or the kid dies.”
Nobody ever confused me with Jack Bauer. Within seconds, Agent Justice performed some wrestling move on me that Carter would have been proud of, and snatched my gun.
Desperate times called for desperate measures. So I pulled a new technique from the Sutcliffe bag of tricks—begging. “Please, we don’t have time. Gwen’s life is at stake!”
I could tell they were paralyzed by a moral dilemma. Which was more than I expected. Williams finally relented and tossed his keys to me.
Justice lowered his gun, and before anyone could change their mind, I once again ran toward the danger.
Chapter 86
Charleston, South Carolina
The videophone connection was poor, but it couldn’t wipe the smile off Byron Jasper’s face. He’d been sick with worry since hearing the news of the disappearance of Gwen and Big Ugly.
After the initial excitement of the video reunion, reality began to set in. Figuring a way to get Gwen and Carter safely out of that house, before they succumbed to Benson, hunger, the hurricane, or some combination, would be no easy task. The island had been evacuated and all transportation was cut off, including emergency response.
Gwen made it clear the top priority should be to reach JP as soon as possible, and let him know that Benson was planning to use her to lure him into his web. So Byron kept the hostages on the videophone while he dialed JP’s cell.
“Who dis?” came an annoyed greeting from someone who definitely wasn’t JP Warner.
“I think the better question would be
who are you?”
“The name’s Lamar Thompson. I got a tour to give, so I got no time for your games. This ain’t even my phone, so make it quick.”
Byron was confused. “I’m sorry, I was looking for JP Warner.” But then something clicked. “Is this the Lamar Thompson who was the greatest basketball player I’ve ever seen?”
“That was a long time ago, man. And I already told you people, no more interviews. Especially that crazy blonde lady.”
Byron was baffled. “Lamar, what are you doing with JP’s phone?”
“He came here, bought me lunch, and then left like a bat out of hell. I didn’t steal no cell phone.”
“I didn’t say you did. I was just trying to get in touch with JP. My name is Byron, I’m a friend of his. It’s very important that I talk to him.”
“Then why you calling me?”
There was no time to explain, reason, or argue. “Lamar, I need your help … where are you located?”
“Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. First in flight, last in avoiding hurricanes.”
“The best flight I ever saw was when you took off from behind the foul line to dunk on Charleston High. I remember they jammed so many people in there to see you that night the game almost got shut down for violating the fire code.”
“That was a long time ago, man. It was nice talking to a fellow Carolina guy, but I gotta go.”
Byron needed to keep him on the line, and kept laying it on thick. “Maybe so, Lamar, but once a clutch player, always a clutch player. I need a clutch player to help me right now.”
“Man, the only clutch I got now is in my car. And even that don’t work no more.”
“You’re talking crazy—greatness is for life, you don’t lose it. I need your help, Lamar,” Byron pleaded.
Lamar sighed. “Listen, man, I’ll get this JP dude his phone back, okay? My word is good. It better be, it’s all I got left.”
“If you don’t help me, Lamar, people are going to die.”
“Now who’s talkin’ crazy?”
“People I know are trapped in a house on Ocracoke Island. You are my last shot to get them out alive.”
“I don’t got no time for this.”
Byron had no choice but to play dirty. “It’s not a coincidence that you ended up with JP’s phone. This is your chance to make up for the death of Marilyn Lacey. I know you’ve been waiting to make up for that for years, Lamar. Now is your chance—are you going to let it just slip away?”
“There’s a hurricane doing something fierce down here. Even if I wanted to, the island’s been evacuated … not even the police can go there.”
“Lamar, people are going to die if you don’t act now!”
He went silent—he was thinking about it. “Why don’t
you
go?” he finally asked
“I would, but I’m in a wheelchair.”
One thing Byron had learned from a few months in the chair was how guilt could be used as an advantage. And he would need every advantage he could in order to get Lamar to Ocracoke.
It was clear that Lamar Thompson was Gwen and Carter’s only chance—a man nobody believed in for twenty years, and worse still, didn’t believe in himself.
Chapter 87
Rockfield
I tore out of the parking lot in Officer Williams’ squad car. I took the radio receiver into my hand and squeezed so hard that I thought I might crush it. “You wanted me, Jones, now you’ve got me. Your move.”
I visualized Benson doing his psycho-stare out at the dark country road with Maloney trembling beside him.
Benson’s all-too-familiar voice emerged from the crackling static of the radio, “I said to back the van off! This is your last chance, Warner!”
Benson thinking I was in the van was my lone advantage, but the fact that I couldn’t control the van minimized it. I clicked the receiver. “I am sorry. We
will
back the van off.”
I dialed Rich Tolland’s phone—he picked up on the first ring. “JP, we…”
The voice at the other end suddenly changed. This was not good news. “I’m in charge of this investigation, Warner, and don’t you forget it. We will back off the van when I give the order, and only then!” Hawkins shouted.
I couldn’t believe this guy was more concerned with protecting his turf than saving Gwen’s life. But on second thought, sadly, I could.
“Perhaps you haven’t been paying attention, but Benson is in control. Now back off the van!”
“You are on a short rope, Warner. One more outburst like that…”
“You are now officially out of the loop, Hawkins. I’m done with you—put Agent Johnson on the phone before you get my friends killed!”
I continued to speed down Main Street with nothing but silence coming from the other end, thinking I’d made a big mistake. His ego wouldn’t allow him to give in to my demands. I held my breath.
“Agent Johnson here,” she said at last, and I let out a sigh of relief. But I had no time to waste.
“First of all, Agent Johnson, I need you to back the van off the suspect.”
“Hendrickson—back off the van,” she yelled out.
“The next thing I need is your location. I have no idea if I’m even going in the right direction.”
I heard her ask Rich Tolland for assistance on the local geography, before telling me, “He’s still driving north on Main Street. Just about to pass Skyview. His speed is around fifty.”
“I’m going to keep this line open. I’ll be the only one to speak to Benson on the radio. I need you to give me constant updates of his movements. I will be speaking to him as if I’m in the van—it’s imperative that he continues to think that I am.”
“We will follow your lead, JP. You better know what you’re doing.”
If I were thinking clearly I would have realized how much they were putting their collective asses on the line, including my friend Hawkins. If something went wrong, allowing a television reporter to call the shots would be catastrophic when guys like the old J-News started asking the tough questions. But when it came to Gwen, I hadn’t thought clearly since we were five.
Benson’s voice filled the airwaves once again, “That’s better, Warner. Keep the van at that distance and I won’t have to put a bullet into Maloney’s pretty face.”
“I think you’re overrating my level of concern for Maloney.”
“What
do
you care about, Warner?”
“All I care about is justice for my brother.”
“The brother you never cared about when he was alive? The brother who murdered that innocent girl?”
I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood. But I couldn’t let him bait me. “This is between you and me, Jones. Let Maloney go. Toss him out the door and let him bounce a couple times on the asphalt. A few broken bones never killed anyone—I’m living proof.”
I continued my juggling act, alternating between getting updates on the phone from Agent Johnson, and then responding to Benson on the radio. He was still going north on Main, passing the cemetery where Noah and Lisa were laid to rest. I continued gaining speed, making a dangerous pass of a slow moving station wagon, and barely swerving away from the on-coming headlights of a truck.