Sweet Dreams (29 page)

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his chair.

"The prison, David's Island, I was on that case and had some new evidence come to my attention recently that made me curious. I was told that you delivered the file to the FBI?"

"Yeah, I think I did, Meyers and I work on a lot of cases together, and I am the spokesperson to the FBI. That was a weird case, as far as I remember it," Jenkins took off his glasses and started chewing on the earpiece. "I'm not sure, but I think the lead person on that case was a Jacob...uh...yeah, Jacobson."

"Captain Jacobson?" Kirk remembered the tall captain who so passionately encouraged them to investigate the case
his
way
.

"Yeah, that's the one, I delivered it to him, and I went over everything we found in detail."

Kirk rubbed his chin as he thought. That didn't make any sense; Jacobson seemed to know that it wasn't an accident from the very beginning.

"Why are you interested in that case? It has been closed for a while now hasn't it?"

"It just got reopened and we are just following the evidence, and so far it leads back to Jacobson."

"Well, if there's anything you need, just let me know."

Jenkins was cooperating and he was a little too helpful for Kirk's liking. "Thanks, we'll get out of your hair," Kirk got up and headed out the front door. Geoff thanked Jenkins for the water and his help. As they drove away, Kirk looked over at Geoff. "Well, what do you think?"

Geoff scratched his head and looked at Kirk. "He seemed on the up-and-up, but it seems fishy that Captain Jacobson 262 AARON

would have anything to do with covering up anything."

"Yeah, I know what you mean, I have a feeling that our friend Jenkins is lying to us, and he knows something and is scared. Now I have to figure out how I'm going to interview Jacobson, the last time I saw him, he kicked me off the case."

Geoff smiled and looked out the window.

"Geoff, you!"

"Me?"

"Yeah, you can get an interview for your paper or magazine thing. Come on, man, you could say you are doing a story on the case,"

"I guess I could do it,"

"There you go."

"No worries, I'll get a story yet!"

Kirk laughed and looked over at his partner. "You deserve it, man. After this is all over, you might have more than you bargained for."

________________________________________

JENKINS LOOKED OUT THE window at the detective's car as they drove away. He put on his glasses and went into the kitchen, picking up the phone; he dialed and waited for an answer.

"What do you want? I told you never to call me at home."

The voice on the other end was gruff and very irritated to be disturbed.

Jenkins' voice shook a little as he spoke. "I know, but I just got done being interviewed by Detective Weston."

The man on the other end went silent.
"And?"

"I didn't tell him anything he didn't already know. He

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wanted to know who was in charge of the investigation, I told him Jacobson."

"Good, now you stay out of this, or you can kiss your wife goodbye!" The gruff voice gargled and coughed as if he had a bad cold. Jenkins was glad that he was on the other end of the phone and not standing there in his kitchen.

"No, I won't say anything, as far as they were concerned, I was just a delivery guy."

"I'll take care of Weston; you make that file on your end disappear. You hear. I don't want anyone else poking their nose into this."

"I'll take care of it," Jenkins promised.

Hanging up the phone, Jenkins hiked up the stairs and went into the bedroom. His wife was asleep with the lamp on the nightstand still on. He leaned over, kissed her on the cheek, and stopped to look at her soft snores as she slept. Grabbing his car keys, he walked downstairs and out the back door. He needed to get that file from Meyer's office. His old Ford Escort smoked and sputtered as he started it up. It did not like this cold weather any more than he did. He opened his glove box and pulled out his service revolver, checking it to make sure that it was loaded. He set it on the seat next to him.

The parking lot was dark and empty, giving Jenkins a creepy feeling that he was being watched. The back door was locked and had a sign reading
'Under video surveillance.'

Jenkins knew where the camera was, and he made sure to keep his hood pulled over his head as he made his way across the icy parking lot.

He made sure he parked out far enough so he could not be 264 AARON

detected on the camera, he unlocked the back door and went down the hall toward Cassy's Meyers office. Her office door was locked, but he had a key and was in without any trouble. As he flipped through her file cabinet, he muttered as he looked for the right file.

Not here!

He took off his glasses and looked around the dark office that was littered with pictures and papers.

There, on the desk.

The file was open sitting out on the desk like a mocking, staring judge looking at him with sharp, knowing eyes. He recognized it right away, grabbing it; he shut the file cabinet drawer and left her office, making sure to lock it on the way out. As the back door slammed behind him, he turned and locked it. Making his way across the frozen parking lot, he hid the file under his coat.

What had he done?

He got into the car and drove back toward his house. He never thought that he could get involved in something like this, but he needed the money. Now he was beginning to think that it was not worth it no matter how far in debt they were. He could save and pay it all off, but then the easy way out looked so good, and now it turned on him like a snake wanting his blood for repayment.

It will be over soon. I have nothing to worry about.
His car was cold as he pulled it into the back alley behind his little house. The darn heater would only work when it felt like it, and he was shivering as he turned off the engine. He sat in the dark trying to think. He had to get rid of the file...
or should
he keep it?
He might need it, just in case things got bad.

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Walking up the stairs to his bedroom, he ducked into the closet and opened a small safe that sat on the floor in the back under a box of Christmas wrapping paper. Placing the file inside, he closed the safe, undressed and quietly got into bed. His thoughts ran wild and he tried not to think about everything that had happened. Nevertheless, his mind would not let him rest and he could feel dark eyes staring down at him waiting, waiting for his soul.

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Chapter Nineteen

"MARK, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU!" HANK SHOOK

Mark's hand as he pointed to a nearby table. Hugo's Deli was family owned and operated for the last thirty years or so, and the old man behind the counter smiled at each customer as they came in. The walls were made up of broken plaster and brick and the place at closer glance looked as if it was about to fall in on itself. However, the food was famous and delicious, Mark and Hank had been here many times for lunch, and it made Mark a little sad to know that this might be his last time here with his boss and friend.

"Hi, Hank," Mark smiled as he sat down and looked out the window and onto the street with an absent look in his eyes. The deli was small, with about six round tables, all of which were filled. The waitress brought them two glasses of water 268 AARON

and a menu. Mark picked up the menu and looked at it but not really seeing the words.

"So what's been going on, Mark? You haven't called in, and Maria has been acting weird." Hank took a sip of his water and took off his long gray trench coat, folding it and draping it on the chair next to him.

"I've been a little preoccupied lately; that's what I wanted to talk to you about. Hank, you're a great boss and an even better friend," Mark figured the best way to do this was head on and fast or he might lose his nerve.

"Oh, come on, Mark, I don't like where this is going,"

Hank looked at Mark with concern. "I know you have gone through a lot this last year, but just hang in there. In time, it will be better; these things take time to heal themselves."

Mark looked at the menu again and tried to focus on what he knew in his heart he had to do. "I know, and I am thankful for all the help you have been to me. I just need a change, I need to regroup and start my life over."

The waitress took their orders. Mark didn't feel that hungry, but he ordered a club sandwich anyway.

"Look, I'm leaving the firm and taking another job. I will be traveling a lot and might even relocate. I know it's hard for you to understand, but this is something I have to do."

Hank leaned back in his chair and looked out the window. His silence was unnerving, and he seemed to be in a far away place that Mark knew so well. "You know, Mark, you have been there for me every time I needed you. If this is what you need to do, then I support you in it. Just don't go crazy on me and do something stupid, okay?"

Mark smiled, thinking about the cabin and the last few

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days touring the Merc building and the secret WJA city underneath. Hank didn't know how close he was to the truth. "No, I'll be okay. I just need new scenery, fresh air and a place where I don't have to fight off old memories, if you know what I mean."

Hank nodded and smiled. "So what is this new job? Are you going over to the enemy?" He laughed.

"No, nothing like that, it is somewhat of a governmenttype of job. I'm not too sure of what it all entails, but I think I'll like it."

The food came and looked better than Mark remembered and suddenly he found that he was hungry, very hungry. As they ate, Mark looked around the room, noticing a woman sitting in the back reading the newspaper. He took a second look and realized it was Isis. He looked at her and nodded as she smiled and got up, leaving a tip on the table.

"Hank, excuse me for a minute, I need to hit the men's room--I'll be right back."

Mark got up and headed toward the back of the deli. Isis's table was the last one before going down the hall to the restrooms. He saw a folded piece of paper sitting on top of the tip, and he slipped it into his pocket as he walked by. Closing the door and locking it, he took out the note and read it.
'Answer the phone.
' Just then, a ringing came from one of the stalls behind him. He opened it up and saw a slim black cell phone sitting on the back of the toilet, he took it and flipped it open. "Yes?" Mark smiled as he heard Isis on the other end.

"Sorry for the runaround, but I needed to talk to you in private."

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"No problem. What is it?'

"We have a case for you, and we need to meet. One hour, in the bookstore on Second Avenue."

"Okay. I'll be there,"

Slipping the phone into his pocket, he threw the note into the toilet and flushed it down. Sitting back down at the table, he bit into his club sandwich and sighed with delight as the sweet juices mixed and made his taste buds tingle. As Hank ate, he talked about the new high-rise they were putting in up the street and how they just started talking with Trump Enterprises and it looked like they might reach a deal. Mark liked working for SED, and the people were great too. The whole experience was something he wouldn't trade for the world. He was going to miss it, but at the same time, he was excited to begin this new chapter in his life and see what his future held and learn more about his past.

Mark handed the keys to the car back to Hank before he paid for the meal. Hank protested, but Mark insisted, that he had a new car and not to worry about it. Mark held out his hand and thanked Hank for everything. Hank took his hand, pulled him close, and embraced him.

"Come on, man, friends hug! Now get off me, I've got work to do!"

Mark laughed and told him to call if he ever needed anything. He had twenty minutes to get to the bookstore so he hurried out of the deli and hailed a cab. He told the driver to take him to Second and Seventh; the cabbie nodded and flipped on the meter.

The bookstore was almost empty, with a college student here and there reading at a table or lost in the screen of a lap-

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top. Most of the students had gone home for the holidays, but a few stayed to catch up on homework.

Mark wandered over to the fiction section and flipped through a Stephen King book.

"So you made it." Isis was good at sneaking up on people, but this time Mark did not even turn; he could smell her perfume and knew she was close, if not right behind him.

"Yeah, books are becoming a thing of the past with the internet and all, but I still love the smell of books, the feel of holding it as you read. Those are things you will never find with a computer."

"True, are you ready for your first assignment?"

"I guess. I hope it is an easy one, I'm new, you know."

"Yes, it was picked out by Solomon himself," Isis pulled out a small white card from her pocket. She handed it to Mark and smiled. "Good luck,"

Mark looked at the card as Isis walked away, and saw the letter M and the number 359. He thought it might be the number on the back of a book here in the bookstore. He looked around and found that every book had a letter and a number on their spines so he searched and after twenty minutes he found the book marked M359. It was a book about the
systems of
governments and states
. Walking over to a private reading room, he went inside and closed the door. What fun reading he thought, not much of an imagination or maybe they picked the book that was sure to be shelved due to the fact that no one wanted to read it or was interested in its contents. Sitting down at the desk, he flipped open the book and flipped through the pages. Noticing a bookmark, he turned to the page where it was placed. The heading read
'Law and the
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