Broken Witness
Chapter Four...
Chapter Four...
The cold wet filth ed his knees, the soil was damp from the rain, heavy and persistent, though it suited the mood. Leon Stella gently put the roses into the vase on the grave-head. 'Harriet Elenor Stella. May 13th 1976 - February 27th 2006 Loved, missed and never forgotten, wife, sister and daughter, here lays to rest the body of our child, love and care for her as though she were two. Here lies also her unborn child. Luella Stella.' The tears on his face were washed quickly away by the rain.
To his rear the cemetary gates opened and he looked. Taylor McLuskie was approaching, she knelt by his side, now wearing Jeans instead of her expensive work clothes she wrapped an arm over his shoulder,. pulling him closer she wiped his eyes. "I knew you'd be here. Your anniversary."
"It's meant to be a happy day, not like this, we'd made plans for tonight. Her, I and the baby." She heard his sniff and watched as he wiped his eyes on the sleeve of a scruffy looking sports jacket, a new side to Leon Stella she hadn't seen. "I wanted to catch that fucker today, of all days today."
"We know his name now, it should be easier."
"Easier in what way? Even if we catch him we have nothing to go by."
"I know this is hard for you, I wont pretend to understand what you're going through, but if you want someone to talk to about how you feel."
"I feel fine."
"You say that, but it's so obvious you don't. I wont be the one to force help on you. But, I'll always be there if you wanna talk. About anything." A smile on his face he stood helping McLuskie to her feet. About to walk, his phone beeped, a tell tale sign of a text message. Out of his pocket he looked at the screen. Unknown number. He opened it and read the words carved into the screen, the colour drained from his cheeks.
'Agent Stella, now you know my name, now you know my address, but you dont know where i am, all three I've known about you for some time. Oakwood Cemetary east 67th street, third row from the back, second grave left. Dont think you're ever alone.'
His hand on his gun he spun to see the branches of a tree swing, looking like the wind, the gates were shut. McLuskie took in his body language, he was tense and sensing danger, though she couldn't see the cause. She glanced at him oddly, questioning his behavior. Without an answer he grabbed her arm and pulled her low, both crouching behind the stones of the modern looking graves, he didn't want to be seen, so someone was watching them. She glanced around seeing no one. Or someone. There.
"In the bushes, Leon, six o clock." He spun un-holstering his gun, safety catch off, he loaded just in time to see the man dart from behind the bush, a glint on his belt, light reflecting from metal, a knife not a gun. He couldn't shoot. Not unless it was close distance. Releasing his grip on McLuskies arm the Agent set off after the man, wearing a black hooded sweater, no clear look at the face. He wasn't taking chances, now was his only chance to catch Marcel Francis and dispose of him once and for all.
The gate slammed shut 10 meters away from Stella, Francis at the other side. Increasing his speed and panting quickly savouring every breath as though his lungs would give he gasped and inhaled deeply reaching the gate he flung it open, straight into the trap...
The road was dark and empty when McLuskie reached the gate not a minute after Stella had hit the ground. No one, she analysed, her partner hadn't fallen, she had seen the bar, seen it be moved. Yet no one was there. She glanced at Stella. He was breathing, moving. She pulled her gun loading it. "FBI, show yourself, this your only warning. If found after this I retain the right to shoot and will not hesitate..." She spoke clearly and after ten seconds or so spun a 360 turn before bending the help Stella up from the cold ground, leaning him against the wall where he took deep breathes and winced in pain. Quickly digging into her bag she pulled out a box of aspirin handing him two. "Can you swollow without water?"
"The hell I can. Ahh." He gulped down the tablets and looked around rubbing his ribs firmly. "He got me, fuck. where'd he go?"
"I didn't see, had hope you did."
"Naw, he vanished, like that."
"Was it him?"
"Sure, it was him."
"Then we have to be more careful, seems he knows us more than we know him."
"Oh he knows me. I just hope he doesn't get to know you, That's all I can hope."
"Stella.."
"Lee." For the first time she stood corrected on the formal titles, they were to be exchanged for nicknames, not even his first name.
"Lee, you don't need to protect me, I'm a fully grown woman."
"With his motives you're not thinking thats more reason to be protected? Besides, how long has it been since you had a man in your life?" She stopped in dead shock and turned back to him.
"Is that an offer."
"I can afford Chinese, if you wanted to nurse me better, I'm open to the offer." She gulped and giggled to herself silently. Leon Stella, the second incharge at the FBI Chicago now asking her, all defenses down to stay with him for the night, out of fear or passion she wasn't sure, the answer could be loneliness. Her answer of course, was to be yes. She hugged him much to her surprise not recieving rejection from the heavy set man, only his muscle packed arms wrapped lightly around her. Soft, she smelt the sweet smell of Cologne. Thought not entirely convinced now was the correct time to have their defenses set to low, her gun was loaded and placed side flat against his back. She was glad to have seen this side of him.
Pulling away she tapped his chest lightly, zipping his jacket. "We should be getting out of here, you're hurt, it's cold. We'll catch him tomorrow."
"Or the day the after." He cracked a smile and a small chuckle escaped. Something more she had discovered she liked about him.
"You're fine driving?"
"I have two spaces, like hell I'm leaving her here." He set off in the direction of his Mercedes. Climbing into the drivers seat he closed the door and after starting the engine rolled down the window. "I'll meet you at mine. 45-"
"I've been. I remember. I'll see you there." She climbed into her own car watching Stella smoothly drive off, the back end of a high end Mercedes was pretty to watch. Her own car had little power compared to him. She pulled away from the cemetary carefully.
A much less confident driver Francis noted, the one in the red corsa. License plate 561 9876, he would have to learn more of her some time soon. Until then. He had a friend he needed to contact. Tonights stunt worked out well, the new Marcel Francis was in place, and everything for him was working better than planned. It was a shame when kids were in the wrong place at completely the wrong time
The cold wet filth ed his knees, the soil was damp from the rain, heavy and persistent, though it suited the mood. Leon Stella gently put the roses into the vase on the grave-head. 'Harriet Elenor Stella. May 13th 1976 - February 27th 2006 Loved, missed and never forgotten, wife, sister and daughter, here lays to rest the body of our child, love and care for her as though she were two. Here lies also her unborn child. Luella Stella.' The tears on his face were washed quickly away by the rain.
To his rear the cemetary gates opened and he looked. Taylor McLuskie was approaching, she knelt by his side, now wearing Jeans instead of her expensive work clothes she wrapped an arm over his shoulder,. pulling him closer she wiped his eyes. "I knew you'd be here. Your anniversary."
"It's meant to be a happy day, not like this, we'd made plans for tonight. Her, I and the baby." She heard his sniff and watched as he wiped his eyes on the sleeve of a scruffy looking sports jacket, a new side to Leon Stella she hadn't seen. "I wanted to catch that fucker today, of all days today."
"We know his name now, it should be easier."
"Easier in what way? Even if we catch him we have nothing to go by."
"I know this is hard for you, I wont pretend to understand what you're going through, but if you want someone to talk to about how you feel."
"I feel fine."
"You say that, but it's so obvious you don't. I wont be the one to force help on you. But, I'll always be there if you wanna talk. About anything." A smile on his face he stood helping McLuskie to her feet. About to walk, his phone beeped, a tell tale sign of a text message. Out of his pocket he looked at the screen. Unknown number. He opened it and read the words carved into the screen, the colour drained from his cheeks.
'Agent Stella, now you know my name, now you know my address, but you dont know where i am, all three I've known about you for some time. Oakwood Cemetary east 67th street, third row from the back, second grave left. Dont think you're ever alone.'
His hand on his gun he spun to see the branches of a tree swing, looking like the wind, the gates were shut. McLuskie took in his body language, he was tense and sensing danger, though she couldn't see the cause. She glanced at him oddly, questioning his behavior. Without an answer he grabbed her arm and pulled her low, both crouching behind the stones of the modern looking graves, he didn't want to be seen, so someone was watching them. She glanced around seeing no one. Or someone. There.
"In the bushes, Leon, six o clock." He spun un-holstering his gun, safety catch off, he loaded just in time to see the man dart from behind the bush, a glint on his belt, light reflecting from metal, a knife not a gun. He couldn't shoot. Not unless it was close distance. Releasing his grip on McLuskies arm the Agent set off after the man, wearing a black hooded sweater, no clear look at the face. He wasn't taking chances, now was his only chance to catch Marcel Francis and dispose of him once and for all.
The gate slammed shut 10 meters away from Stella, Francis at the other side. Increasing his speed and panting quickly savouring every breath as though his lungs would give he gasped and inhaled deeply reaching the gate he flung it open, straight into the trap...
The road was dark and empty when McLuskie reached the gate not a minute after Stella had hit the ground. No one, she analysed, her partner hadn't fallen, she had seen the bar, seen it be moved. Yet no one was there. She glanced at Stella. He was breathing, moving. She pulled her gun loading it. "FBI, show yourself, this your only warning. If found after this I retain the right to shoot and will not hesitate..." She spoke clearly and after ten seconds or so spun a 360 turn before bending the help Stella up from the cold ground, leaning him against the wall where he took deep breathes and winced in pain. Quickly digging into her bag she pulled out a box of aspirin handing him two. "Can you swollow without water?"
"The hell I can. Ahh." He gulped down the tablets and looked around rubbing his ribs firmly. "He got me, fuck. where'd he go?"
"I didn't see, had hope you did."
"Naw, he vanished, like that."
"Was it him?"
"Sure, it was him."
"Then we have to be more careful, seems he knows us more than we know him."
"Oh he knows me. I just hope he doesn't get to know you, That's all I can hope."
"Stella.."
"Lee." For the first time she stood corrected on the formal titles, they were to be exchanged for nicknames, not even his first name.
"Lee, you don't need to protect me, I'm a fully grown woman."
"With his motives you're not thinking thats more reason to be protected? Besides, how long has it been since you had a man in your life?" She stopped in dead shock and turned back to him.
"Is that an offer."
"I can afford Chinese, if you wanted to nurse me better, I'm open to the offer." She gulped and giggled to herself silently. Leon Stella, the second incharge at the FBI Chicago now asking her, all defenses down to stay with him for the night, out of fear or passion she wasn't sure, the answer could be loneliness. Her answer of course, was to be yes. She hugged him much to her surprise not recieving rejection from the heavy set man, only his muscle packed arms wrapped lightly around her. Soft, she smelt the sweet smell of Cologne. Thought not entirely convinced now was the correct time to have their defenses set to low, her gun was loaded and placed side flat against his back. She was glad to have seen this side of him.
Pulling away she tapped his chest lightly, zipping his jacket. "We should be getting out of here, you're hurt, it's cold. We'll catch him tomorrow."
"Or the day the after." He cracked a smile and a small chuckle escaped. Something more she had discovered she liked about him.
"You're fine driving?"
"I have two spaces, like hell I'm leaving her here." He set off in the direction of his Mercedes. Climbing into the drivers seat he closed the door and after starting the engine rolled down the window. "I'll meet you at mine. 45-"
"I've been. I remember. I'll see you there." She climbed into her own car watching Stella smoothly drive off, the back end of a high end Mercedes was pretty to watch. Her own car had little power compared to him. She pulled away from the cemetary carefully.
A much less confident driver Francis noted, the one in the red corsa. License plate 561 9876, he would have to learn more of her some time soon. Until then. He had a friend he needed to contact. Tonights stunt worked out well, the new Marcel Francis was in place, and everything for him was working better than planned. It was a shame when kids were in the wrong place at completely the wrong time