chapter 4

Detective Carper swung the door swiftly, looking right at the boy seated where Ricardo Telly—now Phillip Storrs—was just hours ago.

Mitchell was apparently seventeen but didn’t look a day over fourteen. He had brown buzzed cut hair with light brown eyes. He was scrawny and Detective Carper would have been surprised if he weighed more than a hundred pounds.

At the detective’s arrival, Mitchell’s head snapped up. His eyes were red and held terror to them. His mouth was slightly open and he eyed the detective like the man was going to murder his entire family.

Detective Carper shut the door and opened the small manila folder in his hands.

“Mitchell Carmichael. Seventeen years old, goes to Holden High School. Works at a local video game store and lives with a single mom, Jessica. Tell me, when did you get involved with mass murder?”

Mitchell’s face drained even more and he looked green. His mouth gaped open and shut a few times, but he wasn’t able to produce any sounds.

Detective Carper frowned.

There was no way this kid could yell at a dog, let alone be involved in the biggest case of his career.

“Mitchell, you are facing at least 20 years in prison for being an accomplice to the murder of seven individuals. And as far as I could tell, that would mean that you have to leave your mother without your extra income. What a terrible situation for her.”

Leo felt a little pang at his heart when he saw the tears well in this young boy’s face.

Maybe that was a little harsh.

But then he remembered the 7 people he’s trying to find justice for and felt the pity disappear.

“I didn’t do anything, I swear. I didn’t know,” He choked out, his words swamping in the emotion in his throat.

Detective Carper pulled out his chair, settling down in it and snapping Mitchell’s thin file shut.

“So you don’t drive around and give warnings to people? Because I have someone you know who says you do.”

“No! I would get a text telling me where to go and then I would go.”

Detective Carper looked in the terrified boy’s eyes. “We already know about the notes you left for Ricardo Telly. Who else did you leave notes for?”

Mitchell shuttered and moved his hands to his lap.

“I don’t know. Just whatever the envelope says. I promise I didn’t know what was going on. When I found out, I told Dixie I was out.”

This boy was really bad at lying. “So then why did you keep doing it?”

“You don’t understand,” He whispered.

The young detective felt he was witnessing this boy break before him.

“Living in New York is so expensive. Even with my mom’s income and my work, we can barely afford our house. I just needed some money, that was it. I didn’t know what I was doing, I swear. I was going to tell Dixie I was out.”

“That doesn’t change what happened, now does it?”

Tears slipped from Mitchell’s eyes as he stared openly at Detective Carper. His silence was enough to portray his guilt.

“I need information, Mitchell. There is a killer out there who needs to be put behind bars. Do you understand me?”

Mitchell’s head fell forward slightly in a nod. He finally realized he was crying and wiped his face furiously.

“I don’t know much about Dixie. I don’t even know how she found me. All I know was she worked with these men she would target. She would say ‘when the Justice system doesn’t do its job, we will’. All I had was a phone number. But I could only call her when it was an emergency.”

“Mitchell, I need a last name.”

Mitchell shook his head in denial. “I don’t have one. All I know is her name is Dixie. I think she was a lawyer or cop or something because she always had access to these people’s personal information, but didn’t have a car to stalk them or anything.”

Detective Carper nodded, standing abruptly.

“Thank you for your cooperation. We will be needing that phone number. If you remember anything else, please let us know.”

“Wait,” Mitchell called to him, his hands shooting out on the table and standing slightly, pushing the chair back.

Detective Carper froze his movements.

“Dixie can’t know I told you. For my mother’s sake. Please.”

Leo Carper nodded slightly, giving him a quiet promise. Then he marched out, not looking back. It was time to find Dixie.

_-_

Officer Madden was the first actual friend he made since moving to Pennsylvania. Despite him being ten years his senior, the two got along like brothers.

Madden shook his head. “He’s still in the hospital. Tried to escape a couple of times, but the captain literally has every cop and his grandma watching that creep.”

Madden moved so he was leaning his body against Officer Patton’s desk, his arms folded and ankles crossed.

“Why do you think he would target a freaking police station? He’s beyond stupid if he thinks he wouldn’t get caught.”

Logan couldn’t help it as his lips twitched slightly, following his friend’s point and thinking of the ridiculousness of the event. He couldn’t help but agree.

Madden jutted his chin in front of him, attempting to point without having to uncross his arms. “Who’s the girl? Heard she was in a fight earlier with Rich. The girl has guts.”

Logan couldn’t help the snort that pushed through his nose. “She has guts, that’s for sure.”

He couldn’t help but recall her stubborn behavior, how it was more of a puzzle to him than anything else.

“She definitely has to do with this guy shooting up the station, but I have yet to figure out what.”

Logan pondered what he was going to do with her.

His gut was telling him to believe her. She was innocent in all this. Well, as innocent as he could see her being. Maybe it was because of what he saw his sister go through, but he felt a strong desire to help her in a much bigger way than bringing her to the station and getting her a good lawyer.

That girl had so many mysteries about her. It was driving him insane as he tried to unravel her. But the more he did, the more he found a bigger mess and mystery.

The image of Terra bundled up crying against his dog made his heart ache. She was so young and she has had to face so much. And all on her own.

He knew he didn’t even know the least bit what she had been through, Jade’s terror was only for a short period of time after all, but he knew it had broken her.

He wanted to fix her. Even if it meant hurting himself.

“Oh, no,” Madden said from next to him. “Logan, I know that look. You’d be better off avoiding her. That girl is trouble; she is literally wanted for murder.”

“Attempted murder” Logan corrected. “And I don’t think she did it.”

“Based on what? She got in a fight then got the police station shot up and ran away. I don’t think that is exactly what the innocent looks like.”

“Okay, I know it looks bad,” Logan agreed. “But trust me, something is off about her story. She isn’t the wrong one here.”

Officer Madden shook his head, uncrossing his arms and resting his hands on the desk holding up the rest of his body.

“You know I always trust your instincts. They’re better than mine most of the time. But trust me, my dude, you don’t want to get involved here. She’s the type that will make you crave her as she’s killing you. Plus, there isn’t much you can do.”

Logan knew he was referring to their boss. The guy barely put in full-time hours, but lived for the big stories. He lived to talk to the press.

If it got out that they found and shipped off a young girl that tried to kill her father and she was convicted, he would have a hay-day in that spotlight.

“It’s gonna have to be one heck of an excuse,” Logan sighed. “But she is the key to something bigger than a New York delinquent.”

Madden stood fully, matching Logan’s own large height.

“Logan, don’t do it. You’re gonna get in trouble.”

Logan gave Madden a small reassuring smile.

“This is why I became a cop.”

Logan nodded slightly in dismissal and spun on his heel, heading straight towards the girl that was quickly wracking havoc in his peaceful life.

He was surprised to find Terra fast asleep on the couch he left her. Her arm was still cuffed to the arm of the couch and Buddy laid on the ground by her feet. Her arm was slung off the couch, resting lightly on Buddy’s black fur.

Buddy’s tail started thumping at the sight of his master and he slowly got up. At his movement, Terra bolted from her position on the couch, yanking her cuffed wrist in the process.

Logan rushed to her when he heard her hiss and look at her wrist. Terra noticed his rushed steps and moved to the arm of the couch, trying to be as small as possible. Logan felt his heart clench at the terrified look she spared him.

“Sorry,” Logan slowly spoke, raising his palms out to try and show his innocence. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Logan watched as Terra’s face contorted to a blank stare at his apology as she registered who he was.

“Don’t flatter yourself, I wasn’t scared. I just woke up, that’s all.” She defended, trying to sound tough again.

Logan nodded slightly, trying not to let the smile slip onto his face. He was amused by her behavior and was becoming more and more entranced the more he was with her.

“Right,” he slowly agreed. “I still have to go talk to the captain, but I was wondering if you were hungry or wanted something to drink?”

Terra scoffed and Logan’s eyebrows twisted in confusion at her reaction.

“Oh, now you want to help? After you’ve chained me up like an animal...”

Terra’s glance to the free-roaming dog at her feet did not go unnoticed by the officer.

“Just go do your business Patton,” she spat.

Logan rose his hands again, trying to symbolize his innocence. “Okay then, I will go. But just holler if you need anything,” he offered.

Terra said nothing, so he commanded his dog to stay and walked to the boss’ office. He said a silent prayer as he knocked on the wood.