Breath of Fresh Air #1 [Complete]

Chapter Twenty-Two

"Why shoot him in the leg?" Jeff mutters aloud, fingers rubbing at his chin.

"To keep him from following," I answer instinctively. I can feel Jeff and Kevin both looking at me. When I look at them, I realize I spoke aloud, my cheeks darkening. "Uh, sorry." I give a guilty grin, rubbing the back of my neck. "It appears he kept fighting them even after the wound to his shoulder. Though I think he was shot in the shoulder when he was distracted. Maybe Brooke came down, distracted him long enough for someone to shoot him, stop his actions."

"That makes sense," Kevin says, his voice in awe.

"Yeah. He has a point." Jeff says dropping his hand. "They probably shot him in the leg when Jeff tried to get up. I know Brooke, she would have told them to take her, leave Casey behind. The only way that would happen, shot him in the leg, he couldn't follow them."

Suddenly a forensic officer approaches, a woman in dark brown hair, tied back in a pony tail. Her green eyes are bright in her head light which she flips off as she stands before us. Lifting her hand, she gives Kevin a plastic bag which holds a white piece of paper.

"The note you requested, sir," she says lowly, before walking away.

Kevin glances at the bag before handing it to Jeff who lets me to peek over his arm.

Ashford,

We warned you. You owe us. We are not to be messed with. If you want the girl back alive, you will follows these instructions. Only you or the girl dies. Her fate, her life, rests in your hands.

It takes a moment for me to realize exactly who took her. While the words are obviously from Alonzo, I know it wasn't him. The damage to the house isn't his MO. Jesus must have come with a group sanctioned by Alonzo. I must have pissed Alonzo off more than I thought. He doesn't normally cause such a scene like these. Hurting police or bystanders isn't Alonzo's way of doing business. There's a reason he's flown under the radar in the past few years. The only ones that really know about Alonzo are law enforcement.

Jeff glances at me at the same time a uniformed officer approaches Kevin. "Detective Straight?"

Kevin sighs, turning toward the young officer. "Yes, officer?"

"I was told to inform you for an incident with a Kathy Wiser. We've been informed her body was found at her home earlier in the afternoon. She's the mother of Ashford Rocks."

Jeff's eyes bore holes in the side of my face as Kevin looks between us. "Thank you, officer." Kevin looks back at us, having the officer wait. "I've got to deal with this. Make sure you give that over when you're done."

Kevin pats Jeff's shoulder before following the officer out of the house. Jeff looks at me, knowing that I heard what the officer said about my mother. Jeff gives a few officers a smile before taking my shoulder and pushing me in the direction past the front door. We locate an empty bathroom, Jeff nudging my back for me to walk in first. He closes and locks the door behind us, swearing under his breath.

"You didn't tell me about your mother." Jeff's head rests against the door, eyes close.

"How was I supposed to tell anyone?!" My voice cracks at the image of my mother's corpse in the bathtub. "I found her body in the bathtub. It was a threat to me, not to leave town. I was going to leave with Brooke at first, but after finding my mother I was going to hand myself over. I was so sure that after I was caught by you, they would stop. They haven't. I was still coming to terms with my mother's death."

Jeff leans off the door as I set against the sink. He hands over the bag with the note to which I quickly skim. My eyes roam left and right over the words. Flipping the paper around, I notice the code in the words at first glance. It's instructions, directions to an abandoned slaughter house on the other side of town.

"I know where they've taken her." I twist around staring in the mirror. "I'm going, Jeff. I told I would get her back and I'm not taking back that promise. Not now."

Jeff steps closer surprising me. He squeezes my shoulder. "You don't have to go alone."

I shake my head at him, twisting around. "You and I both know this is the cartel. They won't hesitate to put a bullet between her eyes if someone besides me shows up."

Jeff sighs before stepping back and turning to a cabinet in the bathroom. It shocks me when he opens the door, pushes on the wall inside the cabinet. "Casey has been a bit paranoid after a couple cases. His wife humors him most of the time. This bathroom is closest to the kids rooms at the front." He suddenly pulls out a dark black bullet proof vest. "Put this on under that hoodie." The vest hits my chest as I instinctively grab it in my hand.

Pulling the hoodie over my head, Jeff helps me into the vest strapping it in the right places. Once it's secure, he looks me in the eyes, hands on my shoulders, squeezing gently. "For what it's worth, Ashford, I think you're a good match for my Brooke. You've grown up, know what's right and wrong now. You understand that you're lucky to have Brooke. I'd been glad to call you my son in law."

My lips curve just a bit at his words. They honestly warm my heart. I never once thought that Jeff would approve of me for his daughter. Maybe I have grown up more than I thought by now. Tears glisten my eyes at the look in his. When he pulls away, he surprises me by squatting down and retrieving a gun from his ankle.

"It's not much, but I'm not letting you go without something for protection." Jeff removes the gun showing me exactly how to use it. Even though I've done things in my past, guns have never been my thing. Even with Julio, I never used a gun to protect him. In all honesty they scare the hell out of me.

He holds the gun out for me to take. It feels heavy in my hand despite how small it looks. "I can show you how to use it." Jeff spends the next few minutes showing me every aspect of the gun. The safety button, to the rounds in the clip, and even the proper way to hold it in my hand. "Okay, I think you're looking pretty good. Here's the ankle holster. You'll need it around here."

As Jeff hands over the ankle holster, I feel the metal and hear the jingle of keys. Jeff gives me a look but says nothing. I squat and wrap the ankle holster around my right ankle for my right hand. The keys are dropped into my jean pockets as Jeff also hands over the note in the plastic bag. I watch as he removes it from the bag folding it to hand over.

"We can get arrested for this. Tampering with evidence, but I'll do anything for my daughter. I know the consequences of not doing the same before with my wife. I won't that mistake again." Jeff looks determined. He'd risk his life and career for his daughter. It doesn't like he would have done that before when his wife was still alive.

I place my hand on his shoulder this time. "It wasn't your fault, Jeff. You're wife was sick."

"I could have gotten her more help, been around more. It's too late now, the past is the past. Only thing I can do is try to make up for it." We share a look. Even though we are two different people, it seems we share so much more. We both love a young girl named Brooke and we've both done things we regret, but we're here trying to make it right.

Jeff and I share a sigh as we leave the bathroom. The house is still insanely packed as we leave outside. Kevin stands with officers as Jeff approaches after sharing a look with me. Thankfully I already have it covered, pulling out the old pack of cigarettes from my back pocket. While Jeff is distracted himself and the officers around him, I find a place to smoke and everyone pretty much ignores me.

Half way through the cigarette however, I spot my chance. Dropping the cigarette to the grass, I hear commotion inside the house which gains Jeff and Kevin's attention. The forensic specialist comes out again, her facial features frantic.

"Where's the note?!" She screams. While she's screaming, I'm walking fast toward Jeff's truck parked against the curb in front of the neighbor. Unlocking the driver's side door, I climb inside the truck settling a bit higher than my own. When I look out the windshield I notice, cops are searching the area and I spot Jeff who's already looking in my direction. He subtly nods as I slide the key inside turning the engine.

At the sound of the engine, the cops look toward me, eyes wide.

"He's got the note!" Someone screams which I can hear through the window. I watch as someone shoves Jeff against the back of a patrol car as I change gears, leaving the scene to save Brooke.