The Shadow Murder

19

Meghan gets showered and dressed. She dresses for comfort rather than style and is pleased with how she looks. Perhaps she's not fashion forward like many of the high school girls her age, but she doesn't care.

Travis comes up behind her and pulls her to him, "You look beautiful, Meg."

Meg smirks, "Thanks, are you sure you don't need glasses?"

"I'm sure." He turns her around and gives her a long kiss. After he finishes kissing her, "When we leave we won't be coming back until your father gives the all clear. After lunch we'll be going shopping." With this his face is scrunched up with dislike. He'd never liked going shopping with her before. Meg has particular tastes and it takes time for her to find what she wants. 

"Will you be okay with that?" Travis remembers to ask her.

"I guess it doesn't matter, since the matter has already been decided." Meghan is less than pleased by the situation. She hadn't been asked her opinion at all.

There's a knock at her door. She grabs her jacket and bag as Travis opens the door. "Sir."

"Good, glad I caught you. Meghan, I know you aren't too happy about us making this decision for you." Joseph watches as she places her gun and knife about her person and nods.

"You're right I'm not."

"I just want you to know that Steve is waiting for me down in the cells." Distantly the doorbell is heard. The three look at each other. They don't get many visitors that aren't expected ahead of time. "I'll be dealing with him as soon as possible so you can come home."

"Yeah, sure." Meghan feels that she's just being shipped off because she isn't wanted. She still feels that her father loves Vee's kids more than her.

Joseph slumps his shoulders. Because of him his daughter was in hell for months and couldn't even tell him. He doesn't know how to fix things between them now.

"Boss, that detective investigating Vee's death is here wanting to see you and Miss Meghan," Carl says coming up to Meghan's room.

"I'll take you to lunch as soon as the detective lets us go, okay?" Travis sighs.

Meghan nods and they all troop down to the study where the detective is waiting with some of the men.

"Detective? You have word about my wife's killer?" Joseph asks hopefully.

"No, actually there was a fire bombing at a residence on the other side of town last night. A gang that has recently moved into this area. There were several bodies found among the ruins. I was hoping that you might be able to enlighten me about it."

All three look at him confused. "I'm sorry sir, but I'm afraid I don't know anything about it. Meghan, Travis do either of you know?"

"Oh, please father you've kept me on a short leash for months. What would I know about it? Besides, I don't know anything about gangs." She doesn't, she deals with the larger group.

"Travis?"

"No, I was trying to remember if I knew something. Could this be tied into the death threats against Meghan though?"

Detective Sandberg sits up straight at that point. "There's been death threats against this young lady?"

"Yes, and yesterday someone tried to kill her. I spent the day making sure that she was safe and having another location prepared. We'll be going there once we are done talking." Travis replies smoothly. "I was up all night making sure that everything was ready for her. It was only luck that she wasn't killed." Luck that he saw the movement before the assassin was able to strike.

"You okay Miss?" Sandberg turns his attention to the girl. He has a daughter about her age.

"Yes, detective. I was a bit shook up. We've all had to deal with death threats against my father, but that was the first time I personally had been threatened. It was rather daunting."

"Were you able to catch the perpetrator?" The detective demands, he doubts he'll be told the truth one way or another. He's actually rather surprised that he was told about it at all. The mafia has a tendency to take the law into their own hands. He's fairly certain that the death of the gang has something to do with the attack on Meghan's life.

Mr. Travertain has a reputation for being ruthless when something he cares about is threatened. Now he's lost his wife and almost lost his daughter.

"What are you doing to find my wife's murderer, detective?" Joseph is losing his patience rather quickly and wants this interview over.

"We're following all the leads we can find. We've gone over the video of the event with a fine toothed comb and all we can determine is that something is wonky. Someone messed with the video. Do you have any idea?"

Joseph is furious. He should have listened to Travis earlier and implemented his suggestions before he was moved to the office.

"It's been messed with?" 

For the first time Sandberg believes Joseph is telling the truth.

Travis pulls out his laptop and brings up the video of that incident. Meghan looks on with curiosity. She had never actually seen what happened.

She sees something that bothers her, but she can't place what it is. "There's something wrong with that picture." She mutters absently biting her nail. What is it?

Travis gives her his full attention. The other two look at her silently. "Can you tell me what you see that doesn't belong Meg?"

"I know there is, but I can't pinpoint it right now." Meghan says in frustration. She so desperately wants to find out what happened to her mother.

Travis closes the laptop and puts it away. "Don't worry about it right now. Let your brain think about it while you do other things and it will come to you." Travis soothes. Right then her stomach growls rather loudly and they all smile as she looks down embarrassed.

"Sorry, missed breakfast. Travis was about to take me out for lunch when you showed up, detective."

The detective stands and gives her a small bow, "Forgive me for interrupting your meal plans. If I need to talk to the young lady again how will I contact her?"

"Just ask me. I'll arrange it." Joseph tells the detective absently. How is it that Meghan spotted something out of place and he didn't? He wants to look at that footage again. It is hard for him to restrain himself from kicking the detective out and running to the security room to look over the video once more.

Once the detective is gone, "I'll review the footage with Meghan. Why don't you see if Steve can give you any more information?" Travis says lightly. He won't survive long if Joseph believes him to be overstepping the line.

With the reminder of his betraying brother down below a strange look comes over Joseph, "I do believe I'll do that. Figure out what it is that is wrong Meghan. In the meantime I'll be doing a great deal of housecleaning. Travis, when she's not looking at that footage, I want you going over everyone with a fine tooth comb. I want the traitors and rats out of my family."

"Yes, sir. I had already planned on it." He'd already started and cleared some of them.

With that Joseph gives them both a nod and Meghan a hug, "I'll miss you, honey. Stay safe. I'm not doing this because I hate you. I'm doing this because I can't bear to lose you too."

"Just make it so I can come home, soon." Meghan says unconvinced at her father's words.

"I will, Meghan, I swear. I have a lot to make up for and I will. Somehow." With that Joseph turns his attention to the basement and the other two turn their attention to leaving.