Race

“He was a stupid kid,” she said.

My whole body was energized with rage. I roared and with all my might tried to break free of the restraints on my wrists. As I did so the rope cut deeper into my skin. The pain was immense and soon all my energy faded. My shoulders slumped and I lowered my head. This would have worked in the movies.

“The money,” I finally said.

“What?” she said.

I lifted my head. “The money he gives his wife at night. Why would someone do that if they weren’t hiding something?”

“He’s married?” she said confused.

“Oh, so you don’t know?”

“He only tells me what is necessary.”

“Well, let me tell you. He also has children. You didn’t know that either?”

“I was not aware,” she said, clearly taken aback. “He doesn’t seem like the fatherly type.”

“You also wouldn’t know anything about his mansion, would you?”

“Mansion? I thought he lived in a condo.”

“He has a tiny little mansion in Forest Hill.” I was working on the make-the-partners-enemy-ploy. After I was done she was going to hate Beadsworth. She was then going to free me and help me stop the production of Nex just to get back at Beadsworth. Well, maybe not exactly like that, but I was working on it.

There was a sound in the back. She turned. I tilted to get a better view. There were footsteps coming down. All three was of us waited anxiously. At least, I did.

Once I saw the shoes, I relaxed.

“Speak of the devil,” I said.

TWENTY-NINE

Beadsworth came down with his hands in his pockets and a grim look on his face. Behind him was a man with blond hair.

“Hey, Phil,” I said. It’s always better to refer to your enemy by his first name; gives them less credibility. “Tell her about your mansion.”

Beadsworth shot me a look.

I didn’t care. “Also, the money you give to you wife at night. You know, in brown and white envelopes.”

Beadsworth said, “Officer Rupret, please be silent.”

I wasn’t going to stay silent. “Tell her about your children.”

“Officer Rupret. You don’t realize-”

“-No! You don’t realize. Playing everyone like a fool so you could get rich. You did it just for money, didn’t you?” I was visibly upset.

Laura looked at me, then at Beadsworth, and then at me again. She then started to laugh.

Villains! They were all crackers.

When she was done she said to me, “You’re not as bright as I gave you credit for.”

What was she talking about?

“You think he is the informant?” she said, pointing to Beadsworth.

Then I saw the gun, wedged in Beadsworth’s back by the blond man. Beadsworth’s head was bowed low-in defeat.

“Where did you find him?” Laura said.

The blond man answered, “He was snooping around the back.”

“A big mistake, Detective Beadsworth,” Laura said. “Tie him up.”

Beadsworth was tied up-wrists and ankles-and placed ten feet behind me. We sat in silence. Our captors had left us. They had probably gone off to some meeting to decide our fates. I didn’t care. I was wrong about so many things. It hurt.

I was glad Beadsworth was behind me. I couldn’t face him. Here I was, ready to tell everything I knew about him, to the one person who had deceived me.

I heard footsteps and saw Laura emerge from behind the metal door. Right behind her was the owner of the shop.

“This is not good,” he said nervously. “We can’t have police officers here. We have customers upstairs.”

“Get rid of them,” she said.

“They are police officers,” he said.

“Not them. The customers.”

“That might be-“

“Tell them you have a gas leak and the building must be evacuated. Give them a voucher for a free drink. Just get them out.”

He didn’t look happy.

She said, “We are so close. We keep them here for a few days until-” she stopped when she realized I was eavesdropping. “Kong will watch over them.”

I cringed.

When they were leaving, I said, “I never liked the wallpaper. The color was ugly.”

The-so-called-owner turned to me, then gingerly walked away.

It was quiet again. The metal door was shut tight to prevent the outside world from hearing our screams. I was prepared to scream.

At least they didn’t shut the lights off and left us in darkness.

I could hear Beadsworth breathing in the back. Ever since he was bound, he had not said a word.

I didn’t know what to say. But I wanted to say something.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

No response. Only breathing.

“I was wrong, okay?” I said. “I thought you were the mole.”

“And how did you deduce that, Officer Rupret?” he finally said.

“You were acting strange. It was a mistake. I’m sorry, man.” I tried twisting my head but could only manage up to a certain extent. “How did you know I was here?” I said.

“I’ve been following you,” came the answer from behind.

“Following me? For how long?”

“Since yesterday.”

“You were behind me when I was trailing the Lincoln?” I asked.

“Yes. Three cars back. I saw you park and disappear behind the tea shop. I waited, but when you didn’t come out I decided to take a look. That’s when the blond gentleman pulled a gun on me.”

“But why follow me?”

“So you wouldn’t do anything perilous.”

“Like this.”

“Yes.” There was silence again.

“I need some answers,” I said.

“You are entitled to them.” There was a brief pause. I think he was sorting out his thoughts. Then he began. “As you may or may not know, it was Sergeant Aldrich who had instigated the investigation into the drug squad.”

I didn’t know that.

“What you also may not know is that Sergeant Aldrich was once part of that very same drug squad.”