The Hidden Paths to Power (18 page)

I gave him the address, called Doriane to let her know, told her I was being careful then used the time to think of what to tell my uncle.

Since Doriane accepted my idea earlier, about starting a minor detective agency, that would help in the explanation. I just needed to explain why Deana Boller would be in this neighborhood. The house itself gave me an idea.

Fortunately, I only changed my hair color today.

If Ernie or Larry asked questions, I’d be able to say, it was temporary dye to keep from being recognized.

I was really coming to appreciate how hard it was, to keep this a secret. Having to cover all the details, in case someone was paying that close of attention, was rough.

The high profile case of Ryan Gilpatrick needed to go away fast.

I would discuss it with Doriane at home.

Harold had to look twice at me, to be sure it was me, as I was wearing the black color. I’d “wash it out” before I appeared publically, if Harold thought that was necessary. I’d try to convince him to go without it first but I wasn’t going to make his job harder than it already was if I could avoid it.

I released the spells on Robert, as soon as I heard Harold’s car pull up. He was just coming around when Harold appeared in the backyard.

I said, “Put cuffs on him and read him his rights then I’ll tell you what happened and who he is.”

Harold did as he was asked, after he was sure Robert could competently answer yes to understanding his rights.

Once Robert Vincent was secure in the back of Harold’s car, my uncle turned, “Talk.”

“I don’t know if you keep tabs on old cases but the man you have there is Robert Vincent.”

Harold’s eyes widened which told me he did know the case.

I kept going, “This house we’re standing next to, is the old Compton residence. I see you know it, as you remember details from the case. Kimberly and I came across some information in public records that led us to think, there might be a connection between Robert Vincent and Ryan Gilpatrick. I’m wearing black dye in my hair to keep myself from being easily recognized. We came out earlier, posing as real estate developers, with an interest in renovating long vacant properties. We met with the real estate agent hired by the bank who owns the house. He was a creep but that was incidental. After he showed us the house, and I’d asked one of the neighbors, about this neighborhood’s feelings about the house, we went to have lunch. She got an urgent phone call for something she had to take care of. Kim asked me to come back here, to do what I could, to patch the holes in the house to keep the kids out. When I got here, I found Robert prowling around the house. He attacked me, when I tried to pull my phone out to call the police.”

“Why didn’t you call 911?”

“Harold; you heard what I said at the press conference. I will not go out of my way to be tracked down by cameras. If you think it can’t be avoided in this situation then I’ll live with it. I’ve been having a little fun playing private detective and think, I might make a career out of it. You know I was looking to be an FBI agent before this all started. It’s not quite the same but it feels a little like that.”

“You may have to suck it up a little for this one. There’s no way, I could get away with a capture like this, without coughing up the name of the person who tipped me off. How did you knock him out without leaving a mark on him?”

“I didn’t look closely enough to see that he had no marks. The man has a glass jaw and went down with one punch. Now, can you give me enough time, to wash the dye out of my hair, before you parade me in front of the cameras?”

“I’ll take it easy and only insist that you say a few words. After that, you can make my day, and keep up your colorful language in front of them. I have a ball with it in private.”

I smiled then walked across the street. The water to the Compton house had been off for years.

Ernie wasn’t upset, when I told him who I really was, and he let me go into the bathroom.

When I closed the door, I thought fast.

First, I let the water run then cast a small practice spell, I learned on my first day, to change the color of water. I let my hair go back to blonde then got it wet.

After drying my hair a little, I cast a small reverse healing spell on my hand, just enough to give me a couple of bruises and a small sting.

I was tired but when I came out, I looked like the real me with the signs of having hurt someone.

Ernie asked, “What happened to your hand?”

“Watch the news in a little while and you’ll understand. Do you recognize the man standing by the unmarked police car?”

Ernie took a closer look and his eyes widened then showed understanding, “You and Lieutenant Cramer do have a connection. What were you really doing here, Ms. Boller?”

“I hope you won’t be upset but I’ve been playing a little private detective. I mean to help the police stop Ryan Gilpatrick. I found some information on a possible connection between Robert Vincent and Ryan. I don’t plan to take him on alone but I’ve been trying to help my uncle; that’s how I view Harold Cramer; find a hot trail to where Ryan’s hiding.”

“I’m not upset. I think it’s noble. Everything you said on the news was inspirational. I cheered along with many, when you proclaimed the public’s safety was more important than the media’s need to be nosey. What did you find over there?”

“My uncle won’t let me say, until he unveils it in front of the media. He’s been aching for a chance to spread a little good news.”

“We could use some. I’ll be watching.”

I smiled then walked back over.

I could see, it was eating at Robert not to say something, to make my life harder, but he was still afraid of the consequences of revealing magic.

As it was, he no longer had the means to prove it. It would come out as rambling. It might help him win an insanity plea but that was it.

Harold Cramer called on his radio to inform his captain. He accepted my explanation of events when he saw my hand.

It stung but I could repair it later, when I wasn’t under scrutiny.

Captain Bert Cominski had a smile on his face as we pulled up to the station.

A few reporters were outside as I stepped from the car.

Harold pulled Robert Vincent out. He still looked enough like his seventeen year old picture, to make the identification nearly certain. Since he was an orphan, his prints would be in the system and the positive match would be made.

Harold made sure a few other officers were standing close, in case Robert tried anything. He looked defeated and just accepted what was happening.

Once we had the undivided attention of the media, Harold said, “The man you see before you is Robert Vincent. He’s been wanted in connection to the brutal slayings, of Regina Compton and ten of the orphans under her care, over thirty years ago. Through the efforts of a young woman known to everyone, Robert is now in custody. Ms. Deana Boller has been doing some part-time investigative work, as it is her desire to see Ryan Gilpatrick caught, as much as anyone’s; more so from her perspective. I know based on her earlier comments, she hasn’t been the most cooperative with the media, but I’ve convinced her to say a few words. How many civil ones she has to say will be up to her.”

I wasn’t concerned with the negative looks I was receiving. I’d made an enemy out of the media but their producers and editors knew to take it easy with me.

I said, “I will be brief then go back to being as anonymous as possible. I only agreed to this, to make my friend Harold’s life easier, not yours. During my little investigation, I found a small piece of information in public records that might have been a connection between Ryan and Robert. This proved unfounded but as I was snooping around the old Compton residence, I discovered Robert hanging around his old house. I will not speculate on his reasons for being there. That is for the professional law enforcement personnel to discover. I simply saw him and won the confrontation, as he made to stop me, when I tried to call the police. Once I had him down, I called the man I consider my uncle. I trust him not to see me blitzed with harassment. I will answer two questions then if anymore are thrown, I’ll go back to my usual behavior in front of you.”

Peggy Martin of the Aurora Sentinel was the first I chose to answer a question from, “What was the unfounded connection?”

“When I learned of the story, of what happened at the Compton residence, I thought there might be some similarities, to those things discovered beneath Ryan Gilpatrick’s childhood home, and what was discovered beneath the residence in the Rocky Pines neighborhood. The few things left to be found at the Compton residence showed, they came from a different belief structure. There wasn’t enough to determine which dark faith Regina followed.”

Fred Kilenger from channel seven was hesitant but I called on him, bringing many sour looks, as it was the last I would answer civilly. “You said the word faith. How many dark religions can there be beyond Satanism?”

“Belief is not held to a strict code, Mr. Kilenger. There have been millions of different belief structures throughout the course of human history, not just the primary ones we hear about that rose to prominence. Our history shows that many were stamped out, by one religion or another, believing the faith of others was wrong. That doesn’t mean small pockets of these beliefs didn’t survive the ages. Those of us of good conscience know, the belief structures that call for the harming of others, is evil. This country does allow for religious freedom but only as far as it, bringing no harm to another person. That is all. The first question out of someone’s mouth, will be answered by the censors. You might be willing to risk it but are your bosses willing to?”

I walked away and saw one reporter, almost run after me, but decided to follow Harold and Robert instead.

I was within walking distance of Tina and Debra’s apartment. I used the back streets and watched for anyone paying close attention.

I was pulled in and buried in hugs as they gushed about my poise in front of the media.

I was worrying over how Doriane would take it. I just hoped, I did enough.

Part Four

Twilight and Transition

I had Tina drop me off in front of The Dragon’s Den.

Doriane was still there, trying to figure out where the women went wrong in running the store. They swore up and down, they were running it the same way, but the store was losing money.

I had a suspicion or two but wouldn’t say anything yet.

I sat on the curb of the sidewalk in front of the store. Doriane knew I was there but I wasn’t ready to see if, she was upset at me or not.

Her lovely, raven-haired form, came to sit beside me, as she took a break.

I hesitantly looked up but saw pride, not condemnation, and smiled a little.

My teacher said, “I can tell you think, you might’ve made a mistake going on camera, but you handled it well. When we get home, you can give me the full rundown and we’ll see if you left any gaps. I’d be surprised, if you took on your first solo endeavor, and got it perfect. Trust me, if you made any uncorrectable errors, you’d know about it.”

“How are things here?”

“I’m still trying to figure it out. Their accounting seems to be solid. They’ve changed a few products but nothing that would account for it. The customer base seems to be just as good as when I left.”

I got up and went inside.

I saw four of the five women that bought the store standing behind the counter.

That was already my first clue. I was raised by a professional investigator. Most cases like this are simply an inside job.

Barbara was there and I asked, “Where’s your other partner?”

“Sheila said she had an appointment. We tried to be insistent but she was very sincere that her appointment couldn’t be missed.”

“Uh huh; how much time does Sheila spend here versus the rest of you?”

“She’s the primary storekeeper. The rest of us took days off from work to be here. Sheila is a housewife with grown kids.”

Doriane said, “I commented about that as well but when I looked at the accounting, it seemed solid.”

I asked Margaret Jackson, a black woman with a successful career in sales, “Has an inventory count been done for the store?”

Doriane’s eyes flashed as she realized I came up with the one thing she hadn’t thought of yet.

Amy Carmichael, a successful hairstylist, went to the office and came out with the record. I immediately asked the women, to do a new one, then went into the storeroom.

First thing I noticed, was the room wasn’t as carefully organized as Doriane had it. Without a second thought, I fixed that then did the inventory.

When all our numbers were tallied then had today’s sales taken out, the problem became obvious. The old inventory showed a higher count than the number of sales account for.

Looking closer at the old inventory sheet, I could see where a few numbers had been changed.

I said to Barbara, “I know, you don’t want to think badly of your friend but, if she’s been the one to do the inventory, she’s been fudging the numbers. Items have been taken out of the store without being paid for or accounted for. That’s where you’re losing money.”