The Road to Justice/Sins of the Son combo pack - A John Fowler Novel (John Fowler (Books 1 & 2)) (39 page)

“
Go ahead,
”
the voice on the other end said.

“
John
Fowler
is back in the FBI
like you requested
.  I have currently pulled myself off of the case.  I have told
his little group
I am waiting for permission from Quantico.  You might want to contact those you know there to get me back on the case so I can report back to you.  The group is about to
begin
question
ing
McDonald
. . . do I need to do anything?
”

There was a pause; Bruce began to wonder if the phone call had been dropped.  The voice on the other end finally answered.

“
Not at this time, but if I do need something, it will be for you to take care of the situation
PERMANE
N
TLY.
. . will that be an issue?
”
 
Bruce laughed. 

“
Why would that be a problem? 
Anything else?
”
 
Bruce asked.

“
No, I
’
ll take care of Quantico,
”
said the voice on the other end.  
“
Bruce, if you double-cross me.
”
  

“
You
’
ll never see it coming,
”
interrupted Bruce. 
“
Look
,
I have no want or reason at this point to do anything to you.  As I told you last night, I have my agenda . . . you have yours.  One last thing . .
. ARCHIBALD,
”
Archibald hissed in anger. 
“
You mention me to your other mole, I
’
ll make sure you go down and your lovely daughter does as well.
”
 
Bruce hung up the phone before Archibald could retort.  Bruce got out of the car and looked out over New York City.

Bruce thought back to the events that had taken place yesterday.  Lisa Sparks had been arrested for her part in the death of Beth George and the attempted murder of David George.  The murder and attempted murder had taken place over 25 years ago.  Bruce smiled when he thought of Lisa; here was a woman after his own heart.  She did what was best for her.  She could care less about what happened to anyone else, well, except for her father, Archibald.  Lisa
’
s real name used to be Veronica, but she had it changed after the murders.  Lisa had found herself taken hostage when David George, the kid she had tried to have murdered years ago, decided to get revenge over the murder of his sister Beth.  Bruce laughed silently, he really admired her. 

His mind then took him to thoughts of
David George.  Bruce really hated him.  John had been out of the FBI until David
’
s little murderous rampage over those that were involved
,
or had helped cover up the incident in Kentucky, brought him back to the FBI.  Bruce really didn
’
t want John back in the FBI, but the last thing he wanted was John being a consultant.  Bruce had rather John stayed away and been a private investigator.  If Bruce couldn
’
t have that, then John needed to be an FBI agent.  At least this way Bruce could know most of what John was involved with, and not arouse any suspicions.  Bruce could always use the excuse of collaboration among agents, and all of that jazz.  If John had remained a consultant, it would have been harder for Bruce.
             

Bruce reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small cloth bag closed by drawstrings.  He opened the bag and looked inside.  He smiled as he pulled out the ring.  It was a simple gold ring.  Inscribed inside it simply read,
“
Always yours, John.
”
 
Bruce replaced the ring in the bag, closed it and made sure it was securely tied.  Bruce thought about his mother who had died at a young age.  If his dad
was to die due to thes
e unfortunate circumstances, the
n he would have no family.  This thought made him smile.  Bruce chuckled to himself.  He put the bag back into his coat pocket and spoke to himself very softly.

             
“
If I had a sister, I wouldn
’
t miss her.
”

             
The saying was a ritual he had since the first night he got the ring over three years ago.  Bruce inhaled deeply.  A sick, evil smile covered his face.

             
“
John, John, John,
”
he said softly to himself. 
“
They say to keep your friends close and your enemies closer.  Do you know why Johnny boy?
”
 
Bruce opened his eyes.  There was a look of pure hatred in them. 
“
It
’
s so you can find the perfect place to put the knife in someone
’
s back.
”
 

Bruce stood there for a moment, thinking again about having no family.  Bruce took the battery out of the cell phone, and then threw both the cell phone and the battery into the river.  As he watched them both sink he decided he liked explosions and fire a whole lot more than drowning and water.  Water just wasn
’
t as fun.

             
Archibald Staples

             
Virginia

Chapter 6

Archibald stared at the phone like it was a snake that had tried to bite him.  He
had to give Bruce Cosby credit.  The man was devious . . . Bruce
was like the son he never had.  Archibald laughed out loud at the irony of it all.  Senator Cosby hated the way Bruce was and would have preferred John Fowler for a son, or John
’
s late wife
,
Sam
,
for a daughter.  Archibald was looking out over his land from the patio on the back of his mansion.  It was quite chilly outside, but Archibald didn
’
t care.  He couldn
’
t let a little thing like weather affect him. 

He thought about John Fowler.  Archibald wasn
’
t thrilled with John being back in the FBI, but it was the best solution to a bad situation as far as he was concerned.  If Archibald could maneuver Bruce to help him make it look like McDonald was a lone wolf nutcase, then John was less likely to look any deeper into the mess McDonald had caused.  Archibald was counting on John
’
s relationship with the Senator to concern John more with finding the Senator than worry about who was behind the abduction.  With Bruce there . . . Archibald smiled for a second, he could find a way to eliminate McDonald.  Archibald silently cursed his daughter for telling McDonald to contact him.  Well that was water under the bridge, time to move on.

Archibald looked behind him at the group in his office.
  The patio doors were shut to his office
, but he could see thought the glass the l
awyers
that
were crawling all over his office.  Archibald really didn
’
t like lawyers, but he wasn
’
t about to spare any expense for his daughter.  He had
to take care of her.  Archibald threw back his head and roared with laughter.  That was great.  That was the funniest thing he had heard in months
and he had thought of it!
  Archibald caught his breath.  It was time to be serious.  Lisa shouldn
’
t spend a minute more in jail than was absolutely necessary for one very important reason.  She was the one person in the world who could give the authorities the information they needed to catch him. 

Archibald truly believed there was nothing the authorities could pin on him without several different of his associates banning together to rat on him; Lisa however . . . well, she knew just about everything.  Lisa would never tell anyone anything, but why take the risk.  Archibald got one of his bodyguard
’
s
attention
and had him come outside.  The bodyguard brought Archibald a drink out on the patio to try and not attract attention.  Archibald kept his voice low so he couldn
’
t be heard inside.

“
You do know who
‘
The Duck
’
is?
”
 
Archibald asked.  The guard nodded.   Archibald took a drink of scotch. 
“
I need you to tell him something.
”
 
The guard nodded. 
“
Tell him I need to collect on the favor from three years ago; he
’
ll know what it means.  Tell him not to contact me; I
’
ll get in touch with him.
”
 
The bodyguard nodded and headed in.  Archibald finished his scotch, and sat down the glass on the table on his patio.  Archibald walked up to the doors and opened both simultaneously. 

“
All right
,
you overpriced crooks!!
”
 
Archibald exclaimed. 
“
Let
’
s get my baby girl out of jail!!
”

John Fowler
             

             
New York FBI Office

Chapter 7

             
John watched Bruce leave the room and felt for him.  Whether or not Bruce and the
S
enator cared for each other didn
’
t really matter; what mattered was a man was kidnapped and that man had a son.  A son that John loathed, but Bruce was Jeremiah Cosby
’
s son regardless.  John felt
everyone
’
s
eyes
o
n his back and
s
lowly turned around to see the other three staring at him.  Trip broke the silence.

             
“
John, if you
’
re serious, I
’
ll run upstairs and get the forms,
”
Trip said.  John nodded.  Trip turned to Jessica and Chet. 
“
Agents Chet Morris and Jessica Hammerstein, I am going to team you with John Fowler if there is no objection.
”
 
John waited for Jessica to make a big deal out of things.  Chet was beaming.  He seemed the most relieved John had seen him since before Sam
’
s funeral.  John looked over at Jessica.  She had a coy smile on her face.  John raised his eyebrows at her in question. 

             
“
No objection
,
sir,
”
said Jessica quietly.  Chet shook his head no and Trip took off for the paperwork.  John turned and pointed to the monitor and Chet began to do his
computer
thing.  Chet was unbelievable when it came to operating a computer.  John had said many times that Chet could have been a great developer of programs, a hacker, or both.  John looked at Jessica.  She was known by the moniker
“
The Hammer
”
.  If Jessica got you into interrogation, th
e
n your best hope was to tell her everything you had ever done wrong in your life . . . and that your story was consistent. 

             
John remembered when the three of them had first started working together on a case.  An old lady had been housing a terrorist, unbeknownst to her.  The lady was having trouble keeping her story straight because she was simply forgetting details.  Trip was worried Jessica was going to induce a heart attack in the lady before they cracked the case.  John had always found Jessica interrogating people funny until he received the full treatment after his wife
’
s death.  He had never asked how long Jessica had questioned him,
he had heard for two hours,
but he was sure it was at least a week and a half. 

             
The computer screen flashed up and John turned his attention to it.  John scanned the screen, all of the information he already knew.  John picked up the file.  There was nothing in there.  It was time to talk to Luke McDonald.  He turned to Jessica.