| Mystery and Crime Fiction posted September 20, 2020 | Chapters: |
1 2 -3- 4... 
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The detectives realize how big the trafficking ring is.
A chapter in the book Where Are All The Children
The Vigilante Strikes Again
by Mistydawn
The detectives pull up to a three-story brick building on Luckie Street. It, like the neighboring apartments, is a replica of a southern styled colonial with its fancy ivory awning, shutters, and gable. The shrubbery on either side of the walkway is neatly trimmed and the scant bit of yard is mowed.
Toni and Jamal are met by the responding officers when they climb out of their car.
"What can you tell us?" Toni takes a quick look around. Their presence seems to have stirred every living being on this side of town. Wish they would've been this curious when the whole porn thing was going on.
"We responded to a disturbance call and found the man, blindfolded and naked tied to a kitchen chair. He claims he doesn't know who did it, and the pictures scattered around him aren't his."
Jamal rolls his eyes. "Of course they're not."
We asked the neighbors if they saw anyone besides the residents enter the building and they said a lot of strangers come and go, that Mr. Brock teaches piano from his home."
Hearing a commotion Toni looks over and sees a couple of rookies are trying to hold a persistent onlooker back. The officer says something, the lady settles down. I sure don't miss those days. "Are there any cameras in the area?"
"Forensics is checking them now. They're also dusting for prints."
"Where's the perp, I mean the victim," Toni corrects.
The officer thumbs behind him. "He's in his apartment."
The detectives walk in to find forensics busily processing the tidy place. The small office on their left has a small wooden desk on one side of the window, an electrical keyboard on the other. The living room on the right is furnished with a toffee-colored couch and an oak coffee table. Matching end tables sit on either side. A flat-screen TV is mounted on the eggshell-painted wall. The victim is nervously running his fingers through his short, sable hair at the kitchen table, adjacent to the main room. He's wearing a light-brown pullover vest with an off-white shirt underneath. His brown polyester pants look recently pressed. A brawny officer is beside him, arms crossed in front of his chest.
"Mr. Brock, I'm Detective Moore and this is my partner Detective Robbins. Can you tell us what happened?"
"I was doing laundry in the back when I heard someone talking. I thought it might be one of my students so, I went to check." He raises his hand to the back of his scalp. "I must've been hit in the head because I woke up blindfolded and naked tied to this chair. " He glances up. "He untied me, let me get dressed."
The officer beside him quickly adds, "Forensics took the clothes he was wearing to the lab."
Toni nods. "Thank you, officer. So, you didn't see who did this?"
"I didn't see them, but I remember smelling women's perfume, Chanel I believe."
Toni takes out her notebook. "Them?"
"I heard three voices. All women and two had a Spanish accent."
Picking up a few pictures off the floor, Jamal walks towards him. "What can you tell me about these?"
Archie glances at the photos and then turns away. "I don't know where they came from."
A gravelly voice echoes from the adjoining room. "Detective, there's something on his laptop you need to see."
Toni glares at their suspect. She places her hand on her weapon, leans down, and says, "Move or even attempt to move and I'll shoot, got it?" A stern look crosses her face as she taps her gun.
The man gulps and then nods.
Finding the detectives beside them the forensic technician begins, "The photos on the floor are just the tip of the iceberg." He pulls up file after file of children's pictures. "The way the caption reads I'd say they came from a trafficking site."
Toni walks back to the kitchen. She grabs her handcuffs from their holder and says, "Stand up, hands behind your back."
"But I'm the victim here," Archie whines in a high-pitched nasally tone.
"A victim with a lot of child porn."
"The photos aren't mine."
"I suppose the computer isn't yours either?"
He glances towards his office and then back at her. "My computer is over there." He points to the counter and then explains. "I found a recipe on-line I wanted to try."
Looking over Toni sees a small, jet black laptop surrounded by baking utensils. "We're taking you to the house until we can figure it out."
Tears swell in his hazel eyes. "B... But I'm being framed."
Jamal grabs Archie's arm and pulls him to his feet. "Save it for the judge."
***
Toni walks into the station to find Keven busy at his desk. He'd posted pictures of their two suspects on the board. A brief summary is written beside it. She starts to walk towards it when she notices a report lying across her laptop. She picks it up and reads.
Kevin glances over. "That came in while you and Jamal were out."
"The perp didn't kill our first guy after all."
"The ME found proteins in his blood indicative of a heart attack. According to his body temperature, lividity, and rigor, she believes he died somewhere between one and four. She also said his wounds, the hanging was all done postmortem."
"So, one of his victims decided to get revenge."
"Then set the fire to let us know he's there," Jamal adds walking to his desk.
Toni turns towards her partner. "You finished your interview already?"
"I put him in holding with a few other guys. Figure a little alone time with them will having him singing like a canary."
"Still denying everything is he?"
"Yep."
Kevin hands her a piece of paper. "I did a background check on your new guy. Archie Brock. He's a retired schoolteacher. He's been giving piano lessons from his home for the past five years."
Jamal shakes his head. "So, he's had access to kids most of his adult life."
"And he only lives a few blocks from the school."
Jamal gazes out the window. " It's hard to say how many victims we'll find out there."
Toni turns towards Kevin. "Is there a connection between the two perps?"
"I haven't found anything so far. The calls made to our first suspect's phone came from downtown Atlanta. Forensics is trying to narrow it down more."
"What about his investigation?"
"The DA said there were lots of rumors but nothing to support the allegations."
"Did you talk to his coworkers, the women he helped?"
Kevin pushes away from his desk. "I'm going to do that now."
"Jamal and I will interview them. You talk to Mr. Brook's students. Check his finances, see if anything fishy turns up. Check our first guy's finances too."
"I already did." He hands her another printout. "Mark Hensley has one account and it's with a local bank here in town. The only deposits made are his social security check and his withdraws seem to be for normal living expenses. The website is funded by a company called Love Unlimited. I was checking into it when you came in."
"I imagine you'll find it's a shell company which is funded by another shell company. That's usually how these guys work."
The detectives pull up to a three-story brick building on Luckie Street. It, like the neighboring apartments, is a replica of a southern styled colonial with its fancy ivory awning, shutters, and gable. The shrubbery on either side of the walkway is neatly trimmed and the scant bit of yard is mowed.
Toni and Jamal are met by the responding officers when they climb out of their car.
"What can you tell us?" Toni takes a quick look around. Their presence seems to have stirred every living being on this side of town. Wish they would've been this curious when the whole porn thing was going on.
"We responded to a disturbance call and found the man, blindfolded and naked tied to a kitchen chair. He claims he doesn't know who did it, and the pictures scattered around him aren't his."
Jamal rolls his eyes. "Of course they're not."
We asked the neighbors if they saw anyone besides the residents enter the building and they said a lot of strangers come and go, that Mr. Brock teaches piano from his home."
Hearing a commotion Toni looks over and sees a couple of rookies are trying to hold a persistent onlooker back. The officer says something, the lady settles down. I sure don't miss those days. "Are there any cameras in the area?"
"Forensics is checking them now. They're also dusting for prints."
"Where's the perp, I mean the victim," Toni corrects.
The officer thumbs behind him. "He's in his apartment."
The detectives walk in to find forensics busily processing the tidy place. The small office on their left has a small wooden desk on one side of the window, an electrical keyboard on the other. The living room on the right is furnished with a toffee-colored couch and an oak coffee table. Matching end tables sit on either side. A flat-screen TV is mounted on the eggshell-painted wall. The victim is nervously running his fingers through his short, sable hair at the kitchen table, adjacent to the main room. He's wearing a light-brown pullover vest with an off-white shirt underneath. His brown polyester pants look recently pressed. A brawny officer is beside him, arms crossed in front of his chest.
"Mr. Brock, I'm Detective Moore and this is my partner Detective Robbins. Can you tell us what happened?"
"I was doing laundry in the back when I heard someone talking. I thought it might be one of my students so, I went to check." He raises his hand to the back of his scalp. "I must've been hit in the head because I woke up blindfolded and naked tied to this chair. " He glances up. "He untied me, let me get dressed."
The officer beside him quickly adds, "Forensics took the clothes he was wearing to the lab."
Toni nods. "Thank you, officer. So, you didn't see who did this?"
"I didn't see them, but I remember smelling women's perfume, Chanel I believe."
Toni takes out her notebook. "Them?"
"I heard three voices. All women and two had a Spanish accent."
Picking up a few pictures off the floor, Jamal walks towards him. "What can you tell me about these?"
Archie glances at the photos and then turns away. "I don't know where they came from."
A gravelly voice echoes from the adjoining room. "Detective, there's something on his laptop you need to see."
Toni glares at their suspect. She places her hand on her weapon, leans down, and says, "Move or even attempt to move and I'll shoot, got it?" A stern look crosses her face as she taps her gun.
The man gulps and then nods.
Finding the detectives beside them the forensic technician begins, "The photos on the floor are just the tip of the iceberg." He pulls up file after file of children's pictures. "The way the caption reads I'd say they came from a trafficking site."
Toni walks back to the kitchen. She grabs her handcuffs from their holder and says, "Stand up, hands behind your back."
"But I'm the victim here," Archie whines in a high-pitched nasally tone.
"A victim with a lot of child porn."
"The photos aren't mine."
"I suppose the computer isn't yours either?"
He glances towards his office and then back at her. "My computer is over there." He points to the counter and then explains. "I found a recipe on-line I wanted to try."
Looking over Toni sees a small, jet black laptop surrounded by baking utensils. "We're taking you to the house until we can figure it out."
Tears swell in his hazel eyes. "B... But I'm being framed."
Jamal grabs Archie's arm and pulls him to his feet. "Save it for the judge."
***
Toni walks into the station to find Keven busy at his desk. He'd posted pictures of their two suspects on the board. A brief summary is written beside it. She starts to walk towards it when she notices a report lying across her laptop. She picks it up and reads.
Kevin glances over. "That came in while you and Jamal were out."
"The perp didn't kill our first guy after all."
"The ME found proteins in his blood indicative of a heart attack. According to his body temperature, lividity, and rigor, she believes he died somewhere between one and four. She also said his wounds, the hanging was all done postmortem."
"So, one of his victims decided to get revenge."
"Then set the fire to let us know he's there," Jamal adds walking to his desk.
Toni turns towards her partner. "You finished your interview already?"
"I put him in holding with a few other guys. Figure a little alone time with them will having him singing like a canary."
"Still denying everything is he?"
"Yep."
Kevin hands her a piece of paper. "I did a background check on your new guy. Archie Brock. He's a retired schoolteacher. He's been giving piano lessons from his home for the past five years."
Jamal shakes his head. "So, he's had access to kids most of his adult life."
"And he only lives a few blocks from the school."
Jamal gazes out the window. " It's hard to say how many victims we'll find out there."
Toni turns towards Kevin. "Is there a connection between the two perps?"
"I haven't found anything so far. The calls made to our first suspect's phone came from downtown Atlanta. Forensics is trying to narrow it down more."
"What about his investigation?"
"The DA said there were lots of rumors but nothing to support the allegations."
"Did you talk to his coworkers, the women he helped?"
Kevin pushes away from his desk. "I'm going to do that now."
"Jamal and I will interview them. You talk to Mr. Brook's students. Check his finances, see if anything fishy turns up. Check our first guy's finances too."
"I already did." He hands her another printout. "Mark Hensley has one account and it's with a local bank here in town. The only deposits made are his social security check and his withdraws seem to be for normal living expenses. The website is funded by a company called Love Unlimited. I was checking into it when you came in."
"I imagine you'll find it's a shell company which is funded by another shell company. That's usually how these guys work."
Toni and Jamal are met by the responding officers when they climb out of their car.
"What can you tell us?" Toni takes a quick look around. Their presence seems to have stirred every living being on this side of town. Wish they would've been this curious when the whole porn thing was going on.
"We responded to a disturbance call and found the man, blindfolded and naked tied to a kitchen chair. He claims he doesn't know who did it, and the pictures scattered around him aren't his."
Jamal rolls his eyes. "Of course they're not."
We asked the neighbors if they saw anyone besides the residents enter the building and they said a lot of strangers come and go, that Mr. Brock teaches piano from his home."
Hearing a commotion Toni looks over and sees a couple of rookies are trying to hold a persistent onlooker back. The officer says something, the lady settles down. I sure don't miss those days. "Are there any cameras in the area?"
"Forensics is checking them now. They're also dusting for prints."
"Where's the perp, I mean the victim," Toni corrects.
The officer thumbs behind him. "He's in his apartment."
The detectives walk in to find forensics busily processing the tidy place. The small office on their left has a small wooden desk on one side of the window, an electrical keyboard on the other. The living room on the right is furnished with a toffee-colored couch and an oak coffee table. Matching end tables sit on either side. A flat-screen TV is mounted on the eggshell-painted wall. The victim is nervously running his fingers through his short, sable hair at the kitchen table, adjacent to the main room. He's wearing a light-brown pullover vest with an off-white shirt underneath. His brown polyester pants look recently pressed. A brawny officer is beside him, arms crossed in front of his chest.
"Mr. Brock, I'm Detective Moore and this is my partner Detective Robbins. Can you tell us what happened?"
"I was doing laundry in the back when I heard someone talking. I thought it might be one of my students so, I went to check." He raises his hand to the back of his scalp. "I must've been hit in the head because I woke up blindfolded and naked tied to this chair. " He glances up. "He untied me, let me get dressed."
The officer beside him quickly adds, "Forensics took the clothes he was wearing to the lab."
Toni nods. "Thank you, officer. So, you didn't see who did this?"
"I didn't see them, but I remember smelling women's perfume, Chanel I believe."
Toni takes out her notebook. "Them?"
"I heard three voices. All women and two had a Spanish accent."
Picking up a few pictures off the floor, Jamal walks towards him. "What can you tell me about these?"
Archie glances at the photos and then turns away. "I don't know where they came from."
A gravelly voice echoes from the adjoining room. "Detective, there's something on his laptop you need to see."
Toni glares at their suspect. She places her hand on her weapon, leans down, and says, "Move or even attempt to move and I'll shoot, got it?" A stern look crosses her face as she taps her gun.
The man gulps and then nods.
Finding the detectives beside them the forensic technician begins, "The photos on the floor are just the tip of the iceberg." He pulls up file after file of children's pictures. "The way the caption reads I'd say they came from a trafficking site."
Toni walks back to the kitchen. She grabs her handcuffs from their holder and says, "Stand up, hands behind your back."
"But I'm the victim here," Archie whines in a high-pitched nasally tone.
"A victim with a lot of child porn."
"The photos aren't mine."
"I suppose the computer isn't yours either?"
He glances towards his office and then back at her. "My computer is over there." He points to the counter and then explains. "I found a recipe on-line I wanted to try."
Looking over Toni sees a small, jet black laptop surrounded by baking utensils. "We're taking you to the house until we can figure it out."
Tears swell in his hazel eyes. "B... But I'm being framed."
Jamal grabs Archie's arm and pulls him to his feet. "Save it for the judge."
***
Toni walks into the station to find Keven busy at his desk. He'd posted pictures of their two suspects on the board. A brief summary is written beside it. She starts to walk towards it when she notices a report lying across her laptop. She picks it up and reads.
Kevin glances over. "That came in while you and Jamal were out."
"The perp didn't kill our first guy after all."
"The ME found proteins in his blood indicative of a heart attack. According to his body temperature, lividity, and rigor, she believes he died somewhere between one and four. She also said his wounds, the hanging was all done postmortem."
"So, one of his victims decided to get revenge."
"Then set the fire to let us know he's there," Jamal adds walking to his desk.
Toni turns towards her partner. "You finished your interview already?"
"I put him in holding with a few other guys. Figure a little alone time with them will having him singing like a canary."
"Still denying everything is he?"
"Yep."
Kevin hands her a piece of paper. "I did a background check on your new guy. Archie Brock. He's a retired schoolteacher. He's been giving piano lessons from his home for the past five years."
Jamal shakes his head. "So, he's had access to kids most of his adult life."
"And he only lives a few blocks from the school."
Jamal gazes out the window. " It's hard to say how many victims we'll find out there."
Toni turns towards Kevin. "Is there a connection between the two perps?"
"I haven't found anything so far. The calls made to our first suspect's phone came from downtown Atlanta. Forensics is trying to narrow it down more."
"What about his investigation?"
"The DA said there were lots of rumors but nothing to support the allegations."
"Did you talk to his coworkers, the women he helped?"
Kevin pushes away from his desk. "I'm going to do that now."
"Jamal and I will interview them. You talk to Mr. Brook's students. Check his finances, see if anything fishy turns up. Check our first guy's finances too."
"I already did." He hands her another printout. "Mark Hensley has one account and it's with a local bank here in town. The only deposits made are his social security check and his withdraws seem to be for normal living expenses. The website is funded by a company called Love Unlimited. I was checking into it when you came in."
"I imagine you'll find it's a shell company which is funded by another shell company. That's usually how these guys work."
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