“Based on the angle of the bullet holes where the injured were, I think he didn’t have a good angle on your guy, nor the second guy. The third, he had a clear shot and maybe succeeded in achieving his goal.”
“He only got three shots off?”
“Yes. Only three. He stopped shooting a hundred feet down the street and didn’t turn off the street until the lighted intersection.”
“Huh.”
“Yep, my thoughts too. Either he only had three bullets, he accomplished his goal or… something else.”
“To confirm, this was a hate crime of the same nature as we’ve been seeing, correct?” That’s why we’d been following this group, anyway.
“Mmm,” Nori says, and I think I hit on something that she’s been considering too. “I thought so.”
“You’re having second thoughts?”
“Two of the names we’ve recovered are religious zealots. One is a former politician known for his radical right-wing ultra-conservative views, wanting to bring the Nazi ideology to the US. Both are obviously strongly against the LGBTQ community; however, it could very well be just one bullet point on their long list of transgressions,” Nori says. “There are other names too, but these three in particular are very interesting.”
“A larger plot.”
“Something you’ll find interesting is that there are two men involved in this particular group, though not as of yet tied to this specific incident, who have ties to Jessup Prosser. One was a former employee at the time Jessup worked at the prison. His position was terminated shortly before Jessup was murdered.”
“Curious. The second?”
“A former inmate. One that had seemingly made friends with Jessup.”
“Strange coincidences.”
“Right?”
“Do you have the names of the cops who had been giving Jessup special treatment?” I ask.
“Yes. Jessup has come up a few times while researching this incident. I keep wanting to think that it is a complete coincidence that your boyfriend is Jessup’s son’s close friend.”
“How do you know that?” Had I told her his name and forgotten?
Nori is amused when she answers. “Boss, it’s my job to know things.”
I huff.
“Right now, itisa coincidence, but there’s a lot here to process that keeps suggesting it’s not.”
“One more question before I digest this. The other two shot—do they have any ties with Oren?”
“Good question. Yes. One works at the Nutter Bean. The other is someone who commented on one of Jessup’s bullshit posts about how he’d always suspected Jessup was abusing his children.”
“What more do we need to bring this out of coincidence?” I muse.
“What’s more frustrating than answering that question is how this fucking man is still wreaking havoc when he’s been buried six feet under for an entire year,” she says in almost a growl.
She’s not wrong. We need to put an end to this. A man like Jessup Prosser cannot be allowed to make this kind of change in the world.
13
HUNTLEY
I’d mentioned needingto begin PT for several days. Mostly because I didn’t want to lose my job. I still don’t want to lose my job. I knowlegallymy job is safe. I’ve gone through the proper channels and filled out the required paperwork to be out of work while I heal.
My boss’ sudden change of heart is… disturbing. I don’t trust it. It did not put me at ease. If anything, it has me more worried. All I can think is that he’s up to something. He’s found a way to get rid of me, and in the meantime, he’s giving me a false sense of hope.
