The Road to Justice/Sins of the Son combo pack - A John Fowler Novel (John Fowler (Books 1 & 2)) (6 page)

         
“
Look there was a time when no one thought we could crack what was supposed to be an impossible case.  We did.  We did it as a team with no secrets.  Chet, I don
’
t know maybe I am suicidal."  Chet nodded. John may have kept Chet away as much as possible, but he was still an FBI agent, and a good one.
 
"Have I thought about it, yeah . . . but how mad would Sam be at me if I did?
”
 
Chet looked at John with pity, but John waved it off. 

“
You want me to get through this?  T
hen help me with this
case,
and you two promise to help me with one more, if . . . IF I want you to.
”
 
Chet nodded solemnly.  Jessica looked uncomfortable.

“
John, it
’
s easy to say all of this, but if Chet and I are kicked out of the FBI how can we help you with Sam
’
s case?
”
 
Jessica asked.

John straightened.  For the first time in three years, John Fowler felt like himself.  The cocky smirk that drove his teammates crazy, but
the one that
also let them know he was on the hunt
,
returned.  Jessica smiled in spite of herself.  For the first time since she and Chet had run into so much trouble at the bureau, things felt right.  They were back.  John reached over to the hat rack and put on what he called his
“
crime solving
”
hat.

“
I
’
m going to help you solve this case and then we
’
re all goi
ng to get the redemption we
deserve.
”

John looked at the board and began to study it.  He realized he wasn
’
t getting anywhere.  He sighed and turned to his partners.

“
I guess it
’
s time I get my comeuppance.  We probably need
the big board at the bureau p
lus all of the files you have there.
”
 
Chet looked embarrassed and Jessica was studying her shoes.  John was a little taken aback. 
“
OK.  Exactly how bad is it at the bureau?
”

Jessica was playing with the top button on her shirt.  She wet her lips before she spoke. 
“
We were only given this case two days ago.
”
 
John
’
s mouth dropped.  Jessica held up her hand. 
“
It wasn
’
t our fault, it took almost a week for jurisdiction to be decided and it took a few days for everyone ELSE in the department to have their take on the case.
”
 
John had a bad feeling he knew where this was going.  It was obvious they weren
’
t going to come right out and say, so he asked.

“
You weren
’
t assigned this case, were you?  You went to Trip and asked for it, and asked for me to take a run on it?  That
’
s what this whole thing is!?!?  You put your careers on the line!!!  Admittedly not that it sounds like much is left of them at this point.
”
 
Both Chet and Jessica looked a little hurt with that statement.  At this point John didn
’
t care.  He was on a roll and couldn
’
t help himself. 
“
You two numbskulls gambled everything that
, A,
you cou
ld get me to come back, and B
, and this is the doozy, that I wasn
’
t so drunk or so rusty that I could solve a quadruple homicide that
’
s now over two weeks old!?!?

“
I didn
’
t think you had been drinking.
”
 
Chet had been quiet during most of the exchanges that afternoon.  He had taken about all he could though.  Whether John wanted him or not, Chet was John
’
s friend.  He had to do something to try to save John
’
s life.  Chet figured his FBI career was over anyway.  He was willing to gamble with
what little he had left for one big win.  John started to speak and Chet cut him off.  John was a little surprised by the ferocity shown by his friend. 
             

“
John, for three years I
’
ve let you push me away, but no more.  Look at the evidence in front of you.
”
 
John looked puzzled and glanced at the board. 
“
No you idiot, not the board, YOU!!
”
 
John was very taken aback. 
“
In a couple of hours, after not doing any real investigative
work
over the past three years, you have figured out almost every secret we have kept from you.  John, your mind makes these connections that the rest of us can
’
t.  So maybe you
’
re only 60 to 75% of the old John.  Who cares!!  Don
’
t you get it!?!  You were, and still are, one of the best.  Your best guess is better than
absolute certainties
of
¾
of the agents I have worked
with!!
”

John looked around the room. 
“
You know I do work very hard on my investigations as a PI.
”
 
Chet looked on in irritation and Jessica started to snicker. 
“
You know how hard it is on some of these stakeouts not to eat myself out of my pant size or break down and drink?
”
 
Chet was fighting back a smile, and Jessica
’
s snickering was louder.  A slow grin was crossing John
’
s face. 
“
And do you know how hard it is for me to not to lose my lunc
h on some of the photographs . . .
”

Jessica cut him off
,
laughing. 
“
Ok, you have worked hard.
”

John stopped laughing and looked down. 
“
No, I haven
’
t.  I
’
ve just existed.
”
 
Jessica gave him an understanding smile. 
“
Can I even get back in the building?
”
 
Jessica handed him a pass. 
“
Ok, so we need to go there.  Look
,
it
’
s late; let
’
s start fresh in the morning.  Chet can
you
pull all
the
electronic files on these folks and print them off for me?
”
 
He raised his hand before Chet could say anything. 
“
I know
,
I can look online, but sometimes with the printouts in my hands I can see the
connection
s
better.
”
 
Chet nodded. 
“
So what time tomorrow?
”

Jessica smiled; she had been waiting for this all day. 
“
8 AM.
”
 
John looked hurt. 
“
You can be up by then, right?
”
 
John knew he had been bested.  He gave her a smile.  Jessica waved at both men and walked out.  John turned to his friend, but Chet spoke first.

“
Before you say anything
,
John, she was a beautiful girl that I worshiped . . . but I don
’
t know if I loved her or
if I even
had the kind of feelings she needed me to have for her.
”

John looked away. 
“
I know
,
Chet.  You kind of said it earlier.
”
 
Chet looked confused. 
“
You said
‘
do you know how hot she was?
’
not
‘
do you know how much I liked, or even loved, her?
’
.
”
 
Chet smiled and shook his head.  He then grabbed John in a bear hug.  John was taken aback and then gave the most awkward hug imaginable.  Chet pulled away and slapped his friend on the arm.

“
John, that
’
s why I didn
’
t give up on you; you
’
re the best.  Even as narcissistic as you are,
”
John feigned shock,
“
you can
’
t admit how good you really are.
”
 
Chet paused. 
“
Three things and I
’
ll leave.
”
 
John nodded. 
“
The first, and most important, Sam
’
s death is not your fault.
”
 
John looked at the ground. 
“
John I mean it.  Solve this case and you can have the file.  With that file you can find out exactly what I mean.
”
 
John looked up, face determined and nodded. 
“
Second, she would want you to move on.
”
 
Chet held up his hand before John could speak. 
“
Hear me out.  I know you, you need to finish this, but Sam would want you to find someone else . . . even Jessica.
”
 
Both men smiled and Chet headed toward the door.

“
Chet,
”
John called after him. 
“
What was the third thing?
”

Chet replied without missing a step,
“
That woman is crazy about you, and part of me honestly believes she only dated me to get closer to you.
”
 

Chet continued out the door and was gone.  John looked around the room and began to tidy up.  He put all the papers and pictures back into their files.  He looked around to make sure he hadn
’
t missed anything, packed up and headed out the door.  As he walked back to his apartment and felt the chill in the February air, he thought about doing something different tonight.  Maybe he would watch some college basketball.  He hadn
’
t watched a ball game in a couple of years now.  Maybe he
’
d get lucky and his Cats would be on.  He stood on the sidewalk and looked up at the skyline.  Maybe the healing was finally beginning.  All he knew is for the first time in three plus years, he didn
’
t want a drink.

As John entered the NY offices of the FBI all he could think about was how
desperately
he
wanted a drink.  He knew it would be bad, but he had no idea it would be . . . well, nothing could prepare him for this.  And to think the morning had gone so well.

John woke up at 5 am, and made
himself
presentable.  He then looked in the mirror and decided to go for dapper.  The problem with that is the only good suit he still had was the suit he had worn to the funeral three years ago. After several minutes of deliberating, John decided to wear it.  After all, he could very well be going to the burial of his FBI career if this didn
’
t work out right.  John exited his apartment and headed back to what used to be his office. 

When he walked up to security, there stood Fred.  Fred
’
s jaw dropped and he ran over to hug John.  John had seen Fred
’
s face every day he had worked in the building manning the security booth.  After a few pleasantries John headed up to the old office.  When he rounded the corner to the section of the offices his group used to occupy, he froze.  There was no open space anymore, but a wall.  On the door leading into the offices
it
read Bruce Cosby.  John was stunned.  He knew Bruce had stroke, but this was absolutely ridiculous.  He went over to the offices Bruce and his cronies used to occupy, and he saw all of Bruce
’
s old cronies still had their offices there.  Well if Bruce was over there, and his cronies were here . . . oh no.