Chapter 6 : The lord's prayer
" And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from all evil".
- Matthew 6 : 13
Worcester Police Department
Interrogation room.
Pete placed a voice recorder on the table, "Repeat what you told me at the hospital".
Grace nodded and began, "Today is my day off so I don't go to work. I had to help a friend deliver a package. I didn't know what was inside or who sent it. I did my job. It wasn't long till my sister, Tina, called. She said it was a bible verse of some kind recorded on a voice recorder. I thought it was a prank and ignored it. Today at the church, we were having the regular confession when a strange man approached me".
"How strange", asked Hannah.
"Um.... There were tattoos on one part of his face and neck. He was dressed in black from head to toe. He gave me a piece of paper and told me to open it whenever I see detective Pete or another woman named Chioma".
"Okay. Tell me what you did", Hannah patted her hand, "You're not under arrest. We just want to know what you know".
Grace exhaled, "Okay. I asked who he was but he didn't answer me. He just left the church".
"He was alone, right?", asked Hannah.
"No. I saw him enter a black sedan so I took picture of the plates. I didn't think it was necessary though but its not the first time strangers approach me", She said.
Hannah asked for her phone and she passed it over to her, "You did good".
Grace continued, "I was curious about the paper because no detective had arrived so I tried to open it. That was when the church exploded".
"What did the note say?", asked pete.
"The church will not go on. Its foundation has been tainted with unholy blood. I will cleanse every impurity starting from the priest even till the suckling babies", Her voice quivered with fear as she quoted it off heart.
"That is so messed up", Hannah cupped her hand over her mouth.
Pete assured her, "Don't worry. You'll be in witness protection with brother Meshach".
"Brother Meshach,? One of the God's disciple? He's still alive?", Grace gasped in shock.
"Yes. You know him?", asked Hannah.
"Yeah. I saw him at the church years ago", she replied.
Pete sat up, "When was that?"
"5 years ago".
"We'll have an artist come here to identify the tattoed man you saw in the church. If you need anything, call me", He took her phone and exited the room with Hannah.
"Run the plate of the car", Pete instructs Hannah, "And tell Ria to get surveillance any building in the area. All businesses in that area should be closed. Find any suspicious in the area and report it".
"Yes, sir".
Office Block
"Ria, we got a job for you. Pete wants you check surveillance cams of the area within the block of the cathedral", Hannah tells Ria.
Ria stood up, "On it".
Pete enters, "Where's Janice?".
"She got a drill. Apparently, somebody broke someone else's door", Choice rolled his eyes.
Pete guffaws, "I thought I apologized to you".
Choi scoffs, "Apology is never enough, ditto".
"I'm out of here", Pete walks away.
Choice calls after him, "You better return with my money".
"Take it out or my paycheck", Pete calls back.
On his way, he sees Janice, "Oh, thank God I found you. Can you get an artist to the interrogation room?".
"Sure", Janice says and instructs the toolman whom she came with on what to do.
* * * * * * *
"I'd rather watch my son dance ballet than take this case", Hannah frowns as she drives Ria.
Ria laughs, "Really? Don't you know the rules? You can't quit unless its a tangible reason".
"I know", Hannah exhales, "How did Chioma endure all this?".
"She's a strong woman. No one that young can survive the shock let alone the experience. I'm proud of her. We all are", Ria picks up her IPad.
Stopping by the pavement, they got out of the car.
"Its still under construction", Ria removes her sunglasses.
Hannah looked at the rubble and stones being combed by the bulldozer, "Shit".
Entering a building, Hannah patted the bell on the counter.
"We're closed", A voice in the room answered.
"This early? Its almost noon", Ria looked around the tech store full of gadgets ranging from computers to spy cams.
The owner - A short red bearded man with round glasses emerged from the room within.
" WPD", Both Hannah and Ria showed their badges.
The man looked startled and began to step back slowly.
"Don't run", Hannah tells him but he runs inside, " Why do they always run", She went after him while Ria watched the store.
Cracking her fingers, she took a seat behind the computer, "Let's see what red man is hiding".
Running breathlessly behind him, Hannah yells, "Stop".
The man didn't heed until a car hits him and he falls to the ground.
"Thanks, man", Hannah tells the driver.
The driver comes out, "Is he okay?". He looks at the officer standing before a man, "Hannah?".
Grabbing the man by the collar, she replied, "Yep. In the flesh. Thanks for the save, Aaron".
"Sure", Aaron was uncertain if it was a save or not.
Inside the store, Aaron shoved the man on his seat and asked his name.
"Its Patrick. Who are you?", Pat feigns confidence.
Aaron smiles, "I'm a consultant for WPD and i just happened to be in the area. These are officers Ria and Hannah". He introduced them to him.
"Thanks for running me over with your expensive car, police consultant. I'm sure you've helped saved me from harm", Pat says sarcastically.
" Sorry about that but why'd you run away, Pat?", He asked Patrick.
""You guys are cops. What did you expect me to do?", the man said.
"Unless you did something wrong, I see nothing wrong with us coming here", Ria tells him.
He slumps on his seat, "The building is on lockdown and i can't fail to get my delivery from black market daily. There. I said it. Arrest me".
Aaron laughs, "We'll do that later but now, you'll do something for us".
Patrick looked at the trio and gulped nervously.
"From the explosion, you saw something didn't you?", Ria observed him. The man was impatient.
"I didn't see anything", Pat yelled.
"We'll just check the cameras installed outside. They work, don't they?", Ria stepped closer.
Hannah yelled, "Answer her, asshole".
"They do", Pat said.
Ria pointed at the computer, "Go ahead".
Pat hesitated before he began typing, "What do I get?".
"You're filthy rich. What are you doing being a cop?", Pat asked Aaron.
"Its a part time job", Aaron trails his fingers on the boxed gadgets, "My company makes these".
"What?", Pat looked surprised.
Hannah rolled her eyes, "He owns Kingsley Enterprise".
Pat laughs, "No wonder. I thought you looked so familiar".
"Start working", Aaron tells him
"Cool but promise me protection", Pat stops typing, "I don't do free, man".
Aaron leans closer and whispers in his ears.
"You got it boss", Pat resumes typing.
"What did you tell him, Aaron?", asked Hannah.
Aaron stifles a laugh, "I told him I know a lot of Jefé' s in the black market. it wouldn't hurt if I call him a snitch".
"Oh", Hannah laughed.
Ria stepped behind Pat, "Wait, go back".
"Here?", Pat paused the video and zoomed in on a car.
"Guys, come look at this", Ria called them.
Aaron smacked his lips, "That's the new artist Russell hired recently at the precinct".
Hannah yelled, "Shit. He's the one that gave Grace the paper at the church. He was meant to draw what she described".
"Get back to the station. I got this", Ria tells them and they run out.
Pat looks at her, "Are you guys this busy?".
"Keep working and hey, run these plates for me", She showed him Grace's phone.
Pat leans back, "About that....That car's mine. Some strange lady took it off my hands for a few thousand".
Ria yelled, "Why didn't you say anything?".
"Rich cop said he knows people. I love my life enough to protect it", Pat replied.
Ria grabbed him, "You're under arrest"
"Detective, come on", Pat cried out as she cuffed him.
The precinct.
"Here's the artist Pete requested, ma'am", Janice leads the artist in and closes the door.
"So", the artist takes a seat opposite hers, "Tell me what you know".
Grace screamed, "Its you...You".
"Shh..", He shushed her.
* * * * * * * *
The drilling was extremely loud, Russell had to leave his office.
"You know, we might have to sue our selves for noise pollution", He tells Choi.
Choice nods, "Damn straight".
Ross rolls his eyes, "My ears are killing me. Isn't that guy done with that?".
"Almost", the toolman yells over the noise.
In a few minutes, the work is done. Everyone in the precinct is so busy, no one noticed the blood that pooled by the door of the interrogation room.