They looked at each other and walked out the room. About one half hour later Greyfield walked in. He asked me to stand and removed the handcuffs. He told me he was sorry there had been a misunderstanding and I was free to go. I didn’t know what to say, I thanked him and walked out. Thibodeaux was nowhere to be seen.
Chapter 42
Detectives Thibodeaux and Greyfield were drowning their sorrows in the Blue Light Bar in old Metairie when Detective Cheryl Manning walked in. She looked at them and just shook her head “I guess things didn’t go so well from the looks on your faces and the number of empty bottles in front of you.”
Thibodeaux just grumbled, Greyfield answered, “Well we got to meet Mr. Jessie Carr. He is one slick bastard. Had all the answers, fuck, sorry; Manning laughed; “No sweat, I heard that before. So how did he explain the grenades, I mean, you have him dead on that.”
Between Thibodeaux and Greyfield the managed to explain the entire interrogation, right up to the part where they let him go. Manning was shaking her head, “Well, sounds like we all got outsmarted on that; shit, maybe he didn’t do the murders. That’s possible, isn’t it?”
Thibodeaux spoke, “Fuck no, he did them, we just don’t have enough yet to nail his ass. He even admits taking that whore home from The Nest, but then says he brought her back. We can’t prove otherwise, crap.”
Manning’s beer came to the table and she took a swig, “Why don’t you lock him up on the prostitution charge, keep him overnight in lockup, maybe that will soften him up.” Greyfield chuckled, “Shit, a few nights in stir ain’t gonna get to this guy; he is one smart and tough cookie. It’s like he knew all the questions before we asked them. Naw, unless he makes a monumental mistake we ain’t gonna nail him, and I really can’t see him making a mistake.”
They ordered another round and sat quietly. Greyfield said “We could round up his buddies and squeeze them a little.” Thibodeaux shook his head, “Shit, all them done got their stories straight by now. We gonna get nothing from them, they poured from the same mold as Carr. All we really got is Wilson buying the Escalade, and we really don’t even have that. And Rome, absolutely nothing on him; I hate to admit it, but we’re fucked, we been had. I hate this shit.” The three of the laughed, and ordered another round, what else could they do?
Chapter 43
Fredrick Danton hated his name. He took the street name Big D and when anyone would call him Fred or worse Freddy, he lost it. You see, Big D was a member in good standing of the Calliope Gang. He had made his bones in the gang months prior when he was one of the gang members who knifed Roger Buckle. He had enjoyed that and really wanted to do the woman also, but Rufus had already killed her.
Since then he had moved up steadily in the gang and now was third in line. Of course, he knew the only reason he had moved up was that the former leadership had all been gunned down. That was fine with Big D; anything to help him advance was ok with him.
The interruption in the leadership hardly put a dent into their operation. A new source of drugs was found and things were back to normal within days. But now suddenly, the flow had slowed to a trickle. Something had happened to a major importer in the North East. Anything that put a dent in the pocket book of the gang was unacceptable.
But Big D had a plan; he saw this problem as an opportunity. He had something no one else had; an address taken from a book Rufus had kept hidden. This address was a major mover of local product, and Big D was going to take him down.
Big D was mean as a snake, but he knew he needed help with an operation this large. His brother was also a gang member and also wanted to advance his statue, plus he still needed to make his bones to become a full member. His brother’s name was Thomas, but of course, that was too normal, so they called him Little D. So the double D brothers hatched a plan to hit this supplier who lived in Terry Parkway. Problem was no one told them this supplier was out of business and armed.
Chapter 44
It had been three weeks since my interview with the police. I guess interview wasn’t really what it was, but it sounded better than interrogation.
We decided to leave our weapons in our storage warehouse, just in case we were being watched. I legally purchased another twelve gauge shotgun from a sporting goods store. At least I felt like I had some protection. Shelby and Carl had resumed their lives. Shelby and Jasmine went to their home on the Gulf Coast. Carl went back to his land, but spent a good bit of time in a hotel on the Mississippi Coast, he had met a waitress at a local restaurant and they enjoyed time together.
I had the front door fixed, I was going to make a stink and have the police pay for it, but in the end thought better of it, no sense waking a sleeping dog.
It was a quiet Tuesday night in late September. Rachael and I were sitting on the sofa watching TV around 11 PM. We had started a fire in the fireplace and were just enjoying each other’s company. My cell phone rang; it was Shelby just looking to shoot the breeze. I could hear Jasmine giggling in the background and could tell they had consumed a considerable amount of wine.
We talked for a few minutes and he asked me for an account number of an offshore account. I kept all this information in my home safe. He explained he wanted to purchase another airplane to replace his small one. I wasn’t sure why he needed it that night, but it really wasn’t a problem. I told Rachael I would be right back and ascended the stairs to my office.
I had opened the safe and sat at my desk to read the number to Shelby. I heard a very loud noise from downstairs and then a shot. I heard a scream and other voices. Since I only had one shotgun I didn’t even bother putting it in my gun safe, it was leaning against the wall in my office locker. I heard more screaming and footsteps coming up my stairs.
I grabbed my twelve gauge and racked a round in the chamber. I knew the scream had been Rachael and wanted to just run down to her, but I knew if I stepped to the head of the stairs I was dead. I waited alongside the office door, suddenly it burst open and a black man stepped through. I smashed the side of his head as hard as I could with the butt of my gun. He had a pistol in his hand and his reflex caused him to fire off a round. It impacted in the wall.
I glanced around the door frame and saw another man beginning to come up the stairs. He raised his pistol gang style and fired, his aim was bad. I stepped into the doorway and fired my shotgun from ten feet away. He was picked up and slammed down the stairs.
I cautiously descended the staircase watching for more threats, that when I saw Rachael. She was lying across the sofa bleeding from a wound in the chest. I knew she was hit badly; I had seen many chest wounds and never saw a good outcome. I had dropped my cell phone upstairs, so instead of running to her, I ran back up the stairs and grabbed my phone. I hung up on Shelby, even though I could hear him hollering into the phone. I dialed 911 and told them my wife had been shot and I need assistance immediately.
I ran down the stairs and grabbed a small throw pillow from the sofa. I placed it over her chest wound and applied pressure. She was still breathing but not responsive. I cried and prayed until I heard a siren outside. A uniformed police officer entered with this weapon drawn. He moved my shotgun away from my side and helped me with the pressure on the wound. More sirens were approaching and a paramedic entered the door.
He moved me out the way and began applying pressure while his partner started an IV. I just sat and stared, I couldn’t believe this had happened. Other police units arrived and another paramedic examined the man I had shot. He was gone; most of his head was missing.
I told the police about the other guy upstairs. Two other uniform police ran up the steps. By that time a medic had brought a gurney into the room and they were strapping Rachael on. I asked where they were bringing her; they told me West Jefferson Hospital.
The police needed information but allowed me to ride in the ambulance with her. I held her lifeless hand for the short ride to the hospital. She was taken into emergency and I was asked to sit and wait outside. I was in comple
te shock, this had all happened so quickly. Had Shelby not called we would have both been on the sofa when they broke in. I was sitting in a waiting room when a female officer approached. She was not in uniform, but had her badge on her belt.
She introduced herself as Detective Cheryl Manning with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. She sat across from me and pulled her chair closer. She looked at me; I was covered in Rachael’s blood. “I’m sorry, but I really need to get some information from you, I know this is a bad time.”
I looked at her with tears in my eyes and said “Do you know how she is, I haven’t heard anything?” She looked toward the emergency room door and shook her head “No not yet, I know they are doing everything possible right now, you just need to be strong for her.”
I nodded my head, “I know, this happened so fast, one minute we sitting together laughing and the next…….” She placed a hand on my shoulder “I understand, the first uniformed officer on the scene said there were two black men, can you tell me what happened?” I nodded again “We were watching TV and my phone rang, it was a friend that needed some information, oh damn, he was on the phone, I need to call him please.”
“I’ll take care of that, give me his number and my partner will let him know everything is being done that can be.”
I rattled off Shelby’s cell number, and looked at Manning “What the hell happened, this wasn’t supposed to happen, I thought all this was over.” She had a confused look on her face, “You are Mr. Carr, and is that correct?” I nodded yes. “Mr. Carr, take me thought exactly what happened and anything you saw or heard the men say.”
I rubbed my head, it hurt so badly, “I was sitting at my desk, I heard a loud noise, and I guess that was the door being kicked in. I heard shouting, something like, bitch, where is it, or something like that. Then I heard a shot, my shotgun was loaded in the closet, I grabbed it. I heard footsteps on the stairs, I hid next to the door and when it opened I hit the guy coming through.”
She stopped me with a gesture, “Let me ask this, you heard a scream and a shot, but you didn’t run down the stairs. That would seem to be a normal reaction, wouldn’t you think?”
I shrugged “Normal, nothing about my life is normal, I was trained in tactical situations when I was in the Army, I guess you never forget that stuff. I don’t know, it was just instinct, that’s all.”
She seemed skeptical but continued “Ok well go on please, what happened next?” I thought for a second trying to recall if I heard anything being said, “I looked around the door and the other guy was coming up the stairs, he had a semi automatic pistol. He raised it and fired; I stepped into the doorway and fired. He went down, I went downstairs and saw Rachael, she was bleeding badly. I ran back upstairs, grabbed my cell phone from where I had dropped it, called 911, grabbed a pillow from the sofa and applied pressure until the paramedics arrived. That’s about it. I am trying to figure out what they wanted but I don’t keep much in my house, certainly not enough to die for.” I couldn’t control myself and began crying again.
Manning had been taking notes while I was talking; another plainclothes detective walked in and whispered something in her ear. She took my arm, “Mr. Carr, your friend has been notified and is coming to be with you.”
A doctor walked out the emergency room door and introduced himself as Dr. Steinberg. He explained that Rachael was very critical and was being taken to surgery. The bullet had nicked an artery and punctured a lung and it would be touch and go. He turned and walked backed into the emergency room. I was totally lost; I just stood there and couldn’t say or do anything. I had brought this on the ones l loved most in this world.
Chapter 45
Detective Manning had heard the doctor explain how critical Carr’s wife was, she felt genuinely sorry for him. He looked like a loss soul. She tried to piece together the events he had described; she needed to get to the house to verify what he had told her. She signaled a uniform officer to stay with Carr while she and her partner went to the scene.
On the way she made a call to Detective Ryan Thibodeaux, “you will never in a million years guess what just happened.” Thibodeaux chuckled, “Ah, let me guess, you got pregnant.” She had to laugh, “No you fucking asshole, I just left West Jefferson Hospital, Carr’s wife was shot and probably won’t make it.”
She could hear the surprise in his voice, “What, no shit, Christ, you mean Carr flipped out and shot his own wife?” She was shaking her head, of course he couldn’t see her, “No fool, this looks like a home invasion, two blacks kicked in the door. Carr smoked one of the fuckers and hit the other one so hard it cracked his skull.” Again his surprise was obvious “Damn, so they shot her and he got them, figures, he skates again.”
She was getting pissed, “Man, lighten up, the guy’s wife is probably going to die and he’s a basket case. The two assholes look like gang bangers, so this might have something to do with retaliation.” He knew he had been too harsh, “Shit you’re right, we really got nothing on the guy, and his wife getting plugged sucks. That would be wife number two if she don’t make it;” Manning though that must pass for compassion in Thibodeaux’s world. “I’ll be on the scene in about ten minutes, thought you might want to have a look see.” He did and agreed to meet her at Carr’s house.
The crime scene photographer and the crime lab officers were already onsite when she arrived. The second suspect had been taken to the same hospital as Carr’s wife; sad irony. The first floor, close to the door was a bloody mess. The body of the second suspect was still where it had fallen; since half his head was gone the paramedics left it alone. Carr’s shotgun was on the sofa where the first uniform officer had placed it; likewise the dead suspect’s pistol was there also. The uniform officer informed her that the pistol of the second suspect was on the desk on the second floor, having been found next to the unconscious suspect.
Everything she saw fit in perfectly with the events Carr had related at the hospital. His cell phone was still on the floor next to a large blood stain, apparently from his wife. At the top of the stairs she found one spent shotgun shell, again, exactly as he had said. As she was looking around Ryan Thibodeaux walked in. “Holy shit, what a mess, blew that fuckers head off. Who are these clowns, any idea?”
She looked down the stairs where he was standing, “Not yet, still processing the scene, but look at the clothes, got to be a gang hit.” Thibodeaux looked at the dead man’s face; or what was left of it, “I wish I knew what he use to look like, I might actually recognize him; by the way, any information on the wife?”
She shook her head, “Not yet, but it don’t look good. All that blood by the sofa is hers. She was hit bad, the doc wasn’t optimistic.” Thibodeaux sighed, “Shit, no reason to shoot her, fucking unarmed,” He pointed to the dead suspect “Well at least this prick won’t be doing any more banging.” She nodded in agreement, “Oh and by the way, Carr was on the phone when this shit went down, talking to his buddy Shelby Wilson. Wilson is on his way in from Mississippi. Looks like that phone call kept him alive, he would have been sitting with her when they came in.” Thibodeaux looked around the scene and at the dead body, “Good break for Carr, really bad break for him.”
Thibodeaux joined Manning upstairs and was looking around. He looked in the locker at the two safes “Gun safe open and empty, just like last time, the other one open, got some cash in it and some paper work.”
Manning removed the cash and handed it to her partner to count; she looked through the envelopes and found only insurance documents and personal photos. Thibodeaux looked at some documents lying on the desk, they contained lists of numbers, but no indications what the referred to.
Manning partner told her the cash was eleven thousand six hundred dollars. Thibodeaux looked at Manning “Shit, I thought there would be more, I figured a guy like him for a few hundred grand anyway.”
They walked down the stair and Manning phone rang. She answered and after hanging up looked at Thibodeaux “The bangers g
onna make it, Carr’s wife is touch and go, lost lots of blood, even if she makes it she might have serious brain damage, cocksuckers, I wish Carr would have killed both them bastards.” Thibodeaux nodded in agreement, “I second that.”
Chapter 46
I was sitting in the waiting room when Shelby and Jasmine walked in. We all hugged and cried together. Jasmine’s owed her life to Rachael; I knew Rachael would never admit it, but she did. I might have taken her away from her pimp, but Rachael nursed her back to health.
I explained that Rachael was out of surgery, but things were still very critical. She had lost so much blood from the torn artery. Shelby asked what had happened. I explained how his call had saved me and that I had been able to take down both killers. “One is still alive, I know they brought him here right after Rachael. I should have killed that bastard too.”
Shelby held me close and whispered “Don’t worry, she’s gonna make it, and I’m gonna find out who did this shit.” Between sobs I answered “No, there’s been enough blood spilled. Let the cops handle this, please.” He was crying “Ok, let’s see how this plays out.” I nodded in agreement.
Detective Manning and her partner entered the waiting room. She sat across from me and asked me how I was holding up. “I’m ok; I just wish it was me instead of her.” She nodded, “I understand, we have an officer watching your home, and the crime scene people will be finished very soon.” I looked at her and then noticed another man standing by the door; it was Detective Thibodeaux who had interviewed me just a few weeks ago.
I looked at him “Come in detective, you don’t have to stand outside, I’m safe to be close to.” He walked toward me and offered me his hand. “I’m sorry about your wife, and that’s the Gods honest truth. I will pray for her recovery.” With tears flowing from my eye shook his hand “Thank you, I know how you feel about me, but she is a total innocent.”