Page 22 of Charmed Forces
“I’m gonna take that as a yes but I’m not gonna ask where,” said Delgado. “I like Daniel. He’s family. I don’t see him shooting anyone, certainly not without cause. He’s the most restrained member in that crazy family!”
“I can still hear you,” I said.
“I know,” replied Delgado.
“Make contact with Garrett now. I don’t care how, just try and stick to discreet or if you can’t do that, remind anyone who asks that you’re brothers-in-law. Don’t tell Garrett we know where Daniel is, only that we might have some intel on the case and that the witness needs a police guard. Someone he trusts the most,” said Solomon. “We’re going to make a plan.”
“Got it,” said Delgado.
Solomon ended the call and took a deep breath. I rarely saw him looking worried, but he did now and that didn’t help me at all.
“We should take him to the police station and get his side of the story in first,” I said, wringing my hands together as I tried to formulate a plan. “They’ll listen to him. He’s been a detective for years. His record is pristine. He’s related to half the cops in town!”
“He’s wanted in connection with at least three murders. Four if the last person doesn’t make it.”
“Because he’s a witness,” I pressed.
“They don’t call witnessesarmed and dangerous,” Solomon pointed out.
I couldn’t argue with that. “So what do we do?”
“We get Daniel somewhere safe while we iron out what’s going on. That will give him time to get whatever’s in his system out so he can start remembering what happened in a more coherent way. We get him a lawyer and we find out what evidence the police have to suspect him as the culprit.”
“I don’t suppose you’ve worked out how we explain our reasons for hiding him?”
“Let me think... We can fine tune the details later but let’s just say Daniel felt threatened after the case went south and knew he had to go into hiding until it was safe. He thought he was the only witness to the murders and reasonably assessed that put a target on his head. If the safe house couldn’t be kept safe, how could he trust he would be kept safe a second time?”
“Thereisa target on his head,” I said, without addingonly it came from the side of law and order.But what if the real killer wanted to ensure his silence? They could come back. Solomon was right: Daniel needed to stay hidden, his whereabouts known to as few people as possible.
“That’s why we’ll fine tune his story later. Right now, we have to get Daniel out of the house. We should expect a visit from MPD.”
“You think they’ll come here?” I couldn’t help glancing at the door.
“I think the police are going to knock on every door of every one of Daniel’s family members and close friends. We already have our stories set up. I came home with pizza. You came home, changed clothes, went out for a jog, then came back and we hung out and ate the pizza. That takes us up to now.”
“We can’t take Daniel out the front door. Someone will have a door camera. Heck, we have cameras!” I tugged at my top. “I need to change this.”
“That’s why Daniel and I are going out the back and you’re going out the front. Take your car to the market on Griffith Street.”
“Why there? Cars get broken into there all the time because of their lack of security... Oh!” I stopped, realizing that was probably the reason. That market’s security was seriously lacking but it was equidistant to a couple of others I usually preferred to frequent.
“Go in and buy something. Get a quart of ice cream or some candy,” continued Solomon.
“So far, this is sounding like a nice evening but I don’t know what it’s got to do with Daniel.”
“There’re a few other steps,” said Solomon, “but this is mostly for setting up an alibi for you. No one can claim you helped Daniel if you’re very clearly doing other things where everyone can see you. Listen...” Solomon began telling me the rudiments of his plan and when he finished I could only see one flaw.
“If we’re not taking Daniel out the front because of the possibility of door cameras, there’s still one more problem. They must have captured him on tape on his way in,” I said.
“Shoot. I overlooked that.” Solomon paused. “I’ll call Lucas. You leave now.”
“We should explain this to Daniel first,” I said. “He might not be willing to cooperate. He should be willing though. Since it’shislife.”
“Guys,” said Daniel and we looked up to see him standing just a couple yards away. “What’s going on? And don’t tell me nothing because this doesn’t look like nothing and it doesn’t feel like nothing. I feel like shit and I have blood on me and I barely remember a thing about the last few hours.”
We both stopped at the interruption and looked at him. I wasn’t sure what to say. Lie and pretend everything was okay, after just a few mere details to iron out? Or tell him the truth? Everyone in that house was dead, except him. And even worse, his colleagues were all but told he was the perpetrator.
“What?” asked Daniel.