| Mystery and Crime Fiction posted October 17, 2021 | Chapters: |
2 3 -4- 5... 
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Garth breaks the news to Allie
A chapter in the book Revenge
Revenge - Chap 4
by Begin Again
| Background A member of the crime team is drawn into a diabolical scheme by an ex-con, Vito Moretti, who spent eight years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Upon his release, he set out to get revenge. |
“Good morning, Garth. Come on in and have a seat.” Sheriff Ortiz shook the FBI agent’s hand and pointed to a chair across from his desk. “I’m sorry to bring you down to the station so early this morning, but I didn’t think this could wait.”
“No problem, Sheriff.” Garth lowered himself into the uncomfortable chair and stretched his legs till they touched the back of the desk. “Got you crammed in here a bit, don’t they?”
“Yeah, it’s only temporary until some remodeling gets done in my office. You and your team have been keeping me so busy, I’ve barely had time to notice the inadequacies of this office till now.”
“Guess we rounded up quite a few of the unsavory town residents, didn’t we?” Garth leaned forward, stretching the kinks out of his back. “Did your men uncover anything on last night’s shooting?”
“Not exactly, but I seriously believe what I have to say is related to last night.” The Sheriff ran his fingers through his thinning hair and frowned. “I got a call from the Savannah, Georgia police department this morning.”
“Savannah, Georgia? A bit out of your jurisdiction, isn’t it?” Garth watched a bug crawl across the floor and then looked at the Sheriff. “Is it about the video?”
“Indirectly. Sheriff Welcher knew nothing about the video, but he was trying to contact Allie.”
“If he didn’t know about the video, what did he want with Allie?”
The sheriff surveyed the top of his desk, took a swallow of his coffee before meeting Garth’s eyes. “He was following up on a female body discovered on St. Simon’s Island after a football beach party last night. Their investigation is in the initial stages, but they can’t rule out murder.” Ortiz stood and walked around to the front of his desk. His discomfort in reporting the likely death of Allie’s sister to Garth showed in the deep lines on his face.
“Murder? Was she shot?” Garth felt his throat tighten. “In the video, we saw Jaz and then heard a gunshot.”
The sheriff grimaced and then spoke, “As I said, they located the body only a few hours ago.”
Garth snarled, “Come on, Sheriff. It doesn’t take a forensic investigator to determine if a person has a bullet hole in them or not.” Unfamiliar emotions were ripping through his mind. People had briefed him on thousands of deaths, but this one involved Allie, and he could already feel her pain.
“I’m afraid it does when the body is tossed in a bonfire and doused with gasoline.” The sheriff frowned. “It’s a gruesome sight.”
“You gotta be kidding me.” A bug moved from under the Sheriff’s desk, and Garth squashed it with the toe of his boot. “What made the sheriff connect the death to Allie? Were they able to get fingerprints or any facial recognition?”
“He said Frat Night gets pretty wild. The clean-up crew discovered the body in a firepit. She’s burned beyond facial recognition, but forensics located personal items belonging to Jasmine Shelton in the vicinity. She could have stumbled and fallen into the fire, or someone could have dumped her body. No one’s come forward with any additional information.”
“Sounds like there wouldn’t have been any sober ones anyhow.” Garth pressed the heels of his hands against his legs. He was expecting the Sheriff’s subsequent remarks, and he didn’t want to hear them.
“They were hoping Allie might identify the body.” The sheriff’s shoulders heaved, and he sighed. “After last night, I thought if the information came from you, it might be easier.”
“Easier?” Garth heaved a deep sigh. “I appreciate your call, but no matter who Allie hears it from, it’s going to be devastating.” Garth pushed himself out of the uncomfortable chair. “Did they tell you what personal effects they found?”
“A beach bag with her driver’s license, an old newspaper clipping with an Allyssa Shelton byline, some movie stuff, a few business cards from people in the film industry. I think he said a few other things, but it was mighty early this morning, and I hadn’t had my first cup of coffee.”
“I’ll have the team get the full scoop from the sheriff’s department before we get there.” Garth was already focusing on the case and where his team would begin.
“Sheriff Welcher mentioned a partial tattoo on one of her legs. He hoped that might help with the identification.”
“It’s a start, I guess.” Garth extended his hand to Ortiz. “I appreciate you allowing me to break the news to Allie. We’ll leave as soon as we can get a flight.”
“Sorry, Garth. I wish I’d had better news.” Ortiz shook his head. “But in this line of business, bad news usually trumps the good.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. Thanks again, Sheriff.” Garth stepped to the door. “Let me know if you get any leads on last night’s events, but I have a feeling it originated in Georgia. Somebody was sending a message, and now they’re going to answer to me.”
“Stay safe.” Ortiz shook his head as he watched Garth walk away. Ortis’s body language, drooping shoulders, and sour face spoke volumes. They’d become friends during the last few months, and he hated having to deliver such devastating news.
He returned to his desk chair, muttering, “Keep focused on the crime, my friend. Love makes you blind sometimes.”
As soon as Garth reached the Jeep, he placed a call to the Director, letting him know the case was taking them to Georgia and asking for one of their forensic teams to meet his team. When he asked to make travel arrangements, the Director told him his private jet would be at Garth’s disposal as soon as he let him know his timeline.
His next call was to Tango, filling him in on the Georgia call and asking about Allie.
“I haven’t seen her this morning. I think all the ladies are sleeping. It was a late night last night.” Tango yawned. “For the entire team, but Poppa and I have the ranch covered. What’s your ETA?”
“I’m about ten minutes out.” Garth sighed, “Too bad Hank and Emmy already returned to Gulf Shores. Allie is going to need all the support she can get.”
“You can always call them, boss. That’s the last thing both of them said.” Tango chuckled, “I think Hank lives for the hunt and his Mercedes, of course. Gulf Shores is about 500 miles from Savannah. They can always tell you no, but I don’t see that happening.”
“I might give him a call and fill him in on what’s happening. If he offers, I’ll take him up on it. Having Emmy by Allie’s side could be very helpful.”
“She’ll need it. The stabbing at the prison proved how tough Allie is, but this is different. It’s her younger sister, and she’ll expect to be right in the middle of the mix until we solve the case, forgetting the emotional aspect of things.”
“You’re right, Tango. Emmy could help stabilize Allie from a woman’s standpoint. None of us are too good in that role.” Garth paused for a second as he turned the Jeep into Sweet Haven’s drive. “We both know I’ve always been a matter-of-fact person with bodies, but I’ve never had to tell someone I care about their sister might be dead, burnt beyond recognition.”
“I’ve got some strong coffee, boss.”
“Something tells me I might need something stronger, Tango.”
“I’m on it. A slug of whiskey in the coffee won’t hurt anyone, and you’re going to need all the help you can get.”
Allie, wrapped in a fluffy lavender robe, overheard Tango’s comment as she came into the garden. “Is that Garth? What’s going on, Tango? Why does he need whiskey?”
Tango spun around to face his unexpected visitor. “Allie, you surprised me. Didn’t expect to see you so early.”
“We’ve got a case unless you’ve forgotten—one which involves me.” Allie heard the Jeep door slam, and she turned toward the gate. “Never mind, I’ll ask the man of the hour myself.”
Garth’s heart flip-flopped as he opened the garden gate. It thrilled him to see Allie, but the other part of him dreaded what he had to say.
 Recognized |
Characters:
Vito Moretti - a black-hearted ex-con with vengeance in his blood
Charles (Charlie) Dubois - a childhood friend who enjoys living luxuriously
Marian Carrington - a star in her own mind and suffers from dementia
Henry and Tina Pagani - an elderly couple living on St. Simon Island
Cheryl - Personal maid to Lady Marian
Angel Bearrows - a wanna-be actress in the wrong place at the wrong time
Alyssa Shelton (Allie)- Investigative Journalist and unofficial FBI Agent
Jasmine Shelton (Jaz) - wanna-be-movie star and living on the edge of life
Garth Woodman - FBI Agent and Allie's love interest
Hank and Emmy Armato - retired detectives and current Private Investigators
Sheriff Ortiz - Hayden Police Department
Sheriff Welcher - Savannah, Georgia Police Department
Tango and Poppa - FBI agents who work closely with Garth
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. Vito Moretti - a black-hearted ex-con with vengeance in his blood
Charles (Charlie) Dubois - a childhood friend who enjoys living luxuriously
Marian Carrington - a star in her own mind and suffers from dementia
Henry and Tina Pagani - an elderly couple living on St. Simon Island
Cheryl - Personal maid to Lady Marian
Angel Bearrows - a wanna-be actress in the wrong place at the wrong time
Alyssa Shelton (Allie)- Investigative Journalist and unofficial FBI Agent
Jasmine Shelton (Jaz) - wanna-be-movie star and living on the edge of life
Garth Woodman - FBI Agent and Allie's love interest
Hank and Emmy Armato - retired detectives and current Private Investigators
Sheriff Ortiz - Hayden Police Department
Sheriff Welcher - Savannah, Georgia Police Department
Tango and Poppa - FBI agents who work closely with Garth
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