Charged

The Barney's case. 2

Chapter 2.

"Wait, detective!" Tina addressed, breathlessly. Greg turned to her with furrowed brows as his hand clutched to the phone in the phone booth. His fingers light on the buttons. "What?" He asked impatiently. "We can't call the cops. Detective Gordon is being held hostage and once Jerome hears sirens, your friend is dead."

As much as Greg wanted to deny it, she was right. He knew she was. But a rookie detective and a stripper weren't actually the best rescue team at the moment. 

Tina was right. Greg knew that but what else could he do, if he calls the cops Tom's dead and if he does nothing Tom's still dead. But thanks to both their intellects, Greg and Tom already figured out that something could go wrong at Barney's so before Greg escaped with Tina, Tom had given Greg his ID and badge. So, Jerome was oblivious to the cops he held hostage. That, at least, guaranteed he was probably still alive.

"Okay, I have a plan." Tom was in danger. He felt bad for not being able to help Tom. Tom saved him back there so the least he could do was save him too. He wasn't leaving Tom for dead, so the plan changed. Save Tom then arrest Jerome.

"Ready to talk?" Jerome watched Tom's bleeding face from across the room. Tom used the little strength he had left to force his head up. "I...like...brunettes." He forced out meaningless words and grinned exposing his bloody teeth. His head fell back to face the ground as his vision blurred. Jerome held his side fade haircut and looked at Tom's face, observantly. "Let's go." Jerome walked out with his lackey. "They could have at least left water." Tom spoke difficultly, under his breath.

"What's the plan?" Tina and Greg lurked behind the walls of the strip club, looking at the entrance. "You stay here." Greg pulled Tina to a corner. "What are you saying? You want to do this on your own?" That was the plan. "I can't put you out there. If anything happens to you-" "nothing will. I wanna do this to help Tom because he helped me. He saved me, not only you." She pulled his hands away from her shoulders and spoke convincingly. "I know a way in without getting caught." Tina folded her arms in empowerment.

Back in the club was awful for Tom. His favourite trench coat laid comfortably on the bed as he only had his trousers and white, blood stained, shirt on. His tied hands started to swell adding up to the pain. "Tom," he lifted his head up a little and saw a blur image of a woman. "María?" His placatory smile gave her the idea he wasn't dead.

She locked the door and poured from a jar a glass of water. "Here," she gushed the water into his mouth before untying his bruised wrists. Helping him off the chair then onto the bed. "I can't believe he would do this to you." She poured the remaining water onto a piece of clothing and wiped his face. "It isn't that bad- oww." She chuckled.

"Where's Beth?" "Who?" María asked immediately. Baffled by the mention of another woman. "My gun." He looked at her concerned face and snickered. Her cheeks flushed red as she looked away. 

With a light pat on the arm, Tom spoke with much appreciation. "Hey María, thank you." María blushed looking over her shoulder in embarrassment. "I need to get in contact with the precinct." With forced movement, Tom stood to his feet sloppily. Trudging around the room in such of something.  "What are you searching for?" Tom raised his trench coat from the bed and saw her, "Beth." He said with a pleasing smile. They were dumb enough to forget the gun. These thugs must be complete idiots.

But thank God they did. "I still can't believe you named your gun."

 "Well she's my baby." He smiled while tacking her into the gun into his pants. "I need a cell phone and a way out without notice." "Here." María reached into her pocket and brought out her phone.

The first person Tom called was Greg who wasn't responding, so he called the bureau for backup.

Once Tom opened the door for an escape a friendly face popped out of nowhere. He stood in awe as Greg sighed in relief. Tina approached from the side too. A wary look on her face. "Greg, Tina." He pulled them in and locked the door. "What are you two doing here?" "We came back for you." Tom was so confused he used his hands to check Greg's temperature to be sure he was okay. "Stop that." Greg slapped his hand away. "Backup is on the way so all we need right now," Tom turned to Tina. "Is to find out who killed Charles." Tina looked at both of them and thought that if the police were on their way then that means Jerome will be going to jail no matter what, so there was no need to keep quiet.