The Plan

Chapter 17

Winter of 2004

She was finally welcome to the real world, finally stepping out of the comforts and security of St. Catherine Orphanage.

No, she never got an offer of adoption. No one would want a full grown child with no past. Couples were always cautious of who they welcome into their homes.

She never regretted it. She didn’t want another family.

She had one, and they were taken from her.

Now that she’s free to do anything without the world looking down at her, she could finally take the one thing she had always wanted: Justice.

 

March 31, 2011 (1:00pm)

“You told me you’ll tell me on the way, but until now you haven’t,” Tanaka accused. “It’s been hours and you still haven’t said anything.”

“I’m thinking,” he said.

“Sunny,” she stated in a warning tone, “I’m your fucking partner.”

He finally looked at her and said, “It was not the green-eyed killer who did this.”

She narrowed her eyes at him, “What do you mean it’s not the green-eyed killer?”

“It was not her work.”

“Of course it was. There was the red kiss mark and—”

“It was not her wound. Carlson’s started at the right,” he looked at her, pointing at the right side of his neck, “but the green-eyed killer slits her victim’s throats from left to right.”

Tanaka was silent for a long time, “This is crazy. Now this murder was intended to frame her?”

“Yes.”

“By whom?”

“Isn’t it obvious enough for you or do you want me to spell everything?”

“The people behind the cover-up?” she asked almost incredulously.

“They’re getting scared,” he affirmed, nodding his head.

She took a deep breath, “This is really going crazy.”

“You don’t have to say it.”

“We should tell the chief.”

“No, not for now. The man will demand some fucking physical evidence.”

“The wound is physical enough.”

“But the DNA will be better,” he countered.

(1:30pm)

They drove to her apartment.

“Don’t do anything wrong or I’ll kill you,” she advised him.

Sean smiled faintly, “I won’t dream of pissing you off, Kyla.”

“Phoebe. It’s Phoebe. Kyla’s gone.”

He just looked at her for a second before turning his attention back on the road. “Fine. Phoebe it is.”

“Don’t touch anything when we get there.”

“No wrong stuff, no touching,” he summarized, “does that include you?”

She glared at him.

“Okay, that includes you.”

“And no talking about anything with anyone,” she added.

“Okay, that’s easy. I rarely talk with anyone.”

“I can’t picture Stuart doing something like this,” he said after a while. They reached her apartment. Rather than tell him about Stuart, she had decided she better show him. “But why would he want my father dead?”

“I don’t know,” she answered. “They were business associates that time. I figured it might have something to do with that.”

“No, I don’t think so. They were friends.”

“Yeah, right.”

He looked at her, “You don’t have friends,” he said matter of factly.

“I don’t need one.”

“Everyone needs someone.”

“I’m an exception.”

He decided not to argue further. He focused back on the matter at hand. “I should dig into this,” he said, looking at the folder in his hand. It’s the compilation of her research for John Stuart.

She nodded. “I’ll get along with the ride.”

“Why?”

“I need to get something from him.”

“What?”

“Evidence.”

“Is this about the cover-up?”

“It’s the bigger issue I was talking about.”

“But why would Stuart want to cover-up his wife’s murder? Did he kill her?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “All I know is that he was the one who ordered the cover-up and there were others who collaborated with him.”

“The victims?”

She just answered him with a look.

“How many are they, really?”

“Six not counting the Senator.”

“And it includes Carlson, right?”

She nodded.

“But you didn’t kill him.”

“No.”

“Then who?”

“The others,” she said. “Carlson is a weakling. They must have thought he will talk under pressure.”

“Who are the remaining two?”

“Judge Simons. The other one is still unknown. He is good at covering his tracks.”

“So, what is your real plan exactly?”

She walked to her wall and he followed.

His jaw dropped when he saw it.