Spider's Bite
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A figure watched from the shadows as two women arrived. They held up badges indicating that they were police officers. At first the figure was going to simply disappear, but to give credence to his mission he knew he would have to be seen by at least one person from the 101st precinct. So the figure waited and chose his time to act.
"Are you certain it was him?" Jody asked.
"It was the young Shaolin," the woman spat out the words. "I cannot believe he would betray us like this."
Jody stepped back away from the angry woman. She really did not want to be here, hearing that her former partner might be guilty of murder. Jody stepped over to where the body lay to examine the man's remains and allowed Kelly Blake to take over the questioning.
"Please, tell us in your own words what happened."
"I came in from the garden. My husband and I grow vegetables for one of the local restaurants. We are lucky to have as much land as we do even in the middle of Chinatown. My husband would also give vegetables to the Shaolin for his kindness. But now . . . " The woman began to sob in earnest.
"Please, take it slowly," Kelly encouraged the woman.
"I came in the house when I heard my husband calling me. He sounded so frightened and angry. What I saw I could not believe my eyes. I saw the son of the Shaolin with his hands around my husband's throat. When he saw me, he dropped my husband to the floor and fled out the back door, nearly knocking me down."
"Do you know which way he went?" Kelly asked.
"No, I was too concerned for my husband. And now he is dead." The woman continued to sob out her grief.
Kelly moved over toward her partner, "Well?"
"Well what?"
"Are you convinced that the only person who could have done this is . . ."
"Don't say his name. You know very well that he's only a suspect. He's innocent until proven guilty."
"But we have a witness to the contrary," Kelly Blake argued.
"Why are you so bent on condemning him?" Jody Powell questioned.
"And why are you so bent on protecting him?" Kelly countered.
"I'm going to get some air," Jody stated and headed out the nearest exit.
Jody placed her hands in her jacket pockets. If she smoked she would be lighting up a cigarette right about now. She just could not believe Kelly's animosity toward Peter. It seemed to start after they learned about Jordan McGuire and her death. Every time Peter would come to the precinct after his return from France, Kelly would manage to be elsewhere. She had been really broken up about Jordie. She and Kelly had shared one thing in common, they both had dated Peter Caine at one point. Jody, though, was still determined to give her old partner the benefit of the doubt. It just could not be him doing these things, now including the murder of an innocent man.
At that moment a slight noise caught Jody's attention and she turned toward the sound. A figure could be seen in the shadows. Someone was there. Then the figure briefly stepped into the light and she saw his face. They briefly made eye contact and Jody's mouth dropped open. Then the figure turned and disappeared around the corner. Jody quickly followed, bent on asking the man why he was doing these things. When she also turned the corner, the figure was gone. Jody put her hand to her mouth and shook her head in disbelief. Maybe Kelly was right, because the figure that she had seen was Peter Caine.
Continues with Part 19
Alisa Joaquin Copyright@2002.
This story cannot be reprinted or sold in any other form without strict permission from
the author. It is being distributed here solely for your enjoyment.
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