Gone After the Wind

Chapter 30: Envelope

Cara had never seen such a media frenzy so worse that stampede would likely to happen any minute. Every channel station, radio broadcast and representatives from controversial blogs made an appearance, and was forcing their way to get a wind of what was happening inside the police station. They have terrorized so much space in the front entrance that Cara had no choice but to park her car several yards away and sneaked in at the back to gain access without drawing in their attention. Her relief was on the roof when she successfully eluded them, and got in unscathed and not abused in any way.

She reached the lobby, and the amount of activities raging on was overwhelming. Officers and state troopers lined up near the main entrance, preparing if the rough whims of the newshounds would cause a break in. Men in suits that Cara could only see in the president's palace was also mixing in to the group, maintaining diplomacy among the officers, and of course, displaying just how powerful the visitor was.

Cara couldn't help but to frown as she walked behind Agent Rose, watching the bulky men stood there like some bulls that would go wild if provoked.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll keep on tab on it. Gonna call you soon," Agent Rose abruptly said on the cellphone, sensing Cara behind, and looking at her with wide eyes.

"What's happening? Are we in trouble?"

Agent Rose slid off the phone on her brown leather jacket, raking her unkempt hair with her fingers. Her deep sigh was already problematic. The day hasn't yet started and the tension on her presence was too pronounced to be ignored. Cara watched as her shoulders remained stiff, and her thick eyebrows drawn to each other.

"I honestly have no idea. Soon as he barged in to those door, your name was the first word he ever uttered. His lapdog almost kneel before him, singing praises like Jesus just come down from heaven and spoke to him. He was the one that asked me to call you."

"Lapdog?" Cara tilted her head.

Agent Rose leaned in, whispering, "Faucalt."

"Oh." Not surprising. At all. "And you're upset because?"

"Why wouldn't I be? That man is a walking disaster. He'd cause damage in everything he'd walk upon. Why, don't tell me this doesn't bother you?"

Cara shook her head, fascinatingly calm despite the dark clouds brewing ahead. "I've seen all his sides. If it's a move about him, nothing surprises me anymore."

"Really? And here I was freaking out because I thought you'd be terrified and aghast."

Cara smiled. "Unlucky guess."

"Detective Black?" One of the man in the suit approached them from behind, standing almost two meters away. His face devoid of any emotion. "Senator wishes to see you now. If you'd be so kind to proceed down the hallway."

"Where am I headed?"

"In your office, Ma'am."

"My office?" Cara repeated, blinking hardly. She looked at Agent Rose who simply shrugged. "There's plenty of room here. Why would you put him in my office? Why, not in the room four?" she said, pertaining to the fourth room for interrogating suspects.

The man didn't respond, staring blankly ahead. He glanced at Agent Rose who was stifling a laugh.

"I'll be there—"

"The order was firm, Ma'am. It should not be later or sooner. Right now, Ma'am," the man added, his voice thick and pitched with an accent.

Irritation passed through Cara as she contemplate how big the ego of this man was that drove him to boldly exercise his power, and disrespect her like that. Of course, why would she expect any form of manners from the beloved senator and nor from his gang?

"And my answer is firm, too," Cara replied. "I'll join the Senator in any minute now. Just give me a second. Don't worry, I won't ditch his exclusive request of audience. If that's what you're babbling about."

The man bowed his head, and stepped back to give them space.

"Smug," Agent Rose commented, flinching at how shitty the encounter was.

"I know." Cara sighed. "So do we have any new updates about the case to be pursued today?"

Blinking, the delight on her face returned. "Glad you asked. We do have some, actually. The transportation office had given a name this morning, and the Maryland PD just released the information. Lucky for us, the owner of that truck currently lived in downtown. The autopsy report has been done, too. I'm thinking we should fetch it from the ME's office this afternoon. You in?"

"Just only until five, though. I have some dinner date with my son tonight." Cara paused, seizing her up. "Want to join?"

Agent Rose looked shocked at the invitation. "Err... me? Are you sure I can join?"

"Why not? You have 'till Thursday, right? You might, as well, geared up some of that remaining time without the case being involved. And take a break from Chinese food, too."

"You're right. Well, I'd be delighted to join you."

"Ms. Black?"

Cara almost rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." Leaving Agent Rose with a smile, she headed down the hallway, anxiety crippling onto her back like an old cloak returning back to its master. Meredith was the only one who could make her feel like she was walking on fire, and towards an endless pit. His mere presence wasn't actually disturbing but his intentions were, and the ground of all these grandiosity he exhibited just to talk to her.

She knew eventually they would have to talked. Meredith was the father of Sandy Hupman—the second victim in the serial slayings, and not one officer in the task force had ever interrogated him regarding the past life of his daughter with him.

It was ridiculous yet ominously threatening.

She cascaded on the empty bullpen, foregoing the man stalking her from behind. Two of their kind stood akimbo next to the doorway of his office, not budging and eyes fixated directly on front, unblinking. Cara aimed to open the door, but the man on the right blocked her hand.

"Just a minute, Ma'am," the man said, raising his palm. He knocked on the door. What he did next made Cara's eyes automatically roll. "The Detective is here, Senator. Should I let her in?"

"Please do, Martinez," said Meredith.

They opened the door for her, and for the first time, she despised entering her own office. She could picture Meredith and his lean body occupying her sanctum and immediately disgust filled her, too high that she could taste it in her mouth. Silencing the sudden order of her mind to turn around, she stepped in, and threw away the nasty thoughts.

Soon as the room materialized, her eyes directed to the man standing before the board that Agent Rose filled jammed with case files, and grostesque photos of the victims without filter. His hands were enclasped at the back, his face bore unreadable expressions as his eyes continued to ogle what he could see on the board, particularly on the direction where the name of his daughter was embedded.

His head tilted when the door closed.

"Sir." The man who accompanied Cara bowed like a knight in duty. Cara's left eyebrow raised.

"Thank you, Touslei," Meredith responded. "You can leave us alone."

The man exited quietly, and Meredith, as a big talker, didn't let a second pass by without opening his ill-mouth. Cara was still assessing his possible intention when he spoke, authoritative and already assaulting.

"Do you know how much money the state must release to keep an investigation going, Detective Black?" Meredith asked.

Rocking her heels, she buried her palms in her pocket. "As someone who hasn't seen much or had spend much of the money coming from the people, I can't say I know the exact amount, Senator. I only know I got paid enough to use this as a source of living."

"It's a shame, isn't it?" he said. "Seeing after all the sacrifices and hardwork of the civilians, the people that highly benefits from their work couldn't even get a single task right."

"You're not talking about yourself, are you?" Cara responded, already know where the conversation would head.

"Always the aggressive tone, Detective. Still haven't learned a single thing from the past." Meredith turned, facing Cara with held up chin, his hawk like eyes piercing through her with intensity as though in his mind, Cara was already on the floor, gagging with blood and fighting back for her life.

The corner of his lips rose, and Cara was alarmed at how menacing and crooked it was. His rounded face filled contorted with wrinkles because of the simple move, revealing some creases on his forehead. He aged rather badly, and fast. He looked nothing like this when they last met. Supposed the burden of carrying the problems of a state, and attending political matters caused such miracle. Not to include being a total narcissistic asshole in every place he could be.

Trying not too cringe and grimace at the smile, Cara acknowledged it by shrugging, hiding her clenched fist at the side of her torso. Meredith went silent for seconds as he walked leisurely to the table and sat on its edge. The undeniable tension was crawled up under Cara's skin, sending waves of discomfort in various parts of her body.

"How are you, Detective Black?" Meredith crossed his arms. "How does your reinstatement treating you? I heard you were pretty ecstatic. Though, everyone wasn't at all pleased at your face hovering around the station."

Cara took a deep breath, blowing away the bit of irritation she felt with his choice of words. "I'm getting reminded of that, Sir, almost everyday. And it wasn't a surprise for me. Seeing everyone look at me with disdain. You know that. Better than anyone."

Meredith let out a rueful chuckle. He slid his fingers on his gray hair that was cut short. "Oh, I certainly do and if I would, I will do it all again. This place have never been peaceful in those months."

Cara leaned against the wall. "I know you have duties to perform, Senator. Don't compromise those by bullying me, and harrassing me with your ineffective words because I have long been immuned with how you operate someone. So save us both the time. Why are you here?"

The holier-than-thout aura peeled off, and the usual hostility finally showed itself, turning his eyes into dull yet foreboding. He pulled up the side of his suit, retrieved something from inside, and threw it upon seat near to Cara. "I'm here to deliver that."

Cara's eyebrows furrowed, eyeing the yellow envelope. She didn't say anything and stared back at him, urging him to follow-up a sentence.

"That simple envelope contains all the list of my enemies," Meredith said. "I'm taking the risk of handing it to you. I heard that you're having troubles of solving the murder of my daughter and that is your path to bring the justice to her."

Unwilling to accept his statement, Cara still opened the envelope and took a single paper there. He was right. It consists of the names of different personalities from a network station and political positions. Cara's jaw tightened. She immediately put the paper back, her anger rising up in her chest.

She already knew the severity of the senator's narcissistic behavior. But she didn't expect he would go this far. Was this the essential matter that he wanted to discuss with her? Not just to shove her incapablities to solve the case but to primarily, slap on her face how disabled she is in her position.

Cara steadied her breathing, her muscles getting tense as she put more effort on pushing down her anger. Lashing out in front of a hostile and manipulative man isn't the best choice as of the moment. It may be the only action her body is ordering her to do, Cara knew how terrible the consequences would be. If the stability of her job was the prime damage the last time she made him mad, now she was pretty sure that her job wasn't the only one that is at stake here.

She took a deep breath, licking her lips. She forced herself to believe that the senator was just acting out of intense grief for the death of his daughter this time. It could manipulate someone to be extra irrational, after all. She leaned forward, setting her gaze to the senator and with a sympathetic voice she could muster, she spoke, "With all due respect, Sir, the murder of your daughter wasn't not politically orchestrated. As the news may have reached to you, the murders were works of a serial killer. We've seen countless proofs of that. Your daughter has just been unfortunate. I can't accept this—"

"Are you implying that she was randomly selected?" Meredith hollered.

Most likely.

She didn't reply.

"You must've been forgetting that in politics, everything wasn't a product of consequences or what they call it? Destiny. There no such absurdity existing in my circle of life, Detective Black. All the events happening around me are nothing but personal. You have no right to tell me that it isn't," Meredith said, each word marked with hatred.

Cara felt a growing sense of downcast as she watched the senator more longer. At the same time, she felt bad for Sandy that the most suitable person in the world that must be seeking for real justice regarding her murder wasn't insisting to find the responsible man but instead, outlining his ego and suggesting that it was all part of his life as a politician.

Had Sandy know about this? Is that why she moved out in this part of the state and chose the life in a suburban town other than spending her days here, submitting to his father's wishes?

Of course. She must've known that. If there's one foundation in society who knows Senator Meredith deeply and his secrets, it could be his family. They are the ones who were given the chance to witness each side of the senator. So it's a no surprise knowledge that even her daughter got fed up in his attitude and risk her abundant life to a peaceful one.

"Somebody from that list must've killed her," Meredith added. "I'm not saying it was a direct action but someone must be paid to carry the order. The other murders were just a distraction, to confuse the police force and let them think that it was a serial."

Cara bit her lower lip when she almost blurt out a contradicting comment. One more push and Cara would say something unforgiveable to him. Is he that delusional to let himself be blinded by that ego?

Cara took a deep breath once again. "I know you're broken as of this time, Senator, and I'm deeply sympathizing to your loss. No one can control something like this, and that's extremely frustrating for all of us trying to catch the culprit. But I can't investigate these people without establishing a sensible reason or finding an evidence that would be substantial to point the fingers at them. The investigation, so far, are pointing to one sick man that preys upon mothers like your daughter—"

"You're looking at the wrong picture, then," Meredith insisted, and Cara wanted to claw her hand on her head for the frustration he was causing. "That idea originated from you, wasn't it? So how could you expect me to trust that vision?"

"The evidences speaks for itself—"

"Evidences that we didn't even know if related or genuine. You thought we don't notice it, Detective? How everything is going well on your side, and your denying every third party that tries to help and give you insight—"

"Oh, please, don't tell me the help you're talking about is Faucault. If I'm being honest, he has done nothing to help than brag about you and dominate us with his power."

"You're underestamating my pawn. Now I clearly understand why you haven't solved this case! You're so full of yourself!" Meredith started to shook his head, clicking his tongue as if showing his disdain in her. A sarcastic smile appeared on his face. "I'm very disappointed, Miss Black. Here I thought that somehow the unfortunate events in your life must've taught you not to be that prideful and changed you directly. I have given you a chance to prove that you're no longer the person I used to witness. I can't believe that everything is still the same. I, somehow, expected that my hatred towards you would minimize. I was wrong. You have given me more reasons to loath you more."

Same here, Senator. I thought you become a better man, too, after you daughter's death. But you're still the same man filled with extreme ego. I felt sad for you.

Cara returned his gaze with the same level of hardness. They stared at each other's eyes before Meredith shifted on his seat and took a sharp breath.

"I'm sensing that you cannot be drag down to your determination, Detective Black," Meredith said. "And I'm not going to do anything to push you from that place. But you must know, I can't rest my head seeing you lead this case. One of these days, someone will show up at the station to give you more sensible direction in this case. You may not aware of it, but I personally know Wilson Faucalt and he submits to me more than you know. I will have a word with him and send someone that can bring my daughter's case a closed one." He stood up proudly, not tearing his gaze with Cara.

Her jaw tightened as she watched him walked towards the door.

"I'll leave that list. Just in case your senses knocked up by your future failures," Meredith said, his voice filled with acid. "Good day, Ms. Black."

Before Cara could say something to the man, he slammed the door. She kicked the chair out of frustrations, her chest bobbed up and down. Her grip on the envelope tightened as she recalled their conversation. The man was the worst kind, all right. And she couldn't believe that it was still leaving her speechless. She couldn't understand how a man like him could be so cruel and nasty. How could he think of her daughter's murder as a hindrance to his career? Is he hiding something? Is that why he's so adamant to infiltrate the investigation and put a tab on whatever's going on?

She crashed the envelop on her hands.

Whatever it is, Cara is inclined to reveal it.