Chapter VI

an," newly appointed Police Chief Russell Adams said to himself.  "This thing is getting very complicated."

He shook his head in amazement that he was involved in this whole mess up to his neck.  How he had gone from good cop to dirty cop in so short a time was mind boggling.  He was already wishing for a way out, but the thought of half a million dollars and the position of Police Chief . . . well, that was pretty hard to turn down.

Now, he was in so deep, if he changed his mind, he'd be laying beside Walter on a stainless steel tray in the morgue.  He hated that Walter had died, and of course, he'd day dreamed about being Chief of Police.  But he never would have thought he would have stooped so low as to bring such a disgrace to the badge he swore to protect.

Things had gotten out of hand very quickly.  His mind went back to the day he'd made the decision to go rogue.  His wife of sixteen years up and pulled out on him.  They'd had some marital problems because of his work and the time he spent at it, and just a month ago, she'd stated she wanted out.

But then, she up and disappeared.  Her body had been found by none other than Tack Guinn, the same man who had contacted him just two months ago.  Tack was a friend of Chris James, former dirty cop of the precinct.  When he died, Tack was learning about the situation, and had followed the case through.

When he learned that Russell was a nephew to Sgnt James, Tack approached him, and soon became friends with him.  As they spent time together over some beer laced with a drug, he opened up and discussed things he normally would not.

In a conversation one night, Russell began to talk about his marital problems.  Tack learned a lot about the situation and had questioned him for hours.  He recorded the conversation, suggesting he kill his wife, and then when that would not work, Tack then asked Russell would he like to have it done. "Sure, came the reply."

A week later, Russell came home to an empty house.  A couple of weeks later, his wifes' body turned up, Russell was questioned and exonerated.  There was absolutely no evidence to show he had anything whatsoever to do with the murder.  But Russell knew that Tack had something to do with it.  Now, he was in town and cutting a wide swath through it.

Chief Bension had been beaten to death during interrogation, Lane Wardlow had been kidnapped, beaten, found and now kidnapped again.  And he had orders to pick up the lovely Sharon Travis.  "Well, he thought to himself, that wasn't too bad of a deal."

Chief Adams had admired Sharon many times, and he may have said something to that effect to Tack.  Tack was now blackmailing him into doing stupid things, and now, he was ordered to pick up Sharon.  No instructions on what to do with her, with what to charge her, or how long to keep her.  His only instruction was to 'enjoy' her.

To keep any of his deputies or officers out of the know, he'd elected to go to Sharons' house himself.  He had his story all worked out, and if all went well, she would be in his custody within the hour.  She came to the door still fully dressed.  She had arrived only a short time before after discussing the latest situations with Jake.

When she saw the uniform, she was immediately afraid, then calmed when she recognized Chief Adams.  "What can I do for you Chief? she asked.

I've some news of William down at the police headquarters, a man who was involved with Wills' capture, is there.  Says he knows you and that he would only talk to you.

"What's his name?" she asked.  Something was just not feeling right, at all.  "Where is he?  At the precinct?" she added to throw him off the fact that she smelled a rat.

"Yeah . . ."  He added but took a little to long.  "C'mon, I'll drive you."

"Wait just a second while I get my coat and purse," then added.  I'll be right back."

Sharon hit the speed dial for Len and it went directly to voice mail.  "That's odd" she thought to herself.  Then she hit Melindas' number and it did the same.  She then dialed Jakes' number and left a short message.

She grabbed her coat and purse, and went out the back door and entering the garage out of view of Chief Adams.  She started the car and backed out of the drive.  She waved out the window to the Chief standing there, and said "I have to do an errand.  I'll meet you at the precinct within a half hour.  She turned the corner then into the alley and pulled up behind a house with a tall privacy fence, jumped out and closed the gate.

She had barely gotten the gate closed when the Chief's car roared past, lights flashing.  She got back into her car and began dialing again.  Same response with Len and Melindas' phones.  But Jake answered this time.

She related her story while Jake listened, and then told him where she was.  But she didn't stay there too long.  She figured the phone had been tapped, and she opened the gate and headed north on the freeway.  When she stopped, it was at a little convenience store, and she made her purchase with cash.  Having seen the former FBI Commissioner turn rogue, she didn't know whether or not to really trust Jake.

She gave her cell phone to a lady of the street, got into her car and turned back South.  The woman was standing there watching her till she was out of sight, then she turned around and went back toward Sacramento.

The lady of the evening soon had the surprise of her life.  She thought the car that was pulling over in her direction would be another john, and bent down to look in the open window.  What she saw was the barrel of a gun.  The guy asked where she got the phone, then which way the person went who had given it to her.  Then she saw it blossom.  It was the last thing she would ever see.

Sharon knew the car was rigged with GPS sensory equipment, and knew it was just a matter of time before they caught up with her.  She pulled into another convenience store and saw a homeless person thumbing a ride.  "Hey, want to make $50?" she asked.

"Sure thing!" came the reply.  "What do I have to do?"

"All you have to do is deliver this car to this address.  The person there will give you a ride home.  OK?

"Sure, but where are you going?"

"Home, she replied.  I'm going home."

After she had walked a mile down the road, she came up on a group of people sitting at a park.  Sharon asked one of them if she could use his phone, and called her Pastor.  He would be there within the hour.

On the way back to Santa Barbara she filled him in as to the goings on of the week.  The Pastor let out a long low whistle and said "wow, this is worse than some Hollywood story.  What can I do to help?  he asked.

What I need is a change of clothes, a vehicle and a phone.  I know some good people who have the ability to pull some strings in high places.  I just hope it's enough and in time.

Within an hour, Sharon was tooling along the freeway in an old Ford Pickup truck.  She knew the vehicle well as it had belonged to William.  William knew the Pastor liked the truck and wanted one like it, so he just gave it to him.  As she pulled back on the freeway, she saw the lights of a couple of police cars advertising with all lights flashing and they were coming fast.  They turned down the lane from which she had emerged only seconds ago.

"Whew, another close call," she thought.  She didn't think the Pastor would be in any trouble.  She merely said a little prayer and Sharon Travis disappeared into the night.  She had slipped the ring of thug cops out to pick her up.  She wondered after Len and Melinda.  She was fearful of what happened to them.  She surmised, and correctly, the ATF had swallowed them up in their bottomless pit.

She was the only one of the group that had a chance at seeing the others freed.  But, it would be a while.  She hoped that it would be in time.  If there ever was a time she needed a friend, it was now.

But help would come sooner than she would have even thought.

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