He was in the break room, pacing when Detective Marcus came in and asked, "What's eatin you Saunders?" Francis spun around, "Oh I don't know Marcus!" He snapped, "Let's see, there's a little kid missing from her mother, dumb ass in there remembers the important things from the abduction because the mommy was 'hot' and I couldn't get to the crime scene because that goddamned Senator Jasper's beautification project has the road shut down! What would make you think something was wrong?" Marcus shook his head. "Sorry I asked," he said as he walked out of the room. Francis knew he could be overbearing but he couldn't figure out what would possess someone to ask such a ridiculous question, especially another cop. The last time he could remember feeling so helpless was when Amanda Marks went missing in 1998. She was taken right off her backyard swing set and now, another child had been abducted in broad daylight on a very busy Boston street. He had no idea how much worse it was about to get
Code of Corruption
By A.M. ThompsonAuthorHouse
Copyright © 2010 A.M. Thompson
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4490-9289-4Chapter One
Billie sat on the bench running the events of the past month over in her head. She knew something wasn't adding up but as yet had been unable to put her finger on it. Tammy Willis' piercing scream brought her back to the present just as Frankie pulled Tammy's hair.
"Okay you two!" She yelled, "Do you need a time out?"
Frankie let go of Tammy's hair, a few strands still clinging to his fingers. The two mischievous children stood listening as Miss Younger reprimanded them both. Frankie let his head drop to his chest as Tammy whimpered softly and wiped her eyes with her dirty hands. "I hate you Frankie." She pouted.
"Well, I hate you too, Tammy smammy!"
Billie couldn't help the smile that formed on her face. 'They'll probably end up getting married one day.' She thought. Billie smoothed Tammy's hair and straightened her dress. "You two need to play nice. Frankie? No hair pulling. Do you understand me?" His large eyes dropped as he nodded his head.
"Tammy? No more pushing okay?" With pouting lips, both children nodded and quickly ran across the playground.
Billie Jo Younger was nearly thirty years old and her biological clock had been ticking loudly for quite a while. She loved children and had a special place in her heart for each one at the Franklin Center. She could feel her eyes begin to well up at the sight of a new born and dreamed of one day having a child of her own. She hadn't imagined that it would be so late in her life. She and Leland had been living together for three years and he still wasn't showing any signs of wanting to start a family. Whenever her biological clock began to tick, Leland would hit the snooze button. Lately, she'd found herself crying much more than usual and sympathy wasn't one of Leland's strong suits. As a matter of fact, it was becoming increasingly difficult for her to see any of the good qualities that had attracted her to him in the first place. Oh, he was good looking. He had the kind of smile that could charm the pants off any woman and he wasn't lacking in the other department either. He was however, very self centered and egotistical. What was the word Maxi had used? Spoiled! That was it! He was spoiled rotten. At thirty-three years old his temper tantrums were like that of an unruly child and had a way of making Billie feel that his unfortunate luck was her fault. No matter if he brought it on himself, and he usually did, she could be sure to get the blame. Maxi had been telling her for three years, as long as she'd known him, that Leland was sucking the life out of her. Each day she was feeling less like herself and no longer felt as though she had a purpose in life. Her schedule at the Franklin Center was Monday through Friday, caring for other peoples children. Friday and Saturday evenings she spent as hostess at The Social Light, a local theme restaurant. Working two jobs wasn't a problem; it was everything else in her life, or rather everything that wasn't in her life. Her mother Sadie had suffered for a long time before succumbing to cancer and she still missed her very much, especially when she needed someone to talk to. Maxi Reed had been Sadie's life long friend and she, as well as Billie, believed that although the cancer had eaten away at her tiny body, Sadie had really died of a broken heart. Albert and Sadie Younger had married young and dedicated their entire adult lives to raising their children until one cold, Massachusetts morning when Albert suffered a fatal heart attack. Maxi had said on more than one occasion that Sadie had stayed alive as long as she had for her children's sake. Otherwise, she would have given up long before to be with Albert on the other side.
Billie looked across the playground to see Tammy and Frankie playing together in the sandbox. She glanced down at her watch. "Okay kids," she said, "everyone in line please, it's time for a snack." She shuffled them all inside and one by one they washed their face and hands and formed a line, each picking up a cookie and a carton of milk before returning to their tables. Billie wasn't looking forward to working her second job. It was Friday night and although she normally enjoyed her night job, this evening she was feeling a little sorry for herself. She felt like taking a long, leisurely soak in a hot tub of bubbles, surrounded by soft candlelight but that wasn't going to happen. Billie helped the children clean up the toys. Soon the parents would be lined up in front of the building. She could feel herself sinking into a weird kind of funk that was very unlike her and lately the sadness she was feeling even showed in her normally sparkling, blue eyes. During times like these she would call Maxi but she knew what she would say. First it would be, 'you know you're the only one that can make you happy; then it would be, 'you need to get rid of that man, he's selfish and insincere. Maxi had said those words time and time again. She also knew Billie would have to make up her own mind in her own time about Leland. She put the last child in the back seat and closed the door. A little cleaning up and she could go home, shower and head out to her other job. She knew she had to pull herself out of her pity party and get in gear. Then and there she made a conscious decision to start her life over. If Leland was going to be a part of it he would have to make some serious changes as well. Would he be able or even willing to do it? Time would tell.
Lindsey sat on the back steps of her small house, smoking a cigarette. Her hands shook as she raised it to her lips for another drag. Her thoughts kept going back to the previous day's argument with her husband Avery. As usual, money was at the root of the problem. For the past two years they had been struggling financially, which caused more strain on an already strained marriage. Avery's income had been sufficient until they had Emily. When she was born nearly two years before, they thought they had it all. Lindsey worked as a waitress and both incomes seemed to be enough. That is, until Emily got sick and Avery's insurance didn't cover all of the medical bills. When Emily was six months old Avery was out of town on business. He was attending a conference in Arizona when Lindsey called in hysterics. Emily had turned blue and wasn't breathing. Lindsey had rushed her to the emergency room knowing that if she waited for the ambulance it would be too late. Once the doctors had taken control and the baby was breathing, she called her husband and her sister Billie Jo. By the time Billie arrived at the hospital Lindsey was inconsolable. She paced the hallway, crying and praying. Billie promised her that everything would be alright but Lindsey was a basket case by the time the doctor came out. He explained that Emily was stable but Lindsey was so upset that she couldn't absorb anything he was saying. Billie took her by both arms and explained that one of the valves in Emily's heart wasn't getting enough oxygen and they needed to do surgery. Lindsey didn't know what to do. She needed Avery but he was on an airplane somewhere.
By the time his plane landed and he'd caught a taxi, traffic was at its worst. He tried repeatedly to call her but her cell phone battery was dead. The ride to the hospital felt endless and the only thing going through Avery's mind was that he would be too late. Billie sat with her sister for hours waiting for Avery to arrive and by the time he came running down the corridor Lindsey didn't have the...
