RED REAPER - Soldiers Of Fortune [book one]

Chapter EIGHTEEN

Lucky O'Cléirigh

When I leave the Brightly house, four hours after arriving, it's a dusky late afternoon, the sun has begun to set and my phone rings in my bag.. I pull out the cell to answer it with a distracted sigh.. "Hello?"

"Lucky-Doll.. What's wrong, you sound upset?" Brody's tone drips in concern as it echoes down the line..

"Nothing is wrong, Brody.. But now isn't really a good time--"

He sucks a breath and I can hear the apologetic wince in his voice.. "Shit-- Sorry, babe.. I'm actually callin' about a job.."

"Oh?" I stop on the sidewalk to listen..

"Chyna already gave the approval to have you work a Northside shooting in The Hills that was called in late last night.. It's high profile stuff, the security detail for a Big Wig producer was hit.. Andrews is already on the way but I need yeh' here too to cover the scene shots, can yeh' do it?"

I rub my exhausted eyes.. "Uh--Yeah.. Yeah, O'course I can.. I'm downtown at the moment but I can run to the office and pick up my camera and references, be there in an hour?"

"Grand.." Brody breathes a sigh of relief.." Thanks Dolly, yer' doin' me a solid, I need this scene imaged like--yesterday.."

"I'll be there, Brody.." As I hang up the call I return to my jumbled thoughts as I walk the rest of the way to the bus stop..

My dizzy head is overfilled with new facts and formulating theories.. Ben and Lottie had shared so much with me about Abigail.. They talked about her failing grades, her increasing drug use and the introduction of an older gentleman to her social life with whom she had become infatuated.. All culminating to an explosive argument that had led to her running away from home only a few days before her disappearance was reported..

Her parents had never met the older man but Abigail had told them that he went by the street name 'Big Digs'.. Ben had said that he had heard the name around town in relation to one of the local gangs in the 818 area code.. A group of street thugs that would call themselves 'The Calaveras'..

I remember seeing mention of drug use and neighbourhood gang violence being noted in Abby's file, but the aforementioned 'Calaveras' were not named specifically.. In fact no gang members were ever questioned directly in relation to her death..

The way the paperwork is written it is almost as if the detectives doubted the connection at all.. Maybe they couldn't prove it? Or maybe nobody would talk.. Maybe with no tangible ties to the crew, Abigail's case had been disassociated from that line of questioning..

But why would Ben and Lottie lie?

All I know is, one of the 'Calaveras' members knows something.. Maybe Big Digs himself could shed some light as to what really happened to Abigail.. Maybe he really is the one who killed her.. The only problem now is that I don't know where to find him or what his real name is.. I wouldn't even know where to start..

But somebody does.. Somebody, somewhere knows the truth.. And I am going to find them..

As I walk quickly towards the bus stop a taunting voice catches me off guard as it echoes down the street.. "Eyy, Mami!" I turn with a start, looking over my shoulder to see a young guy in baggy jeans and a yellow bandana swiftly approaching me from across the road. "You lost, lil' Chula?"

"No, thank you.. I'm fine.." I keep walking, quickening my pace with a bad feeling brewing low in my belly..

"What? You think you're too good for me, Gringa? Is that it?" He smirks a sleezy grin as he falls into step beside me.. Reaching out to grab my elbow, the brute yanks me to a stop..