Silenced Justice: A Josh Williams Novel by Joe Broadmeadow Page B

getting calls from his office now?"
    Josh tilted back in the chair, rubbing his hands together. "A couple of weeks ago, the headaches came back. I went to see Phillips again." Seeing the reaction on Keira's face, he bent towards her. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry."
    Keira stared at him, "Josh there are no secrets here, remember? Let's not go down that road again. Anything that affects you, or me, we share, period."
    Josh could see the disappointment in her eyes. I am an idiot. I knew this would happen and I still tried to hide it. I am a goddamn moron.
    "So, what does the doctor say now?" Keira asked, her voice edgy, the tension rising, her eyes probing him.
    Josh walked to his desk, opened his briefcase, and reached for his iPad. Holding it behind the briefcase, trying to cover his hiding spot, he withdrew the letter. He walked back and handed her the envelope. Sitting back down, arms on his knees, hands folded he watched as she read it.
    She dropped the letter on the desk and looked into Josh's eyes. "So you were just going to try to do this by yourself?"
    "No, I mean yes, I mean…" Josh scrambled for the right words.
    "Okay, Josh. I will tell you what happens now. You call the doctor's office, right now, with me here, and make an appointment. From now on we both go to see him, understood?" the tears began to well-up.
    "I'm sorry, Keira. I just didn't want you to worry about this," Josh said, pulling her close.
    She pushed him back, handing him the cell. "Nice try, not gonna work. Call, now."
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 15

Three days after the incident, the bike driver had recovered enough for an interview. Between the interference of the lawyer and the natural lack of cooperation by gang members, they didn't learn much.
    The guy paid him in cash to give him a ride. No questions asked, no names offered. He had no idea the guy was armed.
    The dead body proved just as uninformative, but much more intriguing.
    No matches to the fingerprints in any database. The man carried no identification, and the body tattoos were a mix of Russian military and prison in nature.
    The unknown caliber weapon also was interesting. The weapon had no serial numbers. They never existed. It was unique and unfamiliar.
    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the FBI expressed interest in the weapon.
    Josh had a good working relationship with ATF. He reached out to the Special Agent-in-Charge of the Providence office, Monty Medeiros, for help.
    The information stream went dry; three weeks passed.
     
    * * *
     
    Josh sat in the Chief's office for the weekly case status update.
    "So we have nothing? It's been almost a month," Brennan asked.
    "Nope, still waiting on the Feds to get back to me."
    Brennan picked up the phone, "Donna, get me the US Attorney's office in Providence please."
    A moment past and the voice of the Chief's aide came over the line, "US Attorney on line one, Chief."
    Brennan grabbed the phone, "Watch this," he said, smiling at Josh.
    "Bill, how are you?" pausing for the reply. "Well, I need a favor. You are aware of the attempt on one of my officers. We have been waiting on information from ATF. Can you light a fire for me? The press is pushing me for information and I don't have anything."
    Brennan smiled and covered the mouthpiece. "I bet we get an answer now," returning to the call.
    "Great, thanks. See you next week at the Chief's meeting.” Brennan hung up. "There you go, Lieutenant. I would expect a call from them today."
    Two hours later, the phone rang in Josh's office, "SIU, Lieutenant Williams."
    "Hey Josh," Medeiros said.
    "Monty, what's up? Got something for me?"
    "You gonna be around for a while? You've stirred some shit up with this one. Not to mention riling up the US Attorney."
    "That was Brennan, he's not known for his patience. But I am here all day."
    "We'll be right there," Medeiros replied.
    "We?" Josh asked.
    "Yup," Medeiros said, and hung up the phone.
    A