Chapter One
The Summer breeze of June felt good bringing the notion of the warm days ahead. One year had passed since that day in the parking garage and Dawn was now married to Allen Hawkins. They had a beautiful house in Hampton, almost like the one she dreamed of. The white picket fence and the lush green lawn ranch style house that modeled after her parent's house.
Their engagement was short before they got married and Dawn's parents didn't approve of Allen, but for the sake of their daughter, they did not voice their opinion. Allen and Dawn still worked at Howard Pharmaceutical, making good money, which let them live a good life style. The only problem was that Dawn's obsessive need for attention stirred up again, putting a wedge between them. Allen became tired of her constant complaining and questioning his love for her. Although he loved her dearly, it was hard to keep her happy. Dawn had fell out of love with Allen and even her sexual desire had disappeared for him. She wanted a divorce and was relieved when Allen agreed to give her one. Dawn knew that she had to change. She had to become a new person, if she wanted to have happy life. She wanted and realized that she needed Chris in her life. Over the years he stayed in the back of her mind and still had a piece of her heart. There were some nights when her dreams were of Chris and a few times she almost cried out his name when she had made love to Allen. It was Chris that became her driving force, but she didn't have the heart to tell Allen.
Allen was in the living room this Saturday evening relaxing when Dawn walked in looking for her car keys. “Where are you going?,” he asked watching her. “Shopping,” she said finding them in the small table drawer.
“Do you need me to go with you?”
“No, but I do need to talk to you when I come back,” she told him.
#
Dawn was sitting in her car when her cell phone rang. It was her mother asking if she was okay. She told her mother about the divorce and about looking for Chris when it was final. Her mother was excited and happy for her, because she knew how much she loved him. She informed Dawn that she had talked to Chris a couple times a year ago. Dawn's heart jumped with excitement in hearing that he asked about her. She thought he didn't care about her anymore, but now knowing that he did would make it easier for her.
The supermarket was a few blocks away and she enjoyed that time away from Allen, to think about things and make plans. The Nu-way supermarket was quiet and only a few shoppers were in buying their groceries. Two young cashiers stood at the register seven talking and laughing about the young woman, who was working cash register one. They watched Dawn walk in with her cart as she mumbled to herself. She walked over to the far isle looking at the variety of meats. Taking her time, Dawn looked for what she wanted and then checked the prices. The soft music played and she felt more relaxed. Her thoughts of Chris made her smile and it would be easier to tell Allen about Chris. Hearing a man mumbling to himself made her take notice of him. He stood a little further down the isle from her and was very nervous. She shook her head and continued with her shopping.
Paul Rodgers nervously looked down both ends of the isle hoping that he had not been seen going into the supermarket. He knew that someone had been following him, but he didn't know who. He worked in the financial district of Hampton, having a good life, but his greed had gotten the best of him. When the cartel asked him to launder money for them, he thought it would be a quick way to get rich. Little by little, he kept back some money for himself, tucking it away in a private bank account waiting for it to build up enough so that he could live like a king on some island. He knew skimming off the top from the Rodriguez cartel proved harder than he though. So much money was passing through his hands and Paul didn't think anyone would notice, but they did. Now his life was in danger and he didn't know what to do. He called the F.B.I., but he knew they wouldn't reach him in time.
Antonio Rodriguez stepped into the isle looking at Paul, who had his back turned to him.
His black trench coat draped down like a robe. His dark hair and eyes along with his tanned features made him look very attractive. Growing up in the cartel opened his life to violence in so much that it didn't bother him. His uncle had made him an enforcer for anyone who were trouble. This was his first trip to the States and his uncle wanted that money. He wanted to take Paul alive, but it was too dangerous for him. He hoped he had the information on him, so it would be easy to just kill him.
Paul nervously walked over to Dawn hoping that she could help him. It was the only way to ensure his life. Bumping into her, he whispered, “Please help me.” Dawn looked at him seeing how scared he was and believed that he could be in trouble. “Are you alright? Is something wrong?”
“I need your help to get me out of here,” Paul nervously told her. “I can walk you to the front if you like,” Dawn offered.
Just then Paul spotted a man standing in the isle with them and made his way into another isle.
“Paul,” Antonio whispered.
Slowly turning around, Paul froze in seeing the man who could and would kill him. The man he was first warned about if he tried anything and now he was face to face with him.
“Antonio, look. I was going to see Michael.”
“Sure you were my friend. Sure you were,” Antonio said.
“That is why you ran.”
“I was scared. I thought you wouldn't let me explain before I saw him,” Paul said.
“You stole our money and he doesn't want to see you. If you give me the bank account, maybe I'll feel generous to let you live,” Antonio said reaching into his pocket. “I never did trust you. I knew you were a greedy coward.”
“Antonio, I'll get the money. Just let me live,” Paul pleaded as Antonio pulled out his gun. “You should have thought about that before you stole our money,” Antonio said, his accent was thick and heavy. He smiled ever so slightly before firing two shots into Paul's chest. Falling to the floor, he attracted Dawn's attention, causing her to come into the isle concerned about his fate and bumped into Antonio. She stared into his face, taking in his features. The way his hair was combed, the small scar on his right cheek.
A witness was something that wouldn't be tolerated as Antonio pointed his gun at her. She didn't see the gun at first, but realized that she was only seconds away from death, until a stock boy ran into the isle receiving a shot to his chest dropping him quickly. Dawn screamed and Antonio fled as she slid down to the floor crying.
Allen impatiently paced the living room floor waiting for his wife to return. He knew it didn't take hours to do her shopping. It never took her that long before, so he knew that something was wrong. He also knew Dawn wouldn't run off with anyone, or by herself. The telephone rang and he quickly walked over and answered it expecting to hear Dawn's voice.
“Hello. Is this Mr. Allen Hawkins?,” a man's voice asked.
“Ye...yes.”
“Your wife has been involved in a incident and we need you to come down the eighth district police station.”
“Sure. Sure.”
“The station is located on the forty-two hundred block of Spain Street, at the corner of Irving.”
“I'll be right there.” Allen hung up the phone, feeling awful about what his wife could be going through.
#
Dawn sat quietly in an interrogation room. The walls were painted a dull gray color and the small metal table in the middle of it made her realize the seriousness of her situation. The vision of the two men laying dead on the floor of the supermarket played havoc on her mind. She tried to ignore it as she picked up her cup of water. Her hands trembled, spilling a little. Her heart was still racing a little thinking about the man who wanted to kill her. When she was told who he was from her description, she almost fainted. Dawn knew that he would come after her and kill her. They assured her that they would keep her safe and that they contacted the F.B.I.
Allen walked into the police station looking around for any sign of his wife. He walked up to the main desk and stood there.”
“Excuse me, are you Mr. Hawkins?,” a man's voice asked.
Allen turned around facing a man wearing a sweat shirt and a pair of jeans. His blonde hair was pushed to the side and his blue eyes sparked from the light. “Who are you?,” Allen asked.
“I'm detective Brian Richardson,” he said extending out his hand.
Allen shook it, but his mind was on his wife and her safety. “Can I see my wife now?”
“Yes, but I need to talk to you first,” Brian said nodding over to an empty bench.
“Do you mind if we sit?”
They walked over and sat down as Brian thought of what to say. He was a eight year seasoned vet, knowing how to handle different situations. “Mr. Hawkins, your wife witnessed a murder that almost cost her life,” he told him.
“Oh my, God! Is she okay?” All kinds of thoughts were running through his mind.
“She's shaken up, but other than that, she is fine. She helped us identify the person, but it's now more complicated.”
“I don't care about all of that. How is my wife?”
“I assure you that she's alright,” Brian said.
“I would like to see her now!”
“Sure,” Brian said standing up. He wanted to make sure that every fact was known, but with Mr. Hawkins' impatience, it would be impossible.
Allen followed detective Richardson down the hall to a room, marked interrogation room one. He became upset, but quickly calmed down seeing his wife sitting at the table. They walked in, shutting the door behind them. Allen looked at her sitting there crying with her head on the table.
“Dawn, are you... Are you alright?,” he asked softly.
She looked up at her husband and instantly leaped up and held him, sobbing. She was going to divorce him, but with what she'd been through. She was happy to see a familiar face. She tried to speak, say a word, but nothing came out. Allen held her tightly as she released her tears.
“I need to talk to you both, if you can sit down, I'll make this quick,” Brian said.
Dawn grabbed a few tissues from the box on the table and sat down along with her husband. Allen wrapped his arm around her and held her close as detective Richardson leaned on the table.
“The captain called the F.B.I. And they will be sending an agent to take Mrs. Hawkins into protective custody,” Brian told them.
“What does that mean?,” she asked.
“Antonio Rodriguez is the nephew of Michael Rodriguez and he runs one of the largest drug cartels in Columbia. You are a threat because you can put Antonio away. So they will do anything to get you out of the way.”
“When will he be here?,” Allen curiously asked. “Sometime tomorrow afternoon,” Brian said.
Dawn held her head wondering how everything went so wrong so fast. “Why so long?,” Allen asked.
“They have to get a hold of him. He is the best in the business.”
Dawn thought about Chris and suddenly felt a warmth go through her. Her feeling of dread was drifting away. She wondered if it would be him.
“Mr. Hawkins, we will do the same for you. Even though your wife is the main target, they may come after you to get to her. So you'll be going with our officers and they will take you home to pack, but right now there are officers at your house gathering clothes for you, Mrs. Hawkins,” Brian explained.
“So, this is happening,” Dawn commented. “This is a nightmare and I don't know when this will end.”
“It'll be alright, Dawn. You'll make it through this,” Allen told her.