Justice from the Shadows

By Nadirah Foxx

Kerrie King has been robbed of her future and her family, but she won't let that stop her from seeking justice.

When a trail of thugs leads her to Project Triton and a super suit, everything changes. Not only must she uncover corruption in Liberty City, but Kerrie must also deal with resurfacing feelings for her best friend Josh.

Can Kerrie find a way to rebuild her life, or will the dilemmas of maintaining her mild-mannered alter ego thrust her further into her heroic calling?

If you enjoyed the action-packed thriller of Kick-Ass or the lighthearted story of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, you'll love Justice from the Shadows!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Avanturine Press
• Release date: Mar 21, 2020
• ISBN: 9798223795346

Book preview

1

It Hits Hard

For some unknown reason, computer-related felonies seemed to escalate. It created a long, hectic week at the precinct. Out of the blue, Liberty City had become a hotbed for miscellaneous crimes. Our captain, Cedric Stratham, didn’t take the situation seriously. He claimed nothing out of the ordinary was happening, but I begged to differ.

As a cybercrime analyst for the LCPD, I had carefully studied the reports. Data didn’t lie. The recurrent incidents shouldn’t be dismissed or downplayed.

Heading home, Kerrie? Josh Reynolds, my best friend and co-worker, leaned over the divider separating our stations.

In a few minutes, I said with a weary smile. Any plans for the weekend?

Naw. I’ll probably binge-watch a show on Netflix. He raked a hand through his dark wavy hair. Just my usual Friday.

The man was undeniably handsome with amazing azure-colored eyes and an athletic build. I learned he’d suffered yet another break-up, but I was hoping he’d get back out there and find someone worthy of him.

Since you don’t have any real plans, you could come by the house. Maybe hang out with Ryan? My face scrunched up into a conspiratorial grin. I think he might have tickets to tonight’s game.

Josh’s gaze brightened with the prospect of going to see his beloved basketball team. The preseason match-up between the Patriots and the Crusaders sold out weeks prior.

I might do that. He put on his jacket and slung his backpack over his shoulder. Ready to go? I’ll walk you out.

Almost. I have to finish this report, and then I can leave.

He nodded. Okay. Don’t forget to call me when you get in.

I won’t. It was our routine. Whenever I worked late, I’d contact Josh so he knew I made it home safe and sound. He was like an older brother to me. Love ya!

Me too. Be careful. He winked and walked toward the front of the building.

I wrapped up the document I was working on as fast as I could. Ten minutes later, I packed up my gear and headed to my car.

It was a beautiful clear night, and the streets were busy. Apparently, a lot of citizens wanted to capitalize on the unseasonably warm fall weather. The interstate wasn’t much better with bumper-to-bumper traffic. My normal twenty-minute commute took nearly an hour.

A little gridlock didn’t unnerve me. I always found something to occupy my time—audiobooks, listening to the news, or simply singing along with my favorite playlist. That evening I thought about the information I tried to impart to my boss and his subsequent reaction.

Captain Stratham, you have to admit the rash of break-ins is concerning. I waved the printed report in the air.

The brown-skinned man ran a hand over his close-cropped hair and shot me a furious glare. No, I don’t. Those cases weren’t in my precinct. Therefore, they’re not my problem or your concern.

With all due respect, sir, we should at least investigate. Take some precautions—

He scoffed and said, Just do your job, Ms. King. If the need arises, I’ll be sure to check in with an expert.

The way Captain Stratham dismissed me perplexed and pissed me off. I was the expert—the right one to call in the matter. Crime didn’t happen in a bubble. Shouldn’t he have known that as our leader? If transgressions went unchecked, the aftermath spread like wildfire. The perpetrators wouldn’t stop with mere home invasions. They’d keep going until they killed someone.

What troubled me was that in each and every incident, the thieves targeted computer hard drives. They took nothing else from the victims. Even more disturbing was the pattern of the crimes. The stolen disk drives belonged to an executive from a technology firm. My interest wasn’t only for the general citizenry. I wanted to prevent those thieves before they landed in my backyard.

Pulling into the driveway, I noticed Ryan’s SUV parked out front. Odd, but then I remembered he said something about his project. He probably had to run to the office again. No big deal.

Not wasting another minute, I pressed the remote and the door lifted. After parking my aqua-colored 1967 Mustang in its usual spot, I grabbed my purse and exited the car. I’d come back later for the laptop bag. No one would steal it.

Darkness accompanied by an eerie quiet greeted me when I opened the door between the garage and house. Strange.

Feeling along the wall, I flicked on the light switch. I wished I hadn’t. My normally tidy kitchen was not so immaculate. Somebody had spilled bags of flour and sugar onto the counter. Dishes, pots, and pans were on the floor. Either a serious storm only hit my home, or someone was searching for… What? We didn’t keep any computer items outside of Ryan’s study.

Something bad had happened, but I wasn’t thinking about my safety. Carefully, I rushed around a pile of broken bowls. Entering the low-lit hall, I could see the living room was also in shambles.

Damn! Our house had been broken into. Where the fuck is my family?

Ryan!

I climbed the stairs two at a time. Not considering the dangers that could wait for me, I moved from room to room looking for my husband and child. The only thing I found was more damage. They confined the worst of the destruction to the bedroom I shared with Ryan. Whatever the burglars were searching for must have been in there. At first glance, however, I couldn’t tell what was missing.

For some reason, my purse was still on my shoulder. I dropped it on the bed, found my cell, and then removed my Glock—what I should have done before I came upstairs. I confirmed it was loaded and then called the precinct front desk.

Liberty City Police Department. How can I direct your call?

Is this Bart? The man’s voice sounded familiar, but I was too panicked to be certain.

Yes, he responded tentatively. And this is?

Running down the stairs, I replied, Kerrie King from Cybercrime.

Hey, how are you? His tone was informal. They slammed you guys today.

Idle chatter, however, was not on my agenda.

I’m sorry to be rude, but I need a squad car at my house right now. It… It appears to have been broken into, and my husband and child are m-m-missing. My composure was fading fast as my heart ricocheted in my chest.

The officer went from jovial to business mode in a split second. Touch nothing, Kerrie. You never know…

I stopped listening. Although I’d heard the drill at least a million times, I ignored Bart’s instructions. Securing the device beneath my cheek, I opened the front door and hurried down the porch steps. Maybe I would find something in Ryan’s SUV that might tell me what happened.

Once outside, I repositioned the phone again. My feet moved so quickly I didn’t watch where I was going and tripped on something. Looking down, I saw my worst nightmare.

An empty casing.

Blood.

So much blood.

Noooo!

Kerrie? Kerrie, what’s wrong? Bart shouted, but I couldn’t respond.

The phone slipped from my fingers, and I collapsed to my knees. Ryan lay on the ground, clutching RJ. Somehow, I had the good sense to set my weapon down first, and with a shaky hand, I checked both of them for a pulse.

Nothing.

RJ was colder than his dad.

This can’t be happening.

The tears fell and blurred my vision. I was too late. They were gone, and there wasn’t anything I could do for either of them. My family had left me…

I held my head back and screamed into the desolate night.

§

My screams drew the attention of our self-absorbed neighbors. An older woman I’d seen a time or two sat with me until the cops arrived.

In retrospect, having someone pull me up from where I knelt was a great idea. Who knew how long I stayed in the spot beside Ryan and my son. It had been long enough, however, for their blood to soak my pants.

Suddenly, I wanted out of the stained clothing.

I jumped to my feet, leaving a shocked neighbor behind, and ran inside. Upstairs, I fled to our room. I had to get the gore off me.

My hands shook as I tried to unbutton my shirt. Frustrated, I pulled and ripped until the buttons flew.

Kerrie.

The voice belonged to Josh. Someone had to have called him. I listed him as my emergency contact at the station.

I tried hard to focus on him, but all I saw was a blurry figure. Crying made seeing straight impossible.

Here. Let me help. He stepped past me.

I heard him rifling through drawers and then the closet. The noise stopped, and he was by my side again, helping me put on a sweatshirt.

Lean on me, Kerrie. His fingers went to my waistband to undo my pants.

The cold air hit my skin, but I barely acknowledged it. I moved like a robot as I attempted to step out of the ruined garment. My effort was akin to trying to undress a mannequin.

I need you to work with me.

When I refused to move, he picked me up and carried me to the bed. Slowly, he exchanged my trousers for the sweatpants. The entire time Josh spoke to me, but I couldn’t understand a word he said.

Kerrie! He grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. We have to go back outside.

My head bobbed. He tugged me to my feet and led me down the steps past the forensics team.

In my front yard, more investigators were doing their job as the coroners zipped up body bags. My lips trembled. My friend gathered me in his arms. Unable to watch, I buried my face in his chest. No mother should ever have to see such a tiny bag.

I lost track of time. The only thing I recalled was the river that poured from my eyes. I didn’t realize a person could shed as many tears as I did. My grief mixed with an all-consuming fury that threatened to eat me alive. I blamed the complacency of my neighbors—so involved in their personal dramas that nobody noticed my family was in need. I blamed the police captain for not taking my warnings seriously. Mostly, I blamed myself. I knew the issue. I should have warned Ryan. Let him know there was a viable threat. If I had, he would have prepared for it. Regardless of being the one responsible for the demise of my husband and son, I’d be the one responsible for getting revenge for them.

Somebody shook my shoulders and snapped me from my reverie. I looked up. Concern danced across Josh’s face.

You’re coming home with me. Understand?

I jerked my thumb behind me. What about? I c-can’t leave that—

Don’t worry about it. He grasped my elbow and helped me up. I’ll get someone to clean up the house.

O-okay. I allowed him to guide me to his pickup.

Josh was being Josh. We’d been friends since grade school. He was good at picking up my messes. He’d fix whatever was wrong, and my world would be right again.

It had to be right again.

I closed my eyes and let the darkness consume me.

2

Rough Road

Going to Josh’s high-rise home was easier than facing my new reality. Maybe if Ryan had listened to me and moved us into the Liberty Towers downtown, he’d be alive.

That was ugly and false.

Crime didn’t discriminate. Those thugs could have murdered my family anywhere. Contrary to some beliefs, the address wasn’t important to a thief. Criminals were intelligent. They knew that valuables could be in any place. The accepted theory, however, was that top-tier locations housed innumerable wealth.

Take Josh’s apartment.

It was a serious step up from the rundown home he lived in as a kid. Every spacious square inch of the apartment was expertly decorated. To the casual observer, it resembled a showroom. If a crook cased the building, they wouldn’t see the flaws and evidence of my friend’s slovenly ways. They’d only look at a vast array of riches.

Ordinarily, I was self-sufficient. I wasn’t one of those females who fell apart at the drop of a hat, but the night I lost Ryan and RJ was different. Suddenly, I wanted someone to take care of me but not my mother. She was the stereotypical woman during times of grief.

A few years prior a thug gunned down my father while on duty. Mom turned into a basket case. Anyone who came around us held her hand and spoke softly to her. People treated my mom as if she was as fragile as rice paper. I didn’t want that. If I called her, she’d show up ready to pamper me while lamenting about how she felt when Dad died.

My mother-in-law was no better. She dealt with death by shoving it under a rug. When she lost her parent, Mrs. King refused to face the facts. She kept acting as if her mom would come home any minute. The woman was as delusional as a schizophrenic serial killer.

Mourning my losses wasn’t an opportunity to sprinkle on cheer and act as if the next day would be better. Little did I know, but happiness would no longer darken my doorstep. The emotion became forgotten in the chaos.

Looking back on that night, details had escaped my memory, but I remembered enough. I recalled how Josh carried me from his car. Stepping on the elevator, however, didn’t register.

I vaguely recollected the half-eaten containers of food. I could only assume he was eating his dinner when he received the call.

Did I walk into the guest bedroom, or did he carry me? As I stared down at the pajama top in my hands, the particulars evaded me. My lips moved, but my voice sounded foreign to me. What was I saying?

Get changed for bed, Kerrie.

Huh? I squinted up at him.

I thought you’d be more comfortable in that. He gripped the doorknob tightly. I’ll bring you something to help you sleep. Josh closed the door behind him.

Slowly, I tugged the sweatshirt over my head. Everything hurt—my muscles, my bones, even my damn thoughts. I’d always considered myself to be strong. If anyone needed a take-charge type of gal, I volunteered. But this… How the hell would I live without the love of my life and our son?

I slumped to the mattress and stared at the plush carpeted floor. As if I somehow summoned it, the grizzly scene began playing on a torturous loop in my mind.

An empty casing.

Blood.

So much blood.

Someone shouting.

Collapsing to the ground.

Feeling Ryan’s cold neck.

And then the shrieking.

Kerrie! Josh kneeled in front of me.

Reality hit. I didn’t imagine screaming. I was screaming.

My friend took the garment from me. Let me do this.

I-I’m sorry. I tried to get dressed, but I couldn’t make my arms work. My loss had turned me into a blithering idiot.

It’s okay, he said.

When did you… The words died on my tongue. Stringing together a coherent sentence was no longer possible. I simply moved when he instructed me to—lifting my arms, lowering them, and stepping out of my pants.

The procedure was agonizingly slow, but eventually, Josh helped me to bed. Then, he handed me two tablets and a bottle of water.

Please take them.

I looked at his palm.

They’re just over-the-counter sleeping pills. I take them when I’m having a lousy night.

Of course, he had bad nights. He was a troubled teen whose past still tormented him. Change didn’t happen because he became an adult.

Sleep is the best thing for you right now. Okay?

I nodded and swallowed the dose. It was all I could do.

Josh reached for the container, set it on the nightstand, and tucked me in like a child. Sitting beside me, he wiped away the tears still spilling down my cheeks.

I am so sorry, Kerrie. No one should have to go through this. His voice broke. Ryan was a good man. He didn’t deserve—

No, he didn’t! And neither did our son. I shifted onto my side and allowed my tears to lull me to sleep.

§

In the middle of the night, my memories awakened me. Frantically I looked around the room, unsure of where I was. My mind kept telling me something was wrong. Why wasn’t RJ crying? He wasn’t sleeping soundly, often waking up in the wee hours of the morning. Then, I felt the other half of the bed. It was cold. No one was there. Where was Ryan?

The events unfolded like a house of cards tumbling down.

Blood…bullets…bodies…Police…Coroner.

Pain, like nothing I had before, funneled into my heart. The agony coursed through me, finally stopping at my skull. As my mind struggled to make sense of everything, my face began aching. It was dull at first but quickly turned into intense stabs. Gasping for air, I tried to rise but got caught up in the sheets. Flailing and screaming, I beat the mattress, wanting desperately to escape my reality.

In the distance, a door burst open. Arms wrapped around me. When I heard Josh’s voice, I knew I was safe.

It will be okay, Kerrie. We’ll get through this.

I shook my head vehemently. It won’t be okay. I won’t be okay. Never again.

Josh held me. You think that now, but this will pass. I promise you.

My sobbing continued.

You should get some sleep. Maybe something hot…

He started to stand. I latched onto his shirt. Don’t go. Please. I don’t want to be alone.

You’re never alone. You have me and your mom. We’re here for you. He leaned back against the headboard, bringing me with him. He pulled the covers over us and kissed my cheek. Just sleep. I’m not going anywhere.

I trusted him.

Josh was my rock. The only one I had left.

§

Morning shined a different light on my situation, and it wasn’t favorable. The detective assigned to the case arrived bright and early to take the statement I couldn’t give the night before.

Is that all you can recall, Kerrie?

I stared at the man for what felt like hours. He disgusted me with his stained shirt, dirty fingernails, greasy hair, and his general antipathy for deodorant. Why on earth did the captain assign my case to a buffoon?

Josh intervened. Yeah. You have the details along with last night’s police report. If there’s nothing else…

The inept man received the message. He shoved to his feet and ambled toward the door. Looking over his shoulder, he added, I’ll let you know if I learn anything.

As soon as he was gone, I yelled, Does Captain Stratham dislike me that much?

Thankfully, my comment didn’t require explaining. Josh said, I’d say hate was a better word. That detective doesn’t look capable of tracking down breadcrumbs.

Something, almost undetectable, shifted within me. It was the realization the cops would not help me find justice. It didn’t sit well with me, but what could I do about it?

Not a damn thing.

I was too raw inside to cope with the truth. There was too much to be done, and I wasn’t up to any of the tasks, so I permitted my friend to deal with whatever I couldn’t endure. He helped my mother and in-laws arrange the funerals. Burying my family, knowing I’d never see them again, was hard as fuck. I lost my husband and child on the same damn day.

Instead, I tried to move beyond the pain, anger, and frustration. The only way to do it was to compartmentalize everything. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to function. I’d become the basket case my mother was for years.

I couldn’t… I would not walk in her shoes.

Life had to continue on. I was a widow, and the public had certain expectations of me. One of those included the necessary mourning attire. I had plenty of LBDs to choose from along with trousers and blouses. At the house. Everything was at the house.

Josh offered to go for me, but I had to do it. He’d had someone pick up my car, which made returning to Liberty Heights easier. It didn’t, however, facilitate driving.

Every few seconds, I fingered the necklace I wore. The cobalt-blue gem, an anniversary gift from Ryan, set in a circle of diamonds hung from a sterling silver chain. Normally, when I became anxious, the act alone calmed me. With Ryan’s murder, touching the piece of jewelry was a desperate need to reconnect with him.

The closer I got to home; my anxiety worsened. My hands shook, and a sense of dread seized me as I pulled into the driveway. Seeing the black Navigator brought back the events, like flashes of memory, but I pushed past them.

It didn’t surprise me when I discovered the SUV locked. Probably Josh’s doing. I checked my keyring, found the fob, and unlocked the vehicle. Ryan’s laptop, still in its bag, was behind the driver’s seat. Dragging it out, I snagged on a toy belonging to RJ.

My chin trembled, and the tears started up again. Maybe I should have insisted someone come with me.

Stay strong, Kerrie. Ryan would expect it.

The voice of reason won, and I backed out of the vehicle, slamming the door. Hooking the bag’s strap over my shoulder, I entered the house from the front door.

Whoever Josh hired had worked fast. Everything was clean again as if nothing ever happened.

I inhaled and exhaled a few times before climbing the stairs. Rather than checking the other rooms, I went straight to the master bedroom. Although my blood-stained clothing had been removed, I remembered everything that took place.

Quickly, I took out a suitcase from the closet and began pulling garments from hangers, not bothering to fold anything. I paused when I reached Ryan’s side.

I stared at the collection of suits. How was I supposed to give those away? What if I saw someone else wearing one?

No.

Too soon.

I’d deal with it later.

Honestly, there was no rush. Those things could hang in the closet for eternity—like a museum to my husband’s greatness.

I was ready to go, but I couldn’t get the luggage closed. Honestly, I didn’t realize I had packed so much. Common sense should have told me to stop, but I didn’t. I kept pushing on the lid as if it would magically shut.

Close, damn you! I shouted and pounded the suitcase over and over again.

It won’t work that way, he said from behind me.

I froze and then looked up at Josh. How did you know where to find me?

He pulled my hands away from the luggage and began folding the items.

I didn’t think you’d go into the station, and Sentinel Security is closed too. My friend rearranged the clothing so that everything fit. I called your mother. She said she’d like to help, by the way.

Right. Her help would come with a fist full of tranquilizers. I went to the closet and found a second suitcase. Use this.

Josh took it and placed it on the bed while I pulled out a couple of duffel bags.

You do realize I can have someone do this for you?

I know, but I’m just grabbing my shit.

Josh lifted an eyebrow. Kerrie?

Don’t give me that look. Anyone who knew me knew I rarely swore.

You—

Damn…shit…fuck! I snapped. There! Happy? Little Kerrie King knows how to swear!

O-kay, Josh said with a hint of hesitation.

You might as well get used to it, I said in a lowered tone. Sweet innocent Kerrie is gone. Those assholes killed her when they killed Ryan and RJ. My lip quivered, and I was crying again. So much for being a badass.

Instead of comforting me, Josh continued folding my clothes. Maybe he’d figured it was best to let me get it all out, which in retrospect was a good thing. It prepared me for the next phase.

§

The fucking funerals.

There were so many people. Faces I barely knew. Voices I had never heard before. Everyone wanted to deliver words of comfort to me.

Josh sat beside me on the front row of the church. Mom—dressed in a simple black suit, dark hose, and sturdy black pumps—was on my left side. My mother-in-law, Gertrude, didn’t appreciate being second fiddle. She wanted to stand in Josh’s place.

Too bad. She’d get over it.

At some point, I tuned out. I couldn’t listen to another accolade about my spouse. When it was time to give the eulogy, I nearly chickened out.

He squeezed my hand. You can do it, Kerrie.

Correction. I had to do it.

I pushed my shoulders back and summoned more courage than I had. Somehow, I made it to the podium without tripping or falling apart.

As I looked out at the audience—at least a hundred people had shown up—I recognized reading what I wrote wouldn’t do. That speech would spend its eternity in a compost heap.

I gripped the edges of the lectern and swallowed hard. "First off, thank you for coming today. It means a lot to me and my family that you came to pay your respects. We knew Ryan Michael King as an accomplished man. He built Sentinel Security from the ground up to be the embodiment of a dream he had in college. He also believed in integrity.

He was also a faithful partner and a wonderful father. I suppose, in some twisted sense of fate, it was apropos he died clutching his son. My voice cracked. Ryan used to claim that RJ was so much like him…

My knees wobbled, and I was pretty sure I was close to passing out. Instead, I took a deep breath and started again. Look, I could tell you the same old tired lines people say during these ceremonies. You know the ones where individuals gush about how great the deceased was? But, here’s the thing. All of you know that so why am I going to reiterate it? Common thugs stole my husband and child from me. With every ounce of strength I possess, I will secure justice for them.

I stepped away from the platform to whispered disbelief. Josh reached for me when I returned to the pew.

Job well done, he said near my ear.

My mom and Gertrude gave me frosty stares.

3

Pushing Forward

Overcast skies turned rainy as we left the church. The cooler weather, at last feeling like fall, seemed appropriate for laying loved ones to rest.

Ryan preferred the season. He called it the Goldilocks time of year. It wasn’t too hot or too cold. He said it was just right. I was trying my best to hold on to those happy frivolous memories, but