Missing in Miami

Chapter 20

Blake and I arrived at the station at the same time, the next morning. He held the door open as I walked inside.

He asked, “so, are you ready to go after Dwight today?”

I smiled, “hell, yes.”

Just as we were setting our bags down, Ollie came walking in, he was putting his bag down as well. Blake elbowed me and nodded his head toward Ollie.

I asked, “what?”

Blake said, “look at that dopey grin on the kid’s face.”

Ollie looked up, “hey guys, what’s up?”

I laughed, “It looks like someone had a good night.”

His grin got even dopier as he nodded, “sure did.”

Blake asked, “what the hell did I miss?”

I said, “right after you and Hannah left, so did Lucas and I, but Ollie and Andy decided to have one more drink.”

Ollie chuckled, “yeah, and we didn’t finish it.”

Blake looked confused, “what are you talking about?”

I asked, “your place or his?”

Ollie laughed, “mine was closer.”

I shook my head, “good for you Ollie, good for you.”

Ollie smiled, “thanks Ridge, it was great. You should see the size of his…”

Blake, finally realizing what we were talking about, held up his hand, “Jesus Christ, that’s enough.”

Ollie held up hands about a foot apart, “the only word that comes to mind is python.”

Blake rolled his eyes, “oh sweet Jesus, you ladies can compare your boyfriends, um, assets later. Ridge, don’t we have an interrogation to get ready for?”

I laughed, “yeah, I guess we do,” I turned to Ollie, “We’ll talk later.”

He grinned and nodded as he took his seat at his desk, Blake shook his head as he went to get some coffee.

Bill Taylor and I walked into the interrogation room, Blake, Ollie and the captain took their place in the observation room. Dwight and Robert Slocum were already seated at the table. Dwight looked as though he had aged ten years since we arrested him yesterday. He hadn’t bothered to pull his scraggly hair into his customary ponytail, and he had not shaved this morning.

Robert Slocum said, “good morning gentlemen, Dwight has agreed to answer all of your questions.”

I said, “thank you Mr. Slocum. Dwight, why don’t you tell us how this whole thing started.”

Dwight looked at his father, then at me and sighed, “about 5 years ago, a kid came into my office, he had been arrested for shoplifting at a grocery store. He was a homeless run away and just stole some fruit to eat. I was able to talk to the police and store manager, as long as the kid didn’t return to store, he could keep the fruit and the manger would drop the charges. I guess I sort of felt sorry for the kid, I knew he couldn’t pay me. He was dirty and hadn’t slept in a real bed for weeks, I took him to the Regency Hotel and rented him a room for the night. He took a shower while I waited in the outer room. He came out of the bathroom wrapped in just a towel, well, he offered to pay me for my helping him by throwing his towel to the floor. He was a great looking kid after he was cleaned up, and I guess I lost my head. After we finished, I bought him dinner and let him stay the night in the room, I left some money on the nightstand for him when I left. I figured that was the end of it, until a week later he showed up at my office and offered a repeat performance for a night in the hotel and some more cash. The next thing I knew, he was showing up around every two weeks. That’s when Howard Edwards noticed what was going on, we had drinks one night and he asked if the kid had any friends. That’s when the kid started bringing in all the other run aways he could find, and Edwards was inviting all his friends to the hotel. Edwards started to keep a cut of the money his friends were paying for sex. He talked me into sharing the cost of renovating the top floor of the hotel and we started to keep all the guys there. We built the theme rooms and clothed and fed the boys and in return they serviced our clients. One of the boys left one day, and we were worried that they would go to the police, so that’s when we started locking them in. We found out that one of our clients had recorded one of the sessions and posted it online. We did a little checking and found out that there was a big market for web shows, we recruited a few more guys. I had just bought the house in the country, so we moved some of the guys there and started the web cam shows. Edwards was more interested in having fun with the boys so, that’s when I basically took over running the operation. My law practice wasn’t bringing in much money at this time, any clients that I did get, weren’t able to pay me. My finances changed drastically when the web cam shows off, so that was when I purchased the second house and brought in more guys. About a year ago, Edwards decided he wanted to keep a couple of the guys for himself. That was when we set up the apartments on Lincoln Ave. To keep neighbors from becoming suspicious, I rented the entire floor, Edwards kept one of the apartments and I sublet the rest to some of our hotel clients. The next thing I knew, the hotel floor had customers on at least five nights a week, and we were posting daily web cam shows from one of the houses. The clients in the apartment paid us flat fee to keep the guy that they wanted, if they wanted to get a different boy, they had to pay the fee again. It was the easiest money that I ever made. About a year ago, I hired Chuck to help me run the day-to-day operations, he told me that Jesse wanted to help recruit new guys. Up until this point, we would only bring in a new guy, as we got rid of another. He did fine on the first few, but then he got lazy and started to bring us guys that he picked up in a bar or on a dating app. We had been so careful to find guys that wouldn’t be missed up to this point. Then Edwards let one of his guys go and find his own replacement without clearing it with me. I had no idea he had done that until I read that article in the paper that you were looking for those three guys. That’s when all hell broke loose, I told him to find Jesse and Tyler before the police did. The next thing I knew, Chuck had killed Edwards and I found out that Jesse and Tyler had drugged the guys they brought in. I found a couple more guys to look for Jesse and Tyler, as you know they found Jesse, but not Tyler.”

I just sat there in awe, trying to take in all that Dwight had just told us. I asked, “who were the guys that found Jesse?”

He shook his head, “I don’t know, I got their name from one of my former clients. I’m sure the phone number I have is for a burner phone that has long been thrown away.”

I asked, “are they still looking for Tyler?”

Dwight answered, “no, I told them to stop looking on the day you raided the house in the country.”

I was relieved that Tyler wasn’t in danger, I asked, “how did you pay them?”

He said, “I dropped the money at one of those office stores that you make copies at, ship packages and have mailboxes for small businesses to rent.”

I made some notes, “did you give the order to kill, Edwards, Jesse and Tyler?”

Dwight took a deep breath, “I told the two that I hired to make sure that Jesse and Tyler were never found. I told Chuck that I wanted to talk to Edwards, he said that Edwards started to fight back, and Chuck panicked.”

After another hour of questions, Bill Taylor and I were satisfied that we had enough information.

Robert Slocum looked totally disgusted with his son, he asked, “is there anything else you need to know detective Ridgeway?”

I shook my head, “I think I have everything I need, Mr. Slocum.”

Slocum turned to Bill Taylor, “Mr. Taylor, I don’t know what you have in mind, but I would like to make a proposal for a sentence.”

Bill nodded, “ok, I am ready to hear that.”

Robert Slocum handed Bill a sheet of paper, “this is a list of 40 young men that Dwight has told me that he used over that last 5 years. If you drop the assault and murder charges, we agree to a sentence of 1 year in prison for each of these young men. I believe that 40 years is a fair sentence.”

Bill looked over the list and handed it to me, he said, “very well Mr. Slocum, I will take that under advisement and give you an answer by the end of business today.”

I said, “wait, there are five names missing?”

Slocum asked, “who are they detective?”

I said, "Jesse Snyder, Tyler Pearson, and I don’t see Rob Wilcox, Joey Morris or Alex Fischer on here.”

Dwight sat up in his chair, “I’ll admit to Jesse and Tyler, but the other three were screw ups by Jesse and Tyler.”

I looked at Dwight, “but you are still responsible for them.”

Dwight said, “but I have…”

Robert Slocum said, “shut up Dwight, you will already be over 80 by time you get out of prison, I don’t think a few more years will really matter in the grand scheme of things.”

Dwight hung his head and sat back in defeat, realizing his father was right.

Slocum said, “add those names to the list detective, and Mr. Taylor, I look forward to your call.”

An officer came in and took Dwight back to his cell. We all walked out to the hall, the captain, Blake and Ollie joined us.

Robert Slocum said, “gentlemen, I don’t know what to say. I did my best to bring my kids up to be honest, hardworking adults, I succeeded with my other two, I just don’t know where I went wrong with Dwight.”

Captain said, “all we can do is our best sir, we never know how things will go.”

Slocum nodded, “you are so right captain, but I am determined to turn this into something positive. That is why I have had Dwight sign all of his assets over to me. I have already listed his home here in the city, his office and all three country houses for sale. With the money he had in the bank and all his property, there should be several million dollars. That money will be used to set up a foundation to help the type of young people that Dwight targeted. We will give each of the young men on that list, enough money to attend the college or trade school of their choice as well as getting them set up in a home of their own. I couldn’t help Dwight, but I sure as hell can help them get a new start.”

Bill Taylor said, “that is very generous of you sir, I am sure they will appreciate that, and I certainly will take that into consideration when recommending Dwight’s sentence.”

Robert Slocum continued, “we will also be paying for Jesse Snyders medical bills. Wayne Harding, along with a few investors, have taken over the Edwards Property Group. He has agreed to covert the top floor of the Regency to luxury suites and all the profits from that floor will be given to the foundation to help future run aways and sex trafficking victims. If you will help track all the young men on that list, we will make sure they are given the same opportunity.”

For the next week, Ollie and Blake went to work tracking down the victims that we didn’t have staying at the hotel.

We brought in a career counselor to meet with all the guys that were staying at the hotel. Several decided they wanted to move back to their hometowns and took a lump sum settlement. Some decided to stay in Miami and used their money to rent an apartment and they started working a job. I was pleased that most enrolled in a college or trade school, Wayne Harding’s company helped them all find a suitable place to live.

I sat down with Rob and Cory to explain their options regarding the money from the foundation that Robert Slocum was setting up.

Rob asked, “since I have finished college, can use the money for anything that I want detective Ridgeway?”

I nodded, “yes, do you have student loans to pay off?”

He shook his head, “no, I had scholarships and worked as I went to college. Can I use the money to get a better place to live?”

I smiled, “sure.”

He took Cory’s hand, “we can get out of that apartment, there is enough here for a downpayment on a house.”

Cory smiled, “that would be a great way to start things out, wouldn’t it?”

I asked, “what do you mean, start things out?”

Rob said, “Cory and I are getting married.”

I shook their hands, “congratulations guys, that is wonderful.”

Cory grinned, “thank you, it’s just going to be a small ceremony in Rob’s parent’s back yard. You, Blake and Ollie are all invited. You are welcome to bring Lucas along too.”

I smiled, “we will all be there.”

I gave Joey and Dylan the same information, they excitedly looked at each other.

Dlyan had a tear in his eye, “you mean I can go to nursing school, and it’s going to be paid for?”

Joey wiped the tear away, “see, I told you we would find a way.”

I said, “you can use the money to pay for your school too Joey.” I turned to Dylan, “I also talked to my boyfriend Lucas, he said you should go to the hospital, they will let you work there part-time while you go to classes, he will give you a good recommendation.”

Joey smiled, “I have convinced my parents to let me, and Dylan find our own place too. Mr. Harding called me and offered us the apartment that we were staying in. He is giving a reduced rent while we are in college, we move in this weekend.”

I shook each of their hands, “good luck guys, I know you will both do great. Let me know when you graduate, I want to come to the ceremony.”

Alex was all smiles as I told him that he could have his schooling paid for too.

He said, “I can’t thank you enough detective Ridgeway, I have decided to enroll in a youth counselling program.”

I said, “good for you Alex.” I turned to Omar, “what about you Omar, are you staying in Miami?”

He smiled, “yes detective, Alex helped me get a job as a server with him at his restaurant. I also want to enroll in college, it may take me a little longer to finish, but Alex is helping me get some financial aid. He is also helping me adjust to not being a prince.”

Alex grinned, “he is doing great detective, and we are moving into a new apartment, thanks to Mr. Harding. We will be neighbors to Joey and Dylan.”

 I asked Omar, “what will you be studying?”

He smiled, “Omar is studying forensic sciences.”

I chuckled, “then I will be working with you in a couple years, I am looking forward to it.”

Because of his severe injuries, Jesse was given a suspended sentence for his kidnapping charges. He is still in a rehab facility learning to talk and walk again, he still has a long road ahead of him.

The two thugs were given 5 years in prison for their role in Edwards death, they were given a lighter sentence for their testimony against Chuck and Dwight.

Chuck received 25 years, he also gave testimony against Dwight.

Bill Taylor agreed to the 45 years for Dwight that Robert Slocum had suggested. He was going to be a very old man when he would be released from prison. I had my doubts that Dwight would live that long, he was looking older every time I saw him over the last month.

I sat at my desk staring at the picture of Tyler hanging on my wall, how was I going to find him?

 

To be continued…