Текст книги "Detective Jason Strong: The Early Cases"

Автор книги: John C. Dalglish

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Текущая страница: 6 (всего у книги 21 страниц)

 

Chapter 9

Wade Duncan rifled through the file box in the bedroom. He knew the papers had to be in there. They kept all their important stuff in the fireproof box under the bed. Finally, he saw the folder marked ‘Adoption’ and pulled it out.

He was looking for the number of the lawyer’s office that had set up the adoption. He noticed that none of the adoption paperwork had a phone number, just the address of Johnson & Carr Legal Office. An odd fact they probably should have noticed before. He found the card that Zebulin Johnson had given him that day at the cemetery.

He dialed the number.

“The number you have reached is no longer in service. Please check the number and dial again.”

Wade did.

“The number you have reached…” He hung up and stared at the phone.

The gnawing feeling was getting stronger.

“What ya doing?”

He jumped when Katie spoke.

“You scared me! Oh, nothing.”

“Is that the adoption folder?”

“Yeah, I was looking for a picture of Jack taken when we first adopted him; I thought it might be in here.” He didn't like lying to Katie, but neither did he want to scare her.

After all, I might just be overreacting.

“You know all the photos are in the albums downstairs.”

“Oh, of course.”

Wade started putting everything back in the box. Katie gave him a weird look.

“Listen, I forgot to ask you, were you home earlier?”

“Not since I left for work. Why?”

“Well, mom came by and said the door was unlocked. She said she locked it when she left, but when I got home, it was unlocked again.”

He stopped what he was doing and looked at her.

“I'm sure I locked it this morning.”

“Well, mom swears she locked it when she left.”

Wade's stomach began to churn. The phone call and now this.

“I'll check the lock; maybe it's not closing all the way.”

Katie gave him a skeptical look.

“Okay, anyway, dinner's ready.”

“Great, be right down.”

He grabbed the business card from the lawyer’s office and stuck it in his wallet. He was going to get to the bottom of this.

****

Wade had a busy morning the next day and wasn't able to break free until almost one in the afternoon. He waved at Peggy.

“I'm going out to grab a bite, call me if anyone comes in.”

The receptionist was on the phone, but she gave him a nod and a smile.

Wade got in his car and headed downtown. The address on the card was in the older part of Springfield, and it took him fifteen minutes to get there. When he pulled up in front, he found a law office, but not the name he was looking for.

CRANE, STOOPS, & COLLINS

Attorneys-At-Law

Wade pulled out the card and stared at it. The address matched, but not the name. He wondered if it was just a name change.

He entered through double glass doors into a darkly paneled waiting room, dimly lit and complete with leather chairs. He crossed to the window as the glass slid open.

“Can I help you?” a smartly dressed receptionist asked. Her nameplate said ‘Beverly’. Blonde hair, thin build, brown eyes. She was probably forty-five, but Wade thought she could pass for thirty.

“Yes. I'm looking for an attorney.”

“Well, we have three very good ones here. What's the nature of your case?”

Wade gave her a sheepish smile.

“No…I'm sorry.”

“What I mean is that I'm looking for a particular attorney. His name is Zebulin Johnson.”

Beverly obviously didn't recognize the name.

“Well, sir, I've been here for 13 Years, and I don't think I've ever heard that name.”

“Has the firm been in this same location all that time?”

“Yes sir, in fact, they've been located here for nearly twenty Years. What was that name again?”

He handed her the card.

“Zebulin Johnson, red hair and beard, maybe three hundred and fifty pounds.”

“I don't remember anyone like that. Let me ask Joyce.”

Beverly went and asked the filing clerk in the next room. Wade couldn't hear them, but saw the woman shake her head. Beverly returned and handed him the card.

“I'm sorry. She didn't recognize the name, either.”

“Really? Okay, well, thanks.”

“I'm sorry I couldn't be more help. Have a nice day.”

She flashed him a beautiful smile.

Wade didn't feel like smiling, but he nodded. He was too stunned. She had confirmed what he suspected before he had even come in. Something wasn't right with Jack’s adoption.

What exactly they were involved in, he didn't know. The question now was: what to do next? He couldn't tell Katie, he didn't know how she would react. Maybe he could tell Shirley. He needed advice, but it couldn't be just anybody.

He called the office and told Peggy he would not be in the rest of the day.

“Everything all right?”

“Yeah...Yeah, fine. Just need to take care of something.”

He hung up and sat in his car. Summer was turning to fall, and the sky was gray, a light drizzle coming down. The weather matched his mood. He stayed there for a long time, just trying to figure out what to do next.

Nothing seemed to be the only choice, but nothing wouldn't give him any answers.

He started the car and called Shirley.

****

“Mom, can we have our dollar?” Jack asked.

“Yeah, mom, the truck is coming.” Jesse chimed in.

“Okay.” Katie left the pot she was stirring on the stove and retrieved her purse. She rummaged around until she found four quarters.

“Here, boys. Be careful.”

“Okay, mom,” they said in unison.

Katie smiled as she watched them scamper out the door. The weather would soon be too cold for ice cream, and the truck will stop coming around. She'd have to come up with a new treat for after school, maybe hot chocolate. She returned to her stirring.

****

The boys reached the truck just as the driver was preparing to leave. Jack waved and Tommy reopened the window.

“What'll it be, boys, the usual?”

Jack was just about to say ‘yes’ when he heard a voice behind him.

“What's the usual?”

Jack, Jesse, and Tommy all turned and looked at the stranger. Jack recognized him as the man named Michael who had shaken their hands at the grocery store.

“Ice cream sandwich for Jack and a fudgcicle for me,” Jesse answered.

“Really? Why don't we have something new today?”

“We only have a dollar,” Jack explained.

“My treat. Anything you want.”

Jesse's eyes got huge.

“I've never had an Explosion Cone! Can I have one of those?”

Jack knew they weren't supposed to talk to strangers, but they had met him before. Besides, he'd always wanted an Explosion Cone himself.

“I'd like one, too.”

Michael looked at Tommy with a big grin.

“Make it three…what was it?”

“Explosion Cone!” Jack and Jesse shouted together.

“Right, make it three, to go!”

Tommy doled out the three giant cones, Michael paid, and they walked off. Jesse was in heaven, attacking his ice cream in a frenzy. Jack paused his eating to thank Michael.

“That was real nice, mister. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome, and it was my pleasure. You boys get ice cream a lot?”

“Every day after school. If we've been good.”

“That's awful nice of your mom. You boys need a lift home?”

“No, thank you.”

Jack knew not to accept a ride, even if he had met Michael before.

“It's just a short walk. Bye, thanks again.”

“Bye, Jesse. Bye, Jack.”

Michael got in his car and watched the boys walk towards home. Jesse and Jack had just helped plan his next step.

****

Katie didn't see the boys come in, Jesse leading the way.

“Mom, look. We got Explosion Cones!”

Katie turned to look at them.

“Really, that's great. Wasn't that nice of Tommy?”

“Not Tommy…”

Jack cut in.

“The nice man from the grocery store bought them.”

Katie's face immediately turned dark, her voice rising.

“What man? You let a stranger buy you ice cream?”

“You remember. We shook his hand. His name is Michael.”

It took Katie a minute, but she did remember. She was still unhappy.

“You boys know not to talk to strangers, especially you, Jack.”

“We knew who he was.”

“He's still a stranger. Grandma Shirley is someone you know. Your soccer coach is someone you know. That man is still a stranger.”

Her voice held both anger and fear.

“Sorry, mom. I won't do it again.”

She could tell Jack was near tears.

“We promise.”

Katie took a deep breath and pulled him to her. She gave him a hug, holding on for a long time. She would have done the same with Jesse, but, as usual, he was wearing most of his ice cream. Katie and Jack both looked at him and started laughing at the same time.

Katie's anger disappeared, but the uneasy feeling was still there.

****

Shirley heard the phone ringing. Her hair was wet and she was wrapped in a towel. By the time she got to it, they had hung up. She looked at the number. Wade. She toweled off and got dressed. She was running a brush through her hair when it rang again. This time, she got there in time.

“Hello?”

“Shirley?”

“Yes. Hi, Wade. Everything all right?”

“Sure, Katie and the kids are fine. I'm calling about something else.”

Shirley put the brush down and sat on the end of the bed.

“Okay. What's up?”

“You remember the phone call I got at the soccer field the other day?”

She did.

“Yes.”

“Well, it wasn't about a deal.”

“I suspected as much. What was it?”

“It was some guy telling me that I had his son and he wanted him back.”

There was a long pause while Shirley let it sink in.

“Did you tell him he was mistaken?”

“Yeah...but he wouldn't listen. Finally, I just hung up.”

“Did you tell Katie?”

“No. I didn't want to scare her.”

 Shirley tried to reassure both herself and Wade.

“I'm sure it's nothing.”

 “There's more.”

Shirley caught her breath.

“To make sure I wasn’t just overreacting, I decided to call the attorney who set up Jack's adoption. The number was disconnected.”

Shirley didn't say anything; her mind was scrambling. She didn't like where this conversation was heading.

“So I went to the address on the lawyer's card. It was downtown, and there was a law office, but the name of the law office there didn't match.”

“Maybe they changed the name.”

“I thought the same thing, so I went inside. They've been there nearly twenty years and no one had heard of Zebulin Johnson.”

Wade stopped and Shirley's brain started running through logical possibilities until none could be found except for the one they were both afraid to say.

“What about the name, did it show up in the phone book?”

“I did a search on my laptop and couldn't find a Zebulin Johnson anywhere in the country, as a lawyer or otherwise.”

Shirley was quiet for a long time.

“Maybe you should call the police.”

Wade had apparently already considered that and ruled it out.

“What would I tell them? I couldn't think of an explanation that would make sense. And then they'd likely have a bunch of questions I don't have answers for.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I don't know yet, but until I do, not a word to Katie. I don't want her knowing about this until I can figure out how to handle it.”

“You know you can trust me. Let me know if I can help.”

“I will. I just needed someone to talk to. Thanks.”

He hung up.

Shirley laid the phone down and sat for what felt like hours, just running through the possible scenarios over and over in her head. She couldn't get any of them to come to a positive end. She hoped her son-in-law could think of something she hadn't.

 

Chapter 10

Detective Jason Strong had spent the last several days trying to find connections between the victims. He wasn't having any luck. He assumed that Michael had lost touch with reality. It also seemed likely that he somehow held all of these people responsible for what had happened to his son. Never mind that there was nothing to suggest that they even knew each other.

Sam Garner came into the conference room that Jason was using as a makeshift office. He was waving a stack of papers.

“Got something!”

“Really, what?”

“Phone records from Stan Turnbull's cell.”

Jason took them as Sam continued.

“They show several calls were made recently to a number in Texas.”

“Did you get an I.D. on the number?”

“Yeah. It belongs to a Benny Carter in Hondo, Texas.”

Jason sat back in his chair and whistled. Sam stared at him.

“You know the name?”

“Yes. He was the torture-murder victim that led me to check out Michael Barton in the first place.”

It was Sam's turn to whistle.

“No kidding? And Stan Turnbull was trying to reach him.”

“Yes. That makes the connection between Texas and Missouri, but it doesn’t tell us why they were in contact.”

Sam was nodding.

“It seems to settle the question of whether or not we're on the right track.”

Jason tossed the phone records onto the table.

“I think so, but it still doesn't give us a next step. What did these people have to do with Michael Barton?”

Sam took off his hat and wiped his brow.

“Maybe he thinks they stole his son. You know, some type of conspiracy.”

Jason realized that if Sam was right, he could be on the path to solving the biggest case of his life. The Barton kidnapping still haunted him. He couldn't imagine what it would feel like to have the answers after ten years. He also realized that Michael may just be a madman, blaming anyone for his pain, and these people had nothing to do with it.

“It's possible. He may think that, but that doesn't make it true. At least, not to us. To Michael, it may seem undeniable. If that's the case, it makes him very dangerous.”

****

It was a few days before Katie allowed them to go to the ice cream truck, partly as punishment, and partly because of her own worries.

Jesse came up behind her.

“Mom, can we have our dollar today?”

“All right. First, tell me what the rule on strangers is.”

“Don't talk to anyone who has never been to our house.” Jack intoned.

It was the new rule. The revision had come from their dad when he found out what had happened. Dad had seemed even more upset than mom.

Jack and Jesse got on their bikes and headed down the road. The ice cream truck was there, and they could see Tommy waiting for them. They rode up and got off, laying their bikes in the grass.

“Hi, guys. Haven't seen you two in days.”

“We got in trouble.” Jack explained.

“I figured it was something like that. The usual?”

“Nope. I want an ice cream sandwich, like Jack.”

Jack turned and looked at his brother, then back at Tommy.

“Okay. Make it two sandwiches, please.”

Jack paid and the boys said goodbye. Tommy helped some other kids while the brothers settled in the grass to eat.

Jack was done first, and got on his bike.

“Come on, Jesse. Let's go.”

Jesse seemed to be trying to decide whether to eat the remaining ice cream or wear it. Wearing it finally won out when Jesse scrambled to catch up to his big brother.

Jack looked over his shoulder and saw Jesse gaining on him. He also saw a truck coming up from behind Jesse, and it was gaining fast. Before Jack could react, the truck had overtaken Jesse and clipped his back tire.

Jesse catapulted into the air, his bike spinning out from under him. The truck sped away, barely missing Jack, as Jesse landed awkwardly on the sidewalk.

Jack screamed, dropped his bike and ran back to his brother. Jesse's arm lay at a strange angle. Blood was coming from his knee and the back of his head. He wasn't moving.

“Jesse! Jesse!”

His brother didn't answer. Jack started to cry. He looked up and saw Tommy running towards him with his cell phone at his ear.

“Jack, go get your mother!”

Jack didn't move.

“Jack! Jack!” Tommy waited until Jack focused on him. “Go get your mother, now!”

Instantly, Jack was running. He was running faster than he ever had. He raced to get to his mother.

 She can fix it, she has to.

He nearly tripped coming through the door.

“Mom! Mom!”

He was screaming and crying all at the same time.

His mom was upstairs putting away laundry and he didn't hear her fly down the stairs.

“Jack! Jack, here I am.”

Jack had gone in the kitchen looking for her. He came back into the living room and found his mother. He ran at her and when she went to hug him, he ducked her arms, instead grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the door.

“Come on! Jesse got hit by a truck!”

Katie stopped so suddenly that she nearly jerked Jack off his feet.

“What?”

Jack was still pulling at his mother's hand.

“Down the street. Come on, mom!”

His mom finally began to move when they heard a siren in the distance. She picked up Jack and ran.

****

Michael had barely missed Jack in the effort to get away, so he couldn't tell how badly Jesse was hurt. He knew he had clipped his bike and he had seen the boy fly up in the air. He was still shaking from nearly hitting Jack. Tammy would have been terrified to see how close he had come to their son.

He drove several blocks before pulling around the corner and into a parking lot behind an apartment building. He stepped out of the truck, wiped the steering wheel down, and strode over to his car. Heading back to the motel, he cruised past the accident scene.

An ambulance was there, along with two police cars. The officers were talking to the ice cream truck driver while the EMTs were loading a gurney into the back of the ambulance. The little body on it wasn't moving. Michael smiled to himself.

“How does it feel?” he said out loud. “How does it feel?”

As he drove off, Michael decided he deserved a nice dinner and maybe even a glass of wine. His and Tammy's favorite wine. He was in a very good mood.

****

Katie reached Wade at the office and told him what happened. He was on his way to the hospital before he hung up. She had not given him much detail, but she'd said that Jesse was unconscious when he was loaded into the ambulance. When he arrived at the hospital, he parked as quickly as he could, and dashed for the ER doors.

Out of breath, he came through the doors to find his mother-in-law coming towards him.

“How is he?”

“They're doing a CT scan to check for brain damage. He has a broken arm and they put stitches in his knee. They're mainly worried about the blow to his head when he landed. He has a concussion, but hopefully no worse.”

He was looking past her, down the hall.

“Where are Katie and Jack?”

“In the waiting room. Wade, before we see them, is it possible that this could be connected to the “situation” we were talking about?”

“What makes you say that?”

“The officer at the scene told me they found the truck that hit Jesse.”

“And? Did they catch the guy?”

“No, in fact, he said the truck was reported stolen.”

“Stolen?!”

Wade hadn't considered the possibility that the accident wasn't an accident. The thought chilled him. He would worry about that later.

“I don't know. Right now, I just want to see Katie.”

“Okay, she's in here.”

They went into the waiting room where they found Katie, her eyes red from crying, with Jack. He was sitting on the floor in front of her and she was whispering something to him. When she saw Wade, she got up, hugged him and started to cry all over again.

“Our baby. You should have seen him, it was awful.”

“It's okay, babe. He's in good hands now.”

He looked over at Jack.

“Hey, Sport. How ya doing?”

Jack got up and came over to his dad.

“It's my fault, dad. I didn't wait for him.”

Wade picked his son up and held him.

“It's not your fault. It's the fault of the man who hit him.”

“But what if he dies?”

Jack was sobbing now.

“Jack, look at me.”

Wade put his son down and crouched so that they were eye-to-eye.

“The doctors are going to take good care of your brother. I don't want you thinking things like that, okay?”

Jack nodded. Wade walked him over to a chair and sat next to him.

“Can you tell me what happened?”

Jack replayed the events for his father. Wade's heart broke when he pictured Jack bending over Jesse, screaming his brother's name.

“Did you recognize the man who drove the truck?”

Jack shook his head.

“The policeman asked me the same thing, but it was moving too fast.”

Wade saw the doctor coming into the room.

“Mr. and Mrs. Duncan?”

“Yes?”

“We have the results of the CT scan. It appears that you have a very lucky little boy. He has a concussion, but nothing worse”

At the same time, Wade, Katie, and Shirley let out a huge sigh of relief.

“Is he okay?”

It was Jack.

Shirley hugged her grandson.

“Yes, he's going to be all right.”

It was Jack's turn to smile.

“Can I see him?”

The doctor smiled down at Jack.

“Sure, room 219. He's still very groggy, but you can go up and see him.”

The doctor turned to Wade.

“We'll need to keep him for a couple days for observation.”

“A couple days?”

“Yes, with young children and this kind of trauma, we would prefer to watch him for two nights, at least.”

Wade spoke for all of them.

“Thanks, doc. Thank you very much!”

****

Jesse was starting to come around when they got to his room. There were hugs from everyone and Jack took up a position right next to his brother. Wade smiled down at his son.

“So, Sport, How ya feeling?”

“Okay, but my head hurts.”

He tried to lift his arm to touch his head and realized that he was using the cast side. Jesse looked confused, and his face made everyone break into laughter. Just then, he acted as if something important had occurred to him.

“Am I going to miss Jack's birthday party?”

Even Katie appeared surprised. The next day was Jack's tenth birthday, and they had a party planned.

“Well, I don't know.”

“Can we have it here?”

It was Jack who said it, and it only took Wade a minute to decide.

“I don't see why not, if the hospital gives the okay.”

Katie looked at her oldest son.

“Your friends won't be able to come, Jack.”

“That's okay. I'd rather celebrate with Jesse.”

Wade, Katie, and Shirley all looked at each other. It was a good idea, and they had never been prouder of Jack. Wade made the pronouncement.

“Okay, then. It's settled. I'll check with the nurses and if they're okay with it, I'm okay with it.”

“Me, too!” Jesse flinched. “Ow. My head!”

They laughed in spite of themselves.

****

Michael had missed the TV news the night before. His glass of wine turned into several glasses of Jack Daniels. He could feel every one of them this morning. He went to a local diner for breakfast and picked up the newspaper on the way in. There, on the front page of the Springfield News-Leader, was a picture of the accident with the headline:

“POLICE LOOKING FOR HIT AND RUN DRIVER”

His waitress came up to the table.

“What can I get you?”

“Coffee and scrambled eggs.”

“Toast or biscuit?”

“Toast. Grape jelly, please.”

“Okey-dokey,” she said, and was gone.

Michael read the news story for the accident.

 

“Springfield police are searching for the driver of a stolen pick-up who was responsible for a hit and run accident in southwest Springfield on Thursday. The green eighties pick-up was discovered about a mile from the scene. It had been reported stolen earlier in the day.”

“The victim was a seven Year old child whose name has not been released. A police spokesman said the child was in stable condition at a local hospital.”

Michael read the last line again. All of a sudden, he wasn't in such a good mood. It was not his intention to leave the kid alive.

The waitress arrived with his coffee.

“Food will be out in a minute.”

He ignored her.

“Police are seeking anyone who may have witnessed the accident. A source close to the investigation said that there was not a suspect at this time.”

 

Michael’s eggs arrived, but his appetite was gone. He nibbled on a piece of toast while he ran the events of the previous day through his mind. He decided not to worry that the boy had survived, he had still accomplished his purpose. The hospital or the morgue, it didn't matter. Jesse was out of the house.

The coffee had not helped his head, and he needed to kill some time, so it seemed a nap was in order. He paid and headed back to the room. Along the way, he stopped at Jiffy Mart, picking up some aspirin and a new disposable cell phone. He needed the aspirin now, but more importantly, he needed a new number. He didn't want to get sloppy, and using the same phone too many times was sloppy.

****

Jason Strong checked in with Lieutenant Patton and brought him up to speed on the new developments.

“We've made the connection between Texas and Missouri, but we're at a standstill. Michael Barton's picture is in all patrol cars and I've addressed both day and night shift patrols.”

“Well, Detective Layne is covered up, and I'm getting to the point of needing you back here.”

“I need more time, Lieutenant. I know it's Michael Barton, and we will find him.”

“How about the media, any help there?”

“We have the picture being shown on newscasts starting tonight. Sam Garner and I will be handling the tip line.”

“All right, Jason. I won't pull the plug yet, but time is running out. You may just have to leave it to the Springfield police. Am I clear?”

“Yeah, John. I appreciate it. Bye.”

****

Shirley and Katie were waiting for Jack after school.

“Put your backpack away and then we can leave.”

“Okay, mom. Where's dad?”

“He's picking something up and meeting us there.”

“Okay.”

When Jack came back down from his room, they went out to the car. Jack carried plastic forks and paper plates. His mom carried the cake. Grandma Shirley was toting a balloon bouquet that proclaimed ‘GET WELL SOON’.

The trip to hospital took less than fifteen minutes, and when they pulled up, they found Wade waiting for them in the parking lot.

“You get the packages?” Katie asked.

“Right here.”

He reached into the trunk and pulled out two brightly wrapped boxes. One was wrapped in ‘Happy Birthday’ paper, and the other said ‘Get Well Soon’. The presents appeared to be the same size. Jack's eyes lit up.

“One of those for me?”

Wade laughed.

“Yeah, can you guess which one?”

“Very funny!” Jack rolled his eyes. “Let's go, I want to see Jesse.”

They headed off as a group, each with their own package to carry. When they got up to Jesse's floor, Katie left the cake at the nurse’s station.

Jesse looked pretty much the same as he had the day before, except much more awake.

“Happy Birthday, Jack.”

“Thanks, Jesse. You should see the cake, it's a football field.”

“When can we have it?”

Katie smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“Soon. How's your head?”

“Better, not as achy.”

“Well, I talked to the doctor this morning and he said you will be going home tomorrow.”

Shirley poked her grandson.

“Bet you wish it was today, don't you?”

“Yeah, it's borrrring here.”

Wade laughed.

“Sounds like he is feeling much better! Should we open presents?”

“Yes!” Jack and Jesse said together.

Wade handed the box with the birthday wrapping to Jack. Inside was a shiny, new bike helmet. Not what he expected.

“A bike helmet?”

“Yup, you boys are wearing them from now on.”

Jack was quiet for a moment until his mom touched him on the nose.

“Hey, you’re not done. Look in the box.”

Jack set the helmet down and looked back in the box. Lying taped to the bottom was an envelope.

“What's this?”

“I don't know, maybe you should open it.”

Jack pulled the envelope loose and opened it. Inside was a photograph of a brand new Mongoose bike.

“Cool. Whose is it?”

Wade ruffled Jack's hair.

“It's yours! It's waiting for you at home.”

Jack lit up. “Awesome!”

He showed the picture to Jesse.

“Cooool!”

Jack got up and hugged his parents.

“Thank you, It's amazing!”

“Here.” Katie handed Jesse the other box. “This is for you.”

His mom helped him open his box, as he was one handed at the moment, and the result was the same.

“A bike helmet? But my bike is broken.”

“Not anymore, Jack's old bike is yours.”

“The Black Rocket!?”

Jesse had always loved his big brother's bike.

“That's right; Jack has to have a riding partner, doesn't he?”

“Awesome!” the two boys said in unison.

“Wade, will you go light the candles and bring the cake in?”

“Sure.”

****

Wade picked up the package of candles and went to the nurse’s station.

He was putting them on the cake when his phone rang.

“Hello?”

“This Wade Duncan?”

“Yes, who is this?”

“My name is not important. Do you want to know why I ran your son down?”

Wade turned away from the nurse's station.

“You bastard! Why are you doing this?”

“If you want answers, meet me on the top level of the car park at Hammon's Hall. Eight o'clock. And if I see a cop…if I even think I get a whiff of a cop…I'll be gone.”

The line went dead. Wade stood looking at the phone.

“Wade?”

It was Katie.

“Yeah…oh, hey.” He struggled to gather himself.

“What's taking so long?”

“Oh, nothing…the candles are being stubborn. I'm on the way.”

“Okay…hurry up!”

She ducked back into the room. Wade looked at his watch. 6:00. He lit the candles and followed her.

“Happy Birthday to you...” he sang, and everyone, including the nurses, joined in.

When everyone had had their fill of cake, Wade took Katie aside.

“I need to go back to the office.”

“Tonight? Why?”

He shrugged his shoulders.

“I'm showing the Garner property to a couple from out of town.”

“But it's Jack's birthday. Can't you meet them tomorrow?”

“They're leaving town in the morning. You know what a big check that sale would be.”

She did. Wade had told her about the listing, but that didn't lessen her annoyance.

“Why are you just telling me now?”

“I didn't want to ruin the mood. The appointment is at 8:00 and I shouldn't be too long.”

She wasn't happy, but she knew trying to dissuade him was pointless.

“Fine.”

Wade was not about to tell her the truth. She would forbid him from going, and would insist on calling the police. That was not an option until he knew what was going on.

By seven o'clock, it was clear that Jesse was running out of steam, and Jack was anxious to see his new bike. They hugged Jesse and made their way out to the parking lot.

“Call me if you’re going to be very late.” Katie said to Wade. Shirley looked at Wade with an enquiring look.

“You’re not coming back to the house?”

“No, got an appointment.”

Wade was careful not to meet her gaze. She had ridden with Katie, so she couldn't lag behind to ask more questions, and he didn't want to provide any answers.

By the time they left, it was 7:30 and Wade headed directly across town to Hammon's Hall.