Chemical Attraction (21 page)

David panicked. His hands were getting tired from holding on to the ledge. He pulled out his cell. In one motion, he used his feet to boost his body above the ledge and broke the window with the end of his phone. He cut his wrist. Throwing his body off balance, he dropped the six feet to a roof overhang. He slid and found himself gripping the edge. Blood from his wrist dripped into his face. He couldn’t remember what was directly below him. He’d soon find out, he thought, as he lost his grip.

Matt grabbed his gun belt. He was out the door before Joe got out of the car. “She’s at the Hartford. David just called me. Let’s go.”

Joe raced through town and hit the curb in front of the building, just missing the fire hydrant. He jumped out and headed for the kitchen door while Joe climbed the side toward the window.

Matt kicked in the door and ran for the steps. He slowed as he reached the top floor. Seeing a light from the room in the area David had mentioned, he listened to Larry Murphy tell Eva what he wanted to do to her. Hearing glass break, he kicked in the door. Eva angled her body and thrust her foot into Larry’s groin. He doubled over onto the floor. Matt jumped on him and stuck his gun in his face.

“One move and I swear I will not hesitate.”

He cuffed him roughly. He looked at his wife sitting on the floor. With tears in her eyes, she held out her hands. He hurried to untie them and took the rag from her mouth. She reached out and hugged him tight.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” he said into her hair.

“Who broke the glass window?”

“What?” he asked, looking at the broken window. “He didn’t do that?”

She shook her head. He saw a trail of blood. It started at the ledge and ended with fingers gripping the edge of the roof. Before he took another step to the window, the fingers disappeared.

“No!” he yelled. Leaving Larry moaning, he picked up his wife and swiftly descended the narrow stairway to the front of the building.

Joe climbed the tree to the lower roof. He heard movement but couldn’t see past the middle roof sections. As he reached for the next level, he heard a window break and a thump above him. Looking up, he saw David dangling. He held onto the window’s iron bar and grabbed David’s arm as he fell.

“Hang on, I’ve got you.” He felt the iron bar give slightly. The blood on his arm made him loose his grip and David slid down farther.

“I can’t hold on,” David said.

“Swing him this way!” Madeline yelled from a wider part of the roof to the right. She put her gun back into her purse and slung it across her body.

“Catch him the first time. This bar’s giving out.”

Breathing heavily, he strained to keep his hold and swung him. David reached out with his other hand. Madeline grabbed it and then the rest of him. They fell backward and slid, stopping short of the overhang’s edge. The iron bar gave away. Joe bounced down the lower roof and jumped for the tree. Crashing through the first three branches, he finally stopped himself.

“Joe, what are you doing up there?” Eva asked, still in Matt’s arms. He pointed to David and Madeline on the roof.

“We’re okay, but David has a nasty cut on his wrist. Uh, guys, how much do you want the sheriff to know?” Madeline asked, seeing the county car coming down the street.

“Absolutely nothing, you and Joe hit the road. David don’t move. You either,” Matt said to his wife, holding her closer.

Joe scrambled to the ground. Madeline dropped to the steps and they ran for the boardwalk behind the Hartford.

The sheriff drove to where Matt held Eva. “What did I tell you, Matt?”

He glared. “Larry Murphy is still in the top area dressing room with cuffs on.”

“He’s the one who grabbed you?” the sheriff asked. Eva nodded and laid her head on Matt’s shoulder. “What the hell is David doing up there?”

“Listen, Sheriff. He found his mother with no help from us. You lock that bastard up. In the morning, you can take our statements. For now, I’m taking my family home,” he stated in no mood for an argument.

“Honey,” Eva whispered as the sheriff left to get her abductor, “put me down and help our son.”

“Yes, dear.” After gently setting her down, he lowered their son to the ground and immediately looked at the slice on his wrist. Eva stiffly limped to them. She wrapped his wrist with his outer shirt to help stop the bleeding. “I think you’re going to need some stitches. We should go to the ER.”

“No,” David said, “won’t they ask questions?”

“That’s true, but I think both of you need to be checked out by a doctor,” Matt replied.

“I’m fine,” Eva said.

“Then Mom can do it at home.” David sat in the backseat while Matt looked at his battered wife.

“Please take me home,” she said, hobbling to the car.

He helped her get in then drove home. When his cell rang, he handed it to her.

“Hey, babe, are you okay?” Joe asked.

“Yeah, thanks for your help.” She sighed.

“Let me talk to your hero.”

She handed Matt the phone. “Yeah?” Matt said.

“I’ve got some important stuff in my car. Lock it up tight. Does Eva know him?”

“Larry Murphy.”

“Where’s he live?”

Matt asked David, then relayed the address to Joe. “It’s 141 River Street … and I don’t want to know.”

“Just curious,” Joe replied. “We’ll come over tomorrow.”

“The sheriff is coming in the morning to take our statements. Make sure he’s gone first.”

“Right, and you’d better have a talk with Junior.”

“Oh yes,” he said, looking at David in his rearview mirror, “we’ll be discussing his irresponsible actions for hours.” He hung up and pulled into the garage next to his wife’s car.

“What do you mean?” Eva asked.

He helped her from the car. “I’ll fill you in after you stitch him up.”

David grimaced.

“Is she all right?” Madeline asked as they trudged up the stairs to her apartment.

“She’s putting on a good front. Maybe she’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Joe replied, looking at his hands and shirt.

“Is that your blood?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” he replied. “You shower, then I’ll jump in.”

The adrenaline stopped pumping through her body. Joe looked just as beat. Ten minutes later, he came out in a towel. Bruises and cuts from the branches covered his upper body. “Oh dear, I’ve got a first aid kit around here somewhere,” she said.

He boyishly sat on the edge of her bed while she put ointment on his cuts and Band-Aids on the serious ones. His love for his family touched her deeply.

“I gotta check out this guy’s house. I could use your back-up,” he whispered.

“You want to go tonight?”

“We need some type of lead and who knows when the sheriff will do it.” He slowly put on his dirty shirt and jeans. “This is way past personal.”

Staying out of sight, at midnight they walked toward the north side of town. She led the way. She knew the street and they quickly found the house. Joe checked each window of the plain one-story house and its empty carport. She observed the neatly trimmed hedge and mowed grass. Without flowers or lawn ornaments, she thought it missed a woman’s touch.

The humidity caused the unlocked door to stick, so Joe gave it a firm shoulder hit. Cringing at the noise, they stepped into the kitchen and turned on their flashlights. She wondered if anyone actually lived here. The place had the stark white walls, empty countertops, and scant furniture. A card table, four duct-taped folding chairs, and empty beer bottles in the sink showed the most recent signs of life.

In the living room, two Lazy Boys reclined in front of a twenty-five inch TV with stacks of newspapers around the floor. They walked farther down the hall. The pale yellow bathroom displayed deodorant, shaving gel, and a pack of disposable razors on the back of the toilet. She had the feeling that they just moved in or someone had just moved out taking a bunch of their stuff. In Brad’s room, rapper posters papered all four walls.

Joe moved into the master bedroom. The room had a queen-size mattress and box springs on the floor with a TV/DVD combination on a TV tray. Larry had a rickety dresser and a pressboard bookshelf filled with movies. While Joe checked them out, Madeline looked around the room. The walls were the same plain white except for a poster above the TV. In the dark, it looked like a large black hole. She walked closer. Shining her flashlight on the red and black poster, she saw one of those hidden 3-D pictures that can’t be seen unless your eyes are crossed a certain way. Noticing a tear in the center, she put her finger on it for a better look at the design. Her finger pressed through the poster and past plaster to hit a piece of glass.

“Joe, look at this.”

He peeled it back. In a twelve inch square, a camcorder was aimed at the bed with two DVDs next to it. He took out the disc from the recorder and handed all of them to her. She put them into her purse. Hearing the carport door slam shut, they looked down the hall to see Brad set a sack on the kitchen counter. As Brad put the six-pack of root beer in the fridge, they looked around for a way out. The carport and back doors were in the kitchen. The front door opened in view of that area, so they waited. Brad finally went into his room and slammed the door. They quickly left through the side door, leaving it ajar. Holding hands, they walked back to her apartment, too exhausted to talk.

“Oh, David, that was so dangerous,” Eva said as they sat at the kitchen table.

“I didn’t want dad to get in trouble and I don’t trust the sheriff either.”

“David, we brought you in on this because we are a team. We share information. You could have been severely hurt if Joe hadn’t caught you, not to mention cutting an arm off from the glass,” Matt replied.

“Don’t ever go off like that again. Do you understand me?” Eva said firmly.

David stared at the table. “I saw what he was going to do and you just lay there.”

“Your mom fought him. She waited for the right time,” Matt replied. Eva sobbed into her hands.

“I’m sorry, Mom.” Crying, David knelt beside her. “I’m sorry for everything. Don’t be mad, please.”

She hugged her son. “I love you both. I’m just so scared.”

They finished their discussion on what the sheriff would and wouldn’t know during tomorrow’s interview. David left for bed while Eva took a shower. Afterward, she wrapped herself in a towel. Matt clenched his fists tighter and stared at the bruises on her arms, legs, and torso.

“Matt, he beat me. You and David stopped him from anything worse. I’m sore but fine.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here to protect you,” he whispered.

She hugged him tight. “I don’t think he was working alone. I’m afraid for all of us.”

SUNDAY

AT NINE-THIRTY, DAVID PUSHED OPEN their bedroom door with his hip, carrying a tray with coffee and juice.

“What’s this about?” Matt asked as he and Eva sat up against the headboard.

David set the tray down by Matt. “I thought you’d want some coffee before the sheriff got here.”

“How’s your wrist this morning?” Eva asked.

“It aches, and my body’s stiff,” he replied, plopping down in the chair.

“I think everyone’s feeling that way this morning,” Eva said.

Matt handed her a cup of coffee and passed a glass of orange juice over for David. “What did you use to break that window?” he asked, leaning back.

“My cell phone which, by the way, isn’t working now.”

“I’m proud of you for figuring out where I was, but don’t for a minute think you’ll get away with going off on your own again,” Eva said.

“I won’t. I promise.”

“And if I know your uncle, you’ll be getting another lecture. He won’t like the fact that you weren’t a team player,” Eva warned.

David had looked up to Joe even before he knew his profession. If anyone could get through to him about the seriousness of his actions, it would be Eva’s brother. David kissed her cheek, then left the room. “Joe should be hard on David,” Matt said.

“Maybe words from someone other than parents will leave a lasting impression. I hope my brother has some ideas about this case, because we’re all out in the open now.”

Coming out of the bathroom, Joe watched Madeline sleep. He’d slept fitfully; she barely moved. Still tired, he climbed back under the sheet and tried to relax. Lying on his back with his hands behind his head, his mind raced with worry. He rehashed the last week. They needed to play defense while continuing their offensive.

Stretching, Madeline turned onto her side to face him. She caressed his abdomen, kissed his chest, and hugged him. He felt an overwhelming need to love and protect her.

“I’ll fix us something to eat. You want to look at those DVDs, right?”

He pushed his conflicting emotions for her aside. “I’m hoping it’s something important … it must be, for him to keep those hidden,” he replied, watching her walk across the room wrapped in the sheet.

While she showered, he stuck the first disc into her player. After angling the TV toward the bed, he sat down with the remote. The first disc showed Larry having sex with some woman. Cringing, he pressed fast-forward, creating quick humping actions. Her tan athletic body against Larry’s huge flabby one looked disgusting and wrong.

From the bathroom doorway in a pink tank top and boxers, Madeline towel dried her hair. “So what’s on it?”

“It’s a sex tape. The pervert videoed himself with a woman,” he replied, taking out the first one and putting in the next.

Madeline observed Joe’s openness. She could never parade around naked like that. He didn’t flaunt his body; he just didn’t think about it. His confident attitude settled her nerves even if he made his plans up as he went. While she dumped water into her eight-cup coffee pot, he pushed play.

“His technique isn’t very good, but she seems to enjoy it.” He turned up the volume, so she could hear her moans.

“She’s faking,” she replied, reaching for a mixing bowl from her cupboard.

“She is not. I can tell.”

She grinned. “Are you sure you can tell?”

“Hey, is that a complaint?” he asked, pressing fast-forward again.

“Not from me.” She grabbed a box of Jiffy blueberry muffin mix. After preparing them and setting the timer, she joined him.

Joe stopped and ejected the DVD. Putting the third one in, he sat next to her. “You watch this and you’ll see how great I really am,” he said before hitting the play button.

She kissed his cheek. “I already know. Besides, I don’t have much to compare you to.” She realized what she’d said and jumped off the bed. “I better check the muffins.” With ten minutes left on the timer, she washed the dirty dishes and set out a couple plates. She did everything she could not to go back.

Smiling, Joe wondered if she would eventually say something more about it. She’d tell him when she was ready, he thought. He continued to fast-forward the third DVD of Larry and the same woman, stopping occasionally to listen. “You’re right. She does look bored,” he said as Madeline handed him coffee and blueberry muffins with melted butter. “These smell great.” He stuffed half into his mouth.

“See, I can follow directions.”

As she focused on the TV, the screen switched to a close up of Larry talking into the camera. Joe grabbed the remote and backed it up. Larry’s voice blared at them.

“Uh, this is Larry Murphy and if, uh, something happens to me, well, then, I guess I’ll be dead. I don’t want my kid to think I’m a total fuck-up, so I want it on the record that this isn’t my idea. I have no beef with the chief.” Hearing the kitchen door open, Larry stopped talking for a minute. He stood and looked out the door. “Oh, hey,” he said to the person in the hallway, “I’m just hanging out getting ready for Saturday. Yeah, I know where to stash her.”

The camera caught the side view of Larry, but they couldn’t hear or see his visitor. Larry left the bedroom while the DVD continued to record. A few minutes later, he returned to the camera. Before shutting it off, Larry mumbled, “Fuck him and his red tie.”

Joe scanned backward and pushed pause with Larry’s face staring at them. “What the hell did we just see?” he asked, setting his coffee on the floor.

“Was he talking about Eva’s kidnapping? What does that mean, Joe?”

“It confirms that he didn’t work alone. We’re in some deep shit. We’ll tell Matt about the video, but I don’t think we should show him. He’ll hit the roof.”

They watched that section two more times, then walked to Sylvia’s B & B. He wanted to change before heading to his sister’s place. Madeline couldn’t find Sylvia anywhere in the house. She frantically checked upstairs. “Did someone take her?”

“There’s no forced entry and her things aren’t disturbed. Where would she go at ten in the morning?”

Madeline looked at the calendar in the kitchen and blew out a breath. “Of course, it’s Sunday; she’s probably in church.” After he showered, she sat on the bed and watched him dress.

“You keep staring at me like that and I won’t be able to zip my pants.” He laughed as her face turned red. He leaned down and kissed her. “Did you bring your phone with you?”

“Yeah, here.”

“We can’t be worrying about Sylvia and David while we figure out this case. It’s too distracting, but I’ve got an idea,” he said, punching in numbers. “Hey, Stuart, how’s my new nephew?”

“He’s great. What’s going on?”

He paced the Blue Room. “What do you mean? I’m checking in with my family.”

“Yeah, okay, you’ve checked in. Now, what’s going on?”

He sighed. “We have a serious situation over here.”

“What do you need?”

“Can David and a friend of mine stay with you for a few days?”

“Of course, Lily would love to see David, but who’s the friend? Your girlfriend?”

“No, actually it’s her aunt. Listen, Stuart. Someone abducted Eva last night. We got her back, but David and Sylvia need a safe house.”

“Shit, Joe, is she okay? What are you into?”

“She’s safe now, and I can only say that it’s dangerous,” he replied.

“All right, do you want me to come and get them?”

“No, I’ll have David drive. I’ll call you when they leave.”

“It’ll be crowded, but we’ll manage.”

“I think Sylvia will be a big help to Taylor,” he replied.

“Will David go?” Madeline asked, taking back her phone.

“I’ll throw him in the trunk if I have to.”

To kill time while the sheriff was still at Matt and Eva’s house, Madeline and Joe window shopped through downtown Allenton. For a brief moment, she enjoyed holding hands with her boyfriend as they peered at the various displays. She pointed out a cute stuffed Saint Bernard puppy in the City News Stand’s window. Turning to Joe, she saw him watching every passing car, every person on the sidewalk, and every doorway. Sobering instantly, she suggested that they head for Eva’s now. Slight tension eased his body as they walked swiftly down the side streets. Within a block of the house, the sheriff passed them in his county car. Matt had parked his cruiser in the driveway. Joe’s Taurus shared the garage with Eva’s car.

Once inside, Joe quietly walked to the front bay window and shut the curtains. He met David by the slider. “Go around and make sure all the windows are locked and the shades are drawn.”

“I know the windows are locked. Dad and I checked them last night.”

“Double check, and close the curtains. I don’t want anyone looking in,” Joe said. David jumped at the command.

“Matt’s rechecking the gate to the backyard,” Eva said.

Joe and Madeline followed Eva into the kitchen. Joe pulled the shade down over the sink. Turning to his sister, he saw her swollen, purple jaw. “Damn,” he said, opening his arms. “I’m sorry, babe.”

“I know,” Eva whispered, hugging him back. Matt came in through the slider and nodded at the drawn curtains.

“How’d it go with the sheriff?” Joe asked, still holding Eva.

Matt shrugged. “I told him I wanted to talk with that bastard on Monday.”

Joe let Eva go and leaned on the kitchen counter. “He’s going to let you?”

“I didn’t give him a choice.”

David walked into the kitchen with everyone standing around the room. “So what’s for lunch?”

“What do you want?” Joe asked him.

“Pizza?” David asked, looking at Eva, who nodded.

“Let me get some stuff out of my car,” Joe said, then turned to David. “You will go with me to get the food.”

Joe’s firm voice made David twitch. Joe took his duffel bag and laptop out of the trunk. Madeline grabbed her notes from under the front seat, then handed Joe her cell. “I’ll charge yours while you’re gone.”

He set his stuff on the cement floor and slipped it into his pocket. “You’re a great partner.”

“Professionally?”

“That, too.” Putting his hands on the sides of her face, he raised her chin and kissed her. Hearing the screen door open, they turned to see David with his mouth open. Chuckling, Joe followed her into the mudroom and set his stuff on the dryer. “Let’s go, David. We’ll have a nice little chat on the way.”

Joe backed out of the garage as she watched. Eva stood behind her. “You love him,” Eva said.

She sighed. “Yeah.”

“Uncle Joe, before you start … I’m sorry. I know I should have told you and Dad, but I did try,” David said, squirming in the seat.

“I know that, and I’m not going to lecture you. You can tell your dad I ripped you a new one if you want.”

“You understand?”

“Yes, and I’m sure you know the meaning of teamwork. What you did was risky and dangerous, but I understand why you acted. However, I will beat the shit out of you if you pull a stunt like that again, because that’s what I’ll do after Eva kicks my ass.”

Grinning, David nodded.

“Good. By the way, I’m proud of you,” Joe said, walking into the restaurant. He ordered the pizzas and a couple of Cokes from the end of the bar away from the crowd. The bartender set the drinks in front of them. “David, I’m going to ask you to do something. It’s not a punishment. It’s part of working on a team. I need you to take Sylvia to your Aunt Taylor’s house and stay for a few days.”

“What? No way, I want to help.”

“This is helping. Whoever took your mom is not going to stop trying to hurt us. I need you and Sylvia safe while we stay focused. It’s a huge responsibility.”

“Uncle Joe, I can protect mom.”

“I need your parents’ help and they’ll be distracted with you around, just like Madeline will be with her aunt. It’s not your fault, it’s just how it is.” He drank the last of his Coke.

“You and Madeline aren’t pretending for your cover, are you?”

“You’re picking up your mom’s bad habits. Don’t change the subject. It’s not a matter of if you’ll go, but how you’ll go.”

“What do you mean?”