Irrefutable (22 page)

“Carmen where are you? I’m waiting…”

“If you’d like to leave a message press one or wait for the tone…”

Rachel waited impatiently for the signal to speak. “Carmen, I’m waiting in front of the school. Where are you? Call me back.”

Rachel looked around and realized she was the only one still waiting. The flow of students had tapered to nothing.
Maybe she got a ride with a friend,
she thought. Rachel parked her car and walked to the school entrance. Inside she looked up and down the halls, but no sign of Carmen. She dialed Alex’s desk.

“Mendez,” Alex answered.

“I can’t find Carmen. I’ve been here for twenty minutes and she never showed.”

“Did you call her?”

“I tried, but all I got was voicemail.” Rachel said. “I know she has her phone. I saw her grab it this morning before we left.”

“She probably got a ride or went to a friend’s. She’s been known to do that.”

“So I shouldn’t be worried?”

“I’m sure she’s fine. She’ll catch up to us later. Come on back.”

“Well, guess I can’t wait around here all day. I just wish she would have called.” Rachel took one final look around and returned to her car.

_________

With elbows on his desk, Alex rested his forehead on hands. He was lost in thought. He didn’t hear Phelps approach.

“They should have your release processed shortly,” Phelps said. “If you want, you can go ahead and pick up your personal things.”

Alex raised his head. He nodded slightly without looking at Phelps.

“You’re going home. You should be happy.” Phelps said.

“Yeah, happy. I shouldn’t be in this situation at all.”

“Look, I know you didn’t do this, but we have to follow procedures.”

“You know, it’s kind of funny. I ‘m not really worried about that,” Alex said. “I’m wondering about Dupree. If I disprove the DNA evidence he’ll walk too.”

“That would stand to reason. He’s claiming the same thing you are.”

“But there are a few differences.” Alex said. “First off, I’m not guilty and the only thing against me is semen from a swab that never actually touched the victim. With Dupree, there are swabs from two victims that have his semen and victim DNA on them. Then there are the work orders from the dealership. He told me he had never even heard of those women, but he initiated the work orders on their cars. So, I know that was a lie.”

“How ‘bout we not worry about that right now,” Phelps said. “Let’s go get your things.”

Alex stood slowly and followed Phelps to the property room. “What if, by me defending myself, I free a guilty man to go out and do it again?”

“What choice do you have?” Phelps said, “He is going to make his claim regardless of what you say or do. Hell, he already did.”

Alex stood at the window, watching through the wire mesh, as the clerk inventoried his things.

“One wristwatch, one wedding ring…”

Alex reached through the small opening in the mesh for his ring and placed it on his finger.

The clerk continued. “One cellular phone and one pair of Nike tennis shoes.”

“What about my wallet?” Alex asked.

“There was no wallet when you were brought in.”

Alex thought back to that morning. His breakfast was interrupted when they knocked on his door. It must still be on his nightstand. He signed for his belongings and placed each in a plastic bag and returned to the squad room to his desk with Phelps following.

“You needn’t worry about Dupree right now. I’ve put Martin on the case. You just take care of you.”

Alex looked at Phelps. He started to question the reason, but stopped himself. He knew it could no longer be his case, not with him this deeply involved. He opened his phone to call Carmen. Surely she would have listened to Rachel’s message by now. He pressed the power button and the phone came to life, only to immediately turn itself back off. “Shit,” Alex mumbled to himself.

“You might ask around, see if anyone has a charger that fits it,” Phelps said.

“Good Idea.” Alex quickly found a charger to borrow and plugged his phone in to charge. He picked up the desk phone and dialed Carmen’s number. He listened to her voice-mail greeting and stared straight ahead as he slowly placed the receiver back on the hook. He rubbed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

“So she does this often?” Rachel asked as she sat in the chair in front of Alex’s desk.

Alex looked up, startled. “Shit,” he said under his breath. “No, not often, but she usually calls to let me know if she goes anywhere.”

“Maybe she did. Did you check your cell?” Rachel said, hopefully.

“Battery’s dead, but I borrowed a charger. I’ll check it in a few. Alex looked toward Phelps’ office. Sean was standing in the door, pounding the tip of his index finger into a large manila envelope. Alex could tell by his exaggerated body language that something was up. He motioned with his head for Rachel to look toward the men.

Phelps emerged from his office and walked with Sean toward Alex’s desk.

“You’re gonna love this,” Sean said as he approached.

“What’s up?” He asked looking at Phelps.

Phelps shrugged. “He said we would see together.”

Alex snickered at Sean who was bubbling with excitement.

“You remember the pictures from the bank that we sent out?” Sean said with an exaggerated grin.

Alex, Rachel and Phelps looked at Sean, waiting but saying nothing.

“Well you’re not gonna believe this.” Sean slowly opened the envelope. “Wait for it.”

“Oh, for Christ sake, show us the damn thing already,” Phelps said, obviously becoming irritated.

Sean removed a large glossy photo and placed it on the desk.

Alex stared at it for several seconds. “Holy shit,” Alex said finally in a flat tone.

“Told you wouldn’t believe it.” Sean said.

Phelps furrowed his brow. He was obviously missing something. “Who the fuck is it?”

Alex looked up at Phelps. “It’s Janet Freeman.”

_________

Janet turned south onto Crawford Avenue. She looked straight ahead, saying nothing.

“Something on your mind?” Carmen asked.

“I’m fine,” she said without looking at Carmen. She looked several times in her rearview mirror.

“You know, if you need to talk about anything…”

“I’m fine.” Janet focused on the mirror.

Carmen turned to look behind them. A black and white police cruiser followed closely behind. Carmen looked at Janet, who gripped the wheel tightly. “Are you worried about the cop?”

Janet laughed nervously. “Yea, I’ve got a couple of parking tickets I never paid.” She maintained her watch in the mirror, her knuckles white from the grip on the wheel.

“I bet my dad could take care of them for you.”

The light turned yellow as Janet approached the Seminole. “Shit,” she said quietly. She gently applied the brakes, coming to a perfectly smooth stop. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the overhead strobes come to life behind her. The sound of the siren startled them both as the cruiser sped around them, through the intersection and into the distance. Janet let out a sigh of relief.

_________

“Put out a BOLO on a Janet Freeman.” Phelps said to the dispatcher. “Caucasian female, D.O.B. nine, eight of seventy five, brown hair, brown eyes. May be driving a white 2008 Toyota Camry, vanity plate Nora, Sam, Adam, Nora, Edward. That’s N.S.A.N.E.” Phelps paused while the dispatcher repeated the description.

“That’s correct,” he said, “she’s wanted for questioning in connection to a series of sexual assaults.” Phelps hung up the phone and looked at Alex. “I guess you were telling the truth.”

“What, you didn’t believe me?”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

“This is a cool Apartment,” Carmen said as she relaxed on the faux-leather couch with her American Literature text.

“It’s actually my boyfriend’s.” Janet said. “The exterminator sprayed my house today. I had ants everywhere.”

“That sucks,”

“Are you sure I can’t fix you anything to eat?” Janet said.

Carmen stood and walked to the kitchen. “What are you having?” she leaned on the counter.

“I’m just having a little grilled chicken over steamed veggies.” Janet said. “Want some?”

“Okay, sure, since you twisted my arm.”

“Didn’t take much twisting.” Janet smiled. She prepared a plate and handed it to Carmen. “So, does your dad ever talk about work?”

“Not really. I mean, he tries sometimes, but I’m really not interested.”

“Has he said anything about the case he’s working on now?”

“He did tell me that the ER doctor fit some profile or something. Did you know he drove by the house a couple of times the other day?”

“Yea, your dad’s friend told me. That’s why I picked you up.”

“Do you think he really did it?”

“There must be something that makes your dad think so.” Janet took a bite of her food.

“My dad said he had just been questioning him about the rapes, but had to let him go. The guy drove straight over to my house,” Carmen explained. “He actually parked in front of the house. I was alone. Freaked me out for a while.”

“Has he ever said anything about me?” Janet asked. “You know, as far as the case goes?”

“Not to me. Why?”

“I was just wondering. He had some unusual questions for me earlier.” Janet said as she sat in a chair at the table.

“What kinds of questions?”

“My ex-boyfriend was arrested for the rapes. Then your father was arrested. But we both know he didn’t have anything to with them. Don’t we?” Janet looked at her with a patronizing smile and cold expressionless eyes.

“What kind of questions?” Carmen pushed her plate away, a sudden loss of appetite.

“I think your dad’s finally put two and two together.”

“What does that mean?”

“Let’s just say that he’ll probably be looking for me pretty soon.”

Carmen’s heart began to pound. “My dad doesn’t know I’m here, does he?”

“Why do you think I told you to call and tell him?” Janet looked at her with perfect calm.

Carmen turned and walked to the door. She turned the knob but it wouldn’t open. She shook the door with all her might, to no avail.

“Sit down.” Janet commanded. “You’re not going anywhere, except with me.”

_________

Alex opened his phone. He pressed the button and waited for it to come to life. As he placed his thumb on the address key, the alert appeared on the screen; a new voicemail. He pressed listen and placed the phone to his ear.

“Hey Dad, just wanted to let you know Janet’s picking me up from school, so don’t worry. I’ll be with her. Talk to you later. Love you, bye.”

A sinking feeling rushed through his gut as his heart skipped a beat then began to pound. “I need you car keys!” he said to Rachel.

“What? Why? What’s going on?

“She’s got Carmen.” He said as he grabbed her keys and his phone. He ran toward the exit without saying anything else. He spotted the grey BMW, got in and slammed the door. He saw Rachel coming out the door as he peeled from the parking lot onto the street.

_________

Janet secured Carmen’s hands with two zip ties. “There, that should hold you.”

“Why are you doing this?” Carmen sobbed uncontrollably.

Janet lifted Carmen by the arm and forced her to the car. “Don’t make a sound and I won’t kill you.” She placed Carmen in the passenger’s seat then opened a small bottle and poured the liquid into a cloth and held it firmly over Carmen’s mouth and nose.

_________

“Where are you going?” Allyson asked.

“I don’t have time for this right now.” Alex shouted to the empty seat next to him.

“Do you know where you’re going?” she asked again.

“To Janet’s.” His heart pounded in his chest. His brow grew damp with beads of sweat. He tried Carmen’s number.

“Hey, I’m not here. Leave a message.”

“Fuck!” he pounded the steering wheel with his fist.

His body tingled from the adrenalin coursing through his veins. His knuckles turned white from the grip on the wheel. He let up slightly on the gas and looked both directions as he approached an intersection.

Thoughts of Carmen raced through his head.
Was she alright? Was she frightened? Was she even aware that she was in danger?

Alex saw the sign for Dripping Springs and locked up his brakes, as he turned to the left. The car slid sideways bringing smoke from the tires. He managed to straighten up then accelerated down the street. He was approaching the number range of Janet’s address. There were no other units on the scene. A little further down he saw the number and stopped the car in the street, jumping out before the car came to a complete stop. He ran to the front door and knocked loudly. He shouted Carmen’s name, as loud as he could. He listened for a response, but there was only silence. He moved to the side of the door, his back against the brick and called her name again.

Alex turned toward the door and kicked with every bit of strength he could muster. The door gave slightly, but only cracked the wood trim around the lock. He kicked again and the latch gave. Alex slowly entered the house. Moving from side to side, avoiding any position that would leave him vulnerable. “Janet,” he called, “We don’t need to do this. Let her go and we can talk.” There was no response. “Come on Janet, were friends. Talk to me.”

Alex slowly made his way through the entry way to the living room. He looked around the room, but saw no one. “Carmen, where are you baby? Don’t worry, Daddy’s here. I won’t let anything happen to you. Just tell me where you are.”

Alex slowly moved from room to room. He entered Janet’s bedroom. He slowly walked toward the closet. Empty, nothing but clothes. He cleared the bathroom then looked under the bed. He saw no sign of either of them.

_________

Janet pushed the gun into Carmen’s back and forced her through the door, into the kitchen of the old marina. “This is where he brought me.”

“Where who brought you?” Carmen stumbled, barely keeping her balance as she tripped over the threshold. “What are you talking about? Why are you doing this?”

“My father.” Janet said. “There was an old abandoned marina, a lot like this one, where I lived as a child. My father would take me out there.” She stared into space for several seconds. “He called it our secret place. He said if I told anyone what we did out there, everyone would know what a bad girl I was.”

The only part of the old kitchen that remained, a stainless counter and sink, stood against the interior wall. Its top was layered in dirt and flakes of paint that had fallen from the concrete walls over the years. Janet pushed Carmen to the floor and secured her hands around one of the stainless legs with two more large zip ties. “I didn’t want to hurt you, but your father is leaving me no choice.”

“What does my father have to do with this?” Carmen was crying again.

“He used me!” Janet shouted. “He led me on. He made me believe we had a future together.”

“I don’t believe you.” Carmen cried, “He loved my mother.”

“Shut up. I have to think.” She was pointing the gun at Carmen

“Why did you bring me here?” Carmen cried. “He’ll find us. He won’t give up until he does.”

“We just have to be ready for him.” Janet looked out the window toward the parking area. The lot was obscured by trees on the south side. She couldn’t see her car. “He should be at my house by now. But when he sees we’re not there he’ll come here. I have to hide my car.” Janet turned toward Carmen. “Stay right there.”

_________

“Where are you going to look?” Allyson said from the passenger’s seat.

“I’m not sure.” Alex’s heart was pounding. His mind raced for anything that could lead him to her.

“Weren’t two of the women found at the old marina?” Allyson said.

“That’s it. She said her father used to take her to an old marina in Ohio.” Alex turned onto the Seminole Throughway and headed for Lake Duval.

“Aren’t you going to call for backup?”

“No. When she took Carmen, she made this personal.” He said. “Besides, I don’t want her to hear a bunch of sirens and know were coming.”

“You might need this,” she said, pointing to the glove compartment.

Alex quickly opened it and saw the gun. He had forgotten about it. He grabbed it and quickly checked to be sure it was loaded.

_________

Janet pulled her car across the grass toward the end of the pier and parked it near the tree line, out of site from the lot. She walked toward the building and looked for a place to wait.

She found a small opening in the trees and stepped in. She could just see the lot from here. She would wait for Alex. He would go straight to the building, straight to Carmen. That’s when she would make her move.

_________

It had been several minutes since Carmen had seen or heard Janet. If she would ever have a chance to escape this was it. She pulled with all her might against the plastic zip ties until they began to cut into her wrists. They refused to yield. She looked around for something she could use to cut them, but saw nothing. With all of the straining, her breathing had become labored and loud. She didn’t want to attract her captor’s attention. She held her breath and listened, but couldn’t hear Janet anywhere. Satisfied, she went back to work. She repositioned herself so she could reach the plastic ties with her mouth. She bit at one of the ties until her teeth ached. She worked the loop to the side of her mouth and chewed, making slow progress until it finally broke. With one hand free, she started on the other.

_________

Alex slowed as he approached the long driveway to the marina. He turned onto the grass before reaching the driveway to prevent gravel from popping under his tires and eased as quietly as he could toward the parking lot. He stopped the car fifty yards from the lot opening and covered the remainder of the distance on foot. As he rounded the curve to the right, the lot came into view. There were no cars as far as he could see, but Janet wouldn’t leave hers in the open. She was to cunning for that.

“If she wanted to ambush you, she would have hidden her car.” Allyson said.

Alex didn’t acknowledge her. He ran to the tree line at the edge of the lot. From here he could see the front of the building. He strained to see inside but the bright sun made it impossible to see anything detail of the dark interior. He listened for any sound, but heard nothing.

He slowly moved through the trees to the edge of the open area between the tree line and the front of the structure. He looked to his left and saw Janet’s car past the end of the pier against the trees. Realizing he was vulnerable, his heart began to pound. He tried to swallow but his mouth was too dry.

He quietly moved along the backside of the tree line to its nearest point to the building. He needed to get as close as he could so there would be less ground to cover in the open. Finding the right spot, he moved forward through the trees toward the open area. When he reached the edge of the trees he paused, looking in all directions for any sign of Janet. She was nowhere in sight. He took a deep breath and ran to the building and ducked behind the far side. If Janet were near her car, this position would provide cover. He scanned the trees looking for movement. He knew Janet had waited for her victims. She was skilled at hiding, but as long as she hid, he would have time to find Carmen, but where would she be? If she was inside, she would be tied to something.