Loverboy (24 page)

- 16 -

Nick

I shuffle through every old map of the city, every old plan and every blueprint of old buildings that they had piled up for me. My eyes are burning as I toss another page of an unused subway plan into a useless pile. I pick up the plans to an old abandoned mill, glancing at it for a moment before deciding to toss it into the pile of places to be searched. I had nearly twenty places in the pile. Time was running out. I run my hand down my face, take a breath, and pick up the pace as I survey the last pages in the pile.

“Any luck?” I hear Wilson’s voice and a few others behind me as I concentrate on the layout of the old building.

“Plenty of places,” I tell him. “It’s just narrowing it down to one.”

“Andrews, you’re taking on the burden of at least thirty men,” he tells me. “Let the teams do their part too.”

I turn to look back at him. “You don’t understand what she means to me.”

“I do understand,” he says. “But you can’t do this on your own. It’s why we have this entire department. Countless detectives. They all have jobs to do, Andrews. I am actually trying to be nice to you, given the situation.”

I admit, he’s only tore into me a handful of times this time around. He’s pissed, make no mistake on that. He wants nothing more than my badge and my head on a silver platter at this point. But, given my closeness with Charlie, I see that he is at least trying to make an effort to give me a break. Though, I can tell, he’s about ready to bite his tongue clear off. I shuffle through and pull a small stack of maps and plans to myself and push the rest toward him. “Just help me find her.”

He nods. “You can’t do it all on your own. There’s no way you can do it on your own. One cop doesn’t control
the whole city, now does he?”

While he may want my badge, I want nothing more than to smack him with the first item I can get my hands on. Though I’ve told him several times, the man just can’t grasp what she means to me. Figures; I always knew he had a black heart. I stand and grab a few papers. “I’m going to go look.”

“Andrews,” Wilson stops me, “at least wait for a team.”

I shake my head. “She doesn’t have the time. I’ll radio in if I need anything.”

“You do realize I am going to have your ass for this.”

There’s no denying that. I know I will be turning in my badge as soon as this is over. My badge for Charlie, I’d say it’s worth it. I give him a nod. “But, if I find her alive, it’ll be worth it,” I shoot back as I head for the door.

* * * * * *

Outside, the sun is already beginning to set, casting a beautiful pink glow over the city. I can’t help but to think for a moment about how much Charlie would love this. My mind races as I speed through the streets, weaving in and out of traffic and past bicycles. It has to be abandoned, dark, and well secluded. Some place that people don’t go around. It has to be protected, maybe with a gate, something to keep people out. Definitely has to be in decent condition. No security at all. I glance for a moment at the pile of old papers. That rules out at least three. It’s beginning to give me a headache. I glance at the clock on my dash. They won’t keep her alive for long. They may not let her make it through the night since she’s escaped from them before.

Just think Nick. Think. Think. Think…

Suddenly, I remember an old warehouse that’s near Charlie’s apartment complex. It was used as a factory in the late 60’s, but when the company upsized they, of course, upgraded to a more modern and larger building. It was secluded, dark, and abandoned. No security and a large privacy fence that surrounded it. It had been scheduled for demolishing countless times, but due to
issues that had been put off and put off again. It was perfect for Edmunds and Carrington’s ruthless scheme.

I don’t bother with my lights or sirens; I reach for my radio and request backup to the old Johnson Mill as I check my surrounding and turn around in the middle of the street. She had to be at the old Johnson Mill. How else could Edmunds know we had gone to my apartment?

I park a couple blocks away and run toward the old warehouse. I pull my gun out and switch the safety off as I come to the fenced in grounds of the abandoned factory. Like I had suspected, two vehicles are parked on the grounds just behind the chain link fence and partially hidden by an old dumpster. Though I’ve never seen them before, I can bet money on who they belong to. I walk up to the gate and try to break the rusty lock before giving up. I tuck my gun away momentarily as I work at climbing over the fence. I crouch down behind the cars as I pull out my gun once more. More than likely both men will be inside.

Next to the building I listen closely, straining my ears in the quiet for any signs of life. Almost immediately, I hear a faint whimper. A whimper that can easily be
Charlie. I take a long breath in and exhale it slowly. I don’t know what condition she’s in or what they did to her. I don’t even know that the whimper is her or that she’s even alive. I don’t know if I’ll be able to see her like this…after all we’ve been through. I snap out of it and I move slightly as I search the whole front of the building. I soon run into a pair of low voices. Edmunds and Carrington. I strain my ears to catch what they’re saying as I spot a window, that can only lead to the basement, that’s cracked open enough to where I can slide my body inside. For a brief moment, I hear one of them raise their voice.

“We have to act now!” He says. “I’m not sitting around with Andrews on our tail. You know he doesn’t give a fuck what Wilson or the Chief says; he’s got it too bad for this chick. You’ll kill her and you’ll kill her now.”

Charlie.

I move quickly to the window and wiggle my body inside it. I drop off a few feet into a dark, damp, and musty basement. The cement is wet, pipes are leaky, and the smell of blood is strong in the air. The space I’m in is both large and empty. Broken shelves and glass shards are
scattered on the floor. Dirt and garbage are lying everywhere. I move to a doorway and check an adjoining room. This one is smaller, but also empty. I pass through it to yet another door. It’s shut and presumably locked. I make my way over to the large door and give it a push. To my surprise, the old door creaks open slowly and I urge it open enough to slide my body through. Another dirty room like the others, but this time I see Charlie’s bare body, handcuffed to one of the old pipes. I see her arms are hanging from her head as the rest of her lies on the cold and wet cement. I can tell now that she’s lying in her bra and panties and covered in cuts and bruises. I can’t even tell that’s she’s breathing. I feel my heart shatter and fear course through my body. Finally, she lets out a weak whimper as she gives her left hand a wiggle.

I click the safety on and slide my gun into the back of my pants as I make my way over to her, checking every corner of the room as I do. I take a knee next to her, and she immediately flinches.

“Charlie,” I say.             

She opens her eyes as much as she can, “Nick.”

“Oh, God, Charlie,” I say, now seeing she’s much worse than I could see before. I quickly dig in my pocket for my cuff key. She cries out in pain as I touch her wrists to shove the key into the lock.

“Nick, it hurts,” she says, her voice so weak it’s nearly gone.

“I just have to,” I feel my heart sink. “It won’t work for some reason.” I try to the other side, to only find my key isn’t working.

“Please, Nick, get me out of here,” she begs.

I nod. “I promise I will.”

“And, the others,” she cries.

“The others?” I ask.

She tries to nod her head. “I can hear them. In the other rooms. They cry, and I can hear them scream.”

“We’ll get the others, too,” I reassure her as I glance around her for a key.

“He has the key,” she says.

I look down at her and have to fight my own tears. She looks as though she’s in worse shape than she was the first time. She’s covered from nearly head to toe in her own blood. He body is battered, beaten, and already bruised with deep shades of blues and browns. I bring a hand up to her cheek, and she winces in pain.

“I’m so sorry, Charlie,” I tell her. “I should have never...”

She manages to shake her head. “It’s not your fault.”

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps scraping against the wet cement interrupts us.

“Nick, you have to hide.”

I nod. “I’ll get him.” I tell her before rushing to another door opening. I hear the sound of whimpering behind me, and I turn to see another girl sitting up and chained to the wall. I place my finger to her lips. “I’m here to help you. I promise.”

She gives me a weak nod as a few more tears roll down her cheeks. I glance along the floor. I certainly can’t shoot him. It would just alert the other one to come. Finally, I see a good sized brick. It’s the only option I have. I take it in my hands and peer from the corner of the door. I watch as Charlie’s entire body shakes at the image of the dark figure that’s approaching her.

“Still holding out that someone will find you?” He laughs. “Well, you shouldn’t, because Nicky isn’t coming.”

I hear Charlie’s weak cries turn into full on sobs.

“Count your minutes,” he tells her. “You don’t have many of them left.”

I creep up behind him just as he shoves his foot into Charlie’s side. She coughs and tries to move as he laughs. I poise the corner of the brick to the back of his head and bring it down forcefully where the skull meets the neck. He crumples immediately as blood begins to seep from the small incision the rough and old brick made. I toss it to the side and begin digging in his pockets for the key to Charlie’s handcuffs. I find a small key ring that’s filled with various keys, and I kneel next to her.

“I’ve got you now,” I tell her, trying the first key.
             

She winces in pain again. “Just hurry.”

I nod and move onto another key as I see how badly cut her wrists are, and then I move to yet another key. The fourth key is the charm, and the cuffs pop open. They’re saturated with both blood and parts of Charlie’s skin. Her arms crumple to her sides as she cries.

I help her sit up and throw my arms around her. “I’ve got you now,” I tell her again as I feel her body shake and shiver in my arms.

“Well, well, well, isn’t that just a sweet picture.” I turn around and place Charlie just behind me. It’s Edmunds, and his gun is pointed directly at my head. “Don’t you just love a story with a happy ending?” He asks. “Too damn bad that this one won’t have one.”

“Edmunds, come on, Man. Don’t be stupid,” I tell him. “Put the gun down. You’re already a woman killer; do you want to add cop killer to that list, too?”

“Why the fuck would I listen to you?” He asks. “Are you trying to be the hero now?” He asks. “Are you going to arrest me?” He asks, laughing.

“If I don’t, then someone else will,” I tell him. “You’ve been caught. It’s simple as that. Now put the gun down.”

He shakes his head.

“Come on, Man, you know how we do things.”

“I know how you do things,” he tells me. “You fuck her, and then you leave her alone. Nice move.”

I think back. I had been the one to leave her. I left her alone. I had been the one to listen to Wilson and leave her in that office when I should have made her come with me. This was all my fault.

“Oh that stings, now doesn’t it?” He asks.

“I’m here now, though,” I tell him.

“A little too late, don’t you think?” He says. “Look at her.”

“She’s alive.”

“Barely.” He smiles.

“She’ll heal.”

“Are you so sure about that?” He laughs.

“Drop the gun, Edmunds,” I order again.

He shakes his head. “Not in this lifetime, pretty boy.”

I see the opening and go for it. I lunge forward, taking Edmunds by surprise. I hear the gun fire once and take the force into my own chest. I hear Charlie let out a shrill scream with what‘s left of her voice. I completely twist his wrist, forcing the barrel of the gun at him. It fires again, this time making Edmunds crumble lifeless to the floor. I quickly turn to Charlie, whose swollen eyes have glazed over as she leans against the wall.

“Charlie,” I say. “Can you see to me? Flak vest. I’m not hurt.” I stare into her blank eyes. “Come on, Charlie, look at me. Come on, Baby. Look at me. Listen to my voice.”

I see her blink slowly as a few tears slide down her cheeks.

“Come on, that’s it,” I urge her as I take her face in my hands.

“Nick,” she finally breathes.

“That’s it,” I say.

“He shot you.”

I nod. “But I have my vest on.” I point to the bullet hole. “I’m okay.”

“Vest?” She questions.

“Bullet proof.”

Charlie finally leans in and crumples into my arms. Her body is freezing as I wrap an arm around her. I yank out my cell phone and dial up the department. “The old Johnson Mill,” I say. “Bring medical care, and the coroner. I’ve got them.” I drop my phone on the ground and wrap her in my arms. “Think you can walk?” I ask.