Sarah Woods Mystery Series (1-6) Boxed Set (37 page)

Chapter 28

Max was quiet on the ride over to Sal Hutchins house. I knew I had to say something to make up for my callousness the night before. “I’m sorry about last night, Max.”

His eyes remained focused on the road ahead. “What are you sorry about?”

“
For being a bitch.”

He chuckled and looked over at me. “You weren’t a bitch, Sarah. Maybe a little insensitive, but not a bitch.”

“
I was upset about the prospect of you moving to Chicago.”

“
Upset?” He arched an eyebrow. “Sounds pretty serious.”

“
Okay, maybe ‘upset’ is a little lukewarm. How about devastated? Is that a better word?”

“
It’s better. Why were you devastated?”

He was dragging me through the coals. “Because I care about you,” I said. “I’d really miss you if you moved away.”

Max smiled and reached for my hand. I must have said the right thing.

Hutchins golf cart wasn’t parked in the circular driveway like the time before. A black BMW was parked there now. I spotted a middle-aged woman walking briskly out of the house toward the vehicle. Max parked and we approached. The woman looked up and tilted her head to the side. “Can I help you?”

“
Actually, we’re looking for Sal Hutchins.” Max offered her a warm smile. “Is he around?”

“
Oh, you must be referring to the fellow who was renting the house from me. He just left this morning.”

I turned to face Max. His mouth hung open.

The woman picked up on the awkward silence. She took a few steps toward us and stuck her chin out. “Can I help you with something?” she asked. I detected a slight southern accent.

Max cleared his throat. “Forgive me. I’m Max Stevens and this is Sarah Woods.”

We shook hands and she said, “I’m Theresa Harper. Please call me Tess.”

“
So you own this house?”

“
Is there a problem?”

“
The man I mentioned. Do you know him very well?”

Theresa looked as if she was trying to decide what to say. “Well, no. Mr. Hutchins contacted me about two weeks ago. Said he needed to rent my house for a few weeks. Said it was very important. Paid in cash. I’ve spent the last few weeks on Maui at my sister’s place. Why do you ask?”

“
There must be a lot of places for rent around here. Did Hutchins give you a reason for wanting to rent your house specifically?”

“
Apparently he was doing research. Something to do with astronomy. He said this location had a particularly dark night sky. I don’t know much about that stuff. He seemed very intelligent. Had a lot of high tech equipment. Telescopes, binoculars, that kind of stuff. He said he used to work for NASA.”

“
Did you happen to notice what kind of rental car he had?”

She bit her lip and thought it over. “He didn’t have his own car. A black SUV dropped him off.”

“
A limo service?”

“
Probably. I don’t remember seeing a sign on the vehicle, though.”

Max pursed his lips as he glanced around. “Look, I’m going to level with you, your neighbor next door drowned in his pool yesterday. Hutchins found him and called 9-1-1. He already gave the police his statement, but we need to follow up with him. Did he mention any of this to you?”

“
Good heavens, that’s awful. I didn’t know anyone was renting the house next door. It sat vacant for months.”

“
His name was Duane Cunningham. He moved in less than two weeks ago, about the same time Sal Hutchins rented your place.”

“
What a coincidence. How are you involved?”

“
We’ve been hired privately to find a missing child. We really need to get in touch with Mr. Hutchins. Did he give you a cell number or forwarding address?”

Teresa let out a sigh as her shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry. He never gave me his number. And he never mentioned where he was from.”

Max took a few steps back and made a friendly hand gesture. “Sorry to disturb you. We really appreciate your help.”

Chapter 29

I could tell Max was anxious as he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel.

“
Are you buying the whole ‘Sal Hutchins works for NASA’ thing?” I asked.

“
Well, first of all, astronomers don’t use binoculars.”

“
Maybe he enjoys a little bird watching in his spare time?”

“
It’s obvious she didn’t want to help us. I mean, really. Who rents their house to someone without getting their contact information first?

“
Why do you think she’d cover for the guy?”

“
Who knows? Professional courtesy, maybe? It really doesn’t matter at this point. He’s probably halfway back to the states by now. Or Singapore.”

“
My brain hurts. What the hell is going on?”

“
Can you call Carter and let him know we’re on our way to the Sanborn’s?”

Five minutes later we pulled into the Sanborn’s driveway. Carter and Richard were standing in front of the house. When we joined them, Richard seemed anxious. “What happened at Hutchins’s place?”

“
He’s gone,” Max said. “I have a hunch he was there to spy on Cunningham. The owner of the house has been on Maui for the last few weeks. Hutchins told her some story about working for NASA.”

“
We could contact all the rental car companies in case he’s still on the island. Do you remember what kind of car he drove?”

“
No rental car. Hutchins was dropped off by a black SUV. When Sarah and I were there yesterday, all we saw was a golf cart. That was probably his mode of transportation. But he’d need to return it to the country club before leaving.”

“
Okay, I’ll look into that,” Carter said.

“
Did you get in contact with the parents of the girl in the photo yet?” Max asked.

Carter nodded. “I located a phone number for the girl’s mother, Carla Foster. She didn’t answer when I called.”

“
Did you leave a message?”

“
No point in that. She’d never call me back if I told her why I was calling.”

Max nodded.

“
I have her office address,” Carter said. It’s always better to discuss these matters in person. But first we need to go in and give Dr. Theo an update. He must be itching for some news.”

The Sanborn’s kitchen looked like a hurricane had gone through it. Broken dishes covered the floor and countertops. Dr. Theo casually walked in, cup of coffee in hand, and regarded us with tired eyes. He waved a hand around the kitchen. “How do you like my daughter’s handiwork? She did a fine job, didn’t she?”

“
Jessica did this?” I asked.

“
She had a little episode last night and decided to take her frustrations out on the china.”

“
What prompted the outburst?”

Dr. Theo shrugged. “It could be her medication. I might have to adjust her dosage.”

“
For the ulcers?”

Dr. Theo nodded. “The stress is too much for her.

“Maybe I can help,” I said. “Would you like me to talk to her?”

“
She’s resting at the moment, but thank you.”

“
Well, I hope she’ll be all right,” Richard interjected. “Perhaps this is a bad time for an update.”

Dr. Theo turned to Richard. “No, please. What is it?”

Richard looked around the kitchen and scratched the side of his cheek. “It’s about Cunningham’s neighbor, Sal Hutchins.”

Dr. Theo blinked a few times. “What about him?”

“
We think he was in Hawaii to watch Cunningham.”

“
Look.” Doctor Theo set his coffee mug down abruptly, causing the contents to swoosh up and spill out onto the table. “I thought I’d made myself clear. I don’t give a shit about Cunningham. I want you to find my grandson. That’s all I care about. Please tell me you understand.”

Richard didn’t seem rattled by the doctor’s condescending tone. “We might have another lead. We were able to identify one of the children whose photo we found in Brenda’s apartment.”

Dr. Theo raised an eyebrow. “And?”

“
Come to find out, she died a few months ago.”

The doctor turned away from us and lowered his head. “So you think there’s a connection.” It sounded more like a statement than a question.

“
We’ll get a better idea after we talk to the mother. We tried calling, but she didn’t answer.

Dr. Theo turned back around slowly. “And you think talking to her will help us find Toby?”

Richard paused, his face turning pale. “We don’t have many options left.”

“
What about the Brenda woman? She’s still out there. Why can’t you find her?”

Richard rotated his head. I assumed he was trying to keep his cool. “We’re still working on that.”

Chapter 30

“
You heard the doctor,” Carter said. “We need to focus on finding Brenda. We can speculate all day long what Sal Hutchins is up to, but we have no tangible proof he’s anything more than a liar.” Max and I followed Carter and Richard outside to the Sanborn’s driveway.

“
Giving up on Hutchins is a mistake,” Max said. “What if he has something to do with the abduction?”

“
I agree with you,” Carter said, “but Doctor Sanborn was adamant. He wants us to look for Brenda. At least we know she was around Cunningham’s place at the time of his death. I suggest you and Sarah go back to the Big Kahuna Café.”

“
We weren’t successful last time,” Max reminded everyone. “I doubt the locals are going to change their minds about helping us.”

Carter smiled. “Money is always a good motivator.”

Max shook his head. “You haven’t seen the guy who owns the place. He’s no pushover.”

“
C’mon. How intimidating can he be? The guy works at a coffee shop.”

“
Fine. What about you and Richard? Are you going to see the Foster girl’s mother?”

“
We’re headed to her office right now. I’ll call you as soon as we talk to her.”

* * *

We walked into the café to find Tattoo Face serving coffee to a man with dreadlocks. The place was practically empty. When it was our turn to order, Max offered a cheery wave. “Good morning. Two cups of Kona, please.”

Tattoo Face crossed his bulky arms over his chest and stared at us. “You guys again?”

“
That’s right,” Max said. “Nice of you to remember us.”

Tattoo Face stood his ground.

Max casually looked around then leaned over the counter. “We’re looking for Brenda, and we know she comes here a lot. Could you please help us out?” Max reached into his back pocket for his wallet and discreetly pulled out a fifty- dollar bill. “I’ll make it worth your while.”

Tattoo Face sneered. “Why don’t you get outta here,” he said, and pointed toward the door.

We retreated. Max smiled and said, “I have to say, I respect your loyalty. Most people would have taken the money.”

We got back in the car. Max rubbed his eyes, leaned forward, and stared out the window, apparently focused on something across the street. “Hear me out for a second, Sarah,” he said, turning to face me. “Maybe Brenda is running because she saw Hutchins kill Cunningham, and she’s worried he’ll come back to tie up loose ends.”

“
That’s a logical theory. Maybe he never left Hawaii, and he’s searching for her, too.”

“
And maybe he also came here to the coffee shop. It would explain why Tattoo Face is so protective of Brenda.”

Max reached back, stuck a hand inside his duffel bag, and retrieved a small device.

“
That black duffel bag is like a magician’s top hat,” I said. “I never know what you’re going to pull out of there next.”

Max opened his door. “I’ll be right back.”

“
Where are you going?”

He smiled, shut his door, and made his way down the street. He stopped beside a late model Honda and bent over to tie his shoe.

“
What was that all about?” I asked when he got back in the Jeep.

“
I remember seeing that car parked in the same spot when we were here yesterday,” he explained. “I noticed the license plate and was curious what that word meant, so I looked it up.”

I glanced over at the Honda again. “Maori? What does that mean?”

“
The Maori are an ancient New Zealand tribe. They used to initiate their young men by carving intricate, sacred patterns onto their faces using sharks teeth. They weren’t allowed to show pain while receiving their first tattoos. If they did, they were looked upon with shame. It’s my understanding some were even killed.”

“
Sounds brutal,” I said, smoothing my cheek. “Great work on identifying Tattoo Face’s car. So we wait for him to leave with the hope he’ll lead us to Brenda?”

“
I have a hunch he knows where she’s staying. I think it’s worth a shot.”

“
Okay, but I’m not too keen on waiting here ‘til he leaves work.”

“
We can get some lunch in town. When he starts his car, the tracking device will send us a signal.”

***

A block away, Max and I found a roadside canteen truck advertising plate lunch specials. We sat at a picnic table eating grilled spam, white rice, and pasta salad. The carb content was more than my daily allowance, but I didn’t let that stop me from devouring the whole thing.

“
Jessica Sanborn could learn a thing or two from you,” Max said, wiping his chin with a napkin. “You have a pretty healthy appetite.”

“
You won’t be so glad when you see me in my bathing suit.”

“
Ha! Let me be the judge of that.”

A sharp beeping sound interrupted our discussion. Max looked up at me. “Our friend is on the move. Let’s go.”

According to the tracking monitor in my lap, Tattoo Face’s Honda was cruising along a safe distance ahead of us. Five minutes into the trip, the red dot became stationary.

“
He stopped.” I scanned the neighborhood in search of the Honda. “Over there, about four houses down,” I said, pointing. Tattoo Face was headed toward the front door of a green house.

Max pulled over and cut the engine. “I wonder if this is his place.”

Tattoo Face opened the front door and walked in without knocking. “Apparently it is. Think he saw us?”

Max reached into the back seat and grabbed the flashlight stun gun. “Why don’t you get behind the wheel in case we need to make a quick getaway,” he said, opening his door.

“
Hold on just a second, mister. Shouldn’t we consult Carter before you go busting down doors? We have no idea if Brenda is here or not.”

“
Who said I’m busting down doors? I’m just gonna take a peek inside. Besides, I can handle myself.”

“
Just like you handled Brenda when she kicked you in the nuts?”

“
Thanks for reminding me. I was unprepared for that one. I’m prepared now.”

“
Sorry, but this is crazy. I thought you were against taking the law into your own hands.”

“
I guess Carter is starting to rub off on me,” Max said.

“
Don’t you need some kind of backup?” I asked. “Do you have another taser?”

“
Promise me you’ll stay in the car, Sarah. If it makes you feel better, call Carter and give him the address.”

I shot him an angry look, but he headed off toward the house without looking back. Much to my relief, the call I placed to Carter was answered on the third ring.

“
What’s up, Sarah?” he asked.

“
Max is about to confront Tattoo Face at his house. Please get here as soon as possible.”

“
Who?”

“
The guy who works at Kahuna Café. We’re at his house. Max thinks Brenda is here.” I gave Carter the address.

“
We’re on our way. Should be there in ten minutes.”

“
Please hurry.”

I noticed Max had made it to the house and was knocking on the front door. He knocked again and waited a few more seconds. Still nothing. He turned away from the door and started walking around to the side of the house.

The next thing I saw took my breath away. Tattoo Face’s silhouette flashed by one of the windows. I wasn’t sure, but he appeared to have a weapon in his hands.

I left the safety of the Jeep behind and made my way toward the house, hell-bent on warning Max. As I got closer, I heard a faint whistle. I spotted Max crouched under a window. “Sarah,” he hissed. “What are you doing? Go back to the Jeep.”

“
He has a weapon. Let’s get out of here,” I whispered.

He waved me away and continued around to the backside of the house as if he hadn’t heard me. I should have followed his instructions, but Max and I had something in common: we were both stubborn.

I went after him.

When I caught up, he was standing a few feet away from a screen door. Two young girls stood in the doorway, transfixed on us. One was young, about five years old. The other looked to be about twelve or thirteen.

The little one let out a wild scream.

Max grabbed my arm. We slowly backed away as Tattoo Face appeared in the doorway. He kicked the screen door open and pointed a gun at Max’s chest. “Now you come to scare my family?”

“
Look,” Max said, “I’m sorry. Let me explain.”

Tattoo Face pulled the slide mechanism back and chambered a bullet.

“
Please,” I said in the most respectful tone I could muster. “Could you put the gun away so we can talk?”

He took a step toward me and pointed the gun at my forehead. I almost pissed myself. I shut my eyes and clenched my teeth, expecting the worst.

I heard Max’s voice directly in front of me. “You just crossed the line.”

“
Dat what you think? You trespassing on my property.”

Max hesitated. My impulsive side took over. I opened my eyes and reached forward for the flashlight in Max’s back pocket. I only had one chance to get it right and prayed Max wouldn’t react to my taking it from him. I grasped the handle, and with fluid motion, stepped to the side, aimed the taser at Tattoo Face’s chest, and depressed the silver latch.

The next few seconds seemed to pass in slow motion as the probes shot out and stuck to his chest, delivering a debilitating 200,000-volt blast of electricity.

He shook profusely, dropped to his knees, and involuntarily released his weapon. Max kicked it into the bushes.

I became lightheaded as I witnessed the result of my action. I let go of the taser and heard it hit the ground.

An arm wrapped around my torso from behind, locking my arms at my sides. I gasped as I felt the prickly sensation of a sharp object pressing against the soft flesh of my neck.

“
I’ll cut her throat if you try anything stupid.” The woman’s voice sounded desperate and resolute.

Max slowly raised his hands in the air as if he were being robbed. “Easy, Brenda. Please don’t do this.”

My heart rate matched her rapid breathing. Max looked directly into my eyes, his presence allowing me to keep my cool.

“
You guys broke into my apartment,” she screamed, causing a painful ringing in my ears. A spray of spittle covered my neck, the stench of her stale breath causing bile to rise in my throat. “You were there to kill me.”

“
No,” Max said. “We were---”

“
Shut up,” Brenda shrieked as she squeezed me tighter.

Tattoo Face got to his feet. He looked at Brenda as he tore the prongs from his chest. “What you want to do with these scumbags?”

“
Lock ‘em in the basement.”

Brenda released my torso, grabbed the back of my neck, and tried to shove me forward. I resisted. “I’m not going anywhere,” I said.

Max shot me a look. “Do what she says, Sarah.”

I twisted my head around and felt a moist trickle run down my neck. “Brenda, I know you don’t trust us, but hear me out. We were at your apartment yesterday because we’re searching for a missing boy.”

“
What missing boy?”

“
His name is Toby Cunningham. He’s only a year old.”

“
Why would you think I have something to do with that?”

“
Duane Cunningham, the man you know as Eric Fisher, is a suspect in the kidnapping of his son,” I said. “We know you were at his house the morning he was found dead in his pool.”

The pressure on my neck lessened. “I had nothing to do with that,” she said.

“
I knew Eric had a son, but he never told me the boy’s name.” She came around to my right side.

I placed a hand over the small cut on my neck. “Did Eric mention where his son is now?”

Brenda looked over at Max then back at me. “He told me his son died eight months ago.”

“
What?”

Brenda’s expression changed when she saw the incredulous look on my face. She turned to Max and said, “What the fuck is going on here?”

“
Did he tell you how his son died?” Max asked.

Tattoo Face spoke up. “Don’t tell these people anything. They don’t give a shit ‘bout wahappen to you.”

Brenda looked down at the knife in her hand then tossed it aside. Apparently the gravity of what had just taken place now fell heavily upon her shoulders.