Where the Sun Sets (25 page)

Josephine was directed to the same exit, by
the same security guard as Salvatore. She followed him out into
main parking lot and watched as he stopped to unlock the door to a
car. Quickly she turned and ran to where Billy had parked earlier.
After reaching the car, she knelt down and felt under the car with
her right hand until she had come up with the spare key. She never
turned on the car lights as she pulled the car around to where
Salvatore was. It was dark outside and the lights from the local
fire engines, responding to the alarm, gave a haunting glow as she
watched him get into the car, next to Antonia.

Josephine followed Salvatore out of the
parking lot and onto the main highway. She was careful to stay a
safe distance behind and waited a good five minutes more before
putting on the cars lights, not wanting him to see her following.
Without taking her eyes off her lead, she reached down into her
purse and withdrew her cell phone. Her hand was shaking as she hit
the number for Billy’s phone.

Billy’s phone rang and rang. A passer by
heard the ringing of the phone and followed its sound to the body
of its owner. “Sir? Sir, can you hear me? Help! Someone get some
help. This guy needs a doctor over here.” The phone stopped
ringing.

Harold walked aimlessly around the hospital
parking lot. It seemed to him almost a fairground atmosphere as the
hospital evacuated and settled all the patients into the lot.
People were everywhere, but none showed much concern, as it was
assumed it had been a drill. Most groups were relaxed and talking
as if were just a normal part of their day. Harold had walked
around the building watching the people and enjoying the night air
when he heard the cries for help. He walked over to the crowd that
had now formed, but had to push his way through the group before he
could see who it was that needed help. “Bill? Backup, give him some
air. Hey, Bill can you hear me?” Billy sat up slowly, with Harold’s
help. It took him several minutes to clear his head and recognize
his helper. “Where’s Josephine, Inspector?”

Josephine turned off her phone. The battery
was on its last dot and who knew when she was going to need to use
it again. Better to be safe than sorry.

Chapter 27

It took almost an hour to determine that
Antonia was actually missing from the hospital. With the evacuation
everyone thought someone else had taken her out. Finally, all of
the patients were returned to their rooms and accounted for. All
except for Antonia. Antonia and Josephine. They were missing. They
were not accounted for. They had simply disappeared.

“What the hell are we supposed to do now?”
Billy asked Harold as he punched digits on his hand held.

“I think it would be best if we head down to
the police station, see if they have anything. Maybe grab some
coffee. I think it’s gonna be a long night.”

“Where did they go? Why would Josephine take
Antonia out of the hospital on her own? I know she was concerned
for her safety, but it just doesn’t make any sense. She turned off
her damn phone.” They stopped walking when they approached the
space Billy thought he had parked his SUV. In its place was a
smaller red truck. “Well, now we know how she got away.” Billy
waved his hand across the air, in the direction of the parking
space. Then he brought it back to his head and let his fingers run
through his hair. “I can’t fuckin believe this. This is total
bullshit. She has to know Antonia needs help. She just got out of
surgery for Christ’s sake. Where the hell is she going?”

“What makes you so sure Josephine took
Antonia? How do you think she got her out of the hospital? Do you
think she just tossed her over her shoulder and ran perhaps? Let’s
just calm down and think this through, OK?”

Harold extended his hand for the phone.
Handing it over freely, Billy started back to the hospital.
“Sharon, glad I got you. Look, I know it’s late but I need...”

“Harry? Are you OK? Are you still out in New
Haven?”

“Shit, I’m sorry; I forgot I’m not in...”

“Hey, listen, I have something to tell you.
That Salvatore Dal Santo guy? Turns out he wasn’t the same guy who
died in that jail house fight. It was reported he was, because the
guy who died was wearing Dal Santo’s numbers. When the state prison
found out, they corrected their mistake in their records, but never
reported the error. Apparently they felt it would be best to just
let it be. He was released after serving an extra three years for
jailhouse violence. He reported in with his parole officer just
once. They haven’t been able to locate him since. Harry? You still
with me?”

Harry was racing back to the hospital as
quickly as his old legs would allow. Billy was already down the
hall and headed back to the emergency room. Catching up with him at
the receptionists’ desk, Harold catches hold of Billy’s elbow.

“Listen, I don’t know about your connection
to these girls, women. But I gotta get to Antonia. I can’t let
anything else happen to her. I’d like you to help me, but if you’d
rather wash your hands of the whole situation I’d understand. I
have reason to believe that both of their lives are in jeopardy at
the moment and every minute we don’t look for them is a minute we
don’t find them. You think Josephine took your car.”

“SUV.”

“Right, you think she took it. Let’s see if
we can’t get Ms. Barsky or someone down there to put out an APB on
it. See if we can’t track it down. Please, just give me a couple
seconds of your time, that’s all I’m asking, for Antonia.”

“Actually, Harold.” Billy returned, reaching
out to reclaim his phone. “That is what you said your name was,
wasn’t it? I have an on board tracking device. Shouldn’t be hard to
find her.” He gave Harold a wink. “And I’d give both nuts for
Antonia and then some. So don’t stand there trying to erase all
your mistakes with a plea in my direction. Let’s finish this thing.
Find me a computer and I’ll find you an SUV. Let’s just hope
Josephine is the one who took it. I’d hate to spend too much time
chasing a common car thief.”

“Right then, OK. Let’s get us a ride back to
the station. And while you’re tracking down your SUV, I’ll see what
kind of help they are willing to extend us.”

The two men exited the emergency room and
crossed the waiting area to the main hall. “Let me see if the
receptionist can get us a cab.” Harold walked alone to the desk,
but kept looking back to make sure Billy was still there. “Excuse
me, could you possibly call a cab for us?” Harold started. “We need
to get to the police station ASAP.” The receptionist looked up from
the book he was reading.

“Sure, I’ll call one for you, but it’s going
to be a while before anyone gets out here. Is it an emergency?
Perhaps one of...” he was cut off when Dr. Kessler jumped in.

“Here, take my car.” He offered the
Inspector, handing over his keys. “I’ll show you where it’s
parked.”

“That’s awfully good of you, Doctor. Do you
know who I am?”

“I know enough to know you have to get going.
Call us the minute you find her and let us know how she is, deal?”
Doctor Kessler handed Harold a folded piece of paper, containing
his beeper number. “The sooner you get her back to us, the better.
He’s going with you, isn’t he?” Kessler nods his head in Billy’s
direction.

“Bill! Hey Billy, over here, come on, we got
a car.”

Billy was staring at his phone, lost in
thought. Why would she turn off her phone? If anything else
happened to Antonia, he would hold Josephine solely responsible.
She had pushed the final button. His only concern was for Antonia.
God help anyone who got in his way. Especially Ms. Ferrero. Brought
out of his thoughts by the sound of his name, Billy quickly came
back to reality and hurried his step behind Harold.

Once out in the garage, Kessler added. “Bring
her back, Antonia I mean. I’m not worried about the car. Just do
whatever you have to do and bring Antonia back. She needs to be
here. Every minute she’s not here she’s...just bring her back.”

Chapter 28

Josephine had no idea where she was. They had
been driving now for over an hour. She followed her lead into a
service station, where Antonia’s abductor had stopped for gas.
Josephine parked back in the depths of the shadows. Lights off, she
was confident she would not be seen. She watched as Salvatore got
out of the car and walked around to Antonia’s side. He opened the
car door and got down on his haunches. Reaching inside the car, it
seemed as if he were fixing the blanket around Antonia. He grabbed
a duffel bag from the back seat and used it to prop up her head,
like a pillow. For all visual purposes, it seemed as if Antonia was
sleeping.

Closing the car door he stood up straight and
stretched as if relaxed and comfortable. Pulling a couple bucks
from his pocket, he handed them to the attendant and went inside
the one stop.

From where Josephine was parked it was
impossible to see what Salvatore was doing. Josephine kept watch on
the car. If she was quick she could drive right up and steal her
friend back from the monster. Steal her back and take her home,
where she belonged. But speed and agility were never her strong
suits. She prayed the attendant would notice something was wrong
with Antonia. Prayed for a police car to pull up for anything, a
donut, coffee, gas, anything. But that didn’t happen either.

Salvatore came back outside and headed for
his car. He didn’t get right in though. He stood outside and had a
cigarette while chatting with the attendant as if they were old
friends. Josephine thought perhaps she should start taking notes.
She opened the glove box to search for something to write on. She
held back the scream that begged to escape as Billy’s gun fell out
on the floor. She glanced up over the dash board carefully, just in
case she was loud enough to have been noticed. But the guys were
still chatting amongst themselves. Josephine found no paper or pen.
She shut the glove box quietly. The gun remained where it had
fallen. Through her hand bag she now scavenged. Picking up the
pace, nearly dumping all of its contents out onto the seat.
Eyeliner and an envelope. She jotted down the name of the service
plaza and everything she could remember passing on the way to this
spot. It was dark and she did not see too much, but she knew she
had passed signs for Hartford, before they had merged onto I-84.
Anything might help, if she ever got a hold of Billy that is. Time
to call him again. Josephine tucked the envelope and eyeliner in
the sun visor and went for her phone, but just then Salvatore got
back into his car. Break time was over. Keeping her safe distance,
Josephine followed. Pulling out of the service station and back
onto the main road caused the contents of Josephine’s purse to
scatter. She watched as her phone slid off to the right and down
between the seat and the door. “Shit, fuckin shit!”

Chapter 29

Harold and Billy ran into the Police Station
as if they owned the place. “Where’s Barsky?” Harold questioned
flashing his badge to anyone who glanced his way.

“She is probably home sleeping at the moment,
who may I ask needs to know?”

“Chief Inspector Davis, you are?”

“Banton, Officer Banton. I’m in charge at the
moment, what do you need the Lieutenant for at this hour?”

“How familiar are you with the Dal Santo
shooting?”

“Familiar enough to know that I’m not going
to discuss it with you, Chief Inspector, what did you say you name
was? Davis? Can’t say as I am familiar with the name. What are you
Chief Inspector of?”

“Look, I don’t have time to give you my
resume. Ms. Dal Santo has been abducted from Saint Bartholomew. Ms.
Ferrero has taken off after her and we need to find them both.”

“Abducted you say?” Turning back to the desk
behind him, he directed his attention to the woman occupying its
chair. “Get the good Lieutenant on the phone, would you Mildred and
find out who was standing guard over at Bart’s and get that
individual on the phone for me pronto.” Turning back to his guest,
“Why don’t we step into my office and dissect this issue.” Waving
his left arm out in the direction of his cubical.

“We are going to need to use your computer.”
Billy started off.

“My computer? Are we expecting an email
perhaps? A ransom note? A computer for what?”

“To locate my SUV. Josephine took my SUV. You
find my SUV you find Josephine. You find Josephine, you find
Antonia.” Billy was inches away from the officer’s computer, when
Banton pushed himself in between the two.

“I think you had better sit down there cowboy
and explain what the hell is going on here first.”

“I’ll explain,” Harold injected, “He needs to
use the computer. We don’t have time to...”

The speaker on the desk phone broke in.
“Barsky is on her way, Daniels is holding on line one.” Officer
Banton held up his hand to both gentlemen in his office, signifying
he wanted everything to remain frozen until he took the call.
“Daniels, what’s the story there tonight? Anything we need to know?
I have two gentlemen here who seem to think Ms. Dal Santo has left
the building. Uh huh...I see...where were you? And when did that
happen? Yes...you called...OK, come back in, we’ll talk more when
you get here.” Looking over at Billy he nodded his OK. “You’re sure
Ms. Ferrero has your car?” Billy didn’t respond as he pounded away
at the keyboard. Banton questioned him further, “You saw her go
after the Dal Santo woman?”

Inspector Davis was growing anxious. “Look,
let him do whatever it is he needs to do with that thing. You and I
have to figure out what the next step is going to be. How are we
going to get to them and what about Salvatore?”

“Salvatore? You never mentioned anyone by
that name.”