He paced the room for a few more moments, before sitting in the chair opposite me. He slumped like a depressed teenager, seemingly powerless to affect his world.
“Now I need you to think, Chase. Is there anyone else that you think could’ve taken Millie? Anyone else that comes to mind? Someone you’ve overlooked, perhaps?”
“What? Are you telling me that Ruby didn’t do it?” He sat forward.
“I never told you that she did. I told you she was a suspect, the same as all the other people are at the moment. I’m investigating all the leads, but so far, we have nothing concrete.”
“I don’t want to lose that million dollars.”
“What about Millie?”
The question shocked him. “Of course, I don’t want to lose Millie either.”
“There are still some leads that we need to follow, but we’re getting closer.” I opened a file. “Is there anyone you know that’s a mechanic or connected to a mechanic?”
“Mechanic?”
“That’s where the clues are leading.”
“Ruby’s father was a mechanic, although he’s been retired for years. But I have no clue where they are now.”
“I want you to try and find out where they might’ve gone. Go and see Ruby’s mother at her house, and tell me the second you hear anything.” I didn’t feel it was a strong possibility, but the option was still open. I tapped my fingers on the side of the table. “Where do you get your cars serviced?”
“I have them serviced at a dealership. I don’t know the mechanics’ names, I only deal with the receptionist, but I’m sure they don’t have anything to with it. That shop wouldn’t do this sort of thing.” He thought for a few moments. “Why do you say it’s a mechanic?”
“It could be nothing, but that’s where the clues are leading.”
He stared at the table, and I could almost see the thoughts going through his head.
“And,” he stated, “There’s also Damon. Millie’s grandfather.”
“What about him?”
“He’s a former mechanic. Worked hard his whole life and has nothing to show for it because he didn’t work smart.” Chase looked up. “And he’s always been jealous of my money, the way I’ve done well.”
“I thought you said he was the only member of Tanya’s family that you still got along with?”
Chase shifted uncomfortably.
“Things have been a bit tense since the last investment went south. And he’s been especially cold since Ruby came on the scene. We had a bit of a fight about it. I think he finally realized Tanya and I were finished.” Chase ran his hand through his hair again, before continuing. “He said Millie would be better off without me, that Ruby was a bad influence and that I was only good for my money.”
Chase leaned forward and looked me in the eyes, he was angry now.
“And then he said I wasn’t even much good for that, what I pay each month doesn’t cover Millie’s food, let alone anything else, and he hopes I had some trust fund set up for Millie’s future. How dare he! I worked my way up from nothing and then people expect me to share it around like a charity. Well, I told him what I thought of that. And I told him that he and all the other blue-collar poor only had themselves to blame.”
Chase let out an angry breath and relaxed, slumped back into the chair.
I waited, I could tell Chase had something more to get off his chest.
Chase sighed before speaking again.
“Maybe he’s right. Maybe Millie is better off without me. But could he really be behind this? He’s an old man, and he’s sick…” Chase trailed off.
“I don’t know,” I responded. “But it’s my job to find out.”
Chapter 14
I hated ties.
None seemed to fit my neck. Not that I looked like an offensive lineman, but my neck was solid. The jacket felt even worse. My shoulders didn’t feel free, and I felt like if I moved the wrong way, the entire suit would rip apart.
“Don’t look so rigid,” Casey smiled as we stepped out of the car. “You need to look more natural.”
“More natural? This is about as unnatural as I get.” I ran my finger along the collar of my shirt. “I could never work in an office.”
“Nobody would want you to work in their office. I’ve heard you type on your computer keyboard. You’re like a caveman thumping a stone tablet with a club.”
“Thanks.” I managed a grin. “So this is it?”
“This is where Damon said we could find him.” Casey looked up at the building. “Said he was going to be here all day.”
The American Veteran’s Club was a small building in the west of Logan Square, an area I knew well. Casey contacted Damon under the guise that we were school workers and had received an enrollment for Millie at a new Catholic school and Damon had been listed as a reference.
The building was busy, it was just after lunch time, and the volunteers at the center had just served lunch for around two hundred men and women. I liked these places. These were the places that supported returned service men and women, let them tell their stories, let them know that they were not alone, that there was someone there who would listen and help.
From what we found, we knew that Damon was very active in the community, be that with veterans, the center for the homeless, or helping out the aged community by doing odd-jobs around their homes. An all-around good guy. Or so it seemed on the surface. I needed to dig deeper, to look beneath the veneer and find out if there was another side to him, a darker side kept hidden from public view – a side that could kidnap a young girl from her parents.
We found him in the kitchen, working hard scrubbing dishes, laughing with his fellow kitchen hands. With our business attire, we didn’t fit in well.
We introduced ourselves, Damon excused himself from the kitchen, wiped his hands on a towel and led us to the small dining room at the side of the larger hall where most people were seated. There were rows of former servicemen and women all eating their meals together, some talking and laughing, others somber and reserved but all together breaking bread in solidarity. It was a sight that gladdened the heart.
He glanced over the form that we gave him, including his address and any details that we might have missed before.
“So that’s why you were at Chase’s apartment the other day,” stated Damon, “I knew you weren’t a friend of his when we first met. You were more casually dressed then.”
“That’s right. We were talking about the enrollment.”
“He said that you were doing work for him?”
“Let’s just say, it’s a competitive business, getting into good schools, these days.” I gave Damon a knowing look and moved on before he could think about it too much. “Please do have a good look at the form.”
He glanced back at the paperwork.
“My daughter didn’t tell me about this,” he said with a touch of suspicion. “Can Chase do that? Just enroll a child in a new school without the mother’s permission?”
“I assure you, we need both parents to sign the paperwork for enrollment,” Casey calmed his nerves as she shut the door behind us. “We don’t want to be a part of any family conflict,” she added with a little laugh.
“However, we are not at the enrollment stage just yet,” Casey continued, serious again. “Our Lady of St. Mary’s is a small school providing the best education money can buy, and I’m sure you can appreciate we have a large number of applications each year. So this is just an informal meeting to ensure we are the right school for Millie.”
“Our Lady of St. Mary’s, you say?” He rubbed his brow. “I’ve never heard of that school and I’ve been around this area for many, many years.”
“We’re still new, two years old, but we’re growing in both numbers and reputation. We want to make sure that we have only the best children at our school, so that Millie can be assured that she will learn and socialize not just with high achievers but also those with strong Catholic values.”
> Damon still looked doubtful.
“And Chase put me down as a reference on the form?”
“He did,” I responded, looking around. “We can already see you are an active member of your community. Now, do you mind if we ask you some questions?”
Damon nodded.
The room was small—kitchen to one side, a fridge in the corner, and a table with five mismatched chairs. We sat down, and Casey opened a file with Millie’s photo attached. She was doing a very good job of presenting herself as a member of a Catholic school recruitment team. Even I was convinced as she provided Damon a run-down about the school.
“So now, can you tell us a little about your background first?” Casey asked.
“I’m a war vet. Served in Iraq back in the early nineties, retired after two tours, and went into my father’s trade, which was a mechanic. Did that for most of my life. I retired from work ten years ago, just after the death of my wife, and I’ve spent the last decade doing a lot of volunteering. I work in the kitchen here, mow lawns for elderly people who can’t do it themselves, and feed the homeless with the soup van that runs around here. Lots of different things, mostly organized through my church, St. Michael’s, but just trying to help people.”
Casey nodded approvingly.
“Sounds like a very colorful life.”
“Well, I worked hard, slaved away for decades, although I don’t have much else to show for it. Chase is the one with money. I suppose I should be glad of that, for Millie’s sake. She will have opportunities I could never have given Tanya, her mother. I risked my life for this country, and did five decades of honest work, and I’m not left with much. Don’t even own my house. Lost it when my business went under. But people like Chase know how to make money. That’s what he’s good at.”
Damon was getting off track, if this was a real interview, I wouldn’t like Millie’s chances of getting in, but it was providing a useful insight for us. Still, we didn’t want to lose our plausibility, so I shot Casey a look to get the interview back on course.
“And what can you tell us about Millie? Is she calm, energetic, or very expressive? What are her interests and talents?” Casey sat with a pen ready to take notes. “Anything you can tell us about her will be helpful.”
“Millie is the sweetest, cutest, nicest girl you’ll ever meet. Her smile radiates around the room, her blue eyes are so innocent, and her laugh, well, her laugh makes me laugh.” Damon stopped to think for a moment. “She loves to sing,” he continued. “Got that talent from her Grandma Ruth, God rest her soul,” Damon made the sign of the cross. “Ruth would be proud of her, though she never met her. Millie is sweet natured, just like Ruth used to be. She’s an angel, I’m sure of that. They both are, one in heaven and one on earth.” He shook his head. “I’m just sad that I won’t be around to see the woman that she becomes.”
Neither Casey nor I responded. How could we? What do you say to a man who’s just admitted that his days are numbered?
“I have cancer, you see.” After a long pause, he continued. “I don’t have long left, and I’ve done just about all I can for Millie here on earth. I’ll be up in heaven soon, but at least I know that Millie is provided for, I’ve made sure of that.”
If Damon was our kidnapper, he was on the verge of saying too much, but was too caught up in his plan to realize. One gentle nudge and he might just spill the information we needed.
“Yes, it must be reassuring to know her father has the means to provide for her.”
I was banking on him not wanting Chase to get the credit.
Damon frowned at me for a moment, slightly confused. “No, not Chase.” He looked down at his hands with a nod, “I’m going to leave something special behind for her when I go.”
“Ah,” I nodded approvingly, “a legacy trust fund.” I was pushing for a more specific answer.
“I’m sorry.” He looked up from the table and took a deep breath. “I shouldn’t be so depressed about these things. I’ve lived a great life, and my wife is up there in heaven waiting for me. That’s why I’ve been volunteering, you see.” He joked. “So I can get into heaven with the wife.”
Damon looked back down at the paperwork. “So, I guess I’d better get this filled in for you.”
“Thank you, just a few minor details, in case we need to get in touch again.” Casey answered as she tidied up her notes.
“It’s a good legacy to leave behind,” Casey said reassuringly, but shot me a look while Damon was busy writing and I could tell she thought I had pushed too hard. “All this volunteering that you do, we can see that Millie comes from a good family. It will certainly help us while we process the application.”
Damon handed over his form and Casey closed the folder. “Thank you for your time.”
After shaking his hand, we left the building, not saying a word until we entered the truck.
Once we closed the doors, I looked at Casey and could see she shared my thoughts.
“We have a new suspect.”
Chapter 15
The street was quiet, as was the apartment building.
Damon rented a one-bedroom apartment on the third floor of a Logan Square apartment block, a far cry from the house that he used to own and live in. The financial crisis was not kind to him. He lost his family home, his business, and all of his retirement plan.
After the loss of his wife, he was left with nothing. Not a cent to his name after a life of hard work.
Casey scoped out the third floor first, and when she didn’t find any activity, I followed her, scoping for cameras as I went. There were none, not that I expected to find any. Damon had mentioned that he would be at the Veterans Club until after 5pm, so we had time to have a thorough look around.
After a quick jimmy of the door lock, it swung wide open. Locks aren’t too hard to pick, if you know what you’re doing, that is, especially older ones. One simple twist with two pins, and the door pops open, with a little bit of practice, of course. And I’d done plenty over the years. I’d started early, over twenty years ago, with a simple ‘how to’ book on the subject and had progressed through all the various picking tools and innovations as they were developed and came on the market. Oftentimes when I sat watching the television, I’d be practicing on a new lock mechanism, working away at it with the tools of the trade until I could crack it in moments. It used to drive Claire bananas.
We stepped in quietly, hoping to find the television on, and Millie watching it safe and well.
There was one couch, faced towards the old television, one small wooden dining table, two chairs, and a sparsely filled kitchen. The bedroom and bathroom were the same—spotlessly cleaned, dustless, and perfectly ordered.
There were a group of children’s books on the bookshelf, toys in a box next to the television, and boxes of children’s breakfast cereal in the cupboard, but no sign that Millie was currently staying there.
“I’ve got nothing.” Casey walked into the kitchen where I was looking through a drawer. “Not even a bill to a new place.”
“I’m the same,” I replied, banging the drawer closed with frustration. “Nothing to indicate that he was planning this, nothing to show that he researched it, and nothing to show that he has any connections to any old repair shops.”
Casey sighed sympathetically.
“Wrong guy?”
“Maybe.” I shrugged. “But I’m not wiping him off the list yet. He has the motive to do this.”
We checked once more through all the drawers, looking for a bill or a notice of rent for another place, anything that might suggest he had somewhere else to keep Millie, but again, we came up short.
Casey gave up and flopped down onto the sofa.
“There’s nothing here, Jack. What’s our next move?”
At that moment, we heard a knock on the apartment door.
We froze, our eyes locking on to the door.
“Damon, is that you?” An elderly woman’s voice called out. “Damon? I heard noises
from your apartment, and you haven’t been around this week. And you haven’t returned my calls.”
We didn’t respond, barely moving, barely breathing.
She knocked again.
“You’ve missed the rent again this week.” The lady called out. “You’ve got until Friday to pay it. I know things are tight, but you can’t keep missing rent. I’ve been reasonable with you and I want to help, really I do, but I can’t give you beyond Friday, ok? This time it has to be paid, in full. Otherwise I’ve got no choice but to pursue eviction. I don’t want to do that. I don’t want you out on the street. But I’m not a charity either, understand? I still have bills to pay.”
Casey and I looked at each other. Financial troubles were certainly on his list of motives.
When we heard the light footsteps walk back down the hall, we exhaled.
“Let’s wrap this up,” I whispered to Casey. “Get out before she comes back with the keys.”
Quietly, we snuck back out of the building, taking the stairs and out the back entrance.
We walked to my truck parked a block away, our minds too busy racing through the possible scenarios to discuss it out loud.
We got in and sat quietly in the truck, not going anywhere, not talking, just staring into the nothingness.
“Do you think they’ll hurt her?” Casey finally broke the silence.
“I don’t know.” My hand gripped the steering wheel. “I don’t even want to think about it. That innocent girl doesn’t deserve any pain.”
I banged my fist on the steering wheel, causing Casey to jump.
“I really thought we were on the right track, first Kyle, then Damon, but we keep coming up empty handed. We’ve got to start considering other possibilities.”
Casey snapped out of her melancholy mood and got into brainstorming.
“Come on Jack, let’s talk through this. I feel we’re close too. We just need to find a new angle.”
Casey pulled out her tablet and flicked open her notes.
Stolen Power Page 8
