Next Move, You're Dead - Book 1 of the Next Move, You're Dead Trilogy

by Linda L Barton

  “No, that can’t be it. He has made it clear there was nothing personal in his choices. Damn it, what are you up too, Erebus?”

  John pulled into the driveway of the motel and parked in front of the office. He turned off his car and went inside.

  “Good afternoon; how may I help you today?” The woman who sat behind the large counter smiled, as she closed the book she had been reading and set it aside.

  John assumed she must be the wife of the man who checked him in. Dressed in a bright floral dress, with her gray hair twisted up into a knot atop her head, made for an amusing image. Then to complete the ensemble, hot pink, rhinestone studded reading glasses, which curved up at the corners framed her large, blue eyes.

  Yes, she’s his wife; John thought to himself.

  John had cleared his throat before he spoke, “My name is John Cooper, and I am staying in room 23. I hate to complain, but I need a different room? It isn’t satisfactory at all.”

  “It isn’t? What’s wrong with it?” The look on her face now showed concern.

  “I can’t sleep on the bed, it’s just too soft,” he smiled, hoping this would pacify her.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I guess we can move you to Room 16; the bed is newer.”

  She stood and walked to the pegboard on the wall behind her, pulled off the key for Room 16, and handed it to him.

  “I am sorry the bed was uncomfortable for you last night; hopefully, this one will be better. After you get your things out of the other room, just leave the key on the dresser. Housekeeping will get it later.”

  John smiled and took the key from her. “Thank you, but I didn’t leave anything in the room when I left earlier, so you can have the key now.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out the key then handed it to her.

  “Oh, that’s fine,” she took the key and returned it to the pegboard over the number 23.

  “If there is anything else we can do to make your stay with us more comfortable, please let us know,” she smiled.

  “Thank you, I will. I’m sure everything will be okay with the new room.”

  John walked back out to his car and drove to his new room.

  “Let’s hope this one is better.” He put the key in the lock then once he heard the click of the tumbler, he held his breath and opened the door.

  John had to admit this room appeared to be better than the last one. At least, there was no wallpaper with the large orange flowers on it.

  “So far, so good,” he stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

  Chapter 27

  Kathy’s Fear

  Kathy sat outside of the police department, trying to clear her mind before going inside to talk to Tom again.

  “How could John do something like that?” Her hands trembled as she rested her forehead on the steering wheel, fighting back the tears forming in her eyes.

  “Damn, I need to pull myself together. I won’t be any good for John if I fall apart.” Kathy knew there had to be a logical reason for everything going on, but what is it?”

  The events of the last two days replayed in her mind like a nightmare from which she could not awaken.

  Suddenly, the image of the prostitutes from her earlier meeting crept into her mind.

  How humiliating! I can’t believe I went there.

  Kathy knew even with all the unpleasantness she experienced; she would do it again to find John.

  She thought back to the look of rage on his face when he shoved the folder at her.

  He has to know I love him and would never conspire against him.

  Kathy sat up straight, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Nothing will get done if I sit here feeling sorry for myself.”

  She took the key out of the ignition and opened the door. “Maybe Tom has heard something?”

  ***

  “Oh, Kathy, come in,” Tom motioned for her to sit in the chair across from his desk. He had been through the pictures of John, trying to see anything that might help find him.

  “By the expression on your face, I gather you haven’t heard from John or found where he is yet.”

  Tom pushed the envelope with the pictures of John and the prostitute aside, trying not to draw attention to it. If Kathy did not receive the same envelope, he did not want to upset her any more than she already was.

  Unfortunately, Kathy recognized the envelope label from the courier company. “Oh, God, you got the same pictures!”

  She leaned forward to grab the envelope, but Tom pulled it away.

  “What is going on Tom?” Her voice was a mixture of anger and agony.

  “I wish I knew. I gather you received the pictures, too. I don’t understand this, Kathy. Why would John be with a prostitute, but more importantly, who was following him and taking these pictures?”

  Tom knew John had made enemies through his years with the force, so maybe it was one of them.

  “Kathy, was there a note in your envelope?”

  “No, only the pictures.”

  She wanted to tell Tom of her visit with the prostitutes, but she was too ashamed. “Who do you think took them?”

  “I don’t have a clue. Maybe we should contact the courier company and see if they can shed some light on this.” Tom reached for the telephone and dialed. After a few rings, someone answered.

  “On-Time Courier Service, how may I help you?” The voice of the young woman was crisp and cheerful.”

  “This is Captain Tom Riggs of the Philadelphia Police Department. I need some information on a couple of deliveries your company made today.” Tom knew he would probably run into a problem if they required a warrant to release information, but it was worth a try.

  “Oh, you’ll need to speak with Jack, our manager about that. Please hold while I transfer.”

  The phone rang twice, and then a male voice answered, “Jack Mathews, how may I help you today?”

  “This is Captain Tom Riggs of the Philadelphia Police Department. Your company delivered a couple of envelopes today. You delivered one to the department addressed to me and the other to a private residence. I need to know who sent them,” Tom held his breath, as he waited for an answer.

  “Captain, I’m sure you know I can’t give out that information over the telephone. I’ll need a photo ID to confirm you’re who you say you are.”

  The last thing, Jack wanted, was to upset Tom by being difficult, but with the liability issues he faced, he could not be too careful.

  “You said we delivered the first envelope to you at the department, correct?”

  “Yes, but I need to know about both of them.” Tom did not intend to let Jack turn him down. “I was hoping I wouldn’t need a warrant, but if you insist…”

  Not wanting to involve corporate with a warrant, Jack hoped he could find a way to help Tom with his request.

  “Well okay, please give me a moment to look it up on my computer and see if maybe I can save you a trip. I’ll need to call you back to confirm you truly are a Captain at the Police Department.”

  Tom said goodbye and agreed to wait for the return call.

  “Do you think he’ll give you the information?” Kathy asked, wondering if this could solve the mystery of the pictures.

  “I hope so. I don’t think I can justify a warrant,” Tom grinned.

  After a few minutes, Jack called back. “Sir, did you receive the delivery about two hours ago?”

  “Yes, I did,” Tom held his breath.

  “I have confirmed you are with the Police Department, so I can tell you the two envelopes, we delivered, were dropped off and paid for by a Mr. John Cooper. I hope this helps you,” Jack prayed this would not come back to bite him.

  Tom fought to remain calm. The envelopes were sent by John?

  “Do you have a description of the man who left the envelopes at your office?” Tom was unsure if he wanted the answer.

  “No, I never saw him. We’ve been quite busy today, so, to be honest, I don’t bel
ieve anyone had time to pay attention to what someone looked like today.” Jack worried this was not the desired answer.

  “Is there anything else I may help you with today, Captain?”

  “No, that’s all I needed. Thank you again for your help.”

  They both hung up the telephone, without saying anything else.

  Tom looked at Kathy, his face ashen with surprise. He looked at Kathy, wondering how he would tell her.

  “Tom, what is it? Who sent the pictures?” The look on his face frightened her.

  Tom paused a moment, gathering his thoughts before he spoke. “Kathy we have a real problem here because the person, who sent the pictures, was John.”

  “John? No, that can’t be true! He would never...” Kathy felt her body go numb. “First, he made the folder, and now this! Oh Tom, what is he up to?”

  “I have no idea, but something is going on with him. I only hope we figure it out before it’s too late. Are you sure you didn’t notice anything strange going on with him before you left?” Tom knew the answer, but he hoped for anything that might shed some light on all of this.

  “No, not at all, we had a wonderful evening the night before I flew out. In fact, he teased me about not forgetting my sunscreen.” A tear-stained smile came to her lips, as she remembered him laughing when he put the sunscreen into her suitcase.

  “The next morning he called me a cab and had coffee ready for me. I don’t understand; it’s like he’s someone different from the man I left a few days ago.”

  Tom reached for the envelope and spread the pictures across his desk. “There has to be a reason he’s doing this. I’ll never accept John is cheating on you, and I certainly won’t accept he sent us photos of his rendezvous! There has to be something going on with him we’re missing.”

  Tom looked at Kathy and seeing the pained expression on her face, realized he had not chosen his words carefully. “I’m sorry; I should’ve said that. Please forgive me.”

  He looked at the pictures one last time and put them back in the envelope.

  “You don’t need to apologize. I wondered that myself. When I first opened the envelope, I thought someone John arrested in the past was trying to cause problems between us. I thought the pictures were taken during his investigation. That was until I looked closer at them closer and noticed the date printed on the back. The date is today! There is no reason for him to talk with any of those women. The case is over, right?”

  Kathy looked at Tom, hoping he could clear this all up for her.

  “Yes, it is over! I told John to let it go, and I thought he had. He knows better than to pursue this any further. He could compromise the entire case, which is why I told him to take some time off. Crap, if he’s not careful, he’ll jeopardize his career. Kathy, we need to find him before something else happens,” Tom leaned back in his chair and combed his fingers through his hair, contemplating what to do next. “Do you have any idea where he might go?”

  “Honestly, with the way he’s acting; I don’t. I am going to drop by Leo’s Pub and see if John’s been there recently. It used to be his favorite hangout so he might go there to clear his head.”

  Kathy shifted in her chair, not sure if she should continue. “Tom, I need to tell you something.”

  Unsure of how Tom would react, she cleared her throat and spoke slowly. “Earlier today, I went to find the woman in the pictures with John.”

  “You did what?” Her statement nearly brought Tom straight out of his chair.

  Kathy held his gaze and squared her shoulders before continuing, “I said, I went to find the woman in the pictures with John. I needed to learn what was going on.”

  Why would you do something so foolish? That’s no place for you; you might have been hurt, or worse!” The thought of Kathy going there alone terrified Tom.

  Kathy straightened her back and held her ground, “I don’t care what could’ve happened to me. The only thing, I care about, is finding John!”

  Tom tried to speak, but she cut him off. “Yes, I drove to where those women hang out to work. When I got there, I noticed a few of them standing on the corner. I pulled up to the curb and asked if any of them knew the woman in the pictures with John.”

  Tom tried to interrupt, but she kept talking, “Oh, Tom, they were different from anyone I’ve ever met. When I showed them the pictures, they said they knew her, but she was on a date.”

  “They said the woman liked John, and she would do him anytime for free!” Kathy expressed in a quivering voice, as she remembered everything they said to her.

  “There has to be an explanation for this, Kathy. John would never do something like that; he loves and respects you too much.”

  Tom refused to believe what he was hearing. John had never shown interest in cheating on Kathy, and certainly not with prostitutes.

  “I used to believe that, but now I’m not so sure. Everything is upside down Tom. I left for Miami and was only gone a couple of days then when I return home; my life has gone to hell. John is drinking again, and he’s created a bizarre fantasy of us conspiring against him, and now this. Yesterday morning I would’ve said this was all a simple misunderstanding, but now I’m not so sure…” her voice trailed off.

  Both of them stared at each other, neither knowing what to say. They both knew if they did not find John soon, things might end poorly.

  The ringing of the telephone broke the strained silence in the room. Tom then reached out and reluctantly picked up the receiver. “Captain Riggs.”

  Kathy stood, pleased to use the telephone call as her opportunity to leave.

  “Please, don’t go,” he whispered, motioning for her to stay.

  She knew there was nothing more they could do until they found John. She gave a small wave goodbye and quickly left the room before he could say anything else.

  Kathy walked outside, hoping to clear her mind in the evening air.

  “I need to know where you are John, and now!” She said aloud with a new determination in her voice. She straightened her shoulders and walked to her car. “Maybe Leo will have some answers for me.”

  ***

  The bar was unusually quiet this evening, with only a couple of customers hanging around in the back. It surprised Leo to watch the well-dressed woman walk through the door as she did not appear to be the type to come to a bar alone. “Good evening, welcome to Leo’s. I’m Leo, what can I get you?”

  Kathy had been to the bar in the past to get John when he was drinking. She marveled how the place still looked and smelled the same. Kathy recognized Leo immediately. He was always friendly enough, but she did not enjoy seeing him again under these circumstances.

  “Yes, you may. I want to know if you’ve seen my husband lately.”

  The statement erased the smile on Leo’s face. He was asked the same question many times over the years from angry wives searching for their no-good husbands. Dealing with them was the one thing Leo hated most about owning a bar. For far too often, they blamed him for their boozing man not coming home and taking care of his family. “And your husband’s name is?”

  “John Cooper.” Kathy never blinked, while she walked toward the bar.

  “You’re John’s wife? I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you, please, sit down. Can I get you anything to drink?” Leo grinned nervously then reached for a glass.

  Kathy refused to sit. “No, thank you. I only want to know if you’ve seen John lately.”

  Leo was at a loss for words. He never enjoyed getting in the middle of marital problems between a man and his wife. The last time he did, the woman shot the poor guy. The husband survived, but he’ll walk with a limp for the rest of his life.

  “Mrs. Cooper, I don’t want to get involved in any problems you and John may be having. People come in here for different reasons, and it’s not my place to get involved in their personal business. I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.”

&n
bsp; Kathy leaned against the bar, looking Leo in the eyes, and said in a menacing tone. “Listen, I’m trying to find my husband, and I don’t plan to leave here until you tell me if he’s been in here recently. It’s not difficult; a simple yes or no will do. So, unless you want a major scene in your precious little bar, I suggest you begin talking!”

  It surprised Leo that Kathy would take him on in such a manner. “I’m sorry, but I cannot...”

  Kathy refused to let him brush her off any longer. “You need to know I’m a close friend of Captain Tom Riggs of the Philadelphia Police Department, so unless you want him looking over your shoulder, I suggest you tell me what I want to know; NOW!”

  “Alright, alright, calm down.” Damn, This woman is one tough cookie; Leo thought to himself. He could see why John needed some time alone to sort things out. “He’s been in here a couple of times lately. He seemed upset and said he didn’t want to be bothered. He would just come in, get his drink, and sit at the table over there.” Leo pointed toward the table against the back wall.

  “He would stay for a couple of hours, and then leave. That’s all I know.”

  “So you’re telling me he didn’t meet anyone here?” Kathy held her breath, waiting for the answer.

  “No, he would come in alone. In fact, he was very firm in his wish to be left alone.”

  The server walked up to the bar and took the drinks Leo had waiting for her. “Thanks, Leo,” she smiled, and then put the glasses on her tray and walked away.

  Kathy watched as the server took the drinks to a couple sitting at one of the tables then she turned back to Leo. “Is that all, you’re sure nothing else happened?”

  “I’m positive. He came in, had a few drinks, and left. I’m sorry if you two are having problems. I like John.” Leo prayed this would pacify her, but the look on her face told him otherwise. The last thing, Leo wanted to tell her, was how he had driven John’s car home when he was too drunk to drive himself.

  Kathy realized Leo was not going to say any more than he already had. This has been a wasted trip, now what should I do?

  Kathy hated to be so pushy with Leo, but she had no choice. She wanted to know where John was, and what happened to him while she was in Florida.

  “I’m sorry for being so rude, thank you for your help, Leo.” Kathy looked around the bar one last time, hoping John might be there.