by David Banner
“I assure you,” her once-husband smiled. “Just a couple of weeks after me.”
Ryan placed his hand softly on her shoulder and headed for the door. He’d done what he came to do, he’d checked to make sure his family was safe. Now it was time to go, staying would only lead to something more, he feared. He didn’t want to take that chance.
Ryan climbed into his car and flipped the radio to Gus Greenfield’s show. Jillian stood watching him, framed by the large picture window of her living room. He met her eyes, peering into the shimmering reflection of the night sky.
“Welcome to The Gus Stop,” he said in a lively and caring voice. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”
“Well,” the caller began. “I’ve been in a relationship with my current girlfriend for about seven months now and everything is going great.” He paused. “But the other day I started getting messages from my ex, some of it is some pretty hot stuff. I’d thought we were over but-”
“These messages,” Gus asked. “Are they it or are you talking on the phone too?”
“We’ve talked a little bit.” He continued. “Late at night. She wants to meet me. I… I think she wants to get back together.”
Gus let out a slow sigh. Ryan could practically hear the smile stretching across his lips. The answer here was obvious, he thought. Stick with the current relationship. The former one had ended for a reason.
“Are you happy with your current relationship?” Gus asked.
“I think so… I- I mean, yes.” The caller stumbled. “But I just can’t get my ex out of my head over these last few weeks.”
“Well caller, I think we can both see where this is headed. The question is; is that the road you really want to travel right now?” He asked.
Ryan gave Jillian one final look, started his car and slowly backed down the driveway.
Chapter 16
Late night radio was something Ryan remembered from college. On the nights he wasn’t drunk off his ass or out trying to get girls he used to sit in his dorm room, listening to shows just like The Gus Stop and pretend it was him in those complex love situations.
They were always the same. Boy loves girl, girl feels pressured to put out, somebody cheats. But just because they were predictable didn’t mean they weren’t entertaining. Even now, as a full-fledged adult with a series of broken hearts and mixed up feelings painting the pallet if his history he still found them entertaining.
The slow still night sky stretched hopelessly out ahead of him as he drove to meet Kit at the radio station. Being a detective meant ditching the hope of a normal nine to five routine at times. That, coupled with a few other reasons helped solidify Ryan’s decision to go into cold cases. Besides, he’d always thought, it isn’t right to let people become just a number.
Until pulling into the parking lot the detective had forgotten just how small the local radio station really was. Roughly two thousand square feet the building was basically three rooms. Lobby, studio, restroom and storage. He’d been there once before while working the case of a young lady who’d gone missing out by a local lake.
She’d been with friends, dancing under the moonlight when she stepped away to use the restroom. No one reported hearing or seeing anything though there seemed to be disagreement about the exact time. One thing the group could agree on however, was the song playing from the car radio when they watched her step into the shadowy woods.
Twenty years had passed since that night and in that time a lot of things changed. Nearly everyone reported to be there was now married with kids, some of them having moved away shortly after college to chase their dreams. It seemed one of the small group members even managed to become head of a pretty successful hedge fund corporation up in New York City.
Though he hadn’t made it a point to head up there and speak with the man Ryan had thought about it more than a couple of times.
Ryan scanned the parking lot looking for his partners car. She hadn’t arrived just yet and he’d agreed not to head in without her. This was after all, both of their case. Six more minutes would pass before Kit Walker came into view and in that time Ryan found himself once again listening to a late night call-in show about problematic love and misguided hearts.
“I guess I just don’t trust him,” The young woman began. “He tells me he loves me but I always see him checking out other girls. He tries to hide it but I see it. If he loves me and he’s happy then why shop around? What do you think Gus? Should I dump the guy before he cheats?”
“Let me take a guess here,” Gus answered. “Parent’s divorced at an early age after your momma caught your daddy cheating too many times? Ya’ll had to fend for yourself and she struggled to raise you and your siblings?”
“Wow. Yeah… that’s exactly what happened.”
“It’s a case of transference. You think just because your guy is looking at another girl he’s going to cheat just like your dad did and leave you behind.” Gus’s voice deepened to a soothing almost sexual tone. “Don’t get me wrong. I ain’t saying your boy ain’t gonna cheat. Nobody knows that. But he’s a guy, he’s going to look at other girls when they cross his path. It’s physiological, he may not even know its happening. But if you think he loves you then maybe you have to try and trust him.”
“I want to,” the caller sighed. “But how do I know-”
“You don’t. Simple as that. That’s what trust is. He can promise you he won’t cheat but looking ain’t cheating and if you ask him to promise you he won’t look then you’re asking him to fail. It’s not your guy you don’t trust. It’s your dad and until you stop seeing all men as your father you ain’t gonna trust nobody enough to have anything worth keeping. Good luck and thanks for stopping by.”
Gus Greenfield may have been a murderer, it was too soon to tell. But murderer or not the man was good at giving advice. Ryan thought about what he’d just told the young woman. The advice seemed legitimate and honest, it seemed like advice the detective himself would have given if he’d had the opportunity.
“Hey,” Kit knocked on his window. “Ready to do this?”
It wasn’t like Kit to be out so late. Like her partner she’d grown accustomed to the ease of cold cases and the comfort of the simple routine of a day job. But they had a case to solve and they needed to chase down every lead.
When it comes to a missing persons case you almost always start with the spouse or significant other, everyone knows that. And as far as anyone could tell Gus Greenfield was the only significant love interest in the young womans life which at this point made him the prime suspect in her disappearance.
“You look-”
“I was having dinner with Jackson,” she interrupted. “Ran a little longer than I thought. I didn’t have time to change.”
Kit’s long brown hair sat high on her head, pulled back in a neat tight bun. It was a look she often wore, though somehow, with her lips shining a deep red and her eyes lined with mascara her face seemed new and fresh.
Ryan’s eyes traced her short blue dress. In all the years they’d been partners he couldn’t remember seeing the womans bare legs. They were smooth and easy, the kind of legs that grab a mans attention when they pass. She caught his gaze, an almost-smile flickering quickly across her face.
“What?” She snapped her head.
“Nothing… you look good. That’s all.”
“Let’s just get this over with,” she shook her head. “I’ve got a cheesecake waiting.”
“Right…”
Approaching the tall glass doors Ryan spotted a young man sitting behind a desk. He was thin and lanky with one of those new and nearly-bald on the sides haircuts the detective didn’t understand. The young mans head popped up in response when he heard the detectives knock. Ryan quickly flashed his badge as the man headed for the door.
“Hey,” Kit brushed past him. “We need to speak with Gus greenfield.”
“Gus isn’t here,” he answered.
“Then why am I hearing his voic
e?” Kit pointed to a small speaker in the ceiling.
“Gus hasn’t shown up in two days. We’ve been playing repeats.”
Ryan sighed, hoping this wouldn’t be just a dead end. Missing persons cases were time sensitive things and with yet another day near its end the detectives didn’t have a minute to waste. On the wall hung a large photo of the man. He grinned into the camera, his head turned downward and his chin pressed against his shoulder. It was the kind of pose Ryan had never seen in real life, the kind people give when they’re trying to look sexy and mysterious.
“Did he call in sick?” Kit asked.
“No,” the young man replied. “He just didn’t show up. We didn’t know what else to do so we just replayed a few things thinking he was running late.”
“And have you tried getting in touch with him?” Ryan asked.
“Yes. He doesn’t answer his phone. His voicemail is full… I knocked on his door but no one answered.”
“And you didn’t think to report him missing?”
“He’s a grown man. I just assumed he needed some time to cool off. Besides, it’s not unlike him to do things without telling anyone. He’s kind of a dick that way. Why…. Are you guys looking for him?”
“What can you tell me about Holly Waters?” Kit asked, trying her best to expedite the process.
“Holly…” the young guy swallowed. “They’re friends… close friends.”
“We know they’ve been having an affair. What can you tell us about their relationship?”
“I think maybe I should talk to Gus before I say anything else.” His voice shook with a nervous mix of hesitation and fear.
“And I think maybe I can arrest you for withholding information.” Kit snapped.
“You can do that?”
“I can certainly give it a shot.”
He was nervous and seemed to be the kind of guy who’d never really been sure of himself. The kind of guy who was always looking for some sense of approval from his peers and never really getting it. There was another word for it, Ryan thought to himself, though he would try and withhold too much judgement.
“She comes here sometimes and sits in with him while he’s doing the show. She doesn’t speak on the radio but once I came into the room and she was on her knees-”
“Not really the kind of information we’re looking for,” Kit interjected. “Did you ever hear them fighting?”
“Oh…” he nodded. “Yeah, Gus and Holly fight like cats and dogs. Everyone knows that. They always make up in the end though.”
“Had you heard them fighting recently?” Ryan asked.
“No… not Holly.”
“What do you mean?” Kit cocked her head.
“Well… the last night he was here I overheard him on the phone with his dad. He was stressed out and complaining. They would kind of snap at one another. I don’t know, Gus seemed pretty upset.” The young man took a deep settling breath. “He’s engaged you know.”
“We’re aware.” Ryan said. “What can you tell me about his father?”
“Nothing,” he insisted. “I’ve spoken to him on the phone once or twice when he called for Gus but I’ve never met the man.”
“And has Gus mentioned anything about his relationship with Holly over the last few weeks?”
“Sometimes she just shows up during his show and he gets upset. He still lets her in though. Then other times he calls her and asks her to come. I don’t know … it’s like he wants her in his life but only when it suits him. You know?”
“This is my card.” Kit handed the young man her number. “If you hear from or see Gus let me know immediately.”
“Should I tell him you stopped by?” He asked.
“No,” Ryan and Kit headed for the door. “Just give us a call if you hear from him.”
Chapter 17
“Bam!” Carly slapped her test on the table. “Ninety eight percent! I’ll be taking the keys to your houseboat now.”
Ryan looked into his daughters smiling face. She’d kept up her end of the bargain and now it was his turn to come to the table. He bit his lip, trying desperately to find the right words. He couldn’t let her take the boat. Not after what happened the other night.
“Carly…” he began.
The young girls face melted into a droopy sadness. She’d been through this enough to know. Her father wasn’t going to keep his word, he wasn’t going to agree to the party. Reality hit the detective like a bus. He was about to disappoint his daughter, something that pained him to no ends, something he swore a hundred times over to never do before leaving her.
“You remember the other night, right?”
“Dad,” her voice cracked. “I’ve already told all my friends. I got the grades. I kept up my end. You can’t flake on me dad. You can’t”
“I’m not trying to flake,” he insisted. “I just don’t like the idea of you and your friends being unsupervised on my boat for four hours late at night. Not after what happened.”
“Nothing happened!” She exclaimed. “Someone stole one of my shirts and ripped it. So… things like that happen all the time in school. They’re empty threats. It could have been anyone, it doesn’t mean anything.”
“But what if it does?” He asked. “What if it does mean something? This world is a dangerous place.”
Ryan struggled to keep his resolve, to find a way to hold back the surge of emotions rising inside of him. He had to end this and he knew it. He couldn’t keep looking into his daughters pouting eyes and he couldn’t keep watching her lip as it began to tremble.
“Tell you what.” He took her hand. “I’ll keep my word, but you have to agree that your mother and I can park next to the docks and keep an eye on you. None of your friends have to know we’re there. I just can’t go away completely.”
“You don’t trust me?”
“I do, Carly.” He assured her. “I do trust you. It isn’t you I’m worried about.”
“Fine…” she sighed. “But you have to promise me you won’t come onto the boat. It’ll be too embarrassing. My social standing would never recover.”
“I promise.” Ryan nodded. “Now wipe those tears away and tell me about this ninety eight percent score. Was studying really all that bad.”
“Dad.” She jabbed a fork into her seared sea scallop. “You have no idea. Becky McClain was doing a live feed of her boyfriend trying to climb through her second story window and I missed it.”
“Somehow studying seems more important.”
“Dad, he fell back and broke his ankle. Now he’s in the hospital. Everyone who was watching the live feed is going to a pizza thing downtown and I can’t go.”
“Maybe take that time to study too,” her father answered.
“What’s the point?” She quipped. “I’ve already got the boat.”
“Yeah… and if you want to keep being able to enjoy freedoms like that you’ll keep those grades up.”
“I guess, I’m just say-”
“Carly….”
“Fine.” She bit into a second scallop. “Good grades. I promise.”
Truth be told Ryan Devereux was exceptionally proud of his young daughter. He was proud of the way she’d handled her parent’s divorce, proud of the way she’d managed to keep herself out of trouble and proud of the morals he seemed to have been instilling in her. Though telling her any of that would likely cause her to scream out in embarrassment.
“Oh my God!” Carly dove back into her party conversation. “Did I tell you? Thomas is going to let me borrow some stuff from the station. I’m talking fog machine, strobe lights, the whole shebang.”
Great, Ryan thought. That’s just what my old houseboat needs. Light and smoke machines. He held his hand in the air and signaled for the check. Jillian was due any minute to retrieve their young daughter and the detective had some work to do.
He looked into her eyes one last time and warned her of how quickly he would bring the party to an end if he witnessed or even though
t he may witness drugs or alcohol. Throughout her young life Carly had never given her father much to worry about in that regard. Still though, he remembered being young and how exciting it was to break the rules.
“Are you ready?” Jillian appeared next to their daughter. “Thomas is waiting in the car. I’ll be along in a minute.”
“Alright,” she kissed her fathers forehead. “See you later dad.”
“Bye baby.”
Jillian took a seat next to him and with a surprised look in her eyes asked her ex-husband if he’d actually agreed to the party. Ryan assured her he had and that they would have nothing to worry about. After all, they two would be watching from just a few feet away.
“I’ll have a couple of officers swing by every once in a while. The sight of police light should be enough to keep the energy down.”
“And so you and I have to sit in a car all night watching a bunch of kids dance?” She asked.
“We were once that young too. Remember Jill?”
“Oh, I remember,” she smiled. “We used to come here too, after the nights out on the beach. I can’t count the times I watched you sober up in that corner booth. Your head in my lap, my fingers in your hair… it was always the same.”
“Was it really all that long ago?” He asked.
“Another lifetime,” she answered. “I miss it...”
Jillian sat still in the booth. She twirled a silver bracelet in slow circles around her arms the way people do when they’re nervous or frightened. Ryan extended his leg, letting his foot rest softly against hers. Without word she began stroking calf leg with the tip of her shoe.
It was a simple gesture, one each of them learned long ago. There was nothing overtly sexual or seductive. Just the calming sensation of a loving touch. Jillian was worried, he thought. Ryan leaned in, ready to ask her if she was okay in the soft simple way he did once before.
“Sorry,” he said as his phone began buzzing next to his plate. “Its Kit.”
“Of course,” he felt her foot disappear from his leg.
