by JR Thompson
Expecting it to be empty, she opened the top drawer. Inside, she found a spiral notebook. Wow! I bet this contains notes on some of the stories Duke was working on before he died.
Flipping it open, she found notes that made no sense. Notes that said, “CA = 675, BM = 450, RR = 700, GL = 1200, MC = 325.”
Algebra? Geometry, maybe? Turning pages, she found several phone numbers and a few addresses written down. Probably sources.
Not finding anything useful, she flipped the book closed and continued pilfering through the desk.
Now this is weird, she thought, as she picked up a large manila envelope with Dr. Fennell’s logo and address in the top left-hand corner. What is this doing here?
Inside, there were several photographs. Curious, Alayna pulled them out and held one up to the light. The picture was of a girl, probably somewhere in the vicinity of eight or nine years old. It looked like a newer photograph. Alayna flipped it over to see if there was a date on the back. No date. Instead, she saw the initials BM written there.
She turned it upside down and held the next picture up to the light. A boy, close to the same age as the girl, was leaning up against a brick building dressed in nothing but his underwear. Wait a minute! Could that be Malachi? In the dark it was difficult to tell, but it sure did look like him. She flipped the picture over. On the back, she found the initials MC.
A chill ran down her spine. She was onto something. No wonder someone didn’t want Collin in that house.
The next photo contained a picture of a woman in her early to mid-twenties. Looks like a cheerleader. On the back, she found the initials CA.
She placed it on top of the others she had already viewed. The next picture was turned upside down. The initials were RR. She flipped it over and screamed, “Remmy?” Dark or daylight didn’t matter. She knew that face — it was definitely her son. It was a headshot. Looking closer, she figured out where the picture had been taken. A few years back, Dr. Fennell had gotten a new computer system in the office, which required a headshot to be taken of each of his clients. But how did that picture of Remmy end up in The Creepy Masselli Place?
◆◆◆
The sound of footsteps downstairs suddenly made their way to her ears. Oh, no! Alayna thought. I am trapped in the loft. What if somebody’s coming back up here?
Looking around, there was no place to hide. Alayna quietly walked over to the attic entrance and closed the wooden door, hoping no one would notice her presence.
Oh, they’re going to see the ladder, she suddenly remembered.
She picked up the folding chair and decided she would bash someone over the head with it if they tried to come into that attic.
The footsteps sounded like they were coming up the stairs. Whoever it was, they were getting closer.
Angry Momma’s adrenaline was kicking in. Whoever was in that house was probably the person who had attacked her husband. It was probably someone involved in Remmy’s disappearance. Maybe even someone involved in murdering that boy from Harmony. They weren’t going to walk back out of that house alive. Not if Alayna could help it!
“Well, poop on my boots!” Alayna suddenly heard. “You okay in here, girl?”
“Nikki?” Alayna called.
“It’s me. Are you in the attic, girlfriend?” Nikki replied.
“Yes! Please help me. The ladder fell,” Alayna told her.
“I can see that,” Nikki laughed.
Once Nikki got the ladder back in place, Alayna asked her how she had been found. “Pretty simple. I was driving around looking for you and I saw Jake.”
“Figures,” Alayna mumbled.
◆◆◆
Nikki loved solving riddles. “Let me see those coded messages again,” she told Alayna.
She held the notebook next to the photos. “MC = 325. MC is obviously Malachi Crowley. But what’s the 325?”
“I don’t have a clue,” Alayna said. “Unless it’s some kind of a rating scale.”
“Hmm…, You might be onto something.”
Nikki kept studying the photographs, initials, and numbers for a few minutes. “I hope I’m wrong, girl, but I told Collin before that I think there might be a human trafficker on the loose. Those numbers might be price tags.”
“Let’s take them to the police,” Alayna said.
“Take them to the police? And tell them what? That we were snooping around on private property? I think we should take it back to the guys and show them what we found.”
“No way!” Alayna said. “If Collin knew I came in here, he’d kill me.”
“Then what do you want to do? Just forget we ever saw it?”
“I have an idea,” Alayna said. “Why stop here?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, Remmy’s picture came from Dr. Fennell’s office. This envelope has Fennell’s logo on it. So either Fennell is involved in this or whoever kidnapped Fennell got into his files.”
“Oh, I’m picking up what you’re putting down. Let’s do it!” Nikki said.
CHAPTER 36 – BREAKING AND ENTERING
Nikki parked her car out behind Dr. Fennell’s office, hoping to avoid suspicion.
She and Alayna walked around the building, attempting to turn doorknobs and trying to lift windows. Unfortunately, the building was locked up tighter than a bank vault.
Nikki tried to pick the lock on the back door with a bobby pin. It was no use. “Let’s just get out of here,” Nikki said after twenty minutes of trying to break in.
“You can leave if you want to. I’m going to find out where my baby is if it’s the last thing I do.”
Nikki laughed. “It’s true when they say opposites attract, huh? Collin is always all straight laced. Look at you! You’re a wild woman — but I like it! What do you have in mind?”
“It’s a good thing I know Doc Fennell is too cheap to invest in a security system. What I’m about to do could get us both in a lot of trouble, Nikki. If you’re afraid of the law, you might want to leave now.”
Nikki was having the time of her life. She wasn’t about to go anywhere.
Alayna dug in her purse for a moment. “Emergency toilet paper,” she said as she pulled out a miniature roll and began wrapping it around her hand.
With Nikki watching in disbelief, Alayna walked up to the back door and punched a hole right through the glass. She reached her arm through and unlocked the door.
“You did not just do that?” A wide-eyed Nikki questioned.
“Oh, I did! My baby is worth more to me than my freedom and this little bit of blood. There might be something in this building that will help him be found.”
Inside, the ladies decided to stay together. They didn’t know what they were looking for, but they didn’t plan on leaving empty handed.
“The file room,” Alayna said. “Let’s start with the file room.”
Nikki agreed. If Fennell was involved, that would be the perfect place to begin their search. Nikki started to open the door. “It’s locked,” she said. “Do you want me to try to pick it?”
“Forget that.” Angry Momma turned around backward and kicked the door with all of her might. It was such a powerful kick that the door came off the hinges.
“Check that!” Nikki said. “It’s true what they say. Don’t mess with Momma Bear.”
Once inside, Alayna immediately found the file folder marked REM. She had to see what it said about Remington. Inside, it looked like a typical file folder. It contained his address, his photo, and his records. Nothing out of the ordinary here.
Together, Nikki and Alayna skimmed through most of the files in the records room, only to find disappointment. The files were all clean.
“Let’s check the lab,” Nikki said.
Before they could take two steps, a police officer barged through the door. “Put your hands where I can see them!” he shouted.
◆◆◆
“Who would you like to call, Mrs. Russell, your husband?” A security officer at the Cla
yville Correctional Center asked.
“No, we don’t have a phone. I don’t know who to call,” Alayna replied.
“What about your pastor?” Nikki suggested.
Now there’s an idea, Alayna thought. Wouldn’t Pastor Brown be proud? Then again, there wasn’t really any choice. Nervously, she dialed his number. When Mrs. Brown answered, Alayna told her what was going on and asked if she and the pastor could bail her out. Mrs. Brown told her she would have to talk to her husband and if possible, someone would be there within the hour.
How humiliating.
“How about you, Ms. Barkley, who would you like to call?”
“Ghost Busters,” Nikki said, as if the whole thing was a joke.
The lady didn’t even crack a smile. “In other words, you don’t want to make a phone call?”
“No, I do want to make a call. Do you have the number for the governor’s mansion?”
“The governor’s mansion? Why?”
“I’m the governor’s daughter, why do you think?”
With a questioning, yet alarmed expression, the officer said, “You’re not?”
“Gotcha!” Nikki laughed.
What is wrong with her? Does she not have any idea when it’s appropriate to play games and when it’s not?
Alayna listened as Nikki harassed the woman for about fifteen minutes before finally deciding to just wait and see if whoever bailed Alayna out would bail her out as well.
An hour later, a guard came to their holding cell and said they had both been sprung. After being escorted to the lobby, they found Pastor and Mrs. Brown, Collin, and Brock waiting for them.
“Enjoying your girl time?” Collin asked.
Alayna blushed. “It’s been an adventure, right Nikki?”
“Absolutely,” Nikki laughed. “Let’s do it again sometime.”
◆◆◆
Back at home, every eye stayed glued on Alayna as she told her story. There was a lot more to Alayna than would meet the eye.
“Remind me not to ever be a part of awaking your ferocious motherly instincts,” Brock said.
“Guys, seriously, I know what I did was wrong,” Alayna said. “I know we’re supposed to obey the laws of the land. Lately my emotions have been getting the best of me. Sometimes I don’t even feel like I’m me anymore.”
“Perhaps you should assemble with a counselor,” Brock told her.
“Over my dead body,” Collin said. He had never liked counselors. They’re just a bunch of quacks, he thought. They get paid $40 an hour just to sit there and listen to people vent.
“Collin’s right. I don’t need a counselor. What I need is to get my son back,” Alayna said.
“But you’re not going to do that if you get yourself locked up,” Collin said firmly. “This is twice now that you’ve went out and done something crazy like this. No more, Alayna. Agreed?”
“I’m sorry, Collin, but I can’t promise you anything. I would love to say you’re right and to tell you that I won’t put myself in danger again, but I just can’t make that promise right now. I need answers. I need some closure.”
“Okay, where are the papers and the photographs you found at the Creepy Masselli Place?” Collin asked.
“I think they’re still in Nikki’s car, but I’m not sure, why?”
“I’m going to help you get that closure. Let’s anonymously mail your evidence into the police station. Maybe one of those addresses or phone numbers will be just the break we need.”
Alayna’s face lit up. “I love you, Collin,” she said. “That’s a wonderful idea!”
◆◆◆
Later that night, unable to sleep, Alayna determined in herself that she would not act outside the scope of the law anymore. She couldn’t do anything about what had already transpired, but she had to exercise self-control — no matter what.
That didn’t mean she was giving up on Remmy. She would continue putting up posters, continue asking every person she met, and continue seeking God’s face.
Somewhere, there was an answer. She didn’t know if her boy was dead or alive, but she would never give up on finding out what had happened to him.
CHAPTER 37 – THE ASSIGNMENT
Three months passed after they mailed the documentation into the police station. It seemed there were no more leads. Things were looking absolutely hopeless.
That is, until Friday, October 13th. Collin was assisting a customer in trying on a pair of shoes when Nikki rushed over to him, “Poop on my boots, Collin. You better take this call — I think it’s about Remmy.”
Collin’s heart sank. Had his baby boy’s body been found? Where was he? What had happened? He wasn’t even sure if he would have enough strength to answer the phone.
“Hello?” He spoke softly.
“Daddy?” The voice sounded broken and scared.
“Remmy? Is that really you?” Collin asked.
“Daddy, help me! Please help me!”
Before Collin could get another word in, a woman’s voice came on the line, “If you ever want to see your son alive again, you better not go to the police. I won’t hesitate to kill him. He means nothing to me!”
“If you hurt my son —,” Collin began.
“How are you going to stop me? Listen to this,” the woman said before laying the phone down.
Collin heard some scuffling around and then a horrific scream that he recognized was coming from his son.
“You can threaten me all you want to,” the woman said when she picked the phone back up, “but I have your son. You don’t know me. You don’t know where I am. His life is in my hands. You gonna cooperate?”
Collin was stunned “Yes, but please don’t hurt my son. Please! I’ll do anything! How much money do you want?”
“Money will definitely come into play later, but that’s not all I want,” the woman said. “I need names, addresses, and photos of one dozen other boys between the ages of twelve and fifteen. They must be in good physical condition. Every boy on the list needs to come from either low-income homes or from dysfunctional families. Don’t even think about providing false information.”
“Why? Why do you want that information?” Collin asked.
“I’m the one asking for information here. Not you! Someone will get in touch with you tomorrow and you better have some information for us. Keep it with you at all times!” the woman warned.
“What if I call the police?” Collin asked.
“Call them; I don’t care. Your son will die. Your wife will die. Brock will die. Even your co-worker Nikki will die. I view death the way you view shoes. Death is a beautiful thing! The blood of every one you are close to will be on your hands. You tell one single soul about this phone call, and there will be bloodshed. You aren’t to tell anyone and I mean anyone about what we’ve discussed. You are being watched and you have been warned.”
The line went dead. Collin turned whiter than a ghost and sank down into the floor. Covering his face with his hands, he had a nervous breakdown, crying uncontrollably.
CHAPTER 38 – MAKING THE LIST
Nikki and the only customer currently in the store ran over to him. “Are you okay?” Nikki asked.
“Just leave me alone. I can’t talk about it,” Collin muttered between sobs. “I’ve got to get out of here. I’ve got to go home.”
“Collin, you can’t. Remember what corporate said? If you leave work before the end of your shift again, you’re not going to have a job,” Nikki reminded him.
“I know; it doesn’t matter. My family is more important than this job — I quit!”
Nikki looked shocked, “You can’t quit with no notice or anything! Collin, please use your head.”
“Look, Nikki. I know you’re the one who reported me to corporate a few months back. I know my working here is making your life more difficult. I’m done. Report that to corporate!”
Collin threw his keys on the counter and stormed out the door. He didn’t want to do anything for the woman who had
called him on the phone, but he feared her. To save his family and friends, he was going to have to put twelve other boys at risk. With all of the disappearances that had been occurring, he knew this was no joke — it was serious business!
Low-income or dysfunctional families? How am I supposed to find names, addresses, and photos of a dozen boys in that type of living environment? Collin wondered.
He could watch for the bus kids that attended various churches Sunday morning; a lot of them went just because free meals were offered. A good percentage would obviously be from low-income families. But that wouldn’t be until Sunday — he only had twenty-four hours. That plan was a no go!
He could just walk through poor communities and hope to start up some small chat with some teenage boys. That might work, but how would he get a chance to take their photos? He would look like a creeper and would undoubtedly find himself being questioned by law enforcement.
Perhaps, he could go down to the local welfare office and try to meet people in the lobby. There would be too many social workers there. Someone would figure him out.
There had to be a way. There just had to be. Collin drove around town, trying to brainstorm. Then, it hit him. It was risky, but he had to do it!
He went to a local thrift store and bought a black ski-mask and gloves. He paid with cash.
Collin drove to Clayville Middle, where he sat and watched the building until the dismissal bell rang at 3:30 pm. He watched students pour out of the building to board busses, to walk toward their homes, and to get in their parents’ vehicles. If I was a kidnapper, this is where I would look to find my targets.
After ten minutes or so, things quieted down and he began seeing teacher after teacher come out of the building.
An hour passed before he finally saw the custodian lock up and drive away.
Collin walked around toward the back of the facility. When he was certain no one could see him, he put the ski mask on and started trying different doors and windows. Surely with a building that size, there was at least one opening. After several attempts, he finally found one unlocked window. Hoping and praying there wasn’t an alarm system turned on, he pushed the window open, crawled inside, and shut the window back behind him — no alarm sounded.
