“Alright, you two better review the Morris file and see if it gives you any direction on Garland.”
Jason got up and headed for the door.
“Yes, ma’am.”
It seemed they would be working the missing persons cases awhile longer.
Chapter 8
Big thunderclouds to the west darkened the sky, a spitting rain just starting, as Donnie parked and got out. He was now halfway through the first phase of Billy’s plan, and he wanted to keep his brother up to speed on how they were doing.
“Hi, Billy. Good news, we’re halfway. Chelsea is in her cell.”
Donnie listened intently before starting to pace back and forth in front of the grave.
“Billy, I’m doing this as fast as I can. It’s not easy, and you’re not here to help.” Donnie stopped moving and stared down at his brother. “I gotta go. I’ll be back when I have more news.”
Donnie turned and walked off. The rain picked up when he got in the van, and he sat looking out the window as a full downpour began.
Hurry up, he says. He doesn’t seem to appreciate what I’ve accomplished. Haven’t I done everything he’s asked? I’ve had to do all the work, and I’ve done a good job. He doesn’t seem to understand how hard all of this is!
Donnie started the van and turned on the wipers. The weather it seemed was in the same bad mood he was.
*******
Jason sat at his desk going over the file they received from Lieutenant Banks.
Chelsea Morris, previously Chelsea Burt, was a waitress at Daylight Donuts in the center of the city. She lived in a house owned by her parents, and had returned to San Antonio from California several years ago.
Jason looked out the window at the rain. Summer rain was rare, and the downpour was a welcome sight. Nina was checking the missing girl’s name for priors.
“No record. Drivers license clean except for a speeding ticket several years ago.”
“Okay. The file says Miss Morris was reported missing by a friend at work. We need to go see her.”
“I’m putting in a request for Morris’s phone records. That will give us two sets to compare. We should have them in the morning.”
Lieutenant Patton got off the elevator and stopped at Jason’s desk on the way to his office. “How’s it going with the missing person case?”
Jason leaned back in his chair and looked up at the lieutenant. “It’s now a two-missing-persons case.”
“Really? More than one?”
“Yeah. Two cases connected by a set of prints. We may be a while getting free from the clutches of Lieutenant Banks.”
John Patton smiled.
“You make it sound like she’s a spider who has you in her web.”
Nina snorted.
“That’s an excellent description.”
The lieutenant looked at Nina and back at Jason.
“Don’t be fooled. She’s very good, kind of abrupt I know, but good.”
“Yes, sir.”
The two detectives exchanged glances as Lieutenant Patton went to his office.
Jason had noticed some admiration in the voice of his boss. “Apparently, he’s familiar with her. I think he’s impressed by her.”
Nina laughed. “Yeah, or afraid of her!”
It was Jason’s turn to laugh, but he knew better. John Patton wasn’t afraid of anybody.
*******
Chelsea Morris sat on the blanket in her cell listening to the rain. She still hadn’t been able to sleep, but she was getting hungry. She heard footsteps coming down the stairs and her heart started to pound.
“Were those footsteps?”
It was Ed. He hadn’t said anything in hours.
“Yes.”
The steps got closer until her captor’s face peered through the bars. He unlocked her door, came in, and set a tray down on the floor. Chelsea was trying to be strong, to not give this man any satisfaction by keeping her, but she couldn’t stop herself from pleading.
“Please…please let me go. I won’t say anything. I don’t even know where we are.”
“Sorry. Can’t.”
“Why? Why can’t you?”
“Look, just shut up and eat your food!”
He left the cell and locked it. Chelsea started to cry again, and lunged toward the door, but her chain stopped her. She spotted the food and hunger took over. She devoured the bar and drank the shake in one gulp.
The man gave food to Ed before returning upstairs, the eerie silence falling over her again. She curled up on her blanket, making herself as small as possible. She wanted to disappear.
*******
Donnie closed the door at the top of the basement steps. Pulling out a kitchen chair, he sat at the table and laid his head in his hands. It had not been a good day.
He’d been rude to the girl downstairs, something his momma wouldn’t tolerate, and become angry with Billy. He knew the fight with Billy was causing him to be so unhappy.
I’ll focus on getting Suzanne; that’ll patch things up with Billy. When I have her, I’ll go tell him I’m sorry and give him the good news. He’ll be much happier once I have his girlfriend in a cell.
He fell asleep at the kitchen table.
Chapter 9
The next morning, Devin James was waiting for Jason in the parking lot of the police station. A crime reporter for the San Antonio News, he was quickly becoming a thorn in Jason’s side.
Black, six-foot-three, balding, with a big smile that hid a cynical mind, he had a way of asking the questions Jason didn’t want to answer.
“Morning, JD.”
“What did I tell you about calling me that?”
The reporter ignored the rebuke.
“Word on the street has you investigating missing persons. Not your usual gig. Any truth to that?”
Jason didn’t like being ambushed, especially first thing in the morning. On top of that, it annoyed him how James managed to get info he shouldn’t have.
“You know I can’t comment about ongoing investigations.”
Jason noticed the reporter seemed to be looking past him, ignoring his response. When Jason turned to see what caught James’s eye, he saw Nina coming across the lot from her car. He gave her a wave. “Watch out. You’re being stalked!”
Nina laughed. “I don’t see any predators around here.”
“Actually, it’s a reporterus ignoramus. Pretty tame, really.”
James feigned injury by clutching at his chest. “Detective Strong! You cut me and I bleed.”
Smiling, he took Nina’s hand.
“I don’t believe we’ve met. Jason, who is this angel?”
“That’s Nina Jefferson. Nina, this is Devin James. I believe I mentioned him.”
Devin practically purred. “Enchanted.”
Jason chuckled. “That ‘angel’ you refer to, Devin, might just break your arm if you get out of line.”
It was Nina’s turn to smile. “Excuse me, Mr. James. We have work to do.”
With that, she unwound herself from the reporter’s grip and joined Jason walking toward the station doors.
Once inside, they went by Lieutenant Banks’s office, but she wasn’t in yet. Jason suggested they go see Chelsea Morris’s friend at Daylight Donuts. Nina agreed.
When they returned to the parking lot, Devin was gone. Nina grabbed the file out of her car, and they left for the north side of the city.
*******
Suzanne Cooper was having a good day. Her chair at ‘TINA’S HAIR SALON’ had stayed busy since early morning. The tall woman with auburn hair was popular with her clients, and today they had tipped her especially well.
“Mrs. Harkin, can I get you to move over to the hair dryers.”
“Of course, dear.”
Suzanne carried the bunched-up smock around the elderly woman, as they made their way to the dryer chair. When Mrs. Harkin was settled into place, Suzanne lowered the helmet over her head, and set the timer for fifteen minutes. “I’ll be back to get you
in a bit.”
Mrs. Harkin smiled at her and opened a People magazine.
As Suzanne walked back to her chair, she saw a young man get out of a gray Subaru, come in, and stop at the desk. She didn’t recognize him. “Can I help you?”
He was average height and build, with black hair that didn’t look like it needed to be cut.
“Yes, I need a haircut. Do you have an opening?”
“Let me see who’s not busy.”
“No. I want you to cut my hair.”
“Oh. Well, I have about fifteen minutes. I guess I can squeeze you in.”
“Great!”
He smiled at her, and Suzanne felt there was something vaguely familiar about him. He came around the desk, and she wrapped a smock around him as he settled into her chair. “Do I know you?”
“No. A friend of mine, Chelsea Morris, said you were the best.”
Suzanne couldn’t place the name, but she had people walk in and get haircuts all the time.
“I guess I don’t remember the name. You don’t look like you need much of a haircut. What did you want done?”
“Oh, just thin it some, trim the sideburns, and tidy up the neckline. I hate when things aren’t tidy.”
Suzanne couldn’t help but chuckle. “Okay…tidy up, it is. What’s your name?”
“Donnie.”
“Nice to meet you, Donnie.”
Within ten minutes she was done, and he examined himself in the mirror.
“Do you have a straight razor?”
“I don’t, but Silvia does. Why?”
“I like to get the thin hair below the sideburns.”
“Okay. Sit tight. I’ll borrow hers.”
She went two stations down and returned with the blade. She ran it below his sideburns, brushed off the clippings, and removed the smock as he stood up.
“How much?”
“Twelve dollars.”
He gave her two twenties.
“Keep it.”
“Thanks! That’s very generous.”
“It’s my pleasure. After all, you squeezed me in.”
He smiled, turned, and left.
Suzanne just stared after him.
That was odd. I need to look in my address book for a Chelsea Morris.
The timer went off, and she went to get Mrs. Harkin, putting the stranger out of her thoughts.
*******
The detectives parked out front of Daylight Donuts, and a waitress with Trudi on her nametag met them at the door.
“Two?”
Jason smiled at the small redhead. She had green eyes and a bright smile.
“Are you Trudi Fulton?”
Her smile disappeared.
“Yes.”
“My name is Detective Strong and this is my partner, Detective Jefferson.”
He showed her his ID.
“Is this about Chelsea?”
“Yes. Do you have time for a few questions?”
“Sure. Let me tell Gloria.”
She crossed to the back of the restaurant, spoke to the other waitress, and returned. Guiding them to a table near the door, she sat across from the two detectives.
Jason looked into her eyes. He sensed fear lingering, and knew it would probably be there for a while.
“You doing okay, Trudi?”
“I’m making it. Work both helps and hurts. I’m glad to be busy, but then it’s hard when someone like Mr. Perkins comes in.”
“Mr. Perkins?”
“He’s an elderly widower who doesn’t like anyone but Chelsea to wait on him. He’s taking it hard.”
“Is there anyone else who seemed overly interested in Chelsea? Maybe pestered her or she mentioned she was afraid of?”
“Nobody. She seemed happy and worry free.”
“The last time you saw her was when she clocked out the other day?”
“Yeah. We worked opposite shifts, and I was just coming in.”
Nina, who was taking notes, looked up.
“Where do you park?”
“In back. There’s a gravel lot for employees.”
“And you didn’t notice anything unusual that day?”
“No. Well, now that I think about it, there was one thing.”
“Oh?”
“When I got here, there was a guy sitting on the grass behind the lot, drinking a coffee. I didn’t think anything of it at the time.”
Jason touched her hand.
“I know this is hard, but I need you to focus on that moment in time. Try to recall anything about him.”
“I only glanced at him. He was sitting down so I don’t really know how tall he was,” She closed her eyes as she concentrated. “Let’s see. He was white, short hair, I don’t remember a beard. Jeans and a yellow shirt.”
“Had you ever seen him before?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Was there anyone else here that day?”
“Just the manager, Mr. Chambers.”
“Is he here now?”
“Yeah, in back. I’ll get him.”
The interview with Mr. Chambers didn’t produce any new clues. Jason asked Trudi to take them to the spot where she’d seen the man sitting. She walked them through the small kitchen and out the back door of the donut shop.
They stepped out onto a gravel parking lot. It backed up to some woods and only had one driveway to the street. It made a good place for an ambush.
Nina favored the theory.
“I bet he was waiting in or near her car.”
They did a search around the spot where the man had been, but didn’t find anything useful. Jason realized Nina was probably right.
“Where was Miss Morris’s car found?”
Nina looked in the file.
“About two miles from here, a cement plant.”
“And to get there, what direction?”
“She’d leave and turn right toward Huebner Road.”
Jason turned to Trudi.
“Which direction would Chelsea normally turn to go home?”
Trudi thought for a minute.
“Left. She takes the Beltway north.”
“Thanks for your help, Trudi. We’ll be in touch when we have news.”
Jason headed for the car with Nina trying to catch up.
“Jason, where’s the fire?”
“Traffic camera headquarters.”
Nina smiled.
“Of course. We can probably track her movements!”
“Let’s hope so. If we can spot her car, we can find out if you’re right about her being ambushed here.”
Chapter 10
Suzanne pulled her teal-colored Ford Focus into the Quikstop. Her gas light was on, and a cold drink seemed to be in order. It’d been a busy day, and she was worn out. She filled her car and went into the store.
Something with a lot of caffeine is called for if I’m ever going to get any housework done tonight.
Grabbing a Red Bull, she went to the counter. While the guy if front of her paid, she got out her debit card, and noticed her address book was missing from its usual pocket. She rummaged around, looking for it.
Where is that stupid thing! I hate this purse; it’s like a bottomless pit.
The man in front was done, so she stepped up. While the clerk ran her card, she continued to search for the address book.
“Thank you, ma’am.”
She reclaimed her card, picked up her drink, and went to the car.
Maybe it’s at home. It had better be; all my clients are in that book.
*******
Donnie sat in his car across from the Quikstop gas station. Resting next to him on the seat, an address book decorated with pink flowers. He watched as Suzanne Cooper got gas, went inside, and then searched her bag for something while standing in line.
It’s not in there, Miss Cooper. I’ll bring it to you later.
He smiled to himself. After he got Suzanne Cooper, there would be just one more.
*******
&n
bsp; Jason got on State Highway 281 going southeast; the fifteen-minute drive would bring them to the I-410 access road and their destination, the Texas Department of Transportation.
Nina had brought with her the phone records of Ed Garland and Chelsea Morris. She was nearly three-quarters of the way through them, and still hadn’t found a connection. She wasn’t giving up, even though it was tedious work.
“Bingo!”
“What?”
“I’ve got a phone number from Ed Garland’s record that also shows up on the records of Chelsea Morris.”
“Whose is it?”
“That’s odd. It’s McCollum High School.”
“Really? Why’s that odd?”
“That’s the school I went to.”
Jason laughed. “Not so weird, a lot of people went to that school. Were they incoming or outgoing calls?”
“Incoming. The school called them.”
“We’ll need to go by. Maybe we can find out who made the calls.”
Jason turned into the parking lot of the DOT office and parked. “At least we have a connection besides just the finger prints.”
*******
Suzanne arrived home a few minutes after getting gas. Home was a white, single-story bungalow with a shake-shingle roof and tan shutters.
She’d never married, and her only companion was a Yorkie named Tizzy. The name had come from the way the dog greeted Chelsea at the end of the day.
Suzanne let herself in, and the dog met her at the door. They went through the standard ‘pick me up and give kisses’ before she put Tizzy out in the backyard to do her business.
She went looking for her address book. After several minutes of searching, she found herself standing in the kitchen.
Where is that stupid book? My purse sits by my station all day, and I don’t remember taking the book out once.
She decided to wait until she checked work tomorrow before going into a full-blown panic. In the meantime, the Red Bull was kicking in, and there was laundry to do.
*******
Jason and Nina came through the double glass doors into the cool reception hall of the Texas DOT offices.
FOR MY BROTHER (Det. Jason Strong(CLEAN SUSPENSE Book 3) Page 5
