Progression Series 05 Wrong Place Wrong Time

by Beth Manz

  "I know, Chief," Jim said, as he slowly maneuvered the truck around a large pothole filled with rain water, "But with only two of us searching all this area, in the dark and with these weather conditions..." Jim broke off and shrugged apologetically. "I'm sorry, buddy. I really am."

  Blair nodded. "This just sucks, Jim. I can't believe they--stop the truck!" he called out suddenly.

  "What?" Jim brought the truck to a smooth halt. "What is it?"

  "Seagulls!"

  "Seagulls?"

  "On that sign over there! Don't you see them?"

  Jim looked in the direction Blair was now pointing. Off to the side of the road just a few yards in front of the truck was a worn sign. A weathered rectangle of wood had been attached to a slender pillar. The sign was old and most of the paint had worn off the raised lettering, but above the rectangle was a piece of wood that had been carved into the shape of three seagulls.

  "Those are seagulls, aren't they, Jim?" Blair asked, excitement in his voice.

  "Give me a second..." Jim said distractedly, holding up his hand. Blair waited with barely controlled excitement as Jim scanned the sign.

  "Can you read what it says?" he pressed.

  "It says... 'Seagull Cottages.'"

  "I knew it!" Blair said, leaning forward in his seat. "This has to be it!"

  "You've lost me, Chief. What do seagulls have to do with finding--"

  "It's from that story Emily told me," Blair interrupted excitedly. "She told me that when they came to the lake every year, the ride out seemed long, but she knew when she saw the seagulls that they were almost there. I just thought she was talking about--"

  "Real seagulls," Jim finished for him.

  "Well, yeah," Blair agreed. "But maybe this is what she meant!"

  Jim frowned and bit at his lower lip. "I don't know, Chief... That's a pretty slim lead to go on..."

  "What do we have to lose? We're here." Blair could tell that Jim was still wavering. Turning in the seat to face his friend, he said, "Just take this lane to the cottages, Jim. We'll take a look around and if they aren't there, we'll go back to the motel. No arguments."

  Jim narrowed his eyes, studying him, as he nodded his head slowly, thoughtfully. "No arguments, huh? I have your word on that, do I?"

  Blair laughed. "You have my word."

  "Uh huh," Jim intoned dryly, but it was obvious to Blair that he was trying hard to keep a smile under control. Putting the truck into gear, Jim drove forward and turned slowly down the rutted lane that served as the entrance to Seagull Cottages.

  /

  /

  /

  "They're in there, Chief," Jim said softly to his partner.

  Blair clenched his right fist in victory and whispered out an enthusiastic, "Yes!" He scooted over closer to Jim, peering around him in order to get a better look at the small cabin up the lane. Jim had pointed it out to him when they first arrived, but without sentinel vision it was just a dark gray shape. "I can't see much. Can you?"

  "Not a lot. But I can hear them. They're arguing--Emily's mad because of what Cal tried to do to you."

  "Go, Emily," Blair said dryly.

  Jim shot him an amused glance, then turned his attention back to the cabin.

  "So what now?" Blair asked. "Do we call in the troops or--"

  Jim held up a hand, halting his guide's words. His eyes narrowed as he strained to hear more of the conversation.

  Blair waited, his gaze darting from Jim to the cabin and back again. "Come on, man. What's going on?"

  Jim looked at Blair. "Emily admitted that she told you about this place. Cal says they have to leave again, but Arnie and Emily are refusing to go." He raised one eyebrow and shook his head. "They both want to give themselves up... like you told them to."

  Blair smiled. "Finally, they're making some sense." He glanced at the cabin again. "So what do you want to do? Call in Riley?"

  "Riley will just come in with guns blazing." Jim let out a long breath. "I think if we go inside now, Arnie and Emily will give themselves up."

  "And Cal?"

  "You let me worry about Cal."

  Blair looked out at the driving rain. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he pulled out an elastic band, gathered his hair together at his neck and twisted the band around it. "Okay, let's go get 'em, man."

  They pushed out their doors, closing them softly behind them, then jogged through the rain. Coming up to the porch of the cabin, they carefully mounted the steps and pressed themselves flat against the side of the old wood structure. Jim checked the door. It was unlocked. He looked down at Blair, who was positioned beside him.

  "Okay, Sandburg," he whispered. "Until we have that gun, you stay behind me."

  Blair nodded, wiping the rain from his eyes.

  They slipped inside quietly. Instantly, Blair could hear angry voices coming from the next room.

  "Start packing!" Cal shouted. "Now!"

  "Don't listen to him, Arnie!" Emily said, her voice filled with frustration. "We're not running anymore."

  Jim pointed at Blair, then at the floor, indicating he wanted him to stay put.

  Blair nodded once as Cal and Emily's angry voices continued to echo all around them.

  Jim took a deep breath and stepped into the doorway. "Freeze! Police!"

  The argument cut off abruptly. Emily gasped audibly as Jim moved further into the room. "Where's the gun?" the sentinel demanded.

  "Cal has it tucked into the back of his pants. He thinks he's such a big shot."

  Blair bit back a laugh at the disgust he heard in Emily's voice.

  "Emily, take the gun out and slide it to me," Jim instructed.

  Blair held his breath. Would it be that simple? Seconds later, he heard the sound of the gun skidding across the wooden floor.

  "Okay, Chief. It's clear in here."

  At Jim's signal, Blair stepped into the room. As soon as Emily saw him, a smile broke out across her face. "Blair!" Ignoring Jim's instructions to keep her hands up and not move, she rushed to him and threw her arms around his neck. "I'm so glad you're okay. Your friend told me you were, but seeing you-"

  "I'm fine," Blair said, placing his arms around her in return. "Jim found me in time, thanks to your phone call." He watched Cal over Emily's shoulder. The younger man stared at him with barely controlled rage.

  "Time to call in the troops," Jim said, holstering his gun and taking out his cell phone.

  Blair nodded. Pulling out of Emily's embrace, he crossed to Cal. "Where's my stuff?"

  Cal's eyes narrowed in contempt as he looked at Blair. "You proud of yourself? Emily's going to jail now because of you."

  "No, your sister's going to jail because you involved her in a bank robbery." He took a step closer. "Now, where's my stuff?"

  Cal paced to the back door and grabbed up Blair's pack. "You want it so bad. Take it!"

  He threw it at Blair, then turned and fled out the door. Blair didn't hesitate. He dropped his pack and followed.

  /

  /

  /

  "Sandburg! Wait!" Jim handed Emily the phone. "I've dialed my boss, Captain Banks. Tell him where we are and tell him to get some backup out here."

  She nodded up at him, her eyes wide. But as Jim turned to leave, pulling his weapon as he moved, Emily grabbed his arm, stopping him. "You won't hurt my brother, will you? He's... he's not a bad person..."

  "I'll do my best not to harm him."

  Jim stepped through the back door of the cabin and looked out through the driving rain, scanning up the road, down to the beach. But his eyesight was limited by the torrential storm and he couldn't find his partner. He sent out his hearing instead, straining to block out the rain and wind. "Come on, Sandburg. Where'd you go?" And then he heard it.... Blair's racing heart. His gaze jerked to the left. Rushing down the steps, he ran toward the beach.

  He had promised Emily he wouldn't hurt her brother. But Jim knew that if it came down to Cal or Blair, he would protect his partner fir
st--without hesitation. Ahead, he could see Blair. He stood at the edge of the lake, his back to Jim. Cal was nowhere in sight.

  Jim stepped up beside his partner. "Sandburg?" But even as he spoke, he heard another sound--a sound that caught him off guard. Crying. Soft sobs, filled with anguish. His gaze shifted down. Cal lay huddled against the side of a tree, partially concealed in a hollowed-out hole that, as a boy, had probably been a hiding place for him.

  "I never meant for any of this to happen," he muttered. "I just wanted to make a better life for my sister. Now... now..."

  "I'll do everything I can to help Emily," Blair promised. And as Jim watched, his guide crouched down in front of Cal. "Just let us help you." He reached a hand out toward the younger man. "Come back to the cabin with us. Please."

  Cal looked at Blair, his eyes filled with shame and fear. "I just wanted to help my sister."

  "I know that," Blair whispered. "And so does she."

  As Cal reached out and took Blair's outstretched hand, Jim again tucked his weapon into the holster at his back. Standing aside, he waiting for the two men to pass by, then he fell into step behind them as they made their way back to the cabin.

  /

  /

  /

  Blair stood next to Jim on the porch of the old cabin, his hands stuffed deep into his coat pockets and his shoulders hunched up in an effort to ward off the damp night chill. The rain, which had pelted the ground in torrential sheets for over an hour, had slowed to a steady but gentle downfall.

  The two men stood together, silent, waiting for Sheriff Kendall and the State Patrol to finish up with the bank robbers inside the cabin. Blair shivered and found himself gazing out through the darkness and the rain toward Jim's truck, wishing the sheriff would hurry up so he and his partner could head to a motel. No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than his attention was captured by the sound of the cabin door opening. Light from the room beyond the open door spilled out onto the floorboards of the porch, then Sheriff Kendall stepped out, followed closely by Emily and Arnie. The two bank robbers were cuffed; each of them escorted by a State Patrol officer.

  Blair watched Emily as she passed by silently. She came to the steps, then stopped. Turning in his direction, she gave him a sad smile. Blair felt a surge of compassion for the misguided young girl and he nodded at her, summoning an encouraging smile. She looked at him for a moment more, then allowed herself to be led to a waiting patrol car. She was eased into the back seat of the cruiser, as was Arnie, then the two were driven away.

  Cal was brought out last, a deputy on either side of him, his hands cuffed behind his back. The grief and fear he'd displayed earlier were gone. In its place was the anger that had consumed Cal at the bank, the same anger that had caused him to try and kill Blair.

  "You a big hero now, Professor?" he spat out, glaring over at Blair. "Gonna get a reward?" Despite the two deputies and the handcuffs, Cal lunged toward Blair, his eyes wild with rage.

  Blair stepped back, taken off guard by the sudden outburst. Jim shifted in front of his partner, shielding him from Cal, his hand coming to rest on the weapon strapped at his back. But the patrolmen grabbed the angry young man by the upper arms before he could get anywhere near Blair and dragged him away. Cal continued to call out threats all the way to the patrol car.

  Jim turned toward Blair as the cruiser pulled away. "You okay, Chief?" He dropped a hand on his guide's shoulder, squeezing gently.

  Blair nodded. "Yeah, he just... took me off guard." He looked up at Jim, smiling as he thought about how Jim had stepped in front of him just now. Had shielded him from Cal. "Thanks, man."

  "Just returning the favor," Jim said softly.

  The sound of Riley's boots against the wood steps brought Blair's attention back to the scene before him. Following the State Patrol officer was Simon.

  "I believe I owe you an apology," Riley said to Blair. "I really had my doubts about you for a while. Your partner and your captain tried to convince me you weren't involved with those three, but... well, I was wrong. Should have listened to them, Dr. Sandburg." The patrolman extended his hand--an apology offered.

  Blair grasped the man's hand firmly and smiled. "It's Blair. And I'm just glad everything worked out all right."

  "Me too, Blair. Me too." Riley looked at Jim. "I understand you three plan to stay over at the motel tonight?"

  "That's right," Jim answered.

  "Sheriff Kendall will need a statement from all of you tomorrow morning." He shifted his attention back down to Blair. "Could you drop by his station before you leave town?"

  He nodded. "No problem. We'll have plenty of time to make our statements and still get to Pullman on time for me to register."

  "Okay then," Jim said, extending his hand to Riley, "We'll see you in the morning."

  Riley grasped Jim's hand, reached up to tip his hat in a sort of salute, then made his way through the dark and the rain to his cruiser.

  "Well," Simon said, moving forward to stand in front of Jim and Blair, "I guess that wraps up everything for the night. I'm headed back to the motel. You?"

  "Right behind you, sir," Jim said.

  Simon smiled and turned to leave when Blair reached out and placed a hand on his arm, stopping him. "Simon? Thank you for coming out to help Jim and me. I appreciate it."

  Simon shook his head and smiled fondly down at his police consultant. "Sandburg, just do me a favor, will you?"

  "What's that?"

  "Promise me that one of these days--preferably somewhere in the near future--you'll go somewhere and manage not to get into trouble."

  "Hey, man," Blair laughed. "None of this was my fault. Jim's the one who wanted to go to that bank in the first place."

  Jim stared down at his partner. "What?! Did I tell you to leave the bank with those clowns? No. That was your bright idea."

  "Yeah but only because I was trying to protect-"

  "I'm sorry I said anything," Simon cut in, raising his hands in surrender. Shaking his head, he turned and walked away. "Good night, boys," he called over his shoulder.

  Blair and Jim watched as Simon climbed into his sedan and drove away, then Jim moved around to stand in front of Blair. "Well, Chief, this has been one hell of an afternoon and evening. Are you ready to get some sleep?"

  Blair picked his backpack up from the floor of the porch and swung it across his shoulder. Reaching out, he placed his hand lightly on Jim's arm. "Just point me in the direction of the nearest bed, man."

  He started to pass Jim, but the detective's hand grasped his sleeve, halting him. Turning, he stared up at Jim. "What?"

  Jim grimaced and shifted his gaze to the porch ceiling before looking back down at Blair. "Um, Chief, I just have to know something...." The detective shifted nervously on his feet, as though what he was about to ask was difficult for him. "Back at the bank, you told Cal that you and Robert used to knock over 7-Elevens, remember?"

  Blair nodded. "Yeah. I remember."

  "Well... I was just wondering..." He paused and looked to Blair for help.

  Blair knew where this was going. He bit back an amused smile and looked up at his friend with a serious expression. "You were wondering..." he prompted patiently.

  "I was wondering..." Jim continued hesitantly. "That is... I know Robert went on to become a bookie, so I have no trouble envisioning him with a somewhat... delinquent past.... But...."

  "But what, Jim?" Blair asked with intense interest, enjoying Jim's discomfiture. He bounced up on his toes and stared intently at his friend.

  "But you... well... you were just joking back there, right? Obfuscating some story in order to gain Cal's confidence." He paused again and grimaced down at Blair. "That was what you were doing, right, Chief? You didn't really rob those stores..."

  Blair looked up at him, eyes wide, expression innocent.

  "Did you?"

  Blair didn't answer.

  "Well," Jim asked, baffled. "Did you?"

  Blair glanced out at th
e rain, a look of thoughtful concentration on his face. Turning back to his partner, he smiled benignly. "Well now, Jim, maybe I did--" He shifted the backpack into a more comfortable position, taking his time, letting Jim stew a bit. "And," he continued after a few seconds, reaching up to pat Jim gently on the cheeks, "Maybe I didn't..."

  That said, Blair waggled his eyebrows at his partner, then turned and walked out into the rain, leaving a bewildered sentinel standing alone on the porch, staring after him.

  Epilogue

  Heavy rain, driven mercilessly by a cold wind, beat against the balcony windows, rattling the panes and making Jim glad that he and Blair were home, safe and warm within the softly lit loft. The detective sat watching television, but his interest in what was showing was minimal at best; his attention was more fully trained on his partner, who was finishing a phone call in the kitchen. Jim sat quietly, determined not to listen in on the conversation.

  No matter, however--it was obvious from Blair's brief answers that the call was centered around Cal and the events that had transpired in Deer Creek the previous weekend.

  Ellison watched as Blair hung up the phone and made his way slowly over to the couch. Sinking down onto the cushions, the young man leaned back and reached up to rub his hands wearily across his eyes.

  "Was that about the robbery?" Jim asked.

  Blair nodded, then dropped his hands from his eyes and looked over at Jim. "Yeah. It was the regional DA. She wants me to testify against Cal."

  "That's understandable. She knows if she can nail him with attempted murder, Cal will most likely go to jail for the rest of his life."

  "Yeah," Blair agreed wearily. "Which is what she seems to think he needs."

  There was a tinge of disgust in Blair's voice, and Jim leaned forward, suddenly concerned. "And that bothers you?" he asked quietly.

  Blair frowned over at his partner. "Yes, Jim, it does," he said after a few moments. "I told her I wouldn't testify."

  "What? You won't have a choice, Chief. She'll subpoena you. You'll have to testify--"

  "Fine, but that's the only way I'm going to do it. She'll have to force me to come over to the trial. I'm still hoping she'll decide to let them plea bargain or something." He shook his head. "If she nails Cal on robbery, kidnapping, arson and attempted murder, he's going to be doing some pretty hefty jail time."