Everywhere That Tommy Goes

by Howard K. Pollack

  “I’m not running anywhere. But tell me—how’d you find me?”

  “That’s my secret. If you want answers from me, then you will have to give me some answers first.”

  “Like I said, I did nothing wrong, and I’ve got nothing more to say.” I get up and start walking away, still pulling off a defiant attitude but knowing it won’t last much longer with that softball growing in my gut. When I’m about thirty feet away, I turn around to see what the detective is doing. I catch a glimpse of her taking my water bottle off the table and putting it in her satchel. Shit! She looks up at me, smiles, and walks off.

  CHAPTER 11

  An hour or so later, I find myself sitting on a gray metal bench and facing the beach. The waves are rolling up the sand in soapy white splashes, making it look like the ocean is scrubbing the beach clean. My head is pounding, and I can’t think straight, so I take four of my migraine pills and swallow them dry. How did the cops find me? I just can’t believe this actually is happening. Now I can’t even stay here, I’ve got to keep moving.

  I turn around fast to see if anyone is watching me. There’s a couple of old folks holding hands and walking barefoot in the sand. Their pant legs are rolled up, and they’re smiling at each other like they’re in some corny Cialis commercial, so I start looking around for a pair of clawfooted bathtubs. Off in the other direction, a group of little kids is playing in the sand with pails and shovels. Two women, wearing big hats and sunglasses, watch from low-slung beach chairs. I turn toward the shops along the strip and see some guy in a suit standing alone. He’s holding one of those color maps that they sell locally. He seems way out of place. He must be following me. I’ve got to find a way to ditch him fast.

  I start walking along the boardwalk, away from the guy, and make like I don’t know he’s following me. At the next intersection, I cross the street and start walking past the storefronts until I find just what I’m looking for—a tourist shop that sells all kinds of clothes. I go inside, pick out a pair of colorful board-shorts, a bright T-shirt, and cheap sunglasses. I top it all off with a Quicksilver baseball cap. Then I grab a pair of beach thongs and walk up to the register, like some cornball tourist. I dump it all on the counter.

  This cool-looking Goth chick, with a diamond in her nose and steel bracelets on her wrists, smiles at me.

  “Is that all, or could I interest you in a surfboard?” she asks.

  “Nah, surfing isn’t my thing. I’m just fine here on dry land. Water’s still too cold this time of year.”

  “Not so for the hardcores,” she says, as she rings up my stuff.

  “Well, I’m no hardcore, that’s for sure.” I start looking at her more closely because something about her looks familiar.

  “You could get a wet suit. With one of them, you won’t feel the cold.”

  “Things must be slow around here,” I answer, smiling.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Only because you’re trying to sell me shit I don’t need.” I laugh.

  “Just a little bored, that’s all. I mean, it’s real nice out today, but the season hasn’t actually started yet. There’s not much going on.”

  There’s something about her smile that won’t let go. “Hey, do I know you?”

  “Are you serious? Is that the best line you could come up with?”

  “No, really, it’s not a line. You look so familiar, I just can’t place it. What’s your name?”

  She cocks her head to the side and stares at me. “Aurora. What’s yours?”

  “Tommy. I used to come down here every summer when I was a kid.”

  “Wait a second. I’ve lived here for most of the last twenty years. I remember a boy named Tommy, too. We played on the beach together. In fact, he was my first kiss. Tommy, is that really you?”

  “Well, my first kiss was here in Cape May, but it was with a girl named Alice.”

  “Holy shit, it is you! I’m Alice, I mean, I used to be—before I changed my name.”

  “You changed your name? Why?”

  “We used to go to Alaska sometimes. My father worked for an oil company. And when he traveled up there he took me with him every so often. He always told me that I was the light of his life. Some nights, we would sit together on the porch watching these crazy, colorful lights flash across the sky. My dad told me that it was the Aurora Borealis and there was nothing better than seeing it live. We truly were lucky enough to witness the phenomenon first hand. He died suddenly one day, and it turned my whole world upside-down.”

  “And changing your name made you feel better?” I ask, genuinely curious.

  “Yes, and it keeps his memory alive inside me.”

  “Interesting. I’d rather forget about my dad totally.”

  “That’s too bad. Why?”

  “I’d rather not get into it right now. But, wow, I can’t believe it’s really you.”

  “Me either. So how’ve you been Tommy? It has to be almost twenty years.”

  “I know. This is incredible! We have to hang out. What time do you get off?”

  “Six tonight.” Aurora smiles and puts her hand on my cheek. “This is so bizarre. I still can’t believe it’s really you. But before we go any further, the total is $99.85.”

  In the back of my mind I know that I have to leave town as fast as I can, but running into Aurora like this . . . I reach into my pocket and hand her a hundred dollar bill. “I want to see you later, but right now I need a favor.”

  “A favor?”

  “Yeah, would you mind if I change into these clothes and leave through the back?”

  “Sounds mysterious. What’s the deal?”

  “Ah, probably nothing, but I think some guy is following me, and I need to get away from him. And, after I go, if he comes in here asking questions, can you just play dumb?”

  “As long as you promise to tell me more about this later. I’m intrigued.”

  “I promise. Why don’t you meet me at the Oyster Bar after you get off work?”

  “Sounds good. The changing room is over there.” She points toward a curtain hanging in the far corner.

  Once inside, I begin to undress. I pull my cell phone from my pants pocket. As I hold it in my hand I start to think, and all at once I realize that the cops must have traced me through my phone. I’m just about to smash it on the floor when a flash of brilliance hits me. If I simply power it down, they can’t track me. And I can always switch it back on later and use it to send them off on a wild goose chase. As an added precaution, I take out the battery. Then I change and walk out the back door looking nothing like I did when I first arrived. Aurora smiles at me as she tends to another customer.

  I try to remember more about her, but my memory fails me. Even so, she seems like one cool chick. I can’t wait to hook up with her. But I have to make sure I’m not being followed first. I walk down a few side streets and come across a garbage pail. I toss in my old clothes and sneakers.

  I’ve got the whole day to blow while I wait to meet up with Aurora, so I head over a few blocks more and go back to the beach. I find a small shop and go inside. I buy a beach chair, some sunscreen, and a book. I set myself up in the sand. Now I look more like a tourist than a tourist, so there’s no way I’ll be spotted. “Hide in plain sight,” they say, whoever they are.

  CHAPTER 12

  At five, I head back to my room to shower and change. With my cell phone off, I’m confident they can’t track me. I still keep watching my back and weave my way through a few side streets just to be sure. I make it back to the Chalfonte, shower and dress, and head off to the Oyster Bar to meet Aurora. I haven’t felt this good in a long time. I can’t believe how excited I am to see her. There’s something about this chick that just seems right.

  Still suspicious, I take a detour and walk through a few shops to make sure I’m not being followed. I get to the restaurant just after six. The place hasn’t changed much in the last twenty years. The faded wood walls are still covered with the sam
e photos of proud local fishermen displaying their swordfish, shark, and other large catches. I even remember the ancient ship wheel that doubles as the hostess stand. Meshed netting, littered with starfish, hangs from the ceiling. The faint odor of fish is masked by the smell of sautéed garlic and onion.

  I grab a stool at the bar, which runs the entire length of the east wall of the restaurant, and turn to face the door. The bartender, a middle-aged, over-dyed redhead with large cans, slaps down a beer coaster in front of me.

  “What’ll it be, kid?” she asks me in a dry, raspy voice. She smells like she just came back from her last smoking break.

  “You got draft Heineken here?”

  “Coming up,” she says, as she turns and walks down the bar to the beer pulls. She fills a mug, returns, and drops it in front of me. There’s quite a bit of dinner activity, and the voices carry and mix into a noisy conversational buzz.

  A few sips later, Aurora bounces into the restaurant beaming a bright smile. She looks even better than before.

  “I see you started without me,” she says, pointing to the beer.

  “Just a habit. I can’t sit at a bar without something in front of me. You want one?”

  “What’re you drinking?”

  “Heineken draft.”

  “I’ll take a Coors Lite.”

  I motion to old orange hair and order the Coors.

  “Okay, Tommy, I’ve been wondering all day: what’s going on with you, and why do you think you’re being followed?”

  “Hold on. First, I need to know: did a guy in a suit come into the shop after I left?”

  “No. It was a slow day—just the usual tourists . . . and some locals.”

  “Really? I could swear I was being followed.”

  “Whatever—just tell me what’s going on. I don’t normally get involved in all this intrigue. I mean, who comes into my shop, buys all new clothes, asks me out, changes, and runs out the back claiming he’s being followed?”

  “That’d be me.”

  “No shit. So what’s this all about?”

  “I’ll tell you, but first, I’ve got to be sure I can trust you.”

  “Tommy, we knew each other when we were kids. That has to mean something. And didn’t I come here to meet you, even after that bizarre encounter today?”

  “I suppose, but this is much bigger than that.”

  “You promised me.”

  “Yeah, but this could be dangerous, and maybe even get you into trouble with the cops.”

  “I was born for trouble, so spill it,” Aurora says, all tough chick.

  “Okay, I’ll give you the short version for now.”

  “Fine—just get to it.”

  “All right, gimme a second.” I take a deep breath and, before I can change my mind, I just spill it fast. “It’s like this. I’ve got this friend who did some very bad things and left me holding the bag. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and the cops suspect that I’m the one who committed the crimes. My friend—and I use the term loosely—has disappeared. What’s more, a detective tracked me down this morning. She wanted me to come back to New York to answer questions. They didn’t have a warrant for my arrest, so I refused.”

  “Well, that means they don’t have enough evidence to charge you. Maybe you can just tell them about your friend and get out of this mess now.”

  “It’s a little more complicated than that.”

  “Why? What did he do—rob a bank or something?”

  “Worse.”

  “Drugs?” she asks.

  “No—worse.”

  “Worse? Tell me.”

  “Murder.”

  “You mean your friend actually killed someone?”

  “More than one.”

  “No way!” she says, more excited than scared. “So how did you get involved?”

  “I witnessed one murder and can’t remember the second one. I blacked out and woke up after she was killed. I didn’t see the actual murder.”

  “You have to go to the cops with this.”

  “I can’t. There’s more.”

  “What more, Tommy?”

  “Hey, I can’t even believe I’m telling you this much.”

  “I promise I won’t tell anyone, but you have to go to the cops.”

  “It’s not so easy. I screwed up and hid the first girl he killed.”

  “You what?” she screams. “How could you be so stupid?”

  “I don’t know. I got caught up in it. Troyer cut out, and I put the girl in my trunk and drove off.”

  “Well, you can still go to the cops and tell them. Get a lawyer first. He can make them understand.”

  “No, you don’t get it. It’s worse than that. Troyer has been following me. He actually hid in the trunk of my car while I drove down here. When he showed himself, I stupidly let him come with me to the motel, where he killed another girl and left me covered in blood. You can’t believe how many times he stabbed her. But I have no proof he did it. And I’m sure the cops will find my DNA all over the place. No one will believe my story. Don’t you see? I’m dead.”

  “I believe you.”

  “Thanks, Aurora, but I don’t think the cops will.”

  “Then you have to lay low until we can figure this out.”

  I roll my eyes, smirk, and nod sarcastically. “Duh, that’s why I came down here in the first place. But they found me anyway, so what do you suggest?”

  “Obviously we have to leave town.”

  “We? I don’t think it’s such a great idea for you to get any more involved than you already are.”

  “I don’t think you have a choice. You can’t go back to your car or your room, so how do you expect to leave town? I have a car and you can stay with me at my place tonight. We can leave tomorrow morning and no one will ever find you.”

  “I already went back to my room, but its okay, I figured out that they were tracking me from my cell, so I took out the battery. I don’t think they know where I am right now.”

  “Still, Tommy, I’m sure they’ll find your car, so you can’t use it to get away. Just stay with me tonight and don’t take any more chances. Tomorrow we’ll take off in my car.”

  “You really wanna do this for me?”

  “Sure, Tommy. I never forgot my first kiss.”

  PART TWO

  CHAPTER 13

  Detective Theresa Stone paced in front of her desk. Her partner, Jake Watts, followed her with his eyes.

  “You’ve got to relax, Stone,” Watts said, as he gestured for her to sit down. “Take a load off. The results won’t be in for a while.”

  “I know. It’s just that everything takes too long around here. I know in my gut that Sullivan is our guy, but, as usual, procedure prevents me from acting on it. While we wait, he might disappear. Even worse, he could kill someone else.”

  “It’s not that I doubt you,” Watts said, shaking his head. “But the evidence is all circumstantial.” He pulled at the two-day stubble on his chin. “I mean, come on—a pizza box in a garbage dumpster?”

  Stone slapped the desk. “That pizza box was nearly fifteen miles from the restaurant. Sullivan does the deliveries; he fits the general description; he leaves the jurisdiction right after Houston disappears—oh, and he came off pretty damn suspicious when I approached him in Cape May.”

  “Whoa—calm down. I’m not the enemy, but until the DNA comes back, we have nothing—absolutely nothing. So we better expand our investigation; otherwise, if this ever gets to trial, some smart-ass attorney will argue that we focused too soon and failed to consider any other theories or any other suspects.”

  “Screw the lawyers. I’m telling you the DNA will confirm it; I feel it in my bones. Then we’ll have enough to get a search warrant and rip his place apart.”

  “Yeah, but I’d feel much better if we had a body,” Watts said, then, a moment later, wished that his mouth had come equipped with a backspace key. “Uh, let me rephrase that—if we knew what happened to the gir
l.”

  “Right—let’s not jump the gun. We have to hold out some hope that she’s still alive somewhere.”

  “Of course,” Watts said, loosening his too-small necktie. “Although the blood at the scene suggests otherwise.” Watts grimaced. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this. No matter how many violent crimes we investigate, I can never wrap my head around the senselessness of it all.”

  “Wake up, Watts. The world is filled with sickos, psychos, and nut jobs, and trying to make sense of it is a waste of time. You’ve been doing this a lot longer than I have, and you know it’s our job to catch them and get them off the street . . . and make sure they stay off the street. Analyzing why they do it is for the shrinks.”

  “Precisely why we have to handle this one carefully. Without a body, and with little evidence, we have to be sure. And consider also that we don’t want to put the wrong person behind bars.”

  “True.” Stone said. “But I feel this one in my gut.”

  “Fine—then let’s make the case . . . the right way. Solid evidence first, then we arrest him.”

  “Always reeling me in, aren’t you?”

  “Just being your partner, Stone. I know you’re one of the best out there, and I’m by your side every step of the way, but sometimes even you need a little help from me.”

  “Gotcha. I wouldn’t be where I am today without you, so you just keep on doing what you do.”

  “And you, too, partner.”

  “Don’t worry—I will.”

  “Uh-oh.” Watts said, doing a double take. “I’m not sure I like that look on your face. What are you doing that you haven’t told me about?”

  “Nothing for you to worry about.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  “Need to know basis, Watts. Just trust me.”

  CHAPTER 14

  Stone was asleep at her desk waiting for the results to come in. Watts fielded the call from the lab and made some notes on a pad as he stared at the sleeping detective. Shaking his head, he smiled flatly.

  “Stone, wake up. The results are in.”