by Ben Follows
Chapter 18
Norman hesitated at the door to his own condo. He could hear dogs walking on the hardwood floors inside. He hesitated. The snow had continued, making the drive back hard. Combined with his lack of sleep, it was hard to focus.
Norman stepped inside the apartment and closed the door behind him. Teddy was sitting on his haunches in the front hallway. He walked up and licked at Norman’s hand. Norman patted his head and walked past him.
“Julia?” he said.
“In here,” said Julia from the bedroom.
Norman walked into the bedroom. Julia was sitting on the bed with one of the dogs stretched out at her feet.
“Where have you been?” she said, looking up. “You look terrible.”
“I didn’t sleep,” said Norman, leaning against the doorframe and playing with the ring on his finger. The fatigue was fighting with him.
“Where were you?” said Julia. “I was waiting for you to come to bed.”
“I went to visit my uncle.”
“Why?”
“I needed to make a decision.” He paused for a long time. “I’m going to give back Ruutu’s money and continue investigating the Sweetwater case. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t. I’m going to need that ring I gave you back. I need to return it.”
Julia stared at him. “Are you sure about this?”
“Sure about what?”
“You let Amelia get to you, and now you’re going to risk everything for her.”
“It’s not for her.”
“Then who is it for, Norman?” Julia stood. “I told you what I thought you should do, and you ignored me. Do you know how stupid this is going to make me look? All my friends and family have seen this ring, and I told them how you’re going to be a hockey player again. Now I’m going to look like an idiot.”
Norman swallowed. “I need to do this. For me.”
Julia walked up to him. She stopped beside him. He could feel the warmth coming from her body. He looked down as she removed the expensive ring from her finger and held it out in front of him. He put out a hand to take it.
Julia dropped the ring so it missed Norman’s hand and hit the ground. The sound of the impact seemed to echo around the room as it bounced a few times before finally coming to a rest.
Julia stepped past him. “I hope you’ve thought this through.”
Norman didn’t move, listening as Julia closed the bathroom door and turned on the shower.
Norman knelt and picked up the ring. He slipped it into his pocket.
He walked to the door and left the apartment. He needed to get a coffee. The lack of sleep was beginning to hit him hard, but he couldn’t sleep yet.
He had a case to solve.
Chapter 19
Vince was nice enough to let Norman nap in his break room at the studio while he worked. The moment Norman’s head hit the pillow on the couch, he fell into a deep sleep.
He woke up close to noon, still not fully rested but with enough energy to continue with the day.
He pushed himself off the couch and made a coffee. He walked around the warehouse recording studio. Vince was in the vocal booth with a young singer.
He waited until they were finished and met Vince in the break room.
“Thanks for this,” said Norman.
“No problem, buddy,” said Vince, slapping him on the shoulder. “Anything else I can help you out with?”
Norman nodded. “If you can get it, I’d like information on the current state of the Robin Sweetwater investigation. I also need to speak with Pocket Change again.”
Vince frowned. “You mean Damien, Sam, and Meghan? Why?”
“Just a hunch,” said Norman.
“Sure,” Vince said. “They’ll be here this afternoon around four. Why don’t you meet me back here around four thirty and I’ll set you up with a chat for them afterward.”
“Thanks,” said Norman.
Norman left the studio and drove to the store where he had purchased the rings the previous day. The snow had stopped falling and had given way to oppressive heat from the sun.
The man running the jewelry shop didn’t ask any questions about the reason for the return of the rings, and Norman got a full refund. He thought about the money in his account, which would be getting sent back to Thomas Ruutu. It wouldn’t be spent on his debts or his future. He was doing the right thing, but it certainly made his life harder.
Maybe a nice house in the country with a huge yard for the dogs to run around in wasn’t the worst idea.
He drove to the Sweetwaters’ home. He was worried about running into Mary and Harold, but they weren’t there. There were no cars in the driveway, and Amelia answered the door.
“Norman,” she said, crossing her arms. “I didn’t think I’d see you again.”
“Did you mean it?” said Norman. “That you were going after your sister’s killer?”
Amelia nodded. “What of it?”
“I want to help,” said Norman.
Amelia smirked. “Did my parents put you up to this?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Amelia stared at him for a few seconds. “Alright,” she said, “I’ll tell you. My parents are trying to get me into therapy. I suppose that it’s normal when someone has gone from having two siblings to being an only child within a month, but I don’t see how talking to some old woman with a clipboard is going to help anything.”
“And I guess investigating by yourself is better than therapy?”
Amelia shrugged. “Detective Franklin came by this morning.”
“What did he say?”
“He’s closing the investigation. He said Robin’s murder was unrelated to Joel’s death. Joel killed himself, and Robin’s murderer will probably never be found.”
“So what now?” said Norman, thinking of what Franklin had said at the funeral.
“I don’t know about you,” said Amelia, crossing her arms, “but I’m going to solve this.”
Norman nodded. “There’s a bar near my place called Sam’s Place. Meet me there tonight.”
Amelia raised an eyebrow. “They don’t let underage kids into that bar.”
“Bring a fake,” said Norman as he walked back toward his car.
Amelia shouted after him, “You think a rule-abiding teenager like me has a fake ID?”
“Yes,” said Norman as climbed into his car. He looked back at Amelia.
Her expression scared Norman.
It was the look of someone with nothing left to lose.
Chapter 20
Norman drove back to Vince’s studio and waited for Pocket Change’s recording session to be finished. Norman had instructed Vince not to tell them who they were meeting with. Norman had put some pieces together while he had been sleep-deprived, and now he was going to test one of his theories.
When he heard the doors to the recording room open and close and the sounds of conversation approaching, Norman straightened up in his chair and prepared for them to arrive.
The three band members stepped into the room, chatting amongst themselves. The moment they saw Norman waiting for them, they froze.
They looked back out of the room, but Vince, the former police officer, was standing behind them with a faint smile.
Damien, Sam, and Meghan slowly stepped into the room. After their initial fearful reaction, they all put on varieties neutral expressions. Sam looked bored, Damien looked confident, and Meghan looked curious. But those expressions weren’t completely convincing. Norman couldn’t help but smile as they took their seats.
“Hello,” he said. “It’s so good to see you all again.”
Damien spoke first. “I was sad to hear about Robin. Have you made any progress on the case?”
“Vince,” said Norman, turning to the former cop standing in the doorway, “do you mind giving us some time alone?”
Vince nodded and closed the door.
“A few days ago I lost
one of my dogs,” Norman said calmly. “He was returned to me a few days later. I consider my dogs the most valuable part of my life. If I could find the people who tracked down my missing dog and returned him, do you know what I would do?”
Sam and Meghan looked away, seemingly attempting to look anywhere but Norman’s eyes.
“What?” said Damien, as though he couldn’t care less.
“First I would thank them,” said Norman, “for bringing my dog back. I understand that they hadn’t intended for Teddy to run away. Then I would want to know what they were trying to accomplish.”
“What do you mean?” said Meghan, her voice quivering.
“They aren’t the people I’m after,” said Norman. “I don’t think the people who kidnapped me and took me to that warehouse had any malicious intent. If they told me who was paying them and why, I would let them off the hook.”
He watched the reactions of the three teenagers.
There had been three people in the warehouse, not two. There were the two young men and whoever was driving the van. Then a young woman matching Meghan’s description had found Teddy, agreeing with the kidnapper’s letter. There were too many coincidences. The mistakes were the hallmarks of people in over their heads.
“I’d like to speak with each of you individually,” continued Norman. “The others will wait outside with Vince. Any questions?”
“This is bullshit,” said Damien. “I want to go home.”
“Fine,” said Norman. “You’re up first. Meghan, Sam, please wait outside.”
Meghan jumped from the couch too quickly and walked out of the room. A moment later, Sam followed, slowly standing from the couch and walking out of the room with his shoulders slouched.
The door opened, and Vince took Meghan and Sam into the hallway.
The door closed, and Norman was left in the room with Damien.
“So, Damien,” said Norman, crossing his legs. “You’re the leader of the band?”
Damien nodded. “I started the band and I keep them together. I’m the most talented one in the group. This is my band.”
Norman raised an eyebrow. “You don’t seem to have any problem with confidence.”
Damien shrugged. “False modesty is a waste of time. How much time have people wasted with indecision and fear about what other people think about them? If you want to succeed in life, assume everyone wants to give you what you want.”
“Has that been working for you?”
Damien smiled. “You don’t give a shit. You’re just some sleazy former athlete who ruined any reputation he might have had in this city. You really think anyone is going to listen to you?”
“Why do you think that?” said Norman, trying to remain calm.
Damien laughed. “This is Toronto, man. Hockey players are gods here. When you got into the NHL, the minor leagues started parading your name around like you were some kind of hero. You were undrafted but you just kept working at it. Anyone else would have quit. They talked about how, through grit and perseverance, you had succeeded. But you flew too close to the sun. How are parents supposed to explain to their children that their hero is a cheater?”
Norman frowned. “What are you talking about?”
Damien let out a long breath. “My little brother loved you, and I had to explain to him that you were a lying piece of shit. A few hours later, the fire alarms in our house went off. The fire fighters came and cleared out the house. Do you know what had caused the fire?”
Norman shook his head.
“My little brother had set his jersey, the one with your name on the back, on fire. I can never forgive you for that.”
Norman didn’t answer for a the seconds and then said, “I’m sorry.” He looked down at his notes. “Did you have any connection to Joel Sweetwater?”
Damien raised an eyebrow. “That’s the question you’re going with? I knew who he was. I didn’t know him.”
“What about Robin Sweetwater?”
“Never met her.”
“Who hired you to kidnap me?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Norman frowned and set down his notepad. “Look, Damien. I know what you did. I just need to know who hired you.”
Damien laughed. “You’re wasting your time, man. Why don’t you see that?”
Norman leaned over the table, trying to look as menacing as possible. “I will prove it was you, Damien.”
Damien didn’t flinch. “Bring it on, old man.”
Norman smirked. “I’m done with you. Send in Meghan. Stay in the building.”
“Whatever.” Damien walked to the door and paused. He turned back and said. “You’re as terrible a detective as you were a hockey player.”
The door shut, leaving Norman momentarily alone in the empty break room with nothing but his own thoughts to keep him company.
The door opened and Meghan stepped inside. Her hair fell over her shoulders and she looked like she wanted to take a nap. She fell onto the couch, looking bored.
“Let’s get this over with,” she said.
“Get what over with?”
“I’m sorry about your dog,” said Meghan. “It took me nine straight hours of searching to find him.”
Norman frowned, unsure how to respond.
“I know,” said Meghan in response to his confusion, “but I’m not Damien. The band is falling apart, even if he refuses to accept it. We aren’t good enough to get a record deal.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Yeah,” she said, trailing off. “I’ll tell you what you need to know as long as no one knows about it.”
Norman nodded. “Like I said before, I don’t think you guys are directly involved. Tell me everything and I’ll let you off with a warning.”
Meghan nodded and sat up a bit straighter. “You have a great dog. I enjoyed the brief time I spent with him.”
Norman smiled. “Thank you for finding him. I have eight others.”
Meghan’s ears perked up. “Maybe I’ll have to come by and see them. I’m thinking about going to veterinary college.”
“I think you’d be great at that.”
Meghan smiled. “Thanks.”
“Now, on to business.”
“Yes.” Meghan moved a strand of hair out of her face. “I can do that.”
“Take your time,” said Norman. It was a welcome relief to be speaking to Meghan after the reaming he had received at Damien’s hands.
“We didn’t want to do anything like that,” she said. “At least, I didn’t. We were running severely low on funds and weren’t going to be able to afford our recording sessions.”
“And someone offered it to you?”
Meghan fidgeted in her seat for a second then nodded. “After you came and spoke to us, Sam disappeared for a few hours, like he had an idea. Like something you had said made a connection in his head.”
“Sam?” said Norman, thinking of the nervous and awkward member of the group who had barely said anything. “What happened?”
“I don’t know how Freddie set it up, who he met with, or how he knew about it. He told us that we would be paid ten grand each in exchange for sending you a message.”
“You didn’t know it involved kidnapping someone?”
“I didn’t,” she said. “They just told me to drive the van. I was freaking out when I realized what they had done. I’d never seen that side of Sam before. Even Damien was uncomfortable, and he hates you. I’m so sorry about everything.”
Norman nodded. “If you hadn’t brought back my dog, I’d be way angrier. You have no idea who hired you?”
“Not a clue.”
“You have the money?”
Meghan nodded. “I already spent some of it. Are you going to take it?”
Norman shook his head.
Meghan swallowed. “Then what are you going to do?”
“I won’t turn you over to the police. As for Damien, I haven’t decided yet. It will depend on what Sam
tells me.”
Meghan sighed and nodded. “I’d prefer you didn’t tell anyone. My parents, especially.”
“Tell Sam to get in here. I need to know who he got hired by.”
Meghan nodded and walked out of the room. Norman rubbed his eyes and took down a few notes.
“What the fuck did you say?” came a shout from the hallway. It made the hairs on Norman’s arm stand up. It was the voice of the man who had interrogated him. “What the fuck did you tell him, you stupid bitch?”
It took Norman a moment to realize that he had almost never heard Sam say a single word. Perhaps that had been intentional so Norman wouldn’t connect him to the kidnapping.
“Hey!” shouted Damien. “Don’t you dare talk to her like that!”
“Just calm down,” said Vince. “Sam, Norman wants to talk to you.”
“Fuck all of you!” said Sam. “I’m leaving.”
“I can’t let you do that,” said Vince.
Norman stood. As he grabbed the door handle, he heard Vince grunt and Meghan gasp. He opened the door to the hallway and took in the scene in front of him.
Damien and Meghan were huddled together in the corner. Vince was in a fetal position on the ground, grabbing his groin and desperately trying to maintain his composure.
“Sam ran!” shouted Vince, pointing at the swinging exit door.
Norman took off at a run toward the exit. As he approached the swinging door, he became aware of a whistling wind and heavy snow coming through the doorway. The snow had picked up again.
He stepped into a blizzard. He couldn’t see anything more than a few feet in front of him. He couldn’t see Sam. He had disappeared into the storm.
“Shit,” he said, turning and walking back inside.
Vince was keeled over but standing, gasping for breath.
“Where did that little fucker go?” he said.
“I don’t know,” said Norman. “It’s a blizzard out there. He disappeared into the snow.”
Vince nodded and stood, apparently recovered. “I’m calling my old buddies at the precinct. They’ll put out an APB on him. What do you want to do with the other two?”
