Forever Haunt

by Adam Carpenter

  He had a near miss with one woman on the corner of 45th, but he skirted around her but not without his foot stepping into a deep puddle. He was a soggy sight by the time he got to his uncle’s building, where he let himself in and dashed up to the second floor, squeaky sneakers announcing his presence. He let himself into his apartment and immediately peeled off the wet clothing.

  He felt a chill hit his naked self, warmed only when he stepped into the shower.

  That’s where he had time to lay out his plan for the day.

  He was suspicious of Lourdes Inshan and looked forward to confronting her. She hadn’t liked him when she told him to keep his distance, so he had to figure she wouldn’t be pleased to see him again. A hostile witness. There were ways around that. He had a feeling charm wasn’t the right tactic to take. He’d have to channel a more aggressive approach with her, get her to break. Then, based on what he gleaned from her, would he venture down to Chinatown to scope out Mr. Wu-Tin’s turf? Jimmy was enjoying the lingering spray of the shower, but reminded himself there was a young boy out there, perhaps scared of the unknown. He turned the nozzle off, and quickly got ready. Which meant he avoided the razor yet again.

  When on an assignment, he preferred showing a harder edge to his appearance, the scruff providing one. Sometimes Jimmy was too much of a pretty boy for a profession based on stealth, on intimidation. Sometimes you wanted to blend in, especially when dealing with less than savory types. With his blue eyes staring back at him, even he might give himself a second glance.

  His last thought before he left was about his post-Valentine’s date with Frisano on Sunday night. What would they do, even if it actually happened depending on this case? Their jobs had a unique way of dousing a night of romance with the single drop of blood. How could Jimmy indulge in pleasure with his hunky lover when a young boy awaited rescue? Much depended upon what Jimmy might learn today. Newfound determination hitting him, Jimmy was back outside on the wet sidewalks and on the case.

  He’d taken an umbrella this time.

  Sunshine had a way of keeping him optimistic. Yet Manhattan was a city decorated in gray today, clouds hovering on a low ceiling, looking like they were here to stay. He hoped they weren’t a harbinger of what was to come. The rain was like tears.

  § § § §

  One positive about riding the subway: you were underground and safe the from inclement weather. Jimmy grabbed an arriving N train at the Broadway and 49th Street station, transferred downstairs to the 4 train three stops later, which would take him up to the Bronx via the express track. It was the Kingsbridge section he was headed to, one of the few neighborhoods in the northern borough he was familiar with. He’d once dated a guy who lived not far from the block-length brick Armory that defined the busy thoroughfare. That had been several years ago, but based on his memory, finding where Lourdes Inshan lived wouldn’t be that difficult.

  The subway emerged from the Grand Concourse station, going aboveground as it passed by an empty Yankee Stadium. Baseball was still several weeks away. The rain suddenly beat down on the metal train cars as it rattled along now elevated tracks, steadily moving Jimmy closer to his destination. He was standing, since the 4 was crowded, a mix of people of all colors and races, the great melting pot you found so often in the Bronx. Here Jimmy felt like the minority.

  At last the train pulled into the Kingsbridge station, and he got out, joining a large crowd as they ambled down the stairs and through the turnstiles, farther down to the street level. Standing under a protective covering, Jimmy got his bearings. All around him, people buzzed by, cars and buses too, Kingsbridge a hive of activity even in the awful weather. An old woman near him was selling tamales out of a metal cart, steam rising in the cold air. She was doing a brisk business. Jimmy’s stomach grumbled so he stopped, grabbed one, giving her two dollars.

  Jimmy dashed across the two-lane road, the light in his favor, and headed west. He saw the great Armory, with its castle-like turrets, to his right, and across the street a few blocks farther was a rehabilitation center. He’d gone there once to visit the mother of the man he’d dated; she’d been recovering from knee surgery. Memories flashed back in his mind. That guy was years ago, long before he’d even met Remy, whom he’d once thought was the love of his life. Situations change, people don’t. Jimmy hadn’t. Wasn’t fair to expect others to do the same. Frisano was the same.

  The rain had finally lessened, so he wasn’t in need of the umbrella. Just a spritz was falling. He took out his iPhone, where he’d already typed into the GPS the address he sought, following the blue dot on the screen until he reached Heath Avenue and came to a stand-alone house on the side street. Unlike Manhattan, people in the outer boroughs actually had houses, recalling his visit a few days ago to Dahlia Luke’s place in Queens. She’d been receptive to his visit. Jimmy had a nagging sense Lourdes Inshan would be less welcoming.

  Regardless, he’d made the long journey here, no going back. He found the house, a simple brick structure with a roofed porch. An attempt at a garden billowed over the edges of the sidewalk. Perhaps winter had done its damage, or maybe the failings of someone who lacked a green thumb. Not ready to announce his presence, Jimmy continued toward the end of the block, only to double back on the other side of the street. A reconnaissance, standard procedure when you were unsure of what awaited you. Under a tree he stood, hoping he looked like he was just avoiding the rain, he kept an eye on the front door for any kind of activity. He remembered Sonny saying that many people lived in the house.

  After about ten minutes, he saw the door open, and out stepped a young couple, probably no more than twenty, twenty-two at most. A man and a woman, both with the same dark coloring Sonny possessed. The girl waved a good-bye, then proceeded to walk arm-in-arm with the man. Neither used an umbrella. Jimmy watched as they walked down the block, noting there was nothing suspicious about their behavior. Still, he was glad to have waited, two fewer people in the house, and by the looks of it, the guy looked strong, thick-bodied despite not being too tall. You had to watch out for those types. He didn’t need any altercations today, not of the physical variety at least. He took advantage of the moment and approached the quiet house, hoping that Lourdes was home, and home alone.

  Taking the steps two at a time, he first stole a cursory look through the bay window at the front. Closed lace curtains kept his view limited, but he did detect movement inside. One person, a woman by her frame. He took a chance and rang the doorbell. He heard its echo within the house. Then footsteps approaching the door. It was Lourdes, he recognized her sour expression. It didn’t improve when she saw Jimmy.

  “What do you want?”

  “To talk.”

  “I have nothing to say.”

  “Good, then I can do all the talking.”

  “You are that neighbor of Carmen’s.”

  “Actually, I’m more than a neighbor. I’m a private investigator. Jimmy McSwain. Hired to find Sonny.”

  She offered no response to that. Jimmy could tell she was hesitating whether to admit him or not. He read her body language, noting that she didn’t look back. He had to assume that meant no reinforcements were within the house. She was alone. So he went in for the kill.

  “You can talk to me, or you can talk to the police.”

  “The police? What do they have to do with this?”

  “A six-year-old boy has gone missing. He was in your care when he was last seen. Either you are grossly negligent, or you know something about his disappearance. I’m guessing the latter. So, I suggest you unlatch that door and let me in.” He pulled out his phone. “I’m good friends with several NYPD detectives. One of whom is ready to act the moment I call him. So, your call…or mine?”

  “Let me get a sweater, I will join you on the porch. You will not come inside.”

  Jimmy decided not to push it. Where they talked wasn’t important, what she had to say was. He took a seat on the edge of the porch railing, protected enough from the rain drippi
ng off the drains. Lourdes returned, with a heavy brown sweater draped over her shoulders, a metal cane in her left hand. He noticed now that she walked with a limp, something he hadn’t noticed the other day. He’d only seen her standing in the doorway of his building, admonishing her grandson, the broomstick acting as her cane then.

  As she eased down into one of the two wicker chairs on the porch, he watched her wince.

  “Arthritis?” he asked.

  “What’s it to you?”

  “Just being kind.”

  “You want to be kind, make yourself scarce.”

  He shook his head. “Not gonna happen.”

  “You’re a rude boy. You would embarrass your mother.”

  “I’m here as a person concerned for a missing boy. Which would make her proud.”

  Lourdes looked away, frowning. But she said nothing. No volunteering any information.

  “I would think, as the boy’s grandmother, you would be concerned, too. The fact you don’t appear to be makes me wonder.”

  “Wonder all you want.”

  “Just tell me one thing. Is Sonny safe?”

  “I’m not saying anything.”

  “So why are you sitting here with me?”

  Still, she offered nothing. Stared forward, her sour disposition remaining.

  Jimmy held up his iPhone, waving it before her. “I’m not kidding, Mrs. Inshan. Police.”

  “Of all the buildings in all of Manhattan, she had to find one with a P.I. Ridiculous.”

  “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn what you think.”

  Either she didn’t get it or she wasn’t going to acknowledge it. “Ask your questions.”

  “Good, glad we’re on the same page finally. I’ll be gone a lot faster if you stop stonewalling me. So I’ll jump right in, shall I? What time did you notice Sonny was missing?”

  She squirmed in her seat. Looked away.

  “Okay, let me ask it a different way. Is Sonny actually missing? Or is he inside the house?”

  “He’s not here, so don’t think about forcing your way in. Then I call the police.”

  He let it go. If Sonny was inside, that meant he was at least safe, alive. If not, all he would do was invite unwanted attention from the authorities. Well played by Lourdes, Jimmy thought, which left them with a momentary stalemate.

  “Do you know where he is?”

  “No.”

  “Is he with his father?”

  “I haven’t seen my son in nearly two months.”

  “But have you spoken to him?”

  Again, she squirmed, like she was in an interrogation room under warm lights rather than her own porch, amidst the dreary, rain-soaked day. The cold wind swept past them, she wrapping the sweater closer around her stout body. Jimmy stood his ground. He was focused on the boy, not the rain.

  “I believe my question has gone unanswered,” he said.

  “Ranuel is fine. Out of the city. You must understand, he’s afraid.”

  “Good. Now we’re getting somewhere. Afraid of what?”

  “He won’t tell me. Something to do with his job.”

  “With Mr. Wu-Tin?”

  Her eyes flicked upwards, almost like an accusation. “What do you know?”

  “Not enough to help either Ranuel, or Sonny. What you tell me could change that.”

  “What can you do?”

  “Let’s get back to me asking the questions. Back to Sonny, because his well-being should be our priority. Give me a rundown on what happened that day. Carmen tells me you arrived late that morning, because she in turn was late for work. Sonny was left in your care…”

  “Not for the first time…”

  “Yes, I know. You were there the day before, too. You were rather stern with him.”

  “I don’t need parenting advice from you, Mr. McSwain.”

  “Yes, because you’ve done such a wonderful job that no one seems to know where he is.”

  Lourdes stood up, unsteadily, dependent on the cane even more so. “I will not take this.”

  “Mrs. Inshan, I’m not your enemy,” he said. “We’re all on the same side here, concerned about Sonny’s welfare. You need to give me something to go on. Anything that can lead me to his whereabouts. If his father doesn’t have him, then who does?”

  Lourdes reached into her pocket, withdrew a small wrapped item. She handed it over.

  Jimmy looked at the item, then at her. “A fortune cookie?” A fresh chill hit him. Here was the first clue that Sonny’s disappearance was the worst-case scenario coming to life. Sonny hadn’t run away, he hadn’t been taken by his father, he wasn’t being hidden by a protective family. He’d been abducted by the man whom Ranuel Inshan worked for, had stolen from, had run from.

  “Mrs. Inshan, if you know where your son is, I suggest you tell him to show his face. That is, if he ever wants to see his son alive again.”

  “They are bad people?” she asked, a sudden wavering hitting her voice.

  “Bad would be encouraging,” he said. “Ruthless would be more accurate.”

  Her hand flew to her mouth. A tear hit her eye. “Oh, I’m so sorry…for everything…”

  “Tell me what happened?”

  She paused to collect herself, exhaled a deep breath she’d probably been holding inside since the abduction. “Sonny and I, we were returning from the deli down the street. We had bought ice cream. Two men were walking behind us, they made me very nervous. When we arrived back at the building and I took out the key, they rushed at us, pushing through the door. Sonny screamed as one of the men took hold of him, putting his hand over the boy’s mouth. It was terrible, I didn’t know what was going to happen. The other man, he threw me down on the ground…aggravated my arthritis. There was no way I could fight back. By the time I could get back to my feet, they were gone—all of them, the two men, and they had taken Sonny with them. All that was left was melting ice cream on the floor. I didn’t know what else to do…I fled, didn’t even take the subway like I normally do. A cab was passing and it took me here. It was only after I got home that I found the fortune cookie, stuffed into my pocket. I didn’t understand what it meant. I didn’t understand anything. How could I tell Carmen what had happened? I…I cannot risk police involvement, Mr. McSwain.”

  “Carmen said the same thing. Why is that? Why did you keep silent about what happened to Sonny?”

  She hesitated, looking around, paranoia rising inside her. As though spies were still around listening on her every word. “I’m an illegal, Mr. McSwain. As is most of my family. We work, we are honest people…we, we just do not have the proper paperwork. Any police involvement, they will deport us.”

  This was a bigger mess than he’d anticipated, brought about because he volunteered to take a heavy box out of a woman’s arm. He’d offered up his help, and days later he was faced with a case of an abducted child, a Chinese mob kingpin, and illegal immigration. Nothing was easy, but at least he knew he had some resources. He would contact the Help Is Here charity, see what could be done for the Inshan family. That was for later. For now, the fortune cookie he held in his hand was the only clue he possessed in terms of finding Sonny.

  “Mrs. Inshan, don’t worry about any of that right now. We will deal with that later. Sonny comes first.”

  “Carmen told me you were a good man.”

  “And Carmen was right,” he said. “One last question, tell me about the two men. Did you get a good look at them?”

  She nodded. “One man, he was Asian, small but very strong. He was the one who grabbed Sonny. The other man, he was Caucasian, taller. He’s the one who pushed me to the ground. That man, he had a scar on his face, a long streak down his cheek. Like a bad man from a movie. It’s what first startled me when I saw them walking behind us, thinking they were scary men. Up to no good.” She shuddered at the memory. “I haven’t slept in days.”

  “Is anyone inside to help you?”

  She shook her head, looked back as though wishing she
had help. “Not now, but later. My nephew and his girlfriend, they just left to get lunch. They will be back soon.”

  “If you hear from Ranuel, I would suggest you tell him to come home.”

  “What do I tell him?”

  “Tell him if he wants to save his son’s life, he may have to turn himself in.”

  “To the police?”

  “Unfortunately not. To his employer, Mr. Wu-Tin.”

  Silence fell between them. Then she spoke, her voice cracked with emotion. “America, it’s supposed to be the land of opportunity.”

  “It is. It’s just, some people take advantage of such promise. Criminals don’t care who they hurt.”

  Lourdes quietly nodded, like a woman accepting her place in life. He watched as she limped back inside the house. He was amazed how quickly she had transformed from defiant grandmother to wounded victim. She was a woman who lived her life in the shadow of fear, knowing all she had could disappear in a moment’s notice. So much made sense now. Carmen asking for no police involvement. Bringing them in on Sonny’s abduction would only open a can of worms that would destroy this family.

  Jimmy set off toward the subway again, knowing the 4 train would take him directly to his next destination. Once on board, he took an available seat in the corner of the car, all alone. That’s when he withdrew the fortune cookie. It was still wrapped in its plastic wrapper, red letters on the side. Both Chinese characters and English. Wu-Tin Restaurant Supplies, it read. Jimmy was almost afraid to open the package. He wasn’t ready to know his fortune. Or Sonny’s.

  Chapter Seven

  Late afternoon arrived before Jimmy finally made his way down to Chinatown, several hours after his revealing visit with Lourdes Inshan. On the subway ride, he’d considered he didn’t have enough information about the slippery Mr. Wu-Tin and his supposed import-export empire, which made Jimmy apprehensive about invading enemy territory. He wanted to know more about what he was getting himself into.