by Nancy Adams
Double agent, I thought, I'm a double agent! I can do this! I go up and went around to sit in the chair beside her, and put an arm around her shoulders. She leaned into me, and I said, “Come on, now, hang in there. You can't let them intimidate you, that's what they want. I saw that press conference, and I thought it was a big joke! They're just trying to scare you, is all. If they can make you back down, they will.”
She sighed. “I know, and I won't. I just needed to see someone friendly, and I didn't know where else to go.”
I patted her cheek and hugged her a little tighter, wishing I had my arms around her throat, instead.
“Okay, well, you've always got me. You can talk to me, anytime.”
I was suddenly startled when my desk phone rang, and got up to sit on the edge of the desk to answer it.
“This is Katelynn,” I said, “how can I help you?”
“Katelynn, it's John Tarsikes.”
The private investigator; I thought fast. “Yes, Mr. Jacobs, it's good to hear from you again. What can I do for you?”
There was silence on the line for two heartbeats, and then, “Is Ms. Bennet there with you right now?”
I said, “Yes, I'd be happy to! Can you tell me more?”
“Perfect!” he said. “Keep acting like I'm someone with the company for a moment, and when we hang up, I want you to say something like, 'Jerry Patterson, Jerry Patterson, I know that name from somewhere.' Then, if she asks what that's about, which she will, just say that someone in the corporate office wanted to know if a Jerry Patterson comes into the store.”
“Okay,” I said. “I can check and see if he's registered with us for the saver's card, would that help?”
John chuckled. “You're a smart girl, Katelynn. Go get 'em, tiger!”
“Sure will,” I said. “Bye bye.” I hung up and looked down at the desk, where I was scribbling the name down on a notepad. “Jerry Patterson,” I said as if to myself, “Jerry Patterson. I know I've heard that name somewhere.” I put down the pen and turned back to Donna, whose eyes were as big as saucers.
“What on earth was that all about?” she asked.
I furrowed my brow. “That? That was Mr. Jacobs, from security. He wanted to know if we have a Jerry Patterson who's a regular customer here. I know I've heard the name somewhere, but I can't place it. Do you know him?”
She shook her head quickly. “No, I don't think so. Never heard the name, I don't think.”
I shrugged. “Probably someone who wrote a complaint letter and they want to know if he's really a customer or something, I wouldn't worry about it. Now, where were we?”
Donna was obviously upset, even though she was trying not to show it. “Oh, it's nothing, really. Like I said, I just needed a friend to talk to for a minute, and I feel a lot better already. Maybe that's all I needed, just to hear someone say I should keep going, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it, I really can't.” She got up and turned t the door.
I smiled and said, “Okay, honey, anytime.” I stood there with that smile until she had closed the door behind her, then let it slide away. I didn’t know exactly what we'd just done, but I knew that the call had rattled her, and that had to be good. I grabbed my cell and called Mr. Tarsikes.
“John, it's Katelynn. I did hat you said, and she tore out of here like a scared rabbit. Who the heck is Jerry Patterson?”
“He's the guy I told you about yesterday, remember? The one she's been using to help her in this, and sleeping with. I was going to have you mention the name to the Lang woman, but this is even better! I'd bet she's got him on the phone right now! I'll let you know if I find anything out, but I gotta go! Bye!”
I ended the call since he was already gone, and sat back down in my own chair. It was close enough to lunchtime that I could take off, so I grabbed my purse and headed out the back door.
Not fast enough, though; Corie caught me, and since she was off to lunch as well, I let her come along. I hadn't told her about talking to Nate yet, so it was probably time. I waited til we got into the car, and told her how I'd changed my mind about Donna and Nate, and that Nate and I were back to normal. She was absolutely overjoyed, and didn't even tell me to go slow, like I'd expected her to.
We decided to go back to our old ways for the day, and grabbed a pizza from a convenience store and ate it in the car. We were like the old schoolgirls we used to be, laughing and having fun, and I had to make her stop so I could call Nate.
“Hey, Babe, it's me,” I said when he answered. “Guess who's with me?”
He didn't get a chance to guess, because Corie grabbed the phone and yelled, “Hi, Nate, it's Corie! And just so you know, I was the one who kept saying I didn't believe all this crap about you!”
I yanked the phone back, laughing again. “Yes, she was,” I admitted. “She tried to tell me not to believe it, and I wish Id listened to her then. How's your day going?”
Nate was laughing right along with us. “It's great, now,” he said. “Tell Corie hi for me.”
“Nate says hi, now be quiet so I can hear him,” I said to Corie and she laughed again. “I love you, Babe!”
“I love you more,” he said, in the game we played, and I smiled. “I've got some news, wanna hear it?”
“Of course!”
“Okay, I found out that our court date is a week from today, so I'll be back in North Platte then. I'll get to see you!”
“Oh, my gosh, that's so awesome! Baby, I can't wait! Do you know what I'd give t be able to see you right now?”
He said he felt the same, and we talked about minor things for a bit, with a few more “I love you's” thrown in for good measure. Corie kept trying to get a word or three in, but I wouldn't let her. We talked for about half an hour, and then it was time to get back to work. I said a sad goodbye, and Corie and I headed back. I swore her to secrecy about me and Nate, and she crossed her heart!
The rest of the day went slow. Donna came in at the usual time, but she seemed a bit off, like something had her very worried. I acted concerned, but she said it was only a headache, so when it came time for me to go home, I was out that back door like a shot!
I called Nate from my car, and told him then about Donna and the call from John. He laughed when I said Donna had seemed pretty shook up when she came in, and I was glad to hear him laugh. I doubt I could, if I was under the pressure he was. We cooed to each other all the way home, and I waved at Mom and Dad as I ran up the stairs, phone still to my ear the whole time.
This time we really talked about us, and he made it plain that he wanted to put the entire episode behind us as quickly as possible, but he wanted to just forget that we'd almost lost each other completely! I agreed, and we began to talk about the future again, a future where I would be Mrs. Nate Simmons. I was in Heaven, just thinking about being back in his arms, and if he'd been there right then, I don't know if we'd have made it to the wedding night; I wanted to feel him holding me, tightly, and I wanted it bad!
We talked until late, again, and he finally made me get off the phone and go to bed. I didn't want to, but I was pretty tired, so I gave in after only a few minutes of token resistance, and said goodnight. I got a fast shower and was in bed in minutes, not even bothering to blow dry my hair.
If I ever told him the dream I had, I would be blushing! I was in a big, beautiful house, and Nate was there with me. We were laying on a rug in front of a big fireplace, and there was a fire going in it. We were facing each other, and kissing, and then one thing led to another, and I'll stop there, or I'll be blushing now!
I woke the next morning with that dream fresh in my mind, and wished I could go back to sleep and try to get back into it, but I had a job, and responsibility, so I got dressed and went to work. The day began like any other, with me doing the daily reports and reconciling the shift reports with the inventory reports, and all the other things that were on my daily to-do list.
It was lunch time before I knew it, and I managed to slip out alone, so
I got a sandwich from a fast food place, parked in a secluded spot behind a strip mall and sat in my car to eat, while I called Nate. We talked about us again, and I almost told him my dream, but I held it back. I didn't want him to think I was going to attack him when he got here, although I wasn't all that certain I wouldn't!
John
Chapter Twelve
What's Plan B?
* * * * *
I had called Katelynn with the notion of dropping Jerry's name to Karen Lang, and letting it get back to him that someone in the company was asking about him. I remembered hearing him basically threaten Donna, and if there's another way con artists resemble pirates, it's because they will turn on each other at the drop of a hat—or in this case, the drop of a name. I wanted to see how he'd react, and when I called at the very time when Donna was in the office talking to Katelynn, it couldn't have gone better!
Donna must have rushed out and called him, because he came out about five minutes after Katelynn called me back, jumped into his car and roared out of the parking lot. I followed, even though I was sure he was headed to her place, and I was right. He slid to a stop in front of her house, jumped out and ran inside without knocking. I got parked as quickly as I could and got the laser mike on the window again.
Jerry: “...do you mean? Someone from the corporate headquarters has my name? How could that be possible, unless you've mentioned it to someone?”
Donna: “Jerry, I haven't, not ever! My own kids don't even know about you, except as Doctor Jerry! I don't tell anyone about us, or ever mention you to anyone!”
I could hear footsteps, heavy ones, and I knew he must be pacing back and forth. He was obviously angry, and I hoped he wouldn't become violent with her.
Jerry: “Donna, this is going bad, I mean, it's going bad! I don’t know how they coulda got onto me, but this tears it! We gotta drop this thing and make it all go away, right now!”
Donna: “Drop it? Are you crazy? They're gonna make an offer any day, and it'll be worth millions! We can't pass that up, that'd be...”
Jerry: “Then maybe it's time to think about Plan B! Somewhere nice but where we can live cheap, like Mexico or Jamaica!”
There was silence for a few moments, other than the sound of pacing.
Donna: Can we really get away with it? I mean, can you really get us out of here after?”
Jerry: “Yeah, I've got that all worked out, just in case. New ID's, passports, everything we need, already waiting for me to pick them up.”
Donna: “But I'd have to leave the kids, right?”
Jerry: “You can't take kids on the run like that, Donna. Sooner or later they'd either tell someone, or they'd get on the internet and try to contact old friends or someone. They'd lead the feds right to us. If you want that kind of life, the best thing you can do for those kids is to leave them here and let the state take them. They'll be taken care of, but you can't worry about them, if you’re gonna do this with me.”
Donna: “When?”
Jerry: “I'll go ahead and get it all set up tonight, then we'll go for it within the next few days. Just a fast snatch and grab, and then we're home free. No more jobs, no more playing doctor, just take the money and run!”
Donna: Come here.
More of their sex scenes, and I tuned it all out again.
What on earth, I wondered, was plan B. Jerry referred to it as a “snatch and grab.: That sounded like they might be planning a robbery, but then, he was also talking about getting out of the country. Would robbing the store make them that kind of money> And how much access would Donna have to the cash inside it?
I called Mike Davenport. “Hey, Mike, it's John. Tell me something: how much cash is likely to be in one of your stores at the ed of the second shift?”
“Well, it depends. If it's near the beginning of the month, and on a busy day, it could easily go two or three hundred thousand dollars. Why?”
“Donna and her boyfriend are talking about a 'Plan B,' and it sounds like they may be planning to rob the store. I'm not certain of that, yet, but it's what I'm leaning toward. Whatever it is, I know they figure to make enough money to skip the country with.”
He was quiet for a moment, then said, “Today's the thirtieth of the month, tomorrow's the first. On the third, social security, SSI and SSD checks get delivered by the mails, and so do the state welfare checks in most states. On that day, it's possible the store could end up with more than half a million in cash in the safe.”
“Would the assistant manager have access to that safe?”
“Oh, yes. She'd have to be able to get into it for change, and if someone had a large check to cash, that sort of thing. You think maybe that's it?”
“Sounds like it. We might want to get some special security on the store for the next few nights, just in case.”
“I'm on it,” he said, and the line went dead.
Jerry came out a bit later and drove back to his clinic. I followed to be sure, and then went back to the hotel to change my looks, so I could be in the store when Donna came in to work.
I was an old man by the time she showed up, crankily looking through the store for something that could ease some of my complaints. I saw her come in from the back of the store, and she stepped up to a register to relieve none other than Karen Lang, who went home. I could tell she was in a foul mood, and she actually seemed to be looking over her shoulder a lot, scared. I wondered if she thought the company had gotten evidence against her, or if she was more scared of Jerry. Something about that guy made me think I'd be scared, if I was her.
Katelynn came out of the back a while later, and walked right past me. I let her go without saying anything, and watched as she walked up to talk to Donna for a moment.
“Donna, you okay? You seem a little out of sorts.”
“I'll be fine, just been a rough day for the last week or so.” She tried to grin, but there was something about it that seemed very false. Katelynn played her part well, and left after a few moments. I stuck around the store until they began to stare at me, then bought some Kaopectate and went on back to the motel.
The more I thought about it, the more I thought they must be looking at robbing the store, and probably on the night of the third. That would be the most likely time for a big score, and if they were planning to skip the country, they'd want a lot of money. Jerry had said he already had arrangements made for their escape, and he wanted to go someplace where money would last, obviously. Even if they found a cheap place to live as foreigners, they'd want as much money as possible, to make it last as long as it could. Yes, the third seemed to fit the bill.
I watched the store from a nearby empty parking lot, but saw nothing I could identify as a problem, so around the time they closed up, I went back to get some sleep. Tomorrow would be another day, and I'd have plenty to do, I was sure.
Nathanael
Chapter Thirteen
Call To Arms
* * * * *
I laughed as I hung up from talking to Katelynn after her lunch break, and turned back to my desk to work my way through the pile that had accumulated there while I was dealing with the lawsuit and personal issues. There were government reports that needed my signature, plans to approve for new products and services and other items that required the attention of the CEO. Between them, I'd be busy the rest of the day, and when that day was over, I would be free to talk to the woman I loved once again, so I breezed through it all like it was nothing!
Mike Davenport had called me earlier in the day to tell me that John Tarsikes had come up with the real possibility that Donna and a male partner may actually be planning to rob the store. From what he said, I thought it was likely that he was right, and we ordered unmarked surveillance to being that night. The store would be checked after closing, as well, by another security company we used that had keys, and we even made special arrangements to let them check the contents of the safe. If we got robbed, we'd know it before the thieves could get out of town, and the surveil
lance unit would keep tabs on Donna and anyone with her.
My own lunchtime came, and I was startled when my cell phone went off with Katelynn's ring tone. I smiled and answered.
“Hey, Baby!”
“Nate, help me, I'm...” There was pure panic in her voice, and I felt it rising in me, as well.
“Mr. Simmons,” said a male voice before I could speak, and my blood ran cold. “Listen to me very carefully. I have your girlfriend, and if I do not get exactly what I want, I will kill her. Do you understand that part?”
“Yes,” I said simply.
“Good. I want two million dollars in cash, unmarked bills no larger than twenties. Put it into a single suitcase and bring it to North Platte on your private jet tonight. Do not call anyone, do not alert police or anyone else, or she will die. Do you understand that part?”
“Yes.”
“Very good. When you arrive at the North Platte airport, I will know it. There will be a car waiting for you, a green Chevy Malibu. The key will be on top of the left front tire, get it and start the car, then just wait and I will call you. If I see any cops that look like they know anything about this, she dies. If I hear anything about it on my scanner, she dies. If the fact that she's missing hits the news, she dies. Do you understand all of that?”
“Yes.”
“When I call you in North Platte, it will not be from this number, so don't fail to answer any call. If you do not answer, she dies. And I want you to understand this, as well: if I decide that she has to die, Mr. Simmons, I will not hesitate. It will happen quickly and mercifully, so that she will not suffer, but it will happen. Unless you do everything I say exactly the way I tell you, she will die.”
The line went dead, and I was out of my chair instantly. I ran through the halls to Mike's office and rushed in without knocking.
“It wasn't the store,” I said, “they've kidnapped Katelynn!”
I told him everything, but refused to call the cops. If the kidnapper really had a scanner, and the cops even slipped up and mentioned it, I had no doubt that he would kill Katelynn, and I wasn't taking that chance.
