A quick glance at his watch brought him back to the present. Time was wasting away. If he was going to find this gentleman before dark, he’d better start moving.
Roads and homes around the lake might make one wonder if there was a plan, or they just popped up randomly. But with the map and a marker pen, Jackson wasn’t too concerned about skipping any homes. It was a pleasant day for a walk. Too bad he would be too preoccupied by his task to enjoy it. He fantasized about finding the man close to his home but didn’t really think he would be that lucky. The way things were going lately, it would be more likely that it would be the last home he visited today. But if he could move quickly and knock on enough doors, he would either find the man or someone who recognized his description. He looked at his map. Currently clean. Soon, it would be full of Xs and Os—an X if someone was home and didn’t know the man, and an O if no one was home.
The first hour went by quickly but proved fruitless. Most of the people weren’t home, and the ones who were had no clue who he was talking about. And then, he thought he hit pay-dirt. A woman who was just about to drive into town to the market saw Jackson walking up her driveway. She shut off her car engine and rolled down her window. Like most of his neighbors in the area, she was friendly and wanted to help. Her name was MaryAnn, and she explained to Jackson that she had lived full-time in Grand Lake for the past ten years and knew just about everyone up there. She didn’t recognize Jackson, so he chose to just introduce himself as “Bob from across the lake”.
Jackson described the man, and, rather then tell her exactly why he needed to find him, he made up a story about some fishing gear that the man had left behind a few days ago. He hoped to find him and return the equipment. She seemed confused but thought it sounded a lot like a friend of hers from the west side of the lake. He often came that way on long walks with his dog, and, in fact, was a fisherman. His name was Joel, and she not only knew his address, but was happy to call him and introduce Jackson to him. Jackson could feel the rush of adrenaline course through his body. He could feel the tension of the last few days dissipate.
****
As Jackson was waiting for MaryAnn to make the call, Baird and Julia were just arriving back in Denver. Baird had raced down the mountain like a man possessed, screeching around curves and swerving in and out of traffic. Fortunately, they didn’t encounter any highway patrolmen, which would have created a huge problem. Julia, for her part, kept quiet most of the time, but inwardly, was sure they would fly off the mountain and die in a fiery car crash. When they came off the mountain, she let out a sigh of relief.
Baird was still mumbling about everything that had gone wrong and blaming it all on her under his breath. If she’d had had half a brain, their ordeal with Jackson would have been all over now. Instead, he was speeding to Jackson’s home.
****
Tina disembarked the American Airlines flight at DIA and made a beeline for baggage claim. After her call with Jackson the day before, she’d decided to cut her business trip short. His tone had concerned her. If ever there was a time he needed support, it was now, and she was determined to be there for him. Her career was important, but it would survive a couple of cancelled meetings. She booked a flight on the next red-eye out of New York and was back in the Denver the following morning. She managed only a couple hours’ sleep on the plane, but the thought of being there for Jackson invigorated her.
The train from the terminal to baggage claim was frustratingly slow, but she managed to keep it together. When the door opened, she was the first one out. She turned on her cell phone and tried to call Jackson while she waited for the baggage to arrive. There was no answer. She attributed that to the poor reception at the cabin. No matter, she thought, he’ll love the surprise when I show up at the cabin.
When she finally had her luggage, she rushed outside and grabbed a cab to his house, where she had left her car while she was out of town. She planned on changing clothes and grabbing a few items before heading up the mountain.
****
Baird had made good time down the mountain. Almost too good. After having avoided the accident that Julia was sure would happen and not being pulled over by highway patrol, he was sure his luck was changing. Julia, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck. Her nerves were frayed by the high speeds and her muscles were sore from the death grip she had on the console and door handle. The silence and tension between them had exacerbated the situation, and by the time they parked in front of Jackson’s Denver home, the animosity between them was at an all-time high. She focused on her breathing as they came to a stop. It helped calm her down a little.
Baird looked at her. “Ready?”
She nodded, not ready to talk just yet.
Baird jumped out of the car and popped open the trunk. He grabbed something and quickly shoved it in his pocket, careful not to let anyone who might be watching see it. He strode to the front door like he belonged there, with Julia following close behind. When they reached the front door, he positioned himself in front of it, so no one from the street could see what he was doing. He slipped the lock release gun out of his pocket and inserted it into the lock. Four quick bursts from the gun, and the door opened. Without a word, he went in, with her right behind him. She shut the door behind them.
“Okay, we need to move fast,” said Baird. “I’ll go upstairs and look in his bedroom. You check the kitchen drawers. Maybe he has a desk in his living room. Find any paperwork with the cabin address, and we’re out of here.” He handed her a pair of latex gloves. “Put these on. We don’t want any more screw-ups.”
She let the insult pass without a response and went straight into the living room. There, she rifled through a credenza full of official-looking file folders, but nothing about the cabin. As she went through the files, she tossed them on the floor without any regard for neatness. As far as she was concerned, there was no longer any need for secrecy. The police could think what they wanted later. They weren’t leaving any prints, and after today, Jackson would no longer be a problem.
Baird was equally unsuccessful upstairs, but he was fast and was soon bounding down the stairs to help Julia. When he reached the foot of the stairs, he was shocked by the mess. Files weren’t just lying on the floor. Julia was literally tossing them in the air as she discarded them.
“What the hell are you doing? This place is a mess!” screamed Baird angrily.
“You don’t have to yell at me all the time,” Julia shot back at him.
“You’re right. We need to keep quiet.” He waved at the mess. “But why?”
“You said, ‘hurry’. I can’t hurry if I’m trying to be neat. Besides, what’s the difference after today? The police will just think it was a robbery.”
Baird bit his lip and shook his head.
“Find anything?” he managed to ask calmly.
“Not yet.”
“I’ll check the kitchen,” he said as he left her with her mess.
****
Tina’s cab dropped her off in front of Jackson’s house. She was unaware that anyone was inside. As she walked up to the front porch, she got her key out and set her suitcase down. Her car was in his garage, and she planned on using the bathroom and grabbing a few things from his house before heading up to the cabin. As she started to insert her key in the front door, she noticed that it was unlocked and slightly ajar. Odd, she thought. She didn’t see his car anywhere, and since hers was in the garage, it couldn’t be in there. Bob was usually careful. Not quite OCD, but he would not have left town without locking his front door.
She gently pushed the door open and entered the foyer cautiously.
“Hello? Anyone here?” she called out.
Total silence. Baird and Julia froze as soon as Tina called out again.
“Bob, are you home?”
Tina tentatively took a few more steps into the house and called again. Louder. Still no answer. She relaxed a little. Maybe he was in the backyard?
Baird and Julia were st
ill frozen, staring at each other from across the room, neither of them quite sure what to do. Once again, things were going south, and Baird was ready to panic.
Tina stepped into the living room on her way to the back door to check the yard and spotted Detective Baird standing in the doorway. He could see the fear growing in her face and he quickly spoke, not sure what else to do.
“Hi. I’m Detective Chris Baird with the Denver Police Department.”
She looked at him suspiciously. “Is everything okay?” she asked tentatively. Then, bolder, “Can I see some identification?”
“Yes, of course,” said the detective as he pulled out his badge and held it up for her to see.
Tina kept her distance and looked at the badge, then at his face. Julia remained out of view, listening to the exchange.
“Why are you here?” She asked as she looked around and saw the mess in the living room. Her face twisted with concern. “Is Bob okay?”
“Yes, yes, he’s fine.” He could see her looking at the mess. “He asked me to come here and get some things for him, and I saw this. I think maybe he was robbed. Can you identify yourself?” he asked, with the authority only a police officer can muster.
“Um. I’m Tina. Bob’s girlfriend. He told me he was up at the cabin. I just came by for a few things before meeting him up there. I don’t understand why you’re here,” she said, her concern growing. “Did something happen to him?”
“Actually, Tina, we need to find Bob. We think he’s in great danger. But unfortunately, we aren’t sure how to find him at the cabin, and we came here hoping to get the address. Do you have the address?”
“I do,” she answered. “But, wait a minute, you said he sent you here to get some things.” She suddenly realized the detective was wearing gloves. Why hadn’t she noticed that before? Something was definitely wrong.
She turned to run, but Baird was too quick and grabbed her from behind, then put his hand over her mouth. He whispered in her ear, “Keep your mouth shut if you want to live. Understand?”
Tina didn’t respond.
Baird repeated the command and tightened his grip on her. “Keep your mouth shut, or I will hurt you. I need you to nod your head if you understand.”
Tina nodded.
“Why don’t I believe you?” He asked.
Tina moaned and tried to talk. She nodded again.
Julia stepped into the room and Tina’s eyes went wide. This was not their first meeting. Her fear intensified as she saw that Julia was also wearing gloves. Her mind raced. She had taken some self-defense classes, but now, they all seemed unrealistic. She struggled and tried to bump his chin with her head, but she was too short and too weak. He felt the move coming and countered it by increasing the hold on her.
“I’m going to hurt you if you continue to struggle,” he informed her through gritted teeth.
Julia punched her in the stomach.
Breathless, she relaxed in Baird’s arms, and he allowed her to drop to the floor and try to draw in some air.
“It will get much worse if you don’t cooperate with us,” said Baird, looking down at her. “Julia, run to the car and get the duct tape out of the trunk.”
Run, he says, thought Julia. Why couldn’t he say, “Please go get the tape?” No. He has to order me around like a servant. But she complied wordlessly.
Tina sat on the floor, listening to the exchange between them, and it all started to come together for her. Julia was the mole, the insider at the station who was feeding all the information about Bob to the Revengers. But why? What had he ever done to her?
What if she was more than just a mole? She could have been one of the Revengers. Was this cop the other part of the team? Whatever they were—accomplices or the Revengers themselves—they were trouble. She had to escape.
Baird kneeled next to Tina and pointed at her. “Scream, and I’ll make you sorry.”
“I’m already sorry I met you,” she growled back at him.
Without warning, he smacked her across the face, knocking her flat on her back.
“I told you to keep your mouth shut.”
Julia returned with the duct tape. She saw Tina on the floor, her face red from the attack, tears streaming down her face. “What happened?”
“The bitch talked back to me.”
Julia smiled.
Together, Baird and Julia bound Tina with the tape. First, her mouth, and then, her ankles and wrists. Satisfied that she couldn’t escape or scream, they pushed her onto her back. She groaned.
Julia gave her a swift kick to her side. “Shut up, Tina.”
“You know her?” asked Baird.
“Yeah. Like she said, she’s Bob’s girlfriend. She knows me, too. We can’t leave her here. We need to kill her.”
“Let me think. Shit.” Baird was nervous. The plan he’d had kept unraveling, forcing him to adjust and alter things on the fly. Mistakes happened that way. He paced up and down the foyer, swinging his arms back and forth as he mumbled to himself. Then, he made a beeline for Tina.
“You know where the cabin is, don’t you?” he asked Tina.
She shook her head.
“Liar,” said Julia. She kicked her. “She’s been there tons of times.”
“How do you know?”
“Bob talked about the two of them going there from time to time. She’s been there.” She kicked Tina again. “Bitch.”
“Is that right?” he asked, looking straight at Tina.
She didn’t respond.
“Answer him, bitch,” snapped Julia.
Tina nodded.
“Tina, you and I are going to have a little talk. I’m going to remove the tape from your mouth. If you so much as raise your voice a little, I will beat the shit out of you. Am I making myself clear?” His face was so close to hers, she could smell what he’d had for breakfast.
She nodded slowly.
“Good. I don’t want to knock all your teeth out. Remember: Cooperate, and this will go much better for you and Bob.”
He ripped the tape off her mouth. The pain was intense, but she managed to keep from screaming in pain.
“Good,” he said. “Now, what’s the address of the cabin?”
“I don’t know,” she cried, new tears forming in her eyes.
“I think you do, Tina. Julia says you’ve been there.”
“I have, but honest to God, I don’t know the address.”
Baird slapped her.
“You’re lying.”
“I don’t know it. Why are you doing this?”
“I want you to answer my questions. I didn’t say you could ask me any. Okay. I’ll ask once more. What is the address of the cabin?” He lifted his hand, as if to slap her again.
“Please. You have to believe me. I don’t know.”
“She’s a lying bitch. She knows where it is. She has been there lots of times.”
“Tina, I’m going to have to hurt you for lying to me.”
“Wait. Wait. Look. Yes, I’ve been there, but I don’t actually know the address. I know how to get there.”
Baird’s face lit up.
“Now, we are getting somewhere. So, you don’t know the address, but you know how to get there? Is that right?” The last time he heard that story, he was driving around Grand Lake like a chicken with its head cut off. “Could you give us directions?” As soon as he said it, he realized it was a mistake. She would give them false directions, wasting more of their precious time.
“No. I don’t know the street names. But I know how to get there.” She was sure that if she gave them directions, they wouldn’t need her anymore. She needed to stay with them all the way to the cabin. Once there, she hoped she would get an opportunity to escape and warn Bob.
Baird was thinking over his options. “Fine,” he finally responded. “Then you’ll come with us and show us how to get there. But remember: If you try anything, I’m going to hurt you so bad, you will wish you were dead.”
“I won’t,�
�� she whimpered. “Just please don’t hurt me.” She had no doubt that they were going to kill her, anyway.
“Let’s go, then,” said Julia as she started for the front door.
“Wait!” Baird called out. “We can’t drag her out there like this. The neighbors might see. Go open the garage door, and I’ll back the car in. Hopefully, no one will notice.”
Julia hesitated—not because she had a better idea, just because she was getting more and more annoyed with him.
“Go on. Get the door open.”
“Always with the fucking orders,” she said as she flipped him the bird.
“Yeah, and if you weren’t so stupid, maybe I wouldn’t have to give so many orders.”
Julia mumbled something unintelligible, then went through the garage door and came right back.
“There’s a car in there. No room for you to pull in.”
“Fuck.” He thought about looking for the keys and pulling the other car out, so he could back in, but he realized all that activity would look suspicious to anyone watching. “Okay. Here’s what’s going to happen: I’m going to bring my car up on the driveway as close as possible. I’ll leave the car door open, and we will bring her out quickly.” He looked at Tina. “I’m going to remove the tape from your hands and feet, so you can walk to the car, but if you make a move to escape or yell, Julia is going to stab you with one of Bob’s kitchen knives. Am I clear on this?”
She nodded.
Baird went into the kitchen and came back with the biggest knife he could find. He handed it to Julia. “If she makes any kind of trouble, just stab her. But don’t kill her. We need her to get us to the cabin.”
Duh, thought Julia, as Baird left to bring the car around. A few minutes later, he came back in.
All In A Day's Work Page 30
