by Joe Field
Mark looked up at Soojin, who nodded as she stood up.
“She’ll be right down.” Mark let go of the intercom button and turned back around to face Soojin and Cooper.
“It’s the last door on the left.” Mark pointed in the direction of the hallway.
Soojin smiled and left the room, and Mark sat down across from Cooper.
“Cooper, thanks again for coming over and for offering to help.”
“It’s my pleasure. I was actually already in town working on a story about the oil boom. But to my editor’s chagrin, I’ve put the story on hold until we can find Gabby.”
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Soojin mentioned on the phone yesterday that you were here for work.” Mark leaned forward. “I’ve wanted to talk to the media for a long time about something very important to me. I don’t want to talk to some national-level media, and I certainly don’t want to talk to any local media. I’ve wanted to talk to someone I can trust. Someone I know will tell a story exactly how it happened, without any connections to the industry.”
“Are you talking about the oil industry?”
“Yes.” Mark shook his head. “That wretched three-letter word has brought me so much misery.”
“Well, I’m more than happy to see what I can do for you. Is this about Gabby?” Cooper grabbed his notepad and pen.
“There’s no need for that yet.” Mark motioned toward Cooper’s notepad. “I did some research and placed some calls about you yesterday. I know what kind of person you are, and the work you’ve done. That story you did on the heroin network, and how you helped to take down the drug dealers was some pretty serious stuff. What was your series called again?”
“Brown Sugar in Minnesota, but don’t hype my role up too much. It was the law enforcement officers who brought down the dealers.”
“Don’t be so humble. Anyway, I know you and Soojin, and I know you can help get Gabby back.”
“What about that private investigator?”
“He knows North Dakota. Knows it better than anyone else in the state, but that’s just it. I don’t think Gabby is in North Dakota anymore. There’s no way those roughnecks stayed in the state to hunker down. My guess is they are somewhere down south hiding out with Gabby. I need you and Soojin to go find them and Gabby. When you do, bring her back to me and I’ll give you a story that will make headlines around the country.”
Well that would sure get Wild Bill’s heart pumping. And mine, too.
“Gee, senator, I appreciate the offer, but—”
“Don’t say any more. I know you didn’t offer to help find Gabby because you wanted anything in return. I’m telling you that when you bring Gabby back, I will have a story for you. And, call me Mark, please.”
Cooper tapped his thumbs together. “Can you give me a little bit more on what your story might entail? If I’m going to get more resources from my editor, I’ll need to give him something more.”
Mark looked away from Cooper out the window. “I can’t say too much right now, because I’m unfortunately caught up in the middle of it all. But I can say it involves corruption and blackmail, and when all the parties are exposed it will rattle our dear state to its core. More than it already has been by all this drilling.”
Cooper waited to see if Mark would say anything else, but he didn’t. “Are you in trouble, senator?” Cooper shook his head. “I mean Mark.”
Mark slowly looked back at Cooper. “Son, I’m not sure yet. That’s one of the reasons I have to wait to tell you. I promise you will be the only one that gets the story.”
Mark sighed. “But it’s not just that. To be honest, I don’t want to take away attention from Gabby right now. And, quite frankly I don’t want any law enforcement or state-level resources being pulled from her search. In the meantime, I truly do appreciate everything you are doing to help find Gabby.”
Cooper nodded. “Soojin and I will do everything we can to get her back. In fact, I have one lead on a person connected to the kidnappers, and I think he could be our key to finding out some more information.”
“See, that’s what I’m looking for. Okay, get out of here and pursue your lead. Don’t hesitate to call me if you need any help.” He smiled grimly. “I still do have a little pull around these parts.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Cooper stood.
“And, Cooper, that means if you find yourself in our local jail again, make sure to call me first.” Mark winked. “Now, go get Gabby.”
◆◆◆
Wheeler called the governor from his car as he headed back into town. He was on a two-lane highway and traffic was starting to pick up.
“Howdy, Wheeler, what do you have for me?”
“Hello, governor. I have an update for you already. I just met with Mark and from what I gathered he has been pretty direct with the media and authorities in regards to the kidnapping. Meaning, he will make or receive phone calls to media and law enforcement, and it’s all been strictly related to Gabby. At least that is my initial assessment based on direct questioning of him.”
“That’s good, that’s what I was hoping for,” said Simmons.
Wheeler suddenly laid on his car horn and swerved in the opposite lane to miss a semi-truck that pulled out in front of him. He quickly swerved back into his lane to avoid the oncoming traffic.
“What was that?” asked Simmons.
Wheeler slowly relaxed his hands’ clutch on the steering wheel.
“Wheeler, what the hell was that?”
“Nothing. I’m fine.” Wheeler looked in his rearview mirror at the semi behind him. “Just another damn semi that pulled out in front of me.”
“Okay, is there anything else?” asked Simmons.
“When I was leaving Mark’s house today someone came to visit him—a married couple named Cooper and Soojin Smith. It sounded like Soojin was close friends with Gabby and wants to help in the search for her. However, that Cooper fella, he was introduced to me as a reporter for Minnesota Public Radio. It could be nothing, but in my opinion if Mark was going to tell anyone about your deal it would be a guy like Cooper.”
“What makes you say that?”
Wheeler looked out his window at the oil drills that lined the highway, an endless line of earth-penetrating machines that had been especially good to his PI business. “Think about it. Mark has a natural connection to this guy, even if it’s through his granddaughter’s close friend. The reporter isn’t in North Dakota, so there is no fear of retaliation. And Mark can control when the story goes out, which he wouldn’t be able to do with the New York Times or one of the other national media outlets.”
Simmons clucked his tongue loud enough for Wheeler to hear it. Wheeler knew from their previous meetings that Simmons clucked his tongue when he was planning his next steps. “That’s a good point. I want you to run a background search on this Cooper Smith cat and tell me everything you can about him. I may have you switch to following the reporter if he is the key to this whole thing.”
Wheeler shrugged as he sped past another truck. “I’ll have the information over to you by the end of the day.”
◆◆◆
Cooper dropped Soojin off in town so she could hang new missing person flyers for Gabby, while Cooper checked in with Fletcher about updates on the case. He used the opportunity to sneak his first smoke of the day. By the time he pulled up to the Fletcher residence, he had enough nicotine in his veins to be ready to go. Fletcher was outside pouring salt on his sidewalk.
“You think we’ll get more snow?” Cooper stepped out of the rental car.
“No, but it’s still wet and it’s suppose to freeze tonight. This sidewalk will be glare ice if I don’t prep it a bit. Where did you get the new wheels?”
“It’s a rental car—my wife finally made it to town.”
“Guess you won’t need the snowcat anymore then,” said Fletcher.
“Not for right now, but it ran great. Thanks again for lending it to me.”
Cooper slipped his hands in his pockets. “Say, any new updates on the Gabby case? Did they find anything in the RV?”
“Believe it or not, that Nash guy must have wiped the RV clean. Makes sense with his background in law enforcement—he must know all the tricks.”
“Yeah, he was a Texas Ranger, so that makes sense.” Cooper walked over to help Fletcher with the salt.
“Oh, thanks.” Fletcher handed him a bag. “Yeah, we have a conference call with the Rangers tomorrow to see if we can get access to his files. Maybe it will tell us something. The biggest news, though, is we think there is only one kidnapper now—just Nash.”
“Really?”
“There was video footage captured at the Dickinson airport that showed the kidnapper’s stolen vehicle exit the parking lot. We got a clear shot into the car and there was only one person in the front seat, and we believe it was Nash. There were no other passengers. Doesn’t mean Gabby wasn’t with him—he could have stuck her in the trunk or on the floor, but why wouldn’t Doyle be sitting shotgun, or at least in the back seat?”
“That’s a good question. Did Doyle grab a different vehicle?”
“Maybe, but we checked every car that left the airport from the time Nash ditched the RV until the storm struck, and there was no one even coming close to matching his description. And why would he stick around?”
“That’s a good point. I wonder what happened to him,” said Cooper. “Hey, random question, but that Nickels guy, the one that I got into a scuffle with. Is he still locked up in your jail?”
“He was just released today after lunch, but I’m sure he’ll be right back again. He’s done that a few times, you know. Every time he gets out of jail he goes straight to the saloon downtown and drinks himself into a stupor.”
“Oh yeah? Which one does he usually go to?”
Fletcher slipped a little in the steepest part of his driveway, then quickly regained his balance. “There are a few down there, but the one we usually find him causing trouble at is a bar and grill called The Roughriders Watering Hole. Don’t get caught up in all that though, it’s not worth it. Things get rough down there all the time.”
“Thanks for the tip.”
Fletcher finished emptying his bag of salt and looked at Cooper. “I hate to tell you this, but with the holidays fast approaching, we’ll be facing police understaffing issues that could hinder the Gabby search. And each day that goes by means less of a chance of finding her, which means other law enforcement agencies are going to be less likely to help out. It’s a resource issue.”
Cooper shook his head. “I appreciate you being candid with me, but it’s still a little disheartening to think about.”
Fletcher turned his hands up. “I know, I know. There is only so much we can do, especially this time of year. I pray we can find her soon, but we will have obstacles to overcome.”
“Point well taken,” said Cooper. “Say, I’m going to go pick up my wife. You don’t mind if she stays here with me tonight, do you?”
“Of course not. I’ll have Linda set out some extra towels for her.”
“That’d be great.” Cooper emptied his bag of salt and headed back toward his rental vehicle. Right before he reached for the door, he stopped and turned back to Fletcher. “Hey, I almost forgot. You think you could sell me one of those bottles of Dakotah Beard Oil you have downstairs?”
“Oh, you saw that, huh?” Fletcher laughed, then stroked his beard. “Linda thinks I’m crazy, but I swear by that stuff. If we ever are holed up in our basement for any extended period of time, at least I’ll live out my remaining days with a good-smelling and soft beard. The answer, though, is yes. I’ll make sure you get a bottle before you check out.”
“You’re a good man, Officer Fletcher. This place needs more people like you.”
He chuckled. “Well, they can’t all be good, or I’d be out of a job. The more roughnecks we have around here, the more job security I have.”
Cooper laughed and got into his car.
North Dakota. The Peace Garden State.
Chapter 11
The Louisiana Bayou
Gabby thought she was dreaming when she heard singing. She recognized the song and the voice, but she hadn’t heard it for a long time. She opened her eyes and looked over toward the sound. Sitting across the room from her was Nash, who was reading the back of a cassette tape while a stereo played next to him. He noticed her movement and turned the volume down slightly.
“I’m sorry I woke you,” said Nash. “I actually thought the music would help you sleep better. Please tell me you like Elvis Presley.”
Gabby sat up and stretched her right leg, the one not chained to the table. “My grandfather used to listen to Elvis all the time. Which song is this again?”
“Are You Lonesome Tonight? It’s one of my favorites. It was one of the first songs Elvis recorded in 1960 after returning from his time with the army in Germany. He recorded it in RCA’s studio B in Nashville.” Nash’s excitement built as he talked. “Did you know that he actually recorded it in the dark?”
“No, I didn’t know that.” This guy doesn’t seem like the Elvis Presley fan club type to me, thought Gabby.
“Yeah, can you believe it? He actually had them kill the lights and they did the entire song straight through in the dark.”
“So you’re a big Elvis fan?” asked Gabby.
“You could say that.” Nash reached over and grabbed the notepad sitting next to him. “While you were sleeping I came up with a list of my top seven favorite Elvis Presley songs.” Nash read them out loud to Gabby.
BEST OF ELVIS:
1. It’s Now or Never
2. Are You Lonesome Tonight?
3. Suspicious Minds
4. Good Luck Charm
5. She’s Not You
6. All Shook Up
7. Burning Love (Only good song during his obese years)
“Why do you write seven things down? Why not five or ten?” asked Gabby.
Nash looked a little flustered. “It has to be seven.”
Gabby pressed further. “Why?”
“It’s just a thing I have, okay? It’s not a big deal.”
“How often do you write lists like these?”
“A few times a day.” Nash sheepishly put the notepad down behind him.
“How long have you been doing this?”
“Since I was a kid.”
This guy has some sort of serious OCD complex.
“Where did you grow up?” asked Gabby.
“Texas, born and raised. You?”
Gabby knew the more information she had on Nash, the better chance she could possibly use it against him later. She also didn’t want to give him too much about herself for the very same reason.
“North Dakota. Where in Texas? What was your childhood like?”
Nash shifted in his chair and turned the volume on the stereo down even further so it was barely audible. “We lived in Amarillo, up in the panhandle. I grew up on a cattle ranch just outside of town. It had been in my family for three generations and my father wanted to pass it down to me, but I refused and went a different direction.”
“Which direction was that?” asked Gabby.
Nash exhaled and looked away. “The military. After the 9/11 terrorists attacks I knew I had to do something to fight back. I did three tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan with the marines. When I came back my father wanted me to take over the ranch, but instead I joined the Texas Rangers. I figured I had gained all of those skills in the marines, so why not apply them to law enforcement back in my home state?”
Gabby sized up Nash, comparing him to the stereotypical image she had of what a Texas Ranger would look like. She decided he had the hard look of authority that military and law enforcement officers had by the virtue of their chosen careers. “What was it like being a Ranger?”
Nash sat up straight and puffed out his chest. “It was a dream j
ob, really. It was the best job I’ve ever had. It was a celebrated position, and people really looked up to you when you wore the badge, especially in Texas. There is a long history with the Rangers, they are as old as Texas itself. I was just glad I could be apart of it for a few years.”
Gabby turned her hands up in question. “Why did you leave then?”
Nash slumped back down in his chair and took a deep breath. “It’s a long story. I’d rather not get into it.”
“I’d like to know.”
Gabby watched Nash massage the back of his neck as he looked away again.
“There were other opportunities. I heard about all the guys heading up to North Dakota making money hand over fist working the oil fields. I thought it was my chance to get rich quick.”
Well, that was a lie, Gabby thought. Something bad must have happened.
“Seriously, though. How do you go from being a Texas Ranger to a roughneck in North Dakota? Seems like a few steps down.”
Even in the dimly lit room, Gabby could tell Nash was getting red.
“I’d rather not talk about it. Let’s talk about you.”
Gabby held her ground. “No, this is important. Why did you leave the Rangers? Why did you come to North Dakota?”
Nash held up his hands defensively. “Lets just say things didn’t work out with the Rangers, and leave it at that. As for North Dakota, I needed a change of scenery and the oil boom provided a chance for that. Plus, I’ve lived in enough terrible conditions in the marines—I knew I could take the temporary housing and cold weather up there.”
“Were you ever married?” asked Gabby.
“I was engaged once, to a girl from my hometown. Things just didn’t work out; I got deployed overseas and we went our separate ways. It’s for the best, since I found you now.”
Is he living in his own fantasy world? ‘I found you now.’ What is that?
“I have a hard time believing someone with your background and worldly experiences didn’t have the nerve to just come up and talk to me. Or why didn’t you just call or email me? I’m on the city council—my information is posted on the city website.”
