All Roads Lead To Murder

by Lynn Bohart

  “I’m not done,” he said. “I kept hold of his wrist. You want to seize and control. Now, I pull it up like this.” He pulled Nathan’s arm up behind his back at an awkward angle, making Nathan wince. “And, then, I come in for the kill.” With a quick jab of his knee into the back of Nathan’s right leg, he brought Nathan to the ground. “Then we finish him off.” Omar used a closed fist to fake a sharp jab right into Nathan’s temple. “Okay, let’s practice it.”

  We spent thirty minutes breaking the moves down one by one and practicing them until we had them down pat. By the end of the hour, Omar had us change partners.

  “Most likely, your attacker will be bigger than you,” he said. “You can’t be intimidated by gender or size.”

  So we each had to work with him or Nathan. Goldie worked with Omar and had a bit of a mishap. She popped out of the head hold, lost her balance and flew into the middle of a hydrangea bush.

  I got Nathan, who grabbed me a little too roughly. I responded in kind. I grabbed his elbow, ducked down, stepped back and twisted my head out of his hold. Then I jacked my leg up and kneed him in the…well, I missed the back of his leg and hit something far more vulnerable. The kick forced him to the ground, groaning, with his hands holding his privates.

  Other than that, I felt pretty good about my practice.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Nathan disappeared into the house, I assumed to get some ice. We thanked Omar, and Mary served dessert. Afterwards, she said goodnight and went to check on her husband. I caught Amy yawning in front of the T.V. with Boomer on the couch next to her.

  “Why don’t you go to bed?” I said. “Tomorrow will be another big day. You’ll get to see your parents.”

  I sat down at the end of the sofa. Boomer lifted his head, looked at me, and dropped it back into Amy’s lap.

  Amy gave me a wan smile as she dug her fingers into the fur on Boomer’s back. “I’m excited about seeing my mom, but my stepdad is pretty distant. He’s just waiting for me to go off to college so he can have my mom all to himself.”

  “You and your mom are close?”

  She smiled. “Yeah. It’s always been me and her. My dad was never around. He was always either working or running for office. That’s why I felt so bad when she and I argued the other night.”

  “Tell me about your dad. What’s he like?”

  She paused a moment. “He’s driven, I suppose you could say. I don’t remember him coming to any of my school events when I was little. That was my mom’s job. But I would sure hear from him if I came home with a grade he didn’t like.” She turned sad eyes to me. “And, yet, I love him. I don’t want him hurt.”

  “Of course you don’t. He’s your dad.”

  “Yes. And one day, I hope to make him proud.”

  “Oh, Amy, I know he’s proud of you. You’re a beautiful, smart girl. I’m sure he’s been torn up about your abduction.”

  She laughed through her tears. “You don’t lie very well. But thanks.” She sat up, gently displacing Boomer’s head. “I think I’ll go to bed. Thanks, again, Mrs. Applegate.”

  “Please, call me Julia.”

  “Julia,” she said. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Boomer followed her up to bed.

  The rest of us spent the remainder of the evening around the kitchen table discussing the upcoming dinner.

  “Hey, I don’t want Amy to hear me, but look at this.” I pulled up her stepfather’s construction company website on my iPad. “This is Amy’s stepdad. Look like anyone?”

  “Yes,” Doe said, her eyebrows clenched. “Monty.”

  “That’s what Blair and I thought.”

  “Boy, shave off some of his hair and they look enough alike to be brothers,” Rudy said. “You don’t think he’s involved, do you?”

  I showed the picture to Aria and Goldie. “I have no idea. But I’ve already told David so he can check him out. Maybe it’s a coincidence. She told me earlier he was probably happy she was gone so that he could have her mother all to himself.”

  “I wonder if they’ve arrested Amy’s boyfriend,” Rudy said.

  “I have a hard time thinking an eighteen-year-old is Yoda,” I said. “Whoever Yoda is, he has to be someone with the authority to tell Monty and Roy what to do and the money to pay them.” I glanced at my watch. “I think I’ll call Graham. It’s eight o’clock at home.”

  I left them and went to the kitchen to make the call. As always, Kitty, his thirty-something wife, answered the phone, making my teeth grind.

  “Hey, Julia,” she said in her lazy drawl. “I heard you’re on a trip.” She chuckled as if she’d made a joke. “Get it? On a trip? Washington is a pot state now.” She laughed hard enough to probably send snot out her nose.

  I couldn’t stand it.

  “Actually, Kitty, the phrase to be on a trip had to do with taking LSD, not smoking pot.”

  “Yeah, I know. I don’t take drugs…except the stuff my doctor gives me.”

  “What does your doctor give you?”

  I knew I would regret the question the moment I asked it, and I pictured her staring at her fingernails as she talked to me.

  “Oh, you know. Stuff to help me sleep. And I take that Garcinia Cambodia stuff to help me lose weight.”

  I did a face plant with my hand.

  “It’s not Cambodia,” I said. “Oh never mind.”

  “I also do that cleanse thing. And I take these pills to strengthen my hair. You should try that stuff, Julia. It really works. My doctor also wants me to take iron, so I do that. And, of course, once a month, I take Doan’s pills because I get a back ache.”

  I clenched my jaw muscles so tight, they were burning.

  “But, you should see all the stuff Graham takes,” she said. “He takes a handful of vitamins every day. Sheesh. He’s almost a pill-popper.”

  I stopped grinding my teeth. “Speaking of Graham…any chance he’s there?”

  “Yes, but he has a terrible cold. In fact, now he’s taking pills for that!”

  “Maybe I could talk to him. It won’t take long.”

  “Oh, okay. Just a sec.”

  I drummed my fingers on the kitchen table as I waited. A moment later, the voice that had started my engine each day for over twenty years came on the line.

  “Hey, Julia. What’s up? I thought you were on a road trip.”

  “I am, but we have a situation.”

  There was an audible sigh and then a sniffle.

  “What is it this time?”

  I briefly explained about Amy’s abduction and subsequent rescue, minus things like breaking and entering the motorhome, knocking out Eva, or the intervention by the ghosts.

  “Wow, good for you, Julia. Why haven’t I heard anything about it on the news?”

  “Because we’re keeping it quiet. The two men who abducted Amy think she escaped on her own and may be either dead or lost out in the woods. If she doesn’t surface, it could give us an edge.”

  There was a moment of silence.

  “Was that Detective Franks’ idea?”

  And there it was–a swift shot at David. Graham had done it a few times before, despite the fact he had been dating Kitty during the last few months before our split and married her almost immediately after our divorce.

  “No, it was my idea, but David agrees, so please don’t say anything to anyone. We’re meeting with the Chicago police tomorrow afternoon to decide how to proceed. These men are still after Senator Owens.”

  “He’s the keynote speaker tomorrow night.”

  “That’s why I’m calling. I’m hoping you can get us into the dinner.”

  “You want tickets for all four of you?”

  “Actually, six of us. Goldie and Aria are with us.”

  I heard him blow out a sigh. “That’s a tall order. From what I understand, the dinner is pretty much sold out.”

  “Can you try? This is important, Graham.”

  “I’m surprised this new boyfr
iend of yours would put you in such a dangerous situation.”

  A flutter in my chest made me pause, since David didn’t even know I was planning on attending the dinner.

  “Uh…we’re the only ones who can ID these guys.”

  “Okay, let me see what I can do. I doubt I can get you all at the same table, though.”

  “That’s okay.”

  “Tickets are $500 each. Are you prepared to pay that at the door?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay, I’ll get back to you, probably tomorrow afternoon. I’m flying out first thing in the morning.”

  “Okay. Thanks, Graham. You sound like you have a cold?”

  “Yeah. I’m almost over it, though.”

  “Well, be sure to tell Kitty you need some drugs for your trip.”

  “What? Why?”

  I smiled. “Oh, just for the fun of it.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  The next morning, the smell of coffee and bacon greeted me as I sat up and stretched. Rudy and I had slept on a pull-out sofa bed in the downstairs den. After we got dressed, we joined Nathan and Mary for breakfast. Everyone else had finished and gone out to the motorhome to remove the camping gear and box it up. Mary had offered to mail everything home.

  “How did you sleep?” Mary asked as she set a plate of hot waffles on the table.

  “Really well,” I replied, glancing at Nathan.

  I wondered how he had slept after my errant kick to the family jewels. He kept his head down, choosing to concentrate on his breakfast rather than engage with me.

  “Have you rented a car?” Mary asked.

  Rudy speared a waffle with her fork. “Enterprise is going to drop off a big SUV in an hour.” She glanced over at Nathan, who hadn’t even acknowledged us. “Nathan, if you’ll get a repair estimate, we’ll pay directly so your premiums aren’t affected.”

  He didn’t respond immediately, instead shifting his eyes to his wife, who remained silent.

  “Actually, I talked with them this morning,” he said. “I explained the situation. I’m not sure they believed me, but they said if we get an official statement from the police verifying your story, it won’t affect my premiums.” He put his fork down and sat back. “Of course, they agreed only after I threatened to go to the media.” A small smile played across his lips. “But don’t worry. I swore them to secrecy until all of this becomes public.”

  A feeling of relief rolled over me. Perhaps the Aberdeens’ memory of our visit would be relegated to the stuff of legend and not painful images like the motorhome and my unfortunate mistake during our defense training.

  ÷

  Enterprise arrived at 8:30. Rudy returned to the rental agency to fill out the paperwork. She was back a half hour later. By then, the rest of us were ready to go.

  Since the Aberdeens’ daughter was about the same age and size as Amy, Mary had given Amy some clean clothes to wear. By 9:00, we were hefting suitcases and bags down the walkway and into the big Suburban. Aria and Goldie would follow us to Chicago in their own camper truck. Once there, we would hand off Amy to her mom at the downtown police station, where we would also meet up with David.

  Doe hugged Tinker Bell and then handed her off to Mary, who had offered to keep her until Doe could drive back on Sunday.

  “Please take care,” Mary said to all of us. “And thank you for what you did for Amy.”

  Amy suddenly ran up to her and threw her arms around her neck. “Thank you so much, Mrs. Aberdeen.”

  Mary gave her a good hug. “We were happy to help. Stay safe, now.”

  Nathan stepped forward and handed Rudy a slip of paper. “You mentioned you were only able to get rooms on the outskirts of town. I know a guy. I rented three rooms for the six of you at the downtown Hilton for two nights. I hope that helps.” He paused and then finished with, “Just get these guys.”

  Rudy smiled and nodded. “Thanks, Nathan. We’ll be in touch.”

  We pulled away from the curb, waving our goodbyes and hit the road for the last portion of our journey.

  As planned, we made a quick side trip to Waukegan to drop off my mother’s ashes at the Chase Funeral Home. Blair accompanied me to the office, where we were met by a tall, slender woman with eyes the color of violets. She took us outside to the columbarium–a long, curved wall in the middle of the rose garden with individual niches that held cremation urns. My mother had long ago paid for one next to my father. I had ordered an inscription for the face plate with my mother’s name, inclusive dates and her favorite quote, “When life gives you lemons, squeeze them in people’s eyes.”

  We found my mother’s niche on the far side of the wall. My throat swelled as the woman removed the granite faceplate, revealing an empty stainless steel box, which would be my mother’s final resting place.

  “I’ll leave you alone a moment,” she said, stepping away.

  I nodded, realizing suddenly I was unable to speak.

  “Me, too,” Blair said, placing a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll meet you inside.”

  Once I was alone, I could smell the rich aroma of the roses closest to me. I glanced at the serene surroundings, thinking, “This will be a nice place for my mom.”

  I stepped forward and placed the blue porcelain urn into the small metal enclosure and stood back, thinking of my mother. If she had been there in person, she would have made some snide comment about me imprisoning her. And, then, she would have cackled, taken a long draw on her cigarette and coughed.

  The memory made me smile.

  This is what my mother had wanted. Twice, when she’d called me on my cell phone after her death, she had asked me to take her home. She wanted to be next to my father–the only man she’d ever loved. I hoped that bringing them together this way didn’t mean I would never hear from her again.

  As if on cue, my phone pinged to alert me to an incoming text. I pulled it out and thumbed the message open. A chill fluttered across my skin as I read it.

  “Thanks, Button. Stay safe. And BTW, the man you’re looking for is closer than you think.”

  The light went out on my phone, and she was gone.

  I felt the blood drain from my face. Damn, my mother had learned how to text from the great beyond! And, then, a second chill rippled down my back. Wait a minute! Did she mean David was closer than I thought? Or had she just warned me about Yoda?

  I put my phone away and closed my mother up in the niche. I stared for a moment at the small plaque with the cynical quote and then smiled. It was so like my mother.

  I pressed my hand on the cold metal for a moment, silently saying my goodbyes.

  With a solemn breath, I removed my hand and watched my handprint fade away. I returned to the office, and we were on the road again a few minutes later.

  ÷

  We arrived at the Hilton just after noon.

  Rudy and Doe bunked together, while Blair and I took the room next door. Goldie and Aria took the third room down the hall. We quickly unpacked. Amy donned the black wig, and then we met downstairs at the café for a quick lunch.

  “You know, even if Graham gets us into the dinner, we don’t have anything to wear,” Doe said as she toyed with her salad.

  “I assume we don’t want David to know we’re even going,” Rudy said.

  “He’ll have to know,” I said.

  My phone pinged, interrupting us. When I answered, it was Graham.

  “I could only get four tickets to the dinner.”

  “Okay, thanks. We’ll try to make that work. Do we just give our names at the door?”

  “Yes, and do me a favor. Pretend you actually are Republicans. These are my colleagues, Julia. So, don’t start any arguments with anyone.”

  “Graham! I think you know me better than that. I would never embarrass you.”

  “Right. Like the time you told my lieutenant governor that redistricting was a conservative plot to turn the country red.”

  “Well, it is.”

  “Maybe. But not so
mething you say at a black tie Republican fundraiser in front of the RNC state chair. It tends to ruffle feathers. So be on your best behavior. You’re going to be in red state territory.”

  “Got it. I’ll see you tonight.” I hung up and glanced around the table. “We’re in.”

  ÷

  With two big conferences in town, we figured it would be difficult to get cabs for seven of us. The Public Safety Headquarters, which housed both the Chicago police and fire departments, was only a few blocks from our hotel, so we decided to walk.

  David had landed safely and would meet us there. We were to ask for Detective Mankiewicz when we arrived.

  It was a few minutes before the appointed hour when we approached the huge, box-like structure with its brick trim. With hundreds of glass windows glaring down on us, it was easy to be intimidated by this building, especially when you considered that Chicago has one of the highest murder rates in the country. This had to be a very busy place.

  I stopped everyone on the sidewalk for a moment before going in.

  “What’s wrong? Do we need to get our story straight?” Doe asked me.

  “No. Well, maybe. I just don’t want to mention how Elizabeth and my mother helped us. If there’s any mention of ghosts, the police won’t take us seriously.”

  “You’re right,” Rudy said. “But what are you going to say about how you avoided getting killed out there in the wilderness?”

  I looked over at Blair for help. She perked up. “We’ll just say we used my tank top to stop the bleeding on my arm and then left it behind when we hid out back. Because Julia cried out when they began shooting, they probably found the tank top and thought Amy had been shot. Then, they left the barn looking for her, leaving us behind. Nothing else about the story has to change.”

  I glanced at Amy. She shrugged. “I’m good with that. After all, I only know what you told me, anyway.”

  “Okay, works for me.” I took a deep breath. “Let’s go.”

  “Dylan!” Amy shouted, spinning away from us.

  She sprinted towards the end of the building, following the fleeing figure of a tall, slender man wearing a hoodie.