Hold for Release, page 14
“I know at least one officer I can trust. This can’t wait any longer. I need to tell her.”
She let out a slight growl. “Her? Oh, I bet you know her.”
“He starts small, Carlotta…killing animals. Then he moves on to the perfect victim. That’s you.”
Her left eye twitched. She moved toward the coffee machine and turned it on. “A victim? The only one who’s been sending me threatening letters is you.”
“It wasn’t me.”
Carlotta deepened her tone. “But the florist gave me your name. There’s proof.”
“Anyone could have sent flowers and given my name.”
Carlotta shook her head. “So you’re saying Geoffrey killed the dogs at the shelter? And Ed? What about him? That would mean Geoffrey already killed, which would ruin your convoluted theory.”
“I heard recently that Ed’s official cause of death was a heart attack. Maybe Ed simply died of fright.”
“Or you could be confused. Like your uncle. Sometimes those things are hereditary.”
“I’m not paranoid.”
“Honestly, Jake. From my viewpoint, that’s not how it looks. Rosario suggested I get a restraining order. I don’t want to do that, Jake.” She lowered her voice, “Just please leave me alone.”
~*~
As Carlotta put away books, a novel cover caught her eye. Catcher in the Rye. She hadn’t seen Xavier or heard from the police about him. Didn’t he live near the florist shop? He’d mentioned the name of his apartment building once. Could he have sent the notes?
As she entered her boss’s office, Carlotta studied the modern art reproduction on the wall—orange and white paint strategically drizzled onto a canvas. Becca was quite the Jackson Pollock fan. Carlotta glanced at her watch. Five minutes past the original meeting time and ten minutes until her work day ended.
Becca stumbled inside—her blue suit remained pressed, but her hairdo was disheveled. “Sorry, I’m late.” She plopped books on her desk and inhaled a deep breath. After fixing her hair, she took a seat across from Carlotta. “I won’t keep you long. I don’t have the recent budget, but the supervisors have been discussing it. There are a lot of cuts coming. We might eliminate positions. I wanted to let you know. You’re already going through a lot right now.”
Carlotta let out a breath. Yes, she was. First a divorce and maybe losing a job now, too?
Becca leaned closer and met Carlotta’s gaze. “You’re an exceptional librarian. You’ve been here for a while, so I assume you should be safe. But you never know in this economy. So if you decide to look elsewhere, I’d be glad to write you a letter of recommendation.”
Carlotta removed a small fuzz from her blouse. “When will you find out?”
Becca faced her computer and typed notes. “The new budget won’t be approved right away. Maybe three more months?”
Again, Carlotta glanced at her watch. “How definite is this?”
Becca faced Carlotta and folded her hands. “It sounds pretty set in stone. I don’t know how many positions will be eliminated, but at least some.”
“Thank you.” Carlotta left Becca’s office and finished a few remaining tasks. She stood. Time to meet Geoffrey for dinner. She went home to get ready.
~*~
Carlotta came out of her bedroom wearing a new blouse and jeans.
Rosario gave her a once over. “Where are you off to?”
“Geoffrey and I are going out to dinner.”
Rosario nodded and returned her attention to Antonio.
Carlotta drove to the restaurant, trying not to think of anything at all.
Geoffrey was already seated and had ordered a drink.
A waitress approached the table.
“I’d like a diet soda,” Carlotta said. “Oh, and we’d like separate checks, please.”
The waitress nodded and hurried away.
“Why the long face?” He raised a brow. “Did Mr. Hartman do something?”
Carlotta shook her head. “No, just work-related stuff.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Becca, my boss, mentioned budget cuts, positions being eliminated. It might not even happen, but she wanted to give me a heads up. If my sister gets back together with Pablo, I’ll become a third wheel.”
”You know, if you are tired of living with your sister, my secretary might have an extra room. I will ask her the next time I see her.”
After dinner, Carlotta and Geoffrey sauntered outside.
Carlotta squinted as they neared her car. “Not another one!”
“What is it?”
She snatched a note from her car and tore it in two.
“What did it say?”
“It doesn’t matter.” She dropped the pieces of the note. “Good-bye. I’m going home now.”
Geoffrey leaned closer and blinked. “Are you sure? Do you want me to follow your car home? Will you be OK?”
She swallowed hard. “I’ll be fine.” She waved to Geoffrey from inside her car, and then started the vehicle. Her hands trembled as she touched the steering wheel.
She drove down the street and took quick peeks into the backseat. No one was there. “I’m OK. Everything is OK.” She flicked on the overhead light.
When she got to Rosario’s place, the main rooms were empty. Her sister and nephew must have gone to bed already.
Carlotta entered the kitchen. Her Christmas cactus set next to the window, leaves badly burnt. Poor Elizabeth. Jake had warned about too much sunlight. Probably needed more water. The pitiful thing didn’t have much fight in it. Sort of like her at this moment.
14
After his morning walk on the treadmill, Jake got some water.
“Meow.”
He looked at Gracie. “Are you hungry?” He picked up the kitten and scratched beneath her tiny chin. She produced a purr.
Jake walked over to her bowl. “Almost empty.” He shook the plastic container of kitten kibble. Only a few pieces remained inside. “Uh-oh. I better go to the store.”
As he drove to the grocery store, he turned on the radio. Jazz music played. Nope. Not in the mood. Too somber. He switched to a country station. His and Carlotta’s song played. The one about the couple. How they were still together through everything. He turned it up and sang along. His eyes misted.
Jake went inside the grocery store, still troubled. As he paid for the food at the self-checkout, his stomach rumbled. He trekked back to his car and stuffed the cat food in the trunk.
Several lunch trucks were parked nearby. Mmm…the scent of Mexican food drifted toward him. Couldn’t be as good as Carlotta’s cooking, but he’d settle for today.
He ordered and then paid for his food. After getting his tacos, he walked back to his car. Mmm. It smelled so good. He could hardly wait. He glanced at the food truck again. If the food tasted as good as it looked and smelled, he might need to come here again. He returned home and fed Gracie. She curled up on the carpet and drifted asleep. Jake opened his lunch and savored the rich flavor of the chicken tacos and pico de gallo. He’d definitely get food from there again. Could he feature them in the food section?
He settled onto the couch and flicked on the TV. As he lay there, a rumbling sounded from his stomach. Uh-oh. He hurried to the bathroom. Minutes later, he returned to the living room and rubbed his stomach. Good food. But Carlotta’s cooking was superior. Still spicy and tasty, but it never made him sick.
Jake scrolled through his files to find their last picture together. He came across the photo of Tonya Miller and her friends. None of the three women had been found yet. All three had gone to parties and…
His eyes widened. He dialed a number. “Detective Krouse, please.”
“Hello, Krouse speaking.”
He tapped his foot. “Kelsey, it’s Jake.”
“I can’t tell you—”
He pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes tight. “I don’t need anything. But I might have some information for you. The women who were missing. The college students. I tried to interview Brittany Stone’s family, but they asked me to leave.”
A sigh came through the speaker.
He paced the room. “Wait. The sister let it slip that she’d attended the party, too. Didn’t want her mom and dad or the police to know because she’s underage and had been drinking. She mentioned tacos.”
“Tacos? I don’t see how that’s important.”
He clenched his jaw. “Tonya Miller played basketball.”
“Yes, Jake. I appreciate it, but I’ve spoken to—”
“Wait, another player mentioned eating spicy food and getting sick. Today, I had tacos from this food truck in town, and I wondered. Who catered each event?”
“I—I don’t know. Interesting angle. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I hope you find whoever took those students.”
Jake sank back onto the couch. He wasn’t much for prayer, but he’d definitely try to think good thoughts. Krouse was the one who prayed. Hopefully, God would hear and answer her request.
~*~
Jake settled into his office chair. After work, he and Randy could go to Detective Krouse with the information Randy had collected. They could discuss it over dinner—pizza at Randy’s place, sans anchovies for his pizza—so he could meet and make a copy of everything Randy had found. As Randy had said, it was good insurance, making sure more than one of them had proof.
Stu interrupted his thoughts. “I need to see you in my office, pronto.”
“What’s up?” Jake asked. “Am I off probation? Can we finally get back to business as usual? It’s about time.”
His boss sighed dejectedly. “You’re an outstanding employee. I hate to do this, Jake.”
“Hate to do what?” Jake’s thoughts grew fuzzy.
Stu cleared his throat and avoided Jake’s gaze.
Leaning closer, Jake lowered his voice. “You’re firing me? I didn’t do anything.” Why was so much of that night with Allison a blur? Repressed memories?
Stu clasped his hands together. “Buddy, I believe you, but Allison has created quite a stink. The company doesn’t want things to look bad.”
Jake let out a laugh with an edge. “So I lose my job over this? A job I have invested years into?”
“Look, I know the senior editor of a newspaper in Dayton. Maybe I can see if he can hire you.”
“When am I canned, officially?” Jake asked.
“Effective immediately.” Stu glanced at his watch and then propped a cheek on his fist. “Security should be here any minute to walk you out.”
“Where’s Randy? I need to talk to him.”
“I haven’t seen him. Hasn’t come in yet.”
Jake marched to Randy’s desk. Not there. He walked over to Ann’s desk. She had to have seen him around. “Where’s Randy?”
“He isn’t in yet.” Ann emphasized each syllable and then looked away as if he were infectious. Ugh. Allison had gotten to all his coworkers.
Someone tugged his shoulder. Jake turned around to face a security guard. “Sir, I’m here to walk you out. If you have any personal belongings left behind, someone will mail them to you.” The kid couldn’t have been older than twenty-five, skinny, and pimple-faced. Not much more than a mall cop. What would he do if Jake made a scene? Jake huffed and followed his escort through the maze of desks. They took the elevator down to the first floor. Then Jake exited the building and went to his car. He took one last look at his former workplace and groaned.
Randy and the only copy of proof—probably like his job—were no longer in existence.
~*~
Jake tossed his keys on the kitchen counter and huffed. Geoffrey must have gotten to Randy. No other explanation.
Gracie meowed, and he bent down to pet her.
Animal cruelty. One characteristic of a psychopath. His jaw clenched. Who could harm helpless little animals, and humans, too?
Once Jake sat down on the couch, he flicked on the television. He watched fifteen minutes of a sitcom and then clenched his fists and stood.
I can’t just sit here and do nothing. He had to find out what happened. Jake stomped into the kitchen and grabbed the keys.
After two wrong turns, he ended up at Randy’s apartment, hurried up to Randy’s porch, and scanned the area. No one else in sight. Jake removed a credit card from his wallet. It was worth a try. He slipped it in the doorframe and slid the card up and down. Bam. The door opened. Too easily almost. As if someone had already tampered with the lock.
Jake gasped. Would he find Randy’s body inside? “Randy?”
Jake inched into the living room. Everything was in order. Well, in order by Randy’s standards. Stale pizza filled the air. But no signs of ransacking. Jake checked the other rooms. No signs of Randy.
How odd. A fire safe on Randy’s bed, and next to it, a passport with the name Allen Jeffery Barr. Jake picked up the documents and froze. Why did it contain a photo of Randy? His hands shook. Newspaper clippings of the attempted kidnapping of the jogger in Eden Park, the break-in at the animal shelter, the disappearances of three women in town. APCC membership materials. No, this couldn’t be right. Something didn’t fit. Yet there it was in front of him. Had he worked with a psychopath all along? Was Randy working with Xavier, the guy from the library? Xavier had an alibi, but what if Randy didn’t? No, Randy was with him that night. His insides churned. Except for when he interviewed the mayor, right before then.
A truck engine drew Jake to the window. A package van rolled up the street. Jake moved to the front door and locked it. He’d have to slip out the back. Jake waited until the package van stopped next door before he exited out the back door, careful to relock the door behind him.
He got back in his car and gazed at his hands. He’d forgotten to wipe his fingerprints off the knob, plus, he’d touched the passport. Would Randy realize he’d been there? No time to think. Randy might be back at any time now.
Starting his car in a hurry, he took care not to exit the apartment complex too quickly.
About a mile away, he pulled to the side of the road and parked to collect his thoughts. So he’d been wrong about Geoffrey? Carlotta wasn’t friends with a madman after all. Jake put his hand to his head. His temple pounded. Nothing made sense at the moment.
15
The following day, Jake went to the dimly lit hamburger joint and took a seat in the red booth. He grabbed a menu from the table and motioned for Pastor Clyde to sit across from him. “Thank you for meeting with me.” He rubbed his chin. Jake needed to talk to Detective Krouse about what he’d just uncovered, but he hadn’t wanted to cancel his appointment with the pastor. This wasn’t a conversation to do over the phone or text. As much as he didn’t care for Geoffrey, at least the guy would probably keep an eye on Carlotta for now.
Pastor Clyde studied a menu. “You’re welcome. I haven’t heard from you in a while. How have you been?”
“I saw my brother-in-law recently.”
A server approached the table. She had a pencil stashed behind a mess of short blonde curls. “What can I get you to drink?”
Jake gestured to Pastor Clyde.
“I’ll have a soda.”
“The same. And I think we’re ready to order, too. I’ll have the garbage burger with everything on it. And onion rings.”
“Sounds good to me. I’ll have the same.”
The server strolled away.
Pastor Clyde crossed his arms. “So you were saying about your brother-in-law…”
“The guy used to be quite a wreck, strung out on drugs. Mean, nasty. I saw him recently. He’d completely changed. Said he got saved. I’ve read stories of criminals who say they found God for parole purposes, but I kind of think, for Pablo, it’s real. Like His faith in God has changed him. So, frankly, I’m interested.” Jake gazed at the pastor with sudden focus.
The server returned and set their colas on the table.
Pastor Clyde took a sip from his glass. “I sense a hesitation.”
“If God exists, doesn’t seem like He cares much about little kids. At least He didn’t seem to care enough to save my dad.”
“From your perspective, it sure would seem that way, right? But God loved you so much He sent His Son to die for you.”
Jake nodded. Yep, he’d heard it before. He wasn’t sure how much stock he put into it.
“Sounds as if you want to know why bad things happen?”
“Yep.”
“God made everything perfect, but people sinned. Death became a part of life. Sin doesn’t affect just us, but the Earth, too.” He paused. “But death isn’t the end. If someone is saved, they can spend eternity in Heaven.”
“What about my dad? What if he’s not there? I was a kid. I don’t know what he believed.”
“You don’t know your dad didn’t get saved before he died. And if he didn’t, do you think he’d want you to go to Heaven?”
Jake nodded.
The waitress returned with two plates of food. “Careful, boys, it’s hot.”
Not as scorching and fiery as hell. That’d be steamier. “Why does a loving God send people to hell?”
“Everyone has a choice. God doesn’t force people to accept Him. Adam and Eve had a choice. So did your dad. You have a choice. Choose to spend eternity with God or choose to spend it apart from Him.”
Jake finished a bite of his burger. “What about people in jungles who’ve never heard about God?”
“God’s made himself known. I’ve heard of people in remote places having dreams from God. He can reach people in many ways… I know you mentioned your affair. Maybe God will use that.”
“How? I’ve lost my wife, my job.” He lowered his gaze and bit his lip. “I might have a problem with gambling.” He took another bite of the burger.
The pastor nodded understandably. “Now, all you have to depend on is God.”
Pastor Clyde said it as if that was a good thing. The man answered his questions though, gave him a lot to ponder. “What if I can’t do this?”
“You can with God’s help. He gives us strength.”
“Like extra muscles?”
The pastor chuckled. “Not exactly. If someone accepts Jesus as their Savior and allows Him to control their life, then they have the power of the Holy Spirit living in them.”
