Road Warrior, page 7
Before he dialed, he looked at me. “Abby, do you think you could stay with Maria for now? I’ll have someone make some tea.”
Nodding, I said, “Good idea. I brought some pastries that we can have too. And of course I’ll stay with Maria as long as I’m needed. I’ve also called my mother and our friend, Anita, so they may show up. Maybe you can inform your crew out there, so Arabella or Anita can come in.”
“Done,” he said. “I’m glad you’re here, Abby.” He smiled gently at Maria. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll get things started.”
We nodded, and I sat with Maria as Dave walked away to confer with the officer in the hallway, his cellphone to his ear.
CHAPTER 11
THE NEXT FEW HOURS WERE A NIGHTMARE. Police tromped in and out of Maria’s home and asked intrusive questions about her personal life. They asked if she knew where Frank might have gone and if Thomas had ever run away before. Maria relayed the incident that had occurred two nights earlier. It went on and on. I started to feel confused and tired, and she was in much worse shape than me. It must have been hell for her.
At some point, they let up; Maria had alternated between quiet hysteria and silent tears. When we were alone for a minute she spoke to me. “I don’t know if I can take this much longer,” she moaned. “I can’t stand the not knowing. It’s the not knowing!”
“I know,” I said. “It must be hell. Listen, do you want anything else to ease your anxiety—another cup of tea? A drink? Anything?”
She looked at me blankly for a minute and then mumbled, “I have some pills upstairs that the doctor gave me a while back for my stress. It’s Ativan. I haven’t really used them, but maybe one of those would help.”
“Okay,” I said as I gently freed my hands. “I’ll just run up and get one. Are they in your medicine cabinet?” She nodded as she leaned forward to hold her head in her hands.
As I quickly ran upstairs, I found myself wondering what else I could do to help. I hoped that my mother or Anita would show up or that maybe one of them could take Reenie for a couple of days. I’d already planned to stay the night to simply be there for Maria. I was so scared about Thomas. It felt so weird to hope that he had run away, but it was better than the alternative, the unthinkable. Maria loved her children so much; I was sure it would destroy her if something happened to either of them.
She was pacing when I got back. I eased her back to the couch and gave her a tablet to dissolve under her tongue. The house was still busy with officers moving about, but they left us alone for a while. Thankfully, Maria started to settle; her shoulders relaxed a little, and her eyes drooped.
The relative peace was disturbed by a commotion outside the living room. The walkie-talkies chattered, and then Dave walked in with Anita in tow. Maria had been watching silently but lit up a little when she saw our young friend. Anita rushed over to give Maria a big hug and then, standing back up, she exclaimed, “Abby! I’m glad you’re here. I came as soon as I could! I already saw pictures of Thomas on the subway on my way over here. I was so glad the police moved quickly.” As she gave Maria another big hug, Anita looked at me over her shoulder and asked, “What can I do to help?”
As Anita released her, I said gently to Maria, “I’m just going to speak with Anita for a minute. We’ll be right back. Okay?” Maria nodded silently.
As we walked away, Anita said quietly, “I already knew about the friction between Maria and Frank. It’s been going on for a while. And he’s been drinking more than he used to.”
“I guessed as much. I feel so self-centered that I didn’t know.”
Anita shook her head. “Maria didn’t want you to worry before you went away. She thought it was going to settle down and she didn’t want to spoil your trip. Of course, we didn’t know then that you would be away so long,” she teased lightly. “Maria hoped you would never know. But seriously, Abby, what can I do?”
“Just be here, Anita. I think one of us will have to distract Reenie eventually. She’s at a friend’s house down the street right now. Let’s go keep Maria company and make a plan for caring for her through this.”
As we headed back, Anita added, “I’m free for now—let’s hope Thomas and Frank show up soon.”
We flanked Maria on the couch. The drug must have taken effect—she seemed much calmer. The land line, now freed up from the earlier frantic calls, would ring occasionally, but an officer always picked it up. Unless the call related to Thomas or Frank’s disappearance, a message would be taken so Maria was left alone.
Eventually we managed to get her to sip some now tepid tea and to nibble one of the croissants I had brought. Then Anita left for a short while to check on Reenie who, thankfully, was not yet aware of what was unfolding at home. We decided it was best if she stayed at her friend’s house for the night. I wasn’t sure the secret could or should be kept from her for long. If there was no good news soon, she would have to be told something.
Maria alternated between fitful anxiety, self-recrimination, and despair—all somewhat muted by the tranquilizer. Once Anita returned, we all sat together until Dave came in to give us an update around seven at night. The lines around his eyes revealed the stress and fatigue he felt as well.
“The alert is in place,” he said, sighing. “We have already had a couple of calls and sightings.” Maria perked up hopefully. “I don’t want you to be too optimistic,” he said seriously. “Of course, we will look into every call, and it is important to be hopeful, but you also must understand that there are often many false identifications. Patience,” he continued, “is very difficult, I know. But it is very important.”
He stood. “I will be here for another hour or so. When I go, there will be two officers staying the night for your protection, and in case there are any calls or any word from Frank or Thomas.” He looked straight into Maria’s eyes, resting a hand over hers, which were tightly clenched in her lap. “If at all possible, Maria, it would be good for you to try to rest.”
She started sobbing again, simultaneously nodding and shaking her head, unable to speak. Anita and I thanked Dave. He left the room, and then we turned back to our desperate friend.
“He’s right, you know,” I said. “You should try to rest.”
She looked at me fiercely. “How can I rest when I don’t know where my boy is? What if Frank isn’t with him?” She keened. “What if Frank doesn’t even know Thomas is missing?”
Anita hugged Maria again. “This is so hard. The pain must be unbearable, but you have to stay strong because Thomas will need that when he comes back to you.” She stood and offered her hand to Maria. “Come with me—let’s go upstairs. I’ll stay with you. Maybe you can get a little rest.”
She helped Maria get up from the couch and supported her up the stairs. Anita is amazing with people. Her loving calm always seems to rub off on those she is near to. Maria was a special support to Anita when she was coming off drugs, and they had become very close from that shared experience. I was very grateful that Anita was there to help. I planned to join them, but I wanted to have a word with Dave before he left.
I found him in the kitchen writing some notes. “Hi there,” I said. “This is pretty terrible, isn’t it?”
“Oh, hi,” he replied in a serious tone. “This isn’t quite the get together we planned, is it?”
I shook my head. “It’s an absolute nightmare. I can’t believe it.”
“It’s always even more difficult when this kind of thing happens to those we love.”
“How did you get the call, Dave? I thought you were new to the Toronto Police.”
“I am,” he said. “And I’m actually just on loan from the RCMP. When I was up north, I had to deal with some abductions that we were unable to solve. The children were found but wouldn’t talk. They were extremely traumatized. Now, this event may be completely unrelated, but they want me to follow up to look for parallels.”
Frowning, I said, “I hope that Thomas is just a runaway and that he’s home soon.”
“We can only hope,” he replied. “Where are Anita and Maria?”
“Anita convinced Maria to go upstairs. She’s got a gift with people.”
“I can see that,” he said. “You and Maria seem to have lots of special people in your orbit. It says something about you, I think.”
“I’m lucky,” I said, brushing away the compliment, and then launched into what I wanted to say. “I have an idea about where Frank might have gone.”
Dave perked up. “Really? Maria didn’t seem to have a clue.”
“I think that’s because she is overwhelmed and because she still can’t imagine Frank leaving if he’s scheduled for work. He’s usually very responsible. Anyway,” I continued. “I know Frank needs to be alone when he’s stressed, and there’s been lots of stress in this house lately with shiftwork and Maria’s hours, and who knows what else. We’ve been friends since high school, you know. Anyway, I think Frank might’ve taken off to the Algonquin Park area to some fishing or hunting spot.”
“Go on,” Dave said, looking interested.
“Maria says he stormed out before Thomas did. Maybe Frank just took off to get away and didn’t take Thomas. Maybe he doesn’t even know Thomas is missing!”
I was rewarded with a smile from Dave. He stood up and pulled out his cell phone. “Thanks, Abby. I’ll check on that lead.”
His smile disarmed me and, for a moment, I forgot what we were doing there. Then I collected myself. I felt crass to have feelings triggered for this man while we were in the middle of such a desperate situation.
“Dave, if there is anything I can do, let me know. I have a little experience sleuthing.”
He closed his phone for a second.
“Thanks for the offer,” he replied. “For now, just keep thinking about other places either Thomas and Frank could have gone. And let me know if Maria comes up with any ideas, too. I think it’s best to let us do our job. I have lots of experience in this field. The sooner we have credible leads the better.”
Nodding as I turned to leave the room and find Anita, I secretly resolved to try to figure out something I could do. Passively watching events unfold just wasn’t my thing.
It was quiet. The two women weren’t in Maria’s bedroom, so I walked down the hall to peek in the other rooms. Anita was just leaving Thomas’s room as I approached. Smiling slightly, she put her finger to her lips.
“Shh,” she whispered as she pulled me a little way down the hall. “Maria just dropped off to sleep on Thomas’s bed. I am so devastated, Abby. She told me Dave spoke about other abductions in the north. What if that’s what happened? “I know from experience that predators are always on the lookout for people who are feeling lost, and with all the conflict in the house, that’s certainly true of Thomas. He was very angry these days. I’m so worried.”
“I know. But I keep hoping he either went somewhere with Frank or just went to a friend’s house. We have to stay as positive as we can around Maria. The police are checking everything, and we have to have faith in their abilities. Dave suggested we keep thinking about places or people Thomas or Frank might connect with.”
I gave her a little hug. “I’m so glad you’re here. You have such a gentle touch. I can be strong for Maria, but sometimes I feel like I blunder about.”
“Don’t be silly, Abby. You’re absolutely perfect in how you support her. Your friendship goes back a long way—that’s important. And I’m glad I’m here too. It’s good that we could settle Maria down, even if it’s only for a little while. One of us should be here for her all the time.”
We decided to sit in Maria’s and Frank’s room so we wouldn’t be too far away if she woke up. We sat in their bay window, which overlooked the now dark back yard, away from the hubbub of police cars and media trucks.
“How did you hear about this, Abby? You don’t usually check messages from friends and family while you’re out couriering.”
“That’s true, although today’s events have made me think I have to change my policy. Maria had been trying to reach me since last night. I was late this morning so I didn’t check my house phone either.” I sighed. “I should have known something was terribly wrong, when she wasn’t at work this morning, but I thought maybe she was just late like me.”
Anita nodded, “That’s not so unreasonable. Maria has had a lot to juggle these days. She told me she’s been late quite a few times.”
“Yeah, it actually happened the other day. She arrived just as I was taking off for work. It takes a lot for Maria to be miss work, though, and I should have listened to my gut.”
“That’s true.” Anita also sighed. “Poor thing. I feel so bad for the whole family.”
“Me too.”
We sat silently for a few moments, and then I remembered the boxes of fish inside the store. “Oh no!” I exclaimed, putting my hand over my open mouth.
“What’s wrong?” Anita asked, alarmed.
“The fish! I left them in their boxes in the store. They’re still there, likely thawed completely! Oh no.”
Anita looked perplexed. “What about her helper? Didn’t Paul clean it up?”
Shaking my head, I sat forward. “No, he wasn’t there this morning. If he came late, he wouldn’t have had a key.”
“I wonder if he tried to call Maria,” Anita mused.
“I doubt it. If he came at all, he probably just wandered off again. He doesn’t seem to be the kind of person to take initiative.”
Getting up, I said urgently, “I’d better go back and clean up the mess. Those fish will start stinking if they aren’t rescued or thrown away.”
“Good idea, Abby. I can hold the fort here and Maria doesn’t need to start worrying about the shop too. She’s so conscientious.”
“You know, it’s been so cold, and the shop wasn’t open today—maybe we’ll be lucky and the fish will still be on ice. The Styrofoam can be pretty good at holding the cold. It’s a crapshoot but worth hoping for. The ice bags were melted though.”
“You need to go and check. I know you. You’ll feel better if you’re actively doing something, even if it’s rescuing fish.” She grinned.
“You do know me well,” I said. “Will you text me if anything happens or if you need help over here? I can come back when the shop is sorted….” I trailed off.
Anita shook her head. “There’s no need to travel back here again tonight. I’ve already booked off school and my practicum for tomorrow. I’ll stay here. Besides, then you can deal with the fish for tomorrow and when Paul shows up, you can put him to work.”
“That’s a good idea,” I said. “I’m glad you can stay here.” I gave her a hug. “I’ll check in in the morning. And you should know I also left a message with Arabella before I rushed over here. She might call here or my place. Maybe you can check later to see if the police took a message from her.”
I scratched my head, trying to remember what her message had said. “She might be at a retreat, I’m not sure. Anyway, I know she will help too, as soon as we connect.”
“Your mom would be a great help, Abby. If she shows up here, we’ll figure out a routine, okay? And don’t worry about me, anyway; I’m happy to help.” She stretched and yawned. “It’s a way of giving back after how kind Maria and the family have been to me.”
“Oh, Anita, you’re family to us, you know that,” I exclaimed, giving her another hug. “That yawn reminds me that you must be tired too. This is all so stressful; you might need to rest while you can. There’s no telling when Maria will get up and need you. Why don’t you just lie down on her bed,” I said, walking her over to the unmade queen-size bed. “That’s a sign. Maria would never leave her bed unmade. I’m guessing she didn’t get any sleep last night.”
Anita sat on the bed. “I am feeling kind of exhausted. I’ll be able to hear Maria from here.” She lay down and swung her stockinged feet onto the bed as I pulled a blanket over her. She looked tired but also seemed a little rigid, as if perched, ready to fly to Maria if called.
Sleepily, she said, “I called Juaneva when I was on my way over here and I’ll call her again later to update her. She might be able to help protect the family from the media, and if, God forbid, there is a legal problem, she can step in.”
“Another good idea,” I said. My mind was clearly not firing on all pistons because it was only then that I remembered my conversation with the handsome detective. “Anita, will you tell Maria that I spoke with Dave and told him about Frank’s tendency to escape to the outdoors when he’s stressed? I thought that maybe he took off to Algonquin Park.”
Anita nodded sleepily.
“Tell her that he said he would look into it and that, if we come up with any other ideas, to let him know.”
Anita nodded again, her eyes closing, as I stood up. I hoped she remembered what I had said. I had already told her Dave’s request before, and I was sure there would be lots of repetition of requests, ideas, and suggestions if the crisis continued.
Anita’s eyes suddenly opened wide again. “Abby! Did you ride here tonight? I just remembered that I saw your bike. Are you sure you want to ride your bike all the way home again?”
“Don’t worry, Anita. I’m used to long rides and this so-called fresh night air might jog a few brain cells. If I get too tired, I’ll head for a subway station.”
“Okay,” she said, looking relieved as she snuggled down into what looked like a pretty welcoming bed at the moment.
“I’ll let Maria know where you went. She’ll be thankful that she doesn’t have to think about the shop too.”
Leaning over the bed, I gave Anita a quick peck on the forehead. “See you later, toots. Thanks for everything you’re doing.”
I talked with the officer at the door for a few minutes, updating him on the action, or lack of it, upstairs. He agreed to do his best to keep the place quiet while the two women rested. We shook hands, and I stepped out into the cool night air.
