Chapter 50: Complications

Before I went off to see Rebecca that night I checked in with Walter to see how the Palm Springs issue was going.

"My Lord, I am close to breaking him."

"Stop calling me that!"

"As you desire my Lord, we have agreed to debate that issue another time."

I wanted to scream, but I managed to contain myself, "Thank you, Walter, keep me informed and let me know if there is anything you need."

He bowed and left. I spent most of the night going over every image and memory Rebecca had of her partner, Dahrinka Henslith. The scene of her arresting Mr. Wonderful in Palm Springs was educational to say the least.

"Damn!" Jamie said. "And I thought I was a bitch."

"Jamie, you're not a bitch." I said.

"Whatever you say, My Lord."

I bit my tongue and moved on. Of course, moving on got me exactly ... no where. I should have realized sooner that something was still very wrong. When I was working on the Palm Springs case just looking at the images of those little girls had been enough for me to start making connections, yet in all the time I was with Rebecca going over images and memories of her partner I never had so much as a twinge.

Thursday I tried a couple quick trips during the day and still there was nothing. Thursday night was no better, so I took a little detour to check up on the guy who had 'bumped' me in the hall at school and discover what he and his two idiot friends were up to. My first guess would be drugs of some kind; after all it was high school. Whatever it was these guys were obviously amateurs or they would have been better at keeping a low profile.

Shocker, I was right; drugs. The three of them had apparently decided to go into the distribution end of the business. One of them had been contacted by someone who had arranged for them to be supplied with a small amount to get started. They never even met the guy; the arrangements had been made anonymously through a chat room on one of those social networking sites on the internet. Whoever their supplier was, he wasn't stupid, no names were exchanged and the drops were made in the locker they had been so nervous about. The really sad part was that the locker didn't even belong to one of them. It belonged to the leader's girlfriend and she had no idea what they were using it for. Apparently he had gotten her to switch lockers with him right after school started. His locker was actually closer to most of her classes so it worked out to her advantage. Poor kid, if anything went wrong, she was implicated. What really sucked was that all this pointed to someone on staff as the supplier. No one else would have after-hours access to the locker. I would have to be careful.

Cross country practice filled up most of my after school time both days but it's not like I could have gotten much done at home either. Roxy came over both days to hang out with Allison. Susan had convinced her that Allison's old bathing suit was perfectly acceptable for hanging out with Allison after school and that if she was embarrassed about wearing it in front of me that she could put a shirt on over it when I got home. They'd tried buying a new one for her, but this late in the season there wasn't much selection left and she would likely outgrow any one piece by spring anyway. Roxy was very careful to always cover up before I got home but I could tell her tan was improving.

I finally had the names of the last two board members at the Church of the Inner Circle but so far had not found a way to bridge them. I decided to try going through the members I already knew to see if I could trigger a memory. I'd also decided to stop being so damn nice to these people so I let Jamie have a little fun with the oh-so-charming doctor Essex. As she was reliving her favorite fantasy, wrist deep in a screaming twelve-year old cheerleader, the girl's privates suddenly turned into a garbage disposal and ground the good doctor's hand into something resembling chopped sirloin. It was gross but it sure felt good to let that bitch have it. Unfortunately, that was the highpoint...

By the end of Friday night I was convinced that our killer was keeping Henslith drugged intentionally. I talked with Rebecca about it and she told me that so far the FBI wasn't making any progress either. In fact, it seemed like everything had just come to a screeching halt as they hit dead end after dead end. That was definitely not a good sign. The whole thing was taking on that 'calm before the storm' feeling.

There was only one reason I could think of why he would be keeping Rebecca's partner drugged. I wanted to talk to Bob about it but by the time I made the decision it was already too late. I could have called him at home but, at the moment, I had a date. I know that may sound a little shallow with a life quite literally at stake, but I felt like I needed to get away from the whole thing for a little while. Besides, I wasn't getting anywhere anyway.

As it turned out, it was a really good idea. Good and bad really, but then I've discovered that the two always seem to go together in life.

I'd told Britney I would pick her up at seven so we could be to the restaurant before they opened. This place is really popular and it's not very big, so if you're not there early you're going to have some time to kill. They opened at eight and by eight thirty the wait was generally up to at least forty minutes.

I arrived promptly at seven and when the door opened I reached out my hand to introduce myself to the black mountain in the doorway. He had that universal look all fathers with teenage daughters seemed to acquire. The look that said I should behave myself with his little girl because it was taking every bit of his courage and self control to let her out of his sight. The look that said, "My baby is growing up and I don't like it." Still, he shook my hand and gave it back to me still attached to my arm so it could have been worse. Britney wasn't quite ready, go figure, and he invited me in to wait. Once inside I discovered she had a younger brother and sister, much younger, the brother looked about ten and her sister was a couple years behind him. They were eating cereal and watching cartoons when I walked in. Her sister giggled at me; her brother just gave me a disapproving look and went back to eating his cereal.

Her father looked like he was headed out somewhere, but her mother was still in a sweats and a bathrobe, nursing a cup of coffee and looking like she really wasn't ready to be up yet. Britney came in wearing an aqua colored top with long sleeves and a matching belt running through the loops of her black jeans. There was just a hint of color around her dark eyes and she had left her hair loose. I was in my usual jeans and t-shirt, the shirt was a dark navy with the words, "I do my own stunts" across the back. We both had black tennis shoes except mine were court shoes and hers were a simple black canvas deck shoe. She was wearing ankle socks that matched the color of her belt and top, adding a thin line of color when she sat down and the jeans pulled up.

Breakfast was a big hit and Britney was officially in love.

It was called a Peach Melba; a fresh baked Belgian waffle with sliced peaches in a natural glaze, topped with whipped cream and drizzled with a raspberry sauce. According to her it should be renamed, 'Heaven on a plate.'

Britney's a coffee girl and teased me when I ordered hot chocolate for myself. I pointed out that considering the mountain of whipped cream on her caramel mocha was bigger than the one on my hot chocolate she didn't have a lot of room to criticize, and besides, at least mine didn't come with chocolate sprinkles. She still insisted I try it. I held my nose and tried to control my gag reflex long enough to swallow.

We took the riverboat around the lake to kill a little time until the shops opened up. That's when things started going downhill, fast. We were in the Big Dog Store reading the shirts when...

"Pretty sure," she said. "The question is how to find out for sure."

"No," I corrected her. "The question is what to do when we are sure. We're going to need help." I pulled out my new phone and sent a text to Rebecca.

I think I'm being followed. I'm going to confirm but then what? I'm in Arrowhead.

I returned my attention to my date, taking her hand and pulling her in close, I kissed her cheek, "This is fun, thanks for coming. How about you, you having a good time?"

She gave me a look that said that was a really stupid question. "Okay, I just had like the best waffle on earth and now I'm shopping, what more could a girl want?"

"I forgot to tell you, I got a new cell phone, one I can actually use. How about giving me your number?" I really wanted her number so I could text her if things started looking scary and it wasn't safe to talk.

"Okay," she said. "But it's going to cost you, I want a real kiss."

"You drive a hard bargain."

"I heard the same thing about you," she said with a grin. "Now what about my kiss?"

I was fondly reminded of how soft Cherise's lips had been.

"Mmm," she said as we broke apart. Then she handed me her phone and said, "Just call your phone from mine, then we can store each others numbers, it's easier than actually programming them in, and this way you know you got the number right."

That made sense. It only took a second and I was ready. I had just finished putting her name in when the phone buzzed. I had an incoming text message.

Confirm and get back to me. I need some time. I have to get a hold of Rod and convince him to let me out of my cage without an armed escort.

I sent back a quick 'ok' and wandered over to where Britney was reading the Big Dog boxers. Just as I got there she held up a pair and said, "What do you think?"

Across the front were the words 'Home of the Whopper.'

I smiled and tried not to blush. "I think I'd get arrested for false advertising." Then I picked up a pair of girl's bikini panties that were on the next shelf. "I think these would be better," I said, holding them up for her to read. They were pink and said, 'If you can read this, it's your lucky day!'

"Truer words were never spoken," I said. Now it was her turn to blush. I decided to play a little bit, holding them down in front of her, "Maybe I'll get them for you; it'll give me something to dream about."

She snatched them out of my hand. "Oh sure, I could wear them to your funeral. Which is what it would to be when my daddy saw them and killed you."

"Yeah, no kidding. Let's go check out that little flea market they were setting up on the way in." I took her hand and walked her out to the truck. She wasn't used to guys opening doors for her so it was a little awkward. I thought she was going to kill me when she reached for the door handle on the truck and I slapped her hand and said, "That's my job." But she forgave me when I kissed it before letting her in.

It was a straight shot to the flee market but I needed to see if I really had company or not, so I took a roundabout way through Blue Jay. If you have ever been up there, you'll know how easy it is to make a wrong turn, so I knew it wouldn't look suspicious. Eventually we got to the flea market, and along the way I found the ice skating rink that Christy Yamaguchi and Michelle Kwan used to practice at before they were superstars.

We were looking at the chainsaw carvings when Jamie confirmed that we were in fact being followed.

"Bad news."

"Where?" I asked.

"Ten o'clock, the one in the gray hooded sweatshirt."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, he was sitting outside the Bass outlet when we left Big Dog. He was also on the paddle boat. Pull out your phone, face the big window and pretend you're talking to someone, I'll bet he moves closer."

"You think he's alone?" I asked as I pulled out my phone.

"I think so, he got out of the blue Explorer, and he was driving. The windows are tinted, so there could be someone in the back seat, but I doubt it."

Rebecca chose that moment to call so I didn't even have to pretend, much. "Hello?"

"It's me..." I cut her off.

"Oh, hey, what's going on?"

She picked it up right away, "You're not alone, are you?"

"No, I'm up in Arrowhead with this really hot girl I met."

"Got it. Are you sure you're being followed?"

I'd been watching the window as I was speaking and sure enough as soon as I started talking the guy had moved closer so he could hear. He was roughly my height but a little bulkier, dark hair cut short, fair skin but not pale. He was wearing a dark t-shirt of some kind tucked into jeans and a hooded sweatshirt zipped up about half way.

"Yeah, actually I am. Why? What's going on?"

"What's going on is that there is no way to spring me without questions being asked, so Rod is on his way. The good news is he's actually closer anyway. But that still leaves him about an hour away at this point."

Shit. Oh well, nothing that I could do about it. "Okay, great. I'll talk to you later." I disconnected and walked over to where Britney was poking around a display of earrings. She appeared to be looking for something that matched her top and her belt.

I gave her a quick kiss and whispered, "We need to talk, come with me." Then I took her hand and we walked a little bit farther down the row of tables. We stopped at a table selling used CD's and sunglasses and I tried on a pair, looking in the little mirror to see where my shadow was. Yep, he was two stalls back pretending to look at some gym bags. As I was watching him he glanced our way and then did something that really got my heart rate up. Jamie caught it too.

"Oh shit," she said. "Tell me he didn't just look at his watch."

"Maybe he needs to check in with someone." I suggested, I didn't believe it but there was always the chance.

"It's possible, but you don't believe that any more than I do, do you?"

"Nope, we're on a deadline, he's waiting for someone else to show up, same as us. Damn! Who the hell is he?"

"I don't know, and I don't care. We need to get the hell out of here."

"No, we need answers. Let's see what he does if we disappear." I turned to Britney with the glasses still on and asked,"What do you think?"

She gave me a critical look and said, "Not bad, kind of a Tom Cruise-Top Gun look, but I prefer to see your eyes."

"Thanks, I like yours, too." I put the glasses back on the rack and pulled another pair off the rack. "Why don't you try these?" Then I whispered, "BC, we're in trouble. Don't look at me, look in the mirror like you're checking out the glasses; see the guy in the gray sweatshirt?"

"The one with the hood?" she whispered.

"That's him. He's been following us. First on the boat, then he was waiting outside while we were in Big Dog, and now he's here."

"But that doesn't mean ... oh my god! He just looked straight at us."

"Did he look at his watch?"

"Yes. Why? Is that bad?"

"Yeah, that's bad."

"But why? What does he want?"

"I can't explain all of it, but basically, I think he wants me. I have someone on the way to help out but he's still about an hour away."

Her voice and body language both said she was still skeptical, "Jimmy, you're cute and all but are you sure it's you he wants?"

I chuckled, but she had given me an idea. "Now there's an idea ... want to have some fun?"

"What kind of fun? It's not dangerous or anything is it?"

"No, I just need you to distract him for a second. I want you to go get in his face about staring at you, sort of like the scene you did with Byron the other day for being stupid. Either that or pretend that you know him from somewhere. Just try to get him to turn away; he'll resist, but see if you can. Don't worry if you can't because as soon as you start I'm going to start walking away. If I'm right, then as soon as I do, he's going to try and come after me. If I'm wrong then I'll just come back and you can pretend it was all a big mistake." I slipped my keys and phone into her hand where he wouldn't see. "When he comes after me, I want you to go straight to my truck, get in, lock the doors, and start the engine. Then hit speed dial number five, a man will answer; tell him who you are, that I told you to call him; where we are, and that unless something goes wrong I'll call him back in a few minutes."

I paused for a moment to consider the next part. "Britney, this is important, if anyone but me comes up to the truck, get the hell out of here."

"Jimmy, you're scaring me."

"Don't be scared, BC, I'll be fine and I promise, he's going to be doing his best to get away from you as fast as he can. But if I'm wrong, I want you to be safe no matter what, so once he's gone, straight to the truck, okay?"

"Kiss me," she said.

I kissed her and said, "Okay, I'm going to wander over to the next stall, then you do your thing. Can you do this?"

She squeezed my hand. "Yes. Jimmy, be careful okay?"

I kissed her cheek and moved away toward the next stall while she poked through the sunglasses on the table.

She was great and it went down just as I predicted. She just walked right up, looked at him funny, then yelled, "Michael!" and threw her arms around him like he was her long lost brother. As soon as she did I took off toward the end of the row of buildings at a fast walk. I glanced back just as he pushed her away and hurried to catch up. When he did, I took off sprinting for the end of the building. Once I was around the back I stopped and turned things over to Jamie. The sun was now in my face so I didn't have to worry about shadows giving me away.

Within seconds he came around the corner and Jamie whipped my arm out, clothes-lining him while sweeping his feet out from under him. He went down hard on his back and she dropped knee first into his stomach. The air exploded out of him, his head coming up in reaction; straight into her descending elbow. That ended it nicely.

If we weren't certain before and the chase hadn't convinced us, the search would have. All he had on him was a cell phone, the key to the Explorer, a small steel tube with a screw on lid and ... oh joy, a gun tucked neatly into a holster under his left arm. No ID; yeah, big surprise. Opening the steel tube revealed a loaded hypodermic needle.

"Shoot him with it." Jamie said.

"What? I can't do that, what if it's some kind of poison?"

"I doubt it, if he wanted to kill us he wouldn't have been waiting for someone else, but if I'm wrong then he was planning to kill us, so screw him. Either it'll kill him or it will keep him out long enough for Rod to figure out what to do with him." She hesitated for a second. "Do you want me to do it?"

"No, you're right, I got it." I rolled the guys sleeve up and emptied it the syringe into his arm. Then I un-tucked his shirt, wiped the needle down with it and carefully put it in his right hand. To a casual observer it would look like he shot up and passed out.