Book 3 - Part 6: Facing Evil - Chapter Seven
Wednesday – December 28th – 8:39 a.m.
The Squad Room
“Let’s get out there and stay safe and keep our streets safe.”
She no sooner said those words when her phone rang. It was Ed.
“What’s up?”
“There’s a delivery guy here waiting for you to sign a release form for a check.”
“On my way.”
Money may not grow on trees, but paper is made from wood, and so are checks.
Close enough.
As she made her way home, she thought back to her parents Both had their own law firm and made excellent money, but there was a downside on her father’s end. His clientele were criminals. He was well paid, especially when he convinced jury after jury, his clients were innocent. Didn’t matter what the charges were, fraud, embezzlement, arson, even murder. If she remembered right, he lost two cases out of dozens, he was that good. Her mother, a litigation attorney, knew all too well but neither of them spoke openly about it.
As she pulled up onto the driveway, she then remembered a week before the accident, her father lost a case. That made her wonder if it really was an accident or murder.
The Ramada Inn – 9:45 a.m.
Daniel Watson packed his overnight bag, went to the Inn’s lobby, and helped himself to the free breakfast bar.
He was getting a late start to his day, but for the moment he would enjoy the moment. Before his eyes were several carafes of coffee, two pitchers of orange juice (not freshly squeezed), a plate filled with (store bought) doughnuts, and corn flakes with small cartons of milk sitting on ice (already half melted).
He settled for coffee, juice and two sugar doughnuts. Ten minutes later, he was walking toward his car when he decided to call the office to ensure Alan Harper knew he followed through with Lieutenant Baker. Once he was satisfied, he slid behind the driver’s wheel, buckled himself in, placed the key in the ignition and started his car. He then backed out of his parking space and headed for the exit that would get him onto Highway 60.
Not more than a quarter mile up the road, a semi-tractor trailer jumped lanes and before Daniel could react in time (which would have been impossible); his life burst into flames. He died instantly.
Just goes to show two things. Stick to the original schedule, and not everyone can enjoy the holidays.
The Lazy Rest Inn
Two Rooms – 10:19 a.m.
Reid fished his way through the phone book for all the Marsh’s listed. He found twenty-six. He eliminated all but seven because of the first name, or the initial: F.
He called each one. One disconnected. Two no answers. The next three were not home. Number seven hit pay dirt when he heard the answering machine kick in.
“We are unavailable right now. If you wish to speak with Jean, you can call her at the city courthouse. If you want to talk to me, I can be reached at 507-998-6347. Otherwise, leave a message. We will get back with you.”
Reid knew this was the Frank he was after, and wrote down the 507 number, and copied down the address listed in the phone book. Now was a good as time as any to take a drive to Frank’s house just to check things out.
10:35 a.m.
Freddy peered out his window, watching the Black man get into his car and drive away. He didn’t like the idea of having someone in a room next to him, but it looked like he would have his wish again.
Freddy always played his cards close to the vest. Opening one of his duffel bags (he always carried two with him), he pulled out his surveillance bugs, and without anyone noticing, he slipped into Reid’s room, left the audio mics in two places. If the man didn’t return, he would simply go back, remove the mics and no one would be the wiser.
Staying a step ahead of people is what has kept him out of prison, but more importantly, alive, and able to maintain the work he does. But prison was always a small box in his head. He had no plans of seeing the inside of another one, ever.
11:58 a.m.
He did the speed limit on Monroe Avenue; the street where Frank and Jean Marsh live. Reid wasn’t taking any unreasonable chances.
“Nice digs, Frankie, real nice. Bet you got some expensive things on the other side of those walls.
“Walls. Bet you forgot about the walls, and me, Frankie. But not to worry, my man, I’m good at reminding people. I’m good at a lot of things.”
Without being obvious, he drove the speed-limit, catching glimpses of the house and the neighborhood. Nothing indicated Frank had young kids living at home.
“I think he said he had four kids. Three boys and a girl. Maybe they are all grown up or married. Maybe at work or in college. Hell, it was a few years back when Frankie talked to me about his family. Shit, it’s the fuckin’ holidays. No telling where anyone is.”
As he made his way back for another pass at the house, life began to bristle as he saw a purple Beemer (had to be a woman) pull into the driveway, and out popped and older woman from the driver side, and from the passenger side, a youngish-looking girl, maybe twenty, but no older, opened a sliding door, and out popped a small boy no more than three or four. He grabbed the young girl’s hand.
Reid didn’t see anything else as he drove by, but what he saw was enough.
12:52 p.m.
“F & J Construction.”
“Frankie, my man.”
Frank Marsh recognized the voice right away. A voice from his past he never expected to hear from again.
“Reid Thurston?”
“You always did have a good memory, Frankie. Long time, no see. How’s life treating you? Must be good, then again, maybe not. The way the economy is, seems it’s about ready to flush its ass down the shitter. Hell, at least you can fall back on your wife’s money if things go south.”
“Cut it, Reid. What do you want? I know this isn’t a social call.”
“That really hurts my feelings, Frankie. Man, it’s been eight long mutha-fuckin’ years since I see you, and you tellin’ me to fuckin’ cut it!
“Listen to me, Frankie, and you listen up real good. I’m short on funds and from what I know and what I’ve seen so far, you can help me get my money right.”
“Reid, if you need a couple hundred, I can help you.”
“Don’t come off to me with chump-change, chump. I’m talking twenty-grand. Tomorrow morning, or I go to your wife, and then the press about your past. Twenty-grand, or I ruin you, Frankie.”
Frank started laughing.
“What the hell’s so funny?”
“You and your idea. Reid, my wife has always known about my past, and so have my kids. They have known since day one. Even the people I do business with; so buddy-boy, you can kiss that twenty-grand bye-bye. It’s not happening.
“Always thought drugs was your bag, not extortion. My offer still stands. I can give you five-hundred, and then you move on, or move on without the money; makes no never-mind to me.”
Reid became angry and shut off his phone.
“All right mutha-fucka,’ I got a surprise for your ass. And Frankie, you will pay big time for being a smart-ass punk.”
Lazy Rest Inn – 1:41 p.m.
Returning to his room after driving past Frank’s house again, he started putting together some ideas.
“I know his wife, kid, and I guess his grandkid are home. I could just walk in on them, wait for Frankie to come home, and tell him to get my money, or I tap his family. He knows I’d do it.
“I could snatch the kid. Tell Frankie to get my money or he gets directions to a dead body. He’d believe that, too. He knows I don’t fuck around.
“That’s the deal. Check the place out again tomorrow. See how the traffic in and out of the house goes with the kid, and first chance I get, I grab the kid and go. But I won’t be able to stay here more than two days. It won’t take long before the cops start searching for the kid. I’ll give Frankie one day to get the scratch, or I pop the kid and move on. Fuck it, he ain’t mine. Frankie will wish he had given me the money every day for the rest of his life!
“That’ll work.”
1:59 p.m.
Freddy heard everything.
“The wonderment of evil is a beautiful thing, but this is a dangerous man. I will allow him his deadline if he succeeds, but if he fucks up my plans, he can say goodbye to this earth.”
Reaching for one of his Bowie knives, he began to slowly and methodically, sharpen an already balanced steel-edge.
2:49 p.m.
Baker and Manning were at a scene they didn’t want to particularly want to see. Nor did a few others who were on-scene.
Baker signed off on a few forms with her initials to indicate procedures were met.
“How long, Carl?”
“From the discoloration of the skin, the tears in his neck, under the armpits and behind the knees and stomach from bloating, my best guess is seven to eight days. I can have it narrowed down after the autopsy.
“Damn shame. He seemed calm, level-headed. He always had a kind word for everyone.”
“We never know until crap like this gets throwed at us, Carl,” said Ed. “The only pictures in the house are of his wife and daughter. Inwardly, he was a very lonely man waiting for the right moment to end it all.”
“This is just sad, Ed,” replied Baker. “We come into contact with him several times a month at the Medical Examiner’s Building, and like Carl said, he always had a smile and a good word or comment to share.
“We need to look around and see if he has a will, so his final wishes are carried out. Sweep the place good, Carl. If you find it, bring it to me. I do know he has no other living relatives.”
“And if we can’t find it?”
“We bury him next to his wife and daughter … with full honors.”
Turning, she looked at Ed.
“Let’s go. This is one of those times when I just can’t hang with the big boys.”
Looking into her sad, glistening eyes, each one holding back tears that wanted to burst like a dam. Tears she would shed after they left Stan’s house.
6 p.m.
In the Pit-Stop, a local hangout for school kids, at one of the booths were Stevie and Ellie. They were talking while waiting for two burgers and French-fries.
“I see you like the necklace.”
Reaching down to fondle the necklace she said, “Why wouldn’t I, Stevie? It was your gift to me, but yeah, I love it.
“Question for you.”
“Go for it.”
“Mom and dad are going up to Cavern Falls this weekend and we won’t be back until Monday night.”
The smile on Stevie’s face disappeared. He wouldn’t see her practically four whole days.
“Come on, smile. My parents want to know if you would like to come along?”
Stevie started smiling again.
“Yeah, I would, but that’s going to be expensive, isn’t it?”
“They have a plan. Mom and me in one room, you, and my dad in another. They would have had to get a second room for me anyway, and besides, they like you a lot!”
“Cool. I can let you know later tonight or tomorrow morning. I’m fairly sure mom will let me go.”
“We can only hope,” she smiled.
Ellie reached across the table and grabbed one of his hands in both of hers.
“I don’t want to sound silly or stupid, but of all the different boys I’ve seen in school, and the couple I’ve dated, you are the very first one that has come along and made me feel like a special person.”
“That’s because you are special, and important to me. I don’t know if we’ll go beyond just going steady, but right now, I know you are the only girl I love enough to want to spend the rest of my life with.”
So, we fly away from them as their food arrives, and we center back to other things, at another time.
4137 Monroe Avenue
The Marsh’s – 8:30 p.m.
It was dark and very cold.
Reid parked across the street from Frank’s home, and in his hands, is a pair of binoculars attached to his eyes as he continued watching what movement he could see.
A single-story ranch-style home. A large front window gave way to a huge living room and beyond that, another open area that looked like a dining room.
After sitting in the car over two hours, he knew enough that the kitchen was off to the right, unseen, and that the bedrooms were on the left side of the house.
More movement.
“There! About damn time. She’s takin’ the kid out of the front room. Which room is she takin’ him to? Shit, I hope he ain’t in the same room with his mother. That would mess things up.
“Okay, looks like the first one on the left, a light in there went on. Sweet. Looks like she’s laying him down for the night. If those damn curtains weren’t in the way, I could tell better. Let’s see if she comes back to the front room alone. There, there she is, and she is alone. Good, now I know where the kid is.
“Frankie and his wife are getting up. Turning lights off, and the bedroom lights are coming on but not where the kid is. I knew this would work.
“There goes a third light, but the window is small, must be the bathroom.
“But I’m in. The kid’s room isn’t being used by anyone but him. Easy in, duct-tape his mouth shut, snatch him up and go. Tape his wrists and ankles together after I get him in the car.
“I hate rush jobs, but I need the cash and quick. Get my ass down to Mexico and hunt up a Bro’ that can get me to South America and I’m good to go.
“Frankie, come to papa, baby.”
Reid was about to get out of the car and walk to the boy’s window after the other lights finally blinked off for the night. As he was about to set his left foot on the street, in his side mirror, he spotted headlights approaching. As they got closer, Reid pulled his left foot back inside the car, closed the door, and slid down so he wouldn’t be seen.
It was a police car, and it stopped three doors down from where he was parked.
Reid slowly inched his head upward and saw two boys in blue, one male, the other, female, help a man to the front door.
He suddenly felt uncomfortable about snatching the kid tonight. He started the car after the police got back in their car and went up the street, turned right and were out of sight. Reid decided to head back to his motel. He could feel too much tension after that. He didn’t want to make any mistakes.
He decided instead, to come back early in the morning to make sure the kid was still in the house. After all, him and his mother could be there just for the holidays.
If that proved to be the case, the kid would be his by tomorrow night, and he’d have fifty, not twenty-grand in his hand the next day.
The Baker-Manning Home
111 Homestead Lane – 10:15 p.m.
“Thanks, mom, Ed, for letting me go with Ellie and her parents.”
“Since her parents are going, and since the sleeping arrangements are made, and for the simple fact we trust you; I can’t think of a single reason not to let you go.
But it’s late and you better get to bed. Remember, you have that refit at the clinic tomorrow at 10:30. I don’t want you to miss the appointment.”
“Me either. I’m on it, mom. Night. I love you, mom. Night, Ed.”
“I love you, too, bub. See you after the office meeting in the morning.”
As Stevie walked away, she sighed and nestled against Ed’s chest.
“Ed, I want so much for him. He grows faster and faster every day into a man, and I’m scared for him and his future.”
“I know what you’re thinking, Jan. We’ll nail that psycho, Freddy, and your worries will be behind you. As to his future, we both know that financially, he’s well off long after we’re gone.”
“I hope so, Ed. Oh God, how I hope so.”