by Laura Acton
Ridgewater Home – Upstairs – 2:25 a.m.
After completing his routine security sweep, Wilson trudged up the stairs as he yawned. Tonight had been enjoyable as usual … poker with a bunch of old army buddies, several of whom he served with in Special Forces. Reaching the top step, he gazed at the door across from his. Danny’s room … or more precisely Danny’s old room.
Missing Danny, Wilson went to the door and opened it. He flicked on the light and sighed. The rock band posters had been removed and the original oil paintings rehung. Restored to its original condition, it no longer appeared like a teen’s room it had transformed into after Danny’s arrival a little over two years ago. Wilson chuckled as he thought the kid’s room never really looked like the average teenager’s bedroom. It had always been ship-shape and inspection ready before Danny came down for breakfast each morning.
As he leaned on the doorjamb, his eyes landed on a small cardboard box sitting on the desk. He moved inside, curious what the box contained since he had helped Danny move his belonging to the apartment several weeks ago. Peering inside the container, he spied items which made him grin … a few things Bella must’ve found in other rooms which Dan would want.
He lifted a photo of him, Buzz, Dutch, and Danny at the finish line of the Frostbite Forty-five. “We had a lot of fun adventures together, kiddo. Miss you living here, but I understand your desire to make your own way in life.”
Setting down the photograph, Wilson noticed the receipt for Danny’s first month’s rent … an amount only half of what it should be. Unknown to Dan, Bella arranged to pay half his rent, wanting him to live in a decent place close to his assigned division instead of the hovels he would’ve been able to afford without her assistance. She attempted to buy him a car for his birthday, but Danny declined, insisting he would save for one and planned to jog to work until he bought one. So, Bella diverted the funds to assist him without his knowledge, much like Danny’s parents had done for the past two years.
Picking up the yearbook, Wilson flipped the pages, stopping on Danny’s senior portrait. “Your parents love you, and someday you will realize you are precious to them and they have made significant sacrifices to help you. Ones they would make again and again to ensure your happiness.”
Wilson pivoted with Danny’s yearbook still in his hands and started for the door as he turned to the sports section and found the picture of the track team which included Danny, Charlie Noble, and Jett Peltier. He flicked off the light and headed to his room. Distracted by reminiscing about the ski trip they took to Blue Mountain after Danny ended things with Charlie, he failed to see Bella’s note on the table outside his door.
He entered his room, strolled to his bed, sat, and kicked off his shoes. “If I ever had children, I would’ve wanted a son exactly like you, Danny. An upstanding young man with a caring heart. Qualities which will take you far in life.” Not bothering to undress, Wilson laid down and stared up at the ceiling as he set the book next to him. Waiting for sleep to embrace him, he began to plan the camping trip he wanted to take with Danny as soon as the kid accrued three days off.
Leap of Faith
38
May 2
Metro Police Headquarters – Internal Affairs – 8:30 a.m.
Grinning, Arbor ambled into the bullpen and spotted Fulco sitting at a desk. He waved the papers in his hands. “Judge signed off on the warrants. Now we need to arrange to serve them simultaneously. Don’t want any of those SOBs getting wind of this and making a run for it.”
“Agreed. Dan will be happy they came through so fast. We asked a lot of him. What he did would be difficult for a seasoned officer, and he’s fresh out of the academy.” Fulco eyed the form on his desk. “I started the paperwork to request paid time off for him. Though Dan doesn’t believe he needs it, I do.”
Arbor shook his head. “I wouldn’t do that. We gotta keep Dan’s involvement in this as quiet as possible. I never liked the way Captain Hastings runs the Fourteenth. Dan might suffer a backlash for his participation. Most of the officers there ascribe to the notion of the blue wall of silence and Hastings turns a blind eye, which is why we were never able to figure out those involved in the shakedown of the elderly until Dan came along.”
“Should we approach the chief and arrange a transfer for Dan?”
“No. This needs to be Dan’s decision. Today would be best for arresting them which will give Dan two days to think about what he wants to do before he returns to work.” Arbor pulled out his cell, dialed Dan, and it went straight to voicemail. “Hey, call me back. Got news to share and a question.” He hung up and took a seat. “According to Dan, Snow and the others possess unregistered guns, so using TRF to serve the warrants would be wise.”
Fulco nodded, but said, “Not like Dan to have his phone off. I want him aware the arrest warrants came in before we act. As you said, there might be repercussion for him, and I don’t want him blindsided if any of Snow’s buddies find out and decide to pay him a visit.”
“Agreed. Let me place a call to TRF and get the ball rolling, then we can swing by Dan’s place on our way to their headquarters.” Arbor dialed the TRF direct line, and the dispatcher connected him to Commander Gambrill. He explained their needs, and Gambrill informed him Delta and Echo teams would assist them and scheduled a planning session at ten, which worked perfect for Arbor because they would have time to visit Dan.
After Arbor conveyed the details to him, Fulco stood and said, “Let’s stop by Timmy’s and grab Dan an iced capp and some timbits.”
Arbor chuckled. “Nice excuse … but it’s you who wants a cold coffee and donuts.”
“You know me too well.” Fulco grinned as he and Arbor strode out.
Ridgewater Home – 8:30 a.m.
Perplexed, Wilson stared at the empty coffee carafe. Without fail, Bella always had a pot brewed for him first thing in the morning after his poker night. It was her way of showing him she appreciated all he did for her, including having tea ready for her when she woke on every other day.
Worried she might be ill, he pivoted and left the kitchen, taking the back stairs up to the second floor. He knocked on her door and waited. When she didn’t answer, he rapped again, harder. Receiving no response his apprehension increased and he cracked the door open. “Bella, it’s Wilson. Are you ill?”
When she still did not respond, Wilson stepped into the room and gaped at the vacant and made bed with her pajamas sitting in the same place he had seen them before he left last night … along with the slippers she had been wearing. He glanced at the desk where she kept her purses and noted one missing, the blue one used yesterday.
Turning, Wilson exited and sped to his room to retrieve his phone from the charger. As he approached, he spotted the note. Grabbing the paper, he read the short missive, and his heart dropped to his stomach. He scanned again but didn’t find which hospital Danny had been taken to.
Rushing to his cell phone, he wondered if he slept so soundly that he missed a call from her. Wilson pulled up the recent call list and checked for the Dame’s number, becoming uneasy when finding no entry. This isn’t like her. He dialed Bella, and when it went right to voicemail, he took long strides hurrying down the front stairs going to the security room.
Halfway there, he halted when an unknown number displayed on his screen. Wilson answered and listened as a distorted voice said, “If you want Dame Ridgewater back alive, you will do precisely as you are told.”
Moving again, needing to activate the handbag’s concealed locator beacon, Wilson said, “You have my attention. What are your instructions?”
Warehouse District – Derelict Building 9:05 a.m.
His left eye completely swollen shut, Dan opened his right one a slit to peer at Bella. He woke quite a while ago but pretended to be unconscious as he assessed his surroundings. Overhearing Brogan giving details for the ransom money drop, revealed to Dan the fat bastard was located a fair distance from him across the warehouse. The conversation o
f the other three after Brogan hung up indicated they congregated near Snow.
Though his vision remained a bit blurry, he recognized Bella slumped uncomfortably in the chair. The bruise on her cheek visible with the light streaming in from the high bank of windows on the east side of the building. Dan realized he must’ve been out for hours since it was morning now. Testing the rope holding his wrists, he found it gave a little, giving Dan hope he could release himself. They needed to escape, or they would both be dead before the evil bastards left to gather the money.
Keeping his volume low, Dan said, “Bella.”
Unable to sleep, but resting to conserve her strength, Bella opened her eyes when Danny whispered her name. Her voice laced with concern, Bella spoke slightly above a whisper, “Oh, my dear boy, thank the Lord you are alive. Hold on, Danny. Wilson will be coming soon.”
“Wilson? How?”
Bella glanced over at the men to ensure they were still engaged in their conversation about their plans to travel to Aruba. “Tracking system in my purse. He will know exactly where we are.”
“One against four … not good odds.” Dan shifted, the pain in his chest increasing, but he made progress in loosening his bindings.
“He won’t be alone. Wilson is smart. He will bring others with him.” Bella noticed the man named Charley, who possessed a build similar to Danny turn in their direction. Charley’s bruised raccoon eyes, which must’ve come about from his broken nose, shifted off her and back to their leader.
“They won’t let us live. I gathered the evidence and can testify against them. They take pleasure in hurting seniors. We need to get away. If I free your feet, can you run?” Dan scanned for a metal shard to cut the zip tie holding Bella’s ankles as he continued to work the rope.
Bella hated to admit how much she hurt, but not to do so would put Danny in more jeopardy. “My hip is badly bruised and likely broken. I won’t be able to walk. Wilson will be here … trust him to have a plan.”
Dan’s eye rounded with worry and fury, and his volume increased, “They broke your hip? I’m gonna kill them.”
“Hey, Dickhead is awake. We got time for a little fun before we leave,” Charley said, looking forward to more payback for his busted nose.
Dan’s Apartment – 9:10 a.m.
Fulco knocked again as he peered at Arbor. “He must be really hungover not to hear us.”
“According to Jason, Riqueti poured him into Bozonnet’s car about a quarter to nine last night, and it took both Riqueti and Bozonnet to maneuver him inside his place.” Arbor didn’t doubt the man who tailed Dan yesterday, but it did seem odd to him Broderick would allow himself to become drunk. It would be dangerous to Dan’s cover to lose control of his faculties.
“Dan’s behavior bordered on reckless by becoming so intoxicated he couldn’t walk on his own. Perhaps you are right. He might need time off to put his head on straight after all he witnessed. Getting shitfaced while with them isn’t the smartest thing to do.”
When the elevator dinged, indicating an arrival, the two men stepped back into an alcove, not wanting to be caught outside Dan’s apartment on the off-chance Snow or one of his cohorts showed. Arbor espied the man as he exited the lift and headed for Dan’s place. He reached for his shoulder holster, as he whispered to Fulco, “On your six.”
Fulco stepped out and pivoted to face the unknown party, not recognizing him as either friend or foe.
Wilson’s well-honed situational awareness caused him to reach to his back, preparing to draw his concealed gun if necessary as he faced the men lurking in the shadows of the hallway.
Hoping to defuse the tense situation with words, Fulco shifted his jacket to display the detective badge affixed to his belt. “Morning. Can we help you?”
Upon noting the badges, but also recalling Danny’s uneasy demeanor at the precinct yesterday, coupled with the hand position and the distrustful expression on the second player as he gradually revealed himself, Wilson held still as he assessed the plainclothes officers. Hesitant to disclose his real purpose to strangers, Wilson deflected, “Looking for Dan, is he in?”
When both men remained quiet, Wilson verbalized his intentions, not wanting to end up shot. “I’m Wilson Keswick. A friend of Danny’s. I’m retrieving my wallet from my back pocket.” Bringing his arm around slowly he presented his open bifold, displaying both his photo ID and concealed carry permit to the detective.
Relaxing, Arbor lowered his hand, accepting the man’s credentials.
Disconcerted by ramifications of the detectives’ presence given Bella’s note, but not having time to waste, Wilson said, “You have the advantage. I provided my name, mind sharing yours and explaining why you’re here?”
Both officers handed Keswick their official identification. “I’m Detective Fulco and this Detective Arbor. We want a word with Constable Broderick.”
Handing back their IDs, Wilson noted their concerned expressions. “I have a key. If you step aside, I’ll let myself in and check if he is here.” When they moved back several paces, Wilson withdrew his keys and unlocked Dan’s door. “Wait here, please.”
Remaining outside, Arbor and Fulco peered into the apartment, surprised by the spartan yet spic and span appearance of the place … not what they expected of an eighteen year old’s bachelor pad.
Wilson strode directly to Dan’s bedroom and opened the door. Noting the room and the adjoining bathroom empty, he went to the nightstand and pulled the drawer open, hoping not to find Danny’s music player. The little silver gadget with worn earbuds sat nestled right where Dan always kept them when not out for a run.
An insidious thought began to bloom. What if Danny was taken to lure Bella? We reviewed abduction protocol, and she is smart enough not to blindly go without some proof or calling me first.
Pausing as he recalled Bella’s reactions after Danny had been buried in an avalanche while back-country skiing in Whistler and the time he became ill after rescuing a girl from a frozen pond at Blue Mountain. Both times she dropped everything and rushed to his side. Although she remembered to write me a note, it didn’t contain details. Only Danny being injured or sick rattles Bella.
Though Wilson didn’t want to involve the police, without Dan’s skills, he would need assistance from somewhere. He considered contacting his old Special Forces buddies, but most drank too heavily last night to be of use today. This would be a controlled environment, and if these two checked out, he might request their help. Returning to the main room, he beckoned the officers to enter. “Dan isn’t here, but please come in. I would like to speak with you.”
Fulco entered first, followed by Arbor who said, “Dan should be here.”
Wilson glimpsed confusion and apprehension crossing their faces. “How would you know if he is home or not?”
Arbor shut the door, realizing he slipped up and tried to divert the conversation by making his own inquiry. “What do you need to talk to us about?”
The three men stared at each other, gauging who would give first and if they could trust one another. Pressed for time and with no other options with Bella’s life in the balance, Wilson caved first. “Which division are you with and who is your commanding officer?”
As Arbor answered, Fulco scanned the interior, not sure what he was looking for, but it didn’t appear to him anyone had been home this morning … or ever, as he recalled his bachelor days and the state of his place on any given day. Concern flared. Too clean for a young guy. Did Snow and the others slip past Jason and do something to our informant and clean up afterward?
“We report to Captain Howard Carlyle in Internal Affairs,” Arbor stated.
Luckily recognizing Carlyle’s name from a recent civic event Bella attended, Wilson’s mind shifted gears wondering why IA would be visiting Danny. “Is Dan being investigated?”
“Who are you to Dan?” Fulco wanted to be cautious … this man could be anyone … perhaps someone intent on doing harm to Broderick.
Wilson und
erstood the dance of information sharing … give a little, take a little, so provided more details. “As I said, I’m Dan’s friend. I’m a retired Special Forces sergeant, and I’ve been Grand Dame Marbella Ridgewater’s bodyguard for several years. Dan lived with Dame Ridgewater, and she acted as his guardian for the past two years. In that time, I operated as chaperone to him before he reached his majority in February. I would say you can verify my claim with Dan or my employer, but both are missing at this time.”
Leaning on the wall, Arbor asked, “What do you mean missing?”
Taking a leap of faith, Wilson said, “About thirty minutes ago, I received a ransom demand for twenty million dollars. They threatened to kill her if I involved the police. I came to enlist Dan’s help in rescuing her. But as you can see, he is not here, and he isn’t answering his phone. I’m worried whoever kidnapped Bella, took Dan as bait to persuade her to leave her home.”
“Why would you seek Dan’s assistance? He is a constable. And how could they use him to lure Ridgewater?” Fulco asked.
“Danny possesses exceptional skills which I need today, and the Dame is quite fond of General Broderick’s only son.” Wilson threw in William’s title because it never hurt to use connections as leverage.
He continued, “Dame Ridgewater left a note for me last night, my night off, which I only discovered this morning. The brief message said Dan had been injured and taken to a hospital, and Constable Riqueti came to escort her to him, but she didn’t provide the hospital’s name. I discovered the missive right before the ransom call came. I contacted the local medical facilities, and Dan hasn’t been admitted or treated in any of them.”
Fulco’s and Arbor’s eyes rounded upon hearing Al’s last name. Pulling out his mobile phone, Fulco started to dial as he muttered, “Shit!”
“Who are you calling?” Wilson worried they would report the abduction and risk Bella’s life … and possibly Dan’s too if his suspicions were correct.