by Robin Mahle
Ethan rushed to his feet. “I found something.” He walked to the printer and yanked off two pages. “Here, I found this in public records.”
“What is it?” Ward ripped the papers from his grip.
“Bankruptcy,” Ethan added. “Silas Levin filed for bankruptcy three years ago.”
“Before he purchased the bar.” Riley made her way to Ethan’s desk. “I wish we could get hold of his banking records.”
“Not without a warrant,” Abrams replied as he sat at his desk. “And we don’t have nearly enough to request one of those.”
“Not yet.” Decker stood and walked toward Ethan and the others. “Let me see.” Ward handed him the report. “So he bought the bar last year, sank a ton of money into renovations.”
“Where did he get that money?” Riley asked. “There’s only one answer. Eli.”
“Okay, how do we prove that?” Ward asked. “We need something with Eli’s name on it. A company name, anything.”
“Uh, Cap, I think I may have something here.” Abrams slowly rose from his chair. “I checked out the permits issued for the renovations and several of them were issued to a company by the name of Chi-Town Builders.”
“Are you kidding me?” Riley looked at Ethan. “Wasn’t that the name of the company that the Camaro is registered to?”
“Yep.”
“Please tell me the owner of that company is Eli something or other,” Ward asked.
“Foster.” Abrams eyed his colleagues. “Eli Foster.”
“Bingo.” Ward appeared triumphant. “Foster’s company gets the contract for the renovations, bails out Silas Levin, and now Levin is in debt to him. What’s Foster’s background?”
“I’m checking the database now.” Abrams feverishly tapped on his keyboard. “Okay, according to Chicago PD records, Eli Foster served time for money laundering. Had a couple of shell companies. Don’t know how they were financed. Got released after a year and that’s all she wrote. Nothing pops up on him until the articles of incorporation on his company back in 2014.”
“A couple of years before Levin purchased the bar,” Ward added. “We know Silas has connections in Chicago. This was clearly one of them. But that doesn’t explain how Dennis Ackerman and his cronies resurfaced or why.”
“There may not be a connection between Foster and Ackerman. Levin was involved in the poker arena years before he purchased the bar. He had to have had something going with Ackerman and Ackerman served time for it. That much we know,” Riley said.
“So all of this is just a coincidence?” Abrams asked. “All these people converging on our little town at once?”
“I don’t think so.” Riley sat on the edge of her desk. “Levin started this backroom game, what, a couple of months ago?”
“Something like that,” Decker replied. “Then we had Sims go nuts and take out his wife a week ago.”
“Yeah. So things in the game must’ve been getting pretty high-stakes by that point,” Riley added. “Could be the bar isn’t bringing in enough to pay off the loans we suspect he must’ve received from Eli Foster. I mean, he dumped a ton of money into that place. Just look at it.”
“Right,” Ward began. “Folks around here won’t pay top dollar, so he had to lower his prices to keep customers coming in. Losing money hand over fist, I’ll bet.”
“He starts this game because he knows poker. He knows how to cheat at it and get away with it,” Ethan said. “It’s starting to make sense now.”
“He’s using it to make money to pay off his debt,” Decker added. “Only things were getting out of hand with the death of Sims’ wife. So he started looking for help and he got it from Alex.”
“Unwillingly, I’m sure,” Riley continued. “And then he managed to rope Jacob into his scheme as well.”
“Okay, but how did Ackerman find out this was going on?” Decker asked. “Where’s the connection there? What brought him and his people to town?”
Riley shook her head. “I don’t know. If we find that out, we’ll probably find Alex.”
21
In the dreamy hours of the night, en route to a grey dawn, Alex Laughlin knocked on the door. His heavy and bloodshot eyes squinted at the burning porch light. Stubble dotted his face and worry lines had deepened on his forehead. He appeared to have aged five years over the past two days.
His wife, Zoe, cracked open the door only a sliver. “Oh my God. Alex.” She slammed it shut again to release the chain and pulled it open. She thrust her arms around him.
In his weakened state, Alex stumbled back but regained his stance. “It’s okay. It’s okay. I’m home.” He held on to her like he hadn’t done in years, maybe ever. Her hair smelled of rosewater and her nightgown was silky smooth. “I’m so sorry.”
She pulled back angrily. “Where have you been? What the hell happened? Why didn’t you call me?” Tears streamed down her cheeks as she clenched her fists and lightly pounded on his chest. “I thought you were dead.”
“I know. Let’s go inside. Please.”
She stepped aside to let him in and closed the door.
“I can’t even imagine what you’ve been through these past two days. I—I wanted to reach out.”
“Why? Why didn’t you?” Her emotions climbed to the surface again as her voice quivered and tears continued to leave salty trails along her face and down her neck.
“I got tangled up in something and I can’t say what right now, but I need you to trust me.” Alex hadn’t slept more than a few hours during his capture. He hadn’t showered, his black hair required a comb, and while he wore fresher clothes, they too had begun to reek of body odor. “I need some water.” He shuffled into the dimly lit kitchen and grabbed a bottle from the fridge, gulping it down until not a single drop remained.
“Alex, you have to tell me what’s going on. Are you in danger?” She followed him into the kitchen. “Are we in danger?”
He recalled the words of his captor. Don’t go home unless you want to risk your family’s safety. “Not if I can help it.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? Jesus, Alex. We need to call the cops.” She reached for her cell phone on the kitchen desk.
“No!” He rushed toward her and swiped the phone from her hands. “You can’t. I have to handle this on my own. But I promise you, I will handle it. I just need for you to not say anything. Not to the cops, not to anyone.”
“I don’t understand. Are you just going to stay here and, what, hide out or something?”
“No. I’m going to go to work, like always. I’m going to tell everyone that I left of my own volition; family problems, financial, whatever, and that now I’ve returned.”
“The cops have been looking for you. You understand that, right? Your boss—everyone. You’re going to tell them you took off on your own? Without your car or your phone?”
“I know how this must sound.”
“I don’t think you do.” Zoe wandered through the kitchen with apparent confusion. “What the hell is going on, Alex? It’s me, your wife. You have to tell me everything.”
He approached her and took her hands. “I want to, I swear I do, but I can’t. Not yet. If you don’t trust me on this, I don’t know what will happen.”
Jacob roused at the sound of the front door opening. He stood from the sofa and walked toward the foyer when Riley entered.
“You’re still awake?” She closed the door behind her. “You didn’t have to wait up.”
“Yes, I did.” He pulled her into an embrace and kissed her lips. “It’s four in the morning. I was beginning to think you weren’t coming home at all.”
“I should’ve called. I’m sorry. I thought you’d be asleep.”
Jacob started back into the living room. “How can I sleep? I assume I’ll still be in on that game tomorrow night. By the look on your face, it doesn’t appear much progress has been made.”
“It has, but maybe not the right kind of progress.” She sat down next to him on the sofa. �
�Jacob, we found out that Silas Levin owes money and that appears to be the reason he started up the high-stakes poker games. It was how he made his living back in the day. He was a con man.”
“What about Alex?” He asked.
“I wish I had news. Decker and Abrams analyzed the shoe prints from around Alex’s 4Runner, but it didn’t tell us much. We got us a size ten and eleven, but when we compared it to the photos Ethan took that night, well, it was too difficult to know for certain. Regardless, we have names of who we suspect are his abductors, but no idea of a location of where they might be holding him.”
“Did you consider the idea he might already be dead?” Jacob’s gaze hardened.
“We did. The good news is that scenario seems unlikely given the type of people we think we’re dealing with. These guys don’t appear to be murderers, just cheats and thieves.”
“So, I take it we’re going to let this thing play out and hope we aren’t too late to find Alex.”
“Yes. That appears to be our only move right now. I wish it wasn’t. I wish there was more I could do.”
“I take it as a good sign you can’t do more, that you can’t see more. If you could, it might mean Alex is dead. We both know how it works for you. Sometimes it’s easier if the person can show you things from, you know, beyond or whatever.”
Riley appeared deflated. When it mattered most, when a life was at stake, it seemed her so-called gift was virtually useless. “Maybe we should just try to get a couple of hours of sleep. I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow—today, actually. But we need to be sharp and ready for anything. Alex’s life could depend on it. And so could yours.”
Jacob followed her to their bedroom. The small room was decorated in floral and with soft and pretty things around, and it made him feel loved. It was everything Riley tried hard to hide about herself. She wanted those around her to see her as strong, resilient, and in need of no one.
“Sit down.” Jacob squatted and untied her shoes.
Riley lowered herself onto the edge of the bed. “You don’t have to…”
“I want to.” He pulled off her shoes, placing them neatly next to her nightstand.
“I have to secure my gun.” She unhooked her holster and stood in bare feet before padding to her closet to lock up her weapon. Upon her return, Jacob smoothed out a t-shirt on the bed. “Here you go.”
“Why are you doing this? I’m okay.”
“I know you are. I just need to show you that I’m here for you. That I understand who you are, who you really are. And that no matter what happens, I will always be right beside you.”
She placed her hands gently on his cheeks, and in a playful manner, replied, “You’re not dying, are you?”
“You tell me.” He immediately regretted the comment. “I didn’t mean…”
“Of course you didn’t. Thank you for reminding me that I’m not alone. But I miss him, more than ever.”
“He was an important part of your life for as long as I can remember. We’ll get through this, Riley. You can only do what you can do and no one should expect more than that.”
“They know what I can do and they expect me to fix everything, to solve everything. I just can’t. Something’s preventing me from getting the answers I need.”
“I disagree. This time, it isn’t up to some mystical force you inherited. You aren’t trying to get justice for a heinous act that left a devastating power in its wake. This time, it’s bad people looking to take advantage of each other for reasons we don’t know yet. I can see how hard this is for you. You feel responsible. Everyone looking to you for answers. But Riley, what your gift does is search for the humanity in a situation. That’s not what this is about this time. Look, I’m sitting here telling you what your gift can do, but you already know. Carl’s guided you. Dan’s guided you. I’m only here for support.”
The day had arrived. Jacob sat at his desk, staring at a computer screen but having no idea what he was viewing. A man entered the corridor and Jacob cast an unconcerned glance. But when his eyes focused, his mouth fell agape. He jumped from his chair and rushed into the hall. “Alex? Alex, what the hell? Are you okay?” He grabbed Alex’s arms and checked him over as though he was a wounded man. “Jesus, where have you been? We’ve all been looking for you.”
“I’m sorry, man. I messed up. I messed up, big time,” Alex replied.
“What?” Jacob pulled back, the comment striking him like a punch to the gut. “What are you talking about? Man, we thought you were dead or something. Kidnapped or some shit.”
“I know. I had to leave.”
Others heard the sound of Alex’s voice and appeared in the corridor. Some rushed to him, slinging their arms over his shoulders, welcoming him.
“Holy hell, dude. You have any idea how many people have been looking for you?” Craig asked. “Man, I gotta get the boss.” He jogged deeper into the office until he disappeared.
“I’m okay. I promise. Please don’t make a thing of this. It’s my fault.” Alex shrugged off his co-workers.
“Don’t make a thing of it?” Jacob was in shock. He thought of what Riley had gone through and the rest of the cops. They’d all feared for his life and had worked through the night in an effort to find him. “You have no idea the lengths people around here have gone to figure out what happened to you. To try and find you. And your only response is for us not to make a thing of it?”
“You’re pissed. You all are. I can see it and you should be. Like I said, this was all my doing. No one else’s. And I’ll suffer the consequences of my actions.”
Ty Henry, the Director of Design and Architecture, appeared in the hall and marched toward the growing crowd that surrounded Alex and Jacob. “Oh my God, Alex.” He pushed inside the circle and wrapped his arms around the slightly shorter man. “You’re okay. You have no idea the thoughts that have been running through my mind. What happened? Have you contacted the police yet? They’ve been searching high and low for you.”
“I will. I wanted to see you all first.”
“And your family? Your wife? She must be so relieved,” Ty said.
“She is, yes. We’re all fine now. Can we talk for a moment, in private?”
“Of course.” Ty led Alex back to his office.
The rest of the colleagues dispersed, but Jacob could only stare at Alex as they walked to his boss’s office. In a moment of almost panic, he realized he had to call Riley. Jacob returned to his office and closed the door, reaching for his phone. “It’s me. He’s back, Riley. Alex is here, right now, talking to Ty.”
“What?” Her tone was a hybrid of joy and concern.
“He says he’s sorry and that it was all his fault.” Jacob pushed his hand through his hair, still masked in disbelief. “I—I don’t know what or how or why, but he’s back. And he appears to be unharmed.”
“I have to see him, Jacob. I have to look in his eyes so I can see the truth. Can you bring him to the station now?”
Jacob peered into the hall again, though no one remained. “He’s in with Ty. Should I interrupt him? I have no idea what he’s saying.”
“Yes, please. We need him down here like now. I can’t believe he just waltzed in like that. And he’s not hurt or anything?”
“He doesn’t appear to be. I’m freaked out over here, Riley.”
“Just get him down here as quickly as you can.”
“Okay.” He ended the call and marched down the hall toward Ty’s office. With a light rap on the door with his knuckle, he began, “It’s Jacob.”
“Come in.” Ty’s voice sounded on the other side.
Jacob opened the door to find Alex sitting in the chair opposite Ty’s desk. “Man, Riley wants you down at the station as soon as possible.”
“I figured that would happen.” Alex looked to Ty. “Is it okay?”
“Yes, of course. Go. They need to see that you’re okay. I’m sorry this happened to you, Alex. We’ll have to discuss later what we need to d
o to get past this.”
Alex pushed up from the chair. “I understand. Thank you.” He walked to Jacob. “I can go down there by myself.”
“If it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer to drive you there.”
“Yes, I think that would be the wise choice,” Ty said. “Thank you, Jacob. Please keep me posted.”
“I will.”
Riley stood in the center of the bullpen, staring at her phone as though it might ring again.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Ethan approached her. “Who was that?”
She slowly turned to him. “Jacob. He said Alex just strolled in to work like it was nothing.”
“What?” Ethan spun around. “Where’s the captain?”
“In the kitchen. I think the others are in there too.”
“Holy crap. What the hell happened to him? Is he hurt?” Ethan started moving in all directions, appearing unable to settle on one.
“No. Jacob says he’s fine. I told him to bring him down. They should be here in a few minutes.”
“Who should be here?” Ward emerged from the hall with a coffee in hand. “Riley, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“Alex is back.” Her monotone delivery matched the shock she wore on her face.
“What do you mean, he’s back?” Ward pushed toward her. “Is he okay?”
“According to Jacob, he walked into the front doors of HVM like it was nothing. I just got off the phone and Jacob’s bringing him in now.”
“I don’t believe it.” Ward spotted Abrams and Decker appear from the back. “Alex Laughlin is here.”
“Where?” Abrams looked around.
“Not here, in this building, but here in town. He’s back. Jacob’s bringing him in now.”