"It's still a long shot, we don't even know if he is on the list so don't get your hopes too high," Charlie said while leaving the library parking lot.
"I know." Jenny had become more anxious. "We have to find her. We lost a month waiting for your house to sell. Who knows how long she was held before he left Marina."
"A little faith honey; we're doing everything we can."
"I know, I'm sorry. It just feels like we're running out of time. I hear this tick-tick in my head… Ok, I'm done going psycho. Let's go." She picked up the map and continued, "Looking at the map, let's go to 2318 Kenny Lane first. Left turn on McKee road, the next light I think,"
Jenny called out all the turns. After 20 minutes, a road side mailbox announced their arrival. Charlie slowed to a crawl as they looked down the long driveway. The sound of a lawn mower caught their attention first. It was being pushed by a woman in her late 30's or early 40's. A three-year-old Ford Explorer was in the driveway and they determined this was not the place.
"Ok, one down. Back the way we came. We're looking for Clavering Road," Jenny instructed. The house on Clavering Road was as remote as the first house, but there was no activity there and the garage door was closed.
"This would fit his needs for privacy," Charlie said. "You are a little old to knock on the door selling Girl Scout Cookies."
"Let's run through the list and try this place again later." They drove past the remaining eight addresses on the list and found three possibilities; Clavering Road, Sierra Creek and the last house they were pulling up to on Poppy Lane. Charlie pulled off the road and shut off the engine.
"We need to find a reason to knock on some doors. This place looks like nobody's home," Charlie said.
"It would be nice if there was a window on the side of that garage."
He stepped out of the truck. "Let me take a look."
When he got closer to the garage, he relaxed a little finding three newspapers sitting on the porch. The side window in the two-car garage revealed one open slot and a classic 1957 Chevy Belair parked on the far side. The garage was filled with tool boxes which didn't fit their profile of Robert, so he returned to the truck to share what he found. Jenny crossed it off the list and they drove back towards the Sierra Creek address.
When they turned the corner onto Sierra Creek Jenny gasped, "Charlie, look."
Ahead they saw a pale green VW van backing out of a driveway. They saw the Nevada license plates as it headed away from them and down the hill.
Charlie stopped the truck, jumped out and grabbed his phone. "You follow him and I'll look around the house. Call if he heads back this way."
Jenny slid over the console quickly and took off after the van. She pulled her phone out of her purse to be ready to call Charlie. Knowing to stay back and not give herself away following Robert, when what she really wanted to do was run him off the road. She found herself wishing she was in a run-of-the-mill, gray Honda, and not in their huge truck. Robert was headed into town, so it was a logical route for anyone leaving the neighborhood. She let a couple cars get between them along the way. The van turned right into the post office parking lot and Jenny turned left onto a side street. After a U-turn up the street a ways she was facing the post office. She didn't see Robert get out of the van to go inside and was too far away to see inside the van's windows, which were blacked-out on all the sides. A few minutes later she saw him leave the post office and returned to the van. This was the first time she saw more than his license photo. His hair was short and still military-style, but a lot grayer than the photo. She grabbed her phone ready to hit the screen where Charlie's face appeared in the event that Robert was headed back to the house. The van backed out of the parking spot and away from the direction to his house. Jenny followed him to the Safeway shopping center and paralleled him three aisles over and parked. She didn't know if she should follow Robert on foot or stay in the truck. She picked up her phone to call Charlie.
Chapter 19
Charlie watched as Jenny drove away in pursuit of the van. The houses there were spread out and the area was full of trees. He didn't think he would be seen as he approached the small house, which had an attached garage on one side of the house. The latch on the door was open so he tried to lift the garage door. It had an electric opener holding it down. He walked to the side of the garage and was disappointed to find no window or side door.
He saw that all the windows on the back side of the house had blinds that were closed and it was quiet inside. He approached a rear door and, as expected, it was also locked. He continued to walked around the house toward the front and found a small window on the far side. It wasn't covered, so he looked in. He was looking into the center of the kitchen above the sink. On the opposite wall he saw the range and refrigerator. His peripheral view was limited to a small dining table on one side and, he guessed, the living room looking the other way.
The front windows of the house had heavy drapes drawn, closed. Charlie turned toward the back of the house again to knock on the windows when he heard the garage door start to open. He ducked down behind a large bush and watched as a white Dodge van pulled into the garage. He went quickly around the back of the house when the garage door started closing. He heard two male voices, but couldn't make out what was being said. The voices grew fainter as they entered the house from the garage. He went to the smaller of the two windows on the back of the house and listened.
"Wake up, sleepy head. Tonight is your big night," Charlie heard faintly through the window.
Another voice, higher in pitch said, laughing, "That's right, our little model is going to become a woman tonight."
Charlie felt his anger rise and debated the best way to get inside. He was considering breaking into the back door when his phone rang. It rang three times before he was able to stand and pull it out of his pocket and press the answer key. Charlie heard the distinctive sound of a shotgun's pump action loading a shell on the back porch. "Drop it!" the man commanded.
"Hang on, Robert," Charlie said, lowering the phone from his ear. "I'm on the phone with Robert. He invited me over for the party."
"Bullshit," the man answered. "This is a private party and I don't know who the hell you are."
Charlie walked slowly towards the man, handing him the phone. "Then you tell him that."
The man watched the phone drop from Charlie's hand just inches from his own. Distracted, he dropped his guard long enough for Charlie to grab the extended barrel of the shotgun. Charlie, being a good 50 pounds heavier, pulled the man towards him with his left hand, and delivered a round house punch with his right, sending him backwards and stumbling over the raised porch. The man started to regain his balance and raised his head. Charlie gripped the shotgun barrel with both hands, swung it over his right shoulder and delivered a perfect 300-yard golf swing to the side of his head. The man rolled off of the porch into a motionless heap on the ground. A quick glance was all Charlie had time to give him as he knew there was someone else in the house. Charlie turned the shotgun in his hands ready to fire when he entered the house through the open rear door.
The pistol pointed at Charlie from across the living room disappeared along with the arm that was holding it, when Charlie pulled the trigger on the shotgun. He heard a scream from the bedroom and walked towards it. Charlie entered the bedroom with the shotgun still in his hands. On the bed, curled up in the corner he saw the dark brown eyes of a terrified young girl. She appeared small with the short blond hair Jenny has figured. The adrenaline was pumping so fast he was sure he looked like a crazed madman to the young girl. He set the rifle down beside the door.
"It's OK. I'm here to help get you home." He saw that the bed sheet wrapped around her was all that covered her. He opened the closet door and pulled out a robe. When he handed it to her he saw the cable and harness around her waist. She was shaking violently and wouldn't reach out for the robe.
"My name is Charlie and you're going to be ok now. Turn around and I'll remove tha
t harness from your waist." The fear in her eyes faded only slightly, but she turned to expose the back of the harness. A lock held both the harness together and to the cable that had a second lock securing it to the floor. Robert has the key, he thought.
"Do you know where the key is?" He only received a negative nod. He put the robe over her shoulders. "I'll be right back. You aren't in danger anymore."
He went back outside and retrieved his phone. "Jenny?"
"Oh my god Charlie, what's going on? I heard the gun shot!"
"It's under control here. Where's Robert?"
"Headed back to the house, maybe only a mile away," she answered anxiously.
"Break off following him. I don't want to spook him and will take care of him when he gets here. Get to or call the police and bring them."
"Is Hope there? Is she OK?"
"Yes, she is. I need to get back in there." He glanced at the man still knocked out and quickly returned to the small bedroom in the house.
"What's your name?"
"Cindy," came her faint reply.
"Cindy, the police are on their way, but you have to be quiet until I can grab Robert and get the key, do you understand?" The fear rose again in her eyes at the mention of his name.
"Yes," Cindy answered softly, still huddled it the corner.
Charlie went to the garage, looking for anything to cut her loose. He had just picked up a roll of duct tape when the motor on the garage door opener started. He moved quickly back into the house and waited. The sound of the garage door closing began as the side door from the garage opened.
Robert walked through the door and called out, "Hey Stan, Lance; you boys ready for the grand ope…" Robert stopped abruptly as Charlie pressed the shot gun against Robert's chest.
"Please give me a reason to send you to hell."
Robert dropped the bags he was holding, "What the Fu…"
"Party's been cancelled, asshole. Give me the key to release Cindy. Another word out of your mouth and you'll become wall décor, like your pathetic friend."
Charlie retrieved the keys and pushed Robert against the door, closing it. "Face the door, hands behind your back." Charlie taped Robert's wrists together and wrapping tape around his waist and pushed him down on the floor in the small bedroom. Charlie unlocked the harness from around Cindy's waist. "Cindy, get something to wear and wait in the living room. Oh…,"
He was cut off when he felt Robert's leg strike his ankle in an attempt to trip him. With Robert lying on his side, Charlie pivoted off his left foot and caught Robert in the stomach with a hard kick that forced all the air out of Robert's lungs. Cindy disappeared into the closet. Charlie taped Robert's legs together, wrapped the harness around his neck and locked it to the cable. He then turned towards the closet.
"Cindy it's ok now, you can come out."
He slowly slid the closet door open. She stood frozen in the back corner, holding the clothes she had gotten to wear. He took his phone out of his pocket and handed it to her.
"Here's my phone, Cindy. Take it with you into the other room. I'm sure there's someone waiting to hear from you."
She moved slowly out of the closet, reached for the phone and said, in a whisper, "Thank you."
When she saw Robert on the floor, she dashed out of the bedroom.
"How do you like that collar now?"
Robert started to shout, "You bas..." but quickly went silent when he heard Charlie pump another shell into the shotgun.
Charlie passed through the living room to unlocked the front door. He paused a moment, hearing the words of joy fighting through sobs and tears from Cindy on his phone. He was sure it was occurring on the other end of the phone as well. He dragged the gunman that had bled out and died by the front door into the room with Robert, then closed the door.
He turned towards Cindy and asked, "Cindy, are you OK?" He received a very positive nod then smiled. He pulled the map from his pocket and handed it to her. "This is the address here." He heard her relay it over the phone and then he headed towards the back door.
Outside he found the first gunman still unconscious, but verified he had a pulse then wrapped his hands with the duct tape. He sat on the back porch and listened to the sound of sirens approaching. He smiled, when he heard tires squeal to a stop in the driveway, followed quickly by a desperate call. "Charlie!"
Moments later, he heard the front door swing open with a bang and Jenny's words. "Thank God, you precious thing."
Cindy sensing Jenny was on the right side, smiled and pointed toward the back door, still talking on the phone.
"Hope is OK. She's really OK, Charlie," Jenny shouted, flying through the back door.
"Cindy, her name is, Cindy." He rose to hold Jenny and found she was shaking. A combination of relief, excitement and just being an emotional woman, he figured.
"Cindy," she replied, pulling away from a kiss.
"Yeah, Cindy. Guess we blew it, found the wrong girl."
Jenny couldn't respond, when all the tension inside of her released in an uncontrolled laugh.
Shortly after the sirens had died in the driveway, a deputy came through the back door and asked if anyone was hurt. Charlie pointed to the man lying on the ground. "He has a pulse and is breathing, but that's all I know." Charlie handed the shotgun to the officer. After he'd taken the gun and put the man on the ground in hand cuffs, he turned toward Jenny.
"We need to talk to you about speeding when we get this sorted out," he said, smiling.
Charlie and Jenny laughed as they went back inside and sat in chairs across from Cindy. She was a different girl then, seeming to understand that it was over and she was headed home.
Jenny stood and approached her slowly with her arms reached out. "Hello Cindy, I'm Jenny." Cindy turned toward Jenny and moved easily into her arms.
"My family's coming here to get me," she said, through flowing tears. Jenny held her for a few minutes and felt her calm a little. She couldn't bear to think about what Cindy had been through and would hold her as long as she needed. Cindy reached around Jenny, and handed the phone back to Charlie.
"Cindy, your beautiful hair will grow back," Jenny said, and Cindy responded with an honest smile.
One of the officers came out of the bedroom and looked at Charlie. "Have you got the key?"
Charlie rose from his seat, handed the key over and replied, "Unlock the cable, but let him wear the harness for a while."
"Good idea," the officer said.
Ten minutes after Charlie and Jenny had finished their statements, they were approached by an attractive well dressed woman their age with short dark blond hair. Charlie figured she was a journalist or reporter but seemed to be in charge there. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Watson, I'm detective Nicole Eberhart with the San Jose Police Department. I received a run down from Sergeant Ramirez who took your statement and wanted to personally thank you two for what you've done here." She handed Charlie her card.
"I'm Charlie and this is my wife, Jenny. We're just thankful we were here in time for Cindy."
"We've had Lance Morgan, the one leaving in the body bag, on our radar for some time, but could never get enough to put him away for good. That's one more major ped off the streets.
"Will Cindy be OK?" Jenny asked.
"She seems to be a pretty strong little girl. We don't know the extent of the abuse she's endured yet, but there are very good counselors ready to help her put her life back together. She told us she called her parents on your phone and they are en route here now. From what I understand at this point, there was no internal abuse of Cindy which helps a great deal in recovery from this type of trauma."
"Thank God for that," Jenny said.
"And again, thank you two. We'll be in touch if there is anything else we need. We have your contact information so if you want to leave," she said with gratitude as she stood.
"If it's not a problem, we'd like to wait until Cindy's parents arrive," Charlie asked.
"Not at all. You've earn
ed the sight of this happy ending." She turned and walked to one of the arresting officers.
They had just sat beside Cindy again when they heard a cry from outside the front door. Cindy jumped up and ran into her parents' embrace as they rushed through the front door. A picture they would have forever because Jenny recalled her cell phone had a camera. Cindy's parents turned to face them, not letting go of Cindy with damp faces bearing relief.
"How can we ever thank you?" her father said.
"You just did. We can see the love there," Jenny replied.
As they were leaving the house, Charlie dug a card out of his wallet and handed it to Detective Eberhart. "Do me a favor, Detective, and tell this guy what happened here?"
"It'll be my pleasure Mr. Watson." The detective looked at the business card for Marina Police Chief Rodney Walker.
Charlie and Jenny walked past a news van as they were unloading crew and cameras. An eager reporter pushed a microphone towards them. "What's going on here?"
"Thank God. A change in plans," Jenny said without breaking stride toward their truck.
The next day Charlie and Jenny read the story in the newspaper that Cindy was only 13 years old. She had been abducted on her way home from school six weeks earlier. Lance Morgan, the inside gunman that died at the house, was a registered sex offender with a long history of child pornography. Stan Redmann, the outside gunman, and Robert Porter were without prior convictions. The computers and photography equipment that were taken from the house, the story continued, were being reviewed by the FBI with further arrests expected.
Watson Manor Eventually (Watson Manor Mystery Series Book 1) Page 12