Death's Door

by Rick Polad

  Her eyes filled with tears, and she looked up at me. “Thanks for everything you’ve done for me and Billy, Spencer. We’re so lucky.”

  I smiled. “Not as lucky as I, Carol. You two have done so much for me. I love you both.”

  We hugged again, and then I pushed her away with a smile.

  She asked if the police were getting anywhere with the shooting.

  I shrugged. “Early yet. They’ve interviewed all the gang connections. Everyone has an alibi. Renald Williams, the leader of the Prophets, is saying his brother would get off anyway so why would they shoot anybody?”

  “Yeah, why would a gang thug shoot anyone? Do you think they’ll find him?”

  “They usually do, especially with this many people working on it. Someone will make a mistake somewhere along the way.”

  “I hope so, Spencer.”

  “Me too.”

  “Are you going to do anything?”

  I shrugged. “Not much to do that the cops aren’t already doing. But I have some thoughts. In the meantime, anything on the agency?”

  She handed me a sheet of paper with her notes. “Yes, they are still in business. They’ve been around for fifteen years and do exactly what their name implies. The lady I talked to, a Miss Meek, said they specialize in placing babies with couples who have had trouble with the system elsewhere. Evidently, they have some kind of magic that cuts through the red tape. She made it sound like they were my dream come true.”

  “Well, nothing wrong with that. What did you tell her?”

  She sat at her desk and I sat on the corner. “Nothing specific. After hearing her pitch, I told her exactly what she was pitching. My husband and I were having trouble. We were on lists but weren’t getting anywhere and really wanted a baby.”

  I sat down in front of her desk. “Good. What did she say?”

  “She said we should come in for an interview. I told her I’d talk to my husband. She asked for my name, and I told her I didn’t feel comfortable telling her until I talked to him. She said she understood and hoped to hear from me soon. She reassured me that I had called the right place to solve my problem.”

  “Interesting. Nice work. I wonder if they have an office in Chicago.”

  “I asked. They don’t. Green Bay is it.”

  I shrugged. “Well, that’s not all bad. It’s only an hour from Aunt Rose’s cherry pie. I’ve been looking for an excuse to head up to Door County.”

  “You don’t need an excuse.”

  We both laughed.

  “What about Single Mother Outreach?” I asked.

  “They’re also in Green Bay. I called and got an answering machine. I didn’t leave a message. The address is a PO box.”

  “So why am I calling an adoption agency in Wisconsin?” she asked. “Or is this something else I’m better off not knowing about?”

  I laughed again. “Not everything is so clandestine.” I sat in the client’s chair and explained the documents I had found in Stosh’s bedroom.

  She looked just as confused as I was. “That’s all very odd, Spencer.”

  I agreed.

  There was a screech of brakes and a crash, but not a very loud one. We both got up and walked to the window. A red Buick had run into the rear end of a cab. The cab driver was out and yelling. The driver of the Buick, a middle-aged woman, was bending over the bumper. I asked Carol to call the police and tell them it didn’t look like anyone was hurt and walked out to referee, but it didn’t get to the point of battle... the cab driver was satisfied with angry words. A squad car pulled up five minutes later and they sorted it all out.

  Carol handed me a cup of coffee when I came back into the office. “So, do we want a boy or a girl?”

  I laughed and played along. “Let’s throw darts for it. Even number, it’s a boy… odd it’s a girl.”

  She tilted her head sideways and looked at me out of the corner of her eye. “If you need a Mrs. Manning at some point, I’m available.”

  “Okay, if I ever need a wife for a day, I’ll keep you in mind.” I smiled and headed back to my office where I could feel helpless in peace and quiet. I had of course offered to help in any way I could. Captain Perez had thanked me and said he’d keep me informed. But there wasn’t much to be informed about. They had to find a hole in the gang alibis or get someone to talk. It looked pretty simple, but I couldn’t help thinking not everything was as simple as it looked.

  Chapter 5

  Present Day

  The desk sergeant nodded at me as I walked into the station. I nodded back and climbed the stairs heading for the captain’s office at the end of the second-floor hall. Halfway down the hall I leaned into Stosh’s office and said hello to Kate. She got up and gave me a hug… or maybe I gave her one. Over her shoulder I looked at the black ribbon on the jamb of the inner-office door. Stosh’s office was very empty.

  Kate moved away from me and asked, “Anything I can do for you, Spencer?”

  “No thanks, Kate. Just going to have a chat with the captain. Anything I can do for you?”

  She managed a tiny smile. “Despite the obvious miracle… no.”

  “Well, if I figure that out I’ll let you know.”

  She nodded.

  Captain Perez came around the corner and waved at me to follow him. His secretary wasn’t at her desk. He gestured to a cushioned chair, sat, and offered me some water. I declined, and he poured himself a glass.

  “Anything new, Captain?”

  “Nothing. But we’re working on several fronts. There are two gangers we’re trying to find. One is a cousin of Williams. We have reason to believe he’s been a courier between Renald and Stateville.”

  “I’d like to do something… feel pretty helpless.”

  He nodded. “We all do. Find something to do to take your mind off of it. I think Rosie has some time coming. Why don’t you two head up to Door County?”

  “Aunt Rose suggested the same thing. Maybe I will. There’s something I’d like to look into up that way.”

  “I have your car phone. I’ll call if anything breaks loose. Until it does, just try and relax.”

  “Will do. Appreciate it, Captain.”

  He lifted his glass as I stood.

  ***

  Rosie and another detective were standing in the hall outside Stosh’s office. I walked up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head and smiled at me. The other detective excused himself.

  “Hi, Spencer. What’re you doing here?”

  “Brief chat with the captain.”

  “Anything in particular?”

  “Just wanted to see if I could help. He said he’d call if he needed me.”

  “I’ve gotta review this file. Walk with me.”

  As we headed to the other end of the hall I said, “He suggested I find something to take my mind off of all of this and said you might have some time coming. Can I interest you in a trip up to Door County?”

  “You might. When do you want to go?”

  We stopped at the detectives’ room. “If you’re interested, you tell me. I’m flexible. And there’s something up that way I want to look into.”

  “Okay, I’ll call you tonight. What is it?”

  “I’d rather show you. How about dinner?”

  “Great. Pick me up at six? McGoon’s?”

  “Done.” We waved goodbye, and I looked at the door to Stosh’s office for a few seconds before heading down the stairs.

  ***

  We started in the bar with Guinness.

  “Sorry to hear about the lieutenant, guys,” said Jack as he set down the glasses.

  “Thanks, Jack,” said Rosie. “I still can’t believe it happened.”

  Jack pulled a towel off his shoulder and wiped the bar top. “The papers are saying it was gang related. You agree?”

  “Hard to say,” Rosie said. “Sure could be. I wouldn’t put it past them. But murdering a cop is even a stretch for them.” She took a drink. “Every time I pass hi
s office…”

  I put my arm around her shoulder.

  “My sympathies,” said Jack.

  “Thanks,” I said.

  Rosie took a long drink and said, “So what’s this something?”

  I took the envelopes out of my pocket and told her the story.

  She took a long drink and said, “That’s very odd. And your story made me hungry. Let’s get a table.”

  Ryan seated us, and we ordered dinner and two more Guinnesses.

  She shook her head. “What do you make of it, Spencer?”

  I shrugged. “Not a clue. It certainly is odd. And what about Single Mother Outreach?” I told her what Carol had found out. “Make any sense to you?”

  “Why would he continue paying for something he didn’t get?”

  “Exactly.”

  She gave me a coy look and asked, “Do you want to find out?”

  I laughed. “Do you need to ask?”

  She returned the laugh. “Nope. Just wanted to be clear.”

  Jane brought the food. Steak for me and shepherd’s pie for Rosie. We ate for a few minutes in silence.

  “So, are you up for a road trip?” I asked.

  “Wouldn’t miss it. Where to exactly?”

  “We’ll start in Green Bay with the adoption agency, but Moonlight Bay is calling.” We hadn’t been up to my cottage on the bay on the Lake Michigan side of Door County since Christmas.

  “When do you want to leave?”

  “How about Saturday? We can be up there by dinner time.”

  “But the agency will be closed by then.”

  “Exactly.”

  Slowly shaking her head, she smiled at me but didn’t ask any questions. We finished eating, telling stories about Stosh. There were a lot of stories to tell.

  Chapter 6

  On the way home from McGoon’s we had discussed the plan, and Rosie had talked me into meeting with someone from the agency Saturday afternoon. It didn’t take much to convince me… having some knowledge of the layout of the office before wandering through it in the dark made sense. Carol called and made an appointment for Mr. and Mrs. Blaine at three on Saturday. They closed at four. That was their last appointment of the day. We would be seeing a Mrs. Peters, the same name on Stosh’s letter.

  We left Saturday after breakfast. The weather was perfect for a drive… sunny with fluffy white clouds. Rosie had taken the next week off so we had plenty of time to poke around. It was about a five hour drive up Interstate 43. I usually cut over to highway 42 at Manitowoc and take that road along the lakeshore up to Door County. It’s a slow, leisurely drive with beautiful views of the lake. But since we were going to Green Bay, I stayed on 43.

  We stopped at a Perkins for lunch and went over our story. I had already given some basic information in a phone interview with Miss Leek. We were trying to have a child but hadn’t been successful. Rosie had suggested I make a doctor appointment, but I refused. So we figured adopting would be a good alternative. We had already tried several agencies, but they had long waiting lists. A friend of Rosie knew someone who knew someone who knew of the From Us to You Adoption Agency and had good things to say about how helpful they had been. I invested in real estate, and Rosie worked with kids who had trouble with the law. Both were true. We had decided to answer as few questions as possible and be very hesitant about making a decision. We’d have to come back.

  I had been enjoying a quiet ride when about an hour out of Green Bay Rosie broke the silence.

  “Spencer, have you ever thought about having kids?”

  “Sure, have you?”

  “Yes, I’d love to.”

  I nodded, knowing that wasn’t the end of the conversation.

  After a minute, she asked, “So, would you?”

  I took a deep breath. “I would, but there’s that heart thing.” I sped up to seventy to pass a semi. My twin sister and I had been born with a heart problem and weren’t supposed to live ten years. She hadn’t. Every day I woke up I was beating the odds, but I was living on borrowed time. That didn’t seem to be the type of situation to bring a child into.

  She put her hand on my thigh. “You can’t let that rule your life.”

  “I try not to, Rosie. But for long-term things like kids… and marriage, it matters.”

  “It’s easy for me to say it shouldn’t, so I won’t. I do understand your point, but there’s a lot you’re missing. You could live forever.”

  I laughed.

  She smiled. “Well, perhaps not forever… but just as long as the rest of us.”

  “Which could be tomorrow.”

  She punched me in the side.

  We talked a bit more without reaching agreement on how to approach my life problem. The bottom line was I thought it was selfish to involve other people in my dilemma. She thought it was selfish not to.

  The last hour went quickly. With a cottage less than an hour away, I had never had reason to stay in Green Bay. But, not knowing what we’d be doing, I had decided to get a hotel room. That would leave us the option of being in town if that was more convenient. At some point, we’d get to the cottage. I had made reservations for three nights at the Hampton Inn on the Fox River, only a few miles from the bay.

  As 43 curved west, we had a view of the bay. Multi-colored sailboats dotted the sparkling water. I exited the highway and headed a few blocks south to Main Street. Just after crossing the East River I turned right and was at the hotel in two minutes.

  It was a good choice. The hotel was a beautiful, imposing, seven-story building made of pink stone and lots of windows. Two round towers flanked the parking garage and convention center. A smiling young woman greeted us from behind the marble-topped cherry counter. We checked in, and a porter showed us to our suite with a separate bedroom and hot tub on the fifth floor. He opened the curtains, revealing a view of the river. Even with the gray sky it was a great view… a good place to sit and relax and watch the boats go by. We unpacked, washed up, and sat next to the window doing exactly that. We’d have to leave in a half hour for our appointment at three.

  As a white boat with a blue stripe motored by, Rosie asked if she could ask a question. I said sure. She hesitated, so I knew it wasn’t about the weather.

  “Why are we doing this?”

  I knew what she meant. “Sitting here? Because we have some spare time before—”

  “No, not sitting here. Well, maybe yes, sitting here… instead of sitting on your deck on Moonlight Bay, having a few beers and wondering about what time to put the steaks on the grill.”

  “Ah… that sitting here.”

  She was quiet.

  I took a deep breath and turned to face her. “I’ve wondered the same thing. I just need to do something, Rosie. The captain basically told me to butt out, and I do realize you all can handle the gang investigation. Until he comes up with something, there’s nothing I can do... and maybe even if he does. I feel helpless. This adoption thing is just taking my mind off of it. But it is odd, and things that are odd interest me.”

  “I figured it was something like that.” Several more boats passed us. “Not that I’m complaining,” she said with a smile. “It’ll be kinda fun being Mrs. Blaine.”

  “Be careful what you ask for.”

  “Oh, I always have been.”

  I changed the conversation to boating. I loved being on the water but had no desire to own a boat. Several friends I sailed with were proof of the saying that a boat is a hole in the water you pour money into.

  At 2:20 I called the desk and asked that the rental car I had ordered and had delivered to the hotel be brought to the front. I wanted something less distinctive than a sky-blue Mustang. A black, four-door Chevy Malibu was waiting for us. On the way to the car I picked up a map of Green Bay at the front desk.

  ***

  I drove past the agency and around the block to get a feel for the area. It was mixed commercial and residential. I went around a second time and turned into the alley to take a look at t
he rear of the building. I had to drive slowly to miss the bigger potholes. There were two occupied parking spaces off the alley and a single door on the rear of the building. Small single-family homes were on the other side of the alley. I made my way around to the front and parked on the street a few doors away. The agency was a single-story storefront in a brick building with a large picture window amongst other similar storefronts. Other small businesses were on the opposite side of the street. I reached into my pocket, took out my parents’ wedding rings, and handed Mom’s to Rosie. We had already tried them on. The fit wasn’t perfect, but it was close enough. I got out and opened the door for Rosie. We had discussed the rings and decided to leave them on as long as we were up here just in case we ran into someone who might notice.

  As I took her hand, I said, “Let’s go have a baby, Mrs. Blaine.”

  She laughed. “One thing about it… from what I hear, this sure is a lot less painful.”

  The logo of the agency, their name in a rainbow arc with a baby in a cradle under the rainbow, was painted on the picture window.

  As we neared the door a couple came out. She was sobbing. He was pushing the door with one hand and trying to comfort her with his other hand on her shoulder. I held the door. They walked away with him telling her it’d be okay. Rosie and I looked at each other with wide eyes. That certainly wasn’t a good sign.

  We entered and were immediately greeted enthusiastically by a smiling young woman who seemed not to have noticed the crying lady. She stood with a smile, holding out her hand to me. Everything about her was simple, from her brown hair to her clothes. She wouldn’t have stood out in a crowd.

  “You must be the Blaines. I’m Sarah Leek. Welcome to From Us to You.”

  She shook Rosie’s hand and offered a seat. “Mrs. Peters will be with you in a minute. She’s just attending to something.”

  As we sat on the green, cushioned couch, I said, “Yes, we noticed what she’s attending to. That lady was pretty upset.”

  Sarah was flustered. “Oh, yes, she was… well her husband… it was just unfortunate. But I can’t discuss our clients. Can I get you some coffee or water?”

  We declined and sat. The reception area was fairly small with not much more room than for the desk and couch. It was brightly decorated in blues and pinks with pictures of cute babies on the walls. A hallway on the right side of the room led into the rear.