by Rick Polad
As I was putting the phone back in its cradle, I glanced at Stosh and saw the energy back in his face.
***
When we all had coffee, Iverson sat up in his chair and continued.
“Mr. Bell had been gone all week on a business trip. He got back into town this morning and got home around ten. Missus wasn’t home. He thought that a little odd… she was usually home to greet him. But he didn’t think more about it until noon.”
“When was the last time he talked to her?” Stosh asked.
“He had called around dinner time last night.”
“Not at bedtime?” asked Rosie.
“Not last night. Thursday is her bridge night, and she usually doesn’t get home until after midnight. She said she’d see him in the morning and would make a special lunch.”
“No note?”
“Nope.” He took a drink and sat back.
“Did Snark send Dunsley?”
“Dunsley went, but so did Chief Snark.”
“That’s a lot of attention pretty early for a missing person,” said Stosh.
“Yes it is,” Iverson admitted. “And it wouldn’t have happened if not for Spencer. You now have Snark’s attention.” He gave me a sideways look. “But don’t expect a thank you.”
I laughed. “No, I wouldn’t think so. What a shame this had to happen to get his attention. What’s he doing?”
“Same as any other missing person. There’s a bulletin out, and it’ll be on the news tonight.”
“This is all pretty bizarre,” Stosh said. “She’s gone from murder to arson to kidnapping. Not your usual profile.”
We all agreed.
Rosie sighed. “And we keep following her around as she does all that. We need to get ahead of her.”
“That’s always the trick, Rosie,” Stosh said.
“Perhaps a call to Dr. Long,” I suggested.
“Couldn’t hurt,” Iverson said. He called and talked to the secretary, who said the doctor was in a session but had the next hour free. He told her we’d be there in fifteen minutes.
***
A young woman was leaving the building when we pulled into the lot. She ignored us. Dr. Long was standing at the reception desk when we walked in. She said hello and looked surprised.
“You brought an army. We’ll need another chair.”
I introduced Stosh, picked up a chair from the reception area, and carried it into her office.
When she was seated behind her desk, she said, “If you’re here again I’m guessing it’s not with good news.”
Iverson told her about the arson and the kidnapping and that we all thought that was odd.
“It is from a logical point of view, but remember we’re not dealing with logic here. She’s in panic mode looking for her baby and, like that mother bear, is liable to do almost anything when she doesn’t find it.”
“That’s not good for our side,” Stosh said.
“No, it’s not. She’s unpredictable. What’s being done?”
I sat up straight and stretched. “The Freys have been moved to a hotel in town, and Mr. Maxwell is aware.” I told her about Mrs. Bell.
“So the only thing you have going for you is you know the players. She’s only coming after the names on the folder.” She looked at Stosh. “Except for you, Lieutenant… you’re already dead.”
That should have been funny, but no one laughed. We all knew what she meant… to Victoria, Stosh was still dead.
“What about the lady who runs the agency?” she asked.
“A Detective Dunsley talked to her,” I said. “She was upset but of no help.”
“Any protection for her?”
“No,” said Iverson. “The police aren’t in the bodyguard business. But she’s just as aware as everyone else. The biggest thing for all these people is just to be aware… don’t go out alone, stay home at night. Spencer and Rosie had a talk with Mrs. Bell. The Bells filed a lawsuit against the agency for fraud.”
“This just keeps getting crazier.”
“She wondered why we were there and not the Green Bay police,” I said. “She called them asking why they weren’t talking to her, which led to my getting a call from Chief Snark telling me to mind my own business or I’d end up in jail.”
“Really? Sounds like he’s not a part of the team.”
Rosie explained that police aren’t fond of outside help, especially from a private detective.”
Dr. Long sighed. “Not very productive.”
“So what do you think, Doc?” Stosh asked.
“Unfortunately, the same thing I thought last time. This is an unpredictable woman acting on emotions. She’ll take opportunities as they come and probably isn’t making any plans other than to concentrate on the names on the folders. This is obvious, but you need to find her.”
“Yes, that’d be the first choice,” I said. “But so far, absolutely nothing. Two states are looking and not a clue. The only thing we know is where she’s been. We’d like to get ahead of her and be waiting. Any suggestions?”
“I would think Mrs. Peters would be a target, but not because of any logical thinking… just because she’s the only one who hasn’t been targeted yet. All of the other families have been attacked.”
“Do you think she knows she’s doing something wrong?” I asked.
“Probably not. Remember the bear… everything is a target until she finds her cub.”
“We need to have another talk with Peters,” I said. “Maybe Snark will be more helpful now. What do you think, Iverson?”
“Worth a try, but I’m probably the one who should do the talking.”
I nodded. “Agreed.”
We thanked Dr. Long for her time and headed back to the station where we talked for a few minutes about how to approach Chief Snark. We all agreed that we should continue the surveillance on Victoria’s house and step that up to twenty-four hours.
As we were leaving, Iverson asked, “What’s all that bear crap?”
I laughed and gave him the short version.
We put the surveillance into effect Friday night with Rosie and me covering until Paul got back at eight. We took two cars and slept in the car. It was a quiet night.
Chapter 34
We continued the surveillance on Saturday. While Rosie and I were having breakfast on the balcony of our room at the hotel, we got a call from Iverson. He had talked to Chief Snark and Snark was going to have Dunsley have another chat with Peters. I made the comment that, based on the unreported lunch, Dunsley would probably be happy about that.
Rosie and I relieved Paul at seven. He was doing the crossword in one of Victoria’s newspapers. He had nothing to report.
A light drizzle started as the sun was setting. Kids who were playing ball in the front yards went in, and I lost my entertainment. Rosie came and sat with me a little after nine and said she was going to take a nap in the rental and would relieve me at eleven.
I finished the crossword, got as comfortable as I could in a bucket seat, and settled in for another night’s vigil. I kept myself entertained guessing the make of the next car to go by. I wasn’t at all successful, and it didn’t occupy enough of my time… it was a quiet street. After guessing wrong at 10:05, my next guess was a Chevy. I was wrong—it was a Volkswagon… a white one, and it turned into Victoria’s drive and pulled up to the garage. I went back to the rental car and knocked on the window.
Rosie was immediately awake, and I told her Victoria had arrived. At least I was assuming it was Victoria. I didn’t get a good look at the driver. We had already discussed what to do if she showed up. I would approach her outside asking for directions, and Rosie would provide cover. We didn’t think she would be a threat to us, but there was that mother bear thing.
I crossed the street as Victoria was lifting the garage door. She pulled the car in, and I waited for her to come out at the sidewalk. As she came out I started up the driveway with a smile on my face and a wave. She was immediately defensive.
“Hi, I’m lost… wondering if you can help. I’m looking for—”
Her eyes stopped me as she looked to my right. I knew Rosie was backing me up, but I also knew Rosie wouldn’t have let herself be seen. I hoped it wasn’t the neighbor. The look of panic on her face let me know she thought she was cornered. The gun she pulled out of her purse confirmed that.
“Whoa, calm down. I told you—”
“I don’t care what you told me,” she said in a shaky voice. Her hand, with the gun pointed at me, was trembling. “Who the hell are you, and what do you want?”
Trying to stay calm, I said, “I told you—”
“You’re a liar! You’re after my baby! You—”
“Victoria, listen to me. I just want to help. I want to help you find your baby. I’m on your side.”
The gun was trembling. “No one’s on my side. You’re all against me.”
“I’m not. You need a friend… I’m going to help you.”
“Why would you help me?” She started to cry.
“Because I know what you’re going through. You need to put down the gun and we can talk.” Her arm and the gun lowered a few inches. It must have been getting heavy. “Put down the gun and I’ll help you find your baby, Victoria.”
Her arm dropped a bit more, but it was still on the target, which was me.
“No one can help me anymore.” Her chest heaved as she breathed very quickly. “I killed two people, and one of those was a cop. I have to kill them all!”
“But you don’t have to kill me, do you?”
That confused her. “I don’t… I don’t know. If they catch me I’ll go to jail, and then I won’t find my baby. I have to kill them first.”
“Victoria, you haven’t killed anyone. The two people you shot aren’t dead.”
Her eyebrows scrunched down and she looked confused. “You’re lying. The papers said they were dead. I need to kill the rest.”
“No, Victoria. Those stories were planted to make you think they were dead so you would stop.”
“That’s a lie.” But her arm kept dropping and was at a forty-five-degree angle down. “Why should I believe you?”
I knew she was breaking, and I wouldn’t be shot if the gun went off. With more talk I’d be able to get her to put down the gun. “Because you need a friend, Victoria. I need you to help me with something.”
She looked puzzled. “What?”
“I need to know where Mrs. Bell is.”
She still looked puzzled.
“Where is she, Victoria?”
“I—”
She was interrupted by a gunshot from behind me and I watched Victoria fall to the ground. I ran to her and took the gun away and threw it to the side. I looked out toward the street and saw nothing. I couldn’t understand why Rosie would have shot… she would have heard my conversation and known I had it under control. I kneeled next to Victoria, who was still breathing. She had been shot in the chest. It seemed like minutes, but it must have only been seconds until Rosie was by my side.
“Why did you shoot?” I asked, not very politely.
“Hang on, Spencer. I didn’t. I’ll call for an ambulance.”
I nodded, not understanding at all. But as she ran toward the street, Detective Dunsley came out from the shadows on the side of the house.
I looked up at him as he walked toward me looking smug. “Dunsley! What the hell!”
“What are you talking about Manning?” he said as he holstered his gun.
“Why did you shoot her? She was ready to put down her gun!”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Manning. I’d think you’d be grateful. I just saved your life.”
I was still kneeling and leaned down. “Victoria, an ambulance is coming. Where is Mrs. Bell?” I opened her jacket and put pressure on the red stain on the front of her shirt.
Her eyes opened slightly and she looked at me pleadingly. Her lips moved, and then she took one last gasp. Her chest heaved and fell as her head rolled to the side. The pressure wasn’t going to help. I sat on the ground and stared at her still body.
Rosie came running up. “The ambulance is on its way, Spencer.”
My look told her all she needed to know.
“Oh, my God.” She turned to Dunsley. “What the hell is the matter with you? Spencer had her talked down.”
“She was holding a gun on an unarmed man. I saved his life.”
“That’s not the way I saw it,” she said.
“Well, I don’t know how you do things in the big city, but here we take care of the good guys first.”
She looked at me, and I just shook my head.
Dunsley started to walk away as we heard faint sirens.
“Hey, Dunsley,” I said. “How did you happen to show up here?”
He stopped and turned. “I didn’t happen to anything. See that rental house across the street?”
I didn’t have to see it… I knew it was there.
“We’ve had a stakeout here for the last four days. I’ve been wondering what the hell you’ve been doing here. Come to think of it, if you hadn’t been here, we’d have picked her up without any shooting. She’d be alive if it weren’t for you. How do you think that’ll look in my report, Mr. Bigshot?”
Rosie gave me a look that told me to leave my gun in the holster. I was close to not caring about her look.
The ambulance pulled across the driveway, followed closely by a squad car and then two more. They ran into the garage. It was obvious to them there was nothing to do but remove the body.
Dunsley gestured at two of the patrolmen. “You guys break down the door to the house. Let’s go find some evidence.”
He turned back to me. “While they’re doing that I’ll find something to arrest you for.” He turned to Rosie. “And you too, Miss Big City Detective.”
“Good luck with that, Dunsley. Snark’s been trying for weeks,” I said.
As he walked away I called out to him. “Hey, Dunsley, you want a suggestion?”
“Don’t need any suggestions from you.”
“Well let me give you one anyway. You may not have noticed, but the person who lives in the house is lying on the ground here.”
“So what?”
“So, I’d be willing to bet she has a key to the house.”
He just stared at me for ten seconds and then told one of the officers to find the key. We all watched. The officer went through her purse and pulled out a key chain. He held it up to Dunsley, who nodded toward the house. “Let’s take apart the house, then we’ll come back here and search the car.”
Rosie and I walked back to the Mustang, leaving Dunsley by himself in the garage with egg on his face. Before I got in, I turned to Rosie.
“Did you notice anything about Dunsley?”
“If you mean the pants… yes, same tan pants. But you’re wearing the same jeans you had on yesterday, so...”
“Jeans are different than pants, and—”
“I don’t see how.”
“—and I have several pairs of jeans. I don’t wear the same pair all the time.”
She shrugged. “Maybe he does also.”
“I doubt it. And after looking at how he dresses I doubt they get washed.”
She smiled. “It’s the cuffs, isn’t it? Those are driving you nuts.”
“No, it’s not the cuffs, but that’s not a look I like.”
“Well, let that go, Spencer. We’ve got better things to worry about.”
“Yeah, like getting some sleep. See you at the hotel.”
Chapter 35
Paul joined us on the balcony for Sunday morning breakfast. The blue sky was dotted with puffy white clouds slowly drifting eastward. I had called him when we got back and told him to sleep in. He didn’t ask any questions… typical Paul. He knew we’d tell him in the morning. As we watched the boats, we told him what had happened.
He poured coffee and asked, “Are you worried about Dunsley?”
&n
bsp; I laughed. “Not in the least. I think he should be worried about me.”
“Yeah, not exactly protocol. What do you think, Rosie? Could he be nailed for what happened?”
She shrugged as she spread jelly on wheat toast. “He could, but I doubt it. It’s not like he shot an innocent bystander… she was wanted in two states for murder. And she was holding a gun. This will be all over the evening papers. The headlines will be all about the Green Bay police catching a murderer. They’re not going to spend any time on Dunsley.”
“No, probably not.” He finished his juice and a last bite of eggs. “Well, I guess I’ll head back. Anything else you need from me?”
“Yes,” I said. “I think you’ve earned some paid vacation time. I need you to spend a few days on Moonlight Bay.”
“Did you say paid?”
“I did. You interested?”
“Sounds great! You have room in your cottage?”
Rosie laughed.
“Did I miss something?” he asked.
“Yes. You missed him buying the cottage next to him.”
The bells on the bridge started to sound.
“That worked out nice.”
“But there’s one drawback,” I said.
“I knew it was too good to be true. What’s the drawback?”
“You have a roommate.”
“What’s her name?”
Rosie almost choked on her coffee. “Dream on.”
“I’m still in… as long as I don’t have to share a bed. Who’s the roommate?”
“You’ll see. Let’s pack and get out of here.”
***
An hour later we were on the road, and I was looking forward to spending the next week doing all the nothing that Stosh was complaining about. We dropped off the rental car, and Rosie called the captain and got permission to take another week off. At the end of that week Stosh would also be heading back to Chicago.
We pulled into my drive at a little after eleven, and Paul parked alongside. Rosie and I dropped our bags on the deck and walked Paul over to meet his roommate. Stosh answered the door, and Paul’s jaw dropped. We all met back on my deck fifteen minutes later and, with drinks in hand, told Paul the story. I’d never get tired of telling it.
***