by Reid, Terri
Bradley couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. “Yeah, I do.”
“I see,” Dorothy said, not bothering to hide her smile. “I’ll be sure no one bothers you after nine o’clock.”
His grinned widened. “Thanks, Dorothy. Thanks a lot.”
Pulling his cruiser up near the front of the school, Bradley waited at the glass door to be “buzzed in” by the office. He glanced at his watch and realized that if he didn’t want to be blocked in by a dozen school busses, he needed to be quick. Once he was inside, he crossed the hall to the office. “Hi, Pam,” he said to the receptionist. “I need a minute or two with Sandy and then I’d like to pick up Clarissa a little early.”
“Sandy’s waiting for you,” Pam replied, pointing in the direction of the principal’s office. “And I can call down to Clarissa’s teacher and have her send Clarissa down with her backpack and coat.”
“That would be great,” Bradley said. “Thanks.”
He knocked on Sandy’s door and was invited in immediately. Not bothering to take a seat, he leaned against the doorframe and greeted the middle-aged black woman with a smile. “I just wanted to let you know that I reviewed the letter you composed about the missing girl,” he said. “It’s great and it really details how parents can help keep their children safe. I was hoping you’d let me bring it over to Julie at the district office and let her spread it throughout the other schools.”
“You know you didn’t have to ask me,” Sandy said. “I’m fine with that. Actually, I’m fine with anything that helps keep our kids safe. Are there any leads?”
“Not yet,” Bradley said. “But we’re working on a couple of things.”
“Good. I pray you find him before another child gets snatched,” she said.
“Me too, Sandy,” he replied. “Me too.”
“Well, try and have a good weekend, Bradley,” she said. “Remember, you have a lot of blessings in your life.”
He straightened and nodded. “I do indeed,” he said. “And you have a good weekend too.”
Sandy looked beyond him through the glass windows into the school office. “Well, just look who’s getting out of school a little early,” she said, winking at Bradley. “I won’t keep you.”
“Thanks again,” he said.
He stepped out of the office and nearly ran into Ray Giles, the truant officer he met at the school district meeting. He smiled and extended his hand. “Ray. Ray Giles. Right?” he asked, shaking the older man’s hand.
Ray smiled back at him. “You’re good with names and faces,” he said. “If you ever decide to give up police work, you’d be a great truant officer.”
Bradley laughed. “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Daddy!” Clarissa called, running across the office and throwing her arms around her father.
Bradley bent down and gave her a hug. “Hi, sweetheart, how was your day?”
Clarissa turned, smiling at the man standing next to her father and froze.
“Clarissa, what’s wrong?” Bradley asked.
“This is your daughter?” Ray said, meeting Clarissa’s eyes. “Well I’m sure I’ll never find her skipping school, will I?”
Leaning back against her father, she shook her head. “No,” she stammered. “I would never, ever leave school without permission.”
He bent down and stroked her cheek. “I didn’t think so,” he said, then straightening he returned his gaze to Bradley. “Have a nice weekend, Chief Alden.”
Bradley nodded. “You too, Ray,” he said, watching the man walk slowly down the school hallway.
Turning to Clarissa, he was ready to ask her about her reaction when Pam came up behind them. “You’ve got about two minutes before the buses get here,” she said. “You better get while the getting’s good.”
“Thanks, we will,” he said, grabbing her backpack and leading Clarissa out the door, the concern about her reaction slipping from his mind. “Guess what? We’re going to have a date tonight.”
Chapter Thirty-four
Ray Giles walked down the hallway feeling like an executioner was right behind him. All that little brat had to do was tell her daddy about the offered ride and the suspicion will all shift in his direction. If things weren’t so hot right now, he could just say he was going to bring her back to school. But, there was too much risk and he was a guy who hated risk.
He slipped out the side door of the school and hurried to his car. He would have to take care of the little girl, but that wasn’t going to happen until she was away from her daddy. Slipping into the car, he started to turn the key when he looked down at the passenger’s seat and spied a memo from the superintendent. He really hated that jerk.
He started to turn the key and froze once again. A smile spread across his face. Yeah, all I need is a little diversion, he thought. All I need is for them to find the bad guy and then I’m home free. Find the little girl, find her with the superintendent and problem’s solved.
He sighed, as he finally turned the car on and backed out of the parking space. Too bad she has to die so soon, I haven’t even gotten to the fun part yet.
Picking up his cell phone, he placed a quick call and put the phone on speaker. The phone rang three times before there was an answer.
“Dr. Sears.”
“Dr. Sears, it’s Ray Giles. I was just over at Lincoln Douglas dropping off my report and I saw Chief Alden there. He was asking questions about you.”
“What?” Nick Sear’s voice rang with fear. “He’s got no business asking any questions about me.”
“Doesn’t your wife work there?” Ray asked, already knowing the answer.
“Yes, she does,” he replied. “But there is nothing… He didn’t talk to her, did he?”
“Well, I’d like to tell you all I know, but I’m afraid I might be overheard,” he said. “I don’t want you to get in trouble. You’re my boss. You’re a good boss. Maybe we could meet somewhere and I could tell you what I heard.”
“I can come to your place,” Nick suggested.
Ray grinned, this couldn’t be much better.
“Yeah, well, I don’t think that’s a great idea,” he said. “I’ve noticed some cop cars swinging by my place. I think they’ve got us all under investigation.”
Nick was breathing heavy. Ray could picture him wiping the sweat off his brow.
“Okay, I’ve got this other place,” Nick finally said. “But you’ve got to swear that you won’t tell anyone else about it.”
Ray nearly laughed out loud. Oh, yeah, doctor, your little love shack that I knew about four years ago. Sure, I won’t tell anyone about it.
“Of course I won’t tell anyone,” Ray replied. “I told you, I’m on your side. I wouldn’t have called you if I wasn’t.”
Nick gave Ray the address to a small house on the edge of town. “I’m leaving now,” Nick said. “Be there in fifteen minutes.”
“I still have a couple more stops to make,” Ray lied. “But I can be there in forty-five minutes. Besides, it will be less suspicious if you’re there first and then I come much later.”
“Oh, okay, that’s true. I’ll see you in forty-five minutes.”
“Does this place have a garage?” Ray asked, knowing full well it did.
“Yes, it does. Why?”
“Leave the garage door open for me,” Ray said. “I’ll park my car in the garage, in case anyone drives by they won’t know we’re meeting.”
“Oh, that’s a good idea,” Nick said. “I’ll open it when I get there. Don’t be late.”
“Oh don’t worry,” Ray said. “I’m treating this like my life depends on it.”
Chapter Thirty-five
“Hey, you’ve barely touched your hamburger and fries,” Bradley said to Clarissa, as they sat in a booth at one of her favorite fast-food restaurants. “Something wrong?”
Grabbing several fries and stuffing them into her mouth, she shook her head. “No,” she muttered.
“Good. I’m glad becau
se I really want our date to be special,” he said. “Do you know this was Mary’s idea? She thought it would be great for us to spend some time together.”
Clarissa sighed and bit another French fry. Really? I am going to have to listen to him talk about Mary all night. She thought about it for a moment. Maybe this is my chance to set things straight.
“She just thought of it because she doesn’t want to spend time with me,” she said. “She really hates me.”
Bradley put his own hamburger down on the plate and shook his head. “She does not hate you,” he insisted. “I don’t know where you got such an idea.”
Shrugging, Clarissa picked up her own burger and took a bite. “I can just tell,” she said. “I think it would be much better if you weren’t married to her.”
“What?” Bradley exclaimed, trying to remain calm. “Mary and I are not going to get a divorce.”
Clarissa dropped her hamburger and looked up at Bradley. “But what if you found out she really did hate me?” she demanded. “What if you found out she’s only nice to me when you’re around? What would you do then?”
“If I found out those things,” he said calmly. “And I don’t believe for one minute they are true. But, if in some weird universe that were true, then I would insist we all go to family counseling so we could work things out.”
She exhaled angrily. Didn’t he get it?
“What if she didn’t want to go to family counseling?” she asked. “What if she thought that was a stupid idea?”
“Mary wouldn’t think it was a stupid idea,” he said. “She loves me and she loves you. So she would put effort into making our new family work.”
“But, what if she didn’t want to be married to you anymore?” she insisted. “What if she didn’t want to be my mom? What if she didn’t want any obligations?”
Bradley sat back against the booth and folded his arms over his chest. “Clarissa, you are my daughter. I searched for you for eight years. Mary not only helped me find you, she also helped us capture the man who killed your mother and was trying to take you,” he said. “She has done nothing but love you and treat you like her daughter. She has done nothing but try her best to be your mother. I don’t understand why you are trying to make all of this so difficult.”
Clarissa allowed tears to pool in her eyes and watched with guilty pleasure as Bradley’s stern demeanor melted. “Clarissa, sweetheart, I just want you to understand…”
“If she hated me, who would you choose?” she asked tearfully.
“What?”
“If Mary said it’s either me or her; which would you choose?”
“She’s not…”
“Which?” she demanded.
“Well, since you are a little girl and you are my daughter and my responsibility, I suppose I would have to choose you,” he said. “But that’s just not going to happen.”
Picking up a napkin, Clarissa dabbed it delicately against her eyes, just like she saw them do on television. “Thank you, Dad,” she said sweetly. “I feel much better now.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
“Hey, sweetheart, how are you feeling?” Ray said softly to the little girl who lay sleeping on the bed in his basement. “Guess what? We’re going for a little ride.”
He unstrapped the heavy band that held the girl to the bed, lifted her lethargic body into his arms and carried her up the stairs into his living room. “I really meant to keep you longer,” he said. “But I find it is necessary for you to graduate much sooner than I had anticipated.”
She groaned softly and tried to struggle. “Oh, thank you,” he said. “I almost forgot.”
He placed her on a recliner covered in plastic and shoved it back, so she was nearly lying flat. She tried to move, tried to scream, but the drug kept her just under the surface. Her mind was screaming, but her body would not respond.
“Hey, baby, I love that look of horror in your eyes,” he said. “And if we had more time I’d take one more go at you. But, we got someone we’ve got to meet.”
He grabbed a handful of hair, yanked her head back and then forced the vile-tasting liquid down her throat. “This should do it, baby,” he said. “This should make you close your eyes and go to sleep forever.”
After stuffing the empty bottle in his pocket, he picked her up, flung her over his shoulder and carried her out to the garage. “Sorry, the trunk’s not too comfortable,” he said. “But don’t worry; it’s going to be a short ride.”
Covering her up with an old blanket, he slammed the trunk down and smiled. “You are about to meet your superintendent,” he said. “Please remember that’s he’s a doctor, so be impressed.”
He turned away from the car and looked around the garage, tapping his forefinger on his chin. “How to do it? How to do it?” he mused as he studied the boxes on the shelves.
He walked forward, pulled out a small box and opened it. Inside was a dangerous looking hunting knife. He studied it for a moment and then shook his head. “Too messy.”
Sliding the box back in place, he pulled out a bin filled with chemicals for the garden. “This could work,” he said. “But men don’t generally poison themselves.”
Finally he pulled out an old cardboard box. He lifted the top and inside was an assortment of rope. The largest was a coil of thick manila rope about twenty feet long. He lifted the rope, testing the feel in his hand. “Yes, this could do the trick,” he decided, stroking his hand along the rough surface. “Neat and believable.”
He threw the rope into the back of his car and then went back into his house. Jogging back down to the basement, he opened the door to a small bathroom and entered the room. Over the sink was an old medicine cabinet with a mirror whose silver was beginning to wear, creating black spots across the front. The cabinet itself was rusted and looked unused. Ray opened the door to reveal a shiny stainless steel interior that was not only refrigerated, but also had an inside light. On small glass shelves were a variety of small vials. Sorting through the vials, he finally picked the one he was looking for. He stuffed the vial in his pocket, opened a drawer in the vanity below the mirror and retrieved a hypodermic needle. “I hope the doctor doesn’t mind mixed drinks,” he said with a short laugh.
Whistling to himself, he hurried to the garage, backed the car out and drove casually down the driveway to the street. As the gates slowly opened, a neighbor walked by with her dog. Ray rolled down the window and waved to the woman. “Lovely day, isn’t it?” he questioned.
“Oh, yes, spring is in the air,” she agreed. “Will you be planting any more of your lovely pine trees soon?”
Shaking his head, his smile was a bit sad. “I had plans for a new one,” he said. “But it seems I might have to delay things until later on in the year.”
“Oh, well, that’s such a shame,” she said. “I do hope your plans for the next one work out.”
Ray smiled at her. “Thank you, so do I.”
He pulled out to the street, closed the gates behind him and drove through town to the address Nick had given him. As promised, the garage door was open and Ray drove right into the garage and turned his car off. He slipped on a pair of transparent latex gloves before leaving the car, then he walked over to the remote on the wall and pressed the button to close the large garage door. “Let the games begin,” he whispered to himself as he turned the knob to let himself into the house.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Soft music was already playing in the background as Mary lit the scented candles she had placed around the room. She inhaled the patchouli, lavender and jasmine scent and hoped, as the salesclerk at the candle store promised, they would infuse sensuality into the air. She grinned as the promised scenario played out in her mind. Bradley wanders into the room, exhausted from his work day and the date with Clarissa. He looks at her, an apology on his lips; he is just too tired tonight. Then, suddenly, he sniffs the air and then, after a moment, sniffs it again. Inhaling deeply, filling his lungs with the perfume from the can
dles, his eyes widen at first and then lower seductively as his demeanor turns predatory. He is the wolf and she is his mate. He rushes across the room and pulls her into his arms. “I don’t know what’s come over me, Mary,” he whispers, “but suddenly I’m infused with passion.”
Rolling her eyes and laughing out loud, Mary was a little startled when the bedroom door opened and Bradley walked in. “What’s so funny?” he asked.
Walking over to him, she wound her arms around his neck and reached up for a soft kiss. “Oh, nothing,” she said, slipping her arms down and loosening his tie. “How was your date?”
He sighed and held her for a moment. “It was…interesting,” he said, bending down and kissing her neck. “I’m afraid her head is filled with all kinds of strange ideas.”
She arched her head back, enjoying his caresses. “We’ll just have to be patient with her,” she said, as she closed her eyes in pleasure. “Her little world has been turned around so many times. It’s not surprising she’s confused.”
He continued to nibble on her neck, working his way down to her collarbone, when he stopped. “Mary,” he asked. “What’s that weird smell?”
“Weird smell?” she murmured, still caught in the spell of his kisses.
He lifted his head and sniffed, then, after a moment, sniffed again. “Yeah, it kind of smells like mold.”
Her passion banked, Mary looked up at him in disbelief. “Really? Mold?” she asked. “That’s what you get from that scent?”
He sniffed again. “Yeah, mold and…funky perfume.”
She stepped out of his arms and placed her hands on her hips. “It was supposed to infuse the room with sensuality.”
Looking down at Mary dressed in black lace and satin, her hair down around her shoulders, her ivory skin soft and scented, and her hands on her hips in a stance of aggravation, Bradley decided he had never seen anything as sexy. He slowly took a step forward, placed his hands on her waist and deliberately pulled her against him. Bending his head, he whispered softly into her ear, “You infuse this room with sensuality. I don’t need anything else.”