“Would you be able to tell if anything is missing here?” He glanced over his shoulder at Sue’s father.
“No, probably not.” Frank shook his head. “I’ll get Linda up here.” He called down for his wife and Will heard her footsteps as she trudged up the stairs.
Linda pulled her sweater tighter around her chest as she entered the room. “Yes?”
“Will needs you to take a look in the closet.” Frank patted his wife’s shoulder awkwardly. “He needs to know if anything is missing.”
Linda walked to the closet and looked inside. She pulled a string and an overhead bulb illuminated the space.
“It’s hard to say,” she began. “Sue did her own laundry. But I can tell you right now that her duffel bag is missing, and her running shoes. Maybe some clothes. Her jacket is gone. It’s brown corduroy with no hood.”
“Okay.” Will added to his notes.
“Oh!” Linda turned to face the men, her eyes watering. “Her winter boots are gone, too.”
“That’s not good,” Frank said, sadly. “It means she must be planning to be gone into the winter, at least.”
“Not necessarily,” Will interjected, though he privately agreed with Frank’s assessment. He shifted the subject. “She keep a diary?”
“Not that I know of,” Linda answered. “She wrote a lot in a notebook, but I don’t see it here. She must have taken it with her.”
“Did you ever read it?” Will looked directly at Linda.
“No, of course not,” she exclaimed. “Why would I?”
Why indeed, Will thought as he walked over to the bed. Either this girl was perfect or she was able to keep secrets very well. He lifted the mattress and found a few pieces of paper, torn from a spiral notebook, covered in tiny jerky handwriting. He showed them to the parents. “Ever seen these before?”
“No. I don’t recognize them at all.” Linda barely glanced at the proffered papers.
Will noted the differences between this writing and that in the note found in Sue’s car. Sue’s writing was big and loopy, still adolescent-looking. This writing was pinched and small, typically male, in Will’s estimation. He settled on the edge of the bed with the papers in his hands and began reading. “This is some pretty disturbing stuff,” he mumbled.
The Sucking Sue
Sucking with carnivorous fervor on my tender loving guts
Is a vociferous plant on which perspiring limbs tempt and taunt
Sue, my Venus fly-trap of nubile destruction
Whose viney reach penetrates my skull
Into my ear, piercing my brain, splitting my fluids
Sue, whose pink velvety petals are broad tongues on my loins
Sue, whose luscious leaves are grown round and through my heart like a worm
Sue, whose feminine venom poisons my loins with dripping female saps
Toxic rain from her eyes floods my sack,
wetting the crusty residue of my discharge
Her thorns a sickening delight to my hot skin
The soils and oils from her crevices nourishing my cleansing tongue
I own my Sucking Sue, stem and shoot, leaf and thorn.
Scraping her bloody blossom for demon cells,
I slurp of her cradled juices like a cannibal driven,
And tattoo my ownership upon her breast
It’s all good, it’s all good, we say.
She is mine, body and soul, devoted pet,
and she possesses me as well.
The rest of the poems were similarly bad, all signed with a large Z at the bottom. I refuse to believe these were written by Zorro, Will thought wryly. He handed them to Frank who turned pale as he read the words. Will knew just how he felt.
“Who in god’s name wrote these?” Frank whispered.
“That’s one thing we’re going to find out, hopefully,” Will said.
“What is it, Frank?” Linda asked in a wavering voice, her composure finally crumbling.
“Just some weird poems, Linda.” Frank played it down, as he folded the papers and handed them back to Will.
“That doesn’t mean anything,” Linda said, exhibiting no desire to see the writings. “Those could have been written by anyone, someone in her class, anyone. She might have found them in a book or lying on the floor at school.”
Denial really does have its comforts, Will thought.
Saying nothing, he tucked the sheets of paper into his pocket alongside the other items.
They went back downstairs, and Will asked for a cup of coffee. He ordered his thoughts as he waited, made a few more notes. Frank paced, going every so often to look out the window. Soon, Linda brought back a tray and set it on the coffee table. She handed a cup to Will. “Sit down, Frank,” she said as she lowered herself onto the sofa.
Frank sat beside her.
“Alright, folks, let’s go over a few things,” Will said after taking a sip. He thought these parents were overreacting, but tried not to show it. Still, he did feel sorry for them. However, they didn’t need sympathy from him; they needed results. “First of all, it appears to me your daughter left of her own free will.” He held his hand up, cutting off their protests. “She’s legal age and has the right to go where she wants, with whomever she wants. While I don’t think the signs point to any coercion, it’s possible she’s fallen under the influence of someone, maybe this Z character. I don’t know.”
He leaned back in the chair and put his notebook away. Sighing deeply, he continued, “I can’t make any promises, but I will do some checking. If we find her, it doesn’t mean she will consent to return with me. She may be very happy wherever she is and have no intention of coming back. Then again, she may be hoping for a rescue. I just don’t know.”
“We understand that, Will,” Frank said quietly. “We just need to know she’s safe. That would help a lot. We’d like to talk to her, that’s all.”
“That’s not all!” Linda wailed, the dam finally bursting. “We want to bring her home!”
“Now, now, honey. Of course we do. But we’d settle for just knowing she’s safe at this point.”
He gathered his wife in his arms and patted her on the back. She cried softly for a minute while Will looked the other way. Soon, she collected her emotions and pulled away, fussing with a tissue. Frank regarded his wife with tenderness as she turned her red eyes to Will. “Please find her,” she said in a small voice.
“Alright now,” Will said gruffly. He couldn’t help but be moved by the pain of these people, and to hide his discomfiture he took several sips of coffee. In spite of all the cases he had handled, he never got used to the raw emotional aspect of these situations. He set the cup on the table beside the chair.
“Chances are she will call you later. But I can still get started, if you want. Let’s talk about the money for a minute. I charge a two grand flat fee, plus expenses for up to two weeks of work. If I don’t find her by then, and you want me to continue, we’ll have to make additional arrangements. I don’t give any guarantees other than I will turn over to you all information I am able to gather. I don’t yank people out of cults or bring them home against their will. You need to understand that up front. What I will do, however, is tell you where she is, if I am able to find her. What happens next is up to you. Maybe it will comfort you to know I’ve had a lot of experience, and I’ve got about a ninety percent success rate on finding missing persons. I also have several friends in law enforcement, and they can be helpful. I take advantage of their assistance whenever possible.” Will stood and put on his coat. He turned off the tape recorder and slipped it into his pocket along with his notebook. “I’ll need that fee up front and I’ll bill for the expenses. Now, if all that meets your approval, we can get started.”
Frank was already writing a check before Will finished talking.
“Where’s Susan’s car?” Will asked, as they stepped outside.
“Parked around back.” Frank led Will around the house to the back yard. “Look, Will,
I know it might seem like we’re jumping the gun on this, but I have to do something. If not for myself, then for my wife. You could probably tell she has, well, a nervous disposition. It’ll make her feel better if someone’s looking for Susan.”
“I’ll be honest with you, Mr. Cox. I do think you’re being a bit premature,” Will replied. “On the other hand, this whole thing does seem a little strange. And I understand your concern. Now, let’s have a look at that car.”
Will went over the vehicle with care. It didn’t take long. It was extremely neat.
“Does your daughter smoke?” he asked Frank, who was standing in the light drizzle without a coat.
“No. At least, not as far as I know.”
“Well, someone has smoked in here,” Will said. “Take it from me, I’m a smoker myself. I can smell it. Someone besides Sue has been in this car recently.” Not expecting much to come from it, Will went back to his car and got his kit. By the time he left, he had at least a modicum of evidence and a place to start. Evening was approaching as he drove back to the office.
Partners in Crime
“We need to be careful with our money; it’s got to last.” Zeke shared this news the next morning. The sun had not yet burnt off the early fog, and the upper floors of the school remained hidden behind a damp gray curtain.
“Okay,” Sue answered from where she squatted behind some weeds, peeing. She ached all over and her nose was runny. She wiped it with her sleeve and stood, pulling up her panties and jeans.
“You’re going to swipe some hair dye for me today.”
“You mean steal it?” Sue asked, aghast.
“You mean steal it?” Zeke mocked. “Don’t be such a pain in the ass. Of course, I mean steal it. There’s nothing to it. I’m gonna keep the clerk busy while you do it. I saw this trick in a movie. I’ll explain it to you on the way. It’ll be easy.”
“Why don’t we just buy some? We’ve got the cash.”
“What did I just say? Didn’t I say we have to start watching our money? Jeez, Sue. I don’t want you to spend any of it unless I tell you to. Understand?”
“Yes. But, Zeke, I can’t shoplift.” Her voice was small, ashamed.
He gave her a cold look. “Under ordinary circumstances, I wouldn’t ask you to do this. But these are not ordinary circumstances. We’re on a quest here, an adventure, and you need to remember that. This is something you need to do. It’ll help you break free from all those old mental chains. Damn it anyway, Sue! Can’t you just do as I ask?”
“I guess; but, it’s hard for me.” Sue looked at her feet.
“This is one simple little thing. Just do it. I didn’t even have to bring you along, you know. I was trying to put some fun into your life. Trying to make you some memories. I really planned this whole trip for you, more than me. I love you, Sue, but I need you to work with me on things. I’m not the bad guy here.”
“I know,” she soothed. “I’m sorry.”
“So you’ll do it?” His eyes bored into hers.
She nodded.
“That’s my girl, Susie-Q.” Zeke smiled and Sue felt her heart skip.
They entered the streets of Assaria and Zeke roamed around until he found a small park, deserted at this time of day. He parked the van by the side of the road next to a row of leafless hedges. They got out and walked several blocks, passing a small brick museum, a bank, a glass-fronted hardware store, and a small cafe. Warm, delicious smells wafted out as a couple of elderly ladies opened the door and toddled inside. Sue’s mouth watered; she said nothing but looked longingly through the windows.
Zeke noticed her interest. “We’ll get something to eat as soon as we’ve finished with our plans.”
Big yellow signs screamed sale prices from the windows of the dollar store on the corner. They pushed through the door, and Sue felt the interior warmth caress her skin through her thin jeans. Zeke gave her a meaningful look before sauntering to the register to browse the nearby impulse rack. Sue wandered up and down the aisles of merchandise and tried to look casual as she searched for the hair dye. Her hands were shaking and her stomach was a tight ball.
She found the hair products and studied the display until she heard a commotion at the front of the store. Grabbing a box of black dye, she shoved it down the front of her jeans and pulled her shirt over the bulge to hide it. She raced to the register.
Zeke was bent at the waist, presenting obvious signs of choking. An obese clerk, upper arms jiggling obscenely, patted him on the back.
“What happened?” Sue faked concern, knowing it was all an act.
“He’s choking!” the clerk cried, still pounding Zeke on the back.
A piece of chewing gum popped out of his mouth and slid across the gray tile floor. He gasped for breath convincingly, and clutched his throat. “Okay.” Zeke held up a hand and coughed harshly. “I’m okay now.” He gave the clerk a shaky smile. “Thanks to you.”
She put a beefy arm around him and squeezed. “Oh, honey, I thought there for a minute you were gonna die.” She rolled her heavily made-up eyes. “I ain’t never been so shook!”
Zeke turned his full smile on the woman and she looked like she would melt. Self-consciously, she pulled her arm back and arranged her smock around her massive waist.
“Thank you. You saved my life, miss. I don’t know what else to say but thank you.” He pinned her in a probing stare; she stood as if mesmerized.
“Janie.” Zeke broke the spell as he turned to Sue. “Look at this woman. You’re looking at a real life angel walking around on earth.”
The clerk blushed and fiddled with a nametag that read Hi! MY NAME IS DORIS. “Aw, now, it was nothing. I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“Well, I won’t forget you,” Zeke said. “I mean it. Come on, Janie; I don’t feel like shopping now. Let’s get out of here and let this nice lady get back to work.”
Sue faced Doris and delivered her prearranged line. “Thank you for saving my brother.”
“Your brother?” Doris fairly tittered. “Oh, you’re welcome, dear. Certainly.”
Zeke pushed Sue toward the door while giving Doris a warm look over his shoulder. Once outside, they walked quickly down the street for a block, and then jogged back to the vehicle. Sue’s skin felt like ice and her heart hammered in her chest.
“Well?”
Sue pulled the dye from her pants and handed it to him.
“Now, wasn’t that fun?” Zeke’s eyes gleamed with a strange light.
Sue nodded, not trusting herself to speak, as he started up the van and drove away from the park.
Zeke was tripping on some kind of high from the encounter. He tapped the steering wheel with his thumbs each time they stopped at a light. Finally, he seemed to settle some kind of internal dilemma, and pulled into a convenience store. “You wait here,” he told Sue.
“But, I have to use the bathroom,” she protested.
He turned a hard gaze on her. She shrank back into her seat and he went into the store without her. Sue peeled the paper from a piece of gum, slipped it between her lips, and stuck the paper into her jacket pocket. Chewing slowly, she watched as the clerk pulled out a phone book, wrote something down, and handed him a small slip of paper. Zeke bought a pack of cigarettes and came back outside to the pay phone.
Sue rolled her window down in order to eavesdrop. The sun came out from behind the veil of gray, highlighting Zeke’s head for a moment. “He really does need the hair dye,” Sue mumbled ungraciously, “those light roots just make the rest of his hair look dirty.”
Zeke’s voice yanked her from her guilty thoughts. “Doris,” he purred into the phone. “Luther here. I just wanted to thank you again for saving my life like you did. My sister and I want to take you out to dinner tonight, kind of show you our appreciation. If you’re free, that is.”
He paused to listen.
“Okay, we’ll see you at seven-thirty then. Where should we pick you up?” He leaned over the phone.
S
ue missed the rest of the conversation since Zeke was speaking low. He laughed sensuously before hanging up, and Sue felt a stab of jealousy. When he got back into the van, he threw Sue a triumphant grin. “That worked like a charm.”
“Are we really taking that woman to dinner?” Sue asked petulantly.
Zeke laughed heartily. “I do believe you’re jealous.” Then without warning, his features darkened and his mouth drew tight at the corners. “Do you seriously think I would lay a finger on that cow? Is that really what you think of me?”
“I never said that.” Sue snapped her gum and turned to stare out the window.
“Dammit, Sue,” Zeke lamented. “Why do you do these things? You make me crazy. I had a surprise for you but you’ve pretty much ruined it now. You just have a way of draining all the joy out of a thing.” He slammed the steering wheel with the palm of his hand, and Sue jumped, but her posture remained stiff, cold. “Look at me, Sue.”
Reluctantly, she turned her head and met his eyes.
“You ought to know I have higher standards than that. That woman is a pig. I wouldn’t touch her with a ten-foot pole. Damn, you really know how to hurt a guy. It’s insulting.” He fumbled with the pack of cigarettes, trying to find the cellophane strip to open them. Giving up, he threw the pack at the windshield. It bounced off and hit Sue in the chest before falling into her lap. It hadn’t hurt a bit, but the action shocked her.
Sue relented and reached out to hug him.
He shrugged off her arms and stared darkly out the windshield.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking,” she pleaded for forgiveness. “Please don’t be mad. Tell me about the surprise. I really want to know. I love your surprises, Zeke. Please tell me.”
“Well, alright then.” He brightened instantly, thrilled to share his new scheme. “I started thinking about this earlier, but I didn’t know if I could pull it off. The surprise is: we’re gonna have a real shower and something to eat, and all in the privacy of a nice home. Thanks to Doris.”
“Doris? What do you mean?”
“Hand me my smokes, and I’ll explain it to you.”
Zeke Page 10