Power Struggle

by Carolyn Arnold

  “You’ve tried her phone?”

  She mustered all the strength and positivity she could. “She’s not answering her phone, and she’s not home.”

  “She’s helping out at the school today,” Jim said, still responding normally. “Marissa is in the Christmas play, but her phone is always on and with her… Wait a minute. Don’t tell me something’s happened to her.” His tone turned sharp and bitter. “She told me about your conversation yesterday. I don’t want to say about what out loud.”

  Madison could imagine Jim hunching down and cupping the receiver to avoid eavesdroppers.

  “What’s going on?” he asked. “What made you go looking for her in the first place?”

  She told him about the e-mailed photo and what she thought the picture frame meant.

  Seconds passed in silence. She could only surmise what he was thinking.

  “You’re telling me that someone who works with the Mafia was in our house?” His voice was a cocktail of shock, anger, and fear.

  She wasn’t going to disclose that it wasn’t just someone, but likely a specific hit man who had a grudge against Madison and had a job to finish. “What was her schedule today?” she asked.

  “As I said, she should be at the school now.”

  Madison took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves. Who knew when Constantine had gotten ahold of Chelsea? It had to be after dropping the girls off at school and daycare. But maybe her sister was just fine, and the photo had been nothing more than a warning from Constantine that he could get to Chelsea and the rest of Madison’s family anytime he wanted.

  The message from his letter came back with the subtlety of a jackhammer. No one she cared about was safe, and even her own mind was playing games with her.

  “What about the girls? Should I pick them up?” The tension was thick over the line, and she could tell he was starting to unravel.

  “I understand Lacey’s at a friend’s house?”

  “Yeah.” He didn’t even question how she knew. “And Marissa should still be at the school and Brie’s at daycare.”

  “The girls are fine, Jim.”

  A huge exhale came across the line.

  “I’ll have the officers surveilling Lacey and Brie pick them up,” she said, “and I’ll get Marissa myself.”

  “And what about me? Should I go home?”

  “I’d actually suggest you go to Troy’s house.” Madison glanced at Troy, and he nodded. “There should be an officer outside your office. Let them know what’s going on. I’ll make sure Troy’s at his house to meet you, and I’m going to the school to get Marissa and see if Chelsea’s there.”

  She was grasping here, but maybe Chelsea was just late getting to the school and that’s why the officer who confirmed Marissa was there never said anything about Chelsea.

  “Call me the second you know anything.” Jim sounded like he was going to be sick.

  “Will do.” She hung up, feeling heartbroken for him, for the girls, for her parents, for herself. What if she couldn’t save Chelsea?

  “Good idea sending Jim to our place,” Troy said, cutting through her thoughts.

  She wasn’t about to correct him that it was his place, especially after their conversation yesterday.

  “All right. I’ll call the station,” Troy began, “and let them know what’s going on, get Crime Scene here, and hurry home so I’m there in time for Jim.”

  “You better call in and have uniforms watch over you,” she fired back.

  “I will.”

  She bit her lip and nodded. Troy gave her a quick hug, and he pointed a finger at Terry. “Watch her back.”

  “Always,” Terry assured him.

  “And, you—” Troy locked eyes with Madison and jacked a thumb toward Terry “—let him drive.”

  “I don’t need to be chauffeured around.” It was bad enough it had happened on the way here.

  “Not a request,” Troy said firmly. “You’re not in any shape to drive, and you know once Winston and my sister catch wind of this, they’re going to want you to take leave.”

  She ground her fists into her hips. “We’ve been through this.”

  Troy didn’t say anything but still managed to cool her temper.

  “Fine,” she said. “Terry will drive. But I’m not backing down.”

  He moved closer to her, and she inhaled his scent. Something about it made her feel safer just because he was within reach. “I wouldn’t expect you to, Bulldog. We’ll find her and get her home safe.”

  With his confidence fueling her, she tilted up her chin. “We will.”

  Troy cupped her cheek, tapped a kiss on her lips, and was gone.

  -

  CHAPTER

  29

  TERRY PULLED INTO THE SCHOOL’S parking lot next to a patrol car. There were about fifteen other cars there, likely belonging to straggling teachers and parents who might be helping with the play. Madison didn’t see Chelsea’s Ford Fusion.

  “She’s not here,” she blurted out and tried her sister’s number again. It went straight to voice mail. She lowered her phone. What if she never got to see her sister again? She fought back the tears threatening to fall down her cheeks.

  Madison looked over at the officer in the patrol car, at least feeling somewhat reassured by his presence.

  Her mind never strayed too far from thoughts of her sister, but they were also on Constantine. His hatred was directed at Madison, and he’d want to see her suffer. But could she hinge her faith on believing he’d just use Chelsea as bait and not harm her? And if he had her, why hadn’t he reached out to Madison in some way?

  Terry turned to her. “Want me to go in with you?”

  She thought about her ten-year-old niece and didn’t want to overwhelm her. The officer who’d checked on her had done so discreetly without Marissa’s knowledge, but she’d wonder who Terry was if he went with Madison. She would explain that when she had to and not a moment before. “I’ll go alone,” she said.

  Terry dipped his head, and Madison exited the car and entered the school. The main office was to the right of the front door, and a woman was behind the desk. She was bent over reaching for something on the floor. She came up and slapped a hand to her chest as she gasped. “I didn’t hear you come in.” The fortysomething secretary paused to catch her breath. “How can I help you?”

  Madison held up her badge. “I’m looking for Chelsea and Marissa Carlson. Chelsea is Marissa’s mother, and I’m Marissa’s aunt.”

  The secretary’s brow scrunched up in confusion. “I’m not sure why Mrs. Carlson would be here.”

  “She’s helping out with the Christmas play,” Madison said. “Maybe they’re in the gymnasium?”

  “Ah, yes.” The woman smiled. “They are.”

  Madison’s heart lit with hope. “They’re both here, then?”

  “I didn’t say that. I don’t actually know, but if they are working on the Christmas play, that’s where you’ll find them.”

  “And where’s the gym?”

  “Just go out the door here, take the first hall on the left, and the gym entrance is down a ways, also on the left.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Hey, is everything all right?” the secretary called out.

  Madison was already at the office door, but she spoke over her shoulder to the woman. “I hope so.”

  She bolted out of the office.

  Please be here…

  A woman’s voice carried from inside the gym to the hallway. The speaking stopped when Madison opened the door, and the woman turned to see who had interrupted her. The people in the gym were all facing the loud woman, so she must be the teacher in charge of the play.

  And she was scowling. “Can I help you?”

  Madison scanned the room. There were easily twenty kids u
nder the age of thirteen in the gym, and about as many women—probably other mothers. But there was no sign of her sister or her niece. How was that possible?

  Madison held up her badge. “I’m looking for Chelsea Carlson.”

  The woman’s eyes drifted over the room. The mothers’ gazes were all on Madison now, no doubt wondering why Chelsea was of interest to the police.

  Madison tucked her badge away. “She’s my sister.”

  The teacher’s face softened—somewhat. She addressed the kids and their mothers. “Let’s take five.” She came toward Madison and escorted her out into the hall.

  “Your sister never showed up. It’s not like her to bail when she volunteers.” The teacher scanned Madison’s face.

  Despair gripped her, making her dizzy. “And Marissa?” Madison managed to say.

  “She’s here.”

  Madison could barely breathe. “I didn’t see her in there.”

  The teacher’s energy became somewhat subdued, no doubt sensing Madison’s anxiety. “She just excused herself to use the restroom before you got here.” The woman continued in a kind tone. “She was embarrassed that her mother never showed up and took it hard. I tried reaching Chelsea but just got her voice mail.”

  “When was that?”

  “About half an hour ago.”

  Madison had been trying to reach her before that. How long ago had Constantine taken Chelsea?

  The teacher continued. “I got ahold of Marissa’s father. He said her aunt Madison would be picking her up. That’s you?”

  Madison nodded. “When was Chelsea supposed to be here?”

  “Three thirty.” The teacher opened her mouth to speak, shut it, then opened it again. “Her phone battery could have just died. Or she could have hit bad traffic…”

  Madison appreciated the teacher’s efforts to offer other possibilities, but they fell flat.

  The teacher’s neck and cheeks were splotchy—a sure sign of anxiety. “You think something might have happened to her?” the woman asked.

  Madison swallowed. “It’s too soon to know for sure, but I’m going to need to take Marissa with me.”

  “Of course.”

  “Aunt Maddy?” Marissa came running down the hall toward her but stopped about five feet away. “Where’s Mom? Why are you here?”

  How was she supposed to answer that? For one, she had no idea where Chelsea was, and two, if she said that, Marissa’s instincts that something bad had happened would kick in. “I thought she was going to be here,” Madison said delicately so as not to upset her niece.

  “She was supposed to be.” Marissa crossed her arms in a huff, but the stance was short-lived. She grinned at Madison. “Hey, did she send you in her place?”

  Madison’s heart clenched. I wish she did, honey.

  Madison coaxed her mind to slow down to process everything, to take the time to have this interaction with her niece, but she couldn’t very well let herself get worked up in front of her. At least she had one of her three nieces safely in hand.

  Marissa was staring at her blankly, seeking an explanation. The thought occurred to lie to her niece, tell her that her father had asked Madison to pick her up, and while that wasn’t entirely a lie, kids had a knack for seeing through bullshit. There was only one way forward and that was to—

  “Marissa,” the teacher said.

  Marissa turned around to the face her.

  “Maybe you should go home with your aunt.” The teacher’s gaze met Madison’s.

  Marissa put her hands on her hips. “But what about the play?”

  “It will be all right for today.” The teacher pressed her lips into a smile that was intended to be reassuring, but with Madison’s skill at reading people, it wasn’t convincing.

  “Okay…” Disappointment creased Marissa’s face. “I’ll just grab my stuff.”

  Marissa entered the gym, and Madison watched after her.

  “I hope you find Chelsea and everything turns out all right,” the teacher offered sympathetically.

  “Thanks… Me too.”

  The door swung back open, and Marissa came out in her coat with a small backpack flung over one shoulder. Madison’s heart swelled, and she put her arm around her niece. But while Marissa walked out of the building standing tall and confident, Madison was falling apart inside.

  -

  CHAPTER

  30

  MARISSA STOPPED WALKING ABOUT FOUR feet from the department sedan where Terry was sitting behind the wheel.

  “Where’s Mom?” she asked.

  Madison bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling. “I don’t know, sweetheart.”

  Her niece was scowling, and her arms were crossed.

  “I’m sorry, honey.” Madison wasn’t even sure what she was apologizing for specifically. It could have been for at least a couple of reasons: one, because she didn’t know where Chelsea was, or two, because it was her fault that a Russian hit man was targeting her family in the first place. Or it could be both.

  “Why?” Marissa asked. “It’s not your fault Mom didn’t show up.”

  “She would have—” Madison stopped speaking.

  If she could…

  “Why don’t you get in the car, and we’ll go to Uncle Troy’s, okay?”

  Marissa’s face screwed up and contorted in such a way that Madison wasn’t sure if the girl was going to cry or scream. “Is Mom okay?”

  Madison crouched down and put her hands on Marissa’s shoulders. Facing her niece’s blue eyes, she knew saying what she had to say wasn’t going to be easy, but she’d held off as long as she could. “I’m sure she is fine.” Madison hoped to God that was the truth, but the possibility that it wasn’t soured her gut.

  “What do you mean? Why did you show up and not Mom? Why are we going to Troy’s?” Her niece peppered her with questions.

  “The truth is I don’t know where your mom is right now,” Madison said, moving gingerly. “But we’re going to find out.”

  Her niece’s face fell. “Is she hurt?”

  There would be no avoiding the question anymore. “We don’t know.”

  Marissa’s chin quivered, and she began to cry.

  “Hey now…” Madison wiped away some tears with the pad of her thumbs. “We’re going to do all we can to find her, all right?”

  “Okay.” The young girl’s demeanor told Madison that she was anything but okay. Marissa pointed to the front seat of the car. “Who’s in there?”

  “That’s my friend and partner from work, Terry.”

  “Ah.” Marissa hitched her shoulders and got into the backseat.

  Madison closed the door behind her and then pulled out her phone to call Winston. “We need to get a BOLO out on my sister’s car now.”

  “I’ll do it immediately.” The words had poured out of him, and then he fell quiet. She figured he wasn’t sure what else to say and took his silence to mean that he felt for her predicament.

  “Thanks, Sarge.”

  “Of course.” He hung up without saying another word, and it left Madison with mixed feelings. She had to believe he was worried for her sister, but she also knew he’d rather she removed herself from this one.

  She had one more call to make. She dialed Troy, and he answered before the second ring.

  “How did it go?” he rushed out.

  Madison’s chest balled into a knot and she could easily have a good cry, but her niece was watching her through the car window. Madison held up a finger to tell her just a minute.

  “Chelsea never got to the school,” she said into the phone.

  She was officially living a nightmare.

  Troy was quiet for a few seconds, and then said, “I was hoping you’d have better news.”

  “That makes two of us.” She paused to take a deep br
eath. “Winston’s getting a BOLO out on her car.”

  “I don’t even know what to say, Madison.”

  She could tell he was devastated for her, and really, there was nothing that could be said to make the situation better. “We’re heading to our place now.”

  There was a slight pause on his end. “Okay, see you soon. Jim’s left work and is on his way, and your two other nieces have been picked up. I’ll fill Jim in once he gets here.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Don’t mention it.”

  She ended the call and suddenly realized that she’d called Troy’s place our place. And it had come out so naturally…

  Madison went around to the passenger side and got in the front seat. Terry put the car into gear, and after about twenty minutes, they were pulling up in front of Troy’s—their?—house. She’d figure all that out later.

  Marissa hadn’t said anything during the drive, and Madison could only imagine what was going through her niece’s mind.

  Jim’s truck wasn’t there yet, but by the time Terry parked, Jim was rolling up and so was a cruiser. Her other nieces’ heads were barely visible in the back above the height of the front seat.

  Madison got out and went around to Marissa’s door, but she was already out of the vehicle. With her backpack slung over a sagging shoulder, she was running toward her father.

  Terry came up next to Madison. “You want me to stick around for a bit, or do you think it’s best I get back to Chelsea’s and meet up with Crime Scene?”

  “Stay for a bit. Then we’ll go back together.”

  Terry didn’t say anything, and his eyes were full of conflict. She had a feeling he thought it best that she recuse herself from the case.

  “She’s my sister, Terry. I can’t—”

  He nodded. “I know.”

  “Aunt Maddy!” Chelsea’s youngest daughter, Brie, came running toward Madison.

  “Hey, honey.” She got down to receive the hug coming her way. As her niece threw her arms around her, Madison sank into the embrace, soaking up the comfort and love Brie offered so unknowingly, but it also awakened Madison’s instincts, her need to protect her own.