“It’s here! He’s on the run.”
“Maybe not. He could have gotten some kind of an urgent call and just—”
“Stop it, Donny. Cory’s hiding out somewhere.”
After hanging up, Donny replayed what Linda said about Cory being on the run. When he recalled what she said about him trying on disguises, he remembered Cory asking him to buy stuff from Amazon.
Cory had said it was for Halloween, but he now knew that he’d played a role in his buddy’s disappearance. Would he have done it if he knew?
Chapter Forty-Seven
Linda looked through Cory’s phone. There were no obvious clues as far as she could see. Linda wondered why he’d left the phone behind. Why not toss it in the river if he didn’t want to be traced?
She wondered if there was information he wanted the authorities to find, and went into his studio. Sitting on his workstation was his MacBook. She’d seen enough cop shows to know they could find out what sites Cory visited.
Linda wasn’t sure what to do. Should she hide them? If she knew the police could get information off the devices, she was sure Cory knew. The question was whether he had forgotten to ditch them or had left them behind on purpose.
Questions flooded her head: Where had her husband gone? Why hadn’t Cory let her know he was leaving? Was Mr. Black helping him?
She scrolled through the contacts on Cory’s phone. There was no entry for Mr. Black. Had Cory used a code for him, or did he delete the information? She went through the list again. She found one for Tower but not Mr. Black.
Cory had a meeting scheduled with the lawyer today. She debated whether to call him and give him an excuse or wait to see what happened. Or had Cory canceled it himself?
Linda flopped onto the couch. She couldn’t figure out what to do, and she had to guess what Cory had done as well. She looked at the red fire truck sitting on the coffee table. What would she tell the kids?
She cursed her husband. At the least, he could have left a letter. The thought made her jump up. Linda had seen an envelope tucked under his MacBook. Maybe a message was in it.
She moved the laptop. The envelope was unsealed. She pulled out three sheets of manuscript paper. A blue Post-it was stuck on the top sheet. The note was in Cory’s handwriting: Sorry, I couldn’t say anything. I have to clear my name. I love all of you and wrote these songs for you. Recordings are in the Family Music Folder.
Linda navigated to the song he wrote for her. Eight bars into the song, she broke down crying. She composed herself and ran her hand over the manuscript paper he wrote on. It was the most beautiful song he’d ever written.
She played the song twice more before listening to the ones he composed for Ava and Tommy. They were perfect. Cory’s love for his kids was apparent, and the lyrics were clear. She hoped it would help soften the reality when they learned what the situation was.
* * *
Three hours later, Cory’s phone rang. It was Tower’s office. Hustling into the studio, Linda answered, “Hello.”
“Is Mr. Lupinski available?”
“This is his wife, Linda. What can I do for you?”
“Mr. Lupinski had a meeting scheduled with Mr. Tower, but he never showed up.”
“I’m so sorry. I forgot to call you. He isn’t feeling well. I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay. Tell him we hope he gets better and to call when he’s up to it. He needs to reschedule as quickly as possible.”
“I’ll make sure to call you, maybe tomorrow. Let me see how he feels when he wakes up.”
She pocketed his phone. Linda sat next to Tommy, who was watching TV, and waited for Ava to come home.
Ava breezed into the house, peeling off her backpack. Linda said, “How was your day, honey?”
“All right. I’m starving. Is there anything to eat?”
“You didn’t have lunch?”
“I wasn’t hungry then.”
Linda got up. “There’s hummus, or I can make tuna fish.”
Ava frowned. “That’s it? There’s never anything to eat in this house.”
“If you want something specific, tell me and I’ll buy it. How about some eggs?”
“Okay. Soft-boiled. I’m getting changed.”
“Tommy, you want anything?”
“Can I have a cookie?”
“Sure, sweetie.”
They sat down to eat, and Ava said, “Did he come home yet?”
“Don’t call him ‘he.’ He’s your father.”
Ava rolled her eyes and broke the egg in half. “So, Dad didn’t come home.”
“Finish your egg, and I tell you all about it.”
Ava set her spoon down. “What’s going on?”
“Eat first.”
“I don’t want to. Tell me.”
“Tommy, listen to what I’m going to tell you and Ava. Okay?”
Nibbling a gingersnap, her son nodded. Linda took the envelope Cory had left and took the sheets of paper out. “Your father wrote these songs. One for each of us.”
Tommy reached out. “Cool. Lemme see.”
Linda handed him a song titled “Chasing Rainbows.” “Be careful with it. Ava, this one is for you.”
Her daughter took the sheet music named “Be True to You.”
“Mommy, what one did Daddy make for you?”
“It’s a beautiful song, called ‘Us.’”
“‘Us’? That’s all?”
“Yes. Wait till you hear it. It’s the best one Daddy ever wrote.”
“It’s nice he wrote these for us, but where is he?”
“He’s gone away for a while.”
“But why did Daddy go?”
“Let me explain, Tommy. We all know that somebody is accusing your father of doing a very bad thing. Daddy said he had nothing to do with it, and I believe him.”
“So, why’d he run? Why can’t he get justice at a trial?”
“It’s complicated, Ava. He said he didn’t do it, but there is evidence suggesting that he did. His new lawyer recommended he plead self-defense. Your father didn’t want to admit to something he didn’t do. It offered a way to end this nightmare, and he was going to take it to make things easier on the family.”
“So, why’d he change his mind?”
“One of the things you said to him, about not being able to take back what you said, really got to him. He was concerned that it would look like he did it, and he didn’t want to give off that appearance.”
“I don’t understand. If he runs away, it makes him look guilty.”
“That’s true, but the trial date is coming up, and there’s not enough time to get to the bottom of who is trying to hurt your father. We have a good idea but need more information. Once we have it, Daddy will come home, and it will all get straightened out.”
“How long is Daddy going to be gone? We were going to go ice skating Sunday.”
“I’m not sure, honey. But I’ll take you Sunday. Daddy recorded the songs. Why don’t we go listen to them?”
Chapter Forty-Eight
Linda was in the studio, listening as Cory serenaded her. She missed him, but hearing his voice dulled the pain. She wondered how long the effect would last on her and the kids. She got up and ran her fingers over the strings on Cory’s Les Paul.
Trying to calculate how long it would be before she would see him again, Cory’s phone rang. It was Tower’s office. “Hello.”
“Mrs. Lupinski?”
“Yes.”
“I’m calling for Mr. Tower. Is your husband there?”
“Uh, yeah. He’s in the shower.”
“He needs to meet with Mr. Tower. How soon can he come in?”
“Maybe next week I think would work.”
“I’m sorry, but Mr. Tower must see him no later than tomorrow.”
Tomorrow?”
“Yes. I’ve been advised it’s critically important. I believe there are some documents to execute in regard to the change in plea.”
“Oka
y. I’ll tell him to be there at, uh, four.”
Linda hung up with a bad feeling. She didn’t know what to do but had to go food shopping before picking up Tommy.
Wheeling a cart filled with groceries down her block, Linda saw two men in suits near the entrance to her building. As she got closer, she realized they didn’t look like businessmen.
“Mrs. Lupinski, we’d like to speak to your husband.”
“Who are you?”
“We’re from Mr. Tower’s office.”
“He’s not home.”
“Where is he?”
“I’m not sure, but he’s going to see Mr. Tower tomorrow.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you answering his phone? Who is he hiding from?”
“No one. I swear. Look, I have to get these inside and pick up my son.”
“You tell Mr. Lupinski to make sure he makes his appointment. Mr. Tower is extremely busy.”
* * *
The morning after missing the meeting with Tower, the doorbell rang. Linda answered it.
“Mrs. Lupinski?”
“Yes. What do you want?”
“I’m Detective Lopez. Is your husband home?”
“No.”
“Where is he?”
Linda’s lip quivered.
“It’s okay, ma’am. Tell me the truth, and we’ll go from there.”
“I don’t know where he is. I swear. He never told me, he just disappeared.”
“When’s the last time you saw him?”
“Uh, couple ofdays ago. I went to my yoga class, and when I came back, he was gone.”
“Where do you think he might have gone?”
“I don’t know. Honestly, I’ve been trying to figure it out.”
“Have you spoken with him since he left?”
“No.”
“Any texts or email?”
“No. He left his phone behind and, uh, his laptop.”
“We’re going to have to confiscate them and search the apartment for any evidence to where he might be.”
“Search? My children are coming home.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am. Is there a neighbor they can stay with?”
* * *
Tower was addressing a handful of reporters outside the Center Street Courthouse. “It’s unfortunate that my client, Cory Lupinski, didn’t possess enough faith in our ability to administer justice and chose to flee rather than face the charges against him.
“We must do more to instill confidence that our legal system works for the average citizen. It’s imperative that trust be built between the accused and the system that is supposed to assume their innocence, to protect the powerless.
“This nation’s sacred institution of justice is in danger of collapsing when citizens decide a life on the run is more palatable than a jury of their peers.
“Let this be a reminder to the powers that roam the halls of justice that fairness is a critical component of the system itself.
“I have time for a few questions.”
“Did you know Cory Loop was going to run?”
“No. However, I knew he was concerned, not only in regard to how the system was going to treat him, but also about the manner in which the press was covering the allegations against him.”
“What bothered him about the media coverage?”
“These are his words, not mine, but my client felt the press contributed to the belief he was being railroaded.”
“How did he explain the evidence against him?”
“Let’s just say that we were prepared to defend the baseless charges against Mr. Lupinski in the strongest of manners.”
“How? His blood was found at the scene?”
“You’ll just have to wait, but I can tell you, when the time comes, we’ll present a vigorous defense.”
“How do you respond to the rumors that Mr. Lupinski was going to use self-defense as a way to justify his actions?”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t address rumors, it only lends credence to them.”
“How is Cory Loop’s family reacting to this development?”
“They’re doing well, and I’d ask the media to respect their privacy. That’s all the time I have today.”
* * *
Shaking his head, Black shut the TV off. Tower was good, a chameleon without peer. He wasn’t sure how to classify Barney Tower. Everyone knew he was a fighter who’d do what he could to win. Rumors had swirled for years concerning his tactics, but that’s all they were, rumors.
Were other lawyers frustrated by Tower’s legal prowess? Black had obtained a transcript of the lawyer’s record while at Fordham Law School. Tower had compiled an impressive 3.9 GPA, graduating at the top of his class.
Tower was arrogant and had outhustled opposing counsel time after time. It made sense that some of the stuff in circulation was born out of jealously. But Black had started digging. It hadn’t taken him long to question how Tower had amassed real estate holdings valued at fifty million dollars.
Black looked into Tower’s family, wondering if he’d inherited wealth, but came up empty. There wasn’t much on Tower before law school, but the fact he’d received a needs-based scholarship cemented Tower’s underprivileged background.
He’d have to probe Tower’s past, but the first place Black was going to probe was a case that defied logic. He just needed another piece of proof that Tower had gotten his client off through extortion and bribes.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Cory wrapped the blanket around his shoulders and got out of bed. He popped a pod in the coffee maker and went to the window as the machine heated up. It was another gray day. Cory had been in Boston two weeks, and the sun had come out once.
He hit the brew button and got the powdered milk. As the coffee streamed into a mug, Cory envisioned the chaotic scene at his apartment on weekdays. Linda would be making sure the kids ate something, and Cory would keep Tommy focused on getting ready for school.
It was tough getting the day started that way. Cory preferred to ease into it, having his coffee and reading the news, but he wished he was back in Brooklyn. He sipped his java and put his name in the tablet’s search bar.
Three results from yesterday came up. Cory clicked on the New York Post article. In the piece there was a quote from the DA stating that they were aggressively pursuing Cory Lupinski. Cory wondered whether aggressive meant anything special or just a way for the prosecutor to sound serious.
The DA also said there was no evidence that Barney Tower had played a role in his client’s disappearance. He qualified the statement with a ‘thus far,’ but if Cory was apprehended, he’d do his best to drag Tower into his getaway scheme.
Cory moved to a post on the New York Times website, “The Chase for Cory Loop.” The story was a seesaw for him. It referenced several high-profile fugitives, making clear that eventually the authorities got their man, but quoted a source from New York’s Finest that they believed Cory had fled to Mexico.
He was about to click on the third result but decided on a second cup of coffee instead. Cory took a sip, sat down and watched the Tower video again. It was the fifth time he’d seen the person he believed was framing him talk as if he were protecting him like a parent.
Each time he saw Tower conning the media, it made his stomach pitch. He was putting himself up as some kind of guardian, despite the fact he was the one forcing Cory to run. Tower was the reason he was separated from his family, from his children. Cory tossed the tablet aside.
He put his mug in the sink and pulled the box with the cell phones out. He needed to hear Linda’s voice. The kids were still home. Maybe he could talk to them.
He paced the small apartment. If Black found out, it wouldn’t be good.
But how would Black find out? It was impossible. Cory turned the day’s phone on. He watched it power up. Cory took a deep breath and typed in his wife’s number. His finger hovered over the green button wh
en the phone vibrated. A call was coming in. Cory deepened his voice.
“Hello?”
“It’s me. You carrying the phone around?”
“Didn’t want to miss your call.”
“You need anything?”
“No, but it’s not easy being cooped up in—”
“Don’t cry. I told you it was gonna be tough.”
“I know. But can you get a message to my wife?”
Black remained silent.
“I just want to let her know I’m okay.”
“I’ll think about it. I wanted to check in, let you know I’m onto something that might be big.”
“What is it?”
“Can’t say. Got to go.”
“Oh, come on, man, I need something to hold me over.”
“It’s another crazy case with the same judge.”
“What do you mean?”
“Can’t say. I’ll be in touch.”
“Wait—”
Cory looked at the phone. What had Black uncovered? He thought it was a crooked judge. Maybe that was how Tower was able to get people off. Cory wondered if it was the same judge who oversaw his shooting incident.
It could only be one of the underhanded methods Tower used, because everybody would realize a particular judge was involved in too many unexpected verdicts. How Tower turned on him made Cory convinced the lawyer also used extortion to get the results he wanted.
Cory wondered what tactics Tower used. Did the lawyer set up his victims, plying them with drugs or sexual favors? Did he bribe people and use the bribery against them?
Tower’s network had to be extensive. Cory knew Tower had legitimate cases that he’d won on merit, but it made him question how many people were cast into similar situations by the crafty lawyer.
Cory acted badly when he’d been unable to handle fame and the pressure of keeping secret that he’d stolen the songs that became hits. But taking drugs and cheating on his wife wasn’t close to what Tower did regularly.
How could Tower knowingly ruin someone’s life? How could he sleep at night knowing Cory would be behind bars, separated from his family? Cory was convinced Barney Tower was heartless.
Tower was pissed at Cory for outfoxing him and ending the extortion. Trying to get revenge was childish, but as twisted as it was, he saw why Tower wanted to hurt him. But his family? Cory had kids, a six-year-old and a teenage daughter, and a wife. Why make them suffer?
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