Last Chance

by Natalie Ann

  “Happy Birthday,” she heard again, and then silence. The call went dead.

  Big Deal

  “Give me your phone right now,” Trevor said. “Tell me what happened, not that I couldn’t guess by your face.”

  “It was him. I know it was.”

  “What did he say?”

  Trevor had been sitting there watching her during the call. From the smile on her face, to the perplexity at having to say she couldn’t hear the person, to confusion, and then fear.

  “There was silence. I couldn’t really hear anything. Nothing more than someone moving around. Like they were muffling the phone. I couldn’t even make out the voice, either.”

  “So you don’t know what he said?” he asked again.

  “Happy Birthday. That’s all I heard. Happy Birthday. How did he know it was my birthday?”

  “We’re leaving,” he said, holding his hand up for the check. “Let me pay and we’re going right to the barracks. I’m calling Logan and we’re getting the number traced.”

  “But they patched him through. I had no number.”

  “Riley, it’s an on-call service. There is a way to trace the call. People call in hurt and sick a lot to services like this. Calls get lost or dropped, so there has to be a way to trace it back. Trust me on this.”

  Trevor paid the bill and they left, driving in silence to the barracks where she had to relay the whole thing all over again to Roger. Then she called the on-call service and handed the phone to Trevor and tuned out all the questions asked while she sat in a chair at the conference table staring at the wall.

  “I’ve got a number,” he said, feeling like they were getting somewhere now.

  “Trevor. Someone called and wished her a happy birthday. There is no threat there,” Roger explained.

  “If you don’t run it, I will. You asked me to come to you first and I’m doing that. But I can just as easily walk out the door and do this on my own,” he said, furious right now.

  He knew there was no threat to those words, but he also knew this was the closest they’d gotten to finding some answers. Whoever this person was, whatever they wanted, they were making mistakes now. They had a voice and it was recorded.

  When the recording came in, they listened to it a few times and couldn’t make out much more than the voice was garbled and she wondered if it was intentional. But it didn’t matter, because they had a number, and the number could lead to a trail.

  “Burner phone,” Roger said after another trooper came in with the report.

  “You can’t get a location of where the call came from?”

  “The area code is in and around New York City, but that isn’t a surprise to anyone. We’ve sent what we have over to Logan. Maybe he will have a better chance at it. We’re limited here with our resources. I’d have to go outside the area for more. I’d have to justify it and I’m not sure I can.”

  Trevor wasn’t surprised to hear Roger say that. He went to the state police because his own resources were limited too. “Logan will call me when he gets something. Until then, we just have to wait.”

  “That’s it?” Riley said. “There’s nothing we can do?”

  “I’m sorry, Riley,” he said. “It’s not what you want to hear. It’s not what I want to hear, but it’s out of my hands right now.”

  “What a shitty way to end this night,” she said.

  “Come on. I’ll go pick up a chocolate cake and we can eat it together at home.”

  She stood up and walked over to him, then into his arms. “I’m going to eat the whole thing,” she said, her voice trembling now. At least she wasn’t putting up another wall on him, but rather letting go.

  “And I’ll let you.”

  ***

  Riley couldn’t believe she was in Cole’s chopper with Trevor and on her way to New York City the next morning.

  Logan had come through. Though they couldn’t trace where the call had been made from, they traced the purchase of the phone to just a block away from her old apartment.

  Cole was going with her to wait at her parents’ apartment while Trevor and Logan went back to her apartment building to try to get the manager to let them look around. She knew Cole was being asked to watch over her, and as much as she wanted to say it wasn’t needed, she wasn’t stupid, either. She wouldn’t argue, even though it was her first reaction.

  She couldn’t wait to get out of the chopper once it landed. She’d felt claustrophobic in the back seat, not to mention the raging headache from the noise and the headset.

  Logan met them on the landing pad, coming forward and shaking Trevor’s hand, then giving her a hug. She was taken back by that.

  “Logan hugs everyone that will let him,” Trevor explained.

  The two men were about the same height and build, and even had the same haircuts now that she looked closely enough. “Trevor is just jealous because not everyone can be as free with their emotions as me.”

  Riley looked at Cole, who was grinning at the two men, then back to Trevor and shook her head. She didn’t know if she’d ever come across a guy like Logan.

  “This is Cole McGuire,” Trevor said to Logan. “He’s with the state police.”

  “Don’t even think about hugging me,” Cole said, shaking hands.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it. You’re the pilot Trevor’s told me about. Air Force, right?”

  “Yeah,” Cole said.

  “Sweet chopper,” Logan said. “Can I get a lift in it when we’re done?”

  “It’d be my pleasure to fly around the Big Apple.”

  “You’ll get more clearance with me on board,” Logan boasted.

  “You two can bond over aircraft when we’re done,” Trevor said. “Riley, get to your parents and stay put. Cole, don’t let her out of your sight.”

  “Where would I go, Trevor?” Riley said. For months, all she heard was there was no real threat. That this was a nuisance. And now Trevor was starting to scare her.

  “Just do as you’re told,” he said.

  She and Cole hailed a cab, while Trevor got in the car with Logan and drove away. “Do you think they’ll be able to find out who it is finally?” she asked him.

  “They’re getting closer. I’m sure they’ll find out something before we leave. Even if it’s just more clues.”

  “I hope they find out. I just want this over with.”

  “Even if they do find out who he is, there isn’t much to be done right now,” Cole said.

  Her shoulders dropped. That was the kicker of all of this. “I know. He hasn’t actually done anything but scare me. Make me run.”

  “Did he really make you run? Was it that?” Cole asked.

  “Of course it was,” she argued.

  But she was lying to herself and didn’t speak to him the rest of the cab ride, lost in her own thoughts.

  “Mom, Dad,” she said, rushing into their arms when they opened the door. “You remember Cole, from Max’s party, right?”

  “Rene’s husband?” her mother asked.

  “I will be in a few weeks,” Cole said.

  “Come on in,” her father said. “Both of you. We’ll get you something to eat and then talk.”

  “Mom, can you and I talk alone?” she asked. “Do you mind, Cole?”

  “Not at all,” he said.

  They walked into a small room beyond the foyer. Her mother pulled her forward and hugged her tightly again. “I’m so glad you’re here. I can’t believe this is happening. I can’t believe you kept it from us.”

  “I didn’t think it was that big of a deal, though,” she said.

  “That’s a lie and you know it,” her mother said. “This situation forced you to leave your life behind. That’s definitely a big deal.”

  “I don’t think it really did, though. Maybe if I was happier I could have focused on this other business and handled it right instead of leaving. But I was so miserable and I just used it as an excuse, told myself if Jason didn’t believe me, no one els
e would— that it was a sign to go. I hadn’t been happy here for a while. You know that.” Though she never told her parents everything going on in her life, they knew enough.

  “Because of Jason?”

  “No. Not completely. He wasn’t right for me. I know that now. I probably knew it back then. I’m not sure I would have found anyone right for me here.”

  “That’s a ridiculous comment, Riley. You don’t know that for sure.”

  “Don’t you like Trevor?” she asked. She thought her parents did.

  “Of course we do. He’s a great guy. I just don’t want you to think that you had to leave to find what you wanted.”

  “But I did. Don’t you see? I wouldn’t have found anyone here because I always thought all they saw was the name. They saw me and my life, and they made assumptions. That I had it all and had no reason to want something else. Something different. Going there, no one looked at me like they did here. I’m just another face in Lake Placid. A face that was allowed to be me and be free. I felt I could finally find someone that made me feel like my dreams could have a great ending. I was so trapped in my head looking for all those other things, and now I’m not.”

  “And Trevor is all those things you’ve been looking for?” her mother asked.

  “He is. He loves me. He wants me. He believes me.”

  “Then that’s all that matters.”

  “I didn’t run away. I ran to someone. I know that now.”

  Never Doubt

  “Vincent,” Logan said, holding his hand out to the doorman at Riley’s old apartment building. Logan never forgot a face or a name that Trevor could remember.

  “The detective, right?” the older man said.

  “That’s me,” Logan said, smiling. If you looked up “good cop” in the dictionary, there’d be a picture of Logan grinning right back at you, his arms open for a hug. What many didn’t know was Logan was just as deadly with a weapon as Trevor was. “This is my buddy Trevor Miles. He’s Chief of Police in Lake Placid.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Vincent said, shaking his hand. “Did you find out who was harassing Ms. Hamilton?”

  “We’re getting close,” Logan said. “Frank around? Think he’d be available for a chat with us?”

  “I think he’s in his office. If you go down—”

  “I remember where it is,” Logan said. “Thanks.”

  “Harassing?” Trevor said.

  “Come on now. You know it’s nothing more than that. At least by the book.”

  “I know,” Trevor said, hating to voice it. “I just don’t want to downplay it, either. We both know it can turn at any moment.”

  “True. But we’re going to stop it before it gets to that,” Logan said.

  “Hopefully.”

  “Nope, we are. I can feel it in my bones. You know how that goes.”

  Logan had always been the voice of reason during deployments and assignments. Always smiling, always laughing, and when he felt it in his bones, he was never wrong. It was a little scary, but Trevor learned to go with it and never doubted a word out of Logan’s mouth. He couldn’t say that about a lot of people he’d crossed paths with in life.

  “Let’s hope you’re right this time,” Trevor said.

  “Always am.” Logan knocked on the open doorframe. “Hey, Frank. Detective Taylor. Remember me?”

  “Yes, yes. Come in. Did you find out anything else regarding Riley?”

  “That’s what we’re here for. This is Chief Miles, Lake Placid Police Department.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Frank said, reaching his hand out. “Lake Placid?”

  “That’s where Riley moved to. You didn’t know?” Logan asked.

  “Yes. I remember now. When she left, she put her forwarding address in her note. I thought I told you, she left the key in my office with a note and a check paying off her lease. She still had six months left to go on it. I tried to call her, but everything kept going to voicemail. Until you showed up, I had no clue what happened to her.” He got up and opened a filing drawer, pulled a file out, and handed it over. “Here’s her letter and everything else I have in regards to her.”

  “Does that happen often?” Trevor asked. “People just leaving without notice?” Trevor looked through the file briefly. Not much there. Her application asking all the basic questions, letters of reference, and the note Frank mentioned.

  “Not really. I normally get some notice. But like I told Detective Taylor, Riley kept to herself for the most part. Her rent was paid on time. She was a good tenant. Her letter said she was opening her own practice out of the area and that it was sudden. I didn’t think anything of it.”

  Made sense in Trevor’s mind. Especially since this was nothing more than a job to Frank. He probably had people coming in and out all the time, and didn’t bother to get too personal with anyone.

  “We’ve got a few more questions for you. Maybe we could look around the building some more.”

  “Sure,” Frank said. “Anything I can do to help. I can try to talk to the new tenants again, but I really don’t think they will let you in their apartment without some type of legal document.”

  “Just questions for now,” Logan said. “Has anyone in the building talked to you about Riley? Said her name in passing? Anything since the last time we talked?”

  “No,” Frank said. “People come and go all the time. Groups or cliques form, but Riley was never part of them that I’m aware of. She stayed to herself. Had her boyfriend with her now and again, but that’s about it. Sometimes her parents.”

  “You didn’t remember if she ever had any other visitors? If anyone else ever came to the door or asked about her? Dropped off packages or flowers?” Trevor asked.

  “Like I told the detective, that’s a better question for Vincent. I’m back here in the office most of the time or making repairs. Vincent lets deliverymen in and delivers everything to their apartments. No one is allowed off the first floor without being with a tenant or on the list. Otherwise the tenants have to come down to meet them, or Vincent lets them in the elevator once they’ve been cleared.”

  “Vincent never remembered anyone coming around asking about Riley. Neither did the other part-timer they had on staff,” Logan said.

  “Can I ask what’s going on?” Frank said. “You never said specifically what was happening. Maybe if I knew, I could think some more on it.”

  Trevor looked at Logan, got his nod, and said, “It started with empty envelopes, then blank pieces of paper in those envelopes. Hang ups on the phone, flowers to her office in town here, then her office in Lake Placid, and now to her home there. She got a call yesterday. It was the first time we’ve heard a voice. It was recorded, but we can’t make out much more than the words.”

  “What were the words?” Frank asked. “Can you tell me that?”

  “It doesn’t matter right now. But we tracked the burner phone to one that was purchased around the corner from this building. We decided to start back here and see what we could find out now.”

  “Were the letters handwritten?” Frank asked.

  “Typed. Why?” Trevor asked.

  “Long letters?” Frank asked, looking more anxious than curious.

  “No. A few words. What do you know? What are you thinking?” Logan asked.

  “I don’t know if I should say anything else,” Frank said.

  Trevor took a step forward, but Logan held him back. “I can go get a warrant. I can make this real official, or you can cooperate and answer the questions. Your choice.”

  “I don’t want to get anyone in trouble,” Frank said. “No laws have been broken, right? Not really?”

  “Just tell us what you know,” Trevor said.

  Frank looked indecisive, then finally stood up. “Follow me.”

  Trevor and Logan followed Frank down another hall and into an apartment in the back of the building. It was smaller and older, probably his. Rent-free as part of his job, Trevor was guessing. At the end of a hallway,
Frank opened up a door. “This is my daughter Debra’s room.”

  Trevor looked around. It looked like a child’s room. Posters and pictures of movie stars on the walls. Play gowns and crowns hanging on hooks. Disney books on another wall.

  “How old is your daughter?” Trevor asked.

  “She’s forty-two. But she has the mentality of a ten-year-old at best.” Frank walked to a closet and pulled out a shoebox and set it on a pink desk. When the lid was lifted, there were at least ten burner phones in there. “I won’t let her have her own phone. She isn’t responsible enough for one. But she likes to have one. She plays some games on it, calls me and talks to me like she’s talking to a friend. They don’t cost much and she likes to get new ones. It’s a treat for her. I just store them in this box. Sometimes I bring an old one out and she thinks it’s new. She doesn’t remember things.”

  “The phone was off when you tried to call the number,” Trevor said to Logan.

  “Yeah.” Logan turned to Frank. “These are old. Where’s her most current one?”

  “She has it with her. She’s at day treatment right now. The phone is probably off. She knows she isn’t supposed to have it on during sessions.”

  “Would she have any means to buy flowers?” Trevor asked, relieved it might turn out to be something innocent, but wanting to be positive. He had to make sure every question had an answer before this would be over in his mind.

  “I give her prepaid credit cards. She’s an adult. I try to let her have freedom, to come and go and make purchases. I want her to have a normal life. As normal as she can. It’s possible she went to a florist and bought flowers.” Frank was starting to look ill. “What’s going to happen to her? She’s just a child. Her mind, that is. She didn’t do anything bad. She didn’t hurt anyone.”

  “Right now, nothing is going to happen,” Logan said. “We just have some more questions.”

  “Does she know how to address envelopes?” Trevor asked.