by Dick Waters
There was just a dial tone. She stared at the phone willing it to ring again. She wondered if it could be the man from the dive she had chosen, or could it be her friend with good news. She contemplated dialing his number, but if it wasn’t her friend, she might miss the other call. She took a seat and stared at the phone. She waited and waited without any result. The scent of lovemaking filled the air. Why am I so intent on two other men…I have more than what I need right here. I even have another redhead to enjoy a different kind of love making. She continued to stare at the phone willing it to ring.
She had no idea how many minutes had passed. The phone hadn’t rung again and she was bullshit. She looked at her feet, which were still covered in part with sand, but there were yellow things scattered on the floor. It was her bathing suit, or what was left of it. She had no idea how she shredded the material, but the proof was only inches away. She thought about how much she loved that suit…how could you do something like that? She couldn’t remember either ripping it or cutting it, but the evidence was right there. Men, they’re the ones that made me do this. She picked up some of the pieces, throwing them at the phone and around the room.
All of a sudden she realized, Holly was just waiting for her. She wouldn’t have to deal with any men. She quickly headed for the basement, thinking about how to make the men come to Holly’s rescue. She felt the cool sand between her toes and took a deep breath. Her eyes were closed mapping out her strategy—
There was a ringing in her ears and she quickly opened her eyes…the phone was ringing. She went running up the stairs and picked up the phone. “Hello,” she said, out of breath.
“Hello, it’s me.” He hesitated, and then added, “You’re going to owe me that weekend.”
Chapter 67
Mike was concerned that Scott was still not back. Scott was supposed to call when he got checked out of the hotel. Did he forget? That’s not like Scott. I’ll give him some extra time.
Thirty minutes later, Mike felt he had waited long enough, and called the hotel desk to ask them to place a call to Scott’s hotel. They made the call while he waited on the line and when the Hamilton Harbor desk was on the phone, he asked, “Can I have Scott Tucker’s room please?”
“Just a minute, sir.” There was a pause, then, “I’m sorry, Mr. Tucker checked out over an hour ago.”
Mike couldn’t believe his ears. “Are you sure he checked out?”
“Yes, his bill shows ‘paid in full.’” There was another pause, “However, his luggage is still waiting near the lobby for him to come back for it.”
“Come back…I don’t understand.”
“He asked if he could leave it there for a few minutes while he returned his rented scooter next door.”
Mike was still processing what he heard.
“Sir, can I do anything more for you? Do you want me to have him call you when he returns?”
“No. I don’t think that will be necessary. He knows where he can reach me. If you do see him, just mention that Mike Miller called. Thank you.”
*.*.*
Mike immediately headed to Scott’s hotel just up the street. He went in the hotel lobby and spoke to the clerk on the desk, who confirmed Scott’s luggage was still where he left it. He asked where the rental facility was and the clerk told him about the convenient path leading to it.
Minutes later he was talking to the woman at the rental booth about whether Scott had indeed returned his scooter. She remembered him, indicating he had. She said he headed toward the connecting path just after returning the scooter. It had to be over an hour ago now.
Mike was concerned as he walked across the path, heading back to Scott’s hotel. He passed a small parking area, stopping to check it out. It was darker along this section of path. He looked at the landscape lighting along the path, noticing there should have been a light right where he was standing. He bent down, finding the light with the lens and bulb broken. He then headed down a side path over to the parking area, noticing two scuff marks on the path where it entered the parking area. He looked around the area and noticed something against one of the small rocks. It was a scooter rental slip. He went under one of the parking area lights, looking for the name on the slip…Scott Tucker. Oh my God—no!
Chapter 68
Mike ran back to his hotel room. It was easy to fear that the worst had happened to Scott. Too many people were coming up missing or dead. If there was a lesser of two evils, he would hope for a kidnapping. Maybe they got too close today, or maybe…who knows.
He called the Bermudiana Hotel, asking for Mercedes Strong. There were many rings. Mike looked at his watch. It was just before eight. “Hello.”
He recognized her voice. “Mercedes, its Mike Miller.”
“Well Mike, you’re almost the last person I thought I would hear from.”
“Mercedes, I’m here in Bermuda. I thought I could make some progress on Nils Nielsen and Holly’s disappearance if I could work by myself. However, something unexpected has happened.”
“Please tell me you haven’t found either of them…dead?”
“No. Today while checking out some things, I ran across somebody we know.” He purposely paused, and then added, “Scott. I found him already checking out something ahead of me. He has a habit of doing that...however; I think he’s turned up missing as well.”
Mercedes didn’t respond.
“Mercedes, did you hear what I just said?”
He could hear some noise on the line, but she wasn’t talking to him. “Mercedes, I think Scott may have been kidnapped less than two hours ago.”
“Mike…oh, Mike no…no. This can’t be happening. I wanted him to stay away from Bermuda. I had a feeling something might happen. Oh, please God, why this?”
“Mercedes, I think we need to team up right away, to see if we can find some trace of him, or where he might be.” Mike’s stomach was turning, with images of Scott’s last captivity and rescue flooding back. “Do you want me to come over, or do you want to come here?”
She took an audible breath before answering, “I better get Ralph and tell Max Gordon what you think has happened. Where were you when you bumped into Scott?”
“Mercedes, I’ll go into all of that. Do you want me to come over there?”
“Yes, meet us in the lobby. I’ll be there even if I can’t reach the others. How soon can you be here?”
“I’ll be there in ten. Wait, what am I thinking? We’ll only have to trace Scott’s last steps anyway. I’m right down the street at the Hamilton Princess, but I want you to meet me at Scott’s hotel. He was staying at the Hamilton Harbor Hotel, which is about a block away from both of us. I’ll see you in the lobby. Bye.” He realized he never waited for her acceptance. He grabbed his room key, a small flashlight and headed to Scott’s hotel. That thought sounded stupid, since Scott might not be in the comfort of a hotel at this moment.
*.*.*
Mercedes called Ralph’s room, but there was no answer. She realized he was going to dinner downstairs and wanted her to join him. She didn’t want a repeat of what happened last night, so she told him she was just having something to eat in her room. She’d check the dining room on the way out. She dialed Max’s room, but there was no answer there either. She couldn’t wait any longer. The thoughts of something bad happening to Scott were overwhelming. She could feel the nausea coming on. She had to calm down.
The elevator couldn’t move fast enough for her. When it finally stopped at the lobby, the elevator was loaded with people dressed for either a late dinner, or evening entertainment. The doors opened and she felt like pushing them as they weren’t rushing at all. She dashed to the dining room entrance, looking for Ralph. She couldn’t locate him. She rushed into the lounge and then the ballroom. He wasn’t in either location. To hell with you Ralph. She never spotted Max in her travels either, and didn’t want to spend any more time looking for them.
Outside the hotel there was a line of people waiting for transportatio
n. To hell with that delay too. She took off her heels, heading to Scott’s hotel. The cool pavement felt good, but she seemed to find all the small pebbles. Why the hell didn’t you change your shoes? She said a silent prayer on the way that nothing bad has happened to Scott. She thought about last night’s still unclear circumstance with Ralph, wondering if something happening to Scott was her punishment. Please God, please don’t let anything happen to him. Take me instead.
*.*.*
Mike saw Mercedes’ scared expression as she rushed into the lobby. Everyone went immediately quiet. As he walked towards her, she flew into his arms. He could feel her sobbing against him and decided to escort her to the small area off to the side of the lobby. “Mercedes, everything’s going to be okay. Scott will be okay…I know it.”
Mercedes leaned back from him. She tried to speak, but nothing came out.
“Mercedes, here’s Scott’s luggage.” He pointed over to the far corner of the small area. “I need to tell you more about what I know and show you what I think happened. Are you going to be okay?”
She took a deep breath and wiped her tears. “Mike, I think…I think…well Scott and I…”
He interrupted her, “Mercedes you don’t have to tell me, I know…you may be the profiler, but I’m not blind. I can see how Scott has changed since your call. I can see how you feel. Please we need to act fast on this. Scott is out there somewhere, and he needs us to find him. Come on.” He ushered her out the lobby doors and down to the path. He gave her his handkerchief and she used it as they made their way to the path.
“Mercedes let me tell you what happened. Earlier today, I met Scott at a dive shop we were checking out. That dive shop is operated by a woman who we believe bought six dive cages. One of her suppliers indicated she’s a real kook. Anyway, Scott was there after he saw you leave on a boat earlier. Scott decided it made no sense for him to stay at a different hotel now that I know he’s here. He never told anyone he was headed to Bermuda.”
She stopped walking, taking off her heels. “That sounds like him.”
As they continued down the path, he informed her, “Scott was checking out of his hotel. He was going to call me when he was on his way over to my hotel. He never called, and when I called looking for him, I was told he checked out over an hour before. The desk clerk told me he was headed to return his motor scooter and left his luggage where you saw it. I spoke to the scooter rental clerk. She confirmed he returned it at least an hour before. See this area up ahead where there are no lights?”
“Yes what about it?” She knew the answer without him supplying it.
“I think someone caught Scott’s attention. By the time they got to that lot over there…he was taken by surprise.” Mike showed her the broken light.
“Mike the glass is still beside the light. This just happened.”
He went over to where the walk leads to the parking area. “See those marks there?” he said, pointing. “I think he was dragged to a vehicle in this lot. I found a scooter rental tag with his name right there.”
Mercedes paid attention to the details and then shook her head. She went running barefoot into the parking lot checking out each of the parking spaces, like a bloodhound. Then she headed over to the shrubs adjacent to the lot, grabbed her stomach, bobbed a couple of times and was sick.
Mike gave her some privacy, looking to see if there was anything else he had missed.
Mercedes regained control, coming over to him. “Mike, my profiling gut is kicking in. You never told me about the woman who owns the dive shop. Is she tall with long red hair?”
“Yes, how did you know that?”
She didn’t answer him. “What’s her name?”
He studied her for a moment. “The dive shop name is ‘Rusty’s Dive Excursions’ and the woman’s name is Margaret Orion.”
Mercedes’ head snapped in his direction. “Orion—the mythical hunter, who is accidentally killed by his lover.” She covered her mouth again. “Shit Mike, she’s got our Scott.”
Chapter 69
Mike watched her turn in circles several times like a caged animal. “We can’t let her kill him. We have got to find him—before we find him killed.” She turned again, and everything she had left came up.
“Mercedes, we need to alert the inspector about Scott’s disappearance.” Mike didn’t say it but he certainly was thinking it; deja vu, Scott’s life is in jeopardy again.
Mercedes came over to him, and he held her. He could smell the strong scent of Gardenia.
Mercedes leaned back. “That’s another thing. Does it surprise you that we have made more progress in a week than the authorities have made in almost two years. My gut says there’s something wrong…something very wrong. However, I guess we can’t risk Scott’s life not saying something.”
*.*.*
Mercedes found her shoes and put them back on. She spotted a nearby bench and went over and sat down. Mike went over and joined her. “Mercedes, let’s go over what we have and map out a plan. It’s obvious we have at least a woman involved in these kidnappings. However, I’m not sure she’s operating alone. Her boat was gone earlier today, and there were vehicles in her parking lot. She could have come back to Scott’s hotel and kidnapped him, but that’s a stretch. I think she has an accomplice.”
“Mike, we know her name…what we need to find is where she lives. That must be where she’s keeping the men and Holly. She wouldn’t risk leaving them elsewhere, and from the sounds of it she spends her free time with her guests.” She took a deep breath before telling him about her profile. “Mike, there’s something I need to share with you. Remember how I came up with the profile of the women who were doing the torso killings back home?”
“How could I forget that?”
“Well, bear with me for a few minutes. I believe the woman is in her late twenties, or early thirties. She’s been raped in her past. However, she took away from the rape the power someone had over her. She gets off on it. That’s why she doesn’t just have one man. One man couldn’t satisfy her sexual appetite. When she tires of the man, or men, she just gets rid of them and gets a new guest. However, we saw that her time between kidnappings is getting more and more frequent. I speculate she doesn’t even know she’s making these changes more frequently.”
Mercedes took another deep breath and then continued, “She obviously knows how to dive and dispose of the men. We can see she might even do dive excursions for a living. That would give her the opportunity to at least pick up a new guest just by inviting the man back to her house, where he would be walking into her trap. Perhaps…walking is an inappropriate description of what he might be doing when he got there. That same scenario works with men she meets elsewhere; when she shows the unsuspecting man her house…he’s already been caught.”
“Mercedes, I don’t think anything you’ve said is off base. You seem to be building up to something, care to share?”
“Before I go there, the police investigation leaves much to be desired. I suspect someone high up in that organization might be connected with this whole thing, meaning; yachts, men, money and possibly involvement in the slave trade. I didn’t tell you about this, but we learned that there’s been an increase in pirates operating on the open ocean. They board the ship, beat up and dump the men, and take the women. Nils’ boat, which was last seen when his friends were filling up their gas and water tanks, had one man and three young, attractive females.”
She was concerned they weren’t moving to find Scott, but she knew this was important. “Mike, a few days ago when I first started with the profile of the killer down here…my gut was leading me down a path I wasn’t comfortable in accepting. However, given the circumstances, what do you think about the possibility of Melanie, my sister, being behind these kidnappings and killings?”
*.*.*
Even in the limited light Mike could see the anguished look on Mercedes’ face. “You’re serious about this aren’t you?”
“Mike, you don’t
have to beat me up about my theory…God knows I’ve done enough of that myself. It defies all logic. She would have had to first survive that dive into the freezing water of Boston Harbor, in the middle of winter. She would have had to create a new identity including the papers to support it. She would have had to get to Bermuda and establish a way to support herself. And most importantly, it would have had to all be done without being recognized. She was not someone who you would miss in a crowd, not with her; looks, stature and red hair.”
“So why are you telling me this…what difference does it make. She’s still kidnapping and killing men?”
Her head snapped to look at him, like it had a mind of its own. “You said her name was Margaret Orion. Margaret and Melanie are close enough. Orion is a mythical man who is killed accidentally by his lover. She’s killing her lovers, but not by accident. Mike, I told you about that fish she fought for hours and lost…she had my Grandfather go back to that spot numerous times to see if she could catch it again. Scott was the lover that got away. She’s now got her ultimate fantasy in person. She’ll force herself on him, and then she’ll kill him just to keep me from having him myself. She knows I cared enough about him before to risk my life to save him.”
“I’ll bet my life I’m right on this, but I won’t bet Scott’s life. Mike, it’s hard for me to say this to you, but he was important back then…but he’s so much more now.” She put her head against his chest because she couldn’t hold the emotions in any longer.
*.*.*
They returned to her hotel. She tracked Ralph down and announced that Scott Tucker, another investigator, is now missing. Max was still among the missing.