“I thought of that too. Hopefully we won’t have to go that route.”
13
When Lisa got home, she took Phanny for a walk along the street bordering the lake. The days were getting shorter, and the damp evening air smelled like decaying leaves and approaching winter. As she walked she noticed all the bright, warmly lit houses embracing what she perceived to be happy families. Lisa felt guilty that she’d never been able to provide Paige with that scene. Lisa’s talk with TJ that afternoon had brought back all the guilt-laden memories she liked to keep under cover.
As she walked it occurred to her that was probably why she had felt such a strong kinship with Jamie Denison. Jamie had gotten out of that lifestyle in time and found a loving husband. And, in spite of its problems, her marriage still had a good chance for salvation at the time she’d been seeing Lisa.
Lisa had given up the club life only after she’d begun to fear it was becoming an obsession. She’d given it up, focusing on her work and her daughter. But unfortunately, after years of therapy and the emptiness of her life without a man, she’d stumbled back into a cycle of futile relationships once Paige left for college.
A shiver ran through her when Phanny woofed softly and began to growl. Lisa didn’t see anything, but it was a dark, moonless night. Why did fall evenings have such a sinister feel to them? Lisa thought it must be the gnarled branches of bare trees that seemed to be reaching for her. And this quest she’d just committed to wouldn’t be without its risks. She hurried Phanny back to the safety and warmth of home.
Lisa fed Phanny and fixed herself a grilled cheese sandwich on some wonderful bread she’d found at a bakery on North Avenue. The sandwich, made with the nutty, grain-filled bread and her favorite cheddar cheese, went perfectly with the bowl of tomato soup she’d heated up.
When she finished eating, she went into the garage and pulled out a ladder, using it to climb into the storage rafters. Moving aside some Christmas decorations, she saw it was still there—a small, metal security box. She carried it back down with her and brought it into the house. She opened the box and took out a stack of old legal papers. Underneath the papers sat a .22 caliber pistol still in its place next to a box of bullets.
14
Eric Schindler, the former Dr. Schindler, obstetric surgeon, sat in his office going over the day’s receipts. It was one of the few places he indulged in his favorite cigars. Owner of Kristy’s Classics now, Eric enjoyed working with the old cars, but today thoughts of his former career were plaguing him. Maybe it was time—time to explore a re-emergence. He could make a few calls and see if anything had changed. Or call TJ, ask her if she’d heard anything new on his case.
His cell phone rang, jarring him out of his reverie. He opened the phone.
“Hey you, what’s happenin’?”
“Not much. To what do I owe the honor?”
TJ said, “Well, you haven’t bugged me in a while, so I thought I’d call and catch up.”
“You’re right, I haven’t. But you never call to ‘catch up.’ What’s on your mind?”
“Need to talk to you about somethin’. You gonna be around tomorrow?”
“You can’t tell me what this is about?”
“Long story. Can’t be told as well on the phone.”
“If you have time tomorrow I’ll pick you up and we’ll go somewhere for lunch. A great ‘53 Corvette just came in today and I need to take it for a drive. I know you love Vettes. We could take it out to Port Washington.”
“Sounds good, Doc. How is the old car business going?”
Kristy’s Classics, a Milwaukee area classic car dealer and showroom had been a favorite hangout for him since his father had brought him there as a young boy. He heard the business had been struggling to survive, and when the dealership came up for sale, he’d jumped at the opportunity. He’d been at loose ends with his medical career on hold.
“The old car business is doing fine. Sure you won’t give me a hint of what’s on your mind?”
“Sorry, Doc. Have to run now, so it’ll have to wait till tomorrow.”
Eric suspected TJ’s need to talk to him could only have something to do with his wife’s disappearance. Kayla. Obsession was the only word to describe what he’d felt for his wife. A model when they met, she’d never accepted that her career didn’t hit the big-time. Brandy stingers, discovered on a skiing trip in Vale, became her method of coping with her disappointment.
After nearly two years in prison, where dwelling on it was all he had to do with his time, Eric finally understood that their relationship hadn’t been a healthy one for either of them. When TJ accused him of not being able to let go of Kayla’s memory, she’d told him he would always compare any other woman to Kayla. He’d let her think that, although Eric believed that his inability to stay with a relationship had more to do with how he’d lost his wife.
15
Seven years earlier.
The night with Nicole kept replaying in his mind like an old phonograph record. He’d stayed at her apartment until nearly four in the morning before he dared to take her body from the building. While he waited, he’d removed every trace of himself, anything that could possibly link him to her.
For months he’d watched the papers, never finding anything about a missing woman named Nicole. She must have been the kind of person everyone expected would just take off one day. He was home free.
Unsure whether he would feel compelled to such an extreme measure of retaliation again, he nonetheless found great pleasure in remembering every detail of that evening without dwelling on the conflicting emotions the memory aroused in him. That he’d go unpunished made it even sweeter.
He remembered her fondly. In a recurring daydream, she kissed him good-bye as he left her apartment, making him promise to call her the next day. The real ending to their encounter always popped up at the end, exciting him far more than the imagined good-bye scene.
16
The next day Eric came home from his outing with TJ unsure which excited him more, TJ’s ‘plan’ or the actual involvement of another person, Lisa Rayburn, even if it meant setting aside his ongoing dislike of therapists.
After all these years, maybe he would find out what had really happened to Kayla. Someone had abducted her; nothing else made sense.
It sickened him that there was another missing woman, possibly many. TJ wouldn’t give up the husband’s name when Eric suggested he talk to the man. The guy’s name wouldn’t be too hard to find though; he’d simply have to go to the online newspaper archives.
It took only minutes on the paper’s web site to find the reference to the missing woman, and he quickly found Jeff Denison’s phone number listed in the phone book. Risking TJ’s wrath, Eric dialed the number.
Jeff Denison answered on the first ring. “Hello?”
“My name is Eric Schindler. You don’t know me, but I was arrested five years ago for killing my wife. You might remember—the story was in the papers off and on for years. Anyway, I got out on an appeal after two years. I didn’t kill my wife, Mr. Denison.”
He knew Denison didn’t really know TJ, but wanted to give his call some validity. “A mutual friend told me about your situation—a friend who believes neither of us had anything to do with our wives disappearances. I’m calling because your circumstances now are so much like mine were that I thought I could give you the benefit of my experience.”
Still not giving Denison a chance to speak, Eric asked, “Would you like to meet for a drink sometime?”
Denison quickly said, “Sure, how about tonight?”
Eric hadn’t expected that. But if Jeff Denison were anywhere near as troubled as Eric had been, he would want to meet right away. Eric still remembered all those miserable nights he spent alone: drinking, staring at the TV, and agonizing about Kayla.
He invited Denison to Kristie’s and lit up his last cigar of the day.
When Jeff Denison arrived at the dealership, Eric gave him a tour of the
cars on the showroom floor, their glossy appeal brightening Jeff’s face. After they’d made the rounds, Eric took him into the conference room and offered him a beer.
He accepted one and asked, “What made you call me?”
“I thought you might need some moral support.”
When the other man said nothing, Eric asked, “Have the cops had you under the bright lights yet?”
“Not really. They still think Jamie left me. I know that’s not what happened. She wouldn’t just run off—not for this long, anyway, and not tell anyone.”
Eric thought Jeff looked choked up. Nervous that the other man might actually cry in front of him, Eric gave him time to collect himself.
After a minute, with a grimace, Jeff went on. “My wife and I have a 911 call on record. I didn’t get charged with anything, and Jamie told them I hadn’t hurt her. I’ll never forgive myself for frightening her enough to make that call. She did get hurt, but it was because I grabbed her arm. When she pulled away from me, she lost her balance and fell on a corner of the granite counter. She broke a rib. When they questioned me after she disappeared, they were looking at me like something that crawled out from under a rock.”
“Have you called an attorney or put one on retainer?”
“No. Like I said, the police think she left me.”
Denison was being pathetically naïve. “Do what you like, but it might be a good idea to have an attorney lined up.” He didn’t want to push; he’d let Denison think it over. “You know, in a way our cases are very similar.”
“They are?”
“My wife and I had a 911 call on record too. But I never laid a hand on her. And they thought she left me, too–at first.” Eric wondered just how much to tell the guy. So far, he liked him. Denison seemed genuine enough, or was he the one being naïve, thinking he could assume the man’s innocence based on one brief meeting?
He thought the similarities in Kayla and Jamie Denison’s disappearances were too similar to be a coincidence. Eric decided to tell Jeff everything. TJ would be angry that he jumped the gun, but he’d deal with the consequences later.
“Jeff, if you’re feeling anything like I was, you’d do anything you could to find out what happened to your wife . . .’’ Eric began telling Jeff about Lisa and TJ’s plan.
When he’d finished, Jeff looked like he’d been hit in the stomach with a battering ram. “If there is a killer, that means Jamie won’t ever come back; she’s out there somewhere, hurt, maybe dead.” Jeff paled.
Eric suggested ordering some food and was relieved the other man thought that was a good idea.
After Eric ordered takeout, Jeff asked, “So, these women are going to try to find this killer?”
Eric said, “No, they want to find evidence that there is a killer. Force the police to do their job and find the guy.”
“Why is now any different?”
“Now they have statistics that prove something must be going on with these women.”
“You said you intend to persuade them to let you in on it?”
“That’s another reason I wanted to talk to you. I figured you’d want to help and I thought if the two of us approached them, it would be more convincing. And think about it, two women interviewing abusers, possibly murderers? I’d sleep better at night knowing they weren’t out there alone.”
Jeff sighed. “This therapist. There’s something you don’t know about her.”
“What’s that?”
“Lisa Rayburn was the one seeing Jamie before she disappeared. I called her and pleaded with her to take me on as a client. She finally agreed.”
Eric nearly choked on the unlit cigar he held in his mouth. “That’s perfect. How could she say no?”
17
When Lisa entered the waiting area to invite Jeff Denison in for his next appointment, she was surprised to see another man sitting next to him.
Jeff stood. “Lisa, I’d like you to meet Eric Schindler,”
Lisa ushered the men into her office. She remembered the name Eric Schindler and realized he must be TJ’s ‘Doc’. Why would he be here with Jeff?
Schindler, about an inch shorter than Jeff, was broader, built as solidly as a wrestler. His face revealed nothing as he took a chair next to Jeff in front of Lisa’s desk. She thought she detected an odor of cigar smoke on him, a smell she hated only slightly less than the skunk spray Phanny brought in the house with her after meeting up with one of the little critters.
Jeff said, “I apologize for springing this on you. Eric’s told me about TJ and what you two are planning. I’d like to use my session today for the three of us to talk.”
She did feel like she’d had something sprung on her. “We can do that, Jeff, but first I’d like to talk to you alone.”
Eric left the room.
She asked, “Why didn’t you call me about this before just showing up with Eric Schindler?”
“You’re right. I should have called first. But Eric told me about you and TJ—what you’re doing. If there’s anything I can possibly do to find Jamie, I need to do it. I was afraid you’d say no.”
Irritated, but more at Schindler, who she was certain had orchestrated the ambush, she said, “Jeff, I understand why you feel that way, but I can’t make that decision. You should have asked TJ, not me. And I’m sorry, but finding your wife is not what this is about.”
“But it could lead to that,” he argued,
Under other circumstances, Lisa might have seen his assertiveness as positive.
Jeff said, “Eric did talk to TJ. She’ll be here in about half an hour, but Eric wanted to talk to you first.”
At least TJ would be on hand to deal with the situation. Lisa didn’t want to be responsible for anyone else’s involvement. “All right,” she said, “bring him in.”
Eric came back in with his hands in his pockets, wearing a subtle smile. Schindler, in his fifties, had a compelling rather than handsome face and his black, coarse hair had only a few streaks of gray. Lisa thought he looked uncomfortable. Good. She hoped he was feeling guilty about putting her on the spot.
He took a seat next to Jeff. “I wanted to meet you as soon as TJ told me about you, but I was afraid you might refuse to talk to me.
“The rise in missing women is horrifying, but it’s given Jeff and myself hope that we can find answers.”
Aware of the sincerity in his plea, she said, “I’m not surprised that either of you would want to take part. But I have reservations about getting anyone else involved. And TJ is the one who would decide, not me.”
Eric sat back. “If I can’t be actively involved, maybe there are other ways I can help. TJ won’t go back on my payroll; she said this is something she wants to do. If nothing else I’d like to pay any necessary expenses.”
The man could be persuasive; she’d give him that. He appeared confident and in control. A little too slick? He’d been a doctor after all; maybe it was just that built-in professional smoothness coming through. Or arrogance.
When she didn’t speak, he continued, “Jeff and I want to help in any way we can.”
Jeff nodded, looking relieved to have someone else plead his case.
Eric met her eyes. “I’m perceived by many people as just another wife-murderer who got off on a legal loophole. I’d like to get out from under that stigma. I want whoever is responsible for abducting my wife to pay for it.”
Lisa raised an eyebrow. “I’m curious why you had to see me without TJ present.”
He leaned toward her. “Two reasons. The first was to plead my case with you. Beg, if necessary.” He smiled, his sable-brown eyes easing his rugged features. “The other is my concern about the two of you meeting with men who are known abusers and maybe even murderers. I’d be more comfortable if we could go with you, but I know TJ is going to object. She perceives herself as perfectly capable of taking care of both of you. I’m afraid if I were to voice my concern, she’d be insulted.”
“How do you know I’m not insul
ted?”
His eyes narrowed, as if considering her comment.
She said quickly, “We both know how TJ would react to that. As for me, I guess I hadn’t thought about the safety issue yet. Considering TJ’s background, I’m not sure your fears are necessary.”
“You’re right. And I apologize if I’ve offended you. Or TJ. Maybe I’m being old-fashioned. Or chauvinistic?” He looked at Lisa from under heavy, dark brows.
Her mind raced, trying to decide what it would mean if these two men were to be part of their search. It would certainly be a positive for Jeff, who was desperate to play a role in finding his wife. He would have to be willing to continue his therapy with someone else, of course. But there was something about Eric. Something that put her off.
The door opened and TJ entered the room. “Hey guys, what’s happenin’?”
18
Later that evening, TJ sat at her desk, chair turned away so she could gaze out the windows. Her ninth floor apartment east of downtown Milwaukee didn’t have a lake view, but she loved the glitter of the city’s lights after dark. She’d take that over the endless steel blue of Lake Michigan anytime.
She’d been ticked-off by Eric’s rush to talk to Jeff and Lisa without her, but the end result satisfied her. He’d made a more convincing argument to Lisa for his and Jeff’s inclusion than she could have, forcing her to admit that she and Lisa would need all the help they could get. Eric’s safety concerns were a different matter. Well-intended but unnecessary. Demeaning even. Eric knew she could take care of herself, but she’d let it go.
Results were all that mattered and with the two men along, they could move faster. Lisa’s point made sense. She and TJ had professional interviewing skills, so going out separately, each accompanied by one of the men, would get a lot more accomplished.
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