He ignored the detective and looked at her “I didn’t have anything to do with his..with Nick’s ..” He couldn’t continue. He hurt too much. He did have something to do with it. Just his living here had something to do with it
“I know,” she said, but her voice sounded defeated. He knew she was standing just by sheer force of her will He wanted to go to her. He wanted to fold her in his arms and comfort. But he saw the hostile faces around him, and he knew it would only stain her, perhaps even make the police wonder whether she herself had something to do with the disappearance. Pain roared through him like a roaring inferno, only it didn’t burn down to embers It continued to rage.
“Let’s go to the station, Murphy,” one of the detectives said
“You have no cause,” Julie protested, but it was weak at best He didn’t know whether it was because nothing mattered except her son or whether she believed he could somehow be involved. The inferno was even fiercer. He couldn’t avoid the fact he was responsible He would bet ten years of freedom that his presence here had something to do with the kidnapping.
“We don’t need a cause, ma’am. He’s a parolee.”
“It’s all right,” he told her He turned to the detective “Want to search my apartment?”
“We already have.” Kale turned to one of the detectives. “Take him downtown See if he can’t do better with an alibi ”
The detective took out a pair of handcuffs, and locked Ryan’s wrists behind him He took one last look at Julie’s pale face and haunted eyes, and turned toward the door, all the recently acquired faith fading into hopelessness
They released him at dawn
He’d spent the night in a small interrogation room being asked over and over again, “Where’s the kid?” Detectives were augmented by F B.I. agents The first question varied only with a second one, “Where were you?”
He’d finally just stared at them, even when they said his lack of cooperation would be reported to his probation officer He thought about telling them about the phone call But where would it lead? Except back to his daughter, interrogation of her about a father she despised and headlines that could destroy her life.
Finally, his frustrated questioners let him go after warning him not to leave the city They didn’t offer to drive him back although they gave him back his keys. He took a cab.
Police cars were still in the driveway He asked one patrolman whether there had been any word on the boy. When told no, he went directly to his apartment. He didn’t think he could bear seeing the grief and fear, and even suspicion, in Julie’s eyes, particularly when he couldn’t do anything to alleviate it.
The apartment was in shambles Sheets had been torn from the bed and were crumpled on the floor Cans of food had been tumbled from the cabinet. Clothes lay on the floor. Apparently the police cared little about the possessions of an ex-con. He sat at the table and stared at the phone. What could he do? Where could he turn? But he had to do something or go crazy
He finally showered and shaved, and changed clothes. He had to tell Julie, if no one else, about the phone call, and he wanted to do it without the odor of jail hovering around him like some evil smog. He was just about to leave when the phone rang.
Ryan hurried to it and answered curtly, “Murphy.”
“If you want the boy, you’ll do as you’re told,” said a muffled voice
“I’m listening.”
“Meet me in thirty minutes. Be alone or the boy dies ”
“Where?”
He was given a set of directions. He knew exactly where it was: a storage facility several blocks from the garage where he worked
“We’ll know if you say anything to the police ”
And he knew they would Otherwise, how would they know about his daughter? Hell, about everything he was doing? After all, wasn’t he himself a prime example of police corruption? “I’ll be alone,” he said.
He wondered briefly whether his phone was tapped, but then why should it be? Any ransom demand would go to Julie, and he’d been in custody until an hour ago. His caller must have known that.
He knew he had to leave without anyone seeing him He slipped his keys in his pocket and went outside. The one policeman was still standing outside.
Well, no one had told him he couldn’t leave.
He sauntered out, nodded at the man, hoping he had no idea who was doing the nodding. He reached his car A different car was in front of it now, probably the F.B.I. by now.
Ryan quickly stepped into the car and took off, hoping that the uniformed policeman wouldn’t pay attention. Unfortunately through the rearview mirror, he saw the man stepping quickly toward the door to Julie’s house.
He put his foot on the gas pedal and sped off toward the garage, toward the gun in a top drawer. He hoped like hell Tim wouldn’t be running early this morning.
He wasn’t. Ryan unlocked the door and quickly found the gun, tucking it in the back of his jeans as he’d seen in a television show. Or had he just known? It didn’t matter now. Nothing mattered but Nick
He was just leaving when Tim drove up Knowing Tim would find the gun gone, that he had just lost any chance of staying out of prison, Ryan didn’t bother to speak or even nod. He’d just lost any right to respect.
Fifteen minutes left
Following the directions precisely, he drove to the storage facility He found a key taped behind a sign just as he was told it would be, and he unlocked the gate and walked inside, looking for the unit mentioned in the call. He moved the gun from the back of his trousers to the left side, where it was still hidden but he could reach with one easy movement. Instinct again. Or knowledge. Damn, he was tired of those questions.
He used the key to open the bin. For a moment, he couldn’t see anything in the darkness. As his eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, he saw a man in the shadows.
“Are you alone?” Banyon asked in a conversational voice.
Ryan stepped out of the light and into the shadow. Just as the dim light startled him, the sudden infusion of light must temporarily blind Banyon Ryan pretended to stumble, and in doing so, took the gun from his waistband and aimed at Banyon who himself was holding a gun.
“Where’s the boy?” Ryan asked.
Banyon looked surprised as he saw the gun “It’s a violation of your parole to carry that gun ”
“It’s against the law to kidnap children.”
“I didn’t,” Banyon said easily, obviously thinking he had the edge. “You did. You also killed him. I followed you here. Too bad I was too late to save him.”
His gaze went to a bundle against the wall, and as Ryan’s followed his, Banyon fired. Ryan instinctively moved, firing as he did so. Banyon screamed and clutched his stomach as his gun went clattering to the floor.
His heart in his throat, Ryan kicked Banyon’s gun away and walked over to the bundle against the wall, kneeling down to check the boy. He was breathing but unconscious, or drugged.
Ryan returned to Banyon’s side, noticing that he was bleeding badly.
“Telephone...in car,” the detective said. “I...need help.”
“Why?” Ryan said. “Why the boy?”
“She wouldn’t stop..the questions. Please...”
“Who else?” Ryan persisted. “Who else is involved?”
“Dammit, I...need .hospital.”
“First, who?”
Banyon looked up with pleading eyes, then said reluctantly, “Sandy” His eyes closed and Ryan knew he’d lost consciousness.
Ryan stared at him. What in the hell should he do now? If he called for help, Banyon would accuse him of kidnapping and it would be a cop’s word against an ex-con. At the very least, he’d fired a gun and would go straight back to prison; at worst, Banyon would die and he would be tried for murder.
But neither could he leave the man here to die.
Ryan picked up the boy and ran outside, finding the unmarked police car. He put the boy inside, then used the car radio to request help and tell
them Nick was safe in the car He locked Nick inside and threw away the keys. Even if Banyon could reach the car, he wouldn’t be able to get inside.
He had five minutes at most.
He ran.
Chapter 19
Julie concentrated on keeping herself together, to keep from screaming, and screaming and screaming.
She had protested any accusation that Ryan might be involved, and yet she didn’t understand why he couldn’t, or wouldn’t, explain where he had been. His eyes had cooled as he’d been questioned, then searched and finally hustled out. The old mask replaced the caring vulnerability she knew.
Dan had appeared after Ryan had been taken to police headquarters and in a moment alone she asked that he do everything he could for Ryan.
“Are you sure he didn’t have anything to do with it?”
“Of course he didn’t He had no reason.”
“I heard he was moving out. Maybe he was angry.”
“It was his idea, not mine,” she said impatiently. “He read the papers about the petition, he knew I’ve been getting complaints. He didn’t want Nick and me hurt ”
He’d finally agreed to have him released, but then Ryan disappeared again, and there was another APB out on him.
Dan stayed with her, answering the phone. Jerry dropped over, and muttered about Ryan. When the phone rang an hour after Ryan disappeared, Dan picked up. She knew something had happened by the changes in his face. Relief. Concern. Anger
He turned to her while still on the phone “They found Nick. He’s on his way to Memorial Hospital, but he’s all right. No injuries.”
He talked for several minutes longer, then hung up Julie stood still, awaiting more information before she started for the hospital
“Are you sure he’s all right?”
“Medics just wanted him checked out, but everything looks good.” Dan shifted on his feet, then said, “A detective named Banyon has been shot. He says Murphy shot him, that he found Murphy with your son.”
“Banyon?”
“Do you know him?”
“He visited Ryan in the hospital, then at the apartment in back.” She raised an eyebrow. “Some coincidence, huh?”
Dan didn’t look at her. “The police have no choice but to bnng Murphy in.”
“He wouldn’t have just left Nick alone.”
“Someone—a male—called the police dispatcher from Banyon’s car and told them where they could find Banyon and Nick He didn’t leave a name.”
“Ryan. Why would he do that if he’d kidnapped Nick in the beginning?”
“I’m interested in that myself,” Dan said. “Come on. I’ll take you to the hospital.”
Ryan drove to Rome, a city some seventy miles north of Atlanta, and hunted for a pay telephone. He called the Atlanta newspaper first to see if they had word of the kidnapped boy. He was given the name of the hospital He then called the hospital, claimed to be a reporter, and was told the boy was in good condition.
He slowly relaxed Then he headed to the outskirts of Rome until he found a dilapidated motel that looked as if its owner didn’t particularly care who its guests were. He needed rest before he decided anything else, before he made a mistake.
Ryan woke the next morning after a restless night, then went out early for a newspaper. He found an Atlanta newspaper, and opened it, only to find his picture on the front page He was wanted for questioning in the shooting of Jack Banyon and the kidnapping of Nicholas Farrell No more than he expected
They would have his license number. He backed the car up to his room so the license plate wouldn’t be immediately evident. Then he went inside, washed and showered He had to reach Julie. He had to tell her he had nothing to do with Nick’s kidnapping, but he couldn’t do it from here.
Ryan drove to a pay phone, then called Julie. No one answered He would try again. He went to the market, bought some doughnuts and a screwdriver He would exchange license plates. It might buy him a day or two.
But eventually he knew he would be caught. He’d learned a lot in the past month, but he was no match for the police, or the F.B.I Nor did he have enough money to go more than another day. After the past few days, he didn’t hold much hope for his survival in the hands of the police department. Someone wanted him dead, and he was afraid they numbered more than Banyon. But first he had to reach Julie. He wanted to know exactly what was going on
Julie sat next to Nick’s bed, watching him as he slept And he slept a lot. The doctors had released him this morning after keeping him overnight because his system was full of drugs. He was still sleepy, and the doctors said he might continue to be that way for the next couple of days.
She could barely keep her hands off him. She kept reaching over to touch him and reassure herself he was there.
If only she knew where Ryan was.
None of what she’d heard made any sense. Why was Banyon alone with her son? If he had learned where Nick had been taken, why had he not called for backup? During a few moments of consciousness, Nick had been asked who had taken him from the preschool, but he couldn’t remember anything but the “bad smell ”
An FBI agent had asked repeatedly if Ryan had taken him, and Nick had given him a disgusted look. “Ryan wouldn’t hurt me,” he insisted
Julie hadn’t liked the relief that had flooded through her. Had she ever seriously considered the possibility of his involvement? But why wouldn’t he say where he had been, and why had he gone after Nick alone? Doubts bedeviled her. She kept remembering how little she’d really known about her late husband She knew even less about Ryan Murphy.
The phone rang, and she prayed there wasn’t still a tap on it She had requested that it be lifted after Nick had been found. A technician said it had been, but she knew the police might have asked for a court order for a secret tap. Still, she didn’t think they would have had time.
It rang again and she reluctantly left the room and headed toward her office.
“Mrs. Farrell?”
She recognized the voice immediately and went still
“I’m from the Associated Press and would like to ask you some questions.”
“I don’t talk to the press,” she said.
“I understand Murphy worked at a garage Can you tell me how to reach it?”
She knew immediately what he wanted “Sorry,” she said and hung up Julie picked up Nick She wasn’t going to leave him alone again Not for a moment He mumbled, but then leaned his head against her shoulder She went out the back door, and started the car. She drove several blocks, looked around She didn’t think she was being followed, but she made several more turns before heading toward the garage.
When she arrived, she roused Nick and together they walked in the office
Tim appeared almost immediately He looked at Nick, then summoned Johnny. “Why don’t you show Nick here your truck.”
Johnny looked from Tim to her, then down at Nick “Come on, little guy,” he said, leading the way out of the office
Julie silently blessed them both Ryan had two good friends, that much was sure
“Have you heard from him?” Tim asked.
She studied him “You know he didn’t kidnap Nick, don’t you?”
Tim nodded “I think you should know a gun I kept m the desk is missing ”
“Did you call the police?”
He shook his head. “No I might have just misplaced it.”
But she knew he hadn’t “just misplaced it,” and she was grateful “I think he’ll call here,” she said “I think it might be wise if you’re someplace else and don’t answer it ”
Tim nodded and left the office to go into the bay.
The phone rang She picked it up and answered as she’d heard Tim do a million times “Garage.”
“Julie.”
Her hand trembled as she held the phone. “Are you all right?”
“Yes. Thank God you understood my call.”
“The police are looking for you.”
“I kn
ow. How’s Nick?”
“He’s fine, thanks to you That was you who called in about Nick?”
There was a pause “He wouldn’t have been in danger were it not for me. They wanted to frame me for his kidnapping If anything had happened to him.”
“What happened?”
“A muffled voice called me at the apartment and told me to go to the storage locker if I wanted to see Nick alive again. Banyon was waiting for me He shot at me. I didn’t have a choice.”
She was silent. It sounded familiar. Too familiar. A chill ran through her What if. .?
“Julie?” His voice sounded defeated, and she knew he read something into her silence. “Someone other than Banyon is involved They knew that I was planning to move. They knew I had seen my wife. They knew about...my daughter. A girl, or woman, claiming to be my daughter called me at the garage and asked for help. I drove to Macon, but she didn’t show up She didn’t even know about it. That’s where I was when Nick was taken, but I couldn’t tell the police or they would have gone straight to her.” There was a pause “I’m sorry, Julie I just wanted you to know I had nothing to do with it.”
Julie was digesting everything. Her hand shook as she slid down in the chair. “I know,” she said softly, then, “What are you going to do?”
“Good question. I just thought it wasn’t a good idea to hang around with a nearly dead cop at my feet”
“Did he say anything?”
“I asked him why. He mentioned a man named Sandy Does that ring any bells?”
“No ” She swallowed hard and made a decision He couldn’t make it on his own, not with amnesia. It was a miracle he was still free, and if what he said was right, someone else in the police department wanted him dead.
Could she permit any more risks to her son?
Could she live with herself if Ryan were killed?
He’d asked nothing of her He merely wanted her to know the truth, to make sure her son was returned safely. She thought of him out there alone: hunted, friendless, handicapped by limited knowledge She shuddered. She knew the feeling too well. She’d experienced the feeling of being hopelessly trapped when her husband had died, when she was besieged by reporters and law enforcement officials. She’d felt like a rabbit harried by bounds. Even so, her life had not been endangered.
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