by David McLeod
‘Hi Malone and Taylor, Erin here. I’ve had a call from Detective Rodriguez; he thinks they’re going to attack the hotel tonight, so I thought maybe you’d like to go down there and have a stake out of our own. I’d like to be there in case Joshua is with them. Anyway, give me a call back and tell me what you think.’
Malone gave Taylor a sounds like a good idea look, but Taylor looked back disapprovingly. There’s no way I’m going to be stuck in a car all night with Aaron, she thought.
The machine beeped and the second message started.
‘Hi, this is a message for Daniel. You didn’t call this morning. I hope you haven’t abandoned me again,’ she laughed. ‘Anyway I thought that maybe you’d like to go to see your father’s grave in Frisco, I’ve got some vacation time owing so I could split from here anytime, we could have some fun and spend some of our hard-earned cash.’ She laughed again and the message went dead.
Malone stood frozen to the spot.
‘What is it? What’s the matter?’ You look like you’ve seen a ghost, Taylor said alarmed as she looked at him.
‘That voice! — it’s her!’ The message was playing back in Malone’s head and the words split and cash screamed out at him.
‘The tone, the words’ the way she speaks — It’s her!’
‘What are you talking about?’ Taylor asked again.
The fatal answer-phone message from years ago — one he’d replayed over and over until it burned a deep groove in his memory banks, now boomed at full volume from the speakers inside his head.
‘I know who has your daughter, Mary. She’s locked in a room under my boyfriend’s place. I can’t tell you over the phone where it is. Meet me on east corner of 124th street and Alameda at three. He’s gonna find out it’s me who told, so bring a couple of grand cash so I can split. Oh, and come alone, no cops.’
‘I’m telling you, that’s fucking her! That’s the woman who killed my wife!’ he yelled.
Daniel came bolting from his room.
‘What’s the matter? What’s going on?’
Malone was speechless as he replayed Shannon’s message on the machine. Taylor told Daniel that Shannon’s voice sounded like the woman that killed Malone’s wife.
‘Not sounds like — It is her!’ Malone yelled as he listened to her speak.
‘Don’t be ridiculous — Of course it’s not,’ Daniel said smiling as he off-handedly dismissed Malone’s misdirected ranting’s.
Malone turned around and aggressively pointed at Daniel.
‘I’m telling you, it’s her. I’d recognize that voice anywhere. That is the woman who killed my wife.’
‘Malone, you have no idea what you’re talking about. You’ve got it wrong. My mom wouldn’t hurt a fly, she’s honest and hardworking. Plus, there’s hardly anything to her. I’ve seen the pictures of your wife; there’s no way my mom would be able to attack her.’ Daniel was getting defensive and the meaning of his words were coming out wrong.
‘Are you calling Barbara fat?’ Malone was moving towards Daniel.
‘Both of you calm down, now!’ Taylor Screamed. ‘Daniel, could you please leave us alone for a minute!’
Reluctantly, Daniel went off to his room.
‘Malone, come and sit with me a moment,’ she said as she took his hand and led him to the couch, flicking Charlie out of way as they sat down.
‘Honey, I just want to talk to you and I want you to listen and not speak. Can you do that for me?’ Taylor’s voice was soft and careful as she continued. ‘Now, I know you’re sure that Shannon is the woman who killed Barbara, but…’
‘But nothing,’ Malone jumped in, ‘it’s her.’
‘Please let me finish,’ Taylor said quietly.
Malone closed his mouth.
‘Like I said, I know you believe that Shannon killed Barbara; but honestly, what are the chances of Daniel’s mother — Daniel, the guy who helped you in your search for your daughter — being the woman who killed your wife? Don’t you think it’s more likely that you’re just watching Daniel grow closer to his birth mother, and you can feel him becoming less dependent on you?’
Malone was about to jump to his own defense and tell Taylor that she was wrong, in fact every emotion inside him was telling him not listen to her, to blot her out and get on the next flight to Vegas — everything but logic. Logic was a tiny voice that was growing in size with every second that passed. Logic was repeating Taylor’s words, “what are the chances of the mother of the guy that helped you in your search for your daughter turning out to be the killer of your wife?” He thought about how he believed significant people came into his life for a reason; maybe Daniel was there to right the wrongs of his mother. But Logic then joined forces with rational thinking, coincidences like this were inconceivable; it was impossible; it was absurd.
‘What do you suggest we do then?’ Malone asked glumly.
‘How about we get Daniel to ask…’
‘Like she’s going to tell him she killed my wife? I can hear the conversation now, “Mom did you kill Malone’s wife?” “Oh yes, dear, there was nothing on TV that day.”’ Malone said sarcastically.
‘Have you finished?’ Taylor asked; again Malone went silent. ‘What I was going to say was, get Daniel to ask her subtly where she was around the date of your wife’s murder. At least then we can find out if she was in Vegas, Frisco, or even in the damn country.’
Logic and Rational thinking gave off a big cheer as Malone sank back in the couch and reluctantly said, ‘I guess we’ll try it your way first.’
Elwood’s phone rang and he answered it gruffly.
‘Yeah?’
‘It’s time to move on Vince and Scott. And you have the authority to tie up any loose ends.’
The phone went dead on the other end. The message was simple and it was what he was expecting: Time to go to work.
Chapter 38
Taylor had been in earlier and explained to Daniel what she’d said to Malone: that she was sure it was all a big misunderstanding, but for Malone’s sake and her own, would he please get a few more specific details on what Shannon had been up to around the date of Barbara’s murder. She finished by saying it would be nice for everything to go back to normal.
At six thirty-five, Daniel was on the phone to his mother again.
‘Hi Daniel, so you haven’t disappeared then,’ Shannon joked as she answered the phone.
‘Yeah, sorry about that, I had to run an errand this morning. How was your day?’
‘’Bout the same as usual, some winners some losers and not much in between.’ She was in good spirits. ‘Any thoughts on the message I left for you?’
As soon as Shannon mentioned the message, Daniel instantly thought of Malone’s take on it. Although he had nothing to compare it to, he listened to her voice wondering if it really did match the message left almost six years ago. He wondered if her voice belonged to a vicious and brutal murderer.
‘Daniel, are you there?’ she asked.
‘Uh yeah, sorry, I was just thinking about something else. What did you ask again?’
‘I said, did you have chance to think about the message I left, about going up to ‘Frisco and me showing you your father’s grave. We could even go to Disneyland when we get back; we could dress up in Mickey Mouse ears and eat cotton candy…’
Vicious and brutal murderer, Daniel thought as she spoke, sure she is.
‘Sounds like a great plan, I’d love to.’ Daniel replied.
They continued to talk for a while, mostly about Shannon’s time with his father, DC. The way she told her stories, he could feel the joy oozing from her as she spoke.
‘Where were you six years ago?’ He suddenly blurted out in his usual direct fashion.
He was sure she was going to say New York or ‘Frisco or Vegas or…
‘Six years ago, let me think… I’d have been in LA then, why?’
‘Oh, uh…no reason,’ he stammered, taken aback by her answer. ‘You’ve been such a globetrott
er, I was just trying to picture where you were at different points of my life. I… uh…was in my teens then.’ He was still trying to steady himself. Just because she was in LA, it doesn’t mean anything, he thought.
‘You ask the strangest questions,’ she laughed. ‘So I’ll call in to work now and tell them I won’t be in tomorrow, and then I’ll let you know my flight details as soon as I get them,’ she continued chuckling.
‘Great,’ he replied absently.
Within an hour, Shannon called back and told him it was all booked. Daniel grabbed his notepad and the nearest pen quickly taking down the details; then absently going over the ink again and again as they continued to talk. She would fly in to LAX at ten and they could then catch the midday flight up to San Francisco, spend a day or so there, and then fly back to LA. Since it was close to Disneyland, if they had time she’d show him where she grew up in Norwalk. Shannon spoke a little more about her about her childhood, and then ended by saying ‘I need to save some of this till we’re there or we’ll have nothing to talk about.’ She laughed and then said good bye. Daniel hung up, excited about the trip.
He ripped the page off the pad, folded it and put it in his jeans, then went out to tell Taylor and Malone about the call.
‘It’s not her.’ He said to them.
‘So she wasn’t in LA six years ago then?’ Taylor asked relieved.
‘Well, sort of.’ Daniel tried to dance around the question.
‘What do you mean sort of? Was she or was she not in LA six years ago?’ Malone snarled, looking directly at him.
‘Okay. Yes, she was in LA six years ago, but that doesn’t mean anything.’
‘I knew it – it’s her.’ Malone was up and strutting around the room. ‘From the second I heard that voice…’
‘Calm down, Malone,’ Taylor yelled as she desperately trawled her mind for another logical argument to settle him down.
‘I’m telling you, it’s not her.’ Daniel was adamant.
‘And I’m telling you it is,’ Malone yelled back unyielding. ‘Give me her address; I’m going to Vegas right now.’
Daniel, would you please give us a second again. Daniel threw his arms in the air, and stormed out of the room.
‘Look at me,’ Taylor said to Malone. This time her tone wasn’t soft, it was angry and fierce.
‘What do you think you’re doing? Don’t take all of this out on Daniel. He’s only ever been on your side. Regardless of what you may think at the moment, he’s the innocent one, and right now he’s happy. If Shannon isn’t Barbara’s killer, then all you’re doing in pushing the closest thing you have to a son away from you…’
She let her statement hang for a second before carrying on. ‘But, if she is her murderer, then prove it. Get Logan on the case and find the evidence. Yelling and screaming at Daniel is not going to help, nor is tearing off to Vegas to confront Shannon. Take a moment to think about it. If you go see her and she’s guilty, she runs; if she’s innocent, you lose Daniel. Either way, you lose. Do the right thing, call Logan.’
Malone knew she was right.
‘One other thing: right now, you’ve got another person who needs you — Erin Costello. You’ve done so much for that woman; don’t let her down now. She and her son are both depending on you.’
Although still angry, Malone knew what she was saying made sense. He grabbed the phone and called Logan, telling him all about the answer phone message and that she was his wife’s killer. Although skeptical, Logan knew not to question Malone’s gut feelings, ‘I’ll do a full background check immediately,’ he replied.
Malone hung up and paced around the room; finally, he picked up the phone again. The last thing he wanted to do at that moment was to help another human being, but Taylor was right, Erin needed him. ‘Hi Erin, it’s Malone, I’ll be over at midnight to pick you up.’
Taylor went into Daniel’s room again and sat on his bed next to him.
‘Look, Malone has got it stuck in his head that Shannon is the one. I suggest that we let him run with it. Over time, the truth will come out and we can look back at this and laugh. For now, please understand that he loves you, but he’s under a lot of pressure.’
‘It’s okay. He’s wrong. I know he’s wrong, but I also know what he’s like when he gets something in his head.’ Daniel nodded feigning that he understood.
‘Thanks,’ she said and got up.
As Taylor smiled and left, Daniel slipped his hand in his pocket and felt the paper with the details of his trip; maybe if everything goes well I could move to Vegas, he thought.
‘Where were you six years ago?’ Daniel’s question was rattling around her head. It was such an odd and specific question even for him. It wasn’t exactly clear as Shannon tried to remember where she’d been and what she’d been doing six years ago. There were a lot of drug-filled years she couldn’t fully account for. General vicinities and overviews were difficult enough to recall, but specifics, they were a different matter — they were nigh on impossible. Six years ago, LA six years ago she thought.
‘Oh fuck!’ she said out loud as she suddenly remembered where she knew the surname Malone from.
Chapter 39
Taylor declined Malone’s offer to take her on the stake-out with him and Erin, telling him this was his thing to finish. Malone knew there would be no way to change her mind so he wished her sweet dreams, picked up the thin folder Daniel had put together on the broker Harrison, and left the house for Erin’s.
That late at night and with thoughts of Shannon Carter rushing round his head, the drive from Mission to Van Ness took virtually no time at all, so Malone pulled his blue Ford to a halt outside Erin’s house at a fraction before eleven fifty. He walked up the pathway, but before he could knock on the door, Erin opened it and invited him in.
‘I’ve brewed a pot of coffee for the flask, do you want one before we go?’ she asked.
Malone accepted; after all, they were in no hurry and it was probably going to be a long night in the car.
‘So how’s your day been?’ she asked as she filled their cups.
‘Exhausting and turbulent,’ he replied, and then changed the subject. ‘So Rodriguez thinks it’s all on for tonight, eh?’
‘He had another word with Harrison and reviewed the files he gave them. Apparently it doesn’t look like the hardest job they’ve ever done, and there’s a bonus for doing it quickly. So he’s pretty sure that tonight’s the night.’
Malone shrugged, ‘He’s the professional.’
‘I didn’t know what you’d like, but I’ve packed some ham and cheese sandwiches in case we get hungry. You do like ham and cheese don’t you?’
‘That’s great.’ Malone answered; he was used to her nervous chatter, and he really didn’t care.
The clock hit midnight, and the alarm went off in Huntington. Scott hit the button to switch it off, and flicked his bedside light on. As he yawned and stretched, he heard the muffled sound of Vince’s alarm going off in the other room. Scott got out of bed and dressed in his customary black pants and black turtle neck; then he went out to the kitchen to get the coffee going. From the other side of the house, he could hear the usual banging and crashing of Vince opening and closing drawers and his closet doors in search of his clothes. About fifteen minutes later, Vince joined him in the kitchen.
‘Morning,’ he grunted.
‘I thought I heard you getting up,’ Scott said sarcastically.
‘Yeah, yeah. Is the kid up?’ Vince asked as he poured himself a coffee.
‘I thought I’d give him another half-hour or so; last thing I want is both of you cranky. Anyway, we need to load the car;it’s better if Joshua’s not under our feet.’
Startled by some shrill tune, Malone nearly spilled his drink.
‘Sorry, it’s my cell phone,’ Erin said as she flipped it open. It was detective Rodriguez on the other end. He told her they were in a Utilities van parked across the street from the hotel, and that it would probab
ly be better if she stayed at home. He finished by saying he would give her a call if anything happened.
‘Save your breath and your phone call, Detective Rodriguez, Malone is here now, and wild horses wouldn’t keep me away from coming down there.’
‘Who does he think he’s talking to?’ Erin ranted as she ended to call. ‘That’s my boy out there with those bastards. Does that idiot think I’ll just go to bed and get a good night’s sleep knowing what they are up to and what’s at risk?’
‘It’s alright, Erin; he’s just doing his job. No mother in the world would sit at home waiting, but he’s got to protect and serve. It could also be a wasted trip; it may not be tonight, and even if it is, Joshua may not be with them.’
‘Whose side are you on? You sound like Rodriguez,’ she snapped.
‘I’m with you all the way, Erin; I just know what it’s like to have your hopes…’ Malone stopped in mid-sentence; Erin needed hope right now, not pessimism. ‘The hell with it,’ he said putting his arm around her, ‘Come on; let’s go and get Joshua back!’
They arrived in the city just after one A.M.; Malone drove a couple of blocks down the one-way street and stopped his car on the same side of the road as the utility van but a few hundred yards back. From their position, they could see along most of the length of the street with all its shopfronts and businesses lit up by neon lights and streetlamps. It was a lot brighter than Malone had expected, but then again, he wasn’t sure if he’d ever been this deep into the city center this late at night. They would have been able to clearly see the hotel too had it not been hidden by a steel mask of scaffolding covered in grey netting.
More than happy with his vantage point, Malone killed the engine.
At one A.M., the three of them got into the Chrysler and backed out of the garage. Even though it was dark, Scott made Joshua duck down on the back seat; he smiled as the obviously groggy kid went one better — he curled up and went back to sleep.