Last Run

by Hilary Norman

  What to do first?

  Find Cathy, tell her.

  Can’t tell her if she’s with Kez.

  So just find her.

  She scrolled through her phone book, called the Becket house. The machine picked up – Grace’s voice, giving her cell phone number in the message for emergencies. Terri tried that number, got voicemail, cut off again.

  What she needed was Cathy’s cell phone number. What she had to do was find out where she was and if she was with Kez. One-two-three. Find her, get her away from Kez, then take it from there.

  Not the right approach for Officer Teresa Suarez, of course. The right approach, the only one, for her as a cop was to pass this on – to Sam, first, she guessed, or maybe to go over his head to his sergeant or lieutenant, maybe even higher.

  No way she was going to do any of that, not yet at least.

  For one thing, this was it at last, her big chance – the biggest she was ever likely to get – to prove herself. Besides which, slowing things down by calling it in, reporting it to anyone at the department was not going to help Cathy if she was with Kez. Only finding her quickly was going to do that.

  Anyway, after what had gone on in the hospital this morning, with Big Bro keeping his eyes glued to Saul’s face, checking out the way he reacted to her in case – that had not been her imagination any more than the suspicious looks she’d been getting from Doc Grace lately – and Terri did not appreciate being treated that way, no ma’am.

  No, sir.

  Not Cathy’s fault, though.

  She waited a moment, called Saul’s father’s house, not sure what she was going to say if he answered, not wanting to give him more heartache – of all of them, she had most time for David, who always treated her with respect.

  His machine was switched on, too, which made Terri wonder if maybe they’d all been called back to Miami General, which had to mean that Saul, having found a way to communicate with her, wanted to do the same with them.

  Which meant that the big detective was going to know about Kez soon enough, with or without Officer Suarez’s help.

  Which was not going to stop Terri from heading over to Golden Beach right now.

  Fast as the wheels of her Ford Focus could take her.

  Sam, Grace and David were all back at the hospital waiting to go in to Saul’s room, because they’d chosen that time for their routine changing of IV and other bags and dressings, and Sam was pacing.

  ‘Go on like that,’ David told him, ‘and you’ll be needing your own room.’

  ‘I’m fine, Dad,’ Sam said, and went on pacing.

  ‘Well, I’m not,’ David said. ‘I’m old and I’m tired and I need my son to be calm around me instead of aggravating my ulcer.’

  ‘You don’t have an ulcer, do you?’ asked Grace.

  ‘Not till this morning,’ said David.

  No trouble getting into Saul’s house because the place was virtually hidden from Ocean Boulevard by its white stone wall, and because Saul had complained that his dad never turned on the intruder alarm that Sam had put in for him, which meant it was easy for Terri to stroll around to the back and get in through the old sliding patio door.

  Property Crimes had its uses, after all.

  Inside, she didn’t hesitate, knew where to go, directly into the kitchen where she knew that David Becket kept his list of family numbers on the refrigerator door – and bingo, there was Cathy’s cell phone number.

  Which she called right away.

  Heard it ringing.

  A little way past the signs for the Miccusokee Indian Reservation, Cathy heard the phone ringing in her bag, dug it out and answered.

  Heard Terri’s voice, and panicked. ‘Is Saul OK?’

  ‘He’s more than OK,’ Terri told her. ‘He’s awake.’

  ‘Oh my God,’ Cathy said. ‘That’s wonderful.’

  ‘Cathy, there’s something I. . .’

  ‘Call her back later,’ Kez said.

  ‘Terri, hold on.’ Cathy covered the phone’s mouthpiece and frowned at Kez. ‘I want to hear what she’s saying.’

  ‘And clearly what she’s just told you is wonderful, so now I’m asking you to wait a little while,’ Kez said brusquely. ‘Not so much to ask, is it? Just a couple of hours alone together before we go back.’

  Cathy put the phone back to her ear.

  ‘Terri, we’re on Alligator Alley on our way to Naples, but I’ll be back in Miami Beach later, so if you . . .’

  Kez reached across, snatched the phone from her, looked at it quickly, hit the cut-off key, then opened her window and threw it out into the grass on the central reservation.

  ‘For heaven’s sake.’ Cathy couldn’t believe it. ‘Kez, why did you do that?’

  ‘I’m sorry.’ Kez closed the window, her eyes back on the highway.

  ‘Stop the car.’ Cathy couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so furious.

  ‘I can’t,’ Kez said.

  ‘Pull over and stop the car.’

  ‘Calm down,’ Kez told her. ‘I’ll replace your fucking phone.’

  ‘I don’t care about the phone,’ Cathy said. ‘I care about my brother and I care about what you just did.’

  ‘I know, and I told you I’m sorry. But Saul’s obviously doing better, which is great, which is why I’m asking you to put me first for a few short hours.’

  Cathy shook her head, still seething.

  ‘But I guess,’ Kez went on, ‘if you’re not happy to do that for me, better I know that now, and I’ll turn around soon as I can and we can call this whole thing a day.’

  Cathy was still silent, trying to absorb what had just happened, to comprehend what could possibly lie behind Kez’s extraordinary intensity.

  ‘Is that what you want?’ Kez asked.

  Cathy wanted to turn around, not to end things.

  ‘Is it?’ Kez’s voice was a little softer.

  Cathy looked sideways at her, saw the vulnerability again.

  Shook her head again, let out a sigh.

  ‘Let’s just get to Naples,’ she said.

  Terri knew now that she had no alternative – damn it – but to get help with this. She’d wanted so badly to make this case her own, to show them all what she was made of. But if she compounded the danger Cathy was already facing, the Beckets would blame her – and screw Sam and Grace for even thinking she could have done that to the man she loved, but if anything happened to Cathy because she failed to call this in, then Saul would never forgive her, and that she could not bear.

  Back in the Focus, her break-in behind her, Terri made her first call to Sam’s office, in case he was there rather than at Miami General. Sam wasn’t there, and she considered briefly telling his pal Martinez what she’d learned. Except then he would almost certainly put out a Locate and Notify on Kez Flanagan, and that in itself might endanger or compromise Cathy.

  She called Sam’s cell phone. Got his voicemail.

  ‘Shit,’ Terri said.

  Then took a breath and left a message:

  ‘Sam, it’s Terri. Call me back the instant you get this, please. Life or death, Sam, so please call me now.’

  David had gone in first, deemed by far the most likely family member to calm Saul’s agitation, especially if the whole physical hell of his situation had finally kicked in and freaked him out.

  ‘Your dad will help him,’ Grace said.

  Sam felt his cell phone vibrate, snuck it out of his pocket, looked at it.

  ‘Message from Terri,’ he said.

  And read it.

  ‘What?’ Grace saw new tension tautening his facial muscles.

  ‘I have to go call her,’ he said.

  ‘Why? What’s happened?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ He was already walking away. ‘Don’t worry.’

  He passed a vacant office, stepped inside and shut the door.

  Made the call, heard what she had to say.

  ‘Terri, thank you for this,’ he said.

&nbs
p; ‘Don’t thank me,’ she said. ‘Thank Saul.’

  ‘Don’t do anything, OK?’ Sam got no response. ‘Terri, I’m telling you not to go off half-cocked. Just sit tight till I call you back. Have you got that?’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ Terri said.

  Grace was still in the hallway waiting for him, too anxious now to go in to see Saul, and Sam felt for her badly but he wasn’t going to tell her this, at least not until he’d found a way to validate the information.

  ‘I have to talk to Saul,’ he said.

  Grace’s expression was fearful. ‘You think it was Terri, after all?’

  ‘No.’ That much he could do for her.

  Sam’s thanks had been something, Terri supposed.

  But then he’d blown that by telling her to wait, do nothing. Giving her orders.

  Not her boss.

  And she had no intention of waiting – was already past Toll Plaza and on I-75.

  With no idea where to go once she hit Naples, but at least she’d be there ahead of Sam, and she wasn’t losing sight of the fact that she needed help, that Cathy’s safety was the thing that counted most for now.

  But she’d be there first.

  David looked up at Sam as he came into Saul’s room.

  ‘Maybe you can settle him, son. They upped his sedation some, but he still seems a little too upset for my liking.’

  ‘Maybe I can.’ Sam saw fear and frustration on his brother’s face. ‘I need a moment alone with Saul, Dad.’

  David saw his grimness. ‘What’s happened?’

  ‘It won’t take long,’ Sam said.

  Their father stood up, realized he was getting no more, at least for now, and nodded. ‘He doesn’t need any more upset,’ he said quietly, and left the room.

  Sam waited a moment and then sat down.

  ‘Terri called me,’ he said. ‘Told me something.’

  The expression in Saul’s eyes changed. He nodded with difficulty.

  ‘I have to ask you this, and I need you to nod or shake your head, OK?’

  Another nod, a wince of pain.

  ‘Is blinking going to be easier?’ Sam asked.

  Saul shook his head, irritated.

  ‘OK.’ Sam paused. ‘Is it true that Kez Flanagan did this to you?’

  The pain in Saul’s eyes seemed to spread, to grow more intense.

  ‘Saul, is it true? Was it really Kez?’

  Saul nodded, lifted his left hand, fingers trembling a little.

  ‘All right.’ Sam took the hand, squeezed it gently. ‘You can rest now.’

  His brother’s eyes expressed urgency.

  ‘You’re fretting about Cathy?’ Sam saw another nod. ‘She’s fine, Saul, you don’t have to worry any more. I’m going to take care of things now.’ He stood up. ‘I love you. We all love you.’ He stooped and kissed his brow. ‘All you need to think about now is getting well and coming home.’

  ‘Ever going to speak to me again?’ Kez asked Cathy.

  Mile upon mile of grey topped highway, flat grassy land to either side.

  Over halfway there, but Cathy had hated every yard because it reminded her of the journey after they’d got the news about Saul.

  ‘I might,’ she said.

  It wasn’t Kez’s fault that she hated the road.

  ‘Ever going to forgive me?’ Kez asked.

  ‘Not if you’re going to be sarcastic about it.’

  ‘I won’t,’ Kez said. ‘I’m not.’ She waited. ‘Say you forgive me.’

  ‘I don’t want to,’ Cathy said, ‘until I mean it.’

  ‘Couldn’t you just say it now, so I can start enjoying us again.’

  Cathy smiled, despite herself.

  ‘OK,’ she said.

  ‘Thank Christ for that,’ Kez said.

  Sam took the stairs so he could call Terri again on his way down.

  ‘I guess you couldn’t know whose car they were in.’

  Terri told him she couldn’t.

  ‘Did you maybe get an impression of who was driving?’

  ‘Hard to say,’ Terri said. ‘If I had to guess, I’d say Flanagan.’

  ‘OK, thanks.’

  ‘What do—?’ Terri began to ask.

  He was already gone.

  Sam was getting into his Saab when he saw it.

  Grace’s old Mazda. Cathy’s now.

  He smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand. He’d wasted questions to Terri just now, wasted precious time. Grace had told him yesterday that Cathy was going to leave her car in the lot here because Kez was picking her up.

  All he needed now was to find out the make, model and license of Flanagan’s car, though she might not own a car, might have rented.

  He shook his head as if that might clear it and called Martinez on his cell phone.

  ‘Where are you, man?’ his partner wanted to know.

  ‘Not coming in.’

  ‘Saul?’

  ‘Saul and a whole lot more,’ Sam said. ‘He’s doing better, but something’s broken here, and I need your help.’

  ‘Let me guess.’ Martinez was dry. ‘Off the record.’

  ‘You got it.’ Sam paused. ‘Woman by the name of Flanagan.’

  ‘Cathy’s new friend?’

  ‘That’s the one. First name Kerry, aka Kez.’

  ‘Kez, that’s the girl,’ Martinez said. ‘The runner.’

  ‘Al, I need you to run a Triple I and FCIC

  ‘You gonna tell me why?’

  ‘Are you alone?’

  ‘Uh-huh.’

  ‘Saul says she attacked him.’

  ‘Cathy’s friend?’ Martinez sounded shocked. ‘Holy smoke.’ He paused. ‘So why is this off the record? Don’t you want a BOLO, or at least Locate and Notify?’

  ‘Not yet,’ Sam told him. ‘She’s with Cathy right now, possibly on the road to Naples, so the last thing I want is cops on the look-out tipping Flanagan off.’

  ‘So Suarez is off the hook?’

  ‘She’s the one who got this from Saul, and I just confirmed it.’

  ‘Jesus.’ Martinez was absorbing the ramifications. ‘You still think there could be a connection with Muller and the others?’

  ‘Let’s just focus on Saul for now,’ Sam said. ‘On finding Flanagan.’

  ‘Want me to try Auto Track?’

  The privately run organization was frequently used by the police, a fast and useful tool, collecting information from a variety of sources and linking it all up.

  ‘Definitely,’ Sam said. ‘And ask around at Trent, but be discreet.’

  ‘You said they’re going to Naples?’ Martinez checked.

  ‘Do not tell the Naples PD,’ Sam told him. ‘The danger to Cathy aside, if she’s voluntarily travelling with Kez, they might figure she’s some kind of accomplice.’

  ‘Her record’s been expunged,’ Martinez reminded him.

  ‘It’s still a risk.’ Sam’s mind was reeling with alarming possibilities. ‘And if we turn this into a possible abduction and something bad happens to Flanagan, Cathy may never forgive me.’

  ‘We could ask the Highway Patrol to pull them over on a minor. . .’

  ‘We can’t tell anyone, Al,’ Sam cut in.

  ‘Jeez,’ Martinez said. ‘Let me guess. You’re going to Naples.’

  ‘I have no choice,’ Sam said.

  ‘You know this is a bad idea, don’t you?’

  ‘Sure it is,’ Sam said. ‘But it’s all I have right now.’

  He went home before leaving town, had briefly considered returning to the hospital to tell Grace and David what was happening, aware that they might learn of it from Saul, which would be gratuitously upsetting, even cruel.

  Still better to wait though, he decided, until he was on his way; no chance for them then to try to talk him out of going.

  At the house he set the machine to fix himself an extra strong espresso, then went upstairs to change out of his working suit into jeans, sneakers and a laid-back looking, loose fitting, ch
ocolate brown linen shirt so he could keep his Sig Sauer holstered but unseen (since he was going to be out of jurisdiction) without roasting alive in the heat. After which he headed into Cathy’s room and began taking it apart, hating himself for doing it but desperately needing something to take away with him; tried checking her computer journal but quickly gave it up, unsure if she still kept one, knowing in any case that in the past it had been password-protected and he had no time for code-breaking.

  Two bonuses. A credit card bill – another intrusion, but one that might help him track the young women down. And a note of what just might possibly – written beside a carelessly scrawled letter that might be a K or an H or an R – be Flanagan’s cell phone number.

  He withheld his own number and called it – found it switched off with no voicemail – and went on looking.

  No photographs on or in Cathy’s bedside or dressing table. A bunch of printed sheets though, on her desk, about the Trent Tornadoes. Sam whipped through them and found her – no doubt, her name captioned. The funky, spiky, violently tinted red hair framed a sharp-nosed, tough little face with interesting eyes. She looked strong-willed, possibly aggressive, yet still he thought he could see her appeal. Would have said, he imagined, if Cathy had shown him the photo, if he hadn’t known the truth, that he rather liked the look of her.

  A wave of sorrow rocked him for Cathy. For their sweet, kind-hearted, bafflingly unlucky adopted daughter.

  ‘Jesus,’ he said, tidying up the mess he’d made, though at least he now had a photograph to show around when he reached Naples.

  He went downstairs to slug down his espresso, wondered, not for the first time, about his judgment over not calling this in to Detective Patterson. A good guy, no doubt about that, who’d probably jump right on the vital new information and have as many pairs of eyes as Naples PD could afford scanning the city for Flanagan.

  None of those people, though, would be a hundred per cent sure of her companion’s innocence. None of them was going to care enough about Cathy’s heart and soul or even her physical safety, the way Sam did.

  No call to Patterson then.

  Back in the Saab, and on his way.

  ‘I understand,’ Grace said on the phone to Sam right after he’d given her and David the news, ‘that it could be dangerous for us to tell Cathy outright, but couldn’t we call to say she has to come back, maybe because Saul’s worse?’ She thought. ‘You could ask the hospital to confirm that if Kez calls.’