MAD AS BELL

by Jeremy Waldron

  “That’s it, honey, I’m still thinking about you,” he said as he turned his back and disappeared down the hall.

  He knew her name was Isabel, but only because of her nametag. He liked her name but wanted to know more, starting with her last name. Without it, it would make learning where she lived that much harder. Though Isabel didn’t know how much she meant to him, she’d soon find out. He’d make sure of it.

  Almost to the men’s room, Thirsty thumbed his cellphone’s screen to open his image gallery and find the picture he’d taken of Isabel last night with her friends. It brought him great confidence to know he had this image of her and hoped it was the start of a collection.

  Thirsty leaned into the men’s room door with his shoulder and tucked the device away inside his coat pocket. Isabel hadn’t put it together that it was him watching her and her friends last night, and he preferred to keep it that way.

  He stepped up to the urinal and unzipped the front of his pants. Tipping his head back, he paused to read the newspaper headline prominently displayed on the wall in front of him.

  Teen Goes Missing Without a Trace

  Thirsty glanced to the date. It was an old article about Megan Hines, and Thirsty found the temptation to stare into Megan’s lively eyes too great to pass up. She was a sexy young woman with a beautifully round face with high cheekbones and piercing brown eyes.

  As he shook the last of his urine out of his system, Thirsty looked to his crotch and thought about his Play Pen. He wanted Isabel to join in on the fun.

  “Can you believe it? No one is even talking about her anymore,” a stranger said in the urinal next to Thirsty. “Like they just completely forgot about her.”

  “Maybe they found her,” Thirsty suggested without looking.

  “Nah. It’s been too long. No one is ever going to find her.”

  Thirsty stole one last glance at Megan’s picture before turning to the sink. Maybe the man was right, perhaps Megan would never be found. He turned on the faucet and washed his hands, mulling over the thought.

  Thirsty stared at the stranger’s back. He was still reading the article, and Thirsty wondered what he was thinking. It wasn’t much fun when no one seemed to care about what happened to Megan.

  Tipping forward on his toes, Thirsty angled his head sideways and raked the tips of his fingers over his face. He’d since shaved off his goatee, confident no mark from Eva had been left. He attributed his strong jawline to his father’s good genes. He let a single thought in that Eva would always be the one that got away.

  Soon the stranger joined him at the sink. He said, “You come here often?”

  Thirsty stared at his own reflection, thinking how he should have worn more jewelry to better hold Isabel’s attention. Then he flicked his gaze toward the stranger. “I’m sorry?”

  “I get it.” The stranger cast his gaze to Thirsty’s ring finger. His wedding band was missing, but there was a bold white line giving away his secret. “I come here to escape my wife, too. Especially when that sweetheart Isabel is tending bar.”

  Thirsty locked eyes and the stranger winked. He didn’t like jockeying for position, but apparently Isabel had caught more than one man’s eye. He should have assumed. The best ones were always being chased.

  “I’ll see you out there, cowboy.”

  The stranger slapped Thirsty’s arm and Thirsty watched the stranger exit the room. He turned his gaze back on himself and cracked the tension in his neck—light exploding behind his eyes—before leaving himself.

  Making his way back to the bar, he thought about what the stranger said—how they were both here because of Isabel. He’d picked lunch over dinner because it was easy enough to blend in, but not chaotic enough to not be able to steal her attention. Now he wondered if he’d missed his chance. He wasn’t expecting competition at this hour of the day, but he’d certainly found it.

  Scents of lobster and grilled meat drifted into his head as he meandered through the restaurant, devising his Plan B.

  At each table he passed, he kept score of the women he locked eyes with. He judged them on different categories, from dress to make-up, natural beauty, hair, and neckline. Most were much too old for his preferences, but he still liked to play his game.

  He kept walking, and once Isabel was within sight, he shortened his gait and felt the cords in his neck tense. Just as he suspected, the stranger from the men’s room was holding her hand. Thirsty watched her toss her head back and laugh. He bit down harder.

  “Hey, partner,” the stranger said to Thirsty. “Come join us. Your next drink is on me.”

  A man bumped into Thirsty from behind and knocked him off balance. Gritting his teeth, he snapped his neck to see who it was. The man wearing a Caribbean blue tie didn’t stop to apologize and Thirsty couldn’t believe what he heard the man saying.

  “I’m telling you, get on this story.” The man wearing a three-piece suit kept walking and talking. “Her name is Jenny Booth, but who you’re really going to want to talk to is a woman who escaped her kidnapper’s grip. Her name is Eva Martin, and that’s the breaking story we want.”

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Naomi sighed. She couldn’t concentrate on her calculus test. It wasn’t only Jenny on her mind, but Dylan too. She thought about how her sister was getting bullied and now regretted sending Dylan the photo of herself. Neither Dylan nor Jenny had messaged back, and self-doubt took root at the base of her curling spine.

  Naomi got through first and second periods just fine, but it all started unraveling at lunch. She was missing her best friend and there were the undeniable whispers she heard building behind her back. Naomi didn’t know what was being said, but she assumed it was about Jenny. Now Naomi was beginning to think she had done something wrong.

  Why did it seem like everyone was blaming her? What if something really bad did happen to Jenny? How would she ever forgive herself? She wouldn’t be able to.

  Naomi opened her eyes and let her vision focus on her exam. She looked at the equation, but her head only spun. It was too complicated and she was too distracted. Then came a text from her friend, Charlene, who went by the nickname, Charlie, that said, Dylan got your pic.

  Naomi’s heart stopped.

  A bloom of heat spread across her chest.

  She looked to the front of the class from beneath her brow and saw the substitute teacher with her head down, reading her book. The moment Naomi closed her eyes she was back in the grimy bathroom staring at her topless self, standing in front of a smudged mirror that needed to be cleaned. Snickering behind her had her opening her eyes.

  Naomi turned to find the same two boys harassing her. Having had enough, she sprang out of her seat and snapped. “What the fuck is so funny?”

  The taller of the two boys leaned forward and asked, “When you get bored…do you ever just play with them?” He lowered his gaze to Naomi’s chest.

  “Excuse me?” Naomi scowled.

  “You heard what I said.”

  “Hey!” the substitute teacher barked from the front of the classroom. “I warned you two before. The next time you talk, I’ll be taking both your tests away and telling Mr. Helton you were cheating.”

  Naomi turned around, faced the front, and glared at the substitute teacher. Slumping in her seat, she folded her arms across her chest. She hated her boobs for being so big. Ever since middle school they’d been the source of unwanted attention, and now she was afraid that her little sister might also be going through the same thing.

  Beneath the desk, Naomi messaged Charlie back. Did he tell you that?

  A couple seconds later Charlie responded, I can’t believe you actually did it. Dylan can’t stop talking about it.

  Naomi sank down further and wanted nothing more than to disappear. Her insides were in knots and she wished Jenny was here to tell her she did the right thing by sending Dylan the picture.

  The room settled into silence and Naomi shifted her eyes to the empty seat next to her. If she
tried really hard, she could see Jenny sitting there playing on her phone like she normally did when the numbers got hard.

  Then she messaged Jenny, knowing she wouldn’t respond.

  I miss you.

  After sending the text, she glanced to the clock. There was one hour left in the day before she could go home, slip into her PJs and curl up in bed. The thought of hiding was comforting, but the finger she felt sliding down the back of her pants wasn’t.

  “Are you out of your fucking mind?” Naomi jumped out of her seat and stared at the two boys who were laughing.

  “What?” the taller boy said. “I know you like it.”

  “You,” the substitute teacher pointed at Naomi, “come sit up here, and bring your things with you.”

  Happy to escape the boys’ harassment, Naomi grabbed her bag off the back of her chair and scooped the test papers into her arms. With her head held high, she marched to the front of the class and slammed her unfinished test on the teacher’s desk. “You can tell Mr. Helton I quit.”

  “Naomi, what’s going on?” Mr. Helton said, entering the classroom.

  Naomi spun around, her eyes meeting Mr. Helton’s gaze and making her throat close up. She felt like crying, but wouldn’t dare do it in front of the entire class who was watching.

  Mr. Helton looked to the substitute teacher for clarification, and when nothing was said, he turned to look at the class. Their faces said everything he needed to know. He hurried to Naomi and whispered in her ear, “You can finish your test in my office and we can talk about what happened after class.”

  Naomi didn’t protest. She wanted nothing more than to hide herself away. Once inside Mr. Helton’s office, she shut the door and began to cry. She was losing control of everything and didn’t know how to make it stop. Then Charlie sent her a message that turned her inside out—The police are in the principal’s office looking for you. What the hell happened?

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Naomi felt numb as she wiggled the tingling out of the tips of her fingers. If Charlie was right, Naomi knew the police were here to talk to her about Jenny. Was she dead? Did they find her? What would she say if they asked why she didn’t call to report her missing? Her head swelled and an aching throb moved behind both her eyes.

  Naomi didn’t want to leave Mr. Helton’s office. She felt safe here—felt like if she stayed hidden, her problems would just pass without ever having to confront them. She hadn’t picked up her pencil since she sat down to finish her test. She didn’t care. It didn’t matter. Not with Jenny gone and the cops apparently wanting to speak with her.

  Naomi’s entire body was weighted down by grief. Feeling annoyed, she stared at the pictures of her math teacher on the wall, imagining her own getaway.

  Mr. Helton was an active adventurer, traveling across the world scuba-diving, hiking, snowboarding, and playing sport. It was easy to get lost inside his travels, and Naomi welcomed the distraction. But there was something she couldn’t escape. Mr. Helton was one of the last people who spoke to Jenny before she just disappeared, and Naomi wasn’t even sure she could tell him why Jenny never showed up to school today. If he discovered she left Jenny behind, he’d hate her.

  The final bell of the day rang and Naomi didn’t budge. A minute later, the office door opened and Mr. Helton stepped inside. Naomi watched him clear a spot on the desk before he sat on its edge. She tried not to look into his eyes, but when she did, the flood gates released and the tears came.

  Mr. Helton glanced at Naomi’s closed test book, then flicked his gaze back to her. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”

  Naomi dabbed her eyes and exhaled a shaky breath. She liked Mr. Helton and knew she could trust him with her secret, but she still hesitated. He was always her and Jenny’s favorite. She wanted to tell him about Jenny, but knew he would be devastated by the news. Instead, she said, “It’s those boys. The entire class was harassing me.”

  “Do you know why, Naomi?”

  Naomi lowered her gaze to the tips of her shoes. “I don’t know.”

  Mr. Helton unfolded his arms and lifted a cellphone. “I took it from Tommy. You want to know what I found on it?” When Naomi didn’t respond, he said, “It’s a picture of you.”

  Naomi’s head hung with embarrassment. Suspecting she knew which picture Helton was referring to, she wondered if this was Dylan’s plan all along. Now she knew how Charlie had found out about her topless photo. Dylan was spreading it to the entire school.

  “You’re better than this Naomi,” Mr. Helton said.

  “It wasn’t meant to be shared.”

  Mr. Helton said, “But it was.”

  “What can I do?”

  Helton was quiet for a long pause. Then he said, “Nothing. I’m afraid it’s too late.”

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Eva leaned forward in the backseat of my car and said, “Park there.”

  I checked my mirrors and turned the wheel, pointing the hood to where Eva directed me.

  After my call with Susan and learning about Jenny Booth’s supposed disappearance, I felt as anxious as Eva. Though I hadn’t told her about Jenny, she couldn’t settle after Archie’s visit.

  I curbed the vehicle, turned off the engine, and once again checked my mirrors. Erin did the same. It was important we remained vigilant. We couldn’t afford to take any chances. It was already after two o’clock and our day was quickly slipping away. There was a lot we still didn’t know—even more we had to piece together. I needed to figure out who last night’s Jane Doe was.

  Eva was quiet, constantly looking over her shoulder, bouncing her knee, and her paranoia was rubbing off on me. As far as I knew, we still had the exclusive on Eva’s story, and we wanted to keep it that way to ensure her safety.

  Erin twisted around and asked Eva, “Which is your building?”

  Eva couldn’t keep her hands out of her hair. “That one there.”

  We swept our gaze to the building across the street. It was an eleven-story luxurious apartment building not far from the DU campus. I watched as a young male dressed in preppy clothes exited the building and turned up the block with his shoulder sling bag.

  Erin responded, “You live there?”

  When I flicked my gaze to the rearview mirror, I caught Eva staring at the young male I had noticed. I wondered if she knew him, and if her kidnapper really would have the tenacity to stake out and wait for her to return. I wanted her to feel safe, but without knowing who took her, it was impossible to know who to look out for. At this point, it was safest to treat every unknown male as a possible suspect.

  Eva said, “My apartment is on the seventh floor.”

  I swept my gaze to the top of the building. I wondered if rent was as expensive as it looked and, if so, how did Eva afford to live here? How did any college kid afford to live here?

  Twisting around in my seat, I said, “Okay. Once we’re inside, only grab the essentials. We shouldn’t stay long.” Eva’s face was blank, and I wondered if she’d heard what I said. “Eva, did you—”

  “No.”

  “No?”

  “I can’t go inside.” Our eyes met. “What if he’s there?”

  “That’s why we’ll go together.”

  Erin extended her arm and touched my knee. “I’ll stay in the car with her.”

  I turned my head and allowed my eyes to hash out the details with Erin. I gave it further thought and soon understood. It was better for me to go alone. Not because it was safer, because it certainly wasn’t, but doing it alone allowed me to see how Eva lived without worrying about her peeking over my shoulder.

  “Fine,” I said. “Tell me what you need.”

  A minute later, I had written down the list of items Eva requested, including her antidepressant medication she’d been without for three days. Then I exited the vehicle with the knowledge of where to find her keycard and trotted across the street, excited to peek around for possible clues that could tell me why Eva may have been abducted.


  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  I worked my way into the building with Eva’s kidnapper on my mind.

  There wasn’t a bellhop or doorman, but it was clear this place wasn’t cheap. Heading to the elevators, I walked beneath a crystal chandelier and smiled at the people I passed. There was a man in his thirties with slicked back hair and a woman perched on high heels, her wrists and neck glittering with gold and diamond jewelry.

  I knew there was money in Colorado, but I was surprised to have found it here.

  At the elevator, I punched the button and glanced back to the entrance. A black Land Rover was parked near the front and I watched the young blonde I just passed climb inside.

  The elevator doors chimed behind me and I watched the vehicle take off.

  Turning my attention to the cart, I was thankful to find it empty. I didn’t want to be seen—only wanted to get in and out as quickly as possible. I hit the button to the seventh floor and waited for the doors to close. A quick ride up and walk down an empty hall brought me to Eva’s one-bedroom upscale apartment, asking myself how I ended up here.

  I paused to take it all in. It was a clean, well-lit apartment with large windows housing an impressive view of downtown. Eva thought she was taken Sunday night, which meant she hadn’t been here for three days. Nothing seemed out of place.

  Confident I was safe, I moved further inside, making note of her furniture, how she decorated, and the expensive course books left open on the coffee table in front of a flat-screen TV on the wall. Everywhere I looked was all girl. There were no signs of a man influencing her life, no family life either, only pictures of herself.

  I turned around and faced the kitchen, starting to imagine the lonely existence Eva lived. But what I still wanted to know was how she could afford to live here. I had my suspicion she wasn’t telling us the complete story, but could I find that story hidden somewhere inside here? I believed I could.