Deadly News: A Thriller Page 6

  “Okay,” Abby said. “Do you want to talk to Fe?”

  “Sure, put her on.”

  “Here,” Abby said to Fe, holding out her cellphone to her.

  The other woman took it. “Hey Delano. Sure.” She looked at Abby’s plate, then her own. “Yeah, almost done here. Thirty minutes?” She looked at Abby as she asked this.

  Abby nodded.

  “Okay, see you then.” She handed the phone back. “I’m done.” In response to Abby’s look, she added, “New diet, stop eating while there’s still food left on your plate.” She shook her head. “Seems wasteful though.”

  Abby frowned. “You don’t look like you need a diet.”

  “And how do you think I manage that? By eating whatever I want? Or by going on diets when I notice my weight start to creep up?”

  “I hadn’t… thought about it,” Abby admitted. “That makes sense though. Like preventative medicine.”

  “Exactly.” She got up with her plate, looked out the peephole, then opened the door and placed the plate outside it. “I’m gonna use the bathroom. Don’t open the door till I come out.”

  “Okay.”

  Twenty minutes later, having made it through traffic in a magically short amount of time, they were at the station, and Officer Robert Delano was fast-forwarding through several hours of surveillance video in which nothing happened. Fe was leaning on the edge of the table next to Abby. The video was playing on a moderate sized monitor, set against one wall. The room was either a small conference room, or a well-appointed interrogation room. Abby hadn’t decided which. Earlier in the video, an all-black car had pulled into view, then parked. Half of its rear end was visible, and the top was cut off, but something about it was familiar to her, she stared at the hyperspeed video, the car remaining stationary as the shadows shifted and the day progressed, and frowned.

  Delano was shaking his head as the video sped forward. “Real professionals to sit there all day. One hellova constitution.”

  “God,” Fe said, “don’t remind me about the existence of stakeouts.”

  Finally, the car doors opened and feet appeared from the driver’s side, and Delano fumbled with the mouse to stop the racing footage and play it at normal speed.

  Something clicked for Abby, and she leaned in close to make sure she saw what she thought she did. “That’s an Uber car.”

  Delano looked at her. “You like cars?”

  She frowned at him. Then she shook her head. “No, I mean it’s Uber, the company, the cab company.”

  “Oh.” He looked into the distance. “That’s right.”

  “I’ve been meaning to try them,” Fe said.

  Delano looked back to the screen. “Well that’s interesting then. You think people like this, they would have hired a cab?”

  Both Abby and Fe shook their heads.

  Fe said, “No way.”

  “Me either,” Delano said. “Which means it’s either stolen, or one of their drivers…”

  “Is the criminal,” Abby finished. “That might be possible. The drivers aren’t actually employed there, just managed by them. They handle the dispatch, and payment, take a percent. They don’t do background checks or anything like that. Credit report, I think, actually.” After a moment of awkward staring, she added, “I did a story on them. I’m a tech reporter, mostly.”

  “Well, depending on how this turns out, your options might be expanding outside the technology field.”

  “Not how I imagined. Or wanted. I’d trade it for Ecks being okay.”

  Fe put a hand on her shoulder. “He will be. And the cab thing, that’s certainly worth looking into.” She smiled at Abby. “Good obs. We completely missed that.”

  Delano patted her once on the shoulder. It was almost a punch. “Yeah, good job there,” he said, then made to leave the room. “I’m going to get something started about that. You watch the rest of the video. Let Fe know if you notice anything else we missed.”

  “Will do,” Abby said.

  After a minute of watching the car just sit there, Fe said, “I’m gonna get some coffee, want some?”

  “No thanks.”

  “All right, be right back. Let me know if you see anything.”

  Abby nodded, and then was alone in the room. The door shut, and she rewound the video to before the people inside the vehicle got out, then watched the screen as they did. People who had stolen Ecks from right beside her while she was sleeping. And she had been completely unaware.

  She did something like shiver, an involuntary convulsion, at the thought.

  She watched the entire video, but, despite prodding from a caffeinated Fe, got nothing else of use out of it. It was like Robert had said: Only one of them came out and got into the car, then drove off. Like when they went in, the kidnapper who had come out hadn’t been wearing a mask on their return either, but the angle was even worse than when they’d first gotten out. And he—or she, Abby couldn’t be entirely certain—was moving much faster. But the car did a U-turn in the street, then only creeped forward, out of frame. The way it drove off frame, the speed, made it seem like it went to the front of the building, or somewhere else very close, planning to park again. Not being able to see allowed Abby to hope. There was still the chance that Ecks was fine. That she hadn’t gotten him involved in something that had gotten him killed. She clenched her teeth. If that was the case, she’d find them. She didn’t know what she’d do when she did, but she made a promise that she would. And whatever she decided to do with them, they wouldn’t like. That, she was certain of.

  When Delano came back, a few minutes after the video ended, he said they were going to try to see if they could find more cameras in the area, but there weren’t that many stores that close to Ecks’s place. At least not ones that would have cameras outside. So she shouldn’t get her hopes up. They were also now going to send officers out to set up a crime scene, see if Ecks’s car was still there.

  And so, her civilian role played out, Abby was again stuck in a hotel room with Fe, the TV, a slow internet connection, and her laptop—and nothing to do. So, after looking at the TV for a while without actually seeing anything that was happening, she opened her laptop, created a new document in her work’s Dropbox folder—encrypted using EncFS—and started writing down what had happened to her.

  When Fe finally said, “Wow, you’re a typing demon,” Abby had forgotten where she was. Although, she would have remembered soon enough, since she was almost at that part in the story.

  She looked up from her screen, looking around the hotel room and past Fe. Then she rubbed her eyes and focused on Fe and smiled. “I guess so. You always hear keeping a journal’s good for you. It’s one of those rare sayings that’s right.”

  “You writing about what happened? A story?” She lowered her voice, grinning, “Am I in it?”

  “Nothing so formal. Just a freewrite of what happened. I’d never publish it like this. Becky wouldn’t let me—that’s my boss. And you’re not in it.”

  “Oh,” Fe said. “Well, that’s… good I suppose.”

  “Yet,” Abby added.

  “Gee Abby, you nearly hurt my feelings.”

  Abby laughed. The situation was almost normal; just two friends talking. But then, she was suddenly overwhelmed with the situation, and the smile vanished from her face. “Ecks,” she said. “I don’t know— For— I mean, I miss him. I’m worried about him—but I miss him too.” She let out a laugh. “I didn’t even like him.”

  “It’s okay,” Fe said. “We’re doing everything we can. I’m sure we’ll find him.” She stood, walking over to the table with her gear on it. “Here, how about we check in, see if they found anything?”

  Abby nodded. “Yeah, okay. Would have called if they found him, but could have something small.”

  “Exactly.” Fe sorted through her stuff until she found her phone, called up a number, then held it to her ear. “Hey Delano.

  “Just checking in.

  “I know, could
n’t hurt.

  “You’re not that busy.

  “Oh? Why didn’t you call us?

  “Calm yourself officer.

  “I’ll let you get back to work then.” She lowered the phone and stared at it.

  “What is it?” Abby asked.

  Fe sat back down on the other bed. “Your friend Sellwood’s car. It was broken into. A smash and grab apparently.”

  “Ecks’s car? Was anything missing? What were they looking for?”

  Fe shrugged. “He didn’t mention anything, though they wouldn’t really know, not without Ecks giving a list of everything that was in there.”

  “This is good though, right? More chance for fingerprints.”

  “If it’s the same suspects, they were wearing gloves.”

  “Hm, that’s right. Maybe they’ll find some hairs.”

  “It’s possible. I wouldn’t bank too much on it though.”

  “Don’t get my hopes up too much, huh?”

  Fe shrugged. “I’m just saying that’s a long shot.”

  “Just like Ecks still being alive.”

  “Abby.”

  “What? Aren’t I right? Most kidnappings after a certain point, the victim is dead?”

  “This isn’t a normal situation.”

  Abby had no response to that, and the conversation died. It wasn’t a normal situation, and it just made things that much harder to figure out.

  “I’m hungry,” Fe said after a while. “You?”

  “I could eat I guess.”

  “Room service?”

  Abby sighed. “I’d rather go out somewhere, but I guess that’s not an option.”

  “It is, just not a good one. If you were followed to Ecks’s apartment…”

  “Yeah,” Abby agreed, setting her laptop aside and lying down on the bed. “What about trapping them?” she asked, staring at the ceiling. It was tiled, giving it a regal feel, in contrast to the room itself. If she just stared at the ceiling, she could imagine she was somewhere nice she’d never been, like the Plaza Hotel, or the Taj Mahal.

  “Let me guess, you’d be the bait.”

  “Why not? It would be worth it.”

  “That’s not necessary right now. If we don’t find something in the next day or two—”

  “It will already be too late.”

  “Don’t think like that.”

  “It’s true, isn’t it? I don’t know the numbers, but most people who are kidnapped, the chance of them being found alive decreases with every day they’re missing.”

  “Like I said, this isn’t a typical situation.”

  They sat in silence. Then Fe said, “Tomorrow.”

  Abby rolled her head to look at Fe, raised her eyebrows in a question.

  “If nothing happens, I’ll talk to Delano about your idea.”

  “Is this his case now?”

  Fe shook her head. “Not sure, think it might be Masterson’s.” She smiled. “In any case, tomorrow. Good enough?”

  “Better than nothing.”

  “Good. Now hand me that menu.”

  …

  The next morning came and went. Nothing else was found. There was evidence in the car, but that would take a while to process. And so, with no other prospects, Fe agreed to take Abby into the station, and see about using her as bait.

  This was not to be however, because as they were walking out the door to their hotel room, Abby’s phone rang.

  “Hold up,” she called to Fe, as the door shut behind her. She answered. “Hello?”

  “Hello Abby.”

  “Hi. Who’s this?”

  “Who, what? Where, does it matter? No.”

  Abby waved frantically at Fe. Maybe they could trace the call? Or would they know already where it was coming from? Unless he was using a burner.

  Fe held out her hands, mouthed ‘What?’

  ‘It’s them,’ Abby mouthed. It had to be. Or a prank call. Either way, tracing it would be a good idea.

  “Abby,” the voice said, almost playfully. “Are you there? Please tell me, you didn’t, drop the call.”

  “I’m here. Who is this?”

  “I think you know. I think, I think,” he repeated, putting emphasis on ‘think’, “that you know exactly, and, so does your friend there. Say hi to her for me.”

  “My friend?”

  “Oh I’m sorry. Is she not your friend? Officer Fe?”

  Abby said nothing. She looked around for anyone, any cameras. There weren’t even windows though. Then her eyes fell on the peepholes in each and every hotel room door. Suddenly, nowhere felt safe. She gestured for Fe to open the door to their room again.

  She frowned, but did so.

  “Abby Melcer? What are you doing?”

  “I’m going to hang up if you don’t tell me who you are and what you want.”

  He sighed, like one might sigh at their child. “Very well, if you insist on forcing my hand.”

  The two of them entered back into the room, and Abby quietly shut and locked the door, then put a finger to her lips and put her phone on speaker.

  “I want,” he continued, “we want you. As for who I am? That’s not something you need be concerned with.” There was a pause, then he said, sounding like he was smiling, “Am I on speaker?” A chuckle. “How quaint,” he added quietly.

  Shit, Abby didn’t know what to say. “You want me?” At least this confirmed that her bait-plan might have worked.

  “Of course we do. The problem is how to get you. Not as easy as it was.”

  “What do you want me for?”

  “Oh, nothing. Just to talk.”

  “What about?”

  “Oh, look at the time. I have to go. I just wanted to check in with you, let you know that we’re still here for you. Talk to you soon.”

  “What do you—” Abby stopped herself as the call time stopped ticking and started flashing. “Fuck!”

  Fe was breathing fast, lower lip entirely in her mouth. “We can contact the phone company, see where it was coming from.” She looked at the phone, Abby, phone. “He sounded crazy.”

  Abby let out a burst of air. “No shit.”

  “Could be an act,” Fe said more calmly, seeming to parse the situation. “I’m not so comfortable leaving here now.”

  “I agree, but probably for a different reason. I think he could see us.”

  “See us?”

  “Yeah, he said he could. Like he was watching us.”

  Fe shook her head. “Nope. Even if he could somehow get access to the cameras, there are none out there. Safer that way for us, and the identity of anyone we’re protecting.”

  “I noticed. But there were doors.”

  “The rooms? We would have heard him talking.”

  “Maybe not. I can’t think of any other way he would know. Maybe he—or they—had someone looking out a peephole.”

  Fe was still shaking her head, but she said, “I’m going to call for backup, just in case. We’ll stay here till then. I don’t think anything would happen, but…”

  Abby nodded. “Yeah. Better safe than sorry.”

  Fe went to the door and fastened the security latch. “Shit. You know, this is the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”

  “Great.”

  “Eh, I know.” She then pulled her phone from her pocket and made a call. “Lieutenant, it’s Heighton.

  “I’m here with Abby Mel—

  “Right. Well, she just got a strange call.

  “Got it in one.

  “Oh yeah, on speaker, I heard most of it.” She looked at Abby. “What’s your number?”

  Abby gave it.

  Fe relayed this to the lieutenant. “That’s just what I was about to ask.

  “I do. If nothing else, maybe we can see who they are. Abby thinks, based on some of the things the caller said, that he could see us.

  “That was her idea, him or someone working with him.” She looked to Abby again. “How detailed was it? How much did he know? Did he say anyt
hing about Ecks?”

  “Damn”—Abby shook her head, exhaled—“he knew you were with me. I— I can’t really remember what else, I was shocked, you know. Nothing about Ecks though. I—” She shook her head again. “No, that’s all I can remember for sure.” Seeing Fe’s look, she hastily added, “But it was a strong impression, enough that I wanted to come back in here.”

  “You did seem spooked,” she said to Abby, then, back into the phone, “LT?

  “Yeah, she’s not sure. He knew he was on speaker though.” Fe nodded as she listened. “Thanks.

  “Yeah, that’s the room.

  “Straight to your office, I won’t even let her use the bathroom.

  “Okay.” She hung up. “Looks like we’ve got some waiting to do.”

  They waited in the hotel room until Fe got a call from a fellow plainclothes, letting her know they were there, and were coming up. A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Fe went to it and looked though the peephole, then opened the door. “Guys,” she said, gesturing to them to wait. “We’re already ready.” She motioned to Abby, who was standing by the bed. She positioned Abby between herself and the other officers, then they locked up and left.

  As they walked through the hall to the elevator, Abby felt like royalty, or a prisoner.

  No one assaulted or ambushed them on their way out, and they made it to the unmarked vehicle waiting outside, with two more officers in it.

  “They went all out,” Abby said, getting in.

  Fe got in next to her. “We sometimes do.”

  At the station, it was as Fe had promised, and Abby was taken straight to the lieutenant’s office, by which time she did actually have to use the bathroom. Fe just laughed, probably taking it as a joke, but Abby had been serious.

  So now, she sat in a seat across from the lieutenant, who was standing behind her desk with arms resting atop a large leather executive chair, trying not to move around too much, lest she disturb her bladder or make the lieutenant suspicious, which she already was in spades.

  “And that’s all he said?” the lieutenant asked Abby, for the third or fourth time.

  Abby nodded. She rubbed her legs together, then crossed them. “He said he’d”—she frowned—“‘be in touch’, were I think his words.”

  The lieutenant lifted her head toward Fe, who was next to Abby, also present was Detective Masterson, who was sitting on the lieutenant’s desk like he owned it and Delano, who was more respectfully leaning on the edge of a chair, mirroring the lieutenant. “Sounded like a nut-job?”