Captured

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER TWO

“BRAVO.” JONATHAN WALKED from behind the waterfall, clapping.

“Jonathan.” Rena’s bosom heaved. “I didn’t know you were listening.” She knelt, dropping her head. “Did I please you?”

He caressed her chin, lifting her head. “You’ve done well.”

She smiled, redness stroking her cheeks.

“You know how much Deidra means to me.” He sandwiched her hands in his. “We must bring her in.”

She nodded.

“You like her a lot.” He touched her chubby cheek. “Don’t you?”

“She’s easy to talk to. I think we’ll be good friends.”

“She likes you too. That’s why I need you. Without you I’m not sure I can persuade her to join us.”

“You can convince anyone of anything.”

“Not Deidra.” He lifted his chin. “She’s different. Instead of me charming her I find her charming me.” He chuckled. “It’s a novel experience but I enjoy it.”

“I’ll do anything for you, Jonathan.”

“Get her to join us.” He pressed his hands to her cheeks. “I need her here with me.”

****

“AH, THERE SHE IS.” Detective Winston Lewis sat behind Dee’s desk when she arrived at the police station the next morning. “It’s the most beautiful woman in the world.” He held a rose. “Isn’t it, Connie?”

Detective Connie Wilks grinned from her desk beside Dee’s with blonde strands falling out the rubber band on her ponytail.

“What is this?” Dee took her purse off her shoulder and set the soda she’d gotten from the lounge on her desk.

Winston moved his feet, standing with a sly smile. “This is for you.”

Dee took the rose and passed him to get to her chair.

He swerved around, stabbing her with those stunning blue eyes. “Isn’t it romantic I got you a rose?” He gestured at Connie as Dee sat at her desk. “Isn’t it, Connie?”

“If you say so, Winston.” She took the lid off her plastic coffee cup.

“Come on, Dee.” He leaned over, planting his hands on the desk. “You’re not still mad about that silly argument we had, are you?”

“It’s not silly.” She pushed her chair against the desk and turned on her computer.

“Lisa and I are only friends.” He rose, dropping his shoulders. “You know that.”

“How come every time she needs something she calls you?”

“Because I’m her friend, Dee.” He sighed, blowing his cream cheese and bagel breath her way. “You want me to cut her off? She’s your best friend, remember?”

“Yeah.” She stared at her black and white Clark Gable screen-saver.

“So.” He put his hands in the pockets of his black slacks, rocking on his heels. “I called you last night. Your cell and your house phone.”

“Yeah, I ah, didn’t realize until late.”

“That’s interesting.” He lifted a sheet of paper off her desk. “Did you go to bed early?”

“No, I was out.”

“Out?” He moved his lips in and out.

“I had an errand to run.” She shrugged. “You have a problem with that?”

“This errand wouldn’t have anything to do with Jonathan Wild, would it?”

She sighed, shaking her head. “I stopped going over there after we finished the Autumn Stuart case.”

“That’s only been two weeks. Besides, when you disappeared those times before, you were sneaking over there.”

“I didn’t sneak anywhere.” Dee rolled her eyes. “If I was trying to be sneaky; I wouldn’t have ever told you I’d gone over there.”

“I’m supposed to believe your curiosity for him went away that fast?”

She moved papers around. “Why do you keep bringing Jonathan up?”

“The same reason you keep bringing Lisa up.”

“Lisa is a part of our lives and always will be.” Dee logged onto the Internet. “Jonathan means nothing.”

“You haven’t seen him since he kissed you then?”

“No.” She cursed herself for lying, afraid at how it came so easy these days. “Are you trying to cheer me up or get me more upset?”

“I got a great idea.” Winston snapped his fingers, his curly brown hair shimmering from mousse. “How about we go to that classic movie theater tonight and go see Strangers on a Train? Huh? Nothing like a good old Hitchcock flick, right?”

“I’ll think about it.”

He zipped behind her desk and kissed her nose. “I love you, baby.”

She giggled, rubbing his slick curls. “You better.”

“You love me too, right?” He kissed her, nibbling on her cheek.

Dee cut her eyes to Connie who held in a grin.

“Stop.” Dee chuckled, pushing Winston away. “I didn’t say you were out of the doghouse yet.”

“I plan to be after work though.” He strutted from behind her desk, pulling the collar of his sky-blue shirt. “Did I tell you how beautiful you look today?”

“Yes.” She got pencils out the drawer. “Don’t you have a murder case to solve?”

He walked backwards, pointing at her. “Have a good day.” He bumped into a petite, heavy-set woman around her late 50’s or early 60’s. “Oh, sorry.” He smiled at the woman and left.

“Are you Detective Dee Quarter?” The woman rushed to Dee’s desk.

“Yes.”

“No one else will help me so they sent me to you.” She held her liver-spotted hands out to Dee. “I’m about to lose it and no one cares.”

“Please, sit down.” Connie walked from her desk and helped the woman in the chair. “I’m Detective Connie Wilks.” She batted her green eyes. “I’m Detective Quarter’s partner.”

“Nice to meet you.” Her hands shivered. “I’m Hattie Vickers.” She stroked her silver hair, which she wore in short, chin-length layers. “I’m a mess.”

“What’s wrong?” Dee moved from her chair and sat on the edge of the desk to be closer to the shaken woman. “Are you in trouble?”

“My son is missing, and I did a report but no one’s doing anything about it.” Hattie scanned the detectives with her sharp, black eyes. “I know something’s happened to him because he hasn’t called me in days and he never goes three days without calling me.”

“Okay, hold on.” Connie got on her computer. “I’m gonna check the report. What is your son’s name?”

“Boyce Vickers.” Hattie swallowed. “He’s thirty-five.” She said his address and phone number.

“You sound parched.” Dee passed Hattie the soda she’d just gotten from the lounge. “Take it if you want.”

“Thanks so much.” Hattie opened the can and took a loud sip. “Ah. I’m all worked up and I try not to be because I have a heart condition.”

“Then please relax.” Dee sat behind her desk and got her large notepad. “We’ll figure this out.”

Hattie’s face relaxed.

“Now what’s going on?” Dee asked.

“Boyce has been missing for at least a week. I have no idea where he is. No one’s seen him. I’ve talked to friends and everything.”

“Has your son ever disappeared like this before?” Connie asked.

“He’s never gone this long without contacting me no matter where he is. We’re very close.”

Dee touched her chin. “What kind of vehicle does he drive?”

“A black Toyota Tacoma pickup.” Hattie settled her purse on her lap.

Connie cleared her throat. “Have you tried to contact him?”

“His phone goes straight to voice mail, and he’s not answering emails. I gave his phone number and email address to the officer who wrote the report.”

Dee tangled her fingers in her hair. “Any strange behavior from Boyce lately?”

“He kept saying he had a surprise for me and that he’d have a new beginning.” Hattie shrugged. “He’d been depressed because he lost his job. He was a welder for Big Blue Construction. He had that job for about fifteen years.”

“I’m printing out his picture from the report.” Connie turned on her printer. “We’ll ask around for you and see if anyone’s seen him.”

“Thank you so much.” Hattie put her hands together. “I have a list of people closest to him with their numbers and addresses.” She took the paper from her purse and handed it to Dee.

“Who is Ursula Vickers?”

“That’s his wife.” Hattie caught herself. “Well, they’re getting a divorce.”

“So, they’re separated?” Dee asked.

“I told Boyce to let it ride and she might come back to him.” She smiled. “I was hoping.”

“You like Ursula?” Connie handed Boyce’s picture to Dee.

“Very much. She’s so beautiful. She used to be a model. She’s from Norway.”

“Interesting.” Dee wrote down the info.

“I couldn’t ask for a better daughter-in-law. I always wanted a daughter and she fit right in.”

Connie smiled. “That’s sweet.”

“Yeah, and extremely unusual,” Dee said. “Usually the mother-in-law can’t stand the daughter-in-law.”

“Well, Ursula’s sweet as candy,” Hattie said. “I don’t think she’d know anything since they haven’t spoken much since the split.”

Connie sipped coffee. “How long they’ve been split?”

“About a month and a half.”

Dee whistled. “A fresh breakup then.”

“I get your tone and you’re wrong.” Hattie waved her finger, her sparse eyebrows rising. “Ursula wouldn’t do anything to my Boyce. I know in the bottom of my heart that she still loves him.”

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Vickers.” Dee winked. “Whatever’s going on, we’ll figure it out.”

“I just want him to be safe.” Hattie did the sign of the cross by touching her forehead, chest and shoulders. “Please, God let him be safe.”