The Warning Read online

  She felt Jack’s eyes on her. She ignored him, watched the road and kept the phone pressed to her ear.

  “If what you say about trusting me is true, then why did you avoid me all these years? I could’ve helped you.”

  “Parkman, you were bothering me. You called my friends and family all the time. You acted like a stalker. Although I know you figured out enough about me to realize that I’m not responsible for what happened in the last twelve hours. You know I’m clean. That’s why I’m calling you.”

  “You’re too late.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “They put me on a desk. I’ve got a week worth of paperwork for the shooting at Dolan’s and then, until this is over with you, my boss said I’d be better at a desk. I think they’re afraid it’s too personal for me.”

  “Is it?” Sarah asked.

  “Yes, I suppose it is. What are you going to do? They have your name in every cruiser. They’re looking for you hard-core and you know why? Because they don’t understand you like I do.”

  “Can you tell me who was at Jack’s place last night or at Dolan’s this morning? They looked and acted like professionals.”

  “No idea. They didn’t give me the ID on the body they pulled from Jack’s foyer and they yanked me before forensics dealt with the body at Dolan’s. I’m out of the loop on this.”

  “Okay, call me if you think I need to know something,” Sarah said and made to hang up. She paused as she heard Parkman screaming for her to wait.

  With the phone back at her ear, Sarah asked, “What is it?”

  “Have you still got Jack Tate with you?”

  “Yes,” she said and snuck a look at him. He was sipping his coffee and staring out the window.

  “Did you know he used to be a cop?”

  “Yes.”

  “His last case was your sister’s murder.”

  “I know.”

  “I guess you would. That’s why you showed up at his house last night. Well I have something else for you.”

  “What?”

  “He was under investigation a couple times as a police officer for conduct unbecoming. Also, he had a younger brother who was killed four years ago. As far as I know, after Jack got shot they never spoke again. I think you’d know Jack’s younger brother.”

  “Who is it?”

  “A man named Alex Stuart. It’s the same Alex that had you kidnapped four years ago. You remember, Dolan’s old assistant at the psychic fairs. The guy who hired Gert and his brother Matt to kidnap teenagers.”

  She couldn’t believe it. How could everything be so connected? She stole another glance at Jack. He didn’t seem to notice.

  “You’re kidding.”

  “I’m not. I read Jack Tate’s file a year ago when I was doing research on you. I know him and his career because he was the guy who almost collared your sister’s murderer. Watch yourself, Sarah. He may not be the friend you think he is.”

  Chapter 11

  It was just after noon when she pulled onto her parents’ street. She parked ten houses away and got out.

  “Jack, we need to change cars. I’m not a thief and I don’t have the kind of money to just go and buy one. That’s why we’re here. My parents live on this street. We’re going to quietly walk up and knock on the front door like ordinary folk. Okay?”

  Jack nodded. “Did you call first? Are they expecting us?”

  “I called, but no one answered.”

  Jack gave her a look that said be careful. She nodded and together they started up the street. It was a short walk in a neighborhood where nothing changed. She’d lived here for many years. Shortly after her kidnapping four years ago her parents almost split up and she had to move out as they proved quite hard to live with. She was turning eighteen then and the rules they were imposing were for a ten year old. They’d made it through the tough time and were recently doing well as far as she could see.

  As they reached the front steps of her parent’s house her cell rang. She lifted it up and read the screen. It said private caller. Which meant it was probably the police. She chose to ignore it.

  Jack looked like he was right at home in his new role as playing a cop again. He stared across the street and into the eyes of drivers going by. She couldn’t trust him but for now he might be good to have around.

  “Come on,” she said and started up the front walkway.

  The house felt sad. There was something about it. Perhaps she just missed being here. She looked up at the window that used to be her bedroom and longed for an earlier time when things were simpler.

  When she hit the doorbell, she heard it ring on the inside. She turned around and saw Jack still looking across the street.

  “What’s going on Jack?” she asked.

  “I thought I saw someone watching us through those curtains in that house,” he said, nodding with his head to show her which one. “Do you know who lives there?”

  “The beige house with that overhang by the porch?”

  “Yeah.”

  “That’s the Ellis’ house. They wouldn’t be watching us. If they saw me they would’ve come out and said hello.”

  Sarah hit the doorbell again. Then her cell rang. Call display said it was private just like the number from moments ago.

  Jack was moving up the sidewalk toward her. “Can we go around to the back door?” he asked.

  “Sure. Why?”

  “Something’s wrong across the street. Aren’t you going to answer your phone?”

  They started moving to the back of the house. Sarah hit the green button on her phone and listened.

  “I know you’re there. We have a problem. You’re in possession of what I need and I’m in possession of what you need.”

  “Who is this?” Sarah asked as they made it to the back. Jack walked ahead of her and started banging on the back door of her parents’ house.

  “That’s not important. But what is of great fucking importance is Jack Tate.”

  “Why?” Sarah was getting mad. Her life of mysterious messages was something she tolerated and dealt with but when people acted mysterious it pissed her off.

  “I’m offering an exchange. Your parents for Jack Tate.”

  “My parents? How’s that?” Sarah asked and joined Jack in banging on the back door.

  “If it wasn’t broad daylight we would take him right now. I saw you walk up to your parent’s house with Jack. No one is home.”

  Sarah pulled the phone from her ear and covered the mouthpiece. “Jack, you were right,” she whispered. “We’re being watched. Let’s move.”

  They jumped off the porch and raced to the back fence. Before jumping it Sarah tried to listen to her phone again. The caller had hung up.

  She tossed the phone in her pocket and jumped the fence. Her stomach clenched and she felt queasy. What was going on? Reality set in. Could her parents be kidnap victims? Was this really happening? No way. She couldn’t live with it if something happened to them.

  “What was the call about?” Jack asked.

  “Somebody thinks you’re a very important person. The guy on the phone wants to exchange you for my parents,” she said. A tear crept into her vision. She didn’t want to cry. This was not a good time to be crying. “They were watching us like you said.”

  “Call the police and tell them what you know. Maybe they can do something about the people in the Ellis’ house.”

  Sarah pulled out her cell again and went to dial 911 but then stopped. She scrolled through her last number redials and called Parkman.

  “Parkman here.”

  They emerged from the alley and turned left, walking away from her car. “We have a problem.”

  “What kind of problem?”

  “It looks like whoever is behind all this has kidnapped my parents. They just called me and asked for Jack in exchange. They were watching us from across the street.”

  “Watching you? Where are you?”

  “At my parents’ ho
use. We came to get a car.”

  “I knew people close to you would be in danger. Damn.”

  “You win the prize. Now, can we get someone on this? Who are these fuckers? They have my mom and dad. This isn’t working out well. If anything happens to them I’m going to be seriously pissed off.”

  “Okay, I’ll look into it. But once I pass on the information they’re going to put me back at my desk.”

  “Fine, but Parkman, do something. I need your help,” Sarah said and hung up.

  “What now?” Jack asked. “The cops are looking for both of us. Whoever is behind this showed up at my house last night to kill me. Then they came to Dolan’s and your parents’ house. That means they’re well prepared and serious. That leaves me with one conclusion.”

  Sarah looked at him as they hustled down the street. “What’s that?”

  “I’m the one they’re after because they believe I can identify them. Since you saved my life last night and whisked me away, they’re going after you now.”

  “Something tells me it’s deeper than that. You and my family are much closer than you think.”

  Jack slowed and looked at her. “What are you talking about?”

  “Come on. We can’t stop,” she said as she tugged his arm and continued down the street.

  “How are we connected?” Jack asked again.

  “Your brother was my kidnapper four years ago.”

  Jack stopped walking. He raised a hand to the side of his head.

  “What?” Sarah asked.

  “That must be it.”

  “What?” she asked again and tossed both hands in the air to express her frustration.

  “It’s a long story but I’ll try to make it quick. My family was always on the wrong side of the law. I hated it. That’s why I became a cop. I had a brother named Alex. He was born twenty years after my sister and me, but to a different father.”

  “Okay, great story, but we need to keep moving. I want some distance from whoever was watching us. Tell me more on the way.”

  They started walking again. It had been a long time since Sarah had felt this lost. What was she going to do next? Where was she going to go? The only people she could trust were in danger. Her parents were in grave danger. And here she was, walking down a random street with no destination accompanied by the brother of the man who came very close to killing her four years ago.

  “Keep talking. What else is there?” She had to put this together and fast. Sarah knew there was something she was missing and it felt like if she didn’t figure it out soon, more people were going to start dying.

  “When you said it was my brother who kidnapped you four years ago it suddenly hit me.”

  “What hit you? This is getting frustrating. Do I have to pull it out of you?”

  He looked at her. She could tell he wasn’t used to a twenty two year old being so demanding. Well, he’d better get fucking used to it, she thought.

  “I’m not taking my time on purpose. Gathering my memories is something of a chore after a bullet erased most of them. Give me a sec…”

  A car was traveling up the street too fast. It started to aim toward them. Instincts kicked in. Sarah pushed Jack back and started away from the sidewalk. All this happened in seconds. The passenger door opened and when she bent to look in, she saw Esmerelda behind the wheel.

  “Get in!”

  Sarah released the grip she had on the butt of her gun. Then she got in the backseat with Jack right beside her.

  “Are you okay?” Esmerelda asked.

  “Better now. Why are you here?”

  Esmerelda looked at her in the rear view mirror. “I told you I’d check on your parents. When I didn’t get an answer, I came over and saw people watching your old house from across the street. I was on the opposite end of the street when I saw you walking up to knock on the front door. Then I saw you two heading around to the back of the house. I had to drive through a few blocks until I found you. You want to introduce me to your new friend?”

  “His name is Jack Tate and he’s quite intertwined in all this. He’s an ex-cop and he was just about to tell me something regarding his family history.

  Jack looked at her and then at the back of Esmerelda’s head. He appeared dazed. “It all started when I left home to join the police force. My mother got mixed up in voodoo. The man she met was crazy. He got her pregnant and she had Alex Stuart. His last name is different because of different fathers.”

  Esmerelda cut in, “Do you mean the same Alex who was Dolan’s assistant? The one I used to work with at the psychic fair?”

  “Yes I do. After he was born I only visited the house once in a while. I wasn’t around much so I wasn’t privy to all the abuse that went down. I remember one night I came over unannounced in my cruiser. This would’ve been when Alex was eight years old or so. They were doing some kind of rituals with candles in the living room. I asked what the hell had happened to them when I saw that Alex was naked. I arrested Armond Stuart, Alex’s father, on various child abuse charges. He got bail and was home the next day and I was told to stay away. My own mother didn’t want anything to do with me. She was blinded by this ritual stuff. The investigators came up with all kinds of insane and stupid stuff Armond was doing.”

  Sarah turned in her seat. “So what came of it?”

  “Armond got convicted and went to prison until Alex was fifteen years old. My mother disowned me.”

  “Sad story, but how is it relevant to the here and now?” Esmerelda asked.

  Jack looked out the window at the buildings going by. Sarah saw him fondling the rip in his shirt. “Alex was really messed up. We bumped into each other occasionally. I wanted to keep tabs on my mother, you know, see how she was. Alex was happy his dad was in jail. So we’d talk. One day he’d be talking about voodoo dolls and then he’d talk about out of body experiences. Also, he always smelled of cologne, like he was showering in the stuff.”

  Esmerelda and Sarah exchanged a look of understanding.

  “Alex was sexually and physically abused. He was quite sick himself. He got involved in fake psychics ripping people off. The last I heard, he was involved with the psychic fair. I remember checking them out in my spare time about six years ago. It seemed like a good deal for him as the head guy, who I remember now was Dolan, helped the police to locate missing children. I later heard Alex was killed in a shootout somewhere in the Midwest.”

  Sarah nodded. “I was there.” She chose to spare Jack the details that she had killed Alex in the most brutal way by having part of his face torn off. “When we were walking it looked like you had a revelation of some kind. Is there anything else?”

  Jack looked at her with a serious expression on his face. “After Alex died I decided to see what Armond was up to. Somehow he was mixed up in the business Alex was doing. All I could gather was a few teenage girls didn’t make it home. They were sexually abused and killed. The police attributed those crimes to Alex after he was dead, but I felt it had something to do with Armond because they found a voodoo doll with one of the bodies. I told the police about it but they brushed me off. The case was closed and filed. I was so interested in this because my last case was Vivian and we know what happened to her.” Jack looked down at the rip in his shirt. “Armond is still out there. He’d be about sixty now. I think it was Armond who shot me but I had no proof.”

  “Sarah, here, take this,” Esmerelda reached across to the passenger seat and picked something up. She handed Sarah a notebook and a pen.

  “You’re going to need that to help us get out of this.”

  Chapter 12

  Dolan watched as the glass repairman set a new pane in place. The police had left about an hour ago after taking his statement, which he kept vague.

  He began pacing to show the guy how antsy he was. It was already late afternoon. Because a shooting had taken place the Special Investigations Unit had come in to examine the area also. Dolan had called the glass repairman but all they’d let him
do is measure the window and leave. Not until the cops were through would they let him replace the window.

  “How much longer?” Dolan asked.

  “Five minutes.”

  Dolan grabbed the kitchen phone and dialed. He got a receptionist and then he was put through.

  “Sam Johnson.”

  “Sam, its Dolan.”