The Cost
by: Mariel
Chapter 38
Samantha placed the phone down carefully. She sat a moment, thinking. Martin had said he was going to phone Jack after he checked on a couple details, but instinct told her Jack would want a heads up in regards to what Martin had just told her. Rising, she went to find him.
Nearing his door, she stopped when she saw Jack and Vivian standing in front of his window. Though their backs were to her, it was obvious they were deep in conversation. Unnoticed, and not wanting to disturb them, she stepped back to wait her turn.
Their voices carried to where she stood by the door...
"Jack," Vivian said in a reasonable tone, "all I'm saying is that you've got to call her. You should have spoken to her last night. She tried to get you this morning, and when you weren't here, she called me and left a message. I got it when I arrived, and since she didn't sound too happy, I phoned her back. She says she doesn't know if you're getting her calls."
Jack lifted a hand to pinch the top of his nose. Maria knew damned well he was getting her messages. She was just calling Vivian in as a reinforcement. "I've been getting her calls, but I can't call her in the middle of the night, can I? And that's the only time I've had lately." At Vivian's disbelieving stare, he said, "Listen, she was showering when I phoned the girls last night. And to be honest, it was nice to talk to them and not have to argue with her afterwards. She could have-" He stopped abruptly, then asked, "Did she say what she wanted?"
Vivian shook her head. "No, but in regards to your arguing, I'm sure your still living at the hotel has something to do with that. And the fact you didn't get home to see Hannah's project before she took it to school doesn't help you any." She paused a second, then added,"I doubt it helped that she had a meeting to go to last night and could have used you around to sit for the kids, either."
She stopped then, knowing he didn't really need a list of his shortcomings as a husband and parent. Her eyes dark pools of concern, she told him, "She's really angry with you this time, Jack. In her eyes, you've once again dropped her and the kids for a case." Biting back the urge to also note that, all things considered, Maria would probably feel more comfortable having him where she could keep a better eye on him, she finished with a gentle, "She wants this over and done with. She wants you back home, with them, living a normal life again."
Still watching from the doorway, Samantha saw Jack turn towards Vivian, a telltale flash of guilt crossing his face. She felt herself frown, feeling a momentary spurt of anger at Vivian. Of course Jack knew he should be living at home- he would have had to have been deaf, dumb, and blind not to have been aware that living at the hotel was adding fuel to his wife's already steadily burning anger - but he had needed to get away from her blame, and from her constant questioning of his actions. Staying at the hotel had kept him sane... She clenched her fists. No one was more aware of how much time it was taking to catch Spaulding. Nor was anyone more aware - rightly or wrongly - that he was responsible for capturing the murderer and had so far failed miserably to do so.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward. Jack didn't need more guilt piled on him just now. With a quick tap on the door jamb, she breezed into the office. "Hey," she nodded in greeting to Vivian. Turning to Jack, she said, "Sorry to interrupt, but Martin just called to say that David Walter's gone missing."
Jack turned abruptly to look at her. "That's impossible," he blurted.
Samantha wished that were true. "I don't know exactly what happened yet," she told him, "but he's not in the house, and the people in charge of watching the place didn't see him leave. Martin arrived a few minutes ago, discovered he'd left, and is talking to his younger brother now, trying to figure out where he's gone and how. He should be calling you shortly."
"Christ," Jack said, running a hand through his thick hair. "What the hell were they doing? What's so-"
He was interrupted by his phone ringing. Striding over, he picked it up and barked, "Malone" into the receiver. He listened a moment, then ordered: "Get out there and see if you can trace where he went. We'll be there in about forty-five minutes. Now, move!"
Hanging up, he turned to Samantha. "That was Martin. We're going over there. Apparently David got a phone call about two hours ago and left. Kid brother says he doesn't know who called, but David's got a secret way out of the house he uses all the time when he wants to meet his buddies without the parents knowing. His brother was sworn to secrecy, but admitted everything when he realised it was the FBI asking the questions."
Suddenly conscious of Vivian still standing there, he switched tracks quickly. "Thanks for the heads up," he said, meaning it. Once again she'd been thrown the task of trying to save his sorry ass where his marriage was concerned, and he appreciated her tact. "I'll have to deal with it later, though. If you two talk again, let her know I'll call tonight."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Just before they turned onto the street David Walter lived on, Jack received a call from Danny, who had been staking out the storage building Spaulding had rented.
"Just letting you know nothing's happening here," he said. "We've got a great location across from the storage space he's rented, so there's no way we can miss him. The chair was delivered just before we got here. The manager let him in. He said he got a phone call yesterday asking him to."
Pulling the car to an easy stop in front of the Walter's residence, Jack said, "Okay, just sit tight and wait, then. He'll show up at some point. Sam and I will be there as soon as we sort out what happened with David Walters. He disappeared right out from under our noses. His kid brother says he does this a lot, but this is a lousy time for him to pull a disappearing act."
Martin had been waiting for them to arrive, and went out to meet them as the got out of the car. Cross-armed, Samantha and Jack leaned against the sedan and listened intently as he explained he'd found a witness who claimed to have seen David speaking to a man sitting in a moving van. The witness didn't know if David had got into the van, he'd just been walking by and hadn't paid much attention. A store keeper was also tapped as a witness: he'd noticed a moving van that had stopped for a moment outside his flower shop while he'd been outside watering the hanging plants. His description of the van matched the description of the one the first witness had seen. He was quite sure the driver looked like the picture of Spaulding they showed him.
Mentally mapping out the two sightings, Samantha said, "David could have been in the back of the van when they passed the flower shop." Looking around, she asked, "Where would Spaulding take him?"
"He's driving a moving van. Perhaps he's going to pick up his chair. Maybe he used the excuse of needing help to lure David away," Martin suggested.
Not thinking so, Samantha shook her head, but held her peace.
"Keep looking for people who noticed the van," Jack instructed Martin. "We may be able to track his general direction that way. And keep in touch about what you find." Pushing himself off the car, he walked around to the driver's side. "Sam and I are on our way to the storage facility," he said over the roof of the sedan. "There's a chance he's on his way there, since he has the van."
Sliding into the driver's seat, he slammed the door closed and turned the key in the ignition. The likelihood of Spaulding deciding to pick up the boy and the chair at the same time wasn't likely, but he was beginning to doubt any of Spaulding's actions would be predictable from here on in. In fact, something told him that predictability, if it had ever been there, was gone for good.
As history would later tell it, he was absolutely right.
End Chapter 38
Chapter 38
Samantha placed the phone down carefully. She sat a moment, thinking. Martin had said he was going to phone Jack after he checked on a couple details, but instinct told her Jack would want a heads up in regards to what Martin had just told her. Rising, she went to find him.
Nearing his door, she stopped when she saw Jack and Vivian standing in front of his window. Though their backs were to her, it was obvious they were deep in conversation. Unnoticed, and not wanting to disturb them, she stepped back to wait her turn.
Their voices carried to where she stood by the door...
"Jack," Vivian said in a reasonable tone, "all I'm saying is that you've got to call her. You should have spoken to her last night. She tried to get you this morning, and when you weren't here, she called me and left a message. I got it when I arrived, and since she didn't sound too happy, I phoned her back. She says she doesn't know if you're getting her calls."
Jack lifted a hand to pinch the top of his nose. Maria knew damned well he was getting her messages. She was just calling Vivian in as a reinforcement. "I've been getting her calls, but I can't call her in the middle of the night, can I? And that's the only time I've had lately." At Vivian's disbelieving stare, he said, "Listen, she was showering when I phoned the girls last night. And to be honest, it was nice to talk to them and not have to argue with her afterwards. She could have-" He stopped abruptly, then asked, "Did she say what she wanted?"
Vivian shook her head. "No, but in regards to your arguing, I'm sure your still living at the hotel has something to do with that. And the fact you didn't get home to see Hannah's project before she took it to school doesn't help you any." She paused a second, then added,"I doubt it helped that she had a meeting to go to last night and could have used you around to sit for the kids, either."
She stopped then, knowing he didn't really need a list of his shortcomings as a husband and parent. Her eyes dark pools of concern, she told him, "She's really angry with you this time, Jack. In her eyes, you've once again dropped her and the kids for a case." Biting back the urge to also note that, all things considered, Maria would probably feel more comfortable having him where she could keep a better eye on him, she finished with a gentle, "She wants this over and done with. She wants you back home, with them, living a normal life again."
Still watching from the doorway, Samantha saw Jack turn towards Vivian, a telltale flash of guilt crossing his face. She felt herself frown, feeling a momentary spurt of anger at Vivian. Of course Jack knew he should be living at home- he would have had to have been deaf, dumb, and blind not to have been aware that living at the hotel was adding fuel to his wife's already steadily burning anger - but he had needed to get away from her blame, and from her constant questioning of his actions. Staying at the hotel had kept him sane... She clenched her fists. No one was more aware of how much time it was taking to catch Spaulding. Nor was anyone more aware - rightly or wrongly - that he was responsible for capturing the murderer and had so far failed miserably to do so.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward. Jack didn't need more guilt piled on him just now. With a quick tap on the door jamb, she breezed into the office. "Hey," she nodded in greeting to Vivian. Turning to Jack, she said, "Sorry to interrupt, but Martin just called to say that David Walter's gone missing."
Jack turned abruptly to look at her. "That's impossible," he blurted.
Samantha wished that were true. "I don't know exactly what happened yet," she told him, "but he's not in the house, and the people in charge of watching the place didn't see him leave. Martin arrived a few minutes ago, discovered he'd left, and is talking to his younger brother now, trying to figure out where he's gone and how. He should be calling you shortly."
"Christ," Jack said, running a hand through his thick hair. "What the hell were they doing? What's so-"
He was interrupted by his phone ringing. Striding over, he picked it up and barked, "Malone" into the receiver. He listened a moment, then ordered: "Get out there and see if you can trace where he went. We'll be there in about forty-five minutes. Now, move!"
Hanging up, he turned to Samantha. "That was Martin. We're going over there. Apparently David got a phone call about two hours ago and left. Kid brother says he doesn't know who called, but David's got a secret way out of the house he uses all the time when he wants to meet his buddies without the parents knowing. His brother was sworn to secrecy, but admitted everything when he realised it was the FBI asking the questions."
Suddenly conscious of Vivian still standing there, he switched tracks quickly. "Thanks for the heads up," he said, meaning it. Once again she'd been thrown the task of trying to save his sorry ass where his marriage was concerned, and he appreciated her tact. "I'll have to deal with it later, though. If you two talk again, let her know I'll call tonight."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Just before they turned onto the street David Walter lived on, Jack received a call from Danny, who had been staking out the storage building Spaulding had rented.
"Just letting you know nothing's happening here," he said. "We've got a great location across from the storage space he's rented, so there's no way we can miss him. The chair was delivered just before we got here. The manager let him in. He said he got a phone call yesterday asking him to."
Pulling the car to an easy stop in front of the Walter's residence, Jack said, "Okay, just sit tight and wait, then. He'll show up at some point. Sam and I will be there as soon as we sort out what happened with David Walters. He disappeared right out from under our noses. His kid brother says he does this a lot, but this is a lousy time for him to pull a disappearing act."
Martin had been waiting for them to arrive, and went out to meet them as the got out of the car. Cross-armed, Samantha and Jack leaned against the sedan and listened intently as he explained he'd found a witness who claimed to have seen David speaking to a man sitting in a moving van. The witness didn't know if David had got into the van, he'd just been walking by and hadn't paid much attention. A store keeper was also tapped as a witness: he'd noticed a moving van that had stopped for a moment outside his flower shop while he'd been outside watering the hanging plants. His description of the van matched the description of the one the first witness had seen. He was quite sure the driver looked like the picture of Spaulding they showed him.
Mentally mapping out the two sightings, Samantha said, "David could have been in the back of the van when they passed the flower shop." Looking around, she asked, "Where would Spaulding take him?"
"He's driving a moving van. Perhaps he's going to pick up his chair. Maybe he used the excuse of needing help to lure David away," Martin suggested.
Not thinking so, Samantha shook her head, but held her peace.
"Keep looking for people who noticed the van," Jack instructed Martin. "We may be able to track his general direction that way. And keep in touch about what you find." Pushing himself off the car, he walked around to the driver's side. "Sam and I are on our way to the storage facility," he said over the roof of the sedan. "There's a chance he's on his way there, since he has the van."
Sliding into the driver's seat, he slammed the door closed and turned the key in the ignition. The likelihood of Spaulding deciding to pick up the boy and the chair at the same time wasn't likely, but he was beginning to doubt any of Spaulding's actions would be predictable from here on in. In fact, something told him that predictability, if it had ever been there, was gone for good.
As history would later tell it, he was absolutely right.
End Chapter 38