Road to Heaven
Chapter Five
"Of course not," Frank hurriedly assured the irate man. "But I do think he may be somewhere in this neighborhood. Have you noticed anyone suspicious hanging around?" Both Hoopers shook their heads. "What about neighbors? Any new ones?"
"Just Kenny," Mrs. Hooper answered. "But he's such a dear man he couldn't have anything to do with kidnaping Joe," she assured him.
"When did he move in?" Frank asked.
"Right after school let out," Mr. Hooper informed him. "He tends to keep to himself a lot."
"He seems so sad," Mrs. Hooper added. "But he's always so helpful."
"How so?" Frank queried.
"Oh, he mows Mrs. Wheeler's lawn," Mrs. Hooper explained. "And when the Harrison twins got their ball stuck on our roof, he climbed up to get it down."
"What's his last name?" Frank asked.
"Wallace," Mr. Hooper said. "Do you really suspect him?"
"Joe said his kidnaper didn't want to hurt him," Frank answered. "But he killed a known drug dealer this morning, so maybe he's after revenge but doesn't want to hurt anyone innocent."
"Then why kidnap Joe?" Mrs. Hooper asked in confusion.
"Joe probably saw the murder and was taken captive so he couldn't talk," Frank surmised.
"But he'll have to kill Joe to keep him quiet forever," Mrs. Hooper said worriedly.
"I doubt he's thought that far ahead," Frank told her. "Do you mind if I use your phone?"
"Go ahead," Mr. Hooper told him.
Frank called Con at home knowing his shift had ended over two hours ago. When Con answered, Frank told him about Joe's call and about Kenny Wallace.
"I got a partial list compiled earlier," Con told Frank. "There was a Craig Wallace who died from an overdose about ten months ago. His father's name was Kenny."
"You think they're the same guy?" Frank questioned.
"Possibly," Con answered. "Max Barnes, another known drug dealer who was associated with Testerman was murdered two days ago. Both men were involved in the case where Craig died."
"Joe said he would be home in about a week," Frank remembered. "How many were involved in the case?"
"Seven altogether," Con answered. "But only four got out of any prison time. Testerman, Barnes, Charlie Andrews and Josh Benton."
"Find out what you can about Craig's dad," Frank ordered. "I'll call you tomorrow."
"Right," Con agreed. "Give me until nine in the morning. I should have what we need by then," he added before hanging up.
Frank replaced the receiver and looked over at Mr. Hooper. "Could you keep Kenny busy while I look around?" he asked.
"I'll call and invite him over," Mrs. Hooper offered, coming over to the stand beside Frank. Kenny answered on the first ring and Mrs. Hooper asked if he would like to come over for some coffee.
"Thank you ma'am," Kenny responded politely after she had issued her invitation, "but I have some business to attend to early in the morning and was just on my way to bed."
"But it's early yet," Mrs. Hooper coaxed, noting it was barely after nine.
"I must be getting old," he said. "I'm beat. Perhaps a rain check?"
"Of course," she readily agreed before saying goodbye. Mrs. Hooper hung up with an apologetic shrug at Frank and told him what Kenny had said.
Frank gave a discouraged sigh. "Thanks anyway," he said to Mrs. Hooper.
"Would you like to stay in Biff's room?" Mr. Hooper offered. "You could keep an eye on the place."
"That would be great!" Frank agreed, his eyes lightening up. "Are you sure you don't mind?"
"Of course not," Mrs. Hooper answered for her husband. "Call your mom and let her know you'll be spending the night. I'll go and put on some clean sheets."
"Thanks," Frank said gratefully, picking up the receiver again.
Joe awoke with a start. He had heard a thud from upstairs. He held his breath and waited. There was another thud. He wondered what Kenny was doing.
Across the street, Frank was wondering the same thing. He had seen the bedroom light come on and a few minutes later it had gone off again. Now another light had come on. He watched the window and saw two silhouettes in the window.
His detective instincts on full alert, he slipped into his shoes and went down the stairs, and out the door. He cautiously made his way across the street. Peering into the window where the first light had appeared he felt a hand squeeze his heart. Lying on the bed, covered in blood was a large, muscular man. 'Was this Kenny?' Frank wondered. 'And if so, what had happened to Joe?'
Chapter Five
"Of course not," Frank hurriedly assured the irate man. "But I do think he may be somewhere in this neighborhood. Have you noticed anyone suspicious hanging around?" Both Hoopers shook their heads. "What about neighbors? Any new ones?"
"Just Kenny," Mrs. Hooper answered. "But he's such a dear man he couldn't have anything to do with kidnaping Joe," she assured him.
"When did he move in?" Frank asked.
"Right after school let out," Mr. Hooper informed him. "He tends to keep to himself a lot."
"He seems so sad," Mrs. Hooper added. "But he's always so helpful."
"How so?" Frank queried.
"Oh, he mows Mrs. Wheeler's lawn," Mrs. Hooper explained. "And when the Harrison twins got their ball stuck on our roof, he climbed up to get it down."
"What's his last name?" Frank asked.
"Wallace," Mr. Hooper said. "Do you really suspect him?"
"Joe said his kidnaper didn't want to hurt him," Frank answered. "But he killed a known drug dealer this morning, so maybe he's after revenge but doesn't want to hurt anyone innocent."
"Then why kidnap Joe?" Mrs. Hooper asked in confusion.
"Joe probably saw the murder and was taken captive so he couldn't talk," Frank surmised.
"But he'll have to kill Joe to keep him quiet forever," Mrs. Hooper said worriedly.
"I doubt he's thought that far ahead," Frank told her. "Do you mind if I use your phone?"
"Go ahead," Mr. Hooper told him.
Frank called Con at home knowing his shift had ended over two hours ago. When Con answered, Frank told him about Joe's call and about Kenny Wallace.
"I got a partial list compiled earlier," Con told Frank. "There was a Craig Wallace who died from an overdose about ten months ago. His father's name was Kenny."
"You think they're the same guy?" Frank questioned.
"Possibly," Con answered. "Max Barnes, another known drug dealer who was associated with Testerman was murdered two days ago. Both men were involved in the case where Craig died."
"Joe said he would be home in about a week," Frank remembered. "How many were involved in the case?"
"Seven altogether," Con answered. "But only four got out of any prison time. Testerman, Barnes, Charlie Andrews and Josh Benton."
"Find out what you can about Craig's dad," Frank ordered. "I'll call you tomorrow."
"Right," Con agreed. "Give me until nine in the morning. I should have what we need by then," he added before hanging up.
Frank replaced the receiver and looked over at Mr. Hooper. "Could you keep Kenny busy while I look around?" he asked.
"I'll call and invite him over," Mrs. Hooper offered, coming over to the stand beside Frank. Kenny answered on the first ring and Mrs. Hooper asked if he would like to come over for some coffee.
"Thank you ma'am," Kenny responded politely after she had issued her invitation, "but I have some business to attend to early in the morning and was just on my way to bed."
"But it's early yet," Mrs. Hooper coaxed, noting it was barely after nine.
"I must be getting old," he said. "I'm beat. Perhaps a rain check?"
"Of course," she readily agreed before saying goodbye. Mrs. Hooper hung up with an apologetic shrug at Frank and told him what Kenny had said.
Frank gave a discouraged sigh. "Thanks anyway," he said to Mrs. Hooper.
"Would you like to stay in Biff's room?" Mr. Hooper offered. "You could keep an eye on the place."
"That would be great!" Frank agreed, his eyes lightening up. "Are you sure you don't mind?"
"Of course not," Mrs. Hooper answered for her husband. "Call your mom and let her know you'll be spending the night. I'll go and put on some clean sheets."
"Thanks," Frank said gratefully, picking up the receiver again.
Joe awoke with a start. He had heard a thud from upstairs. He held his breath and waited. There was another thud. He wondered what Kenny was doing.
Across the street, Frank was wondering the same thing. He had seen the bedroom light come on and a few minutes later it had gone off again. Now another light had come on. He watched the window and saw two silhouettes in the window.
His detective instincts on full alert, he slipped into his shoes and went down the stairs, and out the door. He cautiously made his way across the street. Peering into the window where the first light had appeared he felt a hand squeeze his heart. Lying on the bed, covered in blood was a large, muscular man. 'Was this Kenny?' Frank wondered. 'And if so, what had happened to Joe?'