As they approached 9560 Lake Shore Drive, Ben and Stan could see a figure moving around inside. Stan parked the GTO at the curb and the two men got out. Each knew they had to play their cards strategically. They reached the front door and rang the doorbell. In moments, Michael Parkes answered the door.
"Michael Parkes?"
"Yes, that's me." Replied Michael apprehensively.
"I'm Detective Kowalski, Chicago PD, and this is Constable Fraser, RCMP. We'd like to ask you some questions regarding Jessica Mitchell."
"We understand that she is a good friend of yours."
"Yes, she is. Please, come in." He stood aside to let the two policemen inside then closed the door.
"This is a nice place, you've got, Mr Parkes. What is it, two storeys?"
"Yes, and a basement...which I use as a cellar." Michael added.
Ben walked to the glass sliding doors. "May we?" he asked gesturing towards the doors.
"Of course."
Ben opened the doors and stepped on to the balcony. Stan joined him. "Do you think this is what he saw?"
"It may well be, Ray. There's only one way to find out." He stepped back through the doorway. "Mr Parkes, when was the last time you went out on the balcony?"
Michael thought for a moment. "About three hours ago. Why?"
"Oh, no reason. Just curious."
"So, what was it you wanted to know about Jess?"
"How close are you and Jess, Mr Parkes?"
"We're tight. We've been friends since high school. I was a nerd in high school. You know how it's like. Teenagers are merciless. Jess defended me, she taught me courage and strength. She became my best friend."
"Wow. That sounds nice. Me? I could never have a girl for a best friend. I'd want to take it further, you know?"
Michael shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, well, that's how we were. Best friends."
Jess heard the doorbell and her head snapped up. Her heart rate increased considerably. She calmed her rapid breathing so that she could hear a pin drop. She dropped her chin to her chest and concentrated hard. She heard movement above her. There were definitely more than two sets of footprints.
After what seemed like hours but were in fact minutes, she heard the footsteps above her get louder. When she was sure that they were directly above her head, she yelled, "Help! Somebody help me! I'm down here!" Her voice echoed throughout the small room. She wasn't sure that anyone had heard her. "Can anyone hear me?" she prayed that someone would hear her plea.
"Would you men like a drink?" He needed something to calm himself down. He got up and went over to the cabinet. He needed something to calm his nerves. He placed several ice cubes in a glass and poured a generous amount of scotch over them.
He took a mouthful and then he heard it. He heard the cry for help and nearly choked on the drink. Evidently, Stan and Ben had also heard it. They looked at each other then back at Michael. He headed towards the staircase. "Excuse me a moment, gentlemen." He said before disappearing down the stairs.
Once Michael was out of sight, Stan drew his gun and followed after him, Ben close behind. They went down the stairs and cautiously moved through the corridor. They could hear Michael screaming, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
It was soon followed by Jess' voice screaming equally as loud, "What do you think, Michael? How dare you question my actions when you subject me to such conditions? I want this to end! I don't want to be in this damned room and I don't give a shit what you think! I hope you rot in hell!"
As Stan and Ben approached the door, Michael pulled out a gun and aimed it at Jess. "I'm hurt, Jess. I really love you, you know? If you won't return my love, then I'd rather live with my memory of you."
Michael squeezed the trigger as Stan burst through the door. Two shots rang out. One bullet came from each gun. Stan rushed over to Jess as Ben went over to Michael. Jess' head hung limply and blood poured from her left shoulder. Stan pulled his glasses out of his jacket pocket and slipped them on. He aimed at the rope and shot through it precisely, leaving Jess hanging by a strand. He grabbed Jess and pulled. The rope snapped and Jess' unconscious form slumped against him. He settled her on the ground resting her head in his lap. He applied pressure to Jess' shoulder. The bullet had torn straight through her shoulder, the pain simultaneously sending her into unconsciousness.
Stan looked at Ben, who announced, "He's dead." Stan then took out his cell phone and threw it to Ben. He caught it easily and called for an ambulance and assistance.
Stan kept one hand on Jess' shoulder and gently tapped her on the cheek. "Jess? Can you hear me?"
Jess replied with a groan as she slowly lifted her eyelids. She looked up at Stan. "Could you press any harder?" she asked sarcastically.
Stan smiled. "An ambulance is on its way."
Jess acknowledged Stan's statement with a nod before closing her eyes again.
Stan reached down with one hand to untie Jess' wrists and discovered that her fingers were cold. No, they weren't just cold, they were freezing.
"Fraser, give me a hand here, will you?"
"Of course."
Ben's hand replaced Stan's. Stan removed his coat and covered Jess' legs with it. He then clutched Jess' hands firmly in an attempt to warm them and get the blood circulating throughout her arms once again. She had been hanging from the ceiling for more than 24 hours and most if not all of the circulation to her arms had been cut off. Her hands were especially cold; the rope had further cut off the circulation to her hands. He concentrated on her right arm for fear of making the wound on her left shoulder bleed more profusely than it already seemed to be.
Stan barely heard the sirens as they approached the lakeside home. He only realised it when Ben put a hand on his shoulder and reassured him, "She's going to be alright, Ray. I'll go and tell them where we are."
As soon as Ben left, Stan drew Jess closer to him. He wasn't a particularly good singer, but the words that came into his mind seemed so appropriate at that moment that he simply had to sing it. He put his lips close to Jess' ear and sang,
When you feel all alone
And the world has turned it's back on you
Give me a moment please to tame your wild wild heart
I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you
It's hard to find relief and people can be so cold
When darkness is upon your door and you feel like you can't
take anymore
Let me be the one you call
If you jump I'll break your fall
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
If you need to fall apart
I can mend a broken heart
If you need to crash then crash and burn
You're not alone ***
He held her a moment longer before he shoved his feelings aside and switched to his professional mode.
Two paramedics, one male, one female, arrived and started asking Stan questions. "Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm fine. The blood belongs to her," he directed their attention to Jess. "She's suffered a gun shot wound to the left shoulder. She may be hypothermic. She was tied by the wrists and hung up from the ceiling and I don't think the dress would have kept her warm."
After treating Jess, Stan and the paramedics carried Jess to the top of the stairs where a stretcher was waiting. They gently eased her onto it and the two paramedics wheeled the stretcher to the ambulance outside.
Stan found Ben talking to Huey and called to him, "Fraser, take my car. I'm going with Jess." He fished around in his pocket for the keys then threw them to Ben before leaving with the ambulance.
*** Lyrics from Crash and Burn by Savage Garden