Chapter Two

Martin waited until 10.30 before his tried to contact Danny, but there was no answer on his cell or home phone. At 10.45 he decided to head over to Danny's apartment. As he pulled out on to the street, he spotted Danny's empty car. Stopping in front of his friend's vehicle, he got and found the it unlocked. He pulled out his phone and called Jack. Jack joined him at Danny's car and they waited for forensics, although it looked clean. Then they headed for Danny's apartment. Jack was surprised when Martin knew the door code and had a key.

"When Danny was away the week before last, I came over so they could deliver some new furniture."

Jack nodded, knowing Danny was a very private person, he guessed that he trusted Martin unconditionally now. Jack had seen the bond forming over the months, but since they had been stranded in the cabin nearly three months ago they had become closer. Jack was pleased, he wanted a close team. The sparks would still fly occasionally, but that was natural considering how much time they spent together.

Jack picked up the small notebook on the coffee table. As he did so a piece of paper fell out of it, three names were written on the paper in Danny's handwriting.

"Mean anything to you?" Jack asked Martin.

Martin shook his head. "Danny was very preoccupied this afternoon, he was on the phone asking for copies of some police reports just before I left."

Jack and Martin looked around the apartment, but apart from the paper and the notebook, there seems nothing else relevant to Danny's disappearance.

Danny lay dazed in the back of the car, but he knew he had to get away. When the car stopped he was dragged out, he had no idea where he was. Summoning every last bit of energy he had he took both men by surprise, he struck out and floored both of them. He left the car at a run and sprinted down the street, he turned around the first corner he came to, then the next. Turning into a dark alleyway his foot caught on an old crate, sending him sprawling into the wall. Crying out as his head struck the wall, Danny fell heavily to the ground, ripping his jeans at the knee. He remained lying face down on the cold damp ground for a moment, then sat up and leaned against the wall, happy to be in the shadows. He looked around the filthy, rubbish strewn alley, he shivered, his thin grey jacket providing little warmth on the chilly February night. He wondered if he had managed to give the men in the car the slip and if it was safe to leave. Not that he had any idea where would be a safe place to go.

He got to his feet and wandered back out on to the street, the effects of the blows to his head started to kick in, he slowed down. Suddenly feeling unsteady on his feet he supported himself against a wall, when he recovered he pushed himself forward again. Spotting a slightly open window, in what seemed to be an empty apartment block, Danny used the last of his strength to hoist himself up and into the building. Not feeling like sharing his accommodation, he blocked the window again, and then settled down on the floor using the collection of old clothes and blankets to cover himself. Within minutes he was asleep.

Jack handed Martin the notebook.

"Go home Martin, read the book, then try and get some rest." Martin threw Jack a look of disbelief.

"I said try, I'll get things organised at the office. No point in both of us being half dead in the morning. I'll call Sam when I get there and see if she can fill in a few blanks."

Martin reluctantly went home. He made himself a coffee, he felt like something stronger, but wanted to keep a clear head. Martin hesitated before he opened the book lying on front of him on the bed. He took a sip of his coffee and began to read. Danny's angry bitter words written over 20 years ago affected Martin deeply. When he closed the journal some 30 minutes later, he cried for his friend.

He didn't bother getting undressed, just pulled the cover over him and attempted to sleep. He woke up at just gone five. He showered, grabbed himself a coffee and a muffin, and then headed to the office.

Danny woke up, it was dark and he was cold, he tried to get his thoughts together, but he couldn't. He had no idea where he was or what he was doing there. He sat up, standing was beyond him, he couldn't seem to remember anything, not even his name. A fleeting image passed through his head, he was pulled out of a car, he was being chased. He shivered and pulled his coat around him and got to his feet. He checked through his pockets, hoping to find a clue as to who he was, but there was nothing except for a crumpled twenty dollar note.

Martin wasn't surprised to find that Jack had slept on the couch in his office. By 6.30, Jack, Martin and Sam were seated around the table. Viv was on leave spending some much needs vacation time with her husband and son. Jack knew they would miss her grounding influence on the team especially in the circumstances. He thought about trying to contact her, but decided against it, although he suspected she would be furious with him for that. Sam couldn't add much more to the discussion, other than to confirm that Danny was interested in the murder of Angie Matinez.

"Anything useful in that book Martin?"

Martin nodded.

"It's all about Danny's life after his parents died." Martin tried to stay completely detached, but it was hard. "He didn't have it easy. The three names on the list were the three children Danny was fostered with at the Norton's. Angie Matinez was one of those kids."

"The Norton's?" Asked Sam.

"Richard Norton died in prison about three months ago, he was convicted of the abuse and murder of one of the kids in his care, Mikey Smart. Danny told me about it when we were in the cabin, stirred up alot of memories for him when he saw the report on Norton's death."

Jack put the pieces together and realised that was what had upset Danny before he went to the cabin with Martin.

"And the three people on that list are dead." said Jack. "Everything seems connected to the Norton's"

"Danny's the only one left alive, well he was yesterday." Sam said bluntly.

"And the Norton's only natural child, we don't know about him." added Martin. He wracked his brain trying to think of his name. "Charles Norton."

"Right." said Jack. "Let's trace this Charles Norton, Sam can you do that? Martin - those police reports Danny wanted are on the way over, plus one on Tony Dean. We'll get together at 10.00. See what we can piece together."

Just after 10.00 they were gathered around the table again. Martin started off.

"The murders of Angie Matinez and Eddie Lee could well be connected. Both were missing for five days and were tortured and sexually assaulted before they were killed. Looking at the reports on the death of Tony Dean, I think it was failed attempt to abduct him. According to a witness, he got out of his car and two men tried to grab him. He struggled, but fell back and bashed his head on a concrete pillar. He died in hospital."

"So it looks like he was due to suffer the same fate as Matinez and Lee. Do we have a description of the two men?" asked Jack.

Martin nodded. "One man was very well built and the other one was very slight. The witness said they made a very odd couple, but she was too far away to give a detailed description."

Jack turned to Sam.

"Charles Norton?"

"He did very well for himself after his father went to prison. Mother died a few months after his father was sent down. The house was sold and he was taken in by his aunt and uncle. His uncle was a partner in a small accountancy firm, Charles went to studied accountancy and then joined his uncle's practice. Five years ago he went into partnership with Shepherd and Hall. Apparently he specialises in fraud cases, he's a whiz with figures and has been a real asset to the firm. Tried to contact him, but I've had no luck.

"Martin, try Norton's apartment, Sam go with him. I'll talk to some people from his firm.

Jack spoke to Leonard Shepherd the senior partner in the firm, who explained that although Norton could be described as slightly eccentric, he was an exceptional accountant. Jack could tell Shepherd was spooked by his questions and was obviously desperate to head to the office and start to check through the accounts. He assured Jack he would contact him if he heard from Norton.

Martin and Sam arrived back from their fruitless attempt to locate Norton. According to the doorman he had left his building on foot, casually dressed, early on Saturday morning. Norton never went anywhere without his car, so there had obviously been some sort of change in his routine. From the way Jack strode out of his office they could tell he had news.

"NYPD picked up two men late last night, seems they can link them to the death of Tony Dean. Lacey and Clarke were employed by Norton's firm as investigators, so there's a connection. They found blood in their car, forensics are checking on that now." Said Jack, he could barely keep the excitement out of his voice. "They found Danny's id and phone in the glove box."

"No sign of Danny?" Sam couldn't hide her concern.

Jack shook his head.

"How much blood?" asked Martin

"Didn't say." Jack didn't want to think about the blood. "Let's head down to the precinct that's holding them. See if we can speed things up a bit." Said Jack.

Martin grabbed his coat and followed Jack.

Jeff Lacey and Manny Clarke were quick to explain their involvement in the kidnapping and deaths of Dean, Matinez and Lee and the fact that they were working for Charles Norton, both desperate to cut a deal with the district attorney. Danny Taylor was the last person that Norton had wanted them to pick up, but he had escaped from them and they had no idea where he was now. Norton had been furious when they had informed him they had lost Taylor, realising that the attempted abduction could eventually be linked back to him.

Jack and Martin decided to interview Clarke to check out his story.

"I have no idea where your agent is. I told the cops, Norton told us to pick him up. I hit him on the head a couple of times to keep him quiet, obviously not hard enough."

Martin sprang to his feet, but Jack put a restraining hand on his arm.

"He's not worth it Martin." Martin fumed for a moment, but then took sat down again

"You tell me where he got away from you." Even Jack struggled to control his emotions.

Clarke spat an location at them.

Jack asked that a search was made for Danny in the area and his photograph shown around by the local police. Martin went off to obtain a warrant to search Norton's apartment, but Jack thought the chances of finding anything was slim.

Martin and Jack tore Norton's apartment apart, finding nothing relevant expect an old photograph of Norton's parents with Charles and collection of children. The faces of the foster children were scratched out. They found nothing to help them locate Danny, so they returned to the office. They sat in Jack's room both nursing cold mugs of coffee.

"You think it's possible Danny is with Norton? Maybe after he got away from Clarke and Lacey he made his way back home and somehow Norton picked him up." Martin was trying to consider every possibility.

"Maybe," said Jack. "Although he didn't like to get his hands too dirty, he relied on Clarke and Lacey."

"But they phoned to say they'd lost him, perhaps he got more personally involved." Martin argued.

"I can't see Danny not contacting us as soon as he could after he got away if he was able to. He knew you were at home waiting for him."

Martin nodded sadly.

"Where the hell is he Jack?" Said Martin, his quiet tone not really expressing his feelings

"I don't know, he could be laying low if he thinks people are after him." said Jack shaking his head.

"He'd find a way to get in touch with us, he knows we'd be frantic."

"There was blood in the car, if he's hurt, maybe he can't contact us." Jack knew this wasn't a good option, Danny hurt, alone and in need of help was something neither of them wanted to think about.