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Chapter 8: Back from the Dead
Jarod got out of the car and scanned the crowd walking along the sidewalk. If anyone even looked remotely suspicious, i.e. sweeper-like, he would turn tail and run as fast as he could in the other direction. Thankfully, the only people in suits were business men running late for a few meetings. Jarod nodded in the direction of the alley and Kyle appeared.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Kyle asked, scanning the crowd of people. "I mean, you're not even sure she came to Blue Cove. What makes you think asking hotel clerks will help us?" Jarod shrugged.
"Call it a gut feeling." Kyle looked at his brother for a split second before realization dawned on him.
"You're simming this?" Jarod nodded slightly.
"It's the only way to truly find her. I've been thinking of her emotions and what I would do if I suddenly found myself in her place. Where would I go? What would I do? If all Andi said was true, then she's spent her entire life at the Centre. It's home to her. That's where she'll go: to the place most familiar." Kyle shook his head, as they walked toward the five-star hotel a block away.
"Well, I'm amazed. But, you do have a good point. I know if I was suddenly dumped in a strange place that I would go somewhere familiar. So, why shouldn't she?" Jarod nodded as the walked into the hotel.
Three hours and four hotels later, they were no closer to their goal than they had been at the start. No one had seen a lady looking anything like the picture Jarod had and no one by the name of Miss Parker and Andrea Parker had bought a room. Jarod was beginning to think she hadn't come to Blue Cove at all.
As they walked out of hotel number four, a shadow detached itself from the wall and followed them. It stayed hidden in corners, but never lost sight of its prey. Two blocks from the hotel, Jarod and Kyle traded a significant glance. Both felt that they were being watched. Turning into a deserted alley, both men quickly ducked behind a trash bin and waited to see who their unlucky shadow was.
The shadow, for its part, followed them blindly into the alley. It didn't consider the fact that either men knew they were being followed. And, after all, it was only trying to help. Before the shadow could blink, however, Kyle and Jarod had jumped from behind the bin and slammed the shadow into the wall.
"Why are you following us?" Jarod demanded in his deepest and most threatening voice. The shadow, a young man around twenty-two, found words tumbling out his mouth.
"Look. Look, I wasn't meaning any harm. Really I wasn't." He pleaded with his two assailants.
"Yeah, save it for the authorities." Kyle retorted, shoving the guy harder into the brick wall. The young man panicked and started struggling even harder. But a quick blow from Kyle to the rib cage silenced any struggles.
"No, I'm telling the truth. I saw the two of you looking for some lady. I know where she is." Jarod's grip on the man's sleeve loosened.
"You know where she is?" The man nodded. "Tell me where! Now!" Jarod shouted. Kyle mumbled something about patience and Jarod shot him a look that could kill.
"I'll tell all. I promise. But first, you need to let me go and give me something that would make talking worth my while." Jarod nodded at Kyle, who, despite his better judgment, let the guy go.
"That's more like it. Now, how much is this lady worth to you?" Jarod almost strangled the man, but Kyle caught both his arms and looked at the young man before them.
"I'll give you a hundred dollars to tell us where she is."
"No, man, I'm not cheap. You see? She must not be worth that much to either of you."
"Fine." Jarod snapped, reaching into his wallet and pulling out a handful of cash. "How's five hundred dollars?" Jarod dangled the five hundred dollar bills in the man's face.
"You've got yourself a deal." The man snatched the five bills from Jarod's hand and greedily devoured them with his eyes. "Two days ago, I was loitering around the Blue Crab Diner by the water. This lady walked out with some older gentleman. She looked just like the lady in your picture. I heard the man say something about the lady spending the night at his house. That's all I know." Jarod nodded.
"This older gentleman, did he have an accent of any sort?" The younger man nodded his head enthusiastically.
"Yeah, some sort of foreign accent. Probably European. Why?" Jarod didn't say anything but just seemed to be thinking.
"Thank you for your time and the information. You can leave now." The young man pocketed the money and walked out of the alley. Kyle glanced over at Jarod.
"Do you know someone with a foreign accent like that?" Jarod looked at his brother.
"Unfortunately, I do."
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Sydney sat down in his chair with a sigh, enjoying the beauty of solitude. He, Mr. Parker, and Mr. Lyle had just finished helping Miss Parker into her new apartment, courtesy of the Centre. He didn't mind Miss Parker staying with him the other night, but it was always nice to have the place to himself again. Smiling, he recalled all the excitement of the past two days. Mr. Parker, after talking to the powers that be, had added Miss Parker to his team of people looking for Jarod. He had also provided his daughter with an apartment close to the Centre. After being threatened, Lyle had run down to some furniture store to buy some items that Miss Parker would need. Sydney could still see the look on his face as he left.
Sydney was happy for Miss Parker. She had gotten everything she had wanted. But he couldn't help but think of Catherine. This would break her heart if she ever found out. The phone rang and Sydney reached over to pick it up.
"This is Sydney."
"Hello, Sydney. It's Jarod."