"Remember to be careful, Natalie," Monk said. "You don't want to-"
"I know. I know."
"This is the San Francisco Police Department," Stottlemeyer shouted into the house. "We have evidence that someone at this address may have been involved in a double homicide. We've got a warrant."
They waited a minute or two, and then Stottlemeyer repeated his statement a little louder.
After another two minutes of no response, Stottlemeyer said, "Ok, let's go. Monk, you're after me."
They quietly trooped inside.
"Whoa," Monk said and covered his mouth and nose.
Stottlemeyer headed toward the hall with his flashlight. Natalie tagged along.
"Why didn't you warn us about the dust?" Monk asked Johnny.
"I didn't think it was that important," Johnny said.
"Not important? If this stuff gets into your lungs, oh boy."
"I'm sorry. I'll never overlook dust in a vision again," Johnny said mock-seriously.
"Good," Monk said as Bruce shook his head and smiled.
"Did you see any clues to Vera Laney's whereabouts?" Stottlemeyer asked Johnny as he and Natalie returned to the kitchen.
"No, but I could try again," Johnny answered glancing at Monk.
"Monk?" Stottlemeyer asked.
Before Monk could answer, one of the officers from outside called to Stottlemeyer.
"Sir, there's been an accident on the interstate. At least five cars were involved. The department is calling for all nearby units to respond."
"Ok, go. Nobody's home. We'll do a quick search then leave. But before you go, move my car way into the field. Just in case."
"Yes, sir."
"Are you sure?" Monk asked.
"Yeah."
"What about the basement?" Natalie asked. "You said I landed on a shelf or something."
"Yeah. I there could be something there," Johnny said.
"That's a start. Let's find the basement," Stottlemeyer said.
"What about the hallway?" Monk asked.
"We didn't see anything worth checking into," Natalie said.
"There were two bedrooms and a bathroom. None look suspicious," Stottlemeyer added.
Johnny glanced around the kitchen and went to a door. "This could lead to the basement."
"Or a pantry," Natalie said.
Stottlemeyer opened the door, and everyone stared. "Now, I know I've got a few unusual tastes, but my pantry looks nothing like this."
The shelves contained boxes and boxes of steel wool pads and gallon jugs of water. There was an open box of cereal on one shelf. Three mops hung on the inside of the door, and buckets were under the shelves. On the top shelf was a row of empty jars.
"This guy's got some serious roughage in his diet," Bruce quipped.
Natalie snorted, and Johnny laughed.
Stottlemeyer tried to hide a smile.
"What do you suppose those jars are for?" Monk asked.
"I don't know if I want to know," Johnny said closing the door.
Suddenly, Johnny saw a muscular man with long, dirty hair enter the kitchen.
Johnny and the others stopped in mid-argument when the man asked, "What the hell's going on here? Who are you people?"
"Who are you?" Stottlemeyer asked.
"This is my house. I ask the questions."
"Ok. My name is Captain Leland Stottlemeyer. I'm with the San Francisco Police Department." He showed the man his badge. "We have evidence that may put you at the scene of a double homicide."
"'May' put me? Anything proof enough to be in my house?"
"Attempts were made to contact you. Procedures were followed. I have a warrant." Stottlemeyer handed the man the warrant.
The man glanced at the paper. "I'm supposed to believe this is real?"
"Oh, it's real."
"How do I know?"
"Read it."
"He can't read, Leland," Monk muttered.
"Are you
sure?"
"Course I can read," the man snapped.
"But not much," Monk said.
"That's none of your business. Now, all of you get out of my house."
"Well-"
"Let it go, Monk," Stottlemeyre said. "We have a warrant, sir. If you prevent us from searching your house you could be charged with impeding an investigation."
"You may be a cop; but what about the rest of you?"
"Mr. Monk is a detective working as a consultant to my department."
"And I'm his assistant," Natalie said.
"What about you two?"
"Mr. Smith is also a consultant," Stottlemeyer said.
"And I'm his assistant," Bruce said.
"You all must think I'm real stupid."
"Of course not," Natalie patronized.
"You can stay," the man said pointing to Stottlemeyer. "The rest of you get out."
"Monk stays too, or I call for backup," Stottlemeyer countered.
The man thought about that. "Ok."
"Wait in the car," Stottlemeyer said to Natalie, Johnny and Bruce.
"Johnny?"
"Mr. Smith?"
Johnny came back to the present. "Somebody's coming."
"Who?" Stottlemeyer asked.
"He didn't say his name. He came in and found us. You told him why we were here. He said you could stay, but the rest of us had to go. You said Monk had to stay too or you'd call for backup."
"How much time do we have?" Bruce asked.
Johnny looked at the clock on the wall above Monk's head. "About ten minutes."
"Ten minutes!" Natalie exclaimed.
"Can we search the basement and get out of here in ten minutes?" Bruce asked. "And what if we don't find anything down there?"
"He's right," Natalie said. "We can't search the rest of the house too."
"There's not much else to the house. We already looked in the hall. I don't see anything in here that looks suspicious. Just a little strange. But, then again, your entire house is strange," Stottlemeyer said of Monk. "That leaves the living room and the basement. We could split up, but there's no time. So, the basement is-"
"But what if you overlooked something in the hall?" Monk asked. "What if what we're looking for is in a closet or a desk?"
"What are we looking for?" Stottlemeyer asked.
"I don't know."
"Exactly. Even if we knew and even if we split up, we still don't have time."
"I don't think we should split up," Monk said. "Especially Natalie."
"What if we go in teams?" Bruce asked. "One person searches; the other plays look out."
"Yeah," Natalie said.
"There are five of us," Monk said.
"So one team has two searchers," Natalie said.
"Or two look outs," Bruce said. "Although two people searching would make things go faster."
"Not fast enough," Johnny said.
"Agreed," Stottlemeyer said. "The basement is the best chance, and-"
"At least let me glance down the hall," Monk said.
"Monk, we've got even less time now. Besides, I need you to be the one to look into the basement. You'll see more than any of us even in just a quick scan."
"I know, but-"
"Mr. Monk, we're running out of time."
"I know, but-"
"Monk!"
"This is why we were caught!" Johnny shouted.
"Right," Stottlemeyer said. "There's a door just around the corner. Let's go."
"Yep, this is it," Stottlemeyer said when he opened the other door and saw a flight of stairs leading down.
"Ok." Monk leaned into the room.
Stottlemeyer aimed his flashlight down the stairs with one hand and felt for a light switch with the other hand. "There you go," he said flipping the switch.
"Captain," Monk said immediately and pointed.
"What?" Natalie and Bruce asked.
"Oh my god," Johnny said peering over Stottlemeyer's shoulder.
"We found her," Stottlemeyer said surprised. "Looks like you were right, Mr. Smith."
On a bed against a wall sat Vera Laney. She was chained to the wall and had tape over her mouth. She appeared to be unconscious.
AN: I know this chapter is a little short, but the next chapter will be up within the next few days. I promise.
