Chapter Three
AN: I've been on the biggest writers block ever and to actually get this all out and done took me forever. Well, weeks? Yeah, that counts as forever. Anyway, hope you enjoy! Again, I wanted to get this out quick so I really haven't had time to re-read and check for mistakes. Apologies! If you want to wait and give me a week or so, I'll fix any that stand out. Otherwise, enjoy.
The Jane Doe that Danny, Stella and Mac had discovered in Flack's apartment was that of a Miss Gabrielle Marks who had a small meeting with Flack earlier that day he disappeared. Stella had tracked down Gabrielle's day events (thanks to Gabrielle's cell phone which kindly offered them with a calendar) so Stella was able to find the small restaurant named "Marty's" where the two had met up.
But before Stella or Mac are able to head out towards the restaurant, they have an unique visit of their own.
"I need to find a Mac Taylor!" A woman's voice calls out as she moves about in the lobby; dark black hair pulled back into a messy ponytail as her deep blues eyes search the area with tiredness and sorrow.
Mac, who had been walking with Stella, overhears his name and he stops, his attention moving to that of the woman who was frantically looking for him.
He approaches her with caution, Stella follows slowly, and he gently touches her shoulder to let her know of his presence. "Miss? I'm Detective Mac Taylor."
She stops for a moment and turns to look at him, her eyes locking with him and she feels her lower lip tremble as she tries to stand tall in front of him, show that she's not weak at all but Mac notices that her eyes are telling a different story.
She takes in a deep breath, and speaks. "I need to know where my brother is."
There's no doubt in fact of whom her brother is, Mac notices the resemblance too much, and he sighs, gently pulling her away from the people that have stopped to watch the show.
"I need to know about Donny!" She says in shaky, desperate breath as Mac lowers his pitch a little, hoping she'd do the same.
"We're trying to find him. We've got some new evidence that just came in and Detective Stella Bonasera," he motions at her with his hand "and I were just about to head out to talk to a witness possibly."
"Detective, listen to me," she begins, her body still shaking, "I need to know where Don is. I need to know that he's gonna be okay and that nothin' will go wrong. I can't stay at home anymore and just look at my brother's picture flashing across the screen." Her hands wrap around Mac's wrist, in either at attempt to use physical force to let him know how she's feeling or just for something to hold onto while her whole world comes falling down around her. "Please Detective, just tell me where he is and that everything is going to be okay."
He can see Stella out of the corner of his eye, watches as she bites down hard on her lower lip and turn away and Mac can't help but feel the exact feeling that his partner is feeling.
He's not sure where he is. He's not sure if Flack's all right and he looks down back at Flack's sister and the guilt runs through his body faster than he had ever expected. "Miss-"
"-Johanna"
Mac smiles faintly and nods. "Johanna, the only thing I can tell you at this moment is that we're doing everything we can to find him."
Her eyes water up slightly and she closes them to make sure that those tears don't' fall. "So, you're saying…that he could be dead?"
He just sighs because Mac's really not sure how to answer
--
Danny's head hits the cool metal as he breathes deeply, trying to regain control of his emotions. Ever since Flack's kidnapping, Danny had found himself unable to function at all without getting emotional. He had already dropped an empty tube glass, snapped at one of the new lab techs and even walked into the wrong gender bathroom. He was a total mess and he wasn't the only one who was seeing it.
"You okay?"
Danny glances over his shoulder to see Stella leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed across her chest.
He peels his forehead away from the locker and gives a small nod, turning to face her. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Just thinkin'."
Her brows furrow and she takes small steps towards him. "About Flack?"
Why is Stella so smart?
Danny hesitates with his answer and Stella notices it. "…Yeah. I mean, fuck Stel. We're here," he gestured to the locker room with a move of his hand, "and Flack's out there without any help."
She sighs and moves closer, her voice lowering. "Danny, we're trying all that we can. We've only got a limited amount of evidence-"
"-Which isn't leadin' us to Don."
Silence greets them and Stella chews at her lower lip, her eyes searching for Danny's as he runs his fingers against his lock. She's not quite sure how to react to that because Danny's right. Their evidence was leading them nowhere to Flack. Just people he's come in contact with and even though that would be good for any case, this was different. They were dealing with one of their own that had fallen right under their noses.
"I hope he's okay." Danny almost whispers as his fingers stop tracing the lock and instead roll up into tight fists. Flack's always been there for him so why couldn't he be the one that helps him? Why did things like this always happen to Danny?
--
"Do you remember when you were younger Donny?" The voice ask as three men crowd around Flack, eyes never leaving his frail body. "Do you remember how many nights you'd stay up waiting for your Pop to come home? Do you remember that?"
Flack stays silent and it's a mistake. One of the men's fingers wrap around Flack's neck and he whimpers slightly, breathing slowly beginning to become a problem.
"Do you remember?" He asks again and this time, Flack mouths a yes and the fingers are released.
Flack rubs his neck (the duct tape had been removed with their arrival) and decides to take a quick sweep of the room with his eyes, hopefully to notice anything that can help him figure out where he is.
"Your father worked long hours and there were times you'd fall asleep on the stairs waiting for him to come home. Then, in the morning, you'd be back in your bed, safe and sound. Did you ever notice any specific cases that your father worked? Any cases that didn't send him home for days? Remember waking up on those steps because your father didn't come home? You remember that?"
Flack nods slowly, wondering exactly how they knew all of this.
"How about that case? You know what case I'm talking about Donny?"
There were a few cases Flack remembered. There was one about a serial killer who had raped and killed many women, sending Donald Flack Sr. out and about for days, only coming home once in a while to shower and eat. Then there was another when Flack was thirteen when a young teenage boy had gone missing, parents dead in the bedroom. It seemed to be an emotional case for his father because every time his father would come home, he'd tell him and his sister Johanna how much he loved them and that he'd never hurt them ever.
But one case stood out. When Flack was seventeen, he was walking home with his friends and a man and Flack's father were outside, the other man screaming into his father's face. His buddies were confused and Flack told them that they needed to head home. He knew about how suspects could get into Detective faces about cases and Don had a feeling that this was one of them.
He decided to go around the house, avoid the front where the two were having the heated argument, but as he quickly snuck by, he couldn't help but hear part of the conversation.
"…You're wrong!"
"No, evidence clearly shows that he's the killer. No other way."
"Detective Flack, please listen to me. You're wrong! There's no way that this guy could be the killer! He's not like that."
"Sir, the evidence is pointin' it's fuckin' finger at Stevens. I'm sorry if you disagree but face it."
Flack had even made sure not to mention anything to his father about it. His father wasn't one to discuss anything like that.
Flack can feel hands wrapping around his arms and before he can process what's happening, he's pulled to his feet and is face to face with one of the men in front of him. Dark eyes stare into his and an accomplished, almost evil smile is plastered on the man's face. "You're Pop's a stupid man. Because of him, my family is messed up and torn apart. Because of him I can't live the same anymore. Do you want to know how many people have spit at my feet? How many had made harassed and picked fights with me? Because of your father, I want revenge."
Flack swallows hard as the man steps closer. Revenge could mean anything.
"I want your father to feel the pain that my family did. He put my father in jail for a murder that he didn't commit. My father died in there Donny Jr. My father was a good man and he didn't deserve this. So, I'm giving your father a little, well, how should I put it? A thank you gift?"
And Flack watches as the man pulls a long bladed knife out from his pocket and it reflects off the poorly lit room, blinding Flack for a moment.
"I'm gonna get your blood and give it to him."
TBC.
