Chapter Six

Day 6

Monday, April 24

4:30 PM

Bobby takes a walk around outside. Nicole didn't see him leave and when he returns he looks very pale and he's breathing heavy, he starts to cough as he walks toward the couch and sits down.

"Nasty cough. Where did you go?"

"I looked around outside."

"And."

"Nothing, there's nothing, I've never seen so many fucking trees in my life and now it's starting to rain."

"I think my nearest neighbor, I mean my only neighbor, is over a mile away, but which way, left or right?"

He just looks at her. You bitch. I should have known better.He gets up from the couch and walks into the kitchen for a drink. He passes her on his way; he pours some juice and stands over her to drink it. "Thirsty?"

"Yes."

"Really, that's too bad." He walks back to the couch and sits down. He tries to be mean to her but he caves, he goes into the kitchen and gets her some juice. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes." He unlocks one hand and gives her some juice and something to eat. "Thank you."

He sits back down on the couch. "Couldn't you let me sit on the couch?"

"No."

"I always thought you were a gentlemen, Bobby, I guess I was wrong."

"Oh Christ Nicole, give me a break." He leaves the room and goes into the bedroom to call Alex again. Nicole cannot move and she cannot hear the conversation.

One Police Plaza

Alex has her phone hooked up to a recorder. They wait for the phone to ring.

It rings, "Hello".

"Alex."

"Yes, are you alright, what happened.

"My head was pounding and I couldn't think."

"You sound a little better than before."

"Yeah I got some sleep." He coughs. "But I can't get rid of this headache."

"Are you able to go outside?"

"I did, but I couldn't see any houses, lights, nothing, I didn't want to walk too far, I'm not doing too well."

She already knew that, he sounds very weak and tired, his manner of speaking is bland and unemotional and he sounds congested when he coughs.

"Can you tell me about the people who abducted you?"

"It was three guys."

"Where were you when they grabbed you?"

"Jesus." He pauses. "Bakery, near a bakery."

"We found your car in front of an Arts and Crafts store, where is the bakery?"

Silence.

"Bobby."

"What?" Sounding irritated.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah I'm thinking, don't rush me."

"I'm sorry."

"Next to the florist."

"We know that you went to the deli for coffee, were you planning on going anywhere after that." Silence. She does not say anything this time she waits.

"The bank."

"We didn't see a bank between your car and the deli."

"It's the other way."

"So when you left the deli you walked in the opposite direction of your car, that's why no one but Margie saw you." She pauses. "Bobby let's talk about the men, can you remember anything about any of them."

"Just one."

"What?"

"Marty, I think his name was Marty."

"Can you describe him?"

"Short."

"Compared to you or regular people."

"Funny, regular people." His responses are getting shorter and he takes a long time to answer.

"What color was his hair?"

"Black."

"Was his hair long or short?

"Curly." He starts to cough, uncontrollably again. "I'll call you back." He clicks off the phone.

Barek says. "That cough, it sounds like bronchitis, my dad just got over that, that's the same way he sounded."

Deakins says. "So when he left the deli he walked away from his car not toward it."

Alex says. "We only spoke with employees of stores between the deli and where his car was parked, we need to go back starting at the deli and walk in the other direction. Maybe someone saw something."

"You'd better find this mutt and soon."

Bobby goes into the bathroom, coughs violently, and spits out in the toilet. His head is starting to throb again. He takes two aspirin and then he lies down on the couch. He lies there for a while and his headache subsides.

Day Seven

Tuesday, April 25

8 AM

The next morning Alex and Carolyn return to the neighborhood. There first stop the bakery. Alex does the introductions. "Good morning, I'm Detective Eames this is Detective Barek, we'd like to speak to the employee or employees who were working here last Wednesday morning."

"That would be Crystal and Lynda."

"By any chance are they working now?"

"Only Crystal is here today, I'll get her, be right back."

Alex does the introductions again. "Is something wrong?"

Alex holds up a photo of Bobby. "Do you remember seeing this man last Wednesday morning?"

"Yes I did, he didn't come in the store and he usually comes in on Saturday. I saw him talking with three men." She points. "Out there, it's really weird but the reason I noticed them was that one of the guys looked just my uncle."

"How do you mean?"

"The guy had curly black hair and he was the shortest one, for a second I thought it was him."

"Can you describe the other two men?"

"One guy was young, he kept walking around the other guys like his butt was on fire and the other guy had gray hair and he did most of the talking."

"Did you see them leave?"

"Yes, they all got in the car and drove away."

"Do you know what kind of car?"

"No, it was black, that's all I know."

"We would appreciate it if you could come down to the station and look through some mug books."

"Sure I get off at three."

Alex hands Crystal her card. "Thank you Crystal, we'll see you later this afternoon."

When they return to the station Deakins sees them and exits his office. "Any luck?"

"Yes, the woman who works at the bakery remembers seeing Bobby talking with three men. One of the men she described matches Bobby' description of Marty. She is coming in later to look at photos."

Tuesday

April 26

10 AM

He sleeps on and off throughout the night, he gets up at least three times to take aspirin. He looks over at Nicole and she is lying down with her eyes closed.

She looks so sweet. You would never know the evil that is in there.

She hears him moving around and opens her eyes.

"Good morning Bobby."

"Yeah right." He looks at her with such contempt. Not really wanting to talk to her, but he has to ask. "Nicole, where are we?" Silence. "You have to tell me where we are, I don't want to die here, do you?" Silence. He stands up, walks over to her and sits down. "Nicole, where are we?"

"I don't want to go to prison again."

"Well after everything you've done, don't you think you deserve it?"

"Have you ever thought about disappearing Bobby?" Silence. Nicole continues, "I've thought about it many times but I've never tried."

"I don't want to talk about this, I feel miserable enough, tell me where we are!"

"So, you have thought about, haven't you?"

"Do you think it would be possible for us to talk about the same thing?"

"You keep changing the subject, not me."

"Goddamnit Nicole, you frustrate the hell out of me!"

"You haven't answered my question Bobby."

"Yes, I used to think about it sometimes."

"Have you ever tried?"

"Not intentionally."

"Tell me."

"You tell me something about one of the men you hired."

Nicole pauses and then says. "The short one, his name is Mickey, Mickey Bonner, tell me."

"If he's confronted will he talk?"

"Yes out of the three of them, he would crack, but they have to find him, tell me."

"Not now, I have to make a phone call." He stands up and almost loses his balance; he looks over at her, "That better be his name."

"It is, but when you're done, it's your turn."

Alex's phone rings. "Eames."

"Alex."

"Bobby do you feel any better?"

"No not really, but the guy I told you about."

"You mean Marty."

"Yeah, it's not Marty, its Mickey, Mickey Bonner."

"How did you find that out?"

"Tit for tat."

She laughs. "You're something else."

"Please find him fast."

"We will."

"Have Logan talk to him, if you know what I mean."

Mike smiles. "No problem Bobby, I'll take care of it."

"See you guys soon, I'll call later." The phone clicks off.

TBC