"I see . . . Are you sure, Inspector?" A sigh escaped from Mrs. Racer. "I understand . . . Thank you, Inspector. I'll be sure to call you if he shows up at home. Bye."
Sparky watched as she hung up the phone, tears welling up in her eyes. For five or six hours, they had waited for Speed to return home or to at least call and let his family know of his whereabouts. She had already asked if Speed would be over at Trixie's, to which Sparky had had to answer 'no,' though Sparky had yet to tell her why he knew Speed would not be with his girlfriend. Her expression became more and more worried as he spoke. It was after he had said there was absolutely no way Speed was with Trixie that she finally made the call to Inspector Detector. Now he hoped, even if seemed futile, that someone knew something about his best friend and his whereabouts.
"What did Inspector Detector say, Mrs. Racer?"
"There isn't much they can do right now. He has to be missing for at least twenty-four hours before they can begin to search and even then there isn't much they can do. He's over eighteen and therefore able to go wherever he wants." A ragged sigh escaped her.
Sparky's hopeful expression fell.
"However, since it is unlikely that Speed would just take off without notifying someone, he's going to have his officers keep an eye out for him. I don't get it, Sparky. If he has taken off, why would he? He's got so much going for him here."
"I don't know, Mrs. Racer," Sparky replied, not meeting her gaze. He knew why Speed might have left without saying anything. Then again, Speed could have gone out for a drive to think things out and not truly disappeared as he seemed to have done.
'Maybe that's what he's done,' Sparky told himself. 'He's gone out for a drive to clear his head, and he'll be back any moment. I just hope nothing happens to him while he's gone.'
"Are you sure he's not with Trixie?" Mrs. Racer inquired.
"I'm sure," Sparky nodded, his heart sinking into his stomach. "I'm very sure."
* * *
Trixie heaved a sigh as she unlocked her apartment door. Too much had happened in a short amount of time. Her trip to New York had been entirely a pleasure trip. Shopping had been on her mind and shop she had. If Speed had been with her, he would have been flabbergasted at how much she had purchased.
'Stop thinking about him,' she scolded herself. 'Remember what you and Taylor saw?'
What she and Taylor had seen was a young man with dark hair and blue eyes who looked very much like Speed kissing a girl with long dark hair and a very slender body. This young man even slid his hands down to her butt and held her close, and they were undeniably enjoying each other's company. Taylor had called her a toothpick but Trixie could not get over the fact that it was Speed kissing that girl. She had been certain of it, certain to the point where she felt sick to her stomach . . . until she ran into Sparky. Now doubt nibbled at her. She could not get over hearing that Speed had intended to propose to her. He certainly had looked the part, and he looked very handsome in that suit as well. She did not, however, recall seeing a ring in his hand or a box holding the ring, and she wondered if what Sparky had told her was true. Maybe he had it hidden, waiting for the right time? Still, she would not be able to erase what she saw from her mind. The young man's resemblance to Speed was simply too uncanny.
As she set her keys on the table, her phone rang. For a moment, she considered ignoring it. After talking with Sparky, she felt like being alone so she could figure out her next move. For all she knew, it was Speed on the other end, wanting to talk to her, to explain himself or feed her whatever excuse he wanted. Confusion and doubt cluttered her mind. However, she picked up on the third ring. If Speed was calling her, she could always hang up on him, especially if he said something she did not like.
"Hello?"
"Hey, there! How's it going? How was your flight to good ol' Farmington Hills?" a light tenor asked teasingly. Trixie smiled faintly when she heard her friend's voice on the other end. It lifted her spirits, if only a little, to hear at least once voice from a person she trusted.
"Hey, Taylor. My flight was fine. Beats driving for fifteen hours or so."
"That's good, that's good . . . How is everything else going, though? I know you were going to confront Speed today," he said.
"Well . . . I did see him . . ."
"And? What happened? What did he have to say?"
"I broke up with him immediately. He said he had something he wanted to ask me, but I never gave him a chance. He wanted to know why I was leaving him," Trixie murmured. "He looked so surprise, like he hadn't been expecting that."
"I'll bet he wasn't expecting it," Taylor stated dryly. "Just like he probably wasn't expecting you to catch him. Guys like Greg Racer just don't know how to appreciate strong and intelligent, not to mention beautiful, women like you. Anyway, you did what you had to do. You're a strong and intelligent girl. If he's going to cheat on you, he doesn't deserve you. You're better off without him. Trust me on that, okay?"
Trixie smiled, if only to herself, as she listened to her friend speak. Taylor had always seemed to know what to say to her to cheer her up. They had known each other for a long time, longer than she had known Speed since their fathers were very good friends, and she was grateful that he was standing by her and her decision. Still, that tiny, little doubt nipped at her.
"Taylor, are we sure it was Speed that was kissing that girl?"
"Who else could it have been, Trixie? It's not possible for someone to have a twin and not know about it. What? Did he try denying that he was in New York?"
"He started to but I never gave him a chance to say anything about it before I left. . . Maybe I should give him a chance to explain . . ."
"It's up to you, Trixie," Taylor pointed out. "I wouldn't believe him, though. He'll have had time to concoct some sort of story by now. Anything he says to you will be a lie."
"I know, Taylor, but I still should listen to what he has to say. I feel that I owe it to him, you know? We've been through so much together."
"You don't owe him a thing, really. I mean, I know you two are high school sweethearts and all that . . ."
"Were," Trixie corrected.
"But you don't have to give him anything anymore if you don't want to. You're a smart and beautiful young woman, Trixie. I'd hate to see you throw your life away on someone who won't appreciate you . . . And I have to go. I've got another call coming in soon from my brother and I don't want to tie the line up any longer than what I have to. He's supposed to give me some news on whether or not I'll have a mechanic should I start racing myself. I'll give you a call tomorrow to find out what's going on, okay?"
"Yeah. I'll talk to you tomorrow, Taylor. Good night."
"Good night, Trixie."
They hung up and Trixie wondered once more if she had not made a mistake in letting Speed go. she stared at her phone for a few moments before picking it up again and dialing a familiar number. It started to ring, but it did not take long for the other party to answer.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Janine," Trixie said, smiling faintly. "I'm back from New York. Do . . . do you think you could come over for a while? I could really use a friend right now."
* * *
Taylor hung up his phone with a smile. He was a devilish sort of fellow, tall and lanky with green eyes and sandy blonde hair, and he possessed an odd penchant for wanting women who were already taken. Victorea Cronkhite had been one such woman. Trixie Vanderbucks was now his new focus, and he had to be honest with himself. He liked Trixie far better than he had Victorea.
'Worked out to my advantage, having her see that O'Connell kid with his girlfriend. Before I know it, she'll be in my arms as MY wife. Now all I have to do is make sure that Speed disappears. Permanently. Shouldn't take much, I would think. Couple million dollars to prevent an accident. I'm sure he'll see things my way.'
He rubbed his hands in anticipation and sauntered down the hall. Life was going to be good.
* * *
"We got someone injured over here, Sarge!"
"Someone injured?! Christ, that kid's lucky to still be alive! Look at him!"
The first two of the officers gaped at the bloody body laying in a fetal on the ground, blood from his nose and mouth coagulating in a pool. The one referred to as Sarge knelt next to the young man, and he felt for a pulse. There was one, it was faint but still rapid, probably due to the struggle to keep breathing. His face was swollen and bruised, and his nose and jaw appeared to be broken. The young man's chest rose up and down sporadically in a desperate attempt to keep the oxygen flowing. They did not dare to think of what other injuries he might have obtained. For Sarge, the thoughts were depressing and not holding out in the kid's favour.
"We have an ambulance coming, Sarge!" someone called out. "Someone called for it as soon as we got the call. It'll be here in less than a minute."
"Good," the one called Sarge nodded. "In the meantime, spread out. Find out who made the anonymous call. I want to know what it is that they saw."
The officer nodded his head in affirmation and set about his orders. Sarge looked at the young man once more.
He could not have been more than twenty-years-old and dressed in a black velvet jacket, white dress shirt, and black slacks. His apparel made Sarge think 'wedding,' despite the tatters and tears in the jacket, shirt, and slacks.
"Go through his pockets, kid."
"What? Why?" The rookie looked at him in alarm.
"It's the only way we're gonna find out who he is," Sarge stated calmly. "Plus we need to find out if those bastards took anything from him. Now do it."
"Yes, sir."
'Hang in there, kid,' Sarge thought mournfully as he watched the young man gasp for air. 'We're gonna get you to safety then we'll nail those damned Black Tigers once and for all.'
* * *
"Hey, girl," Janine said as she stepped inside her friend's apartment. She and Trixie embraced quickly and as carefully as they could. With a couple of shopping bags hanging from her arms, it proved to be a little tricky, but the two women managed. "I came as quickly as I could. I thought we could use some ice cream and cheesecake, though, so I made a quick stop. I ended up buying some Cokes and cookies as well as a lot of chocolate. I wasn't sure what you wanted. I also placed an order for pizza and wings about five minutes to be delivered here. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all," Trixie said. She took one of the bags from her friend. "In fact, ice cream and cheesecake sounds wonderful. It all sounds wonderful. What made you think to get them?"
"Well," Janine began, "when you called me, you sounded like you really needed to talk, and I know how we both can get when we start talking. We tend to eat and drink a lot when we do that."
"Thanks, Janine," Trixie said. "What did I ever do to deserve a friend like you?"
"You save my life. That's what," Janine replied, smiling. Then her expression became somber. "What's happened, hun? You look like you've lost your kitten or your best friend."
Trixie grabbed a couple of spoons and forks, and the two women moved into the main living area as they spoke. They settled around her coffee table, and she hesitated for a moment. What would Janine say when she told her that she and Speed were no longer together? How could she say it? The news would be sudden, a shock to say the least. It certainly took Sparky by surprise. Would Janine react the same way? It had hurt to see that man in New York kissing that raven-haired beauty. It still hurt, and Trixie felt the tears stinging at her eyes. For some reason, she still believed it was Speed she saw in New York. The hurt washed over her yet again
"Trixie? What is it, hun? You know you can tell me anything," Janine murmured. She reached over and placed her hands over Trixie's hands. "I'm here for you."
"I'm not even sure where to begin," she whispered. She reached for a tissue and dabbed at her eyes.
"Just start with what's bothering you. Get it off your chest," Janine encouraged. "I'm here for you. You know that, right?"
Trixie nodded, her eyes on the cheesecake. Janine's words made sense. She should start with what was bothering her. Hopefully it would ease the ache in her heart.
"I broke up with Speed," she said. "An hour after I got off my plane. We met at this little café. Oh, Janine, he looked so handsome and so happy to see me. I almost faltered when I saw him, but I had to do it." Trixie inhaled another breath. "I know it seems so sudden and unexpected, but I swear to you, Janine, I had a very good reason."
"I'm sure you did," her friend murmured. Her hands still remained grasped around Trixie's hands, and she felt warmth and understanding flowing from her friend and into her. "You would never do something without good reason, Trixie. I know you better than that."
"Thanks, Janine. It means a lot to me to hear you say that. It really does, but I'm also sure you're wondering why."
"I am," Janine conceded. "Especially since Sparky told me that Speed was going to propose to you."
"Did everyone else know that but me?" Trixie inquired.
"I think you were meant to be surprised by the proposal," Janine said with a wink. She leaned forward. "But that's not why we're here. Something must have happened for you to call it off."
"There was," Trixie agreed. "I . . . saw him in New York . . . and he was with another girl. And I do mean he was with another girl. They were holding on to each other in a very romantic and sexual way, if you know what I mean."
"You sure it was him?" Janine asked. "I mean, it's kind of hard for him to be in two places at once, if you know what I mean."
"I do know," she answered. "And, believe me, I've been thinking about that. I really have. But how many guys have really dark hair and blue eyes like Speed? This person I saw looked exactly like Speed. From what I could see, he was even the same height and weight. If it wasn't Speed betraying me, then who was it?"
"I don't know," Janine said. "I really don't, but I can see this is tearing you apart. You're really hurting over this. How did Speed take you breaking up with him?"
"He was surprised, Janine. Heartbroken, even. It was like he didn't even expect it," Trixie murmured. She hesitated for a moment. Then she asked, "Do you think I acted too quickly?"
"Again, I don't know," her friend murmured. "I wasn't there when you two talked . . . do you think you acted too quickly?"
"I don't know anymore," Trixie said. "Sparky wasn't happy to hear I'd broken up with Speed when I told him, but my friend Taylor seems to think I've done the right thing. It's just . . . so confusing. I'm not sure of what to do."
The two women fell silent for several minutes, taking the occasional bite of cheesecake or ice cream. The silence was broken only when the delivery guy rang the doorbell with their pizza and chicken wings only to resume for at least another ten minutes. Finally, Janine broke her silence.
"You said you broke up with Speed today?"
"Yeah . . ."
"And you're not sure of what you should do . . ."
"No." Trixie shook her head. "I'm not."
"Are you going to talk to Speed again?"
"I don't know. I mean, I told him I never wanted to see him again, but I don't know if he'll listen to that."
"Well," Janine began, "if he does come over to talk to you, listen. If you don't like what he has to say, there's nothing saying you have to take him back."
"And if he doesn't come to talk to me?"
"Give him a few days to get over the shock and approach him to talk. Tell him you need some time to think and to sort out your emotions if that's what you truly need," Janine replied. "I'm sure there's a logical explanation for why you saw someone who looked like Speed in New York. Just give him space and allow yourself the same thing. If it's truly meant to be for you and Speed, it'll just . . . happen. You know what I mean?"
"Yeah," Trixie said with a nod of her head. "I know what you mean." Then she offered her friend a smile. "Thanks, Janine. You're a real pal. You know that?"
"I try my best," Janine replied with a smile. "Now let's dig in and you can tell me more about your trip to New York. I've been wanting to know how that's gone since you left!"
Trixie giggled at her friend's enthusiasm, and she felt better for talking with Janine more than she had Sparky and Taylor. It was as if someone had lifted a semi-heavy burden from her shoulders, something Trixie knew she would be grateful for in the days to come. Seeing Speed again would not be easy, but, if it was something she needed to do, she would not back down. She would be strong that way.
* * *
'It's been one hell of a day,' Jeffrey Richmond thought to himself as he walked towards the hospital's cafeteria. His stomach rumbled at him, protesting the lack of protein and caffeine to sustain it during an emergency surgery. It would not have been so bad if the surgery had taken less than hour, but this particular case . . . well, it was not looking promising for the young man the Philadelphia P.D. brought to him. For four and a half hours, he stitched several lacerations and searched for internal bleeding in an effort to save this young man's life. According to the X-rays and an MRI, his patient suffered more than just the lacerations and the internal bleeding from his attack. Several of the young man's lower vertebrae were damaged, some of the worst of his injuries. For the next two months, he would be in traction, and it would be even longer still before his patient could walk again. It would be several more hours before Dr. Richmond could discover the extent of his patient's spinal injuries.
He reached the cafeteria and immediately poured himself a cup of coffee. The entire time he did so, Dr. Richmond could not help but reflect on the rest of his patient's injuries. His staff would need to monitor the young man at least every five minutes, thanks to the skull fracture and any swelling it could cause. Dr. Richmond could not be sure, but it appeared as if his patient had been beaten with more than just fists and boots. His patient's assailants had also cracked several of his ribs as well as breaking his nose and his jaw. If his patient stopped breathing . . . Dr. Richmond did not even want to think about what would happen to someone so young and with his entire life still before him. With his jaw already wired shut to heal, there would be no way for them to place him on a respirator. The thought he could still lose this young man scared the doctor, and he felt his hands starting to shake.
"Dear God," he whispered. "Let him live. Please, just let him live . . ."