Captain Stottlemeyer exited his sedan and made his way to the crime scene. Police were interviewing witnesses as Monk tried to pick up on anything whatsoever that might lead to Natalie's whereabouts.
The person who spotted the SUV was no more than 18 years old and indicated things happened too quickly for him to say anything. Besides, the woman didn't appear to put up a struggle and got into the SUV willingly. Only after they had pulled away did the car burst into flames.
The fire department put out the fire and all that remained of Monk's car was the charred remains of a burnt-out frame. He walked over to the car and spoke to it "I never was that fond of driving anyway." As he turned to walk away, he noticed something shiny on the ground about 6 feet from the vehicle. Walking over to it he noticed it was some sort of a lapel pin. Two letter As, one within the other, were emblazoned on it along with an elongated 5-pointed star. Was this guy part of Alcoholics Anonymous or something? Did this even belong to the perpetrator that had Natalie. He pointed it out to Stottlemeyer who had the investigators bag it for evidence.
The fire marshal walked over to Stottlemeyer, crossing his arms in front of him and gesturing with one hand as he spoke. "Well, Captain…we've done a preliminary investigation and determined that whatever incendiary this was was not gasoline. It was much hotter. Look underneath the car. "
Leland bent down and blinked twice when he realized what he was seeing.
"It melted the asphalt?" Stottlemeyer asked.
"Yes. Pretty much anything in the near vicinity. It looks like it was stored in some sort of canister or device that the suspect placed in the back seat and either went off by a timer or some sort of detonation. Forensics has collected the sample and we should hear something back by tomorrow." The marshal continued.
"Like Trudy." Monk replied.
"Except not like Trudy." Stottlemeyer interrupted, keeping Monk's thoughts from turning any darker than they already were. "If this guy wanted Natalie dead, he would seen to it that she died. They want to keep her alive, but I think they may want to mess with your head a little so that it makes it harder for you to concentrate."
"But why Natalie?" Adrian asked. "Why not just go after me? I'm fair game. I can't even fight off grocery store bouncers."
Leland wasn't sure he wanted to know the meaning of the last comment so he went on. "Because that would be too easy on you. Anyone who knows you knows how important of a role Natalie has played in your life. If they want to get to you, they can easily get to you through getting to her. By reminding you of Trudy and causing you for that split second to fear the worst, they made it personal. I'm thinking what we are witnessing is a desire for revenge."
"Who would want revenge on detective Monk?" The Fire Marshal asked.
"Half the prison population, I would suppose" said Stottlemeyer "or at least a lot of folks. But there is one man in particular who always seems to appear at these moments and I think maybe we should go pay him a visit."
Monk looked up at Leland and scowled, knowing exactly of whom his friend spoke.
"Ayyydrrian MonK and the formidable Captain Leland Stottlemeyer" the morbidly obese man said peering out the bars of his oversized cell. "To what do I owe the misery of this visit?"
Monk didn't waste any time with trivialities and got straight to the point. "Did you do it? Biederbeck. Did you have something to do with Natalie's disappearance?"
"Natalie? Natalie Teeger? Oh, I haven't heard that name in years."Dale Biederbeck replied, touching his fingers in front of him. He stopped and then smiled, raising one finger in recollection. "Wait. Didn't she dump you and go marry that handsome Navy officer – Steven…oh, what was his name. Steven Albright?"
"Steven Albright is dead." Stottlemeyer interjected. "Killed at sea. We are looking for Natalie now. Someone kidnapped her from a parking lot and then blew up Monk's car."
"Blew up his car? Wow! Remind me to stay out of vehicles around you Adrian. What does this have to do with me?"
"This has your M.O. all over it, Dale." Adrian responded through clinched jaw.
"Interesting. Well, unfortunately, you all have taken away all of my external modes of communication, so I really have no way of setting up something as creatively delicious as taking your sweet Natalie away and leaving you with a burnt out car."
"But, I'll bet you know who did it." Adrian replied coldly.
"Why, Ayyydrian. Why would you expect that I would know such a thing? Of course, there has been chatter in the cafeteria that someone was coming after you. But, no names were mentioned as to who…nor did they mention coming after Natalie. But, I'll tell you what. If you will have them return my television set to my cell, I'll keep an ear out and let you know if I hear anything."
"I'm not interested in your games, Dale." Monk replied.
Dale's perpetually dewy complexion morphed into an evil grin and Adrian's face began to grow red with anger. "You should know by now, I don't play games, Ayydrian. Either I get my television, and...daily visits from that lovely manicurist, Miss Brenda...or..."
"Forget it. You get nothing." replied Stottlemeyer, stepping in to avoid an altercation. "Your current actions have shown you haven't changed a bit. So no additional privileges. Look around you. This is all you will ever enjoy for the rest of your putrid life, Dale. I'll see to that. Monk, you seen enough?"
Monk glared at Dale and said nothing for several seconds until Leland cleared his throat."Yeah. We're done here." Adrian replied. "Let's go."
Julie did not take the news well. "What do you mean someone kidnapped her? Mr. Monk! I let my Mom spend one afternoon with you and THIS is the result?"
"I know, I know, I know. I shouldn't have stopped at the store. I should have taken her straight home. She was so tired. I didn't want to disturb her. I was such a jerk wanting to go pick up eggs. Stupid eggs!" Adrian replied with tears in his eyes.
"Well you'd better find her Mr. Monk. You'd better not stop until she is back here safely with us!"
"You have my word of honor, Julie. I will find her and she is going to be okay, if it's the last thing I do." he said, and he meant it.
"Well, Mrs. Teeger, or is it Albright, or Davenport? We've done everything we can to ensure your stay with us will be memorable. Are you comfortable? Can I get you a drink? Perhaps something to eat?" the tall dark man said as he circled Natalie who was now tied to a chair.
"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" the man sneered as a look of fear crossed her face. "Never to worry. I'm not going to kill you. I'm certainly not interested in any sort of relationship with you. You don't exactly have the best of luck with men after all…No, dear, I have brought you here in order to settle a score I have with a certain Adrian Monk. We have left certain clues behind that if I know Mr. Monk, he's already onto and is hot on our trail. I'm sure we will hear from him in the next few days. Meanwhile, my partner and I will take turns ensuring you are kept comfortable." the dark man said as he pointed to the driver of the SUV, a well-built man in his late 30s.
Natalie knew the man speaking, but she could not immediately place him. The other man, the one who had driven the SUV, she did not know. But he had lured her out of the car by telling her that Adrian had been detained by Captain Stottlemeyer and he was her ride home. Only after she had gotten into the car did she suspect that the story was a lie.