A Ghost of a Chance

Chapter 16

Donnie had asked a very upset Kate to put away the gun she had aimed at him. They were in the snack room of the DA's office adjunct building, along with Daniel and Max. Two FBI agents had run out to try and capture Yuss, for Donnie had claimed that was where Yuss was located.

"You said you were forced to do this?!" Kate was almost yelling at Donnie and she didn't lower her gun, "forced to do what?"

Donnie held out the paper bag, "This! This is why Yuss tried to kill us all. It's the $40,000 evidence money!"

He drop-kicked it over to Kate, who, still looking suspicious, picked it up and handed it to Max.

"Check to see if the money is in there, Max," she said.

Max took a peek inside the bag and his eyes widened at all the money bills, "Dang it, Kate! I've never seen so much money before! I could sure use this! They say money never buys happiness, but it can sure buy the misery I prefer!"

So Donnie was telling the truth; it was probably the evidence money.

"Donnie, you said you had an explanation as to why you have this money," Kate had calmed down and she lowered her gun, "so let's hear it."

He nodded, but still looked anxious.

"Okay, Kate, I'll tell you, but you need to keep an open mind," Donnie licked his lips, obviously wanting to get out the whole story to Kate as quick as possible, "It happened a month ago, when Yuss first approached me and said..."

Daniel had been trying to concentrate on Donnie's story, but a familiar voice interrupted him while he was listening to the explanation.

Of course it was Poirot, who stood to the left of Donnie and Kate.

This time he was wearing a gray overcoat covering his impeccable matching three-piece suit, black polished leather boots and to top it off, a gray Homburg hat. Next to him was placed a vintage one-piece leather suitcase.

Donnie was still fast-talking Kate, "...then Yuss threatened me! He swore he would reveal the truth about Stacy to you," he seemed to be talking faster and faster, "AND not only that, he announced he had knowledge on how to wreck havoc on the computerized accounting records at the place Stacy was staying, making damn sure the records would show no money paid for the special medication she needed" he paused, letting that idea sink in, "so you understand why I had to do what I did, don't you, Kate? It was so that..."

But Poirot had diverted Daniel's attention again.

"I see you have things well in hand, Dr. Pierce," Poirot gave a satisfied smile, "my job is done here ."

Daniel was completely confused.

Was Poirot leaving NOW?

In the middle of a confession?

But there were too many loose ends.

"It's too soon," Daniel insisted, referring to Poirot's departure.

"...what?" Donnie had turned his attention to Daniel, not realizing Daniel wasn't talking to him, "No, it's NOT too soon, Daniel. I took the money out of the safe and hid it per Yuss' instructions, but he started shooting at us anyway."

Daniel once more turned his attention to Poirot, not understanding why the genius detective was leaving in the middle of an investigation. Poirot now held the suitcase in his hand.

"Life is about knowing when to let go of some things and when to hold on," Poirot was saying as he gave a meaningful glance over at Kate. Then as if he remembered, he added, "Oh, and just one more thing regarding Mr. Ryan and Mr. Yuss. Remember, my good man, when you can see without your eyes, you will be able to see beyond the disguise."

Meanwhile Donnie continued to talk,, "...that tragic day, Yuss had already shot Mary Ann and I tried to save Larry, but I could see Yuss' shot was fatal," his eyes began to glisten with tears.

Daniel looked on with confusion at Donnie's last statement.

Donnie had tried to save Larry Stephenson? Daniel then recalled how Stephenson had yelled out to the 911 caller before Yuss shot him, "He's already shot Mary Ann; Donnie...noooo!"

But before Daniel could point that out, Poirot reached up and touched the front edge of his hat in a farewell gesture.

"Above all else, it is most important you use your little gray cells," he told Daniel with his parting words, "Pleasure to be of service. Au revoir, Dr. Pierce!"

And the next time Daniel looked, Poirot was gone.

But Poirot had evidently left him a clue, only Daniel couldn't figure it out. He mulled in his mind the comment about needing to look beyond the disguise. What disguise?

What was Daniel not getting?

Meanwhile, Donnie was finishing up his story, "...and then just now Yuss told me to stay here because he was going to the men's room and I better be here with the money when he comes back or else. I swear to you, Kate, I didn't have anything to do with-"

They were interrupted by the sounds of two sets of running footsteps. It turned out to be the two FBI agents, who went looking for Yuss, their faces showing they had not succeeded.

Agent Woo spoke out first, "We've lost Yuss. He wasn't in the men's room and we searched the entire three floors and outside. He's gone."

Not again.

Kate moaned, "How could we have missed him again? Did you catch a glimpse of him at all?"

"That's a negative, Agent Moretti," Agent Barnaby responded, "A minute after we ran outside the building, we did spot a light blue Toyota speeding away right by us with a male driver inside, but we can't say for sure it was Yuss behind the wheel."

Kate shook her head, disappointment heard in her voice, "So Yuss got away from us again! From right under our noses! He's like a ghost!"

Something stuck in Daniel's mind.

Poirot had mentioned a disguise.

Kate had mentioned a ghost.

Suddenly it clicked in Daniel's mind.

Of course!

That's it!

Yuss is a ghost in disguise!

Meanwhile, Kate was talking to the two agents.

"We need to get a helicopter up in the air to search for Yuss," Kate was suggesting to the two agents, "Are there any available now? It can survey the surrounding area and we'll also put out an APB with the police, too."

Agents Woo and Barnaby exchanged nervous glances.

"Uh, Agent Moretti," Agent Barnaby spoke out, "you understand that we are only helping you as a matter of courtesy, right? We appreciate how you have helped us in the past, but you have no authorization for a helicopters or to alert the local police."

It was obvious Kate didn't like to be told what she can't do.

"Then we let a serial killer escape again?" her eyes flashed with determination, "Not under my watch! If I have to drive all around myself, I will DO that in order to find him!" she then instructed the two agents, "In the meantime please escort Mr. Ryan back to headquarters. I'll be there soon to do the follow up work."

Donnie didn't look happy, "Kate, is this necessary? I've already told you everything I know! I'm as much a victim of this as Larry and Mary Ann! I was actually shot that day, too, remember?"

Kate continued to be in agent mode.

"I haven't forgotten, Donnie, but I think you know more than what you're saying."

"But I don't know anything else!" insisted Donnie. He looked desperate and tried a different approach, "Kate, I've told you EVERYTHING. Can't you trust me on that? Doesn't anything we've once shared mean anything to you?"

Kate did not appreciate Donnie's guilt trip he was giving her in front of the two agents, and especially in front of Daniel. She could have easily countered with her trust issues with him, but she wasn't going to do it with witnesses watching.

"Now is not the time to discuss this, Donnie," she stated in her most professional tone, "Take Mr. Ryan away."

After the agents took Donnie away, Kate seemed as if she had already forgotten about him as she turned to Daniel.

"Are you coming with me?" she asked, "I'm going to drive around a bit and see if there are any clues as to Yuss' whereabouts."

"You don't need to do that, Kate," Daniel told her.

"Yes, I do," she said, getting that steely look in her eyes again, "obviously people just don't disappear into thin air, Daniel. Eventually Yuss will have to resurface in order to eat, to clean up or to find a safe haven."

"No, what I meant is that we don't need to go searching for Yuss."

"Oh? And why not?"

"People actually DO disappear into thin air. At least that's what happened to Yuss," Daniel said opaquely, "I think the wiser thing to do is to go straight to headquarters and question Donnie."

Kate acknowledged.

"I knew it!" she said determinedly, "Donnie knows more than he's letting on and is probably hiding some important facts regarding Yuss!"

"Yes," Daniel looked confident, "Donnie has allthe answers."

Kate observed Daniel's knowing expression. Again, he evoked of tangle of sensations inside of her, all of them good. It was nice to be able to rely on someone else.

"Let's go interrogate him," she decided.

.

Half an hour later, Daniel and Kate were observing Donnie through the two-way glass interrogation room. Through the window they saw him sit forlornly at the lone table, a styrofoam coffee cup sitting next to him.

Kate's expression suddenly saddened. After all she and Donnie had gone through, it all boiled down to she could never trust him.

"I feel so detached looking at Donnie through this window like this," she murmured softly, as she viewed her ex-fiancé, "but it helps put everything in perspective. I almost married him again and I can't believe I was about to make the same mistake twice What was I thinking?"

As Daniel took a side glance at her, he saw her lower lip sticking out. She looked miserable.

But he knew her question was rhetorical. She didn't need or want a concrete answer; she just wanted someone who could listen. Without saying a word, he reached over and grabbed her hand. She didn't want to be scolded for her mistakes or be given empty words of comfort, so he merely held her hand, hoping the contact from him would soothe her. She had a difficult enough week as it was.

He was rewarded with a half smile from her while at the same time she warmly squeezed his hand back.

"Thank you," she softly said, "for understanding everything."

"So are you ready to face him?" Daniel asked.

She nodded, "Yes, and this time we'll get the truth from him."

.

The interrogation room felt as cold and unfeeling as a morgue. Donnie's head shot up the minute the door opened. When he saw Kate and Daniel entering, he gave them a hard stare as they wordlessly took seats across from him.

"Obviously I know my rights," Donnie began, "and you can't hold me. I'm only here because of my feelings for you, Kate. But even you can't make me stay long."

"Don't worry, Donnie," she assured him, "this won't take long at all."

But Donnie had already turned his attention to Daniel, "And why are you here, Daniel? I thought you weren't going to be part of any investigation any longer."

"I've asked Daniel to be part of this interrogation," Kate flatly told him.

When Daniel and Kate exchanged looks, their expressions seemed to have softened.

The exchanged looks weren't lost on Donnie. He looked back and forth at both of them and he could see the guilty look Kate had before she looked down at the table.

"Heyyy, I think I know what's happening here," Donnie did not look happy, "something is going on between you two, right?"

Kate was ready to deny it.

"Donnie-"

But Daniel interrupted.

"Kate and I were working partners the entire time you were with her, Donnie."

But Donnie would not be fooled.

"Hmmmph!" he guffawed, as he looked at both of them with disdain, "I guess I was not the only cheater in our relationship!"

Daniel started to rise from his seat, but Kate held his arm with a comforting look and he sat back down.

"Can we just get to why we're here?" Kate inquired, her tone sounding cold, "we are here to discuss finding Yuss. I have a feeling you know where Yuss is hiding and you need to tell us NOW."

But now Donnie was determined to be uncooperative.

After all, he wasn't under arrest and they had nothing on him.

"As you know, any actions I had taken regarding Yuss were all done under duress," Donnie stubbornly told them , "I stand by my statement and you can't prove otherwise. I only stayed as a favor to you, Kate, but I've changed my mind on the matter. I'm getting out of here, not only because I'm sick to my stomach about the crime, but because you betrayed me. Besides, I know my rights and you can't legally hold me! And oh, by the way, Kate," his demeanor was cold as well, "if you have any other questions for me, you go through MY lawyer!"

He stood.

"Just a second, Donnie," Daniel told him.

Donnie narrowed his eyes as he put his hands on the table and leaned over, hovering over Daniel and Kate.

"Look, it's not MY fault you people bungled the capture of Yuss again!" he looked triumphantly confident, "Just admit your ineptness! In the meantime, I'm leaving!"

He started to walk out until Daniel said something that made him stop in his tracks.

"We didn't bungle the capture of Yuss," Daniel announced, "as you well know, Yuss never existed."

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