Chapter Seven

Lost

The excitement of the afternoon took its toll on Frances and when they return to the center, she is very tired. "I so enjoyed this day, the two of you together and not one argument, next weekend the same I hope."

"Yes Mom," Frank says as he leans down to kiss her. She extends her arms and they embrace, "Please be strong Frank."

"I will. No more disappointments." He turns to leave the room. "Bye Mom."

"Bobby," She kisses his cheek and then whispers in his ear, "Thank you."

He just nods as he opens the door, "I'll call you tomorrow, have a good night."

The men do not speak as the walk down the hallway and out the door. "Where's the car?" Frank asks.

"Right over there." Bobby points.

"Did we go in one door and out another?"

"Yes we did, you can't enter the center from that door but everyone uses it to exit, it's closer to the parking lot."

"Damnit," Frank says.

"What?"

"I'm looking for my car."

"I do that sometimes."

As they get into the car. "That was a nice afternoon. She seemed to enjoy it very much. Too bad we've never done that before."

"That's true, and whose fault is that."

"You're gonna say that to me every opportunity you can, aren't you?"

"Yes, yes I am."

Bobby slips a CD into the player as he pulls out of the parking lot. The music starts. "You still don't trust me, do you?"

"No I don't."

"What can I do to prove myself to you?"

"Nothing, man."

"What? What do you mean nothing?"

"It's not your problem, it's mine."

Frank sits back in the seat feeling a little more at ease. "Well at least you're honest about it."

"I try to be, so when I say this you can believe it's true. If you do anything to hurt her or disappoint her again I swear to God I will kick your ass."

Frank starts to squirm in the seat, "I believe you."

"She doesn't need anymore shit, from you. So, if you have a scheme that you are working on and it involves her, cut out now before she gets wrapped up in your life again, and if it involves the slightest bit of a criminal act. I won't have to think twice, I will put your ass in jail, and you can believe that this time she will not bail you out."

"I am not working on any scheme, and if I was, do you think I would have called on you? I would have gone straight to her."

"No, not necessarily most cons will involve as many people in their scheme to make it look like they are on the up and up."

Frank chuckles, "Wow I can't get anything past you. Can I?"

"No you can't, I'm not twelve years old anymore."

"Goddamn, that was a long time ago. I'm so sorry about that, Bobby."

"You asked me to do you a favor by hiding that bag in my room."

"I never thought she would find it in your room."

"Yeah well she did and she grounded me for three months, damn that seemed like a lifetime. I tried repeatedly to tell her that it wasn't mine, but she wouldn't believe me."

"I'm sorry."

"You didn't have the balls to admit to her that the pot was yours and I never finked you out. I waited for months for an apology but you never said you were sorry."

"I should have said something, but I was fifteen, selfish and angry at the world, which was not your problem. I don't have an excuse for it even after all these years, but please believe me I am so sorry."

"Alright let's drop it. You're right it was a long time ago."

Bobby increases the volume of the music. "I can't shake this feeling."

"What?"

"That someone from your past that you owe money to is gonna come sleazing back and…"

Frank cuts him off. "No, there is no one, I swear." He shakes his head and exhales. "Over a year ago I hit it big and I mean big. I was able to pay off all my debts and at the end. I had five grand left. Unfortunately, I couldn't resist the urge to gamble. I blew it in one day in Atlantic City. I had just enough money left to buy gas for the car and drive back to the city. I was living in a rat-infested hotel at the time and when I walked into the room, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I was ashamed for the first time in my life. I was ashamed of who I was and that is when I made the phone call to Gambler's Anonymous."

The only sound in the car is the music of The Eagles, Hotel California. "Bobby."

"Yeah," he says.

"Now do you trust me?"

Bobby shakes his head, "No." They both laugh. "Look, you can do anything you want with your life just don't let it involve her, she's had enough. She's not getting any younger…………..and neither are we. That's all I have to say. The rest is on you."

"I…………….I was going to say I promise but you've heard that word from me too many times."

"I don't mind hearing it. You just better stand by it."

A Few Days Later

Bobby, Alex, Frank and Leslie meet for dinner. "Bobby, remember the other day I told you that I was going to visit Claire and Michelle."

"Yeah, but you never mentioned it again, I figured you chickened out."

"No I went last night. They moved, the new tenants said that they moved in three months ago after the last tenants were evicted."

Alex asks, "Does she have any family in the city?"

"Not in the city, she has a sister who lives in Canada but I wouldn't have any idea how to get in touch with her. I don't even remember her last name."

Bobby looking at Alex, "I think we might be able to come up some information," He picks up his drink and takes a sip. "What do you think?"

Alex smiles as she says, "Yes definitely."

One Police Plaza

The Next Day

The first name entered into the police database is Claire Tillman. No police record but they discover some shocking information. She is deceased. She was involved in a hit and run five months ago. Alex then enters Richard Tillman's name into the database. To everyone's surprise, there is a warrant for his arrest. He failed to appear in court for a DUI charge.

"Well he's not exactly public enemy number one, I doubt anyone is looking for him. The best place to start is with are Claire's friends. Do you remember any of them?"

Frank is able to remember three names. Alex enters the names into the database.

Only one of her friends, Janine Reardon who is also Michelle's godmother, is still living in New York.

Bobby and Frank pay a visit to Janine. She invites them in and tells them that Michelle had called and left a message on her answering machine on Tuesday. She was away visiting with her sister and did not return until Sunday. It was after eleven when she returned home so she did not call Michelle until Monday afternoon. Richard answered the phone and told her that Michelle was not home, she was out with friends.

"Has she called since then?"

"No."

"Have you called her?"

"Yes. I called yesterday and there was no answer."

"What school does she attend?"

"PS-118, no wait that was her old school, I'm sorry I don't know. All I know is that they moved to Brooklyn."

"Bobby, if Michelle is in trouble why hasn't she come to see Janine?"

"Because she hasn't heard from her, Michelle probably thinks that she doesn't care."

Bobby stands, "Thank you Janine. If you hear from her please let us know." Bobby hands Janine his card.

They leave her apartment. "What do we do now?"

As they open the car doors Bobby says, "Let's pay a visit to her school."

"But she doesn't attend that school anymore."

"That's true but the school will have a record of her new school and address."

Within the hour, they arrive at Michelle's school. Bobby introduces himself and Frank. They obtain the new address and school. For the first time that day, some of the stress is dissipating, but not for long. Richard and Michelle have moved out of that apartment, no forwarding address was given to the land lord.

"Damnit this is frustrating, you do this all the time."

Bobby smiles, "This is cake compared to what I normally do." He shakes his head. "I'm sorry if that sounded uncaring it was not meant to be."

"It's alright, I know you care." Frank opens the car door and gets inside. "What if he did something to her?"

"We would have heard."

Frank asks, "How?"

"Alex has been checking hospitals and………………morgues since this morning."

"Oh god," Frank suddenly looks pale and bends his head down. Bobby puts his hand on his brothers' shoulder. "Would you rather I take you home?"

"No I'll be alright, I just have this horrible feeling that I may have taken too long to get my daughter back in my life. She probably hates me."

"I doubt that."

Frank smiles as he taps his brothers arm, "Thanks."

They arrive at the school hoping that she's in attendance. School records have her absent, since Monday. The school called after an adult failed to call about her absence. Richard was notified about the absence and his name appears in the log. He apologized for not calling. He told them that she was sick with the flu.

"We need to go back to her old school."

Frank asks, "Why?"

"We need to talk to her friends from her old school."

"My feeling is that she has run away and Richard is not about to let anyone know that because he not only has missed a court date he could end up in jail."

Frank asks, "Why her friends?"

"Because kids will confide in their friends when an adult is not around that they can rely on, don't you remember?"

Frank smiles as he nods his head, "Yeah I remember."

They arrive at PS-118 and Bobby says, "We would like to talk with her friends, one at a time."

The first girl that Bobby questions is very calm but he feels that she is hiding something. The second one appears the same way. The third one is little more nervous then the other two and after many, many years of interrogating the scum of the earth reading the actions of three thirteen year olds is easy.

"Thank you Kelly."

The principle and Frank are watching him. "Well." Frank says.

"The last one is hiding her and the other two know where she is."

"Can we just go to the house and ask if they have seen her?"

"Most likely the parents haven't a clue to what is going on. We have to do this officially. I'll file a missing persons report on Michelle and Richard."

"Why, Richard? Who gives a shit where he is?"

"I do, I want to find out how low a human being he is that he would risk the life of a child for his own personal needs."

One Police Plaza

Late That Afternoon

Bobby informs the Captain about the events of the day and with one phone call, Bobby has an appointment at the chambers of judge who grants him a search warrant, for all three homes.

"We'll save the Wiley home for last. Hopefully after we have gone through the other two homes Kelly will tell us what we want to know."

The Wiley Home

Bobby and Alex along with Frank and two-uniformed police officers arrive at the home of Kelly Wiley. Mister and Misses Wiley are shocked when they open the door to two police detectives and two uniformed police officers.

Alex questions the Wileys while Frank sits in silence. She is convinced that they do not know where Michelle could be.

The search proves nothing. "Damn cell phones," Bobby says. "She probably called her from school and told her to hide somewhere else."

Frank says, "They think this is game?"

"It's Michelle, she is telling her friends not to trust anyone."

"Why?"

"Think back to when we were kids, the secrets, the denying. I know I didn't trust adults, did you?"

"No." Frank says as he sits down on the couch. "Son of a bitch she's going through the same shit we did."

Bobby sits down next to him. "Different circumstances, but yes she is, poor kid." He pats his brother on the back. "We'll find her, at least we know she's alright, physically anyway."

Alex walks over and Bobby stands. "I hope to God she's alright," Alex says.

"I still believe that her friends know where she is." They both look at Frank. "You know after so many years of being a total prick, I hope that this all works out for him and Michelle. Also thanks for helping out."

Alex says, "No problem it's like the old days." She grabs his hand. "I think they need each other."

"You're right, they do."

"Frank come on we have to go, I need to make some phone calls to the press. We are going to get Michelle and Richards' photo on the news.

Photos of Richard and Michelle are shown on the six and eleven o'clock news. They receive phone calls about Richard but none concerning Michelle.

The Next Day

Frank is scheduled to work today and Bobby has a caseload but after six pm, Bobby phones Ed Brady, one of the people who called about Richard. The number left is for a bar in Brooklyn. Ed is not present at the time of the phone call, so Alex and Bobby decide to stop off at the bar before going home.

"Not exactly the Ritz." Alex says.

"I've seen worse." Bobby takes her hand as they walk toward the bar. "Hey." He says as the man behind the bar notices them walking toward him. "We're looking for Ed Brady?" Bobby says.

"I'm Ed. Can I get the two of you something to drink?"

Bobby looks to Alex, "It's after six we're not officially on duty."

"Sure, I'll have a Cosmo."

Bobby whispers, "Have you looked around this bar do you actually think he knows how to make a Cosmo."

"Oh maybe you're right."

Bobby says, "Two Buds."

The bartender returns with their beers. "Mister Brady you called the hotline number with information on Richard Tillman."

"Yes I did. You two are cops?"

"Yes we are. I'm Detec………"

Bobby cuts her off. "I'm Bobby this is Alex, what can you tell us about Richard."

"When you find that bastard remind him that he owes me two hundred dollars."

Alex takes a sip of beer. "Is that why you called the hot line, because he owes you money?"

"Sure."

Bobby says, "Terrific, did you watch the rest of the report?"

"No not really I just saw his picture and called."

"A thirteen year old girl is missing, who is also my niece and Richard was married to her mother, we are more interested in talking to him about her."

From behind, a voice says. "I know where you can find Richard, that slimy son of a bitch."

Bobby and Alex turn to face a forty something woman. Alex walks over to the woman first. "I take it he also owes you money."

"I loaned him a hundred dollars, we were having an affair and he promised to pay me back last week. Then I found out that the slime is living with someone."

"Would you know the address?"

"Sure."

Richard Tillman's Apartment

Alex pushes the doorbell. The door opens. "Richard Tillman?"

"Yes."

"I'm Detective Eames this is Detective Goren we have a warrant for your arrest."

TBC

Return to Top