Chapter 9: The Thawing of the Ice Queen
Mark sees someone running toward the truck "What now" He thought. Mark powered down his window partly. Dan jogs up to the window of the truck. "I never thought I'd be so glad to see a guy that could end my career. Where have you been?" Dan says out of breath from running across the parking lot. He'd seen the agent's truck and hoped that his guess was right Vikki had told him if this was a trick he'd die out here. "Your super is with me. She's a real nut job. She took my weapon and kidnapped me."
Vikki was ready for anything as she marched over to where Dan was leaning on a truck with the window just now coming all the way down. She stopped in mid-step as she saw Mark looking at her. "Detective Callaway, where on earth have you been?"
Mark noticed her tone wasn't as icy. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Is there a reason you've taken a local hostage?"
"Detective, there is a reason behind everything I do. You had a meeting with Hudson you may just be Mark Callaway the wrestler. That meeting was pending you future employment. Care to share why you would blow it off."
Dan mumbled "I can think of a couple of reasons." Mark heard him they lock gazes. Dan steps away from the truck. "Look, all I saw was the after math. In fact here is your wallet. The faster I get away from this case the faster I can save a little girl's life."
Cynthia spoke up with fear in her voice that Strut had snapped and did something rash to her girls she asks. "What little girl?"
Dan snapped him mouth shut, getting very uncomfortable he knew who Cynthia was he'd seen her with Strut at the one policemen's ball he'd ever went to. Was she as much a cold hearted fish as her husband? "I'd rather tell him if that is okay with you, Mrs. Strut." Dan points to Mark.
Mark got out of the truck. He knew Rodriguez didn't have anything to do with his case. "Ok I didn't want her getting happy her husband is in deeper than I thought. He's trying to keep a person we know very quiet. He attacked Jamal and kidnapped his kid. Jamal has a drinking problem I think when I told him something I shouldn't have I sent him to the bottle. Apparently, Strut followed him home or was already there waiting for him. anyway Strut beat the crap out of Jamal to the point he's in the hospital now his wife who was tied up in the basement with Jamal is losing her mind no ransom letter no nothing just a threat if either one of them squeal the kid dies. I gotta find that kid." Dan turns around and speaks to Vikki "Can I have my weapon back please you found what you were looking for."
Vikki hands him his gun.
"And I my clip please" Dan took his ammunition back from the woman, and slammed the clip back into his weapon, pointed at the ground, getting the feel of his weapon again. He then set the safety holstering it. "Thanks a lot I think you smudged it oh well."
Vikki was glad that Dan had not made a large fuss since in truth he legally could bring her up on charges and by him being an older officer she knew he knew all the ways to royally screw people. "I'll have it cleaned if it's that important."
Dan backed away from Vikki shaking his head no. "Hey you had your chance to touch my baby. I got this Beretta from one of the best detectives on this side of the states. It's marble babe. You don't get it cleaned you clean it yourself. But thanks for the offer but you do owe me." Dan smiled at the cold look she gave him.
Vikki wanted this over and done with no local would hold anything over her head. "What, exactly do you want from me Officer?"
Dan was messing with the woman but if she was offering her services he was smart enough to take them. "Help me find this kid? I'm sure you'll be good for something besides threatening me"
This was going to be a long day and he actually cared about someone else other than himself. Her ex-husband was an older police officer but, all he cared was his image. Vikki thought Dan was like that. She was relived to see that she was wrong he didn't want to pin her for her actions. He'd been looking for Mark and though his captain had asked him to he could have lagged around and did nothing.
"Hey I was wondering could you drive?" Dan says smiling. His eyes half closed, when he smiled, his crow's feet was very noticeable. Vikki snapped back out of her daze as she gazes into his almost white bluish eyes she wondered about his genetic make up with eye color like that.
Vikki mentally slapped herself upside the head he was an officer for goodness sakes. "As long as you sit in the front seat and behave yourself."
"It's a deal I sit in the front seat and you don't shoot me."
Vikki could tell Dan was only half kidding. "Shall we officer?" She said slipping back into control of herself.
Dan heads toward the car they both arrived in.
"Vikki" Mark calls her name and she turns around.
"Don't you mean Mrs. or Commander Vikki."
"Whatever, if you need any help I'm available on or off the record. Mark then gets in his truck and drives off. Mark, Hudson's favorite nephew, pro-wrestling hotshot agent offering her an olive branch, her day was just filled with misconceptions. "Yay me" Victoria said to no one in particular as she moved back toward the car with the local officer in it.
Dan had seen something in the all too closed commander's eyes. She got in the drivers' seat. "So what do I call you except capture?" He liked getting her to look uncomfortable served her right. Miss ice queen was thawing at a speedy rate. Dan looked out the window as he toured her around the city. Hey do you got any idea what that prick could have done with the little girl."
"I can't believe it you really care." Vikki said to her self out loud.
Dan's head snapped a glare at the woman, her tone was not forced this time. "Hell yeah I really care what the hell kind of statement is that to make?"
"I didn't mean for that to come out loud. As for your question, Strut does not work alone any number of people may have the child. Question officer, if you don't mind me asking why are you concerned you have not had time to have a real working relationship with your partner and the both of you have tried to have the man removed."
Dan was shocked that Jamal tried to not have a partner he also wondered why Jamal would want him removed. "A child is involved. Since he has friends in low places lets start out at his known hangouts Strut could never pass up a gamble of any kind turn here and where you get past the blue house on the right stop the car." VIckki watched as Dan put on the rest of his gear before getting out to the car. When he returned empty handed Vikki saw the hurt in his stance as she reached over and unlocked his door. Dan said nothing he'd been wrong. Then it hit him Strut would never be alone so it had to be Timothy who had the kid. We're going about this all wrong Strut is the link but Timothy Price is the person who lives alone he lives on Greenwood street in my neck of the woods, it's isolated and one way in and one way out" He quickly wrote down the address and shoved at Vikki.
Mark and Cindy sat in Mark's truck in front of Hudson's house they were getting interrupted way too much in that damn parking lot. Cindy had not said a word since he spoke to his super and the local. Mark was not ready to let go the subject he had lots to learn in a short time. "You were going to explain why it took you so long to tell me that you lied to my face."
"I-I could have told you 5 years ago.
"Correction, you should have told me what was going on." Mark said with a little more bite to his words.
"I lost track of you and then it was too late."
"I didn't move Cindy; you could have got a hold of me. You know that."
Was he serious did he actually think before he said that? "Mark there was no way I was walking up to your door and asking for you or calling you on the phone. Unlike Angel I don't watch wrestling so I never knew when you were home or on the road. Then Angel told me you are married and I was not going to run the risk of having your wife take my message. Plus I never knew how exactly, to tell you. I mean think on it for a minute. You wife has this great guy and some schmuck of a woman calls and say for him to call no thank you she'd probably give me all kinds of hell. Under threat of death I married Strut he's my dad's best friend's first son. Her father had told her if she said no, at the altar he'd poison her girls before they left the church and that he'd get away with it because he was cop.
Mark had been hurt and pissed at the same time when he'd stormed out of her life. He'd thought the whole story was true. He had a few failed relationships because of his trust issues stemming from Cynthia his first love. Her father was abusing her mentally and physically. Thinking back to that night he had noticed that her lip was busted and after her little performance. Mark remembers his words before he left the house he turned around and said, "I see you walked into another door" which was her usual excuse "I hope your new boy friend knocks you fucking head off." She'd hurt him so he'd got her back he knew it when she ran from her own bedroom crying. Mark felt numb at the thoughts that ran though his head.
He'd seen too many one hit wonder deaths and he was glad that she didn't get killed by her father. He'd followed her around he didn't see anyone with her. Mark thought she knew he was there was hiding the new man as she had said that night. Her cell phone rang bring him out of his thoughts.
