Title: Red Headed Goddess, 7?
Author: Goddess Evie
Date: August 28, 2007
Category: JJHR, Angst
Summary: A trip into town.
Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I am only using the characters for my own unique story. I am using lyrics for the song "Are You Ready?" by "Creed." I do not own it, either.
Author's Notes: Things are starting to heat up again a little. Jessie and Jonny hang out, Race gets a little bit closer to figuring out who the stalker is. But he's frustrated just a little. The plot should really take off next chapter! We're heading into the climax of the story!
Chapter 7: Hey, Mr. Seeker, hold on to this advice: If you keep seeking you will find.
Ten minutes was plenty of time for Jonny and Jessie to get ready. The two were walking out with Race when a car pulled up and Detective Dougan climbed out. The trio paused to greet him and escort him to the lab where Dr. Quest was waiting. It was merely a courtesy since there was no new evidence to process. Detective Dougan did, however, have a little bit of insight to share.
"All the photos were taken here in Rockport," Dougan said opening his brief case and shuffling through it.
"That means it's definitely a local guy, though we already kind of figured that out," Race replied.
"That was our theory, but this proves it," Dougan answered, adding, "Without any doubt."
"So, great, we've been living with this guy the whole time," Jessie mumbled only loudly enough for Jonny to hear.
But he wasn't really paying attention to her. One of the pictures in Dougan's briefcase had caught his eye and he was squinting to get a better look at it. It was upside down and halfway covered by a couple other photographs, but he thought it looked familiar. Without thinking, he reached out and picked it up by the edges, turning it to look at it the right way. He stared for a few moments before he realized everyone was looking at him.
"This picture looks familiar. I swear I've seen it before," he explained, looking at the photo even harder.
Jessie leaned against him to look at it as well and Jonny momentarily lost focus. But this was important, a clue, if he could just remember where he'd seen the picture before, so he forced himself to focus once more. The photo showed Jessie in a Rockport High Varsity Girls' Basketball uniform. Behind her the crowd in the bleachers of Rockport High-damn it, he'd been there, too!-was blurred. Jessie's ponytail was splashing all around her as she went up for a jump shot, the basketball just leaving her fingertips, a look of intense determination on her sweat drenched face.
Although Jonny knew he should be able to name where he'd seen this picture before, it just wasn't coming to him. Beside him, Jessie was also staring at it, trying to figure out the same thing. Finally, unable to come up with anything, Jonny handed the photo off. Race and then his own dad looked at it, and agreed they too recognized the picture, but could not remember why.
"Here," Dougan said, taking the picture and placing it into a clear baggie just big enough to hold it. "Take it with you and if you figure out where it's from, let me know."
Jonny nodded and took the bagged photo from the Detective.
"Come on you two, let's get going," Race said, sounding a little defeated.
Jonny suddenly smiled, hiding the picture behind his back as he remembered that he and Jessie had been given permission to spend a little time in town and alone. Putting his arm around Jessie's shoulders, the one not holding the picture, he steered his best friend back outside and toward the house ahead of Race.
"Dibs on driving," he said as they approached the bevy of Quest vehicles parked outside the garage.
"Dang it," Jessie complained, realizing she'd been a little too distracted.
"Aww, don't you trust me, Jess?" Jonny whined teasingly, leaning heavily on her.
"Only when you're not behind a steering wheel," Jessie replied sarcastically, shoving him off.
Jonny laughed and dug the keys out of the pocket of his jeans. He led Jessie towards the red convertible sports car Race had helped him restore. It had been his dad's birthday present to him on his sixteenth birthday coupled with Race's present of offering to help him fix it up. It had barely run at that point, just enough for Dr. Quest and Race to get it home from wherever they had acquired it. Within a year Jonny and Race had it purring as nicely as Race's own black super car and although the paint job still made it look like a junker, it ran as well as the day it came out of the factory, if not better.
The cherry red paint job with white racing stripes had been his seventeenth birthday present from his dad. A refurbished interior, red leather, had been Race's. Non-human, it was probably Jonny's most prized possession and he took good care of it. Knowing how much time and effort Jonny had put into it, Jessie treated it with the utmost respect as she slid into the passenger seat. Jonny shut her door just hard enough to securely latch it, then jogged around to the other side and climbed into the driver's seat.
Turning the ignition, both teens listened to the smooth thrum of the engine as Jonny pushed the button to lower the white leather convertible top. By the time the top was securely in the trunk, Race had finally caught up and was waiting for them. Waving, Jonny pulled out of the driveway and headed toward the main gate.
The sky was the perfect color blue and the mid-August afternoon was just a tad on the hot side with a cool breeze that blew idly, bringing relief from the heat with it. Jonny glanced at Jessie from the corner of his eye, as he sped the car out of the gate and onto the highway, so he could catch her glorious hair streaming behind her. She was smiling easily and naturally and Jonny prayed that nothing would happen during their afternoon in town to take that smile away.
Race stayed right behind them as they drove along the cliff-hugging highway. Jonny saw the gleam off the black hood every time he looked in his rearview mirror. It was about a half hour drive from the compound gates to the outskirts of Rockport. Most of the other drivers they passed were big trucks, though there were a few non-commercial vehicles; mostly kids out making the most of the last few days of summer before school began again.
Once they hit Rockport and the traffic increased, Race kept a close tail on them. If it had been anyone else, Jonny would have been worried about his paint job, but he'd driven with Race plenty of times to know how in control the man was behind the steering wheel of any car. A ten minute drive was all it took to make it to the natural park Jessie had chosen and both cars slipped smoothly into their parking spots along side the curb.
Race joined the two teens as they were shutting their doors, the white leather topper just coming back into place. Race and Jonny walked around the front of the car to join Jessie on the sidewalk. Race's eyes calmly scanned the surrounding landscape, and true to "father-daughter" fashion, Jessie was doing the same thing. Jonny watched the two exchange a look before Jessie turned to her friend with a smile and invited, "Ready to go?"
"I won't be gone long," Race cut in before they could head off. "There're only a couple of places that sell developing chemicals. You guys have a cell?"
Jonny dug in his pocket, pulled out the small silver flip phone and held it up for Race. With a satisfied nod Race cautioned, "Have fun, but be careful. I'll see you two in about an hour."
"We'll be here, dad," Jessie promised with a small smile.
"Call us when you're headed our way," Jonny called as Race headed back to his car.
The two lingered long enough to watch him get in and drive off, then turned to head down the naturally curving dirt trail that meandered through the park. The park had a large open field surrounded on three sides by trees. A brook trickled out from the woods on the opposite side of the field, cutting across the open grass before disappearing back into the trees.
Jonny and Jessie followed the trail as it followed the tree line on the east side, talking idly as they went. A family of three was having a picnic in the shade between the brook and the trees and a group of kids were playing ultimate Frisbee in the middle of the field. They called out to Jessie and Jonny to join their game, but the pair declined and kept following the path.
They discussed their schedules for the coming school year, how they couldn't believe they were going to be seniors finishing high school and if Jessie was planning on taking the Rockport High Girl's Varsity Basketball team to State again that year. They compared what classes they would be taking together, raved and ranted over what teacher's they had that first semester, lingered a little over what the topics for their senior English papers would be. Nice, light talk. Happy talk. Anything to keep her mind off of the dark cloud ever looming on the horizon.
"Hey Jess," Jonny commented just as the path lead them into the trees where the mix of shadow and light played beautifully on her hair.
"Hmmm?" Jessie replied non-verbally, her eyes cast up towards the sky visible between the leafy green branches.
"I have this crazy idea," Jonny said, knowing such an answer would pique her interest.
"What's that?" she asked as she considered him out of the corner of her eyes.
"Seeing as it is our senior year and all, I was thinking it would be cool to go prom together this year," he gauged her reaction carefully, but discreetly.
A grin broke across her lips, and she laughed. A real genuine laugh that almost was enough to chase away the lurking demon. She looked at him a bit incredulously and asked, "Are you really serious?"
"I said it was a crazy idea, but yes I'm serious," he assured.
Jessie laughed again and Jonny couldn't help grinning to match hers.
"Lots of friends go to prom together," he continued, his brain trying to think up any rational reason why she should say yes. "And it's our Senior year, Jess. After this, it'll be time to go our separate ways on to college."
"You say that like we'll never see each other again," Jessie accused, shoving him in the shoulder.
Jonny leaned to the side, hopping on one foot like he really could lose his balance as he replied, "Well, I mean, it is inevitable. Our dad's live together, so we'll see each other on holidays and long weekends and stuff. But we won't see each other every day like we do now. You don't go to prom with me this year…and you'll regret it the rest of your life."
Jessie rolled her eyes. "Because prom is such a pivotal part of life," she commented sarcastically.
"Hey, you're an American teen. Of course it is," he told her with a wink. "We Americans can't make a movie about high school without including the senior prom. It's usually the climax of those movies."
He had her really laughing now, so that her eyes sparkled and her cheeks flushed red, and he laughed to see her so happy.
"Okay, I'm convinced. I'll go to prom with you. I don't know why you're asking so early. I mean, the school year hasn't even started and prom's not 'til spring," she finally agreed.
Jonny grinned. "It never hurts to be prepared," he replied, causing her to roll her eyes again.
Laughing and teasing and joking, the two continued to amble their way down the path and through the trees.
Both of the places Race was going to visit were locally owned and operated businesses trying their best to compete against the corporate conglomerates. It was probably only because they did offer the chemicals and know-how for people to try developing their pictures on their own at home that they had lasted so long. That and they both were the best place to find parts for older equipment.
Race had brought a copy of the sketch Detective Dougan had provided-Iris was still working on composing a 3-D model-and showed it to the two guys at the counter of the first place he stopped by. One of the men was older with mostly gray hair who turned out to be the owner, and the other was a tall, lanky college student working at the place for the summer before heading back to school to keep working on his Graphic Art's degree. When Race asked them if they recognized the guy, mentioned that maybe the young man bought a lot of developing chemicals here, the men shook their heads and said the man in the picture didn't look familiar.
With a grim expression, Race left his personal cell number with the owner and let him know he'd appreciate a call if the guy showed up at all. The owner promised he would contact Race if he saw the guy and Race left, tucking the sketch back into his pocket. He slid into the driver's seat of his car hoping he'd have luck at the other photography store.
As he started the car and slid smoothly into traffic to travel the distance to the other store, Race felt his heart getting heavier the farther away he drove away from his daughter. The second store was on the opposite side of town from the park Jonny and Jessie were at, and Race had counted on getting lucky at his first stop. Rockport was a small town, and knowing Jonny was with his daughter gave Race some comfort, but still every mile that widened the gap between him and his daughter put Race more on the edge.
The second store was in a dieing strip mall with a couple of vacant spaces, a drop-off day care center, a hair salon and a payday loan check cashing business. A rusty van, the type without out any side or rear windows, pulled out from the spot next to Race's just as he was getting out of his car and left the parking lot, disappearing down the street.
The front window of the camera place was painted with an old-fashioned camera with the flash going off. Inside, there was only one man behind the counter, dusty brown hair just starting to go gray, crow's feet at the corners of his hazel eyes, athletic build, at least as tall as Race, though it was hard to tell the way he was hunched over the camera-it matched the one pictured on the front window perfectly-he was fiddling with. The man looked up when he heard the bell on the door and flashed Race a friendly smile.
"Give me just a minute and I'll be right with you," he excused himself, twirling between his fingers a tiny screwdriver placed deep into the recesses of the large, dusty camera.
Race sauntered lazily up to the counter as if he had all the time in the world and struck a non-threatening pose: one foot extended slightly, thumbs in the pocket of his jeans, leaning back just a little. He watched the man with feigned interest as he tinkered with the camera for a few more moments before setting it aside and turning to face Race with a warm smile.
"What can I do for you…Mr. Bannon?" the man guessed, his eyes squinting just a bit.
Race smiled and nodded. "Please, just Race, though I'm sure we've never met before."
"Well, you know, in a small town like Rockport, you and Dr. Quest are about the closest things we have to celebrities around here. Which means everyone knows who you are without ever having met you before," the man answered chuckling and extending his hand, "Mark Adams."
Race accepted the offered hand, appreciating the strength behind the man's grip and shake.
"So, what I can I do for you?" Mark repeated his earlier question.
Race slipped the sketch from his back pocket and unfolded it for Mark, laying it on the counter and smoothing out the creases it was developing. "I was hoping you could tell me if you recognize this face."
Race watched as Mark deliberated the picture, staring at it a long time before picking it up and bringing it closer to his face.
"Perhaps he comes here to buy film," Race suggested.
"Lots of people buy film here," Mark replied a little stiffly.
"And developing chemicals," Race added, his own defenses coming up.
"Has he down anything wrong?" Mark asked, raising an eyebrow in Race's direction.
"No…not yet," Race replied
That made both of Mark's eyebrows shoot up and the man pushed away from the counter as he set the sketch back down on the counter.
"You suspect he will do something?" Mark inquired, his interest piqued but still unwilling to give up information freely.
"I have reason to believe he's dangerous," Race offered.
Mark's eyes strayed to the sketch again, considering it for a long time before he shook his head and pushed it towards Race again. "I'm sorry. I can't help you."
Race leaned in, placing his hand on the piece of paper but not picking it up again. "If there is anything you know about this person, I need to know it."
"You have quite a reputation, Mr. Bannon, but unless you're a policeman, I'm not going to give you private information."
"A name's all I need," Race pressed, feeling his already stretched nerves starting to break. "I'll take care of the rest myself."
However, Mark just shook his head again. "I'm sorry. I can't help you."
Race stood up straight, taking the sketch with him and quickly folding it before shoving it back into his pocket. He said nothing as he left the store, pulling out his cell phone and dialing the compound.
"Benton," he greeted when the doctor answered. "Is Detective Dougan still there with you?"
From the other end of the phone, Benton affirmed he was.
"Send him out to meet me, will you?"
Race relayed his location and hung up, then settled against his car. He dialed one more number and waited until Jonny's bright voice answered. He and Jessie must be enjoying themselves and that took some of the tension off of Race's nerves.
"You coming to meet us already?" Jonny asked, and Race smiled to hear the slight disappointment in the boy's voice.
"No, I just wanted to let you know I'll be taking a little longer than I expected."
"You found something," Jonny guessed.
"I'll fill you in later. Be careful and have fun."
He hung up again, deposited the phone into his pocket and settled in for the wait until Dougan arrived.