Mind of a Fanatic
Chapter 3
Father Dupree sat in his white Bronco and watched his quarry still doing mans' work He shook his head sadly, knowing that it was going to take some doing to save her. He sipped from his water bottle and took another bite of his tuna salad sandwich as he saw her get behind the wheel of the Hummer and pull away. He put his sandwich down, started the engine and followed.
"Hey, Dan," Calleigh said with forced cheerfulness as she entered A.V. "I need a huge favor. Can you track somebody down for me?"
"Isn't that somebody else's department?" Cooper asked, still scanning radio frequencies. "I'm tracking down something for Aaron."
"I know, but Rodriguez is backed up and I really need this is a hurry," Calleigh explained. "It's critical."
Cooper looked up at her and wasn't exactly happy with what he saw behind her clear green eyes. Something was bothering her badly. "Does it have anything to do with the big powwow in Layout this morning?"
Calleigh raised an eyebrow. "You saw that?" Please, please, please don't tell me you saw me freak out.
"Yeah, can't help it; glass walls." Cooper said. He knew what he saw and he also knew that it had upset her somehow by the way she bolted, but he wasn't foolish enough to engage her temper by mentioning it. "Ok, give it to me. If it's that important, I can make some space."
Calleigh handed him the file and took a seat next to him. "Thanks."
Cooper took the file from her and flipped it open, scanning the contents. "Whoa, hey, this isn't even Miami. This is from New Orleans. Are you sure this is the right file?"
"Yes, I'm sure. Cut the commentary and just track, please." Calleigh said far sharper than she intended. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to snap."
"Are you ok?" Cooper asked even more concerned about her than he was when he saw her bolt from Layout that morning.
"I'm fine," she said, her own voice hollow in her ears. "I just need this information as fast as you can get it to me, ok?"
Cooper was unconvinced. He'd heard the old brush off line before. Yeah, if I had a dollar every time I heard that around here, I'd be retired and living like a king in Monaco. "Ok, let's see…..Alright, I see the relevance. Boy, you must have been pretty green."
"I was."
"You want me to track a Catholic priest?" Cooper asked.
"He may be a priest; but he's also a monster and he's in the wind right now." Calleigh said, getting angry. Angry was good. It was better than frightened. "He skipped parole and I will be damned if he goes off and continues his criminal behavior."
"Horatio, we have a problem," Calleigh said, entering his office.
"Calleigh, what is it?" Horatio held up his hand, stopping Frank in mid-sentence; seeing the panic and fear back in her eyes. He glanced at the other man, asking, "Frank, can we continue this later?"
"No, it's alright. He can stay." Calleigh took a few more steps into the office until she stood next to Frank in front of Horatio's desk. She slid the file across to Horatio. "I had Cooper do a hunt for Dupree going back to his last check in with his parole officer; he really dropped off the grid, Horatio. The last thing Cooper found was the purchase of a '92 Ford Bronco, white. I called the dealership and spoke with the guy that sold the car. He said that he sold it to a Father Peters and that the good Father told him that he'd be going to work a mission in Miami. Cooper's tracing the alias right now." She leaned heavily on the desk, suddenly feeling very weak. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision that was threatening to black out. Someone was talking to her, moving closer, but she couldn't hear over the roaring in her ears.
"Frank, catch her, she's going down!" Horatio ordered, alarmed. He rose from his chair as Frank caught her before she slipped too far.
Frank scooped her up in his arms as if she weighed no more than a child. He carried her to the couch and gently laid her on it. "What the hell? Calleigh doesn't act like this. What's got her so flipped out?" he asked, genuine concern for her in his voice. He went to the water cooler in the corner and drew a cupful.
Horatio knelt on the floor at her side and took her hand. "A criminal that she put away a dozen years ago suddenly has been paroled and is coming after her. This Dupree makes Torquemada look like Mister Rogers; not only does he physically torture his victims, but he methodically breaks their minds until they'll do and say anything he wants them to. Calleigh has seen firsthand what this guy can do and is capable of; he's threatened to do it to her, payback for her putting him in a six by six. That file and the information she just told us means that he's going to make good on his threat and he's already here."
"Jesus H. Christ," Frank breathed. "Stupid question; is she going to be ok?"
"I don't know. She's been like this since she got the news," Horatio said, stroking her cheek. "Calleigh, sweetheart, can you hear me?"
Calleigh's eyes fluttered open and she tried to sit up. Horatio held her back with a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Not so fast, sweetheart. Take it easy."
She winced. "My head hurts. What happened?"
"You fainted," Frank said flatly. He was still trying to process the information that he had just learned. He held out the cup of water to her.
Oh great, can I act any weaker? She sat up, accepting the cup."I have never fainted in my entire life."
"Well this is the first day of the rest of your life because you fainted." Frank countered as her cheeks colored in embarrassment.
"Calleigh, you passed out." Horatio sat next to Calleigh trying to give her a sense of comfort from his nearness. "You told us what Cooper was able to find and then you went down."
"Lightest ton of bricks I've caught." Frank supplied, trying to lighten the situation. Calleigh was scaring him badly; he needed her to smile, smack him upside the head, anything.
"Frank," Horatio said warningly, shooting him a look. Calleigh was in an incredibly fragile state and he didn't need Frank making the situation worse. "How do you feel?"
"Thoroughly embarrassed," she replied, hanging her head. She downed the rest of the water. "This just isn't me; you know that. I don't know what to say. I'm sorry."
"No worries. You have nothing to be sorry for. You're keenly aware of what Dupree can do and he's right here in Miami and it looks like he's going to try to make good on his threat. I'd say that you're rightfully scared out of your mind and right now nothing anyone says or does is going to help until the guy is in custody." Horatio regarded her closely. Maybe we should get you away from here. You have relatives in the Midwest, don't you?"
"Horatio, I did not run when Kerner escaped a few years ago and came after me and I will not run now," she said with a hint of her usual bravado. "You know I prefer to stand and fight."
"Calleigh, you're barely holding yourself together now. Need I remind you that Mr. Wolfe is still limping and not five minutes ago, Frank had to keep you from hitting the floor? I'm worried about you." Horatio said, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, needing to get a better view of her face. "You're wound up so tight that I don't know what to do to help you."
"Aw hell, Calleigh, I'm worried about you and I know you can kick my ass on the shooting range any time you want." Frank squatted down in front of her and took her hands. He may tease her unmercifully on ocassion, but he'd always had a tender spot for her in his heart. Call it his Southern Gentleman rearing his head. "I've seen you tackle and cuff criminals. I know you're tough, but this is scaring me, ok?"
She sat, eyes shut, regaining some composure. She appreciated their concern and worry, but wished it wasn't necessary and that she could just get a grip on herself and calm down. She needed them to stand down a bit and give her a chance. She raised her head and opened her eyes. Ok, here comes the bluff of the century. Do not look Horatio in the eyes or he'll see right through it. "I appreciate your concern. I really do, but I'll be alright. I am not leaving. I will not be chased from my home and my adopted city by someone I put behind bars once and can do so again. Just let him slip up once and I will make completely certain that he never knows a moment of freedom again." She stood and straightened her clothing. "I'm going to check with Cooper and see if he's found anything else."
Horatio stood, blocking her way. "You're staying with me tonight, you know that. We'll swing by your place to pick up a few of your things after work. I want to talk tonight. I want you to tell me what's going on in that head of yours."
Calleigh nodded, not meeting his eyes. "Alright." Just the way she wanted to spend the evening …
Dupree sat watching the front entrance to the Miami Dade Crime Lab. As he waited, he prayed: "You suffer in this present life, which is only a dream and a short one at that. Rejoice because your Father God loves you so much and if you put obstacles in his way after this bad dream he will give you a good awakening." He prayed that exact prayer for patience every day of his incarceration and he was always rewarded with a greater measure of patience in the face of frustration. He thumbed his copy of "The Way". It brought him comfort and it was his credo for the way he lived his life.
Those of his order would and had differed in his methods of "saving" others. They conversed, gently pressured and persuaded. For them, a true Christian dealt in compassion and kindness. He abducted, used pain and brainwashed; no method was too extreme in order to bring the wayward sheep back to the flock. Jesus as the Good Shepherd carried the wayward lamb back to the flock on his shoulders after breaking its feet. If you had to break their feet so they couldn't stray again, then so be it. It was precisely for those methods that he had been driven from the Order with a signed document from Pope John Paul II himself. Even the Holy Father didn't understand.
Dupree sat up, coming to complete attention. There she was, exiting the building with a red-haired man. They were talking and he said something to make her laugh. Her laughter was loud enough that Dupree could hear it. Not a demure laugh as befitting a lady, but a loud, brash laugh. He shook his head, deeply disappointed in her. She was wearing a snug fitting black top that had such a low cut that he could see more than was decent. Her black pants fit her every curve and left nothing to the imagination. She walked on high heels. It was nothing a true Christian woman would be wearing for modesty's sake. He realized that he'd have to bring her to Chapel far sooner than he had planned. He waited for the Hummer to pass before pulling out and following them.
Horatio pulled up in front of Calleigh's modest, yet elegant home. She reached for the door handle. "I'll just be a minute."
"Not by yourself Calleigh," Horatio reminded her; he held onto her arm, making her stop. "I thought I made that clear. I know that this is your own home and you're used to doing things for yourself, but I'm not willing to take chances with you. I don't want a single hair on your head harmed by this guy. I'm going with you."
He reached over and stroked her cheek. "Got it?"
She gave him a small smile, "Got it." She was touched beyond words by his deep concern and fierce protectiveness over her. In his presence she felt safe, protected, as if nothing in the world could harm her. I could get far too used to that feeling. I just wish it wasn't because my life is in danger.
She gave him another, far wicked grin. "Well, time's wasting and you promised to cook dinner for me."
He returned it and they got out of the Hummer and walked up the path to her door. It happened like lightening; soft thudding footsteps across her well manicured lawn and then Horatio pitched forward, unconscious, as something hit him from behind.
Calleigh turned as she heard him hit the ground, already drawing her firearm, only to be tackled, something soft covering her nose and mouth.
Her world went black as she lost consciousness.
Father Dupree removed her firearm from her hand, discarded her purse and lifted her in his arms. She was as limp as a rag doll. He hefted her up to get a better hold on her, dropping the chloroformed cloth on the ground as he did so. He carried her to the rear of the Bronco and loaded her inside. He glanced around at the windows of the neighboring homes to see if anyone witnessed his actions. Satisfied that no one had, he closed the rear gate, got in and drove off.