MISSING
Chapter 10
"How sure are we about this?" Frank looked at the address Calleigh had given him.
"About ninety-nine per cent, according to Dave Benton. But it's an apartment block. We can't get the actual apartment."
"Look, I know your guy's good, but…"
"He says that there's a new app that lets you pinpoint a cell phone that's transmitting. It's more accurate than the old cell tower triangulation thing. I trust him, Frank. Our Mr Rosso let the phone ring before it switched to voicemail. It was enough."
"We need to know the exact apartment. If the perp gets alarmed, the boy's at risk. 'Specially as we know that grabbing him wasn't the original plan…"
"Let me see if I can find the landlord and get a list of tenants."
"Okay. I'll get back to Mr Robbins. But interrupt me if you get anywhere."
Lee Robbins' story was short and far from sweet. In a casual conversation over a drink, he had moaned to his friend about his wife divorcing him.
"I said, 'I wish the bitch was dead', and Bob said he was sure it could be arranged. That was the start of it."
"Why didn't you just let her divorce you and be done with it?" Frank asked. "Marriages fail. It happens."
"Because they said she'd keep the house, and the kid, who she wouldn't let me see. And I'd have to pay child support! It just wasn't manageable. How was I supposed to live?"
"People manage, pal. They get second jobs. They don't resort to murder."
"I just kept thinking about what Bob had said. Next time I saw him, we talked some more… Anyway, he said he knew someone who'd do it for five grand, and he wanted two grand for himself."
"So you… er… raised the money."
"I realised I could easily steal it, and if I could replace it within a few days, they'd never catch me."
"How did you intend to replace it?"
"The company Hannah worked for – they insure their employees… Life insurance… Only fifty thousand dollars, but doubled if the death is the result of a crime." He smiled. "So it was perfect."
"Not the word I'd choose," Frank murmured sourly. "Go on…"
"I'd keep the house and the boy. And I could replace that old car…" Lee Robbins sounded quite wistful. "It should have been simple. But they screwed everything up." He looked at the detective. "That's it, really."
Frank looked up as Calleigh tapped on the door and beckoned to him. He went out, closing the door behind him.
"I think I've got the apartment number," she said. She showed him a list of names. "Look – Gordon McKenzie – number ten. 'Mac', do you think? It's the only one it could be…"
Frank nodded. He gestured at the interrogation room. "Be glad to get away from him for a while. I haven't got the stomach for it. You know, it was all about money? Not even that much money."
He pushed the door open again. "Take him back to lock-up. We'll carry on later."
Eric was sitting beside a sleeping Horatio, reading a magazine, when his cell phone bleeped. He pulled it out of his pocket. Guiltily – they were banned in ICU – he looked at the caller ID.
"Cal, I'll have to call you back. These aren't allowed in ICU."
"Call me later. Just wanted to tell you we've got the boy – safe and well."
"Oh, that's great! I'll call you…" He rang off and pushed the phone quickly out of sight.
Horatio stirred, and rubbed his eyes. He smiled sleepily. "You don't need to stay, you know."
"I know. H, they've got the boy. They've got Timmy."
"He's okay? Oh, thank God…" His smile grew warmer. "Thank God… Did they get the perps?"
"I don't know any details. I'll have to go and phone Calleigh. Do you want me to?"
"No, I can wait… It was only that I made a promise to Timmy. A promise I broke."
"Horatio, what more could you have done? You nearly died, brother."
"Through my own stupidity."
"Please don't start beating yourself up about it," Eric said, gripping his arm. "Things happen."
"Don't they just." He closed his eyes for a few moments. "Have you seen my nurse?"
"Do you feel worse?"
"Nope." He opened his eyes. "I was wondering if I could get something to eat."
That afternoon, Horatio was moved off ICU. He was predicted to make a full recovery, but meanwhile, his dizziness and double-vision were still severe. They said it would take time, but as yet he couldn't walk unaided. Also, couldn't read or watch TV. So he slept.
Eric returned to the lab, and caught up with Calleigh.
"Sorry I couldn't talk – no phones in ICU… He's off ICU now. They say he'll be okay."
"No lasting damage? Thank goodness for that. How long…?"
"Not as long as he should, no doubt. The concussion's stopping him doing anything at the moment. But he's not going to die, and he's getting short-tempered about being laid up, so I came back. Tell me what's happened with the case."
Calleigh recounted how they had raided the apartment. It had been a pitch-perfect operation. Taken by surprise, Rosso and McKenzie had been apprehended without a shot being fired, even as they recovered Horatio's gun.
"And the boy?"
"He's okay. Well, physically. He's got to be pretty traumatised. They're checking him out. I've got to interview him tomorrow." She smiled ruefully. "It's one of the many times I wish Horatio was here. He's so good with kids."
"So are you, Cal. What'll happen to him? Foster home?"
"Unless there's a suitable aunt or grandparent… One of the things I have to find out. I'm not looking forward to it."
"Did he actually see his mother killed?"
"I don't know. After we got him, he went straight to Child Services… Poor kid..."
He got a further update when he went to see Frank.
"Well, I've finished with Robbins. He's being charged with conspiracy to commit murder. Less than he deserves, but he did give a full confession." The detective looked bemused. "I don't think he had any idea how dirty this would get… He's not the sharpest blade in the toolbox. He just saw a scenario that got rid of a troublesome wife. Would that it was that simple!"
"Did he know about Horatio?"
"I'm pretty sure he didn't. He only knows a car got wrecked… Their Durango. Nothing about the Hummer or Horatio. He told me Timmy muttered something like 'What about the cop?' but that McKenzie told him to shut up. He assumed he was talking about the cop that chased them…"
"What are they like? The perps?"
"Rosso's a whiny 'it-wasn't-my-fault' asshole. You know the type. McKenzie's older. A thug. Hardly a brain cell between them. I'm interviewing tomorrow. You can sit in, if you want."
"I would, but it's Calleigh's case… Since I went AWOL."
"She'll be busy with the boy."
"In that case, I will."
TBC