Hunter's Moon.htm (40 page)

I heard Babs's voice from the kitchen. "Put it on pause for a second, Linda." Ah. It was a tape of a broadcast. I could watch it later.

I stepped back into the room with Sue, but heard Babs walk across the room and sit down. I glanced out briefly just as Linda hit the play button again, but then my eye caught the photo of a man and woman on the small box behind the anchor. I knew them from somewhere.

"We have just received in our offices a box which contained one of our Channel 7 video cameras. The whereabouts of the news crew who were in possession of this camera are still unknown. The footage that we are about to show you is very graphic in nature. We recommend that small children and those with limited tolerance to violence leave the room." The same wording was repeated at the bottom of the screen in type— I guess for the hearing impaired.

The picture changed to show a petite blonde woman with a microphone in a scene I recognized. I felt my heart in my throat.

The woman on the screen spoke. "This is Cindy Sigala with 7 News. We're here at the old airport where new development will soon transform this desolate scene into one of activity and progress." She motioned with her hand. "Several local construction companies unveiled plans today for a new factory outlet mall that will provide hundreds of new jobs for the area and give a needed economic boost to the region." Suddenly a scream sounded in the background and I felt panic tighten my chest. It was Sue.

"Shit!" I meant to say it soft but it came out loud. The girls started and turned toward me. The picture stopped as Linda hit the pause. The image of Sue, half out of the van with Leo gripping her hair froze on the screen and flickered.

Linda looked embarrassed. "Oh God! Tony. I'm sorry. I didn't know you were there."

"What's this?" I pointed at the screen.

Babs spoke as well as she could. Her mouth was still a mess. '"Armine put it together from the news coverage." I vaguely remembered the news crew; the sun glinting off the camera lens. It was just fragments of memory.

Betty was instantly beside me. I hadn't heard her move. "It's understandable if you don't want to watch this, Tony. If it's too soon just say so."

I didn't look at Betty. My eyes were glued on the screen. The look on Sue's face was part fear and part pain. It was suddenly hard to breathe. Could I go through this again? I glanced backwards at Sue's still form on the bed. Maybe there was a clue, something I'm forgetting that might help. No. I had to do this.

"Run the tape," I said in a flat voice. Betty watched me. Hell, everyone watched me. Betty glanced at John. He pursed his lips and then nodded. Betty must have agreed because she stepped back and gave me room.

Linda turned back toward the set but glanced over her shoulder at me more than once. She pointed the remote and pressed a button. Sound returned: wind and fast breathing.

The cameraman turned to the scream automatically. The reporter, quick on her feet, continued to report as though it was rehearsed.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she said with a hushed voice. "We are apparently on the scene of an attempted kidnapping. David, are you getting this? A black van has just pulled into the airport and a woman is being forcibly removed from it. She is obviously being moved against her will. Wait! Two men are opening doors on one of the hangers and a Boeing cargo plane is exiting. Can you get a close-up on that, David? Can you see anyone's face?"

The camera's view moved in closer and I watched again Sue's abduction— this time from a third person point of view.

"All of the men appear to have guns," said Cindy's disembodied voice. The scene played out just as it happened.

"The woman looks familiar; she might be a celebrity. One man appears to be the leader. He seems to be letting the woman go free. Okay, she's running now. Wait! Somehow he caught up to her. In fact he passed her by and caught her. He seems to be toying with her. Oh, God! He's slapped her to the ground!"

My eyes narrowed. Leo deserved everything he got.

This was about where I came in. Everybody in the room was glued to the screen, including myself.

"Now he's dragging her toward a small metal building. None of the men are doing anything except loading the plane. David, do you have your cell phone on you? We need to call this in to the police!"

I arrived in the picture in wolf form just then. I nearly knocked the cameraman over. Oops.

I'd only seen myself once before, on the video Babs made. I have mostly grey fur with a white star on my nose and a black and white neck ruff and tail. Pretty traditional markings. I must have run right by the news crew and not even noticed. Of course, I was a little preoccupied.

"What was that?" asked David.

"It looks like a dog. He's running right for the man with the girl!"

"All right! Attadog! Look at him go after the bad guy! Wow, that must have hurt. Think it's a police dog?"

Linda and Babs were echoing the cheers.

"Must be," agreed Cindy who had pretty much given up on reporting. "It's sure big enough. Oooh, look. There's another dog now!"

"That's a dog?"

I watched myself fight from a different angle. I felt my body move in reaction to the visual from the video and I split my attention between the images in my mind and the screen.

You fought wonderfully, I thought to myself.

Hold it. When did I start talking to myself in third person? I glanced sharply at Sue who was still inert on the bed.

Sue? I asked in my mind. There was no response.

"C'mon, big guy," muttered David. It brought my attention back to the video. He zoomed in on the dog fight. "Get the bad dog." Somehow they had picked sides and decided that Leo was the bad dog. Pretty astute of them.

"Look at that!" Cindy's voice was thick with horror. "They shot the woman! That man with the sandy hair. Oh my God!"

Time stopped. There was a buzzing in my ears. I watched the bullet spin her around for the second time. Watched her fall to the sand once again. A shudder passed through me.

"That was right through the heart," said David, appalled. "She'll never make it."

"Did you get that?" Cindy's blonde hair was in the edge of the picture now. "That black guy shot the second dog! Now they're shooting at him. He shot the sandy-haired man with the gun! Now he's taken a bullet. My God! This is a bloodbath!"

"Look at the dog." David didn't turn the camera to me and Sue. He knew where the bread and butter was. "He's going to the girl. Must have been her pet. They're both hurt pretty bad."

A pause."— Cin, they'll never be able to use this on the air."

Bobby was the only one still standing when the bullets stopped. Suddenly he turned and looked right at the camera.

"Uh, oh," said David, moving the camera from his eye. The view turned sideways and most of the heads in the room moved with it unconsciously. It's instinct. "We've been spotted! Take off, Cindy. I'll hide the camera. We can come back for— " The picture went dead. There was a pause.

I wonder what Bobby did with the crew. I'd ask but I didn't really care.

The picture returned to the News Center. Erin was speaking again.

"That was the scene earlier today. Police arrived at the scene based on a tip from an unknown source. Perhaps the same source that returned our camera. Police have been unable to locate any bodies at the scene. Both the black van and the cargo plane have disappeared. However, 7 NewsCenter has learned the identities of several of the participants."

The screen behind the desk flashed a publicity still of Sue when she won the lottery. I smiled at the excited look on her face but then glanced again at her still form. Sadness won and the smile faded.

Then the screen split and showed a close-up from the video. "The woman apparently killed in a kidnap attempt was Susan Quentin. We profiled Ms. Quentin after she won the $268 Million Lotto jackpot last year. Her family has been unavailable for comment but we have learned that Ms. Quentin's sister, Bekki Meyers, reported her abduction from the Southside Mall parking lot earlier today."

Another picture flashed. This time of Leo. It was a mug shot. One front, one side, with a number on his chest. "The man first involved that later disappeared is known to Las Vegas authorities as Leopold Scapolo, AKA 'Lucky Leo'".

He was? I never heard that one.

"He has been indicted on multiple counts of money laundering and racketeering. He is also suspected of being involved in the abduction and murder of several Las Vegas showgirls."

Next a fuzzy picture of me flashed. It was an older photo but I didn't know from where. "This man is known to local authorities as Tony Giodone. Sources at the police department have indicated that they believe this name is an alias." Good guess.

"Mr. Giodone recently had a warrant issued for his arrest for first degree murder."

Yeah, well, they would still have to prove it. Frankly it didn't matter anymore. Bobby warned me that if I didn't change careers, he'd be visiting me again, and it wouldn't be a social call. Guess I was going to be the one to bend after all.

Happiness suffused through me. Damned if I knew why.

Erin continued, "We spoke with Detective Robert Sommers of the Fourth Precinct Homicide Division." Bob appeared on the screen, live from the airport. He looks even worse on television.

"Detective, do you believe that we will ever find any of the bodies seen on the video?"

"Well, Erin," he said, "we've had forensic crews out at the airport since we received the tip about the shootings. There is definitely some evidence that matches the video. We have put out an APB for the van and have requested air traffic control to advise us of any radar anomalies during this time. If they're out there we'll find them."

"But will you find any bodies?"

He shook his head and shrugged at the same time. "I doubt that those who survived would carry the bodies with them. We plan to use infrared spotting from our helicopter as soon as the sun goes down. We believe if they're buried nearby we'll find them." If there had been anything to find that might work. I knew what Bobby did with the bodies. They won't be found. Bobby slept in the jungle for the first couple of days on the island because of that meal.

The screen went blue just then. "Okay, this is where we spliced it," said Linda. "Hold on."

The picture started and it was Erin again. New outfit, same hair.

"This is Erin Stewart. We're live at the Glendale Funeral Home where a memorial service is being held for kidnap victim Susan Quentin. We have been requested to remain outside during the service out of courtesy for the mourners. It appears that the service is just now ending and people are beginning to exit."

"They already had a memorial service?" I asked. "Sort of rushing it, aren't they?" I was abruptly angry at the callousness and the greed.

Blackened coffee filled the room. It emanating from Linda. "You don't know the half of it, sweetie. Watch and learn."

Erin moved forward quickly, forcing the cameraman to double step to keep up. She approached a young woman wearing black. Her eyes were red and swollen. Hey, it's Lee.

Wait. Lee who?

From where I used to work. The friend that I stayed with that night. Nice to know she missed me.

What?! Sue? I asked in my head. Are you there? I ignored the video and turned and walked back into the bedroom. Sue was still out. There was no movement. But when I touched her… tiny fingers of electricity. Faint as a dream.

Tony? said a voice in my head but then disappeared. I called again; nothing. Was I imagining it?

Immediately Betty was beside me. Power crackled from her and boiled over the top of me, and I began to understand why she was a big dog.

"Talk to me, Tony. What's happening?" She placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. She smelled concerned and curious.

"She was here. Just now. But she's gone again." I shook my head, fighting to think.

Intelligence burned behind Betty's hazel eyes, "The video," she said slowly. "Keep watching. Maybe it's breaking through."

I understood what she meant.

I strode back into the front room, crossing in front of Linda and Babs. They both suddenly smelled afraid. I ignored the grumble from my stomach at the succulent scent. I haven't been eating well lately.

I took the remote from Linda and hit the rewind button while it was still playing. I backed up the tape to the point where Lee came on screen. I sat down beside Linda on the sofa, my entire focus on the screen.

"Excuse me, Miss?" said Erin. "Were you a friend of Susan Quentin?"

"Suzi," she replied, which made Erin repeat, "Excuse me?"

"Her name was Suzi, not Susan. It was her given name. But she liked to be called 'Sue'."

"So you were a friend?"

Lee nodded. "I like to think so. We were real close a few years back but we sort of drifted after she won the Lotto."

Warm fuzzies ran through me. They were mingled with sorrow. I called to Sue again. No response. I knew it was her. It had to be.

"Stopped seeing all her old friends, huh?" prodded Erin. "Money went to her head?"

Lee look appalled. "Oh, god, no! Not Sue. Not ever!" She leaned close to Erin, who lowered the mike to chest level. Lee apparently forgot that she was on film, "It was that family of hers! Her mother just took over her life! Once her mom moved in, Sue couldn't even breathe without asking permission… and her sister! The money-grubbing witch! God, I could tell you stories!"

Erin's pretty brown eyes lit up and she tipped the microphone toward Lee. "Feel free."

Lee must have noticed the camera. She suddenly got shy. "No, no. This isn't the day for it. I'd better keep my mouth shut." Then she moved hurriedly into the crowd.

Erin picked a new target. Bekki was moving from the main crowd of family and heading toward the waiting black limos. She was wearing a designer black outfit and wore a small pillbox hat with a veil. She didn't look sad at all. Big surprise.

There was surprise in my mind at the cynicism.

Another search. Nope. Still nothing.

"Excuse me? Mrs. Meyers? You're Bekki Meyers, right? Sue's sister?" Erin poked the microphone directly in Bekki's path. No problem. I didn't feel any guilt at all for that.