Searching for Secrets (22 page)

Behind him, the store manager coughed lightly. Kirk faced him and nodded. He wasn't much older than Kirk, but there were dark circles under his eyes and his clothes looked as if they were straight from the rack of a thrift shop. If he owned the place, he was probably there at least two shifts every day. Kirk walked toward him and slapped the magazine on the counter. "Good story," he said.

The manager nodded but said nothing. Kirk glanced at the security mirror behind and above the manager's head. Freddy was about to enter the store.

"Forgot my milk," Kirk said, and walked to the back of the small store. He could only hope Freddy's tastes ran to the soda fountain at the front of the store. The door jingled.

"Hey, Mack," Freddy said as he walked to the glass-encased warmer that held rotating hot dogs. "I need some nourishment."

From his vantage point behind a display of potato and corn chips, Kirk watched Freddy put mustard on his hot dog and took a bit as he grabbed a cup and filled it with soda. "I guess I'll cut the plastic they tied them with and stuff 'em in."

No risk of any great inventions coming from that mind, Kirk thought.

"What you need them boxes for, anyway?" the manager asked.

"Helping a friend do some packing." Freddy handed the man a bill and waited for his change. "Be glad when it's done so I can take a little break."

"Break?" The manager nearly snorted his response. "Much as you're in here, looks to me like you got a pretty easy job."

Freddy flashed the man a broad smile. "Things are not always as they seem. Not always as they seem." He dropped his change in the glass jar that asked for donations for a children's charity. "I'll see you in a couple weeks."

"Nice long break." The manager stared after Freddy as he left.

Kirk knew Freddy hadn't had time to load the boxes in the car, so he took his time going back to the front of the store. He grabbed a small box of cookies along with the milk. Might as well make it a nutritious lunch.

CHRISTA DIDN'T WANT FREDDY to be able to recognize her. Wadding it under the beret hid her long auburn hair, but it had been a lot harder to hide her cast. She had finally settled on buying the coat she had seen in the mall store window only a few days earlier. Not only was it something Freddy might not recognize, she needed a new one, thanks to her night on the dirt floor.

Christa had been on the small bench near Mr. Watkins' store for nearly an hour. Every few minutes she took a short stroll, but she never strayed far. She wanted her suspicions to be wrong. After all, Freddy didn't seem the type to play computer games or trade stocks electronically. Why would he have reason to know Mr. Watkins?

On the other hand, Mr. Watkins could have called Freddy or an accomplice while Christa waited in the store. It would have been so easy to let him know she had the pink bag, and for Freddy to steal it in the garage just a short time later. Or for him to get Freddy to come to the mall the day she bought the new computer. Mr. Watkins had, after all, used the phone while she was in the store.

Christa stared into the small computer store and watched its owner spray the glass on a display counter and deftly wipe away whatever offending fingerprints he found there. It made her sad to think that the avuncular Mr. Watkins might somehow be involved with Fast Freddy. You must be wrong about it. On the other hand, right now he was her only possible link to finding Freddy and stopping what she assumed to be his major drug delivery. Half of her wanted her hunch to be right.

Her stomach growled. Lunchtime had come and gone, but she didn't want to risk leaving the store's vicinity. Instead, she walked to the small cookie counter and ordered a double chocolate chip cookie. Food for the soul, she thought, smiling to herself as she settled back on the bench. She brushed a crumb off her new burgundy coat. It was warm in the mall, and she longed to take it off.

As she tossed her napkin in the nearby trash can, Christa thought she recognized the flowing leather coat coming toward her. Definitely Fast Freddy Chambers. She picked up the real estate advertising booklet she had grabbed from the vending box just outside the mall. Anything to look busy.

Without slowing his pace, Freddy walked into the store and nodded abruptly to Mr. Watkins. Christa thought the man she had considered a friend looked nervous as he followed Freddy to the back corner of the store. Feeling almost nauseous, Christa stood. She could only hope she would have more luck reaching Kirk this time. If not, she would ask for Mark Hadley. She should have done that earlier.

Freddy had her cell phone, and the pay phones were just around the corner from Mr. Watkins' store. Christa half-ran to get to them. There was only time for the briefest of calls. She couldn't risk losing sight of Freddy.

Christa reached into her pocket and pulled out change for the call. She grabbed at the receiver so hard that it fell off the hook. All the better; she couldn't easily hold it in her left hand while she pushed the buttons with her right. As she began to dial the police station, the hand came from behind her and depressed the phone button, cutting off her call.

"LOOKING FOR ME?" Kirk asked.

"Kirk!"

He had never expected Christa Heckertt to look so glad to see him, and certainly did not expect her to throw herself into his arms. Wordlessly he held her, tightening his grip as she clung to him harder. Gently, he pulled the beret from her head and let her hair tumble onto her shoulders.

Christa pulled back slightly. "I've been calling you ever since I got away from them."

Her hair smelled faintly of strawberries, which he took to be her shampoo. He took a deep breath, more aware of the warmth and softness of her body with every passing second. "Got away from whom?" he asked, suddenly realizing what she had said.

"Oh my gosh, come on." Christa extended her good hand and grabbed for him. "Freddy's with Mr. Watkins. We have to get them." She tugged on Kirk's sleeve.

"Whoa. Wait a minute." Kirk thought quickly. He'd been tailing Freddy, she'd been watching Mr. Watkins' store apparently. Kirk had assumed when Freddy walked into the computer store that the drug dealer was buying something else he needed for his big delivery.

"What are you saying?" He looked into Christa's eyes and saw the fear, but mixed with it was a more familiar emotion--her classic determination.

Christa pulled harder on his sleeve. "Freddy tied me up and locked me in the cellar. The old farmhouse cellar. I had time to think." She yanked harder. "Come on."

Kirk tried to focus on what he had to do rather than his rage at Freddy. "We need to keep them in sight, but it's too early to tip our hand," he said. He nodded in the direction of Watkins store. "Have you talked to Mr. Watkins?"

She shook her head. "No. I've tried to stay inconspicuous." She picked up her beret from the floor and put it on. "And my coat is new. They won't recognize it."

"All right." Much as he hated to let her more than an arm's length away, Kirk knew she was far less likely to be noticed. Certainly, Freddy wouldn't expect to see her if he left her in the dank cellar. He pulled up her beret and began to stuff her hair back into it.

"Thanks," Christa said. "It took me ten minutes to do that."

"Go back to that bench I saw you on. I'll stand right here, where I can see you." He thought for a moment. "If Freddy's still in the store, adjust your beret."

"And if he's not?" she asked, studying him closely.

"Start walking back this way. I'll move ahead of you, because I know where he's parked, and I want to keep following him. If you don't get to me before I pull away, get to the police station and tell Hadley what you know."

Christa's eyes narrowed. "Wait for me, Reynolds." She turned abruptly and walked the couple hundred yards back toward the store.

Kirk smiled to himself. Christa was back to her insistent self. He almost welcomed it. He looked at her as she glanced into the computer store. She looked again, and he felt a sinking feeling. Freddy must have left. On her third look, Christa's shoulders straightened and her hand went to the beret.

Hot damn. Christa resumed her seat, sitting on the edge of the bench with her left shoulder facing the store. Smart move. They wouldn't be able to see much of her face.

Kirk stepped back into the small alcove that housed the pay phones and bathrooms. He wanted to get Hadley and let him know Freddy took Christa. Now they would have the kind of hard evidence needed to justify assigning enough officers to tail Freddy; and maybe Watkins. However the older man fit into it.

The desk sergeant said Hadley had just gone out and he would send Hadley a text message to call Kirk. As he hung up, he looked at the battery indicator for the third time that day. Damn low, and his charger had been in his truck. He’d been so preoccupied he’d forgotten to buy another one.

Just then, Christa stood and walked over to the metal railing to look down onto the level of stores below her. A moment later, Freddy walked out of the store. Kirk felt a brief wave of panic. If Freddy walked toward the phones and restrooms, the only place Kirk could hide was the ladies' room. But, the fast-walking drug dealer moved toward the exit. Kirk swore softly to himself and moved out of the alcove.

As he followed Freddy he could hear the rapidly approaching footsteps behind him. Christa was not about to be left out of this.

Freddy's car was parked on the street near the mall, but Kirk's car was behind his. Kirk could not get to it until Freddy had already pulled into traffic. That would give the drug dealer a good head start. They had arrived at the mall entrance, and Kirk extended his arm so Christa would stay slightly behind him. "He's going to drive by here any second."

Christa stretched to look around him. "Why do we have to wait?"

"Because I left the sign that announced our presence in the men's room." Kirk gave her a quick look, trying hard to mask his smile.

"I'm sure we could write a note on my cast and wave it," she replied.

That surprised him. Maybe she did have a sense of humor. Freddy's sports car roared past them. "Come on!" Without bothering to hold the heavy glass door for her, Kirk ran to the rental car.

CHRISTA BANGED ON the window on the passenger side of the car. There was no way Kirk was chasing after Freddy without her. "Let me in, Reynolds."

Kirk pushed the unlock button as he put the car in gear. "Hold tight."

Christa struggled with the seat belt, inwardly cursing the clumsy cast. She turned her attention to the road in front of her in time to see Freddy drive across the bridge that carried them over the Iowa River and past the large power plant. "Any notion where he's going?"

"Not a clue. Did you see anything at Watkins' store that gives you any ideas?"

She frowned. "I should have watched longer. When I saw Freddy start to talk to Mr. Watkins I ran for the phone."

Freddy turned right onto Riverside Drive. Was it only last weekend that she had sped along this road to retrieve Amy from the kidnappers? It seemed like half a lifetime ago. Christa stole a sideways glance at Kirk. Despite everything going on, she still wanted to know who the young woman was. Later.

"Damn it, move!" Kirk's gaze was fixed on the tan station wagon in front of them. Christa could see that if its driver didn't speed up they wouldn't make the light.

The driver put his brakes on and came to a rolling halt at the traffic light. Freddy's car turned left, skirting the City Park. "Now, what?" she asked.

Kirk's response was to throw the car in reverse. He backed up rapidly and then threw the car into gear and lurched around the stopped station wagon. "Now we hope we haven't lost him."

But, it appeared they had. "Turn down there." Christa pointed toward a tree-shaded street where she judged the houses backed into the park.

Christa peered into the back yards as they drove along the quiet street. "Maybe there's a carport behind a house." Her scrutiny turned to a ranch style house, painted in the ever-more-popular chocolate brown with dark green trim. "The garage door is going up."

"Get down!" Kirk's voice was hard and low.

Christa noted the car approach them as she leaned forward, and she saw Kirk rub his hand across his forehead, under the rim of his baseball cap. "Did he go in the garage?"

"Yeah." Kirk slowed the car. "You can sit back up. He's letting the door down."

"Can we get out and look in some windows?" Christa could imagine Freddy peering into her home. She looked forward to the chance to encroach on his privacy.

Kirk's smile was grim. "First, I want to find Hadley." He parked the car four houses down from the neat ranch house that Freddy had just entered. "My cell phone’s dead. But I've got my badge. Somebody here will let me call from their place."

"I'll watch the house." Christa saw Kirk knock on two doors without finding anyone home before she realized that she had not looked at the brown house for more than two minutes. Some surveillance person you are, she thought to herself. She didn't think she'd missed anything.

"Did you get him?" she asked as Kirk slid back into the car.

"No, but I put a message in his voice mail and told the desk sergeant to find him and tell him to listen to it ASAP. If I ask for formal back-up they'll come sirens blaring and it'll spook him." Kirk's fingers drummed on the steering wheel.

"Good point? Is that all you can say?" He had not asked her many details of her captivity. Maybe he didn't care. "Why were you tailing Freddy, anyway?"