Thin Ice 6 - Hangman & Socrates (11 page)

“
Tell me more about this,” Roderick told him pushing the electric potato peeler across the counter.

“
Hey, don’t steal nothing, I’m watching you,” Wheezer told Lauren looking over the counter at her. “If you want girl products, they’re in the back on the last counter,” he added as she nodded and wandered off.

Lauren had been trained well. Something was wrong and Wheezer was giving her warning. Lauren wandered toward the back making sure she was out of the mystery man’s line of sight and silently slipped inside Wheezer’s back room. Lying on his desk were her ID and new Social Security card. Grabbing them she quickly exited the office walking directly into Roderick, who grabbed her arm and held her tightly.

“
I’m not here to hurt you Lauren,” he told her as she regarded him.

“
What did you do to Wheezer,” she asked not seeing or hearing the older man.

“
Nothing, he’s fine,” Roderick replied.

Truthfully he’d knocked him unconscious when he tried to stop him from coming toward the back.

“
Please don’t make this hard,” Roderick began again. “I just want to take you your Aunt, she’s worried sick,” he tried, hoping it would make her more cooperative.

Roderick had read the reports and he knew he was dealing with no ordinary teenager. Lauren scoffed at the remark.

“
My aunt, yeah right,” she replied irritably. “She hasn’t worried about me for years, she let them put me in a foster home,” she replied angrily.

“
No Lauren, that’s not true,” Roderick began again as the small bell rang signaling someone had walked inside the store.

Seeing her opportunity she took it. Lauren began to scream at the top of her lungs for help. Fortunately the group that entered the store was three young, strong, militant brothers who immediately came to her aid, jumping Roderick and allowing Lauren a chance to escape. She ran quickly to the front counter and checked on Wheezer who was just sitting up and rubbing his head.

“
Run Lauren, run,” he told her hoarsely as the three young men came running around the corner as well after Roderick finally produced a badge and gun.

Lauren never saw that part. She was already down the block turning the corner blending into darkness when Roderick finally stumbled out of the door gun still in hand. The police arrived ten minutes later. Wheezer endured the police protected beating by Roderick for thirty minutes until he finally broke and told them about Blue.

10

Roderick wasn’t wasting any time. He jumped into his car and immediately headed to the address the police provided for Jason White, known on the streets as Blue. He pounded the steering wheel in frustration.

“
Dammit, had her in my hands,” he groused aloud of Lauren.

Please let her be at this damn house and let us take her in without incident,
he thought as the police car followed closely behind. They didn’t use lights or sirens trying to maintain an element of surprise. He quickly found a space to slip into arriving on the street mentioned and seeing the older brick building with the matching numbers. The cruiser parked not far from him as both officers got out and walked up to Roderick.

“
One of you take the back in case anyone tries to come out that way,” he told the two officers as they nodded and the one closer to Roderick’s age and experience took the back, leaving him and the less seasoned officer to the front entrance.

“
Look, this girl looks like a normal teenager, but she’s not,” Roderick warned the officer as they began making their way to the buildings entrance.

“
If she feels cornered or threatened she will kill you, no questions, no remorse,” he added as the officer visibly blanched before shaking his head yes he understood.

They had just made their way to the sixth floor, one below Blue’s apartment when the officer’s radio crackled to life.

“
Jason White spotted, he’s entering the building now,” the other partner informed them.

“
Is she with him,” Roderick asked as the officer relayed his question.

“
Negative, only the subject,” was the instant reply.

“
Shit,” Roderick cursed under his breath.

He hoped that meant Lauren was already in the apartment. He quickly told the officer to come on as they hurried up the last flight of stairs.

“
Stop, stay here a second,” Roderick told him as they cracked the door and saw Blue getting off the elevator.

“
I don’t want him to see your uniform yet,” he explained as the officer shook his head and allowed Roderick to leave the stairwell and fall in step behind Blue.

Roderick stealthily gained ground on Blue until the man suddenly stopped, having dropped a package of lunch meat from his bag.

“
Excuse me,” Roderick offered, almost bumping into him.

Blue gave him a look but said nothing as he retrieved his meat and continued to his apartment. He put his key in the lock and opened the door just as Roderick shoved him hard and he fell into the apartment. The officer accompanying Roderick quickly ran down the hallway and inside the apartment, gun trained right on Blue who had regained his footing and was glaring at Roderick.

*****

Blue’s mind was racing.
Please don’t let them be here for Lauren,
he thought still holding Roderick’s gaze as Chicago’s finest held him at gunpoint.

“
Where is she,” Roderick barked angrily.

Blue gave him a dumb look and remained silent.

“
Fuck it,” Roderick returned charging through the apartment, kicking open doors and turning the apartment upside down.

He returned moments later with the note, putting it right in Blue’s face.

“
Where the hell is she Blue, I’m not in the mood to play games,” he told him again through gritted teeth.

Blue quickly read the note, telling him thanks for letting her spend the night last night and she would get in touch with him soon. He knew then she was gone and the pain he felt from the revelation almost brought him to tears.
She must have known, somebody must have tipped her off,
he continued to mull silently as Roderick paced angrily.

“
I know she told you something,” he began anew as Blue continued to say nothing.

He couldn’t if he wanted too; the lump of hurt in his throat was just too great. Calming himself, Roderick tried a new tactic.

“
Look, I know you care about her,” he told Blue amiably. “But Lauren needs your help, she needs stability and treatment,” Roderick tried.

Blue wasn’t hearing a word the man was saying. His entire mind kept hearing the goodbye in Lauren’s note. The other officer joined them and they began going over the apartment once again looking for any trace of Lauren or anything illegal so they could hold Blue. They found neither.

“
Are you arresting me,” Blue finally asked.

As much as he wanted to hold him, Roderick had nothing.

“
No,” he told him, defeated. “Look, don’t keep playing this game with her life,” he added hoping he was getting through to Blue. “If she comes back, or contacts you, call me,” Roderick added, laying his card on the small entry table.

Blue said nothing as they all left his apartment and he locked the door behind them. He picked up the note again, reading it thoroughly this time. ‘Blue, thanks for letting me spend the night. I’ll hafta repay you one day.’ It began. ‘I ate the last of your chopped ham, sorry. I promise to get in touch one day when I get settled. Love Lauren.’ It ended.

Blue walked into the kitchen and pulled out the refrigerator. As he knew from the clue in her note about the lunch meat, the large manila envelope was taped to the back. Inside were the gun he owned, the dope he hadn’t moved yet, and some cash that Lauren had obviously left him. There was also a second letter that told him the truth of her leaving and that she loved him too much to put him in harm’s way. ‘We just weren’t meant to be Blue, and I can’t stay here in his shadow anymore,’ it told him. He didn’t realize the tear had fallen until he felt it on his cheek. He wiped it quickly away not wanting to admit the helplessness he carried at the moment. Lauren was gone. His mind kept resonating it again and again as his heart became heavier and heavier. Blue couldn’t let it end like this. He loved her completely and wanted to be with her no matter where she went.
How are you going to find her,
his mind questioned as he put the refrigerator back in place and took a beer from it. He needed to get out and hit the streets, ask some questions but it was too hot right now with the police obviously still looking for her; first thing in the morning though he was on it. He would start with her old house, praying she went there for refuge.

“
I gotta find you Lauren, shit girl, I gotta find you,” Blue murmured as he lay down and pulled her pillow into his arms inhaling her scent and forcing himself into a troubled, dream riddled sleep.

*****

Lauren sat in the seat right behind the driver. It gave her the ability to see who got on and off as well as the highway as they travelled. Deciding it was safer and less easy to track her by highway, she decided to take the bus instead of a train or flight. Finally exhaling she thought back on the events of the night, praying that Blue was all right and would forgive her for hurting him. After running into the man tonight who was obviously a policeman, Lauren couldn’t stay with him anymore. She knew Wheezer wasn’t a tough guy and it wouldn’t take long for him to crack and tell what he knew. She’d only told him about Blue because he wanted to be assured she had a roof over her head and was safe. Lauren fought the tears that wanted to come when she thought about Blue. She cared far more for him that she would readily admit, but now was not the time to be selfish. His life was on the line. If they had found her there with him, they would have immediately arrested him and sent him back to jail for the rest of his five year sentence.
You’ve got to put him out of your mind,
her common sense told her. Still her heart wasn’t going to let go that easily. The bus pulled into a rest stop and most of the passengers disembarked. Lauren saw the payphone and contemplated calling Blue.

“
You might wanna stretch your legs miss,” the driver said kindly.

He was an older black man, distinguished with far too many worry lines etched into his worn brown skin.

“
Thanks, I will,” she replied politely as he nodded and climbed off the bus leaving her alone.

Taking a deep breath Lauren rose, book bag in tow, and walked over to the payphone. She dropped the coins in and dialed. The phone seemed to ring for an eternity before it finally connected.

“
Hello,” he spoke sleepily into the receiver.

Lauren said nothing.

“
Hello,” Blue spoke once more, sitting up in bed now, fully alert. “Lauren, baby, say something, I know it’s you,” he told her as she began to cry silently. “Please baby, where are you, I’ll come get you,” Blue pleaded.

“
Blue,” she managed softly between the tears.

“
Yeah baby, it’s okay, where you at Lauren,” he continued to cajole.

“
I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” she told him, finding some strength now.

“
I’m not all right Lauren, I want you back,” he told her. “Tell me where you are, I’ll come with you, I’ll come live with you,” he pleaded now.

“
No Blue, you stay there and stay out of trouble, get off probation,” Lauren told him preparing to disconnect now. “I’m okay and I got your address, I promise to let you know I’m settled someplace,” she lied.

Lauren knew she could never let him know where she was. She had to make a clean break. Calling him had been a mistake of the heart, one she promised herself to never make again. Without another word she hung up and walked back to the bus, drying her eyes and shutting down as Lauren Cisneros ceased to exist and Kaitlyn Ross was reborn.

*****

Roderick was shocked to see Hope waiting for him when he arrived at his apartment.

“
Hey, what are you doing here,” he greeted as she hugged him back and smiled slightly, saying nothing more.

He opened the door and invited her inside as Hope readily accepted and walked inside.

“
Have you been waiting long,” he asked as she replied she hadn’t.

“
I really need to shower, do you mind,” he asked as she smiled and told him to go ahead.

Roderick left her in his living room as he headed to the bathroom and his shower. Hope waited until she was sure he was under the spray before rising and walking into his bedroom. She began to quietly go through his drawers looking for any personal papers he kept. She’d been doing some thinking and came to the conclusion that Roderick was seeing someone else. There were too many excuses; too many disappearing acts, too many things that just didn’t add up. Stopping and listening for him, she heard the spray still running full stream as she made her way to the nightstand on his side of the bed.

Carefully opening the drawer she gasped seeing the gun in the holster. Frowning slightly Hope pushed it out of the way to reveal the billfold beneath it. She opened it finding a badge and DEA credentials.