Touchdown (18 page)

Chapter 19

“Hi Troy,” the receptionist and another lady greeted him in unison as he entered the building.

“Hi, darlings,” he replied. “Is Jeremy upstairs?”

“He’s waiting for you,” the receptionist replied. “By the way, I’ve wagered five hundred bucks for your team.”

He stopped and looked at her. It was amazing that this young lady, a New Yorker, actually bet for his team. “You’re a Pats fan, huh?”

“Not really. Just one of Troy Myer’s fans.”

He smiled. “Thank you.”

“I used to be one of your fans, too,” the other lady said. “But since you’re already married, I’ve switched to my second favorite.”

“Mason Wayne,” he guessed positively.

“Right,” the lady replied. “But I only bet a hundred bucks for the Jets. I’ve got a feeling this season’s not for them.”

“That’s flattering, but Mason wouldn’t be happy to hear that from you.”

The ladies laughed.

“See you later, darlings,” he said and headed for the elevator. Just as he was about to enter Jeremy’s office, a middle-aged woman walked out of the door.

He stepped aside and watched the woman leave. She was probably a client of his friend.

“Congratulations,” Jeremy said as Troy entered the door. He was at his desk, waiting. “So it’s Jets versus Pats again for the championship. I’ve got five thousand dollars in hand, but I still can’t decide which team could give me a profit.”

Troy sat on the chair in front of the desk. “Bet on my team. You’ll get your profit.”

“I bet on your team last season but you lost. You cost me eight thousand bucks. I’ve got to earn it back.”

“That’s why there’s a better chance that my team will win this season, because we lost last year. We can’t be beaten by the same team twice, not especially by the Jets.”

“Why should I believe that when you’ve played at your worst the last two games? Sorry man, but you don’t deserve the credit. Dobson’s the real hero.”

Troy sighed. So Jeremy noticed it too.

It was true he had not been in his best recently. It was all because of Kirk’s hard work and skill that led them to this upcoming championship game.

“I’m going through a difficult situation,” Troy confessed.

“I know,” Jeremy nodded. “That’s why I cannot count on you for a sure profit.”

“You can count on Kirk. He’ll be the star of the team.”

“No, Troy. I don’t think Kirk is enough if you will play against the Jets. That team is built for speed. What the Pats need is a good passer, not a runner.”

Troy sighed and rested his hands on top of the desk. That was exactly what Logan had told him. His team would have to rely on his passes if they were to play against a team of speed demons. That was if he could pull himself back into the game.

“I’ve got a great team.”

“Troy, your team worked so hard for months. Don’t let them down now like you’ve done last season. Give them this championship. They all deserve it.”

Troy was quiet for a long moment, pondering about what his friend just said. It was true. His team’s lost last season was his fault. He couldn’t make a good pass. A touchdown pass was their only way to score against the Jets, so it would all be up to him as the Patriots’ starting quarterback.

“Alright,” Troy sighed. “Then perhaps you could give me some good news about my case to kick-start my butt.”

Grinning, Jeremy opened his drawer and tossed a pile of papers on the desk. “These are all from the private investigators.”

“Just tell me about it. I don’t have all day to go through them.”

Jeremy spread the papers across the desk and pulled out one. “It seems we now have a clue as to where Zoey has gone.”

A bright light suddenly shone before Troy. “Really?” he asked enthusiastically.

“Look at this.” Jeremy turned the paper around so Troy could see it.

Troy peered closely at the black and white image on the paper. It was Zoey’s car. “Where did they get this?”

“CCTV in a gasoline station. Guess where?”

“Philadelphia?” he replied, because it was at the border of Philadelphia where she had emptied her bank account.

“Uh-uh,” Jeremy shook his head. “You won’t believe this. It’s Cleveland.”

Troy chuckled. “Smart bitch,” he uttered. He had to admit it, Zoey’s got a brain. She could have known they’d be tracing her movement through her bank transaction, so she tried to mislead them by making it appear that she was heading south while she actually headed west.

Smart as she was, it was not enough to outwit the veteran investigators he had hired to search her whereabouts.

“Did they get her address?”

Jeremy shook his head. “This was all they got, but one of the PI is now in Cleveland. There’s no guarantee though that she was somewhere there.”

“She never used her credit card?”

“She’s not stupid, Troy? As you’ve said, she’s a smart bitch.”

Troy laughed deeply. He couldn’t believe that woman had managed to keep evading him for one week. But he had an idea. “She couldn’t just do that. The court and the social worker denied her petition to move Bessie to Massachusetts. It means she has no permission to take Bessie to any other state either. She’s breaking the law.”

Jeremy frowned. “Is that so?”

“The court told her to keep Bessie in New York until the end of the school year, and while they search for Bessie’s biological mother.”

“Well.” Jeremy grinned. “In that case, why don’t we search for her biological mother instead?”

“What for?”

“Because she is the little girl’s mother. It’s been barely a year since she abandoned her daughter. The court may still recognize her parental right.”

“So what will she do? Charge Zoey for kidnapping?”

“Not to that extent. But trust me, she can help us find your wife easier.”

“I don’t want Zoey arrested or whatever.”

“No, she won’t. Let’s just make her ineligible to remain a guardian. You’re after the little girl, right? The biological mother might be of help to you.”

“What about the baby?”

“That is the more difficult thing.”

“Why so?”

“Troy, your baby-making contract is void. She didn’t even sign it.”

“I know that. What I mean is… we’re still married. I have a right over that baby.”

“She is the mother. The law always puts a child under the custody of a mother, as long as she meets the requirements.”

“But she has no job. She cannot support the baby on her own.”

“She can always find a job. She’s got a degree.”

“She’s pregnant. Who will hire a pregnant woman?”

“And while she’s pregnant, you cannot get custody over the baby just yet. You have to wait for the baby to be born. But once the baby is born, she can start looking for work. Got that?”

Troy was speechless for a couple of seconds, and then he nodded. “Alright. So how do I make her ineligible to care for the baby?”

“I’m not really sure about that. The thing here is, she has the aces in her hands. She can make you ineligible instead.”

“Really?”

“Troy, she could tell the court that she was in distress when she agreed to marry you. That was evident. She was crippled. She lost her job. Anybody will easily believe her story, especially so that you’ve got a motive. That would be tantamount to
force
. Your marriage could be annulled, and you, my friend, can kiss your custody goodbye.”

“She won’t do that.”

“For now, she won’t. But if you try to take away the baby from her, I guarantee you, she wouldn’t back down without a bloody fight.”

Troy sighed. Considering Zoey’s personality, that would certainly happen. “So what do you suggest?”

Jeremy shrugged. “I’ve no idea either.”

“We can make Bessie’s mother, or the social worker, do the dirty job for us, can’t we? The police can intervene, as well.”

Jeremy chuckled. “Troy Myers, you’re one hell of a devil.”

“I want that baby, Jeremy. I’ll do whatever it takes to get it.”

“You will get your baby, of course. That’s for sure. You have the money. You have the influence. What can an ordinary, unemployed woman do against you? But I’m warning you, Troy. There could be legal consequences. Notwithstanding the fact that you could totally ruin your marriage.”

Troy sighed. His marriage was already ruined anyway. “I just want the baby. That’s all.”

*****

“Shit,” Zoey uttered as she looked through the peephole. It was a police officer. It had been barely a week since she and Bessie settled in this apartment here in Dayton. She had done all precautions she could. She never used her credit card. She did not take a plane or a train due to the possibility that Troy might trace her whereabouts. She withdrew money at the border of Pennsylvania hoping to mislead them. But despite her best efforts, they’ve managed to find her.

She should have followed her instinct to go further down to Louisville, but too late for that.

“Is that Troy?” Bessie, who was running from the kitchen, asked.

Zoey hinted Bessie to keep quiet. “Go eat your breakfast.”

Bessie did not say anything more and returned to the kitchen.

Zoey cleared her throat before she opened the door. She must not show her nervousness.

“Oh, hello, Officer,” she greeted, acting surprised to see a six-foot, broad-shouldered man in uniform standing at her doorway. “What can I help you with?”

“Good morning, Ma’am. I’m Sean Daniels. Are you Zoey Myers?”

“Zoey Graham.”

“But you’re married to Troy Myers?”

She bit on her lower lip. Even if she wanted to lie, it would be useless. “Yes, but we’re on the process of divorce.”

Sean nodded and opened the folder in his hands. “Your husband has reported you missing since last week. Did you not tell him where you’re going?”

“Oh.” She forced out a laugh. “We had a fight. I did not tell him where I’m going, but I left him a note to let him know that I’m leaving him.”

Sean flipped to the next page. “Is a child named Bessie Tucker with you?”

“Yes,” she nodded. “I’m her guardian.”

“Did you ask permission from the social services to move her to Ohio?”

She swallowed. That was the reason why she had to sneak out at night. “I didn’t know I needed their permission,” she lied.

Sean looked at her face. His expression was blank. She couldn’t tell if he just saw through her lies or what. “Would you come to the station with me? There are a few things that you have to answer.”

She glanced in the direction of the kitchen. “I have a child—”

“Please take her along.”

She quickly nodded. “Okay,” she said and turned around to get Bessie.

She sucked in a deep breath to calm herself down. She knew it. She’d be in trouble for this. She could only hope that the law wouldn’t be too harsh on her.

*****

“What?!” Zoey exclaimed, her voice echoing around the interrogation room.

The nerve of Beth to state in her affidavit that she only temporarily left Bessie in Zoey’s care while she looked for a job.

“She’s a liar,” Zoey continued. “She abandoned her daughter and ran away with my ex-boyfriend. That’s what she did.”

Sean’s face remained placid. He looked like a robot incapable of any emotions. “Regardless if this is true or not, the fact is the guardianship given to you is not yet final. Your capability to care for a child is still under consideration.”

“I moved Bessie out of New York without permission. I confess to that. But I have my reasons.”

“And as a result, you pulled her out of her school. Now, the mother has appeared demanding that she be given a visitation right. But since you’ve moved all the way here in Dayton, she is deprived of her right to see her child.”

She chuckled. “That bitch is the reason why Troy Myers hit me. I was chasing her across the road so she could see her daughter. She saw me, but she ran away from me. And now she invokes her right to visit? Fuck her.”

Sean cleared his throat. Finally, she saw a reaction from him. He looked shocked. “Mrs. Myers, I don’t encourage dirty words in my premises.”

Her jaw dropped. What a weird man. Was he a missionary or something?

She sighed. “Sorry. I’m just upset. And please, call me Miss Graham.”

“Alright, Miss Graham it is. There’s a court order demanding that you return the child to New York immediately. You have the option to do it voluntarily or the Dayton police will have to escort you back by force.”

Alarmed, her eyes widened. “I’ll do it voluntarily. But they won’t take her away from me, would they?”

“That’s why you have to return her so the court can evaluate who among the interested parties is best suitable to be her guardian.”