Running with Secrets

Untitled Part 16

"You need to get more time." Were the captains first words as he called the detective's voice mail. "Tell him what he want's to hear and go out and look. Do what you have to do, but be careful. I know it's going to be a big risk, but you have to do this. You must!" The captain sighed. "get back to me when you can." He said, then ended the call.

*****

Kristin was in the shower and Heath and Sally were fixing dinner in the kitchen when Jerry knocked on the door again.

"Are you expecting someone?" Heath asked as he peeked through the peep hole. He looked over at Sally, who was already irritated because she knew it was Jerry by the knock. He had a habit of dropping by at dinner time to ask her out. At least twice a week.

She rolled her eyes and whispered loudly, "open it."

As soon as the locks and doorknobs started turning, Heath was accosted by the man's voice. "Sally, I was wonder---You're not Sally." Said the middle-aged man in the Elvis leisure suit. He looked over Heath's shoulder, and for a chubby man, he was a little taller than Sally had let on. At least as tall as Heath. "Where's Sally? Where's Kristin? Who are you?"

Heath squeezed his eyebrows together, raising one and looking first at the new arrival, then over at Sally.

"I told you last night, Jerry," Sally said, coming to the door, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel, "I do have friends. More than one. Possibly more than two even." She said, looking at Heath, then back to Jerry, who looked deflated. "Jerry, this is Heath. He's another friend of mine. And Kristin's."

Jerry looked Heath over, as though he were an alpha-dog, sneering at some mediocre animal in his territory, then over their shoulders again to see if he could see Kristin. "Where's Kristin? I was hoping to get to know her better." Heath looked back at the kitchen as he rolled his eyes.

"She's indisposed, Jerry. I'll tell her you stopped by." Sally started to close the door on her uninvited guest. "I promise."

He looked past the two in the crack of the door as it got smaller, "you promise?" He asked, hope filling his voice.

"I promise," Sally repeated and closed the door firmly in place. Both of them made no time at all putting all the locks in place as they listened to Jerry's footsteps paddle away. "Your irritation is showing, Heath." she said to her partner.

"So we're friends now?"

"Yeah, but don't tell me that's why your irritated, and she nodded her head at the door. "Jerry has a way with all the occupants in this building, as far as I can tell."

"Huh." He said. "I can honestly say I wouldn't have handled things as well as you just did. You're a pro."

"Yeah, well, remind me to tell Kristin he stopped by." She said, walking back to the kitchen.

"You're serious?" He asked, eyeballing the back of her head. After she didn't say anything he repeated himself, but this time not in a question. "You're serious!"

"Yeah, well, I told him I would and I'm not out detecting, so I have to keep my word right now." She went back to the pizza on the counter. "Just remind me, please."

Heath still stood at the door, with his hand on the knob and just looked at his partner with the most puzzled look, then shook his head as he crossed the twelve steps back into the kitchen.

*****

It was dark when Matther Benson met Steele at the club. They occupied a booth in the corner so either one of them could see who was coming and going and the pendant light above them was more for looks and mood than light. It certainly was foreboding, he thought. "I need to follow my leads, I think I can locate her." He told him.