Amateur Hour

Ted

He thought Liam was one of the last people he wanted to see, right now. His second hope — that Liam hadn’t brought Janice along, as backup, was dashed, when he heard the second car door shut, and Janice appeared at her husband’s elbow.

Once again, he had been caught in his garage sanctuary, pummeling a bag. He was really going to have to get a proper man cave. There were too many guests dropping into this one, for his comfort.

“May we come in?” Liam asked.

“Do I have a choice?” Ted returned.

“Not much of one, no,” Janice said, her face both stern and worried.

“You ratted me out.” The accusation was without surprise, as he met Liam’s mild gaze.

“I took you seriously, and decided I didn’t want to be an accessory, after the fact.”

“Come on in, then. You know where the drinks are, if you want one. Let me get these damned gloves off.” He turned away, to pull at the tab of the first one, with his teeth, not really wanting Janice to witness it. It seemed uncouth, somehow, given the fact that she probably saw him as a potential murderer, now.

When Ted turned back, his uninvited guests were seated, sharing a ‘red’ between them. He opened the fridge, grabbed one, for himself, and plopped down, on the end of his weight bench.

“You play dirty, Liam,” he observed. “You’re aware that Janice has a duty to warn the police, aren’t you? As a psychologist?”

“Whether that occurred to him, or not, you’re aware, Ted. As a psychologist, I have to wonder if that’s not why you told Liam, in the first place. Unconsciously, of course.”

“No. I just forgot to take into account that Liam can’t keep a secret, from you, even for your own good.”

“You put me in a bad position, Ted. I started taking my resentment out, on Janice.”

“I see,” Ted nodded, his face inscrutable. A long silence fell. “You do realize that I’m losing my mind, right?” he asked Janice, finally.

“I realize that you think you are. But, Ted — if Eldridge does have Nina, he’s not going to harm her, or he would have.”

“We don’t know that he hasn’t.”

“There would be nothing in that, for him. Nothing, at all. I think he wants something, from you.”

“He hasn’t contacted me.”

“Maybe he wants you to sweat,” Liam said. “Piling on the dread, seems to be a favorite tactic, of his.”

“That’s true,” Ted allowed. “Another reason, to despise the man. As if I needed one.”

“You could kill him,” Janice said, “but don’t you think that might be too good, for him, and too bad, for you and Nina? Or, you can wreck him, and be on the right side of the law. You might even be able to send him to prison, for the rest of his miserable life.”

“Men like Gordon can buy anything, including judges and juries,” Ted pointed out.

“Maybe. But, Gordon has a reputation to uphold. If he loses any portion of that, he can’t buy it back. Taking Nina was a dangerous, desperate thing to do. There has to be more behind it, than just a desire for you to drop your investigation.”

“I can’t just leave her there, with him, while I wait him out.”

“Of course, you can’t. I’m confident Steph will find her.”

“I wish I had your confidence. All I got from her, today, was financial gobbledygook. In an email. She didn’t even call.”

“Maybe she’s onto more about Nina,” Liam suggested. “She might be chasing that.”

Ted sighed, pressing his cold bottle against the back of his neck. He thought, for a moment about how unwilling he had been, to see either of these people hurt. They had taken some risks and taken some lumps, too. He wasn’t wrong, to be willing to do anything, for Nina — but forcing Janice to choose between remaining silent or reporting him to the authorities was not something that would help Nina, nor would it please her.

“I need proof that she’s alive, and unhurt. If Stephanie can get me that, I’ll let him live. I will destroy him, if it’s the last thing I do, but I’ll let him live.”

“Ted –”

“That’s the best I can do, Janice. If he’s hurt my wife, I’ll send him straight to hell.”

Liam reached over, and squeezed Janice’s hand. “It won’t come to that, Jan,” he assured her. “Send me the financial gobbledygook, why don’t you?” he suggested, turning his gaze back to Ted.

“I will, but, why?”

“I’m betting it’s more about names, than numbers.”

Of course, it was. Ted had been too irritated to do more than glance at it, but he didn’t doubt Liam was right.

“Wonder why she didn’t copy you, as well.”

“Again, maybe she was too busy.”

“It’ll be in your email, by the time you get home. Anything else?”

“One thing. Guy Ramirez wants to know if you think he can leave the school, now. He isn’t sure he can do much more, posing as a student.”

“He probably can’t,” Ted agreed. “To be honest, I haven’t even looked much, at the student files. Have either of you?”

“Tell him your theory, Jan,” Liam said.

***

Janice

“Think we got through, to him?” Liam asked, buckling his seatbelt.

“I hope so. It sounded like he was coming around. Do you think I should call, and let them know we’re coming? Everyone should be up, by now.”

“Go ahead. I just hope someone will be home, today,” he replied, backing out of Ted’s driveway.

Janice dialed. A brief conversation with Toni told them that everyone would be home, this morning, and that they were welcome.

“It’s fun, playing hooky, isn’t it?” Liam grinned over at his wife, when she had ended the call.

“I feel like I can breathe,” Janice agreed.

An incoming text interrupted anything else she might have added.

“It’s from Steph,” she said, touching the screen, to open the message. She was aware of Liam, pulling the car over, but most of her attention was focused on the photos Steph had sent.

“Well?”

Wordlessly, Janice passed him her phone.

“The son-of-a-gun was right,” Liam marveled. “She looks okay, from what I can see.”

“The guy behind her, in the scrubs — I’ve seen him, before,” Janice said.

Liam tapped the picture, and enlarged it. “He works in the infirmary, at New Canaan. He’s one of the ones who tried to stop me, from taking you to the hospital. Thinks he’s intimidating, because of his size.”

“Poor Nina.”

“Honey, she doesn’t look hurt. Here.” He handed the phone back, and put the car in gear again. “Text Steph, and ask how she looks, to her.”

Janice fell to tapping out her message, but before she could finish, another text popped onto the screen. This one was a video clip, not as well focused, because it had been recorded from a cell phone, but it was recognizably Nina, and the sound wasn’t bad. Janice watched, and listened to, a two minute clip of her friend’s flute performance.

“Sounds like she’s certainly breathing,” Liam remarked.

“Steph wants to know whether or not to send these to Ted.”

“What do you think? Should she send them, but be vague about her exact location? Just in case Ted goes all storm-trooper, with no one there, to slow him down?”

“No, I think we should turn around, and be there. He’s not going to take ‘undisclosed location’ for an answer.”

“You’re probably right,” Liam sighed. “Dammit.”

He pulled into a side street, which happened to be a cul-de-sac, and turned around.

“So much for taking the day off, getting out of the neighborhood, and getting stuff done,” he groused.

“I know.” She commenced messaging, again.

*******

Sissy answered the door, and invited them in. “Ted’s in the shower,” she explained.

“You didn’t come all the way back, to say hello,” Hannah observed, setting her knitting aside. “Oh, yes, I know you were here, Liam. Sissy saw your car, outside.”

Janice couldn’t completely hide her amusement. Liam looked so abashed and uncomfortable.

“Blame Jan,” he pitched her neatly under the bus. “She’s the one in charge of keeping me mannerly.”

“I imagine that’s true,” Hannah returned. “Janice, you look like you’re about to burst.”

“I have something to show you.” Janice hurried toward Hannah, pulling up the video, as she walked.

The old woman gasped at the sight of Nina, then watched the whole clip, tears coming to her eyes, and rolling down her face, unchecked.

“When?” was all she could say, when it was over.

“This morning,” Janice smiled. “Probably less than an hour ago, depending on how long it took Steph’s text to arrive. I got it, just a few minutes ago. We turned around, and came right back.”

“I’m glad you did, but I’m sure she sent it to Ted, too. You didn’t have to interrupt what you were doing.”

Janice was saved the need to comment, as Hannah, brushing away tears added:

“She plays pretty well, doesn’t she, for a painter?”

“Very well, I’d say. Is it just me, or was there something a little rebellious about that first song?”

“You bet, there was,” Hannah grinned. “It’s one of mine. I wasn’t a bad player, in my day. Nina always complained that her fingers wouldn’t move fast enough to play that one. She’s been practicing, on the sly.” She glanced at Janice’s phone again, and scrolled up one text message, to the still photos. Tapping on one, and enlarging it, resulted in a another sharp intake of air.

“Hannah? What’s wrong?” Janice asked, kneeling at her elbow, to look at the screen, as well.

“Nothing’s wrong.” She reached over and patted Janice’s hand. “I just know that flute, is all. I was able to carry one away, with me, but I left two, behind. That’s my old Bear Claw flute, Key of E. Never thought I’d see even a picture of it, again. I’m happy Nina found it. Feels like a part of me is with her.”

“I’m sure it feels like that, to her, too. You have a smart phone, Hannah. Why don’t I forward these texts, to you?”

“Bless you, Janice — I’d like that. Do you need my number?”

“I think it’s in my contacts… Yes, here it is.”

“Sit on the sofa, dear, where you’ll be more comfortable. You, too, Liam. Sissy, do we still have coffee?”

“I’ll put some on, if we don’t. Excuse me,” she smiled shyly at their guests, before leaving the room.

“She seems like a sweet girl,” Liam remarked, settling next to Janice.

“She is,” Hannah confirmed. “No one can replace our Nina, but Sissy’s a big help. Not everyone is cut out to mind an old lady, so, I’m very lucky.”

“You should get the texts, any second, now,” Janice said, to Hannah.

“You’ve already gotten back to Steph?” Liam asked, referring to the matter of sending the media to Ted.

“In the car, on the way over.”

“I hope I meet her, someday,” Hannah said. “She must be some investigator.”

“She seems to be,” Liam agreed. “Do you recognize any part of that house, at all, Hannah?”

“No. I never lived anyplace like that. Gordon moved at least once, after I left. Maybe it’ll look familiar to Ted, though.”

Janice could hear two people speaking, in the kitchen. Ted had emerged from his shower, it seemed. A sense of foreboding came over her. The happy news that Nina was well, might be followed by something far less pleasant, for all Ted’s assurances that he wouldn’t harm his father.

He entered with Sissy, carrying five cups on a tray, while she handled the cream and sugar, for those who wanted it.

“Sissy says you have news,” he said, setting the tray on the coffee table, and beginning to hand out cups.

“By now, you’ve gotten the same texts,” Liam said. “But Jan already has hers open.”

Janice blessed the instinct that had guided her to delete Steph’s queries about sending the information to Ted, and handed her phone to him, with a hand that didn’t shake, too much.

“Are you okay?” Ted asked her. He had seen the tremor.

“Just excited. Have a look.”

At the sight of the still picture, Ted sank into the nearest armchair.

“Thank God,” he breathed. “This is recent? Never mind, of course it is.”

“It’s from this morning. There’s more — a video.”

Ted found it, opened it, and played it through, twice. His face was impassive, but his hand gripped the phone, tightly, and there was a marked tension in his body.

It was his hand that shook, when he returned the phone. Janice wondered if it was shaking with rage. She thought it might be.

“What’s to do now?” Sissy dared to ask.

“We wait,” was Ted’s surprising reply. “We wait for a full report from Stephanie. Hopefully, she’ll have some idea of how to get close enough, to spirit Nina away.”

“So, you don’t recognize the place?” Liam asked.

“No. None of that exterior looks familiar. Her warder does, though. Jack Bell. Works in the school infirmary — or he did, anyway.”

“Do you think she’s safe, with him?” Janice asked, despite Liam’s warning look.

“I think so. I don’t like him, much, but I’ve never seen him get physical with anyone, which is more than I can say, for some of them. But, if he gets in my way, it’ll be satisfying, to beat his ass.”

“I wouldn’t mind a piece of him, myself,” Liam remarked. “He tried to interfere with my taking Janice to the hospital.”

“Liam!” Janice objected.

“Consider yourself invited, then,” Ted said. “I’ll let you know, when we ride. I can’t promise you anything, of course. If we can get Nina out of there, with no one the wiser, that’s the way to go.”

“Appreciate it,” Liam nodded.

They drank coffee, in relative quiet, for a while. Janice studied the faces around her. From their expressions, she could only surmise that she was alone in her discomfort with the preceding conversation.

What had suddenly gotten into Liam, she wondered. Hannah, too, appeared to be undisturbed. As for Sissy, she could barely conceal her admiration for her cousin, or for Liam, either.

******

Liam

“So,” Janice opened, when the car doors were both closed, “it’s okay to go hunting for people to beat up, as long as you don’t kill them?”

Liam flashed her a grin. “It’s a guy thing, Honey. I don’t expect you to get it. Besides,” he grew more serious, as he once again backed the Suburban out of the driveway, “it’s all the better that I be with Ted, when he goes to get Nina. Did you see him, when he was watching the video? He’s no less angry now, than he was, before.”

“I had hoped it would calm him down a little,” Jan sighed. “Then, there you go, egging him on!”

“I think it did calm him down, in a way. He’s less terrified, and more rational, just… still furious. He can’t do a thing, right now, though. Why don’t you call the Georgia folks again; tell them we got sidetracked, but we’re on our way.”

If he’d egged Ted on, he hadn’t meant to, Liam reflected. It was just that Jack Bell had a face that begged to be punched, and an attitude, to match. Had it really only been a couple of weeks, since the incident happened? It felt like yesterday, and a the same time, as though months had passed.

Liam spared Janice a glance, while her attention was on her phone. She was no longer pale, but she did look tired and had lost a good bit of weight. He hoped her appetite would improve, now that she had evidence that Nina was more or less all right.

*******

“You’re welcome to use the boat, of course,” Tuck told him. “Only thing is, I’m not sure my liability insurance would cover you.”

“I was kind of hoping to borrow you, along with the boat.”

“When will you need it, and me?” Tuck asked, scratching at the new growth of whiskers, on his jaw.

“I’m not sure, yet,” Liam admitted.

“Something tells me you’re not going fishing.”

“I’m not. I need the boat to help another kid —”

Tuck held up a hand.

“Stop. I don’t want to know. What you want to do, is talk to Will. He’s insured; even has a certificate from Boater Education. He can drive the thing, for you.”

“All right.”

“You understand why I can’t be involved, right? I’m already up to my eyeballs, if someone drops a dime about Rob.”

“I understand.”

“Now, don’t look like that. You really are welcome to the boat, Liam. I support what you’re trying to do — I just have to cover my own ass. Will, though — he’s been known to borrow things from me, without my knowledge,” Tuck grinned. “Naturally, I don’t report them stolen, because the prime suspect is my son-in-law.” He clapped Liam lightly on the shoulder. “Come on, let’s get some lunch.”

They strolled away from the boat, on its trailer.

“How did you ever get used to the itching?” Tuck demanded, scratching at his face, again.

“It goes away, in a week or two. Try some lotion. Did you grow that, while you were camping?”

“I forgot my razor. I wasn’t the only one, either. We were a scruffy looking bunch, by day three. I was going to shave it off, but your sister likes it.”

Liam chuckled. “I knew it. She only laughs at my beard, because it’s on my face.”

A brief talk with Will, after lunch, put Liam’s mind to rest about the issue of the boat. Will was only too happy to stand by, and wait to be called for duty.

“You’re not worried about the gators?” Liam asked.

“Not very. They rarely go after a boat, and they’re kinda lazy, during the day. If we snatch everyone on board, and scoot out of there, we shouldn’t have any trouble.”

*******

Ted

When Liam and Janice had (finally) taken their leave, Ted excused himself, and stepped out onto the patio, to sip another coffee, and think, while he stared absently at Nina’s studio.

So, the old man hadn’t moved.

This wasn’t too surprising, he guessed, given that Gordon had already been firmly settled, when Ted, at ten, had been ordered to go to live with him, once more. He still remembered the layout of the house, unless much had changed on the interior.

It was impossible to get any nearer to the place than Stephanie had — obviously, she had been filming, photographing, and observing from the wooded acreage that belonged to Gordon, but went unused. The woods served only as a natural barrier, on three sides. There was no rear approach to the house; no gate in the chain link fence.

He supposed he could cut through the fence. No one would hear him, within the house. Dogs weren’t a factor, because Gordon didn’t like them.

The more he mulled it over in his mind, the less he liked the sneak thief approach, however. Even if he were able to evade the host of cameras that he knew would be everywhere, it galled him to think that it was the kind of method Gordon would employ.

Ted grunted a humorless laugh. He’d spent the better part of his life, not being his father’s son. It was too late to change that, now.