Midnight Caller - By Diane Burke Page 0,39
What can you tell me about them?”
Erin found the even tone in his voice soothing and his calmness contagious.
“Carol got some prank calls just about the same time I started getting them and changed her number. They stopped for a while. But recently they started up again. Worse this time. He started whispering terrible things. She got upset and reported them to the police.”
Tony took a small notepad out of his pocket. “Anything else?”
“She started getting weird, disgusting gifts. Rotten fruit, dead bugs, creepy stuff. She reported all of it and although the cops seemed concerned, there didn’t seem to be much they could do about it.” Erin stared at him. “Please tell me you don’t think this has anything to do with her disappearance.”
“I’m not sure of anything right now. I’m just trying to cover all the angles.” He scribbled in his pad. “Can you think of anyone that might want to hurt Carol? Anyone mad at her? Holding a grudge?”
“Of course not.” Erin thought for a moment and then said, “Except…This is silly. It couldn’t possibly have anything to do with Carol’s disappearance.”
Tony encouraged her with a smile. “Why don’t you tell me anyway? You never know what might be helpful.”
Erin fidgeted with her hands. “Carol didn’t get along with Lenny, one of the lab technicians at the hospital. Truthfully, she was uncharacteristically harsh with the man. She believed he was the one making the calls.”
Tony held his pen over the notepad. “Do you have a last name for Lenny?”
“Richards. But Lenny couldn’t have had anything to do with this. He’s…well, a little odd…a loner…doesn’t seem to know how to make friends. But I can’t believe he’d ever hurt anyone. I never did believe he made those calls.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know.” Erin shrugged. “Female intuition? Lenny’s like an ugly old dog that gets kicked around a lot. He licks his wounds, growls sometimes but he doesn’t bite back.”
Tony tucked the notebook back in his suit pocket and stood.
Erin’s throat muscles tightened. She forced herself to speak. “Do you think the calls have something to do with Carol’s disappearance?”
He shrugged. “It’s just a piece of the puzzle. Probably nothing. Your calls stopped, didn’t they?”
She hesitated.
“Erin?” Tony impaled her with his eyes.
“I’ve been getting them again for the past few days.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
She winced at the anger evident in his expression. “You’ve been busy with the case you’re working on. I filed a formal complaint. I just didn’t get around to mentioning it to you. I guess I just hoped they’d go away.”
Tony sighed heavily. “Erin, I need you to tell me everything. I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s going on.”
“You think these calls are significant, don’t you? What aren’t you telling me?” She pinned him with her eyes and wouldn’t let him look away.
“All of the victims in the case I’m investigating received similar calls. Carol got calls and she’s missing. That’s a strong enough coincidence not to disregard anything.”
Erin ducked her head. Her stomach somersaulted and a wave of dizziness threatened to drop her.
Tony gently kneaded her shoulders. “I have to get back to work. Are you going to be all right?”
“Sure.” She took comfort in his tenderness and concern.
“Erin, right now I need you to do what I ask. No arguments. No debates. Do you think you can do that?”
She nodded.
“Let your answering machine screen all your calls. And if you hear from Carol, call me immediately. You know how to reach me 24/7. You have my home, work and cell numbers. Use them.” He tilted her chin. “Keep the house locked both day and night. And don’t go anywhere alone.” He trailed his index finger down her cheek. “Promise?”
“I promise.”
“Now walk me out and lock the door behind me.” When he reached the door, she called his name and he looked back. The tears she’d been fighting flowed in silent rivulets down her cheeks. “Bring Carol home, Tony. Please. Bring her home.”
TEN
Sergeant Greene slammed his hand on the table. “I’m not letting this lunatic get away with it again.” He paced the front of the room. “Marino, when did this woman go missing?”
“She was last seen seven-thirty Sunday night.”
The sergeant wrote the time on the board in the front of the room. “She’s been missing less than thirty-two hours. He doesn’t kill them right away. This one may still be alive.”
“What do we know about her?” He poised his marker over the board.
“Same age range.” Spence consulted his notes. “Walks out