Capturing Hearts - Faleena Hopkins Page 0,43
Margaret. They were having an affair, she’s the only one he might have called.” It’s a long shot, but as I dial our agency’s C.F.O., time stops. When I hear her sleepy voice pick up, I ask her if she’s heard from Tommy, informing her abruptly that he’s escaped prison.
“What? Brendan, is this a joke?”
“Margaret, I don’t have time to fuck around. I know you were having an affair. Are you hiding Tommy?”
Silence, then, “Brendan, I can assure you, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” The way she said that indicates Joe is next to her and having been woken up, is now listening.
“Has he called you? Have you seen him?”
“No! I have not!”
“He’s taken my wife, Margaret. Annie’s gone. Her employee is gone, too. He’s done something to them!”
Silence again. “Oh my God.”
“Do you know where he is?” I demand. “If you’re covering for him, it’s accessory to kidnapping and…and your life will be over! I will personally see to that!”
“No! I promise you. I really don’t! Oh, Brendan! I’m so sorry!”
“Fuck!” I yell, pacing as Bobby talks to the cops in the background.
Margaret cries out, “If I hear anything, I will tell you. I’m serious. I will. Understand?”
I nod, raking my hand through my hair. After a second of searching for what to do, I hang up as Bobby lowers his phone.
“They’re on their way here,” he says, helplessly looking at me.
“I’m going to kill him with my bare hands, Bobby. I’m going to fucking tear him apart.” I cover my face and start to sob. Bobby walks over and lays an arm around me.
“I’ll help you,” he mutters.
When the cops arrive, I tell them everything I know. Bobby stays with me, calling his employees and having them close up his bar for him. The Sergeant who took care of our case last time doesn’t come but I’m assured he’ll be notified and will be in contact with me. When they leave, I watch, not knowing what I’m supposed to do with myself now. It’s after 4:00 a.m. now. Officially Christmas Day.
Bobby offers to give me a ride home. I lock up, aware of the irony that I have the keys for Le Barré but not for her car, when I needed it. Walking to his car in silence, I climb in and set my wife’s purse and phone on my lap, staring out the windshield at the pre-dawn darkness. The fog is everywhere and I picture her being taken somewhere in it, knowing from now on, she will hate fog for the rest of her life. And so will I.
He turns the car on and the radio sounds through the speakers, the earlier recorded message repeating. “The manhunt is still underway. The last person to escape San Quentin was in September of 2000 when a sex offender used blankets to cover the barbed wire fence.”
“Turn it off,” I mumble. Bobby reaches over and pushes the button. “What am I going to do if I lose her?” Bobby doesn’t answer. “I won’t survive, Bobby. I know I won’t.”
“She’s coming back, B-man. I don’t know how, but she has to, right?” Pulling up in front of our building, he stops and watches me get out. “You want me to come up?” I shake my head. “Call me when you find out anything.”
I close the door and walk up the steps with the sound of his car driving away, behind me. Looking to my car, I stare at it, wondering at the timing. Walking to it with quick, angry strides, I open the hood and look inside. I don’t know much about engines, but this hose is supposed to be connected to something. Motherfucker. He tampered with my car first! He was here.
Pulling out my phone, I call my best friend. With the three-hour time difference, he picks up at just after seven o’clock in the morning, more awake that I’d expect.
“Hey! Finally! I’ve been trying to get ahold of you,” he whispers, Nicole asleep beside him.
“Mark. He took her. Annie’s gone. Tommy kidnapped her tonight. I didn’t get your messages. I didn’t hear the news. I fell asleep and wasn’t there to pick her up.”
“Brendan,” he tries to interrupt, hearing the pain in my voice.
I choke, “He followed her to her car last night. We didn’t know it was him. She thought it was a robber. Bobby saved her and no one saw him. But he came back! We all thought he was a robber, Mark! I