Hitman's Creed - 28

 

"Why did you want me back here?" Mary asked. "I thought you wanted me somewhere safe." She looked both puzzled and afraid as she huddled in the corner of Glenn's sofa.

"We do, and after thinking more about it I decided that your father probably does know about Harv. It would explain why he decided Miriam and Joey are here."

"It was 'cause of the coffee place," Mary said.

"Oh?" Glenn cocked an eyebrow.

She chewed her lip as her eyes flicked from person to person. "He said that their stupidity in calling it 'M and J's' was their undoing. He said it took him some time to figure that out but when he did he knew this was where they were."

Joey grimaced. "And that's how you knew where to call to find me?"

"Umm hmm. I looked in the phone book at the pay phone at the gas station."

Joey stared at her. "Then you already knew you were close when you called because it wouldn't have been listed in a phone book in any other city."

"I… I was…" Her eyes dropped down to her lap as she twisted her hands together.

Joey's mother, who was seated at the other end of the sofa, slid over beside Mary. She took hold of her hands, gripping them when the girl tried to pull away. "He let you go, didn't he?"

"No!" Mary shook her head wildly. "I escaped when he… he…"

"Mary," Glenn said grimly, "you won't be free of him if you don't tell us the truth."

"I am telling the truth. I got away and found that gas station and… and found the coffee place in the phone book and called."

"Glenn's right, Mary, without our help he'll take you again when he's finished with us," Joey told her. "Do you really think he'll let you go if you're a witness to his killing us?"

"He promised…" Mary clamped her mouth tightly shut when she realized what she'd just said.

"Mary," Joey's mother said softly, "we understand that you believe he'll let you go, Steven can be very manipulative. I should know, I lived with him in spite of how he treated me. But he's lying; he has no intention of letting you go. He thinks he owns you. Is that what you want, to spend the rest of your life being his personal punching bag and plaything?"

"No," Mary whispered.

"I didn't think so. So please, please, tell us how he's going to use you to find us. If you do then we can stop him."

"What if you can't?" Hope and doubt played across Mary's face.

"We can," Glenn told her adamantly. "I know what I'm doing. I just have to know how to find him."

"He'll come here if she tells him we're here," Joey pointed out.

"I want to get to him before that happens." When Joey frowned and seemed ready to protest, Glenn glared at him. "Don't argue with me. I'm the expert here, not you."

Joey glared back. "Now just a second here, I have some training. It is what I'm studying."

"Schoolbook knowledge means shit right now. I'm not going to let him get within miles of this place if I can help it." Glenn turned his attention to Mary. "How are you supposed to get in contact with him?"

She ran her hands through her already tangled hair. "I'm supposed to sneak one of their phones and call him."

"I don't suppose you know where he's gone to ground around here."

"No. He said that was none of my business when I… when I asked him."

Glenn nodded. "All right. I need a few minutes to get some equipment. Joey, if you'll come with me. Miriam, your phone please. Mary, what's the number you're calling?"

Hitman's Creed - 27

 

"I should have gone with them; I have things I have to do at home," Joey's mother said as she watched Harv's car pull down the lane.

"Absolutely not," Glenn told her firmly. "Even though your house is as safe as I could make it, if he doesn't want to be up close and personal and if he has a decent gun he could shoot you through one of the windows."

"So we're not really all that protected after all," she replied with a worried glance at Joey.

"You're safe from him getting into the house, which he did when he beat then shot Miss Nye. I think he likes proving that he has control over the situation that way. However if he finds that he can't get inside I have no doubts that he'll come up with another solution to his 'problem'. And he is going to be furious that Mary managed to escape his clutches."

"Do you think he suspects she got in touch with us?" Joey asked.

"Let's put it this way, he's not a stupid man. He managed to avoid capture for the last seven years, even after he took Mary prisoner. Given how close to here they were when she got away he'll probably at least consider that she might try to find you all."

Joey nodded slowly then frowned as he thought of something. "Isn't it a bit odd that she wasn't able to get away from him until they were almost here? Maybe," his frown deepened, "maybe he let her go. Maybe he's brainwashed her so badly that even though she's free she's still under his control. If he thought that mom would take her in then he'd have a way to get into the house with no problem."

"You're going to make a good cop one day," Glenn replied a bit wryly. "That never even occurred to me."

"I can't believe that child would do such a thing," Joey's mother stated, but her tone of voice said she wasn't all that certain.

"She is young, and vulnerable and obviously terrified," Joey pointed out, "the perfect subject for someone like father to manipulate."

"We have to warn Harv!" She looked panicked as she took her phone from her purse.

"Allow me," Glenn said, holding out his hand for the phone. She hesitated then gave it to him once she had dialed the number. As soon as Harv answered, Glenn told him what they were thinking then said Harv should bring Mary back.

Joey listened to Glenn and when he'd hung up said, "She could let him in here as easily as at our place."

Glenn smiled tightly. "She could if we don't keep a good eye on her, which we will. If that's his scenario then she must have some way to communicate with him so he'll know that she's with you two. Ergo, you all are going to remain here, at least for the next twenty-four hours. We might as well make things as easy as possible for him. Or at least he'll think it's going to be easy."

"And if it isn't the scenario? If she actually did manage to get away from him on her own?" Joey asked.

"Then we all get a good night's sleep, and come up with a plan in the morning," Glenn replied with a brief smile.

Hitman's Creed - 26

 

"He just took me. I was walking home from school, sort of slow 'cause I'd had a fight with my foster mother." Mary smiled weakly. "Well that's not quite true, I wasn't going home. I went to the park. I was going to sit there and make her worry. This man came up and I didn't recognize him at first. He told me he was a cop and that my foster mom had sent him to find me. I was pissed but…" She shrugged. "You don't argue with a cop. We got to his car and no one was around and he opened the door and pushed me in and told me to be quiet or he'd kill me like he killed mama and I was scared he would 'cause then I knew it was him and he jumped in and… and…" She scrubbed away a tear from her cheek. "And then I was… he kept me…" She began to cry. Joey's mother immediately wrapped her arms around her and held her until she stopped.

Once she had, Glenn came over to kneel in front of her. "He kept you prisoner I take it."

"Yes. We traveled around," she whispered. "We would stay at motels and if he left he would tie me to the bed like a dog. He told me if I tried to escape he would find me again and that… that what he had done so far would seem like child's play." A shudder ran through her thin frame. "I knew he meant it."

Glenn nodded. "Why did you finally decide to run from him?"

She dropped her eyes to stare at his feet. "He… he forced me… He said I was legal now and his and…"

"Legal," Joey whispered under his breath as he remembered his first meeting with Glenn and their using that word. "The bastard," he said aloud, angrily.

"No question about that," his mother agreed with equal fervor. "Glenn, we need to find her a safe place to stay until we catch… the bastard."

"She can stay with me and the family," Harv said. "Julia would mother her to death but I don't think you'd mind that, would you, Mary?"

Mary lifted her eyes to look at him. "Do you mean that?"

"Yes, of course. You'd be safe enough because he wouldn't have any reason to think you were there. Besides," Harv chuckled as he glanced at Glenn, "the police chief lives two doors down from me so the neighborhood is very safe."

"Of course he does," Glenn muttered. "It probably would be the best place for her for the moment."

"Then that's settled," Joey's mother said, giving Mary a hug.

"It is, but I need to get more information from her before we disband." Glenn stood again, rubbing his knees. "I'm getting too old to kneel like that for so long."

Joey snorted softly but kept his peace. When Glenn shot him a look, he smiled back innocently. Glenn shook his head before he began quizzing Mary about the make and model of Fairburn's car, what the man looked like now, and for any other details she could give them that might help them find him. Finally satisfied that she'd told him everything she knew, he suggested that Harv take her back to his house.

Hitman's Creed - 25

 

Glenn watched with admiration as Joey's mother took over without hesitation. She introduced herself to Mary while she carefully put one arm around the girl's shoulders. When she said something that was obviously meant for Mary's ears only the girl nodded as she replied.

"Glenn," Joey's mother said as she turned to him, "it might be more comfortable inside, if you don't mind."

"Mom," Joey muttered.

"Well it would be." She walked toward the back porch with her arm now around Mary's waist as she urged her forward.

Glenn had the door open by the time they got there. Soon they were all ensconced in the living room, Miriam on the sofa with Mary, and Joey and Harv in chairs. Glenn stood by the fireplace with his hands behind his back. It took him a moment to realize that Mary was shivering and not just from nerves. She wore only a thin shirt and worn jeans.

"Joey, would you go upstairs and get my robe off the hook on the back of the door, please."

Joey looked at him in surprise and jumped to his feet. He was halfway up the stairs when he turned to look at Glenn.

"First door on the right," Glenn told him with a small grin.

"Thanks." Joey disappeared. He returned a minute later with a heavy wool robe which he handed to Mary.

"Thank you," she whispered as she stood, wrapped it around her, and sat again.

"Now, down to business," Glenn said, looking sharply at Mary, "I don't want you to take this wrong but so far we only have your word for it that you're Mary Nye."

"I… I don't know how to prove it to you," she replied. She stared down at the floor as she twisted her hands together.

Joey's mother put her fingers under the girl's chin to make her look up. Then she studied her face before she said to Glenn, "She is definitely Steven's child. I can see it in the eyes and set of her jaw. And she looks like what little I remember of her from the attack, only older of course."

Glenn nodded. "I'll take your word for it. Now we need to know why she," he looked back at Mary, "why you were with Fairburn."

"Because he found me and made me go with him."

"Why didn't he take you with him when he killed your mother?" Glenn put a tone of questioning disbelief in his voice as he asked. He knew the answer but needed to see what her reply would be.

"I was upstairs in my room. I… I heard loud words then mama screamed… and screamed. I was so scared… so I ran to her room and crawled into her closet and prayed whatever was happening would stop." She wiped one fist across her damp eyes. "All I could think of was the… the way she screamed when he was going to… when he hit me and she tried to stop him then they showed up and…"

"Why didn't you call the police?"

"Because I was scared he'd hear me. I did call when he left." She chewed her lip as she looked up at Glenn. "He searched for me, I heard him. But he didn't come into mama's room."

Glenn nodded. "You were quite lucky.”

"I guess. For a while I thought so even though mama was... was dead." Again she wiped away tears.

"How did he get you to go with him once he found out where they had placed you after your mother's murder?" Glenn asked a moment later.

Hitman's Creed - 24

 

"All right, here's how we're going to play this," Glenn said.

They were parked on a side road about a quarter of a mile from where girl told them the gas station was. Harv, who had followed in his own car, was now crouched by the open door of Glenn's as he listened intently.

"Miriam, you and Harv will stay here in his car for now." He turned to Harv. "Turn it around and leave it running. If you even think that something is wrong get her the hell away from here. Joey, you do know how to drive I hope."

Joey rolled his eyes. "Of course."

Glenn chuckled low and patted his leg. "Just had to be certain. I'll do recon first. Give me twenty minutes. I'll call you to let you know whether it's safe or not. If it is you drive up, park by the side of the station and go get the girl. I'll be watching. Once she's in the car, I'll join you and we'll come back here."

"And if it's not safe?"

"Then the three of you head…" Glenn thought for a moment. "Go back to my place and I'll meet you there. Once you turn onto the side road you'll be able to see if he follows you. Just keep going in that case, get back to town, and go to the police station."

"Why not do that from the git-go?" Harv asked.

"Because we'll need to make contingency plans and that won't happen if the cops are involved."

Harv cocked an eyebrow. "Not a big fan of the police, are you?"

Glenn shrugged. "I just think we can do better on our own. The less people involved the more likely Fairburn is to try something else, if the thing with the girl turns out to be a set-up."

Joey wanted to defend the police since he intended to become one, but thought better of it. Now was not the time for some philosophical argument on that subject. Later however, because Glenn's attitude about them bothered him, he would try to find out why he distrusted them.

"All right, let's get this show on the road," Glenn said.

Harv stood and opened the back door of the car, waited for Miriam to get out, and the two of them went to his car. Glenn looked a Joey. "Twenty minutes. If I haven't called by then, get the hell out of Dodge."

"I… all right." Joey tried to smile. "Be careful?"

"Always am. It's what I do best." Glenn patted Joey's leg again then got out. "See you in twenty."

* * * *

Joey drummed his fingers on the steering wheel while he waited for Glenn to call. He hated to admit it, even to himself, but his mind was more on the two brief touches Glenn had given his leg than on the problem at hand. He wondered, hoped, that maybe they were meant as more than just to be reassuring. He rubbed his leg as he imagined Glenn's hand moving higher. His thoughts drifted off toward the erotic and he began to harden.

So when his cell rang he jumped and growled before he came back to reality. He sighed in relief when Glenn told him it was safe, tamped down on his libido, and put the car in gear. As he drove past Harv's car he gave them a thumbs-up. Three minutes later he was parked by the side of the gas station.

He got out of the car, walked to the back of the station, and zeroed in on the stand of trees where the girl was supposed to be waiting. He saw a brief movement in the shadows. As he started toward the trees he kept his hands at his sides, palms facing outwards. He figured she might feel safer if she knew he was empty handed.

When he got to the edge of the trees he saw her peek out from behind the trunk of one of them. "I'm Joey," he said softly.

She stepped into view. For a brief moment she looked at him before she lowered her eyes in what to him seemed a very submissive gesture. "I'm Mary," she whispered. Then her eyes darted around as if she was terrified that someone was listening.

"Come on, Mary. It's safe, I promise. I'm here and so is a friend of mine. He checked things out. Your… our father isn't around." He held out his hand and she moved closer, so fearfully that she made him think of a feral cat that wasn't certain it could trust the person standing there. Then, tentatively, she reached out and took his hand. He smiled, closed his gently around hers, and led her back to the car.

Once she was seated, Glenn appeared. He smiled at her as he told her, "I'm a friend of Joey's."

She looked at Joey for confirmation and he nodded. "This is Glenn. He's one of the good guys, I guess."

"You guess?" Glenn chuckled as he got into the backseat of the car.

"Yeah, well." Joey smiled at Mary as he slid into the driver's seat and turned the car on again. "He says he is so I'm taking his word for it," he told her.

She smiled back shyly. "A joke?"

"Yeah, a joke." As Joey pulled out onto the road, he glanced at Glenn in the rear view mirror and held his hand up in the classic phone call gesture.

Glenn nodded, took out his cell, and texted Harv that he should follow them. As they drove past the side road where they had parked earlier Harv pulled into view. Fifteen minutes later the two cars pulled up behind Glenn's house.