My Baby’s Gone, Chapter 20

Whitney was sitting in the Book Café when Fox came in. She smiled at him, and he kissed her sweetly.

“ Fox.”

“ Whitney.”

” This  is going to have to be short. Tonight is the night.”

” It is?”

” Yes.”

“ Your alibi?”

“ Don’t say words like that Whitney. I need you to be cool about this.”

” I am, Fox.”

” You know what to do? Where to go?”

” Yes. But, if anyone asks..”

” Whitney, do you trust me?”

Whitney looked into Fox’s eyes and gulped. They were so deep.

“ So, Doctor Russell, what do you think of this last seminar?”

” Dr. Stevens, it was very interesting, but I think the equipment is too cost prohibitive for a hospital like Harmony’s. “

” You’re right. A group of us are going out to dinner. Would you like to join us?”

” No. I think I’m going to walk around. The best thing about being in a big city is to see what’s open after dark. See you in the morning?”

” Sure.”

Eve rushed back to her hotel room. She changed into her sweatsuit and took out the backpack that had been prepared for her. Instead of using the elevator, she took the stairs down to the street, making sure nobody saw her. Eve found her way to the subway, and got to the bus station just in time to board the bus.

After a few hours, she got off at the designated spot. Going to the parking lot across the street, she locates the car for her. Inside the glove compartment is a map and instructions to get to the cabin. Eve knows that she has another hour plus of driving, so she gets on her way.

Luis can’t believe his bad luck. First, he was given an anonymous tip on where to find a crystal meth lab. Then, his car breaks down, and the radio isn’t working. When he found that his cellphone was missing, he just cursed to the heavens. How could he run into such a long string of bad luck. This road he was traveling on is very desolate. It would be a great place for drug traffickers to have a lab, because nobody would be driving on it unless they had a purpose to, but now, he has to find his way back to the nearest town, which is miles away. Oh well, no need to complain. Luis is glad he actually has good walking shoes on.

Don and Ameche have been watching their prey carefully. They know that they will spend the next fifteen to twenty minutes in this particular coffee shop. Don ‘accidentally’ bumps into the waitress serving them, pouring the drugs over their pastries. Don and Ameche watch as the workers eat up all the pastries. When the drivers leave, so do Don and Ameche. They know that the drivers will make to, and complete their first run, which they do.

As they finish up their first run, the drugs take effect. The drivers fall out on the ground. Don and Ameche are right there, and pull them up into the back of their truck. They close the doors, strip the drivers, and put on their uniforms. They tie up the drivers, and duct tape their mouths. They drive to the next stop on the route. After being cleared, they proceed as normal, making sure that they keep their eyes on their watches.

Fox is in the middle of the routine in his job. He has worked down to the right floor. He checks his watch. Only 2 minutes to go before all hell breaks loose. He organizes his basket to be ready. Only one minute to go. Fox uncovers, but does not take out his night vision goggles. Thirty seconds to go. Fox checks his clothes. His key ring. He’s looking down at his watch.

Five

Four

Three

Two

One

The lights are gone.

They have four minutes.

He puts on his night vision goggles and goes down the stairs to the next flight. The bigger guy is waiting for him. Fox is surprised at how agile the guy is, leaping 3 steps at a time up the three flights necessary to get to Sheridan’s floor.

Fox arrives at the first door. All his keys have been neon-color coordinated with stickers that he’s applied, do he doesn’t have to fumble with the keys.

First door down.

Second door down.

They hear over the loudspeaker for everyone to stay where they are, the lights will be up soon.

Two minutes thirty seconds.

Third door down.

Now, they’re on Sheridan’s wing.

First lock done.

They’re at her door. They open her door, and while Ameche is putting Sheridan on his back, Fox is taking out the inflatable dummy he had hidden in her closet. Ameche is already down the hallway when Fox runs and catches up with him, opening all the locked doors again.

One minute thirty seconds.

They have to get Sheridan down the three flights of stairs.

One minute.

They have a flight and a half to go.

Fox watches Ameche go down the final flight of stairs.

Twenty seconds to go.

Fox puts his night vision goggles  back into hiding. Ameche makes it to the laundry cart where Don has been standing.

Three

Two

One

The power is back on.

The security guards check their monitors. There is Fox, getting up, off the steps, going back to his janitor duties. He checks another monitor and sees Don and Ameche finishing up their laundry run. Don and Ameche load up the truck, and they leave the psychiatric facility.

They drive until they get to their getaway car. They load Sheridan into the back of the car, and make sure they take everything with them. They take off the plastic cuffs on the drivers, and leave everything there. They double back, out of the way, in order to make sure no one could trace their steps. An hour later, they are driving up to the cabin.

Eve and Ming are at the door.

” Good, you’re here. Bring her in.” Eve leads them to the bedroom set up for Sheridan. Eve turns to them. “ I guess you know what you’re supposed to do?” They nod, and leave. While Ming watches, Eve straps Sheridan into the restraints. Ming raises her eyebrow at the action.

” Look. Sheridan is coming off of some very powerful drugs. Withdrawal is not going to be pretty, and you don’t know what her reaction will be. She could be fine. Or, at the extreme, she could be very violent. You need to watch her. “

Eve takes Ming over to the table. “ Sheridan shouldn’t be getting any drugs. But, if she gets violent, you need to give her a shot of this .”, Eve pointed to the needles full of medicine. “ It’s a fast acting tranquilizer. But, outside of her getting violent, the point is for the drugs to get OUT of Sheridan’s system.”

Eve looked at Ming. “ Do you understand me?”

” I understand English perfectly, Dr. Russell.”

” Good. Well, she’s here, and seems to be ok. Look after her. And, if anything goes terribly wrong, here’s the number to Sam Bennett – he’s the Police Chief. He’s clean. He’s honest. He’ll help, but only if there’s no other option. Julian wants to keep this..”

” As hush hush as possible. Dr. Russell, I understand. The cabin is well stocked. Sheridan and I will not want for anything for a VERY long time.”

” Ok. Well, I’ll be back when I can. She’ll beg. She’ll plead. But, for the next week, she should be in those restraints. Understand?”

” Perfectly.”

Eve sighed. “ It’s only just begun. There’s so much more. But, I have to leave, if I’m going to catch the bus on time. Thank you…..”

Fox Crane finished up his shift. He made sure that his locker was clean. No fingerprints, because he wasn’t coming back. Fox made his way to the car, got in, and drove to a certain corner. Getting out, he threw everything work related into the garbage dump. Fox sat there and waited for the garbage truck. He watched as they loaded the dumpster, and followed the truck to its next stop – the incinerator. Fox smiled as he saw the truck’s load go into the incinerator. It was time for him to get home.

By the time Fox walked in the door, he had a spring in his step. Oh yes, he was going to sleep well.

Whitney put her hand to her lips to quiet Simone up.

” Oh Whitney.”, Simone said, as she shook her head.

Whitney made it into her room. She let go her breath. She came in exactly at the time she and Fox had decided. Now, she has Simone as an ‘alibi’, if it ever comes to it. Whitney got into bed.

Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald sighed in relief that he had made it home. He had walked miles before finding a truck driver that let him get a ride back to Harmony. He just wanted to get some sleep. He’d deal with his stalled squad car later that morning.

Eve stood in her shower. She was tired, but had to make it down for breakfast. She had just gotten in from the bus station. She hoped that everything with Sheridan would be fine. Eve finished her shower, and  sat down on the bed. How did she ever get involved in something so complicated? She knew that she had broken so many laws, but she didn’t care. Sheridan was being wronged, and this was the right thing to do, even if it was illegal. Eve got dressed, and  went downstairs to the desk.

” I’m Doctor Russell in Room 812. Are there any messages for me?”

Eve was handed an envelope. Once away from the desk, Eve opened the envelope. In it was her American Express Card, and a receipt for dinner just a few blocks away. It was her alibi for the evening. Eve smiled. She had to hand it to Julian – he did think of everything.

Don and Ameche were sipping their mimosas in First Class. They had returned their rented car to the airport in Canada. They got through customs with no problem, and were now on their way back to Eastern Europe, enjoying their payment for a job well done, and they didn’t even have to kill anyone this time. Yes, life was good.

Julian Crane was sitting in a very private club outside of Harmony, frequented by very wealthy men when they want to be naughty away from their wives. Julian had assembled several of his old drinking buddies, all distinguished citizens of ‘impeccable’ character, and showgirls of questionable character, but all of whom would testify that Julian had been drinking, playing cards, and having fun the entire evening, only leaving to take bathroom breaks. What the other gentlemen didn’t know is that Julian had paid the bartender handsomely to ensure that his drinks were completely watered down.

Julian finally got the buzz in his pocket that he’s been waiting for. He excused himself to go to the bathroom. Once inside a stall, he took out the prepaid cellular phone which had a text message on it.

Julian smiled. He’d have real drink, and then go home.