NS (17 page)

She wondered if Skip knew she was missing, and if he had told Isaac. Thinking of Isaac’s massive strength made her crave the safety of his arms. She also thought of Quincy Beckham.

His eyes were penetrating, making her feel naked in his stare. He was the perfect conman.

Nathan told her Quincy had just moved to town, but was unable to determine why. If his reasons remained a mystery in Nathan’s circle, they were probably badly tainted. If this had anything to do with Curtis Hamilton, Quincy could have been in on it.

Not knowing what to expect, she took her cues for RayRay, even laughing when he

laughed at the onscreen antics of Will Smith. Finding him much more relaxed, she decided he must be hungry.

“RayRay, I had picked up my dinner before I went home this evening. The box is still in my car. If you’re hungry, you can go down and get it.”

He looked up and for a second. A smile flickered across his face before anger set in.

“No. I’m not going out there. See, you trying to do again. I don’t trust you. I don’t trust you at all!”

“Okay. I just thought you might be hungry.”

He settled down next to her on the bed and pretended to watch television. For reasons she could define, some of her fears started to fade. He yawned and so did she. He offered to let take her to the bathroom and provided a clean cloth for her to wash her face.

“I’m staying right here on the other side of this door, so don’t you try nothing.”

She ran warm water on the cloth while trying to find the source of the stench. The sink and floor were clean, but littered with clothing and paper. The stench was greater in the bathroom, but she still did not see the source. She tiptoed toward the tub and was about to pull back the shower curtain when he yelled.

“Come on outta’ there, now. I got to use it.”

Her arm ached, as did her wrists when he reattached her to the bedposts. The fetid odor was enough to make her retch, but she knew that would really rile him.

“RayRay, I see your place is clean and don’t mean to criticize, but there’s a really bad odor in here. Do you have spoiled food that needs to be thrown away?”

“Shut up,” he growled. His eyes fell. “It’s just Peaty. I put him in the bathtub, but he died anyway.”

“I’m sorry.” She looked at his sullen face. “Would you like to tell me what happened to Peaty?”

“No! I said to leave me alone.”

He slept with the television on and the pistol in his hand. She spent the rest of the night looking around the room, committing every detail to memory. It was, at best, squalid, but seemed to suit Ray-Ray. A stack of take-out containers was piled on a small table. At first, she thought that was source of the smell, but it was coming from the bathroom. Peaty? Another mystery.

* * * *

Isaac left a message at the desk for Malcolm saying he had to return home for an

emergency and would call him as soon as he knew the full circumstances. The Atlanta airport was still busy when he arrived, but even a hub city has few scheduled flights during late night and early morning. When told there was a seat available on the last leg of a flight due in at three-ten, he sat near the window and called Frankie.

“I apologize for waking you, but I had to talk to somebody. I can’t believe this is happening.”

“I can’t either. I keep thinking maybe there’s a logical explanation.”

“That’s what I’d like to think. When I learned somebody had been in her place Friday night, I thought all kinds of things. I could see just how much she meant to me. I should have admitted it then. I should have told her. Now…I can’t lose her, Frankie. I think of her suffering and I hurt. Physically hurt. I can’t even imagine what I would feel if I lose her this way.”

“Are there any leads at all?”

“Sort of. Skip said she left work and went to Mama Rose’s. Somebody is trying to

make Mama Rose sell her place. Chelsea was pretty upset about it. Mama Rose told Chelsea’s friend Dee they had discussed the situation and she had fixed a plate for Chelsea to take home.

Her things are there in her house. Purse. Phone. She was there. A neighbor saw her leave in her car with a man. The woman said she watches Chelsea because she wants my autograph for her nephew. She looked out from her window and then went closer. I guess it was a large man, but the woman said she quickly saw it wasn’t me, and didn’t bother getting a better look. She’s out there somewhere with this animal, and I’m stuck here. I feel so helpless. Feel like I’m losing my mind.”

“Try and stay calm. That’s all you can do for her now. Was this neighbor able to

give any kind of description? Clothing? Anything?”

“Not really. She said the man was large and dressed in blue, like some kind of

uniform. Somebody left threats on her windshield and let the air out of her tires. If that wasn’t enough, they came into her house. There didn’t appear to be forced entry. Chelsea remembered leaving a key in the light fixture by the front door but it was gone. I don’t think she took it seriously. If she did, she didn’t want us to know.”

“Baby, there’s something I want to say to you, but you have to be prepared to hear it. Okay?”

Frankie used the tone that always earned his attention. She had used it to tell him she was getting married. Feeling his heart drop, he tried to prepare. “Okay. What is it?”

“We don’t know why this man kidnapped Chelsea. No one has any ideas about

her fate. I’m praying you’ll get a chance to tell her how you feel. I believe that will happen.

Isaac, you have to be ready to deal with things you may not want to face. This man could have raped her. God only knows what else. You have to be prepared to help her deal with the emotional aftermath of this ordeal. Can you do that?”

“The first thing on my mind is getting her back. Yes, I’ve thought of every

possibility. Thought of it until I feel my brains will explode. Just knowing this maniac touched her is enough to send me over the edge. No matter what else has happened, I’ll be there for her.

If…when I see her, I plan to tell her everything. How much I love her. I want her to know everything.”

“I’ll leave that up to you. I just want you to be happy.”

They talked the way they had when they were younger. Baring their souls and taking comfort in knowing the other cared.

“Hey, the plane just arrived. It’s a connecting flight, so I should be boarding soon. I’ll call you when I get there.”

The flight was just long enough for Isaac to replay every memorable second he

had spent with Chelsea, to think of the horror she was enduring, and to relearn something he had almost forgotten—how to pray.

On his usual road trips with the team, he never left his vehicle at the airport, but was glad to know it was waiting when he arrived this time. With no luggage, he hurried off the plane and into the parking lot. Careful not to exceed the speed limit, he drove into the city, only vaguely aware of his surroundings.

He prayed for a chance to give Chelsea the love she deserved. He knew Frankie loved him and he loved her. Even without Chelsea, he doubted he and Frankie could return to the relationship they once shared. He regretted being unavailable to give them another chance, but knew he could not. His feelings for Chelsea were overpowering. Thinking of her being abused by some maniac only made him more determined to show her how deeply he cared. He prayed she was not harmed, but if there were an extra cross to shoulder, he would do it, as long as she came back in his arms.

Every tragedy of his life unfolded before him. He remembered the day his family

received word of his father’s death. He remembered holding his mother while his younger brothers gathered around. That had been the single most profound moment of his life.

Afterwards, when the crowd disappeared, he realized that, at eleven, he was expected to stand next to his mother in a position of leadership. The younger children had looked to him for guidance and had followed his cue. If he was upset, they became upset as well. Knowing this, he seldom allowed his feelings to show. Even when panic conquered his heart, he maintained a brave façade.

He silently vowed to stand by Frankie during her troubles just as he had stood by

his mother. Though her financial status was vastly superior, Frankie now faced the task of raising her boys without their father, just as his mother had done. She would need him.

At that moment, he wanted very much to call his mother, but knew a phone call so early in the morning would only frighten her. He knew she liked Chelsea. Because he spoke with or visited his mother every day since leaving for college, most of the women he dated had met her.

Chelsea was the only one she suggested he marry. Now he prayed to have that chance.

He drove through the French Quarter, trying to remember the through streets from

the ones that were blocked for foot traffic. Tourists milled around in droves, even in the wee hours of the morning. After finding a parking space three blocks away, he ran past the cars and unlocked Chelsea’s door. David Porter was the first one he saw.

“Any word?” He looked at Chelsea’s mother and then back to David, who slowly shook his head. The suffering on her mother’s face was heartbreaking. Once again, he knew he could not release his fright.

“Mama Constantine and Dee have been looking through the house to see if anything is out of order or missing,” David told him. “They know the house better than anyone else.”

Thinking David must have seen the hurt in his eyes, Isaac turned when he added, “Take a look around before we leave. I’m sure you know how she kept things.”

He walked past Chelsea’s mother and went upstairs to the bedroom. It was their room.

The place where they belonged only to each other. Everything seemed the same. The bed where they held each other. Her desk by the window. Two large, upholstered chairs. He picked up her robe from one of them, crumpled the fabric and held it to his chest. His eyes closed and she was there, pressed against him. Her scent. The wildness and sweetness he knew he would never find in another woman.

Startled by a gentle touch on his arm, he looked down into her mother’s eyes and realized he had been standing there for quite awhile. His face was wet. His heart was crumbling in his chest. “I was…I—”

“There’s no need to explain.” Mrs. Constantine’s eyes filled with tears. “It’s okay. Just let it out.”

“I left when she needed me most. I’ll never forgive myself if…” Unable to finish, he allowed himself to be gloved in a mother’s arms.

“There is no way you could have known this would happen. Just pray she’s not harmed.”

David came into the room. “Skip and Dee didn’t find anything missing. I guess you

didn’t either.”

“You have to find her, man.” He grabbed David’s arm. “I know there are other cops

working on this, but you know her. You love her, too. I saw it on your face. You have to bring her back to us. When you do, don’t bother to arrest the scum who did this. He’s mine.”

“You’re right. I do love her, and I know how you feel, but you have to let us deal with this…” He looked at Mrs. Constantine. “We’ll handle it. I promise. We’re doing everything we can to get her back, but you have to let us do this our way. This man will be punished. That’s a promise.”

“And I know you mean that, but you’re the law. You have to be fair. I don’t.”

David ran to open the door and stood talking with another officer. There was no

relief on his face when he returned. “We’ve checked the whole area. Nothing. The phones are bugged. We’ve got cameras all over. Everyone’s phones are bugged, including your home phone, Mama Constantine. I’m sure this is not a random kidnapping, and since they didn’t take anything, not even her purse filled with credit cards and about $300.00, it’s not about money.”

Isaac’s eyes filled with rage. “That leaves us with only one motive. The same

emotion I now feel for the creep who did this. Revenge. What about Mama Rose’s restaurant?”

“Could be. I’ve suggested we all go there and wait. We already have officers in

place. Transfer all phones to your cells and we’ll wait this out together.”

* * * *

Chelsea saw the sky lighten through the uncovered window behind her and felt

the agony of being in one position all night. After another closely guarded trip to the bathroom, Ray’s had tried to accommodate her sleeping needs by allowing her to stretch out on the foot of the bed. Her hands were then secured lower on the bedpost. She had kept her face tucked into the collar of her blouse where the faint scent of Samsara helped defuse the stench of her surroundings.

She had hoped for a little rest but the areas between her fingers began itching just as Ray had started to snore. She immediately knew what was happening and imagined her face had turned beet red. It was hives. It happened when she was extremely upset.

She watched Ray’s labored breathing. In sleep, his face was filled with innocence and fear. She thought of everything in her attempt to make sense of the situation. She thought of Curtis Hamilton and the outpouring of support he had received. Just getting an indictment had been difficult. The victim’s brain activity had changed twice, causing the doctors to upgrade her condition. Victims’ right groups demanded action. Supporters of Curtis Hamilton wanted a quick trial, and to have the stigma lifted from the gifted young man’s name.

Mary and Otis Hamilton were hard working Christians who lived well. That fact had

been underscored in just about every news article regarding the trial. Ranking high on the comment list were various imprecise inferences to the improbability of a “fine young man”

having a relationship with a woman of Barbara Colbert’s character. One reporter noted that even if the young man desired the services of a hooker, they were available in all shapes and sizes.

Another had spoken with Hamilton’s girlfriend and shook her head.

Barbara was thirty-nine, had shoplifting convictions and was a known drug abuser. Her family had left the city after Katrina. No one knew how she and Curtis met. Chelsea did not believe his story of hearing a noise and going in the trees behind the park to investigate.