Cliffhanger Theater!

Another day, another regret?
Current mood: bummed

Today was supposed to be a good day. I was up early. I did my pilates and had some of my homemade yogurt (thank you Alton Brown). I talked with a girl a the E-Z Stop who seemed very friendly and who could be a great friend. I could use more friends in this town. Other than people in study groups and people I manage at work, I haven’t made many friends. I’ve never been good at making friends, truth be told. I’ve always been the shy girl, the one who raises her hand last, the one who never thought of flirting with a boy, the one who wasn’t just a fan of the Wallflowers, Wallflower-ing was a way of life. I thought things would be different in Aberdeen. Gosh, what was I thinking. Not to sound all emo-ish  (emo-esque?), but I just can’t seem to get the hang of being comfortable in who I am. I was only comfortable like that once. We had a great thing. We laughed together, we had fun together being at home, and being out (though home was a more certain bet). He was nice, really nice. At times I thought I couldn’t ask for more. I really couldn’t. So what changed? I started wondering if I should ask for just a bit more. He started getting hung up on work. We were getting too comfortable. I didn’t know if I was making him as happy as he could be anymore. I’ve tried so hard not to think about him, but today at work one of my co-workers tried to set me up on a date. I’ve been on a date or two since I moved here, but nothing that I’d call memorable. I’ve been hit on, but not by any guy I could see myself with.

The real kick in the gut is that I realize now, while my old boyfriend wasn’t good at romantic things, and maybe he did take me for granted, he was a great friend, a great listener, and someone I was comfortable around. I still love him, but I don’t know if I am in love with him. I know it doesn’t sound like it makes any sense. To me, it barely does. I wanted to start over. I had talked to Northern about transferring to Augustana. I even applied and got accepted to Augie and Sioux Falls College. I sent him a long letter. I bared my soul. I said I was sorry. I was ready to try again. I wanted him back, and knowing how bad I hurt him was slowly eating away at me. I realize that now. I still love him. I”ll always love him. The only way to know if I’m still in love with him is to see him again. I was hoping he’d want to meet, to try again, to at least tell me to stay gone. Nothing. Three months later and no letter, no phone call, no word from my mom that he’s been looking for me. His silence is an answer, but not the one I wanted. I had hoped to check a sale at Target today, but instead I came home and cried some, and then looked at old pictures of us. I just put them away. It’s time to move on. He has, and now it’s my turn. I just have to accept what I did to him, and hope someday he can forgive me and we can at least be friends, or at least friends on Facebook or whatever.

I’m off to the Millstone. I’m craving the pancakes like he used to make, and maybe eating them again will be a step in the healing process. Maybe I’ll drive home crankin’ “Breakin’ Up” by Rilo Kiley and I’ll be able to sing “Ohh Yeah Feels good to be free” all the way home.

Michelle read over her entry and posted it to her blog, just before she left for the Millstone.

“Good job Felix.” Captain Hale hung up the phone and smiled. Agent Garrett and Agent Lewis looked up from their laptops. “We have a match. It looks like there is someone in Dell Rapids that could be harboring them. Fulton has a friend who lives there named Eli Elson. We even have some recent cell calls between them.”

“What’s the strength of the Dell Rapids police?” Garrett closed his laptop.

“They don’t have a police force. The county Sheriff handles the policing.”

Lewis also closed her laptop. “We’ll meet with the Sheriff to observe. Thanks for all your help Captain Hale.”

“Let me guess. If you don’t find Bob you’ll be back, or at least let us know. We’d still like to ask them about our guy.”

Garrett flipped open his sunglasses. “We’ll let you know. You should get some sleep.”

As the door closed, Hale put his head on his desk. He was out instantly.

***

Will Hetfield sat in his car. Slowly, Clayton pulled in next to him. Clayton got out of his car, then straightened his suit up. He reached inside, and pulled out a lint brush. He proceeded to de-lint his suit. Will rolled down his passenger window. “What are you doing?”

“It never hurts to make a good first impression. I try to look my best when I talk to the local law types.”

“I never get that linty at my place.”

“Really? I think you just stopped noticing.”

Will looked down. He started getting out of the car. “Can I borrow that?’

“Looking good for the Captain or someone else?” Clayton asked as he handed the lint roller to Will.

“Anyone at this point.” Will started rolling as Clayton checked his phone.

***

“Let me handle this” Bob said out of the corner of his mouth to Phil. The Aberdeen police car rolled to a stop, and Bob walked across the street towards it. Phil slowly followed.

“Yes officer?”

“Have you two been walking for very long?”

“Not really. Just from a rented house a few blocks back.”

“Have you seen a girl, about ten years old, or a pink bicycle?”

“No sir.”

“There’s a young girl missing, or at least her mom won’t stop calling us. Say, if you don’t mind me saying, you two don’t look familiar.”

“We used to go to Northern. We’re visiting for a few days.”

“So, why the walk from the rental house?”

“Sir, I think you’re familiar with the walk of shame?”

“Ahh. Both of you?”

“I know right? We each meet these girls at the zoo, and we agree to call each other for a ride at the end of the night. Imagine our surprise when we wake up at the same house in different rooms. Now we’re walking back the Super 8 and hoping our other friend has the car.”

“Well, good luck with the car. If either of you see anything, don’t hesitate to call.”

“We will. Have a good day officer.”

The police car pulled away. Phil took a deep breath. “Rented house, walk of shame, The Zoo? How do you think of this stuff?”

“Carefully and confidently.”

The policeman looked in his rear view mirror, then looked around for a pink bicycle. He didn’t notice the fax from Sioux Falls in his stack of paperwork.

Laura walked into interrogation room three, ready for another go at old man B.  She walked in to the sound of laughter.  Mabel was laughing hysterically, and old man B had a smile on his face.  “I hope I’m not interrupting.”  Laura’s gaze didn’t leave them as Mabel slowly stopped laughing.  Old man B’s smile didn’t go away at all.  In fact, it looked like it had gotten bigger.

“No interruption.  Just passing the time.  So, can I go now?  I’m very tired.”  Mabel’s voice went from happy to pleading in the span of those few words, and her face matched the transition.

“Mabel, we’re through with you, but we may need you to answer more questions, so don’t leave town.”

“Actually, Mabel, could you wait outside for a second, then could I ask a favor?”  Old man B’s focus was now on Mabel.

“Um…sure…if…I mean, if…”

Laura glared at old man B.  This was a turn she didn’t see coming.  “All right.  Wait outside a moment.”  Mabel got up and walked to the door.  She looked back at B, who winked while Laura opened her folder.  Once Mabel left the room, old man B lifted his arms and put his cuffed hands on the table.

“They’re on a train.  I put them in a boxcar.”

Laura’s head shot up.  “What?”

“Those two fellas you’re looking for?  I put ‘em on a train.  By now you’ve seen my rap sheet, and figured out that I’ve had quite a few arrests for freight hopping.  I’ll save you the trouble.  I put them in a boxcar.  They said they had to get out of town, or disappear for a while.  Can I go now?”

“But…but why…”

“Look, I’m not getting any younger, and I’ve wasted enough of my life in these things.  Well, not all of it was wasted…”

Laura’s mind drifted for a split second, then she shook her head rapidly.  “I…well, can you of-”

“Northbound train.  Dell Rapids.  Bob had some college friend up there.”

“You’re sure?”

“As sure as an old coot like me can get.  Can I go now?”

Laura’s mind was still a jumble when she felt her phone vibrate.  She flipped open her Nokia to check her new text message:

LOOKING FOR A GOOD DEAL ON A 2002 PONTIAC.  WHEN CAN I SEE THE ONE I WANT?

***

“Michelle.”

“Phil.”

“I…I was in town, and…”

“Oh Phil, I’m sorry I left you when I did.”

“No, I’m sorry.  I’m sure it was my fault.”

“You did take me for granted.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You did put in a lot of hours, and seemed to put work ahead of me.”

“I know.  I’m sorry.”

“Phil, I just didn’t love you anymore.”

“Why, why didn’t you tell me before.”

“Because, even if I didn’t love you anymore, I couldn’t bear to tell you.  I thought leaving would be easier.”

“I see.”

“It’s for the best anyway.  I’m happy now.  Isn’t that what you wanted.”

“what you wanted.”

“you wanted.”

“wanted.”

*THUD*

Phil looked around.  He was sitting on the floor of the boxcar.  Bob was standing over him with an angry look.

Marie crumpled up the paper she was writing on.  She turned to another blank page in the notebook she’d bought when she came in to work.  She had a wastebasket filled with half written notes to her ex boyfriend.  Half of the notes were about getting back together, while the other half were final goodbyes after a few months with their relationship in a gray area.  She wasn’t sure how this one should go.  She wouldn’t be deciding yet, as the door of the E-Z Stop swung open.  A woman with short blond hair walked in.  Her glasses shifted from dark to clear as she walked to the beverage case.  She was wearing tight black dress pants and a colorful shirt that didn’t reveal much skin, but it was hugging her body almost as tightly as her pants.  Marie started thinking not about her last boyfriend, but her last girlfriend.  This woman reminded her of a cross between her ex girlfriend and the woman who she caught cheating with one of her old boyfriends.  She had seen her here before, usually getting gas.  She walked up to the counter with a pack of Orbit and a Diet Sunkist.  Marie picked up the gum to scan it in.  “Howdy.  Did you have gas?”

“Nope, just the gum and soda.”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“I’ve seen you come in a lot, but I never caught your name.”

The girl smiled a bit.  “Are you trying to build a better rapport with your customers?”

“It never hurts.”

The woman smiled.  “Michelle.  I’m taking some classes at the college and working as an assistant manager at Herberger’s.  Would you like my hobbies and interests?”

Maire started laughing.  “Sure, why not?  I just…you look like someone I used to know.”

“Good way or bad way?”

“Actually, two people I used to know, one of each.”

“Well, I’ll try to strive to be the good one.”

Marie laughed some more.  “Good call.  Three-oh-three is your total.”  Michelle took out three dollars and then took three pennies from the give a penny dish. 

“If I need to re-gum, I’ll come back later.  Right now I’m off to pull a quick fill in shift.  See ya later.”  Michelle smiled as she walked out the door and to her car.  Marie took her pen in hand and started thinking again about what to write.  She heard Michelle’s Toyota leave the lot, and for a moment she was lost in thoughts about her.  Her thoughts were broken up by the sound of a bottle landing on her counter.  She turned and saw a woman with black hair and dark glasses who Marie didn’t remember coming into the store.  Her leather jacket looked very new, and she seemed almost annoyed with the fact she hadn’t been rung up yet. 

“Sorry…j-”

“Just the Dew and the V8.”

Marie scanned the bottles while the impatient woman started putting on a pair of biker gloves.  “Three tw-”

“Keep the change” the woman said, as she walked out the door.  She had left a five on the counter.  Marie just watched her down the Mountain Dew as she revved up her motorcycle.  Soon, the woman was gone, and Marie was wondering what to do with the change.  As she was counting it out, a man emerged from the video lottery casino.

“Hey, I think I have a winner.”

Marie looked at the print out.  Sure enough, the man had won well over fifty dollars.  “Good job.  I’ll need you to fill out the back and I’ll need some ID.”

Marie looked up and the man was already half out of the door.  “I forgot my ID, so call it a tip” he said as the door closed behind him.  Marie watched the man walk towards the Super 8.  She was up over fifty dollars on the last few minutes, but she still had no idea what to write her ex.

Clayton perked up a bit.  “Ransacked?”

“Yes indeed.”  Will shoved half a pop tart into his mouth and kept talking.  “And gueff wha wuz missngph?”

“All CDs and computer drives.”  Clayton responding to what he was guessing Will was asking.

“Egphsctly.”  Will guzzled a full glass of orange juice as he grabbed his keys from the dining room table.  “Are you coming?”

“Sure sure.  By the way, do you have a lint brush?”

“What.  Are you saying I don’t clean very often?”

“Nah, I’d never suggest you cleaned, period.”

“The thanks I get, sharing my home and last two pop tarts.”  Will looked around.  “Yeah, okay, maybe you’re right.  The lint brush is by the door.”

***

“I’m telling you, I don’t know what you’re talking about Mister Pyb, Pyz, Pyr…”

“Pryblinski.  Geoff Pryblinski.  I know you handled the death certificate for Gerrard Dinkley, but you and I both know he isn’t dead.”

“Listen, I never met anyone.  I was contacted a week ago and told I could make back everything I lost in the stock market if I fudged one death certificate.”

“So Gerrard hired you?”

“I don’t know who hired me.  The certificate came in the mail.  It was perfect.  Whoever did it knew their forgeries.  All I needed to do was sign it and fill out some paperwork that I claimed the body and had it cremated.”

“So you never saw a body come in.”

“Not one that matched the certificate.  Next thing I know, I’ve got my money back and then some, and I decide to finally make my retirement official.  What I don’t know, is how you know so much about this.”

“I’m just a concerned apartment manager, and right now I’m concerned about you.”

“Me?  What are you going to do to me?”

“Nothing.  Frank, I’m concerned about the other people that are going to come looking for you.”

“Like who?’

“Like us.”  Frank and Geoff looked up.  Jeremiah and Jebediah stood across from them, their glares burning holes through Frank.  The two sat across from them, and Jeremiah spoke again.  “Geoff, you being here is a bit…unexpected.  Maybe you’d care to tell us what Frank has told you so far.”

***

Phil’s right shoulder was throbbing.  Bob was stacking another box onto their makeshift pyramid while Phil tried to rub some of the soreness out.  “Well?” he asked as Bob sat down.

“I think it might be enough.  How’s your shoulder?”

“I’m not going to lie.  It’s been better.”

“Dude, you have full health coverage.  I don’t know why you don’t get your rotator cuff and ligament fixed.”

“I have my reasons.”

“Reasons?  What, are you worried you’ll start chasing your baseball dream again.”

Phil glared at Bob as he stood up.  “My reasons are mine and mine alone.  Quick trying to play Dr. fucking Phil with me Bob.”

“All I’m saying” Bob said as he stood up and moved back, “is that you might be in less pain if you went in and had your arm fixed.”

“My arm is fine.  In fact, I’ll show you.”  Phil took his jacket off and tossed it onto a nearby crate.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m getting a breath of fresh air” Phil said as he started working his way up the makeshift pyramid.

Frank looked up. An older, heavier man in a Hawaiian shirt was walking around the seats to sit by him.

“Excuse me, but who are you?” Frank asked. He felt nervous and guilty, and it was starting to show.

“Word of advice my friend. You need to work on bluffing if you’re going to play poker. I’d stick to the slots.” Frank opened his mouth, but nothing came out. The mystery man sat down. “Now, let’s talk about someone named Gerrard.”

“Are you the police?”

“Nah, I’m his apartment manager.”

“Why should I tell you anything?”

“Because I got to you first, and I’m going to ask nicely. Anyone after me won’t be as polite.”

***

“Please tell me you did number one.” Bob really didn’t want to hear the answer, but he braced himself for the lesser of the two answers.

“Relax. No worries yet. Granted, we are in for a long day when that finally happens.” Phil moved slowly, feeling his way back to the beam of sunlight as his hands picked up a few slivers and a lot of grime and dust. Soon, he was back to his old spot. His back and neck still ached, but his back pain was giving way to hunger pangs. “Do you think any of this stuff is edible?”

“Doubtful. I pried open a few crates and found some tractor parts and a few crates of some kind of grease. It’s not looking too likely.”

Phil looked around the boxcar. “Don’t boxcars have some kind of roof exit?”

Bob looked up. “Why on earth would they? These things aren’t mean for passengers.”

“Well, when I was a kid, I had a few train sets. I seem to remember some of the boxcars had roof access hatches.”

“I think your childhood memories are a bit flawed. Like that argument you lost in college about that one song. I can’t believe you had Gwar and Warrant mixed up.”

“Can we focus on getting out of here instead of how stupid I was in college?” Phil was shining his flashlight at the ceiling of the boxcar.

Bob slid off the crate that was serving as his seat. “Sorry. I just don’t want you to get any kind of hopes up about finding a…”

“Roof hatch!”

“Huh?” Bob flashed his weak cell phone light towards the ceiling. A small trap door was visible.

“C’mon, help me move some of these crates.”

“Wait wait wait.” Bob closed his phone. “Even if we get crates stacked up, what are we going to do? Climb to the top of the train and jump?”

“No, but we can hopefully unlatch the door.”

“Are you nuts?”

“Maybe, but even if we can’t unlatch the door, we can get onto another, lower car, and make a jump when we’re in a town. Do you have a better idea? Didn’t think so.   C’mon, let’s start stacking crates.”

***

“Hey, wake up.”

Clayton opened his eyes slowly. The smell of bachelor pad and burnt toast didn’t offer much encouragement. “Mmmph. What time is it?”

“It’s closer to seven than it is to six. I hope you F.B.I. guys can function on a few hours of sleep.” Will Hetfield was already dressed, and he was annoyingly awake to Clayton. “Here, have some breakfast.”

“Pop tarts?”

“My last two. One strawberry and one chocolate s’more.”

Clayton sat up. His suit was wrinkled and had picked up a good dose of lint from Will’s couch. “I try to eat organic.”

“Lucky for you they’re free range pop tarts. You can eat them on the way to Frank Richmond’s house. It’s been ransacked.”

Phil reached in his pocket for his cell phone. He pressed nine, then one, then Bob shut his phone, and looked him right in the eye. “Phil, what are you doing?”

Phil took a step back. “I’m calling the police. Obviously somebody broke into his place. Are you saying we shouldn’t…no wait, I know that look.”

Bob turned and walked to the doorway. “I’m going in. We’ll get my stuff, then call the cops.”

“Are you out of your freakin’ mind? What if somebody already called the cops? Do you honestly think the cops will believe your lucky sunglasses story?”

“Look, we were already going to go in. This doesn’t change anything.”

“The kicked in door doesn’t change anything? Are you hearing yourself right now?”

Bob stopped at the doorway. “You’re right, this is probably a bad idea. We’ve had our share of bad ideas, most of them at college. Like the time you broke into the female dorm?”

“Hey, that was different. That involved booze, a dare, and a scavenger hunt. Besides, you distracted campus security long enough for me to get me out of that mess.” Phil bit his lip, as he knew he’d walked right into Bob’s subtle trap. Bob just stared at him for a moment. Phil started to walk forward.

“Look Phil, I’m not expecting you to go in with me. Just…just don’t give me such a lecture, alright?” Bob said, raising his hands as if to calm Phil’s building anger.

“C’mon, let’s get your sunglasses and get out of here. Just promise me you’ll do your best not to touch anything. We don’t want our fingerprints all over the place.”

Bob gingerly took a step into the apartment. The apartment didn’t look disheveled at first, but then Bob saw Jer’s CD rack. Every single jewel case was open and on the floor, and all the CDs were gone. Phil looked over his shoulder, then pointed past his head.

“Dude, is that my Rilo Kiley EP?”

“Maybe? Or, at least, it was?” Bob gently stepped further into the apartment. The next thing he spotted was the entertainment center. All the DVD cases were strewn about, no DVDs were in them. The plasma TV and stereo were untouched, but the DVD player’s tray was open.

Phil took a few steps into the apartment. “Geez, what the hell? Who just takes the CDs and DVDs and leaves the cases?”

“Never mind that” Bob said, as he took a few steps further in. “The VHS cases are all empty too. So are all his Xbox game cases.”

“That’s weird. I mean, the TV is still there, and look here” Phil said as he pointed. “Jer left some money on the counter. Why take all those discs and tapes and leave actual money?”

Bob glanced at the counter. Sure enough, there was some money under his leather iPod case, but the iPod was gone. “I’m going to check his bedroom.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? What if the thief is still here?”

“Well, he’s probably heard us by now, dumbass.”

Phil looked around the kitchen. Nothing else seemed disturbed. The small apartment didn’t have much else, besides a bathroom and a bedroom. Phil eased his hands up his jacket sleeves, so he could move things around without leaving prints.

Meanwhile, Bob gently pushed the bedroom door open with his foot. The door slowly swung open.

*KREEESH*