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Post by earthylady on Feb 1, 2009 10:32:33 GMT -5
Emmie must be feeling really helpless right now.She's dealing with pain as well as fear,and she's made a promise to take care of Horatio too.It's all got to seem overwhelming.
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Post by jaglady on Feb 1, 2009 16:36:24 GMT -5
Chapter 10—Mistaken Nonentity
“Good morning, Miami. Well, the top story of the day just seems to be this rain. We’re going on our fifth straight day of steady rain, and that’s due to that low-pressure system that’s still parked off the Atlantic coast. We have flood warnings going up in just about every county from here to Tampa Bay. A state of emergency has been declared in Dade County, as well as several others. Melissa, any idea when we’re gonna get a break from this rain?”
Delko stirred and moaned tiredly, reflexively covering his head with his jacket. The morning news now blended in with his dream. He had slept on the break room couch with his arms folded as the television blared over him. He flinched when he felt something patting his shoulder.
“Delko! Hey, wake up, man” he heard Frank say to him.
He could hear the urgency in Frank’s voice. The police officer in him took over. Quickly he sat up and rubbed his face before opening his bloodshot eyes. “Yeah. Tripp? What’s going on?”
“County’s in a state of emergency because of the flooding. And also because Horatio and Emmie are now officially missing. We didn’t hear anything about them last night. So we’re gonna need you guys to pull twelve-hour shifts until this thing’s over.”
A bleary-eyed Delko yawned and stretched his arms while he looked at Frank. “Yeah, okay. I’m getting up now.”
Frank backed up from him. “Go home if you can. Grab a shower and a change of clothes.” He glanced at his watch as he spoke. “It’s six o’clock right now. Need you back at six tonight.”
Delko nodded sleepily. “What about you, Tripp?”
Frank motioned behind him. “Stetler cut me and half of us loose last night. I’m on days while he goes home. He and I are gonna trade off. He’ll be back tonight. Weather’s still pretty bad, so the birds are still grounded. Soon as they lift that tornado watch, they’re gonna have those birds in the air looking for Horatio and Emmie.”
The reality hit Delko now as he slowly came to life. “So they still don’t know anything?”
Frank shook his head. “Nothing. Emmie’s parents called up to file a missing persons report. Stetler took the call. It’ll get out to the news eventually that Horatio’s missing. We don’t need them to know that a Stockburne’s missing too. So do whatever it is you have to do today.” Frank now turned to leave. “See you tonight. Watch those roads.”
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Having had sufficient sleep, Delko simply gathered himself and drove to Casey Automotive and Tires. The rain and wind continued to pound Florida. He kept both hands on the steering wheel as he crawled through the grayness and meandered around brown pools on the pavement.
At the desk stood an older, thin, graying man who looked like he’d been fixing cars for the better part of forty years. His brown uniform was smudged, but his name was visible. Delko ignored the pounding rain on the steel roof and the hissing of air shocks in the bays.
The older man put his hands together as he looked at Delko intently. “Morning, young man. You’re the first guy in here I haven’t had to pull out of the mud” he said heartily.
Delko smiled slightly. He lifted arm to show his badge. “Yes, Sir. Eric Delko with the Miami-Dade PD. I’m checking up on some repairs your garage made to a 2000 Chevy Lumina last week. It belonged to Angela Miller.”
A sad look crossed the man’s face now. “Yeah. Eric Miller. Too bad. I heard about that on the news.”
“Yeah, it is. Sir, we understand the Chevy Lumina was serviced last week for a lube and oil and a tire rotation. And then Angela Miller had to bring it back because the turn signals went out.”
The man dipped his brown eyes and busily clicked a keyboard in front of him. “Hold on, young man. Let’s see, uh, Miller. Chevy Lumina. Bear with me. My girl couldn’t make in today on account of the roads, so I’m not too good with this thing.” He squinted at the old brown computer screen for a moment. “Yeah. It says here that on Monday the car got worked on. Angela brought it in for routine work. Lube and oil would’ve been fine, but it says here….” He raised his eyebrows. “That’s funny. She got those tires about a month ago. All four of them were brand new. Not sure why she’d need them rotated so soon.”
Delko pursed his lips as he nodded thoughtfully.
“But wait a minute now. It also said the turn signals went out on that same car. Brought it back Thursday. My son checked that car himself.” He motioned with his grease-stained hand toward the bays. “White Chevy Lumina. Saw it up there on the lift.” A confused look crossed his face now. “That doesn’t make sense either, now that I think of it. Fixing the turn signals? And he had it up on the lift.”
Delko raised his eyebrows. “Your son, Sir?”
“Yeah. Patrick Casey’s my son, Officer. Want me to have him call you?”
“Yes Sir, I’m going to need to talk to your son. Do you have the old parts your son took off that Lumina?”
The man thought for a moment. “Yeah. Wait here. Now I have to let you know that the first repair wasn’t made in here. We were really busy all last week, so we have a garage down the road for overflow work.”
Delko looked at the man firmly. “I’m gonna need those old parts. Okay if I have a look inside your other garage?”
The man grabbed his key ring. “Sure. Good thing we had the rain, because the scrap guy was supposed to come this morning and haul all of that stuff away. He couldn’t make it because of the flooding.”
Delko’s brown eyes darted warily as he followed the man through the noisy repair bays. Any evidence from the turn signal repair was probably long gone by now, he thought. But he would go ahead and at least glance. Nothing out of the ordinary.
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Ryan was hunched over a lighted magnifier. He glanced up at the bleary-eyed CSI. “You’re not gonna sleep, are you?” he said with a grin.
Delko smirked. “Nah, man. Can’t.”
Ryan turned his head back to the magnifier. “Not worried about Horatio, are you?”
Delko looked at him matter-of factly. “No more than you’re worried about Emmie.”
That did it. Ryan gently pushed the lighted magnifier out of the way and stared into the distance. “I hope she’s okay.”
Delko raised his eyebrows now. “Yeah. Me too.”
Ryan stiffened up when his phone chirped. He glanced at it before flipping it open. “Yeah. Hey, Tyler.” He furrowed his eyebrows now. “You sure? Does Angela Miller know about this?” He dipped his brown eyes now. “Really? Yeah, I’d say that changes everything. Yeah, be right over.” With troubled eyes he snapped his cell phone shut.
“Who is it?” Delko wanted to know, still holding out hope that there might be word from Horatio or Emmie.
Ryan looked at him matter-of-factly. “Tyler did a little digging around into Melissa Matherson’s background. Don’t know what she was crying about.”
Both Delko and Ryan now stood behind Tyler as he clicked the keys.
“Checked with the county probate” Tyler told them, never taking his eyes off the screen. “Wonder how Angela Miller felt when she found out she’s gonna have to share.”
“What are you talking about?” Ryan wanted to know.
A document came to life on the main monitor. “Eric Miller’s Last Will and Testament. Just got filed.” He pointed with the cursor. “Eric Miller had his will changed last year.”
Ryan furrowed his eyebrows. “That’s right about the time Melissa Matherson came to Miami” he noted.
Delko leaned forward as his eyes scanned the printing. “Right there, Tyler. ‘In the event of my death, all of my estate shall go to my wife, Angela Miller.’” He shook his head. “Okay. So what’s the big deal? She’s his wife.”
Tyler nodded as he scrolled down. “Eric Miller added this codicil. Thought you might want to check this out.”
Both Ryan and Delko scanned the screen before they looked at one another. “’In the event that Melissa Matherson is living in Miami, Florida at the time of my death, half of my estate shall go to my wife, Angela Miller, and the other half shall go to Melissa Matherson’” Delko read aloud. “Sounds like our crying meteorologist had motive, wouldn’t you say?”
Ryan smirked. “Yeah, but I’ve been over to their house. Didn’t look like they had a whole lot. Old house, old furniture, two old cars, a lazy dog….”
“Hey, Wolfe?” Tyler said, not taking his eyes off the screen. “Gotta show you something else.” He clicked the keys again. “Bank statements. Don’t know if Angela Miller knew about these or not.”
Delko’s and Ryan’s eyes widened. “I guess looks can be deceiving.”
Tyler smiled slightly. “And another one just made it to probate. It’s an account he had in the Cayman Islands.” He clicked the keys again. Another statement came to life on the monitor. “He’d been keeping it offshore until last year.”
“About the time Melissa Matherson moved to Miami” Ryan said. “God. Eric Miller was worth that much? And he was still working? I think I’d change my name and hide somewhere.”
Delko and Ryan stood speechless now.
“Explains how he could afford to send Melissa Matherson that much money every month” Delko said.
Tyler smiled now. “Funny you mentioned changing his name. I saved the best for last.” He clicked the keys yet again. More documents popped up onto the monitor.
Delko nodded now. “His name wasn’t Eric Miller, either.”
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ladytaz29
Rookie Officer
Caution..Must wear flame retardent materials..
Posts: 377
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Post by ladytaz29 on Feb 2, 2009 7:27:07 GMT -5
Impressive the way everyone is handling everything. They are really pulling together. The gang of old. I really miss that. Awesome chapter JL. Mystery, Intrigue...
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Post by jaglady on Feb 2, 2009 12:56:13 GMT -5
Thanks, LadyTaz. Funny you mention "The gang of old." I've been going back to the A&E marathons to stay motivated. I never really related to Speed, which is why I've never used him in my writings. But I love the guy's sense of humor! I'm going to have to do something somewhere that involves Speed.
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Post by ct150563 on Feb 2, 2009 16:37:41 GMT -5
Finally caught up with this story. Great work.
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Post by earthylady on Feb 2, 2009 17:52:53 GMT -5
Great chapter JL.The team is working nicely together. We just keep finding out more surprises about Eric Miller.
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ladytaz29
Rookie Officer
Caution..Must wear flame retardent materials..
Posts: 377
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Post by ladytaz29 on Feb 2, 2009 17:56:35 GMT -5
That would be great JL. Speed may be gone, but he's not forgotten...
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Post by jaglady on Feb 3, 2009 21:26:53 GMT -5
A/N: I would also like to dedicate this chapter to our HAM, MARS, and SkyWarn radio operators. I lived in Monterey, California when the 7.1 Loma Prieta Earthquake struck in 1989. When the power, phone and water were out, these angels of the airwaves made it possible for me to patch a call through to my parents to let them know that I was all right. I did not forget.
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Chapter 11—A Voice in the Wilderness
Even before she opened her eyes, Emmie could hear the drip, drip, drip of the rain leaking into the dented driver’s side door. The Hummer swayed gently in the wind, causing her to shift slightly. Without thought, she propped up her good leg to keep her balance. She tilted her head sideways and opened her eyes, blinking at the gray morning light.
She felt like she hadn’t really slept at all. It seemed more like her body was exhausted and had simply shut down for a while. The aspirin she took earlier had worn off, and now her head and shoulder were throbbing again. Her splinted leg felt worse now. Her eyes felt swollen and crusty.
She moaned and stared up at the ceiling of the Hummer that had been her only refuge from the cold, wet, windy world outside. As her senses returned, she looked around. It occurred to her that she was still out in the middle of a rainy, windy nowhere. But she knew she had to get up now.
Horatio was still unconscious, still wrapped in his gray fire blanket. First order of business was to check his pulse again. She leaned up painfully and held her fingers to his neck.
Thank God. Still alive.
Emmie put her head down and stared at her sleeping boss again. “Morning, Horatio. Guess we made it through the night, huh?”
Nothing but the moaning wind and rain to answer her. She just stared at his sleeping face for what seemed a long time.
“Just think, Horatio. I can tell everyone I slept with my boss, and nobody will be offended.”
In the storminess, she now heard a noise that seemed completely out of place. Carefully and painfully she sat up. The rain pounding against the cracked windows made impossible for her to see much of anything. She squirmed through the dust and the broken glass and pushed the hatch open, peering out at the driving rain.
Fear shot through her heart like the lightning that had been darting across the skies. “Oh, my God” she whispered.
The water had risen quite a bit during the night. Their makeshift shelter now sat in the middle of a muddy lake. She estimated that it had to have been nearly a foot deep by now. She scanned the swaying trees and shrubs behind the Hummer. Many of the clothes, cables, and even her laptop case were nowhere to be seen. The computer tech simply stared, processing the idea that those things may have floated away. Or maybe even eaten by alligators. Her heart pounded as the reality set in.
To stay here might be to die, she thought. But what about Horatio? She glanced back at him. With her leg, she knew she wasn’t strong enough to carry him through that deep water. Leaving him there alone wasn’t an option. Even if she could carry him, she had no idea how far it would be to the road. Even if she found the road in this rain, there was the ever-present danger of snakes and alligators. And even if she did defy the odds and carried Horatio to the road, she knew that they were out in the middle of nowhere. That cold rain might have caused them both to die of hypothermia.
No, to stay in the Hummer was their only hope of survival.
Emmie pulled the hatch closed and leaned her head back. “I gotta try again” she said loudly. She resolved that if she could get the Hummer started again, she would somehow get in there and try to drive it through the water, through the mowed-down weeds and bushes, back toward the road. At least that would bring them closer to civilization, she reasoned.
Slowly and painfully she squirmed toward the console, dragging her splinted leg, and turned the key in the ignition. For a moment the engine cranked. She tried again several times as the engine strained and whined in protest. Finally on the third try it turned over and came to life.
“Oh, yes! Yes! Yes! Thank God!” she said, her eyes welling up with tears. The dashboard lit up. It was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen in her life, she thought. Emmie started to hoist herself up by her arms, determined to get back into that wet, glass-littered driver’s seat now.
Her hopes sank when the engine suddenly sputtered and went dead. Emmie laid her forehead on the console.
“Dammit! Come on!”
She turned the key again. The engine cranked more painfully this time. Refusing to give up, she held the key in place as the engine strained.
BANG!
Emmie shrieked and shrank back when something flashed under the hood. An acrid smell wafted into the cab now. She whimpered and fanned it away in fear. The Hummer stayed silent.
“No! Please!” she wailed.
Her wet eyes fell on the police radio again. Total silence. She picked up the gray handset and pushed in the talk button.
“Mayday. Officer needs assistance, over.” Total silence. She switched channels one by one and repeated her call.
“Mayday. Officer needs assistance. Over.” She lay her head down in exhausted frustration.
Emmie looked at Horatio’s sleeping face again. She knew this was her only hope.
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The boy fumbled with knobs on the black radio console as he searched for another channel. Nothing of interest to him seemed to be happening right now. Mostly chatter about the flooding conditions and the road closures. He twisted the dial to another frequency. Some spin-up tornadoes near Boca Raton. He was nowhere near there. He shrugged, oblivious to his nice, dry, clean, air-conditioned surroundings.
His head whipped around in surprise when the door creaked open. “Oh, hey Dad” he said nonchalantly as he turned his attention back to the radio.
The man huffed. “David! How long have you been on that thing?”
The boy shrugged. “Not that long.”
His father firmed up his voice. “Well get off there! We need to keep those channels open!”
David looked at his father and huffed. “School’s closed, Dad. Got nothing else to do.”
“Get off the radio, David! Somebody might need those frequencies” his father said more firmly.
David still stared at the console. “Yeah, Dad. Be out in a sec.” As his father shut the door, the boy turned his attention back to the radio. Maybe one of his friends was out there. He kept tuning, hoping.
Suddenly the speakers hissed and crackled. He stared at the black console again.
“Mayday. Mayday. Police officer needs immediate assistance. Over.” The transmission hissed out again.
David just stared at the console, not sure what to make of it. From the hissing noise, he could tell it was bleedover, bouncing off the clouds from somewhere distant. But the voice sounded tired and desperate.
The airwaves hissed again.
“Mayday. Mayday. Police officer needs immediate assistance. Can anyone hear me? Please respond. Over.”
The boy glanced back and forth between the console and the door now.
The door behind him flew open angrily. His father stood behind him with a more determined look now. “Dammit, David, I told you—“
“Mayday. Mayday. Miami-Dade County police officer needs immediate assistance” a tired voice said. The airwaves hissed into silence again.
The boy looked at his father with wide eyes now. “Dad?”
The man held up his hand and shushed his son. He turned all of his attention onto the black console.
“Mayday. Mayday. Miami-Dade police officer needs immediate assistance. Can anyone hear me? Please respond. Over.”
“Out of there!” The boy obeyed, knowing that his father smelled an emergency and wasn’t about to let a bored kid get in the way of things. The man grabbed the handset.
“This is DeSoto County Sky Warn calling Miami-Dade police officer. Over” he said urgently. “What’s your location? Over.”
Silence. The man stayed transfixed on the black console, hoping the voice would come back.
“Mayday. Mayday. Miami-Dade police officer needs immediate assistance. Can anyone hear me? Please respond. Over.” The voice sounded as though it had heard nothing. That voice still tiredly, painfully called for help.
Everything flew together in the man’s head now. “David, call 911. Now!” he ordered of his son in a not-to-be-argued-with tone. The boy didn’t hesitate. He quickly pulled out his cell phone.
“What do you want me to tell him, Dad?” David asked.
The man held out his hand. “Give me that!” The boy obediently handed him his black cell phone.
“Yes, I’m a HAM radio operator with DeSoto County SkyWarn.” With one ear to his radio console, he rattled off his license number. “I’m picking up distress calls from what sounds like a woman who keeps saying she’s a Miami-Dade County police officer. Hang on!”
Without waiting for the dispatcher to answer, he pointed the phone at his radio console.
“Mayday. Mayday. Miami-Dade police officer needs immediate assistance. Can anyone hear me? Please respond. Over.” The desperate, lonely, tired voice faded away again.
The man pursed his lips. “This just might be your missing police officer.”
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Post by earthylady on Feb 4, 2009 17:51:11 GMT -5
Yes,finally contact is about to be made!With Emmie feeling, desperate,lonely and tired,it's coming just in time.
Great chapter as always JL.
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Post by jaglady on Feb 4, 2009 19:06:34 GMT -5
Thanks, Earthylady.
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