On the Street Where You Die (Stanley Bentworth mysteries Book 1) (18 page)

Chapter 29
 

Back at the office, Rodney made the final entries on the whiteboard. He photographed it for the files and wiped it clean. The Overbee case was closed.

His cell phone rang, and he answered it.

“It’s Mom,” he said. “She’s crying.”

“Give me the phone...Mandy, what’s wrong?”

“Jeremy is back,
Stanley
,” she said. “He called me here at the office. He’s coming to see me tonight.”

“Here we go again,” I said. “Don’t worry. Rodney and I will be there like before. How come you didn’t call me?”

“I did. You didn’t answer.”

I pulled out my phone.
Dead battery.
I had forgotten to charge it again.

“What time do you get home?”

“About five-thirty.”

“We’ll meet you there.”

I hung up and turned to Rodney. “Go home, and wait inside. That Captain Pugh is back.”

“I thought he got blown up.”

“Apparently not.
He’s coming there sometime tonight. Lock the doors and windows, and wait for your mother. I’ll be there after a while.”

I dug around in my jacket pockets until I found the card for the CID guy, Stewart. I tried to call, but my phone was dead. The AC adaptor was home in my apartment, and Willa was on the land line, so I went down to my car where I had an adaptor. It didn’t work.
Bad connection or a malfunctioning cigarette lighter receptacle or something.
I walked from the car back to the office and went up. I’d wait for the phone. Besides, I had forgotten Roscoe and didn’t want to go on this adventure without heat.

Willa was off the phone. “What got into Rodney?” she asked.

“What do you mean?”

“After you left, he came tearing in here, went in your office, came tearing out, and was gone in a flash.”

I went in my office. The safe was open and Roscoe was gone. Somehow, Rodney had gotten into the safe and was on his way to his house with Roscoe. I looked at Mickey.
Quarter to five
. I had time to make my call, get there ahead of Amanda, and take Roscoe away from Rodney before he shot himself in the foot. I used the office land line to call Stewart.

“USACIDC.
Stewart here.”

“This is Stanley Bentworth. Are you still looking for the missing Captain Jeremy Pugh?”

“Yes, assuming he’s alive.”

“He is. He’s coming to my sister’s house tonight, probably some time after
five thirty
.”

“Give me the address. We’ll be there.”

I read off Amanda’s address and hung up.

Then I called Buford.

“Is the bracelet off?”

“Has been for a while.”

“Somebody should be there to get it soon. Your charges have been dropped.”

“I don’t know how to thank you,” Buford said. He sounded like he was about to cry. I’d have paid money to see that.

“I do need help,” I told Buford. “That Army captain is back.”

“Help is on the way,” Buford said.

I gave him Amanda’s address and hung up.

I went into the outer office. Willa was about to leave.

“You have a wall adaptor to charge a phone?”

“Right here.”

I hooked it up and left the cell phone there.

“How did Rodney get into the safe?”

“Back when he made you that DVD. He said you said I should give him the combination.”

“Sneaky little shit. That’s not what I told him.”

“Sorry. I wondered at the time.”

“It’s okay. Call Bill Penrod, and tell him there’s trouble at Amanda’s house. Captain Pugh is back. I’ve got CID on the way. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but Rodney took my gun and is probably there by now. Tell Bill not to shoot Rodney.”

I figured between Rodney, CID, the cops, and whatever Buford sent, I might just have an edge.

Chapter 30
 

I left the office and went to my car as fast as the cane and cast would allow. Ten minutes later I was at Amanda’s house. Rodney’s truck was parked in front. There was no sign of him or anyone else on the premises.

I went to the door and tried to open it. It was locked. I listened but couldn’t hear anything. I walked around the house looking in windows. Most of them were covered with curtains. You’d think I’d have remembered that having lived in the house for several miserable days, but I don’t pay attention to curtains.

I did remember that the kitchen window over the sink had no window dressing. I had often looked out into the back yard when I washed dishes for Amanda. I got up on tiptoe, not easy with a leg in a cast, and looked in. Rodney sat on the floor next to the refrigerator tied with a pair of pantyhose and gagged. I had to let myself down before I fell down.

I went up again to look in. Rodney began to twist around, trying to say something. He was agitated and couldn’t make more than a muffled yell through the gag, which I recognized as one of my old socks. I hoped it was clean.

I heard the front door open and close followed by a scream, loud at first then muffled. It was Amanda. I’d heard that same scream one day when a mouse ran across the kitchen floor.

I stretched up and looked in the window again. Nothing happened for a while. Then Jeremy Pugh came into the kitchen dragging Amanda tied and gagged like Rodney. Her face was distorted with fear, and she tried to cry out, but the gag, one of her own stockings, kept her from yelling.

Jeremy looked up and saw me. His hand came up, and he pointed Roscoe directly at me. I dropped to the ground and Roscoe spoke for the first time since I’d gotten him. The bullet drilled a small round hole in the window pane and went over me out into the back. I hoped it didn’t hit another house.

He knew I was here now, but he didn’t know whether I was armed. Which is probably all that kept him from coming to the back door and finishing me off.

I went around to the front of the house. I wanted to call him and do some hostage negotiation, but my cell phone was back at the office getting charged. I got close to the front of the house near a window and yelled, “Jeremy!”

No response. I yelled again. Then the window opened, and an awesome sight presented itself. Dad’s old shotgun barrel came sticking out the window. I didn’t want to call out again. I didn’t want him to figure out where I was from the direction of my voice. I kept quiet.

“Bentworth?
You still out there? Speak up. I won’t shoot.”

Could I trust him? What else could I do? I spoke quietly. “I’m here Jeremy. What do you want?”

“I want Amanda. You people keep getting in the way. Her kid comes in here waving a pistol and then you. All I want is to talk to her.”

“So you tie her up and toss her in the kitchen?”

“She started screaming. I just wanted to talk.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why don’t you come out, and you and I can talk?”

“I come out, I come out shooting. You had my two best friends killed.”

Probably his only friends.

“That wasn’t me, Jeremy. I had a beef with those two guys after the beat-down, but I don’t shoot people. Besides, the cops checked my piece. It wasn’t me.”

“Okay, I’ll hold off until I’m sure. But if you’re lying...”

“Okay, Jeremy. Just don’t hurt anyone. Don’t let it get out of control. You haven’t done anything really bad yet. Let’s keep it that way while we figure out where this is going.”

A black SUV pulled up across the street.
Sanford
got out and stood there in his ill-fitting black suit and a black trench coat. He watched me to see what would happen.

“Who’s that guy over there?” Jeremy said.

“That’s someone who can help you get out of here unharmed. I’ll go talk to him. Don’t shoot.”

I went across the street to where
Sanford
stood.

“Need help? The boss says we owe you.”

“I figured we were even after those two army guys and the wise guy.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about. You want help or not?”

“I could use some.” I explained what was happening.

“I can take him. Clear shot.”

“There’s a direct line from here into the kitchen. You might hit one of the hostages.”

“Okay. What can I do?”

“How about you go in the back door into the kitchen.
Get my sister and nephew out while I’m talking to Pugh. Shoot him if you have to, but I have the cops and the Army on the way. They can take him out. Save you the trouble of explaining anything.
And the paperwork.”

“And them checking my piece.”
He patted the left side of his chest.

“You got bodies on that piece?”

“Could be.”

That figured.

“Okay. Wait until I get back to the window. Then drive around the block, and come in from the rear so he can’t see you coming. You’ll need a knife to cut them loose. They’re tied with stockings. Butcher knives are on the countertop.”

Sanford
pulled a long switchblade from his pocket and held it up.

“That’ll do,” I said.

I walked back toward the house, hoping Jeremy would keep his promise not to shoot me. The shotgun barrel was still sticking out the window. I made it to the wall.

“Where’s that guy going?” Jeremy asked.

“Putting his car out of sight so no one can see him help you escape.”

“Why would he do
that.
”

“I asked him to.
To save Amanda and Rodney.”

“I’m not going to hurt them.”

“Good.” I had to keep him talking. “What happened with your boat?”

“I got it blown up. They were going to repossess it, and I needed to drop out of sight. I thought maybe my wife and kids could use the insurance if they thought I was dead.”

“Why did you need to drop out of sight?”

“The brass got it in their heads that I was stalking Amanda.
Sent me to an Army shrink.
He was talking about confinement.”

“You didn’t think that might help you?”

“No, goddammit.
There’s nothing wrong with me.”

Add denial to this fruitcake’s disorders.

“Who did the explosive device?”

“An army demolition guy I served with in
Iraq
. We set it off with a cell phone. You should’ve seen it go.”

This was good. He was starting to talk to me like we were old friends.
Probably the manic side of his disorder kicking in.

“How about letting Amanda and Rodney go?”

“Can’t.
They’re my insurance.”

That didn’t make sense. How did he think holding two civilians hostage would keep him out of the loony bin?

“Where’s that guy at?” he asked.

“He’s over there.” I pointed to the side of the house out of Jeremy’s sight. “I can see him.” I couldn’t, but I didn’t want Jeremy to start worrying about where
Sanford
was. I had to keep him diverted.

“Where did you meet your two friends?
The ones that got shot?”

“Years ago.
At the Moose lodge. We were like brothers. They made a good team.”

“I’ll say, and I have the bandages to show for it.”

“Sorry about that.”

“Yeah, me too.
I think you and I could’ve been friends under different circumstances.”

Fat chance.

“Shit!” Jeremy said.

“What?” I looked behind me. Two Army vehicles were pulling up across the street where
Sanford
had been parked. Stewart and his two associates got out of one. Four MPs in full SWAT gear got out of the other.

“Wait, Jeremy,” I said. “I’ll go talk to them. You’re safe as long as you’re holed up in there and have Amanda and Rodney.”

I hobbled over to the Army cars where Stewart and his entourage were waiting, crouched behind their cars, guns aimed at the house.

“How did you know it was this much trouble,” I asked. “When I called, I didn’t know he was here yet.”

“We know the Captain,” Stewart said.

“He’s in the house at the window,” I told Stewart. “He has an old shotgun and my pistol. He has hostages, my sister and her son.”

“A child?”

“No.
Teenager.
They’re both tied up in the kitchen at the rear of the house. I have a man sneaking in the back way to get them out while we keep Pugh occupied.”

“Isn’t your man likely to get hurt going in there like that?”

“He can take care of himself. Pugh has been getting chummy, so maybe we can talk him out. Do you know him?”

“Yes. He’s been on our radar for a while.
Had to pull him out of
Afghanistan
.
Post traumatic stress disorder. He ought to be in a hospital.”

“I need to go back and keep him talking.”

“Well don’t trust him to stay friendly. He has a short fuse. One minute he’s your pal, the next minute he’s in your face yelling and screaming.”

“So I’ve seen. My guy will sneak the hostages out and, your guys can deal with the short fuse.”

“Okay, we can give it a try if you think your man can handle it.”

“He can. Pugh told me that he had his boat blown up to fake his death so you guys wouldn’t send him to the funny farm.”

“Figures.
My guys can take him out. He’s in clear view in the window. Fool.”

“Absolutely not.
Let’s get the hostages out first.”

Stewart looked at me as if to ask where I got the authority to run a hostage situation. Before he could raise the question, an unmarked police car pulled up. Bill Penrod got out and came over to where we were crouched behind the Army cars.

“What’s going on here, Stan? Willa called.”

I explained the situation to him.

“I better get our SWAT team over here,” he said.

Everybody wanted to shoot this guy.
Must have been a slow SWAT day.

“Look around, Sergeant,” Stewart said. “We have ours in place and ready.”

“So you do,” Bill said. “But these are civilian hostages on civilian premises. The police department has jurisdiction.”

“Hey, guys,” I said. “It’s kind of busy here. Let’s not get into a turf war.”

A black SUV turned the corner and came toward us. It pulled up behind Bill’s car and stopped.
Sanford
held a skinny arm out the window and gave me
a thumbs
up. I went to the SUV and looked in. Amanda and Rodney were in the back seat looking frightened and tussled but none the worse for wear. I grinned at them and went back to Bill and the Army.

“He’s all yours, guys. The hostages are out.”

“Is there a phone in there?” Stewart asked.

“Yes, on a table next to the window.” I said and gave him the number. He called. We could hear the phone ringing through the open window. After about seven rings, it stopped.

Stewart said, “Captain Pugh. This is Special Agent Stewart, USACIDC. We got the hostages out. You’re all alone. You want to come out, or would you rather die today?”

“Man,” I said to Bill, “That’s a hell of a way to negotiate.”

He shrugged and said, “I wouldn’t do it that way. I guess they have their methods.”

Stewart turned to me. “He wants to talk to you.” I took the phone.

“What’s up, Jeremy?”

“Bentworth, this is going to come to a bad end, I can tell. Those guys want to shoot me.”

“It doesn’t have to happen. What can I do?”

“Come back up here so we can talk without them listening in.”

“You won’t shoot me, will you?”

“No. I give my word.”

Do you take the word of the guy who tried to have you killed then took your sister and nephew hostage? I wasn’t sure.

About five police cars, an ambulance, and a fire truck turned onto our street, lights flashing,
sirens
quiet.

“I called them,” Bill said.

The cops stopped, piled out of their vehicles, and crouched behind them. More guns came out and were pointed at the house.

“The militia is here Jeremy,” I said. “They’ve got guns trained on you. They’re ready to take you down. Get back away from the window. I’ll call you again and let you know what’s happening.”

I hung up.

“Why’d you tell him that?” Bill said. “Now we might have to put men at risk.”

“Wait,” I said. “There’s an easier way.”

I went over to
Sanford
’s SUV.