In The Shadows (20 page)

 Chapter Thirty-Nine

It was quiet on the seventh floor where Danielle lay motionless in her bed. There was an eerie quiet to the night as she heard what sounded like a mop bucket being pushed down the hallway. It would roll for a few seconds then she’d hear the swishing sound of the mop going across the floor. The closer it got, the more Danielle strained to hear the other sounds in the near distance.

As she got a whiff of the Pine-Sol, she heard the unmistakable tune being whistled by the person pushing the mop bucket. If only Danielle could see or move, she was certain she’d be able to identify the person responsible for the tune as the man who attacked her. When the mop bucket stopped outside her door, Danielle stopped breathing. She wasn’t sure she was very convincing because she then felt eyes on her.

Although she couldn’t find a way to open her eyes, the hairs on the back of her neck and arms stood up as she felt whoever standing there was expecting her to look their way. After that person’s extended stay in her doorway, Danielle heard someone talking in the hallway, and the mop bucket and the operator soon pushed past her door. She felt her heart race as she strained to open her eyes while trying to identify the other voices she heard in the hallway.

As Danielle lay there helpless in her bed, after straining to make her hands move, it was at that moment Danielle thought she might be suffering from some type of paralysis. She was exhausted from the excitement and soon felt her body relax as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Brandon awoke to the aroma of bacon, eggs, and what smelled like homemade biscuits that morning. He was sure it was a dream, but as his nose led him to the kitchen, he witnessed his father and Katy dressed in their fishing gear as they prepared the table.

“Morning, sleepyhead!” Katy said, teasing her brother.

“Morning yourself. How long have you guys been up?” he asked, still stretching to wake his fatigued body.

“Long enough for your sister to prepare this delicious meal. Go wash up and join us,” Mr. Masterson said as he placed the platter of biscuits on the table.

Not having to tell Brandon twice, he quickly disappeared and returned in his fishing gear. He must’ve been more exhausted than he thought. Yesterday was a peaceful but busy day, and he did talk to Tonya for an hour on the phone late last night. Brandon smiled as he prepared his plate, still thinking of how much he so enjoyed his conversation the night before.

Tonya was a good fit for Brandon. He enjoyed being in her presence even if there were others around. She made him happy and motivated him to strive for the next level without knowing it. Just being in the same room with her made him feel hopeful that they were on the right path and doing the right things as a couple.

Brandon suddenly had the urge to communicate with her. He knew she would be up at the shopping malls, so he sent her a quick text letting her know he was thinking of her.

“Hello, earth to Brandon,” he heard Katy say, giggling realizing he’d not heard a word she’d said. “Okay, let’s try this again. What would you like to drink?” Katy said, a little louder and slower than before.

Before he could get her back, his phone chimed, alerting him to a new text message.

“Ooh, that must be Tonya. No wonder you seem to be on a different planet!” Katy said, still giggling.

Wondering just how much his father heard and understood, Brandon jumped up from the table and chased Katy out of the kitchen before he could respond.

He enjoyed playing around with his baby sister. She was quite the jokester, and he knew immediately that was another quality she’d gotten from their mother.

When Katy returned to the kitchen table, all laughed out. Brandon had already responded to Tonya’s text message. He then found himself putting the phone on silent in case he received another message from her.

Just as they finished cleaning the breakfast table, Brandon’s father said out of the blue, “So is Tonya your new girlfriend?”

Brandon was shocked, especially since his father never seemed to care one way or the other who he was dating. Now as he stood only feet away from his father, he blocked out Katy’s foolishness.

“Yes, Tonya is my girlfriend.”

“Oh, that’s great. How long you two been dating?”

Not able to contain his confusion, he began loading the dishwasher to avoid his father’s careful study.

“We’ve been together about six months, I guess.”

“Oh, that’s good. What does she do?”

Brandon began to carefully tailor his answer before it left his lips. “Tonya’s here at the university on a basketball scholarship.”

“Oh, that’s very good. She must be pretty talented to have received an athletic scholarship. Why didn’t she come over for dinner?”

Now Brandon was unsure of his father’s sincerity. His line of questioning was a bit confusing. After Brandon explained to his father how Tonya had visited her hometown and didn’t want to impose on their first family gathering, he seemed satisfied.

“Well, that was mighty thoughtful of her. Well, son, I’ve had a great time. Tonya sounds like a wonderful girl with a bright future. I look forward to her visiting on my next trip here.”

Swallowing the big lump that had formed in his throat, Brandon was now relieved the conversation had gone as well as it had. He couldn’t wait to share the conversation with Tonya, he thought as he looked over at Katy who had moved on to something else.

Brandon had to remind himself that Katy didn’t have a problem with him dating outside his race. One of the many things he’d kept from her about their father was his dislike of interracial dating, especially when it came to Brandon.

Their fishing trip was a success, and Katy caught fish for the first time. She caught four huge catfish, to be exact, and boy, was she excited. Brandon caught two, and his father caught three. Katy had outfished the experienced fishermen in her family, and she couldn’t wait to download the photos Brandon had taken of her pulling the fish in. Katy talked nonstop all the way home.

Brandon and his father were proud of Katy. She’d put her fears of fishing and baiting her hook aside and had a successful fishing trip. Katy smiled as she gazed out the window at the line of huge pine trees and as she listened to the fading voices of her father and brother from the backseat. Katy knew this was only the beginning of her love of fishing.

Katy was glad she’d chosen fishing over shopping. What Katy loved most about spending time with Brandon and her father was the closeness she felt when they were together. Katy enjoyed having their undivided attention and knew that would’ve been quickly lost had she decided to go shopping.

Brandon watched Katy and their father clean the huge fish when they got home. Katy was all geared up in her fishing attire but decided to let her father do the honors of gutting and cleaning the catfish all by himself as she watched him carefully.

Brandon had seasoned the meal and had the grease heating on the stove when the two came in. Katy had never made homemade French fries before but thought she would prepare them for their dinner.

They enjoyed the feast and had plenty of leftovers for another meal. After they’d had their share of fish and fries, the house suddenly fell quiet. Although a little weary from their trip, Brandon’s thoughts drifted to Tonya. She was scheduled to arrive that afternoon, and he would love to see her.

Saturday was only a day away, but Brandon felt he’d gone long enough without being near her. Moaning as he turned over in the bed, he knew he couldn’t push her. He had to remind himself that she’d been traveling this week and was sure to be tired. He longed to be with her as he remembered the last time they were together.

 Chapter Forty

It was eight thirty in the evening when Tonya arrived at Danielle’s house. She’d spoken with Mrs. Stocks an hour ago and got the okay to come over. When Tonya arrived, Danielle’s grandmother met her at the door with a warm hug. Preston was sitting in the living room waiting for his grandmother to return so they could finish their game of checkers.

When Tonya entered Danielle’s room, she was suddenly overcome by emotion. Danielle and Tonya had become quite close before Danielle disappeared. Just being inside her room, among her things, overwhelmed her. As Tonya looked at the pictures Danielle had on display, she was surprised to see one of the four of them when they went to the university to visit Tonya. That was a happy day for all but especially for Danielle because she was considering applying at the university in the spring for acceptance in the fall. With everything that had happened, Danielle’s plans had drastically come to a halt, and Tonya wanted her friend back.

As she searched the closet for the box containing her belongings, she got a text from Brandon asking her to call him. She had planned on calling him after she finished at the gym but didn’t want to arrive too late at Danielle’s. Tonya reminded herself to call Brandon as soon as she was done there.

Before she could resume her search, she spotted the container on the desk across the room, with a note on it from Danielle’s mom. As Tonya sat on Danielle’s bed, she was saddened as she went through Danielle’s belongings. She found Danielle’s hair tie, the broken watch Danielle was wearing when she was found, and a list of things that were confiscated by the authorities to undergo further testing.

It was obvious Danielle’s mom had not been through the box, or she could’ve easily answered the question Tonya and Myron had. The ring was indeed missing, and now she would have to tell Brandon what she’d been working on with Myron.

Tonya hugged Danielle’s grandmother and little brother good-bye before heading to the car. Tonya knew she couldn’t hold on to this discovery overnight. As she connected her Bluetooth, she speed-dialed Brandon. Disappointed he didn’t answer, Tonya left a message and headed home.

She then decided to call Myron. Tonya told him she would call as soon as she found out anything. She wasn’t sure what not finding her ring meant, but Myron was pretty sure Danielle had it on that night. Tonya immediately heard the disappointment in Myron’s voice, but he seemed hopeful that once Tonya checked with Brandon, the ring would be found. Seeing Brandon’s number flashing on her caller ID caused Tonya to end her conversation with Myron with a promise that she’d call him as soon as she heard anything.

“Hey, handsome!” Tonya said teasingly. “What are you still doing up at this hour?”

“Hey, beautiful! What do you mean? What makes you think I would be asleep?”

“Well, I did keep you up late on the phone last night, not to mention your fun-filled day of fishing out at the lake. I just figured you’d turn in early, that’s all.”

“To be honest, I was hoping I would hear from you when you got in. But looking at the clock, I’m sure you’ve been back for a couple of hours now.”

“Yes, I’m sorry I didn’t call. I went to Danielle’s house right after practice, and I didn’t want to get there too late.”

“Oh really? Has there been any new development in her condition?”

“No, nothing other than what I told you the other night, when the girls went to visit her. But I’m glad we’re on this subject. That’s one of the reasons I was going to call you.”

“What, so are you telling me you didn’t miss me as much as I missed you?”

“No, I cannot tell a lie. I missed you terribly, but this has something to do with the case.”

This shocked Brandon. He was surprised Tonya had time to even think about the case, what with school and basketball, but he was impressed. They could use any leads at this point because the longer the creep went free, the more Brandon worried there’d be another abduction.

“Okay, can we meet at the Dunkin’ Donuts by the university?”

Smiling at his considerateness, Tonya knew Brandon didn’t want her driving all over town since she’d been on the road and in practice all day. He chose the location near the university so she wouldn’t have to go out of her way, and for this she was thankful.

“That sounds like a plan. I’ll see you in twenty minutes.”

* * *

Brandon couldn’t imagine what Tonya had come across, but he grabbed his briefcase just in case. He was at the Dunkin’ Donuts in fifteen minutes anxiously awaiting her arrival. When he saw her Corolla pull into the parking lot, he found himself more excited than he thought as he stepped out of his truck.

It seemed as if it was taking Tonya forever to open her door, and the longer she took, the more excited Brandon became. He decided to remain calm and took his time looking around inside his door while watching her the whole time. Finally he watched her exit her car, putting her jacket on.

Once he saw her reach back into her car, probably for her purse, he walked smoothly over to meet her with a warm kiss and embrace. It took a lot out of Brandon not to pick Tonya up, kiss her, and spin her around. He wanted to hold her forever, but he didn’t want to get too excited either. Tonya seemed to enjoy the closeness, and Brandon knew his approach did just what it was intended to do.

* * *

As Tonya watched Brandon sitting in his truck, she instantly became nervous. Although she hadn’t seen him in a few days, Tonya thought it felt more like a few weeks. She was so excited to see the man she loved sitting there in the parking lot and waiting patiently for her arrival. Just watching him from inside her car gave her chill bumps. Tonya slowly gathered her things and hoped to be in Brandon’s arms soon.

* * *

Once inside Dunkin’ Donuts, Brandon went to place their order while Tonya got settled at the table. Tonya was so happy to see Brandon she wished she didn’t have to bring up the case, but she knew she owed it to Danielle to bring her abductor to justice.

“So what’s going on, pretty lady? I know you’re tired from your trip.”

“No, I’m okay. I’m glad I finally got to see you, even if it is for a little while,” she said, looking at her watch. Tonya knew she needed to be in the dorm by 10:30 p.m. because of their game tomorrow. It was already 9:00 p.m., so she wouldn’t have much time to spend with Brandon. “First things first. How are your father and sister getting along?”

Laughing with pleasure, Brandon said, “They are actually doing better than I’d hoped. My father’s changed a lot, and I’m hoping he continues on this path so he doesn’t damage his relationship with Katy. He even bought her a beautiful sterling silver diamond necklace! He said it was to make up for all the missed birthdays and Christmases. I have to say he surprised me with that.”

When Brandon looked over at Tonya, he could tell her mind was suddenly somewhere else. Now stopping in midsentence Brandon said, “Tonya, what’s wrong? You seem a million miles away.”

“I’m sorry. I guess your mentioning the beautiful necklace took me some place else. I’m sure Katy loved it,” Tonya said, offering a quaint smile, but Brandon said nothing.

His eyes were on Tonya, and she knew the time had come. As soon as she looked up and into his eyes again, she knew she’d have to tell him about Danielle’s missing ring.

“Brandon, I was hoping not to have to involve you, but the more I think about it, it could be important. Remember when Myron went to see Danielle during his last visit?”

Brandon nodded, still not saying anything.

“Well, I was blown away when Myron asked me the whereabouts of Danielle’s ring.”

Tonya watched Brandon intently as he sat up on the edge of his seat, but still he kept quiet.

“It seems as though Myron had given Danielle a promise ring, a very expensive one at that, the week before she disappeared. When he saw her at the hospital, he wondered if it was boxed up with her things. After a search of her room turned up empty, I promised Myron I would check with her mother to see if it was with her things at home.”

“So that’s why you were there tonight. Tell me, did you find Danielle’s ring?” Brandon asked, suddenly alarmed.

Looking away and now back to Brandon, Tonya said, “No, my search was fruitless. I searched a couple of places, but her mom told me where all of her things were. The ring seems to just have disappeared.”

* * *

Brandon drove home in a daze as he tried to figure out his next course of action. He knew this was the something big he had been waiting on. That night he would have to review the case and be prepared to look at old evidence as well. Brandon called Carlos and asked if they could meet again before he left Tuscaloosa. Carlos didn’t answer, so Brandon left a message.

It was 10:00 p.m. when Tonya made it to her room. Her roommate, who was a jokester, looked at her watch and said, “I thought I was going to have to send a search party out to look for you.”

Tonya shook her head at Callie’s silliness, and the girls shared a laugh. Tonya headed for the shower relieved she’d finally spoken to Brandon about Danielle. She thought he’d be upset but he wasn’t and seemed to be focusing on something else.

When Brandon made it home, he checked on his father who was sound asleep. As he got closer to Katy’s room, he heard the television on and figured she was still up. His gentle rap on the door went unanswered, so he slowly opened the door to find Katy asleep with her lamp still on. Laughing, Brandon decided to put her out of her misery as he adjusted her pillows without her moving a wink and turned off her lamp and television.

Before Brandon had met up with Tonya, he felt he should turn in early, but after their conversation, Brandon knew he would be up for another hour or so. He quietly made his way downstairs and pulled out the folders of the two abducted girls.

After he reread each report and witness statement, he noted some similarities in the cases. He would need to review Stella’s case too. His father had briefly discussed the contents of her case with him when he was home last, but Brandon needed to see for himself. Now, it was all beginning to make sense. The killer had a habit of taking jewelry from his victims. As Brandon reviewed the inventory of Danielle’s belongings, he did not find the ring and knew immediately it was taken by her kidnapper. He would now have to involve his father, and for once it didn’t seem like such a bad idea.