Cusp of Crazy: Nick Stryker Series, Book One, Shallow End Gals Read online

  “Yes?”

  “That security company is here. I’m a basket. Can you deal with them?”

  Tanner said that he’d take care of it. Casey announced she was going to go buy new shoes. Shelly and Joyce invited themselves to join her and call it a lunch break. Tanner could not imagine what part of a woman’s psyche found buying shoes an outlet for life threatening fear. Tanner greeted the rep from the security company and invited him into his office. Tanner quickly realized that the rep expected to make his entire monthly salary in one stop. The way he was dressed and glanced around the office annoyed Tanner beyond description. It looked as if they had sent the president of the company. What in the world had Casey asked for?

  Tanner started the conversation. “You will have to check with the building manager once we have a plan, but I know there is only one camera at the end of the hall. I doubt if it’s in working condition.”

  The security company rep stood and walked to the doorway. “Follow me and we will identify your vulnerable spots.”

  Tanner remained seated. “Come on back and I can identify my vulnerable spot for you right now. My wallet.”

  The rep frowned and returned to his seat.

  Tanner asked, “Tell me what one thousand, two thousand, etc…..up to five thousand gets me. That’s it.”

  The rep let out a chuckle. “One thousand? In Chicago? Okay. One thousand will get you a dog, temporarily. Maybe some food for it. Not a trained dog either, but a small mutt.” He rolled his eyes, “You’re going to spend a minimum of ten grand if you want equipment that works and data that can be retrieved. Your call.”

  Tanner moaned. Ten grand? There goes his trip to Florida this winter. “Fine. Let’s walk the hall and spend this ten grand of mine the best way we can.”

  There was just too much excitement in the air for him to concentrate. His skin literally itched with anticipation. He didn’t want to wait. That cop nosing around just made it more challenging. He wanted to get close to him too. Real close. This might be the perfect time to deliver Chapter Two to Casey. He had just enough time if he left now. Chapter Two was going to be especially fun.

  Eric watched the man cram something into Casey’s mailbox. The man had parked in a no parking spot in the front of their building. Eric raced through the network of hallways to the parking garage. He started up his motorcycle and whipped around the block just in time to see the man’s car pull away from the curb.

  Eric followed the car to a tidy neighborhood about thirty blocks away. He waited for twenty minutes and then saw the man leave the house in different clothes and drive off. Eric made his way to the back of the house. A simple jab with his lock pick and he was through the back door. The house smelled of aftershave.

  A dim blue light in the adjoining room pulled Eric to a small desktop computer. Eric pulled a flash drive from his pocket and began copying the computer files. Since the computer had been left on, he was able to locate a cloud storage file and he copied that as well. Whoever this guy was, he was being sloppy. Eric wasn’t sure this man was the reason Casey had been crying last night. It was the same man that had grabbed the cab. Casey had told her male friend she was afraid. Eric wanted to take his time and think out his actions. He had already made the worst mistake of his life just hours ago.

  He walked through the rest of the house and determined that the man lived alone. He couldn’t find anything in the house that had a name on it except a stack of what looked like book covers. The picture on the back cover was of a woman. Maybe this guy had a friend he helped bind books for. Eric took one of the glossy covers, folded it and put it in his pocket. He assumed everything else he needed to know would be found on the flash drive. He locked the back door behind him and left.

  Mitch and Eli shared a cab after they finished giving Wayne their statements. Eli wanted to be dropped off at the city utility building to report to work. Mitch wanted to get back to the store to relieve Momma. Eli pointed out the window of the cab. “See them big wreaths up there on the poles? This is the first year I don’t have to do all that light stringin’ and stuff. It’s the Street Department’s job, but they claim every year they need help. Like Christmas is a surprise?”

  Mitch said, “You notice how many guys have those briefcases with the girly straps? I’ve counted over twenty just in the last block.”

  “Man purse.” The cab driver looked into the rear-view mirror at Mitch. “They call ’em a man purse.”

  Eli raised his eyebrows and snickered. “Seems you and me are behind on fashion lingo. Here’s my stop.” Eli asked Mitch, “We playing darts tonight?”

  Mitch reached out with a fist bump. “You know it. Meet you there.”

  Eli left the cab and Mitch started a conversation with the driver. “You know my friend there and me were the ones that found that dead cab driver last night.”

  The cab driver shook his head. “That is one sad story. Hear tell that dude just got to America couple of months ago. Came here for asylum from some country where everybody be killin’ everybody. Chicago gets much worse and we be lookin’ for asylum somewhere, too.”

  Mitch thought about what the cabbie had just said. The last couple of years the crime had increased quite a bit in his neighborhood. He worried about Momma living over the store all alone.

  Mitch commented, “Sure a lot of cops in town for that funeral. Be a bad day to pull any funny stuff.”

  “You serious? Couldn’t pick a better day. All the cops will be at that funeral home and the graveyard. You’re gonna have a skeleton crew runnin’ the city for four hours.”

  The cab pulled up to the curb in front of Momma’s and Mitch handed him the fare. He saw Momma talking to a guy at the counter. It was the cop that worked with Wayne, Carl something.

  Mitch walked in, said hi, and put his apron on.

  Carl smiled and said, “After you left, Wayne told me this place had the best sandwiches in the precinct. Had to check it out.”

  Carl moved away from the counter and stood looking at the glass door to the store. “So this was your view of the man last night?”

  Mitch nodded. “Except it was raining.”

  “Not really good enough for an ID then? Too bad.”

  Mitch felt insulted that his description of the man last night was being dismissed so easily. “Oh, we saw him alright.”

  Mitch was startled when Carl glared at him. “You reported to Wayne that you couldn’t ID the man. Which is it?”

  Momma jumped into the conversation, “My boy reports to the police he can’t ID somebody, you can take that to the bank. You want a character reference on my boy, you just talk to Nick Stryker. He’ll let you know right quick which way is up.” Momma had her hands on her hips and her head did a sharp waggle.

  Carl chuckled. “So, you’re friends with Stryker? Good friend to have.” Carl dropped a ten dollar bill on the counter and walked out the door.

  Momma frowned at Mitch. “That man’s got an issue with either you or Wayne. Best keep your nose extra clean.”

  Wednesday 5:00 p.m.

  The funeral had lasted an hour. The real memorial was always graveside. Nick stood under a large oak tree and watched as lines of police cars silently bled off from the highway and filled the cemetery roads. It seemed as if they would never end. The flashing blue lights cast a strange glow against the tiny flakes of the first light snow. Nick had parked on the far side of the cemetery, so he could escape the congestion when the service was over.

  About a football field away, a man leaned against a tree, head down, obviously in prayer. When he looked up, Nick recognized him. Eric saw Nick at the same time, turned and quickly walked away. Nick imagined that Eric was drawn to the military nature of a fallen officer’s graveside service. He also considered the possibility that Eric had known Don. What didn’t make sense was why Eric would leave so quickly when he saw Nick. Once again, Nick felt sure that Eric knew something he was keeping secret.

  Nick’s cell buzzed a call. Jessie. Nick coul
d only imagine the panic Jessie was experiencing over James being missing. “Yeah.”

  Jessie asked, “Can you meet me back at your car?”

  Nick turned around and saw Jessie standing by his driver’s door.

  “Yep.”

  Nick walked over and Jessie looked as if he had been at war. “You okay? Did the sting go down?”

  “Yeah. Not a hitch. Not a sign of James either.” Jessie kicked the mud from his boots on Nick’s front tire. “Look, I have a favor. The building across the street has a camera pointed at our building. It’s not exactly department issued.”

  Nick rolled his shoulders and sighed. “You need me to get that camera and see what happened last night.”

  Jessie nodded his head. “I would have mentioned it earlier, but I was hoping….”

  “Hoping we wouldn’t have to and that James would show up.”

  “Yeah. I wrote down exactly where it is. If you get caught with it, just put it on me. I’m the one that took the liberty, you know?”

  Casey put her key in her mailbox and cursed. The front panel of the box was jammed. She put her packages of shoes down on the step with her purse and twisted the key with both hands. The mailbox lid opened. She could see a book crammed in with her mail. Her hands began shaking uncontrollably and her keys fell to the ground. She reached in and slowly pulled out the book. Rachel Sarrin’s smiling face greeted her. Casey grabbed her purse and threw the book and her mail inside it. She gathered her packages and stood staring at the street. She didn’t know if she should go in her apartment, take a cab to the police or go back to the office for Tanner.

  Snowflakes mixed with the tears on her cheeks. Why was this woman doing this to her? Casey took a deep breath and headed up to her apartment. She turned her door key and stood in the vestibule listening for any sounds of an intruder. Her eyes scanned the apartment, but nothing seemed out of place. Casey picked up the lamp from the foyer table and held it out to strike an attacker as she slowly opened the closet door. The closet was fine. She hung up her coat, clutched her purse, and walked gingerly through her entire apartment. This morning she had sprinkled flour on the hardwood floors of her bedroom around the bed and in front of the closet door. It looked undisturbed.

  She walked back to the living room and sat on the couch. She reached in her purse and felt around the book for her phone. It took her two times to dial Tanner correctly. Tanner answered on the second ring. “What’s up?”

  Casey swallowed. Her mind was racing and hearing Tanner’s voice made her choke up.

  “Casey! What’s wrong?”

  Casey heard the fear in Tanner’s voice. She had to find the courage to talk. “I…I got another one.”

  “Damn it! I’ll be right there. Do not read it until I get there. I’m leaving work right now. Give me twenty minutes tops. Lay down. Make some cookies or something.” Tanner hung up and Casey stared at her phone. Make some cookies?

  Casey sat staring at her purse. This is crazy. She took the book out of her purse and saw blank pages. Then she saw the words: Chapter Two. Casey inhaled and began reading.

  Lisa returned home from the medical clinic and stood staring at the cuts on her body. She had reported the break-in to the police, but realized there was little that they could do. She felt so alone.

  Pages and pages of boring nothings about Lisa’s state of mind made Casey wonder what the point was of this second chapter. Casey caught herself speed reading the parts where Lisa went to work and her office gal, Carol, and her ex- boyfriend, Dan, convinced her to increase the security at her office. Then she read a line that made her go back and read it a second time.

  When Lisa got home her message light was blinking.

  Casey stopped reading and glanced over at her message machine. It was blank. Her heart started pounding. She could sense that something bad was about to happen.

  Lisa listened to Carol’s neighbor screaming that Carol’s house had exploded when she put her key in her door.

  Casey dropped the book and dialed Shelly. Casey screamed “Pick up! Pick up!” as the phone rang.

  “Hi.” Shelly’s voice sounded wonderful.

  “Where are you?”

  “Just walking up my steps. Home. Why?”

  “Oh, God! Run! Your house is set to explode when you turn the key! Call the police!”

  Shelly was terrified. Her hands shook so badly that she dropped the phone. “Casey! Are you okay? What’s happening?”

  “Shelly, please. Just run!”

  Casey dialed Joyce. She paced as she frantically waited for Joyce to answer.

  “Hey Casey.”

  Casey screamed, “Where are you?”

  Joyce answered, “In my car, pulling into my parking space.”

  Casey exhaled with relief. “Don’t go in your house! I got another book…your house is going to explode.”

  Joyce was silent.

  Casey pleaded, “Promise me you won’t go in! Call the police!”

  “Okay, okay. This sucks.”

  Casey ran to the bathroom and threw up. The room was spinning and she felt faint. That bitch is going after the people I care about. Casey took a deep breath and ran back to the book. She found where she left off and started reading again.

  Lisa dialed Dan to tell him about Carol. Dan said that he was on his way to Lisa’s apartment. After a moment she heard him curse.

  Lisa screamed, “What’s wrong? What’s happening?”

  She could hear Dan screaming. He must have dropped the phone in the car. “My brakes! I don’t have any brakes! Oh God………”

  There was a huge crash and then nothing.

  Casey jumped up and dialed Tanner. “Answer!”

  Tanner answered, “I’m halfway there, Casey.”

  “Pull over! Your brakes are going to go out!”

  Tanner touched his brakes. “My brakes are fine.” He touched them again and his foot went to the floor.

  “My brakes!” Tanner quickly scanned the scenery around him. There was only one place to go. He steered his car out of traffic, jumped the curb and sped toward the iron fence along the Chicago River.

  CHAPTER 7

  Nick was nearly to the building where Jessie had hidden the camera when his cell rang. It was Lacey. He didn’t expect a call from her.

  “Hey, beautiful. What’s up?” Nick’s heart quickened. Maybe Lacey missed him after all.

  Lacey’s voice sounded strained. “I don’t have any right to call you about this. Especially you. But I don’t know what to do.”

  Nick pulled over and parked the car. “What’s wrong?” He knew Lacey wouldn’t be calling him unless it was important to her.

  “That date I had last night? Gary? Something’s wrong with him, Nick.”

  “What do you mean?” Nick tapped his thumb on the steering wheel while he waited for an answer.

  “I told him last night that I didn’t want to date him again. He was clingy, you know? Then he called me at least ten times last night. Crying! I shut my phone off.”

  Nick wasn’t sure what to say. He certainly didn’t feel like giving Lacey dating advice for other guys.

  Lacey continued. “He sent me roses at work today and security removed him from the building once already. I can see him leaning against my car in the parking lot. I sent a security guy out to get rid of him. He won’t leave. He says he’s in a public parking lot.”

  “Are you in your office?”

  Lacey quietly answered, “Yes, looking out my window.”

  “I have something to do right now, but I can be there in 15 minutes if I use my lights. Do you want me to come?”

  “Yes.”

  Nick assured Lacey he would be there as soon as he could. He pulled to the end of the alley, got out of his car, and climbed the fire escape stairs as Jessie had instructed. The key to the door was hidden exactly where Jessie said it would be. Nick made his way down a main hall to the front apartment and found that hidden key. The surveillance camera and recorder were r
ight where Jessie had said they would be. Nick inserted a flash drive from the pile on the desk, copied the camera footage on the current loop, then made his way back to the alley. He wondered who really owned that apartment.

  When Nick returned to the fire escape steps, he saw two men looking in his car in the alley. Big guys. He yelled for them to take off. They didn’t. Nick took the stairs three at a time and landed within feet of the guys. One had pulled a knife and the other was posturing to fight.

  Nick assumed a firm stance across from them. “Chicago PD. Get lost.” Nick flipped his jacket open to expose the badge on his belt.

  The man with the knife sneered, “We ain’t afraid of no cop. You ought to know better than to hang out in alleys all alone man. We be takin’ your ride.”

  “You enter that car, its breaking and entering. You enter something of mine; I break something of yours.” Nick’s gut told him he wasn’t going to talk these guys into leaving.

  The man next to Nick’s car opened the driver’s door and started to get in. In a matter of seconds, Nick lunged at the man with the knife, took the knife from him, spun him for his buddy to see and held the man’s arm up high behind his back.

  Nick yelled to the man at his car. “Back away from the car. Now.”

  Instead, the man jumped in the driver’s seat and hurriedly tried to pop the ignition.

  Nick mumbled, “I don’t have time for this shit.” He spun the man he was holding, pulled the man’s head down and cracked it against his knee. Nick kicked his car door shut with such force it broke the other man’s leg. The first man was getting back up. Nick grabbed the shirt of the man in the car and yanked him out. Nick punched him three times in the face. Blood gushed from the man’s nose and mouth. Nick slammed him against the alley wall.

  The first man had recovered from the head slam and charged. Nick grabbed his arm, flipped him and broke his arm. On purpose. Nick got in his car and pulled out of the alley. Both men lay screaming. He headed toward Lacey’s work.