Rick Mofina - Into the Dark

“So Leon Elliott changed his name and is now living in California?” Brophy said.

“Yes and his wife’s friend, the P.I. in Los Angeles, has asked for some background on him.”

“I see. Well, I’m happy to help.”

Brophy slid on his bifocals, wet his forefinger and began slowly flipping through the pages of a notebook.

“I interviewed Leon Elliott a few times in 2010. I’ll say this-the guy’s bad news. But I had nothing to prove it. Nothing. I’m going to tell you what the official report says happened. Then I’m going to tell you, confidentially, cop to cop, what I believe really happened with Leon Elliott and his wife, Cynthia.”

Brophy lifted his ice-blue eyes over his bifocals to meet Thorsen’s.

“It was my case, Milt, and it haunts me.”

San Marino, California

“Help me! God, please help me!” Amber’s screaming…then…Claire’s father is yelling, “I’m gonna kill all of you fuckers for dragging me down!” “No, Daddy!” Claire’s baby brother, Luke, is crying. Claire’s mother is shouting for her to “Get out of the house! Go next door! Call the police!”

Claire woke, her chest heaving.

Robert sat up with her.

“Are you all right?”

She covered her face with shaking hands.

“A nightmare, I’ll be okay.”

It was 7:30 a.m.

Claire had taken a pill to help her sleep and had slept in.

She got up and went to the kitchen and started brewing coffee. She was still rattled and consumed with worry for Amber. Yesterday’s news conference, and suspicions that Eric was the monster who’d already murdered five women, was overwhelming. Claire was thankful police didn’t reveal that Amber was a patient, allowing her to privately prepare the others for this whirlwind of horror.

Please find Amber. Please.

Claire checked her landline home phone for any updates from Tanner or Belinski.

There were none.

She checked her cell phone, but it took longer than usual. What’s wrong with this thing? It started acting up last night. Finally, it cooperated. She had messages from Alice related to office matters, but Claire had received nothing new from Tanner or Belinski.

Claire logged on to her laptop for emails and was frustrated again. It froze several times before finally allowing her access to her account.

Again, nothing.

Very quickly she searched online news sites, nearly all were reports on Amber and Eric, stemming from the press conference. No new developments had surfaced. She switched on her TV for local news reports then checked the newspapers.

Nothing.

When the coffee was ready, she prepared a mug, taking it outside to the patrol car in her driveway. She offered the fresh coffee to the officer who’d drawn the early shift. Williams, his name tag said.

“Thank you, ma’am.”

His police radio crackled with muted dispatches.

“Is there any news on Amber or Eric since yesterday?”

“No, ma’am, I’m afraid there’s nothing to report from overnight. You’ve got to figure the task force will advise you if anything breaks.”

Claire nodded her thanks, squinting in the morning sun.

“I’ll be taking Detective Tanner’s advice and leaving L.A. soon. I appreciate having you here but police won’t need to watch over me much longer.”

“Let us know when you plan to depart. Don’t forget to give the task force your new contact info. Thanks again for the coffee.”

When Claire returned to the house, Robert had showered and was standing at the window, staring at the patrol car.

“Did the cop say if they found Amber or Eric?”

“No, there’s nothing new.”

Claire had work to do.

After a breakfast of fruit and whole-wheat toast, she showered, got dressed, went to her home office and got busy. There were more calls to make. She hadn’t reached all of her patients yesterday, and was determined to talk with each one before she left.

Claire had already taken most of the steps Martha had urged her to take. She’d advised her malpractice insurance provider of the situation and she’d arranged referrals. She’d taken all the right precautions.

Claire decided she would leave L.A. and stay with Martha in Las Vegas for a few days. She would put in short telephone sessions with her most troubled patients from there. If things went right, they would all get through this. She wanted to drive to Nevada, to be in control. She would risk a few extra hours on the road for not having to face airport delays and cancelations.

Besides, if they find Amber, I could still fly back to L.A. God, please let them find her, safe and alive.

In between calls to patients, she double-checked her calendar for her next appointment for treatment with Dr. LaRoy.

It was in five days.

She could be back by then, but did she want to continue? Did it matter at this point? The other day amid the maelstrom of Amber’s disappearance, Robert had indicated that he’d reevaluated things about their future, about being a father, even selling the cabin.

But his change of heart did not suddenly erase her unease about him.

It left her torn.

At the same time Julie said she’d found information about Robert’s life with Cynthia in Alberta. Maybe it would lead to answers to help Claire make the right decision.

Julie had promised to tell her more, but so far Claire hadn’t heard a word.

What’s up with Julie?

Claire texted her and waited for a response.

When none came, she attempted to start packing as a distraction. She wanted Robert, the technical genius, to check her slow laptop and phone. Walking through the house, she was unable to find him until she heard the buzz of his saw and went to the garage.

To her surprise he was building another planter box.

“How many of those are you going to make?” she asked. “Didn’t you already take some up to the cabin?”

He lifted his safety goggles and shrugged.

“I don’t know. I like making them, gives me peace of mind at a time like this. I can always give them to the neighbors.”

“Have you got a minute? I need you to help me with something.”

“Sure.”

“I need you to look at my phone and laptop. They keep freezing up.”

“Now?”

He set down his power saw.

“As soon as you have time. I’m going to do what the detective suggested. After I finish postponing all therapy sessions at my office, I’m going to visit Martha Berman in Las Vegas for a few days, or until they arrest Eric and find Amber.”

Robert thought for a moment.

“Are you flying? I’ll go with you. Maybe we could see a show and take your mind off things a bit.”

“No, I don’t want to take my mind off things. I’m going to drive. I want the time alone to think. I’ll stay with Martha at her house.”

Robert let a few seconds pass.

“Forgive me, Claire, but I was hoping we could find a minute or two to talk about us, you know, about everything.”

“I’d like that, but this is a bad time. How about when I get back and we know how things are going to go?”

“Sure, if that’s what you want.”

“I think that’s the best way for now.”

“When are you leaving?”

“Might not be for a little while yet, I still haven’t reached everybody.”

He unplugged his power saw and dragged a forearm across his brow.

“Okay, let me take care of your computer and phone for you.”

Los Angeles, California

Later that day, LAPD Officer Will Tollson walked out of a little taco place on South Alvarado carrying two large take-out coffees to the parking lot.

His partner, Arnie Veck, had found a patch of shade big enough to swallow their new Chevy Caprice black-and-white.