Robert Crais - The Forgotten Man

Starkey, after she wakes, will roll her eyes and think, "I get it! They're FUCKING!"

But not now -

Now, in the dream, her breath quickens with his. She wants to be the one on the floor with him; she wants his eyes on her, seeing only her. She wants to rush from the shadows to take her rightful place -

– but she does not.

She wears burlap, not velvet.

She is flawed, not a princess.

Then the moment shifts as moments will in a dream:

Darkness presses down on her. Starkey is suddenly aware that all has changed beyond the tower walls. An invading army swarms the city. The cry of cleaved men rides the clang of battle-axes and the scream of dying horses. Demons are coming. Starkey can't see any of this, but, hell, it's a dream - she knows it's happening just out of view.

The fencing master stands alone in the round fortress room. The princess peers from her door, frightened. He tells her to escape down the back stairs. She flees -

Starkey, trapped in her hiding place, silently screams, "CHICKEN-SHIT BITCH!"

Something heavy booms at the far door. The fencing master turns.

Starkey screams silently -

"FUCK THE STUPID BITCH! SAVE YOURSELF! RUN!"

But, like Starkey, he is trapped in the dream, too.

The heavy door shatters. Monstrous warriors spill forward, giants with heavy muscles and broadswords, each bigger than the last.

"RUN, YOU STUPID NOBLE MORON!! RUN!!!!"

Starkey cannot know that he wants to run. She cannot know that he is scared. But he is all that stands between them and the princess, so he calmly raises his foil. Like Starkey, he has no choice. It is his place in the dream, to give his life for the princess.

"RUN!"

He glances in slow motion over his shoulder at the empty doorway where once the princess stood. A tear fills his eye. His lips move. Starkey sees the words.

I love you.

He once more faces the enemy, and his blade flicks like lightning. He dodges, weaves, and darts among them. Their bodies mount before his skill and rage. He is the fencing master, the King's Hero, known for his bravery and valor.

But finally they are too many.

Their steel finds him.

His body parts.

Starkey is his witness.

His tear-filled eyes.

His glance toward the princess.

His undying love.

His inevitable death.

The morning broke clean and bright, filling the glass peak of my A-frame with an amber glow. I opened the doors to my deck, hoping for a breeze. The scent of the garlic and tomatoes Lucy and I cooked were still sweet. I liked it, even when I realized Lucy had not told me where she was staying. If I didn't know, I couldn't call. Maybe that was best.

I scrambled three eggs, drank the Community coffee, then got ready for Diaz and Pardy. I jotted a list of the people I interviewed in Anson and San Diego, then made copies of the newspaper clips and articles about the Reinnikes. When I finished with the copying, I called Diaz at her office.

She said, "So, World's Greatest, have you solved the case yet?"

"I have something that might help. Did you get a hit on the BOLO?"

"C'mon, nothing is ever that easy."

"I need to talk about something with you and Pardy. I have a digital picture of Reinnike and his car. You can see his license plate, but it's blurry-"

She interrupted me.

"What does that mean, blurry? Can you read the digits?"

"You can't read it, but we might He able to have it enhanced. It's a pretty good picture, but it doesn't come free-"

She interrupted me again.

"Waitaminute. Is anyone else in the picture?"

"One of Golden's outcall girls."

"Where was it taken? Can you recognize the location?"

She was looking for other witnesses.

"It's not like that, Diaz. It was taken outside the Home Away Suites three nights before his murder."

She fell silent, so I plowed ahead.

"Listen, that's what we have to talk about. Golden's operation isn't just outcall. He's running a blackmail scam, and you have to clear the field for the people who took the picture. They were involved in the blackmail."

"Bring it around and let's see what you have."

"They need the pass. Is Pardy going to go for it?"

"Pardy will go with whatever I say."

I picked up Golden's computer from the hall closet, then let myself out through the kitchen. When I opened the kitchen door, an unsealed manila envelope was propped against the door. I looked inside, then tipped out a thin stack of faxed pages. The cover page was addressed to Sgt. D. Gittamon regarding David Reinnike. The letterhead showed the pages had been faxed from the San Diego County Sheriffs Department, North County Station, Juvenile Intervention Bureau. No other note was enclosed.

I knew Starkey must have dropped it off earlier that morning, and probably hadn't left a note or knocked because she was pissed off about dinner. Realizing that Starkey was pissed off left me feeling badly. I went back inside, and got her voice mail when I called her cell.

"Starkey, it's me. Listen, I want to apologize about last night. I didn't know Lucy was in town and I guess I was abrupt with you. It was rude. I got the stuff you left. I'll read it now, and talk to you later."

I hung up, but I didn't feel any better.

David Reinnike's Juvenile arrest file was nine pages long. The first page was a form showing general information like the arrestee's name, address, date of birth, and description. Under that was a box containing the subject's record of arrests. The newspaper articles I read at the hospital indicated that the Reinnikes' neighbors had called the police about David at least twice and possibly three times, but only one arrest was listed. David had been taken into custody at the age of fifteen, a little more than ten months before he and his father disappeared. The charges were for threatening the life of another and animal cruelty, but the file was marked NF. The NF notation meant the case officer had decided not to forward the case to the Juvenile Division Court.

Two reports were attached to the cover. The first was the arresting officers' report. It was hand-typed, and only a page and a half.

Submitted by:

Ofc. Carl Belnap, #8681

Ofc. Gregory Silias, #11611

Arrest of David Reinnike, 15, minor male, 9/12

Chrg: Penal Code 16-7218a

Offers on routine patrol were dispatched to 1627 Adams, a residence, at 1640 hours on 9/12. Complainant (Mrs. Francine Winnant, 46, female) answered the door in an emotionally distraught condition. Present with Mrs. Winnant was Mrs. Jacki Sarkin, 42, female, who identified herself as a neighbor. Mrs. Winnant directed ofcs. to a side yard where an adult collie dog was observed dead with what appeared to be a wooden stake or spear in its chest.

Mrs. Winnant stated that David Reinnike, 15, a minor male, of 1612 Adams, had threatened to kill her dog. Mrs. Sarkin confirmed that Mrs. Winnant told her of this threat three days prior, when both agreed it occurred. Mrs. Winnant stated she had found David Reinnike urinating on her front lawn and told him to leave. She stated his response was the threat to her dog.

Mrs. Sarkin stated she witnessed the confrontation from her house, but could not hear the threat. She stated she later spoke with Mrs. Winnant, who told her of the threat.

Mrs. Winnant and Mrs. Sarkin both stated that David Reinnike had committed acts of vandalism and exhibited bizarre behavior in the past.

During these statements from Mrs. Winnant and Mrs. Sarkin, Mrs. Sarkin observed that David Reinnike was currently at his residence in the open garage.

Ofcs. proceeded on foot to the Reinnike residence. They identified selves as police officers, and asked the minor teenage male to identify himself. He stated, "David Reinnike."