Chapter 32
Chance pulled into the driveway of his home. He noticed immediately that Rashawn's car was missing. “She was supposed to call a cab,” he mumbled under his breath. Climbing out of the car he headed over to Rita's house, walking. He knocked on the door. Rita answered. “Rashawn drove somewhere?” he asked.
“You didn't know? God, my sister is losing it.” Rita shook her head. “Chance, she decided to drive to Arizona. Why in the hell does she do stuff like this?”
“What?”
“She said she just had too much on her mind to fly. She wanted some time,” Rita made quotation marks around the word “time.”
“Dammit!” Chance blurted, catching Rita off guard. “Allen Roman isn't dead,” Chance blurted.
“What?”
“I know. I know. It's crazy ... and I don't even know who to call for verification. I guess somebody in Jamaica. But first I have to find Reggie. I can't even relax until I find Reggieâthen I'll deal with this.”
Rita's eyes widened. “Reggie? Where is Reggie?”
Just then Ovan and Juanita pulled up in Ovan's sports car. Juanita's window rolled down. Her face was reddened and her eyes wide and crazed. “Is Junior with you?” she asked.
“What is wrong with her?” Rita asked regarding Juanita's expression. But Chance's tightened stomach was the only answer he could muster.
Juanita jumped out of the car and flew into Chance's arms. “Tell me he's with you. I went with Ovan to look at the Amtrak for Reggie and we came back and Junior was gone.”
Ovan stepped out of the car. “There was indeed a ticket at the station in Reggie's name.”
“What? I didn't get him a ticket!” Chance barked.
“My guess is Allen Roman did ... the purchaser's name was a Dr. Lipton ... and well, Dr. Lipton is dead,” Ovan explained, sounding a bit casual, which Chance could only figure was his way of attempting to keep the situation under control. It wasn't working, though.
Rita clawed Chance's arm. “Junior? Junior was here a little while ago. What's going on Chance? Where is Reggie? Oh my God!”
“Junior was at the house?”
“Yes, a little bit ago. He went in and came out with a couple of backpacks. Hell, I didn't know I was supposed to stop him. If folks would tell me stuff and quit ... !” Rita's voice trailed off as she went back into the house, only to return within a millisecond with her jacket on.
“Rita, stay home. Don't leave. Rashawn may call you. We need someone to stay and you know it can't be me.” Chance moved from Juanita's embrace and headed toward Ovan. “Now what, Mr. FBI, or British Intelligence or whoever you are.” Chance asked him. “You've got my attention. Now, if you don't want my foot up your ass you'll play it straight with me.”
“I'm here looking for Allen Roman. My search for him brought me looking for your wife because her son Reggie could be in danger. That's as straight as I can give it to you at this moment.”
“Well, that's straight enough. Let's go,” Chance blurted heading for his house. Ovan stopped him by grabbing hold of his shoulder.
“Where is your wife?”
“She's on her way to Arizonaâdriving. She was supposed to be on a plane so if anybody is looking for her, they spent some wasted time at the airport. Do you think he might have been following her?”
“Not likely, but if he managed to figure out she was getting on a plane he figured out she didn't. Roman is a bit more direct I think and if he was following anybody it was Reggie. Junior spoke about a scout calling, do you know anything about this?”
“No, but Rashawn has Reggie's phone. I'll have her check the calls on there,” Chance called Rashawn's phone.
Chapter 33
It was official, the BMW was following her. She was freaked out and not sure what to do next. Traffic was picking up on the I-5 as she headed north on her way back home. It was a weekend day around noonâsoon she was at a crawl with no way off. Her cell phone rang. Thinking it was Chance she answered it without checking the number.
“Chance,” she answered. Her voice was choked and nervous.
“Hello, Rashe. I missed you, my beloved. It's your real husband ...”
“What? Who is this?”
“You don't know? My myyyy. It's Allen baby,” he purred sensually. “The father of your firstbornâ”
“Allen?” she screeched, dropping the phone. Her head spun madly now, as she searched for the black BMW. Madly she began to weave through the slow traffic taking each and every opening she could find. Her phone rang again, but she refused to look at the number or dare to answer it.
Seeing what appeared to be a sudden break in traffic, she aimed for an exit at top speed without any regard for others on the road. Looking in the rear view mirror, the black BMW was right on her tail. Her phone rang again but her hands were frozen to the wheel. She looked again for the black car that now she was certain contained Allen Roman. Darting off the exit, the BMW rushed up behind her. The next glance in the rear view mirror horrified her. She could see his eyes. She could see his wicked smile before feeling the jerk of her neck caused by his car bumping the back of hers. Speeding up, she attempted to merge with the fast flow of oncoming traffic. Again she noticed Roman rushing up behind her. She pulled, blindly, into the lane without paying any mind to the blaring horn of the semi truck. Roman's evil grin was last thing she would remember before the sounds of metal crushing metal, the screeching and smell of burning brakes filling her senses.
Chapter 34
“She's still not answering?” Juanita asked, noticing Chance's tense expression. He'd called at least a dozen times, on their way to the Amtrak station again.
He hesitated and then shook his head. “No.”
Juanita rubbed his back. “She'll answer. She doesn't stay mad long.” Chance glared at her and moved over to where Ovan was standing. Alongside him stood his team of one, a small built woman named Maravel. Ovan had been making calls as wellâone of them brought Maravel to the station, another was to Homicide. That call nearly sent Chance into a frenzy of redial segments to Rashawn's phone.
“We've got people at every local station now. So if they try to get on a train, we've got them ... no worries,” Ovan assured Chance, no doubt sensing his despair.
“Are they going to stop them?”
“No.”
“No? What the hell ...” Chance blurted. Ovan held out his hand.
“They are not going to stop them. They are going to follow them. It doesn't help to stop them if in fact Allen Roman is following them. We need to catch Romanânot two boys on their way to Oregon. Do you understand?”
Chance slammed his phone deep into his pocket. “No, no I don't. I need to talk to a real cop.” Chance looked at Maravel. “No offense, lady, but I don't know you either. Do you have kids?”
“No,” Maravel answered shyly.
“Then you have no idea how this is killing me. I can't find my wife. I can't find my kids! And I don't know who to trust!”
“I understand, Mr. Davis. The police are looking for your wife right now. Ovan and I are looking for your childrenâ”
“No, no, you're no. You're looking for Allen Roman,” Chance snapped before storming off. “We're not on the same page.”
“He's got a pretty bad temper,” Ovan noticed.
“Well, because of Allen Roman, Chance was almost killed,” Juanita told him, watching where Chance was heading.
Ovan's head went back with the revelation. “Hmm ... well then I guess that will do it. Allen Roman seems to have touched us all pretty personally.”
Chapter 35
“Dr. Duncan, I need to ask you about Allen Roman. While you treated him did he ever mention his health,” Maravel asked, finding they had time to finally talk. Ovan was on the phone with Homicide Detectives Miller and Beem. Chance was pacing the station like a caged cat.
“His health? You mean his mental health or ...?” Juanita asked.
Maravel smiled. “No. We already have that answer.”
Juanita nodded emphatically. “For sure, he's a fuckin' loony. God, if he hurts my son ...”
“Why would you worry about your son?” Maravel asked. “Juanita, tell me the truth. If you just say it, it will be easier for all of us to get on with this.”
Guilt ran across Juanita's face like a ticker tape. “I'm just meaning both boys. I'm sure Junior is with Reggie and if Roman is after Reggie, then,” Juanita answered quickly before moving away from Maravel in search of Chance who had stormed out of the station as soon as a bus pulled up in front.
He was on the phone with Rita when she found him. “Has she called?” Juanita asked.
“No,” Chance answered sadly. He looked at his watch. “It's been hours. She can't possibly still be mad at me.”
“Maybe there's no reception, Chance,” Juanita explained. “She should be pretty far south by now.” He looked at her. His eyes were sad and she felt her heart grow heavy. Unable to stand the look, she pulled him into a tight hug, before kissing his cheek softly.
“We've got Sprint ...”
“Juanita, I think we need to talk,” Ovan blurted interrupting their moment. Juanita still holding Chance spoke without looking at Ovan.
“I'm busy, Ovan,” she answered.
“I'm sure you are but I need you to tell me who Junior's real father is.” Ovan asked, pulling her arm from around Chance's shoulder. “Since you won't talk to Maravel you'll have to talk to me. Who is Reggie's father ... and don't tell me it's Chance Davis,” he growled.
“Knock it off,” Chance bit, pulling Juanita from Ovan's tight grip.
“Sorry, Chance, but we have to do what we have to do. Seems Juanita here has a couple of gaps to fill and I mean right now,” Ovan began to explain. Chance now stood wide-eyed and confused.
“What did you do?” Juanita screamed.
Before he could answer Juanita struck out at Ovan, but his reflexes were quick and he caught her flying fist. “Stop it. This lie has apparently reached its end, Juanita!” Ovan said, holding her by both forearms.
She was shaking. “I didn't lie,” she growled.
Chance just stood there watching. “Talk, Nita!”
“Chance,” Juanita began, her face instantly drenched with tears. “Chance I didn't know ... I don't know ... I,” she stammered.
“I had our friends at Homicide go to both your house and Juanita's. I tested whatever we could find from the boy's room for DNA. We had multiple matches.”
Juanita howled like a wounded animal. “Why would you do that. You had no right to do that. They aren't broth-ersâthey can't be brothers.”
“Are you blind? Good grief, woman, are you and everyone else blind?” Ovan blurted rudely. At that, Juanita reached out for Chance who seemed in total shock. Suddenly his brow furrowed. He stepped back from her and again pushed the button on his cell phone calling Rashawn. It was as if he had shut her down the way someone shuts down and ignores a crazy stranger on the bus.
Chapter 36
Roman laughed again, watching Chance's number coming up on Rashawn's cell phone. The one he'd taken from the scene, along with her wallet. Sure they would eventually find Chance through the license plate on the car, but first things first. She would have to be taken to the ER as an unidentified woman. That would surely buy him a few hours. He was the first on the scene when she swerved to avoid hitting the large truck. Her car then hit the concrete on the opposite wall at top speed, flipping the car over on its top. Other cars came to a halt, slamming on breaks, causing rear-end bumps, crunchesâgridlock. He quickly pulled over and acted as caring and concerned as he could as a few dogooders pulled up behind him. “I'm a doctor,” he told them, hoping to be allowed more up close timeâordering everyone else to “get back!” Examining Rashawn for a pulse he could see she wasn't dead; that's when he noticed her small phone. He quickly grabbed it and tucked it in his pocket. Her purse had spilled its contents as well and so her wallet was another handy bit of identification he snagged. Soon the roar of the ambulance was heard, and the crowd pushed forward, cars slowed, and people rubbernecked, some too late or unconcerned pressed forward. During all the commotion, he slipped back into his car and left the scene, appearing to be just another rubbernecker.
Now Chance was calling. Allen was tempted to answer Chance's call, but that would spoil all the fun of the game.
Chapter 37
Juanita stood between the two men. Her heart was pounding. “How dare you,” she finally growled in Ovan's direction. “How dare you involve yourself in my life like this. You had no right!”
“Junior is not my son?” Chance finally asked. He sounded oddly calm after calling Rashawn's sister Rita. He didn't want to alert the restâespecially Trina. Trina had a flair for the dramatic so he figured he'd leave that one alone. Rita was already near hysteria and had involved the oldest sister, Carlotta, who had called their other sister who was a doctor, Ta'Rae.
“No,” Ovan answered.
“Yes,” Juanita answered at the same time. “Shut your mouth!” she screamed at Ovan. “Why are you even here? Who are you?”
“Roman is an international fugitive. It's my job to bring him in.”
“That didn't answer her question,” Chance interjected.
“We're bounty hunters,” Maravel said now, ending the inquiry.
“So this is about money?” Chance asked her.
Maravel's face reddened. “No ... and yes. It's our job,” she tried to explain.
“You're ruining my life for money!”
“I didn't ruin your life,” Ovan snapped. “I'm trying to save your life ... and frankly this isn't even about
your
life.”
“So,” Chance sighed. “How long have you been looking for him?”
“The best part of a year. We just got assigned. Roman has been at this for much, much longer,” Maravel explained to Chance. The two of them were much calmer now. Ovan and Juanita were another story. Both of them were literally at each other's throats.
Just then Chance's phone rang. “What's going on?” he screamed into the receiver getting above Ovan and Juanita's volume, his voice hitting an unnatural pitch.
“What is it?” Juanita yelped jumping, slightly startled at his outburst.
“Is she okay? Is she alive? Thank God. Yes, I'll be there.” He hung up his phone. “Rashawn has been in a car accident. That was her sister. Rashawn is in the ICU in Monterey. She's in a coma. I've got to go.”
“Chance, this is horrible!” Juanita gasped.
“Chance,” Ovan grabbed his other arm. “Go see about your wife. That's your duty, just remember, however, if we find the boys, and Roman is anywhere nearby, I'll have to proceed with mine.”
Chance glanced at Juanita, who stood still flustered and looking embarrassed; it was clear she was not happy with what had just been discovered. Her second or two of caring about Rashawn passed quickly when Ovan brought up the boys again.
Chance nodded. “Do what you gotta do ... just make finding our sons a priorityâ
duty
.” He glanced again at Juanita whose expression softened slightly.