Free For My Brother by John C. Dalglish

crying.
    “No. Burt…my maiden name was Burt.”
    Silence fell over the three of them as the girls waited to find out what Ed was driving at.
    “Mother of God!
    “What?” Both girls asked in unison.
    “Does the name ‘Billy Jarvis’ mean anything to either of you?”
     
    *******
     
    It was near closing at the local dollar store, and Curt was finishing the last of the busywork.
    “Wendy, I’m taking trash out; back in a minute.”
    “Okay.”
    He unlocked the back door and carried the two bags to the dumpster. After throwing them in, he turned to go back, and noticed a teal-colored car parked at an odd angle. The dome light was on and the back door open. He didn’t recognize the car, and everyone who worked at the plaza parked in the outer lot up front.
    Curt walked down toward the vehicle and looked in. The keys dangled from the ignition, but the car wasn’t running. Standing up, he looked around. He was alone in the back alley. He pulled out his cell phone.
     
    *******
     
    Two uniformed officers responded to Curt’s call. One was calling in the license plate, and the other was getting the final details of how Curt found the car.
    The first got off the radio.
    “Car belongs to a Suzanne Cooper. Address is not far from here.”
    “Get a phone number?”
    “Yes. I’m trying it now.”
    The second officer turned back to Curt.
    “Thanks for your help. You can go now; sorry to keep you so long.”
    “No problem.”
    As the dollar store employee walked away, the first officer hung up the phone.
    “Answering machine.”
    “Okay, call in for a car to go by the address, and I’ll get a tow truck to come take the car.”
    By the time the officers heard no one was answering at the residence, the car was on the truck and ready to go. Instead of the impound lot, it was sent to the forensics garage.
     
    *******
     
    Ed Garland could hear both girls suck in their breath. Neither said anything, and Ed waited while it sunk in. He had already figured out the connection, all three of them had been there the day Billy Jarvis had shot himself playing Russian roulette.
    The thing he hadn’t figured out was their captor’s identity. Finally, Chelsea spoke. “Ed, Ed Garland from McCollum High?”
    “Yes.”
    “And Suzanne Cooper, Billy Jarvis’s girlfriend?”
    Suzanne didn’t answer immediately, but Chelsea could hear her crying.
    “Suzanne?”
    “Ye…yes.”
    “You’re Billy’s ex-girlfriend?”
    “Yes.”
    “That means Dexter Hughes…”
    Ed slammed his hand on the wall. “That’s his name! I was sitting here trying to remember the other guy who was there that day. That’s gotta be who the last cell is for.”
    Suzanne had regained her composure.
    “If you’re right, and Dexter is put in the last cell, then what? And who is the guy doing this?”
    Ed’s answer chilled them all.
    “I don’t know who he is, and I don’t want to know what’s next.”

 
     
    Chapter 13
     
     
    Jason received a call the next morning from Lieutenant Banks.
    “Go see Doc Josie when you get here.”
    “Okay. What’s up?”
    “You would have me ruin the surprise? I wouldn’t think of it.”
    The phone went dead. Jason called Nina, who was just leaving the house. “Hello?”
    “Morning, Nina. You heading in?”
    “Yeah, why?”
    “Banks called. She said we need to go see Doc Josie first thing; I’ll meet you there.”
    “Okay. She say why?”
    “Nope. Said it was a surprise.”
    “A surprise? Okay, see you in about twenty minutes.”
     
     
    *******
     
    Jason found Dr. Jocelyn Carter staring through a microscope.
    “Morning, Doc.”
    She pulled her head back, rolled her eyes, and went back to the scope with a chuckle. “Maybe for you, Detective. For me, it’s more like afternoon. Got a call at midnight to come in and process a car.”
    “Sorry to hear that.”
    Nina came through the doors and joined them. Jason stopped her before she had a chance to wish Doc Josie a good morning. “She’s been