SACRIFICES (25 page)

              “I guess so. I mean if finding these kids does anything, it will help give piece of mind to the missing couple’s families. Knowing the truth is sometimes very hard to deal with. But it’s a lot better than not knowing at all. At least that’s what a lot of people say about cases like this one. I’m not sure if it’s going to help find our guy but at least we can close the case on the missing couple if everything checks out with Mr. Howard‘s story.” Brad explains as he takes a seat in a chair in front of his own desk while Tammy continues to play boss from his chair.

              Tammy stands up and tells him. “I got the research done you wanted me to do with Betty and Dorothy on the missing couple’s profile. They talked to those witnesses and are putting together their findings. I put the rest of it together with old headlines and information about the kids and their backgrounds. I’ll get that for you.” She stands up and walks toward the door. She stops and says with an almost jealous look on her pretty face. “Oh yeah, I almost forgot to tell you. That Jenny McQueen you talked to before you took off a few days.”

              Brad nods his head and then places his hands over his face. He mumbles. ‘Damn it I forgot to call her.’

              “Well anyway. She called for you about a dozen times while you were gone. She left her number. She tried to get me to give her your cell phone number but I told her that I wasn’t aloud to give that number out. I don’t think she liked that so she insisted that I have you call her when you returned.” Tammy walks out to get the papers.

              Brad sits there and thinks to himself. ‘I can’t believe I did that. That sweet girl; damn it I better call.’

              Tammy returns a few minutes later and gives him the folder. Then she hands him Miss McQueen’s number and asks.

“Is there anything else you need before I go home?”

              Brad looks at the phone number and tells her. “No, that’s all,” She starts to walk out and he says. “Hey Tammy, be careful. And if you see something that doesn’t look right to you, I mean anything out of the ordinary call me personally, ok.”

              Tammy smiles widely feeling flattered he cares. “Of course I would.” And she walks down the hall.

              Most of the detectives and other officers are clearing out for the evening. Brad talks to the chief to ask about the bodies and the chief tells him there’s no news yet. The chief half-heartedly orders Todd and Brad to go home and get some rest or to at least get out of the office for a while. The guys both agree and go their separate ways, but not before Brad calls Jenny.

              He unfolds the piece of paper that Tammy gave him and sits down in his chair. He holds the receiver with his shoulder and calls the number. He looks around the office as it clears out waving and smiling at fellow officers as they pass his door.

             
“Ring------Ring------Ring
--Hello.” Brad hears as Jenny picks up the phone.

              “Hello,” Brad quickly clears his throat. “...Is this Jenny McQueen?” Brad smiles as he recognizes her voice just from her hello.

              The voice answers back. “Yes it is. Is this that good looking detective I’ve been trying to get a hold of?” Jenny grins as she sits back into her chair smiling from ear to ear happy to finally hear from him.

              Brad grins and makes the comment. “I’m not sure. Which good-looking detective are you hoping for?”

              She jokingly answers back. “I was hoping it was Dirty Harry.” She smiles to herself awaiting his response.

              “Well I’m sorry I must have the wrong number.” Brad waits for a response smiling.

              “Well if it’s not Dirty Harry, I guess I’d
settle
for Brad Jostler.” Jenny reaches over and takes a drink of her ice tea that‘s sitting on the nightstand of her hotel room.

              “Well then you just so happen to be in luck.” They both laugh. Brad feels bad for not getting back to her. He feels even guiltier that he almost completely forgot about her with everything that was going on around him.

              “So did you forget about me?” Jenny asks as she changes channels on her TV from her hotel room.

              “NO, NO, Of course I didn’t. I thought about you quite a bit.” Brad takes a sip of his Diet Coke feeling terrible he forgot to call.

              “Yeah I bet you did. You probably forgot all about me. You’ve probably been busy with all of those women that are after you. The only reason you called is because your office girl told you that I kept calling for you. You probably called me so I‘d stop calling your office.” Jenny smiles as she turns off the TV.

              “Not true at all. Actually I’ve been very busy and I’ve just become…‘UN-busy’ …if that’s even a word. But I guess what I’m trying to say is,” Brad grins and closes his eyes and then opens them. “...I mean what I’d like to know is if maybe you’d like to go to dinner with me tonight, of course that’s only if you don‘t mind...I mean if you have other plans...I’d understand...really...but if your not busy...and, and your hungry...I’d really like to take you to dinner...that is if you don‘t mind.” Brad smiles to himself as he thinks how insane that must have sounded.

              Jenny doesn’t answer for a few seconds she just sits there smiling. In fact she purposely waits awhile. So long he actually says. “Are you still there?”
              “Yeah...I’m still here, and I’d like that very much.”

              Brad smiles and says. “Where should I pick you up?”

              Jenny stands up and looks into the full-length mirror on the bathroom door at her hotel and tells him while she brushes her hair. “I’m at the Marriott downtown. It’s the one on Jefferson and 6th street. Do you know how to get here?”

              Brad stands up and looks at his watch. “Yes I do. How about I meet you there in let’s say 15 minutes? Does that work for you?” Brad moves to the front of his desk anxiously moving toward the door.

              Jenny sits the brush down and asks. “What should I wear?”

              Brad shrugs his shoulders and says. “Anything you’d like.”

              Jenny looks at the outfit she has on in the mirror turning side to side and asks. “How’s a pair of blue jeans and a white T-shirt? I normally dress pretty casual.”

              “That’s perfect. I’ve been out of town so that’s about the same thing I’m wearing. I’ll pick you up at the valet parking lot next to the Marriott. See you in a little while.”

              Jenny smiles and walks back to the chair and tell him. “See you in a little while...bye.” She hangs up the phone.

              Brad stops on the way to the elevator at the restroom. He looks at his hair in the mirror and rubs his chin and thinks. ‘I wish I had time to shave.’ So he just uses some water to splash in his face and dries off. He returns to his office and puts on some deodorant and splashes on some cologne. He freshens up and walks to the elevator. He feels like a high school kid going out on his first date.

              Brad gets into his Jeep that’s been parked in the precincts parking lot for the last couple days and instead of turning on the air-conditioner he rolls down the windows. The heat wave has been slowly breaking up and the temperatures have been returning to an almost normal mid-west summertime level. In July in the summertime it still gets hot, but the latest heat wave surpasses hot. It’s been unbearable and miserable.

              He turns down 6th street approaching the Marriott and feels slightly nervous. He’s had to apply the brakes a few times realizing that he’s been speeding. It’s just a friendly dinner date but he still feels a little tense. There is something about this beautiful woman that he can’t quite put his finger on. He’s looking forward to seeing her tonight. That’s a feeling he hasn’t had toward
any
woman since the night his wife died.              

              Brad turns on his turn signal and pulls up to the entrance to the valet parking lot and sees Jenny standing by the parking attendant. She’s laughing and she looks incredible. Brad slows down and can clearly see she’s wearing a snug pair of jeans and a tight fitting white shirt. He can’t help but look at her, a body that’s extremely fit and trim. Curves that are perfect and beautiful red hair pulled back in a bun. An ‘extremely gorgeous example of a woman’ he thinks to himself.

              Brad pulls up and smiles as he rolls up beside her and the parking attendant. “Excuse me Miss do you need a ride?” He smiles as she walks up to the door not being able to take his eyes off of her as she gets close to the Jeep.

              “Well thank you sir.” The parking attendant opens the door and tells her. ‘Have a good evening Miss McQueen.’

              He closes the door and Brad heads for the exit. He tells her as he turns into traffic. “Hopefully you weren’t waiting to long?” He continues to drive.

              “No I wasn’t waiting to long.” She turns herself in her seat and reaches over and touches the bottom of his chin and says with a schoolgirl smile. “Look at you. Did you lose your razor Mr. Jostler?”

              Brad grins and rubs his own chin as he looks into the mirror. “That’s your fault,” She raises her eyebrows feeling confused about the comment. “If I wasn’t in such a hurry to see you I would have shaved first.” Brad smiles and turns down Michigan Avenue.

              Jenny places her hand on his shoulder. “That is so sweet of you to say. You were in a hurry to see me,
really
?” Jenny rubs his shoulder casually.

              Brad turns toward her for a moment. “Yeah, I was.” He looks back at the road showing signs of shyness.

              “That makes me feel good to hear that,” Jenny looks away and then back. “Oh yeah, by the way, you look even sexier with that hair on your face.
I like it a lot
.” Jenny smiles and looks out the window. “I just thought you should know.”

              Brad looks in his mirror and rubs his chin again. “
Really
…”

              Jenny nods her head. “Oh yeah, I think it looks great.”

              For the next few minutes there’s a long silence. Brad’s feeling pretty good about himself. The last time she was around him she also had the same effect. To break the silence Brad jokingly reaches over and softly taps the top of her hand. “How does the Lauderdale sound for dinner?”

              “That’s a nice place and all but to be honest with you I was kind of hoping to find some nice quiet place. So we could sit there and talk. I don’t want anything fancy I was just hoping to visit and get to know each other better.”

              “I know just the place.” Brad starts to drive back toward town after he makes a lane change. There’s a nice pub not to far from the station. It’s close to down town and not far from his place. He thinks this quaint little place will be just right for a casual dinner date.

              They pull into the parking lot of the Malibu Club. It’s a small cozy spot. Brad’s eaten here quite a bit in the past. It’s a nice place. The food is great and a relaxed atmosphere.

              Brad parks a little bit away from the door and opens the door for her after he’s out. While walking toward the entrance out of nowhere Jenny reaches down and takes a hold of his hand. Brad swallows hard and doesn’t know what to do. The soft touch of a woman feels welcomed at this moment but it also feels awkward. So he goes with it and wraps his fingers around her tiny hand while they walk hand in hand across the parking lot.

              Once inside the manager walks over and greets Brad with a handshake. “How are you doing Mr. Jostler? It’s so nice to see you again, it‘s been
too
long since you‘ve graced us.”

              “How are you doing Devon? It’s nice to be back. Do you still have the best rib eyes in town?” 

              Devon smiles and says. “Yes sir.” Brad notices that Jenny still has a firm grip on his hand and has nonchalantly moved closer to him as he exchanges small talk with Devon.

              Devon walks them to a booth in the back. The restaurant is not busy this Thursday evening at 8 pm. So it’s even cozier. After seating Brad and his dinner date he brings them menus.

              The booth is rounded and small. The tables have the look of an Old Italian restaurant, red and white checker-boarded table clothes with a tall white candle in the center held up by a curved candelabrum with a glass sconce. The ambiance is romantic. There’s music playing softly in the background and the lighting is low, particularly tranquil.

              While they look over the menu Jenny smiles and tells him. “This place is very nice.”

              Brad grins as he turns the page to the menu. Devon walks back over to the edge of the table. “What can I bring you and your beautiful guest to drink?”

              Brad looks at Jenny and then back at Devon. “I want a
very
strong screwdriver, extra-vodka, and no ice.”

              Devon smiles and says. “And you ma’am?”

              “I’ll take a glass of white wine.” Devon walks away and shortly returns with their spirits.

              He places their drinks onto the table on top of a napkin and leaves them to look at the menus for a little longer. Jenny takes a sip of her drink and makes the comment. “I have to ask you a question Brad. I have seen you in suits and ties and I have to admit you’re very handsome dressed like that. But looking at you in your jeans and t-shirt I have to question your honesty.”