“It has to do with David Axel, Brigatti,” Gavin Williams said matter-of-factly, as if that explained everything. He made David Axel sound only a level or so below God, but Toni Brigatti had never heard the name before and wasn’t afraid to say so.

   “So? Who’s David Axel, and what makes him need our assistance?” Brigatti asked sharply.

   “He, uh, he thinks he’s being stalked,” Williams, who was blond and in his mid-thirties, explained while squirming under Toni Brigatti’s intense brown-eyed stare. “Come on, Brigatti, David Axel! The guy who owns Northfield Communications. Multi-millionaire who donates lots of money to charity, saving the whales, political campaigns … ”

   Brigatti rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Okay, I get your point, but why can’t the local police handle this … stalking case?” She made the ‘stalking case’ sound like a five-year-old stealing candy from the corner store.

   “Axel is a very important man, Toni,” Williams replied meaningfully. “We’re supposed to make sure nothing happens to him, and we’re supposed to find out who the stalker is, if there’s really a stalker.”

   Toni Brigatti gave a long sigh. “Okay, so we’re supposed to baby-sit an over-suspicious millionaire. Before we begin this thrilling assignment, could I at least have a few specifics?”

   Williams leaned his elbows on the table; he was tall, at least a head taller than Brigatti, with blue eyes and a rather boyish smile. Women found him irresistible; women not named Toni Brigatti, anyway. “All right,” Williams said. “Axel thinks he’s being stalked by a white male, about six feet tall with short dark hair and hazel eyes.”

   Brigatti’s derisive snort told Gavin Williams exactly what she thought about that ‘detailed’ description. “That’s all? Come on, Gavin, there are a million six-foot-tall guys in Chicago with dark hair and eyes that could be described as ‘hazel’!” She shook her head.

   “Yeah. I know.” Gavin shrugged. “I wasn’t the one who assigned us this job, Toni. I’m sorry.” He gave her his most melting smile. “At least we’ll be working together, right?”

   Brigatti did not melt in the least. “Yeah, whatever you say.” She tossed back her thick, dark hair and gave him a cool stare. “So, what’re we supposed to do first? We might as well stop loafing around and get on the job.”

   Williams tried to suppress a smile. Toni Brigatti might grumble and complain about an assignment, but when it came down to it she was all business, even if her job was only ‘baby-sitting a suspicious millionaire’.

   “Axel is out shopping with his wife and daughter right now,” Williams explained. “We’re supposed to tail him, discreetly of course, and try to see if there’s anyone following him, or anything suspicious at all, like tiny spaceships hovering overhead.” Toni wasn’t amused.

   Somehow, Gavin Williams knew exactly where the Axel family was going to be; he led Toni through a maze of malls and restaurants before stopping just to the side of a shoe store. “They’re in there,” he explained. “Should be out in a minute. I’ll point them out to you, since you obviously don’t know what David Axel looks like.” He rolled his eyes a little, as if not knowing what David Axel looked like made Brigatti a perfect heathen.

   Within a few minutes, David Axel and his family emerged from the store; he was probably fifty-five, a rather distinguished-looking man with thick, graying dark hair and dark eyes. His wife — Melanie, Gavin said — was maybe five years younger, a slender woman who was pretty enough but wore too much makeup.

   Then there was the daughter, their only child and sole heir to the Williams fortune — she was perhaps twenty, a striking young woman with blond hair and blue eyes like her mother. Her fair skin, shy smile and flowing blue dress made her appear rather angelic, making her name — Angelina — rather fitting in Toni’s opinion.

   For the first half-hour that they inconspicuously tailed the Axel family, Toni and Gavin didn’t see anything out of the ordinary — then, just after the trio had stepped out of the mall and onto the sidewalk, Gavin gently tapped Toni’s arm and pointed to a tall-dark haired man standing with his back to them and looking intently at the Axels.

   “You think it’s him?” Gavin whispered; Toni didn’t reply. She was staring at the dark-haired man and getting a distinctly creepy feeling. There was something way too familiar about him, about the black leather jacket, the blue jeans, the athletic build …

   Nah. It couldn’t be. Toni Brigatti shook her head. She had no more time for reflection, because the Axels were walking down the sidewalk, and the black-leather-jacket guy was following them, hanging back a little, as if he didn’t really want to be seen. Brigatti got the impression he was waiting for something to happen.

   “Looks like this might be one over-suspicious millionaire who isn’t imagining things, after all,” Gavin muttered as he and Toni headed out after the Axels and Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome Stalker. Now, what made me think that? Toni wondered, shaking her head slightly and drawing a curious glance from Gavin. I haven’t even seen his face, but he’s definitely handsome, if it’s … but no, it’s not him. Can’t be him. I mean, what are the odds?

   The black-leather-jacket guy sped up his pace slightly as the Axels turned a corner. Toni was certain she saw him pull out a newspaper and look at it, and the creepy feeling got stronger. Oh my word, if it is him, I’m going to … I’m going to … I don’t know what I’m going to do.

   Right at that moment, the dark-haired stalker looked behind him, as if he sensed he was being followed. Brigatti saw the strikingly good-looking face and couldn’t suppress a gasp, then a despairing groan, which earned a strange look from Gavin. “Brigatti, you okay?”

   “Yes. No. I don’t know.” She sped up to match the dark-haired man’s pace. “We’d better get him now, Gavin; he’s gaining on them.” Shaking her head, she muttered, “Gary Hobson, you are so dead!”

   “Gary Hobson? You know his name?” Williams asked in surprise.

   “Yeah.” Brigatti sighed. “Almost wish I didn’t, though. He was a witness to a mob hit — weirdest guy I ever met. I was supposed to protect him, but he kept trying to run off. He totally creeped me out, Gavin — seemed to think he was psychic or something.”

   “So, you think he’s the twisted psycho stalker axe murderer type?” Williams exaggerated slightly.

   “Uh … ” Brigatti had to think about that for a moment. She and Gavin were close behind Hobson now, but he hadn’t turned around and didn’t seem to know they were there.  “I don’t know, to tell you the truth. He was really weird, but he didn’t seem … evil.”

   Williams didn’t reply; he just grabbed Hobson by the arm and spun him around. The shocked, wide-eyed expression on Gary Hobson’s face was almost laughable. It didn’t seem possible for his hazel-green eyes to grow any wider, but they did when he saw the petite dark-haired woman.

   “Br — Brigatti!” He gasped. “What are — what’s — why — what are you doing here?”

   “I could ask you the same thing, Hobson,” Brigatti responded in a dangerously calm voice. “Have you added stalking to your list of hobbies, I think you called them? Still getting urges to be certain places at certain times on certain days?”

   “What — I, I don’t know what you’re — certain days?” Hobson stuttered helplessly, then suddenly spun and tried to bolt, restrained only by Williams’ hand on the back of his collar. “Wait, wait,” the quirky bar owner protested. “The, the Axels, they — something’s going to, to happen to them.”

   Brigatti and Williams exchanged a look. “Yeah, Hobson, and just what would you have to do with that ‘something’?” Williams asked coldly.

   “Me? I, I don’t have — would you just let me go!” Hobson’s expression was growing increasingly more desperate. “They’re, they’re going to step out in front of a, a speeding car and the driver is drunk — well, it doesn’t matter, they’re just going to, to get hurt if you don’t let me go, that’s all!”

   Williams’ mouth was hanging open as he stared at Hobson in almost comical disbelief. Brigatti remembered feeling much the same way the first time she’d heard Gary Hobson attempt an explanation the strange things he did. The man had been gifted with extraordinary good looks; his speaking abilities, at least while nervous, were a completely different story.

   Gary Hobson managed to pull himself free from Williams’ grip just enough to get out his paper and look at the front page. He blinked in disbelief when he saw that the article had disappeared. Looking up, he saw that the Axel family had hesitated to look at what was going on behind them. Well, at least I stopped it, one way or another, He thought wryly.

   “What’s the matter, Hobson? Not so urgent to leave any more?” Toni Brigatti asked icily.

   “Well, I — it’s just that — they, they hesitated to look,” Gary explained weakly. “And, and since they hesitated, now they aren’t going to step out in front of the car and — oh, hell.” Williams finally released him, and he ran a hand nervously through his thick, dark hair. Way to go, Hobson. The more you say, the less sense you make. Better just shut up.

   “And, uh,” Brigatti crossed her arms, striking a no-nonsense pose, “just how did you know that they were going to step in front of a car? Or that the driver was drunk? Or any of those other things you always claim to know?”

   “Well, that’s just, I, uh, I don’t … you could show a little gratitude, you know, I saved your life!” He tried to change the subject.

   Brigatti wasn’t so easily distracted. “Oh, you think so, huh? Well, I had the situation under control.” Gary almost laughed at that statement, remembering the headline in the paper about her murder. “I asked you a question, Hobson. Why don’t you take a shot at answering it?” When he opened his mouth to reply, she held up her hand. “On second thought, I’ll spare myself the agony.”

   “You, you, you — why do you think I’m a stalker?” Gary protested. “I, this is the first time I’ve ever seen these people in my entire life! It was just, they were going to get hurt, that’s all.”

   “Uh-huh,” Williams returned, not convinced in the least. “Well, Mr. Hobson, we don’t have enough on you to arrest you right now, but I warn you — if you’re ever seen near any one of the Axels again, we’ll have you in jail so quick you won’t know what happened. Understood?” His glare was ice-cold.

   Hobson opened his mouth as if to say something, then seemed to think better of it. Finally he said in a low, controlled voice, “Oh, I guarantee you I won’t be near the Axels again. I’ll gladly stay away from them. And from you!” He half-looked at Brigatti during that statement, letting her know it wasn’t just for Williams.

   “You do that, Hobson,” Gavin called as the black-jacketed man walked away, clutching his precious newspaper. “You just do that.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

   Sometimes I hate this paper.

   Gary Hobson sat on the edge of his unmade bed, head in hands, ignoring the persistent meowing of a very hungry ginger-colored cat. The paper lay on the floor beside his bare feet, its headline leering up at him: “MILLIONAIRE DISAPPEARS; FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED”.

   “Perfect,” he moaned. “Just perfect. I promised I’d stay away from the Axels, don’t you remember?” This was said as much to the paper as to the cat. “If I show up nearby again, they’ll throw me under the jail.” He lifted his head just long enough to glare at the cat, who stared back innocently. “C’mon, what do you expect me to do? I can’t help anybody if I’m in jail, can I?”

   “Mrow.”

   “I wish you would say something helpful every now and then!” Gary grouched, heading for the bathroom to get dressed. He stubbed his toe on the couch and said a word his mother would not be proud of. The cat gave a reproachful “mrow”.

   Gary had nearly five hours to try to figure out how to stop the impending tragedy; he had the feeling that wasn’t going to help much. No matter what he did, a number of key law enforcement persons — including but not limited to Antonia Brigatti — were going to think he was a twisted, psychotic stalker. Well, some of them probably already did think that of him, but they’d really be certain of after today.

   Hobson hoped some brilliant plan would come to him as he showered and dressed in a red plaid shirt, blue jeans and a black bomber jacket, but nothing was readily apparent. The best he could come up with was to be at the Axel residence around 11 AM, try to prevent the millionaire’s disappearance, and hope he wasn’t noticed. That, he had to admit to himself, was very possibly the worst plan he had ever heard, much less come up with, but what else could he do?

   10:53 AM found Gary standing nervously outside the massive Axel house, checking his paper again, hoping against hope that the article had changed. It hadn’t, of course, and the body of the article wasn’t really much help; it just said that Axel had disappeared from his back yard around 11 AM. There had been no witnesses, but his wife said he had gone out to walk the dog and should have been back within a few minutes. When he wasn’t, she went looking for him and couldn’t find a trace of him or the dog.

   Pulling his Chicago Cubs baseball cap lower, hoping to hide his eyes, Gary jogged across the street and headed around the house, hoping he didn’t stick out like a sore thumb. Standing on the outside of the chain-link fence surrounding the Axel back yard, Gary pressed his face against it and peered in at the expansive, tree-dotted yard. He could see no sign of David Axel, but there … a small white dog disappeared behind a tree at the back of the yard.

   Gary took off toward the spot, then skidded to a stop when he dodged around a massive tree and saw a black car with tinted windows parked next to the fence. The doors were already closed; Axel and the dog must be inside, he thought, desperately trying to figure out how he was going to prevent this now. “Hey!” He yelled. “Hey, stop!”

   Perhaps in response to Hobson’s shout, the car sped away. Gary was left panting and inwardly cursing his own inability to save David Axel. You idiot, if you’d just showed up a few minutes earlier …

   “Hobson!”

   Oh, no.

   Gary recognized Toni Brigatti’s voice without turning and knew that he was in trouble — big trouble. It probably wasn’t a brilliant move, but it was the only think he could think to do, so he ran.

   There were angry shouts behind him and he half expected to be shot any minute, but they didn’t shoot and they didn’t catch him. He was never quite sure when he lost them, but somehow he did.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

   Her heart pounding, Toni Brigatti lowered her gun and cursed softly. Even with the way she and Gavin Williams had observed Hobson following the Axels, she had never quite been able to believe that he was the stalker … until now.

   “Williams!” She turned on him fiercely. “We’ve got to get him. I think I know where he’ll go, or at least call. You talk to the Axels, see if they’re all right. I’ll head over to — ”

   “What’s happened? What’s going on?” Melanie Axel burst out the back door of her stately home, followed by her angelic daughter Angelina. Both of them looked wide-eyed and worried.

   “We’ve spotted the stalker again, Mrs. Axel,” Toni said, her voice softening. “Now, don’t you worry, ma’am, we’ll get him. Where’s your husband; is he inside?”

   “He’s not here?” Melanie Axel put a hand to her throat. “He took the dog out for a walk, he said he’d only go out in the yard — oh, oh no, you don’t think … ?”

   Angelina Axel covered her mouth with her hands and began to cry softly. Brigatti turned sharply away, wishing she could say something to help but knowing there was nothing to say, because she suspected the same thing that Melanie and Angelina Axel did.

   “Dang it, Hobson,” Brigatti muttered under her breath as she stalked toward her car. “What did you do with him, and just what did you think you would accomplish by doing it?”

   She was still cursing him under her breath as she started her car and drove toward McGinty’s.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

   Leaning against a building, his breath coming in great gasps, Gary Hobson tried to figure out what to do. He pulled the paper out of his back pocket and groaned at what he saw. “MILLIONAIRE DISAPPEARS; BAR OWNER SUSPECTED.” Next to the article was David Axel’s picture, as well as Gary’s.

   “Oh, boy,” Gary muttered. Skimming the story, he saw that it said he hadn’t been captured but was still on the loose. Well, let’s keep that part of the story the same, He thought. As for the rest of it … I guess it’s a little late to change that. If only he had arrived in time to prevent Axel’s disappearance!

   Think, Gary. You have to think. He leaned his head against the cool brick of the building beside him. Where? God, where can I go? He looked upward, as if expecting an audible answer.

   A pay phone. He needed to get to a pay phone. Maybe the police wouldn’t have made it to McGinty’s, wouldn’t have the phone bugged yet. Marissa deserved to know what was going on; she deserved to hear from him that he was all right.

   She answered on the second ring, her voice serene. “McGinty’s. How may I help you?”

   “Marissa.” Gary kept his voice low. “Listen, I’m not gonna be back for a while. I’m in kind of a jam; I’m sure Toni Brigatti will be by shortly to tell you all about it. I just wanted to let you know I’m okay.”

   “Oh, Gary … ” Marissa sounded concerned and confused. “Brigatti? You mean that woman who … ? She came by just a few minutes ago. She, she didn’t say anything about you.”

   “She didn’t … ?” Gary paused, then started to get a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. “Marissa, did Brigatti ask to use the phone? Did she touch the phone?” His voice rose slightly.

   “Yes, she said she had to call … ” Marissa’s voice trailed off as realization dawned on her. “Gary … ”

   “I have to go.” He dropped the phone without bothering to hang it up, and left the phone booth at a dead run. He immediately saw the police car; they were right on top of him, too close …

   “Freeze, Hobson! Get your hands in the air!” Toni Brigatti shouted, leaping out of the car and training her gun on his retreating back. His head turned back toward her and she had a brief glimpse of his frightened, confused face. He didn’t stop, nor did he get his hands in the air.

   “Hobson!” Brigatti screamed, holding her gun with both hands to keep herself from shaking so badly. “Damn it, don’t you make me — ”

   He didn’t hesitate. He wasn’t going to stop. The image of Angelina Axel’s wide, tear-filled eyes came to Toni’s mind and, hating herself for what she was about to do, she pulled the trigger.

   For a split second, she thought — hoped — she had missed; then he staggered and fell forward, hands out to break his fall. Before she or Williams could react, however, he pushed himself up and disappeared around the edge of the building. Brigatti closed her eyes, uncertain whether she was more upset that he had gotten away, or that she had shot him, perhaps fatally.

   By the time they reached the spot where Hobson had been, nothing was left except blood on the sidewalk. Williams glanced up at Brigatti, his expression inquisitive. “Where did you hit him?”

   “Upper back, I think. Maybe the shoulder.” Toni tried to pretend she wasn’t shaken, but she could tell she wasn’t fooling Gavin Williams.

   “Not a kill shot, then?” Williams stood up and walked around the building, following the trail of blood.

   “I don’t think so. He’ll probably bleed to death if we don’t get to him soon, though.” Brigatti tagged along behind him, trying to sound collected and unconcerned. Truth be told, she didn’t know why she was so upset about shooting the guy. He had practically been caught red-handed; he deserved what he got, right? Still, something about this just didn’t ring true. Something wasn’t right …

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

   “Gary!” Marissa Clark screamed into the phone. “Gary, Gary, Gary … ” She had heard the desperation in her best friend’s voice when he had said simply that he had to go. There had been a brief silence … then a gunshot. A single gunshot.

   “No, God, no.” Marissa dropped the telephone and put her head in her hands, too shocked to cry. “God, please, please … ”

 

CHAPTER 2

 

   Gary Hobson had never known what pain was.

   He knew now, knew more with every stumbling step he took. Blinded, he finally stopped to lean against a building, not knowing whether he was being pursued, no longer caring. Oh, God, please … strike me dead here. Anything to stop the pain.

   He was bleeding badly; they’d be able to track him. Maybe they’ll shoot to kill this time, He thought, gasping for breath. At least I’d be out of my misery then.

   Logic told him he needed to find some way to bind the wound; the bullet had hit his left shoulder and had gone all the way through, and his dark green plaid shirt was blood-soaked. Blood was running down his torso, seeping into the fabric of his jeans, dripping on the off-gray sidewalk.

   Behind him, he heard voices, and he started walking again, stumbling and half-blinded. As he walked, the bleeding gradually slowed until he was leaving no trail, and the voices disappeared into the background, replaced by the roaring sound that filled his ears. He slumped against a building, then slid to the ground, unconscious before his head touched the cold concrete beneath him.

   Somehow in the maze of alleys — somehow, despite being dazed and half-conscious — he had lost his pursuers.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

   “He must have gotten the bleeding stopped somehow,” Toni Brigatti said matter-of-factly, shaking her head in exasperation. Considering Hobson’s condition, she no longer thought he was a menace to the community — if he ever had been — but he needed medical care, and needed it badly.

   Brigatti sighed, drawing a glance from Gavin Williams. “You can call in reinforcements and keep looking; I have to go by McGinty’s,” She said despondently. “Marissa Clark deserves an explanation.” She had always liked the intelligent African-American woman and couldn’t for the life of her figure out how Marissa had become friends with a nutcase like Hobson.

   The last thing Toni Brigatti expected from calm, levelheaded Marissa Clark was the greeting she got when she arrived at McGinty’s. Miss Clark burst into the office, tripped over a chair, and would have fallen had Brigatti not reacted quickly and caught her.

   Marissa shook off the other woman’s hands and turned on her, sightless eyes wide. “Where’s Gary? Where is he?” She asked almost hysterically.

   Brigatti’s eyes widened; then she suddenly figured out what Marissa was so upset about. “You heard, didn’t you?” She asked in a tone that was unusually soft for her.

   “Yes, I did! Now tell me where he is!”

   “Marissa … I’m sorry, but I don’t know where he is. He got away from us.” There was a brief, uncomfortable silence, and Brigatti added, “I’m sorry I tricked you, Marissa. I didn’t have a choice.”

   Marissa didn’t seem to hear Toni’s apology. “There was a gunshot. I heard a gunshot; I know I did. Was that — did you — ” Marissa’s voice caught in a sob. Brigatti couldn’t help but be surprised by how much the other woman obviously cared about Gary Hobson.

   Toni took a deep breath. Okay, Brigatti, be diplomatic for once in your life. This woman is about ready to snap. “Hobson was … injured,” She said carefully. “By all appearances, he got the bleeding stopped, and it must not have been too bad, because he gave us the slip.”

   “Who shot him?” Marissa asked in a small voice, hesitating a little over the word ‘shot’. Brigatti winced. Why did she have to ask that question? I’m afraid our budding friendship will be damaged when she discovers that I shot her best friend.

   “I did,” Toni said finally, letting out a long, slow breath.

   For a moment, there was silence; then Marissa finally asked, “You really think he did it, don’t you? You think he’s a — a kidnapper, or maybe even a murderer.”

   “The evidence — ”

   “I don’t care about the evidence! All I know is that you’ve — you’ve shot a man who spends most of his life trying to help other people. Whether you believe it or not, Brigatti, Gary Hobson is the most caring human being I’ve ever known. You’ve made a big mistake and I only hope you don’t make a bigger one.” Marissa stood, her spine ramrod-straight, and pointed to the door. “Out.”

   “Marissa — Miss Clark, I’m — ”

   “Out.” Marissa’s tone left no room for argument, so Brigatti quietly turned and left, feeling strangely disturbed by the blind woman’s words.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

   An ancient abandoned building, complete with boarded-up windows and graffiti-covered walls, might not have been the most inviting place to spend the night, but it was the best Gary Hobson could come up with in his current condition. He barely managed to make it inside and sit down before he lost consciousness.

   He was out for a long time, because the next thing he knew was a loud “meow-plop” right next to his feet. Gary nearly jumped out of his skin, then winced and moaned at the pain in his shoulder. “Did you have to be so loud?” He grouched at the cat, although he was inwardly glad for the company.

   Grimacing, Gary scooted over until he could reach the paper. Picking it up with his right hand, he placed it in his lap and squeezed his eyes shut. “God, please … let it have good news.” He opened his eyes and started reading.

   Hmm … nothing about me on the front page. Should I be insulted? The cat meowed disapprovingly, as if it had read his thoughts. Gary rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I know. I should be grateful.”

   There, on the third page — just a little blurb, telling that the police were still seeking 35-year-old bar owner Gary Hobson for questioning. Anyone with information about him was asked to call the police. I’ve got information about him, Gary thought wryly, but I’m sure as hell not calling the police!

   Fortunately, there were no other urgent stories in the paper — a couple minor injuries he would have tried to prevent under normal circumstances, but these weren’t normal circumstances. Gary made up his mind to stay put and try to figure out what he was going to do.

   Think, Gary. You have to think! He scratched the back of his head thoughtfully. Somebody sure as heck kidnapped David Axel, but who was it, and what did they want? He exhaled slowly. More importantly, how am I ever gonna convince anybody that it wasn’t me?

   The police had devastating circumstantial evidence against him — he knew that. They were certain enough of his guilt to be willing to shoot him — or at least one of them was, a certain beautiful dark-haired woman named Toni Brigatti. Williams had been with her, but Gary was virtually certain it was Brigatti who had shot him.

   It was cold … he was beginning to shiver; shock and blood loss were taking effect, and he wished he had worn his jacket. He needed medical attention, but that wasn’t going to happen any time soon, not unless Cat was a doctor.

   The ginger-colored feline meowed loudly, disdaining that idea.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

   An entire day had passed since the shooting, with no sign of Gary Hobson; Toni Brigatti was beginning to get more and more agitated, not just because she couldn’t find Hobson, but also because she couldn’t find any trace of David Axel. Gavin Williams could tell that something was on her mind, and he finally asked her about it.

   After a moment of deep thought, Brigatti said, “Gavin, have you considered something? Hobson ran away from us just a few minutes after Axel disappeared. What could he have done with him so quickly?”

   Williams considered this query for a moment. “Maybe he had somebody else working with him, and that person loaded Axel into a car and took off.”

   “Maybe … ” Toni tipped her head slightly to the side. “But if that was so, why would they have left Hobson behind? Why not take him in the car, too?” She sighed. “The guy probably is nutty and he probably is a stalker, but I’m beginning to suspect that he may not have kidnapped David Axel.”

   Gavin chewed on his bottom lip for a moment. “I don’t know,” He said finally. “He fit the description of the stalker perfectly, and all the evidence is against him.” After a moment’s silence, he added, “This is botherin’ you, isn’t it, Toni? You’re afraid you shot a guy who’s innocent.”

   Brigatti gave a short shrug, returning to her normal sarcastic persona. “He might be innocent of some things, but he’s sure as hell guilty of some things too,” She replied coolly. “We’ve got to find him, and Axel, and try to figure out just how the two of them fit into this whole tangled mess. Have you talked any more to Axel’s family?”

   “Yeah; the wife and daughter are both in tears most of the time, practically hysterical. They don’t seem to know anything about it; apparently Axel didn’t even tell them about the stalker because he didn’t want to scare them.” He shook his head. “Gotta be a shock when your husband, or your father, goes out to walk the dog and doesn’t come back.”

   “If Hobson’s behind all this,” Toni muttered, “I’m going to kill him.”

   “And if he isn’t?” Gavin dared to ask.

   Brigatti didn’t reply.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

   Three hours later, Toni Brigatti was leaned over her desk taking care of paperwork when Williams suddenly burst into her office. “Toni! We’ve got an anonymous tip. Some homeless guy swears he saw Hobson inside an abandoned building. Described Hobson in great detail and said he had blood all over his shirt.”

   Brigatti jumped up. “What’s the location?”

   Gavin told her, and within two minutes they were out the door, in the car and headed toward the suspect’s reported location, followed by two CPD squad cars for backup.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

   It never would have happened if Gary Hobson hadn’t fallen asleep.

   Had he been awake, he would have checked in the paper and seen the article about himself being captured. Had he been awake, he would have escaped long before the police arrived. He was not awake.

   In fact, he was awakened by the sound of distant sirens coming ever closer. He bolted to his feet, was rewarded by a stab of pain in his shoulder, and nearly knocked himself unconscious on a metal pipe that was just about even with his forehead. Swearing softly, he checked the newspaper and knew he was in big trouble when he saw the front-page headline.

   Gary headed out the back door but stopped in the alley behind the building; the police cars were pulling up in front and he would be out in the open if he made a run for it. He didn’t have to use his imagination to know what would happen then. His throbbing shoulder reminded him of that.

   Out in front of the building, Toni Brigatti, Gavin Williams and a number of policemen were getting into position and preparing to use a bullhorn to give Gary Hobson his options: 1) Surrender. 2) Surrender. 3) Surrender.

   “I don’t see him,” Brigatti muttered. “Either he’s crouching real low in there, or he’s behind the building.” She checked the clip in her gun, then shot Gavin a look that told him not to argue with her. “I’m going around back.”

   “By yourself? Toni — ”

   “Gavin, I’m a big girl!” She snapped. “Damn it, I don’t think he’s even armed. I’ll be careful.”

   She was careful, or at least she tried to be. Her attempts came back to bite her in the posterior region, because she was so intent on looking around for Gary Hobson that she never saw the trash can directly in front of her.

   With a low curse, Toni Brigatti sprawled painfully on the damp concrete, hitting her elbow on the ground when she landed. Seeming to act of its own volition, Toni’s pistol jumped out of her hand and skittered toward the building, stopping just short of the hiking boots.

   Hiking boots.

   Toni, you idiot, hiking boots don’t stand in an alley by themselves!

   Gary Hobson leaned over and picked up Toni Brigatti’s gun, staring at it as if he wasn’t quite sure what it was for. He looked at Toni, holding the gun so that it pointed in her general direction. She was reasonably certain that he wasn’t even aware he was aiming at her.

   She got to her knees and opened her mouth to speak, but before she could form words, there was a shout behind her. “Hobson! Drop the gun!”

   Oh, no. Williams, followed by his crew of policemen, stepped into the alley. Nine guns pointed at Gary Hobson. He looked beyond Toni Brigatti, and then he did point the gun, right at Gavin Williams.

   Toni’s mouth was dry; she wasn’t in the direct line of fire, and if she stayed down she should be reasonably safe if shooting started, but her own safety wasn’t what concerned her. Irrationally, she was worried about a stalker who was holding a gun on Gavin Williams.

   “Hobson,” Williams growled, “if you don’t put that gun down, I’m going to … ”

   Brigatti stood and finally found her voice. “No! No, Gavin, don’t shoot!” She shouted, somehow knowing her words would have little or no effect on the situation. Turning toward Hobson, she pleaded, “Come on, Gary, put the gun down. Just put it down … they aren’t going to hurt you. They just want to help, Gary.”

   His eyes, wide and haunted, flickered to her briefly, but he didn’t seem to understand what she had said. He looked like a lost child, he looked … ill and frightened and desperate. He was shivering and twin red spots over the cheekbones of what was otherwise a deathly pale face told Toni that he was burning up with fever. Why couldn’t they see that he was hurting and confused? Why couldn’t they see that they — that she — had driven him to this?

   “Please, Gavin,” Toni Brigatti said hopelessly. “Please … ”

   He wasn’t going to back down, and neither was Hobson; neither was Hobson, who was injured and uncertain and who had been pushed just a little too far. Hobson wouldn’t back down, and Toni knew Gavin Williams well enough to know what would happen when he didn’t.

   Gary’s legs were trying to give way; he leaned against the building, still holding the gun in badly shaking hands. He probably couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn in his condition, Toni thought numbly. If I could just get him to —

   “Brigatti?” His voice was plaintive and slightly slurred. “Where are you?”

   “I’m right here, Gary.” She took a step toward him, was rewarded by a brief, dazed smile. It was only a shadow of the full-fledged boyish heartbreaker she had seen him flash a few times. This smile was also a heartbreaker, but for a different reason.

   “Brigatti, I’m cold.”

   “I know, Gary. I’m cold too. Why don’t you put the gun down? We can take you someplace warm.”

   For a split second Gary seemed to be considering Toni’s offer, and she dared to hope; then his eyes shadowed. “You don’t believe me. They don’t believe me. Nobody believes me. They think — you all think that I — my head hurts. You don’t believe me.” His rapid-fire subject switches made his words hard to follow.

   “I believe you, Gary.” Toni took a couple more steps, ignoring Gavin’s low warning to stay back. “I think you’re telling the truth.”

   “You do?” The wistfulness of Hobson’s voice — almost as if he was trying to let himself hope — tore at Brigatti’s heart. For the first time she fully realized everything he had been through, and she truly did believe him. Convincing anyone else to believe him would be an entirely different matter, however.

   “Yes. I do.” Three more steps and she was standing directly in front of him, shielding him. She met his eyes and reached out a hand. “Come on, Gary, give me the gun. You can’t do this any more. It’s cold and I’m sure you’re hungry. I’m even hungry, and I’ve eaten since you have.”

   He wavered, shooting a quick glance behind her, at all the men with guns drawn. His grip on the gun tightened slightly. “I, I, I don’t — ”

   “Give it to me, Gary.” Her voice strengthened into a commanding tone. “I’ll look out for you. I promise.” She wasn’t entirely sure why Hobson should trust the very woman who had shot him in the first place, but her tactics seemed to be working, because he was letting go of the gun, he was letting her take it from him. As soon as he released his hold on the pistol, Hobson’s knees buckled and he would have fallen if Brigatti hadn’t caught him, easing him to a sitting position with his back against the building.

   “I-I’m sorry,” Gary said, his teeth chattering uncontrollably. “I’m sorry, I didn’t, I didn’t mean to … ” His eyes drifted closed as Brigatti sternly told Williams and the others to stay back and for God’s sake put those guns away! The last thing Gary heard was the petite brunette asking if anyone had a blanket.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

   “Brigatti?”

   Toni Brigatti jumped, startled, from her seat in the waiting room of the hospital. She relaxed when she saw Gavin Williams’ face. “Hey,” He said softly. “How ya doing?”

   Toni wasn’t in the mood to be patronized. “I’m fine,” She snapped. “How are you?”

   Gavin sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “Look, Toni, if you’re going to hate me forever, go ahead. I thought you were in real danger there. From what I could tell, Hobson was pointing the gun at you.” Without waiting for her to answer, he added, “There’s someone here to see you. She says it’s important.”

   Angelina Axel entered the room; she had obviously been crying, because her blue eyes were red and swollen. “Ms. Brigatti?” She asked timidly. “I, I, my mother would kill me if she knew I was here, but when I heard about that poor man getting shot I just, I couldn’t keep quiet.”

   She took a deep breath, not seeming to notice when Williams and Brigatti exchanged puzzled looks. “My father hasn’t been kidnapped at all,” the Axel heir confided in a soft voice, looking around nervously, as if afraid someone was eavesdropping. “He — they — we staged the whole thing. Northfield Communications — my father’s company, you know — it’s gone broke. We did our best to hide it, but … it’s broke.”

   Williams started to say something, but Angelina hurried on, cutting him off. She obviously wanted to get the whole story out before she lost her nerve. “So we came up with this idea, you know? We’d hire somebody to pretend to be stalking us and my dad would disappear and we’d make it look like he was murdered. We’d get the company back up and running with the insurance money from his ‘death’ and he’d move to Tahiti.” She paused for a breath. “He always wanted to move to Tahiti.”

   For once in her life, Toni Brigatti was shocked beyond words. It had all been an act — the tears, the grief from angelic Angelina Axel and her hysterical mother. She had shot a man because of an act, damn it! Because of a scam!

   “I’m sorry.” Angelina let out a choked sob. “I, we didn’t mean for anybody to get hurt. This man — ” She gestured in the general direction of the hospital room “ — we didn’t expect him to show up. It was just … serendipity that he did. We didn’t want anybody to get hurt.” Her eyes begged for understanding.

   Toni wanted to lash out, wanted to slap this girl’s angelic face, wanted to ask why they couldn’t just sell their million-dollar house to get their company up and running again. But no, that wouldn’t do, would it? Then somebody would know they were having financial difficulties. Then they would be shamed. No, better to get an innocent man shot because of an insurance scam.

   Gavin Williams, probably able to tell that Toni was about to snap and do something she would regret, told Angelina he needed to talk to her privately and escorted her out of the waiting room, leaving Toni alone with her thoughts. The beautiful dark-haired woman didn’t know it yet, but by that time the next day, all charges against Gary Hobson would be dropped, and David Axel would be back in the states, facing charges of insurance fraud, among other things.

   Half an hour later, Toni had called and notified Marissa Clark and was waiting for the blind woman to arrive. She was sitting and staring despondently at her shoes when a doctor stepped in front of her and cleared his throat.

   “Doctor!” Toni bolted to her feet. “H-how is he?”

   She saw by the doctor’s expression that he was surprised by her obvious concern over a suspect she herself had shot, but she didn’t care about that any more. She just wanted to know how Hobson was. God, please, let him be all right!

   “He lost a lot of blood,” the doctor explained, “and he had an infection, which caused the high fever. With rest and antibiotics, he should be all right. The bullet went through cleanly and didn’t break any bones; he was lucky.” A smile cracked the seriousness of the doctor’s face. “In fact, if things go well, we might just be able to release him as early as tomorrow.”

   “Can I see him?” Toni asked timidly, realizing that she sounded like a schoolgirl inquiring about her boyfriend.

   “Yes, if you want to.” The doctor gave her another odd look before turning to lead her toward Hobson’s room.

   He was groggy, mostly asleep from painkillers; dark green eyes squinted fuzzily up at Toni, and then Gary gave her a drowsy smile. “Hi, Brigatti,” He said. “You’re okay?”

   “Well, yeah, of course I’m okay.” She reverted to the ‘tough cop’ tone she used to cover up her emotions. “I’m not the one who got shot, you know.” Not sure he was conscious enough to fully understand, but wanting to tell him as quickly as possible, Toni went on to explain what Angelina Axel had told them.

   For a moment after she finished, there was silence, and Toni was afraid that Hobson had fallen asleep. Then he grinned and said, “Looks like I’m kinda off the hook, then.”

   “Yeah; yeah, you are.” Brigatti dared to abandon her tough-girl image for just a moment, and she gave the dark-haired injured man a faint grin. “Listen, Hobson, I don’t know what you were doing at the Axels’ place, but I want to apologize. For shooting you. For not believing you.”

   “Iss okay.” Hobson was obviously getting sleepier. His words came out in a drowsy slur.

   “Hey.” There was one more thing Brigatti wanted to tell Gary before he fell asleep. Leaning over his bed, she said softly, “The doctor said you might get to go home tomorrow, if you’re good.”

   “Home.” The edges of Gary Hobson’s mouth tugged up. “Home.” He repeated it as if it was the most precious word he’d ever heard.

   “Yeah.” Toni looked down and saw that he had fallen asleep, still smiling slightly. She couldn’t help herself; she reached out and brushed a lock of dark hair away from his face, wondering how someone so odd could also be so appealing. “Yeah, Hobson … home.”

 
*FINIS*

Email the author: eternallyfaithful@juno.com
 

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