Chapter 13


"Are you sure about this," Amy had to think about it again, "Sally…"

Shannon finished the name in a glib tone, "Henchersfied." Then Shannon stuck her phone over the seat so that Amy could get a first hand look at it's screen, "this is where the phone book says she lives." When Amy still looked unconvinced the teen got the idea that it was not because of the address. Shannon repeated her earlier argument, "you heard my game. If Danni said she met with this girl, last night, then it's obvious she had something to do with it."

Amy also knew that in the recording, probably made by a German observation post over by the warehouse, Danni had also mentioned that they met with some guy. None of it made any sense and, so, Amy was still not convinced that they were doing anything more than wasting their time.

Tony had not let his eyes drift off the house since they pulled up in front of it and parked. It was not exactly a mansion but, it probably cost more than any three homes that Tony had ever lived in, combined. Amy did not say as much but, then again, did she really have too? What she did ask was the question that was primarily on Tony's mind, "you said she was in Danni's class? That would make her what?"

"I don't know," Tony shrugged, "what, twenty-three, twenty four maybe?"

All Amy could say to that was, "what does she do for a living?"

Shannon was more than a little excited, "I know! Maybe she's like a high end prostitute!"

Both adults looked back at the kid and then Amy said, "who keeps filling your mind with all this smut?"

Shannon shrugged it off, "I don't know. I mean did you see what Danni was wearing when she left the station last night? It was almost less than what you two had…"

"That's enough," Tony said putting up his hand. He was particularly miffed because they had a serious problem that the nice amenities of the house had almost caused him to over look. He pointed to the front door, "I'd call that a problem."

Amy sighed, "it's busted in. Oh this day is turning out to be just peachy."

Shannon became confused, "what's peachy?"

Tony ignored the kid, "with a house like this, it's a sure fired bet there's an alarm system."

"Which means," Amy added, "it just happened." She looked to the teenager. "I mean it this time. Stay in the car."

Amy did not wait to draw her weapon this time. It was out before she even got her feet planted firmly on the ground. Tony was obviously quicker. He was already running for the back of the house before Amy could even reach the front yard, let alone, cross it. Since there was a brick staircase almost as tall as she was, Amy had a little trouble actually getting too the door. She did not like going straight at it so that left her stomping through some bushes and then climbing up the railing before she could actually make it inside. By the time she entered, what proved to be a living room, she heard some muffled cries coming from further in the house.

Amy called out, "Miss Hen.. Hen… Sally?"

It was Tony that replied, "you're clear. Get back here."

Amy felt a little relieved when she entered the dining room/ kitchen area. Tony was standing there and he looked relaxed enough so Amy lowered her weapon but, did not put it away. Then she looked at the source of the noise she heard. It was definitely not Sally unless the woman had somehow turned into a man. The guy was no less in dire need as someone had handcuffed him to a banister rail and then taped his eyes and mouth shut.

Amy kind of shrugged, "boyfriend maybe?"

"I don't think so," Tony replied. He then nodded towards the back door, "looks the same back there as it did up front. They came in from two directions, from the looks of it, maybe even three. I think there's a window out, upstairs."

Amy reached over and ripped the tape off the guys eyes. He looked at her with panic but, when he looked at Tony, there was something else there. Amy could have sworn it was, recognition maybe? No matter what their bound and helpless guy thought of him, it was clear that Tony did indeed recognize the guy. He said as much as Amy tore the tape off the guys mouth, "well if it isn't Fast Finger Freddy."

At first the guy was about to say something less than cordial but then he stopped and looked at Amy in shock, "that hurt!" Finally he turned his attention on Tony, "and you know I hate that fucking name Tony! My name is Frank! NOT FRED!"

Amy shrugged so Tony explained, "he's my second cousin." Then he turned his attention back to the guy, "so you get caught good this time Freddy? I told you, getting nicked by the city was the least of your problems."

"I did not get nicked you sanctimonious moron," Frank replied. "I'm the victim here! I was just minding my own business…"

Amy added, "in somebody else's living room."

Frank (and or Freddy) rattled on as if she had never said a word, "when out of nowhere, some crazy paramedic comes out of the shadows like he's Spiderman…"

Tony winced, "shadows? It's the middle of the day Freddy."

Amy added, "in somebody else's living room in the middle of the day."

Tony calmly asked, "how long you been here Freddy?"

"FRANK," he protested, "and I don't know. I mean, it was early this morning before the sun came up. That's all I know. Now are you two going to let me go so I can go piss or do I have to do it my pants."

Tony and Amy both looked at his zipper and noted the stain. Tony was the one who said it, "kind of looks like you emptied your bladder already. Was that when the ambulance driver got you or after?"

"After," Frank went on with, "bozo! And I didn't say he was an ambulance driver I said paramedic, ok?"

Amy crossed her arms, "and you knew this how?"

"He had on scrubs," Frank replied. "You know the kind they wear in that old Doctor's show, um, what was it called?"

Tony answered, "Scrubs."

"Yeah that's the one," Frank replied.

Amy then asked, "and did you happen to see this guys face?"

"I told you it was dark," Frank told her. Then he remembered, "well he was a black guy. I remember that much."

Amy continued, "so then he just burst in the door and drug you in here and handcuffed you to this rail."

"No," Frank sneered, "that would be stupid. The door was already busted in when I first.. I mean when I was walking by."

Tony nodded and Amy followed him back out to the front yard and far enough away that they could no longer hear Frank screaming. Standing on the walk way, Tony told her, "well I believe part of his story." When he got strange looks from her he pointed out, "well he didn't break in both doors and everything is still in the house."

Amy sighed and she could also read between the lines, "you think Norm did it?"

"I think whoever broke in those doors had come and gone before Norm even got here," Tony told her with a hint of frustration. He then added with a nod to the house, "and why would Norm bust in both doors? Whoever went in that place knew what they were doing and had more than a few people."

"Yeah but," Amy was confused, "why would the German's do it? I mean Horst all but led us here."

"If it was even him in the first place," Tony added. He did have to admit that, "well we know Horst knew about this girl and he'd have less trouble tracking her down than we would."

Now Amy was suddenly not so worried about tracking down Sally Whatshername. She looked in the car and it was empty, "where's Shannon?"

It was Shannon who answered as she came walking out of the house, "and you guys call yourselves cops." The kid rolled her eyes, "you were so busy with Lame Ass Side Show, in there, you missed the real attraction."

Suddenly Tony became very concerned until Shannon pulled her hands out from behind her back. She handed Amy the first object which was a framed picture. Amy wanted to be shocked but could not make herself be. She showed the photo too Tony who recognized two of the three girls in the picture. Danni was obvious and the other girl with the brown hair was none other than Natasha Ivanov. Tony pointed at the picture with the triumph that came with being right, "I told you she had a flat chest!"

Amy groaned and said, " the point is, that's the woman that came to the hospital a little while ago. That's Tasha Kingsley!"

Shannon smirked and raised her nose in condescension, "and I'm guessing the blond is Sally."

Amy still kept on frowning, "fat lot of good it does it. We still don't know where Norm is and we can add this Sally chick to the list of missing persons."

Why was Tony smiling? He held up the object that Shannon had handed him. It was a white name plate with 'SALLY' written on it. There was smaller writing beneath it. Tony saved Amy the trouble of reading it, "Doctor Cashton's office. Sally is the receptionist."

Amy's mind was obviously not on her work. She was quite ticked when she blurted out, "a fucking secretary can afford a place like this!"

Shannon snickered, "told you she was a call girl."

Tony was smug, "you don't get it do you?" He held up the photo again and pointed to just beneath Natasha's neck line. Amy couldn't help but get the feeling that Tony was trying to rub her boobs but, then she forgot all about that when he realized and said, "Cashton, he's a plastic surgeon."