| Mystery and Crime Fiction posted June 1, 2014 | Chapters: |
2 3 -4- 5... 
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The detectives devise strategy. Angela wakes up on a boat.
A chapter in the book Bel Air: A Bard's Guide
Angela At Sea, Is It Uncle Barry?
by michaelcahill
| Background In the middle of the court cases and fight over money, a kidnapping has occurred. The detectives and The Bard, homeless Bel Air resident are on the case. The Bard is poetic and eccentric and more! |
Previously, Angela is kidnapped, Junior and the Chief are out on bail. Harpster has made himself known to a few select people in order to assist in finding Angela. Lincoln is missing and so are the surveilance tapes from the new security system. Luckily the old securtiy system is still functioning and, though out dated, there may be information to glean from the tapes left behind. We pick up the story, now, as Tenaya and Lucy, along with the other's, prepare to look at the old VHS tapes.
The tapes didn't cover the grounds and interior of the building like the new system did. It did cover the driveway and showed the Humvee pulling into it. It showed everyone but Lincoln exiting towards the safe room. Lincoln answered the door slowly and a man that nobody recognized entered. Lincoln didn't seem to be distressed until two other armed men rushed in pointing their weapons at him.
Even then, his reaction seemed mild, along the lines of "that isn't necessary", as opposed to, "Oh my God! What the hell are you doing!" The tapes showed Lincoln, accompanied by the three men, removing the DVD's from the new security system. He handed the discs over to the unknown man. The two armed men appeared relaxed with their weapons by their side.
A discussion appeared to take place and they gestured towards the safe room. Lincoln raised his arms as if to say, "there's nothing that can be done about it". They left it at that and all proceeded out the front door. By the time they reached the Humvee, all weapons were secure; they entered the vehicle and drove off.
"It didn't look much like an abduction." Lucy spoke in subdued tones.
Tenaya seemed thoughtful as well. "Yes, I agree. But, it didn't exactly look like a lunch date either. I don't know what to make of it. We know this, Lincoln is gone and Angela is kidnapped, almost at the same time. The odds of that being unrelated are… well, I hate math."
Tenaya looked at Lucy, "What do we know?"
"School gets out at 2PM; Angela begins walking home with a group of friends. Nothing special. Same thing every day. The group thins out as kids go their separate ways. Finally, its Angela and Adam Claireborne. He's been walking her home all year. They're an item. Serious, as these things go in the eighth grade. They're on they're way to Adam's house, the Claireborne estate. They have the Montessori school there right on the property. But, they get within two blocks, a black van pulls up and calls out her name. According to Adam, she stops at the sound of her name and looks over. Two men in masks jump out knock Adam to the ground, scoop up Angela, dive in the van and off they go. That's what we know."
Tenaya looked at the window, but not out of it, just in that direction. "Lincoln leaves here at 1:30. There's plenty of time, but he's in a Humvee with three other guys. Why switch vehicles? Adam didn't recognize anyone. He knows Lincoln. So, these are different men. Are they part of the same group? Probably… certainly… how the hell could they not be? Does it matter?"
"Why Angela? Don't we have to ask that question?" Susan hadn't said a great deal up until now. When it came to the brains of the Junior-Susan partnership, Susan cornered the market. She parlayed teen stardom into solid investments and had money to burn in her own right. It wasn't Blackwell-level wealth, but it certainly ranked up there as far as most rich people went.
Junior had his usual arrogant but ignorant response. "Money, isn't that what it always is?"
Susan looked at him like he was the cause of salmonella poisoning worldwide. "We know that, darling. Bluto, the goldfish in that tank over there, told us." She shook her head in disgust. "He" she gave a thumb gesture to indicate Junior, "has been in jail. Ruby is the heir of the estate. Very few people as I understand it know that Dad here is actually alive. How would anyone know that money to pay for Angela's return even exists?"
"Every knows it's Wiiiin....ston. dum…dum…dum… And Winston has stooooormy eyes…" The Bard stopped with his arm outstretched like a statue. Everyone continued the conversation as though that was perfectly normal.
Lucy spoke. "Exactly, Winston. But, Lincoln knew as well. Everyone else is in this room knows. Who am I missing?"
The Bard chimed in. "Like everyone that digs the best harp player in the world, music lovers. Can you dig it? All those hipsters layin' down those tracks. But, you know musicians. Trustworthy, loyal, close-mouthed, true blue, rock solid, salt of the earth, pillars of salt from the Morton company. When it rains, it pours. Noah? Your ark's parked in a handicapped space. That's gonna cost you. In other words, it's not a big secret like Junior wetting the bed."
"He's right, Lucy; we haven't kept him that well hidden. Winston's a speed freak talking a mile a minute. It isn't that big a secret really. Hell, the Cryogenic Institute, where he is supposed to be in deep freeze, knows he's not there…"
"Walt's already coming out with a movie. 'My Life On Ice'. How to get ahead in life. Success against all odds. Harpster ain't here. That's all folks. Damn Porky Pig. Put some pants on! Whore!"
Diamond grabbed the Bard by the arm. "I think we need a drink. By "we", I mean me." She went off laughing while the bard sang "When You Wish Upon a Star" in a spot on Walt Disney voice.
The conversation went on for some time. Finally, Tenaya decided to take some steps and get something moving. "Here is the plan. First of all, we are all on truce status. Whatever battles we have to fight, can wait. All that matters right now is that little girl. Harpster, I can't imagine what you'll tell Lilith should the need arise. I'm advising everyone here that for the time being, Johnathon Blackwell Senior remains on ice outside of this house. We don't need the sideshow. That's just a distraction. That means Junior here is off limits for now. Lucy and I are going to interview people at the school. I want to talk to Adam."
Lucy spoke under her breath to Tenaya, "We should take the Bard, kids love him".
"I agree. He gets them to loosen up better than anyone I've seen, including the pros in psych. Let's hit it."
The three of them jumped into Tenaya's car and sped off towards the school.
~~~~~~
The darkness made it impossible to know the exact location in which she woke up. But, Angela Blackwell knew the familiar rocking motion of a body of water. That didn't eliminate much territory on earth, it being seventy percent covered by it. Somehow, being in a boat on a body of water in the dark seemed more foreboding than a room in an unknown building somewhere. That is how she felt anyway.
Living on the California coastline made bodies of water, specifically the Pacific Ocean, readily available in a short time. Whatever they had given her had taken quick effect and she had no sense of elapsed time. The room had no natural light entering it and no artificial light on, day or night, a mystery.
"Hello. Is anybody there?" An answer might not be what she wanted to hear, but she asked the question. Was there another option?
A light came on, a bright light that flooded the room and her eyes in an almost painful way. She couldn't make out the figure standing in the glare at first. Slowly, the figure of a woman came into focus. The woman smiled.
"There is no reason to be afraid. You will not be harmed. Your mother knows why you are here and she knows what to do to get you back home where you belong. I'm Elsa. Are you hungry, Scooter?"
Angela sat there with her mind reeling. Scooter? She hadn't been called that in years. Who was that? That man… mom's friend… Uncle Barry. Yeah, that's it. Where is this? "Hungry, ah yes… I guess so. Where are we. I mean… we're on the water… but, where? Is this Uncle Barry's boat?" She was sharp as a tack. If Elsa thought she was a typical little girl, she was mistaken.
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