chapter 10
The rain falling on the police station stopped all at once. Mickey parked his car in the police parking lot inside the station. He turned off the motor ,and looked around worriedly as if something was going to happen, looking for signs of foul play, suspicious of something terrible going on in the building. A mysterious smile appeared on his face. He opened his leather case lying on the seat next to him, took out his good friend the whiskey flask, opened it,
,and took a swig of the liquid trickling down his throat pleasurably.
"Ahhh, this is good. old buddy, through thick ,and thin never- ending. It's a shame this pervert is bothering me."
Mickey looked to the sides again ,and put the flask back into his case. He stepped out, locked the car,and walked quickly into the station. The pandemonium of the cops, detectives,and civilians in the station appeared like an entertaining pantomime act for some unknown reason. A few police approached ,and welcomed him as Mickey just waved his hand or nodded his head. He walked to his locked office ,and came across his deputy Wally that spoke something ,and seemed angry at Mickey that, for some reason, could not hear what he's saying.
Wally talked loudly again ,and was amazed at Mickey's response that laughed ,and spoke, "I'm sorry, Wally. I couldn’t hear anything. You must think I've gone deaf. what did you say?" Mickey raised his hands to his ears ,and pulled out the two tiny earphones of his MP3 player that prevented him from hearing.
"Someone is here claiming his son went missing this morning. He
,and his girlfriend are in room 213. Shall I take them to Jill's room to make a statement?"
"Yes, okay. take them to Jill ,and check it out, I'll look at their statement later."
"Okay, Mickey! I'll be at Jill's with the couple!"
Wally turned around ,and started walking towards room 213 at the end of the hall. Mickey Suddenly felt an inexplicable excitement. The adrenalin began coursing through his body. He turned towards Wally.
"Wally, wait!"
Wally turned around.
"Bring them to room 11. I want to listen in"
Wally disappeared from his sight as Mickey left his office ,and walked into the interrogation room ,and sat on a chair. A knock sounded on the door. Mickey stretched ,and answered, "Yes, Wally? You can come in" The door opened up a crack ,and Wally's face peeked in.
"The father ,and his girlfriend are here. Should I let them in?" "Yes, Wally, let them in." Wally opened the door,and Abraham
,and Michelle peeked in curiously as Wally urged them to go in,
"This is Mickey, the Lieutenant. I am Wally, his deputy,and these are Abraham Menis ,and his girlfriend, Michelle. Please sit down."
Mickey ,and the couple shook hands ,and sat. Mickey watched them from head to toe. He tried to figure them out, to decipher their anxiety ,and fear like an onion being peeled one layer after another. Wally sat by the couple along with Shelly, the officer whose job was to transcribe the conversation. There were pencils, an empty interrogation form, a computer, a pitcher of cold water, glasses,
,and an ashtray with a few cigarette butts on the table. Mickey
glanced covertly at them again curiously ,and nodded his head towards Wally ,and indicated to him to start.
"We're here at the police station to receive your report in the matter of the disappearance of the boy, Isaac,and we will do everything we can to find him. But you must consider that police procedure regarding missing children only applies after 24 hours after the report of the child's disappearance since many children reported as missing were found in a time frame of 24 hours. It became clear that they stayed with neighbors, next of kin, friends. Friends from school, or just went for a walk. I want you, Abraham, to start telling us what happened ,and Shelly here- will write down your story."
"Thank you, Wally. My name is Abraham Manis. I am 42-year-old
,and divorced from Eve, Isaac's mother."
Abraham was mellow ,and wiped away a covert tear while Michelle embraced him sympathetically. Wally smiled in understanding as Mickey remained deep in thought. He sensed their panic ,and helplessness, Understanding their apprehension ,and their frustration. Although, he hoped for Isaac’s safe return. But deep inside he was restless. It was the first time he was battling himself to understand what was happening ,and why a sensation of distress clouded his mind.
"Michelle was with me at the time of Isaac's disappearance, we live on 13 Hope St."
Mickey moved around restlessly in his chair. He tried remaining his usual calm self but was unsuccessful! He watched Abraham's eyes searching for the answers to his worries. He lit a cigarette,and even the taste of that turned bitter in his mouth!
"Abraham, I want you to start at the beginning. what happened, how did you find out Isaac was missing? When was it, where, why, how?"
Abrahams's face contorted for a long moment; stress? Fear? ,and he lit a cigarette as well.
"Michelle ,and I took Isaac to my house on Friday afternoon at the request of Eve, who went on a vacation with her girlfriends. Gideon, her husband who works with her at the medical center, did not go with her!"
Wally started asking something, but Mickey interrupted Abraham.
"Hold on Abraham, about this Dr. Gideon, who is he? Her new husband? Do they have children of their own?"
"Yes, sure. Eve is two months pregnant ,and…"
Michelle burst in ,and tried to give her input ,and understanding of the issue as Mickey saw Abraham sending her a threatening look,
,and she froze. Wally wanted to make himself heard ,and watched the three of them. Abraham continued to smoke with disinterest. He watched Mickey, who now seemed just like any other cop trying to make an impression with nothing to offer. Probably just passing the time waiting for his pension to kick in.
"Shut up, Michelle! I'm talking now, don't interrupt me!" He smiled embarrassingly at Mickey. "Eve ,and this character, Gideon live in their home. Practically Romeo ,and Juliet, with Isaac." Abraham's face took on an apologetic look.
"Sorry, I didn’t mean to bad mouth them. Last night, after we picked up Isaac, we went home ,and had a normal dinner ,and then went to the amusement park. We were there for about 3 hours ,and then came back home." Wally who was waiting impatiently for the right moment to pipe in quickly asked in an authoritative tone
"Was everything okay in the park? Did you see anything suspicious? Maybe someone suspicious following you? Maybe someone who tried talking to Isaac, or a car following you on your way home?"
Michelle straightened up in her chair, looking like she was going to answer, but Abraham's freezing look took the wind out of her. She stuttered ,and sat down on the chair again.
Abraham continued, "I, I don’t think anyone followed us home! Not at the park ,and not when we were home. There was nothing
suspicious that we could put our finger on. We went back home in the evening, had dinner,and because we were tired, we all fell asleep together, including Isaac, who slept in our bed between us. I got up first, but I was still tired! I decided to make breakfast for everyone ,and brought it to bed. After breakfast, Isaac went to the living room to watch TV. We warned him not to leave the living room. We stayed in our room. After a while, I went to check upon him. He wanted to call his mother ,and talk to her. After they spoke, I went back to sleep. Isaac went outside to the yard to play. I asked Michelle to watch him. The next thing I know; Michelle is waking me up ,and saying she can't find Isaac!"
Michelle quickly patted his head, compassionately. Wally watched them both a little enviously. Mickey was still in his private world, thinking pessimistically about his own unfulfilled familial life.
Suddenly, Wally jumped up ,and enthusiastically asked, "I understand that you looked everywhere ,and couldn’t find him! But Michelle? You were with Isaac, right? What happened? How did he disappear? Am I right, Mickey? I mean, Abraham asked her to watch Isaac."
Mickey nodded in agreement.
"I hate to speak of it, but Michelle told a strange story about someone," Abraham answered, looking down at the floor.
"I would rather Michelle tell the story, okay? It would be better to hear her account of the incident."
Mickey got up suddenly ,and winked at Wally. He looked at Michelle piteously. "I must leave, but Wally will continue because I have an urgent meeting! ,and you, Michelle, don’t worry, we're not accusing you of anything. It is important to hear what happened that morning. It'll be okay, Abraham. The police will find Isaac."
Mickey kindly shook their hands ,and left quickly. Michelle lighted a cigarette ,and tried to hide her shaking hand because of her embarrassment ,and shame at Abraham's words! Mickey walked into an adjacent room with a one-way mirror. Three cops were
sitting by a long table with TV monitors ,and two video cameras to record the proceedings in the room. One camera recorded everything that was going on in the room,and the other focused on the face of the person speaking. Mickey greeted everyone. Approached the second camera ,and focused his gaze on the screen. Abraham lit another cigarette ,and watched Michelle contemptuously. Wally smiled at them both ,and mumbled.
"Can you explain what happened after Abraham asked you to watch Isaac ,and went to sleep?"
Michelle would much instead stick her poor head into the ground like an ostrich if she could avoid telling how it was her fault. Mickey focused on Michelle ,and Abraham, alternatively. He noticed Abraham smoking peacefully ,and occasionally, looking at Michelle with contempt.
Michelle started talking chokingly, "I'm so sorry for everything." Michelle wept, "at around seven-thirty Abraham asked me to watch Isaac in the yard as he went to sleep. The truth is, I was fatigued too."
Michelle tried to pull herself together ,and wiped her tears with a tissue.
She lit another cigarette ,and continued, "I was in the living room,
,and looked in on Isaac, who continued to play in the yard. I was lying on the couch watching a movie,and after about 15 minutes, the doorbell rang! I walked up to the door ,and asked who it was,” she lied to save herself the shame. "Someone spoke – it's me. . .Tom from the third floor. I peeked through the eyelet ,and saw a figure with a dark beard ,and sunglasses. The truth is he seemed a little suspicious, but I opened the door thinking what could happen? I asked him what he wanted,and he pointed at the table behind me
,and said he needs what's on there! I turned my head to look,and suddenly without warning, this man started choking me probably with some anesthetic because I blacked out immediately. The minute I woke up, I saw Isaac was not in the yard. I was sure he was in the bedroom with Abraham. I ran to the bedroom, but Abraham
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was still asleep. I woke him up ,and told him what happened,and that Isaac disappeared."
Much to everyone's surprise, Abraham lashed out at her. Michelle was shocked as she retreated.
"You're lying! I'm sure no one attacked you! You fell asleep instead of watching Isaac in the yard! That’s what happened! You made up this story! There was no one in the apartment. You're making all this up to ease your conscience! Isaac is missing,and it's your fault!"
Mickey watched the screen somberly. He focused on Michelle's tormented face, holding her head in despair ,and helplessness. She shook her head ,and mumbled, "No, No, don’t say that! It's not my fault!"
Mickey's intuitions, that have rarely failed him, led him to the conclusion that she was making it all up. That she didn’t have a choice because if she admitted that she had fallen asleep, Abraham would never forgive her.
He looked at Abraham ,and shuddered at the look of hatred ,and contempt toward Michelle. Mickey couldn't remember if he ever came across such a whirlwind of sensations.
"Poor Abraham. If that dope Michelle hadn't fallen asleep, nothing would have happened. Isaac would be with them,and the police wouldn’t be involved. But Michelle is also to be pitied. It wasn’t her fault she was tired.
Mickey's glance moved to Wally's face ,and smirked out loud.
"What's the matter, Wally? On to something? Conflicted?”
Wally sat up suddenly ,and spoke to Abraham, "I understand your anger Abraham, but you can't blame Michelle for what happened! We will investigate ,and reach the bottom of it! We will follow every lead even what Michelle told, as far-fetched as it sounds! I truly hope we're all wrong ,and that Isaac will be found ,and returned in
one piece! Right now, you need to go back home ,and continue to look for Isaac. What about his mother? Did you notify her? "
Mickey was shocked at Wally's words. He was sure Wally was just trying to impress them! Abraham looked at Wally with contempt
,and spoke, "We already notified Eve that he's missing. She ,and her friends have left the hotel ,and are on their way here. We promised to inform her if we heard anything new about Isaac."
"Okay. Abraham ,and Michelle. If by tomorrow morning Isaac doesn’t return, the police will start investigating. Make sure Eve also comes in to give her statement. I would like Gideon to come in too. Preferably with Eve."
Mickey again shook his head in disagreement. He waved his hand
,and left the room.
A long hand reached out to the doorbell. A cacophony of bitter ,and angry weeping from hell was heard. The door opened a crack,and the downhearted face of Gideon peeked out to meet the abject tormented face of Abraham ,and Michelle. A loud discordant shrill engulfed the three of them for a short time that seemed to continue forever. Abraham ,and Michel lower their eyes miserably! Gideon barked, "What do you want? I am sure Eve is not interested in seeing you! What did you come for?"
Michelle mumbled in frustration, "We're worried about Eve, please let us in!"
"I'm sorry, it's better that Eve doesn’t see you right now! She's
hysterical ,and desperate,and I don’t think you should come in."
Michelle tried to push inside, but Gideon blocked her way meanly as Abraham looked at him in contempt ,and rage.
"I would advise you to be careful with Michelle since she is pregnant,and I would advise you to be even more careful with me because I could kill you right now just for the fun of it!"
He pushed Gideon to the side rudely.
"Let's go, Michelle."
Abraham ,and Michelle passed through the front door ,and made their way through the crowd of people inside the apartment, walking around, prancing around Eve! Some were neighbors; some were colleagues ,and friends from work, but most were family members ,and acquaintances. Eve, who always looked so elegant
,and modernly dressed, glamorous ,and charismatic, was now a wreck, a pathetic being beaten down by the cruel fate of the world. She was screaming,
"Where is my son? I want to die! God, God. Why didn’t you take me instead?”
As she noticed the duo approaching, she sat up on the couch ,and even casted aside some of her protectors.
"Throw these two idiots out of my house! My son is missing because of you! It's your fault."
Others also joined in threateningly ,and blocked Abraham's way as Michelle tried to push forward against all hope, like Don Quixote
,and Sancho Panza trying to take charge, Michelle's hero, almost ripping out the face of those standing in front of them, but luckily, Michelle held on to her temper screaming, "Stop it. We want to help! Tell us what to do,and we'll get out of here!"
The mob that closed around them started to retreat in embarrassment, unsure of how to react, Abraham yelled at Eve, "We watched him all the time, maybe he was angry that you didn’t take him with you ,and that's his way of getting even with you! We don’t know how ,and why he disappeared! That's what I told the police today. I swear to you I didn’t leave Isaac for a second. I guess Michelle took a nap,and Isaac disappeared! But I'm sure he'll be back with you by the end of the day. Michelle thinks so too."
Eve managed to calm herself down ,and drank water. Her shaking body slowly eased.
"I know you didn’t want this to happen. But my Isaac is missing. I am going to lose it if he doesn’t return today."
Michelle tried to speak but Abraham pushed her aside, hurriedly holding Eve's hand ,and calling out.
"I am going to take Michelle home now,and then I'm going to drive around the city until I find him ,and bring him back to you safe ,and sound. If I must, I'll drive around until morning. I will do anything to find my son! I forgot to tell you, the police are coming around to my apartment tomorrow to investigate, but by the time they arrive I will make sure Isaac is home,and we can then all forget about this."
Gideon stood threateningly in front of Abraham ,and slammed in his face with dislike as everyone retreated in anxiety.
"You should have done that already, you know? But you preferred coming here so Eve will forgive you, right? It seems to me you are only thinking about yourself,and other people's suffering is their problem, right? Maybe also."
Eve quickly interrupted Gideon angrily, "Leave him alone, Gideon! You rattle off nonsense that only hurts everyone. ,and you're insufferable too."
Michelle quickly intervened to calm everyone. "Let's all stop accusing one another ,and focus on finding Isaac. That's what's important now. That we're all united."
Michelle walked up to Eve ,and compassionately hugged her. Abraham stroked her hair.
"Eve, I promise everything will be okay, by the way, you ,and Gideon need to go down to the police station. The Lt. ,and his deputy would like to speak to you, okay?"
Eve nodded her head in assent,and Abraham quickly walked out to his car as Eve forced Michelle to make her acquaintance with most of those present ,and enjoyed her discomfort ,and frustration. Abraham stepped into his car ,and turned it on as out of the
darkness appeared a frightening shape. Abraham almost had a heart attack as he realized that it was Gideon with a cigarette in his hand looking menacingly at him. Abraham's smile froze,and he cringed in his seat.
"You may be able to fool everyone all the time but not me. not for a second! In due time. I will soon be able to peel off all your masks that you use to play with everyone! ,and then the real Abraham will be revealed! A lowly evil creature who will step on everyone ,and stop at nothing to get his dark ,and dangerous way. Yes! That’s you! The angel of doom!"
Abraham stuck his face out ,and smiled in the apathy that could drive a seasoned psychiatrist crazy.
"You are mentally ill, Gideon? I will prove to you so! Are you probably referring to the famous pervert in your description?" He smirked ,and giggled. "Right, my scholarly friend? Or maybe you're talking about yourself?"
Gideon's fisted hand was already raised ,and focused on Abraham's face when Michelle appeared.
"Everything okay, Gideon? I think it's better that Abraham take me home now ,and continue to search for Isaac, right? Abraham?"
Abraham stepped out of the car, hugged,and kissed Michelle ,and opened the car door chivalrously. Michelle kissed him, waved at Gideon,and entered the vehicle. Abraham's ,and Gideon's dark gazes met for a long moment,and the tension in the air felt frighteningly. Gideon lowered his eyes ,and went back into the house.
Abraham dropped Michelle off at the house,and left to look for Isaac. All day he kept going across the city, looking in each street
,and cranny. Many people joined in on the search after they came to know of their predicament. These included relatives ,and friends who were directly informed of the situation, but also the general public who heard the news broadcast mention the disappearance of another boy, assuming it to be the work of the dancing pervert.
Wally ,and two of his assistants, Steve ,and Roy, were sitting in Mickey's office. They all watched curiously: the video of Mickey ,and Wally's meeting with Abraham ,and Michelle regarding Isaac's disappearance. They all chain smoked ,and drank coffee. Wally peeked at Mickey covertly with a sort of contempt mixed in with adoration ,and couldn't understand why Mickey was smiling cockily. Wally inhaled the cigarette deeply. He wished he could punch Mickey's smug face.
"Say, does it seem strange to you? Michelle's story? Someone rang the doorbell ,and attacked her for no reason at all," asked the man who shut off the recorder. He sipped from his coffee noisily.
Steve made a disgusted face ,and answered, "Roy, will you relax with the coffee? You need a silencer in your mouth, not on your gun. I also think this story is weird. I won't be surprised if we find out she has a record. "
"Don’t you think you're exaggerating? I'm sorry to disappoint you, but she doesn’t have a record! Even though you all think she's lying, I believe she was attacked before Isaac went missing. I don’t know if there's a connection to the disappearance or not. We must check that lead too! You want to bet $100?"
Steve ,and Roy seemed hesitant about the bet. Mickey laughed out loud disparagingly. He took out a $100 bill from his pocket ,and put it ceremoniously on the table as Wally looked at him suspiciously.
"I'm in! Here's my $100, Wally, take out your $100 ,and let's start the bet! I'm sure that dummy made it all up because she fell asleep,
,and the boy disappeared! He probably went wandering off like that boy from Queens whose parents fell asleep,and he got up in the middle of the night ,and decided to go for a walk around town until luckily someone spotted him 4 hours later ,and the police returned him home." He got up ,and patted both cops' shoulders.
"How about you two? Man-up if you have the guts for it, put in a
$100 on the table, come on, lousy cops."
Wally watched his two embarrassed aides ,and Mickey with a deep gaze that forced his aides to lower their eyes. He took out $300 from his wallet ,and placed it next to Mickey's without taking notice of his disparaging look.
",and I am sure that Michelle told the truth ,and that someone did attack her ,and she lost consciousness,and he took Isaac. It's probably a kidnapper who will ransom Isaac. Don't forget his mother is well off. Or maybe it's our friendly neighborhood singing pervert? I am betting $100 against any one of you. Come on, Steve? Roy? Cough up the money."
Mickey burst out laughing, angering Wally,and confusing his aides.
"Did you hear him? A kidnapper is demanding a ransom. The singing pervert?” He croaked out a laugh. “I think you've seen too many movies. Maybe the godfather movies messed you up. Come on, each of you put in $100."
Steve ,and Roy each put a $100 bill on the table. Mickey stood up
,and patted their shoulder.
"You're going to lose big time, Wally! Remember! A woman will always makeup things ,and mess up your life! So, before this bet is on. I am giving you a chance to back out. You're going to miss your
$300."
Wally watched with a sly smile. He got up from the chair ,and walked to the door ,and suddenly turned around.
"I am not recanting! Then again, I would much rather lose my whole paycheck if it meant Isaac comes back safe ,and sound. But I don’t think this affair has ended. I think we've opened a Pandora's box."
Wally left Mickey's office. His aides shook hands with Mickey ,and slammed the door as they went out. Mickey smirked.
"Murderers ,and rapists ,and robbers, beware! Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot,and Sam Spade are after you," Mickey bursts out
laughing. He took a sip from the flask he pulled out of his desk drawer when Wally walked in, surprising him.
"Sorry, I forgot my diary on your desk, I...I...”
The cuckoo clock José found last night at the landfill started working suddenly. Maybe the smell of garbage turned it from a piece of junk to a working clock. The weather continued to be stormy ,and even worsened! Rain poured down mercilessly on the roof of the shack. The cuckoo clock twittered three times,and José woke up ,and could not fall asleep. He turned under the blankets restlessly. Angry ,and frustrated.
Against all reason ,and all odds, he got up from the bed, still wrapped up in the warm blanket,and looked out at the dark ,and gloomy shadow of the landfill disinterestedly. He shivered ,and was about to go back to the soft, warm bed when he noticed movement.
His adrenalin started pumping,and he strained his eyes, trying to make out that movement. Through the dark screen of darkness, he managed to see a man's figure looking like he was going through the pile of garbage, but that same figure stood up ,and watched the collection next to him. José felt an inexplicable sensation of anxiousness ,and fear in the freezing air approached the character that was now leaving. He could now clearly notice the long beard on the figure's face who heard an unidentified noise ,and turned around quickly towards José.
José quickly dropped to his knees, hiding behind the pile of garbage. José was sure the stranger would rather flee from the scene as soon as he heard the noise from José's direction, but to his surprise, it seemed the stranger was standing still slowly looking around as if he didn’t care if someone saw him! The unidentified figure was satisfied ,and continued on his way. José followed the character
,and noticed a large black car hidden near the main road. The character started the car ,and drove off with its headlights turned off until it entered the main road when the lights were turned on as it disappeared. The license plate was probably smeared with mud
,and was unrecognizable.
José continued looking at the strangers' direction curiously ,and then returned to the spot where he first saw the figure. He looked around curiously but could not see anything out of place. He turned around intending to go back to the shack but stopped! His eyes fell on a shiny item thrown in the garbage pile. Its tip protruded a bit out of the pile.
"I must see what that is. I hope it's something expensive, I can dream too, can't I?"
His fingers touched the object carefully. He pulled it out slowly ,and was amazed at the unique item that revealed itself as a type of gold bracelet with an English inscription he could not understand. At the sight of the bracelet, a wide smile of happiness appeared on his face. He fantasized about selling the bracelet for a lot of money. He looked toward the direction where the car disappeared.
"Who would believe it, when you live in the garbage, even the garbage has its own life."