Ties That Bind

Chapter 11

LAYTON'S PURPLE TAURUS WAS FOUND at a local body shop by the name of Ricky's Wrenches and Repair. Officer Harding made the find when he decided to take a break and visit his brother-in-law who apparently owned the joint.

There was no sign of Layton, and Terry was AWOL. Madison tried reaching him several times, but it went through to voice mail. She finally opted to leave a message.

"So you just happened to show up and the car was here?" Madison talked to the officer as she closed her cell and clipped it on her waist. They were standing outside in the parking lot.

"Yeah, talk about coincidences. I was talking with Ricky..." Officer Harding glanced through the front window to the man behind the counter. "I didn't notice the car at first. It's up on the hoist. But I got back to the squad car and noticed the BOLO. Thought, what are the chances?"

"But there's been no sign of the owner?"

"None. Ricky remembers a woman dropping off the car. A redhead. He's pulling up the service record now."

A redhead...

"He said she brought it in yesterday for an oil change, but his guys noticed it needed some brake work. They had to wait for the parts. She wasn't too happy about it. Said it wasn't her car and she didn't want to get stuck with the bill. But she told him to go ahead."

The door chimed, and Ricky came out. His face was clean shaven and his mustache neatly groomed —the opposite persona one expected from a man in his line of work. He extended a piece of paper to his brother-in-law who handed it to Madison.

Ricky said, "Her name is—"

"I know who she is." Madison read the name from the sheet if only for visual confirmation.

Ricky held a hand over his forehead in an effort to block out some of the sun. "She left her number." He hovered over the sheet endeavoring to read it upside down. He pointed a finger to the page. "There."

"All right. You stay here in case she shows up. Send a car to back me up." She left him the address where she was headed. "In the meantime, if she shows up here, take her downtown immediately. Put her in holding."

A taxi pulled into the lot and then did a quick U-turn and sped off down the street. Madison had enough time to identify the passenger in the backseat.

"It's her. Follow me." She shouted the words as she ran to the Crown Vic. She turned the lights on and tailed the cabbie, who pulled into the parking lot of a shopping plaza.

The driver got out. "Please, lady. I no speed. No ticket. I lose my license."

She ignored the man of Indian descent. She was more interested in his fare. She opened the back door. "Hello, Sandra."

*****

MADISON STOOD OUTSIDE THE INTERROGATION room with Sergeant Winston watching Sandra Butler fidget in the chair.

"Where is Layton?" Winston stood with his hands perched on his hips, an unflattering mannerism for a man who carried some weight out front.

The man was never satisfied, and he didn't seem to notice Terry was missing. "We conducted a search. Layton wasn't at her house."

"We got him?"

Both their heads turned to Terry. He walked up to them as if he had taken a washroom break, not an afternoon detour. And the fact he used the word we irritated her. He had nothing to do with it. He was off making up with his wife.

Madison attempted to match eyes with Terry. "We have his car."

"His car?"

"Yeah, hang back and catch up." She brushed by him and went into the room with Sandra. She heard him follow.