Wee! *parties*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Motel room, 2 months later
Katie: *opens map*
Speed: *walks in, shuts door* Just spoke to the truck driver that IDed the van. He said there were explosives inside but they looked bogus.
Katie: How could he tell?
Speed: He used to work for the SWAT task force in Dallas, which is near where the truck was found.
Katie: So we have to head for Texas.
Speed: Yeah. Did you call Lori and tell her?
Katie: She doesn't know.
Speed: ...You didn't tell her we're looking for her kidnapped boyfriend.
Katie: I don't want to get her hopes up.
Speed: *grabs chair, sits* And what happens if we find him? Dead or alive.
Katie: We're going to find him alive.
Speed: Well that's a good way to think but...it's not much of a reality at this point. There's no reason for this woman to keep him alive unless she was using his money.
Katie: Except his accounts are frozen.
Speed: Exactly.
Katie: *shakes head* I don't understand how this could be so much of a dead end.
Speed: That's why missing persons stopped looking.
Katie: How can they stop looking? That just doesn't make sense to me. If someone is missing, you look for them. That's just the way it should be.
Speed: It requires man power which not every jurisdiction has. That's just the system. I mean yeah, for kids they go all out but adults? It's just not designed for the long term.
Katie: It's not fair. Lori shouldn't have to sit there with her daughter every night wondering if he's dead or not because no one can get up off their ass and help.
Speed: That's why we're out here, right?
Katie: Yeah. *looks down at table*
Speed: I'm sure we'll make some headway in this case. It might not be the outcome we're looking for but at least we'll be able to give her some answers.
Katie: Thanks for comin' out here with me. That's...very nice of you. For once.
Speed: I'm not here to fight with you. It's not going to be very productive if we're at each other's throats.
Katie: And uh...speaking of fights. How do you suspect we'll cover the 'only one bed in the motel room' issue?
Speed: You're welcome to the bed. I'm fine on the floor.
Katie: No, I wouldn't feel right about that. You can have the bed.
Speed: You're not sleeping on the floor. Look, it's fine, I'll get a second room.
Katie: NO.
Speed: *looks at Katie*
Katie: ...I don't like being alone in strange cities, especially motel rooms. Please stay.
Speed: I'll only be next door.
Katie: I'm sure we can be grown-up and share a bed. It's big.
Speed: *sigh*
Katie: I promise you won't have to deal with any more of my bickering.
Speed: Then how would I get through each day?
Katie: *slaps Speed*
Speed: *smirks*
Katie: Just one night, I swear.
Speed: *nods* Okay. One.
Katie: Thank you. I'm going to go get changed, it's a billion degrees in here.
Speed: Yeah I'll do the same.
Katie: *runs into bathroom*
Speed: *looks down at table*
10 minutes later
Katie: *runs out, stops* Wow. Tim Speedle without a shirt on. Wasn't really expecting that.
Speed: You said it yourself, it's a billion degrees outside.
Katie: *nods* Yeah.
Speed: Besides, nothing you haven't seen before.
Katie: That's a matter of opinion. You weren't um...you didn't seem to...work out as much before.
Speed: It helps to be in shape when you keep having to run after jackasses and their guns.
Katie: At crime scenes?
Speed: It's been happening a lot lately.
Katie: *smiles* This doesn't have to do with Anni being in tip-top shape again?
Speed: Anni's been getting a lot of migranes lately.
Katie: *lifts brow*
Speed: Real ones. So no, she's not in tip-top shape anymore. She has an appointment tomorrow, they have her test results back.
Katie: I see. Bummer for her.
Speed: *nods*
Katie: Must be hard for you...that kind of uncertainty with her condition and everything.
Speed: Let's not talk about it anymore, okay?
Katie: That's fine. *hops into bed*
Speed: *gets into bed, turns off light*
Katie: I'm sorry about everything, I wish I could help.
Speed: You don't need to.
Katie: *touches Speed's arm*
Speed: *looks over*
Katie: If you ever want to talk...
Speed: Thank you.
Katie: *rolls over*
Speed: *stares up at ceiling*
Motel, 9am
Katie: *yawns, sits up* ...*looks around* Tim? TIM.
Speed: *walks out of bathroom* What's wrong?
Katie: Oh geez. I thought you left without me.
Speed: That would defeat the purpose of coming here with you.
Katie: *jumps out of bed, looks at watch* We were both supposed to be up at 6.
Speed: I was up at 6.
Katie: So you just didn't bother waking me up? I get it, I get it. You were going to let me sleep in and then yell at me for being so late all the time. Is that what this is? Because it's very mean.
Speed: *puts on watch* I thought you'd like to sleep in for once. You'd been spending a lot of early hours at the lab working on this case.
Katie: ...Well...thanks?
Speed: Don't mention it.
Katie: *steps over* You made coffee.
Speed: Yeah.
Katie: You don't drink coffee.
Speed: You do.
Katie: *looks down at coffee pot* Arabian blend.
Speed: *folding map* That's your favourite, isn't it?
Katie: Colton's never made me coffee.
Speed: Did you ever ask him to?
Katie: Yeah right. I can't even get him to pick up his underwear.
Speed: Too much information.
Katie: Thought so. *grabs cup, sips coffee*
Speed: I didn't think you and Colton were still a thing.
Katie: We're not. We're more like roommates. Helps pay the bills. I heard Scott bought you and Anni a house.
Speed: No. We were thinking about accepting it.
Katie: I wonder if the offer still stands when we find him alive. I mean, people change when faced with their own mortality so he might not even be the same man. It happened once, right?
Speed: We should be in Dallas in a couple of hours if we haul ass. *walks away*
Katie: *lifts brow*
Parkinglot, Dallas, Texas
Speed: *walks over*
Katie: *leans against Hummer*
Speed: Local authorities are aware of this Erin woman. I was able to get a full workup on her.
Katie: And?
Speed: Well her name isn't Erin. It's Faye Thompson, she was born in Austin and had lived in Dallas until a year ago. Apparently her husband died of a heart attack in Brooklyn, New York. But she harrassed authorities, saying he was carjacked and the heart attack was related to it. When the NYPD basically shut her out, she returned to Dallas and started it up again with the authorities here. They say she became obsessed and wouldn't leave the station for hours at a time.
Katie: Sounds like a royal nutjob.
Speed: *nods* Dallas PD filed a restraining order and she wasn't allowed to return to these premises. Apparently her husband was originally from Brooklyn but they lived together in Dallas and always vacationed in Miami so she traveled there to be 'close' to him or some nonsense. That's what her sister says anyway.
Katie: Where do the bank robberies come in?
Speed: Well a surviving hostage from the bank said she tried to get his accounts taken care of in Miami and when they wouldn't help her, she started to plot her revenge. The thing is, he never had an account in Miami. One of the staff reported her throwing a fit and ranting about how her husband had died on her and it was his fault that she was alone and she did everything for him and that's how he repayed her.
Katie: So they thought she was just blowing steam and harrassing the bank when really, she practically went insane after her husband's death and was probably dillusional. And her family never tried to help her?
Speed: They don't want anything to do with her. How she ever found a bunch of guys to carry out her psychotic plans is beyond me.
Katie: Well with the prospect of money, that plan wouldn't seem too psychotic to some.
Speed: *nods*
Katie: So we're chasin' a looney tune. That's great. *scratches head* ...You know, maybe there could be a reason she'd be keeping Scott alive after all this time.
Speed: I'm listening.
Katie: She was having dillusions, right? Thinking her husband had an account in Miami even though he didn't and raving about how he left her there?
Speed: Yeah.
Katie: Her husband was from Brooklyn. It's no stretch to say she may have started to mistake Scott for her husband. I mean, I'm no psychologist or accent expert but...New York is New York, y'know? She wanted to punish him for dying on her.
Speed: Yeah but for this long? And the survivors at the bank said she wanted to punish everyone and make them suffer like she had suffered.
Katie: Maybe something triggered her into thinking Scott was her dead husband but the point is, if that's the case, there's a chance he's alive somewhere. We just have to find out where that somewhere is. The van ended up near Dallas so we have to assume they were here at some point which makes sense because this is her home, right?
Speed: Yeah.
Katie: Maybe she has a house or storage place or something where she'd be isolated enough and comfortable at the same time.
Speed: *looks down at paper* ...I think you may be onto something.
Katie: Really? How come?
Speed: Think I saw something a few pages back when I was skimming through...yeah, here it is. Her husband was a pilot and aviation mechanic, it says here he owned a warehouse just a few miles outside the city near a private air strip.
Katie: *lifts brows* And you 'skimmed' over it?
Speed: There's 50 pages here.
Katie: *rolls eyes* Men. *snatches paper* Get your keys.
Private air strip, near Dallas
Speed: *turns key*
Katie: So this is the place.
Speed: *looks around* Seems pretty empty.
Katie: *opens door, jumps out*
Speed: *grabs gun from console*
Outside
Katie: *walking* It's pretty isolated, perfect for keeping sound and activity contained.
Speed: *stops* Hey check it out. *points to ground*
Katie: Tire treads.
Speed: *kneels* They don't look very fresh.
Katie: Maybe no one's home.
Speed: Doesn't look like anyone's been 'home' for a while. *stands*
Katie: So should we just walk in the front door or what?
Speed: *looks at Katie*
Katie: To hell with checking the perimeter. *walks away*
Speed: *looks around*
Inside warehouse
Katie: *steps inside, shines flashlight*
Speed: *steps in, closes door*
Katie: Unlocked door? Somebody had to have been here at one point. *walks ahead*
Speed: Careful.
Katie: *stops, looks back* What?
Speed: I said be careful.
Katie: Why?
Speed: That's what I would tell anyone entering a strange warehouse.
Katie: Sure you would. *walks away*
Speed: *frowns*
Hallway, upstairs
Katie: *lifts gun, steps forward*
Speed: Hey.
Katie: *sigh* What now?
Speed: *staring inside room* Look.
Katie: *turns around, walks over* What is it? *looks into room* Yikes.
Speed: *steps into room*
Katie: *shines flashlight* Looks almost like a prison cell...full of what I can only assume is not just blood. Smells like a rotting dog pound in here.
Speed: Check out the bolted chair in the corner.
Katie: *walks over to chair* More dried blood. Charred wood too, like someone set some of it on fire.
Speed: *kneels, picks up wire* I don't think they were setting it on fire.
Katie: Why? *looks over*
Speed: *lifts wire* I think they were playing with electricity.
Katie: ...Gross.
Speed: *stands*
Katie: Well this is a creepy nightmare to be stuck in. *looks up at wall* Scratch marks.
Speed: *looks over*
Katie: They go from here all the way down to the floor and around the room. What the hell were they doing to him?
Speed: Why don't you go back to the Hummer and grab the camera so we can document some of this.
Katie: I sincerely hope we're not going to show it to Lori.
Speed: No.
Katie: I'll be right back. *walks away*
Speed: *angry sigh*
10 minutes later; large office
Katie: *walks in* You know, it would be nice if you'd tell me where you went instead of just taking off. This building gives me the creeps as it is without me losing you.
Speed: *opens laptop*
Katie: Where'd you get a laptop?
Speed: Found it in a box.
Katie: That's interesting because I saw a couple of cameras outside of the warehouse pointed toward the airstrip. Looks like this place had a security system in place.
Speed: Maybe it still does. *plugs in laptop, turns it on* Still has power.
Katie: Well obviously someone's still paying the bills around here. Think we might be able to find out when our John Sage and company left?
Speed: We'll see.
Katie: *sits on table* Man I can't imagine being here for a day let alone a couple months. Poor Scott.
Speed: *typing*
Katie: I mean the guy's been through hell as it is and then this? *shakes head* Unimaginable. You know, they already found a new CEO for his company. Bill...something. There wasn't even a message left on their website or anything, it's like they don't even care that he's MIA. And Lori told me she hasn't heard a peep from his parents. How can no one care about him?
Speed: Found it.
Katie: *looks at computer*
Speed: Security footage stockpiled on the hard drive.
Katie: What's the most recent file?
Speed: 4 days ago.
Katie: Wow, really?
Speed: Yeah. *clicks mouse*
Katie: Okay, the airstrip out back...no activity.
Speed: I'll fast-forward it. *presses button*
Katie: Wait wait, there.
Speed: What?
Katie: There's a truck's fender in the corner of the video. Could be an SUV. Can you zoom in on that?
Speed: I can try.
Katie: *grabs chair, sits*
Speed: This is about as good as it's going to get.
Katie: There's a plate there...*squints* J4...something. I can't read the rest. Could we send this video to the lab?
Speed: I'll e-mail it.
Katie: Okay. Let's look at the rest of the video.
Speed: *nods*
Katie: Look look, that guy's going to the back of the truck, are you seeing this?
Speed: *looks at Katie*
Katie: *clears throat* Of course you are, you're watching the video too. Why wouldn't you be? *nervous laugh*
Speed: It cuts off after that.
Katie: They must have turned off the security system, probably because they were leaving. But to where...*taps chin*
Speed: Could be to dispose of the body.
Katie: *frowns* Excuse me?
Speed: Why else would they leave?
Katie: Maybe the cops were after them.
Speed: Dallas PD didn't mention anything about finding any new leads.
Katie: Yeah but why dispose of the body and leave the mess upstairs? Isn't that just as incriminating?
Speed: Not really. All the room proves is torture, not murder. No body, no definite proof of murder.
Katie: So we'll have to find that truck.
Speed: Or the body.
Katie: *stands* We know there was a truck, let's stick with that. *walks away*
Speed: *lifts brow*
Out back
Katie: *shines flashlight*
Speed: *walks over*
Katie: Gravitational blood drops on the floor leading out here. Dead people don't bleed which means he was alive when they dragged him out here.
Speed: Doesn't really mean anything. Someone could have had his blood on their hands or an object and it dropped to the ground that way.
Katie: *frowns* Why do you want to believe so badly that he's dead?
Speed: I'm just looking at the evidence.
Katie: So am I. And we have two different theories.
Speed: *nods*
Katie: *sigh* Okay well why don't we rent a motel room and look over everything else we have, maybe that'll help.
Motel, 11pm
Katie: *slams head on table* This sucks. There's dead-ends everywhere. Have you heard back from the lab yet?
Speed: Not yet.
Katie: Stupid Miami. I'm sick of this low priority garbage.
Speed: It's not that it was a low priority, it's because Eric and Heather 'accidentally' tripped the breaker and caused a power outage.
Katie: Remind me to kick their asses when we get back. *lifts head, leans back in chair*
Speed: *hands over soda*
Katie: Thanks. I noticed you were on the phone a little while ago. Who were you arguing with?
Speed: I wasn't arguing.
Katie: *nods slowly* Anni, I gather.
Speed: Katie, leave it alone.
Katie: I can't. I heard some of that phone conversation, it doesn't sound like you're the one with the problem. What's going on with her?
Speed: She's sick again. Tests confirmed it.
Katie: And she was yelling at you?
Speed: She's just angry and scared. Although...telling me I'm useless was a bit of a low blow.
Katie: Why would she think you're useless?
Speed: According to her, we're not living in a city with the right hospitals, I'm not rich enough for her to live in a proper, clean home, I'm not supportive enough, I'm not there enough, I don't do enough...I know I'm not perfect but I do what I can. It's all starting again. The paranoia, the constant anger and if I try to help, it doesn't make a difference, it just gets worse...
Katie: *nods*
Speed: It's not her fault but *sigh* I don't know if I can go through that again. It probably sounds selfish but she's not the only one that needs reassurance, support and love. When am I going to have someone tell me it's going to be okay?
Katie: *stares at Speed*
Speed: Anyway...we should put all of this stuff away until the morning. We won't be much help to Scott if we're falling asleep at the wheel trying to find him. *grabs papers*
Katie: Right.
TBC..................................
