BEAST
The house was exactly as he’d left it: all the old furniture from his days of youth and the appliances his mother used in the kitchen and small laundry room. The gardeners still tended the landscape on a weekly basis, so the flowers and shrubs Leo’s mother had planted so long ago still adorned the entrance in hopes that one day she’d return.
But she never had.
While his heart wanted to believe she was still out there, Leo had reluctantly accepted years ago that she was gone, and there was still no sign that she’d ever returned. Leo knew his days here were numbered. It’d be just a matter of time before he was tracked down. Even if the house had and always would remain in his mother’s name, he was linked to it. But for days now, he’d been there mourning the loss of yet another loved one, another woman his heart would never forget. Only this time it was so much more torturous than any he’d lost before.
If Leo had known it was going to be like this, he might’ve given turning himself in more consideration. He figured he’d seen and experienced things no man ever should. He could deal with a little heartache. But the torment he was living now was like nothing he’d ever imagined.
Thoughts of Allison plagued him day and night. Was she hurting as much as he was? Had that bastard injured her and she’d kept it from him? Was his girl crying? Was she suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome?
He’d stopped calling Orlando days ago. There was never anything new to report. Leo wasn’t going back, as much as he yearned to see her again. Seeing those videos of what that piece of shit had done to her before Leo got there that night, he didn’t regret for a second having killed him. His only regret was having been so enraged he beat the life out of him too damn fast. If he had to do it again, the only thing he’d do different is slow it down. Take his time and prolong the guy’s pain.
He’d gone back to doing what he’d been forced to do when he first met Allison, back when his delusional ass believed he could do the impossible—not be brought to his knees by her—he stopped watching the news altogether. The risk was too high and it was too torturous. From the videos of the near rape to the endless stories of the media’s favorite sports royal couple—Lila and Sonny—all were constant and painful reminders of the dream future he’d been so close to having with the love of his life. He didn’t even turn on the television anymore, and he steered clear of the Internet unless he needed it.
His roommates were divided on their thoughts of his running. At first, they’d both agreed he should run. He’d never beat the charges, and he’d be doomed to a life behind bars. But Orlando had since changed his mind. “I think you have a good chance of beating this, man, especially now that they have footage. That shit’s gone viral, and everyone seems to feel strongly that what you did was justified.”
Nine still thought he should lie low, at least until things died down and they were certain that there’d be no retaliation from those who recognized Leo on that video. They couldn’t come forward because of their own connections with organized crime but would still want Leo to pay for taking out a made man—someone who should’ve never been at the party in the first place. At least not if Martinez had had his way.
They now knew that DeMoss being there was coincidental. This was proof that some of those out of the life still stayed in contact with those still in it. DeMoss was there working on an entirely different deal with someone else. Martinez hadn’t even been aware of his attendance.
Leo could only assume DeMoss had seen Allison with him and decided it’d be good retribution for what Felipe had done to him years ago. Only he fucked with the wrong guy’s girl.
Nine’s idea wasn’t such a bad one. Leo wasn’t actually due to check in with his PO for another few weeks. They’d kept his phone on so, in case the PO called, they could give Leo a heads-up that the clock had officially started ticking. But so far, his PO hadn’t.
If no one ever came forward to identify him as the guy on the video, technically, Leo could sneak back into his life and possibly not have to answer to any of that. But when they got word that DeMoss was now a made man, that halted everything. Orlando and Nine had already seen what they thought looked like suspicious cars drive by, even guys sitting in their cars up the street who just didn’t seem to fit in. The cops may not be looking for Leo yet, but someone was.
Leo mixed the olive oil with the vinegars he’d picked up from the dollar store. He knew he was just torturing himself, but his soul felt so empty he hadn’t been able to help himself. He’d made a U-turn when he passed the store after he’d been assaulted by the memories of that smile as they’d done something so simple.
Now he stood there dipping a pitiful chicken breast into the marinade she’d schooled him on. He’d forgo the barbeque for one measly breast. Instead, he’d be cooking it on his stovetop.
His burner phone dinging in the front room caught his attention. Only Orlando and Nine had the number, and neither had called or texted in days, not since he’d let them know he’d only be checking in every few weeks from then on. Orlando had promised to only call or text if he had any pertinent news.
Leo covered the container with the marinating chicken and stuck it in the fridge. His phone dinged again before he reached it. Even more curious now, he picked it up. The texts were from Nine.
Hey, man, how goes it?
“The hell?”
Two things were instantly in Leo’s cynical head. Either Nine’s phone had been compromised, and this was someone else using his phone to get to Leo. Or this was his anything-but-subtle friend’s way of feeling him out before dropping something big on him. He scrolled down and read the second text.
You still in Yuma, right?
Leo’s heart sped up. His gut said this was Nine trying to feel him out, but he wouldn’t chance it. He sent off a text with two words:
Call me.
No way was he giving out any info unless he knew for sure he was talking to Nine. To his relief, the phone rang, but he still answered cautiously. “Nine?”
“Yeah, who else would it be?”
“Why you being so fucking weird?” Leo asked as he walked back into the kitchen.
“Weird? I asked two questions. You’re still there, right?”
Instantly, Leo was feeling irritable, but he’d since accepted he’d likely be irritable for the rest of his life. “Yeah, who wants to know?”
“I was just wondering.”
Stopping in the middle of the kitchen, it dawned on Leo. His second thought. “Why? Did something happen?” Nine did something he rarely did—went quiet. “What the fuck? What’s going on?”
“He doesn’t know,” Leo heard Nine’s voice trail off. “You tell him.”
“Tell me what?” Instinct had Leo heading for his bedroom where his shoes, wallet, and bag were.
“Hey, man.”
Orlando was on the phone now, which only panicked Leo further. What was it Nine didn’t want to tell him? He stopped in front of his bed, swallowing hard. “What’s going on?”
“She’s missing.”
Feeling his heart nearly stop, Leo knew exactly who the only person they’d be calling him about was, but still, his hopeful insides had to ask. “Who?”
“Allison.”
The rest of the conversation was a frantic string of questions and answers as Leo threw things in his bag then ran around, turning shit off and locking things up. Orlando knew as much as the news was saying.
“Two days ago, Allison left her home in the morning to see the doctor because she wasn’t feeling well. According to her sister and the housekeeper who’d seen her last, she hadn’t been feeling well all week. Her doctor confirmed she’d been there, had a check-up and some blood work, and left his office. They’ve since released footage of her from the drug store where she dropped off her prescription. It shows her arriving, shopping around, leaving her prescription at the pharmacy, and walking out—alone. It was the last time anyone saw or heard from her.
“Then they found her car yesterday morning in an apartment building parking lot just a few blocks away. There were no signs of blood or struggle, but there was one witness who remembers seeing a young couple walking hand in hand in the parking lot on the same floor her car was found.
“What no one knows is about her involvement with you. If they do, you’ll be the first they come looking for. You’re her boyfriend and haven’t shown up to your work-release program in over a week. So, you’re really there in Yuma and haven’t been back at all?”
“Yeah. What the fuck?” Leo asked, pacing in his backyard now that he’d locked everything up and packed up his bike. “You really think I wouldn’t tell you if she was with me? I’m about to lose my shit here, O.”
“Alright, alright, I was just trying to rule out that maybe you were down here keeping an eye on her and she didn’t know it.”
“No, why—?”
“Drew tracked Nine down. It’s why he called you. She said she spoke with Allison last, just before she got to the drug store where she was last seen. She said Allison mentioned feeling like she was being followed.”
“What?”
“Yeah, Drew said she talked to Lila and told her about the call because she figured as soon as they pulled Allison’s phone records, they’d see the last calls she made.”
Orlando said Drew told Lila about Allison saying she thought someone might be following her. But she figured Lila would assume it was the paparazzi, and she’d been right. “It’s the first thing she said, especially when Drew told her Allison said it was a van.”
“A van?” Leo stopped his pacing.
Visuals of what they could’ve—might’ve—done to her the moment they got her in it had Leo pacing again, fisting his hand.
“Can you think of anyone she might’ve known well enough to be holding hands with?”
Leo stopped again, feeling his insides heat. “No, no, I can’t, O. Why the fuck would you even consider that couple had anything to do with her? You know the drill. They’ll probably get a hundred bullshit leads, a thousand useless eye witnesses before they get a single helpful one and—”
“The lady described her before they released the footage. She said the one thing she remembered with all certainty was the girl’s thick eyeglasses . . .”
Orlando paused for a moment as the memory of the first time Leo had laid eyes on Allison torpedoed at him. He’d almost forgotten about her glasses.
“She was wearing them in the footage, and Lila and Drew said she hadn’t worn her contacts all week. The housekeeper confirmed she wasn’t wearing them that morning when she left either. The clothes the witness said the girl was wearing were also pretty accurate to what she was last seen in. She also described the guy as big and tall, much taller than her, but just as young as her. Maybe someone from her school?”
Carson.
As nauseating a thought as that may have been, it beat the alternative. “There was a guy named Carson she told me about, the editor from her school paper. Ask Drew or her other friend Jen about him. She was seeing him just before she and I got together. He’s the only other guy I can possibly think of that she might be holding hands with. She never mentioned he might be a threat, but she’d also never just disappear without telling anyone. She wouldn’t do that to her sister, so he needs to at least be questioned.”
That they were holding hands held little significance to Leo. She might’ve been forced to hold his hand to give the appearance of a happy couple, not someone being taken away against her will.
“I made an appointment to go see Felipe tomorrow morning,” Orlando informed him. “I know he won’t be able to tell me much, but I figure it’s worth a shot. He might know something.”
“Thanks, man,” Leo said, hopping on his bike. “I’ll be there before morning.”
For the first time in so many years, Leo prayed. He prayed he was right about Carson: that this had something to do with him and not anything else related to Leo. But his gut said otherwise. Suddenly, his being found didn’t matter in the least. If something had happened to Allison, it didn’t matter if his enemies found him or if they’d lock him up for good. If this was what he thought it might be, and he was too late to save her this time, his life was over too.
The sound of the car door opening woke Leo, and he immediately sat up. He’d gotten back just after seven that morning. After nearly dozing off the second time last night, he figured he’d be more help to Allison alive than splattered all over the highway. He forced himself to get a room where he slept for a few hours before getting up and driving the rest of the way.
Nine and Orlando had done well so far. They’d been all over it, doing exactly what Leo planned on doing once he arrived. They’d contacted everyone they knew who might know about a bounty out for Allison and had gotten their hacker contact, Voodoo, involved. They’d had several bites from insiders who said they’d heard about a bounty on a girl from the Los Angeles area but didn’t have all the facts. They were still waiting on the call back. But they’d also gotten even more confusing info. They said there’d initially been a bounty out for Leo, but it’d been called off days ago.
Despite his exhaustion, Leo had insisted on accompanying Orlando on his visit with Felipe. He couldn’t go in since he wasn’t on the list to see him today, but he wanted to hear any info his brother might have, the moment Orlando was done.
“So, what’d he say?” Leo asked anxiously as Orlando got in the car.
“He heard about DeMoss. And he knew there’d automatically be a bounty out for whoever killed him, but he had no idea it was you. He just about lost his fucking mind! I had to tell him to sit down and calm the hell down before they cut our meeting short.” He chuckled, shaking his head as he started the car. “You two are one and the same, man.”
“What else did he say?” Leo asked, losing his patience.
“He said the same thing that guy told us. That he’d heard the bounty had been called off. I guess DeMoss was that big of a fucking douche. Even his own people changed their mind about avenging his ass.”
That made no sense. If they’d called the bounty off on Leo, why would there still be one out for Allison?
“Flip’s all fired up,” Orlando continued. “He said he’s nipping this shit in the ass ASAP, and we’d hear from him as soon as he did. I don’t know why he was so pissed, but I guess he said that piece of shit DeMoss is not worth a war and everyone knows it. But if they ask for it, that’s what they’ll get.”
“Fuck,” Leo muttered, glancing out the window.
As promised, not even halfway home, Felipe called. Orlando handed the phone to Leo almost as soon as he was done accepting the charges. “There shouldn’t be any more trouble, and I have people trying to get the word on where your girl might be. So far, no one knows anything. It’s the damnedest thing. Usually someone knows something, but this time they’re all stumped. In the meantime, I need you to stay out of trouble, you hear me? I know, if you find her, whoever she’s with will have hell to pay, but whatever you do, do not do what you did to the other guy.”
“How can you be sure there won’t be any more trouble?”
“Because I’m done with this shit.” Orlando had been right; Felipe did sound fired up as fuck. “I’m up for parole in a few months, and I’m going clean, but they don’t know this. As far as anyone’s concerned, I’m still running the show. If these assholes insist on starting a war over DeMoss, I just made it clear that’s exactly what they’re in for. An all-out fucking war. Everyone’s seen what that piece of shit did. They know what you did was personal, not business. Word’s out unless they wanna be watching their backs and their families from now until I’m satisfied, this ends now.”
Nine called just minutes after Leo got off the phone with his brother. “Just got off the phone with Drew. Carson’s clean. The guy wasn’t even in town the day Ali disappeared. He has a solid alibi and is cooperating with authorities. Even agreed to a poly if need be.”
“What do you mean if need be?”
“He’s got no motive and a solid alibi. He doesn’t have to.”
“He’s her scorned ex who got dumped for someone else. Of course there’s a motive.”
“Dude.” Nine chuckled. “He’s clean, man. Drew said she talked to him herself, and she believes him. Called him a dweeb.” He laughed again. “She said he’s just not the type, and her other friend confirmed he is an anal dweeb who’d never get involved in anything illegal.”
As if that weren’t exasperating enough, Orlando got another call just a few minutes later. There had been a bounty out for Allison as well. Had been. That one, too, had been called off before she’d gone missing.
“What the hell?” Leo asked, bringing both hands to his head.
He wanted to be relieved, but fact was she was still missing. Nine said Drew told him Lila was beside herself and Drew was so close to telling her about Leo since she was certain this had everything to do with him. But Nine had been able to talk her into giving them at least another day. He’d assured her Leo was just as lost and going crazy about this as they were.
“So, let me ask you something, but don’t get all crazy.”
Leo turned to Orlando without comment and waited for his question. Orlando stared straight ahead but seemed to be stalling. Leo’s patience was done. He didn’t have time for this shit.
“Just ask already.”
Orlando glanced at him but turned back to the road. “Any chance Allison might’ve moved on this quickly? Maybe had someone on the side? She might be holed up with this guy somewhere and just been too . . . busy to watch the news or check her phone?”
Grating his teeth, Leo stared out the passenger window without responding but shook his head.
“I’m just saying,” Orlando went on. “Couple of the times she stayed over and you two were holed up in your room, she left her phone out in the kitchen or front room, and I know I heard it make noises, but she was too busy—”
“That’s not it, okay?” Leo said, gripping the door handle until he thought it might break off. “No matter what, she wouldn’t do this to her sister. Lila’s over-the-top when it comes to worrying about Allison, and she’s pregnant right now to boot. There’s no way Allison would do that just to be with some dude.”
“She did it for you.”
Orlando said the very thing Leo was thinking. Drew had told Nine Lila was supposed to be gone for over a week, like when Allison had stayed for days over at Leo’s. If she’d planned a rendezvous with someone else, Lila would’ve never known. Only difference this time was she apparently hadn’t covered her ass with the housekeeper. When the housekeeper got there the next morning and saw that Allison had never made it home all night, she panicked when Allison also didn’t return her calls or texts. So, she called Lila, and that’s when the shit hit the fan.
“She would’ve checked in with her sister by now, O. I hear what you’re saying. As much as it pisses me off, I can admit that might be a possibility if she didn’t care that her sister’s a mess right now.”
Leo could barely believe that he’d even consider it a possibility, but at this point, he had to be open to all options. No matter how infuriating.
“I’m just throwing it out because we’re heading for a dead end pretty fast here.” They turned into their driveway. “You think Drew might know more than she’s saying?”
Just then Nine flew out the front door, holding his phone, and jumped off the porch. Leo and Orlando got out of Orlando’s truck, not sure what to expect.
“She checked in,” Nine said with a big smile. “The day she disappeared she checked in on her Facebook that evening that she was at some hotel, but within minutes, the post was gone. But,” he added with a bounce of his brows, “just goes to show nothing is ever deleted from the Internet. Good ole Voodoo did it again. He ran all her shit even the deleted stuff and found it.”
“Back up,” Leo said, holding his hand out. “Did she post a picture or say anything when she checked in?”
His heart had begun to thud again for more than one reason. One: he could have her safe and happy back in his arms as soon as tonight. But two: a hotel? What if they did find her tonight with some dude in a hotel room? What if she was there willingly and, as Orlando suggested, had just been too busy . . .?
Leo didn’t even want to think it, but son-of-a-bitch if he didn’t instantly feel ready to murder someone a second time for this girl. Nine filled them in on the rest. She hadn’t posted anything. It was a generic check-in. Voodoo suggested it was either a post she didn’t mean to post so she deleted it or it was her desperate cry for help. Voodoo seemed to believe the latter because it was deleted just minutes afterward. That could mean she’d been caught and they’d made her delete it.
The motel she’d checked in at was just outside Los Angeles, a motel near a truck stop and nothing else, so it was nice and out of the way. “This here”—Nine showed them on his phone screen— “is the list of people who checked into the hotel this past week. Voodoo has broken it down to the dates everyone checked in, but most importantly, which of the tenants who were there the day she checked in and haven’t checked out yet.”
Leo took the phone and studied the names. None rang a bell, but then Leo would have been surprised if they’d actually used their real names. Only three of the ones who’d checked in around the day of Allison’s disappearance were still there. All the names on the list were men with the exception of one woman: Samantha Bozigian.
Leo paused at the name. If that had, in fact, been Allison who the witness saw in that parking lot, Allison was with a guy. There was nobody else with them.
He took in the names of the other two. “Richard Nixon?” he read aloud then looked up at his friends. “That’s gotta be fake, right?”
Nine laughed. “That’s the first thing I thought when I read it. But I don’t know. Both first and last names are pretty common. Maybe his parents had a sense a humor?”
Leo read the last of the three to himself. Jonathan Brown. Nothing jumped out at him with that name either. Well, at least they’d narrowed it down to the three it could possibly be if they were still there. It was still well before check-out time at most hotels. If they were all still there, they still had a chance to catch them before any possibly checked out today.
“I gotta go,” Leo said, starting to the garage.
“No way you’re going alone,” Orlando said. “Jump in my truck.”