Jack Stratton: Jacks Are Wild Part 27

Carol's lips pressed together and her face hardened. "The police couldn't do anything about it. The complaint was dropped."

"That's why I want to speak with Skylar. I need to understand why she dropped it." Carol's eyes searched Jack's face for a moment as he continued. "A friend of mine is missing, and I need to know if Arber has anything to do with it."

Carol deflated. Her shoulders slumped, and she looked from face to face. "I'm so sorry. Certainly. How can I help?"

"It would be best if I could speak to Skylar."

Carol nodded as she took a step toward the house. "She's at my sister's with my daughter for school break. I'll write down the number."

Jack reached for his notepad, and Replacement handed Carol her phone. "Could you type it in the notepad app, please?" Replacement asked.

"My sister's name is Janice. I'll call her and let her know you're going to call, but..." Carol looked up at the sky. "I don't know if Skylar will say anything."

"Do you know why Skylar dropped the report?"

Carol nodded and then shook her head.

"Carol. I wouldn't ask if I wasn't looking for my friend. I know Arber had a past in France-"

"You found out about that?" Carol's eyes locked on his. "I looked him up when Skylar came here, but..."

Let her go. Don't try to convince her. Let her decide on her own. She took Skylar in. She cares about her. She wants to help.

She squeezed her arm and as she continued. "Skylar refused to file the report. She changed her story and insisted to the police it wasn't her."

Jack softened his voice. "Her mother, Tina, said she was dating Arber and got mad at him when she was drunk. Tina said she made it all up."

"Tina made that all up. Tina lied. Skylar told my daughter what really happened, and my daughter told me." Her chin lowered and her mouth pulled down on one side. "I went to the police, but with Tina 'confessing' and Skylar refusing to say anything, what could they do?"

"What did your daughter say happened?"

Carol tossed her head back and she tightly crossed both arms. "Skylar was only seventeen, but that man preyed on her. Arber was dating Tina but I think he was really after Skylar."

"Why didn't her mother do anything?" Replacement asked.

"Skylar asked if I'd go with her to talk to her mother, and I did. I knew Tina in high school, but I never imagined she'd turn out like that. At first Tina said she was going to-" she inhaled, "nail him to the wall, but after she called the police...Tina got a phone call from Arber. He said Skylar had a crush on him and made the whole thing up."

"Tina bought that?" Replacement looked disgusted.

"No." Carol shook her head. "Arber bought her. To clear up the 'misunderstanding,' he gave her a vacation, money, and did you see that car? The red convertible in the driveway?"

Replacement looked at the car in disgust.

"For some people it's thirty pieces of silver. For Tina...she sold her daughter for that car. I hate that d.a.m.n car." Carol looked down. "Excuse my language, but it just kills me. Skylar is the nicest girl, and she has to live with not only what happened to her but...she knows. She knows Arber gave her mother that car and why. Now she's reminded of it every time she sees her mother driving around town."

"I'm sorry." Jack placed a hand on her shoulder.

Carol patted his hand. "If I can do anything to help..."

"You already have." Jack lightly squeezed her shoulder. "Thank you for your time."

She stood in the driveway and watched Jack back out.

"What a world." Replacement put her feet up on the dashboard.

Kiku ran her finger along the window. "I will go take a closer look at Arber tonight."

"Not you." Jack slipped the car into drive and headed for downtown.

"What?" they replied as one.

"I'll call Joe Davenport and make sure he pays Arber a visit. That will keep Arber in line until I can deal with him."

"But what if he had something to do with Marisa?" Replacement protested.

"He didn't. He's a serial rapist. Marisa doesn't fit his MO." Jack gripped the steering wheel. "He goes after young girls. The girl in France, and now Skylar. He probably goes with woman his age as a cover. Like that lady he had over."

"Lady?" Replacement spat.

"I'm going to deal with Arber after we find Marisa. Meanwhile, Joe will shake him up enough he won't try anything." Jack sped up.

"I do not like the justice system in this country, Officer." Kiku stared out the window. "It is slow."

Replacement looked at Jack. He kept driving.

"We'll hit the tattoo parlor and talk to Shawn. It's fis.h.i.+ng, but it's better than waiting around."

"Why consider him? Just because he asked Marisa about buying the tattoo parlor?" Replacement asked.

"I said it's thin, so we don't need to lean on him hard." He glanced back at Kiku, and she grinned. "I just want to see his reaction, and see if anyone has heard anything."

"I think I am better prepared to ask him questions." Kiku leaned forward. "Do you mind? How do you Americans say it-giving me a turn at bat?"

"What's your angle?" Jack asked.

"You have spoken with him a few times with no results. I have many methods of enticement. Give me fifteen minutes?"

Jack begrudgingly nodded.

Replacement looked wide-eyed at him before she closed her mouth with a huff.

Jack parked in front of the tattoo parlor. Even though it was early, six people sat around the tables; Shawn stood behind the counter.

Jack put his hand on the car door handle and looked back. "How do you want to play this?"

"You start the conversation. Then follow my lead." Kiku's smile fired up his curiosity.

They all exited the car and, as they headed toward the door, a man rode his bicycle down the sidewalk. Jack walked forward, held out his hand, and pointed to the road. The man swerved off the sidewalk, making Replacement giggle.

Kiku held the door open for him. "After you, Officer."

Jack walked through the door; Shawn shook his head. He stood up straight as Jack walked closer. "She hasn't called or nothing."

"No one has?" Jack put both hands on the counter as Replacement swung over to his left side.

Shawn gestured to the group and then shrugged. "n.o.body has seen her. Total radio silence. I'm starting to get a little freaked out."

Kiku stepped forward. "Perhaps you can be of some a.s.sistance to me, then."

Shawn looked her up and down, gulped and then shrugged. "Sure. How?"

"I do not plan to return to j.a.pan in the foreseeable future but want to add to my Irezumi." Kiku pulled down the shoulder of her s.h.i.+rt to reveal part of an elaborate tattoo.

Shawn's mouth made a popping sound as it fell open. His hand shot out and hovered just above the skin.

"Is that Tebori? Real Tebori?"

Kiku smiled. "You know your craft. It is."

The men at the table moved to get a look at whatever Shawn was so excited about, but Kiku pulled her s.h.i.+rt back up.

"They use bamboo, right?" Shawn's voice rose.

Kiku grinned. "Sometimes. Mine was done with steel. Do you have a moment to hear my proposition and see?"

"See?" Shawn almost danced from one foot to the other. "Can I see the whole thing?"

Kiku nodded and looked around.

Shawn hurried over to the curtain to the back rooms and held it open. As Kiku sauntered by him, he looked desperately back at Jack. "Can you just...tell people I'll be back?"

Jack nodded.

d.a.m.n, she's good.

Replacement leaned over to him and whispered, "I think he's more excited about seeing her tattoo than seeing her naked."

Jack followed Kiku with his eyes. "He's an idiot."

Replacement stepped on his foot.

Jack winced.

"Oops."

Fifteen minutes later, Kiku pulled aside the curtain and walked out. Shawn hurried after her, hovering just behind.

"Marisa is the only one who could touch that tat. Seriously." His shoulders went down, he bent his knees slightly, and his hands went up. "That's just...wow. I've never seen...that was freakin' unbelievable."

Kiku nodded. "Thank you." She looked at Jack and tilted her head toward the door.

Jack walked over to the exit. "If she calls, you call me."

Shawn was already moving toward the guys hanging out at the tables. "I will. I'll call." He turned around to his friends. "She has a real freakin' Tebori. They did it with steel. That's one tough chick but her skin was so perfect..."

Jack headed to the car and grabbed the door for Replacement. She jumped in and turned around to talk to Kiku. "Nothing?" Replacement frowned.

Kiku shook her head. "He is very nice but not bright. I doubt he had anything to do with it."

Jack started the car. He was glad they had ruled out Shawn but, still, it left another place Marisa was not.

Where is she? Who has her?

Replacement, who was still kneeling, put her head down on the seat. "Are you sure? Just because he's stupid doesn't mean he's a good guy."

"He is very excitable and went on and on about wanting to start his own tattoo parlor. It was not even his idea. It was his girlfriend's. Marisa gave him a raise last month, and he has practically given up the idea already anyway. It's a dead end."

Jack gripped the steering wheel.

Poor choice of words.

It could have been worse Jack paced back and forth across the living room floor, regretting ever letting Kiku and Replacement go for some takeout. He stomped into the bedroom and looked at the clock: 6:15 p.m.

Where the h.e.l.l are they?

He plodded back into the living room and dialed Replacement's number. Again, there was no answer; her voicemail kicked on.

They said half an hour.

"When you headed out, you said you were coming right back," Jack barked into the phone. "With all the c.r.a.p going on, you'd think you'd give me a flippin' call back."

Jack almost heaved the phone out the window; instead, the police scanner he left on 24/7 clicked on.

"Car 63?" the dispatcher's voice crackled over the radio.

"Copy," a man's voice responded.

"We got a 10-70 in progress at 18 Winston."

"10-4." CLICK.

Jack stood in the middle of the floor as he gawked at the scanner. He shook his head, angling his ear so it was pointed directly at it, but the scanner was now silent.

10-70. No. There's no way they called a 10-70 at 18 Winston.

As Jack turned to head out the front door, it flew open. Replacement raced through and headed straight for the bathroom. He turned to hurry after her.

"Hey," he called out.