The Unearthing of Blackstone Read online

  “Of course. She said she ‘loved me.’ Lynne rarely told me that. Not that she wasn’t affectionate or sweet or anything. It just wasn’t something I heard that much from her.” He shrugged. “Also, right before she disappeared she seemed much quieter, a bit withdrawn. I and her mother asked her what the matter was, but she denied anything had changed. We figured she may have been a bit anxious about college. She was to start school in two months as she’d been accepted at the University of Texas, in Austin. She was going into chemistry.”

  Ace grabbed his pad of paper and jotted a few quick notes.

  “Good school…” he murmured as he frantically wrote down key points.

  “Yes, it is.”

  “So,” he tossed the notebook back onto his desk and clasped his hands together, “here is what I see, thus far.” Ace swallowed and mulled over the data in his mind as he looked casually up at the ceiling. “I see, we have an attractive, African American woman, young, with a bright future ahead of her. She seemed excited about life — making herself a fancy breakfast ’nd all.” He grinned. “She gave you an uncommon term of endearment, as if it were possibly a ‘Good-bye Daddy’ letter and —”

  “No,” the man said sternly, his back suddenly straight. “She’d never run away from home!”

  “Mr. Henderson,” Ace said calmly, not allowing the man’s flared emotions to distract him. “Anytime a person, despite their age, acts out of the ordinary on the last day of sight, we as investigators have to be open to the possibility that he or she was planning to leave their current residence. Now, I understand this may not be what you want to hear, but if you want to hire me, to use my services, then I have to include or eliminate options as part of the process. If I can’t eliminate a prospect, then it has to stay as an option until I can. That is how I work, that is how I do run my business.”

  The man’s brow furrowed and his jaws clenched as he clearly held back a retort. But Ace was not in the business of babysitting; he was in the business of finding missing motherfuckers and going on about his way.

  “I told you I am a realist, and despite how something might hurt or not be what we want to hear, we have to accept all aspects of this problem.”

  The man looked away, biting his lip, his brows dipped. He chewed at nothing, as if working though a mouth full of tobacco.

  “She’s your daughter, but she might be my case. I don’t love her. You do. I see her differently than you do, understand? It’s nothing personal.”

  Henderson nodded but said nothing as he turned back towards Ace.

  “Okay, now.” Ace sighed. “So, we have this young lady here, still at the house… and then you left first that morning, or did she?”

  “I did…She was sitting right there in the kitchen. My son left before she did, too. My wife was still in there, but my other two children left before me. Lynne was supposed to go to work that morning. She worked at a grocery store.”

  “What grocery store and where was it located?”

  “Uh.” Henderson scratched his head. “I’ve told this story so many times, you’d think I wouldn’t stumble like this.”

  Ace smiled at him pleasantly and nodded. “It’s okay, take your time.”

  “Alpertson’s. The street name escapes me.”

  “I’ll find it…” Ace picked up his pad of paper and jotted it down.

  “And, from my estimations, Lynne and her siblings lived comfortably?”

  Henderson’s eyes became vacant as obvious confusion set in.

  “Well…yes. I’m not certain what that has to do with this though.”

  “Poverty, riches, it all matters. The financial situation of a person can be a motivation for people to do all sorts of things, whether it is give all of one’s money away to charities, work illegal jobs to bring in much needed income… and in some extreme cases, it can cause people to kill. Now, I can tell from your clothing you are not impoverished. Regardless of the slightly garish style, your threads are well made, hand-tailored and of top-notch quality. You also no doubt flew first class and you are wearing several pieces of jewelry that retail a mint. I’m not a jewelry expert, but I know quality when I see it. So, all of this matters because, first and foremost, it would help me rule out that she was destitute and easily coerced into an unsavory lifestyle. This information directly coincides with opportunities for your children, helps fill in the picture…For instance, they attended better schools. Better schools tend to be linked to higher self-esteem, which is linked to better financial prospects, and children want a sense of safety. It’s not the money they care about, it is what the money makes them feel like.”

  Henderson smiled and cupped his hands. “Yeah…” he said hoarsely, his voice with a bit of something ‘extra’ in it, something Ace couldn’t yet determine.

  “I work very hard, Mr. Blackstone.” The silkiness in his tone was further replaced with ruggedness, causing Ace to look the man in the eye. There was a duality to the gentleman, one that he presented to the world, and one that appeared untouchable. It, too, was something Ace could identify with.

  “Are you familiar with Preston-Hollow?”

  “It’s in North Dallas, correct?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’ve never been, but yes, I’ve heard of it.”

  The men stewed in their respective silence.

  “I have the other investigators’ reports here…”Henderson slid his hand inside his coat and retrieved two rolled up manila folders, stuffed to capacity on the desk between them. A rubber band clasped them together.

  “Thank you. I take it that you wish to contract me? Enter into a legal agreement?”

  “Yes. Yes, I would.” The man took a hearty sip of his coffee. “Please help me.” He tried to sound pulled together, but his voice cracked like an egg.

  “I accept the case. I can either have you wait while I draft it up, and you sign the paperwork here, or I can send it via Priority Mail or email. I’m sure you’ll want to read through it, and it is quite a bit. The choice is yours.”

  “Email will suffice.”

  “What you need to know about me, Mr. Henderson, is that I am good at what I do. I’ve been doing this professionally for a little over fifteen years.”

  “If you don’t mind me asking, Mr. Blackstone, how old are you? You don’t appear as if you could have had any job for fifteen years. You look to be in your mid-twenties.”

  Ace grinned and shook his head. “As much as I smoke, I am sure my years show more than you say — but thank you for the compliment all the same. I don’t mind you asking my age, but will it help you in some way to know this?”

  “It might.” The man cleared his throat gruffly.

  “I will be thirty-two soon.”

  “That would’ve made you seventeen…”

  “Your fast math is impressive.”

  They both grinned a bit wider at one another.

  “I surmise that that’s why you’re here…because I’ve been doing this since I’ve been in diapers,” Ace joked.

  “Yes it is. I searched and searched until I found someone I felt may be able to bring my little girl back to me. I’ve had it with brick walls. I wanted the best…and I believe I’ve found him. You have an impressive resume. I found an interesting article about you. Your local police even rely on you a lot…You’ve gotta gift, man.”

  “Thank you.” Ace swallowed. He’d heard that a million times, but always remained humble about it.

  “If you can’t find her…well, I’m not sure anyone can.”

  “I’ll do the best I can, Mr. Henderson. Alright, let’s wrap this up, get into the ugly part of this.” Ace picked up his cigarette and took a mean toke, then placed it back down, inhaling his own rings as they danced around in the air. “Though you are a man with means, please understand that I charge an obscene amount of money, but I earn every penny.”

  “Money is not an issue, as I told you. Just find her and your asking price is granted.” Henderson stood to his feet and placed his h
at back on his head. “Mr. Blackstone, I can only hope you are the last person I have to contact about this situation. You see, my marriage is even suffering due to the continued stress from Lynne’s disappearance. I love my wife very much. We are best friends…We need answers. So much is riding on this…”

  “That is unnecessary.” Ace cleared his throat and stood to his feet, his six three frame close to the big man. “You have no worries. There is no need to try to manipulate me in order to put fire under my feet. I treat every case as if it is the client’s dying wish. Please believe me, what you said earlier is true.”

  “And what was that?”

  “If I can’t find her, no one can.”

  “You speak rather confidently.” He cleared his throat and looked at Ace with a discerning eye.

  “Because I can…”

  They both smiled at one another, pausing for a few breaths. Unspoken words lingered between them. They shook hands; an understanding between the two was born at that moment.

  “Should you need to contact me, Mr. Blackstone, here is my card.” Henderson tossed him the small, ivory rectangle with simple black font across it, turned on his heels, and approached the door.

  “Have a good flight back home, Mr. Henderson,” Ace called out.

  The man offered a wave and made his way out of the office. Pausing, he looked cautiously at Kellie, then closed the office door behind him. Ace heard footsteps walking toward the foyer doors, then the sounds of the same doors being opened and closed. Ace fell back into his chair, causing it to sigh and sing from his weight. He casually took a sip of his coffee after a few moments, picked up the card to take a look at it:

  Earlwood J. Henderson

  Regional CEO

  Balfour Beatty Construction

  214.445.7678

  We don’t just make things…we make things happen.

  Ace rotated the card between his thumb and forefinger as he swiveled in his chair, his mind deep in the trenches. After awhile, he took a bottomless inhale of his cigarette, extinguished it hard into the ashtray and went back to finalizing the open cases on his computer, via email. He made a mental note to clear his schedule. After he’d settled the four cases, he’d dive into the Henderson case and focus only on it. His gut told him it would need his full attention. He had a feeling it wouldn’t be easy, and that made him savor the possibilities more.

  He picked up one of the photos of Lynne Henderson and imagined what she may look like in modern day. Her skin was practically blemish-free, her smile coy, almost sarcastic as one lip tilted a bit higher on one side. Her eyes sparkled bright, dark and almond shaped, lush with long, thick lashes, and her hair, he surmised, had been chemically processed straight. Looking closer, he could see her roots coming in, densely coiled, in contrast to the straight strands that flowed down about two inches past her collar bone. He liked the thick density portion best…

  One cheek had a dimple, and her eyebrows arched in perfect lines. A thin layer of shimmering pink gloss coated her lips, matching the V-neck shirt that fit snugly around a modest but lovely bosom. Scratching his cheek, he peered at her long and hard, memorizing every curve and nuance of her face. She wore a pair of simple pearl stud earrings and a necklace with a matching pearl ball on a dainty, near invisible string.

  “A pretty girl like you, naïve, comes to the city and gets hurt… Now, that would seem like the obvious outcome. It’s what your father seems to believe…The more than likely thing to happen, ya know?” He took note of the glare in her eyes.

  Contact lenses… She’s either near or far sighted.

  “It happens every day. Pretty girls running to dangerous places, throwing it all away…Now, let’s find out if that’s what happened to you or not, Lynne. I’m going to find you. Whether or not you’re in a pine box marked as a Jane Doe, on a runway in Paris showing off an incredible body or toiling away in some cupcake factory, I will find you, and this will be over once and for all…”

  ~***~

  CHAPTER THREE

  “What the fuck are yadrinkin’?!” Lance slurred as he bumped into Ace on the dance floor.

  “Whatever it is, you shouldn’t have any more of it. You’re so fucking wasted!” Ace chuckled at his friend, then motioned towards Eli, who was standing at the bar filling his gut with peanuts. Eli begrudgingly slid off the maple colored stool and made his way to the duo.

  “Hey, you alright?” Ace asked as he moved stiffly to the electronic beat. He wasn’t in the mood for this shit tonight, but Lance had insisted on taking Eli out after the bad breakup with his wife. The couple fought all the time, but this time was different. She’d moved out the damned house, and took their kids, too.

  Reason number one thousand and twenty-one I never want to get married…

  “Yeah, I’m alright.” Eli ran his hand over his slightly protruding belly and looked around. “I guess I’m a free agent now. Maybe I can find a chick and take ’er home.”

  Ace knew the man was talking shit. He loved Erica more than his own life. The two had had a hardgo at it. Ace had pitied his good friend when he got hitched. He never told him, but he knew the shit wouldn’t work out. Not just because he was pessimistic about the entire institution, either. Most marriages rarely worked, in Ace’s mind, but this was so blaringly apparent, the writing was in neon on the damn walls. Guys like him, Eli and Lance just had trouble with fidelity. It was a simple fact of their miserable lives. Ace considered himself not to be a playboy; however, he knew himself well enough to understand that, due to his aloofness in his past relationships, the possibility for things to end badly was more than a thought and besides, he didn’t exactly enjoy making a woman cry. He simply didn’t give a fuck that he was wired this way, and though he realized it was unbecoming, he accepted himself for who he was. He treated all women the same because he saw no difference at this point in his life. Women wanted relationships. He sure as hell didn’t and soon, it showed.

  “Hey, if you aren’t having a good time, Eli, we can skip outta here,” Ace suggested, hoping with all of his might that Eli would agree and they could get the hell out of the place.

  The chubby man with the thick stubble covering his rounded face and frumpy hair shook his head.

  “Nah, it’s fine. If I go back home, I’ll just sit there lookin’ stupid. I want something to drink.” He turned to go back towards the bar.

  “Don’t even bother. Lance drank enough for the both of us!”

  Eli burst out laughing as the two watched their inebriated friend looking like a drunken crab as he crawled about the dance floor, his hands moving about like pinchers.

  “I see that.” Eli disappeared, unapologetically ready to rip the door to unadulterated intoxication wide open.

  Ace lifted his beer to his lips and shook his head as boredom set in. He abhorred clubs like this. The people were always the same. Lance was the only one having a decent time, but he’d never recall it in the morning so what the fuck did it matter? Ace laughed and stepped over his friend, who had a small crowd gathered around him as he performed his antics. He made his way across the dance floor, taking in some of the women grinding about, some in drunken lip locks. He turned to his left, then his right, and spotted a curvy brunette gyrating all by her lonesome in a slinky black dress that barely covered her rounded ass. Four inch stilettos tied up around her ankle, hugging her tanned, exposed flesh.

  “Mmmmm….my, my, my. What have we here?”

  Ace grinned as he moseyed towards her, in deep appreciation of what had captured his attention. As he maneuvered through the crowd, he pretended to not notice the surrounding women spying him, trying to see who had caught his wandering eye. He wasn’t arrogant, or at least he believed himself not to be, but he understood he had a way with women, and never had a problem obtaining dates and sensual acknowledgments from the opposite sex. He surmised it was because he was confident, and he gave his full attention. He also suspected his exploits in the bedroom didn’t hurt. He loved women; he just didn’t tru
st them in the least. They were the best thing God ever created, and he acknowledged that on a daily basis. Their soft bodies, plush lips and bouncy asses gave him reason to breathe... He loved their figures, sweetness, coyness and even their sneakiness. Women were some of the most cunning creatures on Earth.

  When women cheated, they were far less likely to get caught. He respected that, especially when he’d run into a millionaire male client who wanted to find out what his beautiful, much younger wife was up to while he was away. These women made his job challenging, even hard at times, and he loved them to death for it. This was also the same reason they weren’t trustworthy. No woman with a beautiful face, a lovely body and, God forbid, a wondrous, deceptive brain, could ever be trusted with more than just a night or two. The problem was, Ace wasn’t too keen on playing the field, but the females simply left him no choice. How could he trust something that bled five days in a row, every damned month, and lived?!

  He tapped the dancing woman on the shoulder. She snapped her neck in his direction, her honey colored eyes half open and her bright red lipstick covered mouth, pouted and poked as if she’d just been told ‘no’ for an increase in her allowance.

  “Hello. My name is Ace.”

  He extended his hand in a shake, taking the woman off guard.

  She chuckled lightly and rolled her eyes, then shook his hand loosely.

  “What? No line? No smooth pick up or sexual innuendo?” She talked loudly over the blaring music.

  “You haven’t given me a chance to mess up yet.”

  He widened his grin and she followed suit.

  “No, just wanted to come over here and first, apologize for interrupting your song that you were obviously enjoying. Second, I wanted to introduce myself and see if we might go out some time.”