Abuse of Power - Michael Savage [46]
But his instincts had been right. Someone had been in here.
In the light of his cell phone he saw a noose hanging from the shower head.
An empty noose that had been fashioned from Eddie’s leash.
* * *
Tony was half asleep when Jack called.
“Do you have any idea what time it is?” he groaned. “I got training in the morning. I’m trying to get some shut-eye.”
“Sorry, man, but is Eddie up there with you?”
“Up here?” Tony said groggily. “What the hell are you talking about? Why would I bring him up here?”
“You two seem to be attached at the hip lately, so I was hoping you took him along for the ride.”
The grogginess in Tony’s voice abruptly disappeared. “Jack, what’s going on?”
“Someone broke into the boat and Eddie’s gone. And I’m not sure I want to tell you what I found in the head.”
“You think they took him?”
“Or worse. He’s nowhere around.” The dread Jack had felt earlier was rolling around in his belly like a bad stew. “I’ve tried calling him but he doesn’t come.”
“Wait a minute,” Tony told him. “Hold on—”
“What—?”
“Go into your stateroom.”
“What? Why?”
“Just do what I tell you. This is something me and Eddie wanted to surprise you with.”
“What the hell are you—”
“Just do it, Jack. Trust me.”
Jack hesitated a moment, still battling his rage, then did as he was told. He had already turned on all the lights, in hopes of spotting the little guy cowering in a corner, but grew more and more alarmed when he couldn’t find him.
“You in there yet?”
“I’m here,” Jack said.
“All right. Now say, ‘FIDO.’”
“What?”
“FIDO,” Tony told him. “It’s an old military acronym. ‘Fuck It and Drive On.’ Trust me, just say it. And say it loud.”
Jack hesitated, wondering what Tony was up to. “All right.… FIDO.”
The moment the word was out of his mouth he heard Eddie’s familiar outsized growl coming from somewhere near the bed. The one he normally reserved for strangers. It was muffled, but clear, and Jack moved quickly to a low, narrow cabinet on the port side.
When he opened the cabinet door, he found Eddie lying prone inside the tiny space, stretched out flat like a platypus.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Jack said, relief washing through him.
“A little self-preservation measure, in case someone ever broke in. I noticed the door on that cabinet was spring-loaded, so I started working with him about three weeks ago.”
“Thank God you did,” Jack said. He tucked the phone under his chin and pulled Eddie into his arms, letting his friend lick at his face. “I was worried sick about him.”
“No kidding. You ready to tell me what you found in the head now?”
Jack gave the dog a quick back scratch, above the tail, then set him on the bed. “A noose made out of Eddie’s leash.”
“What the hell? Did you call the cops?”
“For what? They’ll just file a report and call it a day.” Jack sighed. “I’m used to death threats but this is a little too close to home. And I’m not entirely convinced it’s the work of one of my garden-variety stalkers.”
“Then who?”
“Good question. Bob Copeland told me I should watch my back, and after what happened to Jamal Thomas tonight—”
“What happened?”
Jack gave him the rundown on the trip to Sunnydale, Jamal’s overdose, and the men in the black Escalade. “The kid’s brother got one of them on his cell camera and Maxine’s gonna see if she can identify the parking sticker on the car.”
“Jesus,” Tony muttered. “Sounds like we got this thing right. You and Eddie better not sleep on that boat tonight.”
“This was just a warning, Tony. If somebody wanted me dead, they would’ve stuck around instead of playing games.”
“Okay, but humor me. Get the hell out of there. Go to a hotel or hit up Maxine. Or your ex. She’s got plenty of room in that big house you left her.”
“I don’t think the tax guy she’s been dating would approve,” Jack said.
“Do you care?”
Tony was right. About all of it.
“Okay. I’ll make sure we get to safer ground. When are you due back?”
“Sometime tomorrow night.”
“Good,” Jack said. “See you