Find all the parts of this story here.
Chapter 7: Yes, Sir, We Got Trouble
Part 2: Sam
“Harrison!” Lt. Lehrer’s voice boomed down the hallway as Sam made his way out of the building after his shift ended at 7 Saturday night. He made a quick about-face and searched out his boss.
“Yes, sir?”
“My office.” The command had several other officers looking Sam’s way, and he fought the urge to duck his head. He hadn’t done anything wrong. Why was the LT calling him out?
“Yes, sir?” he asked again as he shut Lt. Lehrer’s door. To his surprise, Sgt. Breitung already sat in one of the chairs.
“Have a seat,” Lt. Lehrer gestured. Sam sat, casting a sideways glance at Vic, whose face was set grimly. Sudden anxiety churned in Sam’s gut.
“Sgt. Breitung,” the LT said with an open-handed gesture, inviting Vic to begin the conversation.
“I got some prints back from Sophie Lane’s apartment,” Vic jumped right in. Sam sat up straight.
“Who?”
“Well, ‘Denise’ is really Angel Dennison. She’s got outstanding drug-related warrants in Madison.”
“Holing up in a small town to evade detection?” Sam guessed.
“I think so.”
“Anyone else?”
“Three sets of unknowns. We don’t have any prints on file for the building super or anyone who might have done work in her apartment. But I can almost guarantee, based on where I found some of these, that whoever trashed her apartment didn’t bother with gloves,” Vic explained.
“He’s banking on a clean record?”
Vic nodded. “Most likely.”
Lt. Lehrer broke in. “I’m classifying her break-in as a stalker and adding all the other incident reports to her file. Sgt. Breitung will be keeping tabs on her case. I want anything new, no matter how suspicious, reported straight to Breitung. If she so much as feels twitchy and tells you, everything goes through him.” Lehrer pointed a fierce finger at Vic. “And I expect you to be on it. We don’t need this kind of ragamuffin in Williamson.”
“I’ve never investigated a stalker before,” Vic shrugged. “I’m down for new and fun.”
“Vic,” Sam growled. “She’s a real person.”
“Hey, cool your jets, Harrison,” Vic put his hands up defensively, then his face softened just a little. “I know she matters to you. We’ll take care of your girl, I promise.”
Sam nodded crisply. “Thanks.”
“Has Sophie caught sight of the guy who accosted Angel Dennison?” Vic asked.
“Not that she’s mentioned, and I asked her to tell me,” Sam replied. “Does she live in Sophie’s building?”
“Not according to the super. He also didn’t recognize the description of the male, but he didn’t seem like the most attentive manager on the planet,” Vic replied.
“He’s not. Have you seen the state of that place?” Sam scoffed.
“I have. More than once,” Vic nodded.
“Anything else for us, Breitung?” Lehrer asked.
“Not at the moment. I have Sophie’s number from Sam, so I can reach out if I come up with more questions for her.”
“All right. Breitung, hang tight a minute. Off you go, Harrison,” Lt. Lehrer dismissed him. With a final nod to both men, Sam resumed his trek toward his car. His mind was torn between replaying the news about ‘Denise’ and wondering what Sophie was doing right that moment.
Since the break-in two weeks ago, she hadn’t reported anything out of the ordinary. At first he assumed it was because she went out of town for a few days, but now the silence unnerved him. What did this creep want? When she’d turned him down for a date yesterday, citing dance practice with her friends, Sam had been tempted to scope out the warehouse to see if she was there. But he knew it was more important for both of them that he trust her.
Tonight, he was going to have dinner with her, and the dessert menu now included a conversation about ‘Denise’ and how Sophie would keep herself safe.
Before he could got on the road, though, his phone rang with Sophie’s ringtone. He had to laugh – she had swiped his phone at their last date and set a catchy snippet of an Imagine Dragons song as her ringtone. He didn’t mind – he found himself looking forward to hearing it.
“Good evening, Sophie,” he greeted over bluetooth. “I’m on my -“
“Sam?” she whispered, interrupting him. “Please hurry. I hear yelling.”
He immediately snapped into work mode. “Where are you?”
“My apartment,” she continued to whisper. “It sounds like Denise and a guy. I want to help her, but-“
“No. You have to stay put.” He didn’t have time to explain all he had learned. He needed to call for backup. “Get your pepper spray and hide on the other side of your bed. Do not open your door until I call and tell you to. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Sam. I’m scared,” she confessed, her whisper now mixing with a hint of tears.
“You’re going to be fine,” he promised falsely. “Just do as I asked, please. I need to call for help, and I’ll be there in less than 10 minutes.”
“Okay,” she whimpered.
Sam quickly hung up and dialed Vic.
“Didja miss me already?” the stocky man teased.
“There’s a fight in Sophie’s building. She called to say it sounds like Denise and a man. I’m 6 minutes out,” Sam quickly relayed.
“I’m right behind you.”
“Grab a few more uniforms?” Sam suggested.
“Already on it.”
Without another word, Vic hung up. Sam knew he’d be there quickly with backup. Vic had the benefit of always driving his unmarked car. He’d throw on lights and sirens and practically beat Sam to Sophie’s building.
The Maple apartments looked just like they did any other day as Sam squealed into the parking lot. Old cars filled the lot and a few people loitered with cigarettes burning on the side of the building The difference today was the sound of the screeching people in the lobby that could be heard before he’d opened the door. He stood to the side of the glass front door and watched a tall blond man in a suit wrench Denise’s arm behind her back. She yelled even louder.
Sam waited the interminable two minutes until Vic was at his side and two more police cars were pulling into the lot. Then he, Vic, and three additional officers entered the lobby.
The man and Denise hadn’t moved from where Sam first saw them. Sam cataloged Denise’s tear-stained face, evidenced by her running makeup. She looked both fearful and angry. The blond man had muscles growing on his muscles, making Sam extra grateful for the backup.
Vic took the lead in entering the building and speaking to the fighting couple, but it was only a matter of minutes before both of them were in cuffs and sitting in the back of the squad cars. ‘Denise’ sobbed her innocence and victimhood with an Oscar-worthy performance. Muscle-man made no eye contact and refused to speak a word other than ‘lawyer’. Vic would probably identify him before the lawyer even showed up.
Sam sprinted up the stairs, dialing Sophie as he ran. Once he had identified himself, she opened her door and let him in. He noticed her hands were shaking as she slid the chain in place and locked the deadbolt once more.
“Sit, Sophie,” he encouraged. She didn’t need to hear it twice, sinking into the loveseat with a sigh. Sam took a chance and sat next to her. When he offered a hand, she gripped it tightly.
“Are you hurt?” he asked, knowing it wouldn’t be helpful to ask if she was ‘okay’. She obviously wasn’t.
“No, just scared,” she admitted.
“That’s understandable,” Sam acknowledged.
“It was Denise?”
“Yes,” he confirmed, then hesitated. How to broach the subject of what had been decided this afternoon?
“There’s something more?” Sophie asked, making the jump for him.
“Her name isn’t Denise. The fingerprints Sgt. Breitung – Vic – gathered in your apartment confirmed her identity as Angel Dennison. Does that name ring a bell?”
Sophie wrinkled her nose and cocked her head. “I don’t think so.”
“She’s wanted on a couple of drug charges out of Madison,” Sam explained.
“Oh, my,” Sophie breathed, looking almost sorrowful.
“Indeed,” Sam concurred. “Vic didn’t get anything from the other fingerprints he collected. He’s going to talk to your landlord to try to eliminate his and any workmen who might have been in here. But it’s almost certain he got fingerprints from your stalker; they just aren’t in the system.”
“Stalker? Oh, no. That isn’t…” Sophie’s face was a mask of shock. Maybe he should have addressed that one a little more gently.
“I’m sorry,” he quickly apologized. “That’s how my boss is classifying the case, and he assigned Vic to investigate.”
Sophie blinked back tears. “Investigate? What does that mean?”
“He’ll look into the incidents you’ve told me about some more.” Sam sighed. “He’ll also probably want to talk to you at some point, dig into your relationships here and at home.”
A look of distaste crossed her face.
“I know, it sounds unpleasant, and it might be. But I’m here to support you in any way I can, and in the mean time, we’ll talk about the best ways to keep you safe.”
“Promise?”
“I’ll give you my best, Sophie.”