Nancy Screw and the Coming of Age (18+) Chapter 23

Chapter 23

The trap

All along the way to the police station, Janet and Nancy mended Charles’ wounds the best they could. In turn, he explained to them the whole thing.

“Paul was my business partner in the Turner and Associates Law Firm.

Him and I practically grew up together in our legal profession. We

went to college and graduated, then settled here in Riverside. I start-

ed the firm and invited him to run it with me. We were making good

money but the books weren’t showing it. I did some investigating and

found that he had been writing checks for things that didn’t make

sense to places that didn’t exist. It had been happening for quite some

time before I caught on, unfortunately. When I confronted him

about it, he denied everything. He told me that I was paranoid and

that there was nothing to worry about. About a week or so later,

I went out for a walk in Venture Park and wound up here.”

“And they wanted you to sign the contract to get Paul off the hook, right,” Nancy inquired.

Charles nodded.

“That, and they want me to sign over the firm to Paul.” Charles grew silent for a moment, then continued.

“Margaret and I are getting a divorce. It’s getting pretty messy. She’s insisting that I hand her over the business, house. Well, everything. She feels she’s entitled.”

“Her and this Paul,” Beth interrupted. “They look like an item.”

Charles shrugged and shook his head.

“I figured as much. I had a hunch before, but this really clued me in.”

“It’ll all be over soon enough,” Nancy added.

“Let’s hope so,” Charles replied. “Paul is very cunning and he has a few friends in the police department here in Riverside. Helped a few win some cases in their off-time.”

“Well,” Nancy replied. “With our witness to it and this trap, shouldn’t his guilt be obvious?”

“I hope. Paul is slippery. And, even with the contract, he could deny the whole thing and say that I wrote it up in an attempt to slander him and Margaret. The judge could just give them the firm.”

“Then why set up this whole kidnapping,” Janet asked.

“I don’t know. I guess they thought it’d be easier if I was out of the picture. Maybe they didn’t want me to do any counter research. They can be irrational.”

Charles shook his head gently.

“Should have known better than to invite him to be a partner.”

The four entered Riverside and the police station was but five minutes away. Soon enough, however, they arrived. The four got out of the car and walked into the station. An officer was at the counter with his head buried in the paperwork in front of him. The sound of the door opening alerted him of the four visitors and he lifted his head up to receive them. He stood up, mouth open in an expression of shock and pity.

“My god, what happened?” He walked through the swinging gate on the side of the counter and came up to address Charles’ wounds.

“Hi, I’m Charles Turner.”

The officer stopped to think for a moment, then the name hit him.

“You, you’re Charles Turner?”

“Yes.” He pulled out some identification, but he didn’t need to. The officer had made the match on one of the missing persons flyers that were tacked to the wall beside him.

“Just one second,” the officer informed the four, and rushed behind the counter to make a few calls. He returned shortly thereafter.

“Please sit down over here.” The officer led Charles to a nearby table that was stationed behind the counter and another officer soon joined them. They had just got settled when one of the officers signaled for Nancy to join them. Nancy started over. A part of her looked around for Officer Bradley in the process and a smaller part of her was disappointed that she could not locate him. He must have the night off. Beth and Janet found seats against the wall to the right of the station’s entrance and waited. Nancy and Charles told their stories.

According to the clock on the wall, twenty or so minutes passed before the four at the table got up. In that time, paramedics arrived and looked at Charles. They treated him for mild dehydration and that wound on his face. He was fortunate enough to have captors that were at least a bit considerate to keep him fed. What good would a wilted lump of flesh be to them? They asked if he would like to stay in the hospital to be monitored for the night. At first he denied, but then decided it would be best on the grounds that there would be an officer guarding the door to his room. Both officers at the table informed him it was required and that it was their pleasure. When the meeting was dismissed and Nancy was escorted by the other two officers to her waiting friends, they were all told to keep what they knew under wraps. To catch Charles’ captors and guarantee that his slippery soon-to-be ex-partner won’t try anything funny, they were sworn to secrecy about the whole thing.

“Tell no one. Not a word must leave this station. Do you girls understand?”

The three nodded in understanding.

“Good. Officer Williams will escort you home. It’s too dangerous for three adventurous young ladies like yourselves to go back out there. If you want them to be caught, you’ll do as we ask and stay in your homes tonight.”

The three understood, stood up, and followed the escorting officer out of the station. A small assortment of other officers were reassigned from their current patrols to join in what they called a ‘setup.’

It was nearing midnight when a car drove up to the shed where Nancy and Charles had made their escape. The car stopped and two familiar characters emerged from the vehicle and headed towards the front door. They entered. Paul leaned down and pulled the string to reveal the hidden room. There, inside was their motivational seller, ready to literally sign his life away.

“Whaddya say, Charles,” Paul’s voice broke the silence. “You ready to sign the papers and fess up?” There was no response from the lump slumped forward in the chair. Paul looked over at Margaret, then back at the lump.

“You know there’s no other way. You sign or you make some very interesting plant food.”

There was still no response. Just slow, heavy breathing.

“Alright, you asked for it.” Paul raised his hand and threw a punch. The lump in the chair rose up, his hand caught Paul’s fist and the light that his badge reflected blinded him.

“Wha!?”

The officer stood up and twisted Paul’s entire arm. Pain shot up and down his right side and his fist grew limp. The officer turned him around as he saw Margaret start to make a run for it, but cease at the sight of a wall of officers just outside the shed’s entrance with their guns drawn. Paul heard the clasping of metal and the cold steel of the rings belonging to handcuffs slap against the flesh of his wrists. Then he felt his body being pushed forward and led out the door. Another officer was taking care of Margaret.

“You’re under arrest for kidnapping and fraud.” The officer went on, addressing the two as several others took them for a short walk to where their patrol cars were hidden.

“Do you understand these charges?”

Margaret and Paul caught eyes briefly before they were separated and placed into their awaiting escorts. They didn’t say a word.