Back at the office, Rodney made the final entries on the whiteboard. He photographed it for the files and wiped it clean. The Overbee case was closed.
His cell phone rang, and he answered it.
“It’s Mom,” he said. “She’s crying.”
“Give me the phone...Mandy, what’s wrong?”
“Jeremy is back, Stanley,” she said. “He called me here at the office. He’s coming to see me tonight.”
“Here we go again,” I said. “Don’t worry. Rodney and I will be there like before. How come you didn’t call me?”
“I did. You didn’t answer.”
I pulled out my phone. Dead battery. I had forgotten to charge it again.
“What time do you get home?”
“About five-thirty.”
“We’ll meet you there.”
I hung up and turned to Rodney. “Go home, and wait inside. That Captain Pugh is back.”
“I thought he got blown up.”
“Apparently not. He’s coming there sometime tonight. Lock the doors and windows, and wait for your mother. I’ll be there after a while.”
I dug around in my jacket pockets until I found the card for the CID guy, Stewart. I tried to call, but my phone was dead. The AC adaptor was home in my apartment, and Willa was on the land line, so I went down to my car where I had an adaptor. It didn’t work. Bad connection or a malfunctioning cigarette lighter receptacle or something. I walked from the car back to the office and went up. I’d wait for the phone. Besides, I had forgotten Roscoe and didn’t want to go on this adventure without heat.
Willa was off the phone. “What got into Rodney?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
“After you left, he came tearing in here, went in your office, came tearing out, and was gone in a flash.”
I went in my office. The safe was open and Roscoe was gone. Somehow, Rodney had gotten into the safe and was on his way to his house with Roscoe. I looked at Mickey. Quarter to five. I had time to make my call, get there ahead of Amanda, and take Roscoe away from Rodney before he shot himself in the foot. I used the office land line to call Stewart.
“USACIDC. Stewart here.”
“This is Stanley Bentworth. Are you still looking for the missing Captain Jeremy Pugh?”
“Yes, assuming he’s alive.”
“He is. He’s coming to my sister’s house tonight, probably some time after five thirty.”
“Give me the address. We’ll be there.”
I read off Amanda’s address and hung up.
Then I called Buford.
“Is the bracelet off?”
“Has been for a while.”
“Somebody should be there to get it soon. Your charges have been dropped.”
“I don’t know how to thank you,” Buford said. He sounded like he was about to cry. I’d have paid money to see that.
“I do need help,” I told Buford. “That Army captain is back.”
“Help is on the way,” Buford said.
I gave him Amanda’s address and hung up.
I went into the outer office. Willa was about to leave.
“You have a wall adaptor to charge a phone.”
“Right here.”
I hooked it up and left the cell phone there.
“How did Rodney get into the safe?”
“Back when he made you that DVD. He said you said I should give him the combination.”
“Sneaky little shit. That’s not what I told him.”
“Sorry. I wondered at the time.”
“It’s okay. Call Bill Penrod, and tell him there’s trouble at Amanda’s house. Captain Pugh is back. I’ve got CID on the way.
I don’t know what’s going to happen, but Rodney took my gun and is probably there by now. Tell Bill not to shoot Rodney.”
I figured between Rodney, CID, the cops, and whatever Buford sent, I might just have an edge.