I visited Carlyle’s favorite
haunts. Turned out the place he hung out the most was his own. I paid a visit
to his house (mansion) on Astor Street. The maid let me in (what a step up from
the first home Renee and I shared—a third floor
walk-up in Roger’s Park). Renee was in residence (now she thinks she’s the
Queen?) and after a brief argument (first one I ever won), I searched the place
from top to bottom but found no clues to Abner’s whereabouts.
****
With a lack of fresh ideas, I
scoped out the kidnapper’s meeting point. I arrived three hours early in order
to check the area and figure out my options. The designated spot was in the
middle of a secluded, wooded forest preserve near Belmont and Cumberland. Daylight
was fading fast, and I imagined how dark this place was going to get. Perfect spot
(for the kidnappers—not so great for me). Dense trees filtered out what was
left of the sun’s rays, and I was glad I’d brought my flashlight. If I picked a
good place to hide and watch, maybe I could catch a license plate when they
arrived.
****
Three hours later, I’d have killed
for a cold beer. My sweat-soaked black turtle neck constricted my breathing in
the humid night air. So far, I hadn’t caught a glimpse of anything but a family
of deer. I was ready to call it a night, but I’d promised Renee I’d find her
husband, so I stuck it out alone in the dark. Just when I was determined to
call it quits, I heard a rustling about a hundred yards to my right. Keeping
the man’s silhouette in view at all times, I circled around and sneaked up
behind him.
I called his name. Abner Carlyle
spun around and raised his hands at the sight of my gun. (I’d had a hunch when
I’d spotted those big old jug ears and rotund build in the dim moonlight).
“Abner,” I said. “It’s time for a
talk.”
****
Seemed shortly after the wedding,
the wealthy recluse had a change of heart. He’d married Renee in a foolish,
lonely moment and regretted it ever since. Carlyle was reluctant to divorce her,
since he didn’t relish paying out a huge settlement. So the man had planned a
fake abduction and plotted to kill his wife when she arrived with the ransom. His
idea was to accuse his phony kidnappers of murder. The police would never catch
the fabricated criminals, and Carlyle figured he’d be free and clear.
What he didn’t count on was the
lovely Renee Carlyle hiring a detective. He’d led such a solitary life, he didn’t
realize a woman might not go it alone (especially a woman like Renee who never
did anything she could get someone else to do for her).
I had a lot of sympathy for the
guy (after all, I’d been married to Renee once) and that’s why I contrived a new
plot.
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