Here's the next part. I'll post part nine on Wednesday. Thanks for reading!
TOC From part 7:
Lois wondered through the back of Nieman’s department store, occasionally pulling something off the rack and adding it to the collection of things she wanted to try on. Juliana was nearby, her back to Lois, doing the same.
As Lois removed a navy blazer from it’s place on the rack, she felt something cold and metal press up against her neck.
“Good afternoon, Ms. Lane.”
She recognized the voice.And now...
* * * * *
**~Part 8~**
Earl had been about to shoot a three-pointer, but when he heard Clark’s words, he stopped his arms in mid-shot. “Gendell Technologies? Really? How many were there?”
“Four. Malachi and Allyson Potter, Marshall Holm, and Seth Wenchel.”
Earl processed the names slowly. He didn’t know them, but for some reason his mind told him that the names should sound familiar. He’d heard them before. They held some kind of comparable significance that was on the tip of his tongue, but, for some reason, he couldn’t spit it out.
“Lois and I have done some digging,” Clark continued. “And, although they all worked for Gendell Technologies, that’s where the similarities end.”
Earl’s mind raced through the files of names in his head. Researchers, scientists, sponsors, secretaries, interns, the list was too long.
Clark kept explaining. “They worked in different departments. Holm and the Potters were about to start working on a project together, but Wenchel doesn’t seem to have any connection to it. They were all married, but in one case it was both the husband and the wife killed, and in the other cases, just the husband.”
Earl was only half listening to Clark as his mind tried to piece together the connection between those names.
Those names. Potter. Holm. Wenchel. He knew he’d heard them before.
“The first murder happened in a park, the second just outside their home, and the third at work. I just can’t figure out what they all have in common, and how that would lead someone to want them dead.”
After contemplating the puzzle for what seemed like several minutes, Earl finally decided that there was no connection. He convinced himself that his mind was playing tricks on him and that he’d never heard the names mentioned together before. “Are you sure they were all killed by the same person?” he asked.
“Well, that’s the thing. At every murder scene the police found a balled up piece of paper with the words ‘trust no one’ on it. I’m baffled by what kind of trust these people might have broken. And it bugs me that I just *can’t* figure it out.”
Trust.
It clicked. Denzler had been whining about trust for weeks, ever since Gendell got it in his head to come out of hiding and reveal himself to the world. But could Denzler really have killed four innocent people?
Of course he could. He was crazy. He’d proven that much with his antics revolving around Lois’ interviewing Gendell. Even the first night he’d met Lois when he and Juliana—
Juliana.
Paralyzed with fear, Earl dropped the ball.
“Earl? Earl are you all right?” Clark asked.
“Juliana. He’s going after Juliana next.”
“Earl you’re not making any sense. Who’s going after Juliana?”
Earl looked straight into Clark’s eyes. “Clark, I know who’s been killing those people and he’s going to try to kill Juliana.”
“Calm down, Earl. First thing’s first; tell me who he is.”
“It’s Eric. Eric Denzler.”
* * * * *
Fear gripped Lois’ body and wouldn’t let go. Every muscle ached as adrenaline surged through her and her eyes darted around, looking for help or a possible escape. Juliana was only a few feet away, but the cold steel of the gun against her flesh kept Lois from calling attention to herself.
“Mr. Denzler?” she asked quietly.
“That’s right Ms. Lane. Just keep a cool head and everything will be just fine. We’re taking a little walk. Step toward the exit. Nice and slow.”
Lois did as she was told, and ticked of the options one by one in her head. If she called for help hoping that Clark, or at least Juliana, would hear her, Denzler could pull the trigger faster than Clark or anyone else could get to her. Because the gun was so close and Denzler was behind her, neutralizing him herself was out of the question; he could shoot before she made contact. The only other option was to talk her way out of this.
“Mr. Denzler, let’s talk about this. I really don’t think that killing me is going to solve anything.”
“I beg to differ, Ms. Lane. And if you’ll just come with me, everything will be explained in good time.”
Explain? She certainly wasn’t going to wait for that. She tried another approach. “Superman is a very good friend of mine. He’ll find me.”
“Well, that may be, Ms. Lane, but you’ll be dead and I’ll be gone long before that happens. Now, since you can’t seem to keep your mouth shut….”
She never saw the needle coming. Lois felt it penetrate her side with a sharp pain. She tried to twist her body and avoid it, but Denzler was quick.
The methohexital worked fast. The world went black.
* * * * *
“Gendell’s lawyer?” Clark asked incredulously. “I knew there was something fishy about that guy.”
“He’s always whining about trust, and he’s been harping at Gendell for weeks to stop shaking hands with random people. I knew the names you gave me sounded familiar. Gendell mentioned a couple of them.”
“Wait a minute! You’ve spoken to Grant Gendell?”
“Yes. Only two people speak to him on a regular basis: Me and Eric Denzler. No one is supposed to know that, so Juliana and I have kept it a secret. But there’s no time for that now! Juliana is in danger.”
Clark’s thoughts reeled with this new information. Earl and Juliana not only knew Grant Gendell, but they were close to both him and the man who was responsible for the murders. Did this mean that Earl was an accomplice?
Earl’s words shook Clark out of his thoughts. “The victims were people that Gendell had run into without our supervision. Denzler kept lecturing him not to run around meeting random people that hadn’t been properly screened and put through rigorous security measures, like the ones he’s been putting Lois through.”
“He needs supervision and baby-sitting? He’s a grown man and the owner of a major scientific corporation.”
Earl shook his head. “I know. I don’t think Denzler’s all there upstairs.”
“Okay, but other than the fact that he’s crazy, what makes you think he’ll go after Juliana?”
“Gendell met Juliana this afternoon on her way to meet Lois.”
Clark froze and fear gripped him as he realized the impact of Earl’s statement. Lois was with Juliana.
Clark attempted to convince himself not to panic. They were headed to the mall. They were in a public place. Everything would be fine.
Everything would not be fine. There was a crazy man out there ready to kill Juliana the first chance he got, and if Lois was with Juliana, fate would find some way to put Lois in the middle of the predicament. It always did.
“Eric’ll go after her next. Oh my god, has he gotten to her already? Is she still…” Earl couldn’t bring himself to finish that sentence so he started a new one instead. ”He could find her at any moment.”
“Earl, I’m sure we’re overreacting.” Clark tried to convince both Earl and himself, despite what he was feeling inside. “They’re probably fine. I’m sure they’re both safe, and having a good time.”
“Yeah. Yeah, I’m sure you’re right. I’ll just give Juliana a call on her cell phone. Nothing to worry about.” Earl seemed to relax as he picked up his cell phone.
* * * * *
Having bound Lois’ hands and feet and gagged her mouth with duct tape, Denzler locked her in the back of his Lincoln and headed back into the mall to collect Gregg’s wife.
He muttered to himself about Gendell’s innate stupidity and negligence. How did a man with that much inattention to important details get to be that rich? It was inexplicable and if Denzler had that much good fortune, he’d be sure not to squander it with foolish notions of being an employer ‘for the people.’ With all of the crazy people out there, Gendell was much safer being locked away in a high security building, only having contact with those worthy of his trust.
Damn Gendell for messing with things. Damn Gendell for making his job harder. Damn Gendell for forcing him to take drastic measures. Damn Gendell.
* * * * *
Juliana dug her phone out of her purse, and answered the call. The first thing she heard was a familiar sounding sigh of relief.
“Hi, honey,” Earl said. “I just called to see if you were all right.”
“Sure, I’m fine. Lois and I are just browsing around Niemen’s.” Juliana answered. “Why wouldn’t I be fine?”
“Well, Clark and I put our heads together and figured out that Eric is the one behind the murders—“
“Eric Denzler?!” Juliana asked with disbelief.
“Yeah, he’s been killing everyone that Gendell’s met without Denzler’s supervision, and—“
“*I* met Gendell this afternoon… you don’t think…”
“That’s exactly what I think. Clark and I are on our way to the mall right now. I don’t think you or Lois should be alone.”
“That’s a good idea. In fact…” Juliana turned around, looking for Lois, but didn’t see her among the racks of skirts and sweaters. “Well, where did she go…?” Juliana’s sentence trailed off as her eyes darted from rack to rack, looking for any sign of Lois.
“Who? Lois? Isn’t she with you?” Earl asked.
“She was here just a second ago… Lois?” Juliana called her name and heard no answer.
She tried again. “Lois?”
Still nothing.
* * * * *
He reached the department store entrance and saw that Gregg’s wife was on the phone, but was calling Lois’ name. He slid along the back wall, out of her line of sight as she turned and walked toward the exit that he was now several yards away from. As she walked toward the exit, he circled around behind her.
* * * * *
Juliana wondered over to where she has last seen Lois, nearer to the exit to the parking lot. Fear seeped into the front of her mind as she unsuccessfully searched the store for her friend.
Juliana persuaded herself to think that everything was all right. Lois must have just wandered off. She’d probably gone over to the shoe department to take a closer look at a pair of dress shoes they’d seen earlier.
“I don’t see her anywhere, Earl, but I thi—“
The word caught in her throat as a foreign object poked into her side.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Gregg.”
The sickeningly polite voice reached her ears and then faded away, along with her consciousness.
* * * * *
“Juliana? Juliana?”
Clark instantly picked up on the panic in Earl’s voice. This was not a good sign.
“What’s the matter? What happened?” Clark asked, his own voice reflecting the panic he was feeling.
“I don’t know. Juliana was calling Lois’ name and then we got cut off.”
“Did she say where at the mall they were?”
“Nieman’s.”
“Denzler wouldn’t do anything to them in the middle of a department store would he?”
“I, I don’t know,” Earl stuttered. “I guess I wouldn’t put it past him. He’s clearly gone over the deep end.”
That was all Clark needed to hear. “Catch a cab to the mall and call 9-1-1 on your way over. I’m going to… uh… I… I…” Clark searched for an excuse, but his mind drew a blank. The love of his life, the only thing he cared about in this world was in mortal danger, and he couldn’t come up with a decent excuse. He’d finally run out.
Earl looked at him, dumbfounded. “You need to what? Clark, your wife is in danger, and so is mine. Let’s catch a cab and get to the mall as fast as we can.”
“But I—“
“Get a hold of yourself! Let’s go; we’re wasting time!” Earl grabbed Clark by the arm and dragged him off the court and into the first cab that came by.
* * * * *
Lois came to slowly. She looked around her and realized that she was inside a vehicle. Her hands and feet were bound and her mouth was covered with duct tape. She struggled to free herself, but her efforts were fruitless, and the duct tape muffled her attempts at screaming for help.
Dread began to grow in the pit of Lois’ stomach as she realized that she had no way of escaping and no way of calling to Clark. What if she never saw Clark again? What if she never saw Perry or Jimmy or Martha and Jonathan or her parents again? Did they all know how much she cared about them? Had she told them what they meant to her?
Her thoughts were interrupted as the rear passenger’s side door opened and Juliana was placed inside.
Lois started to struggle harder as Denzler bound Juliana’s hands, feet, and mouth, just as he had done with Lois.
Pointing the gun solidly on Lois, Denzler issued a warning. “If you feel the need to be heroic, Ms. Lane, don’t be.”
She tried to stay clam, but was terrified that she wouldn’t be fast enough if she attempted to kick the gun out of his hand with her feet taped together.
She couldn’t scream, she couldn’t defend herself, she couldn’t fight back at all, and the sense of helplessness was eating her inside. She was used to catching scum like Denzler when they made a crucial mistake. They’d let their guard down for a second and she’d kick at just the right moment, in just the right place.
But Denzler had been too careful. He hadn’t made that crucial mistake. He hadn’t looked away or gotten distracted. He hadn’t left her with any options.
Time was running out.
* * * * *
tbc...
