Tangling Hearts

142. Brendan

Chapter One Hundred Forty-Two

brENDAN

2 :35 a.m.

H anging up the phone, I slide it in my pocket and scramble around for my keys, mentally kicking myself for falling asleep. At first I can’t find them, but then I remember I went straight for the kitchen when I walked into the penthouse earlier, starving. Striding quickly in there, I snatch them up from the counter next to the refrigerator. Walking back to leave, my gaze falls on the glowing Christmas tree and I smile at the sight of it, thinking, tomorrow it’s just us and no more work. And the day after that, too, now that Annie’s agreed to not work again until the baby comes.

I can’t believe she finally agreed to that.

Grinning, I head out the door, but stop to return for my coat. “She’d have my hide if I showed up with just this shirt on,” I mutter to myself, amused and considering not bringing it, just to see her react. But I decide not to provoke her simply for my endless entertainment, and slide it onto my arms as I walk out and lock the front door. Taking the stairs as I always do when I’m alone, I hum the bars of Silent Night, the sound echoing off the staircase walls with my trumpeting footsteps.

As soon as I’m in my car, I turn on the heat to make it cozy for her, the radio turning on as loud as I left it. A D.J. says, “The manhunt is still underway. The last person to escape–” I flip the sound off. Turning the ignition, nothing happens. I stare at the dashboard, and try again. Still nothing. That’s odd. Leaning back in my seat, I look at the console to see if any of the warning lights are on, but there’s nothing out of the ordinary. I try the key again.

Must be a dead battery.

But the music came on, and the heat. I give it one more try. Nothing. Maybe a weak battery?

Jumping out of the car I glance over to Annie’s and look at my key chain. Shit. I knew I should have put her key on here. She keeps a spare in the bowl by the door, so I run back up the stairs, this time without song. Dashing into the penthouse, I find only hair ties, gum, and change there.

“She keeps her spare credit cards by the desk. It’s gotta be there,” I mutter, jogging to the desk we rarely use since both of us have offices of our own. Drawer after drawer I open, finding no keys. “Dammit! Calm down, B-man. Manny’s there with her. There’s nothing to worry about.”

Pulling out my phone, I see for the first time I’ve missed a ton of calls and messages tonight. When I was at the bar, I couldn’t hear them. I never checked my phone after I went home to eat. When Annie called after two, I picked up and didn’t see them.

For a brief second, I write off the amount of calls to people reaching out for the holidays, and I’m about to dismiss them and phone Annie to tell her I have to come get her in a cab, and to wait there. But something makes me hit the text icon, and I see five texts from Mark alone. Hitting his name, I read them.

Merry Christmas Fucker.

I just gave Nicole her gift. You were right.

B-man. Tommy escaped prison last night. Did you hear?

Yo B. I’m going to call you. It’s all over the news.

Brendan, I just called. Where you at? Hit me back.

My heart stops as I read the third one again and I hurriedly call my wife. As it rings, my body begins to shake. When voicemail picks up, I can no longer see straight, the room is spinning. I dial her again, my mouth dry. Voicemail again. I call the bar. No one picks up. I call Manny, but there’s no answer there, either. With veins slamming adrenaline into my body, I dial Knockout. Bobby answers after two rings, the music loud in the background, “Merry Christmas B-MAN! WOOHOOO!!”

“Bobby! Tommy’s escaped,” I choke out in a rasp. “I need you to go check on Annie. My car…it won’t start.” I start running for the door, crushing my phone against my ear.

He speaks over me, “What?! Wait, what? Are you serious?” He calls to one of his employees. “Hey, turn off that music!”

Barreling down the steps of our building, I gasp, “I’m dead serious. My car is dead. I’m going to run there. I can’t wait for a cab. GO NOW!”

The music cuts off abruptly. “Yeah! Okay! I can’t believe it. Wait, when?”

“Last night! It was probably him following her.”

“Oh man, Brendan. Okay. I’m sure she’s fine. Don’t worry! I’ll call you as soon as I get there!” He hangs up as I vault out of our building onto the sidewalk and break into a run.

Through the fog, I race down Mission past late-night stragglers and homeless people sleeping on the sidewalk. I go over the moments from our phone call to now. How long it took to find my keys. How I hummed and took my time leaving.

How I fell asleep when I should have been there.

How I should never have left in the first place.

A car honks and I look, hoping it’s her in a cab. But it’s a stranger honking celebration. Ignoring their wave, I keep running as fast as I can, my legs plowing so quickly I can hardly see them. After a few blocks, Bobby’s ahead in the distance, by himself waiting in front of Le Barré with his eyes on me. Fear explodes in my chest at her absence, and my mind pictures the worst. Is she inside? Is she dead on the floor inside? Tears spring to my eyes.

“Where is she?!” I come to a stop in front of him, panting. “WHERE IS SHE?!”

He stares at me, scared. “Brendan. It’s unlocked.”

A pain I’ve never known before takes hold of me. “ANNIE!” I go for the door, but he stops me.

“She’s not in there! I checked.”

I rush inside, searching. “Annie?!” The storeroom, the office, the bathroom, all empty. Picking up her phone and her purse, I stare at them like I can’t believe what I’m seeing. “He took her. He took her, Bobby,” I whisper, falling to my knees. “ANNIE!!!!”

Bobby grabs me and pulls me back up, shaking me by the shoulders. “Brendan! They can’t have gotten far. We’ll call the police and we’ll get her back! Where would he have taken her? Can you think of anywhere?”

Staring at my friend, I search my mind for any place I can think of. “He doesn’t have his apartment anymore. He doesn’t have any friends. Margaret! You call 911. Tell them you need to speak to Sergeant Lewis. Get him out of bed if they have to.”

He nods, remembering the name. “They’re going to send anyone who’s there now.”

“Fine. I just want him to know, since he’ll care. I want someone who cares about Annie on this.” Tears sting my eyes as I finish, “I’ll call Margaret. They were having an affair, she’s the only one he might have called.” It’s a long shot, but as I dial our agency’s C.F.O., time stops. When I hear her sleepy voice pick up, I ask her if she’s heard from Tommy, informing her abruptly that he’s escaped prison.

“What? Brendan, is this a joke?”

“Margaret, I don’t have time to fuck around. I know you were having an affair. Are you hiding Tommy?”

Silence, then, “Brendan, I can assure you, I have no idea what you’re talking about .” The way she said that indicates Joe is next to her and having been woken up, is now listening.

“Has he called you? Have you seen him?”

“No! I have not!”

“He’s taken my wife, Margaret. Annie’s gone. Her employee is gone, too. He’s done something to them!”

Silence again. “Oh my God.”

“Do you know where he is?” I demand. “If you’re covering for him, it’s accessory to kidnapping and…and your life will be over! I will personally see to that!”

“No! I promise you. I really don’t! Oh, Brendan! I’m so sorry!”

“Fuck!” I yell, pacing as Bobby talks to the cops in the background.

Margaret cries out, “If I hear anything , I will tell you. I’m serious. I will . Understand?”

I nod, raking my hand through my hair. After a second of searching for what to do, I hang up as Bobby lowers his phone.

“They’re on their way here,” he says, helplessly looking at me.

“I’m going to kill him with my bare hands, Bobby. I’m going to fucking tear him apart.” I cover my face and start to sob. Bobby walks over and lays an arm around me.

“I’ll help you,” he mutters.

When the cops arrive, I tell them everything I know. Bobby stays with me, calling his employees and having them close up his bar for him. The Sergeant who took care of our case last time doesn’t come but I’m assured he’ll be notified and will be in contact with me. When they leave, I watch, not knowing what I’m supposed to do with myself now. It’s after 4:00 a.m. now. Officially Christmas Day.

Bobby offers to give me a ride home. I lock up, aware of the irony that I have the keys for Le Barré but not for her car, when I needed it. Walking to his car in silence, I climb in and set my wife’s purse and phone on my lap, staring out the windshield at the pre-dawn darkness. The fog is everywhere and I picture her being taken somewhere in it, knowing from now on, she will hate fog for the rest of her life. And so will I.

He turns the car on and the radio sounds through the speakers, the earlier recorded message repeating. “The manhunt is still underway. The last person to escape San Quentin was in September of 2000 when a sex offender used blankets to cover the barbed wire fence.”

“Turn it off,” I mumble. Bobby reaches over and pushes the button. “What am I going to do if I lose her?” Bobby doesn’t answer. “I won’t survive, Bobby. I know I won’t.”

“She’s coming back, B-man. I don’t know how, but she has to, right?” Pulling up in front of our building, he stops and watches me get out. “You want me to come up?” I shake my head. “Call me when you find out anything.”

I close the door and walk up the steps with the sound of his car driving away, behind me. Looking to my car, I stare at it, wondering at the timing. Walking to it with quick, angry strides, I open the hood and look inside. I don’t know much about engines, but this hose is supposed to be connected to something. Motherfucker. He tampered with my car first! He was here.

Pulling out my phone, I call my best friend. With the three-hour time difference, he picks up at just after seven o’clock in the morning, more awake that I’d expect.

“Hey! Finally! I’ve been trying to get ahold of you,” he whispers, Nicole asleep beside him.

“Mark. He took her. Annie’s gone. Tommy kidnapped her tonight. I didn’t get your messages. I didn’t hear the news. I fell asleep and wasn’t there to pick her up.”

“Brendan,” he tries to interrupt, hearing the pain in my voice.

I choke, “He followed her to her car last night. We didn’t know it was him. She thought it was a robber. Bobby saved her and no one saw him. But he came back! We all thought he was a robber, Mark! I wasn’t there! I wasn’t there for her! And he fucked with my car to make sure I wasn’t. I just checked. It’s been fucked with. I thought it was just a weak battery. What am I gonna do? She’s gone!”

Mark’s taking in the horror of what I’ve told him, and he interrupts me. “Brendan! Stop! Listen to me. I’m coming. I’ll catch a flight out today. I’ll be there.”

“Thank you,” I whisper.

“Where are you now?”

“I’m at our house. I can’t go in. There’s a tree in there! We got a tree!”

Mark knows what this means. He knows who I am, who I’ve been. How jaded I was about women and love and commitment. He knows me better than anyone, which means he knows I will never survive this if she doesn’t come home. I will never survive.

“What’s going on?” Nicole’s sleepy voice asks in the distance.

“Honey, hang on. It’s Brendan. I’ll explain in a minute,” he murmurs. “Brendan? I’ll be there. I’m coming. We’ll find her. We’ll find her together, okay? Now go inside and try to sleep so you can have your head screwed on straight.”

“I can’t sleep tonight.”

“Then pray. Pray for her safe return. Pray for the baby. Pray. I’ll call you in a half hour when I’ve booked the flight, tell you when I arrive.”

I make a sound close to a snort. “You want me to pray?” Even as I say it, I know that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

“I’ll call you right back.” He hangs up and I head inside, taking the elevator up. When I walk in, the tree lights hit me hard and I fall to my knees in front of them, right in front of that little blue and white sweater ornament.

“Dear God, Please watch over my wife tonight. She’s carrying our son and they’re with a bad guy. Please make him see what he’s doing. Please help him wake up…do the right thing. Please help him have the strength to call me and let me come get her. Please, God, I’m begging you…”