Double Jeopardy Chapter 3 (standard:mystery, 2645 words) [3/13] show all parts
Author: Sarah Spenser	Added: Jun 09 2005	Views/Reads: 2424/1947	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
This picks up from where Allison's car plunges into the lake!

3. Calling Card 

Connor was en route to the hostage situation. Apparently, a man was
holding his ex-wife and their daughter hostage. They had gotten into an 
argument over visitation rights and he had taken them hostage. Connor 
pointed the loud speaker in the man's direction and talked soothingly 
to him. “Now, sir, you don't want to hurt your ex-wife and your little 
girl do you?” “Like hell I don't!” “Sir, what do you want?” “I want 
them dead! If Liza's not going to cooperate with me, I want them dead!” 
“I know you don't want to hurt your little girl, Benny. You seem like a 
calm man.” “Does this look calm to you? Or have you eaten too many 
doughnuts?” Connor sighed and handed the mike to the hostage 
negotiator. This was going to be a long night. 

Allison's car plunged into the frozen lake. The winter wind whipped
around the car blanketing it with ice. Allison lay unconscious in the 
front seat, the wind began to whip up, and a storm was brewing. Over 
the horizon, black storm clouds began to form, and hail began to come 
down in torrents. 

Four hours later, Connor was still negotiating with Benny. He was still
adamant that both Liza and Lana had to die, but Pete the hostage 
negotiator seemed to be making slow but steady progress. As he stood in 
the pounding hail, Connor thought of Allison. What was so important 
about this job anyway? Why couldn't he leave it behind? She was 
certainly worth it, he remembered when she had been shot. How fear had 
gripped him, frosted his heart, made him numb. He remembered the 
elation he had felt when she had awakened from the anesthesia. He 
remembered their wedding night, making love to her, falling asleep with 
her in his arms. Watching the way she looked after they made love, he 
loved her passionately. He walked away from the hostage situation long 
enough to use his cell. He placed a quick call to her. He got the 
machine, he thought this was odd, but then thought shemight be 
sleeping. After all, it was 1 in the morning. “Hi, Allie, it's me. 
Listen, sweetness, I'm sorry about before. It's totally my fault. Let's 
work this out okay? I love you, Allison. I want to make our marriage 
work. I'll be home soon, I love you.” Connor hung up and tended to the 
situation at hand. 

Charlie Chattum was sitting in his office when the phone on his desk
rang. He had already drank almost half the pot of coffee on his desk, 
and wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. “Who the hell is this?” he 
asked gruffly. “I'm sorry to bother you. Sir but there's been a bad 
accident.” It was Bryan Sutten a rookie cop. “Where, Bryan?” “By 
Miller's Lake. A blue Honda Acord. I can't read the plate number. But 
whoever's in there is dead, I'm pretty sure.” “Thanks, I'll get someone 
right on it.” He hung up and dialed Connor. He was watching Pete secure 
Lana and Liza's release when his cell rang. “Cassidy.” “Connor, get 
over to Miller's Lake. There's been an accident.” “I really have to get 
to home to my wife, Chief. My marriage is in shambles.” “Did you hear 
me? Or do you need a hearing aid? Get your ass over to that lake now!” 
there was a definitive click in his ear, Charlie was gone. 

Connor drove the two miles to the lake. It would've taken ten minutes,
but with the way the storm was raging, it took almost twenty. When he 
arrived, ambulances, police cars and dogs were plastered everywhere. 
Bryan Sutten raced over to talk to him. “What have we got, Bryan?” 
Connor asked, he liked Bryan, he was going to be a good officer. “A 
blue Honda Acord skidded into the lake. We have divers looking for 
survivors. Connor looked at the mangled remains of the car. “I hope 
there are survivors.” “Lenny's bringing up the license plate.” Bryan 
said scanning the water for Lenny Concord one of Connecticut's best 
Search and Rescue divers. Moments later, Lenny came up wet and tired, 
with a scrap of metal in his hand. “Does this mean anything to you? 
AC752004.” Connor shivered. “No! no! read it again, Lenny!” he did and 
Connor went white, all the color drained from his face. Bryan had never 
seen him look so pale. “What's wrong, Connor?” “No! no!” he pounded his 
fists against the cold ground. “No!” “What is it?” Bryan inquired 
looking perplexed. “That's Allison's car! The A C is for Allie and 
Connor and July fifth of last year is when we got married!. Oh my God! 
Where is Allison?” Bryan's heart sank, there was no way anyone could've 
survived that crash. “I don't think ...” “Don't say it, Bryan! Where is 
she? Allison? Where are you?” Connor began frantically running around 
the lake screaming her name. He was wracked by sobs as he searched for 
her. Soon, Charlie arrived on the scene. He was informed of who the 


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