Asia

"Leave her alone, she's asleep," he said.

Candy looked in and saw she wasn't moving and against her better judgment decided not to disturb her. Fear of what she might find won out.

Marc had gone back to his bottle. "Go back to bed. I'll get rid of her tomorrow. You won't have to worry about her anymore."

She didn't feel she'd ever be able to sleep again but dropped off into a dead sleep of exhaustion almost immediately. She didn't hear Marc drive out shortly after, or come back just before dawn.

When she got up he was not in the bed or the shower. Since it was Sunday she thought perhaps he had passed out in the living room but it was empty as well as Tuti's room. She made some coffee and sat at the kitchen table. 'Where could they be?' she thought. Finally she called the shop.

"Marc, honey, why are you at work? Today is Sunday."

"I'm full up in storage. Had to get some cars ready for the junk yard. Why? You have plans?"

"No, I was just surprised. Tuti's with you?" "No. I told you last night I was getting rid of her today. She's gone for good hon, so you can count your blessings and things can get back to normal."

All her instincts told her something was wrong.

"What do you mean gone? Gone where? What have you done with her?"

"We'll talk about it when I get home to that good Sunday roast of yours, okay?"

He hung up without a goodbye. Candy went in Tuti's room. All her clothes were there, new and old. All her toys and presents were there. The bed was unmade which was unlike Tuti. She found a little blood in different places in the bedding also. Getting scared and not knowing why she began packing her clothes in the pack she first came with, boxing her presents and then changed the linens making the office an office again. Then she did start that roast Marc had mentioned.

It made her think of Nick and miss him all the more. Oh how she wished she could talk to him and tell him everything, but then he would hate her for allowing what had happened to Tuti.

Marc came home early with his old attitude and a smile. He didn't mention Tuti and Candy was afraid to, but her opportunity came up.

"I was thinking of asking Nick to join the team again," Marc said out of the blue.

"Well I think that's a wonderful idea, why don't you?" she asked.

"For one thing he's going to want to know what happened to Asia, or whatever her name was." His use of the past tense gave her the chills.

"Well just tell him where you took her honey," she said gently.

"Yeah, I guess the truth always works," he said. "I'm gonna go call him. Got enough pot roast in case he's interested?" he grinned.

She just laughed as he went to get the phone. It rang as he got there.

"Hello. Hey Jasper, what's up? Yea, I'm sure. I emptied everything important out of them. Anything that's left in them you can crush. Well how the hell should I know why the dogs are going crazy. You going to bug me over a bag of potato chips? Just crush the son of a bitch, okay? Yeah, I know. I appreciate it Jasper. Bye."

"What's that all about?" Candy said making a funny face.

"Jasper's dogs are making noise over one of the cars I sent to get crushed today. Probably some food left in it or something. He's making a big deal over it in case it's important. No big deal, I checked them good," he said picking the phone up again.

As he hung up the phone from talking to Nick she looked up expectantly.

"Like I said, I hope you have enough roast. He's coming over to talk about it. He's probably just coming for the roast cause I know he has another job, but it'll be good to see him again. I'm gonna take a quick shower."

She didn't know quite why she was troubled by the phone call from Jasper. But the news that Nick was coming over banished all that from her mind for the time being. She decided to make things nice and set the table for company, placing the food out in serving trays and putting ice in glasses to chill for drinks.

Marc walked in, looked around and grinning asked, "Who are you expecting, your boyfriend?"

Then came the familiar knock at the door and the dogs came running, jumping on his legs as he kissed Candy's cheek.

"It smells so good in here," Nick said with a smle.

"And we have to stop and eat now or it'll be cold. Would you like a drink too, Nick?" she asked holding out the chilled glass.

"Maybe just iced tea for now, thanks," he said.

She cocked an eyebrow and got the pitcher out, then made a drink for Marc and herself at the bar.

As they sat down to eat Nick asked, "So tell me Marc, what made you change your mind about having me come over here?"

"I figure we have a lot of years together to let it end over misunderstandings that I'm sure we can work out. I made a big mistake in my marriage bringing another woman to live with us and now I have rectified that to make Candy happy. I figure we can get back to normal, too."

Candy looked at him in awe that he would blame this all on her but said nothing. Nick looked meaningfully at her, so she knew he wasn't going for it. He looked at Marc and asked the $10,000 question, "Where is she?"

"I sent her back where she came from," he said simply.

"To Indonesia?" Candy asked disbelievingly.

"To the marina," Nick said understanding dawning.

"Exactly," Marc said pointing at Nick.

"Oh Marc, how could you send her back to that life," Candy said cutting it short remembering the hell she'd lived through here.

"Did you just drop her off?" Nick asked.

"Oh, no. I found the man I bought her from. At first he thought I wanted money but he was agreeable enough when I made it clear I didn't." Marc looked pleased with himself. He truly thought he had done a good thing taking her back there.

The phone rang. It was Jasper again.

"I have to go out for awhile. Someone wants to buy one of the cars I took down for the crusher this morning. Can you stick around Nick? Candy will entertain you. I wanted to talk to you about joining the team again, if not the whole nine yards at least the racing. Think about it, I'll be back."

Candy quickly cleaned the kitchen and making herself a drink determined to confide in Nick her fears.

"I'll take one of those now, too," he said as she was mixing hers.

"I have a confession to make, Candy. I knew more was going on between Marc and Tuti than just providing a roof over her head. I was spying around the house and outside the fence one night. That's why I was so anxious to get her out of here. I never could figure out where you fit in. You seemed to care about her welfare so much," he concluded.

"I did, and I just didn't know how to put a stop to things. I guess I didn't realize before now how afraid of Marc I am."

She went on to tell him how abusive he was and how it steadily got worse. Then she told him about the birthday party and how the joy ended with Marc's bringing home a hooker for a new game and how that ended.

Sitting down next to him on the couch she put her drink down and took both his hands in hers and recited how she woke to screams, running down the hall but being locked out, hearing muffled cries and thumps forever and finally silence. Nick took her in his arms and held her.

"You never saw her after that?" he asked.

She shook her head. "When I woke up no one was home. Marc had gone to the shop...on a Sunday."

"To send cars to the crusher at the junkyard," Nick said almost to himself.

Suddenly he jumped up and went to the phone. He called and asked for a police detective he apparently knew. Speaking into the phone for a few moments he finally hung up and looking Candy directly in the eye said, "I hope I'm wrong, but we'll know in about an hour."

Time was dragging. Candy's mind was working overtime. She was firm in that she was leaving Marc. She had taken more than she should have and she wasn't taking anymore. She had a book ready to go to the publisher so she was okay for finances. She just had to go far enough fast enough for Marc not to find her.

The phone rang and jangled her nerves. Nick nodded at her to answer it.

She picked up the receiver slowly, put it to her ear and said, "Hello."

"Hello, this is Detective Sato. Is Nick there?"

She handed him the phone.

"Yes, Sato, what did you find?"

"You were right. There was a young Asian girl's body in the trunk of one of the cars. She was pretty beat up. The junkyard's dogs were going nuts over it all morning according to the owner, Jasper. We arrested Marc Singer who's trying to say she's some hooker from down at the marina and doesn't know how she got in there. We're gonna need to question you and the wife."

"Okay Detective. I'll bring her down with me in about an hour. Any chance of Marc getting out?" He nodded, "Good. See you shortly. Thank you." He looked at Candy. He didn't have to explain.