Missing - A Chroniclers Tale Pt. 02

Sara put the call on speaker, "What Jackson?" The disgust in her voice was quite evident.

"Sara, is that anyway to speak to an old friend?" came Davis slithery reply.

"What is it Jackson? I'm busy." she replied coldly.

"Mrs. Thomson, you know, Senator Thomson from the Finger Lakes wife? She's been wanting to meet you. Talk about some ideas for equality she wants to run by Stevenson."

"I don't do that!" she replied.

"Oh now Sara. Where's that equality spirit your boss keeps preaching? You should be excited to put his words into action. In fact, I honestly think once you've been exposed to her ideas, really taken them in hand, explored them closely, you will be an enthusiastic, willing devote of Mrs. Thomson's ideas."

"Jackson..."

"I'm looking forward to seeing you again tonight Sara." Then he hung up.

Sara looked at Jacob and Angela with a look of defeat and sadness, "You see, he said, she said."

"No Sara. He fucked up. He didn't know you were alone. We have a name of someone I'm interested in talking too. Before I came to missing persons, I worked Special Victims for five years." She turned to Jacob and said, "We need to go see someone in Albany's SVU now."

Angela turned back to Sara, "When and where is this reception tonight?"

"6:30 at the Albany Riverfront hotel. Why?" Sara asked

Angela smiled and replied, "When you see us tonight, you don't know us. Understand?"

Many of New York states political movers and shakers wandered around the Albany Riverfront hotels conference hall. Glad handing, networking and fake laughter filled the air as people jockeying to be seen with the right people. Waiters and waitresses moved among the crowd with drinks on trays. A bar along a far outer wall was doing brisk business, between the wait staff rushing back and forth and guests placing orders.

Large round tables filled the conference hall, each having a nameplate identifying which table was reserved for who. The closer to the stage a table was, the more power the table represented. Jacob saw names of politicians, corporations and high end law firms. The cost of a table was a small price to pay to gain access to the levers of power.

Wandering around the hall, Jacob wondered what he ever saw in politics while he was in college. He wondered if he would be as fake as many of those here or, would he be over in the corner with the other outcasts, the true believers? Angela and an Albany SVU detective, Patricia Rodriguez, were moving through the crowd, looking for Sara. Once she was found, someone would unobtrusively be with her at all times. Mrs. Thomson would having a very difficult conversation tonight with Detective Rodriquez and probably with a hard charging, young Assistant District Attorney. The young ones were always looking to make a mark.

Jacob saw Jackson Davis across the room holding court near the stage and closer to the bar. To Jacob, he was as much a narcissistic ass in person as he appeared on TV. Part of him really hoped that the state AG and FBI probe of his concrete contracts found corruption. Davis going to prison on RICO charges could put him away for a very long time. As he was sipping water and his eyes searching for Sara, Jacob caught sight of Candy Davis, Jackson's fourth wife, frequent fodder in the tabloids, a bleach blond, surgically enhanced trophy wife. Her synthetic smile matched the insincerity of her demeanor. He knew his Leah stood head and shoulders above what he was looking at. Baubles don't make the person, it's what's on the inside.

Jacob felt the phone in his breast pocket vibrate. Angela texted she had eyes on Sara, near the middle of the north side of the room, near the wall. He began to make his way in that direction, carefully avoiding the waiters with trays of drinks on them and guests moving to and fro.

From than halfway across the room, Jacob caught sight of Sara through the crowd, standing near her boss, Stevenson. He glanced around looking for Angela and caught a glimpse of her near an exit, in a good line of sight to Sara. Jacob kept a close watch on everyone who came near Sara, especially any women.

A few minutes later, Jacob was surprised when he heard his name yelled. He turned in the direction of the voice and saw Mike Sanders, a college classmate.

"JJ! I thought that was you!" Mike excitedly exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I thought you were with NYPD?"

"Mike! How the heck are you?" Jacob maneuvered Mike so he could keep an eye on Sara. "What are you doing these days? I thought you'd be in Washington by now."

A bit of exasperation came out in Mike's tone, "I'm trying man, really trying. It's hard to find that one star and hitch yourself to it. You remember Donna Chambers?" Mike nodded. "She's down in Washington. She's working for a Maryland Congressman. So, what cha up in Albany for? The city get boring?"

"I'm working a case and staying in the hotel tonight. Thought I would come down and see what all the hub bub was about" he replied with a smile.

Mike leaned in close and spoke softly, "I hope you aren't having to deal with that asshole Davis. I sure as shit hope they nail that fuck."

"Really? I take it he's not well liked?"

"Not at all. Some of the things I've heard about him, just makes my skin crawl. I know I won't leave my wife within touching distance of him."

Jacob nodded his head in agreement, "I'm going to see if my partner has shown up. If you ever get down to the city Mike, look me up. I'm at the 1st Precinct."

Jacob watched as Mike moved off, glad handing and networking the room. He felt a great sense of relief that he didn't have to do that. He turned his attention back to Sara and saw that she was sitting at table nearer the stage engaging in small talk with those at the table. He noted she was dressed conservatively, as if she had rushed from a power meeting straight to the dinner.

The master of ceremonies stepped up to the podium and began running down the list of the nights speakers. Jacob heard Davis name mentioned and Stevenson's as the keynote. Servers moved between the tables laden with trays carrying the salad course for the nights dinner. He suspected nothing would happen until at least Davis was done speaking so, he moved along the wall toward where he last saw Angela.

"See anything?" he asked, his eyes scanning the crowd.

Angela nodded her head no, "I've not seen the person we are looking for either. I'm wondering if Sara won't be texted a location or someone will come get her."

"Well, if she moves, we'll be on her. I don't suspect anything will happen until Davis is done speaking. I'm pretty sure he's going to want to be there."

Jacob looked around and whispered, "I'm going to make my way over to the exit that leads to the elevators. I can still see her from over there."

Jackson Davis had been a fixture in New York life for decades. His success in business fueled his political ambitions. Jacob had heard stories and rumors during his time with the NYPD. The rumors were salacious but some of the stories made Jacob wonder how he had not ended up in prison.

Jacob's professional eye took in Jackson Davis as he strode across the stage to the speaker's podium. Davis reminded Jacob of a shark patrolling the reef looking for his next meal. Jacob thought Davis's megawatt smile could not blind out the dead, cold look in his eyes.

Now 68, Davis 6' 3" frame no longer cut an imposing figure that Jacob dimly remembered from news clips in the 90's. He had more than a spare tire around his middle and, not seeing any gray in Davis hair, Jacob wondered how much that vanity put him back each week. The stage lights revealed more than Davis would have wanted, if he could see himself, his face puffy, florid and flush.

Davis strode to the podium to the whoops and cheers of his supporters, the wait staff was bringing out the main course, chicken or steak. Jacob thought them as uncouth has he had seen them on the TV. He glanced over to Sara, he was interested in her reaction. Instead of watching Davis, Sara had her hand clutched to her chest with a confused look in her eyes and scanning the crowd behind her, as if looking for someone. Jacob worried that Mrs. Thomson or someone else had texted her. Jacob texted Angela that something might be up.

Something in Davis voice caused Jacob to turn back toward him. Davis appeared to be in some kind of duress at the podium. Jacob watched as Davis started to hobble toward backstage, one hand clutching his groin, before he fell in a heap on the stage. He let out an ungodly, high pitched, soul piercing scream and curled up into a tight fetal position.

Security and others from backstage rushed to Davis, while confusion in the conference hall quickly morphed to pandemonium. Some near the back of the hall ran for the exits. Others milled about in confusion.

Jacob turned toward Sara and saw her pushing her way through the thickening crowd in his direction. He could see her eyes focused in his direction, but not on him. Just as he started toward her, he heard a voice behind him chuckle, "Sucks to be him."

He turned and was stunned as he caught a glimpse of a grinning, bearded man with longer salt and pepper hair, wearing sunglasses abruptly turn and head away from the conference hall. In that instant, he knew he had seen that face before. He turned back toward Sara and she was almost on him, gesturing wildly and mouthing something could not hear. He turned back to the exit and began forcing his way though the crowd and into the hallway.

Jacob rapidly swiveled left and right, his eye searching for the man that had just been there.

"It's him! It's Patrick! I saw him!" wildly exclaimed. Her eyes were wild with a mix of excitement and fear. "I feel him!"

Sara moved right a few paces, stopped and turned to look back behind her.

"This way!" she yelled.

Sara pulled Jacob behind her as she bulldozed her way through the crowd. The end of the conference room entrance hallway ended in a T junction. She moved left for a few paces, then turned and started running back down the hallway to the right. Sara powered through an emergency exit with Jacob right on her tail. He could hear Angela yelling his name, but he could not stop since Sara was moving as fast as she could.

Once through the door, they could only go left, up a sidewalk toward the front of the hotel. A tall metal fence kept them from moving away from the hotel and into the landscaped grounds beyond.

Jacob was more than a bit surprised at the speed Sara moved, he did not expect her to be a runner. The end of the sidewalk ended in the hotels parking lot. Throngs of people rushed from the hotel and out to their cars. Some sped away, out of the parking lot at a good clip, others took their time.

Sara paced rapidly back and forth on the black top of the parking lot at the end of the walk. Jacob heard her muttering, a look of panic on her face.

"I'm losing him! I feel it. No baby, no. Please Patrick, I need you" he heard her say.

She suddenly sat down on the curb, sobbing loudly, her body heaving. Jacob sat down beside her and he heard footsteps rushing up behind them. Glancing back, he saw Angela and the SVU detective running toward them.

Jacob tried to comfort Sara, "We know he's alive Sara, we know that."

She sobbed "I'm sorry Patrick, I'm so sorry, please forgive me!"

"Why did you take off?" Angela asked breathlessly.

Jacob looked up at her, "Patrick was there, he was standing right behind me when Davis collapsed. Sara led the way."

"What now?" she asked.

"We'll take her home and stay right by her side. Patrick might try to get in touch with her and if he does, we might finally find out what the fuck is going on."

The night passed by quietly, but Sara slept restlessly. Angela and Jacob took shifts keeping an eye on her as she tossed, turned and mumbled all night. If Patrick had shown, one of them would have been awake.

Sara woke early, got a shower and dressed quickly.

Sara seemed woefully dejected when she passed Jacob and Angela sitting at her table heading to the kitchen. Returning with her coffee she sat with a forlorn expression on her face, "I've got to get into the office. I have a ton of missed calls and texts. I might not have job after last night, but, to be honest, I really don't care."

Angela looked at Sara, "We're going to be with you. Patrick could make contact with you at any time and we need to be there."

Walking into the small lobby of Stevenson's offices with two NYPD detectives in tow, Sara was ready to tender her resignation and leave Albany, a place she had grown to detest. She firmly believed that Patrick knew of her actions over the last several months and he had permanently removed himself from her life. Many times over the last several months, she felt as if she were adrift in a hurricane with only a life jacket to keep her afloat. Now, she knew the life jacket was gone and the sea was pulling her down.

That morning in the shower, she resolved not to return to New York. She intended to find someplace far from Davis and everyone else. She would go somewhere that no one knew her at all. She hoped that one day, she would find peace.

Stephanie, the office receptionist, informed Sara that a meeting was scheduled for 8:30 and Terri, Sara's deputy, would fill her in as soon as she got in. Sara dropped her purse off in the office and took her resignation letter with her to the conference room. Stevenson's left his office just as Sara turned the corner to the conference room.

"Sara! How are you feeling?" he asked with concern.

"I'm doing OK sir, but I need to talk to you privately today" she said firmly.

"Sure Sara. I don't think this is going to take too long" he said as they walked into the office conference room.

Sara was surprised the conference room, which could comfortably seat forty people, wasn't standing room only. In fact, only her bosses long time legislative aide, Dan Mitchell, his deputy Tony Daniels, and Sara's deputy, Terri Carlson were in the room.

Stevenson stood behind his chair, the sleeves of his pin striped shirt already rolled half way up his forearms, "Ok folks. What the hell do we know about last nights fiasco? And do we need a response?"

Dan Mitchell stood respectully, "Sir, my sources at the hospital told me that Davis is out of surgery and in ICU, at least for the next day or so. I've also been told that he'll be out of action for several months."

Stevenson looked around the room, "Any idea what happened?"

Dan looked very uncomfortable, "Ah sir, um, Davis's injuries are reported to be quite severe and permanent."

"What do you mean?" Stevenson asked.

"Well, um, Davis's testes were, surgically removed. I'm told they were un-salvageable."

With stunned astonishment, Stevenson replied, "Excuse me? You mean his testicles were removed?"

"Um...yes" Dan replied. "My source said they were pulverized."

"You've got to be shitting me? Davis day just keeps getting better and better" Tony Daniels muttered.

"What do you mean Tony?" the boss asked.

"Sir, it's being reported this morning that 1st Manhattan has called in two of Davis's real estate loans. The reports I'm seeing total three hundred million."

Stevenson whistled, "That's gonna put a dent in his pocket book. Any idea why? Because of last night?"

"No idea sir, but, I'm waiting on a call back from 1st Manhattan. I'll find out what I can."

"What if this steamrolls sir?" Dan asked. "Between the Fed and AG probe and now 1st Manhattan. There are other banks that hold his loans. What if others start calling in their outstanding securities? Davis is pretty heavily leveraged."

Tony smiled broadly, "He could be bankrupted, quick."

Sara was astonished as she took all this in. Her tormentor had his balls crushed and his financial status threatened? Had providence stepped in and thrown her a life line? She was still resolved to resign and get the hell out of Albany, but now she felt she might not have to go as far as she thought to start over.

Stevenson stood behind his chair, lost in thought, "You know what I cannot, for the life of me wrap my mind around? Davis was just standing there, giving a speech one minute and the next, he's lying on the floor screaming his head off. How? How did his balls get crushed?"

Sara looked around the room at everyone's blank faces. Inside, she was doing somersaults and back flips. Outside, she was a dour as everyone else.

"I'm no doctor, but I've never heard of an STD or any other medical condition that could do that." Stevenson moved from behind his chair and sat down heavily. He let a sly grin escape "I mean, what the fuck? Did he have on a cock cage that malfunctioned? Was this a terror attack? Microwaves?"

Dan opined, "Maybe he had testicular cancer? Or some virus? I can try to find out sir."

"Do that Dan." Stevenson turned to Sara, "For the time being, we have no comment, we're just wishing Davis a speedy and full recovery. But on background, off the record, we're looking at this as an opportunity to keep our majority."

Stevenson looked around the room, "Dan, keep working your hospital sources. Tony, work the bank angle. And Sara, mum's the work publicly. Let's go folks."

As everyone filed out, Sara stopped Stevenson, "Sir, I need to talk to you, privately."

Sara handed Stevenson the envelop containing her resignation once they entered his office.

"What's this Sara?"

"My resignation sir. Effective immediately."

Stevenson was stunned, "Why?"

Sara cleared her throat and choked back tears, "You know my boyfriend disappeared almost two months ago. I reported him missing to the police and, I have to honestly say that they've been outstanding trying to find him. But, they've determined that he has had some kind of interaction with the mafia recently. All the stress of my personal situation has affected my health and well being. I believe your communications team needs to be led by someone fully involved and not distracted by personal issues."

Stevenson came around the desk and took Sara in a hug, "I hate to see you hurting Sara. You are a huge asset to me and I really don't want to loose you." He held her shoulders and stepped back, "Why don't we consider this a leave of absence. If you feel up to coming back by the end of summer, then get back. Can Terri handle things while you're out?"

"Sir, I think she'll be an excellent choice for the job. She's smart, witty and quick on her feet. I don't think you'll regret it" she said confidently.

"All right, I'll go with that. But you take care of yourself first. Send Terri in please" he said calmly. Sara nodded and quickly left his office.

She stopped by Terri's office and tearfully explained the situation and that she would be stepping up to Sara's job. Terri didn't have to hide her excitement and Sara sent her on her way.

"I've resigned my position effective immediately" she informed a stunned Jacob and Angela when she returned. Sara quickly boxed up what she wanted to take with her and they returned to Sara's apartment.

Sara looked around her small apartment, the good thing was, she really didn't have much. She would spend some time with her parents, then come back and move her things into storage in the city. Her only focus though, for the moment, was finding Patrick. Even if he felt nothing for her anymore, last night proved she still felt deeply connected to him. She had felt a certain something she only experienced when she was near him. The closer she was to him, the stronger the feeling.

She had to find him, if to do nothing more than apologize. He deserved at least that.

"What are you going to do now?" Jacob asked.

"I'm going to pack up what I need for a few weeks and stay at my mom's. I'll come back up later with some help and pack up the rest. But right now, if you give me a few minutes, you can ride with me back to the city. I'm going to find Patrick."