Into the Dark. Rick Mofina

you fucking, whoring goddamned bitch! You are fucking dead!”

      Claire stood over him, gripping her can of pepper spray, ready to douse Eric again. Amber got into her car, locked the door and sobbed as they heard the sound of an approaching siren.

      Eric sat on the pavement, writhing.

      “Fuck! My eyes are burning! Fuck!”

      A marked patrol car, its lights flashing and siren yelping to silence, braked in the parking lot and two uniformed officers with the San Marino Police Department took control.

      Moments later, an ambulance arrived. Paramedics checked on Amber.

      It was over in minutes.

      The police officers handcuffed Eric and placed him in the backseat of their car. One of the officers dealt with Eric, checking his ID and processing it with the dispatcher. The second officer, D. Freeman, according to her name tag, spoke with Claire then Amber, taking initial statements while paramedics examined Amber and Eric.

      “He’ll go before a judge for violation of his protection order,” Freeman said. “Most likely he’ll be charged. He’ll get jail time, but will likely be out in days.”

      “Under the circumstances, I think we have to get Amber into a women’s shelter,” Claire said. “We also suspect he’s been stalking her and may have illegally entered her residence. We need you to check her home.”

      “Okay, once we process him, we’ll meet you there.”

      The paramedics said Amber had suffered some neck strain and might feel some swelling and tenderness later. If it became painful, she should go to a hospital, they advised while making a summary report.

      “Are you comfortable with everything, Amber?” Claire asked. “Want us to call anyone?”

      After tearful nods Amber said, “I’ll call my girlfriend.”

      Officer Freemen finished noting their concerns then returned to the car. Claire and Amber could see Eric seething in the backseat. As it rolled away, he turned to them and his tearstained, inflamed gaze found Claire’s, telegraphing a raw, savage hate for her.

      She did not flinch.

       15

      Santa Clarita, California

      The address was in a residential section of the city that sat in a valley bordered by low, dry hills just north of San Fernando.

      The area was once an expanse of rural emptiness, home to tranquil ranches and farms before it had surrendered to suburban sprawl—vast coral-stucco neighborhoods of schools, parks, big box stores and shopping centers.

      Robert Bowen needed to see the home, a compulsion that had reached out from a dream. Have I not been here before? He was uncertain what he was searching for, only that he would know when he found it, he thought as he drove north from Van Nuys.

      Earlier that morning, Allen Pace, who had been the team physician for the Dodgers before becoming ExecuGlide’s corporate doctor, gave him a going-over. Blood pressure, heart, breathing, eyes, reflexes, the usual.

      “All your vitals are fine. You’re good to take your next trip, Bob. I’ll fill out the form. Everything’s normal.”

      If you only knew, Bowen gazed at the driveways rolling by as he counted down house numbers, if you only knew.

      Last night, when Bowen couldn’t sleep, he was suddenly battling the urge to talk to Cynthia as he contended with another “episode.” Then other torments emerged and he’d found himself online looking for this specific address. When he got it he was surprised and pleased to learn that it was for sale. It gave him the cover he needed to see it.

      To get even closer.

      And there it is.

      He parked across the street, glanced at the for-sale sign. The ranch-style house was sky-blue stucco with wood trim. It had a curved driveway, sweeping front lawn and tidy landscaping. The clank of tools floated from the side yard.

      Bowen got out and walked along the lush lawn toward the sound of hammering. A man, crouched near a garden bed, had just driven a nail into a piece of loosened trim. When Bowen’s shadow fell over him, he looked up, hammer in hand.

      “Can I help you?” the man asked.

      “Hi, I saw the sign. Is the house still for sale?”

      “It is.”

      “Are you the owner?”

      “I am.”

      “I’m interested in it. Would it be possible to have a quick tour? My wife and I are looking for a house in Santa Clarita.”

      The man stood. He was in his late fifties and wore jeans and a flannel shirt over a faded T-shirt. His brush cut gave him the air of a retired soldier. His black eyes gleamed as they assessed Bowen.

      “The agent handles that, everything’s supposed to go through her.”

      “Well, I was in the neighborhood looking at another property,” Bowen said. “I’m not sure how long it will be before I’m back this way.”

      The man twirled the hammer in his big, tanned hand as he thought.

      “All right, seeing that you’re here, I suppose I could show you around.”

      They entered the house through the front door. The living room was spacious with hardwood floors and a brick fireplace.

      “You can burn gas or wood.” The man passed Bowen a listing sheet from the coffee table, after he’d set his hammer down. “I’m asking four-seventy-five. Taxes are just under five a year. It’s a three-bedroom. It’s all there on the page. Don’t worry about your shoes. We’ll go this way.”

      “I’m sorry. I didn’t catch your name?” Bowen asked.

      “Meadows, Louis Meadows.”

      “And what’s your line of work, if you don’t mind me asking?”

      “I retired from the navy. I was a cook on the Abraham Lincoln.”

      Although the place was pleasant, there was an underlying sadness and a trace of Old Spice. The house had an eat-in kitchen, ample tiled counter space, a dishwasher, a double sink with a sprayer and garbage disposal.

      “The kitchen’s new.”

      Bowen nodded approvingly, glanced around with an ear cocked for anyone else in the house.

      “My wife had it redone last year just before she passed away.”

      “I’m sorry to hear that. My condolences.”

      “It was cancer. She never got to enjoy the renovation.”

      The dining room had a dark wood table and matching china hutch. Bowen wondered about the last time it was used. The bathroom was tidy. The master bedroom was neat. On the night table he saw a copy of From Here to Eternity and an old edition of Jane’s Fighting Ships. He also saw framed photos of two women. One of them was in her fifties. The other resembled her and was in her early twenties.

      They moved to a second smaller bedroom with a desk and two-drawer steel file cabinet. A U.S. flag and map, with colored pushpins piercing various countries, covered a wall.

      “This could be a guest room. I use it as a study,” Meadows said.

      They moved down the hall to a room with a closed door.

      “That’s the third bedroom. It’s bigger than the second one.”

      Keeping his hands in his pockets, Meadows stared at the door in mild trepidation.

      “Is this your daughter’s room?”

      Meadows shot him a look, as if Bowen had read his mind.

      “Sorry,”