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refused to see the obvious that was in front of him.
    Growing up with all these people in Little Bend made it impossible for him to see the Chase boy as a suspect. Dan hung out with Cam’s older brother in school and vouched the boy was a good, decent kid, if a bit wild the last year.
    Dan refused to consider Chase as a suspect, going with the lone, murdering drifter theory the State cops believed. Gary might have believed that too, except it was too easy.
    Gary had to sit back and let Dan handle the investigation. He was looking into a couple theories of his own. The missing ring was troubling him. Obviously the boy planned to give it to Lindsay Morgan. The two were going away to school together in the fall. He debated the wisdom in telling the girl. She was so broken up she hadn’t left her apartment since.
    Even more tragically, the state workers would arrive that week to take the Turner kids unless they got a family to take them in here. Nobody wanted Everett Turner at their door and would likely refuse to take his kids in.
    The heartbreak of the case was even more profound when it was learned Jace Turner was giving up his golden ticket to the NFL to stay behind and care for his siblings. Gary knew such a noble sacrifice was rare among kids today. Maybe that was why he decided to do his own digging.
     

Chapter Four
    Darkness and pain were all he saw or felt before his eyes. He sat up and groaned. How long he lay here; he didn’t know. All he could think of was getting to Dougie. He forced his body to move. He staggered to his knees and looked around the dank alley in confusion. It was night. He heard sounds of city life beyond the alley.
    Music and horns blared loudly. Where was he? He shook his head to clear it, feeling foggy and disorientated. The last thing he recalled was driving Cameron out to Marnie’s house.
    Cameron had used every trick in the book to get him to take him there. At first he refused, unwilling to chance Dougie getting done early. Then he was driving down Route 4 and Cameron was adjusting the radio. That was the last thing he recalled before everything went blank.
    He took a couple steps and his head was swimming. He went down on his knees. He had to get to a phone and call Lindsay. The kids would be worried sick. Somehow he’d been kidnapped and dumped here. His eyes were swimming as he took in the surrounding alley. The stench from nearby garbage made him gag. He struggled to remain upright, looking around to get his bearings.
    Heavy metal music blasted not far away. Loud raucous female laughter and shouting were heard. He stepped to the entrance of the alley. His gaze took in the scene grimly. Wherever he was; it wasn’t Helena. It looked like Gotham City to him. The city block was deserted except for a bar on the corner.
    He stumbled toward the neon sign flashing Deadhead’s Lounge. Along the way, he gazed about him in anxiety. The businesses all looked abandoned except for the bar. Everything was painted black. Even the concrete under his feet was black. Combined with the starless, moonless evening, the light from the bar was the only one he saw.
    Jace approached it and saw a large bald man with a tattooed head standing out front. He was dressed all in black and looked dangerous. He glanced at Jace and his cold, flat eyes burned into his.
    “We don’t take Newbie’s in here. Get outta here before they see ya.”
    “Wait!” Jace insisted, looking alarmed. “I need help. I think I was attacked and robbed. I need to use your phone.”
    That seemed to amuse the big man. He chuckled and his massive arms folded across his chest. “Ya don’t need a phone any more, kid. Trust me you look like ya got diced up pretty good back there.”
    Jace looked down and his eyes widened to see his blood-drenched plaid work shirt. He felt no pain. His hands went to his chest and he felt no wounds there. His confusion was obvious. The big man seemed to see that.
    “Ya need to find Merrick. He can help