Edmond finished his examination of Mark's car, and the area around it. "Why don't you wait in the car?" he asked Susan. "If I'm not back within fifteen minutes, see if you can get in touch with the police." He started to roll towards the front door.
"What should I tell them?” Susan asked.
Edmond stopped the chair, and looked back at her. "Tell them the truth, that we think Mark may have kidnapped Lena, and that we came out here to check it out. Mark let me in, but you haven't seen me in fifteen minutes. So now you think Mark has kidnapped me, as well. Of course, if Mark doesn't let me in, than you don't need to worry about what to tell the cops."
Susan nodded. Part of her wanted to help rescue Lena, but the wisdom of Edmond's plan was clear to her. If Mark overpowered Edmond, then at least she could get the police, and they would have something to investigate. Right now, all they had was suspicion, and the police wouldn't be likely to take their suspicions very seriously. Even if they did, all they would really be able to do would be to ask Mark about Lena, and all Mark would have to say is that he didn't know anything about where Lena was. They wouldn't be able to get a search warrant based on the little scraps of evidence they had; she couldn't blame law enforcement if they didn't even try. On the other hand, if they both went inside, they might not ever be seen again. She got back in the car.
Edmond wheeled up to the front door and looked back. From the door, he could see that there was a car parked on the other side of Mark's car, but it was impossible to tell if there was anyone in it. He hoped that it would look the same from Mark's angle, if he could get Mark to open the door. He paused, and thought about what to say when Mark came to the door.
After a few seconds, Edmond knocked on the door. There was no response. He waited a few more minutes, and knocked harder. Still nothing. Finally he started banging on the door. Then he heard some movement inside the house. Eventually, there was a voice at the door, "Who is it?"
"ICE," Edmond answered.
The door opened a few inches. Edmond could just make out a man in a bathrobe standing next to the door, looking out.
"Why would ICE be here, at my house?"
"Your neighbors complained that you have an illegal alien working here. A Filipino maid."
For a brief instant, Mark imagined that one of the neighbors had seen him bring Lena into the house. He had thought for sure that none of them had... Even if they had, why would they think she was working here? Then it occurred to him, if this guy were really an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent…
"Do you mind showing me your badge?"
Even as dark as it was, Ed had seen the look on Mark's face. Lena was here, there was no doubt in his mind, but he was going to have to change tactics. Edmond shook his head. "I'm not really from ICE; I'm just here looking for Lena Sandoval."
Mark blanched. He started to shut the door, but Edmond maneuvered his wheelchair so the left front wheel blocked the door. At the same time, Mark realized that he had given himself away. Mark became very angry; he threw the door wide open and started yelling, "You want to come in, old man? Fine, come on in." He grabbed the wheelchair and pulled Edmond inside the house. Realizing that his voice might be carrying farther than he really wanted it to, Mark lowered his voice and said, "You wanna see Lena? Maybe we can arrange that. Maybe the two of you can share a cell, at least until I can figure out where to dispose of your corpse." Mark closed the door, and Edmond wondered how much of their conversation Susan had heard. At least there was no sign that Mark had noticed Susan waiting in the car.
"What should I tell them?” Susan asked.
Edmond stopped the chair, and looked back at her. "Tell them the truth, that we think Mark may have kidnapped Lena, and that we came out here to check it out. Mark let me in, but you haven't seen me in fifteen minutes. So now you think Mark has kidnapped me, as well. Of course, if Mark doesn't let me in, than you don't need to worry about what to tell the cops."
Susan nodded. Part of her wanted to help rescue Lena, but the wisdom of Edmond's plan was clear to her. If Mark overpowered Edmond, then at least she could get the police, and they would have something to investigate. Right now, all they had was suspicion, and the police wouldn't be likely to take their suspicions very seriously. Even if they did, all they would really be able to do would be to ask Mark about Lena, and all Mark would have to say is that he didn't know anything about where Lena was. They wouldn't be able to get a search warrant based on the little scraps of evidence they had; she couldn't blame law enforcement if they didn't even try. On the other hand, if they both went inside, they might not ever be seen again. She got back in the car.
Edmond wheeled up to the front door and looked back. From the door, he could see that there was a car parked on the other side of Mark's car, but it was impossible to tell if there was anyone in it. He hoped that it would look the same from Mark's angle, if he could get Mark to open the door. He paused, and thought about what to say when Mark came to the door.
After a few seconds, Edmond knocked on the door. There was no response. He waited a few more minutes, and knocked harder. Still nothing. Finally he started banging on the door. Then he heard some movement inside the house. Eventually, there was a voice at the door, "Who is it?"
"ICE," Edmond answered.
The door opened a few inches. Edmond could just make out a man in a bathrobe standing next to the door, looking out.
"Why would ICE be here, at my house?"
"Your neighbors complained that you have an illegal alien working here. A Filipino maid."
For a brief instant, Mark imagined that one of the neighbors had seen him bring Lena into the house. He had thought for sure that none of them had... Even if they had, why would they think she was working here? Then it occurred to him, if this guy were really an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent…
"Do you mind showing me your badge?"
Even as dark as it was, Ed had seen the look on Mark's face. Lena was here, there was no doubt in his mind, but he was going to have to change tactics. Edmond shook his head. "I'm not really from ICE; I'm just here looking for Lena Sandoval."
Mark blanched. He started to shut the door, but Edmond maneuvered his wheelchair so the left front wheel blocked the door. At the same time, Mark realized that he had given himself away. Mark became very angry; he threw the door wide open and started yelling, "You want to come in, old man? Fine, come on in." He grabbed the wheelchair and pulled Edmond inside the house. Realizing that his voice might be carrying farther than he really wanted it to, Mark lowered his voice and said, "You wanna see Lena? Maybe we can arrange that. Maybe the two of you can share a cell, at least until I can figure out where to dispose of your corpse." Mark closed the door, and Edmond wondered how much of their conversation Susan had heard. At least there was no sign that Mark had noticed Susan waiting in the car.
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