The Blue Hallelujah by Andy Straka

Author:Andy Straka
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: thriller, suspense murder, suspense literature, suspense ebook, suspense mystery inspirational fiction mystery thriller women inspirational suspense maine
Publisher: Andy Straka

Eighteen

“Dad?”

The knock at the door comes a few minutes later upstairs.

The spare bedroom is at the head of the stairs. I have slept here on a couple of occasions before. It is uniquely furnished in Lori's distinctive style. She likes to pick up funky antiques at rummage sales and she likes a lot of color. I lie on top of a green and maroon bedspread with yellow pillow shams.

I lift my head as Lori enters. “What's happening?”

“Nothing new. But Alex wants to talk with you.”

“He does, huh?”

“Try to be civil.”

“You want to come?”

“No. He said he wants to talk to you alone.”

“You want me to punch him for you?”

“That’s beside the point.”

We look at one another for a moment. “Splendid. Where is he?”

“He's down in the den.”

I sit up and swing my legs off the bed.

“Dad, you don't have to...I mean, I was going to ask him to come up here.”

“I’d rather surprise him.”

• • •

Until he moved out of the house, the den used to serve as Alex’s private domain. A richly appointed home office, walls paneled in dark wood below a chair rail, is built around a cherry desk and matching bookshelves. An armoire cradles a flat screen TV flanked by a leather couch and wet bar. Long, draped windows look out on the back lawn.

Today the door stands open. Alex sits in the chair behind the desk typing feverishly on his laptop, for the moment at least doing a decent job of playing the broken man, his face haunted by the pale disbelief of one who is missing a child. He looks surprised when I knock on the doorframe.

“Jerry? Come on in. You didn't have to get out bed.”

“I wanted to.”

He stands momentarily from behind his desk as I sink into one of the collegiate side chairs facing him.

“Lori told me you wanted to talk with me.”

“That’s right.” He moves back behind the desk and sits down. “I guess we’re all still in a state of shock. It just doesn’t seem real, all the people outside and the police and everything.”

“No, it doesn’t.”

“You work any disappearances like this when you were on the job?”

“Only after the fact, I’m afraid.” I scan the room for a moment. It’s hard to keep looking at him without getting angry, without tasting the bitter bile of whatever well of resentment has been building up inside of me.

Our eyes finally meet again.

“The FBI wants us to come up with the money for the ransom,” he says. “They say that’s the best way to get Marnee back. Do you agree?”

I shrug. “They’re the experts. I’m sure they’ve studied the odds. Can you and Lori raise the money?”

“If we cash in some retirement accounts.”

“Is that all you wanted to talk to me about, the ransom?”

Alex manipulates something on his keyboard touchpad and lowers the lid on his laptop; it clicks shut with a snap. He leans back in his chair and folds his hands together on top of his stomach. “I know you don’t like me much, Jerry.

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