The Deadliest Stunt Chapter 10

The Deadliest Stunt

Chapter 10

Reed was worried. I didn’t blame him. He tried calling his father again on his cell but again it went to voicemail.

Mom doesn’t have a phone, Reed remarked. Maybe I’ll try Leland.

Again no answer. Was it because they were unable to answer—or didn’t want to answer? It was all very mysterious.

I called Canning and was glad he was on duty. Thanks for clearing that issue up in customs, I said.

No problem, Justin, is everything OK?

Not really I said wryly. We’re back at the fairgrounds but no one seems to be here. The buses are here but no one is around.

OK, I’ll be right over.

About 15 minutes later Canning pulled his police car into the fairground lot. His partner, Denton was with him. They got out and approached us. Are you OK, Reed?, Officer Denton asked and Reed nodded. Do you need to go to the hospital to be checked out after your ordeal?

No, Reed said, I’m fine. I’m just worried about my folks and the crew. No one is around. If Dad had to go off on an errand he would at least leave Mom here—or somebody here to guard the buses. He won’t answer his phone either.

Canning nodded. Well, let’s try his bus. You said it was locked? He left a spare key with the police in case of an emergency, I have it, he remarked, pulling it from his pocket.

We proceeded to the bus and Canning unlocked it and went inside. He returned a moment later, his face grave. He pulled his radio from his pocket and called the dispatch to send an ambulance.

Your mom is inside, he said to Reed. She’s alive, but is unconscious.

What! Reed blurted, pushing past Canning into the bus. I followed him. Ruth was laying on the couch, a nasty welt on her forehead.

Mom! Reed said, trying to revive her but she was out cold. The ambulance arrived a few minutes later and took her to the hospital. I drove Reed there in my SUV.

We’ll look for the others, Canning said before we pulled away. We’ll keep you posted.

Once at the hospital, I called Mom and told her what had happened. She was just on her way out the door and asked if we needed anything. I said we were fine, but I would be a while.

Take care of yourself, she said. And let me know what happens.

I will, Mom. Thanks.

Reed stayed with his mom and once she was taken care of, I returned to the fairgrounds. Canning and Denton were there along with a forensic team, scouring the buses and the fairground for any clues to where Xander and his team were. Someone had attacked Ruth Wyatt but why?

I was utterly exhausted having not slept the night before. I needed to sleep—and soon. But we had to find Xander. Where was he? Where was Rhys—and Leland?

I was no closer to finding out who was trying to sabotage Xander’s stunt show or why.

And no closer to finding the mysterious woman. What role did she play in all this and who was she?

Rhys was involved but I didn’t know how. And who had attacked Ruth—and why? So many questions still rolled around in my brain.

I decided to return home and crash for a while. The police were looking for Xander and his crew. Reed was with his mom at the hospital.

I pulled in the drive of my house at 11 am. I was starving but couldn’t think of food. Just my bed. I kicked off my shoes at the door and headed up to my room. I was just laying down on my bed when my cell phone beeped an incoming message.

It was from Van.

<noticed Leland hes acting weird>

I sat back up and texted back

<your not in school? Where is he?>

<free period hes here by the school grounds across the street talking to a blond woman>

<Im on my way>

I dragged myself to my feet and went to the washroom to splash cold water on my face to wake myself up. I bounded downstairs and pulled on my high-tops at the door, and headed back out to my SUV.

Port Salser Collegiate was on the main street of town in the east end of the city not far from my house, on the other side of the Salser River. Across from the school was a strip mall with stores and a fast food restaurant, a pizza place and a tailors.

I pulled in the parking lot and saw Leland—still talking to the mysterious blond woman! They seemed to be arguing.

He noticed my SUV right off as I was pulling into the lot, and dashed to his own car—a rental, the blond woman getting in beside him. He pulled out of his spot and left the parking lot, me following right behind him.

I called Canning on my hands free phone and told him where I was. He and Denton would try to meet me as soon as they could, they were still at the fairgrounds.

I followed Leland as he drove west and then north past the Port Salser Mall, headed in the direction of the fairgrounds which was north of the city limits. Canning was coming south and saw Leland’s car and managed to pulled it over.

While they were stopped and Canning approached, Leland shifted the car into gear and took off again headed north away from town!

Canning raced back to his car and took off in pursuit. I decided for safety’s sake to hang back and return to police headquarters and wait. I didn’t want to be involved in a chase. It would be dangerous.

A thought suddenly occurred to me as I was driving back into town.  Instead of heading to the police station I went back home. I kicked off my shoes at the door and raced up to my room. I pulled out my laptop and started my search. The mysterious blonde woman was with Leland. So obviously they were connected. I realized now that it was probably Leland that had helped her escape the fairgrounds when I had chased after her. He was in cahoots with her the whole time! I ran my search on Leland/Lester and did search for his daughter Suzanne Mandrell Martinson.

I found a photo of his daughter. It was the young woman we were chasing.

So they were connected.

So what was Leland’s connection to the sabotage? Was he in cahoots with his daughter or had he been trying to stop her? I didn’t believe this because he had seen the girl at the fairgrounds when she came out of the stunt plane and didn’t let on he knew her. So he must be in league with her.

But why? Why did Leland and his daughter want to stop the stunt show? I did a little more digging and found out that Suzanne Martinson was married to Leroy Martinson. Where had I heard that name before?

I googled his name and realized he was a stunt man too! Not as famous as Xander Wyatt. But why would I have heard his name? Stuntmen weren’t usually famous enough for their names to be recognizable. Xander was a little different. He was almost as famous as the stars of the movies he was in—but he was the exception.

A small trade magazine article dated about a year back mentioned Leroy Martinson as the original stuntman for the new Masked Avenger movie but that he had been fired due to not showing up for work and missing key stunt sequences. He had been seriously injured in one stunt that had gone wrong.

That was where I had heard his name. When a stuntman is injured and almost killed then it would make the entertainment news. I soon found the article that mentioned the accident and that it might be sabotage, or just plain carelessness, but nothing was ever proven.

Did Leroy Martinson think that Xander Wyatt was involved in that sabotage incident and now he was getting revenge by sabotaging the stunt show?

Maybe.

But if that were true, why would Xander sabotage Leroy Martinson’s stunt? To get on the Masked Avenger movie?

The movie was a huge blockbuster but Xander wouldn’t need that particular job, he could get virtually any movie stunt job he wanted.

These facts rolled around in my head with the many questions I had about the case. Where were Xander and Rhys and the rest of the crew? Who had attacked Ruth? And more importantly why?

My cell phone buzzed an incoming call. I picked it up. Hello?

Justin Macdonald. You will listen carefully to what I have to say. It was a female voice.

Who is this? I said, sitting up in my chair.

You will stop your investigation. Xander and his family will not be harmed. What happened to Ruth Wyatt was only a warning. We now have Reed. You will leave us alone. The stunt show will not happen. I hope I’ve made myself clear on this.

The woman hung up. I did a search on the last call and it was made from a payphone at the Port Salser Mall. I quickly called mall security and told them to be on the lookout for Leland Mortimer and Suzanne Martinson. Then I called Canning. No answer.  I tried Denton’s number and he picked up on the third ring.

Justin, something’s happened. We’ve been in an accident in our patrol car.

Are you OK? Is Paul OK?

Yes, I’m fine, but Paul’s in the hospital. We were chasing Leland and his daughter and they caused us to crash on the 401. It was a huge pile up—no one was killed thankfully but we lost them.

I just got a call from Suzanne. They’re at the Port Salser Mall. I’ve alerted security. I’m heading there now.

I’ll meet you there. Paul’s going to the hospital right now. I’ve given my report and they’ve told me to go home for the rest of the day. But I want to catch these slime balls.

I’ll be there in 10.

I hurried downstairs but didn’t make it to the door. Leland Mortimer was standing in the doorway. Alone. Holding a gun trained right at my head.

You don’t listen very well, do you, son? He said with a sneer.

Your daughter just warned me off the case, but I don’t take kindly to threats. You didn’t expect me to back off so easily.

No, I can see that, he muttered.

Put the gun down, I said. It’s not worth it. I know about Suzanne and Leroy, your son in law, I remarked.

The gun lowered slightly as he opened his mouth in surprise.

You messed with the wrong group of people, I said. You don’t know me very well if you think I’m going to let this drop. You’ve been trying to ruin Xander for a while now. Why?

Leland was quiet.

Is it because Leroy got fired from the Masked Avenger movie and Xander took over? I didn’t really think that was all of it, but I had to start somewhere.

No, of course not, he spat. My son in law is an imbecile. His accident was his fault. You have no idea what’s going on here. You need to leave my daughter alone. I had nothing to do with the sabotage.

But your daughter does?

You don’t expect me to tell you, do you? He said with a smirk. It’s my concern, not yours.

No, I don’t really expect you to tell me anything. If I could keep him talking—hopefully Denton could catch Suzanne at the mall.

Oh, and that little phone call you just made, he said with a smirk. Your police officer friend won’t find Suzanne at the mall. The call was redirected through a pay phone there. You were on a wild goose chase, he added. You won’t find her.

Now it was my turn to look surprised but I hid it well.

I am going to shoot you now then your family will be so distraught that Xander’s career won’t be important to anyone. Imagine, son of famous detective gunned down trying to help famous stunt man. It might even make a good movie of the week. But Xander won’t be doing the stunts for it, he chuckled at his own stupid joke.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Matt, who had gotten up from his nap, come around the front of the house. I tried not let on that I had seen him, but my eyes flickered and Leland caught it. He turned to fire his gun at Matt but a shot rang out first and Leland collapsed where he stood!