The girls at the shop were aghast. One of them brought over a chair. Linda collapsed into it while still clinging to Jamie.
Consoling Linda, Jamie asked, “Where’s Mindy?”
Linda said, “She has been at my sister’s friend Carla’s house for the last two days, since T.J. and I started arguing.”
“The son of a bitch is going to kill me. He already tried. I think he could also go after Mindy to get back at me.”
Everyone gathered around Linda, again in tears. The girls hugged Linda and offered her tissues.
“You have to go to the police,” said Jamie firmly. “This is not right.”
Linda quickly replied, “No, don’t call the police or we’ll all be dead. You have no idea how brutal T.J. can be! I saw that before I moved in with him and should have known better. I was just trying to give Mindy a better life.”
When Linda had walked in, Jamie had a customer in her chair. Jamie asked the customer if she would mind having one of the other girls finish so she could attend to her friend who had been in a car accident. Now Jamie asked the other girls if they would mind leaving her alone with Linda for a minute.
One of the other girls helped Jamie’s customer to another chair.
Jamie asked Linda, “Where are you staying?”
“I just left the hospital 45 minutes ago. T.J. thinks I’m still there. I have so much going through my head right now, I don’t know what to do. You were the only person I trusted and could think of.”
Linda started crying again and said, “I have to get Mindy.” She looked imploringly at Jamie. “Do you know anyone who can help me? I need to get Mindy somewhere safe.”
Jamie took a deep breath, but met Linda’s eyes and said, “You can stay at my house.”
“Thanks, but you don’t understand. If T.J. finds out you helped me, you’ll be killed — he’s that brutal.”
Jamie still had her arm around Linda, helping wipe the tears running down her battered face. She said, “Let me get in touch with my boyfriend, Wade. He may know someone.”
Linda replied, “I like Wade.”
Jamie said “I’ll be right back.” She went to call Wade. Shaking, she told Wade the story.
Wade was calm and said he would take care of it. He said he was calling Pisano and would be right over to the salon. Wade instructed Jamie, “Just tell Linda I’m calling a family friend who can help and will be right over. Have Linda stay right there; don’t let her leave even if you have to take her car keys away. Everything will be okay.”
Jamie went back to Linda, who was calmer now, and told her, “I spoke to Wade, and he knows someone he thinks might help. He’s on his way over and should be here very soon.”
Linda choked, “Thank you,” and started crying again.
Wade immediately called Pisano to find out what to do.
Pisano thought quickly. “I’m coming to pick you up, and we’re going to the salon together.”
Wade asked, “Do you think it’s a good idea for me to be there with you?”
“Yes, we have to do it this way because your being there will give me instant credibility with Linda. I wouldn’t have a chance with her alone — she’s too scared right now.”
Pisano arrived to pick up Wade within minutes, and they headed for the beauty salon. On the way, Pisano told Wade, “Don’t introduce me by my real name. Just say I’m a family friend. I’ll take it from there.” He removed his weapon, holster, and badge and told Wade to put them in the glove compartment. They made it to the beauty salon in less than 35 minutes.
Wade asked, “What about Jamie? She knows you too.”
“Don’t worry about Jamie. She’ll pick up on my cue.”
When Wade and Pisano walked in, Jamie was still helping Linda clean up at the sink at Jamie’s station. Linda seemed a lot calmer.
Wade walked over to the two women. He gave Linda a hug. He then gave Jamie a hug and said, “I brought a family friend with me. He might be able to help.”
Pisano introduced himself as Jake Lawrence and said, “I’m a former police officer with the NOPD and now work with the department on a consulting basis. I’ve dealt with these situations many times before, and we should be able to help you and your daughter.”
Linda looked cautiously at Wade and asked, “How does he know so much?”
“I told him what I heard from Jamie as we drove over. I think you should listen to him. He’s helped other people in my family before.”
Pisano sat calmly next to Linda and said, “I’m going to have to ask you a few questions so I can get you out of here and to a safe place.”
Linda, now accepting Pisano, nodded and wiped her nose, and said, “What do you want to know?”
Pisano proceeded with a series of questions, as if he had done this many times before. He would ask a question and wait to get the response from Linda, “Did you drive over here alone?”
Linda replied, “Yes.”
“Do you have your car keys with you?”
“Yes.”
“Would you mind if I have someone take your car and put it in a safe place? It’s very recognizable, and it’s not a good idea for you to be driving it.”
Linda replied, “You can have it,” handing Pisano the keys from her purse.
Pisano looked down at the keys in his hand. “Are these other keys on your ring to your house?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t’ worry; you won’t be returning to your house, I just needed to know.”
“What hospital were you in?”
Linda gave him the name.
“Do you remember what time you left the hospital?”
“It’s been about an hour and a half now.”
“Did you tell anyone at the hospital where you were going?”
Linda shook her head emphatically. “No.”
Pisano asked, “Where is your daughter?”
Linda explained she was with her sister’s good friend Carla.
“When did you speak to your daughter last?”
“Two days ago.”
“I’ll need to have the address and telephone number of your sister’s friend, Carla.”
Linda realized she had little choice but to trust Pisano. She gave him a piece of paper with the address and telephone number.
Pisano looked at her steadily as he spoke. “Here’s what we’re going to do for now. I’m going to take you in my car with Wade to a safe place where we will meet up with a woman detective. She’ll help you get settled so we can work on finding your daughter. We’re not going to a police station, but to a safe house where I want you to contact your friend and speak with your daughter. We’ll get you and your daughter together in the same safe house. Do you understand?”
Linda replied, gratefully, “Yes.”
“So you’re okay with this plan?”
“Yes,” Linda said again, then looked at Wade and Jamie and said, “I can’t thank you two enough.” She started to cry again, and Jamie held her and cleaned up the tears.
Pisano recognized one of his plain clothes men who had just arrived at the salon. Wade thought Pisano must have contacted the other officer before he picked him up. Pisano handed his guy Linda’s keys, and the officer immediately left — apparently knowing where Linda’s car was and what to do.
Pisano turned to Linda and said “This is the man who is going to take your car to a safe place. I think we should be going now.”
“Wade will be with us all the time?”
“Yes.”
Linda turned and hugged Jamie and said again, “Thank you. I’m still afraid, but I don’t know what I would have done without you. Thank you so much.”
Jamie reassured her, “Everything’s going to be fine.”
Pisano picked up Linda’s purse and handed it to Wade while he helped Linda by the arm to his car. As Pisano and Wade scanned the parking lot, they saw that Linda’s baby blue Cadillac had already gone with Pisano’s agent.