The Golf Course – Chapter 7

Detective Daniels drummed her fingers on the edge of the interrogation table as Fred sat across from her, looking nervous and a bit frazzled. His eyes darted around the room, landing on everything except her. She could tell he was shaken, and she didn’t blame him. A threatening phone call would rattle anyone, especially when his closest friend had already vanished without a trace.

“Thank you for coming in, Fred,” Daniels said, breaking the silence.

Fred nodded, his fingers twitching on the tabletop. “I don’t really know what you’re going to find. The call was… unsettling. But I guess there’s nothing you can actually trace, right?”

“Right,” Daniels said, though she wasn’t entirely sure. The call had been made from a blocked number, which would make it difficult, but she’d have the tech team give it a shot anyway. “I just need you to tell me everything you remember. What did the voice sound like?”

“It was… distorted. Like they were using some kind of voice changer,” Fred replied, shuddering slightly. “It was short, and they just said, ‘You’re next,’ then hung up.”

Daniels nodded, jotting down his description in her notebook. She was well aware of the dangers that came with cases like these—ones that ran deeper than what was immediately visible. But she was starting to worry that these friends were in over their heads.

“Fred, I want to give you and your friends a little advice,” Daniels said, her voice firm. “I know you all cared about Ryan, and I understand the impulse to look into things yourselves, but I’m going to be straight with you. This investigation is more dangerous than you realize. People who get too involved in situations like these tend to end up in a lot of trouble.”

Fred swallowed, nodding slightly but looking unconvinced.

“I’m serious,” Daniels pressed. “If there’s something nefarious going on with Julia’s family or someone else Ryan got involved with, you’re putting yourselves at risk by trying to dig up answers on your own. Let us handle this. That’s what we’re trained for.”

Fred took a deep breath, his gaze finally settling on her. “I understand, Detective, but Ryan was our friend. We can’t just sit back and do nothing. It feels wrong, you know?”

Daniels’s expression softened. She understood, even if it was frustrating from her position as an investigator. “I get it, Fred. I do. But if you do decide to keep looking into this, be careful. Don’t get yourselves hurt. And let us know if you find anything. Anything at all.”

Fred gave her a small, appreciative nod, but Daniels knew that her warning would likely fall on deaf ears. People like Fred—loyal, determined, sometimes to a fault—rarely took advice to step back when their friends were involved.

As Fred left he couldn’t help but to think about what Detective Daniels said. What did she mean by saying this is more dangerous that we realize. Because it seemed dangerous already. And he couldn’t stop wondering why he was the only one getting these calls.

That afternoon, Fred met up with Jack and Jimmy at Jack’s apartment. The atmosphere was tense, each of them feeling the weight of the recent events bearing down on them. Jimmy’s paranoia had only increased since his last meeting with Jack, and Fred’s encounter with Daniels had done little to ease his mind.

“We need to figure out what we’re going to do next,” Fred said, pacing around the living room as Jack and Jimmy sat on the worn leather couch. “Detective Daniels warned me not to get involved. She thinks it’s too dangerous.”

Jimmy scoffed, his eyes bloodshot and dark from lack of sleep. “Of course she does. She wants us out of the way so they can handle this their way—which means doing nothing.”

Jack shook his head, rubbing his temples. “I don’t think it’s that simple, Jimmy. Daniels has been more helpful than any of us expected. But Fred has a point. We don’t know what we’re dealing with. If Julia’s family is really involved, we’re playing with fire.”

Jimmy slammed his fist on the armrest. “We don’t know because they’re not telling us anything! Ryan was one of us. We can’t just sit back while the cops tiptoe around this, hoping something falls into their lap. We owe it to Ryan to find out the truth.”

Fred sat down, looking worn out but resolute. “I’m with Jimmy. We can’t abandon this. But we do need to be smart. If Daniels is right, then we’re up against people who won’t hesitate to get rid of us if we dig too deep.”

Jack sighed, feeling the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders. He had always been the one to look out for his friends, to keep them grounded. And right now, he could see that both Fred and Jimmy were hanging on by a thread, desperate for answers.

“I talked to Julia again,” Jack said finally, drawing their attention. “She admitted that her family has some… dark history. Her father’s business associates, in particular, might not have appreciated Ryan digging into their past. But she wouldn’t go into specifics.”

Jimmy’s face lit up with a glimmer of hope. “So you think Julia knows more?”

Jack nodded slowly. “I think she does. But she’s scared, and for good reason. I told her we need her help, and I think I can convince her to talk to her father. Maybe he knows something about what happened to Ryan, or who might be behind it.”

Fred leaned forward, his eyes hopeful. “You think she’ll do it?”

“I don’t know,” Jack admitted. “But I’m going to try.”

Jimmy crossed his arms, a look of steely determination on his face. “Then we keep going. We don’t stop until we know what happened to Ryan. We owe him that much.”

Jack glanced at Fred, who gave him a small nod. It was clear that, for better or worse, they were all in this together. And Jack knew that he couldn’t let his friends down.

That evening, Jack drove back to Julia’s house, hoping that she would agree to his request. He had barely knocked on the door when she opened it, looking slightly surprised to see him again.

“Jack,” she said, sounding tired. “I didn’t expect you back so soon.”

“I need to ask you for a favor,” Jack said, his tone serious. “It’s about your father.”

Julia’s eyes flickered with apprehension, and she crossed her arms defensively. “What do you want me to do?”

Jack took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully. “I need you to talk to him. Ask him if he knows anything about Ryan’s disappearance. Even if he’s not directly involved, he might know someone who is. Please, Julia. We need answers.”

Julia hesitated, her gaze fixed on the floor. For a moment, Jack thought she was going to refuse. But then she looked up, a determined expression crossing her face.

“I’ll talk to him,” she said finally. “But Jack… if he’s involved, you have to promise me you won’t do anything reckless. My father’s associates are not people you want to mess with.”

Jack nodded, grateful but cautious. “I understand. Thank you, Julia. This means a lot.”

Julia closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. “I’ll call you once I know more.”

Jack left, feeling a mix of hope and trepidation. If Julia could get her father to talk, they might finally get the answers they needed. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were walking a fine line, and one wrong move could spell disaster.

As Jack returned to his apartment, Fred sat at home, staring at his phone. His thoughts were jumbled, a mixture of fear and determination. The phone call he’d received earlier had rattled him, and now, even in the quiet of his apartment, he felt like he was being watched. Every creak, every shadow, seemed to heighten his sense of unease.

His phone buzzed, snapping him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the screen and felt a surge of relief when he saw Jack’s name.

“Hey, did Julia agree to talk to her dad?” Fred asked, his voice filled with anticipation.

“Yeah,” Jack replied. “She said she’d try. She’s scared, though. I don’t know how much she’ll be able to get out of him.”

Fred sighed, nodding even though Jack couldn’t see him. “It’s better than nothing.”

As he ended the call, Fred couldn’t shake the feeling that they were in way over their heads. He glanced at his phone, half-expecting another call, another cryptic message. But it remained silent.

The next morning, as Fred was heading out to meet Jack and Jimmy, his phone rang again. His stomach tightened when he saw that the caller ID was blocked.

With a trembling hand, he answered, bracing himself for whatever was coming.

“Hello?” he said cautiously.

There was a pause, then a familiar, distorted voice. “I warned you.”

A chill ran down Fred’s spine as the call abruptly ended, leaving him standing alone, his heart pounding in his chest. The voice’s words echoed in his mind, and he realized that they were in more danger than he had ever imagined.