“And the longer the wait is, the greater the chance that he just kills Tyler.” Tears rolled down her face.
Jude gathered her into his arms. “He needs Tyler alive in order to use him against you. It serves nothing to hurt him.” Unless he was deranged, which was always a chance. But Jude was going to pray—and keep praying—that Tyler would be found, alive and well. I’m asking, Lord. Seeking and knocking. And I’m not going to stop until he’s here with us.
He rubbed up and down her back, even while fear drove his actions. The movement was nervous, he knew. Maybe she wouldn’t notice, though. “The Secret Service can track my phone. They can find him.”
The last time Alan had called, to set the meeting, the techs had tried to trace it, but Alan had turned off his phone before they could locate it. If they kept him on the phone long enough, and the Secret Service was ready, hopefully this time they’d be able to track him down.
And get Tyler back.
Zoe cried, and he switched to praying aloud. It seemed to help her.
“Brauer.”
He glanced up, but didn’t let go of Zoe.
Milsner strode over. “Let’s go back to the office. We have the setup there, and you guys can get cleaned up.”
Jude nodded. They were covered in dust from the floor. As they walked to the car he said to Zoe, “Do you need more meds?”
She winced. “My shoulder is killing me, but I don’t think I even care right now.”
He still planned to have a doctor called in to check her out. His head was seriously pounding as it was.
Jude was going to personally make sure Tyler was found safe and returned to his mom. He just wasn’t going to promise Zoe. Not if there was a chance he might not succeed. God, I’m trusting You in this. Help me know what to do. He prayed the emotional turmoil on her and her son wasn’t so bad they couldn’t have normal lives after it was over.
And it would be over. Soon.
He helped her into her seat in the car, and since he figured it would hurt her shoulder to buckle up he did that for her, as well. When he leaned back, he studied her face. Everything he saw was precisely what he expected. It just didn’t make him feel better. She was scared for her son’s life, and he admitted it to himself then thathe was, as well. He just wasn’t about to let her know that. She thought of him as the hero who was never afraid or unsure—he wouldn’t ruin that image for her.
“Thank you.”
He touched her cheek as softly as her tone had been when she’d said those two simple words. “You’re very welcome, Zoe.” He stood quietly for a second, tracing his thumb over her cheekbone. She was a beautiful woman, one he was proud to know. Her strength and vulnerability had both seen her through this.
Jude couldn’t believe he’d ever doubted her for a second, but figured it was his insecurities talking and not logic. He wanted to trust her. Just as he wanted her to trust him.
“This will be over soon. And years from now, when Tyler is the star of his football team and you’re fielding phone calls from girls every night of the week because they all want him to be their boyfriend—” She started to smile, and he knew he was on the right track. “You’re barely going to remember this time in your life except as a blip. A brief period where things weren’t about whether he’s going to be safe driving his own car, or if he should be allowed to stay out past midnight on the weekend.”
“The answer to that one is no.” Her smile was small, but it was there. “I don’t care how old he is, or whose house the party is at.”
“That’s my girl.” Jude touched his lips to hers.
She blinked. Surprised at his words, or his kiss? He closed the door and rounded the car, not even sure himself which one it was.
His phone rang as he climbed in. He looked at his phone and then glanced back, out the door to the vehicle behind, where Milsner was in his car. Jude lifted his hand, thumb and pinky out, to indicate his phone. Milsner nodded. Jude started the engine and connected it through the Bluetooth.
“I think this is him.” He turned to Zoe. “Ready?”
“No, but do I have a choice?”
He squeezed the back of her neck and then touched the screen to answer the call, not wanting to wait much longer or it would go to voice mail. Zoe said, “Yes?” Her voice shaky.
“So you finally pick up. I don’t like waiting.” Jude didn’t recognize the man’s voice, but this for sure wasn’t some friendly wrong number. “You want the kid, you meet me at Liberty Park.”
Jude pulled an old receipt from the center console along with a pen he prayed worked and quickly scrawled a note.
The man continued, “The corner of 1300 S and S 700 E at six in the morning. You come alone, no cops. No feds. And no tricks, or your little boy is dead.”
Jude held up the note. Zoe’s brow furrowed as she read, and then said, “I want proof of life, or I tell the world what I know.”
“What you know. That’s rich. You don’t even know what you know, that’s your problem.” He laughed. “But I’ll give you what you want. As a show of good faith that you will reciprocate by following my instructions. To. The. Letter.”
There was a shuffle on the other end of the phone, and the Tyler’s voice came on. “Mom?”
“Tyler, I’m here!”
“Mom!”
“I’m coming to get you, honey. I love you so much.”
“I love you, too, M—” The rustle returned.
“How sweet,” the man said in a dark tone. “Liberty Park. One hour.”
He hung up.
NINETEEN
Zoe walked faster than normal even though they were back at the office. There wasn’t time to be slow. The clock was ticking to the meeting. Jude opened the door, and she followed him inside. There was one window, and it filled that whole wall. On the other side two agents were questioning Terrence Willis.
“Normally you wouldn’t be allowed in here,” Jude explained, “but in this case I’m not going to let you out of my sight.”
That should have comforted her, but Zoe couldn’t let any warmth in. Not right now, when her son was who knew where with a madman. Scared. Upset. Wondering if he was going to die, or whether Zoe and Jude would come and get him.
Even thinking about Jude’s sweetness—his kiss—didn’t help. She couldn’t let those memories distract her.
Terrence’s voice came through a speaker. “Told you already. I don’t know.”
“We think you do.”
Terrence huffed.
Zoe glanced at Jude, whose frown was firmly directed at Terrence. “How long do we have?”
She had no watch and no phone, but there was a clock on the wall. Still, she needed to ask the question. She needed Jude to know the answer, as well.
He pulled out his phone and looked at the time. “One hour, forty-two minutes.” He’d driven probably faster than he should have back to the office.
“And what are we waiting here for?” She motioned toward Terrence with a wave of her hand.
“We need to know if he admits or reveals anything.” He balled his hands into fists. “The team is tearing apart Reskin’s life.”
“Thank you.” At his look of surprise, she continued., “It’s nice to know I’m not the only one going crazy. You can go to work if you want. You don’t have to—”
“I want to be with you.”
“But they’re investigating, and I know I can’t be part of it...”
He hugged her. She’d have preferred he kiss her the way he had a couple of times already. Now wasn’t the time, though. “You really aren’t alone, Zoe. I want to be here with you.” His squeeze was quick before he released her and concentrated again on what Terrence was saying.
Zoe understood the fact that it was time to be quiet, though doubts still
rolled through her mind. The task force were all preparing for the “operation,” as they were calling it. She was supposed to face down Alan Reskin and get back her son, and they were going with her.
When she’d helpfully pointed out the fact that Alan had said no cops and no feds, Jude had shaken his head. None of them were willing to even concede their presence could put her son in harm’s way. They simply believed with everything they were that her son would be safer if they went against Alan’s instructions and came anyway.
Zoe was seriously grateful for the grade-A backup she was going to have, but couldn’t help wondering what Alan would do when he realized she’d defied his orders.
Jude had simply said, “You didn’t agree to do what he said. He stated his demands, assuming you would comply, but he isn’t counting on the task force showing up. And if he is, then we can watch for that as well because he’ll have a contingency plan in place.”
Zoe didn’t want to think what Alan’s plan was. Especially considering the plan likely involved killing her, and then her son.
One of the agents interviewing Terrence said, “Alan Reskin stated that Zoe didn’t know what she knew.” He paused. “Now, what do you think that means?”
Terrence shrugged. “How would I know?”
The agent studied him without saying anything.
“Fine. He’s into what he’s into. Doesn’t mean it has anything to do with me.”
“So you’ll cut and run now to save yourself?”
Terrence sneered. “Better than being a rat. Isn’t that what you people do? Flip the low man and get him to spill all the higher-ups.”
“Then we should be especially amenable in this case. What with you being the low man and all.”
That gave Terrence pause. Zoe watched him assess the agent, probably trying to figure out why he’d said that. He hadn’t exactly been berating Terrence, but he certainly hadn’t said good things, either.
Terrence said, “You wouldn’t be able to unravel the whole thing even if I told you what I know.”
“So this is a waste of time, then.” The agent got up, and his partner who’d been sitting beside him did the same.
Jude leaned over. “They’re impatient.”
“They are?”
He nodded. “They don’t like it that Reskin has Tyler any more than we do.”
Zoe studied the agents. They looked cool and calm enough, but it made her feel better to know they cared.
The agents got to the door before Terrence said, “You don’t want to hear what I know?”
“You just said it isn’t the whole picture.”
“But I can give you intel.” His voice and demeanor all now screamed desperate.
“The woman Alan Reskin wants. What does she know that she shouldn’t have found out about?”
Terrence gritted his teeth.
This man had been prepared to kill her and Tyler—and himself—so she didn’t think he was going to be helpful. Still, she prayed they got a result. And fast.
It was almost time to leave.
“Not what. Who she shouldn’t have found out about.”
“Reskin’s wife, your cousin?” The agent’s words mirrored her thought.
Was all this because of the woman’s identity, and not because Zoe thought she had witnessed a murder? Her brain spun with the possibilities. She’d been mistaken all along because the woman hadn’t been dead, the way she thought. But now all this was because Reskin wanted to keep her identity a secret? That didn’t make any sense. They knew Beatrice was his wife, so what was the big secret?
“It has to be more than that,” Jude whispered.
The agents left Terrence alone in the interview room and trailed into the viewing room where they were. “Not a colossal waste of time, but not much better than that, either.”
Zoe said nothing.
“I’m going to inform Agent Daniels what we know. If the operation goes as planned then Alan will be ours to question soon.” The agent glanced at Zoe. “And your son will be safe.”
She nodded, grateful for their concern. Any certainty she had right now was more of a prayerful hope than anything else. She was going to keep praying until Tyler was in her arms and they were both safe.
Jude took her hand. “Time to go.”
The agent nodded, and she and Jude left the room. He didn’t waste time getting her outfitted with what she would need, and then drove her over to Liberty Park. She’d liked walking through it before, but after today she wondered if she would ever want to set foot here again. Even if they all came out unscathed—the best-case scenario—it didn’t mean the memories of fear and danger wouldn’t be strong forever.
Zoe bit her lip and kept praying. When Jude parked the car, he took her hand again and said a prayer of his own out loud asking for safety and protection. And justice.
He had her sit on the edge of the trunk and wired her up so they could hear her. “You don’t have to raise your voice. Just talk normally like I’m doing now and we’ll be able to hear you.”
She nodded.
“I know this is going to be difficult, but you need to act as naturally as possible. The longer it is before he realizes the entire task force is here, the better.”
She nodded again, and he leaned down to kiss her forehead.
“Okay?”
Zoe said, “Okay.”
“I’m proud of you, Zoe.”
She lifted her gaze to his.
“I’m so proud of everything you’ve done. You’re a strong woman who loves her son, and I get the feeling you’d do anything to protect the people you love.”
She didn’t let go of his gaze. “I would.” Hopefully he would see the truth behind her words. That she would do anything to protect him, just as he would for her. Because she loved Jude. Whether he felt the same, or not.
Whatever he saw, it caused him to say, “Zoe—”
His words were interrupted by the radio. Agent Milsner said, “The task force is in place.”
* * *
He’d been about to say it. He loved her, and Jude was pretty sure she loved him. But now wasn’t the time to exchange those words. Not until he got her son back. He mentally thanked Milsner for his timing, and held Zoe’s hand as they made their way through Liberty Park to the meeting point.
He would only walk part of the way with her, and then he would have to watch her put herself in danger while Jude figured out how to get her son. Alan Reskin would be distracted, and Jude was going to use it to his advantage.
He kissed her before they parted, putting into it everything he felt but hadn’t been able to say. When he pulled back, pink flushed her cheeks.
Jude said, “I’ll see you soon, okay?”
She gripped his elbows, leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. But she didn’t kiss him. Zoe whispered, “I love you,” against his lips. The movement was a tickle of feeling as gentle as butterfly wings.
Then she was gone.
Jude’s stomach clenched as she walked away. He wanted to go with her, but knew there was nothing he could do. Alan had to believe there was no one there with Zoe or Tyler would be in even more danger than he already was.
Jude crept to his designated spot and watched, praying this was the correct end of the street where Alan would arrive, bringing Tyler with him. He couldn’t help wondering what exactly Alan was into—or perhaps there were so many things it would be easier to list what he wasn’t involved in. Was he the head of a criminal empire? It was possible.
What that had to do with his wife not being dead was also a mystery. What had happened that night in the parking lot? Zoe had seen the woman get hit. She’d fallen.
Little of this made sense, but so long as Tyler and Zoe were safe, then he could go back to work and run down t
he investigation. Eventually they would get to the bottom of what it was; it was just a matter of time.
Minutes later a Town Car pulled up at the curb. In the driver’s seat was a blonde woman in pink. Alan climbed out of the front passenger side. Was the extra person his wife? He couldn’t see well enough. If it was, and she was involved, then she was squarely implicating herself in what was happening by being here now.
In the back sat a smaller person, probably Tyler, though Jude couldn’t see well enough from this position. All he could see was a head of red-blond hair, mussed like the boy’s usually was. The two adults exchanged words through the open passenger door, and then Alan nodded. Taking orders from her?
He strode away, leaving Tyler with the woman.
Jude radioed in his position and the fact that he had eyes on Tyler.
* * *
Zoe had never been so scared in her life. She stood so still it probably looked like she had a bomb attached to her vest and she was frightened to move even a muscle. But he would see her, out in the open like this, even though the sun hadn’t risen yet. The tree cover was set back, and there was nothing but open air and a path through the grass between her and the corner where 1300 S met S 700 E.
He scanned the area as he walked toward her, holding a gun. She tried to muster up courage, but the reality was that terror for her son—and the idea Alan might kill her and Tyler would end up an orphan—was the only thing she could think about.
The recognition was clear. He knew exactly who she was, despite the fact that he had only seen her either in passing or from a distance. He held the gun pointed at her.
“Where is my son?” The shake in her voice betrayed her nervousness, but she held her head high and faced him down.
“He is close by.”
“What do you want?”
His gaze narrowed. He wasn’t a particularly imposing man, but he wore his power like another one of his pricey suits. His hands looked manicured, and his haircut was likely expensive, but he’d run his hands through it at some point and so now it was in disarray. He was stressed? That was rich, considering he’d threatened to kill her son.
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