“Oh, thank God. We can sleep easy in our beds again.” Realizing the level of sarcasm was one step over the line, she said, “I’m sorry, Detective, that was uncalled for.”
Finally he turned to face her, hands in his pockets. “Elizabeth, I’m every bit as keen to find Stacy May Charms as you are—”
Elizabeth gestured toward the departing car. “So how did that girl get those clothes? Those were the ones Stacy was last seen wearing. Did she rob her? Did she beat her up and leave her to die somewhere?”
Delaney tipped his head back, searching for patience. “She said she found them. In a bus shelter.”
“Seriously? And you believe that? And it’s just some crazy coincidence she happened to be walking to the very same McDonald’s in the very same clothes?”
“I don’t know, Elizabeth. But whatever happened, I have it on good authority that Stacy May Charms can look after herself. I very much doubt that she’s lying dead somewhere.”
He started back to the car, so she followed, speaking at his back. “So are you any closer to finding out why she ran?”
“No, but I’ll be sure to ask her when I find her.”
“This is all about drugs coming into Carringway Prison. Everything I’ve found out points to it.”
With something close to forced patience, Delaney paused to let his eyes sweep the alleyway behind her. “I’ve spoken with Warden Glassy. She assured me they’re on top of the drug issue and there’s nothing more to investigate. They found the culprit and took the appropriate action. What else do you want me to do?”
“And what about Tyler?”
Delaney pressed a finger and thumb to his eyes, then dropped his hands, clasping them in front of him. “I know this is tough for you. I know it must bring back some terrible memories. But he’s safe, Elizabeth. He’s with Officer Pattrenko and Kay Heathers. Now, if you don’t mind—”
“And what about the photograph? Doesn’t that mean anything?”
He swung around, eyes narrowed on her, his patience instantly morphing into thinly disguised outrage. “What photograph?”
Elizabeth felt a cold jolt of realization hit her. She hadn’t told him. “The photograph Stacy said she got. I haven’t actually seen it myself.”
He said nothing, just stared, eyes blazing, nostrils slightly flared.
She took a faltering breath and folded her arms tightly across herself, feeling foolish. “When I spoke to her last night, Stacy told me she got a photograph of Tyler. It was left in her cell a few days before she was released. It showed Tyler outside his school, and the image of him was circled to indicate crosshairs, like someone might be going to shoot him or something. Whoever left it had written something like ‘He’s first and you’re next’ on the back.” She drew her shoulders in, hugging herself a little tighter while she dropped her gaze to the ground between them, waiting for the onslaught.
“And when were you planning on telling me this?”
She looked around briefly before meeting his fiery gaze, lifting her chin like a kid caught smoking in her room. “I did tell you that Stacy thought someone was after her son. I would have told you the rest of it but you were too busy kicking my ass to listen,” she said, and mentally kicked herself because now she was acting like that same kid.
He sucked in an infuriated breath and let his eyes drift.
“Listen, this is pointless,” she said. “We’re both looking for Stacy, and yes, I admit I was out of line. I should have told you about the photograph. It wasn’t intentional; I simply got carried away defending her. I’m sorry.”
He said nothing, dipped his head in a brief nod.
“Detective … Lance, I need to find her. She ran because she genuinely thought Tyler was in danger.”
He was about to say something else when his phone rang in his pocket. He dredged it out, checked the screen, frowned and answered, saying, “Kay.”
The frown deepened and his head dropped as he listened.
“When?” he asked. He listened for a moment, then said, “So where were you? Whoa, whoa, slow down,” he said, patting the air as though she could see him.
Elizabeth could hear the garbled voice on the other end. Kay Heathers sounded distraught.
“What’s happened?” Elizabeth asked.
Still on the phone, Delaney put up his hand to her and turned away. “Stay where you are, Kay. I’ll be right there.”
“What’s happened?” Elizabeth asked again as Delaney put the phone away and gestured for his car to be brought around.
“Kay Heathers says that she went to the bathroom and when she came out, Tyler and Nancy Pattrenko were gone.”
Elizabeth followed as he walked quickly to the car and got in. “Gone? Gone where?”
“That’s what I aim to find out.” He slammed the door just as the car swerved around, eased past Penny’s car and took off.
“Follow them,” she ordered Penny like the hero in a movie pursuit.
By the time Elizabeth and Penny got back to the restaurant, Delaney was interviewing Kay Heathers, who had both hands to her face, tears rolling down her cheeks while two officers with radios and notebooks interviewed patrons and staff, taking notes and calling the information in.
Kay’s face was flushed, her eyes red, her brow deeply furrowed, the distress aging her ten years. “I came out and they were gone,” she kept saying, looking from Delaney to the doorway as if they might reappear at any minute. “I looked in the bathroom, out back, everywhere. They’d just vanished.”
“How long ago was this?” Delaney asked.
The woman bit her lip as she played the events back in her mind. “Maybe five minutes? Just before I called you. I searched everywhere,” she said again.
“Did Ms. Pattrenko say she was taking Tyler anywhere at any time?”
Kay took out a handkerchief and wiped away the tears. “She didn’t say anything. I’d just gotten Tyler an Egg McMuffin.… I know it’s not the best breakfast, but you know what kids are like.”
As she spoke, Delaney nodded and rolled his hand, urging her to continue. “Did you see which way they went?” he said, interrupting her.
She gave him a sharp look, visibly shocked by the suggestion. “Of course not. I was in the bathroom. I just told you that.”
One of the officers who’d run the girl to the ground in the alley crossed from the counter, angling himself around, eyes on the parking lot outside while he spoke to Delaney. “Guy behind the counter said he saw a woman with red hair and a kid walk out onto the street and get into a car. The guy said the kid was crying. He didn’t get a make on the car.”
“Did he see which way they went?” Elizabeth asked before Delaney could.
“Didn’t see,” the officer replied, addressing his remarks to Delaney. “Thinks they might have gone south.”
“Did he get a description of the car?” Delaney asked.
The officer shook his head. “Said it could have been gray or silver four-door sedan. Probably late model.”
Delaney lifted his phone, hit the redial. “Get an APB out on a late-model, silver or gray four-door sedan headed south on East 55th. And get a chopper in the air.”
He hung up and stepped away, relaying the details into the phone once again and barking out orders. Almost at once, Elizabeth’s phone rang. She glanced at the screen and answered immediately, saying, “Stacy! Where are you?”
Delaney spun around, stared for a second, then ended his phone call.
“Mrs. McClaine?” Stacy began. She spoke again, saying something else but the call was breaking up and Elizabeth couldn’t hear.
Delaney moved across in front of her, his hand out for the phone. “Give it to me.”
Elizabeth tugged away and turned, placing one finger to her other ear, nodding and telling the girl, “Slow down, slow down, I can’t understand what you’re saying. Tell me that again.”
Delaney still had his hand out, irritation carving deep lines into his features.
“She�
��ll just hang up if she hears you,” Penny told him in a matter-of-fact tone.
Between the occasional break on the line, Stacy’s voice was strained, desperate. “What’s happening? I just saw Tyler come out of the restaurant with Officer Pattrenko and get in a car. Where are they going?”
Elizabeth lifted her eyes to meet Delaney’s. “Where’d they go? Which way?” she asked.
“South. I’m right behind them.”
“Stay with them, Stacy.”
“Ask her for the license plate,” Delaney told her.
Elizabeth waved him away, saying, “Listen to me, Stacy—are you close enough to make out the license plate?”
“I can’t. I’m two or three cars back. We’re headed south on East 55th and we just stopped at the lights on … shit, I can’t see the … hold it, we’re stopped at the corner of something and East 55th.”
“Where? What’s the street?” Elizabeth demanded.
“Too late, we’re moving. I can’t lose them.”
Elizabeth quickly relayed the information to Delaney who picked up his phone, hit the speed dial and stepped away.
“Can you give me your location—anything?” she asked Stacy.
“I’m trying, but…”
“But what? Are you okay?”
“I’m okay.”
“Don’t speed. Just drive carefully, and don’t let that car out of your sight.”
“What’s happening? Where’s Nancy Pattrenko taking him?” Stacy asked.
“I don’t know. I wasn’t aware she was going to take him anywhere. Stay right behind them, but not too close. I don’t want to panic them.”
“Wait, I…”
Elizabeth’s throat tightened. “What is it? What’s happened?” In the background she could hear the rise and fall of the car engine as Stacy slowed and sped up, probably weaving through traffic.
“I’m gonna catch up to them.”
Elizabeth’s entire body tensed. “No, don’t. Just stay with them. Don’t do anything rash. She might panic and crash.”
“Ask her what car she’s driving,” Delaney told her in a gruff voice.
“Just be careful, Stacy,” Elizabeth said. “Just be careful and tell me what—”
The phone had gone dead.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
DAY TWO: 9:39 AM—STACY
Stacy switched the phone off, flung it into the passenger seat, and gripped the wheel with both hands. She could just see the car up ahead, the turn signal indicating right while the car moved to the far right-hand lane. At the first chance, she swerved in behind it, cutting off a guy behind her who leaned on his horn and shook his fist.
“Go to hell,” she told him in the rearview mirror, then looked back just as the car in front took the corner. With her stomach rolling and her heart pounding, she followed, easing the car around the corner after the sedan. They were in the middle of nowhere—wide-open spaces between sprawling industrial buildings. They were the only two cars on the street. She pulled into a driveway and waited until the sedan was almost out of sight, then followed. Not too close. She didn’t want to cause them to crash.
At the next corner, she saw the car in the distance pull down a driveway and stop. She slowed, wondering what to do next.
She inched forward then also stopped. As soon as she was out of the car, she ducked out of sight and ran down the side of the street until she spotted them.
Nancy Pattrenko stood in an open area, looking around expectantly, Tyler next to her, his hand in hers. As soon as Nancy saw Stacy, the grip tightened and she pulled the child back towards her, saying, “Stay back.”
The instant Tyler’s gaze hit Stacy, his eyes lit up. “Mommy! Mommy!”
“Tyler?” she called.
He reached for her, his fingers spread, surprise and desperation widening his eyes.
“Tyler!”
But Nancy Pattrenko tugged him back by the hand, saying, “Stay back, Stacy. Just stop there, and back away.”
In the distance, she could hear the whop whop of a helicopter approaching. The police, no doubt. But now that she’d gotten this close, Stacy couldn’t just walk away.
“Mommy, Mommy!”
Pressing her mouth into a tight line, nostrils flared, Stacy put her head down and ran at the woman, yelling, “Leave him! Leave my son alone!”
Nancy pivoted on the spot, swinging Tyler around, hugging him in front of her. Tyler wailed and cried out, his hand reaching. Stacy scrabbled, trying to get to him, but Nancy elbowed back, fending her off. Furious, Stacy gripped her by the shoulder, wrenching her back around with one hand, tugging Tyler from her grasp with the other. She shouldered Nancy aside, sent her staggering, then dropped to one knee, taking Tyler in her arms and hugging him like she’d never let him go. Eyes closed, she lifted him and straightened, her face buried in his hair, smelling his sweetness, feeling the warmth and the frailty of his small body against hers, feeling his arms encircling her neck, and the ache in her heart.
But now she could hear the distant wail of sirens.
“Turn yourself in, Stacy,” Nancy told her. “You take this child, it’s kidnapping. You’ve got enough problems.”
“Where were you taking him?”
Acknowledging the warning in her voice, Nancy raised both hands.
“Wasn’t what it looked like. He was crying, wanted to go home. That’s where I was taking him.” She extended her hand. “Let go of him, Stacy. Let me take him home.”
Nancy was right. Stacy couldn’t just take Tyler and run now. She squeezed her eyes shut and let a single tear break and roll down her cheek. “Just let me hold him a little longer.” She blinked hard and pulled back, gazing into her son’s eyes.
“Mommy stay?”
“Oh, baby, I love you so much, but I can’t. But I’ll come back for you. I promise. I promise,” she said and hugged him in close for the last time. “Don’t you ever forget me, cause I won’t forget you.”
Nancy still had her hand out. “Let me take him. I’ll take good care of him. I promise.”
She felt him pulled away, watched as Nancy drew him back with her.
“Give yourself up. This won’t go the way you want.”
Never lifting her eyes from Tyler, Stacy put her fingers to her lips, kissed them and blew while her chest tightened and her heart shattered into a million pieces. “I love you, baby. Just remember, I’ll always love you.” She looked up at Nancy, eyes fiery, nostrils flared. “If I find you didn’t keep your promise and anything happens to my son, I’ll come after you. That’s a promise.”
“Mommy,” Tyler cried, reaching for her as she backed away.
She got in Curta’s car, torn by the sight of Tyler’s face, red and crumpled with anguish. He knuckled away the tears and watched her, his bewilderment plain even from here.
“I’ll be back for you, baby,” she said and started the engine. “I promise you.”
And she put her foot to the gas and took off.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
DAY TWO: 9:52 AM—ELIZABETH
Penny swerved the car at the last intersection and put her foot down. Up ahead they could see two police cars and a silver sedan, all with their doors open, and a circle of cops around Nancy Pattrenko. Everyone turned at the sound of the car racing up behind them and sliding to a halt in a cloud of dust and gravel. Delaney must have recognized it as Penny Rickman's because his face registered annoyance and he looked away.
Elizabeth threw open the door and got out, followed by Kay Heathers, who’d ridden with them. Striding angrily across to Delaney, she said, “So where’s Stacy?”
His eyes rose to a point a short distance in front of him, his patience clearly thinning.
He tucked his tablet into the front pocket of his jacket, looking set to leave. “Ms. Pattrenko says she left a couple of minutes ago. At least now we have a description of the car. We’ve put out an APB and have a police helicopter looking for her. Believe me, we’ll find her.”
She follow
ed him across to the first police car. “What about Tyler? Is he okay? Where is he?”
He nodded toward Kay, who had already gone straight to the second police car where Tyler had been buckled in. She was bent to the open door, speaking softly and stroking back his hair.
Delaney rammed his hands into his coat pockets. “He’s fine. Kay Heathers will accompany him back to his foster home.”
Elizabeth watched in silence as Kay got in beside Tyler, passing her a sorrowful glance before closing the door, then turning her attention to Tyler.
The moment the car pulled out and passed them, Elizabeth rounded on Delaney, pointing back along the street. “What the hell happened back there? Why did Nancy Pattrenko bring him all the way out here?”
Delaney drew an irritated breath as he watched after the departing car behind her. He looked like he didn’t want to speak to her, but said, “That’s what I intend to find out, Mrs. McClaine.”
“I should hope so,” she said, following him as he walked back to his car. “And don’t think you’ve heard the end of this. I’m going to demand an inquiry into why this whole thing went so horribly wrong. You promised me this little boy would be in no danger. You told me—”
“Mrs. McClaine,” he said, cutting her off as he turned back to her, one hand on the open car door, the other on the roof. “You can do whatever you like.” Just as he started to get in, he added, “Oh, and by the way, it seems the governor and the police commissioner both agree that it would be in everybody’s interests if you were allowed to continue your investigations.”
“I see,” she said. “And when did this turn of events come about?”
He leaned one elbow on the roof of the car. “Well, it seems someone in your circle of friends had a word in Governor Straussman’s ear sometime last night. I guess it pays to know all the right people in the right places. He called me first thing this morning.”
Her nostrils flared and her eyes narrowed on him. “And when were you planning on telling me this, Detective?”
The Elizabeth McClaine Thriller Boxed Set Page 44