“Come on, kid. Sitting here isn’t gonna make it any easier.”
“Full house” was an understatement. Derek was there, along with two other FBI agents, Sergeant Flanders, and Greg’s mother.
I made a beeline for Derek, looking over his shoulder and watching the small red dot as it blinked on the screen. “What are you doing?”
“We put a tracker on Carson’s car. He drove around for a while, parked, and watched Arlene’s restaurant for a half hour. We think something spooked him, because he took off fast. He’s been at the bed-and-breakfast for the last fifteen minutes.”
“Any video in the area where he was spooked?”
“We’re checking that now, but so far, nothing from an angle that shows what he saw.”
Mrs. Stevens came to stand beside me. “Would you like some coffee, dear? I hope you don’t mind, but I had to bring Popcorn with me. I put him in the spare bedroom to keep him out of the way.”
“Coffee sounds great, Mrs. Stevens.” I struggled to control the emotion in my voice.
“…this little guy comes up, grins, and climbs in my lap like that’s where he’s always belonged. He smiled all the way home and fit right in. He still smiles every time I come home.” Of all the damn things to remember, I had to remember what Greg had said about his dog. The thought of Popcorn never smiling again because Greg didn’t come home was almost the final straw that broke me.
Dave’s arm went around my shoulder. “Let’s go say hi to the little guy.” He pulled me down the hallway to the spare bedroom. “Take a minute and get yourself together. You break down, and Mrs. Stevens is gonna fall apart.”
“I know.” I sniffled and opened the door. Lying in the middle of one of the twin beds was a tiny ball of black and white fluff. “Is that Greg’s bed?”
Dave nodded. “Go ahead and blubber if you have to, but keep it low-key.”
“I’m not going to blubber.” Sitting on the edge of the bed, I bit my lower lip hard, blinking rapidly. Popcorn inched toward me slowly, then with one swift move, he hopped into my lap. He placed his front paws on my chest and licked my face. Burying my head in his fur, I whispered, “I’ll get him back, little guy. I promise.”
“Keep this up, and the two of you are gonna have me sniveling and snotty.” Dave took a seat beside me. “Think about it, Kacy. Carson’s into emotional torture. We been partners a long time. He figures if he takes me, it will drive you crazy.”
“I am not losing you too.” Popcorn wiggled in my arms, and I placed him back in the middle of the bed. “We’ll find another way.”
“If Greg’s still alive, he won’t be for long. We need to move fast.” Dave lifted my chin, forcing me to look at him. “I trust you to save me.”
“What if I can’t?”
“You will.” He rolled his eyes, shaking his head from left to right and blowing bubbles before he stood and pulled me up. “But in case you don’t, make sure you bury me with a good supply of chocolate doughnuts. Man could get mighty hungry waiting around in purgatory.”
“You don’t believe in purgatory.”
“I might if they let me have doughnuts.”
Taking a deep breath, I counted to ten. “Son of a bitch.”
Popcorn barked, a huge grin spreading across his face.
Dave laughed and pulled me in for a hug. “Jesus.”
No one but the two of us would ever understand our code words and what it meant when we said them. It was our way of saying goodbye when the chips were down, just in case we lost the battle. I returned Dave’s grin. “We’re a Musketeer short. Let’s go get him.”
“How do we get out of here?”
“I’ll go to my bedroom, change clothes, and climb out the window. You’ll have to find an excuse to go outside. I’ll meet you at the end of the road. Be careful, because I’m pretty sure Dad has people watching too.”
“Meet you in fifteen minutes.”
A knock sounded on the door, and Sergeant Flanders stuck his head inside. “Some bloke just tried to kidnap Ginger. We’ve got her at the station. I thought one of you might want to tag along for the interview.”
“The guy?”
Flanders shook his head. “Got away, but we think that’s what spooked Carson.”
Dave gripped my shoulders. “I’m going with Flanders, and I don’t want no argument. You stay here and take care of Mrs. Stevens. Let me know if anything changes with Carson.”
“Be careful.”
Dave grinned. “Yes, ma’am.”
I couldn’t hide in the bedroom forever. Besides, Popcorn was looking at me with those huge brown trusting eyes. “He’ll be home soon.”
Derek was on the phone with someone, and I did my best not to listen, addressing my question to the agent watching the computer screen. “Anything new?”
“He’s still at the bed-and-breakfast. We’ve got a man watching in case he tries to switch cars.”
“Good idea.” I took a seat beside him. “Is there something I can do? I may go crazy if I just have to sit here and watch a red dot.” Mrs. Stevens placed a cup of coffee in front of me, and I smiled my thanks.
“Dinner will be ready soon. I hope you don’t mind. I needed something to keep my hands busy.”
“It smells delicious.” I wracked my brain, trying to remember what I had in the refrigerator.
“It’s just vegetable soup. I know it’s summer, but…” She wrung her hands. “I don’t suppose you have any laundry that needs washing or ironing.”
Take care of Mrs. Stevens. I loved my big lug of a partner and his huge heart. As hard as it was for me to sit around, fighting my imagination on what Greg was going through, it had to be a thousand times worse for her. “Are you good at organizing?”
She nodded and smiled. “I drive Greg crazy all the time. I’m always straightening his closet and chest.”
I rose, walked to the nearest cabinet, and opened the door. “These are a mess.”
“Oh, dear, they are, aren’t they? I’ll have them straightened out in no time.”
“How the hell did he get past you?” Derek was screaming into the phone. “Get your ass back here.”
I held my breath as he came back into the room, running a hand through his hair. “Flanders has been shot.”
“Dave?”
“I’m sorry, Kacy. He’s missing. Carson took him.”
“Are you sure it was Carson?”
Derek nodded. “We have an eyewitness this time. We’re pulling together a statewide manhunt.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
A strange calmness settled over me as chairs scraped against the floor, phones rang, and people talked over each other. News had traveled fast, and the house quickly filled up with officers ready to work under the command of the FBI. The good thing was Mrs. Stevens finally had something to occupy her hands and mind. She rushed around filling coffee cups, dishing up soup, and doing motherly things. At least I thought they were motherly things. Katherine Lange had never served anyone.
Without a badge, I wasn’t part of the plans being discussed. Derek had offered to contact Park and put on pressure to get me reinstated, but I had other plans. And the things I wanted to do couldn’t be done legally. Dave was always teasing me about thinking too much. Anyone watching wouldn’t notice the currents running underneath and whirlwind of thoughts rushing through my mind.
Mrs. Wallins was an eyewitness when he kidnapped her daughter, and no one listened to her. Carson wasn’t going to run until he finished his endgame. They wouldn’t find him until he wanted them to, and then he’d have a perfect alibi. The simplest answer is usually the best. Greg was right all along. Carson has a twin.
Officer Tedrow took the seat next to me. “How are you doing?”
“Fine. How is Sergeant Flanders?”
Tedrow laughed. “Madder than a caged bull and threatening to sue the hospital if they don’t patch him up and let him go.”
“So it wasn’t serious?”
“His shoulder is
going to be sore for a while, and he won’t be shooting anyone, but other than that, he’ll be back on the job in no time.” He laughed again. “Forget I said that. He’s already back on the job, shouting orders. He told us to find you and stick close until Carson is either behind bars or in a grave.”
“He’s our eyewitness?”
Tedrow nodded. “Carson didn’t even try to disguise himself.”
And no one questioned why he would let Flanders live when he’d killed every witness in the past. Typical. “I think I’m going to change into something more comfortable. Looks like it’s going to be a long night.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll catch him.”
I hurried to the bedroom and locked the door behind me. I wouldn’t have a lot of time before someone came looking. There was only one way to save Dave and Greg. It was me Carson wanted. I donned a black pullover, grabbed the bag containing extra ammunition, and placed my spare Glock inside, along with my phone and the phone Marcone had given me. A quick glance at my watch told me two minutes had passed. The only thing left was a quick note asking Derek to do everything in his power to help Dave get his job back. I opened my bedroom window, cut out the screen, and hefted myself to the windowsill. I took one last look around the room before dropping to the ground.
The commotion at my house had every light in the neighborhood on, including Mrs. Anderson’s, and I needed a car. I darted across the road and knocked loudly. Kiser barked, and my stomach clenched. Any minute, someone would come outside.
“Who is it?”
“It’s Kacy, Mrs. Anderson. Open the door, please.”
She opened the door, and I slipped inside and closed it behind me. “Sorry to barge in like this, but I need your car.”
Most of my neighbors were nosey, but Mrs. Anderson was a jewel. She didn’t waste time asking stupid questions. “I’ll get the keys for you.” Sensing my urgency, she returned in less than a minute. “What else do you need, dear?”
I nodded toward the house. “Cover for me. If anyone asks, you haven’t seen me.”
She grinned and winked conspiratorially. “I’ve got your back, honey. You’ll have to tell me all about it when you get back.”
I wouldn’t be coming back, but there was no reason to distress her with that knowledge. “Thank you, Mrs. Anderson.”
She glanced out the window. “Come this way.”
I followed her to a side door. “You get in the car and be ready. I’ll turn off all the lights then open the garage door. With any luck, they’ll think it’s me leaving, and if not, I’ll tell them it was my niece borrowing my car.”
I kissed her on the cheek. “Are you sure you weren’t a detective before you retired?”
She chuckled. “I do love my television. Give me five minutes.”
The best-laid plans often go wrong. As soon as they discovered I was gone, they would case the neighborhood for missing cars. I was counting on them tracing my phone, but not yet. The garage door opened, and I glanced across the street, expelling a loud breath. Everyone had gone back inside. Take it slow and don’t turn on the lights until you reach the end of the road.
Every instinct was screaming for speed, but I listened to that small inner voice, pulled out of the driveway, and drove slowly toward the main road. Flipping on the lights, I floored it. The sooner I was out of the area, the safer I would be.
Count to ten. I forced myself to drive carefully and put twenty miles between myself and the house. My hands began to tremble, and I pulled to the side of the road and parked. The last thing I wanted was for Carson to pick up on my fear. I punched in his number with a silent prayer he would answer.
“Carson.”
“I have something you want, and you have something I want. Let’s trade.”
“Kacy, it’s nice to hear your voice again.”
“I didn’t call to chitchat, and I’m sure you’re aware that the FBI is tracing your phone. Let Greg and Dave go, and you can have me. Isn’t that what you want?”
His laugh was low and fierce. “Not at the moment. I’m having fun with your chubby little partner. He seems to think if he makes me kill him, you won’t do anything stupid like offer yourself as a sacrifice. We’ll talk soon.”
The line went dead.
Jerking the car on the road, I cursed myself for not picking something faster as the speedometer registered eighty. It’s me he wants. He wouldn’t hurt Greg or Dave. The thought didn’t stop my heart from pounding as beads of sweat broke out on my forehead. Carson wasn’t the type to joke.
Tears pricked the back of my eyes as I let off the gas. The parking lot for the mall was directly in front of me, and I whipped in and stopped long enough to rummage through the bag until my fingers latched onto the phone my father had given me.
He answered on the first ring. “Kacy?”
The tears that had threatened since Greg’s disappearance started to flow, and my voice cracked. “I need you.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of death, I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me.”
I stared at the older, toxic version of Ace Carson. They weren’t twins, but it was apparent they were brothers. “Has he said anything else?”
“Not yet.” Marcone removed his suit jacket and started rolling up his sleeves. “Trust me. He will.”
“Where did you find him?”
“You can thank Ginger for that. We convinced her to put on a blond wig. It was apparent he preferred blonds. He was hanging around the corner from Arlene’s, watching for you and Dave to come back.”
“So that’s what spooked Carson when he was watching for us. He must have seen him and took off.”
The house was old and musty, and a strong wind would probably topple it over. “How did you find this place?”
“Some friends used it a long time ago with another witness.”
“What kind of friends?” I realized I knew absolutely nothing about my father, his real life, or who his friends were.
“The kind I won’t be introducing to my daughter.” He tossed me a cell phone. “We took that off him. Only one number has been called. I assume it belongs to Carson.”
The we had my chest throbbing and stomach muscles tightening. Does it matter? This creep has Dave and Greg, and if we have to kill someone to get them back, so be it.
I shivered as light from the lantern glinted off steel. “Wait a minute. Let me try something first.” I took a deep breath and hit Redial.
The phone rang several times before Carson’s breathy voice answered. “Damn it, Carl, I told you not to call me until morning.”
“Carl’s a little tied up right now, Ace. It’s time we talked about that trade.”
It wasn’t hard to envision the demon hissing at the end of the line. “Hurt him, and I’ll bring more hell down on your life than you can imagine.”
“I haven’t hurt him.” I paused for emphasis. “Yet.”
A loud growl filled my ear, and I laughed. “I want my partners back, and I’ll do whatever I have to do to accomplish that. I’ll give you five minutes to think about it, then I’m going to start cutting off pieces and mailing them to you.” I ended the call and took another deep breath. “I hope I did the right thing.”
“You pissed him off, making him want you more than he does Dave and Greg. He won’t kill them until he has you in front of them.” His jaw set, and his hands clenched at his sides. “But he will kill them, and he’ll kill you if he gets the chance.”
The truth of his words rocked through me. Carson wouldn’t let us go even if it meant losing his brother. My hands were steady as I checked my Glock. “I don’t plan on giving him that chance.”
“Neither do I.”
The cell rang, and I let it ring twice more before answering. “Where are they?”
“Waiting for you at the bottom of a dark hole. If you get them out, I just might let you live. Come alone, or I promise you, you’ll never find them.”
The
line went dead, but the phone dinged with a text. “Damn.” My body trembled as I stared at the entrance to the abandoned mine a few miles from the Des Plaines park. The city had boarded it up, and the department monitored the place to keep curious teenagers from getting lost inside the huge caverns. Kyle and I had ventured there once, but even then, I’d been terrified of the gaping hole. “He knows I can’t do it.”
Marcone glanced at the picture. “Sometimes you don’t have a choice.”
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