Never Surrender

by Stacy Claflin

  “I wish you’d have told me.”

  “And I wish you’d have told me you were going to Idaho with the twins.”

  “I wrote a note.”

  “And I never found it.”

  His heart picked up speed as they stared each other down.

  She looked away first. “Maybe we should put the last week behind us and move forward. We both should’ve done things differently, but we can’t go back in time. All we can do is change what we do from here on out. Can we agree to be a team again?”

  Alex studied her. “Even on where to live? What if we can’t come to an agreement anytime soon?”

  “Then we stay here, together.”

  “You’re sure about that?”

  “More than anything. I see that now. My rash decision led to the abduction. Staying in the rental probably made it easier for the criminal to get to us. This place is like a fortress—it never would’ve happened here.”

  “I wouldn’t say never. There are plenty of ways to take a child. They took advantage of the situation, that’s all. I can’t say it couldn’t have happened on my watch.”

  She laced her fingers through his and looked into his eyes. “I’m sorry for any digs I ever made about Ariana being kidnapped while you were watching her. It was unnecessarily harsh. Now I know that.”

  He kissed the back of her hand. “I appreciate that.”

  “So, what are we going to do to bring Zander back home? Have a press conference? A vigil? What else did we do when Ariana disappeared? Suddenly, it seems so long ago.”

  “Like a lifetime,” he agreed. “I’ve been posting on my blog, and the case has gotten a lot of attention. Links have been coming in from all over.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Other sites are linking to the article. Nearly half of my notifications are for those, not just blog comments.”

  “I wonder if I can use my blog to post about it.”

  “On a fashion site?”

  “My boss should let me. How could the magazine say no to featuring a missing child? I don’t know anything about incoming links, but I do know how to post and respond to comments.”

  “Then do that. I’m going to do more digging on Crawford.”

  “You really think your chief is involved?”

  “He’s too suspicious for me to ignore—at least until I can prove without a doubt that he’s not involved.”

  “What do you think about a press conference or a vigil? Or would those be pointless, given the reach of our blogs?”

  Alex squeezed her hand. “I don’t think anything would be pointless. We never know what we do that will make a difference in bringing him home. We can do it all if you want.”

  She threw her arms around him. “Thank you, Alex. For everything.”

  “We’ll get him back. I promise you that.”

  Chapter 36

  Nick looked out the window of his office. Again. Still no Crawford.

  And that worried him.

  Alex wasn’t the only one who suspected the chief of potentially being a mole for the kidnapping ring, but he was the one most determined to find out for certain. Not that Nick could blame him, given the circumstances.

  Nick wanted to see his friend’s son home again, but facing off with their boss wasn’t the way to go about it. If anyone could get to the bottom of it, it would be the feds, not the police department. Especially if what Alex overheard about them also suspecting Crawford were true. Surely, they were getting closer, if there was evidence to be found.

  He went back to his paperwork, only half paying attention and checking his phone every few minutes. Alex hadn't returned any of his calls or texts since the night before. And that worried Nick. His friend could be sleeping or looking into clues about the kidnapping, but that wasn’t the only possibility.

  Alex had been sober a long time, but something like that could easily throw him over the edge—his son had been abducted and now his marriage was over.

  Things didn’t get much bleaker than that.

  Nick hadn’t heard Alex say anything about being tempted to drink for a long time, so he held onto that as he waited to hear back from him.

  Knock, knock.

  He pulled himself from his thoughts and waved in Deputy Mackey, who asked him something about an unrelated case. Nick dug through his files then handed her what she needed. She thanked him and left quickly.

  Nick rose and stretched. He called Alex again, but it went to voicemail. Next, he tried the chief, who also failed to answer.

  His stomach knotted. Any number of things could be wrong, and he couldn’t get to the bottom of any of it sitting at his desk going over paperwork.

  He wandered through the precinct until he found Anderson. “Have you heard from Crawford?”

  The detective frowned and shook his head. “Nobody has.”

  “And Mercer?”

  “Still on leave, isn’t he?”

  Nick nodded. “I’m worried about him and can’t reach him. He isn’t answering my calls.”

  “I can give him a call, but if he isn’t answering you, I can’t see why he’d pick up for me.”

  “Thanks. I—”

  Sergeant Wu rushed over, his eyes wide. “Did you hear?”

  Nick’s stomach knotted. “What?”

  “About the kid?”

  “Which one?” Anderson exclaimed. “Mercer’s?”

  Wu’s mouth formed a straight line. “A male toddler body was found near a river outside of town. Description matches.”

  Nick and Anderson exchanged a worried glance.

  “Who’s going to inform Mercer?” Wu asked.

  “Nobody,” Nick said quickly. “I need to see pictures.”

  “There aren’t any. Not that I’ve seen. Someone needs to identify the remains.”

  “I will.” Nick’s heart thundered. “I’m not going to put Alex through that unnecessarily. If it isn’t Zander, I don’t even want him to know about this.”

  Anderson frowned. “He’s bound to hear about it at some point.”

  “But he’ll know it isn’t his son.” Nick straightened his back. “Where is the body now?”

  Wu gave him the information.

  “Let them know I’m on my way,” Nick said.

  “I’m going with you.” Anderson nodded. “I’ll drive.”

  Wu nodded. “I’ll let them know you’re heading over.”

  Nick gathered his things, his stomach doing acrobatics, and met Anderson at his car. On the drive over, Nick looked up what he could about the case. Not much was known about the boy, other than approximate age and physical description—all of which matched little Zander.

  Although Nick wasn’t a religious man, he prayed silently the entire drive, begging for mercy for his friend.

  He hardly registered their arrival as Anderson parked in an empty spot. Everything was a blur as he and Anderson went inside and explained who they were. Anderson did most of the talking.

  Nick kept thinking about how he would tell his best friend if the child was his son.

  He followed Anderson to a small waiting room. Neither man spoke.

  Sweat formed around his hairline and under his shirt. His mouth dried. Stomach lurched. He offered up more desperate prayers.

  Finally, a lady called him back.

  Anderson gave him an encouraging look.

  Nick felt like puking. How would he ever tell Alex the news if it was in fact Zander lying on the table?

  The woman opened a door and ushered him into the cold room. Several tables had covered bodies. Nick knew immediately the one he was looking for. It was less than half the size of the others.

  He’d seen plenty of dead bodies over the years, but this was the worst. Even if the boy wasn’t his best friend’s, it was still somebody’s child.

  “Do you want me to remove the covering, Captain Fleshman?” asked the lady.

  Nick shook his head no. He took several unsteady steps, his breath hitching when he stopped
. He hesitated for just a moment before exposing the little face. It was bruised and gray, slightly swollen. The hair was mixed with dirt and pebbles, but it was the same color as Zander’s.

  But the boy wasn’t him. The nose was smaller, the mouth wider, and there was a splattering of freckles across his cheeks that his friend’s son didn’t have. There was a scar near the left ear.

  That reminded Nick to check the knees for scarring. He lowered the covering to the legs. Neither knee had a scar.

  It wasn’t him. Wasn’t Alex’s missing son.

  His legs nearly gave out from the relief.

  “Captain?” asked the woman.

  Nick turned to her, realizing she was still in the room. “It’s not our missing boy.”

  Although they still didn’t know Zander’s location, they at least had hope that he was still alive. And at least now Alex wouldn't have to suffer through the possibility that they had found his little boy, but too late.

  Chapter 37

  Alex left the printing store with an hour on his hands before the ‘missing’ fliers would be ready.

  He called Zoey, but it went straight to voicemail. She was probably on the phone with someone discussing the vigil she was planning. Next he tried Nick, but also got voicemail.

  Then he looked around the strip mall. There wasn’t anything to keep him busy for the next hour.

  His gaze landed on a liquor store. He quickly averted his gaze and went to his car. Alcohol was something he did not need to think about. As if his life wasn’t falling apart fast enough, he didn’t need to add in something that would make it spiral completely out of control. He’d just gotten Zoey back—he wasn’t going to do something stupid like that to ruin it.

  Alex stopped off at his favorite coffee stand then headed to a nearby lake. He sipped his mint mocha as he stared at the water.

  He pulled out his phone to check on his blog comments. Nothing important. He had no new updates, and neither did anyone else. No news was good news.

  And still over forty minutes before the fliers would be ready.

  As he closed his app, another appeared that he hadn’t shut down the night before. It was the results of his search for Crawford.

  He glanced around, realizing he wasn’t far from the chief’s house. Alex had only been there one time. Crawford had invited his family over after Alex had been promoted to detective. He couldn’t remember exactly where the house was, but he could find it easily enough.

  There was no time to waste. Alex placed what was left of his drink into a cupholder, started the engine, then drove toward the chief’s neighborhood. The closer he got, the more his memory started filling in the blanks.

  Soon, he was only a few streets away. It took all of his effort to stay within the speed limit. He turned right, then left. This was Crawford’s street. Alex recognized the other houses.

  He slowed, taking shallow breaths as he looked around. Then he passed the chief’s house, keeping the speed steady.

  Crawford’s car was in the driveway. He was home. Why wasn’t he at work? With the feds still at the precinct, he spent long hours there. Maybe those were getting to him, and he needed a day to rest.

  Or he could be up to something else. Something involving kidnapped children.

  There was only one way to find out.

  Alex pulled up to the curb in front of a beastly pick-up truck that hid his sedan from Crawford’s property. Then he called the chief.

  Voicemail. No surprise there. The man was probably avoiding everyone at the precinct if he was working with his other criminal masterminds. His car out front could’ve even been a ruse. He could’ve been somewhere else with the other lowlifes.

  Alex noticed missed calls from Nick. He sent him a text.

  Alex: I’m fine. Is Crawford there?

  Nick: Where have u been?

  Alex: Busy. Is C in?

  Nick: No. Why?

  Alex: I’m at his place. If u don’t hear from me in 20 mins, come here.

  Nick: What ru doing?

  Alex: No time 2 explain. 20 mins.

  Nick: Dont do anything you’ll regret!

  Alex: I wont.

  He silenced his phone. A new notification came in from Nick, but he didn’t read it.

  It was time to find out what the chief—AKA, the mole—was up to.

  Alex grabbed a Mariner’s cap, fitted it so it hid his eyes, and pulled up his hoodie. He started to grab his sunglasses, but didn’t want to look suspicious. At this point, he’d just look like some guy walking down the street trying to stay warm. Given the drizzle of rain, shades would raise eyebrows.

  He left the driver’s door unlocked. That way, he’d be able to get in quickly if needed.

  After checking his reflection in the window, he hurried toward his boss’s house, doing his best to act natural. Once he reached the property, he stepped on the grass, trying to avoid a doorbell camera. Though if there were other cameras, it wouldn’t matter.

  He crept to the side of the rambler, looking around for nosy neighbors or his boss. Everything was quiet on this chilly day. He ducked behind a plum tree before darting over to the house. The side window had sheer curtains, allowing him to see in.

  And to be seen from the inside if anyone was in there.

  Alex looked in with one eye then inched over until he had a full view. It was dark inside, not indicating that anyone was home. The living room suffered from neglect, messy with wrappers and plates littering the coffee table. Blankets were sprawled across the couch and loveseat. A pair of slippers were discarded near a recliner chair. Something else sat near them.

  It looked like a stuffed animal.

  He squinted and pressed his forehead against the glass for a better look.

  A blue teddy bear.

  Alex’s heart skipped a beat. Zander always slept with a blue teddy bear. He’d been taken from his bed.

  It could be a coincidence. Or it might not even be a stuffed animal at all. He could be seeing it wrong from his angle.

  He needed to go around to the front and look in that window. Then he’d know for sure.

  His pulse drummed in his ears as he crept around the house. Once he rounded the corner, he no longer had the cover of the tree. Neighbors would see him looking in.

  But it was a risk he needed to take. That could be his son’s toy.

  And the only reason Crawford would have it would be if he was involved with the abduction. There was no other reason. The chief’s own kids were in college, and he had no pets.

  Alex glanced up and down the street before going around to the other side. He took long strides and peeked in. Though it was cloudy, there was still a glare off the glass. He used his hands to shade his eyes. Looked around the messy room until his gaze landed on the blue stuffed animal.

  It was a teddy bear. And it was identical to Zander’s.

  Alex pulled out his phone to snap pictures, though they likely wouldn’t come out clear with the glare. It was the only proof he had.

  He sent the images to Nick then made his way back to the side of the house to plan his next move. Was Zander inside, or had the toy merely been left there?

  A door slammed shut from the back yard on the other side of the fence.

  Alex froze in place. Pressed himself against the wall.

  Footsteps came near the fence. Masculine humming.

  It was Crawford.

  Alex strained to hear any sounds from his son.

  Only the annoying tune. The man was far too cheerful for someone holding a child hostage.

  Could he be any creepier?

  Alex clenched his fists, willing himself to stay in place. He wanted to burst down the gate and attack.

  That was no plan. His boss would have him arrested before Alex could search for his son.

  A phone dinged loudly.

  Alex’s stomach dropped. He scrambled for his pocket.

  “Hello?” Crawford said.

  Alex started to say something but stopped before mak
ing a sound. The phone he’d heard had been the chief’s. Alex had put his on silent. His boss was speaking to someone else.

  “Now?” Crawford sounded upset. “Can’t you do just one little thing?”

  Alex inched closer to the fence. Looked for a space between the wooden slats. Found a tiny one. Peeked through.

  The lawn was twice as long in the back, full of even taller weeds. Alex couldn’t see anything else. Not the deck or the patio underneath he remembered from his other visit. Not the path made of colorful stone slabs that cut through the yard. And certainly not the man himself.

  “You seriously need me to drive out there?” Crawford exclaimed. “Right now?”

  Alex looked through smaller gaps, still unable to see the chief.

  “This is going to cost you, Chops. Big time.” His boss muttered profanities.

  A door slammed shut.

  Alex jolted at the sound.

  He pressed himself against the fence, waiting while trying to keep watch for his boss.

  Crawford passed by the window, moving erratically.

  Once the chief moved from sight, Alex strode toward the window. Not only was Crawford gone, but so was the teddy bear.

  Chapter 38

  Alex gasped for air and leaped in his car, slamming the door shut. He turned on the engine and ducked low as he waited.

  Soon, Crawford pulled out of the driveway. He sped right past Alex, seemingly oblivious to being watched.

  It was killing him to wait, but he couldn’t pull onto the road immediately behind the chief. He had to follow at a safe distance.

  After Crawford turned, Alex hit the gas. He mimicked his path through the neighborhood before turning onto the main road.

  They were heading for the freeway.

  Where was he taking Zander? If the boy was even with him.

  Alex’s stomach knotted.

  When they came to a stoplight, with two cars between them, Alex texted Nick.

  Alex: Zander’s teddy bear was in his house!

  Nick: U sure??

  Alex: Yes. Following C now.

  Nick: Where? Don't do anything risky.

  Alex: He has Z! Im sure of it.