by Laura Scott
Other than both sets of victims being Brooklyn residents and lousy parents neglecting their children, what else connected them?
The date. The Emerys were killed on the twentieth anniversary of the McGregors’ murders.
But why? What was the missing link? Why had the killer struck again all these years later? Why single out the Emerys as potential victims?
Again, lots of questions and no answers. Yet.
Once Willow and Lucy were safely at the police station, he’d head to the Burgerteria to interview Damon about Craggy Face. But for now, that conversation would have to wait. There was no way the guy who’d just tried to abduct Willow would be hanging around the restaurant with its connection to her. Still, maybe Nate would get something out of the Burgerteria’s manager to go on.
The drive to headquarters didn’t take long. There was one parking spot left, so he quickly pulled in. His phone rang, and he was relieved to see the K-9 unit’s tech guru’s name on the screen. “Eden, please tell me you have something on the car.”
“It was reported stolen earlier this morning.”
He sighed and glanced at Willow. “That figures. Where was it taken from?”
“That’s the interesting part. It was stolen from a driveway in Windsor Terrace at zero three hundred hours. The guy apparently came home late, leaving his car in the driveway. He didn’t realize the vehicle was missing for several hours.”
“How does that help us?”
“It’s a crime of opportunity. I’m doing a search on other similar stolen car cases now, to see if I can find a pattern. This may not be the first time these guys have used a stolen car to do their dirty work.”
The idea of a connection brought a flash of hope. “That’s good stuff, Eden. Thanks.”
“I aim to please, Slater.” Her airy response made him smile.
He slid the phone back into his pocket and glanced at Willow. “Ready?”
She nodded, but her light brown eyes were clouded with apprehension. Not for her, he knew, but for Lucy. “Sounds like you have a lead.”
“We do.” He couldn’t share all the details of their investigation but wanted to reassure her. “Our K-9 unit is a great team. We’ll get this guy soon.”
“I’m sure you will. I’ll keep praying for God’s strength and guidance. I know God is looking out for us.”
He was humbled by her faith and wondered once again if he was missing out on something special. Gavin was a believer, as were several other members of the team.
The painful memory of his father screaming curses and smashing his fist into his mother brought him back to reality. He was happy for Willow, but that kind of thing wasn’t for him. He and his mother had barely escaped with their lives, and he didn’t see how God had anything to do with that.
He took care of Murphy as Willow strapped Lucy into the stroller. Willow glanced at the building in awe, and he understood how she felt. Their new Brooklyn K-9 Unit was housed in an attractive three-story limestone building that had been used as a police precinct many years ago, until that department had merged with another one, moving into a much larger building. It was perfect for their smaller unit and even had diagonal parking along the front of the building, a rarity in New York. A K-9 center was adjacent to the building, housing impressive indoor and outdoor training facilities.
It was an honor to be here, working for Gavin Sutherland and the rest of the team. Nate liked being a K-9 cop. He’d come a long way from the scared kid who’d escaped with his mother from his abusive father all those years ago.
His gaze rested on Willow, her tall, lean frame bent over Lucy. She straightened, her eyes clashing with his. Awareness shimmered between them, so powerful he almost put out a hand to push it away.
“Looks like a nice place to work.” Willow’s comment cut through the tension.
“Yeah.” He took Murphy off the leash, tucking it in his pocket before heading over to join her on the sidewalk. “I’ll carry the stroller inside.”
She stepped back, giving him room to maneuver. There were three concrete steps leading inside and he easily carried the stroller up and into the building with Murphy on his heels.
Penelope McGregor was working the front desk when they entered. Nate kept his expression neutral, but his heart went out to Penny. The whole unit knew she had to be thinking of her parents’ unsolved murders. Penny—and her brother—had to be reeling from the news. Especially because, once again, there was very little evidence. And no leads on the killer.
Penny’s eyes widened in surprise when she saw them. She quickly jumped out of her seat and came around to meet them, immediately holding her hand out to Willow. “Hi! I’m Penny McGregor. You must be Willow Emery.”
“Yes, and this is Lucy.” Willow smiled at her niece.
Penny’s expression softened as she crouched down beside the little girl. “Hi, Lucy, how are you?”
Lucy didn’t seem intimidated by meeting so many strangers, but didn’t exactly answer Penny, either. “Doggy.” She buried her tiny fingers in Murphy’s pale yellow fur. “Nice doggy.”
“Yes, Murphy is a good dog.” Penny’s brown eyes were concerned when they met his. “Might be best to take Lucy into one of the interview rooms. She probably needs some time to relax before we begin.”
“Agreed.” Penny wasn’t a cop, but considering she was the sole witness of her parents’ murders, including seeing the perp who’d worn black and a clown face with blue hair, and had also been given the stuffed monkey, he thought it might be a good idea for her to gently question Lucy. “Room A appears to be open. Why don’t you get her settled in there?” Willow looked as if she might argue, but he sent a reassuring smile. “It’s okay. Penny is good with kids.”
“All right.” Willow rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “Thanks.”
He watched them disappear into the interview room, then took Murphy back past the coffee station to the cubicle area. He crossed over to his desk and booted up his computer, hoping to find Craggy Face’s photo in their mug shot files.
Gavin Sutherland poked his head around the edge of his cubicle. “Hey, I heard what happened.”
“Yeah.” He turned to face his boss, a tall man in his early thirties with dark hair and eyes. Gavin could intimidate the best of them, but the guy had a huge heart. “I don’t think this thing going on with Willow Emery is linked to her brother’s and sister-in-law’s murders, though.”
“It doesn’t seem likely, since the MO mirrors the McGregor case and the incidents involving Willow are all connected to those photos the perp stole.” Gavin frowned. “You might want to keep two eyes on her.”
“I plan to. Anything new on Liberty?”
“No, and it’s bugging me. That highly skilled Lab is cross-trained in all specialties and we could really use her services.”
“I know. She’s tops and we need her out there. Instead, a criminal is keeping her from being able to do what she does best: find smuggled contraband.” Nate glanced down at Murphy, stretched out at his feet. A flash of anger burned deep in his belly. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if someone had put a bounty on his partner’s head—and Liberty was one of Murphy’s littermates. “Let me know if you need me to do something more.”
Gavin touched his shoulder. “I will, Slater. Thanks.”
Nate was still thinking of the bounty on Liberty’s head when his phone rang. He quickly answered, hoping for good news. “Slater.”
“Nate? It’s Belle. With Eden’s help we tracked down the subway stop where the perp who tried to abduct Willow exited the train.”
“Great.” He surged to his feet.
“Hang on,” she cautioned. “The guy immediately slid into a car—the driver was obviously waiting for him—and disappeared.”
“Disappeared? Did Eden get a plate number?” He tightened his grip on the phone, holding his brea
th. Eden Chang was their tech guru and if anyone could get something from nothing, she could. At just twenty-seven, she was a master at searching through police and public databases, cross-referencing, and homing in on helpful information.
“No. Unfortunately the plate was obscured with mud and the camera angle was bad. She’s playing with the video some more, but so far doesn’t have a single letter or digit to use as a possible reference point.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” He jammed his fingers through his hair, battling a wave of frustration. “So you’re telling me this is nothing more than another dead end.”
“I’m afraid so.” Belle’s tone held regret. “Still, we might get some DNA from the car that Craggy Face used in his attempt to kidnap Willow. I have the forensic team working on that right now.”
“Thanks.” Nate tossed his phone on his desk. First Eden had been unable to trace the cash-paid gas receipt found in Willow’s apartment, and now this.
Willow had nearly been kidnapped right in front of his eyes, and he’d have absolutely nothing to go on unless he could get Willow’s ex-boss, Damon Berk, to talk.
Not likely, but he’d do his best to make that happen.
EIGHT
Lucy didn’t seem too intimidated to be seated beside Penny McGregor, maybe because Penny had started off asking questions about her favorite things, like colors and TV shows.
“You’re a very brave girl.” Penny placed her arm around Lucy’s shoulders, radiating compassion. “And I want you to know you’re safe with your aunt Willow.”
Lucy nodded, taking a sip from the container of chocolate milk that Penny had given her. Her niece obviously preferred chocolate milk over plain, and Willow made a mental note to stop and pick some up on their way home.
“Lucy, can you tell me again about the bad clown you saw yesterday?” Penny’s gaze was kindly sympathetic.
The little girl tensed and shook her head. “Too scary.”
“I know, but remember how brave you were to talk to Detective Nate?” Penny gently reminded her. “Can you tell me what happened?”
Willow didn’t like the look of distress on Lucy’s face. “Maybe it’s too soon.”
Penny nodded and turned her attention back to Lucy. “I was scared by a mean clown, too, when I was your age.”
Lucy’s eyes widened. “You were?”
Penny nodded. “A scary, mean clown hurt my mommy and daddy, too. If you can tell me what happened, it will help the police find him and throw him in jail where he belongs.”
Lucy glanced at Willow, then back to Penny. “Okay.”
“Where were you when he came?”
“I was playing outside when he came into the yard.” Lucy’s voice had dropped so low it was difficult for Willow to hear her.
Penny nodded encouragingly. “Then what happened?”
“He gave me a bag with a stuffed monkey and told me to stay outside.” Lucy’s eyes welled with tears. “I don’t like monkeys anymore.”
“I know. I don’t like them, either.” Penny gave the little girl another hug. “What did he look like?”
“Blue hair like my dolly.”
“Anything else?” Penny gently prodded. “Do you remember what color his eyes were?”
Lucy scrunched up her forehead. “Bad clown with mean eyes.”
“Did you stay outside like he told you?”
Lucy nodded, then shook her head. “I heared loud noises. Bang! Bang! So I went inside.”
Willow wanted to stop her niece there, unwilling to have her relive the moment Lucy hadn’t been able to wake up her mommy and daddy, but Penny went on.
“What did you see?”
Lucy’s eyes welled with tears. “Mommy and Daddy were on the floor. They wouldn’t wake up when I shaked them.”
“Okay, that’s good, Lucy. You’re so brave.” Penny stroked her hand over Lucy’s wavy hair.
Lucy looked at Willow and Willow’s heart squeezed painfully in her chest. “I love you, Lucy.”
“I love you, too.” Lucy sniffed and swiped at her face.
“Would you like more chocolate milk?” Penny asked.
“Yes.” Momentarily distracted by what appeared to be her new favorite drink, Lucy took the carton of milk and sucked what was left through the straw, making a loud noise as she drained every drop from the container.
“I’ll be right back.” Penny squeezed Lucy’s hand, then left the interview room to get the promised chocolate milk.
“We’ll go home soon, Lucy, okay?” Willow smiled reassuringly. “Thanks for being so brave.”
“Will Murphy stay with us again?”
Uh-oh, the little girl was becoming too attached to Murphy. “We’ll see.” She couldn’t deny she wanted Nate and Murphy there but wasn’t sure if Nate’s plan to stay had changed.
And she refused to make promises she couldn’t keep.
When Penny returned, she brought Nate with her. “Willow, Nate would like you to look at a few photographs if you have a minute.”
“Oh, um, now?” She didn’t hide her lack of enthusiasm. The last thing she wanted was to keep Lucy here at the precinct longer than necessary.
“It won’t take long,” Nate assured her. “And it may help us catch the guy who tried to grab you.”
“All right.” She stood, then bent to press a kiss to the top of Lucy’s head. “I’ll be back soon, okay?”
“Okay.” Lucy didn’t seem to mind, her attention centered on Penny as the desk clerk opened another container of chocolate milk.
Nate stood, holding the door open for her, with Murphy standing patiently at his side. She followed him past a coffee stand, taking note of the large map of Brooklyn hanging on the wall, until they reached his work station. Murphy dropped down beside the desk, as if he were used to this.
“We have computer-generated mug shots.” Nate gestured to his chair. “Have a seat. I entered the hard copy and facial features that match your Craggy Face guy into the database.”
She took his chair, keenly aware of his woodsy scent as he leaned over her shoulder to work the mouse. This ridiculous awareness of him had to stop. She was sure he wasn’t interested in her and even if he was, she had to focus on adopting and raising her orphaned niece and finding a job that would still allow her a lot of time with Lucy.
“There are six images on a page,” Nate was saying. “Could be that Craggy Face was picked up for a crime at some point when he was younger. You have a good eye—let me know if any of these guys look familiar.”
His offhand compliment shouldn’t have made her feel good, but it did. She turned her attention to the screen, rejecting the first page of images, then the second. She tried not to rush through them, but as she clicked through page after page, she knew in her gut that Craggy Face wasn’t any of these men, now or when he was younger.
“I’m sorry, Nate.” She sat back in the chair with a sigh, turning to glance up at him. “I don’t think he’s in your system.”
“Yeah, I’m getting that impression, as well.” He had to be as frustrated as she was, but he didn’t show it. His phone rang and he reached around her to snag the receiver. “Slater.”
There was a pause as he listened to whoever was on the other end of the line. She clicked through a few more images for something to do but couldn’t help but listen to his side of the conversation. He was clearly talking to someone who’d been working on a lead.
“Thanks, Darcy. I appreciate you letting me know.”
“No prints on the black sedan?” It was a logical assumption.
“Darcy’s still working on evidence from your brother’s house, but she asked another tech to put a rush on the black sedan for me. No match in the system.” He shrugged. “At least there’s a print. Could belong to the owner, too. They have someone heading out to get his prints to compare against
now.”
She didn’t understand why he looked so dejected. “But a fingerprint is a good thing, right?” She thought back to those terrifying moments when she struggled with Craggy Face, then frowned. “No, it’s not a good thing. I’m pretty sure he was wearing gloves.”
“When he grabbed you?” When she nodded, Nate sighed again. “Well, it’s possible he wasn’t wearing gloves when he stole the vehicle. Or maybe Craggy Face had someone stealing the car for him, and that guy didn’t wear gloves. Criminals aren’t always as smart as they think they are.”
She liked how he turned a negative into a potential positive. “Let’s hope the print leads to something good.” She rose from his desk chair. “Is it okay if I take Lucy home now?”
“Would you mind hanging out here for a while longer?” He walked beside her as they made their way back to the interview rooms. “I need to take Murphy back to the Burgerteria to question Damon Berk, your former boss. It shouldn’t take me too long.”
She didn’t like the idea of staying in the police station, but it was probably better to wait for Nate to take her and Lucy home. “I guess, but it’s a nice day out and it would be good for Lucy to play outside. I’m worried she’ll get bored sitting around in my apartment.”
Nate nodded. “I get it.” He opened the door to the interview room. “Penny? I’d like to take Willow and Lucy on a quick tour of the station, introduce them to the crew, and I’m wondering if you’d mind arranging for Willow and Lucy to have a tour of the K-9 training center afterward?”
“Of course.” Penny grinned at Lucy. “Would you like to see more doggies?”
“Yes!” Lucy jumped off her seat. “I love doggies.”
Willow reluctantly smiled. “Sounds like fun.”
Nate nodded. “Our tour begins, then,” he said, gallantly sweeping his hand forward. “Follow me, ladies.”
Lucy giggled, and Willow and the little girl trailed behind Nate around the front of the main desk where Penny had been sitting when they’d arrived.