“I’m good.” Mark squeezed Luke’s hand. “Thank you.”
“We’ll get her back. That’s a promise.”
Chapter Twenty
Caroline had moved a planter of daisies inside last night. Luke stepped back from Caroline’s patio door, grateful to see the small sign that she had busied herself rather than spend time thinking and brooding about what was to come in the next forty-eight hours.
“Would you like more coffee?” Caroline asked.
“I’m fine.” He moved over to the table to pick up the newspaper.
“Benjamin is going to run the hot water empty showering.”
Luke glanced up to the sound of the water running and smiled. “I’d say let him.”
“I’m making myself poached eggs.”
“I’ll join you for three.”
“And pancakes?”
“As many as you stack,” Luke confirmed.
Luke watched her fixing them breakfast. It was as normal a morning as they could have, and the peacefulness of it so striking given what would come later today. He was glad Benjamin had wanted to spend the night over here. The task force was busy around Sharon and Mark’s dining room, working out the logistics to get the ransom money together. He needed this excuse to walk away for a few minutes, this break and return to normalcy for a short time.
Caroline paused beside him and set down a large glass of orange juice. “Turn to the comic page, would you?”
He obliged.
Her hand resting on his shoulder, she leaned over to read her favorite ones. He loved the simple joy of having her close. “Do you always start reading the paper with the comics?” he asked, amused.
“I prefer the good news first.” She squeezed his shoulder before stepping back. “What kind of jelly would you prefer on your toast?”
“Strawberry.”
“I’m sorry for what I said at the clinic Friday night.”
He looked over, caught by surprise that she would bring up the subject.
“We’re okay.”
“I was cruel, Luke. I try never to be cruel.”
“Friday night you were past the limit of what you could absorb. You liked me well enough to blow up toward me rather than a stranger. I took that as a compliment.”
“Unfortunately you were there.”
“I’d like to always be there.”
It was too far, the simple words, but he watched her absorb them and not look away. When this was done they were going to pick up a relationship so far different than it had been before this weekend began. They had been dating for a year, feeling out who the other was. This weekend they had gone past those layers. Luke liked what he saw in Caroline when she was under the most pressure he could have ever envisioned.
“I promised Benjamin he could help distribute flyers this morning,” he told Caroline, moving them back to safe ground. “Then I need to be back when the ransom money is ready to be picked up this afternoon.”
She turned back to the eggs. “I thought I’d work at Mark and Sharon’s for a bit, get it ready for Mark to come tonight, and straighten up for Sharon.”
Benjamin came sliding down the hall. “Aunt Carol, I’m hungry. Do you have any Pop-Tarts?”
She laughed and pointed to a chair. “Sit, my man, let me see if I can fill you up.”
“When are we going to hand out flyers?”
“Just as soon as you eat,” Luke said. “You’re going to need your energy.”
* * *
After the mall, Luke took Benjamin to the largest grocery store in town.
“Ma’am, have you seen my mom?” Benjamin held out one of the flyers. “She’s pretty, she’s missing, and I’m trying to find her.”
The lady stopped loading groceries into her car trunk to stop and take the flyer, study it, and then study Benjamin. “I’m sorry, I haven’t. You’re the Benton boy whose mom was taken?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I’ll take your flyer and show my friends. Maybe one of them has seen her.”
“Thank you.” Benjamin walked toward the next car where the lady was just getting out and gathering together her coupon box. He presented his flyer again and repeated the question.
Luke, following the boy on the opposite side of the row of cars and asking the same questions, could tell Benjamin would keep going without a break until he literally dropped. They’d been giving out the flyers for coming up on four hours, and the boy was digging deep to find the energy to continue. Luke had never been so proud of a boy as he was of Benjamin.
Luke tucked his last two flyers under the windshield wipers and crossed between cars to join Benjamin. “I’m out of flyers. How ’bout you?”
“Ten more.”
“Split me half?”
Luke spotted a postal uniform, the lady loading cases of soda in the trunk of her car. He knew a strong prospect when he saw one. By the time he finished the conversation with her, she’d offered to give flyers out to other route drivers.
Benjamin came to join him. “Can we go get more flyers? No one has seen anything useful yet.”
Luke knelt and offered one of the orange sticks he had picked up at Caroline’s that morning. “I think we should head to the Benton command center and look at more security videotapes. Then we need to pick up the ransom money and work on the maps for the money drop tomorrow. I’ll need really good street maps for not only Benton, but Sandy Hill, Milo, and the north side of Atlanta.”
Benjamin took the orange stick.
Luke tipped up the boy’s chin. His lower lip wasn’t quivering, but it was coming close and his eyes were wet. “You are finding your mom, Ben. Every person you talk to who doesn’t know something means the odds are better that the next person you talk to will. This is what it means to search.”
“She’s out there somewhere, and she needs me. I need her.”
Luke wrapped his arms around Benjamin and picked him up. “I know, buddy. I know.”
* * *
Frank Hardin carried clothes out of the master closet and took them into the guest bedroom to hang. Jason had too many suits. Frank would lay them across the bed to save time, but Jason would growl about the creases. Frank shoved back the last obstructions: the built-in shoe shelf that actually moved aside and the tie rack. He finally reached the first of two doors going into the safe room. The panel swung open into the closet without a sound. He pulled out the soundproofing pieces, wishing he had a long-sleeved shirt on as the particles coming off the foam would leave him itching. He reached the inside door. “You got the spotlight ready?”
Ronald clicked it on to show the batteries were good. “Yep.”
“Then put on the ski mask, kill the lights in this room, and I’ll open this door. Remember to shine that in her face, not mine.”
The inner door jammed when Frank tried to open it. He shoved again and felt the door meet resistance. He turned and hit the door with his shoulder and body weight to force it open but barely got it to move.
“What’s wrong?”
“She’s jammed it from the other side.” Frank finally stepped back. “Did you already strip that security camera wire?”
“No. I just disconnected it.”
“Get it back on and find out what she did.”
Ronald walked over to the television set in the master bedroom, searched through wires lying disconnected behind the satellite dish receiver, and changed plug-ins. He turned on the television and punched a button on the box. The screen filled with a faded yellow. Ronald started checking the wiring.
Frank cursed. “It’s not the camera. She’s got something in front of it. That’s fabric.”
Ronald stepped back and scowled. “Why don’t we just leave her in there? We can walk out of this house tonight, check into a hotel, pick up the money Tuesday morning, and just keep going. Let them try and find us, find her.”
“I’m tempted.” Frank kicked the door. “Can’t anything be simple about this?”
Ronald undid the security camera feed.
“I can force my way into the room; it’s just going to be messy and noisy. The outer door is still in good shape. When the shelf is moved back, no one will ever know the room is there.”
“Do it. Tomorrow and ten million are not going to get here soon enough.”
* * *
Luke watched Caroline move between rooms in Mark’s home, carrying fresh flowers. She wanted the home to be welcoming for her sister’s return. He watched and then turned away. Her nerves had to be raw; his were, and he at least had a leading part to play in this final act to focus on. Caroline could only ride along with Jackie tomorrow and listen in. He stepped into the study.
“She’s a nice lady.”
Luke glanced at Taylor Marsh, working on the transmitters for the gym bag. Luke picked up the transmitter being threaded into the gym bag handle and checked the transmission strength. “Yes, she is.”
He unbuttoned his shirt.
Benjamin came rushing down the hall and slid on his sock feet into the room. “Luke, what about this one?” He held up a gray shirt of his dad’s.
Luke took it. The shirt had a good collar to clip a microphone to, good cuffs for anything he might need to quickly conceal, and a good shirt pocket that would hold a second phone. “That’s perfect.”
“I hope it fits.”
Luke changed shirts. “Perfect.” He started threading the transmitter and microphone he would be wearing so he could talk with Jackie without special effort.
“Benjamin, find us a pad of paper, and we’ll start recording the money packet numbers,” Marsh asked.
Benjamin found one. He leaned against the desk to look at the money stacked in the black gym bag. “Do you think this is enough money for them to give Mom back?”
“Do you know what a lot is?” Luke asked.
Benjamin nodded.
“Double it, and that’s about how much money is in the bag. It will be enough to get your mom back,” Luke promised.
“I haven’t seen dollars like this before.”
“They’re big denominations.”
Caroline came in with a vase of flowers for the desk. “Could you give me a hand?” Luke asked.
“Sure.”
She came over to fasten the cuffs for him. The odds of something going terribly wrong so that he didn’t come back were slim, but he wasn’t going to miss every moment he could get with Caroline when the opportunity presented itself. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. When did you say Mark is arriving?”
“You’ve got another forty minutes.”
“I wish I could have ridden in the ambulance with him,” Benjamin said.
“Someday when you get older, you can be a paramedic and drive one,” Caroline offered.
“Do you think they’ll use the sirens when they bring him home?”
“Maybe up the driveway, just for you.”
“That would be neat.”
Caroline looked at Luke. “I need to go home for a couple minutes and pack a bag for tonight.”
“Want me to come with you?”
“Benjamin will walk me over.”
“Take an officer with you.”
Caroline nodded. Luke smiled as he watched them leave.
“Like I said, nice lady.”
Luke glanced at Marsh. “Very nice.” He rubbed his chin. He’d have to bug Mark tonight for a razor he could borrow. He needed a shave. “You really want one of these bugs in my shoe?”
“I don’t plan to follow you at more than a comfortable jog.”
Luke took off his shoe. “Are we ready, Marsh?”
“We’ll be wishing Sharon a welcome home by tomorrow afternoon.”
* * *
Her jaw hurt. Sharon felt it and decided the knot under the swelling would take several days to go down. Trying to tackle a guy twice her size in a space a mouse would find cramped had not been a good move. She struggled to shift the blanket over her head farther away so she could breathe easier.
Her new accommodation was not so nice. The car trunk wasn’t nearly enough room for a person. Why had they needed to move her? Why put her in a car, drive her, then leave her? Had the ransom been paid? Was this already over?
Her bound hands had begun to bleed. She rested them against the blanket, unable to see how deep the wounds were but afraid her wrists would become infected. She picked up one of the plastic bottles that had been rolling into her throughout the trip. She gingerly opened the top, sniffed suspiciously, and found no scent. She touched it and tentatively tasted her finger. Water. She hesitantly took a sip from the bottle. Tepid water at that.
She awkwardly tipped the bottle to pour part of it across her wrists, accepting she was drenching where she would be lying in order to get some relief. She recapped the bottle. She felt around and found a few other plastic bottles still on their eight-ring plastic holder. She had enough water for two, maybe three days. At least the car had stopped moving.
Her hands closed around a short jack iron she had pinned down with her knee. Whoever opened that trunk was going to have an equally aching jaw. What day was this? Sunday? Monday? Tuesday? It had been going on too long. It was cold now, and she could faintly hear the sounds of the night. When the sun came up . . . this would be a metal box oven. She would bake in hundred-degree heat. There had to be a way out of the trunk, but she couldn’t find it.
Jesus, I want so badly to hope. Either I’m going to be free and see my family soon, or something has gone wrong and I’ll soon be dead. Get me out of this alive.
Chapter Twenty-One
Luke put the gym bag of cash on the passenger side floorboard and then started his car, letting it idle with the air-conditioning on. He would need as cool a car as he could get to handle the tense sweating hour coming up. The bulletproof vest was already hot and annoying. The thing inevitably gave him a rash and left a patch of raw skin on his side.
The chase van with the tracking gear was idling in the drive, the side door open, Jackie and Caroline sitting on the riding board watching the cops sorting out the route they would follow.
Luke figured he’d head that way to say good-bye before long, but hopefully when he could manage at least a bit of privacy. He walked to the porch instead to have a final word with Mark. His cousin shifted the crutches he was using to stay upright.
Luke met Mark’s gaze. “I’m ready.”
Mark held out his hand. “Godspeed.”
Luke held it a long time. “If something happens . . .”
Mark nodded. “I’ll take care of them, buddy.”
Luke knelt to be at Benjamin’s eye level. “I’m going to go get your mom.”
“Are you wearing your gun?”
Luke moved back his jacket to show Benjamin his sidearm. “I don’t think I’ll need to use it today.”
“The vest looks hot.”
Luke laughed. “It is. Be brave today, Benjamin. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Just be prepared that it might take a while after I drop off the money before we know anything about your mom. Sometimes they tell us where to go get her, and sometimes they decide just to let her out on a road and give her quarters to call home.”
“I’ll try to be patient.”
Luke straightened Benjamin’s tie. He had insisted on dressing up for his mom coming home. “I think you look extra sharp. Is your aunt watching me?”
“Pretending not to, but she’s watching you.”
“Good. I think I’ll go say good-bye to her now.”
“Are you going to get mushy again?”
Luke quirked an eyebrow at him. “Again?”
“You were leaning against the kitchen counter last night twirling that flower while she did dishes just so you could give it to her when she got done.”
“True, but she’s wearing it this morning, isn’t she?”
Benjamin looked. “Yes.”
“Now I get to go mention how she looks like a pretty flower and kind of ease into saying good-bye that way.” Luke nudged the junior agent badge on Ben
jamin’s pocket straight. “If anything happens today that’s kind of bad, if I get hurt, you’ll give Caroline one of your super hugs for me?”
Benjamin held his gaze and nodded.
“Good man.” Luke held out his hand. “You did an awesome job running when your mom said run. Do an awesome job now taking care of your dad for me.”
Benjamin’s hand disappeared into his. “I will.”
Luke stood, and after a final nod to his cousin, he walked down to the van to say good-bye to Caroline. The odds that something bad would happen—trouble happened. And a smart man didn’t leave things unsaid.
“How are we doing, Jackie?”
“I’ve got everyone dialed in. We’ll plan to stay about two miles back most of the time with others paralleling you.”
“Sounds fine.” He knew Jackie; there was no way she would lose him. Luke looked at Caroline. “Think you’ll be comfortable with Jackie?”
“As long as I don’t accidentally touch anything.”
“It does get to be like a can of sardines in there.” He offered his hands and took both of hers, tugging her a few steps away from the others. “Come to dinner with me when this is over.”
She blinked at him, and then a small smile appeared as she relaxed. “I could work on a list of ten reasons I should say yes to dinner while I watch you run around with this bag of cash.”
He grinned. Get her comfortable enough and her sense of humor started to peek out. “I’m thinking I would love to get another one of your lists.” He wanted to kiss her but now wasn’t the time to cross that line. If he were blessed to come back, fine, he had plenty of time, but if this day went bad, he would rather leave this parting on a light note. “I’ve gotta go.”
“Be careful.”
Luke nodded. “And I’m bringing Sharon home.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Luke slipped on his sunglasses, picked up the gym bag, and got out of the car. He walked across the parking lot and into the state visitor’s center to the display of maps, the cell phone in his hand pressed tight to his ear to hear the distorted words directing him. “I’m here.”
“Pick up the next to last trifold for the Savannah Home festival.”
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