There’s a hesitation on the other side before I hear Toni’s familiar voice. “Uhh...Dylan, it’s Toni. Yeager asked me to call. He’s on his way to Austin. Keswick’s been picked up for questioning.”
They wouldn’t arrest him for child molestation right off the bat, or he’ll lawyer up right away. With Thomas still out there, the last thing we want is for him to clam up. I don’t expect he’ll be volunteering any information, but he may let something drop unwittingly, that might give us some direction.
“Thank you,” I tell her politely, despite my residual anger with her.
I go to hang up when I hear her. “Dylan? Look, I’m sorry. I—”
“Toni, we’ve got work to do, and to be honest, I don’t want to hear it.” I look up to find Jasper observing me, one eyebrow raised. “Not the right time,” I add a little less abrasive.
“Of course. You’re right. We’ll call in as soon as we have something to report,” she says.
“You’re in on the search warrant?”
“Yeager said all hands on deck.”
“Right. Keep us in the loop.”
“Will do.”
I end the call, get up to pour myself a coffee, and try to ignore Jasper’s pointed stare. It’s still there when I sit back down, though.
“What?”
“You’ve got some serious control, brother. Don’t think I’d have it in me to stay professional if I were in your shoes.”
I shake my head, mostly to hide the fact his words sounded like a compliment I tuck away safely, but I feel a little lighter when I pull some of Keswick’s records toward me. We still have to find a connection between him and the soccer league or the Fortnite chat.
I think we all feel in our gut it’s him, but you can’t charge a man without some evidence.
At least with Keswick held at the FBI offices in Austin, he can’t hurt anyone.
We work in silence for a few hours, but it’s difficult to concentrate when we’re waiting for information to start coming in from the searches. When Luna and Damian walk in around noon, after working deep into the early morning hours, I update them on this morning’s developments.
This time, when the phone rings, Damian answers and puts it on speakerphone.
“Agent Parker, I have you on speakerphone.”
“Okay, so we just completed our preliminary search of the Montrose house. No sign of the boy, so far nothing to indicate either of them were ever there, but we have a forensics team going through the house. We were able to get in the safe in the office, but the images mentioned in the warrant weren’t in there.”
“Not really a surprise,” Luna remarks. “Stands to reason he would’ve gotten rid of those immediately after discovering Berger had seen them.”
No one is surprised by it, but it would’ve been the proverbial smoking gun we are all hoping for.
“Anything else?” Damian asks.
“Maybe. He had a box of single use pouches of lube in the bottom of his bathroom cupboard. There was also a supply of needles and what looks to be a few ampoules of Ketalar in that box.”
“Ketamine, it’s used by vets,” Jasper shares.
“Not just that,” Parker clarifies. “It’s a relaxant with hallucinogenic properties, so it’s popular on the black market. Known under a variety of names: Ket, Vitamin K, or Special K and whatever else. Injected it takes just twenty or thirty seconds to take effect.”
“Jesus, it’s a rape kit,” Luna blurts out.
“It could be,” Parker shares. “But in the hands of the right lawyer, it could simply be a bad habit and a proclivity for anal sex.”
He makes a good point. We still need to find a connection to the boys to show that find in a more sinister light.
“I’ll need pictures of the labels,” Jasper advises.
“I’ll send them.”
“That it?”
“Lots of paperwork to go through, mostly relating to Contechs. If we find anything, we’ll let you know,” Parker promises.
Over the next few hours, we receive similar calls from the team in Farmington and in Austin, and try to fit together the pieces. Luna is standing by the large whiteboard in the conference room, adding information as it comes in. The visual overview helps to keep the large picture when we get too focused on details.
I’d rather be out in the field, physically contributing, than in here getting overwhelmed with the minutiae of this case to the point where I can’t think anymore. I also haven’t eaten since the quick bagel Marya made me this morning, and I’m getting light-headed. I need some air, maybe give her a quick call.
“I’m gonna pick up some food, can I get anyone anything?”
Damian looks up from his laptop. “Just call for a couple of pizzas. Get them delivered.”
Shit. So much for fresh air and a little hit of Marya’s voice.
I place an order and am about to turn back to comparing lists of phone numbers when my cell rings.
“Hey, Sweetheart,” I tell Marya whose name shows on my display.
“It...it’s Liam.” I hear her blow out a shaky breath, and I surge to my feet, attracting the attention of the others. “Theo called from school. Said he and Harry were about to get on the bus, but Liam never came out of class. He’s also not answering his phone. I tried too.”
“They on the bus now?”
“Yes, Mom is waiting by the bus stop.”
“Did you call the school? Talk to the teacher?”
“I called you first.”
“Good, that’s good. Look, Liam may just have missed the bus or was kept after class. Call the school. See if you find out more from his teacher.”
“Okay.” I hate the panic in her voice; so different from the relaxed and laughing Marya I left this morning.
“I’ll head over to the school now, just in case. You stay right there.”
“What if—”
“Sweetheart, don’t go there. Berger is still in DPD custody and our main suspect is held at the FBI office in Austin. Call the school, I’m on my way there.”
All eyes are on me when I hang up, concern on their faces.
“What are you thinking?” Damian asks, reading me well.
What am I thinking? I let those boys go this morning, believing everything I told Marya just now, that with a team of FBI agents on Keswick and Berger behind bars, the kids would be safe. I should’ve known better.
“I’m thinking the link we’ve been looking for between Keswick and the boys is still out there.”
“Fuck.” Damian curses. “Jas, get on the line with Austin. See if there’s anything useful they’re getting from Keswick.”
I don’t wait, grabbing my jacket and heading out the door. Luna comes jogging out after me.
“I’m coming with you.”
CHAPTER 29
Liam
It’s dark in here.
It takes my eyes a moment to get used to the dim light.
The floor is cold underneath my cheek, but when I try to sit up, I discover my hands are tied behind my back. My head starts spinning and I’m about to puke, so I lie back down.
I don’t know where I am, or how I got here, but I know I’m in trouble.
The last thing I remember is Mr. Gruber, my PE teacher, asking me to put away the balls and cones we’d used during class on the sports field behind the school. Outside equipment goes into the storage shed at the edge of the field, next to the parking lot. I can remember walking in, but nothing else.
I look around me, wondering if maybe I was still in the shed, but this place is bigger, and almost empty. There aren’t any windows; just a small crack of light showing under what I think is a door on the far side. It also doesn’t smell like the shed; like fresh cut grass and leather. This place stinks, like the locker room after someone takes a dump. Sweat, piss, and shit. It makes me gag.
I try sitting up again, my eyes focused on a pile of blankets or something in one of the corners. It’s not easy without the use of my hands,
but I manage. This time the spinning is not so bad, and I’m able to lift myself and lean my shoulders against the wall.
The pile of blankets looks like it’s moving.
I try to pull on whatever I have tied around my wrists, but it cuts into my skin so I stop. It feels like one of those plastic straps. It’s on tight; my fingers are tingling.
The blankets move again. Is someone under there?
“Hey,” I try, my voice a little raspy, but it sounds loud in the room.
I watch as the pile shifts and a head pops up. I can’t make out the face.
“Who are you?” The question is whispered, but I can tell it’s a kid.
“Liam. What is this place? Who are you?” I automatically start whispering as well. I don’t want whoever stuck us in here to come back.
“Thomas, and I don’t know.”
“You’re the kid that went missing. Everyone is looking for you.” He doesn’t say anything, but I hear him sniffle. “Hey,” I try again, scooting closer to him. “They’ll find us. My mom’s boyfriend works for the FBI. Dylan will find us.”
I manage to get close enough to see him curled in a ball, his head the only thing visible in the pile of blankets.
“How long have I been here?” he finally asks, opening his eyes on me.
“A while. Two weeks or so.” He closes his eyes again. “Do you remember anything?” He doesn’t answer so I try again. “Hey, did they hurt you? Have you tried getting out? Thomas?”
Nothing. He’s not even moving anymore.
I sit next to him, leaning my head back against the wall, pulling my knees up. The moment I do I feel something poking into my stomach.
My phone. We’re not supposed to have a phone in class, but I just turn it off. It’s small enough it fits in the little pocket inside my sports shorts, and I feel better having it on me.
“Thomas,” I hiss trying to get his attention, but the only response I get is him turning his face in the other direction.
I twist my arms behind me to try and reach for the phone with one of my hands, but I can’t reach far enough that way. Then I try to move my hands under my ass. My brothers sometimes tease me for my freakishly long arms, but for once I’m glad for them.
It’s a struggle to work my lower body through, because the backs of my wrists are tied together, but I finally end up with my bound hands in front.
I drop the phone twice before I manage to turn it on. The moment I do, though, it starts pinging with messages and missed calls coming in.
“Shut it off,” Thomas sits up, the blankets falling away.
I notice he’s not wearing a shirt while I try to work the little button on the side to lower the volume. It’s not easy when your thumbs are pointing in the wrong direction but I get it done. Flipping it open, I manage to dial the shortcut for Dylan, but it doesn’t even ring. I notice it doesn’t have any bars.
“Shit.”
“What?”
“There’s no signal.”
“Try sending a text.”
“How is that going to help?”
“Dad says they don’t need as strong a signal.”
I move my thumb awkwardly over the keypad trying to type out a message. I’m concentrating so hard I don’t hear the footsteps until they’re right outside the door. I’m just able to hit send when the door slams open and a bright light blinds me.
DYLAN
“Fuck!”
I pound my fist on the steering wheel.
“Cool it,” Luna snaps beside me. “You’re not doing anyone a favor if you don’t keep your wits about you.”
We’re in the school parking lot after a frustrating fifteen minutes with the principal and Liam’s PE teacher. They’d stayed behind after Marya called and alerted them to the fact Liam was missing. Everyone else was already gone.
The idiot teacher had left Liam unattended on the sports field to store the equipment and hadn’t checked to make sure he’d come in after. He’d just assumed the boy had come and gone when he found the locker room and showers empty. A quick look in his locker showed his regular clothes and backpack still there.
The only helpful thing the man had been able to share, when we asked if he’d noticed anything, was the dark blue van that pulled up at the edge of the field toward the end of the period. He’d assumed it was a parent picking up one of the kids in his class, stopping to check out the action on the field. He added defensively it wasn’t that unusual.
“Now what?” my voice croaks. I’m sick at the thought of having to face Marya to tell her Liam had been taken.
“Now we touch base with the office.”
She calls in on speakerphone so I hear Damian answer. In brief highlights she outlines the information.
“What was the last time anyone saw him?” Damian asks.
“Around two forty-five is when Gruber went inside with the rest of the kids.”
“Almost an hour by now.”
“Anything helpful from the searches?”
“We haven’t been able to get hold of the team in Farmington yet, but we did talk to the agent in charge in Austin. The condo didn’t yield anything useful and Keswick was not exactly forthcoming, but they did get a DNA sample from him. It’s being flown to the lab in Quantico.”
“That won’t help us find Liam,” I bite off, impatient with the now useless information. Even if it didn’t take at least forty-eight hours to get results, it’s clear Keswick didn’t take Liam, so it’s a moot point.
“What about his phone? Did you find that in his locker?” Jasper’s voice pipes up. “I’ve tried using the tracker, but it’s not showing up.”
Shit. I’d been so pissed with the teacher, I hadn’t even thought about it. I reach into the back seat, pull the backpack I stuffed his clothes into on my lap, and start pulling everything out.
“No phone,” I answer. “We know it’s turned off, but he must have it on him.”
“Or it was disabled,” Luna adds.
“Hang on one sec,” Damian interrupts. “Farmington on the other line.”
We hear a click when we’re put on hold. Luna reaches over and puts her hand on the fist I have clenched in Liam’s clothes. “We’ll get him. We’ll get both of them.”
I just wish I could feel her confidence.
“That was Linden. They found evidence at the Farmington residence to indicate Seth was there at some point. One of his sneakers was found in the walk-in closet of the master bedroom. Looks like they may have hit on his playroom. You don’t wanna know what else they uncovered.”
I try to ignore Damian’s last words. “We’re heading to Farmington,” I announce, already starting the car.
“You’re jumping the gun,” Damian cautions.
“I’m following my gut.” I’m pulling out of the parking lot and beside me Luna clips in her seat belt. At least she seems on board.
“What if you’re wrong?” he asks.
“Can’t sit on my hands, Boss.”
I focus on driving and barely hear the rest of the conversation between Luna and the office. It’s not until we’re coming up on Aztec that she breaks the silence in the vehicle.
“Do you even know where to look?”
“No, but I’m hoping it’ll come to me,” I admit.
“Jasper will keep trying to find the signal on his phone.”
I nod. I know he will, I just hope to God when he does it won’t be too late for Liam. I’ll never be able to face Marya again. I should never have let down my guard.
As if conjured up by my thoughts, my phone in the center console starts ringing, Marya’s name on the screen.
“Are you gonna answer that?” Luna asks, her glare burning me when I let it ring a few times. When I don’t move, she picks it up and identifies herself. “Hey, Marya, yes, he’s behind the wheel. Hang on, I’ll put you on speaker.”
“Dylan?”
Goddammit. She sounds like she’s barely holding it together.
“Right here, Sweetheart.
”
“Anything?”
“Is your mom there, Marya?”
“Yes, and Kerry’s on her way. Dylan? Did you find him?” Damian must’ve alerted his wife at some point, and I’m grateful to know Marya will have some support.
“Not yet. We have a few ideas we’re running down.” I can’t bring myself to tell her we have good reason to believe he was taken.
“O-okay,” she mumbles.
“Hang in there. I won’t stop until I find him.”
Luna looks at me sharply but I mean every word. I will not stop until I find her boy. I just fucking hope he’s alive when I do.
“I know. I should let you get to it.”
I know I don’t deserve the faith she puts in me, but I’ll be damned if I won’t do everything to live up to it. “I’ll call you right away when I have news.”
Luna ends the call and still has the phone in her hand when a message comes in.
“What’s that?”
“Shit. Pull over.”
I don’t hesitate and do as she asks, stopping on the shoulder of the road. We’re somewhere between Durango and Aztec along the 550. I take the phone from her hand and look at the message.
Liam: 10-3 Thomas tied up dark no window only do
“10-3? Stop transmitting?” Luna asks, confused.
“No. The boys made up their own codes. 10-3 is SOS. He’s with Thomas.”
“Right and tied up in the dark. No window, only...door?”
“I’m guessing,” I mutter, already calling into the office. “Jas? Run the tracker, Liam just sent a message. I’ll forward it to you.”
“Fuck,” I hear Jasper curse, never a good sign. “Shit man, the signal flashed on the map a few times and then disappeared again.”
“Where,” I snap.
“South of Farmington. Between the San Juan River and Highway 64.”
I put the Expedition back in drive and dust flies up behind me as I peel away from the shoulder. “What is near?”
I hear him curse again. “The Contechs plant.”
“How far from his house?”
“Ten minutes, tops.”
“Call—”
“Already on it, brother. Damian’s got them on the phone. What’s your ETA?”
10-Code (Rock Point, #4) Page 24