by Brenda Novak
“Another hour or so.”
“Then you need to slow down. Misty was late going to lunch today. The first freakin’ day she isn’t dying to feed her fat face at exactly noon. Can you believe it? Anyway, I think I’m behind you.”
No! Not behind. She wanted to get this over with, turn Zoe over to her husband as soon as possible.
Tiffany checked her speed but didn’t dare ease off the gas. She could always pretend to get lost once they exited the freeway and were out of range of any cell towers. “I hope he didn’t do it, either,” she said randomly, for Zoe’s benefit.
“Tell Colin I’m so grateful for his support,” Zoe murmured.
Tiffany gritted her teeth against the jealousy that welled up. “She says to tell you she’s grateful for your support.”
“Tell her I’d do anything for her,” he said with a satisfied chuckle.
“He hopes it helps,” she said instead and hung up.
Her eyebrows furrowed in an expression of concern, Zoe nodded and stared straight ahead.
Then Zoe’s cell phone rang. It was a wrong number, but it still put Tiffany on edge. Because she knew Jonathan Stivers or Detective Thomas could call at any moment….
* * *
Whoever had come home and nearly surprised Jonathan hadn’t stayed long. Just as the door opened, he’d dashed into the garage, where he’d only had to wait a minute before a car that’d been left running in the drive pulled away. He wasn’t sure if it was Tiffany or Colin. He hadn’t been willing to risk detection in order to look. He’d provoked Colin after the man had nearly been fired; he wasn’t about to hand him a big stick.
It didn’t matter who’d come home, anyway. It only mattered that he hadn’t been seen. That gave him the chance to get out, and he immediately did just that.
But he wasn’t happy about the wasted time. Colin and Tiffany were young, attractive, successful. Not your average pedophiles. What had he been thinking following up on such a long shot?
He unlocked his car, which he’d parked around the block so it wouldn’t be seen on Colin’s street.
He’d been thinking he’d solved the mystery, of course. But now he just felt foolish. If Colin was as twisted as the man who’d attacked Toby, there would’ve been some sign of it in his house—videotapes, pictures, pornography, sex toys, something—especially if his wife was aware of his perversion and he didn’t have to hide.
“What a waste,” he grumbled and turned on his phone. He had an appointment with Detective Thomas at 1:30 p.m. and wanted to check the time. Fortunately, he still had an hour, but he’d missed a slew of calls, most of which had come from Zoe.
Eager to find out what was so urgent, he called her right away. And she answered on the first ring.
“What’s going on?” he asked. He hoped Toby had revealed some specific information about the man who’d hurt him, enough that they could catch the bastard. He heard Jasmine’s voice echoing in his head—You need to find her, Jon. You need to find her now—but he was no closer to saving Sam than he’d been the day she disappeared.
“Didn’t you get my messages?” she asked.
“Not yet.” Deciding to call her instead, he hadn’t listened to his voice mail messages.
“Where are you?”
“On my way to Truckee. We’ve got a lead on Sam.” The words came in a breathless rush.
“What?” His hand froze halfway to the ignition. That was exactly what he’d been hoping. “Because of Toby?”
“No. Toby still has a lot of healing to do. He’s not completely coherent yet, and the doctors don’t want us bothering him, anyway. His condition is too fragile.”
“So where did this lead come from?”
“Right next door.”
“You’re kidding!”
“It’s not what you think, though,” she hurried on. “Colin’s father, a man named Paddy Bell, has a history of pedophilia. He molested Colin while he was growing up. His sister, too.”
“No…”
“Yes, but Colin and Tiffany thought that was old news. A terrible period that ended when Colin’s mother found out and left him.” She paused. “Until he went missing on Friday night.”
Jonathan let his head fall back. “Colin’s father went missing?”
“Yes.”
“What happened to him?”
“We’re not completely sure. We think he’s on the run. Colin saw a news report on Toby, noticed that the boy was kidnapped from his father’s neighborhood and mentioned it to him.”
Jonathan watched a middle-aged man drive by in a car that needed a muffler. “And then?”
“A day or so later, Colin realized that his father also knew Sam, or knew of her. Paddy had even mentioned her a few times.”
Jonathan’s blood ran cold. No wonder he hadn’t been able to solve the case. There was nothing to give Paddy Bell away. He was too distantly connected.
“When he started asking Paddy about Sam, it must’ve made Paddy nervous, because he took off not long after,” she said.
“Why didn’t Colin tell me this when I saw him a couple hours ago?”
“I’ve got Tiffany here. Let me see what she says.”
Zoe asked her the question, and Jonathan could hear Colin’s wife’s response.
“He wasn’t sure,” Tiffany was saying. “We were both hoping that…that we were wrong and he’d show up. No one wants to accuse a family member of something like that. If he’s just off with another woman, he’ll never forgive Colin, or me, for bringing up the past and ruining his reputation. But when Mr. Stivers came by the firm and then called me, we both realized we had to take that chance.”
Jonathan felt bad for the way he’d behaved in Colin’s office. The guy had already been having a bad day. And, happily married or not, Colin had a crush on Zoe, which complicated matters. Not surprising that he hadn’t wanted to reveal what he suspected of his father.
At least he’d done the right thing in the end. “So we know who might’ve taken her and we think she might be in Truckee?” he asked Zoe.
“Jasmine mentioned a forest, remember?”
How could he forget? It had been on his mind all day. “I remember.”
“Paddy owns a cabin in the mountains outside Truckee.”
“Holy shit.” Spurred into action, he jammed his key into the ignition. “I’m coming. Where are you?”
“We just passed Auburn.”
“Who’s we? You and Tiffany?”
“Yes. We’re in her car.”
He pulled into the street, heading for Interstate 80. “And Colin?”
“He’s still at work.”
Of course. Jonathan had seen the way Scovil had treated him, knew he’d probably lose his job if he left. “Where should we meet?”
“We can’t stop, Jonathan. We can’t even slow down. I’m too frantic.”
“Zoe, I know what you’re feeling. But I’d rather be with you. We have no idea what you might find.”
“Can’t you just meet us there?”
He knew no amount of warning would convince her to stop now that she thought Sam was so close. She’d walk through fire if she had to. And he wasn’t that far behind. He could catch up or arrive shortly afterward. “Okay. Where is it?”
“Here, I’ll let Tiffany give you directions.”
“Have you notified the police?” he asked before Zoe could pass the phone.
“I’ve left a message for Detective Thomas. I think we’re covered. Colin reported it, too.”
“Great. Let me talk to Tiffany, then.”
“I’ll see you there.”
“Whatever happens, Zoe…” He wasn’t quite sure what he wanted to say. He hated the thought of her finding Sam in Toby’s condition—or worse. He wished she’d let him shield her. But every minute mattered; he understood that. “…I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Okay.” She sniffed and he knew she was crying. “Thanks.”
He reached the freeway while he was talking to
Tiffany and nearly floored the gas pedal—only to be slowed by traffic through Lincoln a few minutes later. After he hung up, he continued to drive as fast as traffic would allow. But he didn’t see Tiffany’s BMW anywhere along the interstate.
And although he followed the directions Tiffany had given him very carefully, he couldn’t find the cabin.
CHAPTER 34
The only thing wrong with his plan was that he didn’t have the time to implement it properly, Colin thought. He had to rush, and he was running late.
He’d sent a text to Tiffany telling her to waste half an hour and she’d responded with “HURRY!!!” But there was nothing he could do to get there any faster. He’d had to stop by Tommy’s cousin’s house before he left Sacramento to pick up keys to the rental he’d asked to use. The house, little more than a shack, was in Chester, not Tahoe or Truckee, which meant he had a long drive ahead of him after he grabbed Zoe and Sam. But it would be worth it. Using someone else’s place meant there’d be no records of any kind, and Tommy’s cousin was a distant enough contact that he probably didn’t even know Colin’s full name. Bill Bristol was lending it out for the whole week on the promise that Tommy would make it up to him by letting him use his sandrail for a summer trip. And Colin was making it up to Tommy by letting him use Tiffany for two nights this week while he was gone. He’d tried to whittle his side of the trade down to one night, but Tommy had driven a hard bargain and Colin had been too desperate not to agree.
Now he just needed to convince Tiffany to do whatever Tommy wanted. He’d promised she’d be open and completely flexible. He’d even drawn some graphic images to encourage Tommy to jump on the deal. Hopefully, that diamond he’d bought his wife yesterday would help make her amenable. He’d get her another present, if necessary. Maybe a new car. And he’d remind her that once this week was over, Zoe would be gone for good and so would Sam.
Because he’d been speeding, Colin checked his rearview mirror for cops, breathed easier when he didn’t see any and eased over toward the next exit. He was almost at the cabin. Once he took care of business in Tahoe and reached Chester, he’d be safe. He’d have to drive back to Sacramento and put in an appearance here and there over the next few days, just to let everyone know he hadn’t gone missing along with his father, Zoe and Sam. But he could blame the long hours he spent away from home on the fact that he was so busy searching for his father.
God, he couldn’t have set it up any better.
* * *
Sam heard her name as if from a great distance. She was swimming deep beneath the water, enjoying its shimmer and smoothness, and ignored the voice that was calling her. Somehow she could breathe, stay under as long as she wanted, which should’ve told her it wasn’t real. But she didn’t care about real. She just wanted to be comfortable.
She would’ve stayed right where she was, but her mother stood at the water’s edge, telling her she needed to talk to her immediately.
Fighting hard to obey, she struggled to lift her heavy eyelids and gazed up at the blurry image looming over her. “Mom?” she said, her voice a mere croak.
“Oh, good. I thought you were dead.”
That was Colin’s voice. And he didn’t sound as if he really cared one way or another. Maybe that was why he’d abandoned her. She’d eaten the granola bars he’d left and drunk the water, then used whatever energy she had to dig at the spike that held her in place. But it had been no use. She was too weak to free herself.
For the past—she didn’t know how many hours—she’d slipped in and out of consciousness, listening to the flies buzz. They landed on her all the time, tickling her cheek, her forehead, her arms and legs, but she couldn’t even swat them away. “You’re…evil,” she said.
“Sticks and stones,” he responded with a laugh. “Anyway, I’ve got some good news.”
“You’re dying of…cancer?” Her eyelids closed again—it was too much trouble to keep them open—but she managed a smile at her own joke. She had to be delirious to provoke him, but she was too numb to care, too numb to feel fear.
“Ha. You’re funny, you know that?
“And you’re…a…a dumb fathead.”
Shoot. Couldn’t she come up with a better insult? Not in her current state. Her mouth was so dry she could hardly speak.
“Oh, yeah? If I’m such a fathead, how come I’m the one in control? You’re in a suitcase, where you’ve been peeing on yourself.”
She curled up. “I’d still…rather be me.”
He laughed again. “Deathly sick? Wearing a collar? Staked to the ground? And smelling like shit?”
“At least—” she licked her cracked lips “—I’m worth loving.”
“What a little bitch you are!” The tenor of his voice told her that her words had stung. It was a small victory, but with Colin a victory was a victory.
“You’d rather I was…stupid…like Tiffany?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“…thinking you’re…some…something special?”
“If you don’t shut up, I’ll kill you before your mother even gets here,” he snapped.
At this, she dragged in her first sharp breath. “What’d you say?”
“I said you stink like a pig.”
“What about my mother?”
He didn’t repeat it. He left and returned with a container of water, which he poured over her to rinse away the urine. Then he carried her to his car, put her in the passenger seat and handcuffed the end of her chain to the steering wheel.
* * *
Zoe was frantic by the time Tiffany found the cabin. It’d taken them more than two hours to reach a place they should’ve been able to get to in an hour and a half. But as they drove through the trees and the wooden A-frame appeared in front of her, fear overtook frustration.
“There’s no car,” she said.
“I don’t see one,” Tiffany agreed.
“Then Paddy can’t be here. No one could reach this place without transportation. It’s too remote.”
Tiffany didn’t respond.
“So…what now?” She was asking herself more than Tiffany, asking herself if she could deal with the disappointment.
“We should look around, don’t you think?” Tiffany said. “See if anyone’s been here?”
Zoe nodded. Please, God, help me find my child. And let her be okay.
Tiffany opened her door. “Maybe…maybe you should stay here for a minute. You know, just in case.”
Zoe’s heart lodged in her throat. Just in case…what? Just in case they found her daughter dead?
The macabre image that rose in her mind nearly made her throw up. “No, I’ll come. G-give me a minute.” She put her head between her knees to reestablish her equilibrium.
“You don’t look so good. Stay here.” Tiffany hopped out before Zoe could conquer the sudden nausea. Now that the cabin seemed to be empty she’d lost the sense of urgency that’d propelled her this far. Fear and dread acted like fifty-pound weights on each limb, making it difficult to move. Why not let Tiffany tell her if it was safe to look? Zoe didn’t want her last memory of Sam to be the sight that might very well greet her if she walked through that door….
So she watched Colin’s wife hurry to the cabin and disappear inside. Then she coaxed herself to lean back and draw deep breaths while she waited. She had to be prepared for the worst, had to be ready to bear up under…whatever.
Fortunately, Jonathan would be coming soon. Knowing that made the situation just a little easier.
But no car pulled in behind the BMW. And, a moment later, Tiffany emerged from the cabin and crossed over to a ramshackle outbuilding without even glancing up.
What was going on? Tiffany knew how anxious Zoe was….
Impatient, she opened her car door and got out. Her knees felt less than steady as she stumbled toward the shed, but determination kept her moving. “Sam, be alive. Be alive, baby,” she whispered.
Before Zoe could make it halfway across the cle
aring, Tiffany came out and let the spring-loaded door slam behind her.
“Anything?” Zoe asked hopefully.
“She was in there, all right.” Tiffany gestured behind her.
Zoe’s eyes zeroed in on the shed and her vision narrowed until it was all she could see. “How do you know?”
“There’s some granola wrappers and an old blanket inside.”
That was it? How did that tell Tiffany anything? Anyone could’ve left some trash. “But no—” she swallowed hard, made her mouth form the word “—body?”
“No.” She beckoned Zoe toward her. “Come see for yourself.”
Something was wrong. Tiffany had stepped out of the car as one person—solicitous, worried, sweet—and returned as another. Her eyes glittered with some emotion Zoe hadn’t seen earlier, and her nostrils flared as if she was extremely agitated or excited.
Zoe managed a smile that felt too tight on her face. “That’s okay. We’d better get the police.”
Tiffany’s eyes widened, and her nostrils flared again. “You don’t want to see what I found?”
“I wouldn’t want to destroy any forensic evidence.” She took a step back. “If Sam’s not here, the police will be better equipped to deal with any leads your father-in-law might’ve left.”
Tiffany glanced behind her. “But…but you drove all this way.”
To find Sam. To save her, if possible. But Tiffany had just said Sam wasn’t here. “I’ll go over every detail with the police.”
“But there’s—” she frowned, glanced behind her again “—something you should see.”
“What is it?”
“Take a look.” Hoping Jonathan would arrive, Zoe twisted around to check the road again. But the dust kicked up by their tires had long since settled and there was no sound—nothing but the drone of insects.
“I don’t want to.”
“You don’t have to go all the way inside,” Tiffany said. “Just poke your head in. Maybe you’ll recognize the swimsuit top I saw in there.”
If she’d spotted a girl’s swimsuit top, why didn’t she grab it and bring it out?
You have a…really nice wife.