Searching for Faith - A gripping psychological thriller

by Kristen Middleton

  “Sure,” said Paul, running a hand through his hair. “Maybe we’ll have a better chance of finding our daughter with them on board.”

  “I don’t know about better, but when it comes to a missing child, joining forces certainly can’t hurt,” Jim replied.

  Carissa was relieved to see that the sheriff wasn’t against the FBI getting involved. She knew that sometimes local authorities took offense when the bureau jumped in to help. She only hoped that the agents would allow her to stay onboard.

  “Alex,” said Jim, as they made their way to the lounge, “You know you don’t have to stay. I know it’s been a long day for you and I can keep you updated, if you want to go and get some sleep.”

  “No, way. I couldn’t sleep even if I tried, to be honest,” he replied.

  “You and me both,” said Jim.

  When the group arrived back at the front desk, two agents were waiting for them. Jim introduced himself and then everyone else.

  “I’m Special Agent Carrie Frost,” said a woman, who looked to be in her late twenties. Her brown hair was pulled tightly into a bun, making her eyes look almost cat-like. “And that’s Special Agent Rick Mars. I know you’ve probably went over what happened several times tonight, Mr. and Mrs. Bloom, but we need to hear the story directly from you.”

  “No problem,” said Paul. “And can I just say that I’m relieved you’re here. Not that I don’t trust the local police, but I just feel more comfortable knowing that the FBI is here to handle this.”

  “We certainly appreciate your confidence in us and will do everything we can to get your daughter back.” Agent Frost looked at the manager. “Is there a place we can begin interviewing people?”

  “Yes,” he said. “You can use the conference room.” He pointed. “It’s down that hallway. The door is unlocked.”

  “Thank you,” she replied.

  While Rachel and Paul followed the agents, Carissa walked over to the sofa, where Chloe had been sitting. She sat down and looked up at the enormous, mounted grizzly bear by the fireplace. Closing her eyes, she tried to envision what Chloe had been thinking and feeling when the kidnapper had approached her.

  “Are you getting anything?” asked Alex, standing behind her.

  She opened her eyes and looked over her shoulder at him. “Not yet.”

  “Sorry,” he replied, smiling sheepishly. “I’ll leave you alone. Carry on.”

  Carissa tried again. After a few minutes of concentration, she began to pick up some things. First off, that Chloe had still been angry with her father, when she was waiting in the lounge. Secondly, she’d believed that her father had sent the man to take her back to the cabin. Opening her eyes, she told Alex.

  “That explains why she walked out with him so easily,” he replied.

  “There’s something else I’m picking up on,” she said murmured, remembering what the parents had said. Chloe had thrown some kind of temper tantrum. “I think I know why Chloe threw a fit, earlier.”

  Alex walked around and sat down on the sofa. “Why?”

  “She saw something that disturbed her,” Carissa whispered. “Something with her dad. I actually felt it when I was standing next to him.”

  “Rachel did mention that Chloe was supposed to stay overnight with Maddy and then it didn’t happen.” Alex’s eyes widened. “You don’t think…”

  Carissa nodded. “Yes. I actually do think she may have seen Paul doing something inappropriate with Maddy. That’s why she took off on him. Paul knows, too, and doesn’t want Rachel to find out.”

  “Wow, you picked up all of that?”

  She nodded.

  “I guess it doesn’t surprise me. He’s kind of a dick,” said Alex.

  She agreed.

  The front door opened and an older man rushed inside. He walked over to where Jim was talking to Mr. Johnson and asked where Paul and Rachel Bloom were.

  “They’re in the conference room, talking to the FBI,” said Jim, who was drinking a cup of coffee. “I’m Sheriff Jim Collins. Who might you be?”

  “My name is Harold Williams. I heard about their little girl,” he said, looking distraught. “I think I might have some information that could help.”

  “What kind of information?” he asked.

  “I was in the parking lot, brushing the snow off of my car, when I noticed a man walking into the lounge. This was shortly after I’d run into Chloe and her father. The poor thing had fallen onto the ice. Anyway, I didn’t think much of it until Mackenzie called and told me what happened. Thinking back, this guy looked a little suspicious.”

  Alex and Carissa got up from the sofa and walked over to them.

  “I take it you didn’t see this guy leave with Chloe?” asked the sheriff.

  “No, I left about a minute after he walked into the lodge,” he replied.

  “What was he wearing?” asked Jim.

  “A black winter jacket. He had a grey hoodie on underneath, that was pulled over his head,” said Harold. “I didn’t get a good look at his face, but I knew which car was his. I’d seen him digging around in the trunk, earlier.”

  “Harold, I could kiss you right now,” said the Sheriff, taking out his notepad. “What kind was it?”

  “Chevy Impala. A newer model,” he replied. “It was red.”

  Alex frowned.

  “You sure about that?” said Mr. Johnson, looking shocked. “A red Impala?”

  “Yes,” replied Harold.

  “You know who he is,” said Carissa.

  The manager nodded.

  Chapter 25

  CHLOE WOKE UP. Her head was throbbing and she felt dizzy. Wincing, she cried out for her mother.

  In answer, a dog began to bark somewhere.

  Startled, Chloe’s eyes adjusted to the darkness. She looked around and realized that she wasn’t in the cabin but some strange bedroom. It was then that she remembered walking out of the lodge with someone and then her daddy calling her name.

  Chloe gasped.

  The man had lied.

  Suddenly, very frightened, her eyes filled with tears.

  Where was she?

  She got out of the bed and walked over to the door. Turning on the light, she looked around the bedroom. It reminded her a little of the one she had at home, only this one had white furniture and a pink comforter. There were dolls and stuffed animals on a nearby shelf, an easel, a caddy with paint supplies, and a toy box at the end of the bed, with the name “Faith” engraved on the top.

  Turning around, she tried opening up the door, but it was locked.

  “Mommy!” she called, hoping that she was wrong and that her mother would appear.

  She heard a noise from above and then a footsteps. Backing away, Chloe stared at the door, wondering who was coming for her.

  “Mommy?” she whispered, her lips quivering.

  She heard an upstairs door opening and then someone climbing down a creaky staircase. A dog was with the person, barking frantically. Chloe was so terrified, she got back into the bed and pulled the covers up to her chin.

  “Maisie, settle down,” said a familiar voice.

  Recognizing the voice, Chloe’s heart sank. The man from the resort unlocked the door and a small dog raced into the bedroom. It ran straight for her and she couldn’t help but smile a little as it jumped up and began licking her hands.

  “That’s Maisie,” he said, standing in the doorway.

  “Where’s my mommy and daddy?” she asked, trembling.

  He sighed and walked into the bedroom. “I see they’ve really brainwashed you well.”

  “Huh?” she asked, not understanding.

  He sat down on the bed next to her. “Your name is not Chloe. It’s Faith.”

  Staring at him, she shook her head. “No.”

  He grabbed her hand and stared into her eyes. “Yes. You’re my daughter and… this is your dog, now. Maisie.” He grinned. “I bought her for you.”

  She began to cry. What he was saying didn’t ma
ke any sense. “I want my mommy.”

  His smile fell. “Your mommy took you from me. You don’t want her. She’s a horrible woman.”

  Chloe began crying harder.

  He sighed. “Look,” he said, wiping her wet cheek with his thumb. “I know this is a lot for you to handle right now, but you have to realize that those people you were with are not your parents. I’m your father and now we can finally be together. You and me.”

  “I want my daddy,” she cried, getting out of the bed.

  Clenching his jaw, he grabbed her arms and shook her. “I’m right here,” he snapped. “I’m your daddy. Me!”

  The dog began to bark at the man.

  “Shut up, Maisie,” he said and then kicked the Beagle.

  The dog yelped and ran off.

  Terrified beyond belief, Chloe closed her eyes and sobbed. She was going to die, she just knew it.

  “Faith! Look at me,” growled the man. He shook her again. “Open up your eyes!”

  She did and the look on his face made her pee her pants.

  “I don’t want to hurt you,” he said, his eyes boring into hers. “Do you believe me?”

  She nodded in fear.

  He relaxed. “You made me kick Maisie. That was your fault.”

  Chloe looked at the puppy. Her tail was tucked and she was trembling by the doorway.

  “Now, I know it’s going to take some time for me to fix what those people did to you but you need to know that sometimes I get very angry but… I don’t want to hurt you.” His eyes softened. “I love you, Faith.”

  She just stared at him.

  “Tell me that you love me, too,” he said, his grip tightening.

  “I love you, too,” she squeaked.

  “I love you, Daddy,” he said firmly.

  Chloe could barely see him through her tears. “I love you, Daddy,” she repeated.

  He grinned. “Good. Now, are you hungry? I know it’s late, but a little ice cream never hurt anyone, right?”

  She was too afraid to say anything and just nodded.

  “Good. You’re going to have to stay down here. You can eat over there for now,” he said, pointing to the small, pink table and chair set.

  Chloe nodded.

  “I’ll be right back,” he replied. “In the meantime, I know that you had an accident and I’m not mad, okay?”

  She just stared at him.

  He sighed. “There are some pajamas in the dresser. Why don’t you go into the bathroom, clean yourself up, and put those on?”

  “Okay,” she said in a hoarse voice, afraid to disobey him.

  “Look, we may have started out on the wrong foot, but I promise you, Honey, we’re going to be very happy together. Especially in Alaska.”

  Her breath caught in her throat. “Alaska?”

  He grinned. “That’s where we’re going to live. You, me, and Maisie. We’ll be leaving tomorrow, before noon. Don’t worry – we’ll get you some new clothes on the way up there. I’ve been planning this for a very long time.”

  Chloe felt like the floor had dropped from under her. He was taking her someplace far, where her parents would never, ever be able to find her.

  “I’ll be back. Come on Maisie,” he said. “I’ll give you a treat, too. You deserve one.”

  The man left the bedroom with Maisie at his heels. He locked the door and went back upstairs.

  Chapter 26

  AFTER LEAVING FAITH alone in the bedroom, he hurried upstairs to get her some ice cream. Although, he’d lost his temper, slightly, he felt that they’d made a connection at the very end.

  “Here, Maisie,” he said, reaching into the dog treat canister. He threw her one and then rubbed the crumbs on his jeans.

  Maisie grabbed a large dog biscuit and went into the corner to eat it.

  “Sorry about earlier,” he said to the dog, grabbing a bowel out of the cupboard. “Things got a little intense. I suppose I should probably take my pills. I can’t let my temper get the best of me.”

  The dog didn’t look up from her treat.

  Sighing, he went over to the freezer, to grab the container of chocolate-chip ice cream, when his cell phone began to ring.

  “Shit,” he mumbled, taking it out of his hoodie. It was his cousin.

  “Hey, what’s up?” he asked, shocked to be getting a call from him. They hadn’t spoken in ages.

  “What in the hell have you done?”

  His heart skipped a beat. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “I’ve been trying to call you all night, dammit, why didn’t you answer?”

  “I was working.”

  “Let me guess, Superior Views Resort?”

  “Yes. I bartend there on the weekends. I told you that a while ago.”

  “Jesus, I didn’t want to believe that you were capable of this,” he said angrily. “I tried telling myself that there was no way you’d be involved. Obviously, I was wrong.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Involved with what?”

  “Cut the bullshit. Where is the girl?”

  “Who?”

  “Chloe, Dammit! What have you done with her?”

  “Chloe? Who’s that?” he said, panicking. Now that his cousin was on to him, he couldn’t afford to wait until tomorrow to leave town.

  “No more lies. Jesus, Ben, how could you do this? They were just innocent, little girls.”

  “I didn’t do anything.”

  “I’m coming over. Don’t you dare leave your house,” he growled and then hung up.

  “Shit,” muttered Ben. He shoved his phone back into his hoodie and raced downstairs. He unlocked the door and noticed that Faith was still in the bathroom. He rushed over and pounded on the door. “Faith, are you finished in there?”

  The door opened slowly and she stared up at him with frightened eyes.

  “Sorry about this but we have a change of plans,” he said. “We’re leaving right now.”

  Chapter 27

  JIM TOLD THE FBI what he’d learned and they put an All-Points Bulletin out for Ben Frazer, one of the part-time bartenders.

  “The address we have is registered under his mother’s name,” said Jim.

  “She passed away a couple of years ago,” said the manager. “At least, that’s what he told me.”

  “Let’s head over there,” said Jim, digging into his pocket for his keys.

  “I’m coming with,” said Paul.

  “No. You stay here,” Jim replied, heading toward the doorway with the Feds. “Once we get your little girl back, I’ll call you.”

  “This is bullshit,” said Paul, watching as the police and FBI rushed out of the lodge. “Chloe is going to be frightened. What if something goes wrong? What if she gets hurt?”

  “Listen,” said Alex. “I don’t want to put a damper on things, but it’s highly unlikely that Ben Frazer is waiting around at home for the cops to show up. I’d bet money on it that he’s on his way out of town.”

  “Thanks for the encouraging words,” said Paul dryly.

  Alex took out his truck keys. “I’m going to follow them out there and I’ll keep you guys posted myself.”

  “Thank you,” said Rachel.

  “I should follow you,” said Paul. “Waiting here is going to drive me insane.”

  “No,” said Alex. “You might get in the way and the sheriff would be furious if you showed up.”

  “Fine,” he mumbled.

  Once Alex was gone, Rachel asked Carissa what she thought.

  “To be honest, I think that Alex might be right,” she said. “I feel like they’re wasting time looking there.”

  Rachel sighed.

  “At least they know who he is,” mumbled Paul. “I swear, though, if they don’t find this guy soon, I’m going to jump in my truck and start searching this town myself.”

  Carissa was also beginning to feel the same way.

  “I’m going back to the cabin to change,” he said, putting his jacket on.


  “Me, too,” said Rachel, who was still dressed up from earlier. She looked at Carissa. “We’ll catch up with you soon?”

  “Sure,” said Carissa.

  “I’m going back to my office,” the manager said, as the couple left the building. “I need to wrap my mind around this. I can’t believe Ben would be capable of kidnapping and murder.”

  “One never knows what another person is capable of,” said Carissa. “Or themselves, for that matter.”

  “I guess not,” he replied.

  Carissa sat back down on the sofa. Staring into the fire, she felt like she was missing something. Something important.

  “Excuse me,” said a woman’s voice.

  Carissa looked up and saw an attractive woman in her twenties. She recognized her as one of the bartenders.

  “I saw you with the police, earlier. I know you’re helping with the case.”

  “Yes.”

  “My name is Janet. I just heard about Ben,” she said. “We work together, you know? I just can’t believe he could do something like that.”

  “People used to surprise me all the time. Not anymore,” admitted Carissa. There were a lot of deep, dark secrets out there and there were times when she wished that she didn’t have psychic gifts.

  “We went out a couple of times. Just as friends, though,” said Janet, sitting down next to her. “I just can’t believe he could harm a child. Did he really kidnap and murder that other little girl they found in Lutsen?”

  “I think so,” she replied.

  “Wow,” she shuddered. “That’s just creepy.”

  Carissa nodded. “Do you know if Ben was married before or had a daughter?”

  “If he did, he never mentioned it to me. He dated a lot though. Rather, I should say he ‘hooked up’ a lot.”

  Carissa remembered seeing Ben smiling flirtatiously at her from behind the bar. She could definitely see him being a player.

  Janet stared into the fire. “Now, thinking back, I almost feel like he was trying to prove something to himself. Like, he could ‘get with’ anyone he wanted. Even married women weren’t off limits.”