Now I need You more than ever. I love Caitlyn. I don’t want to lose her.
When he entered the library, his gaze zoomed in on Caitlyn’s purse on the floor by a chair. He rushed around to see if she’d been concealed from his view by the high-back somehow. She wasn’t there.
He swept around to figure out if she could be somewhere else in the room. Again he investigated everywhere she could be hidden from view. She wasn’t in here, but she wouldn’t have left without her purse. Ian returned to the chair and scoured the area around it for clues.
That was when he spied one of her flat black shoes mostly concealed under the skirt of the couch.
Caitlyn had been taken.
* * *
Slowly, the fog cleared from Caitlyn’s mind, but she remained still, lying on some kind of mattress, a musky odor replacing the smell she remembered right before she’d passed out. Was it chloroform? Her head throbbed against her skull. The bite of the twine on her wrists and ankles told her she was tied up. She listened for any sound to indicate a person was nearby. Nothing. The eerie silence underscored how alone she was.
Was this how Jane, Kelli and Missy had been taken?
She remembered seeing Rob Owens right before she went into the library. Was he involved? She would never have suspected him. He’d always been friendly and helpful to anyone at the clinic. She had a hard time seeing Rob as the killer. Was there someone else at the Shephards’ house who was the killer?
Maybe she was wrong.
What if Clark Williams had been released on bail today and he’d come after her? It had seemed unlikely he was the killer. Clark still had a grudge against her because Kelli finally left him, and he blamed her for that. This might have nothing to do with the other murders. If that were the case, she had a chance of talking him out of doing any bodily harm to her.
The creaking of a door alerted her she wasn’t alone anymore.
The sound of footsteps approaching the bed sent alarm through her body. Her muscles stiffened, preparing her to take a strike. With her breath bottled in her lungs, she waited.
“Quit playing games. I know you’re awake.”
The female voice froze Caitlyn to her core.
* * *
Ian met the sheriff and police chief in the foyer. “No sign of Caitlyn. Have the other searchers checked in?”
Tom nodded. “Nothing was caught on their security cameras. Whoever took Caitlyn knew where the cameras were and avoided them. Except for one at the front gates. There were three cars that left the ranch within the time frame of when she was kidnapped. Two were employees’, and the other was a stolen vehicle, taken near Austin yesterday.”
“We need to focus on the stolen car. I also have an officer going to each employee’s home to talk with them. Maybe they saw something. One didn’t exit too long after the stolen car went through the front gates.”
Ian’s mind churned with all the possibilities of what could go wrong. “Then it’s feasible the kidnapper killed Greg Quinn, stole the car and drove here to take Caitlyn. When did the stolen car come to the ranch? With the funeral attendees?” He tamped down any thoughts except ones centered on this case.
“I’ll see that the camera is checked for when the car came to the ranch.” Chief Franklin’s cell phone rang. “Excuse me.”
The sheriff’s frown deepened. “I know it might be too late, but we’re working with the highway patrol officers to have roadblocks set up on all the roads out of here. If the kidnapper is in the area, we’ll get him.”
But was it too late for Caitlyn? “Did the security photo of the stolen car show the person driving? If he lives here, he could hole up somewhere and wait us out. How about traffic cams? Anything on them?”
“The windows in the car were tinted, and the photo didn’t capture the driver’s face. There was no stolen car on the traffic cams around the time of the kidnapping, but we don’t have many in place. Most are around the town. There are a lot of places to hide outside of Longhorn.”
“And there’s always the possibility he left here and is far away from the ranch by now.”
“An alert has been issued statewide and for the surrounding states. We’re using the press in town to spread the word. It’s gone national.”
The sound of a helicopter flying overhead reinforced the extent of help with the kidnapping. “I hope he’s still driving the stolen car, but this person has been one step ahead of us and bold. He most likely has another vehicle stashed somewhere else and has already traded it.”
Chief Franklin joined them, sliding his phone into his pocket. “The stolen car was found not far from here on this side of the lake. The helicopter spotted it from the air. They didn’t see anyone around it, but their view was hampered by the tree cover.”
“Tom and I will go investigate it, while you deal with the guests. See who was attending the party but isn’t here now.”
“Don’t worry about here. Just find Caitlyn.” The police chief gave Ian and Tom the location. “I’ll finish up speaking with the last few guests while my officers interview the senator’s staff. I’ll let you know if we find out any useful information. Maybe someone saw something and doesn’t know its significance.”
“I hope so.” Ian started for the front door. “I’m driving.” He had to do something or he’d go crazy with worry. He’d seen the work of the killer when he was through with his victims. He had to save Caitlyn from that fate. He had to keep going, remain focused.
Ian sped away from the house, only slowing for the gate to open. When he took the turn onto the road around the lake, the rear of his car fishtailed. He steered his SUV straight and kept going.
“I’d like to reach the stolen vehicle in one piece.” Tom gripped the edge of the seat.
“She’s already been gone for a couple of hours. You know how important time is in cases like this.” He’d let her down. He should have been able to protect her.
When Ian pulled up to the brown sedan, he snapped on his latex gloves and jumped out of the car before Tom. He had to know if she was in the trunk like Kelli had been. His heartbeat hammered against his rib cage. Tom said something, but all Ian heard was the thundering of his pulse in his ears.
His hand shook as he punched the trunk button by the driver’s seat. The pop of it opening shuddered through him as he made his way to the rear. When he stepped around to look inside, he closed his eyes after the sight of the empty trunk.
Thank You, Lord. I still have a chance to rescue her.
His gaze lit upon Caitlyn’s other black flat. It taunted Ian. Was it left accidentally or on purpose? “She was in here.” He lifted the shoe and dropped it in an evidence bag Tom held out. “Before we start processing the car, let’s check the area. Did they walk or drive away?”
Ian took the left half while Tom worked the right side. Immediately around the vehicle, there were no obvious signs of tire tracks other than the stolen sedan’s. “Let’s expand our search. I wish the ground wasn’t so hard and dry. Even footprints would help tell which direction he went with Caitlyn. Are there any cabins around here?”
“A couple on this side. I’m calling one of my deputies to come and search the car for any further evidence while we investigate them.” Tom took out his cell phone.
“Good. How about using a boat? What if the kidnapper had a small craft waiting here to throw us off?” This part of the lake had only one way in or out, but once on open water, there would be a lot of places he could take Caitlyn.
“I’ll have the helicopter fly over the lake and report anything suspicious.”
Ian used the time to walk to the edge of the lake and scour the brush and rocky surface for any signs of a boat having been there. Had Caitlyn left the shoe in the trunk on purpose? If so, then was there some other sign she’d left them to follow? She was a fighter and wouldn’t go down without a battle—unless she was
knocked out or dead.
He pivoted to go back to his SUV. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a boot print in the muddy edge of the lake near the stony shoreline. Another one was partly in the water and was losing its definition. Ian quickly took pictures of what he found. The person who’d planted them and was possibly Caitlyn’s kidnapper wore either a size eleven or twelve shoe.
“Tom, I found boot prints. We need a boat patrol.”
The sheriff closed the distance between them. “I agree. I couldn’t find any tire tracks except the ones the sedan made.”
Ian’s cell phone rang, and he quickly answered the call from Chief Franklin. “Any leads?”
“More information than a lead. The stolen car came into the ranch when the caterers entered. The lady that owns the catering company said there was a brown car behind them. She didn’t think much of it. There was a lot of activity at that time, with some of the staff getting ready for the guests during the funeral. Again the driver of the vehicle wasn’t caught on the camera.”
“Thanks. We think the kidnapper used a boat to get away after ditching the brown sedan.”
“That’s a good-sized lake with a lot of coves. I’ll let you know if I discover anything else to help you find Caitlyn.”
“How is Sally holding up?”
“She’s a tough lady. She’s sure you’re going to find the kidnapper in time. Sean and Emma are staying by her side.”
When Ian disconnected the call, he faced the lake, his gaze skimming the shoreline.
Lord, I can’t do this without You. I found Caitlyn again, and I can’t lose her this time.
* * *
Caitlyn opened her eyes, the bright overhead light blinding her for a few seconds until Missy Quinn hovered over her. Why hadn’t Caitlyn seen the resemblance before today?
“You’re related to Marcus Browning.” Caitlyn saw it in the eyes and the chin line. Marcus had had blond hair like Missy but a darker shade. She was petite but not frail-looking as Marcus had been.
“He’s my twin. He came to you for help and instead he ended up killing himself. You were supposed to save him.” The hatred in her expression and words blasted Caitlyn.
And, for a few seconds, she felt she deserved the blame for Marcus’s suicide. “I tried to help him. He was making progress. I was shocked when I found him dead.”
“I’m sure that lets you sleep at night. But it’s a lie. Now you’re going to pay for that just as soon as my brother comes back.”
“Brother?”
“Yes. You know him as Rob Owens. He had a great time destroying your office.”
“His name isn’t Rob Owens?”
“No. He’s my younger brother and he has always done what I ask. He loved Marcus and was devastated when he died.”
Caitlyn’s head pounded from the chloroform she’d been forced to breathe. She shoved the pain from her mind. If she could delay their plans, she might have a chance to get loose, or Ian might find her.
“His credentials were falsified. It helped he had criminal connections,” Missy said.
“He was good at his job, from what I heard.”
“He was an orderly for two years.” Missy checked the ropes around Caitlyn’s ankles to make sure they were secure, then rolled her onto her side to inspect her hands bound behind her back. “I’m proud of my younger brother. He went in and out of your office at will. You had no idea he took your extra set of keys and made copies for me, but it sure helped. I didn’t even have to break into your house, but I did just to throw the police off.” She turned away.
“Why kill Jane, Kelli and your husband?”
Missy stiffened and balled her hands. When she twisted back toward her, deep lines on her face portrayed the depth of her anger. “Marcus was in love with Jane, and she wouldn’t have him.”
“They were friends.”
“Is that what she said? She lied. He cried on the phone to me about her, not long before he killed himself. I couldn’t let her live when he didn’t. Or you.”
“Then why did you murder Kelli and Greg?”
“I needed someone to throw off the police. Kelli was easy to get to and fit the bill as one of your patients. Greg hadn’t been planned. He came in when I was setting up the crime scene in my house. I knocked him out and, when Lex came to help me do something with Greg, we decided to make it look like he was the murderer. My brother killed him.”
“He was your husband!”
Missy strode toward the exit and glanced back with a smile of hatred on her face. “I’m gonna miss him, but at least you’ll pay for Marcus’s suicide. I wanted you to suffer longer, but I had to settle for at least calling you out on national radio. I enjoyed seeing the reporters going after you.” She opened the door and flipped off the overhead light. “Lex will be back soon, so cherish your last moments alive.” Her cackles trailed her from the room.
The second Missy left, Caitlyn struggled to sit up on the bed and stared at her feet. She tried to bend over far enough to reach the rope around her ankles. She couldn’t. Breathing hard, she lay back down on the covered mattress that smelled putrid—like dried...blood. Bile rose in her throat, but she choked it back. She couldn’t think about what else had happened on this mattress. She had to free herself and get the police.
When she tried to yank her hands apart to loosen the twine, it cut into her wrists. She stared up at the ceiling in the darkened room, trying to come up with a way to rid herself of her shackles. After rolling onto her front, she contorted her body until her behind was in the air, her cheek pressed into the covers. If she could wiggle her bound wrists over her bottom, she might be able to bring them in front of her. She had two things going for her: her long arms and determination.
Missy and Rob would not get away with this.
She pushed herself up to a kneeling position. Sweat ran in rivulets down her face. With her wrists parted slightly, the rope digging into her flesh, she twisted and squirmed until she brought her hands down the back of her legs. She yanked her ankles apart, giving her some flexibility to finish bringing her arms around to the front.
Exhausted, she sat for a moment trying to get enough strength to work on loosening her bindings to free herself. She raised her bound hands to her face and used her teeth to work on the knots. If she had to chew through the thick string, she would.
They were not going to win.
The chafing of the twine rubbed into her wrists, making a bloody mess. She kept at it. This might be her only chance.
When the minutes ticked into half an hour, she finally slackened a knot enough to release her hands. Next, she attacked the bindings around her ankles to free her legs. Soon, she scrambled off the bed, taking the covers with her in her haste. The door was locked. She’d heard it click into place when Missy left. When the overhead light had been on, she’d noticed a window in the middle of the wall to her right.
As she felt her way in that direction, she could make out faint objects in the room as her eyes had grown accustomed to the dark. When she reached the side, she moved to the left with her hand patting the wall for the window above her. She touched the bottom of it, gripped the curtains and slid them open.
In the light, she glimpsed a chair not far away that she could use to stand on. She retrieved it and stood on it to hoist herself up and out the small window. She felt around until she found the lock and released it. Then she gripped the sill and labored to pull herself up.
She could see now that she was in a cabin surrounded by woods. The noise of a car pulling up to it spurred her to move faster. She prayed it was the police, but if it wasn’t, she needed to be away from here when Rob returned. Hanging halfway out of the window, she estimated the distance to the ground was a ten-foot drop. She had no choice. The only way out was to plunge headfirst, since the opening was too small for her to wiggle herself around to go feetfirst.<
br />
The sound of voices drifted to her. Not the police. Rob and Missy. Defeat taunted her.
No!
She dived toward the ground, trying to protect her head by tucking herself into a ball. Her right shoulder took the brunt of the fall. Pain streaked through her, a groan escaping from her.
* * *
Ian stood in a boat with Tom, both of them searching the shore with binoculars. The sun would be going down in an hour. Although they had infrared capability if needed, searching in the dark would make the situation twice as difficult. He had to find Caitlyn before that.
When his cell phone rang, he quickly answered the call from the police chief. “Please have good news. We’ve checked what cabins we’ve seen from the boat, but nothing so far.”
“When I interviewed the mayor, we discovered one of the people at the reception had not been invited, and there’s a link to Caitlyn and the medical clinic. Rob Owens. I sent officers to the clinic and his apartment. I’ve put a BOLO out on his car too.”
Ian remembered the male nurse who had helped them take the boxes to the SUV a few days before. “You think he’s the killer?”
“A very promising person of interest. Why did he come to the party uninvited unless he had an ulterior motive?”
“Keep me informed. Check into the possibility he owns a cabin at the lake.”
Sliding his phone into his pocket, Ian let Tom know about the development.
“He worked with Caitlyn?”
“Not with her but at the same clinic.”
“There’s a connection between the killer and the ladies murdered if Rob Owens is the person we’re looking for.”
Ian and Tom went back to searching the shoreline as the sun set and bright colors splashed across the western horizon.
Was Owens holed up somewhere at the lake or in his car miles away from Longhorn? Was time running out?
As dusk fell, Chief Franklin called again. “We located the area of the lake he’s driving toward on a traffic cam. He has a red sports car.” He gave Ian the license number and directions.
Texas Ranger Showdown Page 17