Sadie followed with her purse, jacket, and the jumble of hangers. She took one last look around the living room. “You said I must leave everything in place, like I left to run errands. What about the smashed coffee table? That’s not normal.”
“Right, but we can’t change what happened here. Kyle will talk.” He held out his hand. “Give me your phone.”
“Why?”
“You need to leave it here. You don’t want anyone to track your whereabouts.”
Sadie dumped the hangers on the floor and slid the slim phone from her pocket. “But I need phone numbers from it.”
“Like who? You’re not going to be calling April or Julian.”
She stared at the screen. “You’re right. And I know Griff’s number.”
Anxious to be on the road, Bowen shifted his weight from foot to foot. “Delete the numbers and your call history. Authorities can get your records from the phone carrier, but erasing information now will prevent Kyle from accessing it.”
“Right.” She thumbed the keys and then set the phone next to the rose he’d bought her, which sat on a pedestal side table.
When she raised her head, a hint of regret hovered in her eyes.
He had no idea what thoughts raced through her mind, but he had a job to do. “We need to leave.”
“I’ll never be back here.” Her shoulders heaved as she blew out a slow sigh. “Another life I have to leave behind.”
Bowen shrugged as he separated a plastic grocery bag from the stash next to the fridge. “Debra Johnson is gone forever.” He stuffed the discarded hangers into the bag and moved to the door.
She scanned the living room. “My photograph.” She found it behind the ficus. “I can’t leave my picture here.”
“You should burn it.”
“It’s all I have right now. If Hannah’s alive—“
“Bring it then. We must leave.”
After burying it in her purse, she adjusted the glasses on her nose. “Guess I don’t need these any longer.” As she removed them, Bowen shook his head.
“Uh-uh. Debra wouldn’t leave the apartment without them. Take them with you.” He twisted the doorknob, but a muffled thud emanated from the bathroom. “Better check on Kyle.”
Bowen dropped everything and lunged down the hall with Sadie on his heels. They found Kyle on the bathroom floor, the cord around his ankles unraveling, and the shower curtain ripped from the plastic rings.
“Doggone it.” Bowen grabbed Kyle’s feet and lashed the cord tighter around them. He checked the cord around his wrists, threw the curtain aside, and then hefted him back into the tub.
“Will he be OK in here?”
“For now.” Bowen closed the door and ushered her back down the hall.
On the way past the kitchen, he stopped at the counter. Kyle’s pistol lay next to the container of brownies. Should he take it? Although he’d fired a variety of weapons many times in his line of work, he’d never killed anyone, and he loathed carrying a gun. But he was headed into an unpredictable, and perhaps dangerous, situation.
He shook his head. No sense courting problems with the law by carrying a weapon without a permit.
Once outside, Bowen and Sadie approached the brightly lit parking area, but he slowed at the corner. “I’ve changed my mind. We need to destroy your phone. Keys?”
Sadie handed them over.
“Dump the hangers, and then come back here and wait. I won’t be long.” Bowen left the suitcase and snacks with her and sprinted back to the apartment.
In his haste to seize the phone, he knocked over the vase. Glass shattered on the floor. Water splattered his jeans, and three rose petals lay in the debris like large drops of blood.
His fingers tightened on the phone. The damaged rose reminded him again that this was a job. But the admonition had no effect on the fist-sized knot is his chest.
Giving himself a mental kick, he crushed the phone under the hell of his boot, removed the exposed data chip and exited the apartment.
“Some night, huh?”
He flinched at the voice coming from the open doorway next to Sadie’s apartment. Pete.
Bowen quirked his eyebrows up and down, and hoped guilt wasn’t written all over his face. “We got a little wild.”
“Good for you.” Pete gave him a thumbs-up sign.
Bowen waited for him to close the door before running back to Sadie. So much for leaving no trail, but maybe Pete didn’t know his name and wouldn’t assume Sadie, um, Debra left with him. They needed to get out of Texas, and fast.
He directed Sadie to his truck. She climbed in while he placed her suitcase in the backseat.
“What about Kyle? What if he can’t get free?”
He slid behind the wheel and switched on the ignition. The engine roared to life. “Don’t worry about him. I’ll make a phone call later today. Ready?”
She buckled her seatbelt. “Yes. Are we going to pick up your stuff?”
Bowen turned onto Monterey Oaks Boulevard and hit the accelerator. “I already packed. When I left the meeting, I went straight home. All my things are in the back.”
She peeked at the backseat and obviously saw his computer case, punching bag, and the two suitcases.
After a few miles, he approached a fast food joint. From under his seat, he extracted two baseball caps. “Put on this cap and hide your hair if you can. Turn your head while I order coffee. Do you want anything?”
He donned the black cap and pulled it low over his eyes.
“Nothing for me. How’s this?” She turned to him as she stuffed her curls under the tan cap.
Bowen had to admit even with the stressful events of the night, she could still look cute in a baseball cap.
****
Once on Interstate 10, Bowen threw the data chip from Sadie’s phone out the window, then set the cruise control, and turned on the radio. “Do you have a preference? I’ve got satellite. Anything you want to listen to?”
From the dim corner where she rested her head on her wadded up jacket came a small voice. “Jazz. Something soft and soothing.”
He punched a button. “Contemporary jazz. How’s this?”
“Fine.”
She was his responsibility now. He had to keep her safe. “Are you warm enough?”
“Yeah.”
The strains of clarinet and saxophone floated around the cab. Bowen took a sip of coffee. “Why don’t you try to sleep?”
She let out a low moan.
“Sadie, I…” Bowen placed the cup in the holder. He had no idea what to say. Did she need his comfort or should he back off and be silent? She’d shown remarkable courage and strength in their struggle and in her handling of Kyle, but she’d withdrawn from him emotionally.
Sadie shifted in the seat. “I can’t sleep. All I can think about is Hannah.”
“Do you want to call Caleb?” Bowen glanced at the clock. “It’s two here. Midnight in L.A.”
“Yes.” Her voice held a hint of enthusiasm.
Bowen slid the phone out of his shirt pocket and handed it to her. “Cal is speed dial number seven.”
She took the phone, punched the number, and waited. “He’s not answering. It’s going to voice mail.”
“Don’t say anything. Hang up.” He held out his hand for the phone. “One never knows who’s going to listen to messages.”
Disappointment oozed from her hunched body. She hadn’t spoken to a family member in three years.
Could he survive such isolation? “I’m sorry you didn’t reach Cal. You can call again in the morning.”
“Fine, but I’m going to try Griff again.” Straightening, she punched in a couple of numbers.
He snatched the phone. “No, you can’t.” She didn’t seem to realize the danger. He’d have to coach her in the intricacies of escaping undetected.
“Why?”
Bowen concentrated on the road but softened his voice. “A call to him from my cell phone can be traced. They can locate w
here you called from and will easily deduce you’re on your way west. And it will lead them to me and my vehicle.” He sent her a quick glance. He could kick himself for being so abrupt, but he couldn’t let her use his phone. “If Griff’s in trouble then all that information could fall into the wrong hands. I want this trip to California kept between you and me. And Cal.”
Sadie’s silence bothered Bowen.
“You understand, don’t you?”
“Yeah.”
Miles of tarmac flashed by. The song ended and Bowen turned down the volume. “Sleep will do you good. It’ll be your turn to drive before you know it.”
“I can’t sleep.” She removed her glasses and stuffed them into her purse.
Bowen drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. Questions to ask Sadie swirled through his brain. Since she was awake and couldn’t escape, he broke the silence. “Are you up to talking about your past?”
“I suppose.” She tucked one leg underneath her and rubbed her knee.
He cleared his throat. “From what I know about your situation, your husband and daughter drowned when their car slid off a bridge. Why would Cal think Hannah might still be alive?”
A ragged breath rumbled from Sadie. “You’re right. Aaron’s car crashed into the Santa Ana River, a concrete-sided section through the city. He’d picked up Hannah from daycare. Witness statements indicated he was involved in a car chase. A dark SUV followed him and shots were fired.” Her voice broke, and she sucked in air. “There had been unprecedented heavy rain that week. When they landed in the water, Aaron must have loosened Hannah’s car seat strap, or told her to. His body was found wedged between the front seats, Hannah’s jacket in his hand. The rear passenger windows were down.”
“He must have opened them.” Inwardly Bowen shuddered at the vision of a father trying to help his young child. Did Sadie think about the last minutes of her husband’s life? Did she ever sleep soundly without horrific nightmares?
“Aaron died from head wounds. Hannah’s body was never found. Authorizes believed it floated downstream. They searched for days…”
Even in the dim interior, he could see the anguish on her face. He brushed the back of his hand across her cheek. “She could have survived.” He would have clung to such a hope if it was his child.
She rested her cheek against his hand. “Someone could have pulled her out.”
Moisture trickled over his fingers and he longed to stop the truck. His reply seemed so inadequate. “That’s a good possibility.”
“I’ve wondered about it every day for two and a half years, and in a few hours I’ll know for sure.”
And when Sadie had Hannah safe by her side, she’d have no further need of his help. Could he turn her over to the U. S. Marshals and say good-bye?
14
Fatigue invaded every pore. Sadie blinked against the early morning sunlight as Bowen stopped next to a gas pump. The crick in her neck indicated she’d slept several hours.
Easing her head back and forth, she turned to Bowen. “Where are we?”
“Fort Stockton.” He rubbed his hand over his face. “We need gas, and I need coffee.”
With a grunt, he opened his door, set the black cap low on his head, and handed the tan one to her. “You go in and don’t talk to anyone. Want coffee?”
Purse and jacket in hand, she jumped out of the truck. “I’ll get it.”
Stiff muscles objected as she slung her jacket around her shoulders. A few minutes later, she set two cups of coffee in the holders and climbed into the truck. She sipped the strong brew while Bowen completed the transaction at the gas pump. Although their stop had been quick, she was anxious to call Cal. She yawned and then checked her watch. Seven fifteen. Too early? Tough. She needed reassurance he had knowledge of Hannah.
Bowen returned from the convenience store. “I’ll drive to El Paso where we’ll stop for breakfast. Can you wait another three hours to eat?” He slid behind the wheel.
“Of course.” If they’d flown from Austin they could have been in L.A. by that time.
“You can take over from there.” He started the truck and steered around a sedan at the next pump.
Sadie sniffed steam escaping from the tiny opening of her cup. Even the vapors revived a few brain cells. “Somewhere along the way I need to buy toiletries.”
He merged onto the freeway and accelerated. “Sure. But I have a plan. As far as we know, no one is aware you left Austin with me. We have to keep it that way. Kyle might assume we’re together, but if he’s involved in anything illegal, he won’t blab. I e-mailed Julian my notice this morning, so folks at work might not connect your disappearance with me.”
“You quit this morning?”
He ignored her question and continued. “I want you to buy a wig before we have breakfast. Wear it whenever we’re in public. That way if my vehicle is tracked, the description of the woman with me won’t match Debra Johnson.”
Another sip of coffee. Her brow scrunched in a major frown. “Why a wig? Why not dye my hair again?”
“We don’t have that kind of time. And you need a complete change in appearance. A wig’s the fastest and easiest way.”
“Hmm…in that case, I think I’ll be a redhead.”
“I like redheads.” He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. “I’ve seen photographs of you and you were a beautiful brunette. Right now, you’re a stunning blonde. So why not be a knockout redhead?”
Heat traveled up her neck and touched her cheeks. She finished her coffee and set the cup in the holder. “I want to call Cal. It’s five thirty in L.A. Can I use your phone, please?”
He placed his cup next to hers and handed her his phone. “The charger is in the glove box. The battery is low, so plug it in. Hope we get service out here.”
Under a pair of sunglasses and clump of folded maps Sadie located the cord, plugged it into the receptacle, and attached the phone to the other end. She punched speed dial seven and waited, her heart bouncing.
A hoarse, but familiar voice said, “Hello.”
“Caleb, it’s me.” She swallowed hard to hold back tears.
Silence, and then a sharp intake of breath. “I’m so glad you called. Did you call last night? I recognized Bowen’s number, but there was no message.”
“Yes. We’re on our way, almost out of Texas.”
“Great. How long will it take to get here?” He was taking great care not to say her name.
“I don’t know. You can ask Bowen in a minute, but tell me about…about my daughter, please.” Anxiety and excitement chewed at her insides, but she made sure not to say names, either.
“Sure. I first saw a child four months ago—“
“Four months? Cal, why’d you wait so long?”
“Give me a chance to explain.”
“Sorry. Carry on.”
“After seeing the kid that day, I returned home and examined H…her picture. You know the one you took at Disneyland?”
With eyes closed Sadie visualized Hannah in a long, blue princess dress standing next to Cinderella. “I remember.”
“I was pretty sure the child was her, but I couldn’t just start a conversation with her.”
“Where’d you see her?”
“I’ve been dating a woman who lives in Santa Clarita. Reyna Perez. We’re engaged.”
“That’s good news, Cal. Where is Santa Clarita? I can’t place it.”
“Northwest of L.A., about thirty miles. Anyway, Reyna’s daughter, Francesca, plays soccer. We were watching a game one Saturday and…Ha…the girl was on the opposing team. After the game, both teams shared refreshments, very civilized. I asked Reyna if she knew the little girl with brown pigtails. She said she’d seen her at games.”
“Does she attend the same school as Francesca?” Hope nibbled at Sadie’s heart.
“I don’t know. The soccer league is privately sponsored. Kids from any community can participate.”
“Are you basing your assumption on looks alone?�
�
“No. One Saturday I didn’t join Reyna at a game. Instead, I waited until it was over and followed the woman to a small house on the edge of town. I didn’t speak to her, but I talked to her neighbors. They said she’s lived there ten years or more. She was never married as far as they knew. One day about two and a half years ago, a child appeared. A little girl, maybe four years old. The woman said the child was her niece.”
Sadie stared at the vast stretches of flat Texas flashing by. Her baby could be alive. “Were the neighbors convinced?”
“She told them her brother and sister-in-law died, and she took the child. But here’s the kicker. The next week I returned with a small photo and asked neighbors if they recognized it.”
“And?”
“They said it resembled the child she brought home.”
“What name does she use?” Tears gathered in Sadie’s eyes and blurred her vision
“They call her Penny. Penny Adams. The woman is Evelyn Adams.”
“Do you think the neighbors warned her in any way?”
“No, I explained to them I was investigating a missing child report, and that we didn’t want to cause a problem if there was no need, so I asked them to keep it confidential. Thanks to television shows about missing kids, they complied.”
Despair, tinged with anticipation, tightened Sadie’s throat and rendered her speechless. She handed the phone to Bowen.
“We’re driving straight through, Cal. We’ll be in L.A. by midnight or early Monday morning. I’ll contact you when we get close.” After listening for a few seconds, Bowen said, “Uh-huh. I’ll give a full report when I see you.” He secured the phone in the dashboard holder.
Sadie appreciated his silence. She closed her eyes and prayed silently. Since the accident, she’d voiced few petitions to a distant God. But in the past few months, she’d arrived at the point where she sensed His presence more and more. Would He still listen to her pleas? Oh, God. Keep us safe. Let me find my baby. Please, God.
“We’ll be in El Paso soon. Do you feel up to giving me the details of how Cal found Hannah?”
Light reflecting off the barren land speared her tear-sensitive eyes. She scrambled in her purse for the fake specs and clipped the sunglasses in place. He deserved to know the full story. Sadie repeated what Cal had shared, and by the time the words had drained her soul, Bowen pulled into a mall parking lot.
Weep In The Night Page 10