“I’m going out there this afternoon,” Anissa said. “I’m tired of the stonewalling. But before I go, I want to be sure I have a clear picture of who Ronald Talbot was.”
Gabe’s stomach growled. They had ordered lunch in, but it hadn’t arrived yet. A knock gave them two seconds’ warning before Adam poked his head into Anissa’s office. “Mind if I join you for a few minutes?”
Anissa grunted. Ryan waved one hand. Gabe didn’t think either of them was paying close attention because Adam didn’t look happy at all. “What’s up?”
Adam cleared his throat. “I may have found something.”
Anissa and Ryan both stopped what they were doing.
“Define something,” Ryan said.
Adam tapped the folder he’d brought with him. “Sabrina set up a search pattern this morning. It’s been running for several hours and it’s populating a spreadsheet. The idea was to see if there was any connection between Ronald Talbot and Anissa.”
“I didn’t put him in jail,” Anissa said. “I checked.”
“No. You didn’t. But Sabrina looked for other connections and it turns out your dad put someone in jail—a man named Harvey Dixon, who was in jail with Ronald Talbot. Someone who is out now. In fact, he got out in March.”
“Your dad was a cop? I thought he was a missionary.” Ryan voiced what Gabe was thinking.
“Dad was a cop in Virginia. He was working in the robbery unit when God called him to the mission field. He hasn’t been a cop in decades.” She turned to Adam. “How did Sabrina find the connection?”
“I called to ask her before I came in here. She said previous searches had used Anissa’s officer number. This time she didn’t run it with the number. She ran it with the surname—Bell. That’s how it pulled up your dad’s info.”
“Why would she do that?”
Adam held out his hands, palms up. “I have no idea how her mind works, Anissa. She’s a genius. She thinks of things I would never think of and somehow it occurred to her to run it this way, so she did. This is proof that I will lose every argument we ever have because she’ll be twenty steps ahead of me.”
They all chuckled. Adam was right about that.
“This guy, this Harvey Dixon. What’s his story?” Gabe asked.
“No idea. All I have is the name and that he was in the same prison as Ronald Talbot. Anissa, it might be worth making a phone call to your dad.”
Anissa checked her watch. “It’s the middle of the night in Yap. I’ll call him this evening. Maybe by then we’ll have something more to go on than a name.”
Gabe waved a hand in Adam’s direction. “Give me that, please.”
Adam handed over the file. “The program Sabrina created is still running. If I get any other hits, I’ll let you know.” He headed for the door.
“Thank you, Adam.” Anissa’s smile wobbled, but she held on to it until the door closed behind Adam. Then it faltered.
“Why don’t you want to call your dad?” Ryan asked.
“It isn’t that I don’t want to call him, but I can’t imagine he’ll remember. We’re talking about something that happened at least four decades ago.”
“Forty-three years ago, according to the police record.” Gabe scanned the page. “Looks like your dad put together a solid case and the guy went away for twenty years.”
“Twenty? Ron Talbot wasn’t old enough to have been in prison with him then.”
“True.” Gabe searched for the criminal records of Harvey Dixon. It didn’t take long to see his entire rap sheet. “Harvey Dixon went back to prison. Eleven years ago.”
“When was Ronald Talbot released?”
Anissa checked some of her notes. “Ten years ago.”
“Okay, the timing works. He was in the same jail as Ronald Talbot for four months. And then Harvey Dixon was released in March of this year.”
“What was the crime the second time? Another armed robbery?”
“No.”
Gabe studied the report. He didn’t like what he was seeing and he didn’t like the direction his mind was going.
“Gabe?” Anissa’s tone had a sharp edge. “What was the charge?”
“Kidnapping. With intent to sell.”
25
Anissa jumped from her seat and held out her hand for the file.
Gabe didn’t question why she wanted to see it. He handed it over.
It was there, on his face. On Ryan’s face. They were thinking the same thing she was.
She studied the mug shots.
“Does he look familiar at all?” Gabe asked.
“No.”
Was it possible that after all these years, she was looking at the man responsible for Carly’s death? For Jillian’s disappearance? Sure, it could be a coincidence that this man had been imprisoned by her father and then happened to be out in the small window of time when he could have committed those crimes, and then tried again but got caught and put back in prison.
But she didn’t believe in coincidences.
How could he have gotten out so soon? Kidnapping with intent to sell had a steep penalty.
And if he was out and was targeting her. Why?
And could this mean Liz was in danger?
“Ryan, would you call Leigh? I’d like to know what Liz is up to right now.”
“On it.”
Anissa walked to Gabe’s desk and looked over his shoulder at the information he’d pulled up on Harvey Dixon.
“They’re doing what?” Ryan’s question pulled Anissa’s attention away from the computer screen.
“Okay. Listen. I don’t want to alarm them, or Mr. and Mrs. Davidson, or Ms. Brown, but we’ve got a situation here. Are you sure they’re at the theater?”
He listened.
“Okay. Have Velma text Liz and tell her not to leave the theater until she sees one of us. Okay? We’re probably overreacting. You know how we are.” A pause. “Okay. Love you too.”
Ryan hung up.
They’re at a theater?
Ryan looked at her. “Apparently things have gone okay at the house today. This morning, Brooke Ashcroft called Liz to see if she’d like to go to a movie this afternoon. All the parental units agreed, and Paisley picked them up around noon. The plan was to grab lunch, and then she was going to drop them off at the theater and pick them up around three.”
Harmless enough under normal circumstances.
Which these weren’t.
Anissa looked at Gabe. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but what do you think about calling Paisley and giving her the whole story?”
Gabe rubbed his face with his hands. “I knew this was going to happen eventually, but I think we need to talk to the Davidsons and the Browns first to get their permission. Although Liz may have already told her. Or told Brooke. And then Brooke may have already told Paisley about it.”
Anissa glanced at her watch. It was two o’clock. They would be in the movie right now.
Anissa tried to pull her random thoughts together. “Why don’t I go to the house and talk to Mr. and Mrs. Davidson and Ms. Brown while Liz isn’t there? Bring them up to speed. Make sure everyone’s aware of the potential danger. Gabe, you head to the theater and get eyes on the girls, preferably without scaring them. As soon as I get permission from the families, you contact Paisley. Tell her, um, tell her—”
“Tell her she’ll get an escort from the theater to our house,” Ryan said. “And you’ll talk to her there.”
“I like it.” Gabe was already up and gathering his things. Still mostly one-handed.
“Ryan, while we’re gone, would you fill the captain in and see if we can get this guy’s picture circulating as a person of interest? Then talk to Adam and Sabrina. Ask them if we can make finding out everything about Harvey Dixon our top priority? Maybe Sabrina can do that thing she does with the cameras and see if she can find him.”
“You got it.”
Ryan left the homicide office and Gabe and Anissa were alone.
Gabe pulled her close, pressed his forehead to hers. “See you soon.”
Then he was gone.
Anissa grabbed her things as well as the file about Harvey Dixon. Maybe the Davidsons or Velma would recognize him. It couldn’t hurt to ask.
Gabe arrived at the movie theater at two thirty. The crowd on this July afternoon was typical of most summertime days. Mostly North Carolina plates in the parking lot, but a fair number of out-of-state tags too. It was so hot outside that any activity that involved being indoors, air-conditioning, and snacks had to be a winner with locals and vacationers alike.
He went inside to the customer service desk.
The young woman behind the counter was probably in college. She flashed him a flirty smile. “Good afternoon. How can I help you?”
He palmed his badge and showed it to her. Her eyes widened. “I’m Investigator Chavez. I have reason to believe that some patrons who are here could possibly be in danger. I need to get in to the theater where they are and confirm their whereabouts. Once I know where they are, I—”
“Gabe?” Brooke Ashcroft’s shouted question carried over the sounds of popping popcorn and ice clattering into oversize cups at the concession stand.
Gabe turned and Brooke ran to him with tears streaking down her cheeks. “I can’t find Liz! I checked all the bathrooms. She isn’t answering her phone. I—” She sagged against the desk.
He caught her, put one arm around her shoulder, and led her to a nearby bench. “Start at the beginning. Tell me everything.” Panicking now could lead to a lot of unnecessary chaos later.
Brooke gulped air. “We came to the movie. She said when it was over, she wanted to tell me something but that it could wait. She seemed, I don’t know, not herself. Kind of down. And she was so upbeat in the hospital. It didn’t make sense. But she was having fun. I think she liked the movie. Then she said her mom had called and she wanted to make sure everything was okay. I didn’t think anything about it until I realized she’d been gone twenty minutes.”
Brooke held her phone up in trembling hands. “I texted her. Called her. Nothing. So I left the theater. I checked all the bathrooms. She’s just—gone.”
“Okay. Brooke, this could be important. What time, as close as you can remember it, did she leave the auditorium?”
Brooke looked at her phone. “Around one forty-five. Definitely before two.”
“Okay. Stay right here. Do not move.”
The customer service clerk leaned over the counter. “Investigator Chavez, is there anything I can do to help?”
“Yes.” He leaned close to her to try to keep Brooke from overhearing. “Do you have a procedure for putting this theater on lockdown? No one in or out?”
She blinked a few times, then fumbled through a stack of paper before producing a laminated sheet with IN CASE OF EMERGENCY boldly printed across the top. “Yes.”
“Do it.”
“What?”
Gabe enunciated each word. “I need you to lock this place down. Now.”
“Okay.”
Gabe dialed Anissa’s number. No answer.
He tried again.
No answer.
He called Leigh. She didn’t even say hi. “Gabe, what’s going on?”
“I need to talk to Anissa.”
“Anissa? She’s not here.”
“What do you mean she’s not there?” Gabe pushed back the rising fear.
“Is she supposed to be here?” Leigh’s voice had an edge of alarm.
“Leigh. Listen to me. Lock every door. Turn on the alarm system.”
“Gabe, you’re scaring me. The boys are playing in the lake.”
“Then get them inside. Someone will call you soon.”
“Okay.” Leigh’s voice was a combination of fear and trust. Fear about the situation. Trust that Gabe wouldn’t be scaring her unnecessarily. He would have to thank her for that. Later.
Brooke was shaking all over. The doors had been locked. The clamor of annoyed patrons was growing. The manager was coming toward him. Gabe’s next call was to Ryan. As soon as Ryan answered, Gabe filled him in. “Liz is missing from the theater. Anissa’s not answering her phone. I’ve called Leigh and told her to bring everyone in and lock the place up tight. I’ve put the theater on lockdown. I need—”
“Sir, what’s going on?” The manager, a doughy guy who could use a day or two in the sun, stood across from him, arms crossed. An obvious attempt at bluff and bluster. One that Gabe was in no mood for.
“Do you have security cameras here?” Gabe asked the manager.
“Of course, but you have no right—”
“Take me to them. Now.”
A security guard approached. A kid. Couldn’t be a day over twenty-two. “Everything okay?”
Gabe showed him his badge. “No one gets in or out. Do you understand?”
The guard nodded.
Gabe looked at Brooke. “You’re with me, kiddo. Let’s go see if we can get a glimpse of our girl.” He had to give it to her. She was terrified, but she kept moving.
Through the phone, he heard Ryan barking orders. By now, Dispatch was sending units. “Parker, have the units secure every exterior exit and the security guard here”—he looked at the name tag—“Tom, will let them in. We need a full search of the building—every auditorium, every closet.”
He hung up with Ryan and turned to Tom. “No one gets in here unless they are Carrington sheriff’s deputies or Carrington Police officers. And no one leaves. We’ve got a missing girl on our hands. You got that, Tom?”
“Yes, sir.”
He looked at the manager. “After you.”
The manager had lost the attitude at the mention of a missing girl and now moved at a decent pace toward the right side of the concession area.
Brooke followed him, eyes wide, but her trembling had eased. Her lips were moving. Praying? Maybe.
That would be a good idea for him too.
Ayúdanos por favor Dios. Anissa . . . help her. Please.
Gabe didn’t know what was going on, but he knew there were only a couple of reasons why Anissa wouldn’t answer her phone.
None of them were good.
26
Anissa ignored Gabe’s call.
Again.
It had taken her ten minutes to get away from her bodyguards. To be fair to them, they had no reason to suspect that she would try to get away from them and every reason to expect her to want to keep them close.
She’d been a quarter of a mile from Leigh’s house when she got the text.
The photograph.
Liz. In a canoe. On a body of water. Eyes closed.
Was she asleep? Unconscious? Anissa couldn’t be sure but didn’t think she was dead.
But the text had been enough to cause her to do what she did. What she was doing now.
Follow my instructions or this is the next body you’ll pull out of the lake.
Lose your bodyguards.
Don’t call for help. I’ll know.
She knew it was a trap. She knew it was Harvey Dixon. He knew the one thing that would make her come to him. Because there was no way she would risk losing this sweet girl again.
If he wanted Anissa dead in exchange, he could have her.
Gabe tried to have Brooke sit in a chair by the door, but she popped back up and hovered near his elbow. He couldn’t blame her. He didn’t have time to explain everything, but she was a smart girl and she’d lost her best friend two weeks ago to violence. It wouldn’t be far from her mind now that something was very, very wrong.
“I want to see footage from every exterior door from one thirty this afternoon until now.”
The manager held up a finger. “Which auditorium were you in, Brooke?”
Brooke rummaged through her small purse and pulled out a ticket stub. “Eleven.”
“Let’s check the door on the south side of the building first. If I were going to sneak someone out, I wouldn’t bring them through the main entrance. I’d
go out one of the side exits.”
Gabe wasn’t sure whether or not this guy should go on a watch list, but his logic was sound. It took a painful two minutes for him to find the right set of video files. While he started them forward, Gabe bumped Brooke’s arm. “Hey. Call your sister.”
Brooke grabbed her phone, then hesitated. “What do I tell her?”
“Tell her the truth. Tell her you’re okay first. Then tell her where you are. Tell her you’re with me and I’m not letting you out of my sight. Tell her about Liz. Tell her to bring the cameras and the chopper for all I care. Liz is missing and Anissa’s not answering her phone.”
He refocused on the video. “I’ll watch this one,” he told the manager. “You get the video from the other door queued up.”
A minute later, with Brooke murmuring into her phone, he saw what he’d been hoping he wouldn’t see. “Right there. Play that back.”
A clean-cut man in khakis, a nice golf shirt, and casual shoes walked out with a girl. “Brooke, do you remember anything about what Liz was wearing?” Gabe could go back through and find it in the footage of the girls entering the theater, but he didn’t want to take the time to do that if it wasn’t necessary.
Brooke told Paisley to hold on and watched the video. “That’s Liz.” Her eyes filled with tears.
“Are you sure?” Gabe kept his voice steady. Even. No pressure. Nothing that might upset Brooke any more than she already was.
She nodded and sniffled. “Her flip-flops.”
Gabe rewound the footage again and then froze it. They looked like basic flip-flops to him. But they did have a flower on them.
“The daisy.” Brooke pointed to the screen. “She told me she’s always liked daisies. That her mom loves that movie with the line about the daisies being her favorite flower.”
Brooke tapped the monitor with her finger—the nail chewed to the quick. “Those are Liz’s shoes. That’s Liz. So, who is the man?”
Gabe had a very bad feeling that he knew the answer.
Finally.
He had an escape plan.
It would work.
It wasn’t as good as his original plan. When he ran into Ronald Talbot a few weeks after moving to Carrington, he’d considered it fate. Harvey set everything in motion to blame Anissa’s death on Talbot. It had been a good idea.
One Final Breath Page 26