Jake called Gray over and gave him the address. "Use the sirens." Gray nodded and jogged away.
"Tell me what you know before she gets here," Maya said.
#
Nick hung up the phone and headed over to where Kincaid was in a deep conversation with Maya. They turned when he approached. "Two witnesses saw a brown sedan leave the neighborhood at approximately the same time Melissa disappeared. Neither remembered the plate number, but one recalled it being from Alabama." He eyed Kincaid. "Did you get in touch with Violet?"
Maya answered instead. "The kidnapper wants to exchange Violet for the girl. I’m taking her place."
"No." Nick couldn’t stop the denial that sprang to his lips. It was too dangerous. He didn’t want her getting hurt.
"I’m trained to do this," Maya said calmly. "We can’t send a civilian into this type of situation."
"Of course not," he scoffed. "We’ll figure something out."
"I’m doing it," she stated firmly. "Violet’s stepfather hasn’t seen her up close in twenty years. I can pass for her."
He knew it was the right thing to do, wouldn’t hesitate to send in any other female officer to do the job. But this was Maya. The woman he loved.
There was a commotion by the door as Officer Gray escorted Violet inside the bull pen. She rushed over to them. "I need to do this," she insisted. "Willie Jack will kill Melissa if the police are involved."
Kincaid squeezed her shoulders and gently pushed her into a chair. "Maya’s trained," he said. "We won’t jeopardize Melissa’s life. Kinney will never know we’re there."
Reluctantly, Violet acquiesced. While she outlined everything she could remember about her stepfather to Maya, Kincaid and Nick set plans in motion. Two snipers were called in and an agent from the nearest FBI field office arrived with supplies. Kincaid passed around wireless microphone headsets and handed Maya a necklace with a silver pendant. "It’s a recording device and camera," he explained. "We’ll be able to hear and see everything." She hooked the choker on her neck. "Make sure you leave your jacket unzipped so the camera can record." He slid a tiny GPS under the crystal on her watch.
Once they had everything in order, it was time to leave.
Nick slid behind the wheel as Kincaid escorted Violet into the back and then followed her in. Maya jumped in the passenger seat and Nick fought the urge to drive someplace far away and lock her up where she would be safe.
But he knew he couldn’t do that. Maya was tough, strong. He loved that about her. He put the car in gear and motored to Dandelion Trace.
#
Nerves ate a hole in Violet’s stomach. She was worried for Melissa and Maya, plus she knew Ms. Walters would be irate that she involved the police. She would be in her place. As if sensing her discomfort, Jake reached over and squeezed her hand. "We’ll get Melissa before he hurts her."
Violet nodded, wishing with everything in her that she could believe it. But she knew Willie Jack. He was pure evil.
As Nick pulled up to the trailer, Violet steeled her nerves. She accepted Jake’s hand to assist her out of the car and didn’t let go until she climbed the rickety steps and knocked on the door. It swung open to reveal a haggard-looking Ms. Walters, a cigarette dangling from her lips, her phone clutched in a hand.
"It’s about time—" The woman’s eyes widened when she looked over Violet’s shoulder. "Oh no. No, no, no!" she said, two trembling fingers removing the cigarette from her lips, her head shaking from side to side. "You did not call the police." Her voice rose. "I told you not to call them. He’ll kill her."
She tried slamming the door but Jake shoved his foot in the opening. "Ms. Walters, we won’t let anything happen to your daughter."
"He’ll kill her," she wailed. "He said he would." Her voice broke and she flung herself at Jake. He guided her inside with the others close behind. Smoke hung in a thick cloud, mingling with the scent of burnt food and a sickeningly-sweet air freshener Ms. Walters used in a futile attempt to mask the odors.
Once Ms. Walters’ sobs subsided, Jake explained their plans. He just finished when her phone rang. Panicked, her eyes met Jake. "What do I do?"
"Hold it so I can hear," he said.
She fingered the button. "H-hello?"
"Did you do as instructed?" the raspy voice asked.
"Yes."
"Good girl. Put her on the phone."
"Violet, he wants to talk to you." Ms. Walters stood and handed her the phone. Maya clutched her arm and shook her head. She plucked the phone from her grip and took her seat.
"Hello, Willie Jack," she said.
"Well, well, well, if it ain’t my ever-loving step-daughter. Long time no talk."
"Let her go," Maya said forcefully. "It’s me you want. She has no part in this."
"Oh, I’ll let her go all right," he agreed easily. "But only when I have you."
"When and where?"
He gave her directions to a phone booth downtown. "Be there in fifteen minutes sharp. I will call you and give directions where to meet me. You better come alone or the kid eats a bullet. Got it?"
The line went dead.
Jake stood. "It’s show time."
#
Maya paced outside the phone booth, her gloved hands shoved under her arms. The temperature had dipped into negative digits and with a gusting wind blowing, it wouldn’t take long for the first twinges of frostbite to kick in. Impatiently, she shoved her sleeve back and checked her watch. Five minutes after Willie Jack ordered her to be here. She glanced around, looking for any movement. Nick and Jake were just around the corner, out of sight. Additional officers were nearby, ready to nab Willie Jack Kinney. She spotted Milt Baker dressed in tattered rags, digging through a trash can.
The phone trilled. She reached inside the booth and snatched the receiver, holding it so that Jake could hear the conversation through the tiny microphone in her necklace.
"So far, so good," Willie Jack said. "I don’t see no one with you."
"Where are you?" she asked, glancing around the area again. She hated that he could see her but she couldn’t him.
"I’m getting to that," he said sternly. "Walk two blocks north, one block east and another block north. I’ll call you at that phone booth."
"It’s below zero, Willie Jack. It’s too cold to be walking around all night."
"Then I guess I’ll just blow the kid’s head off now and be done with it."
A scream burst through the receiver.
"Don’t hurt her, you bastard. I’m on my way." She started to hang up but Willie Jack called her name. "What?"
"If I see any cars move to follow you, I will blow the kid’s pretty little head off." The dial tone buzzed in her ear.
Maya hung up the receiver and covered her mouth with her hands, pretending to warm her face. "In case you didn’t get that, I’m headed two blocks north, one east, one north to the phone booth. Do not follow. Repeat—do not follow. He’s got eyes on me."
#
Nick made a U-turn and drove to the next meeting point via a circuitous route. If Kinney were watching, he wouldn’t suspect a car approaching from a different direction. He glanced at the computer screen on Kincaid’s lap. The little red dot tracked Maya’s movements.
Maya’s voice drifted through the speaker, informing them that she was crossing the street and heading east. Suddenly tires screeched. "What the—"
"Get in," a rough voice ordered. "I’ve been sent to pick you up."
"Shit," Nick roared.
There were sounds of a struggle. "Ow, you are hurting me. Let go of my arm and I’ll get in the yellow cab," Maya said, letting them know the type of vehicle. Tires screeched again.
Nick pulled over to the curb, waiting for the red dot on the computer screen to move. It didn’t.
"What the hell," Kincaid muttered, punching buttons on the computer. "She must have lost the watch in the struggle."
"Son of a bitch." Nick pounded on the steering wheel, sweat rolling down his
temple despite the frigid temps. His heart hammered in his chest. Maya couldn’t face a madman alone.
Her voice cut through the speaker again. "Where are you taking me?"
"No questions," the driver snapped.
"Fine," she muttered. There was a pause and then, "Hey, you yanked off my watch when you jerked my arm," she accused. "Go back and get it."
"Shut the hell up, bitch."
"What happened to The Friendly Cab Service like the slogan on the door proclaims," she grumbled.
There was a loud noise and then Maya said, "You don’t have to bang on the partition, I’ll shut up now."
Under her breath, she gave them directions. Nick scrambled to follow, keeping the other squad cars informed via the wireless microphone and receiver attached to his ear. Brakes squealed and the driver ordered, "Get out."
"Here?" Maya asked. "What do I—"
"My instructions was to leave you here. Now get out."
A door creaked and then slammed and then tires squealed.
Maya told them where she was waiting when a phone rang. "Where the hell is the ringing coming from," she muttered. "There it is…a cell. Hello?"
"Good girl, Violet," Willie Jack praised. "Now turn around and climb that hill behind you. I can see very well from up here. Anyone follows you…well, you know."
Maya made sure she clandestinely relayed the instructions.
"We’re almost to the spot," Nick said.
"Let’s do a drive by and see what kind of set-up we are dealing with," Kincaid suggested. Nick gave an update to the other officers, instructing the snipers to be ready.
Maya muttered about having to climb a snow covered hill in the dead of winter. "I may never feel my lips again."
I’ll warm them up for you, baby, Nick promised silently, hoping like hell he would be able to do just that, and soon.
"That’s his car," Kincaid said, pointing to the brown sedan parked on a side road. He ordered one of the trailing squad cars to disable the vehicle and stake it out.
"There’s Maya," Nick said. They watched as she gingerly climbed the snow covered hill, slid, regained her footing and continued up the slope.
"Park in that apartment complex so we can watch from the shadows," Kincaid instructed.
Nick pulled in and shut off the engine. He called for one of the snipers to meet them, the other to get in place from a different vantage point. Staying out of sight, they crept around a building until they had a visual of the structure perched on the hill. Kincaid handed him a set of night-vision binoculars. Maya was almost to the top when a dark shadow stepped out of the shadows.
#
Maya tugged her collar higher against the stiff breeze. Show time. Trudging through the snow towards the building where Willie Jack was waiting, her eyes scanned the area. Deep pewter clouds blocked the moon, casting the night in eerie shadows. Headlights from a distant car split the night and just as quickly disappeared. A dog howled, letting his owner know it was time to go inside.
She wanted to kick herself for losing the watch. Her first big assignment and she made a major mistake. She hoped like hell they were able to follow her instructions, position snipers with night vision scopes to take Willie Jack out if they could get a clean shot.
Otherwise, she was on her own.
She heard a noise as she approached the building. Her frozen lips barely moved as she called out, "Let her go, Willie Jack."
Willie Jack stepped out of the shadows, Melissa positioned in front of him like a shield. The girl’s wide eyes swam with tears. Maya vowed that if he had touched her, she would take him apart, starting with the family jewels.
She saw the instant Melissa realized she wasn’t Violet. Maya made eye contact when the girl opened her mouth, willing her to keep quiet. Her mouth snapped shut.
"Here I am," she said. "Let her go."
"Well now, didn’t you grow up all nice and pretty," he leered. He eyed her up and down. Maya suppressed a shudder.
"Come closer, Violet darling."
Maya took two steps forward.
"Closer," he urged.
Another step. He was within reach. As soon as he released Melissa, she would be able to grab him. Then she saw the weapon pointed at the girl’s head.
"Put the gun down, Willie Jack and let her go. That was the deal."
Willie Jack ignored her. He leaned down to whisper in Melissa’s ear and then gave her a little shove, his gun trained on the back of her head. Maya reached for her as a sharp pain radiated through her thigh. Stunned eyes glanced down to find a needle stuck in her leg. Whatever was in the syringe worked immediately. Her vision narrowed to pinpricks.
"I’m sorry," Melissa whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.
It was the last thing Maya saw as the world tilted and then faded to black.
#
"He’s got a gun," Kincaid said, his binoculars trained on Willie Jack. "He’s pushing Melissa forward. Do you have a shot?" he asked the snipers.
"Negative," one answered.
"Negative here, too," the other stated.
Melissa approached Maya and then backed away. "What the—" Maya started to fall but Willie Jack caught her before she hit the ground.
"Did he shoot her?" Nick asked in horror.
"No silencer on the gun," Kincaid said. "We would have heard it otherwise."
Everything happened in slow motion. Willie Jack drug Maya behind the building as Melissa raced down the hill. A sharp crack rent the night and she stumbled, rolling down the slope, her scream echoing to an abrupt stop. She remained motionless.
Kincaid shot to his feet. "Dammit, did he shoot her?" He dropped the binoculars and raced across the street.
"Get in position by the car," Nick ordered keeping his binoculars trained on the hill as Kincaid covered Melissa on the ground and shielded her with his body in case Willie Jack fired again. A motor rumbled to life and two headlights cut across the snow.
"Dammit, he’s got a snowmobile." Nick’s heart stopped when he spotted Maya’s lifeless body draped across Willie Jack’s back like a blanket. "Hold your fire!" he yelled. The snowmobile rumbled louder and darted off through a grove of trees on the hill. "Follow him," he ordered as he raced to meet Kincaid.
"Is she shot?"
Kincaid shook his head.
"Did he hurt you?" he asked Melissa gently.
Her arms wrapped around Kincaid’s neck. "N-no," she stuttered. "But he was really mean and he scared me. He has that woman," she wailed. "She’s not Violet."
"Melissa, this is very important. What happened to her?"
"He made me stab a needle in her leg. Her eyes closed and she fell." She hiccupped. "I didn’t want to do it. He said he would shoot me and my mommy if I didn’t. I’m s-sorry," she broke off as sobs racked her body, her head buried against Jake’s shoulder.
"It’s okay, honey," Kincaid said. "You're safe now. We won’t let him hurt you or your mommy." His eyes met Nick’s and he understood the silent communication: "We won’t let him hurt Maya either."
"Melissa?"
The girl’s head snapped up. "Mommy?"
"My baby!" Ms. Walters broke free of the officer holding her arm and raced forward, snatching Melissa from Kincaid.
"Is she…okay?" Violet asked?
"He didn’t touch Melissa," Kincaid said grimly.
"But he has Maya," Nick finished.
CHAPTER 26
Maya awoke to a blinding pain in her head. Her eyes blinked open to silent darkness. She tried to move and realized her arms and legs were bound, her limbs secured by rope to the bed she was lying on. Letting her eyes adjust, she searched the small space. Mildew climbed up decaying walls, the pungent scent musty and stale. Wind howled against the window, making her acutely aware of the frigid temperature. With paralyzing fear, she realized she was naked.
The events of the last few hours came rushing back. The last thing she remembered was reaching for Melissa, who stabbed a needle in her leg and then she blacked o
ut. Willie Jack obviously drugged her and brought her here.
But where was here? And was Melissa safe?
She had no time to think as Willie Jack stepped into her line of vision.
"Well, well, well, finally she wakes."
He arranged a lantern on a table next to the window, the glow illuminating the small space. It was the only piece of furniture in the room besides a small night stand and the bed she was anchored to.
Willie Jack’s beefy frame threw an eerie shadow against the dingy brown wall as he moved closer. Comparing the living, breathing man to the pictures she had studied, she noted how much he'd changed in the years spent in prison. A ragged scar now bisected the left side of his face, bumps on his bulbous nose indicated more than one break and crude tattoos circled his thick neck as he stripped off his heavy overcoat. His gaze glued between her legs. She closed her eyes in utter humiliation. They quickly snapped open when the mattress dipped. Willie Jack settled beside her, his heavy bulk causing her to roll in his direction until the ropes wrenched her in place.
He wore a malevolent leer as he aimed a can filled with white foam between her legs and pushed a button. She jerked against her bonds.
"W-what are you doing?"
The lather popped and crackled as it settled on her skin. She felt a slight burning sensation and prayed to God it wasn’t whipped cream. She would rather die than have him put his mouth on her. She thought the can said something like "Veet".
Willie Jack stood and looked at his watch, whistling a snappy tune as he ignored her question. He opened a small Styrofoam cooler and yanked out a bottle of what looked like Jack Daniels. Unscrewing the cap, he took a deep pull then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. With a loud, "Ah," he recapped the jug and placed it on the top of the cooler. He lifted a pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket, obviously another habit he picked up in prison. Violet told her he forced her mom to quit when they were married, not that her mother had obeyed. Upending the package, he tapped it against the palm of his hand to dislodge a stick. Holding the end to lantern, he lit the end and puffed, letting white smoke billow from his nose like a fire-breathing dragon. Eyeing his watch again, he nodded and picked up a pink device that looked suspiciously like a razor without the blade.
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