Daylight Robbery (An Aspen Falls Novel)

by Melissa Pearl

  Robin was asleep.

  They were safe. They were safe. They were safe.

  Leah ran the mantra on repeat as they waded through the ankle-deep stream and out the other side.

  “It’s freezing,” Bobby screeched as he hopped out of the water.

  “We just need to keep moving,” Leah encouraged, hauling him up the steep bank and trying not to think as they plunged into the trees.

  She hated the forest.

  The darkness.

  It was a giant monster ready to swallow her whole.

  Finding a patch of moonlight ahead, she raced toward it and tried to find some bearings. She didn’t really have any. It was new terrain and she could get completely lost.

  “Please,” she whispered, not knowing if anyone or anything could hear her. But her heart still cried out a desperate plea—help me!

  And as if someone was paying attention, she felt the urge to move forward, to follow the moonlight. So that was what she did. Chasing the soft beams that found openings between the trees, she led Bobby through the woods until they were standing on the edge of a deserted road.

  “Which way?” she asked aloud, not really expecting Bobby to answer.

  But he did, pointing to his right and stating, “This way.”

  “Why?”

  He shrugged. “It just feels right.”

  She let out a breathy laugh that was near hysterical and decided that answer had to be good enough.

  They trudged down the road. The only sound between them was their puffing breaths. Leah fought the urge to panic. She needed to stop worrying that they’d get caught before they found anything.

  What-if questions bombarded her from all sides. The attack was merciless, and her head was screaming by the time Bobby jerked to a stop and pointed.

  “Look!” he squeaked. “Lights!”

  Leah quickly glanced up and spotted the lights Bobby was referring to. It felt like hope, and they both ran toward it, their jelly legs somehow dragging them along.

  Before they even reached the building, Leah could see that it was a gas station. Two pumps were out front and there were dim lights on inside. Rushing to the door, she placed her hands on the glass to see if anyone was inside, but the Closed sign and the fact that the door was locked told her everything she needed to know.

  “Shit,” she muttered under her breath.

  She strained to see behind the counter, looking for a phone, but there was nothing on the wall or countertop.

  What could she do?

  Break in?

  “What’s that?” Bobby asked from the edge of the building.

  She ran after him and looked around the corner, spotting a trailer in the back corner of the property. Lights were on inside, and although Leah’s stomach rebelled against the idea, she forced her body forward.

  Someone was in there.

  Someone who might be able to help them.

  Drawing on every ounce of courage she had left, she walked to the trailer and knocked on the metal door before she could stop herself.

  A clatter from inside made her gasp and she stepped back, Bobby quickly cowering behind her. Moments later, the trailer door crept open and an older woman with wispy white hair and a scowl stared down at them.

  “Is that a witch?” Bobby whispered.

  Leah squeezed his hand to shut him up and forced a smile that was so tight, her lips barely moved.

  “Hi.” She swallowed and tried to square her shoulders. “We need your help. This boy’s lost his mother. I need to call the police and let them know I’ve found him.”

  The woman’s eyes narrowed with skepticism. “Where’d you find him?”

  Shit! Think, Leah. Think!

  “Out in the fields.” She pointed a thumb over her shoulder. “He must have been dumped there or something. He can’t remember.”

  Bobby hiccupped, then let out a wail. “I want my mommy. Please. Please take me to her.”

  Leah glanced down to see that his tears were genuine, like he’d been holding back on the ugly cries until he felt safe enough to let them out.

  The woman behind the door crooned and opened the door wide. “Oh, honey, don’t you cry. We’ll get you to your mommy. You just wait here with Grammy Jane.”

  Leah gave the woman a grateful smile and mouthed, “Thank you,” as she followed Bobby into the trailer.

  “What’s your name, sweet thing?” She bent down to help Bobby into the table booth.

  “Bob…” He looked to Leah, then whispered, “Arnie.”

  “Arnie?” The woman smiled. “Is that short for Arnold?”

  Bobby nodded and the woman clapped her hands together. “Well, I love that name. You know, I have six grandchildren now, and one of them is called Annette. We call her Annie for short. That’s a little bit like your name, isn’t it?”

  Bobby’s dimples appeared and Leah felt herself relax.

  This woman was kind. She’d help them.

  The woman’s friendly smile fled as she stood and turned her back to Bobby. She gave Leah a suspicious frown and whisper-barked, “What are you doing out in the middle of nowhere at this time of night? How’d you find this boy?”

  Leah shuffled to the edge of the room. It wasn’t hard considering how cramped the space was. Leaning against the wall, she tried to think up a plausible lie. She looked around the cluttered trailer, noting the pictures on the spare space of wall near the table. One was a graduation photo and inspiration hit her. She’d seen a few teen movies. Robin had used them for educational purposes. He said he wanted them to learn how not to behave.

  Licking her lips, she stuttered, “I-I snuck out to go to a party and I ended up getting into a huge fight with my boyfriend. I decided to walk home…and thankfully I did, because I never would have found this little guy otherwise. He was near the forest. I heard him crying and went to investigate. I found him with a banged-up knee and he was really scared. He said he was looking for his mommy and couldn’t find her.”

  The woman glanced over her shoulder and noted Bobby’s knee. With a little tsk, she opened the cupboard above Leah’s head and pulled out a first aid kit. She sank to her knees and got busy, fixing Bobby up. Her voice was sweet and motherly as she coaxed Bobby to spin around in the seat so she could access his legs better.

  She glanced over her shoulder and said to Leah. “I’ll call 911 as soon as I’ve cleaned him up.”

  Leah’s heart lurched. The idea of police she didn’t know showing up scared the crap out of her.

  “Actually.” She jerked off the wall. “My uncle works for the police. I’d rather call him, if that’s okay.” She’d already spotted the woman’s cell phone on the table and inched toward it.

  The woman didn’t say anything at first, but finally sighed and tutted, “You’ve been drinking, haven’t you?”

  Leah wanted to say no, because that was the truth, but would that give away her lie?

  She just winced instead, hoping that would be enough of an answer.

  The woman rolled her eyes. “Fine. Call your uncle.”

  “Thank you,” Leah whispered, snatching the phone off the table and hoping she could work out how to use it.

  “Here.” The woman held her hand out for the device and unlocked the screen for her, then opened up the phone app.

  Leah cringed again. “I don’t suppose you know the number for some kind of directory? I’ve forgotten his number at the station.”

  “He’s working tonight?” the lady asked.

  Oh man, I sure hope so, Leah thought, suddenly doubting her terribly thought-out plan.

  With another sigh, the woman pushed some buttons and handed the phone to her. “Just type in the police station you’re looking for and it should bring up the number.”

  Leah nodded and turned away so the woman couldn’t watch her. What if Aspen Falls was miles away? She didn’t need any more skeptical glances from the woman.

  Her heart thumped with uncertainty as she carefully typed in the name, h
oping she had the spelling right. Glancing over her shoulder, she was relieved to see Grammy Jane was busy rummaging through a drawer beneath the bed.

  “Here it is,” she said cheerfully, struggling back to her feet with a bright yellow teddy bear. “This is Annie’s favorite.” She lumbered back to Bobby’s side and handed it to him. “If you push her tummy, it plays a song.”

  “Aspen Falls Police Department, how may I help you?”

  Leah flinched, then swallowed. “I need to speak to Kellan Marks, please.”

  The man on the line hesitated. “Can I say who’s calling?”

  No! Leah silently screamed then bit the edge of her lip. “Just put me through to him. Please, it’s an emergency.”

  “I’ll see if he’s available.” The man’s voice was tight, only adding to Leah’s fear that her plan was going to fall to pieces.

  Any moment Robin would be knocking on the trailer door and hauling them out of there.

  Or maybe this Marks person wasn’t there.

  Or he’d forgotten about her already.

  Or he wouldn’t want to help.

  Maybe this lady would kick them out before dawn and then what the hell would they do?

  Her brain was pounding as she waited for her call to go through.

  Bobby’s giggle momentarily distracted her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw his small face light with a smile as he pushed the bear’s tummy.

  “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine” began to play, and Leah’s blood tingled.

  She froze for a moment, recognizing the tune from somewhere deep inside of her.

  She knew it.

  She’d heard that song before, somewhere in her past. She could feel it.

  Blinking at the swell of emotion, she once again had that gut-deep feeling that maybe she was just like Bobby. Maybe she’d been stolen all those years ago.

  Which meant maybe the others had too.

  It wasn’t just about Bobby.

  It was about all of them.

  Which meant tonight couldn’t be her last on the farm. She had to go back. She had to get them all free, even if it was just one at a time.

  “You there?” The man’s voice made her flinch.

  She sucked in a breath and tried to make her voice sound bright. “Yes.”

  “I’ll go ahead and put you through now.”

  Leah licked her lips, her breath on hold as the button beeped and she was transferred to Kellan Marks—the man who felt like her only hope.

  36

  Thursday, October 4th

  12:10am

  Kellan wasn’t sure why the hell he was still at work.

  The inability to sleep of late had become a new kind of torture. Staying at work was easier than lying in an empty bed—in a cold, empty house—dodging thoughts of Melina and how good it would have felt to have her in his arms, resting beside him and chasing the night terrors away.

  The night terrors that woke him frequently, sweating and panting as he raced through his dream to save his baby girl. She was screaming, terrified, in pain…and he couldn’t reach her.

  Tormented was too soft a word for what he was going through.

  There was no way of describing the harrowing mental persecution he was trying to avoid.

  All he could do was stay awake and work.

  Work to find this Arnold kid and reunite him with his mother.

  Work to find this Leah kid and figure out who her family was so he could put them back together again.

  He was on a mission. As well as managing the station and visiting his injured men, he was determined to be a part of this messed-up case and save these kids from whoever the hell was using them.

  He knew he wasn’t the only one invested in working out what had happened. The FBI was still hunting down information, but their focus was different. Their priority was finding out who had broken into the station. Kellan wanted those answers too, but right now, he was zeroed in on these kids.

  A knock at the door made him glance up from his notes. “Come in.”

  Blaine’s head popped through the doorway. “Hey, Chief, there’s a weird phone call you might want to take.”

  “Huh?”

  “It’s a girl. She sounds young. Wouldn’t give me her name. I don’t know if it’s a prank call or not, but she sounded kind of anxious to speak with you.” Blaine’s eyebrows furrowed. “You don’t think it’s…”

  Kellan jerked in his seat, snatching the black receiver and barking, “What line?”

  “One.”

  He punched the number and forced his voice to come out smooth and easy, “This is Kellan Marks.” Dammit, his voice was trembling.

  He cleared his throat and waited.

  A shaky breath was eventually followed by a nervous “Hi. It’s um… Well, it’s…”

  “Leah?”

  Another shaky release of air, like she’d been holding an extra mouthful deep in her lungs. As soon as she let it go, her words flowed out like gushing water, fast and erratic. “Yeah, listen I can’t talk for long, but I have Bobby… I mean Arnold. I mean, I think his name’s Arnold. That’s what he likes to be called, not that we’re allowed to call him that. But his picture. It was at the station. He’s missing, right? He’s the missing kid. Well, I’ve got him, and I need you to come get him.”

  Kellan stood from his seat while she was talking, grabbing and pocketing his keys. “Where are you?”

  “One second.”

  He waited out the muffled conversation, agitation and excitement simmering inside of him. It was Leah. She’d contacted him and she had Arnold too. This wasn’t just a break. The case was being ripped wide open and illuminated from the inside.

  He willed his racing heart to slow the hell down, resisting the urge to pull out his cell phone and text Melina.

  He frowned.

  Why was that his first thought?

  After pushing her away like that, she probably wanted nothing to do with him.

  He cringed and shoved his love life to the back of his brain.

  Love life?

  What the hell—

  “But I think it’d be better if…” Leah’s voice shook and then trailed off.

  Kellan stilled, straining to hear the muffled conversation. What was taking so long? His heart continued to tick erratically and impatience soon won out. “Leah, are you there?”

  “Yeah, just uh…” She hesitated, then finally sighed and muttered, “Okay, fine.”

  “Leah, what’s going on?”

  “Grammy Jane wants to drive us.”

  “Who’s Grammy Jane?”

  “She, um… We’re at her gas station. In the trailer behind her gas station. Anyway, she knows Aspen Falls. Says it’s about an hour away, so she wants to drive us.”

  Kellan frowned. “Do you know this woman?”

  “No.” Leah’s voice was small and uncertain.

  “Let me speak with her,” Kellan’s command was soft but nonnegotiable.

  “I…” And then she hung up.

  “Leah?” Kellan barked, before growling and slamming down the phone. “Shit!”

  Closing his eyes, he pressed his knuckles against his desk and forced himself to not panic, and to think through protocol.

  He had to call the FBI, alert them to what he’d just found out about Arnold Watson, Leah Whoever-The-Hell-She-Was and this Grammy Jane person. Maybe they could help him find out where the hell this gas station was.

  Snatching the phone, he swallowed down his frustration and made the call.

  It took three transfers and one long wait before he finally managed to speak to an agent in charge—Rebecca Stein. He gave the woman a brief rundown on the phone call and her first response was, “Is it a hoax?”

  “I don’t think so.” Kellan shook his head. “I’ve met this girl, and although it was a brief encounter, I’ve got a gut feeling that she knows Arnold Watson.”

  Agent Stein sighed. “Who do you think hung up the call?”

  “I hone
stly don’t know. I’d like to think it was Leah, but maybe it was this Grammy Jane person.”

  “Shit, she could be their captor for all we know.”

  “Maybe.” Kellan nodded. “Or maybe not. They were conversing. It wasn’t like she was suddenly busted and the call was cut off.”

  After another huff, the woman muttered, “Okay, fine. You sit tight on the off chance she turns up with the kids. Call us as soon as she arrives. If she arrives.”

  “Will do.” Kellan nodded, then scribbled down the agent’s personal cell phone number.

  “We’re currently working a case that’s pretty damn hot, and I can’t really spare any agents unless this is a sure thing.”

  “I’ll get my guys to work on tracing the call. If I can get you a location—”

  “We’ll send someone there immediately.”

  “Appreciate it. I’ll keep you posted.”

  “Roger that.” Agent Stein hung up and Kellan plunked down in his chair, hating that he couldn’t do more.

  Waiting around at the station was torture. He pulled Blaine away from his reports and got him scrutinizing maps and satellite images, trying to find a trailer behind a gas station that was about a one-hour radius from Aspen Falls.

  The task was so challenging it was almost a joke.

  Kellan worked on trying to trace the call, but he was having no luck and his frustration was steadily mounting until the phone on his desk buzzed.

  “Yeah,” Kellan answered the internal call with a sharp bark, expecting Thompson, who was working the night desk, to tell him Melina had arrived.

  He’d called her on the chance that Leah did show up. He wanted the girl to see another familiar face when she walked into the station.

  “Hey, Chief,” Thompson said. “They’re here.”

  “They’re here?” Kellan was initially confused. Who had Melina brought with her? It had better not be her brother.

  “Uh, yeah. The woman and little boy you’ve been waiting for. I can’t see—”

  “Buzz them through.” Kellan tried to hang up the phone, but it slipped out of the cradle and banged onto his desk as he raced for the door and yanked it open. He nearly tripped running down the two short steps, but caught himself just as a large, older woman was ushered into the station with a little boy wrapped around her. His head was nestled into the crook of her neck and he was clinging to her like a monkey wrapped around a tree. Kellan couldn’t see his face, but he sensed it was Arnold.