Missing

by Lynette Eason

  He knew what she was trying to say. “No, it doesn’t. If someone had really done that to her, they would have left us the real thing. Not…that.” He hoped. He caught Joseph’s eye. The set of his jaw said he didn’t like this one bit. Catelyn consulted with one of the crime-scene techs.

  Lacey shuddered, but he felt her shoulders relax a minuscule amount at his reassuring words. “Besides,” he confirmed, “I think Bethany called Georgia’s phone just a little earlier.”

  “What?” She jerked to look at him, new hope flaring in her emerald eyes.

  “I’ve got someone tracing the call.” He nodded to Joseph. “And Joseph’s working on some other things that could help us find Bethany—and who’s doing this stuff.”

  “I’m going to have to move out,” she whispered. “I can’t stay here and keep my parents in danger.”

  “No.” Mason shook his head. “We need all of you together. Who’s to say this person won’t go after your parents if they can’t get to you?”

  As soon as the words left his lips he wished he could take them back. A new fear flashed across her face. Before she could speak, he held up a hand. “We’re going to get someone to cover your house—24/7. Right, Catelyn?”

  The woman’s mouth worked, then snapped shut as her eyes flitted from Mason to the bed to Lacey. “Yes. I think that can be arranged.”

  “And I’ve got a couple of buddies I can call if we need some extra help.” A light came on in his eyes. “I’ll give my partner a call and see what she has on her schedule over the next couple of days. Carly would be glad to help us out.” Carly Masterson, soon to be Carly Floyd, would be in the midst of wedding plans. Plans he hated to interrupt, but for Bethany and Lacey, he’d be willing to bet she’d help him out.

  Lacey still looked shell-shocked, but didn’t protest his offer. Placing a hand on her arm, he pulled her from the room down the hall and into the den where her parents still sat with wide fearful eyes.

  Lacey went to her mother and wrapped her in her arms. “It’s going to be all right, Mom.”

  “Why wouldn’t you let us go in Bethany’s room? What was in there?”

  So she’d shielded them, Mason felt his respect for her go up a notch. Come to think of it, it had gone up several notches over the last few hours.

  “Someone played a really cruel joke and left a—something that was supposed to resemble Bethany in her room. It freaked me out when I saw it and that’s why I screamed.” She left out the gruesome details and Mason watched her parents exchange a look that said they knew she wasn’t telling them everything. But they accepted her explanation.

  Mason spoke into his cell phone, the frown he’d arrived with still creasing his forehead. When he hung up, he turned back to the room’s occupants.

  Lacey’s father rose. “How long are those people going to be here?”

  Mason said, “Probably not much longer.”

  “We’re finished,” one of the CSU techs said from behind him.

  Catelyn and Joseph entered the room, followed by Daniel.

  “I’ll have someone on the house tonight. We’re a little short staffed, so I’m not sure what I can do about tomorrow.” He looked at the sky. “Er, today, but I’ll talk to the captain and see what he says.”

  Mason stayed with Lacey and her parents until everyone else cleared out of the house. Once the last car pulled away, he turned to Lacey and said, “The sun’s coming up. As soon as Carly gets here, let’s find our daughter.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  The few hours of sleep she’d managed to get would have to get her through the day.

  Not five minutes after Mason asked her what she wanted for breakfast, Joseph called to say he had some news about the gunshot victims dating the night of the accident. He’d narrowed down the list to three men: all had been treated at local hospitals—two the night of the accident, and one the morning after.

  Putting off the intention of going to the homeless shelter for later in the day, Mason and Lacey swung through the drive thru. They each consumed a biscuit and the largest coffee sold, while heading to the police station to meet Joseph.

  Lacey was quite surprised that Mason wasn’t fighting her more on the fact that she insisted on accompanying him everywhere. She absolutely refused to just sit at home and wait for the phone to ring.

  That’s what her parents were doing and it was close to making them crazy.

  Doing her best to focus on the present and on the fact that she was an active participant in the search for Bethany, she stepped inside the police station while Mason held the door for her.

  Joseph met them in Catelyn’s office. Since he was FBI, he didn’t have an official office.

  Catelyn wasn’t there, but Daniel was.

  Great.

  Although she had to admit he looked as bleary-eyed as the rest of them. Maybe he was taking Bethany’s case more seriously than Lacey had thought.

  He got right to it. “We’ve got three names thanks to Joseph. Mel Simpson, John Howe and Asa Monroe.”

  Mason shook his head. “Three leg wounds? What are the odds?”

  “I can tell you right off that Asa Monroe’s not your man. He’s sixty-seven years old with a heart condition. His wife got mad because he left his gun on the couch, picked it up and threw it at him. It went off and caught him in the calf.”

  Lacey winced at the mental picture.

  Mason grimaced. “The guy we’re after is a lot younger, probably in his late twenties, early thirties. And he was favoring his left leg.”

  “Then I’m guessing it’s John Howe. Shot in the fleshy part of his thigh. Said he was cleaning his gun when it went off.”

  “Which leg?” Mason crossed his arms across his chest.

  Daniel looked up from the report. “Left.”

  Lacey asked, “Why couldn’t it be the third man?”

  “He’s dead from an infection caused by the bullet wound.”

  “Oh.”

  “So, what do we know about Mr. Howe?” Mason asked.

  Daniel studied the file and said, “He’s an unemployed truck driver. No previous trouble with the law. Divorced for two years. Has experience in martial arts and is now teaching part-time at the karate school on Brownstock Road.” He looked up. “It’s also the school Bethany goes to.”

  A chill raised the hairs on the back of his neck. Mason looked at Joseph. “I’d like to pay Mr. Howe a little visit.”

  “We need to watch ourselves if this guy tries to pull any of that marital arts stuff on us,” Joseph warned.

  Mason nodded. “I’m in.” He hesitated and looked at Daniel. “Any word on Austin Howard yet?”

  The FBI agent hesitated and Mason narrowed his eyes. “What?”

  “I wasn’t going to say anything yet, but…”

  “Just say it, Joseph.”

  “Austin was spotted in Florida. But he managed to elude capture.”

  “Capture? Why would he run if he didn’t have anything to be worried about?”

  Joseph nodded. “Exactly. We’re still tracking him down. In the meantime, let’s not assume Bethany is with Austin. We have more evidence that she’s with a man that limps.”

  Daniel tossed the file onto Catelyn’s desk. “I’ve got his address, let’s go.”

  Lacey started out the door with the men. Mason hung back and snagged her arm. “You can’t go on this visit.”

  Startled, she looked at him. “Why not? You’ve let me do everything else with you.”

  “This is different. We’re talking about a guy that might have tried to kidnap Bethany.”

  She felt the heat of her anger rise up in her. “We’re talking about a guy that might have Bethany tied up somewhere in his house. There’s no way I’m staying here when Bethany might need me.”

  Mason set his jaw and Lacey tried not to let him intimidate her. His fingers tightened on her arm, not hard enough to bruise, but hard enough to let her know he was dead serious. “You can’t go, understand? It’s too dange
rous. I promise to be in touch as soon as I know anything.”

  “But she might…”

  Without raising his voice, he said, “The longer we stay here arguing, the longer it’s taking us to see if Bethany’s there.”

  “Go,” she whispered, knowing she was defeated. “Just go get her.”

  He pulled her to him for a quick hug and a kiss to her forehead. Looking deep into her eyes, he promised, “I’m going to find her, Lacey. I don’t think you coming home is an accident. I think God might have something in mind for us. All three of us.”

  “God? I thought you didn’t…” She broke off again as hope thrummed through her. “Never mind, we’ll talk about that later. Go find our daughter.”

  Without another word, Mason left to catch up with the other two men. Lacey watched him go and felt her heart tumble wildly in her chest.

  Hope warred with terrifying fear—hope that they’d find Bethany, and fear that if they did the news wouldn’t be good. She began to pace the small office, praying, crying out to God to spare her child and bring her home safe.

  Then she thought, what if they did find her? What if they found her and Bethany needed her? What if she was crying or hurt? Would she wonder why Lacey wasn’t there?

  She had to go. She had to be there to grab Bethany up in her arms and reassure her that everything was going to be all right.

  But where?

  She hadn’t gotten the address.

  And she sure couldn’t call Mason and ask him.

  Biting her lip, she glanced around the office.

  Her eyes landed on the file folder, where Daniel had tossed it.

  Crossing to the desk, she took a deep breath, cranked up her nerve and picked it up.

  She opened it.

  And found the name John Howe.

  417 Good Walker Road.

  Snatching her phone from her purse, she plugged the address into her GPS. Seven miles from here.

  Decision made, she hurried out to the front desk. “I need a cab.”

  The young officer nodded and placed the call for her. “It should be here within a minute. They tend to hang out around here as we provide them with quite a bit of business.”

  No doubt.

  Hurrying to the front doors, she watched for the yellow vehicle. While she waited, impatiently tapping her foot, another car pulled up and into a parking spot just a few feet away.

  Lacey instantly recognized the woman.

  Bolting out the door, she hurried over to her. “Janice!”

  Her friend jumped and her eyes went wide. “Lacey, what in world is wrong?”

  “Can you take me somewhere? I don’t have a car and…”

  Janice waved her into the passenger seat and started her vehicle. Lacey planted herself into the seat and slammed the door.

  “Where are we going?”

  Grabbing her phone, she looked at the GPS. “Go left out of here, then take the first right onto Sunbeam Avenue.”

  Following her directions, Janice spared her a quick glance. “What’s going on? Where are we going?”

  “To find Bethany’s kidnapper.”

  The car swerved, and Janice shot her another look.

  “What? Couldn’t that be dangerous?”

  A pang shot through Lacey. Was she placing the woman in danger? “You don’t have to go all the way to the house. I’ll get out before you get there and you won’t have to worry about anything.”

  A strange light lit Janice’s face and she grinned. “Are you kidding? There’s no way you’re leaving me out of this. This is the first exciting thing to happen all day.” Like an eager kid, she pressed the gas pedal. “Daniel’s always the one that gets to be the hero. Maybe this time, I’ll get a part in it.” Then she cut her eyes to Lacey for a brief second. She reached over with her right and squeezed Lacey’s fingers. “I’m sorry. That was really insensitive of me.” She placed her hand back on the wheel. “I’m just glad to be able to help you and Bethany.”

  Lacey didn’t know whether to laugh or not. Some things truly didn’t change. Janice had never been known for her empathy. Shaking her head, she was just glad Janice was willing to her help her out.

  *

  Finally, pay dirt. Nerves stretched taut, Mason’s gut clenched as he realized he might very well come face-to-face with his daughter within the next few minutes. He tried not to think about the fact that she might not be alive if he found her. When he found her. His mind returned to his impromptu search in the dark last night.

  Anxiety twisted inside him and he almost wished he hadn’t pushed God aside over the last few years. In fact, saying a prayer to a God who heard him sounded like a really good idea right now. And he hadn’t been kidding Lacey when he said he felt as if God might have a plan in bringing her home. He wasn’t sure where those words had come from, but they felt right.

  Everything that had happened over the last couple of days had thrown him for a loop. And brought him face-to-face with his spiritual side. He would have to explore that whole thing later.

  Right now, he had a daughter out there who needed his help. He just prayed he was able to reach her in time.

  Mason considered his decision to refuse to allow Lacey to come with them.

  But there hadn’t been any other option.

  This man might very well have their daughter—and a weapon. Mason couldn’t concentrate on what he needed to do if he had to watch out for Lacey, too.

  She hadn’t been happy with him, but her safety was more important than making her happy. Mason watched Daniel drive and wasn’t sure whether he trusted the man or not. Right now, he didn’t have a choice. “You know we’re going to have to talk about the past at some point.”

  Daniel shot him a look. “Nothing to talk about.”

  “Come on, Daniel, you know there is.”

  “I don’t think you want to open that can of worms. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past few years, it is that dwelling on the past brings nothing but pain and heartache.” His fingers clenched the wheel in a death grip. “So just let it go.”

  Mason wondered what the man meant by that statement and vowed to press deeper when the opportunity presented itself.

  Daniel pulled up to a two-story wooden structure that had seen better days, while Joseph pulled in behind them.

  The place looked deserted, but experience taught him that didn’t always mean it was.

  Climbing out of the car, he led the approach to the house at an angle, eyeing the windows, the surrounding properties, every possible place that could harbor a man who didn’t want to talk to the police.

  Even though the sun shone brightly on the old home, the eerie silence made the hairs on the back of Mason’s neck stand straight up. He stopped next to the porch and gripped the railing.

  Daniel looked at him and frowned. Mason read the message in the man’s eyes. He didn’t like it, either.

  Long ago, he’d learned to listen to his instincts. Mason reached for the gun secured in the shoulder holster, and let the weighted reassurance rest in his palm.

  No sooner had he gripped the butt of the gun, when the door of the house flew open.

  A pair of startled brown eyes stared back at him. When John Howe realized who stood on his porch, he spun around and darted back inside.

  “Mr. Howe! Stop!”

  The uneven receding footsteps told Mason that the man wasn’t interested in stopping. And while he hadn’t seen a weapon, he kept his gun ready and bolted after the fleeing figure. Joseph had taken off around the side of the house to head Howe off at the back.

  Daniel followed after Mason, feet thumping against the dried dirt that looked like it hadn’t seen grass or water in a long time.

  Rounding the corner, Mason saw Howe execute a martial arts kick to the stomach that landed Joseph on his back gasping for air.

  “Freeze, Mr. Howe!” Daniel ordered.

  Once again, the man ignored them and with a pained grimace, turned and raced away disappearing ba
ck toward the front of the house.

  “You okay?” Mason hollered as he raced past Joseph who was scrambling to his feet.

  “Just get him,” Joseph gritted out through gasps for air.

  A screech of brakes and a loud thud reached his ears and coming around to the front of the house he saw a black Mercedes halfway in the driveway.

  Mr. Howe lay groaning on the ground in front of the car. “You broke my leg.”

  As the driver jumped from the vehicle, Mason and Daniel leaped as one to capture the still-stunned John Howe. Daniel slapped a pair of handcuffs on him just as Joseph arrived to stand beside them.

  Part of him registered Daniel’s wife, Janice, standing with a slack jaw and taking in all the action.

  Lacey popped from the passenger seat, hand covering her mouth as she took in the scene. “He just came out of nowhere. Is he all right?”

  “My leg,” the man groaned.

  “What are you doing here?” Mason demanded of her while rolling the man on his side. Without giving Lacey a chance to answer, he glanced at Daniel. “Call the paramedics and some backup.” Then he shot a look back at Lacey that he hoped conveyed his anger at her presence, while Daniel stared at Janice, his expression a cross between amusement and anger.

  At first Lacey flushed and looked away, then swung her eyes back to his, notching her chin up and setting her jaw.

  Daniel shook his head and pulled out his phone to place the calls. Joseph disappeared into the house and Mason knew he was looking for Bethany.

  Mason stayed in his crouched position and looked Howe in the eye. He’d have to deal with Lacey later. To Howe, he demanded, “Where’s Bethany?”

  Howe winced and turned his head away. “She broke my leg, man.”

  Mason grabbed his shirt and yanked Howe toward him. “I know what’s wrong with your leg, Howe, and it’s not because you ran into the fender of that car. Now, where’s Bethany!”

  “I don’t know who you’re talking about!” Howe’s lips curled and Mason wanted to punch him.

  “He’s talking about my daughter,” Lacey suddenly came to life and stomped toward them. “The one you tried to kidnap the night she was involved in a wreck. The wreck where you showed up with a gun.” She pointed to his leg.