“You’re out of your mind,” Brody said. “Owen was my best friend. And you think I’d ever hurt Anna? You think I’d do anything to put my own son in danger?”
Frank was suddenly silent. Surprised.
“So she told you, did she?”
Brody nodded again. “I don’t think she meant to, but yeah. And if you’re crazy enough to believe I’d ever hurt either of them…”
“This isn’t an act, is it?” Frank said. “You really are still in love with her.”
“Is that a surprise?”
“No. No, I guess it isn’t.” He lowered the gun now.
“And if it makes you feel any better, I’m sure she feels the same. It was always you, Brody. After you left she tried to convince herself that she was in love with me—doing it for Adam’s sake—but it just didn’t work for any of us.”
Brody studied Frank’s face. Saw the sincerity there.
This was, he realized, the first time the two of them had a conversation that wasn’t filled with the heat of rivalry. One always trying to upstage the other.
Could Frank be telling the truth?
Were his hands clean in this?
Was he merely a cop, a concerned ex-husband who wanted to protect the woman he loved?
“So what now?” Brody asked, eyeing the weapon in Frank’s hand. “If neither one of us is behind this, then who is? And where have they taken Anna and Adam?”
“What you said about that car on the road has me thinking. We were finally able to identify Santa Claus and his buddy. They were both registered with the department as CIs.”
The sheriff’s department often used confidential informants to help keep the deputies apprised of what was going on in the streets. All CIs were registered in a special database and paid through a fund set aside specifically for that purpose.
“So you weren’t kidding about possible rogue deputies. Who were the CIs working for?”
“That’s the problem,” Frank said. “The records have been tampered with. We don’t know who they were assigned to. My first instinct was that they must’ve been connected to you at one point, back when you were on the force, but I can see I was wrong. I let my own prejudice get in the way of my judgment.”
“Join the club,” Brody told him. It seemed they’d both jumped to conclusions. “So we could be dealing with anyone. Anyone in the department.”
Frank nodded and gestured. “Which makes calling all this in a very bad idea. Looks like we’re on our own from here on—”
There was a crash down below.
The front door flying open.
Frank brought the gun up and turned, starting down the stairs, Brody right at his heels.
When they reached the bottom, to their complete surprise they found Anna stumbling to the sofa, soaked to the bone and out of breath, her eyes filled with panic and terror and tears.
“They’ve got Adam,” she sobbed. “Oh, my sweet God, they’ve got Adam…”
Chapter Nineteen
Anna had never been so terrified in her life. Her chest constricted and she could barely breathe. She was wet and cold and miserable, but most of all worried. Worried that she’d never see her son and her mother again.
Brody and Frank moved to her.
“Who has Adam?” Frank asked. “Who took him?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know, I don’t know. There were two of them and they were wearing ski masks.”
“Tell us exactly what happened.”
Anna tried her best to tamp down her panic and catch her breath. But it wasn’t working.
“I took a taxi home from Owen’s place,” she managed. “But when he dropped me off, I saw the deputy on the porch and the door hanging open, and before I could react, they came crashing past me, dragging Adam and Mom along with them. Then they shoved them in a car and took off.”
“What did you do?” Brody asked. “Where have you been all this time?”
“I started running after them. Shouting at them to stop. Screaming for Adam. I don’t know why the neighbors didn’t report it. I must’ve looked like a crazy lady.”
“Forget about the neighbors,” Frank said. “They probably don’t want to get involved.”
“I kept running and running,” Anna told them. “Even after I couldn’t see the car anymore. I must’ve run a couple of miles. I don’t know what I was thinking. I was out of my mind with panic.”
Brody sat down next to her and pulled her into his arms. “Easy,” he said. “Take it easy.”
Anna welcomed his touch. Needed it. “They’ve got my son, Brody. Our son.”
“I know,” he said. “I know. We’ll find him. We’ll get him back.”
“But how? We don’t even know who they—”
The phone rang, cutting her off. The landline in the dining room. Mounted on the wall next to the kitchen doorway.
They all jerked their heads toward it, listening to its shrill ring pierce the air.
Frank started toward it, but Brody held a hand up, stopping him.
“Let Anna answer,” he said. “It’s gotta be them.”
They all exchanged glances, and Anna knew she had no choice now but to overcome her panic and answer the phone. Adam’s and Mom’s lives might depend on it.
The phone continued to ring. She got to her feet, her legs trembling as she moved, a knot of dread burning in her stomach as she crossed to the dining room.
She got close to the receiver, stared at it, still trying to stifle her terror.
Then she picked it up.
“Hello?”
The voice on the other end was mechanical. Robotlike. The caller was using some kind of device to disguise it. “That was quite a display, Ms. Sanford. You should consider running a marathon.”
“Who are you? Where’s my son?”
“Sitting in his grandmother’s arms as we speak. Cute kid you’ve got there.”
“If you hurt them, I swear to God—”
“That’s entirely up to you, now, isn’t it?”
Anna tried to calm herself. “What do you want from me?”
“Come on, now, Anna, let’s not play that game anymore. You know very well what we want.”
“That stupid button,” she spat. “The key that’ll get you into Northboard.”
“We know your brother gave it to you. He tried to double-cross us, back out on the whole plan. He even threatened to go to the sheriff. But we weren’t about to let that happen.”
“I don’t believe you. You must have forced him into it. What did you threaten him with?”
The voice was silent a moment. Then: “The same thing we’re using to threaten you, my dear. Your precious little Adam. And if you don’t cooperate…”
Anna’s panic rose again. “Don’t hurt him—please don’t hurt him.”
“Then give us the button.”
“But I don’t have it. How can I give it to you if I don’t know where…”
She stopped suddenly when she realized that Brody was standing next to her now, holding up a hand.
He had a disk between his fingers.
Anna knew he’d left the other disk with his friend Coffey, so this had to be a different one.
A new one.
Was it the real thing? Had he somehow managed to find it?
She spoke into the phone again. “All right,” she said. “No games. Tell me what you want me to do.”
“It’s very simple,” the voice said. “First, I want you to sit there for a while and think about what’s at stake. If you think you’re gonna get clever and call the police, try setting us up, you’ll only be signing your son’s death warrant. Grandma’s, too.”
Anna glanced at Brody then across at Frank.
“No police,” she said. “I promise.”
“Good, Anna. That’s what I like to hear.” He paused. “Around about midnight, I want you to get into that car of yours and start driving.”
“Where am I going?”
“There’s a meatp
acking plant on Mercer Street, the South Side, about a forty-minute drive from your house. You park just outside the front doors at twelve forty-five sharp and bring that button. We’ll take it from there.” He paused again. “You understand?”
“Yes, yes—and you’ll have Adam and my mother with you?”
“As long as you cooperate.”
“But how do I know you’re telling the truth? How do I even know they’re still alive?”
“That’s easy enough to remedy.”
Then there was a rustling sound and Mom’s quavering voice came on the line: “Anna?”
“Mom—Mom—are you okay? Is Adam all right?”
“He’s fine, dear. They haven’t hurt us. They just want whatever it is Owen gave you and they promised they’ll let us go.”
Anna started to break down. “Mom… Oh, Mom…”
“Easy, hon. We’ll be okay. Don’t you worry, I won’t let anything happen to Adam. He’s safe with me.”
Anna started to say something, but the rustling sound filled her ear again and the mechanical voice came back on the line.
“Twelve forty-five, Anna. Are we clear?”
Anna couldn’t speak.
“Are. We. Clear?”
“Yes,” Anna sobbed. “Yes. I’ll be there. I’ll be alone.”
Without another word spoken, the line clicked.
“WE HAVE TO CALL THIS in,” Frank said, pulling his cell phone from his pocket. “We should storm that place with every available man we’ve got.”
“No!” Anna cried. “We can’t take that chance. I promised him, no police.”
Frank ignored her and started to dial, but Brody crossed to him, grabbing his forearm.
“If you call it in, you’ll tip our hand. You said yourself there may be rogue deputies involved in this thing.”
“I was guessing about that. I could be wrong.”
“And if you aren’t?”
Frank thought about this then nodded. He pulled his arm away and dropped the phone back into his pocket. “All right, then. What’s the plan?”
“I go in alone,” Anna said. “Just like they told me. There’s no other choice.”
Brody shook his head. “That’s not gonna happen.”
“But you heard me on the phone. I promised him no police.”
“I’m not a deputy anymore, remember? And Frank here’s just an interested party at this point. And if you think either of us will let you go in there without some kind of backup, you’re completely out of your mind.”
“But you’ll be risking Adam’s life!”
“Listen to me, Anna. I guarantee you these people don’t have any intention of letting any of you walk away from this thing alive. Adding me and Frank to the mix may be the only way to prevent you all from being killed.”
Anna was torn. She knew Brody was talking sense, that the men they were dealing with were ruthless and cruel. But if anything went wrong, she’d never forgive herself.
“You have to trust me,” Brody said. “I spent a year smuggling refugees out of one of the most dangerous places in the world. In all that time, I never lost a single life. Not one. And I don’t intend to now.”
“But he’s my son.”
“Our son. And they’ll have to shoot me dead before I’ll let anything happen to him.”
“I’ll double down on that,” Frank said. “We’ve both got your back.”
She looked from one to the other, saw the determination in their eyes. They were both good men, and she knew she was blessed to have them on her side. Any resentment she harbored toward either had vanished in the face of this nightmare.
“All right,” she said softly. “How do we do this?”
“We’ve got a few hours before the rendezvous,” Brody said then turned to Frank. “Are you familiar with this meatpacking plant?”
“I’ve never seen it, but I do know this. One of the CIs who attacked you two used to work for a place called American Beef. What do you bet we’re talking about the same place?”
Brody nodded. “I’m sure it’s no coincidence.”
“Problem is, if they’re a working meat plant, they’re probably open night and day, which could be tricky.”
Brody considered this then shook his head. “If they’re keeping Adam and Sylvia there, I’m guessing the plant took a break for Christmas.” He looked at Anna. “You have a laptop handy?”
“Sure, why?”
“I want to look at a satellite image of this place, see what we’re dealing with.”
“Smart thinking,” Frank said. “I can hook us into the department’s sat-com line.”
Anna knew that at any other time it would have killed Frank to give Brody such a compliment, but they were past the pettiness now.
Brody looked out the window. “If this rain keeps up, we may be able to use it to our advantage. They won’t see us coming.”
“Except we don’t know how many of them there are,” Frank said. “That plant could be crawling with bad guys.”
“They’ve already lost a couple of their men, and they don’t strike me as people who like to share. I figure two or three of them at the most.”
“Which puts the odds at just about even. Let’s hope you’re right.”
“Even if I’m not,” Brody told him, “we’ve got another big advantage.”
“Which is?”
“They don’t know you’re part of this. And they think I’m lying in a ditch on the side of the road.”
Chapter Twenty
According to its internet profile, American Beef didn’t deal directly with livestock but shipped in carcasses by the truckload for processing and packaging. Then another set of trucks transported those to some of the lesser grocery store chains throughout Cedarwood, Iowa, and its neighboring counties.
The plant had recently been the subject of a federal probe, after a disgruntled worker had taken video of what were believed to be unsafe food-handling practices. The video was deemed inconclusive evidence, however, and while the probe had turned up a few minor violations, the plant had been allowed to remain open for business.
The lot it stood on was dominated by a tall water tower that overlooked a seedy, rectangular brick building about the size of a small convalescent hospital. The adjacent parking structure was empty, and the loading dock was crowded with at least a half dozen idle trucks bearing the American Beef logo.
A tall, rusty chain-link fence topped by barbed wire surrounded the place, and Anna had no idea what to expect as she pulled her car up to the gate.
There was no guard in the booth.
No lights shining in the building.
No sign of life anywhere.
Had they lied to her? Was this some kind of cruel joke being played on her for the amusement of sociopathic minds? Would she get inside and discover that Mom and Adam weren’t even in there? Had never been in there?
No, she thought. They’re here.
They have to be.
If they weren’t, the creeps behind Owen’s murder would never get what they wanted. They’d never take possession of this thing in her pocket that was so important to them.
Before she and Brody and Frank left the house, Brody had given her the button and told them where he’d found it. She had no idea why Owen had hidden it in that sheriff’s car, but he must have had his reasons. Probably figured no one would ever think to look there.
And he was right. Brody had stumbled upon it only by pure luck. A small turn of fate that had worked in their favor.
The rain hammered her windshield, the wipers pumping hard but not doing a whole lot for visibility. Anna listened to that thump…thump…thump…and realized the sound was working in counterpoint to her rapidly beating heart.
She couldn’t remember a time when she was so scared. Adam was her life, and if anything happened to him or Mom, if those monsters touched a hair on their heads…
She didn’t want to think about that.
She couldn’t allow herself to go dow
n that cold, dark alleyway. It was too bleak down there.
Too heartbreaking.
Too…permanent.
Instead she sat there silently in the darkness, listening to the thumping wipers, the ceaseless rain, feeling the vibration of the car’s idling engine as her gaze drifted to the digital clock on the dash.
It was 12:41 a.m.
Four minutes to go.
Just twelve hours ago she had been sitting in a house full of sheriff’s deputies as they finished up their investigation of the break-in. The deputies had been there since very early in the morning, going over and over the chain of events, Frank and Joe Wilson making it clear to everyone that they thought Brody was behind it all.
They’d wanted to take him in for further questioning, but Brody had refused, and without any concrete evidence against him, they had finally given up and gone away. Just like that.
Anna had to admit that for just the briefest of moments she had wondered about Brody. Frank’s accusations against him had managed to work their way into her subconscious, planting the tiniest sliver of doubt in her mind.
But she dismissed that doubt the moment it surfaced.
As angry as she might have been at Brody, as hurt as she was by the things he had done to her in the past, Anna had known—and still knew—that the father of her child, the best friend her brother had ever had, the man she had loved since she was sixteen years old, would never betray her like that.
Brody Carpenter was not a killer.
Brody Carpenter had never cared enough about money to enable him to do the kinds of things that these men were willing to do.
His time in Darfur and Chad had more than proved that. He hadn’t been there as a mercenary, as someone sent into the country to exploit and abuse for profit or political gain.
He had gone there as a savior. A protector.
And that’s why he had come back to Cedarwood. That’s why he had answered Owen’s call without hesitation. To do what he had been trained to do, selflessly and without compromise.
Trouble. Too late for me.
Protect Anna.
He hadn’t asked for forgiveness. He hadn’t even expected it from her. All he had wanted was to explain, to apologize, to try to make her understand what he had been going through all those years ago when he walked out the door.
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