Gone without a Trace

by Patricia Bradley

  “Do you have any idea why the man chose you?” Alex asked.

  She shook her head. “I remember so little about that night and even the days before it happened.”

  He took out a pen and notepad. “Let’s write down what we know. Okay?” She nodded and he continued. “Your abductor was a man.”

  Again she nodded.

  “Do you remember anything at all about him?”

  She searched her memory. “Only the hawk.”

  “What hawk?” Livy said.

  “He had a tattoo somewhere on his body of a hawk.”

  Alex nodded. “I’m working on a case in Logan Point. A twenty-one-year-old woman has disappeared, much like you did. She worked at Johnny B’s until she received a warning to—”

  “What did you say?” Robyn’s stomach sank to her knees. How had she forgotten the note?

  Alex leaned toward her. “Did you get a note?”

  “Yes.” She whispered the word. She pressed her hands to her temples. “I thought it was a prank and just threw it away. I never connected it to the kidnapper.”

  “Exactly what was in your note?” Livy asked.

  Robyn shuddered. She didn’t want to remember. “Quit your job and stay home with your child,” she whispered.

  Livy and Alex exchanged glances. “Do you remember when you received it?” Alex said.

  She slid her fingers down the side of her face and rested her chin in her hands. “At least a month before he . . .”

  Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, and Livy patted her arm. “Let it rest. Don’t think about it right now. In fact, why don’t we all let it rest until morning?”

  “Good idea,” Susan said. “I have two extra bedrooms, Livy, if you and Alex want to stay here.”

  “That would be great.”

  “I’ll get our bags from the car,” Alex said.

  Susan stood. “And I’ll get fresh linens.”

  When they were alone, Livy took Robyn’s hands. “I can’t believe we found you. I’ve missed you so much.”

  Robyn blinked back tears again. “Me too.”

  Livy touched her face again. “You look so different, and I bet you wear smaller sizes than I do. Even Chase won’t know you.”

  Chase. He didn’t know her before she left. “How is he?”

  “He’s missed you.”

  She’d like to believe that.

  “He’ll be so glad to see you. Everyone back home will be.” Livy hugged her again.

  Home. Livy thought she was going home. Exhaustion seeped into every muscle in Robyn’s body. She wouldn’t tell Livy tonight that home wasn’t happening. She didn’t have the energy to argue with her cousin who put duty above everything else.

  Livy took the overnight bag Alex handed her, glad he’d suggested bringing one. “Thanks.”

  “Where’s Robyn?” he asked.

  “Her room.”

  “Do you think she’ll go back with us?”

  “I don’t know.” Livy had seen the fear in Robyn’s eyes when she mentioned home.

  “Maybe the question I should ask is, is she ready to take her life back?”

  Livy wasn’t sure she liked the direction the conversation was going. “What do you mean?”

  “The key to solving her case and Samantha Jo’s is locked in Robyn’s memory. All that’s needed is a trigger. Like what happened when she rode in the eighteen-wheeler.”

  “You’re not suggesting that we ask Robyn to be bait, are you?”

  “Not at all. She wouldn’t be bait—not if we kept her identity secret. You didn’t know her, and no one else will.”

  “You mean, we take her back with us, but we don’t tell anyone who she really is?”

  “It wouldn’t be for long. She could get a job at Johnny B’s or even Molly’s Diner. Evidently the man frequents both places. Once she’s in familiar surroundings, her memory may come back. It does in amnesia cases sometimes.”

  “But she doesn’t have amnesia. He drugged her. That’s an entirely different thing.”

  He palmed his hands up. “It’s just something to think about tonight and talk about in the morning.”

  She rolled her shoulders, trying to unkink the tight muscles in her neck. She could only guess at how tired Robyn was. Robyn. It was almost unreal to touch her and know she was safe. “Let’s sleep on it.”

  “That’s what I meant.”

  Sunlight peeped through the curtains, rousing Livy from a restless sleep. The aroma of bacon came from the kitchen. She cracked her eye open to look at the clock on the wall. Seven thirty. She thought about turning over and catching more sleep when a light tap on the door killed that idea. “Come in.”

  Susan stuck her head in the doorway. “Alex sent me to see if you were up. There’s a frontal system coming in from the west, and he feels you need to return to Logan Point before it gets there.”

  “Is Robyn up?”

  “Yes. She and Alex are talking. Breakfast is on the table, and the two families staying here have already eaten.”

  Livy scrambled out of bed, her lifelong habit of protecting Robyn kicking in. She didn’t want Alex talking Robyn into something she wasn’t ready for. She threw on a pair of jeans and a sweater and hurried down the hallway, mentally preparing an objection to whatever Alex had proposed.

  “Seeing Abby, being that close to her—”

  Livy burst into the kitchen and glared at Alex. “I thought you and I were discussing this, not you and Robyn.”

  “You were asleep, and Robyn and I started talking, and the conversation led to Robyn returning to Logan Point. It’s her decision, anyway.”

  Robyn leaned forward in her chair. “What I was saying when you came in—seeing Abby made me realize I can’t stay away any longer. I’ll do anything to get my daughter and my life back. I’m tired of running.”

  The objection died on Livy’s lips as the deep yearning in Robyn’s voice shot an arrow to her heart. If she had just been around when her cousin received the note, or if she’d really looked into the case after Robyn went missing, whoever abducted her might be in custody now. Two and a half years would not have been lost.

  It wasn’t only the yearning that stopped her but the steel in Robyn’s voice that made her finally realize she was not dealing with the Robyn of old. The one who couldn’t make a decision and the one who had attracted the bullies. This was a new and courageous Robyn, who was ready to be used as bait for the animal that had kidnapped her. The memory of Justin Caine flashed in Livy’s mind. What if it went terribly wrong? “It could be dangerous.”

  “Livy is right,” Alex said. “I’ll do everything I can to protect you, and I know Ben will as well. And Livy, of course.”

  Susan took her by the hands. “Don’t rush your decision.”

  Robyn nodded. “But you think I should do it.”

  “I think you should at least think about what they’re saying. Ask yourself if you’ll be content here now that you’ve seen Abby.”

  Robyn hugged her arms to her stomach. “It’s scary, but I want my life back.”

  “Then we need to make a plan. Does anyone want coffee? Livy?” Alex asked.

  Maybe caffeine would clear her head. “Thank you.”

  Alex poured a cup of coffee and handed it to her, then poured his. “First,” he said, “if you go back with us, we’ll have to keep everyone in the dark, at least for a while.”

  Robyn caught her breath. “Do you think that’s absolutely necessary?”

  “Unfortunately,” he said. “It’s the only way we can keep you safe.”

  She nodded, but the pinched look on her face made Livy wonder if Robyn could do it. Livy wasn’t even sure she could pull it off, knowing how much Kate wanted to find her daughter and Abby wanted her mother back. What a can of worms they had opened.

  Robyn straightened her shoulders. “If that’s the only way, I guess I have no choice. What’s the rest of the plan, and how will we pull it off?”

  “I’ve been thi
nking about that,” Alex said. “This guy seems hung up on waitresses, and he’s a regular at Johnny B’s. The restaurant is looking for a waitress—”

  “You want me to go back to Johnny B’s? I don’t know if I can do that.” She chewed on her thumbnail.

  “You won’t be alone,” Alex said. “Johnny B offered me a job the other day, and I’m going to take it—I can hang around before or after work if that’s what it takes to be there when you’re there.”

  As Robyn played with the wedding band on her ring finger, Livy hurt for her cousin. She understood where Alex and Susan were coming from—the only way Robyn could ever be safe was if her abductor was caught. But what if they talked her into returning and something terrible happened—like he kidnapped her again. Her pulse accelerated, and a chill shivered down her back. If she encouraged Robyn to go back and it went south, the outcome could be the same. Her hands would be stained with Robyn’s blood. “I think we need to scrap this plan.” Livy folded her arms across her chest.

  The other three stared at her.

  “Robyn doesn’t need to go back until we catch the kidnapper. Using her as bait is too dangerous.”

  Alex stretched out his hands. “But Robyn is our only link to him, and we aren’t using her as bait. Our guy won’t recognize her, just like you didn’t.”

  “But she doesn’t remember anything about him.”

  “She might if she was in familiar surroundings. If she smelled his cologne or saw an action like . . . lighting a cigarette. Anything might trigger a memory the way riding in the truck did.”

  “It’s too risky.”

  Robyn held up her hand. “Stop talking like I’m not here.” She turned to Livy. “Stop trying to protect me. I’m not a six-year-old afraid of my shadow anymore.”

  Robyn’s words struck a nerve. She’d always been her cousin’s protector, and now Robyn wanted her to back off? She clamped her jaw tight before she said something she’d regret.

  “I want to do it,” Robyn said. “I can’t live like this. I’ve been scared long enough. I want my life back, my family. I can’t go on without Abby. And if returning to Logan Point will get my family back, then let’s do it.”

  Did Robyn have any idea what she was getting herself into? Livy put her hands on her hips. “You can’t tell anyone who you are. Can you do that?”

  “I can for a little while. Just to be near Abby and seeing her will be enough until we catch him.”

  “Good,” Alex said. “We need to decide on a name for you to use and whether we tell Ben who you are.”

  “I’ll be who I’ve been for the past thirty months—Sharon Arnold,” Robyn said.

  “Sharon? Why Sharon?”

  “I don’t know, but the name popped into my mind at the hospital when the police asked who I was. It’s hard to explain, but it fit somehow.”

  “Sharon it is,” Alex said. “And I think Ben should be in on the secret.” A pained expression crossed his face, and Livy noticed it. “What?”

  “I told him I’d fly to Nashville today and interview the detective handling the case of the waitress who was kidnapped. I need to call Ben and get him to set up another appointment.”

  She nodded. “I’d like to go with you when you go.” Then she turned to Robyn. “How do you feel about telling Ben who you are?”

  “I think I’d feel better if he knows what’s going on.”

  “Then we’re all in agreement.” Livy tapped her fingers on the table. “Have you thought about where she’s going to live? I don’t think she can stay with Kate unless we tell her the truth, and if Kate’s around Robyn long, I can promise you, she will figure it out.”

  “I’ve been thinking about that. The apartment building where Samantha Jo lives had empty units. If we could find two together, Robyn could take one and I could rent the other and set up an intercom so I could hear if anyone entered the apartment.”

  He seemed to have it all planned, but Livy couldn’t help but worry. This wasn’t a game where she or Alex could blow the whistle and stop the action. Even though her cousin didn’t look like the old Robyn, Livy could tell that her mannerisms had not changed. “You’ll have to be careful interacting with people,” Livy said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You still have the same mannerisms you had before. And you’re supposed to be a stranger, so you’ll have to forget what you know about people in Logan Point. You can’t seem to be too familiar with them.”

  Alex turned to Robyn. “Livy’s right. You need to play a role, and you’ll need a cover story. We’ll work on that on the flight home, and we need to leave in the next hour.”

  Livy’s stomach growled. “Do I have time to eat?”

  A grin tugged his lips. “From the sound of your stomach, I’d say we better make time. You eat and I’ll go on to the airport and get the plane fueled and run through my preflight inspection.” He turned to Susan. “Can you drop them off at the airstrip?”

  “Sure. I better get dressed, though. My robe might stretch the boundaries of acceptable clothing.” She winked at them.

  As Robyn started to leave, Livy stopped her. “Can you stay a minute?”

  “Sure. How about I pour us another cup of coffee.”

  “I want a hug first. I didn’t get one last night.” Tears stung Livy’s eyes as she wrapped her arms around her cousin. “I never thought we’d see each other again.”

  “I know. Neither did I.”

  “And I can’t believe the way you’ve changed. Every time I look at you, it takes me a minute or two to get used to the new you.”

  “The first time I looked in the mirror after the doctor operated on my nose, I couldn’t believe the change either. I loved it, even with the swelling and black eyes.” Robyn ran her finger down her nose. “You know how much I always hated that big hump.”

  Livy sipped her coffee. “It was never as bad as you thought, but it’s not just your nose. I can’t get over how trim and fit you are. Are you working out?” Robyn always hated to exercise.

  “I lost all the weight because my jaw was wired together, and I’m keeping it off with exercise. Don’t let this freak you out, but I’m lifting weights, and jogging, and rock climbing.”

  “Rock climbing?” It was a sport Livy had loved when she was younger, but she’d never been able to get Robyn or Taylor interested in it. “Inside or out?”

  “This winter I’m stuck with the training wall, but as soon as the weather breaks, I’ll be outside. Maybe we can try it together.”

  “That would be great.” Livy hugged her again, hardly able to believe she was talking to her cousin face-to-face. “Everything . . . it’s just mind-boggling.”

  “I know.” Robyn smoothed a wrinkle in her pants. “Look, I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings earlier.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” But Livy knew exactly what Robyn meant. She needed to learn how to keep her emotions from showing on her face.

  “When I told you to quit trying to protect me.”

  Livy shifted in her chair under Robyn’s intense gaze. “But I’ve always looked out for you.”

  “And I appreciated you coming to my rescue when we were kids.” Robyn looked away for a minute and then turned back to Livy. “But if you hadn’t,” she said, her voice softer, almost apologetic, “I might have learned how to take up for myself.”

  Heat filled Livy’s cheeks. “I never meant to do that.”

  “I know you didn’t, and I didn’t say that to hurt you . . . this is hard.” Robyn’s eyes filled with tears, and she blotted them with a napkin and took a breath. “It’s just that I need to fight my own battles.”

  Livy sighed. She did have a tendency to fight others’ battles. It made her a good cop, but maybe she did take it to extremes sometimes. “I’ll try to remember that.” She found a grin. “If I do it again, just tell me to back off.”

  “I will.”

  Livy squeezed her cousin’s hand. “You’ve grown up a lot in the past two
and a half years.”

  Robyn returned the squeeze. “How are Mom and Dad?”

  Livy smiled. “Kate is . . . Kate. Strong, always depending on God. She never believed you just walked away.”

  Tears gathered in her eyes again. “That sounds like her. And Dad?”

  “You won’t believe this, but he hasn’t had anything to drink since you disappeared.”

  Robyn’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding. That’s wonderful, but you make it sound like my leaving had something to do with it.”

  “It did. Charlie believed he failed you somehow, that his drinking was one of the reasons you left.” Her cousin hadn’t asked about Chase, confirming Livy’s suspicions that all had not been well between the two.

  “It was so hard not letting everyone know where I was, but I’m glad some good has come from this ordeal.”

  “It’s still hard for me to understand why you didn’t call me. Like it or not, I’ve always run the bullies off, and now that I’m a cop, I have a gun.” She tried to make a joke of it, but it stung that Robyn hadn’t trusted her enough to get in touch.

  “You can’t imagine how fear paralyzed me. For the first year, it was all I could do to get through each day. I couldn’t handle one more thing. Just as paralyzing was the belief that no one would think I was telling the truth.”

  “You know I would have believed you.”

  “Chase wouldn’t.” Robyn whispered the words. “I’m sure he’ll find a way to blame me.”

  “He was a suspect for a few days, until you called and left a message. Were you two having problems?”

  “When did we not? He kept pushing me to go back to college. To lose weight. To come out of my shell.” She picked at a hangnail on her finger. “If I hadn’t been pregnant with Abby, Chase never would have married me.”

  “I believe you are way off base on that one. You’re the only woman Chase has ever loved.”