by PJ Fernor
It was quiet.
The glow of the TV hit Miss Kesslier’s face as she stood up.
Her face looked terrified.
“You’re home,” she said.
“Long night,” I said.
“What happened?”
“We’re still going through everything, ma’am,” Ben said, stepping forward. “The department thanks you for your help tonight. But we’re going to need the apartment to ourselves. Private matters.”
“Of course,” Miss Kesslier said.
She hurried toward the door, touching my arm for a split second on the way out.
I looked at Ben. “That was kind of mean…”
“But it worked,” Ben said.
“She has a heart of gold.”
“And I bet she’s a pain in the you know where.”
I got Ben a pillow and a blanket and he sat down on the couch.
I stood near the kitchen, not happy at all with the night.
As Ben stared at the TV screen, he said, “I know. This isn’t what we hoped it would be. Nothing ever is in a case like this.”
“Have you worked on others like this, Ben?”
His eyes looked to mine. “Johnny has the appearance of a complete fool. I get that. But believe me, he’s seen a lot. Been through a lot. More than once I’ve been there too.” Ben looked at his phone. “Let’s try to get at least a few hours of sleep.”
“Deal,” I said. “Goodnight, Ben.”
“Goodnight, Allie Down,” he said.
He started to put his head down on the pillow and I walked to my bedroom.
I sat on the edge of the bed and let out a long breath.
There were too many moving pieces to hold onto everything at once. The case… cases… were messy and busy. They were all over the place. Jessie missing from a family that was broken. Cat didn’t have much family and there was no money either. For Connor, he came from a long line of alcoholics and to them seventy-five grand was a lot of money. It made no sense that Jessie was taken due to any outside family issues. Now, between the two divorced parents… I wouldn’t have put anything past either of them.
But that didn’t mean anything when it came to Lucy.
Kidnapped from the playground near her house on a random day.
Her family was very wealthy.
Old money.
I thought about what Johnny had said. All eyes were on the family. Digging for secrets, reasons, hoping for a ransom letter to show up. Fighting to make sure the media didn’t devour the story and turn it into next Sunday’s big nighttime story.
Yet all along Johnny thought it was well outside the family.
Something else.
And now that poor little girl was face down…
I put my head on my pillow and shut my eyes.
I dozed off for a few hours.
Awake at three in the morning, I quietly exited my bedroom to make a cup of tea.
I gasped when I found Ben in the kitchen.
For a second I had forgotten he was there.
“Can’t sleep?” he asked.
“Not much,” I said.
“Yeah,” he said.
Ben made tea for both of us.
I pointed out where the sugar was.
He poured milk in each cup until I told him to stop.
It was almost…
No.
No, it’s not like that at all, Allie.
Just stop that.
We sat across from each other at the table.
“Let’s have it out,” he said with a weak smile. “Put it all on the table and start over.”
I nodded. “Can’t forget what we already know.”
“Of course not,” Ben said.
“I’m standing by what I originally thought,” I said. “But it all comes down to one thing, Ben.”
“Which is what?”
I cupped my hands around the mug.
The hot water made the mug very warm.
It was needed as a chill climbed up and down my spine.
I looked at Ben.
“Someone is kidnapping little girls… one is dead… when is it Jessie’s turn to be killed?”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
I opened my eyes and realized I had fallen asleep in the chair again.
I looked to the couch and saw it was empty.
The blanket thrown over the back of the couch, the pillow balled up, resting on the end cushion.
I jumped up and felt my heart start to race.
When I turned the corner to the kitchen, Ben stood with two cups of coffee.
I screamed and jumped back, swinging a fist.
Ben had to jump back too, which made the coffee spill over each mug.
Ben’s eyes widened and he groaned in pain. “That felt good.”
“You scared me,” I said.
“Where did you think I went?” Ben asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t even remember falling asleep.” I took one of the mugs from him.
“You kind of just plopped down in the chair and started to say something and you were out.”
I sighed. “I don’t like that.”
Ben touched my arm. “There’s a lot going on. We should drink this quick and get out of here. I’m going to give Johnny a call to see where he’s at.”
“We’re starting at Connor’s,” I said.
“I figured that much,” Ben said.
He was still touching my arm.
I looked at his hand.
His strong hand touching me. Comforting me. The hint of protection… all I had to do was show him something back.
My eyes moved to his again.
Lo’s door opened and I stepped back even more.
Ben turned and put his coffee mug down and grabbed paper towels to wipe his hands.
“Morning, Lo,” I called out.
“I’m here too,” Ben said.
I looked at Ben and he shrugged his shoulders.
“Who is that?” Lo asked.
She touched her hair and looked down at her clothes.
“It’s Ben,” I said. “We’re talking about…”
“Right,” Lo said.
She dove for the bathroom.
I rolled my eyes and motioned him to go to the living room to make sure Lo had privacy to get ready for school.
“I’m surprised they don’t close school today,” Ben said. “I would.”
“I don’t know if you really want everyone stopping their lives for this,” I said. “Everyone starts to look, point fingers… it can get messy.”
“It already is messy,” Ben said.
“Yeah, it is.” I sipped the coffee. “I’m going to get changed quick.”
Ben wiped his arms and patted his shirt. “I’m ready.”
“Typical guy,” I said.
“And you’re going to put on four layers of mascara, right?”
I shook my head and went into my bedroom.
Ben was right.
I grabbed a clean shirt, just for the fresh smell.
I put on deodorant and I squirted one pump of hand lotion into my hand and rubbed it all over my hands and arms.
Peg from the city got it for me for Christmas as a joke, knowing I’d never use it.
And I never did.
Until just then.
I hurried out of the bedroom and almost crashed head on with Lo as she came out of the bathroom.
“Hey,” I said. “We’re taking off.”
“Yeah, I bet,” Lo said.
“What’s wrong?”
“You brought a guy home…”
“Logan,” I said. “It’s Ben. I work with him. We were out until all hours of the night after they f…”
Stop, Allie, stop!
It was my sister’s voice in my head.
I came this close to telling Lo about last night.
“Did you find the girl?” Lo asked.
“No,” I said. “But we will.”
“Okay.”
“B
en came over for coffee and to talk strategy.”
Lo laughed and walked by me.
I looked back at her. “Hey, what’s so funny?”
“You’re a bad mom liar.”
“Mom liar?”
“Lies that moms tell,” Lo said. “There’s a pillow and blanket on the couch. He’s got bed head. There’s no way he didn’t sleep here.”
“On the couch though,” I called out as Lo shut her door.
I walked to the living room and pointed to Ben.
“What?” he asked.
“Fix your hair,” I said.
“Fix my hair?” Ben asked.
“Never mind,” I said. “Let’s go.”
I ran back to Lo’s room and told her I loved her. I gave her a hug and she got mad that I was wrinkling her shirt. Her version of I love you, Allie and that was good enough for the moment.
I checked in with Miss Kesslier and she promised she would keep an eye after Lo and make sure she ended up on her way to school.
When she tried to ask a question about the case, Ben threw down some police words and winked at her.
I shook my head… darn me if he didn’t make the old woman blush and fan herself.
Darn me more that there was the slightest bit of jealousy that Miss Kesslier looked at Ben that way.
We left the apartment and went for Ben’s car.
It was sleeker, faster, and department paid for.
“He’s got an SUV in his garage,” I said before we left the parking lot.
“That he does,” Ben said. “And have you played it out what happens if you open the garage and there is no SUV?”
“How’s that possible?” I asked. “You saw it. You said a patrol car was there all night.”
“Still there now,” Ben said. “But if you think Connor is who he is…”
“He’s got tricks up his sleeve,” I said.
Ben nodded.
“Then I take the chance,” I said. “I’ll take the heat and fall. Laura won’t fire me. I’m new. I have history here.”
“Don’t put anything past Laura,” Ben said. “I can promise you she’s been up all night fighting everyone at Morris. Probably bouncing up against Johnny. And on the phone with lawyers and anyone on the higher up side of the legal and law system about Jessie and Lucy.”
“I can’t believe we have two names now,” I said.
“And they both look alike.”
“That they do.”
“Meaning our guy has a type.”
“Yes he does,” I said. “Blonde hair, blue eyes. Kind of common.”
“Yeah?” Ben asked.
“Lo looked like that when she was younger. She was born with bright, white hair. And it got darker with age.”
“So I guess we can tell anyone with a blonde haired, blue eyed daughter to keep them inside, huh?”
“I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that.”
We rolled up on the patrol car Ben had stationed outside Connor’s house.
“What did you see?” Ben called out from his window to the officer in the other car.
“Nothing. No movement in or out. Light turned on about twenty minutes ago. Upstairs. Then downstairs. He took a dump and then got a bagel.”
“Not the worst morning ever,” Ben said. “Head back. Good work.”
We parked the car and I took the lead up to Connor’s house.
Ben hung back near the driveway.
Everything I told him about the garage made perfect sense. And Ben agreed. He could feel it too. It was like having another sense. A cop sense. I hated saying that. But it was true. You’d get these feelings. And from the second I met Connor… I had a feeling…
I knocked on the door and waited.
Then I rang the doorbell and knocked again.
“Hold on!” Connor’s voice boomed.
It didn’t take much to get him angry.
The front door was torn open and Connor laughed when he saw me.
“I hope you’re here to bring me breakfast,” Connor said.
“All out of bagels?” I asked.
“What do you want?”
I turned my head and Connor looked, seeing Ben in the driveway.
“We need to get into that garage, Connor,” I said. “I personally wouldn’t refuse again.”
Connor swallowed hard. “Why do you want to get in my garage so bad?”
“There’s a vehicle parked in that garage that you do not own. And it’s a vehicle that my partner down there has been looking for. So, again, Connor, I’m going to tell you to open the garage door. If not, think about the neighbors watching as I call in for backup…”
Ben pointed to the garage and nodded.
That’s when Connor lowered his head and let out a breath.
“I’m in trouble, aren’t I?” he asked, which sent a rippling chill through my body.
I kept my composure and put my hand on my gun.
“Just open the garage and then put your hands behind your back, Connor.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
We walked through the house. I made sure nothing was different from the last time I was in the house. And it wasn’t. It was the same smell of dust and maybe something like bacon cooked three nights ago. The same mess of mail was on the table. The same cluttered kitchen. The same busy fridge with the pictures of Jessie. Homework. Calendar with her dance schedule.
It was more intense this time.
But at least I had Ben behind me.
Both of us had our weapons drawn.
Just in case Connor tried anything stupid.
Ben had already warned him to keep cool and start doing the right thing now going forward.
Connor opened the garage door and showed his hands.
“Behind your back, Connor,” I said. “I’m just going to detain you, okay? You are not under arrest.”
“This is a little excessive, isn’t it?” Connor asked.
“Not at all,” Ben said.
He moved around me and he was the one who put the cuffs on Connor’s wrists.
“All because of a vehicle that isn’t mine?” Connor asked.
“You’ve been hiding it,” I said. “You would have done anything to make sure I didn’t see it last time I was here.”
I pushed at both Connor and Ben and we stepped into the garage.
“You lean against the fridge,” Ben said to Connor.
“There it is,” I said.
I hated the sense of relief that went through me when I saw the SUV. Just to prove to myself that I wasn’t crazy. That my instincts were intact. I knew from the second I saw Connor messing with the main garage door something was wrong.
I looked back at Connor. “Where is she?”
“Who?”
“Your daughter,” Ben asked. “Give it up. We don’t have time to spare. The game is over.”
Ben grabbed the front of Connor’s shirt.
Connor looked scared.
“What are you talking about?”
“Jessie was picked up by an SUV,” I said. “That’s what Nelle said. And you have an SUV hidden in your garage. Either way, you’re going to have a busy day here, Connor. We’re going to tear this vehicle apart for evidence. But maybe you can make another good decision here and tell us what happened to your daughter. And Lucy.”
“Lucy?” Connor asked. “Who the hell is Lucy? Is that a friend of Jessie’s? What’s happening here?”
Ben looked back at me.
Connor was being genuine.
But that meant nothing.
The best liars in the world were the ones with the knife already in your back.
I moved toward Connor. “Who is Lucy? She’s the girl that was dumped in the woods late last night. And she looked a lot like your daughter. And according to the detective working that case, there were similarities between that case and this one. So I’ll ask again, Connor, do you want me to call for backup now? Say the word and I’ll walk you out of this house in handcuffs for the
whole neighborhood to see.”
Connor shook his head violently. “Wait, wait, wait… you just said…”
Ben shook him. “Focus. Tell us right now. The truth.”
Ben’s voice boomed and echoed against the walls of the garage.
“It’s my brother’s!” Connor yelled back at Ben. “Okay? It’s my brother’s vehicle!”
“What?” I asked.
Connor blinked fast. “It’s my brother’s… I swear on my life… look it up…”
“You said your brother was in jail,” Ben said.
“He is,” Connor said. “Kyle was thrown in jail two days before Jessie disappeared. He called me from jail to tell me to go get his SUV. The bank was sending someone to pick it up. He hasn’t paid on it in a while. He wanted me to keep it until he figured out what was going on. He didn’t want to lose it. So I picked it up for him. Brought it down here… and…”
Connor lowered his head.
“Don’t quit on me now,” I said.
“When Jessie disappeared… I got drunk and hit a deer. I panicked. I didn’t want the SUV to get taken away. I didn’t want to get a DUI. I didn’t want Cat to have anything against me. Especially with Jessie missing. It was just… so much… I hurried to get the SUV back here and I cleaned it up and that was that. Look in it. Look around. Call your backup. Do whatever you need to do.”
“Sit down,” Ben said to Connor.
Connor slid down the fridge.
Both Ben and I looked at the SUV.
There was mild damage to the right front.
I looked at Ben.
Deer?
Ben nodded.
He went around to the back and called in the plates.
I carefully opened the driver’s side front and back doors.
The inside of the vehicle smelled like grease. Like an auto shop.
I was willing to bet if I asked Connor what his brother did for a living he would say he was a mechanic.
Ben let out a whistle and I met him behind the SUV.
“Checks out,” he said. “Plates come back to Kyle…”
“Doesn’t matter,” I said. “SUV. That’s what Nelle saw.”
“He has no idea what’s going on, Allie,” Ben said. “You could read it on his face. He’s terrified he did something wrong by hiding the SUV for his brother. But as far as his daughter goes…”
I turned my back to Ben.
I looked at Connor as he sat with his back to the fridge.
“Take the cuffs off him,” I said.