“I’ll try,” a soft voice replied in her mind.
Chapter 5
“What do you mean we’re missing one? I went back and checked the place myself. There was no one there.” Eddie slammed his big hand on the steering wheel and stepped out of the van. “We’ve gone too far to go back. You’d better hope she dies out there. She might be able to identify us.”
“I don’t know how she could’ve gotten away, unless it was the moment those damn kids started fighting.” Jed glared at Karl who was watching the kids as they ate their breakfast. His eyes darted back and forth between Eddie and the kids, his upper lip covered with a sweaty sheen.
“You damn idiot, Karl. You were on the stupid phone. Not doing your job again.” He cursed, trying to slam his huge fist into the Karl’s face. Karl shifted and ducked just in time. Eddie’s fist hit the van, putting a dent in it. “There was no one inside the shack when I went back in to check. You let her slip away. I ought to shoot you.” He pointed his gun at Karl’s head.
“Relax, both of you. She has no idea where she is. Without food or water, she probably won’t last long. Besides we’re almost done with our part; all that’s left is to nab two more kids, get our money, and lie low for a while. Thanks to our friend, we don’t exist in the system at all.” Jed walked toward the kids.
“The sooner these damn kids are out of my hair, the happier I’ll be. I do my job, I move the meat, and I collect my dough. What they do with them is no skin off my back. That’s the way I like it.” Eddie chuckled, and yelled at the kids to get back in the van, thumping the tallest boy in the back of his head.
****
The clanging of the alarm awakened Jessie. She reached over to shut it off, struggling to open her eyes. She sat up in her bed surprised it was morning. She had actually slept through the night. She had been so sure she wouldn’t sleep a wink listening for Abby. She stretched. Smiling, excited, and wide-awake, she wanted to get started.
She got dressed. Wearing her plaid shirt, khakis, and a good pair of walking shoes, she was ready to go. She put on her blue jacket to cover her badge and holstered gun. Matt had told her she needed to have it every time she worked a case. The only thing left to do was Java Joe’s for coffee and maybe a scone.
Abby interrupted her thoughts just as she headed out the door toward her car. “I can see lots of trees and hear the ocean in the distance. The cabin is old and dumpy. It looks like no one has lived here in years. There is no road. A bumpy path is all I can see. Please hurry. I’m so hungry.” A picture came into Jessie’s mind. She wrote the details down, not wanting to forget any.
“Way to go, Abby! I can see it. I’m on my way to join in the search. We’re coming, keep talking to me.” Jessie got in her car; started down the road with a honk and wave as she passed the Inn. She smiled; her car knew its way to Joe’s like a horse returning to the barn.
Opening the door at Joe’s, she nearly collided with Matt, who was juggling two cups of coffee and a white bakery bag. “Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.” She caught the bag as it slipped out of his hand.
“Now that you’re here, maybe we should sit down and drink this.” He put both cups on the table without further incidents.
“Thanks, that was nice of you. I guess there may be one or two redeeming qualities in you. I mean a man who buys a girl coffee in the morning can’t be all bad.” She tilted her head and smiled at him.
“Has your friend contacted you yet?” He sipped his coffee.
“I’m expecting the call anytime.” She tried to gauge his mood. “Are the boy’s parents at the hospital?” She saw him nod, but he was quiet. “I can’t imagine what they’re going through. It has to be the worst nightmare for any parent. Did he make it through the night?”
“Yes, he’s in a medically induced coma to relieve the pressure on his brain.” He paused, leaned forward, and looked directly at her. “I’ll be meeting the parents in about thirty minutes at the station. I’d like you to be with me. It should be a short meeting because they don’t want to be away from his side. I’m not so good in the comfort department. You have a way with people.” He smiled at her making her stomach flutter.
“Matt Parker, I do believe you’ve just given me a compliment. I’m not sure what to do next.” She was about to say something more, but her phone was vibrating, indicating a text. Jessie read the message from Frank.
“Was that your friend?”
“Yes, he’ll be arriving on time and will go directly to the station.”
“Good, we can start on the crime scene as soon as we’re done with the parents.” He twirled the spoon in his hand.
Jessie stood up and grabbed her coffee. “Maybe we should get to the station so we’re there when they arrive.”
“I guess we should.” He looked at his watch. “My job says the parents are suspects until they’re ruled out.” He stood up beside her.
“If Abigail’s thoughts are correct, they had nothing to do with it at all.” Jessie watched him. “I guess until we find her and hear the details from her lips, we’ll never know for sure.”
He held the door open for her. His brows creased. “The one good thing in all of this is every day he survives, his chances of a full recovery increase. He was barely alive when we found him.” He closed the door behind them.
“There you go…” She smiled at him. “He just made it through the night, so his chances went up just a little.”
“Jess, you do know that you need to carry your gun and badge all the time you are working a case with me.” He glanced at her, seeing neither.
“I have the badge and the gun.” She opened her jacket to show him.
“That probably means you had to remove it from the box in your closet where you put it after the last case.”
“What, are you psychic?” She grinned at him. “I’ll see you in a few minutes,” she turned to say, but he was already in his car.
****
Jessie pulled in to the lot and parked just as Matt was walking in the station. Kip opened the door for her.
“Hi, Jessie. Matt told me to tell you to go right to his office as soon as you got here. I’m looking forward to seeing how your friend’s dog is going to work the crime scene.” He smiled at her.
“I am, too.” She breezed by, thanking him for opening the door.
“Good morning, Jessie.” Dylan nodded at her. “Are you ready to get started?”
“I am,” she called over her shoulder, heading toward Matt’s office.
She tapped lightly on the door, and he gestured for her to come in, not looking up from something he was writing. Jessie observed his concentration, not wanting to distract him. He was every bit the professional now. This part of Matt she could relate to and appreciate. She wouldn’t want to be on his bad side.
She knew in her heart Joshua Harris couldn’t have anyone better on his side. Matt would see that justice was done. She was proud to work beside him on the case.
Jessie pulled out her notebook and wrote Joshua’s name at the top of a page. This would be the first article in a series of stories about the kids. Joe knocked on the door, and Matt looked up.
“The kid’s parents are here. Do you want me to bring them back?” Joe inquired.
“Yes, and, Joe, ask them if you can get them anything. Is Carter with them?” He nodded and turned to walk back to the reception area.
“I hope I’m ready for this. I don’t want to fall apart.” Jessie could feel the tears already starting to gather. She pulled a tissue out of her purse just in case.
“I’m counting on you, Jess.” He gave her a warm glance. “You can do it.”
The parents stepped through the door, and Matt stood to face two strained, worried faces. The woman was clutching a baseball glove and a picture frame. The man held on to her as if trying to pour what little strength he had into her.
“Martha and Colin, this is Police Chief Matt Parker. He’s in charge of the investigation.” Carter introduced them.
“I’m sorry to meet you under such hard circumstances.” Matt shook their hands. “This is Jessie Reynolds. I’ve asked her to write a story about your son. We want to bring his story before people, in hopes that if anyone saw something, they’ll come forward.”
“You never know what might trigger a memory for someone,” Jessie added.
“Please be seated.” He waited until they were comfortable. “Can you tell me when your son went missing?” Matt’s deep voice filled the silence. Martha sniffled, and Jessie reached over, handing her a tissue.
“It was a couple of weeks ago.” Colin spoke up, his words halting. “Josh had gone to play basketball at the school with a few of his friends. He rode the bike we had just given him for his birthday. He had just turned fourteen, you see. We bought him the helmet and bike he had always wanted.” Colin patted his wife’s hand as she sniffled. “I’m sure glad we did that now. The police came to the door with his bike. They found it lying on side of the road, but the helmet wasn’t with it. They thought maybe he had been abducted right off his bike.”
Jessie went and sat down beside Martha, putting her arm around the woman’s shoulder as shudders racked her body. “Who would do such an awful thing to a child?” Her words were barely audible. “His doctor is optimistic but cautious.”
“There are people who can help you.” Jessie spoke softly to her.
“And we’re going to do everything we can to find the person or persons who did this,” Matt told them.
“I know of a family support group for victims of violent crimes. There’s a chapter in Rocky Pointe. I took the liberty of writing it down for you.” She handed Martha the address. “I also gave them your name, so they can contact you and help during Josh’s stay in the hospital. They will help as little or as much as you would like. I hope you don’t mind.” Jessie’s soft voice calmed Martha.
“Thank you, it was nice of you to think of us. Our lives stood still the day he went missing. I knew in my heart that he was okay up until a few days ago. Then suddenly, I lost hope I’d ever see my boy again. The phone call telling us Josh was alive but in critical condition gave us a little hope back.” She turned a teary gaze on Jessie. “I believe you understand.”
“I do.” Jessie squeezed her shoulder. “My friend is coming today with his bloodhound to search the area where your son was found. We’ll find the crime scene if it’s anywhere in the vicinity.” Jessie glanced over at Matt and their eyes met. “There is no doubt in my mind that Chief Parker will find the people who did this to your son.” She saw the corner of his lips turn up.
Martha handed Jessie the baseball glove. “He carried this with him all the time.”
“I’ll make sure you get it back so he can use it when he gets well.” Jessie placed the glove in the plastic bag on Matt’s desk and sealed it.
Martha turned the picture of her son around to show Jessie. “He is such a handsome boy, isn’t he?” Martha’s voice cracked.
“Oh, Martha, he’s a very fine-looking young man.” Jessie’s eyes filled with tears. “Can you tell me some of your happiest memories of him?” Josh came to life in his mother’s words. Jessie carefully wrote the details in her little book. Colin added his own stories of his son. “I want people to know your son. I’ll do my best to do justice to his story.”
“Thank you. If you’re done with us, we would like to get back to our son.” Colin helped his wife stand when Matt nodded. “I don’t know if talking to him helps him, but it sure does us.”
Jessie handed Martha a card with her phone number. “I’ll stop by and see you while Josh is in the hospital. I’ll sit with him so you can have some time off.”
Matt handed them his business card. “I’ll make sure you’re kept up to date on the status of the case.” As Colin and Martha Harris left with Carter, a lingering sadness still filled Matt’s office.
“Thanks, Jess, that was an ingenious idea about the support group. They’re going to need some assistance in the next several weeks.” He frowned. “I get mad that some jerk can randomly hurt a family’s life with little or no regard.” His eyes flashed with anger. “For what? Money, power? Only God knows what goes through people’s minds during such awful unspeakable acts. I have yet to figure out how Chief Anderson did what he did, much less some of the others I’ve helped put away over the years.”
Dylan walked into Matt’s office. “How’d it go with the kid’s parents?”
“It wasn’t easy. There’s no way they’re suspects in this case. I hope that dog can tell us more.”
Jessie cleared her throat. “I believe the one who can tell you the most is Abigail. She saw it, which is another good reason we need to find her. This morning she sent me a picture showing me her surroundings. Are there some abandoned cabins in the area where you can still hear the ocean?” Jessie looked at her notes. “She showed me many trees and a road that was more of an overgrown pathway.”
“More than a few, I’m sure.” Matt looked skeptical.
“Sent you a picture, how?” Dylan looked at her, puzzled.
“In my mind…I know, weird, huh?” She smiled at his expression. “It must be the drinking water in this town.” She looked at her phone when it buzzed, reading a new text. “But don’t fry your brains trying to figure it out. I can’t, and it’s happening to me.” Amusement lit up her eyes. “By the way, Frank’s in the parking lot if you want to get started.”
Chapter 6
Matt walked with Jessie to the parking lot. They found Frank standing beside Radar, a large handsome bloodhound with soulful eyes wearing his sheriff’s harness proudly. Frank’s kind face, with faded blue eyes, acknowledged their greeting, crinkling the abundance of fine lines at the corner of his eyes and lips. It emphasized the smile that seemed permanently imprinted on his face.
Jessie introduced Frank to everyone as soon as Dylan and Kip joined them. Frank fit into the group, naturally talking with ease to each of the officers. After hearing a little more about the case, he was ready to put his dog to work.
“How do you want to do this?” Matt asked Frank.
“When I get on the scene, the first thing I’ll need is a scent article. The less it’s handled by others, the better it is for Radar.”
“I have the shirt the boy was wearing at the time he was beaten and his baseball glove.”
“Radar is a great with finding human remains. Once he has the scent, he can find something as small as a drop of blood or even a tooth.” Frank grabbed dog treats, stuffing them into his pockets.
“We’re not sure how long ago the boy was dumped at the scene, and the girl has been gone for about two weeks,” Matt explained.
“We have successfully run a two-week-old track both in training and on a case. Radar is a scent discriminating K-9. This means, a person he’s tracking can’t hide even in a crowd. He’ll walk right up to them and touch them on the hand with his snout.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing him in action. My friend works with a patrol dog. His German shepherd works well on a hot track. He becomes less effective as time passes and the more people cross over the track. His dog’s training emphasized bite work, and he’s great in apprehending a suspect.” Kip stroked Radar as he spoke.
“A good rule of thumb in considering what dog to use is a patrol dog is a general practitioner with emphasis on bite work and apprehension. The bloodhound is a specialist trained to do one thing, hunt for people. His handler devotes one hundred percent of his training on search work. Regular training allows the handler to learn his dog’s body language to determine if the dog is on or off scent. They learn to work as a team.” Frank paused for a moment adjusting the harness on Radar. “As you can see, this is one of my favorite subjects. I’m still amazed how my dogs work.”
“How long did it take you to train him?” Dylan made his way into the conversation.
“I worked with him for about one year before we did search work, but I actually train him on a weekly basis still. I have a five-m
onth-old puppy doing puppy tracks and training alongside Radar.”
“He looks ready to get started.” Matt bent down holding out his hand with a treat for Radar. “I have a chocolate lab. You can get pretty attached to these guys.”
“You’re telling me. I have a Belgian Malinois, Kilo, who is my drug dog. I have two bloodhounds, Radar and Red. They’re some of my best buds, aren’t you, fella?” Radar looked at Frank with tail wagging, and bayed in response. “I’ll load him up and follow you out to the site.”
“Do you have everything you need for the dog?” Matt petted Radar.
“Yes, sir, I do.”
“Kip, you and Dylan ride with Frank out to the site. Jessie and I will be there directly so don’t start him until we’re there. I need to pick up an order of sandwiches on my way out. I can’t have anyone getting hungry while this is in progress. Frank, you’re the handler; you tell us what you want to do.”
“Okay.” Frank shook Matt’s hand.
“Let’s roll.” He pushed Jessie playfully toward the car. She gave him the look, the one her mom had given her often enough.
The order was ready and waiting at Patterson’s. Matt paid and was back in the car in less than fifteen minutes. They got to the site just as Frank was unloading the dog.
“Your friend seems nice.” Matt pulled his cruiser in behind Frank’s Durango.
“He is the best. I’ve known him a few years and have gotten to know his family. He works a case extra hard when he knows there are kids involved. He has two grandsons.” She opened the car door to step out.
She went over to Radar and stroked his head. “How are you doing, big boy?” She fussed over him. “Are you going to work hard today, Radar?” She handed him the treat that Frank had placed in her hand. His tail wagged in response.
Matt took out the plastic bag containing the shirt that the boy had worn and the baseball glove. He handed it to Frank. “There may be more than one site involved,” he cautioned.
“It doesn’t matter. If the boy was anywhere in the vicinity, he’ll find the track.” Frank directed Radar to the site where they had found Josh. He took off the dog’s harness, handing it to Kip. He had him sit down. He knelt down beside Radar placing the shirt on the ground near him, and let the dog sniff it and the ground around it. “Find it, Radar. Let’s get to work.”
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