He must have seen my confusion, because he added, “I know nothing was in the files about the victims being watched. But if you think about it, they were all grabbed when they were completely alone, and in different areas of town. I doubt this guy is simply an opportunist. I would bet he watches them, at least for a little while. There may be nothing, but just humor me, okay?”
“You’re the boss.” I would keep an eye out for what he asked, but filing Caleb’s footsteps came first. Once I had those, I would attempt to find other clues.
There was a moment of silence as we contemplated the quiet home in front of us. I found myself wondering, if their son had gone missing, why weren’t the parents rushing out to us to see if we had any news? Scanning the house, I saw that it was at least minimally kept up. The paint was in good shape, and there were flower beds along the front of the house and lining the front walkway. But, looking more closely, there were weeds choking out the flowers not easily seen from the road. The backyard, what I could see of it anyway, seemed to be overgrown. Like they were keeping up appearances for the neighbors, but not willing to put in the effort to properly care for their home.
Nickels patted my shoulder briefly when he stepped toward the house. “Let me know if you find anything. Come join me when you’re done.”
Wandering around the side toward the back confirmed that they didn’t spend time taking care of the property. I noticed a shed in the back of the fenced-in yard, and it made me shudder. The last shed I was in was a horrible experience; the fear returned any time I saw one. With difficulty I managed to pry my eyes away from the little building and look around. There was a worn path through the knee-high grass that led from the back door to the shed, and I knelt to feel out the footsteps of those who used it.
Closing my eyes to concentrate, I was assaulted by multiple echoes of frantic footsteps. Trying to distinguish between them at this point would be nearly impossible, and I very much did not want to look in the shed. None of the steps were from today, so my hesitation wasn’t for fear that someone would be in the shed, but that there would be evidence of something I really didn’t want to see.
Despite my hesitation, I found myself making my way toward the shed, and stopped in front of the door. I slowly reached for the handle. Whatever I found could be relevant, so I forced myself to look into the small building.
The door was locked, but I’d long since figured out how to pick a simple door lock—one of the more useful talents Joe taught me since I began working with him. There was a click and, taking a deep breath, I opened the door.
SEVENTEEN
Sam
Jake’s parents were willing to give me a ride, but they didn’t want to leave me home by myself, especially after hearing about the boy missing from school. “You can call your brother, and have him let us know when he’s done working. I can give you a ride to your house then, okay?”
“Sure, Mr. Thompson, that would be great. Thanks.”
He nodded in response, and left Jake and me to our own devices. “Your brother is working with the police, isn’t he?” Jake whispered. “Some of the kids saw you talking to them.”
I shrugged, passing it off like it was normal. “Sure. He helps with missing people all the time. Caleb went missing, so now Jason is going to find him.”
“How do you know?” Jake asked. “Caleb could be gone for good, just like Shawn.”
Glaring sharply at him, I snapped, “That wasn’t Jason’s fault. He didn’t start the case until a week after Shawn vanished.”
“Chill, Sam.” Jake held up his hands in surrender. “I wasn’t blaming him. Just saying it could be the same thing.”
“Jason has a better shot this time. He was brought in earlier, and he’s good at what he does. I think he’ll find Caleb.” My voice was calmer now.
Jake ended the conversation by moving to his game station to start it up. “Might as well play until you head home,” he said with a grin.
Slight apprehension hit me, and I hesitated. “Let me give Jason a call quickly. Just to let him know where I am.”
My friend didn’t pick up on my unspoken worry, and waved me off while he set up the game. I slipped out the door, and stood on the back porch to call my brother. Jason answered, sounding a bit flustered. “Hey, you okay?” I asked.
“That’s the second time today you’ve asked me that. Is there something I should know?” His voice was a little shaky, but he didn’t sound too upset.
Not wanting to give myself away, I chuckled. “No. Just wondering how you are after getting another missing kid case. And letting you know I’m at Jake’s house, because his parents don’t want me home alone. So pick me up whenever you’re done.”
Jason’s answering chuckle seemed forced. “I’m okay, Sammy. Stop worrying so much. I’ll pick you up when I’m done here, but it may be a little while. I’ve gotta get back to work, Sam. I’ll talk to you later.”
He would see me, but it was unlikely he would talk to me. Not in any meaningful way. The two years since we ran away from Hannah, Alice, and the others were about him escaping the past. Definitely not about getting over what happened. Sure, he talked to me about my experience, but he was still tight-lipped about his own. Not for the first time, I found myself wondering if he would be more open if he knew every emotion he felt was known by me. I knew everything he went through while in Trevor Mason’s grasp.
“Everything okay, Sam?” Mr. Thompson came outside, his eyebrows furrowed in concern.
Forcing a smile, I nodded. “Fine. Thanks.” I may not have the same experiences as Jason, but I wasn’t any more comfortable being alone with an authority figure than him. Especially when that person is a man.
My discomfort must have been obvious, but he smiled with a slight shake of his head. “Glad to hear it. Will Jason be coming to get you?”
“Yeah. But he can’t get here until later. He’s still at work, and he’s not sure how long it will take him to get done. Anyway,” I returned my phone to my pocket, and started making movements back to the door, “Jake is waiting on me for a game.”
The man sighed slightly, his smile dropping for a moment before recovering. He waved me on with another smile. “Go ahead. Enjoy.”
I smiled hesitantly back at him, and headed inside. “Sam,” he stopped me, now looking apprehensive. I paused, holding the door ajar, and waited for him to speak. “If you ever need anything, to talk or…”—he trailed off with a wave of his hand—“anything at all, don’t hesitate to ask.”
Now I was confused, but I just said, “Sure. Thanks Mr. Thompson.”
The door slamming behind me almost covered his soft reply. “Anytime, kid.” When I glanced over my shoulder as I rushed up the stairs, he was gazing after me sadly. What was that about?
“Sam, you ready?” Jake asked impatiently.
Nodding absently, I accepted the controller. “Ready for anything,” I said. Should I ask about what his father said, or if Jake ever overheard his parents talking about me? The question would probably come across as odd. There was no reason to stir things up.
Jason’s feelings, which had been put on the back burner for a few minutes, were beginning to get stirred up. He was getting angry. Not scared, not frustrated, but really and truly angry in a way I hadn’t felt from him since Kindred—Jeremiah Mason, rather—threatened to hurt the people Jason loved. It was the kind of anger that could drive him to do something he would later regret.
“Ease up, Sam,” Jake was eyeing me warily, and I realized my hands were clenched around the controller so tightly the plastic was creaking. I was also glaring at the screen like I wanted it to explode.
The controller fell to the floor, and I took several deep breaths. Pushing Jason’s anger aside with some difficulty, I returned to my own, less tortured, emotions. “Sorry. I’m good. Just had a moment, I guess.”
He looked doubtful, but returned to the game. My focus for something as trivial as a video game was shot. Whatever Jason found, at least his powers were still unde
r control. It was a strong anger, but controlled.
For now.
EIGHTEEN
Hunter
Dinner out with the wife wasn’t as exciting as when we first met, but it was a distraction. Sitting at home was boring, and who knew what the boredom would lead to. We did sit and watch the news when we got home, which was the first I heard about the missing boy. A sad occasion, especially so soon after another was found murdered in the same town. “Police believe the same person may be behind both cases, but no more information has been released at this time,” the middle-aged reporter was saying.
“That’s so sad.” Suzette looked at me. “Why would anyone want to hurt those boys?” she asked innocently.
I shook my head sadly. “I can’t imagine. But the police will find the person responsible, don’t worry.”
If they did find me, she would have to worry. But I wasn’t too concerned. So far there wasn’t even a sniff at the door by a cop, and I didn’t think the situation would change anytime soon. Unless I found myself unable to continue this charade, which was becoming increasingly more likely, I would be safe from discovery.
Changing my habits now would increase the risk of getting caught, but knowing the risk was not enough to deter the desire for long. If anything it would make life more fun. The increased possibility of being detained, and questioned by the police, would make my hunts much more risky. The threat was already pretty high with the small size of the town. A stranger wasn’t immediately noticed, but could be if seen in the wrong area.
But discovery could lead to capture, and to arrest. While the trial process might be entertaining, prison was deathly boring. I could only imagine the same tedious routine day in, and day out. With only the possibility of some fights to break the monotony, I would never last. “That’s where your cabin is, isn’t it?” Suzette said, interrupting my thoughts.
“Don’t worry, Suze. Only teenagers have been missing, from what I’ve heard. No adults.”
“I wasn’t worried; just wondering if you heard anything about the first boy. I don’t remember hearing much after he was found, other than his body was discovered in the woods.” Her bright green eyes peered into mine, and she brushed back her long dirty-blonde hair waiting for my response.
I sighed dramatically. “Suze, you know if you heard details you wouldn’t be able to sleep. You don’t want to hear about how a teenager was murdered.”
Her eyes flashed angrily for a second. “I was only asking. You don’t tell me anything anymore. Hell, for all I know you were the one who found him. You’d never tell me something like that.”
Great. Now she was mad. I moaned, “Don’t be like that. Of course I’d tell you if I found a body. What kind of person do you think I am? I just don’t like you dwelling on this stuff, because I know it upsets you. And to answer your question, no, I didn’t hear anything about him beyond what they said in the news. I’m sorry if I upset you.”
She should be satisfied with that. Her anger was so short lived, it was almost amusing—although, not as entertaining as it would be if it actually ever blew up into a real fight. As expected, her eyes softened, and she let out a gentle breath. “You’re right. I’m sorry for getting angry. Can you forgive me?”
I hid a smirk behind my hand, and regarded her carefully. “I don’t know… it might take some persuasion.”
She pouted. The expression was attractive on her, and I again entertained the idea of using her in one of my hunts. A look of fear and pain flashing in those beautiful green eyes, it couldn’t get much better. No. Not yet. “You’re laughing at me. Again. Why is it you’re always laughing at me? I never laugh at you.”
My hand found hers, and I answered completely honestly, “Because you are a much nicer person than I.”
NINTEEN
Jason
Inside the shed was something I did not want to find. As I figured it would be. There were mattresses firmly attached to each wall and thick padding on the inside of the door. There was no electric light so the only illumination came from the open door, and a small crack along the side of one of the mattresses. The mattress likely covered a window on the back of the small building. On the worn out mattresses were bloodstains. Not as much as was on the floor of the shed I was tortured in, but enough to know something happened here that shouldn’t have.
What, exactly, I had yet to discover. Unlike Trevor Mason, these people didn’t keep their tools in the shed. Beyond the makeshift soundproofing and splatters of blood, the shed was empty. My teeth ground together, and my muscles clenched. I was done here. Time to go get Nickels.
I returned to the front door and knocked, not bothering to hide my angry stance when I pushed past the frail woman to find Nickels talking to Caleb’s father. “What did you do?” I asked harshly, getting into the man’s space, and meeting his eyes fearlessly. He wasn’t much bigger than me, but he was stronger.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” his voice shook with anger.
“Jason, what happened? Leave him alone.” Nickels put his hand on my shoulder, but I shook him off.
I shoved Caleb’s father into the wall. “What did you do to Caleb?” I asked through gritted teeth. “I saw the shed. Don’t even try to deny it.”
“Jason.” Nickels pulled me back. “You need to stop before I have to arrest you,” he spoke softly so the other man couldn’t hear him, and I put my arms up in surrender.
“He’s all yours, Detective. If you want to see the shed, it’s open.” The probable abuser opened his mouth, but I interrupted before he could speak. “Before you say anything, it was all above-board. Your wife gave permission for me to search the property for anything that would help find Caleb. She wants to do what she can to find her son. I’m guessing you aren’t as concerned.”
I let Nickels lead me out of the house, and ignored his annoyed glances while leading him to the shed. I stood silently as he looked around the little room, and he drew similar conclusions. “Child abuse? Did you find anything else? Anything that could help us find Caleb?”
“No. Wait,” I said, closing my eyes. One of the three people from this house was about a mile down the block right now, and I hadn’t felt anyone leave the house. I faltered for a moment. Nickels didn’t know about my abilities. How could I tell him Caleb was nearby without proof? “I think he left willingly. It could be we’re not looking at this in the right way. He’s being abused. He’s not great at school. And, from what we heard, he doesn’t have any close friends.”
“All true, as far as I can tell. You were right, by the way,” Nickels said. I looked at him curiously. “The father wasn’t acting very concerned. Kept saying he probably just skipped school, although I could tell the mother didn’t agree.”
No, she didn’t. Her footsteps were approaching the backyard now, and her husband’s weren’t with her. “Mrs. Larson,” I called out right as she appeared around the corner. “Is there a place nearby where Caleb would go to get away?”
She froze when I called her name, and glanced at the house fearfully. “Yes,” she said softly. “The park. There are woods there, and I think there’s a small clearing where he sits to think about things.”
“If you really want what’s best for Caleb, you need to leave your husband. Your son won’t stay with you unless you aren’t with him anymore. Think about it, for his sake and your own,” my voice was soft, but the tone wasn’t, and Nickels looked up sharply at the harsh emotion I showed.
I gestured ahead of me. “Detective, I think we have a park to search.”
“You might be right, but…”
“Not the time, detective. Trust me on this one. I have a feeling we’ll find him there.”
He nodded tersely, and we drove down the street to the wooded park. It happened to be a section of the same woods where Shawn was found, but I didn’t feel any other footsteps near Caleb to indicate he was in any kind of trouble. When we got out of the car I kept tabs on the vibrations from Caleb’s footsteps, and
tried to lead Nickels to him. It was a trick to do it without looking like I knew exactly where I was going.
Caleb’s heart rate was high and he was pacing nervously. He made no attempt to run away, even when I was certain he’d heard us coming. “Caleb!” I called out, letting him know we were looking for him.
We broke through the tree cover into a small clearing, and there was Caleb. He was just as I pictured him as we walked through the woods: pacing and nervous. What I didn’t expect was the gun. “Caleb.” I raised my hands to keep him calm when he swung around to aim the weapon at me. “My name is Jason. I’ve been looking for you.”
He laughed bitterly, “Well, congratulations. You found me. Now what?”
“Watch yourself, Jason,” Nickels muttered.
I gave him a sideways glance, and kept my hands raised to show I was unarmed. “Well, that seems to be up to you right now. What are you doing?”
The hand holding the gun dropped down, and I relaxed slightly at not having it aimed directly toward my chest. “What’s it look like I’m doing?” His voice was shaky, but he was trying to hide his nerves by tensing his muscles and glaring at me.
This part I was unsure of. I may have experienced firsthand what this kid went through, but I wasn’t certain how to talk him down—especially when no one could have stopped me when I tried. A glance at Nickels showed he had his gun trained on the boy in case he made a move on me, and I wished he could just put it down. Having the other man’s weapon trained on him would only emphasize the stress he was under. Oddly, Caleb waited while I considered my options, and watched me expectantly. “It looks like you’re hurting, and trying to find a way to make the pain stop. But you don’t want to hurt yourself, do you? Not really.”
He looked surprised, and cocked his head, questioning silently why I’d think that. After all, he was out in the woods with a gun. “You’ve been out here for hours, Caleb,” I said softly. “Trust me. When you really want to end it, the process won’t take hours. Only minutes.” Swallowing convulsively I continued, my voice shaking. “You don’t want to die. You’re a smart kid, Caleb, and I understand what you’re going through. It can end. You don’t have to stay with him. Just tell us what he’s been doing, and he’s the one we’ll take away.”
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