“They gave you the info?”
She shrugged. “It helps to have grown up here. I know most of the people in one way or another. I still have a few more to try. “
“Mmm. Things get curiouser and curiouser, don’t they, Officer Zink?”
The chief of police walked in, his face almost as red as his hair and mustache. “I’m sick of this. Those people act like we’re idiots just because we work in a small town.”
Ben Martin was normally easygoing, but he wasn’t a happy camper at the moment. Conrad didn’t blame him. Frustration gnawed at him, too. All he had was questions. He wanted some answers.
“What’s the problem now?” Zink asked.
Conrad knew what she was doing—giving the chief time to vent. He obviously needed to.
“The head honcho from the state police suggested I should check for known sexual offenders in the area. As if we didn’t do that within the first hour Emily was missing. They don’t even want to use this place as their headquarters. They’ve set up at the State Patrol Headquarters instead.”
That was a slap in the face. Conrad knew the answer but asked the question anyway. “Have they found anything?”
“Nothing useful. They told me to go get some rest.”
A nap was sounding better and better to him, but it would have to wait for a little while. Conrad walked over to Ben. “We might have a lead, but we aren’t sure.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Veronica Minor, the woman who owns that flower shop, left town in a real hurry.”
“And that makes you suspicious…why?”
“No, what makes us suspicious is she rented a car under an alias. And apparently lived under the alias in Utah until a few months ago when she moved in using the name Veronica Minor.”
Ben arched a red brow at him. “That’s something. Keep checking.”
Suzanne walked over to them. “And she was the last person who saw Emily.”
“And you think her own kid would lie for her?”
“It wouldn’t be the first time.” Conrad paused. “And we don’t even know if Jasmine is really her child. We’re having trouble finding any reliable information about either of them.”
Ben looked over at Zink. “What do you think, Suzanne?”
“Something’s going on with her. We just aren’t sure if it has to do with Emily or something else.”
“She doesn’t fit the profile the FBI gave us. They think it’s a man in his mid to late twenties.”
“They’ve been wrong before.”
“Yes, they have.”
Ben Martin sighed. “You know, I never wanted this job.”
Zink laughed. “You say that every time a real problem comes up.”
“And I’m going to keep on saying it. OK, you can dig a little deeper but don’t waste too much time on her. They’re setting up another search. This time outside city limits, but I want us as a department to be there, too.”
Zink looked at the chief. “Well, you might want to call Nick. He went home to take a nap.”
Ben Martin’s eyes narrowed. “A nap?”
“That’s what he said. A nap.”
The chief arched a bushy red brow. “Call him and the other part-timers. Tell them to be at the search this afternoon.”
Zink nodded and walked back to her own desk.
Conrad nodded. “Then there’s this other guy?”
“What other guy?”
“Well, it’s not much, but we came across him today at the flower shop. He said he was from Circleville and wanted to buy flowers, but he lied. And he was at Veronica Minor’s apartment.” Conrad told the chief what they knew about David Hamm.
When Conrad finished, Zink looked over at them. “I just had a thought. Maybe this Hamm guy is Veronica’s ex, and she’s hiding from him. After Jasmine was on TV, she got worried about him seeing them and decided to leave.”
“She said her husband died.” Conrad pointed out.
“That would be the simplest way to hide from an abusive husband. That could also explain the aliases. And that would mean she didn’t have anything to do with the kidnapping.”
Conrad stared at her. “Maybe it’s just me because I’m so tired, but you sure do seem to be flip-flopping about this woman.”
“You’re the one who told me not to jump to conclusions.” She smiled sweetly. “I’m keeping an open mind.”
“So was I. If you’re right, she could be in danger, as well.”
“When it rains, it pours,” Ben said as he filled a cup with coffee.
Zink shook her head as she put the phone down.” Nick’s not answering his home or cell phone.”
“Keep trying.” Ben blew on the coffee and looked at Zink, his eyes probing. “Are you OK, Zink? If this is too much for you, you can let the rest of us handle it. There’s no shame in it.”
She shook her head. “I’m fine. I wish people would stop worrying about me. It’s not the same at all, Ben. Just let me do my job and let me help bring Emily back to her parents.”
The chief nodded, but he didn’t look any more convinced than Conrad was.
16
Layla stared at her with those big brown eyes, waiting for an answer.
“You’re right about the rule, Layla. And I’m going to help Emily, but first I have another rule I have to follow.”
“What rule is that, Mommy?”
“It’s the number one mommy rule.”
A hint of a smile crossed Layla’s face. “I never heard of that before.”
“The number one mommy rule is that mommies are always, always, always supposed to protect their children, no matter what. So, I’m going to take you somewhere safe, and then I’m going to go help—”
The phone rang. Raymond.
She hadn’t wanted to, but she’d turned it on a while ago. Afraid if she didn’t, she would anger Raymond to the point he might hurt Emily.
She couldn’t talk in front of Layla. Her daughter was too smart to be fooled. It would be awful if she figured out Maria was talking with her father. Her dead father.
Maria grabbed her phone. “Honey, I’m going to go in the hall and talk. Watch some TV until I come back.”
“But, Mommy.”
“Please, Layla. Don’t make a fuss.”
Layla nodded, but clearly was not happy. Once in the hall, Maria pressed the answer button. “Hello.”
“You didn’t listen to me. You shut the phone off and you left town. I told you there would be dire consequences for Emily if you did either.”
“Did you really think I would just sit and wait for you to come and kidnap my daughter—again?” Her knees shook too badly to keep standing. She leaned against the wall and slid down onto the carpeted floor of the hallway. Her finger plucked at a loose loop in the carpet. “I’m not going to let you anywhere near my daughter.”
“She is my daughter as well.”
“Not anymore. You lost that right when you kidnapped her and shot me.” She managed to keep her voice from shaking, whether from fear or fury she wasn’t sure.
“I am her father. I will give you one more chance. I do not want to harm the pretty little Emily, but I will. You bring my daughter to me, and I will give you Emily back unharmed.”
God, please keep Emily safe.
“How do I know you even have her?”
“If I didn’t take her, then who did? Someone else in that hideous little town you live in? Did you really think you could hide from me? I will find you wherever you try to hide. It matters not what you do or don’t do, I will always find you, Maria. Layla belongs to me, and I have a duty to raise her right.”
“I was told you died.”
He laughed. “Apparently I did not.”
Stay focused. Keep the conversation about Emily. “If you have Emily, let me talk to her.”
“Not going to happen. You will do what I say. Or trust me, you’re going to regret it, and so will Emily. I will call you again. Be sure to answer.”
&nb
sp; The monster had kidnapped Emily, just the way he had Layla. Maria tried to block the memories, but couldn’t.
****
It had started at the park.
Layla had giggled as she tumbled out of the car and tore across the grassy field. Maria followed behind at a slower pace. Layla loved the swings and it was always the first place she went.
A man walked up to Layla and squatted down to talk with her.
Maria ran across the park, yelling her daughter’s name.
Layla and the man turned towards her.
He stared at Maria for a moment, stood, and then walked away.
By the time she reached Layla, the man was nowhere in sight. Her breathing was ragged as she asked, “What did that man say to you?”
“Nothing. He just said ‘hi.’”
“He didn’t ask you anything?”
“No.” Layla ran to the swings and jumped on.
It was too hard to focus. Seeing the strange man talk to her daughter had scared her. Raymond’s odd behavior and the strange man made her feel as if her world was crumbling.
When she left the park and returned home, the phone was ringing. Certain that it was Raymond, she took her time getting into the house. She didn’t want to talk to him just yet, to tell him a strange man had managed to get close to Layla. He would be so infuriated; it was hard to know how he would react. Pretending to be cheerful when she felt so vulnerable would be hard. It was her job to keep Layla safe.
Layla tugged at her mom’s sleeve. “Mommy, hurry up. I have to go potty.”
She slipped the key in the lock and opened the door.
The phone stopped ringing.
Maria expelled the air she’d been holding. As she walked into her kitchen, it didn’t feel like home any longer. It felt like it belonged to a stranger.
The phone rang again.
Looking at the ID, she knew she had to answer. She took a deep breath and picked up the phone. “Hi, honey.” She forced herself to sound normal.
“I’ve tried calling you several times today.” His voice was angry—and accented.
“We just walked in from the park”
“And did she have a good time at the park?”
Did she detect a hint of smugness in his voice?
Should she tell him about the man watching them? Raymond might be able to protect Layla. He wouldn’t let anything happen to his daughter, would he?
Her mind was jumbled. “Something happened.”
“What?”
“Some man followed us.”
Raymond chuckled.
Maria felt the rush of blood warm her face.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Maria. I’m sure it was your imagination.”
Again, Maria could hear an unmistakable accent. Usually, Raymond was overprotective of Layla. She’d expected him to be upset. “I’m not being ridiculous. I know what I know”
“He’s probably just a father out for the day with his child.”
“He didn’t have a child with him. He was following us. I’m sure of it.”
“I doubt that very much, Maria.” He chuckled once again. “Sometimes, you can be too protective of our daughter.”
Maria refused to rise to his bait. “What would you like for dinner tonight?”
“Nothing.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “Why? Are we going out to dinner?”
“Layla is going to spend the night with her little friend, Fiona. That way you can go shopping for a new dress tomorrow. I’m going to stay at the office and finish up some work. So, you have a free night.”
Maria had trouble breathing.
Raymond had never allowed Layla to stay overnight anywhere before.
“That’s not necessary. I don’t need a new dress. I have plenty of dresses to choose from.”
“You’ve worked very hard on this benefit and I want you to look beautiful. I insist upon it.” The tone in Raymond’s voice told her there would be no discussion about the matter. The accent was back.
What was going on here? Raymond wasn’t acting like himself at all. The vague unease she’d felt since this morning turned into suspicion. Of what, she didn’t know. The possibilities tumbled through her mind. This kind of thing only happened on television, not in real life. She was Maria Hammond, wife of Raymond, and they lived a happy life in the suburbs. The stranger in the park came to mind again.
Panic began to rise in Maria’s chest. “No, Layla is tired. She’s had a busy day. You know how cranky she can get when she’s tired. I wouldn’t want her to misbehave at their house.”
“She will be fine,” He was speaking in that odd cadence, again. “I will hear no more about it. Fiona is already expecting her so we wouldn’t want to disappoint her. They will pick her up in about thirty minutes. Have an overnight bag ready for her. Then you go shopping, get your hair and nails done, and have a good time. I have a late meeting so I will see you when I get home.”
He hung up.
It was time to leave. The fear rising in her heart had nothing to do with rational thought. Something was very wrong. Maria froze with indecision, but her mind raced from one crazy thought to another. Had she forgotten how to make decisions for herself?
She wasn’t going to let him take Layla away from her. If he wanted a divorce and custody, she would fight him.
She and Layla needed to leave, but she couldn’t think what to do first.
The doorbell snapped her out of her stupor.
Maria looked around the room, and then at her watch. It had only been two minutes, not a half hour. An icy calm fell over her. She walked to the door and opened it. “Oh, Renata. I’m sorry you made the trip over for nothing. I just got off the phone with Raymond. I don’t think it’s a good idea for Layla to go to your house today. We’ve had a busy day today, and Layla’s tired and cranky. I’ll just drop her tomorrow for a play date while I go shopping, if that’s OK with you?”
“Oh, well. It’s not like it’s out of the way.” She laughed, but her tone and expression indicated confusion.
“I know and it’s so sweet of you to offer. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Are you sure? Because Raymond was quite insistent I take her so you could have the rest of the day to yourself since the big party’s coming up.” Renata stepped into the foyer without an invitation.
Maria didn’t have time for idle chit-chat. She needed to get this woman out of her house so that she and Layla could leave. “Renata, this really isn’t a good time. I don’t mean to be rude, but I need to take care of Layla. Like I said, she’s exhausted. I think she may be coming down with a cold.”
Maria gently steered Renata out the door as she spoke. “Thanks so much for the offer to take Layla, but I’m going to have to say no this time.”
Maria gave Renata a last gentle push and shut the door, being sure to lock it. Maria watched through the window as Renata walked slowly down the steps. At her car, she turned back and stared at the house, but she didn’t leave.
Maria took a deep breath and made her decision.
She and her daughter were leaving right that second. If she was wrong then so be it, but her daughter’s safety came first.
“Layla,” Maria called as she walked back to her daughter’s room.
“What, Mommy?”
“Come on. We’re going to take a ride.”
“Why? We just got home. Where are we going?”
“Mmmm. I don’t know. Want to get some ice cream?”
“Yeah.” Layla agreed with enthusiasm.
“Let’s go.”
“Just a minute.” Layla started cleaning up the toys she’d been playing with.
Maria’s nerves were a mess. Her first reaction was to yell and just grab Layla and get to the car, but she didn’t want to scare her daughter. Forcing her voice to be calm, she took hold of Layla’s hand. “We need to go now, sweetie. Hurry. We’ll clean up when we get back.”
That wouldn’t be happening any time soon.
“But
Daddy…”
“Don’t worry about it.” Maria pulled her daughter along and said playfully, “Come on. Come on. I want ice cream. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!”
Layla giggled.
As they passed the door, Maria glanced out the window. Her heart skipped a beat.
Renata’s car still sat in the same spot.
Maria stayed calm as she buckled Layla into the car in the garage. Her hand shook and it took three tries to get the key into the ignition. She started the car before she opened the garage door. The moment the door was up enough for the car to fit, Maria put the car in reverse and backed out.
Renata’s car door swung open.
Maria kept backing up. She maneuvered around the woman’s car, but Renata ran up to her window.
“Mommy, look…”
“We have to go get the ice cream now, Layla.” She knew her voice was on the edge of hysteria. “We don’t have time to visit with Renata and Fiona right now, sweetie.”
“Maria, you have to stop. I need to talk to you.” Renata’s voice was muffled through the closed window.
Maria kept backing up. In the rearview mirror, she saw another car pull into her drive. She turned the wheel to go around, but another car pulled in and blocked her way as well.
“Mommy,” Layla cried out.
Maria wanted to comfort her daughter but she had no time. Putting her foot on the brake, she shifted into drive. Renata walked towards the car. Maria hit the gas and lurched forward into the yard.
Layla began crying.
Several more cars pulled up to block her escape. Men jumped out of the cars and began running towards their car.
Maria whipped the wheel around so she could get past them but as she did, her car door opened.
“Maria, stop the car now before someone gets hurt,” Renata’s husband ordered.
“No. Get away from us,” Maria screamed.
Layla’s crying turned to wailing.
He grabbed Maria’s arm through the car window. She pulled away and tried to close the window, but he was quicker and stronger. He grabbed the ignition key and turned the car off.
Desperation set in as she heard the motor die.
“Calm down, Maria. Whatever is wrong, I’m here to help you.”
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