by Bess George
“He hasn’t come back yet. The clerk said he’s hanging out at a dive a couple of blocks from here.”
Bode put his truck in reverse, and they eased down the street. A lone figure ambled toward them down the sidewalk. Most of the streetlights were either out or broken, so it wasn’t until he crossed the beam from their headlights that they got a good look at his face.
“That’s our boy.” Steve gripped the armrest as Bode slammed on the brakes and u-turned, jumping the curb before slamming the big truck into park. They both had tumbled out before it stopped rocking. “Stop! Police!”
At the sound of their shouts, the man took off like a track star.
The guy’s skinny legs were no match for Bode’s determined stride. Within a block, he was just a step back. Throwing himself forward, he slammed the suspect square in the back. Both men landed with a thud and skidded in a tangle of arms and legs before coming to a stop.
He flipped Robbins onto his stomach and grabbed a set of handcuffs from his back pocket. Securing the man’s wrists, he turned him back over, being careful to avoid the blood covering him from scraping his body along the pavement.
Chest heaving, Bode worked to catch his breath. “Miles Robbins?”
“Leave me alone. I didn’t do nothin', man,” Robbins whined, his eyes unfocused and glassy.
Steps sounded behind him and still breathing hard, Bode frowned up at his partner. “He’s stoned. Let’s take him in.”
Shaking his head, Steve reached down and yanked Robbins to his feet. “They always run. You okay?”
Bode noticed the rip in his favorite pants. Blood from a skinned knee seeped through the hole. His face and palms stung from scraping the cement.
He’d never felt better.
Chapter 23
Bode leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and stared at the sad excuse for a human sitting before him. When they arrived at the station, the Captain informed him that Steve would be in charge of the interrogation. Bode could watch, but was to keep his mouth shut. His face impassive, no one knew how close he was to jumping over that table and beating the information free.
Steve sauntered into the small room with a file folder. He sat down across from Robbins. “How ya doin’ there, Miles? Can I get you somethin’ to drink? Whoa, too bad you busted your head on that curb, huh?”
Robbins emaciated face glared back. Or his one eye glared, the other had swollen shut. The black and blue bruises already stood out in contrast to his sickly gray pallor. “Because you and that asshole chased me.”
Shaking his head, Steve made a tsking noise. “This ain’t your first rodeo, Miles. You know the drill. You run from the police, it’s our job to chase you.” He opened the manila folder and pushed a picture across the table. “Now, do you know this woman?”
Robbins good eye peered down at the photo. He visibly started before shrugging one shoulder. “Nah, I don’t know her.”
Bode tensed but maintained his holding up the wall act. His boss watched on the other side of that two-way glass just waiting for him to lose his cool so he could pull him off this case. No way. No how.
Steve made a buzzer sound. “Oops, wrong answer, Miles. So, I’m just going to get to the point. And the point is attempted murder. We may be able to find a way to help you if you tell us everything. Otherwise—”
“Attempted Murder?” Robbins’ question ended in a screech. He jumped to his feet, even whiter if possible. “I ain’t tried to kill no one.”
Bode moved and grabbed one of the man’s thin shoulders, shoving Miles back down.
“Why don’t we start with how you ended up in Redding?” Steve sat back in his chair.
“I followed her,” he mumbled. His one eye fixated on Kelsey’s picture. “I just wanted to talk.”
“You followed her all the way across the country to talk?” Steve gentled his voice. “It must have pissed you off when she ran from you after coming all that way. The least she could have done was listened, right?”
Robbins' shoulders slumped, and he began crying. “I . . . I wanted to let her know I was sorry. I shouldn’t have blamed her for Otis’ death. Shouldn’t have done what I—”
Steve’s palm cracked down on the table. “What did you do, Miles? Set a small fire? Cut her brake lines?”
“I didn’t!”
Steve rose, placed his hands on the scarred table, and bent forward. “Then tell me what you did do, Miles. Let me help you.”
The small man was blubbering by now. “After Otis was killed I wanted to sc-scare her. The way he was scared about going to jail again. I followed her around, kept calling her and hanging up, you know, that kind of th-thing.”
Bode straightened from against the wall. “You were terrorizing ADA Brackston?”
Miles’ head bobbed in agreement. “But I never did nothin’ to hurt her.” The man folded in on himself, his quiet sobs filling the silence.
Steve looked up at Bode. His expression told him they were both wondering the same thing.
Was he telling the truth?
Glade whistled as he strode into the neighborhood sporting goods shop. It took him about a week of searching before he found this independently owned store. The large chain places at the mall had cameras hid in every corner, and he couldn’t take the chance of his face being captured.
This out of the way place was perfect. No one knew anything about him at this point, and for his plan to work, he needed to maintain a low profile.
“I’ll be right with you,” a young girl behind the counter called out to him while she finished opening a box of fishing lures.
“No hurry,” he answered as pleasant as possible while proceeding down the aisle.
He was still elated over the latest development. During his shift cleaning the station last night, the cops had dragged in the sap following Kelsey. At one point, he’d had to duck into a supply room to prevent the cop from getting a good look at him.
The arrest of the creep had changed his timeline. It was imperative that he get their supplies ready while the police were occupied.
The sales clerk came over to where he browsed, careful to leave some room between them. Smart girl.
He looked down to read her name tag. Nice and friendly so you won’t be memorable.
“Thanks, Sylvia. I’m going out to do some dispersed camping with my wife.” He gave her a sheepish grin. “My wife’s what you might call a city girl. Could you give me some recommendations?”
Laughing, she trotted to the women’s section calling back over her shoulder. “What size is she?”
“About like you, I guess.” He used his hands to indicate a height. “But she’s a lot taller. About like this.”
While the sales clerk looked for clothing, he gathered basic camping necessities. He circled around the room choosing items geared for survival. An ice ax, two winter bivy bags, a snow shovel, and various other cold weather basics went into his basket.
He browsed through the racks of insulated jackets until he settled on one in his size. The clerk joined him, laden down with clothes.
“Here’s everything I think she can use. There are several choices and styles to choose from.”
Glade stared at the pile of women’s clothing. “I’ll take it all.” He smiled. “We won’t be coming back for a while.”
Kelsey leaned against the industrial sink in the community center up to her elbows in suds. She’d been relieved when Bode called last night to tell her Robbins was in custody. It was over. She could move on with her life. The idea should have made her happy. Instead, she was mopey and sad.
A footstep sounded, and she looked over her shoulder. Bode stood in the doorway of the kitchen. She spun around, hands dripping soapy water on the floor. His long legs swallowed up the steps and then, there he was,
looking down at her.
“I missed you,” he whispered.
Her throat clogged with things she needed to say, words that refused to come out. He feathered kisses over her lips and chin before moving on to her ear. He nipped her lobe, then moved on to nibble on her mouth again. The taste of him drove her insane.
She made herself pull back. “Morning.” Her voice sounded hoarse.
“That’s good morning, darling,” he answered. “Miles Robbins is in custody. You can come back home now.”
Stepping back, she slid her wet hands loose and picked up a dish towel. Wiping them, she forced herself to continue. “Robbins wasn’t the reason I left.”
Something moved across his expression, she couldn’t tell if it was hurt or anger. But when he spoke his voice was calm and controlled. “I’m a cop, Kelsey. My job—”
Her laugh sounded a little brittle. “Comes first for you. I get it, I really do. I spent most of my adult life living for the job. And you know what? I’ve realized what I missed out on. I’m ready to concentrate on the things that matter.”
His implacable expression was unnerving. “Does it have to be all or nothing?”
“Uh, excuse me?” An uncertain voice from the doorway startled them both. An older woman watched them with wariness. “Kelsey, some of your group is here. I think school let out early or something.”
“Thanks, I’ll be right there.” She stepped to move around Bode, but he placed a hand on her arm to stop her.
“Don’t go anywhere. Keep your eyes and ears open.”
His cop voice surprised her. “You have Robbins locked up, so that means I’m safe, right?”
He released his breath while shaking his head. “I don’t know. Something feels off about this guy. He admitted to harassing you while you were in Dallas. Petty stuff. You should see him, Kels. I can’t picture him as the type to commit cold-blooded murder, so until we know if he has an accomplice, I’d like for you to lay low at David’s.”
Her direct gaze met his. “I’ve wasted so much time cowering and refuse to do it anymore. I will do what you tell me, I won’t leave if I’m not supposed to, and I will trust you to figure this out. What I won’t do, is quit living when it feels like I’m alive for the first time.”
One hand lifted, and his thumb caressed her bottom lip. “I’ll come back tonight and give you an update.” He pressed his lips to her forehead. Then he twirled her around and pushed her toward the hallway. When she looked back, he was gone.
Hours later, Kelsey stretched her sore back and tired muscles. She kept herself too busy most of the day to worry about Bode’s warning. But for the last few hours, an omen of something bad coming had built inside her.
The children seemed to be extra restless today, so she bundled everyone up and took them outside to play. A shy boy named Jessie sidled up next to her while she refereed the kickball game. A tug on her jacket made her glance down.
“What is it, honey? Are you too cold? Do you want to go in?”
Jessie shook his head. “M . . . Mia left to take some pictures. She told me not to tell, but you said we weren’t supposed to leave.” Tears tracked down the little guy’s face.
She knelt down beside him and wiped his face. “You’re right. That’s the rule. Mia’s excited about her new camera, but that’s no excuse. Did she go back inside?”
The little boy rubbed his hands together. “She went to take pictures of the puppies.”
A sliver of icy, cold fear slid its way up her spine. “What puppies, Jessie?”
He began crying in earnest. “The man in gr . . . green said he had some new puppies. She went that way. I told her not to go.”
She jumped to her feet turning to where his pudgy finger indicated. The gate led out of the playground and into the neighborhood.
Bounding over to the other adult outside with the children, she gripped her arm. “Get everyone inside. Tell Ann to call the police. Mia’s wandered off, and I’m going to search for her.”
Panic dug its claws into her as she raced for the exit. All of those times she’d felt someone watching. Waiting. What if she was wrong and it wasn’t about her at all? What if a pedophile lived in the shadows, biding his time until he could cull an innocent child from the group?
When she reached the street, she stopped. Frantic, she looked down one way and back up the other. Her stomach somersaulted. No sign of the little girl. Most of the buildings on this block contained mom and pop stores. She didn’t see anyone around who might have seen anything. Where was everybody?
“Mia!” Raw terror changed the yell to more of a shrill plea. She spun in a circle hoping to catch a glimpse of someone to help her.
A van sat parked in front of an old abandoned apartment building several blocks away. The logo on the back stated it belonged to a local cleaning company. Someone had already unloaded an enormous cart that held an assortment of mops and brooms. Supplies lined the top shelf, and a large gray garbage pail sat on one end.
Bode’s warning flashed through her mind. She promised that she wouldn’t leave the center, but he’d understand. A child’s life could be at stake. Every detail of the horrible cases she had prosecuted came flooding back. Minutes could be the difference between life and death.
She sprinted on shaking legs, trying not to hyperventilate. There was no sign of the janitor, so she poked her head through the open doors. “Hello?”
“Hello, Kelsey.” A deep voice whispered in her ear as two strong arms encircled her, and a foul-smelling rag covered her nose. She reacted and tried to round on him so she could kick or scream.
No! Fear gave her the strength to fight but to no avail. Much bigger and stronger than she was, the harder she resisted, the more she breathed in of the sweet sickening odor. Within seconds, her muscles couldn’t move, and she slumped against him while trying to remain conscious. I need to help Mia!
He picked her up and loaded her into the plastic can. He piled several small bags of garbage on top of her. Her eyes rolled up toward her abductor as the light was shut out. Recognition danced just beyond her grasp as darkness enveloped her.
Chapter 24
“Okay, Miles. Let’s go over this again. Who are you working with here in Redding?”
The interrogation room’s heat vents were pumping so much warm air into the small room, everyone inside wore a sheen of sweat. Robbins’ body odor had passed the offensive mark and now hovered at the rank level. Bode maintained his vigil propped up against the wall.
A soft knock sounded at the door. Another detective stuck his head through the door and motioned for them to break. Bode straightened from his relaxed pose as nerve endings tingled. Something must be up. Steve joined him at the door and they left the suspect slouched down and handcuffed to the table.
Captain Roberts waited for them in the hall. “A call just came in. There’s a little six-year-old child missing from the community center. Her name is Mia Kent. The teacher went to go search for her and hasn’t been seen since.” He paused and stared at Bode. “It was Kelsey.”
Bode remained motionless trying to comprehend the man’s words. Kelsey couldn’t be gone, she was safe where he’d left her. A red haze oozed into his vision. He whirled around and burst back into the room. The loud bang as the door smashed into the wall brought Robbins’ head up. His eyes went wide as Bode shook him as if he were weightless.
Chest heaving, Bode ground out the words. “Tell me. Tell me who has her.” He would tear this piece of filth to pieces if he didn’t name his accomplice.
Several pairs of strong arms separated the two men. Steve physically man-handled Bode back out into the hallway and pressed him against the wall with one arm across his throat.
“Get it together. This is not helping Kelsey,” Steve hissed.
He slumped as his partner’s words
registered through the fog of anger. She needed him to be a cop, not some lovesick fool who couldn’t think straight. He gave a stiff nod of acceptance, and Steve loosened his hold.
“What happened?” His voice sounded like he’d been eating ground glass.
“We don’t know all the details yet. Units are in route,” Captain Roberts said. “If you’re going, get on over there. Just try to maintain your objectivity on this, Taggert. I won’t allow rogue cops in my department.”
The community center workers gave him a wide berth as Bode strode into the building. Steve had jumped into his truck with him and they made the drive in silence. Dressed in jeans and a black leather jacket, Bode knew he appeared more like a thug than a cop. He was pissed off at his Captain, at the situation, and even at Kelsey. She promised not to leave the center.
The sound of excited voices drew them to the reception area. His demeanor rigid, Officer Johnson blocked the entrance to Ann’s office keeping people at bay. He greeted them with a quick nod. “One of the other kids said that Mia left because a man offered to show her some puppies. They found the little girl locked in an empty apartment. She won’t talk to anybody.”
It was a one-two punch. Rage at the idea of a child predator in their midst. Offering a treat was a common ploy they used to lure children. Relief that maybe Kelsey had gotten lost and would show back up at any minute.
He stepped into the room and his eyes sought out Mia. She sat on a sofa surrounded by her frightened parents. Her small arms were wrapped tight around a tiny black puppy. A toy camera hung by a strap on her thin wrist.