by Bess George
Stopping in front of her, he crouched down to be on her level. Not wanting to scare her, he pasted on a smile and gentled his voice. “Hey, honey. You doing okay here?”
Mia remained mute, burying her face in the dog’s matted fur. He reached one hand out and rubbed the puppy’s ears. “Good looking pup. Is he yours?”
She still wouldn’t meet his gaze. He looked to the parents for confirmation, and the father shook his head. Taking his hand away from the dog, he used one finger to lift her trembling little chin, making her look at him.
“Sweetheart, no one is in trouble here, but I need you to trust me. Can you do that?”
Mia hesitated a second before nodding once. Her fright broke his heart, but he couldn’t stop questioning her. They had to find out who they were dealing with.
“What happened, honey?” He leaned in to hear her soft words.
“Th-The green man said he had some pu-puppies he was giving away. I wanted to take a picture to show my daddy. See if I could have one.” Her guilt ridden face turned to her father. “I’m sorry, daddy. I know I’m not supposed to leave the school.”
Bode solemnly turned her attention back to him. “Did the man hurt you?”
She moved her head so hard her curls danced. “He was nice until he locked me in that dirty room.” Sobs racked her tiny body. “I was so scared.”
Her parents surrounded her, letting everyone know in no uncertain terms that the questions were finished for now. He joined the others. “Is there any word on Kelsey?”
“Nothing and she should have returned by now just to let us know she hadn’t found anything.” Ann wrung her hands together. “Where could she be?”
That was the same question running through his mind. This whole scenario didn’t sit right with him. Why would the man lure a child away and then leave her unharmed? No child predator would have any use for a grown woman. One hand rubbed absently at the pain in his chest as he mulled it over.
What if the puppy wasn’t the bait for Mia, but Mia was the bait for Kelsey? His adrenaline spiked, and he denied the urge to put his fist through the wall. Where was she? He couldn’t stand here waiting for her to return.
“Do you have any video on the outside?”
Ann nodded. “We have a few. The computer is in our store room. Follow me and I’ll show you.”
The three of them entered the unused room. Ann sat down in front of a monitor and typed several commands on the keyboard, cursing when her nervous fingers wouldn’t move as fast as she wanted.
He paced the small space and waited for her to finish. His stomach was twisted in knots and Steve didn’t appear much better. The other man’s short blond hair spiked out in several directions from his hands running through it.
Finally, the correct camera showed on the screen. It covered the playground and one side of the building. The stamped time registered 8:00 a.m. while people were arriving for work. He growled with impatience. “Fast forward through the day. I know everything was okay at one because that’s when I was here.”
Ann pushed the button to slow the video down when Kelsey and the children came into view. Bundled up from the cold, it wasn’t easy to distinguish one child from another. Kelsey stood to one side laughing at their fun.
Bode touched the monitor. “There.”
Mia’s blue jacket showed her standing at the far corner of the building. Her head bobbed as if talking to someone, but whoever it was remained out of sight. A short time later, she skipped through the gate and down the block. They stared in helpless dismay as Kelsey rushed after the young girl.
After five more minutes, Ann pressed the stop button. “There’s nothing else here.”
His anger became a scalding fury as he cracked his knuckles. “There’s one person who may know where she is.”
He drove back to the station, stomach still knotted tight, determined to beat the truth out of Robbins. His fists clenched and unclenched the steering wheel as he took a corner too fast.
“Bode, you need to get a grip on yourself. I honestly don’t think Robbins—”
“He has to know something.” He paused, trying to tamp down his rioting emotions. “Because if he doesn’t know who took her, we don’t have a freakin’ clue.”
What is going on?
Kelsey attempted to throw off the drowsiness weighing her down. She was thrown about as the vehicle pitched over uneven terrain. Bile rose in her throat, but she resisted the urge to vomit. The gag stuffed in her mouth would make her choke.
Darkness so black she couldn’t focus caused dizziness to overtake her again. Wake up! She gradually became aware that her arms and legs were bound too tight for her to move. Her lungs screamed for more oxygen. A little moan escaped around the rag. She fought against her bindings to no avail. Where am I?
The vehicle slowed and made a sharp turn. The change in direction slid her body forward on the cold metal. Her head banged on the floor as they bounced over the rough road. She slipped around on the empty bed, concentrating on not passing out again. Biting her tongue, the coppery taste of blood made her nausea increase.
The truck skidded to a sudden stop. The tailgate lowered, and a man’s hand came into view. He removed the tarp covering the back and batted her bound feet away when she kicked at him.
“You can’t do anything to change your situation so don’t piss me off. Make this easy on yourself.” He reached in and used her ankles to pull her toward him.
When she slid to the end, he placed a dishrag that held the same chemical over her nose and mouth. The strange odor penetrated her nostrils. She attempted to recognize the familiar voice as awareness began to shut down.
She woke with a headache. The pounding at her temple had to be the headache of all headaches. Where is Ann? Her body craved a glass of water and maybe an aspirin, but her arms and legs refused to move. I’ve caught some kind of flu.
Another bout of nausea made her stop trying to get up. What is wrong? Slow breaths helped settle her stomach, and she opened her weighty lids enough of a sliver to see.
A large man stood next to her, and when he came into focus, her memories rushed back. She’d been looking for Mia. Her eyes popped open as renewed panic flowed through her. The man in green.
Frantic, a hoarse croak came out. “Where’s Mia?”
“Don’t worry, the little girl is all right.” He chuckled. “Someone should warn her about wandering off. There are all sorts of monsters out there.”
Drugs began overpowering her again. “Joe, what’s going on?”
“I’m glad you’re awake. I was starting to get worried, Janie. Our lives will soon be the same as before. Remember when it was just you and me against the world?” He crouched down beside her.
The soup in her brain thinned, and the fact that she sat tied to a chair registered. “I can’t move my arms.”
“I restrained you to keep you from hurting yourself. Once you settle down, I’ll be able to untie you.”
She blinked drowsily, but her brain refused to function. Unable to stop the pull, unconsciousness claimed her once again.
Cool air washed over her, and she awoke with a start. Her body tingled with numbness. A sudden realization brought her awake, and her heart stuttered at the sight. The comfortable workout gear she wore to work had been replaced with a short nightgown. The fact she was naked underneath terrified her.
A sob tightened her throat. Her head swiveled around the small cabin looking for a way out. Joe was gone. She worked to slow her breathing and gain control of the overwhelming panic. Closing her eyes, she tried to remember what she’d learned from Riley about controlling fear.
She couldn’t stop grinding her teeth as a cry escaped. The restraints didn’t budge, no matter how hard she struggled to free herself. All she accomplished was making her wrists sta
rt to swell.
Chest heaving from the exertion, she took the time to study her surroundings. It looked like a rustic cabin. The room had rough cut lumber for the walls and simple wood planks for the floor. A layer of dust covered everything as if no one had used this place in a long time.
The only furniture other than the chair where she sat was a metal bed covered by flannel sheets and a wool blanket. A cast iron stove with an old coffee pot sitting on top sat in the corner. There were a few shelves where someone had lined up sparse supplies.
A cramp in her abdomen made her aware of how bad she needed to go to the restroom. Stamping feet outside the old door commanded her attention. A cold blast of wind entered the cabin when it swung open.
“Oh, good, you’re awake.”
She stared at the man who crossed the narrow space and knelt down at her feet. The previous friendship she’d seen was gone, replaced with something scary. Evil. Insane also came to mind.
“Why, Joe?” she whispered, “Why are you doing this?”
“Janie, darling,” he said in a creepy tone she’d never heard him use. “We’re on our way to our new home. We’re going to be happy again.”
“Joe—”
He moved so quick she didn’t brace herself. He yanked her head back by wrapping his hands in her hair. The nerve endings on her scalp screamed at the rough treatment. Leaning down, his breath made her want to gag.
“John. My name is John.”
The tight grip prevented her from doing anything more than giving a little nod. “Okay, John. I’m sorry. You can let me go. I won’t make that mistake again. I promise.”
His lids shut as if to calm himself and when he opened them the wild gleam had vanished. A dead flatness that scared her even more had replaced it. He released her and crouched down again.
He ran his palms up her thighs and across her abdomen before stopping right below her breasts. His stare lingered on the swell of exposed cleavage. “You’re so beautiful, Janie. I couldn’t wait to get you here.”
A rough hand brushed over her scar tissue, his stroke gentle. “This is that damn cop’s fault. He’s the one who did this.”
Her skin recoiled at his touch, but the ties kept her in place. If she couldn’t convince him otherwise, she knew what would eventually happen.
She swallowed hard and held back the tears with great effort. “I don’t know who you think I am, but you’re confusing me with someone else. I’m Kelsey, remember? We’re friends. If you let me go, we can sort this out. I’ll help you find the right person. Please, let me go.”
His voice filled with scorn. “We’re not friends, sugar. You’re just the unexpected bonus round.”
“But I thought Robbins—”
John roared with laughter until he sat back on his heels wiping his damp eyes. “So does that dumbass boyfriend of yours. I snatched you right out from under his nose, and you know what the best part is? He doesn’t have a clue I’m even in the picture.”
She stared at him in disbelief. “This is about Bode?”
“It’s about righting a wrong, an eye for an eye.”
The change of topic confused her. “I don’t understand.”
He jutted his chin out and sneered at her. “You can thank, Taggert for getting you involved in this. He took the one person in this world who believed I was worth a damn, and now, I’m returning the favor. I think that’s a fair trade, don’t you?”
“You’re wrong about our relationship. Yeah, we had a fling but he doesn’t care about me the way you think.” Hoping her words would change John’s mind, they still pierced her to the core.
Hard eyes stared right through her. “I needed to find his weakness, and until you showed up, he didn’t have one. You’re his Achilles heel.” His shoulders slumped as if in weariness. “This isn’t anything personal against you.”
He got to his feet and started to turn away.
“Wait. Please. I need to go to the bathroom.”
Crossing the room to the old stove, he bent down and picked up a rusted can. He came back to where she sat and placed it on the floor in front of her.
When he untied her, the instinct to run was squelched by the fact her limbs were so numb they wouldn’t function. He hauled her up from the chair by her arms. Shaky legs wouldn’t support her weight, and he caught her when her knees buckled. He held her tight against him.
“Use the can.”
“Please,” she whimpered, “would you wait outside?”
“Understand this,” he said in a rough voice, “there is no escape. There’s no one coming for you. You’re mine now.”
Tears blurred her vision, but the ugliness of her situation was crystal clear.
Chapter 25
Bode’s breath fogged the window as he stared out at the dead of night, his heart beating like a jackhammer. That was an apt description of his soul. Dead and numb. They had no leads, no suspects, and no idea where to go from here. In other words, he waited around with his thumb up his ass while Kelsey could be anywhere. Enduring anything. He squeezed his eyes shut trying to squelch those disturbing images.
Steve’s footsteps sounded behind him. “It’s no use.”
He whirled around to go back to the interrogation room. “Let me talk to him.”
Steve placed one hand on his chest to stop him. “You can’t get something from him that he doesn’t know. I’m telling you as your friend, this guy is not involved in this. We need to quit wasting our time on this loser and figure out what’s going on.”
Knowing in his gut that his partner was right, he hastened back over to their whiteboard. All the various facts mocked him. He was missing it. Something here would point them in the right direction. They just needed to keep looking. He read the lines one by one. Miles Robbins in custody. Kelsey back to work. Mia wanted a picture of the puppy. Wait, a picture of the puppy?
His pulse quickened. “Did someone bring in Mia’s camera?”
Steve frowned as he flipped through his notes. “I don’t think she ever turned it loose. It was still hanging from her wrist when we left. Her mother said it was just a toy. You don’t think—”
He lifted his jacket off the back of the chair. “It’s a long shot but right now, it’s all we’ve got.”
They parked in front of an older brick home and strode up the drive. The cold wind buffeted them as they waited for an answer to their knock.
Steve scrunched down into his coat. “Bad weather’s rolling in.”
Mr. Kent opened the door, apparently unhappy about them being here. “Mia’s already told you everything. She’s asleep, and I don’t want to wake her. Today has been extremely hard on her. Can you come back in the morning?”
Bode stuck his foot in to prevent the door closing. “We don’t want to speak with Mia. We’re wondering where her camera ended up.”
“The camera? I guess it’s here somewhere, why?”
“I’d like to see the pictures in it. Maybe we can figure out what happened to Miss Brackston. It could be our best chance of finding her.”
The other man let them in and then picked up a small camera sitting on the sofa. They followed him into his home office where he sat down behind the desk. “This is a toy, but you can hook it up to a computer and download pictures.”
Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, Bode waited as picture after picture flitted across the screen. Most of the photos had chopped off someone’s head or the subject was so blurred that it was unrecognizable. The small bubble of hope inside his chest deflated like a leaky balloon.
The next frame was shaky as if she’d taken it while moving but revealed a clear shot of the sidewalk. He squinted for a better look at the next one. It was darker than the others from being indoors. Mia’s finger must have pressed the shutter button while gripping
the camera.
“Can you rotate that? Maybe lighten it up a little?”
Bode forgot to breathe as a man’s smiling face showed up on the picture. The man was in mid-turn, with no idea the little girl had captured his image.
“We’ve been looking in the wrong places. All of this was never about Kelsey,” he whispered, as the bottom fell out of his world.
Chapter 26
Bode and Steve were about to enter the building when David stalked up to them.
“You were supposed to keep her safe.” An angry blush covered David’s cheeks.
Steve stepped between them and Bode strode on inside without uttering a word in his defense. What could he say? He’d promised to keep Kelsey from harm and this whole thing was because of him. Long suppressed memories opened internal wounds as he made his way to his desk.
“Okay, his picture is in every squad car in the city and the local station is going to air it on the next news broadcast. Maybe we’ll get lucky, and someone will see this guy and give us a call,” Steve said.
Bode gave a start back to the present. He pushed his dark turmoil aside. Kelsey needed him. His knowledge of the beast who abducted her was their best chance of finding them. “I just hope he’s still local.”
Picking up the phone, he began making calls. An hour later, he hung up and pressed the heel of his hand against his tired eyes. He opened them at the sound of movement.
“What developments are there?” Captain Roberts stared at the board rubbing the top of a hairline that had started to recede twenty years ago.