The Abducted: Odessa

by Roger Hayden

  Tammy then shifted gears to focus on something Miriam hadn’t thought about in some time. “So, going back to the Snatcher case. When you disappeared for two weeks, presumed missing, you were actually being held against your will by Phillip Anderson the entire time? I couldn’t imagine what you went through. The story of your escape is miraculous in itself. A lot of people wonder whether you plan to write about your experiences during that time.”

  Miriam nodded, a growing uneasiness brewing inside. Tammy noticed her initial lack of response and elaborated. “I guess what I’m trying to ask, or what I think our readers are trying to understand, is why you’ve been so reluctant to talk about what happened. I completely understand your desire to stay out of the limelight, but don’t you think that a big part of closure is to let things go?”

  Miriam thought to herself in a lengthy silence. Perhaps Tammy had a point. Shortly after emerging from her disappearance, Miriam had given a short press conference at the behest of her superiors but not many interviews after that. She had turned down multiple talk show and book deal requests. She had even turned down an offer to be interviewed by Barbara Walters.

  While sharing her story may have provided the closure Tammy spoke of, Miriam wanted to bury the entire experience, though she’d never be able to completely scrub Phillip Anderson from her mind. His visage still haunted her dreams. Sometimes it felt as though he was still alive and watching her.

  Miriam looked at Tammy and tried to answer as best she could. “I don’t mean to be secretive,” she began. “I’m very fortunate to have escaped. And I’m glad Phillip Anderson… is no longer able to do any harm.”

  She then glanced a framed, front-page newspaper story bearing the headline Snatcher Dead! in big black letters.

  Part of hanging up the front page in her office was what her counselor described as “taking control of the past.” But it didn’t seem to make things easier.“Not a day goes by that I’m not thankful. It’s just, with the Snatcher case, it was never something I wanted, and it’s certainly not something I want to keep thinking about. Phillip Anderson was a monster. He killed my partner and my ex-husband, and I don’t want to see him get the attention of a celebrity. He deserves to be forgotten, to fade into oblivion while the rest of us move on with our lives.”“I understand,” Tammy said. She then looked down at her notes in hesitation. “How is Ana doing? I imagine she’s had her own struggles as well.”

  Miriam thought to herself as another email notification popped up. “She’s doing better. I take her to counseling all the time. The loss of her father hit her hard, and I imagine it’s something she’ll struggle with her entire life. Lou’s been great with her, but he made it clear from the beginning that he never intends to replace Freddy.”“What’s the best thing about your job today?” Tammy asked, moving to another topic.“Oh, that’s easy,” Miriam began. “Looking out for children is now my top priority. It’s a very rewarding thing, and at the end of the day, I really feel like I’ve made a difference.”“If you could just take me back,” Tammy said, holding her pen out, “to the moment when you were face to face with Phillip Anderson, knowing that one of you had to die.”

  Miriam was taken aback by the question. Miriam could still see Anderson’s scarred face and soulless gray eyes. She could hear the thud of the thick chain cracking against his skull as she swung it repeatedly.

  She could smell the dankness of the underground bunker and feel the grime and grit under her fingernails from clawing at the walls, trying to get free. Miriam opened her eyes, prepared to tell Tammy everything, when suddenly her office phone rang, startling her.“Excuse me,” she said to Tammy.

  She didn’t recognize the number on the caller ID screen, chalking it up to a wrong number or nuisance caller. It was an out-of-state number, a Texas area code, which piqued her curiosity, and she decided to answer. “Lieutenant Sandoval speaking,” she said.“Hello, Lieutenant. My name is Detective Hayes from the Ector County PD, here in Odessa, Texas.”“Yes. What can I help you with, Detective?” Miriam asked.“I’m trying to reach a Miriam Castillo. We’ve been doing a search and have an urgent need to talk with her. I believe she works in your department.”“Well, Detective…” Miriam began as Tammy scrolled through her cell phone, keeping busy. “I’m not sure how you found me, but I no longer go by that surname. I changed it quite some time ago.”

  Tammy lifted her head, wondering who Miriam was talking to.“Ms. Castillo?” the detective asked in a surprised tone.

  Miriam sighed, feeling as though she had already said too much. “Yes, Detective.”“It’s very important that we speak with you. You see, a girl was possibly abducted today, and… well, I don’t know how to tell you this, but the suspect left a letter at the scene of the crime with your name on it.”

  The timing of the call was stunning. Miriam’s heart sank. It was exactly what she didn’t want to hear. It was the very reason she had kept such a low profile since the Snatcher case, the same reason she had changed her last name and stayed out of the spotlight. Now this.“I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do about that,” she said. “There’s lots of crazy people out there who will pull names out of the air. I’m sorry.”“Ma’am, please,” the detective said. “At first, my partner and I were clueless about the name, then it hit us. You’re the detective who solved the Snatcher case.”

  Miriam stood up, angered. “That is not my name anymore. Do you understand?”

  Tammy tried politely not to stare as her eyes moved down to her cell phone, fingers scrolling.“I’d appreciate you respecting my wishes to be left alone. Thank you.” She hung up the phone, her hand and voice trembling.“Wow…” Tammy said with a laugh. “Sounds like they called the wrong person.”“Sorry about that,” Miriam said, sitting down. “Now, where were we?”

  Tammy looked at her notes and pressed the record button. “We were talking about Phillip Anderson, unfortunately. The night you escaped.”“Yes, of course,” Miriam began. “He had promised to let the congressman’s daughter go if I fled the country with him. The girl was his most high-profile abduction. I agreed, of course, and he kept his word. He let her go. But I knew I could never leave the country with him. I could never leave Ana like that. So I fought back.”

  Tammy bit her lip as Miriam’s office phone rang again. Miriam looked at the number. It was her caller from Texas. The detective. And it looked as though he wasn’t going to take no for an answer.“Pardon me,” she said to Tammy again, holding a finger in the air, asking for patience. Tammy nodded as Miriam picked up her phone again. “I told you that I’m not interested. Thank you and goodbye.”“Wait, please,” the detective pleaded. “Just one minute. It’s all I ask.”

  Miriam held the phone impatiently and closed her eyes. “Go ahead…”“Yes, thank you,” said the detective. “All we’re trying to find out is why this guy seems to be interested in you. Could this, perhaps, be someone that you know or knew at one point?”“Not likely, but how could I possibly know?” Miriam asked, her patience ending.“There’s an eleven-year-old girl missing,” the detective continued. “As you know, the first forty-eight hours are crucial. We’d like to bring you in on this. It could make all the difference between finding her dead or alive.”

  Miriam considered, conflicted. She had vowed never to take on a case that would put her or her daughter in danger of some psychopath. Nonetheless, the thought of a girl, helpless and afraid, got to her as nothing else could.“I don’t know what I could really do for your case. I have a responsibility to my department, not other random jurisdictions.”“We just want to talk,” he continued. “My partner and I would love to do a video call where we can explain everything.”“That won’t be necessary,” she said.“Lieutenant, this is the second girl to disappear in a week,” he said.“Detective Hayes…” Miriam said, feeling she had no choice but to relent. It wasn’t what she had planned for that day, but she couldn’t tell him no. Not with the lives of two girls at stake. She’d hear the detectives out at least. “Let me speak wit
h my captain first.” She hung up, not saying another word. It’d be up to them to figure out the rest.

  Miriam rubbed her forehead as Tammy leaned forward, intrigued. “Was that an out-of-state call? Are they trying to recruit you for some other mission?”“No,” Miriam said with finality. “That’s out of the question.”“But they do want your help, don’t they?” Tammy asked.“Sounds like it,” Miriam said. She then held up a cautionary hand. “Please don’t put any of this in your article.”

  Tammy looked surprised, as if such an idea would never have occurred to her. “Of course not. Whatever you wish.”

  Miriam then contemplated the quick turn of events in her day. She both dreaded the conference call with the out-of-state detectives but was also eager to learn more about their case. However, she thought Captain Watterson, her supervisor, wouldn’t be too happy with their request.

  Miriam excused herself from the office and told Tammy she would return shortly. She moved fast down the hall, past cubicles and offices, as more coworkers arrived, coffee in hand. Miriam wore a smile on her face, greeting civilians and officers alike as she hurried past them on her way to the captain’s office. She received several second glances due to her dolled-up appearance, the sudden attention only slightly unwelcome.

  Miriam knocked on Captain Watterson’s half-open door, his name engraved on the glass in big, gold letters. “Come in!” he called from his pristine desk.

  She pushed the door open and saw that he was busy at his computer. He wore his decorated dress-blue uniform with captain’s bars on both sleeves.“Good morning, sir,” she began.“Morning. How can I help you, Lieutenant Sandoval?” he asked, attention still on his computer screen.

  She approached one of the two leather office chairs in front of his desk and leaned against its backside. “I don’t want to take up too much of your time. It’s just… I received a call from a detective from Ector County, Texas.”

  His hands stopped typing as he glanced up at her, glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. His thin dark hair was slicked back as always. He was a no-nonsense type but was also fair and just when it mattered. “Detective Hayes?” he asked.

  Miriam pulled back, surprised. “Um, yes. How’d you know?”

  He folded his arms and leaned back. “Because they’ve been calling around nearly every department looking for you. I got a hint of what he wanted. I must say, it’s a very strange case.”“They insist on talking with me, sir.” She then paced across the large red carpet, deep in thought. “I just don’t know what they expect me to do.”

  Watterson’s chair creaked as he leaned forward and placed his hands flat on the surface of his shiny desk. “Now, I don’t want you to do anything that you’re not comfortable with.” He cleared his throat and then continued with a shift in tone. “But if you choose to assist with the case, I think it could reflect very well on our department. Good publicity, selfless and civic minded,” he said. “We’re nearing the end of our fiscal year. Consider, for a moment, potential funding.”

  Miriam stopped and turned to the captain, slightly confused. “Are you saying that you want me to help these detectives?”“Just talk to them,” he said. “Get a feel for the case, then we can discuss it afterward. If you’re game, I’ll get their police captain on the line and work out the travel pay and expenses.”

  Miriam nodded in agreement but felt an uneasiness in her gut. Quite opposite from what she had believed, the captain was all for it, and with his support, she found her resistance dwindling. Cases like this seemed to follow her no matter where she went.

  The Suspect

  He watched the Food Mart parking lot from within his blue GMC van. Dashboard vents blew cool air on his face, a relief on an otherwise hot day. He had been in the parking lot for what seemed like hours, waiting for his moment. He sat and watched vehicles come and go, mothers with children going into the Food Mart and then coming out with carts full of groceries.

  He sucked on his straw, drinking the last of a soda that by now was mostly melted ice. His oversize sunglasses shielded his eyes, while the sun visors provided shade and privacy. He never remained in one parking space too long.

  Despite his brazen actions, he was also a cautious man and always felt as though he was being watched. Paranoia was part of the game. That afternoon, he had come prepared to find someone, a child—a girl more specifically. Though as the hour slipped by, he would have settled for any child if the right opportunity presented itself. He was beginning to think maybe he should try again another day or in a different place. That was, until he caught sight of a Jeep Cherokee racing down the parking aisle and pulling into a space across from him, the driver in an obvious hurry.

  He fiddled with the radio and looked down at his cell phone in an attempt to remain inconspicuous. Two lanky teenagers passed his windshield carrying skateboards, followed by a bagger pushing the cart of an elderly woman who walked right next to his van.

  So many people, he thought. A smile then came to his face. But the more people around, the less likely anyone will pay me any mind.

  He watched the Jeep Cherokee with growing interest. A woman quickly emerged from the driver’s side, rushing out. She said something to the passenger before shutting the door. Looking more closely, he could see the reflection of a girl in the passenger-side mirror, eyes down and preoccupied with something in her lap.

  The woman—the girl’s mother, he presumed—closed her door and walked off rapidly toward the store with her purse over her shoulder. He turned back to examine the Cherokee and couldn’t believe his luck.

  There, not twenty feet away, sat what looked like a girl all by herself, for how long, he did not know. Clearly, the mother would return soon. She had left the vehicle running. This gave him a limited amount of time. He spied on the Cherokee with a pair of small binoculars, ensuring that no one else was in the vehicle with the girl.

  The doors were probably locked, and he would have to find a way in—an angle. But that was fine. He was prepared for this, as he had been many times in the past.

  He grabbed his bucket and reflector vest and exited his van after turning the ignition off. Normally during any stakeout, he’d only run the van intermittently just to cool off for five to ten minutes. His van was, in fact, a former county-owned law enforcement vehicle he had purchased at a state auction years prior.

  It had a caged divider separating the front from the back, making it difficult for anyone seated in the back to get out on their own. The van had worked wonders in the past, and he was prepared to spring into action with his latest experiment. The orange bucket he carried was filled with delicious fruit snacks. His vest indicated his role in a local charity. He also wore a lanyard with a fake name, ID, and badge number dangling from his neck.

  He’d offer the candy as a treat, a gift, waiving the standard minimum donation of one quarter. Children were naturally suspicious, inquisitive beings. He had learned that much over the years, but his bright smile, calm demeanor, and American flag hat seemed to make both adults and children less suspicious of him overall.

  He stopped at the hood of his van while looking at both ends of the parking aisle. For the moment, he knew that he stood out among the families, baby strollers, and elderly women parading through the parking lot, but he wouldn’t be long. He hoped to have things wrapped up in a jiffy.

  He crossed the parking aisle, mere inches from the Cherokee. From the rear passenger mirror, he could see the girl looking downward, taking no notice of his approach, with the faint glow of her tablet screen upon her face.

  The glimpse he’d had of her in the mirror convinced him that she was perfect. It would be a shame to have to abort the mission. He crept to the window carefully, keeping his peripheral vision on the girl to take notice of any sudden movements.

  He looked around the parking lot again, on watch for the girl’s mother, but she was nowhere to be seen. No one seemed to notice or care about his presence, especially given his advantageous concealment beside a large
truck, elevated to near eye-level with mud tires. This cast a comforting shade upon him and furthered his anticipation.

  He brought his hand to the window and lightly knocked. The girl, predictably, jumped and looked up at him with a combination of fear and suspicion. He didn’t blame her, of course. She was perfectly justified in being wary of him.“Hi,” he said with a wave and a smile. “I’m David. Just walking by when I saw you sitting here. How are you doing? Good?”

  The girl nodded nervously. Her fine brown hair lay across her shoulder, damp, as though she had recently showered. She was dressed in a sleeveless shirt and shorts. He reached into his bucket and pulled out a piece of candy in a colorful wrapper. “We’re handing out candy to raise awareness of the environment. You know, like clean air and water.”

  The girl nodded again. Her hazel eyes were apprehensive, and she clearly wasn’t interested in a conversation with a stranger.“Would you like a piece while you wait for your mom?” he said in the nicest tone he could muster. The girl stared. She couldn’t speak, that much he understood. Though the more frightened she was, the more compliant she would most likely be. “How about you roll down your window a crack?” he said, holding the candy up. “Come on,” he added as the girl hesitated. “I’ve got an entire bucket here. I don’t want it to go to waste.”

  He beckoned her some more as her face stared at him blankly, her arm slowly reaching for the automatic window button. She clicked on the button for a split second, and the window went down a crack. “Okay,” he said with a smile. “Here you go, sweetheart.”

  He slipped the candy into the crack of the window, and she reluctantly took the piece while examining its sparkly wrapper.“Go ahead and try it, dear,” he said, his tone drenched with kindness. “If you like it, I’ll give you another piece, but don’t tell anyone, okay?” He looked around, feigning some kind of clandestine operation, one in which they were getting away with something.