The Abducted: Odessa

by Roger Hayden

  She took the folder, opening it carefully to keep its contents intact. There were several reports, statements, documents, and photos paper-clipped together. April’s files were relegated to the left side of the folder and Natalie’s to the right.

  April had last been seen leaving the house of a friend in the early evening on foot, with enough time to make it home for dinner, roughly two blocks away. Nighttime came and there was no sign of April, and her parents began to worry. A week later after reporting her missing, there had still been no sign of April despite multiple searches from police and investigators to friends and family.

  Witnesses later reported seeing a blue van patrolling the neighborhood before April’s disappearance, a van described as “unfamiliar” by many of the residents. This same van had been described in another witness statement by a woman in the Food Mart parking lot. In cases involving missing children, Miriam believed that there were few coincidences.

  Unfortunately, a countywide search for the van and witness questioning yielded few results, even after the news reported the most accurate description it could compile: rusty, GMC, late 1990s model with a NASA front plate. The license plate—the most important aspect of the van—was the biggest piece missing, and without that number, there was little authorities could do beyond searching for a van that had eluded them on all fronts.

  Traffic began to slow. They soon reached a busy downtown area, twenty miles east of Odessa, with plenty of retail stores, gas stations, and restaurants all along the road. The Ector County police station wasn’t too much farther.

  Miriam pondered the possible identity of the man in question. A profile had already been composed in the report: male, early thirties to late fifties, and Caucasian, based on the race of his victims. He was a loner but not a hermit. He most likely had a job, remained socially active, and carried himself in such a way that didn’t bring suspicion to him or his activities.

  Detective Hayes turned and then pulled into a manned gate, presenting his ID to an armed guard, who then raised the barrier arm to let them pass.“Welcome to Ector County PD,” he said to Miriam as they drove over a speed bump and began to ascend a sharp rise leading to a large brick complex resting on top of the small hill. As Hayes circled the busy parking lot for a space, Miriam couldn’t help but feel a little nervous.

  She could see news vans parked at the front of the building, their thick antennas stretched far into the sky, and wondered if they were there reporting about the missing girls. Hayes parked three rows from the station, a satisfactory enough distance from the news vans. They exited his dusty car and walked alongside each other, striding purposefully toward the station.“How much does the local media know about the case?” she asked.“Our department has released a few statements, but nothing substantial just yet,” Hayes said.“If we had something, I’d be happy to share it with them,” Shelton added.

  There were four vans total, each with a reporter standing outside, microphone in hand, talking to cameras.“I don’t like this one bit,” she said. “I don’t want them to know I’m here.” She turned to the two befuddled detectives, first one, then the other, stone-faced. “My ex-husband was ambushed and murdered by Phillip Anderson—all because he found out who I was. Ana’s father is never coming back, and that’s something I live with every day. Sometimes it’s the first thought I have when I wake up in the morning.”

  Hayes swallowed and nodded, respectfully quiet and seeming to understand. “I apologize… Our intentions are not to bring any attention to you or your family,” he said softly.“We can take the back entrance to the building if you’d like,” Shelton suggested.

  Miriam came close to laughing at the suggestion, but she appreciated their new tone nonetheless. “It’s okay. I just wanted to make that clear.”“No media,” Hayes said, placing a hand over his heart. “I promise.”

  They proceeded to the front entrance of the building, bypassing the news reporters, who took no notice of either detective or Miriam. However, the lack of attention didn’t prevent her from slightly shielding her face as they walked by. She had to assume that whoever had requested her presence through the mysterious “ransom letter” was also watching the news with satisfied glee.

  Miriam stayed cautiously behind the two detectives as they entered the busy Ector County Police Department building. They led her past the front desk, through a security door, and then down a long hallway, with offices on both sides.

  Detective Hayes was stopped a few times by plainclothes detectives, and as he chatted, Miriam tried her best to stay unnoticed. Hayes seemed to honor this and made no effort to introduce her to anyone. Rather than finding it rude, she was relieved.

  Past the offices, they took a right turn down a corridor leading to the office of the police captain, Elian Vasquez, his name embossed in bold lettering on the surface of the glossy wood door. Miriam followed the detectives inside and observed Vasquez: a stout man, slightly overweight with his dark crew-cut neatly trimmed.

  There was a television on behind him, displaying one of the local reporters talking outside that very department. Behind his computer monitor, he was surrounded by paperwork and file folders and was deep in thought, scribbling a report. He didn’t even notice their presence until Hayes lightly knocked on the inside of the office door.

  Vasquez’s head jolted up, displaying tired eyes with bags underneath, though his dark-blue uniform was neatly pressed and tucked in.“You two,” he said, pointing at Hayes and Shelton. “Back from your little adventure, I see? Good, because I want answers.”

  He had yet to take notice of Miriam. Standing in his office, she nearly felt invisible. Then, her single moment of anonymity about to disappear as Hayes stepped aside and stretched his arm toward her.“Sir, this is Lieutenant Miriam Sandoval from the Phoenix PD. She’s the woman we were telling you about.”

  Vasquez narrowed his eyes at her, then leaned back in his chair with a subtle look of recognition. “Ah. Yes, Lieutenant Sandoval. My guys here told me that you’re willing to lend your expertise on this case. Normally, I’d be a little hesitant to bring you in, but I’ve read about you in the Snatcher case.” He suddenly stood up and held his hand out. “I’m Captain Elian Vasquez. Pleasure to meet you.”

  Miriam shook his hand and gave a slight smile. “Thank you, Captain. I certainly hope I can help.”

  Vasquez then pulled a paper from one of his files and set it square in the middle of his desk for everyone to see. By now, Miriam had memorized the words of the “ransom note.” The captain’s photocopy was ominous looking, with its carefully cut letters, oddly mismatched and random.“Did you change your last name recently?” the captain asked, curiously pointing to the “Miriam Castillo” in the message.“That’s correct,” she said.

  Sensing Miriam’s reluctance to elaborate, Hayes stepped in. “That brings us to another point, sir. Miriam has been very negatively affected by media coverage in the past. We want to keep her visit here between the three of us only.”

  Vasquez thought to himself and nodded. “Consider it done.” He turned around and glanced at the television in the corner behind him. A nearby a shelving unit displayed all sorts of certificates and awards. “The parents released their second statement a few hours ago. Our phones are ringing off the hook from every concerned parent out there. They all want to know if we caught this guy yet.”

  One glance at the phone on his desk showed rapidly blinking lights on every line, and Miriam could see what he meant.“We’re going to Odessa today,” Hayes said.

  Vasquez flipped through some files, distracted and antsy. “Good. Don’t come back until you catch this guy and find those two girls.”

  Hayes signaled to Miriam and Shelton to leave, and they began to shuffle out the door.“We’re on it, sir,” Hayes said in a reassuring, parting fashion.

  Vasquez looked up from behind his desk and glared at them. “Gentlemen, don’t let me down.”

  Miriam assumed that she had been left out of the equation. He was, afte
r all, their boss and not hers.“We’ll do our best,” Hayes replied.“If I wanted only an attempt, I’d get someone else on the case. Just do it. Fair enough?” Vasquez asked, staring them down.“Understood,” Hayes said, turning to leave.“Twenty-four hours!” Vasquez shouted as they left his office and went back down the corridor.

  After the brief introduction to the captain, Miriam was led into the conjoining cubicles that comprised Hayes’s and Shelton’s office, complete with laptop and office phones. She took notice of Hayes’s family photos, framed and angled along his desk. He had a son and a daughter who looked to be in their teens. His wife was pretty—all smiles with long auburn hair and blue-greenish eyes. There were no such pictures on Detective Shelton’s desk, and she couldn’t help but be intrigued by him.

  Hayes checked his messages and then packed his laptop in a carrying case as Shelton made some quick calls. Miriam sat in a chair between their desks, overhearing the conversations of a dozen other investigators commingled around them. The entire department seemed worked up in a kind of frenzy Miriam hadn’t seen since working on the Snatcher case. She waited patiently in the midst of a department immersed in itself, and with her cell phone in hand, took a moment to send Lou another text:

  At the station now. It’s heated around here.

  It was a quarter after three and school was out, which normally meant that he was at his desk grading papers. Thinking of Lou made her smile. She still hadn’t fully adjusted to him being a schoolteacher, and he had never given her a specific reason why he’d left the force.

  Miriam didn’t mind. She liked the new Lou. Dating someone on the force was often complicated, as she had seen with many coworkers in the past. His marriage proposal the night before seemed almost like a distant dream, until the ring on her finger brought her back to reality, as did the loud voice of a sweaty, red-faced man peering over the cubicle and calling out to Hayes and Shelton.“You guys need to see this. Hurry!”

  Hayes turned around and looked up, phone receiver against his ear. “What happened?”“Better get to the break room before the room fills up,” the red-faced man said. He wore a dress shirt and tie, similar to his counterparts, and began tugging at his tie. “The Forester girl,” he continued. “Her parents are back on TV, but this time they’ve got something. A note or something from the kidnapper.”

  Hayes shot out of his chair as Shelton hung his phone up, following suit. Miriam was curious too. What kind of note? Was it really from him? There was only one way to find out, and that would be to hear what the parents had to say.

  Miriam stood and followed Hayes and Shelton as they hurried to a nearby break room, already packed with a small crowd of investigators.

  A flat-screen TV was mounted high in the corner of the room for everyone to see. Natalie Forester’s distraught parents stood before the microphones and an array of flashing cameras, delivering a new message to those watching. This time, however, it wasn’t just their words.

  With his hair disheveled and face pale, tired, and shadowed with stubble, Doug Forester held up a sheet of paper sealed in a Ziploc bag. It bore cut and pasted letters exactly like those in the message left at the scene of the crime.“My wife and I received this in our mailbox earlier today, and we believe very strongly that it came from the person or persons who took our daughter.” He paused, turned the letter around, and cleared his throat. “I will now read the message with hopes that we can narrow our search down the person behind it.”“I can’t believe this,” Hayes said, shaking his head as he stared up at the TV. “Why wouldn’t he come to us first?”“I don’t know,” Shelton said in disbelief.

  Doug Forester continued his statement, reading from the note as the break room crowd listened in silence.“This letter, which we received earlier this afternoon, says the following: ‘Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Forester. I just wanted to assure you that your daughter is fine and that no harm has come to her. I can’t guarantee that you’ll see her again, but with Miriam on the case, you might just have a chance.” Forester’s head dropped onto his shaking chest.

  Both Hayes and Shelton turned and looked at Miriam, surprised to hear her name mentioned in the note.“So, he’s clearly a fan,” Hayes said.“The letter could have come from anyone,” Miriam said, staring forward.

  On TV, Doug Forester lowered the note and looked back at the camera with watery eyes. “We delivered this letter to local law enforcement earlier with the hopes of extracting prints, but I would also like to take this time and plead with our daughter’s kidnapper to return her home and face no ill will from us. As long as she’s okay, we promise not to press any charges.”

  Hayes turned to Shelton, confused. “Did you hear anything about another letter?”“No,” Shelton said, shaking his head.

  Hayes thought to himself and then muttered “Vasquez” under his breath. “Why didn’t he tell us?”“I don’t know, but we need to find out,” Shelton answered.

  Doug Forester then held up a photo of Natalie for the cameras. “To the kidnapper, I say this, Natalie is the light of our lives. Whatever you want, whatever we can do for you to secure the release of our daughter, I beg you to let us know.” Kim Forester leaned her face into Doug’s shoulder, sobbing as he rubbed her back. “Please. We know you can do the right thing. We’re at your mercy.”“A plea to the kidnapper?” Hayes said.“I think her parents are willing to try anything at this point,” Shelton said. “Can you blame them?”

  Miriam backed away and stepped out of the room, deep in thought. The kidnapper appeared to be having fun with everyone involved. It was all a game to him, and for now, he appeared to be in complete control. She felt in her heart that there was still hope for the missing girls, but no amount of wishful thinking was going to change the fact that they were dealing with a sick and dangerous man.

  Odessa

  They reached the Texas town of Odessa by dusk. There was hominess to it, as there was to any small town: quaint corner stores, pubs with names like Cactus Jack’s, and even an old train station. In contrast with the old, were modern retail stores and a few fast food and restaurant chains. Odessa appeared to be a strange fusion of the past and the present.

  The roads were nicely paved throughout the town, though on the periphery, there were several dirt roads, leading to the greater desert that surrounded the seemingly isolated town. They drove past the Food Mart, where crime tape still surrounded a small section of the parking lot. Miriam could envision the mysterious blue van parked among the cars of shoppers coming in and out of the store, which was operational again.

  Hayes was at the wheel again, driving an unmarked patrol car equipped with a GPS display screen on the dashboard, police radio, and all sorts of bells and whistles Miriam hadn’t seen since her days as a detective. She realized then what she had missed about it—the thrill of the hunt, the testing of one’s skills, and the drive to not stop until the case was closed.

  Shelton sat quietly in the back seat, as usual, and the news continued over the radio of the Forester parents’ address to the public. Reporters were already referring to the culprit as “the Chancellor of Doom,” which Miriam imagined him reveling in.

  She was eager to dive into the case and utilize every lead they had, which wasn’t much. Hayes, however, insisted that she check into the Sand Spur Inn before nightfall.

  It seemed as if the case so far was nothing but a series of false starts and insignificant leads, yet Miriam remained hopeful. She had four days to make a difference, and longer, she supposed, if absolutely necessary. She had never been one to quit.

  Hayes turned into the Sand Spur Inn’s parking lot with a suggestion. “After you get checked in, I know a place nearby where we can get the best chicken-fried steak in town.”“Sounds good,” Miriam said.

  The inn had a strange but interesting red-barn design with neon letters buzzing from the arch of its roof. Several small pine trees were planted around the modestly-sized parking lot, and there was even a shaded front deck with a line of rocking chairs on display
. It was certainly different from anywhere else Miriam had stayed.

  Hayes pulled to the front and popped his trunk. “Give the lieutenant a hand, would you, buddy?” he said to Shelton, who was already at the door. He then glanced at Miriam with a smile. “Your reservations have already been made, and the tab’s on the department. All they need is your name.”“Thanks,” she said, feeling slightly guilty even though the arrangement made perfect sense.

  She stepped out of the not-so-inconspicuous silver Crown Victoria as Detective Shelton pulled her wheeled luggage past her and onto the wooden ramp leading to the front deck. There were a few people outside, older folks mainly, sitting on rocking chairs and observing Miriam with a seemingly keen awareness that she was an outsider. Or maybe she was just being paranoid.

  She followed Shelton through the vintage wood double doors and into a lobby, decorated in log-cabin style, with deer heads and bear skins adorning the upper part of the walls.

  A chandelier the size of a boulder hung high from the overhead rafters. The front desk was attended by a well-groomed older man in a bow tie and long-sleeved white dress shirt, talking on the phone. Shelton reached the desk and waited patiently as the man signaled that he would be just one minute.

  Miriam looked around the vast lobby, where the echo of families walking down the halls with their luggage could be heard. To her left, she saw a crowded restaurant that smelled of steak and peanuts. To her right was a bar just as dark and full of patrons.“How can I help you?” the man at the counter asked with a gentlemanly Southern drawl.

  His desk stood high in a way that allowed him to nearly hover over them. Miriam stepped forward to speak, but Shelton was already on it.“Reservation for Sandoval,” he said.

  The man typed quickly, eyes on his monitor. “All right… I have a Miriam Sandoval. Check in today and check out Friday.”