Accepted Memories (Sycamore P.D. Series Book 2)

by T. E. Killian

  He laughed that strange laugh again. “We’re going to have fun down there in my cabin just you and me. It’s in the mountains outside of Puerto Peñasco.”

  His grin was turning her stomach. Then she did become nauseated when he said, “Yep, you’re going to be my personal maid and girl toy. Doesn’t that sound great?”

  Again, Alison tried to cry out and strain against her bonds but to no avail. She was only successful in bouncing the chair around a little and making those pitiful sounds again. All she received for her efforts was a burning sensation on her wrists from the rope that tied them.

  With that, Wilson left the room but his laughter continued ringing in her ears for several seconds. He was really, really scaring her now.

  * * *

  Stan and Grant were in Sonia’s office when the call from Linda came in. Stan watched as Sonia placed her phone down and looked at the two of them. He knew right away that it was bad news. Sonia’s usual fair complexion was even paler than normal.

  “What is it? Is it Alison? Is she okay?” He didn’t like the sound of his own voice. He knew it was laced with fear.

  Sonia frowned, gritted her teeth, and then said, “That was Linda. Alison has disappeared.”

  Both men began talking at once and she held up her hands almost in their faces since they were both leaning over her desk. “You’ve both got to calm down. You’re not going to be any good to Alison if you don’t.”

  They both sat back down and she said, “Linda said that Alison went to the break room for a soda and when she didn’t come back right away she checked on her. Alison was gone and the back door was standing open.”

  Grant groaned, “That door is never opened.”

  Sonia picked up the phone again to call dispatch. When she replaced it in its stand, she turned back to them. “I don’t want anybody running code to get there. If someone has her and is still in the area, we might spook him. Let’s go. There should be at least two marked cars there by the time we get there. We’ll all go in our separate cars. We’ll probably need to split up after we get there to begin our search.”

  Before they could get to the door, Sonia’s phone rang again. They all stopped while she answered it. Stan could tell it was the chief.

  This time when she hung up the phone, she began running out of her office yelling at them as she went. “That was the chief. He’s going over there too. He said for me to begin coordinating the search, and he’ll take over when he gets there. Let’s go!”

  When they emerged from the building into the compound, they were all still running, but Sonia yelled at them as she reached her car. “Stan, you swing by Monroe’s girlfriend’s house and Grant you swing by Baldwin’s office. Don’t worry about the chief. I’ll take care of that.” Then she added. “Just see if they’re there or at least find out where they are.”

  Stan drove as fast as he dared, which without lights and siren seemed maddeningly slow. As soon as he pulled into Laura Belton’s driveway, he knew that no one was there, but he ran up to the door and pounded on it anyway.

  When he turned back toward his car, he saw an elderly man trimming the hedges in the yard next door.

  Stan saw the man’s eyes focus on his belt badge. “He said, “If you’re looking for Laura, she went to work about an hour ago.”

  Stan couldn’t believe his luck. This guy seemed to see things in the neighborhood. He walked over to the man and showed him his wallet badge. “I’m Detective Becker, and it’s important if you can tell me whether or not you’ve seen her boyfriend in the past twenty-four hours or not.”

  The man pulled off his cap and scratched his bald head. “Sure did. Don’t like that guy. He’s got a mean look about him. I’m not surprised you’re looking for him.”

  Stan had to stifle a groan. “When did you see him last sir?”

  “Why just this morning. I didn’t see that blue car of his though, but when another man came by in a white pickup, he came out of the house and got in it.”

  “Did you get the license number?”

  “Didn’t see a need to.”

  “Do you have an idea when that might have been?”

  “Sure, I looked at my watch just as he was getting in the pickup. It was a few minutes after eight.”

  Stan thanked the man and jumped in his car. He was already on his way to the elementary school where Laura Belton taught when he called Sonia to tell her where he was going.

  It took him a few minutes to get in to see the principal who immediately sent someone for Laura Belton.

  When she came in, she took one look at Stan and his badge then collapsed into a chair in front of the principal’s desk.

  “What did he do?”

  Stan’s heart was beating so fast and his breathing was so shallow that he had to calm down before he could talk to her.

  “Ms. Belton this is extremely important.” He looked her in the eye. “Where was Wilson Monroe going this morning when he left your house?”

  She stifled a sob with a hand to her mouth. “He. . . He said he was going down to Mexico for a while. He has a place down there somewhere but I don’t know where?”

  “He didn’t leave your house in his car. Do you know where it was?”

  “I . . . I don’t know.” Her eyes seemed to focus again. “He must have left it in Phoenix when he came back last night. He said he rode up with a friend of his who dropped him off at my house late last night.”

  She looked from Stan to her principal who was a stern-faced older woman. “That’s all I know.”

  Stan was grasping at straws now. “Have you noticed any changes in him in the past two weeks?”

  Her face seemed to fall. “Yes, he’s different. He used to be a fun person to be around, but lately, it’s like he’s been obsessed with something. But I couldn’t get him to talk to me about it.”

  Stan knew he’d gotten everything that she knew, so he thanked her and her principal and raced out of the school.

  As he drove over to Alison’s office, his thoughts were everywhere. But, most of all, he was convinced that if Alison was missing, then it was Monroe who had her, but where?

  When he brought his car to a screeching halt at Alison’s office, he jumped out and ran up to where Sonia and Grant were standing with Chief Winters.

  Winters turned to Stan and said, “What did you find out?”

  He struggled to catch his breath. He was surprised at the fact that he felt like he’d just run a mile. “The girlfriend said he told her he was going to Mexico for a while. She said he told her he had a place down there. She also said he’s been obsessed with something lately.”

  Grant spoke up, “It’s got to be him. Baldwin was sitting in his office when I went by there.”

  The chief turned to two commanders who’d just walked up. “I want a roadblock at every road leading out of town. I don’t care how small. I want someone at the airport, and see if you can get Sedona to send someone to their airport too.”

  * * *

  Alison had tried to stay awake, but even with the blindfold off and daylight shinning in through a window behind her, she couldn’t. She had no idea how long she’d dozed. She thought that it was still the same day though, but she had no idea of what time it might be, only that it was still daylight.

  She thought her mind was almost clear of the drug Wilson had given her so she tried to take stock of her situation. She could flex her fingers and toes even though the ropes on her ankles and wrists were tight enough to hurt. She didn’t feel any soreness or any pains anywhere else on her body though her stomach was a little nauseous.

  Now, she had to devote all thought toward an escape plan. Ha! How could she even think about escaping when she was hogtied like this? All she could do was to watch for an opportunity to get away or call for help.

  She had no idea where she was. She couldn’t hear any sounds from outside the little room she was in. She couldn’t turn her body enough to see out the small window. But from the angle that the sunlight was s
hining down onto the floor she was pretty sure it was too high anyway.

  She tried to keep her mind alert, but soon dozed off again.

  The now familiar sound of the door opening brought her awake and somewhat alert. She couldn’t see Wilson until he was standing in front of her looking down at her. He reached out a hand and traced her lips with one finger. She tried to pull away, but he grabbed her chin with his other hand and held her while he continued.

  “It’s too bad that such a beautiful face as yours has to be messed up by such a nasty mouth. You’d be almost perfect if it wasn’t for that. But that’s okay, where we’re going, that mouth won’t do you any good. In fact, you won’t be able to do much but take whatever I give you, if you know what I mean.”

  He seemed to be thinking and she didn’t dare interrupt his thoughts. She didn’t think he had hit her yet, but she knew he must be capable since he had to be the one who had attacked those other women and beat them so badly.

  “Everything would have been okay if you hadn’t fired me. Things were progressing nicely. You would have come around sooner or later . . . just like all the rest. They always do. It would have been so much better if you had though. That way, we could have enjoyed each other and then gone our separate ways with no one getting upset. But no, that nasty mind of yours had to force me into doing things just a little different this time.”

  He laughed that obnoxious laugh again. “But, the more I think about it, the more I think I’ll like it better having you all to myself down in Mexico. This way I can take all the time I want.”

  Alison had the thought that if he did get her down to Mexico, she would never leave there alive. That sobering thought made her body go cold. She had to think of a way to get away from him before he could get her on that plane. But, how could she with her hands and feet tied? Maybe he’d at least untie her feet when he took her from this place to the plane. She could only hope. Hope? That was when she realized she hadn’t prayed yet.

  Alison began to pray earnestly for her rescue. She closed her eyes and prayed. And she was surprised when she found herself praying for Stan and Grant that they wouldn’t get hurt trying to rescue her. She had no doubts that they would try. She also began to feel a peace come over her.

  “Open your eyes!”

  As she opened her eyes, she felt his hands on her neck. He was loosening the gag. She would be able to scream for help now.

  Just as she opened her mouth to draw a breath in to scream, she felt cold metal against her temple. He had a gun pressed to her head! She deflated. Her whole body collapsed as much as her bonds would allow.

  “That’s a good girl. I sure would hate to have to kill you. I wouldn’t want to miss out on all the fun we’re going to have down in Mexico.”

  He laughed that laugh again. For the first time she thought that he was more than just evil, he had to be crazy.

  “Here.” He shoved a bare hot dog at her mouth. “Take a bite. I’m not going to untie your hands so this is the only way you’re going to be able to eat. Take a bite and chew it then I’ll give you another until you’re finished.”

  Alison wanted to refuse the hot dog. But she was hungry. More time must have passed than she had thought. She also needed to keep up her strength for whatever might be coming. Maybe it would help her nausea. So, she ate the hot dog bite by bite as he fed it to her.

  When she finished, he left but not before retying the gag. It was so quiet in the room that was her prison that Alison’s thoughts seemed so loud that she almost thought she was talking aloud. She wasn’t though . . . was she?

  A different sound awakened Alison later. She opened her eyes and realized it was dark, so dark that she couldn’t even see the wall in front of her. What did she hear? There it was again. It was a scratching sound and it was coming from behind her near the window. Could someone be coming to rescue her? Oh how she hoped so. Maybe Stan had already found her. She began praying again.

  The sound stopped and she began to wonder if she’d only imagined it. A few minutes later, she heard it again. Then a loud screech frightened her so badly that she jumped and almost toppled the chair over. More screeches followed the first. That was when she realized that two cats were fighting just outside her window.

  No one was coming to rescue her. A deep depression came over her so dark that she couldn’t even think. She was doomed. No one would ever find her before Wilson carried her off to Mexico. She’d never see Stan again. She hadn’t cried yet, but now big tears were streaming down her cheeks.

  She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn’t hear the door open or Wilson’s footsteps. He was suddenly standing in front of her, backlit by a light outside the door. There was that laugh again. She was beginning to hear it even when he wasn’t in the room.

  “Okay, Alison, it’s time to go. We’re going to take a little joy ride down to Mexico where all the fun will begin.”

  He held the gun in front of her, not pointing it at her, but making sure she saw it.

  “I’m going to untie your feet, but I’m going to put the blindfold back on. If you try to escape, I’ll hit you over the head with this and carry you. It’s up to you how you get from here to the truck and from there to the plane. Either you walk on your own or I’ll carry you. Either way, you’re going. Do you understand?”

  She had no choice but to nod her head.

  “Good.”

  After he tied the blindfold back on, he knelt down and untied her ankles then pulled her to her feet. She hadn’t realized her feet were numb until she tried to stand on them. He caught her before she could fall. They stood that way for a minute.

  “I think you can walk now.” She felt his fingers wrap around her arm like a vice. “Start walking and I’ll guide you where I want you to go.”

  She had no choice but to do as he said. Maybe there would be an opportunity later to escape. She began to pray again.

  * * *

  The parking lot at Alison’s office was full of police cars spilling out into the street. There were also some county and state vehicles. Officers wearing three different uniforms and some in plain clothes were standing around at the entrance.

  Inside, the chief had taken over Alison’s conference room and he had all three commanders and Sonia in there with him.

  Stan and Grant were standing alone in the center of the large open room where all the associates’ desks were. Seemingly, by unspoken agreement all the others in the room were leaving the two of them alone with their thoughts and private conversation. Everyone knew that Alison was Grant’s sister and Stan’s fiancée.

  Grant was talking. “I just wish that girlfriend of Monroe’s or that neighbor could have given us more, anything would help. Do you know how many white pickups there must be in this valley?

  Sonia came out of the conference room and walked straight up to where the two of them were standing. She surprised them both by raising her hands and grabbing both of them by the shoulder and squeezing gently before she spoke.

  “We just heard back from a broader computer search we did on Monroe. Something showed up this time that didn’t before.”

  Stan and Grant both leaned toward her as if that would help her to say it quicker.

  “It seems that Monroe has a pilot’s license!”

  Grant and Stan both started talking at once. Sonia held up both hands and said, “Hold on! Yes, you’re both going out to the airport right away.”

  They turned to go but she called them back. “Wait.” When they turned back around to face her, she stepped up to close the gap they’d just created.

  “The airport director just told us that there are three planes being fueled and readied for flight right now. Take one of the county or DPS guys with you and each of you watch one of those three planes without being seen. Take one of your unmarked units.” She seemed to think for a moment. “And go by the station and pick up three radios with earplugs.”

  Stan was the first one out the door. He looked around at the group of of
ficers standing just outside the door. He wanted someone he knew, someone he knew he could trust. Even though he would like to, he couldn’t be in all three places at once. He trusted Grant, but who else was there he could trust?”

  Then he saw Frank Davis, a DPS sergeant who had spent five years in their Criminal Investigations Division before he made sergeant. Stan had known him since he’d been a detective. And better yet, Frank was in plain clothes.

  “Frank?” When the older man turned toward him, Stan said, “I’m glad you’re here, man. Thanks for coming.”

  Frank Davis was about Stan’s size with dark brown hair. He turned toward Stan and said, “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now. I just got home and changed clothes when I got the call. I understand it’s your fiancée who’s missing.”

  “Yeah.” He motioned toward Grant. “His sister. Look, Frank, Grant and I need someone with experience with this sort of thing to go with us to the airport. We think our suspect may have a plane being readied out there right now.”

  Frank slapped Stan on the shoulder and said, “Let’s go.”

  “Let’s take my car.” Grant was already rushing toward his car and the other two quickly followed him.

  Stan let Frank take the front seat and settled himself on the edge of the back seat.

  Frank spoke first. “I got most of the info standing out there listening to some of your guys. Do you think she’s been taken by the guy who’s been attacking all those women?”

  Stan needed to talk or he thought he might explode. “Yeah, and we’re almost positive it’s a guy Alison fired two weeks ago. He’s still in the area and he has a pilot’s license.”

  He gave Frank a description of Monroe.

  No one else spoke before they arrived at the police station. Grant stopped by the back door in the compound. Stan ran in and was back out in less than two minutes with the radios. He set them on the backup frequency, which would be open to them only, then handed two radios to Frank and clipped one on his belt.