by K. J. Dahlen
How the photograph of Chloe ended up in the Myron file, Sam didn't know. He suddenly sat up. He remembered something. Sam had taken the photo the day they had found the body of Sandy Danvers. He had been in the park with Chloe and Wyatt having a picnic when someone had come running up to him. A body had been found, and everyone in the area knew he was a cop.
He had called it in to the precinct, and while they were waiting for the Crime Scene Unit to get there, Sam began snapping pictures of the crime scene. It was clouding up and even a shower could wash away evidence. Sure enough, the rain came just as he finished shooting the photos. His photos were all the police had of the crime scene. Sam must have shoved Chloe's photo into the Myron file by mistake.
Sam didn't know why, but he needed to see the rest of the photos he took that day. He reached for the phone and called Alec.
Alec answered on the first ring. "Hunter."
"Alec, this is Sam"
"Has there been any word on Wyatt?" Alec asked.
"No, nothing yet-I only wish there were. I want him back with me. I called to ask you to send the photos from the Sandy Danvers file"
"Why? What does Sandy Danvers have to do with the killer?"
"I don't know, maybe nothing, but when I opened the Robin Myron case file, a picture of Chloe fell out. I remembered that it was the day of the picnic that we found Sandy's body. CSU couldn't get to the crime scene before the rain, and I ended up taking the photos. A victim of Tucker's was found nearby just three days afterward. Maybe there is something in the photos that will link the two crimes. It's a long shot, but right now it's all I've got," Sam told him.
"I'll e-mail those photos to you as fast as I can get the file." He paused and then said, "I hope you know that I would never put your son in any danger. I know I screwed up by not watching for someone following, but I never meant to put Wyatt or anyone else in danger."
Sam didn't hesitate. "I know that, and I was wrong to accuse you earlier. I know you love Wyatt. Blame it on a father's love, or on the fact that I've had a heck of a week and I was in a lot of pain. Don't worry, we'll find him-we have to. I can't imagine anything else. Just e-mail those photos right away"
"I will. And Sam"-Alec paused-"if you get your hands on the creep, kill him. Do not let him go"
Sam snorted. "I don't think escape is even an option. He has a lot to answer for, and when I find him, he'll pay"
Sam went over the Robin Myron case again and again while he waited for the photos from Alec to come in. He had a hunch the two cases were related, but he didn't know how. Sandy Danvers' killer had been her exboyfriend Toby Rains. It had been a domestic dispute gone bad. What possible connection that case had with this one escaped him. He'd gone over and over the crime scene photos until he couldn't look at them anymore, and still there was nothing he could find.
Sam got up to check his e-mail. His photos were in his inbox. He printed them out and took them back to his desk and checked over each one carefully. He even looked over the fine details with a magnifying glass. If there was something there, he didn't find it. He threw down the glass in frustration.
Sam took a deep breath and got up to get a drink. A cup of coffee would taste good right now, and he needed the stimulation. He saw Cole just leaving the station and wondered if there was any news on Wyatt yet. Sam turned to check with Ian and found Cole standing in the office door.
Sam was stunned as the realization hit him. Tucker Briggs had just been in the building.
Sam began running, while calling out for the others. He shoved the door open and hit the streets. Looking both ways, he thought he saw the telltale black cowboy hat down the street to his right. Rob, Cole, and Ian were right behind him with their guns drawn.
"What's going on?" Rob asked from two steps behind Sam.
"Tucker Briggs just paid us a visit," Sam told them as he dodged the people on the street. He didn't want to lose sight of the cowboy hat, but the traffic on the street was making it impossible to keep it in his line of vision.
When they got to the corner, Sam looked around again. The cowboy hat was nowhere in sight. Frantically, he looked again, but the hat was gone. "Blast it, where did he go?" Sam grabbed his chest, wincing in pain as he tried to catch his breath.
"Whoa, wait a minute." Ian grabbed his arm. "What did you say before?"
Sam turned and jerked his arm out of Ian's grasp. "I was walking toward the kitchen and I looked up and thought I saw Cole leaving the building. I turned around to go back to your office and I saw Cole standing in your doorway. The Cole I saw leaving could only have been Tucker Briggs, so I gave chase. Now I've lost him again." Then he turned to Cole. "Unless you have an other cousin or brother who looks exactly like you and wears a black cowboy hat?"
Cole put his gun away and sighed deeply. "No, that would be Tucker," he said quietly. "I wonder what he was doing at the station."
Rob and Ian put their weapons away as well. "Let's go find out," Rob said. Rob was getting worried. If the man had been Tucker Briggs, he was getting brazen. His appearance at the station house was certainly unexpected.
When they entered the station house, Sam strode up to the front desk and asked the man behind the desk, "Did Cole Davidson leave anything with you just a few minutes ago?"
Officer Larry Paulson nodded and reached behind him for the envelope Cole had just left. Handing it over, he said, "I thought it was strange that he would leave it with me."
Sam pursed his lips. "It wasn't Cole who left it-it was the killer we're after."
Larry looked from Sam to Ian and Rob. Rob just shook his head and followed everyone into Ian's office.
Sam ripped open the letter and began reading it. By the time he finished he was scowling. Handing the letter to Rob, he simply walked away. He was in a dangerous mood right now and didn't want to hurt anyone. He walked back to his temporary desk and glanced down at the photos from the Danvers case. The magnifying glass had fallen just right, and through it he saw a man helping someone into a car. The woman looked as though she was sleeping, but what caught Sam's attention was the black cowboy hat the man was wearing.
Sam grabbed the picture and looked at it again. The man he now knew as Tucker Briggs was standing there as big as life.
Sam turned to go back into the office. His earlier rage was still there, but now he knew why Tucker had zeroed in on him.
"I got the creep. Now I know why he came after me"
"Why?" Cole asked as Sam handed him the photograph.
"I caught him on film at another crime scene. He's helping his next victim into her own car. This picture was taken at a Fourth of July picnic, and three days later we found this woman dead. That was exactly two weeks before he murdered my wife," Sam explained.
"But how would he know that you got his picture?" Cole asked.
"He was at the park when someone discovered a dead body. He could have heard the commotion when someone yelled out to call nine-one-one. I was there at the park that day with my family. I rushed to the scene and announced that I was a cop, and he could have noticed I was taking pictures of everything and anything." Sam shrugged. "Maybe he couldn't take the chance that I hadn't taken his picture that day. I didn't exactly hide the fact I was a cop, and it looked like the skies were going to dump rain on us at any minute. I took those pictures just before it rained. Rain has a way of washing away any evidence that may be there"
Give me that letter again," Sam demanded. When Cole handed it to him, Sam reread it, and then looked at the others. "The letter says to go back to the beginning. I wonder if he means go back to where we first met."
"That would be the park where you took his picture," Cole stated.
"I have to be there by midnight." Sam looked at his watch. He had just enough time to make it back to New Orleans before the deadline.
"You can't drive all that way by yourself," Ian told him.
"Why not?"
"In case you haven't noticed, you're bleeding again," Ian pointed out. In the rush t
o catch Tucker, Sam's chest wound had started leaking. The front of his shirt was stained with fresh blood.
Sam swore as he felt a wave of nausea coming on. He had to sit down quickly. He fell against the sofa in Ian's office and waited for it to pass. He hated being this weak.
"Let me go," Cole suggested.
Sam shook his head. "No, I won't jeopardize anyone else's life, and I don't want to lose the only chance I may have to get my son back alive." He still didn't trust Cole. For all Sam knew, the cousins could be working together.
"At least let me drive. That way you can rest on the way," Cole offered.
Sam nodded. "Okay, you can drive, but we have to leave now. I don't want to be late" He fished the keys out of his pocket and tossed them to Cole. Looking at Ian and Rob, he told them, "Be careful. This may be a trap"
Rob nodded. "I was about to tell you the same thing." He hesitated a moment. "You do realize that your son might already be dead and that this could be Tucker's way of getting to you as well, don't you? If that's what he has in mind, this time he won't let you live."
Sam thought about the words he'd been too afraid to say out loud. "Yeah, I've thought about it, but he's my son, the only family I have left. If I didn't go, and Tucker killed Wyatt because I wasn't there, I don't think I could live with that. I know how big a chance I'm taking, but I don't really have a choice, do I?"
Rob shook his head. "I see your point. Good luck"
Rob and Ian watched as Sam and Cole left. Ian reached for the phone and called Alec, Sam's partner in New Orleans, and explained the situation to him.
Ian grabbed his coat. "What are you waiting for?" he asked Rob. "He'll need backup if he's going up against this creep, and I'm not going to wait to hear about it in the morning news."
Rob grinned and grabbed his jacket.
Darkness had long ago fallen by the time Sam and Cole got to their destination. The park was eerily empty as they drove through the gates. They could only drive so far and then they had to walk, but Sam had rested most of the way, so he felt stronger. Pulling into the parking lot, they didn't see any other vehicles. Sam and Cole drew their guns as they got out of the car.
The park had several trails for pedestrians and bikers, and if you didn't know where you were going you could easily get lost. But Sam knew this park. He had asked Chloe to marry him here, and they had brought Wyatt here as a family. Now he was here to catch the man who had murdered his wife and stolen his son.
Sam slowed as they approached the area of the Danvers murder. This was where Sam had snapped the incriminating picture of Tucker Briggs. Sam squatted behind a bush and dragged Cole down behind him. He didn't want to give Tucker a target. He wanted the element of surprise on his side.
His eyes canvassed the entire area. Nothing seemed out of place. The moon was big and bright, and there didn't appear to be anyone around, but that didn't mean that the shadows were empty. He motioned for Cole to stay put. Using the bushes for cover, Sam began making his way around the other side of the trail.
Sam kept a keen eye out for any movement or sign that someone might be nearby. He didn't see or hear anything. He'd almost given up when he heard a twig snap. His head jerked toward the location of the noise. His eyes narrowed and his ears picked up the sound of footsteps coming down the path toward him.
Sam waited with his gun drawn. He could hear the footsteps hesitate. "Hello?" called out a frail voice.
Sam frowned and dared to raise his head over the top of the bush he was hiding behind. An old man stood on the path. He was dirty and had a scruffy beard. His cap had seen better days, as had his clothes. They hung on his frame and were covered in filth. His stance told Sam that he was probably drunk. He could barely stand up straight. Sam noticed the top of a bottle sticking out of his coat pocket.
"I'm looking for Sam. Is there anyone there?" the old man called out again, his words slurred.
Sam stood up and put his gun away. He knew that this could very well be a trap and that Tucker could be hiding nearby, but he wasn't going to pull a gun on a drunk. He stepped out of the bushes and onto the path.
When he cleared his throat the man whirled around and almost fell over. "Geez man, you scared me. Is your name Sam?"
When Sam nodded, the older man smiled. "I have something for you," he told him. Reaching inside his overcoat, the older man pulled out a large manila envelope and handed it to Sam.
Cole saw the exchange and he too put his weapon away and stepped out from where he'd hidden. When the old man saw Cole, he looked confused. He glanced back the way he had come and then turned back to Cole.
Sam ripped open the envelope and dumped out its contents. There was a picture of Wyatt holding today's newspaper, and another letter. He looked up at the old man. "Who gave you this?"
The old man pointed at Cole. "He did. I was sitting over at the other end of the park, and he walked up to me and gave me the envelope. He told me all I had to do was walk down here and give it to you. He even gave me ten bucks" The old man turned to Cole. "Why would you do that if you were already here? Why didn't you just give it to him yourself?" He frowned as he swayed and stared at Cole. "I ain't giving you the money back"
Cole shook his head. "I don't want it back. Did I say anything else?"
The old man thought for a moment, then shook his head. Cole looked over at Sam. They both knew it wasn't Cole who'd given the old man the package. Tucker had done it again. He had once again become Cole, if only for a moment.
"What does the letter say?" Cole asked.
Sam ripped open the letter. As he read it, he felt himself pale and could see Cole growing alarmed. Sam looked up at Cole. "He says that he's going to keep Wyatt with him a while. He doesn't know for how long, but when he gets tired of him, he'll call me and let me know where to pick him up" Sam looked over at the old man. "Did you see where the man who gave you this letter went?"
The old man nodded and pointed at Cole. "Yep, he's standing right there. Can I go now?"
Sam heard more footsteps coming down the path. He grabbed his gun and turned to face whatever or whoever was coming. When he heard a familiar whistle, he relaxed his stance and called out, "Alec, is that you?"
Alec Hunter, Ian Nevell, and Rob Gillette stepped out of the shadows. Sam raised an eyebrow at the sight of all three of them. As he was putting his gun away, he asked, "To what do I owe this pleasurable reunion?"
Before anyone could answer, the old man asked again, "Can I go?" Sam looked at him and asked, "Where can I find you if I need to get ahold of you?"
The old man smiled. "I'm usually in the park somewhere. I like watching the kids. I don't hurt them or nothing, I just like to watch them play. They all know me. My name is Joe" Joe turned to leave, when he remembered something else. "Say, you should tell that man over there not to leave his son standing by himself like that. Somebody could snatch the kid."
Sam grabbed Joe by his jacket. "What did you say? What kid?"
Joe's eyes grew huge and he held up his hands as if to ward off an attack. "I'm sorry, mister-I didn't mean nothing."
Sam shook his head and took a deep breath as he tried to calm down. He let go of Joe's jacket. "No, I'm sorry. You were just trying to warn me. What did you mean by that warning? Did you see the kid? Where was he standing?" Sam grabbed the picture Tucker had left for him and showed it to Joe. "Is this the kid you saw?"
Joe took the picture from Sam and looked it over. "Yep, that's the kid. He was standing all alone over by the merry-go-round. The man walked away from the kid to find me and was gone for quite a while."
Sam closed his eyes in relief. At least Wyatt was still alive. He knew exactly where the merry-go-round was, and he started running toward it. He heard the others following, but he didn't care. Maybe Tucker had left Wyatt there and he was waiting for Sam to come get him. As Sam turned the corner and saw the merry-goround, he looked around. Wyatt wasn't there. Crushing disappointment set in. Sam didn't know if he could take this seesawing emotional
trip anymore. He fell to his knees, his eyes burning with unshed tears.
From the darkness, hidden in the shadows of the night, a pair of black eyes watched as Sam fell to the ground. Tucker Briggs smiled as he watched the torment of the man he'd chosen to play the game with. The boy at his feet struggled to break free of his bonds and escape, but Tucker pulled him to his feet and dragged him through the brush. He wasn't quite done with either the boy or his father, not just yet anyway.
It was Alec who helped Sam up off the ground when the others joined him in front of the merry-go-round. He could see the pain in his partner's eyes and knew what Sam was going through. "Sam, you can't let him win. You have to be strong for Wyatt's sake" Alec tried to brace his friend against the tide of emotion he knew he was facing.
Sam looked at Alec. "I don't know how much more of this I can take. First he took Chloe, and now he has Wyatt. Why doesn't he just kill me and get it over with?"
Alec was at a loss for words. He didn't know what to say to make it any better. It was Cole who put it in perspective. "If you fold now, you'll never see Wyatt again-not alive, anyway"
Sam and Alec turned to the man who looked so much like the one they both hated. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Sam growled.
Cole held up the letter Tucker had left for Sam. "I think I know where he's going," Cole told them. "And if you don't follow him, he might kill Wyatt out of spite. Then you'll never find Wyatt or his body"
Sam stumbled away from Alec toward Cole. "Where? Where is he going?"
Cole straightened his jaw. "I think he's going to a place we played as kids, before all this started. I think he's going home"
"And where exactly is home?" Sam growled.
"Tucker's parents live in St. Louis, but I think Tucker is taking Wyatt to our grandfather's farm. It's just outside of Hannibal, Missouri," Cole told him.
Sam looked at Cole distrustingly. "What makes you think that?"
"In the letter he says he wants to go back to a time of innocence and dreams. We used to dream about being Huck Finn and traveling down the Mississippi River on a boat, in the hayloft of our grandfather's barn. I had forgotten about that until I read the letter. I guess Tucker never forgot."