Against All Odds

by Stacy Claflin

  A loud crack sounded behind him. Nick spun around, aiming his gun toward the noise. A blinding flash of red and orange exploded from the part of the school where he and Foster had found the device. The noise was deafening for a moment, then the only sounds were of debris flying through the air, then landing.

  People around him screamed and cried out. Others ran away, clutching kids. Some ran toward the building.

  Nick stopped the ones he could, threatening arrest. Stabbing pains ran through his chest and he struggled to breathe.

  It had been a real bomb. He and Foster had been right there.

  If he’d tried to check it out, it could’ve killed them both.

  Nick fought to take a deep breath. Everything moved in slow motion. He commanded people to stay back. Some ran away. Some stood, staring. Others just stepped back, never looking away from the scene.

  Detective Garcia ran over. “Captain, what do we do now?”

  “We need to keep these people back! For all we know, there are more of those devices around the rest of the building.”

  Garcia shouted at the crowd, who as a whole were inching closer.

  Nick nodded to him. “I’m going to walk around.”

  “I’ll stay here and keep these people back.”

  “Arrest anyone who doesn’t listen.” Nick glared at those who continued to inch closer to make sure they knew he meant business.

  Then he headed back the direction he came, telling the scooters to stay back. All the while he struggled to breathe normally as he kept looking for his family.

  When he rounded the block, he saw someone he knew.

  Corrine.

  His ex-wife who had moved his kids away across the country after divorcing him. She’d moved back with Parker after both their daughters moved back in with Nick.

  Parker was with her now.

  Nick’s knees nearly gave out. Everything other than his son disappeared around him. For a moment, Nick was a father only, not a police captain. He burst into a run, pushed through the throng of people, and threw his arms around Parker. He squeezed him so tightly he risked crushing the boy’s ribs.

  He turned to Corrine, still clinging to their son. “Where’s Ava? Hanna?”

  Corrine just stared at him for a moment. Her face was pale, and her eyes held a terror he’d never seen in them before. She almost looked like a little girl herself.

  “Corrine?”

  She snapped out of it. “I haven’t been able to find Ava. Hanna’s school is under lock-down until further notice. I’m surprised you didn’t know.”

  Nick lightened his grip on Parker. “I’ve been a little distracted.”

  “I figured.”

  “Speaking of, I have to get back to work. Call me the moment you hear anything about them.”

  Corrine nodded. “And you call me if you find Ava.”

  “I will.” Nick squeezed Parker again, then kissed his face several times.

  Surprisingly, Parker didn’t push him away. In fact, he clung to Nick for a moment before stepping back. The boy’s eyes shone with tears.

  Nick squeezed his shoulder. “It’s going to be okay.”

  Parker met his gaze. “Is it?”

  “I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure it is.”

  “Just find Ava.”

  Nick cleared his throat. “I’ll probably find her with her friends. You know how she is.” He forced a smile.

  Parker sighed and leaned against Corrine.

  Nick hated to pull himself away. “I’ll be back.”

  They both nodded, then Nick made his way back to the street and ordered more people to step back. It seemed that nobody cared about their own safety. Though he threatened arrests, there was no way they could incarcerate half the town. It just wasn’t feasible.

  He walked along the street slowly, keeping an eye out for Ava or any of her friends. Someone had to know where she was. All the other students had joined their families—or so it seemed.

  Was Ava the only one that hadn’t?

  It certainly felt that way.

  “Ava, where are you?”

  Tied

  Zoey Carter struggled against the ropes that held her to the chair. It didn’t do any good—it would take a miracle for her to escape. The man had tied her wrists separately behind her back, her ankles were each tied to a chair leg, and even her waist was tied to the back of it.

  She would scream if she could, but both the gag in her mouth and the duct tape across her mouth prevented her.

  Her messy dark hair hung over her face and sweat beaded everywhere, dripping down her face, her back, her chest. Everywhere. It pooled in her bra.

  The back of the chair dug into her bare skin, and the ropes burned. She’d been stripped down to only her ripped pants and a camisole.

  She had half a mind to try and tip the chair over, but that didn’t seem like it would help. It certainly wouldn’t help her get out of the ties. Then she’d just be even more uncomfortable.

  Not only that, but the little room was filthy. She’d probably end up with dirt in her eyes or scrape herself on an exposed nail from one of the loose floorboards.

  Her stomach rumbled, despite her nerves. She hadn’t eaten that morning. The plan had been to stop off at the school to get Ari’s homework, then grab a quick bite on her way to work.

  A gunman shooting up the school office hadn’t been part of the plans.

  Zoey shuddered as the scene replayed in her mind. She’d joked about something with the secretary, while she grabbed a file with Ariana’s assignments. Then, mid-laugh, the man entered.

  His eyes were wild. That’d been the first thing Zoey had noticed. Then he’d pulled out a gun.

  She’d immediately ducked down and scrambled behind the desk.

  Shots rang out. Blood sprayed. Some got onto her. The secretary fell, landing inches from Zoey. It had taken every ounce of her self-control not to scream. Not to cry. To just stay there quietly.

  More shots. The school principal crashed to the ground not far from the secretary. Similar-sounding thuds around the room.

  Zoey’s eyes misted just thinking about it. The whole thing had been a nightmare. Except that it wasn’t. It was as real as the dried blood on her clothes and face.

  She closed her eyes, trying to push the memories away. It didn’t work. The bodies fell before her closed eyes. Over and over again.

  There was only one good thing about the whole ordeal—Ariana was safe at home, sleeping off the flu. She hadn’t been there. She hadn’t had to witness it. Experience the terror.

  But she wouldn’t be unscathed. Her school was no longer safe. She adored the secretary, who was now dead. The gunman might’ve shot some of Ari’s friends. He’d taken her mom.

  Zoey’s heart shattered into a million pieces. Ariana had been through enough. More than enough. She’d gone through more horrors than someone four times her age.

  That would be Zoey’s focus. The one thing that would drive her to get home in one piece. She needed to get back to her daughter before Ari ever found out Zoey had been taken in the first place.

  She needed to get back home before Ariana recovered from the flu and found out what had happened. Zoey’s parents—Ari’s adoptive parents—would protect her from the news as long as possible. Hopefully it would be long enough.

  The flu going around this year was keeping people down for a full two weeks. Ariana had only been sick since the night before. That would give Zoey more than a week to get back home before Ari was any wiser.

  But how was she going to do that? What did the gunman have in mind for her?

  Why hadn’t he just killed her? Did he have something else planned? Or had he simply run out of bullets?

  Zoey had waited under the desk, shaking and hardly able to breathe, for what felt like hours. In reality, it had only been about fifteen minutes according to the clock on the wall.

  After stepping over the secretary and principal, she made her way around the bloody
office, her heart nearly ready to explode out of her chest.

  Shots rang out elsewhere in the building. Zoey picked up the phone from the desk and dialed nine-one-one. She glanced around for her purse, but it was the least of her concerns.

  She needed to get out of the building, but not before calling for help. After telling the operator about the shooting and the dead bodies, she hung up before the woman on the other end of the line could tell Zoey to stay there until the officials arrived.

  No way was that going to happen. She had every intention of getting outside, then running straight to her car.

  Instead, the gunman appeared in the doorway again. Blocking her from escape. Not only that, but he had Ava with him. He held her by the hair, dragging the girl who looked unresponsive.

  He’d locked his gaze on hers, then aimed his gun at Zoey’s face.

  Zoey had no time to react.

  He pulled the trigger.

  Nothing had happened.

  The man swore profusely about the bullets. He reached into his pocket for more.

  With his attention averted, Zoey ran toward him. She was going to grab Ava and run before he knew what had happened.

  Instead, he dropped his gun and grabbed Zoey by the neck, squeezing so hard she couldn’t breathe. He shoved her against the doorjamb. Her head hit hard enough that the sound bounced around between her ears.

  By the time she regained her bearings, a different gun had been shoved in her face. “I may not be able to kill you just yet, but I’m sure not leaving you as a witness!”

  From there, everything was a blur. He forced her outside to the back, screaming at her but letting her live.

  Once they reached a sedan, he threw Ava into the trunk like a sack of potatoes before turning to Zoey. He continued his ravings, ordering her to her knees.

  She complied.

  “Take off your shoes!”

  “What?”

  He swung the gun. It hit her temple, giving her double vision.

  Shaking, she removed her shoes.

  “Now your socks!”

  Zoey did that, too. Though she wanted to question him, she kept quiet. At least this was buying time. The police would be there momentarily.

  “Your jacket!”

  She complied again, wondering how far he was going to take it. Would she have to take off everything? Was he going to leave her there like that, or take her with him?

  “Your shirt!” He moved the gun closer to her forehead, his finger on the trigger.

  Zoey reached for the bottom of her blouse, her hands shaking. She fumbled with the lowest button.

  “Faster!” He swung the gun in circles, moving closer to her face.

  Barely able to think, she undid the bottom button, then the next one and the next. Tears blurred her vision as she continued until there were only three left.

  Sirens.

  His eyes widened. He swore. “Get in the car!”

  Her mouth gaped.

  “Get in!” He hit her with the gun again.

  She scrambled to her feet, then fumbled with the handle and climbed in the back seat.

  He shoved her to the floor. “You stay down, or you’re getting a bullet in your head!”

  Shaking violently, she nodded.

  The door slammed shut, and before she knew it, he’d flung himself into the driver’s seat and they’d squealed away.

  A moment later, they passed a police cruiser and fire engine going to the school. The lights shone on the roof of the car.

  They continued driving, and the farther they went, the more emergency vehicles they passed.

  Zoey silently begged for someone to see her in the car.

  Nobody did.

  After a while—she had no idea how long, because time was passing so strangely—he stopped the car.

  She had thought her heart couldn’t pound any harder, but it did. As soon as the door flung open, she cried out, her voice eerily shrill, but she was ready to attack.

  He still had the gun, and he aimed it at her again. Then he grabbed her by the collar and ripped off her shirt. She cried out in pain. Thankfully she’d decided to wear a camisole that morning. He didn’t make her take that off.

  He aimed the gun at her again, then tossed it aside before he pulled out the ties and duct tape. But tying her up, shoving a cloth in her mouth, and covering it with duct tape wasn’t enough. He covered her from head to foot with a blanket before slamming the door and driving again.

  Finally

  A door slammed shut.

  Alex bolted upright from the table. He wiped drool from his mouth and glanced toward the door.

  A very tired-looking Nick stood there. “What the hell did you do this time, Alex?”

  “I was chasing a potential shooter.”

  Nick rubbed his temples and sat across from Alex. “At the school?”

  “Where else?” Alex held his gaze. “I was looking for Zoey.”

  Nick gave him a double-take. “Zoey?”

  “Ariana’s home sick, and she went to collect Ari’s homework. I take it you didn’t see Zoey.”

  “No. Can’t find Ava, either.”

  “Oh, Nick. I’m so sorry.”

  He gave a little nod. “She—and now Zoey—are the only ones unaccounted for. I didn’t know Zoey was there. Was she near the office, by chance?”

  “I’d assume so.”

  “She’s lucky, then. We didn’t find her, and that’s where all the dead bodies were. Our shooter only went after adults. All the kids are safe and sound. Ava’s the only one we can’t find.” Nick rubbed his temples again and rested his head in his hands.

  “I’m so sorry, Nick.”

  “We’re still interviewing kids, but I had to leave once the building was cleared of any more potential bomb threats. Once again, I’m too involved to be part of an investigation.”

  “Isn’t everyone on the force involved in some way?” Alex pressed his palms on the table. “I mean, this isn’t a big town. Everyone has to know someone who either goes to the school or works there.”

  Nick glanced up at Alex, shadows darkening his eyes. “Yeah, but nobody else is related to the only missing student.”

  “Would she have been taken?”

  Nick groaned. “It’s either that or she’s scared, hiding somewhere. That’s what I keep hoping.”

  “Maybe Zoey’s with her. She’ll take care of Ava.”

  Nick didn’t respond.

  They sat in silence until Alex spoke. “So, can I leave? I’ve been in this room for hours. I have to piss so bad, I’ve been tempted to use the corner.”

  “Why are you here, again?” Nick rubbed his eyes.

  Alex squirmed in his seat, his bladder burning. “I thought I saw someone suspicious, so I ran after him. He got away, and some turkey from another force thought I needed to be held for questioning.”

  Nick arched a brow. “That makes no sense.”

  “That’s what I’ve been saying all along. Can I use the bathroom, or should I use the corner?”

  “Go. Just don’t leave the building.”

  “No problem.” Alex jumped from the chair, practically flew across the room, then raced to the bathroom. He made it to the urinal just in time, and he closed his eyes as relief washed through him.

  When he was finally done, he saw Nick in his office. The door was cracked open, so Alex walked in.

  Nick glanced up from his laptop. “I was about to send in a search party.”

  “I told you I had to go.”

  Nick gestured to the chair on the other side of the desk. “What made you think the guy you chased was a suspect?”

  Alex’s stomach twisted in a knot, but he sat.

  “What?” Nick closed his laptop and locked Alex’s gaze.

  “He was Flynn Myer.”

  Nick’s brows came together. “You do realize he’s in Walla Walla, right?”

  “It was him. I’d know that face anywhere—no matter how well disguised.”

  N
ick closed his eyes for a moment. “Alex, don’t do this. Not now.”

  “I can’t help the timing! You remember what happened last time. I kept saying I saw him, and nobody believed me. Look who was right.”

  Nick sighed. “Flynn Myer has no chance of parole. He hasn’t escaped—I’d be the first to hear about that, being that I lead the force where he was captured. He lived here.”

  “Exactly why he’d come back here. I’m telling you, it was him. He even recognized me.”

  Nick tilted his head. “Really?”

  “Yes! I’d swear on my own life.”

  “Okay, here’s what we’ll do.”

  Alex leaned forward, eager to hear.

  “I’ll have you speak with the sketch artist. Just don’t tell anyone you think it’s Flynn.”

  “But it’s him!”

  “Let the professionals figure that out. I don’t want you telling anyone else. Don’t give anyone reason to question your sanity.”

  Alex glared at his friend. “I’m right. They’ll figure it out.”

  Nick pulled his laptop back up and started typing. A minute later, he glanced back over at Alex. “Myer’s still in prison. He’s one of their best-behaved inmates, so he gets to help cultivate some plants. Don’t tell anyone you think you saw him. Stick to the story that you were running after who you thought was the shooter.”

  “I was! And it’s him. Flynn goes after kids. Young teen girls.” Alex held Nick’s gaze.

  “Our shooter only killed adults.”

  Alex leaned forward. “Ava’s missing. What if he has her?”

  Nick took a deep breath. “Was she with him when you chased him?”

  “No.”

  “Ava probably ran off, scared. She already has some issues she was dealing with from when she lived across the country.”

  “Corrine’s ex-boyfriend’s kid?”

  Nick nodded.

  Alex remembered that drama. That kid had been nothing but trouble.

  Nick took a deep breath. “I need to hang up my captain hat for a while and try to find my daughter. The sketch artist is at the elementary school, talking to people there.”

  “Not the middle school?”

  “The middle school building is clear but unsafe. Plus, there’s a lot to process.”