“Yeah, they did, didn’t they?” She thought about them as she grabbed the tortilla chip bowls from the table. She finally had a chance to ask some health questions. From the way her parents died, she couldn’t determine anything about her potential longevity. Seeing her grandparents’ fitness at their age gave her hope she might live a long life too.
Erik passed her with a platter of giant cookies. “Mom’s monster cookies. Oatmeal, peanut butter, peanuts, M&Ms, and chocolate chips, in case anyone needs allergy information.”
Sierra grabbed the first one. “I’m eating for two.”
“Guess since I’m the oldest I should get the next one.” Blake snatched a cookie before anyone could argue.
“We are not doing the age thing.” Erik took the next cookie and passed the plate to Brendan. “I’ve been last all my life, and I have to take small victories where I can get them.”
Kelsey took a cookie and sank her teeth into it. “Seriously, I want your parents to adopt me.”
The others laughed, but this was too close to Toni’s recent thoughts for her to join them. She returned to the table and helped polish off the plate of gooey cookies. Everyone settled into the family room, and she and Clay cleared the final dishes and loaded the dishwasher.
“Thanks for dinner,” she said to Erik when he came in with Pong’s empty water bowl.
He rinsed the bowl and looked at her. “You won’t thank me if you’re still here when it’s my time to cook again. You’ll get the same meal.”
“Hey, who gets tired of tacos?” She grinned.
“I appreciate your attitude.” He filled the bowl. “You would be such a welcome addition to our family.”
He passed Clay and gave him a pointed look.
“I’m working on it,” Clay said.
“And here I thought you were the family charmer.” Erik laughed and put the bowl down for Pong, who started noisily lapping up the water.
“Ignore Erik.” Clay grabbed his work things and spread them out on the table again.
She wanted to ignore the comment. To focus on her work instead. But her thoughts were filled with this wonderful family, and her heart had softened toward Clay. Getting together with him now seemed like it could be a great thing, but her reasons weren’t clear. Was she opening up to him because he and his family seemed easy when everything with her family was so complicated? Or did she truly care for him and want to get to know him better?
She started to sigh but quietly let out her breath so she wouldn’t draw Clay’s attention. She switched her focus to reviewing the background of one of the girls Erik had identified in Rader’s pictures.
An hour later, Clay leaned back and stretched his arms overhead. “You find anything?”
She shook her head. “I’ve looked at five girls, and none of them seem to have a connection. And they’re not linked to Lisa, Wilshire, Rader, or Hibbard.”
“Yeah, I’m striking out too.” Clay pushed his computer away. “We need to find something actionable soon.”
“You want actionable?” Sierra called out from the sofa. “I’ve got something that could blow this thing wide open.”
Clay jumped from his chair and eyed Sierra as he charged toward her. “What is it?”
She smiled. “Emory got a match for the DNA on Rader’s bird.”
“Who is it?” Toni rushed into the family room.
“Guy’s name is Sheldon Sharkey.”
“For real?” Clay peered at Sierra. “That’s the guy’s real name? Sounds made up.”
“It’s what was in CODIS, so yeah, it’s real,” Sierra said.
Clay knew she didn’t bother to explain the acronym for the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System as everyone in the room would know what it stood for. “Erik, can you—”
“Find some info on him,” Erik replied, his fingers flying over his keyboard. “Give me a minute or two.”
Clay didn’t want to wait even that long, but he had no choice. He started pacing, passing Toni several times as she stared at Erik from behind the sofa.
“It’s his legal name, all right,” Erik called out.
“We could be looking at a killer here and need to proceed cautiously,” Clay said.
“Guy could’ve just visited Rader and the bird attacked him,” Drake said.
“But why?” Toni asked. “Bird was totally friendly with us. I don’t think he would attack unless provoked or unless Rader was in danger.”
Clay crossed his arms. “So like I said, we need to be cautious.”
“Do you know where Sharkey lives?” Toni’s excited tone held the same enthusiasm burning in Clay’s gut.
“Got his address.” Erik grabbed his phone. “Let me try to get a contact at PPB to ping Sharkey’s phone and see if he’s home.”
“Do that,” Clay said, but Erik was already typing the text. “While we wait, put up a map of Sharkey’s address on the TV.”
Erik completed his text and everyone pinned their focus on the TV. The map populated the screen.
Erik pointed his cursor at a large parcel of land. “He’s a Christmas tree farmer.”
Clay looked at Blake. “Didn’t you say Rader used to grow Christmas trees?”
Blake nodded. “Maybe they knew each other.”
“Or not,” Sierra said. “When Mom homeschooled us she had a module on Oregon farming and—”
“I sorta remember that,” Drake said. “But don’t tell Mom I forgot the details.”
Sierra wrinkled her nose. “She told us there were over seven hundred tree growers in Oregon back then. I remember because I love Christmas.”
“So our guys might not have known each other,” Brendan said.
“Still, look at the map.” Blake went to the TV and tapped two locations. “Sharkey’s farm is within thirty miles of Rader’s place. They could’ve connected in a tree growers association.”
“Could be,” Clay said. “But it doesn’t mean they were working together to traffic people.”
“True that,” Erik said. “I’m still searching for more info on Sharkey.”
“The guy could draw down on us.” Clay moved to the TV and tapped the image of the old farmhouse on the map. “And we need a plan to take him.”
His brothers sounding nearly as excited as Clay, threw out ideas and discussed different approaches for the next thirty minutes. Blake had been totally quiet as had Toni, who looked like she was trying to process.
“We need to get Sharkey to come outside where we can manage the situation,” Drake said. “I doubt he’ll open his door for one of us guys.”
Toni pointed at the TV screen. “There’s a gas pump at the back of his property. I can pretend I ran out of gas and ask him to help.”
“Should work,” Brendan said.
Clay’s gut screamed to outright refuse, but her idea was sound. Didn’t mean he wouldn’t voice his concern. “I don’t like it. He could open fire through the door.”
Erik looked up. “No reports of Sharkey attacking anyone.”
Toni lifted her shoulders. “I’ll wear a vest.”
Erik’s phone dinged, and he grinned. “Sharkey’s home.”
Clay forced himself to accept putting Toni in danger. “We’ll go with Toni’s plan.”
“You really need to let Trent and his deputies handle this,” Blake said. “Looks like Sharkey killed Rader, and they’ll want to bring the guy in for questioning.”
“They can.” Clay eyed Blake. “We’ll call them right after we talk to Sharkey.”
Blake frowned. “You’ll do whatever you want, but I’m going on record as not being on board with this decision.”
“I respect your opinion.” Clay locked gazes with Blake. “If you feel compelled to call Trent, I hope you’ll at least give us a head start.”
Blake didn’t respond for a long moment. “All I can say is when you get to Sharkey’s place, don’t mess with any evidence, and whatever you do, don’t hurt the guy.”
19
Toni crept
down the gravel driveway behind Clay, the pebbles underfoot crunching no matter how carefully she walked. His brothers followed. They’d brought Pong to search the house after they’d detained Sharkey but had left the dog in his crate in the SUV. He was so well trained he wouldn’t bark at anything and wouldn’t alert Sharkey.
Toni glanced through her night vision goggles at the tall maple trees swaying in the wind. Everything was tinged green by her NVGs. Though the night helped them approach unseen, she wished they were approaching this suspected murderer’s house in the daylight instead of the dark. Sure, the moon and starlight provided ambient light to help their NVGs function properly, but nothing beat daylight to get eyes on a suspect.
The house lights shone ahead like a beacon of hope in the foggy night, but hope didn’t live in that house. A criminal did. Perhaps a murderer. And she would soon be walking up to the door and trying to lure him out. Erik had discovered Sharkey was once an active duty Marine, but when he separated, he traveled around for some time before buying this farm, where he lived alone except for harvest time. Then he hired migrants just like Rader did, and they were in business at the same time. Blake was probably right about Sharkey knowing Rader. Maybe they shared migrants or met while organizing the workforce. Either way, they had a connection.
Clay held his hand up, and everyone stopped. He turned and lifted his NVGs. The others followed suit.
“Surprisingly, Sharkey doesn’t have any security cameras.” Clay’s volume was quieter than normal. “He’s in the front room. His face matches the DL picture we have of him. I’ll go to the door with Toni, and the rest of you have the house perimeter as planned. Any other questions or comments, speak now.”
No one said a word.
“Okay, then we’re holding here while you move into position.”
The guys set off, sticking to a nearby tree line on the way, barely visible in the darkness. Clay dropped his NVGs to his eyes and faced the area where his brothers had disappeared. She followed suit with her goggles but watched the house instead. Thankfully, the Byrd’s had top of the line equipment. Their NVGs were equipped with FLIR—forward-looking infrared—technology allowing them to safely switch from nighttime to light and not hurt their eyes if they had to rush the house.
She saw Sharkey get up, scratch his belly, and turn to go into the other room. He was tall and fit for his age. His face was narrow, his cheeks high, his hair in a ponytail, and he matched the driver’s license photo they’d seen.
“Suspect’s moving,” she said into the comms unit. “Heading to the rear of the house.”
“Heads up, Brendan,” Clay said. “That’s you.”
“Got him,” Brendan said. “Looks like he’s going to the can.”
“Perfect time for everyone to get in position. Toni and I are advancing.” Clay looked at her and she nodded her readiness.
They crept forward, drizzle starting to fall and dampen her face. Clay held his assault rifle and took sure steps down the drive. He arrived at the crumbling walkway and signaled a halt at the bottom of the steps leading to a small covered stoop.
“Report,” Clay whispered into his mic.
His brothers all confirmed they were in place.
“Then we’re knocking.” Clay climbed the steps to pound loudly on the door.
They both stepped to the side where Sharkey couldn’t see them through his peephole. She would try getting him to open up with just hearing her voice first. She removed her NVGs and set them on the floor in case Sharkey demanded to see her. She tapped her foot silently while counting down the time.
She’d hit two-hundred when footsteps sounded by the door. “Who’s there?”
“I’m sorry to bother you,” Toni said. “But I ran out of gas. This being a farm, I hoped you’d have a pump on your property.”
He flipped on the outside light. “Show your face.”
She set down her rifle, blinked a few times to adjust to the light and stepped in front of the door, feeling vulnerable without the gun.
“Please,” she said as pathetically as she could. “I really need help. I’m late for a class at the community college, or I’d call for help.”
“Fine,” he said, not sounding happy about it. “Got a pump by the barn. I’ll be right out.”
She stepped to the side.
“I’ll take cover to get the jump on him,” Clay whispered as he picked up her things. He hopped off the stoop and disappeared in evergreen shrubs by the house.
The door creaked open, and Sharkey poked his head out, his gaze sharp and intense.
“Thanks bunches.” She smiled.
He grumbled something but stepped out wearing a glowing headlamp. She noted the gun at his hip and prayed he wouldn’t draw it. If he did, Brendan—a former sniper who’d taken a stance in a nearby tree—might be forced to shoot, and that would cause all kinds of problems for him. And someone would be dead, because if Brendan fired, it would be a deadly bullet.
“Follow me.” Sharkey set off with quick and powerful steps for a man his age.
She heard Clay moving behind her, but only because she was listening for him. She doubted Sharkey heard a thing. She fell back to signal her intention to move up next to Sharkey to distract him, allowing Clay to get the drop on him.
She caught back up to Sharkey and pretended to look around. “Do you sell U-cut trees here?”
“Nope. We ship everything we grow out of state.”
“Too bad. It would be fun to cut them.”
“Don’t want people all up in my property. Besides, there’re plenty of places to do that.”
Clay reached Sharkey and jabbed him in the back with his handgun. “Don’t move.”
Sharkey went for his gun, but Clay was faster and removed it with his free hand. “On the ground now. Face down. Nice and slow.”
Sharkey gave Toni a sharp glare as he lowered himself down.
“Hands behind your back,” Clay demanded.
Sharkey complied with Clay’s request. “Who are you?”
Clay gave the guy a snide grin. “We’re the people who are going to prove that you murdered Fritz Rader.”
Clay and Toni searched the living areas and kitchen finding nothing. Now they were going through the bedrooms, where people often hid valuables and things they didn’t want found, and Clay hoped to score a lead.
But Sharkey’s sparse bedroom had few hiding places. It held a double bed with a worn wood headboard, a matching nightstand, and a four-drawer dresser.
“I’ll take the dresser,” he said to Toni.
“I got the nightstand and closet.” She went to the nightstand and pulled out the single drawer.
He opened the top drawer to find underwear and socks rolled into tight little bundles. He took his time in all the drawers, careful to look for anything small like a flash drive. He heard Toni move to the walk-in closet. In the bottom drawer, he plowed through sweaters and found a large manila envelope with Hibbard’s name written on the front.
Clay carefully opened the envelope and withdrew several photos. The top one was of Toni’s dad lying in a pool of blood in the parking lot where he was murdered. Whoever took the shot must’ve used a telephoto lens, but then the bullet that killed Toni’s dad had been fired at a long distance too. Clay hated to show the photo to her, but she had a right to know this guy not only likely killed Rader, but maybe her father too.
“Toni,” he called out. “You need to see this.”
She came into the room, and he displayed the photo.
She gasped and looked up at Clay. “He could’ve killed Dad.”
“Seems very possible, and based on these other pictures, he could’ve killed these other people too.” Clay flipped to a photo of Rader lying on the floor in his home. The next one of a teenage girl and then two of other men.
She tapped the last picture. “Olin Kraus. Hibbard’s second in command.”
“Yeah,” Clay said. “Maybe Sharkey was the one who murdered Kraus. Then he took over as
number two.”
“But why would he have these pictures in his house much less label the envelope with Hibbard’s name? The pictures don’t prove Sharkey or Hibbard killed these people, but it does make Sharkey look suspicious. Why keep them?”
“Blackmail, maybe.”
“You think he was using them to blackmail Hibbard. That Hibbard is the killer, and he shot my dad.”
“Could be. We just don’t have enough to know for sure. But Hibbard always kept his hands clean, so if I had to guess, I’d say Sharkey did the killing.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
They needed additional information to figure this out. “We should wrap things up here and call Trent to take Sharkey in. You done with the closet?”
“Almost.”
“I’ll take pictures of these while you finish up.”
She nodded and started to turn.
He took her gloved hand, wishing it were bare to give them a more personal skin-on-skin touch. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”
She looked at their hands. “At least this one was taken from a long distance. I saw far worse pictures in the investigative files.”
“Still, it’s got to hurt.”
She drew in a deep breath. “What hurts is knowing that smug jerk out there could’ve killed my dad and others and helped traffic helpless girls. We have to make sure he goes away for a long time.”
“Agreed.” Clay’s mind raced. “Time to bring Pong in to search the place.”
“Let me finish the closet first.” She hurried back there, but her shoulders were drooping. She’d been through so very much. Yet she got up each day with a positive attitude and did her job. Right now the urge for revenge was likely fueling her. How would she do if they actually proved this guy killed her dad and the creep was convicted?
What would motivate her then? If Clay didn’t find a way to break through her defenses, he wouldn’t be there to provide any needed help. He desperately wanted to be there for her. Not just for the horrible situation she was going through now, but for little everyday things.
Face it. You’re in love with her.
A lot of good that did either of them. He couldn’t sway her mind about getting involved. Only she could change it.
Night Hawk Page 19