He glimpsed Beth standing in the entrance to the living room with Charlie right next to her.
“Can Charlie sleep in my bedroom?” Beth moved closer to his dog and patted his head. “I’ll take care of him.”
Brody approached the pair and knelt, rubbing Charlie’s favorite place behind his ears. “I think he’ll like that. Charlie, what do you say about staying with Beth?” He hid from the little girl a hand signal for Charlie to bark. His Belgian Malinois obeyed, which brought a huge grin to Beth’s face.
“I wish I had a dog like Charlie. He’s so smart.”
“I know a place you can visit where there are abandoned animals that need a person to love them. The Pals Center is going to start working with the abandoned animals at a ranch. Normally, we don’t let kids your age come to Pals, but you can come as our special guest if Emma says it’s okay.” The exact day they would start the program with the abandoned animals might change, depending on what was happening in Cimarron City with the kids missing.
As Beth shifted her attention to Emma, the little girl’s eyes grew round, and a smile spread across her face. “Can I?”
“Of course. Do you think Terri and Danny will want to go, too?”
Beth nodded. “We used to have a dog.”
“Then I’ll add it to the calendar in the kitchen.” Emma moved to Beth. “It’s time for you to go to bed.”
Beth started to say something but yawned instead.
Emma offered the child her hand, and they left the living room with Charlie right behind them.
Brody took the time to move through the rooms, checking the windows to make sure they were locked. When he returned to the living room, his bedding lay on the couch. As he started toward the sofa to make his bed, his cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at the screen. “Hi, Nick. Any news in the case?”
“I’ve got a lead.”
Chapter Fourteen
Emma finally, with Aunt Polly’s assistance, had the three children in bed, hopefully, for the night. Danny had insisted on staying up and guarding the girls. That was his job when Nate wasn’t there to do it. She had to assure him she, Brody, and Charlie would protect them.
Tired but not sleepy, she decided to get a cup of tea that often helped her relax and calm down. She went the back way into the kitchen rather than through the living and dining rooms because she didn’t want to wake up Brody. But when she entered the kitchen, he sat at the table, drinking milk, most likely warmed.
“You can’t sleep either?” Emma put the water on a burner to heat it up.
“No, I’ve been thinking about what Nick told me.”
“When?”
“He called half an hour ago to tell me what Joseph Patterson said after his surgery.” Brody took a long drink of his milk.
“And?”
“There were three men who came into the house. He didn’t get a good look at two of them, but the third one was big, muscular, bald-headed and with a cobra tattoo on his right forearm.”
“Like what Bobby Joe described. The guy with the tattoo had long hair in a ponytail, but he could have shaved his head since he took Piper.”
“Joseph was able to give Nick more detail, especially about the tattoo. He’s going to work with the artist who sketches for the police department to get an updated composite of one of the assailants. It’s a start.”
“It probably took three of them to get Bobby Joe out of the house. He either shut down or freaked out. Either situation would make Bobby Joe difficult to control unless he was drugged.”
The shrill sound of the teapot pierced the air. Emma hurried to the stove and took the kettle from the burner. After she made a cup of tea, she returned to the table and sat catty-cornered from Brody. “The guy who was sighted taking Piper is still in the area. As you said, the police are watching the roads out of the city. What happened today tells us that the kidnappers are still around. We have a chance to catch these people.” She took a sip of her tea. “This actually gives me hope for the first time since this went down.”
“In the meantime, we need to keep the kids we’re around safe and keep doing what we think will help them. Tomorrow will be a step forward to help them protect themselves. Even when these kidnappers are found, we’ll need to continue showing the children at the center what to do in certain situations that might endanger them.” Brody finished the last of his warm milk. “By the way, tomorrow, Nick is bringing some of his abandoned animals to the center to help recruit some of the kids to help on Saturday or Sunday afternoons at his ranch. I’m offering to use the center vans to take them to Nick’s starting this Sunday. He might not be there, but his granddad will be as well as Sarah and her two girls to show our kids from the center what needs to be done.”
“And if they’re with us, they’re safer.”
Brody smiled. “Yes. We think alike.”
“Did Nick have any leads from the evidence collected at the safehouse?”
“Yes, possibly. One SUV on the list with the partial license plate number is registered to a Mr. and Mrs. Greene, but the SUV isn’t at the Greene’s house on Sooner Place. No one was home, and Nick couldn’t see into the garage. He talked to the couple’s neighbors, and one of them said she thought they were out of town. Nick is trying to find out where they went, so he can talk to them. First thing tomorrow morning, he’ll continue contacting the acquaintances he couldn’t reach today.”
“I’m worried about the Greenes after what happened today to Officer Winters and Joseph. These men are aggressive and obviously don’t care about people. There are four young people who’ve been taken that we know of. There may be even more.” Emma tried to stifle her yawn, but she couldn’t.
“I think your tea works better than my warm milk. My mind won’t shut down. There are so many questions I have about what’s going on in town.”
“I know what you mean, but even those questions aren’t going to stop me from sleeping—I hope.” She rose and carried her mug to the sink. After rinsing the cup, she turned and almost ran into Brody holding his empty glass. His nearness sent her heartbeat racing. She drew in a deep breath and stepped away. Her cheeks had warmed, and she hoped to conceal a blush.
Brody set his drink down and clasped her hand nearest him. “Thanks for letting me sleep in the living room. It’s cold outside. I was prepared to stay in my SUV or on your front porch if you hadn’t let me stay inside.”
She chuckled. “Beth wouldn’t have allowed that. Before you came, she kept asking about Charlie. She’s going to love going to Nick’s ranch.”
“If I can before Sunday afternoon, I’m going to take a couple of kids from the center to help me figure out the best way to utilize the abandoned animals. You, Beth, Terri, and Danny are welcome to come.”
“Good and I can help you figure out how to use the animals for the kids at the center.” Again, Emma yawned.
“I’ll turn the lights off and make sure all the doors and windows are locked.”
She headed toward the hallway. “I need to leave the light on in the bathroom in case the children need to go during the night.”
“Anything else?”
She stopped and rotated toward him, the motion bringing her closer to him. “No.” The memory of their kiss flooded her mind. His presence made her feel safe in the midst of the evil taking place in Cimarron City. For months, while volunteering at the Pals Center, she had been drawn to him. His compassion for the children and his goal to better their life stroked a chord in her.
He cupped her face and slowly leaned toward her, stopping, probably giving her a chance to pull away if she wanted. When his mouth covered hers, a weakness attacked her system. While he deepened the kiss, she clasped his shoulders to keep herself upright. Her heart fluttered at the emotions inundating her and leaving her wanting more when he pulled back.
His gaze linked with hers. “Good night. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”
For a few seconds, disappointment flooded her
system. She wanted another kiss. She wanted to explore where their relationship could go, but he was right. She couldn’t let her emotions get in the way of what she needed to do: protect the children and make sure what was going on in Cimarron City was revealed and stopped.
“See you tomorrow morning. I have an eight o’clock appointment. Aunt Polly will be with the kids until I finish my three Saturday patients.”
“I’ll need to be at the center. Do you think your aunt and the children would go with me there? I’d rather not leave them alone, if possible. We have no idea what’s really going on. We only have speculations.”
“Nor who might be involved. I’m still wondering how the assailants found the safehouse.”
“If we knew, we’d have a way to find the missing kids.”
“Yes, to your questions about Beth, Terri, and Danny going to the center. As long as I have them, I want them to be involved in the center. Beth may have to wait until she’s six.” She grinned. “I don’t even know when their birthdays are. Not to mention their favorite foods and so many other pieces of information. It’s been eighteen months since I was a foster parent.”
“You’ll do great.” Brody started for the entrance into the dining room.
As Emma headed out the other door into the hallway that led to the bedrooms, she ran her forefinger over her lips, reliving in her mind the kiss she and Brody shared.
* * *
At the Pals Center on Saturday, Brody finished setting up the last row of chairs in the gym for their forum that would take place in two hours. He hoped this safety forum would be successful. He stood back and scanned the large room. Emma should be here soon. Polly and the kids were helping with the snacks and refreshments that would be placed on a long table against the wall to his left.
His cell phone rang, and he answered it when he saw it was Nick. “What’s up? Don’t tell me you can’t come.”
“I’m coming even though there’s been another murder connected to the missing kids case. The police chief wants me to be there, but right now, I need you to come to 427 Sooner Place. We found the Greene’s SUV returned to their garage with a dead body in the back.”
Brody started walking toward the door into the hallway. “Who’s been murdered, and what can I do?”
“Don’t know who it is for sure, but I think it’s Jack, the homeless guy you told me about. He fits your description, and he’s wearing a dirty brown overcoat, but I need you to ID him for sure. You’ve seen him.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I let Stan and Emma’s aunt, Polly, know where I’m going. See you in twenty minutes.” He disconnected the call.
Sooner Place was on the other side of Cimarron City. Why would someone kill Jack? Did he see Nate’s kidnapping? Where were Mr. and Mrs. Greene? He shoved away the flood of questions swamping his mind, or he wouldn’t get anything done today. Before he left the center, he had to make sure the volunteers would continue the setup for the forum. He wished Emma was here. He glanced at his watch. She should be unless there was a problem with one of her patients.
He headed for his kitchen to let Polly and Stan know where he was going, but a few feet away from the door, he spied Emma coming down the corridor. When she saw him, she smiled. The thought of their kiss last night filled his mind. She’d left her house this morning before he woke up. He’d been so tired he hadn’t heard a thing, but it had taken him hours to get to sleep—all because of that dynamite kiss.
He turned and met her halfway down the hallway “I have to leave for an hour or so.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nick found the Greene’s SUV in their garage with a dead body in the back. From what Nick told me, it’s most likely Jack, but Nick wants me to ID him since I saw him yesterday. I should only be gone for an hour. Stan, Polly, and the kids are in the kitchen. The gym is set up. The only thing left is the refreshments and picking up the children at the apartment complex.”
“Go. We’ll take care of things here.”
He started for the exit. “Colby with his dog, Duke, should be here in an hour or so. Charlie is with your aunt and the others in the kitchen. Two dogs will make Beth happy.”
Brody hurried to his SUV because he needed to get back to the center before people arrived. Also, he wanted to use his vehicle to transport the kids coming to the forum.
Fifteen minutes later, he pulled up behind the patrol cars and noticed a small crowd of neighbors watching the police activity from a distance. As he approached the garage, Brody caught sight of Zachery Brown talking to Nick. At first, Brody didn’t realize the DA lived across the street from the Greenes. For years, Brody’s father and the DA had been good friends even though his dad had been a defense lawyer. According to Brody’s sister, Maggie, their dad and DA Brown had a contentious relationship the last year of his father’s life. In fact, the last month, there had been an escalation in the tension. His dad locked himself into his home office and sent Maggie to his sister’s in Dallas, Texas, for the summer. He was murdered before Maggie returned for the start of her junior year of high school.
When Brody approached the garage, Nick spied him and waved him to join him and DA Brown. Brody shook hands with both guys. He started to say something about the district attorney’s son, Kurt, and Piper. Instead, he would make sure Nick talked with the teen. Kurt and Piper had only broken up a couple of months ago. Maybe Kurt could help Nick with Piper’s disappearance. Was someone stalking the teen? Or did someone have a grudge with her? Those questions needed to be answered.
When Brody realized both men were staring at him, he sighed. “I have a lot to do involving today’s forum at the center.”
“Nick told me he was participating in it,” DA Brown said. “I plan to come and bring Kurt. It’s a good topic for our kids.”
“I agree. I hope you and Kurt can make it.” If so, Brody intended to talk to Kurt himself. “Where’s the body? I can’t stay long.”
Nick started for the back of the SUV. The rear door was shut. Nick lifted it to reveal a body of a thin, tall man. His years as a solider had prepared Brody to look death in the face. The scent of death filled the air. “It’s Jack.”
“No obvious sign of what caused his demise. Hopefully, the ME will come up with that. It appears he’s been dead at least twelve hours or so.”
“When I tried to talk to him, he ran away into the large field behind the shelter. He was scared. I think he saw Nate being taken and who did it.”
“And they came back to murder him?”
Brody nodded. “Did you reach Mr. or Mrs. Greene?”
“Yes, early this morning. One of their friends knew where they were and called them. Mr. Greene called the station, and he was put through to me. The couple left town last Saturday and were planning to return next weekend. Instead, he’s changing their plane tickets for today. They’ll be here late this afternoon.”
“Had they left the SUV in their garage?”
“No. They’d left it in the airport’s long-term parking. Someone took it on Tuesday. The couple left their parking stub in their car along with their garage door opener.”
“Was there something in the SUV with their address on it?”
“No. I checked for that. Any reference to where the Greenes lived was gone.”
“Which means someone went purposefully to retrieve the vehicle. It was targeted.”
Nick’s clenched jaw attested to his building anger. “Yeah. Whoever stole the car paid the ticket and left the lot. Footage is being sent to us from the airport in Tulsa. As soon as we receive it, Brad will review it and see if there’s a picture of the person who stole the car.”
“Good. Although they’ve been careful as far as video footage goes. Was it through a manned booth?”
“No.” Nick stepped away from the SUV. “The story of the missing children has been plastered all over Oklahoma. We’ve received information from other cities who have had a couple of children go missing in the past month. No bodies have been found. The sta
te police are investigating a child trafficking ring, which could be tied to what’s going on here.”
“Shining a light on a problem helps us deal with the problem. But why has it taken so long to realize what’s happening?”
“Each law enforcement agency was treating it as a local issue.” Nick frowned. “This is the cynical part of me coming out, but I’ve been a police officer for a long time and have seen a lot of bad things. If it wasn’t for my faith in the Lord, I’d be looking for another job. Someone has to confront the evil.”
“You can count on me to help. Unless you need me for something else, I’m heading back to the center. See you later.”
As Brody drove to Pals, his mind kept going over what they knew so far. Questions arose, but the ones he couldn’t let go were: how did the assailants know the Greenes had parked their SUV at the airport and had flown out of Tulsa? Who knew the Greene family planned a vacation?
When he arrived at the center, Brody punched in Nick’s cell phone and when his friend answered, he asked those questions. “This might be a mistake on the kidnappers’ part.”
“I hope so. See you in an hour.”
After Brody ended the call, he sat for a few minutes in his SUV, staring at the center as though in a trance. And perhaps he had been. In three days, his life had been turned upside down. But he wasn’t the only one affected by this. The evil was spreading through Cimarron City. Children, no matter their age or family, were in danger. They knew of four taken, but what if there were others they didn’t know about? If Mathew hadn’t called Nick about Nate, they wouldn’t have been aware of his disappearance. If he and Emma hadn’t stepped in when they had, would Terri, Danny, and Beth have been caught up in what was going on, too? The question sent a shudder down his body.
* * *
As the forum wrapped up with Brody thanking the kids and parents who attended, Emma rose from the front row and took a stack of flyers to hand out to the attendees leaving the gym. Brody wanted to make sure they saw what had been changed and what else would be changed during the first year of the center.
Missing (Everyday Heroes Book 6) Page 11