by Elle Gray
“But she definitely wasn’t followed?”
“I don’t think so. My cabin is in the middle of the wilderness. Amelia got scratched to death getting to me. I would’ve heard if there was someone else out there.”
“Hmm. Has she said anything yet? Amelia?”
“She hadn’t when I left. She was in shock. She fell asleep when we arrived at the hospital and didn’t wake up until her parents arrived. I felt like I should leave them to it. Kind of figured I’d get more intel from checking things out up here.”
“Let me guess,” Paxton started, “the Seattle PD completely bungled the case?”
"So intuitive.”
He grinned. “That’s the name of the game. I had a friend who’s a pretty excellent journalist with her ear on the ground dig up some info for you. Did a check into the family as well. The parents check out. The picture of a distressed couple trying to find their only daughter. They had huge cash rewards for anyone who could find her.”
“How big are we talking?”
“Fifty grand. You’ll be rolling in it, Olivia.”
Olivia rolled her eyes. “I obviously won’t be taking a single dollar off them, Paxton. Wow, that’s a lot of money, though. Fifty grand?”
“They do well. Gabriel Barnes is a lawyer—not a big-shot or anything, but he makes bank. They’ve got a nice, big house. The sort of place that seems like it would have pretty good security. That’s why it’s so crazy that someone managed to get inside without triggering any alarms or anything. But honestly, I’m not surprised the SPD couldn’t find anything. They couldn’t find the moon if it was— ”
“Really not interested in your personal beefs, Pax,” Olivia cut him off with a hand.
He gave her a wry grin. “Sorry. You know how it gets.” He reached down into a bag by his feet and handed her a file folder. “Here’s a bunch of info on the case and the family. I got it from… sources.”
Olivia took a sip of her coffee, hoping the buzz of caffeine would help her gather her thoughts, and flipped through the documents and photos within. “So. Someone made their way into the house with ease, but they didn’t break a window. No windows had been left open. How many entrances did the house have?”
“A front door and a back door, both of which were locked. There were no fingerprints on either of the doors, except those of the family.”
“It doesn’t make sense…”
“People were throwing all sorts of crazy theories around,” Paxton offered, leaning forward with a mischievous look in his eyes as though he was about to give out some juicy gossip. “Some were saying it was an inside job. Like, the parents hid their daughter away somewhere. I guess all the way out in your neck of the woods, apparently.”
“Why would they do that?”
Paxton shrugged. “Why do psychopaths do anything? Anyway, we obviously ruled that out pretty quickly. They seem like good people. Then people began questioning motives. Why Amelia? Did someone have a vendetta against the family? Did Amelia do something to get herself in trouble? You’ll be shocked to learn the SPD ran into a dead end. All in all, they seem like a pretty normal family.”
“Maybe they were in it for the money?” Olivia mused. “Maybe they knew there would be a big reward for finding Amelia…”
“Ah, yes, but why haven’t they cashed in already? If they were intending to ‘find’ her and get the money, then why did they let her go?”
Olivia leaned back in her chair, her brow furrowed. “Too many questions, too little sleep. This certainly seems like a complicated case.”
“You’re going to get roped into it, you know. Your SAC won’t be able to resist putting you on it. You’re directly involved now. You found the girl—”
“More like she found me—”
“It doesn’t matter. You might have moved out of the city for a quiet life, but now the trouble has literally landed on your doorstep. You’re going to be leading this, I can guarantee it.”
Olivia didn’t know how to feel about that. Sure, she was curious about the case. She became invested the moment she met Amelia. But officially taking on the case was another thing entirely. If the only two leads were on very opposite ends of the country, resting the whole thing on her shoulders was going to be pretty stressful.
“If anyone can figure this out, it’s you,” Paxton continued, reading her mind. “I know you, Olivia. You’re sharp as a knife. Just like she was.”
The pain radiated when he said it, and now it was Olivia’s turn to take his hand in hers. Olivia may have lost a sister, but Paxton lost the love of his life. Some wounds are so deep they never really heal.
“Look, I know you’ve been a little more reserved since… everything. But you don’t need to take a backbench. You’re the best of the best. Throw all those nerves out of the window and get rolling.”
Olivia chewed the inside of her cheek, a nervous tic she’d developed since her sister’s death. The inside of her mouth felt raw. “I’m not opposed to the idea. It just feels like a heavy case to take on alone. I’ve never seen anything like this before. I think I need another set of eyes.”
“Well, if you ever need a second opinion, you know I’m around. Or I can hook you up with Blake, a buddy of mine in the FBI office up here,” Paxton told her. “Honestly, you two are a lot alike. You’d get along.”
“Sounds a heck of a lot more pleasant than keeping up with you,” Olivia cracked with a weary smile.
“Hey, I’m not all bad,” Paxton protested. “I’m starting to settle down in my old age.”
Olivia laughed, but as she did, she felt her phone vibrating in her pocket. She sighed. It sometimes felt like she was never even allowed a second to relax. She fished out her phone and stared at the caller ID. Paxton pressed his lips together, looking smug.
“Would that be the big boss calling?”
Olivia nodded. She took a deep breath and answered the phone.
“Agent Knight here.”
“Morning, Knight,” Olivia’s boss, Special Agent in Charge Jonathan James, replied curtly. He’d always been a gruff type, tending to skip the pleasantries on his phone calls and get straight to business, but he paused for a moment. “You must have had quite the night. We’re all indebted to you for finding the girl.”
“Thank you, sir, but I really didn’t do anything. She just showed up outside my home.”
“You returned her to her parents in one piece. As far as the Bureau—and her family—is concerned, you’re a hero.”
“I did what anyone would do.”
“Well, we appreciate it, nevertheless. But we’re not quite at ease here yet. This case was highly strange, as I’m sure you’ve realized.”
“Yes, sir. I’ve been doing a little digging. I actually flew out to Seattle this morning to do some research on the scene.”
“Well, it’s good that you’ve familiarized yourself with the details, because I’m assigning this case to you, effective immediately. We still have a kidnapper on the loose. We have little evidence to go on and our victim hasn’t said a word yet. I’ve got a team already combing through the national missing persons database to find evidence of any trafficking networks or other cases that might be connected. So far, it’s a dry well. None where the child has disappeared without a trace. None where there’s been no sign of a break-in beforehand…”
Olivia nodded, even though he couldn’t see her. He sighed on the other end of the line. He sounded as tired as she felt.
“To put it plainly, we’re not convinced that this is over. The kidnapper might have slipped up and let Amelia go, but it doesn’t mean he’ll be so clumsy next time.”
Next time...
Olivia felt sick to her stomach.
“Tell me what you need me to do and I’ll do it.”
“Hunt this sicko down before he strikes again,” Jonathan said bluntly. “We can’t afford to slack on this one. We were lucky this time, but if we get complacent, young lives might be at stake.”
“I
hear you.”
“I don’t expect you to carry this case alone, of course. Belle Grove is now the center of this investigation. The girl being found there means she was held close. I’ll send someone out to you.”
Olivia felt a little relieved to know she wasn’t going to be going through it alone. “Okay. Anyone I know?”
“I don’t think you’ve met Agent Brock Tanner, have you?”
“I don’t think so, sir.”
“He’s a fine agent from Headquarters who can help you coordinate these nationwide searches. Comes highly recommended. He’s sharp, too. I think you’ll work well together.”
“I’m sure we will,” Olivia said, though she felt the opposite. She didn’t really feel up to trying to get to know a stranger while working on such an important case. But at the end of the day, she couldn’t afford to be picky. If her boss thought that this guy would be good for the case, then she trusted his judgment—not that she had any say in the matter anyway. She needed all the help she could get.
“He’ll be arriving in Belle Grove tomorrow morning. In the meantime, see if you can learn anything else from the family. I’m sure they’ll be desperate to get home with their daughter, and they’ve already spoken to local LEOs several times, but anything new you can glean from them might just help you crack the case.”
“Understood. I’ll get on it.”
“Thank you, Knight. And congratulations again on finding the girl.”
He hung up before she could protest again that she hadn’t really done anything. She glanced up at Paxton, who was still looking very pleased with himself.
“Looks like I was right,” he grinned. “This is a big one, Olivia. It’s time to solve a kidnapping case.”
Five
Olivia waited nervously outside her cabin for her new partner to arrive. Brock Tanner had texted her first thing in the morning, telling her that he was excited to meet her and that he’d drive up to her house. Somehow, that made Olivia feel even more uneasy about meeting him. He seemed cocksure and confident, two things Olivia wasn’t. She wasn’t convinced that they’d be compatible working on a team together, but she really didn’t have a choice. Whether she liked it or not, Brock was going to be around for as long as it took them to get to the bottom of Amelia Barnes’ case.
It was early afternoon; Olivia was exhausted. Other than a couple fitful hours on the plane, she still hadn’t had much time to sleep. Still, she’d made considerable effort to look presentable, washing her hair and letting it fall in waves on her shoulders. She’d finally replaced her huge glasses with contact lenses, though her eyes were itchy and sore from lack of sleep. She’d also covered up the dark bags under her eyes with a little makeup and changed into a clean, simple dress shirt and no-nonsense slacks, her typical combo for working on a case. She preferred practicality over fashion when she was on the job, after all.
It still didn’t make her feel prepared for meeting Brock, though. She had this feeling that he was going to be a handful. She knew she shouldn’t judge a man she’d never met just because of a few texts. Maybe he’s just enthusiastic, she thought. But when she saw his car pulling up the slope into her makeshift driveway, she realized her first instinct had been correct.
Brock Tanner stepped out of his Jeep and removed his sunglasses with a white-toothed grin. Olivia felt her heart sink. Brock was a typically handsome man—and Olivia knew those tended to be the most dangerous. He was tall, at least six-foot-three, and he was wearing a short-sleeved shirt which showed off his athletic build and muscular arms. She took note of his eyes the second his sunglasses moved from his face. They were honey-brown and full of mischief.
Once again, trouble had landed right on Olivia’s doorstep.
“You must be Agent Knight,” he waved, his grin expanding. Olivia smiled and forward to shake his hand.
“Olivia is fine.”
“Well, in that case, I’m Brock.” He grinned again. “It’s good to meet you. The boss really bigged you up, Olivia. I feel like I’m working with a movie star or something.”
Olivia had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. She knew he was just winding her up. He really was going to be a handful. She tightened her lips a little.
“We should get going. We want to catch the family at the hospital and ask them some questions.”
“Sounds like a plan. I’ll drive.”
Olivia chuckled. “Of course you will.”
Brock moved around to the passenger side to open the door for Olivia, and she regained a smidgen of respect for him. Maybe he wouldn’t be so bad after all. But the second Brock got into the driver’s seat and turned the radio up loud, Olivia lost all hope again. Brock backed his way down the driveway faster than Olivia would’ve liked and sped off through town toward the hospital, following directions on his phone.
“Where are you staying while you’re in town?” Olivia called out over the loud music. She at least wanted to make some polite conversation with the man she’d be working with. He tilted his head closer to her.
“What? I can’t hear you.”
Olivia reached out and turned the music down a little, which made Brock smile a little to himself. Another windup.
“I asked where you’re staying in town.”
“Ah. There’s a little B&B on the outskirts of town, I don’t know if you know it? It’s lovely. I feel like I’m staying in a little British cottage. When I was dropping off my bags, I was half expecting the Queen to show up with a plate of cucumber sandwiches.”
“Those are some very basic stereotypes…”
“Oh I assure you, they’re not stereotypes. If British people don’t have a cup of tea every two hours, they go into shock. More people die from lack of tea consumption every day than in car accidents. Crazy, huh?”
Olivia felt the corners of her mouth twitch with the urge to smile at his lame jokes, but she managed to keep a straight face. Brock sucked in a deep breath.
“Wow, tough crowd. I’ll let you off. I’ll bet you’ve had a long couple days.”
Olivia nodded. “I got a case file from a contact up in Seattle that I’ve been poring over all day, but I just can’t get a lead going. I doubt the family will tell us anything we don’t already know, but from what I hear, Seattle PD hasn’t been the most thorough with the case.”
Brock nodded. “Well, we can be in and out of there pretty quick, and then you can get some rest.”
Olivia glanced out of the window. She was definitely tired, but most of the sensation came from the feeling that there was a lot of pressure on them. She felt on edge. Like she was anticipating something bad happening the moment she let her guard down.
She hadn’t always been this way. Her years in the FBI had taken their toll, of course, but it was more the chaos of her personal life that made her feel so on edge. It was like everything she touched turned bad. How else could anyone explain the terrible events that seemed to follow her wherever she went?
She’d never tried to express that thought to anybody. She didn’t want people thinking she was crazy or paranoid. But ever since Amelia had shown up at her house, it had only solidified the suspicion in her mind.
To put it simply, Olivia thought she was a walking bad luck charm.
As they arrived at the hospital, Olivia took some calming breaths and got out of the car.
“This way,” she told Brock and he fell into step with her. His strides were bigger than hers; she almost had to jog to ensure that they were moving at the same speed. Brock smiled again as Olivia scurried alongside him. A wave of irritation rumbled up inside her. She was in no mood for his quiet smugness.
When they arrived at Amelia’s room, they found her parents sitting on either side of the bed, whispering gently to their daughter. Olivia glanced at Brock and he nodded to her, nudging her to take charge. His jokey smile was gone now, like he’d been sobered by the situation.
“Knock knock,” Olivia started quietly, making Amelia’s parents glance up. “I don’t know if you re
member me... I’m Olivia Knight and this is Brock Tanner, with the FBI. We met briefly after I found your daughter.”
“Of course we remember you,” the mother replied with a smile. “I’m sorry, Agent, but we really could use some family time right now... you can come back to collect the money.”
Olivia blinked. “Money?”
“The reward. For finding our baby girl.”
Olivia cringed. “Oh, that’s not actually why I’m here... I don’t want to take your money. I’m actually here in an official capacity. Since this case has now crossed state lines, it’s under FBI jurisdiction and I’ve been assigned to your case.”
“FBI?” Amelia’s father asked, wrinkling his forehead a little. “We’ve been dealing with the Seattle PD... they didn’t really get us anywhere.”
“It’s a highly unusual case,” Olivia said, not at all feeling inclined to navigate the thorny relationship between local law enforcement and the Bureau. “Since she was found here, it’s fallen to me to investigate further.”
“But… she’s found now. She’s safe,” Amelia’s mother said, her voicing hitching a little. Olivia could tell she was still on edge. “Isn’t she? She’s safe, right?”
“Your daughter is safe,” Olivia insisted gently. “We’re going to make sure of that. But whoever did this... they’re still out there. We’re dealing with some strange circumstances, so what we really need is for you to give us any information you might have.”
“We’ve spoken to the police... more than once…”
“I understand it’s frustrating, sir, but anything you can tell us, any detail at all, might help us catch the kidnapper and stop this from happening to anyone else.”
Amelia’s parents exchanged a glance with one another and Olivia held her breath. She’d been counting on them to talk to her. They were the closest thing to a lead that she had. They seemed to silently come to a conclusion and they both looked back at her.