“Kylie’s kidnapping? What made you suspect him? Did he say anything to you?” Noah asked.
Sophia shook her head, but her body was still rigid with stress and adrenaline. “No, but he gave me the creeps. He was clearly on Prensky’s side for the trial. He didn’t stand up and yell like the others, but he thinks Prensky is innocent. I could see it in the way he reacted to your testimony. Hatred was shooting from his eyes. That man is dangerous!”
She leaned closer and kept her voice low. “And who else but someone involved with the kidnapping would know who I am? I’m not famous. I’m not a TV reporter, and I’ve never done a story on this case. He would have no reason to recognize me or to even notice me unless he had something to do with Kylie’s disappearance. I could be wrong, but I really think we need to talk to him.”
Noah hadn’t noticed the man Sophia had described, but it made sense that whoever had kidnapped Kylie was someone from Prensky’s family or a friend who was willing to go to any extreme to free him. It also made sense that the kidnapper, or someone working with the perp, would attend the trial. Sergeant Kittinger and his team were supposed to be looking for connections between Kylie and Prensky, but so far, they hadn’t found any. Still, if the man Sophia was describing had reacted to her presence at the trial, there was a good chance he knew something about what had happened to Kylie. It was definitely worth finding out more.
“You’re right. Let’s go.” They walked over to where the bailiff was standing by the door, and Noah pulled out his badge and introduced himself. “We need to speak to a gentleman sitting in the gallery wearing jeans and a white dress shirt. He has graying brown hair, a scar on his cheek, and is probably in his midfifties. Can you bring him out for us?”
The bailiff nodded. “Happy to help, Detective. Where was he sitting?”
“On the defense’s side, about midway back, near the aisle. We have a few questions for him.”
The bailiff nodded. “You got it. Give me a minute.” He went into the courtroom and came back out a moment later, followed by the man Sophia had described. The man immediately looked Sophia and Noah over from top to bottom and narrowed his eyes. He held himself as if he was barely able to contain his anger.
“What do you want?” he snapped, derision in his voice.
“There’s a place at the end of the hallway where you can talk,” the bailiff said huskily, pointing to the left. Putting one hand on his hip and the other on the butt of his holstered gun, he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet. As he gave the man a silent warning to cooperate, it was clear he would tolerate no more monkey business in his courtroom.
“We just have a few questions, sir. Do you mind?” Noah said, his voice carefully cordial. He motioned with his arm toward the area the bailiff had suggested.
The man blew out a breath. “As long as it doesn’t take too long. I have to get back into the trial. I don’t want to miss anything important.”
The three of them walked about thirty feet to where the hallway ended in a small alcove. Noah pulled his badge out of his pocket and showed it to the man. “I’m Detective Bradley with the Atlanta Police Department, and this is Sophia Archer.”
“I know who you are. I heard your testimony.” He glanced at Sophia but quickly moved his eyes back. “Ask your questions.”
Noah pressed his lips into a thin line. “First, can I see your identification, please?”
The man grumbled under his breath, but he pulled his wallet out of his pocket. He produced a Georgia driver’s license and handed it over. “What’s this about, anyway?”
Noah took the license and compared the photo to the man standing in front of him. It was the same person. The ID read John Prensky and provided an address of a small suburb south of Atlanta. “Mr. Prensky, can you please tell me how you’re related to the defendant in this case?”
The man frowned and his lip curled. “I don’t need to tell you anything.”
“And I don’t need to let you back in that courtroom, either. We can finish this conversation back at my office downtown. The choice is yours.”
Prensky glared at the two of them but finally relented. “Arlo is my sister’s boy. She’s been dead for a while now, so I look out for him from time to time.”
That explained the resemblance. This man, however, was neat in appearance and didn’t seem nearly as rough around the edges as some of Prensky’s other relatives. “I don’t remember talking to you during the investigation,” Noah said in a tone that clearly asked for an explanation.
“That’s because I was out of town when Arlo was arrested. You would have heard from me if I’d been here.” Prensky glanced at his watch. “Anything else? I need to get back to the trial.”
If he wasn’t in town, then it was doubtful that he had any information vital to Arlo’s case, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know something about Kylie’s disappearance. “I’d like to know why you were staring at my friend here,” Noah said, motioning to Sophia.
Prensky shrugged. “No reason. I was looking at a lot of people.”
“But you were staring at her.”
The man glanced at his watch again. “I didn’t mean anything by it. I don’t know this woman, but she looks similar to a friend of mine. Once I got a better look, I realized she wasn’t my friend after all. Now, if it’s okay with you, I’m ready to go back in the courtroom. I want to hear every single word of the testimony. You all are trying to railroad my nephew, and I don’t appreciate it. Is there anything else?”
Noah glanced over at Sophia with a question in his eyes, but she shook her head, almost imperceptibly, and he looked back at Prensky. He handed the man back his driver’s license. They would need to do a background check to find out more before they could question John Prensky further. Staring at someone was creepy, but it wasn’t illegal. “No, sir. Thank you for your time.”
The man pocketed his ID and quickly hurried back to the courtroom door, where he nodded at the bailiff as he entered.
“He knows something,” Sophia said tightly under her breath.
“He might,” Noah responded. “His behavior is a bit suspicious, and if he’s involved with Kylie’s kidnapping, it makes sense that he would be keeping an eye on you to see if you are complying with his demands.” He shifted from one foot to the other as the possibilities swam in his head. Then his eyes locked with Sophia’s. “It’s time to make some calls. We need a status report from each of the officers before we go anywhere, and I’ll ask Roman to start checking into John Prensky immediately.”
SEVEN
The two walked even farther away from the courtroom so they could have a little privacy as they figured out their next move. Sophia watched Noah as he spoke on the phone, and a wave of emotion hit her that was so strong it nearly knocked her to her knees. Time was passing. Her sister’s life was in danger, and she had never felt so hopeless and afraid. The feelings only intensified as she watched Noah. His body language showed that he was also frustrated and not encouraged by what he was learning on his calls.
She looked fleetingly around the narrow hallway. Seeing a bench against the wall, she went over and sat. It was time to pray. She needed God’s help more than ever; she needed His intervention and His strength. She closed her eyes and spent several moments alone with the Lord. After a few minutes, she felt Noah come over and sit beside her, but she kept her eyes closed, deep in contemplation.
Noah took her hand and held it. Instead of pulling away, she allowed the contact, grateful for his support. After a few more minutes passed, he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. She allowed that, too, leaning into his strength. He was warm and she liked the way she fit against him. She felt safe, like everything was going to be okay, and he smelled minty and fresh, like his Doublemint gum, which calmed her even further.
Finally, she turned and looked into his eyes. She saw confidence and caring in those
depths, and a touch of something else she couldn’t quite define. She had to admit, she was glad he was there, helping her, doing everything in his power to support her.
And it was costing him, too. She wasn’t blind to that fact. Noah had investigated, arrested and even testified against Arlo Prensky. He was convinced of his guilt. Yet Noah was still with her, spending countless hours reinvestigating everything, questioning all of his prior work and conclusions on this case, all to help her save her sister. She was touched by his sacrifice, moved by this side of him she had never really seen before.
“Thank you for helping me,” she said softly. “I realize this isn’t easy for you.”
He gave her a gentle smile. “I would do anything for you.”
She looked deeper into his caring blue eyes and saw the truth behind his words, even though she wasn’t ready to really think about the implications of that simple statement. His look was mesmerizing. She touched his face softly with her fingertips, then dropped her hand, surprised at her own reaction. This wasn’t the time or place to think of anything beyond her sister’s fate. She pulled back, ready to refocus. “What did you find out with your calls?”
Noah leaned back, too, but he left his arm across the back of the bench, remaining in contact. The look in his eyes was unreadable. “Well, I talked to the lab. Our perp must have done everything with gloves on because there were no prints found besides yours on the box or on any of the contents. The materials and notepaper found inside are too common to trace. I checked in with Roman about your phone, but unfortunately, the kidnapper’s call can’t be tracked. Probably used a burner phone.”
Sophia took a deep breath. “So now what do we do?”
“I’ve asked Charlie and Roman to work together to investigate who might have taken Kylie. They had both already started, but they were going down different paths. I want them to compare notes. Since we don’t have any leads, it makes sense to assume someone close to Prensky is pulling the strings. My guess is a family member or close friend—maybe even a girlfriend—is behind the kidnapping. They’re the ones with a vested interest in his release. After what just happened, I asked them to start with John Prensky.” He met her eyes again. “The prosecutor plans on resting her case this afternoon. That means the defense will start presenting its case first thing in the morning.”
Sophia shook her head. “We’re running out of time.”
“Yes, but I’m not giving up.”
“Neither am I.”
Noah paused and pursed his lips. “I saw a woman here today that I’d seen before. She was one of the people who got thrown out of the courtroom for yelling when Prensky’s relatives went crazy during my testimony.” He ran his hand through his hair. “She’s gone now, so we can’t talk to her, but I’m pretty sure she was at the hospital last night.”
“Was she working there?” Sophia said hopefully.
“No, and I don’t think she’s the only one who has been following us. I don’t have any proof, but my gut tells me we’re being surveyed.”
“What should we do?”
“Stay vigilant,” he replied. “We already think the kidnapper has people watching to make sure you are really investigating Prensky’s case, but somebody else wants to stop the investigation. What we don’t know is how many people are involved. We need to keep our eyes wide open.”
They both stood.
“I’m thinking we should interview Maggie’s roommate again. Maybe she can share something new with us. At least it is worth a try,” Noah said as he motioned toward the hallway. “Ready?”
“Sure. Let’s go.”
They left the courthouse and headed to the parking deck where they had left their car, an unmarked silver sedan.
After driving only a couple of blocks, Sophia noticed a car coming up closely behind them. She sat straighter and took another look. “Do you see that blue sedan? I think it’s following us.”
Noah glanced in his rearview mirror as he changed lanes. “Yes, I see it, but that’s not the same car that was following us before. Let’s see if it wants to stick with us.” The blue sedan disappeared for a few blocks, but soon showed up behind them only a short while later.
“He’s back,” Sophia said, trying to keep the panic from her voice. “Can you see who’s driving?”
Noah shook his head, his eyes moving between the road and the car that was following them. “Whoever it is, they’re wearing a hoodie and glasses. I’m guessing it’s a male, by the size of the driver, but it’s really hard to tell.” He pulled out his phone and called for backup, then quickly dropped his phone into his shirt pocket and swerved into another lane.
Sophia grabbed her armrest and held on tightly. “This can’t be the same person who kidnapped Kylie.”
“No, this is different,” Noah agreed, his voice tense. “The others only seemed to be following us to make sure we were complying with the kidnapper’s demands, but this guy is driving aggressively. He’s trying to cause an accident. Keep your eyes open in case he has a gun or some other weapon, and hold on. It looks like somebody wants us to stop investigating and apparently is willing to go to any lengths to make sure we do.”
Sophia cried out as the blue automobile drew closer and then slammed them hard from behind. Noah struggled with the wheel but kept control, neatly avoiding crashing into a green pickup and a white minivan parked alongside the road. Other drivers, aware of the hostile attacker, tried to get out of the way, but the Atlanta traffic was heavy and there were few places for most of them to go to avoid the mayhem.
The blue car driver’s erratic behavior became even more threatening, and smoke appeared as the vehicle’s wheels spun against the pavement. The assailant accelerated once again, pulling up inches behind them before slamming into their trunk a second time. They both cried out as Noah pulled hard against the wheel, fighting to keep the vehicle in the lane. Suddenly the assailant hit a pothole and momentarily lost control. A horrible squeal sounded and the blue car fishtailed into a black truck on the other side of the road. A loud crash followed and a larger cloud of smoke soared into the sky. Metal screeched against metal as another vehicle hit the blue automobile, sending it farther into the thoroughfare. The sedan slowed—the driver’s-side fender and door now quite damaged—but the determined driver didn’t stop the pursuit. Instead, he punched the engine and, in a matter of moments, was able to sweep up behind Noah and ram them once again.
Sirens sounded in the background, but all Sophia could think of was the driver of the blue sedan, who was now striking a third time, trying to force their car off the road and into the row of parked cars that lined the street. She felt Noah accelerate, but their small-engine car was no match for the larger older-model blue sedan. Her fingers turned white against the armrest as she dug into the vinyl. Her other hand gripped the seat belt as fear consumed her. Was she going to die today, right here and now, without ever seeing Kylie again?
* * *
Noah saw an opening as a side road appeared to the right, and he veered in, turning sharply as the tires whined in protest. He accelerated, once again hoping to put some distance between their car and their pursuer’s. The blue automobile missed the turn but took another side street and was quickly behind them in only a matter of seconds. Suddenly, Noah heard a gunshot, and his rear windshield shattered. Bits of glass and debris went flying in all directions, and he heard Sophia scream behind him.
“Get down!” Noah yelled as he struggled with the wheel. He wanted to help Sophia, but there was really nothing he could do other than keep the car on the road and as far away as possible from the shooter. Another bullet whizzed between them to crack the front windshield, and a third bullet hit the dash just above the radio. He ducked, but there wasn’t really any place for him to go. If he stopped the car, they would both be killed. If he continued driving, he could have a horrible accident or unknowingly put them both directly in the line of
fire. His choices were few and awful, no matter what he decided.
Noah pulled out his weapon and returned fire, trying to aim and keep his eye on the road at the same time, which was almost impossible. His first shot went wild, but his second shot did manage to hit the front headlight of the blue car. Still, his offensive gesture had the desired effect. The hooded man wasn’t happy that Noah was shooting at him, and he dropped back about fifteen feet, giving Noah a little breathing room.
Noah turned and fired again, his third shot hitting the blue car on the passenger side. He took a deep breath, reduced his speed and then squeezed off a fourth round, paying careful attention to his aim, while also hoping that no one pulled out in front of him. Their pursuer’s passenger’s-side tire exploded and the blue sedan swerved dangerously. It flipped and skidded about thirty feet to a crashing stop into the side of a parked white Prius.
Noah did a fast pull-over, stopped his car with a jerk and turned off the engine. He reached out and grabbed Sophia’s hand, catching her eye as she looked toward him. “Are you okay?”
She nodded but didn’t say a word. Terror was clearly etched across her face. Her eyes were wild.
“Stay down and stay in the car,” he soothed. “I have to check the driver.”
She nodded her agreement and he squeezed her hand in response, then unhooked his seat belt and pushed open the door, staying low as he got out of the vehicle. He didn’t know if their attacker was even alive or still in his car, but he had to check. He kept his 9 mm at the ready, his aim steady on the blue sedan. The airbag had deployed, and as he got closer, Noah could see that the driver was still in his seat, his blood smeared against the bag and what was left of the side window. He was injured and moaning.
“Throw the gun out the window now!” Noah ordered as he approached the vehicle from the rear, carefully eyeing the man’s movements.
“I dropped it.” The man’s voice was barely audible. “I lost it when the car flipped. I don’t know where it is.”
Held for Ransom Page 6