by Laura Scott
“Yes, well, not this time. I didn’t see anyone out there.” Her tone was light, but he sensed that she’d truly believed she’d been found by the men who’d kidnapped her.
“You want to talk about it?” He padded into the kitchen. “I can make coffee.”
“It’s pretty early, don’t you want to try and get more sleep?” Her protest sounded weak, although he appreciated the effort.
“Nah.” He waved a hand and began filling the coffee carafe with water. “At this point, falling back to sleep will be useless.”
For long moments neither of them spoke, waiting as the machine finished brewing. When the coffee was ready, he filled two mugs and brought them to the table.
“Milk and sugar?”
“Yes, please.” Naomi cradled her hands around the mug as if seeking warmth. Which was strange because the temperature outside was warm and humid. The moisture in the air gave the Smoky Mountains its name.
Years of being on the force had taught him to drink his coffee black, but he watched with amusement as Naomi added a significant amount of milk and sugar to her mug.
She took a sip before meeting his gaze. “I guess I should start at the beginning.”
“Okay.” He told himself to be prepared for the worst, but Naomi surprised him.
“I live in Dalton, Georgia. My half sister, Kate, lives with me. Well, she did until she went missing two days ago.”
“Missing?” He straightened in his seat and leaned forward. “She ran away?”
Naomi shook her head. “I don’t think so. I mean, sure, things haven’t been great since our mom died, but we’ve been getting along okay. She got a job at the local carpet factory for the summer.”
A sense of dread hit hard. “How old is Kate?”
“Sixteen.” Naomi stared for a long moment at her coffee. “I think she was kidnapped, the same way I was.”
He waited for her to meet his gaze. “What makes you think that?”
“The boxy white van.” She waved a hand. “I know it sounds crazy, but one of Kate’s friends, Tamera, said she thought Kate got a ride home from work by a guy driving a box-shaped white van. Only, she never came home.”
“Go on,” he encouraged.
“I was driving around searching for Kate when I saw a boxy white van just outside of Dalton. I decided to follow it. I was so focused on making sure I didn’t lose it while staying far enough back, or so I thought, to avoid being seen, that I never noticed the car coming up behind me. Until it was too late. Next thing I know, my car is flying into the ditch after being rear-ended.”
“And where was this crash you mentioned?”
“Just over the Tennessee border, but I was on Highway 71, which I think is the opposite direction from Chattanooga.” She frowned. “Right?”
“Yeah, Highway 71 goes straight north from Dalton, while Chattanooga is farther west.” He frowned. “Are you sure the ultimate destination was Chattanooga?”
“I’m not sure of anything,” Naomi admitted. “I saw a sign indicating we were in Chattanooga, so I assumed so. I know it’s silly to follow a boxy white van when there are hundreds of them, but after I was rear-ended and forced off the road, I figured I was onto something. That the white van I was following was likely the same one used to kidnap my sister.”
“That would be a huge coincidence,” he pointed out slowly. “Yet it’s interesting you were rear-ended and kidnapped.”
“I hoped they’d take me to where my sister was located,” she confessed. “But suddenly I had the feeling they were simply going to get rid of me, dump my body in the woods, so I panicked and escaped.”
He couldn’t believe she’d basically set herself up as bait. “You took an incredible risk.” His tone came out sharper than he intended.
“I know.” She lifted her chin, and there was no way to ignore the stubborn glint in her blue eyes. “But I need your help to find Kate. The Dalton police have no leads, and since there’s no evidence of foul play, they’re not exactly jumping on this as a high priority. They actually told me that Kate likely ran away and would come home when she got hungry. Dalton is normally a boring town. You realize it’s known as the carpet capital of the world because of all the manufacturing of flooring done there, right? I mean, it’s not Atlanta, or Macon, that’s for sure.”
He nodded. “Do you have a picture of Kate?”
She grimaced. “In my wallet. I was forced to leave my purse behind when I was kidnapped.”
“Does she look like you?” he persisted.
“Similar height and weight. Her hair is darker than mine.” She waved a hand. “That doesn’t matter at the moment. I have to believe the white van was heading for Chattanooga, Tennessee, for a reason,” Naomi said thoughtfully. “Of course, I’m immediately thinking the worst, like it was the next stop in their sex-trafficking operation. And I think they had those men take me out to prevent me from finding the truth.”
He stared at her for a long moment. Was Naomi right? Was Chattanooga one of the stops in a sex-trafficking ring?
And if so, was it possible the same sex traffickers had already taken Louisa out of state?
Chapter Three
Naomi felt better having told Sawyer about Kate being missing and what she’d done. In her nightmare, Naomi heard Kate crying out for her sister to save her. Kate had been trapped in the back of the boxy white van, her face pressed against the rear window. Although, in reality, there was no rear window in the van Naomi had followed.
The mere memory of the dream made her shiver. She felt sick at the thought that she may already be too late.
“I’d like you to talk to our detective and work with a sketch artist to create a likeness of the two men who grabbed you.” Sawyer’s low husky voice broke into her thoughts. “Will you do that for me?”
“Of course.” She hesitated, then added, “I’d also like try to find the spot in the road where I escaped.”
“I was already planning to take you back to the general area, to see if you could pinpoint the location,” Sawyer agreed. His dark brown eyes regarded her thoughtfully. “I’m sure you’d also like to make a few phone calls.”
She grimaced and looked away. “I honestly don’t know who I’d call, other than a local towing company to see if they have my car.”
“What about your dad?”
“Kate and I share the same mother, but she passed away six months ago from cancer. My dad apparently left when I was just a baby, I never knew the man. Kate’s dad stayed a little longer, but he ended up leaving, too, when Kate was five.” She shrugged. “My mother didn’t have very good taste in men, at least the kind of man who was interested in settling down and having a family.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Sawyer’s tone was full of compassion. “I can relate to not having a great family life.”
“Really?” For some reason that surprised her. Sawyer seemed so—put together and confident. Not that it was fair to look at him through a stereotypical lens. “I’m Kate’s legal guardian because she’s only sixteen. A fact she doesn’t appreciate, to be honest.” She drew in a deep breath. “Still, I’m worried sick something awful has happened to her.”
“There’s a runaway here in town, Louisa Marchese, who is about the same age as Kate. I’m happy to help as there’s a chance these cases are linked, although I don’t have any jurisdiction in Dalton, Georgia.”
“I know. But if Kate is still here in Chattanooga, then we still have a chance to find her.” Naomi didn’t want to consider the alternative.
“Maybe the Feds need to be involved,” Sawyer mused. “This is potentially a crime being committed across state lines.”
She shrugged. “Whatever you think is best. But you should know the Dalton police didn’t exactly jump on my theory of Kate being kidnapped for sex trafficking. When they learned about our mother dying and me being appointed Kate’s guardian, they immediately went with the theory that she ran away under her own free will.”
Sawyer’s jaw clenched. “
Shouldn’t matter why she’s missing, at sixteen, she’s a minor and vulnerable. Lots of runaways end up getting caught up and forced into sex trafficking.”
“I know.” She was humbled by Sawyer’s outrage on her behalf. “I never imagined something like this could happen to me and Kate.”
“I understand.” Sawyer reached out to lightly touch her hand, then went to refill their coffee mugs. “I’ll make breakfast, although I only have eggs and oatmeal to offer.”
She wasn’t very hungry but understood that Sawyer needed to eat. “Works for me.”
Sawyer smiled and turned to pull out what he needed. Naomi swallowed hard, annoyed with herself for feeling a rush of attraction.
What in the world was wrong with her? How could she think about how handsome Sawyer was while Kate was being held by sex traffickers?
Sawyer was a means to an end. A nice guy and a local cop who’d agreed to help her. She thought about Louisa Marchese, the missing girl he’d mentioned. Were the two girls together? Naomi thought it unlikely, yet two missing girls about the same age within forty-five miles seemed too much of a coincidence too.
“Did Kate talk about having a boyfriend?” Sawyer glanced at her over his shoulder as he cracked eggs into a sizzling frypan.
“No, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t have one.” She grimaced. “Things have been tense between us in the past few months. Kate was fine with living with me after Mom died, until I was granted custody as her guardian. Suddenly she decided she didn’t like me telling her what to do, where to go, who to see.” She shook her head. “I guess being her big sister was fine, but being her surrogate mother was out of the question.”
“I can imagine how hard that was for you both.” Sawyer turned his attention back to the stove. “But really, Kate was lucky to have you, Naomi.”
“Thanks.” Ridiculous tears welled in her eyes. Sawyer was so kind, it made her think about how Tony Baldwin had gotten mad because she wouldn’t sleep with him. Squaring her shoulders, she swiped the tears away.
She was through with men. At least for the next couple of years, until she was able to get Kate safely through college.
Her stomach clenched. First, she had to find Kate.
Surprisingly, by the time Sawyer set down a plate of scrambled eggs and a bowl of oatmeal beside her, her stomach was rumbling with hunger. Naomi closed her eyes for a moment and once again silently thanked God for sending Sawyer to her rescue and for the food He’d given her. This time, when she opened her eyes, she found Sawyer looking at her strangely.
She flushed. “Something wrong?”
“No.” He hesitated, then added, “I guess you believe in God.”
“Yes.” She eyed him thoughtfully. “I take it you don’t?”
He shrugged and avoided her gaze. “No. I mean, there’s so many bad things going on in the world. Hard to imagine why God would allow that to happen.”
“My faith has been shaken by Kate’s disappearance too,” she admitted. She sampled the scrambled eggs. “But whenever I pray, even during times that seem hopeless, I feel God’s presence watching over me.”
“Maybe because you’re innocent in all this,” Sawyer said. “Not all of us are.”
That seemed an odd statement for him to make, especially as he was a cop. “None of us are innocent, Sawyer. That’s why God sent Jesus to die for our sins.”
He was silent for a long moment. “Some are less innocent than others.”
Was he talking about the sex traffickers? She could understand how difficult it was to believe in God’s grace in a world where men preyed on innocent young girls.
“That’s true.” She thought it might be best to change the subject. “This is great, thank you. I guess I was hungry after all.”
“You’re welcome.” He dug into his own meal, but with slightly less enthusiasm. She felt bad for poking at a sore subject, especially after the way he’d kindly brought her into his home.
“You really think a sketch artist can help?”
He nodded. “They’re not perfect, but it’s a place to start. And helps us get something out to the other officers on patrol so they can keep their eyes open.”
“I’m game to try,” she hastened to reassure him. “I didn’t get a very good look at the driver, but leering guy was sitting right next to me.”
“Leering guy?”
“Well, he didn’t introduce himself,” she said a bit defensively. “And he leered at me the entire time.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through that.” Sawyer’s tone was gentle.
“It could have been worse.” Way worse. She forced a smile. “I’m blessed that you came driving by when you did. Otherwise, I was hoping to flag down a semitruck.”
“I’m glad I was there to help.” Sawyer finished his eggs and started on his oatmeal.
They ate in silence for several minutes. When she was finished, she took her plate and bowl to the sink. “More coffee?”
“Thanks,” Sawyer said with a nod.
She filled his cup, then filled the sink with soapy water. He’d provided the food and cooked for her, the least she could do was wash the dishes.
“You don’t have to do that,” he protested.
“I insist.” She reached over his shoulder to take his dirty plate. “I’m sure you need to shower and change.”
He finished his oatmeal and handed her the bowl. “I think we should stop and get you a few items as well.”
It was overwhelming to think about how she’d need to get a new driver’s license, report her credit and debit cards as stolen, not to mention find out where her car was. Having no cash, cards, or even an ID was a very difficult position to be in.
“I have money in my bank account back home.” Not a lot, she thought, thrusting her hands into the soapy water, but hopefully enough. “As I said last night, I’ll pay you back.”
“I’m not worried about that,” Sawyer said firmly. “All that matters is that you’re safe and that we try to find these guys who kidnapped you.”
“I hope we can find them.” She continued washing dishes as Sawyer left to use the bathroom.
In her mind’s eye, she brought up the image of leering man. She had a very clear image of him but wasn’t convinced she’d be able to tell the sketch artist enough to create a decent likeness of the guy.
She’d finished the dishes and was sitting at the table waiting when Sawyer emerged from the hallway. He looked incredibly handsome in his uniform. With her tangled hair, and wearing his oversized T-shirt, she felt like a bum in comparison.
“Bathroom is all yours.”
She nodded and slipped past him. It didn’t take her long to wash up at the sink. As much as she longed for a shower, without a brush or a comb, her hair would come out looking far worse than it did now.
Besides, it didn’t matter what she looked like. The most important thing was to find leering man and his driving buddy.
Sawyer had her sit in the front seat of the squad again, which she was grateful for. Being in the back, behind the cage, would have made her feel like a criminal.
She peered closely at the side of the road, searching for the area she’d sensed the kidnappers were taking her. “There!”
Her shout had Sawyer stepping on the brake, bringing them to a stop. He threw the gearshift into reverse and backed up a bit. “That dirt road?” he asked.
“Yes.” Her heart pounded as she realized she’d actually remembered it. “Leering guy told the driver to keep an eye out for the road. We never made it onto the road because I escaped from the car as he was slowing down to take the turn.”
“Let’s see where it goes.” Sawyer’s tone was grim as he turned onto the dirt road. Calling it a dirt road was being kind; it was more like a rutted track. The squad bounced up and down as Sawyer eased forward.
The track road ended abruptly. She stared, realizing there was no cabin or any other structure there. Just woods.
“I don’t understand,” she said in a
low voice.
“It’s like the road goes nowhere,” Sawyer agreed. He glanced at her. “It’s a good thing you escaped, Naomi.”
“Yes.” A wave of dizziness hit as she realized how close she’d come to dying. She shook it off with an effort. “It makes me wonder, though, how those guys knew about this dirt road that basically goes nowhere.”
“That’s a very good question.” Sawyer stared at their surroundings for a moment before throwing the gearshift in reverse again in order to head back to the highway. “We may have to come back later to check the perimeter more closely, see if there’s a walking path somewhere nearby.”
She reached out to grasp his arm. “Wait, Sawyer, maybe we should do that now?”
“No, I need to do that with other officers, not a civilian. Besides, I really need you to work with the sketch artist.”
She bristled at being called a civilian. As Kate’s sister, she had a right to search for her. Yet she decided not to argue. As Sawyer drove into Chattanooga, she sent up another silent prayer asking God to watch over Kate.
Sawyer couldn’t deny being intrigued by the dirt road that led nowhere. From what he could tell, there wasn’t a walking path nearby, but he itched to hike the surrounding area just to be sure.
Something he would have done if not for having Naomi in the squad beside him. He couldn’t bring himself to place her in more danger. Not to mention, he needed to arrange for backup. And if he found something, he’d have to let Detective Turner, the guy assigned to Louisa’s case, know about it too.
The hour was still early, barely 6:00 a.m., by the time they walked into the Chattanooga police station. The place was never empty, some of the cops working graveyard were making their way in from patrol. A couple eyed Naomi curiously.
“Please have a seat.” He pulled out a chair beside his cubicle desk. “It may take a while for me to get the sketch artist in. And I don’t think Detective Turner is in yet either.”
“It’s okay, I can wait.” She glanced around, obviously curious. He remembered her saying she’d been a gymnast and imagined she may not have ever been inside a police station before.