by C. M. Sutter
“We’ll find that out as soon as we go out back.”
They stared at the recently renovated kitchen. Lutz raked his hair. “Jesse was so proud of how this room turned out. Those marble countertops were as expensive as hell, he’d said, and now they’re pulverized along with the cabinets.”
“Even the refrigerator and stove are smashed in,” Jarvis added.
Frank knelt at the sledgehammer he saw lying on the floor. “Looks like we found the tool used to do the damage.”
The living room was destroyed, and it was obvious that the sledgehammer had done what it was intended to do—demolish everything in sight.
“Oh, hell no.” Frank punched the wall, leaving a hole where his fist had been.
Lutz craned his head around the breakfast bar. “What is it?”
On the floor next to the fireplace lay the family portrait that had been taken when Jesse and Jenna were just teenagers. Their parents, one on each side of them, beamed with pride. The canvas had been badly damaged.
As they cleared each room, they saw that none had been spared. Every room was a total loss.
“Jesse is already going through who knows what kind of hell, and now this?”
“Let’s just get him home,” Frank said.
“Jarvis, find out how long Jesse’s house was patrolled. I want exact times. C’mon, Mills. Let’s take a look at that security system.”
Lutz and Frank exited the house through the sliders and rounded the side yard, where they found a knocked-over deck chair lying just below the hard-wired security system.
Frank pointed at the brain box that had been screwed to the outer wall. It dangled by three cut wires. “Guess that’s how the perp got in without setting off the alarms.”
Lutz furrowed his brows. “But none of the doors or windows had been tampered with. That means he used Jesse’s keys.”
“And likely why the car alarm didn’t go off either,” Frank said.
Jarvis met up with them minutes later. “Forensics is on their way, and according to the call you made, Patrol was on site from eight thirty Saturday night until four o’clock yesterday afternoon.”
“Who called them off?”
Jarvis shrugged. “Not sure, sir, but they ran two shifts here without any signs of suspicious activity in the neighborhood.”
Lutz fumed. “We could have caught the perp, or at the very least, prevented him from breaking into Jesse’s house if there had been a police presence outside.”
Frank jangled the change in his pockets. “So, the perp trashed the house either before the cops arrived Saturday night or after four o’clock yesterday. Jesse went missing at dusk on Saturday, and he obviously had his keys with him. That means the perp couldn’t have gotten back here from Giant City in time to trash Jesse’s house Saturday night before the cops showed up.”
“Okay, then what about Sunday?” Lutz asked.
“Leon Stanley was already in police custody then, and Henry and Shawn interviewed both his brother and sister yesterday just outside Decatur.”
Lutz kicked the chair—frustration was getting the best of him. “Then none of this mess has anything to do with Leon other than the attempted murder charges he’s facing.”
“That’s how it looks, Boss. Like I said before, the only person it could be is Josh Stevens.”
“I’ve got to wrap my head around the timeline to know if that’s even possible. If it was him and he acted alone, there’s no logical reason he’d risk coming back here, especially if he has Jesse and he’s still alive. Josh has to know by now that we found his uncle and law enforcement is looking for him.”
Frank snickered. “Since when do criminals act logically? You have that updated picture of Josh, don’t you?”
“Yep, on my phone.”
“Let’s show it to Hanna and see if he’s someone she noticed anywhere on their way to Giant City or once they got there. If nothing else, there’s always the chance that Forensics can lift some prints. We’re back on our own turf and can have the crime lab compare the prints against the set stored in Josh’s prison file.”
Chapter 37
“Frank, I want you to take Bandit over to Dean’s place and ask if he noticed or heard any disturbances around Jesse’s house during the weekend. He’s going to wonder why you have Bandit, and he’ll ask questions. Gloss over as much as you can. We don’t want people to panic, especially Jesse’s neighbors. Let him know that Hanna is with us and she’s fine. I’ll show her Josh’s photo while you’re doing that.”
Lutz watched as Frank cut across the yard with Bandit in tow. He continued on once Frank disappeared from sight, then he crossed the street to the squad car. Lutz opened the back door and slid in next to Hanna.
“Conway, call the precinct and have somebody bring me a cruiser. They can go back with my own car and leave it in the lot.”
“Yes, sir.”
Hanna gave the commander a questioning look. “Is everything okay inside the house?”
Lutz rubbed his brows as he stared at his lap. “No, I can’t say that it is. Hanna, Jesse’s house is destroyed. You saw how bad the car looked, and the house mirrors that same kind of damage.”
“Oh my God.” Hanna began to cry. “I don’t know how much of this I can take. I really need to be with my mom right now.”
“Okay, and we’ll make that happen, but you can’t tell her much. Remaining quiet and keeping a low profile is best for everyone’s safety. Right now, I want you to take a few calming breaths. I have a picture to show you, and I need you to think really hard about it.”
She wiped her eyes and said she’d do her best.
“Good.” Lutz pulled his phone from his shirt pocket and swiped the gallery to the picture of Josh that the prison provided him. He turned the phone toward Hanna. “This is the man who was recently released from prison—Josh Stevens. He removed his ankle bracelet and then killed his uncle—the man who vouched for him and gave Josh a place to live. What I need you to do, Hanna, is look at that photo very carefully and tell me if you saw him anywhere during your drive to Giant City or after you arrived there.”
“May I?”
Lutz passed the phone to her and watched as she studied the photo.
“Is this picture recent?”
“Yep, just a week old and taken on the day he was released.”
She stared at it, enlarged it, then shook her head. “I can’t say I recognize him. Jesse and I were so happy to be on vacation, I didn’t give anyone else a second look. We were in the moment and focusing on each other, Bandit, and our trip.”
Lutz gave her a nod. “I understand. Unless somebody does something that attracts attention to themselves, there’s no reason to notice or remember people you pass in everyday life.”
“Sorry, Commander.”
“No worries. Just thought it was worth a try.”
Frank crossed the street and stood next to Lutz’s open window. “Dean didn’t see or hear anything suspicious. He also said he’d keep Bandit for as long as necessary, and we shouldn’t worry about that. I told him the forensics van would be here soon so he shouldn’t be alarmed if he sees it but to keep the information I shared with him to himself. We can’t have anything interfere with our investigation.”
“What exactly can I tell my mom? She’s going to wonder why I’m back but Jesse isn’t, and she and Dean talk on the phone a lot.”
“Keep whatever you say to a minimum,” Lutz said. “You can say Jesse went missing and that’s all you know, which actually is the truth.”
“Okay, I’ll share just enough to satisfy her.”
Frank looked to his left, and the forensics van was coming up the street. “Looks like the boys have arrived.”
Lutz climbed out of the squad car and looked in before closing the door. “Stay safe, Hanna, and I’ll be in touch.” He turned to Frank. “Grab her bags off the driveway and bring them here.” Once the bags were loaded in the trunk, Lutz closed the door and told Conway to take Hanna to he
r mother’s house. “Come back here afterward. You and Jarvis can tape off the perimeter, search the yard, and then walk the neighborhood and look for security cameras too.” He pointed at Hanna in the back seat. “Remember, stay safe.”
“Thank you for everything, sir.”
“You got it.”
After returning to the house, Lutz called Frank over. “Let’s get that canoe off the driveway and set it on the lawn for now.” With that done, Lutz moved his car onto the street so the forensics van could enter the driveway.
Mike backed in close to the overhead garage door and killed the engine. He and Danny exited the van, went to the double doors at the rear of the vehicle, and opened them.
“What have we got, Commander?” Mike asked.
“A mess, and a hell of a lot of fingerprints, I hope.”
Chapter 38
“This is it.” Hanna pointed at the story-and-a-half Cape Cod on the left.
Conway pulled to the curb, shut off the car, and got out. After popping the trunk, he carried Hanna’s bags to the porch and set them on the bench under the bay window.
“Thank you, Officer Conway. I appreciate the ride and the help.”
“Should I wait to make sure your mom is home?”
“I guess so since I don’t have house keys or a phone anymore. Let me ring the bell. She should be here.”
It took only a second for the blinds to part and the door to open. Hanna’s mom stood at the threshold and looked bewildered.
“What on earth?”
“I’ll explain everything inside, Mom.” Hanna turned to Conway. “Thanks again.”
Lee closed the door behind her daughter. “Why are you here, honey, and why did an officer drop you off? Where’s Jesse?”
“Can I sit down first? A glass of wine would be really nice.”
“Sure. Let’s sit at the breakfast bar, and you can tell me what’s going on.”
Hanna placed her bags on the bed in the guestroom then followed her mom to the kitchen. She dropped down on a barstool and let out an exhausted sigh.
After pouring two glasses of Cabernet, Lee took a seat next to Hanna. “Now, can you please explain why you’re here? I’ve called you at least five times since you left, but it always went to voicemail. I was expecting to see a dozen vacation pictures by now, and you aren’t supposed to be back until next weekend.”
Hanna took a sip of wine and her voice cracked as she began the only explanation she had.
“Mom, Jesse went missing on Saturday around dusk, and we haven’t found him yet. I can’t go into details because I don’t have any. He was there, and then he wasn’t. The park we were at was thoroughly searched, even with K-9 dogs, and the police came up empty.”
“But how is that possible? You two were together all the time, weren’t you?”
“Jesse left to get my phone from our tent. He said he’d only be gone for ten minutes, but he never came back.”
Lee shook her head as if to clear the confusion. “So, where were you?”
“I was trying to help a woman at a different campsite who was injured. We needed my phone to call 911. I know this explanation doesn’t make sense, but the police don’t want me saying more than necessary. Finding Jesse is their top priority, and the more I say, the more things can leak out. The only thing I can share with you is that Jesse is missing and the police department is doing everything they can to find him.”
“But I’m your mother.”
Hanna’s eyes welled up. “Yes, you are, but Jesse is the man I love, and I have to go along with whatever the police advise.”
“Okay, then I’ll trust that and stop asking questions.”
“Thanks, Mom. I do have a request, though.”
Lee set the wineglasses in the sink. “Anything you want, honey.”
“I need to borrow your car.”
“Is that why the officer dropped you off? Did Jesse disappear with your Explorer?”
“He did, but like I said, the police are doing everything they can to find him and my SUV. I have to be strong and believe they’ll do what it takes to track him down.” Hanna hugged her mom and gave her a brave nod. “Everything will work out in the end. I know it will.”
“I’ll loan you my car if you drop me off at Lorraine’s house. I promised to help with her garden planting this afternoon”—Lee checked the time—“and it’s already after three.”
Hanna agreed without hesitation. “I’ll stop at the mall, get a new phone, and call you later so you’ll have the number. I need to give it to Commander Lutz, too, since he promised to keep me informed on their progress in finding Jesse.”
They reached Lorraine’s house shortly after three thirty, and Hanna said she would call as soon as she activated the new phone.
“Remember, Mom, no mention of anything going on with the police investigation.”
Lee stepped out and closed the door. She dipped her head into the open passenger-side window. “I won’t say a word. I’ll probably be here until seven or eight, but I’ll let you know when you call.”
“Sounds good. Love you, Mom.”
“And I love you too.”
Hanna waited until Lorraine came to the door before driving away. She waved then continued down the street. The mall was the closest shopping center that had a phone store, and Hanna wanted to buy the exact model she’d previously had.
She arrived at the mall at four o’clock and, after entering, made a quick stop at a coffee kiosk first. She needed something to help her stay awake, especially after drinking that glass of wine. She hadn’t had much sleep since Jesse went missing.
With the coffee in hand, Hanna headed in the direction of the phone store. She smiled when she thought back to a year earlier. Jesse had offered to show her some of Chicago’s hotspots, and that included the mall.
He used whatever gimmick he could think of for us to spend time together. What I’d give right now to hit rewind and have those precious moments back.
Hanna dabbed at the tears that ran down her cheeks then realized she was almost at her destination. She needed to compose herself before going inside, or she would never be able to speak coherently to a salesperson.
After finishing the coffee and tossing the cup, Hanna entered the store. With a brave face, she told the clerk she’d lost her phone and needed a new one.
Buying a phone was a time-consuming process she wished she could avoid, especially considering the mindset she was in, but a phone was necessary so she could stay in touch with the commander. She listened politely to the sales pitch then told the man, whose name tag read Barry, that she wanted to purchase the exact model of phone she had lost.
“Can I keep the same number?”
“Has the old phone been deactivated?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, the only way to keep that number is by deactivating the original phone the number was issued to. If it was stolen, you wouldn’t want the usage to be charged to your number, would you?”
“No, I wouldn’t.” Hanna wasn’t sure what to do, but she had to make a decision. Deactivating the original phone meant it couldn’t be tracked, but the likelihood of the abductor turning it on was slim, anyway. “Okay, let’s cancel the old one.”
“Sure, it’ll only take a few minutes. I can actually transfer everything to your new phone remotely.”
“Oh, thank you. That’s such a relief.”
“No problem. I have your account pulled up, so now I just need your PIN.”
Hanna gave it to him, and by five thirty, she was on her way with the new phone plugged into the car charger. She was headed in the direction of Lee’s house when she realized she was only five blocks from home.
Making a quick pit stop can’t be that dangerous, can it? I only need a few changes of clothes, my bathrobe, and my vitamins, and it isn’t like I’m being followed.
With her decision made, Hanna turned around. She would spend just a couple of minutes at home, and nobody would be the wiser.
Chapter 39
Josh had left fifteen minutes earlier after saying something about Hanna’s phone not working. He must have believed me when I told him that nobody was tracking it, anyway, yet I didn’t know for certain that she ever put that tracking app on her phone like I’d suggested.
I’d stretched the tape slightly while he was doing his best to find Hanna’s computer password. I assumed he didn’t have any luck, but all I knew for sure was that in his absence, I would have more time to work on my escape. Josh had covered my mouth with tape after gagging me with one of my own socks, so there was no way I could call out for help. Even if I tried, the pain in my ribs when sucking in a deep breath was more painful than I’d imagined.
I had no idea of the time, but when I looked toward the living room windows, I could tell it was brighter on that side of the house, which faced south.
It has to be late in the afternoon. The sun will be coming around the house before long, and then it’ll set on my right, where the bedroom windows are. That means I’ve been gone for two solid days, and still, nobody has a clue where I’m at. I hope Hanna and Bandit are okay, wherever they are, and I wonder if she thought to call Lutz.
I worked as fast as I could and began to make progress. Not knowing where Josh went or when he’d be back worried me. If he caught me trying to free myself again, I was sure that effort might very well be my last.
A sound caught my attention and caused me to stop what I was doing. My heart pounded double-time—I hadn’t gotten far enough with the tape to do any good. I was sure Josh was back, which was bad for me, but the noise I’d heard didn’t come from the front door.
That sounds like the overhead going up, but Josh doesn’t know the code. He only has the keys to the front door. What the hell is going on?
Chapter 40
She had checked the rearview mirror before turning down her street. Not a car was in sight. Hanna was sure she hadn’t been followed, and her few minutes at home would definitely go unnoticed. She was safe, and she had promised the commander she would stay that way.