Deadly Dozen: 12 Mysteries/Thrillers (128 page)

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Cade and I were on our way back to the hotel so he could drop me off. The shock of what I’d just seen weighed on my mind. What the Kents had done was unforgivable, but I still felt a sense of sadness over the children they lost and the way their life had come to an end.

Several new theories crossed my mind. It was my opinion that Regina had sent the coloring pages to both parents over the guilt she felt about stealing another person’s child. She probably didn’t understand the impact of her actions. If she had, I was sure she would not have done it.

The kidnapper most likely had certain “rules” he expected the Kents to follow. One of those rules would have been having no contact with the former family. When Regina sent the coloring page to the Hathaways and the news of it leaked to the paper, it alerted the kidnapper that their agreement had been broken. Without knowing it, Regina had put a target on their heads.

I also wondered about the kidnapping itself—whether the Kents were in on it together when Olivia was taken, or if Bradley, distraught with his grieving wife, had contacted the kidnapper the first time himself. But I suppose none of that mattered now.

As soon as Cade backed out of the Kents driveway, he called the double homicide in, saying he’d received an anonymous call from someone who alleged they knew where the girls were. The chief was suspicious, asking several questions, but Cade stood his ground, and he was convincing enough for the chief to take him seriously.

After thinking it over, Cade decided it would be best if the feds arrived at the home thinking they were first on scene, having no idea we’d ever been there at all. Cade offered to drive up to the house, but the federal agent in charge got on the line, thanked him, and said, “We’ll take it from here.”

Of course they would. We intended to do the same.

Cade and I did our best to leave everything the way we found it, the bodies included. Not much time had passed since we’d arrived there, which I felt good about. Neither of us wanted to do anything to hurt the investigation. Within the hour, agents would be picking apart the place, piece by piece. I was anxious to know whether they’d discover what I had.

“The fact the girls weren’t there is a good sign,” I said. “Maybe they’re still alive.”

“Let’s hope so,” Cade replied.

“I think whoever took Olivia and Savannah found out about the page that was mailed to Olivia’s parents and probably saw it as some kind of violation of their agreement.”

Cade shook his head.

“I know you believe the Kents paid someone to take Olivia and Savannah, but we still don’t know for sure.”

“I think we do.” I opened my bag and pulled out the pages I copied. “I found a book hidden inside the fabric of a chair in Bradley Kent’s office. It contains the names of several girls along with their ages and prices.”

“And what are those?” he said pointing to the papers in my hand.

“Copies. I put the book back where I found it when I was done.”

“Names and basic information—that all?”

I shook my head.

“There’s one more thing—a phone number. I found it on the last page. It’s written in pencil, and on the light side, but I can still make the numbers out.”

Cade swerved off the road, jerking the truck to a stop.

“What are you doing?” I said.

He held his hand out. “Let’s try it, see what happens.”

“The number?”

“Why not? Who knows how long those girls have before somethin’ happens to them—that’s if they’re even still alive.”

I handed him the copied page. He glanced at it and then dialed. Once it started ringing, he put the call on speaker. The phone rang four times, then it clicked, and the line was quiet. A few seconds later, the call disconnected.

“It sounded like someone answered the call and hung it up,” I said.

“Then let’s try it again, so he’ll know we’re serious.”

This time it rang twice, and the same thing happened. Cade dialed a third time. It rang once and the line was silent, but the phone stayed connected.

“Hello” Cade said. “Is anyone there?”

“Who’s this?”

The voice on the other end was a man’s. It was raspy, like a life-long chain smoker who was now paying the price.

“I’m calling to inquire about your services,” Cade said.

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not. I have a proposition for you.”

“Cut the shit—who are you and how’d you get my number?”

“Who are you?” Cade said.

There was no response.

“I’m interested in two little girls,” Cade said. “Blond hair, ages four and eight. Can you accommodate me?”

The man remained quiet.

“Just tell me when, and where, and how much,” Cade said.

I wanted to grab the phone and scream into it, let the guy on the other end know how I felt about how he made his living. Remaining quiet required an amount of patience I lacked, but I didn’t have a choice—I couldn’t compromise the children.

“You still there?” Cade said. “Are you considering my offer?”

The phone disconnected, and the next several times Cade called back, it just kept on ringing.

“He’s shut his phone off,” I said. “Probably tossing it right now.”

“Maybe.”

Cade made a call to the department, asking someone to run the number for him. He was put on hold, and a few minutes later, the person returned to the line. They said something, and he asked them to look into it. Then he ended the call.”

“Anything?” I said.

“I got a name.”

“What is it?”

“Jack Sparrow.”

“As in Captain Jack Sparrow?” I said.

“I’m guessin’ so. And I’ll bet there’s no way to link it back to an actual person.”

I looked at him. “Try the number one more time.”

He called one last time. “Now I’m getting an out-of-service message.”

“Thought so,” I said.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

If the man on the other end of the line did have Olivia and Savannah, and they were alive, I wasn’t sure they’d stay that way for long. He was in the business of pickup and delivery, not parenting. He’d already proven he had no problem killing old ladies and adults, and he may have spared the children for now, but for how long?

Several hours had passed without me hearing from Cade. I thought about trying his number, but I wasn’t sure what happened after he’d dropped me off and went to the station. With the feds in town, I had no way of knowing how everything would play out.

I remembered the business card Cade’s father had given me and decided I’d try him instead. I took it out of my wallet and made the call, but the phone was answered by a woman.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I believe I have the wrong number.”

“Who are you trying to reach?”

Her voice was low and quiet, making it difficult for me to understand what she was saying.

“Detective McCoy,” I said.

“This is his phone. Who’s calling?”

“Sloane Monroe.”

“You’re my son’s friend,” she said, “aren’t you?”

“I am.”

“It seems I’m always out running errands when you stop by.”

“I was looking for Cade. I thought your husband might know if he is still at the station or not.”

“He’s here,” she said. “Would you like to speak with him?”

“Are you all at home?”

There was a pause and then she said, “No, dear. We’re at the hospital.”

Over the next several minutes I had an inner debate with myself, trying to decide whether it would be appropriate for me to show up at the hospital offering my support. I’d gotten to know Cade and his father to a degree, but it was a small one, and I wasn’t family. Maybe he hadn’t contacted me because, right now, he didn’t want me around.

Still, we’d become friends over the past several days, and I never did very well sitting idly by while a friend was in need. I picked my jacket off the edge of the sofa and walked out the door.

The first person I saw when I entered the hospital was Shelby, Cade’s daughter. She took one look at me and her face turned fifty shades of pissed-off teenager. I thought about avoiding her, but to my surprise, she got out of the chair and walked over to me.

“I’m not trying to cause any problems by being here,” I said.

Shelby crossed her arms in front of her. “Yeah, whatever.” She half-pointed to a side room. “My dad’s in there.”

“Are you okay?”

She looked at me like I was crazy.

“Why? Are you going to do something for me if I’m not?”

She was hurting. Now was the time to keep my mouth shut. I smiled and walked away.

Cade was inside the hospital room with his mother. They were holding hands as she dabbed her nose and eyes with a tissue. At that point, I didn’t even know if Detective McCoy was still alive. But I didn’t feel right about being there. I backed out, hoping no one would notice I was ever there.

I passed by Shelby on my way out and waved, trying to smile. She held the back of her hand out like she was going to flip me off, but instead made a gesture like she just wanted me to go away—fast. I walked out the door feeling like an idiot for meddling in someone else’s private business. The inner dialogue of self-criticism continued while I walked until I realized someone had been calling my name.

I pivoted on my heeled shoe. Cade was standing in front of me, out of breath. He didn’t say anything. He just wrapped his arms around me, pulling me tight. I wasn’t sure how long we stood there, neither of us speaking, just me supporting him with a friendly embrace. Maybe I was needed after all.

When Cade released me, I resisted the temptation of asking the question, and instead waited for him to speak.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he said. “I was going to call you, but—”

“You don’t need to concern yourself with me right now.”

“My dad, he’s not making any sense. One minute he’s talking to me about things that happened when he was a child, and he has a perfect recollection of past events. The next minute, he looks at me like he doesn’t know who I am. He called me Joey. I don’t even know a Joey. None of us does. I knew it was going to get bad and, they’d prepped us for it, but I never expected this.”

He was still alive.

I knew it would be hard for me to look Cade in the eye; it always was in a situation like this, but I had to. His eyes were pale and wet, but I knew he wouldn’t cry. He was strong—too strong to let his emotions show right now. They would come later, when the dam finally broke, allowing his pent-up feelings to come flowing out.

“How long has it been since your father has eaten anything?” I said. “He looked so thin when I stopped by last.”

“Two—three days. I’m not sure. He lost his appetite. My mom’s tried everything; he’s not interested.”

“Maybe eating makes him feel sick,” I said.

Cade’s mother stepped into the parking lot and looked at him. “He’s asking for you,” she said.

“I’d better go,” I said, “but you can call me anytime you need to. I mean it.”

Cade’s mom shook her head. “Please don’t go. He wants to speak to you both—together.”

I didn’t think it was for the best, but there was no way I could turn her down, or him. We walked together to his room, my apprehension growing with every step. I’d never cared much for hospitals, but then, who did?

Detective McCoy mustered a smile when we walked in. He looked pleased to see both of us. I hoped the conversation we were about to have was one of his more coherent ones.

“Come in, come in,” he said, motioning both of us over to the bed.

We did what he asked, standing next to the bed, and awaiting his next statement.

“Chief Rollins tells me they found the people who took Savannah,” he said, his voice surprisingly strong.

“And Olivia, the other missing girl from Sublette County. Neither one of the children were there when the feds searched the house, but they found photographic evidence that both girls had been living there, among other things.”

Cade and I looked at each other. I tried to act surprised.

“The chief said they lifted a lot of usable prints which he’s running now.”

“I thought the feds didn’t want us involved?” Cade said.