Midnight Sun (92 page)

“
She
’
s
legit,
”
he
called
to
the
others.
They
all
lowered
their
weapons
,
but
did
not
holster
them
as
they
moved
forward.

“
What
happened
here?
”
asked
a
sergeant.

“
Two
dead
men
inside,
”
she
said.
“
The
woman
is
pregnant
—she’s
a
state
trooper.
I
think
they
were
kidnapping
her.
”

A
paramedic
rushed
forward.
Another
paramedic
joined
him
moments
later.
They
pulled
the
dead
man
off
Lonnie
,
and
after
a
quick
inspection
,
helped
her
to
her
feet.

“
What's
your
name
,
ma'am?
”
one
asked.
“
Do
you
know
where
you
are?
”

“
Yes
.
I'm
Lieutenant
Lonnie
Johnson,
State
Trooper.
I
think
I'm
okay
.
”

“
Can
you
walk
,
Lieutenant?
”
One
of
the
paramedics
checked
the
cut
on
her
neck.
A
sheet
of
sticky
blood
covered
her
skin
and
soaked
into
her
collar.

“
Yes,
”
she
said,
“
I
can
walk.
”

They
got
her
out
of
the
van
and
led
her
toward
the
ambulance.
Another
medic
rushed
toward
them
with
the
gurney.
After
they
took
several
steps
,
she
turned
to
look
back
at
the
white
van
and
froze
as
she
processed
the
image
of
what
she
saw
against
the
memories
of
what
had
happened.
The
knife
sticking
out
of
the
driver’s
mouth.
The
blue
van.
The
speed.
The
brutality.

Lonnie
looked
toward
Hilde.
The
FBI
agent
moved
near
and
put
her
arm
around
her.
Lonnie
glanced
back.
Tears
filled
her
eyes.

"Call
Marcus."

Chapter
20

Farrah’s Rented House

Goldenview Drive

3:08
p.m.

Kharzai
got
out
of
the
van
and
was met by Deano as he approached the
back door to the garage
. He reached down and scratched the dog behind his ears, a treat for which the animal was clearly thankful. He waved the dog away and
casually
entered
the
house
through
the breezeway.
He
turned
in
to
the
small
bathroom
off
the
hallway
and
washed
the
dried
blood
from
his
left
hand.
He
muttered
angrily
to
himself
as
he
washed.

"Ugh.
That
guy
’
s
mouth
was
entirely
too
big,
nearly
swallowed
my
hand
.” He
shook
his
head.
"I
hate
to
think
what
kind
of
germs
a
pig
like
that
carried
around."

The
front
door
of
the
house
opened
with
a
slight
creak.
Footsteps
sounded
on
the
foyer
tiles.
Kharzai
dried
his
hands
and
walked
out
of
the
bathroom.
Spots
of
dried
blood
fanned
up
from
the
end
of
his
shirt
sleeve.
The
cousin
s
were
taking
off
their
shoes
and
socks
in
the
foyer.
Kharzai
was
always
amused
at
how
they
both
preferred
bare
feet
when
inside,
shunning
any kind of foot covering
like
a
couple
of
hillbillies.
Leka
turned
to
him
and
scrunched
his
face
at
the
sight
of
the
blood
stains
on
Kharzai
’
s
sleeves.