#1-3--The O’Connells

by Lorhainne Eckhart

She whimpered. “No, he’s not my dad. This isn’t my home. I don’t know where I am. It’s big and woody.”

  He silently willed Charlotte to hurry up and for Tulli to do something. “Okay, I just need you to calm down, Eva. I’m going to come and get you, and I’m going to help you. We’re looking for you right now. Can you tell me whose phone you’re calling me from?”

  “It was in his pocket,” she said. “He put it on the table. Will I get in trouble for taking it?”

  He shut his eyes, wishing he were right there to reassure her. “No, you did the right thing. You are not in trouble. That was really good thinking on your part, calling me, calling for help. Tell me where you are in the house.”

  “I’m hiding in a back room where there’s a bunch of old stuff, but there’s just trees outside. It’s dark, and I don’t remember. I don’t know where I am…”

  “That’s fine, don’t worry. I just need you to tell me anything. Do you see any houses around you? You said there’s trees. How about a car or truck? Do you hear sounds outside, maybe of cars? Is it close to a road?”

  It was her breathing that bothered him, the fact that it was so panicked. She was so damn young, and whoever this guy was, he didn’t want him to figure out that she was on the phone with the police.

  “Come on, Eva, really listen. Close your eyes and tell me what you hear.”

  “There’s creaking,” she said. “I can hear him. He’s talking. I can’t see anything. Do you want me to look out the window?”

  In that second, he realized that moving might put her in danger. “No, don’t move,” he said. “You said you’re in a back room. Is this a bedroom? Are you hiding? Where are you in the house? First things first, I want to make sure you’re safe.”

  “He can’t see me. I’m a hiding in the back of the house where the coats are hanging. There’s a big table and boxes, and it’s dusty. I don’t want him to find me.”

  Okay, it sounded as if she’d found the ideal hiding spot.

  “Is there a window there or a door you can see out of?” He was gunning the engine, driving blind, passing a car on the highway who pulled over as he flicked on his light to get around him.

  “Over there, but there are curtains,” she said. “Do you want me to go over there? I can’t reach. It’s really tall.”

  Likely not a great idea.

  “No, Eva, you just stay where you are, right where you are. You said this is a man. He’s not your dad. Do you know him, or is he a stranger?” Marcus gunned the engine again, wanting Tulli to hurry the fuck up. He was blind on a highway without a clue which way to go, which direction. For all he knew, he could be going the wrong way. He took in the clock on his dash and the minutes that had passed.

  “He’s a bad man. He scares me. Oh no, I can hear him! He’s coming…”

  “No, you stay on the line with me, Eva. Don’t hang up. You stay right where you are.”

  The line went dead.

  “Fuck, shit!” He slapped the steering wheel, willing this kid to be okay, wishing he wasn’t feeling so damn helpless. “Charlotte, tell me you have something, that Tulli has something.”

  “Just give it a second, Marcus. I’ve got Tulli here on the other line…” There was a pause. “He’s got it! I’ve got it. Shit, I’m sending the address to you now. It’s in the middle of nowhere, Marcus.”

  His phone dinged, and he saw the address and knew exactly where that was, likely a cabin. “Okay, I’m on my way. If she calls back, you patch her right through to me.”

  “You got it, Marcus. Listen, you want me to send Colby out?

  He was already shaking his head. “No, the kid’s got to run two idiots home, and I don’t need to worry about babysitting his ass out here. Call Lonnie, give him the address, and tell him to meet me out here—and for God’s sake, Charlotte, if she calls back in, patch her right through.”

  He hung up as he pulled a U-turn right in the middle of the highway, going back the way he had come, gunning it, knowing he didn’t have to tell Charlotte to stay at the office. It was just something she’d do.

  At the same time, he couldn’t shake this sick feeling, all because of a call from a kid. Worse, this was the one thing cops all knew, that dreaded third call. When it came, they knew it wasn’t going to be anything simple. He didn’t have a clue what kind of danger this little girl was in.

  “Damn it! Please let her be okay.”

  Chapter Four

  Marcus flicked off his headlights, taking in the GPS. He was close, but all he could see were trees along the dirt road. To him, this was just another place in the middle of the woods. His cell phone was mounted on the dash, and when it rang again, he tapped the green button to answer. “What do you got, Charlotte?”

  “Tulli is still working on who owns the house. He got the number of the burner, and I’ve sent it to you. Called Lonnie, too, but he’s not answering. Colby called in, said he can come out if you need him to instead of stopping into the station. Or what about the sheriff? May be time to bring him in.”

  He just shook his head, not able to see shit because of how dark it was. “Sheriff’s out for the night. You know that.” He knew he didn’t have to explain more. She’d know. They all did. He was passed out and in no shape to help anyone. Maybe by morning, but morning was a long way off. “Nope, tell Colby to finish up, and get him to pop into the station. I’ll call back if I need him.”

  He’d just as soon not have the kid anywhere out here, where he’d need to worry about him, too. He took in his dash, seeing the cell phone number, which was like gold, but he knew he couldn’t call it no matter what. The ring alone would give Eva away, and he didn’t have a clue what was going on inside the house. He hated being in the dark.

  “Do you want me to try to get Eva on the line?” Charlotte said.

  “And let whoever that dirtbag is hear her? No, absolutely not, but at the same time, if Eva calls, do whatever you can to keep her on the line, to keep that telephone line open…”

  “You know I will, Marcus.” There was just something about her soft voice, how much she cared. He was glad she was the one on the other end of the phone, getting what he needed. As he took in how rural this place was, heavily treed, an awful sick feeling grew in the pit of his stomach. He dialed his cell phone and let it ring.

  “This had better be good,” his brother growled on the second ring.

  “Wouldn’t call otherwise. Listen, I’ve got a problem, and it would really help me to have you out here. I’m tracking down a call out in the middle of nowhere, north of the Calhoun place on River Road. There’s tons of terrain and not much else. You know where I’m talking about? Kind of place where if it can go wrong, it will.”

  He could hear a squeak in the background, likely Ryan climbing from bed. He could hear his partner, Jenny, too. Maybe they had been asleep.

  “Doesn’t sound good,” Ryan said. “Yeah, I know that area well, nothing but trouble and everything else. Where exactly are you, again?”

  Marcus rattled off the address as he pulled over and turned off his engine, taking in how black it was outside. There was just something about this. He wanted to know more about this house and who was there. Worse, he didn’t have any information about the guy Eva was scared of.

  “You have any backup coming?” Ryan asked. Marcus could hear what sounded like clothes being thrown on.

  “Just you. Listen, I’ll watch for you. I’ve parked a ways back so whoever it is can’t see me, so be as quiet as you can, please.”

  “Who do you think you’re talking to?” Ryan said before hanging up.

  Marcus would have laughed at the smartass comment if the situation weren’t so dire. He climbed out of his cruiser, then reached for his cell phone as it rang again. In the dark of night, the crickets in the silence were creepy, making him feel like anything could be lurking in the shadows.

  “What do you have?” was all he said. He had answered on the first ring.

  “Marcus, Eva is on the line again
,” Charlotte said, her voice urgent. “I’ve patched her right through.”

  “Deputy O’Connell, I’m really scared. Are you coming to get me?”

  He wanted to say he’d be right there. “I’m outside now, Eva. Listen, are you still hiding in the back of the house where you told me?”

  “I’m still here, but I’m over behind the boxes now.”

  He wanted to nod, but there was no point, considering she couldn’t see him. “You didn’t tell me who the man is. Is your mom or dad there, or is it just the man? Anyone else?” He needed to know what he was walking into.

  “I can’t hear Mommy anymore. She and Tommy were fighting. She told me to hide, so I ran. I took Tommy’s phone. I’m not supposed to use the phone…”

  “It’s okay, Eva. You can use the phone. You have my permission, and that is the only permission that matters. You hear me? Is your mommy hurt?”

  It was sounding like a domestic disturbance—a boyfriend with a temper? He didn’t know. All kinds of things could go sideways at this point.

  “I don’t know if she is. Can you help my mommy?”

  “Yes, I will help your mom, but you tell me about her. What’s your mommy’s name?”

  “Mommy.”

  He wanted to laugh and would have if the situation weren’t so dire. “I know you call her mommy, but listen to me, Eva. Tell me, what do other people call your mommy, her name? Mine is Marcus, yours is Eva…”

  “Reine, her name is Reine.”

  He flicked on his flashlight and hurried down the dark path, seeing that it was a driveway that led to a couple different places. Which path to take? “Reine…that’s a nice name. What is your last name, Reine and Eva what?”

  Come on, please know your last name. He had to think of what he had known at that age. Of course he had known that he was named Marcus Finnigan O’Connell, and his address, his phone number, his parents’ names. He’d known that Suzanne had been a crying baby, and he had a mother and a father, brothers and sisters, a red bike with a bell that he’d ridden everywhere, and a teacher he believed had never liked him.

  “Colbert,” she said. “My name is Eva Colbert. My mom is Reine Colbert.”

  Great, they were getting somewhere. He knew Charlotte was in the background, picking up on all this, and she would be giving everything to Tulli.

  “This is great, Eva. Just, whatever happens, don’t hang up the phone. If you hear him coming, just stop talking. As long as the phone is on, I can hear what’s going on in the house.”

  “Okay, but you promise you’re coming?” The plea was there in her voice, an innocent child who was looking to him to save her.

  “I’m coming. I’m outside now, but I can’t walk in the house just yet. I need you to be my eyes. Can you do that for me, Eva?”

  “I can do that, but can’t you just come and tell Tommy to let you in?”

  He wished it were that simple. “Not just yet. I need you to be brave for me for just a little bit longer. You just stay hidden and quiet as a mouse, okay? You said his name is Tommy. Is there anyone else in the house other than you and your mommy and Tommy?”

  “No, uh-uh, just Tommy and Mommy. He brought us here. We were cold.”

  “So is Tommy your mommy’s boyfriend?”

  “No, he was helping us. We just met him when we were cold, and he said he knew a place. It was his. He brought us here.”

  As he stepped around a bend in the narrow dirt driveway, thick with brush, Marcus could see a light and hoped this was the right place. He flicked off his flashlight, seeing what looked like a small cabin. He thought there was an old pickup off to the side, and a shed. In the dark, it looked as if the entire place had been there forever.

  “So this is Tommy’s place. What is Tommy’s last name?”

  There was just something about watching the old cabin. He thought the light had to be coming from the main room, but it was darkened by the curtains. He didn’t have a sense of what was going on inside.

  “Just Tommy. I don’t know his last name.”

  “Okay, listen. Does Tommy have any weapons, any guns on him?” For all Marcus knew, he could have an entire arsenal back there, something else he didn’t want to walk into.

  “He had a gun. He held it at Mommy, and she told me to hide. He was angry.”

  An angry man and a gun, not a good combination.

  “Any other guns there? Do you see any others in the house, in the room you’re in, where Tommy is?”

  “I didn’t see any. I don’t know…maybe.”

  Didn’t help, but best to assume he had more than one. That assumption might at least keep him alive. The dumbasses who didn’t assess all the risks were the ones who ended up dead. Just something Bert had drilled into him.

  “Okay, Eva, that’s really good and really helpful. So how did you and your mommy get here with Tommy?”

  “Some stranger gave us a ride, and then we walked from the road. It was a long ways, but Mommy said it would be okay once we got here. But it’s not. My mommy’s scared. I’m scared.”

  “So you don’t know Tommy? Tommy didn’t have a car?” He was trying to piece it all together, a mom and her little girl and some guy who had brought her way out here. None of this sounded good.

  “No, he was a stranger, but he was nice. He brought us a blanket where we were sleeping. He didn’t have a car, but he said he’d find us a ride, and then Mommy said we were leaving. It was cold at night, really cold. We used to live with these nice people, but we had to move, and we met Tommy… Oh, he’s coming! He’s calling me. Deputy O’Connell, he’s coming…” Her voice was high pitched with fear.

  He could hear a man’s deep voice, yelling, calling her name, and he started around the bush to the cabin. Truth time. This was it.

  “Eva, do not hang up! You stay on the phone with me…”

  He heard her scream. The man had found her. He yelled something at her, and Marcus feared the worst.

  “Who the hell is this?” a deep voice barked over the phone.

  Marcus could only hope Eva was okay. “This is Deputy Marcus O’Connell with the Livingston sheriff’s office. Is this Tommy?” He knew authority was in his voice, but everything about this situation was taking a turn he didn’t like.

  “What the hell do you want?” Tommy snapped. He wasn’t sure what else he heard in the background.

  “I’m outside your place right now, Tommy. You have Reine and Eva Colbert inside the house. Is anyone hurt inside?”

  Did he even have the right place? The curtain swayed, so there was his answer. He thought someone looked out, and then the line went dead. He stepped over to the truck, which was closer to the cabin and likely hadn’t been driven in decades, and shoved his cell phone in his pocket. He moved to unholster his gun.

  The front door opened, and a man stepped out, bare chested, with longish dark hair and a pistol in his hand. He held it up and fired in the air. “Get the hell out of here!” he yelled.

  Someone shrieked from inside. At the same time, Marcus spotted headlights and thought he heard his brother’s pickup in the distance.

  “Who the hell is that?” Tommy snapped.

  Marcus held his gun, ready to fire. “Just back up,” he said. “Told you, Tommy, no one wants anyone hurt. Just let the girl go, and her mother, and then we can talk.”

  Instead of saying anything, Tommy looked right his way and lifted the gun. Marcus hit the ground just as he fired two more shots.

  Chapter Five

  His phone was to his ear, and he kissed the dirt. He was pretty sure Tommy had walked back into the cabin and slammed the door. In that second, Marcus felt as if he was holding the fate of everyone in the palm of his hands. He hadn’t fired back when he knew anyone else in his position likely would have.

  Ryan answered on the first ring. “What the fuck was that, Marcus? Is he shooting at you?”

  “Yeah, he’s got a pistol. Listen, don’t drive in here. He saw your lights. You see my cruiser, where I’m par
ked? Stay on back there.”

  “I parked. What kind of nutjob you got in there? What the hell are you walking in on, Marcus? What’s this guy’s story?”

  Marcus made his way to his feet, crouching down, taking in the cabin, which was dark except for the little light he could see through the curtains. “Just trying to find out. All I know is there’s a little girl inside who called 911 for help. Where are you right now? I’ll make my way back to you.” He was still behind the truck, feeling the bite of the bushes against him.

  “Don’t bother. I’m already here.”

  He spotted the flick of a flashlight in the bushes behind him, about ten feet away, and pocketed his phone. Ryan cut through an opening from a path he hadn’t known was there. His brother wore a ball cap and his ranger coat.

  “What’s going on here?” Ryan said.

  Marcus holstered his gun, which he’d somehow reached for again instinctively. He could feel his adrenaline pumping as he tried to pull this situation together. “Not sure,” he said. Just then, his phone rang with the sheriff’s office number. “Charlotte.”

  “Marcus, are you okay? I heard a gunshot and the line went dead. I think he found Eva in the house. Is anyone hurt?”

  “I don’t know. My brother’s here now. It appears Tommy has gone back into the house. I don’t know what’s going on inside, but keep trying to reach Lonnie, because I want him out here. I’m going to try getting this guy back on the line and find out what the story is, at least see if I can somehow get the mom and daughter out of the house and out of harm’s way. I don’t know if this is a kidnapping, a domestic dispute of some kind, or something else, but what I do know is there’s a scared little girl in there. Right now, I want you to get Tulli to pull records on this place and find out who owns it, who Tommy is, everything and anything.”

  “Will do, Marcus. I’ll call you right back.”

  He pocketed his phone and took in his brother, who had picked the perfect spot to eyeball the cabin.

  “Well, this isn’t sounding good,” Ryan said. “You have no idea who this guy is?”