Drew looked around as well. He didn’t want anyone hearing this conversation, especially Cole. “Yeah, I do. I told you, there were those scratches on the wall. That old pack of cigarettes. You went and looked under those rocks and found a small box with plastic bags of keys, right?”
“Yeah, shush,” Ollie said. “Only a few people know about that right now. We’re still trying to identify exactly what those keys go to. We’re thinking padlocks, like the ones you’d use on a chain, but we’re not sure yet. Old fashioned ones, maybe? And I know what you’re thinking, but I think we would have noticed if other women had gone missing.”
Drew remembered the scratches on the wall. None of them looked new to Drew. Would Kelli have been the start of a new block of five? “When you were there, did you sit on that rock? The one by the cigarettes?”
Ollie shook his head. “No, why would I?”
Drew sighed as he searched for the right way to explain it. He also kept an eye out for Cole, expecting him to pop out at any moment. The kid hadn’t wanted to be left alone since last night. Maybe he was up with Ashley?
“I did,” Drew said, recalling the memory. “It was the perfect spot to sit, have a smoke and just gaze out on that area of ground. Somebody kept going back. There’s something there. It’s a gut feeling.”
Ollie didn’t look convinced. “I just don’t know if I’m buying that. Look, I believe in instinct, but if we’re dealing with a serial killer, wouldn’t we have noticed? People would have reported missing women.”
Drew shook his head. “Not if the victims were people nobody ever misses, like prostitutes, homeless people, transients. Ember Falls isn’t far from Albany or other places where people like that are more common.”
Ollie considered it, frowning. “But Kelli doesn’t fit that profile. Sure, she was new in town, but it’s a small town. People knew she was home. The fact she was your sister made people talk. And I happen to know she was asking people about your case. She even went to the hospital.”
“Really?” Drew folded his arms and tried to picture his timid sister asking questions. “I didn’t know that.”
Ollie nodded. “I think she thought if she could prove you were innocent, you’d be more likely to come back. She thought that was the only reason you stayed away.” He held up his hand to halt Drew’s protest. “Hey, I know you would have come back the moment she asked, but she didn’t. Plus, I think she wanted to do that for you. Besides, if it was some psycho who likes killing women, why did they come to the house? And not try to hurt anyone while he was alone here with them? He could have taken them all out. I know you know that because it scares the hell out of you like it does me. So if it is a serial killer, how is the break-in connected?”
Drew shook his head and sat on the couch. “I don’t know. That part doesn’t make sense. We’ve been over the house and nothing was taken, at least as far as I could see. You know, if we’d found something like hair or clothing or something, I’d think maybe the killer was breaking in to get his keepsake, and maybe blitz killing two women and a kid doesn’t fit his ritual, but I don’t think Kelli had any keys like the ones you’re talking about. They were all the same?”
Ollie nodded. He held his fingers out about an inch apart. “Smaller than a door key, steel, not bronze, and with those little loops on the end. And the rod part was hallowed. They’re strange little keys. Kind of like the ones you’d expect to see enchanted and flying around a room to protect a stone that helped you live forever, but without the wings.”
Drew stared up at him, with a wide-eyed, open mouth which clearly said, ‘what the hell are you talking about?’
Ollie shrugged. “You know… the scene where Harry had to get on a broom… yeah, I’m still a nerd.”
Drew shook his head and let out a small laugh.
Taking out his cell phone, Drew looked up pictures of old padlock keys, bringing up images of heavy-duty locks, with small keys that matched the description Ollie had given. They didn’t have the teeth normal keys had, but a single tooth at the bottom. The end where you held the key was a circle. He held up the cell phone to Ollie. “Like this?”
Ollie scanned the picture, nodded. “Yeah. Very close. You’ll see it yourself, but that’s very close.”
As Drew closed the image and put his cell back in his pocket, he heard banging from upstairs. Drew jumped up from the couch.
“Relax,” Ollie said. “It’s just the handyman.”
Drew nodded as he looked upstairs. “Sorry, I’m jumpy.” He looked around, wondering if Cole had the same reaction. Where was the kid? Hadn’t he last seen him go into the kitchen with the phone in his hand?
“Cole,” Drew called. He waited a beat and called his name again. The only answer was more banging from upstairs. He turned to Ollie. “You see him come out of the kitchen?”
Ollie shook his head. “Maybe he went up the back stairs.”
Drew walked to the kitchen, not finding Cole there, and went to the window and looked out to the back yard, although he doubted Cole would go outside after last night. In fact, Cole had barely left his sight since.
Drew walked back over to the stairs, opened his mouth to call up and was interrupted by more banging. When this round ended, he yelled up for his sister.
Ashley came running to the top of the stairs. “What? Did they catch the bastard?”
Drew shook his head. “Is Cole up there?”
Ashley frowned and called for their nephew. They both waited a moment, but there was still no answer. “Hold on.” Her heart beat faster as she ran from the top of the stairs to Cole’s bedroom, and looked around. She thought maybe he curled up and fell asleep after their rough night, but his bed, although unmade from the few minutes Cole spent in it the night before, was empty.
As a sick ball of worry started to slam around in her stomach, she ran to the main bathroom, and then to Lilly’s room and her private bathroom. Beginning to tremble, she ran back to the stairs. “I don’t see him! Lilly!!
Lilly stuck her head out of Ashley’s room where the handyman was continuing to bang away. “What’s the matter?”
“Cole’s missing,” Ashley said. “He’s not in there, is he?”
Lilly’s face lost all color as she shook her head. She looked inside, but didn’t see anything.
As Lilly called off the handyman, Ashley ran down the stairs. Her brother wasn’t at the bottom anymore. “He’s not up there in the bedrooms or bathrooms.”
Ollie came running up to her. “I checked downstairs in the cellar and the bathroom down here. Nothing.”
“Oh God, where could he—”
“Ashley get in here!” Drew called from somewhere in the kitchen. Ashley pushed past Ollie and ran to find her brother. The kitchen was empty, but her brother was in the laundry room. With Ollie by her side, they ran to join him.
Drew knelt on one knee. He held the portable house phone in his hand. “This was on the floor.”
“The principal from his old school called,” Lilly said from behind Ashley and Ollie. “It was just as the handyman arrived, so I handed Cole the phone.”
Drew scowled and handed the phone to Ollie. “We need to know who called here. Look here.” Drew pointed to the floor.” There was a drip of a light, yellowish liquid. Drew touched his finger to it and sniffed. “Urine.”
Ashley blinked in confusion. “I don’t understand.”
Drew spotted a basket of dirty clothes was on the floor. Normally, the baskets of laundry waiting for the wash were left on a nearby table. Drew reached over and grabbed the set of Spiderman pajamas that was on top. “Aren’t these the ones Cole was wearing? Does he have more than one pair of these?”
Ashley shook her head. “No, just the one.”
Drew felt the pajamas, felt the wetness, sniffed them. “They’re soaked. I don’t know who that was on the phone, but it wasn’t his ex-principal and whoever it was, scared the piss out of him.”
He pushed past Ashley who was shaking, tears rollin
g down her cheeks. “Trace that phone call,” Drew said to Ollie as he raced upstairs. He skidded to a stop at the foot of Cole’s bed and reached underneath.
Ashley was by his side within seconds. “What are you looking for?”
Drew looked under the bed to make sure he hadn’t missed it, and then he looked up at his sister. “Cole’s backpack. He kept one there, hidden with money in case he got so scared he needed to run.”
Getting up, Drew pulled out his own cell phone and dialed Cole’s phone. It went straight to a voicemail that wasn’t set up. Drew ended the call and made another one, this one to McAlister Securities.
“John, this in Drew Duncan. ID number seventeen-oh-one. You know that phone we got my nephew? Can you activate it if it’s off?” Drew listened, his eyes locked on his sister. He shook his head. “Yeah, he’s gone missing, but I think he took the phone. Get it locked in so if he turns it on we can get a location. Be ready to listen in, but don’t signal him. Just let me know.”
Ashley started to pace back and forth as Drew finished up on the phone. She jumped when the doorbell rang.
Chapter 20
The Wheels on the Bus
Cole had run out through the yard, through the broken fence in the back. Uncle Drew had placed it back up and in place, but hadn’t secured it, allowing Cole to easily slip through. Within a few moments, he passed the large, empty house behind Lilly’s and down the block.
He looked over his shoulder every few seconds as he rushed, nearly tripping two or three times. Wearing a pair of jeans from the laundry and a t-shirt that had a small tomato sauce stain on it, plus, he was wearing his backpack, which was heavier than he realized which made turning awkward, but he didn’t slow down until he realized he had no idea where he was. A trail veered off into a wooded area, and Cole followed it.
He had no plan. He hadn’t thought far enough ahead to have the foggiest idea where he was going, but he knew he had to get out of that house.
Edward Hunter knew where he lived.
He’d never be safe there and neither would anyone who lived there. They didn’t know what kind of monster Edward was.
As the image of his former stepfather filtered into his mind, Cole’s knees buckled. Tears streamed down his face as he sobbed. Hugging his knees to his chest, he started to rock back and forth in place.
Cole couldn’t let anything happen to Aunt Ash, or Lilly. or even his Uncle Drew. Uncle Drew was tough. He’d been a marine, fought in a war and faced bad guys with guns and everything.
But none of the people his uncle fought were like the monster he and his mother lived with. As much as his mom feared Edward, even she never got it.
Only Cole knew. That’s why he ran.
Something moved behind Cole, making him scream and crawl on his hands and knees several feet. Panting, he turned to look and fell over like a turtle on its back. He struggled to get up and managed to wrestle himself free of his backpack. As Cole tried to scramble to his feet so he could run away, something slowly came out of the bushes.
At first it was only small, brown eyes blinking at him in the shadows of the brush. Cautiously a small baby deer crept out of the bushes. It was about a foot tall, with light brown fur on its legs and back, with a design of white dots that matched the fur on its belly, chest and just underneath it’s tiny mouth. The fawns black nose twitched as it ambled forward, letting out a soft bleat as it looked around, uninterested in Cole.
Cole sat transfixed at the tiny deer moving around on unsteady legs. It would let out a small cry every few moments and only glanced at Cole when he moved.
Cole struggled to his feet, careful not to move too quickly so as to not scare the baby deer. The first thing he did was check to make sure he hadn’t wet his pants again. The fact he had done it once was humiliating and enough reason to never face his uncle again. Once satisfied his pants were dry, he turned his attention to the tiny fawn.
“Are you looking for your mommy?” Cole kept his voice gentle as he spoke. The fawn looked directed at him and let out a small whine.
Cole crouched down and crept forward, trying not to startle the baby deer. He held out his hand and continued to speak softly. The deer reacted by calling out again. To Cole, each squeak from the fawn sounded more and more as if was calling out ‘mom’.
Flicking its tongue out to lick its own nose, the fawn sniffed at Cole tentatively. It bleated again, raising its chin up as it moved forward another inch.
Slowly, Cole stroked it between its eyes. “It’s okay. I won’t hurt you. You’re going to be alright.” Cole’s hand moved to its neck as the fawn nuzzled into his touch.
“You miss your mom too, don’t you?” Unaware he was crying, Cole sat down and gently pulled the fawn into his lap. He continued to pet the animal as he spoke to it. “Do you want to hear a secret? I still talk to my mom. At night, when I can’t sleep, I talk to her. I know I’m silly, right?” The fawn bleated again. “I miss her. And maybe… I don’t know… Maybe I’m a little mad at her, and I feel bad about that. I wish she could tell me it was alright.”
Cole leaned down to kiss the baby deer who licked at his face, making him giggle.
Something moved in the bushes. Cole held onto the fawn, unwilling to let any harm befall his new friend. He hushed the baby deer as it cried out more and more, although it made no attempt to escape, even when an adult deer pushed through the bushes.
Cole gasped as he stopped shaking. “Is that you’re mommy? Did you just wander off?” The fawn continued to make the same noise, as the adult deer approached.
Cole gently helped push the deer to its feet. It stumbled forward and was greeted by the large deer. They touched noses and then the older animal looked up towards Cole. For a moment, he wondered if the deer might attack. Perhaps it didn’t like a human boy touching its baby.
Instead, the deer just took one last look at Cole, before trotting off. The baby deer glanced at Cole one last time before following.
Smiling, Cole imagined telling the story to Aunt Ash, Uncle Drew and Lilly. He imagined the smile on the face of Sam and her Nana, and wondered what sort of silly joke Ollie would make.
Then he remembered he’d run away and most likely would never see them again. Pulling his knees to his chest, Cole wept.
Drew came down the stairs with his gun drawn. He glanced towards the kitchen where Ollie emerged in an identical stance. With one nod towards each other, they approached the door. Ashley stayed at the top of the stairs for several moments, then came down behind her brother, ignoring his silent signals to go back up to one of the bedrooms. Both he and Ollie exchanged an eye roll as they reached the door.
Using nonverbal cues, Ollie and Drew worked as a unit, positioning themselves on either side of the door. With a nod from Drew, Ollie carefully reached forward, twisted open the lock, and opened the door.
It took a moment for Sam to register the fact both her partner and the man she’d taken to bed had a gun pointed at her. Instinct made her want to reach for her own sidearm, but before she could move, both Drew and Ollie lowered their weapons.
“Jesus,” Sam said. “The bad guys don’t ring the doorbell, guys.”
Drew pulled her in before both he and Ollie holstered their firearms.
“Cole’s missing,” Drew said bluntly.
Sam’s eyes widened as her they went from one face to the other. “What happened?”
As Drew explained what they knew, Ashley sobbed. She buried her head on Ollie’s chest as he stroked her long hair and promised they’d find Cole and make sure he was safe.
Sam listened intently, the conversation she’d needed to have with Drew all but forgotten. As Drew spoke to her, he held her hand, he trembled, terrified for his nephew.
“I have someone working on tracing the call,” Ollie said as he continued to hold Ashley. “They said it might take a little time to figure out where it came from, but it wasn’t local. It was from a cell phone, they think from Cheyenne.”
“What?” As
hley’s head snapped up as she stepped back from Ollie. Her face flushed red as her back stiffened. “That’s where Cole and Kelli lived with that bastard. Edward Hunter. There’s no fucking way that’s a coincidence.”
“I know,” Ollie said, shaking his head. “I’m trying to figure out if he had anything to do with Kelli’s murder, but he certainly didn’t do it. He was locked up for assault. From what I’ve been able to find out, he isn’t exactly rolling in the dough. I can’t see him being able to afford to hire a hit.”
Drew let go of Sam’s hand and paced. He scowled as he played things out in his head. “Cole wasn’t taken from here. Nobody that grabbed a kid from his home is going to let him change his clothes and grabs his bag. Cole ran.”
“Why?” Ashley’s face was wet and her skin pale. “What did that bastard say to him?”
Drew shrugged. “We’re not going to know until we find Cole and ask.”
Ashley started to pace, kicking the ottoman and cursing. “First his mother was killed. Then some bastard broke in here last night. And then this son of a bitch called. Who can blame him for panicking?”
Lilly lowered herself into a chair, her knees no longer able to support her weight. “Oh God, it’s my fault. I never met his stepfather, never heard his voice. He sounded so nice and polite on the phone. He said his name was Mr. Mongello, Cole’s old principal. Kelli mentioned his name, said he was nice.” Lilly sniffed as she looked up to Drew and Ashley. “He sounded kind. And the handyman was here and… I just handed the phone to Cole and ran. If I’d waited, I’m sure I would have realized… seen Cole’s reaction. I’m so sorry.”
Drew knelt before her and took her hand. “Stop. You took Kelli and Cole in, and made them your own. There’s a reason why my sister asked all of us to take care of Cole. You love him. He’s yours as much as he’s mine and Ash’s.”
Torn Away (The Torn Series Book 1) Page 31
