The Abducted Super Boxset: A Small Town Kidnapping Mystery

by Roger Hayden

  Hayes’s cell phone rang from his pocket. Anticipation ran high when he saw that it was Nancy from the lab. He stepped out of the office and answered.

  “Yeah, what’s up, Nancy?”

  “Detective Hayes? I read the letter, and I think you should get down here right away.”

  “Okay, Nancy,” he said. “Thank you.”

  Hayes stepped back and moved away with a quick tap on Shelton’s shoulder. As his partner turned, Hayes signaled toward the hall, his eyes wide with excitement. They hurried down the hall toward the modest forensics lab, where most evidence in any case made its first stop. Standing in the dressing room–like divider between the station and the lab, they slipped on their robes, hair covers, and gloves and walked inside, where Nancy was examining the letter.

  “It’s a message,” Nancy told them, holding the sheet open with a pair of tweezers. “Could be a ransom note, but I’m not sure.”

  Both Hayes and Shelton rushed over, eager to get a look. The message had been written using letter clippings from magazines, like something out of a movie. Hayes’s eyes darted across each line, reading the message several times over.

  I’ve got the girl. You may try to find her, but you never will, because I don’t want you to. Find Miriam Castillo first, then maybe we can talk. Goodbye.

  “Miriam Castillo?” Detective Shelton said, confused. “Who’s that?”

  The Expert

  Day 1

  Miriam had gone through several different last names over the past few years. She had used her maiden name, Castillo, after the divorce from her husband, Freddy. Changing to her maiden name was one thing; changing it to protect herself and her daughter was something different altogether.

  She was now Miriam Sandoval, a resident of Phoenix, Arizona, where she worked at the Youth and Family Services Bureau of the Phoenix Police Department. It had been one year since the celebrated Snatcher case—a case that had nearly cost her everything, and as she sat in her office that Tuesday morning, recounting the experience with a local reporter, it was hard to believe so much time had passed.

  Phillip Anderson had been a notorious child predator known as the Snatcher, who had plagued South Florida for years. He was also the owner and operator of Anderson Auto Salvage, a lucrative family business he ran with his parents and three brothers. The Anderson family was well known in the town of Palm Dale and had a contentious relationship with law enforcement.

  But no one had ever suspected Anderson himself of being the man who had kidnapped children, holding them in a secret underground lair as his “playmates.” Miriam, then a police officer with the Lee County Police Department in Palm Dale, had found that out the hard way. She’d lost her partner, Deputy Joseph Lang, in the line of duty while pursuing the Snatcher—a moment she would never forget.

  During the highly-publicized Snatcher case, Miriam did find Anderson, and in another way, he found her. He tracked Miriam down during the investigation, murdered her ex-husband, Freddy, and kidnapped her then eleven-year-old daughter, Ana.

  Miriam had managed to find her daughter and stop the Snatcher through sheer perseverance, but it had come at a heavy cost. Ana was left traumatized without a father, and Miriam’s involvement in the case had been the catalyst for everything. With the challenges of reaching normalcy ahead, she strove to regain her life however she could.

  A year after moving to Phoenix, she was beginning to feel like herself again. The counseling had certainly helped, though she knew things would never be the same. Enough time had passed to allow her to be more open about the experience with the Snatcher case, and when a reporter from the Phoenix Sun had called to ask for an interview one early Tuesday morning, she said yes, in part to begin putting the past behind her.

  Miriam sat at her desk, morning sun shining through the blinds in the window behind her. To her side was a wall filled with plaques, awards, and framed newspaper articles—a modest display of her achievements throughout her seven-year career in law enforcement. She looked beyond her computer screen at the reporter sitting across from her, setting her recorder on the desk and taking out a long, skinny notepad with a spiral binding at the top.

  She sipped some coffee and then set the mug down next to a framed picture of Ana resting upright on her desk. She had dozens of files around her—another busy week—and the nice-looking bookcase in the corner behind her was filled with law enforcement regulations and mandated operating procedures. The police station was busy that morning as always, and Miriam’s recent promotion to lieutenant afforded her an office of her own—an exciting perk, she had to admit.

  Her short black hair hung just above her earlobes, and she was dressed up for the interview in a coral blouse with black dress pants and heels, expecting to have her picture taken at the end.

  The reporter had introduced herself as Tammy Shapiro, a local writer for the Phoenix Sun. She was an enthusiastic blonde woman dressed sharply in a gray blazer and pants with a professional aura beyond her years. Miriam felt comfortable with her and prepared to discuss the past despite her suppression of certain memories that brought too much pain.

  “Okay, Lieutenant Sandoval,” Tammy said, pressing a button on her digital audio recorder. “I’d like to thank you again for setting aside the time to speak with me.”

  “It’s my pleasure. And please, call me Miriam,”

  “Of course, Miriam.” Tammy paused and looked down at her notes. “How’s everything going? Are you more at ease now? How often have you found yourself contacted for interviews and appearances?”

  “That’s a lot to answer at once,” Miriam said with a laugh.

  “I’m sorry,” Tammy said. “I’ve been wanting to interview you for a while.”

  “Not a problem,” Miriam said, looking beyond Tammy as her boss, Captain Keith Watterson, walked by her office window, glancing inside. She found herself momentarily distracted but wanted to get back to the interview. “We’re managing,” she began. “Ana, my daughter, is almost done with the seventh grade. I have this wonderful job working with the best people in law enforcement and doing something that I’m passionate about. I never thought Phoenix would be so perfect for us.”

  “How does this compare to Florida in the heat department?” Tammy asked with a smile.

  “I’m used to it,” Miriam said with quiet laughter. Another email notification then popped up on her desktop. Her work inbox was filling up, and she could already sense that she’d be at her desk for a long time. “I’m learning to move on and enjoy life.”

  “That’s great to hear, Miriam,” Tammy said. She then leaned in closer with a playful smile. “Is there anyone special in your life right now?”

  Miriam shook her head, perhaps too quickly, as Tammy laughed. “So, who’s the lucky guy?”

  Miriam hadn’t planned on divulging personal details, but her reaction had seemed to have given it away. “I’ve been seeing an old friend of mine for some time now. He’s been great. A blessing.”

  Tammy held her pen above her notebook, waiting. “Can I get a name?”

  “His name is Louis Garcia. We worked together. He was a detective on the force back in Palm Dale.”

  Tammy beamed. “You met him on the job? That’s so nice. Is he still a detective?”

  Miriam nodded. “No, he’s actually a schoolteacher now, teaching at the same school Ana attends.”

  “Wow… that’s so interesting. I’m sure he has plenty of stories for the kids,” Tammy said.

  “He sure does.”

  Tammy then shifted gears to focus on something Miriam hadn’t thought about in some time. “So, going back to the Snatcher case. When you disappeared for two weeks, presumed missing, you were actually being held against your will by Phillip Anderson the entire time? I couldn’t imagine what you went through. The story of your escape is miraculous in itself. A lot of people wonder whether you plan to write about your experiences during that time.”

  Miriam nodded, a growing uneasiness brewing inside. Tammy not
iced her initial lack of response and elaborated. “I guess what I’m trying to ask, or what I think our readers are trying to understand, is why you’ve been so reluctant to talk about what happened. I completely understand your desire to stay out of the limelight, but don’t you think that a big part of closure is to let things go?”

  Miriam thought to herself in a lengthy silence. Perhaps Tammy had a point. Shortly after emerging from her disappearance, Miriam had given a short press conference at the behest of her superiors but not many interviews after that. She had turned down multiple talk show and book deal requests. She had even turned down an offer to be interviewed by Barbara Walters.

  While sharing her story may have provided the closure Tammy spoke of, Miriam wanted to bury the entire experience, though she’d never be able to completely scrub Phillip Anderson from her mind. His visage still haunted her dreams. Sometimes it felt as though he was still alive and watching her.

  Miriam looked at Tammy and tried to answer as best she could. “I don’t mean to be secretive,” she began. “I’m very fortunate to have escaped. And I’m glad Phillip Anderson… is no longer able to do any harm.” She then glanced at a framed, front-page newspaper story bearing the headline Snatcher Dead! in big black letters. Part of hanging up the front page in her office was what her counselor described as “taking control of the past.” But it didn’t seem to make things easier.

  “Not a day goes by that I’m not thankful. It’s just, with the Snatcher case, it was never something I wanted, and it’s certainly not something I want to keep thinking about. Phillip Anderson was a monster. He killed my partner and my ex-husband, and I don’t want to see him get the attention of a celebrity. He deserves to be forgotten, to fade into oblivion while the rest of us move on with our lives.”

  “I understand,” Tammy said. She then looked down at her notes in hesitation. “How is Ana doing? I imagine she’s had her own struggles as well.”

  Miriam thought to herself as another email notification popped up. “She’s doing better. I take her to counseling all the time. The loss of her father hit her hard, and I imagine it’s something she’ll struggle with her entire life. Lou’s been great with her, but he made it clear from the beginning that he never intends to replace Freddy.”

  “What’s the best thing about your job today?” Tammy asked, moving to another topic.

  “Oh, that’s easy,” Miriam began. “Looking out for children is now my top priority. It’s a very rewarding thing, and at the end of the day, I really feel like I’ve made a difference.”

  “If you could just take me back,” Tammy said, holding her pen out, “to the moment when you were face to face with Phillip Anderson, knowing that one of you had to die.”

  Miriam closed her eyes and went silent. She could still see Anderson’s scarred face and soulless gray eyes. She could hear the thud of the thick chain cracking against his skull as she swung it repeatedly. She could smell the dankness of the underground bunker and feel the grime and grit under her fingernails from clawing at the walls, trying to get free. She opened her eyes, prepared to tell Tammy everything, when suddenly her office phone rang, startling her.

  “Excuse me,” she said to Tammy.

  She didn’t recognize the number on the caller ID screen, chalking it up to a wrong number or nuisance caller. It was an out-of-state number, a Texas area code, which piqued her curiosity, and she decided to answer. “Lieutenant Sandoval speaking,” she said.

  “Hello, Lieutenant. My name is Detective Hayes from the Ector County PD, here in Odessa, Texas.”

  “Yes. What can I help you with, Detective?” Miriam asked.

  “I’m trying to reach a Miriam Castillo. We’ve been doing a search and have an urgent need to talk with her. I believe she works in your department.”

  “Well, Detective…” Miriam began as Tammy scrolled through her cell phone, keeping busy. “I’m not sure how you found me, but I no longer go by that surname. I changed it quite some time ago.”

  Tammy lifted her head, wondering who Miriam was talking to.

  “Ms. Castillo?” the detective asked in a surprised tone.

  Miriam sighed, feeling as though she had already said too much. “Yes, Detective.”

  “It’s very important that we speak with you. You see, a girl was abducted today, and… well, I don’t know how to tell you this, but the suspect left a letter at the scene of the crime with your name on it.”

  The timing of the call was stunning. Miriam’s heart sank. It was exactly what she didn’t want to hear. It was the very reason she had kept such a low profile since the Snatcher case, the same reason she had changed her last name and stayed out of the spotlight. Now this.

  “I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do about that,” she said. “There’s lots of crazy people out there who will pull names out of the air. I’m sorry.”

  “Ma’am, please,” the detective said. “At first, my partner and I were clueless about the name, then it hit us. You’re the detective who solved the Snatcher case.”

  Miriam stood up, angered. “That is not my name anymore. Do you understand?”

  Tammy tried politely not to stare as her eyes moved down to her cell phone, fingers scrolling. “I’d appreciate you respecting my wishes to be left alone. Thank you.” She hung up the phone, her hand and voice trembling.

  “Wow…” Tammy said with a laugh. “Sounds like they called the wrong person.”

  “Sorry about that,” Miriam said, sitting down. “Now, where were we?”

  Tammy looked at her notes and pressed the record button. “We were talking about Phillip Anderson, unfortunately. The night you escaped.”

  “Yes, of course,” Miriam began. “He had promised to let the congressman’s daughter go if I fled the country with him. The girl was his most high-profile abduction. I agreed, of course, and he kept his word. He let her go. But I knew I could never leave the country with him. I could never leave Ana like that. So I fought back.”

  Miriam bit her lip as her office phone rang again. The number on the Caller ID screen indicated that it was the detective from Texas again, and it looked as though he wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

  “Pardon me,” she said. Tammy nodded as Miriam picked up her phone again. “I told you that I’m not interested. Thank you and goodbye.”

  “Wait, please,” the detective pleaded. “Just one minute. It’s all I ask.”

  Miriam held the phone impatiently and closed her eyes. “Go ahead…”

  “Yes, thank you,” said the detective. “All we’re trying to find out is why this guy seems to be interested in you. Could this, perhaps, be someone that you know or knew at one point?”

  “Not likely. I don’t know anyone in Texas,” Miriam said, her patience ending.

  “There’s an eleven-year-old girl missing,” the detective continued. “As you know, the first forty-eight hours are crucial. We’d like to bring you in on this. It could make all the difference between finding her dead or alive.”

  Miriam felt conflicted. She had vowed never to take on a case that would put her or her daughter in danger of some psychopath. Nonetheless, the thought of a girl, helpless and afraid, got to her as nothing else could.

  “I don’t know what I could really do for your case. I have a responsibility to my department, not other random jurisdictions.”

  “We just want to talk,” he continued. “My partner and I would love to do a video call where we can explain everything.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” she said.

  “Lieutenant, this is the second girl to disappear in a week,” he said.

  “Detective Hayes…” Miriam said, feeling she had no choice but to relent. It wasn’t what she had planned for that day, but she couldn’t tell him no. Not with the lives of two girls at stake. She’d hear the detectives out at least. “Let me speak with my captain first.” She hung up, not saying another word. It’d be up to them to figure out the rest.

  Miriam rubbed her fore
head as Tammy leaned forward, intrigued. “Was that an out-of-state call? Are they trying to recruit you for some other mission?”

  “No,” Miriam said with finality. “That’s out of the question.”

  “But they do want your help, don’t they?” Tammy asked.

  “Sounds like it,” Miriam said. She then held up a cautionary hand. “Please don’t put any of this in your article.”

  Tammy looked surprised, as if such an idea would never have occurred to her. “Of course, whatever you wish.”

  Miriam then contemplated the quick turn of events in her day. She both dreaded the conference call with the out-of-state detectives but was also eager to learn more about their case. However, she thought Captain Watterson, her supervisor, wouldn’t be too happy with their request.

  Miriam excused herself from the office and told Tammy she would return shortly. She moved fast down the hall, past cubicles and offices, as more coworkers arrived, coffee in hand. Miriam wore a smile on her face, greeting civilians and officers alike as she hurried past them on her way to the captain’s office.

  Miriam knocked on Captain Watterson’s half-open door, his name engraved on the glass in big gold letters. “Come in!” he called from his pristine desk.

  She pushed the door open and saw that he was busy at his computer. He wore his decorated dress-blue uniform with captain’s bars on both sleeves.

  “Good morning, sir,” she began.

  “Morning. How can I help you, Lieutenant Sandoval?” he asked, attention still on his computer screen.

  She approached one of the two leather office chairs in front of his desk and leaned against its backside. “I don’t want to take up too much of your time. It’s just… I received a call from a detective from Ector County, Texas.”

  His hands stopped typing as he glanced up at her, glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. His thin dark hair was slicked back as always. He was a no-nonsense type but was also fair and just when it mattered. “Detective Hayes?” he asked.

  Miriam pulled back, surprised. “Um, yes. How’d you know?”