THE MISSING (L.A.P.D. Special Investigations Book 4)

by Linda Style

  Slowly, he turned to face her. “Some things. Not all. I have to go out again.”

  “But it’s nine o’clock.”

  “I know.”

  Luke’s cell phone rang, cutting off her protest.

  He pulled the phone from inside his jacket, looked at the number then answered. “Yo, Rico. You got something good, I hope.”

  Luke listened. “Which means?” Then he nodded and looked off into the distance. “Okay. Enough.” Chuckling, he said, “Too much information, dude.”

  She wished she knew what he was talking about. Had Rico uncovered who sent the e-mail messages?

  Looking at her, Luke said into the phone, “Bottom line, we’ve got squat, right?”

  After he hung up, Julianna waited for him to explain. But he didn’t. Instead, he paced, his thoughts elsewhere.

  “You’re going to wear out the wood if you don’t stop. What did Rico want?”

  He banged the back of a chair with the palm of his hand. “The guy uses Anonymizer sites for his e-mail messages.”

  “What?”

  “Web sites that are located in other countries. They receive the e-mail message, strip its ID, then send it to another site in another country that does the same thing. The message goes through the process up to a couple dozen times. Most Anonymizer sites don’t keep records. That’s why the messages are almost impossible to trace unless someone makes a mistake.”

  “That’s it, then?” Her shoulders sagged.

  “Yeah. Rico said it’s how some computer viruses are sent and that’s why it’s so hard to track them down.”

  “For someone who never gave a rat about that kind of thing, you sound quite knowledgeable.”

  “I’ve learned a couple things over the years. Mostly through necessity.” He gave her a tired smile. “But I still rebel at the intrusion. How did the world ever get along before technology took over our lives?”

  “So, we’re back at square one?”

  “Not completely. The fact that he uses the sites says he’s experienced. That he doesn’t want to get caught. That he’s playing a game with us. With you.”

  Luke was still holding his cell when her own phone rang. Seeing it was a direct call to her cell number, a quick chill skittered up her spine. Dammit, she should’ve turned off her phone. Too late now, so chill. Stay cool. In control. It could be her mother or her sister. Her editor, Mark. None of them knew where she was, but all had her cell number. She pushed the ON button and raised the phone to her ear. “Hello.”

  “I know where you are.”

  Her stomach dropped. She closed her eyes, digging deep for a strength she doubted was there. It was just a voice. Just a voice. Suddenly a strange calm enveloped her. If he really knew where she was, wouldn’t he have done something by now? He wouldn’t just keep calling, would he? How could he know anything, anyway? He was bluffing. She tightened her grip on the phone. “I don’t believe you,” she spat out. “If you know where I am, then prove it.”

  Instantly she wanted to suck back the words. Antagonizing him wasn’t the way to go. But dammit, she was sick of the games this weirdo was playing—and they had to stop.

  She waited for a response and when none was forthcoming, she handed the phone to Luke. “It’s him,” she mouthed.

  Luke took the phone, listened, then shook his head. “He’s gone.” His eyes met hers. “And that was a pretty stupid thing to say.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  A HALF HOUR LATER, Luke exited Highway Five on Jeffrey Road on his way to Marion Thatcher’s house in Irvine. “It won’t take long,” he said, glancing at Jules in the passenger seat.

  The last thing Luke ever wanted to do was take a civilian along on a job. He didn’t even like it when civilians got the go-ahead for a ride-along. But he needed to interview the woman and he needed to do it tonight. After that phone call, leaving Jules at home wasn’t an option. The guy knew her cell number. He had to be pretty smart to get it. He had to have the means. He curled his hands into fists. If he found the guy…

  Stubborn as Jules was about helping him, she wasn’t happy about going along either, and she sat like a statue in the seat next to him, arms crossed, lips compressed.

  “So, what am I going to do while you’re interviewing this woman,” she asked finally. “Sit in the car?”

  He gritted his teeth. “No, you’re coming in.”

  She glanced over, her mouth half open. “Won’t you get into trouble?”

  Yeah, he might. But it didn’t matter. Jules’s life was worth more than any reprimand. Worth more than his job. “Not if I play it right.”

  “Who is this person again?”

  “Renata Willis’s uncle’s ex-wife.”

  “Oh, that explains it.”

  “The ex-wife of one of the suspects in the Willis case.”

  “Ah, it’s perfectly clear now.”

  When Luke looked at her, he didn’t even try to hide his feelings. Exasperation or irritation, he wasn’t sure which. Probably both.

  “What? I tried and I couldn’t find him,” she said. “You think the ex-wife knows something?”

  Luke grinned. “I don’t think anything. I keep an open mind and put the pieces together later.”

  “And what are the other pieces?”

  Craning his head to look at the signs, he turned on Alton Parkway toward Lake Forest. “I can’t say. It’s a case. It’s confidential.”

  “So, I can go along on the interview and listen to whatever happens, but you won’t tell me anything more.”

  “Actually, I was hoping you’d make yourself scarce while I do the interview. Go to the bathroom or something.”

  “You’re joking.”

  “No. I’m serious. I’d like to keep my job.” And he wanted to keep her safe. He hadn’t realized just how much until that phone call when he’d seen the fear in her eyes. He’d noticed her hands trembling. For all her bravado, she was scared to death. The thought pissed him off. Made him want to punch something. Preferably the son-of-a-bitch causing it all. In fact he’d like to do more than that.

  “He said he knows where I am, but I don’t believe him. If he did, wouldn’t he have done something to prove it?”

  Luke tried to calm himself. “Not until he’s ready.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He’s playing with you. Sociopaths have huge egos. They don’t want anyone forcing their hand to get them to do something before they’re ready. If they think they’re going to be caught, they want it to be on their terms.” They want the notoriety the think they’ll derive from it.

  “That’s sick.”

  “Yeah.”

  “So, why are we going to see this woman?”

  He grinned. “Nice try, sweetheart, but my lips are sealed.”

  Luke drove up and down three streets before he finally found the right one. All the lights were out but, too bad, it couldn’t wait.

  When they reached the door, he said, “Just follow my lead, okay?”

  Jules nodded her agreement, though he could tell she wasn’t happy.

  He rang the bell, then knocked for good measure. Having her there while he was working was more than strange. He’d always made a point of keeping his personal and his work lives separate.

  “No one’s going to answer,” Jules said.

  He rang the bell again, and as he did, a light flicked on inside.

  “Who’s there?” a female voice came from behind the door.

  “Police, Mrs. Thatcher. We need to talk to you.” He held his shield up to the peephole.

  The door slowly creaked open. A woman peered out. “What do you want?”

  “I’m Detective Coltrane and…this is my partner. We’d like to come in and talk to you about your ex-husband, Beau.”

  “My children are sleeping. Can’t this wait until tomorrow when they’re in school?”

  “No, I’m sorry, it can’t.”

  The woman pursed her lips, obviously reluctant, but she opened t
he door and let them in anyway. Standing in the entry, Luke saw the house was sparsely furnished and the woman was so thin he wondered when she’d last had a meal.

  “We’re really sorry to barge in like this, but we’ll make it quick.”

  “Do you want to sit down?”

  “Can I use your restroom?” Jules asked.

  Good going, Jules.

  The woman pointed down the narrow hallway. “First door on the right,” she said, then led Luke into the living room.

  Luke sat on the lumpy couch. The only other piece of furniture was a small television set that looked as if it had been around since the Stone Ages. “When was the last time you saw your ex-husband, Mrs. Thatcher?”

  “It’s been a while. He doesn’t see the kids, so there’s no reason for him to come around here.”

  “Why doesn’t he see the kids?”

  Thatcher raised a hand to her mouth. Her dark eyes were large in a painfully gaunt face. “I had a restraining order during the divorce and for a while afterward.”

  “Was he abusive?”

  “Not with the children. But I didn’t want to take the chance that he might be.”

  “How long ago did you see him?”

  “A year maybe.”

  “And do you know where he lives?”

  She shifted in her seat. “Has he done something wrong?”

  “No, we’re just looking into an old case, his niece’s abduction several years ago. I’m sure you know about that.”

  “Oh, yes. That was so terrible. We weren’t married then, but he told me about it.”

  “What did he tell you?”

  “He was worried that someone would think he had something to do with it.”

  Luke’s interest piqued. “Did he say why?”

  Rubbing her hands over her bare arms, Thatcher said, “Because he spent a lot of time with his niece, and he’d been there visiting right before it happened. Funny they never found who did it.”

  Yeah. Funny. “Where does he live?” Luke repeated.

  “I don’t know. Last I heard he lived somewhere near San Francisco.”

  Luke looked up to see Jules standing behind Mrs. Thatcher, her eyes wide.

  “Do you have a phone number to reach him if there’s an emergency with the children?”

  “Yes, but I don’t know if it’s any good anymore.” She got up and went down the hall, returning a few moments later with a piece of paper. “This is it. But he keeps changing numbers. Are we done now?”

  “Sure, just one more thing. Do you have a photo of your ex-husband?”

  “I do, but it’s an old one.”

  “That’s fine. Can I see it please?”

  Luke couldn’t believe his luck. An old phone number was better than no number. A photo was even better. At least they had a starting place, and the fact that the guy was near San Francisco was very interesting.

  “Is this good?” Jules asked on their way to the car. “It’s creepy that he lives near San Francisco.”

  “I don’t know if it’s good or not, but it’s something.” Luke slid inside, started the engine, then waited for Jules to get in before he pulled the photo from his jacket pocket and showed it to her. “Does he look familiar at all?”

  She shook her head, frowning. “No. But he looks scary.”

  “Yeah, but the last I heard, looking scary isn’t a crime.” He’d been amazed that the woman had given him the photo. He’d fax it to Jordan and let him check it out. If the guy was in the system at all, it could help in locating him.

  “So, what now?”

  “We go home, sleep a little and then head for New Mexico in the morning.” He gunned the motor and headed for the beach. Turning onto the freeway, he took out his cell and called Jordan. “Sorry to call so late, but I’ve got some information for you.”

  “Shoot.”

  Luke gave his partner the lowdown on Thatcher and asked him to follow up once he sent the photo. That’s all he could do for now. He pocketed the phone.

  After a few more minutes humming along the highway, Jules said out of the blue, “What if he really does know where I am?”

  He turned to look at her. In the pale yellow glow of freeway lights, she looked drawn, tired. For the first time he noticed the dark smudges under her eyes. The tense set of her jaw. Though she wouldn’t admit to being scared, nothing could hide the physical evidence.

  “Don’t worry. No one will get past me.”

  The doubt in her eyes made him feel like crap.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  THE PLANE HIT the runway at seven-thirty the next morning, and they were on the road to the hospital in Santa Fe within a half hour. Julianna glanced out the window at the foreboding sky. The weather gurus had predicted rain and Luke had said he wanted to get his father and head back to the ranch before the highways got slick.

  The narrow roads between Santa Fe and the ranch were treacherous when wet, she knew and even now, Luke seemed to be concentrating heavily on his driving. Or was he figuring out another strategy?

  “I’ve been thinking,” Julianna said.

  “Uh-oh. That means trouble.” Luke kept his eyes riveted on the road.

  He seemed in a good mood despite the fact that he’d spent the night sitting in a chair at the foot of her bed, his weapon at his side. Every time she’d awakened and looked at him, he’d been alert. Poor guy probably hadn’t slept but a few minutes. But then, she hadn’t either. It was amazing they hadn’t snapped at each other more often when hurrying for the flight.

  Always in the back of her mind was the knowledge that Luke was only there to make sure nothing happened to her. He’d given his word and she knew he’d try to keep it no matter what. If his father hadn’t needed him, Luke would’ve split the same night he’d arrived at the ranch. A night that seemed so very long ago and yet was little more than a week.

  “I have an idea. I’ve thought this over for most of the night and this morning. I want to run it by you.” The lightness in her voice belied what she was about to say.

  “O-kay. I’m listening.”

  Hesitant, she nipped at the soft skin on the inside of her lower lip. He was going to think she was crazy, but then that wouldn’t be the worst thing he’d ever thought about her. “I have a plan to entrap the stalker.”

  Luke jerked so fast to look at her, he swerved over the center line. Fortunately, there were no other cars on the road and he quickly corrected the maneuver. “Excuse me?” he said incredulously.

  “I have a plan that I think will work to catch this creep.”

  The sound that came from Luke was half laugh and half hysterical gurgle. “The LAPD is trying to find him. I have the best guys in the field working on it as we speak. We have a plan.”

  “Mine is better.”

  She saw his grip tighten on the wheel. Then he cleared his throat and said, “What’s better than the LAPD?”

  “Using me as bait.”

  He stomped the brake and skidded to a screeching halt and at the same time, his arm flew out and whapped her across the chest to keep her from smashing into the windshield. Gravel crunched under the tires as he pulled off onto the shoulder and then killed the engine.

  Before Luke had a chance to get a word out, and she knew what those words would be—nutcase, insane—she said, “Please listen to me. Don’t shoot me down before you even hear what I have to say. I’m not some whack job with a flaky idea. Someone is threatening me. It’s my life. I’m involved, just about as involved as anyone can be. And I think I know a way to get this guy.”

  Luke shook his head. “It’s a complicated case.”

  “That’s the problem. I’m not talking about the Willis case. I’m talking about this psycho, this sicko who’s driving me crazy. You’re making it more complicated than necessary.”

  “What? By following procedure?”

  “Yes. We both know how that can screw things up.” She’d had no intention to throw their past into it, but if it made him understand�
�� “I think I know how to lure him out. If he intends to hurt me as he’s threatened to do, why shouldn’t we be prepared? Why shouldn’t we be proactive and get him on our terms, not his?”

  Luke clamped his lips together, turned the key in the ignition and started the car again. Looking both ways, he pulled back onto the highway.

  “At least listen to me.”

  “That’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever come up with. For crying out loud, Jules. He could be a serial killer.”

  “He probably is. All the more reason to entrap him.”

  “I don’t want to hear any more about this. You’re naive if you think this is some kind of game. And I’d lose my job if I agreed to do anything like that.”

  His job. Always his job. Years of suppressed anger threatened to erupt. Only she couldn’t let it. “Naive or not, I can’t sleep at night wondering when he’s going to pop out of the woodwork. I can’t sleep knowing that if he is the one who killed Renata Willis, he’s probably killed again since then. He might even be the one who—” The rest of the sentence strangled in her throat.

  She closed her eyes. Waited for a moment, then looked at Luke. “You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed the similarities.”

  His hands clenched so tight on the wheel, his knuckles went white. She saw a muscle working in his jaw, the way it always did when he tried to suppress his anger.

  “That’s just it,” he finally spat out. “The similarity isn’t just in these two cases. There are other crimes as well. This could be big. Really big. And if we get any evidence and don’t follow procedure, none of it will be admissible.”

  “It will be if you listen to my plan.”

  Luke’s face went red, and he started to say something, but a hospital sign appeared on the left side of the road and he swerved to make the turn. A few minutes later, he pulled into the visitor’s parking lot. “I’m going to get my father discharged. You’ll have to come with me.”

  She crossed her arms. “I don’t have to do anything.”

  If looks could kill, she’d be dead. But she had the edge. He wouldn’t leave her in the car alone and unprotected. His training wouldn’t allow it. “I’ll come with you if you promise to listen to my plan later.” She smiled, a gesture she knew would make him even more furious with her. But sometimes pushing him to the limit was what it took to make him see that his way wasn’t the only way.