Kidnapped (COBRA Securities)
Page 5
“I’ve had profile training.”
“What does that mean?”
“Have you seen the television show Criminal Minds?”
“Yes.” She loved tuning in to admire Shemar Moore as agent Derek Morgan.
“It’s nothing like that at all.”
She smiled, knowing that was what he intended.
“Actually, there are some similarities. Basically, we try to get in the mind of the unsub…unknown subject…to uncover his motivation and discover his trigger.”
She needed to take her mind off her missing sister. “What made you get in this line of work?”
There was a long pause. She glanced at him and he looked as if he couldn’t decide whether to answer her question. She’d almost given up when he softly said, “I was kidnapped.”
#
Harlow’s eyes widened and she gasped, her hand gripping Sawyer’s arm. “You were kidnapped?”
He nodded, wondering why he’d volunteered the information. “Years ago.”
“What happened…if you don’t mind me asking.”
For some reason, he didn’t mind. He didn’t like talking about that time in his life, but whenever a child was taken, it brought the memories flooding back. He knew how the child felt…the fear, the helplessness. He still harbored an aversion to the dark that was hard to explain to his female overnight guests. Many years had passed, so the Oldham Kidnapping was old news, though it made international headlines at the time. A few of his coworkers knew about his past, but for the most part, he was just Sawyer, not the Oldham kidnapping victim. He hated being a victim.
Harlow’s hand was still on his arm and she absently stroked him. He didn’t think she even realized she was doing it, but he certainly did. His body tightened and he had to concentrate, lest his interest become blatantly obvious. He cleared his throat. “The short of it is that my parents had money and the man who took me wanted it. He’d been hired by the crew that took care of the lawn and pool, so he had access. One day when I came home from school, he grabbed me, tossed me in a dark cellar with a box of crackers and a jug of water and left me there.” Harlow’s nails were now biting into his skin and she stared at him raptly.
“How long were you there?”
“A couple of days. The man wasn’t very bright and the FBI caught him easily. I was found and life went on.” But the event had altered the entire course of his life. As he waited for someone to find him, he vowed that he would do whatever he could to help others in the same situation. The man who found him became his mentor and paved the way for him to become an FBI agent.
“You’re downplaying it, aren’t you?”
She was perceptive. “It was a long time ago.”
Chapter Eight
With Jane strapped securely to his back, Kai lifted the remaining bag of supplies. He prayed today would be the day they were rescued. They were down to one bottle of fresh water. They could drink from the lake if necessary, but he didn’t know what germs lived in the water and he wasn’t too keen on finding out.
“Got you!”
Kai spun around at the exclamation. No! The kidnapper had found them…and he held a wicked-looking knife to Zoe’s throat. The man was wild-eyed and disheveled, as if he hadn’t slept or showered in days. A scruffy beard covered his face and his hair was in disarray. His clothes were ripped and covered with leaves and twigs, probably from his hike in the woods.
Kai was pissed at himself for letting the man find them. They’d walked as much as possible and made little noise. How had he done it? Kai slipped his hand in his pocket and fingered his own blade, a calmness washing over him. “Let her go.”
The man narrowed his eyes at Kai. “You have something of mine.” Kai snorted in his head. Several things, if you counted shoes, clothes, food and knife. “Precious,” the man clarified. “You give her to me and you can have this one back. She’s too much trouble. Precious is perfect. She never gave me an ounce of trouble.”
“Okay,” Kai agreed. Jane moaned and jerked against his back, trying to get free. It was the most she’d ever moved. He wanted to reassure her that he wouldn’t let the man near her again but he had to get Zoe away first. Kai didn’t think the man would hesitate to use the knife on Zoe, based on what he’d forced Jane to endure. “Trust me, Jane,” he whispered. “I won’t let him have you. I swear.” He loosened the ties from her shoes. When he unbuckled the belt holding her against him, she clung tight. He needed her loose so he could fight the man. He didn’t want her getting struck with a stray swipe of a blade. There was a very good possibility that Kai would be hurt. He loosened the second belt and managed to pry Jane loose and place her on the ground. He bent down with his back to the man so he couldn’t see what he was doing. “If something happens to me, don’t be afraid to use this.” He opened her hand and placed the knife in her palm, squeezing her fingers closed around it. Now he was weaponless, but he wanted to make sure Jane would be safe. She grasped the handle but didn’t say anything, her eyes staring at nothing. He gave her a reassuring smile before standing to face the man. “Let her go first.” He indicated Zoe. “Then you can have Precious.”
“You think I’m stupid, kid? I’m calling the shots. Not you.” The man urged Zoe forward with a shove. She stumbled but quickly righted herself. Kai balanced on his tiptoes, waiting for an opportunity. Suddenly, Zoe threw herself to the ground, catching the man off-guard. Kai let out a rebel yell and lunged before the man could regroup, plowing into his midsection. The man “oofed” as they flew to the ground with Kai landing on top of him. The man swiped out with his knife and Kai felt a burning pain in his arm. Ignoring it, he pushed to his feet, using the man’s groin as a trampoline.
“Ahh, you little shit,” the man cursed, cupping his injury.
“Zoe, take Jane and run,” Kai called out as he held up his hands, prepared to fight. His dad had taught him Krav Maga and Muay Thai, so he knew how to fight dirty.
When he didn’t hear footsteps, he reluctantly took his eyes off the man to see Zoe standing protectively in front of Jane, fists on her hips, looking much like a young Wonder Woman, ready for battle. “We’re not leaving you.”
“You have to go. Get to safety.” He spun back around just as the man let out a roar and lunged, his knife poised high in the air so sunlight glinted off the blade. Kai crouched down, prepared to take the man’s legs out from under him when a gunshot rang out. Kai stilled, waiting for the searing pain but instead, the man stumbled forward, the blade falling from his grip as he dropped to his knees. Blood poured from a wound on his shoulder and he slapped a hand over it.
Kai didn’t want to be shot in the back, so he turned to see a man dressed in a fluorescent orange vest step out of the woods with his rifle pointed at the man. Movement from the corner of his eye had him spinning back to the kidnapper reaching for his blade. Shitakes. Threats from every direction.
“Police. Think about going after that blade and the next shot is in your right eye socket.”
The man ignored the threat and grabbed the blade with his other hand as he surged to his feet.
The cop fired again, hitting his other shoulder. When the man refused to drop the weapon, the cop nailed him in the leg. Finally, the kidnapper went down with a howl, the knife falling to the ground.
Kai leapt up and grabbed it. The cop padded over and took the blade from his hand.
He said he was a cop, but Kai wasn’t taking any chances with the girls. “You have ID?”
“Sure do. Zach Archer. Sheriff.” He flashed his badge. Kai scanned it, not that he knew what to look for, but it seemed legit.
The sheriff made quick work of handcuffing the man, securing his hands in front of his body. The man screamed when his damaged shoulders were forced into the metal restraints. Once he had him trussed up tight, the sheriff turned to Kai.
“Let me see your arm.”
Kai glanced down, surprised by the blood. It’d hurt when the man swiped at him, but adrenalin kept him from feeling
the pain…until now. It throbbed as the sheriff lifted the sleeve.
“Looks like a flesh wound, not too deep.” He reached into the backpack Kai hadn’t noticed him carrying and withdrew a first aid kit. Using a moist wipe, he removed the blood and then used butterfly bandages to secure the skin together. “I don’t think you’ll need stitches, but we’ll take you to get checked out.”
“Nah, it’s fine.” Kai hated doctors and avoided them if possible. Of course, he was always getting banged up, so he couldn’t avoid them for long.
A mournful wail filled the air. Kai and the sheriff spun around to see Jane racing for the kidnapper, the knife he’d given her grasped in her fist.
“Precious, no,” the man pleaded, his eyes bugging. But she kept going, her arms raising over her head. The man lifted his cuffed hands, blocking his face. Jane went straight for the heart, slamming the blade deep into his chest.
The man’s eyes widened and then blood bubbled from his mouth and dripped down his chin.
“Ah, hell,” the sheriff murmured. “Where did she get the blade?”
Kai swallowed. “Me.” God, he hoped he wasn’t going to be arrested as an accessory to murder. He rushed to Jane, wrapping his hands around her and easing her away from the man who was now obviously dead. Zoe and the sheriff were beside him. He hoped Jane was too out of it to realize what she’d done. She stumbled and dropped to the ground. Kai was caught off-guard, but he managed to ease her to the earth. She was back to her zombie state, her eyes staring straight ahead. Zoe plopped down beside her and threw an arm over her shoulder.
The sheriff scanned the area. “How did you three come to be in the middle of the woods? Are your folks around?”
Kai shook his head. “I was with my family and friends at the water park in French Lick when I saw a man grab Zoe.” He indicated the girl. “I ran after them and when he tossed her inside a truck, I jumped in the back.”
“Is she your sister?”
Kai shook her head. “I didn’t know her.” The sheriff was looking at him funny. “What?”
“You jumped into a truck to save a girl you don’t even know?”
Kai shrugged and nodded his head at the same time.
“You know, that reminds me of a story a while back. A kid followed a girl being kidnapped and managed to get her away from the escaped convict.”
Kai nodded. “Gracie. She’s my sister now.”
The sheriff’s jaw dropped open. “That was you? Geez, kid, what are you, a pint-sized superhero or something?”
Kai ignored the pint-sized dig and looked down at his rag-tag, too-big outfit. “Nah, I’m just a regular kid. If I were a superhero, I’d have a way cooler costume.”
The sheriff chuckled and then sobered when he glanced down at Jane. Zoe was talking to her in low tones but Jane showed no signs of understanding.
“Her name’s Autumn.”
Kai’s eyes snapped up at the sheriff. “You know her?”
“Of her. She’s been missing for almost two years.”
“Is that why you were out here? Looking for her?”
The sheriff shook his head. “I got a tip about an illegal patch of marijuana growing out here. I was coming to check it out.”
An overwhelming need to hear his dad’s voice had Kai asking, “Do you have a phone I can borrow? I need to call my dad.”
Zach pulled out his cell and handed it over. Kai dialed the number.
#
Dante Costa paced the conference room the hotel had provided for them to base their operations. It had been almost two days and he hadn’t heard a word from Kai. The last time this happened, Kai called a few hours after he disappeared. His son would call as soon as he could…if he could.
The gnawing ache in his stomach threatened to overwhelm him. He didn’t think he could worry more than he had last time, but what he felt right now made the last time pale in comparison. He hadn’t eaten or slept in two days. No word from Kai. No leads in the search for the truck. Nothing.
Arms slid around his waist and he looked down into the beautiful face of his wife. She sensed when he was on the verge and she was there to pull him back.
“He’s tough and he’s strong and he’s resourceful, Dante. You taught him that. He’s okay. I know he is. He just can’t get to a phone.”
Dante shuddered out a breath and wrapped his wife in his arms. She was his anchor. Kai had to be okay. Dante wouldn’t even consider an alternative. Taylor melted against him. She hadn’t slept either. He’d insisted she lie down with Gracie but his stubborn wife refused to leave his side. God, he loved her.
His cell phone peeled a ringtone he had set for unknown callers. He pulled it out and glanced at the screen. He didn’t recognize the number. “Costa.”
“Dad.”
Dante’s vision blurred and his knees weakened. An alarmed Taylor was the only thing holding him upright. “Kai!” He must’ve shouted the word because all chatter in the room abruptly ceased. Everyone rushed to his side. “Where are you? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Dad. We’re safe.”
The relief he felt had all the breath leaving his lungs in a mighty rush. He blinked through tears to see a frantic Harlow pushing through the crowd.
“Zoe? Is she…” Unable to finish the sentence, her hands covered her mouth.
“The girl, Kai. How is she?”
“Zoe’s fine, Dad. She’s unhurt. I got her out before the man could do anything to her.”
“She’s unharmed,” Dante told Harlow, who broke down in tears at the news and turned into Sawyer Oldham, burying her face against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. Interesting. He was ashamed to admit he’d barely noticed the woman the last two days. Worry had consumed him.
“Is Zoe’s sister there, Dad? She wants to talk to her.”
“Sure, hold on.” Dante handed Harlow the phone. She took it and talked to her sister, barely managing to stifle her sobs.
“My turn,” Taylor insisted when Harlow was done, grabbing the phone Harlow held out to him. Her voice was watery as she spoke to Kai, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I love you, baby.” Her smile was radiant when she handed the phone back to him.
“Where are you, Kai? I’m coming for you.”
“We’re coming for you,” Dan Bradley corrected, pausing his touchdown celebration-like dance to shout, his hands bracketing his mouth to amplify the sound.
“I have no idea where we are,” Kai said. “We’re in the middle of the woods by a lake. It’s a long story, but the sheriff found us. Zach Archer. He’s bringing us in…oh wait, he wants to talk to you.”
“Mr. Costa?”
“Thank you for finding my son,” Dante said gruffly. The words seemed inadequate when he owed the man so much.
“He didn’t need my help. Your son is quite amazing. A hero. He single-handedly saved two young girls lives. You should be proud.”
Dante couldn’t be prouder of his son, no matter what. Then the sheriff’s words sank in and his brows raised in shock. “Two girls?”
“There was another girl in the cabin. She’d been missing for a couple of years. Kai got her out and carried her on his back through the woods for two days.”
Dante was having trouble swallowing the boulder in his throat. His son was so damn brave. There was no way Dante could punish him for running off when he’d saved two young girls. He’d just have to buy stock in the company that made Tums. And chip him. He was definitely implanting a tracking device on the kid.
“I wanted to warn you before you saw him. The kidnapper tracked them and caught up with them. I happened to stumble on the scene when the guy held a knife to one of the girls. She dropped to the ground and Kai rushed him, plowing into him. The man had a knife and it grazed his arm.”
That was it. Kai was never leaving the house again.
“It’s just a flesh wound, and I’ve already dressed it.”
Dante let out a relieved breath. “What happened to the kidnapper?”
Oh, damn. That had to be tough on her. “How is she doing?”
“She’s catatonic. Kai said she has been the entire time. She hasn’t spoken and only ate if he fed her. She looks severely malnourished. Bad shape.”
“Where are you? I’ll come to you.”
“We’ve got a hike to get back to my truck.” Archer gave him the location and coordinates of his vehicle.
“We’ll be there.”
#
Harlow didn’t know how much more she could take. It was going on forty-four hours since Zoe disappeared. Wasn’t there some deadline of the first forty-eight hours being crucial in solving a crime? After that, the trail went dead.
Harlow jumped out of her seat. Sawyer was on his feet instantly but she needed to be alone. “I need to run to the restroom.” She ran for the exit, hoping she made it before she broke down. Her sister was gone and it was all her fault. When they got her back she might be damaged, both physically and mentally. She’d done that. She’d damaged her sister.
When the tears finally stopped, she grabbed paper towels and mopped her face. She hadn’t bothered with makeup since they were going swimming and it was a good thing or it’d have run down her face long ago. She cranked on the cold water and cupped her hands under the flow catching water to splash her cheeks. Her eyes were gritty from crying and lack of sleep. Sawyer had tried to get her to eat a sandwich but she wasn’t hungry.
After patting her face dry, she wiped her hands and headed back into the conference room. Before she could grab the door handle, it flew open, sending her jumping back.
“Kai!” Sawyer burst out.
Her heartbeat pounded. “What? Where?”
“On the phone.”
Before she could ask another question, Sawyer grabbed her hand and towed her through the door. Unprepared, her head whipped back. She saw a crowd gathered in a tight group. Sawyer began parting them and shoved her through. Dante was on his cell phone, the look of utter relief weakening her knees. He spotted her.