Never Look Back

by Burton, Mary

  “Holy shit.”

  He sat back, feeling as if a lightning bolt had struck him. What had TBI been doing on the street corner that night? He drummed his fingers on his injured leg.

  Did they suspect he was in the Nashville area? Had someone actually missed his other girls? Or had it been a fluke? They had to know or suspect something. Random stuff like that did not happen.

  He turned to another set of cameras and activated the feeds from his three houses. The first two were as he had left them, isolated and untouched. But the third. “Shit, it’s swarming with cops!”

  He touched the screen but drew back as more cops strolled into view. He had been on the property two days ago, and it had been perfectly undisturbed.

  He rubbed his thigh. He knew the TBI agent had gotten a good look in his van, and he had enjoyed the first blush of fear and panic in her eyes. But then she had stabbed him, and his temper had exploded. He had assumed she was a streetwise whore, not a cop hunting him.

  Since the cancer, he had become very aware of time slipping through his fingers and his eventual loss of control over his life. Perhaps because of the cancer, he was less panicked than he would have been a decade ago. His time might be running out faster now, but he still had enough to make his Vivian submit.

  He returned to the Mission’s personnel files, but Melina, who was not a paid employee, was not listed. However, Sam was paid staff, and his contact information was on file.

  “Meh-lina.” He liked the sound of the name. Rolled off the tongue. He studied the man’s face. “I bet Sam can tell me where you live.”

  If this man did not know where Melina lived, then the lovely Sarah Beckett certainly did. All he had to do was get one of them alone, and given the persuasive skills of a hand drill, either one would be willing to tell him everything he wanted to know about Melina.

  Now the question was, Who could he go after first?

  When in doubt, set it on fire. Bonnie had used a little harmless arson over the years to create the perfect distractions. Today, she figured she would do the same.

  As she slipped into the yard adjacent to the Shepard house, she tried not to think about the money Sonny had spent. Shit. But she should not be surprised. She had raised the boy, and if the shoe had been on the other foot, she would have spent the money.

  She kept telling herself that as she opened their trash can. She dumped lighter fluid into the can, stepped back, and tossed in a match. The flames shot upward like a blowtorch onto the adjacent privacy fence.

  She walked out the other gate and toward her car, parked across the street. She knew running would draw unwanted attention. Sinking low in her seat, she watched as Mr. Shepard hobbled out of his house with his wife on his trail. Good people were so damn easy to predict.

  Mrs. Shepard sprinted as best she could as her husband leaned on crutches with his cell phone pressed to his ear. The water splashed out of the hose, but it was barely enough to contain the growing flames.

  When Mrs. Shepard was fully distracted, Bonnie got out of her car and hurried toward the house. Inside the front door, she followed the sound of cartoons and found Elena sitting on the couch eating Goldfish.

  “Come on, baby, we got to go,” she said softly.

  “Where are we going, BB?” Elena asked.

  “Ice cream. I promised you an ice cream. Don’t worry, Mrs. Shepard said it was okay. She said I just need to have you back in about an hour.”

  She did not give the girl a chance to answer as she gathered her up off the couch and dashed outside. The difference between Elena and Melina was marked. Melina would have been screaming her head off, whereas Elena was quiet and compliant.

  “I don’t want to go,” the child said meekly.

  “It’s okay. We’ll be back before you know it.”

  “Why is there a fire?”

  Bonnie hustled the kid into the car, which was outfitted with a baby seat. She had stolen the car from a shitty apartment complex late last night. Even if the owner had called in the theft, she figured she had a couple of hours before the cops were really looking. That would be plenty for what she had in mind. The car seat strap clicked in place. Bonnie patted the kid on the head and slammed the car door.

  In the distance, shouts and alarms blared as Bonnie punched the accelerator and the two took off. Mrs. Shepard had turned her back on Elena for less than five minutes. But for people like Bonnie, five minutes was a lifetime. Hell, in seconds she could swipe a wallet, pinch a purse, or drive off in a stolen car. She had done all those things to near perfection.

  Bonnie glanced in the rearview mirror at Elena’s small face, tight with worry. As she drove, she rummaged in a grocery bag where she had stashed a teddy bear. She tossed it toward Elena. It hit the seat beside her.

  “I got that for you, baby,” she said. “It’s like your teddy bear.”

  “It’s not mine,” Elena pouted. “And I want mine.”

  “We won’t be gone long enough for you to miss your bear.” What the hell was that little creature’s name. Jimmy? Timmy?

  “Are we really getting ice cream?” Elena asked.

  “We are going to see Sonny first,” she said.

  She angled the car around a sharp corner and then took another quick turn. By now the Shepards would have realized the fire had been a distraction and Elena was gone. Those two were the type to unleash all sorts of hell in her direction. Just her damn luck that all those years ago Melina had been rescued by the Mod Squad.

  “I don’t want to see Sonny,” Elena said. “He has mean eyes.”

  “He isn’t mean, kiddo. He’s a big ol’ teddy bear, and if you scratch his tummy, he’ll laugh.” She glanced in the rearview mirror and saw the girl’s frown. No matter. She could scream until she passed out for all she cared. It would be up to Sonny to convince the girl he could be nice, and then the three of them could get on with their lives.

  Elena sank down in her seat, staring into the smiling face of the toy bear. “I want Mrs. Shepard.”

  “How can you want her, baby? I’ve been taking care of you for almost a year.”

  “I don’t want to be in cars anymore,” Elena said. “I don’t like it.”

  The kid’s face scrunched up and tears welled in her eyes. Jesus. Not the tears and the screaming. Some of Melina had already rubbed off on this kid.

  “I’ll buy you two ice creams, and I’ll have them put a cherry on top just like you like.”

  The pouting lip did not tremble as much. “With sprinkles.”

  “With sprinkles, baby.”

  Elena sniffed.

  Like everyone else, the kid had her price. Elena wanted sprinkles. Sonny wanted Elena. Bonnie was sure Sonny could scrape together enough money to keep them all happy for a while.

  Melina anxiously awaited Dean Guthrie’s mug shot as her computer came alive. She tapped her fingers on the keys, willing the machine to move faster just as Ramsey stepped into her office.

  The home screen was nearly finished populating the icons when her cell phone rang. It was her mother. Her mother was not the type to call in the middle of the day and chat. If her mother called during work hours, she picked up.

  “Mom, what’s wrong?” Melina asked as her gaze rose to Ramsey’s.

  “Elena is missing. Our neighbor’s trash can caught on fire, and Dad and I went to put it out. I was spraying water on the flames while he called 911. He went back in the house to check on Elena and discovered her gone.”

  “Did you hear Elena scream or yell?” Melina asked.

  She was doing her best to remain calm and to think like a cop, but Ramsey’s eyes darkened as he closed the distance quickly. He didn’t say a word, but his gaze locked on her like a laser.

  “No, I never heard a peep out of her,” her mother said. “The television was still on when I came inside, and her cup of Goldfish was still sitting on the end table.”

  “Was there any sign of struggle?”

  “No.”

  “Could s
he have gone to a neighbor’s? Are there other children in the neighborhood or someone with a puppy?”

  “Not that Elena would have known about.”

  The girl had left the house without a sound, and she was nowhere to be found nearby.

  “How long has she been gone, Mom?”

  “Ten minutes.”

  “Have you seen Bonnie again?”

  “No.” There was a pause. “But I was distracted by the fire. There was so much confusion.”

  “Mom, I think Bonnie must have her,” Melina said. “Bonnie bribed her with something to keep her quiet just long enough to get her out of the house.”

  “I can’t believe I was so stupid. I should have known the fire was a decoy.”

  “Bonnie’s devious, Mom. And she’s been conning people for decades. You can’t blame yourself for wanting to help.”

  “Of course I can. I’m not a novice, Melina. I should have had my guard up.” Her mother sighed as if she realized now was not the time for berating herself. “What can I do?”

  Melina’s next words were for her mother’s benefit. “Bonnie has a soft spot for Elena. She won’t hurt her.”

  “It’s been ten minutes. She could be on her way out of the city or state right now.”

  “I don’t think so, Mom. Bonnie came to Nashville for a reason.”

  “What reason?”

  “Money.”

  “I don’t have any money.”

  “Someone she knows does.”

  “Is she going to sell that sweet little girl?” her mother asked.

  “I’m not inclined to think so.”

  “What do I do?”

  “Did you call the police?”

  “Yes. They just pulled up. Your father is talking to them. We need an Amber Alert.”

  “Yes, you do, and the officer will take care of it. Stay close to the phone. Does Elena know your phone number?”

  “I wrote it on the inside of her shoe and showed her how to call me.”

  “You did the same with me when I was that age.”

  “Kids need to know how to save themselves.”

  “Good. Let’s hope Elena gets a chance to call. In the meantime, I’ll start a search of my own. Call me if you hear anything.”

  “You, too.”

  Melina ended the call and relayed to Ramsey what her mother had just said while checking for Andy’s email. “Andy said that my half brother had a juvenile record. He did six months in a minimum security facility and was released. He wasn’t arrested again.”

  “Does he have a mug shot?” He came around the back of her desk and looked over her shoulder.

  “Seems so.” She clicked on the attachment.

  The image that came up featured a young man who had a long narrow face. Like her, he had olive skin, dark hair and eyes. His expression was sullen and his gaze downcast.

  “Do you recognize him?”

  His face was familiar. She knew this guy. But he was very different now. She leaned into the picture, drawn by a deepening sense of familiarity. And then the puzzle pieces slid together in one of those rare, exhilarating moments.

  He was older now and heavier, but she knew exactly who he was.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Friday, August 28, 10:00 a.m.

  Bonnie arrived at the motel with Elena in tow. She jammed the key card in the lock and twisted the handle. The room smelled like cleaner and air freshener that did not quite conceal the cigarette smoke in the nonsmoking room.

  “Can I eat my ice cream now?” Elena asked.

  “You sure can, kiddo.” Bonnie opened the convenience store bag and pulled out the small container of rocky road ice cream. “Do you have to pee?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Go on then. You know the drill.” This kid had a bladder the size of a walnut, and she had learned early on to make sure she hit the head before they went anywhere.

  She opened the ice cream carton and fished a plastic spoon out of the bag. The toilet flushed. “Don’t forget to wash your hands.”

  The tap turned on and she heard the splash of water. Elena came out of the bathroom drying her hands on her shirt.

  “That’s my girl,” Bonnie said. “Hop up on the bed while I turn on a cartoon.”

  Elena scrambled up on the bed. Bonnie handed her the ice cream and spoon. The girl took a bite.

  “I got your favorite,” Bonnie said.

  “It’s good.” The girl took a second bite. “Can I see Mrs. Shepard again?”

  Bonnie pointed the remote at the television, clicked it on, and scanned the channels until she found SpongeBob SquarePants. “You sure can.”

  “I don’t like SpongeBob,” Elena said. “I want to see Frozen.”

  Bonnie pulled off the kid’s shoes. She set them at the end of the bed. Next, she reached for the drugstore bag and dug out the bottle of liquid sedatives. She loaded up a spoon and smiled as she approached the girl. “One big bite of medicine. Mrs. Shepard told me you needed it.”

  “But I’m not sick.”

  “This is to make sure you don’t get sick. Open wide.”

  The girl accepted the medicine and winced at the bitter taste.

  “Quick, take a bite of ice cream.” She nodded. “There’s a good girl.”

  The kid would be sound asleep within ten minutes and would be out for hours. She’d given her adult strength. “Eat your ice cream and I’ll look for Frozen.”

  Elena scooted under the covers and settled the carton on her lap. “I like the chocolate best.”

  “I know. That’s why I bought this brand. Now go on and eat.”

  “Aren’t you hungry?”

  “I might have some in a bit. You first.”

  Elena dug into the soft ice cream and took a big bite. “It tastes funny.”

  “That’s just the last of the medicine. Eat another bite and it’ll go away.” She flipped to the channel that had movies for rent. Frozen was not an option, but Hotel Transylvania 3 was available. Close enough as far as she was concerned.

  Elena yawned as the movie’s opening scene appeared to string music and a late-nineteenth-century train rumbling through Romania. “Look, the monsters are in disguise like we do sometimes,” Bonnie said.

  “I want Frooozen.” She dragged out the word as if it were too heavy to pronounce.

  Bonnie sat on the edge of the bed. “Take a couple more bites of the ice cream, sweetie.”

  She listened and counted the bites. One. Two.

  When she did not hear movement, she turned to see the girl had fallen asleep. The ice cream was still in her lap and the empty spoon clutched in her tiny fist.

  Bonnie carefully removed the spoon and then replaced the top on the ice cream. She dumped both back in the plastic shopping bag before settling the girl in the center of the bed. Gently, she tucked the blanket up to her chin. “No need to worry, honey. I’m going to get Sonny, and then we’ll start our new life together.”

  “My half brother’s alias is Sam Jenkins,” Melina said. “He works at the Mission.” She stared at his picture. “We’ve worked side by side. We share the same sense of humor, and he’s been a good friend.” But she had never known the man behind the smile.

  Ramsey kept his gaze on the road as he moved quickly in and out of traffic while the GPS directed him toward East Nashville. “I know he’s a volunteer. What else can you tell me about him?”

  She cleared her throat, trying to focus her thoughts. “His big thing is music, even after retiring from the road. He helped establish the Mission’s soap-manufacturing business. He can solve any problem.”

  “Do you know where he traveled when he was a roadie?”

  “All over the world.” He had shared pictures of his former life with both Sarah and her, and they had been bedazzled by his who’s who list of musical clients. “I can’t remember the exact cities.”

  “Do you know where he lives?”

  “No.” She had never questioned Sam’s motives once. “Sarah will know.�
�

  Ten minutes later, Ramsey pulled up in front of the Mission, and the two went inside, where the reverend and a half dozen women were mixing up herbs into some kind of concoction. The room smelled of lemon and sage.

  The chance of finding Bonnie anywhere near the Shepards’ house was slim to none. What they had to do now was figure out where Bonnie had gone with Elena, and the only other person Bonnie knew in Nashville was Sonny. “Sarah,” Melina said.

  The reverend, who was wearing a white apron and had pulled back her red hair in a tight ponytail, excused herself and approached them. She removed latex gloves and guided them back to her office. “Have you found the man who attacked the girls?”

  “Not yet.” Melina heard the impatience sharpening her tone. “We’re working on it. I’m here about Sam. Have you seen him lately?”

  “Yeah, he was in early but had to leave suddenly. Said there was something going on at home. Is something wrong?”

  “Can you tell me where he lives?” Melina asked.

  “Why Sam? There is no way he’s the guy you’re looking for,” Sarah insisted. “He was at the Mission the night of your attack.”

  “We want to question him about something else,” Melina said. “He might be connected to another case we’re working. Once we’ve sorted out his involvement, I’ll explain it all to you, but for now I need his address. I need to talk to him.”

  “Sure.” Sarah clicked several keys on her computer. “He doesn’t live far from here.” She rattled off the address and phone number.

  Melina typed both into her phone. “That’s not far from where Bonnie crashed her car,” Melina said to Ramsey.

  “Who’s Bonnie?” Sarah asked.

  “It’s part of that long story I’m going to owe you,” Melina said as she was already turning to follow Ramsey.

  Ramsey received the call from Andy as he and Melina were en route to Sonny’s house. Melina’s body was rigid with tension, and he suspected she was struggling to hold her focus. “Andy, what do you have?”

  “I’ve been in contact with the forensic team working at the Mecum property,” she said. “They’ve excavated three bodies.”