by Lisa Harris
“So you’re saying our guy didn’t just drive up and bribe them with a candy bar,” Sam said.
“They knew him, or there was something about him that compelled them to go with him.” Jordan set her hands on her hips and shook her head. “And he does make mistakes. We just need to find them.”
Garrett watched Jordan work as she pored over the case files. While the forensics lab worked to process the evidence, they dug for a connection between the cases. If there was a connection between the three girls, as she believed, he had no doubt they would find it.
But the case wasn’t the only thing bothering him. He’d yet to put his finger on it, but something was off with Jordan. She seemed distracted, which made him wonder if it was something he’d said or done last night.
He sat down on the edge of her desk. “You doing okay?”
“I’m fine. Why?”
“Even after all these years, I still feel like I can read you. If I said something last night that bothered you or made you uncomfortable—”
“No. It’s not you. I enjoyed last night. A lot.” She dropped the pen she was holding, then reached up and rubbed her temples. “But you’re right. There is something bothering me.”
She bit her lip, as if contemplating what or how much to tell him.
“I found out this morning that my mother’s sick,” she said finally.
“What’s wrong?”
“They don’t know, other than they believe it’s something serious. And I could see it in her eyes, Garrett. She looks so tired and frail. It’s like she’s aged a decade since I saw her last.”
“Wow . . . I’m so sorry, Jordan. Truly I am. I know how close the two of you are.”
“I’m just sorry that I’m gone so much. I missed Christmas this year.” She looked up and caught his gaze. “I promised I’d make it next December, but what if she’s not here?”
“Don’t go there,” he said, shaking his head. “You don’t know that.”
“Maybe, but today I realized how much I’ve missed them. I don’t know. Do you ever struggle to balance life? Family, personal, work . . . sometimes it gets so complicated I realize I haven’t spoken to my mom in a couple of weeks. Time just keeps slipping by.”
“I do feel the struggle, though my family isn’t quite as supportive as yours.”
“They love you,” she said. “They just don’t know how to show it.”
He wouldn’t tell her that he hadn’t spoken to his father for six months. Or that the last time he saw his mother, she told him she didn’t think their marriage was going to survive another year.
“There is one other thing.” She tapped her fingers on the desk. “I know this isn’t the most private place, but in case I don’t see you again today, I wanted a chance to say goodbye.”
“You’re leaving already?”
She clasped the necklace he’d given her, making him wonder if keeping it had been a way to hold on to her past. Because for him, he suddenly realized, not running after her was his greatest regret.
“I’ve been called back to Quantico.”
The news took him by surprise. “Already?”
She nodded. “I received a call from my boss a few minutes ago. I have a meeting with the director here in a little bit, I’ll have dinner with Mom and Dad and Clara tonight, then leave early in the morning. I’ll be able to do any necessary follow-up from there.”
“Wow. I guess—I don’t know—I guess I thought you’d stay a few more days. Help us find a lead to catch this guy.”
“You’re going to catch him. I’ll be available by phone and will send you a more detailed analysis once I’ve been able to cross-reference these cases with other crime scenes.”
“What time is your plane?” he asked.
“Six thirty.”
“If you need a ride, I’d be happy to take you.”
“Thanks, but I’ve got my rental car.”
He wanted to stall. Wanted to find a way to spend more time with her. He wasn’t ready to watch her walk out of his life again. But that’s exactly what was going to happen. She was going to walk out of his life just like she had the last time.
“It’s been good to see you,” he said. “And if there’s ever anything I can do for your parents, please tell them to call me.”
“Thank you.” She pushed her chair back and stood up. “I’ve watched you work, Garrett. You’re a good addition to the team. And I have no doubt you’re going to find this guy.”
He wanted to tell her to stay in touch. But their lives rarely intersected. And when she was back home, she needed to be with her family, not digging up old memories. Which was all he really was.
Still . . .
She let him wrap his arms around her one last time. He could smell the faint scent of her perfume and feel the softness of her cheek as it brushed against his. Even after all these years she still seemed . . . familiar. He took a step back and brushed away the thought. He didn’t have time to be sentimental.
He watched as she said goodbye to Sam and Michaels, then headed out of the office without turning back. It shouldn’t matter. He’d stopped loving her years ago. But if that was true, then why was his heart begging her to stay?
9
May 17
9:27 a.m.
TBI Headquarters
Garrett pulled the row of photos from the case they’d just wrapped up off the murder board while Sam and Michaels did paperwork. A robbery gone bad had left a widow and three fatherless children. He took one last look at the picture of the victim’s three-year-old girl before dropping it into the labeled box. Another investigation closed meant the victim’s wife could hopefully find peace, knowing her husband’s murderer was behind bars. But it didn’t change the fact that more children were going to grow up without their father. It was the reminder he faced every day. There were no guarantees in life. It could end in a moment, whether you were prepared or not.
The special agent in charge, Captain Carly Parks, walked through the doorway, dressed in a dark business suit, with a signature touch of color, this time from a red blouse.
She stopped in the middle of the room and held up a thick file folder. “You’re going to have to hold off on any celebrations for the time being,” she said. “I know your team’s got a stack of cases on your desk to deal with, even with this one off your plate, but we just got a call from the south precinct. Another girl’s gone missing.”
Garrett looked up at the captain from behind his desk and frowned as she dropped the file in front of Sam.
“The district attorney general has officially assigned your team the lead on this case,” Parks continued. “We want this guy caught.”
“So no body yet?” Garrett asked.
“I’m hoping we don’t find a body. Which is why we need to move fast.”
Garrett moved in front of Sam’s desk and flipped open the file. He took in the photo of the bright-eyed teen with a broad smile, looking as if she didn’t have a care in the world. She fit the profile. Long blonde hair. Fifteen, maybe sixteen years old. “How long ago did she go missing?”
“Her sister was supposed to pick her up after school yesterday, but when she got there, the girl was already gone. She hasn’t been seen since.” The captain took a sip of the water bottle she always had in her hand. “Without our releasing any kind of official statement, the media’s already speculating that this case is connected to our Angel Abductor. And you know what that means. They’re going to make a circus out of this if we’re not careful, and I for one don’t want to deal with last year’s hysteria again.”
Julia Kerrigan’s murder had sent the city and surrounding counties into a state of panic. School administrations had reevaluated their open-campus policies, while parents doubled their vigilance over their children’s whereabouts. And yet despite weeks and months searching for the Angel Abductor and their forensics team combing through the evidence, they were still no closer to finding the killer than they had been three years ago when Jes
sica Wright’s body was found.
Then five months ago, a fourth girl had gone missing. Bailey McKnight’s body was found in a shallow grave by a bunch of college kids who were rock climbing north of Nashville. And now it was happening all over again.
Sam turned back to his computer and pulled up the video footage from the local news channel, then swiveled his screen around so they could all see it. A reporter stood in front of a local Nashville school, updating the public on the disappearance.
“According to local law enforcement, another young woman has been abducted in Eastern Tennessee, this time in a Nashville suburb. If this is the work of the so-called Angel Abductor, as the media has dubbed the unknown killer, this will be the fifth girl to be abducted in two and a half years. According to the last statement released by law enforcement, they have yet to find a solid lead related to the case, despite their long-term efforts.
“The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has raised the status of the missing girl to an AMBER Alert, with authorities asking that the public report anything they might know about the case. There is currently a $5,000 reward for information leading to her safe recovery. As for the victim, Sarah Boyd is fifteen years old, five feet five inches tall, and weighs 120 pounds. She was last seen wearing an ‘I Love New York’ sweatshirt with jeans and a pair of red sneakers. We are still waiting for news of a press conference by local police, but in the meantime if you have any information on the whereabouts of Sarah Boyd or information on any of the other girls believed to have been abducted by the Angel Abductor, please contact the local authorities immediately.”
Sam pushed pause, freezing the video. “So much for avoiding a panic. I’d say it’s a bit too late for that.”
“We can’t exactly stop them from speculating,” Garrett said. “And besides, the news coverage is crucial. It means more chance of witnesses coming forward. I guess with no body being found, there also hasn’t been a Polaroid shot found?”
“No, but don’t forget that so far we’ve been able to keep the existence of the Polaroid photos out of the media,” Parks said. “Something I want to keep that way. But that doesn’t dismiss the fact that, as far as I’m concerned, what the press is inferring about the perpetrator being the Angel Abductor could very well be true.”
Sam tapped his finger against the file. “The problem is, even now after five girls vanishing, all we’ve got is a vague sketch of a man who may or may not be involved. We don’t even have a list of suspects.”
“Maybe, but your team still knows this case better than anyone else. I want this to end. Now. We’ve got five missing girls, three bodies, and nothing solid that leads us to the person behind this. That’s not good enough. I’ve called a press conference to try and put a lid on the panic, but we need to find this guy and we need to find him fast. I want this girl found alive.”
“So what’s been done so far to find her?” Michaels asked, leaning forward in his chair.
“Officers are spending a second day canvassing the neighborhoods surrounding the school as well as interviewing students and staff. They’re also searching the woods behind the school.”
Parks didn’t have to say anything else. A wooded area was the perfect place to bury a body.
“Who’s the last known person to have seen the girl?” Sam asked.
Parks scanned her notes. “A fellow student, Cassie Stratton. She saw Sarah get into a black car outside the school.”
“Willingly?”
“Cassie claims Sarah never appeared to be in any kind of distress. In fact, she didn’t even know Sarah was missing until this morning. There’s a transcript of the interview in the file. She gave a vague description of the man Sarah got into the car with, but said she didn’t really see him that well.”
“I’ll arrange for our team to interview her, as well as the Boyd family.” Sam pushed his chair back. “What about the FBI? Do you recommend we involve them again?”
“I’ve already contacted them actually,” Parks said. “I’ve requested Special Agent Lambert’s input on the case, but she’s on leave. Apparently someone in her family is sick.”
Garrett’s jaw tensed at the news. He hadn’t spoken to Jordan since they’d worked together sixteen months ago, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t thought about her. As soon as he had a few minutes free, he’d call her and find out what was going on. Not for any personal motives. Just as an old friend checking up on another old friend.
“We’re going to need to work fast if we’re going to find this girl,” Parks said. “I’ve got forensics working overtime looking for evidence, hoping we’ll catch a break. Michaels, I want a draft on what we’re going to say at the press conference. We go live in an hour.”
“I’m on it,” Michaels said, moving back to his desk.
“Sam . . . Garrett . . . Pay a visit to the family. I know they’ve already given a statement, but see if you can come up with something they missed, especially in the light of this connecting to the other girls. In the meantime, I’ll make sure you’re sent any updates.”
Sam grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair and turned to Garrett. “I’ll set up a place to meet the family, then we can go.”
Garrett nodded and pulled out his phone, deciding to call Jordan on his way out. He was just about to hang up when she answered.
“Jordan? Hey . . . it’s Garrett.”
“Hey . . . how are you? It’s been a long time.”
“I’m fine. I was just calling to see if you were okay. Agent Parks said she’d spoken with the FBI about a new case and that you’d taken some leave. I was worried about you and your family.”
“I’m here in Nashville actually, and have been meaning to call you, but things have been a bit crazy.” There was a long pause on the line. “It’s my mom. She’s dying. Someone from hospice came to the house three days ago to set things up.”
He hated that she’d been right that her mom might not be around for long. “Jordan . . . wow . . . I’m so, so sorry. You should have called me, because if there’s anything I can do to help—”
“Honestly, there’s nothing anyone can do. We’re just taking one day at a time and trying to figure out how to deal with everything. I haven’t been able to get my mind wrapped around the fact that she’s dying. The good thing is that she’s comfortable, and as hard as it is for me to accept it, I think she’s ready to go.”
He hated hearing the sadness in her voice. They might not be together anymore, but that didn’t mean he didn’t still care. “How much time does she have?”
“A few days at the most. They’re doing everything they can to keep her comfortable, and we’re making sure someone is always with her.”
As he walked out into the bright sunlight a step behind Sam, he caught the emotion in her words, though she wouldn’t want him to know that. She’d always projected strength, but there were still certain vulnerabilities about her, and family was one of them. And while she might not get to see them as much as she wanted, her family would always come first. No matter the pull of her job, she would be there for them.
Man, he missed her.
“I heard there’s another girl who disappeared who might be connected to the Angel Abductor,” she said.
Her question pulled him out of his thoughts. “They’ve just given us the case, and we’re hopeful she’ll turn up alive. But forget about all that, Jordan. You don’t need anything else on your plate.”
“I know, but I’ll be fine, really. I’m planning on taking off a few more days, but at some point I’d like to stop by and help. I need to stay busy and not think too much. I’m going to need the distraction.”
“Listen,” he said, slowing down as they approached Sam’s car. “I’d like to help out. Let me bring your family dinner tonight.”
“I appreciate the offer, but you don’t have to do that. The ladies from church are keeping us supplied in casseroles. My father won’t have to go grocery shopping for weeks.”
Garrett chuckled. “I’m
not surprised. But let me do something. I’ll bring you a coconut custard pie. You probably don’t have one of those sitting on your kitchen counter, do you?”
He heard the slight intake of breath in her voice and smiled. She’d never been able to resist pie.
“You remembered,” she said.
“I figured pie would be the one remnant of your sweet tooth that you couldn’t let go.”
Pies had always been their way to celebrate. Peanut butter pie, cherry pie, chocolate pecan pie . . . But her favorite had always been coconut custard pie.
He shoved back the memory and forced his mind into the present. He wasn’t going there. Not again. He was calling because he still cared about her and her family’s well-being. Nothing more. “And maybe you’ll let me get you out of the house for an hour or so,” he added. “We could go for a drive. Give you a chance to clear your head.”
“I’d like that.”
Her answer surprised him. He’d expected her to brush him off.
“Sam and I are heading off to interview the family right now.”
“Bring me copies of the case file when you come, will you? I’ve been staying up pretty late at night with my mother in case she needs something. I could use a diversion.”
“I’ve got to go, but I’ll text you when I’m on my way to your house.”
“Okay, and Garrett . . . thank you.”
Garrett hung up the call as Sam started the car, determined for the time being to put any thoughts of Jordan—and the distraction she brought with them—behind him.
10
9:53 a.m.
TBI Headquarters
Garrett’s gut churned as he slipped into the passenger seat of Sam’s car. While his conversation with Jordan still hovered in the forefront of his mind, he couldn’t shake the reality that they were heading out to meet with yet another family whose lives could be shattered by the so-called Angel Abductor.
