The Lawman Returns

by Lynette Eason

  Mrs. Zellis crossed her arms. “No, he ain’t.”

  Sabrina frowned. “He called me yesterday and said he was scared.” She debated whether to mention the fact that someone had taken a shot at her yesterday. She decided not to for the moment.

  “You know he’s not really very happy staying here.” She shrugged. “He’s seventeen years old. Be eighteen next week. I can only do what I can do.”

  Clay figured the woman was right. If a seventeen-year-old boy didn’t want to stay with his grandmother and he had a way to get his hands on some cash and a place to sleep at night, then his grandmother was pretty powerless.

  “I don’t think Jordan’s not here because he doesn’t want to be. I think he’s afraid and is hiding from someone,” Sabrina said.

  “Probably one of those people he hangs out with turned on him. I told him he couldn’t trust them none.”

  Sabrina moved closer but stopped at the bottom of the porch steps. “When was the last time you saw him?”

  The woman sucked her teeth, then pooched her lips out. She let her gaze drop from Sabrina’s. Clay wanted to jump from the car and shake the information from her. Instead he clenched his fingers into fists and waited.

  “Mrs. Zellis?” Sabrina pushed.

  She sighed. “Nigh on two or three days, I reckon. His mama left last week, so it’s just been me and the kids.” She paused. “They all right? I saw you tried to call last night. I didn’t worry too much because I figured they were with Jordan, but you’re saying they’re not.”

  “They’re fine. They’re in a foster home for now.”

  She nodded and tears welled before she blinked them away. “Might be best if they stay there for now.”

  Sabrina nodded. “If Jordan comes home, will you have him call me?”

  “Sure. But you know how he knows these mountains like the back of his hand. If he doesn’t want to be found, he won’t be. He likes the caves up there.” She gave an absent nod in the direction of the mountains.

  Sabrina looked at Lance. He sighed and shook his head. “I’ll file a report. We’ll get his picture out there and get people looking for him.” He wrote in his little green notebook, then tapped the pencil against his chin. “Do you know if Jordan ever spoke to Deputy Steven Starke a few weeks ago?”

  “Starke?” Her brow wrinkled. “Ain’t that the cop who got hisself killed?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “No. Jordan never said anything about him.” She paused, her forehead still wrinkled. “Wait a second. I think that deputy did come out here and ask to see Jordan. I thought the boy was here, but he never came out when I called to him. That deputy left his number, but I don’t think Jordan ever called him.”

  “Do you know why Deputy Starke wanted to talk to Jordan?” Lance asked.

  “No.” She fidgeted with the hem of her ratty T-shirt.

  “If you were to go looking for Jordan, where would you look?” Sabrina asked.

  Mrs. Zellis didn’t hesitate. “Told you. Those caves. Or at that old abandoned mill across the county line. A bunch of them teenagers go out there to party and the like. I’m sure that’s where Jordy’s probably got to.”

  Clay figured she was probably right. He kept his ear to the crack in the window, not wanting to miss a word.

  “I saw him.”

  Clay lifted his gaze to see Mr. Zellis come into view.

  “Saw who, sir?” Lance asked.

  “The cop. When he came out to find Jordan.”

  Clay tensed. Lance didn’t change his relaxed stance. “Is that right? What’d you see?”

  “Deputy Starke. He’d been out here several times, so I knew it was him. He came to the house and when he didn’t find Jordan, he left. As he was leaving, Jordan and his buddy came out of the workshop over there and followed him.”

  “So Steven and Jordan did talk.” Sabrina clasped her hands in front of her.

  “Yes. All three of them did. And there was another car, too. Parked in the neighbor’s drive. It followed the deputy and the boys.”

  “Who was the other boy with Jordan?” Lance asked, shifting his notebook to his other hand.

  “That Trey Wilde kid.”

  Lance blinked and rubbed his chin. He turned slightly and exchanged a glance with Clay. Clay silently urged him on. “What kind of car?” Lance asked.

  “A dark blue or black sedan. Not sure the make or model.”

  “And it wasn’t your neighbor’s car?”

  “Nope. He’s got a pickup he takes to work. Single guy who lives alone and only has one vehicle. That’s the reason I noticed the sedan.”

  Frustration mingled with excitement inside Clay. Why hadn’t someone found this out shortly after Steven’s death?

  “Did you tell the sheriff about this?” Sabrina asked.

  “Nope.” He shrugged. “No one asked.”

  And he couldn’t be bothered to come forward and volunteer the information. Clay wanted to slug him. Instead he drew in a deep breath, trying to slow the adrenaline zipping through his veins.

  “All right, then. Can you think of anything else that might be helpful before we leave?” Lance asked.

  “Nope.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “I’m sure.” The man turned and disappeared in the direction he’d come from.

  His wife started to shut the door, and Sabrina stopped her. “Is Jordan’s camera here? When he called me yesterday, he said he was taking pictures.”

  “It’s not here. If he’s not in the house, that camera ain’t either, but I’ll look.” She shut the door.

  Clay fidgeted. Why was she asking about that camera?

  About a minute later, the woman opened the door again. “It’s not here. Didn’t figure it would be.”

  Sabrina nodded. “Okay. Thanks.”

  She and Lance headed back to the car. As soon as they were in their seats, Clay said, “We just have to work with what we have. I remember that place across the county line. Can’t believe it’s still standing.”

  “It’s still there,” Lance said.

  “Then let’s head out there.”

  Lance hesitated. “Look, Clay—”

  “Were you and Steven friends or not?”

  “Yes. We were. Everyone on the force was friends with Steven.” The deputy’s quiet words echoed in the car.

  “I know you don’t want me along, but I promise I won’t do anything to jeopardize this investigation. This is my brother we’re talking about, and I know what could happen if I mess up.”

  “Yes, like evidence getting thrown out, me getting fired for letting you come along, shall I go on?”

  “I’m not going to take that chance. I just want to ride, to be there. I did fine just now, right? Never left the car.”

  Lance leaned his head back and closed his eyes. “Ned’s going to kill me if he finds out about this.”

  “Nothing for him to get upset about. I’m not investigating.”

  “Right. You’re not investigating.” Lance cranked the car and pulled away from the Zellis home.

  “So where to first?” Clay asked. “You want to visit the Wilde home or the abandoned, yet occupied, mill?”

  Lance’s radio crackled. He responded, and Clay sighed when the man said, “I gotta go.”

  “I heard.”

  “Don’t do anything stupid,” Lance said with a resigned expression.

  “Wouldn’t think of it.”

  SEVEN

  “You’re going to do something stupid, aren’t you?” Sabrina asked after Lance dropped them back at the bed-and-breakfast. Clay shot her an innocent look she didn’t believe for a minute. She nodded. “All right, then. Let’s go.”

  “Where?”

  “Wherever
it is you plan to go. You’re either going to the mill or the caves, aren’t you?”

  Clay’s jaw worked as though he was trying to figure out whether he should admit it or not. He finally said, “Yes, I want to go scout around the caves. I’m like you. The longer Jordan stays gone, the more worried I am something’s going to happen to him.”

  “Let me change and call my boss. I’ll tell her I’m going to look for Jordan.”

  “You don’t have to go.”

  She gave him a sad smile. “Yes, I do. Jordan reached out to me for help. I’m going to do my best to give it to him.” Grief flashed in Clay’s eyes. Concerned, Sabrina laid a hand on his arm. “What is it, Clay?”

  He cleared his throat. “Steven asked me for help and I didn’t give it to him.”

  “You had no way of knowing he would get killed.”

  Clay nodded. “Right.” He walked to his cruiser, and she followed to climb in the passenger seat.

  “I guess you know where the caves are,” she said.

  “I do.”

  “Been there a few times in your youth?”

  A hint of a smile played on his lips. “A few times. You?”

  “Me? Never.” The smile flipped and he gave her a questioning look. She shrugged. “That wouldn’t have been the smart thing to do. The kids who went to the caves were the wild ones, the ones looking for trouble. Me? All I wanted was to be liked. And to be perfect. If I went to the caves, people would have talked.” She shook her head. “They were just waiting for me to turn out like my mother. I was just as determined to prove them wrong.”

  He reached over and squeezed her fingers. “It wasn’t easy growing up in this town, was it?”

  “No. It wasn’t easy.”

  Clay fell silent and she was glad. She didn’t want to talk about her mother or the emotional scars the woman had left on her. She did pray her mother had found some peace and that if she was dead, that she’d found God before she died. If she was alive...well, that was a thought for another day.

  Sabrina reached her boss, and the woman told her to be careful. “Keep me updated.”

  “I will.”

  She hung up. “Has anyone found Trey Wilde?” she asked Clay.

  “Nope. Ned called to ask about him. His father said he’d gone to do a college visit with his mother and hadn’t gotten home yet.”

  Sabrina frowned. “In the middle of the week? Missing school?”

  Clay glanced at her. “That does sound kind of odd, doesn’t it?”

  “Then again, this is the Wilde family we’re talking about. ‘Kind of odd’ is a good description. They’re extremely private. They have bodyguards and security like something you would only expect to find with celebrities or something.”

  “Why all the heavy armor?”

  “They’re rich. I suppose that can make someone a little paranoid.”

  “I suppose.” His frown remained and she could almost hear his wheels turning.

  “I want to talk to Mr. Wilde. If Trey has a bodyguard, maybe the guy saw something the day he and Jordan talked to Steven.” He shook his head.

  “Well, rumor has it that the elder Mr. Wilde is often furious with Trey for giving his bodyguards the slip.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yeah.” She bit her lip. “Do you want to go there first?”

  “Just show up? You think he’d see us?”

  “Maybe. It’s worth a try, don’t you think?”

  He gave a slow nod, then cut her a glance. “You’re not trying to keep me from going up to the caves, are you?”

  Sabrina widened her eyes. “Would I do that?”

  He grunted, but she thought she caught a slight smile tip the corners of his mouth.

  She pulled Trey’s address up on her phone and directed him to the affluent area on the edge of Wrangler’s Corner.

  The security guard in the brick guardhouse stepped out to greet them as Clay pulled to a stop. “May I help you?”

  Clay flashed his badge. “Would Mr. Wilde be willing to talk to us about his son?”

  A small frown appeared on the man’s face. “Let me call.” After a brief wait, the guard opened the gate. “He’ll be waiting for you.”

  “Thanks.” He looked at Sabrina after he rolled the window up. “Why do I feel like that was just too easy?”

  She frowned. “I know.”

  Clay drove up the winding drive to park at the top of the concrete horseshoe. The door opened and a tall man with a military buzz cut held out a hand. “IDs?”

  Sabrina raised a brow and pulled out her wallet. Clay flashed his badge. “The uniform doesn’t speak for itself?”

  After an intense scrutiny of the plastic, the man handed Sabrina her license back and gave a clipped nod. “Follow me.” He led them into a den area. “Have a seat. Mr. Wilde will be with you shortly.”

  Sabrina sat on the sofa, and Clay lowered himself next to her. She swallowed at the sudden jump in her pulse. Her awareness of him wasn’t going away. Instead it seemed to be growing exponentially with each moment she spent in his presence.

  “Nice place,” Clay said.

  “That’s an understatement.” The Oriental rug, leather furniture, high-end entertainment center and the Waterford crystal shouted affluence. “But all that money hasn’t kept his son out of trouble.”

  “Good point.”

  He didn’t keep them waiting. Mr. Wilde entered the room with the air of a man used to being in charge. Clay stood, as did Sabrina. The three exchanged handshakes. “Thanks for seeing us, Mr. Wilde.”

  “What’s this about?”

  His abrupt attitude rubbed Sabrina the wrong way, but she kept silent and let Clay take the lead. “We’d like to speak with Trey, but I understand he’s with your wife visiting colleges.”

  Something flashed across the man’s face. Something subtle and almost not there, but Sabrina caught it. “What is it?”

  “Nothing.”

  “No, there’s something. He’s not with your wife, is he?”

  “Of course he is.”

  “Could I have her phone number, then? I’d like to talk to her.”

  The man’s eyes narrowed. “You’re going to call her?”

  “Yes. Is there some reason I shouldn’t?”

  His shoulders slumped. His arrogance and haughtiness fell from him like a landslide. “Then you’ll find out, I suppose.”

  “Find out what?”

  He hesitated. Fear flickered in his eyes. “I hate to admit it, but I don’t know where Trey is and I’m starting to get worried.”

  “What do you mean?” Sabrina asked.

  “I mean he’s been gone for weeks. I heard him leave one night and he never came back.”

  “Why haven’t you reported this?” Clay’s shout rang through the room.

  Sabrina laid a hand on his arm. To Mr. Wilde she said, “You didn’t report him missing because you don’t think he’s missing. You think he just left.”

  Mr. Wilde nodded. “He’s constantly telling me how much he hates it here. He refused the bodyguards, threatened to have them arrested for harassment, stalking, whatever he could think of. I told them to back off, but Trey...” He shrugged. “Trey had had enough, I guess. He won’t answer his phone—in fact, it goes straight to voice mail. He hasn’t called, nothing. I thought if I gave him some space, he’d come around.”

  “What’s his relationship like with his mother?” Clay asked.

  “They get along all right.” He frowned. “It does concern me a bit that he hasn’t at least called her.”

  Clay nodded. “Why did you lie? Make up a story about where he was?”

  The man pulled in a deep breath and dropped his eyes.

  “Because he didn’t want anyone to know
he’d left,” Sabrina said. “Am I right?”

  “Yes. I hired a private detective to find him, but even he came up empty.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Trey had plenty of cash handy. He’s not using his credit cards.” He shrugged. “Or mine, so...”

  “So you come clean now with us because you’ve been confronted. How long would you have waited if we hadn’t pushed for the information?” The steel in Clay’s voice told Sabrina what he thought about this man as a father.

  Mr. Wilde lifted his chin and narrowed his eyes. “You don’t know anything about Trey so don’t judge me.”

  Sabrina cleared her throat. Clay gave a short nod. “Until Trey decides to surface, we might be at a dead end,” Clay said.

  “Yes.”

  “I’ll put a BOLO out on him. We need to find him.”

  “What’s the urgency?” Mr. Wilde asked.

  “Your son was seen with Jordan Zellis.”

  He stiffened. “That scum? When?”

  “He’s not scum, sir. He’s a young man who needs guidance. He’s also missing and we’re thinking he and Trey are together.” Sabrina refused to sit there and let him malign Jordan.

  Mr. Wilde ignored her and kept his gaze on Clay. “When?”

  “The day Deputy Steven Starke was killed. We have an eyewitness who puts Trey and Jordan with Deputy Starke.” Clay held up a hand. “And just to be clear, I’m not investigating the death of Deputy Starke. I’m simply looking for two missing boys.”

  The man’s eyes narrowed. “Right.”

  “If you hear from Trey, will you let us know?”

  “Of course. Joseph will show you out.” And with that, he turned on his heel and left the room.

  A minute later, they were seated in Clay’s cruiser. “I have so much going on in my brain, I’m dizzy,” Sabrina muttered.

  “Ditto.”

  “So what now? The caves?”

  “Works for me.”

  As Clay drove, they fell into a comfortable silence, but her nerves still jumped. She couldn’t help watching her rearview mirror. She hadn’t forgotten someone had taken a shot at her just yesterday. “You know, I haven’t really thought about this, but after all that’s happened, I’m wondering if they’re connected.”