The Abducted: Odessa

by Roger Hayden

  Miriam’s absence from the police station had resulted in a few missed calls from Detective Hayes. She, however, was too focused on the mission at hand to worry about it. She sent him a vague text message assuring him that she’d return to the police station soon.

  His reply said, Please hurry. We’re hoping to have this sting operation set up within the next few hours.

  She didn’t like to keep them waiting or in the dark, for that matter. It wasn’t right, but the note was a breakthrough. Someone was playing games, and she was going to find out who it was. There was no time to spare. She sat at a red light in an intersection, gauging her options. The detectives needed to know about the letter, but its writer warned her to arrive at the Food Mart alone. Was it worth the risk?

  The light turned green, and Miriam raced ahead with the Food Mart parking lot in view and the letter still vivid in her mind. It was clear that the man had taken an unhealthy interest in her. As a result, she felt an overwhelming sense of uncertainty. The main advantage her adversary had was that he knew who she was, whereas she had no idea. She hoped that would change soon enough.

  Miriam careened over the curved road leading to the parking lot, driving too fast, and with one objective in mind: park and wait. Being a sitting duck, however, wasn’t the most appealing option. She would have to be mindful of her surroundings and be ready to call for backup.

  The man had so far been careful in his approach, but his eagerness was beginning to show. With Shelton’s plan, there was a reasonable chance that they could draw him out into the open under the watchful surveillance of the police, but what if the plan failed? If they couldn’t draw him out, they’d be back at square one, with their chances of rescuing the girls growing slimmer by the house. Miriam considered all of this as she pulled into the Food Mart .

  The business was open, and the crime-scene tape that had cordoned the area was gone. In its place were cars filling the row as though nothing had happened. Miriam passed hurried-looking shoppers, pushing carts along past her and then appearing in her rearview mirror.

  Did the man randomly pick Natalie, or was she a part of the plan all along?

  She circled the building and passed a loading dock and several stacks of milk crates. She didn’t see anyone around but kept in mind that she could be being watched. One could never be too careful. There were two county dumpsters, full to the brim, enclosed in a chain-link fence. Miriam thought of parking behind them and then surveying the area on foot. She felt close, closer than she had since arriving in Odessa, but she continued to acknowledge that she was playing the kidnapper’s game and that he was currently making the rules.

  Would he really divulge the whereabouts of Natalie, or was that just a ploy? And why no mention of April? Miriam was worried. She was already deviating from what the detectives had planned, and they were no doubt growing curious concerning of her whereabouts back at the station. Maybe even growing upset. She could send Hayes a text and let them know what was going on, but would they stay in place, or blow the entire mission? She wondered what Lou would tell her, and then the answer became all too clear. He’d insist that she get away from the Food Mart immediately. Calling him wasn’t an option. Miriam had to trust her instincts. She slowly passed the dumpsters, and her tires crunched the pavement below.

  Nothing wrong with a little reconnaissance, she thought, circling around to the front of the building as the lane narrowed.

  The Crown Victoria coasted around the other side of the building, circling back to the parking lot. Miriam brought the visor down to block the sunlight as its bright rays struck the windshield. She slowed and stopped at the side of the building as a few cars passed, driving slowly through a crosswalk. She waited and considered where she could go to get a good view of the entire lot. Once clear, she drove ahead and down an aisle, parking near the cart return. Her hand hovered over the ignition key, and she slowly turned it, shutting the engine off.“I’m here, you son of a bitch,” she said under her breath.

  She grabbed her cell phone and sent Detective Hayes a quick text. Sorry I’m taking so long. At the Food Mart now and picking up coffee.

  Within a moment, her phone buzzed back with a new message. Hayes urged her to hurry up so they could get started. She answered, telling him that she would, and then stuck her phone in her pocket while feeling the pistol holstered at her side. Was her deception tantamount to lying? She was going to the Food Mart just like she’d said she would. If she found a clue along the way, what would be the harm?

  For the time being, Miriam sat and waited, carefully observing the parking lot. She was facing toward the entrance of the store, a few parking aisles ahead. She looked at every nearby car to see if anyone was sitting inside and watching just as she was. She half expected to see the man sitting at the wheel of some recently purchased beater, and then making direct eye contact. Despite her hopes, she didn’t see anyone. All the vehicles were empty. She repeatedly glanced at her rearview mirror, ever cautious of a stranger’s approach.

  There seemed to be no one around beyond typical shoppers, but Miriam waited. She pulled the letter from the envelope once again and read his words carefully. She had been instructed to wait for further instructions like something out of a Mission Impossible episode, or a treasure hunt, or a wild goose chase. The note’s details were sketchy at best.

  How exactly was she supposed to communicate with him? How would she know if he was there and vice versa? Perhaps the whole thing was one sick charade to keep her wasting time and waiting for answers that would never come. Despite these questions, Miriam sat there, watching. Ten minutes passed, and she saw nothing beyond shoppers coming and going. Another text came from Hayes, asking her status, and she wasn’t sure what to say. His persistence was wearing on her, and making her feel guilty.

  Leaving soon, she sent back, leaving it at that, but knowing he must be suspicious by now. It was the best she could do given the circumstances. Feeling as though nothing would be accomplished sitting in the car, Miriam opened the door and stepped out, prepared to enter the store. She stayed low and scanned the parking lot, sunglasses concealing her eyes. A police siren sounded in the distance, gaining her attention, then soon fading away. There seemed nothing left for her to do but to go inside and buy some coffee. The letter had spoken of clues, but so far there were none.

  Miriam walked toward the store, looking over her shoulder and all around her, just as a large SUV pulled into the parking aisle she was crossing. A man was at the wheel, with a woman in the passenger seat and some children in the back. She moved quickly past the vehicle and approached the store at a steady pace, her right hand lowered at the side of the windbreaker she was wearing to conceal her firearm.

  She passed a woman placing paper bags of groceries in her trunk. The site of Natalie’s disappearance was only a few spaces away, and Miriam did a quick circle to cover the area, trying not to look too obvious. In the spot where Natalie’s mother’s car had been parked was a fancy jet black Chevy Impala, with other cars parked on either side. Miriam scanned the ground for a letter or anything of interest but saw nothing. She knelt on the ground next to the sports car as though she had dropped something and looked underneath, seeing a fresh oil stain.Her letter writer was playing games. There was nothing of importance, no further instructions or notes. Wherever the man was, he was probably laughing at her. Rising from the pavement, Miriam shielded her frustration and continued her walk toward the Food Mart entrance. She nodded and smiled at a passing couple and then entered through the automatic doors as cool air blew into her face.

  She walked toward the front of the checkout lines and stopped. Three of the six cash registers were open. It was still early, and there weren’t too many customers just yet. Three women worked the registers as a younger dark-haired girl shifted between the three, bagging groceries.

  At the customer service desk to her right, Miriam watched as a well-groomed man behind the counter, wearing a tie and vest, assisted an elderly woman with a money
order. It seemed like business as usual at the Food Mart. No one approached her with another letter or seemed to even take notice her overall.

  She continued across the clean, white-tiled floors, past the registers and bargain bins and toward the shopping aisles, searching the signs for the coffee aisle. She turned down the third aisle as light pop music played from the speakers overhead. She searched the shelves for Folgers and found a thirty-ounce can of classic roast, which she believed would suffice.

  She left the aisle and walked to the registers, choosing the express line, where a man in cargo shorts and a boonie cap was ahead of her purchasing some fruit. Miriam eyed him suspiciously, along with the customers in line at the other registers. The middle-aged cashier rang the man up, asking him about his day, as Miriam glanced at the tabloid magazine rack and then turned to watch the man in cargo shorts walk off with his bag of fruit as the cashier turned to her with a smile.“How are you doing today, ma’am?”“Great. How are you?” Miriam asked.“Doing wonderful, thank you.”

  The cashier rang up the Folgers just as the young, blonde-haired girl bagging groceries approached her register and spoke to the cashier almost in confidence. Miriam couldn’t help but eavesdrop.“Walter called in sick today, just to let you know.”

  The cashier placed ran the coffee over the scanner and turned to the bagger. “Are you kidding me? He was supposed to cover my register today.” She paused and looked at her watch. “I have an appointment in an hour.”

  The girl shrugged. “I’m just telling you what Sheila told me.”

  Fully distracted, the cashier continued as Miriam patiently waited. “What happened? Why did he call in?”“Heard he was sick. You never know with that weirdo.”

  The cashier sighed and ran a hand down her face. “Sick? He was just trained last week. We had a deal.”“I’m sorry,” the girl said. “Talk to Sheila.”

  The cashier turned back to Miriam, visibly stirred, and then tried to feign a smile. “I apologize,” she said. “That will be $6.29.”“No problem,” Miriam said.

  She paid with her card, and as the receipt printed, she had an idea. It might have been a stretch, but the mention of a sick employee piqued her interest. The words they spoken rang out like warning bells—weirdo, called in sick, and trained last week. Could there be any possible connection?“Excuse me,” Miriam said, taking the receipt. “I’m sure you’ve heard about the girl who vanished from this parking lot the other day. Did anyone get statements from the employees? Do you know of any employees who drive a blue van?”

  The cashier looked at Miriam with a reserved expression. “Um. Are you with the police?”

  Miriam nodded with a smile. “I don’t mean to put you on the spot, but yes, I’m assisting with the investigation.”

  The cashier shook her head. “I think it’s just terrible what happened to that girl. They spoke to a bunch of us, but no one saw anything. I really hope you find her.”“And the blue van?” Miriam asked. “Anyone come to mind?”

  Pausing, the cashier thought about it. “I don’t think so. I saw the AMBER Alert that day mentioning a blue van, but no one here drives one that I know of.”

  Miriam could tell that the last thing the cashier wanted to consider was that one of their employees had played a part in Natalie’s disappearance. She hoped, however, to get the woman to say something, anything, even if by accident.“What about this Walter individual?” Miriam continued.

  The cashier jerked her head back, surprised at the implication. She then looked around as though she wasn’t sure if she should be talking to Miriam in the first place. “Walter?”“Yes,” Miriam said. “What’s his last name?”

  The cashier responded with a nervous laugh. “I don’t know if we can give out that information.”“It’s okay. I’m just following up. If there’s anything helpful you can provide, that’d be great,” Miriam said in a calm, reassuring tone. She certainly didn’t want to spook the woman.“No one drives a blue van here that I know of,” the cashier repeated curtly.“If I could just get his last name please,” Miriam reiterated.“It’s Browning,” the cashier said. “Walter Browning. But he’s harmless.”“What kind of vehicle does he drive?” Miriam asked. She could see in the cashier’s flustered face that she was pushing it, but she had come to the Food Mart for answers, not just coffee.

  The cashier looked around again and then waved to the man at the customer service desk.“It’s okay,” Miriam said. “I’m just curious. You do understand that we have to explore all possibilities, don’t you?”“I’m sorry. It’s not my place,” the woman said. “I’m just a cashier.”

  The man appeared almost immediately and asked the cashier what the issue was.“This woman is asking questions about employees,” she said with a nod toward Miriam.

  The man eyed her with concern but remained polite. “How can we help you today, ma’am?”

  Miriam decided to forego any sense of impropriety and got right to the point. “I’m investigating the case of Natalie Forester, and I have some questions about your employees, Walter Browning being one of them.” She noticed two people waiting behind her in line and stepped away with the man as he walked her to the customer service counter.

  Suddenly the cashier called out to Miriam as though she’d had second thoughts. “He drives a red Datsun, just to let you know.”

  Miriam turned and thanked her as the man leaned close to her, speaking quietly and with concern about creating a scene. The tag on his vest identified him as the assistant manager. “Look, Ms.…?”“Sandoval,” Miriam said.“Ms. Sandoval,” he continued. “We want to help the investigation however we can, but I cannot have my employees being questioned in such a manner.”“I understand,” Miriam said. “I don’t wish to make anyone uncomfortable. There are just a lot of unanswered questions, and we’re at a crucial time in finding Natalie.”

  He folded his hands and leaned back with a nervous nod. “And you’re free to ask us anything you wish. Our team has been more than cooperative the past couple of days. We pray for Natalie’s return, but please, if it’s answers you want, I’d expect something more official, more professional.”“I understand,” Miriam said, holding the grocery bag of Folgers. “Thank you for your time.”

  She turned and left the store, knowing that she wasn’t going to get more information from them without drawing the attention of the police. It was best to take whatever clues she had and leave. Their suspect hadn’t given her anything as he’d promised in his last letter.

  She walked outside through the automatic doors, wondering if Walter Browning was a dead end. She stopped and quickly scribbled his name in her pad, noting that he drove a red Datsun, at least according to the cashier.

  Just outside the door, her legs froze in place with a brief recollection of the night before. She was sitting at a corner booth in Maddy’s Diner with Detectives Hayes and Shelton, watching the parking lot. She could clearly remember a red Datsun slowly driving by, as though the driver was watching the place. It could be a coincidence, or it could be the piece of a puzzle tying everything together. Nonetheless, she considered it something well worth looking into.

  A passing car snapped her back to reality, and she hurried back to the Crown Victoria while looking all around her, not quite out of the woods yet. She dug into her pocket for her cell phone, prepared to call Detective Hayes and tell him about their newest lead, when suddenly she noticed newly placed flyers on the windshields of all the cars in the parking lot, including hers. One glance at the flyer and she could see that is was an ad for an auto parts store. They were having a buy-three-tires-get-one-free sale, stated in big, bold letters. The flyer flapped in the dry wind under the windshield wiper as she approached the car, pressing the remote unlock button on the keychain.

  She grabbed her cell phone and scrolled for Hayes’s number. The messages asking her whereabouts had ceased for the moment. She owed them an update at this point, a name at least that could help with the investigation. Her attention then reached to the flyer on
her windshield, and as she went to take it off, she noticed a writing on the other side.

  She grabbed the flyer and scanned the parking lot, looking for any signs of movement, any remembered changes. A few people walked to their vehicles, carrying bags and pushing carts filled with groceries, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

  She couldn’t see if anyone was watching her, but she felt a presence. There was no sign even of the person who had placed the flyers on the windshields, but Miriam had an idea. There had to be a link—a clue the man had mentioned in his last letter.

  Miriam ducked inside the car, slamming the door, locking the locks, and feeling safer once she was less exposed. She flipped the flyer around and read the sloppy hand-writing as her heart thumped in anticipation.

  I waited for you, but you took too long. I’ve taken the liberty, however, of providing you a push in the right direction. All you need to do is to take advantage of Johnson Discount Auto Parts’ amazing deals. For a limited time, promotional code 811VKQ will get you an amazing deal. Hint: look under mufflers. This is all I’m giving you. Remember, don’t tell your buddies on the force. This is between you and me.

  The brief message was a further ploy to keep her guessing, and Miriam couldn’t help but go along with it. The thought of the man standing at her vehicle only moments before made her apprehensive about pursuing the matter on her own any further, but Miriam was never one to shy away from confrontation. She put the address of the auto parts store into her GPS and set the cell phone on the center console. She was only two miles away.

  Her hand turned the ignition in haste, and she backed out of her parking space. The dashboard clock indicated that she’d been away from the station for some time, but it was the furthest thing on her mind. She was in pursuit of a dangerous man, and nothing was going to get in her way.