Manhunt

by Lisa Phillips

  “Hey!” Hailey drew her weapon as she ran. “Let her go, Farrell.”

  Kerry’s whole body jerked and she looked over. “Mom!”

  Hailey aimed her weapon at the escapee, her pounding pace bringing her closer to them. “Hands on your head, Farrell.”

  His eyes narrowed when he saw how close she was. Had he been so focused on taking Hailey’s daughter he hadn’t registered her approach?

  He let Kerry go and ran for the car door. Kerry yelped and hit the ground, landing in a sprawl on top of her backpack, which was still on her back.

  Farrell pulled away, swinging the car around. The door slammed as he drove away.

  Hailey knelt by Kerry. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, Mom.” She smiled, but Hailey saw her lip quiver. “Thanks for not being late.”

  Hailey hauled her daughter to her feet and wrapped her arms around her. She gave Kerry a quick squeeze before she leaned back, pulling out her phone. “One second, okay?”

  Kerry saw the cell phone and nodded, burrowing into Hailey’s coat.

  Hailey looked down at her while the phone rang. “Where’s your jacket? You’re soaked.”

  Kerry shrugged. “I was too hot.”

  On the other end of the line, Jonah picked up. “Rivers.”

  “Farrell just tried to abduct Kerry.”

  It took ten minutes for them to reach the cul-de-sac, at which point Hailey and Kerry were both soaked, though she’d made Kerry get out the jacket from her backpack and actually put it on.

  Jonah’s gaze scanned Kerry as he walked over. “Both of you okay?”

  Hailey nodded under the umbrella she’d retrieved from her trunk, and Kerry moved closer to her. The passel of big men all making their way over was likely an imposing sight.

  She turned Kerry away from them, and said, “Tell me what happened.”

  Kerry took a deep breath. “I got off the bus with Sara, but Beth-Ann always waits in the cul-de-sac. When I walked around the corner she wasn’t there yet. So I waited.”

  Hailey’s stomach was so tight it hurt. She shouldn’t have eaten that pizza.

  “I was texting you to say bye, because I knew I wouldn’t see you until after school on Monday. I heard a car pull up, and I thought it was Beth-Ann. This big dude was getting out. He looked like Carissa’s dad.”

  That meant he had long, dirty blond hair. Like Farrell.

  Jonah caught her gaze and mouthed, Farrell?

  Hailey nodded and looked back at Kerry. “What happened then?”

  “I backed up, but he grabbed me. So I screamed as loud as I could. And then I did that thing you showed me, and I stomped his foot. I think it worked because I have my boots on. He yelped, and I yanked my arm hard and then I saw you and he let go of me.” Kerry took a deep breath.

  “Did he say anything?”

  Kerry shook her head, her cheeks flushed.

  Hailey knew her daughter’s instincts were sharp, because she’d made sure they were that way. Kerry didn’t need to live in a bubble in which the world was a safe place. That was a lie. She needed to be able to take care of herself.

  And this proved it.

  A Mercedes pulled around the corner, braking suddenly right in front of them. Charles parked and jumped from the car.

  “Daddy!”

  Kerry shoved the umbrella at Hailey and flew to him, burying herself in his chest. Charles patted her head and looked at Hailey. “What’s this about your escaped fugitive almost kidnapping my daughter?”

  My daughter. Not our daughter. Hailey didn’t have time to get into that with him, so she let it go. “It’s true.”

  She wasn’t going to lie. Charles needed to be concerned. Hailey wanted him on high alert when it came to watching out for Kerry this weekend, not assuming the danger was over, since the guy got away.

  Maybe she could get her dad to stay at a hotel for a few days as well.

  Hailey sighed, realizing she needed to let Kerry go with Charles. She turned to Jonah. “Do we need Kerry any longer, or can she get out of the rain?”

  “She can go.”

  Hailey looked at Charles. “Why don’t you get her settled at your house?”

  Kerry turned back from the embrace with her dad and looked at Hailey.

  “I’ll call you later, okay?”

  Kerry nodded and sniffed, pulling away from her father. Hailey put her hand on Kerry’s cheek. “You did great.” She wiped her daughter’s tears with her thumbs and then kissed her forehead. “Love you.”

  “Love you too, Mom.”

  Charles looked down his nose at Hailey. “We’re going to be talking about this.”

  Hailey smiled sweetly. “I’ll look forward to that.”

  She watched Kerry go with Charles. It was like having her heart ripped out, every single time. Gifting someone she didn’t totally trust with everything that was valuable to her and trying to be okay with it.

  She could do a drive-by check of their house later, and Kerry had the cell phone Charles had given her for Christmas. It wasn’t like Hailey would be out of the loop. But tell her heart that.

  Jonah yelled, “Parker. Ames. You’re on protection detail.” He turned back to her and Eric, folding his arms again. She’d decided a while back it was his default thinking pose. “What is your read on this situation?”

  Hailey took a breath. “I just don’t know why he would pick Kerry, of all people. Is he trying to get to me? Surely there’s someone better on the team. Or is this because he saw me at Deirdre’s?” She shrugged. “I have no idea.”

  Hailey was shaking, the aftereffects of what had just happened. She gripped the umbrella handle tighter.

  Standing beside Jonah, Eric’s frame was dwarfed by their boss’s. “You taught her self-defense?”

  “Yes.” Hailey frowned at him. Didn’t every parent do that? His eyebrows twitched. “She has to be able to protect herself.”

  Eric lifted his hands. “Hey, I’m not saying it’s a bad thing at all. Not if it potentially saved her life.”

  His words penetrated her heart, and Hailey’s stomach turned over. Her hands shook more, and sweat broke out along her hairline.

  Eric’s face flashed with worry. “Hailey—”

  Jonah stepped forward until his head was almost under the umbrella. “Take a deep breath. It’ll pass.”

  Hailey waited through the surge of nausea, and then whispered, “He could have killed her. He could have taken her, and—”

  Jonah said, “You gave her the skills to defend herself, and she did.”

  Hailey nodded.

  Jonah put his hand on her shoulder. “This won’t be the last time it hits you, but you just have to roll with it. You’re stronger than the fear. And smarter.”

  Hailey stared at him, shocked that he seemed to know what he was talking about. And he’d actually complimented her. “I’m okay.”

  Eric stepped closer. “I’m sorry. I’m glad she’s fine and that you were here. Kerry seems like a really level-headed kid. And if that’s down to you in part, then you must be a pretty great mom.”

  Hailey didn’t know what to do with all the sweetness coming at her. These were supposed to be macho guys who took down fugitives and then grabbed the file for the next one and got to work. “All right, enough of the mushy stuff.”

  Neither of them looked convinced that she wasn’t brushing off their concern just because she was uncomfortable. But they still let her do it.

  Jonah’s phone rang. He stepped aside and spoke in a low tone.

  Eric studied Hailey’s face, rain dripping off the front of his ball cap. “Are you really okay?”

  “Of course not. My child nearly got abducted.”

  “Are you going to be able to work this case? Jonah will probably let you work from the office until Farrell is found. It might be good for you to be out of the loop from now on.”

  Hailey’s eyes narrowed. “Because Farrell thinks he can try to take my child? I don’t think so, Hanning. I’m not
sitting this one out, no way. Just try and stop me from running this guy down and putting him away.”

  “Good.” Eric nodded. “Anything you need, you just tell me.”

  “Just like that?”

  “Why not?”

  Hailey didn’t know why not. No one had ever offered her unconditional assistance before. What was with this guy? They didn’t make men like this anymore. Maybe they all lived in Phoenix and never came north unless they were transferred for work, like Eric had been.

  There was no other explanation. He had to have an ulterior motive. She just didn’t know what it was yet.

  “What are you thinking about?”

  Hailey jerked free from her thoughts. “Nothing.”

  Eric’s lips curled up. “Sure it was.”

  Hailey shook her head. “Who are you?”

  Jonah strode back over. “Deirdre Phelps was marched into the marshal’s office by her father and his lawyer. She is prepared to answer our questions.”

  SIX

  Jonah said, “You want to do the interview, since it was your lead?”

  Hailey couldn’t believe it. He wanted to give her the credit now?

  Eric shifted and pinched her finger behind his back. “Yes, she does.”

  Jonah walked to his vehicle. Hailey glanced at Eric and mouthed, What is going on? A smile stretched his lips, and he shrugged.

  There must be something in the water, because the two of them were acting crazy. Jonah was giving her actual responsibility, and Eric was insisting he help her, with no strings attached. This whole week had been beyond bizarre. When she woke up tomorrow, maybe they would all be back to their usual prickly selves.

  *

  The car sprayed up water the whole way back to the office. Eric couldn’t imagine what Hailey was going through. Once upon a time he’d thought he would end up married with children of his own.

  Sarah’s injury had killed whatever love existed between them when she couldn’t accept that Eric loved her even though she was paralyzed. Now he couldn’t see sharing his life with anyone, or living life as part of a couple instead of as his own man. He was far too set in his ways.

  Eric glanced over at her, his fingers gripping the steering wheel. He had no frame of reference for the fear written on her face. His brother and Mackenzie, his brother’s wife, were his family. But they were capable adults who had seen their share of trouble and pulled through it together.

  Hailey might need someone to partner with her so she could keep her focus, but apparently she didn’t want that person to be him. Eric had already offered to help her twice, and she’d turned him down both times. He wasn’t about to make the offer again, not when the rejection still stung. They could work together as part of the team, but if they were going to be true partners she had to be the one to bring it up next time.

  *

  Hailey entered the conference room, her clothes still damp, but with a fresh cup of coffee. Deirdre’s father was in the room, his stern eyes on his daughter. His hair was dyed dark brown, but his eyebrows and the chest hair in his open collar were mostly gray. He had a fake tan and gold rings on both hands. Thomas James Phelps the Third might have been a millionaire, but he was still a car salesman.

  The lawyer looked old money. He seemed completely disinterested in the family drama going on.

  Hailey set her cup on the table and sat. She gave Deirdre a small smile and tried something she’d never had occasion to use yet in her job. She cocked her head to the side. “Mrs. Henley’s English Lit class.” She pointed to the stunned woman across the table and smiled. “Back row, next to Gemma Malone.”

  Deirdre blinked. “Who…?”

  “Hailey Shelder. Front row, closest to the window.”

  “No way!”

  Hailey laughed. “Yeah, it’s not something I enjoy reliving.”

  Deirdre laughed, but hesitantly, as if she wasn’t sure she was supposed to. “I’m sure. I remember the hair.”

  Hailey had learned with time to tame her big red hair. “It was definitely memorable.” They shared a laugh. When the moment died down, Hailey said, “I don’t remember Farrell, though.”

  Deirdre’s smile dropped. “He didn’t go to school with us. He was older.”

  “And you stayed friends all these years?”

  “I wouldn’t say friends.” Deirdre swallowed, like there was a bad taste in her mouth. There was also an indecipherable look in her eyes Hailey couldn’t figure out. “He takes what he wants. He doesn’t care about anyone but himself.”

  Hailey nodded. “How long has he been staying at your house?”

  The lawyer raised his hand. He leaned in and spoke in Deirdre’s ear.

  The woman nodded. “I just want to help you find him, to do my part as a concerned citizen.”

  “Very well.” There wasn’t much else Hailey could say, not when Deirdre was here of her own volition. “Where can we find him?”

  Deirdre squeezed her fingers together on the table. “He said something about getting his own. I figured he was talking nonsense, but it was like he really believed he was onto something.”

  “Is he waiting for something? Or looking?”

  “I think he’s still looking, which is why he said he couldn’t split town, because he’s not ready. Like he’s not sure where it’s at, whatever it is.” Deirdre ran a shaky hand through her hair, which was as perfect as it had been in high school. “But whatever it is, it’s the reason he escaped.”

  “Did you give him anything, or do anything, or go anywhere because he asked you to?”

  “No, he just asked a bunch of questions about going online and searching old newspapers and such. I told him to go to the library. I don’t know how to do that stuff.”

  “What about the files in your house?” Hailey studied her. “What can you tell me about that?”

  Deirdre shook her head. “I had no idea that was even there. He kept that door locked and didn’t tell me anything about it. I just want to forget all this happened. Please, catch him. You don’t know what he’s like.”

  “Who helped him escape?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “You didn’t help them?”

  The lawyer shifted in his seat. Deirdre glanced at him and then said, “Steve just called me last weekend. I didn’t even know what was going on until I saw it on the news.”

  “So you don’t know why Farrell had files on US marshals in your house? Private information.”

  “No!”

  “You realize this makes you an accomplice, right?”

  Deirdre’s eyes widened. “I’m trying to help you.”

  “So tell me what Farrell wants.”

  “It’s nothing. He’s just looking for some jewelry or something. Stolen stuff from years ago. I don’t know anything else.”

  Stolen jewelry?

  Everything Hailey knew about unsolved thefts flipped through her mind like entries in a rolodex.

  She grabbed her coffee and stood. “Thank you for your time, Ms. Phelps.”

  *

  Eric ran his hands down his face. Deirdre’s phone records were a lesson in too much money, too little responsibility. Her credit card statements were nauseating.

  “Anything?”

  Eric looked up. Jonah was beside his desk with the assessing look he got when he was testing you.

  Eric said, “Phone records were a bust. I can’t help wondering about this stash Farrell is after, and what he wants from Kerry. If he had a hand in the original theft, then it could be an old score he never claimed. That would mean it’s been sitting for years, which is unlikely, but not impossible.”

  Hailey was on the far side of the office at the coffee pot, pouring herself a cup. She had her thinking face on. He hoped she didn’t burn herself by accident.

  Eric continued, “That also means we now have more accomplices to identify. Known associates, family and extended family members he might still have contact with.”

  “Course of action?
”

  “Go back further. Look into possible associates and any heists they might have done. Scores which could’ve pulled in a haul big enough that he still wants to get his hands on it, even years later. Unsolved robberies, that kind of thing. Though, why he’s doing this now bothers me. And what it has to do with Hailey and her daughter.”

  “So figure it out.”

  “Figure what out?” Hailey strode over, confident and graceful on her heels.

  Eric shook his head. “Just talking about the case. How are you doing?”

  Hailey sat, her face lacking expression. “I’m fine.”

  Sure she was. Hailey might like to act tough, but he’d seen her checking her phone every thirty seconds since they left the police station, and typing furiously on it several times—replying to texts from Kerry, probably.

  Jonah rapped his knuckles on the edge of the table. “Let me know what you come up with.”

  Eric glanced at the window. The twilight sky was nearly black from the low clouds and the steady patter of rain. “It’s looking bad out there.”

  “I guess.” Hailey squinted at the darkness outside. “Maybe Charles was right about flooding. I hope not. It won’t make catching Farrell any easier.”

  “Have you worked a flood before?”

  Hailey shook her head. “The last time there was a bad flood I was in junior high. The whole town was evacuated. Our house didn’t get damaged, because it’s on the top of a hill, and my dad decided it should be a safe zone.”

  “Like a place for evacuees to go?”

  She nodded, her eyes distant. “My mom was up for two days straight making coffee, getting more blankets and cooking for everyone. She passed away six months later. She had cancer.”

  Eric winced. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  “It was a long time ago.”

  Hailey turned to her work, so Eric did the same. Sitting there wasn’t going to accomplish much. Not if he didn’t look at the big picture, the efforts of the entire team.

  The clock was ticking on their escapee. Days would soon turn into weeks, and the trail had been almost cold before Hailey discovered the Deirdre Phelps angle. He couldn’t deny she had a knack for this. But now the case had cracked open, and what had come out made about as much sense as Hailey’s pineapple on her pizza.