Every Move She Makes

by Jannine Gallant

  “He made me call Lark. When she didn’t answer, I could tell he was mad. His eyes were kind of wild. Then a minute later Lark called back. I asked her to meet me in the yard just like he told me to.” Rose dissolved into tears. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Carpenter. I didn’t want to, but I was so scared.”

  Rachel squeezed Rose’s hand. “It’s not your fault. Tell us what happened next.”

  “He pulled out a knife and said he’d use it if I didn’t cooperate. He looked all around and then made me run down the street to your backyard.”

  The sheriff arrived with Brandon Hendricks. Rose paused to glance over at them.

  Kane touched her shoulder. “Go on.”

  She took a breath. “When Lark came out, he hit her. Then he must have hit me again because I don’t remember anything else.”

  “Son of a bitch!” Kane smacked his thigh with his fist. “I can’t believe no one saw a man in a ski mask carrying a girl down the street.”

  Hendricks pulled out his notebook. “I’ll check with the neighbors.”

  “You do that, Brandon. Rose, I want you to look at these two pictures.” The sheriff held up photos of Bob Mayfield and Curt Dawson. “Does either of these men look like the one who took you?”

  Rose squinted at the pictures. “I’m not certain. They both have brown eyes.”

  “What about his voice?” Kane asked. “Was there anything distinctive about it?”

  “Not really, but I’m pretty sure I would recognize it if I heard it again. Oh, I did scratch his arm when he was marching me down the street.” She looked at Rachel, and her lips trembled. “Is he going to hurt Lark?”

  Kane shook his head. “I don’t think he will. He didn’t hurt you more than he had to. He’s just using Lark to get to Rachel.”

  A moment later, a woman with dark hair and a worried expression ran around the side of the house. She knelt and stroked Rose’s orange-streaked hair. “Is she okay? What happened?”

  “Are you her mother?” At the woman’s nod, the medics lifted the stretcher. “Someone can fill you in at the hospital. If you’re through questioning her, sheriff, I’d like to take this girl to the emergency room to get her thoroughly checked out.”

  Walker glanced toward his remaining deputy. “Go with them, Pete. See if she remembers anything else. Make sure they collect samples from beneath her nails. We may have this bastard’s DNA. I’ll stay here and begin processing the scene. The state police should be arriving shortly to help.”

  Rachel’s hand shook as she pushed back her hair. “What can I do, sheriff?”

  “Just wait by the phone. The state boys will set up equipment to trace incoming calls. I’ve got local police trying to track down both Dawson and Mayfield. Neither is answering his phone.”

  “Let’s get out of the way so Stan can do his job.” Kane took her arm to guide her away. “Mrs. Tate, you can go home, now. Thank you for staying.”

  The elderly woman’s eyes were wide in her wrinkled face. “What’s the world coming to when a person isn’t safe in her own yard?” She shook her head. “Rachel, you let me know if I can help.”

  “I will. Thank you, Florence.”

  The woman walked back to her house, the cat clutched tightly in her arms. With Daisy at her side, Rachel followed Kane inside then stood in the middle of the kitchen and stared at the cold English muffin on the table.

  Her face crumbled as she brought her hands up to cover her eyes. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

  Kane put his arms around her and pulled her shaking body close. He was still holding her when Audrey and Chet rushed into the kitchen. Only then did he release Rachel into her mother’s embrace.

  “What’s being done to find Lark?” Rachel’s father looked ten years older than the last time Kane had seen him. His face was pale beneath its usual ruddy color, and new lines were etched into his forehead.

  “Everything that can be. The sheriff expects the man who kidnapped Lark to call. The state police will be here to trace it when he does.”

  “Do you think he will?”

  Kane frowned. “I’m not sure. I don’t know what he expects to accomplish by taking Lark. It’s Rachel he wants.”

  Chet’s shoulders heaved and when he spoke, his voice broke. “The bastard must be crazy as a loon.”

  “His obsession with Rachel seems to have pushed him over the edge. Still, he hasn’t been overtly violent up until now.”

  “Hell, man, he shot you.”

  “I made him mad. He seems to treat women with more respect. The injuries he inflicted on Rachel in Tahoe and on Rose this morning weren’t life-threatening. They served the purpose of allowing him to escape undetected. He doesn’t get off on hurting women.”

  “You don’t think he’ll hurt Lark?”

  Now it was Kane’s voice that shook. “That’s what I’m counting on.”

  Rachel pulled away from her mom’s arms and wiped her eyes. “I should call the bookstore. Ellen must be wondering where I am.”

  “The cinnamon rolls and muffins are in the car.” Audrey’s voice trembled. “I was leaving to drop them off when you called.”

  Rachel spoke briefly to her employee then hung up just as the state police arrived. Once the officers had set up a trace on her home phone, she used her cell to call each of her relatives. She was in tears after speaking to Jade and Ivy.

  Watching the woman he loved break down was killing him. Kane took the phone away from her when she finished. “You need to have something to eat.”

  “I’ll make you some oatmeal.” Audrey patted her arm.

  “I’m not hungry, Mom.”

  “I don’t care if you’re hungry. You have to eat.”

  Rachel lowered her head and sat down at the table.

  Kane walked over to pull the sheriff into the living room. “Anything new?”

  He stuffed his cell phone back into his shirt pocket. “No, there’s still no sign of either Mayfield or Dawson. None of their friends or relatives knows where they are.”

  “Mayfield told me he was heading out of town when I talked to him yesterday.”

  “That’s convenient.”

  “Isn’t it? The guy’s never home when it matters, but neither is Dawson. Did you reach Tiffany Randolph? She may know where Curt is.”

  “I did, and she doesn’t. She said she hasn’t talked to him in a few days.” The sheriff’s phone rang again. He answered it, listened intently then hung up. “A DMV report shows Mayfield’s grandfather owned a 1978 Ford truck. It was listed as non-operational the last time it was registered. Bob never changed the registration into his own name after his grandfather’s death.”

  “Finally a break. It could be the vehicle we’re looking for.”

  “It’s a place to start, and it’s certainly enough to get a search warrant for the property up in Lakeport Mayfield inherited. That’s the address on the truck’s registration.”

  Rachel walked into the room and came over to lean against Kane. “Do you think he took Lark up to Lakeport?”

  “If Bob Mayfield’s our man, it’s a possibility.” The sheriff smiled at her.

  Rachel’s fists clenched as she stared back at him. “Then why aren’t you on your way up there?”

  “We’re waiting to hear from the local authorities.”

  “That’s it? We just wait?”

  Kane rested his hands on her tense shoulders. “It shouldn’t be long.”

  Rachel buried her face against his chest. “It’s already been too long.”

  Chapter 27

  Doing nothing made Rachel want to fly into a million pieces. Grace arrived and held her in a tight embrace, her usual confidence missing. Having her sister beside her was a momentary comfort, but Rachel couldn’t relax. She walked from window to window, staring out at the street, her mind full of images too frightening to contemplate. When Kane touched her shoulder, she jumped.

  “They found the pickup in
a shed on the property, and the house has been recently occupied.”

  “Lark?” She closed her eyes and prayed.

  “There’s no sign of her or Mayfield, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t in the area.”

  “Is the truck the right one?”

  “They aren’t sure, Rachel. It matches the general description. The paint is badly faded, but the original color was black not green. They were able to start the vehicle, but the engine was cold.”

  “He could have changed cars when he got there. It’s been three hours since he took her, and it can’t take much more than an hour to get to Lakeport.”

  “The local police are organizing a search. Stan is sending Brandon up to keep us fully informed.”

  Rachel clutched his arm. “Go with him, Kane. Please.”

  His brow creased. “I don’t like leaving you. We can’t lose sight of this bastard’s main objective.”

  “Right now I only care about my daughter. I’ll be fine.” She waved her arm toward the half dozen people in the living room. “He can’t touch me, but he could hurt my baby.” Tears pooled in her eyes. “Lark’s the one who needs you.”

  “I don’t know. I feel like I should stay, like there’s something we’re missing.”

  “The only thing missing is my daughter. If Bob Mayfield is the sick, twisted pervert who took her, then you have to find her.” Rachel took a deep breath. “I’d go up there myself, but I know the sheriff wants me here to talk to him in case he calls.”

  Kane gripped her shoulders. “You aren’t to leave this house. Understand?”

  Nodding, she walked into his arms, and they closed around her in a fierce hug. “Please find her. I can’t stand this.”

  “If she’s up there, I’ll bring her back.” He tilted her face to kiss her. “I’d better go.”

  “Please be careful.”

  His smile was tight. “Don’t worry about me, but God help the sorry bastard who took Lark when I get a hold of him.”

  Rachel rested her hand on the windowsill as Kane crossed the yard. He stopped to speak to Stan Walker before he and Brandon Hendricks drove away in his Jeep. Her shoulders sagged.

  “Kane looked pretty determined.”

  Rachel turned toward her sister. “He is. The police want to catch this man. I know they do, but to them Lark is just another teenage girl in trouble. Kane will do whatever it takes. I trust him to put Lark first the same way I would.”

  Grace squeezed her hand. “The guy really loves you.”

  “He’s staying after this is over. We both want to make our relationship work, but right now I can’t think about anything but finding my daughter.”

  “We’ll get her back.”

  Rachel nodded. “We have to.”

  The afternoon dragged with no contact from the kidnapper. Rachel’s nerves were at the breaking point.

  “I expected to hear from him by now.” The sheriff scratched his bald head and frowned. “This just doesn’t make sense.”

  “Have something to eat.” Rachel’s mother took the sheriff’s arm. “There’s soup and sandwiches in the kitchen. You come, too, Chet.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Hanover.” Walker followed her across the room. “I wouldn’t mind having a sandwich.”

  Grace touched Rachel’s sleeve. “You should eat.”

  “Mom force-fed me a bowl of oatmeal earlier, but you go ahead.”

  “Are you sure? I don’t want to leave you in here by yourself.”

  “I could use some alone time. What I’d really like is a little fresh air. I think I’ll go sit on the front porch.”

  Grace paused in the doorway. “Are you sure you should?”

  “No one is going to snatch me off the porch, Grace. Anyway, Pete Lowery is outside with one of the state cops. I’ll be fine.”

  Grace left, and Rachel walked out the door, releasing a relieved sigh to find Lowery and his state counterpart had moved their work to the back of the house. The day was sunny and warm. A hummingbird darted by her and landed on the edge of the feeder. Down the street, the Johnson’s car pulled into their driveway, and Cathy got out then waved. Standing on her front porch, Rachel wondered how the world could look so normal.

  Daisy walked around the side of the house to lean against her leg. She reached down to scratch the dog’s ears. “I need to do something.”

  Out on the street, the mail carrier stopped in front of the house. He thrust a handful of envelopes into her box before moving on.

  Even collecting the mail was better than sitting still. Daisy accompanied her down the driveway. Rachel pulled out the small stack then went back to the porch. She settled on a rattan chair and sorted through the collection of bills, advertisements and catalogues. On the bottom of the pile was a plain white envelope with no stamp or return address. With shaking hands, she ripped it open and read the contents.

  My Dearest Jordan,

  I’ve waited so long for this day. Once we’re together I’m confident you’ll forgive me for this unfortunate scare. I promise I’ll release Lark unharmed if you follow my instructions. Tell anyone about the meeting I’ve planned, and I’ll see it as a breach of faith—which would force me to reconsider your daughter’s safe release. Please don’t make me hurt her.

  Lark and I are enjoying a trip to the mountains. I thought it a fitting place for our reunion. Drive to the Soda Springs exit and ask for an envelope at the gas station. You’ll find further instructions inside.

  I’m counting the hours until we’re finally together.

  Your One True Love

  Rachel read the letter a second time and bit her lip. Obviously Lark wasn’t being held in Lakeport. Either Bob or Curt had taken her up to the Sierras. Quietly she slipped through the entry and climbed the stairs. In her room, she took a small penknife from a box of odds and ends and slipped it into her pocket. Too bad it wasn’t a machete—or a gun. Not knowing what to expect, she packed a bag with a change of clothes and a few toiletries. In Lark’s room, she grabbed a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt along with socks and tennis shoes. Her cell phone rang while she was writing a note.

  “Kane?”

  “Hey, beautiful. I just wanted to check in. We haven’t located Lark or Mayfield yet, but we’re still looking. The house has definitely been used recently.”

  “Do you think it was Bob?”

  “We found footprints that match his shoe size in a patch of dirt near the driveway. The forensic guys are going through the pickup, but they haven’t turned up any evidence yet.”

  “So the truck might not be the right one?”

  “It’s beginning to look that way. I’ll head back if we don’t find something soon.”

  “What if that’s what he’s waiting for? What if he has Lark hidden somewhere and is just waiting until the coast is clear?”

  “The local police will still be around. No one intends to give up until we identify the person who’s been using the house. It might not be Mayfield. He may have lent it to someone else.”

  “So Bob could still be the kidnapper, but he might have taken Lark somewhere other than Lakeport?”

  “At this point we can’t be certain of anything. I’m sorry, Rachel. I really expected this lead to pan out.”

  “I’m sorry, too.”

  “I don’t understand why he hasn’t tried to contact you. It doesn’t make sense.” Kane’s voice was filled with frustration. “I know we’re missing something.”

  “Maybe he’ll call soon.”

  “Are you okay? Did someone slip you a sedative?”

  “Of course not. Why would you ask a question like that?”

  “Because you sound awfully calm. I expected you to lose it when I told you we hadn’t found Lark.”

  Rachel swallowed. She sucked at keeping secrets—especially from someone she loved. “What good would freaking out do? I’m trying my best not to fall apart here.”

  “That’s my girl.” He blew out a
shaky breath. “I’d better go. I’ll see you in a couple of hours, okay?”

  Her grip on the phone tightened. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  Blinking back tears, Rachel grabbed her bag, slipped down the stairs and hurried out the door. Thankfully the front yard was still empty although voices carried from the rear of the house. With fingers crossed, she started the SUV and backed out of the driveway. When she made it down the street without detection, she allowed herself to exhale. It was a long way to the mountains. Getting out of Vine Haven was just the first step. It was only a matter of time before someone discovered she was missing and all hell broke loose.

  Rachel lifted one hand from the wheel to rub her forehead. Her parents would be beside themselves, and she wouldn’t let herself think about Kane. He’d have an APB out on her car the second he was notified of her disappearance. Making a hard turn, she drove to the vineyard. Her father kept an old MG convertible in the garage. The spare key hung on a pegboard. As quickly as she could, she exchanged vehicles.

  Feeling more confident by the minute, she drove through the vineyard and out to the highway. Her hair blew around her face as the MG ate up the miles. She stopped once to get gas and a bottle of water, using cash to pay for it. It was getting dark when she reached the Soda Springs exit. Long shadows from the towering pines crisscrossed the road. Rachel pulled into the gas station near the off-ramp and got out of the car.

  Inside the open garage bay an older man wearing grease-stained coveralls glanced her way. “Need something?”

  “Did someone leave directions here for me?”

  “Is your name Jordan?” The man reached beneath the workbench for an envelope.

  Rachel took it from him. “Could you tell me what time this was dropped off?”

  “Must have been around noon because I was taking a lunch break.”

  She thanked him and went back to her car. She’d barely sat down when she ripped open the envelope.

  My Dearest Jordan,

  If you’re reading this, we’ll soon be together. I hope you haven’t disobeyed my instructions as it wouldn’t be in Lark’s best interests. I’ll know if you’re followed. Don’t disappoint me.