White Wedding

by Stacy Claflin

  Hopefully Dad called the school to let them know about her absence. But even if he didn’t, they had to know why she wasn’t there. It should be obvious.

  She tossed and turned for a while. Mom came in and checked on her at some point. Then so did her grandparents. They were busy packing for their move to Japan to take care of Papi’s dad, her great-grandpa.

  Why was she thinking about this right now? Was she so desperate not to think about Damon? Or was she sleep deprived and growing delirious?

  She closed her eyes again and tried to sleep. Why was it that trying to sleep always made it impossible? When she lay down without thinking about it, sleep always came quickly.

  Ari rolled over again, this time her bladder protested. So much for staying in bed all day. She got up to relieve herself, then decided she may as well get a shower. Might help her feel a little better. Besides, if someone found Damon, she didn’t want to stink when she saw him.

  She took a long hot shower then headed downstairs.

  Mom was at the kitchen table, on the phone. She stopped talking as soon as she glanced Ariana’s way.

  “What?” Ariana demanded.

  She spoke into the phone. “I’ll call you back.”

  “What’s going on, Mom?”

  “Nothing. Let’s get you something to eat.”

  Ariana narrowed her eyes. “I’m not eating anything until you tell me what’s going on.”

  Mom looked conflicted for a moment. “Okay. Have a seat.”

  “Just tell me. Rip the bandage off.”

  “Please sit.”

  Ari shook her head.

  “Okay. That was Dad. Damon’s car was found.”

  Her stomach dropped. “Where? Did they find him?”

  “It was in an obscure parking lot hours away. No sign of him.”

  Chapter 10

  Alex ended the call and made notes in his file. There had been some recent reported sightings of the son of the murdered couple, and they were all in the same area. That was a good sign that the tips were legitimate.

  But it wasn’t the case he wanted to focus on. The couple was already dead. Damon was still alive—hopefully—and they had a chance to save him.

  Yet the rules were in place for a reason. He needed to stay focused on the case given to him, the one he could stay completely unbiased about. And besides, if Nick was right about the chief’s plans, Alex could get a promotion soon.

  Detective? Him? It hardly seemed possible. And it was also not important while Damon was missing. Finding the teen was the priority. It was also his coworkers’ responsibility. But Alex was kind of a father figure to the kid. Despite his focus on keeping Damon from having too much alone time with Ariana, their talks to and from the prison to visit Cal had brought them closer than Alex had ever thought possible. And now that Damon was missing, he realized how much he actually cared about him.

  Alex rubbed his temples and went to get some fresh coffee. Black. He needed it strong.

  Kutcher was down the hall, speaking with Garcia. This was his chance to find out the specifics about Damon’s car. Were there signs of a struggle? Did they find any prints?

  He blew on the steaming drink and waited for Garcia to walk away before marching over to the agent. “Any news on the car?”

  She adjusted her glasses and fixed her pencil skirt. “Nothing yet. I’ll keep you in the loop. Aren’t you supposed to be following up on a lead about another missing kid?” Kutcher arched a brow.

  Alex nodded then sipped his scalding coffee. “Yeah, but I’m not worried about his safety. The more evidence that mounts, the guiltier he looks.”

  “All the more reason to nab him. Let me worry about Damon, okay?”

  “You’ll text me the moment you learn anything?” Alex frowned.

  “Yes. Would you feel better if I pinky-promised?”

  He snorted. “No, that’s fine. Thanks.”

  Kutcher chuckled as Alex turned around to head for his desk.

  Before he reached it, Nick’s door opened. Alex almost expected his friend to step out, but the chief did. He nodded at Alex and waved him in.

  Alex’s stomach hardened, but he marched in like he wasn’t intimidated by the temperamental man who held everyone’s job in his hand, and he sat across from him.

  Crawford put his hands behind his head and stared Alex down. “Any updates on the silver spoon case?”

  “Actually, I’m getting ready to head out and look into one now.”

  “Really? Do you know where the kid is?”

  “Potentially.” Alex considered his wording to stay on the chief’s good side. “There have been several sightings of him at a movie theater two towns over. I’m hoping to get there before he leaves.”

  “Good, good.” Crawford nodded in approval. “What about the new missing kid?”

  Alex swallowed. “I’m not on that case, sir.”

  He sat up straight and crossed his arms. “From what I understand, you’ve taken him under your wing since his scumbag dad went to prison.”

  Alex nodded slowly. “Yes, but the federal agent is on the case. I’m on this one.”

  Crawford’s brows drew together. “And you’re not trying to balance two cases?”

  “No, sir. I mean, I’m worried about Damon. But my concern is to be there for my family. I’m too involved to be of any use on the case.”

  The chief didn’t respond right away.

  Alex’s heart pounded. Had he said something wrong?

  Crawford uncrossed his arms and leaned forward. “Let me know what you find at the movie theater. Who are you taking with you?”

  “I’m going to see if Anderson is available.”

  “Perfect. I want you two to be partners on this case.”

  Alex’s breath hitched. Nick was right. Crawford was serious about advancing Alex to detective. “Yes, sir.”

  “Now get out of here.”

  Without a word, Alex scrambled out of the chair and headed for Anderson’s desk.

  The precinct’s top detective looked up. “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, great.” Alex cleared his throat. “Did you hear about the silver spoon kid?”

  Anderson shook his head no. “I’ve been looking into the break-in at the children’s museum. Do we have a location?”

  “Yeah. Want to go with me?”

  The detective grabbed his jacket. “You know it.”

  “Oh, and Crawford says we’re partners on this case.”

  “Really? You looking to advance to detective?”

  “It would appear so.”

  Anderson patted his shoulder. “Meet you in the parking lot in five?”

  “Sounds good.” Alex made his way over to his desk. He grabbed his things, trying to process the fact that Crawford had partnered him with Anderson. It was almost like being paired with Nick, they’d both been on the force for so long. If Alex remembered correctly, they’d been partners when Macy went missing all those years ago, before Ariana was born.

  The thought made Alex’s pulse race. What would the other officers think? Especially the ones who had been there longer? Nobody would question the chief’s decision, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t be irritated or jealous. Not that Alex could blame them. Only Davidson was newer than him.

  “You ready?”

  Alex spun around to see Anderson. “I thought we were meeting in the parking lot.”

  “We were, but you looked a little lost in thought.”

  “Still trying to take in the news, partner.” Alex gave him a grin that was far more confident than he felt. Fake it ’til you make it and all that.

  Anderson chuckled. “You’ll do great. Come on.”

  Alex pulled on his coat and headed for the parking lot with Anderson, his stance a little taller. The more he adjusted to the news, the more he found he liked it.

  They discussed the case on the way to the mall—and they had plenty of time since it was a bit of a drive. Alex’s mind kept wandering to his potent
ial upcoming advancement and all that would mean. A higher pay grade, for one. Not only were his in-laws going to pay him and Zoey to live in their house, but they would save the rent they’d been paying and he’d be making more. Zoey definitely wouldn’t have to worry about a part-time job, and their family vacation would come sooner rather than later.

  Guilt stung. He was mentally planning a vacation while Damon was missing and most likely in grave danger. The kid had really grown on him in the short time he’d known him.

  Alex shoved all those thoughts aside and flipped through the current case file. This was the task he’d been given, and he needed to focus on it. They were dealing with a dangerous teen who had most likely killed his parents, and brutally at that. The scene had been so gruesome, Alex had nearly gotten sick. The guys at the scene had even warned him to throw up away from the crime scene.

  It really made no sense why Crawford wanted him to advance. Didn’t he know Alex had a weak stomach? Everyone had been teasing him since then.

  When they arrived at the mall, Anderson parked near the movie theater.

  “This is where the last reported sighting was. We should look for him and question anyone who might have seen him.” Alex tucked the file out of sight, then they headed inside.

  The entrance to the theater was pretty dead. Just a few people milling about near the video games and the clerks working at the concessions were talking to each other. Anderson headed straight for them first then showed them the picture of Teivel.

  Alex stood next to him, taking mental notes of everything he did and said. He put everyone at ease immediately with his friendly smile, but his tone and stance showed he meant business.

  How would Alex ever remember any of this?

  One of the girls behind the counter stepped to the side, her mouth gaping. “That’s him!”

  Alex spun around.

  A skinny teen in all black about Damon’s age was making a beeline for the door.

  Both Anderson and Alex bolted in his direction.

  Chapter 11

  Alex reached for his gun. Anderson already had his drawn and had called for Teivel to stop.

  His only response had been to speed up. He nearly took out a toddler as he lunged for the exit. The tot’s mom threw her drink at him. The kid’s feet slid on the liquid, but it didn’t slow him down. He threw his weight against the door and bolted outside.

  Alex and Anderson got there before the door closed. By the time they got to the sidewalk, Teivel was out of sight.

  Anderson turned to Alex. “He’s probably hiding behind a car. You go that way.” He nodded to the left. “I’ll go the other way. Assume he’s armed and dangerous.”

  Alex nodded then hurried over to the cars, gun ready. There weren’t a lot of vehicles because of the time of day, but there were still plenty of places for someone on the run to hide.

  His heart thundered as he crept from one car to the next, never knowing if or when he would see the assailant. These types of situations always made him think of that jack in the box game, but with far more serious consequences. Especially if Teivel was armed.

  He came up to a large black pickup truck. It would be the perfect hiding place. Alex clutched the gun as he rounded the corner and looked underneath and in the back of the massive vehicle. Nothing. It was clear.

  There were only a few more vehicles on this side of the lot. His breath hitched as he crept toward the next car, a tiny smart car. Not the greatest place to hide.

  A shout sounded on the other side of the parking lot.

  Alex’s heart leaped into his throat. He sprang into a run, looking around. Didn’t see Anderson. Didn’t see the kid. His urge was to call out for his partner, but he kept quiet and raced around the cars, looking for both the assailant and the detective.

  Anderson appeared from behind a Jeep and waved Alex over. They ran through the parking lot, and that was when he saw Teivel—running across a busy street.

  Honk! Screech!

  A blue sedan skidded as the kid darted into another lane. He was going to get more people killed if he wasn’t careful.

  Alex and Anderson made their way across the street without upsetting traffic. And best of all, their target was still in sight, darting through another parking lot. It was sparser, making it easier to keep him in view.

  When they came to the lot, Teivel leaped onto a grassy mound and fled for the adjacent property.

  A daycare center.

  Alex’s heart sank.

  Anderson swore. “We’ve got to take him down before he goes inside!”

  That would be disastrous.

  “Call it in!” Anderson ran faster, shouting for Teivel to stop.

  He didn’t slow.

  Alex radioed in the information as he hurried to catch up to his partner. The kid was getting closer to the daycare’s entrance.

  Sirens sounded in the distance.

  Teivel leaped over a curb then headed straight for the building.

  Anderson shouted for him to stop again.

  He glanced back before opening the door and running inside.

  The sirens neared, but the vehicles didn’t slow. They barreled down the road, passing the building as they headed somewhere else on another call.

  That meant this was up to Alex and Anderson to handle on their own. At least until backup did arrive.

  Anderson reached the building first. He flung open the door and raced inside. Alex was only a few steps behind.

  The scene was chaos—kids crying and teachers running around. On second glance, he noticed people hiding.

  “Where did he go?” Alex demanded.

  An older lady with three kids in her arms pointed down a hall.

  Anderson and Alex exchanged a glance before racing in that direction, weapons ready. Crying sounded in from all sides. There were half a dozen classrooms and lots of huge windows. The potential for injuries was monumental.

  The suspect was nowhere to be seen.

  Alex pulled aside a teacher who barely looked old enough to be out of high school and described Teivel. “Have you seen our suspect?”

  Her eyes were wide and her face pale. “N-no. I just got back from break. What am I supposed to do?”

  Alex started to respond, but screams and cries sounded from down the corridor to the left. One classroom door opened. Two teachers and a bunch of little kids streamed into the hallway.

  Alex glared at the nearest adult. “Get back in there! Turn off the lights and stay down!”

  Hadn’t anyone trained these people about lockdowns? It was supposed to be standard procedure in schools. Maybe not for daycare centers.

  “Over here!” someone yelled from down the hall.

  Anderson was already halfway there. Alex broke into a run. Looked in each window for their suspect. Skidded to a stop when he nearly crashed into his partner. Turned to face what everyone was looking at.

  Inside a classroom, Teivel held a young girl close and pressed a knife to her throat.

  Chapter 12

  Ariana paced her room, her stomach lurching and churning acid. Several times, she’d thought she was going to throw up but hadn’t.

  Her bedroom door burst open. Mom appeared, a wild look in her eyes.

  Ariana’s knees went weak. “Did you get bad news about Damon?”

  “No! It’s your dad!”

  “What?” Ariana leaned against her desk for support.

  “It’s on the news. Come on!” Mom disappeared into the hall.

  Ari’s heart thundered. She somehow got her legs to cooperate and ran downstairs. The TV was on louder than normal. Some daycare was on the screen with a reporter on the scene, reporting in front of yellow police tape.

  “What’s going on?” Ariana demanded.

  “Dad’s in there.” Mom collapsed onto the couch.

  Ari read the scrolling ticker, tried to make sense of it. Something about a standoff. Turned to her mom. “Would you tell me what’s going on?”

  “Dad and another
officer chased a guy in there, and now that building is under lockdown! Nobody can get in or out.”

  “He …” Ari’s breath caught in her throat.

  This couldn’t be happening. Not now.

  But it was. Her boyfriend was missing and her dad was in the middle of what could turn into a shootout.

  “Sit down, Ari.”

  She turned to Mom, who patted the cushion next to her. Ariana did as she was told, finding it harder to breathe with each passing moment. “Why did Dad have to become a policeman?”

  Mom’s eyes were glassy. “He loves helping people. That’s what he’s doing now—trying to protect all those little kids. He’s a hero.”

  Ariana clenched her fists and struggled to take a deep breath. “His life is always in danger! Between him and Damon …” Her voice trailed off. She couldn’t keep a train of thought, there was too much, all jumbled.

  Her entire world was imploding. Tears threatened, her stomach lurched, she shivered.

  Mom wrapped a blanket around her shoulders. “Dad’s going to be okay.”

  She turned to her, her heart threatening to explode out of her chest. “How can you say that? You don’t know how this is going to end up!”

  “No, but I know your dad. He always comes out on top. He’s smart and strong—always a quick thinker. If anyone can diffuse this situation, it’s him. No question.”

  Knock, knock!

  “Zoey! It’s us—Chad and Alyssa!” Grandpa’s voice came from outside.

  Ariana jumped up. “I can’t deal with this right now!”

  She fled upstairs before her mom could protest. Seeing Grandma and Grandpa right now was more than she could handle. They had to be freaking out. It was their son on the news. Again.

  In her room, she slammed the door shut and shoved her dresser in front of it.

  This was all too much—how could she possibly be expected to manage all of the fear? Both her boyfriend’s life and her dad’s life were on the line. It would be too hard on anyone. And she’d already been through enough. More than enough. The rest of her life could pass without a single thing going wrong after this, and she’d still have gone through more than most people.