Hard to Kill

by C. M. Sutter

  “Hanna?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “When did you see Jesse last?”

  “Around dusk. That’s when he drove back to our campsite in my Explorer to get my phone. He said he’d be back in ten minutes, and I haven’t seen him since.”

  Todd took over. “Commander, we’ve checked the campsite and found blood near the tent. We don’t have proof that it’s human blood yet, but the detective and the Explorer are missing, and so is his cell phone. Hanna’s phone is missing too. I’ve spoken with my sergeant, and we have more officers and two search dogs on the way.”

  “Good enough. So, where exactly are you, and how far is it from Chicago?”

  “We’re at Giant City State Park, and it’s south of the city by a good five and a half hours.”

  Lutz groaned before he responded. “Guess this wasn’t the vacation you had in mind, right, Hanna?”

  “No, sir, it definitely wasn’t.”

  “Okay, I have to inform my team, get another commander to cover my position, and I’ll pick up Jesse’s partner, Frank Mills. We’ll head out as soon as we can, and I imagine we’ll arrive around daybreak.”

  “Commander, if you’d like to call my number when you’re close, I can meet you at the main entrance and take you to their campsite.”

  “That’s a good plan, and Hanna, you can’t stay there. Sounds like it may be a crime scene.”

  “I won’t. If they have an empty cabin here, I’ll stay in that.”

  “Okay, then we’ll see you in the morning.”

  Todd ended the call and walked with Hanna into the building. “Let’s get you settled in. There’s nothing you can do other than try to get some rest. Like the commander said, that campsite could be a crime scene, and we’ll have to tape it off as a precaution, anyway.”

  Chapter 20

  I woke to a pounding headache and blinked a dozen times to clear my focus. Squinting helped, and I could tell I was in a vehicle by the movement I felt and the headliner I was staring at. Sitting up was impossible—I was tightly bundled in something, and my hands were secured behind my back. I couldn’t see the driver over the back seats. I looked closely in the darkened space and recognized what I was in—Hanna’s sleeping bag.

  The driver has to be Leon. That son of a bitch blindsided me and is going to finish off the job he started at their campsite, but I’m not in his pickup. Is this the Explorer?

  The fog in my head was beginning to lift. I’d left Hanna with Lila and told her I’d be back soon. From what I could see out the side window, it looked to be way past dusk, and the sky was as black as ink. I remembered crawling into the tent and feeling for the flashlight so I could find her phone, but it wasn’t there. The snap of a twig sounded behind me.

  And then what?

  I couldn’t remember anything after that. I didn’t have a clue where we were going since I wasn’t sure who was in charge, but even if it was Leon, I didn’t know a damn thing about him other than that he was a dangerous man.

  It felt like we were on a highway—the road was smooth, and we were going at a pretty good clip. I watched for billboards and green illuminated freeway signs but didn’t see any. I was surprised that I wasn’t blindfolded.

  Hanna has to be going crazy with worry. I wonder if she found Bandit and if she got help for Lila. Wait—how could she? She doesn’t have a phone or a vehicle. She’d have to set out on foot and leave Lila alone.

  My mind was racing, yet I didn’t have any answers. I wasn’t sure if calling out to my captor was the smart thing to do or if it was better to stay silent and think of ways to get out of my predicament.

  With the fingers of my right hand, I tried to feel what I was tied with. Rope would be good. I could loosen it. Zip ties would be bad, and there’d be no way out. It had a smooth shape and wasn’t cutting into my skin, which told me it was rope.

  Thank God. He must have used our clothesline rope.

  I had to find the knot and untie it. If I pulled too hard, the restraints would tighten and become much more difficult to get out of.

  “You awake back there?”

  The voice startled me since I didn’t recognize it as Leon’s. I wondered if the pain in my head was messing up my hearing, too, so I remained quiet. It would give me time to work on the rope and to try to make sense of what was going on.

  I kept my eyes on the window. It would be the only way to get a clue of the direction we were going. All I needed was an overpass road sign that was high enough for me to see from my position on the floor. I resigned myself to believing there were two men in the front seats—Leon driving and a coconspirator who had done the talking. I figured it was their way of throwing me off, yet at that point, I really wasn’t sure of anything.

  Chapter 21

  “I’m turning down your street right now. Get outside so I don’t have to honk and wake up everyone in the neighborhood.”

  Seconds later, Lutz slowed at the curb and ducked to see out the passenger window. Frank walked out the door of his condo, pulling an overnight bag behind him. He lowered the handle, opened the back door of Lutz’s car, tossed the bag in, then climbed into the passenger seat.

  “Boss, what the hell is going on?”

  Lutz grumbled. “I don’t have a second-by-second breakdown of events, but the more the story is told, the more convoluted it gets. What I know is that Jesse had a confrontation with an ex-con camper because Hanna’s sleeping bag and all the food in their cooler went missing when they were out fishing.”

  “Somebody stole things from their campsite?”

  “Apparently. Jesse asked the campers if they knew anything, and that guy in particular took it personally—from what I gathered.” Lutz merged onto the freeway heading south.

  “Then what?”

  “Then he tried to strangle Jesse.”

  “What! I’ll kill that son of a bitch.”

  Lutz huffed. “Jesse told Hanna that the man’s size could put you to shame.”

  “No shit?”

  “Just repeating what I was told. There’s an APB on the man—Leon Stanley—and a BOLO on his truck and Hanna’s Explorer. At this point, we really don’t know what’s being driven and what has been hidden, only that Hanna’s SUV is missing.”

  “Hell, we were worried about Josh Stevens, and now it seems like this Leon character who came out of nowhere is far more dangerous.”

  “Speaking of Josh Stevens, the crew needs to find him and damn fast. He murdered his uncle, and now he’s on the run. Sergeant Norse is taking my place until Jesse is located, but finding Josh Stevens is the main task for now at the precinct. That con left the area somehow, and it wasn’t in his uncle’s vehicle. There has to be something in that house that’ll tell us how he got away—a rental car receipt, a ticket stub, something like that. There’s a reason he felt the need to escape his uncle’s house.”

  “He’s gotta be on some kind of mission.”

  Lutz nodded. “My thoughts exactly, and there’s one person for sure he has a grudge against. Thankfully, he has no idea where Jesse’s at.”

  “Do we have surveillance at Jesse’s house? Has anyone seen Josh lurking around the neighborhood?”

  “Not yet, but we plan to keep a twenty-four seven watch on the house.” Lutz nodded at the passenger-side cup holder. “That coffee is for you. I stopped at the gas station, filled up, and bought two coffees. I figure by three o’clock, you can take over and drive the rest of the way.”

  “Copy that.”

  It was quarter till three when Lutz pulled off Interstate 57 at a gas station in Mattoon. “I’ve got to take a leak. That coffee went right through me.”

  “Good idea,” Frank said. “We can stretch our legs for a few minutes, and then I’ll finish the drive. If you want to sleep, go ahead. I’m wide awake.”

  Lutz tipped his head toward the building. “Nah, I’m good, but I wouldn’t mind something to eat. Let’s see what they have inside the quick mart.”

  After the bathr
oom break and the purchase of two sodas, sandwiches, and chips, they topped off the tank and were on the road ten minutes later with Frank behind the wheel.

  Frank merged onto the highway. “Who’s in charge of keeping us updated?”

  “Chase until the first shift crew comes in. Everyone will work overtime until Josh Stevens is found, so it’ll be Henry, Shawn, Tony, and Kip. They know to keep me informed of everything even though Norse will be leading the group.” Lutz went quiet and stared out the passenger window with the occasional billboard breaking the darkness.

  Frank gave him a shoulder tap. “What are you thinking about?”

  “Just wondering.”

  “Yeah, what?”

  “If there’s nobody to stop Leon Stanley from killing Jesse this time, will he actually go through with it?”

  “Damn.”

  Lutz looked at Frank. “What?”

  “Just wishing we could rewind the clock to the spot where Kip told Jesse to take his gun.”

  “What did McCord say?”

  “He said he was off the clock and on vacation—no gun needed.”

  Lutz unwrapped his sandwich and took a bite. “Great. Now that has me wondering if Leon Stanley has one. Remind me to ask about his wife when we get there. If she’s alive and capable of talking, we need to find out everything we can about her husband.”

  Hours had passed, and after eating and reclining his seat, Lutz slept for a while. After passing the sign that showed Giant City State Park was four miles ahead, Frank gave Bob’s arm a nudge. “Hey, Boss, you said you were going to call somebody when we were close.”

  “Huh, what?” Lutz powered his seat up and rubbed his eyes. “What’s going on?”

  “We’re only a few miles from the park. Weren’t we supposed to meet somebody at the main building?”

  “Oh yeah.” Lutz pulled his notes from his shirt pocket and looked them over. “Okay, an officer named Todd Owens was who I spoke to. He said he’d lead us to Jesse’s campsite.” Lutz looked at the sky. “We still have a half hour before the sun breaks the horizon.”

  “And hopefully the dogs cleared the area already.” Frank followed the arrow that showed the direction of the park’s main entrance.

  “I’m sure I would have been notified if anything was found.” Lutz sighed. “I better make that call.” He picked up his phone and entered the number Owens had given him. “Officer Owens, it’s Commander Lutz. Looks like we’re only a mile or so from the park’s main entrance. No problem. We’ll wait for you there.” Lutz clicked off and relayed the message to Frank. “He’s leaving the woods with the other officers right now. The dogs didn’t latch on to Jesse’s scent beyond the campsite and the pier where Hanna said they were fishing yesterday.”

  “Is Hanna meeting up with us too?”

  Lutz shrugged. “She didn’t say, but I’m sure we’ll need to have a lengthy talk with her sometime this morning.”

  Frank turned in at the parking lot and pulled up to the lodge. “Where exactly are we supposed to meet the officer?”

  “At the registration building. He said there’s a long porch with rocking chairs and picnic tables.”

  Frank pointed. “I see it. Right there to the left.”

  The men exited Lutz’s car and crossed the lot. A voice called out from the right, and they turned to see Hanna running toward them.

  “Commander Lutz, Frank, I’m so relieved to see familiar faces.” She embraced both of them and joined them on the porch. “I couldn’t sleep and decided to come over here, grab a coffee, and wait for you to show up.” She looked around. “Does Officer Owens know you’re here?”

  Lutz nodded “I just spoke with him. He should be here soon.”

  “Okay.” Hanna rubbed her puffy eyes. “I’ll get some coffees.”

  Frank pulled open the door. “I’ll give you a hand.”

  Minutes later, when they returned to the porch, Owens had arrived. He was going over the course of the night with Lutz. The commander made the introductions between Owens and Mills, then with a coffee in front of each of them, Owens explained that nobody had been found—living or dead—by the dogs or the officers.

  “Any word on the BOLO or APB, and is it statewide or nationwide?” Frank asked.

  “Nationwide since we aren’t that far from state borders and he likely has a good start on us. There’s no word yet, and there are a lot of back roads in this neck of the woods. Driving those roads is a good way to stay out of sight, but hopefully, we’ll have more luck once the sun is up. I took the liberty of making contact with the Decatur police. Leon’s driver’s license shows that’s where he lives. Your contact person is Detective Sam Chesson, and here’s his number.” Owens handed a slip of paper to Lutz.

  “Nice work, Owens.” Lutz pocketed the paper, finished his coffee, and tossed the cup in the nearest trash can. “I’ll give the detective an hour to check out the residence and then touch base with him. Let’s get eyes on that campsite first and then go from there.”

  Chapter 22

  The sun was up, and a half dozen people milled around Jesse’s campsite. Owens approached Lutz, who was deep in conversation with Hanna and Frank.

  “Excuse me,” Owens said.

  Lutz gave him his attention. “What have you got, Owens?”

  “The blood analysis came back as human—A-positive as a matter of fact.”

  Frank let out a groan. “That’s Jesse’s blood type.”

  “Don’t get your shorts wadded up, Mills. There are plenty of people who are A-positive,” Lutz said.

  Frank raised a brow. “That blood type right in front of Jesse’s tent? Seems a bit coincidental, don’t you think?”

  Lutz changed the subject. “Does anyone know Mrs. Stanley’s condition?”

  “I’ll call the hospital and find out for you, Commander.”

  “Thanks, Owens. Appreciate it.” Lutz waved another officer over. “Where can I get access to a computer?”

  “I believe the lodge has a business center, sir.”

  “Okay, thanks. Let’s check it out as soon as Owens comes back. We need history on Leon Stanley—who his acquaintances are, where he grew up, and who he’s related to.”

  Frank rubbed his chin. “Something doesn’t square with me.”

  “Go on.”

  “If Leon has Jesse, then we have one vehicle too many. Leon’s truck is gone, and so is Hanna’s Explorer. Doubt that Leon would let Jesse drive himself anywhere. One of those vehicles has to be parked nearby, unless—”

  “Unless what?” Hanna asked.

  “Unless Leon has somebody else along.”

  Hanna buried her face in her hands. “Like an accomplice?”

  “Just throwing out ideas, Hanna. That’s what cops do. We have to think of every possibility.”

  “Okay, then every vehicle in this park needs to be accounted for. Luckily, it isn’t high season yet, so we should be able to knock it out in a few hours if everyone pitches in,” Lutz said.

  Owens came back for the second time and addressed the commander. “Sir, the hospital said that Mrs. Stanley passed away an hour ago from brain trauma. She never regained consciousness.”

  Lutz shook his head. “Shit.”

  Hanna’s chin dropped to her chest, and she began to cry. “I can’t believe that bastard killed her. So what is that saying about Jesse’s fate?”

  “That means we have to figure this out on our own. Owens, we need your boss on site so he can enlist the help of the officers. I want an account of every vehicle in the park, especially ones that are within walking distance of here. There’s a chance that Leon’s truck or Hanna’s SUV is somewhere close by. If not, then he has someone helping him out. We need to access a computer and get a list of his relatives and friends so we can figure out where Leon Stanley could have gone. He’s holding my detective hostage or worse, and I’m not about to take it.”

  Owens reached his sergeant, who said he was on his way and would take care of looking for the vehicle
s. Lutz, Frank, and Hanna headed to the lodge, where Frank approached the concierge and asked about the business center. He was directed down the left hallway.

  “It’s the second room on the right, sir. There’s a sign above the door, so you can’t miss it. Will the charges be put on your room bill?”

  “I’m not a guest here, but I was hoping this might do the trick.” Frank discreetly showed her his badge.

  “Absolutely, Detective Mills, and take as much time as you need.”

  Frank nodded. “Appreciate it.” He jerked his head at Lutz and Hanna. “It’s this way.”

  Once inside the business center, Lutz pulled sheets of blank paper out of the printer and grabbed a pen. “Hanna, if you don’t mind, I’d like it if you’d do the note taking. I’m sure your penmanship is far better than ours.”

  “Of course I will.”

  “Okay, thanks. Frank, you pull up the criminal database and log in. Enter Leon Stanley from Decatur, Illinois, and see if previous homes or possible relatives come up. That reminds me, I have to call that detective and find out if anything popped at the Stanley house. I’ll do that now while you try to find out where he grew up.” Lutz temporarily moved to the other side of the room and called the Decatur police detective that Owens had spoken with.

  “Hello, this is Commander Bob Lutz from the Chicago Police Department’s homicide division. I believe there’s a detective named Sam Chesson who’s expecting my call. Yes, I’ll hold.” Lutz tapped his fingertips against the tabletop while he waited.

  It took only a minute for the detective to come to the phone. “Detective Chesson speaking.”

  “Detective, this is Commander Lutz from the Chicago PD. I believe an officer by the name of Todd Owens contacted you early today about Leon Stanley.”

  “Yep. We’ve got it wrapped up, and he’s sitting in our holding cell as we speak.”

  “Whoa, are we talking about the same person? Leon Stanley beat his wife and kidnapped my lead detective and then he goes home? His wife died this morning.”