Hard to Kill

by C. M. Sutter

  “You bet, Commander.”

  Lutz jotted down notes to himself, including a reminder to call Lee in a few hours. He had to know what time she was dropped off at her friend’s house. Until then, he would try to catch a little more sleep. After setting his phone alarm for seven o’clock, Lutz turned off the light and closed his eyes.

  A knock woke him. Lutz squinted at the silhouette standing in the doorway. “Who’s there?”

  “It’s me, Frank. I just wanted to let you know it’s six forty-five, and I’m back. I couldn’t sleep any longer. I’ll get a fresh pot of coffee started in the bullpen.”

  “Appreciate it.” Lutz rose to a sitting position and fisted his eyes. “My alarm was about to go off, anyway.”

  “I spoke with Adam and Sam, sir. I guess you already know that they have evidence about Hanna’s new phone being used at six p.m. last night.”

  Lutz nodded. “We’ll hit up the service provider company as soon as they open. Knowing who that call was made to is going to be huge.”

  “Unless the timeline Calvin gave us was bogus.”

  “Yeah, unless that. Regardless, we’ve got to narrow down when Hanna had that phone in her possession.”

  Frank yawned. “Gaines compiled that list of phone stores within five miles of Lee Bradley’s house. There are thirteen in total where she could have gone.”

  “Good. We’ll get on that as soon as they open too. I’m going to run some cold water over my face, and then I’ll meet up with all of you in the bullpen.”

  “Sure thing, sir.”

  “Mills?”

  Frank turned back. “Yep?”

  “Thanks for all the hard work you’ve put in. I couldn’t do any of this without your help.”

  “You know I’d do anything for you and Jesse. He’s my best bud and partner, and I can’t wait to see him back at his desk and know that Hanna is safe too.” Frank slapped the doorframe, gave Lutz a nod, and walked out.

  Lutz entered the bullpen at seven fifteen and took a seat at Jesse’s desk. As promised, a fresh pot of coffee had been brewed, and Gaines poured a cup for the commander. Lutz gave him a thank-you nod. After blowing over the cup, he took a much-needed sip.

  “We’ve got forty-five minutes before those stores open. So make sure all the information is ready to pass on to the first shift crew. I’ll be calling Lee Bradley as soon as I polish off this cup and have a refill sitting in front of me. Word is, the tech boys have found a ghost call from Hanna’s new phone that went out at six o’clock last night.” Lutz looked at Frank. “You’re in charge of getting that outgoing number and finding out who it belongs to.”

  “You know I will.”

  “As soon as we track down the store that Hanna bought the phone at, I’ll send Henry and Shawn out to review the security footage of the area. Hopefully, we’ll see which direction the Lexus went and if Hanna was alone or not. God willing, and with a stroke of luck”—he knuckled the desk—“we’ll know where Jesse and Hanna are before the end of the day.” Lutz looked back at the door and saw that the first shifters had begun arriving. “Let’s update everyone, get more coffee brewing, and make this a productive day.”

  By eight o’clock, the bullpen was buzzing. Frank was on the phone with the service provider, and the rest of the day shifters were making calls to the phone stores. Lutz had already called Lee and gotten her best recollection of the time that Hanna dropped her off at Lorraine’s house, which was between three thirty and three forty-five.

  “Okay, people, listen up. Hanna had the car between three thirty or so and six thirty, when Calvin and Tyler happened upon it. That’s a three-hour window. How long does it usually take to get a new phone?”

  Shawn spoke up. “Anne just bought a new phone about a month back. I swear we were in that store for at least an hour and a half. Depends on if there’s people ahead of you too.”

  Lutz wrote that down. “Do you guys think that’s a typical amount of time?”

  The group nodded.

  “So the call could have been made by her or the perp, depending on how long it took her to get to the phone store and how long she was there.” Lutz pointed at Kip. “How many stores have you guys called?”

  “Six so far. No sales to anyone named Hanna Bradley yet.”

  “Okay, keep working on that.”

  Frank hung up from his call. “Boss, I’ve got the number. It belongs to an Aaron Zilke.”

  “Who the hell is he?”

  “No clue, but we’re about to find out. I’m going to call that number right now.”

  “Check to see if he has a criminal record first.”

  “I’m on it,” Henry said. “How do you spell the last name?”

  Frank spelled it out. “Z-I-L-K-E.”

  “Got it.” Henry tapped the computer keys and came up with two Aaron Zilkes in the Chicagoland area. “There are two, but by looking at their ages, it’s probably father and son. Neither one has a criminal background.”

  “Good.” Lutz gave Frank the go-ahead. “Make sure you put it on Speakerphone.”

  All eyes were on Frank as he blocked the call and dialed the number. He gave a thumbs-up when a man’s voice spoke on the other end of the line.

  “Hello?”

  “Hello. I’m looking for Aaron Zilke.”

  “Speaking. Who’s this?”

  “This is Detective Frank Mills with the Chicago Police Department calling. I have several questions to ask you, and they’ll only take a few minutes.”

  “Police department? Why are you calling me?”

  Frank had his paper and pen ready to go. “Are you acquainted with a man named Josh Stevens?”

  “No, never heard of him.”

  “It seems that he called your number last night around six o’clock. Do you remember a call at that time?”

  “I probably did get a call then, but I get plenty of calls. I’m an independent driver, and my cards are all over the place, in bodegas, bus shelters, coffee shops, and so on.”

  “Got it. Do you keep a log of your fares?”

  “Sure, for tax reasons. I’m an honest man, Detective.”

  “Can you look to see if a call came in to you at six o’clock last night from this number?” Frank rattled off Hanna’s cell number.

  “Give me a second to check my call log.”

  Shawn filled all the coffee cups while they waited.

  “Yes, there is a call from that number just a minute after six.”

  Lutz fist-pumped the air. They were finally getting somewhere. “And did you pick up that person?”

  “Yes, I picked up a man named Mike Stiller in Englewood on the corner of West Sixty-First Street and South Yale.”

  Lutz gave another fist pump.

  “And do you remember where you dropped him off?”

  “Sure, it’s in my log. I dropped him off at South Stoney Island and East Sixty-Seventh Street.”

  “Would you be able to identify the man if you saw him again?”

  “Doubt it. I remember pickup and drop-off locations. The passenger is irrelevant.”

  “Okay, I sure appreciate your help, Mr. Zilke. One more thing.”

  “Yep.”

  “What kind of vehicle do you drive?”

  “I use a 2013 burgundy Forester as my work vehicle.”

  “Great. We may be in touch again. Thanks.” Frank hung up and let out a long breath. “It’s about damn time we got a break.”

  “So, now what?” Kip asked. “Is the phone store location even important anymore?”

  Lutz jerked his chin. “Keep at it. Knowing where she bought that phone can’t hurt, especially if we don’t find any surveillance footage at the pickup or drop-off locations.”

  Chapter 51

  Josh had gone without sleep for almost two days. I couldn’t understand how he stayed awake unless he was popping amphetamines. Having him fall asleep was the only way to free Hanna and me, and I had no idea how she was being restrained or what kind of condition she was
in. The longer Josh had me bound and undernourished, the weaker I’d become, and the tougher it would be to fight him off. Being incarcerated for twelve years had given him plenty of time to build up his muscles. The man had nothing on Leon Stanley, but in my current condition, he could probably wipe the floor with me. My only chance was to catch him off guard with a weapon in my hand, but first, I would have to free myself from the chair and tape.

  Duct tape was its own beast, and I needed either a sharp instrument to cut it or enough time to stretch it. I had to get busy.

  I didn’t know where Josh went, but since he’d been gone for well over an hour when he ditched Lee’s car, I knew how long it would take for me to stretch the tape enough to free my hands—hours and hours.

  It had to be morning. The last time I looked at the blinds, I saw nothing but darkness between the slats. Now a sliver of light shone through them. I couldn’t keep track of what day of the week it was anymore, and I knew if we weren’t found soon, Josh would carry out his threat to kill me and possibly Hanna too. What he was waiting for, I didn’t know. I wondered if anyone was looking for Hanna, but my team hadn’t shown up to check her house, and that weighed heavily on my mind.

  Even though I was gagged and tape covered my mouth, I made muffled sounds. I hoped Hanna could hear me and respond in kind. I waited and listened and finally heard the same sound coming from a room down the hallway. I thanked God that she was still in the house and still alive. That bit of encouragement made me fight even harder. I pulled and stretched the tape with all my might and knew it would be a long process, but the fear of Josh walking in any second gave me the adrenaline I needed to muster every ounce of strength I had.

  I heard another sound from down the hall. Had Josh been back there all that time and I’d had no idea? Did my wishful thinking lead me to believe the sound came from Hanna? Was I becoming delirious and thought he’d left when he really hadn’t? My heart pounded harder than normal as I focused on the hallway. I heard the sounds again, almost like struggling, and then Hanna yelled out.

  “Jesse, my hands are free!”

  I was afraid for both Hanna and me. If only I knew how much time we had. All I could do was pray for her to get completely out of her restraints and release me before Josh returned, and my eyes were laser focused on the front door.

  Chapter 52

  Tony let out a sigh. “There’s nothing on the corner where Aaron Zilke picked up his fare except the L and the freeway.” He waved Lutz over to take a look at his computer screen.

  “Shit.” Lutz pointed at Henry. “Check the drop-off location and see if any commercial buildings are there.”

  “On it.” Henry tapped keys and brought up the street-view images of the intersection at South Stoney Island and East Sixty-Seventh Street. His shoulders slumped when nothing but apartment buildings filled the screen.

  Lutz moved over to Henry’s computer. “What’s on the corners of that brick building between the first- and second-story windows? Zoom in as far as you can.”

  Henry brought the image in closer then slapped his hands together. “Yes! Two cameras that are facing both streets.”

  “Henry, you and Shawn get over there right away. At least if we see him exit the car and walk away, we’ll know what direction he went.”

  Shawn added his two cents. “That location is within walking distance of Jesse’s house.”

  Lutz agreed. “It is, but he’d have no reason to go there. Plus, the house is sealed, and we have officers patrolling the area.”

  “When was the last time a unit drove past Hanna’s place?” Frank asked.

  “They’re driving by every hour,” Lutz said as he tipped his wrist. “I was notified fifteen minutes ago, and they said there’s no movement at the home and the neighborhood seems normal. Blinds are still closed, and the lights are off just like they were yesterday.”

  Henry and Shawn headed out the door and said they’d report in as soon as they saw the footage.

  “Anything as far as tip-line leads?”

  “The phones are dead quiet, Boss,” Tony said.

  Frank grimaced. “You could have used a better choice of words.”

  Lutz picked up Jesse’s desk phone and called Lee. He doubted that she had any more information to pass along than she’d had yesterday, but he felt compelled to stay busy while they waited for word from Henry and Shawn. She answered on the second ring.

  “Lee, it’s Commander Lutz. Just wondering if anything else has come to light since we spoke yesterday.”

  “I could only wish. Commander, where on earth is Hanna? Where’s Jesse?”

  Lutz heard the anxiety in her voice and did his best to settle her nerves. “Lee, we’re making progress, although slow. I have detectives out right now following what we hope will be a reliable lead. We’re praying that it’ll pan out.”

  “Thank you for calling, Commander Lutz. I’m praying for Hanna and Jesse’s safe return as well.”

  Lutz hung up and filled his coffee cup. He nearly wore a path in the carpet as he paced the bullpen.

  “Boss, we have the store,” Kip yelled out. “It’s inside the Lake Park Mall. They said Hanna came in, replaced the exact phone she had, and left around five thirty.”

  “Great. Let’s get a map of that area on the screen in the conference room. I want to see the distance and route between that store in the mall and Jesse and Hanna’s houses. I also want a circle around Josh’s drop-off spot and the distance to the houses too. Let me know when we’re ready to review everything.”

  Frank, Tony, and Kip worked on that while Lutz returned to his office to catch up with Commander Finley. He needed to learn everything there was to know about Josh Stevens, his personality, and his hatred for Jesse McCord. It would be the only way to take him down and bring Jesse and Hanna safely home.

  A call came into Lutz’s office at ten o’clock. It was Henry confirming that they’d seen Josh Stevens exit the burgundy Forester and head south on foot. They were on their way back with a copy of the footage.

  After returning to the bullpen, Lutz informed the crew of Henry and Shawn’s findings. They would focus on a route heading south from Josh’s drop-off location.

  “Let’s start working on that in the conference room. Henry and Shawn can join us when they get back.” He pointed at Frank. “Bring your laptop too.”

  Chapter 53

  She yelled again. “Jesse, I’m almost free. I only have one more zip tie to go!”

  It seemed like an eternity, but in reality, it was closer to five minutes. I heard running, and then I saw her beautiful but bruised face. My heart ached with guilt. That wasn’t the first time Hanna had been injured because of her affiliation with me.

  She ran to me and held the knife that Josh had foolishly left within reach. He just didn’t know that with time and a lot of effort, she was able to saw the zip ties back and forth across the twin bed’s decorative scrollwork until they snapped. She pulled the tape from my mouth and removed the gag.

  I sputtered before talking. “Hurry, honey, and cut the tape off my wrists and legs. We have no idea when he’ll be back. We’ve got to get the hell out of here.”

  Hanna was near panic. “We can’t call anyone. We don’t have phones!”

  “I know, but we can take your vehicle. I didn’t hear the garage door open today, so I’m sure he knows there’s a BOLO out on the Explorer.”

  Hanna’s hands shook as she cut through the tape securing my wrists. Once my hands were free, I took the knife and sliced through the tape at my ankles.

  “Okay, let’s go!” I groaned when I rose from the chair. My entire body ached, but the sharp pain in my ribs reminded me that they were likely fractured.

  We ran to the garage, then Hanna cried out. “Wait, we don’t have the keys!”

  “Do you have a spare set?”

  “Yes, somewhere, but we don’t have time to look for them. Let’s just go, Jesse. We can run to the neighbor’s house for help.”

  I
grabbed Hanna by the hand and flipped on the garage light then gave her a nod of confidence. “When the door opens, we need to run to a house where you’re absolutely sure someone is home.”

  “Um, um… I have to think.” She pressed her temples.

  “Hurry, Hanna.”

  “Okay, the only neighbor who doesn’t work is Delilah Woods, and she lives three houses down as we go left out of the garage.”

  “All right. Are you ready?”

  She said she was.

  Just as I was about to press the button that lifted the garage door, a voice sneered at us from behind.

  “Going somewhere?”

  We spun to see Josh standing in the laundry room with my service weapon pointed at our faces.

  “Get on your knees now, or I’ll shoot you both in the head!” He racked the slide on the pistol and pressed it against my temple as he barked out orders. “Now!”

  I glanced at Hanna as she dropped to her knees on the garage floor and sobbed in her hands.

  “You, too, McCord. If you make me say it again, I’ll splatter your brains all over your girlfriend’s face.”

  As I lowered myself, I knew I had one chance and one chance only, so I lunged at Josh. Falling backward with me on top of him, Josh fought for control of the gun. We rolled on the floor, swinging wildly at each other, then the gun went off, just missing Hanna.

  I yelled for her to run, but with the garage door closed, she had nowhere to go. She scurried across the floor and disappeared from sight.

  For every punch I landed, he landed two. In my weakened state, I was losing steam, then a flash of black next to the dryer caught my eye. It was the gun. I made a last-ditch effort to grab it, but so did he.

  Chapter 54

  “Get in the house, you stupid bitch! Move it!”

  Hanna stepped over Jesse and cried out when she saw his bloody face. Josh had won the battle for the gun.

  “Shut up and grab that bag on the counter.”

  She did as told and handed it to Josh. He waved the gun at her.