Code of Ethics

by Lynette Eason

  “Where’s your husband?” Ruthie asked Sally.

  “Tennessee,” she said on a sob.

  “I’m assuming he’s not going to be any help.”

  “No.” Sally used the rag to wipe her face and catch her breath. “He won’t be any help. He’s a walking cliché.” She waved a hand. “Walked out with his secretary. Fortunately, I suspected something was going on and opened my own bank account, then siphoned a lot of our savings into it. I was trying to plan, to make sure my kids and I were taken care of if he pulled something like he did. But I sure didn’t count on this.” Tears welled again. “How am I going to get my kids back? Nick’s just a tiny little guy. Barely a year old. They’ve got to be so scared.” She stuffed her right palm into her mouth and choked back a sob.

  Ruthie rubbed Sally’s shoulders and looked at Isaac. “What now?”

  He already had his phone out and was dialing. “We call this in and then get out of here.”

  With the crime-scene unit on the way, as well as local law enforcement, Ruthie and Isaac headed back to her vehicle with Sally in tow.

  Sally stopped. “Wait! I need my cell phone. They may try to call me.” She whirled and raced back inside, returning within minutes, purse over her shoulder, phone in hand. She staggered a little when she reached the car. The pill must have been taking effect.

  “Normally, I wouldn’t advocate running out on a crime scene,” Isaac said, “but I’ve got to figure out what I’m looking for.”

  “I know.” Ruthie pulled the car away from the curb. “Can you call Brady and let him know what’s going on?”

  “Of course.” Isaac leaned back after maneuvering his seat belt around himself. “I don’t believe this.”

  “I think we need to go to Howard’s house,” Sally slurred from the backseat.

  “Can you get in?” Ruthie asked.

  “Yes, of course. He keeps a key under a brick on the top step of his front porch.”

  “And you think he hid whatever it was at his home?”

  “I can’t think of any other place he would hide something.”

  Ruthie nodded. “Then we’re going to Howard’s house. To see what he hid in plain sight.”

  nine

  ISAAC’S PHONE RANG AND HE SNAGGED IT. “Yeah?”

  “Where are you?”

  “Don’t shout, Brady. We’re on the road. Where are you?”

  “I’m shouting because I’m worried. And we’re at Sally Peterson’s house. With a dead man and a missing family.”

  “I was just getting ready to call you. Sally’s with us. The guys who killed Howard took her kids, but you can’t let on that you know. Meet me at this address.” He rattled it off.

  “Where am I going?”

  “Howard’s house.”

  “I’m on the way,” Brady said. “And we’ve gotten an ID on the shooter Derek took out at the cabin.”

  “Who?”

  “Officer Jay Harrison.”

  Isaac shut his eyes, easily picturing the large, redheaded, jovial man. “I never took him for a killer.”

  “I don’t know what you’ve stumbled on, but it’s a doozy. The chief has called for an audit of the evidence room and has pulled random footage from the security tapes to be viewed. She’s assigned officers she trusts implicitly for this job.”

  “Who?”

  “Izzy and Chloe and a couple others.”

  “Your sisters.”

  “Yeah.”

  “You don’t think that’s a bit biased?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Isaac let out a short laugh, then flinched when his shoulder protested. He’d taken more medicine, but fatigue and nausea dragged at him.

  “But,” Brady said, “it’s bias based on fact. My sisters and the others are good, honest cops. My mom knows without a shred of doubt that she can trust them. If there’s anything to find, they’ll find it.”

  “Thanks. When you get to Howard’s, don’t be obvious. They’ll probably be watching. If they think I’ve called in reinforcements, they may act on their threats. I don’t know. But I know I don’t want to be the cause of those kids getting hurt.”

  “I know. We’ll be sure to stay hidden, but keep your phone on so I can hear what’s going on. Can you do that?”

  “Yeah. I’ll call you when we get there.”

  He hung up and noticed Ruthie pressed the gas a little harder.

  “They’re going to know you told the cops,” Sally said. She’d been asleep when he’d taken the call. His talking must have awakened her. “They’re going to know,” she said, “and they’re going to kill my babies.” The tears that had momentarily stopped when she’d fallen asleep now flowed with renewed vengeance.

  Careful not to jar his shoulder, Isaac turned in his seat. “Sally, listen to me. Listen.” He waited for her to look at him while she wiped away her tears. “The guys doing this—they’re cops. I can’t go up against them alone. They’re not going to hurt your kids. They’re just using them, understand?”

  She nodded, but he could tell she wasn’t entirely convinced. He sighed. “They want me. If it comes down to it, I’ll offer myself in exchange for your kids. I’m not going to let them hurt them.”

  Sally shook her head. “No. You can’t do that. I don’t want you hurt, either.”

  “I’m hoping it won’t come to that, but just know that if it does, I’ll make sure your kids are the priority.”

  Blinking against more tears, she drew in a shaky breath and nodded. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  He caught Ruthie watching from the corner of her eye. A frown furrowed her brow, and he wondered what she was thinking. If he had the energy, he’d ask her. “Keep your eyes on the rearview mirror. I’m going to have to sleep for a few minutes.”

  “I thought you might need to. It’s fine. I’ll wake you if I notice anything off.”

  He nodded and shut his eyes.

  Ruthie was pretty sure they hadn’t been followed but couldn’t guarantee it. There were a lot of ways to track someone these days, but she’d done the best she could. Arriving at Howard’s home, Ruthie pulled to a stop at the curb, then nudged Isaac awake.

  Sally, who’d fallen asleep once more thanks to the medication, sat up and rubbed her eyes.

  Isaac’s eyes opened, but he didn’t move for a few seconds. Neither did Ruthie. Then he blinked and drew in a breath. “We’re here.”

  “We are. I drove around the block twice and haven’t seen anything suspicious. I’m sure they’re probably watching the house, though.”

  He gave a short nod. He palmed his cell phone and dialed. “Yeah, you getting close? Uh-huh. Good. The phone’s on.” He dropped it into his pocket. “Brady will be right behind us looking for whoever’s watching, so we can get started. He’ll be here in about ten minutes. Stay here while I clear the house.”

  “You think they’re waiting inside?”

  “Wouldn’t be surprised. They killed Howard. They want me to find the evidence, but I’m sure they’re looking, too, and this is the first place they’d come when they didn’t find it at Sally’s house.”

  “But you can’t go in there by yourself,” Ruthie said.

  He rubbed his eyes. “Let me just case the place. If I need help, Brady will be here shortly.”

  Ruthie gave a reluctant nod. “All right. But I’ll be watching, too. If I scream, that means duck.”

  He gave a low laugh. “Okay.”

  She scowled. “I’m serious.”

  His smile faded. “Okay.”

  “Good.”

  “Lock the doors and be ready to get out of here, understand?”

  “I understand, but I still think you should let me come with you.”

  “Ruthie . . .” He flicked a glance at Sally.

  “Oh. Right. Okay.” Maybe. There was no way she was going to leave him alone. Then again, she and Sally might be a distraction if he thought he needed to rescue them. “I’ll take care of us. You worry about you. And don’t do any
thing stupid.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like think you can win a fist fight.”

  He pursed his lips. “Stay put.”

  Weapon gripped tight, he approached the windows and tried to peer inside. With a shake of his head, he slipped around the side of the house.

  And Ruthie waited. Fingers clamped around her steering wheel, doors locked. The minutes ticked past. Her nerves popped with visions of him being shot. Or hit from behind. Or . . .

  It was all she could do not to burst from the vehicle. But she couldn’t leave Sally alone.

  “I’m going in there,” Sally said as she gripped the door handle.

  “Not yet. Just give him a couple more minutes.”

  “No one is in there,” she said. “We’re wasting time. Time my kids might not have.”

  “And if you go rushing in there, you could set off a trap or something and get yourself killed. Then where will your kids be?”

  Sally sat back with a defeated sigh. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

  Finally, Isaac came back into view and waved that it was all right to exit the car. He walked up the front porch steps and waited for Ruthie and Sally to join him.

  Sally retrieved the key and handed it to Isaac.

  A low hum caught Ruthie’s attention. “What’s that?”

  Isaac cocked his head, listening. The hum faded, and he frowned at her. “Not sure. Let’s get this done.”

  He opened the door and they stepped inside. Ruthie paused a moment to take in her surroundings. The foyer led straight into a den area. To the right was a large eat-in kitchen and to the left was a hallway that led to the bedrooms. A small home, but it was neat and tidy. In the den, a large-screen television dominated the space over the fireplace and surround-sound speakers hung from the corners of the walls.

  “He was a movie buff,” Sally said. “Especially anything that had to do with the Civil War or the Underground Railroad.” She shrugged. “History in general, but mostly the mid to late 1800s.”

  A chess set sat between the two recliners facing the television on the wall. Two bookcases on either side of the fireplace were full but well organized and neat.

  Sally sighed. “What am I going to do with all of this?” She sniffed as tears began to fall again. “And why do I care when someone has my children?”

  “I’m sorry,” Ruthie said.

  The woman shook her head. “Howard’s always been greedy. He had a love for money and the desire to have more and more. I’m grieved that he chose this path, but I’m not surprised he wound up dead because of it.” Her eyes, still red from her tears, hardened. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forgive him for this. He’s betrayed everything our parents tried to instill in us. And now my children are in danger because of his actions.”

  Ruthie had nothing to say to that. Sally was right. She squeezed her hand and turned to find Isaac scanning the room.

  “In plain sight,” he said. “I really have no idea.”

  Sally bit her lip and frowned. “Howard was notorious for wanting to get the last laugh on someone. What would it take to get that?”

  “Hiding the evidence where no one would see it unless they knew it was right in front of them.”

  “So, we know it’s right in front of us, but where?” Ruthie said. She walked over to the bookcase and scanned the titles. Some were self-help books, but most were about the Civil War. There were even a few fiction titles. Two of which she’d read.

  They made their way through the house, opening drawers, scanning shelves.

  In the bedroom, Ruthie found more Civil War collectibles and more books. Again, everything was neat and tidy. She pulled his gym bag out from under the bed and went through it. Nothing but clothes, a clean towel, and a pair of expensive tennis shoes. And a receipt for a locker at a local gym.

  Sally entered the room and sat on the bed. “What happens if we don’t find what they want?” she asked in a low voice and with a glance over her shoulder. “Will they really hurt my children?”

  Ruthie hesitated, then joined the woman on the bed. “I don’t know, Sally. I really just don’t know. I do know one thing. After spending so much time in Isaac’s presence, I’ve learned quite a bit about him.”

  “Like what?”

  “He’s stubborn and smart and means what he says. If he says your kids are a priority, then they are.”

  The woman bit her lip and nodded, then winced and held a hand to her head. “I’ve got to stop doing that. Thank you.”

  “Sure. Why don’t you rest while I keep searching?”

  “I can help.”

  “No. You’re under a lot of stress right now, and that concussion has got to feel awful. Just find a comfortable spot and rest.”

  “I can rest later.”

  After twenty minutes, they convened in the kitchen, quiet and morose. Tears stood out in Sally’s eyes. “I’m sorry I’m not more help. I just don’t know where to look. Howard and I haven’t talked in forever and I . . .” She pressed fingers to her shaky lips.

  Isaac raked a hand through his hair. Ruthie could see the fatigue in his eyes and the effort he was making to hide the pain. “I’m just going to take another look in his bedroom,” she said.

  Something niggled at the back of her mind. Leaving the two of them in the kitchen, she wandered back down the hall to the master bedroom. She went to the bookshelves. Running her fingers along the spines, she noticed the titles were in alphabetical order. And there it was. The title she’d skimmed over, but her subconscious must have caught. She pulled the book from the shelf and went back into the kitchen.

  Before she could tell them what she thought she’d found, the hum she’d heard earlier returned and she went to the door. “What is that?”

  “A drone,” Isaac said. He lifted his phone. “Brady, they’ve got a drone flying overhead. Can you figure out where they’re controlling it from?” He lowered the phone and drew in a breath. “All right. Brady’s on that. Let’s get our thoughts together and figure out where to go from here.”

  Ruthie held up the book. “I think I may have found—” A noise caught her attention. “Did you hear that?”

  Isaac frowned. “What? The drone?”

  “No. Your phone. Someone’s yelling.”

  He lifted it and hit the speaker button. “What is it?”

  “Find a place to hide and get down! Now! Away from the kitchen!”

  ten

  ISAAC IGNORED THE THROBBING in his shoulder and pointed the women to the hallway. “Go! Go! To the hallway.”

  Gunfire sounded. The windows in the kitchen shattered one after the other. They made it into the hallway as the bullets continued to pelt the house. “Brady! Who’s shooting?”

  “It’s the drone. We’re going to shoot it down.”

  “Hurry!”

  Isaac wasn’t sure how long the rain of bullets lasted, but it felt like years.

  And then silence.

  “Got it,” Brady said over the speaker. “Stay put.”

  “They shot it down?” Sally whispered. “Now they’ll know we called for help. Now they’re going to kill my kids.”

  “No, they won’t,” Isaac said. “They still don’t have what they need.”

  Ruthie stared at him. “But they were willing to kill us. To destroy this place. So maybe they do have what they need.”

  He shook his head. “That was just a warning. I think. Somehow they knew Brady and the others were out there.”

  His phone beeped, indicating another call. “Brady, they’re calling me. I’m going to have to take it.” He switched over. “Yeah?”

  “That was stupid. Get rid of the cops or one of the kids dies. There won’t be any more warnings or chances.” A picture came through via text. A gun against a small child’s head. Isaac’s nausea returned in full force.

  He had to swallow before he could speak. “I got it. What do you want us to do?”

  “Find what Howard hid.”

  �
��I’m working on it, man.”

  “And you’re running out of time.”

  The line cut off. He sighed and swiped a hand across his eyes. What was he going to do? “We’re going to have to lie about finding it,” he said.

  Sally gasped. “What? We can’t do that!”

  “The only way to end this is to meet with them.”

  “But won’t they demand some kind of proof?” she asked. “What happens when they realize you lied?”

  “I’m hoping it won’t come to that.”

  “No,” she said. “We can’t take that chance. They’ll want to watch it or something first.”

  “I know. But it will be a distraction.”

  His phone rang again. “You keep calling and interrupting my searching, I’m going to have to ask for more time.”

  “I haven’t seen the cops leave,” the distorted voice said.

  “Give me five minutes and you’ll see them go. I’ll make sure they’re visible. You can follow them or whatever makes you feel better.”

  “Do it. When they’re gone, call me back.”

  Click.

  “Isaac?”

  He looked up to find Ruthie holding a book. “What is it?”

  “Hidden in Plain View is the title. It’s about the Underground Railroad.” She flipped the cover open. Cut into the pages was a small hole. Just big enough to hide the flash drive resting inside.

  Sally gasped and jumped to her feet. “I should have known. I should have thought he’d use one of his stupid books.”

  “It’s okay. We’ve got it now.” Isaac stood, pulled the flash drive from its hiding place, and studied it. “Nice job, Ruthie.”

  “Now what?”

  “I want to see what’s on this, but first, we come up with a plan to get Sally’s kids back.”

  He dialed Brady’s number. “You’ve got to clear out, and they have to see you leaving. That drone firing on the house was just a test to smoke you out, and we fell for it.”

  Brady fell silent. “We’ll leave, but we won’t go far. I’ll call you when we’re clear.”

  “Fine. And we found the evidence.”

  “You found it?”

  “We think so. I need a laptop to know for sure, but we’re going to act as though this is what they’re looking for and now we’re going to use it.”