Too Close to Home (35 page)

Wishing for some good old-fashioned gasoline, she twisted the cap on the bathroom cleaner. The label said, “Keep away from open flame.” Hopefully that meant it would burn. She poured some on the sheets she’d ripped up and twisted into a rope.

Then she stood on the chair and stuffed them through the air vent. She’d managed to pull off the covering. It had been loose anyway, so all she’d had to do was grab it and pull. Her shoulder ached where she’d fallen off the chair when it had come loose, but she ignored the pain. If she didn’t get out of here, she’d be feeling more than an aching shoulder, that she was sure of.

Next, she had to see if she had any skills left from her Girl Scout days. The beds were made of wood. Old dry, splintering wood. She stripped off several pieces.

“Now what are you doing?” Julienna asked, scared, but curiously hopeful at the same time.

Veronica just kept her lips pressed in a tight line. But she, too, couldn’t hide the hope that Jenna would get them out of there before Danny came back.

“My dad is out there looking for me. I need to give him something to find.”

“And burning down the building is a good way to do that? So he can find our charred bones after the firemen get through putting out the fire?” Patty asked, sarcasm dripping.

“I’m actually hoping he gets here before all that.”

Patty just groaned. “All right, what do you want me to do?”

“Thank you, Patty. I’m going to start a fire and I need you to hold that piece of sheet that I soaked in cleaner over the flame when I get it started. Then I’m going to burn the sheets in the air vent, praying like crazy some of the smoke makes it out whatever opening is allowing the air to come through to us.”

Patty took up her spot and Jenna sat on the floor to get busy. She placed a piece of wood about the size of her palm on the floor, then grabbed up one of her longer pieces—a spindle that would hopefully work perfectly. Placing it on the block, she began rubbing it between her hands, creating as much friction as possible.

“How in the world is that going to start a fire?”

“It creates friction which generates heat which will soon give me the spark I need to catch this piece of cloth on fire.” She hoped. “I’m going to need you guys to trade out with me. We need to take turns rubbing this, because it’s going to take a while, and if I get tired, I’m going to slow down. Okay, Patty, put that cloth near the stick.”

Patty did. And Jenna rubbed.

She’d been the only one in her troop to ever start a fire this way.

She just prayed she could do it again.

Connor kicked the brush away, going deeper into the woods. He stooped.

Samantha ran a hand through her hair and sighed. “You think we’re doing any good here?”

“I think she’s around here somewhere, Sam. He definitely brought her here. We tracked her phone pretty fast. He hasn’t had time to move her.”

“We’ve been over the building. The HeatSeeker would have picked them up, but it didn’t, just a few rats.” If Jenna had been anywhere nearby, The AimShot HeatSeeker would have found them. Thermal imaging heat seekers, the latest in firefighting technology.

But nothing. That didn’t bode well for Jenna.

Connor rubbed a hand over his jaw. “I know.”

“Listen, I need to call Jamie. She’s been waiting to discuss something . . .” Samantha stopped. Sniffed the air. “Do you smell that?”

“What?”

“Smoke?”

“Yeah, where’s it coming from?”

“Over there. This isn’t the time of year to build a fire to cozy up to, that’s something else. Come on.”

“Jake!” Connor hollered. The big man stopped what he was doing and looked up. Connor motioned for him to follow. A frown furrowing his brows, Jake said something to the woman with him and took off after Connor.

Finding where the smoke was coming from took a little doing, but he finally located the source. A small cabin set back in the woods.

“Who does this cabin belong to?” Connor demanded.

“I don’t have any idea.”

“I’m going in. There might be someone in there.” Jenna might be in there. But with smoke coming from a house, he had every right to be concerned and enter the premises without waiting on a search warrant. Someone’s life could be in danger.

Like Jenna’s.

“I’m right behind you,” Jake promised.

“I’m calling the fire department guys to get back over here. And then I’m going to see if Dakota can find out who this place belongs to.” Samantha grabbed her phone and started dialing.

Connor kicked the wooden door in and found himself in a kitchen that looked like it had been recently used.

“Police! We’re here to help! Anyone here?”

The Agent wanted to scream, curse, and basically lose control. He wanted to kill them all. But he couldn’t try it here. It was too risky, too many trees. And if he pulled the trigger, he needed the bullet to find its mark the first time.

Because there would be no second chances. Not with this man.

That brat had brought them to her. It wouldn’t be long now and they’d find them and Boss. Should he have gotten her out? Pulled her from the room?

No.

The Agent had lost all respect for Boss. After all, she’d allowed the girls to almost escape. Would she give him away? He fingered the gun and considered whether he actually needed her anymore. He could wait until the police brought her up from the room, then pop her between the eyes.

Maybe.

Maybe not.

They’d figure out who he was shortly. He had no doubt Jenna would describe him down to every last detail. He grimaced. Great.

He gave a last, lingering look at the cops swarming Plan B. He gave in to the curses, beating the steering wheel until he’d bruised his hand. Finally, he calmed, breathing hard, but back in control.

He began to think again.

For now, he needed to find a hotel room. Then maybe he’d call his sister and see if she could put him up for a night or two. Just until he could figure out what to do next.

And then he’d have to figure out how to get Veronica away from the police. She had something that belonged to him, and there was no way he was letting her get away with keeping that baby. No, he’d get his hands on her one way or another.

And take care of Jenna and her dad in the meantime. And if Samantha got in the way, he’d kill her too.

Samantha pocketed her phone and pulled her gun from the holster. Jamie would just have to wait a little longer. Instead of following the gang inside, she walked the perimeter of the house, looking for an alternative entrance. The drive led up to the back of the house.

Empty.

Tire tracks, though, embedded in the mud beside the gravel. Whoever had pulled in had done so carelessly. Good. She pulled a crime scene tag from her pocket and dropped it onto the spot beside the track. Any cop coming this way would see it and avoid trampling the area.

Keeping her eyes open, she panned the wooded area. Nothing moved. Once she’d circled the house, she came back to the kitchen door. Entering, she made her way through to the small attached carport. The door swung open. Left by someone leaving in a hurry?

Smoke swirled, but it wasn’t overwhelming. Recent footprints had stirred the dust on the floor.

The door slammed behind her and she whirled, lifting her weapon.

Connor stood just inside the carport door. He held his hands up, gun pointed toward the ceiling. “It’s just me.”

She lowered the gun, heart pounding. “You could give a girl some warning.”

“Sorry, I didn’t realize you were out here. I couldn’t see you from the door.”

“Did you find the source of the smoke?”

“No, and I didn’t find anyone else either. The house is empty. It’s been cleared. The fire squad’s back going over it with a fine-tooth comb.”

She nodded and pointed to another door sharing the wall with the main one that led back into the kitchen. “Wonder where that door goes? It looks a little out of place. Out of alignment with the house.”

“Let’s find out.”

Sam stepped to the side, raising her gun, mimicking Connor’s previous position right before he’d entered the carport area. Connor stood opposite her. With one hand, he reached out and twisted the knob.

Locked.

Raising a brow, he knocked on it.

Instantly someone banged from the other side.

Hope bloomed on his features.

“Jenna!”

Motioning for Samantha to step back, Connor raised his gun and blew the doorknob off. He punched the remaining part through the hole on the other side. Smoke drifted through the open space.

“Dad?” A faint voice came to them. “Dad!”

“Jenna! Stand back, I’m going to kick the door in.” To Samantha he said, “Hinges are on this side. I don’t know if I’m going to be able to do much damage.”

Samantha heard nothing. “You think it’s soundproofed? Seems like we should be able to hear her a little better.”

“Could be.” He took a breath, then put his mouth to the hole and repeated his instructions. “Stand back!”

Several kicks later, he shook his head. “I need the ram. This is one strong door.”

The battering ram. He called for one, and within seconds, the door was down, smoke billowing out.

“Jenna!”

“Dad!”

The stairs led directly down. Connor started to follow them, but stopped when his daughter appeared from the midst of the smoke and threw herself, coughing and gasping, into his waiting arms.

30

Back at the precinct, Connor watched happy parents gather their girls close. Veronica’s mother and father had been shocked to see her extended belly, but it hadn’t stopped them from yanking her into a never-ending hug.

Julienna’s mom simply held her daughter and wept. Her father was flying in from California so it would take a while for him to get here.

Patty sat in one of the chairs, her legs drawn up tight to her chest. She stared at the commotion with empty eyes. Her parents were taking their own sweet time about getting here. Connor worried about that one.

Jenna seemed relieved. She’d clung to him like a leech for the first few minutes after coming up out of that room, but now seemed to be working through the experience. She was mad, furious, but he knew when that wore off she’d need to have a good cry.

And he’d be there to hold her.

He walked to the room next door and looked through the glass at the woman holding an ice pack to her battered head.

Victoria Abbott.

Who would have thought?

Connor shook his head and returned to the room he’d just vacated. Mrs. Abbott wasn’t going anywhere. He’d let her stew for a bit.

The sketch artist worked with each girl individually.

It was Jenna’s turn. Connor went with her ready to hang over her shoulder and watch the face materialize. He wanted to see this guy the minute the artist was done.

Samantha motioned that she would close up shop here with the families.

Then they would have to make plans how to catch the killer still on the loose.

Samantha sat back and swiped a few tears. She loved happy endings. However, she knew it wasn’t finished yet. And she still had to call Jamie.

And get something to eat. She was starving.

While Connor and Jenna worked with the sketch artist, Samantha pulled her phone out and dialed her sister’s cell phone, assuming she’d still be at the hospital with Tom.

“Hello?”

“Jamie, hi, it’s me. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to call, but we found the girls.”

A gasp. “You’re kidding!”

“Turn the television on. You and Tom can watch the celebration together.”

“So, you caught the killer?” Confusion echoed in Jamie’s voice.

“Um. No. We didn’t. Not yet. But we’ve gotten the girls reunited with their families. All except Sydney Carter, and unfortunately, even though we haven’t found her body yet, Veronica and Julienna say that Danny killed her.”

A long pause.

“Jamie? Are you there?”

“I’m here. I’m just trying to figure out how to tell you something.”

Wariness crept up Samantha’s spine. “What? Just spit it out.” Dread slipped through her. “Oh no, something’s happened to Tom, hasn’t it?”

“No, he’s fine. But yes, it’s something about Tom’s wound.”

“What about it?”

“I was here when the nurse came in to change the bandage early this morning. When I saw it yesterday, it raised a red flag for me, but I didn’t want to make a quick judgment. Now that I’ve had a better look, I’m pretty sure it’s self-inflicted.”

“Come again?”

Jamie sighed. “There’s no way someone attacked him with a knife and cut his arm the way it’s cut. Without going into great medical detail . . . well, just trust me when I say there’s no way. I’m talking about the angle, the position on the arm, the depth, everything shouts that he did it to himself.”

“But . . . but why?”

“I don’t know, Samantha, but it worries me.”

“Yeah. Me too. I’ve got to think about this. I’ll call you later. Let me know when you get home.”

“I’m home now. Tom checked himself out of the hospital a while ago.”

Samantha hung up, her movements automatic as she mulled over Jamie’s shocking news. Self-inflicted? Could . . . would Tom do that? And why?

Connor appeared in the doorway, his features haggard once again. Jenna stood by his side. She’d keep this phone call to herself. “Hey, did we get a picture of our guy?”

Connor and Jenna exchanged a frowning glance.

Samantha groaned. “Come on, guys, not more bad news, please?”

“Afraid so. We know who the killer is.”

“But that’s great! Why the long faces?”

Connor held up the paper, looked at it for a minute, then turned it around to face her.

And she gasped. Dark spots swirled before her eyes. It simply couldn’t be.

“Are you sure?”

Jenna nodded. Connor sighed.

Samantha stood. Feeling like she was moving in slow motion, she crossed the space between the table and the door, took the picture from Connor’s hand, and stared down at Tom Jackson’s handsome face.

31

Monday morning, gray clouds and thunderstorms greeted Samantha. There’d been no word on Tom’s location. It had been five weeks and no one had spotted him. Nothing had come of the latest news conference that aired last night asking for information on his whereabouts. The case was still being fully investigated. Tom Jackson’s face appeared on television each night.