Vanished (9 page)

J.T. surged to his feet, nearly toppling his chair in his haste. “Why didn't you say something earlier?” He should have realized Kim wasn't handling this well. But he'd been holed up in his office making calls to parole officers and police trying to get information on the people he'd put behind bars. Rachel, Paul, Madison and himself had finally narrowed the list down to eight ex-cons, a much more manageable number.

He crossed the large outer room and entered the back one used for breaks. The sight of Kim sitting on the
small couch, her shoulders hunched, her head sagging forward, her hands twisting together, over and over, ripped a hole through his heart as though a bullet had pierced it.

He took the empty seat next to Kim and pulled her into his arms. “Honey, you've been such a big help today. Just having you here has helped me.”

“But we haven't been able to find Ashley.” Kim buried her face into his shoulder, her arms about him.

He stroked her back and held her tight.

“I don't know what else to do.”

“We'll go to prayer service for Ashley tonight. Colin plans to have one every evening until Ashley is home safely. We can't have too many prayers. Until then go with Neil, Emma and Colin to Central City. You can put up some more posters. You never know when someone might see your poster and come forward with the piece of information we need to find Ashley.”

Kim leaned back, her eyes red, her face ghostly white. “You'll be all right until we get back?”

“So long as you're with Colin, Emma and Neil, I'll be okay. Promise me you won't go anywhere by yourself until this is all over.”

She nodded solemnly.

He didn't want to scare Kim, but he didn't want her to be by herself until he knew where the threat to his family was coming from and had taken care of it.

“Let's pray.” J.T. held both her hands. “Lord, we need Your guidance. Show us what to do to find Ashley. Be a shield around her and protect her from any harm. Amen.”

“Daddy, I didn't mean for this to happen.”

He framed her face, smoothing his hands through her hair. “Of course, you didn't.”

The tears returned to fill Kim's eyes. “But you don't understand. The other day I wished I didn't have a sister. She was always following…” His daughter, with wet tracks streaking her cheeks, plastered herself against his chest and cried.

J.T. closed his eyes. Her sobs wrenched him. He let her cry for a few minutes because it was important for her to release the emotions she'd been wrestling with the past two days. But it was one of the hardest things he had done to listen to his child pour out her agony. Each tear was like acid eroding his own composure.

When Kim quieted, J.T. prayed for guidance, then pulled back and looked her in the eye. “You didn't wish this to happen. You aren't to blame. I'll bring Ashley back.”

“How, Daddy?”

He took her face between his hands and made sure he had her full attention. “Don't you worry about that. Just know I will.”

Madison came to a halt inside the room. A movement out of the corner of his eye caused J.T. to whip around. “The kidnapper is on the phone. You've got fifteen seconds to answer or he hangs up.”

Day two, 1:00 p.m.: Ashley missing forty-two and a half hours

J.T.
hurried to the nearest phone in the large outer room.

“Line one.” Madison stood to his side.

“Put a trace on this call.” J.T. lifted the receiver, his hand tight about the cold plastic to keep it from trembling.

“We're on it.” Madison placed a pad and pencil on the desk.

Although the call would be recorded, J.T. appreciated the paper in case he wanted to take notes. Phone to ear, he said, “J. T. Logan here.”

There was a pause of several seconds, then a mechanical voice, rough, deep sounding, came across the wire. “I'll say this one time only. I want a hundred thousand dollars in small bills in exchange for your daughter. I'll call you again in a couple of hours to tell you where to bring it. Just in case you've forgotten what's at stake here. Listen.”

J.T.'s grip tightened even more.

Then he heard his youngest daughter's voice. “Daddy, where are you?”

Click.

“No!” The connection ended before he could say anything to Ashley. His baby had been only a phone call away.

His numbed fingers opened, and the receiver crashed to the desktop. Ashley's anguish-filled words echoed through his mind. He would never forget them or the fear that vibrated through each word. He leaned into the desk to keep himself upright. His fingers dug into its wooden edge as he tried to bring his emotions under control enough to speak.

“Did we get a location?” Madison asked for him.

Rachel stood up from her computer. “He used a landline. We didn't have enough time. The only thing we got was the call was made from somewhere in Crystal Springs.”

“He's here,” J.T. whispered, and lowered his head for a few seconds while he fought the overwhelming anger that seized him. “Ashley's here.”

“Maybe. Ashley's voice could have been recorded. She might not be with the man. He may be here only long enough to get his money and then be gone. What are you going to do about the money?”

Madison's question forced him to quash all the emotions that would stand in his way of doing his job. J.T. straightened and faced her, reassured by her calm tone and serene expression. “Find it somehow. I'll start with the bank.”

Kim moved toward him. “What did the kidnapper say, Daddy?”

J.T. glanced back at his daughter, her eyes large, her face so white he was afraid she would faint. This was why she shouldn't be down here. He wanted to shelter her as much as possible, but it was too late. “He wants a hundred thousand dollars.”

“A hundred thousand!”

He rounded on Kim, grasped her shoulders and brought her close, hoping to convince her Ashley would be all right and praying he was right. “This is a good thing. He's opening up a dialogue with us. If he's motivated by money, it might be easier to get Ashley back. And because he called, we know he's somewhere in the area, not several states away.”

“Yes, but do we have that kind of money?” Kim tightened her arms about J.T.

“Honey, you don't need to worry about that.”

As the front door opened and Susan entered with several sacks of food from the café, Neil stepped forward. “Can I do anything?”

J.T. gave a shake of his head, then turned to Madison. “Will you take the kids to Emma and Colin's? When Kirk comes in, I'll send him over to relieve you.” He trusted his deputies and Madison to keep his children safe, and right now that was paramount to him if he was going to do his job.

“Yes, of course.”

“Dad, I've got my car.”

“With the kidnapper so close I would prefer someone with you.” When Neil started to say something more, J.T. continued, “Please, son. I don't want to have to worry
about you and Kim while I'm trying to put together the money.”

Neil nodded once, a frown on his face.

J.T. took hold of Kim's shoulders again and kneaded them. “Honey, I'm afraid you'll have to spend another night at the Fitzpatricks'. I'm sorry, but I'll have to be here until the ransom has been dropped off, until—” the last words lumped together in his throat and he couldn't get them out “—until Ashley is released.” He couldn't think of what would happen if she wasn't. This was his chance to get his daughter back.

“I'll get my things.” Kim's shoulders sagged.

“I'll let you and your brother know as soon as I find out anything.” J.T. peered at Kim until she gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.

While his daughter went back into the break room for her purse and iPod, Madison closed the space between her and J.T. “How long do you think it will be before Kirk returns?”

“Maybe an hour or so. He went to Central City to check out that abandoned car. It might be the one Mrs. Goldsmith saw leaving the area. Right now we need every clue we can get. Let's hope it pans out.” He moved into her personal space and lowered his voice. “I have to know my children are safe. With you I do. I know you want to be in the middle of the ransom drop, but I trust you and Kirk to take care of Kim and Neil. He's been with me almost from the beginning, he and Ted.”

She gave him a half smile. “You don't need to worry about them. Concentrate on getting the money put to
gether. I'll return to help when Kirk gets to your house.” She laid her hand on his arm. “Kim and Neil will be fine.”

With Madison's reassurances J.T. realized his children would be okay. As he watched her gather up her purse and wait for Kim, he thanked God for her presence these past two days. She had kept him sane in an insane situation.

Confusion in her expression, Susan approached. “What happened?”

“There's been a ransom demand.” J.T. looked toward the break room.

“How much, boss?” Susan laid several sacks on the desk and gave one to Madison.

“A hundred thousand.” J.T. watched his daughter trudge toward him.

His secretary whistled. “I have a couple of hundred dollars. You can have it.”

Madison turned toward him while Kim and Neil walked toward the front door. “I have some money saved, too. Just let me know. It's not much, but it's a few thousand.”

“Thanks, you two, but let me see what I can come up with first.”

A hundred thousand! The equity in his house wasn't nearly that much. He didn't know how he was going to come up with the amount in such a short time. But if he had to, he would go door-to-door asking for donations.

Lord, help me!

Day two, 3:30 p.m.: Ashley missing forty-five hours

“A hundred thousand dollars!” Emma picked up her glass of iced tea and came to the table. “Does J.T. have that kind of money?”

Madison slid her gaze toward the doorway, not wanting Kim or Neil to hear. The kids were in the den with Emma and Colin's twin teenage daughters, making more posters while Madison was talking with Emma about how Kim and Neil were holding up. “I don't think so. I called a few minutes ago and Matthew said J.T. hadn't gotten all the money together yet.”

After putting her drink on the table, Emma crossed the room to the desk, picked up the phone and dialed. “Dad, I don't know if you've heard but J. T. Logan's little girl was kidnapped the day before yesterday.”

Madison remembered meeting Emma's father last year. He was a wealthy businessman who lived in Chicago.

“Yes, it has been hard on everyone. J.T. finally received a ransom demand today for a hundred thousand dollars and—” Emma stopped in midsentence, her eyebrows slashing downward as she listened to what her father said. Suddenly her expression changed to a full-fledged smile. “I knew I could count on you, Dad. J.T. will appreciate it as will everyone in Crystal Springs. Thanks.”

Emma swung her attention to Madison. “Dad's donating the money for the ransom. I'll let J.T. know so he doesn't have to worry about that. He has enough on his mind at the moment.” She pressed the button on her phone to disconnect her call to her father then punched in another number. “This is Emma. I need to speak to J.T.”

Silence filled the kitchen while Madison suspected someone was getting J.T. She tuned out Emma and thought about the fact there was a ransom demand made almost two days after Ashley disappeared. That was unusual. Why so late? Had the kidnapper taken Ashley somewhere else and then come back here? Was the child alive? Abandoned? Maybe the abductor killed Ashley so he was trying to get something out of it since he no longer had the little girl. She hated the direction her thoughts were taking her, but these questions needed to be considered, even proposed to J.T.

When Emma hung up, a smile graced her lips. “At least I could help J.T. in one area.”

Madison glanced down at her watch. “The kidnapper should be calling back soon.”

“And you want to be there when he does.”

Although it wasn't a question, Madison answered, “Yes. I'm flattered J.T. wants me guarding Neil and Kim, but I want to be there for…” Suddenly she realized what she was admitting by saying, “for him.”

She cared more than a colleague should. Three years ago she had been engaged and at the church for her wedding when she'd discovered her fiancé had gotten cold feet and called off their wedding. In the end he hadn't been able to accept the profession she had dedicated her life to and he'd known he wouldn't be able to change her mind about being a police officer. At least she hadn't been standing at the altar when he had backed out of getting married, but she could still remember facing her guests and telling them she wasn't going to become Mrs. Brent Harrison that day. In that
moment when the pain of rejection had overwhelmed her, she had decided it was best to go through life alone. Now her feelings for J.T. were making her question that decision.

Kim entered the kitchen. Confusion clouded her expression.

How much had Kim overheard of her conversation with Emma? “Did you get a lot of posters made?”

Kim shrugged. “I suppose so.” Just inside the doorway, she surveyed the room. Her teeth dug into her lower lip. “What if Dad can't pay the ransom?”

Emma took a sip from her tea. “That won't be a problem. My father is donating the money.”

“I've seen shows on TV where the kidnappers warn the people about bringing in the police.”

“Kinda hard to do that since your dad is the sheriff.” Madison rose. She knew the direction Kim's thoughts were taking and hoped to put a stop to them. “The kidnapper didn't say anything about not bringing in the police or FBI.”

“Why not? That seems strange.”

“Not everything is like on TV.” Madison walked toward Kim, not wanting to get into all the odd aspects of the case.

Emotions flickered across the teen's face. First puzzlement, then doubt before resignation settled on her features. “I guess you're right. I still think it's odd, though.”

“Maybe he's challenging us.” Emma sat again at the table. “Some criminals like to do that because they think they're better, smarter than the police and the FBI.”

To Madison the whole case had a strange feel to it. She couldn't quite figure out what bothered her, but she would. It was too important not to.

The doorbell chimes penetrated the silence.

“I'll get it,” Grace called from the hallway.

Madison heard a male voice, then a few seconds later Kirk appeared in the doorway. Relieved to see him, she snatched up her purse, but before taking her leave, she stopped in front of Kim. “Your dad knows what he's doing. I've worked with many police and sheriff departments, and this one is run efficiently because of J.T. which gives us a good chance of getting Ashley back safely.”

The teenager crossed her arms and dropped her gaze away. “I know.”

But Kim's body language negated her words, and Madison wasn't sure what else to say to the teen to alleviate her guilt and doubts. Only Ashley's return would do that. Maybe the ransom would work. Sometimes it did.

Father, please let this be over soon. I don't know how much more J.T. and his family can take.

In the living room Madison pulled Kirk to the side. “What about the car?”

“It had to be the car Mrs. Goldsmith described. The partial license plate number matches and it's metallic blue. The Central City police have dusted for fingerprints but so far haven't found any matches other than the owners'. It was abandoned in a field outside of town with the CD player gone as well as a case of CDs. There isn't much else. No one saw anything in the area. The nearest house was half a mile away.”

“No evidence that Ashley was in the car?”

“None the police found. There are some unknown fingerprints inside. They just aren't in the database.”

“Thanks. Maybe something will turn up later.”

Anxious to get to the sheriff's office, Madison hurried toward the foyer. Neil stood next to Grace near the front door. His solemn eyes—eyes that reminded her of J.T.'s—connected with hers.