Chapter 1 Repay No Evil

I apologize for the delay - it has been a very busy week! I hope to have the second Chapter 1 in the next few days but forgive me if I don't :)

Ashley Parks’ feet hit the pavement. One foot in front of the other. Steadily moving forward. Her chestnut brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, the bottom of the tail swishing at her neck. She wiped the sweat off her forehead. It was a warm day for spring and it made Ashley long for the warmth of summer. It had been a mild winter for Virginia and for that Ashley had been grateful.
“Mama! Mama!” The screams came out of nowhere.
Ashley stopped mid-run and looked around. The neighborhood was quite. Large brick homes dotted the landscape to her left. To her right were trees waiting to be cut down and developed but no small children.
Breathing heavily, Ashley turned in circles to scan the area but came up empty. No screaming children anywhere. After a few more circles Ashley resumed her run. She ran by houses with brick fronts and houses with siding fronts. Some houses had porches and some did not. While the houses were not completely uniform Ashley knew they all came from the same builder therefore every third or fourth house was the same with a few minor exceptions.
Ashley had been in and around the neighborhood three times already. She felt most comfortable running close to home but needed the work out only five miles could give her. It was still growing on her. The idea that a suburb was now her home. The idea that she had moved from Maryland to Virginia and was living in a house, a real house. Currently it was by herself but she hoped that soon she would get to add a few more family members.
“Mama! Mama, help! Help Mama!”
Ashley stopped short.
The screams seemed so real but yet somehow they were only coming from her head. She scanned the area again. This time there were only houses, no trees but still no people. Where was everybody anyway? Ashley checked her watch. It was approaching mid-morning, the stay-at-home moms should have been out in their yards by now but yet there was no one.
Scanning the area and still finding nothing Ashley continued with her run. It had to be in her head. It had to be a reminder of the past. Though her son had not been old enough to talk when he died he still screamed for help in her dreams. Maybe her nightmares were haunting her during the day.
For once she was trying to find a way to move on with her life. Was it possible that she was wrong? Should she not try to leave Donnie and Aidan in the past? It has been twelve years since her husband and son were murdered on their front lawn. It had been six months since Ashley had decided to move on with her life and to move on with another man.
Nate Zimmerman was nothing like Donnie Parks. While they were almost equal in height at six feet the similarities ended there. Donnie had been an IT guy into computers and the internet and making money in business. He was low-key and mild-mannered. His blonde hair had begun receding at an early age but it hadn’t bothered Ashley. It had given Donnie a more mature look.
On the other hand, Nate looked more like a football player with broad shoulders, thick arms and muscular legs. His brown hair was thick and always well groomed. Ashley knew Nate kept it cut short because it would curl if it grew too long. His blue eyes were inviting but could also be cold when he was on a serious case. Nate was a Special Agent for the FBI and it had only been six months since she had seen how cold those eyes could be.
“Help Mama! Mama!”
No, she couldn’t be imaging things. She had heard something. And it didn’t sound like Aidan. No, this voice was older.
Breathless, Ashley paused her running again and leaned over with her hands on her knees. She took deep, slow breaths to force herself not to pant. In, out. In, out. With her breathing under control Ashley stood to look around again.
Expecting nothing she was surprised to see a small boy sitting across the street from where she stood. But he didn’t appear distressed. Instead he sat on the front porch of what Ashley assumed to be his home. He wore a red baseball cap with nothing written across the front. A matching red long-sleeved tee read “Cardinals” across the front. It looked like a baseball tee. His gray sweatpants were covered in mud mostly around the knees. His white socks were also covered in mud. He wore no shoes. Ashley couldn’t see his face.
“It’s all in my head,” Ashley whispered to herself. She was once again projecting her past on to real life situations. This boy was fine.
But when he looked up Ashley wasn’t so sure he was fine after all.
Tears streaked down his face forming tracks in the mud that was caked there. Had the boy bathed in mud?
Ashley considered continuing her jog home but thought better of it. Maybe this little boy was calling her. Seemed strange but stranger things had happened. Ashley walked across the street and approached the boy slowly. While most homes in the area had fences in the back almost none of them had any in the front. Ashley easily walked up the driveway to a large house similar to hers except this one had a brick front and the front porch extended from the garage, around the front and partway down the back. The boy sat on the top porch step.
“Hey, buddy, you okay?”
The boy looked up at Ashley and now she could see his very large brown eyes. They widened as he looked at her but he said nothing. He was a cute kid, probably around six or seven. He had a small nose and ears that were a little large for his head. Small, brown tufts stuck out from under his ball cap.
“I saw you sitting here and I thought I would come and say hi. I just moved into the neighborhood and I haven’t really made any friends.”
Still no response. The boy looked back down at the ground.
“Are you okay? You seem sad.” As Ashley knelt down to get at his eye level the front door opened. A woman not much shorter then Ashley stepped through the door. Her brown hair was cut in a bob to just below her chin. Blonde streaks were layered with red and Ashley knew it was a professional job. Her nails were also recently manicured. She wore a swing top and jeans and the outfit had a very slimming effect. Her blue eyes registered shock at the sight of Ashley on her front lawn.
“Can I help you?” The woman asked revealing perfectly white teeth though slightly crooked in the front.
“I’m sorry, I was jogging and came over to introduce myself,” Ashley said. The shocked look turned to disbelief and confusion. “I’m sorry; I’m new to the neighborhood. Just moved in around the corner. This little guy looked sad so I came over to check on him.” Ashley flashed her widest smile hoping to prove her sincerity.
The woman looked down at the boy. “Drew, why don’t you go inside and find your sister. I’ll be in shortly.” Drew glanced up at Ashley, then back at the ground before slowly standing and walking towards the house. The woman placed her hands on Drew’s shoulders and directed him inside. Ashley expected the woman to follow Drew inside but instead she shut the front door and stepped closer to Ashley.
“I don’t know who you are or why you are here but we have been through enough and we don’t need strangers snooping around.”
“I’m…I’m sorry, what?”
“I assume you are a reporter.”
“No. No, I’m actually a Forensic Psychologist…”
“And you’re here to get information out of Drew?” The woman’s voice as accusatory. Ashley took a slow, deep breath and prayed for guidance. Though she’d only been praying for a few months it was becoming more natural in all situations.
“No, I’m not here for information. I was running across the street and I thought I heard someone calling me. When I stopped I saw the boy, um Drew, and I came over to talk to him. In my practice I work with children so it seemed natural to come and talk with him. Is he okay?”
The woman sighed then looked Ashley up and down as if to determine whether or not she was telling the truth. Finally she must have believed Ashley because she said, “His mother was murdered here six months ago. I’m a friend of the family. I’ve been helping out when I can. We get reporters calling all the time. Some have tried to be friendly to get information.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know that. My name is Ashley Parks and really, I just moved in around the corner. Off of Lariet Lane.”
“I’m sorry to be rude. I’m Ellie Johnson.” Ellie extended her hand and Ashley reached out to shake it.
“It’s fine. I completely understand. Is Drew okay?”
“He and his sister Laney were here the night of the murder. We think one of them may have seen the murderer but so far they haven’t said anything. In fact, Drew hasn’t spoken a word since the night of the murder.”
“Would you let me talk with him?”
Ellie again looked at Ashley slowly. Not that Ashley could blame her. She would’ve become suspicious in her situation as well.
Ashley continued, “I’m a Forensic Psychologist which means I interview children for the courts…”
“Not serial killers?”
Ashley smiled. “I get that a lot. No, I work solely with children; child witnesses, abuse victims and in custody cases. I may be able to help.”
“Really? I have been praying for someone to help for months. A maniac is on the loose. Who knows when he may strike again?”
“Why would you say that?”
“The brutality of the murder. I just can’t believe that this is the only time this man has murdered.” Ellie shrugged and Ashley let the comment go but she would certainly be following up with Nate.
“Then maybe I’m the answer to your prayers.” Maybe it wasn’t Drew that called her. Maybe it was God getting her attention. And if that were the case then Ellie just might be right. Ashley could only pray she could be of help before any more women lost their lives.

Are You Ready For More?

Since I have actually acheived my goal from the beginning of the year I figured I should keep write on going. BUT I have two novels in mind (I have more then that but I'm debating between a particular two right now) so the fun part is that you, the readers get to choose!

1. The second novel in the Ashley Parks series: Repay No Evil

or

2. A completely different and unrelated novel.

That's all the detail you're getting right now. I'm including the prologue for Repay No Evil right now (some of you may have read this one but read again - it's going to be completely re-written) and I will include the first chapter later - hopefully tomorrow.

Then I will post the first chapter of the second novel and everyone can choose. I can't promise how quickly I'll get stuff up because I do HAVE to work on the completed novel to actually make attempts at publication but with the big kids in school and the babies napping I have a little more time so I will do my best (with your encouragement and occasional kick in the pants!)


Prologue: Repay No Evil

He was on top of her. Suffocating her. She couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. Who was he? How did he get in? What did he want?
The children! No, she didn’t hear any noise.
He pulled the pillow away from her face long enough for her to catch her breath. She could feel a burning in her arm. His knife had nicked her. He moved himself to the edge of the bed next to her. She could only see the silhouette of him in the darkness. For a moment that seemed like eternity the man didn’t move. He just stood there as though he needed to gather himself.
Thoughts raced through her mind. She had to get away. She knew if she didn’t this man would kill her. He laid his knife on the nightstand next to her. If she could get to it she might have a chance. She inched towards the knife but immediately the man was back on top of her preventing her escape. His gloved hands wrapped around her neck and squeezed. The bulk of his body rested on her abdomen. No air was getting in. Stars danced in front of her eyes and she feared it would be over. She kicked her legs in an attempt to push him away but the man only clamped down tighter.
Oh, God, how could this be happening? Her thoughts screamed in her head. Two small children lay just down the hall. They needed their mom. She squirmed her right arm out from under the man’s legs and began to claw at his face. His hands let go of her neck to grab her free arm. She gasped for a small amount of air.
He held her arm fast with his left hand and kneeled over her. With his right hand he unzipped his pants; the sound of the zipper made her want to vomit. This couldn’t be happening. She strained against him. It felt like her insides were being ripped out. Maybe this was all he wanted. Maybe then he would leave.
But he didn’t leave. He stood next to her, looking at her. He retrieved the knife from the nightstand and waved it in front of him. The moonlight reflected off of the steel but still she couldn’t make out his face. Something was familiar about him but she couldn’t figure out what.
“My husband will find you,” she said softly, the words grating on her raw throat. “Leave me alone now and I’ll make sure he doesn’t kill you.”
The man scoffed and slapped her across the face. Blood seeped into her mouth. She moved her hand to wipe it away. As she lifted her arm he drove the knife deep into her abdomen. He ripped it out again. The nausea that had threatened to surface came out onto the bed. The taste of blood and vomit mingled in her mouth. Pain shot through her body.
He attacked again from behind, driving the knife into her back while holding her shoulder with his hand. She arched back and screamed. He drew the knife out and she felt the blood gushing. She turned to fight him but was too weak to hold herself up.
As quickly as the man came he was gone.
She was still alive though just barely. The phone. It was just next to her on the nightstand. She forced herself to roll over towards the nightstand but she was too close to the side of the bed and fell off with a thud.
She froze.
Had he heard her? Would he come back? Couldn’t think about that. She had to reach the phone. But could she move?
She reached up to the nightstand with her right hand, her left arm holding the wound in her abdomen to try and stop the flow of blood. Touching the phone with her fingertips she knocked it off the nightstand and onto the floor.
“9-1-1. What is your emergency?” A woman’s voice answered her call.
“A man…stabbed me…at home…children here.” Slowly the words came out. So few words; so much she wanted to say.
“Ma’am, where are you?” The woman’s tone now matched her urgency.
“2110…Lockhart…Street.”
“I’m dispatching paramedics and police now. Stay with me, ma’am. Help is on the way.”
“Love my kids…Love my husband.” The phone slipped from her hand and her head fell to the floor. She couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. “Oh, God…take me home. Save Wes…and the kids. I love them.”
They were Amy Donovan’s last words.

Final Chapter! (Chapter 51)

Notice - this is the 2nd post for today please read Chapter 50 first!!

***** While this is the last chapter in this novel please check back later this week for some more stuff :) Not related to this novel but you will get a chance to vote on the next one! Thank you for sticking with me for the past 8 months while I completed the novel and for spurring me on to finish. Hopefully the next one will go faster *****

Two Weeks Later
“I think they’ll be okay,” Ashley said as Nate opened the door to his house.
“I hope so. Their aunt and uncle seemed a bit overwhelmed at the prospect of taking on nine-year old twins but I think they’ll do well,” Nate said.
“I wish I could keep them.” Ashley had had the chance to spend many hours with both Kyle and Kayla since their rescue two weeks previous. The two of them together were a joy to be around even after their traumatic events. It seems together they are unshakable. Julia had been sent to live with her grandmother who happily retained custody while her father worked with the police. It turned out that Julia’s father, Collin Lambert, had changed his mind about his part in the scheme and had been very happy to share what he knew in exchange for a lighter sentence.
Michael Fleming was being held without bond for his part in the human trafficking ring. Nate had shared that Daisy Brandt’s father wasn’t actually her father after all. Instead a man named Lawton Rawlings had decided to kidnap and sell young white girls in the sex market in Thailand. And that’s where Ashley would’ve been if she hadn’t gotten away from Geoffrey when she did.
Fortunately Geoffrey wasn’t permanently injured from Ashley’s actions but he was placed under arrest as soon as Nate and the SWAT team boarded the boat. Both Geoffrey and Todd were paid employees of Lawton Rawlings. Both would now be sharing time behind bars with him.
“What about Lizzie Andrews?” Ashley said as she stepped into Nate’s living room. She had spent the past two weeks at a hotel but most of her days she shared with Nate. Ashley was beginning to think that his feelings for her were going to be reciprocated. But it was too soon to think about love. She was still recovering from her three days locked up with so little food or water. Since then she’d eaten three salads a day and lots of grilled chicken. She’d even allowed herself a small amount of chocolate.
“She’s been returned to her mother and I think they’re doing well. Of everybody she certainly had it the easiest.”
Ashley nodded her agreement. Lizzie had not been put on the boat with Ashley and the other girls. Instead she had been delivered to her father who wanted to obtain custody of her instead of her mother. While Lizzie’s kidnapping was horrible, Beth Andrews was now a state witness against Geoffrey and Todd, the two who took Lizzie and brutalized Beth. Ashley prayed for healing for that entire family.
Ashley walked through Nate’s living room to the white-on-white kitchen for a drink of water. She stopped short when she noticed something on the counter. “Nate, what is that?”
“What is what?” Nate stepped up behind her.
“It’s a rose. Did you send me a rose?”
“No.”
“Nate, what’s today? What’s today?” Ashley tried to calm her shaking hands but they would not listen.
“It’s November 17th, why?”
“The 17th. Nate, it’s the 17th.” Ashley peeled her eyes away from the flower and towards Nate whose face was still blank. But then it changed and she could see the significance registering.
Nate quickly scooped up the rose and searched for something. “Does he send a card?”
“Usually but I don’t see one.” Ashley looked at the floor and noticed a small envelope sticking out between the refrigerator and the counter. “There. Nate you get it.”
Nate leaned down and pulled out the small envelope. It was addressed, “Ashley”. Nate slid his finger under the seal and pulled out the note inside.
“What does it say?” Not that she really wanted to know but maybe, just maybe it wasn’t from Jimmy.
“You don’t need to know.”
“Yes, I do. You have to tell me,” Ashley said.
“It says, ‘To my dearest, Ashley, I am sorry for your ordeal last month. I am glad to see that you have survived. I just wanted to stop by and share the good news; I have been released from prison. Isn’t that wonderful? It seems your friend Michael Fleming had a soft spot for me and put in a good word. Of course I haven’t forgotten you. I hope you enjoy your rose and you remember our special day. Remember, Ashley I am always watching. Love, Jimmy.’”
“No, this can’t be possible. He can’t be free. Nate, he murdered my husband and son. How could he be out? It’s only been eleven years! He was supposed to be in there for life.” Ashley shrank back into the cabinet as though the rose were a snake about to bite her. This couldn’t be happening. She had just survived something horrible. How could this be happening?
“I’ll look into it Ashley. Please don’t worry about it. He’s just trying to scare you.” Nate stepped towards her and wrapped his arms around her. She let herself rest on his shoulder taking in his strength. “Maybe it’s not him. The other notes weren’t.”
“No, today is the 17th. I know it’s him. Somehow he got in here and left this for me knowing I would find it today. Knowing I would be here.”
“I know, I know.” Nate rested his chin on Ashley’s head and stroked her hair. His comfort gave her strength. “You survived against all odds on that yacht, I know you can handle this but you don’t have to do it alone. I’m here for you. You know the Lord now and He will never leave you. And you have Kyle and Kayla. They love you. They want a relationship with you. It’s like the Lord is giving you your family back. Don’t let some mad man take it away.”
Ashley didn’t say anything. Instead she held tightly to Nate and allowed him to love her and protect her. He was right. The Lord had given her back everything she had lost so many years ago. So for today she would be grateful for what she had been given and worry about tomorrow another day.

Chapter 50

Ashley reached the edge of the boat and peered over. They had made it undetected thus far. Ashley continued to pray as she led Kayla and Julia to the edge of the boat. The very back of the boat was level with the water which was their saving grace. Julia and Kayla could lower themselves into the water without fear of making a splash and alerting their captors.
Something moved in the water and Ashley jumped back. A head covered in scuba gear came up from the surface of the water. “Who are you?”
“Ma’am I’m Special Agent Chris Johnson and I’m here to bring you in.”
“Who are you working for?” Ashley said holding her hands out to keep Julia and Kayla from moving any closer to the water.
“Ma’am, I’m working with Special Agent Nate Zimmerman and SA Eric Walker.”
“Do you have ID?” Amazingly the scuba diver held up a badge for Ashley to see. Looking closely she recognized the badge, it was similar to Nate’s. “Fine. You can have the girls but I need to find Kyle.”
“No, ma’am we need to take you in as well.”
“You are not taking me in without Kyle.”
“I’m sorry, who?” Chris said.
“My brother!” Kayla yelled.
“Ssh, sshh sweetie, I will find him. You let me look and you go with this agent. He will take you to Mr. Nate. Remember how I told you Mr. Nate has been looking for you?”
Kayla nodded.
“Come on, Kayla, let me take you to shore.” Chris Johnson held out his arms for Kayla to move into. After a moment’s hesitation Kayla stepped into the water. Julia followed and both of them tread water next to Chris. Ashley made no move to follow them in. “Ma’am you need to come with us.”
“I can’t, I have to look for Kyle. I can’t leave without him. Take these girls to shore and come back. If I find him I’ll bring him to you.” Ashley turned away from the edge without another word.

A big commotion caught Nate’s attention by the shore. “What’s going on?” Nate asked Eric. Eric shook his head and shrugged. He was on the phone with the negotiator who had yet to show up. Supposedly she was caught in traffic.
Nate jogged over to the water’s edge to find out what the big deal was about. “We’ve got the girls.” It was Special Agent Chris Johnson.
“All of them?” Nate smiled and looked around. He saw two small girls wrapped in thick blankets, their hair soaking wet and clinging to their faces but he didn’t see Ashley. “Where’s Ashley Parks?”
“She refused to come with me,” Chris said.
“What do you mean refused?”
“She said she had to look for Kyle.”
“Kyle’s on the yacht?” Nate looked from Chris to the small girls shivering beside him. Nate recognized them as Julia and Kayla. While he was relieved to see these young girls healthy and well he couldn’t help but wonder about Ashley. Nate repeated his question.
“I…I think so,” Kayla said. “I heard the men talking about him and it sounded like he was on the boat.” The girl broke down in tears.
“It’s okay. We’ll find him.” Nate looked from Kayla to the yacht. From where he stood he could see Todd in the driver’s seat of the boat but he couldn’t see Geoffrey. Without two of their human shields Ashley was in even more danger. Nate hoped she knew what she was doing.

Ashley heard footsteps behind her. She ducked behind the curtain next to the sliding glass door in the sunroom of the yacht. The footsteps moved heavier on the hardwood floor.
Ashley held her breath.
“Ashley, I’m coming for you girl.”
Did he know she was there? Had he seen her step away from the back of the yacht? Oh God, please let me find Kyle before Geoffrey finds me.
The room was silent again. She let herself breathe but did she dare move? She waited for what felt like an eternity before moving the curtain away from her face to peer out into the room.
It was empty. Forcing herself to take slow breaths she stepped out into the room holding on to the leather bench. Hearing footsteps again she was forced back behind the curtain.
“Todd! Todd, where did you put the girls?” Geoffrey yelled as he flew up the stairs.
“What are you talking about?” Todd yelled back. “You put ‘em down there. Did you lose ‘em?”
Geoffrey let out a string of curses. “Where’s the boy?”
“He’s in the suite, I didn’t know where else to put ‘em.”
The suite. Ashley didn’t know where that was but she was certain she could find it. How many could there be even on a boat this size? Ashley heard Geoffrey run down the stairs again. Before she could step from behind the curtain Geoffrey was back. Kyle must have been where he was left. “Where is that woman?” Geoffrey cursed again and spit on the hardwood floor. Ashley clung to the curtain and prayed it didn’t move. Why had she chosen to hide behind cloth?
Expecting Geoffrey to fling open the curtain at any moment, Ashley forced herself to stand perfectly still. Why couldn’t this have been a cruise ship? At least then there would have been more places to hide.
Ashley waited until she heard the sliding doors close. She peered out from the curtains again. Seeing no one she stepped on to the hard wood floors. When her sneakers squeaked she froze expecting Geoffrey to step back in at any moment. But there was no one so she continued down the stairs. She passed the kitchen on her right and a sectional leather couch on her left. The same hallway she had come through earlier was ahead of her with doors on all sides. Which one was the suite?
“Kyle? Kyle?” Ashley whispered as loudly as she could. She wished she could just burst through each door but she didn’t want to get noticed. “Kyle?”
She heard a muffled noise and then some bumping. She followed it to a door at the end of the hallway. She tried the door handle but it was locked. “Kyle, can you open the door? It’s Miss Ashley.”
Ashley jiggled the doorknob again then searched above her for some kind of key but found nothing. She quickly made her way back to the kitchen careful to walk softly. There on the counter sat a set of keys. She grabbed them and made her way back to the room. After what felt like an eternity she found a key that fit the door and opened it.
Kyle was alive.
But he was tied up. His arms were held by ropes to the head of the bed and his mouth was covered in duct tape. Ashley set about untangling him. Once free he stood to follow her. They were back in the hallway when she heard footsteps again.
“I knew I’d find you down here.” It was Geoffrey and he still had his gun. “Trying to save someone else?”
“Maybe I am.” Ashley was too angry to be stopped. She did not just come all the way down here to be killed by this man. Ashley held her hand up and pushed Geoffrey as hard as she could. Not expecting such a resistance Geoffrey lost his footing and fell back. Ashley grabbed Kyle’s hand and pulled him up the stairs. She knew Geoffrey wasn’t out and would be on her heels soon.
They were in the sunroom before Geoffrey started up the first stairs. “Come on Kyle.” Ashley pulled him across the sunroom and to the sliding glass doors. They were locked. She jiggled the doors to no avail.
Turning around she saw Geoffrey reaching the top of the stairs. He smiled and licked his lips. “Going somewhere?”
Ashley placed Kyle behind her and turned to face Geoffrey. Maybe he would be content with just killing her. “You don’t want to do this.”
“I don’t? But I think I do. Maybe I could break you in before we sell you to some people in Thailand. How about that?”
Ashley looked around the room. She didn’t see anything she could use against her attacker until her eyes landed on the bar next to one of the leather couches. A large ice bucket sat there as well as a vase. If Ashley could maneuver herself there she might be able to gain a small advantage.
Geoffrey laid his gun down and pulled a knife from his pocket. He waved it in front of Ashley’s face. “I think its time for me and you to have some fun. I’m not big into little girls but I could certainly have fun with a grown woman. And a pretty one at that.”
Geoffrey moved towards her but Ashley dodged him to the right landing on the couch. Geoffrey took this as invitation and sat next to her. He waved the knife in front of her nose. He moved his face closer to hers and she could smell alcohol on his breath. She leaned away from him. He followed her every move.
She leaned further away, reaching her arm out for the vase. Geoffrey didn’t seem to notice. He was too busy admiring her chest. Her fingertips just touched. Just a little further.
There.
Her fingers wrapped around the vase. She lifted it off the bar and swung down on Geoffrey’s head as hard as she could. He dropped the knife.
Ashley jumped off the couch and grabbed the handgun off the bar. She held it towards Geoffrey. “You are not coming near us. Do you understand?”
Still holding his head where blood was beginning to trickle Geoffrey only smiled. “You don’t know how to use that thing.”
“Oh yea? Do you want to take that chance?” Ashley knew he was right. She had never held a gun in her life. But how hard could it be? She’d seen Nate use his a few times. She looked over the gun. It didn’t look like the safety was on. Geoffrey didn’t seem like the safe type anyway. She pulled back on the hammer.
Instead of aiming towards Geoffrey she pointed the gun towards the glass door and pulled the trigger. A loud bang filled the sunroom.
Geoffrey jumped at the noise. The glass began to splinter.
Ashley held the gun on Geoffrey again who this time didn’t argue. She moved the gun from Geoffrey and aimed at the door once again. Pulling the trigger one more time the glass shattered on impact. “Go Kyle, quickly. Into the water.”
Ashley knew Todd had to have heard the commotion and would be downstairs soon. Keeping the gun pointed at Geoffrey, Ashley followed Kyle out of the sunroom, to the edge of the yacht and into the water.
Being careful to hold the gun above the water Ashley and Kyle swam away from their captors, towards land and towards freedom.

Chapter 49

“Let’s go! Get up!” The door opened to Ashley’s room and the same large man that had taken her before stepped in. Seems he was speaking the only words he knew. A large rifle hung from a strap over his shoulder. He held a handgun in his hand. Ashley knew nothing of guns and had no idea what kind either of them was.
Ashley didn’t move.
The man stepped into the room, grabbed her arm and yanked her out. He placed the gun to the back of her head and pushed him in front of her. “Move.”
But Ashley didn’t know where to go. She was drugged when she was placed in the room; she had no idea how to get out. She didn’t need to ask. The man pushed her forward past an elegant galley kitchen with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops towards a staircase at the end. Was she being held on a yacht? Who owned this boat? He shoved her back indicating for her to go up the stairs. At the top of the stairs she was in a room lined with leather benches on either side with a table sitting closer to the bench on her right then on the left. With his gun her captor pushed her through the room and out the sliding glass doors. Another table sat in front of her with bench seating surrounding it. Sunlight blinded her eyes as her captor pushed her down on to the outside bench seat. He continued to hold the gun on her but now he had placed the handgun behind his back in his belt and was aiming his larger gun at her chest. Ashley made no attempts at resistance. The boat was not moving.
“This is the FBI; we know you have illegal cargo on board. We are ordering you to stand down or be boarded by the Coast Guard.” The voice sounded familiar. Could it be Nate? Had he found her?
The man pushing Ashley ignored the threat. “Go!” She wasn’t sure if he was shouting at her or someone else.
When the response came back, “It isn’t time. He ain’t here.” Ashley knew it wasn’t her.
“I don’t care. We can’t lose these girls or we’re dead. I’m not ending up like Gardner.”
Jonathan Gardner? Had this man killed him? Ashley’s heart began to race and she looked back and forth on the bow of the yacht. The sun was shining now which meant another day had passed. How long had she been missing? Two days? Three? She had no recollection. From where she sat she could see very little. Behind her, she knew, was the dock at which the yacht was anchored but all she could see in front of her was water. Beyond that she could see the Tampa skyline but the distance was so overwhelming that there was little chance of escape by water.
“Move the boat, Purcell! Let’s get out of here.”
“Not without the boss. If we don’t have him we don’t go. They’ll kill us otherwise.”
Ashley’s captor took the gun off her and aimed it in the direction he had been yelling. “You don’t go and I’m gonna kill you!”
“Fine,” Purcell yelled back and immediately the silent boat roared to life.
“If you pull away from the dock we will open fire.” A voice came through a load speaker from somewhere on land and Ashley’s heart sunk. She could be dead if they opened fire.
Her captor quickly grabbed her up and put her in front of him as a shield. “You shoot and I’ll kill her.” He pushed Ashley forward to the front of the boat and stood on the bow for everyone to see. From where she now stood she could see black jacketed men with large shields and helmets lined up along the dock just feet away from the yacht. They were so close she could almost jump and land next to them but yet so far away because she knew if she moved she may lose her life or worse lose Julia and Kayla forever.
“Todd Purcell and Geoffrey Winterbrook you are ordered to release the prisoners that you have on board.”
Ashley guessed it was Geoffrey who had her as a shield now. Ashley prayed that Geoffrey listened to the order.
“Come here and make me,” Geoffrey yelled back. “But if you do you better know I’m going to put a bullet in her skull. You think I care about her?”
The line of jacketed men took a stop closer to the dock’s ledge. Any closer and Ashley feared they would fall into the water. Ashley could not think of a good way for this stand off to end. There was no way for the police to board the boat without the knowledge of Geoffrey or Todd.
“Let’s go. Back downstairs.” Geoffrey pushed Ashley off the front of the boat and back down into the belly of the yacht. Ashley tried to fight him but he yanked at her hair. “Don’t even think about it, woman. I will shoot you soon as look as you. You ain’t part of the purchase plan so no one will miss you.”
Geoffrey smiled as he threw Ashley back into the cell that had held her earlier. “Of course, keepin’ you alive for a bit means those men out there won’t dare board this boat. No way will they risk anything with you and those girls alive.” Geoffrey slammed the door and left.

“Stand down! Hold your fire.” Nate yelled to the men in front of him. The line of SWAT members slowed their advance. Not that they had much of one to make, they were on the edge of the dock as it was.
“Where are my divers?” Nate spoke into the radio he held. “I need you behind the yacht as quickly as possible. If we distract them you can get Ashley and hopefully the girls out.”
“We’re almost there,” came the reply.
Nate prayed for them to hurry then said, “Make sure you check the entire yacht. We have five missing and I’d rather not go home without a single one.”
“You got it.” Silence filled the air. Then, “We’re at the yacht. Give us the go and we’ll board.”
Nate picked up the megaphone that he had been using. “Geoffrey Winterbrook and Todd Purcell, this is your last warning. Give yourselves up.” Nate turned off the megaphone and turned to Eric who was in charge of running the rest of the operation while Nate attempted to make contact with the kidnappers. “Eric, when is the hostage negotiator arriving?”
“She’s on her way,” Eric said. “Keep them talking. If we can see both of them then our guys can board.”
“I agree but I don’t like them boarding when these guys appear so heavily armed.”
“Not to mention having at least three hostages but if these guys decide to turn that boat around and leave we have to alert the Coast Guard and then the whole arrest gets messy. You’ve been in the box too often, now it’s my turn,” Eric said. Nate knew he would have smiled at the rib but the situation was too serious. At this point Nate cared little about who made the arrest as long as Ashley and all the missing children were safe.

Ashley scooted back into the room till she reached the wall. Sunlight now streamed through the window but when she looked around it wasn’t the same room she had been in before. Instead this room had bunk beds each covered with a khaki comforter and surrounded by exquisite wood. There was a hole in the wood with wire sticking through it. Given the size Ashley assumed it was for a TV. This was obviously a very expensive and cared for yacht. This room must be for the guest quarters.
Ashley heard whimpering from above her followed by small sobs. She stood up to look around. She could see no one on the lower bunk. She placed her foot on the bottom bunk and pulled herself up to see the top bunk. Julia and Kayla were huddled together as far from the edge of the bed as they could get.
“Miss Ashley!” Julia said. “How did you get here?”
“I don’t know. I was in another room, and then one of the men came and got me and put me back here.” Ashley prayed silently. This could only be the Lord! While she had only half listened to all of her mom’s stories about the Lord she did remember most of them. Maybe Geoffrey had made a mistake and put her in the wrong room or maybe he found it easier to keep all three of them together. It didn’t matter. The fact that they were together meant Ashley could continue to care for these young girls.
Since this was a different room Ashley decided to try the doors, walls and windows to see if there was any way of escape. As she reached the doorknob, she prayed silently that the Lord would be with them. Somehow the idea of praying was getting easier. She twisted the doorknob and amazingly it turned in her hand and the door opened. Geoffrey had not locked the door!
“Come on girls, climb down.”
Julia quickly obeyed but Kayla refused to move. “Come on, girl, the door is open. We’re gonna go,” Julia said.
“What about Kyle?” Kayla asked quietly.
“What about him.”
“I think he’s here.”
Ashley’s heart sunk. She couldn’t leave Kyle behind but they couldn’t stay here either. “Can you girls swim?”
“Uh-huh,” both girls said.
“Then I will get you to the back of the boat and I will look for Kyle myself. I need you both to be safe. Do you understand?”
Julia nodded and Kayla climbed down from the top bunk using the ladder that was attached the wall. Both girls stood behind her. Ashley held up her finger for them to be quiet and then opened the door. Checking both ways she found no one. Ashley knew there was only one way to topside and if Geoffrey came back and saw them they would be in trouble. She said another prayer. God had been with them so far, she could only hope He still was.

Chapter 48

After an hour of banging on the walls no one had answered Ashley’s cries for help. She had tried the door to no avail. The walls had been no better. Julia and Kayla were no longer with her. There had also been no sign of Lizzie or Kyle. But then again she didn’t even remember being moved into this room. Their captors had given them some water in the back of the van. Desperate for any hydration or food they had all drunk their water bottles down. Obviously something had been mixed in the water.
She stood on the bed again to look out her small window. Still she saw water. But now if she looked really hard to her right she could see the edge of land. And not just a beach, it looked like the port. Maybe they had yet to leave. She vaguely remembered one of her captors saying something about them not leaving until tomorrow but since she had been drugged she had no idea how long ago that was. She prayed silently that they had yet to leave the port and that maybe in the little time they had left Nate and the FBI would be able to find them.
“Lord, direct their steps. Help them find us. Keep us safe till then.” The words flowed out of her in surprisingly easy fashion. It had been years since she had talked to God. Years since she had even seen the need. Sure her parents had prayed for her. They told her that all the time. Every time they called her to see how she was they said they were praying for her. She had always responded by telling them they were wasting their time. She knew there wasn’t a God but if there was she had no use for Him. Her mother would just sigh and say “You never know Ashley, there may come a day when you find you do need God and when you do He will be there for you. Just wait and see.”
Ashley was pretty sure her mom did not have this in mind.

“You are going to tell me where they are and you are going to tell me now!” Nate repeated himself for the third time his level of agitation rising each moment he didn’t have an answer. Nate was once again in the olive concrete interrogation room. This time he was sitting across from Lawton Rawlings and his attorney, Roger Walsh. Roger was just as harsh looking as Lawton but much skinnier. In fact, Nate was worried if he blew too hard the man would blow away he was that thin. But what he lacked in weight he made up for in height standing a good four to five inches above Nate’s six foot frame. His graying hair was wound tight in curls all over his head. If he was losing his hair Nate couldn’t tell. Roger continuously cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses. At first Nate thought it was a nervous gesture but after just a few minutes of talking Nate realized it was a gesture he used to make Nate think he was nervous. It seemed that Roger Walsh counted on his opponents underestimating him and that would account for the smug look on Lawton Rawlings wide face.
“I don’t believe that Mr. Rawlings has anything to say to you,” Ralph said. His irritating gestures were accompanied by a nasally tone in his voice.
“I believe you are wrong, Mr. Walsh. Lawton Rawlings has a lot of things to tell me. What I want to know is where he is keeping three missing girls?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lawton said but one look at the man across from him Nate knew he was lying.
Roger held up his hand to stop Lawton from speaking further. “My client has no information on your missing persons.”
“Your client impersonated one of my deceased girl’s fathers. Your client owns the false corporations that include a shipping company called Tate Shipping International. Tate Shipping owns a shipping container where we have uncovered evidence of three of our missing persons.”
“Well you obviously didn’t find anything or you wouldn’t be here,” Lawton said.
Roger’s hand went up again. “My client doesn’t have anything to say to these accusations.”
“How about this? We have live video of three of our missing persons in your container. They were able to tell us where to find them. Arriving at the shipping container they specified we found the mattresses that they lay on the corner they used for a toilet. There’s plenty of DNA in there and it will take me all of a week to match that DNA to my missing girls. You are the owner of that shipping container and I am holding you responsible for their disappearances. If they are not found alive I am holding you responsible for their deaths whether I have a body or not.” Nate paused and waited for a response. When none came Nate knew the man sitting across from him was guilty. Any innocent man would have defended himself. Instead this man sat quietly and let his attorney talk for him.
But Nate didn’t hear a word the attorney had to say because nothing he had to say would tell Nate anything. He was interested only in what Lawton Rawlings had to say. Before Nate could ask another a question a knock came on the door. Nate excused himself from the table and stepped out the door to see what Eric had for him. Normally Eric would be in an interview with Nate but tonight he was going through all the paperwork and pictures that the detectives had recovered from Lawton’s home. Nate assumed that’s what Eric finally had for him.
“We’ve found something,” Eric said.
“More photos? We’ve got two men on possession of child pornography but none of these pictures are of the missing girls. I hope you have something more.”
“If you’d let me finish I could tell you,” Eric said. Nate held up his hands in apology but said nothing more. “We’ve found Harvey Brandt.”
“What?”
“We found Harvey Brandt’s body. Detective Williams took a group of men to issue a search warrant on the Brandt’s property. They found Harvey’s body buried in the backyard.”
“Could they tell what the cause of death was?”
“Hard to know for sure, the body was badly decomposed. ME thinks there was a gun shot wound in the chest but she’ll have to do the autopsy…”
“Dr. Folek will do the autopsy.” Nate wouldn’t allow any of the bodies in this case to be touched by anyone else but Dr. Folek regardless of how many years experience Kelly had.
“Right. Either way I’m thinking Lawton stepped into their lives for a while until he found the right time to take Daisy Brandt and get rid of Jennifer Brandt.”
“I agree but it doesn’t explain the murder,” Nate said. “Why would he go through all that trouble and then just kill the girl?”
“I don’t know, we’re going through his financials now. He has a number of offshore accounts and we’re looking into those. Here are the photos we recovered from Lawton’s home. Maybe these will help him open up.” Eric handed Nate a manila folder that contained photos of naked children. Nate was disgusted by the sheer amount of child pornography that both Lawton and Michael had. “There are also some financial papers you’ll be interested in.”
“Let me know if you find anything else.” Nate thanked Eric for the information and headed back into the interrogation room. Lawton and Roger were sitting with their heads together. As soon as Nate opened the door they sat up straight and stared at Nate. “Thank you for your patience.”
Nate walked to the table and set the folder in front of him. “I think you know what I have in here.”
Lawton made no reply.
Nate pulled pictures out of the folder just as he had with Michael Fleming. Setting each picture in front of Lawton.
“These pictures mean nothing!” Roger said as he adjusted his glasses.
“I can hold your client on possession of child pornography.”
“You have the same thing on Michael Fleming. What does this mean to me?” Lawton said.
“How did you know about Michael?”
“Doesn’t everybody?” Lawton flashed Nate an enormous smile. Did this man think this was a game?
“No, not everybody does.” Nate glanced down at the financial papers that Eric had given him. On the first one three large amounts were circled. Adding them up Nate came up to more then a million dollars. Next to each amount was the name of each girl who had been found murdered. Eric had written “Human Trafficking” across the top of the page. On the bottom he had written, “This is what he was paid for the girls.”
“If this is all you have on my client then we’re done here. If he’s under arrest then process him so we can post bail.” Roger cleared his throat, pushed back from the table and stood. Lawton followed him.
“You may want to sit back down. I have just a little bit more information for you.” Nate pulled out the financial document and handed it to Lawton. “It seems we have some proof that you have been paid for three dead girls.”
For just a moment Nate thought he saw fear in Lawton’s brown eyes but it was quickly gone. “This means nothing. So, I got some big payments.”
“Mr. Rawlings, my partner is no idiot. If he wrote these things then he can prove them, in court beyond a shadow of a doubt and there’s absolutely nothing your attorney here can do about it.”
“Don’t listen to him Lawton, he’s playing you.”
“Trust me, Lawton I am not lying to you. I will pin all three of these girls’ murders on you. I will watch you die. You will rot in jail until they drag your sorry self to Starke to sit in the electric chair.” Nate paused for effect. “Do you know what its like to die by the electric chair? It’s a painful death. Your brain and organs fry from within…”
“Stop! I didn’t kill those girls,” Lawton said.
“But you know who did.” Now it was Nate’s turn to stand up and point his finger at Lawton’s chest.
“I didn’t kill them.” Lawton sunk into his chair. His attorney sat next to him.
“Lawton, you don’t need to talk to this man.” Roger sniffed and pushed his glasses further up his nose.
“Shut up, Roger. I didn’t kill those girls. I am not going down for that.”
“Tell me who did.” Nate attempted to appear as casual as possible but inside he was sitting on the edge of his seat waiting for this man to implicate himself in an attempt to clear himself.
“That idiot Gardner. He killed them. He wasn’t supposed to but he did.”
“How did he kill them?”
“I think he strangled them. Idiot told me he did it. Thought I’d be happy. Cost me more than a million dollars.”
“So you had him killed.”
“You don’t have to answer that,” Roger again.
Lawton ignored him. “I had him killed. I can’t have that. Do you know how much danger I was in? I had three dead girls.” Lawton was crumbling. The large man was no longer in control. He looked at Nate. “I want protection.”
“Protection from what?”
“I have to deliver these girls or they’re going to kill me.”
“Who?”
“The Thai. Do you know how much American white girls go for over there? Travelers will pay thousands of dollars for one night.”
“And you were hired to find the girls?” The pieces were finally beginning to fall into place. The reason the girls were taken. The reason the girls were killed.
“It was easy. I found fathers who needed money and who had some secret to hide. Most of them were into child pornography. Easy pickings.”
“What about Harvey Brandt?”
“He said no. I took care of him. No one said no again,” Lawton said. “I want protection.”
“I understand Mr. Rawlings but I can’t help you unless you get me all the information I need. Why are three girls dead?”
“I told you Gardner did it.”
“What about Jessica Rappaport?”
“What about her?”
“Jonathan Gardner didn’t kill her.” Lawton gave Nate a look Nate couldn’t read. And Nate knew he had guessed correctly.
“No, Gardner killed her,” Lawton said.
“Here’s the thing Lawton, I don’t believe you. I think Jonathan Gardner killed Daisy and Emma because they were resisting him and he got carried away. But Jessica was different. Jessica was pregnant, she was used goods and you didn’t like that. I think you killed her and then you led Ashley Parks to the body.”
“You don’t know what I’m capable of!” The Lawton who was afraid of his life was replaced by one who looked ready to kill Nate where he stood. As Nate had guessed when he had met the man named Harvey Brandt a week ago this man was very good at covering his emotions. He was very good at making people believe what he wanted them to believe.
“Did you threaten Ashley Parks?”
“Not me, but I had guys do it.”
“What about Jimmy Livingston?” Nate said.
“What about him?” Lawton said. Roger was fidgeting in his chair. It was clear he wanted to put an end to this interview but he was unsure when to insert himself. Maybe he was as nervous and scared as he looked.
“His name was signed on a note that was given to Ms. Parks. How did you know about him?”
“Michael told me. Told me she was afraid of him. Thought she would back off.”
“And did you kill Detective Cole Easton?” Might as well ask every question while the man was talking.
“No, but I had him killed. I hoped you would back off,” Lawton said and checked his watch. Was he waiting for something? Did he expect something to happen? It always made Nate nervous and suspicious when someone he was interviewing began to check their watch. It was never a good thing.
“What are you waiting for?”
Lawton feigned a blank look so Nate repeated his question.
“Nothing for you to worry about.”
“Tell me!”
Lawton shrugged as if he had no choice. “In three hours Ashley and your missing girls will be leaving the country and you will never see them again.”
Nate had had enough. He moved around the table and stood over Lawton. He grabbed Lawton by the shirt and threw him against the wall. “You are going to tell me because so help me if I don’t get those girls back you won’t live long enough to see Starke.”
The door opening interrupted Nate’s demands. It was Eric again. “Forget him, Nate; he’s in here for life. We’ve found the girls.”
“Where?” Nate asked.
“They’re on Lawton’s yacht. He’s guilty as sin, confession or not,” Eric said.
Nate walked to the door, looked back at Lawton who was leaning against the wall trying to catch his breath. “Mr. Rawlings I will find these girls and you will never see the light of day again. You’d just better pray that I find them alive.”

Chapter 47

Nate left the port in disgust. This wasn’t how it was supposed to end. Nate was going to rush in to the shipping container and save the day. He was going to rescue Ashley and the missing girls at the same time. They knew where they were but then they weren’t there. How could that happen? How was that fair? Not that life was supposed to be fair but surely there had been enough grief and trial in these past two months to last a lifetime.
Nate thought about the girls as he pulled his cruiser out of the parking lot. All of but one of them had lost their mothers who loved them. Who would they go home to? The fathers that abandoned them? What would become of Kyle and Kayla when Michael was exposed for the creep that he was?
There was no time for answers now. Nate had work to do. He had to deliver his second warrant and since they were unable to find the missing girls at the port Lawson Rawlings had better have a lot of answers for them.
Nate eased the cruiser to a stop at a gate outside of Clearwater Estates gated community. With a flash of his badge the security guard opened the gate and let them through. The first few houses they passed were close together with little hard in between. It seems their owners spent all their money on their grand ranch houses. As Nate progressed to the back of the community the houses got larger and further apart.
Lawton Rawlings home was set back at least an acre from the road with a large circular driveway. The sides of the driveways were lined with palm trees leading Nate and Eric to the front door of what could only be called a mansion. The two-story home took up a good acre on its own. The front door was surrounded by four large pillars that extended from the porch to the roof. Two wings extended on either side of the entrance. On Nate’s right was a three-car garage, on his left rows of windows that were lit up by interior lights. Apparently Mr. Rawlings didn’t sleep much either.
Nate stepped on to the brick porch. Before ringing the doorbell he motioned for a team of detectives to move around to the back of the house on either side. Nate’s gun was not in view but it was ever ready. He would pull it out immediately if necessary.
Within minutes a young Hispanic woman opened the front door. Nate introduced himself and showed the woman his credentials but she did not step aside. “I sorry sir but Mr. Rawlings cannot talk to you now.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am but he doesn’t have a choice. I have a warrant to search these premises and I demand to speak with Mr. Rawlings right now.”
The Hispanic woman nodded, “Yes, sir.” She did not direct them inside. Instead she stepped away from the door leaving it open so that Nate, Eric and the detectives could enter. Nate paused to wipe his feet on the outdoor mat before stepping on to the marble floor. A large entryway invited them in, a table with a floral arrangement sat in the center of the entryway. A large chandelier hung over the table. Little shades topped every light. To Nate’s right was a large dining room with a cedar table that was long enough to seat at least twelve. Cedar chairs surrounded the table and another floral arrangement sat in the center reaching almost to the chandelier above it. That chandelier was a smaller version of the one hanging in the foyer.
To Nate’s left was some kind of sitting room. Plush chairs were placed in various places to face the grand piano that sat by the window overlooking the lawn outside. The ceilings of each room must have been more then ten feet tall and moldings surrounded each window and ceiling. Looking up Nate noticed both the dining room and sitting room ceilings were those tray ceilings that made the room appear even larger. If Nate ever won the lottery this is the kind of house he would want. Of course, that wasn’t happening any time soon since he didn’t even play the lottery. But Eric did from time to time so he’d have to rely on his partner’s generosity.
Before Nate could move any further into the house the Hispanic woman that had answered the door appeared with Lawton Rawlings at her side. The large man smiled and extended his hand. “What can I do for you detectives?”
“We’re agents for the FBI but then you already know that, Mr. Rawlings. Or should I say Mr. Brandt?”

The ground underneath Ashley was swaying. She was lying on a soft mattress, her head resting on a small pillow. Ashley made an attempt to stand but could not get her feet to function and slumped back down onto the bed. Her head felt groggy and she struggled to get her eyes to focus.
After a few minutes Ashley was able to sit herself upright and take in her surroundings. She was sitting in an extremely small room with blank white walls surrounding her except for one wall that had a round window that let a stream of moonlight provide her with the light she had to see by. A small desk sat on the opposite side of the room. There was no chair. And when Ashley tried to lift up on her bed it didn’t move. It had been bolted to the floor. She was in yet another prison albeit a nicer one then she had been in before.
Holding on to the wall Ashley slowly stood to her feet. The ground still moving beneath her. She looked out the small window above the head of the bed but could only see black sky dotted with stars and one large room. She was grateful that it appeared to be a full moon. She stepped onto the bed and leaned to her right while holding on the window’s edge. When she looked out the window she only saw inky black water.

“I’m sorry; I think you have the wrong man.” Lawton Rawlings, a.k.a. Harvey Brandt rocked back on his large heels and held up his hands.
“No, sir, we don’t. We’ve had a look at all your financials and we see that you own quite a number of false companies. One of them is Tate Shipping International. My men are searching the port now what do you supposed they will find?”
Lawton gave Nate a large smiled, her perfect teeth showing. Now instead of a grieving father Nate saw this man as a liar and a murderer. His frame was large enough to take up the hallway opening and block Nate from seeing anything beyond him. When Lawton had sat in front of Nate as Harvey Brandt he appeared broken up and weak his tears drawing Nate into his innocence. But now Nate could see a man large enough to crush a small girl if it meant getting what he wanted.
“Mr. Rawlings are you Daisy Brandt’s father?” Nate asked.
“Special Agent Zimmer, was it? I do not know what you’re talking about.”
Nate was not amused by his intentional misuse of his name. The same mistake Harvey Brandt had made while in his office. “Mr. Rawlings, you are not fooling me. I know that you are responsible for the deaths of three girls and that you have kidnapped my friend and three other girls. You are also guilty of attempted murder of a young boy.”
“Special Agent,” Lawton drew out the word “Special”, “you have no proof or you would be arresting me.”
It was true. Nate had little proof of Lawton’s guilt only a gut feeling but gut feelings didn’t win cases before grand juries or judges. Nate had only circumstantial evidence on Lawton. Nate knew that Lawton Rawlings had at the very least impersonated Harvey Brandt but Nate didn’t know if there was a real Harvey Brandt or if Daisy was actually Lawton’s daughter. Nate knew that Lawton Rawlings owned all the illegitimate companies that paid money to the father’s of the missing girls. The forensic accountants were still going through his financials but from what they could tell Lawton was involved in some sort of illegal activity but it was so well covered it would take weeks if not months to uncover it all. If Nate had to guess he was standing in a home financed by monies gained from the buying and selling of human beings. But Nate’s guess wasn’t enough. What little they had on Lawton would hardly be enough to hold him for twenty four hours. He would be out on bail within a matter of hours. Pretending to be someone else was not the crime of the century. The rest of the charges would be white-collar crimes and any lawyer could find someone else to blame or some loophole for him to get out of. No one cared about a lying paper pusher. What they did care about was punishing the murderer of three small girls.
“I take your silence as an agreement, Agent Zimmer.”
“We’ll see, Mr. Rawlings,” Nate said. “In the meantime why don’t we sit down in your sitting room and you can answer a few questions for me.”
Lawton didn’t move. “I won’t talk to you without a lawyer present.”
“Is that a sign of guilt?”
“Hardly, I don’t want my words to be twisted by you.” Lawton moved away from the hallway opening. “I will, however, invite you in for a drink.” Nate and Eric had no choice but to follow Lawton into the mansion’s kitchen. The same moldings covered all the walls in the open family room and kitchen. The kitchen was an expanse of cream cabinets and granite countertops. Appliances were certainly professional grade. Three large columns separated the two spaces. Why did the honest work not pay as well as the illegal stuff?
Before Nate could refuse an offer of alcohol, Detective Williams stepped into the kitchen behind Nate and Eric. “We’ve found something,” was all he said.
A shocked look covered Lawton’s face. Nate suppressed a smile. It seems his Hispanic housekeeper chose not to tell her boss about the search warrant. “What are these people doing in my house?” His voice carried through the entire first floor.
Nate feigned innocence, “You didn’t think Eric and I would come here alone now did you? Oh no, we brought some friends to your lovely abode and as we have been talking they have been searching your property.”
“You have no right!”
“Actually a thing called a search warrant signed by a judge gives me that right,” Nate said and for the first time Lawton Rawlings looked just a little bit afraid.

Chapter 46

Today I am 32. Yikes, where did the time go? Two years ago I was just beginning bed rest with the triplets thinking I would write so much while on bed rest! Unfortunately that didn't happen. So, here I am two years later doing what I had hoped to do then - finishing a novel :) Yes, I am so close to being done - I have been writing furiously for weeks thus the chapter a day on the blog. So, Lord willing and you can all pray for this that this year, my 32nd year, would be the year I get a novel published or even just in the works - I would be thrilled with that. So enjoy another chapter - so close to there!


“Get up! Come on move!” A large man grabbed Ashley and pulled her to her feet. Pain shot through her bicep. She swung her arm to try and hit the man holding her but she didn’t connect. Instead the man grabbed her fist and pulled it tightly behind her. He leaned into her ear, “Try that again and you will never move your arm again.”
Ashley let herself go limp. She didn’t doubt he would do what he said. Only struggling again when she heard Kayla yelp. But it was no use. The grip around her arms only got tighter. And now there were more men. At least four of them. One man for each of them. And one man with a gun; a rather large gun.
“Let’s go,” the man holding Ashley said.
“Where do you want ‘em?” One of his partners said.
“Put ‘em in the van. We take ‘em to the boat like the boss said. We ship out tomorrow.”
What? Oh God no! This couldn’t be happening. What if Nate hadn’t seen the message Julia sent? What if he didn’t understand it? She had no way to know if anyone was even watching the footage any longer or if they had lost all feed. She certainly had no explanation as to why the camera was even there.
The man holding Ashley began to bind her wrists with what felt like plastic handcuffs. He then threw her onto the floor of the van and bound her legs in the same manner. No matter how hard she tried Ashley could not undo her restraints. Julia and Kayla were laid down next to her and for the first time she was able to get a look at their young faces. Both girls had the same shocked and confused look that Ashley was sure she wore. Kayla’s face was pale making her blue eyes stand out all the more. Her hair was matted with dirt. Streaks of dirt and dried blood marred her otherwise perfect face. She was wearing a t-shirt with a cat on the front, a short jean skirt with striped leggings underneath. She wore sneakers with no socks. Her clothes matched her face; marred with the filth and grime of being in a shipping container for a week.
Julia, on the other hand, looked cleaner. Her hair had been recently brushed and her face recently washed. Julia was wearing a clean pink polo top with white long-sleeved tee underneath, jean capris and flip-flops. Her clothes looked recently cleaned with no dirt or stains. Ashley vaguely remembered someone saying that Daisy had been cleaned and Ashley could see the same thing had probably happened to Julia. After a night of being brutalized her captors probably cleaned up all traces of them. It was why they had been unable to find any DNA in Daisy or Emma.
“It’s okay, girls. We’ll be okay. I’m going to be with you every step of the way.”
“Where are we going Miss Ashley?” Julia asked.
“I don’t know sweetheart.”
“Are we going on a boat?” Kayla asked.
“I don’t know…”
“We are. We’re going on a ship. They’re going to send us to another country. I heard them talking.” Tears began to slip down Kayla’s cheek. “I forgot to tell you that Miss Ashley. I should’ve spelled that to the police. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” Julia continued to repeat her apology and cry into the van’s carpeting.
In any other situation this would seem like an overreaction but Ashley understood her distress. “It’s okay, sweetie, you told Nate what we knew and we just have to pray that he will find us.”
“But my prayers aren’t working. God isn’t listening.” Julia was almost howling now. Ashley glanced up at the men in the driver’s and passenger’s seat. If they heard her they paid her no mind.
“I know it feels like that but…” But what? What could Ashley say? It took her being kidnapped to even consider prayer again. She was no great Christian who had the right words for this young, hurting child. Who was she kidding? She didn’t even have the words for herself.
“We should keep trying, Julia. We’re still here. The police will find us. God will help them. I’m going to see Kyle again.” How did Kayla get so brave?
And that is what they did. On the floor of the van with their arms and legs bound on the way to some unknown horror the three of them prayed that God would hear them and that the police would find them or that they would find some chance of escape.

It was dark by the time Nate had his warrant and had made his way down to the Port of Tampa. One security guard sat at a gatehouse when Nate pulled up and flashed him a badge and a warrant. The guard quickly opened the gate and directed them to a small office where they were to wait for someone who had access to the computer systems so they could search for the exact location for the shipping container they were searching for.
Twenty minutes later an older man with salt and pepper hair stepped into the office. He snuffed out a cigarette in the ashtray next to what appeared to be the main computer. “Help you?”
“I’m Special Agent Nate Zimmerman. This is my partner Special Agent Eric Walker; we have a warrant to search the premises as well as to search your database for the exact location of a shipping container. We need you to access your computer system and tell us where the shipping container is located.”
“What container you need?” The older man did not appear to be in a hurry. Instead he paused to stick a cigarette in his mouth and light it. He took a deep puff, blew out the smoke in Nate’s face and smiled.
“This is what we have.” Nate laid a sheet of paper in front of the man with the few numbers they had written on it. “I need you to find what I’m looking for.”
The older man smiled revealing crooked teeth. The smile deepened the wrinkles around his mouth and eyes. There was no joy in his eyes. The smile was fake. “You need me to find one container with that?”
“What is your name, sir?”
“Why do you care?”
“What is your name?”
“Jesse Farrell.”
“Listen Mr. Farrell, we are looking for three missing girls, one missing boy and one missing woman. I suggest you not stand in my way or you will find yourself in my custody on charges of obstructing justice. I have a warrant. You have no choice.”
“Fine, ya don’t have to yell. It’s just that number is the beginning of probably half the containers out there.”
“Maybe I can narrow it down for you. This container says “Tate” on the outside but is owned by LRI.”
Something flashed across the man’s eyes but was quickly gone. If Nate had any reason to believe this man was involved he would arrest him immediately. He was tired and in desperate need of answers. Not a good combination to mess with. His patience was thin; there was no telling what he might do.
“I’ll get you the information.” Jesse sat down at the computer and after twenty minutes he pulled up a list of shipping containers with a list of areas. “Look, this is the best I can do. I have about thirty containers with those numbers on it. You’re gonna have to search for yourself.”
Jesse stood and handed Nate a piece of paper with the list of containers and locations in the shipyard. Nate glanced at the list and then back at Jesse. “If I don’t find what I’m looking for I’ll be back to talk to you.”
“Fine. But just so you know I gave you this under duress.” Nate left the office with Eric and a crew of detectives wondering what this man was afraid of.
With weapons drawn Nate and the detectives began their search of each and every shipping container on the list. Containers stacked more then two high were ruled out as impossible or at least improbable as getting girls in and out of a container that high would have been difficult. That left them with twenty-three to search. They began with the ground level containers which meant searching fifteen.
“Clear!” A detective called after the first shipping container was opened.
“Clear!” The second container was a dead end.
The phrase was repeated another eight times until finally Nate came upon a container that was giving off an unusual odor. The odor was that of human excrement. Nate covered his mouth with his arm. Then taking a deep breath he pried open the doors to the dark red container. With his gun in front of him in his right hand he held a flashlight in the other and shined it into the shipping container.
Nothing.
Blackness hovered around them. Nate could only see where his small beam shined. It landed on one mattress to his left and a second mattress to his right. This is where they were. This is where Ashley had told him they were just hours ago. Discarded McDonalds bags sat scattered around the container. Apparently no one bothered to clean up.
Eric ran up to the container behind Nate. “Anything?”
“No, nothing. They were here but they aren’t anymore.” Nate sighed and stepped out of the container.
“We’ll find her, man, I promise.” Eric placed his dark hand on Nate’s shoulder and squeezed. Nate tried to take comfort in the gesture.
“I know we’ll find her but the question is whether or not we find them dead or alive.”

Chapter 45

Where was Nate? She had been in this hole for over twenty-four hours. In that time she had eaten a hamburger and a cheeseburger. Apparently their idea of variety was springing for the cheese. Not only did Ashley long for sleep but she longed for her own bed and her own clothes. And above all her own bathroom. The corner behind the door was the best they had and with no toilet paper or way to cover the odor there was no way to get away from their own excrements.
Julia groaned. She had been out all day and Ashley feared the worst as night closed in. Not that she could tell the time for sure but at their last “feeding” the day seemed to be almost gone. There had to be a way out of this place. But so far nothing Ashley had done had worked. She just wasn’t strong enough to fight her way out and they had given up on signing long ago. If anyone was out there they certainly weren’t watching. How could the FBI not have seen them? Of course “port” and “water” were pretty vague even if they were spelled correctly.
Maybe that was it. Maybe she just needed more information to share with Nate and the FBI. But how to get that? The only one who left the container was Julia and then she was blindfolded.
“Miss Ashley?” Julia asked into the darkness.
“Yes, sweetie, I’m here.”
Julia landed in her lap. Well, she probably didn’t land there exactly but without the benefit of her sight Ashley wasn’t able to see her moving towards her so she was started when Julia suddenly laid her head in Ashley’s laps and wrapped her arms around Ashley’s midsection. Ashley eagerly returned the affection.
“I’m scared, Miss Ashley. I don’t want to be here. I want to go home to my daddy.”
“I know, I want to go home too.” Ashley didn’t know what to say. For once the counselor had no words. She couldn’t promise it would be okay, she didn’t know if it actually would be. She could hope and she could pray but God had let lots of other people die so there was no way to know whether they would live or not.
“I can’t go back there. I fought so hard and still they…” Julia paused as though not sure of what to say.
“It’s okay Julia; you don’t have to say it. I already know.” Ashley sat quietly with Julia smoothing the girl’s hair away from her face. Her movements had a calming effect on Julia who quieted down to the point that Ashley was sure she had fallen back asleep.
“Julia, do you see anything when they take you?”
Ashley waited to see if she would answer and was surprised when she did, “No, they blindfold me. I don’t know where I’m going till I get there.”
“Do you go to the same place?”
“No and it’s, um, its different men. Gross men.”
This wasn’t the time or place for Ashley to work through those issues with Julia. If she survived she would need years of therapy and help and now wasn’t the time to start. “Julia, when do they blindfold you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do they do it right when they take you out?”
“No, it’s in their car.”
“Then you can see outside of where we are?”
“Yea, but there’s nothing to see. It’s just ugly metal containers,” Julia said. “Ours is red. Some of the others are green or brown. Does that help?”
“Did you see any writing on our container?”
Julia was quiet before answering. “Yea, I remember big numbers on the outside but I don’t know what they mean.”
“Do you remember any of the numbers?”
“I remember a few it was like 792.1 something but I don’t know what that something is.”
“That’s good. What about words? Are there any words?” Ashley asked.
“I think it said Tate’s. Something like that. Does that mean something? Does that help?”
“It just might, sweetie. Do you think you could sign that for the camera?”
“I’m not very good at numbers,” Julia said.
Ashley couldn’t help but smile at her innocent reply. “Its okay sweetie, all you have to do is make them like you normally would, everyone will understand.” Julia sat up next to Ashley. Not being able to see her Ashley could only assume Julia was signing for the camera. Being unable to sign all Ashley could do was pray and hope that that would be enough.

Everything was pointing to Michael Fleming. Everything including the information they had received from David Rappaport. Yet something didn’t feel right. Somehow all the pieces didn’t fit. Why would Michael risk everything by kidnapping his daughter? Maybe he had already crossed the line with her and needed to cover his tracks. Maybe he didn’t want Gina to leave him. Though having her killed meant she was gone forever.
“Nate, you’re going to want to see this,” SSA Annabeth Porter stuck her head into the door of the conference room where Nate and Eric were staring at the white board once again. Nate sighed and turned away from the board. Hopefully Annabeth’s news would help them.
“What do you have Annabeth?”
“Look, Julia is signing again,” Annabeth said and pointed to Kayla in the video feed.
“What’s she saying?” Nate asked to anyone who had an answer.
“She’s saying ‘shipping container’,” a redhead sitting in front of the monitor said. Nate didn’t recognize her. She must have been the interpreter. “Then she says ‘Tate Shipping’ and the numbers 792.1. Does that mean anything to you?” The redhead turned around and looked at Nate. Her face was covered in freckles and she wore bright blue eye shadow.
Nate just smiled at the redhead and said nothing. Tate Shipping did mean something to him. He remembered it from one of the bank accounts. Nate had yet to determine whether that was a real company or not but if their name was painted on the side of a shipping container they were certainly trying to make someone think they were.
“Eric we need to trace Tate Shipping. Who owns it? Real or fake? Could just be a front for something else.”
“I’m on it,” Eric said. Nate followed him back to his desk and watched Eric work on the computer. Nate was going to have to be savvier when it came to technical things but he had yet to get beyond working his own computer. Some guys turned to computers and some guys turned to guns. Nate was certainly the latter. All his life he wanted to be a police officer. Went to college just for his parents but then it was on to the police academy. He would to have graduated the top of his class but he missed it by one. Eric Walker had graduated ahead of him.
Funny how life worked out. Eric was his partner when Nate walked the beat. They picked up drug dealers together. A few murderers. Lots of gang members. After three years together Eric moved on to the FBI while Nate went on to be a detective. After six years Eric talked Nate into applying for the FBI. Two years later they were assigned as partners once again. Nate was grateful. Good partners were like good spouses. They were very important.
“I may have found something,” Eric said after an hour of internet searching. Nate was on his second cup of coffee and he was almost through that.
“Please tell me its something good.” Nate threw his empty coffee cup in the trash below his desk. He rolled his desk chair over to sit next to Eric.
“Okay, Tate Shipping International is not exactly a real company.”
“No surprise there.”
“Well, it exists but it’s more a front to launder money through.” Eric pointed to his computer screen. Nate looked at where he was pointing but the words made no sense. “Okay, here is Tate Shipping International. Here is Gorrin International.” He pulled up another website that looked identical to the first.
“They’re the same.”
“Yes, and this is the same.” Eric pulled up a website for JK Associates.
“What does that mean?”
“Means none of these companies are real. They were probably just used to move money through to the fathers so that no one, like us, would put two and two together.”
“Okay, but how does that help us?”
“Here,” Eric flipped from site to site pointing at a telephone number on each one. They were all the same except for the very last digit which was probably the way the operator told them apart. “We call that number I bet we can find something out.”
Nate nodded and called the first number. A young woman answered, her voice sounding pleasant, “Tate Shipping International, how may help you?”
“Yea, hi, ma’am, I’d, uh, like Tate to ship some boxes for me.” Nate put on a thick southern accent.
“I’m sorry, sir, we don’t do that sort of thing. We ship large containers worldwide. Would you like to look into that?” Nate knew she was smiling as she talked on the other end. She also probably got out of bed with a hop, skip and a jump. Annoying.
“No, thank ya, sorry to bother ya. Ya’ll have a nice day now.” Nate hung up the phone only to pick it up and dial the same number again except for the last digit.
“Gorrin International, how may help you?”
Nate repeated his request this time with an English accent and got the same cheerful reply. The third time around when the woman identified herself as working for JK Associates Nate used his own voice. “Ma’am, I’ve now called three times. You’ve answered very time with a different place. May I ask who you really work for?”
“Oh, um, I’m sorry what is your request?” Nate was certain her smile was gone.
“Ma’am, this is Special Agent Nate Zimmerman with the FBI. I am asking you who you actually work for?”
“I don’t know if I should answer that. Will you hold please?” Nate imagined her perfectly manicured hand poised over the hold button.
“No, no, please don’t do that. All I’m asking is who you work for? You’re not in trouble.” But your boss might be.
“LRI.”
“What does that stand for?” Nate struggled to keep the irritation out of his mind.
“Lawson Rawlings International.”
“Thank you; you have been most helpful.” Nate tried to mirror the woman’s initial cheerfulness.
Nate repeated the information to Eric who quickly did a search on his computer. What came up shocked Nate more then he would have guessed. A large picture of the CEO flashed across the screen. Nate finally knew who he was looking for.

Chapter 44

“Where’s the list of father’s?” Nate looked at the conference table and began searching through the papers. Eric began doing the same. The names should’ve been on the whiteboard behind Nate but most of them had been ruled out as suspects and they weren’t victims so there had been no reason. Now, however, there was.
“Here it is.” Eric pulled a white sheet of paper from the middle of the table. He picked up a dry erase marker and listed out the fathers: Harvey Brandt, Richard Sykes, David Rappaport, Michael Fleming, Collin Lambert and Steve Andrews.
“We know that at least four of these men were having marital troubles. We know that Michael Fleming had child pornography on his person at his arrest. We know that David Rappaport raped his stepdaughter and got her pregnant. I wonder how many other fathers had the same liking for young girls,” Nate said as he stared at the pictures of the young girls posted on the whiteboard. Each of them reminded him that they were real people in need of real help. Whether it to be to bring justice to a murderer or to save them from a deadly fate.
“I might have something,” Eric said. Nate turned to see Eric holding yet another white paper. “I didn’t think much of it but as I look at all their bank statements I see large deposits weekly in each account.”
“This didn’t raise red flags before?”
“No, because none of them are the same amount and they are listed from different places.” Eric pointed to a bank statement. Nate read the name Richard Sykes. He noticed two deposits in near identical amounts in the same month. They were from the University of South Florida. Nate double checked his notes and found out that Richard Sykes was employed at USF as a full-time dean of academics. The identical amounts had to be his paycheck.
What interested Nate more was the weekly deposits ranging from $1,000 to $6,000 beginning before Emma Sykes went missing and ending a week after she turned up dead. The deposits were from Tate’s Shipping International.
“Are any of the other deposits from Tate’s?” Nate said and pointed to the table.
Eric found what appeared to be other bank statements after a few minutes of searching. “No. Nothing that says Tate’s. This one says JK Harris Associates. This one says Gorrin International. Nothing’s the same.”
“So, whoever is behind all of this is a professional.” Nate stared at the whiteboard again. “Have we picked up David Rappaport yet?”
“We’re looking for him. Got a call from Detective Williams earlier.”
“Is he going to cooperate with us?”
“Not sure yet but I will be there when they question Rappaport.”
“I’d like to do it. I need to make him talk,” Nate said and turned back to Eric. Eric opened his mouth to speak but then seemed to think better of it. He lifted his hands and nodded.
For four more hours Nate and Eric sifted through the paperwork they had related to the fathers while they awaited word on David Rappaport’s arrest. Finally just as the clock struck 5 PM and most agents and support staff were leaving for the day Nate’s cell rang with the news that David Rappaport had been picked up. After twenty minutes of arguing jurisdiction Detective Williams agreed to bring Rappaport to the FBI field office as long as Nate allowed Williams to be in on the interrogation. Nate agreed but only if Williams kept quiet. Williams agreed but only if he would be credited with the arrest.
It was all about give and take. Lucky for Williams, Nate didn’t care about the arrest. Let the man have the media attention he so craved. What he wanted was to get this man to give him the information he needed. Nate knew he was closing in on Ashley and the girl’s location but he had to know who was behind the human trafficking ring. The good news was the camera had not been compromised. An agent was watching the feed around the clock and so far all three captives were still alive. How well they were was yet to be determined.
Just after dinnertime Nate was back in the interrogation room across from David Rappaport. Nate had grabbed a slice of pizza and a coffee before settling himself in front of David. David on the other hand had been waiting for an hour with no food, no water and no air.
Nate slipped out of his jacket and set it on the metal chair. He rolled up his dress shirt sleeves and sat down. He said nothing. David was covered in sweat. His white tank top clung to his body. David’s pupils were dilated and Nate wondered what he was on. The alcohol he could smell but Nate knew it was more then that. He wore a baseball hat backwards so that only a few strands of oily hair stuck through the front opening. He now had a full mustache and beard. He had probably been to high to shave.
“What do ya want?” David’s words slurred as he caught the spittle that dripped out of his mouth. He cleared his throat and sat back.
Nate said nothing.
“Well, you gonna tell me?” David looked back and forth between Nate and Williams. Both just stared at him as though they had nothing better to do and nowhere better to be. “Come on, man I ain’t done nothing.”
Nate opened the manila folder that he had placed in front of him and proceeded to pull out pictures of Jessica. He laid them out one by one in front of David. The first picture was a school photo of Jessica. She was smiling, her hair in two braids on either side of her head. She looked like every other innocent child. Her time ending before it had really begun.
David made no reaction until Nate laid out the picture of Jessica on the autopsy table. Her face turned upward to the ceiling, staples tattooing her chest.
“Don’t make me look at that,” David said.
“Look closely, David, this is what you did. All of this is your fault.”
“No way, man. I didn’t kill her,” David leaned into the table. “You gotta believe me, man, I didn’t kill her.”
“I believe you.”
“Then why am I here?” David snorted. “That officer planted those drugs. They ain’t mine. I swear I’m innocent.” He ended his statement with a curse and a half smile revealing his a yellow grin that was three teeth shy of a full set. Nate hadn’t noticed any missing teeth during their last meeting. Maybe that was recent.
“David, let me tell you what we know.” Nate paused until David was sitting up straight and prepared to listen. “We know that your daughter…”
“Adopted daughter.”
“Right. We know that Jessica was pregnant…”
“I didn’t know about that.”
“Let me finish.” Nate waited again then continued when David remained silent. “We know that Jessica was pregnant. We also know that you are the father.”
“Are you kidding me?” More curses. David half stood in his chair revealing his jeans hanging low enough to again reveal his boxers. Did the man not know how to cover himself up? “There is no way. You are lying to me!”
“No, I’m afraid we’re not. You fathered her child which means you are under arrest for raping a minor. Have you been read your rights?” Nate glanced from David to Williams already knowing the answer. He had been read his rights and had waived his right to an attorney. Williams had it in writing. Or so he said. Nate didn’t care to double check.
“Come on, man. You can’t arrest me for that. You’ve got to give me a deal or something.”
“A deal? Detective Williams do we give deals to child rapists?”
“No Special Agent Zimmerman, I don’t believe we do.”
“You’ve got to give me something,” David said.
“We don’t have to give you anything. You have to tell me what you know about the men that kidnapped and murdered your daughter.”
David’s pupils grew wider; his brown eyes full of terror. Nate was on to something. “No, no. I can’t tell you nothin’. If I tell you anything they’ll kill me.”
Nate smiled. “The thing is David, I’ve heard that story before and you know what? It doesn’t mean anything to me.” Nate directed his attention to Williams. “Jack, I think we have a special place in prison for Mr. Rappaport, do we not?”
“I believe we do.”
“Is there anything we can do about the other inmates finding out that Mr. Rappaport is a child rapist?”
“No, I don’t believe so,” Williams said.
“Okay, okay, man I’ll tell you what I know. I just can’t go to prison.”
“I don’t think I can make that arrangement. You will be going to prison. The question is whether or not you are going to death row.”
“For what?”
“For murder.”
“But I didn’t kill her. You said you believed me.”
“Here’s the thing, David. I may believe you but a jury won’t. If a jury doesn’t have anyone else to pin your daughter’s murder on then they’ll pin it on you. After all you’ve already raped her and fathered her child. Do you really think they’re going to believe you didn’t kill her?” As Nate watched David’s face he knew the man felt trapped. Good, Nate wanted him in a corner. Wanted him to have to fight his way out. Once he started fighting to save his own skin he would stop worrying about saving other people’s skin.
“Then you gotta keep me out of the general population. They’ll kill me.”
“Can we do that Detective Williams?”
“If he tells us what we need to know and that information leads to the arrest of his daughter’s murderer and the safe return of the other missing girls. Then I think we could find a place for him in solitary.”
“And no drug possession?”
“Don’t push it. Tell me what you know,” Nate said.
“Fine, they didn’t pay me what they owed anyway.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Look, man, I don’t know everything. All I knows is I was approached by some dude…”
“Does this dude have a name?” Nate said.
“Todd, I think.”
“Todd Purcell?”
“Yea, man, I think so.”
“And what did Todd Purcell say to you?”
“He said he could get rid of all my problems,” David said.
“What were your problems?”
“My wife and her kid. That woman was all over me about my girlfriend. She hated it. Threatened to leave me.”
“Why would you care if she left you?” Nate said.
“I gotta few dollars to my name and I knew she’d take it.”
“What about Jessica?”
“What about her?”
“Why was she a problem to you?”
“No real reason except she was always in the way. She was cute. I liked her but she always whined when I was around which made Lea mad and then me and the old lady would get in a fight. I was just tired of it.”
“And what did Todd say he could do for you?”
“He said he worked for someone who was looking for white girls.”
“What for?”
“I don’t know, I didn’t care. Maybe he wanted to adopt ‘em.”
Nate rolled his eyes knowing that was a lie. He didn’t dispute the fact that David was an idiot but he couldn’t be that dumb. “And what about your wife?”
“Guy said he would take care of her. And the best part was they would pay me.” David laughed. “Can you believe that? They were gonna off my wife and take her kid and I would get paid for it. I was all over it.”
Nate hid his disgust. This guy was scum. A lifetime in solitary wasn’t enough punishment for this man. Nate was glad he believed in a God who would judge the living and the dead. Either way this man would spend eternity in hell. That was worse then solitary and that would have to be enough.
“How much were you paid?” Nate said.
“The deal was I would get small amounts every week from some corporation. They would pay for a few weeks before they took her and then some after so as not to raise suspicion, you know? The total was going to be about thirty grand,” David said.
“And you got it all?”
“No man, I got barely half. They took her and I got money but then it just stopped.”
“Any idea why?”
“They said she was damaged goods. Said no one would pay to sleep with a pregnant girl. I swore to them I had no idea she was pregnant but they didn’t believe me. I got no more money. Next thing I know you’re at my door telling me Jessica was dead.”
“They told you people were going to pay to sleep with her?”
“Yea, I guess so.”
“Did it occur to you then that this man wasn’t adopting your daughter?”
“Adopted daughter,” David said. “Oh yea, I guess so. I didn’t think about it. I didn’t care, I just wanted my money.”
Nate rose to his feet. He wanted nothing more then to reach across the table and choke the life out of the man sitting across from him. Maybe send him to hell a little early. Williams made no attempt to stop him. David jumped out of his chair and leaned back against the wall, sweat dripping from his forehead.
“Tell me where I can find Todd Purcell.” Nate struggled to keep his voice even as he stepped every closer to David.
“I don’t know man.”
“So far you haven’t given me anything other then your head on a platter. You could’ve made this entire story up.”
“No, I swear.”
“Then tell me something useful.”
“The guy Todd worked for owns a shipping company that uses shipping containers at the Port of Tampa.”
“We know that.” Nate looked away from David as though the information was useless.
“What you probably don’t know is that the guy who owns the shipping company is also one of the father’s. When I asked Todd how I could trust this guy he said because he was going to do the same thing to his wife and kid.”