Chapter 2

Ashley made her way into the parking lot and to her Ford Mustang. It was brand new. She purchased the newest model every year. Financially it wasn’t the best move but it was her one indulgence and after five years she’d gotten along well with the salesman and always got a great deal.
She lowered the roof and let the wind ruffle her hair. The heat of summer was finally giving way to the coolness of fall. The leaves on the trees were beginning to turn colors and Ashley couldn’t help but wish she had someone to share it with. But no, that was out of the question. Not now and not ever.
Ashley drove past the Baltimore harbor without a second glance. She knew what types of people were there. People with lives and homes to go to. People enjoying time as family at the Baltimore Aquarium, at the mall and on the paddle boats. She didn’t need a reminder of what she didn’t have.
The garage underneath her apartment building was a welcome site. It was like crawling into a cave and hiding. The world couldn’t find her in here. She parked in her assigned spot and made her way to the elevators. Thankfully she could avoid the lobby and head straight up to her floor.
The 12th floor was inviting. Lush wall coverings and lighting made her ten foot walk enjoyable but Ashley didn’t pay much attention. She just wanted to hide, find a drink and ignore what lay ahead.
Unfortunately, life had other plans. Her phone was ringing the moment she unlocked the door. Few people had her home phone so she answered it quickly.
“Hello?” Ashley threw her purse on the granite countertop and opened the refrigerator door to find the vegetable shake she’d make the evening before.
“Ashley?” The male voice on the other end was unfamiliar and Ashley’s pulse began to race.
“Yes.”
“It’s Nate. Nate Zimmerman.”
“Zimmie?” Ashley’s heart rate slowed.
“It’s me. Trish gave me this number. I hope you don’t mind.”
“No,” Ashley lied. Was this bad enough to fire Trish over? Even Trish knew it wasn’t. “I got your message earlier. I don’t understand.”
“I have a witness I need you to talk to.”
“That’s not really my thing.”
“I’ve heard your like a child-talker.”
“Nate, I’m not a horse-whisperer. I have counseling sessions with children, I’m a psychologist.” Ashley made her way back to the bedroom taking her heels off as she went. She used her shoulder to hold the phone to her ear and unzipped her skirt. It fell to the floor and she kicked it towards her hamper.
“Yes, but you talk with children and they tell you things. I just need you to sit down with this kid and see what he knows. After that, you’re done and you can return home.”
Ashley pulled out a pair of workout shorts and sat on the bed to pull them on before asking, “And how did you come to find me?”
“Everyone knows you…”
“Not true.”
“Okay, so I’ve been keeping up a little with the court cases you’ve testified in. You must admit a few of them were high profile. Plus, you’ve consulted for the FBI before. It’s not too hard to track you down.” Ashley knew this to be true and didn’t reply. “Look, I’ve heard you have a talent so I’m asking you a favor. Will you do it?”
“Fine, I’ll come in the morning on the flight Trish booked me. After that I need to come back.”
“Great…” Ashley cut off his words with her thumb. She was not looking forward to seeing Nate. He would bring back so many memories. Memories that needed to stay hidden.

Nate closed his cell phone and took a deep breath. It would be hard to see her again. Would she be the same person? He’d had a crush on her in college but it was quickly squashed when Donald Parks showed up. Nate had stepped aside and let Donnie sweep Ashley off her feet. It had crushed Nate but Ashley had hardly noticed. For the last eleven years it had been easier not to be involved but at this point he was out of choices.
“Is she coming?” Nate’s partner, Eric Walker asked from his desk next to Nate’s.
“Yes, she’ll be here tomorrow.”
“Think she’ll be able to get something out of Kyle?”
“She’s the best. I hope so.”
“She’d better. Michael Fleming is not a patient man.”
“Tell me about it.” Nate leaned back in his chair recalling his first encounter with Assistant District Attorney, Michael Fleming.
The man had stood like a soldier in front of Nate outside of Kyle’s hospital room. His arms were crossed behind his back and his brown eyes looked dark and fierce. He was not a man to be crossed. “Tell me what you know.” He paused but before Nate could respond he added, “Spare me no details.”
Nate couldn’t imagine that Michael would want all of the details. They were grizzly and graphic and even Nate didn’t want to recall the scene. But as a detective, that’s what he did and he had no choice. “We got the call this morning at 10:02 AM. My partner and I rolled out immediately. At 10:43 we arrived on the scene of what looked like road rage gone bad. A female was lying face down on the road, she had already been declared dead by the paramedics on the scene. Rescue personnel had turned their attention on to a young boy, Kyle, in the backseat of the vehicle. He appeared to have been shot twice but he was alive.”
“And Kayla?” Michael’s expression had not changed despite the mention of his wife lying dead on the ground. He was a prosecutor and emotions seemed not be allowed.
“Who?”
“Kayla, my daughter. Where is she?”
Nate was at a loss for words. There was no girl on the scene. “We found no one else on the scene.”
The dark eyes grew wider and the lines that had been hardly noticeable before on his forehead suddenly became furrowed and sunken. “What do you mean my daughter wasn’t there? Didn’t you connect this case with all of the others?”
All of the others was an exaggeration. There had been three other cases very similar which was why the FBI was involved. “I’m sorry, sir, we assumed there had been a mistake and they had thought that Kyle was a female. When they discovered him to be male, we believed they had tried to kill him from speaking to the police. There was no evidence of another child in the vehicle.”
“Kyle wasn’t supposed to be with his mother. Maybe Kayla is still at school. Give me a moment.” Michael held up a large finger to Nate, took out his phone and walked away.
Nate immediately notified Eric that there could be a problem. They may be missing a fourth girl. If so, this was definitely a serial kidnapping. While Nate waited for Michael to finish his phone call his mind drifted back to the scene. He and Eric had only been on the last two homicides. It had taken a third dead mother and a third missing girl in different counties of Florida for the local police to contact the FBI for help. It was rare that their help was requested and the fact that it was meant this case was very serious.
“I want a missing persons report filed immediately,” Michael’s tone was demanding as he walked back to Nate. “The school said that Gina had not dropped the kids off for school this morning. She was supposed to have dropped Kyle off at school and taken Kayla to a dentist appointment. I called the dentist; Kayla never arrived for her appointment. I have no idea why Kyle was in the car.” The last sentence he mumbled more to himself than spoke it to Nate.
Nate took out his notebook. He needed to know who they were looking for. “How old is your daughter?”
“Nine.”
“What does she look like?”
“Just like Kyle. They’re twins. I know they’re fraternal but whenever Gina cut Kayla’s hair short, you couldn’t tell them apart.” Michael’s steel resolve was melting. His hand rubbed his chin and he searched the hospital corridors seemingly at nothing but Nate knew that at times like these a person had no idea where to begin so they just look everywhere randomly.
“Do you have a recent picture?”
“At home I think. I can’t get it right now I need to stay with Kyle. You have my permission to enter my house and search for whatever you need. Maybe something Gina was into will give you a lead.”
“Are you saying she was into something?”
“No, not like that but maybe she met someone or her friends knew someone. I don’t know why this would happen to her.” The distraught look still on his face, Michael walked away from Nate and back into his son’s private room. Nate radioed for the guard to return to his post and watch over Kyle. As the only witness to a case such as this mean Kyle’s life might still be in danger. They couldn’t take any chances.