Nate sat at his desk and stared at the reports in front of him. Yesterday he stood at two more crime scenes. He barely remembered the five hours of sleep he had been able to get last night. Ashley’s phone call and information from Kyle confirmed the direction they were heading. Jonathan Gardner knew something but yet his gut felt that he just wasn’t “the” guy.
With an extra push from Michael and the DA’s office Emma’s autopsy had been rushed and the medical examiner had stayed late to finish up. Nate had been there with him fighting fatigue and feeding the adrenaline with caffeine.
Different girl, same results. She was also strangled and had the remains of multiples donors. They had no actual DNA from Emma though. DNA results were still pending on Daisy. With what they were able to scrape together Nate doubted it would matter.
All they did know was that girls were being kidnapped after their mothers were killed and now those same girls were turning up dead. They were still missing three girls but time was running out on them. Two girls just two days apart meant little time for the remaining girls.
“How’s it going?” Eric asked as he came up to Nate’s desk. “Did you even leave last night?”
“Barely.”
“We’re getting calls like crazy around here about this case. Parents are worried about their daughters.”
“I know but I’ve got nothing new. What are your thoughts, Eric? I don’t think Jonathan is our guy.”
“Michael Fleming believes that he is and he’s putting everything he has in to tracking this guy down. He set up a press conference for this morning and he’s going to plaster Jonathan’s picture all over the news.”
“That’s a bad idea. If he is our guy he’ll probably kill the girls he has left and run. If he isn’t our guy then he becomes high profile and expendable. Either way we’ve got to stop this press conference.”
Nate could understand why Michael would be upset and why he would want Jonathan found but this way was unacceptable. Surely Michael would know this. Nate picked up the phone and dialed Michael’s office. After what seemed like an entire morning on hold, Michael’s secretary transferred him to Michael.
“Mr. Fleming, this is Agent Zimmerman. I’d like to ask you not to hold your press conference this morning…”
“Not going to happen Zimmerman. I’m holding this conference. This man has my daughter and I want her back.”
“But you could get her killed.”
“She may already be dead and she may not but while there’s a chance she’s still alive I want this Jonathan Gardner brought in for questioning. I thought you’d be happy about me doing you this favor.”
“I don’t need your favors Mr. Fleming. This is my case and I need to run it as I see fit. Having a press conference that may jeopardize the well being of a victim and possibly three victims is not acceptable. You may also get Jonathan killed…”
“How is that possible? If this sick man is kidnapping and murdering girls why do we care if he gets killed anyway?”
“Mr. Fleming, if Jonathan is not acting alone announcing this may make him expendable to someone else. If he is acting alone you may be giving him reason to kill the remaining girls and flee the country.”
“It’s a risk I’m willing to take. This man may have my daughter. If he doesn’t he may know who does and I want her back. Neither you or anyone else will be able to stop me.” Michael was gone. Silence greeted Nate’s ear. Nate hit the desk with his fist. He’d never had much of a relationship with this particular DA and usually any contact was buffered by his lieutenant. Nate decided that this was a good thing.
“Will he back down?” Eric asked after Nate hung up the phone.
“Not a chance. Even if it means getting his daughter killed. We’ve got to find Jonathan before this press conference. What time did he set it up for?”
“Noon so he can make the news live. That gives us three hours to find Jonathan and question him.”
“We have just three hours to keep these girls alive. It’s not enough time. We know that Jonathan only rented this property for a short time. What do we have on him before that?”
Eric began work on his computer typing faster then Nate had seen him type before. Eric had always been as hard a worker as Nate. Partners for almost five years they had learned how to work together. Learned each other’s strengths and weaknesses. While Nate did well interrogating suspects and running crime scenes, Eric had background information in minutes. He knew who to ask, how to ask and when. He tracked down information in ways Nate didn’t understand and he was always happy to have Eric’s help.
“Here,” Eric pointed to something on his computer. Nate walked around their desks which faced each other and took a look at where Eric was pointing. What he saw looked like Jonathan Gardner’s life history including his time in prison. “Looks like he spent two years in prison before getting out last year. He lists one prior address to the DMV after getting out of prison. This one is in Orlando. After that he turns up in his rental here in New Port Richey.”
“It’s highly unlikely that he’s still there nor could we make it there and back in time. We have to find someone who knows him and track him down.”
Eric once again pointed to the computer screen. “Says he is employed at a local Goodyear Auto.”
“Let’s check it out. Even if he’s not there someone may know where he hangs out or who he hangs out with.”
“Let’s go.” Eric and Nate left the building and jumped into Nate’s cruiser. Within twenty minutes they were at the Goodyear Auto. After a five minute wait at the counter, staring at the dark paneled walls and the bubble gum machine they were greeted by a technician.
“What can I do for you?” The man asked. He had a good twenty years on Nate as well as a good fifty pounds. His face was wrinkled and his nose had grown larger with age. His name tag read Harper.
“We’re looking for Jonathan Gardner.”
“He hasn’t been in for three days.” Harper turned back to his work.
“Where does he live?” Nate asked.
With a huff Harper grabbed a book, slammed it on the table and opened to Jonathan’s name and address. Rather then recite it to Nate he tore the page out and handed it to him. “I don’t expect him to be back.”
“And why is that?”
“The man was strange. Worked on cars okay but he seemed to want something else.”
“Like what?” Nate was getting frustrated. They had a limited amount of time and he needed the information. Why was it always like pulling teeth?
“He just seemed to like kids a lot.”
“Doesn’t sound like a big deal,” Eric said.
“Well the way he liked them it was.”
Nate knew what he meant. “Thanks for your help.” Nate tapped the counter and headed back out the way they had come. Eric followed.
“Think he’s there?” Eric asked.
“No, but it’s a start. This address is different from the one we found Emma.” Eric nodded and they were back on the road again. Nate felt that while each mile should be taking him closer to a killer, each mile was taking him further away. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was still very, very wrong.
“Get in the trunk.” The tall, ugly man was talking to her but she was having trouble focusing. Her arms were loosely tied together as were her feet. She stumbled forward. “Move it.” The tall man pushed her. She hadn’t ever seen this man before and she had no idea what he wanted with her. She’d been taught not to talk to strangers since she was five but no one warned her about this.
“Please, please don’t do this,” the words stumbled out of her mouth but they didn’t sound like her. Instead it felt like she was eating chalk.
“Get in.” The man pushed her into the back of a car. She stumbled in and he closed the trunk with a curse. They drove for what seemed like forever. A small amount of light and air filtered through the trunk lid and she tried to look through it but could see nothing. She felt around her for some way to open the trunk but found nothing. She was stuck.
The car stopped.
Footsteps approached the trunk. With a flick light blinded her eyes and a long hand reached in to her. Was this help? With a quick jerk she knew it wasn’t.
“Out.” It was the same man. He pulled her by her hair and she felt out of the trunk with a thud. Something awful tasted in her mouth and her eye throbbed. “Get up!”
“What are you doing?” Another man’s voice yelled from somewhere she couldn’t place.
“I brought new merchandise. How much do I get for her?”
“Same price as last time. Think you can keep this one alive?”
“You know that was an accident.”
“I’m not so sure it was.” The new man pulled out a gun from behind his back. She trembled. Was he going to kill her? Was this some kind of weird game? She knew her mom was dead; did he want to kill her too? Where was her dad?
“Hey, man, what are you doing? I had to cut my losses.”
“Your losses? Since when are they yours?” The man didn’t point the gun at her but at the ugly man instead. He didn’t seem to be there to help her but he wasn’t yet hurting her either. She said nothing. Sometimes people talked in front of kids because they thought they were to young or stupid to listen.
“I’m sorry about those girls. But that one got out of the van. She was running away. I had to stop her.”
“But now, Jonathan, your name is all over the news. I’ve even heard there’s going to be a press conference to alert people about you. Before you know it the police will be all over us.”
“No man, I took care of everything. No traces at all.”
“How did they get your name?”
“Look, I’m sure it’s just a mistake. I’ll take care of it. I won’t talk, I swear.”
“No, you won’t.” The bullet took Julia by surprise as much as it did Jonathan. He had no time to react or protect himself. Julia felt him fall more than saw him since she had been looking down. Jonathan fell beside her and blood oozed from his forehead. His eyes were open and staring at the sky.
Julia took one look at his body and let out a scream. “Quiet girl. You’re still coming with me.” The other man grabbed her and pulled her to a different car leaving Jonathan behind her. “Let’s go meet some new playmates.”
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Chapter 14
“What did he say?” Ashley asked as soon as Nate stepped within ear shot.
“Not much. I don’t think you should worry about him.” Nate could tell his comment had do effect on Ashley’s demeanor. At least not in a positive way. She might have been more upset but he couldn’t tell.
“I want to talk to Kyle again,” Ashley said.
“Maybe that’s not a good idea. I was wrong to call you here and you should head home. I did promise Trish that I wouldn’t keep you here too long and it’s been almost four days. Surely you have something more pressing in Maryland.” Nate was trying to sound casual, trying to brush her off. The truth was he was scared to death for her and he didn’t want anything to happen to her. At least nothing more then had already happened.
“I’m in this, Nate whether you like it or not. You called me to help and I’m here. And I’m staying till it’s over. Someone has threatened me and that means I’m pushing someone’s buttons.”
“Fine. I’ll get you a ride back to the hospital. I want an officer with you at all times. I can’t afford to be looking for your dead body.” He didn’t want to fight her. In fact, he was glad that she had some fight left. He could only wonder why she hadn’t used any of that spunk to her advantage over the past eleven years.
With Ashley safely secured with yet another officer Nate turned back to the scene he actually had come for. Another dead woman. Another crashed car. It didn’t make sense. Why would someone choose to do this? Was someone so desperate to take a child that they’d stoop to this?
Crime scene investigators were dusting the car for fingerprints and looking for bullets. The coroner was arriving shortly and then investigators would look over the body. Nate expected little difference between this woman’s body and the last four they had found. What he prayed he didn’t find was this little girl’s body in another week or so.
“Are you finding anything?” Nate asked.
“I can’t be 100% sure without further analysis but the tire tracks here appear to be the same tire tracks we found leaving Daisy’s body. I’d bet they are connected.” Leslie Rawlings flipped her blonde ponytail behind her as she glanced back at Nate.
“I’d have to agree but we need more proof. Find it for me please.”
“You know I’m looking.” Leslie smiled and showed off her perfectly straight and very white teeth. Her red lipstick didn’t get past Nate either. Nate shook his head to clear his thoughts. He needed to focus on the case not on the women around him as tempting and distracting as they might be.
“Nate, phone call for you.” The same Asian officer Nate had talked to before approached. His nameplate said “Yu-na” but they had not made formal introductions.
“Who is it?” Yu-na didn’t answer but returned to his work after handing Nate the phone. “Zimmerman.”
“Nate, I tried your cell but you didn’t answer.”
“Sorry, it’s been really busy here. Ashley’s been threatened.”
“What?”
“I don’t know if it’s related or not. I’ve sent her back to talk to Kyle.”
“Do you think that’s wise?” Eric asked.
“She wanted to go. I need her there more than here,” Nate said.
Accepting his explanation Eric replied, “I have more information on Jonathan Gardner.”
“Tell me.”
“Seems our boy did time for selling child pornography over the internet. He was charged with assault on a minor but nothing was ever proved. But, in issuing the warrant officers found child porn on his computer. At least that charge stuck.”
“How long was he in?”
“A little under two years, got out on good behavior,” Eric said.
“Any other charges?”
“Some petty things, theft, auto theft, nothing else that concerns us.”
“Let’s bring him in. I want to talk to him,” Nate said.
“We’re working on it.” Nate cut the connection and handed the phone back to Yu-na. Nate wouldn’t be surprised if Jonathan had something to do with the murders but he knew that Jonathan wasn’t the mastermind. Someone else was putting him up to it and it was Nate’s job to figure out who.
Ashley said nothing to the officer that gave her a ride to the hospital. Over and over she recalled the words of the note left for her. What in the world did Jimmy Livingston have to do with this? Ashley’s only impression of him was that he was a love-sick, abusive man who killed only because he missed his wife. Donnie and Aidan were casualties of an unplanned war.
The officer dropped Ashley off at the hospital door. She made her way up to Kyle’s room, showed her credentials to the officer standing guard, made her way to the chair next to Kyle’s bed and sat down next to him.
“How are you doing buddy?”
Kyle made little attempt to answer. He was sitting up or at least his bed was tilted up so that he was no longer lying flat. His color was back but he didn’t look normal. His face was drawn and his eyes looked sunken in. His arm was lying beside him like a wooden appendage. She could detect slight movements in this other limbs but not that one. She was sure it would take weeks of physical therapy before he would regain some use of the arm.
“How has your day been? Mine has been very busy. I’ve been following Nate around on his job.” Ashley made her voice sound loud and upbeat even though her heart didn’t feel it.
“Do you miss him?” Kyle’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“Do I miss Nate? Not really. I just saw him…”
“Do you miss Aidan?”
Ashley’s heart caught in her throat. “Every day.”
“I miss my mom like that. I miss Kayla too but not like I miss my mom. I think Kayla is still okay.”
Ashley didn’t respond to Kyle’s statement. Surely he’d heard by now that Daisy was found dead. It wouldn’t be long before the news would be talking about Emma.
“She’s not dead you know.” Kyle’s voice cut into her thoughts.
“I didn’t say that she was.”
“But you were thinking it. I may only be nine but I’m not stupid. I know about Daisy and even Emma but it’s not Kayla and it’s not going to be.”
“How did you hear about Emma? That hasn’t even been on the news yet.”
“Yes it was and the nurses were talking about it. They were whispering about it like I couldn’t hear but I could. I knew what they were saying.”
Thoughts of the news conference ran through Ashley’s mind. She vaguely remembered that part of her day but was still surprised that it had already aired. Was this case already big enough to interrupt regular broadcasting? She hadn’t expected to see anything until the evening news and even then she had hoped for a side story not a “we-interrupt-this-broadcast” story. Maybe it was for the best. Maybe parents would be more cautious about mothers and daughters going out together. She doubted it. Ashley knew most people filed that under “news that could never happen to them”. And Ashley had been among them until it did happen to her. Until her husband and son were mowed down in cold blood.
“Then good for you for having a positive attitude, Kyle. I’m proud of you.” Ashley took Kyle’s hand and forced a smile to her face. She hoped a nurse would not come in. Surely an adult would notice that it was just an upturn of her muscles plastered to her cheeks and not an actual smile.
If Kyle noticed, he didn’t let on, “It’s not about my attitude. I know she’s alive but I also know she’s in danger.”
“How do you know? Have you heard something? Do you remember something?”
“Not really. The whole day is a blur. My dad has come in a bunch of times to try to get me to remember but I don’t remember much.”
“Anything at all is helpful, Kyle.” Ashley moved her hand to Kyle’s forehead and stroked his head and his hair. She wanted to lean down and give him a kiss on his head but she didn’t dare. This wasn’t her son. She wasn’t his mother. “Why don’t you close your eyes and think. Try to remember what happened before the shots.”
Kyle shrugged and at first Ashley thought he would protest but then he closed his eyes and settled further back into his mattress if that was possible. “We were fighting over going to school. Kayla had a dentist appointment and I begged to go along. I hate going to school without her. We were driving and talking. Someone was cutting us off. Mom was trying to go around them but they wouldn’t let her and when they stopped short she hit them.” Kyle’s eyes flew open, wide with terror and shock. “I can’t…”
“I know how hard this is. I really do but you are the only one who has seen anything and we need your help. Kayla needs your help.”
“I’m scared, Miss Ashley. What if they come back for me?”
“Kyle, do you see that officer out there by your door? Before I came in here I had to show him my ID. He wouldn’t have let me in if he didn’t trust me. He won’t let anyone in that isn’t allowed to be in here.”
“It’s not the people not allowed in that I’m worried about…” Kyle clamped his mouth shut and looked past Ashley and out his window.
“What? Who are you worried about?” But Ashley could tell it wouldn’t do any good. “Okay, Kyle. Let’s remember what you did see. Forget about this room right now and let’s think back three days ago.”
Kyle swallowed hard and nodded. He was a brave kid and Ashley had a feeling she didn’t know the half of it. Whatever Kyle had been through hadn’t started just three days ago. “I remember mom trying to get out of the car to talk to the driver of the car we hit. She had hit her head and had trouble standing. Then she fell down. I don’t know what happened. I heard a pop and then I couldn’t see her anymore. Kayla reached for me. We were hugging when someone reached in the back for her. He looked surprised to see me.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’m not sure. He was reaching for Kayla and when he saw me he said bad things. Another guy had to come around to help him. They pulled Kayla out. She was screaming and kicking and yelling for me. One of the men hit her and the other shot me.” Kyle opened his eyes. They weren’t as wide or terrified as they were. It was as if saying what happened released some of his fear. Ashley wasn’t surprised. Talking about things often made them less frightening.
“Do you remember what either man looked like? Or how they sounded? Even what they said would be helpful.”
“They were yelling at each other.”
“Do you remember any names?”
“No. They were cursing at each other and at someone else that wasn’t there.”
“How do you know?”
“One of them said, ‘we don’t get paid enough for this’. I think one of them said something about how they were told that it would just be my mom and Kayla and that I wasn’t supposed to be there.”
“What about how they looked?”
“They were both tall. Um, I don’t remember. I’m sorry, Miss Ashley.”
“Don’t worry sweetie. You did great. You’ve given me so much to work with. Do you mind if step out and call Mr. Nate? He’s going to want to know all the stuff you just told me. Then maybe we could hang out and play cards. Would you like that?”
“Sure.” Kyle smiled and Ashley recognized it as more real then her own. How could he be so happy just days after his tragedy when Ashley couldn’t let go of her own pain from eleven years ago?
Ashley reached the door and pulled out her cell phone. While she was at it she should probably call Trish and give her an update. Even though Kyle was opening up there was still so much more that he wasn’t saying. Not to mention she was in this case deep and she wasn’t ready to quit threats or not. Trish would need to make more schedule changes.
“Hey Miss Ashley?”
“Yes, Kyle.”
“I think one of them was named Jonathan.”
“Not much. I don’t think you should worry about him.” Nate could tell his comment had do effect on Ashley’s demeanor. At least not in a positive way. She might have been more upset but he couldn’t tell.
“I want to talk to Kyle again,” Ashley said.
“Maybe that’s not a good idea. I was wrong to call you here and you should head home. I did promise Trish that I wouldn’t keep you here too long and it’s been almost four days. Surely you have something more pressing in Maryland.” Nate was trying to sound casual, trying to brush her off. The truth was he was scared to death for her and he didn’t want anything to happen to her. At least nothing more then had already happened.
“I’m in this, Nate whether you like it or not. You called me to help and I’m here. And I’m staying till it’s over. Someone has threatened me and that means I’m pushing someone’s buttons.”
“Fine. I’ll get you a ride back to the hospital. I want an officer with you at all times. I can’t afford to be looking for your dead body.” He didn’t want to fight her. In fact, he was glad that she had some fight left. He could only wonder why she hadn’t used any of that spunk to her advantage over the past eleven years.
With Ashley safely secured with yet another officer Nate turned back to the scene he actually had come for. Another dead woman. Another crashed car. It didn’t make sense. Why would someone choose to do this? Was someone so desperate to take a child that they’d stoop to this?
Crime scene investigators were dusting the car for fingerprints and looking for bullets. The coroner was arriving shortly and then investigators would look over the body. Nate expected little difference between this woman’s body and the last four they had found. What he prayed he didn’t find was this little girl’s body in another week or so.
“Are you finding anything?” Nate asked.
“I can’t be 100% sure without further analysis but the tire tracks here appear to be the same tire tracks we found leaving Daisy’s body. I’d bet they are connected.” Leslie Rawlings flipped her blonde ponytail behind her as she glanced back at Nate.
“I’d have to agree but we need more proof. Find it for me please.”
“You know I’m looking.” Leslie smiled and showed off her perfectly straight and very white teeth. Her red lipstick didn’t get past Nate either. Nate shook his head to clear his thoughts. He needed to focus on the case not on the women around him as tempting and distracting as they might be.
“Nate, phone call for you.” The same Asian officer Nate had talked to before approached. His nameplate said “Yu-na” but they had not made formal introductions.
“Who is it?” Yu-na didn’t answer but returned to his work after handing Nate the phone. “Zimmerman.”
“Nate, I tried your cell but you didn’t answer.”
“Sorry, it’s been really busy here. Ashley’s been threatened.”
“What?”
“I don’t know if it’s related or not. I’ve sent her back to talk to Kyle.”
“Do you think that’s wise?” Eric asked.
“She wanted to go. I need her there more than here,” Nate said.
Accepting his explanation Eric replied, “I have more information on Jonathan Gardner.”
“Tell me.”
“Seems our boy did time for selling child pornography over the internet. He was charged with assault on a minor but nothing was ever proved. But, in issuing the warrant officers found child porn on his computer. At least that charge stuck.”
“How long was he in?”
“A little under two years, got out on good behavior,” Eric said.
“Any other charges?”
“Some petty things, theft, auto theft, nothing else that concerns us.”
“Let’s bring him in. I want to talk to him,” Nate said.
“We’re working on it.” Nate cut the connection and handed the phone back to Yu-na. Nate wouldn’t be surprised if Jonathan had something to do with the murders but he knew that Jonathan wasn’t the mastermind. Someone else was putting him up to it and it was Nate’s job to figure out who.
Ashley said nothing to the officer that gave her a ride to the hospital. Over and over she recalled the words of the note left for her. What in the world did Jimmy Livingston have to do with this? Ashley’s only impression of him was that he was a love-sick, abusive man who killed only because he missed his wife. Donnie and Aidan were casualties of an unplanned war.
The officer dropped Ashley off at the hospital door. She made her way up to Kyle’s room, showed her credentials to the officer standing guard, made her way to the chair next to Kyle’s bed and sat down next to him.
“How are you doing buddy?”
Kyle made little attempt to answer. He was sitting up or at least his bed was tilted up so that he was no longer lying flat. His color was back but he didn’t look normal. His face was drawn and his eyes looked sunken in. His arm was lying beside him like a wooden appendage. She could detect slight movements in this other limbs but not that one. She was sure it would take weeks of physical therapy before he would regain some use of the arm.
“How has your day been? Mine has been very busy. I’ve been following Nate around on his job.” Ashley made her voice sound loud and upbeat even though her heart didn’t feel it.
“Do you miss him?” Kyle’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“Do I miss Nate? Not really. I just saw him…”
“Do you miss Aidan?”
Ashley’s heart caught in her throat. “Every day.”
“I miss my mom like that. I miss Kayla too but not like I miss my mom. I think Kayla is still okay.”
Ashley didn’t respond to Kyle’s statement. Surely he’d heard by now that Daisy was found dead. It wouldn’t be long before the news would be talking about Emma.
“She’s not dead you know.” Kyle’s voice cut into her thoughts.
“I didn’t say that she was.”
“But you were thinking it. I may only be nine but I’m not stupid. I know about Daisy and even Emma but it’s not Kayla and it’s not going to be.”
“How did you hear about Emma? That hasn’t even been on the news yet.”
“Yes it was and the nurses were talking about it. They were whispering about it like I couldn’t hear but I could. I knew what they were saying.”
Thoughts of the news conference ran through Ashley’s mind. She vaguely remembered that part of her day but was still surprised that it had already aired. Was this case already big enough to interrupt regular broadcasting? She hadn’t expected to see anything until the evening news and even then she had hoped for a side story not a “we-interrupt-this-broadcast” story. Maybe it was for the best. Maybe parents would be more cautious about mothers and daughters going out together. She doubted it. Ashley knew most people filed that under “news that could never happen to them”. And Ashley had been among them until it did happen to her. Until her husband and son were mowed down in cold blood.
“Then good for you for having a positive attitude, Kyle. I’m proud of you.” Ashley took Kyle’s hand and forced a smile to her face. She hoped a nurse would not come in. Surely an adult would notice that it was just an upturn of her muscles plastered to her cheeks and not an actual smile.
If Kyle noticed, he didn’t let on, “It’s not about my attitude. I know she’s alive but I also know she’s in danger.”
“How do you know? Have you heard something? Do you remember something?”
“Not really. The whole day is a blur. My dad has come in a bunch of times to try to get me to remember but I don’t remember much.”
“Anything at all is helpful, Kyle.” Ashley moved her hand to Kyle’s forehead and stroked his head and his hair. She wanted to lean down and give him a kiss on his head but she didn’t dare. This wasn’t her son. She wasn’t his mother. “Why don’t you close your eyes and think. Try to remember what happened before the shots.”
Kyle shrugged and at first Ashley thought he would protest but then he closed his eyes and settled further back into his mattress if that was possible. “We were fighting over going to school. Kayla had a dentist appointment and I begged to go along. I hate going to school without her. We were driving and talking. Someone was cutting us off. Mom was trying to go around them but they wouldn’t let her and when they stopped short she hit them.” Kyle’s eyes flew open, wide with terror and shock. “I can’t…”
“I know how hard this is. I really do but you are the only one who has seen anything and we need your help. Kayla needs your help.”
“I’m scared, Miss Ashley. What if they come back for me?”
“Kyle, do you see that officer out there by your door? Before I came in here I had to show him my ID. He wouldn’t have let me in if he didn’t trust me. He won’t let anyone in that isn’t allowed to be in here.”
“It’s not the people not allowed in that I’m worried about…” Kyle clamped his mouth shut and looked past Ashley and out his window.
“What? Who are you worried about?” But Ashley could tell it wouldn’t do any good. “Okay, Kyle. Let’s remember what you did see. Forget about this room right now and let’s think back three days ago.”
Kyle swallowed hard and nodded. He was a brave kid and Ashley had a feeling she didn’t know the half of it. Whatever Kyle had been through hadn’t started just three days ago. “I remember mom trying to get out of the car to talk to the driver of the car we hit. She had hit her head and had trouble standing. Then she fell down. I don’t know what happened. I heard a pop and then I couldn’t see her anymore. Kayla reached for me. We were hugging when someone reached in the back for her. He looked surprised to see me.”
“How do you know that?”
“I’m not sure. He was reaching for Kayla and when he saw me he said bad things. Another guy had to come around to help him. They pulled Kayla out. She was screaming and kicking and yelling for me. One of the men hit her and the other shot me.” Kyle opened his eyes. They weren’t as wide or terrified as they were. It was as if saying what happened released some of his fear. Ashley wasn’t surprised. Talking about things often made them less frightening.
“Do you remember what either man looked like? Or how they sounded? Even what they said would be helpful.”
“They were yelling at each other.”
“Do you remember any names?”
“No. They were cursing at each other and at someone else that wasn’t there.”
“How do you know?”
“One of them said, ‘we don’t get paid enough for this’. I think one of them said something about how they were told that it would just be my mom and Kayla and that I wasn’t supposed to be there.”
“What about how they looked?”
“They were both tall. Um, I don’t remember. I’m sorry, Miss Ashley.”
“Don’t worry sweetie. You did great. You’ve given me so much to work with. Do you mind if step out and call Mr. Nate? He’s going to want to know all the stuff you just told me. Then maybe we could hang out and play cards. Would you like that?”
“Sure.” Kyle smiled and Ashley recognized it as more real then her own. How could he be so happy just days after his tragedy when Ashley couldn’t let go of her own pain from eleven years ago?
Ashley reached the door and pulled out her cell phone. While she was at it she should probably call Trish and give her an update. Even though Kyle was opening up there was still so much more that he wasn’t saying. Not to mention she was in this case deep and she wasn’t ready to quit threats or not. Trish would need to make more schedule changes.
“Hey Miss Ashley?”
“Yes, Kyle.”
“I think one of them was named Jonathan.”
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Chapter 13
Nate took one glance at the note and knew it was worse then the phone call. He grabbed it out of Ashley’s hands before she could read it a second time. “Officer Greenwood,” Nate called the officer back who had handed him the note. The overly tall African American turned around to look down at Nate. “Who gave this to you?”
“It was a guy in the crowd.” Greenwood scanned some of the bystanders and then pointed to a small man with glasses, “There, that’s him.”
Nate didn’t wait for a second confirmation. Instead he walked over to the small man and grabbed his shirt. “Where did you get that note? Why did you give it to Ashley?”
“Hey, man, I’m just a bystander.” The man threw up his hands and backed away from Nate. Something in the way he shrugged away his shoulders made Nate nervous.
“Did you give a note to the officer over there?” Nate grabbed the man by the collar. Tight but not too tight.
“Alright, I passed the girl a note. You gotta admit she’s hot. Some guy asked me to give it to her. Figured it was a love note. I woulda written one too.” The short man adjusted his glasses and smoothed back what little hair he had left on his head.
“What’s your name?”
“Craig Porter.”
“And Mr. Porter what did this man look like?”
“I don’t know. About your height but he had blonde hair and blue eyes. Looked military like. He certainly worked out a lot. I was afraid he would beat me up if I didn’t do what he asked.”
Nate listened but wrote nothing down. The man was lying through his teeth. It was the most bland description he had ever heard. Not to mention if this man had actually been there any one of Nate’s officers would have noticed. A man like that would have stood out.
“I think we need to talk more at my office. Take your statement. Maybe you can talk to a sketch artist.”
“No, man, I don’t want to get involved.” Craig was slowly backing away from Nate, his eyes searching for an exit. “I lied. There wasn’t a man. I just found the note.”
“You found the note? And you decided to just hand it to someone you don’t know?”
“Yea, had her name on it. Thought it would be fun.”
“Well, Mr. Craig Porter you are under arrest.”
“For what?”
“For starters lying to the police.”
“That’s not a real crime.”
“It is now.”
Nate put cuffs on Craig and read him his rights. At the very least he had the guy on harassment. A misdemeanor but enough to hold him and talk to him. The man was lying. That much was obvious but the question was why. Nor did Nate understand all the references to Jimmy or what any of this had to do with him.
Ten years ago Nate had attended James Livingston’s trial. Eleven years ago Nate had just finished his first week as a police officer and was sitting in his Bachelor pad or so it had been called by many a date when the phone call came.
“Nate.” It was a woman’s voice and all she could get out was his name followed by hard and loud sobs. He hadn’t had a date in over three months and they had broken up without a fight. Surely she was over him?
“Hello?” Nate asked when the sobbing quieted down.
“Nate, its Ashley…” Ashley Voigt. No, now it was Ashley Parks. Of course Nate remembered her. She had stolen his heart the moment he laid eyes on her. The perfect girl. Seriously. Perfect. Never a hair out of place. Always in the latest fashion. A new wardrobe every year. The girl all the guys on campus wanted to date; including Nate. And he’d had a shot too until Donnie Parks showed up. Ashley had been his friend but never more. They had dreamed together and talked but as far as he knew Ashley didn’t know how he felt. He was gathering up his courage. He was going to tell her. But Donnie told her first.
Donnie was everything a man should be to a woman. If there had been even the slightest reason for Nate to protest the relationship he would have but Donnie had been nothing shy of perfect. And Ashley deserved perfect so Nate said nothing. He even stood in their wedding. And per Ashley’s request he had brought a date. Did he love his date? Not even close. He was still in love with Ashley.
“Ashley, what is it?” Nate finally realized that she had become quiet and he had said nothing. He was still working through the fact that he was talking to Ashley again.
“He’s dead.”
“What? Who’s dead?” Nate’s heart pounded. He’d been a cop for a week but already he had a sense for when something wasn’t right. Okay, so the sobbing made it easier to tell.
“Nate, Donnie is dead.”
“Oh my goodness, what happened? Was he even sick?”
“There’s more. Aidan is dead too.”
Oh God, no! How could this happen? Was she serious? She certainly sounded serious. “Ashley, what happened?”
“They were shot.” Ashley sobbed and then hiccupped with the effort to stop more tears. Nate said nothing but waited. “Last night I was cooking and I heard a sound. I went out and they were both lying in the driveway. Donnie was declared dead on the scene but Aidan lived for a few hours. He died in my arms in the hospital.”
“Oh, Ashley. What happened? Who did this?” Nate fumbled over his words.
“They have someone in custody. A witness saw the car and got the license plate. They found the gun in his car…” Ashley sniffled.
“Who was he? Why did he do it?”
“We’re not sure. His name is Jimmy Livingston. I counseled a Heather Livingston and the officers are pretty sure that this is her boyfriend. I remember telling her to go to a woman’s shelter but I hadn’t seen her in a while. I assumed she went. They think that Jimmy couldn’t find her so he found me instead.”
Nate couldn’t breathe. He wasn’t sure how this could be real. In all his thoughts and fantasies of getting together with Ashley this was never among them. He had moved on after all. Had tried to date other girls. Had sent Ashley and Donnie a baby gift when Aidan was born. Had laughed and cried at the baby pictures, then at Aidan’s first steps. This, no, not this. “Did he confess?”
“No. Not that I know of. They’re still processing him. They just found him this morning sleeping in his car.”
“And he still had the gun on him?”
“Yes.” She said no more and Nate didn’t push. She was emotional and scared and sad. She needed support not Nate’s questions. But Nate wanted answers. How could this have happened?
“What can I do?” Nate asked.
“Would you come here? Would you stay here a while?”
“Of course. Absolutely.”
Nate packed his things immediately and left Orlando to head to Tampa. While Ashley and Donnie had moved away from the University of Central Florida after graduation, Nate had not. He worked as a uniformed officer for the Orlando P.D. Donnie had opened his own business as an IT Analyst, whatever that was and Ashley had begun her Master’s in Counseling stopping her studies after she gave birth to Aidan. It was how Nate pictured her, a wife and mother.
Nate stayed for a two weeks and helped with the funeral. He became involved in the investigation as best as he could but everyone seemed satisfied that Jimmy Livingston was the guy even though he never confessed.
The trial dragged on for months with postponements and delays. Nate came when he could but Ashley drew further and further away and she wasn’t the girl he had known. Jimmy was eventually convicted of two counts of first degree murder and sentenced to two life sentences to run consecutively. He would not be eligible for parole for fifty years.
Nate had heard of the flowers. Ashley told him in the beginning that she had received a single rose in a vase every month on the 17th and a dozen roses on June 17th, the anniversary of Donnie and Aidan’s death. There was no note or markings as far as Nate knew. What he didn’t know is whether or not the flowers continued. By Ashley’s demeanor he assumed they were.
And now Ashley was in pain again. An old wound had been ripped open and Ashley’s heart was laid raw again. Her one saving grace in everything was that Jimmy was behind bars. But if the bars couldn’t hold him then what did it matter?
Nate let his “witness” be removed from the scene by Officer Greenwood and returned to Ashley. “Are you okay?”
“How does he know? Nate, he’s behind bars isn’t he?” Ashley’s face was twisted. Her lips curled up and her eyes were wider then saucers. Her agony was written on her face. But he couldn’t save her. He couldn’t tell her what she wanted to hear.
“I don’t know Ashley. I really don’t.”
“What did he say?” Ashley grabbed Nate’s shirt and pulled.
“He said it wasn’t him and he doesn’t know.”
“He’s lying.”
“What?”
“He’s lying, Nate.”
“How do you know Ashley?”
“Nate, he’s lying and I’m scared.”
“It was a guy in the crowd.” Greenwood scanned some of the bystanders and then pointed to a small man with glasses, “There, that’s him.”
Nate didn’t wait for a second confirmation. Instead he walked over to the small man and grabbed his shirt. “Where did you get that note? Why did you give it to Ashley?”
“Hey, man, I’m just a bystander.” The man threw up his hands and backed away from Nate. Something in the way he shrugged away his shoulders made Nate nervous.
“Did you give a note to the officer over there?” Nate grabbed the man by the collar. Tight but not too tight.
“Alright, I passed the girl a note. You gotta admit she’s hot. Some guy asked me to give it to her. Figured it was a love note. I woulda written one too.” The short man adjusted his glasses and smoothed back what little hair he had left on his head.
“What’s your name?”
“Craig Porter.”
“And Mr. Porter what did this man look like?”
“I don’t know. About your height but he had blonde hair and blue eyes. Looked military like. He certainly worked out a lot. I was afraid he would beat me up if I didn’t do what he asked.”
Nate listened but wrote nothing down. The man was lying through his teeth. It was the most bland description he had ever heard. Not to mention if this man had actually been there any one of Nate’s officers would have noticed. A man like that would have stood out.
“I think we need to talk more at my office. Take your statement. Maybe you can talk to a sketch artist.”
“No, man, I don’t want to get involved.” Craig was slowly backing away from Nate, his eyes searching for an exit. “I lied. There wasn’t a man. I just found the note.”
“You found the note? And you decided to just hand it to someone you don’t know?”
“Yea, had her name on it. Thought it would be fun.”
“Well, Mr. Craig Porter you are under arrest.”
“For what?”
“For starters lying to the police.”
“That’s not a real crime.”
“It is now.”
Nate put cuffs on Craig and read him his rights. At the very least he had the guy on harassment. A misdemeanor but enough to hold him and talk to him. The man was lying. That much was obvious but the question was why. Nor did Nate understand all the references to Jimmy or what any of this had to do with him.
Ten years ago Nate had attended James Livingston’s trial. Eleven years ago Nate had just finished his first week as a police officer and was sitting in his Bachelor pad or so it had been called by many a date when the phone call came.
“Nate.” It was a woman’s voice and all she could get out was his name followed by hard and loud sobs. He hadn’t had a date in over three months and they had broken up without a fight. Surely she was over him?
“Hello?” Nate asked when the sobbing quieted down.
“Nate, its Ashley…” Ashley Voigt. No, now it was Ashley Parks. Of course Nate remembered her. She had stolen his heart the moment he laid eyes on her. The perfect girl. Seriously. Perfect. Never a hair out of place. Always in the latest fashion. A new wardrobe every year. The girl all the guys on campus wanted to date; including Nate. And he’d had a shot too until Donnie Parks showed up. Ashley had been his friend but never more. They had dreamed together and talked but as far as he knew Ashley didn’t know how he felt. He was gathering up his courage. He was going to tell her. But Donnie told her first.
Donnie was everything a man should be to a woman. If there had been even the slightest reason for Nate to protest the relationship he would have but Donnie had been nothing shy of perfect. And Ashley deserved perfect so Nate said nothing. He even stood in their wedding. And per Ashley’s request he had brought a date. Did he love his date? Not even close. He was still in love with Ashley.
“Ashley, what is it?” Nate finally realized that she had become quiet and he had said nothing. He was still working through the fact that he was talking to Ashley again.
“He’s dead.”
“What? Who’s dead?” Nate’s heart pounded. He’d been a cop for a week but already he had a sense for when something wasn’t right. Okay, so the sobbing made it easier to tell.
“Nate, Donnie is dead.”
“Oh my goodness, what happened? Was he even sick?”
“There’s more. Aidan is dead too.”
Oh God, no! How could this happen? Was she serious? She certainly sounded serious. “Ashley, what happened?”
“They were shot.” Ashley sobbed and then hiccupped with the effort to stop more tears. Nate said nothing but waited. “Last night I was cooking and I heard a sound. I went out and they were both lying in the driveway. Donnie was declared dead on the scene but Aidan lived for a few hours. He died in my arms in the hospital.”
“Oh, Ashley. What happened? Who did this?” Nate fumbled over his words.
“They have someone in custody. A witness saw the car and got the license plate. They found the gun in his car…” Ashley sniffled.
“Who was he? Why did he do it?”
“We’re not sure. His name is Jimmy Livingston. I counseled a Heather Livingston and the officers are pretty sure that this is her boyfriend. I remember telling her to go to a woman’s shelter but I hadn’t seen her in a while. I assumed she went. They think that Jimmy couldn’t find her so he found me instead.”
Nate couldn’t breathe. He wasn’t sure how this could be real. In all his thoughts and fantasies of getting together with Ashley this was never among them. He had moved on after all. Had tried to date other girls. Had sent Ashley and Donnie a baby gift when Aidan was born. Had laughed and cried at the baby pictures, then at Aidan’s first steps. This, no, not this. “Did he confess?”
“No. Not that I know of. They’re still processing him. They just found him this morning sleeping in his car.”
“And he still had the gun on him?”
“Yes.” She said no more and Nate didn’t push. She was emotional and scared and sad. She needed support not Nate’s questions. But Nate wanted answers. How could this have happened?
“What can I do?” Nate asked.
“Would you come here? Would you stay here a while?”
“Of course. Absolutely.”
Nate packed his things immediately and left Orlando to head to Tampa. While Ashley and Donnie had moved away from the University of Central Florida after graduation, Nate had not. He worked as a uniformed officer for the Orlando P.D. Donnie had opened his own business as an IT Analyst, whatever that was and Ashley had begun her Master’s in Counseling stopping her studies after she gave birth to Aidan. It was how Nate pictured her, a wife and mother.
Nate stayed for a two weeks and helped with the funeral. He became involved in the investigation as best as he could but everyone seemed satisfied that Jimmy Livingston was the guy even though he never confessed.
The trial dragged on for months with postponements and delays. Nate came when he could but Ashley drew further and further away and she wasn’t the girl he had known. Jimmy was eventually convicted of two counts of first degree murder and sentenced to two life sentences to run consecutively. He would not be eligible for parole for fifty years.
Nate had heard of the flowers. Ashley told him in the beginning that she had received a single rose in a vase every month on the 17th and a dozen roses on June 17th, the anniversary of Donnie and Aidan’s death. There was no note or markings as far as Nate knew. What he didn’t know is whether or not the flowers continued. By Ashley’s demeanor he assumed they were.
And now Ashley was in pain again. An old wound had been ripped open and Ashley’s heart was laid raw again. Her one saving grace in everything was that Jimmy was behind bars. But if the bars couldn’t hold him then what did it matter?
Nate let his “witness” be removed from the scene by Officer Greenwood and returned to Ashley. “Are you okay?”
“How does he know? Nate, he’s behind bars isn’t he?” Ashley’s face was twisted. Her lips curled up and her eyes were wider then saucers. Her agony was written on her face. But he couldn’t save her. He couldn’t tell her what she wanted to hear.
“I don’t know Ashley. I really don’t.”
“What did he say?” Ashley grabbed Nate’s shirt and pulled.
“He said it wasn’t him and he doesn’t know.”
“He’s lying.”
“What?”
“He’s lying, Nate.”
“How do you know Ashley?”
“Nate, he’s lying and I’m scared.”
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Chapter 12
****Sorry for the delay! Thank you Misty for the nudge :) ******
Ashley watched the coroner load Emma’s body in to a black body bag and then be laid on a black gurney. Black was probably the best color for body bags and coroner’s gurney’s. When they thought about what color to use they picked correctly. Thoughts of Aidan flashed through her head. He had left on a paramedic’s gurney which had been white and so full of hope. She wished it had been the black one. Wished she’d had warning.
“Have we looked into Emma’s father? We know that Daisy’s father wasn’t involved but maybe Emma’s was. Maybe the girls knew each other?” Nate was thinking out loud.
“We’ve checked every angle. They were taken two hours apart. They did not attend school together now or at any other time. They don’t go to the same church and we can’t find anyone who knew them both.” Eric’s said and Ashley watched his eyes follow the gurney out the front door.
“But we’re missing something. They are related somehow. And where are they now? Where are they keeping the other girls? They killed these two girls but took two others? Doesn’t make sense.” Nate’s phone rang. “Zimmerman.”
Ashley watched Nate’s face change from sorrow to anguish. Ashley couldn’t imagine Nate hurting worse for these people then he already did and yet there it was. Written in the lines of his face. She knew something was even more wrong.
Nate slapped his cell phone up. “Eric, we have to go.”
“What’s going on?” Eric and Ashley asked at the same time.
“I’ll tell you on the way,” Nate said.
Ashley walked toward the door until Nate held up his hand. “I’m coming too.”
“No, you don’t need to be anymore involved then you already are. You’ve been here; you’ve been at the other scene. You don’t need this.”
“Nate, I can help…”
“Ashley, it’s not about help. This can give you nightmares.”
“They can’t be any worse then the ones that are already in my head.”
“Then what about Kyle?”
“I’m going later. Michael will take me.” Ashley pointed to Michael who was in the kitchen yelling orders about collecting proper evidence and the something about finding the home’s owner.
Something flashed across Nate’s face. He opened his mouth to speak, closed it and then said, “Fine, come with me now. I’ll have Eric stay and babysit Michael.”
Ashley wasn’t sure why Michael needed babysitting but she didn’t say anything. She followed Nate out the front door and into his cruiser. If she stayed any longer she would have to rent a vehicle. Relying on two bull-headed men for transportation was becoming more and more difficult and she was tired of arguing with Nate as to whether or not she could go with him wherever it was he was going. She was in this case whether he liked it or not. He asked her here and she was determined to get as much information as she could before she talked to Kyle. She knew Kyle knew something but she needed more to find out what it was. Maybe if he thought she knew something he would tell her the truth.
“We have another dead body and another missing girl,” Nate’s words broke into Ashley’s thoughts.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“We’re going to another murder scene. Why is it that you want to go? What do you want to prove? That you can see more death and live? Haven’t you seen enough?”
Ashley wanted to say something. The sharp words were on the tip of her tongue but for some reason she swallowed them back. Nate didn’t need her anger, he needed the truth. “I think Kyle knows something…”
“We know that, that’s why you’re here.”
“I know. What I mean is, he knows something else. I don’t know how he knows but it’s important and he’s not talking. I’m trying to understand. I keep hoping that if I get enough information and talk to him about it he’ll open up to me.” Ashley sighed and ran her hand through her hair. Nate said nothing. “I can’t figure him out. He’s completely shut off. Lots of kids are like him but I have more time with them. Weeks, months. This you’re asking me to do in just a few days. I need to see what he’s seen. Even if I don’t like it.”
“Okay.” Ashley figured that was all she was going to get. They rode on in silence.
“How are you doing?” Ashley’s voice cut through the silence.
“What do you mean?”
“Have you slept at all? Taken any time to eat? I’ve been here for three days but you’ve been on this case longer. What are you doing to make sure that you’re okay?”
“Ever the psychologist.”
“Nate, it’s not that. I’m worried about you.”
“I’m fine.” A ringing tone stopped Nate from saying anything more. The ringing continued. “Aren’t you going to get that?”
Ashley looked for her purse. Picking it up off the floor board she searched through it until she found her small phone. Without checking the number she answered, “Hello.”
“The girls are mine.” A low, male voice came through the phone. Ashley didn’t recognize the voice at all.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“You heard me Ashley Parks. All the girls are mine. You won’t get any of them back alive.”
“Who is this?”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m warning you to stay away from Kyle.”
“What? Why are you calling me?”
“I think I made myself clear, Ms. Parks. Failure to follow my instructions will result in dire consequences.”
“Like what?” Ashley put her finger in her free ear to block out the noise coming from Nate and outside the car. Who was this man?
“If you Daisy and Emma aren’t good enough lessons then you are dumber than I’ve heard.”
“No, no! Don’t hurt anyone! Don’t hurt any more girls. What is it that you want?”
“You will see.” The voice laughed. “By the way, Jimmy says “hi”.”
Ashley’s heart pounded. She dropped the phone with a gasp. When she recovered and brought the phone back to her ear he was gone. Only strange silence remained. That and an angry looking Nate. “What was that?”
“What was what?”
“Ashley, don’t be ridiculous, you know what I mean.”
“Nate, it was someone threatening the girls. They threatened me not to see Kyle anymore…”
“What number did they call from?”
Ashley flipped over her phone and checked the record of received calls. “I have a number here but I don’t recognize it. It’s a 727 area code. Where’s that?”
“That would be Pasco County I believe. I’ll get a trace on that right away.” Nate picked up his radio and called the information in. Ten minutes later they were turning on to Chestnut Street and Nate was receiving a call that the number was a pay phone off of County Road.
“It’s a pay phone but we’re sending a team out to lift fingerprints. I doubt they’ll find anything but it’s worth a shot,” Nate said. Ashley nodded as Nate put the car in park. “What else did he say?”
“What?”
“Ashley, what else did he say?” Ashley grabbed for the door handle but Nate grabbed her arm and gently pulled her to stay in the car. “Don’t think I don’t know. I can see it in the way you move. What else did he say?”
“He said “Jimmy says “hi”.” Ashley felt the tears brimming but she swallowed them back. She wasn’t strong enough to let herself cry. She certainly wasn’t strong enough to have Nate see her cry.
“Where’s Jimmy now?”
“Last I knew Florida State Prison in Starke. He was given the death penalty. They told me he was never getting out.” She couldn’t stop the tears. “They told me he was never getting out.”
Nate rubbed her back. Stroked her hair. He didn’t say anything but his presence said everything. Another officer knocked on the hood of the car and motioned for Nate to come out to the scene. With a finger Nate told him to wait. Ashley pushed the tears off of her face and smoothed her hair out. This wasn’t the time for this.
“We’ll check into it Ashley. I’ll make sure he’s still there.”
“Thank you.”
“Maybe you should go back to your hotel for a while.”
“No, I’m here. I need to see this. I need to talk to Kyle.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with that?”
“Nate, I’m not leaving Kyle. I really don’t care who this person thinks he is. I care about Kyle. I’m here to talk to him. I think he knows more then he’s saying, Nate and this call just proves it.” The tears were gone replaced by anger. She had made it through a lot. She could make it through a bit more.
“I think you should stay in the car…”
“Stop, Nate, I’m coming with you.” This time Ashley made it successfully out of the car with Nate right behind her. The scene in front of her was more then Ashley had expected. There were spectators and yellow tape everywhere. A red BMW sat abandoned on the road, the front door was open, a woman lay on the ground next to it. Blood pooled around her head and chest. Her eyes were open as if searching for something. Was her last view that of her daughter being kidnapped?
I know how you feel! The words screamed through Ashley’s head. Her heart could not understand the pain in the world. Maybe it was better for this mother. Better for her not to know what it’s like to live without a child. Better not to know the pain her daughter was going through even know; the pain she would know forever if she survived.
“Fill me in.” Nate was back in uniform. His words came out crisply and with authority.
“From what we can tell she was boxed in by two vehicles. Notice the damage here and here.” The Asian officer pointed to the front and rear of the BMW. “It also appears that at least six bullets hit the car in the back. We don’t see any blood in the backseat so it’s unlikely that the girl was hit. We also think that the mother was grabbed and pulled out of the front seat. She was shot twice, once in the chest, once in the head. I’m pretty sure the head was the money shot.”
“How did we get here so quick?” Nate asked.
“The girl managed to call 9-1-1 from the backseat. She told the 9-1-1 responder that they were being chased and shot at and that she was scared. By the time the paramedics and officers arrived the girl was gone and the mom was DOA.”
“Do we have anything? Anything new?”
“The tire tracks that leave here appear to be the same as the one we found around Daisy’s body.”
“Ford SUV?” Nate asked.
“From what we can tell,” the Asian officer replied.
“It’s not much.”
“Agent Zimmerman, this just came.” Another uniformed officer walked up to Nate and handed him a note. Nate took the note. “It’s not for you. It’s for her.” The officer pointed to Ashley. Nate rubbed the note in his hand and looked at Ashley. She could tell he was debating as to whether or not to turn it over to her.
Ashley held out her hand. Nate sighed and gave it to her. Even before she read it her hands were shaking. “I know it’s not the 14th but I thought I’d send you a note and say hello anyway. Glad to see you back in Florida, Ashley. Love always, Jimmy.”
Ashley watched the coroner load Emma’s body in to a black body bag and then be laid on a black gurney. Black was probably the best color for body bags and coroner’s gurney’s. When they thought about what color to use they picked correctly. Thoughts of Aidan flashed through her head. He had left on a paramedic’s gurney which had been white and so full of hope. She wished it had been the black one. Wished she’d had warning.
“Have we looked into Emma’s father? We know that Daisy’s father wasn’t involved but maybe Emma’s was. Maybe the girls knew each other?” Nate was thinking out loud.
“We’ve checked every angle. They were taken two hours apart. They did not attend school together now or at any other time. They don’t go to the same church and we can’t find anyone who knew them both.” Eric’s said and Ashley watched his eyes follow the gurney out the front door.
“But we’re missing something. They are related somehow. And where are they now? Where are they keeping the other girls? They killed these two girls but took two others? Doesn’t make sense.” Nate’s phone rang. “Zimmerman.”
Ashley watched Nate’s face change from sorrow to anguish. Ashley couldn’t imagine Nate hurting worse for these people then he already did and yet there it was. Written in the lines of his face. She knew something was even more wrong.
Nate slapped his cell phone up. “Eric, we have to go.”
“What’s going on?” Eric and Ashley asked at the same time.
“I’ll tell you on the way,” Nate said.
Ashley walked toward the door until Nate held up his hand. “I’m coming too.”
“No, you don’t need to be anymore involved then you already are. You’ve been here; you’ve been at the other scene. You don’t need this.”
“Nate, I can help…”
“Ashley, it’s not about help. This can give you nightmares.”
“They can’t be any worse then the ones that are already in my head.”
“Then what about Kyle?”
“I’m going later. Michael will take me.” Ashley pointed to Michael who was in the kitchen yelling orders about collecting proper evidence and the something about finding the home’s owner.
Something flashed across Nate’s face. He opened his mouth to speak, closed it and then said, “Fine, come with me now. I’ll have Eric stay and babysit Michael.”
Ashley wasn’t sure why Michael needed babysitting but she didn’t say anything. She followed Nate out the front door and into his cruiser. If she stayed any longer she would have to rent a vehicle. Relying on two bull-headed men for transportation was becoming more and more difficult and she was tired of arguing with Nate as to whether or not she could go with him wherever it was he was going. She was in this case whether he liked it or not. He asked her here and she was determined to get as much information as she could before she talked to Kyle. She knew Kyle knew something but she needed more to find out what it was. Maybe if he thought she knew something he would tell her the truth.
“We have another dead body and another missing girl,” Nate’s words broke into Ashley’s thoughts.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“We’re going to another murder scene. Why is it that you want to go? What do you want to prove? That you can see more death and live? Haven’t you seen enough?”
Ashley wanted to say something. The sharp words were on the tip of her tongue but for some reason she swallowed them back. Nate didn’t need her anger, he needed the truth. “I think Kyle knows something…”
“We know that, that’s why you’re here.”
“I know. What I mean is, he knows something else. I don’t know how he knows but it’s important and he’s not talking. I’m trying to understand. I keep hoping that if I get enough information and talk to him about it he’ll open up to me.” Ashley sighed and ran her hand through her hair. Nate said nothing. “I can’t figure him out. He’s completely shut off. Lots of kids are like him but I have more time with them. Weeks, months. This you’re asking me to do in just a few days. I need to see what he’s seen. Even if I don’t like it.”
“Okay.” Ashley figured that was all she was going to get. They rode on in silence.
“How are you doing?” Ashley’s voice cut through the silence.
“What do you mean?”
“Have you slept at all? Taken any time to eat? I’ve been here for three days but you’ve been on this case longer. What are you doing to make sure that you’re okay?”
“Ever the psychologist.”
“Nate, it’s not that. I’m worried about you.”
“I’m fine.” A ringing tone stopped Nate from saying anything more. The ringing continued. “Aren’t you going to get that?”
Ashley looked for her purse. Picking it up off the floor board she searched through it until she found her small phone. Without checking the number she answered, “Hello.”
“The girls are mine.” A low, male voice came through the phone. Ashley didn’t recognize the voice at all.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“You heard me Ashley Parks. All the girls are mine. You won’t get any of them back alive.”
“Who is this?”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m warning you to stay away from Kyle.”
“What? Why are you calling me?”
“I think I made myself clear, Ms. Parks. Failure to follow my instructions will result in dire consequences.”
“Like what?” Ashley put her finger in her free ear to block out the noise coming from Nate and outside the car. Who was this man?
“If you Daisy and Emma aren’t good enough lessons then you are dumber than I’ve heard.”
“No, no! Don’t hurt anyone! Don’t hurt any more girls. What is it that you want?”
“You will see.” The voice laughed. “By the way, Jimmy says “hi”.”
Ashley’s heart pounded. She dropped the phone with a gasp. When she recovered and brought the phone back to her ear he was gone. Only strange silence remained. That and an angry looking Nate. “What was that?”
“What was what?”
“Ashley, don’t be ridiculous, you know what I mean.”
“Nate, it was someone threatening the girls. They threatened me not to see Kyle anymore…”
“What number did they call from?”
Ashley flipped over her phone and checked the record of received calls. “I have a number here but I don’t recognize it. It’s a 727 area code. Where’s that?”
“That would be Pasco County I believe. I’ll get a trace on that right away.” Nate picked up his radio and called the information in. Ten minutes later they were turning on to Chestnut Street and Nate was receiving a call that the number was a pay phone off of County Road.
“It’s a pay phone but we’re sending a team out to lift fingerprints. I doubt they’ll find anything but it’s worth a shot,” Nate said. Ashley nodded as Nate put the car in park. “What else did he say?”
“What?”
“Ashley, what else did he say?” Ashley grabbed for the door handle but Nate grabbed her arm and gently pulled her to stay in the car. “Don’t think I don’t know. I can see it in the way you move. What else did he say?”
“He said “Jimmy says “hi”.” Ashley felt the tears brimming but she swallowed them back. She wasn’t strong enough to let herself cry. She certainly wasn’t strong enough to have Nate see her cry.
“Where’s Jimmy now?”
“Last I knew Florida State Prison in Starke. He was given the death penalty. They told me he was never getting out.” She couldn’t stop the tears. “They told me he was never getting out.”
Nate rubbed her back. Stroked her hair. He didn’t say anything but his presence said everything. Another officer knocked on the hood of the car and motioned for Nate to come out to the scene. With a finger Nate told him to wait. Ashley pushed the tears off of her face and smoothed her hair out. This wasn’t the time for this.
“We’ll check into it Ashley. I’ll make sure he’s still there.”
“Thank you.”
“Maybe you should go back to your hotel for a while.”
“No, I’m here. I need to see this. I need to talk to Kyle.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with that?”
“Nate, I’m not leaving Kyle. I really don’t care who this person thinks he is. I care about Kyle. I’m here to talk to him. I think he knows more then he’s saying, Nate and this call just proves it.” The tears were gone replaced by anger. She had made it through a lot. She could make it through a bit more.
“I think you should stay in the car…”
“Stop, Nate, I’m coming with you.” This time Ashley made it successfully out of the car with Nate right behind her. The scene in front of her was more then Ashley had expected. There were spectators and yellow tape everywhere. A red BMW sat abandoned on the road, the front door was open, a woman lay on the ground next to it. Blood pooled around her head and chest. Her eyes were open as if searching for something. Was her last view that of her daughter being kidnapped?
I know how you feel! The words screamed through Ashley’s head. Her heart could not understand the pain in the world. Maybe it was better for this mother. Better for her not to know what it’s like to live without a child. Better not to know the pain her daughter was going through even know; the pain she would know forever if she survived.
“Fill me in.” Nate was back in uniform. His words came out crisply and with authority.
“From what we can tell she was boxed in by two vehicles. Notice the damage here and here.” The Asian officer pointed to the front and rear of the BMW. “It also appears that at least six bullets hit the car in the back. We don’t see any blood in the backseat so it’s unlikely that the girl was hit. We also think that the mother was grabbed and pulled out of the front seat. She was shot twice, once in the chest, once in the head. I’m pretty sure the head was the money shot.”
“How did we get here so quick?” Nate asked.
“The girl managed to call 9-1-1 from the backseat. She told the 9-1-1 responder that they were being chased and shot at and that she was scared. By the time the paramedics and officers arrived the girl was gone and the mom was DOA.”
“Do we have anything? Anything new?”
“The tire tracks that leave here appear to be the same as the one we found around Daisy’s body.”
“Ford SUV?” Nate asked.
“From what we can tell,” the Asian officer replied.
“It’s not much.”
“Agent Zimmerman, this just came.” Another uniformed officer walked up to Nate and handed him a note. Nate took the note. “It’s not for you. It’s for her.” The officer pointed to Ashley. Nate rubbed the note in his hand and looked at Ashley. She could tell he was debating as to whether or not to turn it over to her.
Ashley held out her hand. Nate sighed and gave it to her. Even before she read it her hands were shaking. “I know it’s not the 14th but I thought I’d send you a note and say hello anyway. Glad to see you back in Florida, Ashley. Love always, Jimmy.”
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