Chapter 23

“Anything yet?” Eric leaned over Nate’s desk looking at the spread of paperwork covering it. Pictures of the missing and known deceased girls were all over it. Even though the entire group had a working white board covered with pictures and marked with timelines Nate liked to have things right in front of him. It allowed him to move things around and rearrange them in his own mind whenever he needed to.
“I just got back the financial analysis from all five families…”
“You got access to the Fleming’s financials?”
“Michael allowed it. Claims he has nothing to hide.”
“And does he?” Eric asked.
“Not that I can tell so far. We have accountants digging deeper. This is just their preliminary report. Everything seems pretty normal. Three out of the five couples filed for divorce.”
“Which ones?”
“Sykes, Rappaports and Lamberts.”
“Do you think it’s significant?”
“Could be. It’s easier to target a single mother but when I talked to Collin Lambert he said they were reconciling and not going through with a divorce,” Nate said.
“But maybe whoever was stalking them didn’t know that.”
“Then they weren’t very good on their surveillance were they?”
“Not all bad guys are smart, Nate!”
“We could only hope they were all dumb.”
Nate laughed at Eric’s comment as Eric returned to his desk. It would certainly work in their favor if all criminals laid it out for them and made it easy to find and arrest them. Unfortunately for Nate this wasn’t the case for their current situation.
As Nate continued to sift through his paperwork he heard his cell phone ring. Digging through the stuff on his desk he found his phone and saw that it was Ashley’s number. Odd, he thought, didn’t I just talk to her?
“Zimmerman.”
“Nate, its Ashley,” her voice was a low whisper. Nate sat up on high alert.
“Ashley, what’s wrong?”
“I’m in trouble, Nate. Something is wrong. Hold on…” He could hear crunching noises coming through the phone followed by an “ouch” and then she was back. “Nate, I found Jessica.”
“Where is she? Is she alive?”
“No, I found her body. It’s not far from Michael’s house.”
“Where are you right now?”
“I’m not sure. It’s a long story.”
“Where is Officer Easton? He was supposed to cover you.”
“He’s not very good at his job. But Nate he might be dead…”
“What?” Nate stood up from his seat and began motioning for Eric. When Eric didn’t look up at him he began snapping. That got his attention and he was by Nate’s side once again.
“I heard shots fired. At least two. I was talking to this guy on the phone. He told me where to go. He said if anyone came or if Officer Easton followed me he would kill him. I did as he said but then I heard shooting. I don’t know if it’s at me or him. Nate, I’m scared.”
“Ashley, tell me where you are and I will be there in minutes.”
“I’m around the corner from Michael’s. Maybe a mile or two away. I don’t know the street. I was jogging. I’d gone like a mile when my phone rang…”
“Ashley, what happened?”
No response. More crunching, then heavy breathing, then “Oh God, no, no, no!”
Nate lost the connection.
“Eric, we have to go. Ashley’s in trouble. I need them to put a tracker on Ashley’s cell phone. I’m not getting a connection but I don’t think she turned it off. We should be able to find her.”
“Got it.”
“I’m leaving now. She said she’s not far from Michael’s. I’m heading there now. Call me when you have the exact spot.”
Nate didn’t wait for an answer or response. Instead he grabbed his keys and ran to his cruiser. With lights blazing and his foot on the gas he was near Michael’s house in just under thirty minutes. He had yet to hear from Eric as to Ashley’s exact location so he went to Michael’s and began to bang on his front door.
“What is wrong with you?” Michael asked as he opened the door. “Didn’t Ashley just talk to you?”
“Where is she?”
“She went for a run.”
“How long ago?”
“I don’t know an hour, maybe two.”
“Two hours. You don’t find that odd?”
“I have no idea how long she normally runs for.”
“Michael, she’s in trouble. She just called me. We have to find her. Do you know which way she went?”
Michael’s face changed and in place of his anger was concern. He stepped out onto his front lawn and pointed down the street. “I have no idea but I would guess she ran down the street this way and out of the neighborhood. It’s where I would go.”
Nate didn’t wait for a second guess and took off running in the way he thought she would go. He picked up the pace when he spotted Easton’s cruiser a few blocks ahead of him. He was out of breath by the time he made it to Easton’s driver side window. How did Ashley run this much?
He didn’t have to look to know something was wrong. Easton should have, would have seen him coming and yet he wasn’t moving. Wasn’t turning to look. Red streaked the window around the two small holes that punctured it. Cole Easton was slumped over his steering wheel. From what Nate could tell the holes through the window continued into Cole’s head. Blood streaked the driver’s seat and down Cole’s back.
Ashley.
Nate pulled out his cell phone. Searching through the numbers received he found Ashley’s number and dialed it. “Please, please, Ashley pick up the phone.”
“Nate?”
“Ashley, are you okay?”
“I’m okay. I don’t think he was shooting at me.”
“No, he wasn’t.”
“Is it Cole?”
“I’m afraid it is. I’m standing by him now. Where are you?”
“I’m just past the fence, turn right and go down the street. I haven’t heard anything in a while. I thought he was here, Nate. I thought he’d found me…” She cut off her words with sobs.
“Stay on the phone with me till I find you. I’ll be right there.” Nate walked around the car and to the end of the fence. Houses dotted the landscape in front of him. These homes were much closer together then the houses in Michael’s neighborhood. The houses were much smaller too but there was no doubt in Nate’s mind that the owners of these houses had money or at least enough credit card debt to keep their homes looking perfect. Twelve manicured lawns later Nate came to a dead end.
“Ashley, were are you?”
“I’m… I’m in the wo..” Ashley’s voice was muffled and distorted but Nate think he caught “woods”. Woods? Where were they? Nate turned in a circle but all he saw were houses. One of them must have led to woods but which one?
“Dispatch this is Agent Zimmerman, I need backup at 1141 Sequoia Court Port Richey.”
“Copy that Agent.”
“Ashley?” Nate spoke into the phone. When he got no answer, he yelled into the air, “Ashley!”
“I’m behind the house in front of you. There’s a stream or a large puddle but you have to go through the yard.” Ashley’s voice came through Nate’s phone more clearly now. Nate looked in front of him and saw trees behind the house at the end of the cul-de-sac. He carefully picked his way through the yard.
“This is not good. I need a warrant. I’m in a yard that I shouldn’t be. Ashley, are you in danger?”
“I don’t think so. Not right now. Nate, I thought he came back…” Her voice was coming through louder now. She had to be close.
Movement caught his eye behind a tree. Straight hair behind a tree. Ashley.
Nate tiptoed over to her not missing the small grayish hand that protruded from the water that was attempting to pass for a lake in the backyard. “Ashley, are you okay?”
“I’m in one piece,” Ashley said and smiled at Nate. It was a sad attempt but Nate was grateful for it. “That’s Jessica.” Ashley pointed to the hand.
“I know.” Nate took Ashley’s hand and knelt in front of her. “Ashley, are you okay?”
“I’m okay.”
“No, Ashley, you’re not. You haven’t been okay since you lost Donnie and Aidan. Please stop lying…”
“Nate, you’ve always wanted to take care of me. Always. Even before Donnie and Aidan. You don’t have to do it…”
“But what if I want to? What if I care enough about you to care for you?” Ashley wouldn’t meet his gaze. Just like her to avoid confrontation, to avoid her feelings, to avoid feeling at all.
“Nate, it’s not your job.” Ashley pulled her hands out of Nate’s.
“It’s not about a job, Ashley. I’m here because I care for you, I care about you. Sometimes maybe too much.” Nate clamped his lips together. Maybe he was sharing too much. No, for the first time he was finally saying what he needed to. “Ashley…”
Sirens stopped Nate short. His back-up had arrived. He had to work. He had to rope off the scene. He had to take pictures. He had to question Ashley about the phone call and the dead body. Make that two dead bodies. But first, first, he had to try just one thing.
Nate leaned in to Ashley and gave her a small kiss. More of a peck at first but when she returned his gesture he kissed her more. Did she know what he felt for her? What he had always felt?
“Agent Zimmerman, we need you to clear the scene. The Lieutenant is here to question you both.”
Nate nodded his response and stood. He held out his hand to Ashley. When she placed her hand in his Nate knew that it was his time to fight for what he wanted. But would Ashley truly return his feelings? After fourteen years of rejection Nate wasn't so sure.