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.