Kidnapped (28 page)

The helicopter moved off to the south. “He may be holed up wherever they were holding Sharon originally,” Taylor said.

“It's possible. Sharon was certain there was carpet under her feet when they pulled her out of that room and took her to the garage to put her in the car trunk. She remembers a full flight of stairs, suggesting it's somewhere inside a two-story house. But other than the fact it's somewhere near Benton, do we know much about where to even look?”

“Not enough.”

Luke looked at his watch, wondering if Sharon had been able to get any sleep in the remaining hours of the morning. “Sharon's offered to go with us for a drive, to see if she recognizes the sounds of a bridge she crossed, railroad tracks, anything that will give us a sense of direction and distance she was driven, but it's a long shot. We need to find that white van. Maybe if we can figure out where they dumped it, or who originally bought it, we can get a lead on this guy who had enough money to set up this kidnapping. He's the one person who would know where that room is located.”

“Jackie is with Sharon this morning?”

“Yes. She's remembered a number of useful details beyond the sketch. We haven't done a full debriefing yet. Henry wanted Sharon rested enough to get through the press conference this morning first.”

“That's smart. The public will sympathize with Sharon a lot more than a police briefing. Luke, do you mind if I tag along for that drive around?”

“I'd appreciate it. You know this area like the back of your hand. You might be able to put together the small details Sharon can remember.”

The trees began to thin out and the field came into view. The old oak Luke had been using as his guide to stay on a straight search line towered above them, decades of living having aged and thickened the bark and branches.

Vehicles lined up along the road on either side of a communications van being used as the field command post. “I'm going to go into town for the press conference. I'm guessing we won't head out to drive around with Sharon until midafternoon. I'll find you before then.”

“I'll be around,” Taylor promised.

Chapter Thirty-Six

T
he news at the top of the hour came on. Highlights of the press conference began to replay. Luke shut off the small television mounted under Mark and Sharon's kitchen cabinets. He opened the refrigerator and poured himself a tall glass of juice and carried it with him into the living room. Sharon had sought refuge on the couch, curling up under an old quilt.

“You did a good job.” Luke shifted the ice bag she held against her face and looked at the bruise. “And that is getting better.”

“I looked like an abuse victim on TV.”

“The cameras are never kind,” he commiserated. “You handled the questions like a pro.”

“They say the tip line at the task force has been busy.”

“Are you sure you're up to this?” he asked gently, loath to push right now. He was exhausted just having been a spectator in the crowd; he knew she had to be running on nervous energy right now.

“Ask your questions, Luke. I'm up to this. It will help to have it over with.”

“Relax, Sharon. Let's just talk a bit now, and plan to talk again later today and over the next couple days. Memories tend to have layers. You'll remember some details now and others will come to mind on their own. There's no pass or fail in an interview like this.”

Mark joined them, shifting Sharon's feet so he could sit on the couch with her. Luke was relieved to see from his cousin's movements that his chest pain appeared to be abating.

Luke took a seat across from Sharon and opened his notebook. She had already gone over the time line of events with Jackie that morning, and Luke didn't want to reopen any memories he didn't have to. “Why don't you start by telling me more about the room you were in. Describe it for me.”

“It's not high enough to stand up in. The entry was up high on the wall, about three feet square. About the only thing I'm certain of is that it's got good soundproofing. I could hear nothing through the walls or the floor.”

“Was anything unique that might be traceable? A particular video he purchased or an unusual food item?”

Sharon shook her head. “I'm sorry.”

“What about when they hauled you out of the room? Do you remember what kind of place you entered?”

“They had shoved a pillowcase over my head. I remember getting pushed up and out of the room. When I cleared that entryway, I was on my hands and knees and it was carpeted. They pulled me to my feet and I lost my balance. I grabbed something that I thought was a coat or maybe one of those heavy fabric storage bags. My hands were taped, and it was more the feel of the rough fabric than anything else about how it was cut.”

“The fabric wasn't on a piece of furniture?”

“It gave under my hands, and it was high—you know it could have been a drape. It had that same heavy feel to it.”

“What happened next?”

“I distinctly remember being pulled down a lot of stairs that felt like they were at a steep angle.” She bit her lip. “We made at least one right turn, and it seemed like a very long walk before I was pushed through a door into what must have been a garage. It was cold, and the floor was concrete. After they shoved me into the trunk, it was almost an hour before the car was moved. I remember thinking as I lay there that I was hearing a deep freezer run.”

“Could you hear traffic? other garage doors opening and closing? school buses? conversations? anything that suggested this place was near other buildings?”

“No.”

“Do you have a sense of the time of day? Early or late?”

“I thought it was in the evening, around eight or nine maybe.”

“This all helps, Sharon. When they pulled away from the house, do you remember which way they turned?”

“No, I couldn't keep the directions sorted out. I was lying pretty awkwardly and my head hurt pretty bad.”

“Were there stops along the way? Or did they drive directly to what we now know was the campsite?”

“They didn't park and shut off the car, but I do remember several stops and starts, like they were at four-way intersections with traffic lights. Twice we passed over railroad tracks, and at least once we passed what might have been a hog farm. The smell was strong.”

“Could you judge how long you were driven around?”

“An hour maybe. It wasn't a short trip.”

Luke looked over to the doorway behind Sharon where Henry James had joined them to quietly listen in. Henry held up two fingers and lifted an eyebrow.

Luke opened his folder. “When you were taken from the trunk at the campsite, was only the one person present?” Luke offered the sketch she had drawn. “Was it only Frank?”

“After the gunshots, I thought I heard people yelling at each other, but I don't know. The voices could have been on top of the shooting. That gunfire really echoed around. Everything had gone quiet before I was hauled out of the trunk and taken away by just one person—Frank. I didn't see his face until after he had made that call to Caroline and we drove up to near the vista, but no one else joined us.”

“Back to the campsite for a moment—did you hear another car start and leave the area around the time you were pulled from the trunk?”

“Maybe. There were a lot of vehicles coming and going that day. One sounded like a diesel engine, and there was another—it almost sounded like a race car, very fast revving.”

Luke closed his notebook. “When you were stopped at the vista waiting for Caroline to join you, how did Frank seem when he let you see his face?”

“He never showed much emotion during any of this. He left me sitting at the picnic table for quite a while before Caroline came while he walked around the area. He was smoking a cigarette, waiting. About the only thing that seemed to make him nervous at all was the sound of helicopters that occasionally flew over.” She sighed. “Will any of that help?”

Luke smiled. “It will all help, Sharon. With the information you gave Jackie this morning, and what the task force has been able to discover about the guys who were killed—the picture is filling in quickly. Will you be up to riding around with us later today? Say about three o'clock?”

“Yes.”

“Then let me get out of here so you can get some rest. I'll have an update for you on the search then.”

“Thank you, Luke.”

He paused by the couch to touch her hand. “Hang in there, Sharon. This day isn't over yet.”

“Find her, please.”

“We're going to,” he promised.

Luke followed Henry outside so they could talk in private.

“She's a strong lady,” Henry observed.

“It runs in the family.”

“I've intensified the search to find the place Sharon was held, given what she was able to tell Jackie about the time line this morning. We've been over the times again, and the last sightings of the white van.” Henry paused as one of the search helicopters departed from the county road. To keep media out, the road remained closed, and that made it a convenient place for pilots and search teams to meet up.

The noise abated and Henry continued. “I think the place we're looking for has to be east of Benton, and there are not a lot of homes out that way. Some very pricey homes and neighborhoods, as well as a number of very old farmhouses.”

“What she described was a two-story house with an attached garage. That rules out a lot of places,” Luke noted.

“Agreed. That room had to be built, and it sounds like enough effort was involved that there is no way it could be entirely concealed. I want to start a door-to-door canvass, ask neighbors who's been doing construction recently, if they've seen lumber being moved around, drywall, any deliveries being made.”

“It's a good idea. We have enough volunteers to organize a flyer drop in that area as well.”

Luke saw Benjamin disappear around the back of the garage, following one of the kittens. “Give me a couple hours, Henry, and I'll join you when Sharon is ready to go out.”

“Sure.”

Luke followed Benjamin.

The boy was lying on the ground, looking beneath a large burning bush. Luke watched him for a few moments before kneeling down. “How are you doing, buddy?”

“This kitten is the most skittish. He's the older one, and he keeps running away.”

“Have you tried bacon?”

Benjamin looked over at him.

“Fried bacon smells wonderful to skittish kittens. And food is good for attracting even the most skittish of males.”

“You'll keep an eye on him while I go see what's in the refrigerator?”

Luke sat on the ground and leaned down. The kitten had backed himself up against the center of the bush, his small amount of fur raised along his back, his ears twitching. He didn't look afraid, as much as he seemed certain he didn't want to return inside. “Sure.”

Benjamin went back to the house.

Luke waited a bit and extended his hand. “Are you interested in the smell of coffee?”

He tried to back up farther and couldn't. “There's a blanket-lined box for your mom and your siblings just waiting for you to join them. It's nice and warm and cozy, and you would be safe there. Not to mention you would be well petted.”

He wasn't particularly a cat person, but he admired the independence in the animal. There wasn't enough consistency in his travel schedule to allow him a dog or cat at home. He'd missed something not having a pet depending on him.

Benjamin sat down beside him and held out a piece of ham. “Has he moved?”

“He's waiting for you.”

“Caroline said we would take care of the cat and kittens until Gary returned and could care for them.”

“Yes.”

“I haven't named them, because they are going to go back home soon. But I like this one a lot.”

Luke rested his hands back on the grass. “Why?”

“He's stubborn.” Benjamin lowered his hand. “He doesn't like the ham.”

“He looks tired of running. We could catch him if you like.”

“It would just scare him more.” Benjamin set down the piece of ham on the ground partway to the kitten. “Can we go over to Caroline's?”

“Sure. Why?”

“I left my notebook over there.”

Luke had seen Benjamin coloring in it at Caroline's suggestion, drawing what it was like to be in the woods overnight. Luke got up and offered his hand to help Benjamin up. “Let's walk over there. The kitten may be ready to come inside when we get back.”

Luke lifted a hand to Sharon at the back patio door, confirming he had Benjamin with him for a while. She nodded.

Luke didn't try to start a conversation as they walked to Caroline's. Benjamin's attention shifted from fallen limbs he picked up to berries he could swing at and hit. The boy was recovering. Luke wished adults could recover as swiftly.

“When is Caroline going to be home?” Benjamin asked as they walked up the driveway to her house.

“It may be a few days. Do you understand what happened?”

“She took Mom's place.”

“Something like that,” Luke replied.

“So she'll come home too, like Mom did? He'll let her go?”

“That's what I'm working on now.”

“Mom said I can hand out more flyers tomorrow, the ones they're creating for Caroline.”

“I'd appreciate the help. Are you okay watching the cat and kittens for her on your own?”

“Yeah.”

Luke deactivated the alarm system and held the door for Benjamin.

The house felt abandoned. The officers who had searched it and dusted for prints had left evidence they had been here. The fact no one had been here to wipe the patio door glass and straighten the chairs just added to the fact Caroline was missing.

“I think I left it upstairs.” Benjamin didn't linger in the kitchen checking out the candy sticks as he often did. He moved down the hall to go upstairs.