Chapter 40
LAWSON
Nash and I took in the wall littered with photos.
Over fifteen women had gone missing in the last nine months.
Twenty in the past five years. Twenty women who all resembled Hallie and the past victims in some respects.
There was no way to know if the women were still alive or not.
No way to know for sure if they were connected.
But there were too many coincidences to ignore.
Nash shifted so he faced me, his gaze boring in. “Say something.”
“I don’t have anything constructive.”
“It doesn’t have to be constructive, Law. But you need to let it out. You bottle things up so tightly; I’m worried you’ll have a stroke.”
That muscle beneath my eye began to flutter. “They all look like Hallie.”
“I know,” Nash said quietly.
My fingers twitched. The urge to pick up my phone and call her just to make sure she was okay was strong.
“We either have a copycat, or he’s back.” I tried to keep my voice calm as I spoke, but my throat strangled the words.
“What does the FBI say?” Nash asked.
My jaw clenched. “That they’re looking over the files I sent.”
“Bureaucrats,” he muttered. “What about Anson?”
“He hung up on me the second I mentioned a case.”
Nash leaned back against the conference table. “What the hell is his deal? People are dying, and all you wanted was a little insight.”
I shook my head as I scrubbed a hand over the stubble on my jaw. “It’s not that simple. Not for him. He’s been through too much.”
Nash blew out a breath. “That was an asshole thing for me to say. I know he lost a lot. I just—you’ve told me how good he is. We need that kind of brain.”
I knew we did. And the fact that it was within reach but not accessible stung. I didn’t know a person on this Earth who was smarter than Anson. His mind worked differently than the rest of ours. He saw connections that were out of my reach.
But he’d lived in dark places for a long time. And, eventually, the darkness bit back. No, it more than bit. It shredded.
“I’ll call the FBI again.” I was sure they had other geniuses at their disposal. I just needed them to lend me one.
My cell phone rang on the conference table, and I swiped it up. Hallie’s name flashed on the screen. My heart rate did a stutter step, the beats almost seeming to trip over themselves. A mixture of anticipation and worry filled me.
“Hey. Everything all—?”
Luke’s voice cut me off. “Dad? Something happened.”
My blood turned to ice at his words.
“Hallie’s freaking out. I think she’s having a panic attack. We’re by the deli. There was a note on the SUV, but it’s just a strange drawing. She’s shaking and breathing weird.”
I was already moving. Running. Nash was on my heels.
“I’m on my way. Stick close to her.”
“I won’t leave her,” Luke said, but his voice trembled. “She’s real scared.”
I let a curse fly as my feet pounded the pavement. Two blocks. They were only two blocks away. But what could happen in that length of time? Anything.
Someone could be watching. Waiting.
I pushed my muscles harder, my lungs burning.
The first glimpse of them should’ve brought relief, but it didn’t. Hallie was huddled on the curb. I could see her body trembling from twenty feet away. Luke was close, standing guard, and he held a white piece of paper in his hand.
I crouched in front of Hallie, my hands wrapping around her calves. “Hallie. Look at me.”
Her eyes had gone completely vacant as if she weren’t even present, and her breaths came in quick pants. Her fingers were curled so tightly in on themselves it looked painful.
“Hallie, one thing at a time. What do you see?”
Her hands squeezed tighter.
I took one between mine and gently forced the fingers to unknot. “What do you see?”
“S-see. F-five things.” Hallie’s voice trembled, but it was something.
“That’s right. Five things. List them off for me.”
Her eyes lost a bit of their vacant look as she struggled to focus. “Wheel. Bumper.” She took a shaky breath. “Street.” Her gaze moved to me. “Uniform.” Those eyes lifted, locking with mine. “Blue.”
The vise around my rib cage loosened the smallest fraction. “There’s my girl.”
She launched herself at me.
I wrapped my arms around Hallie, holding her tightly as Luke and Nash watched. I got to my feet, Hallie still in my hold. “You’re okay.” I glanced at Luke. “What happened?”
He held out a piece of paper. I was about to take it when I saw the drawing. “Nash,” I clipped, inclining my head toward the note.
His jaw went hard as granite. “Be right back.”
Nash jogged toward the deli, and I turned back to Luke. “Keep holding the corner just like that but don’t touch anything else.”
Luke’s eyes widened. “I shouldn’t have touched it. I didn’t think.”
“It’s okay. You were trying to help.”
Hallie began to tremble again in my arms but tried her best to straighten. “I’m okay. I’m sorry—I—”
“No apologizing,” I said gently.
She turned to Luke. “I’m okay.”
Nash was back with a pair of prep gloves and a Ziploc bag from the deli.
“Quick thinking,” I muttered.
He shrugged and took the piece of paper from Luke, slipping it into the bag. “Should we print the vehicle?”
“Not a bad idea.”
The moment the note was free from Luke’s hand, he went straight for Hallie, his arms wrapping around her in a hug. She answered instantly in kind, rubbing her hand up and down his back. “I’m so sorry I scared you. These can happen sometimes…”
Hallie glanced at me. There was so much guilt in those beautiful gray eyes.
“No,” Luke said, hugging her tighter. “Dad’s right. You shouldn’t apologize for anything. I’m just sorry you were scared.”
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “You’re the best kid ever. You know that, right?”
Luke released her. “You’re the best nanny ever. You know that, right?”
Hallie’s lips curved slightly, but I could still see her hands trembling—the aftermath of the panic attack.
I turned to Nash. “I need to get them home. Have the SUV’s windshield, hood, and side mirrors printed. Check and see if any of the businesses’ cameras reach this far. And tell Clint I want a call about his interview with Len Keller and the guy’s lawyer.”
Nash jerked his head in a nod and pulled out his phone. But he froze as he scanned the screen.
“What?” I growled.
Nash’s gaze locked with mine. “Len Keller was released from his 5150 hold this morning. Clint and the lawyer can’t find him anywhere.”