Chapter 18 #3
Grant let Red take the lead at the door, staying back slightly with Dexter.
They knocked, announced themselves, and entered the first-floor apartment.
The place was clean but stank slightly. The officers fanned out, with Grant and Dexter heading down the hall.
The first bedroom had all the curtains pulled tight, a small bed in the center of the room.
Shit, this was where the boys had been held.
The smell from the room nearly knocked him over, but he pushed it aside and checked the bedding, which was wet and moldy.
It took him only a second to figure out what the wet was from.
“Suspect coming out the back,” came through the radio. “He has a child with him.”
Shit, the asshole had taken another child. Grant hurried out of the apartment and down the hall toward a back door. After checking that it was clear, he and Dexter hurried outside, toward movement in the woods leading toward the park.
Dexter pulled at the lead, and Grant followed behind. “The suspect with the child is heading down the park trail toward the play area.”
He picked up speed and gave Dexter his head, plowing through the undergrowth until they burst out onto the trail.
Dexter turned toward the bridge over the LeTort, and Grant followed, holding on to the lead as Dexter strained to get ahead.
Finally he released Dexter and let him go.
He ran down the trail as Atlas and Evie came up from the other way.
“Grant!”
He turned as Cameron raced across the grass from the play area. In an instant it felt like his heart was going to stop. Why were they here, today of all days. The last thing he wanted was for Marty and Cameron to see this.
“Stay there,” Marty snapped, and Cameron came to a stop. Marty hurried up behind him. Knowing Cameron was safe, Grant charged ahead, his mind shifting back into pursuit mode.
“He’s right there,” Grant called and raced after Dexter, who was already zeroing in on the suspect.
The man ran out to the edge of the stream and dropped the kid into the water.
“Go after him. I’ll get the child,” he told Atlas.
He and Evie went off full force as Grant and Dexter hurried to the water’s edge.
Dexter plowed into the water without pausing.
Grant went right after him, nearly slipping on the rocky bottom.
The little boy screamed and flailed as the current took him downstream.
Dexter reached him first, with Grant close behind.
“It’s okay. I’m here to help you,” he said when he reached the boy, lifting him into his arms. He cried and struggled against Grant as he got back to shore.
“I’m a police officer, and I have you. You’re going to be okay,” he said softly.
“I’m going to get you to your mom and dad.
” He held him, rocking gently as Dexter got out of the water, shaking himself off.
“That’s Dexter. He’s a good dog, and he went in to help save you. ”
The boy burst into tears, and Grant held him close, looking around the park to where Evie had the suspect pinned to the ground and Atlas was putting him in cuffs.
“That man is never going to hurt you again. We have him and he’s going to jail.” He messaged through the radio that he had the boy and that he was safe. Atlas then added that the suspect was in custody. “We got him.”
The boy sniffled as Marty and Cameron hurried over. “What are you doing here?” Grant asked.
“I took Cameron to play,” Marty answered while Cameron walked over to Dexter.
“What’s your name?” Grant asked gently.
“Angus Kincaid,” the boy answered.
“Do you know your address and your mom or dad’s name?” Grant asked.
“My daddy is Harry Kincaid and my mommy is Alicia. I live at 545 Highland Street,” he said, and Grant smiled.
“That was amazing. Do you know your phone number?”
“Yes,” he said and told Grant, who pulled out his phone and dialed.
“Is this Alicia Kincaid?”
She had been crying. “I was just on the phone with the police because my son is missing.” She was clearly barely keeping it together.
“I’m in LeTort Park, and I have Angus with me right now. Can you come down here to claim him? Please bring ID and dry clothes for Angus. We’ll be waiting for you.”
“I’m on my way,” she said, and the phone went dead. Grant set Angus down and held his hand.
“Your mom is on her way, and she’ll be here in a few minutes,” Grant told him, holding his hand and keeping him away from the suspect.
“Is that the bad man?” Cameron asked. “Is he going to jail?”
Grant swallowed hard. “Yes, it is, and Atlas and Evie are going to take him to jail. We’re going to stay here with Angus.”
Cameron nodded, and damned if the most amazing thing didn’t happen. “I’m Cameron. What’s your name?”
“Angus,” the boy said.
“I’m sorry you’re all wet, but Grant is a policeman, and he’s really good. He’ll get the bad man and keep him away forever and ever.”
Marty must have had an old towel in his bag, because he handed it to Angus and helped him dry off. “Your mama will be here soon. Are you hurt?”
Angus shook his head.
“Then maybe we can go play?” Cameron asked.
“Dexter is really good at playing.” He leaned on Dexter, and the police dog sat down and let Cameron practically crawl over him.
This was almost surreal, and yet Marty and Cameron calmed Angus down quickly.
He simply stood with them until a woman hurried past the line of police officers.
“Mommy,” Angus cried and ran over to her. More tears followed as she lifted him into her arms. She kissed him and cried. “Don’t be sad.”
“I’m happy you’re safe,” she said as she approached the three of them.
“I didn’t even know he was gone right away.
He was playing in front of the building, and when I looked out, he was gone.
I called the police, and then you called me, and…
.” She buried her head in Angus’s shoulder.
Cameron held Marty’s hand and stayed close to him, the fear wafting off her probably affecting him. “Do you know what happened?”
“I believe it was your neighbor. We’ve been after him for taking children, and we finally tracked him here.
I believe he snatched Angus in an effort to get away.
He is in custody. This is my family. Marty and Cameron were here on the play equipment and saw me, so they hurried over to try to help.
” He wouldn’t have expected anything less from either of them.
“Grant helped get the bad man,” Cameron said. “Now everyone is safe.” He smiled as though a weight were off his shoulders.
“Why don’t you help Angus change his clothes and leave the wet ones with us as evidence? Then we’ll get a statement from you, and eventually I’d like to speak to Angus, but that doesn’t have to be today.”
“Whatever you need.” She turned to Angus. “I was so scared that I had lost you.”
“The policeman found me,” Angus told her. “The bad man put me in the water, and he saved me,” Angus told his mother, pointing at Grant.
She seemed to have relaxed a little. “I’m just glad you’re okay,” she told Angus again.
Grant was willing to bet that she was not going to let Angus out of her sight again until he was at least eighteen.
“Let’s go get you dried off and changed.
” She led him back the way she had come and through the line to where she was parked.
“Are both of you okay?”
Cameron nodded solemnly. “Daddy yelled at me.”
Grant looked at Marty, who beamed and said nothing.
“I know, but he was scared that you might get hurt.” Grant knelt down.
“Sometimes parents yell when they get scared for their kids. It means they love them very much.” He shared a smile with Cameron.
“I promise you that. Do you want to go play some more?”
“Can I take Dexter?”
“I don’t think he’s allowed in the play area, but after I get done with work, I’ll bring Dexter over, and the two of you can play in the backyard.”
That seemed to mollify Cameron, who turned to Marty. “My tummy is hungry.”
“Okay. We’ll go get something to eat.” He took Cameron by the hand, while he was still a little pale, as he led him around where the other officers were getting Bryant Gunderson in a squad car, shielding Cameron from as much of the view as possible.
“Are you ready to join us?” Captain Robards asked with a hint of impatience. Grant called Dexter and headed over to where the others had gathered. “How is the boy?”
“He’s with his mother. She’ll be back once Angus is out of his wet clothes.” He watched where they had disappeared into her car. “She is going to save his clothes for us in case they can tell us something.”
“Did he toss the boy in the water?” the captain asked.
“Yes. I peeled off the chase to help him. I figured that saving the boy was the top priority.”
“And you were right. Good call. Red is going to take the suspect back to the station. Atlas and Grant, you police the area for any evidence you can find. Then check out the apartment before returning to the station. We’ll let our suspect cool his heels until you’re ready to question him.”