Chapter 3
“He’s not our guy, unless he’s working with someone else.” Grady held the detective’s gaze. “Someone in a black SUV followed us from an office building downtown and fired shots at us. That was between five fifteen and five thirty this evening.”
“Shots?” Kramer frowned. “Why would the kidnapper change his MO? Maybe we have the kidnapper and the shooter is someone else.”
“Both using black SUVs?” Lauren shook her head. “I don’t think so. I believe I may have been followed when I went to our, uh, appointment.”
Grady understood she was trying to avoid telling Kramer that she’d gone to meet with his boss to hire him as her bodyguard.
He reached for her hand, in what he hoped was a concerned-fiancé type of gesture.
“I agree with Lauren, this guy must have been keeping an eye on the building and managed to follow us as we got into my Jeep.” There was no other way the kidnapper could have known Grady would be with Lauren and Lucy.
He hadn’t even known what case his boss had assigned to him.
“What makes you think this Jorge Dombach is the kidnapper?”
Kramer scowled, as if annoyed to learn about the shooting that had ruined his theory. “We spotted a black SUV on a traffic cam about a mile from the site of the kidnapping. He has a criminal record for drug possession and robbery.”
“Can we see the video of his SUV?” Lauren squeezed his hand, as if thanking him for being there. “Maybe Grady can tell if it’s similar to the one that shot at us.”
“Yeah, I guess.” Kramer still looked disgruntled as he pulled out his phone. Then he held the device toward Grady. He released Lauren’s hand to take it, moving closer to her and holding the screen so they could both watch the traffic cam video.
The SUV in question was an older model Honda, with a large dent in the back bumper.
It looked to him as if the paint was scraped off the rear portion of the roof of the car too.
He suspected there were other dings and dents on the vehicle, but the angle of the camera was such that they could only see the back and part of the roof as the driver passed through the light.
He shook his head and handed the phone back. “I don’t think he’s our guy.”
“Based on what?” Kramer demanded.
“You mentioned witnesses saw a black SUV at the scene of the kidnapping. I think they’d have noticed if there were dents in the car. And the vehicle I saw behind me had tinted windows and looked new. This one doesn’t.”
“Maybe Dombach is working with someone else.” Kramer clearly didn’t want to believe they were on the wrong path. “He’s being arraigned in the morning. We’re going to ask the judge to hold him without bail because he’s a danger to children.”
He shrugged and glanced at Lauren. “That’s up to you. But I don’t think you should stop investigating other suspects.”
Kramer scowled again and pocketed his phone. “How many shots were fired?”
“Only one, which I thought was strange at the time.” Looking back, Grady wondered why the gunman hadn’t fired several shots, barraging his Jeep with bullets. “He took out the rear window. I have my Jeep parked down in the parking garage if you’d like to see the damage for yourself.”
Before Kramer could answer, the intercom buzzed. Lauren walked over to answer the summons. “Yes, please send Lieutenant Olson up. Thank you.” She turned to look at him. “We may as well wait until the lieutenant arrives. Then we can take them both down to the parking garage.”
“Fine with me.” He’d snag his overnight bag while they were down there, although he doubted he’d get much sleep. Being in the army had taught him to fall asleep just about anywhere, but he couldn’t afford to let his guard down while protecting Lauren and Lucy.
Despite the seemingly tight security, he wasn’t convinced that staying in a penthouse apartment with only one way out via an elevator ride or a zillion stairs was the best option.
Lauren opened the door to let the lieutenant in. The two cops exchanged a look before the lieutenant turned toward him. “You heard about our arrest?”
“Yeah. Did you know that someone in a new black SUV with tinted windows shot at us at between five fifteen and five thirty, well after that arrest?” He gestured to Lauren, getting the sense she was annoyed at how the men deferred to him, rather than addressing her.
“We’ve looked at the traffic cam video. I understand why you grabbed this Dombach guy, his criminal record makes him a good suspect, but I don’t think he’s responsible. ”
“Why would a kidnapper decide to shoot at your vehicle?” Olson asked.
“Good question.” He’d wondered about the change in MO too. “My best guess is that he figured he’d disable us long enough to make an attempt to get Lucy.”
“Let’s head down to the parking garage.” Lauren looked as if she wanted both of the police to finish their report and get out of there. “It’s been a long day, and I’m exhausted.”
He hesitated, glancing back at the bedrooms. “Maybe Lucy should come with us.”
Lauren nodded and quickly went to get her daughter. Lucy glanced at the cops with interest, but she didn’t complain as they all headed out to the elevator and down to the parking garage.
Lieutenant Olson frowned when he saw the shattered rear window of his Jeep. “Looks as if the gunman was aiming for you, McFarland.”
“I know. And that’s why I think your guy isn’t the kidnapper.
It seems more logical the gunman’s goal was to eliminate me from the picture to have access to Lauren and Lucy.
” Even as he said the words, he realized that Lauren might be a target now too.
Kidnapping a mother and daughter would increase the value of a ransom demand.
And it would help the kidnappers to have the mother caring for the child.
Detective Kramer took pictures of his damaged Jeep, then turned to the lieutenant. “I think we continue to hold Dombach for a few days. Maybe he saw something since he was so close to the scene of the kidnapping.”
Grady opened the back of the Jeep to grab his duffel. He’d need to get the glass replaced very soon. He decided to call Rex Grayson in the morning to make the arrangements.
As Lauren spoke with the two police officers, he scanned the parking garage. There were way too many cars for him to memorize any license plates. He pulled out his phone and took a video of the cars in the general vicinity of his Jeep and the white Porsche that he assumed belonged to Lauren.
He pocketed his phone and followed the rest as they headed to the elevator. Lucy was unusually quiet as the rode to the penthouse.
Outside the apartment door, Lauren turned to the lieutenant and detective. “Thank you for coming out to update us on your progress and to hear about the gunfire incident. I would appreciate being in the loop moving forward. Grady will be staying here with us.”
The lieutenant sized him up. “I ran your background, it’s clean. But tell me again how you and Ms. Chandler met?”
“Through mutual friends.” He nodded at both men. “Thanks again, please excuse us. It’s getting late, and Lucy needs to get some sleep.”
And just like that, Lauren had opened the apartment, ushering Lucy inside and closing the door on the Chicago police before they could ask more questions. She arched a brow. “What mutual friends exactly?”
He shrugged. “You tell me. Maybe someone who attended one of your charity events.”
She thought about that for a moment. “My friend Suzanne and her husband, Eli White. They’ve been to Wyoming to ski. We’ll say that you somehow met with them there and introduced us.”
He filed the names away in his memory. Then he glanced at Lucy who hovered near her mom. “Are you doing okay?”
She nodded, but her expression was wary. “I’m afraid I’ll have nightmares,” she confided.
“I’ll be right across the hall if you do.” He dropped to one knee so he could look the little girl in the eye. “Nobody will get to you as long as I’m here, okay?”
Lucy nodded, her dark hair falling partially over her face. “Okay.”
“Come, Lucy, time to get ready for bed.” Lauren flashed a grateful smile as she led her daughter down the hall. “We’re safe here. There’s no reason to be afraid.”
Grady watched them go, then moved toward the wide double doors that led into the hallway and elevator vestibule. There were deadbolt locks on the door, but he still didn’t love the set up. Interesting that Clara didn’t live on-site, but maybe she preferred it that way.
He headed to a short hallway that led to the master suite. There was a decent-sized living area in addition to a large bedroom and full-sized bathroom. Again, the main bedroom had a stunning view of Lake Michigan. Shaking his head at the extravagance of the place, he returned to the living room.
Lauren joined him a few minutes later. “I hope Lucy doesn’t have nightmares. I feel bad for her. Children shouldn’t have to live in fear of being kidnapped.”
“I know, but we’ll keep her safe.” He gestured for Lauren to sit. “I really need you to make a list of anyone who could remotely be involved.”
“I’ve started one,” she admitted. “But I think this is the work of some stranger who thinks they deserve easy money.”
“That’s possible, but don’t you think this guy is more likely someone you or your father knows?”
She frowned, appearing lost in thought, before she looked up at him.
“Twenty-five years ago, I was kidnapped from school by a man named Jerry Cromwell who had recently lost his job and decided he deserved to be wealthy. Things weren’t as electronic back then, but the FBI did try to trace his calls.
My father paid the million-dollar ransom demand, and I was released as promised.
I know most cases don’t end well, but mine did. ”
He stared at her in shock. “I had no idea you were kidnapped as a child.”