Stolen Daughters by Carolyn Arnold (top novels TXT) 📗

track his movements. It’s the best thing we have going right now. And, yes, I see your point about Sex Crimes. Trent and I won’t move in. We’ll just see where he goes, keep a distance. But here’s what I’m thinking: he’s in charge of watching the girls. If our guy orders another one or two, we’ll be in the vicinity to follow him. Hart might lead us to our killer and where the girls are being held.”

Malone stared at her, thinking it through. “Huh. You’ll stay back, observe only? Call in Sex Crimes if—and when—it comes to that?”

“I promise, and I’ll call Detective Glover when I leave this room, just to give her a heads-up.” She’d already sent Randy’s picture, but now they had his name.

“All right, then. Do it.”

Amanda and Trent didn’t waste time leaving his office and heading to the lot.

“If there’s something personal there, between our killer and this Hart guy, why not just kill him then? He obviously knows where to find him.” Trent looked her in the eye and the validity of his question caused her mind to go blank.

“Yeah, I don’t know.”

“Suppose whatever the reason, it would serve to get us off the killer’s back and onto Hart’s.”

Amanda could agree that was the simplified version, but she had a feeling there was something more there between their killer and Hart. Just what was it?

She called Patty while Trent signed out a car, and they got on the road. When Patty answered, Amanda said, “I sent you a picture of a man with black eyes, the suspected handler.” Though it was fact—not suspicion—in Amanda’s head. “I’ve got a name now.”

“You work fast,” Patty said, a smile lighting her voice.

“Things came together, but I need to let you know that my partner and I will be tracking this guy’s moves for the next while and seeing what he does.”

“Okay, just observe, if you can help it. I’d rather see where he can lead us.”

“That’s the plan, I assure you. I want us to have the best shot at bringing down the ring, not just a single player.”

“Good luck on this guy leading you to your killer too.”

“Thanks.” Amanda pocketed her phone and hated how the words “good luck” seemed to hover overhead like thunderclouds.

Fifty-Three

It was inching close to noon when Amanda had Trent park a few houses down from Randy Hart’s duplex. The department car was unmarked, but bad guys had a way of spotting cops.

“Hard to say if he’s home,” Trent said. “No sign of his Nissan.”

No sign of any vehicle… And the curtains were closed tight like it was the middle of the night. “We’ll sit here for a bit and see if he shows up.”

“Good thing I have a bladder like a camel.”

She wasn’t sure she’d heard him right at first, then looked over at him, and he was laughing, and she started up. “You’re certifiably crazy.”

“In good company, then. Oooh.”

She narrowed her eyes at him.

“Hey, normal’s boring,” he said.

“What is normal anyway?” She smiled at him and then sought to get comfortable. She reclined the chair a bit and clasped her hands in her lap. “Just shutting my eyes for a few seconds. You got this?” She looked at him with one eye open, one shut, and smirked. “I’m just kidding.” Just then her phone rang, and it showed Alibi. Even though it was Logan, she answered formally because he liked it. “Detective Steele.”

“Well, hello there.” It was a man’s voice, but it wasn’t Logan’s.

Dread pricked at her skin. “Who is this?”

“I’m pretty sure you know who it is. I really thought we were on the same team, Detective, but I’ve been wrong before.”

She sat up and pointed at her phone, her eyes wide. Her heart was racing so fast she couldn’t see right. “Where are you?”

He cackled. “You don’t really think I’d tell you that, do you?”

“What do you want?”

“Now, see, that’s a better question. I thought I’d give you a call just in case you didn’t get my card today. Happy Birthday, Detective.”

She detected a smile travel the line, and shivers ran down her spine. How does he know it’s my birthday? But he mentioned a card. Was it the one currently sitting on her desk that she’d thought was from her coworkers? How had he walked right into Central without anyone stopping him?

“I bet you’re trying to figure me out or trace the call. I just want you to back off. You let me do what I do, and you look the other way.”

“You know I can’t do that. I… We found Randy Hart.”

“Bravo. He’s the real criminal, not me. But in case you don’t believe me, I have an insurance plan.”

There was scuffling on the other end of the line.

“Amanda?” It was Logan.

“Are you—”

“Now, now.” It was the killer again. “As I told you, all I want is for you to back off and your boyfriend doesn’t need to get hurt.”

She looked around fervently. Can he see me now? Where is that son of a bitch?

“You kill innocent girls,” she said, hoping for a part of him that remained human and compassionate.

“They are not innocent. No one is innocent. Back off or your boyfriend dies, and I’m sure you don’t want to lose another man in your life.”

The line went dead.

She felt numb, cold, angry as hell, and terrified. She clutched her stomach and rocked.

Trent put a hand on her shoulder. “What did he say?”

“He… He has Logan.” Tears welled in her eyes, but it was like they were frozen there. She was catapulted into the past to a time when the heartbreak was all-encompassing. Logan was new to her life, yes, but she had feelings for him, and their relationship held promise of becoming something great. She couldn’t survive another loss. “We have to save him.”

Trent didn’t move, didn’t say anything.

“Hurry. Get us back to the station.” She called Malone and told him about the situation. As she was running through it with him, she felt like she