A Killer's Watch (24 page)

“Not soon enough,” Jeri looked down at the text from Anna.
“She finally found the husband’s cell number,” she told Ethan, as she dialed.

“Mr. Watson? My name is Jeri Forbes, with EJB Global. It’s
very important that I speak with your wife, but she’s not answering her phone.
Is she with you?”

“Jeri who? With what? No, my wife is not with me. Who are
you? Why do you want to speak with her?” Joe felt Jeri’s intensity through the
phone connection.

“Jeri Forbes, with EJB Global. We’re working with the FBI on
the recent murders and kidnappings in your area. Where is your wife, Sir?”

“She’s probably on her way to the church,” Joe checked his
watch. “Yep, she’s on her way, I’m sure of it. She’s to be there at eleven, and
my Aubrey’s always on time. Why?”

“We’d like to ask her a few questions about someone she may
know. It would really help us to speak with her,” Jeri tried to moderate her
tone. There was no reason to upset the husband. Not yet, at least.

“She won’t answer the phone if she’s driving, says it sets a
bad example for the kids. But you can call her when she gets to the church.”

“Is she going to the bazaar?”

“Yeah, you’ve heard of it?”

“Yes. Where are you, Mr. Watson?”

“I’m at my daughter’s soccer game. We’ll be joining Aubrey
at the church around noon.”

“Thanks. I’ll call you again, if I can’t reach your wife.”

“Do you think something’s wrong with Aubrey?” Joe suddenly
became serious.

“No, I’m sure she’s fine,” Jeri lied. “Thank you, Mr. Watson.”

“Turn around, we need to go back into town. Aubrey Watson is
on her way to the church bazaar.”

“Do you think he would try and take her from such a public
place?” Ethan looked for a place to turn around.

“I don’t know. He’s definitely arrogant enough, but he’s too
smart to risk it, I think. No, my guess is that he’ll try and take her when
she’s alone.” Jeri tapped her fingers on the door handle, in lieu of pacing.

“Like at her home, before leaving for the bazaar?” Rather
than slow to turn, Ethan sped up again.

“Exactly like that,” Jeri nodded her approval. “We’re so
close, we may as well check it out.”

“Couldn’t hurt,” Ethan agreed.

Graham smiled to himself as he put more miles between
Aubrey’s old life, and her new one with him. It would be short, but oh, so
sweet.

Nearing the Nebraska state line, he imagined the expression
on her face, when she realized that he was the one who had rescued her.

She would be frightened, of course, they all were. But how
long before recognition hit, and she remembered the time they’d shared, so long
ago.

Would she be sorry that she’d left him? Contrite that she’d
taken out the ridiculous restraining order?

Or would she still consider him an annoyance? One that she
could easily swat away, like an insect.

“It doesn’t matter,” Graham spoke aloud. “She will soon
realize that I am her world. She will not get rid of me easily, or at all.”

The home he’d purchased for their time together sat on
twenty-five acres of farmland, a few miles over the border between Nebraska and
Kansas. He’d had the house redone to meet his particular specifications, by a
crew he’d hired out of Kansas. No one related to the property, or the
renovations, had ever seen his face. Nor did they know his name.

The eccentric doctor who had purchased the property, and
hired the crew, needed a laboratory in the basement, for ongoing research. If
the construction contractor thought it odd, the exorbitant bonuses he received
made up for the curiosity.

The pictures of the finished project showed Graham that
everything was as it should be. He could hardly wait to see it for himself.

~~~

“The front door’s been jimmied,” Jeri observed as they
reached the front of the Watson home.

Both she and Ethan drew their weapons.

By unspoken agreement, Jeri turned the door handle. It
opened silently.

One after the other, they slipped into the house, guns at
the ready, barely making a sound. Jeri pointed to the living room, and the
purse lying on the sofa, as they passed.

The aroma of baked cherries met them as they moved down the
hallway, toward the kitchen. Nothing stirred in the home, no movement, no
noise, no out-of-place smells, but for the cherries.

As soon as they stepped inside the kitchen, they saw the
remnants of multiple cherry pies spread over the floor. The mess was the only
evidence that something untoward had occurred here.

They cleared the remaining rooms downstairs as quickly as
possible, then raced upstairs. Nothing, and no one, seemed suspicious there.

“The garage,” Ethan said, leading the way downstairs.

Neither were surprised to find Aubrey’s minivan, parked in
the half-empty space.

“He’s got her,” Jeri commented, anger spewing through every
word.

“I’ll alert the locals, get forensics out here. Do you want
to call the husband?” Ethan holstered his gun, reached for his phone.

“No, but I will.” Jeri did the same. “I’ll also check in
with Anna, see if she’s found anything on a possible replacement vehicle. We
couldn’t have missed him by much.”

“We didn’t pass any vehicles on the road leading from town
to here, either. Means he went the other direction.”

“True. That’s something.”

Jeri’s phone rang before she could call Joe Watson.

“Jeri, we got a hit on the BOLO,” Anna told her. “He left
the truck with a dealer, and picked up the new one he purchased yesterday. It’s
a Ford, same make as the first one, but one model year newer. This one is
green, not red.”

“Good job, Anna, issue a new BOLO, with a focus on the road
leading north from Aubrey Watson’s home in Clevestone.”

“Is she the one?”

“Yes, and he’s already taken her. Notify all four states in
the quadrant, but tell Nebraska to be especially vigilant. Given his penchant
for crossing state lines, it’s very possible that he’ll do it again.”

“Right, anything else?” Anna revised the information on the
BOLO as they spoke.

“Yes, he’ll need a place to go to ground. Look for private
property sales in the last year, no, two years, in the name of one of Grant’s
shell companies.”

“I’m still peeling that onion, but I’ll run checks against
the ones I know. He has seventeen dummy corporations that I’ve found, so far.”

“Do what you can. Let me know.” Jeri disconnected, then took
a deep breath. She dreaded the phone call she was about to make.

Joe Watson answered on the first ring.

“Mr. Watson? This is Jeri Forbes again. Could you come to
your house, right away? And if you can leave your children with friends, it
would be best.”

“Why? What’s happened? Where’s Aubrey?” Joe demanded, the
uneasiness he’d felt since speaking to Jeri the first time intensifying.

“We’re trying to locate her now. Please come home, Mr. Watson.”

“I’m on my way.”

~~~

“I’m telling you, I’m fine. I do not need to stay here for
observation, or anything else. Tell my partner what to look for, if you like,
but I’m leaving.” Monique jumped off of the examination table, then grabbed
hold of the edge to keep from falling.

“Monique, you can barely stand. Listen to the doctor, will
you?” Chloe couldn’t imagine a worse patient than Monique, unless is was
herself. She abhorred hospitals, almost as much as Monique apparently did.

“No! You both need to listen to me. I. Am. Fine. I have a
headache, but it’s nothing that I can’t handle. Thank you very much for
stitching me up, Doc, but I’m leaving.” Straightening her shoulders, Monique
let go of the table, and managed to stay upright. “Chloe, you can drive.”

“Damn straight I’m driving,” Chloe tossed an apologetic
glance at the young doctor, then followed Monique out of the room.

“Watch out for dizziness, confusion, drowsiness, nausea…”
the doctor called out as they left.

“You are as stubborn as they come,” Chloe commented, rushing
to catch up with Monique. “You should stay in bed.”

“I will not. Call Jeri, see what we missed.” Monique was
trying very hard to keep it together. She refused to let a bump on the head,
even if it did require ten stitches, to keep her out of the game.

“I will, on my way to the car. At least wait here, let me
pull it to the door. I had to park in the north forty.”

“What does that mean, north forty?”

“Oh, it means that I had to park really far away,” Chloe
explained. “Stay. I’ll bring the car to you.”

“Fine,” Monique gave in.

Chloe nodded, then reached for her phone.

“Jeri, Monique is okay. We’re leaving the hospital now. Where
do you need us?”

“Did the doctor give his blessing for her to leave?”

“No, but Monique insisted. She’s walking, and talking, and I
know what to look for. I’ll keep an eye on her.”

“Go back to the hotel, insist that she rest. Tell her I said
that she’s fired, if she doesn’t. We need you both in top shape, once we locate
Grant.” Jeri stopped, took a breath. “He kidnapped Aubrey Watson before we
could get to her. We think we know what he’s driving, and we think he drove
north when he left. That’s all we know. Until we get something solid, you two
stand down, but be ready to move at a moment’s notice.”

“I’m pretty good with the computer,” Chloe offered. “Is
there anything I can do, while we wait?”

“Call Anna, see if she needs help. Tell her I want a deep
background check on Aubrey Watson, starting when she was fourteen. Maybe you
can help with that.”

“Will do. I assume you’re looking for any connection to
Grant.”

“Yes. Or his family.”

“Got it. Jeri? I’m really sorry that I lost him. That
woman’s abduction is on me.”

“No, it isn’t. It’s on Grant. All we can do now is find
him.”

~~~

Graham eased the truck into the freshly painted garage,
pleased to see that the contractor installed the security sensors as
instructed.

Stretching as he got out of the truck, he took a moment to
inspect the handiwork, before going to open the door. Aubrey was fine, she was
probably still unconscious. He would take a moment to look around his new home,
temporary though it may be.

The key went into the lock smoothly, opening the door to a
spacious room that the realtor called a mud room. Who came up with such things,
he wondered as he browsed through to the kitchen.

Everything looked as it did in the final pictures the
contractor had sent. Granite counters, stainless steel appliances, glass tiles
on the wall, the kitchen was an upgrade to the one Aubrey was accustomed to
using. Graham was sure that she would love it.

Opening the doors to the refrigerator, he noted that both
sections were well stocked, as per his request. Moving to the pantry, he
approved of the shelves, lined with all manner of ingredients, snacks, and
canned goods. He had instructed the housekeeper he’d hired to fill the pantry
with all the necessities, along with particular foods that he’d seen Aubrey
enjoy with her family.

From the kitchen, his inspection took him to the dining
room. Understated elegance with a modern design, it was perfect. Exactly as
he’d instructed. The downstairs living room, den, and office also met with his
approval. The designer had successfully completed her task.

Upstairs, Graham immediately went to the master bedroom.
Opening the doors, he found a more traditional setting, with a large,
four-poster bed dominating the room. Tastefully elegant, and clearly opulent,
the room would give Aubrey a taste of what she had been missing in her
pedestrian life.

With a cursory glance in the other three bedrooms, Graham
headed down to the basement. He had saved the best for last.

Downstairs, the finished rooms were pleasant enough.
Originally designed to be a game room, the main space would still appeal to a
family. Graham had no desire to roll a ball across the pool table, or to turn
on the massive television, hanging above the fireplace.

Instead, he walked to the closed, locked door, leading to a
private hallway. Here, he would learn whether or not the contractor had earned
his bonuses.

Opening the first door, Graham was pleased to see the
stainless table, sitting beneath a very bright overhead light, and above a very
large, grated drain. The walls were lined with shelves, so many that he had
room to add to his tool collection. 

“Wonderful,” Graham exclaimed, closing the door and moving
on to the next room. Inside, he found five huge boxes, all unopened, and each
one containing something special for his time with Aubrey.

The first box contained cameras, but Graham had yet to
decide whether or not to use them fully. He would certainly record their
activities, but he didn’t think he would risk sending the feeds to the web. His
clients would surely be disappointed, but they would survive. His bank account
would suffer, but it didn’t matter. He had enough money stashed away to last
him three lifetimes.

One by one, he opened all of the boxes, checking to ensure
that the contents were undisturbed, and that they met with his approval. It
would take some time to outfit the room with the accoutrements contained within
the boxes, but Graham looked forward to it.

Next, he moved on to Aubrey’s bedroom. Miles apart from the
chamber where he’d held Allison and Diana, the small room was beautifully
decorated with Aubrey’s favorite colors.

The bed, another four-poster, sat along one wall, opposite
another large television screen. Graham congratulated himself on this one
touch, something that would help keep Aubrey in line, and torture her at the
same time. He planned to stream live footage of her family, going about life
without her. When she was in this room, secured to the bed, she could be the
spectator, an outside witness to her former life.