Bone Cold (14 page)

“Think about what you’re telling me,” he said gently, anguish tearing at him. “You believe that little girl was Sophie.”

“That’s right.” Her lips trembled.

His gut clenched. “And the boy was Josh Parsons.”

She nodded, determination glittering in her eyes. “I’m calling Larson and then I’m going in there.”

Tom grabbed her before she could get around him. “Sarah, what you’re suggesting is impossible.”

She glared at him. “I am not crazy, Tom.”

“No one said you were crazy,” he offered, his throat threatening to close. “The trouble is, you described Sophie exactly the way she was the last time you saw her.”

“Except her hair was longer. It was almost to her waist.” Her voice wobbled. Her eyes told him she comprehended where he was going with this and she did not want to go there. Agony flashed in her eyes.

“Sophie would be ten years old now. Josh would be eleven,” he said softly.

Sarah twisted away from him. “You think I can’t do simple math? I’m telling you what I saw. I can’t explain it. I won’t even try. Whatever you think, Tom, that was our little girl. That was our Sophie. I saw her. She wasn’t more than a dozen yards away.”

He reached for Sarah, she drew away from his touch. “I believe you saw a little girl who looked like Sophie.” He braced his hands on his hips to prevent her seeing how they trembled. The breath he drew in was ragged with the emotions roaring through him. “I shouldn’t have involved you in this.”

Sarah laughed, the sound strained. “You really do think I’m crazy.” She rushed up to him, grabbed him by the shirt, and shook him. “Damn you, listen to me. Our daughter is in there. Either you’re going in with me to get her or I’m going alone.”

He saw the defeat in her eyes as reality chased away the determination and the hope. Tears filled her brown eyes and he would have given anything to keep her from this pain. She dropped her hands to her sides.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured.

“How could I have seen them so clearly?” Her lips tried to form a smile but failed, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Sam was with them.” She swiped at her tears. “He growled at me, but when I spoke to him he kind of cocked his head as if he was trying to figure out if it was really me.”

Tom couldn’t take it anymore. He pulled her into his arms, held her close against him. “He was a good dog.”

Sarah wept like a child and his own tears flowed despite his attempts to keep them in check. For five years he had wanted to take this pain from her. To find their baby and make things right again, but that hadn’t happened. He’d failed her. Failed his family. Now they were just broken. Broken and lost with nothing but this case to keep them giving one damn whether they took their next breaths or not.

All this time he’d thought nothing else in this world could ever break his heart again. He’d been certain no other pain could match what he’d already suffered, but this was more than he could bear.

Sarah dropped to her knees on the floor, Tom followed. He could only repeat the same impotent words. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry.”

She stared into his eyes. “Make it go away, Tom. Please, please just make the pain go away for a little while.”

He held her face in his hands and slowly kissed her tears, then her trembling lips. He ran his fingers through her hair, remembering all the nights he’d dreamed of feeling that silky mane on his skin. He would have given anything to touch her like this. His fingers drifted down to the hem of her sweater and he tugged it upward. She lifted her arms, allowing him to pull it away.

For a moment, he could only stare at the sweet swell of her breasts. She reached behind her back and loosened her bra, it fell forward, and he slid it free of her arms. His breath hitched.

“You are so beautiful, Sarah.”

She pulled his face down to hers. “No talking.” She kissed him hard.

His sweatshirt landed on the floor next. Their jeans followed. His hands trembled as he slipped her panties down her thighs. As thin as she was, she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He wanted to relearn every inch of her. He traced the scar on her side where a bullet had snagged her all those years ago.

She pushed him onto his back and moved on top of him, guiding him into the incredible heat between her legs. The feel of her, so damned hot and tight, as she pushed down onto him had him shaking with the need to roll her to her back and drive into her over and over, but he let her do what she would. Whatever she needed, he would give.

When she had taken all of him, she tossed her head back and moaned with pleasure. Heat fired through his veins, his muscles were taut with the need to move. He wanted to touch her, to kiss her, to whisper sweet words to her… but all he could do was stare at her. She was so, so beautiful. His hands closed over her breasts as she began to rock. He watched as her movements grew more frantic and her body tensed. She cried out as release claimed her. When her movements stopped, she opened her eyes only to turn away as soon as their gazes met, but not before he saw the stark emptiness there.

When she would have moved off him, he grabbed her by the waist and rolled her onto her back. “No,” he growled. “You’re not using me that way. You’re not using
us
.”

“Get off me,” she demanded. She pushed at him and he pinned her arms against the floor on either side of her head.

He kissed her when she would have protested again. He kissed her until her lips grew pliant beneath his and the resistance in her body melted away. He started to move, sliding in and out as slowly as his crumbling control would allow.

With the final waves of completion still washing over her, Sarah told herself she didn’t want this. She’d wanted him to make her forget… not make love to her. She’d wanted hot, frantic sex… not this sweet tenderness.

As hard as she tried not to feel, her body rose up to meet his with each thrust of his powerful hips. His mouth set her skin on fire. His lips teased and taunted all he touched, his stubbled jaw created a delicious friction. His fingers squeezed her bottom, lifting her so he could go deeper when she was certain she couldn’t take anymore. His mouth closed over her breast and suckled. She lost complete control then. Couldn’t think anymore.

He touched every part of her, brought her to release again and then again, before letting go and joining her there.

For long minutes afterward, they lay together, her body nestled against his in the perfect fit that had always been theirs. He held her so tight, as if he feared she would disappear. A single tear slid down her cheek. Poor Tom. He didn’t understand.

She’d already disappeared.

The Compound, Thursday, October 26, 10:00 a.m.

Coben hated this shitty place. Made him think of the prison he’d done some time in back in his twenties. His foot on the brake, he waited for the gate to swing inward.

“These are the last two, huh?” Nichols asked.

This place made his helper nervous, too. Truth was, Coben glanced at the man in the passenger seat, it should. Poor dumb bastard.

“Last two,” Coben confirmed.

“I’m glad.” Nichols leaned back in his seat as they rolled through the gate and it closed firmly behind them. “This job sucked.” He glanced at the two sleeping kids in the back of the van. “I don’t like kids.”

Coben grunted. He wasn’t particularly fond of kids himself, but business was business. That was why he would live to take the next job and Nichols would likely be fertilizing some plot of ground.

When they reached the garage Coben parked and hopped out. Nichols opened the sliding door and grabbed the first kid. Coben got the other one. Two girls, both five years old. Their parents were likely losing their minds about now. Too bad. People should pay better attention. Everybody was too busy these days. Too busy for the kids, leaving all kinds of openings for guys like him.

Coben ignored the white coats he met in the corridor. They kept their gazes carefully focused forward. No one looked at him or the kid in his arms. They knew it was better to pretend they didn’t see.

As soon as they reached the receiving room the doc gestured to the two examining tables. Bentley was young, thirty maybe. He was Meltzer’s flunky. Smart though, from all accounts. Meltzer had all sorts of hired help. Bodyguards, assassins, you name it. All anybody ever saw was the genius he was supposed to be. If all those rich folks who flocked to him only knew. He was the devil himself.

Coben wasn’t afraid of the old bastard. He wasn’t afraid of anyone.

Bentley carefully examined the kids and then nodded toward the envelope lying on the table next to the door.

All was acceptable.

Coben gave him a salute and turned away.

“Dr. Meltzer wants to see you in his office.”

Coben turned back to the younger man. “What about?” He was done here. The sooner he was out that gate the happier he would be. Confined spaces made him antsy.

“I have no idea,” Bentley said as he covered the girls with white sheets, folding them carefully at their shoulders.

“Whatever.”

Coben grabbed the envelope on his way out. In the corridor, he paused. “Wait for me. I have to talk to the boss.”

Nichols shrugged. “Don’t be all day. I’d like to be home before dark.”

Coben shot him a look that warned he should just shut up.

Meltzer’s office was on the second floor. Coben considered taking the stairs, but he’d left his pills in the van. The elevator was the better option, even if the few seconds in the damned box would ramp up his tension.

The corridor was conspicuously empty as he made his way to Meltzer’s office. No kids running around. No staff up here. He’d seen only two or three of the scientist types downstairs. Up here, it was totally deserted.

Meltzer’s door was open so Coben went on in. “You wanted to see me.”

The old man looked up. He was seventy if he was a day. Coben didn’t know why the old bastard didn’t retire. Greed, he supposed. Money was the drug that drove the world.

Meltzer studied him a moment. “I’m in need of your assistance, Mr. Coben.”

“I thought this was the last of ‘em.” Hell. He was sick of hauling around kids. He had better shit to do.

“I’ll be leaving tomorrow afternoon and there are a number of clean up details that need attending to.” Meltzer removed his reading glasses and set them aside. “Your assistance would make what I have to do far simpler.”

No way was he staying here all night. This place was too freakin’ creepy. “I have other obligations. Don’t you have plenty of hired muscle to take care of your business?”

Meltzer smiled. “My assets are spread a little thin just now. Would two hundred thousand take care of any inconvenience to your schedule?”

Now he had Coben’s attention. “That might make rearranging my schedule worth the trouble.”

“Cash,” Meltzer added. “Twenty-four hours, Mr. Coben. That’s all I need.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face. He could do twenty-four hours. “What kind of details are we talking about?”

“I’ll be dismissing my staff tonight.”

Coben’s gaze narrowed. “Dismissing?”

Meltzer smiled. “I think you know what I mean. I’d like you to do the same with your associate.”

Coben shrugged. “No problem.”

“We’ll be taking care of the children as well.”

Another shrug lifted Coben’s shoulders. “All right.” What did he care if those kids were put out of their misery? “Anything else?” He might as well know now if there were any other additional duties expected of him.

“I’ve taken care of the rest. You are welcome to use the guest quarters.”

“Works for me.”

Coben turned to go, then hesitated. He wasn’t planning to mention this, but since he was staying the night maybe he should. “The scrawny guy at the gas station said his girlfriend Mia or Milly or something like that told him there was a writer or a reporter asking questions about this place.”

Meltzer’s demeanor shifted instantly. The news didn’t sit well. “Did he get the name of this reporter?”

Coben shook his head. “Nah. Just said his girlfriend thought she was from the city. The way she talked and all. Wore high dollar running shoes.”

“I want to know more, Mr. Coben. I’m sure you and your partner will be going back into town for lunch.”

“Why not?”

“If you feel compelled, take care of the reporter and there will be a bonus.”

“A bonus is always good.”

Coben walked out of the old man’s office. So Meltzer was cleaning house. He was shutting this place down and getting the hell out.

Suited Coben just fine. As long as he got his money.

And if the old bastard had any ideas about trying to off him, he’d better think again. When Coben left this hellhole of a world it would be because his ticker quit on him not because some crazy old bastard thought he was God.

Noon

Sarah twisted her hair into a braid. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d braided her hair. She used to braid Sophie’s all the time. Her fingers slowed in their work. How could she have believed that little girl was Sophie? Her little girl would be ten years old now.

Tom had said Meltzer had been experimenting with cloning. He believed all those missing children were clones of their dead older siblings. Could Sophie and Josh have been taken by these same people and murdered for experimental purposes? Maybe the little girl was a clone of Sophie.

Sarah dropped her arms to her sides. And maybe she really was losing her mind. Maybe this case had been the final straw.

Poor Tom. She was fairly confident the idea of her going over the edge hurt him more than it did her. Her body ached in places that had been numb for so very long. He’d made her whole body come alive with desire. He’d made her want things she knew she could never again have.

Emotion welled in her chest and she took a long deep breath to counteract it. As much as she loved Tom and she would always love him, she feared she could never be what he needed her to be. He was a good man. He deserved to live again. Once they were through this, she intended to see that he stopped waiting for her and got on with his life.

Sarah scrubbed away the damned tears. “Idiot.” She was in the middle of nowhere chasing after missing children when she had no evidence they were anywhere in the vicinity and what does she do? Lieutenant Sarah Cuddahy sees her own missing daughter as well as Carla’s son—only what she’d seen wasn’t possible unless they’d been cloned. This was crazy.

“Dammit.” She was supposed to have checked on that PI and gotten back to Carla.

Deep breath
. She couldn’t allow her emotions to derail what they were here to do. Whatever was going on in that compound she and Tom had to find a way in.

Sarah reached for her cell and chewed her lip. She had two text messages from Larson. He wanted to make sure she was okay. A laugh burst out of her. “Fat chance.” She ignored his messages and scrolled through her contacts. Maybe the PI Mary Cashion had used could help her out. Sarah sent him a text with the details about the man Carla wanted to hire.

Her phone gave her another low battery warning. She had her charger, but there was no electricity. Tom’s car charger didn’t work on her phone. Being out here without a connection for help wouldn’t be smart. She needed a damned place to plug in.

She paused on a message from Clark, her DMV contact. The Maxima driver, Bentley, was a geneticist. No surprise there. She’d meant to tell Tom, but things had gone to hell.

Sarah stared at her reflection in the cracked mirror of what had once been a bathroom and couldn’t deny the new glow on her face. Last night with Tom, she had to admit, hadn’t exactly been hell. As wondrous and incredible as making love with him had been, there would be hell to pay going forward. It had taken her years to forget his touch. Maybe she never had. How would she find that place again where nothing except work existed?

A worry for another day. She had plenty to deal with at the moment without jumping ahead.

Last night she and Tom had agreed that if they got a visual on another child—any child—they were calling Larson. Sarah could trust Larson. Tom wasn’t sure he could trust anyone right now, except her, he’d insisted. The idea that he still trusted her warmed her. It felt good in a wholly unexpected way.

She exited the ramshackle bathroom with its broken fixtures and went in search of Tom. He stared out the grimy window as he munched on a sandwich. For a moment, she watched him even if it made her heart hurt. Some part of her wanted to walk up and put her arms around him as she had a thousand times before, but she couldn’t deal with touching him right now.

“I’m going into town to charge my phone.”

He turned around, worry instantly lining his face.

“I thought I’d see if Mia was willing to talk some more. Since I found the headstones her grandmother told her about it’s worth pursuing.”

He nodded. The shadows in his eyes…
Sophie’s eyes
… haunted her.

“Be careful.”

“I will.” She reached for her bag and the keys.

“Sarah.”

She closed her eyes and rode out the wave of emotion that flooded her at the sound of his voice as he said her name.

“Whatever happens, I don’t want you taking any unnecessary risks.”

She straightened and searched his face. Was he planning something without her? “What do you mean?”

“If either of us is captured the other should call and then wait for backup.”

The shaking started in her legs. Somehow, she managed to close the distance between them. “Don’t you dare try going in there without me. You said yourself we can’t tip our hand until we’re sure.”

“I have a feeling that white van we saw go in this morning is trouble. Meltzer is preparing for something, Sarah. I don’t want those children sacrificed while we sit here waiting for the right sign to move in.”

His words had her heart pumping faster. “You wait for me, Tom. You wait for me or I’ll…”

He laughed, the sound painful. “You’ll what? Never forgive me? Leave me?” The devastation on his face tore at her heart. “You already did that, Sarah. I have nothing else to lose.”

Before her brain could catch up with her heart, she grabbed him by the shoulders and kissed him with all the hurt, uncertainty, and love, dammit, reeling inside her. When his arms crushed her against him, she wanted to weep with relief. She’d missed his strong arms so very, very much.

She drew back. “Wait for me.”

“All right. I’ll wait.”

Sarah pulled free of his hold and left before she embarrassed herself by breaking down completely. She blinked back the tears as she headed into town. Some part of her dared to hope that if they rescued these children maybe there was a chance she and Tom could be friends. Right now, her body wanted a whole lot more. Maybe her heart did, too.

Something else to sort out later.

She parked in front of the second-hand store and climbed out. A last glance in the side mirror had her wishing her eyes weren’t so red.

The bell jangled as she pushed inside. Mia looked up and smiled. “You’re back.”

Sarah produced an answering smile. “Like my outfit?” She opened her coat and turned around to show off her sweater and jeans.

“Love it!” Mia gestured to her cup. “Would you like some tea?”

Sarah inhaled the scent of flavored tea. “That would be great.” She propped on the counter. “I’ve been trudging through backwoods all morning, any chance I could charge my phone while we visit?”

“Sure. Plug in right here.” Mia cleared away a spot behind the counter. “I’ll get your tea.”

Sarah plugged in her phone and looked around the shop. Her fingers trailed over a wool scarf that caught her attention. With no competition, she imagined Mia did a healthy business here. Sarah wandered back to the counter. Dozens of photos were taped to the wall behind it. Sarah moved closer. She spotted Mia in several. Family get-togethers, she decided.

“Here you go.”

Sarah looked up. “I love these old photos.” She accepted the tea and savored a sip. “Oh, this is wonderful.”

“Chai tea,” Mia explained. “It helps me relax.”

“I’ll have to remember that.” Sarah scanned more of the photos as she sipped her tea. She leaned closer and peered at one photo in particular. A woman, who looked very much like Mia, had her arms around a man who looked vaguely familiar to Sarah. Where had she seen him before?

The photos were from different decades. In one, she was certain the building in the background was the sanatorium. Had someone in Mia’s family been hospitalized there? Was that how her grandmother had known so much?

Another photo of the man who looked vaguely familiar was tucked between two larger ones. There were five men in the photo with the woman who resembled Mia. Three men were older. Judging by their clothes, Sarah dated the photo in the late 40’s or early 50’s.

“Is this your grandmother?”

“Sure is.” Mia tapped the man standing next to her grandmother. “That was her beau after my grandfather passed away.” Mia laughed. “He showered her with gifts from his
Mother Country
.”

“Where was he from?” Sarah took another soothing drink of the warm tea.

“Berlin, Germany.”

Sarah swayed. The cup clattered back into its saucer. “Wow. That’s…”

“Whoa there.” Mia took the cup and saucer from her. “Maybe you should sit down, Sarah.”

What was wrong with her? Had she forgotten to eat this morning?

The bell jangled and Sarah glanced toward the door. Her vision blurred. She squeezed her eyes shut and looked again. Two men walked into the shop. Big guys. Fortyish. Her vision blurred again.

Oh hell.

Where was her purse?

Sarah reached for the counter, but she just kept falling forward into the darkness.

3:00 p.m.

Sarah should be back by now.

Tom checked his phone again as he paced the tree line next to the road. Service was too sketchy for a call, but she could have sent a text. He’d sent her three asking where she was. No response.

Something was wrong.

The distant sound of a vehicle drew his attention to the road. Five seconds, then ten elapsed before he got a visual. The white van was coming back. He’d seen it leave before Sarah did.

When the van stopped at the gate, a second vehicle rolled up behind it.

For a moment, Tom only stared at the dark SUV that was…
his
.

He burst from the tree line, but he was too late. Both vehicles had rolled forward and the gate had closed.

Fear detonated inside him.
Sarah was in there!
Heart pounding, he pulled up the contacts on his phone and hit the number for Larson.

The call wouldn’t go through. He tried three more times before giving up and resorting to text and then the screen of his cell went black.

“Damn it!”

His started to march up to that gate and demand to be let in, but he stopped himself. They had promised each other that if this happened whoever was left behind would go for help. As much as he wanted to rush after her, without backup it would be futile. He closed his eyes and ordered himself to think. Two or so miles back there were occupied homes on this road.

Tom hit the pavement running. He pushed himself faster. He had to hurry. He couldn’t bear the idea of her being tortured or… worse.

The first house came into view and Tom barreled toward it. No cars in the driveway. He didn’t care. If no one came to the door he was breaking in.

He pounded hard on the door. “FBI!” he shouted in hope of setting whoever might be inside at ease.

The door opened a crack. “What do you want?”

Female. “Ma’am, I’m Special Agent Cuddahy.” He showed her his creds. “I need to use your phone. There’s no cell service out here.”

“Go away.”

Tom forced the door inward as he drew his Glock. The woman screamed. “All I need is to use your phone. Now, just sit down and I’ll be out of here before you know it.”

She stumbled to her chair. Somewhere down the hall a child started to cry. Hell.

“You have my word,” he assured the woman more calmly, “all I want is to make a call.”

She gestured to the phone.

Tom shoved his weapon back into his waistband and made the call. Larson was the only person he trusted. In Tom’s opinion, the man thought of Sarah as a daughter. He would do whatever Tom asked if for no other reason than to protect Sarah.

When Larson’s voice mail echoed in Tom’s ear, he swore. He left a message and then considered whether he should call the local police.

Too risky.

There was one other person he could call. He made the call to Paul Phillips. He was the only person on the planet who understood just how dire the situation was.

When Paul’s voice sounded in his ear, Tom chose his words carefully. “My location is Willow Creek, fifteen or so minutes outside Williamsport, PA.”

“Whose number are you calling from?”

“A stranger’s a mile or so from the location. He has Sarah.” The words stabbed like daggers deep into his soul. “I have no backup at this time.” He swallowed hard to keep the emotion out of his voice. “I’m going in after her.”

Paul didn’t bother trying to talk him out of going in. Instead, he took Larson’s number and assured Tom he would be en route within the hour. No matter that Phillips was some five hundred miles away, Tom felt some sense of relief at having spoken to him. Paul would keep trying to contact Larson.

Tom was grateful for any backup. He just hoped it wouldn’t be too late.

He placed the phone back in its cradle. “Thank you.”

The woman nodded. Her little boy had climbed into her lap and was staring at Tom as if he were the boogeyman. Tom walked out, closing the door behind him. He’d have to find a way to make it up to the lady for scaring her half to death.

He jogged out to the road and broke into a run. He couldn’t wait for Larson to get here. That would take hours. Hopefully, Larson could get local support.

Still, that would take time Tom didn’t have.

Waiting wasn’t an option. Finding a way in was the problem.

As if fate had decided to lend him a hand, Tom heard the distinct creak of the gate opening even before he rounded the bend and saw it moving.

If he ducked into the woods here he could go back to the house and wait for Larson.

The gate opened wide and no vehicle rolled through. There certainly wasn’t anything on the road behind Tom.

They knew he was here. Had likely seen his text messages on Sarah’s phone.

Now they were inviting him to join them.

Tom walked toward the gate, his arms up in surrender.

I’m coming, Sarah
.