CAPTURED INNOCENCE (26 page)

             
Four hours later, Conley woke to the ringing doorbell and someone pounding on the front door. The sound of the shower told him Jo was in the bathroom. He groaned and climbed from bed to shuffle his way to the door.

             
Sylvia, clothed in a silk robe and pajamas, kept one finger on the bell while she pounded. Conley opened the door and held out his hands to catch her as she tumbled inside.

             
“You’ve got to help me. He’ll kill me.” A fresh bruise colored one side of her face.

             
Conley assisted her to the sofa and lowered her onto it. “Tell me what happened.”

             
“I didn’t know where else to go.” Gone was the stylish, self-confident woman. No makeup covered her face. No stylish twist or braid for her hair.

             
“You’re all right, Sylvia. We’ll take care of you.” He handed her a box of tissues.

             
“Harold knows Jo was in the house. I told him I didn’t tell her anything. That I told her to leave. I’m not sure he believes me.” She blew her nose.

             
“He hit you?” Conley sat in the chair opposite her.

             
Sylvia waved him off. “It’s not the first time. It’s Harold’s way of making a point. I’m sorry, Conley.” She looked at him. “I’ve known all along what my husband was involved in, and my son-in-law. You’re a good man. You didn’t deserve the type of welcome we gave you.”

             
“Apology accepted.” Conley leaned back in his seat.

             
“I feel better than I have in years.” She wiped her eyes. “You don’t need to look so shocked. If I had to bottle that guilt inside me for one more day, I’d most likely kill myself. Have you ever felt that way?”

             
He shook his head and wished Jo would come back.

             
“You’ve never had the feeling of an immense burden being lifted?” It seemed as if once the woman’s lips were unlocked, the words wouldn’t stop.

             
“No, ma’am. I’ve made a habit of never doing anything I would be ashamed of.”

             
“But you went to jail.”

             
“As a juvenile. I made some mistakes. Let myself be led into some bad circles, but I wasn’t ashamed. I thought I was being cool, but that’s no longer who I am. Doing
the right thing now
doesn’t mean you won’t have to face the consequences of your actions.”

             
“I’m willing to do anything not to feel like that again.”

             
“Even to go so far as to tell me where your husband is hiding the children?”

              Jo kept her back against the wall and her ears tuned to the conversation in the living room. Had Conley just saved her mother, not only physically, but spiritually? If only she could take the one step that would take her into a deeper relationship with Conley’s God. She stepped around the corner and into the room when Conley asked where the children were.

Sylvia twisted the ties of her robe in her hands. “I
want to help. I do. There is so much I need to make up for.” She raised her head and looked at Jo. “But I don’t know the exact location.”

“Anything you can tell us is more than we know now.”
Conley waved Jo over and she perched on the arm of his chair. He slid an arm around her waist. She marveled at how safe a simple touch from him made her feel.

“You told me
‘the lake’ something,” Jo reminded her.

“The
Lake Estates.” Sylvia blurted the words. “The new development your father and Blake are building. The pit has always been on that land. I just don’t know the exact spot.” She scoffed. “Your father said not knowing was for my own protection.”

“How large is that tract of land?” Conley said.

Sylvia shrugged. “Several hundred acres.”

He
removed his arm from Jo’s waist and ran his hands through his hair. “It’ll be impossible.”

“Not if we can get Blake to take me there.” Jo stood. “What can I do to infuriate him enough that
he throws me in the pit? Then, I call you and you come and get me.”

“Absolutely not.” Conley’s brow drew together. “Besides, Blake is too smart to let you carry a cell phone during a kidnapping.”

“You’re a private investigator, bug me.” It would work. She knew it would. But how would they get Blake to take the bait? “I’ll have to pretend to come to my senses and go back to him.”

Conley bolted to his feet. “No.”

“It’ll work. Wire me and Alex. He’s bound to take one of us.”

“This is ridiculous!’

“It isn’t.” She laid her hand on his arm. “I’ll snoop through his office. Either he’ll catch me and be mad enough to punish me, or he’ll take Alex.” The thought grabbed her heart in a fist of ice. “Maybe we’ll get lucky, and I’ll find the location.”

“No. We’ll find another way. Blake is not that stupid.”

Jo planted herself in front of Conley. “Then you’d better think of something, because one way or another I’m going through his office.” She turned to her mother. “Where’d he move after the fire?”

“With your father and I.” Sylvia fiddled with her robe.

“His office. Where’s his office?”

“I don’t know. He’s been spending a lot of time with
Logan. That’s the house you should go through. He’s the ring-leader in all this.” She stared at Jo and Conley. “Do the two of you really think you can put a stop to this?”

“Yes.”
Jo grinned at Conley. “There you go.” She glanced at her watch. Five a.m. “Tonight, I visit Logan’s house.”

“
We’ll
visit Logan’s house.”

Sylvia stood. “You won’t have a chance to
do either if your father presses charges on you for breaking and entering.” She tightened her sash. “Do you have an extra room where I can get a few hours of sleep? Then I’ll leave and find a motel somewhere.”

“
New plan. You’ll have to take Alex with you.” Jo took Sylvia’s elbow. “If you head to the valley, you’ll have more places to hide. Go now.”

“I know I have a lot to atone for, but
may I at least borrow something to wear?”

Jo led her mother upstairs and into her walk-in-closet. Sylvia stopped a foot inside the door. “Jocelyn, my bathroom is bigger than this closet. And where are all your clothes?”

“Destroyed when Blake’s house burned. I have plenty of clothes, mother. I’m a stay-at-home housewife. Conley and I aren’t exactly the type of people invited to dinner parties.”

“You were raised to present a certain standard. How will I find anything to wear in here?” Sylvia frowned and rang her fingers over the few blouses on hangars. She selected a deep blue sweater and cream pants. “These will have to do.”

###

Jo fought back the tears of fear as Alex climbed into the car with Sylvia. Conley stood beside her, his hand on the small of her back. He stood rigid. His anger radiated from him in waves. If he’d ever resorted to acts of violence toward her, she’d be scared. They’d be having fireworks once they stepped back into the house.

She sniffed, gave Alex a final wave, then stiffened her spine and went inside to the living room.
What they had planned was dangerous. Not only for her and Conley, but for Alex. She prayed it was all worth it. That God was on their side, leading them as he did the tribes of Israel long ago. She held up a hand to stop Conley as he opened his mouth.

“Just hear me out. You’re still suffering the effects of your concussion. Blake and Logan might shoot you and ask questions later. With me, there’s a chance
of living if I’m discovered.” Jo plopped onto the sofa.

Conley sat next to her and took her hands in his. “It’s too dangerous. Alex needs his mother.
I
need you. If something happens…”

“We have to take that chance. If
they’ve started building on that land, they’ll move the children. Soon.” She found it difficult to concentrate with him rubbing her hands. His touch soothed and excited her. Her hands went limp.

He pulled her forward until their foreheads touched. “Please?”

“I have to do this. I’ve been a frightened doormat for too long. Let me help you.”

He sighed. “We’ll do this together.
I won’t let you out of my sight.”

“I don’t want it any other way.”

Conley released her and sat back against the sofa cushions. “Now, we just need a diversion to make sure Logan won’t be home.”

“An anonymous phone call?”

“I like the way your mind works.” Conley picked up his phone, punched in a few numbers, then adopted a shrill tone, sounding like a frantic elder woman.

Laughing seemed inappropriate co
nsidering the circumstances. It was either that or cry, and she was done with crying.

              Jo insisted on taking the Mercedes on their spying trip. She and Conley sat huddled in the front seat, hunkered down against the cold front sweeping through the state.

             
Wind whistled through the trees above the car and sent leaves skittering across the blacktop. Lights flicked on then off as Logan moved from one room of his house to the other. Blake was noticeably absent.

             
Conley held out his hand. “Let me use your cell phone. It doesn’t look like he’s going to leave anytime soon.”

             
“Wait.” Jo gripped his arm. “He’s coming out.”

Chief Logan pulled the collar of his bomber jacket around his neck and turned to lock the door. Then without glancing in either direction,
he moved to his squad car. Leaves blew in a whirlwind, highlighted by the lights of his car as he drove down the street and around the corner.

“Okay,” Jo said. “Let’s go.” She reached for the door handle

“Wait. We need to make sure he isn’t back in a couple of minutes. If he isn’t here in five, we’ll go in.”

They were the longest five minutes of Jo’s life. The longer she sat, the more nervous she became. A twitch developed behind her right eye. She
pumped her foot, ignoring the tapping against the car’s dashboard. She’d never make a good private investigator. Too much sitting around doing nothing. Not to mention getting bashed in the head or shot at. She sighed.

“Stay beside me the entire time.”
Conley pushed open his door. “Do not get out of my sight. Clear?”

“Very.” Jo sidled up next to him
, still believing she should have come alone, but wise enough to see it was better to accept what he offered. “How are we going to get in?”

“I’ve got skills.”
Conley pulled a chiseled tool from a pocket in his jacket. He inserted the device into the door lock. “This is a disk tumbler lock. A little patience, a good ear, and…we’re in.” The lock disengaged with a click, and Conley pushed the door open.

They stepped into a dark house full of shadows
and over-stuffed furniture. “Since he’s a cop, won’t he have an alarm system?” Jo clutched Conley’s arm.

“I’m not seeing
any signs of one. As chief-of-police, he probably feels pretty safe, especially in Prestige.” Conley moved his arm until he held Jo’s hand. “You’re trembling.”

“I’m terrified. This is different than breaking into my parents’ house.”

“Come on. We don’t know when he’ll be back.” Conley pulled her along behind him. They found the home office behind the last door on their right. Jo stepped inside and waited while Conley closed the door. He pulled two small flashlights from another pocket and handed one to Jo.

With the push of a button she illuminated the area around her. She shone her tiny beam
across the wall and spotted a file cabinet. She tried the drawer. Locked. Conley lifted a paper weight from the desk and smashed it into the cabinet. The drawer flew open.

“They’ll know we were here.” Jo said.

Conley shrugged. “It’ll be obvious once we have the children.”

While
Conley riffled through the desk, Jo flipped through file folders. Nothing about Lake Estates, children, or construction. “There’s nothing here.”

“Keep looking. Try the bookcase and the closet.”

Besides the rustle of paper and the rapid beat of her heart, Logan’s house remained silent. Jo ran her fingers over the spines of books in the case, expecting at any moment to discover a hidden passage or safe. Time ticked by, increasing her anxiety. She stepped past the window toward the closet. A tree branch scratched against the window. She choked back a scream.

“Jo?”