The Christmas Bell Tolls (5 page)

“Sarah Newton.”
Eva groaned. She hadn’t had time to tell Maddie.

“Why would you
mention her?”

Eva quickly filled
Maddie in on the surprise visitor.

“I’m guessing this
woman isn’t a friend?” Riley asked.

“She’s a piranha,
and that’s being polite.” It was as nice as Eva could be at the moment. “And
she’s at the lab right now, running tests on evidence I collected.” Maybe she
could tell Peter that Sarah was a distraction. At least get her out of the lab
for a couple of days while she ran the tedious tests.

“That woman is
vicious, that’s for sure.”

Eva chuckled, but
it was humorless. “Maddie, since you won’t be able to work on the case, you’ll
get to start training her on CRISPR/Cas policies and procedures.”

Maddie hummed a
few bars of
Hound Dog
under her breath.

“I’ve got the RFLP
running on the blood sample from the florist. I set the PCR on a spot that
might be from the abductor.”

“Blood?”
Maddie bolted upright.

“No. Ivan actually
found it when he was dusting.
Might be sweat or saliva.”

“You
people and your bodily fluids.
Very gross.”
Riley shuddered.

Eva and Maddie
both chuckled.

“Without us, most
cases wouldn’t get solved,” Eva said.

Maddie nodded. “Or
the criminal wouldn’t be brought to justice.”

Eva sobered. “
Which is why these tests are critical.
I need to feel like
I’m doing something to help Savannah.”

And
Darren.
Because somewhere in Eva’s heart, she suspected Maddie and Riley
just might have been right about her feelings for him.

Her phone buzzed.
“Eva Langston.”

“Eva,
it’s
Peter. The FBI has a confirmed sighting of Savannah at
a gas station on Thomas Street. I’ve called in Neal and the interns.”

“Do you need me
in?” Eva stood, her body humming.

“Not yet, but know
that the FBI is getting leads. You, Ivan and Kurt are on the other truck if we
get another call.”

“I’ll go ahead and
get them on standby and head to the lab. I can at least be ready.”

“Y’all
be
on standby.”

Eva grabbed her
keys. “I’ll be ready.”

Anything
to help get Savannah back.

“I’m sending the
best shot we have of the suspect from here.” The agent at the gas station’s
voice warbled over the connection.

Darren refrained
from snatching SAC Wilson’s cell phone from his hands. But only just. He and
Wilson stared at the photo that loaded.

“This is an awful
grainy shot, agent,” Wilson barked into the other phone the onsite unit had
called. “Do you have anything better?”

“No,
sir.
That’s the best shot we could get from the video. She was careful
to angle herself away from the cameras at all times.” The bad news came over
the speaker. “Attendant who called it in didn’t get a good look at the woman.”

Darren stared at
the figure in the distorted photo. It was definitely a woman holding Savannah’s
hand. She wore a baseball cap situated low on her head, hiding all of her hair
so no telling the color or length. Judging by her placement by the racks in the
gas station, he’d guess she was about 5’4” or so. Slim build, as best he could
tell because she wore an oversized man’s coat that wrapped around her. Denim
covered her legs down into work style boots. She wore black gloves.

“Can the attendant
give you anything else about her?” Wilson asked.

“He said he
thought she had brownish hair. She wore tinted glasses.
Paid
with cash.”

“Did she take off
the gloves at any time?
To pay?”

A
pause over the connection.
“The attendant says no. The TBI unit just got
here and they’re pulling prints off anything she might have possibly touched.”

“Description
of the vehicle?”
Darren’s interjection won him a warning glare from
Wilson.

“Dark blue, two
door
, midsize. He hasn’t a clue about the make or model, but
said it could’ve been something like a Toyota Camry.”

“A gas station
attendant doesn’t have a clue about make or model?” Wilson’s frustration came
out in his question.

“Apparently
not, sir.”
The agent on site sighed over the speaker. “He’s not that
observant, sir.
Said he really didn’t pay attention to the
car until they were leaving, after he thought that might be Savannah.”

“He recognized the
girl! Push him.”

“Yes,
sir.
We have.”

“I guess it’s too
much to ask that he got a plate number? Even a partial?” Wilson shook his head
even as he asked.

“No,
sir.”

“Did he say
anything about how Savannah looked?” Darren ignored Wilson’s scowl. “Was she
crying? Pulling against the woman?”

“He said he didn’t
pay attention when they first came in because he was texting his girlfriend.
They went to the restroom,
then
brought two water
bottles to the counter. The woman paid for the gas and water and then they got
into the car and left.”

“Did the attendant
see which way they went when they left?” Wilson asked.

“North
on Thomas Street.”

“Okay, agent. Is
there anything else?”

“No,
sir.
Mr. Helm with the TBI called in the owner of the store because they
need to shut the store for at least an hour to pull prints.”

“Then finish up
there and head out.” Wilson disconnected the call while Darren went to the
blown-up map on the easel. “Let’s go on the presumption that the drug store sighting
will be confirmed as well. Go ahead and call the TBI to get a unit sent there
as well.”

Darren stuck a red
pushpin at the gas station address.
Confirmed sighting.
His nerves calmed at little. Savannah was okay. “May I see the photo again?” he
asked Wilson.

The SAC handed him
the phone with the woman’s photo. He scrolled to the previous one.
The one of Savannah.
His heart caught in the back of his
throat.

Savannah’s curls
were a mess without something holding them out of her face. He stared at the photo,
demanding his paternal emotions take a backseat to the training he’d had. Black
pants stuck out from under the coat she wore.
Yet…

“Wilson, this
isn’t her coat, but it fits her.”

The SAC came to
look at the picture.

Darren continued,
excitement flaring inside of him. “Her coat was left at the community center.
This is a child’s coat, one that fits her pretty well. And because of
Savannah’s health issues, she’s smaller than most her age.”

“You think someone
knew that? Knew her well enough to know her size?”

“There’s no other
explanation. I don’t believe in coincidence. And with a woman abductor—it makes
sense. We both know that females are less likely to harm a child.”

“Are you sure you
don’t recognize the woman? There has to be a reason your child was targeted.”

“She could be
working with someone else,” Agent Lacey said as she returned to the living
room. “But I doubt it. I tend to think the woman is the abductor. I also don’t
think she means to harm Savannah. May I see the photo?”

“Elaborate,
please.” Wilson sat on the couch and motioned for the others to sit as well. He
handed Lacey his phone with Savannah’s picture pulled up.

Lacey sat beside
Wilson on the couch and studied the photograph. “I’ve looked over the initial
crime scene notes from the officers who were first on the scene. The only act
of violence was to the florist, and even then, it was just to subdue her in
order to take Savannah. It could have been much worse.”

Darren nodded, but
kept quiet.

She continued. “So
the abductor only used as much violence as needed. She took the time to have a
coat in Savannah’s size ready. She took her to the bathroom and bought her
water. I think it’s safe to say she means no harm to Savannah at this point.”

“Then why take
her?” Wilson asked what Darren was thinking.

Agent Lacey turned
to lock stares with Darren. “As there’s been no ransom demand, I think she
wants Savannah. Either to manipulate you into doing something for
her,
or to hurt you.”

Darren shook his
head. He couldn’t fathom someone wanting to hurt him so badly that they would
take his daughter.

“Sir?” an agent
interrupted.

Wilson glanced up.
“Yes?”

“Barbor’s PO
confirmed his address. He’s staying with his sister. Maria Barbor.”

Darren vaguely
remembered the crying woman who swore on the stand that her brother would
never, ever video a little girl.

The agent
continued. “The agents arrived at the house to find no one there. The sister
called in sick to work today and Barbor hasn’t found a job yet.”

“Any
idea where they might be?”
Wilson asked.

The agent shook
his head. “The guys there said they spoke to the neighbors, who confirmed
Barbor living with his sister. They also said that brother and sister are
usually home all the time when she isn’t at work. But they haven’t seen either
of them all day. And the car is missing.”

“What does the
sister drive?” Darren asked, earning a sharp look from Wilson.

The agent asked
the question to the team over the phone before replying. “They didn’t know the
year, but they said it’s a dark blue Honda Accord.”

Which
looked enough like a Toyota Camry.

Wilson must have
thought the same thing because he snapped at the agent, “Check with DMV and get
a BOLO out on Barbor, his sister, and her car. And tell the agents to get local
police to stay at the house and to call us immediately if they see either of
them.”

No, Maria couldn’t
have Savannah. There was no mention of a man in the video or from the gas
station attendant.

Unless
Maria hadn’t picked up her brother yet.

“You know we have
to check every lead, even if we don’t think it’s the right one.” Agent Lacey
spoke in a very soothing voice. “I don’t believe that’s who took Savannah.”

“Why?” Wilson
asked.

“Because
it doesn’t fit the profile.
I believe whoever took her had opportunity
to get close to her.
At school.
In a
store.
Somewhere.
She knew pretty accurately
her size.
And her taste.”

“Taste?”
Darren and Wilson asked in unison. For once, the SAC didn’t glare.

Lacey smiled at
Darren. “Your daughter has a flare for the pretty. The
sparkly
as you
put it.”

He nodded.

She held up the
picture. “Look at the coat. Not only does it fit her, but it has those big,
glittery buttons.
And the fake sparkly fur around the collar
and cuffs.”
She handed the phone to Darren. “She took the time to have a
coat not just the right size and ready so Savannah wouldn’t get cold, but also
one that Savannah would like to wear.”

“SAC Wilson, the
team at the drug store is sending you a photo from the surveillance video,” an
agent interrupted.

Darren hovered beside
Wilson and looked over her shoulder. This picture was much clearer. The
surveillance video must be a higher quality. Her blond curls were tucked under
a cartoon toboggan cap, but her blue eyes were just as big and bright as the
day he’d brought her home from the hospital. “It’s her.”

“According to the
agents there, after reviewing the video, they saw the woman lift two inhalers
from the pharmacy.”

Darren let out a
rush of air. At least Savannah had her medication.

“Has TBI sent a
unit there?” Wilson asked the agent.

“According to our
men there, they just received word that a TBI unit is on its way.
ETA less than five minutes.”

Wilson nodded.
“Send a picture of the suspect.”

“They sent.”

Wilson and Darren
once again peered at the smartphone’s screen. The woman hadn’t changed
appearances—same ball cap pushed low to cover her hair and face, oversized
man’s coat to cover her size, jeans and work boots, and black gloves.
One holding
Savannah’s hand.

“Anything?”
Wilson asked. “Recognize anything?”

Darren studied the
photo. “With the angles and the cap and the coat…I don’t recognize her at all.”

Wilson handed his
cell to the agent at the table. “Get this picture of her out everywhere. I want
to see it all over the news. The picture itself is non-descript, but maybe
somebody will recognize something.”

The agent nodded,
his fingers already forwarding the photo and then handing the phone back to the
SAC.

Darren took it and
scrolled back to the photo of Savannah. His baby didn’t look to be in serious
distress. That was something, at least. And now she’d have her medication.

“Is that
cap
hers?” Lacey startled him as he hadn’t heard her join
them and hover at his elbow to see the photo.

He shook his head.
“No. She didn’t even have a cap with her today because she wore her hair up in
a bow.”

“Does she like
that cartoon?” Lacey tapped on the picture,
then
used
her fingers to enlarge the picture around the cap.

“It’s her
favorite.” The words were hard to push out as the realization hit.

Agent Lacey was
right—this woman who took her had to know her, or at least be around her in
some manner.
The size, the style, and now, her favorite
cartoon.

That someone had
gone to such lengths to make this easier on Savannah made him breathe a little
easier. Surely this meant that they didn’t intend to harm his baby.

“Agent Timmons, I
think you need to start thinking along the lines of who had access to your
daughter that might want to take her without a motive that has anything to do
with you,” Agent Lacey said.

“What do you
mean?” His heart stuttered.

“Someone who seems
to have gone through this much trouble to appease your daughter might want her
for their own.”

“You
mean,
someone who took her to keep her?”

Lacey nodded.

Every muscle in
Darren’s body tightened as tense as the emotional charge in the room.

Not get his baby
back? Never see her again? Never hold her or have her hug him again? It was
unthinkable.

But
at the moment, entirely possible.

Wilson pocketed
his phone. “You provided a list of your closest friends and people around you
and your daughter, Timmons. Maybe we need to look at that a little closer.”

“You think it’s
someone who knows Savannah?” Darren asked Lacey. He couldn’t believe that. “The
only females around us are Maddie Baxter, Remington Baxter, and Riley Simpson.
All are affiliated, either by their own profession or that of their spouse,
with law enforcement. I’d trust any of them with my life.”

“Would you trust
them with your daughter’s life?” Lacey asked.

Darren didn’t
hesitate. “Yes.
Without a doubt.”

“What about women
you’ve dated?” Wilson asked. “You’d said you weren’t seeing anyone and hadn’t
in a while. How long is a while? Maybe a jilted lover who knows how much your
daughter means to you.”

Lacey nodded. “That
would fit the profile.”

Darren’s cheeks
flamed. “I haven’t even dated anyone in the last six months.”

“A jilted lover
can hold a grudge for a long time.
A lot longer than six
months.
Trust me on this.” Lacey shrugged. “It’s a girl thing.”

“What’s her name?”
Wilson pulled out his notebook. “We’ll check her out. And anyone you’ve gone
out with over the past eighteen months.”

Darren’s
discomfort moved to a whole new level. “There’s only been one. She wouldn’t do
anything like this.”

“Did she break it
off with you?” Lacey asked in her quiet voice.

He shook his head.