Vanished (21 page)

“She’ll get him here,” Tomas replied. He pointed to the conference room. “You should be in there now. Give those agents whatever they need so they ask the right questions, because Wiggins is on his way. But I have to ask...”

“What?”

“Greg told you about Brittany’s autopsy?” When she nodded, Tomas said, “Lauren was checked out at the hospital. She’s still not saying a thing, but the doctors have confirmed it. No sexual assault. Are we even looking in the right direction?”

Evelyn took a sip of her tea, shifting her weight as if she were exhausted.

She looked like hell. She had for more than a day, but she looked almost worse than she had last night. He hoped to God she wasn’t going to fall apart on him now, because he needed her.

He’d run some nasty investigations in his days as a detective, before he’d come back to Rose Bay and been hired as chief. But this, he couldn’t begin to understand.

“Wiggins’s MO was to lure kids to him slowly, earn their trust first. In the cases in DC, he did it over a period of months.”

“I read the case files,” Tomas said impatiently.

“So, here, even though the girls were immobilized, he might have been doing the same thing. Trying to win them over.”

“Win them over?” Tomas asked incredulously. “He locked them up under the ground!”

“I know. It’s not logical. But in his own mind, Walter needs an excuse for what he’s doing. He tells himself they were willing.”

Tomas swore. “That’s—”

“Disgusting, I know. But it’s how he worked before. So, like I said, it’s possible that he was trying to do the same thing here, only in a controlled environment. It’s possible he was waiting until he felt they trusted him.”

“And Brittany?”

“The evidence suggests her death was an accident. Maybe Walter didn’t have long enough to win her trust before that happened.”

Tomas closed his eyes briefly. “What about Darnell?”

Evelyn shifted her weight again. “Well, I suspected him because I believe there’s a good chance he sexually assaulted and then murdered his ex-girlfriend’s daughter twenty years ago.”

Tomas nodded.

“Which would imply he wouldn’t wait. If I’m right about what happened back then, he’d most likely assault the girls as soon as he had them in his control. Since they weren’t assaulted, there are two options.”

“Which are?” Tomas prompted when she paused.

“Either I’m wrong and it’s not him at all.”

“He ran straight to that field,” Tomas pointed out.

“Yeah, and I find it hard to believe that was a coincidence. Very hard to believe. The other possibility is that twenty years ago he was innocent.”

Tomas shook his head, not understanding. “If he was innocent, what motive would he—”

“It’s possible Charlotte Novak wasn’t his victim but his trigger.”

When Tomas seemed confused, she clarified. “He didn’t do it, but finding his girlfriend’s daughter, seeing what was done to her, was the trigger that made him decide to act on his own fantasies. And if that’s the case...” She shrugged. “He could actually have an MO similar to Walter’s, which would explain the lack of sexual assault.”

“Damn it,” Tomas groaned. “How many of these people are out there?”

“Too many,” Kyle said from where he’d been standing silently behind Evelyn.

Tomas glanced at him, wondering what his job really was, then back at Evelyn. “There’s an APB out on Darnell across the whole county. Most of my officers are looking for him.”

“I think I know where he could be hiding.”

“Where?” Tomas scanned the station, which had mostly cleared out, except for the CARD agents talking to Mandy’s parents or waiting to question Walter and Frank.

“I’ll go,” Evelyn said.

“Are you kidding me?” Tomas demanded, but he didn’t have a whole lot of other options.

“I’ll take Mac with me.”

He frowned at her, but the reality was that it would be faster to let her go than to call back one of his officers. “Fine. Go. But don’t do anything that’ll trash whatever evidence you find when this thing goes to court. If he did it, I want the bastard to fry.”

“Believe me, so do I.”

Evelyn turned toward the door, but not before Tomas saw the expression on her face, the burning desire for revenge.

He said a quick prayer that she wouldn’t kill the bastard if she found him, then hurried into the CARD command post to help ready the room for the rest of their suspects.

* * *

“I’ve got the master key,” Kyle said, deadpan, when they arrived at Kiki Novak’s house.

“Would that be your foot?”

“Pretty much.”

“Kiki probably won’t answer if I knock on the door. But she might for you.” Evelyn studied him. He was in civilian clothes, but what had seemed funny when she’d run into him posing as an engineer was now just frustrating. Kyle might have an easygoing expression on his face, but there was no hiding his physique or the intensity in his eyes. And those things couldn’t say
law enforcement
any more clearly.

He gave her a wide grin, showing his dimples, and winked.

It made Evelyn’s blood pressure spike, but she grinned back, her first real smile in days. “Okay. Do that, and she’ll definitely open the door.”

“What are you going to do?”

Evelyn instinctively patted the holster at her hip. “Cover the back of the house.”

“You really think she’s harboring him?”

“I think there’s a better-than-average chance. She doesn’t believe he killed her daughter.”

Kyle nodded soberly, took out his cell phone and called her as he opened his car door. “So you can hear what’s happening.”

“Good idea.” Evelyn answered her phone, then stuck it back in her pocket with the line open. She followed Kyle until they got closer. Then she darted out of sight, slipping around the house next door to get to the back of Kiki’s house so no one from inside would see her.

It was noon, so most of Kiki’s neighbors were probably at work. But on the drive over, Evelyn had checked Kiki’s schedule at the restaurant where she was a server. Kiki had taken the day off work. Hopefully, she was home and not on the run with Darnell.

Kyle gave her time to get in position, then she heard him knocking on Kiki’s door.

There was silence through the phone line for so long that Evelyn’s shoulders slumped. If Darnell was inside, maybe he’d looked through the window, recognized Kyle and told Kiki not to answer.

Evelyn stared up at Kiki’s house. There were two doors, one at the front and one at the back, so if Darnell was in there, his options were to hide or jump out a window. Surveying the back of the house, Evelyn saw that shades were drawn over all the windows.

If Kiki didn’t answer voluntarily and let Kyle in, the next option was to use the bullhorn in her car and identify themselves as FBI. She didn’t have the time to wait Kiki out, but often sheer embarrassment would do it. The dread that anyone close enough to overhear would learn that the FBI were camped out at her house. Just as she was resigning herself to that option, Evelyn heard, “Can I help you?” through her phone.

Evelyn pressed herself up against the brick wall, out of sight of the back windows, and waited.

“Kiki Novak?”

“Yeah.” Kiki’s voice came back, sounding suspicious.

“My name is Kyle McKenzie, with the FBI.”

There was a bang that Evelyn realized must have been Kyle bracing his hand on the door as Kiki tried to slam it shut.

“I need to know if Darnell Conway is here.”

Evelyn tensed, straining to listen.

The door next to her burst open, catching her off guard. She pushed away from the brick, and Darnell spotted her.

Instead of running in the other direction, he dove off the steps straight at her.

He hit like a football player, diving low and catching her hard enough to wrench the air from her lungs. She crashed to the ground in a V, the center of her body landing first, then her head bouncing off the dirt.

Darnell landed on top of her, then quickly levered himself halfway, his snarling face staring down at her. Evelyn shifted for leverage but, too fast, Darnell raised his fist.

It never connected.

She didn’t know where he’d come from, but suddenly Kyle was there, tackling Darnell from the side, and throwing him off her. He flipped Darnell onto his back with ease and was already cuffing him when Evelyn got to her feet.

“Darnell Conway, you’re under arrest.” Kyle pulled him into a standing position. “And you’d better have a damn good explanation for how you knew where that cellar was.”

Twenty

“Y
ou found him.”

The whole room grew silent as Evelyn and Kyle walked in with Darnell Conway cuffed, head down, between them. The few cops seemed frozen in shock, until Tomas came forward.

“Nice job,” he told her, taking Darnell by the elbow. “I’ll put him in a room and be right back.”

Evelyn nodded as Carly and Greg stepped out of another interrogation room. Greg was nodding, looking unsurprised, and Carly gaped at her.

“The ex-girlfriend was harboring him?” Greg guessed.

“Yep.”

“What’s the strategy?”

“Strategy?” Carly broke in. “We go at him hard. Mandy’s been missing three and a half hours. We bring her home so that number never hits four.”

She turned toward the room where Tomas had disappeared and Evelyn seized her arm.

Carly whirled around, yanking her arm free. “What? You disagree? You may know all about how these sickos think.” She glanced at Greg. “No offense. But I’ve worked a hell of a lot more child abductions than either of you.”

“BAU gets a lot of those cases, too,” Greg, who’d been at BAU for eight years, replied neutrally.

“This guy is crafty,” Evelyn said. “Whatever he is or isn’t guilty of, he likes to taunt. He walked that line really well during the search parties. He knows exactly how much to say. And we don’t want him lawyering up, which is probably the first thing he’ll do. Unless...”

“Unless you go in there?” Carly asked.

“Unless we make him want to keep taunting us. Unless we make him think he’s so much smarter than us that he doesn’t need a lawyer.”

Carly put her hands on her hips. “And he’ll think he’s that much smarter than you?”

“If he is the killer,” Greg said softly, “he’s been waiting to taunt Evelyn for eighteen years.”

Carly’s hands fell off her hips as she looked between them. “Can you handle being in there with him? If you’re right, that means he’s going to taunt you about what he did to your friend.”

Evelyn took a deep breath. “I know. I want you in there, Carly. But I’m taking lead.”

Sensing Greg’s gaze on her, Evelyn glanced in his direction.

“Can you do this?” he asked.

She clenched her jaw. “Of course,” she answered, even though she knew he was really asking,
Should you do this?

Kyle spoke up. “What about the other suspects?”

Greg shook his head. “We’ve got both Walter and Frank here. Carly and Tomas have been talking to them and I’ve been advising. So far, nothing.”

“What do you think?” Evelyn asked.

Greg pursed his lips. “Honestly? We can’t rule either of them out, but my gut says neither one did this.”

Carly stared at Greg, then turned toward Evelyn. “If it’s not Darnell,” she said, “then Frank is my next guess.”

“Why?”

“There’s something wonky with this guy. Pretending his niece is still alive for nineteen years? No matter what his brother wanted, that’s just plain weird. He lives close to that cellar and he sure as hell knows the area. He’s got a business that lets him set his own hours and you said he blamed his sister-in-law for what happened to his niece. Not to mention that unlike Wiggins or Darnell, he
wouldn’t
stand out in the areas these girls were abducted.”

Evelyn nodded, looking at Greg.

“The timing makes me hesitate,” he said. “Six years is a long time to wait if he’s been desperate to start abducting girls again. That’s how long it’s been since Noreen turned eighteen and he moved out, right?” When Evelyn nodded again, Greg continued, “Considering how quickly the perp grabbed three girls, that reeks of desperation.”

“But he’s not so desperate he’s making mistakes,” Evelyn reminded him.

“That’s true. Like I said, both of these guys are possibilities, but I’m not convinced about either one. The timing isn’t quite right with Frank, and Walter is extremely timid around adults. I’m not sure he has the nerve to pull off these abductions. If someone even saw him near a kid, he would’ve been in for another beating like the one Brittany’s dad gave him.”

“Well, he obviously got close enough to take those pictures Evelyn saw,” Kyle contributed.

Damn, did everyone know about that? Evelyn tried not to cringe.

“Which is why we can’t rule him out,” Greg said. He turned to Evelyn. “But Darnell running into that field, right past that cellar? You know how I feel about coincidences.”

“Yeah. Me, too.” They happened, but more often, if there seemed to be a connection, there
was
a connection.

“Okay. Let’s do it. Follow my lead,” she told Carly. “This guy likes to be physically intimidating and right now, he’s got to be feeling pretty panicked. We want to relieve some of that tension, make him feel he’s got some power.”

“This is the plan for interrogating Darnell?” Tomas asked as he rejoined them.

“Yes. Carly and I will go in there. Darnell enjoys bullying others and he’ll be less threatened by two women.”

Carly scowled at that, but the truth was, sometimes being underestimated because of her gender could be a benefit in this job.

“You should sit at the table across from him,” Evelyn instructed Carly. “You’re tall, so I want you to hunch a bit—not like you’re bored, but as though he makes you a little uncomfortable. Just don’t overplay it or he’ll see through it. Take in a folder with Darnell’s name on it, but don’t open it.”

“What about you?” Tomas asked.

“I’m hoping he’ll look at me and see the girl he missed grabbing eighteen years ago. If he’s our killer, seeing me should make him equal parts frustrated and smug. Frustrated because I got away and smug because he thinks I’m still afraid of him.” Something she’d let him believe as he’d left those dunes two days ago.

“He’ll want to say just enough so that I know he could have grabbed me any time he wanted—whether it’s true or not. And if it’s him, he’ll flaunt the power he’s got by having Mandy. The trick is to get him to go just a little too far and actually admit it.”

“And you think you can get him to do that?” Tomas asked skeptically.

Evelyn nodded at Carly. “Let’s go find out.”

* * *

“This is bullshit,” Darnell said as soon as Evelyn and Carly walked into the room.

He was putting on a good front, his expression angry and indignant. But his gaze was a little too shifty, his whole body a little too tense.

Carly sat across from him, setting the folder with Darnell’s name on it in full view. Then she glanced at Evelyn and stooped her shoulders.

Evelyn remained standing at the edge of the room, as if she didn’t want to get too close to Darnell. The truth was, her head throbbed from hitting the ground, and she was pretty sure when she got back to the hotel room tonight she’d discover her whole back was bruised.

“Mr. Conway, Chief Lamar read you your rights, correct? You waived your right to an attorney and you’re aware we’re recording this conversation. Do you have any questions—”

“I know my rights,” Darnell barked at Carly, then looked over at Evelyn. “You really think you can get away with targeting me like this? You trespass at my house, then trespass at Kiki’s house...” He crossed shaky arms over his chest, leaning back in his seat.

“Do you have an explanation for running through that field?”

“Of course I do! You and your boyfriend were chasing me.”

“So, you’re telling me it was a coincidence that you ran directly over the spot where the kidnap victims were found?” Before he could answer, Evelyn added, “The one who’s still alive, that is.”

Darnell swallowed visibly, fidgeting in his seat. “This is a frame-up, okay? You really think if I did it, I’d lead you right to them? That would be stupid!”

He leaned forward again, glanced briefly at Carly, then back at her. “I know you don’t have anything on me, because I didn’t do it! And even a public defender could get this thrown out. I happened to run across a field. Big fucking deal.”

“You went through the field while trying to outrun two FBI agents,” Carly said.

“They. Were. Chasing. Me,” Darnell enunciated slowly. “And that one—” he pointed at her “—had already trespassed at my house, making all kinds of accusations. Her boyfriend pulled his gun on me for no reason when I was helping with the volunteers.” He sat back, a smirk playing on his lips, but fear in his eyes. “What would a jury say about that?”

“What jury?” Carly asked.

“Well, you arrested me, didn’t you? You think you have enough to make these kidnapping—” he frowned “—and murder charges stick.”

Darnell squirmed in his chair and Evelyn broke in before he went too far with that line of thinking and decided to get himself a lawyer. “Why did you join the search parties?”

He stared at her for a minute, pensive, then finally said, “Why wouldn’t I? You told me a girl had been abducted. Of course I wanted to help bring her home.”

“Didn’t you tell me in the dunes that Brittany was dead?”

Carly jerked in her seat and Darnell’s gaze moved over her slowly, as if trying to decide what her role was. Then he dismissed her, looking back at Evelyn.

“Logical assumption. Everyone knows it’s the same guy from eighteen years ago. Does anyone really believe those girls are still alive after eighteen years?” He shrugged. “I just figured if he was killing them then, he’d be killing them now.”

When Carly leaned closer, interest on her face, he added quickly, “Obviously I hoped I was wrong. That’s why I joined the search parties.”

“Did you know any of the girls who went missing eighteen years ago?”

He snorted. “No. Why would I have known twelve-year-olds from other cities?”

Making a mental note that Darnell had referred to the exact age of the victims, Evelyn continued smoothly, “But you helped with the search parties back then, too, didn’t you?”

Darnell scowled. “Yeah. And back then, I assumed we’d find them alive. At least that last girl. Your friend.”

It was the opening she’d been waiting for, but hearing him say it felt like a fist to the stomach. She cursed herself, knowing she’d visibly reacted, but when she saw the light come into Darnell’s eyes, she realized it was actually a good thing.

Keep him off balance,
she reminded herself.
Make him believe he’s winning.
She tried to keep her tone unaffected, but her voice cracked, anyway, when she said, “Cassie. You thought they’d find Cassie alive?”

“Cassie,” Darnell repeated, drawing out her name. “Yes, I thought they’d find her alive and bring her home.”

“But they didn’t.”

Darnell lifted his shoulders, his nervous tics fading. “Guess not.”

“Maybe this guy was never a killer,” Evelyn said.

Carly shot her a glance that demanded,
What the hell are you doing?
But she kept silent.

Darnell looked suspicious, too. “Maybe,” he said slowly.

“It appears that Brittany’s death was an accident. In that case the person who did it should probably get out in front of it. Before he gets arrested for straight-up murder.”

Darnell raised his eyebrows, his lips curling up as he let out a forced laugh. “That’s your pitch? Really? You think I did this and I’m going to admit it in hopes of getting, what? Some kind of lesser charge? You’re talking about kidnapping kids! And doing horrible things to them. I didn’t do that and I’m sure as hell not going to let you pin anything on me!”

“What do you think was done to them?”

“How should I know? I heard they were kept in a pit under the ground! That can’t be good.”

“You ran right over that pit.”

Darnell huffed out a put-upon sigh. “You
chased
me there.”

“I followed you to there,” Evelyn countered. “And you seemed to think you’d lost me when you drove down a dead-end road.”

“I’m not from here...”

“You obviously know the town well after helping with all those searches over eighteen years. And you found me in the dunes easily enough.”

“I asked where you were,” he snarled. “You were the one who told me about the search parties. Someone else pointed the way. Told me where to find you.”

“Who?”

Carly straightened in her seat, as though she were anxious to get to the questions about Mandy, but Evelyn wanted to keep changing directions, not allow Darnell to get too comfortable with his story.

Darnell gave a tight smile. “A cop.”

“Which cop?”

“Bullock, I think his name was.” He paused meaningfully. “You know, the guy whose property that pit was on?”

“How do
you
know that? If you’re not familiar with the town and all?”

Darnell scowled. “I...heard it on the news.”

Evelyn nodded, although she had no idea if that had been in the news or not. “Okay. Why did you run through the field, Darnell? You were already out there when I drove around the corner.”

Darnell stared down at the table, then finally looked back up at her, his expression thoughtful. “I was framed,” he said. “Someone texted me, okay? To meet there.”

Carly all but rolled her eyes as she asked, “Who texted you?”

Darnell rubbed his chin. “Not sure. It was a—a business thing.”

“That’s pretty convenient,” Carly scoffed.

“It’s not convenient for me! I mean, look what happened! He was trying to set me up! And look, I didn’t mention it at first because I know it sounds kind of stupid. But it’s true.”

“What kind of business did you have in a deserted field?” Evelyn broke in.

“It’s a sales thing. Confidential.”

“And you’re telling us whoever texted you right before you went into that field is the kidnapper?” Carly asked scornfully.

“Well, yeah. Must be, right?”

“And you thought it made sense to conduct business with someone you didn’t know in a deserted field?” Carly pressed. “You said earlier that Evelyn chased you there.”

“Well, hell, I didn’t think she was going to catch up to me, okay? And I wanted to do this, uh, deal, before I lost my chance. So I tried to lose her, so she wouldn’t screw it up for me. She was hounding me. She wouldn’t leave me alone!”

“What were you afraid I was going to find?” Evelyn asked.

“Nothing! There’s nothing to find. But you were trying to pin Charlotte on me. And now you’re trying to pin this on me! I didn’t do any of it!”