Read Online WHERE'S MY SON? by John C. Dalglish - Free Book Online

have been very difficult.
    “ Okay, I'll tell him.” Britney said, and hung up.
    “She's already gone for the day. They said she works again tomorrow .”
    “ Dang it!” Michael blurted out, and then quickly gathered himself. “I'm sorry, it's just that I'm leaving town tonight.”
    Michael paused for a moment, lo oking as if he was deciding what to do next. “Maybe I can catch her on my way back through. Thanks so much for your help.”
    “Not at all.”
    He smiled and said goodbye.
    “Goodbye ,” said the girl with ‘Britney’ on her nametag.
     
    *******
     
    It took Jason the better part of an hour to get to Michael’s house on other side of town. He parked across the street, got out, and went up to the garage door. He had to step over several old newspapers lying strewn across the driveway.
    He put his hands around his eyes and peered through the garage door glass. The car was gone. Jason rang the bell, not expecting an answer.
    The detective went around the side of the house and through the alley gate. Going up to the sliding glass door, he again cupped his hands around his face, trying to see in. Nothing seemed disturbed, and the living room appeared as the detective remembered it.
    Jason went back around front and got on his radio.
    “Dispatch, this is Strong.”
    “Go ahead, D etective.”
    “I need a black and white to help with a wellness check.”
    He gave them the address, and five minutes later, a patrol car pulled up. They used a pry tool to force the front door.
    “Michael? Michael, it's Jason. You here?”
    Jason moved into the living room while the uniformed officer went toward the kitchen.
    “Kitchen , clear.”
    “Living room , clear.” Jason called back.
    The officer moved upstairs while Jason lo oked around the living room. The power was still on and the computer came to life when Jason touched the keyboard.
    “U pstairs, clear.”
    “Thank you.”
    Jason sat down and opened the history. The last item was a search for ‘St. Luke’s Missouri.’ It showed one in Springfield and one in St Louis. He copied down the search results.
    Moving around the house, Jason lo oked for other clues as to where he might find Michael. Upstairs, he found an open closet. Several dresser drawers were open with clothes hanging out. It was clear Michael had left in a hurry. Jason went back downstairs and outside, locking the door behind him.
    Once back in his car, he called Detective Dan Carpenter in Hondo.
    “Hondo Police Department.”
    “Detective Carpenter, please.”
    After several minutes, Dan Carpenter came on.
    “Detective Carpenter .”
    “Dan, this is Jason Strong, San Antonio P.D.”
    “Jason, long time. How are you?”
    “Good , Dan, thanks. You?”
    “Fine. I ran into Vanessa Layne earlier today.”
    Jason's voice turned serious. “That’s what Vanessa said. She mentioned you were telling her about a torture-murder case.”
    “ Yeah, that's right. Gruesome stuff.”
    “She said the victim’s name is Benny Carter.”
    “That’s right. That name ring a bell?”
    Jason needed to be careful. “Do you remember the kidnapping case of the Barton baby, maybe ten years ago?”
    “ Sure. Why?”
    “Well, the name Benny Carter came up in that investigation. Nothing serious, but I’m just curious what happened to him.”
    Jason could hear Dan reach over and open a file folder. “Let me see. He had a blow to the back of his head. It looked like he'd been surprised from behind, and tied to a tree. He had a cut face and a broken kneecap. A gunshot to the forehead killed him.”
    “Been able to come up with a motive?”
    “Not yet. Nothing from the scene gave us a direction. You got anything from that old case that might help?”
    “Don't think so. He wasn't a suspect, just a name I remembered.”
    “Well, if something comes to mind, give me a yell.”
    “You know I will . Thanks, Dan.”
    “Sure, anytime.” Dan hung up.
    Jason opened his laptop, pulled up a record search and