Read Online Back Before Dark by Tim Shoemaker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tim Shoemaker
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The way I heard the story, you did everything you could.”
“Except the most important part,” Cooper said, “get the numbers.”
Sykes shook his head. “You chased the van. Got a visual on its direction. Phoned 9-1-1 with all that info and a description of the van so they could activate an Amber Alert. I’d call that excellent work in a high-stress situation.”
Cooper stared at the lid of his shake. There was no getting around the fact that he’d totally messed up by not getting the one piece of information that could have saved Gordy.
When he looked up, Hiro was staring at him.
“You did good, Cooper MacKinnon. Don’t you forget that,” Hiro said.
What else could he expect Hiro to say? He did
good? Really
? The truth wasn’t quite as heroic. He
messed up
good. Really good.
“So what’s next?” Hiro acted like she was part of the investigating team now.
“The police are still looking for the minivan—and especially with that plate number.”
Cooper suddenly got a creepy feeling.
“How do we know the van really
was
stolen? What if
he’s
the one who grabbed Gordy?” Cooper asked.
Cooper played out that possibility in his mind.
“Yeah,” Lunk said. “He could just be
saying
his van was stolen.”
Sykes studied them a moment, then leaned forward and pulled out a small spiral notebook from his back pocket. “I’ll tell you what I know, but if this leaves this table, you can forget me sharing anything again. Got it?”
Cooper exchanged looks with Hiro and Lunk. “Yes, sir,” Hiro said.
“His story checks out,” Sykes said. “And now we have complete details on the van. Plates, VIN, everything. That will help.” He pulled out a small spiral notebook from his back pocket and flipped it open. “CRM 9147.”
Cooper groaned. It sounded right. Had to be right. Hiro jotted the number on a napkin. Cooper pulled a pen from his pocket and wrote the number on the back of his hand. He wanted it visible when he rode his bike so he could check every minivan he saw.
CHAPTER 13
C ooper peeked at Officer Sykes’ notebook. No address. Something bothered Cooper about the owner of the minivan. It seemed a little too convenient to report the minivan stolen
after
Gordy’s kidnapping. Maybe the owner had a partner and he
let
that guy “steal” his van. If the guy working at Woodfield Mall was involved, directly or indirectly, then Gordy may still be nearby.
He wondered if Hiro could get an address for the plates. Would her brother do that for them? Then Dad and Uncle Jim could pay the man a visit. And maybe they’d let Cooper go with them.
“Officer Sykes?” Hiro fingered the police star necklace hanging around her neck. “What are the chances Gordy is still in the area?”
Was Hiro thinking the same thing?
Sykes tucked the notebook away. “Fifty-fifty?” He thought for a moment. “I’m not going to lie to you. He could be anywhere.”
No news there. Cooper had already covered that ground in his mind. The abduction site was less than a minute from a ramp onto Route 53 at Euclid Avenue. The route could take him north or south at highway speed. The junction with Interstate 90 was only a couple miles south on Route 53—which gave east or west options. The kidnapper picked the perfect place. He was either brilliant or just plain lucky. “So you think he’s out of the area?” Cooper asked.
“Some of the RMPD feel that way. He could have crossed over the state line into Wisconsin in about an hour. Indiana, even less.”
Which made every poster they’d put up totally pointless.
Hiro tilted her head to the side. “And what do
you
think?”
Officer Sykes crossed his arms over the back of the chair and rested his chin there. He stared into space for a moment. “I think—” he paused. “I think he’s still in the area.”
Cooper was all ears. “Why?” He wanted to believe Gordy was close. And that he was okay.
“Nothing scientific. Just my gut. Speaking of which, I’m going to
“Except the most important part,” Cooper said, “get the numbers.”
Sykes shook his head. “You chased the van. Got a visual on its direction. Phoned 9-1-1 with all that info and a description of the van so they could activate an Amber Alert. I’d call that excellent work in a high-stress situation.”
Cooper stared at the lid of his shake. There was no getting around the fact that he’d totally messed up by not getting the one piece of information that could have saved Gordy.
When he looked up, Hiro was staring at him.
“You did good, Cooper MacKinnon. Don’t you forget that,” Hiro said.
What else could he expect Hiro to say? He did
good? Really
? The truth wasn’t quite as heroic. He
messed up
good. Really good.
“So what’s next?” Hiro acted like she was part of the investigating team now.
“The police are still looking for the minivan—and especially with that plate number.”
Cooper suddenly got a creepy feeling.
“How do we know the van really
was
stolen? What if
he’s
the one who grabbed Gordy?” Cooper asked.
Cooper played out that possibility in his mind.
“Yeah,” Lunk said. “He could just be
saying
his van was stolen.”
Sykes studied them a moment, then leaned forward and pulled out a small spiral notebook from his back pocket. “I’ll tell you what I know, but if this leaves this table, you can forget me sharing anything again. Got it?”
Cooper exchanged looks with Hiro and Lunk. “Yes, sir,” Hiro said.
“His story checks out,” Sykes said. “And now we have complete details on the van. Plates, VIN, everything. That will help.” He pulled out a small spiral notebook from his back pocket and flipped it open. “CRM 9147.”
Cooper groaned. It sounded right. Had to be right. Hiro jotted the number on a napkin. Cooper pulled a pen from his pocket and wrote the number on the back of his hand. He wanted it visible when he rode his bike so he could check every minivan he saw.
CHAPTER 13
C ooper peeked at Officer Sykes’ notebook. No address. Something bothered Cooper about the owner of the minivan. It seemed a little too convenient to report the minivan stolen
after
Gordy’s kidnapping. Maybe the owner had a partner and he
let
that guy “steal” his van. If the guy working at Woodfield Mall was involved, directly or indirectly, then Gordy may still be nearby.
He wondered if Hiro could get an address for the plates. Would her brother do that for them? Then Dad and Uncle Jim could pay the man a visit. And maybe they’d let Cooper go with them.
“Officer Sykes?” Hiro fingered the police star necklace hanging around her neck. “What are the chances Gordy is still in the area?”
Was Hiro thinking the same thing?
Sykes tucked the notebook away. “Fifty-fifty?” He thought for a moment. “I’m not going to lie to you. He could be anywhere.”
No news there. Cooper had already covered that ground in his mind. The abduction site was less than a minute from a ramp onto Route 53 at Euclid Avenue. The route could take him north or south at highway speed. The junction with Interstate 90 was only a couple miles south on Route 53—which gave east or west options. The kidnapper picked the perfect place. He was either brilliant or just plain lucky. “So you think he’s out of the area?” Cooper asked.
“Some of the RMPD feel that way. He could have crossed over the state line into Wisconsin in about an hour. Indiana, even less.”
Which made every poster they’d put up totally pointless.
Hiro tilted her head to the side. “And what do
you
think?”
Officer Sykes crossed his arms over the back of the chair and rested his chin there. He stared into space for a moment. “I think—” he paused. “I think he’s still in the area.”
Cooper was all ears. “Why?” He wanted to believe Gordy was close. And that he was okay.
“Nothing scientific. Just my gut. Speaking of which, I’m going to
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