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Authors: Robin Caroll
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agent. “Wilson, why wasn’t I shown the
photograph of my daughter that an agent sent over after interviewing the clerk
at the drug store?”
SAC Wilson turned.
“I’m not aware of any such photograph.”
“Eva said one of
the agents who interviewed the clerk ordered it be sent to me.”
“ Eva did,
did she?”
“Yes, she did.
Could you follow up on that, please?” Darren had about lost his patience. His
baby was missing and he was sitting on his hands here. He’d played by the rules
long enough with no result.
Wilson nodded to
another agent. “Follow up with the team at the drug store.” He turned back to
Darren. “Barbor was picked up by Memphis police and brought in for questioning.
I’m heading over there now.”
“I’ll get my
coat.” Finally! Something he could do.
Wilson shook his
head. “You know better, Timmons. You have to stay put.” He clamped a hand on
Darren’s shoulder.
“I say this with
the utmost respect, sir, but you and I both know this isn’t a kidnapping. Not
in the sense that I need to wait around for a ransom.”
“I know it’s hard,
Agent Timmons, but you know policy. I’ll let you know something as soon as I
can.” He headed out toward the living room before Darren could offer any more
objections to being left behind.
Darren was sick of
policy and procedures. This was Savannah. His girl. All that he had left. He would risk everything to get her
back.
“Everything
okay?” Eva stood in the kitchen doorway. “Mr. Friendly glared as passed
through on his way out.”
He sank into one
of the barstools. “I don’t know, Eva. I just don’t know.”
Her touch on the
back of his neck was like a spark down his spine. “I don’t know what to say,
Darren. My heart is breaking for you. For Savy.” Her
voice hitched and thickened. “I-I-I…I just want you to know I’m here for you.”
“Thanks, Eva. It
means a lot.” He grabbed her hand and held it in his own. The shared comfort
felt…right.
“Agent
Timmons?” One of the agents handed him a tablet. “Here’s the photograph
that they sent from the drug store footage.”
Darren studied the
photo. Side profile of Savannah, the woman on the other side
of her. Same cap and coat Savannah had been wearing in the other
photograph, but he could see the sweatpants she wore. “Those
shoes. She wasn’t wearing them. She wore her boots today.”
“Are you sure?”
Agent Lacey asked. Darren hadn’t even realized she’d joined them in the
kitchen.
“I’m positive. I
actually thought she’d wear these shoes because we just got them this week, but
she wore her boots. I helped her put them on.”
“What do you mean
by these shoes ?” Agent Lacey asked.
Exactly! “She has
this exact pair of shoes.” Darren shot to his feet and rushed down the hall to
Savannah’s bedroom. Agent Lacey and Eva were right on his heels. He opened her
closet door and lifted the sparkly shoes he’d just bought. He held them up
alongside the photograph. “See?”
Agent Lacey took
the shoes and let out a low whistle. “These are rather pricey shoes for a five
year old.”
Heat shot up the
back of his neck. “I know, but she wanted them so badly. With the Christmas
season here and she wanted to be festive….”
Eva waved off the
female agent. “Every girl likes sparkly shoes during party season. Of course
you had to get them for her. You owe no one an explanation for being a good
father.”
Darren didn’t miss
the disapproving frown Eva shot Agent Lacey. If it were a different time,
different place, different circumstance, he just might think Eva was staking
her territory. He didn’t know how he felt about that, but it didn’t matter. He
couldn’t concentrate.
“The point I’m
making is that these are specialty shoes. Not something you can just run out
and grab at the local store.” Agent Lacey obviously wasn’t bothered by Eva’s
chastising.
And she made
sense. Darren nodded. “Right. We got them at the
mall.”
photograph of my daughter that an agent sent over after interviewing the clerk
at the drug store?”
SAC Wilson turned.
“I’m not aware of any such photograph.”
“Eva said one of
the agents who interviewed the clerk ordered it be sent to me.”
“ Eva did,
did she?”
“Yes, she did.
Could you follow up on that, please?” Darren had about lost his patience. His
baby was missing and he was sitting on his hands here. He’d played by the rules
long enough with no result.
Wilson nodded to
another agent. “Follow up with the team at the drug store.” He turned back to
Darren. “Barbor was picked up by Memphis police and brought in for questioning.
I’m heading over there now.”
“I’ll get my
coat.” Finally! Something he could do.
Wilson shook his
head. “You know better, Timmons. You have to stay put.” He clamped a hand on
Darren’s shoulder.
“I say this with
the utmost respect, sir, but you and I both know this isn’t a kidnapping. Not
in the sense that I need to wait around for a ransom.”
“I know it’s hard,
Agent Timmons, but you know policy. I’ll let you know something as soon as I
can.” He headed out toward the living room before Darren could offer any more
objections to being left behind.
Darren was sick of
policy and procedures. This was Savannah. His girl. All that he had left. He would risk everything to get her
back.
“Everything
okay?” Eva stood in the kitchen doorway. “Mr. Friendly glared as passed
through on his way out.”
He sank into one
of the barstools. “I don’t know, Eva. I just don’t know.”
Her touch on the
back of his neck was like a spark down his spine. “I don’t know what to say,
Darren. My heart is breaking for you. For Savy.” Her
voice hitched and thickened. “I-I-I…I just want you to know I’m here for you.”
“Thanks, Eva. It
means a lot.” He grabbed her hand and held it in his own. The shared comfort
felt…right.
“Agent
Timmons?” One of the agents handed him a tablet. “Here’s the photograph
that they sent from the drug store footage.”
Darren studied the
photo. Side profile of Savannah, the woman on the other side
of her. Same cap and coat Savannah had been wearing in the other
photograph, but he could see the sweatpants she wore. “Those
shoes. She wasn’t wearing them. She wore her boots today.”
“Are you sure?”
Agent Lacey asked. Darren hadn’t even realized she’d joined them in the
kitchen.
“I’m positive. I
actually thought she’d wear these shoes because we just got them this week, but
she wore her boots. I helped her put them on.”
“What do you mean
by these shoes ?” Agent Lacey asked.
Exactly! “She has
this exact pair of shoes.” Darren shot to his feet and rushed down the hall to
Savannah’s bedroom. Agent Lacey and Eva were right on his heels. He opened her
closet door and lifted the sparkly shoes he’d just bought. He held them up
alongside the photograph. “See?”
Agent Lacey took
the shoes and let out a low whistle. “These are rather pricey shoes for a five
year old.”
Heat shot up the
back of his neck. “I know, but she wanted them so badly. With the Christmas
season here and she wanted to be festive….”
Eva waved off the
female agent. “Every girl likes sparkly shoes during party season. Of course
you had to get them for her. You owe no one an explanation for being a good
father.”
Darren didn’t miss
the disapproving frown Eva shot Agent Lacey. If it were a different time,
different place, different circumstance, he just might think Eva was staking
her territory. He didn’t know how he felt about that, but it didn’t matter. He
couldn’t concentrate.
“The point I’m
making is that these are specialty shoes. Not something you can just run out
and grab at the local store.” Agent Lacey obviously wasn’t bothered by Eva’s
chastising.
And she made
sense. Darren nodded. “Right. We got them at the
mall.”
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