taught them to be hard, to use force to survive, and anger was so ingrained in them that it would take years of counselingto temper it.
“We’ll push him to find out his real name,” Julie said. “But I’ve requested DNA testing to confirm his identity.”
“I still think I could reach him,” Brody said. “That if I talk to him, remind him of how we grew up, things we did together, that he’ll remember me.”
Julie squeezed his arm. “I know you’re anxious to be with him, Brody, but first let me do my job. There’smore at stake here than just his identity.”
Brody’s jaw tightened. “You mean the armed robberies?”
“Yes, that and the fact that his kidnapper may have abducted other boys, and he might lead us to them.”
He wanted to argue that all he cared about was Will.
But an image of the parents of the Forte boy flashed in his head, and he bit his tongue. He knew the pain of wondering,not knowing, missing a loved one.
He’d never wish that torture on anyone else.
“Come on,” Julie said. “Do you want to watch the interrogation?”
Brody swallowed hard. He had to observe in case Kyle gave himself away in his mannerisms, his body language, or even something small he said.
Then he would know who the boy really was.
That would be the first step in helping him.
Still, he braced himself as he followed Julie to an adjoining room with a one-way mirror. The fact that Kyle had bruises told him his story wasn’t going to be pretty.
He just wondered how ugly it would get.
* * *
“A RE YOU sure you’re up to this, Brody?” Julie asked. “Watching us interrogate Kyle may be difficult. We have to ask him some hard questions. And if he isn’t cooperative,we’ll have to push.”
A muscle jumped in Brody’s cheek, his look glazed with pain and resignation. “I want the truth,” he said. “Do what you have to do.”
Julie’s gaze met his for a heartbeat, then she gave a small nod. “Just remember that he’s been traumatized, so uncovering that truth may take time.”
“I know. I’ve waited seven years. At least if he’s alive, I have hope again.”
Julie’s heart ached for him. She wanted to drag him into a hug and comfort him like she would have done years ago, but touching him made her want more.
And she couldn’t afford to travel down that road again.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” she said. “Hang in there.”
He mumbled that he would, then crossed his arms and faced the window, and Julie left the room.
But worryseized her insides. She hoped she was doing the right thing by allowing Brody to watch. But she hoped Kyle might give some clue that Brody would pick up on to confirm that he was Will.
Normally DNA testing took time, but she’d requested a rush on it, reasoning that this unsub registered on the MOST WANTED list, so she hoped to have the results soon.
If their theory was right and Kylehad been abducted by the same man who’d kidnapped little Hank Forte, and the unsub realized Kyle had been caught, he might panic, take the boys and run.
Then they might lose any link to him.
God knows, the bastard had been living under the radar for years and getting away with his crimes.
She wanted to put him away this time and make him pay for what he’d done to those childrenand their families.
* * *
B RODY WATCHED J ULIE enter the interrogation room, Agent Cord behind her. He had to trust her to do the right thing with his brother.
She was a trained agent.
But she’d also known Will as a child. Had played games with him, shared picnics, even helped him with homework. He remembered them making PB and Js with honey and wading in the creek. QuestioningKyle had to be hard for her, too.
If this kid was Will, would he recognize her? She’d been in their house a lot that last year—maybe he would remember her. If so, somehow that might make the interrogation easier for him to endure.
Forcing himself to focus, he turned his gaze onto Will. Kyle. Hell, he didn’t
“We’ll push him to find out his real name,” Julie said. “But I’ve requested DNA testing to confirm his identity.”
“I still think I could reach him,” Brody said. “That if I talk to him, remind him of how we grew up, things we did together, that he’ll remember me.”
Julie squeezed his arm. “I know you’re anxious to be with him, Brody, but first let me do my job. There’smore at stake here than just his identity.”
Brody’s jaw tightened. “You mean the armed robberies?”
“Yes, that and the fact that his kidnapper may have abducted other boys, and he might lead us to them.”
He wanted to argue that all he cared about was Will.
But an image of the parents of the Forte boy flashed in his head, and he bit his tongue. He knew the pain of wondering,not knowing, missing a loved one.
He’d never wish that torture on anyone else.
“Come on,” Julie said. “Do you want to watch the interrogation?”
Brody swallowed hard. He had to observe in case Kyle gave himself away in his mannerisms, his body language, or even something small he said.
Then he would know who the boy really was.
That would be the first step in helping him.
Still, he braced himself as he followed Julie to an adjoining room with a one-way mirror. The fact that Kyle had bruises told him his story wasn’t going to be pretty.
He just wondered how ugly it would get.
* * *
“A RE YOU sure you’re up to this, Brody?” Julie asked. “Watching us interrogate Kyle may be difficult. We have to ask him some hard questions. And if he isn’t cooperative,we’ll have to push.”
A muscle jumped in Brody’s cheek, his look glazed with pain and resignation. “I want the truth,” he said. “Do what you have to do.”
Julie’s gaze met his for a heartbeat, then she gave a small nod. “Just remember that he’s been traumatized, so uncovering that truth may take time.”
“I know. I’ve waited seven years. At least if he’s alive, I have hope again.”
Julie’s heart ached for him. She wanted to drag him into a hug and comfort him like she would have done years ago, but touching him made her want more.
And she couldn’t afford to travel down that road again.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” she said. “Hang in there.”
He mumbled that he would, then crossed his arms and faced the window, and Julie left the room.
But worryseized her insides. She hoped she was doing the right thing by allowing Brody to watch. But she hoped Kyle might give some clue that Brody would pick up on to confirm that he was Will.
Normally DNA testing took time, but she’d requested a rush on it, reasoning that this unsub registered on the MOST WANTED list, so she hoped to have the results soon.
If their theory was right and Kylehad been abducted by the same man who’d kidnapped little Hank Forte, and the unsub realized Kyle had been caught, he might panic, take the boys and run.
Then they might lose any link to him.
God knows, the bastard had been living under the radar for years and getting away with his crimes.
She wanted to put him away this time and make him pay for what he’d done to those childrenand their families.
* * *
B RODY WATCHED J ULIE enter the interrogation room, Agent Cord behind her. He had to trust her to do the right thing with his brother.
She was a trained agent.
But she’d also known Will as a child. Had played games with him, shared picnics, even helped him with homework. He remembered them making PB and Js with honey and wading in the creek. QuestioningKyle had to be hard for her, too.
If this kid was Will, would he recognize her? She’d been in their house a lot that last year—maybe he would remember her. If so, somehow that might make the interrogation easier for him to endure.
Forcing himself to focus, he turned his gaze onto Will. Kyle. Hell, he didn’t
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