“I don’t know, but if you’re in agreement, I want to ask her and I want to pursue the theory that whoever kidnapped these young men wanted the police to find the phones.”
“I agree. I also want to go out to each location tomorrow and look around.”
His phone vibrated on the nightstand on his side of the bed. Reaching behind him, he snagged it and tapped the green button. “Hey, Sparrow. We were just talking about you.”
“I’d like to shoot the shit, but we’ve got a report of another missing young man,” Sparrow said. “I’m at the station with the parents. The young man was headed to Fool’s Gold to start a job at the casino. When he stopped answering his cell two days ago, his parents got worried. They called the casino and their son never made it.”
“What’s the young man’s name?” Fay asked.
“Andy Knox. He just turned twenty-one and he recently graduated from a two-year college with a degree in hospitality.”
“Have you pinged his cell and was it by chance last used about twenty miles outside of town on Iron Mountain Road just past Helen Beal’s place?” Walker pushed to a standing position and without even thinking about what he was doing, he slipped from his gym shorts and found a pair of jeans and hiked them up over his hips. When he turned, all the air in his lungs flew out like a jet screaming down the runway, ready to take flight.
Fay had wiggled out of her boxers and stood with her back to him, wearing a tiny pair of underpants and a bra.
He blinked and quickly turned.
“Not exactly, but I’ve got a team camped out near the hiking path across from her place.”
“Why?”
“Around dusk, another hiker found a backpack with the phone at the base of the trail,” Sparrow said.
“You know those cold cases you had me look at? Well, there’s something to them.” Walker pulled his shirt over his head. “All the phones were found within fifteen miles of that area.”
“I’ve got a team out there looking now,” Sparrow said.
“Fay and I are on our way as well.”
“I don’t have the sheriff’s permission to bring you in on this. It’s strictly police business. You won’t be allowed behind the yellow tape, but I can’t stop you from driving by, or maybe tomorrow morning, checking in on Helen.”
“I saw her in town the other day. She had an unusual spring in her step.” Walker had always been mildly amused by Helen, the older woman who tended to scare the crap out of most people. More so than Albert, the ex-con and ex-leader of the Renegades. Helen’s late husband had a mean streak and beat the shit out of his wife and two boys for decades. The oldest boy died by suicide fifteen years ago, shortly after the dad died of a stroke. The younger boy went to prison for drug trafficking. Helen had become a cliché and her home one of those that children dared each other to play ding dong ditch, but no one ever did.
Someone once started a rumor that if anyone came to her door without an invitation, they’d get their head blown off.
“Where’d you see her?” Sparrow asked.
“At the grocery store.” Walker lifted his weapon from his safe in the closet and holstered it on his ankle. “Not sure I’ve ever seen her anywhere in town except on Sunday for church or when she goes to the library.”
“Exactly. She has her groceries delivered. Do you know what she was getting?”
“Food. I didn’t pay attention, but if you give me a little time, I’m sure my brain will be able to recall something.” He pulled open his bedroom door.
“Hey, Walker.” Fay lifted her cell off the bed and waved it. “Jake’s calling me.”
“We’ll be in touch,” Walker said. “Go ahead and answer it.”
“Hi, Jake. It’s Fay. You’re on speaker. We’re getting ready to head out the door toward Helen Beal’s place.”
“Good. Take Lee with you.”
Walker closed his eyes and let out a long breath. Leaning into the hallway, he checked for Lee. The downstairs television was still on. Walker turned and closed the door. He pointed toward the bathroom. Quickly, he turned on the faucet and took the phone, taking it off speaker. “Why?” Walker asked quietly. “Part of the team?”
“Is it safe to talk?”
“Yes.”
“Can Fay hear?” Jake asked.
“No. But I can relay.”
“Good,” Jake said.
“We have not hired Lee. Not yet. His record is impressive and we know he’s interviewed with other organizations like ours. We want only the best and you and Fay fit that bill.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”
“That said, we want to see how this dynamic plays out in the field. And before you give me a hard time, this isn’t about you and Fay. You’ve already proven to us that you can get the job done. This is about Lee. If he can’t set aside his differences in the field, then he’s not one of us. I know it seems strange to keep your cover going, but we want you to keep that up. Hank believes it puts an added pressure on Lee. If he can’t get past the two of you, again, he can walk.”
“You got it, boss.” Walker tapped his cell and quickly typed a few quick words in his notes so Fay could catch up.
She typed back, This is the weirdest assignment ever.
He had to agree.
* * *