Stolen Daughters (Detective Amanda Steele)

No sign of any vehicle… And the curtains were closed tight like it was the middle of the night. “We’ll sit here for a bit and see if he shows up.”

“Good thing I have a bladder like a camel.”

She wasn’t sure she’d heard him right at first, then looked over at him, and he was laughing, and she started up. “You’re certifiably crazy.”

“In good company, then. Oooh.”

She narrowed her eyes at him.

“Hey, normal’s boring,” he said.

“What is normal anyway?” She smiled at him and then sought to get comfortable. She reclined the chair a bit and clasped her hands in her lap. “Just shutting my eyes for a few seconds. You got this?” She looked at him with one eye open, one shut, and smirked. “I’m just kidding.” Just then her phone rang, and it showed Alibi. Even though it was Logan, she answered formally because he liked it. “Detective Steele.”

“Well, hello there.” It was a man’s voice, but it wasn’t Logan’s.

Dread pricked at her skin. “Who is this?”

“I’m pretty sure you know who it is. I really thought we were on the same team, Detective, but I’ve been wrong before.”

She sat up and pointed at her phone, her eyes wide. Her heart was racing so fast she couldn’t see right. “Where are you?”

He cackled. “You don’t really think I’d tell you that, do you?”

“What do you want?”

“Now, see, that’s a better question. I thought I’d give you a call just in case you didn’t get my card today. Happy Birthday, Detective.”

She detected a smile travel the line, and shivers ran down her spine. How does he know it’s my birthday? But he mentioned a card. Was it the one currently sitting on her desk that she’d thought was from her coworkers? How had he walked right into Central without anyone stopping him?

“I bet you’re trying to figure me out or trace the call. I just want you to back off. You let me do what I do, and you look the other way.”

“You know I can’t do that. I… We found Randy Hart.”

“Bravo. He’s the real criminal, not me. But in case you don’t believe me, I have an insurance plan.”

There was scuffling on the other end of the line.

“Amanda?” It was Logan.

“Are you—”

“Now, now.” It was the killer again. “As I told you, all I want is for you to back off and your boyfriend doesn’t need to get hurt.”

She looked around fervently. Can he see me now? Where is that son of a bitch?

“You kill innocent girls,” she said, hoping for a part of him that remained human and compassionate.

“They are not innocent. No one is innocent. Back off or your boyfriend dies, and I’m sure you don’t want to lose another man in your life.”

The line went dead.

She felt numb, cold, angry as hell, and terrified. She clutched her stomach and rocked.

Trent put a hand on her shoulder. “What did he say?”

“He… He has Logan.” Tears welled in her eyes, but it was like they were frozen there. She was catapulted into the past to a time when the heartbreak was all-encompassing. Logan was new to her life, yes, but she had feelings for him, and their relationship held promise of becoming something great. She couldn’t survive another loss. “We have to save him.”

Trent didn’t move, didn’t say anything.