She glanced down at her shirt. Had she told her mom what she was wearing today? No, but she had FaceTimed with her this morning so shed seen her outfit. Shed remember it for sure. After all, theyd bought it together at the Cabazon outlet mall.
She reached down and tore off a strip about two inches long at the seam near the waist, where it was weakest. She was debating where to leave it when she heard two male voices approaching. Just as the curtain was yanked open again, she shoved the fabric under the mattress so that only a small piece was visible.
Trying to act as casual as possible, she looked over at the men. One was Chiqy. The other was a short white guy in his forties, wearing a suit and tie. He had on glasses, which he took off and placed on top of his shoes after he slid them off and placed them near the curtain.
How old is she? he asked.
Sixteen, Chiqy answered.
A little mature for my taste but she will most definitely do, he said as he approached the mattress.
Remember what I told you, Chiqy warned her.
She nodded. He seemed satisfied and started to head off when the man said, A little privacy please.
Chiqy reluctantly pulled the curtain closed. The man stood over her and stared down, his eyes wandering everywhere. She felt ill.
He began to undress and Sarah used the time to decide her next move. She wasnt going to let this happen. Of that she was sure. If they killed her so be it. But she was not going to end up some sex slave. She just had to wait for an opening.
It didnt take long.
The man had taken off his pants and boxers and was crawling toward her. He was squinting slightly and she could tell that without his glasses, he was slightly uncertain. Soon he was right above her on his hands and knees.
No time like the present.
In one swift motion, Sarah brought her right leg up to her chest and thrust her foot forward, slamming the ball of her shoe into the mans crotch. He immediately grunted and collapsed on top of her.
She had been expecting that and rolled his crumpled torso off her. Then she scurried to her feet and hurried to the curtain. The man was behind her moaning and trying to speak. She poked her head out and looked around.
At the far end of the warehouse, she saw the main door. But between her location and freedom were countless occupied mattresses and at least half a dozen men walking around, keeping tabs on things. There was no way she could make it that far.
But maybe she could find a back door if she kept in the shadows close to the wall. She was about to step out when she heard the mans voice, strangled and pained, but clear.
Help!
She was out of time. Stepping out from behind the curtain, she dashed to the left, looking for anything that resembled a door. She made it about twenty feet before a guy appeared, blocking her path.
She spun around and started in the other direction but ran directly into Chiqy, who wrapped a huge arm around her. She could barely move.
Several feet away, she saw the man whod been wearing the suit. He was doubled over, but standing up. He was still pantsless. Reaching up his hand, he pointed at her.
I want her for half-price after this.
Sarah saw Chiqy pull something from his pocket and realized what it was a syringe. She tried to break free but it was no use. She felt a sharp prick in her arm.
I warned you wed have to use the sleepy shot if you were bad, he said, sounding almost apologetic.
She sensed his grip loosening but realized that it was only because she was losing all muscle control. Chiqy felt it too and let her go. By the time she slumped to the floor, she was completely unconscious.
CHAPTER FIVE
Keri was jumpy and nervous as she sat in the waiting room of the Fox Hills Mall security office. For the fourth time in the last fifteen minutes the same thought went through her head: this is taking too long.
One of the security guards was searching for footage of the food court from around 2 p.m., when Lanie had posted her last Instagram photo. It was taking forever, either because the system was old or the guard was inept.
Ray sat in the chair beside her, chowing down on a chicken wrap hed picked up when they had visited the food court. Keris wrap sat in her lap, mostly untouched.
Despite the fact that it was 6:30 and the girls had only been out of touch for about four and a half hours, Keri had the creeping sensation that something was very off with this case, even if she didnt yet have the evidence to prove it.
Do you have to swallow that thing all in one go? she asked Ray sourly.
He stopped in mid-chew and gave her a quizzical look before asking, with his mouth full, Whats eating you?
Im sorry. I shouldnt yell at you. Im just frustrated that this is taking so long. If these girls really were abducted, all this fiddling about is wasting valuable time.
Lets give the guy two more minutes. If he doesnt have it by then, well bring down the hammer. Fair?
Fair, Keri replied and took a small bite of her wrap.
I know youre annoyed about this, Ray said, but there is clearly something else going on with you. I think it has to do with whatever you were holding back at the station. Weve got a little time now. So fill me in.
Keri looked at him and could tell that even with the piece of lettuce in his teeth making him look ridiculous, he wasnt joking around.
Youre closer to this man than anyone else in the world. He deserves to know. Just tell him.
Okay, she said. Hold on though.
She pulled out the small bug and camera detector shed been keeping in her purse and motioned for Ray to follow her into the hall.
The contraption was recommended to her by a security and surveillance expert shed once helped out on a case. He said that it was a good combination of portability, reliability, and decent price, and so far, he seemed to be right.
In the weeks since the lawyer Jackson Cave hinted that hed be keeping close tabs on her, shed found several eavesdropping devices. One bug had been put in the lamp on her office desk. She suspected a member of the cleaning staff had been bribed to place it there.
She had also found both a camera and an audio bug in her new apartment. The bug was in the living room and the camera had been set up in the bedroom. She had also found a bug inside her cars steering wheel and another in the sun visor of Rays car.
Edgerton had added extra protections on her office desktop to specifically hunt for tracking software. So far, nothing had been discovered. But she played it safe and avoided using it for anything other than official business.
Her cell phone was clean so far, probably because it never left her side. It was the only device through which shed communicated with the Collector and was therefore the one she was most protective of.
When they reached the hall, Keri swiped herself, then Ray. She pointed to his phone. He held it out and she swiped it as well.
Ray had been through this routine many times before in the last few weeks. He was initially resistant but after Keri discovered the bug in his car, he no longer balked. In fact, hed wanted to rip it and all the others out of their locations.
She had pleaded with him to leave them in place and act like everything was normal. If Cave knew they were on to him, hed suspect that they knew about the Collector and he might warn him to run.
Cave was already suspicious that Keri was the one who had stolen his files with dossiers on different abductors for hire. But he couldnt be sure of that. Even if he was, he didnt know how much Keri had discovered about his secret connections to this dark underworld or whether she had him under surveillance too. So he obviously didnt want to risk incriminating himself by contacting the Collector if he could possibly avoid it.
Cave was already suspicious that Keri was the one who had stolen his files with dossiers on different abductors for hire. But he couldnt be sure of that. Even if he was, he didnt know how much Keri had discovered about his secret connections to this dark underworld or whether she had him under surveillance too. So he obviously didnt want to risk incriminating himself by contacting the Collector if he could possibly avoid it.
He believed they were in a surveillance stalemate. And considering that Jackson Cave had a lot more information than Keri did right now, she was pretty happy with that arrangement.
She had promised Ray that when allowing the bugs to stay in place became counterproductive, shed get rid of them, even if it tipped Cave off. They even had a code phrase that meant it was time to dump them. It was Bondi Beach, a reference to a beach in Australia that Keri one day hoped to visit. If she said those words, Ray would know he could finally rip the device out of his visor.
Satisfied? he asked when shed finished sweeping them both thoroughly.
Yes, sorry. Listen, I got an email from our friend this morning, she said, choosing to be cryptic about the Collector even when she was sure they werent being listened to. He hinted that hed be reaching out. I guess Im just a little on edge. Every time my phone buzzes, I think its him.
Did he give you any kind of timetable? Ray asked.
No. He just said hed be in touch soon; nothing beyond that.
No wonder youre so agitated. I thought you were just overreacting to this case.
Keri felt the heat rise in her cheeks and stared silently at her partner, stunned at his comment. Ray seemed to know immediately that hed gone too far and was about to try to clean it up when the security guard called out from the computer room.
Ive got something, he yelled.
You are so lucky right now, Keri hissed angrily, storming ahead of Ray, who gave her a wide berth.
When they entered the computer room, the guard had the video footage cued up to 2:05 p.m. Sarah and Lanie were clearly visible sitting at a small table in the center of the dining area. They saw Lanie take a picture of her food with her phone, almost certainly part of the post Edgerton had found on Instagram.
After about two minutes, a tall, dark-haired guy covered in tattoos approached them. He gave Lanie a long kiss and after a few more minutes of chatting, they all got up and left.
The guard froze the image and turned to face Keri and Ray. Keri looked at the guard closely for the first time. He wore a nametag that read Keith and couldnt have been more than twenty-three, with greasy, pimply skin and a hunched-over back that made him look like a scrawny Quasimodo. She pretended not to notice it as he spoke.
I got a few solid screen grabs of the guys face. I put them on digital files and I can send them to your phones too if you like.
Ray gave Keri a look that said maybe this guy isnt so incompetent after all but shut it down when she glared back at him, still pissed about his overreaction remark.
That would be great, he said, turning his attention back to the guard. Were you able to track where they went?
I was, Keith said proudly and spun around to face the screen again. He switched to a different screen that showed the guys movements throughout the mall, as well as those of Sarah and Lanie. They culminated with them all getting into a Trans Am and leaving the parking lot, headed in a general northbound direction.
I tried to get the license plates on the car but all our cameras are mounted too high to see anything like that.
Thats okay, Keri said. You did really well, Keith. Im going to give you our cell numbers for those screen grabs. Id also like you to send them to one of our colleagues at the station so he can run facial recognition.
Of course, Keith said. Ill do that right away. Also, I was wondering if I could ask a favor?
Keri and Ray exchanged skeptical glances but she nodded anyway. Keith continued hesitantly.
Ive been planning to apply to the police academy. But Ive held off because I dont think Im ready for the physical requirements yet. I was wondering if, when all this settles down, I could pick your brains for some suggestions on how to improve my chances of getting in and actually graduating?
Is that all? Keri asked, pulling out a business card out and handing it to him. Call this pituitary case over here for the physical advice. You can call me when you need some help with the mental part of the job. And one more thing. If you have to wear a nametag for work, get one with your last name on it. Its more intimidating.
Then she walked out, leaving Ray to mop up. He deserved it.
Back out in the hall, she texted the screen grabs of the guy to both Joanie Hart and the Caldwells, asking if either recognized him. A moment later, Ray stepped out to join her. He looked sheepish.
Listen, Keri. I shouldnt have said you were overreacting. Clearly theres something going on here.
Is that an apology? Because I didnt hear the words Im sorry anywhere in there. And while were at it, havent there been enough cases that looked like nothing to everyone but me which turned out to be something for you to give me the benefit of the doubt?
Yeah, but what about all the cases? he started to say, then thought better of it and stopped himself mid-sentence. Im sorry.
Thank you, Keri replied, choosing to ignore the first part of his comment and focus on the second.
Her phone buzzed and she looked down with anticipation. But instead of an email from the Collector, it was a text from Joanie Hart. It was brief and to the point: never seen this guy.
She showed it to Ray, shaking her head at the depths of the womans apparent ambivalence toward her daughters well-being. Just then the phone rang. It was Mariela Caldwell.
Hi, Mrs. Caldwell. This is Detective Locke.
Yes, Detective. Ed and I have been looking at the photos you sent. Weve never seen that young man. But Sarah mentioned to me that Lanie said her boyfriend looked like he should be in a rock band. I wonder if this might be him?
Its quite possible, Keri said. Did Sarah ever mention a name of this boyfriend?
She did. Im pretty sure it was Dean. I dont recall a last name. I dont think she knew it either.
Okay, thanks very much, Mrs. Caldwell.
Is that helpful? the woman asked in a hopeful, almost pleading voice.
It may very well be. I dont have any new information for you yet. But I promise you, were focused hard on finding Sarah. Ill try to update you as much as I can.
Thank you, Detective. You know, I only realized after you left that youre the same detective who found that missing surfer girl a few months ago. And I know that, wellwith your daughter Her voice cracked and she stopped, clearly overcome with emotion.
Its okay, Mrs. Caldwell, Keri said, steeling herself so that she wouldnt lose it.
Im just so sorry about your little girl
Dont worry about that right now. My focus is on finding your daughter. And I promise Im going to put every ounce of energy I have into that. You just try to stay calm. Watch a crappy TV show, take a nap, do anything you can to stay sane. Meanwhile, were on this.
Thank you, Detective, Mariela Caldwell whispered, her voice barely audible.
Keri hung up and looked at Ray, who wore a worried expression.