A friendly nod. And, obviously, so are you. Anything I can do to help out, let me know.
Ryan made a derisive sound. I think well rely on science. Messages from inanimate objects just dont cut it, at least not for me. But thanks anyway, Claire-voyant.
Ah, Ryan. More obnoxious than usual, I see. What happened? Did you forget your Batman lunch box?
Ignore him, Casey advised. He hasnt slept in a few days.
Well, that explains it. Claire looked more amused than bothered-which pissed Ryan off even more. Thanks for the news flash. Ill consider myself forewarned.
With that, she headed into the house. Time to commune with inanimate objects, she called over her shoulder. Youd be surprised how much talking they do-in a world thats realer than cyberspace.
Ryan definitely had an answer for that one, but he pressed his lips together and refrained from spouting it, as he, Casey and Marc reached the CARD team.
So, the Willises hired you already. Special Agent Guy Adams looked even more unhappy than Ryan about the prospect of working together. Adams was a trained hostage negotiator, in his mid-thirties, sharp, and as competitive as Ryan and Marc. And he had little regard for approaches other than those hed learned through the Bureau-least of all Forensic Instincts and their out-of-the-box methods.
Is that a problem? Marc asked in a cool, probing tone.
Not as long as you dont overstep.
Were here to work with you, Guy. You and C-20. Casey nipped the tension in the bud. We all want the same thing-to bring Krissy Willis home, safe and with as little trauma as possible. So lets not turn this into a pissing match.
Our special agents are already inside, Guy informed her, purposely sidestepping her attempt at detente. The New York Field Office sent Harrington and Barkley. Theyre with the parents now, working on the Child Victim Background Questionnaire. The rest of the New York team is at Krissys school, along with a couple of agents from the White Plains RA. Harrington and Barkley are about to debrief us. Harrington is lead case agent on this one.
Good choices, Casey replied.
Glad you approve.
I do. Casey ignored his sarcasm. She was mulling over the agents she was about to deal with in the Willis home. Peg Harrington and Ken Barkley were both seasoned agents whod been working CAC cases for over a decade. They were intelligent, and they were self-assured-which meant they didnt trip over fragile egos. That made working with them tenable. And having Peg at the helm would be great. She was cool under pressure and effective as hell.
Did your clients supply you with all the facts? Guy was asking Casey.
She wiggled her hand in an ambivalent gesture. I checked in with Hope Willis from my car. I got the basics. Anyone happen to catch the license plate on the Acadia the kidnapper was driving?
Just a letter or two. Nothing solid to go on. The cops put out an APB. So far, nothings turned up. They also notified the Westchester hotline, issued an Amber Alert and entered the case into the NCIC. Officers are at both scenes-here and at the childs school, along with the county police and CSI.
It dawned on Casey that Guy was being unusually chatty and informative, given his preliminary hostility. She glanced past him, and spotted McHale and Dugan head into the house. So that was Guys plan. To keep her talking while the rest of the CARD team agents joined their C-20 counterparts and got a jump start on the case.
She had to admire their tenacious attempt to outmaneuver her, even if it had been feeble. She also had to admit shed have done the same thing in their place. The fact was, C-20 had every right to run the show. They were law enforcement; she and her team werent.
Nonetheless, she was getting into the house and meeting the Willises. The FBI couldnt deny her that-they were her clients. The truth was, she didnt just want to meet them, she wanted to study them. She needed to know what Hope Willis was holding back. And she needed to get a firsthand look at how Hope and Edward Willis were coping-both individually and as a couple-with these initial hours after their five-year-old childs abduction.
Body language was a powerful revealer.
The FBI and the police had already conducted official interviews with the Willises, and were about to turn their efforts toward debriefing the CARD team. The usual procedure. Eliciting the usual response from Forensic Instincts. While the doors were firmly shut in their faces, theyd take full advantage of the opportunity to get information from their surroundings and the people in them. Each of Caseys team members would accomplish this in his or her unique way.
Playtimes over, Guy, Casey stated bluntly. You can shut us out of your debriefing sessions, but you cant shut us out of the house. Hope Willis hired us. Were going in to meet her and her husband. Well be discreet. And we wont interfere with your investigation.
Thats fine, Don said, though with a bit of a sigh. Any insights you glean would be a welcome addition to our efforts. Were talking about the life of a five-year-old little girl. Ive got a granddaughter that age. Lets pool our resources and solve this one-successfully.
Agreed. Casey gestured for her group to follow Don and Guy inside. This was great. Theyd made peace with the CARD team supervisor. Barkley and Harrington had worked with them a lot, and they respected them. Ditto for the Violent Crimes squad in White Plains, and the Westchester County Police.
Sweet, Marc murmured quietly. Now we just have the locals to convince. Unfortunately, thats the hardest part.
There was no argument from his coworkers. The locals, especially the smaller precincts, were often skeptical of what and who they didnt know. Some were also determined to prove themselves, which made them territorial and leery of Forensic Instincts independent status.
We might get resistance, but we wont get beginners, Ryan said. Hed done a brief computer search on the North Castle P.D. Theyre pretty solid.
Marc edged him an inquisitive look. What did you find out?
Theyre got a retention rate thats sky-high. Their cops and detectives just stay on. They like their jobs. Theyre well trained and dedicated. Theres not a lot of major criminal activity for them to deal with-mostly car and house break-ins. But theyre ready for big stuff, too. Theyve got an impressive Emergency Service Unit. Its been around for over a dozen years. Theyve also got a strong community spirit. They take care of their own.
Sounds good, Marc responded. Unless theyre insular and uncooperative.
Only one way to find out.
Casey nodded. Best possible scenario. Best investigators. Best police support.
Now if she only knew what Hope Willis was hiding.
Hope was in the living room of her sprawling house, pacing around and tucking strands of blond hair behind her ears in erratic, repetitive motions, when Casey first laid eyes on her.
It took about ten seconds for Casey to feel convinced. The woman with the haunted eyes and the inability to sit still had had nothing to do with her daughters disappearance.
Edward Willis was a little tougher to read. Stiff by nature, Willis was a polished attorney who was accustomed to hiding behind a well-established veneer. But beneath that veneer a fine tension rippled the surface. Just as there was obvious tension between him and his wife. Physical and emotional distance. Separate entities instead of one frantic unit. Edward was edgy, and way too knowledgeable about the law not to know he was a suspect.
Casey walked directly over to the couple. Mr. and Mrs. Willis? Im Casey Woods.
Instantly, Hope stopped pacing. She closed the gap between herself and Casey. Theres been no word, she blurted out. No ransom note. No phone call. Not even a threatening email. Hope looked helplessly from Casey to the FBI agents shed just spoken to, to the CARD team now moving in. Does that mean hes hurting her? Worse? If he doesnt want money, what else could he want besidesoh God. Hope drew a few sharp breaths, her features contorting with fear.
Lets not get ahead of ourselves, Judge Willis. Don stepped in front of Casey and introduced himself, keeping his voice quiet and calm. Im Supervisory Special Agent Don Owens. These are Special Agents Will Dugan, Guy Adams and Jack McHale. Were part of a specially trained child recovery team. Were here to help find your daughter. Have you given Special Agents Barkley and Harrington, as well as the police, a full description and photos of Krissy, along with clothing samples?
Yes. Edward Willis moved to his wifes side. Thank you for coming, Agent Owens. Im Edward Willis, Krissys father. In answer to your question, we filled out a background questionnaire. We gave the police and the FBI a preliminary list of neighbors, friends, relatives, Krissys friends, classmates and teachers-and were working on a list of all of Hopes and my potential enemies. We also provided the photo and clothing you just mentioned, along with Krissys comb and toothbrush, and all the details of the abduction that we have-which arent many. What else can we do?
Make yourselves available for whatevers necessary, Don replied. Media broadcasts. Following our lead when we ask you to prolong any phone calls were recording. Working with us to separate whats real from whats bogus as the public starts to communicate potential leads. Which they will. Some through our hotlines. Some through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Some through tips to law enforcement. Youll both be required to submit to polygraph tests. I assure you, its routine. Dont be insulted-just do it. Eliminating suspects can be as important as pursuing them. And, most of all, have faith.
Pursuit, Hope echoed, reminded for the umpteenth time of the potential flight risk involved. What about roadblocks?
Taken care of county-wide and beyond, Don assured her. And highway patrols are combing the area. Trust me, Judge Willis. We all know what were doing.
Hope nodded, lowering her eyes as tears slid down her cheeks.
It was clear from the expression on Dons face that he empathized with Hopes fears. It was also clear that he knew there was only one way to alleviate them.