Chickasaw County Captive - Paula Graves

Paula Graves

Chickasaw County Captive

A book in the Cooper Justice series, 2010

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Kristen Tandy-The small-town detectives tragic past comes back to haunt her when shes assigned to protect a child who has become a pawn in a deadly game of cat and mouse between the childs father and a faceless enemy.

Sam Cooper-The county prosecutor has more than one enemy. But which one is trying to use his four-year-old daughter against him? And can he trust Kristen, whose aversion to children is apparent, with his daughters fragile heart?

MaddyCooper-A mysterious assailant almost takes the four-year-old from her home, gravely injuring her babysitter in the process. Does Maddys memory of the night in question hold the key to the kidnappers identity?

Jason Foley-Kriss work partner worries that shes not cut out for working with children like Maddy. Will his doubts put Kriss bodyguard assignment at risk?

Carl Madison-The captain of detectives is also Kriss foster father. Has he let his love for his foster daughter cause him to give her a job shes not prepared for?

Nora Cabot-Sams ex-wife hasnt seen their daughter in four years. Why is she suddenly so interested in visiting the child she abandoned as a baby?

Graham Stilson-The Maryland attorney is up for a seat in the U.S. Senate. Could the attempted kidnapping of his new wifes daughter be connected to his campaign?

Carlos Calderon-Years earlier, Sam successfully prosecuted the Sanselmo drug lords eldest son, who was recently murdered in prison. Is Calderon out for revenge?

Darryl Morris-When Morriss son was killed in a collision, he urged Sam to throw the book at the man responsible. Has his anger at Sam for taking a plea deal instead driven him to desperate measures?

Chapter One

Blue and cherry lights strobed the night sky as Sam Cooper muscled his Jeep into a tight turn onto Mission Road. Ahead, a phalanx of police cars and rescue units spread haphazardly across the narrow road in front of his house.

He parked the Cherokee behind the nearest police cruiser, his pounding heart outracing the pulses of light. Ignoring the gaggle of curious onlookers, he took the porch steps two at a time and pushed past the uniformed cop standing in the doorway.

Sir, you cant-

Sam ignored him, scanning the narrow foyer until he caught sight of his older brothers terrified face. J.D.?

J.D. Cooper turned at the sound of his name. The look on his face made Sams stomach turn queasy flips. Is Cissy okay? he asked J.D. Wheres Maddy?

J.D.s gaze flickered back to the paramedics working over the unconscious body of his teenage daughter lying on the woven rug in the middle of the foyer. Cissys alive but they cant get her to respond.

Sams heart skipped a beat. What the hell happened? What about Maddy?

J.D. looked at him again. We dont know.

The panic Sam had held in check broke free, suffocating him. He started toward the stairs up to the bedroom, where hed last seen his daughter when he kissed her good-night before leaving for his business dinner.

J.D. caught his arm, jerking him to a stop. Shes not up there. We looked.

Sam tugged his arm away. Maybe shes in another room- J.D. gestured at the obvious signs of a struggle. Cissy didnt just fall down and hit her head, Sam! Someone did this to her! Someone took Maddy.

Sam shook his head, not willing to believe it.

A pair of detectives moved toward them, their badges hooked to their waistbands. All that broke through the haze of Sams panic was the sympathy in the mans eyes and the complete lack of expression on the womans face.

The female introduced herself. Kristen Tandy, Gossamer Ridge Police Department. This is Detective Jason Foley. Youre the home owner?

Sam Cooper. He bit back impatience. My daughters missing.

Yes, sir, we know, Detective Foley said.

His sympathetic tone only ramped up Sams agitation. What else do you know?

Weve searched the house and the property, and we have officers questioning neighbors, as well, Detective Tandy replied. Her flat, emotionless drawl lacked the practiced gentleness of her partner, but it better suited Sams mood. He focused his eyes on her face, taking in the clear blue of her eyes and the fine, almost delicate bone structure.

Damn, shes young, he thought.

Foley took Sams elbow. Mr. Cooper, lets find somewhere to sit down-

Dont handle me, Sam snapped at Foley, jerking his arm away. Im a Jefferson County prosecutor. I know how this works. My four-year-old is missing. I want to know what you know about what happened here. Every detail-

Were not sure of every detail, Detective Foley began.

Then tell me what you think you know.

At 8:47 p.m. your brother J.D. called to check on your niece Cissy to see how she and your daughter were doing, Foley answered. Behind him, his partner wandered away from them, moving past the paramedics and out of view. Sam found his attention wandering with her, wondering if she knew something she didnt want him to know. Something bad.

Foleys voice dragged him away from his bleak thoughts. When your niece didnt answer her cell phone, he tried your landline, with no luck. So he came by to check in person and found the front door ajar and your niece on the floor here in the foyer, unconscious.

Movement to their right drew the detectives attention for a moment. Sam followed his gaze and saw the paramedics putting his niece onto a stretcher. His chest tightened with worry. How badly is she hurt?

Shes been roughed up a little. Theres a lump on the back of her head. Foley looked back at Sam. Theres some concern because she hasnt regained consciousness.

Pushing aside his own fear, Sam walked away from Foley and crossed to his nieces side, falling into step with J.D. Shes a fighter, J.D. You know that.

His brothers attempt at a smile broke Sams heart. Shes a Cooper, right?

Mom and Dad have Mike? Sam asked, referring to J.D.s eleven-year-old son. Poor kid, growing up without a mother and now facing another possible loss

Yeah. Id better call em. J.D. headed out behind the paramedics carrying his daughter out to the ambulance.

Mr. Cooper? Detective Foley stepped into the space J.D. just vacated. We have some questions-

Sam turned to look at him. Foleys gaze was tinged with pity disguised as sympathy.

What? Sam asked impatiently.

What was Maddy wearing tonight? Foley asked.

She was in jeans and a Bama sweatshirt when I left her in her bedroom with Cissy, Sam answered, the memory of his daughters earlier goodbye kiss haunting him. She didnt want me to leave. Tuesday is extra-story night.

We found those clothes in the hamper outside her room, Foley said. Maybe shed already dressed for bed?

Then shes in Winnie the Pooh pajamas. Blue ones. She wont wear anything else to bed. I had to buy three identical sets. He fought a tidal wave of despair. He knew the odds against finding Maddy alive grew exponentially the longer she was missing.

Well put out an Amber Alert, Foley said.

Sam walked away, needing space to breathe. The thought that he might never see his daughter alive again made his knees shake and his chest tighten.

Mr. Cooper? The sympathy in Foleys voice was almost more than Sam could bear.

I need a minute, Sam said.

Sure. Take all the time you need. Foley stepped away. A few feet away, Sam saw the female detective edge toward the staircase. Her eyes met his briefly, her expression grim. Then she turned and headed up the stairs.

Sams heart squeezed into a knot. Take all the time he needed? Time was the one thing he didnt have. Not if he wanted to find his child alive.

THE HOUSE WAS CLEAN BUT lived-in, the carpet runner in the upstairs hallway slightly askew, as if someone had hit it at a run. Kristen Tandy moved past Mark Goddard, one of the two uniformed officers tasked with evidence collection, and crossed to a door standing slightly ajar. Checked in here? she asked.

Goddard looked up at her. Its a storage area. Full of boxes. Didnt look like much had been touched, but Ill get to it before we leave.

She donned a pair of latex gloves. Can I take a look?

Goddard frowned. Do you have to?

But shed already opened the door and flicked on the light.

Inside, the room was a mess. Stacks of boxes, mostly full, filled the spare bedroom. The Coopers hadnt been living here long, she guessed. Hadnt finished unpacking from the move.

Maddy? She stopped and listened. She heard no response, but the hairs on the back of her neck prickled. She stepped deeper into the room, squeezing between two stacks of boxes. Are you in here?

There was still no answer, but Kristen thought she heard a noise behind the boxes ahead. She froze in place, her head cocked. The sound of Goddard at work just outside the room mingled with a faint hum of conversation from downstairs.

When I was a little girl, my favorite game was hide-and-seek. She formed the words from her frozen lips. I was good at it, you see, because I was so little. I could go places nobody else could go. So they never, ever found me until I was ready to be found.

She eased forward, past a large box in the middle of the room, ignoring the tremble in her belly. I bet youre good at hiding, too, arent you, Maddy?

A faint rustling noise came from the back of the room. Beyond the stack of boxes in front of her, she spotted a door. The closet, she guessed.

My name is Kristen Tandy. Im a police officer. I came here to help your cousin Cissy.

A faint hiccough sent a ripple of triumph racing through Kristens gut, followed quickly by a rush of sheer dread. Taking a bracing breath, she pushed aside a box to get to the closet and pulled open the door.

Four-year-old Maddy Cooper gazed up at Kristen with tearstained green eyes, her face damp and flushed. I want my Daddy, she whimpered.

Kristen crouched in front of Maddy, helping her to her feet. The little girls hands were soft and tiny, and up close, she smelled sweet. Kristen felt her knees wobble and she put one hand on the door frame to steady herself.

Do your job, Tandy.

She looked Maddy over quickly. No obvious signs of injury, she noted with almost crushing relief. Are you okay, Maddy? Do you hurt anywhere?

Kristen? Foley called from somewhere behind them.

Maddy Cooper flung herself at Kristen, her arms tightening around her. The little girl buried her tear-damp face in Kristens neck, shaking with fear.