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“Then I’m guessing it’s John Howe. Shot in the fleshy part of his thigh. Said he was cleaning his gun when it went off.”
“Which leg?” Mason crossed his arms across his chest.
Daniel looked up from the report. “Left.”
Lacey asked, “Why couldn’t it be the third man?”
“He’s dead from an infection caused by the bullet wound.”
“Oh.”
“So, what do we know about Mr. Howe?” Mason asked.
Daniel studied the file and said, “He’s an unemployed truck driver. No previous trouble with the law. Divorced for two years. Has experience in martial arts and is now teaching part-time at the karate school on Brownstock Road.” He looked up. “It’s also the school Bethany goes to.”
A chill raised the hairs on the back of his neck. Mason looked at Joseph. “I’d like to pay Mr. Howe a little visit.”
“We need to watch ourselves if this guy tries to pull any of that marital arts stuff on us,” Joseph warned.
Mason nodded. “I’m in.” He hesitated and looked at Daniel. “Any word on Austin Howard yet?”
The FBI agent hesitated and Mason narrowed his eyes. “What?”
“I wasn’t going to say anything yet, but…”
“Just say it, Joseph.”
“Austin was spotted in Florida. But he managed to elude capture.”
“Capture? Why would he run if he didn’t have anything to be worried about?”
Joseph nodded. “Exactly. We’re still tracking him down. In the meantime, let’s not assume Bethany is with Austin. We have more evidence that she’s with a man that limps.”
Daniel tossed the file onto Catelyn’s desk. “I’ve got his address, let’s go.”
Lacey started out the door with the men. Mason hung back and snagged her arm. “You can’t go on this visit.”
Startled, she looked at him. “Why not? You’ve let me do everything else with you.”
“This is different. We’re talking about a guy that might have tried to kidnap Bethany.”
She felt the heat of her anger rise up in her. “We’re talking about a guy that might have Bethany tied up somewhere in his house. There’s no way I’m staying here when Bethany might need me.”
Mason set his jaw and Lacey tried not to let him intimidate her. His fingers tightened on her arm, not hard enough to bruise, but hard enough to let her know he was dead serious. “You can’t go, understand? It’s too dangerous. I promise to be in touch as soon as I know anything.”
“But she might…”
Without raising his voice, he said, “The longer we stay here arguing, the longer it’s taking us to see if Bethany’s there.”
“Go,” she whispered, knowing she was defeated. “Just go get her.”
He pulled her to him for a quick hug and a kiss to her forehead. Looking deep into her eyes, he promised, “I’m going to find her, Lacey. I don’t think you coming home is an accident. I think God might have something in mind for us. All three of us.”
“God? I thought you didn’t…” She broke off again as hope thrummed through her. “Never mind, we’ll talk about that later. Go find our daughter.”
Without another word, Mason left to catch up with the other two men. Lacey watched him go and felt her heart tumble wildly in her chest.
Hope warred with terrifying fear—hope that they’d find Bethany, and fear that if they did the news wouldn’t be good. She began to pace the small office, praying, crying out to God to spare her child and bring her home safe.