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Chapter Thirty-Six

Logan all but ran into the detectives’ squad room and to Adam’s and Amelia’s desks. “What’s going on?”

Adam stood. “You said you saw her get in Miles’s car?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“I’ve already put out a BOLO.” Adam pointed at the chair next to his desk, but Logan didn’t sit.

“Okay. Why? Do you think he’s her stalker? I can’t believe that.”

“Sit, Logan.”

He obeyed even though his body was ready to run a marathon. “Talk to me, Adam.”

Adam sat back down and pulled up a video on his computer. Amelia sat across from Adam biting her lip, concern making deep creases in her forehead.

Adam said, “The boys you not-quite-arrested brought this video in this morning. Apparently, a group of kids were headed to your house to light your trash cans up, but someone had beat them to it. Watch the video.”

He hit play, and Logan watched as the teens recording themselves headed toward Logan’s house, but ducked behind a tree when they heard a blast from inside. Then the flames. Anger flooded Logan.

One of the kids said, “Look over there. Are you videoing? Zoom in. Who is that?”

Another kid said, “I don’t know. But I think he lives down the street.”

“Shhh. He’ll hear you.”

They all got quiet, and the camera zoomed in. A figure came from beside the house, looking to and fro. The camera caught his face.

Miles. The man in the image, despite his ball cap and black clothing, was unmistakably Miles.

Logan dropped to the back of the chair. His supposed friend had tried to kill him …

And Logan had watched his wife get into a car with him.

Logan leaned forward, dropping his head into his hands. He’d totally read that situation wrong. He should have gone up to them and assumed the worst of Miles but not of AJ.

What was he planning to do to her?

A small hand came to rest on his back. Amelia said, “We’ll find her. The warrant for his home is already in process.”

He lifted his head from his hands and nodded. How had he let this happen?

“Logan.” Adam waited until Logan looked at him before he continued. “Don’t blame yourself; you know that doesn’t get you anywhere. Think. Is there anything Miles has said to you that would indicate where he might take her?”

Logan shrugged and racked his brain. “I can’t think of anything.” Were there any signs? “Miles had indicated he was interested in AJ before he knew we were married. They even went to homecoming together once in high school, but when I told him to back off, he did, without complaint … Wait. Her stalker was already sending her messages when I told him we were married.”

Amelia said, “That clearly didn’t de-escalate him, but might explain part of why he didn’t reveal himself. Mind you, that’s just speculation. I think we should check out AJ’s car, the place where he took her from.”

“Can I come too?” Logan stood with them, but before they could answer, Logan’s phone rang. “It’s Miles.”

“I doubt he knows we suspect him at this point unless he’s listening to the scanner and heard his car reported. So act casual. I’ll trace your phone.” Adam sat back and started typing on his computer.

Logan answered the phone, heart thundering in his chest. “Jackson.”

“Hey, Logan. It’s Miles.”

“Hey, what’s up?” It nearly killed him to not shout at the jerk on the other end of the line.

“I still owe you for those delicious brats. I’d love to have you over for dinner. Are you busy tonight?”

Adam indicated for Logan to keep him talking.

“Unfortunately, I’m busy this evening.”

“Come on, man. I’ve already got a rack of ribs on the smoker. They’ve got your name on them.”

Adam gave him a thumbs up.

“I just can’t, man. Also, do you by chance know where my wife is?” Logan fought to keep his voice steady.

“Oh, that’s right, AJ is married to you.” The sneer in his voice was unmistakable.

“Yeah, do you know where she is?”

“Shouldn’t you keep better tabs on your wife? Who knows, maybe she’ll step out on you and choose another man.”

Logan’s hands began to shake as anger coursed through his body like a bull through the streets of Spain.

“Where’s AJ?”

Click. Miles had hung up.

Logan nearly dropped his phone.

Adam stood. “Let’s go. He’s at his house. No need for a warrant now.”

Logan grabbed Adam’s arm. “If he took her with such ease, then he probably has a weapon. That’s the only reason I can think of that she didn’t kick his butt.”

“We’ll be careful, but we’ll beat SWAT there.”

Logan ran out with the detectives and hopped in the back of their unmarked police sedan. While Adam drove, Logan prayed.

AJ scooted back on the cot until her back was against the cold wall. She stared at the zip tie rubbing against her wrists. If she didn’t have the cuffs on too, she’d be able to break free from the zip tie. It was standard, not one of the heavy-duty ones, so she knew from experience how to break it. When she, Logan, and Will were kids, they’d bought a pack of different sizes and practiced. But the chain didn’t give her enough range of motion.

The door opened, and Miles came back in carrying a laptop. He sealed the door closed behind him.

“I have a feeling we’re about to have company. I don’t understand why Logan would think I would know where you are.”

“Maybe because you do.”

“Touché, my dear. But he has no reason to suspect it’s me.”

“But he does?” How had he figured it out? Some evidence must have surfaced. Please, Lord, help Logan find me.

“I called him to see if he wanted to have dinner, and that jerk turned me down. Then he asked me if I knew where you were.”

“I’m late for work. Wasn’t very smart to kidnap me when I’m supposed to be somewhere. Would have made more sense to take me after work.”

“And get caught messing with your car in the fire-station parking lot? I don’t think so.”

“Ha. So you did sabotage my car?”

Miles glared at her.

“Tell me what else you’ve done. You stole my gun and tried to kill my husband. Good thing you’re a bad shot.”

“I’m a fine shot; the idiot moved at the last moment.”

“You set the fire too, didn’t you? How exactly did you expect to kill him in a house fire?”

“He was supposed to be knocked out.”

“How?”

“I poisoned his whiskey.”

AJ’s stomach churned. That had been a very calculated maneuver. Miles could never have guessed that would be the night Logan would decide to stop drinking. Thank you, Lord, for protecting Logan. Protect us both now.

Miles’s phone buzzed. “There they are.” He opened his laptop and sat beside AJ on the cot.

She tried to put more distance between them, but there wasn’t anywhere to go.

On the laptop he opened six separate camera views. One showed the front door. The others covered the back door, the hidden door to the panic room, the living room, the kitchen, and what appeared to be Miles’s bedroom.

Miles was unreasonably calm. He had full confidence the room they were in was beyond detection.

Adam and Amelia came up to the front door. Logan leaned back against the unmarked police sedan.

Logan! She wished she could run to him.

But this psychotic man stood in her path. How could she get away? There had to be something she could do. She’d need to overpower Miles. The knife was in his pocket, as was the key for her handcuffs, and the key fob that opened the panic room. But how?

As she contemplated a plan, Miles watched Adam bang on the door.

The SWAT team arrived, and they surrounded the house.

Miles sat back against the wall. “They’re brave. If they know I have you, coming in guns blazing could be a really bad idea. Wonder if your husband is thinking about that? Lucky for you, I want you in one piece. They won’t even know we’re here.”

The team busted through the front and began searching the house.

AJ watched it on the screen but couldn’t hear anything through the walls. And she could see they were shouting, talking, making noise, but she couldn’t hear any of it.

“Told you it was soundproof.”

Had Miles invaded her thoughts now too?

“If you can’t hear them, they can’t hear you. Didn’t I do an amazing job on this space? Not exactly how I imagined using it, but it’s working quite nicely if I do say so myself.”

How long was she going to have to endure this man’s endless arrogant prattle?

She’d come up short with how to overpower Miles. She thought about knocking the computer from his hands and then kicking him in the head when he reached for it. But what if he reacted to her before grabbing it? She had a strong sense keeping him calm was her best chance at survival.

She didn’t have enough reach to slide her hand into his pocket to pull out any of the keys. If she could get the key fob and open the door then the SWAT team could find them. But it wasn’t going to happen. Plus she was pretty sure the fob was in the pocket on his far side.

On the screen, she could see the team clearing the house and finding nothing. Cops she knew walked right past the hidden door with no clue she was behind it with a lunatic.

Logan came through the front door with Adam and Amelia. He looked around the living room and strode straight toward the camera. He seemed to search for a moment but found the camera quickly.

“Oh, this should be interesting.” Miles maximized the feed and turned the mic on.

Logan said, “I will find you.”

It was both a threat to Miles and a promise to her. Her heart swelled so much she couldn’t keep a smile from creeping onto her face. She tucked the hope into her heart. If only Logan knew how close he was to them.

Lord, help him find me. Keep us both safe.