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CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

A ddie leaned on the rail at the end of the bed. “Are you sure?”

Russ lay in the bed wearing a hospital gown, a bandage wrapped around his head. He didn’t have a concussion, thankfully. But he’d been bleeding badly when an ambulance got to the house. Jacob and Mona were both missing.

“Am I sure I saw Hank Maxwell step over me after he clocked me on the back of the head?”

She blew out a breath. “I just have to be sure.”

Taking a blow to the head would make anyone out of it. Enough they could be confused about what they’d seen.

“I know.” Russ made a face. “Because I know how this works, Ad’.”

She walked around and handed him the water cup beside the bed.

He drank begrudgingly.

“Did he say anything about where he was taking them?” she asked. “Anything at all?”

Russ didn’t shake his head. “I never liked that boy.”

Lachlan stood beside the door. When Russ said that, he perked up. “Oh, so you knew he was a serial killer, and you said nothing?”

Lachlan had been trying to shift the blame ever since she’d made it plain just how wrong he’d been about Hank Maxwell, the decorated detective both he and the chief considered their golden boy. When this came out, the public would raise an outcry about how the police had concealed a killer for years. As if they’d known.

“I said nothing?” Russ shot Lachlan a pointed look.

Lachlan pressed his lips together, silent.

“What’s this?” Addie asked.

Lachlan said to Russ, “Your judgment was clouded.”

“Because Jacob Wilson is a friend of mine? Not me who got that wrong, or so it would seem.” He let that statement hang with no elaboration. Russ didn’t waste time over-explaining anything. Especially not when he seemed to think the truth was simple.

Still, Addie was interested in getting out of there to find him, not talking around and around about who made a mistake and who was going to take the blame. “We need to figure out where he took them and what he’s up to.”

She looked at her watch. “My team will be here in a couple of minutes.”

They’d called to tell her they had something. Addie was on the way to the hospital at the time. The plan was to hook up and work this as a team, so she had backup just in case Hank came after her, too.

Addie didn’t care about that. In fact, she welcomed it. They could hang back and let him come to her. Then she’d spring a trap on him.

But Hank would expect that.

If he wanted her, he had to have some plan. After all, this had been building for years. She’d have said there was no way he hadn’t methodically planned all of this. Except for Austin and Celia. She was convinced Hank had snapped and killed Celia. Then Austin had asked too many questions—or figured it out—and Hank had to kill him as well.

Austin was murdered after Jacob was stabbed. Maybe Celia’s father had interrupted Hank’s plan for Jacob, and Austin was the death that came as a result. Hank had scrambled. All that pent up need to take a life interrupted by the fact Jacob was taken to hospital. He’d bided his time and later come after Jacob at the house—along with Mona.

There had to be a reason Hank took Mona as well. Maybe she’d decided to fight off Hank to save an injured Jacob, and Hank had to improvise.

She figured Hank was determined to carry out his plan, no matter what.

She just couldn’t figure out if he intended to finish what Ivan Damen started or wrap up that part of his life so he could start over somewhere else.

Reborn.

Or something else, entirely.

“And after your team is here?” Russ asked. “What will you do?”

“The FBI is going to find Hank and we’re going to get Jacob and Mona back.” Addie didn’t care if she was making a promise she might not be able to keep.

The promise she made was to herself first and foremost.

She would get them back.

Why else was she in Benson again? She wasn’t going to accept that it was all Hank’s doing. Not if she believed God had ultimate control and He had allowed it to happen.

That meant He was in this whether she was accustomed to acknowledging that or not.

Addie might just be getting a jump on that fresh start.

God, Jacob knows You. He needs You now, and so does Mona. Keep them safe. Help me get them back.

“Addie.”

She sniffed back the burn of tears. Looked at the police chief and the captain. “Ideas where Hank might have taken them?”

Lachlan winced.

McCauley said, “He hunts.”

“Okay.” Did they think she could do anything with that? It seemed like they were scrambling, but maybe also realized they didn’t know Hank all that well. It could cost someone’s life, and it just might be their fault.

“I don’t know where he goes.” McCauley shrugged.

“Me either,” Lachlan said.

“And you haven’t called anyone to have them look it up?” Russ asked. “See if he has property in his name. Or where his cell has been for the last month.”

Addie lifted her chin. “Guess what the FBI is doing?”

“Standing here with us?” McCauley fired off.

“As opposed to making a plan so you can save face? I’m just thankful you handed the case to the FBI, or who knows how many more bodies there would be?”

She needed to get out of here.

Lachlan took a step toward to face off with her. “If you think for one second?—”

Someone cleared their throat. Loudly.

Addie turned to see Kyle in the doorway, Stella beside him but slightly back. As though he intended to guard her from anything that happened.

“Anything?” Kyle asked.

“I had the same question.”

He gave her a short nod. “Let’s go.”

Addie kissed Russ on his cheek, even though he’d never liked that. This wasn’t a time for withholding emotion. She cared about him. If the worst happened, all they had was each other.

“Find them.” Russ winked.

She turned back at the door. “I will.” Then she motioned to Lachlan and McCauley. “Let Russ get some rest.”

They went with her to the hall, but Addie kept walking. Going with Kyle and Stella until they were outside.

Stella said, “Talk now, or at Hank’s house?”

“I could ride with you guys if that’s okay?”

They looked at each other.

Addie said, “Hank’s house?”

Kyle nodded. They climbed in the car, Stella in the back and Kyle driving. Addie turned to her female colleague. “You guys found something?”

Stella said, “Hank has a house he inherited from his mother. He has no other property in his name, but we did find a storage unit for Becca Cowell.”

“He rented it as his dead girlfriend?”

Stella shrugged. “She didn’t do it herself posthumously is my guess. It was empty except for a freezer.”

That didn’t sound good.

“The PD crime lab is there now just in case we missed something in the nothing. They’re going to check the freezer for DNA or blood, even if it’s been cleaned up.”

“Great.” Maybe there was something at his house.

Kyle said, “He’d want to keep important things close by, right? Where he could make sure they’re safe, and no one finds them.”

“That would be my conclusion.” Addie didn’t know what to think, though. “I can’t believe I considered him a friend.” She couldn’t imagine what Jacob was going through right now. Even just physically and mentally. He was also coping with the fact he’d called Hank his best friend for years.

And now this?

They’d all been blind to the truth, not just the police department.

“Crazy.” Stella shook her head. “A cop?”

Addie spotted a flash of something in her eyes. She knew a shadow well because she would see it in her expression in the mirror. Addie glanced at Kyle, but he only shook his head.

The two of them knew each other well. Had worked with each other for nearly two years and clearly had a rapport. One day she hoped to consider them friends as well as colleagues. But she might never be part of the bond they shared.

Addie wanted to hear their story. “Thank you for coming here. Both of you. I appreciate it because I don’t know what I’d have done if this happened to me, and I was alone out here.”

“Of course,” Stella said.

Kyle nodded. “Happy to.”

“You guys aren’t worried you’ll get assigned here permanently?” Maybe they couldn’t wait to get back to Seattle.

Stella made a huh sound. “It’s not so bad here. I think it’s growing on me.”

Kyle didn’t say anything, but when Addie glanced over, she saw a ghost of a smile on his face.

Definitely some history there.

Addie started to answer but caught herself. Would it be so bad? Being close to Russ and Mona. Having Jake back in her life. “I’d love the company.”

“You’re not worried you’ll get stuck here forever?” Kyle chuckled.

With the threat over, she would be able to move on.

“We have to find them first,” Addie said. “When Hank is in custody and we have this all straightened out, then I’ll figure out the next step.”

Stella shifted. “Bet no one thought you’d figure this out in a week.”

Kyle snorted.

“Unfortunately we know now why the police weren’t able to put it together.”

One of their own had been assigned to investigate most of the cases. A cop had committed the crimes, so he knew exactly what they looked for when they worked a case.

“So why didn’t he work to stall you as soon as you showed up?” Kyle asked. “Surely he wouldn’t want you to figure it out.”

“I’m thinking he has a plan, and I needed to be here for it.” Addie tapped her finger on her knee. “I think he did try to throw me off in a way since he pointed me to a victim, and it turned out to be nothing. Maybe he knew she was killed by someone else.”

And then there were her other theories. “I also think maybe he wants to get caught and that he wanted me to figure out it was him. I think that’s why he orchestrated it to get me back here.”

Stella said, “Some killers do draw attention to themselves just so it can end.”

“And given what I know he went through because I went through the same, I think he might hate who he is and what he’s done. I think he might want me to stop him because I understand, and he’s so guilt ridden he doesn’t want to go on being this person.”

She knew it was a long shot. She was concluding with not much evidence and theorizing about Hank’s state of mind. Instead, she needed to sit him down and talk to him—in an interrogation room.

Her office didn’t have one, so she’d have to use the PD.

Addie blew out a long breath.

Kyle pulled the car into a neighborhood. Addie waited as he headed for the third street down. The blue house at the end.

She glanced at her colleagues. “This is the house Hank lived in as a kid.”

“Guess we’re about to find out what horrors await us inside.” Stella pushed out the rear door, and Kyle popped the trunk.

“I’ll take the back door.” Kyle smoothed down the Velcro straps of his vest.

Addie and Stella did the same.

“You guys take the front?”

They both nodded.

“Let’s move.”

Lord, let me find them. Please.

Kyle disappeared around the side of the house. Stella let Addie go first.

“Not sure I’m interested in announcing ourselves.”

Stella said, “Are we worried about explosive devices?”

Addie stopped at the front door. “Well, I am now .”

Stella didn’t smile. “Back up. Let me.”

Before Addie could ask why Stella was the one who should put herself in harm’s way, her colleague kicked the front door in. Stella hesitated a second.

When there was no explosion or gunfire, she headed inside. “FBI!”

Addie followed right behind her. They cleared each room systematically, but the place had no occupants. “This is the original furniture.”

Addie could picture Hank’s mother, sitting in the recliner. Smoking and watching Cops .

She followed, and they cleared the kitchen, meeting up with Kyle, who said, “Bedroom and bathroom are clear.”

Addie stared at the empty kitchen. “Do we have a whereabouts on the mother?”

Kyle shook his head. “Word is she left town years ago, but we haven’t found anything to corroborate that either way.”

Stella winced. “Basement, anyone?”

Kyle glanced over, and she motioned to a door. “Yep.”

“Good.” Stella stifled a shiver. “You can go first.”

Kyle stepped toward it. “Age before beauty?”

He was through the door before Stella frowned.

Addie followed him down a set of steps. “Any sign they’re down here?”

Kyle swept the storage area first. At the end was a padlocked door. He stowed his weapon and found a crowbar.

Stella and Addie held their weapons ready. Kyle forced the padlock off.

The moment the door opened, the smell hit Addie before anything her eyes could comprehend.

Stella muttered something behind her hand.

Kyle said, “I’ll call PD.”

Addie moved to the open door and looked in. Barely bigger than a closet, a figure sat in a chair. Secured to the arms. She studied the decomposing body until she spotted a centipede moving around.

She turned back to her colleagues. “That’s Hank’s mother.”

“Tied to a chair and left like that?” Stella said.

“We need to find Jacob and Mona. Now. ” It was more urgent than ever Addie had to get to them. “Where are they?”

She wasn’t sure which of them could answer the question but had to ask it at least. Maybe it was a prayer.

A cry for help.

Addie’s phone rang. “It’s McCauley.”

Stella said, “Maybe he heard already.”

Addie put the phone to her ear. “Special Agent Franklin.”

“I looked into the hunting thing.”

“And you found something?” Addie asked.

“Hank doesn’t have any property,” McCauley replied. “And his truck doesn’t have any GPS we can get into. But I found something.”

She wanted to scream at the phone to get him to say it already.

“His stepdad had a cabin he would take Hank to. The chief remembered it,” McCauley said. “I looked it up, and I have the address.”

“Send it to me. We’ll go check it out.”

“Remember Austin?” McCauley asked. “I’ll send you the address. And I’ll meet you there.”

Addie wasn’t sure about that. “Captain?—”

He cut her off. “This guy…this cop has been lying to all of us. I’m not going to let him take more lives.”

“Fine.” She hung up and told Kyle and Stella. Addie prayed they’d find Jacob and Mona. “Let’s go.”