Page 17 of Little Child Gone (Nikki Hunt #10)

TEN

“Just got a call about another missing teenaged boy. A high school freshman left school in the afternoon to walk to his job at Menards. It’s less than ten minutes from Stillwater High School.

He never showed, wasn’t there when the mom came to pick him up.

I’m headed to talk to the family right now. ”

Another missing Stillwater freshman. Once the news got out, people were going to assume the worst. The media would start talking serial killer because they loved to talk about serial killers and speculate about the worst possible outcomes. “I can meet you at the station in twenty.”

She got out of bed and quickly found jeans and a sweater.

“Case?” Rory grumbled from bed.

“Yes. I’m sorry. Can you get Lacey to school?” Nikki liked to drop Lacey off when she could, but that wasn’t going to happen today.

“Yep. Be careful.” He started snoring softly.

Nikki quickly brushed her teeth and hair, slathered her face with moisturizer and hurried into her office to gather her things. She peeked in on Lacey, who was still asleep, her right foot hanging off the bed. “See you later, Bug,” Nikki whispered.

Twenty-three minutes later, Nikki arrived at the sheriff’s office. She grabbed her work bag and SIG Sauer out of its locked box underneath her seat. She never took her weapon into the house. Lacey wasn’t a kid that snooped or got into things she wasn’t supposed to, but it wasn’t worth the risk.

She deposited the bag and pistol on Miller’s back seat and got in beside him. Nikki immediately asked the question that had been nagging her since he’d called. “The kid wasn’t there after work, and you said the call just came in?”

“Yep. Dispatch didn’t ask any more questions.”

Nikki adjusted her seat belt. “Where do they live?”

“Near Lake McKusick by Oak Glen Golf Course.”

“Pricey neighborhood,” Nikki said.

“My wife’s cousin lives out that way. Their house cost nearly 700,000.”

“Dang,” Nikki said. “Doctor?”

“Engineer. His wife is high up at US Bank.” Miller changed lanes. “This kid goes to Stillwater High School, just like Eli Robertson. Around the same age, too. Were you able to find out anything about that investigation from Chen?”

“They think it’s a family friend,” Nikki said. “He’s been under surveillance and there’s no connection to Scott Williams. I left a message for him on the drive over. Hopefully he calls sooner rather than later.”

“My deputies are working with Stillwater Police to go door to door in the area around Menards. I need a photo of the missing kid for them and the drone pilots.”

“We’ll need Menards’ security videos as well as the CCTV in the area.”

“Deputy Reynolds is on it.”

Nikki saw the Oak Glen Golf Course out of the corner of her eye, looking more like a snow-covered lake than a golf course.

Despite its cost, Oak Glen was a sought-after neighborhood.

Its low crime rate enticed people from the Twin Cities, and the school district often reeled them in, their test scores and graduation rates among the highest in the area.

But its biggest draw was its proximity to some of Washington County’s best parks and trails.

Many homes were within walking distance to Brown’s Creek Trail or backed up to it.

Miller parked in front of a beautiful two-story home at the end of a cul-de-sac.

A mix of brown brick and siding, with a three-car garage, the home resembled so many others in the area.

Snow covered a large garden bordering the big house, a mature oak tree the centerpiece. “Someone has a green thumb.”

“I’m sure it’s beautiful in the summer.” Nikki followed Miller past the impressive garages to the front door. Lush garlands decorated the front porch, two red bows at each end. The front door opened before they could knock. A blond man wearing blue scrubs answered the door.

“Sheriff, thank you for coming.” His gaze fell on Nikki. “Is this another deputy? Shouldn’t she be out searching with the others?”

“Agent Nikki Hunt, FBI.” She extended her hand. “Sheriff Miller asked me to come along. I hope that’s okay. I assume you’re Jared.”

“Jared Hall.” He looked past them to the street, worry in his eyes. “I keep thinking he’s going to show up any minute.”

“I can’t imagine what you’re going through,” Miller said. “Every available deputy is searching for your son as well as the Stillwater Police Department. We’re also using drones to make sure to reach as wide of an area as possible. I do need a recent photo of your son for them to show people.”

“Of course.” Jared motioned for them to come inside. “You can leave your shoes inside the entry.”

Nikki and Miller took off their shoes in the large foyer and lined them against the wall next to the family’s shoes. Jared took his cell phone out of his pocket and asked for the sheriff’s number. “I can text you a couple of pictures from the holiday.”

They followed Jared through the large great room to the kitchen.

Vacuum marks on the thick carpet stuck out to Nikki.

Had someone really swept and cleaned before they arrived?

A petite woman sat at one of the two marble counters, staring into space.

She appeared to be dressed for the day in jeans and a white cable-knit sweater, which made her skin look nearly as pale as the white cabinets.

“Honey, the sheriff is here. And the FBI.” Jared looked at the two of them. “This is my wife, Christy. She was supposed to pick Taylor up last night at Menards after his shift.”

Christy’s gaze dropped to her lap. “I waited for ten minutes. His cell phone was off.”

“I’m not blaming you.” Jared squeezed her shoulder. “But we have to give the police all of the facts. Sheriff, Agent, please take a seat.”

Jared stood next to his wife, his arm around her narrow shoulders.

“I think better on my feet.” Nikki turned her attention to Christy. “Christy, can you tell us what happened? Why did you wait until this morning to report your son missing?”

Christy pushed her long, straight hair out of her eyes. “Taylor’s done this a couple of times before, after he and I bickered. I thought yesterday was more of the same.”

“What did you bicker about?” Miller asked.

“He was supposed to take the trash out the night before,” Christy answered. “But he didn’t, and we have extra garbage from the holiday. It’s just going to sit in the garage for another week.”

“He was angry with you when he left the house?”

“He wasn’t happy,” Christy answered. “The last time he did this was right after Halloween. He’d arranged a ride home after his shift without telling me, just to make me worry.”

Nikki looked at Jared. “You didn’t think anything of it?”

“I was at work until about five a.m. this morning,” he answered.

“I’m the chief attending plastic surgeon at Hennepin County Medical Center.

By the time I got home, Christy and the kids were just getting up.

She told me that Taylor hadn’t come home or called.

” He glanced down at his wife. “The last time he did this, Taylor had texted me to let me know where he was. I hadn’t heard from him. ”

Christy stiffened. “He promised me he wouldn’t do that again.”

Jared rubbed her back. “I called Menards and found out he never showed up for work. We reached out to a couple of friends to make sure he hadn’t gone over there and just not told me because he skipped work.”

“Christy, did anyone from Menards call about Taylor not showing up for work?” Nikki asked.

“No,” she said. “They should have called me. That’s why I just assumed he was doing this to hurt me. I had no idea he never made it into work.” Christy pressed her hand against her mouth, fighting emotions.

“Are those the only friends’ homes he’d go to?” Miller asked.

Both Jared and Christy nodded. “His circle is small. His two best friends are in band with him. Neena and Logan haven’t heard from him since before school ended yesterday.”

Nikki noted the names. “What does he play?”

“He’s a drummer,” Christy answered. “He’s the only freshman to make the drumline for quads. Neena plays bass drum.”

“And Logan?”

“Trumpet,” Jared answered. “Kid is crazy talented. So is Taylor, but I play the drums. The trumpet mystifies me.”

Miller leaned against the counter. “You’re a blended family, correct?”

Both Halls nodded. “Jared has a son, Caden, from a previous relationship, and I had my daughter Amelia and Taylor from mine. Jared’s the only father Taylor’s known,” Christy said. “He started calling Jared ‘Dad’ right away.”

“His biological father isn’t in his life?”

Christy flushed and looked down at her lap.

“Taylor’s father left just after she had Taylor,” Jared said. “Amelia never knew hers either.”

“What happened?” Nikki asked.

Christy looked up, glaring at Nikki. “What does that matter?”

“We have to understand everything about a child’s life in these cases,” Nikki softened her tone. “I’m not judging you at all. We just need to know every little detail. Sometimes the smallest ones give us the answers. Is there a chance he might have been in touch with his father?”

“I can’t see that,” Christy said. “He hates him.” She looked up at her husband. “What do you think?”

“I tend to agree,” Jared said. “Taylor has never given me the impression he’d be interested in that.” He squeezed Christy’s shoulders again. “Go ahead, honey. This isn’t about your past, it’s about finding Taylor.”