Page 37 of Save Her Life (Sandra Vos #1)

THIRTY-SIX

The news about Dennis Eaton didn’t come as a surprise. Sandra was just a little aggravated that the body was found that morning, and it had taken until the middle of the afternoon to reach her ears. What she found somewhat reassuring was that it was the same park where they found Olivia’s phone. For Jennings to dump Eaton’s body there it suggested he wasn’t holding Olivia that far away. There was a message in the location though. It was impossible to ignore that the park wasn’t far from her home. It was where she took her morning runs. Was it a power move on Jennings’s part? But what concerned her more was where had Olivia been when Jennings dumped Eaton’s body? Was she left alone, tied and gagged, or caged? Was she drugged? Her mind was a whirlwind, and the possibilities were endless.

Eric had told her the body was found before seven AM, and there had been no eyewitnesses. That meant Jennings would have left him before that to avoid early joggers who braved the cold morning. But his action wasn’t without risk. It proved yet again that he was impulsive and capable of anything.

The sky was overcast and made four-oh-two PM feel later than it was. Sandra could barely wait for Brice to park the car and for it to come to a complete stop before hopping out.

Even these hours later there was a police presence, and curious gawkers were gathered behind a line of crime scene tape. A loudmouthed uniformed officer was continually barking, “Get back!”

“What makes this Lonnie guy snap and kill his lifetime friend?” Brice looked over at her and shook his head. He was walking beside her, keeping up with her strides. “Forgive me. Dumb question. Money. With Patton in prison, it would all be Jennings’s.”

“Precisely.”

They approached the mouthy officer, who quietened down and stepped closer to them. “Closed scene. You’ll need to get back.”

She and Brice held up their FBI badges, and the officer rolled his eyes and huffed.

“Just because you’re feds, that doesn’t mean you can stomp around wherever you’d like.”

Sandra squared her shoulders as she pocketed her badge. “Detective Birch on scene?”

“I’m not going to answer?—”

“Hodges, let ’em in.” It was Eric, and he was quickly making up ground to get to them.

The officer turned around and said, “I was told to keep this place locked down.”

“Except they’re with me.” Eric waved for her and Brice to walk past the uniform.

“I’m just trying to do my job here,” Hodges mumbled, then raised his voice to the blustering crowd again. “Back up!”

They walked into the park with Eric. Thankfully, Hodges’s booming voice eventually faded into the background.

“We call the guy the Mouth behind his back, but if you want someone to get a point across, he’s your guy,” Eric said.

“He’d get it across all right,” Brice snickered.

Eric laughed, but the expression was short-lived. “Any progress on finding Olivia?” His softened eyes and body language told her he was concerned about her. If they weren’t surrounded by work colleagues, she imagined he’d be taking her into his arms. And she’d happily let him.

“Some. At least we know what Jennings wants now.” She filled him in on the bank robbery and the gold bars.

“And you think you can get Patton to reveal the location?”

“I need to try.” Before she was inundated by thoughts of Olivia, she did her best to push them away. Admitting uncertainty made her feel like a horrible parent, but she was focused on the endgame. Right now, Eaton might be a key to finding out where Jennings was holding her. “Where was he found exactly? By whom?” Focus on business, push through.

“By a jogger, around seven, as I told you on the phone, but he was laid out right in the middle…” Eric pointed to the circle marking the center of the labyrinth. It wasn’t done with hedges but was set out on concrete with green pavement laying out the puzzle. CSIs were around snapping pictures and combing the area outside of the maze, to see if they’d turned up anything for evidence. “Obviously the medical examiner has long been and gone with the body. Identification was easy as he was dumped with his ID.”

“What about his phone?” If so, they could get it over to Tech ASAP. They might be able to use the GPS tracking history on the device. That’s if Dennis hadn’t turned it off before reaching the holding point. Otherwise, it would do them no good.

Eric shook his head. “Jennings was too smart for that, but I’ll reach out to digital techs to see if they can somehow access the phone’s GPS history without the device in hand.”

“Thank you,” she told him.

“Still, he took a risk coming here to dump the body,” Brice put in. “Early risers could have spotted him.”

Sandra turned to her colleague. “I was thinking the same. We could hit the press and make a public petition asking for anyone who might have seen something suspicious here this morning to come forward. Not that I have a doubt who is behind this, but it can help build the case against him. Someone might have seen Olivia.”

“We can’t go to the media. It’s too risky. It could push Jennings into doing something rash,” Brice countered.

Eric was nodding when she turned to him. Guess her suggestion was vetoed, but Brice had made a good point. She said to Eric, “Obviously, you weren’t on this case from the start?” She trusted that he’d have called her long ago if he had been.

“No. I called the moment I found out who it was. I became aware of it when I heard some uniformed cops talking about a DB found in the park related to a BOLO issued by the feds. I had a feeling and followed it up.”

“Yet, Metro PD still worked the crime scene without calling the FBI?” she asked.

“I can’t account for other people, Sandra. I called once I verified things.”

“And I appreciate that.” And she did. She was grateful to have him in her corner. “Time and cause of death?”

“TOD was pegged between four and seven AM. COD seems straightforward. Gunshot between the eyes.”

“Execution style. And the time tells me that Lonnie must have killed him around the point of first contact.” The thought of him being so unstable and having her daughter in his hands was too much to contemplate. Squeeze it out… Focus on cold detachment. Paint the picture of a random kidnapping… “Jennings has proven again that he can be unpredictable, while taking deliberate action. That of the murder itself, but also the dump location, were given thought. He chose here, close to my home as a power move. But to get Eaton’s body here, he likely would have left Olivia alone wherever he’s holding her. He must be confident that she can’t escape.” As she rattled this off, she realized just how frightened she should be that Jennings’s emotions were driving him. Greed, anger, impatience… The latter might be the worst of them all. “And by leaving Eaton, his childhood friend there”—she flicked a finger toward the center of the labyrinth—“he’s making it clear he’s finished waiting. He will kill anyone who stands between him and that gold.” Her mind flashed back to that photo of the three teens sporting smiles and fishing gear. If Jennings was willing to kill Eaton, the outlook wasn’t good for Olivia. “But if he thinks he’s in control, he has another thing com—” Sandra’s phone rang, cutting off her brave statement. Just the sound of the trill sent ice through her veins. “It’s him,” she said at seeing Blocked Number on the screen. She turned away, and Eric stepped up next to her, standing so close their arms were touching. She appreciated his strong presence.

“I assume you found my friend by now.”

She looked around her as goosebumps traipsed over her shoulders and down her arms. Is he here now, watching from the shadows? “Why did you do it?”

Jennings laughed. “Why do you think? The guy was as dumb as a stump, and I’m done playing Mr. Nice Guy.”

“What do you want, Lonnie? I’m working on what you asked me for.” Though she imagined the reason for his call was to gloat about Eaton’s murder and to ensure she got the message. If Jennings was trying to communicate that he was a killer, she received it loud and clear.

“Glad to hear it. Then no one else needs to die.”

She gripped her phone tighter, as tears of hatred pooled in her eyes. She nudged out her chin, a blister of defiance buoying her. “I plan to talk with Darrell and get you what you want, but how can I trust that you’ll keep your word? That you will return my daughter safely to me? After all, you killed someone who was a friend.”

“We talked about that. It boils down to the fact I don’t have patience for people who piss me off or are no longer useful. Just make good on your end, Special Agent Vos, and you and your daughter will have nothing to worry about. And remember, tick tock .” He hung up.

She lowered her phone. A few tears fell as she stared into the distance, not focused on anything. Eric took her hand, his fingertips dancing over hers, despite their audience.

“Sandra,” Eric prompted. “Talk to me. Tell me what’s going on.”

“I’ll tell you what,” she said with heat, removing her hand from Eric’s. “Everything is taking too freaking long. Where’s my approval to see Patton?” She paced in a circle. “I can’t wait anymore. Not while my Olivia is…” She gripped her forehead, and she noticed Brice shrink away to let her have privacy with Eric. She was hyperventilating inside, and clearly losing it on the outside, but she needed to cut herself some slack. How could she expect to hold herself together every second with Olivia out there? Her phone rang again, and Eric tried to ease it from her hand. She started to release it but caught the name of her caller. “No, it’s okay. It’s Elwood.” She picked up. “Tell me I’ve got the green light to talk to Patton.”

“It’s arranged. Patton’s all yours tonight. No lawyers, no recordings, nothing. What time do you think you could get there?”

“Give me three and a half hours.” That was the time it would take to drive there if she left immediately. She could try to do this by video, but some things were better handled in person.

“So around eight o’clock then. Are you sure this is something you need to handle face to face? Wouldn’t a video conference do the job? You haven’t slept for hours. Should you really be driving?”

She probably shouldn’t be, but she was also hopped up on adrenaline. “I’ll be fine. As for the deal on the table…?”

“The one that lets him walk from armed robbery? Only as the last resort.”

“Understood. And thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. Godspeed.”

She pocketed her phone and looked at Eric and Brice. “I need to get to the prison to meet with Patton.”

“I’ll drive you,” Brice said.

She shook her head. “I’ll take myself.”

“I’ll get him home,” Eric spoke up.

“To the field office?” Brice said.

“Wherever you wish.”

Brice nodded.

“You guys work it out. I just need to leave now.”

“Just be safe. Are you sure you’re okay to drive?” Eric asked her.

“You sound like Rowe.”

“It’s a valid question.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“You better be.” He pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead forgoing their unspoken rule about public displays of affection in a professional setting. He pulled back and said, “I’ll let you know if anything pops up here that might help.”

“I wouldn’t expect less. Thank you.” She stood there for a few seconds, absorbing the contours of Eric’s face and dipped into his eyes. This man brought out her strength. She could only hope it would be enough to see this through and get the crucial information she needed out of Patton so she could save Olivia.