Chapter 26
Detective Casey
“So, he was here earlier?”
“That’s right. He went up, stayed for about ten minutes, and left with a duffle bag.” The front desk clerk shifted nervously as he stared between me and Boston. Although we couldn’t get up to Dr. Patron’s apartment, we did learn he wasn’t here. Or hadn’t been, often, since he’d come into town. It didn’t surprise me. He mentioned this might happen. He had friends close by. He could be with any of them.
Ringing filled the space, and I glanced over to Boston as his lips twisted.
“It’s him. Should I answer?”
My mouth opened to ask the desk clerk more questions, but stopped to turn my attention to Boston.
“I don’t want him to know we’re here. Not yet.”
“Yeah. I don’t either.”
Boston hit ignore and shoved the phone back in his pocket. I turned, leaning my forearms on the high granite counter.
“Emilio, has the doctor left with anything else that you’ve noticed? Clothes? A suitcase? Anything like that?”
“I don’t know. I mean, I don’t know him well. I only started a few months back. He’s not here often.”
“Okay, but think,” I stressed. “Has he ever arrived with anyone? Maybe a blonde girl around eighteen, nineteen years of age? Maybe a man? Anyone?”
“We have the underground garage. He’d probably park there if he was staying for more than half an hour. I told you, the only time I’ve seen him is when he ran up to his room, and then came back through to leave. He had a duffle bag. I think I saw him a few times with his briefcase, but that was it.”
“Of course.” I glanced toward the elevators, sighing as I nodded. “Thanks. That’s all for now.”
I turned to leave, pausing as Boston hit ignore on his phone again and cursed.
“If I talk to him right now…” His head shook. “I don’t think he’s behind Lucy’s disappearance, but at the thought, at the mere chance he knows something…”
“You’re tired. I’m tired. Let’s get back. You can call him tomorrow. He probably just wants to see how you’re doing.”
“He always wants to know how I’m doing,” Boston ground out, following me to my cruiser. Confliction flashed on his face and he shook angrily. “There’s no point even asking. I’m losing my fucking mind.” As we shut the doors behind us, he started again. “When Anna was taken—”
“No. You are not allowed to talk to me about that.” I barely got the car started and was pulling onto the road before he pressed.
“I just need to know how you managed? How did you cope with her being taken? I feel helpless. The world is spinning around me, and all I want to do is tear through every house until I find her. She’s out there, Detective. She’s out there somewhere, and I’m just sitting here, not doing anything. Tell me. I have to know.”
For minutes, I couldn’t talk. And not because I didn’t necessarily want to. I just didn’t know how to put it into words.
“Please. I’m desperate. I say tearing into houses, but you don’t know how hard that is for me to push away or admit to you, of all people. It’s the God’s honest truth. I can’t do this. I can’t be without her. How? Please tell me. How did you not burn this place to the ground looking for Anna?”
Tighter, I gripped the steering wheel, glancing over at his haggard appearance. There was only one word that came to mind, and I saw it embedded in Boston’s features.
“I don’t know. Hell. If there’s a hell, I lived it for months. For eternity. I still live it. Every day was, and is, like what I’m sure you’re feeling right now. I was helpless. Tortured by the son of a bitch. I’m still not back to normal. I won’t ever be again.”
“Because of what he did? He sent you Anna’s finger. And video, I believe.”
I nodded, swallowing hard.
“All I saw when I closed my eyes was her…hanging there. Bloody. Beaten.” Tears burned by eyes. “I blame myself. She blames me. I’m a detective, and I couldn’t even find the woman I love. I couldn’t save my child. The videos, he sent more than one,” I said, staring ahead. “What he did to her in those, you couldn’t begin to imagine. He degraded her more than anyone ever could another human being. I don’t know how she survived. Not just physically, but mentally. God, when I think of what she must have gone through. Imagining it isn’t enough. It could never begin to scratch the surface of her reality.”
Boston wiping away his tears had me pausing.
“I’m sorry. You asked how I coped. I just did. I lived every day by the second. I did everything I could to try to find her. Within the laws,” I stressed, looking over. “I’m doing everything I can, Boston. I promise you, I am. We’re going to find Lucy.”
“I know. I just wish it would be right now. God, she’s my life. She is…my life.”
“And I’ll do everything in my power to give it back to you. You just have to trust me, okay? Work with me. Be patient.”
Boston nodded, sniffling and sitting straighter. “I know I get testy with you, but Anna, she’s the only thing keeping me together. Without her, I don’t know what I would have done.”
“She has a big heart. And a hell of a drive. That woman, she’s—” I stopped, glancing at the clock. “She should be done by now. Do you mind?”
I already had my phone in my hand, dialing, before Boston could so much as say yes. Almost midnight. Was it already so late?
Ringing sounded, and the all-too-familiar fear edged into my chest as her voicemail kicked on.
“She’s probably still working or in bed.”
I hung up, sweeping my stare to Boston as I nodded. “You’re probably right. Am I so transparent?”
“I’d be the same way concerning Lucy. I may never let her out of my sight after this. I don’t know how you do it. I really don’t. It’s inconceivable to me. I just…there are too many dangers out there. Once doesn’t excuse something happening twice.” He let out a ragged breath, his brow drawing in. “Let me try her.”
Just as impatient as I was, he brought his phone to his ear, only to hang up mere moments later.
“She’s probably still working. She’ll call back.”
Even as I said it, something akin to a knife twisted in my gut. Faster, I pushed the cruiser, weaving in and out of the traffic leaving the city. The more distance I covered, the worse my anxiety grew. Just as I went to lift my phone, it rang. But relief didn’t last as I squinted through the number.
“Is it her?”
“No. Hold on.” I hit the button, bracing myself. “Detective Wade.”
“Yeah, sorry to call so late, Casey. Were you sleeping?”
“No, not at all. Everything okay?”
There was a pause, and voices buzzed in the background, telling me he was at the station.
“Our guy was bailed out about an hour ago. Some fancy lawyer swept in with his damn connections. Shit pisses me off. There was nothing we could do.”
“Stracht? Are you fucking kidding me?”
“I wish I was. We’ll be lucky to ever see his ass again.”
“Fuck!” I bit the insides of my cheeks as I tried to breathe through the anger. “Tell me you put a patrol car on him.”
“I…I didn’t. He left with the lawyer.”
“Son of a bitch. Okay, just—fuck. Send a car to my house. To Anna Monroe’s. She’s not answering her phone. He went after her once. He better pray he doesn’t make the same mistake twice.”
“I’m on it.”
A roar tore from me as I tossed my phone down and pushed my foot harder on the accelerator. Siren’s filled my ears, and I let them engulf me as I maneuvered us through.
“Tell me what I think happened didn’t.”
“Daniel Stracht was released an hour ago.”
Boston fumbled with his phone, but I barely saw. Miles zoomed by, and not once did he stop trying to call. Curse words sounded. He pounded into the dash. I was so focused on the road and my need to get there, I didn’t care. Anna wasn’t going to be taken again. She wasn’t going to be hurt. I’d die before I allowed that to happen.