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  Ellen found herself alone with her thoughts.

  Turning back to the building as it glowed from the early evening sun, Ellen crossed her arms and focused on another scenario that had been running through her mind. Even after she, Big Harv, Dillon, and Sanchez had discussed it, coming to no real conclusion, she was still wrestling for answers.

  Why here? Why was Joannie Carmen found here? And why was Brice alone when it happened? Chance? Maybe. Sometimes timing is everything.

  Opportunity? Joannie saw her chance and took it? But if that were true, how did she break free? The FBI agreed that this unsub wasn’t sloppy. Did he let her go with the hope of taking Brice? That meant he’d have to have had a way of watching what was going on, and that didn’t seem likely, particularly after Chicago PD had gone through these buildings three complete times. Yet, with the technology available today, anything might be possible.

  “What the hell am I missing?” she said.

  “Ellie?”

  She turned to see a first-year FT holding something in her hand.

  “What do you have?”

  “It’s the first mold of the tire tracks you found on the other side of the site. What do you want me to do?”

  “Good work. Take it inside the mobile lab and see if we get a match with Treadmark in the FBI’s system. Let me know.”

  “Will do, Ellie.”

  The tech walked away, and she heard the door close.

  Ellen’s mind raced, going over everything that had happened over the last two days, not the least being Brice’s kiss.

  She touched her cheek, fearing that it would be the one and only time a kiss like that would happen.

  CHAPTER 44

  “The time is now. I’ve waited long enough to wrap up the last loose ends and get on with my life,” he said softly. The sound of that caused him to stop and reflect.

  His life. Not Damon’s. Not his mother’s. Not his ex’s. No one’s but his. The idea was incredibly freeing.

  But he had miles to go before he slept. Miles to go.

  As careful, as meticulous, as he’d been, he wasn’t a fool. The police were buffoons for the most part, but even the CPD was going to be able to find something to incriminate him. Even he knew there was no such thing as perfect. He was close, but they would eventually figure things out.

  That was all right. He’d gone from bondage to complete freedom in the last twenty-four hours, satisfying his growing lust in the wake of that marvelous truth.

  Who said life wasn’t good?

  He stole one last look at Lake Michigan as the sun sank deeper, and exited his apartment. Climbing into the old truck, he found it difficult to remove the smile from his face. One more special guest to dispose of, other than Detective Rogers, and he would have completed what his destiny held for him.

  He could hardly wait.

  CHAPTER 45

  The door swung open on the mobile lab, and Big Harv climbed in, shaking his head. “Damn, Ellie. Go ahead and go home. It’s been a long day, and you’ve done your part,” he said.

  Glancing up from the computer, where she was going over fresh forensic reports, she shook her head, stood, and stretched her back.

  “You sound like Kate. She called and told me the same thing. I’ll tell you what I told her: I’m not going anywhere. I’ve got material turning in the centrifuge and reports to review, and I think better alone. People will just be interrupting me back at the lab, and maybe I’ll think of something I haven’t thought of yet. But you’re right about one thing, Dad. I’ve been sitting in this chair so long it’s attached to my cheeks.”

  Looking at him, she realized just how tired he must be. He was pale. Of course, he wasn’t a spring chicken anymore, but he’d aged visibly in the last two days.

  “You feeling all right, old man? You’re the one who looks like they need a break.”

  “I’m tired, but fine. And who you calling old? I can still kick your ass.” He gave her a quick smile. “I think.”

  “Maybe, Dad, maybe not,” she said, returning his grin.

  “And I know what you mean about not going home or to the office. I stayed here for a different reason.”

  “You thinking Brice and Joannie might come back here? Like it’s some sort of rendezvous point?”

  “Something like that. Brice is ex-military; he’ll get that there needs to be a rallying point. And I’m racking my brain for something else to go on. Anything.”

  “You really think that could happen?”

  “I don’t know. I’m hoping, and being here is better than tossing and turning at home or breaking another phone in the office.”

  Ellen understood.

  “You still look like you could use some sleep.”

  “Yeah, well, I’ll sleep when I’m six feet under. Anything new?”

  “Not really. We’ve confirmed two blood types on Brice’s jacket. I’m waiting for the DNA report, but that’ll be tomorrow. We didn’t have any luck with the tread search, only that the tire probably fit an older Ford pickup. There are only about twenty thousand of them in Cook County, but we’re narrowing the search to within three miles of 32nd.”

  “Good.”

  “Your idea to look for ownership records for the buildings in this area is a good one, but it’ll be an hour or two before we get that information. It stands to reason an owner might have a clue about what’s going on around here.”

  Big Harv flopped into the other chair. It protested but held firm.

  “Maybe. Most of these old buildings were foreclosed on and the city still owns them. But we could get lucky.”

  “I figured that, and I’d take some luck right now.”

  Ellen reached for her lukewarm cup of coffee, took a sip, wrinkled her nose, and put it back down. She stared at the coffee shop logo on the side of the cup.

  Once again, doubt rose up like a high tide and threatened to drown her. Every minute that passed reminded her of the axiom that the first forty-eight hours after a crime were the most critical. After that, well . . . After that, the devil has his way.

  “Stop. You can’t go there,” said Big Harv.

  She turned and saw her dad looking at her. His eyes were soft and caring, not tough and cynical, like she’d seen so often since her mom had died. He looked very much like a caring father, not a life-hardened police department captain.

  “Go where?” she asked.

  “We’re going to find those women and Brice, and we’ll find them alive.”

  Ellen moved over and kissed him on the forehead.

  “So, what are you now, a psychic?”

  “Nope. Just been around a few rodeos like this one, that’s all. And what was that for?”

  “For being—”

  Her phone rang. One of the FT techs was calling from the lab.

  “Got to take this.” She picked up the phone. “Harper here.”

  “Ellen, you were right. You’ll be getting the report in a few minutes, but we found something in Oscar’s jeans you’ll want to see.”

  She felt her stomach flip. “What did you find?”

  “We found a key in the watch pocket.”

  Ellen sat up straight in her chair. Could they have been right? Was this the break they needed? Is this what the killers were after?

  “An old key?”

  “Yeah. It might be what you were talking about. It looks like it’s for a padlock, you know?”

  “Send me a scan of the key, now, and then get someone to bring it over when you’re through with it. Good work.”

  Hanging up, Ellen turned to Big Harv and started to speak, then stopped.

  Oscar had been thinking to the end—it was just like him. There were no tears this time.

  Once more. She just wanted to hug him once more.

  “You okay, Ellie?”

&n
bsp; “Yeah. They found the key”

  “What key? The one he’d mentioned to you?”

  “We’ll see, but I think so. I believe Oscar was thinking of how to help catch his killer even when he knew he was going to die. I think the reason his chest was torn open was to retrieve the key. He must have thought it was important. But he didn’t swallow it. I think he duped his killer, and we just might have a break in this case.”

  Her phone chimed and she opened the scan sent from the tech.

  She could tell the key belonged to an older-style lock because it was thicker, and older keys were more defined than the newer ones. And it appeared to be somewhat worn.

  Working quickly, she flipped the photo around and read the faint name of the manufacturer on the top. Then her eyes grew wide. “Damn, that’s it.”

  “What?” asked Big Harv, getting out of his chair.

  She threw on her CPD jacket and opened the door of the lab, waiting for Big Harv to follow her.

  “How many cops do we have outside?” she asked.

  “Sanchez is back, eating dinner in her car. She sent her worn-out crew home and took my place guarding the crime scene when I came to see you. There’s a cruiser with two uniforms at the entrance of the street and a cruiser with another two on the other side of the building in the parking lot. So, seven, counting you. Why?”

  “Grab Sanchez and get to the west side of the building. We’ll be enough for now. If I’m right, we’ll call for backup.”

  “What do you mean?” said Big Harv, following her out the door.

  “I think I know where that key might go.”

  CHAPTER 46

  Jake Cossaboom looked at his partner and shook his head. “This isn’t what I signed up for, you know?”

  His partner, Libby Welch, flipped her cigarette out her open window, then took another sip of the steaming coffee swirling in her thermos cup. “Yeah, I hear ya, Jake, but making sure nobody goes down this street until Big Harv tells us ain’t so bad. We could be doing vice, or working some gangbanger call and getting shot at, or some junk. So stop bitching.”

  “True. I’d rather get one more ski trip out of this spring, but you’re right. Hey, pour me some more of that coffee. It smells good. Still, at least I’d feel like I was doing something,” Jake said, handing his cup to his partner.

  “Don’t worry. I think there’ll be days that you wish you were on this kind of detail. In fact, you can take it to the bank. Getting shot at ain’t so cool,” said Libby.

  “Maybe getting shot at ain’t so fun,” said a voice outside the car, “but pulling the trigger, well, that’s a different story.”

  Startled, Jake turned toward the voice. He recognized the older woman standing there, even in the disappearing light of the setting sun.

  “You scared the shit out of me, Kate. What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be home or selling guns or something?”

  She leaned on the car door. “Yeah, I let old George handle that for now. I need to see Ellen.”

  “See Ellen? Why?” asked Libby.

  “I don’t know for sure. Just a feeling. Woman’s intuition or whatever you want to call it. But I have to talk to her and make sure she’s good.”

  Jake shook his head. “I understand, but no one is allowed down that road until Big Harv says so. Sorry, Kate. You need to get back in the truck and leave the area.”

  “Just like that, huh?”

  “Yeah. Nothing personal. And we appreciate the good deals we get on the weapons, but orders are orders.”

  “Well, I got a couple of them orders m’self. God told me to find her, so I’m going to see my friend.”

  Watching as Kate pivoted and headed toward the warehouses, Jake jumped out of the car, followed by Libby.

  The two of them caught up with her and Jake put his hand on her arm. “C’mon, Kate. Don’t make me cuff you. You can’t go down there. Period.”

  “Is that your final word on this, Jake? Yours too, Libby?” asked Kate, turning toward them.

  “It is. Just go home. Harper will call—”

  Jake felt his head snap back, and a galaxy of stars and colored dots was all he could see. He heard another thump, and then realized that Libby was on the cold ground beside him. He was groggy, but knew full well that the old woman had sucker punched them both.

  Before he could shake off the rest of the cobwebs, Kate had removed his cuffs from his belt, rolled him on his back, and bound his hands. His vision cleared in time to see her repeat the process for Libby.

  “Da-damn it, Kate. This ain’t funny.” His voice sounded weak even to him.

  “It ain’t supposed to be. But I’m going down there. You can arrest my ass later, if ya want. But this is important. Sorry.”

  “You think you can do more than the CPD?”

  Then Jake saw another fist heading toward his face and the lights went out.

  CHAPTER 47

  Hurrying around the yellow crime-scene tape, Ellen pulled the small flashlight from her jacket, shining the light in front of her to make sure she didn’t fall flat on her face. A minute later, she reached the boarded door and grabbed the lock. It had the same brand name as the key, and that wasn’t all. She could see by the thin scratches that the lock had been used. How could that be, since the door was boarded up?

  Running the light over the end of the faded planks that crossed the door, she noticed that the nails were not rusted, but still had a silver luster.

  Shit. She’d missed it. She’d been so concerned with the area where Brice had disappeared that she hadn’t felt the need to go around the warehouse herself. Besides, the rescue team had searched this building already. She clenched her jaw.

  “Dumb-ass move,” she said.

  “What was a dumb-ass move?” asked Big Harv, coming up behind her, breathing hard.

  “I should have checked this building more thoroughly. I didn’t think I needed to, but I think I was wrong.”

  “Why would you think that? The rescue teams did their jobs. There’s no reason to believe there’s anything going on here.”

  “I know. I . . . Maybe I could have seen something else. Another angle.”

  “We’re here now. What do you see?”

  “Look at this door and lock. No question that key and this lock are from the same company. Also, the wood is old, but these nails are new. See?”

  “So someone used this door and tried to cover their tracks?”

  “That’s what it looks like.”

  “Maybe it was just some routine maintenance.”

  “That doesn’t fly. Otherwise, why would Jansen have the key?”

  “Good point.”

  “We need to get in, but I don’t have that key yet.”

  “I think I can handle that.”

  He pulled out a ring with a dozen or so keys jingling together.

  “Shine that light over here. These are master keys from the four major lock companies, and a couple of them go back years.”

  “How did you—? Never mind. Let’s see if one of these works.”

  Ellen pulled the ring out of his hands and tried the first two keys with no luck, but the third one clicked as she jiggled it. The lock opened and fell to the ground. Her pulse quickened as she drew her Beretta.

  “We need a crowbar to get these planks off the door,” said Ellen.

  “No, we don’t.”

  Big Harv put two meaty hands on the first one and pulled. The wood groaned and then gave way with a loud crack. It had barely hit the ground when the second one followed suit.

  “Not bad for an old fart,” she said, not hiding her amazement. She’d almost forgotten how strong her dad was.

  “Yeah, well, I got a couple tricks left up my sleeve, and don’t forget it.”

  “Yes, sir, I won’t.”

  El
len looked over Big Harv’s shoulder.

  “Where are Sanchez and the uniforms?”

  He shook his head. “She wasn’t in her car. She must have gone to take a leak or something. I called her and left a message to get her ass over here and to bring those two with her.”

  A tingle of concern shot through Ellen’s body, but she didn’t hesitate.

  “We can’t wait, Dad; we have to go in now. Somehow, the search team missed something. We have to find out what that is.”

  “We can’t do this without backup, Ellie. It’s crazy.”

  She tilted her head. “Dad. Someone could be killing Brice and those women right now. If that happens, and we could have stopped it, I couldn’t live with myself. I don’t give a rat’s ass about protocol. It’s about doing the right thing. You taught me that. We can handle this, together. We have to. There’s no time to wait.”

  Big Harv raised his eyebrows. “Does he mean that much to you?”

  Ellen blinked. How smart was this man? He knew her feelings before she really would let herself come to grips with them.

  “I don’t know. But if he does, and I don’t do this, I may never get the chance to see.”

  She turned toward the door. “I’m going, Dad, with or without you.”

  Pulling his Glock, Big Harv hesitated, then shrugged. “I must be nuts. Just you and me? Okay, but let’s text Sanchez for backup first.”

  It felt like an eternity as she watched Big Harv. He holstered his Glock and pulled out his phone, hit a few buttons, then put it back in his pocket. He pulled out the gun again and smiled at her.

  “Let’s go, girl.”

  “About time.”

  Taking two steps toward the door, he turned toward her. She could see his smile in the beam of her flashlight. His warm grin looked out of place—she hadn’t seen it in ages. His next action surprised her even more. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

  She touched her face. “What was that for?”

  “I’m thinking I’ve wanted to do this since the day you were born. This is every cop’s dream. You and your kid, doing what you were made to do. It doesn’t get any better for an old fossil like me. Just don’t get your ass shot or something, okay?”