Snippet Saturday | Heartfelt Cases 4: The Keres Case

 

Chapter 5
The Calm Before the Storm

“I’m sorry,” Baker apologized. “I hate bearing bad news, but Taggert and Morgan want to meet with all of us tomorrow at seven thirty in her office in Pittsburgh. Edinboro had two child kidnappings yesterday, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The second kid disappeared from the search for the first one. I’ve got to get over to Meadville Med right now to meet Lawson and interview the first victim.”

Ann tried to process all that. Baker’s boss—Irina Taggert, newly appointed Special Agent in Charge of the Pittsburgh field office—and Ann’s boss, Lance Morgan, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. rarely saw eye to eye on anything.

What could possibly make them want to work together?

“How did they find the first victim?” asked Ann.

“The kidnapper left a note saying the boy would be found in the Erie National Wildlife Refuge,” Baker said grimly.

“And is that where they found him?” Ann already knew the answer, and it made her stomach suddenly uneasy.

“Multiple kids are disappearing from the same town again,” Patrick murmured. The quiet statement stood in stark contrast to the joyful sounds of running, dueling, and make-believe deaths.

“Yeah, and last night the kidnapper called the Tyler family to taunt them. He also warned the mother that if we didn’t back off the girl could ending up like Gabriel Dawson or Lillian Green,” said Baker grimly.

“He said those names specifically?” asked Patrick.

“Yes.”

He’s back.

Ann didn’t think it would be possible for her heart to sink any lower, but sink it did. She closed her eyes and steeled herself for what would come.

Lord, don’t let this end like the Dawson case.

Snippet Saturday | Heartfelt Cases 4: The Keres Case

 

Chapter 4

Creepy Calls

A forceful knock at the front door pulled Rebecca Tyler’s attention away from the television. She didn’t mind. The local news kept bringing up depressing results in the frantic search for Silas Carver anyway.

“I get,” Ellie announced.

“No, Ellie!” Rebecca called. She muted the TV and bolted from the couch, casting an anxious eye toward the hot iron which still hissed occasionally from its perch atop the wobbly ironing table.

It’ll keep. Ellie’s at the door anyway. The thought lent extra speed to Rebecca’s legs as she tore through the house to reach the front door before her daughter.

She was too late.

The door stood wide open, letting the cool air rush out.

“Ellie?”

Suddenly, Ellie filled the doorway jumping and waving something excitedly. “Look! I—I find gift!” Ellie waved a half-sized manila envelope at her mother. “Here. For you.” Ellie’s sweet smile could brighten any day.

Rebecca solemnly accepted the package with both hands. “Thank you, Ellie. Shall we—”

A phone rang from inside the package.

“Ring. Ring. Ring,” said Ellie. She clapped both hands over her ears and moaned dramatically. “No ring!” she commanded the package.

The phone continued to ring.

Rebecca ushered her daughter back into the house and closed the front door before giving in to curiosity and ripping the package open. Something white fluttered to the floor, but Rebecca’s attention stayed on the black phone that appeared in her palm. The touch screen filled with a green button that said accept and a red button that said reject. Rebecca just stared at the phone, instinctively knowing that everything would change if she answered it. She didn’t want that. She wanted the relief of finding Ellie safe to last forever.

The phone stopped ringing and chimed instead. The screen flashed and informed her that she had a new text message.

“Kare-Kare!” Ellie exclaimed, waving the white thing that had fallen to the floor.

Snippet Saturday | Heartfelt Cases 4: The Keres Case

 

Chapter 2

The New Problem

Karen peeked up at the little boy Connor was helping. Now that he wasn’t screaming his head off, Silas didn’t seem like a bad sort. She wondered how anyone could hurt him. Searching her feelings, Karen’s heart seized painfully when the possibility of somebody kidnapping Ellie again sprang to mind.

What would mom do?

That was an easy question: freak out.

What would dad do?

That one was almost as easy: hunt down the jerk and give him a fistful of knuckles.

Karen tried to stop the flow of thoughts, but it didn’t work. In all honesty, the chances of somebody walking away with Ellie were better than good. Kids with Down syndrome could be far too trusting.

Is there such a thing as too trusting?

Before Karen could answer the question, a hand fell across her mouth, slamming her head back hard against the tree trunk.

A man’s voice whispered, “Come with me quietly or I’ll shoot your boyfriend from the tree.”

He’s not my boyfriend, she thought through the haze of pain piercing her skull. Though technically true at the moment, it didn’t mean she could just let the man shoot Connor.

“Nod if you understand me.”

Karen breathed hard, almost hyperventilating.

Don’t faint! Faint! He can’t hurt you then! The conflicting thoughts got tangled in her mind.

The man cursed. “Stop that. If you faint, I’ll shoot you! Come quietly or die here. Those are your options!”

Karen hesitated, torn between screaming for the help that walked mere feet away and heeding the man’s threats. She struggled to pull away, but he tightened his grip, pressing her head painfully against the tree.

“I know where your sister lives.”

That made up Karen’s mind. She ceased her struggles. Tears stinging her eyes, she nodded.

Snippet Saturday | Heartfelt Cases 4: The Keres Case

 

Chapter 1

The Search

Who kidnaps a kid only to give the police instructions on where to conduct a manhunt?

He could still feel the laminated piece of white paper buried under the packing materials and knife on the kid’s bed.

“You’re doing it again,” Donny said in a slightly scolding tone.

“What?” asked Ralph. He finished off the water and crushed the flimsy plastic against his leg.

“You’re thinking that something’s off about that note.” Donny opened a fresh bottle of water, drank a good bit of it, and poured the rest over his graying black hair.

Unable to deny it, Ralph just shrugged. “What kind of criminal leaves notes these days? That’s for low budget films and cheap paperbacks.”

“The kind of sicko who leaves a knife tucked up in a kid’s bed,” Donny replied, matching Ralph shrug for shrug. “We’re all agreed that this guy’s a few cards short of a deck, but don’t let it get to you.”

A high-pitched, female scream disintegrated any sort of reply Ralph could possibly imagine. Exchanging a grim look with Donny, Ralph tossed the useless water bottle to the ground and ran toward the commotion. His breaths came in gasps, and he thought he might keel over from a heart attack at any moment. Nevertheless, Ralph forced himself to jog along in Donny’s wake.

Got to work out more. Got to eat less.

Ralph’s boot caught briefly on a tree root. He grunted and

stumbled forward into a small clearing. At first, he couldn’t see anything unusual. A bunch of people milled about in front of a tree like agitated ants.

Everybody babbled, and nobody heard anything.

The first real sound that broke through Ralph’s desensitized senses was a woman’s sobs. Knowing she would have some answers, Ralph weaved through the milling crowd toward the sobs.

A flash of white pulled Ralph’s gaze upward just as Donny gripped his right bicep hard. Ralph speared Donny with a glare before letting his eyes follow his friend’s line of sight up, up, and up some more until he finally saw a child’s body hanging from the tree.

Snippet Saturday | Heartfelt Cases 3: The Davidson Case

 

Chapter 2 

Dangerous Secrets

“I told you; she merely looked at the files! It means nothing. I’m only telling you because you so nicely requested I tell you every time my employees dare to breathe!” His sarcasm accentuated his anger. “No! Everything’s under control. I mean it. Look, this is getting us nowhere. Just keep out of it!” Dr. Miles hissed.

Joy took that as a cue to leave. Her heart did double time all the way to her car.

The trip to her new apartment passed peacefully. Joy knew she should puzzle through the strange conversation, but she didn’t want to deal with anything work related. Instead, she began preparations for a dinner. Suddenly, she felt very alone.

How did Ann stand living alone for all those years?

Joy thought of her sister’s beautiful Golden Retriever.

Of course, she had Danny.

“I need a dog … or a man.” Noting the order, Joy chuckled.

After dinner, Joy eyed the mounting pile of dirty dishes. “Might as well get this over with,” she muttered, rolling up her sleeves. She didn’t mind doing dishes; it gave her a chance to think. As she hung the microwave plate in the drying rack, the inscription caught her attention. She laughed as she read, “ ‘For microwave use only.’ Ha!”

What else am I going to use it for?

“Wow, I really need to get a life.” Shaking her head, Joy turned on the television and spent several minutes flipping channels. As usual, she found nothing even remotely entertaining. With a sigh, she retrieved the smuggled photocopies from her purse. Two hours and a lot of internet research later, she finally saw the pattern in the files.

I’d better call Ann.

Snippet Saturday | Heartfelt Cases 3: The Davidson Case

 

Chapter 1 

Day Off

After a longer, silent prayer, Ann took up her post near a teller’s booth, and smiled to the teller. “This will be over soon,” she muttered under her breath.

The woman frowned nervously.

“Smile; it’ll make the charade more convincing,” Ann encouraged, eliciting a dim, unconvincing grin from the woman.

Precisely on time, Ethan Vincher entered the bank looking surprisingly like his picture. His plain face resembled half a dozen men Ann knew, including her husband and Agent Dodger. Vincher wore his dark hair in a crew cut and had narrow, alert, dark eyes.

Ann watched him surreptitiously. As per the plan, the teller handed Ann an envelope and bid her good day. Ann thanked the woman, tucked the envelope into her purse, and turned to confront her quarry. Their eyes locked. Then, things went wrong.

Glaring, the man reached into his jacket and pulled out a tiny, plastic pistol.

The teller screamed and ducked, and all agents gasped. Ann reacted instantly. Stepping forward, she caught the man’s hand. A brief struggle ensued, but Ann won because five other agents expertly tackled both her and the target. Her breath left in a hurry.

Guns drawn and ties askew, Baker and Dodger charged out the manager’s office. It took half a minute to sort the mess of arms and legs. In the end, the criminal was cuffed, and Ann had her choice of a dozen hands ready to help her to her feet.

“I’m sorry!” Agent Baker blurted before Ann had even caught her breath. “I—I didn’t know. I wouldn’t have asked if—”

“Calm yourself, Baker,” Ann ordered. She grinned, having long ago learned how to smile seconds after having a gun pulled on her.

Snippet Saturday | Heartfelt Cases 3: The Davidson Case

 

Prologue

Carol Davidson stepped onto the back porch carrying her son and saw her two daughters playing near the stream. “Joy! Julie Ann! Get away from there this instant!” The shout caused young Nicholas to squirm in her arms. Carol’s face turned a lovely shade of pink, matching her happy spring blouse.

Girls are supposed to be easier to raise than boys. How many times have I told them to stay away from the stream?

The girls froze. Their smiles vanished, and they braced for a tongue lashing.

Carol stormed down the steps clutching poor Nick tightly. Her daughters’ half-petrified expressions gave her some measure of satisfaction, but as far as abating anger goes, it was about as effective as spitting at a forest fire. “Joy, inside now!” she barked, barely looking at her seven-year-old. Carol let Nick climb down. “And take Nick with you.”

Joy threw a half-mocking, half-sympathetic grin at her sister and did as bid. Normally, Nick would have fought Joy, but today, he meekly took her hand, gazed solemnly at his other sister as Joy led him toward the house.

Carol watched them go before piercing her twelve-year-old daughter with a stare.

“Sorry,” Julie Ann muttered, avoiding eye contact. The girl’s fiery spirit warred with her common sense. Her expression wavered between innocent and apologetic before turning defensive. “But it—”

“I don’t care whose fault it was this time, Julie Ann. You’re

older; she looks up to you—they both do. You’ve got to set an example for them.”

“It was Joy’s idea!” Julie Ann protested.

“And it was your job to tell her ‘no,’ ” Carol replied, her patience waning fast.

“I am not her keeper!” Julie Ann said, planting her right foot defiantly.

Carol stared hard at her daughter.

Well at least she pays attention in Sunday school …

“Grow up!” she snapped, immediately regretting it.

Jaw tightening, Julie Ann turned away to hide frustrated tears.

Softening her voice, Carol said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that. I—I just worry about you, Joy, and Nicholas.” She pulled her daughter into a hug. “They’re younger than you, Julie Ann. You’ve got to watch over them.”

Snippet Saturday | Redeemer Chronicles Awakening

 

Vic looks worried. She tries to hide her feelings, but any Saroth with the smallest Minder capabilities could read her. I am uncertain about whether or not she knows where we are going. Some say quests must have an object or end goal in mind. For now, the goals are simply to stay alive and find Vic’s father.

My young friend bears the mark of the Chosen Redeemer, but she does not yet realize it. I would like to tell her of the prophecy, but Father has forbidden it. I do not agree with him on this matter, but I shall honor the order for now. My ultimate task has always been to protect the interests of my people. Father has been meeting with the Dark Man again, and while he—Father—has a mind of his own, I fear the Dark Man’s influence is growing. A time may come wherein I must tell Vic everything I know, but for now, I will keep silent.

Poor Vic. She is not a subtle person. If she feels something or thinks something, her expression and demeanor will declare it. Her crystal blue eyes cannot hold a secret inside, and she does not have the luxury of turning herself into a bug to avoid confrontations. Perhaps that is why her own father has not enlightened her. He was once very highly regarded among the Arkonai huntsmen; he might have even become Supreme Huntmaster if he had completed the contract on Vic’s mother. Instead, he chose a different path. Despite this, he must know more than he has told my friend.