Willow enjoyed playing with Lucy, but she couldn’t deny feeling on edge, even with the female officer there, as she waited for Nate and Murphy to return. When her phone rang, she eagerly grabbed the device, her heart thudding when she saw Nate’s name on the screen.
“Hi, Nate.”
“Hey, Willow. I’m on my way back with a basket of chicken for lunch. Hope that’s okay.”
She was pleased he’d thought of the little girl. “Thanks.”
“My boss also confirmed he released the scene at your brother’s house. He gave us the okay to head out to pick up what you need for Lucy.”
“That’s wonderful news.” Lucy was already getting bored with her doll, and she would be glad to have more of Lucy’s things to help the little girl feel at home.
“See you soon.”
“Okay.” She disconnected from the call and set her phone on the table, glancing over to where Noelle Orton was seated on the far end of the sofa. “Nate’s on his way back. I’m sure you’re getting sick of sitting around doing nothing.”
The petite rookie officer looked surprised. “Protection detail is part of my job and I’m happy to be here.”
For the first time, she realized how seriously Nate’s team was taking the threat against her. She suppressed a shiver and strove for a light tone. “Well, thanks for spending your morning with us.” She glanced at Lucy, who was playing with some blocks on the rug. “Time to wash our hands, Lucy. Detective Nate will be here soon.”
“Yay! I miss Murphy,” Lucy said, and followed her aunt to the bathroom.
Just as Lucy was drying her hands, Willow heard footsteps outside the apartment door and then Noelle opening the door for Nate. The little girl rushed out to say hi.
“Hi, Pipsqueak.” Nate’s welcoming smile and cute nickname warmed her heart. “I brought chicken for lunch.” He glanced at Noelle. “For you, too.”
“Thanks.” Noelle joined them at the table. Willow put Lucy in her booster seat while Nate unpacked the chicken.
“What did Damon have to say about Craggy Face?” Willow asked as they all began eating.
“Damon didn’t go in to the restaurant today, so I didn’t get a chance to talk to him.” He glanced at his watch. “I’ve located his home address. I’m planning to head over there later. But first, we can take a trip to East Flatbush to pick up Lucy’s things.”
Willow wanted to protest. The idea of Nate going to confront Damon at his home worried her. Sure, he was a trained cop and had a great partner in Murphy. But still, she didn’t like it.
“Maybe Noelle should go with you.” The words popped out of her mouth before she could think about them.
The two cops exchanged a look. “I’ll be fine,” Nate said. “Noelle has other duties, I’m sure.”
Noelle finished her chicken, balled up the wrapper and stashed it in the bag. “I need to get back to Liberty, but if you need me, let me know.”
Nate scowled. “I won’t.”
Willow grimaced. She shouldn’t have overstepped. “Thanks again for coming over to sit with me, Noelle.”
“Not a problem.” Noelle waved her gratitude. “Thanks for lunch, Nate, but I gotta run.” The officer said goodbye to Lucy and then left the apartment.
“You don’t have faith in my ability to manage Berk?” Nate asked with a frown.
“I do. I just...” She hesitated, unwilling to say too much. “I don’t want you to get hurt.” Or killed. The image of her brother and his wife lying dead on the living room floor flashed in her mind.
“I’m done!” Lucy’s voice was a welcome intrusion. “I wanna get down.”
Willow dabbed the girl’s face with a napkin before lifting Lucy out of the booster seat.
“Ready to head out?” Nate asked as he helped her clean up the table.
“Sure.” She glanced down at Lucy, wondering how her niece would take this. Maybe she could ask Nate to stay with Lucy in the car while she went in to get what she needed.
She helped Lucy wiggle into a light jacket, then the little girl got into the stroller.
Outside, the air was cool after the rainstorm the day before. She kept a tight grip on Lucy’s stroller.
“My SUV is this way.” Nate walked beside her, his body placed in a way that protected her from anyone driving past on the street. Murphy kept pace beside him, his nose sniffing the air.
When they reached Nate’s police vehicle, she was secretly glad when he stood protectively behind her as she placed Lucy in the car seat. Only after they were both settled safely inside did he put Murphy in the back and slide in behind the wheel.
“Do you really think Damon will talk to you?” She couldn’t help ruminating on his plan to confront her former boss.
Nate shrugged, his gaze focused on the traffic. “It can’t hurt to try. For all we know, he’s hiding from Craggy Face.”
“Maybe.” She thought back to the day she’d taken photos of her gourmet burgers. It seemed like eons ago instead of mere weeks. Had the conversation between Damon and Craggy Face held a note of animosity? She didn’t think so. But then again, she hadn’t paid close attention to the conversation, her eyes on the lens.
As they drove, she fell silent, dread forming in her gut as Nate brought them closer to her brother’s home. Like scenes from a movie, she remembered hearing the squeaky black iron gate swing open, seeing the front door hanging ajar, hearing the sounds of Lucy’s sobs.
Finding her brother and his wife, dead.
Nate pulled up to the curb and she forced herself back to the present. The house looked just as forlorn and unkempt as before—worse now, maybe, because of what had transpired within the four walls.
Before Nate could speak, she looked at him. “I think you should stay in the car with Lucy while I go inside to get Lucy’s things.”
He frowned. “No way. You stay here while I go.”
“But I know where everything is.” She didn’t really want to go inside, but felt as if it was her duty to pick out the things Lucy needed.
“Is her room on the second floor?” She nodded. “I’m sure I can find Lucy’s clothes and toys. Stay here, please.” His blue eyes were mesmerizing as they pleaded with her. “Maybe you can play a game to keep Lucy occupied.”
She twisted in her seat, looking at Lucy, who was putting her fingers up to the crate and giggling as Murphy licked them. She nodded, deciding it was best for the little girl. “Okay.”
Nate reached over to gently squeeze her hand before he got out of the car. He let Murphy out of the back and approached the house.
Her hand tingled from where he’d touched it. She told herself to stop being foolish. Nate had made his stance perfectly clear. There couldn’t be anything between them.
Other than friendship.
Nate carefully moved through the crime scene, heading up the stairs to the second floor with Murphy at his side.
His partner sniffed around the room, no doubt recognizing Lucy’s scent. Nate tried to think like Willow, choosing outfits that matched, then poking through her toys. He found another doll and some large pink, orange and white Legos. He stuffed as many items as he could fit inside a large plastic bag before making his way back down to the main level.
The crime scene was still marked with dried blood, but the rest of the house remained the same. He thought again about the mess, wondering if the killer had been searching for something. If Darcy or anyone on the team had found anything suspicious, like drugs or money hidden someplace inside, they’d have let him know. Either the killer had found it, or the items had been hidden somewhere else.
He knew the crime scene techs had taken dozens of samples to test, a task that would likely take weeks to complete. And what they had tested so far had come up with a big fat nothing.
Tamping down a stab of frustration, he reminded himself that the forensic team members were excellent at their job and would eventually find something that would help them solve the case.
He hauled the bag outside, glancing up and down the street as he made his way toward the SUV. A black sedan, looking much like the one that had been stolen and used in Willow’s kidnapping attempt by Craggy Face, was coming toward them, driving much slower than the rest of the traffic.
His pulse spiked and he quickened his pace, closing the gap between him and the car. “Willow, get down!”
Willow’s pale face stared blankly at him for a moment, then she unlatched her seat belt and climbed over the console into the back seat. She curled her body protectively around Lucy in her car seat.
He understood her need to protect the little girl, but he hated knowing they were both in danger yet again.
Nate pulled his weapon, pointing it at the black sedan, tracking it as it crawled forward. He caught a glimpse of a deeply lined face behind the wheel, but then the driver pulled a cap down low and abruptly stomped on the gas.
The black sedan lurched forward.
“Stop! Police!” Nate’s shout caused several other drivers to look around as if trying to figure out who he was talking to.
The black sedan rolled past. He wanted to shoot at the tires, but there were people crossing and so he held back for their safety.
He stared at the license plate, which was covered in mud. Despite the dark smears, he could just make out the last two letters, EM.
He opened the back hatch. “Jump, Murphy.”
His partner leaped inside the crated area. He slammed the back shut, then rounded the vehicle to get into the driver’s seat, taking a moment to toss the plastic bag of Lucy’s things in the passenger seat. He gunned the engine, flipped on the red-and-blue lights, and pulled into traffic.
It was illegal to have your license plate obscured, unable to be clearly seen, an offense he could use to pull the driver over and issue a citation. If it was Craggy Face, all the better. He didn’t like following the guy with Lucy and Willow in the back seat, so he quickly keyed his radio.
“This is Unit Ten requesting backup. I’m heading southwest on Linden Boulevard following a black Lincoln sedan, license plate mostly covered with mud, the last two letters Edward Mary.”
“Ten-four,” the dispatcher responded. “There’s a patrol located about a mile east. I’ve directed them to your location.”
“Copy.” Nate kept his gaze on the sedan. The driver ignored his lights, darting the Lincoln among cars to put more distance between them. Nate did his best to keep up, not wanting to lose him, yet unwilling to engage in a full-out chase with Willow and Lucy riding in the back seat.
“Hurry. He’s getting away.” Willow’s voice was low and intense.
He briefly met her gaze in the rearview mirror. “I can still see him. Backup will be here shortly.”
“But I think it’s Craggy Face! And he’s getting away.” Willow looked distraught over the possibility.
The black sedan made another cut over to the left lane, the driver he’d cut off punching the horn in a display of irritation. Nate did his best to keep pace without putting them in danger, desperate not to lose him.
“He’s turned!” Willow’s voice rose in panic.
Nate pushed his foot harder on the accelerator, cars moving out of his way as they realized he wasn’t interested in pulling them over, but in following someone else.
Seconds later, he reached the same intersection, turning left. But when he looked up ahead, he didn’t see the black sedan.
No! He couldn’t have lost him!
“Look right, tell me if you see him.” Nate kept his gaze on the streets off to the left. There were several black cars, but no Lincoln sedan.
“He’s not this way from what I can tell.” Willow’s voice was low and hoarse, as if she were fighting tears. “But there are lots of places to hide.”
He couldn’t disagree. Still, he kept going straight, hoping he’d find the sedan. He reached for his radio. “Subject turned off the boulevard, and I haven’t been able to pick him up. Any hits on a black Lincoln with a license plate ending in Edward Mary?”
“Let me send you to Eden, she’s searching for a possible match.”
“Thanks.” He ground his teeth together, vying for patience.
“Nate? I have a report of another stolen vehicle, a 2013 black Lincoln sedan.” She read him the license plate, ending with EM.
“Stolen?” He couldn’t believe it. “When?”
“Earlier this morning, same MO as the previous theft. Owner is Joe Keene. He works for Keene, Carmel and Banks, a law firm. He claims he came home just after midnight and didn’t realize his car was gone until late the following morning.” Eden’s voice held remorse.
“Get a BOLO out for the vehicle. I want every cop in the entire borough looking for it.”
“Understood.” He heard Eden’s fingers tapping on her computer keyboard. “I’m bringing up all cameras in the Linden Boulevard area. Maybe we’ll find him.”
“Yeah. Call me if you do.” Nate dropped his hand from the radio, resisting the urge to slam his fist against the steering wheel.
He couldn’t believe he lost him. That his backup hadn’t arrived in time. Sure, Eden might be able to pick him up, but he knew it was likely that the driver, if it was Craggy Face, would ditch the stolen vehicle as soon as possible.
“We lost him.” Willow’s voice was little more than a pained whisper.
Her disappointment stabbed deep. Remorse burned hot, churning in his belly. This was the second time he’d failed her. First when he’d been lured away by a fake crime, barely returning in time to prevent Craggy Face from kidnapping her, and now this.
He couldn’t allow a mistake like this to happen again.