Then I will cause him to draw near… Jeremiah 30:21
“Get me everything you know about that house,” Detective Gary Jeremiah Bancroft ordered. Hours had passed, and he was no closer to finding his niece. But he had no doubt. There had to be a connection between what she’d asked him to help her look into and her sudden disappearance. Worse still, at the time, he’d only paid half attention to her.
What had she said about the lady she saw? Pulling back information you hadn’t taken seriously when you first heard it was… hard. He managed to grasp at some of it. She’d said the lady was still. Often standing at the window by eight and seeming like she was far away. She stayed for about three minutes with a man guarding her, his hand pressed against the window.
His thoughts strayed. “There must be a link to Julia’s disappearance with the woman she saw.” But how had they known she suspected something? She’d said she hadn’t mentioned her suspicion to anyone, not even her mom, his sister. With his nerves wound tight, he breathed deeply to ease his mind. He had to stay focused—for her sake.
“The address is 511 Echo Way. There is one owner, Richard Swelling.” The officer speaking paused, a frown creasing his brow. “Is that even a real name? Swelling?”
His question tested Gary’s patience. His jaw clenched. “Do you have any other information? Time is critical.”
The officer leaned toward his computer screen again. “Yes, sorry. He owns several properties around the area.”
“Interesting. Any information on where Mr. Swelling is right now? I’d like to punch—I mean, speak to—him.”
The officer’s brow curved as his head inched up from peering at his computer. “You wouldn’t punch him, would you?”
“If he doesn’t push my buttons, that is. Listen, my only niece is missing, and it’s likely connected to what she saw in that house. I’d like her back home by dinner, if possible.”
A quick nod trailed his words. “Understood. I’ll get you all the information we have.”
He turned. “Good. And while you do that, I’ll be getting into tactical gear. Wherever the man is, I’m going in ready.”
Julia shook awake when a shiver laced her arm. She struggled to sit. The ground was chilly as she pressed a hand to it to rise. If she’d been told she wouldn’t make it back home earlier today, she wouldn’t have believed it. Yet here she was. Nowhere she could name, with no way of knowing if she’d be alright.
Or whether she’d ever make it home again.
Something shifted near her. Shrieking, she turned in the dim lighting.
“Hey. Don’t be scared. You were knocked out when they brought you in. I figured I’d lend you my blanket,” a shrill voice said.
Bending over, Julia touched some rough wool. She had indeed been covered with a blanket, and yet she was cold. “Thanks.” She blinked in the speaker’s direction. Thankfully, they’d removed the bag that covered her face, and she could see. Two other girls occupied the room, making her the third one there.
“What’s your name?” the same girl asked, more like woman, if Julia should guess from her voice.
“Julia. What’s your name? Where is this place?” If she knew where this was, she could figure a way out.
“Tammy. And that’s Cindy.” Her reddish bun wobbled as she tipped her head toward the other girl.
“We’re as clueless as you are.” The one she’d said was Cindy rubbed her arms. Smallish in stature, she seemed closer to Julia’s age. “We all want to get out.” She must’ve sensed what Julia was thinking.
“How long have you been in here? Do you know how long I was asleep?” Asleep—for lack of a better term.
Tammy inched closer, then shrugged, curving her legs under each other and settling her head against the brown wall. “Maybe five or six hours. I think the drug they give you knocks you out pretty bad. You woke up earlier than some do.”
Julia’s eyes rounded, and her ears tingled. “There are others?”
“Yes.” Cindy shivered. “They took me and my best friend. I stayed. She was gone, and no one would tell me where they took her.” The girl broke into sobs.
“How long ago was that?”
“Two weeks, maybe. Judging from when they bring us our meals.”
Julia’s shoulders fell. These girls had been here for two weeks? Would that be how long they kept her? If so, then what happened after two weeks? Her heart pounded hard in her chest, the high walls feeling like they were closing in on her. She wouldn’t worry about that just yet. She would focus on this hour and this minute.
“How often do they come to serve the food?”
Tammy and Cindy exchanged glances. Then the first smile crept into Cindy’s face, and the corners of her eyes creased as the light coming in under the door cast a small shadow against her features. “No, sweetie. Nobody serves you anything here. You get it thrown at you.”
Just then, the door creaked open, and light from the hallway flooded the room.
Julia blinked against the sudden burst of light. Several seconds passed while her eyes adjusted against such brilliance. One man walked in carrying food pouches. He threw one glance in her direction. “I see you’ve woken up. Good.” He tossed the pouches to the ground just like the girls had said he would. Then he pointed at her. “We’ll be coming for you.”
“Who are you? And why did you take me?” She forced herself to ask.
“Because you poked your head into something that’s not your business. We have friends…even inside the police station you went to, running your mouth.” He wagged a finger. “In another lifetime, be careful what you say and where.”
“In another life, I will be in Heaven.” If all her mom believed was true, then she’d better be on her way to Heaven. How did her mom say she’d get to Heaven? A prayer? She couldn’t recall. She hadn’t been interested then. She was now. It was time to start recalling things her mom had said that sounded like they’d never pertain to her. The danger was real, and so would be her response to motherly admonition she’d long ignored.
His coarse laughter bounced off the walls. “You might get your wish sooner to go to Heaven if you give us any trouble.” With that, he turned and slammed the door, and the rankle of chains bounced off its other side before his footfalls faded into silence.
His sister was on his mind when Gary left the police station. He knew the details of Julia’s birth and fatherhood few knew, details his sister hadn’t included Julia in…yet. If she had, he would’ve seen a reaction. But, now, was it too late? Julia, Marcy’s only daughter for whom she’d borrowed money to buy baby food for while in Pharmacy school, refusing to seek sinful options, was missing. How was he supposed to tell Marcy so?
Sure, she and Julia had issues, but his sister loved her daughter and would be heartbroken. Gary tried to be the bridge and hoped he’d succeeded. Shaking himself from his thoughts, he squared his shoulders. He was still in the best position to break the news to her.
However, before they arrived, he chose to call her, gauge her mood so he could articulate his words in the best way possible. After pulling out his phone, he dialed and held the phone and waited. It went straight to voicemail. He dialed again since she might’ve been on another call. Same thing. Hanging up, he sighed. “We’ll check on my sister first so I can tell her about Julia. Then we go to the house where Julia saw the woman.”
Mike, his partner and the other detective on the case, rubbed his chin and nodded. “Fine.”
Soon, they reached the three-bedroom house Marcy had paid off and they’d celebrated about, the same one where they celebrated Julia’s birthdays when she was much younger. As they drove up, it stood silently against the setting sun, which cast a shadow around it. He waited until Mike parked and joined him before going up to the front door, pulling the key from beneath the carpet, and unlocking the door. “Marcy. It’s me. Sorry to barge in, but I called and your phone was off. I have a friend here with me.” He strode to the counter, leaving the key there. Nothing looked amiss, even the throw on the brown leather couch was there. Yet… something felt off. “Marcy?”
No response.
Mike went toward the kitchen while Gary checked the living room and then the dining area. “I found her phone. It looks dead,” Mike shouted.
Gary paused. “I guess that’s why my calls went unanswered. She left a note on the notepad where we leave notes in case a family member comes home and wonders where you are.”
At Mike’s lifted brow, Gary added, “I lived with them before I moved out.”
“Okay, got it. What does the note say?”
“Marcy went to see the pastor. It’s dated today. I guess that’s where she is.” He tore off the note and pocketed it. “I don’t like that she doesn’t have her phone with her. We can go to the church later so I can break the news to her. At least, she’ll have support while continuing the search. I pray we find Julia. Her birthday is the day before Christmas. Let’s go and check out the house where Julia said she’d seen the woman by the window and see if we can find something.”
At 511 Echo Way—a low-fenced property—Gary wasn’t sure what he expected to see, but it wasn’t a red-and-white sign hung over the property saying Do Not Trespass and For Sale.
“They fled.” Anger threaded through him. “I can hardly believe no one is here.” But a light was on upstairs. “Come on. Somebody could be in there. Let’s go give a knock.” He beckoned Mike along.
Reaching the door, he turned the handle, and it swung open. What was this? They hadn’t locked the door? Or were they in a hurry? He shrugged off the nervous feeling tightening his belly. “Watch out for where you’re stepping. It could turn out this house is booby-trapped.”
Detective Gary led Mike into the beautifully decorated home. They started up the stairs to the upper level where various items littered the center table. “Looks like they fled fast.”
One was a woman’s jewelry box. Earrings and necklaces glittered in a tangle over the open box. Beside that, some papers—an application for a license of some sort—lay on the table. A black coat hung from a coat rack at the far right, and a tripod stood at the far left wall.
“This house was not unoccupied,” the other detective said. “Look at those clothes piled on the sofa.” He pointed to the main sitting area, causing Detective Gary to walk in that direction close to the window—the one Julia could’ve seen the woman through. Julia had to have seen something. This place was opposite her bedroom. He believed his niece more strongly now. He had to find her. God helping him, he would.
“I’m going to call forensics to come and do a sweep.” Mike’s words cut into his thoughts.
To that, Gary nodded. “That’s a good idea.” One of many passing through his mind. Whatever would work the fastest.
“I didn’t touch anything, so that shouldn’t be a prob—”
While Mike was yet speaking, a vehicle grumbled outside, and Gary parted the blinds and peered through the window. “They hadn’t left. Hey, a vehicle just pulled out of the garage.” He shut the blinds so they wouldn’t see him if they were looking. Did they hear them enter?
Gary hurried out of the house to the front door toward the garage. If they could catch the culprits now…
The black sedan was about to enter into street traffic when he waved at the vehicle, drawing the eyes of those inside it toward him. The driver, dressed in a rugged green shirt, sported dark glasses over a clean-shaven face. The man beside him wore a black tee shirt. A woman sat in the back with another man right beside her. He didn’t move or show his face at all. A scar ran below her jawbone. A wide-brimmed hat hid part of her face. Upon seeing Gary, she turned away as the vehicle sped past.
He wouldn’t fire at them, not when all he had was circumstantial evidence, conjecture really. But now, he knew a bit about what she looked like. That was a great start. “We missed them. By a hair’s breadth.” He clenched his fists.
As his companion strode up, Gary gave a curt nod. “Did you get the make and model of the vehicle? I was internalizing the woman’s face. I only saw part of it, but I’m nearly sure she’s the one my niece said was at the window at eight every day.”
“I did get a partial,” the detective said.
“Good place to start. We have to get every road leading out of this place checked out. Call this out to the station. Make sure they run the partial plate number, and then let’s get down there so we can have an artist draw the part of her face I saw.”
Mike kicked his foot against the curb. “I can hardly believe we missed them twice in a row.” He forked his fingers through his hair and spoke through gritted teeth. “How could they pack that fast?! Maybe we should’ve come with backup.” He glared at the dust left by the vehicle. “I promise you I’m going to do whatever is in my power to find those behind this.”
Gary nodded. “Enough said. I won’t let them get away. Let’s get back into town while it’s still safe to do so.” So he led the way back to the vehicle they’d parked several houses away. Time to fish the culprits out.