As soon as we got to the precinct, we stormed down the hallway and into Royce’s office.
“So what the hell is going on? I looked up a Ted, Teddy, and Theodore Jennison and didn’t find a damn thing to incriminate him. You sure you’re barking up the right tree?”
“Here’s what we know, Boss.” I took a seat, and Rue mirrored my actions. “We found the white van and followed it to the alley behind Sparky’s. That was last Monday at a few minutes before three in the afternoon.”
Royce nodded for me to continue. “And?”
“And when we were there earlier to look at more footage, George, the manager said that T. J. up and quit, through a text message no less, saying that he and his brother were buying a boat and that he was taking time away from the day-to-day workforce.”
“Sounds weird, but that doesn’t make him a killer. He doesn’t own a white van either. He has a 2016 silver Honda Fit.”
“But his brother might. Plus, how does he intend to support himself for an indefinite period of time without a job and still have money to buy a boat? Sounds like someone with money stashed.”
“What’s his brother’s name, who is his family, and where do they live?”
“No clue yet, but we’ll find that out soon enough. George gave me T. J.’s emergency contact names. I’ve also got his address so we can check his residence for a white van.”
“We need a viable reason for a judge to issue a warrant, and quitting one’s job isn’t reason enough. We need more. Go grab a car out of impound, drive to his home, and see if that van is there. If it is, call me with the plate number so we can find out who it belongs to. We need probable cause, or we’ll never get that warrant. Meanwhile, I’ll follow up with that emergency contact.”
After taking a picture of the paper George had written the information down on, I handed it to Royce.
Rue and I headed to the impound lot and chose a black 2017 Dodge Ram. I wanted something reliable enough to get us from point A to point B without breaking down.
Minutes later, I rolled past the house on record for Ted Jennison, saw a silver Honda Fit in the driveway, then continued on. At the end of the block, I turned around and parked along the curb two houses away.
“Shit. Sitting here isn’t going to help us,” Rue said. “That van could be in the garage for all we know.”
I pointed through the windshield. “See that side door to the garage?”
“Yeah.”
“See the window in said door?”
“I do.”
“Good. Go peek through it and see if the van is inside. I can’t run if something goes sideways. Bum leg, you know.”
Rue climbed out. He looked back in before closing the door. “How long are you going to drag out the healing-leg bullshit?”
I laughed. “As long as it serves me well. Plus, I’m the lead detective, and I have to stay healthy. Hey.”
Rue looked back. “What?”
“Be careful.”
He rolled his eyes and walked away.
Devon casually headed down the sidewalk. I knew he was checking his surroundings, although he did it well and without looking obvious. Once Rue reached the side yard, he darted to the edge of the house, crept along the wall to the garage door, and gave the window a quick side peek. After that, he pressed his hands along the sides of his face and looked in for a good ten seconds. Rue dashed back to the truck and climbed in.
“Well?”
He let out a hard breath. “Well, it’s in there, but there’s no chance of getting the plate number with the rear of the van by the overhead door.”
“Did you turn the doorknob?”
“Are you serious?”
“No. We’d catch hell. I’ll call Royce and see what he suggests.”
I dialed our sergeant’s desk phone, and Royce picked up. “See it?”
“Yeah, but it’s in the garage. No chance of getting a plate number.”
“Okay, stay put. I’m trying to get through to the parents in Hilton Head, but if the guys make a move, follow them.”
I hung up and thought about the van. It was likely that the brothers were worried about it being seen and that was why it was in the garage. I dialed Royce back. “Boss, we can’t just sit back and do nothing, especially when we don’t know if Gina is dead or alive. We need that warrant. She could be inside the house, and they could be torturing her for all we know. Don’t we have enough probable cause? People confirmed a white van at the trooper sighting. The 911 call was about a female abduction in a light-colored van—likely Gina. T. J. was dropped off at work in a white van, and then just a day after Gina’s abduction, he quits his bartending job. He said he wasn’t going to work for a while and that he and his brother were going to buy a boat. That means they have enough cash to get along fine without jobs. They’re going to disappear and keep doing what they’re doing if we don’t arrest them now. I bet that house holds plenty of incriminating evidence.”
Royce groaned. “All good points. I’ll call Judge Laughlin, plead our case, and get back to you as soon as I hear something.”
We stared at the house for another hour, then I saw movement. I elbowed Rue, who was scrolling through his phone.
“Hey, they’re up to something.”
The overhead lifted, and the brothers walked out, each pulling a suitcase, along with duffel bags slung across their shoulders.
“Shit, they’re going to make a run for it, and if they head across the river, we won’t have jurisdiction anymore. I’ve got to tell Royce.” I prayed he would answer on the first ring, and he did. “Boss, they’re making a run for it. They’re loading duffel bags and suitcases in the trunk of the Honda Fit. If they cross the river, we’re screwed.”
“Damn it. I’ve got the judge on the other line. Hold on.”
The phone went silent.
“Shit. I’m on hold!” I pounded the steering wheel as I waited.
Royce returned to the phone. “Okay, the judge says he’ll have the warrant to me in ten minutes.”
“They’ll be gone by then, and we don’t have it in our hands.”
“Detain them, then. Go block their exit. I’ll get Patrol to lend a hand.”
I hung up, turned over the engine, and slammed the shifter into Drive. The tires squealed as the truck shot forward. The brothers had already gotten into the car and were backing up right when I reached the driveway. I couldn’t see who was behind the wheel, but they gunned it and smashed into the nose of the truck.
“That’s how you want to play this? That Honda is no match for this pickup.” I gunned the truck and pushed the car up the driveway until it was jammed against the back of the van. The front end looked like an accordion. Both brothers leapt out and ran through yards as they tried to escape. I couldn’t chase them, but Rue was in hot pursuit.
We weren’t equipped with a police radio, and as I was about to dial 911, the patrol units rolled up. I yelled out that the brothers were on foot and running through yards to get away and that Rue was in pursuit. They took off after them. I called Royce and told him what was happening.
“I’m on my way with the warrant. I’ll be there in five, and Forensics is right behind me.”
I hung up, headed to the van, and luckily was able to read the plate number. I called it in and found out it was registered to a Chase Jennison of Macon, Georgia. Now all we needed was for Forensics to spray Luminol in the back of that van and the Jennison brothers’ goose would be cooked.
Royce arrived within minutes, waving the document as he exited the cruiser. “Go for it!”
Between Rue and Patrol, they would locate the brothers and take them into custody quickly. The first thing I wanted to do was see what was in those duffel bags.
Royce and I gloved up, and I popped the hatch of the Honda.
“How much you want to bet these bags are literally full of blood money?”
Royce grimaced then jerked his head toward the bags. “Open them, and my bet says you’re one hundred percent right.”
I unzipped the duffel bags and peeked in. They were filled with banded cash. I would leave everything as we found it so Forensics could take pictures and run tests. Royce looked over his shoulder at Martin and Billy as they walked up the driveway.
“Photograph everything and spray the back of that van. We need to see if Gina is in the house.”
I knew Royce was kidding himself. T. J. and Chase wouldn’t leave if there was still a living, breathing person in their home. That would be throwing away money in their eyes.
We walked the house and found nobody dead or alive inside. Forensics would take their pictures, then we would spend more time inside gathering information.
I opened the van’s sliding door and let out a whistle. “Have a look at this, Boss.”
Royce looked inside, saw the ropes and eye bolts, then dropped his head and cursed. “I can’t even imagine—”
“Me neither.”
I turned as I heard cars pull up behind us. The patrol units were back, and they’d captured both brothers.
Rue climbed out of one of the cars, looking sweaty and disheveled. He grinned anyway. “It took a little coaxing with our sidearms, but we got ’em, Boss.”
“Nice work, boys. Read those pieces of shit their rights, take them to the station, and we’ll deal with them later.”
I walked to the patrol car T. J. was sitting in and pulled open the door. “Guess you’ll have to wait on that boat, buddy. Doesn’t look like the life of leisure is in the cards for you after all.” I slammed the door and returned to Rue and Royce’s side.