need to constantly change her phone number; her attorney had been unable to contact her, other than mail regarding Jack’s release. Fortunately, he was able to give the location and date of Jack’s discharge, so the officer’s could build a case.
Maggie sat on the couch staring at the smoldering fire. Ben rubbed her back, trying to comfort her. Her voice was weak and her eyes red. “Why is this happening? Where is he?”
An officer spoke with the detective in hushed tones and the two approached Maggie. Her throat knotted up, in fear of what they found. She looked up at Detective Brant as he spoke. “There was a half empty 404 can sitting outside Eli’s porch. We found a second one, cracked open, but full by the front door.”
Maggie began to shake. “No. Please don’t tell me he was here.”
“There are foot prints matching the one’s we found in the snow, leading through the woods, down the hill.”
“Down the hill?” Ben seemed shocked. “But I live down the hill. I have dogs, they would have found something.”
The police officer took one look at Ben’s feet and asked, “What size shoe do you wear?”
“A twelve.”
“May I see the soles of your shoes?”
He lifted them up, muddy soles and all.
“Thank you.”
Maggie looked at the cop like he was crazy. “I’m sorry ma’am, but with the tracks in the backyard, you never know who may be out to get you.”
She looked up at Ben, frightened by the new possibility that he had done this to her. Was he the one playing games with her? She pulled away from him as her stomach swelled in fear. Who could she trust?
She nodded at the detective and bent forward. Ben couldn’t be the one responsible for all this. It was just her mind playing tricks on her. He was there for her all along; with the missing wood, the mall. Then again, that may prove that he was always at the right place at the right time. That couldn’t be a coincidence.
“Maggie, I need to ask you more questions about your ex-husband.”
“What kind of questions?”
“We just want to be sure that we can protect you the best way possible. If you think he’s coming for Eli then we need to inform your son’s school and any caregivers. You’re boss will need to know, and perhaps the neighbors so they can keep a look out. Is there anything that might help us to recognize or learn more about him; should he be in the area.”
They already had his arrest photo, but other than that, she gave them his tattoo descriptions and a list of scars on his head, which he kept shaved.
“If he were to come looking for you, would he harm you? Is he after your son?”
Maggie’s throat nearly closed. Wasn’t that the whole reason they were here, to protect her. Of course Jack wanted to hurt her. She turned him in.
She dropped her head into her hands and let the tears flow. “This can’t be happening. He was here just a few hours ago.”
“Maggie if you’re son is in any danger, we will find him. We can have look outs at all the border check points. I need to know if Eli would recognize Jack, as his father?”
She had worried about that but how could she be sure? It had been three years since Jack laid eyes on either one of them. She had changed her hair, lost a little weight and Eli was bigger now. He was a friendly kid, but he knew better than to go off with strangers. She’d trained him to use a password, and she had told him his daddy died. “I don’t think so.”
The detective made eye contact. “Now I know this is going to be hard, but try to make things look as normal as possible, in case he is watching you. Fear entices these kinds of behavior. It’s best to not look rattled.”
Maggie shook her head.
Ben walked away. “I’m going to make us something to eat.”
Normally his presence put her at ease but right now, she felt violated, controlled and scared.
The hours lagged on as every possible scenario played out in her mind. Jack wasn’t one for creature comforts. He was a survivalist. For all she knew, he could keep Eli penned up in the woods in some makeshift shack and be living off the land.
Detective Brant took a phone call and Maggie looked out the window. She let the heat from her tea try to bring