he take her?” Nate said.
Sam looked up from the computer he’d brought upstairs to Emma’s apartment. “I don’t know. I don’t find any records where he owns property in Adams County. Any hits on the BOLO?”
Nate had arrived not long after Sam, and he and the Natchez police chief had put out a Be-On-the-Look-out for Corey Chandler’s pickup. The truck license plate had been the one that showed up the last time on the license plate reader.
“Except for the house on Mulholland Road, there’s nothing in his name. Same for surrounding counties.”
Pete looked over Sam’s shoulder. “Do you think he might have used a holding company?”
Sam’s heart sank. If he had, they might never find him.
“We need a real estate agent,” Pete said. He was quiet a minute. “Your dad. When my folks were looking for a farm, they said he knew where every piece of property in the county was.”
“Don’t you know anyone else?”
“I’ve heard he knows every piece of property that’s been bought or sold in the last five years,” Nate said.
Time was ticking away. Was he going to let Corey Chandler kidnap Emma and get away with it because he was too proud to ask his father for help? Sam jerked his phone off his belt and dialed his mother’s number. “Is D-Dad there?” he asked when she answered.
“Is something wrong?” she asked.
“Yes. Corey Chandler has kidnapped Emma.”
“No! Why?”
“It’s a long story. Is Dad there?” he repeated.
“What does Emma’s kidnapping have to do with your dad?”
“Mom, just let me talk to him, please.” Sam waited for his father to come to the phone. Every second that ticked off put Emma in more danger. What if he was wasting time?
“Sam, your mom told me what’s going on. What can I do?”
The concern in his dad’s voice almost undid him. “Corey Chandler has to know roadblocks would be set up when we discovered he kidnapped Emma, so I figure he’s taking her somewhere near here until things calm down and he can smuggle her out. I’ve looked online, but I can’t find where he owns any property. I . . .” He took a deep breath. “I thought you might know somewhere else to look.”
“Let me think,” his dad said. “Hold on a second.” Sam heard him ask for his computer, then he came back on the line. “Corey Chandler. That name is familiar . . .”
Keystrokes sounded through the phone. “Yes . . . I thought so.”
“What did you find?” Sam asked.
“He’s handled the deed for several pieces of property here in Adams County and over in Jefferson County. Here—I found it. He bought it through a holding company,” he said. “Three thousand acres of timberland bordering Adams and Jefferson Counties. It’s along the Mississippi, so if he’s running, he could be planning a boat trip.”
“How do I get to it?” Sam asked.
“I showed him the property, so I can show you the way.”
“Just give me the directions or an address.”
“Directions? Impossible. There are too many twists and turns. And there is no address. I know a shortcut, so I’m afraid it’s me or nothing.”
“I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
72
The pickup bounced over the ruts, jarring Emma’s head. They had stopped somewhere, and she’d dozed off again. Now it seemed as though she’d been riding forever. She had thought once or twice about hitting Corey over the head with the tire iron, but if she raised up, he would see her. No. She had the element of surprise and would wait until they stopped. He didn’t know she had the weapon.
She’d never hit anyone in her life. Her mind still felt fuzzy, but maybe she could talk him into releasing her.
“Why are you doing this?”
“I wondered when you would say something.”
He’d known she was awake. “You didn’t answer my question.”
The pickup slowed to a standstill.
“Why are you stopping?”
“To let you sit in the front seat,” he said. “That way we can talk. I’ve been waiting for this day for so long.”
The truck stopped, and Corey climbed out. This was her one chance. With the tire iron gripped in her left hand, she sat up and took in her surroundings. It was so dark, she could only see the trees caught in the truck’s headlights.
A second later he opened her door. Emma jumped at him with a scream and swung the tire iron. It connected, and the thud of the tire iron breaking bone sickened her. Corey roared and grabbed his shoulder.
No! He was supposed to be knocked out.