When the Heart Lies - By Christina North Page 0,69
he bent down examining the matted grass. A car had parked there recently. Before he got too close to the house, he called Percy. “Yeah, it’s Jackson, what’s been going on this morning?”
“Looks like they headed out. The two guys anyway. That’s what they were talking about. One of the feeds musta malfunctioned. Stopped getting anything on that one ‘bout two hours ago. Not like we could go in and check it while they were home, so I figured I’d watch and let you decide what to do when you got here. They pulled out from the back about an hour ago. Been silent inside ever since. Appears the women are still sleepin’.”
“Pull around, over by my truck. I’ll talk to you when you get here. I’m waiting on back- up. We’re going in. Make it quick. Did you notice the guy bringing the kid down to the neighbor’s?”
“No, I musta been …”
Jackson cut the call and figuratively threw his phone through the air. He squatted low to the ground and waited. He took a deep breath and exhaled fully. In situations like this, his rage built at a brisk pace. Percy pulled up next to his truck and began walking toward Jackson.
He finally reached Jackson just as an unmarked police vehicle pulled into the driveway. He extended his hand. “You must be Jackson.”
“Ya, I’m Jackson. Great detective work.” Frustrated, he blinked and opened his eyes wide with a raised brow. “What kind of vehicle did they leave in?”
“Black one.”
The only vehicle Jackson had ever seen Wayde in was the white Chevy pick-up. After waiting for more info, he threw his hands out to his sides and craned his neck forward, waiting for a response.
Percy gawked at him. “What? You don’t got to be so nasty.”
He had about a feather’s worth of patience left. “Make? Model?”
Percy gazed at him with a blank stare. “I was told to watch the house and listen for trouble. Nothing about minding every car in and out.”
Jackson turned from him, pulling his hands though his hair the way he always did right before he popped, but it was too late. He spun back as fast as he’d turned away and nailed Percy with a right hook. Percy stumbled backward and hit the ground, nearly knocking over the cop who walked up behind him.
While rubbing his jaw with one hand, he pointed and wagged with the other. “I’m pressin’ charges. That there’s assault, Mister.”
“Yeah, good luck with that.” Jackson turned his attention to the two cops who joined them and extended his hand.
They shook hands and exchanged names.
“How much do you know about the situation?” He asked Ben, who’d introduced himself as the supervising officer.
“Just that you want to enter the house and needed some back-up in case there was resistance,” Ben replied.
“Basically, that’s it. The two men who were here left in a black vehicle. I have a GPS tracker in this truck over here. That was the only vehicle they’d ever used. A lot of good that does us. I’ve been watching a woman and her son; they’ve been staying here almost six months. A concerned family member hired me. We have audio inside, but it hasn’t given us much information other than the man she’s with is an asshole. However, this morning things took a turn. The guy brought her son down to the neighbors, saying he was taking her to Lakeside. Lakeside has no pending admission for her; it’s not the kind of place you just walk into.”
“You think they have firearms in there?” Ben asked, motioning toward the house.
“In this area? Probably. I’m hoping Kinsley, the woman I’m trying to locate, is in there asleep along with the other woman who lives with them. If not, I don’t think she went anywhere voluntarily. She wouldn’t leave her kid, and thanks to the numb-nut over there …,” he nodded toward Percy, “we don’t have much to go on.”
Ben tipped his head in the direction of the house and put his hand out for Jackson to take the lead. “You know the routine.”
He knew the routine, but he didn’t know if he was prepared for what he might find.
Chapter 15
The trunk was stifling. The only light, a glow of red filtering in though the taillights. Kinsley’s lungs were soaked from the prolonged inhalation of gasoline and exhaust fumes. And immune now. Her legs and arms were cramping, and the ropes dug painfully into her skin. Something hard poked into her back, and when