Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Something wasn’t adding up right. A had a gut feeling that whatever it was we were looking for, it was right in front of us.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Mallory softly said as she sat down next to me outside.
“I can’t get it out of my head he was in Chicago.”
“Do you think he was alone? Maybe Krista went with him.”
“I guess she could have, I should have asked.”
“He didn’t laugh like the guy who had taken me, nor did he talk like him. I really don’t think it was Chad, Liam.”
Rubbing at the back of my neck, I slowly shook my head. “It’s right in front of us, I can feel it, Mallory. We’re missing something.”
Turning, I grabbed my phone.
“What are you doing?” Mallory asked.
“Calling Randy.” My cousin answered almost immediately. “I need you at the house right now.”
“Is everything okay?” Randy asked. “Mallory?”
“She’s okay, but Randy, I can’t talk to you about this over the phone.”
“I’m on my way.”
I also sent a text to Billy and Bubba to come to the house. We needed to get our heads together and figure this shit out.
“I’m so sorry, Liam,” Mallory whispered as she wrapped her arms around her body.
When I looked at her, she had tears streaming down her face.
“I wish I could remember something about being taken. Anything.”
I reached a hand out to her. When she laced her fingers with mine, I pulled her close and wrapped my arms around her. She started crying harder.
Running my hand up and down her back, I said, “I know I should be relieved it’s not my brother, and I am. And we’ll figure this out, Mallory, I promise you.”
Squeezing my eyes shut, I wanted all of this not to have happened. I wished I’d met Mallory some other way. I didn’t want to think someone I might know or have passed on the streets was capable of something so horrific.
When she finally stopped crying so hard, she drew back slowly. “Maybe I came to Montana to visit?”
I slowly shook my head. “I don’t know. But we’re going to find out.”
Billy and Bubba showed up not long after I sent the text to them. I told them about Chad’s visit and how he had been in Chicago most likely the same time as Mallory. Could Chad have been a part of Mallory’s kidnapping?
Mallory stood and started to pace. “I don’t think he’s involved. He didn’t even flinch when he saw me or I said my name. He honestly looked like he’d met me right then and there.”
“It might simply be a crazy coincidence, Liam, and that’s all,” Billy stated.
I nodded. “Maybe.”
Nearly an hour later, Randy walked into my living room. He took one look at everyone and frowned deeply. “Looks like we’ve been doing some sleuthing, gentlemen.”
There was another guy behind Randy, dressed in plain clothes as well. I looked to Mallory who reached for my hand. When I looked back at him, I frowned. I knew him from somewhere but couldn’t put my finger on it.
“This is Captain Jonathon Miller. He’s my boss, and he oversees the special investigations division,” Randy said as they both moved farther into the room. “When you mentioned Mallory wanting to file a report, I thought it would be best to have him here as well.”
We each stood and shook Captain Miller’s hand, with Mallory being the last to do so. She sat back down next to me.
“Do you want to tell me what’s going on?” Randy asked as his gaze moved around the room. “You look like someone just told you Santa wasn’t real all over again.”
Captain Miller shot Randy a confused expression.
He shrugged. “For the longest time, when they were younger, Liam and Bubba refused to believe Santa wasn’t real.”
“I’m not sure if what I have to say is important or not,” I said, as Billy brought over two chairs from the dining room table.
“Do you mind if I record you?” Captain Miller asked, looking directly at Mallory.
“No,” Mallory and I both said at the same time.
I glanced at Randy. “I know you told him about the kidnapping, but did you tell him it was Mallory?”
“Yes, he knows everything I currently know.”
Captain Miller nodded, then focused on Mallory. “I wish you’d filed a report when it happened. There might’ve been crucial evidence that’s now lost.”
Mallory looked down at her hands. “I was scared, Captain Miller. No. I was terrified, and I wasn’t sure who I could trust.”
Miller’s eyes softened. “Please, call me Jonathon. Randy told me you believe your kidnapper, or perhaps a friend of his, works in our police department?”
Mallory nodded. “I’m not sure. He said he knew a lot of people and that the cops wouldn’t help me.”
I cleared my throat. “Chad came by today, and although it appears he’s never seen Mallory before, and she’s pretty positive he isn’t the man who took her, he was in Chicago at the time we think Mallory vanished.”