Something in my chest seized and then released. They hadn’t fucked. She loved me. It mattered, but not as much as what the hell had happened to her. “What happened after you went to cook breakfast?” I urged Liam on.
He looked from me to the stove, searching his memory. “I put the pan on the stove and turned to get something out of the fridge. Then…wham, someone hit me over the head with something.”
“Most likely with that skillet,” Kelly said, inclining her head to the pan that rested on the counter.
All of a sudden, Liam’s eyes bugged out, and he started to struggle against Hank’s hold. “He took her! Someone fucking took her! I couldn’t really see, it was blurry, but someone was dragging her out of the house. Fuck! I just laid here while someone fucking took her!”
My blood turned to ice. There was only one person who could have done it. I went on auto-pilot. I pressed a button on my radio. “Dispatch, this is Deputy Chief Cole. I need to report a kidnapping.”
After calling it in, I retraced my steps, studying the gravel drive to the best of my ability. It told me nothing. Just as I was about to punch the porch railing, sirens sounded. An ambulance, followed closely by an SUV with its lights flashing. The chief’s vehicle. I gritted my teeth. I was going to have a fight on my hands to stay on this case.
I pulled my cell out of my back pocket and hit Tuck’s contact. I was going to need help, and Tuck was the best tracker I knew, not to mention he wouldn’t give a damn if I’d been kicked off the case. The line just kept ringing. No answer. I cursed but waited to leave a message. “Call me. Now.” That’s all that was needed, I knew Tuck would respond as soon as he could.
The ambulance pulled up in front of the house, and two medics jumped out. I pointed at the front door. “They’re in the kitchen, it’s straight down the hall.” The two guys jerked their chins in affirmation and headed inside with a stretcher.
I clenched and unclenched my fists as the chief strode from his car towards me. “Walk, what’s going on?”
I opened my mouth to speak, but the words didn’t want to come. It was like, if I spoke them, then the whole nightmare became true. I cleared my throat and focused on my training. “Taylor’s been kidnapped. A friend that was staying with her, Liam Fairchild, was assaulted. EMTs are in with him now, along with Kelly and Hank.”
Clark gripped my shoulder. “You hanging in there, son?”
“I’m fine, sir. But you know it’s this psycho that’s been terrorizing our town. We have to call in SWAT.”
A look of pity filled Clark’s eyes, and my jaw hardened. “I’ll put SWAT on standby, but we have no clue where to send them even if I do call everyone in.”
I roughly ran a hand through my hair. “Send us into the forest, the same area we know he frequents. It’s at least a place to start.”
“First of all, you’re still riding a desk, you haven’t been cleared for active duty. So, even if this case weren’t a complete conflict of interest, which it is, you’d still be out.”
My teeth ground together as my nails dug into my palms. “You would seriously keep me out of this? That girl that’s missing, most likely in the hands of a fucking psycho murderer? She’s the love of my fucking life!”
The chief drilled a finger into my chest. “That’s exactly why I’m keeping you out of this. Your head isn’t on straight. I promise you, I will work this one myself, and I’ll do you the courtesy of keeping you in the loop.”
Clark’s words gave me zero reassurance. No comfort. The only thing I wanted was Taylor back in my arms. A chance to make things right between us. My chest burned. I needed that chance. And the only way I knew to get it was to work the case myself. No one would be as diligent as I was. No one would give their blood, sweat, tears—and life, if needed—but me.
I shook my head at Clark and headed back inside. I needed to see if Liam had remembered anything before I took off to search on my own. By the time I made it to the kitchen, Liam was strapped to the stretcher. “Walker, tell them I don’t need to go to the hospital. I need to be looking for Taylor. We have to find her.”
I placed a hand on his shoulder. “You got your head cracked open, man. You need to go to the hospital.” I met his still somewhat dazed eyes. “I will do everything I fucking can to bring her back safe.”
Liam nodded, and the action made him wince. “We need to get him to the hospital,” one of the medics said.
“Okay, just give me one second,” I said, pinning the medic with my most intimidating stare. He shrank back, giving a small nod. “Did you remember anything else? Did you see anything? Hear anything? Hell, even smell something?”
Liam’s brows pulled together in a combination of concentration and what I was sure was pain. “He was tall. At least a full head taller than Taylor.”
My chin rested perfectly on the top of Taylor’s head when I hunched, so the guy was probably around my height, maybe a little shorter. “That’s good. Anything else? Hair color?”
“I think he was wearing a hat… Fuck!” Liam smacked the gurney he was lying on. “I can’t even help you ID the guy.”
“You gave me something, and that’s better than nothing.” Liam simply shook his head as if disgusted with himself. “I’ve gotta get outta here. They’re not going to let me work the case the traditional route, so I’m going to color outside the lines a little.”
“Walk—” Hank started to say at my admission.
I held up a hand to stop him. “I won’t be alone, but I can’t have guys in uniform with me either.” Both Hank and Kelly looked pissed and worried, but I didn’t have time to reassure them. “I’ll call if I find anything.”
With those parting words, I took off in a jog, moving out of the house, down the front steps, and towards my car. Just as I was pulling the truck door open, my phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen. Tuck. I hit accept. “Fucking finally. I need your help, man.”
42
Taylor