I grabbed my jacket and bolted out the patio door and through the front yard, careful not to intersect with any of the prints or tracks that were visible in the fresh snow. The first to arrive was Bill and he understood the situation within seconds. He’d brought with him a carload of other retired detectives, all of whom were loyal to him and wouldn’t call the police until he gave the word. They were deployed to protect the fresh snow and I traced my steps back to the house. I found Auggie, still sitting on the sofa, quaking.
“She’s in shock, get her warm and some brandy!” Bill shouted at me and then went back outside to help. I did as was told and held her against me, although I was shaking myself. I had never felt more helpless in my entire life. I’d told Auggie what I’d said to calm her, but I didn’t believe my own words. Linc was insane. I knew from all my training that when a person was no longer sane, they were no longer accountable for their actions, however unconscionable they might be. Names like Jeffrey Dahmer sprang to mind and I wanted to vomit.
I tried to think. How long was it between Ford calling to me and when Auggie left my office? I noted the time on the clock, but time lost its accountability when the mind was in trauma. I reasoned that Ford had been on his way to my office when Linc had probably burst in and grabbed him. Likely, Ford saw the man and his resemblance to me and that was why he called out. He probably thought it was me, in costume, as a prank. We’d not locked the door or activated the security yet because we weren’t ready for bed. Linc had simply opened the door and taken the most valuable thing in our lives. Our son.
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
Worth
We had gathered around the dining room table, the Christmas centerpiece mocking us until Auggie finally used her arm to brush it against the wall into broken pieces. The faces were sober but some contained fear while the others were strategizing.
I let Bill take charge, but was standing by to approve every move. After all, it wasn’t his son who had been kidnapped and I knew Linc better than anyone.
“Okay, first,” Bill began and a dozen notepads were slid across the table. “We need as much information on this guy as possible. Worth, Auggie — do either of you have any pictures of him?
Auggie leapt up. “There’s a photo at the condo. Margaret, remember the one you gave me?”
Bill interrupted. “No time for that. Steve, do a drawing of Worth here, but give him Auggie’s eyes and put a full beard on him,” he ordered one of the detective he’d brought along. “Auggie, I have some things to say and you won’t want to hear them. Leave now. Sorry to be rough, but we can’t waste time.”
“I’m staying,” she said, although she was still shaking and wrapped in a blanket. I couldn’t argue with her. I had no right to do so.
Bill went on. “This guy is dangerous and I can’t emphasize it enough. I’ve met him and he’s clearly a psychopath. The police have no information on him because he was an orphan, switched at birth so there’s no records. Not even a print. The guy in the car was his stooge. Nothing there to go on. It was her car. He’s got Ford with him and I’m gambling that he’s not going far. He was supposed to meet with Worth at his office tomorrow to get his inheritance, whatever the fuck that means. My guess is he’ll stick close so he can make the meeting. He doesn’t want the kid, but won’t care if the kid gets hurt. His kind figures he’ll get the money and be out of town before anyone finds the kid. Worth has no choice but to cooperate. The only enemies this guy has is the mob. But letting them know he’s around endangers the kid. That’s a toss-up, but it may be our only reinforcement. He knows that everything he’s done will catch up to him and kidnapping charges don’t even make him blink. He has one and only one motivation. He wants money and revenge on a dead father he never met.”
I heard Mother suck in air but even though she was terrified, she hung in there. She was made of far stiffer stuff than I’d given her credit for.
“So,” Bill continued, “the only thing we can be fairly sure of at this point is that he’ll show up at the office tomorrow at three o’clock. He probably won’t have the kid with him so he’ll have to stuff him somewhere in the meantime. Worth, you’ll have to put conditions on this. You’re going to have to be cold; colder than he is. He’s nuts so he won’t get it, but he has to feel that you’re holding cards as strong as his. Can you do it?”
“I’ll do it.”
“Good. Now I want inquiries. All the motels and hotels, bed and breakfasts, bus stops, train station, airport. I want men out with copies of that ID drawing and I want reports every ten minutes. George, you type those tracks and that will tell us what he’s driving. My guess is that it’s stolen, so check that against the database. Brandon, I want you to put out the word to everyone you know. I want leads. This guy had to be holed up somewhere over the last few years and someone has to know about it. I want bank accounts, phony ID and be sure to check for any arrests — even petty crimes that turn up with someone who had no record of birth. If we figure out where he’s been, we can figure out where he’s liable to go. Here’s the hard part. If he takes out Ford, Auggie is his next target. I want a detail assigned to her and she’s to stay in this house with the security system on at all times. She is never to be left alone without at least two armed guards. I want one in the house and one outside the door. I want all the cameras running and recording.”
He pointed at me and I snapped back to attention.
“Worth, you’re the only one who can leave. Sam, get the dogs, the best team you can find and don’t answer any questions. I need a piece of the boy’s clothing. You know what to do. Mr. and Mrs. Langford, I want you to go home and stay there. He may try and contact you, Mrs. Langford. This,” he slid a small box across the table, “is a tracking and recording device. It’s simple to use. You just plug it into your WIFI Ethernet at the house and it will monitor any signals. Be sure to turn off your data stream and only use the phone on WiFi. Here’s another one for the house here, Worth.”
The front door burst open and there stood Bernie, tears on his face. “Where is he?” he pleaded. I knew then that Bernie had considered himself a sort of father to Ford. “What can I do?”
Bill looked to me and I nodded. He pointed to a chair and said, “Sit down.” Bernie never hesitated. “Who are you to the boy?” he asked.
Auggie spoke up. “Bernie is my personal assistant, but he’s become a member of the family. He and Ford were… are… close.”
Bill asked, “Does the kid have your cell phone number?” Bernie nodded. “Does he call you?”
Bernie nodded again. “All the time.”
I was surprised, but this was no time to feel hurt.
“Keep your phone charged and with you at all times. If the kid calls, try to spin out the call as long as you can so we can triangulate his position with the towers. Hand your phone to Pete, there, he’ll add the trace. Do the same for everyone’s phone, you all hear me. Is there anyone else Ford would call?”