Fourth of July (30 page)

“His name’s Bruce.” He inclined his head in the suspect’s direction.

“Thanks.” Chris nodded his dismissal to Luke.

“I’ll stay,” Luke informed him.

“I interrogate alone.”

Luke shook his head. “My suspect.”

Chris turned his back on the police officer. “You have thirty seconds to tell me where Alexis is.”

“Alexis?” Bruce leaned back on his chair.

“The woman you attacked.”

“Oh.” He shrugged. “How would I know where she is?”

Chris negotiated his watch. “Fifteen seconds.”

“I don’t know.” Bruce’s chair slapped to the floor. “How could I find the broad? I’m stuck in a prison cell because of her.”

“Five seconds,” Chris reminded him.

“I don’t know.” Bruce shook his head.

Chris nodded at his watch again.

“I don’t know,” Bruce shouted.

“Time’s up.” Chris strode across the room.

Bruce leapt from his chair and scrambled from Chris’ reach. “How would I know where she is?”

“You know.” Chris forced him into a corner.

“I don’t.”

Chris stared at the weasel. “You’d like to get back at her. Because of her you’re going to rot in a prison cell. You’d like to hurt her, wouldn’t you?”

“Yeah, I would,” Bruce hurled at him.

“Wrong answer.” He grabbed Bruce by the neck and pushed him against the wall.

“Let go of me! I didn’t hurt her. How could I hurt her when I’m locked in prison?”

Chris released him, but didn’t move away. “Which of your friends has her?”

“None,” Bruce cried out. “I didn’t tell anyone. I called my mom with my one call to see if she could get the money to bail me out. I didn’t even know the redhead’s name! How could I find her again?” He cowered against the wall.

“He has a point,” Luke said from behind Chris.

“Which is?”

“He didn’t know her name. How could he have arranged a kidnapping if he didn’t know her name? I checked his records after you called. He’s telling the truth. The only call he placed was to his mom.”

“See?” Bruce whined. He risked a quick glance at Chris, his eyes pleading for mercy. “I didn’t do it. I promise I’ll never try and hurt her again if you’ll just leave me alone.”

Chris bent in closer to Bruce.

“You’d better not,” he growled, “because if you ever get near her again you’ll have me to deal with.”

Chris turned from Bruce, striding past Luke. His anger fizzled, fear replacing it.
Where is Alexis
?

Luke locked Bruce in the room and hurried to keep up with Chris. “What are you going to do now? Do you really think Alexis was kidnapped?”

“She was kidnapped. What I am going to do now is none of your business.”

“It is my business,” Luke insisted. “I care for Alexis.”

“You have no right to care for Alexis.” Chris didn’t slow his pace or glance in Luke’s direction.

“You’re a real jerk. I want to help you find Alexis and your pride won’t allow you to accept my help.”

They reached Chris’ truck.

Chris grabbed the door handle, then stopped and glanced at Luke. “Look, I probably am acting like a jerk, but honestly, this is an FBI investigation, and last time I looked, you don’t have the right badge. I appreciate your offer to help, but I can’t take it. Thanks for getting Bruce ready for interrogation. Let me know if your supervisors are upset because I grabbed him.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Luke mumbled.

Chris jerked open his truck door and jumped inside.

“Will you let me know if I can help in any way?” Luke tried again. “Let me know when you find her?”

“Will do.” Chris reached out and shook Luke’s hand. “Thanks for your help.”

Luke nodded. “I’ll pray for her.”

Chris couldn’t answer.
Luke would pray for her? Great.
Luke was not only interested in Alexis, he shared her faith. Chris shook his head. He couldn’t let something like that bother him when Alexis’ life was at stake. He muttered another thanks to Luke, slammed the door, and sped away.

Chris raced through the city streets, screeching into the parking lot of Alexis’ church. He frantically searched the congregation for her, knowing she wouldn’t be there. He located a few of the friends Alexis had introduced him to prior to the service on Thursday night. Thankfully, they were sitting in the back row. Chris crept in next to them.

“Have you seen Alexis?” he whispered.

They shook their heads no.

“If she comes here, tell her to call me. It’s urgent.” He handed them a business card. “If you talk with anyone who has seen or heard from her, call me immediately.”

The couple nodded their understanding. Chris whispered his thanks and stood to leave.

The insistent voice of the speaker penetrated his troubled mind. Chris whipped around, staring at the man for a minute.

The speaker’s tenor singed through Chris. “Love your enemies, do good to those who despitefully use and persecute you.”

“Yeah, right,” Chris mumbled, spinning on his heel and stalking from the building. There was absolutely no love in his heart for those who had taken Alexis, Rachel, and Tyler. He was consumed with bitterness and anger.

Chris squealed his truck tires leaving the church parking lot, needing to distance himself from the church and everything it symbolized. He wanted to put all thoughts of loving one’s enemies out of his mind. The words played over and over again in his head like a broken record.

His chest tightened in anticipation of his confrontation with Yusuf. He should wait for Dylan, but he couldn’t. He had to question Yusuf. He wouldn’t hurt him. He’d just ask a few questions. Arriving at FBI headquarters, his stride was firm and determined as he raced to the interrogation room.

Yusuf recoiled, genuine fear revealed in his cold eyes for the first time as an enraged Chris stalked into the small room.

“Where did they take Alexis?” Chris pounded a heavy fist on the table.

Yusuf jumped. “Alexis? Who is Alexis?”

“Why would they take her? It was Danielle, wasn’t it?” Chris’ voice reverberated off the walls.

“I know no one by the name of Alexis,” Yusuf insisted.

“Maybe I should refresh your memory!”

He shoved the table aside. It crashed against the wall and Yusuf flew from his chair. He huddled against the wall for supposed protection. Chris was on him in half a second. Grabbing the terrorist’s shirt, he slammed him into the wall. He wouldn’t hurt Yusuf, but he could definitely scare him.

“Tell me where she is.”

The words, “Love your enemies,” were spoken clearly in Chris’s mind.

“What did you say?” Chris growled at Yusuf.

“I did not say anything.” Yusuf ducked his head to minimize the imminent beating.

“Love your enemies.” There was that voice again. Chris looked at the cowering Yusuf in confusion, realizing the words were inside his head. He tried to shake it off. It was that annoying speaker from the church. It didn’t mean anything to him.

“Love your enemies.” The phrase began playing through his mind more insistently. He couldn’t shut the words off. Pausing, he struggled to make sense of his churning emotions. Several charged seconds ticked by as Yusuf hid his face.

Chris’ emotions waged, but the thought of “Love your enemies,” grew stronger and stronger. It felt as if someone had pulled a cork and drained all his angry, pent-up emotion. The overpowering animosity he held for Yusuf began to slowly fade. The intense desire to rescue Alexis, Rachel, and Tyler was still there, but the consuming hatred evaporated.

Reality hit.
What am I doing?
He couldn’t hold Yusuf like this and threaten him. The terrorists might hurt Rachel, Tyler, or Alexis.

Dylan burst into the room. “Chris! What are you doing?”

“What?” Chris turned to look at his partner. His fist opened, releasing Yusuf’s shirt. Yusuf slunk away from him toward the opposite corner.

“I, well...” What could he say?

“Get out of here!”

Yusuf raised his head to glare at them, but remained in the corner.

Dylan pushed Chris from the room. He slammed the door behind them. “What were you thinking?” Dylan hurled at Chris as he stomped toward his office.

“I don’t know.” Chris trailed behind him. “I wasn’t going to hurt him. I just kind of...threatened.” Chris stared at his partner’s back. “I’m sorry,” he offered.

“You’re sorry,” Dylan screamed, whirling to face Chris in the hallway. Anger boiled in his eyes. “Sorry isn’t going to cut it, Chris. You may have just written the death sentence for my wife and Ty!”

Chris hung his head. “I would never intentionally do anything to hurt Rachel and Tyler. I’m sorry. I was wrong.”

Dylan inhaled slowly, his entire body shaking. He turned and plodded down the hallway. “I know you wouldn’t deliberately try to hurt them. Didn’t I tell you what the note said?”

“You did. I really wasn’t going to hurt him, just threaten him a little. I shouldn’t have pinned him against the wall. I was angry, but something happened and I stopped. I promise I wouldn’t have hurt him.”

Dylan spun to face him again. “How do you know? You’re completely out of control!”

Chris looked away from Dylan’s glare. “You’re right. I was. I’m sorry for jeopardizing your family.”

“Now you are.”

Chris couldn’t say anything to make it right. Dylan spun on his heel and walked into his office. He sunk into the chair, looking up only when Chris followed him in and shut the door.

Dylan shook his head. His lips pressed into a thin line. “You swear to me you didn’t hurt him?”

Chris held his gaze. “I didn’t hurt him.”

Dylan finally nodded. “Hopefully, they won’t ever know.”

Chris glanced at the picture of Rachel, Madison and Tyler. He swallowed hard.

Dylan followed his gaze. His mouth went slack. “Can you give me a minute?”

“Sure.” Chris left Dylan’s office, embarrassed and shaken.

Walking into his own office, he shut the door. He pondered what he had experienced with Yusuf. He
had
stopped. Could he change the way he was? Why did the phrase, “Love thy enemies,” keep repeating itself in his head? Without comprehending what he was doing, Chris knelt on the floor and bowed his head.

He spent the next several minutes awkwardly conversing with the Lord for the first time in years. He asked forgiveness for the hatred and anger he had allowed to consume him. He pled with the Lord for help in controlling his anger. He finally recognized the bitterness that had been tearing him apart. He’d blamed the Lord for his parents’ deaths. He’d let it fester and warp his testimony and the love of the Savior in his life.

He prayed fervently. The response was an overwhelming sensation of love and understanding. Chris felt better than he had in five years. He closed his prayer with a fervent plea to find Alexis, Rachel, and Tyler and return them to safety.

JAY COLLIER, THE FBI’S DEPARTMENT head, stormed into Dylan’s office. “Who gave you clearance to trade the suspect?”

Dylan jumped to his feet. “By trading the suspect, I get my family back. That supersedes any clearance as far as I’m concerned.”

“Not when I’m in charge,” Jay’s angry tone matched Dylan’s.

“I’m going to rescue my family one way or another.” Dylan leaned closer to his boss. “You have no right to jeopardize their lives by holding onto Yusuf.”

“The President’s policy is to not bend to terrorists.”

“My family’s lives are more important than some stinking policy! The only way you’re going to stop me from trading Yusuf is by arresting me.” He held up his wrists. “What’s it going to be, Jay?”

Jay held his ground. Dylan assumed his boss wouldn’t arrest one of his top agents, but he didn’t know for sure.

“You had no right to go over my head.” Jay took a step back.

“I couldn’t allow you to tell me no.”

“Understood.” Jay sat across from Dylan’s desk. He gestured for Dylan to sit. Dylan perched on the edge of his chair, ready to fight again if Jay wouldn’t do what he wanted. A minute ticked by as the two men studied each other.

“So,” Jay broke the silence. “How are you going to make this appear to be the only option for our country?”