Rules of Crime (12 page)

A chill crept into her bones. What if something had gone wrong? Had she been abandoned and left to slowly starve?

CHAPTER 15

Monday, January 9, 4:25 p.m.

River’s mind raced from one scenario to another as she waited for the rest of the task force to gather in Anderson’s dining room. Fouts and Torres were there, and two surveillance agents from Portland had just arrived. The tech team was still in place down the road and two Eugene agents had just picked up Daniel Talbot. River nibbled on a bag of popcorn, knowing she needed some nourishment, but was too distracted to enjoy it. If the perp had acted alone and drowned in the river, they had to focus on finding the abductee. That meant getting Renee’s photo all over the media. But if the guy who picked up the money had a partner, then the game was still on and the media exposure could lead to the victim’s death. They would just have to wait a few hours and see if they heard from the kidnapper again.

As much as she tried to live in the moment, River hated waiting. She’d spent most of her life wanting to be someone else and
waiting for the courage to make it happen. Then at thirty-seven she’d had a heart attack and vowed to change everything. Two years later, she was forty pounds lighter, nicotine free, and named Carla instead of Carl.

But that was only on her legal paperwork. She’d gone by River since she’d adopted the last name and liked it so well. Some agents in the Portland office had been supportive of the gender transition, but others had openly mocked her. And the higher-ups just wanted her gone.

Transferring to Eugene had given her the opportunity to start completely fresh—a new identity in a new place. Now if she could just find the nerve to leave the FBI. She loved her job. Rounding up lawbreakers and helping victims find closure had quieted the voice in her head that told her she was of inferior stock. Yet the bureau had sucked up most of her life, and now that she was free to be herself, she wanted more. She wanted to garden and travel and maybe find someone to share her life with. But was there another way to earn a decent living and pay her father’s debt at the same time?

She heard cars in the driveway, and Agent Fouts got up and crossed to the front door. Moments later, Detectives Jackson and Schakowski followed him into the dining room. She knew how challenging it was for them to let another agency run an investigation on their home turf, and she appreciated their spirit of cooperation.

Jackson strode to a chair with an intense look in his eyes. He had something new, she could tell. River liked the confident way he moved and his rugged good looks. If she had normal hormones, he would be her type. But she would never get involved with anyone she worked with. She just hadn’t figured out where else to meet men. River shook off the thought and started the meeting.

“Let’s get up to date with leads, then we’ll talk strategy.” She glanced at her notebook. “Our agents found Daniel Talbot this afternoon at his cabin near Gold Lake. They’re bringing him in for questioning now. There was no sign of Renee Jackson at the cabin, but some evidence to indicate Talbot had been at the cabin skiing for a few days. Still, he sent threats to Anderson and could have hired thugs to do the hands-on work, so he’s still high priority.” She looked down the table. “Jackson, what did you find out?”

“I have a suspect in custody. I had just enough time to bring him in and get over here.”

Everyone in the room was suddenly more alert, ready to move. Startled, River blurted out, “Who is he? What does he say?”

“Gus Striker. He attended AA meetings at the Jesco Club with Renee. The group leader said he thought Striker was obsessed with Renee, so I went to Striker’s place and looked around. Through the kitchen window, I saw that he had a picture of Renee on his refrigerator. He came home a few minutes later and refused to let me search his house, so I brought him to the department and left him in an interrogation room. An assistant DA is working on a search warrant for his house, his phone, and his car.”

“What’s your feel for him?”

“He’s hiding something.”

“Good work.” She hesitated, knowing what she was about to say might piss off her fellow agents, but she believed in rewarding those who generated leads and ideas. “After the meeting, Jackson and I will interrogate Striker. Agent Fouts will stay here with Anderson in case the kidnapper texts again.”

Fouts’ eyes narrowed but he nodded.

“Anything else new?”

Schak spoke up. “Renee’s cell phone hasn’t been used since Saturday at three seventeen p.m. T-Mobile pinged it and got no
signal. The kidnapper may have destroyed it when he grabbed her.”

River added, “We don’t have any new information on the burner phones the perps used this afternoon.”

“You’re saying perps,” Jackson commented. “Are we confident there is more than one?”

“Not until we hear from him again. But I think so.”

“How’s Anderson holding up?” Jackson asked.

“He’s doing okay. His daughter came over and that seemed to settle him down.” Anderson had also been drinking Scotch since she told him his money went into the river. “They’re both in his office. We’ll confer with Anderson soon, but we need a strategy. How long do we wait to hear from the possible second perp before we go to the media to help locate Renee Jackson?”

“Two hours.” Fouts sounded sure.

“What if the other perp is still out there, unsure of what to do next?” Jackson countered. “Rushing to the media could get Renee killed. We should at least interrogate both our suspects before we go public. Even meeting here is a risk if the perp is watching the house.”

“I considered that,” River said, worried but not defensive. “But we don’t know if there is a second person. And if there is, he’s likely guarding Renee and focused on what the hell happened to the money.”

“Do you think he’ll come back for more?” Jackson asked.

“I don’t know.” River shook her head. “This is new territory. We don’t know for sure that the money is lost. The courier could have swum to safety.”

A short silence.

River turned to Agent Torres, a stout young man who was prematurely gray. “Put together a media list and a generic statement
that Renee Jackson is missing. Have everything ready to go. We’ll start interrogations and see what happens.”

“Did you say you have a suspect in custody?” A twenty-something woman burst through the archway. Dressed in a pale-green business jacket and skirt, Dakota Anderson was strawberry-blonde with dark roots, slender, and striking.

River envied her obvious sexuality. She also worried about the young woman’s media connections. “We’ve brought two men in for questioning but we don’t have anything solid.”

Ivan Anderson followed her into the room, a drink in hand. “Dakota, it’s best if you just let them do their job.”

“But they should keep you informed.” She spun protectively toward her father.

“They will.” Anderson touched his daughter’s shoulder. “Let me handle this.”

“What about the ransom money?” Dakota spun toward River, her face tight with tension. “Was it recovered?”

“Not yet.” River stared back. “Please don’t repeat anything you hear about this case. Especially on the air. Renee’s life is still at stake.”

“I know that.” Sounding defensive, the young woman spun again and strode from the room.

Anderson stayed, rocking a little on his feet, the combination of stress and alcohol weakening him. “What do we do now?”

“We’ll question our two suspects. If we haven’t heard from the kidnapper after that, we’ll go to the media and ask the public to help us find Renee.”

“What if he expects me to pay again?” Anderson squeezed his eyes closed. “I don’t have access to more cash. I can borrow against my home equity, but that takes time.”

“He may be desperate and willing to settle for less,” River said. “But just hearing from him will be a good thing.”

An engine revved in the driveway. River turned to the window and caught a glimpse of a small silver car as it sped down the slope. She was glad Anderson didn’t have a houseful of young children, crying for their mother. But Renee did have a teenage daughter. River resisted the urge to ask Jackson how his child was doing. Not in front of everyone. She stood. “Let’s get moving.”

CHAPTER 16

Monday, January 9, 5:15 p.m.

He had arranged to meet Agent River at the department in an hour, so Jackson thought he had just enough time to stop and see his daughter. He felt like he’d been in nonstop motion for two days already and he really wanted to have a leisurely dinner with Kera. But she would have to wait. His girlfriend had broken up with him recently because he worked too much and canceled too many dates, so he worried about neglecting her. When she’d changed her mind and wanted to continue the relationship, he’d nearly wept with relief. Kera was a bright warm light in his otherwise dark and gritty world. Now here he was again, ignoring her while he worked a case. He put in his earpiece and pressed speed dial #2 as he drove off Anderson’s property.

She didn’t answer, so he assumed she was taking care of her baby grandson. He left a message: “Hey, Kera. Just checking in. We haven’t located Renee yet but we have some leads.
I’ll be working late of course.” He wished he could tell her about the kidnapping but it was still nonpublic information. “I love you.” He was getting more comfortable saying that. Kera said it with ease, but she’d been raised in a commune by a group of free-spirited people. His parents, on the other hand, had been Missouri Baptists who had hugged him often but rarely expressed verbal affection. He was doing his best to raise Katie to be more like Kera.

Renee’s sister answered the door and Jackson was still surprised at how different they looked. Unlike Renee, Jan was ash blonde, well padded, and sober.

“Hey, Jan. Have I told you how grateful I am to have you in our lives?”

Jan just smiled. Another thing that set her and Renee apart. She waved him in. “Tell me you found her.”

“Not yet, but we have a couple of leads.”

“Okay. I’ll keep praying.”

“I’ve only got a few minutes. Where’s Katie?”

“On the computer. She’s distracting herself.”

Jackson turned toward the family room but Katie came running. “Did you find her?”

He pulled her in for a hug. “Not yet, sweetheart, but we have a break in the case.” Guilt and failure worked together to crush his heart. “I found a guy who seems obsessed with your mother. I’m on my way now to question him next.”

Katie pulled back, eyes flashing. “Who is he? How did she meet him?”

Aware that Jan was standing by for information and that neither woman needed full disclosure, Jackson moderated his response. “Your mother was attending AA meetings and that was the last place she was seen.”

A long silence while they digested what it really meant. Finally, Katie said, “So she was drinking again? But going to meetings. And some alcoholic pervert grabbed her?” His daughter’s face compressed with anger, confusion, and hurt all at once.

“It looks that way. But she’s not in the suspect’s house and we still don’t know if he made the ransom calls.”

“What about Renee’s phone?” Jan asked. “Have you tried to locate it electronically?”

“We sent a ping but the phone isn’t responding.”

“What about the guy with the money who went into the river?” Katie tugged at her braid.

“We haven’t heard anything.” Jackson felt overwhelmed. “Listen, both of you. What I tell you is strictly confidential and can’t be repeated. At least until we go public with the abduction, which is our next move if we don’t hear from the kidnapper again.”

“We understand.” Jan spoke for both of them. “Thanks for keeping us informed.”

“It’s the least I can do. And now I have to go. We have a suspect to interrogate.”

“Have you had dinner? Can I make you a sandwich?”

“I don’t have time to wait.”

“It’ll take five seconds.” Jan trotted toward the kitchen.

Jackson hugged Katie again. “As long as I’m alive, I’ll be here for you,” he whispered.

“I know.” She blinked back tears.

As he waited for Jan to bring the sandwich, his phone rang. It was Sheriff Walters. “We found a body in the river just north of Coburg. He’s dressed in black like your perp who picked up the money.”