“In there.”

She turned towards him.

“Please don’t do this.”

He got behind her and grabbed the cuffs around her wrist, forcing her to follow him into the cell. Pushing her to the floor, he looped and padlocked a chain around her leg before removing her restraints. The door shut and she heard the lock snap. His steps retreated up the stairs, then nothing, just quiet.

“Who are you?”

A female voice from the next cell broke the silence. Suzanne leaned as close to the wall as she could.

“Suzanne. Who are you?”

“Chelsea. The man next to me is Ed. Do you know why he brought you here?”

“No. I was at home and next thing I know, I’m in a van with a hood on my head. Do you?”

Suzanne could hear Chelsea start to sob.

“No. He won’t tell us.”

“How long have you been here?”

“A couple days, Ed’s been here four.”

“Has he hurt either of you?”

“No. Not yet.”

Suzanne heard a man’s voice from the far cell.

“What did you say you’re name is?”

“Suzanne.”

“Suzanne what?”

“Suzanne Cooper.”

“Is that your maiden name?”

“Yes, why?”

Ed ignored the question.

“Chelsea, you said your last name was Morris. Is that your maiden name?”

Chelsea tried to stop crying.

“No. Burt…my maiden name is Burt.”

Silence fell over the three of them as the girls waited to find out what Ed was driving at.

“Shit!”

“What?!” Both girls asked at the same time.

 “Does the name ‘Billy Jarvis’ mean anything to either of you?”

****

It was near closing at the Dollar Store and Curt needed to take out the trash.

“Wendy, taking trash out. Back in a minute.”

“Okay.”

He unlocked the back door and carried the two bags to the dumpster behind the plaza. After throwing them in, he turned to go back and noticed a teal colored car parked at an odd angle. The dome light was on and the back door open. He didn’t recognize the car and everyone that worked at the plaza knew to park in the outer lot up front.

Curt walked down towards the vehicle and looked in. The keys were still in the ignition but the car wasn’t running. Standing up, he looked around. He was alone in the back alley. He pulled out his cell phone.

****

Two uniformed officers responded to Curt’s call. One was calling in the license plate and the other was getting the final details of how Curt found the car.

The first got off the radio.

“Car belongs to a Suzanne Cooper. Address is not far from here.”

“Get a phone number?”

“Yes. Trying it now.”

The second officer turned back to Curt.

“Thanks for your help. You can go now. Sorry to keep you so long.”

“No problem.”

After the Dollar store employee walked away, the first officer hung up the phone.

“Answering machine.”

“Okay, call in for a car to go by the address and I’ll get a tow truck coming to take the car.”

By the time the officers heard that no one could be found at the residence, the car was on the truck and ready to go. Instead of the impound lot, it was sent to the forensics garage.

****

Ed Garland could hear both girls suck in their breath. Neither said anything and Ed waited while it sunk in. He had already figured out the connection, all three of them had been there the day Billy Jarvis had shot himself playing Russian Roulette with a .38 revolver.

What he hadn’t decided was who their captor was. Finally, Chelsea spoke.

“Ed, Ed Garland from McCollum High?”

“Yes.”

“And Suzanne Cooper, Billy Jarvis’ girlfriend?”

Suzanne didn’t answer immediately but Chelsea could hear her crying.

“Suzanne?”

“Ye…yes.”

“You’re Billy’s ex- girlfriend?”

“Yes.”

“That mean Dexter Hughes…”

Ed slammed his hand on the wall.

“That’s his name! I was sitting here trying to remember the other guy’s name that was there that day. That’s who the last cell is for.”

Suzanne had regained her composure.

“If you’re right, and Dexter is put in the last cell, then what? And who is the guy doing this?”

Ed’s answer chilled them all.

“I don’t know who he is and I don’t want to know what’s next.”

 

Chapter  13

 

Jason received a call the next morning from Lieutenant Banks.

“Go see Doc Josie when you get here.”

“Okay. What’s up?”

“You would have me ruin Doc Josie’s surprise? I wouldn’t think of it.”

The phone went dead. Jason called Nina, who was apparently just leaving the house.

“Hello?”

“Morning, Nina. You just heading in?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Banks called. She said we need to go see Doc Josie first thing, I’ll meet you there.”

“Okay. She say why?”

“Nope. Said it was a surprise.”

“A surprise? Okay, see you in about twenty minutes.”

****

Jason found Dr. Jocelyn Carter staring through a microscope.

“Morning, Doc.”

She pulled her head back, rolled her eyes and went back to the scope with a chuckle.

“Maybe for you, Detective. For me it’s more like afternoon. Got a call at midnight to come in and process a car.”

“Sorry to hear that.”

Nina came through the doors and joined them. Jason stopped her before she had a chance to wish Doc Josie a ‘good morning’.

“She’s been here all night.”

“Oh. Did you find out what the surprise is?”

“I was just about to ask. So Doc, is this car you were telling me about our surprise?”

Doc Josie got off the stool and walked to her office with the detectives in tow. Grabbing a sheet of paper, she handed it to Jason.

“If this set of prints is what you’re referring to, then yes, this is your surprise. Those partial prints were found on the car I’ve been processing.”

Jason gave her a quizzical look.

“Let me guess. You’ve seen them before.”

“Very good. You should be a detective.”

Nina couldn’t help herself and started laughing. Doc Josie continued.

“Not only have I seen them before, I’ve seen them recently. They match the ones we pulled from the two missing persons cases you’re working.”

Jason looked up from the print sheet.

“Who does the car belong to?”

“A Suzanne Cooper. It was found abandoned, keys in it but not running, behind a plaza near her home last night. Lieutenant Banks said they haven’t been able to find Miss Cooper.”

Nina walked over to a table and put her briefcase down. She opened it up and pulled some papers.

“What was that name again?”

“Suzanne Cooper.”

Jason watched as his partner ran her finger down the sheets. On the second sheet she stopped.

“It’s here, Jason.”

“Are those the McCollum reunion lists?”

“Yes and she’s on them.”

Jason moved for the door as Nina packed up.

“Thanks, Josie. Go home and get some sleep.”

“You’re welcome and I plan on doing just that.”

****

Lieutenant Banks was in her office when they got to the second floor.

“Got a minute, Lieutenant?”

“Sure. Find your surprise?”

“Yes. Do you have the report from the scene?”

She slid the file across the desk.

Nina followed Jason into the room and sat next to him opposite the Lieutenant. Jason picked up file but didn’t open it.

“We’ve got a connection between the three missing cases besides the fingerprints.”