Page 83 of Remember Her Name

“Yet,” Josie said.

A twig snapped. All four of them searched for the source of the noise. Weaving through tree trunks was Dr. Chris McAllister, a Denton University professor. He acted as a consultant whenever they had need of drones. In his hands was a large controller with a screen in the center of it. As he got closer, Josie saw the neon-pink and -purple colors of the top of the Overlook. Two blurred yellow figures were visible along one of the edges. McAllister paused, thumbs working the knobs and buttons on either side of the screen. Noah left them, walking over to the professor to confer with him.

“What about one of those rescue helicopters?” Turner said. “With the baskets.”

“Maybe,” Josie said. “But the top of that rock isn’t very big. The air might be too much. Plus, you’d have to get Bell to cooperate and actually put Juliet into the basket.”

“This qualifies as a hostage situation.” Gretchen took out her cell phone. “We should call SERT.”

SERT, or Special Emergency Response Team, was a highly trained unit within the state police. They responded to high-risk situations, assisting Pennsylvania police departments that didn’t have their own SWAT teams. They had both a tactical unit and a negotiations unit.

Josie didn’t protest, although even with SERT on the scene, there was still the issue of getting safely to the top of the Overlook. Her cell phone vibrated. A text from Lamay. He must have been at the station after all. She opened the attachment she’d asked for, eyes skimming it. The sweat caused by the thick July air dried on her skin. It felt as though someone was trailing cold fingers up her spine.

Turner said, “What’s up with you, Quinn?”

Before she could answer, the report she was reading disappeared, replaced by an incoming call. She didn’t recognize the number, but she answered anyway.

At the sound of Roger Bell’s voice, the acid already raging in her stomach flared hotter. “Detective Quinn. I knew you’d find me.”

Josie waved frantically to the others to gather around and put her phone on speaker. Noah and Dr. McAllister rushed over. Everyone crowded near her, straining to hear the other end of the conversation. “What do you want, Roger?”

“Oh, so you did figure it out. Or did Sheila tell you?”

McAllister turned his screen toward them. On it, one of the figures dragged the other one toward the edge of the plateau. Juliet’s body appeared to be limp, but it still had a heat signature.

“Let me talk to Juliet,” Josie said.

“Talk to her when you get up here.”

“We’re trying to find a way up there. Unless you want to end this and bring her down yourself.”

“That’s not the ending I had in mind,” he said. “You owe me at least one conversation, Detective. You and me, alone.”

Josie’s pulse raced. She looked at her colleagues. Turner and Gretchen were focused on McAllister’s screen. Only Noah was locked in on her.

“Send Juliet down,” Josie said. “And I’ll come up there.”

Bell’s chuckle was like sandpaper dragging over her skin. “If you want a chance at saving this little bitch, you’ll come up here.”

Dr. McAllister gasped. For a moment, the controller bobbled in his hands. Then he brought the figures back into the middle of the screen.

“Shit,” said Turner. “He’s holding her over.”

Bell pushed Juliet’s upper body past the edge of the cliff. He knelt with one of his legs across her calves, holding her inplace. Her body wriggled but Josie didn’t see any of her limbs thrashing. Bell must have restrained her arms and legs. She was helpless up there, at his mercy. Even if she had it in her to fight back or escape and take the stone slide to the bottom, she couldn’t. Through her phone, Josie heard the girl scream. Bell said, “Stop moving or you’ll die sooner than I intended. Detective, I know you can see me. I hear your drone.”

Josie heard the girl whimpering softly. On the screen, her body went still.

“Come on, Detective,” Bell needled. “I’m getting impatient.”

“Stop,” Josie said. “Pull her back! I’m coming.”

She turned to run to the base of the rock, but Noah caught her wrist.

Turner whispered, “Quinn, this kid is his only bargaining chip. If he throws her over, he doesn’t get what he wants. He’s not going to kill her just to get you up there.”

Turner was wrong. Bell would get exactly what he wanted. Revenge on his old defense attorney, the next-to-last name on his revenge roll. In doing so, he’d force Josie to live with an unconscionable choice—a decision far worse than the one she’d made at the Cook residence fifteen years ago.

“I’m not comfortable taking that chance,” Josie said, but Noah’s grip was firm and unyielding.

---