Page 18 of Evening Shadows

Damn, he appreciated that Jesse, being the head of HIS, didn’t automatically take command from him or Grits. Their boss believed in the continuity of the team, and now teams. He had to decide which held more importance—his pride or the op. It took a moment before he realized he could have both without compromising the op. Nodding, he voiced his decision. “I’ll take the lead for the investigation, but once the team hits the field, it’s you since I can’t be there.”

“I can evaluate Franks for you if you want.”

Ken had wanted to do that. He’d had Franks do parts, but leading a full op from start to finish without him or Grits hadn’t happened. He couldn’t wait and knew Jesse would be a good resource. “Thanks.”

“You know you can be there. You just have to decide.”

“It could compromise the safety of the team.” He knew what Jesse meant but had mixed feelings about taking that position. In one instance, he could protect Sam, and in the other, he could hold her back if trouble arose. He had too many hard decisions to make today and all revolving around an op that tightened his gut into knots.

“Like always, as a sniper, Sugar would position herself far enough away from the hands-on action. Plus, you’re almost back to full potential. I’d even say you could go in the field if you could run for longer distances without weakening.”

Ken didn’t want to sit back on this rescue, so he agreed to the latter part, but with Sam pushing him away after the kiss, she might not appreciate him acting as her spotter. It meant the two of them—alone.

With a tight nod, he requested, “I’d like it if you evaluated Franks leading on ground.”

“Done.”

Movement at the house grabbed their attention, and Ken reached for each of his sidearms. Seeing Sam, he released them. He whistled while Jesse shook his head when Sam exited carrying a rifle—not her own—a handgun—not the one on her thigh—and a shotgun. “I’d rather not leave temptation for her.”

Which Ken deciphered as Beverly hadn’t released her grudge against them. He reached out and accepted the weapons. “I’ll put them with ours.” Sam removing the weapons told him they’d decided correctly not to take their rifles inside with them. They wouldn’t go unarmed as they each had one or more holstered handguns on their body. He opened the case that held their weapons and added the two to it. Then, he closed the weapons locker and secured it in the SUV before turning back to Sam. “Do we have a green light?”

She nodded, but he noticed her clenched jaw.

Uh-oh. “Is she going to work with us?” Frustration at the time spent waiting gripped him, and he wanted to go inside and shake the woman until she realized how her action left her son in danger.

On an exhale, Sam responded, “Yeah. Although don’t expect her to be nice.”

Ken figured that to be an understatement. “We don’t need nice. We need cooperation.”

“Listen, while she’s agreed to allow you—HIS—to help, I think it’d be better if I question her. I think she’d open up more.”

He and Jesse turned to each other, and both had small quirks at the corner of their lips.

Sam apparently caught this exchange. “What?”

Turning back to her, Ken nodded. “We already discussed that and think it’s the right way to go. But I need you to consult with us throughout in case we have more questions.”

Solemnly, Sam nodded. “I can do that. Let’s get in there and see what we can do to find Cody.”

Jesse took a step forward. “Let’s go save this boy.”

With a narrowing of her eyes, she responded, “Let me go in first.” Then she whirled around and took the lead.

Stepping into the house behind Sam, Ken first noticed the photos of Adam alone or of him and his wife with and without her pregnant belly displayed prominently in the main area. It’d been close to ten years; he’d have hoped she’d moved on somewhat for the sake of her boy. He wondered what impact this had on the kid. On the one hand, the boy knew what his father looked like, but what the hell was she telling her child about Adam?

After some finagling from Sam and a trip to the kitchen cabinet for a bag of chocolate donuts—what the hell was that about?—Beverly sat at the small breakfast table in a nook that opened to the kitchen. While Sam sat down at the table and opened the bag of donuts, giving one to Beverly and taking one herself, he and Jesse looked at each other and raised a brow at the interrogation food.

Instead of questioning the why of it, he and Jesse remained stoic and sipped on bottled water Sam had offered. They ignored the freshly brewed coffee, not wanting a stimulant that crashed in their system, plus who knew if she’d poison it. Okay, he knew that wouldn’t happen, especially if she drank from the same pot. All he knew was that if her look when they’d walked in the door could’ve killed, Sam would’ve been digging their graves.

While Sam worked to soothe Beverly, Jesse slipped off to investigate the home. Ken held the note left behind—an odd one since there’d been no ransom request—at the corner with a tissue in the tips of his fingers, even though he was sure Beverly’s prints compromised what might’ve been there. Still, they’d expedite it to the lab. Even though Sam wasn’t asking kidnapping questions yet, he remained close to listen. It was amazing what crumbs could be found, and that must’ve been Sam’s intent.

Jesse hadn’t returned when Sam began asking their standard questions. He had to hand it to her, she knew what to ask and how to handle Beverly, who kept giving sideways glances at him and searching glances, probably seeking Jesse’s location.

Most of what she’d answered gave them nothing new to work with. While unspoken, the question as to whether she could’ve done harm to her son had been there. It was statistically the likely cause. Heck, several cases had made national news. He couldn’t stomach the thought of her hurting the boy.

Ken didn’t get that gnawing feeling that she had something to do with Cody’s abduction. Right now though, he didn’t trust all that Beverly told them.

Sam reached over and covered Beverly’s perfectly manicured hand on the table. “You already told me some basics over the phone that will help us, but I need you to tell me about the note.” Her soft voice held a soothing quality while it also took a no-nonsense effect.

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