Page 39 of Possession

Chapter 23

Nathaniel

Josephand I were halfway down to the lobby when our phones pinged signaling an incoming email. I pulled it up and saw it was from Kurt. Damn that guy worked fast. Our gazes zeroed in on the two-man team waiting for us in the lobby.

“Campbell. Evans.”

They scrambled from their positions and hurried over.

“Do you recognize this guy?” I turned my phone toward them with the snapshot of Madeline and the guy in the alley.

Evans shook his head, while Campbell studied it a bit longer. “Wasn’t he the guy at the bakery this morning? I mean, I’m not a hundred percent sure, but it could be him.”

“What bakery?” Joseph asked.

Campbell spoke again. “Ms. Parrish stopped at her favorite bakery this morning. She’s usually there at least twice a week. She’s friends with the owner. Anyway, we stopped there this morning. I’m great with faces, and I’m always watching the crowd. There was a guy in there this morning that resembles your guy here. It’s hard to make a guaranteed assumption though with only a partial of his face.”

“You know, Ms. Parrish did rush out of the bakery pretty quickly. Almost like she was spooked about something. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary so I didn’t really think anything on it,” Evans tacked on, shaking his head. “Damn, I should have paid more attention.”

“You talking about Jane Doughs?”

They both nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“You two report back to headquarters. I want you to head to evidence and see what the ERT has come up with. Call us immediately if they get a hit on anything. Joseph, let’s go.”

We ran out to the car and raced the few blocks to the bakery, praying it was still open. When we pulled up, Joseph cursed. “Son of a bitch.”

“Let’s knock on the door. Maybe someone is still in the back.”

I pounded on the door praying all the while. Then, we waited. Nothing. I pounded again. God damnit.

“Look, I’ll put in a call and search the owner’s information to get a number.”

We turned and headed back to the car. Just as I stepped off the curb to walk around to the driver’s side, the sound of a bell jingled.

“Can I help you?”

We both turned at the melodic voice. A petite woman with reddish-blonde hair piled on top of her head stood holding the door of the bakery open. She had a heart-shaped face with that girl-next-door look and appeared to be in her late-twenties or early-thirties.

“Are you Jane?” I asked, hopeful that this was the woman we needed to speak with.

“Yes. Can I help you?” she asked cautiously, unsure of our intent.

I sighed in relief and my shoulders relaxed from their tensed position as I reached into my pocket for my ID. “My name is Agent Nathaniel Morgan and this is Agent Joseph Crocker. We need—”

“Wait a minute. Are you the Nathaniel and Joseph? Like Madeline’s Nathaniel and Joseph?”

Joseph and I looked at each other in surprise and then back at Jane. “She’s told you about us?”

Her face flushed a light pink shade and she lowered her gaze before returning it back. “Um, she may have mentioned something.”

I knew Joseph felt the same rush of pride that Madeline had told her friend about us. It also looked like there was also a hint of envy in little miss Jane’s tone.

“Jane, we need your help. Madeline has gone missing, we believe kidnapped. We know she was in here this morning. And that it’s possible something spooked her. You don’t happen to have any cameras in there do you?” I gestured toward the shop.

Her eyes widened in horror. “Oh my God. Yes, of course. Come in. I’ll pull the tapes for you.”

We entered the bakery and Jane closed and locked the door behind us. “The camera monitor is back here.”

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