Jason headed for the door.
“Finish the sketch including the birthmark. I need to make a call.”
He glanced at his watch.
11:30
****
Vanessa’s arm was getting tired. She had written the sentence at least a hundred times, maybe more. She had occupied her mind by counting each one but had lost count at 74. She had no idea how much time had gone by, but she figured as long as she was writing, he would leave her alone. He had not left the room. He just watched.
“That’s enough.”
Her heart stopped.
“Throw me the marker. Nicely.”
His voice had lost all tone. It was dead, cold and matter-of-fact. It matched his eyes.
She turned and tossed the marker over by his feet. Wrapping her arms around herself, she waited for what she assumed was the inevitable. He looked at her and then at the mattress in the middle of the room.
“Lay down over there.”
Vanessa didn’t move. The gun came up from his side and pointed at her.
“Lay down over there, now.”
She crossed the room and climbed onto the mattress. Laying down, she curled into a fetal position with her back to him. She heard him get up.
She held her breath, tears starting to well up in her eyes. Then she heard the door open and shut, the lock click, and silence.
She let her breath out.
Chapter 16
Jason found the number in the memory of his phone. It was almost midnight but he had to call. Mrs. Walker had obviously been asleep.
“Hello?”
“Mrs. Walker, this is Detective Strong. I’m very sorry to wake you.”
“Detective Strong?”
“Yes. Detective Vanessa Layne and I spoke with you and your husband a little over a week ago.”
“Oh, yes…Of course. It’s very late, detective. What is it that couldn’t wait until morning?”
“I don’t have time to go into the details but my partner has been taken and we believe it’s the same man that took your daughter.”
Jason could hear Mrs. Walker suck in her breath.
“We saw the news, of course. We didn’t realize who the abducted detective was.”
From the background came the voice of Mr. Walker.
“Who is it?”
The phone was partially covered but Jason could still hear Mrs. Walker telling her husband who was calling and about Vanessa. There was some muffled noises and Mr. Walker came on.
“What is it we can do for you, detective?”
“Mr. Walker, do you or your wife recall a friend of Marcie’s from school that had a large birthmark on his face?”
“Well…yes. There was a boy that had a rather large one who went to high school with Marcie. I only met him once, quite by accident.”
Jason held his breath as Mr. Walker turned to his wife and asked the boy’s name.
“Do you remember that boy’s name that stopped by looking for Marcie? He had the large birthmark on his face.”
Jason couldn’t hear the answer but Mr. Walker came back on.
“My wife doesn’t remember his name but she thinks his picture would be in the high school yearbook. She’s gonna look for it. Do you want to call back?”
“Actually, would it be alright if I came over?”
“Now?”
“Yes. If his picture is in that book, I’ll need to see it.”
“Very well.”
Jason hung up and called Lieutenant Patton.
“Patton.”
Jason didn’t know if the lieutenant was at home but he had definitely not been asleep.
“Lieutenant, this is Jason. I’m on the way to Marcie Walker’s parent’s house. The sketch has given me a lead. Mrs. Walker’s looking for a school yearbook that may have our guys photo.”
“Keep me posted.”
“Yes sir.”
****
Time had stopped for Vanessa.
After what seemed like hours, she couldn’t tell how long actually, Norman came back into the room without a word. She heard him move around the room. There was a click, like a lock snapping shut, and then she heard him walk to the door. He left.
Vanessa looked around her. The closet at the far end of the room was now closed and had a padlock on it. That was what she had heard snap shut. She couldn’t put her clothes back on if she wanted to.
She curled back up on the mattress. She shook even though she wasn’t cold. The fear that came with the loss of control over her own life was something she had never experienced. She knew that each girl before her had felt the same fear. It was paralyzing.
Vanessa had been in street fights while on patrol. She had been involved in a gun fight when responding to bank alarm. Nothing had approached the fear she felt now. She was helpless. No weapon, no clothes, no escape. She fought for control. She wanted to run to the window or door, start pounding and screaming at the top of her lungs but she had realized that the room must be sound proofed in some way. He would not have risked firing his gun if he thought someone could hear it.
She thought of Jason. He was her best hope, maybe her only hope. He had to find her before it was too late.
****
Jason arrived at the Walker’s home twenty-five minutes later. The lights in the house were on. He parked and walked up to the door. Mr. Walker opened it before the detective could knock.
“Come in, Detective.”
“Thank you. Did Mrs. Walker have any luck finding the yearbook?”
“She’s still upstairs looking. Would you like some coffee?”
“No thank you. I’ll just sit if it’s okay.”
“Of course.”
Jason was about to sit when he heard Mrs. Walker coming down the stairs.
“Found it. Hello, Detective.”
“Hello. You found the yearbook?”
“Not only did I find the book, I found his picture.”
Jason’s adrenaline began pumping.
“Excellent. May I see?”
She handed him the book with the page open to a row of pictures. Jason spotted him immediately.
Norman Lasiter.
The name didn’t ring any bells.
“May I take this book?”
“Of course. Please let us know when you catch him.”
“I will. Thank you and I apologize again for getting you out of bed.”
Mr. Walker shook his head.
“It was no trouble.”
Jason headed for the door. His next stop was back at the hospital to show the picture to Stephanie Morris. There was no point in trying to put together a photo line-up with six men who have Port Wine Stains. IF he could find them, it would take too long. Vanessa didn’t have that kind of time.
He called and updated the lieutenant as he drove.
****
Jason found Stephanie Morris asleep with the TV on. The nurse was just coming to check on her and Jason let her know he needed to wake her.
“She needs to sleep, Detective.”
“I know but a life is at stake and I need her to look at a photo for me.”
“Very well but I will have to note it on her chart. Dr. Nance wanted her to sleep as much as possible.”
“I understand. I won’t keep her any longer than I have to.”
Jason walked over and shut off the TV. The change in noise seemed to stir the girl. Jason touched her arm.
“Stephanie? Stephanie?”
She opened her eyes and gave him a half smile.
“Detective? Is everything alright?”
She sat up, pulling on her shoulder and wincing.
“Yes. I just need your help with something.”
“Did you see the sketch?”
“Not yet. I’ll see it when I get to the station. I have a photo I need you to look at.”
“Okay.”
She rubbed at her eyes before accepting the yearbook from Jason. His heart was pounding but he did his best to hide it. He needed a positive ID with no influence from him. The lieutenant had suggested that rather than point out the suspects picture, Jason should show her the entire page of senior photo’s and see if she picks him out. It wasn’t a true photo line-up but it was better than nothing.