Chapter 34

Aiden pounded his fist on his desk. Damn it! Why was this so difficult? When Dr. Tammy told him Strawski had a son, Aiden was elated, figuring it’d be a snap to locate the guy. He rubbed his burning eyes. Yeah, right. Nothing about this case was easy. He’d been sitting at his desk all night, searching police and state databases, looking for Abraham Strawski, but there weren’t any hits.

It was as if the guy didn’t exist. Other than Dr. Tammy’s memories, there weren’t any records to prove Strawski had ever had a son. The kid hadn’t been registered for a birth certificate, had never attended school, never sought medical attention, and never owned a vehicle. At least, he hadn’t done any of those things under the name Abraham Strawski.

And where did that leave them?

Another dead end.

He stared at the clock on the office wall as it ticked away the seconds. He was wasting time. Candace had been taken eighteen hours ago. Every minute she remained missing, the odds of finding her alive decreased exponentially.

Not good. Not good at all.

He should be doing something to find her. But what? Every lead led to a dead end. They had nothing. Zip. Nada. Not a damn thing except a few pet hairs. The DNA results on the blood found in Candace’s kitchen weren’t in yet, even though the captain had put a rush on them. But he didn’t expect them to help. Abraham Strawski was a ghost. His DNA wouldn’t be on file.

He threaded his fingers through his hair, fighting off the despair threatening to destroy him. Where was she? Was she still alive? His heart lurched. Candace was a strong, resourceful woman. She’d survive this. He refused to think otherwise.

His cell phone rang, the piercing tone cutting through his dark thoughts. He grabbed the phone off his desk and scanned the screen. Joe. He frowned. Why was his partner calling him at five in the morning? “What’s up?”

“Meet me out front.”

“What—"

“There’s no time for questions. Get your ass out here now.”

The urgency in Joe’s rough voice had Aiden grabbing his jacket off the back of his chair and running through the deserted bullpen and leaping the stairs two at a time. His breathing was heavy by the time he burst through the front doors and onto the sidewalk.

Joe’s official sedan was idling at the curb.

Aiden opened the door and slid onto the passenger seat. “What’s up? What’s so urgent you’re out at this time in the morning—" Before he finished speaking, the car took off with a jolt that threw him back against the seat.

Joe accelerated down the street, far exceeding the speed limit. He leaned over to the console and flicked on the flashing lights and wailing siren. Taking the next corner with screeching tires, he sped down the empty street.

Aiden strapped on his seat belt. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

Without taking his eyes off the road, Joe grunted. “You’re not gonna believe this.” He skidded around another corner.

“Believe what?” Aiden clenched his hands into fists. “Look, Joe, I don’t have time for your games. I have to find Candace before it’s too late.”

“Amanda Jacobs.”

“What about her?” Damn. They’d found her body. He braced for the news.

“A runner was out jogging on the trails in Creighton Springs State Park early this morning.” Joe slid him a look. “What’s with those athletic types? Who in their right mind goes running through a forest in the dark? I mean, haven’t they heard about bears?”

Aiden bit his lip, but he knew better than to say anything. Joe was enjoying stringing Aiden along. He’d get to the point, in his own good time. “People like to keep fit.”

Joe grunted. “Stupid people, you mean.” He swept down the street, the buildings a blur.

Bright lights loomed ahead. Aiden sat up. “What are we doing at the hospital?”

“Didn’t I tell you? That fool of a runner found Amanda Jacobs. She’s alive.”

Aiden’s breath whooshed out. “Amanda’s alive?”

Joe nodded as he screeched to a halt in front of the Emergency entrance. The siren died, and the police lights turned dark. He faced Aiden. “She’s alive, but poor kid’s in critical condition.”

Aiden only heard his partner’s first words. Amanda was alive! She’d beaten the odds and survived more than three months’ captivity. A ray of hope surged. If Amanda had escaped her captor after all this time, Candace could as well.

Joe’s jaw worked as he chewed on a wad of gum. “First reports are that she’s emaciated, severely dehydrated, and suffering from hypothermia. From what the cops on the scene told me, she was naked and delirious.” He tutted. “Poor kid. She’s been through a rough time. It’s touch and go if she makes it.”

“We can’t talk to her?” Aiden drummed his fingers on his thighs and slid a glance at the digital clock on the console. Time was ticking. “Then why are we here?”

“Don’t get your panties in a twist.” Joe grabbed the car keys and shoved open his door. “The runner who found her is here. He has one of those fancy satellite phones, and he called from the park for help. The poor guy was so shocked to see a naked girl in the woods, he tripped over a root and sprained his ankle. The EMTs transported him to the hospital for treatment.” He climbed out of the car. “I thought you might want to chat with him.”

Aiden sucked in a steadying breath and followed. His mind whirled with a thousand possibilities. This could be it. This could be the break they’d been praying for. If the same perp who took Amanda was the one who’d abducted Candace, they were in the money. If Amanda recovered. And if she could identify her kidnapper.

A lot of ifs, but he had a new spring in his step as they pushed through the sliding glass doors and rushed into the bustling Emergency ward.