“Nobody wants that to happen, Lucas. Especially not me, but you have no training, no back-up and no right to traipse off to who knows where hunting for your girlfriend. You could get yourself killed. This madman is not playing games and even if you were lucky enough to find her, you don’t stand a chance against him. Come back to the hospital. If you won’t do that, at least stay home while the police and FBI find Ellie and bring her back.”
“They won’t find her. They couldn’t even find him before. Jaxon got his partner killed and then he let Smi…Worthington take Ellie from our house. Jaxon promised to keep us safe, and now he’s been missing and nobody knows where he is.”
“He was just on TV. He’s going after Worthington as we speak. He and his ex-wife, the FBI lady. Please, Lucas. Please come back.”
“I’m hanging up Mom.”
“No! Dammit! As your mother, I’m ordering you to obey me! When your father is better, he’s going to beat your hide harder than you’ve ever been beaten!”
“That doesn’t scare me, Mom. Being without Ellie does.” And he hung up.
Jimmy and John were staring at him. “What? Let’s go. To my house.”
Jimmy put the Rodeo in drive and pulled out through the parking lot. He drove carefully, doing the speed limit, and in some cases just under it. Luke wanted to get to the house, but since Jimmy was a brand new driver, he let it go.
“What’s the plan?” John asked, after a few moments of silence.
“We go after him.”
“That’s all well and good, Luke, but how do you think we’re going to be able to do that?”
“I’ll get my dad’s gun and you guys have your hunting rifles. All three of us should be able to take him out.”
“What the hell are you talking about!” John yelled and Luke just looked straight ahead. “We aren’t cops. And we aren’t killers, at least I’m not. And you’re missing one other important point-we…don’t…know…where…he…is!”
Luke turned slowly in his seat and glared at John. “This is Ellie were talking about,” he said. “Apparently she isn’t worth it for you two to risk your lives. I for one cannot go on without her, so it’s fine if you don’t want to help. I’ll do it on my own. I just thought I’d have a better chance if I had some friends backing me up, but I guess I don’t really have the friends I thought I did.”
“Calm down, Luke,” Jimmy said.
“I won’t! Dammit! He’s going to kill her!”
“We’ll help,” Jimmy said. “Right, John?”
John looked back and forth between his brother and Luke, and Luke could see the fear in his eyes. “I’m not scared, John,” Luke said. “I feel pissed and I’m going to take my anger out on him. If you don’t want to do this, I won’t hold it against you. But I’m going after him.”
John sighed. “Alright. I’m in. I can’t let Ellie down and let you get yourself killed along with her.”
“Thanks, my friend.” Luke put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to do this alone.”
“How are we going to find him?” John asked.
“The same way as before,” Luke said. “He may be smart, but he’s got an ego bigger than all of DC and I bet we can trick him into making a mistake.”
“We don’t know his cell phone number anymore,” John said. “He’s not using the phone we know.”
Luke nodded. “I know someone we can call.”
Jaxon walked into the station with Victoria next to him, officers staring at them and reporters keeping their distance. Stansfield came up and said, “The chief wants to see you.”
“I want to see him too,” Jaxon said and walked past him to Benton’s office. A few of the officers gave him a thumbs up but most avoided eye contact. Jaxon was not very popular at the moment. He knocked on the door and Benton yelled, “Enter!”
Jaxon pushed the door open and strode in. Benton was seated at his desk on the phone. He mumbled something into the handset and hung it up. “Nice of you to show up,” he said.
“I want back in.”
“Too late for that,” Benton said. “I’ve already processed your paperwork and Stansfield is running the case now.”
“I don’t care. Worthington is pointing directly at me and I need to point back. He isn’t going to listen to anybody else.”
“Too bad you didn’t think of that the other day when you stormed in and threw your badge and gun on the desk. That stunt you just pulled with the reporters didn’t help either. The mayor and the district attorney don’t want you anywhere near this thing. You’ve fucked it up enough.”
“Dammit! This is bullshit!” Jaxon shouted slamming his fist on the desk. “You and I both know this little girl is going to die unless I get involved!”
Benton stood and leaned over the desk into Jaxon’s face. “All I see is a drunk, washed up fool who may have already sealed the fate of a young girl! And you,” Benton pointed at Victoria who had remained silent in the back of the office. “You need to call your boss immediately. Use the phone in the office next door.”
Victoria remained where she was.
“That is not a request Special Agent Elliot. It’s an order.”
Victoria moved away from the wall and walked out the door without saying a word.
“Dammit, Jaxon! I was on your side until you disappeared for two days and then threatened the media with violence. You’re a cop. You do know you could be brought up on assault?”
“I didn’t draw a weapon.”
“You don’t have a weapon.”
“It worked,” Jaxon said and grinned.
Benton sighed and sat down. “It did, didn’t it? Still, my ass is in a sling because of you and the chief of the NBC affiliate was screaming at me on the phone before you got here.”
“I needed to get moving and they were in my way.”
Benton waved his hand at him dismissing it. “I don’t have anything for you. My hands are tied.”
“I expected a little more from you, chief. A helping hand, you know…stand behind your man and all that stuff.”
Jaxon watched Benton’s face turn red and he knew he’d gone too far.
“You are to vacate these premises effective immediately,” Benton said. “And if you return, I’ll have you thrown in the tank without so much as a fuck you very much. Do I make myself clear?”
“Crystal,” Jaxon said, turning to leave. He stopped and turned back. “This is on your head. I’ll have my cell on when you change your mind.” Jaxon didn’t wait for a response. He walked from Benton’s office straight out the front door and to his car where he sat fuming, waiting for Victoria.
She followed a few minutes later, a scowl on her face as she strode up to the passenger door and sat in the car. They both stared straight ahead for a few minutes without saying a word and then she finally said, “Well-that was fun.”
Chapter 49
Luke walked into the empty house with Jimmy and John. He stood at the entrance and just listened to the silence for a moment. The last time he had been here everything had been almost perfect. Almost.
He walked upstairs and fired up his computer. Logging onto Facebook, he navigated to Quentin Jenson’s page and clicked on his friends list. His uncle Bodey was number thirty two. He clicked on Bodey Jenson’s face and it took him to his page. Clicking on the info button, he saw he had a website and e-mail listed and surprisingly, a phone number. Jackpot.
“Who’s Bodey Jenson?” Jimmy asked.
“It’s Q’s uncle. He’s the one who gave Q the program to decrypt the website that makes a cell phone number anonymous. That’s how we got Worthington’s cell phone number.”
Luke dialed Bodey Jenson’s number and it started to ring. It was answered on the sixth ring.
“I don’t know you,” the voice said, “You’d better not be selling something because I will make your life miserable. If you hang up now, we’re good.”
“Bodey Jenson?” Luke asked.
“You know me,” Bodey said. “Who is this?”
“My name is Luke Harrison and I’m a friend of Q’s”