Enigma (FBI Thriller #21)(19)
Sharpe nodded. “He’s very young.”
“Yes, he is. About your age.”
Sharpe gave him a big grin. “Nah, I’ve got at least two years on him.”
Savich gave Officer Tommy Sharpe his cell number and took the elevator to the maternity floor. He showed his creds at the entrance to the maternity-unit security guard with the name Ray Hunter on his name tag. Ray’s head was topped with a crop of bright red hair, and he looked bored. A red eyebrow went up when Savich showed him his creds. “Any trouble here, Agent Savich?”
“No, I’m here to see a new mother, Kara Moody.” Savich looked at his name tag again. “Why, Ray? Have you had any problems on the floor?”
“Not since last week when an ex-husband tried to take his kid out of the unit by himself without checking with anybody. The infant security bands were still on the baby. Obviously the guy didn’t know the procedures to follow. The alarm went off and everything shut down as it was supposed to, the elevators, stairwells. It was a mess until we got him talked down and the baby back safe in his mother’s room.” He shook his head. “It’s sad we have to be here to guard a maternity ward against people out to steal babies, but it’s a strange world.”
Savich gave Ray a salute and set off toward the nurses’ station to ask for Kara Moody’s room number. He heard loud voices down the hall and someone was screaming.
It was Kara.
10
LONDON-CORBIN MAGEE FIELD
LONDON, KENTUCKY
MONDAY, LATE AFTERNOON
Cam stepped forward, shook the chief’s big hand. “Chief Harbinger? I’m Agent Cam Wittier. This is Agent Jack Cabot.”
They handed him their creds, watched him nod as he looked them over and handed them back. “Good to put faces to names. My name’s Quinn, but everybody calls me Chief. Just Chief. You okay with that?”
“Not a problem, Chief,” Jack said.
Chief turned, took his daughter’s hand. His voice was both irritated and admiring. “And this is my daughter, Kim. I think you know my daughter spotted Manta Ray and his two compadres walking into the national forest. We’ll be dropping her off at the London Ranger Station, where we’ll be picking up our guide, Head Ranger Wayne Duke—we call him Duke. I thought it might be useful to give you a chance to speak with Kim on the way over. In fact, she insisted on speaking with you in person, even said her lips were sealed after she came up with that idea. She’s just like her mom. I’ve learned from harsh experience it’s easier to cooperate.”
Kim rolled her eyes and quickly stepped forward, a huge smile on her face, showing beautiful white teeth. She had a long blond ponytail and bright blue eyes, only a bit darker than Sherlock’s. Her cutoff jeans and sleeveless white shirt showed off her tan and a fit body. High-tops and heavy white socks polished off her presentation, a teen who spent a lot of time outdoors.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kim.” Cam shook her hand, handed Kim her creds. Jack did the same. It was a show of respect that made the teenager’s eyes widen with pleasure.
Cam nodded toward Chief Harbinger. “When I was your age, Kim, I never got away with giving my dad ultimatums. I’ve always thought it was a pity.” Kim grinned at her father like a sinner who’d cleaned out the collection plate.
“I didn’t, either,” Jack said. “My parents kept me so straight-arrow, joining the service was like a vacation.”
He looked so badass, everyone laughed.
Chief raised an eyebrow straight up. “She’s lucky it was a good idea,” he said and gave his daughter the stink-eye.
“In any case, Kim,” Jack said, “we’re pleased you’ll be able to tell us about Manta Ray. His real name’s Liam Hennessey, and no, I don’t know where he got that moniker. First we want to know why you’re so certain it was Manta Ray you saw.”
Chief looked at his watch. “Hold off on the questions until we get on our way to the London Ranger Station. As I said, we’re hooking up with Head Ranger Wayne Duke there, and meeting up with Harry Morsi. He sells most of the outdoor equipment in Pennington Gap. He’s bringing along everything we’ll need for several days, and nothing we won’t. Kim, Harry will be driving you back home.”
“Or I could go in with you, Dad. You know I’m a really good hiker; I know the forest. I could—”
“Kimmie, that’s not going to happen. Now I expect you to keep your word.”
Cam watched Kim finally nod, but she didn’t look happy. The girl wanted adventure, but it wasn’t going to happen this time.
Chief turned back to Cam and Jack. “One of Duke’s men will be driving us to East Branch Road, where we’ll head into the forest, hopefully before sunset. Since we’ll be in the woods, even the quarter moon won’t give us much light, so we’ll have to stop before long and pick up their trail tomorrow morning.”
“Give me a minute,” Jack said and moseyed over to a man in overalls who was wiping his hands on a rag, looking the Skylane over. They had their heads together for maybe two minutes before the man nodded, and they shook hands. When Jack was back, he said, “My baby is in good hands. No worries.”
Chief gave a little wave at the man in the overalls. “Hank Withers is as trustworthy as they come, seems to know everything there is to know about planes. Can’t say it hurts that it’s an FBI plane—he knows if something happens to it on his watch, he’ll be dog-paddling in the crapper.”