Finding Her Son(33)

A green dot appeared on a screen, moving toward downtown Denver. The internal GPS provided the location of all the vehicles. Four dots were sitting a few hundred feet from her. The fifth headed closer and closer to the Denver Police Department.

“Please, don’t go there,” she said softly to the dot.

The car turned on the street, only blocks away, then slowed to a stop in front of the Denver PD building.

“You lied to me,” she whispered.

The faith that had been growing ever so slowly since she’d met Mitch cracked. She didn’t want to believe he’d lied.

The computer in front of her beeped. She had a name.

She glanced back at the green indicator. Still stationary.

With a muttered curse, she grabbed one of the portable GPS trackers from the table, scribbled names and addresses on a slip of paper and headed upstairs. She’d find out once and for all if she could trust Mitch Bradford.

She snagged a set of keys off the wall of the kitchen and headed to the garage. If he didn’t have a heck of an explanation… She paused. She wouldn’t do anything.

She’d be on her own. Again. Like always. But this time, her heart would be shattered beyond repair.




MITCH KEPT THE ENGINE running as he waited in front of the police department. He wouldn’t go in. He rounded the block and came to a stop just as Dane Tanner walked across the street.

Mitch rolled down the tinted window. “You wanted to see me.”

Tanner peered behind him. “Where you headed?”

“The vacant lot down the street. My kids have football practice, and I have some questions for one of the players.”

“Is your charge safe?”

“She’s holed up.”

Tanner hopped into the truck. “I don’t want to be seen with you. Drive.”

“What’s going on?” Mitch pulled onto the street.

“Ghost’s breakout. It was too easy. Nobody saw anything. The cameras in holding mysteriously had a glitch during the hour it happened.”

“Glad you finally acknowledged it was an inside job. I was beginning to wonder.”

“Thanks a lot,” Tanner said. “I hate cops on the take more than anything. Nice to know you thought I was one of them.”

“I’ve been burned. You know that. Adam showed me the ropes. Saved my life more than once.”

“And cost you SWAT,” Tanner said. “Drug money will do it every time.”

The words made Mitch’s stomach seize. He shouldn’t be surprised Tanner might think he was finished, but it still hurt like hell.

“I hate this.” The disgust in Tanner’s voice mirrored Mitch’s thoughts. “I’ve asked your dad for some outside help.”

Mitch couldn’t hide his shock. “Why him?”

“He does a lot of work for…one of our top consultants.” Tanner shrugged. “Maybe you should ask him. Sounds like an internal communication problem to me.”

Mitch bristled at the thought of his family keeping secrets. Then again, had he let any of them in on the true state of his rehab? He rubbed his thigh. They might be guessing, but they didn’t know. Just like he couldn’t be certain about Tanner. This entire conversation could be a setup. “What can you tell me?”

“Not much, but don’t call my office line, Bradford. Only my cell. And keep her with you until I clear this up. I want whoever’s messing with the Denver PD as much as I want Eric Wentworth’s killer.”

Mitch pulled up across from a large dirt field. A group of teens hovered at one end of the vacant lot. “I’ll keep her safe.” Then he stroked his chin. He decided to plant a seed. “Tanner? You see a missing person’s report go through on a pregnant girl in the last few days?”

Tanner shook his head. “This that case you asked the guys to run?”

“Morgue got an ID through dental records. She’d recently delivered a baby. It’s missing.”

“You think it’s connected to your case?”

“Do you like the coincidence?”

“Hell, no.” Tanner climbed out of the pickup and rounded the vehicle. His breath puffed in the cold Colorado air. “Missing babies. Car bombs. This is bigger than we thought. Keep your charge out of sight. I don’t know who’s talking, but the perp’s in the know.” He zipped up his jacket. “I’ll be in touch.”

Dane started jogging back to the station. Mitch let the reality sink in. He had no backup. At least officially. If he got in trouble, he had few people he could call. Including his father.

“Hey, Coach!”

Ricky ran across the abandoned field. “You find Kayla?”

Mitch shook his head at the boy. “I checked out your sister, Ricky. Why didn’t you tell me her boyfriend was arrested for assault? You holding out on me?”

The boy looked down. “She wouldn’t press charges. Stupid girls.”

“You got any more little tidbits? If I’m going to help you—”

A black SUV pulled up behind Mitch’s truck. A man stepped out of the car. “You owe me big, getting me out of a very comfortable situation in bed, if you get my drift,” the man groused.

“Ricky, this is Ian. Ace football player. He’s going to take my coaching duties on for a couple of days. Now, let’s you and I talk.” He turned to Ian. “You bring the equipment?”