Here and Gone(65)

The agent’s face remained blank as she closed the door. She came to the table but did not sit down, placing her hands on the back of a chair, gripping it with her strong fingers.

‘Mr Lee, I was able to reach Special Agent Reilly. He confirmed that your child disappeared and your wife took her own life. I’m very sorry for your loss, Mr Lee, but Special Agent Reilly told me he never believed your wife’s version of events. He also told me you have quite a colorful past. Two stretches in prison for violent crime, a long list of arrests, including for murder.’

‘That was a long time ago,’ Danny said.

‘So you’re a reformed character, that’s great, but it doesn’t help me right now. Nor does it help Mrs Kinney. Now, I’d like you to leave town tonight. If you don’t, I’m going to have Detective Showalter arrest you for obstructing this investigation.’

Audra stared up at Mitchell, balling her fists. Mitchell’s hard glare almost made Audra look away. Almost.

Mitchell spoke to her now. ‘At ten a.m. tomorrow, a warrant will be served for your arrest in connection with the murder of your children, Sean and Louise Kinney. You’ve got tonight to think about it. I’ve been as kind and as patient with you as I can be, but once that warrant is issued, I can’t help you anymore. Believe me, they will show you no mercy. They will tear you to pieces.’

Audra stood, leaned across the table to Mitchell. ‘Just do one thing for me. Please.’

‘What?’

‘Question Whiteside like you questioned me. Collins too. Put them on the spot. Put pressure on them, see if you can find a crack in their stories. Do it tonight.’

‘Please stop this,’ Mitchell said, pressing her fingertips to her forehead. ‘Just stop, for the love of God.’

‘Interview them,’ Audra said. ‘Then at least you can say you tried everything, that you did your job.’

‘Fuck you.’ Mitchell’s eyes flashed. ‘I do my job, and I do it well. I’ve gotten more children back than any other agent on the CARD team. Seriously, fuck you. Why do think you have a right to question how I do my job?’

‘Why?’ Audra said. ‘Because you don’t believe I hurt my children.’

Mitchell stood in silence, her gaze burning on Audra’s skin.

‘Just question them,’ Audra said. ‘Please.’

Mitchell shook her head and exhaled. ‘I’ll see what I can do. But short of them leading me right to those kids, you will be arrested in the morning. And don’t even think about absconding. There will be patrols all around this street to make sure you don’t.’ She pointed at Danny. ‘I don’t want to see you again.’

Mitchell turned and left the room, slamming the door behind her.

‘I think you pissed her off,’ Danny said.

‘Good.’

Danny got up from his seat and came to Audra’s side. ‘Be ready to go at five a.m. I’ll be waiting.’

‘Why?’

‘Because no matter what Mitchell says to those cops, they aren’t going to give up your kids. So tomorrow morning, we’re going to get them.’

Danny went to the door, left without speaking again.





37


WHITESIDE CROSSED THE street from the town hall where the search effort was now being coordinated. The jangle of telephones still sounded in his ears, the lines set alight by that half-million dollar reward. Outside, the town seemed ghostly empty now the press had slipped away. He imagined them all in the motel over in Gutteridge, cheap as it was, getting some rest. Fatigue had begun to eat at the edges of his mind, and if he thought for a moment he would be able to sleep, he would go home right now and climb into bed. He might have tried anyway, except Mitchell had called his cell and demanded he go back to the station.

He had called and texted Collins several times, but she had not replied since she left to go up to the cabin. The idea that something had gone wrong capered around his mind, but he did his best to ignore it. Worry wouldn’t do him any good.

The station was quiet, the senior state cops having gone to their homes. The whole thing had a sense of winding down now, an acceptance that the children were gone, and that was that. He could see it in the cops’ and the feds’ faces.

All except Mitchell, who looked like she never gave up on anything.

She waited with that asshole Showalter down by the interview room. He nodded when she waved him over. Her lackey Abrahms sat at a desk, his laptop open in front of him. He watched Whiteside as he approached.

‘What do you need?’ Whiteside asked. ‘I was thinking about going home and getting some rest.’

Mitchell opened the door to the interview room, let it swing open, room enough for him to step past her and through. Whiteside looked from the door to Mitchell to Showalter and back to her.

‘What?’

‘Just a few minutes of your time,’ Mitchell said. ‘You don’t mind, do you?’

‘You’re going to interview me?’ he said, pointing at the open door. ‘You serious?’

‘A few questions, that’s all.’

Whiteside looked to Showalter, who shrugged, what are you gonna do?

‘All right,’ Whiteside said, giving Mitchell a smile. ‘But let’s make it quick. My bed’s calling to me.’