Her Silent Cry (Detective Josie Quinn Book 6)(76)

He nodded. “I’m on it.”

With that, he took out his phone and made two calls. As she listened to him give instructions, a feeling of relief swept over her, but it wasn’t enough to quell the unease building inside her. She knew the Denton woods intimately. She’d spent most of her childhood in them. Having agents patrol the ridge above the Stacks would make the area more secure, but Josie knew there were several crevices and other rock formations in that area that would make a good hiding place for someone who didn’t want to be seen. The kidnapper could be already hiding somewhere and would have the advantage—however hard they tried to be invisible, he would see them coming. If they’d had more time, Josie could have had her own team—who was much more familiar with the area between the Stacks and the mill—clear those woods.

Gretchen handed her an earpiece connected to a small communication device. “Put this on. These are the comms the agents are using. We’ll be able to hear everything that’s going on.”

“Thanks,” Josie said absently.

Gretchen said, “You’re staring awfully hard. You heard Oaks, right? He had a team clear that area when he got here.”

“I know,” Josie murmured. “I just can’t shake the feeling that something about this entire set up is very, very wrong.”

Behind them, Oaks said, “It’s almost time.”





Fifty-Two





It felt like the world had fallen into some strange, silent trance. Nothing and no one moved. They had managed to get one of the windows to slide open so that they could hear any noise outside the bleachers, but there was no sound. Not even the wind or the birds. Josie checked her phone. It was two minutes to six. The only sounds she heard were the hum of the vending machines across the room, Gretchen and Oaks breathing, and the low chatter over the comms. A voice in her ear said, “Team is in place in location two. We are about to send in the package.” Josie knew that was the drop at Lover’s Cave.

Oaks responded, “Copy that. Team is in position at location one. Is the package ready?”

Another voice came back. “Mother just pulled up in her vehicle. She’s got the package. Heading toward the field.”

The three of them waited, staring out the small windows. A minute later, Amy stepped through the entrance to the football field nearest the building, a duffel bag in her hands.

“How much does that bag weigh?” Gretchen asked.

“As it turns out, half a million dollars weighs about twenty-two pounds,” Oaks said.

Amy let go of the straps with one hand to push a lock of her hair behind her ear. Josie could see her fingers trembling.

On the comms, Oaks said, “Team at location one is sending in the package. Stand by.”

Another voice came back, “Copy that. Team at location two is sending in the package as well.”

Amy walked slowly and unsteadily onto the field, struggling under the weight of her vest while carrying the duffel bag. Oaks had instructed Amy to leave the bag on the fifty-yard line in the middle of the rendering of Denton East’s mascot, a blue jay.

“Team at location two has delivered the package. Mr. Ross is returning to custody. Stand by.”

The comms went silent as Amy reached the very center of the field and placed the bag on the ground. The sound of her pounding heart filled Josie’s ears. A voice she didn’t recognize came across the comms. “Be advised. We have movement on the east side in the woods at location one.”

Amy spun in a slow circle, eyes searching everywhere until they came to rest on the bleachers where Oaks, Josie and Gretchen hid.

“What is she doing?” Gretchen asked.

“Waiting,” Josie said. “She’s waiting for something to happen.”

“Be advised, we have eyes on a suspect on the ridge in the woods at location one,” came the strange voice.

From the window, Oaks waved to get Amy’s attention but still, she didn’t move.

Gretchen said, “But she knows that the kidnapper isn’t bringing Lucy here.”

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Amy started walking back toward them.

A shot rang out, cracking through the air. Everyone froze. On the field, Amy dropped into a crouch, her arms over her head.

“Agents report, agents report,” Oaks said over the comms.

“Where did that come from?” Gretchen asked.

“The Stacks,” Josie said. “Had to be the Stacks.”

Amy wasn’t moving. Her arms lowered and her eyes traveled her surroundings once more.

Another shot cracked the air.

“Agents report,” Oaks hollered. He ran from the room.

Outside on the field, Amy’s head peeked out from between her arms. She took one look around, sprung up and started to sprint toward the entrance.

Yet another voice sounded on the comms. “Location one, man down! Man down! On the ridge. Suspect is a six-foot male, armed with a—” Then it cut out.

Oaks’s voice shouted, “Agent Morgan report! Report! Units to the ridge.”

A third shot rang out. Amy’s body bucked and fell. Suddenly the comms were full of voices shouting commands and positions. Josie took out her Glock and ran out of the room. Outside the anteroom were a set of steps on her left which led up to the field. Josie started up the stairs. Behind her, Gretchen shouted, “Boss, no! You’ll be a sitting duck.”