Two Girls Down(68)

“Yes. You met with him the last time—” Cap paused.

Vega held up one finger and mouthed, “Year.”

“A year ago, is that correct?” said Cap.

“Yeah, that’s right. He completed his parole.”

“You have any idea where he is now?”

Kendrick laughed.

“We didn’t talk too much, socially. So no, I don’t know where he is. Can I ask why you’re looking?”

“We’d like to question him in an ongoing investigation. The Brandt girls. Can you tell us anything that might be helpful in that regard?”

“In finding him? The guy lived with some friends but not for long. Had a job at the mall, right?”

“Yeah, we just came from there.”

“He had a girlfriend too—she’d been down in Riverside in Philly. Charming girl.”

Cap smiled and looked over at Vega, who did not smile.

“He stayed with her for a long time. Her family was up in Wilkes-Barre. I’d try her. Even if he’s not with her, she might know.”

“Great, can you get us her name?”

“Yeah, give me a few minutes to go through the notes. I’ll send you a text.”



Cap said thanks, and Kendrick said he was happy to help and then hung up. Cap tapped the wheel with his thumbs.

“So we get the name, maybe we send it to your guy? Vega?”

He looked over. Her eyes were closed, her head leaning into the sling of the seat belt, asleep. Her hands were in her lap, fingers twitching. Cap smiled, glad she was getting rest. Also realized he worried about her getting rest. Realized he was worried about her at all. Some loose strands of her hair fell across her cheek, into her eyes, and Cap thought what was the harm in it, really, just to sweep it off her face and bring it behind her ear. I’ll barely touch her, he thought.

—

Vega was not asleep, just shut down for a while. She pictured John McKie, and she pictured Evan Marsh, head shots and camera flashes behind her eyes. They were dots on a map with roads sprouting out from each like veins, and only one road was the one, only one lit up from underneath with runway lights, but she couldn’t see where it led.

Cap’s phone dinged, and Vega opened her eyes and sat up. Cap grabbed at his phone but somehow knocked it onto the floor, near Vega’s feet.

“Fuck,” he said, disoriented. Like he had been asleep.

Vega picked it up and read from Kendrick’s text aloud.

“The girl’s name is Dena Macht. In Riverside for eighteen months for assault and possession of drugs and stolen property. Corresponded with John McKie while on the inside and then reunited when they were both out. Kendrick said before they were arrested their hobbies included smoking meth, snorting Vicodin, picking pockets, and stealing from family. He would not be surprised if they were involved in one or more of those activities currently.”

Vega scrolled, read more.

“That’s how Dena Macht got busted in the first place. Her parents called it in.”

“Her parents,” said Cap.

Vega typed in a message to the Bastard on her phone, and then Cap’s phone buzzed again and she read the text on the screen.

“Who’s that?” he asked.

“Traynor. He wants us to come in.”



“Why?”

“They have Kevin Brandt.”

Then she had to put both phones in her lap because of the sweat budding on her hands. Also on the bottom of her feet, muddying the insides of her shoes, and a single drop slipping down her arm. She opened the window and stuck her head out. It was getting dark, and there was a little rain in the air.

Cap was asking her questions but she didn’t answer; she breathed and tried to count five on the inhale and five on the exhale. Push, pull, said a yoga teacher in her head. In breath to the out breath.

Fuck you, said Vega to the yoga teacher. I want the shallow breath, and I want the sweat, and I want the headache. It means I’m close.

—

Cap huddled in a hallway with Traynor, Junior, and the Fed. Vega stood with her back flush against the wall, not leaning. She had her jacket draped over her forearm and her skin was wet and white. Cap tried to get her eye, but she wouldn’t look at him.

“Brandt’s in A,” said Junior.

“Who’s with him?” asked Cap.

“No one right now,” said Junior. “Says he has a lawyer coming.”

Traynor added, “He claims he doesn’t know where the girls are, hasn’t seen them in eight years. Same story Jamie told us.”

“Where’d you find him?”

“Town in southern Ohio,” said the Fed. “Living under the name Miss Vega’s contact provided. We had people search his home, where a number of illegal recreational substances were recovered.”

“But not two girls,” said Cap.

“No. His alibi checks out as well.”

“Which is what?”

The Fed paused, looked at him sideways.

“That he was in southern Ohio at the time of the abduction. He’s got half a dozen people who can vouch for him.”

“Yeah, but he lived here once,” said Cap. “He could still have connections here.”

“He didn’t know Evan Marsh,” said Traynor. “Says he didn’t.”