9:45pm
Finally! The bookstore was closed up and it was time to head for home. As Joan headed for her car, she muttered to herself what a jerk Sammy was. Always making snarky little comments. And he made her stay late tonight to finish the inventory. She was still muttering to herself about what she'd REALLY like to say to him when she turned onto the nearly deserted side street where she'd left her car. She was so caught up in her little one sided rant that she didn't notice the SUV parked across the street, much less the man in it. She never heard him get out of the truck or cross the street and move toward her as she reached for the door handle. She was only aware of a sudden sharp pain in the back of her head, then darkness.
As she slumped to the ground at his feet, Graves smiled. "Well, that was a bit easier than I expected", he thought as he hoisted her in his arms and carried her to the back of the SUV. Pulling out a syringe and a vial, he injected a sedative into her. She was already out cold, but still, he didn't want to take the chance of her waking up soon. He had a phone call to make. He covered her with the tarp he had brought with him, and headed for the payphone on the corner.
10:05 PM
After he hung up the phone, Will looked at the clock on the microwave and realized he didn't remember hearing Joan come in from work. The bookstore closed at 9pm, and she should have gotten home by now.
Helen came downstairs and taking in the stunned look on Will's face, asked, "What is it? Who was that?" Will didn't answer. "Will?"
"Did Joan get home from work?"
"No, not yet. Why?"
"She should have been home by now. "
"Maybe she stopped by Adam's. What's going on?"
"Call her cell phone. If she answers, tell her to stay where she is and I'll come get her."
"What? If she answers? Will, what are you talking about?"
"Graves escaped from prison."
"Graves? That guy from the murder case back in Staten Island a few years ago?"
"Yeah. That was him on the phone just now."
"What are you telling me? What does this have to do with Joan?"
"I don't know. I don't know. He asked if I knew where she was and then hung up."
"She's not answering her phone…"
"Call Adam's house, and Grace's too. Maybe she's there. And keep trying her cell. I'm going down to the station. Whether he has her or not, we have to find him."
Will grabbed his coat and keys and headed out the door, leaving Helen standing in the kitchen, stunned.
Helen called Adam and Grace, neither of whom had seen her since that afternoon at school. Helen didn't want to worry them, so she attempted to downplay her concern, telling them Joan probably just had to work late, since Christmas was on Saturday. She then proceeded to call Joan's cell phone about twenty times, silently begging her daughter to answer. She was pacing as she made the calls, and was so tense she nearly jumped out of her skin when the phone in the kitchen rang. Racing to answer it, she heard Will on the line.
"Will, I can't reach her. Did you find out anything?"
"I sent a unit over to the bookstore."
"And…?"
"Her car is still parked on one of the side streets near the store. They also found her purse and cell phone with the car."
"Oh my God. Oh God, no!"
"I'm sending another unit over to the house. We're going to set up a wire tap on the phone in case he calls again. I'll be there soon too. We'll find her, Helen, I promise."
Will made the last statement with more conviction than he felt. He was just as scared as his wife if not more so since he knew what this guy was capable of. He ran a hand over his face and headed out to the bull pen to help coordinate the search effort.
Kevin and Luke had heard their mother cry out from the kitchen and came downstairs to see what was wrong. "Mom, what is it", Kevin asked, seeing her in tears. "Joan", Helen choked out. "Was there an accident", asked Luke.
Helen looked at her sons, not knowing what to tell them. "She's been taken. Someone your father caught a long time ago escaped from prison. We think he's got Joan."