Why yes, I am editing this chapter after only maybe, two hours of sleep. I hope you enjoy my efforts. I know this one is long, and a little chaotic.
Chapter Nine:
Prentiss:
"You can't do this to me!" Lionel Hastings said. "I'm Lionel Hastings, the greatest football player to ever come out of Glen and a rising star among deputies in Idaho!"
Sheriff Ed Statler wasn't having any of it.
"Lionel, the only people who believe you are some kind of god, are the residents of this town. You've been tormenting that poor man for seven years. You were probably going to lose your badge over that perp walk, but erasing evidence is grounds for immediate termination."
"Shouldn't he at least be allowed a hearing?" Wade Hasting said. "He has an upstanding record."
"I'm putting your whole jurisdiction under review," Statler said. "I've turned a blind eye to your abuse of the pariahs in this area for too long. I'm sorry it took the abduction of a former FBI agent for me act."
"Who the hell is this stupid FORMER agent?" Lionel asked.
I had never seen J.J. look so angry. I gestured for her to stay where she was.
Morgan, who maintained his muscular physique, and looked considerably younger than he was, took a step into Lionel's personal space.
"Do you want to ask that question again, tough guy?" he said menacingly.
"This isn't over!" he shouted as he stepped back. "Not by a long shot!"
Lionel stormed out.
Local FBI Agent James Murphy appeared.
"Your tech analyst recovered the footage."
Wade stayed back, while Morgan, Statler, J.J., and I, went into the conference room.
In the video, Reid looked clearly shaken. There was no audio, but it was easy to read that he was pleading with Lionel, and Lionel was ordering him out.
"I want to burn this station to the ground," Statler mumbled.
"Get in line," J.J. said.
"It, gets worse," Garcia said.
The parking lot camera showed them leading him to a car, and then hitting him with a bat to the back of the skull. Reid collapsed, they tied his hands behind his back, and threw him in the trunk.
"I ran the plates," Murphy said. "No owners to them."
"I'll put an APB out on the car, though I'm betting they dumped it," Statler said as he took a seat in front of a computer.
"The men look young and professional," I said. "Neatly trimmed dark hair, and suits. It is almost like a uniform for them as part of the orders for the trust."
"I read about Cat Adams in school," Murphy said. "She sounds like the embodiment of evil."
There was a knock on the conference door. A woman with reddish brown hair, carrying a laptop, appeared.
"I'm Marie Carter," she said. "I think I have a lead on the identities of the men."
"How?" Garcia asked. "I ran facial recognition on these guys and came up with nothing."
"I specialize in corporate finance protection," she said as she sat down next to Garcia. "I made like Woodward and Bernstein and followed the money through YouTube aliases."
"I don't get the reference," Murphy said.
"What did you find?" I asked.
"Ex-convicts Victor Rosin and Milo Herms are the flunkies; Tim Long is the on-site mastermind."
"We need profiles on these men," J.J. said.
"I've looked into every property that has changed hands recently," Marie said. "Nothing stands out."
Garcia stared at her.
"Have you slept?"
"I applied to be a cyber security specialist for the government after college but they rejected my application."
"I'm personally finding out why, when this is over," Garcia said.
Statler's radio crackled.
"This is Officer Rolland. Two officers down on the perimeter of the Carter residence, requesting backup. Reports of an agent down on the inside."
"Can you tell where the shots are coming from?" Statler asked.
"Negative," he said. "I'm currently hiding behind a birch tree in the backyard and shots are barely missing me."
"I know that tree," Marie said. "And I think I know where they're shooting from."
"Where?" Morgan asked.
"There's a tree house in a yard across from us," she said. "It is high in the trees. You can barely see it unless you crane your neck."
"I can't make a shot like that," Rolland said. "I've only been on the force six months."
I took a guess and assumed Simmons had been hit in the vest as he was in charge of securing the in perimeter. So, I called Lewis.
"Tara, are you okay?" I asked. "How is Matt?"
"Matt can't move as the sniper is still in position. The vest held up though. I have everyone in the stairwell," she said. "We're being hit frequently."
"There's a gable vent," Marie said. "You might be able to get off a shot from there at the treehouse."
"I'm feeling lucky," Lewis said.
For several tense moments we waited. There was the sound of a gunshot.
"I got him," she said. "He fell out of the treehouse."
"I'm getting air support for this case," Statler said.
"Where's the nearest safe house for the Carters and Gracelyn?" I asked.
"Everything's an hour's drive from here," Murphy said.
"That's too far," I said.
Everything was moving so fast. I could barely think.
"Guys, I just intercepted a text," Marie said.
"What does it read?" J.J. asked.
"Rosin is down, requesting additional resources."
"So, Herms is in the area," Statler said. He then spoke into his radio. "This sheriff Statler, I am declaring no person can leave Glen without having their vehicle checked. I want checkpoints set up on every road in and out of this area, this man is armed and dangerous."
"I'm getting more agents in the area," Murphy said as he texted on his phone.
"How'd they know where Gracelyn was?" Morgan asked.
"Someone set up another tripwire on deep searches for Reid," Marie said. "It is so identical to yours that it is practically a twin."
"You're younger and faster than me," Garcia said. "Can you send your nastiest information snatcher bug to it?"
"I'm honored that you'd ask me," Marie said. "I have a special one in mind."
Statler looked up for a moment.
"My understanding is, your wife is an assistant grocery store manager, and you work out of home. How'd you end up in this honest-to-god hick town, with your talents?"
"Four year ago, our house got firebombed in rural Oregon," Marie said. "No was hurt luckily, but no one cared. Selena had a friend who lived in this area, and said the people were more tolerant. We're mostly ignored, which is better than what we had before."
Marie gasped.
"Oh God, Tim Long is in Theodore Wells' house."
"Who is that?" I asked.
"Teddy, the school prankster," Marie said.
"We're flooding the area with officers," Statler said.
"That's no good," Morgan said looking at Marie's computer and then the map of Glen. "Wells is on the other side of town."
"My guys are fifteen minutes away," Murphy said.
"Gracelyn sent her boyfriend to hide at Teddy's from his parents," Lewis said.
I rubbed my eyes. This was too much information. Too many moving parts. I wished I had Reid's brain right now.
"Agents," Statler said. "A nine-one-one operator said someone from Theodore's house wants to speak with me. I'm patching it through."
"This is Liam Hastings. I'm with Teddy, and we found a stranger in the house and knocked him unconscious while he was 'checking' for a gas leak when really he was trying to hack the family wi-fi."
"Noted, Liam," Statler said. "We'll get an officer down there."
"Tara, get Gracelyn's phone away from her," I said.
"I helped, didn't I?" she asked nervously.
"Yes, but no more heroics from teenagers," I said.
"Where do we put these girls, Prentiss?" Lewis asked urgently.
I looked at the map closely, and weighed my options.
"There's a Catholic church on the edge of town, to put them in. Agent Murphy I want plain clothes officers surrounding it, along with snipers."
Marie's phone beeped.
"You should have asked for my daughter's phone too," she said as she opened it. A look of horror appeared. "They guys broke into the guy's phone. OH MY GOD HE'S IN THE SCHOOL. THEY'RE PLANNING TO BLOW IT UP"
"Is there a timeline?" I asked.
"There's something about capturing Gracelyn to for some 'final father-daughter time in the school with heart'"
"Tara, take Tina's phone."
Morgan looked to Marie.
"I know how this plays out. The goon starts panicking when he doesn't hear from his boss and decides to take matters into his own hands. Can you copy the Long's number and use it to send a message?"
"I need the phone specs, to do it," Marie said.
"Get it to her," I said. "Tell him. 'resources will available in two hours and wait on further instructions.' J.J. Agent Murphy, come with me to the school. Morgan stay here, and monitor the situation. Sheriff Statler, we need SWAT.
"Calling for them now."
I looked at the map.
We're coming for you Spencer.
…
Spencer:
I smelled a hint of a gas in the air recently. Almost like a gas leak. I kept count. It was getting stronger every half hour. By my calculations, I might be dead of gas inhalation in four hours.
"No one's looking for you, Spency."
Cat Adams appeared, dressed as I last saw her.
"Especially not that bratty daughter. No one loves, you the way I do."
"Leave me alone," I said.
"We're meant to be together," she said. "You just have to embrace it."
"No!" I shouted.
"You must be tired," she said. "Stay with me, and the pain will go away."
"NO!" I screamed. "I will not leave my daughter parentless."
"Do you even love her? Ha Ha!" she mimicked my daughter's last laugh.
"I will love until the day I die!" I said.
She smiled.
"Which happens to be today."