Arlington, Texas, HQ Three, 2019
"Leo Zane Neely!" Williams exclaimed with triumph, thumping a file down on the desk right under Archie's nose.
Archie flattened his palm on the file and twisted it round to face right side up. In the left corner encased in a little plastic pocket was the photograph of a baby with blue eyes; a striking blue that managed to stand out despite the photo being old and faded.
Archie immediately recognized the city's Child Protection Services watermark along with a case number on the photograph. As the police chief scanned through the file's thick contents, Williams continued on with the short version.
"The three year old went missing in 2010 from a trailer park just outside Tacoma. Mother said she turned her back for a minute and he was gone. However, the police investigator said it was probably more like an hour before she noticed. CPC already had the paperwork filed to have the kid removed. They were just waiting on the judge's order. Mother was a user… heavy drinker…"
"Was?"
"Murdered… a few months later. Got herself involved with some pretty nasty sorts by all accounts."
"And you think this Leo Neely ended up as Leo Sutherland?"
"I don't think," Williams replied with certainty. "I know."
He leaned over the desk, placing another photograph before Archie. It was an image of a child sitting on a kitchen chair, a wide grin on his chubby face and chocolate cake batter smeared all over his fingers and around his lips.
It was startlingly different from the cold, unfeeling photograph clipped to the official file. This was a family snapshot; a treasured child.
"Got this picture from the Sutherland's trailer..." Williams explained.
Archie looked up, quirking his eyebrow; bending his head down to the file. His eyesight wasn't what it used to be and he wanted to be sure. He looked from one photograph to another; comparing the height in the forehead, the shape of the jaw, the distance between the eyes.
The eyes.
"It's the same kid alright."
Williams nodded, standing upright and folding his arms.
"Okay," Archie conceded. "But… why? I mean… they'd only have been in hiding a few months… just finding their feet really. Why steal a child and complicate things further?"
"Well it wasn't to play house… that's for sure!"
Archie saw a glint in Williams' eye. "Okay… what else did you discover?"
Williams handed over a final photograph. "This was also recovered from the trailer…"
The boy pictured was older, maybe eight or nine. He wore a Little League baseball uniform; cap on backward. He grinned with that stupid happiness of success. Beside him, Archie recognized Noah Mayer. He too wore a wide smile, only his was of pride. He had one arm slung around Leo's shoulder, while the boy held a rather large baseball trophy between his fingers.
"Well I'll be damned!" Archie nodded his head in agreement.
"Noah Mayer briefly attended high school in North Carolina, while his father was stationed at Cherry Point." Williams continued. "Guess who else was at that school?"
Again Archie simply nodded. "The boy's mother... I get the picture. But how does it help? We still have no idea where they are…"
"No," the agent despondently agreed.
"Did you put a tail on Grimaldi like I asked?"
Williams sighed, "Yes… but…"
Archie waved him off. "I know you think it's a lost cause. I would just like to be sure we've covered all the bases."
"Got ya. By the way, we've been ordered to keep a tight lid on this case for now. Absolutely no leaks to the press."
"Why's that?" a surprised Archie asked. "Surely we want the public to be on the look out for them? We even have updated photographs!"
"Not sure," Williams honestly responded. "All I know is somebody pretty high up is calling the shots on this one."
…
Outskirts of Trinidad, Colorado, Moonlight Diner, 2019
Leo wondered what Max and Shane were thinking about his sudden disappearance from school; not to mention the mysterious presence of the police on the very same day.
If they could see him now, slipping into the roadside dinner like a secret agent; walking between the tables in search of the pay phone. They'd most likely consider the entire situation the coolest thing ever.
If the tables were turned and he was the one still at school and it was either Max or Shane on the run from the law, that's what Leo would have thought, "So cool! Why can't my life be that exciting?"
But now, heart thumping, mind repeating over and over the digits of the telephone number his pop had given him; Leo was thinking the situation anything butcool.
Nervous their faces might be front-page news easily identified by a customer, his fathers considered driving further in search of a roadside pay phone.
An argument ensued at Leo's offer to make the call for them. Leo never bothered trying to get involved in one of those. His fathers both possessed a stubborn streak that meant any disagreement could last for days.
Leo had seen it happen before.
So instead he simply sat back playing his GameBoy and patiently waiting for their decision. But since time wasn't on their side, he figured it wouldn't take that long.
In the end, his dad managed to convince his pop that Leo would be perfectly safe making a simple phone call. If anything, Noah seemed proud of Leo for his willingness to help them.
For this reason, Leo was even more determined to succeed in his mission.
He wondered if he looked as frightened as he felt.
It was the morning breakfast rush; and the diner was packed with people grabbing a quick bite to eat before heading to work. He could hear the sizzle of bacon frying; and smell eggs cooking on the stove behind the counter.
A flustered waitress with a frilly white pinafore stopped before him; balancing two trays above both their heads. "You lost, Sweetie?"
"Um…" Leo gulped. "Payphone?"
She indicated toward the restrooms with a nod of her head. "Back there, Darlin'"
And she was off again, ignoring the impatient cries of "Waitress! Where's my coffee?"
Trying to look calm and untroubled, Leo walked down the central aisle. He took some time to quickly glance at the front pages of various local and national newspapers being held in view. None of them seemed to be reporting the sighting of his pop in Arlington.
The payphone turned out to be ancient with a rotary dial rather than the more modern punch buttons. Feeling like the whole restaurant was watching him, he lifted the receiver; inserted a handful of quarters; and carefully dialed the numbers as he'd memorized them.
The phone seemed to ring forever. For a second, Leo's heart stopped. His father hadn't seemed that confident the number would work.
What if she doesn't answer?
But finally there was a click; and the sound of a radio playing in the background as somebody picked up the phone.
"Yeah?" A woman impatiently asked out of breath, like she'd rushed to answer the phone.
"Um… Hello?"
"Yes? This better not be a prank call or I'll crawl in there and bust your ass!"
"Are you Jade? Jade Taylor?"
"That would be me. Who's this?"
"This is Leo… Leo Sutherland…"
A moment passed; the payphone beeping down the minutes. Eventually, he heard the woman sigh. "That supposed to mean something to me?"
"Yes… I mean… no… I mean…"
"Look… Kid? I'm right in the middle of some serious leg waxing here! Can you get a move on or hang up? Either way… make up your mind!"
"I'm Earnhardt's son…" he blurted.
He felt stupid saying that. But his pop explained how when he first met his cousin Jade, he accidentally hit her with his car. Since then, she'd nicknamed Luke after her favorite NASCAR driver.
"What did you say?" Her voice was slow and suddenly breathy.
"He needs your help."
"Whoa! Hang on! Back up a minute!" He heard a creak as she apparently dropped into a chair. "Did you just say you are Earnhardt's son?"
"That's right. I can't say too much… over the phone… you know?"
"Right… but… is he okay?"
"Yes."
"And is…?"
"Yes. They're bothokay."
She signed in relief. "What do you need?"
"He wants you to locate his father. His realfather. He says you may know people, who can find him quickly?"
Seemed his pop wasn't the only one who'd been in trouble with the law. Apparently, Jade was estranged from the Snyder family after inadvertently driving a getaway car in an armed robbery.
So awesome!
Luke believed Jade was innocent. But she'd burned too many bridges with the other members of her new found family; and she no longer had contact with them.
However, Luke was sure Jade would know somebody who could get her in contact with Damian.
"I don't know…" she uncertainly replied. "I don't really roll with that crowd anymore."
"Please Cousin Jade… All we need is for him to meet us some place…"
A further silence ensued. "Give me the number of that payphone you're at."
Leo read out the number.
"Can you wait there? Should only take me an hour or so."
"Yes." Leo smiled. "Thank you."
While he guarded the payphone, terrified someone else might try to use it, Leo wondered whether he could risk a few minutes to step outside and let his parents know of the impending wait. He knew how on edge they both were.
In the end, he decided to sit tight; and he was glad he did. Jade called back quicker than expected.
She gave him Damian's instructions; and just before they hung up she said, "Send them my love."
…
Arlington, Texas, HQ Three, 2019
Archie stood over a large map, trying with Williams' help, to chart out potential search grids based on where they thought Snyder and Mayer might be headed.
The case room buzzed with activity, as investigators tried to piece together what little evidence they'd been able to obtain from the trailer, the garage and the storage locker.
Everything they did find simply pointed back to information they already knew. There was nothing to indicate where the fugitives might have gone.
Sure would help if we got the press involved.
Every law enforcement agency around the region had been made aware of the situation and were told to keep a look out for two men and a boy traveling in a white van. However, Archie knew the value of public vigilance and couldn't help but wonder why the case was being silenced.
"Holy shit!" Johnny Moore exclaimed, sitting upright and rubbing both hands over his shaved head.
Moore was one of the agents monitoring the FBI phone trace on the Grimaldi Shipping Lines' offices in Chicago. Several surveillance teams confirmed sightings of Damian Grimaldi.
"What is it, Moore?" Blithe asked with interest, making his way over to Moore's desk.
"A call came in to Damian Grimaldi's direct line from a Jade Taylor saying she wanted to meet up. I didn't think anything of it at first, but when I listened in… it seemed a little weird..."
"Weird how?" Williams asked, looking up from a load of paperwork.
"Their conversation was guarded… seemed like code… you know?"
Both men nodded.
"Anyway..." Moore continued. "Just to be sure, I ran this Jade Taylor through the system. Her name came up in connection to a criminal investigation… in Oakdale."
Blithe and Williams looked at each other.
"And guess who happens to be listed as Jade Taylor's next of kin?" Moore teased. "None other than Lily Snyder! Mother to Luke Snyder and Taylor's aunt no less!"
"Hmm," Williams hummed, stroking his chin. "Now why would Luke's cousin suddenly be in contact with Mr. Grimaldi?"
"Only one reason I can think of!" Blithe grinned in excitement.
"Did you get the location, Moore?" Williams asked.
"I did! Tomorrow… Place called Dot's Diner on Route 67 near Marshfield, Wisconsin."
"Great job! Can you work on getting us a warrant to tap this Jade Taylor's phone?"
"Already on it!"