Sam glanced over at Stella, she was sitting up straight in the front passenger seat-her posture rigid, staring out the side window. Their newfound chaperone, Jim, was sitting in the back reviewing the case files Sam had on the iPad. Of course, they would need to fill him in on the new details of the case, but at least Jim could read what they had as of now while on their way to the destination.
There was certainly something going on between Jim and Stella. It wasn't overtly hostile, Sam thought, the vibe he picked up from Stella reeked more of irritation. He had planned to ask her about Jim during dinner but the recent development placed their dinner plans on hold and any questions he was going to ask needed to be put on the back burner.
"So what makes you believe this missing person has anything to do with our perp?" Jim asked, redirecting Sam's attention to the present. Sam was about to answer but beating him to the reply, Stella spoke up.
"Previous victims were all tourists or backpackers. What we know about our perp, is he preys on those who are alone."
For the next several minutes, Stella continued, reciting the information as if she had it all memorized, every detail. Sam smiled and nodded, she certainly didn't need help from him. He enjoyed watching her take control.
"Sam put a special request for all stations to flag any calls about a missing person from the Angeles National Forest within a twenty-five-mile radius from where the last victim was found."
Sam watched through the rearview mirror as Jim nodded at the information that was coming at him.
"And this is our first hit off that request. A young woman went missing five hours ago. I suppose we will get more information when we speak to the parents," Stella concluded.
Her elbow was resting on the lip of the car window while her forefinger rested at her temple and her thumb under her chin.
"I see," Jim said with a hint of skepticism.
Sam immediately picked up on Jim's change in tone, "What are you thinking," he asked, glancing at Jim through the rearview mirror as he spoke to him.
"Well, at the moment, nothing. I've worked with Stella before, I know she's got a good head on her shoulders. I suppose we will have to see where this leads us," Jim said.
Sam nodded, then glanced over and noticed Stella's body language, while what Jim had said sounded like a compliment–his words didn't bounce off Stella the way they should have. She stiffened her posture again, then clasped her hands into her lap.
Sam secretly wondered how their third wheel would fare against her. If he was still a betting man, he would have put all his chips on Stella. Hands-down.
"At this point, we feel our perp might be from the area," Sam said as he kept his eyes on the road.
"Really?" Jim asked, his voice hitting a higher register, "What makes you think that?"
Sam quickly glanced over to Stella assuming she would take the conversation over, but she remained silent. Moving his eyes back to the open California highway he continued, "Forensics lifted tape residue from one of the victims and we found tire tracks at the latest crime scene. An oddity that made Stella believe that our perp might be local. It's the first big break in the case."
Silence filled the car and Jim turned his attention back to the iPad. Stella remained quiet for the remainder of the drive and Sam wondered how on earth he was going to deal with the odd dynamic between the two.
He had hit it off so well with Stella (in more ways than one) and he wasn't one for patience when it came to working relationships he deemed unproductive. His years as a detective afforded him the foresight to know that having an efficient and cohesive team garnered more success in solving cases. And his gut was telling him that Jim's presence could hinder that.
You have arrived at your destination. The car's navigation system said as Sam slowed the SUV down in front of a small, unremarkable, tan house. He parked on the street near two police cruisers. As he turned the ignition off Jim hopped out of the back seat and closed the car door. Before Stella could leave, Sam reached for her shoulder.
"Hey, nothing changes. We got this. I trust you. And we…," using his finger to point to her first then himself, and past Stella to the house they parked in front of, "...are all they got."
He waited for a moment. Staring at her face, he admitted she was a tough person to read, but deep down he knew she needed assurance, that his loyalty was to her. Before he could remove his hand from her shoulder, Stella placed her hand on top of his and gently squeezed it before she exited the vehicle herself.
Sitting alone in the car for a brief moment, Sam resolved to himself, from here on out, he would filter the information and insight he and Stella gained from this case to Jim.
Jim would have to earn his trust.
Sam stepped out of the black SUV and joined Stella and Jim as the three of them walked toward the tiny house.
Sam flashed his badge to both the police officers standing outside the house. It was clearly recognizable to the officers and they quickly gestured for Sam to enter. "They're with me," Sam said to one of the young men in uniform and Jim and Stella followed Sam into the house, neither one waiting for approval.
At first glance, Sam noticed the walls were bare except for the hodgepodge of family photos that adorned the wood paneling above the small fireplace. Sam took note of the photos, the parents looked older and probably had their children late in life. A family of five, two boys and one girl. It looked to Sam that their daughter was the youngest of the three children.
Several police officers stood in the living room and Sam dismissed them once they arrived at the home. The parents were sitting at the kitchen table. When Sam, Stella, and Jim arrived the father stood to shake their hands, introducing himself and his wife as he did so.
Even though a plethora of personal information was already known about the couple, the three detectives did not dare interrupt as he spoke.
"Thank you for coming Detectives, this is my wife, Annie," motioning to the woman sitting at the table, who had clearly been crying, and who only momentarily looked up to acknowledge all three of them. Sam had questioned family members of missing persons countless times before, but it had never gotten easier. Sometimes the unknown was the hardest to deal with.
"...and I am Bill. Bill and Annie Miller," he said somewhat awkwardly, as a short silence consumed the room shortly thereafter.
Sam broke the quietness and led the conversation, "It's good to meet you both, I wish it was under different circumstances, this is Jim Burns with Interpol, and this is DS Stella Gibson with London's Metropolitan Police. They have come a long way, we all want to see your daughter, Katherine, returned safely to you."
The Millers looked puzzled, "Oh? Interpol, and London, I think I am a bit confused?" Bill said, with a face mimicking his question.
Stella spoke this time, "Right, it does seem confusing. Mr. and Mrs…," But Annie interrupted her, "Please, call us Annie and Bill, and sit, all of you, please sit." the wife said, for the first time speaking and motioning to the empty chairs around the table.
Sam noted that Annie spoke to Stella easily, most likely she was comfortable with Stella being present. He noticed a slight shift in Stella's demeanor, she seemed less guarded and more approachable, warm even. He could tell she was trying to make the Millers feel at ease. Stella was certainly full of surprises, and he was glad she was with him on this case. He reminded himself to tell her just how much he appreciated her later if the moment ever presented itself.
All three took a seat at the respective chairs around the table.
"Thank you," Stella continued, "We have reason to believe that your daughter, Katherine, might have been taken by someone we have been following for months."
Still confused, Annie leaned back, "What do you mean following?"
Stella knew that she needed to handle her answers carefully. She didn't want to spook the Millers. She needed both Bill and Annie to have a clear mind, as much as could be expected anyway, all things considered. She certainly didn't need them to feel any more anguish, apart from what they already felt.
"There had been several kidnappings in England and we believe the person responsible has recently moved to the area," Stella said, choosing her words carefully.
The Millers sat quietly, digesting the information. Stella could tell they were processing. She glanced over to Sam, who gave her a reassuring nod then she turned back to the Millers. She was hoping they didn't ask for more information. Stella wanted to avoid the fact that a string of dead bodies led them to the states.
"Mr. and Mrs. Miller, we need to ask you a few questions," Sam said.
They both nodded.
"When was the last time you saw your daughter?" He asked.
"Three months ago. She left with her girlfriend, Nicole, they were traveling to several national parks…" Bill responded, he continued, grabbing his wife's hand as he spoke,"...their last stop, when they arrived back to California was going to be Angeles National Forest." Stella watched Jim nod out of the corner of her eye. He had his phone out and was typing fervently. Bill continued, "They would be entering the park on the east side, and traveling through the main feeder road bringing them to our side of the park. They had it all planned out."
Bill finished with a far-off look and a faint smile hijacked his face. Stella could only guess he was most likely remembering his now missing daughter explaining her well-thought-out plan to him. The thought of their child leaving the state, and now so close to home to go missing. The irony was deafening.
Stella cleared her throat, "When was the last time you spoke to her?" She asked.
Annie looked up from her hands, "Every day, sometimes twice a day, she would check in." She removed her hand from her husband. Turning to face Stella now, "You understand, that was a condition. If she was going to leave for that long of a time, she needed to check in with us, daily."
Annie started to cry, "I'm sorry, I can't do this," she said while a stream of tears fell down her cheek. She stood up and left the room, heading toward the back of the house.
Bill spoke," I am sorry, this is so difficult. She's taking it very hard. She and Katherine were very close."
"May I?" Stella asked, motioning toward the direction Annie had taken off to.
Bill nodded, "First door to the left after the bathroom. Katherine's room is the only bedroom in the back."
Stella excused herself from the three men and made her way to the back. Katherine's door was cracked open and Stella could see Annie sitting on the bed, looking out the window. She held a stuffed animal in her hand. Stella took a deep breath and lightly tapped the door with her knuckles, then she slowly walked into the room.
Annie turned around and whispered a sigh of relief, "I'm sorry, I am normally calm and cool, but this. And all of those men, it has just been too much."
"Please, don't apologize. Would you mind if I took a seat?" Stella asked, pointing to the other side of the bed. Annie gave her an affirmative nod.
"Annie, we want to find Katherine, and I can assure you that you have the best people on this. But I need you to give me any and all information that you can think of, it all can help."
Annie nodded again.
"But please, take your time," Stella said.
"Do you have children, DS Gibson?"
"You can call me Stella, and no, but I have a godchild. And my goodness, if she isn't a busy bee," Stella said, smiling as she thought of the four-year-old redhead in knickers and pink rain boots. She continued, "But I love her so much. Sadly, I admit, I don't see her enough."
Annie smiled through her tear-stained face, "Katherine was always getting into trouble. But she was intelligent and empathetic to a fault. She hated letting people down."
Annie reached into her pocket and pulled out a photo.
"Here…," she said, handing Stella a photograph, "...this is the picture we took of her and her girlfriend the day they left."
Stella studied the photo, then put it inside her suit jacket.
"Is there anything else you can think of?"
"We knew she was missing when we got a call from Nicole. She was worried because they had to be back in town, she was starting summer school. But Katherine wanted to stay and take a few more photos using her GoPro. Her father and I got it for her on her twenty-first birthday. She loved to hike and explore new areas. She was always up for an adventure."
Stella returned a soft smile while she took out her notebook and started to record what Annie was telling her. Annie continued, her voice shaking, clearly holding back her emotions as she spoke, "When her girlfriend called, she said Katherine was going to stop by her place and pick up her things and they would head over, but she hadn't heard from her for hours and she was getting worried. We all tried her cell phone, but it went straight to voicemail. That's when Bill decided to call the authorities."
"Do you know what part of the park they were in?"
Annie shook her head no, but continued, " We were surprised at how quickly you all responded. I always thought the authorities don't get involved until after twelve hours or so?"
"Actually, that is an unfortunate myth, the first twenty-four hours are the most crucial. That is why we are here Annie, we want to start quickly." Stella said and Annie nodded.
Less is more , Stella thought as she watched Annie fidget with the floral bedspread, if she let Annie know that their daughter could be in the hands of a serial killer she might lose any opportunity to garner more information from the understandably emotionally delicate mom. She carefully resumed her questioning, keeping her eye on Annie's demeanor and body language as she did so.
"Annie, is there anything else you can think of? Anything at all, that might be helpful to aid in the search for Katherine?"
Annie sat quietly for a moment, then broke the silence, "Yes I think so, the last time I spoke to Katherine she had mentioned a cute area they had reached before entering the park."
Annie's eyes softened as she recalled the conversation, "She had wanted to take us there, as a family you know." Her voice trailed off in sadness and Stella, not wanting to lose momentum, carefully prodded on.
"Do you remember the name?" She asked, poised to jot down whatever Annie could recollect in her notebook.
Annie closed her eyes in thought, "Hmm, Let me think."
"Oh yes, I remember, Wrightwood. It was called Wrightwood. Katherine mentioned a quaint coffee shop she and Nicole visited before they entered the National Forest."
Stella jotted down Wrightwood in her notebook and underlined it twice.
"Did Katherine happen to mention the name of the coffee shop?" Stella hopefully asked.
"No, sorry she didn't," Annie said wistfully.
Stella reached over and patted the sad mother on the knee, "That's okay, you have been extremely helpful."
Just then, Sam appeared at the bedroom door, and Stella stood as he moved toward the two women. Annie followed suit.
"Sorry if I am interrupting, just wanted to check in and see if there was anything else you needed from us before we head out."
Stella looked over to Annie, she looked tired and frightened. But something about the woman made her look strong and resilient. If this was the work of their perp, Stella wanted to find the asshole and bring Annie her daughter back. She was more resolved than ever.
"No, I think we are done here," Stella said to Sam and Annie returned a simple nod.
Before she turned to leave, Stella reached for Annie's hand and gave it a slight squeeze, "Here. Take my card," she said as she handed Annie her contact information.
Stella continued, "Call me if you can think of anything, no matter the time of day, you can call or message me."
Annie took the card and before Stella could react, she pulled her in for a hug. Her hug was strong and warm. Stella's own mother wasn't affectionate, but she suspected this would have been what it would have felt like to be held by a strong, loving mother (what Katherine might have felt). Annie released Stella as quickly as she pulled her in.
"Thank you–please, find Katherine. Bring her home."
And to Stella, the words held more weight than any command or order she had ever received from a superior.
"We will ma'am, we will, I promise," Stella said as she and Sam exited the bedroom.
Sam glanced down at Stella with a worried look, and she knew what he was thinking. It was the golden rule in detective work.
Never make a promise you couldn't keep.
But Stella would make good on this promise. She would make sure of it. There was no other option. Anything less would be a failure.
And failure wasn't an option.
Katherine tried to adjust her eyes as she slowly regained consciousness. She was laying on her side, that much she knew. And whatever her body was resting on was damp and cold. Her back was flushed against a hard surface, but she couldn't tell where she was because it was pitch black.
Fuck, why is it so dark? She thought to herself.
"Ouch," Katherine winced in pain and brought her hand to cradle her head. Her head was pounding and a sharp pain radiated from her left ankle. She slowly raised her body and leaned against a hard surface.
Where am I?
Panic and confusion began to consume her brain. Her head was throbbing and her mind was jumbled, she tried to gather her wits about her.
Think, Katherine, think she told herself.
She took several deep cleansing breaths and calmed herself down. The last thing she remembered was pulling her GoPro out of her backpack. "What else, Katherine," she whispered to herself this time.
Her ankle continued to throb and her head hurt so much she thought she might pass out. But she needed to figure out what type of situation she was in. She knew by the darkness, the pain she was experiencing, and her disorientation that it wasn't a good situation. In fact, it was a bad-very bad situation.