“I agree.” He glanced at Grace, who looked depressed at the news. “I’m thinking the motels are a dead end anyway. The minute this guy realizes we have his likeness plastered all over the television, he’ll avoid public places.”

  “That was my thought too.” Marc paused, then asked, “Are you and Grace heading to the office?”

  “Yes, we’re almost there. I figure it might be nice to be at the office if she gets the call.”

  “Ping me the moment you get a demand,” Marc said. “I’ve been keeping tabs on the other aspects of the investigation. The DNA is being processed, but since this guy’s fingerprints aren’t in the system, I doubt the DNA will be a match either.”

  “I think the list of investors is our best bet in finding this guy.” Brady saw the FBI office building up ahead. “I’ll continue working on that with the rest of the team.”

  “Sounds good. Keep in touch.” Marc disconnected from the call.

  “You really think the hoodie guy is the son of someone who lost money to my brother?” Grace asked.

  “I think it’s very likely,” he agreed. “Which is good for us. It’s better he’s not a professional kidnapper, and that he cares about his parents. I think that explains why he stopped to get food for Caleb. If this guy only wants money, I doubt he’ll hurt our son.”

  “I pray you’re right about that,” Grace whispered. “It’s hard enough knowing Caleb is with a stranger, but to be hurt by this man would be so much worse.”

  “I agree.” He pulled into the parking lot of the office building. “Does Caleb go to church? Have you taught him to believe in God?”

  “No.” She didn’t meet his gaze. “I fell away from the church after discovering my brother’s fraudulent activities. My brother hurt so many people . . .” Her voice trailed off.

  “His sins are not yours, Grace.” He was disappointed his son couldn’t lean on God and prayer during this difficult time. “And Caleb would benefit from knowing our Lord Jesus.”

  She didn’t say anything in response to that, so he let it drop. To be fair, it was a moot point now. But when they had Caleb back safe and sound, he would make sure Caleb learned about God and faith.

  It was one of many things he wanted his son to know about. It wasn’t the time to discuss details of their future as co-parents to Caleb now, but if Brady had his way, the first thing he’d do would be change Caleb’s last name to Finnegan.

  He pushed out of the SUV and went around to help Grace. The meal had given her some energy, so she didn’t lean on him as heavily as she had back at the precinct.

  But he intended to be there for her no matter what. Not just because she was the mother of their son.

  Seeing her again after all these years made him realize he still had feelings for her. He’d hoped to one day marry her, but obviously that hadn’t happened. Yet despite the way she’d lied to him, and worse kept Caleb from him, he cared about her.

  More than he should.

  No point in letting Grace break his heart a second time. Especially not now. He’d thought his parents had been wonderful role models, but his older siblings had managed to find similar soul mates. Watching the love that radiated between Rhy and Devon, Tarin and Joy, and Kyleigh and Bax, he would not settle for anything less.

  And it was painfully obvious that Grace had not loved him the way he’d loved her.

  He led the way inside, nodding at other agents who, he belatedly realized, looked at him strangely as he wasn’t wearing his usual suit and tie. He’d completely forgotten to run home and change. Not that it mattered.

  “Finnegan.” Donovan Grady, the Special Agent in Charge of the entire Milwaukee office, was waiting for him when they entered. Donovan was at least fifteen years older than his thirty-three and rarely smiled. Today was no exception. “I need a word.”

  “Yes, sir.” He glanced at Grace. “If I could get Ms. Ramsey set up in an interview room first, though, that would be helpful. We expect the kidnapper to make contact to demand a ransom very soon. I want to make sure the tech team is ready to trace the call.”

  If anything, Donovan’s scowl deepened. “Five minutes.”

  He nodded and turned to head through a set of double glass doors. He flagged a fellow agent as he went. “Jim, I need you to make sure the tap is set up for Ms. Ramsey’s phone. Can you do that?”

  “It is all set. This way.” His colleague gestured to the interview room where a tech was sitting in front of a computer. “Ian has it ready to go.”

  “Great, thanks.” He pushed into the conference room and introduced Grace to Ian. “I need to talk to the SAC. I’ll be back shortly.”

  “Okay.” Ian appeared calm and relaxed.

  He didn’t want to leave Grace alone but decided it was best to get this confrontation with Donovan over with as soon as possible. He did not want to miss the ransom call.

  He went into the office but remained standing. “Sir?”

  “Why did this victim, Grace Ramsey, call you directly in the middle of the night?” Donovan’s blunt question caught him off guard, although he should have expected it.

  “We knew each other in college, sir. She knew I was with the FBI and needed my help.” He did his best to appear nonchalant. “It seemed the trail was hot, so I followed it, bringing Callahan in to assist.”

  Donovan drummed his fingers on the desk. “Are you sure there isn’t anything more to this? I’m tempted to remove you from the case.”

  He prayed the flash of panic wasn’t visible in his gaze. “I’m sure, sir. Callahan is doing most of the legwork. We have a sketch of the UNSUB and expect him to make contact very soon. I believe we’ll wrap this up before the end of the day.”

  “Feeling overconfident, aren’t you?” Donovan stared at him for a long moment. “Next time you might want to call me first, before reaching out to other agents. Callahan was working another case for me, which meant I had to juggle things around.”

  He stiffened. “A missing child trumps everything.”

  “Yes, and that’s the only reason you’re both still working the case.” Donovan waved an impatient hand toward the door. “Go, but keep me in the loop from now on.”

  “Yes, sir. Oh, one more thing. Would you reach out to the Chicago FBI office? I would like an agent to speak personally with Adam Ramsey. It’s possible he knows who this perp is, maybe even hired the guy to do the deed.”

  “Yes, I’ll do that,” Donovan grudgingly agreed.

  “Thank you.” He gave his boss a tight nod, then left. His gut churned with anger, but he did his best to push it aside.

  Donovan was right about the fact that Brady should have called him first. Frankly, it hadn’t even occurred to him. He’d needed someone to help on the street, and that was not Donovan’s role. Brady didn’t care much for office politics. Most of the time, Donovan was a decent boss. Brady didn’t often get stuck in the hot seat. Well, it was too late to change anything now. He shrugged off the pointed conversation and entered the conference room.

  “Anything?” he asked, his gaze darting between Grace and Ian.

  “Not yet.” Grace had her phone sitting on the table near the computer. “Ian says he might be able to trace a short call.”

  “Ian is one of the best.” He dropped into the seat beside Grace. “Remember what I said about speaking to Caleb.”

  “Trust me, I won’t forget.” She looked stronger, as if she’d been refueled by the coffee and food. “It’s getting close to nine o’clock, Brady. Why hasn’t he called?”

  “He will.” Brady couldn’t imagine the guy had done all of this for nothing. Yet this guy could also be a bit unhinged. Maybe even regretting his rash action of kidnapping a child.

  The seconds ticked by slowly. When Grace’s phone rang, they both jumped. Ian, however, still looked calm.

  “Unknown number,” Ian said, hitting several keys on his computer keyboard. “Go ahead and answer, Grace.”

  Grace hit the answer button, and the speaker button so that he could hear the conversation. “Hello? Who is this?”

  “You want your kid? You can have him for five million dollars. I have an offshore account ready to accept the transfer.”

  “Yes, I want Caleb. I’ll get the money transferred, but only after I know you haven’t hurt him. I demand to talk to my son.”

  There was a brief pause, then the kidnapper said, “Talk to your mom but make it quick.”

  “Mommy?” Caleb’s frightened voice ripped a hole in Brady’s gut. “Will you please come and get me?”

  “Sure, baby, I will. But I need you to tell me something. What’s the name of your stuffed animal?”

  “Lucy. I lost her, Mommy.” Caleb’s sobs came through the line. “I lost Lucy.”

  “It’s okay. I love you, Caleb. Don’t be afraid, I love you.” Grace’s eyes welled with tears.

  “Enough.” The kidnapper’s voice came back on the line. “Five million ready to transfer by one in the afternoon. I’ll call you back with more details as to how this exchange will take place.”

  And with that, the call ended as abruptly as it started.

  Chapter Six

  “Caleb? Wait, don’t hang up!” Grace gripped her phone so tightly she thought it might break. She finally set it down and swiped at her face. Hearing her son’s voice, knowing he was scared to death, tore at her heart. She swallowed hard and looked at Ian. “Did you get a location? Can you tell me where he’s being held?”

  “The phone pinged off a cell tower located in Oakdale, which isn’t that far from here.” Ian grimaced. “Although that tower covers a twenty-mile radius.”

  Twenty miles? Her heart sank. “There has to be a way to pinpoint his location.”

  “Let’s get that five-million demand to the team going through Adam Ramsey’s investors,” Brady said. “Maybe that will help narrow down the suspect pool.”

  “But we have to find Caleb!” Grace protested.

  “I know, that’s our priority. I thought I heard birds chirping in the background,” Brady said thoughtfully. “They could be outside, maybe at a park. He’d want to avoid other people, right?”

  “That’s a good point.” Ian worked the keyboard. “Here we go, Fall River Park is right in the radius of that cell tower. The number was listed as unknown, but I will work with the cell companies to get more information.” Ian grimaced. “It may take a little time, though.”

  Time they didn’t have! Grace battered down a wave of frustration and jumped to her feet. “We have to go to the park, right now!”

  “Hold on a minute.” Brady had his phone to his ear. “Matt? Can you and Duchess get over to Fall River Park in Oakdale? We have reason to believe the kidnapper might still be there with Caleb. And do me a favor, make sure you go incognito. I know usually Duchess wears a K-9 vest to work, but I don’t want to spook this guy into running, especially if he’s hanging out there with Caleb.” He listened for a moment, then added, “Thanks, I’m heading there too with Grace. Stay in touch, okay?”

  Knowing Duchess would be on Caleb’s scent helped her feel better. This could work. They might find him before the one o’clock deadline. “What about sending the Oakdale police to swarm the area?”

  “I’ll call a couple of cops to head over undercover in street clothes, but I don’t want to flood the area with uniformed officers. That would spook him into running away. It’s better if we can get eyes on him without his knowing we’re there.”

  That made sense, and a blossom of hope bloomed in her heart. She followed Brady out of the FBI office building and back to his SUV. The sooner they got to Fall River Park, the better. She desperately wanted to find her son.

  She listened as Brady asked for undercover Oakdale officers to head to Fall River Park. When he finished, he quickly pulled out of the parking lot. “Try not to get too excited,” he warned as he drove. “This kidnapper might not be the smartest guy on the planet, but there is a good chance he left as soon as he made the call.”

  “I know.” She understood his concern, but it was too late. Her hopes were sky high. “What about getting the cash together for the exchange?”

  In response, he spoke out loud. “Call Rhy.” A moment later, she heard his older brother’s voice on the line.

  “Hey, Brady. What’s the latest?”

  “Five-million ransom by one o’clock this afternoon. He wants a wire transfer, so we’ll have to find a way to make it look like we can transfer that amount, even if we don’t have it. Like I said earlier, I am hoping we can stop this guy before he can escape with the ransom demand.”

  “I’m on it,” Rhy said. “You should know Bax offered to fund the entire amount.”

  “I’m hoping we don’t need the entire amount,” Brady protested. “I would feel bad if this perp managed to get away with the money.”

  “Honestly, I don’t think Bax cares if he loses the money or not. He’s more worried about Caleb.”

  Grace didn’t know who Bax was but figured he must be a close friend of the family. A very rich close friend of the family.

  “We’re heading to Fall River Park in Oakdale, the kidnapper’s phone pinged off a cell tower there,” Brady explained. “Ian our tech specialist is trying to find out the cell number and who the number belongs to. I’m sure it’s a disposable phone, so that may take a while.”

  “That’s a great lead. In the meantime, we’ll work on the financial end of this. Bax said he’d free up the funds, putting them in a special account to be transferred if needed. You keep searching for this guy and your son. Just keep me in the loop, okay?”

  “Will do, thanks, Rhy.”

  “Who is Bax?” Grace asked when he ended the call.

  “Assistant District Attorney Baxter Scala, he’s Kyleigh’s husband. They got married at the end of April. They were going to wait until May but moved it up as Elly is graduating from her EMT program this month.”

  “And he has five million dollars?”

  “Apparently, he inherited money from his Italian grandparents and invested well.” Brady shrugged. “He’s probably the nicest rich guy I know.”

  She remembered thinking that once about her brother, Adam. Now, not so much. It made her so angry to know her son was in danger because of what her brother had done. Being sentenced to eighteen years in jail seemed too good for him.

  If something happened to Caleb? No, she couldn’t go there. She’d just heard her son’s voice. The kidnapper had bought him breakfast. He was scared, but he would survive.

  Staying strong when your world crumbled to pieces wasn’t easy. She found herself reaching out to take Brady’s hand.

  “I hope we find him,” she whispered.

  “We will.” Brady spoke with confidence. Then he sweetly raised her hand to his mouth to kiss it. “And don’t forget that we have dozens of people working this case. Something will break before the deadline.”

  “And if it doesn’t?”

  “You’ll meet with the kidnapper, and we’ll find a way to transfer the money in exchange for our son.” Brady made it sound so simple when she knew it would be anything but. “Trust me, Grace. We’ll make this work no matter what. I know it’s not easy but put your faith in God and in the hardworking men and women in law enforcement.”

  “I do trust you, Brady. And I’ve been praying for God to keep Caleb safe.” She put a hand to her stomach, hoping to settle her nerves. “It was so hard to hear him crying on the phone. I hate that man for what he’s putting Caleb through.”

  “I feel the same way, but dwelling on that isn’t going to help.” Why did Brady always have to sound so reasonable? “We need to think positive. To believe that Caleb will get through this.”

  She swallowed the urge to snap at him because she knew he was right. Fluctuating emotions clouded reasonable judgment. “I was thinking we should look in the area around the park’s restrooms. It seems to make sense that Caleb would need to go after eating.”

  “That’s a very good idea.” Brady’s voice rang with admiration. Using his thumb, he made another call. “Matt? Start searching with Duchess at the restrooms.”

  “Already making our way there,” Matt responded. “Having two kids of my own, I’m very familiar with little kids needing to use the bathroom.”

  “Great, thanks. We’re nearing the park now. Let me know if Duchess picks up Caleb’s scent.”

  “I will. Talk to you later.” Matt didn’t wait for a response before ending the call.

  “This is going to work,” Grace whispered. She stared down at her hand in Brady’s. “It has to.”

  Brady didn’t say anything as he drove. When he finally pulled into a small parking lot near the park entrance, he threw the gearshift into park, then turned in his seat to face her. “Dear Lord Jesus, we beg You to continue holding our son Caleb safe in Your loving arms. Amen.”

  “Amen.” The tightness in her chest eased just a bit. “Thank you.”

  “Always,” Brady said, gently squeezing her hand. Then he glanced around the area. “No black four-door Honda sedan here. That makes me wonder if there are other small parking lots scattered around the park. I haven’t been here before, have you?”

  “No. I don’t have a car. The day care center has a van, but I generally don’t use it for personal trips.” She shrugged, feeling helpless. “Maybe we should drive around a bit. We know for sure the kidnapper has a car.”

  “Sounds good to me.” He put the SUV in gear and backed out of the parking space. Soon they were driving through an area that had lots of trees on either side of the road.

  Under different circumstances, the scenic drive would be pretty. Yet all she could think about was that if Caleb had managed to get free, he would end up getting lost in the woods. What if there was water nearby too? She shivered, praying there weren’t other hazards that she wasn’t aware of.

  They didn’t see any cars as they drove. Upon reaching a picnic area, two cars came into view. One was a white SUV, the other a blue truck.

  “He might have taken Caleb away by now.” She twisted her fingers as Brady continued driving. “This could be nothing but a waste of time.”

 

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