The Oaths We Keep

Chapter 13

Taylor and Barnes sat in the interrogation room when an officer brought Erin from the downstairs holding area. She briefly smiled as the detectives greeted her. Erin took a seat across from Taylor as he moved around some papers. Barnes sat with little expression as she waited for Taylor to break the ice.

"Okay, Mrs. Harper, let's go over some things. First, when they call, try to keep them on the line as long as possible so we can get a trace of the call. Second, ask to see or talk to your husband again. Tell them you want to know he's okay." Taylor stole a glance at Barnes. She shuffled through the papers on the table stoically. It was a good sign that she kept herself busy with the case. He continued, "I know this is hard, Mrs. Harper, but you must sound confident. Tell them that if you get your husband back, they can have what they want."

"We will have people around you as much as possible, so you'll be protected," Barnes added. "Try not to look too nervous. They may try to bolt if they suspect something is up, so act as natural as possible."

"They expect you to be afraid, but these guys are pros. They'll know if something seems out of place," Taylor added. He checked his cell phone and saw that it was 7:57 a.m. He always hated the final minutes before an event. It didn't matter what it was; Taylor always felt that the last minutes before were always the time when something went wrong. He tried to put that thought out of his mind.

Seven minutes passed before the phone given to Erin by the kidnappers rang. She answered it on the second ring. "Hello, I'm here," she said, feeling her stomach churn.

"Are you ready to deliver the cash and the files?" the voice on the other end asked.

Erin took a breath to try and calm herself. "Yes, I'm ready," she said. "Let me speak to Conner. Please let me hear his voice."

Silence followed. "Erin?" came his familiar voice at last. "Erin, I'm okay. They told me that they'd release me once they had what they wanted. Erin, I.."

"Conner," she said in a near panic.

"You have your proof he's alive. Whether or not he stays that way is up to you," said the voice on the other end. "The public tennis court near the open-air mall. Be there in one hour. Have the phone ready when you get there. If you're late, he's dead." The line cut off.

"Damn," Taylor said. "Did we get a trace?" McClendon shook his head no. "Alright, let's make sure the GPS tracker is in the satchel. Let's move people clock's running. Barnes, how are you at tennis?"

Thirty-five minutes later, Barnes and Taylor were hitting a tennis ball at the public court. Several people were there, and only one open court remained when they arrived. The court was located near the edge of town in a park larger than Sally Davis Park downtown. Veteran's Memorial Park had tennis courts and a large walking track. Several pavilions were situated on the grounds near the tennis courts. The city's rec fields, where local kids played baseball, soccer, football, and softball, were also in the park. A couple of basketball courts sat next to the tennis courts. In the center of the park, a stone memorial to Warrenton's veterans was inscribed with the names of those who died during service in World War One through the Gulf Wars.

After several minutes of swatting the ball back and forth, they met on either side of the net. "I never picked you for a tennis guy," Barnes said as she wiped the sweat from her brow. Barnes played on occasion, but she did not consider herself good.

Taylor took a long draft from his water bottle. "I used to play two or three times a week with a group of friends when I first arrived in Warrenton. It's been a while, though." Taking another draft from the bottle, he spotted Erin sitting on a bench near the courts. Taking his phone, he dialed McClendon. "We've got the listening device working on her phone, right?"

"We're good, boss. We can hear everything she hears. Shouldn't be long now," came his response.

"Keep all the uniforms back and out of sight. No one makes a move until I say," Taylor said.

Several minutes passed before Erin's phone rang. "Are you at the tennis courts?" demanded the voice on the other end.

Erin took a deep breath. "Yes, I'm here. Where can I...."

"Good. Take the files and the money to the open-air mall. An orange and white barrel is at the corner of the parking lot in front of a bookstore. Place the files and the money under the barrel. There's a bench in front of the store. Stay there and wait for my call. Once we've verified we have what we want, I'll call back to tell you where to find your husband. You have thirty minutes." With that, the call ended.

"Everybody get that?" Taylor asked. "McClendon, make sure there are no uniforms near the drop." He looked over at Barnes for a moment. "Okay, let's casually get to the car just in case someone is watching." They shook hands and walked together to the car as casually as possible.

Erin arrived at the drop after about twenty minutes. She took the satchel with the money and files and quickly deposited it under the barrel. After that, she drove to a parking spot near the bookstore and exited the SUV. Finding the bench, she took her seat and waited.

Taylor and Barnes arrived soon after. Taylor parked his car facing the orange barrel, several rows down from the drop. These guys are playing it smart, he thought to himself. This was the time that made him the most nervous.

Almost fifteen minutes passed. Taylor's phone rang. "Boss, I just spotted a white van matching the one on the video headed your way. I think it's our guys."

"Alright, people, hold tight. No one moves until I say. McClendon, keep that van in sight." He looked over at Barnes. "This is it."

The white van drove slowly toward the parking lot of the bookstore. McClendon couldn't see the driver well. He was wearing a construction hat, sunglasses, and what looked like an orange vest with reflectors attached. Though he could not say for sure, McClendon thought the man may have been Hispanic. He eased his car slowly behind the van, sure to keep a distance away.

Slowly, the van turned into the parking lot. The orange barrel was situated near the end of the lot. The van made its way slowly to the barrel and pulled into a parking spot. Taylor could see the driver put a phone to his ear. A moment of doubt raced through Taylor's mind. He spotted McClendon pulling into a spot several rows behind the van in his vehicle.

"Everyone relax," Taylor said into the radio.

The man in the van hung the phone up and seemed ready to move. Suddenly, a siren blared out. Taylor looked around to try and find where it was coming from. "McClendon, you were supposed to keep everyone back," he said as the siren approached.

"It's not us. It's a CHP making a traffic stop."

The man in the van was alerted and drove off at high speed. "Everyone stay put. Dammit, stay put. McClendon, follow that van. Barnes have every traffic camera in the county on the lookout for the van."

Erin sensed that something had gone wrong as she watched the van speed away without stopping. She watched in disbelief as a chill took hold of her. She could only scream Conner's name as the van sped away.