Deliverer

Chapter 17

The girls never appeared in Maryland. After days of waiting, Truman ordered the Bennett brothers into the forest to search for them.

And then silence. Two days passed with no updates.

Truman spent the time organizing elaborate raids for Grey’s team in Michigan. When Claber finally called, Truman couldn’t understand him because of all the yelling in the background.

"What's wrong?" Truman demanded.

"Huge. This is huge," Claber said, practically shouting in the phone. "I’ve got Derek with me. He saw them."

So that's who was yelling in the background. "Put him on!"

"Hang on, boss," Claber said. "He's a bit hysterical. He wandered the forest for a day before he found a street, and then it took him hours to get to a town and find a pay phone to track me and Sanders down."

Something didn't make sense. "But the Bennetts have a car. Where's his car?"

"He left it in the forest. He was a bit... confused." Claber's voice lowered. "Danny's dead."

The shrieking in the background intensified. Surely Truman had heard that wrong. "What?"

"She killed him!" Now Derek's voice, high and irrational, screamed into the phone. Truman backed his head away from the speaker. "That bitch killed my brother!"

"Derek. Give me the phone back. Derek. Thank you." Claber's voice returned. "As you can hear, he's not quite himself."

"Is it true?" Truman couldn't wrap his mind around the idea. He pictured Danny, tall and stocky. "One of the girls killed him?"

"According to Derek. But Truman, it was just a few days ago. They can't be too far!"

“Can Derek get you there?”

“Well, he’s not exactly coherent. He can’t remember what direction he came from.”

"Derek needs to rest," Truman instructed. "Get him medical care. I need him better so that he can remember exactly where the incident happened!"

"Yes, sir."

"Claber. How many girls? Were they all there?"

"All three. It was the Carnicero's daughter that killed Danny."

The Carnicero's daughter. Did it run in the family? "Have you found anything out abouthim?" As soon as his daughter was back in Truman's hands, he planned to offer her up for a huge ransom. More than enough to make up for all the trouble she was causing.

"Found a place of employment. Getting contact information a bit trickier, though. Apparently he has more than one name."

"Well, try and track that down." Truman bit the words out, doing his best to mask the anger he felt. "This is priority. Take Alfred off the surveillance team and put him on this full-time."

"Will do."

#

Grey had just finished reporting on their last raid when Rodriguez knocked on the study door and let himself in.

Truman looked up, annoyed. He needed Grey to hurry and finish so they could discuss next week's raid. But his report was taking hours, thanks to Truman's inability to focus. "It better be important."

"It is, sir," Rodriguez answered, bobbing his head. He held the phone out to Truman and waved it. "Nigel from the Alberta call center is on the line. Says he has to talk to you."

Nigel was one of the only people that had his actual phone number. And email address, for that matter. Truman opened his palm and beckoned with his fingers. Rodriguez placed the phone into his hand and Truman pressed it to his ear. "Do you have something?"