Nowhere to Hide

The Truth is Revealed

Jeff carefully maneuvers his way down the darkened hallway, a slumbering infant in his arms. He's hoping he'll be able to lay the child down this time. The baby seems to wake up the moment they step into the nursery. Jeff glances down at the infant and shakes his head. I can't understand how you can sleep in a noisy supermarket, but not in your own home. Sarah's parents say they don't have a bit of trouble getting him to sleep. Sarah doesn't seem to either. Maybe it's me. Holding his breath, Jeff crosses the threshold; the baby doesn't stir. So far, so good, he thinks. Carrying him to the crib, he gently lays him down. I'm almost there. He carefully slides his arm out from under his son. The baby whimpers. Jeff pats his back. The infant drifts off to sleep. Finally.

 Jeff is heading towards his room when the phone rings. Don't you dare wake him up. Jeff scrambles down the hall to answer it. "Captain Brown," he whispers, easing the kitchen door too. "A break-in at the apartments, was anyone hurt?".... "Have the uniform officers canvass the area; talk to her friends, her neighbors find out where she might go and if they saw anything." ... "Is there a surveillance camera in the area?" ... "Sounds good. Sarah and I will be there as soon as we can." Hanging up the phone, he turns towards the clock and sees it's five am. Guess I'm not catching any more z's tonight.

The forensic team is working the scene when Jeff and Sarah pull up to the apartment. Police cruisers are lined on both sides of the block. Red and blue lights brighten the dark area. A few early-risers stir about, hoping they can help.

Climbing out of the car, the couple walks across the lawn.

"What can you tell us, Rick?" the captain asks. Rick is a stout, fair complected man. He has coffee-colored hair and soft baby- blues. He's been with the forensic team for nearly fifteen years and is one of the best on the force.

"The perp forced his way in through the back window. There are signs of a struggle in the front room. The bedroom door has been kicked in, and the window is open."

"Did you dust for prints?"

"We didn't find any fingerprints on the windowsill, but there's a shoe print in the mud below it. My team is running the impression now."

"What about the apartment?"

"We've only found one pattern so far. We assume they belong to the tenant, Abby Miller."

"Did you talk to her?"

"She's not here, sir. The neighbor said she saw her running across the field." He points to the side of the house and then continues. "John sent a few rookies to look for her."

Jeff glances around. "Where is he?"

"He's inside, sir."

"What else can you tell us?"

"The desk drawer was dumped out, and a gym bag was turned inside out like the burglar was searching for something."

"Did the neighbors tell you anything about the victim?"

Rick opens his notebook. "They said Abby had lived here for almost two years and that she works at the gym in town, but they have no idea where she might go. They also said she's never mentioned her family, and they haven't seen anyone visit."

Jack steps up beside them. He's a beat cop who's only been with the department a little over a year but shows a lot of promise. Unlike his coworker, Rick, he's dark-complected has jet-black hair and chestnut eyes. "I ran the tenant's fingerprints, and they came back to Elizabeth Wiser."

A perplexed look crosses the captain's face. "Elizabeth Wiser?"

"Yes, sir, and she has a warrant out of Illinois."

Jeff scratches his head. "Does it say why?"

"It's a failure to appear. She was arrested for drug possession with intent to sell. Her boyfriend bailed her out. She fled soon after."

"Do we know where the boyfriend is?"

"We're trying to locate him, sir."

"Keep me posted."

"Copy that, captain." He starts to leave when he remembers something else. "Oh, and captain, Illinois wants her extradited ASAP."

"Assuming we locate her." Jeff turns towards Sarah. He runs his fingers through his thinning hair and says, "I wonder if this break-in has something to do with her arrest."

"It's possible."

"Pull her file, see what you can find."

"I'm on it, captain." They agreed it's best to keep everything formal when they're on the job.

Diego catches their conversation on the way to his cruiser. He moves in closer and then pretends to tie his shoe. They wouldn't question his presence but figures they'll be less guarded if he weren't around. The captain has a tight-lipped policy; he only shares information on a need to know basis. Jeff claims this prevents press leaks and suspect tip-offs.

The boss will want to know about this. Diego darts to the back of the building. He pulls his cell from his pocket and nervously dials the number.

Diego has been Romero's inside man for the last four years. The arrangement started when Romero offered him a substantial amount of money if he didn't report what he'd found. He later proposed to put the rookie on salary if he'd continue to be his mole. Diego quickly accepted his generous offer. With a sickly wife and four mouths to feed, he needed all the extra cash he can get.

Diego's eyes dart from side to side. He nervously shifts his weight, waiting for the call to connect. The phone clicks, he gulps and then says, "I thought you'd like to know the lady who has the flash drive is a fugitive." ... "Yes, sir, and her real name is Elizabeth Wiser. She was arrested for drug possession with intent to sell. Evidently, she fled shortly after she made bail." ... "That's right, sir. The state her warrant is in wants her extradited immediately." ... "No, sir, she's still on the run." ... "I'll start searching for her now."

***