Chapter 28

TWENTY-EIGHT

They'd found footage of Cole being transferred into the back of a long black car. A hearse. Kenzie shuddered. Once it had turned out of the hospital parking lot, they followed it with traffic cams, then lost it when it turned down a back road. They'd called in reinforcements, got Cole's name and face on the news with pleas from the family to bring him back safely. Cole's parents and family had blown up the phones and rallied people to look for him.

Now it was early Thursday morning and she hadn't slept a wink. With whoever was after her being occupied with Cole, Kenzie felt confident the danger to her was minimal for the moment—not that there couldn't be someone else after her, but hopefully she could handle that. She didn't really have a choice. She paced the floor at HQ, thinking. Then grabbed a pen and paper and wrote down the day and time of each incident that was considered an attempt on her life.

She passed the paper to Commander Hill, who was on the phone with the FBI. When he hung up, she said, "I want to know where Oscar Woodruff was during each of those times."

"One thing we can do is cross-reference this with his work schedule."

She nodded. "That's what I was thinking. While you're doing that, I'm going to call the assisted-living home where his father is and see if he was visiting him any of these times."

"Good idea." He shook his head. "I've known Woodruff and his father for years. I can't see Oscar being involved in this."

"I honestly can't either. Our families go back decades, but I also don't want to overlook the possibility. Let's just clear him and move on."

Hill pursed his lips, then nodded. "Harold was a pretty good chief of police." He shot her a smile. "Your dad was a great one, though."

A lump formed in her throat and she cleared it. "Sir, I've never asked you this before, but do you know anything about the night my mother was killed? Have you heard any rumors that my dad was drinking when he ran that stop sign?"

"Drinking? Your dad?" He scoffed. "No way. He never drank more than half a glass of wine at any social function we ever attended together. No matter how much they argued, he still loved your mom. He wouldn't have put her at risk by drinking and driving."

"Yeah," she whispered. "That's what I thought too."

"But?"

Should she tell him? Could she trust him? She looked into his eyes, saw nothing there but curiosity, compassion for her, and the desire to help. "But there was a cover-up." She explained what her father had told her and watched Hill's eyes widen with each word.

When she told him about the two reports—one describing failed brakes and one saying the brakes were fine—he nearly gaped. "Kenzie, we have to report this and figure out who was behind the cover-up—and who would benefit from your father stepping down as chief."

She nodded. "I know. The only person that really came to mind was Harold Woodruff, but he refused the position when it was offered to him and only stepped in when Dad's replacement was killed in that hunting accident." She sighed. "I've been trying to work this all out by myself, and I just don't know the people from back then. I mean, I can figure out their names and everything, but I don't know them. I need people who do know them to be working on this with me."

He blew out a low breath. "I knew Cliff Hamilton and his wife pretty well. It was a shock when he just up and left like he did. I always wondered if there was more behind that."

"Well, now you know."

The door opened and Buzz walked inside. Kenzie gasped. "What are you doing here? You should still be recovering."

"Cole's missing. I'm helping." His flat tone brooked no argument. "And ... I know you want to know what's going on with Butler."

Kenzie raised a brow. "You know?"

"Yeah. He swore me to secrecy, though. But now that word is out he's a suspect in all that's been going on with Kenzie, thanks to his personal errands and such, I'm going to tell you. He's rude and he's a pain when it comes to Kenzie, but he's not trying to kill her. His sister is a single mom and she's been admitted to rehab for a drug addiction. Butler's been hanging out with his six-year-old nephew whenever he's had the chance. When I explained that he needed to come clean and let me tell you guys everything, he gave me permission to share and tell you that he's had an alibi for every attempt on your life. Including the home invasion. He was with his nephew each time. Butler sits by his phone day and night in case he's needed."

"What?" Kenzie sank onto the nearest chair, the news burrowing deep into her heart. "So, he's not—"

"He's not."

"All right then. Good to know." She only had a twinge of guilt at suspecting the man. Just a twinge. It faded quickly. "But that still leaves Oscar."

Commander Hill nodded at Buzz. "Thank you. And I'm glad you're here. We need all the help we can get."

"So," Kenzie said, "it sounds like our next move is to find Oscar. With backup, of course."

"Yep," Hill said, "but you're staying here."

"What? Why?"

"Because you're a target. This is the safest place for you. The building is secure. Nobody gets in without a key card. There are detectives and officers upstairs, so you won't be alone, and help is seconds away. We'll handle this. You stay put. Sleep on the couch if you want, but don't leave this building."

"But, sir—"

"I'm not arguing this with you. Follow my orders or face the consequences."

With a fire burning in her gut, Kenzie nodded. "Yes sir."

"Good." He looked at the team. "Get Butler if he's available and let's go. Crenshaw, you and Cowboy head to Woodruff's home and talk to him. Cross, Greene, Otis, and I are going to follow that back road where we last saw the hearse turn off, searching every home and structure that could possibly be a hiding place."

They left and Kenzie kicked the trash can. It clattered across the floor, then hit the wall with a solid thud. She drew in a ragged breath, then marched to the kitchen with her laptop. Just because she was trapped didn't mean she was helpless.

For the next hour, she worked and watched both phones—personal and work. Every so often a text would come through with an update on her work phone. Her personal phone, the one Cole had sent the "I need help" text to, stayed silent. Even her father had stopped sending her messages asking if she'd solved his case yet.

And then her personal phone buzzed. With a text from Amelia, Kash's girlfriend.

Looking forward to seeing you and your plus-one tomorrow night.

She'd forgotten all about the promise she'd made to attend. She tapped a text back.

Might not make it. Will let you know for sure by tomorrow morning. Will explain later. Emergency work situation.

No response. Not even three little dots indicating a reply.

She'd apologize later if she had to. Right now, Cole was her priority.

The back door to HQ opened and a short beep sounded. Slow, measured footsteps reached her. She frowned and placed a hand on her weapon. Then sighed. Only law enforcement personnel with a key card could get in.

But she rose to check the hallway and came face-to-face with Oscar Woodruff. Chills skittered across her skin, but she resisted the urge to leave her hand on her weapon. No sense in letting on that she didn't trust him. "Oscar. Hi. What are you doing here?"

He planted his hands on his hips. "Is it true someone kidnapped Cole and I'm a suspect?"

She sighed. "Yeah."

He frowned. "When? How?"

"Yesterday from the hospital. How did you know you're a suspect?"

"Butler gave me a heads-up. Said they were headed to look for me."

"So you came here?"

He shrugged. "I was on the way back to work after stopping off to see Dad at the home. He's been skipping his PT appointments, and I was going to make sure he went to this one. He was a little late, but we got him there. Butler called as I was getting Dad settled back in his room, and I told him I was coming here to talk to you and the others."

"They've already left."

"I see that." He sighed. "Why do you think I have anything to do with what's going on with you?"

Kenzie looked at Oscar. "Because Butler keeps saying you deserved to get my spot. He's angry on your behalf, what with you two being best friends and all. In fact, I thought maybe the two of you were working together to get rid of me." Might as well lay it all out there.

Oscar blinked at her. "Wow. That's really quite ... unbelievable. So, you think I had something to do with the attempts on your life because I was ticked that I didn't get the spot on the team?"

It did sound asinine when he put it that way and said it with that tone, but people had killed for less. She shrugged.

"And going after Cole?" He scoffed. "Why Cole?"

"I don't know!" Frustration grabbed at her. She wanted Oscar to be the guilty one. She wanted him to admit to everything. Then it would be over. But looking at him, she wasn't convinced it was him. "Fine! If it's not you, then who? Do you have any idea who'd do this to get at me?"

"No. And it's not Butler either. He's got his own issues to deal with."

And an alibi for every attempt on her life. The guy was just a jerk when it came to her. Not a killer. "We know about his sister. I don't think it's him anymore."

"But you still think it's me." He shook his head. "I don't know where Cole is, but I'll definitely help find him. I've got my gear in my car."

Kenzie bit her lip. If he had anything to do with Cole's disappearance, he was doing an excellent job of hiding it. But she didn't want him out of her sight until they either found Cole or figured out for sure if he had anything to do with the attempts on her life. But she wasn't leaving the building. Not if she wanted to keep her career. "I'll call Commander Hill and let him know you're here, and he can make the judgment about what you should do next."

He shook his head. "I'm not waiting on him." His gaze flickered. "Kenzie, were your parents having marital issues when you were a teen?"

"Why would you ask that?"

He shook his head. "I just remember Dad saying the chief couldn't focus on his job while his marriage was in turmoil."

Kenzie flinched. "Well, I was just fourteen, so I'm sure I didn't see all there was to see or know all there was to know. But I don't have time to worry about that at the moment. If you're not the one trying to kill me, then I need to focus and figure out who is." Not that she believed him just because he protested his innocence, but ...

"Then I'm going to get out of here and join up with the others."

Kenzie scowled. "I recommend you call Commander Hill first and clear that with him. Let him know where you are. Just my advice, but you do what you want."

While he did that, Kenzie shot a text to the man, letting him know Woodruff was there and asking if it would be okay to let him join them. They'd be able to keep an eye on him, and if he knew something about Cole's whereabouts, he might let it slip.

The commander responded with a thumbs-up.

Oscar disappeared down the hall and she heard the exit door open. Well, if he was trying to kill her, he'd certainly passed up an easy opportunity. It wasn't Oscar. So, who was it? Kenzie went back to her laptop, pulled up all her dad's cold case information once more, and started reading. Mostly because she kept drawing a blank on who could want her off the team and why. It was probably something very simple, but without all the information, she couldn't put it together and that terrified her.

Because if she couldn't figure it out, she might lose Cole forever. Then she stilled. The door had opened again. "Oscar?"

The squeak of a shoe on the floor behind her was her only warning. She started to turn when something landed on her skull and sent her tumbling from the chair.

Pain radiated, and for a moment she couldn't move, could only gasp in air and try not to puke. Then the barrel of a gun pressed against the base of her skull. "Get up and walk out if you want to see Cole Garrison again." The low, raspy voice was obviously an attempt to disguise it, but it sounded familiar. "So, it was you! I don't believe it."

He laughed. "Get up and walk out the door and get in the passenger seat. If you try to fight me, I'll just kill you and be done with it."

"Then why don't you?" Because he needed her for something.

"Go. Now."

If it would get her to Cole, then fine. She allowed him to shove her toward the exit. Once they were at his vehicle, a large Buick sedan, he motioned her to the passenger side, and she noted that he was being very clever about avoiding the station's cameras. Head tilted, gun held low, hand on the small of her back. He opened the passenger door for her and waited for her to get settled. "Seat belt," he said in that low whisper voice.

She strapped in while doing her best to ignore the throbbing in her head. "Don't suppose you have a bottle of Motrin on hand."

He hesitated. "Glove box. Now, I'm going to walk around and get in the driver's seat. If you try anything foolish, know that Garrison will die."

"How do I know he's alive right now?"

"I guess you'll just have to take my word for it, but you're alive because I need something from him first."

And she was the motivation for Cole to provide that.

All righty then.

"And that little bomb at the warehouse? That was nothing compared to what's planted around Cole. Now, get your pills if you want them while I walk around."

She raised a brow but fumbled for the latch and found the bottle. She also gave the glove box a quick scan to see if there was a registration or insurance card to confirm the man's identity, but didn't see one. Two protein bars, a bottle of water, a phone charger, but nothing to confirm that this was Oscar.

She shook out four pills and put the bottle back while her brain processed that her captor had something to do with the warehouse incident. But for the life of her, she couldn't come up with the connection. "Oscar, how did you—"

He laughed. "I'm not Oscar." He shut the door and walked—no, limped—around to the driver's side and slid behind the wheel.

And it hit her where she knew him from.