Page 53 of Traces of Kara

Mimi bent down and felt her way to the corner of the wall. Her shaking fingers trailed along the concrete. Part of her hoped for a door, and part of her was too scared of what might lay beyond it if she found one. She knelt down and felt two large pieces of machinery, side by side. She inched between the wall and the equipment, feeling behind them. Her heart raced—just enough space to hide. She hurried back to Kara, careful to avoid the shin-height obstacles. With a heavy heart, she knelt next to Kara and placed her hand upon her chest, her cheek next to her daughter’s lips. She could not feel any sensation beneath her hand. Kara’s skin was cold. Mimi pressed her lips against her daughter’s cheek, leaving a sweet kiss there. Then she lowered her own cheek to Kara’s mouth. Her baby’s soft breaths, like warm tufts of wind, brought tears to her eyes. She hadn’t lost her yet.

Chapter Forty-Two

Thunder roared in the darkened sky. A thick stream of water rushed down the steep street. Detective Grant grasped the steering wheel with white knuckles.

“There’s the bridge.” Mark pointed toward the canal. “That must be where his truck was.”

Detective Grant could feel his eyes boring into him, even as he pointed toward the canal. Grant thought about the surroundings, and the location of Greer’s truck. He turned up the hill toward the bridge and pulled over just before the entrance.

“What’re you doing? We’re losing time,” Mark asked. “That maniac has probably got her.”

Detective Grant stared at the bridge, narrowing his deep, blue eyes as if he were watching a scene unfold before him. What was within walking distance from the bridge? The power plant. Roland’s obsession was all falling into its ugly place.

“Grant?”

Detective Grant sighed, then dropped his gaze to the dashboard, contemplating calling for backup, thinking about how, if Roland had Kara, he’d let Mimi down. Guilt clawed at his shoulders, pulling the muscles tight across his neck. There was no proof Greer had Kara—yet. He lifted his gaze and threw the car into reverse. Grant knew better than to raise a false alarm. He had to see if Greer was headed for Kara, then he’d call for backup.

The dark brick of the plant blended into the blackened sky. A crack of lightning illuminated the broken windows and skeleton-like stairways that climbed the right side of the building.

Grant stepped from the car, pulling the hood of his slicker over his head. Sergeant Agnew jogged up to him.

“Can you get in?” Agnew asked.

Grant drew his eyebrows together and lifted one side of his mouth with a sarcastic shrug. They pushed the button on the gated entrance. Nothing happened.

“No power,” Agnew said.

“No shit.” Grant didn’t mean to sound like an asshole, he just didn’t have the patience to control his annoyance. Every muscle in his body was pulled as tight as violin strings. A sinking feeling settled in his gut. “Over?” He lifted his chin toward the gate.

Mark’s eyes grew wide. “Really? Isn’t there another entrance?”

“You’re what, thirty? You’re tellin’ me you can’t climb?” He strode angrily toward the side of the building as a car sped into the parking lot and abruptly came to a stop.

Grant moved into the shadow of the trees, pulling his gun from its holster. “Get back,” he ordered.

Mark withdrew his gun. “No way. I’ve got your back.”

Ted stepped from the car and headed for the gate.

Detective Grant recognized his swagger. “Ted?”

Ted turned in his direction, shielding his eyes from the driving rain. “Mitch?”

“Shit, I thought you were—what’re you doing here?” Grant tucked his gun back into his holster, wiping the rain from his eyes.

Ted hunched his shoulders against the pounding rain and jogged over to them, giving Mark a quick glance before asking, “I went to get sandwiches. Mimi’s inside with Jackson. Why are you here?” He looked from Mark to Mitch, then back again. “What the hell’s going on?”

Grant pulled his shoulders back, lowered his chin, and looked down at Ted. “Possible situation. You’re best waiting in your car.”

“My wife is in there. I’ll be damned if I’m waiting in my car,” he retorted.

“Ted. This isn’t a game. We don’t know what’s going on in there.” The sound of the rain filled the space between them.

“What makes you think anything is going on in there?” He took a step closer. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Grant weighed his options. He owed it to Mimi to keep her secret. He owed it to Kara to get in there as quickly as possible. If Mimi was in trouble, Grant would be damned if he would let Ted come to her rescue. That was his role. “Police business. Just get back in your goddamned car and wait there.”

“Hey—”