Page 100 of Midnight Creed

“We have a match,” he said.

She let the silence hang between them as her mind switched gears.

“How sure are we?” she finally asked.

“Agent Warren’s team got a treasure trove from the outside and inside of the canvas bag. Gregory may have been overly confident that the alligators would take care of his carelessness.”

“They match what Kuszak has?”

“Yes. She’s searching through the New York and Jacksonville cases for any prints left behind at those crime scenes. He’s never been fingerprinted before. He thought he was safe.”

“I’m headed over to his mother’s now.”

“It’s kind of early in the morning.”

“I’m counting on the element of surprise.” She wondered if Dora Ramsey would recognize her six months later.

“You’re thinking he might already be there. You have backup, right?”

“Her neighborhood is crawling with law enforcement. Her grandson has been missing since yesterday morning.”

“Now that’s an interesting twist. Coincidence?”

“By my calculations, the boy disappeared right about the time Gregory arrived in Pensacola.”

67

It didn’t take long for Jason to find the old dirt road. Creed watched the Jeep bump and wind its way along the trees. Clouds blocked the moon. A fog had set in, hugging the ground. A rumble of thunder threatened in the distance.

Headlights followed Jason’s. Norwich. Creed could see she brought with her only Deputy Trevor.

When he called the sheriff, he used his cell phone instead of the radio. It was simply easier for him to explain all the details, but Norwich’s voice seemed strained, extra anxious. She thanked him for keeping this off the radio, then asked him and Brodie to continue to stay off. There was something in her tone that troubled him.

Jason barely stopped the Jeep, and Taylor was out the passenger door and headed straight for Norwich. Jason came over to Ryder and Brodie.

“I didn’t tell her,” he said in a low voice with his back to Taylor. “But when Norwich followed us, she figured something was up.”

He looked from Brodie to Creed. “What did you find?”

“I think Grace alerted to more fresh fertilizer. They obviously laid sod in the last week.”

Jason’s eyes stayed on Creed’s, waiting and expecting more.

Creed ran a hand over his jaw and let out a sigh of frustration. “I might not have used the boy’s name when I asked Grace to continue the search.”

He hated admitting it to himself, let alone everyone else.

“I called Dr. Avelyn,” Creed said, wanting to get back to business. “She can meet you at the Waffle House on Avalon. You won’t have to go all the way back to our place. She’ll bring her first aid kit. Take a good look at Hank.” He didn’t want to tell Brodie that Hank was finished for this search, even if Dr. Avelyn didn’t find any more broken glass in his paw. Creed wouldn’t risk him getting an infection.

“You guys get yourselves something to eat. Feed the dogs. I’ll join you when we finish here.”

“Wait. You’re staying?” Brodie asked. The look she gave him was one of concern. There was no mistaking this time,

“I just want to make certain Grace is finished”

When he glanced over, Taylor was headed back to join them. Norwich was on her cell phone. Deputy Trevor waited. The sheriff must have been convincing that there was no new information. Taylor looked disappointed and frustrated, but not terrified that her boy could be buried under freshly laid sod.

Jason and Brodie carried Hank to the back of the Jeep, where he would settle in next to Scout.