Page 138 of Sworn to Silence
John looked up to see her standing at the door with a phone in her hand. “You do what you have to do.” Spotting a beat-up file cabinet, he crossed to it and yanked on the drawer, but it was locked. “Where’s the key?”
“I don’t know.” She punched numbers into her cell phone.
John looked around for something to break the lock with. Finding an old umbrella, he rammed the metal tip into the lock.
“What are you doing?” she screamed.
He hammered away at the lock until the top drawer rolled open. He saw files near the front. At the rear he found several Tupperware containers and a shoebox. He started with the files. Bank statements. Utility bills. Meaningless forms and warranties. Finding nothing of interest, he pulled out the shoebox and found photos. He knew immediately they were police file photos. Hundreds of them. Dead bodies. Homicides. Suicides. Horrific accidents. The one thing they had in common was that all were violent.
John reached for one of the Tupperware containers, opened it. He found a pair of women’s panties. He went to the next, found a black bra. A sheerkapp,the kind worn by an Amish woman. Souvenirs, he realized. “Christ.” The one thing he hadn’t found was something that would lead him to Kate.
He started toward the door, nearly running over Lora, who stood in the doorway. “I called Nathan’s office,” she said. “They don’t know anything about him being missing. I told them what you were doing. They’re on their way.”
“If Detrick was in trouble, where would he go?”
“I have nothing to say to you.”
Before he could stop himself John grabbed her shoulders, put her hard against the wall. “If I don’t find him, he’s going to kill someone! Now where the fuck is he?”
“Kill someone?” She stared at him, her mouth agape and quivering. “You’re crazy! Nate wouldn’t hurt anyone! He’s a police officer! He wouldn’t do that!”
“He already has!” John shouted. “Is there someplace private he goes to be alone?”
“H-he never mentioned a place!”
“Does he have a cabin? Anything like that?”
“I don’t know!”
Struggling for control, he released her and stumbled back. For several seconds they stared at each other, then John turned and took the stairs two at a time to the ground floor. He went through the door and ran to the Tahoe. By the time he climbed behind the wheel he was shaking. Snatching up the phone, he called Glock. “Detrick’s our man.”
“How do you—”
“I just left his house. I went through his office. He’s got souvenirs.”
“Jesus, Tomasetti.”
“Where are you?”
“North side of Painters Mill. I’ve checked two farms on the list, but I’m batting zero.”
“They could be anywhere.” John grabbed the list of abandoned properties off the console. “We gotta find her, Glock. She’s in trouble.” Starting the engine, he pulled onto the street. “Where do I look?”
“There’s an abandoned motel off of Route 62 out of Millersburg. I’m heading that way now. You’re closer to Killbuck. There’s a house there that’s on this list.”
John squinted down at his list, frustrated because he wasn’t familiar with the area. “Goddamnit, we need more manpower.”
“Pickles and Skid are out looking. We’ll find her.”
John ended the call and made the turn onto State Route 754. The township of Killbuck was ahead, the abandoned house just beyond. The snow made for agonizingly slow travel. Visibility had dwindled, making it difficult to see the road. Even the telephone poles and road signs were invisible. In a few hours travel would be impossible.
He squinted through the windshield at the swirling maelstrom beyond. “Where are you, Kate?” he whispered.
The only answer was the steady beat of the wipers and the echo of his own fear.
CHAPTER 35
I watch him remove my boots. Around me, the old house creaks and moans against the storm raging outside. Even with the heater turned on high, the room is cold. My legs and arms shake uncontrollably. I can no longer tell if it’s from the cold or from the endless stream of terror coursing through me. I recall my last conversation with John, and I wonder if he believed me about Detrick. I wonder of he’s looking for me. Ifanyone’slooking for me. Or if I’ll end up like the others.
