Page 14 of Chasing a Kidnapper

“Yes, of course. That makes sense.” Trisha glanced at West. “What do you think?”

“I agree with all of his suggestions.” West knew it would take time to get everything installed. “Why don’t we let this guy get to work on the locks. We can call a security company once you’re safe.” He was careful not to say anything about where they’d be staying.

“Okay. Thanks.” She gave the locksmith her credit card information and the key code. “It’s not my birthday or Gabriel’s birthday,” she said when he opened his mouth to argue. “It’s my father’s birthday month and my mother’s birthday year, with the numbers of his month in the middle of her year. I don’t think anyone will guess it. Especially since they’ve been gone since Raina and I were in our late teens.”

“That should work fine.” He was glad she understood the importance of using good password security. He turned to look back at his SUV. “Ready to get out of here?”

“Yes.” She smoothed a hand down Gabriel’s back. The baby had quieted down now, likely understanding the danger was over. He hadn’t realized small kids could sense things the way K-9's did.

Sticking close to Trish, he escorted her and Gabriel down to the car. He worked on collapsing the stroller as she buckled him in his car seat. After storing the stroller behind the front seat, he scooped Peanut up, nuzzled her soft fur for a moment, before setting her in the back. She was smaller in size than his previous K-9 partner, Willa, but just as plucky and talented when it came to scent tracking and sniffing out guns.

He quickly joined Trish, sliding behind the wheel. As they left the neighborhood, he glanced at her. “I hope you’ll continue staying at my place.”

With a grimace, she nodded. “I will, thanks for the offer. I know you’ll be busy with the new task force, but it will be easier for Gabriel to stay with you. And for me,” she added.

Despite his earlier reluctance to share his personal space, he was relieved to hear it. “There isn’t much to do yet with the task force. We’re hoping to get more information related to the guns that were found in the van you pulled over.”

“Hopefully the BOLO for Petey Pawners will bring results, too,” she agreed. “I can’t imagine he and his accomplice can hide for long.”

“That depends on how much help they have from other members of the organization running these guns.” It was depressing to realize Pawners had gotten away, just like the masked perp had.

It made him feel as if he was losing his touch. Which was not reassuring.

“Hey. You’ll find him.” Trisha surprised him by putting her hand on his arm. “I’m glad a task force has been created. It’s better to have more than our Plains City PD working the case.”

“True.” He managed a smile. “I’m glad the ATF didn’t take over the way feds usually do.” His smile faded. “Getting these guns off the street is critical. Gun violence is already out of control. Arresting these guys might help bring it down.”

“Yeah.” She turned to look back at Gabriel, who had started babbling again. “What I can’t figure out is why the masked man tried to grab Gabriel in the first place? Last night, when he broke into my home, he searched for something. Now he’s attempting to kidnap my son?”

“I’ve been concerned about that, too,” he acknowledged. “It could be that he was hoping to hold the baby hostage in exchange for the key he was looking for.”

“Hostage,” she echoed, her voice a low agonized whisper. “That’s horrible.”

He nodded. “Yeah, but we’re not going to let that happen.” It took him a minute to realize he’d identified himself as the baby’s protector.

Yet he couldn’t very well ignore the danger to the little guy.

“I appreciate your support, West.” Her tone was subdued, as he navigated the streets back to his place. “It’s nice to know I’m not alone in this.”

“You’re not.” He glanced at her again, then added, “We need to discuss your ex-husband.”

“Bryan isn’t six feet tall. He’s only two inches taller than my five feet seven inches. And I think I would have recognized his blue eyes, if that man was him.” She shrugged. “I honestly don’t understand why Bryan would be searching my house for a key. A key to what? We didn’t have a storage unit, a post office box or a bank safety deposit box.”

Knowing the perp wanted a key was perplexing. Then he had a thought. “Did Bryan belong to a gym?”

Her mouth dropped open. “Yes! He went to the one located not far from Raina’s place. It’s called—Fitness Guru Gym.”

He stopped at the next intersection and turned right. “Okay, that’s our first stop.”

“I should have thought of that before,” she admitted. “But it was his gym membership, not mine. Why would he believe I have the key to his locker? Especially since it has been a year and two months since he left me?”

“I don’t know, but there’s only one way to find out.” He hoped his badge would be enough to convince the gym manager to let him search the locker.

They needed something to steer them in the right direction to find this guy.

Before he could strike out at Trisha or her son again.

Trisha inwardly railed at herself for not thinking of Bryan’s old gym membership sooner. It should have clicked in her mind last night, but the shooting event, then finding Laurel tied up and bleeding, had clouded her mind.

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