Page 61 of Justice for Daesha

Ainsley nodded. “He’s right. If there’s anything like that, we weren’t privilege to that information.”

“What did Mom say about Dad’s whereabouts?” Benson asked.

Jack’s voice repeated, “We didn’t speak to your mother. As I said, there was no one there.”

The three brothers glanced back and forth at each other before Chance spoke. “Mom was bound to be there. I can’t imagine he wouldn’t have tried to shelter her from this. Since we didn’t have any sisters, she and the Wilkerson girls were close as they were growing up.”

“That’s true,” Benson echoed. “They were very close. They, their mom, and our mom used to do all kinds of things together. Dad wouldn’t have wanted her to be party to this. She probably would’ve refused anyway.”

Something clicked in Amos’s brain. “How did she feel about your relationship with Dorinda?”

Chance’s lips pursed into a thin line. “She was none too happy about it. Said it was unnatural and…” He stopped.

Amos glared at him. “And?”

His voice was a near-whisper when he answered, “That it would ruin us and our dad if word got out, and we’d lose everything.”

Son of a bitch. We’ve been looking at the wrong person this whole time. Amos couldn’t believe that had slipped past him. He remembered the woman’s icy countenance when he’d been there, and he’d just thought it was because she considered his presence an invasion of their privacy, but it had been more?much more. The words just spewed from his lips. “She took Daesha.”

“Mom? She’d never do anything like that!” Ainsley blurted.

“Where would she take Daesha?” The three brothers shrugged. “Think!Does your family own any other property?” Their eyebrows were a mile high and mouths open as they shook their heads and shrugged. “God damn it,THINK! There’s got to besomewhereshe could’ve taken her.”

Without warning, Ainsley yelled, “The plant!” Benson and Chance both turned and stared at him. “The packing plant!”

“As in meat packing?” Amos asked. The minute he said it, the other two Kelso brothers began to nod.

“Yes. Our great-great-grandfather owned a meat packing plant in Hodgenville, but it’s been shut down for years.”

“Does your family still own it?”

Benson replied, “Yes, but it would be a terrible place to take anybody. I mean, it’s virtually all glass. Back then there was no air conditioning, so from about five feet above the ground, it’s all windows. It didn’t even really have an office, just a big lit-up area on a balcony in the back.”

“Can you get in there?”

Chance answered, “If we can’t, we can break out windows. It wouldn’t be that hard to get in, but she may have a key.”

Amos barked, “Name!”

“Um, Mallory Meat Packing Company.”

An officer in the back pulled out his phone and put it on speaker. “This is CaptainHalford, KSP SRT. Active team, respond to abduction, female, early thirties, approximately five feet and seven inches tall, blond hair, light green eyes. Military veteran. Repeat?military veteran. Abduction suspect is a female, approximately seventy years of age. All units respond to Mallory Meat Packing in Hodgenville. Report when in position. Copy?”

A voice floated out into the room, “Copy that, captain. SRT deployed to Hodgenville, Mallory Meat Packing. Will advise when units are in position. Over.” Amos nodded to him, and he sent a chin lift back.

Amos watched his baby brother take charge. “Guys, Cappy’s out today with the flu. I’m acting officer in charge. We will proceed to the target destination. No lights or sirens. When you arrive, check in with the SRT commander on site. He’ll give you assignments. Go.” As soon as Jack finished, every KSP trooper in the room headed out, with the attending SRT officer in the lead.

“KDCI agents, you are to do the same. Firearms and protective gear are required on this mission. This isourcase, and we want to make sure all the necessary procedures are followed. This is AgentFletcher’s case. Follow his lead.” Mack turned to Amos. “Do you have a plan?”

Amos’s eyes bored smoldering holes into the three Kelso brothers. “Do I have a plan? Does a bear shit in the woods? You three, get in my car. AgentTalbert?”

“Yes, sir!”

“You’ll ride security over these three with me. AgentRoss?”

“Yes, sir!” Alex replied.

“I want you to proceed to the address for LawrenceWilkerson. This is his daughter. He should be there, and he may be able to assist in diffusing the situation. Thisisa rush.” Amos whipped out his phone.

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