Page 69 of Silencing Stolen Whispers
“We’re not leaving this campus without our daughter,” Katherine said, her voice barely above a whisper. She swiped at a tear. “I…I apologize for my earlier behavior. Whatever Bailey has done or hasn’t done…well, it doesn’t matter. I just need for her to be okay.”
“Do you think that this Dr. Reeves is the one?—”
“Detective Aspen, I’ll remain with them,” the campus security guard said, interrupting William so that Kinsley wasn’t put on the spot. “I’ll see to it that they’re comfortable inside the campus security building.”
“Thank you,” Kinsley responded as she spotted headlights pulling into the east parking lot. “Mr. and Mrs. Scriven, you’ll be the first to know when we locate Bailey.”
The night air felt somewhat cool against Kinsley’s face as she sprinted toward Alex’s car. She hadn’t realized just how much adrenaline had spiked in her system. Her partner already had his door open by the time she reached him.
“I have the officers on site searching everywhere for Bailey,” Kinsley said as she caught sight of Officer Blake returning from escorting Jade and Courtney to their apartment building across the street. “Melanie Reeves’ vehicle is still here. They have to be somewhere on this campus, Alex.”
Alex shut his car door and pocketed his keys.
“Hendricks remained behind at the Reeves’ residence,” Alex informed her as he surveyed the campus grounds. “We need to call in for additional backup. There’s too much ground to cover, and you and I both know we’ve just been put on the clock.”
“Melanie must have figured out that she killed the wrong sister,” Kinsley murmured as she focused on the library. They were too far away to distinguish any interior lights or movement. “I already called for backup, and the officers on hand are already searching the grounds east to west. But where would you go if you wanted answers? Maybe even to appease your conscience?”
Alex followed her gaze to the library as he began to remove his suit jacket. He then reopened his door and laid his coat across his seat.
“Familiar territory,” Alex responded as he slammed his door shut. “She’d feel safe there.”
“That’s right,” Kinsley said in agreement as she started in that direction. She held up a hand to signal Blake, who was maybe thirty feet away. “The library has two entrances. One in the front, and one in the back. We’ll need to cover both.”
29
Kinsley Aspen
July
Monday — 10:56 pm
The library's double-glass entrances were dark mirrors, reflecting only the faintest outline of Kinsley’s figure. The glow from the emergency exit signs inside bled crimson through the doors.
If Melanie had Bailey inside, every second mattered.
Alex had sought out campus security, and they had fortunately supplied him with a set of master keys. Kinsley kept a tight hold on them so the metal wouldn’t make noise. It was Alex who reached out to pull on the handle gingerly, confirming the front entry was locked.
“We could be wrong about this,” Alex murmured as he stepped back to survey the immediate area. His face was half-illuminated by the distant parking lot lights. “Melanie could have taken Bailey somewhere else on campus. Somewhere far away from all the buildings.”
“Dispatch is working with Bailey’s cellular company to locate her phone,” Kinsley replied as she slipped the correctly labeled key into the slot. She turned it until the lock disengaged before holding out the keys to Alex. “Until then, we have officers searching the grounds. We need to clear this building, anyway. Might as well start now.”
Kinsley and Alex had already discussed and agreed that he would approach through the back entrance. She couldn’t help but believe that Melanie wouldn’t be in the right state of mind to lock the door behind her. Either she had used the back entrance, or Alex was right—Melanie had taken Bailey somewhere else.
“Blake, you're with me,” Kinsley instructed, her voice low. “We go in quietly. If Melanie is unstable enough to have taken Bailey by force, there's no telling what she might do if cornered.”
“Copy that,” Officer Blake replied, his hand resting on his holstered weapon.
Alex gave them a short nod before disappearing around the corner of the building, his footsteps fading into the night. Kinsley withdrew her weapon from the holster before wrapping her left hand around the door handle.
Kinsley slowly pulled the entrance open, mindful of any sound that might alert Melanie to their presence. The library's recess lighting cast a dim glow throughout the main floor, just enough to navigate by but insufficient to banish the deep shadows between the tall bookshelves. Blake followed close behind, ensuring the door closed without a sound.
Kinsley signaled for him to separate from her, taking the right flank. She turned her radio down to its lowest audible volume before making her way deeper into the library. Each step was weighted with anticipation, the silence pressing against her eardrums like a physical force.
A stifled sound broke through the stillness.
Kinsley paused, concentrating to determine the source of the noise. She tilted her head slightly, finally catching the muffled sob coming from her left. She kept her weapon angled down as she moved cautiously between two bookcases, following the sound of crying as it grew marginally louder.
“…all your fault. All of it.” Melanie’s voice rose with each word. “I thought Hannah was having an affair with my husband. You don’t even attend the university. Why would…”
