Page 77 of This Time I'm Keeping You
“Where would you start?”the chief asked.“We have everyone checking everything to do with Brad Denton, Malcolm Davy, and Stephen Taylor.If he’s leased a place or hired a car, we’ll know about it shortly.”
“We’re also checking the cameras in the location Poppy was taken and trying to get a license plate of the van or a picture of who was driving,” Billy said.
“Davy is smart,” Chief Benowitz said.
“Great, I would hate to think Poppy was being held by a dumbass,” Sam snarled.
“He’s convinced police he’s not after her because he’s talked to idiots… until now,” the chief said.“We’re not dumb, and everyone makes mistakes.Even someone like Davy, who is next-level intelligent.”
“What Chief Benowitz is saying is that we’ve got this.We’ll get Poppy back, and you need to trust us,” Billy said.
“I don’t want to sit here waiting until you do.”Nick said.
“I understand that.For now, let’s go interview an asshole,” the chief of police said.He then left the room with the Athertons on his heels.
Nick had been through tough times—family illnesses, financial stress, friends suffering in many ways that had him suffering right along with them—but never had he felt this boiling rage and absolute whole-body fear.The ferocity of it took his breath away.
Poppy, his girl, was out there alone with a madman, and it was killing him.
“Nick, you have to believe they will find her,” Gracie said, placing her arm around his waist.
“Poppy has been back in my life for days, and I don’t know how I ever lived without her.How will I live without her if she doesn’t come back to me?”Nick’s words came out thick with emotion.“What if he’s hurting her, Gracie?”
She stepped in front of him, gripping his shoulders.“Stop that right now.Poppy is strong, and she’ll fight until we get her back.You have to believe that, Nicky.Be strong for her because she will be thinking of you and know you will do everything you can to get her back.”
He closed his eyes briefly.
“Now, let’s listen to this assface, and while we are in there, we contact everyone we know.Athertons and their friends have a far reach in this town.We’re going to lean into that,” Gracie said.
They all then filed into a small room.Nick stood with his back pressed to a wall.Thomas stood on one side of him, and Sam on the other.Gracie pulled one of the two chairs in front of him and sat.Em did the same.They were boxing him in.
Billy stood with a pad and pen.
Denton was pacing the room beyond the glass in front of him, and nothing about the man’s appearance signaled what he was capable of.Nick wanted to punch him until he told them where Poppy was.
Chief Benowitz wandered in with a coffee, pad, and recording device.He took the seat facing Nick and waved Brad Denton into the other one across from him.
“He’s a master at this,” Billy said.
“Interview with Brad Denton,” the chief said, relaying the date and time into the recorder.
“I’m texting everyone I know,” Sam whispered.“We all are.Description of Poppy, and any details we have about what went down.”
Nick pulled out his phone and handed it to Em.She could contact everyone on that too.
“Mr.Denton, you are here because you have been involved in the harassment and surveillance of one Poppy Sylvester,” Chief Benowitz began in a monotone voice.He then read through the list of things Davy had done and Denton’s part in all of it.
“Fucker,” Nick snarled.
Denton said nothing, just watched Benowitz.
“Stalking of this level is afelony punishable by two, three, or five years in state prison, Mr.Denton.Add to that kidnapping, threatening behavior, and several other charges, and you will be lucky to be out before you die.”
That got a reaction, Nick thought.The man twitched.
“Malcolm Davy has been obsessed with Poppy Sylvester for years.He’s brought you into that obsession, Mr.Denton.If anything happens to her while she is with Malcom Davy, that sentence will be upgraded, and you will be an accessory to her murder.”
This time, it was Nick who jerked.His entire body screamed, No!
