Page 29 of Final Approach
“I...” She shook her head. “I don’t know. Home? The church maybe? Although I can’t really see that. He thinks everyone there is a hypocrite. I get it. Some are. But not all.”
“Where’s the church?”
“First Community. On Main Street.”
Just a few blocks away. “All right. I can check and see if he’s there somewhere.” She stood. “If he comes here, will you let us know? At least then we’ll know he’s safe.”
“Yes, of course.”
“Thank you. I’m going to go get your stuff, okay?”
“Okay.” She sighed, leaned her head back, and shut her eyes.
Kristine made her way out of the hospital and found that darkness was coming quickly. “Great.” No wonder she was hungry. Shehurried to her vehicle, opened the glove compartment, and found a protein bar. It would have to do for now.
Her phone pinged. Lainie.
Are you still at the hospital?
No, on the way to First Community Church. I’m still looking for Jacob.
And frankly, some answers from the deceased Marcus Brown. He hadn’t told them everything. She felt it in her bones. A quick search of the church didn’t turn up the teen, so she headed to the Brown home.
When Kristine pulled to the curb, the poor house looked abandoned and forlorn in the shadows of the setting sun. She climbed out and found the key right where Tabitha said it would be. She started to insert the key but found the door cracked. “Huh.” They must have left it open in the chaos of everything. “Weird.” Or maybe Jacob had come home? She stepped inside to flip on the light.
Nothing. She’d get that taken care of later like she’d promised, but for now...
She pulled out her phone and activated the flashlight. Then hesitated. Searching the house in the dark might not be the most brilliant idea. She might miss something. Then again, if she didn’t try, she may not get another opportunity. She shut the door behind her, pulled a pair of gloves she’d grabbed on her way out of the hospital from her pocket, and slid her hands into them.
She stood for a moment, thinking. She really should stay in her lane and wait on Andrew. Well, if she came across the money, she wouldn’t touch it. She swung the light around. If she wanted to hide a bunch of cash, and make sure six kids and a wife couldn’t find it, where would she put it? The ceiling? She found a broom in the small closet next to the washer and dryer, then panned the light over the surface while using the wooden handle to push gently on the overhead acoustic tiles.
It didn’t take long to finish in the small space, so she moved to theden area to do the same and stopped. The small desk in the corner had been overturned, the drawers’ contents scattered across the floor.
That combined with the cracked door worried her. But maybe in all the chaos with the paramedics and other people in the house, it had been an accident. She moved to the next room and looked inside. The boys’ bedroom. Three twin beds and a small dresser against the wall. A few toys on the floor-to-ceiling shelves that lined the walls. She admired the creative storage ideas. She seriously doubted Marcus would hide the money in his kids’ room, but she checked the ceiling anyway, then the overhead light. Sometimes people pulled the light down to hide stuff up behind it. It was a lot of trouble and included removing screws and the whole light fixture to get to the open space behind it, but ...
Nothing. She even tried the shelving to see if it moved. Nope.
Kristine blew out a breath and moved into the room across the hall. The girls’ room. Pink and purple covered the walls that could use another coat of paint, but again, the shelves around the perimeter. A few scattered toys and a lot of books. Nothing. Okay then. She’d do what she was sent here to do and let the FBI handle the rest like she was supposed to.Sorry,Andrew,I tried.
A sound from the master bedroom caught her attention.
Jacob?
The most likely answer. Could he be grabbing some things and planning to leave again? Or had one of the friends keeping the kids come to get something?
But there was no car out front.
She dialed 911 and listened for the call to connect, then stayed quiet while on the line. She turned the volume down as far as it would go in order to keep the dispatcher’s voice from coming through.
Then she texted Andrew and Nathan.
At the Brown home. Someone is inside. Not sure if it’s Jacob. No car on the curb so could be him.
Andrew’s text came through immediately.
Or it could be an intruder. Get out and wait for backup.
She hesitated, then decided that might be wise. A loud crash from the bedroom had her backing toward the exit. Her foot snagged on the carpet runner and she stumbled, knocking against the wall.
