Page 69 of Outlaw Ridge: Griff
By the time they pulled into the station parking lot, Lily’s nerves were stretched to their limit. She hadn’t let go of her phone since the text came in, like somehow holding onto it would keep Caleb safe.
Every passing minute felt heavier than the last.
Griff parked close to the entrance. He kept one hand near his holster the entire drive, eyes flicking to the mirrors, his jaw tight. They’d both been on edge, scanning for tails or a potential ambush. Whoever had Caleb could be using this to draw them out. To launch another attack.
To kill them.
But Lily didn’t see anyone lurking around. Didn’t see a sniper on the rooftops, ready to gun them down. So, with the seconds ticking away, they hurried inside, ready to get to work.
Hallie and Jesse were waiting for them near the back entrance, grim-faced. Griff had called ahead, giving them the bare bones of what was going on. Now it was time to fill in the gaps and figure out a plan before that one-hour clock ran out.
Inside, they headed straight for the cold case office. Lily dropped her coat over the back of a chair and brought up the threatening text again. The image of Caleb, terrified and bound, burned behind her eyes. She couldn’t stop thinking about how young he looked. How helpless.
Hallie leaned over her shoulder, frowning at the screen. “Mickey and Jacob are out patrolling the town, looking for anything out of the ordinary where someone might be holding Caleb. They’ll check Rhett’s place, Everett’s home and businesses and Margo’s mother’s house.”
Good. Because the boy very well could be nearby though it would be risky as hell to stash him in a place that could be directly connected back to one of them. Still, this might have been an impulse abduction, and if so the kidnapper could have left some evidence behind that they could use.
Lily was counting on that.
“We’ve got the techs working on the image you were texted,” Hallie went on. “They’ll enhance it, analyze light, background, shadows and see if they can figure out where the photo was taken.”
“And if they can’t?” Jesse asked quietly.
Griff answered without hesitation. “Then we do what they want. Buy time. We can’t let a kid die.”
“Agreed,” Jesse, Hallie and Lily muttered in unison.
Lily turned toward Hallie. “Have Jacob or Mickey reported having actually seen our three suspects?”
Hallie was quick to shake her head. “Just the opposite. No sightings of any of them.”
“Then, we need to find them,” Lily muttered, and Hallie made a sound of agreement.
“On it,” Jesse said, and he went back toward his desk in the bullpen.
Hallie crossed her arms, her expression tight. “Whoever’s behind this doesn’t just want us to stop. They want the investigation dead. Case files destroyed, evidence erased, everything shut down. And they want it to be public. A press release, a statement—something visible. They’ll be watching to make sure we comply.”
Lily’s gut twisted. “They want this buried like it never existed.”
Griff’s voice dropped. “Which means they’re afraid of what we’re about to uncover.”
Her phone rang. The sharp, sudden sound sliced through the room like a blade, and every head turned. Lily’s heart jolted when she saw what popped up on the screen.
Unknown Number.
Without hesitating, she answered immediately, putting the call on speaker and hitting the record function. “This is Deputy Lily Oliver. Who is this?”
A shaky breath came through the line. “It’s… it’s Caleb.”
Her knees nearly buckled. “Caleb,” she blurted on a rise of breath. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
“I’m not hurt,” the boy said, his voice tight and scared. “They said I had to call. I’m supposed to tell you…” Caleb paused, voice trembling. “You’re not just supposed to burn the files. You have to stream it. Post the live video to a private page. On Facebook.”
“What page?” Griff asked quickly, already scribbling.
Caleb answered with a sniffle. “JusticeNeverMatters23.All one word. They said you’ll be granted temporary access when you go live.”
Lily exchanged a quick look with Griff. “Caleb, do you know where you are?” Lily asked, trying to keep her voice calm.
