Page 14 of Stand By You
“And I better head down to see Jillian,” Nick said. “I told her I’d be by first thing this morning with a plan. However, after seeing the surveillance footage I really don’t know what to tell her.”
“How about starting with the truth?” Hank said. “Tell her what we know so far and that we will keep working until we find the boy.”
“I have a feeling she isn’t going to be satisfied with that explanation,” Nick explained. “Even with her leg in that boot she’s wanting to get out there and find Travis herself.”
“Of course, she does,” Hank said. “She’s Travis’ nanny and they have a special bond. Do your best to keep her safe in the process and if you can’t keep her confined to the McGinty household then figure out a way not to get her injured.”
“I hear you loud and clear,” Nick said as his email pinged as new mail came through. He logged off the zoom call and opened his email, finding the pictures of the two guys who had taken Travis at the zoo. His bedroom didn’t have a printer, but he recalled seeing one in Jillian’s guesthouse. He shut down his laptop and packed it in his bag before going downstairs.
Mrs. Hudson had laid out a breakfast spread on the counter when he entered. Fresh fruit, pancakes, bacon, and eggs.
“Good morning, Mr. Bardou,” Mrs. Hudson greeted.
“Good morning,” he replied, setting down his case. “Have you seen Jillian this morning?”
“Took her breakfast down already,” she said. “Any progress on finding Travis?”
“I just got off a call with Detective Simons. No ransom demand has been made,” he told her.
“Wouldn’t that have come here to the house and not the police?” she asked.
“Normally, but maybe the detective had been in touch with Mr. McGinty already today,” Nick said. “He didn’t say.”
“Then isn’t there a chance there might still be a demand made?” Mrs. Hudson asked.
“I doubt it. Those usually come within a few hours after an abduction and we’re twenty-four hours after the fact,” he said. “Guess I better hurry up and eat or Jillian will be wondering where I am.”
“Not too fast or you’ll get indigestion,” Mrs. Hudson said.
Nick filled a plate and ate, enjoying the meal and even helped himself to seconds before he took the empty dishes over to the sink and handed them off to Mrs. Hudson. “Thank you for the wonderful food.”
“Your most welcome,” she said. “Would you like to take coffee with you? I have a travel mug prepared.”
“You do think of everything,” he said. “I might get spoiled while on this assignment.”
“It’s my job to do so,” she replied.
“Thank you,” he said, picking it up and his case before heading to the guesthouse.
He found her sitting on the covered porch with her coffee and flipping through a magazine dressed in a pair of shorts and a T-shirt.
“Good morning,” he said.
“Is it still? I’ve been up for hours, I thought it had to surely be close to noon by now,” she said, sarcasm dripping from her tone.
“No need to sound so sour. I’ve been in a meeting with my superiors about your case this morning,” he informed her. “Then Mrs. Hudson had breakfast waiting for me. She said you’d already eaten. I didn’t see a reason I shouldn’t do the same. Besides, it’s not even nine o’clock. It’s way earlier in Montana.”
He saw her flush as he spoke, and he knew he’d made his point. “Do you happen to have a color printer? I noticed you had a printer yesterday when I was here.”
“It is color,” she said, struggling to get to her feet. “Why?”
“I have photos of two suspects in the kidnapping of Travis I’d like to show you,” Nick said, waiting for her to punch in her code for them to go inside.
“Suspects?”
“Yes, we actually have surveillance footage of them leaving the men’s restroom carrying a sleeping child,” Nick explained.
“How?” she asked as she led the way into her quarters. “Detective Simons didn’t sound hopeful at all yesterday.”
