The Girl Who Disappeared Twice

Maybe when the lamp went back on, she’d be in her own bed. Then she could tell her mommy about the bad nightmare.

If her mommy had already left for work, she could always tell Ashley.

But she didn’t really want to.

Not anymore.

With a huge yawn, Casey towel-dried her hair. The sun was just rising outside her bathroom window. An hour and ten minutes of sleep. Not exactly the requisite amount for a productive day. Yet Casey had never felt more energized. If it weren’t for the case preying on her mind, she would have loved nothing more than to stay in bed with Hutch until noon, making up for lost time. He was an amazing lover, and with weeks, sometimes months, separating their visits, the intensity of their time together was pretty damned breath catching.

But those extra hours were not meant to be. Not this time. Not when both of them were committed to finding Krissy Willis.

Casey came out of the bathroom to find Hutch tossing aside his towel and pulling on his clothes. He glanced up as she walked across the bedroom in her terry robe, and shot her a very sexy, very sated grin.

“Thanks for the best shower I’ve had in ages,” he said. “I barely remember getting clean.”

“You did,” she assured him. “I washed your back myself.”

“Among other parts.”

“And you returned the favor.”

Hutch pulled her against him for a long, deep kiss. “To be continued tonight.”

“It’s a date.”

“By the way,” he told her, shrugging into his shirt and buttoning it. “I brought you a present.”

Casey’s brows rose. “Really. What is it?”

“First comes the where. Then the what.”

“Now you’ve really got me curious.”

“Good.” Hutch finished buttoning his shirt. “Then give me a half hour. I’ll be back with two cups of strong coffee, and your gift.”

“It’s in your car?”

“Nope. But close by. And that’s all I’m going to say.” He gave her a sly wink. “See you in thirty.”

True to his word, Hutch knocked on the door twenty-eight minutes later.

Casey opened the door, and blinked. She was expecting the cardboard tray of steaming coffee that Hutch clutched in his right hand. But she wasn’t expecting the leash wrapped around his left. Or what was at the other end—a handsome red bloodhound. The dog sat obediently by Hutch’s side, his deep hazel eyes soulful and curious, his high-curved tail wagging back and forth as he stared at Casey.

“Your gift has arrived,” Hutch announced.

“A bloodhound?” Stunned, Casey found herself bending down and stroking the dog’s glossy head. “You brought me a bloodhound?”

“Not just any bloodhound. A human scent evidence dog. Certified, but retired. Hero drove up with Grace and me. He came straight from Quantico. He fulfilled his two-and-a-half years of training. Unfortunately, after his certification, his handler discovered that he was a terrible air traveler. Which doesn’t cut it. The team hated retiring him—evidently, he was a star pupil in his training class. But they had no choice. Anyway, I spoke to the breeder and offered to find a new home for him. I knew how much you wanted a dog, particularly a bloodhound. Now you have one.”

“A human scent evidence dog,” Casey murmured, still stroking Hero’s head. Hutch was right. She was crazy about dogs. She’d had one most of her life. And bloodhounds were a particular passion of hers. She and Target, her last bloodhound, had gone through tracking and trailing classes together, right up to the time when he’d passed away at the ripe old age of twelve. She missed those classes terribly. But the time commitment was too extensive for her to continue once she’d started Forensic Instincts. Still, the company was under control now, growing but settled. And bloodhounds were noble and unique—far too special to pass up. Plus, her life seemed a little empty without a canine companion.

“Like I said, he just turned three,” Hutch was telling her. “He’s sharp, fiercely loyal, and has an olfactory sense that’s off the charts. Oh, and his instincts are keen, so he’ll even fit in with your company name.”

A smile curved Casey’s lips. “Hey, Hero,” she greeted him, scratching his long ears. “I love your name. And I have a gut feeling it suits you.”

In response, Hero crossed the threshold and began slobbering enthusiastically at Casey’s face.

“I take it you know they drool,” Hutch commented.

“Profusely.” Casey laughed. “And they’re stubborn as hell. Sounds like most men.”

“Very cute.”

“I thought so.” Casey turned her attention back to Hero. “We have only a small backyard for you. The good news is that the fence is so high, you won’t be taking off.” Casey sprawled on the floor so she could rub Hero’s white underbelly. “Also, Tribeca has a couple of fabulous parks that would give us room to maintain your trailing skills. Plus, I could take you out for a morning and an evening jog. You won’t even have time to be lonely. Marc and Ryan are in and out all day, and they’d be thrilled to have you join the team. They’re both stubborn, too, yes, so you’ll have your work cut out for you. Between the two of them and me, you’ll have plenty of play pals. How’s that sound, Hero?”

“And, whenever you can’t be around, Casey, there’s a great place just a few blocks from here that offers everything from doggie day care to five-star hotel service,” Hutch added. “Believe me, I saw it firsthand. That’s where Hero spent the night. His accommodations made mine look like a Dumpster.”

Casey tilted back her head and gazed up at Hutch. “You knew I couldn’t say no to this gift, didn’t you?”

“I was pretty sure, yeah.” He grinned. “I have a crate, food and a bunch of other essentials in my car. The rest is up to you. So, what’s the verdict? Does Hero have a new home?”

Hero perked up at the sound of his name. He looked so erect and professional that Casey could swear he was applying for a job.

“Welcome to Forensic Instincts, Hero,” Casey said in response. She massaged his jowls, then scrambled to her feet. “Let’s get you settled. Then we’ll give Ryan a call and ask him to pop up here ASAP. You two need to meet, since both Marc and I have a ton of interviews to conduct and Ryan can do everything from here today.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Hutch gulped his coffee. “I’ll get Hero’s gear from my car. Then I’ve got to run. Grace and I have to get over to the Willis place.”

“And I’m starting out at Krissy’s school. Maybe her little friends know something they don’t even realize they know. Someone hanging around the school, or pulling up in a car to talk to Krissy. I’ve got a zillion bases to cover.”

“As do I.” Hutch gave her a quick kiss and Hero a quick scratch behind the ears. “I’m sorry for an abrupt end to a great night.”

“You’ll make it up to me,” Casey assured him with a twinkle in her eye. “You’ve already made a down payment by bringing me my new best friend.”

Casey called Hope as she drove up to Armonk. “Any news?”

“Nothing.” Hope sounded like she was about to shatter. “The FBI task force has been working all night, crossing names off the suspect list, establishing alibis and manning the phones. I’m a mess. My mother’s due here in an hour, and I don’t know how I’m going to keep it together for her.”

“Where’s your husband?”

“At the office.” A pause. “He was going crazy sitting around here, waiting for a ransom call or a breakthrough. But he’s ready to come home at the drop of a hat,” she added quickly in his defense.

Casey refrained from responding. “I’m on my way to Krissy’s school. Then I’m checking out some of the parents on the losing end in your courtroom, as well as Claudia Mitchell.”

“Claudia?” Hope sounded horrified. “I know she was hurt and angry when I let her go. But do you really think she’s capable of kidnapping a child?”

“I don’t know. But no one’s above suspicion, and I’m leaving no stone unturned. My whole team is on the move. I’ll stop by the house later. In the meantime, call me with any updates.”

“I will.”

* * *

Claire Hedgleigh circled the area in the school parking lot where the car that had taken Krissy away had picked her up. The vibes here were dark. Something ugly had definitely happened. And it had taken Krissy totally by surprise. By the time she understood what was going on, it was too late.

With a heavy heart, Claire squatted down and touched the pavement, willing herself to sense more.

Nothing.

“Claire?” Casey walked out of the school, spotted Claire and approached her.

“Hi, Casey.” Claire rose and turned around to face her. “This is the spot where Krissy was kidnapped. It took less than ten seconds for the automatic door locks to close her in and the handkerchief to cover Krissy’s nose and mouth. Another ten seconds and the car was speeding off. Krissy never had time to react.”

Chilling though it was, none of that information surprised Casey. She joined Claire precisely where she stood, and peered over her shoulder. “A well-chosen spot. Out of the surveillance cameras’ field of view.”

Claire followed her gaze. “I didn’t think of that. Obviously, we have an intelligent kidnapper on our hands.”

“You said you sensed Krissy. Is she still alive?”

A helpless shrug. “I don’t know. I haven’t connected with her since you and I last spoke. I’m trying to pick up on something—anything. Last night, I took home one of Krissy’s favorite T-shirts. But, so far, nothing. That doesn’t mean she’s alive, or that she’s not. It just means that I can’t will these connections to come. They just do.” Claire gave Casey a measured look. “Unless you’re one of those people who secretly thinks I’m either crazy or a fraud.”

“Nope.” Casey shook her head. “I have the greatest respect for your abilities. In fact, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I know you enjoy working for law enforcement. But I’m eager to hire you away. I want you on board at Forensic Instincts.”

Claire started at the blunt and unexpected invitation. “You want to hire me?”

“Uh-huh. On a permanent basis, salary, benefits and all.”

“But you know almost nothing about me.”

“To the contrary, I know a lot about you, starting with your impressive educational background. I know how many cases you’ve worked on. I know your success ratio. I know that you hate the term psychic, because you see it as clichéd and commercial. So do I, by the way. I know that you attribute your metaphysical abilities to claircognizance. I know that claircognizance is perceiving things without being able to understand or explain how or why, but just accepting that you do. I’ve heard you say that sometimes you awaken from a dream with a clear vision of something that’s either happened or is about to happen. I’ve watched you hold a victim’s personal items in your hands and have what others called visions. Terminology doesn’t matter. Neither do nonbelievers. You use your gift as a tool to help others, and with great success. Now, do you still think I know nothing about you?”

For a long moment, Claire just stared, looking both astonished and flattered. It wasn’t often that her talents were so highly regarded, and certainly not so thoroughly researched.

“I’m not sure what to say,” she replied at last. “I’m a little taken aback. This is the last thing I expected when you said you wanted to talk.”

“Well, now you know. I don’t expect an answer on the spot. But would you consider it?”

“Probably.” Claire was nothing if not honest. “I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t welcome a work environment where my abilities were fully utilized.” A pause. “But I have to ask the obvious. Have you discussed this with your team? Because I seriously doubt Ryan will be all smiles about this.”

“I have, and he is.” Casey’s lips curved. “Did he put up a fight when I brought it up? Sure. Is he skeptical? You know the answer to that. Was he pissed off when I made him pull all that research on you? Of course. But I see your differences as a plus. Healthy debate, bringing different viewpoints to the mix, is what produces the best results. Marc approaches things with an investigative and analytical eye. Ryan is more strategic and technological. I’m all about the psychological, and I tend to go with my gut. We need a spiritual eye to round things out. You’d bring balance to the team. Even Ryan didn’t argue with that. He just promised to challenge you along the way.”

Claire rolled her eyes. “Gee, what a surprise. Actually, I thought it would be worse. I thought he’d write me off as a freak, and threaten to quit if I joined the company.”

A chuckle. “Ryan’s not nearly as narrow-minded as he acts when he’s around you. Give him a chance. Give the group a chance. I promise, at the very least, you’ll never be bored.”

“Now that never occurred to me,” Claire responded drily. “Can you give me a day or two to think about it? Especially since I’m committed to the North Castle police on this kidnapping case.”

“Of course. Right now, I don’t want you to invest time in anything except finding Krissy Willis. We’ll pick this conversation up after that. Oh, one more thing. You’re not allergic to or afraid of dogs, are you?”

“No. Why?”

“We got a new team member as of this morning. His name’s Hero, a bloodhound, trained and certified as a human scent evidence dog.” Casey found herself smiling again. “In fact, Ryan’s showing him the ropes this morning. I’m sure I’ll have colorful stories waiting for me when I get back.”

“Oh, I’m sure you will.” Claire glanced over at the school building. “Did you interview teachers?”

“Teachers, custodial staff, mostly the ones who were on the scene when Krissy was taken,” Casey replied. “I didn’t learn anything new. And I certainly didn’t get the sense that any of them was involved.”

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