“Leave everything behind, along with the passcodes. It’s very important to follow procedure so we don’t miss evidence that could help us find them.”
Freddie returned when she was on the phone.
After she ended the call, Sam said to Tracy and Mike, “You need to call anyone who might know where the boys could’ve gone and figure out who this kid Brecken is.”
“Let’s go in the kitchen and do that.” Mike stood and extended a hand to Tracy. “We can use Celia’s landline.”
Tracy ignored his outstretched hand and got up on her own to go into the kitchen.
“What’re you thinking?” Freddie asked when it was just him, Sam and Nick in the living room.
“I’m not sure yet, but this ‘disappearance’ feels deliberate,” Sam said. “Their phones are off, which they knew would set off alarms at home.”
“Unless someone forced them to turn off the phones,” Freddie said.
“Which is also possible.” Sam rubbed her stomach, which ached with worry over the idea of someone kidnapping her nephew. She glanced at Nick. “We probably can’t rule out that this could be related to us somehow.”
His grimace said it all. If his presidency had resulted in someone snatching their nephew… It was a stretch, but the Offenbach case had shown them that anything was possible, including sending armed drones toward the White House with the intent to kill innocent people enjoying a fun event.
But to go so far as to kidnap their nephew?
That couldn’t be it. The very thought of it was bigger than she could wrap her head around.
Gonzo came in with Archie.
“Got here as soon as I could,” Archie said. “What’s going on?”
Sam filled him in. “I need you on the computers and other devices. Let me ask Tracy and Mike what he had access to and get any passwords they haven’t provided yet.” She led them into the kitchen, where her sister sat staring at the wall while Mike was on the landline phone.
After Mike finished the call, Sam said, “This is my colleague Lieutenant Archelotta. As the head of our IT department, I want him to review any computers and devices Ethan might’ve had access to at your house.”
“We have a desktop computer for the kids to do homework on in the second-floor hallway, but it’s not connected to the internet when he’s using it,” Mike said.
“Are you sure about that?” Archie asked.
“If he’s connected it, Tracy and I aren’t aware of that.”
“Can you take Archie to your place and get him started?” Sam asked Mike.
“Sure, let’s go.”
Sam glanced at her friend pleadingly.
He gave a nod, letting her know she’d be the first to hear of anything he found.
After they left, Gonzo signaled for her to join him in the other room. “I want to call in the Juvenile Investigative Response Unit. They’re a proactive team that works closely with youth and affiliated agencies, such as schools, courts, faith-based groups, social services, etc. They may have info we’re not privy to in Homicide.”
“Do it. Do anything you think would help.”
“I’ll see if I can reach their commander and get her over here ASAP.”
“Thank you, Gonzo.”
Sam returned to the kitchen. “You learning anything new?”
“Nothing,” Tracy said. “No one knows this Brecken kid. I’ve got everyone I know working on trying to figure out who he might be, which means everyone I know has now heard my kid is missing.” Tracy dropped her head into her hands. “I’m terrified, Sam. He knew full well that if we couldn’t reach him, we’d clip his wings. That’s the last thing he’d ever want to have happen after finally convincing us to let him go out.”
“I was surprised to hear he was out alone with his friends.”
