“Age alone doesn’t preclude someone staying in shape,” he pointed out. “And sixty isn’t that old. People that age are still running marathons. Some men use being in jail to get into shape. Cromwell could have done that too. We need to make sure he’s still in jail.”
“Maybe.” She sighed. “I can add his name to the list. My only reason for telling you the story was that I didn’t know Jerry prior to his taking me from school, and neither did my father. This was a case where he’d caught something about us on the news and decided to use me to get rich.”
He nodded. It would be far easier if she had made someone mad, like her ex-husband or someone else, but she had a point about the suspect being anyone who needed what they perceived as easy cash. “I haven’t had time to research the statistics on kidnapping to know what we’re dealing with.”
“The child abduction rate by a stranger is very low, less than two percent of all abductions.” She grimaced. “However, that number is skewed a little higher when wealthy people are targeted. The good news is that most kidnappings for ransom have a high success rate of the child being recovered.” Her smile was strained. “Like in my case. It’s the creepy pedophiles that are far more dangerous.”
He reached for her hand. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
“Thanks. Although it could have been worse.” She tightened her hand on his. “The charity event on Saturday night is to fight human trafficking, especially of women and children. I know it takes more than money, but I’ve funneled a lot of funds to various organizations who work on recovering those victims and supporting them afterward. It’s another cause that’s near and dear to my heart.”
He nodded slowly. His opinion of Lauren being a socialite who spent her days at the spa was changing by the second. She might be rich, living in a fancy penthouse apartment, but she was doing her part in tackling the world’s problems. In her own way, which was more than most people did, he thought wryly. “That’s a very worthy cause.”
“Yes.” She gazed at their clasped hands for a moment, then pulled free and stood. “Well, I need to finish my list of suspects. You should get some sleep.”
He rose. “I’ll stay out here for a while. Your father isn’t expected to return home later tonight, is he?”
“No, he has business in New York through the weekend. Good night, Grady. Thanks again for being here.”
“Of course.” He found it odd that Lauren’s father would go on a business trip while knowing his granddaughter was targeted by a kidnapper. Then again, he didn’t know that much about the relationship between the three of them. “Lauren, what happened to your mother?”
“She passed away fifteen years ago from cancer.” She managed a smile. “Pancreatic cancer from smoking. Cancer research is another charity we support, even though in my mother’s case, her cancer was related to her lifestyle choices.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.” His own parents were retired and living in Arizona, far away from the harsh winters of Wyoming.
“Thank you. Good night.” She turned and headed for her room.
He stood for a moment in the living room that was larger than his house and thought about what she’d said. Stranger abductions were rare, but he knew they couldn’t afford to discount the possibility.
But if that was the case, it would take a miracle to find the person responsible without something more to go on.
He could only hope and pray that this kidnapper would slip up along the way, giving them the opportunity to find and arrest him.
* * *
Lauren rackedher brain for names to add to the list of potential suspects. Her lack of sleep since Tuesday was getting to her. She’d watched the video of Ariel’s abduction so many times it replayed in her mind when she closed her eyes.
There was nothing remotely familiar about the masked man. Granted, he was only in the frame for a few seconds, but she was very much afraid the guy was a stranger to her and her family.
Yet the kidnapper would have had to see Lucy in person at some point. Her daughter was too young to have social media, and Lauren did not post any personal photos of herself and Lucy online. Obviously, Lauren’s picture was posted all over the society pages, along with the charity websites for those she sponsored. But none of them included her daughter. That was one rule she didn’t bend for anyone.
That meant this guy had been somewhere close by. Either here in the building where they lived or at the school. She’d asked for and received a list of all the school employees, but none of them had a criminal record. She’d asked the police to verify all the male school employees’ alibis, but so far, they’d come up with nothing remotely suspicious.
Her father had provided a list of building employees, too, but those were still being vetted. She figured the police had abandoned that search once they’d gotten this Jorge Dombach in custody. That thought had her quickly scanning the employee list for his name.
It wasn’t on either list. Based on the gunfire incident, she didn’t believe Jorge was the man they were looking for so she didn’t bother to add his name.
The names on her list blurred, and she pressed her fingertips to her eyes, trying to ward off a wave of exhaustion. She’d thought having Grady there would help her feel safe. Oh, she trusted Grady’s expertise, but she still couldn’t relax.
Just imagining Lucy going through the same experience she had was enough to make her blood run cold. She could not let this man get anywhere near her daughter.
Pushing away from her desk, Lauren changed into a pair of yoga pants and an oversized sweatshirt. If she had her way, she’d wear comfortable clothes every day, but her father expected her to look professional at all times. Rather funny now to think she’d worn an expensive pantsuit to meet Grady who had arrived in jeans and a black leather jacket.
She washed her face, ignoring the dark circles under her eyes. Maybe Grady had a point about canceling her charity events. Not the event itself, but making up an excuse as to why she couldn’t attend.
It was a decision she didn’t have to make now, so she turned and flipped the lights off on her way to bed. She’d barely crawled under the covers when she heard Lucy crying.
In a heartbeat, she was up and inside her daughter’s room. “Shh, Lucy. It’s okay. You’re safe.”
