Detective Calhoun sighed and retrieved a small notepad and pen from his pocket. “We have officers at Mr. Branson’s residence, and some of the things they’ve found are… disturbing.”
My spine went rigid.
“They found a bedroom that appears to have been converted into a containment space,” he continued. “There were multiple locks on the door, and the door had reinforced hinges. There were bars installed on the interior of the window frame.”
My stomach dropped, and I closed my eyes briefly. I grabbed the bed railing with two hands to steady myself. Kiyah had managed to tell me the basics, but hearing it from someone else was like a second punch to the gut.
“There was significant blood and broken glass in the sitting room adjacent to the parlor—a clear sign of a physical altercation. We found bodies. Three in various parts of the house, and one outside. The men in the residence were killed with a knife in some capacity, and the man outside had been run over by a large vehicle.”
My jaw clenched hard enough to ache. “What else?”
“When law enforcement arrived, it was clear that Mr. Branson left in a hurry. His dresser drawers were pulled open,and clothes were missing. His safe was open, but bare. Our tech guys attempted to access the home security system, but the moment they gained entry, everything shut down. They lost everything. More than likely, a kill switch was involved.”
“Of course,” I responded hoarsely. “What are you doing to find him? Have you alerted the media?”
“We suspect that Mr. Branson has boarded a private flight and fled the country.”
I swore, and hot tears spilled down my cheeks. That motherfucker took off to a country with no-extradition treaties, and my family wouldn’t get the justice they deserved.Iwouldn’t get the satisfaction of seeing that monster tossed into an unmarked grave.
“How do you know?”
“We have street camera footage of a vehicle registered to Mr. Branson headed in the direction of a small airport. The airport has been cooperative and allowed us to review their security footage. Branson checked in and confirmed a flight manifest to Venezuela.”
“Can’t they call the pilot and force him to return?”
Detective Calhoun shook his head. “Mr. Branson was the pilot. He has a pilot’s license.” A sharp laugh escaped me. There wasn’t nothing funny about it, but the hits wouldn’t stop coming. “Mr. Baker, we are doing everything in our power to locate him.”
“Has the media been alerted?” Detective Calhoun grew silent. “Well, then, I guess you’re not doing everything you can to find him. Thanks for telling me what I already suspected.
“The FBI will decide how the case is handled in the media.”
“What about Pete? You know, the son Branson abused and abandoned?”
“Child Protective Services has been notified, and they are dispatching a caseworker to the hospital. From what I understand, neither Mr. Branson nor his late wife has relatives.They were both only children, and their parents are deceased. Anna has some distant relatives, but they are great aunts and uncles. Pete will most likely go into foster care until placement can be found for him.”
“Foster… care,” I mumbled as if the words didn’t make sense. “No, he can’t go to foster care. W-why would you send him to foster care?”
“What are the alternatives, Mr. Baker?”
“My wife fought her way out of hell and took this child with her. She crashed into the house, and the first thing she said was Pete’s name. Pete is staying with us.”
Detective Calhoun’s face softened. “That’s admirable, Mr. Baker, but the optics of your family having custody of Pete wouldn’t be appropriate.”
“And what’s wrong with my family? Last I checked, none of us killed our wives, abducted women and imprisoned them, and abused children,” I replied, voice rising a few decibels.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Baker. I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s certainly something that could be discussed with child services; however, this arrangement would add to the eventual media storm.”
“I don’t give a shit, and neither do y’all. Because if you did, you’d have Branson’s face plastered on every news station. Waiting for the FBI, miss me with that bullshit.”
Detective Calhoun nodded resolutely. “I’m sorry I don’t have all the answers you want, and for what it’s worth, I hope everything swings in your family’s favor. I always felt unsettled after seeing Mr. Branson on television, and now I know why.”
I spent the next hour providing Detective Calhoun with a statement. He left, promising to return when Kiyah was rested to obtain her statement. I collapsed into an armchair and ignored my phone buzzing in my pocket. It buzzed again, and Ibraced myself when I noticed the call coming from an unknown number.
Immediately, I answered and waited for the caller to speak.
“Mr. Baker, we’ve never had the pleasure of meeting before.”
Every muscle in my body went rigid.
