“Look. Try to stay calm. So far, we know nothing. As soon as Nate gets home, we’ll... Wait. Hang on, Colin. Nate’s calling me. Hold on.”
For a moment there was silence, then David returned. “Colin, hold onto yourself,” he warned. “I’ve got some bad news. Nate was walking to his car after rehearsal and found his jacket lying on the sidewalk outside the theater. The one he left in Joshua’s car. And...” David drew in a deep breath, “...he found Josh’s car parked in the lot across the street, empty. He called campus police, and they said they’d be right there. You’re at the police station now aren’t you? Haven’t you heard anything? I’ll meet you at the theater!”
Colin surged to his feet and strode toward the front desk, meeting Ray, the desk sergeant, at the locker room entrance. He grabbed Colin’s arm and drew him toward the door. “A friend of yours found Joshua’s car by the Culbreth.” He shoved Colin toward the entrance where several uniformed officers waited. “Go with the guys!”
Without uttering a sound, he moved through the station house door and into the darkness beyond. He felt the cool night air touch his face, and as he lurched to a halt his heart jackhammered against his chest. “Oh, sweet Jesus,no!”he whispered, feeling his insides twist with horror.“NO!”As he reached the squad car, he felt a strong hand grab his arm and guide him into the vehicle.
“Take it easy, Colin. We’ll find him.”
When the squad car approached the street where the Culbreth Theater was located, they were nearly blinded by the spinning flash of police and ambulance lights. The area was already surrounded by law enforcement, and Colin spotted both campus and city police cars parked at random angles, blocking off the street and forcing them to stop where they were.
He bolted from the car and ran to where several police officers were gathered. Some were bending to examine the ground, and the beams from various flashlights darted here and there as others examined every inch of ground, sidewalk, bushes, and street.
“Colin!” a voice called, and he spun to see Lenny Anderson, who had been his Supervising Lieutenant when he was campus cop, striding toward him. “Ray called me,” Lenny said, grabbing Colin in a tight embrace. “I’m taking the lead in the case. We’ll find him, Colin. I promise you. We’ll find him.”
He saw flashing police lights in the parking lot across the street, and he sprinted across the busy avenue. He spotted Joshua’s car at once, surrounded by several uniformed police, and moved toward it. As he approached, one of the officers grabbed his arm. “Colin, don’t touch it! We want to check it for prints or other evidence.”
Colin nodded but gave no response. He turned away and blindly stumbled back across the street to the theater. For a moment he stood, surrounded by the flashing lights, hearing the murmur of somber voices, feeling himself teetering on the edge of collapse. “Josh,” he moaned. “Oh god, this can’t be happening.”
He felt Lenny take his arm and lead him to one side. “Take it easy, buddy. Let the guys work. They’ll figure it out. We’ll find him, Colin. We’re searching his car now, looking for anything that might help us. We can’t find his cell phone anywhere.”
Colin lowered his head and nodded without fully understanding, then spun as the sound of heartbroken sobs reached his ears. In the flashing lights of the many police cars, he saw David kneeling on the ground, embracing someone who was bent over, clutching a cloth garment, rocking back and forth as if in pain. He moved to where David knelt and fell to the ground beside him. The voice was Nate’s.
“I heard him!” Nate choked out, shaking with sobs. “I was in the lobby and heard someone cry out, but I ignored it. Thought I was imagining things! It’s my fault! He brought me my jacket, and it’s my fault! Oh god, oh god! Josh!” He lifted his head and his tear-streaked face twisted in pain when he saw Colin kneeling beside him. “Oh god, Colin, forgive me!”
“Nate, stop it!” David snapped. “This isn’t your fault!” He reached to wrap his other arm around Colin and pulled them both close. “They’re going to find him!” David insisted, his voice like gravel. “Thiscan’thappen. Thiswon’thappen! They’regoingto find him.”
Colin knelt in complete silence beside his two friends. He marveled at his own powerlessness. At his inability to speak or act.What’s wrong with me?he wondered. He slumped lower, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over him. His chest felt tight, and he couldn’t catch his breath. “No,” he whimpered, both hands rising to cover his face. “No!” He heard David’s voice calling as if from a distance.
“Colin!” David cried. His hands grasped Colin’s shoulders and shook him with sudden, violent force. “Colin!” David cried again. “Goddammit it! Snapoutof it!”
“Colin, listen to me!” Lenny’s voice rasped as he, too, knelt beside him. “We need to check the clinic’s security tapes. Do you have Miranda’s number? Colin, for Christ’s sake,helpus!”
Colin hissed out a breath through clenched teeth, then sprang to his feet. “I needwater!”
A nearby policeman reached into his squad car. “Colin!” He yelled and tossed a half-full bottle.
Colin caught the bottle, opened it, and threw the cap aside. He poured the water over his head, tipping his face up to drench himself with the cool liquid. He shook his head hard, then slowly gathered himself, forcing away the vacant numbness that had begun to consume his mind. He grimaced and reached for his phone as David moved to his side. “I’m OK, David,” he muttered. “I’m OK now.”
“We’ve sent a squad to question Alensworth,” Lenny told him. “To search his house and property.”
Colin shook his head and held the phone to his ear. “Miranda? Josh has been abducted! You have to meet us at the clinic and let us in! We have to check the security tapes!” He lowered the phone then turned to Lenny. “I don’t think Alensworth had anything to do with it. I took a couple guys there earlier with a court order. We didn’t find a fucking thing.”
“I don’t give a damn. We’re going to search it again,” Lenny replied. “Now come on. I’ll drive you to the clinic.”
“We’re coming with you,” David said, holding Nate close to his side. “We’ll follow you there in our car.”
Colin took three long strides, moving with Lenny toward his police cruiser, then he stopped, turned, and walked to Nate’s side.
His friend was still weeping, his breath catching again and again as he leaned against David clutching the jacket to his chest. Colin laid a hand on his shoulder. “Stop crying,” he murmured. “I need you be strong for me Natey-baby. I need all of you to be strong for me.” He embraced Nate and whispered into his ear: “This isnotyour fault!”
He turned and moved once again toward Lenny’s police car hearing his own inner voice rasp out an accusation which invaded his mind like a dark curse.If it’s anyone’s fault...it’s MINE! Some fucking protector I AM!
* * *
Joshua– 9:47 p.m.
Joshua returned to consciousness, engulfed in a firestorm of pain.How long was I unconscious?he wondered.It feels like hours since he grabbed me!The covering over his head cut off most sensory input. He was trapped in a dark void from which there was no escape. He squirmed on the hard floor and bit off a cry as pain shot through every atom of his body. He stifled his moans and forced his mind to focus on his training as a hostage negotiator. Those skills had the potential to help him deal with his situation, but his captor had temporarily invalidated them. Hostage negotiation required dialogue, but the leather over his head and the gag in his mouth made any kind of verbal interaction impossible. At least at the moment.
