Taboo Unchained(98)

“You'll be wanting this, I assume?” The man nods his chin at a crime scene tech who produces a plastic bag for my cell phone. I suppose if they actually get the chance to run it in a lab, they might find trace evidence of Lloyd's blood. I suppose I don't give a shit. At this point, I know what I have to do. It's the first time in a long time I've had any inkling.

Rescue Robbie.

In my mind and heart, Robbie and Aliyah's stories collide, and I know that this time, I can't lose the girl. Whether we have a destiny together or not, I can't let her suffer for me or because of me. I'm struck with a sudden surge of guilt for Clarice's death, but I push it back. All of it. There'll be time later to repent for my many, many sins.

“If you don't mind, I have another dress rehearsal for my wedding. Am I to be detained here?”

Barry Craig gives me a funny look and then shakes his head.

“Not yet.” He actually sounds skeptical as to my guilt on this particular occasion. Perhaps he's a better cop than I gave him credit for. “You don't need to be present for us to do our search.”

“Wonderful. Then I'll be stepping out briefly. If you have any questions, please call my lawyer. I grab my wallet and dig through it until I find my lawyer's card. I hand that to Barry Craig and return to my room to change clothes. I find a pair of clean jeans and a black T-shirt that the crime scene techs allow me to take, switching it out for the robe.

Since the cops want to search my car, I hand them the keys and walk to Audra Holiday's house after a brief frisking.

“Thank the fucking Gods,” she growls, gesturing me into her little yellow house with an impatient hand. I notice that she's still wearing the engagement ring. Her red hair is curled into a messy bun, and she's got on a loose sweater and red skinny jeans. This is the prettiest I have ever seen her look.

“Robbie is missing,” I say before Audra can interrupt. We lock gazes, my green eyes boring into hers. I want her to see how important this is. I want her to help me.

“You think it's Lloyd? With a gut wound?”

“Never underestimate crazy,” I tell her, wishing I could be this calm all the time, this self-assured. Deep down I worry that maybe this confidence is born of fear, that something will happen to Robbie that I can never take back, that I can never undo. “We have to move quickly. It's already been several hours since she's gone missing.” Audra swallows and disappears into the kitchen. When she comes back, she has a pistol in one hand and a knife in the other. I watch her stuff them both into a purse.

“I have pepper spray, too,” she tells me, pulling something from the depths of the gold and brown purse. It's my father's knife. I don't remember losing it, but there it is, in her delicate fingers. “This is for you.” I take the knife as Audra sighs and twirls the engagement ring around and around. “So, Lucas Carter, tell me, where do we start?”

I hold the weapon in my palm, examining it with a critical eye. Audra stands silently by my side, like she's reflecting the feelings of my heart, telling me she could be the woman of my nightmares.

This is not a movie; I don't have a sudden inkling of where Lloyd Owens might have taken Robbie. We are nowhere near the scene of the original crime. All I can do is stand here and think, hard.

“How did you find Lloyd?” I ask Audra, needing her to tell me the truth, give me an answer that'll wipe away the fog and reveal Robbie underneath. She turns away, sliding her hand over her scalp until it hits her bun.

“Once I'd done the online search and knew Lloyd's name, I did some math.”

“Math?”

I use my left hand to spin the knife in a circle, like a top. My sweaty palm turns the weapon into a compass that ends up pointing straight at Audra's face.

“Lloyd Owens was incarcerated in the same prison as my father. I did the math. They were there at the same time.” Audra swallows painfully. “I called my brother who called in a favor from a prison guard that used to work there … ” She sighs and puts her face in her hands. It's obviously quite painful for her to bring up the father of not just her physical self, but also her demons. “Anyway, I guess he still works there. He was able to drum up an address for me. I found it and matched the physical address to a phone number. I took a chance and called, dropped your name, and well … ” Audra sucks in a sobbing breath. “I'm sorry I fucked it all up.”

“It's not your fault,” I tell her, inundating my brain with that statement of truth. I can't and won't blame anyone but myself for what's happened. I'm the one that decided to arrange the meeting, even if it was on Audra's suggestion. I'm the one who decided it was a good idea to make an appointment to kill a man. That was me. Me. I am the bad seed here. “And the address?”