The Abducted Book 0 by Roger Hayden

O’Leary was asking question after question of another
investigator.
    “ Excuse me,” she said. “Has anyone
looked at those carts yet?”
    O’Leary stopped as he and Hayes switched
their focus to the cart return.
    “ I mean, if Mrs. Beckett was just
leaving the grocery store, I doubt she had time to return her cart
before being assaulted.”
    “ Well?” O’Leary said, looking at
Hayes.
    Hayes stuttered. “Yes, that makes perfect
sense.”
    “ So why not dust all the carts for
prints?” she continued. “It looks like our suspect took the time to
return it for her.”
    “ But why would she take the risk?”
Hayes asked. He seemed to be in the camp that believed the suspect
was female.
    Miriam took the question. “Because by now
whoever we’re dealing with is getting bored, playing games with us.
Whenever an offender gets away with his crimes, a part of him
yearns to get caught. A part of him desires the closure in it.”
    O’Leary watched her, impressed, as Hayes
nodded, considering her theory.
    Miriam, fully in detective mode now, seemed
to reconsider what she had said or how she had said it and
backpedaled to a more modest view. “It’s just a theory. I’m
thinking textbook criminal here.”
    “ We should start dusting those carts,
don’t you think?” O’Leary asked Hayes.
    “ Yes. Right away,” Hayes said. He
walked over to the group of officers and called out to them,
pointing at the cart return. “Fellas, let’s go ahead and dust these
for prints. Who’s got a print kit?”
    The officers got in gear and approached the
cart return. One of them carried a small black bag with him. He
unzipped the bag and began brushing each cart carefully with a pair
of latex gloves on.
    O’Leary turned to Miriam. “I was going to
mention the cart thing too.’
    “ Oh, were you?” she said with a
laugh.
    “ Seriously, though. Good work.” He
looked up into the sky, satisfied. “I think this time it’s going to
be different. I think we can catch him in time. They’re checking
Mrs. Beckett for any DNA left on her from the assault. That plus
fingerprints on the cart will help us narrow down the
list.”
    “ But will we do it in time, Detective?
That’s the question.”
    They looked around, observing the active
crime scene. It was strange to think that somewhere, not too far
away, the Snatcher might be holding his latest victim.
    “ You think he wants to be caught?”
O’Leary asked.
    “ I have my suspicions,” Miriam
said.
    He turned away and walked off toward his
car, beckoning her. “Here, let’s go down to the station. There’s
some stuff I want to show you and get your take on.”
    She followed behind him as a helicopter flew
directly overhead, lower than before. She had heard that the FBI
was on its way. Could they make any difference? Could she? They got
into O’Leary’s car and left the crime scene behind. Every minute
mattered. Every hour brought them closer to losing Emily. This time
would be different. If not, Miriam wasn’t sure she could forgive
herself.
     
    Portrait of a Suspect
     
    Across from the fire station, the Lee County
Police Department was in view—one long brick building of multiple
departments and sections. The front parking lot was full of police
cruisers and unmarked vehicles. The visitor and employee parking
lot to the side of the building was reaching full capacity as well.
It seemed as though every officer was on call, even from
neighboring counties.
    O’Leary found a spot at the far end of the
employee lot, close to a chain-link fence. Near the side entrance
of the building, Miriam saw a group of five men in suits huddled
together at and smoking next to an outdoor ashtray. As with the
officers at the crime scene, none of them stood out. Their faces
were a blur. O’Leary turned off the ignition and again noticed
Miriam’s nervous hesitation, the same initial reluctance she had
shown at the first crime scene.
    “ It’s going to be okay. The last thing
on