Stolen Omnibus – Small Town Abduction Read Free

seventy-four deaths in the past eight years. In fact Reese Coleman, an employee of New Energy, was found dead on their property just this morning.” Mary turned back to Becky. “Doesn’t that concern you since your husband works in those fields? Shouldn’t the companies be liable for these deaths if they’re happening on their property?”
    “Our men know what they’re getting into.” Becky lifted her chin then gave a curt nod as she faced the camera. “In fact, our—”
    Mary pulled the microphone away, pressing her finger to the device in her ear. “I’m sorry, Becky, but we’re going to have to stop you there.” The camera zoomed back in on Mary’s face. “I’m getting reports that shots were fired at Lena Hayes’s home, and an officer has been killed. I’ve also just learned that Lena Hayes’s daughter, aged seven, has been taken from her home.”

 
    ***
    Present
    The front yard was filled with squad cars, their red and blue lights fighting for attention under the bright sun. Dozens of officers stood in the grass, every eye transfixed on the body on the ground, concealed under a white sheet. Stains of red spotted the lawn, and the yellow evidence markers highlighted the brass shell casings ejected from the murder weapon.
    Flashes of cameras captured the evidence, and forensic techs dusted the squad car and front door handle for fingerprints. Another tech snapped a picture of the tire tracks that had left a divot in the front yard during the getaway.
    Lena Hayes stood in the kitchen, watching the scene unfold through her front windows. Her eyes drifted to the dirty boot prints on the polished wooden floor, each one tagged as evidence, which led through the living room and down the hallway to the bedrooms. To Kaley’s bedroom.
    “Mrs. Hayes?” The deputy with the notebook and taking her statement touched her on the elbow, and she jumped slightly, forgetting he was there.
    “What?” Lena asked.
    “I asked if you remember what your daughter was wearing when you left this morning.”
    Lena rubbed her forehead. “Um, she had on a light-blue dress. With, um”—she squinted her eyes shut, trying to remember, her voice quivering—“green tights.”
    The deputy nodded and scribbled the description down. “And do you have any family members in the area that may have taken her, or—”
    “That’s enough, Deputy.” Sheriff Jake Cooley placed his arm on the officer’s shoulder. “I’ve already filled out a description detail for the Amber Alert. Why don’t you go and help finish tagging evidence.” The deputy nodded and left. Jake tilted the tip of his cowboy hat up and reached for Lena’s hand. “How you doing?”
    Lena started to speak but stopped herself when she realized that the word that almost left her lips was “fine.” It was an engrained response that she’d forced herself to spew over the past few weeks—the past few years, if she was being honest. But right now, she was far from fine. “I don’t know.”
    Jake pulled her close, and she curled her arms up along his back and clutched his shoulders. “We’re gonna find her, Lena. I promise you that.”
    “Hey! Don’t touch that!” The angered boom echoed down the hall from the bedrooms. Lena was the first to move, and Jake wasn’t far behind.
    A cluster of forensic techs stood outside Kaley’s door, all of them with their gloved hands raised defensively in the air. “Mr. Hayes, we need to get in your daughter’s room.”
    Lena pushed them aside and saw her husband hovering over the coloring book and crayons that Kaley had left on the floor. His hand was clenched over one of the stuffed animals the techs had tried to bag for evidence. “Honey, we need to let them in.”
    “Give us a minute, guys.” Jake motioned the techs to hit the road, and he mouthed, “Let me know if you need me” to Lena as he left.
    Lena mouthed a silent thank you and then took a step forward and joined Mark on the edge of the bed, where