Baltimore 03 - Did You Miss Me?

little Daphne,’ Beckett drawled. ‘I’d say you’re done cooking now. I wonder how you’d taste.’
    A warning look from Joseph had Ford shoving his clenched fists into his pockets.
    His mother paled, but didn’t back down. ‘I’m no longer a defenseless child you can torment, Mr Beckett. I think you’d best be afraid of me.’
    Beckett didn’t look afraid. He looked amused. ‘What did you think of your picture, little Daphne? I saw you stumble out, crying your eyes out. Didn’t you like my gallery?’
    She frowned at him, more confused than angry. ‘Why? Why did you take us?’
    ‘Kelly wanted me. You would have soon enough. I just gave her what she wanted.’
    Ford had to close his eyes. He wanted to kill the man. He didn’t know how Joseph could stand there so calmly. Until he looked at Joseph’s face. It was a wonder the man didn’t break his teeth, his jaw was clenched so tightly.
    But his mother had seemed to forget they were there. All her focus was on Beckett. He was her nightmare, Ford understood. This was her chance to face her worst fear.
    ‘What about the others?’ she asked. ‘Did they “want it” too?’
    Beckett smiled at her. ‘Which others?’
    His mother’s eyes widened. ‘The twenty-four others on your wall?’
    ‘Which ones specifically?’ Beckett mocked. ‘The six before you were fifteen or the eighteen after? Because the six before were just time passers while I waited for you to cook.’ His mother blanched and Beckett grinned. ‘The eighteen after were substitutes. I couldn’t have you, so I had to make do.’
    His mother swallowed hard, blinking. She looked like she wanted to flee. Ford started to go to her, but was once again stopped by a warning look from Joseph.
    Then something changed. His mother’s expression went from one of fear to one of understanding. ‘I bested you,’ she murmured. ‘I got away. An eight-year-old girl outsmarted you. You’re not my biggest nightmare. I’m yours.’
    Beckett’s smug grin faltered, just for a moment, and then it was back, but weaker. ‘You flatter yourself.’
    ‘Maybe. But it works for me and that’s all I need to know. Let’s go home, Ford.’
    Joseph gripped Beckett’s coat and shoved him forward. When they’d started walking toward the car, Ford met Joseph’s eyes. ‘Thank you,’ he murmured.
    Joseph gave him a hard nod. ‘Same goes, both on catching him and not killing him. That took discipline. Your mom is lucky to have you.’
    Ford thought his mother was lucky to have found Joseph, too. He hoped so. She’d been alone for so long. She deserved to be happy.
    Thursday, December 5, 4.30 P.M.
    Feeling hollowed out, Daphne watched as Joseph shoved Beckett into the back of one of the Wheeling PD squad cars. McManus would take him into custody.
    ‘My boss has already contacted the Liptons,’ McManus said. ‘He was the one who coordinated the search when she went missing and had to give them all the bad news when we had no leads. This was one phone call he was happy to make. I’ll keep you all apprised.’
    He got in his car and drove away with a wave. There were two other cops in his car – one in the front and one in the back. Both had weapons trained on Beckett. Two additional squad cars escorted them. Nobody was taking any chances of Beckett’s escaping.
    Daphne looked around. ‘Where’s Tasha?’
    Deacon pointed to the Escalade. ‘I put her in the back of Joseph’s SUV, Daphne. That is one righteous dog. I might get one.’
    ‘Just to round out the whole badass look,’ Daphne said lightly. She pointed to his black leather trench coat. ‘Her coat would accessorize yours nicely.’
    Deacon grinned. ‘Never underestimate the look.’
    Joseph wrapped his arm around her shoulders. ‘Let’s get you guys back to Wheeling. I don’t know about you, but I want to drink a cold beer and sleep for a week.’
    ‘In a minute,’ Daphne said. She scanned the area again, finding the face she’d sought. She walked briskly to the black sedan that belonged to Agent Kerr, Joseph not leaving her side. Standing at the sedan’s back door, hands cuffed behind him, was Hal.
    ‘What are you doing here, Hal?’ she asked.
    Hal said nothing, just kept his gaze fixed forward.
    ‘He was in the back of Doug’s white Jeep,’ Coppola said. ‘He’d been drugged and was all groggy, trying to get away on his own. The blood all over his shirt doesn’t appear to be his own.’
    ‘He’s Doug’s stepfather,’