The Fort (Aric Davis)

in record time, and he owed her massively for rushing, not to mention whatever damage she might be doing to her private practice, but didn’t care at the moment. The age he’d been given for all three of the boys who had seen Molly with her abductor was twelve. Grilling suspects and adult victims and witnesses was one thing. He’d need Martinez there to help extract every little bit of information they could out of the kids.
    Van Endel and Martinez were in a room with three telephones, all with separate lines, along a mirrored glass window. There were two other rooms like this in the station, all of them bordering the interrogation rooms. There was also a pair of televisions in the room, and they showed what was happening in the two rooms besides this; everything always recorded by cameras. For Van Endel, being in there felt almost like the locker room had before his knee chased him away from hockey for the last time. Getting a confession from a suspect meant a hell of a lot more than winning at some game did, though.
    “Three twelve-year-olds were playing in a tree house,” Van Endel began, “when they saw two people walking in the woods. One of them was a girl matching the description of Molly, the other one was an adult male with a gun. As soon as the two were out of sight, the boys ran off and got to a phone, then called 911.”
    “They got lucky,” said Dr. Martinez. “Whoever he is, I’m sure he’d have no problem killing to keep his secret safe.”
    “I was thinking the same thing,” said Van Endel. “Why are you giving me that look?”
    “Because you already think they might be lying,” said Dr. Martinez, “and that’s something you need to stop doing right now. These kids could be the first break in this thing that we’ve had. Hopefully they can provide us with some solid information, and we can get everything settled. The mere fact that she’s alive is great news all on its own.”
    “She was still alive. According to three kids in a tree house. We’ll see what they can tell us, but don’t go getting your hopes up. They’re just kids, and what they think they saw could be very different from what they actually saw. In fact, I’d be willing to bet—”
    “You can’t afford to think that way. We can’t afford to close our minds to—”
    “I’m just telling you. How many dead ends—”
    “And I’m telling you, you need to lighten up,” said Dr. Martinez. “Take some time off, go on some dates. Spread your wings and fly, Dick. Trust me, I know.”
    “You got any prospects for me?” Van Endel asked with a weary smile. “Any nubile gym rats such as yourself that haven’t shunned men?”
    “Detective, even if I did have any, I wouldn’t tell you. I meet somebody like that, she’s all mine.” She smiled. “Better.”
    “What?”
    “The look on your face. It’s a little better. Seriously, though, Dick, keep an open mind, and stay calm. These kids are probably scared out of their minds already; the last thing they’re going to react well to is a detective they perceive as badgering them. And believe me, their parents won’t like it any better. Keep cool, and if I start to lead a conversation, let me. You’re a good cop, but I know kids. Let me do my job, you do yours, and maybe this thing will have a happy ending after all.”
    Van Endel spared a look at his watch. What in the hell is taking so long? He took a deep breath and let it out. He knew exactly what was taking so long: that whole area was getting secured by uniforms. For all they knew, there really was a man with a gun on the loose in the suburbs.
    Van Endel and Dr. Martinez snapped their heads around as the door to the room opened. “They’re en route,” said Don, before shutting the door behind him.

22
    “Pick up that bag,” said Hooper, pointing at the brown sack from the fuck store. She scurried over to it and Hooper followed, slowly. He locked the front door, and when he turned she’d swung the bag back over her shoulder like she was winding up to hit him with it. “What the fuck?” he said. “Just carry the damn thing down the stairs, now.” She sagged and walked in front of him and began to descend the steps.
    Hooper followed her. He was soaking wet from the forest, and felt cold, but sweat was pouring off of him, and he could feel blood running down his leg. Four steps down the stairway, with Amy just ahead of him, Hooper tripped as his leg went dead. He dropped through the air, crashing