When Opportunity Knocks - 17. Chapter 17

Jett swore as the car next to him started drifting over into his lane. He backed off the gas and watched as the car drifted back into its own lane. If not for the fact that he had already clocked out and was eager to get home he would’ve pulled the idiot over. Driving on any road, especially highways, one needed to use extra caution during conditions like these.

The forecast was not looking good. As he left the barracks, the snow had started to fall at a steady pace. The highways were still mostly wet, as the road crews had been out salting all afternoon, but on the local roads and side streets the snow had stuck and it was starting to accumulate.

It had been an exhausting day. It seemed like everyone had been in a hurry to beat the snow and once the first light, fluffy flakes had started to fall early in the afternoon, people lost all common sense. They either drove too fast for the quickly changing conditions or they drove too slow, causing problems of their own. The general area between Baltimore, Annapolis and D.C. was a huge melting pot of humanity, many of whom had rarely experienced snow. It made for a stressful shift.

Jett was looking forward to getting home, snuggling up with Kyle and, once he finished his shift tomorrow, they could spend the rest of the weekend in bed. Kyle’s truck was in the driveway, covered with a couple inches of snow, which indicated he’s been here a few hours. Kim’s car was gone. Jett hoped she was at Joyce’s house and was planning on staying put.

His phone rang as he was putting his key in the front door. The screen indicated it was his captain.

“Hello?” Jett said as he pushed open the door and let Bruce in. The dog made a beeline for the back door.

Rene’s voice was terse. “Jett, we just got word that the prison transport carrying Marc Greene was in an accident early this morning. He’s missing.”

“Fuck. Hang on, let me get Kyle and let him….” Jett’s eyes lasered in on two snow-covered dogs pressed up against the outside of the slider. Bruce was whining and scratching at the glass. “Cap? We may have a problem. Hang on.” Jett kept the line open and slid the phone into the front pocket of his uniform shirt.

He opened the slider and both dogs tumbled in, shivering. “Bruce, come!” Jett hurried to Kim’s door, his work boots crunching on the layer of snow that covered the deck. He immediately noticed that the door was unlocked. Drawing his gun, he opened the door slowly, calling out, “Kyle? Kim?” The answering silence was deafening. He flipped on the light switch, illuminating the kitchen. The rest of the house was quiet. “Bruce, find.” Bruce immediately crouched down, body tense as he made himself into a smaller target. It only took him a minute to determine the house was empty.

Jett grabbed his phone. “Cap, we have a situation here. Kyle and Kim are missing. I need a unit brought in.”

“They’re already on the way. I’m heading out too. You know the drill Anderson, don’t touch anything and wait for the team to get there.”

“Yes, Sir. And Sir, Kim’s car is missing. I’ll text you the info so you can issue a BOLO.”

“I’m on it Anderson.”

Jett was shaking as he ended the call and went back to his house, careful not to disturb anything. Rosie and Tater were sitting on the kitchen floor, still shivering, the snow melting in their fur. He turned up the temperature, threw a comforter in the dryer on high and then got some towels to dry the dogs off as best he could. It wasn’t long before the dogs were snuggled together in a heated cocoon. Other than being chilled, they looked fine.

Jett’s driveway lit up with blue flashing lights. The State Police Investigative Crime Unit had pulled out all the stops. Captain Auberge arrived shortly after. Jett beckoned him over and quickly told him everything he had done so far, which really wasn’t much, as he knew better than to contaminate the scene. The lead investigator, Frank Morgenstein, or Franko as most of his colleagues called him, took down notes. In a matter of minutes they had established a base of operations in Jett's kitchen.

Jett had worked with Franko before and knew that he was the best investigator in the state, at least in his opinion. Franko quickly got to work, delegating tasks to the two investigators who made up the rest of his team. Jett watched, feeling helpless as the team donned coveralls and headed over to Kim’s to see if they could find anything useful.

Jett tried calling Kyle and his gut balled up with dread when he heard the familiar ringtone faintly from the other side of the wall. Calling Kim’s phone yielded the same result. Now that the initial adrenaline rush had worn off, a deep sense of worry and anxiety settled in. He stared down at the floor, wishing this was just a bad dream.

He and Kyle had only been seeing each other a few months, but Jett knew that this relationship was unlike any other that he ever had. He knew deep down that somewhere along the line he had fallen in love with Kyle. He had known for a while, and had hesitated to say anything for fear that he would scare Kyle off. He now hoped that he would still get that chance.

Captain Auberge’s phone rang and Jett tried to make heads or tails out of the one sided conversation. There were a lot of ‘uh-huhs’ and ‘okay, got it’ happening. When the conversation ended Jett looked at him expectantly.

Franko grabbed his notebook to jot things down and nodded at Rene.

Rene gave him a terse nod in return and then relayed the information he had just received. “That was Captain Pratt with the Connecticut State Police. So far they’ve been able to figure out that Greene escaped custody when the van transporting him flipped over on the highway this morning en route to Osborn. It appears to be a total accident. This happened at approximately six-fifteen this morning. The time had been moved up at the last minute because of the forecast, so they don’t think that weather had anything to do with it. The corrections officers wanted to get there and back before the snow started. They think speed may have been a factor. The driver and guard were both seriously injured in the crash. Both were found unconscious and were transported to the hospital. Neither have been interviewed at this point, as both of them had to have surgery and are in critical condition. The driver is touch and go. If he makes it through the next twenty-four hours his chances vastly improve. The guard is being closely monitored, but is expected to make it. What we know so far is that Greene was able to unshackle himself, take a jacket and both utility belts off the unconscious officers.”

“Great, he’s armed,” Jett sighed.

“Listed as armed and dangerous,” Rene confirmed. “From there they discovered that he stole a car from a nearby shopping center. It was caught on camera, but an hour later the car was found in a residential neighborhood off of route 202 across the Hudson. So far, no new reports of stolen vehicles from that area, but in all likelihood he’s changed vehicles more than once. Obviously he headed south. The FBI will be here shortly seeing how he crossed state lines. Jett, do you know what time Kyle got here?”

“Probably around three? I sent him a text at two-thirty letting him know I was going to be late. He texted back saying he would head over before the snow started picking up.”

“That makes sense. If he had to drive from the accident site, which was just outside of Danbury to here, even taking back roads he could have easily been here between one and two o’clock, plenty of time to subdue Kim. Kyle was probably in the wrong place, wrong time,” Franko theorized.

Just then another vehicle pulled up, parking on the street as there was no more room in the driveway. By the looks of the black Suburban with heavily tinted windows, Jett guessed it was the FBI guys, and he was right. Introductions were made and the senior agent, Jim Jackson said he was taking the lead on the investigation. Franko's team was now reporting to him.

Jackson was a no-nonsense, get to the point kind of guy. He was also sympathetic, reassuring Jett that they were going to do everything they could to get Kyle and Kim back safely. His partner could’ve been Danny Devito if Devito had been six foot three and built like a bodybuilder. The facial resemblance was uncanny. Jackson introduced him as Ben Stoneham. Ben got to work setting up a printer in what had now become their temporary Command Center.

Jackson got Jett’s attention, which had wandered. “Jett, I need you to tell me everything that you know and everyone who may be involved, however remotely.

Jett sat at his table, Bruce next to him, laying down on the floor at Jett’s feet. He still had on his Kevlar, so Jett reached down to take it off him so he would be more comfortable. Bruce would be by his side for however long this was going to take.

Jett recounted everything that he knew and could remember about Marc Greene and the recent parole hearing they had attended. He filled in the details that Kim had told him about, desperately trying to recall every detail. It took nearly an hour, with Jackson and Cap interjecting with questions here and there.

When it was clear that he couldn’t recall any additional details, Jackson looked over to his partner, who had been listening in as well. “Did you get a location on Nikki Morgan?”

Ben nodded and rattled off an address. “I’ve got a couple of agents with the Chicago Bureau en route to her work. They’ll have an agent on her 24/7 unless you need her here.”

“I don’t see the need. It’ll be safer for her there. I will need to speak to her, so set up a video conference as soon as possible. She may have an idea of where he’s headed,” Jackson replied.

“Do you think he’d be idiotic enough to go back to his house in Connecticut?” Jett asked.

Jackson shook his head. “Not likely. It wouldn’t do him any good anyway. The house was torn down a while ago. The state bought the property as part of the settlement agreement. Then they couldn’t unload it. It seems that no one wants to buy a house with that kind of history. They demolished it to prevent looters and squatters. An anonymous benefactor donated funds to create a park for the kids in the neighborhood,”

Ben tapped a few keys on his laptop and scrutinized the screen. “I’m hoping that Nikki may recall something that might give us a clue of where he would hole up. His current profile is being updated, but past history has shown him to be narcissistic, self-centered and highly selective as to who he disseminates information to. He’s also egotistical and prone to bragging, so I’m hoping that he may have slipped up and told the girls about a place or an area that had some kind of meaning to him. It’s a longshot, but psychos like him will eventually slip up. If he did, and if Nikki can remember, it may help us immensely.”

“What can I do to help?” Jett asked.

“How close are you to this case?”

Jett looked Jackson directly in the eye. “Close. Kyle is my boyfriend and Kim is more than a neighbor, she’s a good friend. I won’t be shut out on this. Not in a million years.”

Jackson studied him for a moment as if sizing him up. “Okay, then why don’t you start by calling your family and Kyle’s to let them know what’s going on. You’ll be kept in the loop and from what I’ve read on you on the way over, you have one of the best tracking dogs in the state. Once we have a lead on which direction to go, you and your dog will be on stand-by. I don’t need to tell you to make sure you have something with their scents ready to go. The second we figure out where he’s headed, we’re out. Understood?”

“Yes, Sir.” Jett felt a wave of relief. Standard protocol was to pull an officer off of a case if they had close ties. There was no way in Hell that Jett would allow that to happen. Bruce would be their best bet if they got a live lead. Jett knew that if Bruce got a hit on either Kyle or Kim’s scent it would take an army to stop him.

Jett then set about making some phone calls. It was definitely one of the hardest things he’d ever had to do. He called Kyle’s house first. Lynn answered, distraught at the news. Jim had to take over the call and Jett spent fifteen minutes explaining the situation to him. Jim promised to call if he heard from Kyle.

Next was Megan and her reaction was similar to her Mom’s. Her instinct was to go over her parents’ right away. Jett asked her if she was okay to drive or if she would like him to have a patrol officer come get her and take her. She promised him that she would be fine driving. He, in turn, made her promise to pack a bag and spend however long it took with her parents. He let it remain unspoken that there was safety in numbers.

He then called his parents and got them up to speed on the situation. His mom made Jett give her the number for the Benton’s and assured him that she would make sure they were taken care of. Jett translated that as his mom would be up all night cooking up a storm and tomorrow, or as soon as the weather cleared, the Bentons would be getting a visit whether they wanted it or not. The kitchen renovations were going to be on hold because of the weather anyway, so this would give his mom something to do.

The final call he made was to his brother. Bo was the one that he could be brutally honest with. Jett retreated to his bedroom and closed the door before making the call. Bo picked up on the third ring.

“Bro! What’s up? Your timing is not exactly the best.”

“Get yourself decent and tell Noah to do the same. Kyle’s missing.”

“What the fuck?!”

“Calm down and get dressed, then put me on speaker so Noah can hear this too. I’ve already had to explain this too many times,” Jett pinched the bridge of his nose. His head was starting to compose its own percussion arrangement. He listened to more rustling sounds and could hear Bo telling Noah that Kyle was missing and to get dressed. After a minute of muted curses Bo came back on the line and the faint echoing sound told Jett he was on speaker.

Bo listened intently as Jett unloaded on him in a way he couldn’t with the two sets of parents. Every other word was an f-bomb and he didn’t hold back the anguish in his voice, reflecting how truly scared he was. By the end of the litany, tears were falling freely and Jett was shaking. Bruce whimpered, feeling Jett’s distress in the way that only canines could. Acutely.

“Jett, don’t go there. Get your mind out of the darkness. You need to focus now like you never have before. Kyle and Kim are alive. You know it deep down. Kyle’s smart, Kim too. And you know that she’s resourceful as all fuck, She escaped him once. She can do it again, especially with Kyle’s help. Don’t you dare sell them short and don’t you dare doubt them. Do you hear me?” Bo’s tone of voice was blunt, exactly what Jett needed.

“Jett, Bo’s right. I’ve known Kyle for a long time. He’s a clever bastard. He knows how to use his head. Did he ever tell you we used to challenge each other when we were kids to see who could get themselves free faster? I could wrap a rope around him until he was purple and not breathing and he would still find a way to slither out. He always won, Jett. Always,” Noah added.

Jett appreciated the attempt to calm him. It worked. Sort of. He still felt a boatload of anxiety, but Bo and Noah had managed to pull things into perspective for him.

“Jett, I’ll be there in an hour,” Bo said, his tone of voice brooked no argument.

Jett took in a lungful of air, his breath hitching as he tried to hold it together. Bo knew him better than anyone and Jett needed him.

“Be careful driving. I’ll see you in a bit.”

It was later than Jett realized. He had gotten home around six-thirty and with everything that had been going on he lost track of time. It was now nearly ten-thirty. Weariness started to sneak into his bones. He rubbed Bruce between his shoulders and the big dog leaned into him. Jett leaned down and gave the dog a hug and was rewarded with a rather large tongue swiping the side of his face.

He stripped down and took a fast shower, changed his clothes, donning a well worn pair of faded jeans and an Orioles sweatshirt. He made sure another uniform was ready to go at a moment’s notice. He took his gun and secured it to an extra holster he kept in his gun safe. The side arm would be a constant companion until this ordeal was over.

His stomach growled as he made his way into the kitchen to feed Bruce. Cap looked over at him, worry evident in the creases that lined the corners of his eyes. Ben was on the computer, occasionally reaching to grab something off the printer he brought with him.

Jackson was on the phone again, mostly listening to whoever was on the other line. As soon as he ended the call he beckoned Jett over and got right to the point. “Jett, while you were on the phone, Franko’s team finished sweeping next door. As we figured, they didn’t find anything we weren’t expecting. Kyle and Kim’s phones were left behind. There were several blood droplets found in the kitchen, but until lab results come back, there’s no way to tell who they belong to. It wasn’t a lot. We tried to check Kim’s dog, but the little shit growled at us.”

For the first time since he walked through the door tonight, Jett smiled. “Tater, come here.” Tater army crawled out of the tangle of the comforter that he and Rosie had created. Jett ran his hands all over the scruffy mutt and examined each of his paws. There was no sign of any injury.

“It’s not Tater.” Rosie crawled out of the comforter nest and shook herself, golden fur flying in every direction. Jett gave her a good rub down and inspection too. Nothing.

“I guess we can most likely eliminate the dogs as a source for the blood. We should be able to at least get a blood type within a few hours. That might narrow it down. We also had a quick conference with Nikki Morgan. She couldn't think of anything right off the bat, but wanted some time to see if she could jog her memory. We’re going to try again in the morning,” Jackson said.

Jett’s stomach rumbled again, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Jackson pulled out his wallet and handed Rene a credit card. “Go ahead and order some food. I’ll expense it for the duration.” Cap took the card and pulled out his phone. Once the pizza was ordered, he said he needed to leave. The snow was starting to come down heavier now and even with a police four-wheel drive SUV, the driving would soon start to get even more difficult. Jett thanked him for everything that he had done.

Pizza arrived at the same time Bo did. His twin pushed past Jackson and made a beeline for Jett. Jett sighed and felt a sense of relief when his brother enfolded him into a bear hug.

"Where’s Noah?" Jett asked.

“He went over to the Bentons. He figured he could be more useful supporting them, rather than hanging out here being a third wheel.”

Jett was glad he went to support Kyle’s parents. He was like a son to them and a brother to Kyle. He needed the Bentons just as much as they needed him.

“He wouldn’t have been a third wheel. He’s part of Kyle’s family. Isn’t he supposed to be heading back to Japan soon?”

Now it was Bo’s turn to sigh. “Yeah, he’s got a flight scheduled for next Sunday. That’s why we were spending the weekend together. He and Kyle have plans to spend next Saturday together. Now, well, he says he’s going to postpone his flight. He won't even think about going back until Kyle’s back safe.”

“You really like him, don’t you?” Jett prodded.

Bo’s eyes lit up as he answered, “Yeah, I really do.”

Jett pulled Bo in for a hug, stealing a little of his inner strength from him. That’s how it was between them and he hoped that’s how it would always be.

Letting go, Jett gave Bo a small smile before heading over to where Jackson and Ben had laid out the boxes of pizza. Although his belly was growling, Jett didn’t have an appetite and had to force himself to eat two pieces and choke down some of the salad that was there as well.

It was after midnight when the pizza had been cleared away and the small mess cleaned up. Jett couldn’t hold back the yawn.

Jackson looked over at him “I think it’s time we call it a night. I’ve got members of my team working on following any leads, but I don’t think we can do much until morning. Why don’t we get some sleep and start fresh tomorrow? Or rather later today.”

Jett thought that sounded reasonable. He also figured it was reasonable to offer the use of his couch and spare room to Jackson and Ben. Citing time as a factor, Jett was loath to lose any of the time it would take for the team to commute back and forth between his house and wherever they lived. Even if they wanted to leave, the weather would’ve been a challenge. The snow had picked up and there was now at least four or five inches of the stuff blanketing everything. If they left, they might not be able to get back in the morning. Jett knew that Bo wouldn’t mind bunking in with him. Jackson took him up on the offer as he lived much closer to D.C., as did Ben. It certainly would allow the two men to get more sleep, that’s for sure.

Bo got some extra blankets for Ben who drew the short straw and landed on the couch. Jackson had dismissed his team earlier and he went to grab the kits that he and Ben kept in their SUV for times when they got stuck out on the road. Handing Ben’s bag to him, Jett heard him say he’d be up by six.

Jett said goodnight and headed into his bathroom to brush his teeth and piss. Bo was sprawled out on what Jett had already come to think of as Kyle’s side of the bed. He hesitated for a fraction of a second before sliding under the covers, refusing to let his mind drift to a negative place. He reached over and turned off the light on his nightstand, plunging the room into darkness.

Settling into his pillow he whispered, “Bo?”

“Yeah?”

“Tell me it’s going to be alright.”

Jett felt Bo scoot across the large gap and throw his arm over his shoulders and squeeze. “It’s gonna be alright Jett, it’s going to alright.”

Those were the words that Jett held onto as his eyes drifted shut and he drifted off to sleep.