Read Online Veil - 02 - The Hammer of God by Reginald Cook - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Reginald Cook
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closed his eyes, his breath morphing into a deep fog on the glass.
Robert eased up behind his friend. “Thorne and I have been trying to chase down leads of our own.” Donovan straightened up and turned around. “I know you and Alison asked us to stay out of it,” Robert continued. “But did you really think we would? He’s as much of a son to me as he is to you.”
Donovan forced a smile, which looked out of place with the swollen sacks under his eyes, and heavily wrinkled brow. “I know you mean well, but I have to ask you and Thorne to stand down.” The words took Robert aback. “Obviously there’s something going on I don’t know about. Now, you know me. You know what I can do.
Why won’t you let me help?”
Donovan’s eyes widened. He gritted his teeth, made a fist, and lightly tapped it against Robert’s chest. Catching himself, Donovan relaxed and went back to the couch. Robert sat down next to him.
“I went by Samuel’s school today,” said Robert. “I talked to several of his friends. When I asked them if there was anything going on with Samuel, anything out of place, they both broke down in tears.” Donovan furrowed his brow. “What did they say was wrong?”
“I didn’t get a chance to finish questioning them. I was escorted out before I could find out.”
“Who were the children you spoke with?” Robert gave him Paul and Carla’s names. Donovan looked even more puzzled. “They’re Samuel’s best friends. They didn’t mention anything when the FBI talked to them.”
“The FBI?” asked Robert, surprised.
“Yes. A couple of agents went to their houses to see if they noticed anything out of place over the last couple of weeks. They spoke to several of Samuel’s teachers and the school staff.” Strange, why didn’t they tell me? Robert clenched his fists, but resisted banging them on the coffee table. “Donovan, what the hell is going on?”
“I wish I knew,” he answered. “That doesn’t make any sense to me.”
“I mean, what’s going on with Samuel that you’re not telling me?” Donovan hesitated. “I can’t say.”
“You mean you won’t say.”
“It’s for Samuel’s protection, and probably has nothing to do with the kidnapping.”
“Probably?” Robert bit his tongue. “Does the FBI know?” Donovan squinted, as though measuring his words. “No, they don’t.” Robert sprang to his feet. “Goddamnit, I don’t get this! Samuel’s out there, stolen from us by God only knows who, and you’re holding back!”
“I know what’s at stake more than you! Don’t lecture me about my son,” Donovan yelled. In a huff he pushed himself up and headed for the door.
Robert grabbed his arm. “Tell me.”
Donovan’s chest heaved up and down, his eyes empty and black.
“Not yet. Not now.”
Robert leaned in close to Donavon’s face. “I’m going to find out anyway, and I won’t stop looking for Samuel.” Donovan pushed Robert’s arm away and limped outside toward the house. Robert saw Alison looking down from an upstairs window. She closed the curtains when she saw him.
Donovan turned. “Stay out of it, Robert. Please.” Robert opened his mouth to speak, but his friend waved goodbye, then disappeared inside the house.
12
O n the road back to Chicago, Robert called Thorne to find out if she’d had more success than him. He had tracked her down at Detective Reynolds apartment. His conversation with Donovan was a draining dead-end, and he needed good news.
“I haven’t found out much,” she told him. “But we should discuss this in person, not on the cell phone.” Robert agreed, hung up, and headed for Chicago’s south side.
Fifteen minutes later, he spotted a light brown sedan tailing him. The car looked like a standard government issue. Why tail me? You could’ve questioned me at the Napier’s.
Robert increased his speed to nearly ninety miles an hour. The sedan followed, but just enough to keep him in sight. Five miles
Robert eased up behind his friend. “Thorne and I have been trying to chase down leads of our own.” Donovan straightened up and turned around. “I know you and Alison asked us to stay out of it,” Robert continued. “But did you really think we would? He’s as much of a son to me as he is to you.”
Donovan forced a smile, which looked out of place with the swollen sacks under his eyes, and heavily wrinkled brow. “I know you mean well, but I have to ask you and Thorne to stand down.” The words took Robert aback. “Obviously there’s something going on I don’t know about. Now, you know me. You know what I can do.
Why won’t you let me help?”
Donovan’s eyes widened. He gritted his teeth, made a fist, and lightly tapped it against Robert’s chest. Catching himself, Donovan relaxed and went back to the couch. Robert sat down next to him.
“I went by Samuel’s school today,” said Robert. “I talked to several of his friends. When I asked them if there was anything going on with Samuel, anything out of place, they both broke down in tears.” Donovan furrowed his brow. “What did they say was wrong?”
“I didn’t get a chance to finish questioning them. I was escorted out before I could find out.”
“Who were the children you spoke with?” Robert gave him Paul and Carla’s names. Donovan looked even more puzzled. “They’re Samuel’s best friends. They didn’t mention anything when the FBI talked to them.”
“The FBI?” asked Robert, surprised.
“Yes. A couple of agents went to their houses to see if they noticed anything out of place over the last couple of weeks. They spoke to several of Samuel’s teachers and the school staff.” Strange, why didn’t they tell me? Robert clenched his fists, but resisted banging them on the coffee table. “Donovan, what the hell is going on?”
“I wish I knew,” he answered. “That doesn’t make any sense to me.”
“I mean, what’s going on with Samuel that you’re not telling me?” Donovan hesitated. “I can’t say.”
“You mean you won’t say.”
“It’s for Samuel’s protection, and probably has nothing to do with the kidnapping.”
“Probably?” Robert bit his tongue. “Does the FBI know?” Donovan squinted, as though measuring his words. “No, they don’t.” Robert sprang to his feet. “Goddamnit, I don’t get this! Samuel’s out there, stolen from us by God only knows who, and you’re holding back!”
“I know what’s at stake more than you! Don’t lecture me about my son,” Donovan yelled. In a huff he pushed himself up and headed for the door.
Robert grabbed his arm. “Tell me.”
Donovan’s chest heaved up and down, his eyes empty and black.
“Not yet. Not now.”
Robert leaned in close to Donavon’s face. “I’m going to find out anyway, and I won’t stop looking for Samuel.” Donovan pushed Robert’s arm away and limped outside toward the house. Robert saw Alison looking down from an upstairs window. She closed the curtains when she saw him.
Donovan turned. “Stay out of it, Robert. Please.” Robert opened his mouth to speak, but his friend waved goodbye, then disappeared inside the house.
12
O n the road back to Chicago, Robert called Thorne to find out if she’d had more success than him. He had tracked her down at Detective Reynolds apartment. His conversation with Donovan was a draining dead-end, and he needed good news.
“I haven’t found out much,” she told him. “But we should discuss this in person, not on the cell phone.” Robert agreed, hung up, and headed for Chicago’s south side.
Fifteen minutes later, he spotted a light brown sedan tailing him. The car looked like a standard government issue. Why tail me? You could’ve questioned me at the Napier’s.
Robert increased his speed to nearly ninety miles an hour. The sedan followed, but just enough to keep him in sight. Five miles
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