The Texas Ranger's Nanny

Dear Ms. Ames:

A staff member from Landry Scientific will be meeting with you on Thursday, May 26, at 11:00 a.m. for your second interview. The thrust of your work will be to conduct research, analysis, synthesis and experimentation on polymeric substances, for such purposes as product and process development and application, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and improvement of analytical methodologies. We are offering further incentives in terms of paying for additional schooling. The salary of $70,000 is negotiable based on experience and education. Please let us know if the meeting date and time are not convenient for you.

Claire buried her face in her hands. Pleased as she was at receiving this news, with Jeremy missing she couldn’t think about more interviews right now. She could hardly breathe for the pain.

Too distraught to focus on anything, she closed her email and got ready for bed. While Vic was out actively pursuing the criminal who was responsible for Jeremy’s disappearance, she was home, dying inside and unable to help.

Vic expected her to stay here. What if, by some miracle, the lowlife dropped Jeremy off somewhere and he was able to contact her? She had to stay put, but it was going to be the longest, most agonizing night of her life.

* * *

WITH KIT HELPING VIC, they scoured Leroy’s empty apartment for clues, but there was nothing, not even a waste basket. After seeing the warrant, the manager had let them in.

“Does Bennett owe you money?” Vic asked.

“No, sir. He paid me cash up front for two months.”

Vic exchanged glances with his partner. “So you knew he was leaving today?”

“That’s right.”

“Did you require a cleaning deposit?”

“Yes. He covered that, too.”

“You knew he’d been in prison?”

“A lot of guys have served time. He said he had a job at a school as a custodian. As long as they pay me, I don’t care.”

“Did he tell you anything about where he might be going?”

“I asked, but he said it was none of my damn business.”

“The woman across the hall said he drove an older blue pickup truck.”

“Yeah.”

“Anything you noticed about it besides the dents?

“Like what?”

“Anything that would make it different from another truck just like it.”

“Um, I do remember one thing. There was an oval decal on the back window with a crazy word like duda printed on it. Are you through with me? I’ve got to get back to my apartment. I’ve got dinner on the stove.”

“Go ahead.”

The second he walked away, Vic phoned headquarters to report the decal. After he hung up, Kit said, “I’ve learned that Jamison Lowell was the person who hired Leroy. He’s no longer working for the school district office, but I have the guy’s address.”

Vic clenched his jaw. “Let’s go find him.”

Kit followed him to East Austin and they pulled up in front of a rambler home with a tidy yard. After walking to the front door, Vic rang the bell and they waited. When no one answered, he rang it again. This was like déjà vu.

“Stay there and keep trying. I’ll run next door to the neighbor’s house and find out what I can.” Kit took off. Vic walked around the house and used his flashlight to look in the windows. The place was empty.

When he could hear voices from next door, he hurried over to join Kit, who introduced him to an older couple.

“These people here say that the Lowells moved last week. They don’t know where, but figure they wanted to be near their only daughter, who’s married and lives in Colorado.”

“Do you know where in Colorado?” Vic pressed.

The woman pondered the question. “I’m pretty sure the daughter and her husband live in Vail. They do a lot of skiing.”

“Do you know their last name?”

“I think it might be Preston,” the husband said.

“Do you know what kind of car the Prestons have? Maybe from when they visited the Lowells?”

“A blue, four-door Passat.”

“Thank you. You’ve been very helpful.”

“I hope the Lowells aren’t in any trouble. They’re such nice people. He worked with the school district you know. We hated to see them move.”

“Sudden, was it?” Vic stared at both of them.

The man nodded. “Yes, but then we didn’t know that much about their family.”

“I don’t see a for sale sign on the lawn.”

“Not yet.”

Vic reached for his wallet and handed them his business card. “Please call my office when you find out the name of the Realtor selling the house.”

“We will. Good night.”

Once they were back at their cars, Vic pounded his fist against his windshield. “This has been organized for several months, Kit. I never saw this coming. Jeremy could be anywhere. He—”

“We’ll find him,” Kit broke in. “I’ll follow you home and contact the Vail police. They’ll do a search for a family with the last name Preston. We’ve got the make of the car. As for you, you need to get some rest. When we get to your place we’ll talk strategy until you’re too tired to think and can sleep.”

“I’ll never be able to sleep, not while my son is missing.”

“Then take a sleeping pill—otherwise you won’t be good for anything. Take a shower first. It’ll help you relax.”

Once at Vic’s house, Vic told Kit to help himself to some coffee and started down the hall. He stopped at Jeremy’s bedroom. It was unearthly still. Jeremy was gone. Pain attacked Vic’s whole body. He sagged against the doorjamb for a minute and let out the sobs that kept coming.

God in heaven, preserve his life. Help me find him.