Jared exhaled in disappointment, pivoted, and strode for the door. Once outside, he and Stephani made their way back toward Solar Green just as the sun began to drop below the distant California Coastal range. As they crossed the alley leading to the rear of the shopping center, Jared stopped and stared at a San Jose police car in the alley. The vehicle had either caught or had been set on fire, with the entire front and most of the back-seat area burned. For whatever reason, the fire hadn’t reached the rear third of the stricken patrol vehicle.
Jared had a thought and hurried into the alley. He peered inside at all the melted electronic gear that had once been a police officer’s mobile office. The rack attached to the cage separating the front and rear of the vehicle was destroyed and void of the firearms it once secured. Jared wasn’t looking for firearms; he wanted into the trunk and searched the driver’s side for a latch or button. He found a small round unmarked button on the driver’s door and depressed it. Nothing happened, so Jared moved to the back seat of the vehicle, where he worked to pull the plastic seat-shaped shell from its moorings. The shell had replaced the original seat and was designed to transport criminals. The plastic could be cleaned with a hose in case one of San Jose Police Department’s customers urinated or vomited in the rear compartment.
Slowly, Jared worked the plastic piece loose until he could reach into the trunk. He climbed farther into the back seat, straining to pry the back of the plastic shell seat down. After several grueling minutes, he was able to reach in and pull the trunk safety release. To his delight, the trunk lid popped open. Jared extricated himself from the vehicle, realizing he was covered in black soot.
Stephani stood watching in question as Jared performed his trunk-opening feat. Once he had the rear of the vehicle open, Jared took a quick look around, which caused Stephani to do the same. He then began hauling all the equipment out of the trunk. There was a set of breaching tools along with some sort of heart defibrillator and a box of flares. Finally, Jared found what he was looking for, the first aid kit.
He opened the kit and emptied its contents into his pack before discarding the hard-plastic case. Jared went back to the trunk and picked through the remaining items, finding several stuffed teddy bears in a clear plastic bag. This sent a shock to his memory banks, reminding Jared of his promise to Essie to bring back her lovey and box of hair ponies. He looked at Stephani, then up at the darkening sky.
“Okay, I gotta tell you something,” Jared started. “I promised Essie I’d stop off at her house and grab a couple of things that are near and dear to her heart,” Jared finished, staring at Stephani with a sick look on his face.
“What are you telling me?” Stephani asked, confusion clouding her pretty face.
“I’m saying I thought we’d have more time to get there.” Jared said, glancing skyward. “Now it’s getting dark and we’re still out. I don’t have time to take you back and then come back. We aren’t too far from where I found her, so—I was thinking we could hide you while I go and pick up her things. I’ll come back—” Jared tried to finish, but Stephani shook her head, interrupting him.
“No, not only no, but there’s no way I’m hiding alone, not knowing when or if you’ll make it back. I’m not doing that. I’m coming with you,” Stephani asserted.
Jared was perplexed. “Are you sure you want to do that? I mean, we’ll be out after dark and probably won’t get back to the solar place till tomorrow morning.”
“I’m sure,” Stephani said, taking a deep breath and straightening her posture.
Secretly Jared was elated to have company along for this deviation, but there also tugged at his conscience the fact that Stephani was his responsibility, and if she were to get hurt, John and the rest of the party would want to know what they were doing running around on some wild-goose chase for a seven-year-old.
Chapter 31
Jared led Stephani away from the Target, wishing they were on bikes and vowing to keep an eye out for a couple of serviceable bicycles. The two walked until darkness fully blanketed the city. Jared actually felt better moving at night, feeling he was better hidden than he’d been during their daylight maneuvers.
As they walked, there came to Jared’s nostrils a scent he hadn’t smelled in months, the smell of cooking meat or a barbeque, something so delicious, he felt his saliva glands activate, filling his mouth in anticipation. Jared stopped and looked at Stephani, who had also caught the scent and was staring wide eyed up the street. Jared ushered Stephani into a front yard, then withdrew his binoculars. He performed a detailed search of the area out in front of them, freezing when he caught sight of a large man standing in front of a large wrought-iron gate.
The property had a five-foot-high stone wall around its perimeter, with the gate being the only access point Jared could detect. Inside the wall stood a darkened two-story home. The home along with the property it stood on were larger than any on the street Jared could see, likely a leftover from the days when a house and its property consisted of
