My father's grip was so tight, I thought I had a better chance at
oxygen in the wine room.
'I'm so glad I found you. I knew it. When Chuck told me you were out
with a witness, I felt it in my gut. I got here as soon as I could,
and I knew something was wrong when I saw her leaving.'
'Dad, wait. I've got to stop her.' I took the stairs two at a time
and used the kitchen phone to call 911. 'My name's Samantha Kincaid.
I'm a deputy in the Major Crimes Unit at the DA's office, and I was
just kidnapped by a woman named Susan Kerr.' The dispatcher was trying
to cut me off so she could do the usual Q and A format for these calls.
I kept on talking right over her. 'Kerr s a white female,
shoulder-length dark brown hair, approximately forty years old. About
five-seven, one hundred and twenty pounds. I'm calling from her house,
but she left here for the airport about ten minutes ago to flee the
jurisdiction. I don't know what airline. You need to get officers out
there right away to stop her. MCT knows who she is, and I'll page them
directly. Don't bother sending an officer to the house; I can file a
report later.'
I hung up, knowing that she could play back the tape if she missed any
of the information.
My next call was to Chuck.
He was happy to hear my voice. 'Thirty minutes on the dot. You ready
for margaritas?'
If only. 'Susan Kerr killed Clarissa Easterbrook. She locked me in
her basement and is on her way to the airport. You've got to get out
there right now. I'll call Johnson too and tell him to hook up with
you.' Chuck lived in northwest Portland and would be a few minutes
behind Susan, but if Ray was at his house in north Portland, he might
actually beat Susan to the airport.
'Whoa, back up, Sam. She locked you in the basement?'
'Yes, but I'm fine. I guess you told Dad where I might've gone, and he
showed up' I still didn't know why, I realized 'and let me out.'
'Wait a second, I didn't tell your dad anything. And how do you know
she killed Clarissa?'
'Please, Chuck. I'm begging you. Just go to the airport, find her,
and hook her up for kidnapping me. I'll explain the rest later. Now
go. Don't let her get away.'
'All right, I'm going right now. Love you.'
'You too,' I said, hanging up before either of us had even realized
what we'd just said to each other.
I didn't have time to savor the moment. I needed to call Johnson so he
could back up the man I loved.
I gave him the same bare-bones explanation.
'Wait a second. She locked you in the basement?'
Chuck had asked the same question. Why did everyone find it so hard to
believe?
'Yes, in a wine cellar her construction workers were putting together.
The thing's airtight. I was lucky to get out alive.'
'And she's on her way to the airport?'
'That's what she said. Maybe she meant to throw me off, but it's all
we've got.'
'I'm leaving right now. We'll hold her on the kidnap. And, Sam, don't
worry about a thing. That crazy bitch had better hope patrol finds her
before Chuck and I do.'
When I hung up, I saw that my father was standing in the doorway
waiting. 'They're going after her?'
JOQ
I nodded and exhaled.
'So, Dad, obviously I'm grateful,' I said, smiling expectantly, 'but
what exactly are you doing here?'
'You ran off from the house so suddenly, and you had that glint in your
eye. I was afraid of whatever you might try stirring up. Then Chuck
called looking for you, and I assumed he'd catch you at your place. But
then when he called again and said you'd gone out on a witness
interview I don't know, I felt like I needed to find you. It was just
a hunch, but I thought I'd at least check.'
'But how'd you know to come '
'I'm going to get to that. I'm just telling you what I saw. When I
turned the corner, I saw her carrying bags out to the car, even though
your car was obviously still there. I knew right then that something
was seriously wrong. If I'd been packing, I would have stopped her,
but I was more worried about you.'
