“Then they would know we were watching them. But since he is under house arrest and he’s wearing an ankle monitor, he should be there.”
“I suspect he already knows the police were here watching him before. I would hate to think we’ve been watching the house and he’s already gone.”
“Do you want to see if he’s there?”
Grayson thought about it and then finally said, “Yeah. We’ll just say we’re here to see how he’s doing.”
“I’m sure he’ll love that.”
They got out of the SUV, locked it, and then walked in the direction of the one-story brick home. A curtain was pulled back and then dropped back in place.
“Someone knows we’re coming.” Grayson knocked on the door.
“I’m going out back this time.”
Grayson frowned. “Maybe we should do the same maneuver as we did at Matson’s ex-wife’s house. That way, if the kid slips out back and gets unruly with me, I can call out to you, and you can come help me with him.”
She smiled. “All right.” She poked her finger at his chest. “If he’s armed, don’t take any chances.”
“Right.” Grayson went to the gate, opened it, and went inside the backyard.
Rowland called Grayson just as he entered the backyard. “Hey. Billy’s GPS-designed ankle monitor was removed, and we were immediately alerted. I called my men who were watching the house, but they said you had taken over the watch for a short break. His bond has been revoked, and you need to arrest him if you can locate him before he disappears.”
“Okay, we’re on it.”
“The deputies you relieved are on their way to help, too.”
Then they ended the call
“No one is answering the door,” Kendra said, joining Grayson.
“He’s gone. He took off his monitor.”
“Great. Just now?”
“Yeah. Rowland’s department just got an alert.”
“I’m going back out front to check just in case he takes off through the front door.”
“I’m checking all the back windows and the back door,” Grayson said.
Kendra raced back to the front door.
Then Grayson checked out all the windows on the back of the house. One was open, and he smelled that Billy had climbed out through there. He called Kendra. “He went out a back window. I’m following his scent to the fence.”
“I’m joining you.”
Grayson hurried off in the direction that Billy had gone. Once he reached the fence, Kendra dashed across the backyard to reach him. “He climbed over the fence here.” Grayson gave her a boost up, helping Kendra over it, and then followed her.
A black rottweiler came at them, snarling and barking. He was only defending his territory, but they needed to cross the yard safely and didn’t want to get bitten. Kendra growled at the dog in her fiercest bear growl that she could make. Grayson quickly did the same. Even though any human could learn to imitate a bear growl, they had it down pat.
The dog stopped snarling at them and just watched them. Kendra and Grayson backed away from him, eyes averted so as not to challenge the dog, and finally reached the gate. Then they opened it and closed it before the dog could get out.
Grayson expected the dog to slam into the gate, but he didn’t. He hadn’t made a move toward the gate. Grayson kissed Kendra and squeezed her hand. They made a great team.
Then they followed Billy’s scent and saw him getting into the passenger seat of a red Chevrolet sedan. How many cars did Younger own? Or had he stolen it? Then they saw Younger at the wheel.
They ran after the car but knew they would never reach it in time. Grayson took a picture of the license plate and texted it to Rowland.
