Page 87 of Jonny’s Redemption

“What does that—”

“It matters because if Baker was traveling west when he pulled Clifford over, he was headed in the direction of the farm.” Jameson beeped the locks to his truck and announced, “I’m driving.”

Jonny wasn’t about to admit his head was too screwed-up to drive so he didn’t. Instead, he silently climbed in on the passenger side, which was an admission of sorts.

What else was he missing?

Vaughn answered on the second ring and launched right in, “Alec called it in. Units are en route to H&C’s.”

“Which way was Baker’s vehicle facing?” Jonny inquired.

“Come again?”

“Which direction was Baker traveling when he pulled over Clifford?”

There was a beat of silence before Vaughn caught on. “Jesus Christ, Clifford was going to the farm.”

Yeah, Jarrod Clifford was going to the farm to pick up Bobby but Dick had gotten there first and taken her without waiting for Clifford.

Why?

“See you at H&C’s.”

Jonny disconnected and looked over at Jameson.

“What the fuck are we missing?” Jonny asked.

“He went easy on her,” Jameson noted. “Bobby was kicking the shit out of him and he still set her in his truck gently.”

There could be a variety of sick reasons Dick wanted to deliver Bobby uninjured. Visions of Bobby beaten and bloody on the dirty floor of the trailer assaulted Jonny. No, not visions, memories. Vivid, cruel memories that had never subsided. Never would. And he’d promised himself no one would ever harm her again. Fucking shit.

Trailer.

There was that nagging voice in the back of his mind. Answers floated just out of reach. It made sense Clifford would take Candy to the salvage yard, the former site of Teddy’s—poetic justice in his sick mind. And practicality. Jonny would bet they’d find Anderson’s dead body either buried somewhere on that property or he’d be in the trunk of one of the scrapped cars with a bag of calcium hydroxide poured over him. There were thousands of cars in that junkyard.

Jonny engaged his phone and called Nixon.

“On my way,” Nix grunted in Jonny’s ear.

“Was Dick’s pull-behind at his house?”

“Shit.”

“I take that as a no?”

“No, his camper was not there. What are you thinking?”

“I don’t know, but nothing’s adding up. Clifford was on his way to get Bobby. Dick gets there first, snatches her, then Clifford changes direction and gets Candy to take her to H&C’s. And he does that in Anderson’s car, not his truck.”

“The last part’s easy. There’s an APB out on his truck. No one would think to look for Anderson’s Honda.”

Okay, Jonny could buy that. It was actually smart if it weren’t stupid. Clifford had to know they’d look in on Candy. Unless he didn’t care anymore.

“Gotta go, McKenna’s calling in on the other line.” Nixon didn’t wait for Jonny to respond before he dropped the line.

“Dick’s camper’s not at his house,” Jonny relayed the information.

“You think Dick stashed Bobby in his camper?”