Storm of Lightning by Richard Paul Evans Read Free Book Online Page B

ridiculous. She’s cried herself to sleep every night since Taylor ran away. You’re crazy.”
    Cazier didn’t flinch. “Like we said, we don’t believe your daughter ran away. In fact, the evidence is pretty clear that she didn’t.”
    â€œEvidence!” Ridley said angrily. “I read the text messages from her.”
    â€œThe text messages you read weren’t sent from your daughter’s phone, Officer.”
    Ridley looked at them quizzically. “What?”
    â€œWe’ve been unable to track down the owner of the phone that the messages were sent from, but we know for certain that it wasn’t your daughter’s.”
    â€œThen how did it show my daughter’s name on my caller ID?”
    â€œWhoever did this had advanced technological capabilities. They might have even been watching you through your phone.”
    â€œDoes your daughter have friends in Peru?” Cazier asked.
    â€œPeru? What does that—”
    â€œThat’s where the texts originated.”
    Ridley was flustered. “I don’t know. Maybe she met someone online.”
    Cazier leaned forward. “Does your wife have any friends in Peru?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œAre you certain?”
    Ridley exhaled loudly. “I don’t know, maybe she has a client there. Her travel agency sends people all over the world. Why?”
    â€œBecause your wife has received several phone calls from that same phone in Peru,” Cazier said.
    â€œDo you know where your wife is right now?” Ogden asked.
    â€œShe’s at work.”
    â€œHas she been traveling recently?”
    â€œA few weeks ago she went on a business trip to Scottsdale.”
    â€œHow long has she been back in Idaho?”
    â€œLike I said, about three weeks.”
    â€œWas she acting differently when she returned?”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œDid she say or do anything out of the ordinary?”
    Ridley rubbed his forehead. The truth was, he had thought she was acting strange. He had even asked her what was going on, but she had just brushed him off. Still, he wasn’t about to tell them that. “No, she’s just been stressed by work. As usual.”
    â€œDo you know why she went to Scottsdale?” Cazier asked.
    â€œShe said . . .” He stopped himself. “She had a meeting with a new client.”
    The officers looked at each other. “Do you know who this client is?”
    â€œOf course not,” Ridley erupted. “I don’t know any of her clients. Just like she doesn’t know who I pulled over today.” Ridley leaned forward. “Look, if you’re accusing us of kidnapping—”
    Chief Davis raised his hand to calm his officer. “Chuck, these men aren’t accusing you of anything. They’re just trying to help find your daughter.”
    â€œThen stop wasting time harassing the victims!”
    The two men just looked at Ridley stoically. “Officer, are you sure your wife told you she was going to Scottsdale?”
    â€œOf course I’m sure.”
    Both of the agents just looked at him.
    â€œWhy? Are you saying she didn’t go there?”
    Ogden shook his head. “Your wife never went to Scottsdale. She was on a private jet that crossed the border into Mexico into an area that’s known to be controlled by drug cartels.”
    â€œDrug cartels?”
    â€œWe’ve secured flight information that verifies that.”
    â€œWhy would she do that?”
    â€œThat’s what we want to know,” Cazier said.
    Ogden said, “We have reason to believe that your wife was meeting with some suspicious individuals. We don’t know if they’re trafficking weapons, drugs, or people, but they are under FBI investigation. We have this satellite photo from Homeland Security.” He lifted a photograph of the Timepiece Ranch compound. “It appears to be a compound of some type