Abducted: A Jake Badger Mystery Thriller Read Online Free PDF

seven hours.”
    The
thought of it made me smile.
    “Worst
seven hours of my life,” Patty said. “Until now.”
    I
understood how she felt. “If no one contacts you,” I said, “or if you don’t
hear from me before nine or ten tomorrow evening, call me. We’ll talk some
more.”
    It
was only eight thirty. I wasn't tired. So I went to the gym and lifted weights.
I thought about Monica the whole time. I could see a lanky seven-year-old,
pillow case slung over her shoulder, stalking off into the woods, scowling at
the unfairness of not being allowed to play ball with the boys. I wondered if
she’d gone into the army as a way of demonstrating that she could compete in a
man’s world.
    I
got home at ten and called it a day.
    Wilson
and I went for our morning run and got to the office a little before eight.
Detective Branch had given me her card, which included her cell phone. I called
her.
    “Detective
Branch.”
    “Morning,
Kimberly. I hope I'm not calling too early.”
    “Who
is this?”
    “Jake
Badger.”
    “Mr.
Badger. No, it's not too early.”
    “Good.
And I hope you'll call me Jake.”
    “Sure.
How can I help you, Jake?”
    “I
was wondering if you had come up with anything on a possible Esposito
connection.”
    “Still
looking into it,” she said. “Soon as I have something, I'll call.”
    I
thanked her and clicked off. Then I called Jessie Garcia, a friend of mine. Jessie’s
a former Navy SEAL who works for the DEA. He's assigned to the San Diego
office, keeping an eye on the cartels and the drugs they bring across the border.
    “Jake,”
Jessie said when he answered his cell. “I was just thinking about you. How's
your recovery coming along?”
    “Fine
until yesterday morning,” I said.
    “What
happened yesterday morning?”
    “Monica
was taken.”
    There
was silence for a moment, then, “Know who took her?”
    “Not
yet.”
    “Know
why?”
    “Our
working hypothesis,” I said, “is revenge.”
    “How
can I help?”
    “We're
looking at Monica's case files to see if there’s someone who might be angry
enough to attempt something like this. But we're also wondering if someone in
Esposito's organization might be involved.”
    “Might
be,” Jessie said. “Got to be a lot of people pissed off about what happened. Let
me ask the people who know more about Esposito's organization than I do and see
what they have to say.”
    “That'd
be great. I appreciate it.”
    “I'll
get back to you.”
    I
took a break to put the coffee on so Mildred could feed her caffeine addiction
when she arrived. I also put a cup of tea for myself in the microwave. While it
was brewing, I checked my email. Nothing there that needed my
immediate attention.
    Before
my tea was ready, my cell phone rang. It was my father.
    “ Jake ,” the voice synthesizer said. “ How are you this morn ing?”
    He
didn’t know what had happened. “Not all that great, Dad. Monica’s been
abducted.”
    There
was silence for a moment and then typing. My father had had a stroke a year ago
that left him partially paralyzed on his left side and unable to speak. He
still had full use of his right hand. I had gotten him a voice synthesizer
computer program that would read aloud what he typed into his computer. He
would type with his right hand and then click a speak button. The computer
would then read what he’d typed. He could make a phone call using his cell
phone. He called me often. He’d type his opening comment, call me, set the
phone next to his computer, turn on the speaker, and after I answered, click
the speak button. The computer would read what he’d typed. Then he could carry
on a conversation by typing brief responses to whatever I said.
    I
waited while he typed.
    “ I am sorry to hear that, Son. Have the
kidnappers made contact yet? ”
    “No.
And I don’t think they will.” I explained why and gave him a run down of what
had happened so far.
    He
typed.
    “ I know this is very difficult for you, Son.
But I also