The Christmas Bell Tolls Read Online Free PDF Page B

walk him through your last week. Every little detail. It might seem trivial, but we’re not going to miss anything. I can assure you
of that.”
    Darren nodded, but
inside, little pieces of him were crumbling. He was missing one crucial thing:
his daughter.
    And he wanted her
back more than he wanted to take his next breath.

Four
     
    “We have a hit!”
    Everyone in
Darren’s house froze for a nanosecond, then rushed
into a flurry of action, until Wilson whistled and stopped everyone again. He
stared at the agent who’d made the announcement. “What’s the hit?”
    “A
gas station attendant reports seeing a child matching Savannah’s description.”
    Finally!
    “Where?” Wilson bellowed before even Darren could ask. “When?”
    “Ten minutes ago. Thomas Street, north of US 51, right by the Interstate 40
connection.”
    “You two,” Wilson
pointed at the two field agents closest to the door. “Get there now. Interview,
but priority is security footage if they have it. I want to verify identity and
work from there.”
    Darren grabbed his
coat from the peg behind the door.
    “Whoa,
Timmons. You can’t go.” Wilson hovered behind him.
    “Yes, I can.”
    “No, you can’t.”
    “I can immediately
identify.”
    “As you can when
they take a picture of it with their phone and send to us.”
    “I can do onsite
and then assist in the interview.”
    Wilson blocked the
doorway with his fullness. “You know policy. The parent stays here.”
    Darren took a
step, then stopped. “Come on, I can’t just sit here
and do nothing.”
    “But you know
you’d only get in the way.” Wilson’s tone had softened by several degrees.
“Look, I know how hard this must be. I’m going to stay here at ground zero with
you. You’ll get the information immediately. Why don’t you get the area map set
up on the easel there? As soon as identity is confirmed, we can start building
our lock-down areas.”
    Slowly, Darren
hung up his jacket, then headed to help the agents
setting up the map. He took note of the time: 7:20. She was seen at 7:10. Even
racing, it would take the agents a good twenty minutes to get there. That gave
the abductor a good thirty minutes head start. In that time,
no telling where Savannah could be.
    “Call the TBI to
meet them at the gas station to gather any evidence they can,” Wilson told
another agent, who nodded and put a phone to his ear.
    “Sir, I’ve got
something. Maybe.” One of the agents manning the
phones in the corner stood. He frowned as Wilson approached. “Or maybe it’s
nothing.”
    “Go ahead, agent.”
Wilson crossed his arms over his chest.
    “Someone Agent
Timmons and Agent Baxter put away was paroled. SAC Hagar oversaw the
investigation. Perp was released two and a half weeks ago.”
    “Who?” Darren asked.
    “Sanford
Barbor.”
    Darren’s blood
went cold. “Barbor is a child pornographer. How is he out?”
    “He was
incarcerated almost ten years ago, sir.” The agent looked at Wilson.
    “What else?” Leo
Wilson asked.
    “He registered as
a sex offender.”
    “That’s a
condition of his release, not because he’s rehabilitated, I can guarantee you
that.” Darren gave an inward shudder. Barbor was vile. He’d filmed little
girls, no more than ten years old, undressing. Naked. The man was pond scum.
    “Yes, but what
might be relatable is where he registered.” The agent glanced at the scrap of
paper in his hand. “6756 Rabbit Tail Lane in Arlington.”
    Darren balled his
hands. “That’s only ten minutes from here.” A sex
offender…this close to his home. To his daughter.
    Barbor was out.
He’d been furious with Darren and Nick and Rafe. More than just hated being
caught, he’d been out of control. Vowed vengeance and
retribution.
    If Barbor had
taken Savannah…waves of nausea rode over Darren like a tsunami. Lord,
please, no.
    “Call his probation
officer and see when he last reported in. Verify his home address with the PO, then send someone over