Out Of Focus: An Adams Grove Novel Part 35

Chapter Thirty-Six.

Libby Braddock sat alone in a small, windowless interrogation room while Scott filed the response to the APB and updated the system with her arrest. He called Von to apprise him of the situation.

"Yes!" Von shouted triumphantly. "Not a step ahead of us this time, was she? I'm almost there."

"I'm going in to question her now. I'll see you shortly."

Scott left his office and stopped in the small room adjacent to the interrogation room. From here, he could see her through the one-way gla.s.s. Middle-aged, the woman was colorless. No makeup, except for the dark pencil on her eyebrows. Nothing special about her-average height, weight, and build. No light dancing in her eyes, clothes in shades of gray. Not the image of someone you'd picture loving a child. She looked broken, tired, but then maybe a four-year-old could do that to a woman her age.

He crossed his arms and s.h.i.+fted his weight. She didn't show any emotion at all. No nerves, no remorse, nothing written on her face. Usually he could tell by a suspect's body language how the interrogation would go, but she didn't give him any clues. He checked his watch.

Scott opened a drawer and took out a small digital recorder. He carried it into the room where Libby Braddock sat, looking straight ahead with her hands folded in her lap.

The fluorescent lights made the greenish-colored cement walls look like washed-out khaki, about the same color as Libby Braddock's face. Scott closed the door behind him and set the recorder on the table between himself and the woman.

She raised her eyes to meet his.

"Ms. Braddock." His voice was deep, authoritative. "You know why you're here?"

She raised a heavily-penciled brow, but that was the only sign that she'd heard him.

"You've been read your rights?" he asked. He knew the answer, but it was always a good spot to start for the tape. "What would you like to tell me?" He steepled his fingers, then tapped his thumbs together.

"I haven't done anything wrong."

He lifted his chin. "We responded to an all points bulletin on you. Your name, your car. You fit the description."

She shook her head.

"APB's don't get put out without a reason. Why do you think there was one out on you?"

"I couldn't guess."

"I think you could." Scott leaned over his notes. "You live in Leighsboro, North Carolina. Correct?"

"Yes."

"Why are you here in Emporia?"

"Pa.s.sing through."

"You know someone who lives here?"

"No."

"Where were you headed?"

She rolled her thin lips in, bearing down. Then she just shook her head.

The chair screeched under Scott's weight as he moved toward the table and leaned forward-an intentionally intimidating posture. He rubbed his hands together. "Let me explain something to you. This is serious. You could go to jail."

She licked her lips and turned her gaze to the cement block wall.

He leaned back and waited, allowing the silence to stretch. She didn't bite.

"The charge is kidnapping."

She jerked her head in his direction.

"Yeah. Kidnapping. We know you had a child with you when you left Leighsboro four nights ago. We have witnesses."

Her arms tensed. She clenched her hands into fists, and pressed them in her lap.

"Was that your child, Ms. Braddock?"

She didn't move a muscle. She didn't even blink.

"Ms. Braddock, let me put this another way. Are you a mother?"

"I've never had a child of my own, if that's what you mean." Her voice was tight.

Her look was as cold as an arctic morning. It unnerved him. "So, the child that was staying with you. He's not your child, is he?"

She looked to the wall, silent.

"How could you take another woman's child?"

No reaction.

Scott skipped the compa.s.sionate stuff. It didn't seem to be reaching her anyway. "Kidnapping is a federal offense. You go to prison for that. This isn't a slap on the wrist we're talking about."

She spun toward him. "I didn't take anyone's child."

"Really? Then tell me about how you came to be taking care of the boy."

She bowed her head and picked at the cuticle on her thumb. It was already torn and scabbed. "I'm not a kidnapper. I'm a Christian. I'd never do something awful like that."

"That's not the way I see it. I believe you kidnapped that boy. Somehow, four nights ago, you found out the authorities were on to you. That's why you left Leighsboro-just in the time. That's what I think. Who told you that you'd been made, Libby?"

Scott tapped his fingers on the table in a slow rhythm.

She stiffened with each tap and cowered, closing her eyes.

"Hey. Are you listening to me? This is serious."

"Stop it," she whispered. "I wouldn't do that. I would never hurt anyone."

"But you did. Why did you take that child? Did you see the accident?"

She looked at him-eyes wide, jaw slack.

Was that surprise on her face?

"Accident? I don't know what you're talking about," she said, shaking her head, brows knit. "What accident?"

She appeared genuinely bewildered.

"The accident that happened last August," Scott said. "The boy was in the truck at the time of the accident. Were you there?"

She shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't lie to me, Ms. Braddock. A good Christian doesn't lie."

"I'm not."

"A good Christian, or lying?" He knew that would get her goat. "What did you do with the boy? Where is he?"

"Quit calling him boy." Her voice sounded shrill, and her gaze held his. "He has a name. His name is Jake."

"Fine. Where's Jake?"

Libby's hands trembled in her lap.

Scott's nostrils flared. He leaned in closer to her. "What kind of woman takes a child from his mother?"

"Stop." She covered her face with her hands. "I love Jake. He's a good boy." Tears s.h.i.+mmered in her eyes.

"Where is he, Ms. Braddock?"

She took a deep breath. "I did the right thing."

Scott stood and prayed he'd keep his cool. "What do you mean?" His words were slow and controlled. "What does 'the right thing' mean?"

He moved to the other side of her.

Her chest heaved with each breath she took.

"I'm going to ask you again. Where is Jake?"

"I'll tell you where." She sat taller in her chair. "He's with his father. Where he belongs."

Scott blew out a breath, as if he'd been sucker punched. He tried to swallow, struggling to keep his composure.

"He's with his father?" Scott's insides sank.

"It's where his father would want him to be."

"What did you do to him, Ms. Braddock?"

She shook her head.

"I did the right thing," she whispered again. "I love him."

Bile rose in Scott's throat. He winced.

Had she harmed Jake once she'd learned they were on to her?

There was a double-rap on the door, and Deputy Taylor poked his head in. "Sheriff?"

Scott slapped the table as he walked around it and headed out to the hall. As soon as the door clicked closed behind him, Scott kicked the metal file cabinet three times. "d.a.m.n it."

"What'd she say?" the deputy said.

Scott shook his head. He couldn't repeat Libby Braddock's words. "What do you have?"

Dan handed him a small photo alb.u.m. "I just finished inspecting her bags. You need to take a look at this."

"What's in it?" Scott flipped open the small book. Pictures of Jake filled the alb.u.m. It was sort of a brag book like the one a grandmother might carry around in her purse.

"Flip to the very back," Dan said.

Scott turned to the last page-to a picture of a woman and a man.

The woman was Kasey. Next to her stood a man he recognized-the guy he'd recently met at her house.

Jeremy.

Kasey wore a wedding gown, Jeremy, a black suit. If Scott didn't know better, he would have thought it was their wedding picture.

Von rushed down the hall toward them. "Hey. I got here as quick as I could," he said, out of breath. "What do we know?"

Scott turned the picture to Von. "Ever seen this?"

Von looked surprised.

Scott said, "I thought that guy was the chauffer or nurse or something-for her grandmother."

Von nodded. "He is. But he's like a family member. That picture is from Kasey and Nick's wedding. Where'd you get this?"

Dan spoke up. "It was in Libby Braddock's suitcase."

"I wonder how she got it." Von looked from one of the two men to the other.

Scott leaned against the filing cabinet. "That guy showed up at Kasey's one day, unannounced. I was with her. It was during her first week there."

"At the new place?" Von asked.