Chapter 10: The Deputy Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
For several seconds, Travis couldn't speak.
He sat in the passenger seat of the state police vehicle, staring at his phone while Agent Rebecca Lawson accelerated toward the veterinary clinic.
"Read me the name again," Rebecca demanded.
Travis put the call on speaker.
Dr. Harris repeated it.
"Samuel Harlan. His identification card was left on the table beside Rex.""
Rebecca tightened her grip on the steering wheel.
"Don't touch it. Don't let anyone enter that room.""
"I haven't touched anything," Dr. Harris replied.
"But there's something else.""
"What?""
"The card is wet.""
Travis frowned.
"Wet?""
"Yes. Like someone had just taken it out of their pocket.""
Rebecca glanced at him.
"Was there anyone near the examination room?""
"One man. He said he was with the sheriff's department.""
"What did he look like?""
"White male. Around fifty. Gray hair. He wore a dark jacket and said his name was Deputy Harlan.""
Travis felt his stomach drop.
"Did you see his face clearly?""
"Yes.""
"Could you identify him?""
"I could try.""
Rebecca pressed harder on the accelerator.
"Do not approach him if he returns. Call the state police immediately.""
She ended the call.
Darnell, sitting in the back, leaned forward.
"Are you telling me the missing deputy is alive?""
"We don't know," Rebecca answered.
"Then who left that identification card?""
"Someone who wants us to believe he is.""
Travis shook his head.
"Why would anybody do that?""
Rebecca kept her eyes on the road.
"Because somebody knows we're getting close.""
When they arrived at the clinic, two state troopers were already guarding the entrance.
Darnell rushed inside.
"Where's Rex?""
Dr. Harris appeared from the examination room.
"He's fine.""
Darnell exhaled.
"Thank God.""
She pointed toward the small table.
The identification card lay inside a clear evidence sleeve.
Rebecca examined it.
The photograph showed a younger Samuel Harlan.
The identification number matched the old personnel records.
But something bothered her.
She turned the card over.
A small handwritten number had been scratched into the plastic.
118.
Travis recognized it immediately.
"The storage locker.""
Rebecca nodded.
"Someone is connecting these incidents deliberately.""
Darnell looked at the card.
"Maybe Harlan left it.""
"Or someone found it among his belongings," Rebecca replied.
Travis looked at Rex.
The old German Shepherd was resting on his blanket.
His eyes followed every movement.
"Rex," Travis whispered.
The dog lifted his head.
"Do you remember that man?""
Rex's ears moved.
Then he looked toward the hallway.
A moment later, someone knocked on the clinic's front door.
One of the troopers opened it.
A woman stood outside.
She was wearing a gray cardigan and holding a leather handbag.
"Agent Lawson?""
Rebecca approached.
"Yes.""
"My name is Helen Morris. I used to work county dispatch.""
Rebecca immediately recognized the name.
The retired clerk from the original search operation.
"Ms. Morris. You were going to contact us tomorrow.""
"I know.""
Helen looked toward the parking lot.
"I thought I had more time.""
Rebecca opened the door wider.
"Come inside.""
Helen entered and sat near the reception desk.
Her hands trembled.
"I saw the story about the dog on television. Then I saw your name mentioned in an online article.""
Rebecca sat across from her.
"What do you remember about the night Emily disappeared?""
Helen looked down.
"I remember Wade Mercer ordering the eastern sector closed.""
"At 2:31 a.m.?""
"Yes.""
"Was that unusual?""
"Very.""
"Why?""
Helen swallowed.
"Because the search coordinator had just reported hearing a child crying near the drainage ditch.""
Travis stood.
"What?""
Helen looked at him.
"Your sister was alive. Someone had heard her.""
Travis's voice cracked.
"Who heard her?""
"Deputy Harlan.""
Rebecca leaned forward.
"You're certain?""
"I heard him over the radio. He said he had located a possible survivor and needed medical assistance.""
"Then what happened?""
Helen closed her eyes.
"Wade interrupted the transmission.""
"What did he say?""
"That the area was unsafe. He ordered Harlan to withdraw.""
Travis stepped closer.
"Why would he do that?""
Helen shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Rebecca opened her notebook.
"Did Harlan obey?""
Helen looked toward the floor.
"Not immediately.""
"What happened next?""
"He said something I'll never forget.""
She raised her eyes.
"He said, 'Sheriff, I can see her.''"
The room went silent.
Travis gripped the back of a chair.
"Then?""
"Wade told him to stand down. A minute later, the radio went dead.""
Darnell slowly looked toward Rex.
"That means the dog wasn't the first one to find Emily.""
Helen nodded.
"That's what I believe.""
Rebecca's expression hardened.
"Why wasn't that in the official transcript?""
"Because the recording was edited.""
"By whom?""
Helen hesitated.
Then she reached into her handbag.
She removed a small cassette tape.
"I kept a copy.""
Rebecca stared.
"Where did you get this?""
"Before I retired, I found the original dispatch recording in an old backup cabinet. I copied it because I knew something wasn't right.""
"Why didn't you come forward?""
Helen looked at Travis.
"Because I was afraid.""
Travis softened.
"My sister could have died.""
Helen's eyes filled with tears.
"I know. And I've lived with that every day.""
Rebecca took the cassette carefully.
"We'll have this authenticated.""
Helen nodded.
Then she looked toward Rex.
"That dog saved more than your sister.""
Darnell frowned.
"What do you mean?""
Helen's voice dropped.
"Three years ago, when the search ended, Wade told everyone the dog had simply followed Emily's scent.""
She paused.
"But I heard something else on the radio.""
"What?""
Helen looked directly at Travis.
"Deputy Harlan said the dog had found a second trail.""
Travis felt cold.
"Where did it lead?""
Helen swallowed.
"To the old county evidence building.""
Rebecca immediately contacted the state police technical unit.
The cassette would be transferred to a secure laboratory.
Meanwhile, she requested an emergency preservation order for the county evidence facility.
But the response she received wasn't encouraging.
"The county says the building has been evacuated due to a structural problem," Michael Grant reported over the phone.
Rebecca frowned.
"What structural problem?""
"According to Mercer, a water pipe burst in the basement.""
"Today?""
"Yes.""
Rebecca looked at Travis.
"Convenient.""
Michael continued.
"There's another issue. County employees have been ordered to leave. The sheriff says the basement records are being moved to a temporary storage location.""
Rebecca stood.
"Nobody moves anything until we arrive.""
"I already told them.""
"And?""
A pause.
"They refused.""
Rebecca ended the call.
Darnell approached.
"You're going there?""
"Yes.""
"Then I'm coming.""
Rebecca shook her head.
"Mr. Brooks, Rex needs you here.""
Darnell looked toward his dog.
Then he turned back.
"Rex is the reason we're here. I'm not walking away now.""
Travis nodded.
"Neither am I.""
Rebecca studied both men.
"Fine. But you follow my instructions.""
She turned toward the door.
Then stopped.
"One more thing.""
"What?"" Travis asked.
"Nobody tells Wade we're coming.""
At the county evidence facility, Sheriff Wade Mercer stood in the basement surrounded by metal filing cabinets.
Two maintenance workers were removing boxes from the shelves.
A third man stood beside him.
Raymond Pierce's cousin, Calvin.
Wade checked his watch.
"How long?""
"Twenty minutes," Calvin replied.
"That's too long.""
"We're doing what we can.""
Wade grabbed a cardboard box.
"Then do it faster.""
Calvin lowered his voice.
"What about the old Harlan file?""
Wade stopped.
"What about it?""
"It wasn't in the cabinet.""
Wade's face tightened.
"Where was it?""
"I don't know.""
"You were supposed to find it.""
"I checked every drawer.""
Wade threw the box onto the floor.
"Then check again.""
Calvin looked toward the stairwell.
"What if Lawson gets here?""
Wade turned.
"She won't.""
"How do you know?""
"Because I have people watching her.""
He pulled out his phone.
A new message appeared.
They're on the way.
Wade stared at the screen.
Then he looked toward the basement ceiling.
"Get the last cabinet emptied.""
Calvin nodded.
But before he could move, a voice came from the stairwell.
"Nobody touches another file.""
Wade spun around.
Rebecca Lawson stood at the bottom of the stairs.
Behind her were four state troopers.
Travis and Darnell followed.
Wade slowly straightened his jacket.
"Agent Lawson. What a surprise.""
Rebecca held up a document.
"State evidence preservation order.""
Wade glanced at it.
Then he smiled.
"You're trespassing on county property.""
Rebecca stepped forward.
"Not with this order.""
Wade looked past her.
His eyes landed on Travis.
"You just don't know when to quit, do you, son?""
Travis looked at the filing cabinets.
"Neither do you.""
Wade's smile vanished.
Then, from behind the last cabinet, came a sound.
Three slow knocks.
Everyone froze.
Rebecca raised her hand.
"Who is back there?""
A weak voice answered.
"Please.""
Travis recognized it immediately.
"Samuel?""
The voice came again.
May you like
"Don't let him take me.""
And then someone inside the locked records room screamed.
