Free Trapped by Chris Jordan Page B

solid steel door so closely fitted that the seams are barely
    visible. A room with no way out, she thinks.
    Steel box. Trapped.
    16. Where The Sacred Waters Flow
    Most high school students have more limo creds than I do.
    Proms, mitzvahs, sweet-sixteeners, and parents who hire a
    livery service rather than risk precious little junior denting the
    Lexus. Here on Long Island a certain class of teens ride hired
    cars like we used to ride buses. They know chauffeurs like we
    used to know school custodians. Although its unlikely that any
    of the chauffeurs look like Randall Shane. Who insists that I
    ride in the back—seat belt mandatory. He driver, I passenger.
    “Personal quirk of mine,” he says. “Safety first.”
    Actually we’re still in my driveway, with the big Lincoln
    Town Car in Park and the emergency brake engaged. Can’t
    think of the last time I set an emergency brake, but with
    Shane, you guessed it, standard procedure.
    We’re idling there while he makes a few calls on his car
    phone. It’s not a cell or Bluetooth, but an old-fashioned heavy-
    duty car phone mounted in the console, equipped with a hard-
    wired receiver.Years ago, I recall, it was a very big deal to have
    a car phone. Now it’s an anachronism that nevertheless seems
    to fit the driver, who nods at me as he rings Detective Jay Berg
    with the news, letting Berg know that Kelly’s hard drive sat
    up and begged for mercy before giving a full confession.
    “Suspect’s name is Seth Earl Manning, age twenty-one.
    M-A-N-N-I-N-G. Correct, with a g. ” From the front seat
    Trapped
    75
    Shane gives me a tight smile. All part of including me in the
    loop, apparently.
    “Yes, sir, I have an address in Oyster Bay.” He nods to
    himself as the conversation continues, goes uh-huh for a while,
    then locks eyes again with me as he says, “So you’ll add him
    to the BOLO, and any vehicles registered in his name? Thank
    you, Detective Berg. Yes, she’s right here with me. Oh, and
    before I forget, there’s evidence that this could be an Internet
    crime. Correct, in my judgment it could fall under the 2252
    statute.Yes, sir. Excellent idea. I will, absolutely. I’m sure Mrs.
    Garner will be very grateful. Thanks again, sir.”
    He returns the receiver to the neat little cradle built into
    the dash. “Stroking the locals,” he says, rolling his eyes.
    “Unpleasant, but somebody has to do it.”
    I shake my head, not really sure what he’s talking about.
    “This means they’ll look for his car?”
    “Absolutely. Goes to the top of the list.”
    “What’s a 2252?” I want to know. “Is that like an AMBER
    Alert?”
    “Let’s roll,” Shane suggests. “I’ll fill you in on the way.”
    As drivers go he’s solid, cautious, and, by my standards,
    maddeningly slow. Hands on the wheel at ten and two, eyes
    on the road, checking the side and rear mirrors. On the other
    hand the ride is silky smooth and I do, in fact, feel almost
    absurdly safe. A meteor the size of Texas could strike, dev-
    astating all life, and we’d survive somehow, me and Randall
    Shane and his sturdy Lincoln Town Car. I feel—and this is
    pure craziness—that if I can get this man close enough to
    Kelly, she’ll be safe, too. Like the opposite of kryptonite, ra-
    diating strength and safety.
    Like I said, crazy. Hours of anxiety and worry have
    addled my brain.
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    Chris Jordan
    Once he’s on the thruway, Shane clears his throat and
    explains, “Statute 2252 is a federal law, Internet Crimes
    Against Children, ICAC for short. There’s an ICAC Task
    Force headquartered in Albany, under the state police, and
    Detective Berg indicated he would contact them.”
    “Crimes against children?” Just saying it makes my stom-
    ach clench. “He can be arrested for crimes against children?”
    “Probably not,” Shane concedes. “I made a point invoking
    the statute in hopes that he’d go on the watch list. ICAC has a
    nationwide reach, and that may be useful. But it