Free New Growth (Spook Hills Trilogy Book 2) by Jayne Menard

less her obnoxious husband and his
alcoholism.   She had the wisdom to ask for help from the best.   If anyone could save her daughter and bring
her back home, they could by working with the Bureau and with Lenny providing
protection.  

 
 
    That afternoon Callie hovered near the front door after
receiving a text from Uncle Rick on the time they should arrive.   Her home was about twenty miles away from the
airport up in Kensington, north of Berkeley where John Henry worked.   She stepped out when she saw a dark car stop
in front of her small tiled-roof house.  
    When the two men came up the walk, Callie ran into Rick’s
arms.   “Thank you, thank you, thank you
both for coming.   I’m so scared for
Susannah.”   Her voice came out in a
strained whisper.
    She reached a hand toward Mathew, her fingers trembling in
his and she felt him squeeze them as he attempted to pass some of his strength
to her.   Between having Susannah ripped
away and putting up with John Henry, her
nerves were stretched tinsel-thin .  
    John Henry appeared.   “What the hell is he doing here?”  
    Rick grabbed John Henry by his arm and walked him back into
the house.   “You want my money?   We do this my way.   No arguments.   Susannah’s life is in danger!”
    Mathew and Callie sat down at the kitchen table while Rick talked with John Henry in the
living room.   “Tell me what happened.”
    “It’s my fault.   I should never have . . .” Callie said, her eyes
watery with fear for her daughter.
    “Let’s stay focused,” Mathew said, his voice soft and
even.   “No blame.   Only tell me what happened.”
    She inhaled deeply, fighting to calm herself.   “John Henry left with Susannah around 8:15
this morning.   She got out of his Beemer
at the corner by the school.”
    “Not out front.”
    “Not directly.   Same
block.   Jams up around the school
entrance sometimes.”
    “Did he wait to ensure she walked into the school?” Mathew
asked.
    Callie shook her head in the negative and said in a voice so soft Mathew leaned over to hear
her.   “You don’t think he might be
involved, do you?   He would never hurt
Susannah.   Not like this.”
    “I need the details as you understand them,” Mathew
said.   “Did he drive right back
home?”  
    He lowered his voice, becoming gentler.   She shored herself up with his supportive presence, which was so welcome after having no
one to lean on since returning from Oregon.   Susannah had only been missing a few hours, but losing her was more than
she could bear.   She started shaking in
fear.  
    Mathew reached across to her, taking each of her hands in
his.   She could feel his strength and
calm flow into her, if not reducing her fears for her daughter, at least giving
her hope.
    “About John Henry this morning?” Mathew asked again.
      “He went to the
library at the college.   He started research on a new book.”
    “What happened next?”
    “I returned home about 9:30.   The school called around 10:00 to ask about Susannah.   Right when I went to dial John Henry, the
phone rang.   Oh . . . gracious.”
    Callie shuddered as she related what had transpired.   She gripped one hand with the other in an attempt to steady her emotions.   “A man said, ‘ If you want your daughter back alive, pull together five million bucks
in cash by tomorrow night .’ ”
    “Anything else?” Mathew asked, putting a hand lightly on her
arm
    “The line went dead.”
    “This on your landline or mobile?”
    She pointed at the wall phone .
    “Anyone suspicious hanging around, walking a dog, sitting in
a vehicle, here or at the school?”   Mathew paused then said.   “Think
back over the last few days.   Anyone ring the bell?   Any strange calls?”
    “Two women passing out religious pamphlets.”   Callie dug in a little stack of mail and
selected a small trifold with the title, ‘Good News from God!’
    “How long did they stay?”
    “Couple of