found.
Don was still a little dazed. Once he got his bearings he quickly
added, “We could use a break in this case,” he said and then, as if remembering
something, he looked at Fred. ”What did our guy at the Hilton have to say for
himself?”
Don quickly stooped down as a pain shot through his head. Once he
recovered he stood up and tried desperately to focus on what Fred was about to
say.
Fred just shrugged. “It was a wasted trip. He never heard back from
Ms. Van Buren.”
“What’s his connection with her.”
“Claims he’s an old college friend.”
“Maybe his wife thinks differently,” Don added, still somewhat in a
daze.
Don was feeling a little cynical about Raven at the moment. He feared
he at first had this ideal picture of her as being the sweet, innocent person
caught up in things beyond her control. But, after listening to the phone
messages, he feared Raven wasn’t so innocent after all. She clearly was messing
with the wrong guy. Don was curious about the female’s voice on the threatening
messages that were left. He wondered now if it was possibly Senator Maxfield’s
wife. And his disappearance a week ago might just be like the senator a few
years back hiking on the Appalachian Trail, when in fact he was bedding down
with his mistress in some foreign country. Don couldn’t be sure until he talked
to the senator’s wife and heard her speak. But if it wasn’t her, then who else
possibly could it be?
Don came to the realization that Raven could have been sleeping
around. As much as he didn’t want to believe it, the reality of the situation
was hitting home. It would explain a lot of what was happening around her and
the torching of her car. The vandalism of her house might just be connected
with all of this.
Fred watched Don for the longest time before answering. “Not married,”
was all he said.
“Girlfriend?” Don asked, looking at Fred for a clue as to the game he
was playing.
Fred laughed. “He’s a priest,” he said and then took in Don’s reaction
before continuing. “Seemed pretty shook up about the news. He was going to head
over to the VanBuren’s house to see if he could be of assistance to them.”
“So we’re back at square one,” Don said.
The car pulling up out front caused both to turn and look at one
another. Fred glanced at his watch.
“Might be our guys, finally.
Don was about to descend the stairs but almost lost his balance.
Luckily Fred was nearby, and he quickly grabbed hold of Don to steady him. Don
shook the sensation while rubbing his head.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Do I look okay?” Don said as he leaned up against the side of the
stairs.
“Maybe you should have that checked.” Fred pointed to the cut on the
back of Don’s head.
“No time,” Don snapped.
Don walked into the bathroom. What he needed to do was splash some
cold water on his face to snap himself out of the hazy feeling he had.
Fred in the meantime quickly walked down the stairs to the front door
to let the team into Raven’s house. As he glanced outside, neighbors were taking
notice of the commotion at the house.
Once Don felt halfway alive again, he slowly descended the stairs.
Fred was busy talking to the forensics team dusting the place for prints, while
others checked for clues. Don walked into the living room and stood in front of
the portrait and just stared at it for the longest time. For some unknown
reason he couldn’t take his eyes off of Raven VanBuren. It was like she was
trying to tell him something. He had never felt this way about a victim, always
trying to keep his distance and have an open mind about the investigation. No
matter how she lived her life, she did not deserve to have it end the way it
did.
Fred walked up behind him. He poked Don to get his attention. Don
slowly turned. His head still hurt, and he was starting a migraine that began
at the base of his neck and fanned out to encompass his temples. He felt like
his head was
Don was still a little dazed. Once he got his bearings he quickly
added, “We could use a break in this case,” he said and then, as if remembering
something, he looked at Fred. ”What did our guy at the Hilton have to say for
himself?”
Don quickly stooped down as a pain shot through his head. Once he
recovered he stood up and tried desperately to focus on what Fred was about to
say.
Fred just shrugged. “It was a wasted trip. He never heard back from
Ms. Van Buren.”
“What’s his connection with her.”
“Claims he’s an old college friend.”
“Maybe his wife thinks differently,” Don added, still somewhat in a
daze.
Don was feeling a little cynical about Raven at the moment. He feared
he at first had this ideal picture of her as being the sweet, innocent person
caught up in things beyond her control. But, after listening to the phone
messages, he feared Raven wasn’t so innocent after all. She clearly was messing
with the wrong guy. Don was curious about the female’s voice on the threatening
messages that were left. He wondered now if it was possibly Senator Maxfield’s
wife. And his disappearance a week ago might just be like the senator a few
years back hiking on the Appalachian Trail, when in fact he was bedding down
with his mistress in some foreign country. Don couldn’t be sure until he talked
to the senator’s wife and heard her speak. But if it wasn’t her, then who else
possibly could it be?
Don came to the realization that Raven could have been sleeping
around. As much as he didn’t want to believe it, the reality of the situation
was hitting home. It would explain a lot of what was happening around her and
the torching of her car. The vandalism of her house might just be connected
with all of this.
Fred watched Don for the longest time before answering. “Not married,”
was all he said.
“Girlfriend?” Don asked, looking at Fred for a clue as to the game he
was playing.
Fred laughed. “He’s a priest,” he said and then took in Don’s reaction
before continuing. “Seemed pretty shook up about the news. He was going to head
over to the VanBuren’s house to see if he could be of assistance to them.”
“So we’re back at square one,” Don said.
The car pulling up out front caused both to turn and look at one
another. Fred glanced at his watch.
“Might be our guys, finally.
Don was about to descend the stairs but almost lost his balance.
Luckily Fred was nearby, and he quickly grabbed hold of Don to steady him. Don
shook the sensation while rubbing his head.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Do I look okay?” Don said as he leaned up against the side of the
stairs.
“Maybe you should have that checked.” Fred pointed to the cut on the
back of Don’s head.
“No time,” Don snapped.
Don walked into the bathroom. What he needed to do was splash some
cold water on his face to snap himself out of the hazy feeling he had.
Fred in the meantime quickly walked down the stairs to the front door
to let the team into Raven’s house. As he glanced outside, neighbors were taking
notice of the commotion at the house.
Once Don felt halfway alive again, he slowly descended the stairs.
Fred was busy talking to the forensics team dusting the place for prints, while
others checked for clues. Don walked into the living room and stood in front of
the portrait and just stared at it for the longest time. For some unknown
reason he couldn’t take his eyes off of Raven VanBuren. It was like she was
trying to tell him something. He had never felt this way about a victim, always
trying to keep his distance and have an open mind about the investigation. No
matter how she lived her life, she did not deserve to have it end the way it
did.
Fred walked up behind him. He poked Don to get his attention. Don
slowly turned. His head still hurt, and he was starting a migraine that began
at the base of his neck and fanned out to encompass his temples. He felt like
his head was
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