women
you’ve dated?” Wilson asked. “You’d said you weren’t seeing anyone and hadn’t
in a while. How long is a while? Maybe a jilted lover who knows how much your
daughter means to you.”
Lacey nodded. “That
would fit the profile.”
Darren’s cheeks
flamed. “I haven’t even dated anyone in the last six months.”
“A jilted lover
can hold a grudge for a long time. A lot longer than six
months. Trust me on this.” Lacey shrugged. “It’s a girl thing.”
“What’s her name?”
Wilson pulled out his notebook. “We’ll check her out. And anyone you’ve gone
out with over the past eighteen months.”
Darren’s
discomfort moved to a whole new level. “There’s only been one. She wouldn’t do
anything like this.”
“Did she break it
off with you?” Lacey asked in her quiet voice.
He shook his head.
Lacey smiled. “I
know this is all hard, especially when you’re a private person, but you know
why we have to ask. So, why did you break it off with her?”
Bolts of red heat
shot up the back of his neck. “Because I thought she wasn’t ready to get to a
more serious stage. I couldn’t risk Savannah getting too attached to her and
she not be able to commit.”
The smile slipped
off Lacey’s face. “Did you tell her that?”
“Not in so many
words, but basically. I don’t play games in dating, so I try to be honest.”
Darren’s stomach tightened into a knot. “But she would not do anything to
Savannah. She’s in law enforcement, too.”
Lacey shook her
head. “What you’ve just told me is pure motive, and focused on Savannah even.”
“I know she’s not
involved.”
Wilson cleared his
throat. “Her name, Agent Timmons.”
“We can at least
clear her,” Lacey offered.
“Eva. Eva
Langston.” Just saying her name to go on a suspect list burnt Darren’s tongue.
“She’s in law
enforcement?” Wilson asked.
“She’s Maddie
Baxter’s partner.”
Wilson nearly
dropped his pencil. “The TBI technician who collected all the
evidence onsite today? The woman who might be at
either the gas station or the drug store collecting evidence right now?”
Darren nodded, a
sinking feeling forming in the pit of his stomach. Eva would never do a thing
to hurt Savannah. Ever. He knew that. She might not be
ready to get serious enough to consider being a step-mother, but she cared
about Savannah.
“She could’ve
tampered with the evidence?” Lacey asked.
“She would never
do that!”
“But she could
have.” Wilson shot to his feet, mumbling under his breath about jeopardizing
the case as he stormed into the kitchen.
Darren looked at
Lacey, who wore an unreadable expression. “Eva Langston had nothing to do with
this and she would never, ever not do her job to the best of her abilities.
She’s one of the most professional people I’ve ever worked with.”
“You don’t have to
convince me, Agent Timmons.”
Darren stood and
paced. He should probably call Eva and give her a heads-up. No telling what
Wilson would do. Who he’d call or what kind of stink he’d make. Then again, if
Darren called her, Wilson would be sure he was tipping her off.
He ran his hands
through his hair as he paced. God, I don’t know what to do. I just want
Savannah back home safe and sound. And I don’t want to tarnish Eva’s reputation
at all.
Six
“Black dye,” the
drug store clerk told the FBI agent questioning her. “Two boxes of the wash out
kind.”
Eva eavesdropped
on the FBI interview as Ivan pulled prints off the counter. Lots
and lots of fingerprints. Finding one specific to the kidnapper would be
like looking for a needle in a haystack, but the hope was they would get a
match to a print pulled at one of the other confirmed locations.
“Are you sure?”
the agent asked.
The female clerk
looked down her nose at the agent. “Of course I’m sure. It was our store brand,
color 47—raven black, washes out in ten shampoos.” She crossed her arms over
her chest and
you’ve dated?” Wilson asked. “You’d said you weren’t seeing anyone and hadn’t
in a while. How long is a while? Maybe a jilted lover who knows how much your
daughter means to you.”
Lacey nodded. “That
would fit the profile.”
Darren’s cheeks
flamed. “I haven’t even dated anyone in the last six months.”
“A jilted lover
can hold a grudge for a long time. A lot longer than six
months. Trust me on this.” Lacey shrugged. “It’s a girl thing.”
“What’s her name?”
Wilson pulled out his notebook. “We’ll check her out. And anyone you’ve gone
out with over the past eighteen months.”
Darren’s
discomfort moved to a whole new level. “There’s only been one. She wouldn’t do
anything like this.”
“Did she break it
off with you?” Lacey asked in her quiet voice.
He shook his head.
Lacey smiled. “I
know this is all hard, especially when you’re a private person, but you know
why we have to ask. So, why did you break it off with her?”
Bolts of red heat
shot up the back of his neck. “Because I thought she wasn’t ready to get to a
more serious stage. I couldn’t risk Savannah getting too attached to her and
she not be able to commit.”
The smile slipped
off Lacey’s face. “Did you tell her that?”
“Not in so many
words, but basically. I don’t play games in dating, so I try to be honest.”
Darren’s stomach tightened into a knot. “But she would not do anything to
Savannah. She’s in law enforcement, too.”
Lacey shook her
head. “What you’ve just told me is pure motive, and focused on Savannah even.”
“I know she’s not
involved.”
Wilson cleared his
throat. “Her name, Agent Timmons.”
“We can at least
clear her,” Lacey offered.
“Eva. Eva
Langston.” Just saying her name to go on a suspect list burnt Darren’s tongue.
“She’s in law
enforcement?” Wilson asked.
“She’s Maddie
Baxter’s partner.”
Wilson nearly
dropped his pencil. “The TBI technician who collected all the
evidence onsite today? The woman who might be at
either the gas station or the drug store collecting evidence right now?”
Darren nodded, a
sinking feeling forming in the pit of his stomach. Eva would never do a thing
to hurt Savannah. Ever. He knew that. She might not be
ready to get serious enough to consider being a step-mother, but she cared
about Savannah.
“She could’ve
tampered with the evidence?” Lacey asked.
“She would never
do that!”
“But she could
have.” Wilson shot to his feet, mumbling under his breath about jeopardizing
the case as he stormed into the kitchen.
Darren looked at
Lacey, who wore an unreadable expression. “Eva Langston had nothing to do with
this and she would never, ever not do her job to the best of her abilities.
She’s one of the most professional people I’ve ever worked with.”
“You don’t have to
convince me, Agent Timmons.”
Darren stood and
paced. He should probably call Eva and give her a heads-up. No telling what
Wilson would do. Who he’d call or what kind of stink he’d make. Then again, if
Darren called her, Wilson would be sure he was tipping her off.
He ran his hands
through his hair as he paced. God, I don’t know what to do. I just want
Savannah back home safe and sound. And I don’t want to tarnish Eva’s reputation
at all.
Six
“Black dye,” the
drug store clerk told the FBI agent questioning her. “Two boxes of the wash out
kind.”
Eva eavesdropped
on the FBI interview as Ivan pulled prints off the counter. Lots
and lots of fingerprints. Finding one specific to the kidnapper would be
like looking for a needle in a haystack, but the hope was they would get a
match to a print pulled at one of the other confirmed locations.
“Are you sure?”
the agent asked.
The female clerk
looked down her nose at the agent. “Of course I’m sure. It was our store brand,
color 47—raven black, washes out in ten shampoos.” She crossed her arms over
her chest and
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