“We’d really like to find out about her,” Kerri said. “Do you think your husband could help us?”

“You have to understand that my husband has always been a very public figure. Simply being T. R.’s son ensured a sort of celebrity status. People are always taking their pictures with him. He probably won’t recall, but I can ask him.” She gestured to the photo. “May I take a picture to show him?”

“Of course.”

She picked up her cell and snapped a photo, then presented a smile to Kerri. “I believe I have your card. I’ll let you know what he says as soon as I’ve had a chance to speak with him.”

Kerri stood. “Thank you, Mrs. Thompson. We appreciate your cooperation.”

She rose, her face still frozen in that smile. “Always a pleasure, Detectives.”

When they turned to go, Falco paused. “We drove by the house on Whisper Lake Circle. Beautiful place. It’s a shame it’s being torn down. There’s a big old excavator sitting there, all ready to go.”

Before she could stop the reaction, surprise and confusion flashed across Suzanne Thompson’s face. “I think the work there has been put on hold. My husband and I still hope to purchase it from the Abbotts.”

“You mean,” Falco countered, “from Ben Abbott’s parents? Since he’s dead and his wife probably is too.”

Her cheeks stained a light pink. “Let’s hope that isn’t the case. But we do hope to reacquire the property from whoever is in possession of it when this is over.”

“Thank you again,” Kerri said.

She scarcely contained herself until they were outside and across the street. “Did you see her face when she looked at that photo?”

Falco rounded the hood and met her gaze across the top of the car. “I did. That was a hell of a move, Devlin.”

She opened the passenger door and slid into the seat. “I would love to be a fly on the wall and hear how Theo Thompson explains that photo.”

“She’s still determined to get that property back.” Falco eased out into the flow of traffic.

“Let’s drive by there again. There’s something about that place. Something that’s bigger than it being the house her mother loved.”

“We need to know more about it for sure,” he agreed.

“Maybe your contact at property records can do a little digging,” she suggested.

“I might have to take her to dinner to make that happen.”

“You free tonight?”

Falco glanced at her. “We having pizza again?”

Kerri laughed. “After we drive by Whisper Lake Circle, I’m going home. My daughter and I are making dinner to take over to Diana and Robby. They’re beside themselves with worry about Amelia.”

“Understandable. Can I help?”

“Yes.” Kerri turned to him. “You can take your contact to dinner and get the deets on Whisper Lake Circle.”

“You have my word, Devlin. I will find out everything she knows.”

“I’m counting on it.”

Kerri felt fairly certain the property wasn’t motive for murder, but it was part of the puzzle. She just needed to know where it fit.

Maybe if she figured out this puzzle, she would find Amelia.

Sela Abbott, too, hopefully.

46

9:00 p.m.

Thirty-Third Avenue West, Ensley

“Where the hell are we going?” Jen twisted around in the seat and peered through the darkness.

This was not the kind of neighborhood you wanted to be lost in after dark. They were supposed to stay at the hotel and have room service. He’d promised her a five-star experience tonight. Then that call had come, and now they were barreling toward west Birmingham.

“This will only take a few minutes,” Theo assured her. “The night is still young.”

But we’re not, she wanted to snap. Her biological clock and every other sort of clock she had were ticking louder with each passing day. She was tired of the games. Tired of the promises.

He slowed down considerably, as if they were approaching their destination. She scanned what she could see with the aid of the sparse moonlight. If this was his idea of keeping a low profile from now until the election was over, she was out. This was not happening. No way.

“Why couldn’t you drop me off at the hotel?” She could be soaking in a glorious whirlpool tub and drinking champagne.

“I’ve explained already. There was no time.”

This end of the street was totally dark. Not a single streetlight—at least not one that was working. He braked and turned right. The headlights flashed over a derelict house surrounded by massive trees that towered over the yard, giving the property a truly creepy feel. Another car sat next to the house. Jen couldn’t tell if the car was black or dark blue.

“I am not getting out of this car.” She shivered at the idea.

“No need.” He patted her bare thigh. “This won’t take long. Sit tight.”

He climbed out, and she exhaled an impatient sigh as she watched him walk up to the house, his form cutting through the headlights. Obviously the place was abandoned. Then again, maybe not. There was that other car parked next to the house. She wasn’t exactly an expert, but the car looked far too expensive to belong to anyone who lived here—unless that person was a drug dealer.

What the hell were they doing here?

Another man appeared from the side of the house where the car was parked. It wasn’t until he walked through the beam of the headlights to catch up with Theo at the porch steps that Jen recognized him.

Lewis York.

Apparently, this was business.

Jen dropped her head back against the seat. “Great.” She was starved. She hadn’t eaten tonight. She’d wanted to save her appetite for room service.

If York dragged this out, she was going to be pissed.

Theo abruptly raised his hands and held them out stop-sign fashion. York, his face twisted in anger, pointed toward the house and said something to Theo. Were the two arguing? Just enough light reflected off the house for her to make out their faces. Holding her breath and hoping they wouldn’t hear, she powered down her window and listened.

“I am always the one,” York growled, “who has to clean up the messes. Your first mistake was on me, but this”—he pointed to the house again—“you are going to take care of this one. This one is on you.”

“You know I can’t do that,” Theo argued.

“You will do it.” York shook his finger in Theo’s face. “Or you can kiss this election and everything else that matters to you goodbye.”

Jen reminded herself to breathe while the two continued to stare at each other as if they might come to blows.

“This,” Theo warned, his voice a nasty growl, “is what you do. What we pay you to do! Now do it!” He turned away and strode back to the car. York stared after him.

Jen powered her window up and prayed Theo wouldn’t hear.

He climbed into the car and backed out of the drive. The headlights flashed over a beat-up mailbox. The reflective numbers, 1528, seared into Jen’s brain. Whatever had happened back there, it was something she wasn’t supposed to have seen.

She wished she could unsee it . . . unhear those words.

“Now,” Theo said, his voice a little hoarse from all the shouting, “let’s get back to our evening.”

He glanced toward her, and she forced herself to smile. “It’s about time.”

He reached into her lap and took her hand into his. “We have until midnight.”

And then he would run back to his wife.

Suddenly the idea of a long hot bath and champagne held no appeal. She almost asked him to take her home. But he might think it had something to do with what happened back at that house.

Deep inside she understood that calling attention to what she’d seen and heard would be a mistake.

47

9:30 p.m.

Thirty-Third Avenue West, Ensley

Mad as hell, Lewis roved his flashlight over the form huddled in the corner.

The dirty work was always left to him. He—and his father before him—had made a fortune cleaning up behind the city’s elite. The work afforded Lewis the pleasure of being one of them.

But it also infuriated him at the same time. His lips tightened with that anger now.

It wasn’t enough that he’d graduated alongside Theo, had taken far higher honors. No, it wasn’t enough at all. His family was not as wealthy as the Thompsons or the Abbotts, but they were far more than comfortable.

Because of this.

Tidying up the shit the bastards left in their wake.

He crouched to a squat and peered at the current mess. Despite being bound and gagged, she was quite beautiful. Infinitely smart as well. More than a little resourceful.

Unfortunately, the latter had been her undoing.

“You took something from me.”

She shook her head, sobbed, the sounds muffled by the tightly secured gag. Terror and tears glistened like diamonds in her eyes.

She was so very afraid. As she well should be. She had made a fatal mistake.

“If you tell me exactly what you did after you took it, I’ll make this easier on you. Death doesn’t have to be painful.”

A pitiful stifled wail issued from her parched lips.