Both Kerri and Falco, even Diana, looked at Robby and simultaneously asked, “What?”

“I might have been desperate, but I wasn’t stupid. I always took pictures of every car I did bodywork on. I posted the befores and afters on the bulletin board to show customers. I took a photo of the damage to the front end and of the license plate. I wrote down the VIN, and”—he took another breath—“I kept that hunk of meat.”

Anticipation walloped Kerri. “Please,” she said, her voice quivering, “please tell me you’re serious.”

He nodded. “As a damn heart attack.”

“What did you do with it?” Falco asked, on his feet now.

“It’s in a box inside a plastic bag tucked into the freezer part of the fridge at my shop.”

Kerri could hardly breathe. “Falco, take Robby to his shop, and get that evidence to the lab. I’m calling the LT.”

Falco patted Robby on the back. “Let’s go, buddy. You may have just solved two cases.”

Robby’s gaze held Kerri’s for a moment. “Find my girl for me.” He shook his head. “If . . . whatever has happened—”

Kerri held up her hand to stop him. “It’s not. Go. Get the evidence.”

Diana hugged him, her face burrowed into his broad chest. “We’ll get him,” she murmured.

When the two were out the door, Kerri ushered Diana into the living room. She called Tori downstairs to sit with her while she went into the kitchen and called Brooks. She filled him in on all that she and Falco had just learned, though she opted to not identify her sources for now. His response was not the one she had wanted to hear. She and Falco were already on thin ice. The chief had ordered them to stay away from Thompson and York. They would talk about this tomorrow.

End of story.

As frustrated and furious as she was, she didn’t bother arguing. It was pointless. Sadie Cross’s comment reverberated through her. Thompson and York are part of the untouchables.

The notification of a new text chimed. Kerri checked it. Jen was still trying to get in touch with Theo. So far, he wasn’t taking her calls. She promised to keep trying until she made it happen.

Before she could answer, another text from Jen appeared.

I’m so sorry, Kerri. I never meant to hurt you.

Kerri smiled sadly and sent her a response. I know you didn’t. Keep trying. Let me know ASAP if you reach him.

She hit send and started to put her phone away but sent one more message first.

Be careful. Do not try this alone.

A thumbs-up was Jen’s response.

Kerri stood in the middle of her kitchen for a long moment. She thought of what Amelia had asked her just a few days ago.

Do you believe the top level of Birmingham PD can be trusted?

Kerri had been so sure the answer was yes.

Maybe not.

This was the first time in her career that she felt as if the chain of command had let her down.

When she wandered back into the living room, Tori was brushing her aunt’s hair and telling her how pretty she was. Kerri had never been so proud of her daughter. Please, please, please let Amelia be okay.

As soon as Falco and Robby returned, Robby gave Diana a kiss and went to pick up the boys from camp. He would come back for Diana and Tori. Kerri didn’t want her daughter alone. Particularly not since she had made it abundantly clear to Thompson and York that she intended to get them both.

Falco ushered Kerri into the kitchen, out of earshot of Tori and Diana. “The lab is crazy busy, but they’re going to put us at the front of the line.” He studied her face, then frowned. “What did the LT say?”

“Brooks says we have our orders.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

Kerri shook her head. “One or both of those two bastards got away with killing Janelle Stevens fifteen years ago. We’re this close”—she held her thumb and forefinger about an inch apart—“to connecting them to that one and the Abbott case. I’m not letting them get away with murder this time.”

With every fiber of her being, she hoped Amelia was not part of this. Kerri prayed she actually was with a totally unrelated friend. Safe and lying low.

“We should prepare for an all-nighter,” she said. “I don’t know if Ben Abbott’s parents are dead because they knew too much, or one or both couldn’t live with what they knew anymore. God only knows who killed Ben or the woman posing as Sela’s mother or Joey Keaton. But like we talked about before, it feels like cleanup. We need to keep an eye on Thompson and York until we can take them down.”

“The sooner, the better,” Falco agreed.

“I’ll take York,” Kerri offered. If he had anything to do with Amelia going into hiding, she intended to make him pay.

“I’ll stake out the Thompson place.” He gave her a warning look. “If anything goes down, I want to hear from you right then. No moving on your own.”

“Same goes, partner,” she shot back.

If York or Thompson made a move or had a visitor, she and Falco would be there, ready to pounce.

58

8:00 p.m.

T. R. Thompson Residence

Briarcliff Road, Mountain Brook

His cell phone buzzed. T. R. slipped into his robe, tied the belt, and enjoyed the soft feel as the fabric snugged against his well-toned body. He reached for the phone. How many reporters had mentioned during interviews that he and Theo could be brothers?

He grinned. Enough for him to know his hard work in the gym all these years still paid off. A frown tugged at his brow as he viewed the screen. He didn’t recognize the number. Rather than answer with his name as he generally would, he said, “Hello.”

“T. R., how have you been?”

Shock rumbled through him at the sound of her voice. “Why are you calling me?”

“Why wouldn’t I call you? You and I have been such good friends. Look at all that money I raised in your name for those poor children. The hospital is naming that wing after you because of me.”

“What do you want?”

“I need to see you.”

He laughed as he exited his bath and strolled across his bedroom. A nice nightcap was in order. That was another of his antiaging secrets. Early to bed and early to rise. Since he had no one to answer to other than himself and his constituents, he could damn well do as he pleased. That was the way he liked it.

“I’m afraid I’m quite busy these days. You’re aware I’m sure to be elected governor. I’m afraid I simply have no time. Besides, the way I hear it, you’re a fugitive. Frankly, I thought you were dead.”

He ended the call and dropped his phone into the pocket of his robe. How dare that gold-digging slut call him? His bare feet were silent on the long carpeted corridor that led to the landing. He should notify Lewis. Let him handle the . . .

The thought slipped from his head when his gaze landed on the woman standing at the bottom of the staircase.

“How did you get into my house?” His hand tightened on the railing. He should call the police. Lewis, he should call Lewis now.

“Don’t you remember?”

She walked to the bottom of the stairs, the bulge of her belly far too visible with her tight clothing. What the hell was she wearing? Black leggings and some tight-fitting black top that covered all of her save her face and neck. Even the shoes she wore were black, as were the damned gloves. What was she up to? She looked like a burglar. He almost laughed out loud. She’d certainly separated him from a few of his millions.

Well, if she was after more of his money, she could forget about it. He was onto what she was really after. Revenge.

“You gave me a key and the passcode to your gate back in January after the New Year’s party. You may have been a little tipsy. You urged me to come some Friday evening when your staff was off duty.”

Fury tightened his lips. Teasing bitch. “But you never came.” He walked down a step and then another. He had forgotten about giving her the key and the passcode until just this moment. “What do you want?” he demanded once more.

“Come down, and we’ll talk about it. I promise it will be worth your while. And then I’ll be on my way. You’ll never see me again.”

She was clearly unarmed. She certainly couldn’t be hiding anything in that getup. He descended another step. “What do we have to talk about?”

“All I want to know is who killed my sister. One name. That’s all.”

He laughed as he moved down another step. What a fool. Her trollop sister had gotten exactly what she’d deserved. Who did she think she was, trying to worm her way into places she did not belong? “You actually went to all this trouble for revenge? How sad for you.” He took another step down, feeling bolder. “I have no idea—”

His foot caught against something. He pitched forward.

Falling.

Fear hurtled through him.

His body slammed against unforgiving marble treads over and over until he fell flat on his back at the bottom of the staircase.

Pain seared through him. He cried out. Tried to move. More pain. He needed his phone. Tried to drag his arm down to his pocket.

“Looking for this?” She waved his phone in front of his face.

How had she taken it from him so quickly? Had it fallen from his pocket?